Page:Joutel's journal of La Salle's last voyage, 1684-7 (IA joutelsjournalof00jout).pdf/72

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Monsieur de Beaujeu propos'd to Monsieur de la Sale to anchor, and take in Water and some Refreshments.

Difference between the Commanders. Monsieur de la Sale was not of that Mind, on Account that we had been but twenty one Days from France, had sufficient Store of Water, ought to have taken aboard Refreshments enough, and it would be a Loss of eight or ten Days[1] to no Purpose; besides, that our Enterprize requir'd Secrecy, whereas the Spaniards might get some Information, by Means of the People of that Island, which was not agreeable to the King's Intention.

This Answer was not acceptable to Monsieur de Beaujeu, or the other Officers, nor even to the Ships Crew, who mutter'd at it very much, and it went so far, that a Passenger, call'd Paget, a Hugonet of Rochel, had the Insolence to talk to Monsieur de la Sale in a very passionate and disrespectful Manner, so that he was fain to make his Complaint to Monsieur de Beaujeu, and ask of him, Whether he had given any Incouragement to such a Fellow to talk to him after that Manner. Monsieur Beaujeu made him no Satisfaction. These Misunderstandings, with some others which happen'd before, being no Way advantageous to his Majesty's Service, laid the Foundation of[2] those tragical Events, which afterwards put an unhappy End to Monsieur de la Sale's Life and Undertaking, and occasion'd our Ruin.

Flying Fish. However, it was resolv'd not to come to an Anchor at that Island, whereupon Monsieur de Beaujeu said, That since it was so, we should put in no where but at the Island of Santo Domingo. We held on our Course, weather'd the Island of Madera, and began to see those little flying Fishes, which to escape the Dorados, or Gilt-Heads, that pursue them, leap out of the Water, take a little Flight of about a Pistol Shot, and then fall again into the Sea, but

  1. Fr. "sept ou huit jours."—seven or eight days.
  2. Fr. "furent les secrettes semences, que . . ."—which were the hidden seeds, which". . . .