LOUISIANA. 73 



to time, and failed along the coaft, to try whe- 

 ther he could not difcover what he fought for. 



The 2d of January 1685, the fquadron was, 

 according to conjecture, pretty near the mouth 

 of the MiJJifippi', and on the loth they pafTed 

 by it, without perceiving it. M. de la Salle^ be- 

 ing perfuaded that the fquadron was but juft op- 

 pofite the Appalachian mountains, continued his 

 voyage without fending his long-boat on fhore. 



.' It is faid, that people lliewed him the mouth 

 of the river, and that he would not fo much as 

 take the trouble of getting a certainty, becaufe 

 he had taken it into his head, that it could not 

 be the place which was pointed out to him. 

 His obftinacy could not be conquered nor jufti- 

 fied. 



He certainly did not know, or did not think 

 of it, that the greateft men in the world have 

 often been, in part, indebted for their greateil 

 fuccefs to people of inferior merit •, and that 

 thofe are the wifefl, wlio profit by the advice 

 and underflanding even of thofe that are lefs en- 

 dowed than they themfelves. 



Some time after, upon fome hints which the 

 Indians on the coaft gave him, he wanted to re- 

 turn ; 



