Monsr. _de la Sale_ farther order’d me not to receive any Men of those he took along with him, unless they brought an Order from him in Writing; nor to hold or admit of any Communication with the Natives, but rather to fire upon them, and some other Particulars he thought fit to be observ’d. He had made himself a Coat of Mail with small Laths, to secure himself against the Arrows, which he took along with him, he also took the Canoes, and promis’d to send me one back. Five Cannon Shot were the Signal of his Departure.
[Sidenote: _Monsr._ de la Sale _goes out to discover_.]
He took his Way along the lower Part of the River, to march by Land along the neighbouring Bay, which was call’d of St. _Lewis_, the Canoes keeping within Sight. I was left in the Habitation with thirty four Persons, Men, Women and Children, and of that Number were three _Recolet_ Friars, the Sieur _Hurie_, who was to command in my Absence, one of the Sieurs _Duhaut_, the Sieurs _Thibault_ and a Surgeon.
Our Provisions being very small, and it being requisite to spare them, for the Sick, we were oblig’d to apply our selves to Fishing and Shooting. Both of them at first prov’d very unsuccessful, especially the latter; because we were not yet well vers’d in them, and Monsieur _de la Sale_ had taken our Huntsman along with him; but at length, Necessity made us more expert. We kill’d Beeves, some of which I caus’d to be dry’d, and they were a considerable Help to subsist us.
Some Days after, the Canoe Monsieur _de la Sale_ had promis’d me, arrived with three Soldiers, who brought us the News of the Loss of the Huntsman Monsieur _de la Sale_ had taken along with him, and who had been found dead with Cold in a Ditch, where he had lain down to rest after hunting, which troubled us all very much. They also inform’d us, that Monsr. _de la Sale_ advancing towards some Dwellings the Natives had abandon’d, after a small Resistance, some of whom had been wounded as they fled, they had taken and brought a Girl and a Woman, who was shot thro’ the Thigh, of which she dy’d.[69]
The Canoe was a great Help to us to carry what we kill’d, which being brought to our Habitation, found Employment for all Persons, some to flea, others to cut up, and others to dry it. At other Times, I set some of our men to throw up a Trench about our Habitation.