[Sidenote: =La Salle not content to get rich only=] La Salle was growing rich, but he longed to make good his country's right to the richer soil and to the milder climate of the Mississippi Valley. Once more he returned to France, and the king gave him permission to explore the great valley and to build forts along the way. [Sidenote: =Hennepin and his altar=] La Salle came back bringing sailors, carpenters, anchors, and cables, for he intended to build a ship on the lakes. But best of all, he brought Tonti, his faithful Italian friend and helper. Hennepin, the missionary, carried an altar so made that he could strap it on his back and set it up for worship wherever he chose. La Salle had resolved to build his first fort at the mouth of the Niagara River, but the Iroquois permitted him to build only a large storehouse. They were greatly displeased when he set about building a ship above Niagara to sail the Great Lakes to the west, and threatened to burn it. [Sidenote: =The first ship on the Great Lakes=] When the new ship, the _Griffin_, was ready to sail, they towed her up the Niagara River and then into Lake Erie. There was great rejoicing over the _Griffin_. Amid the firing of cannon and the singing of songs she spread her sails, the first to whiten the waters of Lake Erie. [Illustration: ROUTES OF THE FRENCH MISSIONARIES AND TRADERS WHO EXPLORED THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY] [Sidenote: =The visit to Mackinac=] On they sailed, through sunshine and storm, up Lake Huron until the mission town where Marquette was buried came into view. When the _Griffin_ fired her cannon, all was astir in that town of fur traders, missionaries, and Indians. La Salle's men landed with great show. They marched to the little chapel and knelt before the altar. [Sidenote: =The "Griffin" sails for the storehouse=] La Salle then sailed through the straits and to the head of Green Bay, where some of his men, sent out many months before, had collected a great quantity of furs. Laden with these, the _Griffin_ sailed for the storehouse on the Niagara, but La Salle never saw again this first ship of the lakes. =61. Exploring the Mississippi Valley.= With fourteen men in four large canoes, La Salle set out for the Illinois River. They passed southward along the Wisconsin shore, sometimes living only on parched corn and wild berries, but at other times feasting on the wild game killed by their Indian hunter. [Illustration: FRENCH FUR TRADERS BARTERING WITH THE INDIANS] [Sidenote: =The journey by canoe to the Illinois River=] They passed the spot where Chicago stands, and reached the mouth of the St. Joseph River. Here another fort was built while waiting for the return of Tonti, who had gone to find the _Griffin_. Three months had passed since the ship sailed. Tonti finally came, but brought no word of the ill-fated _Griffin_. [Sidenote: =They reach Starved Rock=]