Governor Gonzalez’s letter states that DerBonne and two Frenchmen ran off with his daughter. These two Frenchmen would have to be hand-picked men capable of carrying out an assignment without a flaw. Men who could stand the rigors of twenty-four miles of continuous paddling, part of the time being in the black of the night, men who could be trusted to keep their mouths shut, and above all men who were not afraid of danger for which there would be no profit to them and certain imprisonment if they were caught. Evidently the post at Natchitoches had two such men. However, their names are not mentioned. So by process of elimination of the known inhabitants of Natchitoches at this time let’s see if we can determine who these two men were. But first, one most important point that should be brought out, because as they were to travel by water there could be no risk of a drowning, especially of the girl—if this were to happen war would certainly follow. The inhabitants of Natchitoches in 1736 were: St. Denis, Commandante, his wife, Manuella and his children; Pierre Largen, trader, married to an Ais Indian maiden; Lt. Basset next in command; Lobotiniere, trader and farmer, married; Duterpints, soldier and baker for the post; Jean Lagross, trader and merchant, settled across the river from Campti; Dr. Payne (Pain), Doctor and Notary, married; Jean Baptista Deherbonne (BerBonne, Derbon, Derbonne); Lt. Gautren, married; Lafreniere, soldier; Joseph La Duc, soldier; Prudhomme, planter and trader, married; Sieur Barme, store keeper, married; Jacques De La Chase, government storekeeper, married; P. Duplessis, Notary, married; Father Pierre Vietry, Jesuit Priest; Sieur Bacque, farmer, married; Pierre Mercer, farmer; Andre Berrange, farmer; Antoine Germaine, soldier; Juan Biseros, merchant, married; Antonio Charbonnet, merchant; Gilbert Maxent, merchant; Pierre Gaignie, trader, married; Nicholas Tibaud, trader; Paul Muller, soldier; the two Barberousses, hunters contracted to supply meat for the Post; LaRenaudiere, a miller; Rambin, a tailor, married; the Dupress brothers, hunters and trappers; DeLame, storekeeper and trader; Jean Layssard and Nicholas Layssard, brothers, soldiers and traders; Lantallic, farmer and trader; Sieur Badin, farmer, trader and storekeeper; Francois Lemoine, soldier in love with Victoria Emanuella Garcia; Sieur Jambare, doctor.