f.te Sallt''s Co/011;• in Tc.wrs, 168-1-1689
An ohservation had just been taken and the latitude was found to be 29° and 2,3'. This clearly pointed to La Salle the proximity of the river he was looking for, since he had heen there hefore and was acquainted with its latitude. In view of all these circumstances it is difficult to believe that he ignorantly passed the ohject of his search. This is par- ticularly true when we remember that he expressly declared in his plan presented to the king hefore sailing that the point which he intended to fortify was sixty leagues helow the mouth of Colhert River (present Mississippi). All his actions at this time seem to point strongly to a conscious desire to pass the mouth of the river in the hope of reaching a point closer to New Spain. which would sen·e better as a base for his great design, the ultimate conquest of New Spain, or at least of the rich mining region of Nueva Vizcaya. On January 13, after having passed what was evidently the mouth of the ]'l'lississippi, a group of men were sent ashore to secure water. They fell in with a group of Ir1dians who proved friendly. Some of these were taken aboard but little information could be secured from them. Neither La Salle, who spoke four different native languages, nor the Indian interpreters on board could understand the visitors. ·when they were taken back ashore, they appear to have indicated by signs that a large river was to be found in the direction whence the expedition had come, an incident that confirms the fact that the expedition had passed the great river. 15 Continuing along the coast, a landing was again made the following day, but as the weather freshened, the voyage was continued to the southwest. For more than a month, the expedition picked its way care- fully examining the seaboard. sending scouting parties frequently while the ships kept in sight of land. The breach between Beaujeu and La Salle had deepened and their disputes were frequent and violent. Repeated calms along the treacherous and desolate coast had exasperated the naval officer, who appears to have been anxious to land La Salle and his colonists so that the royal ship and its commander might return to France. The provisions were beginning to run short and it was necessary to find the place La Salle was supposed to settle. But the leader had become more morose, perhaps with natural apprehension and the uncertainty of his whereabouts after he passed the mouth of the Mississippi, and could not make up his mind as to the point where he wanted to land. "There were afterwards several disputes between the captains and pilots," says
15 /bid., I, 96-97.
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