188
NAEKATTVE   OF  FATHER  LE   CLEKCQ.
la Salle as volunteers ; he chose twelve who seemed most resolute ; among them, the sieur de Morangé, and the sieur Cavelier, his nephews, the latter only fourteen years of age.
The little fleet was fitted out at Rochelle, to be composed of four vessels — the Joly, a royal ship, a frigate called the Belle, a storeship called the Aimable, and a ketch called the St. Francis.    The royal vessel was commanded by Captain de Beaujeu, a Norman gentleman known for valor and experience, and his meritorious services ; his lieutenant was M. le chevalier d'Aire, now captain in the navy, and son of the dean of the parliament of Metz.    The sieur de Ilamel, a young gentleman of Brouage, full of fire and courage, was . ensign.    "Would to God the troops and the rest of the crew had been as well chosen !   Those who were appointed, while M. de la Salle was at Paris, picked up a hundred and fifty soldiers, mere wretched beggars soliciting alms, many too deformed and unable to fire a musket.    The sieur de la Salle had also given orders at Rochelle to engage three or four mechanics in each trade ; the selection was, however, so bad, that when they came to the destination, and they were set to work, it was seen that they knew nothing at all.    Eight or ten families of very good people presented themselves, and offered to go and begin the colonies.    Their offer was accepted, and great advances made to them as well as to the artisans and soldiers.
All being ready, they sailed on the 24th of July, 1684. A storm which came on a few days later, obliged them to put in at Chef-de-Bois to repair one of their masts broken in the gale. They set sail again on the 1st of August, steering for St. Domingo ; but a second storm overtook them, and dispersed them on the fourteenth of September, the Aimable and the Belle alone remaining together, reached Petit Goave