The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1906-12-19
HISTORIANS fail to agree in re-

HISTORIANS fail to agree in re-
cordiny the names OF the first
white men to explore the country that
now constitutes the state of Montana.
The first discovery of the Pacific north
west. of which Montana forms a part,
is credited to Juan Rodriguez Cabril-
10. in lo43. under the Spanish regime.
and many adventurous Frenchmen
penetrated the western wilderness from
time to time after that date. but there
is no authentic narrative of their ex-
plOrationS. The first organized eXpe-
dition through what is now Montana
was that of Nerendrye which left Mon
treal in 1871. its principal purpose be-
ing to locate and explore a great river
about which some vague information
had been obtained from the Indians,
who said it formed a waterway to the
western ocean. After many vicissi-
tudes and much trouble with suspi-
cious and hostile Indians. in which
many of the explorers were killed,
part of the expedition reached the
Missouri river in the fall Of l742, and
proceeded up that stream to the Rocky
Mountains. The explorers returned
by way of the Missouri river two
years later.
Among the Verendrye explorers was
Pere Coquillard, a Jesuit priest. and
to him must be credited the honor of
giving to pOsterity the first recorded
and reliable information regarding
early day Montana history. His mar
rative of the expedition gives these
data: Fort la Refine on the Assinni-
boine was erected October ;, 1898.
The country of the Mandans was ex-
plOred in l142. and the Belt mountains
were reached on New Years day of
l743. That Il monument bearing the
arms of France was erected in the
upper Missouri country in May, l744.
and that the return Of the party to
their post at the Lake ct the Woods
was accomplished about two months
later.
The return of this expedition was
followed by the establishment Of some
small far trading posts on the lower
Missouri by French traders, but it
was not until about sixty years later
that the American government UNDER
took to ascertain the nature and extern
Of the recently acquired Rocky noun
tain country. 1t was an unknown
Wilderness. In January. lSo3. PreSi-
lent JetferSOn's message to congress
was supplemented by a confidential
letter to the members. setting forth
the necessity of claiming the far north
western territory. and at his Sugges-
ton the congress passed an act pro-
viding for the exploration of the
Rocky mountain country and also Of
a highway to the Pacific. The Lewis
and Clark expedition. which left St.
Louis on May T.. 1904. was the result
Of this action. it, trip up the Missouri
wa, extremely slow and arduouS. the
winter of lSo4-5 being spent among the
MandanS. and it was not until August,
lSnI. that the explorers reached the
Rocky mountains. The expedition
continued on TO the Pacific coast and
returned the following summer by way
of the Missouri river to st. Louis.
These early explorers were i'm
pressed by the opportunities, for fur
trading in the Rocky mountain region,
believing it was of little value for any
thing else. .\s IA habitation for white
men II hau no prospect OF occupancy,
the total population of the United
States at that time being about 1..IO0.-
900. with an apparently limitle>> area
OF land nearer to civilization that was
available for settlement. 1t did not
occur to them that within the century
there would be q demand for homes
for 50. 0O0. OO0 American citizens.
The enormous profits to be derived
from fur trading with Indian, in the
country tributary to the Missouri
river. may bc considered as the at
traction that brought the first white
residents to this part OF the great
Inc story OF their ARRIVAL I
and early day business undertakings .
i, told in a contribution 20 ''Montana
illustrated" by Jeremiah Collins. for t
mcrly editor of the River Press. in :
which il is recalled thai the a>Socia- t
ton known a, the American Fur COM t
pany had lis inception in st. Louis
and became an organization March :. .
sos. Pierre Chouleau. ST.. Wa, at /
il, head. and mons those interested {
Sa> Capt. William Clark. OF the Lewis
and Clark expedition. In Isl" the
company. then under the progressive I
direction Of Pierre Chouteau. Jr.. sent /
Kenneth Mckenzie with a trading force :
INTO The upper Missouri country and I
hat zeal he founded Fort Union al q