New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-07-14

who accomplished little beyond keeping up an
interest in the stories Of the western sea.
But people in Europe. II they could not get
the reality, were content with romance. Ihis
came in the form OF n narrative supposed to be
that OF a Yazoo indian Moncacht-Ape. who had
traversed the Continent and acquired the lam
guages Of all the various tribes that he en-
countered. First he went east, looking for the
cradle Of his race. and hearing marvellous stories
about the Falls Of Niagara and the tides In the
Bay Of Fundy though. Of course. the author OF
the tale could not allow him to have recognizable
names for these wonders. Then. this Indian
hero turning to the westward assembled the Mis-
souri, River and crossed the mountains. where
he found the western river. But he was too ex-
pcit in his story. He told how certain white
and bearded strangers visited the mouth or this
river in search OF wood that produced yellow
dive. The Indians with whom he lived killed
some Of these strangers and he found them
short and stout, with heads shaver except at
the crown. Evidently he meant them to be
taken for Asiatics. But there Is no dye-wood
on the Oregon coast. such as attracted these sup
posed voyagers, and the whole tale is set down
by Mr. Winsor to the Imagination OF lie Page du
Pratz. an early historian Of Louisiana. who en-
bodied in II some OF the theories which he formed
from conversation, particularly with Yazoo
Indians The story figured with certain
amount Of credit In subsequent times. even IN so
late an affair as the dispute between England
and the United States over the Oregon country.
Along with other stories. 1t led the map-makers
to fl large area now covered by the uni'ed
States and by British Columbia with what they
called the Sea OF the West, and to ornament the
country eastward. as far as Lake Superior. with
an amazing network OF rivers and lakes, all con-
nected with each other and all dividing their
waters impartially among the seas by which the
Continent Is bounded.
While these dreams attracted the most ad-
venturous among the Frenchmen on the Conti-
nent, II Is worth observing that hardly an
Englishman could be fond to heed them. On
the very eve Of the final struggle between France
and England In America. Governor Dinwidd.e.
OF Virginia. was distracted for moment by the
arguments Of Colonel Joshua Fry who advocated
the plan OF DR.. Thomas Walker to cross the
Alleghanies and discover the hidden waterway
to the great sea. The chances Of this expedition,
which was never undertaken, owing to the out
break OF hostilities. were nationally estimated
on the basis Of what was known concerning the
eastern tributaries OF the Mississippi. II was
argued that the rivers the western slope
must be at least as important as those on the
reaches they should furnish as near an approach
10 the rivers Of the western sea as those on the
east side furnished TO the rivers that flowed into
the Atlantic II turned out that this reasoning
was approximately correct. and II was proper IN
the light OF the common notions that there was
a certain balance and analogy In the laying out
OF continents. Even In this system however.
the Inland sea figured. as well as the network OF
rivers flowing from common source.
But on the whole. the English were prosaic.
They took 10 exploration only when they needed
new land or wider trade. When the French had
traversed the whole interior basin. their rivals
had hardly won a knowledge Of the mountains
that separated them from the Ohio Perhaps
the English OWNED that they could walt and
reap the benefit OF the explorations which their
neighbors pursued with so much ardor. 1t was
enough for a Frenchman to have set up cross
or buried metal plate with an inscription at
a place where no white man had ever been be-
fore But the English colonst. when he put his
foot TO the ground. was not half so anxious about
the newness OF the ground as he was On the point
whether the foot would stay where II was put.