New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-04-08
Early Discovery OF the Mississippi-The HIS
tsrical Seciety-Aprfl Meeting.


was we'll attended despite the storm. DR.. De Witt,
First Vice Pre- sdent, in the Chair Mr.. Moore, the
Librarian, reported the donations and additions to
the Library, which were numerous and valuable
Mr.. Moore also presented and read communica-
ton from John G.. Shea, a,com panying she ohgina'
map OF Father Marquette, detailing the results OF
his discovery and exploration of the Mississippi
River, in the year 1913
The paper of Mr. Shea says we have now little
idea Of the obscurity which, for long time, hung
over the interior of this country. Each wanderers
vague account was swelled by his own Imagination,
or that of others, into wondrous tale, and romance
long enjoyed the field which has now yielded to
sober fac. Strange vas the history Of the Great
River OF the West ell Rio Grande Ia grande Riviers,
uhe Nississippi) First OF white men, the strange
ADVENTURE, Cabeza &c yaca, with the three sur
visos of the gallant band Of Narvaez traversng the
continent from Florida TO California, came to the
Mississippi but he remarks it only great river
that they crossed, aswandering from tribe to tribe
In the guise Of medicine menthey jouTneyed on In
hopes OF reaching last some spot wnere TO wering
cross woulo tell them their countIymen were near
This was IN 1887 ana when the little party at last a.
peared among the Spanish Colonlsts, each told his
tale, while all myitelousy iniima,ed tha,Tegiops OF
untold wealth spread Overtime unknowninterior. Two
years later, De Soto entered Florida TO seek the WIS.,
ionaTy realm While, almost as the same time, Inc
adventurous franciscan, Mark de MIA, set out
from Cubacan to return upon De Vacas trail, as De
SOTO sought to follow II Tor both expeditions were
the ospnngs OF the accounts of she surviving four
Around both, accordingly, hangs halo OF romance,
which has caused much skepIlclsm as 10 their real
success. De Soto reached the Mississippi, his Rio
GIande or great river, which burned down its mud
dy tide the giant trees IL had uprooted hundreds of
miles above. He crossed IL at about the 10 vest
Chlckasaw Bluff, as cur historians commonly sup
pose and then assembled the river on the Western
shore for some weeks. The chfoDicers of his ex.
petition were thus at liberty TO examine the coun-
try around, and IN fact their Description, though
but Incidental, is valuable and generally correct.
De Soto now roamed over the country west Of the
Great River In April, 1912, he reached 1t again,
broken hearted, after long and useless wanderlBgs
why linger over his fate lie died after on It's
banks, Of far from the mouth OF Red River aud az
ter temporary lnteIment on It's bank his body was
sunk in the waters OF his Rio Grande (Misslssppi)
HIS successor Moscoso, after an Intellectual attempt
to reach Mexico by land returned the next year to
the Great River, and building boats, descended the
turbid current to the Gulf of Mexico, which they
reached in seventeen days
Spain had then explored for a considerable dis
lance the Great River Of the West, and the Adelan
taco of Cuba remained in Its bosom to guard 1t for
his countryman. But Spain did 10 more the acct
dental discovery had unfolced 10 the eye OF avarice
no golden land, and she neglected the great artery
of America.
Once only after this do find the great river men-
toned and its name, Rio GTande, given erIoneoasly
to another river witch still bears 1t an expedition,
that Of remember) Of Espeyo, which about 1880
set out to seek out some jealous Missionaries whom
ardor and courage had led, where soldiers shrank
from following them, reached a broad and turoid
stream buryiHg onward 30 the sea. Surprising 1t 10
be the Great River of De Soto he called it so, and
it is now the southern boundary Of our domain
AS early as 1899, the Jesuit Missionaries OF Canada,
IN their posts on Lake Huron, had heard OF the great
Ilver which though countless tribes to distant
sea Two years later, two fathers planted the cross
at the outlet OF Lake Superior and turned longing
uaxh he Sfrth uhi IL DIV
desire but these hopes were to be blasted. One
was soon to perish by the hands of the Mohawk,
and the whole Huron tribe were to be swept away
BY the victorious allies while missionary after mis-
eionaIy died amid his neophytes, tiumphing over
every torture, Upper Canada was desert. Priest
and people had alike been slain and the missiona-
ries were compelled to pause.
The Great River was stil the objec, Of their ardent
zeal but the humble missionary could not then east
ly obtain the means for long expedition Marguerite
above all sighed to undertake unaided Dy man, ne
turns to heaven, and at last his prayer neard .ne
Colonial Government suddenly resolved to explore
that Great River to whether 1t ran to the Gulf OF
California, ard opened the way TO China, or passed
itself BY the realm OF Quiyira, when teemea WIN
connected with the Jesuit missionaries, first a.
pupil, then rs one of their wandering mock whlie
trader in the West he selected Father Marquette as
bis companion. They set out in May, 1873, ann the
result OF their voyage is too well kno wn to dwell
upon, Each apparently drew narrative OF the voy-
age but Jollyet was descending the st. Lawrence,
his canoe upset and all MS papers were lost Mean
po,ipg fer a while at the Missiop OF St Francis,
awaiting the moment W hen his health should permit
TO revisit the Mission Of the Immaculate Conception
IN Illinois, which he had founded az ne was return
ing from the Mississippi. II was not till sepse noer
that he felt strong enoughto undertake the Journey,
and he accordingly set out soon after. Before his
departure, be trabsmitted-as his Autograph journal
shows-copies OF his journal down the Mississippi,
or Conception River, and doubtless me map which
this evening offered for the inspection OF the HIS
orcal Society," and which belongs 10 the archives OF
81. Mays College, Montreal.
To return TO Marquette. That faithful missionary,
after much suffering during ths winter reached the
Illinois, and finding that his days were numbered,
set out after short stay TO return TO the mission
but it was too late. He sank gradually, as ne al
vanced in his canoe along Lake Michigan, and ex-
pired on the shore, where he babe his companions
lay him. He was perfect Missionary, without
thought desire beyond the services OF the God 10
wht m he had devoted his life: He did NOT seek 20
publish his discovery and II his supenors oo AZ tne
ime the Court probably prevented 1t for fear OF ex
citing the jealousy OF Spain It was never puonsned
by the Jesuits as continuation oil their keiauons
and when issued by Thsvenot was pruned so as 20
cav nothing OF the object In view. The map In
ThevenOt, when compared with the autograph,
shows, no weyer still greater discrep The Ike
mesa is too little to be easily dscerned, while the un.
likeness apparent nave now gu. 20 ~.
the world nearly two hundred years after Il was
penned The last published volume OF the jesuit
Relations is that for the years 1912. inns was
published by Father Claude Dablon the superior OF
The Canada Mission at the time he prepared Tor the
press the volume of the ensuing year. but FOR some
reason, now unknown. the publication was stopped.
The obstacle was apparently temporary one, ioi
he next drew up a Relation embracing Pen ,Sa
of six years to i679 and also an account OF the
vovaees and death of Father Marquette. None
of these were ever published, and the collection
was apparently abandoned. These manuscripts
with some others, including the last journal
and map of Marquette, various papers copied
upser the direction Of Father Rasueneau and Father
Poncet remained In the archives OF the Col
lese OF Quebec, unheeded and unknown TIL tne
French war, as We on this side cali tnas wnicn
ended in the conquest OF Canada Wnen sne
British flag had replaced the lilies of France q, que
bee, the En gish Government excited In her former
Colonies burst of indignation by an act MAINTAIN
inc The Catholic Church In Canada in Its actual state
Jtmade one sacrifice, however, to prejudice 'ne
lana da