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First Commands, 1729-1737 25 After seven years the copper mines had produced little, and Maurepas ordered the venture to close down amidst suspicions that La Ronde's true interests at Chagouamigon were in the fur trade. THE MIAMI POST, 1733-1734 Although Saint-Pierre remained in the Chagouamigon fur-trading partnership, around 1733 he was reassigned by Beauharnois to command the Miami post judging from internal evidence in the following unsigned letter in Saint-Pierre's handwriting sent to Beauharnois on 25 March 1734. While the upper-country post from which he sent it is not named, the portage described as necessary for the Ouiatanon traders to reach his post appears to be the Wabash River-Maumee River portage connecting the Ouiatanon post (West Lafayette, Indiana) and the Miami post. His temporary assignment was to replace the regular commandant, JeanCharles Darnaud, during the latter's trip to France. Saint-Pierre's first two commands, then, were short-term assignments to replace the regular commanders during their absences. The first command of his own, so to speak, was yet to come.16 The first section of Saint-Pierre's letter from the Miami post reveals the competition and conflict between the civilian leaseholders of the trading posts and the officers of the Troupes de fa Marine who themselves engaged in the fur trade, while the second paragraph deals with a problem for both the proprietors and officers:17 Dated 25 March 1734 Sir, I have never in my life Been more struck than by the reading of the last letter that you did me the honor of writing me on the Subject of the Leaseholders Of the ouiatannons. I cannot understand, Sir, their having Dared deceive you in this way, [in view of] my not having objected in any manner nor having Had any discussion at all with the Gentlemen. As to the portage that they are required to make at this post, I have the honor of assuring you, Sir, that I never thought of Requiring any fee, since it is certain that they had their Goods carried as they saw fit, without there ever having been any doc. 9 ...

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