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

448 THE INNOCENT AND THE GUILTY. [1687.the assassins would permit them, the witnesses oftheir crime, to reach the settlements alive. In themidst of theircrash of a thunderbolt.trouble, the sky was cleared as by theHiens and several others had gone, some timebefore, to the Cenis villages to purchase horses ; andhere they had been detained by the charms of theIndian women. During their stay, Hiens heard ofDuhaut's new plan of going to Canada by theMississippi; and he declared to those with him thathe would not consent.On a morning early in Mayhe appeared at Duhaut's camp, with Ruter andGrollet, the French savages, and about twentyIndians.Duhaut and Liotot, it is said, were passingthe time by practising with bows and arrows in frontof their hut. One of them called to Hiens, " Goodmorning; " but the buccaneer returned a sullenanswer. He then accosted Duhaut, telling him thathe had no mind to go up the Mississippi with him,and demanding a share of the goods.Duhaut repliedthat the goods were his own, since La Salle had owedhim money. "So you will not give them to me?"returned Hiens. "No," was the answer. "You area wretch!" exclaimed Hiens; "you killed mymaster." 1 And drawing a pistol from his belt he1 "Tu es un miserable. Tu as tu€ mon maistre." — Tonty,Memoire. Tonty derived his information from some of thosepresent. Douay and Joutel have each left an account Of thismurder. They agree in essential points ; though Douay says thatwhen it took place, Duhaut had moved his camp beyond the Ceniavillages, which is contrary to Joutel's statement.