The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1847-09-25
From Shapes Magazine.

ROBERT Cavalier de La Sale the frs,
colonlzer Of Louisiana, (he started on his
discoveries A. ID. l61S.) is striking per.
son as q colonizer and discoverer: if for no
other reason, at least for the peculiar ma.
uonality of his character: and the features
in him, that, throughout his course. are per.
petuaily reminding us of the Frenchman.
We do not mean the latter 10 be understood
in an untavorable sense. The French
character has a light, gallant, affectionate
side of il; and shows, in some Of its speci.
mems. mixture Of innocence and sprir
which Is very taking. La Sale has this re.
markedly. He has not the grave, plodding,
energetic, persevering, diplomatic character
OF the English colonizer. The founders OF
our colonial empire Were men made in a
different mould, TO what We see in this
lght-hearted, gallant, French adventurer.
And the fruits of their laborS have been pro.
portlonally more enduring and solid. The
frenchman has colOnizod Cor the benefit OF
the Anglo-SaKOn in the west. and no sooner
has he settled himself in ms new domain.
than the heavy weight of English vicinity
has oas-ed him Out Of il. The Saxon
shows that genius for occupation. manage
ment, and system, which alone gains per.
manent hold upon new country. In the
first instance, however. and IN the act of ex.
ploring and finding his Way from lake to
lake, and forest 10 forest ia the new region.
the Frenchman Is quite as vigorous an his
way as the Enelishman. He mikes IN the
excitement Of discovery. however. with
pleasures and tastes quite his own. He
strews flowers 10y the WAY, makes pretty
scenes as he goes along, mounts his cav col.
ors on the top oil the rock, aud fes,oons the
forest stunps. He notes his progress by or
nsmental erectons, and begins to dance
when he has arrived at the end Of GOOD
day : or weeks exploring. and thinks he
has achieved something. he IS stimulated
moreover, by the thorough French love of
Ia glOire and does not dream of aduItera.
ting the noble admiXture with any base
mercantile feeling. He has not shipping.
and docks, and factories IA view: his dis
covery Is a fine dream to him. He is pleased
with il, as he would be with a GOOD plav
and the real hardships and rouganesses he
enduTes are mixed with something OF his old
opera house, stage light, SIDE scene. and other
Partisan sympathies. We hear of dancing
on board, as the ship of discovery was eros
sing the Atlantic. a Joyous company of
girls on board sought TO wear away the te-
diousness OF the voyage, and enliven the
splIlts OF TIE passengers by the amusement
of dancing. This was more than the grave
and scrupulous Recollect "a priest Of par
ticular order) could endure. and he took
occasion 10 reprimand the young damsels.
and check their hilarity. La Sale inter
posed, and said there was no harm in dan
cling.
HIS men are frightened at their frst start
upon their Mississippi voyage Of discovery.
with pictme Of the horrors and dangers of
that mysterious river.
''Nikanape, man Of rank in the canp.
and brother TO the great chief of the nation.
who was absent on hunting excursion. IN.
vited the Frenchman to an entertainment
and before sitting doSn to the repast. he
made long speech, the drift of which was.
10 advise his guests against the perilou,
scheme Of going down the Mississippi. lie
said that Others had persisted in the attempt
that the banks Were inhabited by a strong
and terrible race Of men, who killed every-
body that came among them: that the wa.
tiers swarmed with crocodiles, serpents, and
fnghtiul monsters; and thar, even if the
boat was large and strong enough to escape
these dangers, II would be dashed in pieces
by the falls and rapids, Or meet with ineyi.
table destruction in hideous Withhold al
the rivers mouth, where the river itself WAS
swallowed up and lost. This harangue
which the orator enforced 10y expressions of
ANXIOUS concern for the welfare oil his friends
produced AN obvious effect on the minds Of
La Sales men,
La Sale instantly brings the image of
Ia gloire before them.
ole SAID the dangers, which had been
painted n snch glowing colors. bore ON
uhelr lace 50 clear stamp of exaggeration
and imProbability, that lac was convinced
that NIkanape himself would excuse HIM
ior regarding them with utter incredibly
and even II they were as formidable as had
been represented, The courage of French.
men 'contd only be The more eager 10 On.
Library OF American Biography, conducted
BY Jared Sparks, Boston.