Iowa news. [volume] (Dubuque, Upper Mississippi Lead Mines, Wisconsin Territory) 1837-1841, 1838-04-07
From the Western Pioneer.
HISTORY OF ILLINOIS.
ny THE SENIOR EDITOR.
DISCOVERY OF ILLINOIS.

DISCOVERY OF ILLINOIS.
Grea, river in the es,--Supposcd communic aton
with the Pacific Ocsan--Exploring expedition
Of Marquette and Joliet-Grecn Bay--Riviere
DIES Renards-Ousconsn-- Missssip pi-lndian
tsadition--procesd up the Illinois rver--Death
of Mar1uette-Suspens:on Of Discogeries-La
Saile-Nisit TO Canada-Projects-R TO
Ffance--Patron age Of the King--Revisi,s Ca
nada--Rebuds Fort Fron,enac.
The discovery of Illinois was the
result Of an effort to find out a naviga-
bic passage to the Pacific Ocean.
AS early as 1897, John and Sebas-
tan Cabot made discoveries about the
Gulf Of St. Lawrence and the Allan
tic coast Of Florida.
In ZOOS, Admiral Champlaine found
ed Quebec, and in the period of sixty
years the French settlements spread
into the interior as far as the fails Of
Niagara. Their hunters and coureM.s
du b0is made tours to the south and
west much farther.
About 1910, the notion prevailcda-
mongst the French that visited Cana
da, and which these hunters obtained
from the Indians, that western pass
age to the Pacific from Canada existed.
The learned from the Indians that far
in the west there was great river; but
OF Its course or termination they could
learn nothing. They supposed that
this river communicated with the Yves
tern Ocean.
M. Talon, the Intcndant Of New
France, as Canada was then called,
man of singular genius and enterprise,
determined to settle this important
question. For this purpose he com
missioncd father Marquette, recollet
Monk, who, for long time had been
employed in distant missions, and Jo-
liet, trader of Quebec, man Of con-
siderable information and experience
in Indian affairs, and much influence
amongst the Western tribes.
These adventures conducted an cx-
petition through the lakes, and up
Green Bay to Fox River, called by the
Indians Oui0ugumees, and by the
French des Renards. Ascending the
river, they passed over the portage to
that of Wisconsin, down which they
proceeded and reached the Mississippi
on the 18th Of June, 1873.
History has not recorded any ac-
count Of its having been visited by any
European since it was visited about
the mouth of Arkansas River, by de
Soto and his party one hundred and
thirty years before.
Marquette and his companionsfoun
q river much larger and deeper than it
had been represented by the Indians.
Their regular journal was lost on their
return to Canada, but from the account
Of Joliet, they found the natives friend
~. They soon reached the Indian viii
lagc near the mouth Of the Illinois,
where they were Hospitality entertain
ed. Here they they were told Of
tradition Of the existence of sszl1on-
etc., orSpirit, farther down the river
which they could not pass. The le-
gcnd OF the Pi0su and the rude hero
gliphical representations on the preci-
pieces above Alton are connected with
Indian tradition. Discouraged with
fartherprogress among unknown tribes
along the "Gseat Waters" the cxplo-
rers turned their course up the Illinois
river, and were highly delighted with
this placid stream and the woodlands
and prairies through which it flowed.
They were Hospitality received and
kindly treated.by the Illinois, large
eonfedcracy Of Indians, who are rep
resented by the travellers as destitute
Of the cruelty Of ordinary savages.
They proceeded up the river and
across the prairiesto Chicago, on Lake
Michigan, where they parted compa-
ny. Marquette returned to prosecute
his mission among the Iddians on the
northern side Of this lake, and Joliet,
the trader, returned to Quebec to i'm
port knowledge Of the discoveries
lad attempted TO destroy 10. ~
oat and my Happiness. Fortunately, rs
n obliging footman, who was near me =
t the time, seeing my distress liftedlI
II hand, and by a pretty violent apis
LEGATION Of it TO my back and side, {
ledcd in restoring me to compara- 5
ri E W