The Story of Tonty :: VI. TO-DAY.

VI. TO-DAY.

It is recorded that the AbbÉ Cavelier and his party arrived safely in France, and that he then concealed the death of La Salle for awhile that he might get possession of property which would have been seized by La Salle’s creditors. He died “rich and very old” says the historian,[26] though he was unsuccessful in a petition which he made with his nephew to the king, to have all the explorer’s seigniorial propriety in America put in his possession. Like Father Hennepin—who returned to France and wrote his entertaining book to prove himself a greater man than La Salle—the AbbÉ Cavelier was skilful in turning loss to profit.

It is also recorded that Henri de Tonty, at his own expense, made a long search with men, canoes, and provisions, for La Salle’s Texan colony—left by the king to perish at the hands of Indians; that he was deserted by every follower except his Indian and one Frenchman, and nearly died in swamps and canebrakes before he again reached the fort on the Illinois.

To-day you may climb the Rock of St. Louis,—called now Starved Rock from the last stand which the Illinois made as a tribe on that fortress, a hundred years ago, when the Iroquois surrounded and starved them,—and you may look over the valley from which Tonty heard the death lament arise.

A later civilization has cleared it of Indian lodges and set it with villages and homesteads. A low ridge of the old earthwork yet remains on the east verge. Behind the Rock, slopes of milk-white sand still stretch toward a shallow ravine. Beyond that stands a farmhouse full of the relics of French days. The iron-handed commandant of the Rock has left some hint of his strong spirit thereabouts, for even the farmer’s boy will speak his name with the respect boys have for heroic men.

Crosses, beads, old iron implements, and countless remains of La Salle’s time, turn up everywhere in the valley soil.

Ferns spring, lush and vivid, from the lichened lips of that great sandstone body. The stunted cedars lean over its edge still singing the music of the sea. Sunshine and shade and nearness to the sky are yet there. You see depressions in the soil like grass-healed wounds, made by the tearing out of huge trees; but local tradition tells you these are the remains of pits dug down to the rock by Frenchmen searching for Tonty’s money. At the same time, local tradition is positive that Tonty came back, poor, to the Rock to die, in 1718.

Death had stripped him of every tie. He had helped to build that city near the Mississippi’s mouth which was La Salle’s object, and had also helped found Mobile. The great west owes more to him than to any other man who labored to open it to the world. Yet historians say the date of his death is unknown, and tradition around the Rock says he crept up the stony path an old and broken man, helped by his Indian and a priest, died gazing from its summit, and was buried at its west side. The tribes, while they held the land, continued to cover his grave with wild roses. But men may tread over him now, for he lies lost in the earth as La Salle was lost in the wilderness of the south.

No justice ever was done to this man who gave to his friends with both hand of flesh and hand of iron, caring nothing for recompense; and whom historians, priests, tradition, savages, and his own deeds unite in praising. But as long as the friendship of man for man is beautiful, as long as the multitude with one impulse lift above themselves those men who best express the race, Henri de Tonty’s memory must stand like the Rock of St. Louis.[27]

THE END.

FOOTNOTES:

[1] Frontenac was the only man the Iroquois would ever allow to call himself their father. All other governors, English or French, were simply brothers.[2] “Henri de Tonty, surnommÉ Main-de-fer.” Notes Sur Nouvelle France.[3] The romancer here differs from the historian, who says Father Hennepin met La Salle at Quebec.[4] “This name was in Huron and Iroquois the translation of the name of M. de Montmagny (Mons maguns, great mountain). The savages continued calling the successors of Governor Montmagny by the same name, and even to the French king they applied the title ‘Great Ononthio.’” Translated from note on page 138, tome 1, Garneau’s Histoire du Canada.[5] The asceticism here attributed to Mademoiselle Jeanne le Ber was really practised by the wife of an early colonial noble. See Parkman’s Old RÉgime, p. 355.[6] Several historians identify Jolycoeur with the noted coureur de bois and writer, Nicolas Perrot. But considering the deed he attempted, the romancer has seen fit to portray him as a very different person.[7] Historians return Father Hennepin to France in 1681.[8] Parkman.[9] Manuscript relating to early history of Canada.[10] In reality this was Father MembrÉ’s adventure.[11] “He (La Salle) gave us a piece of ground 15 arpents in front by 20 deep, the donation being accepted by Monsieur de Frontenac, syndic of our mission.” From Le Clerc.[12] Relation of Henri de Tonty (cited in Margry, I). “Comme cette riviÈre se divise en trois chenaux, M. de la Salle fut descouvrÉr celuy de la droite, je fus À celuy du mileu et le Sieur d’Autray À celuy de la gauche.”[13] Abridged from Francis Parkman’s version of La Salle’s proclamation. The ProcÈs Verbal is a long document.[14] Sanomp was suggested to the romancer by La Salle’s faithful Shawanoe follower, Nika, and an Indian friend and brother in “Pontiac.”[15] Guardian Manitou. See Introduction to “Jesuits in North America.”[16] The romancer differs from the historian—Charlevoix, tome 2—who records that Catharine Tegahkouita died in 1678.[17] Joutel. English Translation “from the edition just published at Paris, 1714 A. D.”[18] “Le Rocher,” this natural fortress was commonly called by the French. See Charlevoix.[19] “On his return he brought back with him the families of a number of French immigrants, soldiers, and traders. This arrival of the wives, sisters, children, and sweethearts of some of the colonists, after years of separation, was the occasion of great rejoicing.”—John Moses’ History of Illinois.[20] “He was loved and feared by all,” says St.-Cosme.[21] Tonty’s words in “Dernieres Decouvertes dans L’Amerique Septentrional.”[22] Parkman states its actual height to be only a hundred and twenty-five feet.[23] “The joyous French held balls, gay suppers, and wine parties on the Rock.”—Old History of Illinois.[24] Translated from Tonty’s lament over La Salle in “Dernieres Decouvertes dans L’Amerique Septentrional.”[25] Joutel’s Journal gives a long and exact account of La Salle’s assassination and the fate of all who were concerned in it. The murder, by the conspirators, of his nephew Moranget, his servant Saget, and his Indian hunter Nika—which preceded and led to his death—is not mentioned in this romance.

To this day it is not certainly known what became of La Salle’s body. Father Anastase Douay, the RÉcollect priest who witnessed his death, told Joutel at the time that the conspirators stripped it and threw it in the bushes. But afterward he declared La Salle lived an hour, and he himself confessed the dying man, buried him when dead, and planted a cross on his grave. So excellent a historian as Garneau gives credit to this story.

In reality the AbbÉ Cavelier and his party treated Tonty with greater cruelty than the romancer describes. They lived over winter on his hospitality, departed loaded with his favors, and told him not a word of the tragedy.

Joutel’s account of it, much condensed from the old English translation, reads thus:—

“The conspirators hearing the shot (fired by La Salle to attract their attention) concluded it was Monsieur de la Sale who was come to seek them. They made ready their arms and Duhaut passed the river with Larcheveque. The first of them spying Monsieur de la Sale at a Distance, as he was coming towards them, advanced and hid himself among the high weeds, to wait his passing by, so that Monsieur de la Sale suspected nothing, and having not so much as charged his Piece again, saw the aforesaid Larcheveque at a good distance from him, and immediately asked for his nephew Moranget, to which Larcheveque answered, That he was along the river. At the same time the Traitor Duhaut fired his Piece and shot Monsieur de la Sale thro’ the head, so that he dropped down dead on the Spot, without speaking one word.
“Father Anastase, who was then by his side, stood stock still in a Fright, expecting the same fate,... but the murderer Duhaut put him out of that Dread, bidding him not to fear, for no hurt was intended him; that it was Dispair that had prevailed with them to do what he saw....
“The shot which had killed Monsieur de la Sale was a signal ... for the assassins to draw near. They all repaired to the place where the wretched corpse lay, which they barbarously stripped to the shirt, and vented their malice in opprobrious language. The surgeon Liotot said several times in scorn and derision, There thou liest, Great Bassa, there thou liest. In conclusion they dragged it naked among the bushes and left it exposed to the ravenous wild Beasts.
“When they came to our camp ... Monsieur Cavelier the priest could not forbear telling them that if they would do the same by him he would forgive them his” (La Salle’s) “murder.... They answered they had Nothing to say to him.
... “We were all obliged to stifle our Resentment that it might not appear, for our Lives depended upon it.... We dissembled so well that they were not suspicious of us, and that Temptation we were under of making them away in revenge for those they had murdered, would have easily prevailed and been put in execution, had not Monsieur Cavelier, the Priest, always positively opposed it, alleging that we ought to leave vengeance to God.”

The RÉcollet priest, who had seen La Salle’s death, answered no questions at Fort St. Louis. Teissier, one of the conspirators, had obtained the AbbÉ’s pardon. The others could truly say La Salle was well when they last saw him.[26] Parkman.[27] “In 1690 the proprietorship of Fort St. Louis was granted to Tonty jointly with La Forest.... In 1702 the governor of Canada, claiming that the charter of the fort had been violated, decided to discontinue it. Although thus officially abandoned it seems to have been occupied as a trading post until 1718. Deprived of his command and property, Tonty engaged with Le Moyne d’Iberville in various successful expeditions.”—John Moses’ History of Illinois.

Transcriber’s Note

The following errors are noted. The page numbers in this table refer to those of the original. The French 'RÉcollet' is spelled twice as 'RÉcollect'. The instance appearing in a footnote is left as is, but that in the text itself was changed to match all other occurrences.

56	He is no stupid	sic.
73	No more than half your party, monsieur[.]	Added period.
190	flank of rock wall	sic.
197	The RÉcolle[c]t Father did not answer	Removed ‘c’ for consistency.

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