th the
expedition. But there were no tidings of her fate. After waiting as
long as he could, La Salle, with heavy forebodings, pushed on.

Now the explorers shouldered their canoes and struck out across the
frozen swamps. At last they came to a sluggish streamlet, the
headwaters of the Kankakee. They launched their canoes on it and were
carried, within a few days, into a prairie country strewn with the
carcasses of innumerable buffalo, for this was a favorite
hunting-ground of the Indians. But not one of the animals was in
sight. The men were nearly starving and, at the best, discontented and
sullen. Two lean deer and a few geese, all the game that the hunters
had been able to secure within several days, were short commons for
thirty-three men with appetites sharpened by traveling in the keen
{238} December air. It was a God-send when they found a buffalo-bull
mired fast. The famished men quickly despatched him, and by the
efforts of twelve of their number dragged the huge carcass out of the
slough.

Down the Illinois River the voyagers traveled until they came in sight
of wigwams on both sides of the river. La Salle expected trouble, for
his enemies had been busy among the Illinois, stirring them up against
him by representing that he had incited the Iroquois to make war upon
them. He ordered his men to take their arms. Then the eight canoes in
line abreast drifted down between the two wings of the encampment.

There was great confusion on both banks. The women screeched, and the
men yelled and seized their bows and war-clubs. La Salle knew well how
to deal with Indians and that it was poor policy to show himself too
eager for peace. He leaped ashore, followed by his men, arms in hand.
The Indians were more frightened by his sudden appearance than disposed
to attack him, as they at once showed by holding up a peace pipe. And
soon they overwhelmed the strangers with lavish hospitality.

These people, who formed one of the largest {239} branches of the
Algonquin stock, were particular objects of hatred to the Iroquois. At
one time they were driven across the Mississippi by these ruthless
foes, who had traveled five or six hundred miles to attack them.
There, probably, they encountered equally savage enemies, the Sioux.
At all events, they returned to their old abode on the Illinois River,
where La Salle found them. The deadly enmity of the Iroquois toward
them burst out again shortly afterward, as w