applied themselves to their business, with more
assiduity. Our vessel was coo«equently soonin
a condition to he launched* which was done,
after having been blessed according to our church
of Home. We were in haste to get it afloat,
although not finished, that we might guard it
more securely from the threatened fire.
This vessel was named The Griffin,; {Le
Griffon) in allusion to the arms of thgjCountda
Frontenac, which have; two Griffins for their
supports. For the Sieur De La‘Salle had often
said of this vessel, that he would make the
Griffin fly above the .crows. We fired three
guns, then sung the Te JQeum, which was followed
by many cries of joy.
The Iroquois who happened to be present,
partook of our joy and witnessed our rejoicings.
We gave them some brandy to drink, as well as
to all our men, who slung their hammocks under
the deck of the vessel, to sleep in greateLseCurity.
We then left our bark huts, to lodge where-we
were protected from the insults of the savages. *
The Iroquois having returned from their beaver
i hunty were extremely surprised to-see our ship,
They said we were the. Ot^on, which means in
their language, penetrating winds. They could
not understand how we had built so large a
vessel in so short a time, although it was but
sixty tons burthen. We might have called it a
moving fort, for it caused all the savages to treim
ble, who lived within a space of more than five
hundred leagues» along the rivers and great lakes.
I now went in a bark canoe, with one of our
savage hunters, to the mouth of Lake Erie. I
ascended, the strong rapids twice with the assistance
of a pole, and sounded the entrance of the
lake. I did' not find them insurmountable for
sails, aS had been falsely represented. I ascertained
that our vessel^ favored by a north or
northeast wind, Reasonably strong, could enter
the lake, and then sail 'throughout its whole
extent with the aid of its sails alone; and if they
should happen to fhil, some men could be put
on shore and tow it up the stream.
- Before proceeding upon our voyage of discovery,
I was obliged- to return to Fort Frontenac,
for tWo of'dur company to aid me in my religious
labors. I left our vêsséb riding at two anchors,
about a têague and a half from Lake Erie, in the
strait which is between that lake and the great
falls; I embarked in à canoe with the Sieur de
Charon, and a savage; we descended the strait
towards the great falls, and made the portage
with our canoe to the foot of the great rock of
which we- hâve spoken, where we re embarked
and descendedto Lake Ontario. We then found
the barque which the Sieur de la Forest had
brought us from Fort Frontenac.
After a few days, which were employed by the
Sieur de la Forest in treating with the savages,
we embarked in the vessel,, having with us
fifteen or sixteen squaws, who embraced the
opportunity, to avoid a land passage of forty
leagues. As they were unaccustomed to travel
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