The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-12-17

On a narrow isthmus between the coosa and the Tallapoosa. Rivers, not far above the junction of the two streams, stood, hundred and fifty years ago, Fort Toulouse, otherwise called by the French, "le Fort des Ali bamons," by the English the Alabama Fort It was built in TIA by the French of Mobile with the aid of the Alabama Indians who lived hard by, for purposes of trade with the Creeks and Alabamas and also as barrier to the westward trend of the English settle ments in Carolina. It was a wooden structure with four bastions mounted with eight cannon, and stood on a high bluff commanding the landing place and the Coosa River.
 Old Fort Toulouse had an interesting history, checkered. with events sad and gay, during the half century of it's ex- istence From the semi-darkness of its romantic past shadows creep forth and reveal to us something of life and ad- venture here during the early and lat ter days of the French occupancy. It was hero that the French captain. Mar chand. commandant of the post. mar ried in 1720. after the Indian fashion, Sehoya ("two standing together"), maiden of the Hotulle-nahumke or Wind Family" the noblest clan among the Creek Indians. and became the pro- genitor of men and women whose names are interwoven with much of the sub sequent history of Alabama-the Mo- Gillivrays, weatherfords. Tates. Du- rants. Holmeses. Shomos. Tunstalls, and n host of others. Here in 1723 Captain Marchand was murdered by his sol diers in a mutiny of the garrison, as is told in Pickett's History of Ala bama.
 Here 1t was that in 1759,. as the French Captain Bosu tells us in his marvellous book of travels. M. Aubert. then Gornandant of the post, len grand sefgneur." with a salute of musketry, the head chief of the Coweta town on the Chattahooche, who had been dubbed by the French, Grand Empe- reur." by the Spaniards of Florida Grand Emperador" of all the Creek and Alabama Indians. Here the Elm peror with his vice-regent his head war-chief and, his principal medicine man, was entertained at state dinner given. in his honor. where his Imperial Majesty and his attendant lords sat at table ,aPrayed in none other habiliments than those worn by our father Adam in the terrestrial Paradise. When the roast turkey was served the Indian monarch watched with keen interest the French officers using their, table forks and.tried to initiate them. but the vice-regent seized and divided his portion of the fowl with his fingers. declaring that the Master of Breath tHesa ke- tamese) had created fingers for this purpose before knives and forks were invented.
 Here, too, on this same occasion some French wag, for the sake of creating q little merriment. induced the Elm peror's Indian serving-man to swallow a mouthful of strong mustard with which the French officers seasoned their meat. As the fiery condiment coursed down the poor fellows throat like a torchlight procession, he thought that he had swallowed poison and was fast travelling the primrose path to the ever lasting bonfire. until his physical pain and mental terror were ailayed by CO., pious drafts of the Frenchman's good brandy.
 Hlther came from time to time en- voys and deputies from the Spaniards of Florida and the English of Carolina and Georgia with persuasive talks and useful presents to draw away the In- dians from their allegiance to the French.
 During all these years Jesuit priests, fathers de Cayenne, Morand. Le Roi and Le Predour and others perhaps be- fore them. had ministered at the post celebrating masses and marriages. bap- tiziug the children and burying the dead according to the rites and ceremo- nies of the Holy Catholic Church, and endeavoring, with small success, 1t