THE OLD PEAR TREES, ETC., OF MONROE. 353 



the St. Lawrence and Lake Ontario, had carried their canoes around the Niag- 

 ara, launched them in the waters of Lake Erie, and had followed its shores 

 until the delightful "straits"' came to their gladdened sight, — we can well 

 imagine, I say, that these hardy ^' voyagpAirs" had not failed to explore every 

 nook and outlet of the vast waters their enterprise had made known to the 

 world. 



THE EAISIX VALLEY. 



From all accounts, in all their explorations no fairer spot was found than 

 the region we possess this day. They had explored the Eaisin valley. In their 

 canoes they had left their homes on the straits, come down past Grosse Isle, 

 across the head of the lake to Pointe de Peaux (Point of Furs), thence around 

 Pointe de Roches (Stony Point) into a beautiful bay, thence across the bay to 

 the mouth of a river. Ascending the river amid the wild rice for two miles, 

 passing islands of the most luxuriant verdure, crowned with a mantle of grape 

 vine, they came to where the rich bottom land yielded to high and sloping 

 banks. As they rounded the bend near where the railroad bridge now stands, 

 I can well imagine the beautiful scene before thi.m. For centuries the Indians 

 had made their camp fires on the banks of the river. At interval;? the under- 

 growth had been destroyed and the grassy slopes beneath the groves of black 

 walnut, elm, and maple were as inviting as the most artistic park designed by 

 the landscape gardener. At intervals the wild, unbroken forest came to the 

 water's edge, and cast the shade of giant trees into the river, and everywhere, 

 in the wild-wood, and in the glade, on the river's edge, and as far away under 

 the overarching trees as the eye could see, was a wealth of grape vines. Every- 

 where hung clusters of rich purple fruit, — everywhere with a wild luxuriance 

 that far surpassed the stories their fathers had told of the vineyards of sunny 

 France. Within the present century, from a point near the foot of the street 

 on which this building stands to where the mill-dam has been placed, a man 

 LOW living walked and climbed the whole distance, over 80 rods, on grape vines, 

 climbing from tree to tree, without touching the ground. No wonder these 

 warm-hearted, enthusiastic "voyage nrs," as they paddled along up the river, 

 cried out "Ze raisin !'' "Xe raisin I" (the grape, the grape), and that they then 

 named the beautiful river "La Riviere au Raisin." 



"LA. RIYIEKE AU RAISIN." 



Below this spot and about where the largest pear trees stand, was a glade oi 

 perhaps 100 rods in extent. Across the river, between the two bridges, was 

 another. Lower down, on the north side, on the swell of ground wiiich the 

 railroad bridge bisects, was another. In which of these glades the first party 

 made their camp, tradition has not informed us ; but that the party carried 

 back to " the straits" such an account of the beauties of La Riviere au Raisin 

 that other parties coveted the sight, I have no doubt. Even " the straits," in 

 the jdenitude of their beauty, could scarcely rival this little nook where nature 

 had made a very " Acadie." 



THE NAVARRE PURCHASE. 



No wonder, then, when the young Navarre, at the age of twenty, began to 

 seek a place to build his home, looked with longing eyes to the Raisin, and 

 thought to possess one of the glades on its banks for his dwelling place. The 

 land was then in the possession of the Potawatamie Indians. From the time 

 when old Francis Navarre was scrivener at the picketed post at " the straits" 



45 



