Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1878-02-16

and he spoke so calmly and collectedly
of his death and burial that you would
have thought it was anOther's aud not
his own. Thus did he speak to them IS
they sailed along the lake, till perceiving
the mouth of river with ali eminence
on the bank Of which he thought suited
for his burial. he told them it was the
place of his last repOse. They wished,
however, to pass oil, as the weather per-
nlitted it and the day was not far adj
vanced; but God famed contrary wind.
which obliged them to return and enter
the river which the father had designated.
They then carried him into the land and
raised bark cabin for his use, laying
him in it with Is little discomfort as they
could; but they were so depressed by
sadness that, as they afferward SAID, they
did not know what they were doing
Many a time and oft in my favorite sum
mer home at MSckinac have | had this
whole scene pass before me as in a day
dream from Point Lookout, until last
summer it took the form of ali accOrdant
rhyme:
Where the gently flowing river merges with the
stormy lake,
Where upon the beach 50 barren ceaseless bill
lows roll an 1 breaS,
Tbere the harque so frail and gallant known
through the western world,
Giide6 into the lOng-sOught nayen and Its weary
wings are iuriec;
Here says one 1 end my voyage, and my sun
goes down 1t neon.
Let God have the greater g'ory," care have
nnnUht
But to bear the best evangel, Jesus Christ, the
crucifisd
Slow and faint, into the forest straight he takes
his quiet way.
Kneeis upon the virgin moses, prays as he is
wont To play,
Nunc demittis- they hear him sweetly sing
as meier before.
Then the angels join in chorus, and Marquette is
now no m"re.
This The prayer he left behind him, and was said
Ills --latest mass.
"One day bear me TO my nilsson at the Pointe of
St. Ignace."
Entered into rest from labor, where all toll and
Ev ry sail outspread and swelling. so he finds the
port or Peace.
Once again that spot so sacred hears the sound
Ard the gently flowing river seesa strange
funeral fleet;
IT'S the pumed and painted warriors of their
different tribes tie best,
Who have met IN solemn council to fulfill his
last request.
Down their cheeks the tears are flowing for the
salnted man oil God,
Not the bones OF dearest kindred dear as those
beneath that sod.
Reverently the grave they open. call the dear re-
mains their own.
link them in the running water, cleanse and
hnn
Place them gently in the mOcock, wrought with
wOman's choicest skill
From the birch tho very whitcst. and the deepest
color ed quill,
In the war canoe the largest to his consecrated
tomb,
Like chief who falls in battle, silently they bea,
him home.
The convoy consisted Of nearly 80 c.
noes. As they approached ST Ignace
Father Neuvel. who was superior, wenl
10 meet them, accompanied by all the
French and Indians of the place. and af
ter making the oidinqry interrOgations
TO verify the fact that the body which
they bore was really Father Marquette.
Then. before they landed, he intoned the
De PrOfundis in sight of the 80 canOes
still on the water, and OF I'll the people
on the shore. After this tie body Was
carried 20 the church, and, on he Sth O!
June, when all the funeral houors had
been paid TO it, it was deposited i'm lit.
tie vault in the middle of the church In
l7O6 fhe Jesuits broke up their mission
set fire to their chapel and returned tc
Quebec. What became of the bones OF
Marquette? Did the Jesuits take them
on their retreat? No. they lett in haste
There is little doubt, therefore, that the
nrnRfOIIS IA mi, nf
still lay in the chapel. But the very site
of the chapel was soon lost. Could the
old site ever be indent fed 1t seemed
very doubtful. indeed.
Early i'll July heard in Detroit, fol
the first time, from Col. Stock bridge
that on leaving st. Ignace. recently. ther,
was report that the site OF the old chap
ell had been discovered. On my arriva
at Mackinaw | lost but little time before
| started tor st. Ignace. On reaching ST
lgnace found precisely what had beer
already described in one of the DetrOi
papers. but [ also found in the possession
OF the present priest Of St. Ignace. Father
Ja1ka, pronounced Jacker, pencil
sketch, on whicn looked with most in
tense Interest, This invaluable drawing
gives the original site of the French vii
lage, the "houSe of the Jesuits'' the In
dian village, the Indian fort on the bluff
and most important of all very accurate.
ly defines the location OF little ba,
known rs NadOwa-mik-w k-weia-ma-shing,
e.. NddolOG-HurOns MikCeid-here is
bay, AlSlies, Little Bay of the Hurons
On the supposed site of the Jesuts. som,
4O 10y 30 feet, are found distinct Outiiu,
walls, a little well and small cellar. Oh
further inquiry of the priest, who wa
equally remarkable for his cando and in
| teiligence, and the length of his beard,
found that the sketch was taken by hin
from the travels of La lIeuton. Monday
September 3, 1877. Bishop Mrak dug on
the first spadeful of ground on the sit
of the chapel. For time. however, tn
digging was discOuraging. .'Nothin
Was found that would indicate the eXiS,
ence of Il tomb, vauted or otherwise. an
the bishop went away. After a while
small piece of birch bark came to ligh
followed by numerous other fragment
scorcbed by fire. Finally a large an
well preserved piece appeared, whic
evidently formed part OF the bottom {
an Indian birch bark box. Evidentl
the box had been double, such as Indian
sometimes use tor greater durability i
interments, and had been placed oh thre
or four mO1ern sills. 1t was also ey
dent that the humble tomb had been di'
turbed, and the box broken into an
parts of it torn out after the material ha
been made brittle by the action OF tn
!, fire." This would explain the absence {
its former contents. which Says Mr. Jacl
, er, s.what else could we think, weT
nothing less than Father Marquette
bones." From these circumstances "
deduce the following conclusions:
} l. That OF M. Pommier, the Frene
. surgeon, that these fragments OF bone
are undoubtedly human and bearing I'll
marks of fire.
2 That everything goes to show..a''tt