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

200 HARDIHOOD OF LA SALLE. [1G80,St.Joseph, seized a quantity of furs belonging to LaSalle at Michilimackinac, and plundered the magazineat Niagara. Here they had separated, eight ofthem coasting the south side ofLake Ontario to findharborage at Albany, a common refuge at that timeof this class of scoundrels; while the remainingtwelve, in three canoes, made for Fort Frontenacalong the north shore, intending to kill La Salle asthe surest means of escaping punishment.He lost no time in lamentation. Of the few menat his command he chose nine of the trustiest,embarked with them in canoes, and went to meet themarauders. After passing the Bay of Quints, hetook his station with five of his party at a point ofland suited to his purpose, and detached the remainingfour to keep watch.In the morning, two canoeswere discovered approaching without suspicion,oneof them far in advance of the other. As the foremostdrew near, La Salle's canoe darted out fromunder the leafy shore, — two of the men handling thepaddles, while he, with the remaining two, levelledtheir guns at the deserters, and called on them tosurrender. Astonished and dismayed, they yieldedat once; while two more, who were in the secondcanoe, hastened to follow their example. La Sallenow returned to the fort with his prisoners, placedtray himself seems to have remained true ; at least, he was in LaSalle's service immediately after, and was one of his most trustedfollowers. He was of good birth, being the son of Jean Bourdon, aconspicuous personage in the early period of the colony ; and hisname appears on official records as Jean Bourdon, Sieur d'Autray.