La Salle and the discovery of the great West - North Central ...

88 LA SALLE AND FRONTENAC. [16T3.a salute to welcome the representative of the King,Frontenac was compelled to listen to a long haranguefrom the judge of the place, followed by another fromthe syndic. Then there was a solemn procession tothe church, where he was forced to undergo a thirdeffort of oratory from one of the priests. Te Dcumfollowed, in thanks for his arrival ;and then he tookrefuge in the fort. Here he remained thirteen days,busied with his preparations, organizing the militia,soothing their mutual jealousies,questions of rank and precedence.and settling knottyDuring this time,every means, as 'he declares, was used to prevent himfrom proceeding; and among other devices a rumorwas set on foot that a Dutch fleet, having just capturedBoston, was on its way to attack Quebec. 1Having sent men, canoes, and baggage, by land,to La Salle's old settlement of La Chine, Frontenachimself followed on the twenty-eighth of June.Including Indians from the missions, he now hadwith him about four hundred men and a hundredand twenty canoes, besides two large flat-boats, whichhe caused to be painted in red and blue, with strangedevices, intended to dazzle the Iroquois by a displayof unwonted splendor. Now their hard task began.Shouldering canoes through the forest, dragging theflat-boats along the shore, working like beavers, —1 Lettre de Frontenac a Colbert, 13 Nov., 1673. This rumor, itappears, originated with the Jesuit Dablon. Journal du Voyage duComte de Frontenac au lac Ontario. The Jesuits were greatly opposedto the establishment of forts and trading-posts in the upper country,for reasons that will appear hereafter.