78 TRAVELS through 



them, but with lofTes that weakened them. 

 On the 14th of July, J out el received an order 

 from M. de la Salle to join him with all his 

 people. 



Many good flout men had been killed or ta- 

 ken by the Indians ; others were dead with fa- 

 tigue, and the number of fick increafed every 

 day ; in a word, nothing could be more unhap- 

 py than M. de la Salle's fituation. He was de- 

 voured with grief ; but he difTimulated it pretty 

 well, by which means his difTimulation degene^ 

 rated into a morofe obftinacy. As foon as he 

 faw all his people together, he began in good 

 earneil to think of making a fettlement, and 

 fortifying it. He was the engineer of his own 

 fort, and being always the firil to put his hand 

 to work, every body worked as well as he could 

 to follow his example. 



Nothing was wanting but to encourage this 

 good-will of the people, but M. de la Salle had 

 not fufficient command of his temper. At the 

 very time when his people fpent their forces 

 with working, and had but juft as much as was 

 abfolutely necelTary to live upon, he could not 

 prevail on himfelf to relax his feverity a little, 

 or alter his inflexible temper, which is never 

 feafonable, and lefs fo in a new fettlement. It 



is 



