Review of Recent Geological Literature. 317 
Groseilliers and Radisson, the first white men in Minnesota, 1655-56 and 
1659-60, and their discovery of the upper Mississippi river. War- 
ren Upham. (Col. Minn. Hist. Soc, vol. 10, part 2, pp. 449-594, 
1905-) 
This valuable historical contribution is divided into four principal 
parts. In the first the author critically reviews and interprets the or- 
iginal narration of Radisson, coming to the conclusion that he, with 
his brother-in-law Groseilliers, reached Isle Pelee, or Prairie island, 
which is near the Minnesota side of the Mississippi river, near the north 
and of lake Pepin, and thus touched Minnesota and the upper Missis- 
sippi earlier than any other traveller in that latitude. The second part 
is devoted to observations on the Indian tribes with which the French- 
men came in contact and which they comment on. Part three is a sketch 
of progress of discovery of the Mississippi river, from the gulf of Mexi- 
co to Sandy l^ke and to Itasca lake, extending from 1498 to 1804, and 
the fourth part consists of a full bibliography, with ample comments by 
the author, of what has been previously written concerning Groseilliers 
and Radisson. 
For many years the identity of "the two unknown Frenchmen" 
mentioned in the Jesuit "refetions," and the extent of their travels in 
the western countr>-, and even the precise date of those travels, have 
been the source of numerous divergent opinions. When the original 
documents were published by the Prince Society, the identity of the 
travellers was, it is true, revealed, but this was followed by an eq^ial di- 
vergence of opinion as to how the documents should be interpreted. The 
writings, while certainly embracing in the main a mass of true records 
of actual travels, are not dated, are often vague and even fictitious, and 
are hence not easily adjusted with other contemporary events nor with 
known geography of the regions through which the travellers passed. 
Mr. Upham's very full and careful study, when considered in connectioti 
with his familiarity with the western country, certainly will command 
the attention and probably the acceptance of historical readers not com- 
mitted to other interpretations. The document itself is the result of 
seven years research as secretary of the Minnesota Historio.n- Society, 
and as a sample of historical research and critical analysis of historical 
evidence is .above criticism. 
Mr. Upham's view is one of several, and has the support of several 
learned historians, but the same may be said of other interpretations of 
this interesting narrative. It may be many years yet before general 
agreement is reached as to the correct understanding of Radisson's 
uncouth journal. n. h. w. 
Preliminary report on the geology and underground water resources of 
the central great plains. N. H. Darton, Professional Paper, No. 32, 
U. S. Geol. Survey, pp. 433, pis. 72, 1905. 
The value and excellence of this document can hardly be overesti- 
mated. It gives enough of the geology to make it simple to the pro- 
fessional geologist, but not enough to make it technically wearisome to 
the non-profes-sionail citizen. It summarizes in a very lucid way, with 
