The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1932-01-29

what makes it great For this
leader Is Rene-Robert Cavelier Seur de La
Sale, magnificent adventurer" and one of the
worlds greatest explorers
LA Sale announced that they would
take to their canoes. They lifted the light white
birch-barks from the sledges, and slipped them
into the icy water The baggage and rifles went
aboard, piece by piece, then after man. SOL
der, and voyageur, and red hunter stepped GIN
| gerly to his place, sank to kneeling position,
and took up his long handled paddle. First one
light canoe, then another pushed off from shore
and the black current bore them away.
ITO right and left they saw drab banks frost
! f1ecked and hard that rang under a blow and
leafess forests iron in their rigid desolation that
rose desparingly toward an opaque gray sky
On the sixth of February, they emerged from
the Illinois, and their fleet slipped out upon the
swelling current of the Mississippi La Sales
dreams came nearer. The mirage at last prom
! ised realization"
Thus began the historic voyage down the
length of the "Father of Waters" which was to
give to France control of the interior of North
America, which was to open up the vista of the
richness of new empire before the greedy
eyes Of the white race, which was to enbroil Eng
land and France in almost unending war for
the next three-quarters of a century and which
was to result finally in the founding of a new
nation greater than either. 1t is this voyage
which has been characterized as lone of the
greatest epics of all history"
To most Americans the name of La Sale is
just another in dimly-remembered list from
their schoobook histories. But now, $50 years
after the beginning and the end of his great
achievement, his name is brought to their atten-
ton again through the publication Of two biogra-
phies of him. One of them is La Sale" written
by L. v. Jacks and published by Charles Scrib-
ner's Sons (from which the foregoing quotation
is taken) and the other is "The French Adj
venturer-The Life and Exploits of La Salle"
written by NJ Maurice Constantine Weyer and
published by the Macauay company. Mr.. Jacks
is an American and M. Constantin-Weyer is
Frenchman. So it is interesting to read their
two books together and get the two points Of
view this great Frenchman whose name is
written high in the annals of America
| OF the voyage down the river. Mr.. Constantine
Weyer writes a vivid account-how "spring was
breaking on every side. sky of clouds rent
by the wind was reflected in blue and white.
The forest powdered with tender green.
Flowers were unfolding timid petals The cries
of migratory birds filled the immense valley.
Mosquitoes swarmed At night coyotes barked
on the hillsides. In the mornings bison de-
scended in friendly pairs to. the giant drinking
trough"
They passed the mouths of great rivers-the
muddy Missouri, the quiet Ohio ola Belle
ventures with Indians, both pleasant and grim.
for they met both friendly and hostile red men,
There were innumerable wonders of scenery
which unfolded before their eyes and variety
| of experiences such as few explorers had ever
had. Just two months from the time they had
| f1oated out upon the broad bosom of the Missis-
| sippi call at once spray struck their faces
Tasting the water they found it already brack-
ish. great Joy painfully weed up in their
| q ra nd
suddenly, sonorous under the shock of thou
sand waves, immense and without a sail. there
was the sea! April the seventh, 1897"
| Thus NJ Constantin-Weyer And to turn
| to Mr. Jacks for the next scene:
"The end of the hercuean voyage had
| rived
"The awe-struck French and Indians coasted
| quietly along. and presently they saw Henry
de Tonty emerge from the middle passage, and
many a long whoop rang far and clear
| the echoing gulf as the hardy sons of Cana
dian trails met far from home in the
sensuous hush of semi-tropic morning the
| face of an unknown sea. D'Autray came out of
the eastern channel, and all assembled at pro-
montory of dry ground, and beached their tried
| and worn canoes.
| Here with hands that trembled from eager
| ness and emotion, the Canadians carved col
umn, and on it wrote Louis lie Grand, Roy de
| France ct de Navarro, regne. LIE neuvieme
April, 1892 La Sale told his men to take up
their arms. Attentive and quiet the Mohicans
| and Abenakis mustered in group. Led by
Father Zenobe Membre. the Frenchman chanted
the TIE Deum, the Exaudiat. and Domino salvum
fac Regem.
Then, to a volley from French rifles, and
shout from the red warriors. La Sale set up
the column, and announced to the silent shores
that King Louis ruled these regions. Jacques