A half-century of conflict. France and England in North America. Part ...

1750.] SAINT-PIERRE'S JOURNEY. 39their last remaining property, to appease their mostpressing creditors.^Saint-Pierre set out for Manitoba on the fifth ofJune, 1750. Though he had lived more or less inthe woods for thirty-six years, and though LaJonquiere had told the minister that he knew thecountries to which he was bound better than anybodyelse, it is clear from his own journal that he was nowvisiting them for the first time. They did not pleasehim. "I was told," he says, "that the way wouldgrow harder and more dangerous as we advanced,and I found, in fact, that one must risk life andproperty every moment." Finding himself and hismen likely to starve, he sent some of them, underan ensign named Niverville, to the Saskatchewan.They could not reach it, and nearly perished on theway. "I myself was no more fortunate," says Saint-Pierre. " Food was so scarce that I sent some of mypeople into the woods among the Indians, — whichdid not save me from a fast so rigorous that itderanged my health and put itout of my power todo anything towards accomplishing my mission.Even if I had had strength enough, the war thatbroke out among the Indians would have made itimj)ossible to proceed."Niverville, after a winter of misery, tried to fulfil1 Legardeur de Saint-Pierre, in spite of his treatment of the LaVerendrye brothers, had merit as an officer. It was he who receivedWashington at Fort Le Boeuf in 1754. He was killed in 1755, atthe battle of Lake George. See " Montcalm and Wolfe," i. 315.