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.
Raymond to La Jonquiere
(September 5, 1749)
Raymond in: Archives Nationales,
Ministere
des Colonies, C11A 93:64 and in Illinois
Historical Collections, French
Series,
vol. III, pp. 108-110.
Monsieur:
Since my letters were written, Le Pied Froid, who is great chief of the Miamis, came this morning with the war chief and the old men to tell me in great detail the news which is being told everywhere. This news may be partly true and partly false; the following in general summarizes it.
There are flags, belts, pipes, strings of red wampum, and blankets of red and black cloth which are being carried through all the tribes of the upcountry and which imply a general conspiracy to destroy all the French so that the Indians may only have on their land their brothers, the English. The autumn would not pass without Frenchmen being killed; I was to be attacked in the Miamis post; the treason was all prepared; they had warned us from the first, but we had not been willing to believe them; all the tribes of Detroit were in this conspiracy, and under pretext of going to their winter dwellings, they were going to the Ohio River for the execution of the plan; M. de Celoron had been flouted. They had cut down his flag, and he would not leave the Ohio River without Frenchmen being killed.
This speech was followed by three cloth blankets and four strings of wampum which the war chief received yesterday evening from the band of La Demoiselle to ask his help. He gave (page 110) them to me, and he turned over to me the four strings of wampum inclosed, all being accompanied with large and fine promises of fidelity in which I put no trust. They say the have French hearts and will die with us, and they assure me and all the chiefs that they are sending a message to La Demoiselle and to his band to tell them that they reject his message and do not wish to listen to it; they do not wish to dabble in his treason, and the proof which they give him is that they have turned over to their father the four strings of wampum and that they are entirely devoted to the French.
The four strings of wampum mentioned are those which accompany this which I secured when they were brought from the direction of St. Joseph River. Although Le Pied Froid and his band appear well disposed, I do not trust them, and I will follow the advice which he gave me which is to be on my guard and to fortify the fort, which last is scarcely possible, at least without making a new one.
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