DISCOVERY   OF   THE   E1VEE   MISSISSIPPI.
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along with him the necessary things to proceed on our discovery ; while I with two men should go in a canoe to the River Mississippi, to get the friendship of the nations inhabiting the banks thereof. Then calling his men together, told them, " He would leave M. Tonti to command in the fort, and desired them to obey his orders in his absence, to live in a Christian union and charity, to be courageous and firm in their design." He assured them, " He would return with all the speed imaginable, and bring with him a fresh supply of meat, ammunition, and rigging for our bark ; and that in the meantime he left them arms and other things necessary for a vigorous defence, in case their enemies should attack them before his return."
Then telling me, " That he expected I should depart without further delay," he embraced me and gave me a calumet of peace, with two men to manage our canoe, Picard and Ako, to whom he gave some commodities to the value of about one thousand livres, to trade with the savages or make presents. He gave to me in particular, and for my own use, ten knives, twelve shoemaker's awls or bodkins, a small roll of Martinico tobacco, two pounds of rassade, i. e. little pearls or rings of colored glass, to make bracelets for the savages, and a small parcel of needles; telling me, "He would have given me a greater quantity if it had been in his power."
Thus relying on the providence of God, and receiving the blessing of Father Gabriel, I embraced all our men, and took my leave of M. de la Salle, who set out a few days after for Canada, with three men, without any provisions but what they killed in their journey, during which they suffered very much by cold weather, snow, and hunger.
We set out from Fort Crevecœur on the 29th of February, myself, Picard and Ako, and when we had gone fifty leagues down the river, we came to the place where it falls into the Mississippi, between thirty-five and thirty-six degrees of latitude. The Mississippi runs to the south-southwest, between two ridges of mountains, is in some places a league broad, and a half a league where it is narrowest. The ice which came down stopt us here till the 12th of March. Then after prayers we embarked, and continuing our course down the river, we discovered three savages on the 15th, and landing, marched up to them ; whereupon they ran away. But after some signs, one returned, and presented us the calumet of peace, which, when we had received, the two others came back. We could not understand one word of their language ; and when we named two or