s some of the worst vagabonds of earth
were gathered from the seaports of France to colonize the New World.

Nothing with the quarrelsome race of man ever goes smoothly for any
considerable length of time. Captain Beaujeu, a Norman seaman of great
valor and extensive experience, was commander of the man-of-war, and,
as such, was intrusted with the general direction and supervision of
the vessels. He was a proud man, accustomed to authority, and he
regarded La Salle and his party as passengers, whom he was conveying to
their destination, and who, while on board his vessels, were to be
subservient to his will.

On the other hand, La Salle regarded Beaujeu as one of his officers,
who was to be implicitly obedient to his directions. The idea never
occurred to him that Beaujeu was to be taken into partnership, or
consulted even, in regard to any of his measures, any farther than La
Salle might deem it expedient to consult him or any other of his
subordinates. With views so different, a speedy quarrel was inevitable.
Beaujeu is represented as a man full of conceit, of narrow mind, and
very irritable. La Salle was reserved, self-reliant, keeping his own
counsel. Scarcely had the two men met, before they found themselves in
antagonism. Before the vessels sailed, Beaujeu wrote to the king's
minister as follows:

"You have ordered me, sir, to afford this enterprise every facility
in my power. I shall do so. But permit me to say that I take great
credit to myself for consenting to obey the orders of La Salle. I
believe him to be a worthy man, but he has never served in war
except against savages, and has no military rank. I, on the
contrary, have been thirteen years captain of a vessel, and have
served thirty years by sea and land.

"He tells me that, in case of his death, the command devolves on
Chevalier de Tonti. This is certainly hard for me to bear. Though I
am not now acquainted with the country, I must be a dull scholar
not to obtain an adequate knowledge of it in a month after my
arrival. I beg you therefore to give me a share in the command, so
that no military operation may be undertaken without consulting me.
Should we be attacked by the Spaniards, I am persuaded that men who
have never commanded in war could not resist them, as another could
do, who had been taught by experience."

Three weeks later, he wrote: "The Joli is prepared for sea. I hope