The Discovery and Conquests of the Northwest. Including the early history of Chicago, Detroit, Vincennes, St. Louis, etc [With plates and maps.] (Washington's Journal of a Tour to the Ohio, in 1753. With notes by John G. Shea.)

Front matter

GOV. HARRISON AND TEITMSEH IX COUNCIL AT VINCENNES, IN 1810. THE DISCOVERY AND CONQUESTS THE NORTHWEST INCLUDING THE EARLY HISTORY OF CHICAGO, DETROIT, VIN- CENNES, ST. LOUIS, FT. WAYNE, PRAIRIE Dv CHIEN, MARIETTA, CINCINNATI CLEVELAND, ETC, ETC. AND INCIDENTS OF PIONEER LIFE IN THE REGION OF THE GREAT LAKES AND THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY. Br BUFUS BLANCHAKD. CHICAGO: GUSHING, THOMAS & COMPANY, PUBLISHERS, 1880. Entered, according to Act of Congress, in tbe year r88r, By Rufus Blanchard, in the office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington.

Introduction

. Spain took tbe lead in settling tbe New World. Tbe West India Islands, Peru, Mexico and Florida were Spanisb provinces before any otber nation bad obtained eyen a footbold in tbe great Western inberitance of Nature. But these first -Spanish adventurers were too richly rewarded with gold not to intoxicate the brains of the nation. Despising tbe slow process of agriculture as a means of wealth, tliey wasted their strength in searching for gold wherever they went, and left tbe fairest portions of America to be colonized by France and England. France pushed her settlements up the St. Lawrence river, and ultimately into the country of the great chain of lakes and the entire valley of tbe Mississippi, with a view of holding tbe great channels of American commerce, while tbe English, at random, set their foot upon tbe Atlantic coast, without any plans for the future.

It is seldom that great national expectations are fulfilled, and the ultimate destiny of America is no exception to this almost universal rule. Year after year tbe English colonists toiled in contentment along tbe eastern fringe of the continent, hardly beyond tbe hearing of the waters that beat against their narrow foothold in the New World. What was beyond these confines they knew not, nor had they time to inquire, for other work was before them. Across the ocean they bad unconsciously borne tbe elements of a great nation. These bad to be planted on a new soil and cultivated into a vigorous growth. While this planting season was in progress, the French, with far-reaching ambition, were strengthening their positions in the interior by building forts and establishing friendly relations with the Indians.

No rivalship between th^ two nations was manifested at Introduction. first, but ultimately the religion and State policy of France was destined to come into competition with these same elements in tbe workings of tbe English mind. The latter prevailed after a long and apparently even-matched warfare, and tbe hopes of France were dashed to tbe ground. The English flag now waved over lake, river, and coast, wherever beginnings bad been made, but their triumph had but a transient tenure. A new idea seizes upon tbe minds of men, and a new flag springs into existence. The English in turn are driven from our soil, and only the Indians, its natural inheritors, left to contend against the Americans. A prolonged struggle ensued on their part for existence, and on ours for advancement. Many complex con ditions were brought into the issue.

Tbe early French relations to the Indians ; their inter-marriages and consequent sympathy for them ; tbe fur "trade and its medley of associations, evil and good ; the partially successful missionary efforts both of the French Roman Catholic Fathers and of the United Brethren, or Moravians. All these brought a charm of romance into tbe ever open chasm between the pioneer soldiers and the tenacious Indians. Slowly and sadly the latter retreated forever from tbe blood-stained soil, and few of their offspring are left among the living of to-day. Neither their courage, nor their murderous revenge could save them, and what has been a loss to them (but a few in number), has been a gain to tbe millions who now own the soil. Never before in the history of the world has the ambition of man been stimulated to such an extent as here.

Tiie jurists, tbe schoolmasters, and tbe ministers of New England and Virginia followed the host of pioneers to the new field where all the appliances of civilization were to be built and the timber taken from the stump. During this process tbe stream of wealth has more than kept pace with expectation, till we now find our selves equal in rank and influence with the older States of the Union. For this position we are partly indebted to recruits from all the enlightened nations of Europe. It is not too much to say that we are made up of tbe activity and enterprise of tbe world as it brimmed over its confines at home and found a broader field here for its action. "The West," "Western," "Western characteristics," Introduction. 5 are significant expressions. They mean dash, spirit, elasticity, resolution, and hope.

Nor is it strange that these are the prom inent traits of a people whose star of destiny has so suddenly risen to the zenith ; of a people nurtured into confidence in themselves by an almost unremitting tide of advancement in everything which constitutes national grandeur, except tbe finishing touches of art and science, which are yet to be perfected. While these conditions have grown upon us in our progress down the highways of time, we have laid upon ourselves heavy burdens by premature legislation, not unlike those of the erratic sallies of childhood. Wiser counsels must come to our rescue to make amends for these, just as the well-digested thoughts of maturity recast the images of youth. Breathing time has now come to view the ground over which we have traveled, doubly endeared to us, because we ourselves were the first to take possession of it, and because we fashioned its institutions after our own model.

That our history rises in importance as we assume larger proportions in the body politic, is manifested by tbe eagerness with which every thing pertain ing to the early records of the West is sought after, and by the increasing number of Historical Societies springing up through out tbe country, for the preservation of these precious relics. The rival interests of nations, complicated with religious and social conditions, produce war, and tbe province of the historian is not circumscribed to the details of the battle-field. These are but tbe means by which the passions and sympathies of nations achieve their ends. Hence, history, without reference to issues and contingencies, is only a bundle of facts, packed into the leaves of a book too tightly for the wedge of inquiry to let light shine between them.

If tbe historian has failed to introduce to his readers the motive power that lets loose the dogs of war, his book will be like tbe play of "Hamlet with Hamlet left out." That history has taken the first place in literature, is due to the exhaustless character of its subjects, among which may be found truths which foreshadow the future from the past, and leave a more abiding impression than the teachings of fiction. Tm Authob. CONTENTS.

Chapter I

Jacques Cartier explores the St. Lawrence River — Settlement of Quebec — Discovery of Lake Champlain — Expedition against the Lroquois — Dutch settlement at Albany — Discovery of Lake Huron — The Falls of St. Mary reached — The French take formal possession of the country — Discovery of the Mississippi River — ThePictured Rocks — Discovery of the ChicagoPortage — Marquette winters at Chicago — The Lndians' affection for him — Religious services on the prairies — Death of Marquette — The removal of his remains to St. Lgnace—Hts Journal — Late discovery of his bones.

Chapter II

Ft. Catarauqui built at the Outlet of Lake Ontario — La Salle arrives in Canada — His Ambitious Plans — He builds a Vessel for Navigating the Lakes — He sails for Green Bay, and is sent back Laden with Furs — La Salle arrives at the mouth of the St. Joseph and builds a Fort — Goes to the Illinois River and commences Building a Vessel to Explore the Mississippi to its Mouth — Hennepin starts to Explore the Upper Mississippi — His Captivity — Du Unit among the Sioux — La Salle returns to Canada to raise Recruits — Bad News from Ft. Creve-Cœur — Retribution — Iroquois Invasion of 'the Illinois Country — Indian Trading Policy — Desperate Exploit of Tonty — Council with the Western Tribes—La Salle's Plans Resumed — Success.

Chapter III

La Salle Returns to the Illinois Country — Ft. St. Louis Built — LaSalle leasves Tonty in Command of Ft. St. Louis, and Starts for France — Tonty Unjustly Superseded in Command by La Barre, the New Governor of Canada — La Salle at the Court for Louis XLV. — La Barre Recalled — Tonty Restored to Command — La Salle furnished with a Fleet to Sail for the Mouth of the Mississippi and Establish a Colony — The Fleet passes its Destination, and. Lands on the Coast of Texas — Treachery of Beaujeu — La Salic Builds a Fort — His Contexts. Vessels Lost — Desperate Condition of the Colony — La Salle starts Across the Wilds for the Illinois Cotmtry — He is As sassinated on the Way — The Murderers fall upon each other — Return of Cavelier and His Party — Tonty's Fort on the Arkansas — Mendacious Concealment of La Suite's Death — lberville and Bienville make a Settlement at the Mouth of Mississippi — Analysis of the English Colonies.

Chapter IV

Fi-^st passage through the Detroit River — A Stone Statue found there — English on the Upper Lakes — Settlement of Detroit — The Foxes Attack the Place — Mission of Father Marquette at Michilimackinac — Cahokia and Kaskaskia Settled — Ft. Chartres — Vincennes Settled — Comparison of the \English with the French Colonies — The Paris Convention to Establish the Line between the English and French in America — Convention at Albany — The Ohio Company — The French Build Forts on French Creek — Gov. Dinwiddie sends Washington to Warn them out of the Country — The Ohio Company send Trent to Build a Fort where Pittsburgh now stands — He is d'riven away by the French — Washington sent to the Frontier — He Attacks the French — Retreats — Builds Ft. Necessity — The Fort taken by the French.

Chapter V

General Braddock arrives in America — Plan of the First Campaign — Baron Dieskau reaches Canada — Braddock marches against Ft. Duquesne — His Defeat — Expedition to Acadia — Shirley starts to take Ft. Niagara — Johnson's Campaign on the shores of Lake George — Defeat of Dieskau — Lord, London appointed Com?nander-in- Chief of the English forces — Gen. Montcalm appointed to command the French forces — English and French Policy and Diplomacy — Montcalm takes Oswego — London's Expedition starts to attack Louisburg — Ft. William Henry taken by Montcalm — Loudon recalled and Gen. Abercrombie put in his place — Louisburg taken by Admiral Boscawen — Gen. Abercrombie attacks Ticonderoga — Gen. Bradstreet takes Ft. Frontenac — Gen. Forbes' Expedition against Ft. Duquesne — Mission of Christian Frederic Post — Ft.

Duquesne Evacuated and taken possession of by Forbes — Gen. Abercrombie recalled and Gen. Amherst put in his place — Ft. Niagara taken by Gen. Johnson — Ticonderoga and Crown Point Evacuated — Quebec taken by Gen. Wolfe — Canada and the West given up to the English. Contests.

Chapter VI

Rogers sent by Gen. Amherst to take Possession of Detroit — He meets Pontiac on the way — Holds a Colloquy with him — Detroit Ga/rrisoned by the English, under Capt. Campbell — Discontent of the Indians — Alexander Henry arrives at Michilimackinac — Conspiracy to drive the English out of the Country — Detroit saved from Massacre by an Ojibway Girl — Is Besieged — Massacre at Michilimackinac — Narrow Escape of Alexander Henry — St. Joseph, Ouatanon, Miami, and SandusJcy taken by the Indians — Capture of the Batteau Fleet sent to Succor Detroit — Horrible Massacre of the Soldiers — Detroit Relieved — Arrival of Capt. Dalzell — His Disastrous Sortie — Desperate Defense of a Vessel loaded with Supplies — Pontiac retires to the Maumee Rapids.

Chapter VII

Ft. Pitt Besieged by the Indians — Fate of Fts. Presque Isle, Le Bœuf and Venango — Col. Bouquet marches to the Relief of Ft. Pitt — Battle of Bushy Run — Gen. Amherst resigns his position as Commander-in-Chief, and Gen. Gage is appointed his successor — SirWm. Johnson calls an Indian Convention at Niagara — Gen. Bradstreet marches to the Relief of Detroit— Col. Bouquet invades the Lndian Country on the Muskingum River — Holds a Council with the Indians — Demands the Rendition of Captives — Passionate emotions of forest life — Preliminaries of Peace — The Army returns to the frontier settlements in Pennsylvania with W6 returned ■captives.

Chapter VIII

The Illinois Country — Slavery — The Lead Trade — LaClede'a Grant — Ft. Chartres — Settlement of St. Louis-— Lou -is I a ns ceded to Spain- — The English, under Major Loftus, attempt to penetrate to the Illinois Country by way of the Mississippi — Are repulsed — Geo. Croghan — He advances to the Illinois Country — Is taken prisoner — Ls released — Ho pis a Council with his Lndian captors, and brings them to terms favorable to the English — Items from his Journal — The Illinois Cowvtry taken possession of by Captain Sterling — Proclamation of Gen. Gage — Early Governors of the Illinois Country — Pontiac in Council with Sir William Johnson — He resign* Ms ambitious designs — His death and its consequences — Chicago, the Indian Chief The English attempt to prevent Settlements beyond the Ohio- River — Early Commercial Policy — The Northwest annexed to Canada — Battle of Point Pleasant—Logan — Revolutionary Sentiments on the Frontier — Girty, Elliot and McKee — The Continental Congress — The Issue among the Indians — Expeditions against St. Joseph — George Rogers Clark — His Expedition against the Illinois Counti'y and Vincennes — Indian Council at Cahohia — Father Gibault — Francis Vigo — War Declared Between England and Spain -r*Its effect on the Illinois Country.

Chapter X

Moravian Settlements on the Muskingum — Premonitions of the American Revolution — British Emissaries Among the Indians — Forts Mclntosh and Laurens Built — Desperate Attack on the Latter — The Siege Raised by Hunger — The Moravians Removed — Mary Heckwelder's Account — Horrible Slaughter of the Exiles — Crawford's Expedition Against Sandusky — The Enemy Encountered — Crawford Taken Prisoner — His Awful Death by Fire — Peace — Complex Diplomacy at the Treaty of Paris — Firmness of Jay Triumphant.

CHAPTER XL

Characteristics and Costume of the Virginia Border Men and the New England Pioneers — The Ohio Company Formed — Marietta Settled — Cession of the Northwest to the United States — Symes' Purchase — Columbia, North Bend and Cincinnati Settled — Emigration in Arks — The British on the Lakes — -Their Relations with the Indians — St. Clair Arrives at Marietta as Governor of the Northwest Territory — Courts Established — Harmer Invades the Indian Country — The i French and Indian Villages on the Wabash Destroyed.

Chapter XII

Little Turtle — His Masterly Abilities — Privations of the Early Settlers — St. Clair's Expedition against the Indians — His Defeat — Its Causes — He Resigns — Gen. Anthony Wayne Succeeds him — Peace Commissioners on the Canada Border — The Indians claim the Ohio River as a Boundary Line between Themselves and the Whites — The Terms Lnadmissible and the Council a Failure. Genet, the Minister of the New French Republic, Sent to the United States — Abuse of his Power Dangerous to America — He is Recalled at the Request of Jefferson — General Wayne marches against the Indians — Builds Fort Recovery — The Indians Attack the Place — Are Repulsed — Evidence of English Complicity with the Indian Cause — General Wayne Advances to the St. Mary's River — Sends Peace Proposals to- Little Turtle — He wishes to accept, them, but is OvetTuled in the Council — A Decisive Battle Ensues — General Wayne under the Guns of the English Fort — The English Commander Takes Offense — An angry Correspondence Ensues — English View of the Case — Fort Wayne Built — Treaty of Greenville — Tittle Turtle's Honorable Record — His death — Public Honors to his Memory — The Free Navigation of the Mississippi conceded by Spain — The English give up the American Posts on the Lakes — Cleveland Settled.

Chapter XIV

William Henry Harrison; His Ancestry and Birth — Is appointed Governor of the Indian Territory — Spanish possession of Louisiana — Napoleon's Ambitious Designs Shown by the Conquest of St. Domingo, and by the Purchase of Louisiana from Spain — French Designs Frustrated by the English — Purchase of Louisiana by the United States — Consequent Necessity of a Fort on the Upper Lakes — St. Joseph Chosen for its Locality — The Lndians Object to its Erection — Chicago Next Selected — The Fort Built Here — Margaret and Elizabeth, the Captives — Their Adventures, and what grew out of Them — John Kinzie — His Youthful Life — He. Settles in Chicago— The Fur Trade and the Engagee.

Chapter XV

Governor Harrison's Efforts to Extinguish Indian Titles to' Lands — Indian Discontents — Tecumseh — The Prophet — - Tecumseh's Interview with Harrison — Its Threatening Aspect — Tecumseh's Attempt to Form a Confederacy — Harrison Marches into the Indian Country — Encampis at Tippecanoe — The Prophet Attacks Him — Is Defeated — Tecumseh's^ Plans Frustrated by the Battle — The Territory of Illinois; Organized — Ninian Edwards Appointed Governor. Jay's Treaty of Til 9 k— Its Beneficial Effects — Decrees of Berlin and Milan — Retaliatory English Orders — The Continental System — America Victimized by it — The Embargo and non- Intercourse Acts — Fruitless Negotiation between England and the United States — Complications with France — The French Decrees Revoked — The United States Declare War Against England — The British on the Lakes — General Hull Reaches Detroit with an Army — Crosses into Canada — Re- -connoisance of Colonel Cass — First Hostile Shot in the War ■of 181® — General Hull Returns to Detroit — Michilimacinac Taken by the English — Tecumseh in the British Service — Indian Raid on Lee's Place — Panic at Chicago — General Hull at Detroit — He Crosses the River into Canada — His Perplexities — -His Surrender.

Chapter XVII

Fort Dearborn in Danger — Its Evacuation ordered by General Hull — Winnemac, the Friendly Messenger — Vacillating Policy of Captain Heald, the Commander — Inflexibility of Ensign Ronan — John Kinzie, his Wise Counsel — Council with the Pottawattomies — Bad Faith of Captain Heald in the Destruction of Arms, etc. — Honorable Confession of Black Partridge — Ar-nval of a Heroic Friend — The Fort Evacuated — Indian Treachery — Mrs. Helm's Graphic Account of the Massacre which followed.

Chapter XVIII

The British take the Offensive — Fort Wayne Beseiged by their Indian Allies — Timely Warning to its Defenders — General Harrison Marches to its Defense — Desperate and Successful Defense of Fort Harrison by Captain Tat/lor— Daring Achievement of Captain Oliver — Arrival of General Harrison at Fort Wayne— Its Bescigers fly— Expedition Against the Indian Towns on the Illinois River — Its Bootless Termination—Governor Reynolds in, the Ranks— His Statement — Relentless Attack on Peoria — The English on the Upper Mississippi — Black Hawk's Historical Narration. General Harrison Appointed to the Command of the Northwestern Army — Ten Thousand Men Raised to Reclaim Detroit and Invade Canada — A Wilderness of Mud Interposes between the Combatants — General Winchester Reaches the Rapids of the Maumee— Advances to French Town, on the River Raisin — Battle of the River Raisin , Ending in Defeat, Capitulation and Treacherous Slaughter of War Prisoners — Fort Meigs Built at the Rapids — General Proctor Advances Against the Place — Desperate Attack and Successful Defense of the Post — The British Retreat and Attack Ft.

Stephenson — The Masked Six-pounder and its Fatal Effects — Route of the British — The War Transferred to Canada — Ihe AmericanWar Fleet Sails from Erie — The Naval Battle — The American Army in Canada — Battle of the Thames — Tecumseh Slain— Michigan Reclaimed — Peace.

Chapter XX

The Great West as a New Arena for Progress — Religious Freedom — Its Effects — Distributive Versus Concentrated Learning — Our Norman Pedigree and Its Effects — The Lakes a Highway to the West — Fort Dearborn Rebuilt — Preliminary Survey for the Lllinois and Michigan Canal — John Kinzie Returns to Chicago — Lndian Treaty Relinquishing Lands from Chicago to the Illinois River— Illinois Admitted Into the Union as a Sovereign State — Lts Northern Boundary Extended — Reasons for it — Chicago the Central Key of the Nation.

Chapter XXI

The Fur Trade of Canada Under a French Chartei — The Huguenot Sailors — Dutch Rivalry — The Hudson Bay Company — The Northwest Company Its Rival — The Two Companies Merged into One — The American Fur Company under John Jacob Astor — Astoria Founded, and Taken by the Hudson Bay Company — Mr. Astor Begins Anew at Mackinaw — Hardihood of the Engagees — The American Fur Company Establish a Branch at Chicago — Gurdon S. Hubbard as Clerk for the American Fur Company — Arrives at Chicago — His Report of the Place — Descends the Desplaines — His Report of the Indians and their Wigwams — Hostile Repartee with' an Indian — The Factory System- First Wedding in Chicago — Great Indian Treaty at Chicago—Governor Cass Opens the Council — Three Tho-usand Indians Eat Rations at Government Expense — Speech of Metea — Colonel E. Childs' Description of the Country.

Chapter XXII

The Name Chicago First Appears on School Atlases— The Mysteries Beyond — Adventures of James Galloway and What Grew out of Them — Arrival of the Clybourns at Chicago— Chicago Surveyed and Laid Out in \ Mage Lots — The Winnebago Scare— The Illinois and Michigan Canal Located— Civil History of Early Chicago — County Organization — Adjacent Settlements — David McKee's Narration.

Chapter XXIII

The Winnebagoes, the Pottawatomies, and the Sacs and Foxes in 1832 — Black Hawk's Village and Cornfield Purchased by the Whites — Forbearance of the Indians — A Transient Compromise — Governor Reynolds Calls for Volunteers to Drive Away the' Indians — They Retire Across the Mississippi — Bad Advice of White Cloud, the Prophet — Black Hawk Returns to Illinois, and Camps at Sycamore Creek — The Dog Feast — The Pursuit — The Alarm — Stillman's Defeat — Indian Creek Massacre — Flight of the Frontierers — General Scott Arrives at Detroit — The Cholera Among his Men — He Arrives at Chicago — Fearful Ravages of the Pestilence — Black Hawk's Fugitive Skirmishes in Northern Illinois — His Retreat — Battle of Bad Axe- — General Scott Arrives at Fort Armstrong — Black Hawk Brought in as a Prisoner — -The War Ended.

Chapter XXIV

Chicago as Seen by Philo Carpenter in 1832 — Eli B. Williams' Report of Chicago in 1833 — Cook County Organized — The Town of Chicago Organized under a Board of Trustees — The Mouth of the River Opened — The First Public Loan — Indian Treaty of 1830 — Ditto of 1833 at Chicago — Graphic Description of Chicago and the Treaty by an English Traveler — The Indian Titles Extinguished — The Indians Removed.

Chapter XXV

The Beaubiens — -Pioneer Hotel — -Ingenious Device for Lodgings — The Pioneer Newspaper — Its Subscription List — Wolff's Point — Its Inhabitants — Alexander Robinson — His Character — His Wonderful Age — Shabonee — His Character —Chicago in 1831s. — Chicago in 1835 — Turning the First Sod for the Canal — Celebration of the Event — Its Consequences — The Last Records of Chicago as a Town Contents. 15 Chicago Chartered as a City. First Mayor Elected — Whig and Democratic Issue — Enlargement of the City in Wards, and Extension of City Limits. Official Record of Fort Dearborn. Lts Locality — Last Relicts Destroyed in the Great Fire. The Chicago Post Office: Lts various Localities — List and Terms of its Post Masters — Its Revenue. The Chicago Harbor: Appropriations to Improve it — Its Present Capacity.

Convention of 1S60: Its National Character — Adaptation of Chicago to its Requirements — Abraham Lincoln its Choice — Its Results. The Great Chicago Fire: Its Origin — Area burnt over — Amount of Property Destroyed — A Night of Horrors — Victims in the Open Air — Elastic Force of the City Government— Generosity of American Towns and Cities — Europe Responds — The Rebound — Tie Building Mania. Grammar of American Names. Analysis of Names on American Maps — Indian Names — Their Meaning and Derivation Diary of George Washington on his Tour to the Ohio in 1753.- Shea's Introduction and Notes to it — Young Washington meets the French in Council — Warns them out of the Country — Returns to Virginia — His Narrow Escape from Death, and his Sufferings on the Route. LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. MAPS. Fac Simile of the Autograph Map of tbe Mississippi, or Conception River, drawn by Father Marquette at the time of his voyage.

From the original, preserved in St. Mary's College, Montreal. Map illustrating the Discovery of the Northwest, and the French and Indian War. Map illustrating Pontiac's War, and tbe Campaigns of Gen. Clarke, Gov. St. Clair, Gen. Wayne, and Gen. Harrison. Map of Chicago in 1S12. ' Map illustrating the Black Hawk War, in 1832. Map of Northern and Central Illinois, in 1835. Map of Chicago Harbor, in 1880. VIEWS. Frontispiece — Gen. Harrison and Tecumseh in Council at Vincennes, in 1S10. St. Louis in 1833. From an Original Painting by Geo. Catlin, in possession of the Mercantile Library Association. Fort Washington in 1790 — Site of Cincinnati. The Old Kinzie House. The first house in Chicago, partly built in 1796; finished and occupied by John Kinzie, in 1S0L Cincinnati in 1810. Costumes, Arms and Habitations of Early Inhabitants. Cleveland in 1833. Fort Wayne in 1795. Marietta in 17!>*-\ Battle of Bad Axe, 1832. * Fort Dearborn, Chicago, as it apj)eared in 1853.

Chapter I

Jaques Cartier explores the St. Lawrence River — Settlement of Quebec — Discovery of Lake Champlain — Expedition against the Iroquois— Dutch settlement at Albany — Discovery of Lake Huron — The Falls of St. Mary reached — The French take formal possession of the country — Discovery of the Mississippi River — The Pictured Rocks — Discovery of the Chicago Portage — Marquette winters at Chicago— The Indians' affection for him — Religious services on the prairies — Death of Marquette. The removal of his remains tc St. Ignace — His Journal— Late discovery of his bones. Far in the depths ot a new continent, a flat heath of waving grasses is pierced by a small tranquil stream, from whose unrip pled face the moon-beams bad glittered for ages in silence. This is all that can be said of the history of Chicago,- till tbe white man visited it, and learned from the Indians that it was a convenient portage from the interior to the lakes.

When Alexander was weeping that there were no more worlds to conquer, with no overstrain of the imagination, we can see the Indian securely gliding his canoe over the Chicago river into Lake Michigan, with an omnipotent reliance upon his own skill and courage, to protect himself from the greatest conqueror on earth, and it is difficult to tell which would have been the most surprised, Alexander or the Indians, could both have been in formed of each other. History begina with mythology, in the old world, — in the new, on an immaculate tablet, simple and positive. Here the white man has raised bis altars and commenced making bis record, and the traditions of the red man have vanished before him, but still some enduring monuments of bis nomenclature remain. These unlettered lexicographers gave symbolic names to their rivers, lakes, islands and to themselves, and in their vocabulary they had the name Chicago, which, in the language of the Illinois tribes meant an onion.

And in the language of the Pot tawattomies, who dwelt at Chicago, it meant a pole-cat. Those Settlement of Quebec. 20 we e its literal meanings in a positive sense, and by this name the place where our city stands, has been known from a period ante-dating its history/- It is highly probable that it was thus named because wild onions grew in great profusion there. That the name was a synonym of lionor, is demonstrated from the tact the Illinois tribes named one of their chiefs Chicago, and thus ele vated above his peers, he was sent to France in 1725, and had the distinguished honor of being introduced to the Company of The Indies.f The discovery and exploration of the whole interior of tbe country, was the work of French zeal and enthusiasm. To propagate the faith was the first object, at least in theory, but not far behind it was ambition to annex new realms to the crown of France.

In pursuit of these two objects, tbe exploits of their adventurers, soldiers aud missionaries, have justly challenger] the admiration of the world. Borne along by the tidal wave of glory, these men gathered force and strength as they penetrated into the country, and breathed the air of freedom which pervad. ed the limitless creation of prairie and forest under the regime of the red man. Even before the Spaniards under De Soto, bad penetrated from Florida to the Mississippi river, which was from 1539 to 15-13, the French under Jaques Cartier, had sailed up the St. Lawrence as far as Quebec. This was in 1534. The delighted adventurers returned to France with the news of their discov eries of the wedge-shaped river ninety miles wide at its mouth, graduating to the dimensions of a common river at Quebec.