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to seek his fortune. He brought with him, as capital, about *+00 livres, and was soon the proprietor of a large grant of land just above the La Chine Rapids, about nine miles upstream from Montreal. Here he could have remained for the rest of his life, a respected and prosperous member of society, but for his insatiable ambitions. Having heard of the Mississippi River he sold his property and set forth to learn what he could of the remote lands through which it flowed. For several years he roamed the wilderness, exploring and dreaming of future empires to be built upon the fur trade. On his return to civilization he was able to obtain the necessary authority and financial backing to begin making his dreams come true. The "Griffon" was a necessary part of his plans, for by I678 his fur trading ventures had outgrown the bark canoe for transportation purposes. THE BUILDING At a point, roughly six miles above the falls of the Niagara River LaSalle's trusted lieutenant Tonty, with Father Hennepin, began the building of the vessel, late in the year 1678. Never was a ship built under such trying conditions. Every timber that went into her had to be taken from the forest and shaped with primitive tools. Temperatures that froze the sap in the wood made the materials hard and brittle. Borings had to be made for every fastening lest the lumber split and be made useless after being laboriously shaped by adz and ax. The neighboring Indians pilfered the priceless iron which had been brought all the way from France, and threatened hostilities when this was resented. As the vessel neared completion the attitude of the Indians became so ominous that she was launched sooner than planned for, and the rigging and finishing touches were added after she was afloat. Between the freeze of I678 and the thaw of 1679 the first vessel above Niagara had been built and launched. No wonder that the Indians were impressed. THE VOYAGE Father Hennepin stated: "The ves- sel was sixty tons burden, completely rigged, and found with all necessaries, arms, provisions, and merchandise; besides seven pieces of cannon, two of which were of brass. There was a griffin flying at the jib-boom and an eagle above, and the other ornaments that were used to ship of war Perhaps it is this statement that has given rise to the idea that this little waif of the wilderness was finely finished and ornamented. The conditions under which she was built and the brief time required compel us to believe that once again Hennepin was on the loose with his writing talent. Afloat, and ready to sail, the "Griffon" lay idle all summer, a-waiting the arrival of LaSalle who had been detained at Montreal by financial and other difficulties. Finally, on August 7, 1679, with great ceremony, she got underway and ascended the Niagara River into Lake Erie, helped by a tow line handled by all the man-power that could be spared from the decks. Once out in open water she headed westward into uncharted waters,the first of a vast fleet that has followed in her wake. A moonless night, aggravated by fog, forced the navigators to proceed with great caution, sounding as they went. Suddenly the sound of breakers reached their ears. All but LaSalle took this to be caused