Page:History of Southeast Missouri 1912 Volume 1.djvu/160

 100 HISTORY OP SOUTHEAST MISSOURI quainted with a good many of the French set- tlers and Indian traders, Rupert Debois, Francois Langois, the Lazells, Bamon — In- dian interpreter for Gen. Harrison — and a number of names not recollected. Not a white inhabitant except Indian traders, from the time we left Port Wayne till we arrived at Vineennes, and from there to the mouth of the Wabash — with the exception of Cofifee island, some French families lived there of the name of Leviletts. We arrived at New Madrid in October and found the place set- tled principally by the French, and the town or village beautifully laid off in lots of two and four arpens, each, well improved and the streets wide and running parallel with the river. The banks of the river then as now were encroaching upon the town. The first town laid off by the Spanish had all fallen in. and at the present writing we are living in the third town carefully laid off' back of the second, which has also gone. When the en- croachments of the river will stop is hard to conjecture. After a residence of 50 years in the place I find little or no change in the caving of the river banks. I have moved my possessions back three times and my first residence is now in Kentucky. When I ar- rived in New Madrid I took possession of my uncle's trading establishment and commenced trading with the Indians, French, and Ameri- cans, the place being a considerable trading point principally with the Indians. I con- tinued buying peltries and furs during the winter until March. I then baled all my peltries and furs and shipped them in two pi- rogues containing 24 packs each. I started them in charge of some Frenchmen up the Ohio river, then up the Wabash, some 350 miles from its mouth to Little river, then up that river to its source, where we hauled again our pirogues and furs across to Ft. Wayne on the Maumee or the lake, and from there we proceeded to Detroit where everything was delivered up to my uncle. I followed my shipment by land by myself some three weeks after they started. I went by the way of Kaskaskia, 111. After leaving that village, settled by French not a sign of a white in- habitant did I see until I got to Fort Vin- eennes out three nights. I expected at Vin- eennes to have found several traders ready to leave by land for Detroit. They, like myself, generally followed their shipments of skins by land. They had left some five days be- fore I got there and I was obliged to continue the journey by myself. When I left Vineennes I took tlie Terre Haute roiite. At that place I found an In- dian village and two French traders. I spent the night with them and the next morning proceeded on my journey. I crossed a stream not far from Terre Haute, called Vermillion and the next place I came to was an Indian village where I found a Frenchman, a trader by the name of Langlois. The next place of note was the Missionary town where I found ray old friend Godfrey, spoken of on my trip out from there. My next point was Fort Wayne. I had then been out six nights from Vineennes and four of these nights I lay out by myself and from Fort Waj^ne to the foot of the rapids, two nights. This was a hazard- ous undertaking for a youth of only aboiit 16 years. From the foot of the rapids to De- troit, the country was more or less settled by the French. I remained at Detroit some two weeks and started back by land the same route I went out. I made three trips by wa- ter and three by land and worked and steered my own pirogues and continued in the trade until the war broke out between this country and Great Britain in 1812. The war stopped all communication between this