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

168(5.] DEJECTION. 415Creoles, saying that it would be easy to conquer anation of cowards who make people walk before themwith fans to cool them in hot weather. 1Soon after leaving the Cenis villages, both LaSalle and his nephew Moranget were attacked byfever.This caused a delay of more than two months,during which the party seem to have remainedencamped on the Neches, or possibly the Sabine.When at length the invalids had recovered sufficientstrength to travel, the stock of ammunition wasnearly spent, some ofthe men had deserted, and thecondition of the travellers was such that there seemedno alternative but to return to Fort St. Louis. Thisthey accordingly did, greatly aided in their march bythe horses bought from the Cenis, and suffering novery serious accident by the way, — excepting theloss of La Salle's servant, Dumesnil, who was seizedby an alligator while attempting to cross theColorado.The temporary excitement caused among thecolonists by their return soon gave place to a dejectionbordering on despair. "This pleasant land,"writes Cavelier,and a perpetual prison."" seemed to us an abode of wearinessFlattering themselves withthe delusion, common to exiles of every kind, thatthey were objects of solicitude at home, they watcheddaily, with straining eyes, for an approaching sail.Ships, indeed, had ranged the coast to seek them,but with no friendly intent.l Douay in Le Clerc, ii. 324, 325.Their thoughts dwelt,