the next summer, this bark was ready for the voyage, and on the 7th of August, 1679, the surface of Lake Erie was first parted by the keel of civilization. The crew was thirty-four in all-sailors, hunters and soldiers-while father Hennepin was accompanied by several friars of his order.

Our purpose is not to follow this exploring expedition after leaving Lake Erie. The present digression only relates to their adventures from Niagara to Detroit. The voyage to Mackinaw the return of the Griffin loaded with furs, and the wreck of the bark in Lake Erie-La Salle's subsequent wanderings in Illinois among innumerable discouragementshis weary journey to Fort Frontenac on Lake Ontario, traversing the ridge which divides the basin of the Ohio from that of the lakes-his return to the Illinois in 1681, these and subsequent particulars of his heroic adventures and untimely end in the wilderness of Louisiana, belong to general history, and we must resist the temptation to pursue the romantic record.

His companion, Hennepin, has left to us a readable book, which, authentic for our purposes of reference, has been sharply criticised and also lustily defended,2 in respect to its narrative of exploration and discovery in the valley of the Mississippi. With that controversy we have nothing to do. His sketch of Lake Erie, as it was in 1679, is our only concern with the gray-coated Franciscan. We even suppress the inclination to give a personal history of the doughty friar.

We repeat Hennepin's description of Niagara Falls in his own words, preserving also the typography of 1698, the date of the edition in our possession:

"Betwixt the Lake Ontario, and Erie, there is a vast and prodigious Cadence of Water which falls down after a sur

2) Democratic Review, v. 190, 381.

prising and astonishing manner, insomuch that the Universe does not afford its Parallel. 'Tis true Italy and Suedeland boast of some such things; but we may well say they are but sorry Patterns, when compared to this of which we now speak. At the foot of this horrible Prescipice, we meet with the River Niagara, which is not above half a quarter of a League broad, but is wonderfully deep in some places. It is so rapid above this Descent, that it violently hurries down the wild Beasts while endeavoring to pass it to feed on the other side, they not being able to withstand the force of its Current, which inevitably casts them down above Six hundred feet.

"This wonderful Downfall is compounded of two great Cross-streams of Water, and two Falls, with an Isle sloping along the middle of it. The waters which fall from this vast height do foam and boil after the most hideous manner imaginable, making an outrageous noise, more terrible than that of Thunder, for when the Wind blows from off the South, their dismal roaring may be heard above fifteen Leagues off.

"The River Niagara having thrown itself down this incredible Precipice, continues its impetuous course for two Leagues together, to the great Rock above mentioned, with an inexpressible rapidity: But having passed that, its Impetuosity relents, gliding along more gently for two Leagues, till it arrives at the Lake Ontario or Frontenac.

"Any Barque or greater vessel may pass from the Fort to the foot of this huge rock above mentioned. This rock lies to the Westward, and is cut off from the Land by the River Niagara, about two Leagues farther down than the great Fall; for which two Leagues the people are oblig❜d to carry their Goods over-land; but the way is very good and

the Trees are but few and they chiefly Firr and Oaks. From the great Fall unto this Rock, which is to the West of the River, the two Brinks of it are so prodigious high, that it would make one tremble to look steadily upon the Water, rolling along with a Rapidity not to be imagined. Were it not for this vast Cataract, which interrupts Navigation, they might sail with Barks or greater Vessels, above Four hundred and fifty Leagues farther, cross the Lake of the Hurons, and up to the farther end of the Lake Illinois; which two Lakes we may well say are little Seas of fresh Water."

A chapter in Hennepin's Discoveries is devoted to Lake Erie, which is written with an accent on the last letter, and appears to have been pronounced in three syllables. He says the lake is called Erie Tejocharontiong, and "extends itself from east to west, a hundred and forty leagues in length. But (he boastfully adds) no European has ever surveyed it at all; only I, and those who accompanied me in this discovery, have viewed the greater part of it. This lake encloses on its southern bank a tract of land as large as the Kingdom of France. It divides itself at a certain place into two channels, because of a great island enclosed betwixt them." In the narrative of the Griffin's "Trial Trip," some further particulars are given of Lake Erie :

"On the 7th of August, 1679, we went on board,3 and sailed from the mouth of Lake Erie, steering our course west-south-west with a favorable wind; and though the enemies of our Discovery had given out, on purpose to deter us from our enterprise, that the Lake Erie was full of rocks and sands, which rendered the navigation impracticable, we run above twenty leagues during the night, though we

3) The typography of 1698 is conformed to the present usage.

sounded all that while. The next day, the wind being more favorable, we made above five and forty leagues, keeping at an equal distance from the banks of the lake, and doubled a cape to the westward, which we called the Cape of St. Francis. The next day we doubled two other capes, and met with no manner of rocks or sands. We discovered a pretty large island towards the southwest, about seven or eight leagues from the northern coast; that island faces the strait that comes from the Lake Huron.

"The 10th, very early in the morning, we passed between that island and seven or eight lesser ones; and having sailed near another, which is nothing but sand, to the west of the lake, we came to an anchor at the mouth of the strait, which runs from the Lake Huron into that of Erie. The 11th, we went farther into the strait, and passed between two small islands, which make one of the finest prospects in the world. This strait is finer than that of Niagara, being thirty leagues long and everywhere one league broad, except in the middle, which is wider, forming the lake we have called St. Clair. The navigation is easy on both sides, the coast being low and even. It runs directly from north to south.

"The country between those two lakes is very well situated, and the soil very fertile. The banks of the strait are vast meadows, and the prospect is terminated by some hills covered with vineyards. Trees bearing good fruit, groves and forests so well disposed that one would think nature alone could not have made, without the help of art, so charming a prospect. That country is stocked with stags, wild goats and bears, which are good for food, and not fierce as in other countries: some think they are better than our pork. Turkey cocks and swans are there also very common; and our men brought several other beasts and birds, whose names are

unknown to us, but they are extraordinary relishing. The forests are chiefly made up of walnut trees, chestnut trees, plum trees, and pear trees, loaded with their own fruit and vines. There is also abundance of timber fit for building; so that those who shall be so happy as to inhabit that noble country, cannot but remember with gratitude those who have discovered the way, by venturing to sail upon an unknown lake for above one hundred leagues. That charming strait lies between forty and forty-one degrees of northern latitude."

La Salle visited the Hurons, "who inhabited the Point of Missilimakinak," and the "Outtaouatz," or Ottawas, who were three or four leagues more northward, who are described as "in confederacy together against the Iroquese, their common enemy. They sow Indian corn, which is their ordinary food; for they have nothing else to live upon, except some fish they take in the lakes." Of the latter, the Indians "brought abundance of whitings and some trouts of 50 and 60 pound weight."

Late in 1680, Father Hennepin returned from his explorations of the valley of the Mississippi and the upper lakes, and passed the winter of 1681 at Michillimacinac, in company with Father Pierson, a Jesuit, whom he found with the Indians. We quote again:

"During the winter, we broke holes in the ice of Lake Huron, and by means of several large stones, sunk our nets sometimes twenty, sometimes twenty-five fathom under water, to catch fish, which we did in great abundance. We took salmon trouts which often weighed from forty to fifty pounds. These made our Indian wheat go down the better, which was our ordinary diet. Our beverage was nothing but broth made of whiteings, which we drank hot, because as it cools it turns to jelly, as if it had been made of veal.