people came to Cahokia, we naturally turn our faces toward that wonderful land as the only source, seemingly, from which they could have sprung. That there should have been evolved out of their long absence from the southwest a great deal peculiar to this section is characteristic.

The builders of Cahokia are gone. The fire which burned through the watches of the night is dead, and the four winds have scattered its ashes. But the temple! Their temple is still there-wonderful, hoary, beautiful to see. What shall we do with their temple?

ROUTE OF COLONEL GEORGE ROGERS CLARK AND HIS ARMY FROM KASKASKIA TO VINCENNES,

1779.*

By F. M. Woolard.

In the summer of 1888 I received from the late Dr. Lyman C. Draper, at that time in charge of the Wisconsin state historical library, a letter, stating that he had learned from a member of the Filson Club, at Louisville, Kentucky, that I entertained views widely differing from those generally accepted concerning the "route" traveled by Colonel George Rogers Clark and his army from Kaskaskia to Vincennes in 1779. He very pertinently inquired my reasons for so thinking, why and how long I had entertained such notions, and several other questions that almost staggered me by the directness of the assault. After recovering to some extent from my embarrassment, I informed him that I had entertained serious doubts concerning Clark's having chosen and traveled by way of the old "Vincennes Trace," at my first reading an account of that expedition, when quite young; and that doubts had grown with increasing strength, the more I thought and learned concerning the subject or became more familiar with it. At the time Doctor Draper made these inquiries, I had not seen a copy of "Bowman's Journal," and was, in consequence, without the light which that work cast upon the subject in question. I stated to him also that it would seem preposterous, and little less than impertinent, for an ordinary individual to call in question the statements which had so long been recognized and followed by the many prominent and able authors who had written upon this subject. Among the first articles which I read upon Clark's conquest of the northwest territory were newspaper sketches by Dr. John M. Peck; and later, Governor Reynolds' "Pro neer History of Illinois," both incidentally asserting without comment that Clark's route was over the "Vincennes Trace." As nearly seventy years had elapsed since that wonderful conquest was accomplished before these worthy gentlemen published their accounts of the event, I was strengthened in the belief that they must have easily taken it for granted—and in a matter of course sort of way, without further investigation that the "Trace," the only recognized highway across the country, had been openly followed by the little army of invaders. Well knowing, and holding both of these worthy gentlemen in the

The final settlement of the question raised by this paper can be attained only by a thorough sifting of the mass of evidence collected by the late Lyman C. Draper of the Wisconsin Historical Society.

highest esteem and believing them conscientious in what they had published, I was still forced to the conclusion that, in the absence of direct information on the subject, that they had naturally and easily "assumed" that the "Trace" route had been taken. This conclusion may appear strange, but I feel that this statement is due to their memory under the light now in hand. It may be contended that as Reynolds came to this country when a lad, in 1800, and Dr. Peck about twenty years later, that they must have known some of Clark's soldiers who settled in the vincinity after the war. This is more than probable, but it is not so probable that they ever especially catechised or interrogated these veterans concerning what particular "route" they had taken on their way to Vincennes, when the more striking and master events in that contest would be uppermost in each and every consultation. Their conclusion was natural enough, had there been no good and sufficient reasons for doubting its accuracy. After twothirds of a century and more than two successive generations have passed away, it may safely be regarded as somewhat late to conclude that the "Trace" had been followed by Clark, because that was the only route regarded as practical by civilians in times of flooded streams. Evidently at the time of such publication the mere question of the "route" had not been seriously considered, or probably discussed, as that was of minor interest among the stirring events of the campaign; and the heroic participants had all answered the last call of the "long roll," ever to be honored as active factors in one of the most momentous events of our country's history.

None were left to speak for themselves, and in a controversy over the route they may have traveled, one assumption may justly weigh as heavily in the balance as an opposing one; leaving circumstances, conditions, probabilities, the leaders, with their make-up and precedents, and such other light as may be gleaned from limited current records to be cast into the scales, to determine, as far as possible, which one of the contentions must probably be correct. While we may lose out in our contentions, from lack of ability to present its facts in proper form, we have not a single doubt concerning its truth. Not until long after means of securing positive evidence had passed, was the world suddenly confronted by what some may regard as an assumption, supported only by assertion, without comment, or traditional standing, so far as now known; over which circumstances, environments, existing conditions and grave probabilities cast, at least, a shadow. The "assumption" has seemingly enthroned itself within its citadel, claiming title by a prolonged, but tolerated possession of the field-the "nine points in law"-where it may hurl defiance at assailants, who must, of necessity, contend at a disadvantage and fight from an open plain. While a flat denial for counter-assumption, at best, may not quite serve to balance the scale, the cloud yet remains. Evidences must be searched out from such meager sources as may be even slightly available, still leaving the cloud hanging over the balances. Depositions must be secured from the make-up, character, habits, talents, sagacity and experiences of participants; and circumstances