The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1874-12-04
THE ADVENTURES OF MARQUETTE.
BY JOHN s. O. ABBOTT.

THE ADVENTURES OF MARQUE UETTE.
BY JOHN s. O. ABBOTT.
Nearly three hundred and fifty years
ago, in April, 1541, De Soto, in his ad-
venturous march, discovered the maies-
tic Mississippi, not far from the south
ern border of the State of Tennessee.
No white mans eye had ever before be-
held that food, whose banks are now
inhabited by busy millions. The In
dians informed him that all the region
below consisted of dismal, endless, un-
1nhabitable swamps. De Ssto, world
weary and woe-stricken, died upon the
banks of the river, and in its fathomless
depths his body found burial
These cruel adventurers, insaneIy i'm
pehedEid search of mines of gold, found
ed no settlements, and left behind them
no traces of their passage, save that by
their cruelties they had excited the i'm
placable ire of the Indians against the
white man. A hundred years of earth's
many griefs fingered slowly away, while
these vast solitudes were peopled only
by wandering Indian tribes whose record
must forever remain unknown.
In the year 1641, some French ENJOYS
from Canada, seeking to open friendly
trade with the Indians for the purchase
of furs, penetrated the northwest of our
country as far as the Falls of St. Mary,
near the outlet of Lake Superior. The
most friendly relations existed between
these Frenchmen and the Indians, wher-
ever the tribes were encountered. This
visit led to no settlement. The adven-
turous traders purchased many furs,
with which they loaded their birch
canoes; established friendly relations
with these distant Indians, and greatly
extended the region from which furs
were brought to their trading posts in
Canada.
Twenty more years passed away, over
the silent and gloomy wilderness, when,
in 1859, a little band of these bold and
hardy explorers. in their frail canoes,
with Indian guides, padded along the
lonely, forest-fringed shores of Lake
Ontario, ascended the Niagara river to
the Falls, carried their canoes on their
shoulders around the rapids, launched
them again on LakeGErie, traversed that
inland sea over two hundred and fifty
miles, entered the magnificent strait.
passed through it to Lake ST. Clair,
crossed that lake, ascended the st.
Clair river to Lake Huron, and travers-
ing its whole length, distance of three
hundred miles, reached the Falls of st.
Mary.
Here, at the distance of more than a
Thousand miles from the least vestiges
of civilization, and surrounded by nu-
merous and powerful bands of sayapes.
these hardy men passed an incIement
winter. Amidst rocks and gloomy pines
they reared their nut. Game was abun-
dant, fuel was at their door, the Indians
were hospitable, and they wanted for
nothing. One event only darkened
these wintry months. The leader of the
band became lost in the woods and per-
ished.
L
ioicingly to Canada, with their canoes
laden with the richest furs. They also
brought such reports of the docility and
amiability of the Indians as TO inspire
the Christians in Canada with the in
tense desire to establish missionary sta
tions among them. Five years passed
away, when Father Claude Allouez, with
a small band of Christian heroes, pene-
trated these wilds to proclaim the glad
tidings of the gospel. Two years after,
he was followed by Father James Mar
quette, noble man, whose name will
never die.
Marquette established mission about
forty miles below the Falls of st. Mary,
at a point on the main land, which he
named st. Ignatius, just north of the
Island of Mackinaw. Here he gathered
a ittfa , nd of loving disciples. His
gentle aad devoted spirit won, not
merely the friendship OF the Indians,
but their ardent affections. He was
lust as safe among them as the most be-
loved father surrounded by his children.
Three years this good man remained in
these lonely wilds, peacefully and sue
cessfuIly teaching these benighted chill
dren of the forest salvation through an
atoning Savior. During all this time
. his mind had been much exercised with
the thought of exploring the limit1ess
and unknown regions south and west.
He mad heard rumors of the Miss1s-
sippi, the Father of Waters, and his
devout mind peopled the vast realms
through which it flowed with the lost
children of God, whom he perhaps
might reclaim through the gospel OF
Jesus, who had come from heaven for
their redemption. The Governor of
Canada was desirous, for more worldly
reasons; of exploring these regions,
where future empires might be reared.
In the spring of 1878, the Governor
of Canada sent M. Joliet, gentleman
of Quebec, with five boatmen, to Point
ST. Tgnatius, to take Marquette and
set out in search of the much talked of
r;ver. On the 18th of May this little
hand of seven men, in two birch canoes,
commenced their adventurous voyage.
They took with them some Indian corn
and ierked meat, but were TO live main
iv 11non such food as they could obtain
by they way. .r
IN +he northwest of Lake Michigan