JOUTEL, Zhuo'tel', HENRI ( e.1 6.50- ?). A French explorer, born in Rouen, the son of a gardener in the employ of Henri Cavelier, an uncle of La Salle (q.v.). During his youth he was a soldier, but joined La Salle's expedition, which left France in 1684 to found a colony at the mouth of the Mississippi. When La Salle started through the wilderness for Canada, where he hoped to secure aid, lie left Joutel in command of the post, Saint Louis. which he had established on what proved to be an estuary on the coast of Texas. Jouters administration was disturbed by plots and intrigues, the colonists being 'thor oughly disheartened. After La Salle's return the discontent increased, and finally in 1687 La Salle made a second and more determined attempt to reach Canada. Accompanied by his brother Jean, his two nephews Moranget and Cavelier, Joutel, and about fifteen others, he again started from the little colony: but scarcely two months later, while encamped on a branch of the Trinity River in Texas, La Salle. Sloxanget, and two others were assassinated by four or five malcontents. &lute) and those of his companions who were loyal to La Salle were forced to conceal their horror at this deed, fearing a like fate for themselves: and the whole party pushed on to the Cenis villages, which had been the farthest point reached by La Salle in his first attempt. Here they remained
for some time, the murderers not caring to enter Canada, where justice awaited them, and being equally unwilling to allow the others, who might become witnesses against them, to proeeedontheir journey. At last. however, the assassins quarreled among themselves. and this afforded the others a chance to escape. After more than two months of travel through the wilderness. Joutel and his companions finally reached the Mississippi, which they ascended to the Illinois. where they spent the winter at Fort Saint Louis on the Illinois. The next spring they pushed on to Canada. and took ship to France. 'Mute] wrote a Journal his torique du dernicr voyage que feu .11. de la Salle fit dans le Golfe de .perique (1713), which is probably the most trustworthy account of the expedition.