m 
VIEWS. OF LOUISIANA. 
were there ready to. join them. The fort was invested by sea and 
land, and in a short time compelled to surrender at discretion. 
In the year 1721, peace was concluded between the two pow«* 
ers; one of the articles of the treaty was the restoration of Pen- 
sacola; about the same time the council, general ordered the es¬ 
tablishments of the Beloxi to be removed to New Orleans. At 
this period violent dissentions prevailed in the colony ; a great 
proportion of the colonists were persons of the most worthless 
and despicable class; these dissentions were in some measure 
fomented by the English of Carolina, who, were at the same time 
In the habit of exciting the Indian nations. Fortunately for the 
Trench the Choctaws then the most powerful nation were gene¬ 
rally faithful to them; these people more than once saved the in¬ 
fant colony of Louisiana from total destruction. This was parti¬ 
cularly shewn in the wars with the Natchez. In the year 172$ 
in consequence of a plot formed with great art and finesse, for 
the general massacre of the whites, the colony narrowly escaped 
destruction ; the settlements at Natchez and at the Yazoo, were 
entirely destroyed. 515 The discovery was made by the mother of 
the principal Sun, or chief, who delayed; and in a great measure 
frustrated its execution. Tho mode agreed on by the nations in 
the plot, and who were at a distance from each other, in different 
parts of the colony, in order to, secure concert in striking the blow 
on the same day, was a bundle of rods of the same number, de¬ 
posited with each. A rod was to be taken from the bundle each 
day, and when there should remain but one, on that day the mas¬ 
sacre was to take place. The woman just mentioned, drew out 
Several rods, and in this manner hastened the attack by the 
Natchez; a few who escaped gave the intelligence and saved the 
rest of the colony. The Indians rose, but it was too late, the co¬ 
lonists were on their guard, and the Choctaws, came forward with 
alacrity in their defence. The settlements on the Mobile owed 
their preservation entirely to these people. 
M. Perier, who succeeded Bienville as governor, prepared 
to take vengeance; he marched to the Natchez, with seven hun¬ 
dred Choctaws, joined to his own forces,. He defeated one of their 
* See a minute account of this affair in Bu Pratz. 
