oward the setting sun. Father Douay, who accompanied this expedition,
has given a detailed account of its adventures.

After religious ceremonies in the chapel of the fort, the party,
consisting of twenty persons, set out, on the 22d of April, 1686. They
took, for the journey, four pounds of powder, four pounds of lead, two
axes, two dozen knives, two kettles, and a few awls and beads.

On the third day out they entered one of the most beautiful prairies
they had ever seen. To their astonishment they saw, on the plain, a
large number of people, some on foot and some on horseback. Several of
these came galloping toward them, booted and spurred, and seated on
saddles. They were Indians who were in a high state of civilization,
having long held intimate relations with the Spaniards. They gave the
Frenchmen an earnest invitation to visit them, in their village, which
was about twenty miles distant. But as this would take them quite out
of their course, the invitation was declined. Continuing their tour,
they encamped at night, being careful to throw up around them
entrenchments which would protect them from attack. The next two days
they continued their journey over the prairie, until they reached a
river, which La Salle named Robek. The amount of wild cattle seen was
prodigious. Many of the herds numbered thousands. In a few moments they
shot ten. The meat they cut into very thin slices, and dried in the
blazing sun, over the smoke of a smouldering fire. Thus they were
provided with nutritious food for four or five days.

Crossing the Robek in a hastily constructed raft, after marching about
five miles they came to another very beautiful river, wider and deeper
than the Seine at Paris. It was skirted by a magnificent forest, with
no underbrush, presenting a park such as the hand of man never planted.
In this Eden-like grove there were many trees laden with rich fruit.

This river, which La Salle named La Maligne, they also crossed upon a
raft. Passing through the forest beyond, they entered upon another
extensive prairie. Continuing their tour through a country which they
describe as full of enchantments, with blooming plains skirted with
vines, fruit trees, and groves, they came to a river which they called
Hiens, from one of their party, a German, who, in endeavoring to ford
it, got stuck fast in the mud. Two men swam across with axes on their
backs. They then cut down the largest trees, on each side, so that
their br