Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-05-21
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than the old. which he would be the
means of giving 20 the king. He came
back with commission authorizing
him 90 pursue his explorations, cm-
towering him 10 build forts In new
found country and hold possession 81
them. giving to him a monopoly Of the
trade in buffalo skins, but forbidding
him 20 trade with tribes accustomed To
tramcking with Montreal All his work
was to be nj his own risk and eX-
pense and he was to complete II with
in 1--WE years.
No ono can study the plans " IA
Sale without marveling at the breadth
OF the mans comprehension and his
mastery OF the details Of his undertake
ing Tie provided for every contingency
except the treachery OF man. To get
the money to finance his project he
mortgagcd his Fort Frontenac posses
sions Forty per cent he had 10 pay
When he had borrowed every dollar
possible ne began the purchase Of sup
piles What an amount he bought may
be appreciated from his plans. These.
in brief. were as follows: He would
send out three parties from Fort From
tenac one would be a sort OF advance
guard. The second would be the main
body The third would bring the bulk
Of the supplies. The first stage of the
Journey would be Fort Frontcnac 20
the mouth lf lut NldEdld TIC N'N'ith
from above the falls To- the mouth N
the St Joseph river. on Lake Michigan.
The third from the St Joseph Co the
Illinois and the fourth from the Illinois
10 the mouth Of the Mississippi Every
step was 20 be solid Forts were 10 be-
built, posts established. trade opened
and a regular line OF communication
maintained. Two ships were TO carry
the artisans and supplies 10 Niagara.
Then the cannon. the anchors. the sup
plies and the keel Of another ship were
to be- dragged over the ~ miles Of hills
up 20 and beyond the cataract. There
"a now ship was 70 be built 10 sail Lake
Erie where ship never had sailed be-
fore This ship was 10 carry the eN-
petition TO Lake Huron, and then 10
Lake Michigan.
At the mouth Of the ST. Joseph a fcrt
and post were TO he built. Then can
non. anchors. supplies and the keel OF
another ship were TO be transported By
water and by land to the point on the
Illinois There another ship was 10
be built. another fort and another post
established. Then La Sale was 90 pro-
coed In the new ship. The magnitude
OF the undertaking can be appreciated
only when II Is explained that west Of
Lake Ontario the largest craft ahodt
was a canoe The only station the
French had in the west was that OF
the Jesuits at Michillimackinac Mar
auette and Joliet had been 10 the Mis-
sissippi. but the whole vast region was
a wilderness.
with that surprising patience and
care for detail that characterized his
while life, La Sale saw u the thorough
equipment OF his expedition before the
start Others too, watched his prep
arations and studied his plans with no
less care He had been so successful
in Canada and his scheme was so big
that the whole province was excited. n
he succeeded he would be the greatest
man IN the western world He prac-
tically would be master OF the west.
But there were many who hoped he
would fail The merchants who had
lost a portion Of the rich fur trade
through his favor with Count FrOnte-