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

1684.J LA SALLE'S PROPOSALS. 347four hundred Spaniards, more fit to work the minesthan to fight. On the north of New Biscay lie vastforests, extending to the river Seignelay 1 (RedRiver), which isbut forty or fifty leagues from theSpanish province. This river affords the means ofattacking it to great advantage.In view of these facts, pursues the memorial, theSieur de la Salle offers, if the war with Spain continues,to undertake this conquest with two hundredmen from France. He will take on his way fiftybuccaneers at St. Domingo, and direct the fourthousand Indian warriors at Fort St. Louis of theIllinois to descend the river and join him. He willseparate his force into three divisions, and attack atthesame time the centre and the two extremities ofthe province. To accomplish this great design, heasks only for a vessel of thirty guns, a few cannonfor the forts, and power to raise in France two hundredsuch men as he shall think fit, to be armed,paid, and maintained six months at the King'scharge. And the Sieur de la Salle binds himself, ifthe execution ofthis plan is prevented for more thanthree years, by peace with Spain, to refund to hisMajesty all the costs of the enterprise, on pain offorfeiting the government of the ports he will haveestablished. 21This name, also given to the Illinois, is used to designate RedRiver on the map of Franquelin, where the forests above mentionedare represented.2Memoire du S r -de la Salle sur VEntreprise qu'il a propose dMonseigneur le Marquis de Seignelay sur une des provinces de Mexigue,