74 TRAVELS through 



turn •, but M. de Beaujeu refufed to do him thaf 

 favour. They purfued the fame courfe ; and 

 the fquadron, in a few days, came to St. Ber" 

 nard's bay, without knowing it. This bay is 

 one hundred leagues to the weflward of the 

 mouth of the MiJJifippi \ they caft anchor there, 

 and fent the boats upon difcovery, in order to 

 try to get knowledge of the place they were in* 

 They found a very fine river, with a bar at the 

 mouth of it, where there is not above ten or 

 twelve feet water. This difcovery was made af- 

 ter many times failing backwards and forwards, 

 and after feveral meetings of the council, in 

 "which nothing was concluded, becaufe whenever 

 one propofed any thing, the other was fure to 

 oppofe it. 



M. de la Salle ^ who believed he was near the 

 Mijfiftppi^ and whom M. de Beaujeu\ prefence 

 conflrained more than it did him any fervice, 

 refolved to land all his people in that place. 

 Having taken this refolution, on the 20th of 

 February he fent orders to the commander of the 

 fhip La Flute to land the heavieft goods^ and to 

 go up into the river. He intended to be pre- 

 fent at the execution of his orders ; but the 

 Marquis de la Sahlonniere^ and five or fix French- 

 men, having been taken by the Indians as they 

 walked in the woods, he haftened to free them. 



He 



