The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1909-08-19
BADGERS TRACE
NIC0LET'S STEPS
TABLET MARKS THE SPOT WHERE
FRENCHMAN FIRST LANDED
IN WISCONSIN.
STATES HISTORY REVIEWED.
Historian Thwaites Gives Vivid Account
of Winnebago Indians Meeting with
First White Man.
OISCOvERER EXPECTS CHINESE

GREEN BAY, Wis Aug. FL Spe-
cial. 1-Red Banks was the center of to-
days historical celebration, tablet
marking the landing place of Jean Nico'
let being unveiled by Miss Rachael Orig
non, granddaughter, fifth removed, Of
Charles Delanglade. Wisconsin, hrst
permanent white settler
Ruben Gold ThwaitcS, superintendent
of the Wisconsin Historical society, de
livered an address Wednesday night
commemorative Of NiColcts discovery OF
Wisconsin in 1874
DR.. Thwaites said that Wisconsin is
particularly fortunate in that her his
tory begins with one Of the most pie
turesque if not dramatic events in Amer
lean history. 1t was picturesque IN its
conception, III its movement, ana III It's
scene
Motives Were Various
France. then foremost among Euro
pean nations in enterprise ana enllghteh-
ment, had planted i'm the WlldS OF lower
Canada the seeds of New France NarI-
Gus motives had contributed to the gstab-
lshment of New France. The king
Jealous Of the attempts of England to
colonize the new world, was moved by
passion for territorial conquest. HE
church of Rome, then dominant N
France. was eager at any hazard OF
martyrdom, to convert the heather saw
ages of America. II was q time Wneh
furS were eagerly sought as wearing
apparel by the rich and luxurious classes
Of Europe. Merchant explorers We're
everywhere seeking them, and found IN
America an abundant harvest OF peltrles'
1t was a time, too, when the area of the
known world was being rapidly enlarged
by the explorations Of Europeans ana
in every civilized land popular magma,
ton was readily k.pQgl by IrGgyelerS
tales Seized by the lust 81 nople ad'
venture. hundreds Of young Frenchmen
hailed with enthusiasm the iohhlhS u,
New France and were not slow TO cast
their lot in the new dominion over seas
Nicolet set out from Quebec in com
pany with some Jesuit missionaries
whom he accompanied as far as the liu'
ron country Here he engaged seven
Huron Indians to paddle his large ca
noe. and in due time found the strange
tribe on Red Banks. a cliff OF red clay
rising sharply for somewhat over nun
dred feet above the water. on the east
shore Of Green bay, twelve miles north
If the present city of ''reen Bay. lalhk'
ing to engage their favor. in case they
proved to be Cinnamon, Nicolct had at.
fired himself in n long, flowing gown OF
'
flowers. and advanced mp the beach at
the foot of the cliff. firing off the two
pistols which he held in his hands.
Found Only Winnebagoes
The strange tribeSmon proved, how
ever to be only naked Winnebago In
dams. an outcast branch of the Dakota
stock, most of whom lived then, rs now,
west Of the Mississippi river Their
name was derived from the word Win
uipeg.
But although they were only Wiuno-
bagos. attired in hrcech clouts, they
made Nicolct welcome at the Red Banks
fort and he tarriel for some weeks
among them. attending feaSts and
dances given in his honor. and making
with their chiefs a treaty of peace.
Some thirty-hye years after Nicolet's
coming II Jesuit mission was established
mt Dcpere the French fort at Green
Bay soon followed, and Wisconsin his
tory has ever since been a vivid and
moving picture.