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

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J 684.] LA SALLE'S PROPOSALS. 345conquest.It was in view <strong>of</strong> this plan that <strong>La</strong> <strong>Salle</strong>'spast enterprises had been favored ;he now made were in perfect accord with it.<strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> proposalsThese proposals were set forth in two memorials.The first <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>m states that <strong>the</strong> late MonseigneurColbert deemed it important for <strong>the</strong> service <strong>of</strong> hisMajesty to discover a port in <strong>the</strong> Gulf <strong>of</strong> Mexico;that to this end <strong>the</strong> memorialist, <strong>La</strong> <strong>Salle</strong>,made fivejourneys <strong>of</strong> upwards <strong>of</strong> five thous<strong>and</strong> leagues, in<strong>great</strong> part on foot; <strong>and</strong> traversed more than sixhundred leagues <strong>of</strong> unknown country, among savages<strong>and</strong> cannibals, at <strong>the</strong> cost <strong>of</strong> a hundred <strong>and</strong> fiftythous<strong>and</strong> francs. He now proposes to return byway ot <strong>the</strong> Gulf <strong>of</strong> Mexico <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> mouth <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>Mississippi to <strong>the</strong> countries he has discovered,whence <strong>great</strong> benefits may be expected: first, <strong>the</strong>cause <strong>of</strong> God may be advanced by <strong>the</strong> preaching <strong>of</strong><strong>the</strong> gospel to many Indian tribes; <strong>and</strong>, secondly,<strong>great</strong> conquests may be effected for <strong>the</strong> glory <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>King, by <strong>the</strong> seizure <strong>of</strong> provinces rich in silvermines, <strong>and</strong> defended only by a few indolent <strong>and</strong>effeminate Spaniards. The Sieur de la <strong>Salle</strong>, pursues<strong>the</strong> memorial, binds himself to be ready for <strong>the</strong>accomplishment <strong>of</strong> this enterprise within one yearafter his arrival on <strong>the</strong> spot; <strong>and</strong> he asks for thispurpose only one vessel <strong>and</strong> two hundred men,with <strong>the</strong>ir arms, munitions, pay, <strong>and</strong> maintenance.When Monseigneur shall direct him, he will give<strong>the</strong> details <strong>of</strong> what he proposes. The memorial <strong>the</strong>ndescribes <strong>the</strong> boundless extent, <strong>the</strong> fertility <strong>and</strong>

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