112 KANSAS CITY REVIEW OF SCIENCE. 



sippi was visited only by occasional trappers and traders who left no written 

 record of their visits. In the latter year there arrived in the Illinois country the 

 real pioneer of the valley, Rene Robert Cuvelier, better known as La Salle,* which 

 name he took from landed estates belonging to his family, who came with the inten- 

 tion of exploring the Mississippi to its mouth. No man has stamped his name more 

 ineffacaebly on the pages of French- American history than La Salle. He arrived 

 in the Illinois country in the year 1680, after enduring with his party hardship- 

 that even now seem appalling to think of, and at once set about preparing for his 

 proposed voyage down the Mississippi, Hennepin, t one of the missionaries accom- 

 pany inghim, mentions inhis "Description de La Louisanes" — Paris, 1688, the fol- 

 lowing incident as occurring at one of the Illinois villages, and which shows that 

 the location of the Missouri Indians was known at that early date to the mission- 

 aries and explorers. He says: " Needing Indian corn. La Salle took some and 

 gave in return hatchets, and offered them a treaty for the exchange of those 

 things most necessary to each, such as provisions for hatchets; however, if 

 they would not exchange, he would go to their neighbors, the Osages, treat with 

 them, and also leave with them a smith, who would mend their hatchets and 

 other implements ; the smith being of so much importance the Illinois consented." 

 These Indians wishing to retain La Salle and his party with them, endeavored to 

 dissuade them from going down the Mississippi, picturing the perils they would 

 encounter, in such dismal colors, that many of the men were disheartened and it 

 required all the address of their leader to prevent them from deserting in a body. 

 As they continued on down the Illinois they met a portion of the tribe returning 

 from a hunt, who, not knowing what had already been told by those at home, 

 gave an entirely different account of the river below. Of this Hennepin says : 

 "This meeting diminished in a good measure the fears of our men, and they 

 were entirely relieved by the arrival of several Osages, Chickasaws and Arkansas, 

 who came from the south to see the French and buy hatchets." From this it 

 will be seen that our Missouri Indians had discovered the superiority of the 

 French hatchets of iron over their own of stone, as had also the lower tribes who 

 sent delegations with them. La Salle did not perfect his arrangements for the 

 exploration of the Mississippi until February, 1682, at which time he started from 

 the mouth of the Illinois. In the meantime the Iroquois had swept down on the 

 IlUnois villages while most of the warriors were absent on a hunt, killing a great 



*La Salle was born at Rouen, France, in 1643, entered the society of the Jesuit?, but left them and sailed 

 for Canada in 1666. Discovered the Ohio river in 1669. Explored the Mississippi from the mouth of the Illinois 

 to the Gulf of Mexico in 1582. Left France again in July, 1684, in command of an expedition for the mouth 

 of the Mississippi, landed on the coast of Texas, and after making several attempts to reach Canada was 

 assassinated by his own men in March, 1687, near Trinity river, Texas. 



■j-Louis Hennepin was born in Aith, province of Hainault, entered the order of St. Francis, early developed 

 a roving disposition, was made an army chaplain in 1074. Sailed for Canada in 1675, was stationed at Fort 

 Frontenac in 1676. Went to the Illinois country with La Salle, and was sent by him to accompany a part of 

 his command to explore the upper Mississippi, and was captured by the Sioux, was rescued from them in the 

 fall of 1680. Soon after returned to Europe and published an account of his travels in 168a. He finally died 

 in obscurity, though his book had twenty editions, in half a dozen languages, and within a year has been 

 translated and published in this country with extensive notes. 



