That Work So
Much Desired On Both Sides Is Accomplished.
It depends not upon me that it
may not be permanent.
Live henceforth like brothers in good union & without
jealousy. As to myself, I am resolved, if the time should arrive, of
sacrificing my life for the glory of the King of Great Britain, for the
interest of the nation & the advantage of the Hudson's Bay Company, & of
obeying in all thirds my uncle."
I found this with regard to repeating the recital that my nephew made us
concerning what had passed between him & the English & the savages, their
allies, that although he had apprised me of the true state in which the 2
parties were at the time of my arrival, yet I also saw plainly the need
that the English had of being succoured, & the necessity that the French
had for provisions, of merchandise, and especially of guns, which could not
come to them but by my means.
But it is time to resume the care of our affairs, & to continue to render
an account of our conduct. Our people worked always with great application
to transport the beaver skins a half league across the wood, for it was the
road that it was necessary to make from the house as far as the place where
the shallops were, & they carried them to the little frigate, which
discharged them upon the ships. I was always present at the work, for the
purpose of animating all our men, who gave themselves in this work no rest
until it was done, & that against the experience of the Captains of our
ships, whom some had made believe that the business would drag at length;
but having gone to them I assured them that if they were ready to do so
they could raise the anchor to-morrow.
There things thus disposed of, it only disturbed me yet more to execute a
secret order that the company had given me, leaving it, however, to my
prudence and discretion. It was of retaining in its service my nephew and
some other Frenchmen, & above all the one who spoke the savage dialect, who
was the wounded one, to remain in the country in my absence, which I dared
not promise myself. In the meantime I resolved to make the proposition to
my nephew, believing that after gaining him I should be able easily to add
the others also. I caused to assemble for that end 5 or 6 of the savages of
the most consideration in the country with the Governor, & in their
presence I said to him, that for the glory of the King & for the advantage
of the company it was necessary that he should remain in the country. To
which he was averse at first; but the Governor having assured him that he
would trust him as his own nephew, & that he would divide the authority
that he had with him, & myself on my part having reproached him that he was
not loyal to the oath of allegiance that he had sworn to me, these reasons
obliged him to determine, & he assured me that he was ready to do all that
I wished of him.
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