The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1875-10-01
Nerendrye. the French Pioneer who
Discovered the Rocky Mountains.

AhA'' iAif'i~s ~ AAAf fhIIutnA q tI the
II. Maurice with the II. Lawrence.
ninety miles from Quebec. i one Of the
oldest hamlctS Of Canada. A wedding
here took place on sept. %. 1867. which
received some notice at the time. On
THAI day Marie Boucher, the daughter
OF the governor OF the village. and only
twelve years Of age. was made the wife
of Lieut.. Rene Gaultier Yarennes. The
son-in-law soon succeeded Boucher. and
for twenty-five years was the governor
OF Three Rivers. and one Of his sons.
Pierre Gaul'ier DE- Narennes, was the
Sieur de la Nerendryc. the subject Of
this paper, and the explorer Of a north
ern route to the Rocky Mountains.
When young man he joined. in 1897.
in war expedition against New Eng
land, and in 1905 was fighting with the
French army in Flanders. Returning
To Canada, he identified himself with
the opening Of the great unknown West.
Ncrendrye, in l1zs. was stationed at
Lake Nepigon, whose waters flow into
Lake Superior from the North. While
here the Indians were so positive rela-
tive To river which flowed toward the
sea OF the west. that he resolved To make
an exploration. Charles DE- Beauhar-
nois, the Governor Of Canada. gave him
"A respectful hearing. and carefully ex-
amined the map Of the region west Of
the great lakes. which had been drawn
by Ochaga. the Indian guide Of yeren-
drye. Orders were soon given 10 fit out
an expedition Of fifty men. Ii left
Montreal in 1881, under the conduct
OF his sons and nephew. he
not joining the party till l73i, in conse-
guence Of the detention OF business. In
the autumn Of 1871 the party reached !
Rainy Lake, by the Nautonagon or Gros- I
SELLERS River. now called Pigeon. Ia /
Their Messayer. who had been stationed 4
on Lake Superior, al the GrOsscllers 4
River, was taken as a spiritual guide. 4
Al the foot Of Rainy Lake "A post was
erected, and called Fort It. Pierre. and
The next year. having crossed Minniitic.
Or Lake of the Woods. they established
Fort 81. Charles on its southwest bank.
Five leagues from Lake Winnepeg they
established post on the Assiniboine.
The river Winnipeg. called by them
in honor IF the Minister II
France in 1884, was protected by fort
II the same name. About this time
heir advance was stopped by the ex-
laustion of supplies, but ON the l2th Of
April, lI35. an arrangement was made
or second equipment, and a fourth
ioon joined the expedition. In June,
$50, while twenty-one Of the eNpcdi-
ion were camped upon an isle in the
AXE of the Woods, theywerc surprised
10, ~ ,<fS l. ~. IL 4 ]
lilies, the Christineaux. and all killed.
he island, upon this account, il called
Massacre Island. few days after
party Of five Canadian voyageurs dis
covered their dead bodies and scalped
reads Father Duncan. the missionary,
vas found upon one knee, an arrow in
lis head, his breast bare. his left hand
ouching the ground, and the right land
aised.
1t was by ascending the Assiniboine,
nd BY the present trail to Mouse River,
hey reached the country Of the Man ,
anes, and in l742 came to the Upper
iissouri, passed the Yellowstone. and
I length arrived at the Rocky Noun {,
aims. The party was lead by the eldest
on and his brother, the cheyalier. I
hey left the Lake Of the Woods on the |
9th Of April, l142, came in sight Of the
.ocky Mountains on the LIST of January, !
7i3, and on the 18th assembled them.
IN the 18th Of May, l74i, they had re- 4
armed to the Upper Missouri, and in {
be Petite Verse country they planted on !
u eminence a leaden plate If the arms
France. and raised a monument If
tones which they called Bcauharnois.
While planning a tour up the Saskat- {
hcwan he died on Dec. 6, 1859. (
The Swedish professor, Kahn. met v
i'm in Canada not long before his de- !
ease, and had interesting conversations (
18th him about the burrows on the O
lains Of the Missouri. which he crrone- c
nsly conjectured indicated the former a
bode Of an agricultural people. These n
Its are familiar 10 modern travellers. n
nd are only buffalo trails.-St PAIL {
ionccr- Press. q