Page:Joutel's journal of La Salle's last voyage, 1684-7 (IA joutelsjournalof00jout).pdf/58

 the second Town of Canada, sixty Leagues above Quebeck, which is the Capital, being also a Bishoprick, and the Residence of the Governor, the Intendant and the supreme Council. There are but only those two Towns in the Country, besides some Villages. They are both seated on the great River of St. Laurence, which coming from the S. W. is form'd or increased by the Waters of five prodigious fresh Water Lakes, running out one into another, and through them it passes to run down to discharge itself in the Ocean, at a very spacious Mouth, making Way for the Ships that design to penetrate into Canada.

Many Discoveries had been made to the Northward, before Monsieur de la Sale's Time; because there being Plenty of very good Furs, the Traders of Quebeck and Mont-real, by Means of the Adventurers call'd Wood-Men, from their traveling thro' the Woods, had penetrated very far up the Country that Way; but none had advanc'd far towards the South or South-West, beyond Fort Frontenac, which is on the Lake Ontario, the nearest this Way of the five great Lakes. However, upon the Report of the Natives, it was supposed, that great and advantageous Discoveries might be made. There had been much Talk of the rich Mines of St. Barbara, in the Kingdom of Mexico, and some were tempted to give them a Visit.

Something was known of the famous River Missisipi, which it was supposed might fall into the South Sea, and open a Way to it. These Conjectures working upon Monsieur de la Sale, who being zealous for the Honour of his Nation, designed to signalize the French Name, on Account of extraordinary Discoveries, beyond all that went before him; he form'd the Design and resolv'd to put it in Execution. He was certainly very fit for it, and succeeded at the Expense of his Life; for no Man has done so much in that Way as he did for the Space of twenty Years he spent in that Employment. He was a Man of a regular Behaviour,