Joutel's Journal of La Salle's Last Voyage, 1684-7 — John Shaqi
Joutel's Journal of La Salle's Last Voyage, 1684-7Joutel, Henri
History
Joutel's Journal of La Salle's Last Voyage, 1684-7
Joutel, Henri
La Salle, Robert Cavelier, sieur de, 1643-1687; Louisiana -- History -- To 1803; Mississippi River -- Discovery and exploration
The Fifth, we set Sail and held on our Course _W. S. W._ keeping along
the Shore till about Six in the Evening, when we stood away to the
_Southward_ and anchor’d at Night in six Fathom Water. The Sixth, we
would have made ready to sail, but the Pilot perceiving, that the Sea
broke astern of us, and that there were some Shoals, it was thought
proper to continue at Anchor, till the Wind chang’d, and we accordingly
staid there the Sixth and all the Seventh. The Eighth the Wind veering
about, we stood out a little to Sea, to avoid those Shoals, which are
very dangerous, and anchor’d again a League from thence. Upon Advice,
that the Bark _la Belle_ had discover’d a small Island, which appear’d
between the two Points of a Bay, Monsieur _de la Sale_ sent a Man up
to the round Top, from whence both the one and the other were plainly
to be seen, and according to the Sea Charts we had with us, that was
suppos’d to be the Bay of the _Holy Ghost_.
The Ninth, Monsieur _de la Sale_, sent to view those Shoals. Those who
went reported there was a sort of Bank, which runs along the Coast;
that they had been in one Fathom Water and discover’d the little Island
beforemention’d, and as for the Sand Bank there is no such thing
mark’d down in the Charts. Monsieur _de la Sale_ having examin’d the
Recknings, was confirm’d in his Opinion, that we were in the Bay of
_Apalache_, and caus’d us to continue the same Course.
The Tenth, he took an Observation and found 29 Degrees 23 Minutes North
Latitude. The eleventh, we were becalm’d, and Monsieur _de la Sale_
resolv’d to go ashore, to endeavour to discover what he was looking
for; but as we were making ready, the Pilot began to mutter because
five or six of us were going with Monsieur _de la Sale_, who too
lightly alter’d his Design, to avoid giving Offence to brutish People.
In that Particular he committed an irretrieveable Error; for it is
the Opinion of Judicious Men, who, as well as I, saw the rest of that
Voyage, that the Mouth of one of the Branches of the _Missisipi_ River,
and the same whose Latitude Monsieur _de la Sale_ had taken, when he
travell’d to it from _Canada_, was not far from that Place, and that we
must of Necessity be near the Bay of the _Holy Ghost_.[49]
[Sidenote: _Monsieur_ de la Sale’s _Mistake_.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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