[Sidenote: _Sieurs_ Oris _and_ Desloges _kill’d._]
The Sieur _Moranget_ awaking with the Noise, and finding himself wounded, started up and fir’d his Piece successfully enough, some others did the like, whereupon the Natives fled. The Sieur _Moranget_ came to give us the Alarm, though he was shot through one of his Arms, below the Shoulder, and had another slanting Wound on the Breast. Monsieur _de la Sale_ immediately sent some arm’d Men to the Place, who could not find the _Indians_, but when Day appear’d, they found the Sieurs _Oris_ and _Desloges_ dead upon the Spot, the Sieur _Gayen_ much hurt, and the rest all safe and sound.
This Disaster, which happen’d the Night of the 5th of _March_, very much afflicted Monsieur _de la Sale_; but he chiefly lamented Monsieur _Desloges_ a sprightly Youth, who serv’d well; but in short, it was their own Fault, and contrary to the Charge given them, which was to be watchful and upon their Guard. We were under Apprehensions for Messieurs _Moranget_ and _Gayen_, lest the Arrows should be poison’d. It afterwards appear’d they were not, however Monsieur _Moranget’s_ Cure prov’d difficult, because some small Vessel was cut.
The Consequences of this Misfortune, together with the Concern, most of the best Persons who had follow’d Monsieur _de la Sale_ were under,[61] supported the Design of those who were for returning to _France_ and forsaking him, of which Number were Monsieur _Dainmaville_, a Priest of the Seminary of St. _Sulpice_, the Sieur _Minet_, Engineer and some others. The common Discourses of Monsieur _de la Sale’s_ Enemies tending to discredit his Conduct, and to represent the pretended Rashness of his Enterprize, contributed considerably towards the Desertion; but his Resolution prevailing, he heard and waited all Events with Patience, and always gave his Orders, without appearing the least discompos’d.
He caus’d the Dead to be brought to our Camp, and bury’d them Honourably, the Cannon supplying the Want of Bells, and then consider’d of making some safer Settlement. He caus’d all that had been sav’d from the Shipwreck, to be brought together into one Place, threw up Intrenchments about it, to secure his Effects, and perceiving that the Water of the River, where we were, roul’d down violently into the Sea, he fancy’d that might be one of the Branches of the _Missisipi_, and propos’d to go up it, to see whether he could find any Tokens of it, or of the Marks he had left, when he went down by Land to the Mouth of it.