ders of the continent, to await there the dismal progress of extermination. Where are the Akansas, the Taensas, the Natches, the Quinipisas and the Tangiboas, whose war-cry once re-echoed over these wild waters, and the stillness of whose hunting-grounds was alone broken by the stealthy footstep of the Indian hunter? Where are they all? The names are all that remain to us, and we con them over with the same feelings of solemnity, that we do the famed catalogue in Homer, of ships and nations, of which we know nothing, and of which the world has lost all traces. They are gone, -a thousand steamers now plough those waters, and from the banks the proud mansion frowns down upon the stream. Mr. Flint, in 1826, describes this location on the river:

"Noble houses, massive sugar houses, neat summer houses, and numerous negro villages, succeed each other in such a way, that the whole distance has the appearance of one continued village. The houses are airy and neat, some of them splendid, and in the midst of orange groves and pretty gardens, in which are the delicious cape jessamine, a flowering shrub; multitudes of altheas; and bowers of the multiflora rose; and a great variety of vines and flowering shrubs that flourish in this mild climate."

On the 6th of April, it was discovered that the river divided itself into three channels. The party were formed into three divisions, at the head of one of which was the Sieur. The course was now without interruption, and, in a few hours, the great ocean in all its magnificence was rolling at their feet. Thus, for the first time, at the mouth of the Mississippi, and on the shores of the Mexican Gulf, were heard the glad voices of civilized men. Joy beamed in every countenance, and, amidst the enthusiasm, hilarity and rejoicing of the occasion, all the pageantry was gone through of erecting a proud column in memory of the discovery and seizure of the vast country in the name of the French king. A process verbal was drawn up, describing the ceremonies and solemnities of the great occasion. Mr. Sparks translates it for the first time into English, from a manuscript in the Department of Marine at Paris. To the column were affixed the arms of France, with this inscription :

LOUIS LE GRAND,

ROI DE FRANCE ET DE NAVARRE, RÉGNE;
LE NEUVIEME AVRIL, 1682.

"The whole party, under arms, chanted the Te Deum, the Exaudiat, the Domine salvum fac Regem; and then, after a salute of fire arms, and cries of Vive le Roi, the column was erected by M. de la Salle, who, standing near it, said with a loud voice in French,-‘In the name of the most high, mighty, invincible and victorious Prince, Louis the Great, by the grace of God, King of France and Navarre, fourteenth of that name, this ninth day of April, one thousand six hundred and eighty-two, I, in virtue of the commission of his Majesty, which I hold in my hand, and which may be seen by all whom it may concern, have taken and do now take, in the name of his Majesty, and of his successors to the crown, possession of this country of Louisiana, the seas, harbors, ports, bays, adjacent straits; and all the nations, peoples, provinces, cities, towns, villages, mines, minerals, fisheries, streams and rivers, comprised in the extent of the said Louisiana, from the mouth of the great river St. Louis, on the Eastern side, otherwise called Ohio, Alighin, Sipore, or Chuckagona, and this with the consent of the Chaonanons, Chikachas, and other people dwelling therein, with whom we have made alliance; as also along the River Colbert or Mississippi, and rivers which discharge themselves therein, from its source beyond the country of the Kious or Nadouessious, and this with their consent, and with the consent of the Motantees, Illinois, Mesigameas, Natches, Koroas, which are the most considerable nations dwelling therein, with whom also we have made alliance, either by ourselves or by others in our behalf; as far as its mouth at the sea, or Gulf of Mexico, about the twenty-seventh degree of the elevation of the North Pole, and also to the mouth of the River of Palms; upon the assurance which we have received from all these nations, that we are the first Europeans who have descended or ascended the said River Colbert; hereby protesting against all those, who may in future undertake to invade any or all of these countries, people or lands, above described, to the prejudice of the right of his Majesty, acquired by the consent of the nations herein named. Of which, and of all that can be needed, I hereby take to witness those who hear me, and demand an act of the notary, required by law.' To which the whole assembly responded with shouts of Vive le Roi, and with salutes of fire arms. Moreover, the Sieur de la Salle caused to be buried at the foot of the tree to which the cross was attached, a leaden plate with the arms of France, and the following Latin inscription:

LVDOVICVS MAGNVS REGNAT.

NONO APRILIS CIO IOC LXXXII. ROBERTVS CAVELIER, CVM DOMINO DE TONTY, LEGATO, RP. ZENOBIO MEMBRE, RECOLLECTO, ET VIGINTI GALLIS, PRIMVS HOC FLVMEN, INDE AB ILLINEORVM PAGO, ENAVIGAVIT, EJVSQVE OSTIVM FECIT PERVIVM, NONO APRILIS, ANNI CIɔ 100 LXXXII." pp. 199–201.

Having accomplished the purposes of the expedition, the party, with various adventures, succeeding in ascending the river. Zenobe was sent to France with dispatches; Tonty left in command at Fort St. Louis; and, in the autumn of 1683, the Sieur de la Salle, with vast schemes to be laid

before the ministry, bid adieu to Quebec, and crossed the ocean for France.

Too often are the designs of lofty spirits misconstrued and perverted. Too often is it theirs to excite the bitterest hostility in less noble natures. He, who has marked out for himself high aims, must expect opposition,-opposition from the jealousies of those who appreciate no excellence. To decry is easier than to applaud. We have a double conflict in this world,-with our enemies and with our friends. When we have subdued the former, we find, often enough, to our sorrow, that a motive has been supplied for the lat ter's occupying their place. "Our friends," says Edward Lytton Bulwer, "hate us for our virtues and our reputation, but love us for the eclat which our virtues and our reputation bring." Apply these reflections to the Sieur de la Salle. The same ship which wafted him across the ocean, was charged with dispatches, misrepresenting all his motives, darkening all his fortunes, and holding him up to the world as an ambitious, plotting, restless, desperate character,—full of schemes of selfishness and self-aggrandizement. He was represented as one whose sole desire was to plunder the French settlers, and embroil them in hostilities with the savage tribes, as he had already in his acts and over his men set up as a petty despot. Thus wrote Le Fevre de la Barre, Governor of Canada, in his official dispatches. But these designs proved abortive. The Sieur himself was present to counteract their dangerous tendencies, sustained by all the fervor of Zenobe, and influence of the Count de Frontenac. Colbert yet lived in his noble son, Seignelay, who entered, heart and soul, into the projects of the adventurer. He could foresee, in the distant future, the glories with which such discoveries and possessions would emblazon the arms of France. He could foresee the vast importance which would be added to his country, by peopling with Frenchmen that almost limitless expanse, extending from New Mexico to Michigan. La Salle was successful.

A fleet of four vessels was fitted out with men, arms, merchandise, provisions, etc.; one a frigate of thirty guns, under the command of Beaujeu, who also commanded the squadron. Upwards of three hundred embarked on board, including soldiers, missionaries, volunteers and women. In a few days, they weighed anchor, to pursue their fortunes in savage countries, and carry, to the Mississippi and the Gulf of

Mexico, the enlightenment of the old world. On the 24th of July, the fleet sailed out of Rochelle, and reached St. Domingo in the latter end of November. During this part of the voyage, much had transpired which evinced the unskilful manner in which the whole affair had been got up, and prognosticated to the expedition the most disastrous results. The soldiers, sailors and artisans proved to be vagabonds, picked up any where, and utterly unfit for the duties of their stations. The captain of the fleet, Beaujeu, was a man too full of himself, and entertained too high a sense of his own importance, to think of any thing else. Between La Salle and him there was an utter contrariety of dispositions, views and purposes, without the slightest appearance of mutual confidence or correspondence. Beaujeu was evidently galled at being under the directions of a man who had no military rank, and could only regard with jealousy, distinctions conferred, as he thought, upon a mere adventurer, who, unlike himself, had not been engaged for thirty years in the service of the French king. He seemed disposed to cooperate cordially in none of the views of La Salle, nor heartily to desire their success; but, peevish and dissatisfied, his spleen found a vent on every occasion. Nor was the Sieur entirely blameless in this matter. He did not appreciate the delicate situation of the commander, nor seem to be aware of the importance of conciliating him, and procuring a cordial co-operation, so necessary in their enterprizes. He was himself a man of stern manners and little communication; said nothing, consulted no one, and kept all of his plans to himself, seeming to care very little what the querulous captain might say or do.

The letters of Beaujeu, at this time, to the ministry, will give a fair index of his mind. They are eloquently written, and are now, for the first time, translated from the records at Paris. An extract or two may be interesting to the reader:

"Permit me to take credit to myself for consenting to obey the orders of the Sieur de la Salle, whom I believe to be a worthy man, but who has never served except against savages, and who has no military rank. Moreover, he tells me that, in case of his death, the command is to devolve on the Chevalier de Tonty. This is certainly very hard for me to bear," etc. p. 116.

Again:

"The Sieur de la Salle has said nothing to me of his designs, and

as he is constantly changing his plans, I know not whether these provisions will be enough for the enterprize. He is so jealous and so fearful that some one may penetrate his secrets, that I have refrained from asking him any questions. His suspicions are such, that he told me it would be necessary to prevent any one from taking the latitude of the coasts. I wish also you would inform me what is to be done in regard to the soldiers, for he pretends that, on our arrival, they are to be put under his charge; but my instructions do not authorize this pretence, since I am to afford all the succors in my power without endangering the safety and navigation of the vessel." pp. 118, 119.

The Sieur being very ill at St. Domingo, he writes:

"It is said that the Spaniards have in these seas six men of war, each carrying sixty guns. However this may be, or whatever may happen, I will carry home to you intelligence of the Mississippi, or perish in the attempt. It is true, if the Sieur de la Salle should not recover, I shall pursue different measures from those he has adopted, which I do not approve. If you will permit me to express my opinion, the Sieur de la Salle ought to have contented himself with the discovery of his river, without attempting to conduct these vessels and troops across the ocean, in so many different climates, and thro' seas utterly unknown to him. I agree that he is a man of learning, who has read much, and has some knowledge of navigation; but there is so great a difference between theory and practice, that the man who possesses only the former will always deceive himself." pp. 123, 124.

On the 12th of December, they entered the Gulf with every canvass spread to the gale. Here the elevation of the pole being taken, the important mistake of two degrees was made in determining the latitude. Eight days afterwards, they conjectured themselves in the Bay of Appalachie, three hundred miles east of the Mississippi; whereas, in fact, they were one hundred miles to the westward, and near the Bay of Atchafalaya. The mistake was a fatal one, and ultimately defeated the whole enterprize. They were led into it by a gross miscalculation of the effects of the current, which they were informed at St. Domingo, set most strongly around the Cape of Florida, towards the Bahamas. Still laboring under this sad delusion, their course was inclined yet further westward, and land made on the 1st January, 1685. Here, after many days, their grand error was detected, and the true position determined to be Mexico, or rather Texas, near the Magdalen River;-the party having landed thus providentially, and out of all calculation, in a country now enlisting the sympathies and regards of the world. To remedy the mistake, the Sieur proposed to Beaujeu an immeVOL. VII.-No. 13.

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