Page:Joutel's journal of La Salle's last voyage, 1684-7 (IA joutelsjournalof00jout).pdf/220

 acquainted with the Country, and had a Share in great Discoveries; but the Truth of his Relations is much controverted. It was he who went to the Northward, and towards the Source of the Missisipi, which he calls Mechasipi, and who printed, at Paris, an Account of the Country about the River, giving it the Name of Louisiana. He ought to have stopp'd there, and not to have gone, as he did, into Holland, to set forth another Edition, very much enlarg'd, and perhaps not so true, which he dedicated to William the Third, Prince of Orange, and afterwards King of Great Britain. An Action for a Religious Man no less ridiculous than extravagant, not to give it a worse Name; for after many great and tedious Encomiums given that Protestant Prince, he exhorts and conjures him to turn his Thoughts towards those vast Countries, as yet unknown, to conquer them and send Colonies thither, to make known to those Savage Nations the true God and his Worship, and to preach the Gospel. That good Religious Man, whom many have falsly thought, on Account of that Extravagancy, to have renounc'd his Religion, did not consider what he said, and consequently has scandaliz'd the Catholicks, and furnish'd the Hugonots with Matter of Laughter; for it is likely, that they being Enemies to the Roman Church, would employ Recolets to go preach up Popery, as they call it in Canada? Or would they introduce any other Religion than their own? Can Father Hennepin be excuseable in this Point?

In fine it appears, by all that has been writ by those several Persons concerning that Enterprize, that the Murder committed on the Person of Monsieur de la Sale was the Occasion of its miscarrying; but that which obstructed the making of some Provision in that Case was, the said Murders being conceal'd for the Space of two Years, and that the Spaniards of Mexico having been inform'd of all the Affair, sent Men, who carry'd off the weak Garrison Monsieur de la Sale had left in the Fort built by him, near the