and daring. When
these men were gathered in a settlement, spending what they had earned
in drinking and gaming, it was hard to restrain them within civilized
bounds. But when they took service to shoulder loads and march into the
wilderness, the strongest hand could not keep them from open rebellion
and desertion. There were few devoted and faithful voyageurs, such
as Pierre Porteret and Jacques had proved themselves in following
Marquette. The term of service was usually two years; but at the first
hardship some might slip away in the night, even at the risk of
perishing before they reached the settlements.

St. Ignace made a procession behind La Salle's party and followed them
into the chapel to hear mass--French traders, Ottawas, Hurons, coureurs
de bois, squaws, and children. When the priest turned from the altar, he
looked down on complexions ranging from the natural pallor of La Salle
to the black-red of the most weather-beaten native.

[Illustration: Totem of the Hurons.]

The Hurons then living at St. Ignace, whom Father Marquette had led
there from his earlier mission, afterwards wandered to Detroit and
Sandusky, the priests having decided to abandon St. Ignace and burn the
chapel. In our own day we hear of their descendants as settled in the
Indian Territory, the smallest but wealthiest band of all transplanted
Indians.

Having entered the lake region with impressive ceremonies, which he
well knew how to employ before ignorant men and savages, La Salle threw
aside his splendor, and, with his lieutenant, put on the buckskins for
marching and canoe journeying into the wilderness. Some of the men he
had sent up the lakes with goods nearly a year before had collected
a large store of furs, worth much money; and these he determined to
send back to Canada on the Griffin, to satisfy his creditors and to give
him means for carrying on his plans. He had meant, after sending Tonty
on to the Illinois country, to return to Canada and settle his affairs.
But it became necessary, as soon as he landed at St. Ignace, to divide
his party and send Tonty with some of the men to Sault Ste. Marie after
plunderers who had made off with his goods. The others would doubtless
desert if left any length of time without a leader. It was a risk also
to send his ship back to the colony without standing guard over its
safety himself. But he greatly needed the credit which its load of furs
would give him. So he determined to send it man