CHAPTER IX. 1677-1678. THE GRAND ENTERPRISE. La Salle at Fort Frontenac.--La Salle at Court.--His Plans approved.-- Henri de Tonty.--Preparation for Departure. CHAPTER X. 1678-1679. LA SALLE AT NIAGARA. Father Louis Hennepin.--His Past Life; His Character.--Embarkation. --Niagara Falls.--Indian Jealousy.--La Motte and the Senecas.-- A Disaster.--La Salle and his Followers. CHAPTER XI. 1679. THE LAUNCH OF THE "GRIFFIN." The Niagara Portage.--A Vessel on the Stocks.--Suffering and Discontent.--La Salle's Winter Journey.--The Vessel launched.--Fresh Disasters. CHAPTER XII. 1679. LA SALLE ON THE UPPER LAKES. The Voyage of the "Griffin."--Detroit.--A Storm.--St. Ignace of Michillimackinac.--Rivals and Enemies--Lake Michigan.--Hardships. --A Threatened Fight.--Fort Miami.--Tonty's Misfortunes.-- Forebodings. CHAPTER XIII. 1679-1680 LA SALLE ON THE ILLINOIS. The St. Joseph.--Adventure of La Salle.--The Prairies.--Famine.-- The Great Town of the Illinois.--Indians.--Intrigues.--Difficulties. --Policy of La Salle.--Desertion.--Another Attempt to poison him. CHAPTER XIV. 1680. FORT CREVECOEUR. Building of the Fort.--Loss of the "Griffin."--A Bold Resolution.-- Another Vessel.--Hennepin sent to the Mississippi.--Departure of La Salle. CHAPTER XV. 1680. HARDIHOOD OF LA SALLE. The Winter Journey.--The Deserted Town.--Starved Rock.--Lake Michigan.--The Wilderness.--War Parties.--La Salle's Men give out.--Ill Tidings.--Mutiny.--Chastisement of the Mutineers. CHAPTER XVI. 1680. INDIAN CONQUERORS. The Enterprise renewed.--Attempt to rescue Tonty.--Buffalo.--A Frightful Discovery.--Iroquois Fury.--The Ruined Town.--A Night of Horror.--Traces of the Invaders.--No News of Tonty. CHAPTER XVII. 1680. TONTY AND THE IROQUOIS. The Deserters.--The Iroquois War.--The Great Town of the Illinois.-- The Alarm.--Onset of the Iroquois.--Peril of Tonty.--A Treacherous Truce.--Intrepidity of Tonty.--Murder of Ribourde.--War upon the Dead. CHAPTER XVIII. 1680. THE ADVENTURES OF HENNEPIN. Hennepin an Impostor.--His Pretended Discovery.--His Actual Discovery. --Captured by the Sioux.--The Upper Mississippi. CHAPTER XIX. 1680, 1681. HENNEPIN AMONG THE SIOUX. Signs of Danger.--Adoption.--Hennepin and his Indian Relatives.--The Hunting-Party.--The Sioux Camp.--Falls of St. Anthony.--A Vagabond Friar.--His Adventures on the Mississippi.--Greysolon Du Lhut.--Return to Civilization. CHAPTER XX. 1681. LA SALLE BEGINS ANEW. His Constancy.--His Plans.--His Savage Allies.--He becomes Snow-blind. --Negotiations.--Grand Council.--La Salle's Oratory.--Meeting with Tonty.--Preparation.--Departure. CHAPTER XXI. 1681-1682. SUCCESS OF LA SALLE. His Followers.--The Chicago Portage.--Descent of the Mississippi.--The Lost Hunter.--The Arkansas.--The Taensas.--The Natchez.--Hostility.--The Mouth of the Mississippi.--Louis XIV. proclaimed Sovereign of the Great West. CHAPTER XXII. 1682-1683. ST. LOUIS OF THE ILLINOIS.