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THE REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD, 1765-1781 401 ACT OF POSSESSION OF EAST BANK OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER NORTH OF THE DISTRICT OF NATCHEZ. November 22, 1780. 332 Don Balthazar de Villiers, captain of the Louisiana regiment, political and military commandant of Fort Carlos III of Arkansas and its dependencies. On this the 22nd day of the month of November, 1780, in the name of the King of Spain, Don Carlos III (may God keep him), we have taken possession of the left bank of the Mississippi River oppo- site the Arkansas, White, and St. Francis rivers, as far as the boundary of the district of Natchez, to be the dependencies and come within the jurisdiction of this post. Being at the place formerly known as Concorda, we have inclosed this document together with His Majesty's royal coat of arms in a tin box and have buried it fifty paces from the river at a depth of one and one-half feet at the base of a two-armed tree called copalm bearing old marks and having three new forks. It is located in front of the said river to the east of that place. The following have signed their names: Anselmo Billet Estevan Gooding Pedro Themines Luis Patin Jn Ba Andueza Lorenzo Quino. Done in the abovementioned place and date. Etienne Gooding Anselme Billet Pierre Themines Louis Pattins Jn Ba Andueza Mark of Lorenzo Quino Balthazar de Villiers Miro (Rubric) INDIAN CHIEFS TO CRUZAT 1780 333 STATEMENTS OF VARIOUS INDIAN CHIEFS,To-Wit: TALK OF LOUTARDE, CHIEF OF THE OUYA. My French and Spanish father, listen to me: We have lost our father today. Please be assured that we have had no part in this dark deed. We are still following the path traced by our former fathers. They are dead, but they told us always to be united, and their spirit still lives, so that we are still following the same path. Our eyes are filled with tears at the sight of these troubled times, and we do not cease mourning over the loss of our father. Most of us are young ________________ 332 BL. A Pinart transcript marked AG Cuba Fl. Occ. 2-1218. 333 BL, (French). [in the left margin, vertically: "Kinnaird, Lawrence. Spain in the Mississippi Velley, 1765-1794: Translations"