Louisiana. 71 



nations in k, as in South America ; he was mif- 

 taken in his hopesj part of his people were kil^ 

 led with clubs by the Indians, who flayed the 

 principal cfHcers of his arnly^ ^nd afterwards 

 expofed their fkins on the door of their temple, 

 which fc frightened the Spaniards that tl:ey re* 

 imbarked immediately for Europe. 



The hiiloriau fays, that Ferdinand Soto died 

 of the Ihame which the bad fucceis of this enter 

 prize had brought on him, in 1543 ; and, fince 

 that time till 16S2, this fine country has b^.em 

 inhabited by no Europeans* 



The fate of M. de la Salle has been rio happier 

 than that of Ferdinand Soto, 



There is no virtue in man which is not blend- 

 ed with fome faults ; this is generally the fault 

 of human nature ; and what increafes our humi- 

 liation, the greateft virtues are often accompa- 

 nied by the greateft vices. You will eafily per- 

 ceive this. Sir, by the fhort extract from M* 

 Joutets Journal* 



M. Robert Cavetier de la Salle i^t fail from R^- 



chelle the 24th of July 1684, with a fquadron of 



four fhips, commanded by M. de BeaujeUy a 



captain of a ihip. Two hundred and eighty- 



F 4 five 



