The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-04-15

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soHB NEW BOOKS
Fr-uos Espierers 90 Nsrth A-.eris.. "
The book entitled Cartier 10 Froateusc. b
JUSTIN WtNsoR tHouRhton. MinHin 4 Col IL Z
study Of geographical discovery in the interior
Of North America. There IL . preliminary
chapter which covers the period from Column
bus 10 Cartier. but the bulk Of the volume II
devoted TO the work accomplished BY French
explorers between 1884 and 100. To con-
siderable extent the author traverses the field
which had been gone over by Parkmsn,
but HE aim and method are different
He does not try to produce q symm etri-
cal literary narrative. but to set forth
facts with the close approach to scien-
tihe accuracy which recent researches have
made possible. It is. in short. the materials
Of history, rather than history IN the ordinary
meaning Of the word for which We are In
dsbtsd to Mr.. Winsor He has collie cted q
great deal OF new evidence. and he has care
fully scrutinized and slited that which was
already known. in order TO determine pre-
cisely what was effected By each Of the exc
plorers whose achievements form the subject
Of this work. We shall sxemplify the nature
and extent Of the service rendered By Mr.
Winsor By showing how much fresh light he
throws on the career Of La Sale. whose name
Will ehWhIb Do hbhOCthleu WITH tno ulnooNeEI
efths mouths Of the Mississippi
-
=.
II II true that the Spsniards were the nrst TO
discover the Mississippi Thus Pineda, In
1913. found . great river flowing from the
north which geoRraphers now identify with
the Mississippi. and De Soto. In 1541. struck
the same river about the middle OF It's course.
But century and half was to pass before its
4 = 81
sentimental waterway: and then the explora-
lions which dvulged its extent were made
from the north and down the stream. The
eulminatinR and By far the greatest part in
thsee explorations was taken By La Sale.
whose life accordingly Is made the subject OF
minute portrayal in these pages.
Rene Robert Cavelier. OF an old and rich
burghsr family at Rouen. is known in Ameri-
can history - the sieur do Ia Sale from an
estate OF his family near that Norman town.
Early In life he was . Jesuit novice. or at least
the svidsncs that he was IL pronounced By Mr..
Winsor suggestive. II not conclusive; Il IL
usually said that he left the order because Of
his unwillingness to curb his independent
spirit A detection OF this sort. IL Il occurred
would naturally deprive him Of the sym pathies
Of that society. and It 10 certain that there
IL . studious absence Of all reference
20 him and his doings In tho pub
only positive assertion. however. that he had
been connected with the Jesuits comes from
Hsnnepin. whom Mr.. Winsor considers q
dubious authority. and other writer's on Cana
dian history have failed to find any corrobora-
tive proof. His nature hardly fitted him for
tho rigorous obedience required OF Jesuits.
for he had an ardent ten permanent difficult to
restrain. and an ambition better suited to in
dependent work than to subsection to religious
superiora
Having brother OF the sulritian fraternity
IN Canada. La Sale was led to join him. He
was about twenty-three whom We first find
him In Montreal. . town founded By the
sulpltian order. whose Incorporated seminary
was the feudal owner Of . large landed prop
srty in the neighborhood. Among the bid
dsrs for their outlying lands was the young
La Sale. who obtained . grant OF territory
Just at the head Of the rapids above Montreal.
admirably lifted for Q station for the fur trade.
By the end OF 1888 La Sale had ton or twelve |
acres Of this land under cultivation and had |
begun q pAlisaded village. Both within and |
without these defences he made sub grants |
to such rs could be induced to become |
his tenants. and set aside large |
common for the public use His origin nj in |
tention seems to have bsen to lead tho lie OF |
. resident seigneur. but he soon became too |
much fascinated with visions OF exploration to |
make permanent settler. When. In the win |
ter Of 1903 90. some Seneca Indians visited |
his post he was aroused by the way In which |
they depicted the course OF q great river. ris-
ing In their country and making its way south
ward for such . distance that It would take
eight or nine months for . canoe to follow IL |
TO the sea The story IL made comprehensi-
BILE to-day by combining in ono the course Of
the Allegheny the Ohio. and the Mississippi;
but to La salls's imagination It was vision Of
the great WATERWAY which had bean Look Adj for
from the time OF Cartier. According to the
turn which geographical conceptions regard
ing the interior Of North America had been for
some time taking. 10 seemed probable that the
outlet Of this great river must be in tho Gulf
of California. This would make It . channel
to the South Sea. and give the French access
to . route to China quite as convenient a. that
which the Spaniards followed from Acapulco.