The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-04-15
TEE suN. SUNDAY. AFR1L Is. isss


When FrandusIin worked over all the svidsne'
| and marked the extent in his erea
map Of 1894 By this map The Frenci
| claim was bounded By the Gulf o
Mexico westward 10 the Rio 0rande
thence northvestsriy 70 the rather vAeu,
watershed Of what We now know ss the RockJ
Mountains with an indefinite line along the
sources Of the upper Mississippi and its higher
an1uents. bounding on the height OF land
which shut OF the valley Of the great lakes
until the Appalachians were reached. Follow
ing these mountains south the line followed
the northern limits OF Spanish Florida and
then turned 10 the Gulf. Such dimensions
disclosed a marvellous domain. At the north
the hesdwnters OF the great river were
still unknown and were still to re-
main so. The known stretch OF twelve
hundred miles ran from corn to oranges, from
syeamores 20 palmettos The flood that
coursed this colossal basin was one-of the
worlds largest draining An area OF more than
twelve hundred and nifty thousand square
miles La sale had been the irst Of French
men to reach the mouth OF the huge water
way. and nity years had passed since
HE countfymen on the e. Lawrence
had begun to dream OF this mysterious
river. and TO debate about its outlet
".
La Sale started to return With gloomy PROS
poets Food was scarce. and some dried meat
which his companions found proved to be hu-
man flesh. They put up instead with alligator
steaks. They fought with Indians for some-
thing to sustain them In one place. and at an
other barely escaped q fatal encounter. Then
Ia Sale fell III. and for forty days his life was
despaired OF. While still weak he resumed his
journey. being anxious to carry detailed ac-
count Of his expedition to Quebec. but on
reaching the Illinois country he found It nee
essary to remain there for some time to pro-
tect the missionaries and traders. He soon
had trouble. too. with the new Governor OF
New France. La Barre whose notion OF re-
wardine the diecoyerer Of the mouths Of the
Mississippi was to conhscste his forts at From
tenac on Lake Ontario. and at Starved Rock.
on the Illinois River. II was not until near the
close Of 1888 that La Sale. thwarted. perse-
cuted and bankrupt but still indomitsble.
was able to embark for France; he landed on
Dec % at Rochelle.
He found con solation and new courage in the
fact that Canada was already beginning to Oil
. large space In the public mind. II the King.
Louis XIV had not yet been much impressed
with the Importance OF La salle's discoveries.
othersIhad been. They had servsd,las Prof. see-
foremost rank Of colonial powers In memo
rial presently submitted to the King. La Sale
asked that he might be allowed to conduct an
expedition By sea to the mouths OF the
great river which he had made known
10 the world. Mr.. Winsor points out
that the oment was opportune for such
o petition. The relations OF France with
Spain suggested q blow at the Spanish domi-
nation In the Gulf OF Mexico. There was.
moreover an attractive field for conquest in
the Spanish silver mines OF New Mexico. or
New Biscay. as that region was then called. It
was not only. however. By such vague sugges-
tons that La Sale urged his plans He en-
tered into particulars as to the way In which
he purposed to proceed. He would fortify the
Colbert tMississippD sixty leagues above IT'S
mouth. whore tho river could be easily defend
ID by fire ships He could count. he said on
fifteen thousand fighting men among the river
Indians; from the Illinois country alone he
.ould bring down four thousand warriors. He
asked for two hundred men to accom- pany him
rom France. and expected to pick up fifty
buccaneers at San Domingo. He could adj
rance he said. on the Spanish province OF New
Biscay by way Of the Seignelay (Redl River |
All this he undertook to do II only he was al
owed q vessel OF thirty guns with some extra
cannon for land use.
LIZ balie . proposals. were accepted. ana ne |
low touched the acme OF his career. He re-
,eived commission By which he was author |
zed to found colonies in Louisiana and to |
'overn the vast territory from Lake Michigan |
o the Gulf OF Mexico. To that end the King |
furnished him with larger means than he had |
Jared to ask for. namely. one war ship. the |
oily. Of thirty-six guns. another Of six guns.
'esides two smaller craft Beauieu. . Captain
a the royal navy. reported to take command
I the principal ship. BY the end OF May. 1884.
a Sale was In Rochelle. preparing for en-
arkation and picking MP recruits. He secured
force Of marines. hundred soldiers. and
bout $50 other persons. including women
nd children; the colony was to be based
n family life. whatever Interior purpose II
Tas to serve rs q military rendezvous. The
AL puf IN m Julv huf - ~ |