Rene-Robert Cavalier, Sieur de La Salle devoted his life to the discovery and exploration of the Mississippi River. He believed that the great river would provide him with an easier route to China, where he could find valuable silks and spices. His revised goal was to create a French empire in North America that would stretch from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico. This book follows La Salle on his tireless expeditions and teaches readers the value of persistence even when no one else believes in the cause.