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.
Words of Leblanc to the Governor-General
(June 23, 1707)
Leblanc, Jean in: Michigan Historical
Collections, XXXIII, pp. 326-327.
vantage of the kindly feelings he has for you.
Although you have offended me in the most sensitive place, and have plunged your dagger in my breast, you see that I have pity on you still, giving you the means of settling the trouble you have caused. Take advantage of my pity, ye Outtavois. I am giving my orders to M. de la Mothe. Remember, all of you who are here present, Outtavois, Kiskakous, Sinagos, you of the Land tribe, and of La Fourche, remember all of you the promise you gave me yesterday, never to recognize Le Pezant again in anything, and to look upon him in future as a member withered and severed from your body. Remember that you have promised me to cause no further trouble and never to give me the least cause for displeasure.
Outtavois, the blood of Frenchmen is sacred; remember well all I have said.
_________
WORDS
OF JEAN LEBLANC TO THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL, ON
THE 23rd OF JUNE, 1707.
|
Observations of M. de la Mothe. |
|
My Father, I am sorry that M. de Bourmond is not here before you, to tell you his reasons, as I am doing mine. I think he is ashamed since he has not come, as I have, to tell you his reasons. |
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If he had not been assured pretty strongly, he would have feared to come; in fact he knew M. de la Mothe was not so compassionate as M. de Vaudreuil. |
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My father, my father, I beg you to consent to hear me; and you, interpreters, take great care to forget nothing, and to explain properly what I say. Last year I said to Father Marest, when I arrived at Michilimakina, that I had thought I should die at my father's door; but when I saw little Renaud come, I told him that I had no fear any longer, since my father called me, and that I would go and offer him my body. |
|
This is the road from Missilimakina to Montreal. This is pleasant hearing to M. de Vaudreuil for it has come to his point of view, which was to remove the Outavois from Detroit. |
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My father, I see that my flesh is not to your taste. I go to obey your will; I am going to find Monsieur de la Mothe, and to die near my brother the Recollet father. My father, as I am an obedient child, I am going to Detroit; I have already told you that I gave my body up to you. I am going to Detroit, and thence I will go to Michilimakina to make smooth the old road. I will (page 327) do your will, my father, but as I am doing what you ask of me, I beg you to grant me what I ask of you. |
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My father, we have not yet consulted as to those who are to go with me to Detroit; I have brought them here for that purpose, we will tell you presently. My father, I obey your will; I am going now to lay my requests before you. My father, our people will be anxious concerning me, for when I left they were almost stupefied, despairing of seeing me again. I beg you, since I am obeying you, to send one of your men of importance to assure them that I have set out to do your will. If I ask that of you, my father, it is because the boat that goes to Michilimakina will get there sooner than I, and will tell our people that I have gone to see Monsieur de la Mothe; and thereupon the old men will dispatch a canoe to inform the other tribes and to tell them the purpose of my journey. |
|
It is strange that this request also was not granted, and the Sr. Louvigny did not make this journey.
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The Sakis, Malominis, Mascoutins, Quiquapous [Kikapoos], Outagamis, and Poutouatamis are the tribes who will come to listen to the good news; they are our allies, and it is they to whom our old men will send information.
Whence comes it that I say that to my father? It is because all the tribes come to seek me in the spring; they will be very glad of this good news.
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My father, I beg you to listen well to what I say, to take pity on us, and to send a man of rank among your Frenchmen, who will be able to reach Michilimakina sooner than we, so that the land may be united. I came to bring you my body. I always thought that I should return by the same road as I had come; but now I see the contrary. However, it was my intention all along to go and see Mons. de la Mothe after I had seen you, my father. |
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This matter was strongly enjoined on him, since he repeats it twice; and the man of rank would have been, but M. Raudot junior was not of that opinion. |
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My father, my father, M. de la Mothe has done as the porcupine does who does not suckle its young. It was he who called us, the four Outtavois tribes, to Detroit, but after having made an opening in the tree, as the porcupine does, to give its young to suck, he left us. If I had been at Detroit, or Tonty, or La Forest, all these troubles would never have come about. My father, I beg you to send a man by the great river who will be speedy; and to grant me myself a man who will understand me, so that I may not grow weary on the way; grant me also men who are strong and swift, that we may go the more quickly. |
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M. de la Mothe agrees as to this fact. That was why they had him detained at Quebec for two years so as to have plenty of time to conduct this intrigue to the termination they had aimed at. |
The Marquis de Vaudreuil did not think it advisable to reply further to the
savages, and simply told them, when they had finished speaking that they knew
his will and that he had no one to give them to go by the great river.
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