Page:Joutel's journal of La Salle's last voyage, 1684-7 (IA joutelsjournalof00jout).pdf/65

 never been parted, Monsieur de la Sale's principal Care was to enquire of all the Nations they pass'd through, where the Missisipi was, and could never hear any thing of it; that this is evidently made out, because if Monsieur de la Sale had found the Mouth of that River, he would infallibly have taken another Way, and other Measures, and all the Appearances are on this Side, as may be seen in this Relation. However, this must be said in Behalf of Monsieur Tonty, that he deliver'd it upon the Report of Monsieur Cavelier the Priest, and Brother to Monsieur de la Sale; which Monsieur Cavelier might have Reasons to give out they had discover'd the Missisipi, upon the same Views as oblig'd him to conceal his Brother's Death. Now in regard we shall see Monsieur de la Sale, for some time ranging along the Coasts of North America, to find out the Mouth of that River, it will be proper to inform those who have not seen his first Voyage, and shew them how it hapned that his Search prov'd in vain, and he was oblig'd to land in another Place. After Monsieur de la Sale had discover'd that vast Continent, which is a Part of North America, from Canada, by the Way of Montreal, going up the River of St. Laurence, then through the Country of the Iroquois, the Islinois and others, all which he call'd Louisiana, his Design was to find a shorter and a safer Way, than that he had Travell'd by Land. For this Reason it was, that having upon his first Discovery found the great River, call'd by the Barbarians Missisipi or Mechasipi, according to Father Hennepin, and to which he gave the Name of Colbert, guessing by its Course that it fell into the Bay of Mexico, he resolved with himself to find out the Mouth of it. ''In short, he ran down that River, with more Danger and Toil than can be imagin'd, found it parted into two Streams and follow'd that which was most to the Northward, to the Place where it is lost in the Sea. He took the''