Alleghanies to the Rocky Mountains; from the Rio Grande and the Gulf to the farthest springs of the Missouri. Retracing his steps, he founded on the banks of the Illinois River a colony of French and Indians, to answer the double purpose of a bulwark against the Iroquois and a place of storage for the furs of all the western tribes; and he hoped in the following year to secure an outlet for this colony, and for all the trade of the valley of the Mississippi, by occupying the mouth of that river with a fort and another colony. The site of the colony was near the spot now occupied by the village of Utica, in the State of Illinois. Early in the following autumn he placed Tonty in charge of it, and made the best of his way to Quebec, whence he soon afterwards sailed for France. He had an interview with the King, to whom he unfolded his schemes. Louis, notwithstanding the machinations of La Salle's enemies, took a favourable view of the latter's enterprises, and in the month of July, 1684, we find him setting sail from Rochelle with a fleet of four vessels and a small army of recruits, composed of soldiers, gentlemen, artisans and labourers. Their destination was not Canada, but the Gulf of Mexico; La Salle having obtained the royal authority for a vast scheme of trade and colonization on the Mississippi, to which was tacked on a wild and impracticable scheme of conquest of the Spanish settlements in Mexico. One of the vessels, laden with provisions and other necessaries for the projected colony, was captured by buccaneers. The other three, after calling at St. Domingo, entered the Mexican Gulf. La Salle, when at the mouth of the Mississippi nearly three years before, had taken the latitude, but for some reason or other had no clue to the longitude, and the consequence was that he now sailed more than four hundred miles too far west. He landed on the coast of Texas, and spent some time in exploration before he became convinced of his error. Meanwhile he was constantly quarrelling with Beaujeu, his naval commander, as well as with other members of the expedition. Add to this that he was repeatedly prostrated by attacks of fever, and in constant expectation of being attacked by the savages of the neighbourhood; and it will be confessed that his situation was not a very enviable one. To add to his perplexities, one of his vessels went aground, and a great part of the cargo was lost. About this time Beaujeu set out to return to France. He had accomplished his mission, and landed his passengers at what La Salle assured him to be one of the mouths of the Mississippi. His ship was in danger on this exposed and perilous coast, and he was anxious to find shelter. After some delay, La Salle erected a fort on Lavaca River, in which he placed the women and children and most of the men who formed part of the expedition, and with the rest of the men set out to renew his search for the mouth of the Mississippi. He set out from the fort--which he called Fort St.