The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-05-22

lney mao not arrived twenty days
La. Sale had TO wait. He improved the
time by starting his men building the
fort. AT last Tonty arrived His men
We're nearly dead. They had been re-
duced to living on acorns. TWO had
deserted The second stage of the
journey had been completed, but a,
dire cost.
On December La Sale, worried
over the nonappearance of the Griffon,
started up the st. Joseph. Near the
present site of South Bend they
shouldered their canoes and struck
across the frozen swamps in search
of the hcadwater Of the Illinois. They
found 1t at last, and within a few
days were in prairie country. Once
more they were nearly starved. II
was a godsend when they found a
stray buffalo. On January 3, 1850.
when they were below Peoria Lake
they came upon a great encanpment
of Illinois Indians. La Sale, who
knew Indians thoroughly. made q
show of force, and then accepted the
calumet. lie offered to aid them against
their foes, the 1roquois, and then told
them he meant to build a fort IN
their village and a big canoe with
sails to descend to the sea and bring
goods to them.
Late that night six Indians. led by
Monso. Mascoutin chief, arrived in
camp and warned the Illinois against
La Sale. Before daylight they de-
parted. They had been sent from
Canada to spread the story that La
Sales real purpose was to stir the
tribes beyond the Mississippi to war
on the Illinois.
AT feast the next day the Illinois
chiefs were doleful. They begged La
Sale not to proceed. The Mississippi
was filled with ferocious monsters.
There were fathomless pits, whirl-
pools and nameless horrors. and its
shores We're lined with cannibals.
La Sale, who had heard Of the visit
of Monso from an Indian he had be-
friended, astounded the chiefs by
showing his full knowledge of all that
supernatural power. but. alas! next
day SIX of his best men were gone.
They had believed the stories of the
Mississippis horrors and fled. The
others, too, We're demoralized.
AS a measure of safety La Sale
moved his camp to a hill a little fur
Their down the river, fortified 1t. built
lodgings for his men and little
chapel for the Recollet monks who ac-
com pdnlcdf the teSpeQltlOn. lie named
the place Fort Crevecour and started
to build the ship to sail the MISSISSIPPI
pi. The third stage Of the journey
was made and he was preparing fer
the fourth.
But. alas! two of the men who had
fled were shiphuilders. There was not
another carpenter in the party. For
amateurs to do the work meant long
and tedious labor He was worrying.
about the Griffon. He was worrying,
too, about affairs In Montreal, y He
determined to so back, hurry forward
recruits and supplies and then rush
work on the new ship. To improve
the time in his absence he sent Henne-
pin to explore the upper mississippi.
Leaving Tonty, who had but one arm,
in charge, La Sale set out Fills trip
has been pronounced as the most ar
duous ever made by a Frenchman In
America. Els crafty foes had set the
Indians on his trial, His path was
heset by peril night and day. InsiXty-
five days he reached Niagara and then
only to learn the Griffon was lost. IN
dians. fur traders and Jesuits have
been charged with contriving her
destruction, Some reports are that
she was burned, others are that she
was scuttled With the cargo that was
to pay his debts. she was gone, He
learned, too, that a ship from France
freighted With almost Indispensable
goods for him had been wrecked In.
the st. Lawrence
When he reached Fort Frontenac he