The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1849-09-27

wild. Forinstance, in describing Maya
"a Falls, he says the height is 600 feet!
You are right, however, in saying she
was the first white man that ever visited
the Falls of ST. Anthony, and gave them
the NAME" At least he claims the hon.
or to himself His journal is most ro-
mantle work, filled with strange adven-
lures and illustrated by curious engra-
wings. 1t will, however, suppose, be
most interesting to you to have his
course marked out.
He left Quebec and arrived at Fort
: 'rontinac near Niagara, which had been
granted to the celebrated adventurer,
La Sale. Here during the winter and
spring of 1879, La Sale built vessel
Of 60 tons, the first which ever foated
on Lake Erie, and they sailed vest
They penetrated up into Lake Huron to
Mackinaw, and finally into the Bay Of
Puans, Green Bay.) Here they sent
back the vessel to Frontinac with furs,
&C., and she was to meet them at the
southern extremity Of the lake Of the IL
linois, Lake Michigan.) She was, how
ever, never heard of again, being lost
in some storm. They then coasted
down in canoes to the south end Of the
Lake till they came to ''the river of the
Miamis, where they built fort about
where Chicago now stands. The YES
sci not returning, they went up this river
till they made portage over to s'the
River of the Illinois," which they de-
scended some distance, and then built
another fort called Aerecnur. Here
La Sale determined to return by land
to Frontinac, while Hennepin and two
canoe men were to prosecute their dis
coveries west. He reached the ".Mes-
ehosini,' as he calls it, sailed down
nearly to its mouth, and then returned
to trace. its source. He thus reached
the /, alls, Of which | viii give his own
description:
1.-The navigation of the Meschasipi is
interrupted ten leagues above this 'Riv-
er of the Grave by fall of so or 60
feet high, which we called the FaN CT 81.
.antIiqny Of Podua, whom we had taken
for the Protector of our discovery
There is rock of pyramidal form just
in the middle of the falls of the river"
A few leagues further north, they
were captured by the Indians, and long
consultations held whether they should
be put to death. 1t is finally determined
to adopt them into the tribe. These In
dams hc calls the Issate and Wadoues-
slams. After some months detention,
and much suffering, after being brought
down the river again by the Indians, he is
! finally permitted to depart, and finds his
way up the river Ouisconsin to the Bay
OF Puans, and 50 to Quebec, after two
years absence, and having long been
given up as dead
lie gives minute account of the
whole countryside Indians, drawings Of
butfaloes, sc. He says: eve had not
time enough to look for mines; but we
found in several places some pit coal;
and The sarages shoaced as great mines of
lead and copper 1t is therefore high
| ly probable that his narrative induced
some of the French to repair thither and
work the mines.* He undoubtedly thus
opened path in which the Jesuits en-
tered and overran that whole section of
country, during the next 70 years.
| believe | have thus answered your
questions as to the Falls of St. Anthony.
and the connection OF Father Henncpin
with that section of country. The map
you refer to in my Jesuit missions was
only Of New York, related to the Iro-
quois missions there. AS it may amuse
you, have copied pretty accurately his
map of your part of the country, pub
lished by Henn0in on his return. AS
it is done by placing the paper over his
map, the distances are well preserved.
suppose the other Falls is that on St.
Croix River, and Lake Of Tears is Lake
Pepin. He thus accounts for its name: