The former of those Notions prevail’d, whence, upon Reflection, Monsieur de la Sale concluded, that he must be past his River,They pass the Mouth of the Missisipi. which was but too true; for that River emptying it self in the Sea by two Channels, it follow’d that one of the Mouths fell about the Shoals we had observ’d the sixth of the Month; and the rather because those Shoals were very near the Latitude that Monsieur de la Sale had observ’d, when he came by the way of Canada to discover the Mouth of that River, as he told me several Times.
This Consideration prevail’d with Monsieur de la Sale to propose his Design of returning towards those Shoals. He gave his Reasons for so doing and exposed his Doubts; but his ill Fortune made him not be regarded. Our Passage had taken up more Time than had been expected, by Reason of the Calms; there was a considerable Number of Men aboard the Joly, and Provisions grew short, insomuch that they said it would not hold out to return, if our Departure were delay’d. For this Reason Monsieur de Beaujeu demanded Provisions of Monsieur de la Sale; but he asking enough for a long Time, Monsieur de la Sale answer’d, he could only give him enough for a Fortnight, which was more Time than was requisite to reach the Place he intended to return to; and that besides he could not give him more Provisions, without rummaging all the Stores to the Bottom of the Hold, which would endanger his being cast away. Thus nothing was concluded, and Monsieur de Beaujeu return’d to his own Ship.
Third Landing.In the mean Time, Want of Water began to pinch us, and Monsieur de la Sale resolv’d to send to look for some about the next River. Accordingly he order’d the two Boats that had been made ready the Day before, to go off. He was aboard one of them himself, and directed me to follow him. Monsieur de Beaujeu also commanded his Boat to go for Wood. By the Way we met the said Sieur de Beaujeu in his Yaul, returning from Land, with the Sieur Minet, an Ingenier, who told us, they had been in a Sort of salt Pool, two or three Leagues from the Place where the Ships were at Anchor, we held on our Way and landed.
One of our Boats, which was gone ahead of us, had been a League and a half up the River, without finding any fresh Water in its Channel; but some Men wandering about to the right and left, had met with divers Rivulets[54] of very good Water, wherewith many Casks were fill’d.
We lay ashore, and our Hunters having that Day kill’d good Store of Ducks, Bustards and Teal, and the next Day two Goats, Monsieur de la Sale sent Monsieur de Beaujeu Part. We feasted upon the rest, and that good Sport put several Gentlemen that were then aboard Monsieur de Beaujeu, among whom were Monsieur du Hamel, the Ensign and the King’s Clerk, upon coming ashore to partake of the Diversion; but they took much Pains and were not successful in their Sport.
In the mean Time many Casks were fill’d with Water, as well for our Ship as for Monsieur de Beaujeu’s. Some Days after Monsieur d’ Aire the Lieutenant, came ashore to confer with Monsieur de la Sale, and to know how he would manage about the Provisions; but both of them persisting in their first Proposals and Monsieur de la Sale perceiving that Monsieur de Beaujeu would not be satisfied with Provisions for 15 Days, which he thought sufficient to go to the Place where he expected to find one of the Branches of the Missisipi, which he with good Reason believ’d to be about the Shoals, I have before spoken of, nothing was concluded as to that Affair. Monsieur d’ Aire return’d to his Captain, and Monsieur de la Sale resolv’d to land his Men; which could not be done for some Days, because of the foul Weather; but in the mean Time we kill’d much Game.
During this little Interval, Monsieur de la Sale being impatient to get some Intelligence of what he sought after, resolv’d to go himself upon Discovery, and to seek out some more useful and commodious River than that where they were. To this Purpose he took five or six of us along with him. We set out one Morning in so thick a Fog, that the hindmost could not perceive the Track of the foremost, so that we lost Monsieur de la Sale for some Time.
Account of the Country.We travel’d till about three in the Afternoon, finding the Country for the most Part Sandy, little Grass, no fresh Water, unless in some Sloughs,[55] the Track of abundance of wild Goats, Lakes full of Ducks, Teals, Water-Hens, and having taken much Pains return’d without Success.
The next Morning, Monsieur de la Sale’s Indian, going about to find wild Goats, came to a Lake, which had a little Ice upon it, the Weather being cold, and Abundance of Fish dying about the Edges of it. He came to inform us, we went to make our Provision of them, there were some of a prodigious Magnitude, and among the rest extraordinary large Trouts, or else they were some Sort of Fish very like them. We caused some of each of a Sort to be boil’d in salt Water, and found them very good. Thus having Plenty of Fish and Flesh, we began to use ourselves to eat them both, without Bread.
Whilst we liv’d thus easy enough, Monsieur de la Sale expected with Impatience to know what Resolution Monsieur de Beaujeu would take; that he might either go to the Place, where he expected to find the Missisipi, or follow some other Course; but at last, perceiving that his Affairs did not advance, he resolv’d to put his own Design in Execution, the Purport whereof was to land one hundred and twenty, or one hundred and thirty Men to go along the Coast and continue it, till they had found some other River, and that at the same Time the Bark la Belle should hold the same Course at Sea, still keeping along the Coast, to relieve those Ashore in Time of Need.