going to end. They were all around this
area. And not just his tribe, but the Acolapissa were being driven
to more and more remote areas, away from their original homes. But
his case was different, he thought. He longed for the calming quiet
waters of the Cane and his private times of reflection up on the
hillside. The Cane River valley was always kind to him and his
people and it provided all that they needed. But the years of
drought were too much for one man to bear. He thought that the
rains would soon return and they would be able to return as well.
Yet, he did not know when that time would come for his people. So
he was content to hope and pray for this each and every day. His
hope was for his youngest son, Nule, and for all his people, to one
day return home to the lands of the Cane.
Chapter 7
1713 - Eight Years Later
The French colony began to
evolve and the influx of settlers from the old world was ever
increasing as the years passed. The colony was assigned a new
governor that came from Quebec and Detroit. His name was Antoine Laumet sieur de Cadillac. St.
Denis had been sent to nearby Biloxi to help fortify the French
fort established there but soon was summoned back to Fort St. Jean
by Governor Cadillac. Cadillac was aware of St. Denis’ earlier
expeditions north of the colony and was now convinced that it was
imperative to establish forts in that area for trading and to post
soldiers there to keep the Spanish incursion from spreading east
from Texas.
Meanwhile, LaRouche had been
elevated to the rank of Lieutenant and commanded a group of
soldiers at the fort that still patrolled the surrounding area,
including the tribal areas on Lake Pontchartrain. Trading continued
with the Indians and some of them had even been given muskets for
more protection.
The Nashitosh and Acolapissa
continued to live alongside one another on the lake but the latter
had become somewhat resentful of the newcomers that had arrived and
started hunting their game and catching their fish. They complained
to the French that the wildlife was no longer plentiful. Tensions
had started to rise between the two tribes and they spent less and
less time in each other’s company.
Early one
morning, LaRouche set out on
patrol with his company that also included Etienne Sommer, now
promoted to Sergeant. “These damn mosquitoes are tough this year,
Sergeant,” he complained to Sommer. The rain fell hard on the
patrol as they sloshed their way through the marsh. “Another few
months of this and I’m liable to go nuts. We need to do
something.”
“ About the
mosquitoes, S ir?” asked
Sommer.
“ No, you fool. We
need to do something about this lousy detail,” he retorted. “We’re
out here in the heat and mosquitoes while the other brass is up at
the fort sipping tea and deciding what the next move is against the
Spaniards. We should be up there, I’m telling you. What do they
know? But, we’re stuck down here babysitting these damn Indians.”
The rain lightened, so they stopped the patrol and decided to start
a small fire to keep the mosquitoes at bay.
“ I don’t know,
Henri,” Sommer started, “We keep giving them those muskets, but if
you ask me we shouldn’t have given them any at all. What if they
decide to revolt against us? There is only a few of us here at a
time while the rest of our men are fighting Spaniards.”
“ Yes, you’re
right, my friend. They have too
many guns already.” LaRouche said as he sat thinking. “Every time I
walk around there I think one of them is going to take a shot at me
just for the hell of it.”
“ Ah, you’re being
paranoid, Lieutenant,” Sommer said. “There must be a way to get off
this detail and get our tails up to the real fight. I’ve had it
with this patrol, too.”
“ Yes, there must
be a way,” LaRouche kept thinking aloud. He sat and stared at the
fire for what seemed an eternity. His nostrils flared a little as
his thoughts raced. He took a deep breath and
area. And not just his tribe, but the Acolapissa were being driven
to more and more remote areas, away from their original homes. But
his case was different, he thought. He longed for the calming quiet
waters of the Cane and his private times of reflection up on the
hillside. The Cane River valley was always kind to him and his
people and it provided all that they needed. But the years of
drought were too much for one man to bear. He thought that the
rains would soon return and they would be able to return as well.
Yet, he did not know when that time would come for his people. So
he was content to hope and pray for this each and every day. His
hope was for his youngest son, Nule, and for all his people, to one
day return home to the lands of the Cane.
Chapter 7
1713 - Eight Years Later
The French colony began to
evolve and the influx of settlers from the old world was ever
increasing as the years passed. The colony was assigned a new
governor that came from Quebec and Detroit. His name was Antoine Laumet sieur de Cadillac. St.
Denis had been sent to nearby Biloxi to help fortify the French
fort established there but soon was summoned back to Fort St. Jean
by Governor Cadillac. Cadillac was aware of St. Denis’ earlier
expeditions north of the colony and was now convinced that it was
imperative to establish forts in that area for trading and to post
soldiers there to keep the Spanish incursion from spreading east
from Texas.
Meanwhile, LaRouche had been
elevated to the rank of Lieutenant and commanded a group of
soldiers at the fort that still patrolled the surrounding area,
including the tribal areas on Lake Pontchartrain. Trading continued
with the Indians and some of them had even been given muskets for
more protection.
The Nashitosh and Acolapissa
continued to live alongside one another on the lake but the latter
had become somewhat resentful of the newcomers that had arrived and
started hunting their game and catching their fish. They complained
to the French that the wildlife was no longer plentiful. Tensions
had started to rise between the two tribes and they spent less and
less time in each other’s company.
Early one
morning, LaRouche set out on
patrol with his company that also included Etienne Sommer, now
promoted to Sergeant. “These damn mosquitoes are tough this year,
Sergeant,” he complained to Sommer. The rain fell hard on the
patrol as they sloshed their way through the marsh. “Another few
months of this and I’m liable to go nuts. We need to do
something.”
“ About the
mosquitoes, S ir?” asked
Sommer.
“ No, you fool. We
need to do something about this lousy detail,” he retorted. “We’re
out here in the heat and mosquitoes while the other brass is up at
the fort sipping tea and deciding what the next move is against the
Spaniards. We should be up there, I’m telling you. What do they
know? But, we’re stuck down here babysitting these damn Indians.”
The rain lightened, so they stopped the patrol and decided to start
a small fire to keep the mosquitoes at bay.
“ I don’t know,
Henri,” Sommer started, “We keep giving them those muskets, but if
you ask me we shouldn’t have given them any at all. What if they
decide to revolt against us? There is only a few of us here at a
time while the rest of our men are fighting Spaniards.”
“ Yes, you’re
right, my friend. They have too
many guns already.” LaRouche said as he sat thinking. “Every time I
walk around there I think one of them is going to take a shot at me
just for the hell of it.”
“ Ah, you’re being
paranoid, Lieutenant,” Sommer said. “There must be a way to get off
this detail and get our tails up to the real fight. I’ve had it
with this patrol, too.”
“ Yes, there must
be a way,” LaRouche kept thinking aloud. He sat and stared at the
fire for what seemed an eternity. His nostrils flared a little as
his thoughts raced. He took a deep breath and
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