Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-01-22

III Id Sdlle S SCHeHle something lnreat-
ening their supremacy. They were
more interested in the saving of souls
than in the extension of trade.
THE GRIFFON.
While La Sale was not supposed to
engage in trade, it was inevitable his
ship on the lakes would command its
commerce. Merchants of Montreal and
Quebec, who looked upon this as an
invasion of the rich fur field they con-
trolled. were openly antagonistic. The
coureurS de bois. too, those hardy, half
savage rangers OF the wilds, wanted no
poaching on their preserves. And in
New York, where the Dutch and Eng
liSh were living, il was realized that
success to La Sale meant extension of
the fur trade of the French and con-
traction of the fur trade of the Eng
lish and Dutch. All the elements op-
posed to La Sale could strike at him
through the Indians. and some of them
could strike at him through the king of
France himself.
1t was late In the fall of 1878 that
Hennepin Joined La Sale at Fort From
tenac (Kingston), and sailed from there
in a little lotion boat with Henri de
Tonty and party of men for the
Niagara river, where il was proposed to
build fort. AT a point on Cayuga
creek. some miles beyond the cataract,
1t was decided to build the ship for
service on the lakes. But there was
trouble from the start. The Indians
not only objected to the fort, but
threatened to burn the ship IL one was
built. To add to the misfortune, a sup
ply vessel with La Sale on board which
followed that in which Hennepln had
LETT Fort Frontenac, was wrecked 30
miles from Niagara. La Sale, how
ever. was not to be stopped Trees
were felled and the shlpbuilders were
set to work. The winter was bitterly
cold and the food was Scant. The only
shelter the men had was in huts of
bark. La Sale had to go back for
fresh supplies, and the men labored on
through the winter. On Sundays and
saints days Hennepin. who had built a
little chapel out of bark and placed his
portable altar in it. said mass. At night
sentinels stood watch about the ship
yard to guard against Indian frebugs
In the spring the brig. which was of
50 tons, was launched to the accom-
paniment to TIE Deums, the shouts of
the French. the yelps OF the Indians
and the reports of the little cannon
the party had for arming the ship. This
boat. the Griffon, was the first sailing
vessel to touch the waters of Lake
Erie. But after il was launched there
was long delay La Sale kept them.
waiting. The wolves. were after him
already He had spent large sums OF
money In order to fit out his exped1
ton. and was finding 1t difficult To
raise more funds to replace the SUP
plies lost In the wreck. Not untn
August did he arrive. Meanwhile the
brig had been taken up the river to
shore. So close to the land was II
that Hennepin said mass on tho deck
and preached from there to the men
standing on the shore.
ON THE LAKE.
On Aug. the Grifon entered Lake
Erie. where sail never had been seen
before. For three days the bark went
Sayly along, its canvas bellyinu To the
breeze, and then on tho fourth day the
ship entered the Strait of Detroit and
passed on into Lake Huron. So far all
was pleasant, but soon a storm arose
that threatened TO engulf the brig, An
on board said their prayers, except the
pilot. He swore. He was a goddess
creature. and all he could think OF WAS
the shame of going TO death In an un-
salted sea after all the years he had
passed on the bolsterous Atlantic. Tho
plot was not 10 nave this undignified
ending, however. for the storm abated
and the bark arrived In safety al
Michillimackinac OATncklnaw).
Although the arrival of tho Grlffon
was greeted with salutes. MichIIllmac-
kinac really was a hostile camp. II
was a Jesuit center. and here the law
less coureurS de bois had their rendez-
vous- La Sale soon learned that the
Indians had been warned that he was
their enemy. and he also discovered
that most OF the nearly two dozen men
ne had sent ahead to the Illinois coun-
try 10 trade for him and prepare for
the arrival of the expedition had boon
tanpered with by tho traders and Jes-
uits- Some had squandered the goods
intrustcd to them or used them for
their own account, and others had abb
sconded. He sent Tonty to arrest some
| OF them, who had taken refuge at the
falls ~ 81. Marie. md ther. rnthariry 2