A new discovery of a vast country in America extending above four thousand miles between New France and New Mexico, with a description of the great lakes, cataracts, rivers, plants and animals : also the manners, customs, and languages of the several native Indians ... : with a continuation, giving an account of the attempts of the Sieur De la Salle upon the mines of St. Barbe, &c., the taking of Quebec by the English, with the advantages of a shorter cut to China and Japan : both parts illustrated with maps and figures and dedicated to His Majesty, K. William / by L. Hennepin ... ; to which is added several new discoveries in North-America, not publish'd in the French edition.

CHAP. VII. The Sieur la Salle is unfortunately murder'd by the Men under his Conduct. Three Men kill'd before him.

IT was after having pass'd all the Nations whereof I have now spoken, that there ••hapned the saddest of all Misfortunes to the Men of M. de la Salle, for both he, and M. Moranger his Nephew, with some others, were kill'd. M. de la Salle finding himself then in a very fine Country, where there was plenty of Game, all his Men made very good Cheer there, and refresh'd themselves from the weariness of their Journey, with

exquisite and delicate Meats, for several Days toge∣ther. He had sent M. Moranger his Nephew, his Foot∣m••n, nam'd Saget, and seven or eight others of his Attendance, to the Place where Nika his Hunter, who was a Wild Man of Chaouenon, had left abundance of Meat of Wild Bullocks for to season it, that so they might not be oblig'd to sojourn so often for to go to Hunting.

M. de la Salle, with all his Prudence, could not fore∣see the Plot which some of his Men were to lay for the assassinating his Nephew. They took nevertheless this desperate Resolution, and put it in execution on the 17th of March, falling upon him, and breaking his Head with an Ax. Father Anastasius out of Charity would not leave us the Name of that Assassin. They murther'd likewise the Servant of M. de la Salle, and the poor Savage Nik••, who had kept them alive for three Years together by the Game which with hard Labour and Fatigue he took in Hunting. M. Moran∣ger languish'd two Hours after the receiving of that fatal Blow, during which time he gave all possible Marks of Piety, pardoning his Murtherers, and even sometimes embracing them, and giving signs of a per∣fect Resignation to the Will of God, and of Trust in the Merits of his Blessed Saviour, according to the Re∣port which those very Men who assassinated him made of it, when their Furiousness was over. He was a true honest Man, who fulfill'd all the Duties of a True Christian; and therefore we hope that GOD had Mercy on him.

These Wr••tches being not satisfy'd with having com∣mitted that Murther, resolv'd not to stop there. They form'd a Design to kill their Master himself, fearing lest by a just Resentment, he should make them bear the Punishment due to the horrid Crime they had com∣mitted. Father Anastasius observeth, that they were two long Leagues distant from the Place where M. Moranger was assassinated. M. de la Salle growing at length uneasie in his Thoughts at the long stay both of his Nephew and of his Men, who had been now absent two or three Days already, and fearing lest they had been surpriz'd

by some Troops of Savages, he desir'd Father Anastasius to engage with him, and go in search after his Nephew, and took two Wild Men more with him.

Upon the Road, M. de la Salle had no other Dis∣course with him but of Religion, and spoke very much concerning the matters of Grace and Predestination, and more especially of the great Obligations he had to Divine Providence, for having preserv'd him from so many Dangers which he had run, during a stay of twenty Years in America, nine whereof had been spent in those Voyages I made with him: But on a sudden, F. Anastasius saw him oppress'd with a very deep Melan∣choly, though he could not himself assign the Cause of it. His trouble was so great, that those who were us'd to converse with him, did hardly know him: This Disposition of Mind was not natural to him. Father Anastasius endeavour'd what he could to divert him out of that Dulness.

After two Leagues march, he found the Cravat of his Lackey all bloody, and perceiv'd two Eagles (Birds very common in those Countries) fluttering over his Head, and spy'd at the same time his Men on the River∣side. He came near, and ask'd them what was become of his Nephew Moranger. They answer'd him with broken Words, and shew'd him the Place where he was. Father Anastasius went a little way along the River, and got at last to the fatal Place where two of those Murderers lay hidden amongst the Grass on both sides of the way, with their Hand-Guns ready. One of them fir'd upon M. de la Salle, and miss'd him; the other fir'd at the same time, and hit him in the Head, whereof he died an Hour after, on the 19th of March, 1687.

Father Anastasius might have expected the same Fate; but he did not mind the Danger he was in; he was entirely possest with this cruel Spectacle, and pierc'd with unexpressible Grief at this fatal Blow. He saw M. de la Salle falling down not far from him, having all his Face cover'd with Blood, which made him im∣mediately run to him, embrac'd him, and water'd him with his Tears, exhorting him the best he could in that

Juncture to make a good End. This poor Gentleman had made his Devotions before his departure, and had yet the time to recapitulate part of his Life; and Fa∣ther Anastasius having given▪ him the Absolution, he died some Moments after.

He apply'd himself, in this last Period of his Life, to all the things suitable to his state; he press'd this Father's Hand at every thing he said to him, and especially while he exhorted him to forgive his Enemies. During all this while, those Murtherers, struck with Horrour at what they had committed, began to smite their Breasts, and to detest their Blindness. Father Anastasius would not leave that Place, before he had bury'd the Corps of M. de la Salle in the most decent manner that he could; and when he had so done, he put a Cross upon his Grave.

Thus died unfortunately M. Robert de la Salle, a Man of great Merit, Constant in Adversities, Intrepid, Gene∣rous, of a Winning Temper, Dexterous, Fit and Ca∣pable of any Great Thing. He had apply'd himself for the space of Twenty Years to asswage the Wild Hu∣mour and Ferosity of several Barbarous Nations, where he had travell'd, and had the Misfortue to be mas∣sacred by his own Domesticks, on whom he had heap'd many Kindnesses and Benefits. He died in the Vigour of his Age, in the middle of his Course, not having been able to succeed in his Designs form'd upon New Mexico.