us. Their temples were built on great
mounds, and in them the sacred fire was very carefully guarded by the
priests. If it should go out fearful misfortunes were expected to ensue.

Their ruler was high priest as well as monarch. He was called the Sun
and was believed to be a direct descendant of the great deity. He was a
complete autocrat, with the power of life and death over the people, and
his nearest female relative, who was known as the woman chief, had the
same power. On his death there were many human sacrifices, though it was
not his son, but that of the woman chief, who succeeded to the throne.
Not only the ruler, but all the members of the royal caste, were called
Suns, and had special privileges. Under them there was a nobility, also
with its powers and privileges, but the common people had very few
rights. On the temple of the sun were the figures of three eagles, with
their heads turned to the east. It may be seen that this people was a
very interesting one, far advanced in culture beyond the rude tribes of
the North, and it is a great pity that they were utterly destroyed and
their institutions swept away before they were studied by the scientists
of the land. Their destruction was due to French injustice, and this is
how it came about.

Louisiana was not settled by the French until about twenty years after
La Salle's great journey, and New Orleans was not founded till 1718.
The French gradually spread their authority over the country, bringing
the Mississippi tribes under their influence. Among these were the
Natchez, situated up the river in a locality indicated by the present
city of Natchez. The trouble with them came about in 1729, through the
unjust behavior of a French officer named Chopart. He had been once
removed for injustice, but a new governor, M. Perier, had replaced him,
not knowing his character.

Chopart, on his return to the Natchez country, was full of great views,
in which the rights of the old owners of the land did not count. He was
going to make his province a grand and important one, and in the
presence of his ambition the old inhabitants must bend the knee. He
wanted a large space for his projected settlement, and on looking about
could find no spot that suited him but that which was occupied by the
Indian village of the White Apple. That the natives might object to this
appropriation of their land did not seem to trouble his lordly soul.

He sent to the Sun of the village, bid