"
On hearing these words the French people were so carried away with joy
that they danced and sang and scattered flowers along the street. By his
kind way of dealing with them, Clark made the people of the town his
friends instead of his enemies.
A little later the people of Vincennes also solemnly promised to be loyal
citizens, and, taking down the English flag, they raised the American
stars and stripes over their fort.
LIFE IN THE OLD FRENCH VILLAGES
You will enjoy a glimpse of the life in these old French villages, for it
is quite different from that of the settlements we have visited. There are
many little hamlets, like Kaskaskia and Vincennes, on the western
frontier. They have been in existence for years, but have not increased
much in strength or size.
The French people living there have never mingled with the American
backwoodsmen. They have kept by themselves, remaining for the most part
half-homesick emigrants. Many of them are engaged in the fur trade; some
are adventure-loving wood rovers and hunters, but the most of them are
farmers on a small scale.
Their little villages, composed of hovels or small log cottages, are
guarded by rough earthworks.
Pages:
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145