The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-12-17

must be confessed, to turn the Indians away from their 3heathenish ways to the worship ot the true. God.
 In this sequestered spot, far beyond the borders of European civilization. the officers and soldiers of the fort. few in number as they seem always to have been. sought. we may be sure, to be- guile the lonely liyelong days with music, song and dance, as the French best know how. when Monsieur. Mad anne. garcun and fillette trod the stately measures of the minuet to the sound Of tambour and viol, or capered nimbly to the pleasing of milady's lute.
 Our story relates to events connected with the evacuation and abandonment of Fort Toulouse in 1163 by the Chev- alier de Ia Noue, the last commandant of the post and the subsequent destruc- ton of the fort and the buildings of the cantonment by the Alabama Indians.
 The long continued wars between France and England for supremacy ir North America ended with the con quest of Canada by the English and the defeat of the French forces every where. By the treaty of Paris. con cluded in February, 1763; France yield - ed every foot of territory claimed by her on the American continent. Ali the region east of the Mississippi rlv CT, including the river and port of Mo ' thereto was ceded to England. The story of the evacuation of Fort Toul- ouse is a stirring episode in the annals of Alabama. and has been all too brief ly told in the current histories of tho State. The few facts given by Pick ett History of Alabama) and Iiamil ton Colonial Mobile) arc derived mainly from Gayarre's Historic de Ia Louisiana" and tell only the story of the evacuation. The story of the de- struction of the fort, the barracks, the cottages and all the other buildings of the cantonment remains now to be told for the first time in English
 My information Is derived from an obscure work written in French by a subaltern officer who was stationed at the fort some years before its fall. and who was well acquainted with alt the facts and circumstances. This French work has never been translated into English and has never before been dragged out from its obscurity to illus trate and adorn the picturesque pages of our early history. so that the pres ent relation forms what may be fairly called a lost chapter in the history of Alabama. now at last recovered.
 Not far away from the walls of Fort Toulouse on the southsidc was a small town of the Alapamas the inhab- itants of which lived in peace and har mony with the French garrison and were sincerely attached to the French king and people. The principal chief of the town in 1763 was old Tamathle- mingo who loved the French as heart fly as he detested the English. In re- turn for his unfaltering devotion to the French interests Tamathle- e-mingo had been created a medal-chief by or der of Lopis XV and in token of this high honor had been decorated with a silver medal on which was stamped tho image of the French king with a proper inscription. This medal the old chief always wore suspended by a leathern chain on his breast.
 English traders from Georgia and South Carolina had often tried to se- duce him from his allegiance to the French government by offering him presents. The presents he rejected with indignation and expressed n de- sire to tomahawk these English depu- ties for attempting by bribes to draw him over to the British interests.
 q disdaln." said he to one Of the French officers, ito accept any gift from these English dogs who arc ene- mics of my father. the king of France"
 On another occasion when the old chief was in New Orleans on visit to Governor Kerlerec and saw that some English who had come ostensibly to treat for an exchange of prisoners were courteously entertained in the homes of the citizens. his heart was