20.

We slept at the Bluffs, cabined poorly enough. The Indians remain behind, while we are detained by the wind two days and a half. Pierre, going into the woods, finds the prairie twenty leagues from the portage. He also passed by

a beautiful canal, vaulted as it were, about as high as a man; there was a foot of water in it.

"21.

Having started about noon, we had hard enough work to make a river. The cold began from the east, and the ground was covered with 2 foot of snow, which remained constantly from that time. We were detained there three days, during which Pierre killed a deer, three wild geese and three turkeys, which were very good. The others passed on to the prairies. An Indian having discovered some cabins came to tell us. Jacques went with him there the next day. Two hunters also came to see me. They were Maskoutens to the numbers of eight or nine cabins, who had separated from each other to be able to live. They travel all winter with hardships almost impossible for Frenchmen, by very difficult roads; the land being full of streams, small lakes and marshes. They are very badly cabined and eat or fast according to the spot where they happen to be. Having been detained by the wind, we remarked that there were large sandbanks off the shore, on which the waves broke continually. There I felt some symptoms of a dysentery.

27. We had hard enough work to get out of the river; and having made about three leagues, we found the Indians, who had killed some buffalo, and also three Indians, who had come from the village. We were detained there by a wind from the shore, immense waves that came from the lake, and the cold.

"December 1. We went ahead of the Indians, so as to be able to say mass. "3. Having said mass and embarked, we were compelled to make a point and land, on account of the fog.

12.

We started well to reach Portage River, which was frozen half a foot thick. There was more snow there than anywhere else; and also more tracks of animals and turkeys. The navigation of the lake from one portage to the other, is quite fine, there being no traverse to make, and landing being quite feasible all along, provided you do not obstinately persist in travelling in the breakers and high winds. The land along the shore is good for nothing, except on the prair ies. You meet eight or ten pretty fine rivers. Deer hunting is pretty good as you get away from the Pottawatamies. As they began to draw to get to the portage, the Illinois having left, the Pottawatamies arrived with much difficulty. We could not say mass on the feast of the Conception, on account of the bad weather and the cold. During our stay at the mouth of the river, Pierre and Jacques killed three buffalo and four deer; one of which ran quite a distance with his heart cut in two. They contented themselves with killing three or four turkeys of the many which were around our cabin, because they were almost dying of hunger. Jacques brought in a partridge he had killed, every way resembling those of France, except that it had like two little wings of three or four feathers, a finger long, near the head, with which they cover the two sides of the neck, where there are no feathers.

"14. Being cabined near the portage, two leagues up the river, we resolved to winter there, on my inability to go further, being too much embarrassed, and my malady not permitting me to stand much fatigue. Several Illinois passed yesterday, going to carry their furs to Nawaskingwe. We gave them a buffalo and a deer that Jacques had killed the day before. I think I never saw Indians more greedy for French tobacco than these. They came and threw beaver skins at our feet to get a small piece; but we returned them, giving them some pipes, because we had not yet concluded whether we should go on.

15. Chachagwessiou and the other Illinois left us to go and find their people and give them the merchandise which they had brought, in order to get their furs, in which they act like traders and hardly give more than the French; I instructed them before their departure, deferring the holding a council till spring, when I should be at their village; they gave us for a fathom of tobacco three fine buffalo robes, which have done us good service this winter. Being thus relieved, we said the mass of the Conception. Since the 14th, my disease has turned into a dysentery,

30. Jacques arrived from the Illinois village, which was only six leagues

Marquette's Journal.

21

from here, where they are starving. The cold and snow prevent their hunting. Some having informed la Toupine and the surgeon that we were here, and unable to leave their cabin, had so alarmed the Indians, believing that we would starve remaining here, that Jacques had great trouble in preventing fifteen young men from coming to carry all our affairs.

"Jan. 16, 1675. As soon as the two Frenchmen knew that my illness prevented my going to them, the surgeon came here, with an Indian, to bring us some whortleberries and bread; they are only eighteen leagues from here, in a beautiful hunting ground for buffalo and deer, and turkeys, which are excellent there. They had, too, laid up provisions while awaiting us, and had given the Indians to understand that the cabin belonged to the blackgown. And I may say that they said and did all that could be expected of them; the surgeon having stopped here to attend to his duties, I sent Jacque with him to tell the Illinois, who were near there, that my illness prevented my going to see them, and that if it continued I should scarcely be able to go there in the spring.

"24. Jacque returned with a bag of corn and other refreshments that the French had given him for me; he also brought the tongues and meat of two buffalo that he and an Indian had killed near by; but all the animals show the bad. ness of the season.

"26. Three Illinois brought us from the head men, two bags of corn, some dried meat, squashes, and twelve beavers; Ist, to make me a mat; 2d, to ask me for powder; 3d, to prevent our being hungry; 4th, to have some few goods. I answered them: firstly, that I had come to instruct them, by speaking to them of the prayer, &c; secondly, that I would not give them powder, as we were endeavoring to diffuse peace on all sides, and I did not wish them to begin a war with the Miamis; thirdly, that we were in no fear of starving; fourthly, that I would encourage the French to carry them goods, and that they must satisfy those among them for the wampum taken from them, as soon as the surgeon started to come here. As they had come twenty leagues, to pay them for their trouble and what they brought me, I gave them an axe, two knives, three clasp knives, ten fathoms of wampum, and two double mirrors; telling them I should endeavor to go to the village merely for a few days, if my illness continued. They told me to take courage, to stay and die in their country, and said that they had been told that I would remain long with them.

"Feb. 9. Since we addressed ourselves to the Blessed Virgin Immaculate, to whom we began a novena by a mass, at which Pierre and Jacque, who do all they can to relieve me, received, to ask my recovery of the Almighty, my dysentery has ceased; there is only a weakness of the stomach left. I begin to feel much better, and to recover my strength. None of the Illinois who had ranged them. selves near us have been cabined for a month; some took the road to the Pottawatamies, and some are still on the lake, waiting for the navigation to open. They carry letters to our Fathers at St. Francis.

"20.

We had time to observe the tide which comes from the lake, rising and falling, although there appears no shelter on the lake. We saw the ice go against the wind. These tides made the water good or bad, because what comes from above flows from the prairies and small streams The deer, which are plentiful on the lake shore, are so lean that we had to leave some that we killed. "March 23.--We killed several partridges : only the male has the little wings at the neck, the female not having any. These partridgrs are pretty good, but do not come up to the French.

"30. The north wind having prevented the thaw till the 25th of March, it began with a southerly wind. The next day game began to appear; we killed thirty wild pigeons, which I found better than those below (Quebec), but smaller, both young and old. On the 28th, the ice broke and choked above us. On the 29th the water was so high that we had barely time to uncabin in haste, put our things on trees, and try to find a place to sleep on some hillock, the water gaining on us all night; but having frozen a little, and having fallen as we were near our luggage, the dyke burst and the ice went down, and as the waters are again ascending already, we are going to embark to continue our route

"The Blessed Virgin Immaculate has taken such care of us during our wintertering, that we have wanted nothing in the way of provisions, having a large bag

of corn still left, meat and grease; we have too, lived most peacefully, my sickness not preventing me from saying mass every day. We were able to keep Lent only Fridays and Saturdays.

31. Having started yesterday, we made three leagues on the river, going up, without finding any portage. We dragged for half an arpent. Besides this outlet, the river has another, by which we must descend. Only the very high grounds escape inundation. That where we are has increased more than twelve feet. Here we began our portage more than eighteen months ago. Geese and duck pass constantly. We contented ourselves with seven. The ice still brought

down, detain us here, as we do not know in what state the river is lower down. April 1. As I do not yet know whether I shall remain this summer at the village or not, on account of my dysentery, we left there what we could dispense with, especially a bag of corn, while detained by a strong south wind. We hope to-morrow to reach the spot where the French are, fifteen leagues from here.

"6. The high winds and cold prevent us from proceeding. The two lakes by which we have passed, are full of bustards, geese, ducks, cranes, and other birds that we do not know. The rapids are pretty dangerous in some places. We have just met the surgeon, with an Indian, going up with a canoe-load of furs; but the cold being too severe for men who have to drag their canoes through the water, he has just made a cache of his beaver, and goes back to the village with us tomorrow. If the French get robes from the country, they do not rob them, so great is the hardship they experience in getting them."

(Copied from THE HISTORICAL MAGAZINE, contributed by Shea, who translated it from the French.)

The old chapel at St. Ignace stood guard over the remains of Marquette till 1706, when it was burned by lhe Jesuits on their departure from this historic spot, and until the autumn of 1877 no steps were taken either to memo, rize the grave of the missionary explorer or to recover his bones, at which time in the month of May, Pierre Grondau discovered the foundation walls of a small building, the stones bearing the marks of fire. The location accorded with the description of the spot marked in La Hontan's map, originally published in France in 1703, and republished in London in 1772, as the site of the house of the Jesuits.

By direction of Father Jacker, village priest, further excavations were made the same year, and conclusive proofs of the identity of the spot as the grave of Marquette were obtained. The spot where the altar of the Virgin had stood was found, and buried in front of it were wrought iron nails, a hinge, and charredwood. These relics, and a large piece of birch bark, in a good state of preserva tion, were within the walls of a vault, which walls were of cedar still partially preserved. The bones were nearly all turned to dust, two only being found.

The foregoing facts were obtained from a paper read before the Chicago Historical Society, Oct. 16th, 1877, by Mr. Cecil Barnes, a resident of Chicago, who was an eye-witness, having assisted in the excavation.

CHAPTER II.

Ft. Catarauqui built at the Outlet of Lake Ontario-La Salle arrives in Canada-His Ambitious Plans-He builds a Vessel for Navigating the Lakes-It sails for Green Bay, and is sent back Laden with Furs-La Salle arrives at the mouth of the St. Joseph and builds a Fort-Goes to the Illinois River and commences Building a Vessel to Explore the Mississippi to its Mouth-Hennepin starts to Explore the Upper Mississippi-His Captivity-Du Lhut among the Sioux+La Salle returns to Canada to raise Recruits-Bad News from Ft. Creve Coeur-Retribution-Iroquois Invasion of the Illinois Country Indian Trading Policy-Desperate Exploit of Tonty Council with the Western Tribes-La Salle's Plans Resumed-Success.

The journey of Marquette and Joliet had outlined a work far beyond the comprehension of any one at that time, and to utilize it was too heavy an undertaking even for all the French forces in Canada, till ample preparations could be made, in the way of building forts to connect Quebec to the Illinois country. The French had nothing to fear from the Western tribes, but their communication with them was impossible unless the Iroquois could be propitiated; for these tribes held the whole present State of New York, and not only did their canoes sweep Lake Ontario, but their war parties often scoured the country north of it.* Frontenac, a man of distinguished ability, was then Gover

*In 1649, an unusually fearful Iroquois invasion was visited upon the Huron tribes, who were allies of the French, and among whom successful missions had been established. These were destroyed, and two heroic missionaries, Brebeuf and Lalemant, refusing to leave their charge in the hour of danger, fell before the merciless invaders. The following account of their death is copied from Parkman's Jesuits in America:

"On the afternoon of the sixteenth-the day when the two priests were captured -Brebeuf was led apart, and bound to a stake. He seemed more concerned for his captive converts than for himself, and addressed them in a loud voice, exhorting them to suffer patiently, and promising Heaven as their reward. The Iroquois, incensed, scorched him from head to foot, to silence him; whereupon, in the tone of a master, he threatened them with everlasting flames, for persecuting the worshipers of God. As he continued to speak, with voice and countenance unchanged, they cut away his lower lip and thrust a red-hot iron down his throat.

nor of Canada, and, with a view to Western progress, in 1673, had convened a council with the Iroquois, at the outlet of Lake Ontario, to obtain permission of them to build a fort. In this he was successful, and the fort was constructed at once, and named Ft. Catarauqui. This was a great point gained by the French, for it not only served as a barrier against the recurrence of an Iroquois invasion of Canada, but it brought French goods into a more direct competition with the Dutch trade at Albany, by the facilities which the fort offered as a trading post.

Conspicuous among the adventurous explorers of Canada at that time, was Robert Cavelier, known in history by the name of La Salle. He was the son of a wealthy merchant living at Rouen, France, from which place he came to Canada in the spring of 1.666. His seven years' life in American wilds previous to Marquette's discovery of the Mississippi river, was largely spent in exploring the interior. One of his expeditions was made across the Iroquois country to the Ohio river, and down its channel as far as the falls at Louisville. As might be supposed, the actual discovery of the Mississippi stimulated La Salle's ambition to higher aims than ever. That it emptied into the Gulf of Mexico and not into the Pacific Ocean, was now his settled belief, and, peering into the future, he foresaw with a penetrating eye the yet unmeasured volume of trade which would one day pour through the deltas of the Mississippi to the sea. There was enchantment in the thought that he should be the instrument by which this would be thrown into the lap of France, and to accomplish this

He still held his tall form erect and defiant, with no sign or sound of pain; and they tried another means to overcome him. They led out Lalemant, that Brebeuf might see him tortured. They had tied strips of bark, smeared with pitch, about his naked body. When he saw the condition of his Superior, he could not hide his agitation, and called out to him, with a broken voice, in the words of Saint Paul, We are made a spectacle to the world, to angels, and to men.' Then he threw himself at Brebeuf's feet; upon which the Iroquois seized him, made him fast to a stake, and set fire to the bark that enveloped him. As the flame rose, he threw his arms upward, with a shriek of supplication to Heaven. Next they hung around Brebeuf's neck a collar made of hatchets heated red hot; but the indomitable priest stood like a rock. A Huron in the crowd, who had been a convert of the mission, but was now an Iroquois by adoption, called out, with the malice of a renegade, to pour hot water on their heads, since they had poured so much cold water on those of others. The kettle was accordingly slung, and the water boiled and poured slowly on the heads of the two missionaries. We baptize you,' they cried, that you may be happy in Heaven; for nobody can be saved without a good baptism.' Brebeuf would not flinch; and, in a rage, they cut strips of flesh from his limbs, and devoured them before his eyes. Other renegade Hurons called out to him, 'You told us that the more one suffers on earth, the happier he is in Heaven. We wish to make you happy; we torment you because we love you; and you ought to thank us for it.' After a succession of other revolting tortures. they scalped him; when, seeing him nearly dead, they laid open his breast, and came in a crowd to drink the blood of so valiant an enemy, thinking to imbibe with it some portion of his courage. A chief then tore out his heart, and devour ed it."