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captain of the garrifon of fort St. Jofeph, called 

 Dioniz, where at our arrival he told us ftrange news. 



He allured us that all Louifiana was evacuated 

 by the French ; that a large vetTel of that nation 

 had appeared at the Ifland aux VaiiTeau, and had 

 taken on board the governour, directors, and all 

 the officers ; that after their departure, the Indians 

 had mafTacred all the reft of the inhabitants and 

 foldiers, except a fmall number who had e leaped 

 on board of two coafters that being in want of 

 provifions, they had gone to the bay or St. Jofeph; 

 that thofe who came firft had been well received, 

 but that the others were not fuffered to land, for 

 fear left fo many French in one body, might be 

 tempted to make themfelves mailers of that poll, 

 which we had formerly occupied. 



This whole account carried fo little probability 

 in it, that I could not poffibly believe it, but 

 was fo well circumftanced, and told by people who 

 had fo little intereft in deceiving us, and who be- 

 ing at only feven leagues diftance from St. Jofeph, 

 might have daily intelligence from thence, that it 

 feemed hard to get over allowing it had fome foun- 

 dation. Moil of our people were in great confter- 

 nation at it; and I even felt that thefe general pa- 

 nicks touch the heart in fpite of all our endeavours 

 and underftanding, and that it is impoffible not to 

 feel fome fearamidft a number of perfons who are 

 feized with that paflion, or to help lamenting with 

 thofe who fhed tears. I could by no means credit 

 what they told me, but for all that, I had very 

 little confidence that it was not lb. 



However, our crew, in fpite of their defpair, 

 finding plenty of provifions, and the dorneftic fer- 



Z 4 vants 



