La Salle and the discovery of the great West - North Central ...

1682.] POSSESSION TAKEN. 307sion of his Majesty, which I hold in my hand, andwhich may be seen by all whom it may concern, havetaken, and do now take, in the name of his Majestyand of his successors to the crown, possession of thiscountry of Louisiana, the seas, harbors, ports, bays,adjacent straits, and all the nations, peoples, provinces,cities, towns, villages, mines, minerals, fisheries,streams, and rivers, within the extent of the saidLouisiana, from the mouth of the great river St.Louis, otherwise called the Ohio, ... as also alongthe river Colbert, or Mississippi, and the rivers whichdischarge themselves thereinto, from its source beyondthe country of the Nadouessioux ... as far as itsmouth at the sea, or Gulf of Mexico, and also to themouth of the River of Palms, upon the assurance wehave had from the natives of these countries thatwe are the first Europeans who have descended orascended the said river Colbert; hereby protestingagainst all who may hereafter undertake to invadeany or all of these aforesaid countries, peoples, orlands, to the prejudice of the rights of his Majesty,acquired by the consent of the nations dwelling herein.Of which, and of all else that is needful, I herebytake to witness those who hear me, and demandan act of the notary here present." 11 In the passages omitted above, for the sake of brevity, the Ohiois mentioned as being called also the Olighin- (Alleghany) Sipou,and Chukagoua ; and La Salle declares that he takes possession ofof whomthe country with the consent of the nations dwelling in it,he names the Chaouanons (Shawanoes), Kious, or Nadouessioui(Sioux), Chikachas (Chickasaws), Motantees (?), Illinois, Mitch*