La Salle chose to establish Fort Saint Louis on a bluff overlooking Garcitas Creek, 50 miles (80 km) from their initial campsite. With their permanent camp established, the colonists took several short trips within the next few months to further explore their surroundings. At the end of October La Salle decided to undertake a longer expedition and reloaded the "La Belle" with much of the remaining supplies. He took 50 men, plus the "La Belle's" crew of 27 sailors, leaving behind 34 men, women, and children. The bulk of the men traveled with La Salle in canoes, while the "La Belle" followed further off the coast. Several of the men, including the captain of the "La Belle", Canil Maraud, died on this expedition from eating prickly pear. Soon after, the Karankawa killed a small group of the men, including the new captain of "La Belle", former pilot Eli Richaud, who had camped on the shore at night. In January 1686, La Salle left the ship from Fort Saint Louis. La Salle took 20 men with him to travel overland to reach the Mississippi, leaving Pierre Tessier, the former second in command of the "La Belle", in charge of the ship. After three months of searching overland, La Salle's group returned, but were unable to find the "La Belle" where they had left her and were forced to walk back to the fort.