214 BUREAU OF AMERTCAN ETHNOLOGY [BULL. 43

to conquer or die. At this news the army doubled step, and the chief of the
Tonikas placed himself at the head, marching straight toward the enemy.
Some time later they perceived a strongly built cabin on a height; they did
not at all doubt that this was the place where the savages were to be found.
Immediately the druns beat, the fifes played, the army formed in battalion
squares and advanced toward the cabin. The chief of the Tonikas, who was
at the head. arrived first on the height; he approached the cabin, examined
it, and found no one there. The savages had abandoned it, and had done the
same with so much precipitation that they had left some guns, balls, and horns
full of powder. The chief of the Tonikas encircling the height, perceived below
a minor chief of the enemy called the Little Sun. We should rather say, seeing
each other at the same time, to aim and fire was almost the same thing. The
chief of the Tonikas threw down his enemy dead on the spot, and fell himself
dangerously wounded. The ball with which he was struck had entered his
mouth, pierced the cheek, from there had gone into the breech of his gun, and
sliding along the entire length of it, had broken his shoulder blade.
 The savages seeing him fall, and thinking that he had been killed, uttered
cries and frightful howls, but some Frencheln having approached, found that
he yet breathed. They raised him, laid him on a stretcher, and, having placed
him in the midst of the army, they resumed the road to St. Catherine. But
night coming on, they were obliged to calll in a prairie, where each one
lighted a fire to warm himself, for there was neither tents nor covering, they
had not even brought provisions. Toward midnight the savages began to make
some discharges with their guns loaded with powder, which they are generally
in the habit of doing when they are near the enemy, to let then know that they
are on their guard. Unfortunately the coplllany of While Earth which was com-
manded by the Sieur de Liette had no knowledge of this usage of the savages;
they thought tllat this was a surprise of the enemy who were coming to attack
the army, placed themselves under arlls. and marched in the direction whence
the firing was heard, when the commllllandant, inforlled of this mistake, sent
thither an aid-de-calmp to make tliem return to their quarters. At daybreak on
the following day the army placed itself in line of inarch. and arrived at 9 o'clock
in the morning at the concession of St. Catherine, where a strong detachment was
left to place this settlement beyond the insults of the savages. The remainder of
the troops retired to Fort Rosalie, where the company of the Sieur de.Liette was
dismissed and returned to White Earth. The commandant now thought of put-
ting an end to this war, but he did not wish to terminate it without having it
cost the savages, not fowls, as had happened the first time, but blood worthy
of being shed. With this intention he sent to tell the Tattooed-serpent to come
to speak to him, and that one having immediately repaired to him, he told
him that he was going to withdraw the word he had given him not to fall on
the Grand Village and on that of the Flour, since he had learned that he was
giving a retreat to his enemies. To this speech the great chief, who was
really a friend of the French, made no other reply than to ask for peace.
"I will grant it to you," replied the general, "but see at wlat price. You
know that among your people there is;l 1 negro who formerly belonged to the
French; bring me his head with that of Old-hair, chief of the village of the
Apple, and promise me tlat you will always regard the French as your friends
and brothers; on these two conditions I will give you peace." This iegro,
whose head was demanded, was a free black, who instead of establishing him-
self with the French in the .lands which belonged to them, liad passed over
among the savages where lie had even made himself chief of a party. It was
justly feared that he would teach themi the manner of attack and defense, and