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.
Ottawa Conference
(June 20, 1707)
Outavois and Vaudreuil, Marquis de in:
Michigan Historical Collections,
XXXIII, pp. 319-324.
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pp. |
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col. II: |
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col. I: |
to take necessary articles for such of the said fathers as are among those tribes, anything other than the said necessary articles, on pain of confiscation of whatever is found to have been put on board other than the said necessary articles, and, as against the said Reverend fathers, of being deprived of His Majesty's favors if it appears that they have contributed or consented to the said prohibited loading.
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Versailles, the 15th of April, 1707.
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Dauteuil. |
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WORDS OF THE OUTAVOIS, ON THE 18th OF JUNE
WITH THE ANSWERS.
Words of the Outavois, twelve of whom came down from Michilimakina; four Kiskakoua, 4 Sinago Outaouas and 4 of the La Fourche tribe; on the 18th of June 1707, to the Governor-General.
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Jean Le Bland speaks for himself and the rest. My father, my father, I am so moved that I know not yet whether I shall have strength to speak to you. Our custom, my father, is to come and pay our respects to you as soon as we land. We were astonished yesterday to see that you would not receive us. |
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Observations of M. de la Mothe on the words of the Outavois, which M. de Vaudreuil sent to him. It is the first time he has informed him of what he has done at Montreal. |
My father, you see your children the Outtavois; we are all that are in a position to come down here. We have no old men left; and all of our chiefs whom you have formerly seen, none but Le Brochet remains who is able to come down here.
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My father, my father, Monsieur de Vaudreuil, I beg you to hearken and to listen to me quietly. I have committed an offence which is a very great one; but I will not say that I was drunk, for I had not taken the Englishman's brandy to pledge me to make this wrongful attack. But I am going to tell you in very truth what is the cause of my misfortune. |
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He confessed it was not the English who incited him to act as he did. He is right; that is the opinion of M. de la Mothe. |
We had set out, as you have learnt my father, to go and make war on the Sioux, to avenge our allies the Sakes.
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After we had passed in front of the French fort, when we were near that of the Hurons, a savage came and told us that our children were dead, and that after our warriors had been three days on the march, the Oyatanous would come and devour our wives and children. Then, my father, we said- let us attack the Miamis before they attack us or else we are dead men. |
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He gives this false reason and conceals the true one. |
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My father, you learnt from Miscouaky, and you must have seen by your letters, all that took place in this matter, and particularly, to increase our misfortune, how the grey robe and the soldier were killed, but unintentionally however. |
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This Recollect Father whom he calls "the grey robe," was stabbed three times in his garden and as he was entering the fort was shot with a bullet. |
When the fighting was over, that is, some days after we had attacked the Miamis, I went to the Fort alone, to speak to Bourmond- I took a stick of porcelain and begged him to consent to listen to me and that it could be wished that Onnontio, Monsieur de Vaudreuil, and also the great Onnontio, the King, could listen to me, that he should hear my reasons.
I asked him for the justicoat which you had given me when I came down here and I had left with him to take care of, as with the best of my friends. I asked him, my father, for this justicoat in order to use it, to go to the tribes clothed in the coat of my father, and to arrange all these evil affairs; but he would not listen to me.
The next day I went back there six times, and each time I took with me a man of different tribe with necklaces and beaver skins to be allowed to speak to him. He refused to listen to us as on the preceding day.
My father, my father, here I am. You have learnt all that took place, and how it took place. I have nothing to fear, for I have a good father. Nor do I conceal anything from you; I show you all that I have in my heart.
There is my body, my father: do with it all that you wish, boil me in your pot, if you think fit. But I am not the most guilty one, for what I did, I did like a man without sense, for I was not the master; and the one who is the most to blame is Le Pesant, that bear who is up there on his bed and did not dare to come down. It was he who would not listen to all the reasons we were able to put to him to prevent him from forcing us to make this wrong attack.
I am beginning to speak, my father; I take courage again. I beg you to remember that it was my father Le Talon, my own father, who was the first of all the tribes of the upper country to come to the French. He came through the woods to go to Three Rivers where he was well received by him who commanded there.
The year after he came there again, he found M. de Coursels who gave him the name of Talon, and told him they must set up communications between them, and since the door was open they must continue to see one another; that he gave him a key of this door that he might open it whenever he thought fit, whatever trouble even might arise.
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It is I, my father, that keep this key, being one of his children. I use it today to open your door. It is true that I have almost shut it on myself by my bad action; but then of what use would this key be, if it did not serve me in a matter of importance? And who is permitted to make use of it, if not I, to whom my father left it? |
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all these words mean a road and way of peace. He knows very well that he is flattering the Governor's ear, because it is a road other than that of Detroit. |
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I set out from Michilimakina, my father, to come
and see you; I came by the old road so trodden by our seniors. I found it all
filled with "fredoches."1
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all this was suggested to him; it is still the old refrain- the re-establishment of Missillimackinak and the licenses. |
I give you this necklace, my father, that this door may remain open to us.
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In losing our old men we have lost all; we have no wit left to guide us. How should we have any, seeing that we have no commandant now. We have seen at Michilimakina M. Louvigny, M. de la Mothe, M. de Tonty, M. de Mauthet, M. de la Forest with the Illinois. While they were there we always did what was right and were always obedient to the word of our father. |
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And was there not a commandant at Detroit? why not have given them that answer? |
The disaster which befel us at Detroit is indeed grievous; I can never forgive myself when I think of it. It is I myself whom I have slain, in killing the grey robe and the soldier, who is the child of my father who gives us life. Have pity on us, our father, for I am extremely grieved for the wrongful attack I made.
Behold all my children here present. Like me, they tell you the same thing. We have slain the grey robe, it is true; but we hope to bring him to life again.
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When I say that we will revive the grey robe, it is not with necklaces nor with furs; for I know that, even if we had a house full of them, that could not make reparation for the blood of our father. What can I do then, to content you? I can only satisfy you, my father, by giving you these two slaves who are our own blood, since we have adopted them. Receive them, my father, to cover the blood of the Recollet father, or else take our bodies. Have pity on us. |
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This speech is put in his mouth; he knows that the
reverse is the case. But on this occasion, as it was so flagrant, they did
not dare receive any, and the savages were warned of that. |
Nothing else can I offer you. Give us tranquillity again on the lakes and rivers that all your children may be at peace, and we may be able to boil our pots and drink our broth in full security.
There are some of those, my father, who call themselves your children, who have tried to deceive me, drawing me by the tips of the fingers; but you, my father, have always held me by the hand. It is true that I was on the point of escaping you; I beg you therefore to take hold of it again more firmly than ever- what can I fear if you do not abandon me? You must have seen, my (page 323, II) father, from your letters and from what Miscouaky told you, how many tribes Quarante Sols incited to devour us.
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I own to you that the Hurons after having been our friends so long, have basely betrayed us. I am stricken to the heart, and cannot recover except by telling you, my father, all that is in my thoughts. The Hurons have not only killed us in fighting against us but, which affects me more deeply, they have killed our men who, merely out of friendship for them, went with them to war against the Flatheads. |
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The Hurons generously took up our quarrel and, without them, the French fort would have been taken. M. de Vaudreuil gave them, in his gratitude for this, five livres of powder which they threw into the river when they received it, and with reason. |
Long ago the Hurons would have perished if I would have abandoned their interests. Many a tribe has asked me for this roebuck to tear its flesh, but I would never give it up. Yet it is they who now betray me.
The Hurons, my father, betrayed us four times over, in what took place at Detroit.
I know not how many of their men I may have killed, but they have killed thirty of mine.
It was I, my father,- it was the Outavois- who killed the grey robe; unintentionally it is true, but still it was we who killed him and the soldier, for it was we who were the cause of all the misfortune which happened at Detroit. As for Tichenet, it was the Sr. Bourmond who killed him, by sending him to fight against us. For indeed the father and the soldier were killed in the first fire, but all that happened afterwards was ordered by Bourmond in cold blood.
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My great offence, my father, with the Miamis and Hurons is that they often taunted me that I had a father no longer, and that you abandoned me; and that a proof of that was that I had no more powder, while it was sold to them in abundance. Why, said I to myself, am I not the oldest of my father's children? Why should he abandon me? |
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They were allowed at Montreal to trade [for powder] before peace was made, and they came back supplied for attacking this post again if the desire should seize them; that is a detestable action. |
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Monsieur de la Mothe invited me, my father, through Beauvais to come and see his village. M. d'Argenteuil also sent me word that he could not come to see me, but that he hoped to do so (page 324, II) in a short time. I have replied to M. |
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this is a matter of accusation; it has been proved true at Detroit. |
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de la Mothe that if I had two bodies, I would willingly divide myself into two parts to go and see him; but that, as I had but one, and had been summoned by my father, I was going to learn his will. |
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Endorsed-
Reply of the Marquis de Vaudreuil to Jean le Bland and twelve other chiefs, or men of importance, among the Outtavois on the 20th of June, 1707.
I am not surprised, Jean le Bland, after what has taken place at Detroit, to see you embarrassed in speaking to me. You must have foreseen at that time what is befalling you now; and if I would not receive you here on your arrival, as I did Le Brochet and Meyaouka and two others, that is because I looked upon them as obedient children who have always been wee disposed even in troublous times. But, as for you, I can as yet only look upon you as a rebellious child who has displeased me by his bad behavior.
I know all that took place at Detroit, and how it took place. I have been informed of it by M. de la Mothe, by M. de Bourmond, by Father Marest, by Miscouaky and by you yourself.
You told me yesterday that you brought me your body to do with it what I pleased, and to boil it in the pot, if I thought fit.
You testified to me of your despair. What you have done is something, but it is not yet enough.
It is true that I am a good father; but (page 320, I) the better I am, the greater is the offence, when I am offended against. By coming down here, you have given me a proof of your obedience; you also give me another by the trust which you place in my goodness.
But I have no proof yet of your real and sincere repentance and of your constancy. What can I count upon, when you have returned to Michilimakina? And who will be security to me that, on the first day, you will not all of you insult my children?
When you came here two years ago, Jean le Blanc, with Le Pesant, did you not tell me with him that the Outtavois of Detroit were not like those of Michilimakina who had attacked the Iroquois without cause? That, as for you, you were not like that, and that, although the Miamis had attacked you twice, your tomahawk had always been buried since the peace; and that you would not attack anyone unless you were attacked first, that then you would avenge yourselves.
Did I not tell you at that time that if any trouble arose, you must apply to whomever was in command at Detroit, and he, knowing my mind and having my orders would always tell you what my will was?
Have you done so? Did you tell M. de Bourmond, before you attacked the Miamis, that as the Miamis were to attack you, you were going to anticipate them?
You took care not to do so, for it was only a pretext which Le Pesant, that bear which is now up there on his bed, was very glad to make use of for creating mischief. Since you kept your word so badly at that time, what reliance can I place today on what you tell me here? And ought I not rather to believe that it is only your peril which makes you speak.
The more I consider what is going on at Michilimakina, the more I find you are in a state of disobedience. First I see my children the Iroquois bound & ready to be burnt; then I see the French divided among your huts and arrested (page 321, I) to serve as hostages. It is nothing but threats every day; and if I forbid you to go to war, that is enough to ensure that some among you should be on the watch to go.
Not but that, among your large numbers, there are some who hearken to my voice. I know that Meyaouta, who is present, likes to do what is right; Le Brochet also. I know that Sakima's mind is very well disposed, and that since he came down here he has aimed at doing my will.
I know there are also some others up there whose intentions are good; but who will guarantee me that, when you return, Le Pesant, that bear who is dreaming on his mat only of making mischief, who will be answerable to me, I say, that he will not again warp the minds of all of you, and will not once more induce you to commit a greater fault than the one you have already committed?
The wrong you have done is all the greater because not only did you attack the Miamis, my allies, under my protection, without cause, which you ought not to have done, but you have attacked me myself by killing a missionary, for which it is hardly possible to make amends, who, among us, is valued so highly that if Le Pesant, who has remained up there, and is the sole cause of all this trouble, had come down here, I do not know what I should have done. But I leave to you the task of avenging me; and it was his head which you should have brought me, to make the reparation due to me.
My blood is still flowing; I see it constantly before me; and although you are down here I cannot yet stanch it.
As for the two slaves you offer me, although adopted by you, they are of foreign blood.
The Recollet father and the soldier you have killed, they are my blood, my own blood.
With us the blood of a Frenchman is generally only to be paid for by blood. You see that I cannot be content with what you have done, and that it is, as it were, impossible to satisfy me, after the loss I have sustained, without bringing me as a sacrifice the head of the man who has been the sole cause of it. You know him; he is a man who has always caused disturbances; you have told me so yourselves. It is he who is the cause of all your misfortunes, who as long as he lives will continue to lead you into quarrels with all the tribes, and will be the cause of your ruin. Reflect on what I tell you and give me your answer.
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WORDS OF THE OUTTAVOIS ON THE 21st OF JUNE WITH THE ANSWERS.
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Words of the Outtavois from Michilimakina to the Governor-General on the 21st of June, 1707. |
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Observations of M. de La Mothe. |
Jean le Blan speaks.
My father, my father, I come to you again. The Comte de Frontenac always told our forefathers that we were his children.
Though they are dead, yet I speak to you as if they were present. We are your children, my father, we come to you.
By a necklace.
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I am deeply grieved, my father, that I am unable to make amends for what I have done. I am the interpreter of our people, I lend them my voice. I have nothing to offer you but my body. I am in despair that I am not able to repair the wrong I have done. |
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A bad reason; these are nothing but words, mere idle talk. |
I follow the footsteps of our ancestors, I follow their footsteps, my father. They were always obedient; I will be so too. I have indeed committed a great fault; but can it not be atoned for?
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My father, my father, I am in despair at what has happened. You have demanded of me the head of that bear that is up there. It is he who is to blame; it is true that it is he; but I cannot promise you this reparation. |
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That is a refusal, pure and simple, of the demand which M. de Vaudreuil made. They call Le Pezant, the great chief, by the name of the Bear. |
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If I were to say to my father- "I will give you the head of the great bear up there"- it would be impossible for me |
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A second refusal of the same demand. |
Endorsed-
Index letter C.
Reply of the Governor-General to the savages from Michilimakina on the 22nd of June, 1707.
I have seen the reply you gave me yesterday. I am willing to believe that you are unable to give me up the head of Le Pezant as I asked of you.
I must however have blood to content me. The death of a missionary cannot be paid for except by blood.
I have pity on you.
As all the tribes knew of your wrong doing, and are in suspense awaiting the reparation I may exact for it, it is necessary that all the tribes should learn how repentant you have been for your faults, how submissive you were to do my will. It was at Detroit that you offended against me; it was there that you killed the Recollet father and my soldier. It is there that I wish you to give me reparation, and for that purpose it is my will that you take to M. de la Mothe the two slaves that you have offered to me here.
But in order that I may be sure of your obedience, and that all the tribes may be witnesses of it also,
You must not go back by the great river, at
least not all of you; Jean Leblanc and some of you must go by way of the lakes
with the slaves. I will give him letters to M. de la Mothe, and some Frenchmen
for their security.
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1 Query, could this be meant for "trebuckets," traps or pitfalls?
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