SECONDARY AUTHORITIES.
Charlevoix’s “Histoire et Description générale de la Nouvelle France,” Paris, 1744, is the first historical work of value to treat of the early explorations. Charlevoix was familiar with the country traversed by Marquette and La Salle, having, in 1721, followed the latter’s route to the Mississippi. Shea published at New York, in 1866–67, an English translation of this work, and in the notes which he added, embodied the results of his extensive studies upon the early history of America, showing the latest knowledge possessed of the first travellers.
In 1844 Sparks issued his “Life of La Salle,” for the materials of which he depended upon the printed narratives of Hennepin, Joutel, Tonty, and the recitals in Le Clercq’s “Premier Établissement,” etc., being unable to obtain any of the MSS. which are now accessible. Sparks’ “Life of Marquette” appeared in 1845, and soon after Falconer’s work “On the Discovery of the Mississippi,” which contained translations of important MSS., was published at London.
In 1853, Shea’s valuable “Discovery and Exploration of the Mississippi” was brought out at New York.[132] The contents of this work have been perhaps sufficiently indicated in the notices of contemporary journals, which are reproduced in it. In 1860 Thomassy published “Géologie pratique de la Louisiane,” in which he presented some important inedited documents. This writer contemplated writing a history of La Salle’s exploits from the MSS. in the French archives, and, as a preliminary, issued in separate form the documents which he had collected, under the title, “De La Salle et ses relations inédites,” Paris, 1860. In 1869 Parkman published the first edition of his “Discovery of the Great West,” forming the third volume of the series of historical narratives upon “France and England in North America.” In the latest edition, published in 1879, the title was changed to “La Salle and the Discovery of the Great West.” In the writing of the later edition the author had the use of additional documentary material, since printed by Margry, which caused a revision of some portion of the work. Gravier’s “Découvertes [etc.] de La Salle,” Paris, 1870, and the supplementary monograph published by him in 1871, add little that is not in Parkman’s work. The later publication corrects some errors and deficiencies in the first. Dr. Shea’s contributions to the history of the first explorations of the West, beside his “Discovery of the Mississippi,” New York, 1853, consist mainly of notes to the many important original narratives which he has edited, notably those of Hennepin, Le Clercq, and Charlevoix.
The following works contain among the first travellers, accounts of the country traversed by Marquette, Hennepin, and La Salle:
La Hontan, who travelled in 1689 and subsequent years, wrote “Nouveaux Voyages,” Paris, 1703. This work passed through several editions. Although adventures related by La Hontan are in many cases imaginary, yet, says Parkman, he “had seen much, and portions of his story have a substantial value.” J. Gravier, in 1700, went from the Illinois country to D’Iberville’s colony in Louisiana. See “Relation de Voyage en 1700 depuis le Ilinois jusqu’à l’embouchure du Mississipi,” New York, 1859 (Shea’s Cramoisy Press). The “Relation de la Mississipi en 1700, par MM. de Montigny, De St. Cosme et Thaumur de la Source,” New York, 1861 (Shea’s Cramoisy Press), narrates the experiences of a party of the missionaries under the guidance of Tonty. An extract from Gravier is given in French’s Historical Collections, second series, pp. 79–93. St. Cosme’s and Gravier’s narratives are also included in Shea’s collection of “Early Voyages up and down the Mississippi,” Albany, 1861, where also may be found Le Seuer’s journal of a voyage from Louisiana to the Sioux country in 1699–1700. An extract from Le Seuer is given in La Harpe’s “Journal Historique,” Paris, 1831, and in French’s Historical Collections, pt. 3. A journal by Pénicaut, who accompanied Le Seuer, is included in his “Annals of Louisiana, from 1698 to 1722,” in French’s Historical Collections, new series, pp. 33–162, New York, 1869. The memoirs of D’Iberville’s expedition to the Mississippi, in 1699–1700, contain descriptions of the lower Mississippi and throw light upon La Salle’s movements in that region. The principal documents concerning D’Iberville’s enterprises are printed in the fourth volume of Margry. A brief report by D’Iberville of his voyage on the Mississippi in 1699, is printed in French’s Historical Collection, second series, pp. 19–31. An anonymous narrative entitled, “Historical Journal; or, Narrative of the Expedition under D’Iberville, to explore the Colbert (Mississippi) River, 1698–99,” is published in French’s Historical Collection, second series, pp. 29–119. Both of these papers are included in Margry’s collection, volume iv. Sauvole was a member of D’Iberville’s company; see his “Journal Historique” in French’s Historical Collections, pt. 3, pp. 223–240.
Father Marest’s letter on his mission at the Illinois, dated 1712, published in the “Lettres édifiantes,” vol. ii., and reprinted in Kip’s “Early Jesuit Missions,” pp. 191–227, New York, 1846, describes the scenes of his labors.
In 1721, Charlevoix, the historian, made a journey from Canada across the lakes to the Illinois, and thence down the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico. He was requested by the King of France, to write an account of his travels. The descriptions of the country published in vol. iii. of his “Histoire et Description générale de la Nouvelle France,” Paris, 1744, afford perhaps the best views of the primitive West which we have.
The English editions of his travels are entitled “Journal of a Voyage to North America,” London, 1761, and “Letters to the Duchess of Lesdiguières,” London, 1763. See also French’s Historical Collection, pt. 3, pp. 119–196, where his journal is reprinted from the English editions.
On reaching the subject of Maps, we find that Harrisse’s Notes sur-la Nouvelle France contains a section upon the “Cartographie de la Nouvelle France, depuis la découverte jusqu’en 1700,” which affords an extensive list of published and inedited maps.
Parkman gives a descriptive account of “Early unpublished maps of the Mississippi and the great lakes,” in the appendix to his “Discovery of the Great West.” Thomassy’s “Géol. pr. de la Louisiane,” has an appendix upon the “Cartographie de la ancienne Louisiane, 1544–1858.” Baldwin’s “Early maps of Ohio and the West,” Cleveland, 1875, and Peet’s article, “The discovery of the Ohio, Early maps,” in Amer. Antiquarian, vol. I., pp. 21–35, Cleveland, 1878, are useful studies of some early maps in the possession of Western historical societies. Hurlbut’s “Chicago Antiquities,” Chicago, 1881, contains a chapter upon the first maps representing that place.
The following printed works contain some of the more important edited maps, bearing date in the original previous to 1700: Champlain’s “Voyages,” Paris, 1632, is accompanied by a map upon which Lake Superior is shown, and a “grande rivière qui vient du midy” is represented as flowing into the lake from the south. This map, which is reproduced in the later editions of Champlain, is of little value in a geographical sense for the western country. A map of “Nouvelle France,” showing the great lakes, is in Sanson d’Abbeville’s “L’Amérique en plusieurs cartes,” Paris, 1656. Du Creux’s “Historia Canadensis.” Parisiis, 1664, contains a map dated 1660, which shows the outlines of the great lakes. Bressani’s “Relation abrégée de quelques missions dans la Nouvelle France,” Montreal, 1852, contains a reproduction. Dollier and Gallinée’s map of 1670, showing their course in travelling to Ste. Marie, is reproduced in Faillon’s Historic de la col. fr., vol. iii., p. 305 (see Parkman’s La Salle, p. 449, for description); Claude Dablon’s “Relation de la Nouvelle France, 1670–1671,” Paris, 1672, contains a map made about 1670 (see Parkman, p. 450); a reproduction is published in Foster and Whitney’s “Report on the Geology of Lake Superior,” Washington, 1850; Marquette’s map of 1674 accompanies the various editions of his narrative. The map in Thevenot’s “Recueil” is by Liebaux, and not by Marquette. Gravier’s Étude sur une carte inconnue” contains a fac-simile of a map by Joliet, probably in 1674. This map is the first published map showing the great lakes in connection with the Mississippi.
Shea’s edition of Dablon’s “Relation de la Nouvelle France, 1673 à 1679,” New York, 1860, has a reproduction of a map made by the Jesuits in 1673, showing the missions upon Lake Michigan. Hennepin’s “Description de la Louisiane,” Paris, 1683, contains a map made upon data by Hennepin. The later editions of this work are also accompanied by a map. Parkman gives a reproduction of the portion of Franqulin’s famous map, which shows La Salle’s colony on the Illinois, and that portion showing the lower part of the Mississippi is reproduced in Thomassy’s “Géologie de la Louisiane.” A map made by Minet, the engineer of La Salle’s last expedition, which gives two separate views of the mouth of the Mississippi, is given in a reduced size in Gravier’s “La Salle,” and in Thomassy’s “Géologie de la Louisiane.” Le Clercq’s “Premier établissement de la foy,” Paris, 1691; Hennepin’s “Nouvelle découverte,” and “Nouveau Voyage;” La Hontan’s “Nouveaux Voyages dans l’Amérique,” La Haye, 1703; Coxe’s “Description of Carolana,” London, 1742, and Charlevoix’s “Histoire de la Nouvelle France,” Paris, 1744, are accompanied by maps made nearly contemporaneously with the publication of the works in question. A facsimile De Lisle’s map of 1700, which indicates the course of the early explorers, is in Gravier’s “La Salle” and in French’s Collections, pt. 2. A map by Joutel, dated 1713, accompanies the printed editions of his journal. Margry’s “Découvertes et établissements des Français,” when completed, will include a volume devoted to maps now inedited. The third volume of this collection contains an outline sketch, representing La Salle’s discoveries. A modern map, representing countries traversed by Marquette, Hennepin, and La Salle, is given in Parkman’s “La Salle.”
We next give a list of publications which treat of the explorations of the Mississippi valley, arranged in chronological order. Works which have been cited under different headings of this article are, in most cases, not included in this enumeration.
La Hontan, “Nouveaux voyages dans l’Amérique Septentrionale,” Paris, 1703. This work passed through several editions. Bacqueville de la Potherie, “Histoire de l’Amérique Septentrionale,” Paris, 1722. Editions were also published in 1723 and 1753. Has some account of La Salle’s travels in 1682. Barcia, “Ensayo cronologico para la Historia General de Florida,” Madrid, 1723. The author relied upon the memoirs of Marquette, Joutel, and Tonty for the portion of his work relating to the French explorations. Lafitau, “Mœurs des Sauvages Amériquains,” Paris, 1724. Coxe, “Description of the English province of Carolana, by the Spaniards called Florida; by the French, La Louisiane,” London, 1742. The author disparages the French discoveries, and urges the English right to the country. Dumont, “Mémoire sur la Louisiane, contenant ce qui y est arrivé de plus rémarquable depuis 1687 jusqu’à present,” Paris, 1753, 2 vols. Bellin, “Remarques sur la carte de l’Amérique Septentrionale, comprise entre le 28e et le 72e degré de latitude,” Paris, 1755, gives some account of La Salle’s establishments. Le Page du Pratz, “Histoire de la Louisiane,” Paris, 1758, 3 vols.; English translations were published in 1763 and 1774. Gayarré “Essai historique sur la Louisiane,” Nouvelle Orléans, 1830, 2 vols.; La Harpe, “Journal historique de l’établissement des Français à la Louisiane,” Paris, 1831. This work is reproduced in French’s Historical Collections, vol. iii. Conover, “Oration on the History of the First Discovery and Settlement of the New World, with especial reference to the Mississippi Valley,” Cincinnati, 1835. Perkins, “Early French Travellers in the West,” in North American Review, vol. xlviii., pp. 63–108. A review of Spark’s “La Salle” and “Marquette.” Colt, “The Devil’s Hole, with an account of a visit made to it by La Salle,” Lockport, N. Y., 44 pp., the third edition appeared in 1851. Gayarré, “Histoire de la Louisiane,” Nouvelle Orléans, 1846–47. Guérin, “Les navigateurs Français,” Paris, 1846. Bradford, “Notes on the Northwest,” New York, 1846. Kip, “Early Jesuit Missions in North America,” New York, 1846, contains letters by missionaries giving descriptions of the newly discovered country. Monette, “History of the Discovery and Settlement of the Mississippi,” New York, 1846. Gayarré, “Romance of the History of Louisiana,” New York, 1848. Foster and Whitney, “Report on the Geology and Topography of a Portion of the Lake Superior Land District,” Washington, 1850–51, 2 vols., contains an account of the first Jesuit missions on Lake Superior. Gayarré, “Louisiana: its Colonial History,” New York, 1851, and “Louisiana and its History as a French Colony,” New York, 1852. Hart, “History of the Discovery of the Valley of the Mississippi,” St. Louis, 1852; “History of the Valley of the Mississippi,” New York, 1853. Gayarré, “History of Louisiana,” New York, 1854. W. R. Smith, “History of Wisconsin,” Madison, 1854; only volumes one and three were published of this valuable work; volume three contains translations of the Jesuit relations, which describe the operations of the Jesuits in Wisconsin territory. Shea, “History of the Catholic Missions among the Indian Tribes of the United States, 1529–1854,” New York, 1855. E. D. Neill, “Materials for the future History of Minnesota,” St. Paul, 1856, also in the “Annals of Minnesota,” 1856, and reprinted in Minnesota Historical Society Collection, vol. i. Law, “Jesuit Missions in the Northwest,” in the Wisconsin Historical Society Collections, vol. iii., pp. 89–111, 118–121, Madison, 1857. The author of this article makes the erroneous statement that missionaries had reached the Mississippi several years before Marquette’s visit. Shea disproves this in an article entitled “Justice to Marquette,” in pp. 111–117 of the same volume of the Wisconsin collections. Shea, “Indian Tribes of Wisconsin,” in the Wisconsin Historical Society Collections, vol. iii., pp. 125–128. Ferland, “Cours d’Histoire du Canada, 1534–1759,” Québec, 1859. This author is highly esteemed as an historical writer. Shea, “Early Voyages Up and Down the Mississippi,” Albany, 1861. Ferland, “Notes sur les régistres de Notre Dame de Québec,” Québec, 1863. Neill, “Early French Forts and Footprints in the Valley of the Upper Mississippi,” in Minnesota Historical Society Collections, 1864, pp. 9–20. Faillon, “Histoire de la Colonie française en Canada,” Villemarie [Montreal], 1865, 3 vols.; this work comes down only to 1671, but is of value for period covered.
French, “Biographical Sketch of La Salle,” in Historical Collections of Louisiana, new series, pp. 4–7, New York, 1869. Gallaud, “Mississippi: a Brief History of its Discovery,” in “Annals of Iowa,” vol. vii., pp. 194–201, Davenport, 1869. Van Fleet, “Old and New Mackinac; with copious extracts from Marquette, Hennepin, La Hontan, and others,” Ann Arbor, 1870; Brodhead, “History of New York,” New York, 1871; the author gives briefly the latest knowledge upon the first explorations. The Revue Maritime et Coloniale, Paris, 1872, contains controversial articles by Harrisse and Margry, both with the title “Histoire critique de la découverte du Mississippi.” Harrisse, “Notes pour servir à l’Histoire [etc.] de la Nouvelle France, 1545–72,” Paris, 1872. In addition to the bibliographical matter in this work there is a brief historical summary of the early explorations. Neill, “French Voyageurs to Minnesota,” in the Annals of Minnesota, 1850, pp. 10–28, reprinted in Minnesota Historical Society Collections, vol. i., pp-17–36. Durrie, “Early Outposts of Wisconsin,” Madison, 1873, contains notices of the visits of Perrot, Alloüez, Marquette, and others. “Laval université, Québec, 200e anniversaire de la découverte du Mississipi par Joliet et le P. Marquette, Soirée littéraire et musicale, 17 Juin, 1873,” Québec, 1873, 54 pp., contains a discourse by the Abbé Verreau. Parry, “Historical Address on the Early Exploration of the Mississippi Valley,” Davenport, Iowa, 1873, 36 pp. Salter, “Address commemorative of the 200th Anniversary of the Discovery of Iowa by Marquette and Joliet,” in the “Annals of Iowa,” vol. ii., pp. 501–515. Shea, “Address on Discovery of the Mississippi, read on the bi-centennial of said Discovery, June 17, 1873,” published in Wisconsin Historical Society Collections, vol. vii., pp. 111–122. Marshall, “The First Visit of La Salle to the Senecas in 1669,” Buffalo, 1874, 45 pp. Baldwin, “Early maps of Ohio and the West,” Cleveland, 1875, 25 pp.; this forms one of the Western Reserve Historical Society tracts. French, “Biographical Sketch of L. Joliet,” in his Historical Collections, second series, pp. 139, 140.
“Memoir sent by the King to M. Denonville, explanatory of the French Possessions in North America,” in French’s Historical Collections, second series, pp. 123–142. This document briefly recapitulates the French discoveries. Baldwin, “Margry Papers, vol. ii.,” in Western Reserve Historical Society tracts. United States Annual Report of the Chief of Engineers, Washington, 1876. Volume iii. of this report contains an extract from Marquette’s journal, and a reduced reproduction of his map. Gravier, “La route du Mississipi,” in the compte-rendu of the second session of the Congrès des Américanistes, 1877, vol. i., pp. 237–312. Whittlesey, “Discovery of the Ohio River by La Salle,” 1669–70, one of the Western Reserve Historical Society tracts.
Hurlbut, “Father Marquette at Mackinaw and Chicago,” Chicago, 1878. Jacker, “La Salle and the Jesuits,” in American Catholic Quarterly Review, vol. iii., pp. 404–426, Philadelphia, 1878. Peet, “Discovery of the Ohio,” in American Antiquarian, vol. i., pp. 21–35. Shea, “Address before the Missouri Historical Society at the celebration of the 250th anniversary of Marquette’s Voyage, July 20, 1878; same. “Romance and Reality of the Death of Marquette, and the recent Discovery of his Remains,” in Catholic World, vol. ii., pp. 267–281.
C. C. Baldwin, “Indian Migration in Ohio,” Western Reserve Historical Society tract No. 47; also in American Antiquarian, April, 1879. M. F. Force, “Some Early Notices of the Indians of Ohio,” Cincinnati, 1879. Margry, “Was La Salle the Discoverer of the Mississippi,” in American Antiquarian, vol. ii., pp. 206–209, Chicago, 1879–81. O. H. Marshall, “Building and Voyage of the Griffon in 1679,” Buffalo, 1879. Blanchard, “Discovery and Conquests of the Northwest,” Chicago, 1880; gives a brief account of Joliet’s and La Salle’s voyages.
Brucker, “J. Marquette et la découverte de la vallée du Mississipi,” Lyon, 1880. Thoulet “Cavelier de La Salle et la découverte du Mississipi, d’après l’ouvrage de M. Margry,” in Bulletin de la Société de la Géographie, 6e série, tome xx., pp. 435–454, 534–556, Paris, 1880. Hurlbut’s “Chicago Antiquities,” Chicago, 1881, contains translations from the journals of Marquette, Hennepin, La Salle, and of other travellers, which relate the incidents of visits made to the site of the present city. Neill, “Minnesota Explorers and Pioneers from 1659 to 1858,” Minneapolis, 1881. J. Fiske, “Romance of the Spanish and French Explorers,” in Harper’s Magazine, February, 1882. An article by the editor in The Magazine of American History, March, 1882. Gravier’s “Sketch of La Salle,” in same magazine, May, 1882. Hurlbut, “Review of Gravier’s Article,” in same for September, 1882. Butler, “First French Foot-prints beyond the Lakes” [Madison, 1882], closes the list of the writings up to the present time. It has not been thought necessary to include general histories of the United States, such as Bancroft’s and Hildreth’s, and others.
Bibliography.—The principal bibliographical works used in the compilation of this note are Boimare’s “Notes bibliographiques et raisonnés sur les principaux ouvrages publiès sur la Floride et l’ancienne Louisiane” [Paris, 1855]; Faribault’s “Catalogue d’ouvrages sur l’histoire de l’Amérique,” Québec, 1837; “Field’s Essay toward an Indian Bibliography,” New York, 1875, and Harrisse’s “Notes pour servir à l’historie, la bibliographic [etc.] de la Nouvelle France,” Paris, 1872. O’Callaghan’s “Jesuit Relations of Discoveries in Canada, 1632–1672,” New York, 1847, has been used for the titles of the Jesuit reports.
The references in Parkman’s “La Salle” have indicated many authorities, and the author’s characterizations have been helpful. Gravier’s “La Salle,” Paris, 1871, contains a list of eighty-nine articles upon La Salle. The compiler of this article was unable to examine a copy until after completion of the list. The essential works in it were found to have been noted. Sabin’s “Bibliography” is indispensable in verifying titles.
APPLETON P. C. GRIFFIN