The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1845-12-12
FArnER MARQUETTE.
WIW The people ofMe Hest bmM his
MUnuDfenf?

read of has impressed our mind so
favorably with the character of
Kentuckians, as the recent removal
of the remains of DANIEL Boon and
wife to Lexington for interment.
The funeral honors--the impressive
ceremonies at the grave--and the
vast concourse assembled to do hon.
or to the departed, were noble tri-
butte from noblemen. 1t is one of
the best traits the human character
can display to testify publicly to the
services of the illustrious dead. 1t
touches chord in the human breast
that thrills our nerves and rouses all
the better sympathics Of our ma
ture. 'Ii tla' Ht1 '."" -4 ".. p. I'
Yet will we land the chivalrous
Kcntuckians for this act Of true
greatness, we must not forget that
there are others equally deserving
of remembrance-that the reputa-
ton of Boon belongs to his state
only, and as such is entitled to its
highest respect.
But there is another name-a for
eigners--which we fear is too much
forgotten. 1t is that of the pioneer
Of the west-the discovcrer of the
upper Mississippi-the single-heart-
ed, the meek and lowly, yet great
and good Marquette. He was the
first white man that ever saw the
river and mining country (then, of
1course, unknown } in which we now
Y live. His mission here outstripped
even the avarice Of the trader and
the ambition Of the warrior. 1t was
that of pure, elevated, disinterested
love-love for the human race in its
lowest and most abjcct form. 1t is of
him that the elegant historian, Ban
croft, says, when speaking of his
great and self-sacriicing services,
"7he Dest wiH builihis monument"
We have transposed the reading in
to the form of an interrogatory, and
placed it at the head of this article,
CIVIL the west build his monu-
ment ?" ---
For the purpose Of giving the rea-
der glimpse Of the country at this
early period, we have thought pro-
per to give, succinctly, an account
Of some ofhis wanderings. H-.1"-.
1t is necessary TO premise that
Marquette was missionary of the
order of the Jesuits and that with
invincible fortitude, and but SHINY
attended, he had travelled the vast
and gloomy desert from Quebec
to the north Of the "bloody Iro-
quois," by Lake Nipissing, Mackin-
aw, and the Sau!t St. Marie, to
Green Bay, now in Wisconsin.
Most of the journey was accomplish
ed on foot, and through obstacles
sufficiently appalling. :.r.... 3.
On the 10th day of June, 1873
more than one hundred and seventy
two years ago-Marquntte with SIX
Frenchmen as companions, anC
two Algonquins as guides, lifting
their two bark canoes on theil
shoulders, crossed the small portage
that separates the Fox and Wiscon.
sin rivers, and embarked down the
latter stream in search of the Faith,
er of Waters, of whose existence
they had been informed by the In,
dians. All before and around was ;
land of fables. The guides SPOKE
of monsters and river gods who dc.
voured all who attempted the de
scent of the stream. Yet they trus
ted in the Providence that feeds tn,
little birds of the desert, and clothe
the wild flowers of the forest. The,
came to plant the cross among ma
tions even whose existence unit
then was unknown.
Not trace OF the existence of hu
man beings met their eyes for hun
dreds of miles. Their tiny vessel
floated leasurly on the turbed bosor
ofthe stream. No echos walked tn
eternal-thc unbroken silenc. N
"voice Of God" sighed through til
forest leaves, in this land of prairie.
Wild flowers sported fearless an
tamely among and around then
Herds of deer cropped the fres
grass within their encampment.-
The buffalos, wolves, and other an
mails manifested no signs of fear q
the strange corners. The air we
fragrant with the incense of nun
berless flowers. The forests tn;
skirted the streams echoed with tn
songs Of birds, and fish sported
the water beneath them. On the
were borne by the mighty river-i
emblem of time-in the "vast pre-
found" of an illimitable yet fertil
desert, towards the great yet III
known ocean-the emblem of etc
nifty. '--' $751;. N'.N"'."a'.
When they passed the plae
where the "swift Missouri" rolls i
flood into the embrace of the Mi
sissippi, it is said that Marquet