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

352 A NEW ENTERPRISE. [1684.A chief object of his mission, as it was representedto Seignelay, was, not only to save the colony attheIllinois from being broken up by La Barre, but alsoto collect La Salle's scattered followers, muster thesavage warriors around the rock of St. Louis, andlead the whole down the Mississippi, to co-operatein the attack on New Biscay. If La Salle meantthat La Forest should seriously attempt to executesuch a scheme, then the charges of hisenemies thathis brain was turned were better founded than hewould have us think. 1He had asked for two vessels, 2 and four were givento him. Agents were sent to Rochelle and Rochefortto gather recruits. A hundred soldiers were enrolled,besides mechanics and laborers ;and thirty volunteers,pay due to La Forest, who had served as La Salle's officer for nineyears. A memorandum is attached, signed by La Salle, to theeffect that it is his wish that La Forest reimburse himself, "parpreference," out of any property of his (La Salle's) in France orCanada.1The attitude of La Salle, in this matter, is incomprehensible.In July, La Forest was at Rochefort, complaining because LaSalle had ordered him to stay in garrison at Fort Frontenac.Beaujeu a Viltermont, 10 July, 1684. This means an abandonmentof the scheme of leading the warriors at the rock of St. Louis downthe Mississippi ; but, in the next month, La Salle writes to Seignelaythat he is afraid La Barre will use the Iroquois war as a pretextto prevent La Forest from making his journey (to the Illinois),and that in this case he will himself try to go up the Mississippi,and meet the Illinois warriors ; so that, in five or six months fromthe date of the letter, the minister will hear of his departure toattack the Spaniards. (La Salle h Seignelay, Aout, 1684.) Eitherthis is sheer folly, or else it is meant to delude the minister.9 Mkmoire de ce qui aura este accorde au Sieur de la Salle.