Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 26.djvu/106

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88
Douglas Brymner

obedient children; agreed to your will; would keep their lands as you ordered them, still hoping that you would obtain vengeance at some future time for the miserable stroke the Sioux had made on their lands. However, you were the master to punish or to pardon; that he thanked you in the name of all and prayed you to acknowledge them as your true children; that they would always be faithful to us; you ordered them to keep their lands; that was to their interest.

Lamicoine gave profuse thanks for the great care I had had of his brother. It was from the old man whom I had brought with me that he had learned he would never see him more, begging me to assure you of his gratitude; that whilst he lived he would not forget the good you had done to his brother; that it would be for him and his to be always attached to the French; that my return had brought joy to all; that their joy would not be long continued, as according to what his brother had told him, I was going to winter a long way off; that he prayed me not to abandon them; if I wished to go far away from them, to leave one of my children; that he wished it was in his power to follow me; that he would do so heartily; that his brother and his nephew who expected to follow me, would take his place. I encouraged them to keep their word and to hunt well to supply the wants of their families; that I was going further on; that was your will; I wished to increase the number of your children; that I left my eldest son with them in my place, who was adopted by the nations and would inform them *of your words The council ended with many thanks. I then thought of preparing to leave; had my son received as commandant in my absence, and had an order published. Taking the two others with me, I deferred leaving until the 11th of September, waiting for Mr. la Marque, to whom I had promised not to hasten so as to give him the opportunity of joining me, he having promised me at Michilimakinak to make haste, so that