18 THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY: 
Among the narratives especially worthy of attention in 
the way of authentic information of this part of the country, 
including especially the upper Mississippi, is that of Capt. 
Jonathan Carver, an officer in the American provincial 
army in the French war, and one of the survivors of the 
terrible Indian massacre of Fort Wm. Henry, in 1757. 
With the close of the war this enterprising traveler under- 
took a journey of exploration*to these remote western 
regions, prompted by the following laudable motives, as 
stated in the introduction to his published narrative, from 
which I quote: — 
“No sooner was the war with France concluded, and 
peace established by the treaty of Versailles, in the year 
1763, than I began to consider (having rendered my country 
some services during the war) how I might continue still 
serviceable, and contribute as much as lay in my power to 
make that vast acquisition of territory gained by Great 
Britain in North America, advantageous to it. It appeared 
to me indispensably needful that government should be 
acquainted in the first place with the new dominions they 
were now become possessed of. To this purpose I determin- 
ed, as the next proof of my zeal, to explore the most unknown 
parts of them, and to spare no trouble or expense in acquir- 
ing a knowledge that promised to be advantageous to my 
countrymen,” etc., etc. 
— 
The narrative following this frank and straight-forward 
introduction, considering the time in which it was written, 
(over one hundred years ago), is certainly worthy of more 
credit than it has generally received. In his statements of the 
general features of the country, its scenery, and natural 
productions, there is even less of exaggeration than in many 
of the books of the present day. The principal localities 
there referred to can be readily located, and the exactness 
of description fully verified. Itis in this view of credibility, 
| as applied to the general aspects of the country, that especial 
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