The name is absent

148          Marcel Moraud

Mississippi Valley. The Mississippi itself assumed no more
importance on Spanish maps than other smaller rivers such
as the Rio Escondido or the Rio del Oro. They had remained
indifferent even to humbler projects of occupation of the
Bay ofEspiritu Santo, as had been recommended for instance
by Father Benavides in 1630 and later by Echagaray.

De La Salle on the contrary instantly realized the possi-
bilities offered by the huge stream. In this he merely fol-
lowed the French tradition which one of the ablest historians
of European explorations and settlements in America, Win-
sor, stresses in the following words : “Throughout their ef-
forts in North America the French showed a capacity for
understanding the large question of political geography, a
genius for exploration, and a talent for making use of its
results.”

Here, it is not in the least a question of praising the men
of one nationality at the expense of others.

The Spanish explorers, on this continent, have shown
qualities of energy, courage and endurance which redeem
whatever geographical mistakes they may have made. In
fact all explorers in these days made mistakes in one way or
another. The point which I want to bring out, as it will
reappear later, is the real character and the novelty of de La
Salle’s enterprise. De Soto was unquestionably a great figure
as an explorer. Upon landing near Tampa Bay, he began
inquiries about “any country where gold and silver might
be found in plenty,” but he never intended settling down
in the territories where, by an irony of fate, his body was
to remain. De La Salle, on the contrary, having once dis-
covered the mouth of the Mississippi decided of his own will
to come back and to found an establishment which was to be
the first step in the economic development of this portion
of the United States.

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