Page:History of the United States of America, Spencer, v1.djvu/164

 the rapids, below the great fall; and above them, near the shore of Lake Erie, began the construction of the first rigged vessel that ever sailed upon the western waters. In this little bark of sixty tons, called the "Griffin," accompanied by Tonti and a band of missionaries and fur traders, La Salle traversed Lake Erie, and passed through Detroit, or "the strait" which separates it from the limpid sheet to which he gave the appropriate name of St. Clair, and sailing across Lake Huron, and by the straits of Mackinaw, into Lake Michigan, at length came to an anchor in Green Bay.

From this point, after sending back the vessel for fresh supplies, La Salle and his associates proceeded in canoes across Lake Michigan to the mouth of the St. Joseph's River, where Allouez had established a station, and to which was now added a trading post, called the Fort of the Miamis. Awaiting in vain the return of the "Griffin," which had been wrecked on her way back, La Salle and Tonti, with a body of their followers, crossed over to the Illinois River, where, some distance below Peoria, he erected another fort. There were still no tidings of the missing vessel, and to proceed without supplies was impossible; murmurs arose among his disheartened followers, and detaching Tonti and the Recollect Hennepin to continue their explorations, and having named his new fort "Crèvecœur," in memory of his deep and bitter vexations, La Salle set out with only three followers, making his way back across the vast wilderness which spread between him and Frontenac, where, though reported dead, he gathered fresh materials for the prosecution of his enterprise. His agents, meanwhile, were engaged in carrying out his instructions. Hennepin explored the Mississippi to the Falls of St. Anthony, and returning afterwards to France, published there an account of his travels. Tonti, less fortunate, who had been directed to establish himself among the Illinois, was driven thence by the hostility of the Iroquois. and was obliged to take refuge at Green Bay. Their indefatigable leader at length returned with provisions and reinforcements, collected his scattered men, and constructed a capacious barge, in which he descended the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico. Formal possession of the mouth of the river was taken for France, April 9th, 1682, and the name was conferred upon the newly acquired territory.

La Salle having returned to France speedily aroused an ardent desire to colonize the fertile region which he had discovered. Accordingly he soon got together an expedition, consisting of a frigate and three other ships, on board of which were two hundred and eighty persons in all, ecclesiastics, soldiers, mechanics and emigrants, and as speedily as