LOUISIANA. 77 



regretted very much, and wounded his nephew 

 and another perfon. 



So many misfortunes, one after another, dif- 

 gufted feveral perfons who were upon the expe- 

 dition ; and, among others, MelT. Doinmaville 

 and Mignet, two engineers, who were willing 

 to return to France, to which the difcourfes of 

 M. de la Salle's enemies contributed greatly •, for 

 they never ceafed to cry down his condud, and 

 tax his projecl as a filly and rafh undertaking. 

 He, on the contrary, never fhewed more refolu- 

 tion and firmnefs ; he conilrudted a warehoufe 

 furrounded with good intrenchments -, and tak- 

 ing it into his head, that the river, in which he 

 was, might pofTibly be one of the branches of the 

 MiJUfippi^ he prepared to go up in it. 



They immediately began eredling a fort ; a» 

 foon as the work was fomewhat advanced, M. de 

 la Salle gave Joutel orders to finifhit, left him 

 the command of it, and about one hundred 

 men : he took the reft of his people, about 

 fixty in all, with himfelf, and em.barked on the 

 river, with the relblution of going up as high 

 as he could, Jcutcl flayed but a ihort time after 

 him in the fort which had been begun •, every 

 night the favages were roving in the neighbour- 

 hood 5 the French defended themfelves againft 



them, 



