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

1684.] ST. DOMINGO. 867tained the Huguenot. "That is enough," returnedLa Salle, and withdrew into his cabin. 1This was not the first misunderstanding ; nor wasit the last.two commanders ;There was incessant chafing between theand the sailors of the " Joly " weresoon of one mind with their captain. When theship crossed the tropic, they made ready a tub ondeck to baptize the passengers, after the villanouspractice of the time ; but La Salle refused to permitit, at which they were highly exasperated, havingpromised themselves a bountiful ransom, in money orliquor, from their victims." Assuredly," says Joutel,"they would gladly have killed us all.**When, after a wretched voyage of two months theships reached St. Domingo, a fresh dispute occurred.It had been resolved at a council of officers to stopat Port de Paix; but Beaujeu, on pretext of a fairwind, ran by that place in the night, and cast anchorat Petit Goave, on the other side of the island. LaSallewas extremely vexed; for he expected to meetat Port de Paix the Marquis de Saint-Laurent,lieutenant-general of the islands, Be*gon the intendant,and De Cussy, governor ofLa Tortue, who hadorders to supply him with provisions and give himall possible aid.The "Joly" was alone: the other vessels hadlagged behind.She had more than fifty sick men on1 Lettre {sans nom d'auteur) ecrite de St. Domingue, 14 Nov., 1684(Margry, ii. 492) ; Memoire autographe de I'Abbe Jean Cavelier sur UVoyage de 1684. Compare Joutel.