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

1687.] MURDER OF MORANGET. 425preceding journey, and where he had left a quantityof Indian corn and beans in cache; that is to say,hidden in the ground or in a hollow tree. As provisionswere fallingshort, he sent a party from thecamp to find it. These men were Duhaut, Liotot, 1Hiens the buccaneer, Teissier, L'Archev^que, Nikathe hunter, and La Salle's servant Saget. Theyopened the cache, and found the contents spoiled ;butas they returned from their bootless errand they sawbuffalo, and Nika shot two of them. They nowencamped on the spot, and sent the servant to informLa Salle, in order that he might send horses to bringin the meat. Accordingly, on the next day, hedirected Moranget and De Marie, with the necessaryhorses, to go with Saget to the hunters ' camp.When they arrived, they found that Duhaut and hiscompanions had already cut up the meat, and laid itupon scaffoldsfor smoking, though it was not yet sodry as, it seems, this process required. Duhaut andthe others had also put by, for themselves, themarrow-bones and certain portions of the meat, towhich, by woodland custom, they had a perfect rightMoranget, whose rashness and violence had oncebefore caused a fatal catastrophe, fell into a mostunreasonable fit of rage, berated and menaced Duhautand hisparty, and ended by seizing upon the wholeof the meat, including the reserved portions. Thisadded fuel to the fire of Duhaut's old grudge againstMoranget and his uncle. There is reason to think1 Called Lanquetot by Tonty.