Henry De Tonty, an Italian explorer, died at Fort Louis, Mobile, in September, 1704. The son of Lorenzo Tonti, inventor of the tontine system of association, he entered the French army as a cadet, served in the navy, and lost a hand. He came to Canada with La Salle in 1678. Near the present site of Peoria on the Illinois river he assisted in building a fort in 1680, which La Salle left in his command. He attempted a white settlement in Arkansas. In 1685 he brought a force of western Indians to join in attacking the Senecas. Twice he went to meet La Salle at the mouth of the Mississippi, but without finding him. He descended a third time to meet Iberville, and remained in the gulf region. His memoir of La Salle's voyage, published in Margry's Relations et memoires, has been translated into English under the title "Account of M. de la Salle's last Expedition and Discoveries in North America" (12mo, London, 1698; 8vo, New York, 1814; in French's "Historical Collections of Louisiana," vol. i., 1846).