[Sidenote: _Mr._ Cavelier _and his Company part from the others_.]
After that, _Hiens_ and his Companions withdrew to their own Cottage, and we resolv’d not to put off our Departure any longer. Accordingly, we made ready our Horses, which much alarm’d the Natives, and especially the Chief of them, who said and did all he could to obstruct our Journey, promising us Wives, Plenty of Provisions, representing to us the immense Dangers, as well from Enemies, who surrounded them, as from the bad and impassable Ways and the many Woods and Rivers we were to pass. However, we were not to be moved, and only ask’d one Kindness of him, in obtaining of which, there were many difficulties, and it was, that he would give us Guides to conduct us to _Cappa_; but at length, after much Trouble and many Promises of a good Reward, one was granted, and two others went along with him.
[Sidenote: French _Men stay with the_ Indians.]
[Sidenote: _Only seven set out for_ Canada.]
All Things being thus order’d for our Departure, we took Leave of our Hosts, pass’d by _Heins_’s Cottage and embrac’d him and his Companions. We ask’d him for another Horse, which he granted. He desired an Attestation in _Latin_ of Monsieur _Cavelier_, that he had not been concern’d in the Murder of Monsieur _de la Sale_, which was given him, because there was no refusing of it; and we set forward without _Larcheveque_ and _Meunier_, who did not keep their Word with us, but remain’d among those Barbarians, being infatuated with that Course of Libertinism they had run themselves into. Thus there were only seven of us that stuck together to return to _Canada_, _viz._ Father _Anastasius_, Messieurs _Cavelier_ the Uncle and the Nephew, the Sieur _de Marle_, one _Teissier_, a young Man born at _Paris_, whose Name was _Bartholomew_ and I, with six horses and the three _Indians_, who were to be our Guides; a very small Number for so great an Enterprize, but we put ourselves entirely into the Hands of Divine Providence, confiding in God’s Mercy, which did not forsake us.
After the first Day’s Journey we incamp’d on the Bank of the River, we had left not long before, lay there that Night, and the next Day, cut down Trees to make a Sort of Bridge or Planks to pass over it; handing over our Goods from one to another, and swimming over our Horses; which Work we were frequently oblig’d to repeat, and as often as we had afterwards Occasion to pass Rivers on our Way, which we held on till the 29th, every Day meeting with some Cottage, and at last, a Hamlet or Village, into which we went, and the _Indian_ Inhabitants told us, they were call’d _Nahordikhe_,[111] and that they were Allies to the _Cenis_.