EARLY NOTICES OF THE MISSOURI RIVER AND INDIANS. 287' 



French, the English captain returned to the gulf. The promoter of this expedi- 

 tion was Daniel Coxe, a gentleman of wealth, living at London, who sent several 

 exploring parties into the valley afterward, and from the reports received from, 

 them, prepared and published a volume,* describing the country. Of the Mis- 

 souri he says: "The great Yellow River to the west is so named because it is 

 yellow and so muddy that, though the Meschacebe is very clear where they meet, 

 and so many great rivers of ci-ystalline waters below mix with the Meschacebe, 

 yet it discolors them all even into the sea. When you are up this river sixty or 

 seventy miles you meet with two branches, the lesser, though large, proceeds 

 from the south and is called the river of the Osages, from a numerous people 

 who have sixteen or eighteen towns seated thereon, especially near its mixing 

 with the Yellow River. The other, which is the main branch, comes from the 

 northwest. The Yellow is called the River of the Massorites, from a great nation 

 inhabiting many towns near its junction with the River of the Osages." 



In another place he says : "It will be one great conveniency of this country 

 if it ever comes to be settled, that there is an easy communication there with the 

 South Sea which lies between America and China, by the north branch of the 

 great Yellow River, by the natives called the River of the Massorites, which 

 hath a course of 500 miles, navigable to its heads or springs, and which proceeds 

 from a ridge of hills, passable by a horse, foot or wagon in less than half a day, 

 somewhat north of New Mexico. On the other side are rivers, which run into a 

 great lake, that empties itself by another great navigable river into the South Sea." 

 This was written nearly one hundred years before the expedition of Lewis and 

 Clarke by which it was proven that the Missouri and Columbia have their sources 

 within a few miles of each other dnd might be quoted as additional evidence that 

 the Indians of the valley visited the Pacific coast. 



By the peace of Utrecht, in 17 13, England obtained from France large con- 

 cessions of territory in America, but Louisiana remained untouched, though 

 many of the leading spirits in the colonies urged that the valley of the Missis- 

 sippi be included in the acquisitions of the mother country. William Penn, 

 Governor Spottswood, of Virginia, and the assembly of New York, addressed 

 the queen on the subject but without result. During the war preceding this 

 peace, some of the northern tribes influenced by emissaries of the English, be- 

 sieged Detroit with the intention of burning it. The Jesuit fathers stationed 

 there, summoned their Indian allies from the chase, and by the middle of May 

 the besiegers were surrounded by Hurons, Pottawatomies, Illinois, Osages and 

 Missouris, who hastened to the relief of their priests, so widespread was the in- 

 fluence of the missionaries in the west. They came in war parties, and camping 

 near the post sent in a delegation encouraging those within, and saying to the 

 priests, " Father, behold thy children compass thee around, "f They soon com- 

 pelled the surrender of the besiegers, putting to death those who bore arms, and 

 distributing the remainder as slaves among the confederates. 



* A description of the English province of Carolina, by the Spaniards, called Florida, and by the French,. 

 La Louisiana; by Daniel Coxe, Esq., London, 1726. t Charlevoix's History of New France, Vol. II. 



