Show la salles will been found representative porter Porte of new york unearths Un earths the document niagara falls fallan sN N Y representative peter A porter has found the will of S cicur de la salle the french discoverer who launched the first vessel which sailed the great lakes the document la Is ud undoubtedly the first will made by a white man disposing of property in the new world this la is a translation of the will robert cavalier esquire de la salle seigneur and gosvenor gou venor of fort Fron frontenac tenae in now france con eldering the treat great dangers and continual perils in which the voyages I 1 undertake engage me and wishing to acknowledge as much as aa I 1 am able the great obligations which I 1 owe to A M francois my cousin for the rignal services which he has hag rendered to me in my most pressing necessities and because it Is IB through his assistance that I 1 have preserved to this time fort frontenac against the efforts which wera were made to deprive me of it I 1 have chave riven given granted and transferred and give grant and transfer these presents to the said at piet in case of my death the and property of tho ground and limits of the said fort frontenac and its depending lands and all my rights in the country of the Mian its illinois and others to the south together with the establishment which is in the country of the ml all amis ainis la in the condition which it shall be at the time of rby my death of the niagara and all the others which I 1 may have founded there together with all barges boats and great boats movable and rights and privileges rents lands buildings and other things belonging to me which shall be found there willing these presents for my testament and declaration in the manner in which I 1 ought to make it such being my last will as above written by my band and signed by my hand after having read it and again read it made at montreal the eleventh day of august 1681 CAVALIER DE LA SALLE |