The Griffon Ship of Rene Robert Cavalier de la Salle

Of the 17th century French explorers of North America, La Salle was among the most ambitious. The Griffon or Griffin was a ship that was built from the white oak trees native to the Niagara Falls region. My e-book looks at La Salle's embassies to the Seneca Indians and their capitol Tagarondies (present day Lewiston, NY). The first of these missions was led by the Franciscan Priest Father Hennepin and La Motte, one of La Salle's lieutenants. Its failure meant that La Salle was forced to obtain the contract, needed to build a ship on the Niagara, himself. He made his own mission to the Senecas in late 1678.