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

1687.] CONDUCT OF CAVELIER. 461attachment to La Salle, and the invaluable serviceshe had rendered him. Tonty had every claim on hisconfidence and affection. Yet he did not hesitate topractise on him the same deceit which he had practisedon Bellefontaine. He told him that he had lefthis brother in good health on the Gulf of Mexico,and drew upon him, in La Salle's name, for anamount stated by Joutel at about four thousandlivres, in furs, besides a canoe and a quantity ofother goods, all of which were delivered to him bythe unsuspecting victim. 1This was at the end of the winter, when the oldpriest and his companions had been living for monthson Tonty's hospitality. They set out for Canada on* " Monsieur Tonty, croyant M. de la Salle vivant, ne fit pas dedifficulte' de luy donner pour environ quatre mille liv. de pelleterie,de castors, loutres, un canot, et autres effets." — Joutel, JournalHistorique, 349.Tonty himself does not make the amount so great: "Sur cequ'ils m'assuroient qu'il etoit reste' au Golfe de Mexique en bonnesante', je les recus comme si c'avoit este' lui mesme et luy prestay [aCavelier] plus de 700 francs." — Tonty, Memoire.Cavelier must have known that La Salle was insolvent. Tontyhad long served without pay. Douay says that he made the stay ofthe party at the fort very agreeable, and speaks of him, with someapparent compunction, as " ce brave gentilhomme, toujours inse'parablementattache' aux inte'r&ts du Sieur de la Salle, dont nous luyavons cache la deplorable destinee."Couture, from the Arkansas, brought word to Tonty, severalmonths after, of La Salle's death, adding that Cavelier had concealedit, with no other purpose than that of gaining money orsupplies from him (Tonty), in his brother's name. Cavelier had aletter from La Salle, desiring Tonty to give him supplies, and payhim 2,652 livres in beaver. If Cavelier is to be believed, this beaverbelonged to La Salle.