This work was reproduced under the title of “Relation de la Louisianne” in Bernard’s “Recueil de voyages au Nord,” Amsterdam, 1720 and 1724.
An English translation was published at London in 1698, with the title, “An Account of La Salle’s Last Expedition and Discoveries,” and is reproduced in part in the New York Historical Society Collections, vol. ii., pp. 217–341.
Parkman says that the “Dernieres découvertes” is “a compilation full of errors.”
Margry prints in vol. i., pp. 547–570, of his Collection, a memoir entitled “Récit de la descouverte que M. de La Salle a faite de la rivière de Mississipi en 1682.” The author of the paper was Nicolas de La Salle, who wrote it in 1699, at the request of the French authorities, to serve as a guide to D’Iberville in his search for the Mississippi. Margry says that the writer bore no relationship to the discoverer.
La Salle’s memorial of 1684, proposing an expedition to the Gulf of Mexico, printed in Margry, vol. iii., pp. 17–30, and in French’s “Historical Collections,” part i., pp. 37–44, also in the second series of French’s publication, and in Falconer’s “Mississippi,” briefly indicates his discoveries up to that time.
The French documents, collected by Brodhead in the archives of the Departments of Marine and of War, and printed in the ninth volume of the “Documents relative to the Colonial History of New York,” Albany, 1855, include official correspondence which reports the movements of the explorers from time to time.
Shea promises an edition of a journal by Peñalossa, which will show the mercenary motives which inspired La Salle. Margry prints some documents concerning Peñalossa’s propositions to lead a party of buccaneers from St. Domingo to unite with La Salle in an attack on the Spanish mines in New Mexico.
LA SALLE’S VOYAGE TO THE GULF OF MEXICO AND ATTEMPT TO DISCOVER THE MISSISSIPPI—1684–87
In 1683 La Salle returned to France and presented, in two memorials to the king, propositions for an expedition to colonize the Mississippi, and take possession of the Spanish mines in New Mexico. The first memorial, which gives a brief account of his previous achievements, is in Margry’s Collection, vol. iii., pp. 17–30. A translation is in French’s “Historical Collections,” part i., pp. 37–44; also in the second series, pp. 1–15, of the same publication, and in Falconer’s “Mississippi.” The second, which defines his schemes at greater length, is printed in Margry, vol. ii., pp. 359–369; in English, in French’s “Historical Collections,” part i., pp. 25–34. The accessory official documents relating to various features and stages of the expedition are included in the second and third volumes of Margry’s Collection. We have two narratives by members of this expedition, which relate its history from the time of departure from France down to and after the death of La Salle. The first to appear in print was Douay’s, which was published by Le Clercq in his “Premier Établissement de la Foy,” Paris, 1691. Shea printed a translation of it in the “Discovery and Exploration of the Mississippi,” New York, 1853.[130] A comparison of Douay’s journal with Joutel’s narrative is made by Shea in his edition of Le Clercq, published at New York in 1881.
Joutel, who seems to have been next in command to La Salle, kept a journal, which is published for the first time in its integrity in Margry’s Collection, vol. iii., pp. 89–534. An abridged and modified version of this narrative was published at Paris in 1713, under the title, “Journal historique due dernier Voyage que feu M. de La Salle, fit dans le Golfe du Mexique.” Joutel complained that changes were made by the editor in retouching the work for publication. The text published by Margry is much fuller than the printed edition. An English translation of the Paris production, under the title, “Journal of the Last Voyage performed by M. de La Salle,” etc., was published at London in 1714, and in 1719 another edition was brought out as “Joutel’s Journal of his Voyage to Mexico and Canada.” An edition in Spanish was published at New York in 1831, with the title, “Dario histórico del último Viaje que M. de la Salle hijo para descubrir el desembocadero y curso del Mississipi.” Charlevoix says that Joutel was the most reliable of La Salle’s followers, and Parkman thinks that he “gives the impression of sense, intelligence, and candor throughout,” while Douay, in the latter’s opinion, did not always write honestly. Jean Cavelier, an older brother of La Salle’s, who, after the latter’s assassination, escaped to Canada in company with Joutel and Douay, is said to have drawn up a report of the expedition for M. de Seignelay, the Minister of Marine.