Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 26.djvu/104

86 The chief answered me at once: My father, be not vexed with us; parties have been raised against our will. It is the Canard (Duck, Indian name of M. LaPlante) who wished it, to tell the truth, speaking with fine presents from our father, which thou seest here with us. We did not wish to listen, expecting thy return; we are not children to have two words; thou hast been long with us; thou shouldst know us; we have always been attached to our father; we shall always be so. I encouraged them in these good dispositions, to listen after this only to chiefs entrusted with your orders, to hunt well in order to supply the wants of their families, that the French would bring your bounty to them upon their own land. I bade them adieu, wishing to take advantage of the good weather for the rest of the day.

I arrived on the 5th at Gamanestigouya. I had your orders published and left a copy with the French who keep the fort, concerning that post and that of Tekamamihouenne, to be handed to M. de la Marque, who was to arrive there at an early day. I left on the morning of the 6th, and went to the Lake Tekamamihouenne. On the 22nd of the present month I found a war chief, Monsony, with a small band, who was expecting me near the little strait on the lake. They begged me to camp early to give them the news. I did so and made them a present in your name, read to them the replies which you had had the goodness to make to their speeches to keep quiet for the present, to take good care of their lands, so that the French, who came from so long a distance to supply their wants, should always find the road open. The chief answered me: I thank thee, my father, for having had pity on us. I will carry the news to all our people, who are gone for wild rice; I will make them joyful at thy return and in relating to them the will of our father, with the words thou hast brought and the