La Salle, Robert Cavalier
la-sal', Robert Cavalier (1643-1687), a French explorer of North America. He was a native of Rouen. He was educated by the Jesuits. He went to Canada as a fur trader and established a post at Lachine above Montreal. He explored the Ohio Valley thinking that stream might lead to China, the land of trade and wealth. Marquette and Joliet demonstrated that the Ohio joined the Mississippi and flowed in the direction of the Gulf of Mexico. La Salle then sailed for France and laid before the government a vast project for taking possession of the Mississippi Valley. He was ennobled and was given authority to explore and trade. He was granted a large tract of land.
On his return to Canada he rebuilt Fort Frontenac, established a post above Niagara Falls, and built a ship for the navigation of the Great Lakes. In 1679 he sailed for Green Bay, Wisconsin. He sent back his ship, the Griffin, laden with rich furs for his creditors at Montreal. He proceeded in bark canoes as far as Lake Peoria, where he left his subordinates to continue the exploration while he paid a hasty visit to Frontenac. Here he learned that the Griffin had gone down to the bottom of the lake, and that a ship sent from France with supplies had foundered at sea. Nothing daunted, he returned to his companions and descended the Mississippi to its mouth, where he built a fort. He called the country Louisiana in honor of the French king. He then ascended the Mississippi in canoes and returned by way of the Great Lakes to Montreal. Revisiting France, he set out in 1684 for the mouth of the Mississippi with four ships and 280 men. His commander, Beaujeu, was headstrong and, missing the mouth of the river, sailed on to Matagorda Bay. Before this mistake could be rectified the colonists lost most of their supplies. La Salle and the captain parted. Only a remnant stayed by La Salle. Instead of returning at once to the Mississippi, he built a fort in Texas which he called Fort St. Louis. Here he spent two years in vain explorations. In 1687 the number of survivors was reduced to thirty-seven. The party set out to find the Mississippi and intended to make their way to Canada. La Salle was shot from ambush by some of his own companions who had a grudge against him. He was buried somewhere in Texas. A few of his followers reached Canada.
La Salle was, no doubt, one of the ablest men sent by France to the New World. His views were large. Whether the misfortune that dogged his steps was due to want of attention to details or to the worth less character of his associates is an open question. His name has been preserved in a thriving city and county of Illinois.