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26 Jacques Legardeur de Saint-Pierre question of any objection whatever and I am not able to do so without disobeying the orders that you did me the honor of stipulating in the preceding [letter] that I received. You do me the honor Sir of pointing out to me that you were not able to be persuaded that I accorded myself that right. It would make me unworthy of all your kindness to me if I were ever capable of doing anything that could displease you. Despite all my attention to the execution of your orders I was not able to Prevent the passage of the men called Marie and La framboise who did it through the Help of the Indians who, I have been assured, brought them through the woods with the Goods they had. It is not surprising that the Indians ease the way for them in view of their having married Indian women who are their allies. The first year that I came up [here] I had the honor of informing you from Detroit that by means of the Indians those two men would get what they needed for their trade from the english, which continues to cause a considerable loss in the trade of these posts. I learned on the eighth of this month from two indians that last autumn a boat which had been going up from New Orleans to the Illinois country had been Destroyed. This news warrants confirmation. All is extremely calm at this post until now. Saint-Pierre's first assignment as commandant of the Miami post, which he was to resume on a regular basis seven years later, ended in 1734. In June and July of that year, he was busy in Montreal preparing for the challenge -and the business-of his first regular command. FORT BEAUHARNOIS (THE SIOUX POST), 1734-1737 Saint-Pierre was named as commandant of Fort Beauharnois in the Dakota country at a time when the longstanding enmity between the Dakota and their neighbors, the Crees and the Chippewas, was threatening to erupt into large-scale warfare.18 Two contracts from June 1734 record that the new commandant of the Sioux post hired two engages, employees of the fur trade or voyageurs, each of whom was to lead a canoe loaded with merchandise to the post and to return the following year with a canoe filled with furs. The two contracts were signed by Pierre First Commands, 1729-1737 27 Neveu, Saint-Pierre's brother-in-law Charles Nolan Lamarque's clerk, who was acting for Saint-Pierre, and are very similar. The first contract, with Jean Cincire, paid him 330 livres, included clothing for the trip, and required Cincire to return to Montreal after wintering at the Sioux post; the second, with Louis-Basile Lafeuillade, paid him 250 livres but required him to bring his furs down only as far as Michilimackinac. Cincire's contract is presented here:19 Before The notary etc. Jean Cincire, habitant of Batiscan, presently doc. 10 in this town, was present, Who willingly Hired himself out and by These presents hires himself out to Jacques Ie gardeur, Esquire, Sieur de St. Pierre, Represented by Sieur Neveu, Monsieur Lamarque's Clerk present at this Proceeding and Agreeing for their first assignment to leave from This town, to help take and Convey one Canoe load of merchandise as far as the Sioux post-to winter at the said Location or Limits of the latter and Come Back down next year with the ordinary Convoy in a Canoe loaded with furs, go fur trading In all the Places that Will be indicated to him, fell trees, propel a canoe by pole If Needed, Seek to make A profit for the said gentlemen, Avoid any harm to Them And notify Them If any comes to His attention, obey everything legal and Honest That he will be ordered to do, And Finally to do everything that can and should be done by a Good and faithful hired voyageur And Without being able to take leave from the said service under the penalties of the ordinances and of loss of His wages. This contract is thus executed furthermore for and in return for The Sum of three hundred thirty livres that Sieur Neveu in the aforesaid name promises to Give and pay to the said engage Sincire20 upon his arrival In This town for His wages and Salary for the entire trip in Beaver or furs at...

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