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

190 HARDIHOOD OF LA SALLE. [1680.time from hunger; sleep on the open ground, andoften without food; watch by night and march byday,loaded with baggage, such as blanket, clothing,kettle, hatchet, gun, powder, lead, and skins to makemoccasins; sometimes pushing through thickets,sometimes climbing rocks covered with ice and snow,sometimes wading whole days through marshes wherethe water was waist-deep or even more, at a seasonwhen the snow was not entirely melted, — though Iknew all this, it did not prevent me from resolvingto go on foot to Fort Frontenac, to learn for myselfwhat had become of my vessel, and bring back thethings we needed." 1The winter had been a severe one ; and when, anhour after leaving the fort, he and his companionsreached the still water of Peoria Lake, they found itsheeted with ice from shore to shore. They carriedtheir canoes up the bank, made two rude sledges,placed the light vessels upon them, and dragged themto the upper end of the lake, where they encamped.In the morning they found the river still coveredwith ice, too weak to bear them and too strong topermit them to break a way for the canoes. Theyspent the whole day in carrying them through thewoods, toiling knee-deep in saturated snow. Rainfell in floods, and they took shelter at night in adeserted Indian hut.In the morning, the third of March, they dragged1 Lettre de La Salle a un de ses associes (Thouret 7 ), 29 Sept.,1680 (Margry, ii. 50).