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

450 THE INNOCENT AND THE GUILTY. [1687.promised to join the Cenis on an expedition against aneighboring tribe with whom they were at war ;andthe whole party having removed to the Indian village,the warriors and their allies prepared to depart. SixFrenchmen went with Hiens ; and the rest, includingJoutel, Douay, and the Caveliers, remained behind,in the lodge where Joutel had been domesticated,and where none were now leftand old men.but women, children,Here they remained a week or more,watched closely by the Cenis, who would not letthem leave the village ; when news at length arrivedof a great victory, and the warriors soon afterreturned with forty-eight scalps.It was the Frenchguns that won the battle, but not the less did theyglory in their prowess ; and several days were spentin ceremonies and feasts of triumph. 1When all this hubbub of rejoicing had subsided,Joutel and his companions broke to Hiens their planof attempting to reach home by way of the Mississippi.As they had expected, he opposed it vehemently,declaring that for his own part he would not runsuch a risk of losing his head ; but at length he consentedto their departure, on condition that the elderCavelier should give him a certificate of his entireinnocence of the murder of La Salle,which the priestdid not hesitate to do. For the rest, Hiens treatedhis departing fellow-travellers with the generosity ofa successful free-booter; for he gave them a good1These are described by Joutel. Like nearly all the early observersof Indian manners, he speaks of the practice of cannibalism.