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

318 ST. LOUIS OF THE ILLINOIS. [1682.been crowned with a marvellous success, — for whichhis thanks were due, first to the Iroquois, and theuniversal terror they inspired; next, to his ownaddress and unwearied energy. His colony hadsprung up, as it were, in a night; but might not anight suffice to disperse it?The conditions of maintaining it were twofold:first,he must give efficient aid to his savage colonistsagainst the Iroquois ; secondly, he must supply them•with French goods in exchange for their furs. Themen, arms, and ammunition for their defence, andthe goods for trading with them, must be broughtfrom Canada, until a better and surer avenue ofsupply could be provided through theentrepot whichhe meant to establish at the mouth of the Mississippi.Canada was full of his enemies ;but as long as CountFrontenac was in power, he was sure of support.Count Frontenac was in power no longer. He hadbeen recalled to France through the intrigues of theparty adverse to La Salle ;and Le Febvre de la Barrereigned in his stead.La Barre was an old naval officer of rank, advancedto a post for which he proved himself notably unfit.If he was without the arbitrary passions which hadbeen the chief occasion of the recall of his predecessor,he was no less without his energies and histalents. He showed a weakness and an avarice forwhich his age may have been in some measure answerable.He was no whit less unscrupulous than hispredecessor in his secret violation of the royal ordi*