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
This Slaughter had yet satisfy’d but one Part of the Revenge of those
Murderers. To finish it and secure themselves it was requisite to
destroy the Commander in Chief. They consulted about the safest Method
to effect it, and resolved to go together to Monsieur _de la Sale_,
to knock out the Brains of the most resolute immediately, and then it
would be easier to overcome the rest. But the River, which was between
them and us, being much swollen, the Difficulty of passing it made them
put it off the 18th and 19th. On the other Hand Monsieur _de la Sale_
was very uneasy, on Account of their long Stay. His Impatience made him
resolve to go himself to find out his People and to know the Cause of
it.
[Sidenote: _He goes to seek them._]
This was not done without many previous Tokens of Concern, and
Apprehension. He seem’d to have some Presage of his Misfortune,
enquiring of some, whether the Sieur _Liotot_, _Hiens_ and _Duhaut_
had not express’d some Discontent; and not hearing any Thing of it, he
could not forbear setting out the 20th, with Father _Anastasius_ and
an _Indian_, leaving me the Command in his Absence, and charging me
from Time to Time to go the Rounds about our Camp, to prevent being
surpriz’d, and to make a Smoke for him to direct his Way in Case of
Need. When he came near the Dwelling of the Murderers, looking out
sharp to discover something, he observed Eagles fluttering about a
Spot, not far from them, which made him believe they had found some
Carrion about the Mansion, and he fired a Shot, which was the signal of
his Death and forwarded it.
[Sidenote: _Is murder’d._]
The Conspirators hearing the Shot, concluded it was Monsieur _de
la Sale_, who was come to seek them. They made ready their Arms
and provided to surprize him. _Duhaut_ passed the River, with
_Larcheveque_. The first of them spying Monsieur _de la Sale_ at a
Distance, as he was coming towards them, advanc’d and hid himself
among the high Weeds, to wait his passing by, so that Monsieur _de la
Sale_ suspecting nothing, and having not so much as charg’d his Piece
again, saw the aforesaid _Larcheveque_ at a good Distance from him, and
immediately ask’d for his Nephew _Moranget_, to which _Larcheveque_
answer’d, That he was along the River. At the same Time the Traitor
_Duhaut_ fired his Piece and shot Monsr. _de la Sale_ thro’ the
Head, so that he dropp’d down dead on the Spot, without speaking one
Word.[93]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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