The Star of Hope glitters in the western horizon, to
encourage us under the clouds of the eastern. Even the loss of
Acadia, should it be final, will be compensated by the acquisition
of the boundless fertile territories of the Belle Riviere and of the
Illinois. The Abbe Piquet and his fellow-missionaries have won the
hearts of the native tribes of the West. There is hope now, at
last, of uniting New France with Louisiana in one unbroken chain of
French territory.
"It has been my ambition, since His Majesty honored me with the
Government of New France, to acquire possession of those vast
territories covered with forests old as time, and in soil rich
and fertile as Provence and Normandy.
"I have served the King all my life," continued the Governor, "and
served him with honor and even distinction,--permit me to say this
much of myself."
He spoke in a frank, manly way, for vanity prompted no part of his
speech. "Many great services have I rendered my country, but I feel
that the greatest service I could yet do Old France or New would be
the planting of ten thousand sturdy peasants and artisans of France
in the valley of the far West, to make its forests vocal with the
speech of our native land.
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