Page:Joutel's journal of La Salle's last voyage, 1684-7 (IA joutelsjournalof00jout).pdf/95

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and we knew not how, because we were too many of us, and therefore it was decreed to set some Carpenters there were among-us at Work to build a little Boat,[1] which took them up the eleventh and twelfth of February.

The 13th, we were put out of our Pain by two Vessels we discover'd at Sea, which we knew to be the Joly and la Belle, to whom we made our Signals with Smoke. They came not in then, because it was late, but the next Day being the 14th in the Morning, the Boat, with the Sieur Barbier and the Pilot of the Bark la Belle come up, and both sounded the Mouth of the River.

A fine River. They found on the Bar, from ten to twelve Foot Water, and within it from five to six Fathom; the Breadth of the River being about half a Quarter of a League. They sounded near the Island, which lies between the two Points of the Bay, and found the same Depth. The Boat of the Joly came and sounded on the other Side of the Channel, and particularly along the Shoals, I know not to what Purpose. The same Day, Monsieur de la Sale, for whom we were much in Pain, came also, and as soon as he arrived, he caus'd the Boat to be laden with such Provisions as we stood in Need of, but the Wind being contrary, it could not come to us till the next Day, being the 15th.

That same Day, Monsr. de la Sale came Ashoar to view the Place and examine the Entrance into the River, which he found to be very good. Having consider'd all Particulars, he resolv'd to send in the Bark la Belle and l' Aimable, that they might be under Shelter, to which Purpose, he order'd to sound, and to know whether those two Vessels could both come in that same Day. Monsieur de Beaujeu caus'd also the Place to be sounded, and lay Ashoar on the other Side of the River, where he took Notice there were Vines which run up the Trees, like our. C. C. edit.]

  1. Fr. "canot" [thus explained in a marginal note: "Canot; est un petit batteau fait de bois, ou d' écorces, ou de peau"—i. e. Canoe, is a little boat made of wood, or bark, or hide