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

434 ASSASSINATION OF LA SALLE. [1687,The locality of La Salle's assassination is sufficiently clear, froma comparison of the several narratives ; and it is also indicated ona contemporary manuscript map, made on the return ofthe survivorsof the party to France. The scene of the catastrophe ishere placed on a southern branch of the Trinity.La Salle's debts, at the time of his death, according to a schedulepresented in 1701 to Champigny, intendant of Canada, amounted to106,831 livres, without reckoning interest. This cannot be meantto include all, as items are given which raise the amount muchhigher. In 1678 and 1679 alone, he contracted debts to the amountof97,184 livres, of which 46,000 were furnished by Branssac, fiscalattorney of the Seminary of Montreal. This was to be paid inbeaver-skins. Frontenac, at the same time, became his surety for13,623 livres. In 1684, he borrowed 34,825 livres from the SieurPen, at Paris. These sums do not include the losses incurred byhis family, which, in the memorial presented by them to the King,are set down at 500,000 livres for the expeditions between 1678 and1683, and 300,000 livres for the fatal Texan expedition of 1684These last figures are certainly exaggerated.