Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-10-23

know yourself to be a man Of spirit Mon
sieur Las and while should welcome you
gladly as brother Of the trail: had only
thought that perhaps you would pardon me
IL did but ask your purpose at this time"
Law bent his head in silence for a mo-
ment. What know you Of this forward
trail Du Mesne?" said he. Have you ever
gone beyond this point in your own jour
neyings?'
Never beyond this replied Du Mesne.
and. indeed, not SO far by many hundred
upon the story of my brother, Greysolon
du L'hut. the boldest soul that put
paddle in the St. Lawrence My brother
Greysolon. by the fire one night. told me
that some years before he had been at the
mouth of the Green bay-perhaps near this
very spot-and that here he and his broth
ers found a deserted Indian camp. Near 1t,
lying half in the fire, where he had fallen
in exhaustion, was an old. a very old In
dian. who had been abandoned by his tribe
to die-for that, you must know. monsieur
is one of the pleasant customs Of the will
dernesS.
"Greysoion and his men revived this say
age in some fashion. and meantime had
much speech. with him about this unknown
land a whose edge we have. now arrived.
The old savage said that he had been many
moons north and west Of that place. He
knew of the river called the Blue Earth,
perhaps the same of which Father Henne-
pin has told. And also Of the Divine river,
far below and tributary to the Messasebe.
d
party who went far to the north against
the Ojibways. and that his people took from
the Ojibways- one Of their prisoners, who
said that he came from some strange coun-
try far to the westward, where there was
very wide plain, of no trees. Beyond that
there were great mountains, taller than any
to be found in all this region hereabout
Beyond these mountains the prisoner did.
not know what there might be, but these
mountains his people took to be the edge of
the world. beyond which could live only
wicked spirits. This was what the pris-
oner Of the Ojibways said. He too, was an
old man.
THE captive OF my brother Greysolon
was an Outagamie, and he said that the
Outagamies burned this prisoner Of the.
Ojibways, for they knew that he was surely
lying to them. Without doubt they did
quite right to burn him. for the notion OF
great open country without trees or
streams Is. Of course. absurd to any one
who knows America. And as for noun,
tains all men know that the mountains lie
to the east of US. not to the westward
"Twould seem much hearsay,' said Law
this information which comes at second,
third and fourth hand"
True" said Du Mesne, but such Ia the
source of the little we know Of the valley
Of the Messasebe. and that which lies. be-
yond 1t. None the ieas this Idea offers in
terest." .s- -,~r'y -. - =.
Yet ysu ask me IL I would return.
;" Twas but for yourself. monsieur. It IL
there. tfsI may .hur,bly confess to you that
II Is my own ambition some day to arrive
Myself-this west, as i said long ago. to the.
gentlemen In London-appeafs to me. since
1t ts: indeed a land unOccupied. unowned. an
empire which we may have all for our
selves. What say you. Monsieur Lasy'
John Law strengthened and stiffened AZ
he stood. For an instant his eye flashed
with the zeal Of youth and Of adventure. It