The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1850-11-28

He saie.i from Rochelle, ia July, .Ge4
accompanied by two nephew-, six priests,
one of whom was his brother; and, touching
on his passage; at ST. Domingo, landed in
the bay of Managerial, Texas, in the Feb
ruary following. His store ship was wreck
ed soon after landing, and scarcely hal he
procured from her portion Of the supplies
with which she was Ireightel for his coIony,
ere the wind broke her entirely up. He
proceeded short distance up small stream
which enters the Bay Of Mn'sgor,la on the
west, and there erected and fortified a
post, whi,.h in honor Of his King, he called
St. Louis. f
The planting of this Land Of adveniurers
on the shore Of the Gulf of Mexico, was The
foundation of The claim of France to Texas
as a part Of Louisiana la Sale was fnis-
led; he intended to enter the month Of The
Mississippi and ascend il To The vicibtv Of
the Arkansas; and when he discoveries, his
error, the commander Of the feet refused
to return back, hut pressed forward and
westward.
Although supplied with mechanics, and
materials for building, and women, indica-
ting an intention Of ofpernanent settlement,
yet the great body of the colonsts we're i'll
suited for the purposes which their ardent
and persevering leader designed them. The
colony was destined to perish soon after lis
leader fell hy the hand Of an assassin on the
vast praIries of the southwest.
Believing that he was in the vicinity Of
The head-waters of streams that flowed into
the Mississippi, he cherished the hope of
reaching il, and for this purpose he made
an excursion during which he was absent
four months, but returned unsuccessful and
! hon o1 . han
riod. He also made tour into New Mex
leo in the hope Of finding gold mines, but
isappointlnent alone attended his efforts,
and he returned TO his little colony, which
was now reduced 10 about forty men. Ii
seemed as if every thing was coD>pirng a
gainst him, and combining for his destruc-
ton; and although surrounded by followers
who were already planning his death, he
resolved to return to Canada on foot, pro-
cure recruits and supplies, and return to
St. Louis. 3D..
Is Januray 1851. we find him attended by
sixteen men, having left twenty at his Fort,
journeying 10 the north; wading rivers,
struglingg through marshes knee deep; >Iak-
ing his thirst at some dirty pool and earn
ing bis supper by solitary ramble with his
gun; with no guide or compass but the po-
lar star, and his own previous training III
the forest; the earth his bed, and raw
buffalo hide for blanket and surrounded
by treacherous and deceitfu, fulIowers--he
still pressed forward, passed the basin Of
the Colorado, and bivouaced on a tributary
of Trinity river.
Two men, named Duhaut and L. Archie
vogue, who had a pecuniary ieterest in the
adventure, invited La Salle's nephew, Mo-
ranget. to buffalo hunt; and, on pretence
of being cheated in their share Of the game,
deiibe rately murdered him.
! Eager to pursue his journey, and having
waited some time for him to come up, La
Sale, on the 20,h Of March, made personal
search for him. 0 .g5....H
/ On the bank Of the river be fred signal
gun: the two conspiratOrs stealrhly crossed
over it, and while L. Archeveque,approa
ed La Sale, Dubaut concealed himself in
the high grass.
/ "Wherc is my nephew 20 demanded La
Sale; and ere an answer was gwen, Du-
haut fired, and the unparalleled explorer of
the Mississippi lay welteriug in his gore
"You are pow down. grand bashaw you
are down now - exclaimed one % the blood
stained wretches, as they strirt the IfeleSs
body of their late commander, and left it
without grave to be dcvoured by the wild
beasts of the prairie.
The warripg elements of murder, strife,
avarice, and discomfort, were not guieted
by the destruction Of La Sale. Duhaut,
who had fired on his leader, with another
of his accomplces, was killed, while quar-
reling over the sp0ils, and the remnant OF
the wretched party allied themselves to ~
vagabond band of savages. Crime is retril,-
utive; and thus the death of La Sale-the
unmatched hero of exploration IN the far
west-was avenged. JOutel, the brother
and remaining nephew of La Sale, with
several others, laid their course for the
Arkansas; and, after undergoing much suf-
fering and hardship, they reached the cab
in of Tonti near TINT river, who had de-
scended the Mississippi in quest Of La
Sale.
France owes a greater debt to the memo
ry Of La Sale than TO any OF her explorers
His discoveries brought under her control
the immense valley of the Mississippi, which
he named Louisiana in honor of Louis
the XIV. The account of his travels and
explorations, written by Toni, did more
to increase the knowledge Of the French
government, with regard to the extent and
importance OF its possessions in the new
world, than those of all proceeding ,liscov-
erers.
commencing cOtOntZation III CAnaua,
he maintained the post Of Fort Fron,enac
at his own expense, and erected chain of
posts from thence to the Gulf Of Mexico
The posts Of Frontenac, Niagara, Miarnis,
CrevecGur ,andtwo ofthe name Of ST. Louis,
were evidences Of national right aud previ-
Gus occupancy. Wherever delayed week,
he built fort, set up cross, decorated
with 'she lilies of France" and carved her
arms on the surrounding forest trees
France spent millions to preserve The fruits
of La Salle's genus and enterprise, hut in
vain. The march Of the Anglo Saxon was
onward; and westward the star of empire
took its way The state of Illinois honor
ed the memory ofthe great explorer by des-
ignating one of her counties with bis name:
and the prediction Of our country's great
historian, (Bancroft,) with respect to Mar
Iquette, would have been more deservedIy
written of La Salle-"The west will build
his monument
MUSICAL INSECTS rs. MUSICAL FIsHEs.-
i" CabrGmdtta, or Cabra-p pool, is the appropriate
and descriptive name Of chain Of ponds abound
ing with the cabra, an insect Of the feredo falDi-
Ily, resembling in appearance the contents of q
marrow bone, which insinuates itself into the