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their villages.
Nay, more: resolute in their hatred,
they had even endeavored to debauch the affections of the
Illinois, and to extirpate French dominion from the west.
But the tawny envoys from the north descended to New Orleans, and presented the pipe of friendship.
‘This,’ said
Chicago to
Perrier, as he concluded an offensive and defensive alliance; ‘this is the pipe of peace or war. You have but to speak, and our braves will strike the nations that are your foes.’
To secure the eastern valley of the Mississippi, it
was necessary to reduce the Chickasas; and nearly two years were devoted to preparations for the enterprise.
At last, in 1736, the whole force of the colony at the south, with D'Artaguette and troops from his command in
Illinois, and probably from the
Wabash, was directed to meet, on the tenth of May, in the land of the Chickasas.
The government of
France had itself given directions for the invasion, and its eye was turned anxiously to watch the issue of the strife.
From New Orleans the little fleet of thirty boats
and as many pirogues departed for Fort Conde at
Mobile, which it did not leave till the fourth of April.
In sixteen days, it ascended the river to Tombecbee, a fort which an advance party had constructed on the west bank of the river, two hundred and fifty miles above the bay. Of the men employed in its construction, some had attempted to escape, and enjoy the liberty of the wilderness: in the wilds of
Alabama, a court martial sentenced them to death, and they were shot.
The
Choctas, lured by gifts of merchandise, and high rewards for every scalp, gathered at Fort Tombecbee to aid
Bienville.
Of these red auxiliaries the number was about twelve hundred; and the whole party slowly
sounded its way up the windings of the Tombecbee
