We continued after this Manner, till the Month of _December_, when two Men arrived, from _Montreal_. They came to give Notice to Monsr. _Tonty_, that three Canoes, laden with Merchandize, Powder, Ball and other Things, were arriv’d at _Chicagou_, that there being two little Water in the River, and what there was being frozen, they could come down no lower; so that it being requisite to send Men to fetch those Things, Monsr. _Tonty_ desir’d the Chief of the _Chahouanous_ to furnish him with People. That Chief accordingly provided forty, as well Men as Women, who set out with some _French_ Men. The Honesty of the _Chahouanous_ was the Reason of preferring them before the _Islinois_, who are naturally Knaves.
That Ammunition and the Merchandize were soon brought, and very seasonably, the Fort being then in Want. We stay’d there till the End of _February_, 1688, at which Time we fix’d our Resolution to depart, tho’ we had no News from _Canada_, as we expected. We found there were some Canoes ready to undertake that Voyage, and we laid hold of that Opportunity to convoy each other to the _Micilimaquinay_, where we hop’d to meet some News from _Canada_.
Monsieur _Cavelier_ the Priest, had taken Care, before the Death of M. _de la Sale_, his Brother, to get of him a Letter of Credit, to receive either a Sum of Money or Furs in the Country of the _Islinois_. He tender’d that Letter to M. _Tonty_, who believing M. _de la Sale_ was still alive, made no Difficulty of giving him to the Value of about 4000 Livres in Furs, Castors and Otter Skins, a Canoe and other Effects, for which, the said Monsr. _Cavelier_ gave him his Note,[120] and we prepar’d for our Journey.
I have before observed, that there was a _Jesuit_, whose name was _Dalouez_[121] at Fort _Lewis_, and who had been very much surpriz’d to hear that Monsr. _de la Sale_ was to come in a short Time, being under great Apprehensions on Account of a Conspiracy intended to have been carry’d on, against Monsr. _de la Sale’s_ Interest. That Father perceiving our Departure was fix’d, mov’d first, and went away foremost, to return to _Micilimaquinay_;[122] so that they were left without a Priest at Fort _Lewis_, which was a great Trouble to us, because we were the Occasion of it, and therefore those, who were to remain in the Fort, anticipated the Time, and made their _Easter_, taking the Advantage of the Presence of F. _Anastasius_ and M. _Cavelier_.