ence. The dead were buried. One
man, helplessly wounded, was brought back to the camp. The others
returned unharmed. This disaster took place in the night of the 5th of
March, 1685.

These calamities operated fearfully against La Salle. Beaujeu took
advantage of them, and lost no opportunity of proclaiming them as
evidence that La Salle was utterly incompetent to conduct such an
enterprise as that in which he was engaged. Quite a number, who had
formerly been friends of La Salle, ranged themselves on the side of
Beaujeu, who now openly proclaimed his intention of abandoning the
enterprise and returning to France. Still he continued to do everything
in his power to embarrass the operations of La Salle. There were
several pieces of cannon on board the Belle. But nearly all the cannon
balls were in the hold of the Joli. Beaujeu, on the eve of his
departure, refused to give them up, saying that it was inconvenient for
him to get at them.

About the 14th of March, Captain Beaujeu spread the sails of the Joli,
and disappeared over the horizon of the sea, on his voyage to France.
He took with him sixty or seventy of the company, and many stores which
were deemed essential in the establishment of a colony. La Salle was
left with about two hundred men, encamped upon the banks of an unknown
inlet, and with one single small vessel, the Belle, anchored in the
bay. To add to the gloom of his situation, the Indians were justly
exasperated against him.

The first thing to be done was to build a fort for defence. Thinking it
not impossible that the broad creek he had entered might prove to be
one of the mouths of the Mississippi, he decided to set out on an
exploring tour up the river for some distance into the interior. Five
boats, containing a well-armed party of about fifty persons, embarked
upon this enterprise. La Salle himself took the command. About one
hundred and forty persons were left behind in the fort, under the
control of M. Joutel. Those who were left in garrison, were to employ
their time in strengthening the fort, and in building a large boat on
the European plan.

The savages came frequently around the encampment at night, barking
like dogs and howling like wolves. They did not venture upon any
attack. Upon one occasion, however, a few men were at work at a little
distance from the encampment, when they saw a large band of savages
approaching. The workmen fled to the fort, leaving all their tools
behind them. Th