In 1678, La Salle re-crossed the Atlantic with his new partner, the Chevalier de Tonti, who, as an officer, had served with distinction in many a war, and who afterward became famous among the Indians for the iron hand which replaced his own which he had lost in battle. La Salle soon stood once again in Quebec and began the execution of his projects.  But, over the next four years, La Salle and Tonti would face sunken ships, mutinous soldiers, burning forts, and Indian friends turned foe.

In February, 1682, La Salle and Tonti finally launched their canoes into the icy waters of the Mississippi. In addition to Tonti, la Salle’s party consisted of more than forty Europeans and Native Americans. While navigating the Mississippi, la Salle stopped to construct Fort Prudhomme which later became the site of Memphis, Tennessee.

With the assistance of Arkansas Indian guides, La Salle’s group finally reached the point at which the Mississippi River flowed into the Gulf of Mexico (near present-day Venice, Louisiana) where he buried an engraved plate and planted a post with the inscription “Louis the Great, King of France and of Navarre, Reigns Here, April 9, 1682.” The king would not learn of La Salle’s discovery until a year later. On April 10, without taking the opportunity to explore the Gulf Coast and the Mississippi’s intricate web of tributaries, La Salle began the return voyage up the river. Once back in Illinois, la Salle and Tonti built Fort Saint Louis at Starved Rock in Illinois. La Salle left Tonti in charge while he returned to France to plan his next exploration.