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

1675.] ENEMIES OF LA SALLE. 101La Salle returned to Canada, proprietor of aseigniory which, all things considered, was one ofthe most valuable in the colony.family, rejoicingHis friends and hisin his good fortune and not unwilling to share it, made him large advances of money,enabling him to pay the stipulated sum to the King,to rebuild the fort in stone, maintain soldiers andlaborers, and procure in part, at least, the necessaryoutfit. Had La Salle been a mere merchant, he wasin a fair way to make a fortune, for he was ina positionto control the better part of the Canadian furtrade.But he was not a mere merchant; and nocommercial profit could content his ambition.Those may believe, who will, that Frontenac didnot expect a share in the profits of the new post.That he did expect it, there is positive evidence ; fora deposition is extant, taken at the instance of hisenemy the Intendant Duchesneau, in which threewitnesses attest that the governor, La Salle, hislieutenant La Forest, and one Boisseau, had formeda partnership to carry on the trade of Fort Frontenac.No sooner was La Salle installed in his new postthan the merchants of Canada joined hands to opposehim. Le Ber, once his friend, became his bitterenemy; for he himself had hoped to share themonopoly of Fort Frontenac, of which he and oneBazire had at first been placed provisionally in COn-Mai, 1675. Lettre$ de noblesse pour le S r -Cavelier de la Salle ; donniesa Compiigne le 13 Mai, 1675. Papiers de Famille. MSmoire au