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

370 THE VOYAGE. [1684.his correspondence with Seignelay. "But for theillness of the Sieur de la Salle," he writes, "I couldnot venture to report to you the progress of ourvoyage, as I am charged only with the navigation,and he with the secrets; but as his malady hasdeprived him of the use of his faculties, both of bodyand mind, I have thought myself obliged to acquaintyou with what is passing, and of the condition inwhich we are."He then declares that the ships freighted by LaSalle were so slow that the " Joly " had continuallybeen forced to wait for them, thus doubling thelength of the voyage; that he had not had waterenough for the passengers, as La Salle had not toldhim that there were to be any such till the day theycame on board; that great numbers were sick, andthat he had told La Salle there would be trouble ifhe filled alland forced thethat he had toldthe space between decks with his goods,soldiers and sailors to sleep on deck;him he would get no provisions atSt. Domingo, but that he insisted on stopping ; thatit had always been so, — that whatever he proposedLa Salle would refuse, alleging orders from theKing; "and now," pursues the ruffled commander," everybody is ill ; and he himself has a violent fever,as dangerous, the surgeon tells me, to the mind as tothe body."The rest of the letter is in the same strain. Hesays that a day or two after La Salle's illnessbegan,his brother Cavelier came to ask him to take charge