DISCOVERY OF THE MISSISSIPPI

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Lakes Erie, Huron, and Michigan. While his ship was returning for supplies, La Salle journeyed on to the country of the Illinois Indians, and on the Illinois River he built a fort named Crèvecoeur (crav-ker, meaning Heart-break). After vainly waiting for the Griffin, La Salle with a few companions and an Indian guide started through the pathless wilderness for

Montreal. After

ward with fresh supplies he made his way back to the Illinois River, but in his absence the garrison at Crèvecoeur had risen against their brave commander, Henri de Tonty, and had destroyed the fort. Moreover, the Illinois Indians had been defeated and dispersed by the Iroquois.

Discovery of the Mississippi. After long wanderings, La Salle found Tonty and made ready for another start. With a party of Frenchmen and Indians from Canada, he entered the Chicago River and crossed the portage to the Illinois. Down that stream he and his companions were borne in canoes to the Mississippi, whose strong current at last carried them to its mouth. There on April 9, 1682, La Salle set up a cross, to which were nailed

LA SALLE AT THE MOUTH OF THE MISSISSIPPI

the arms of France, and took possession of all the country drained by the mighty river.

Louisiana and Canada. All the land drained by the Mississippi and its branches La Salle called Louisiana, in honor of his king, Louis XIV, while all the region drained by the St. Lawrence and the Great Lakes was known as New France. But though in size these territories were enormous, Louisiana had as yet no white inhabitants, and New France (Canada) very few. The condition of New France led Louis XIV to send out yearly one hundred young women, "The King's Maidens," to become the wives of settlers.

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Last Efforts of La Salle. Aware of the importance of his discovery, La Salle returned to France for the purpose of collecting colonists and making a settlement on the Mississippi. Louis XIV assisted him in fitting out a fleet of four ships. With these the explorer arrived in the Gulf of Mexico; but his pilots missed the mouth of the great river and carried him to Matagorda Bay, far to the west. After two years of privation and distress, the courageous La Salle, leaving a little garrison at his fort on Matagorda Bay, attempted with members of his party to travel on foot to Canada. But he had not gone far when one of his treacherous followers lying in ambush shot him to death.

After years of endeavor La Salle had met with almost complete failure. Like Joliet he had been educated in a Jesuit college and like him, too, had sought fame and fortune in the Mississippi Valley. Both were renowned explorers, but neither was sustained by the missionary zeal that inspired Marquette.

New Orleans Settled (1718). To be in advance of the English, a brave soldier named Iberville (e-ber-vēl') built a stockade and made a settlement at Bilox'i on the coast of what is now the state of Mississippi. During more than