The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1896-04-25
Work Of the Catholic Mission
aries in Exploring the
; Wilderness.
Historian Bancroft Contributes
Valuable Information on
the Subject.
Conclusion of. the Wanderings OF
These Remarkably Courage
GUS Men.
Concluded from last week)

~
Concluded from last week.)
They had now descended below the en-
trance of the Arkansas, and being satisfied
< that the Father OF Waters went not to the
ocean east of Florida, nor yet to the Gulf OF
California, and learning from the natives
that, they were not more than two or three
days. journey from the mouth of the river
and that the tribes below were In perpetual
war and furnished with firearms, and fear
ing that their further progress would ex-
pose them also to the danger OF captivity
among the Spaniards, and as the result OF
the expedition would be lost now IN the
event of their destruction or captivity, they
resolved TO return to Canada and report
what they had seen. Accordingly they
turned their canoes northward and began
their homeward journey on July ~.
Slowly padding against the powerful cur
rent of the Mississippi, they at last, at the
thirty-eighth degree Of latitude, entered the
river Illinois. They stopped for three days
ard Marquette preached the faith to all the
Indians. who entreated him to come back
and reside with them and sent an escort
with him for part of his onward journey.
Passing up the Illinois they reached Green
Raw before the end of September, having
been absent four months, during Wnlcn Time
they padded their canoes $500 miles, the
total length of the journey on foot and in
canoe being estimated as 1851 miles.
Joliet proceeded to Canada to publish the
news OF the great discovery to the world,
while the pious and humble Marquette re-
NAMED at Green Bay to recruit his exhaust
ed strength before renewing his Jealous Ia
bors among the Indians. He sought no
laurels, he asp:red to no praise. For most
Of the year 1874 he lay on a sick couch, tae
victim Of complication OF diseases Wnlcn
h,sslabeEs and fatsgues had brought on MN.
During this time he sent to his superlors
detailed account of his Journey down the
Mississippi, which forms one OF the most
important contributions to the history OF
that period. On the 25th of October ne
once more set out with two companions to
attempt the execution of a plan to which he
was devotedly attached, the founding at the
pr:ncipal town Of the Illinois of a mission to
be called the Immaculate Conception. They
were accompanied by several bands OF In
dians. and coasting the western shore OF the
lake for more than a month at length en-
tered the Chicago river, and on the 4th OF
December reached the site Of our great met
ropol;s of the West. Here the Indians left
Marquette, and his men erected log nut,
home and chapel, the first dwelling and the
first church of Chicago. The winter was
spent in founding white settlement at tbs
t,n
tourney and joined the Illinois on their
river. as they had entreated and he had
promised. Assembling the whole tribe,
whose chief and men were reckoned
at two thousand, he raised before
them pictures of the Virgin Mary,
spoke to them CT One who had
died on the cross for all men and built an
altar and SAID mass in their presencAon the
prairie. Again celebrating the mystery of
the Eucharist, on Easter Sunday he toos
possession of the land in the name of Jesus
Christ, aid, to the universal JOY of the mul-
t:tude. founded the mission Of the Immacu-
late Conception of st. Mary.
& "a few days afterwards he was again:
stricken down. He saw that If he would
d.e in the arms Of his brethren at Mack
inaw he must depart at once, and accord
ingiy set out, but on reaching Lake Mich
.gan his strength failed so rapidly that his
men d:spaired of being able to convey MIN
I alive to their destination, and perceiving g
little river on the eastern shore he directed
them to take him thither to await the end.
They carried him ashore, kindled little
+ fire and stretched some birch bark upon
noles above him Thus laid upon the sands
he smiles and speaks sweet, calm encour-
agement 20 his two companions, thanking
them for their love and begging their par
don for the trouble he had given and directs
everything to be prepared for his death.
/ Exposed upon the shore, like Francis xa-
y.e- whom he loved to initiate, ne repeated
In solitude all his acts Of devotion Of the
preceding days, and having called his conn.,
panions and disposed them to receive the
sacrifice OF penance, which he administered
to them for the last time, bade them go
and take little rest. After a short time
he again called tnem and they found he was
passing away Embracing them for a last
4 farewell, he took the sruc.fix from his neck,
where ne mad always worn it, and requested
I one of them to hold It before his eyes until
he should be dead. He pronounced aloud
hts profession OF faith and thanked the
sTrinhe Majesty for the grace of dying a
missionary Of Jesus alone and in the land OF
q sayages. According to his instructions his
companions frequently repeated aloud the
names Of Jesus and Mary, and with these
names upon his lips, with acountenaHce all
radiant with smiles, he expired without a
struggle, as + passing into gentle sleep.
sT4is two poor men,; after shedding many:
S4ears over his body, carried it devoutly to-
the grave that they had dug on a little emit
4 nsnce close by, which he had selected for
{ thesp purpose, and raised large cross near
Il the grave to serve as a mark for all who
ii night pass. Bancroft says Ever after
fsle forest rangers IL IN danger on Lake,
Michigan would invoke his name. 592 The peo-
q ple ok the West will build his monument 5
{ And even to this day boats passing the spot
where he died stop and fire a salute out o.
explorsr lot the 1Iiss:sspp #s3 saEs
rduette died at the early age Of tn ]
having spent twenty ty-one yea ars irs the.
Soskty oft Jesus nine % Them the sidss
& 1ad ~ and 3 = our own celln Saaa
& s6 y cheer dispo-
MI n sJSa III afff3