The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1849-10-04
COMMUNICATED.
For the Pioneer.
Father Hennepin and Others.

MR.. EDIToR:-As good deal of GU
riosity has been awakened respecting
Minnesota Territory, it may be interest
ing to your readers to know something
of the persons who first visited it, indie
pendent of the Indian tribes, and gave
names to places which are now becom-
ing familiar to the world. For this pur-
pose, it gives me pleasure to furnish you
with the following letter from the Rev.
DIR. KIP, rector of St. Paul's Church.
Albany, N. Y, together with an extract
from one recently received from him,
giving additional particulars on the sub
IJect of which it treats. This letter was
written in reply to some Inquiries made
OF him two years ago, after having read
his Jesoit's Missions, and without the
slightest idea of its being printed, or in
any way made public. send, also, the
little map alluded to, but almost without
the hope that you will be able to transfer
1t to your paper, in the present state of
the arts in Minnesota,
Most resct'ly yours, E. G.. GEAR.
RI. Smelling, Sept. 8, 40.
ALBANY, Sept. IL, lS47.
REV. AND DEAR BRoTHER:-I receiv-
ed your letter yesterday, asking for in
formation with regard to the Jesuit mis-
sions on the Upper Mississippi and about
: the Falls of St. Anthony. Ihave scarce
~ time just now to go very deeply into
the subject, which would require a vol
ume, but shall be happy to answer the
enquiries you make as far as in my
power. The "a volumes of the Lettres
EdiGantes, &C., do not contain the mis-
sions in that region. | published all the
North American letters except one on
California, and one on the Hudson Bay
mission. The information must be de-
rived from other sources,
The first whiteman who saw the Up
per Mississippi seems to have been the
Jesuit Marquette, and Nj. Joliet, who
was sent by Count Frontinac in 1878.
They crossed Lake Michigan, sailed
down the Wisconsin river, and thus down
the Mississippi river, almost to its mouth.
Returning, Joliet went to Canada to re-
port, while Marquette, remaining among
the Indians, died on the little stream in
Michigan which empties into the Lake
Michigan, and now bears the name of
Marquette. He did not, however, 60 as
far north as your section of country.
The Upper Mississippi was, however,
traversed in every direction by the Jes-
uists, though it would be difficult for me
now without the works at hand, to spec
ify the part borne by each. | have ly-
ing before me, however the journals of
both Marquette and Joliet, and also of
Father Hennepin. The latter was not,
as you state, ga distinguished member
of the order Of Jesuits," but Francis
can, and his whole work is written in
spirit of rivalry and even bitterness
against the Jesuits. Inever felt very great
confidence in him, and some of his state
ments when have had an opportunity Of
comparing them with the reality, are rath-
erwild. Forinstance, in describing Mag
ara Falls, he says the height is 600 feet!
You are right, however, in saying che
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 a most ro-
mantle work, filled with strange adven-
lures and Illustrated by curious engra-
wings. 1t will, however, l suppose, be
most interesting to you to have his
course marked out.
He left Quebec aud arrived at Fort
Frontinac near Niagara, which had been
granted to the celebrated adventurer,
I La Sale. Here during the winter and
spring of 1879, La Sale built vessel
of 90 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