Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 26.djvu/112

 Marque's and ten of mine. I warned them to keep themselves in readiness for the 18th, gave them a pound of powder and twenty balls each, shoes, an axe, a kettle to be used on the journey; gave to each man, French and Indian, a bag of powder, sixty balls, two fathoms of tobacco; some small wares, more for present necessities than anything else, as awls, gun-flints, gun-screws and steels. I had put into a leather bag what I wanted for present use, that a wife of our guide carried for me, and all that was of use for myself, my servant and my slave carried. That settled, I had Sanschagrin received as commander in my absence, as a man of wise and prudent mind, who fills the office of sergeant. Taking my two children with me, I left him two soldiers and ten hired men as a guard for the fort, and then give him orders and instructions in writing of all he was to do during my absence.

On the 18th, all being in good order in the fort, I made all our people set out, with orders to encamp not far off, and afterwards to leave with Mr. da la Marque about noon, encouraging the Indians whom I left at the fort to hunt cattle, the beaver not being yet good, to furnish provisions to the French whom I left. Our small band consisted of 52 persons, twenty hired men, all good men, Mr. de la Marque, his brother, my two children, my servant and a slave, the rest Indians. The third day after leaving, a village of forty Assiniboine huts joined us, with the intention of speaking to me. The chief asked me to grant him the favor of remaining for the day, to have the pleasure of seeing us and of showing their hospitality. I agreed, on the solicitation of our guide. I made him a small present of powder, and made the same statement to him as I had done to all the others. He testified