Glenn

THE OHIO VALLEY-GREAT LAKES ETHNOHISTORY ARCHIVES: THE MIAMI COLLECTION
It is noted that the following work from the Miami Archives should be read and considered within the historical context in which it was composed and printed. The opinions expressed and the language used do not reflect the opinions or standards of the Glenn A. Black Laboratory of Archaeology, but are, rather, indicative of thought in that historical moment during which the document was published.

 

Enclosure in Letter to Frontenac, November 9, 1680


La Salle, Robert, Sieur de In: Margry, Pierre: Découvertes et
Etablissements des Francais, vol. 2, French Series, vol. 1,
The French Foundations, Illinois State Historical
Library, Springfield, pp. 1-16.

 

(In French): pp.

 

1F,

2F,

3F,

4F,

5F,

 

 

 

6F,

7F,

8F,

9F,

10F.

 

 

(Eng. transl.): pp.

 

1E,

2E,

3E,

4E,

5E,

 

 

 

6E,

7E,

8E,

9E,

10E.

 

(page 1F)

CHAPTER I

LA SALLE IN THE ILLINOIS COUNTRY, 1680

[A. N., C., C22?C3:23-26-D. N. S.; printed in Pierre Margry, Découvertes et
Établissements des Français, 2:93-102](see fn. 1)

[Joint a la lettre de M. de frontenac du 9. 9bre 1680.]

La Riviere de Niagara est navigable pendant dix lieües, depuis le saut jusqu'à l'entrée du Lac Erie, Etant impossible d'y monter une barque a moins d'avoir assez de monde pour etre a la voille, tirer au Cou, et toüer en meme temps et encore avec des circonspections si grandes que l'on ne peut esperer de reussir toujours. L'entreé du lac Erie est si traversée de batures que pour ne pas risquer tous les voiages un batiment, il faut le laisser dans une Riviere qui est six lieues avant dans le Lac ny aiant plus pres du bout ny havre ny moüillage. Il y a dans le Lac Erie trois grandes (page 2F) pointes dont deux avancees plus de dix lieües au large, Ce sont batures de sable ou l'on aborde ayant que de les voir si l'on ne prend de grandes precautions.

Il y a changement de vent pour entrer dans le detroit du Lac Erie au Lac Huron ou il y a plus d'eau et grand courant. Grande difficulté au detroit de Missilimakinac pour entrer du Lac Huron en celuy des Ilinois,(see fn. 2) le courant y est d'ordre contre le vent, et le Canal etroit a cause des batures qui portent au large des deux costez; Point ou tres peu de moüillage dans le Lac Huron, point de havres non plus que dans le lac des Ilinois du costé du Nord, de L ouest et du sud, quantité d'Isles dans l'un et dans l'autre, dangereuses dans celuy des Ilinois a cause des batures de sables qui sont au large Ce Lac est peu profond et sujet a de terribles coups de vent sans abry et les batures approchent l'approche des Isles, mais il se peut faire qu'avec une navigation plus frequentes les difficultez seront moindres et les ports et havres (page 3F) plus connus comme il est arrivé du Lac frontenac(see fn. 3) dont la navigation est presentement et secure et facile.

Le Bassin ou l'on entre pour aller du Lac des Ilinois a la Riviere divine(see fn. 4) n'est nullement propre pour la communicaõn, ny aiant point de Rades vents, n'y d'entrée pour un batiment ny meme pour un Canot, a moins d'un grand Calme. Les Prairies par ou l'on pretendoit la communicaõn etant noyées toutes les fois qu'il pleut par les avalasses des coteaux voisins. Il est tres difficile d'y faire et entretenir un Canal qu'il ne se remplisse tout aussi tost de sable et de gravier et l'on ne peut fouiller dans la terre que l'on ne trouve l'eau, et il y a des esteaux de sable entre le Lac et les prairies. Et quand ce Canal seroit possible avec bien de la depense il seroit inutile parce que la Riviere divine est inavigable pendant 40. lieues depuis là jusqu'au grand Village des Ilinois. Les Canots n y peuvent passer durant l'Esté et meme il y a un grand rapide en deça de ce village.

(page 4F) On n'y a point veu encore de mines quoique l'on trouve des morceaux de Cuivre en plusieurs endroits quand les eaux sont basses. Il y a d'excellent Chamure et du Charbon de terre. Les sauvages disent avoir vendu du metal jaune du village mais ils le depeignent trop pur, pour etre de Mine d'or.

Les beufs y deviennent plus rares depuis que les Ilinois ont la guerre avec leurs voisins les uns et les aũes les tuant et chassant continuellement.

Il y a navigation depuis le fort Crevecoeur jusqu'à la Mer, le nouveau Mexique n'est pas eloigné de plus de 20. journés a L'ouest de ce fort. Les Matontenta qui sont venus voir Monsr de la salle aiant apporté un pie de cheval des Espagnols qu'ils avoient tué en leur Païs eloigné seulement de dix journées de ce fort d'ou l'on y peut aller par Riviere. Ces sauvages rapportent que les Espagnols qui leur font la guerre se servent de Lances plus que de fusils.

Il n'y a point d'European a l'embouchure de la grande Riviere Colbert,(see fn. 5) ce Monstre dont le Sr Joliet a apporté la figure est un (page 5F) Crotesque peint par quelque Sauvage de cette Riviere dont personne n'aveu l'origine. Il est a une journée et demye de Crevecoeur, Et si le Sr Jolliet eust descendu un peu plus bas il en eust veu un autre plus affreux.(see fn. 6)

Il n'a pas fait reflexion que les Mosopelea(see fn. 7) qu'il marque dans sa Carte etoient entiereme. detruits avant son voiage, Il marque dans cette meme carte quantité de Nations qui ne sont que les noms des familles qui composent celle des Ilinois, Les Pronerea, Carcarchia, Tamaroa, Karakoenitanon, Chinko, Caokia, Chepoussea, Amanakea, Ooukkea, Acansa,(see fn. 8) et plusieurs añes, formant le village des Ilinois composé d'environ 400. Cabanes couvertes de Nattes de jonc sans aucune fortification. J'y ay Compté a peu pres 1800. Combatans qui n'ont plus guerre qu'avec les Iroquois (page 6F) avec lesquels il seroit facile de les accommoder s'il n'y avoit pas lieu d'apprehender qu'etant d'accord avec Eux et aiant une retraite de le coste ils ne voulussent faire la guerre aux Outaouaes qu'ils hayssent extrememet et ne troublassent par la notre commerce mais tandis que l'on poura faire en sorte qu'ils aient besoin de Nous on les tiendra aisement dans le devoir et par leur moien les Nations les plus eloignées de qui ils sont redoutez.

Il y a de tres beau bois a batir des Navires Le long de sept ou huit Rivieres qui se deschargent dans celle de Colbert dont la moindre a plus de trois cens lieues de Cours sans sauts.

Monsr de la Salle a veu des Sauvages des trois Nations par ou passa Fernand Soto, scavoir sicachea, Cascin, et Amynoya(see fn. 9) d'ou ses gens allerent dans le Mexique et qui asseurent y avoir une tres belle navigation de Crevecoeur chez Eux.

Il est important d'achever cette decouverte parce que la Riviere sur laqlle demeurent les sicachia, et qui probablement est le (page 7F) Sakakoüa(see fn. 10) prend la source proche la Caroline ou sont les Anglois, a 300. lieues a l'Est de la Riviere Colbert dans la floride francoise proche du Palache, d'ou les anglois pouroient venir en barque jusqu'aux Ilinois, aux Miamis(see fn. 11) et proche de la Baye des Puans(see fn. 12) et du païs des Nadouessioux et attirer par la une grande partie de Notre commerce.

Il a cette année fait plus froid aux Ilinois qu'au fort frontenac.(see fn. 13) On ne seme chez eux qu'une fois l'année et c'est a la Lune de May, Gelant tous les ans a glace au mois d'Avril; Il est vray qui la douceur du mois de Janvier qui a eté égale au fort frontenac avoit fait d'abord croire que ce Pais etoit doux comme la Provence, Mais depuis Nous avons reconnus que l'hiver n'etoit pas moindre que celuy des Iroquois puisque le 22. Mars la Riviere etoit encore glacée Et le Lac des Illinois du costé du sud aussi remply de glaces que le Lac de frontenac l'est ordinairement au (page 8F) mois de janvier quoique le Lac Erie en fust tellement net huit jours apres qu'il n'en paroissoit pas du tout dans les Mares et les autres du costé du Nord.

Tout le Païs d'entre le Lac des Ilinois et le Lac Erie pendant l'espace de Cent ou six vingts lieües n'est qu'une chaine de Montagne d'ou il descend quantité de Rivieres a Louest dans le Lac des Ilinois, au nord dans le lac Huron, á l'Est dans le lac Erie et au Sud dans la Riviere D'Ohio, leurs sources sont si proches les unes des autres sur le sommet de ces montagnes qu'en trois jours de marche Nous en avons passé vint deux ou vint trois plus considerables que celle de Saurel ou Richelieu. Le haut de ses montagnes est, plat couvert de Marais perpetuels qui etant degelez Nous ont donne assez d'exercice. Il y a aussi quelques Campagnes seches et de tres bonnes terres remplies d'un nombre incroiable D'Ours, Cerfs, Chevreuils et Poules d'Indes a qui les Loups font une rude guerre et qui sont si peu farouches que Nous avons eté plusieurs fois en danger de ne Nous en pouvoir deffendre per des Coups de fusils.

(page 9F)

Il y a au fond du Lac Erie Dix lieües au dela du detroit une Riviere(see fn. 14) par laquelle on pouroit accoureir beaucoup le chemin des Ilinois etant navigable aux Canots jusqu'a deux lieües proche de celle par ou l'on y va, Mais il y en a encore une autre plus courte et meilleure qui est celle d'Ohio qui est navigable aux barques et par ou l'on eviteroit la difficulté du bassin qui est au bout du Lac des Illinois et celle d'en faire la communication avec la Riviere divine et de la rende navigable jusqu'au fort de Creve coeur.

Il ne faut pas s'imaginer que ces Campagnes dont on parle dans le Païs des Ilinois soient des terres ou il n'y a qu'a mettre la Charüe Car la plus part sont noyées pour peu qu'il pleuve. Les autres sont trop seches et les meilleures demandent encore du travail po. en oster les Trembles dont elles sont couvertes, Egouter les mollieres qui sont par tout d'Espace en Espace.

L'on passe seurement par toutes ces Nations aiant un Callumet de paix, La plus part de celles ou Nous devons allerent le savent deja et se preparent a Nous bien recevoir.

(page 10)

Les Ilinois se sont offerts a Nous escorter jusqu'a la Mer dans l'esperance que Nous leur avons donnée qu'il leur viendra par la tout ce qui leur est necessaire et le besoin qu'ont les autres Nations de Couteaux, de haches &. augmente le desir qu'ils ont de Nous avoir.

Les petits beufs sauvages sont aisez a apprivoiser et peuvent etre d'un grand secours aussi bien que les esclaves dont ces gens ont coutume de faire commerce et qu'ils obligent de travailler. Il y a la autant de Coquins qu'ailleurs, plus de femmes que d'hommes ny aiant point d'homme qui n'ait plusra femmes, quelques uns en ont jusqu'à dix et autant qu'ils peuvent toutes soeurs, afin qu'elles s'accordent mieux comme en effet elles font.

J'ay veu trois enfans batisex a qui l'on a conferé ce sacrement en fort bonne santé, L'un s'appelle Pierre, L'autre Joseph, et la 3e Marie, fils du frere de sichagois, qui sont en grand danger de vivre comme leur Pere qui a trois soeurs pour femmes, y aiant peu d'apparence qu'ils aient d'autre instructions puis que le Pere

[Translation]

(page 1E)
[Enclosed with the letter of Monsieur de Frontenac of November 9, 1680]

The Niagara River is innavigable [?] for ten leagues from the falls to the entrance into Lake Erie, it being impossible to bring up a vessel, at least without enough men to handle the sail, to haul at the bow, and to warp at the same time, and even with such great caution one cannot hope to be successful always. The entrance into Lake Erie is so obstructed with shallow bars that, in order not to risk losing the vessel every voyage, it is necessary to leave it in a river six leagues away along the lake, which is the nearest harbor or anchorage. There are in Lake Erie three large (page 2E) peninsulas, of which two jut out more than ten leagues. These are sand bars which one may run afoul of before seeing them unless am takes great precautions.

A change of wind is necessary to enter the straits between Lake Erie and Lake Huron, where there is more water and a strong current. Great difficulties confront one at the Straits of Michillimackinac in entering from Lake Huron into the Isles of the Illinois.(see fn. 2) The wind there is usually counter to the current, and the channel is narrow on account of the bars which extend out from the two shores. There are very few or no anchorages in Lake Huron, and no more harbors than in the lake of the Illinois along the north, west, and south shores. There are great numbers of islands in both lakes. Those of the Illinois are a hazard on account of the sand bars which are off them. This lake is not deep and is subject to terrific winds from which there is no shelter, and the bars border upon the approaches to the islands; but it is possible that with more frequent voyages the dangers will be lessened and the ports and harbors better known as has hap- (page 3E) pened in the case of Lake Frontenac,(see fn. 3) on which navigation is now safe and easy.

The haven which one enters in order to go from the lake of the Illinois to the Divine River(see fn. 4) is not at all suitable for navigation as there are no winds in the roadstead, nor any passageway for a vessel, nor even for a canoe, at least in a great calm. The prairies over which communication is maintained are flooded by the great volume of water flowing down from the neighboring hills whenever it rains. It is very difficult to make and maintain a canal that does not immediately fill up with sand and gravel; one need only dig into the ground to find water; and there are some sand dunes between the lake and the prairies. And, although a canal would be possible with a great deal of expense, it would be useless because the Divine River is innavigable for forty leagues, the distance to the great village of the Illinois. Canoes cannot traverse it during the summer, and even then there are long rapids this side of that village.

(page 4E)

Mines have not yet been seen although pieces of copper have been found in a number of places where the water is low. There is excellent stone [?] and coal: The Indians relate having sold some yellow metal from the village, but from their description it was too pure to have come from a gold mine.

The buffalo are becoming scarce here since the Illinois are at war with their neighbors; both kill and hunt them continually.

It is possible to go by water from Fort Crèvecoeur to the sea. New Mexico is not over twenty days' journey distance to the west from this fort. The Oto, who have come to see Monsieur de la Salle, have brought with them a piebald belonging to some Spaniards whom they killed in their country only ten days' journey distant from this fort ; one could go from the one to the other by the river. These Indians relate that the Spanish who make war against them use lances more than muskets.

There are no Europeans at the mouth of the great river Colbert.(see fn. 5) The monster a sketch of which the Sieur Jolliet brought (page 5E) back is a grotesque painted by some Indian of the river: no one will avow its origin. It is a day and a half's journey from Crèvecoeur, and if the Sieur Jolliet had descended a little farther he would have seen another more frightful still.(see fn. 6)

He has not reflected that the Mosopelea,(see fn. 7) whom he notes on his map, were completely wiped out before his voyage. He notes on this same map numerous nations which are only the names of some of the tribes composing the nation of the Illinois- the Peoria, Kaskaskia, Tamaroa, Coiracoentanon, Chinko, Cahokia, Chepoussa, Amonokoa, Cahokia, Quapaw,(see fn. 8) and many others forming the village of the Illinois made up of about 400 huts covered with reed mats and without any fortification. I have reckoned up almost 1,800 fighting men who are at war only with the Iroquois; with them it would be easy to come to an understanding if there (page 6E) were not cause to fear that, being at peace with the Iroquois and feeling secure from their direction, the Illinois might wish to make war against the Ottawa, whom they hate exceedingly, and thus interrupt our commerce. But so long as it can be contrived to keep them dependent upon us, they may readily be held to their duty, and through them the more distant nations by whom they are feared.

There is some very fine wood for shipbuilding along the seven or eight rivers flowing into the Colbert, the least of which has a course of 300 leagues without falls.

Monsieur de la Salle has seen the Indians of three nations through whom Fernando de Soto passed, namely, Chickasaw, Casqui, and Aminoya.(see fn. 9) From them these people go into Mexico; they assure us that they have a very good water route from Crèvecoeur to their homes.

It is important that this exploration be carried out because the river on which the Chickasaw live, and which probably is the (page 7E) Sakakoüa(see fn. 10) has its source near Carolina, where the English are, 300 leagues to the east of the river Colbert in French Florida near Apalachee; whence the English would be able to come by ship to the Illinois, to the Miami,(see fn. 11) and close to the Baye des Puans(see fn. 12) and the country of the Sioux, and secure thereby a great portion of our trade.

It was colder this year in the Illinois than at Fort Frontenac.(see fn. 13) Planting is done here only once a year and that is in the month of May, as there is always a hard freeze in April. It is true that the mildness of the month of January, which is the same at Fort Frontenac, at first caused us to believe that this country would be as mild as Provence, but since then we have learned that the winter is not less severe than that of the Iroquois inasmuch as on March 22, the river was still frozen; and the lake of the Illinois was again as full of ice along the south shore as Lake Frontenac ordinarily (page 8E) is in January, although Lake Erie was so clear eight days later that no ice was apparent at all in the quiet waters or in the open water along the north shore.

The entire country between the lake of the Illinois and Lake Erie for the space of 100 or 120 leagues, has only one chain of mountains, where a number of rivers flow to the west into the lake of the Illinois, to the north into Lake Huron, to the east into Lake Erie, and to the south into the Ohio River. Their sources are so near together on the summits of these mountains that in three days of marching we have passed twenty-two or twenty-three more considerable than the Sorel or the Richelieu. The tops of these mountains are flat and covered with perpetual marshes, which, during periods of thawing weather, have given us considerable trouble. There is also some dry country and very good land overrun with an unbelievable number of bears, deer, roebucks, and wild turkeys, on whom the wolves make relentless war; these last are so bold that we have often been in danger of not being able to defend ourselves with shots from our guns.

(page 9E)

There is a river(see fn. 14) at the end of Lake Erie ten leagues from Detroit by which one should be able to go up far along the road toward the Illinois, as it is navigable for canoes to within two leagues of the river which leads there; but there is yet another route, the Ohio, which is shorter and better, and is navigable for sailing vessels; by it one may avoid the difficulty of the harbor at the end of the lake of the Illinois and that of getting over into the Divine River, and making it navigable to Fort Crèvecoeur.

It should not be supposed that these lands of which we speak in the country of the Illinois are lands to which one has only to put the plow, for the greater part are drowned by ever so little rain. Others are too dry, and the best require considerable labor to clear off the aspens which cover them, as well as to drain the marshes which comprise wide areas.

The possession of a calumet of peace enables one to pass safely through all of these nations. The greater part of them through whom we had to go already knew of our coming and (page 10E) were prepared to receive us well.

The Illinois offered to escort us to the sea from the hope hat we have given them that thence will come everything which they need. That other tribes need knives, hatchets, and so forth increases their desire to have us among them.

The buffalo calves are easy to tame and can be of great use as well as the slaves in which these people are accustomed to traffic and whom they compel to labor for them. There are as many rogues among them as elsewhere; there are more women among them than men. There is not a man who does not have several wives- some having as many as ten and as far as possible all sisters, that they may agree better among themselves, as indeed they do.

I have seen three healthy children baptized- one was named Pierre, the other Joseph, and the third, Marie- the children of the brother of Chicagou. They are in grave danger of growing up to be like their father, who has three sisters as wives. It does not appear that they will have further instruction, since Father
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1 (p. 1, fn. 1)  Included in this volume because of adapted form in which it appears in Margry.

2 (p. 2, fn. 1)  Lake Michigan.

3 (p. 3, fn. 1)  Lake Ontario.

4 (p. 3, fn. 2)  Applied to the Illinois River and its various sources. Here it probably refers to the Desplaines, while later in the paragraph to the main branch of the river.

5 (p. 4, fn. 1)  The Mississippi River.

6 (p. 5, fn. 1)  These pictographs were on a rock along the river near Alton, Illinois. Evidence of one of them remained at least to 1846. For Marquette's description of them, see Louise Phelps Kellogg, Early Narratives of the Northwest, 248-249.

7 (p. 5, fn. 2)  Marquette's map locates them on the east bank of the Mississippi south of the Ohio.

8 (p. 5, fn. 3)  Peoria, Kaskaskia, Tamaroa, Coiracoentanon, Chinko, Cahokia, Chepoussa, and Amonokoa were tribes and bands of the Illinois. The name Oouka is undoubtedly a corruption of Cahokia. The Akansea were the Quapaw, a southern Sioan tribe who once ranged the southern part of Illinois. Handbook of American Indians, passim, especially 2:334. See also page 277 a. 2.

9 (p. 6, fn. 1)  The Chickasaw, a Muskhogean tribe, were at this time in northern Mississippi. Casqui and Aminoya are Indian towns west of the Mississippi, visited either by De Soto or his followers. Handbook of American Indians, 1:49-50, 212, 260-262.

10 (p. 7, fn. 1)  Franquelin's map of 1708 would indicate that this is the Yasoo. See also, Handbook of American Indians, I:260.

11 (p. 7, fn. 2)  The Miami were at this time located about the southern end of Lake Michigan and along the St. Joseph River. Ibid., 1:852.

12 (p. 7, fn. 3)  Green Bay, Wisconsin.

13 (p. 7, fn. 4)  The modern Kingston, Ontario.

14 (p. 9, fn. 1)  Probably the Maumee.


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