Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1877-08-29
The First Page Of Wisconsin History.
Correspondence Chicago Times.

but reckoned from the year it was first
traversed by white men it is older than
almost all Of them.
Most eastern readers of Bancrofts first
edition of Omitted States History" saw
with surprise that Wisconsin was crossed
by Joliet and Marquette on their way to
descend the Mississippi as early as 1873
more than two centuries ago. But
some years ago, in 1858, the Catholic
champion, j. G. Shea, discovered in the
Jesuit Relation for the year 1910 this pas
sage, written by the Jesuit Father lie
Jeune, from Quebec to France: IN. Nj
collet, who has penetrared farthest into
these most distant regions, has assured
me that if he had pushed on three days
longer on a great river which issues from
the second lake of the Hurons (Lake
Michigan he would have found the sea.
Now | strongly suspect this sea is on the
north of Mexico, and that thereby we
could have an entrance into Japan and
China.
On the strength of this testimony
Parkman (' Jesuits in North America"
p. l66,) wrote: "As early as 1889 Nicollet
assembled the Green Bay of Michigan,
and crossed the waters of the Missis-
sippi.'
The word Mississippi, meaning great
uoterS, was ambiguous-and though real
~ denoting a river, might well be mis-
taken for a sea.
Thus thirtv-four years-more than a
generation-were at nee added to the
age of Wisconsin.
Badgers now boosted that European
feet had trod their soil and fioated on
their waters within nine years after the
founding of Boston, which claims to be
of all other cities most ancient, as well
rs honorable.
1t has Just come to light that they had
better reason than they knew of for "A
greater boast than this. In the lowest
deep \ lower deep still opens. Father
lie Jeune, it will be noticed, writing in
1910 regarding the explorations Of NJ.
Nicollet, gives no date. That that voy-
ager had then just returned was II natu-
raj inference Of Shea, Parkman, and
others, who thought his tidings too good
not to be trumpeted through the world
as if by telegraph.
But they were all mistaken. Nicollet's
expedition to the Wisconsin river is now
proved to have been in the year 1884.
But how is this new antiquity proved?
How are five years added at II stroke to
the historic era of Wisconsin?
A record has been detected in Canda-
dian archives, by Benjamin Suite, of
Ottawa, that Nicollet started from Three
Rivers on a western voyage in July, 1884,
and returned the year following. But
it is natural to ask, May not this adj
venturer have made later voyages, even
rs he had made others before?'
Suites answer is, by no means. The
voyage Of 1G34-5 was his last. In 1885
Nicollet became interpreter and fur
factor for the French company-called
the Hundred Associates Their ac-
counts and other papers show that he
was stationed at their post of Three
Rivers, midway between Montreal and
Quebec, and that he remained there till
1912, when, while i'll a business journey
to the latter city, he was accidentally
drowned Thus Suite proves an aHbi
for Nicollet. Until, then, some one can
show Nicollet to have had divine ubi-
quity,-or ~ medipvals believed of
angels and devils, d~ubiquity, the power
of being III two places at once,-he must
be admitted to have discovered Wiscon-
sin some five years before white men
have been supposed to have shown
themselves there. Doubtless it will add
a cubit to the stature of every Badger to
have five years thus added to the annals
of his commonwealth.
Possibly it may turn out that they
have still more reason to eXult. suites
researches have made it out that Nicol-
let was domesticated aS one of them
selves among the Indians as early rs
1913. at first on the Ottawa, half way to
Lake Huron, and after two years in
tribes bordering on that lake itself.
The Badger state was but one step
further, and was u thoroughfare for Il
prehistoric commerce in Mexican shells,
etc, etc.
Since the impossible always happens,
why may 1t not yet he den Unstrated
that NicoIlct had explored Wisconsin
even earlier than the year l630,-that is,
before the settlement Of Boston itself?
Wisconsin would have these five years
added to their annals rs gladly as any
ancient maiden would have them sub
traCtcd from hers.
Suite describes Nicorlet rs meeting
the Wisconsin tribes in council of fOur
thousand warriors who Toasted on SIX
score of beavers, He appeered before
them in Il robe of state, adorned with
figures of flowers and birds. Approach
ing with a pistol in each hand he fired
both mt once. The astonished natives
hence STYLED him Thunder Bearer
This spectacular display was in keeping
with the policy which marked the old