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

28 LA SALLE AND THE SULPITIANS. [1670.on his part, takes occasion to remark, that, thoughthe Jesuits had baptized a few Indians at the Saut,not one of them was a good enough Christian toreceive the Eucharist; and he intimates that thecase, by their own showing, was still worse at theirmission of St. Esprit. The two Sulpitians did notcare to prolong their stay ;and, three days after theirarrival, they left the Saut, — not, as they expected,with the Indians, but with a French guide, furnishedby the Jesuits. Ascending French x River to LakeNipissing, they crossed to the waters of the Ottawa,and descended to Montreal, which they reached onthe eighteenth of June. They had made no discoveriesand no converts ; but Galine'e, after his arrival,made the earliest map of the Upper Lakes known toexist. 1We return now to La Salle, only to find ourselvesinvolved in mist and obscurity. What did he doafter he left the two priests? Unfortunately, adefinite answer is not possible; and the next twoyears of his liferemain in some measure an enigma.That he was busied in active exploration, and that hemade important discoveries, is certain ;but the extentand character of these discoveries remain wrapped indoubt. He is known to have kept journals and mademaps ; and these were in existence, and in possessionof his niece, Madeleine Cavelier, then in advanced1See Appendix. The above narrative is from Recti de ce quis'est passe de plus remarquable dans le Voyage de MM. Dollier et Galinie.(Bibliotheque Rationale.)