March 1680

On March 7th, 1680, they came across Tamaroa or Maroa Indian nation of about 200 families about 6.9 miles from the Meschasipi River. The Tamaroa or Maroa Indian nation were to bring the Frenchmen to their village that is west of Meschasipi River and about seven leagues from the mouth of the River of the Illinois. However, the Frenchmen with their birch bark canoes were able to get away from the wooden canoes of the Tamaroa or Maroa. The Tamaroa or Maroa sent warriors to ambush them on the river where they thought they would pass that evening or the next morning. They saw smoke and landed on a small island on the opposite side of where they can see the Indians. They stayed on the small island all night with their canoe on the water that was guarded by a little dog. They continued their voyage to the mouth of the Illinois River (about 345 miles from the Tamaroa or Maroa great village and about 172 miles from Fort Crevecoeur).

On March 10th, 1680, M. de La Salle set out for the 1,380 mile journey to Fort Frontenac. M. de La Salle left M. de La Tonti to command Fort Crevecoeur and ordered a carpenter to prepare some thick planks of oak, to fence the deck of their barque in a parapet to protect against the arrows of the Indians. M. de La Salle told his men to obey M. de La Tonti and that he will be back with men, ammunition, and rigging for the barque as soon as he can. M. de La Salle set off with no provisions, which hurt them very much because of the snow, hunger, and cold weather.

The ice from the Messchassipi River stopped Father Louis Hennepin and his crew until March 12th, 1680. Three islands at the mouth of the Illinois River stopped the trees and Pieces of timber coming down the river. Father Louis Hennepin sees that the depth of the river is deep enough for a large barques. Father Louis Hennepin mentions that the Messchassipi River runs to the south-southwest between two ridges of mountains that range from not very high to miles in distant. The meadows between the ridges are covered with a lot of wild bulls. The Messchassipi River is about 3.4 miles broad and 1.7 miles narrow.