The Story of Robert Chevalier Beauchêne
Renegade! Rogue! Rake! Smuggler and Scoundrel! Pirate! and Patriot!
Robert Chevalier Dechenes was born at Pointe-aux-Trembler 23 Apr 1696 near Montreal Quebec on the St Lawrence River.
At seven he ran away and was adopted into a nearby Algonquin village. He is dicovered a few years later by some soldiers and returned to his parents. Forced to take lessons from the catholic nuns, He soon runs away again and re-joins his Indian family. He takes to this life wholeheartedly and is highly respected in the tribe. He move easily between French society and Indian Life. He is only eighteen when he is threatened by an officer after a dalliance with his wife. He and some Indian brothers sign on to the Cadillac Expedition even at this early age it is obvious he is an experienced woodsman and the ablity to translate freely he is an obvious asset. They go as voyagers and travel as far as Niagara with him and return when they are too far out of their territory.
