After having said the Good and the Bad of this North America, mentioning the Beauty and Excellency of its Climate and the Brutality of its People, and recited the infinite Hardships, those who design to travel must resolve to undergo, I am of Opinion it will be proper to say something of the late Monsieur de la Sale, who is the principal Person, and as it were, the Hero of this Relation, tho’ having been murdered by his own Men, he fell the unfortunate Victim of the Discovery here treated of. It is also convenient to make known what went before that, which is contain’d in this Journal, and the present happy Consequence of that fatal Enterprize. Here follows what I have of my own particular Knowledge, and by what has been written.
Robert Cavelier, commonly call’dAccount of Monsieur de la Sale. Monsieur de la Sale, a Native of Roan, of a good Family, having been educated in Piety and Learning, went over very young into Canada and took Delight in Trade, but more in Projects of new Discoveries up the Inland of those vast Countries. Intending to settle there and make that his Country, he purchased an Habitation in the Island of Mont-real, where has been built the second Town of Canada, sixty Leagues above Quebeck, which is the Capital, being also a Bishoprick, and the Residence of the Governor, the Intendant and the supreme Council. There are but only those two Towns in the Country, besides some Villages. They are both seated on the great River of St. Laurence, which coming from the S. W. is form’d or increased by the Waters of five prodigious fresh Water Lakes, running out one into another, and through them it passes to run down to discharge itself in the Ocean, at a very spacious Mouth, making Way for the Ships that design to penetrate into Canada.
Many Discoveries had been made to the Northward, before Monsieur de la Sale’s Time; because there being Plenty of very good Furs, the Traders of Quebeck and Mont-real, by Means of the Adventurers call’d Wood-Men,[28] from their traveling thro’ the Woods, had penetrated very far up the Country that Way; but none had advanc’d far towards the South or South-West, beyond Fort Frontenac, which is on the Lake Ontario, the nearest this Way of the five great Lakes. However, upon the Report of the Natives, it was supposed, that great and advantageous Discoveries might be made. There had been much Talk of the rich Mines of St. Barbara, in the Kingdom of Mexico, and some were tempted to give them a Visit.
Something was known of the famous River Missisipi, which it was supposed might fall into the South Sea, and open a Way to it. These Conjectures working upon Monsieur de la Sale, who being zealous for the Honour of his Nation,His Character. designed to signalize the French Name, on Account of extraordinary Discoveries, beyond all that went before him; he form’d the Design and resolv’d to put it in Execution. He was certainly very fit for it, and succeeded at the Expense of his Life; for no Man has done so much in that Way as he did for the Space of twenty Years he spent in that Employment. He was a Man of a regular Behaviour, of a large Soul, well enough learned, and understanding in the Mathematicks, designing, bold, undaunted, dexterous, insinuating, not to be discourag’d at any Thing, ready at extricating himself out of any Difficulties, no Way apprehensive of the greatest Fatigues, wonderful steady in Adversity, and what was of extraordinary Use, well enough versed in several Savage Languages. M. de la Sale having such extraordinary Talents, whereof he had given sufficient Proofs upon several Occasions, gain’d the Esteem of the Governors of Canada; and Messieurs de Courcelles, Talon and de Frontenac successively express’d the same, by often employing him in Affairs for the Honour and Advantage of the Colony.
The GovernmentIs made Proprietor of Fort Frontenac. of the Fort of Frontenac, which is the Place farthest advanc’d among the Savages, was committed to him, and he going over into France, in the Year 1675, the King made him Proprietor of it, upon Condition he should put it into a better Condition than it was, which he did, as soon as return’d to Canada. Then came back again to Paris, full of the new Informations he had gain’d touching the River Missisipi, the Country runs through, the Mines, especially those of Lead and Copper, the navigable Rivers, and the Trade that might be carried on of Furs and the fine Wooll of those wild Bullocks, whereof there are infinite Numbers in the Forests. Being also furnish’d with better Accounts of that Country, than the Fables that were then publish’d, by the Name of a Voyage of the Sieur Joliet, he was well receiv’d at Court, and dispatch’d with the necessary Orders for proceeding on his Discoveries.
The great ReputationHis Reputation makes Enemies. Monsieur de la Sale had gain’d, and his mighty Projects, occasion’d a Jealousy in some and Envy in others. His own Countrymen thwarted his Designs; but he surmounted all those Obstacles and return’d into Canada, about the Year 1678, with the Chevalier Tonty, an Italian Gentleman, a Person of Worth and that had serv’d, whom he gain’d to his Enterprize. He also pick’d up in the Country forty or fifty Persons fit for that Expedition, and among them were three Recolets, whom he carry’d over to try what might be done as to Christianity among the Savages; he was well acquainted with, and had a just Esteem for the Virtue, the Capacity and the Zeal of those good, religious Men, who alone first undertook the Mission into that new World, and who being seconded by others, have carry’d it on there, with so much Edification.
Monsieur de la Sale having spent two Years in going and coming, still thwarted by those who envy’d him in the Country, to such a Degree, that had it not been for an Antidote, he must have dy’d of Poison given him by some Villains, could not order his Affairs and begin his Expedition till the Year 1682. He set out at length, and to the End his Discovery of the Missisipi might be compleat, he caus’d Father Hennepin, a Recolet, with some others, to travel to the Northward, that they might find out theSource of the Missisipi. Source of that River, and they found it, about the 50th Degree of North Latitude. For his own Part, he proceeded to the Westward and found the River of the Islinois,Islinois River. which he call’d the River of Seignelay, and following its Course, came into the Missisipi, where the other discharges it self. He then concluded he had no more to do, but to run down to its Mouth, whether in the South Sea or the Gulph of Mexico. All along its Banks he found many Savage Nations, with whom, by Means of his Presents, he enter’d into Alliances, and gave the Country the Name of Louisiana, to honour the Name and Memory of our August Monarch, in whose Reign those Discoveries were made. At length, the Course of the Missisipi convey’d Monsieur de la Sale to its Mouths, as falling into the Gulph of Mexico in two Streams, and he arriv’d there in the Month of April 1682 or 1683, for the Dates of those who have writ concerning it, make either of those Years. He stay’d there some Days, to take Observations and place some Marks which he might know again, when he return’d. Being satisfied with having found some Part of what he sought, he return’d the same Way he had gone, and came again to Quebeck in Canada, in order to go over to France, and thence to make a Tryal to find that Mouth of the Missisipi by the Gulph of Mexico, which he had already discover’d by the Way of Canada, and to secure it; for he thought it much more advantageous to know it by the Way of the Sea, than to go thither by Land, because the Voyage through Canada is much longer and more troublesome, and can be perform’d but once a Year, whereas by the Way of the Bay of Mexico it is not longer, but is much more commodious, and may be perform’d in all Seasons, either going or coming. He was also sensible that the said Mouth being once discover’d by Sea, afforded an easier and safer Communication with Canada, running up that noble River, the Navigation whereof is not interrupted by Falls, nor Torrents for above sixty Leagues towards its Source.
These Considerations mov’d Monsieur de la Sale to take another Voyage into France, where his Expedition having been commended and his new Project approv’d of, the King order’d him Vessels to return and carry on his Enterprize, the Particulars whereof are to be found in this Journal. That Affair, so well begun, seem’d to promise very advantageous Consequences; but it miscarried through the Perfidiousness and Villany of that noble Adventurer’s own People.
ThisThe other Part here mention’d is at the End of the Journal. is what I have judg’d might serve as an Introduction to your Journal, if it shall not be thought to dishonour it, you may place it before the said Journal, and that which follows at the End of it, which will shew how far that great Enterprize of the Discovery of the Missisipi has been carried.