Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-09-17

placed under the special protection of the
Holy Virgin, and Father Marquette made a
VOW that if she would permit him to dis
cover the Great river he, would call 1t the
River of the Immaculate Conception in her
honor.
1--WE were not long in preparing our out
fit he wrote in his narrative. although
we were embarking on voyage the length
OF which we could not foresee. Indian corn.
with some dried meat was our whole stock
of provisions. With this we set out in two
bark canoes-M. Joliet myself and five men
firmly resolved to do all and suffer all for
SO glorious an enterprise. 1t was on the
18th day of May. 1873, that we started
from the mission of st. Ignatius at MIchili-
mackinac (Mackinac Island). where l then
was Our Joy at being chosen for this
expedition reused our courage and sweet
ered the labor of rowing from morning
till night"
1t is a very interesting story that Father
Marquette tells of his journey. He de-
scribes the voyage down Lake Huron to
Green bay, where they entered Fox river.
and, with two Algonquin guides. found
the Wisconsin. which empties into the Mis-
sissippi. The guides took them safely to
portage 2, 700 PAGES long, helped to transport
their canoes, and then returned home. Their
birch bark canoes floated down the broad
Wisconsin, passed alternate praries and
hillsides. until they reached the Mississippi
at Prairie du Chen June II. 1913. They
stopped at different places, confering with
the Indians, who received them with the
SitdleSl COl anu dl every stopping
place Father Marquette repeated the story
Of the cross, which he always carried be-
fore him.
They stayed six days at Des Moines;
passed the Missouri and the Ohio. and, with
an escort of ten men to protect them
against the Spanards. they went as far as
the Indian village of Arkansea, opposite the
mouth of the Arkansas river, July II. 1873.
From there they assembled the Mississippi,
and a young chief conducted them by way
of the River Illinois to Lake Michigan. and
from there to the mission of ST Francis
Xavier at the foot of Green bay. Joliet
turned to Quebec to report the discovery,
while Father Marquette remained to preach
the gospel to the Indians.
Death of Marquette.
During his expedition the good father con-
tracted a bad case of dysentery, which he
was unable to cure. but it did not interrupt
his work. and the following year he visited
Chicago, where he established a mission
In May, 1919, his strength was rapidly
failing he resolved to return to Macknac
Island. but only got as far as a little river
in Michigan, where Bancroft, in his his
tory, says:
Erecting an altar. he said mass. after
the rites of the Catholic Church. then, beg
ging the men who conducted his canoe to
leave him alone for half an hour
In the darkenlng wood
Amidst cool and silence. he knelt down
And offered to the Mightcst solemn thanks
And supplication.
At the end of half an hour they went to
seek him and he was no more. The good
missionary. discoverhr of world. had
fallen asleep the margin of a stream
that bears his name. Near its mouth the
canoe men dug his grave in the sand. Ever
after the forest rangers If in danger on
Lake Michigan, would invoke hfs name.
Thus. at the age of thirtyeight. May -.
1919, at the height of his fame and glory.
was the good priest taken away from earth
to fill a brighter sphere In some celestial
place. He was twenty -one years in the
Socity of Jesus-twelve In France and nine
in America
God did not suffer the remains of Mar
auette to be forgotten. Two years later
the anniversary of MS death, the kiskakon
Indians (Algonquins) and number of 1ro-
quois repaired to the spot and disinterred
his body. Cleaning the bones they placed
them in a neat box OF birch bark ard con-
veyed them to Point ST. Ignace. The con-
voy consisted of thirty canoes. AS they
approached the mission of st. 1gnace. Fa-
theirs Nouvelle and Pierson met them and
intoned the De Profundis in sight of all the
people before landing. The body remained
in state in the church ali day Whitsun Mon
day June g. 1877, and the next day was
deposited with funeral honors in little
vault under the church where he now re-
poses. the guardian angel of the Ottawa
mission, opposite the beautiful Island of
Macknac and of the home of the Great
Manitou, whom the Indians delighted to
worship
In May. 1877. the foundations of the old
church were discovered on the property of