ssity was
before him of returning on foot and by canoe to Fort Frontenac to bring
them himself.

He began to build another ship on the Illinois River, and needed cables
and rigging for her. This vessel being partly finished by the first of
March, he left her and Fort Crevecoeur in Tonty's charge, and, taking
four Frenchmen and a Mohegan hunter, set out on the long and terrible
journey to Fort Frontenac.

The Italian commandant with the copper hand could number on its metal
fingers the only men to be trusted in his garrison of fifteen. One
Recollet, Father Louis Hennepin, had been sent with two companions by
La Salle to explore the upper Mississippi. Father Ribourde and Father
Membre remained. The young Sieur de Boisrondet might also be relied
on, as well as a Parisian lad named Etienne Renault, and their servant
L'Esperance. As for the others, smiths, shipwrights, and soldiers were
ready to mutiny any moment. They cared nothing about the discovery of
the west. They were afraid of La Salle when he was with them; and,
though it is said no man could help loving Tonty, these lawless fellows
loved their own wills better.

The two men that La Salle had sent to look for the Griffin arrived at
Fort Crevecoeur, bearing a message from him, having met him on the
way. They had no news, but he wrote a letter and sent them on to Tonty.
He urged Tonty to take part of the garrison and go and fortify a great
rock he had noticed opposite the Illinois town. Whatever La Salle wanted
done Tonty was anxious to accomplish, though separating himself from
Crevecoeur, even for a day, was a dangerous experiment. But he took
some men and ascended the river to the rock. Straight-way smiths,
shipwrights, and soldiers in Crevecoeur, seizing powder, lead, furs,
and provisions, deserted and made their way back to Canada. Boisrondet,
the friars, and L'Esperance hurried to tell Tonty; and thus Fort
Crevecoeur and the partly finished ship had to be abandoned. Tonty
dispatched four men to warn La Salle of the disaster. He could neither
hold this position nor fortify the rock in the midst of jealous savages
with two friars, one young officer, a lad, and one servant. He took the
forge, and tools, and all that was left in Crevecoeur into the very
heart of the Indian village and built a long lodge, shaped like the
wigwams of the Illinois. This was the only way to put down their
suspicion. Seeing that the Frenchmen had come to dwell among them, the
Indians