Notwithstanding that seeming Approbation, they believe what they
please and no more; and therefore 't is impossible to know when
they are really persuaded of those things you have mention'd
unto them, which I take to be one of the greatest Obstructions
to their Conversion: For their Civility hindering them from
making any Objection, or contradicting what is said unto them,
they seem to approve of it, though perhaps they laugh at it in
private, or else never bestow a moment to reflect upon it, such
being their indifference for a future Life. From these
Observations, I conclude that the Conversion of these People is
to be despair'd of, 'till they are subdu'd by the Europeans, and
that their Children have another sort of Education, unless God
be pleas'd to work a Miracle in their Favour.
On the 22nd of the month the party struck out for the upper Niagara for
the purpose of carrying out the original design of building a ship for
the upper lake trade. Hennepin gives the site of this interesting
adventure as "two leagues above the great Fall--this was the most
convenient place we could pitch upon, being upon a River which falls
into the Streight [Niagara River] between the Lake _Erie_, and the great
Fall of Niagara." Even had the common portage around the Falls and
Rapids been on the American side Hennepin's account makes it fairly
clear that the boat building took place on Cayuga Creek; the only other
"river" above the Falls falling into the Niagara is the Chippewa, and
Hennepin clearly notes this stream in his first tour of exploration
above the Falls as "within a league above the great Fall"; it is clear
that the Cayuga, therefore, is the probable site of this first boat
building along the Niagara frontier.[21] The little village at this
point has been appropriately named La Salle from the famous adventurer
who here dreamed that emparadising dream of discovery and
empire-founding. Hennepin's account, quaintly worded, again becomes of
more interest than any record of those days to be made from it:
The 26th, the Keel of the Ship and some other Pieces being
ready, M. de la Salle sent the Master-Carpenter, to desire me to
drive in the first Pin; but my Profession obliging me to decline
that Honour, he did it himself, and promis'd Ten Louis d'Or's,
to encourage the Carpenter, and further the Work. The Winter
being not half so hard in that Country as in Canada, we employ'd
one of the two Savages of the Nation call'd the Wolf, whom we
kept for Hunting, in building some Cabins made of Rinds of
Trees; and I had one made on purpose to perform Divine Service
therein on Sundays, and other occasions.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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