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

428 ASSASSINATION OF LA SALLE. [1687.the same time directing Joutel to be ready to gowith him. Joutel says: "That evening, while wewere talking about what could have happened to theabsent men, he seemed to have a presentiment ofwhat was to take place.He asked me if I had heardof any machinations against them, or if I had noticedany bad design on the part of Duhaut and the rest.I answered that I had heard nothing, except thatthey sometimes complained of being found fault withso often; and that this was all I knew; besideswhich, as they were persuaded that I was in hisinterest, they would not have told me of any baddesign they might have. We were very uneasy allthe rest of the evening."In the morning, La Salle set out with his Indianguide. He had changed his mind with regard toJoutel,whom he now directed to remain in chargeof the camp and to keep a careful watch. He toldthe friar Anastase Douay to come with him insteadof Joutel, whose gun, which was the best in theparty, he borrowed for the occasion, as well as hispistol. The three proceeded on their way, — LaSalle, the friar, and the Indian. "All the way,"writes the friar, "he spoke to me of nothing butmatters of piety, grace, and predestination; enlargingon the debt he owed to God, who had saved himfrom so many perilsduring more than twenty yearsof travel in America. Suddenly, I saw him overwhelmedwith a profound sadness, for which hehimself could not account. He was so much moved