Father _Anastasius_, who was then by his Side, stood stock still in a Fright, expecting the same Fate, and not knowing whether he should go forwards or backwards; but the Murderer _Duhaut_ put him out of that Dread, bidding him not to fear, for no Hurt was intended him; that it was Despair that had prevail’d with him to do what he saw; that he had long desir’d to be revenged on _Moranget_, because he had designed to ruin him, and that he was partly the Occasion of his Uncle’s Death. This is the exact Relation of that Murder, as it was presently after told me by F. _Anastasius_.
Such was the unfortunate End of Monsieur _de la Sale’s_ Life, at a Time when he might entertain the greatest Hopes, as the Reward of his Labours.[94] He had a Capacity and Talent to make his Enterprize successful; his Constancy and Courage and his extraordinary Knowledge in Arts and Sciences, which render’d him fit for any Thing, together with an indefatigable Body, which made him surmount all Difficulties, would have procur’d a glorious Issue to his Undertaking, had not all those excellent Qualities been counterbalanced by too haughty a Behaviour, which sometimes made him insupportable, and by a Rigidness towards those that were under his Command, which at last drew on him an implacable Hatred, and was the Occasion of his Death.
[Sidenote: _Barbarity towards the dead Body._]
The Shot which had kill’d Monsieur _de la Sale_, was also a Signal of the Murder to the Assassins for them to draw near. They all repair’d to the Place where the wretched dead Corps lay, which they barbarously strip’d to the Shirt, and vented their Malice in vile and opprobrious Language. The Surgeon _Liotot_ said several Times in Scorn and Derision, _There thou liest, Great Bassa, there thou liest._ In Conclusion, they dragged it naked among the Bushes, and left it exposed to the ravenous Wild Beasts. So far was it from what a certain Author writes, of their having bury’d him and set up a cross on his Grave.[95]
[Sidenote: _Murderers return to the Camp._]
When those Murderers had satiated their Rage, they set out to come to us at our Camp, with the dry’d Flesh, which they had caus’d to be brought over the River by the _Indians_, who had been Spectators of the Murder and of all the inhuman Actions that had been committed, with Amazement and Contempt of us. When they were come to the Camp, they found Messieurs _Cavelier_, the one Brother, the other Nephew to the murder’d Commander, whom Father _Anastasius_ acquainted with the dismal End of our Chief, and enjoyn’d them Silence, which it is easy to imagine was very hard upon them; but it was absolutely necessary.