The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1913-07-26


Hurons established fifty years before
by Father lie Caron and his little
corps of franciscan Fathers, who &C
companied Champlain to the head
quarters of the Hurons at Georgian
Bay, had been swept out of existence
by the fierce Iroquois, but many of
the scattered Hurons were found
Farther West, where Marquette had
established his mission, and were glad
to welcome the new Black Robe"
The mission of Sault Sainte Marie
was on the American side Of the
straits connecting Lake Huron and
Lake Superior, and is in the present
Diocese of Marquette, Michigan. 1t
has a Catholic population of about
eighty thousand. A number Of Indians
still reside there, and there is a
fiourishing school for Indian children
under the direction of the Sisters,
with an attendance of several hundred
children. Father Marquette spent a
couple of years at Mackinaw preach
ing to the Indians and instructing
i them
On December s, the Feast of the
Immaculate Conception, 1872, canoe
landed at the mission, and Louis Joliet
announced himself. He had been sent
by the Count du Frontenac, Governor
of Canada, with instructions to under
take the discovery of the Mississippi,
and to take Father Marquette as his
guide and companion. They started
on their perilous and toilsome journey
on May II, 1874, after several months
of careful preparation. They sailed
down the west shore of Lake Mich.
gan to Green Bay, then padded up
the Fox River, carried their canoes
overland to the Wisconsin River
sailed down the Wisconsin into the
Mississippi, the junction of which they
reached on June II, just one month
from the day they left Mackinaw.
A month later they had reached the
junction of the Arkansas River with
the Mississippi and satisfied them
selves that the Mississippi flowed into
the Gulf of Mexico. They decided tC
return and report their discoveries to
the Governor of Canada. They faced
the adversed current and toiled up the
river, reaching Green Bay after hav.
ing travelled over $500 miles in their
frail canoes in four months. Father
Marquette remained at Green Bay to
regain his failing health, while Joliet
proceeded to report to Gov. Frontenac
and give to the world the benefit Of
their perilous exploration and dis
coveries.
The next winter Father Marquette
was confined to his rude forest couch
by painful illness, but the next sum
mer found him again in the fielC
preaching to the Indians and founding
new missions. In October he padded
down Green Bay to Lake Michigan
and turned along the west bank south
ward till he reached the present site
of Chicago Here he was taken i'll
He was treated very kindly by the
Illinois Indians, who had already
heard of the famous "Black Robe"
Another winter of weakening illness
was in store for the heroic missionary
but he was still able in the spring tt
open a mission in Kaskaskia Be
lieving that his end was near he sci
; out again for Mackinaw, going round
by the east shore of Lake Michigan
but his strength steadily failed till he
had to be lifted by his companions in
. and out of the canoe, as the party
stopped for rest or refreshments.
ION the eve of his DEATH" writes
Father Dablon, che told them, al
radiant with joy, that it would take
place on the morrow. During thu
whole day he conversed with then
about the manner of his burial, the
} way in which he should be laid out
the place to be selected for his inter
J ment, how they should arrange his
hands and face, and raise cross ovel
his grave"
Thus did he speak to them as he
sailed along the lake, till, perceivins
the mouth of river, with an emf
nence on the bank which he thought
suited for his burial, he told them thai
it was the place of his last repose
They wished, however, to pass on, az
the weather permitted it and the day
was not far advanced, but God raised
contrary wind, which obliged then
to return and enter the river which
the Father had designated.
They then carried him ashore, kin
died little fire, and raised poor
bark cabin for his use, laying him in
it with as little discomfort as they
could, but they were so depressed by
sadness that, as they afterward said
they did not know what they were
doing.
The Father being thus stretched Oh
the shore like ST. Francis Xavier, al
he had always SO ardently desired, anC
left alone amid those forests his
companions were engaged in unload
ing-he had leisure to repeat all the
acts in which he had employed himself