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A half-century of conflict. France and England in North America. Part ...

A half-century of conflict. France and England in North America. Part ...

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8 SEARCH FOR THE PACIFIC. [1737.a new arrangement was made, followed by anotherattempt. 1For a time a prosperous trade was carriedon; but, as commonly happened <strong>in</strong> such cases, theadventurers seem to have thought more <strong>of</strong> utiliz<strong>in</strong>gtheir monopoly than <strong>of</strong> fulfill<strong>in</strong>g the terms on whichthey had received it. The wild Sioux <strong>of</strong> the pla<strong>in</strong>s,<strong>in</strong>stead <strong>of</strong> be<strong>in</strong>g converted <strong>and</strong> turned <strong>in</strong>to Frenchmen,proved such dangerous neighbors that, <strong>in</strong> 1737,Legardeur de Sa<strong>in</strong>t-Pierre, who then comm<strong>and</strong>ed thepost, found himself forced to ab<strong>and</strong>on it.^ Theenterprise had failed <strong>in</strong> both its aims. The WesternSea was still a mystery, <strong>and</strong> theSioux were notfriends, but enemies. Legardeur de Sa<strong>in</strong>t-Pierrerecommended that they should be destroyed, —benevolent advice easy to give, <strong>and</strong> impossible toexecute.^Ren^ Gaultier de Varennes, lieutenant <strong>in</strong>the regiment<strong>of</strong> Carignan, married at Three Rivers, <strong>in</strong> 1667,the daughter <strong>of</strong> Pierre Boucher, governor <strong>of</strong> thatplace; the age <strong>of</strong> the bride. Demoiselle MarieBoucher, be<strong>in</strong>g twelve years, six months, <strong>and</strong> eighteendays. Varennes succeeded his father-<strong>in</strong>-law asgovernor <strong>of</strong> Three Rivers, with a salary <strong>of</strong> twelvehundred francs, to which he added the pr<strong>of</strong>its <strong>of</strong> afarm <strong>of</strong> forty acres ; <strong>and</strong> on these modest resources,re<strong>in</strong>forced by an illicit trade <strong>in</strong> fure, he made shift to1 Beaiikarnois et Hocquart au M<strong>in</strong>istre, 25 Octobre, 1729; Idem, 12Octobre, 1731.2 Relation du Sieur de Sa<strong>in</strong>t-Pierre, 14 Octobre, 1737.2 " Get <strong>of</strong>fioier [Sa<strong>in</strong>t-Pierre] a ajoute qu'il seroit avantageux dedetruire cette nation." — M^moire de Beauharnois, 1738.

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