Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: June 25, 2025
They required, however, that he should so far modify them as to content himself with a stockaded warehouse, in place of a fort, at the mouth of the Niagara. Some of the men had been tampered with by La Salle's enemies. None of them seem to have had much heart for the enterprise. La Motte had gone back to Canada.
On this second map La Salle's colony appears in much diminished proportions, his Indian settlements having in good measure dispersed. The remarkable manuscript map of the Upper Mississippi, by Le Sueur, belongs to a period subsequent to the close of this narrative. Father Hennepin had among his contemporaries two rivals in the fabrication of new discoveries.
A long ribbon of black vapor hung over the ice, low down on the horizon, and beneath it towered the topsail of a brigantine, going free before the wind. "It is a sealing steamer, boring out of the pack," said Regnar. La Salle's first impulse was to rush to the boat, and rejoin his comrades, to set signals, burn bonfires anything which might possibly call the attention of those on board.
La Salle's ever-trusty lieutenant, the Chevalier de Tonti, meanwhile did all he could, at Crevecoeur, to engage the Illinois to stand firm to their engagements with his principal.
Accordingly, they came down to the edge of the forest, or posted themselves behind fallen trees on the banks, while La Salle's men in their stronghold braced their nerves for the fight. Here three Flemish friars, with their rosaries, and eleven Frenchmen, with their guns, confronted a hundred and twenty screeching Outagamies.
He was a gentleman by birth and a soldier by early training. In many ways he resembled La Salle, for both stood high above the common coureurs de bois in station, as in talent. Du Lhut has to his credit no single exploit which equals La Salle's descent of the Mississippi, but in native sagacity he was the superior.
He tells a wonderfully interesting story. La Salle built a vessel of 60 tons, and carrying 7 guns, above the Falls of Niagara, having laid the keel in July, 1679. There are always difficulties attending new enterprises, and La Salle's shipbuilding operations were frequently and annoyingly interfered with. The carpenter was an Italian, named Tuti, and he occupied seven months in building the craft.
If so, it would give him what he sought, a western passage to China; while, in any case, the populous Indian tribes said to inhabit its banks, might be made a source of great commercial profit. La Salle's imagination took fire. His resolution was soon formed; and he descended the St. Lawrence to Quebec, to gain the countenance of the Governor to his intended exploration.
La Salle's men beguiled the time with hunting on shore; and he had the courtesy, very creditable under the circumstances, to send a share of the game to his colleague. Time wore on. La Salle grew impatient, and landed a party of men, under his nephew Moranget and his townsman Joutel, to explore the adjacent shores.
In addition to what has been presented on this point, note the following: In 1669, Patoulet writes to Colbert concerning La Salle's voyage to explore a passage to Japan: "The enterprise is difficult and dangerous, but the good thing about it is that the King will be at no expense for this pretended discovery."
Word Of The Day
Others Looking