51. Among those devoted men, there was no one of a more loving and heroic spirit than Marquette (mar-ket'). For five years he labored in the cold region near the outlet

of Lake Michigan, during which time he learned to speak 51. Who was Marquette ? What did he say of himself and Joliet ? Give an account of his expedition as far as the Mississippi.

with ease five Indian languages.

Then, accompanied by a few Frenchmen and Indians, the most noted of his countrymen being Joliet, he departed on a long expedition. Said he: "My companion, Joliet,

is an envoy of France to discover new countries, and I am an embassador from God to enlighten them with the Gospel." In two canoes the party paddled out of the Straits of Mackinaw, along the northern and western shores of Lake Michigan, and up a river to an Indian village. Then they dragged their canoes up rapids, carried them over prairie and marsh, and launched them on the Wisconsin. Down that tranquil stream they glided till they entered the Great River, the Mississippi, "with a joy," wrote Marquette, "that could not be expressed" (1673).

LA SALLE.

52. With sails raised, they floated down the Great River into which De Soto's body had been sunk a hundred and thirty years before. At various places they stopped long enough to confer with Indian tribes. After sailing about seven hundred miles, and satisfying themselves that "The Father of Rivers" went not to the ocean on the east nor to the ocean on the west, they turned about to seek their start

* "Mackinaw, where they now rested, was indeed a bleak spot. It was a point of land almost encompassed by wind-tossed lakes, icy as Siberian waters. Father Marquette's first care was to raise a chapel. Rude and unshapely was this first sylvan shrine raised by Catholicity. Its sides of logs, its roof of bark, had nothing to win by a dazzling exterior the wayward child of the forest. All was as simple as the faith the devoted father taught."Shea's Discovery and Exploration of the Mississippi Valley.

52. Give an account of the rest of his expedition, his death and burial.

ing place. Only a few months more remained to Marquette. Worn out by disease and care, he gently passed away, and, on the bank of the little stream that bears his name, the canoe men dug his grave.

La Salle

53. A worthy successor of Marquette, also a Frenchman, though not a missionary, was the Cavalier de la Salle (sal). He was a man of many projects, by which he hoped to gain fame and fortune. He wanted France to occupy the lands of North America With a party

and

what he did.

before Spain or any other power could do so. of about fifty persons, Frenchmen and Indians, he descended

the Mississippi, and, on a spot of dry ground near its mouth, erected a cross and a column. Then, amid joyous shouts and musket volleys, he claimed for France all the valley of the

53. Who was La Salle?

When was that?

What explorations did he make? How did Louisiana get Into what water does the Mississippi flow? 54. Give an account of La Salle's further efforts, and his death.

its name?

Great River, bestowing upon it the name of Louisiana, in honor of his king, Louis XIV. (1682).

54. Returning to France, he was welcomed with high honors. To the king he submitted a project for a fort and colony near the mouth of the Mississippi, which met with hearty favor. In a fleet of four ships, about three hundred persons departed, La Salle being of the number. The commander, conceited and obstinate, would not do as La Salle advised. By mistake he passed the mouth of the Mississippi, and refusing to go back, compelled his passengers to land in Texas. The resolute La Salle undertook to find the river by going through the wilderness, but, while engaged in this heroic task, was treacherously shot by the individual in his party to whom he had shown the most favors (1687).

REVIEW OUTLINE.

55. The discovery of America by Columbus started all western Europe into a blaze of excitement. The new lands, it was believed, were outlying islands of the rich region of India. Men and governments coveted the vast treasures of gold that were supposed to be hidden in their soil. Everybody wanted to go to the mystic region. In expeditions to discover, explore, and conquer the new lands, Spain took the lead, though English ships, commanded by the Cabots, were quick to follow Columbus, and to be the first to reach the main land of North America, and to explore a long stretch of its eastern coast (1497–8).

56. The first European to reach South America was Columbus (1498): the second was Amerigo Vespucci (1499), from whom the continent derives its name. The fountain-seeker, De Leon, was the first after the Cabots to reach North America (1513), the same year in which the goldseeker, Balboa, looked upon the Pacific Ocean, and seven years before the first European ship sailed upon those waters. Spain and Portugal were meanwhile taking possession of the eastern part of South America and of Central America. Pizarro, Spain's most cruel conqueror, who could neither read nor write, made his way to the western part of South America, and there, in Peru, robbed the natives of their country and their gold (1524–38). Also, meanwhile, Spain's one-eyed conqueror, Cortes, reduced

the Mexicans to submission, compelled them to give up their gold, and made his king the richest monarch in Europe (1521-35).

57. From Mexico, Cortes sent expeditions by sea and by land. In an expedition led by himself, the peninsula of California was reached (1535). Other Spaniards, Coronado and Cabrillo among them, penetrated the region as far north as Kansas, and explored the Pacific coast to Oregon (1537-43). While these explorations were in progress, De Soto and his band of Spaniards were performing their celebrated march in search of gold. The region through which they wandered, north of the Gulf of Mexico, was then known as Florida. Before Drake started on his plundering expedition (1577), Spanish ships had been along the coast to the northern limits of Oregon.

58. During the reign of Queen Elizabeth (1558-1603), English ships, known as freebooters, plundered Spanish ships and Spanish towns. The first of these lawless rovers to sail to the Pacific was commanded by that greatest naval captain of the age, Francis Drake (1578). England and Spain were then at peace with each other, but that fact did not have a feather's weight of influence with Drake. In 1579 he landed on the California shore, and called the country New Albion.

59. Meanwhile the Huguenots were trying to get a foothold in Carolina and Florida, and other Frenchmen were taking possession of the Nova Scotia and St. Lawrence regions. England was tardy about sending colonies to the New World. The French displayed more activity in their inland explorations than in their ocean ventures. Their distinguished missionary, Marquette, sailed many miles on the Mississippi (1673); and their heroic La Salle made an extensive exploration of the river, and near its mouth planted the standard of France (1682).

English Kings. French Kings.

1492. America was discovered by Columbus. Henry VII. Charles VIII. 1497. The Cabots, for England, discovered

North America, and, next year, Se

bastian Cabot explored a large part

of its eastern coast.

66

1513. De Leon, for Spain, discovered Florida. Henry VIII. Louis XII. 1513. Balboa, for Spain, discovered the Pa

cific Ocean.

1541. De Soto, for Spain, discovered the Mississippi River.

1609. Hudson, for the Dutch, discovered the Hudson River (see page 60).

(For Tabulated Review see end of the History.)