The Washington herald., 1915-03-28
The Fate of La Sale
BY ROBERT II. FULLER.


squandered in Europe. To the French
and the Dutch it was q country OF furs
which were to be purchased from the
Indians for beads. knives. and guns. and
sold across the sea at An enormous
profit To the English It was land OF
homes. with liberty to think and act
Above the crowd of rugged and fear
less adventures who thronS through
the history OF Frances vain endeavors
% found an empire in the western world.
me figure Of Rene-Robert Cavelter. Sieur
@ la Sale. towers like a statue OF bronze
4 brief connection with the religious or
icr of the Jesuits deprived him OF his
inheritance. and az the age of twenty
,wo no sailed for Canada 10 seek his
fortune, turning his hack upon the Old
world. as did many another young
Frenchman of gentle breeding at that
time.
lie was granted an estate. afterWa-d
named La Chine. near Montreal. On
the domain which served as an outpost
,r Montreal against the incursons of the
fcrocious Iroquois. he lived life OF rude
freedom. ruling like young seisneur
over the tenants who gathered about his
stockade.
But he could not long remain quiet
The thirst for adventure was strong up
on him, and. listening to the tales Of his
Indian visitors he determined 10 explore
the Ohio and the Mississippi to the Yer
million Sea" or the Gulf OF California
into which he was convinced the great
river flowed. At his own expense he
fitted out an expedition, and pushed bold
IL into the trackless wilderness.
This was the beginning OF career Of
hardship and danger. Of successes
achieved in the teeth OF seemingly IN
s,,rmnuntablc obstacles and in spite OF
tho plots OF powerful enemies. with
s,cadfasi fortitUde unparalleled in the
annals of discovery. La SALES dream OF
-ctch:nE the Pacific WAS soon dispeled;
ur,, II was the nature of his mind t" rear
now plans on the ruins Of the old. lie
.,.,,~ crew discouraged.
VI ns first step ne encountered the
Jealous hostility Of tn" J"sults, then
GOV crful both AT quebec and Paris. 10
Ibis was added the ennmt yOhf those in
tc-cstod in tho far trade, who feared
that hc would disturb their traffi~: tho
hatred If all who had BETRAYED. deserted.
and robbed hm--uo small number. and
'!o aunoyanccs Of such as had ben IN
jl-c,l To- invest in his schemes when his
jan resources were exhausted.
While he was absent. bearing the laS
# France over thousands of miles OF
..~w territory. slandcrers and d"tractors
were busy at home destroying his credit.
!nwartinS his plans, ridiculinS his hopes,
and seeking TO rob him of his honors.
The obstacles cast in his path by nature
or savage tribes We're slight when COM
rared with those reared against him by
his own countrymen. But mistaken in
his purpose. he toiled on year after year.
enduring exposure. hunger, cold. illness.
and treachery, exploring the Ohio and
the Illinois and finally. in 1852, descend
ing the Mississippi to its mouth.
lie had built and equipped a vessel on
ner cargo He had nearly finished an
other on the Illinois, when his men mu-
inied in his absence. and deserted.
At last he felt that if he was to secure
Tor Franco the rich valley of the Missis-
s;rri and the boundless region drained
~ lis tributaries. and repay his credi-
"rs through the monopoly Of the trade
,hich II" hoped TO establish there. he
must sccuI, tn. support of the King
himself Accordingly ne turned toward
france.
His plan found favor with Louis XIV
and his ministers. He was given -four
,.ssels. which carried. besides supplies, |
u hundred soldiers. mechanics and lab
,rcrs several families. number of girls
Who hoped to find husbands in the new
rolony, and thirty volunteers. Among
these last were several boye. two of
them his own ncphews. Of whom ono
was destined to be the cause of his
death The expedition was to make
settlement at the mouth OF the Missis- !
.Ippi. aud organize a force to sweep the
sale promised 10 do. At last. after so
many trials and disappointments. he /
sccmcd to stand on the threshold Of sue
.css
But the dark cloud OF misfortune
which had so long lowered above his
head reappeared when the vessels ap- |
preached their destination. Numbers of
the colonists fell i'll on the voyage. At
81. Domingo. La Sale himself was
stricken down by fever, and his life was !
despaired OF. One of his vessels was
taken by Spanish pirates. and his men
grew discontinued and undisciplined. To
cap the climax, the fleet missed the
mouth Of the Mississippi. and the colon
lists landed 400 miles TO the westward, |
at Matagorda Bay. There another YES
sci was lost while attempting to enter
the harbor. and a third, which had acted