. EARLY NOTICES OF THE MISSOURI RIVER AND INDIANS. 289 



It appears to have usurped this denomination over the Missouri. Before its junc- 

 tion with this river the Mississippi is not considerable, it has very Httle current 

 while on the contrary the Missouri is larger, deeper, more rapid, and takes its 

 source from a greater distance. Several large rivers flow into the Mississippi, 

 but it seems the Missouri alone furnishes more water than all the others together; 

 here is the proof, the water of the greater part, I might say of all the rivers that 

 the Mississippi receives, is but moderately good, that of some positively unwhole- 

 some, that of the Mississippi even before its alliance with the Missouri, is not of 

 the best. On the contrary, the water of the Missouri is the best water in the 

 world. Now, that of the Mississippi after its junction with the Missouri, to the 

 sea, becomes excellent. Therefore, the water of the Missouri must be dominant." 

 How any one acquainted with the waters of the two rivers could write in 

 this manner, I cannot understand, and I, therefore, conclude that the father de- 

 rived his information from others as to the excellency of the water of the Mis- 

 souri. 



At another place Father Vivier says : " Among the nations of the Missouri 

 some appear to have a disposition particularly inclined to receive the gospel, among 

 them the Panismahas. One of the missionaries of whom I have spoken wrote 

 one day to a Frenchman who traded with these savages, and he begged him in 

 his letter to baptize the dying children. The chief of the village perceiving this 

 letter said to the Frenchman 'what is the news?' ' Nothing,' he responded. 

 * What ! ' said the savage, ' because we are red men can we not know the news ? ' 

 ' It is the Black Gown,'* answered the Frenchman, ' who writes to me, and rec- 

 ommends that I baptize the dying children to send them to the .Great Spirit.' 

 The chief perfectly satisfied said to him : ' Do not be uneasy, I will take upon 

 myself the task of informing you always, when any child shall be in danger.' " 



On the 3rd day of November, 1762, the King of France ceded to Spain all 

 the country known as Louisiana. In February, 1763, a treaty of peace was 

 signed at Paris between the Kings of Spain and France on one side and the King 

 of Great Britain on the other, by which all of the province of Louisiana east o f 

 the Mississippi, except New Orleans, was ceded to the latter power. After the 

 promulgation of this treaty the French authorities were loyally willing to sur- 

 render the country to the English, but the Indians showed a disposition to resist 

 them. 



The Illinois, Missouri and Osage tribes, in a council held at Fort Chartres, 

 in October, 1765, breathed nothing but war. The chief of the Kaskaskias ad- 

 dressed the English agent, who had come to receive possession of the fort, as 

 follows : 



"Go hence and tell your chief that the Illinois and our brethern will make 

 war upon you if you come upon our lands. Away, away, and tell your chief 

 that these lands are ours, no one can claim them, not even the other red men. 

 Why will you come here, you do not know us, we have never seen you. Tell 



* The Jesuit Missionaries were called Black Gowns, by nearly all the western tribes. 



