The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1882-04-30
BY EDWARD G. MASON.

1
the same journey shortly after
shave caused more swearing since
the French have been here thar
had previously taken place ia al
the rest of the world" Late in the
year Boisbriant reached Kaskaskia,
and selected a site for his posi-
sixteen miles above that village, on
the left bank of the Mississippi.
MerriIy rang the axes OF the soldiers
in the forest by the mighty river,
as they hewed out the ponderous
timbere for pslisade and bAstion.
And by degrees the walls arose, and
the barracks and commandant's
house and the storehouse and great
hall of the India Company we're built,
and the cannon. bearing the in
sigma OF Louis XIV, were placed in
position. In the spring OF 1920 ell
Was finished, the banner of France
was given to the breeze. and the work
was named Fort Cnartres. An early
governor of the state of Illinois, who
wrote its pioneer history, has grsVely
stated that this fort was 80 called be-
cause it had a charter from the
crown Of France for its erection. But
it is feared that the same Wag who
persuaded an Illinois legislature to
name the second capital of the
state Vsndalis, by reason Of the al
legged traces OF a tribe of Indians
named Vandals in its neiRhborhood,
also victimized a governor. We can
hardly accept bis derivation, when it
appears that the name was taken,
by way OF compliment to the then
Regent ct France, from the title of
his son, the Duo de Chsrtres,
The first important arrival at the
new post was that of Philip Francis
Renault, formerly banker in Paris,
the director general of the mines of
the India Company, who reached
Fort Charities before its completion,
bringing With him 25O miners and
soldiers. and also large number D!
blacks from 81. Domingo. This was
the beginning of negro slavery in
Illinois. The fort was hardly fin.
ished, when news reached Boisbriant
OF the march of Spanish force from
Mexico against his stronghold. But
his expedition was cut of by the ua-
tives on the route, the chaplain alone
being spared. He ultimately made
bis escape, while delighting the In
dams with iests of borsemanship, By
gradually Withdrawing to a distance.
and describing a final elaborate fig
urs which had no retura curve. Two
Pawnee chiefs, who displayed az
trophies a Catalonian pistol and a
pair of Spanish sho 5, gave this &C.
count to Father Charlevoix at Green
Bay.
This pleasant old traveller was then
making the journey through North
America of which be has left such
charming description. On the 9th
of October. 1921, he passed Fort
Charities, which. be tells as, then
stood musket shot from the river.
The leader of his escort was q young
Canadian officer, Jean 81. Arge de
Belle Rive, destined in later years to
have closer acquaintance With ihs
fort than this psssIng glimpse of its
newl Y built walls shd structures al
iorded him He hardly anticipated
then that to him would come the
honor OF commanding it. and that on |
him, aim ost half a century later,
would fall the sad duty of finally low.
sring there his couutry's flag, which |
waved SO proudly above it that Ru-
.umn merniBg.
No sooner was the fort erected than |
village began to grow up at Its
yates, IN which the wstchful Jesuits
orthwith established the parish of St.
Anne de Fort Chartres. It's existing
ecords begin with an ancient dccu-
nent. tsttered aud worn. written in
laebec in the year 1716. Il is q
iopy of a curious decree ofLeuis XIV,
in the nature of manual
# church etiquette. Twelve articles
,rovide. among other things, that
be goveTnor-genersI and the intend
mt shall each have 8 prte-dieu in the
sthedrals of Quebec and Montreal,
be governor-generRl on the right,
be intendant on the left; the COM
handler of the troops ahsll have
eat behind the governor general;
nd in church professions the gov.
rnor general shall march at the
cad OF the council, his guards in
'ont, the intsndant to the left and
ehind the council, and the chief {
otary, fret usher, and captain of
as guard with the encouragement,
ct behind him, bat not on the same !
ne with the council. And these
lles are to govern all other churches
New France. Probably this copy !.
this important deIiverancs OF the Q
ing was sent frOm Quebec to the 8
lureh of Sc. Anne in 1721, the year c
which the parish registers seem to y
ave bean opened. We may pre- I
Ime that B5Isbriant allowed its in y
ruetions strictly, and took care to Z
on the right hand in the church, Z
I'd also that his insendaRt, or civil y
dsel, Marc Antoine de Ia Loire des =
Isins, should be on the left. These I
%, together with Michel Ohassin, :;
| IL