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

;410 ST. LOUIS OF TEXAS. [1689.in an almost helpless state for more than threemonths. Bad as the accident was, he was laughedat nevertheless for his rashness."The mishaps of the friars did not end here. FatherMaxime Le Clerc was set upon by a boar belongingto the colony."I do not know," says Joutel, "whatspite the beast had against him, whether for a beatingor some other offence; but, however this may be, Isaw thefather running and crying for help, and theboar running after him. I went to the rescue, butcould not come up in time. The father stooped ashe ran, to gather up his cassock from about hislegsand the boar, which ran faster than he, struck himin the arm with his tusks, so that some of the nerveswere torn. Thus, all three of our good Recolletfathers were near being the victims of animals." 1In spite of his efforts to encourage them, the followersof Joutel were fast losing heart. FatherMaxime Le Clerc kept a journal, in which he setdown various charges against La Salle. Joutel gotpossession of the paper, and burned it on the urgententreaty of the friars, who dreaded what might ensue,should the absent commander become aware of theaspersions cast upon him. The elder Duhautfomented the rising discontent of the colonists,played the demagogue, told them that La Sallewould never return, and tried to make himself theirleader. Joutel detected the mischief, and, witha lenity which he afterwards deeply regretted, con-1 Joutel, Relation (Margry, iii. 244, 246).