Page:History of Southeast Missouri 1912 Volume 1.djvu/94

 34 HISTORY OF SOUTHEAST MISSOURI largely by hunting, but they hunted only to supply the immediate needs for food, and so vast was the animal life of the country that its natural increase more than compensated for all the Indians killed for food and skins. But when the Indians found it possible to trade furs to the whites for those things which they desired, they became the agents for the destruction of the game of the coun- try. It was relentlessly pursued and vast quantities of furs were every year bartered away to the traders. The fur trade was ex- ceedingly profitable to the white men engaged in it, for it was possible to buy with a hatchet, a string of beads, some calico, or other inexpensive articles, valuable furs. To secure this trade and hold it became a prize, contended for, not alone by individuals and companies, but by nations themselves. A part of the colonial policy of France, of Eng- land, and of Spain was directed by a desire fo secure or hold the trade in furs. In order to accomplish these objects set- tlements were made, expeditions and wars carried on. Some of the early settlements in the state were made as trading points. This is true of Cape Girardeau. Here Louis Lori- mier early established himself to carry on trade with the Indians. New Madrid was originally a trading post of the La Sieurs. It is clear that much of the early history of this part of the state was determined and given course by the presence of the Indians. It is the purpose of this chapter to give an account of the various tribes that lived here, their character, habits, manner of life, rela- tion to the settlers, and the final disposition made of them. When DeSoto came to Southeast Missouri he found living within its borders at least three tribes of Indians. Those whose princi- pal place of dwelling was in the neighbor- hood of New Madrid he called Casquins. These we believe to have been identical with the Kaskaskias later found on the other side of the river in what is now the state of Illi- nois. If this is correct the Casquins were a part of the great Algonquin group of Indians who were formerly to be found scattered over a considerable part of the eastern portion of the United States. Their removal from New ]Iadrid county to Illinois is not a matter of surprise, for such removals were not at all uncommon among the Indians. In fact it was a custom with most of them to change their place from time to time. This was due, in part, to their roving disposition and con- stant love of change; in part, to the neces- sity of finding new hunting grounds where proper supplies of food might be had ; and, in part, to the constant and bitter warfare ^^aged between Indians of different tribes. It was probably some such war which caused the Casquins to abandon their seat in Southeast Missouri and migrate to the other side of the great river. In fact we know that between them as Algonquins and the Siouan family (represented by the Osages, the Kan- sas, the Missouris and others) there was bit- ter hatred and constant warfare. It was the interference of DeSoto in the quarrel of the Casquins that bought him into contact with the Capahas. These Capahas were doubtless living in the neighborhood of Cape Girardeau. They be- longed, it seems, to the great Siouan family. It was a tradition among the Siouan Indians Avest of the river that their original seat was in the valley of the Ohio ; that owing to trouble with other Indians they migrated down the Ohio to its mouth. Here they divided part of them turning to the south and others to the north. Those who