Page:History of Southeast Missouri 1912 Volume 1.djvu/151

 HISTORY OF SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 91 for the c-reatiou of this new colony. Busy- ing himself at the same time with his own in- terests as of those of the inhabitants ; with his own amusements as well as theirs, but al- ways after having attended first to his busi- ness; and by a singular address, if he some- times plucked the fowl, he not only did it without making it squall, but set it dancing and laughing. JI. Foreher remained but a very short time at this post, and did a great deal. In eighteen months he divided out the country, regulated the land necessary for the village and that of the inhabitants. He built an imposing fort, promulgated the laws of the King and made them respected. He was the father and friend of all, lamented, regretted and demanded again, from the Governor Gen- eral down, by the unanimous voice of all the inhabitants. In all his laboi-s was Mr. Foreher assisted by anyone .' Had he overseers at the head of the works he presented ? Not at all ; he alone directed everything; he laid out the work, penetrated the cypress swamps to select the useful trees; he walked with the comx^ass in hand to align the streets and limit of lots; he demonstrated by his example to the perplexed workmen h.ow much men with but little main strength, but with intelligence and dexterity, can multiply the extent of the same, and sur- mount obstacles. His administration was too brief to ascertain the good he might have done, had it continued the ordinary period. What ic certain is that, during the eighteen months that he was in command, there came to New Madrid the largest portion of families that are still there, and it was he that at- tracted them there. M. Portell, siiccessor to M. Foreher, com- manded this post during five years; the popu- lation did not increase under his administra- tion, and the growth of agricultural labors was but slightly pei-ceptible. M. Portell did not value the inhabitants sufficiently to do them a substantial favor, nor did he use the proper means to improve the condition of the colony. He was not a man of the people, and when by chance his interest required him to assume the charac- ter, he was extremely awkward in it; they perceived that he could not play his. part, and that a residence in coui't would have infinitely better suited him than one in a new settlement mostly ill composed. M. Por- tell had a good heart, he was by nature noble and generous, but his mind was somewhat mistrustful and suspicious, and his age placed him in a position to be influenced by his surroundings. I am convinced that if M. Portell had come alone to this colony, he would have exhibited much less weakness and that his time would have been much more to him for the public good than it had been. The little progress made by the colony must not. however, be attributed to the ap- parent indifference which seemed to form the base of M. Portell 's character; physical and moral courses retarded its advancement. At the period when M. Portell assumed command he found the inhabitants of this post made up of traders, hunters and boat- men. Trade was still pretty fair for the first two years of his residence here, so that nearly everyone, high or low, would meddle with the trade and not a soul cultivated the soil. It was so convenient, with a little powder and lead, some cloth and a few blankets, which they obtained on credit at the stores. to procure themselves the meat, grease and suet neces.sary for their sustenance, and pay off a part of their indebtedness with some pel- tries. Some of them, but a verv few, seeded.