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little encampment to Joutel. Having travelled a little way, he fired his gun at some eagles that were hovering in the air, which in those parts is a sure sign of carrion being near, and the discharge informed the assassins where he was. Two of them, Duhaut and Larcheveque, passed the river, and the former, concealing himself behind the bushes, instantly shot La Salle dead. Father Anastase expected the same fate, but was informed by the assassins that he was safe. Charlevoix and Hennepin have bestowed great encomiums upon La Salle's vast abilities, perseverance, spirit, and courage; but, admitting all they say to be true, every man of sense who reads his history must consider him no better than a madman, with lucid intervals. The manner of his death was, however, deplorable and, perhaps, a loss to the public. That he had made great discoveries of nations lying upon the Mississippi can scarcely be doubted; but his austere, reserved humor, joined to his pride and ambition (which seem to have been unbounded), prevented his opening himself to any confidant on that subject. The French court, long after his death, availed itself even of the manner of it, by pretending, in their memorials, that his discoveries comprehended the whole extent of the country to the Mississippi, and even to the west of that river.

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CHAPTER VIII.

THE COLONIAL CONGRESS.

Europe is given a prey to sterner fates,

And writhes in shackles ; strong the arms that chain
To earth her struggling multitude of states.
She, too, is strong and might not chafe in vain
Against them, but shake off the vampire train
That batten on her blood, and break their net,
Yes, she shall look on brighter days, and gain
The meed of worthier deeds; the moment set
To rescue and raise up draws near-but is not yet.

-BRYANT.

THE student of American history can at once see what would be the result of three such powerful nations as England, France and Spain contending for supremacy in North America. The gold fields of the West Indies, Mexico and Peru were practically exhausted, and these domains were dwindling into countries of minor importance. Spain had a firm hold on them and with the exception of a few islands and colonies, held almost undisputed sway in South America. It was in the temperate zone, in the northern part of the western hemisphere, where the great nation of the new

world was to be formed. The wise men of France and England saw and realized this, and with the French claiming all the Mississippi valley and the English the Atlantic coast from Acadie to Florida, it required no seer or prophet to foresee a bloody outcome of the events.

The time was almost ripe for the settlement of these questions. The French not only claimed the Mississippi Valley, but the valley of the Ohio. English emigration had pushed across the Alleghany Mountains, and isolated settlements here and there began to dot the fertile region.

Serious questions sprang up among the American colonies. Americans whose fathers and grandfathers had been born on American soil had less respect for the mother country than those who emigrated to the colonies. The king often sent bad governors to rule the people; taxes were exorbitant, and they were made to support a parliament in which they had no representation. The stories of Bacon's rebellion were not forgotten, for it was only half a century since the Virginians made their first bold stroke for liberty. Although the rebellion had been crushed by the tyrant Berkeley, it was still remembered, and there were many who had participated in the struggle who prophesied :

"It will come again. There is trouble ahead; but who can say how it will end?"

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