This is Marquette's journal of his second voyage to the Illinois
tribes a journey with a pathetic ending, for he dies on the way,
while striving to reach Mackinac. Departing from De Pere, on October
25, 1674, accompanied by two Frenchmen, he enters the waters of
Lake Michigan via the portage at Sturgeon Bay. Now begins a long
and tedious voyage, so interrupted by storms and severe cold that
it a not until December 4 that the party reaches the Chicago River
My Reverend Father: Pax Christi
Having been compelled to remain at St. Francois throughout the
summer on account of an ailment of which I was cured in the
month of September, I waited there the return of our people
from down
below, in order to learn what I was to do with regard to my
wintering. They brought me orders to proceed to the mission
of La Conception
among the Illinois. After complying with Your Reverence's request
for copies of my journal concerning the Missisipi River, I
departed with Pierre Porteret and Jacque, on the 25th of October,
1674,
about noon. The wind compelled us to pass the night at the
outlet of the river, where the Poutewatanus were assembling;
for the
elders would not allow them to go in the direction of the Ilinois,
lest the young men, after collecting robes with the goods that
they brought from below, and after hunting beaver, might seek
to go down in the spring; because they have reason to fear
the Nadouessi.
[26th of October] On passing the village, we found only two
cabins of savages, who were going to spend the winter at
La Gasparde.
We learned that 5 canoes of Poutewatamis, and 4 of Ilinois,
bad started to go to the Kaskaskia.
[27th] We were delayed in the morning by rain; in the afternoon,
we had fine, calm weather, so that at Sturgeon Bay we joined
the savages, who traveled ahead of us.
[28th] We reached the portage. A canoe that had gone ahead
prevented us from killing any game. We began our portage
and slept on the
other shore, where the stormy weather gave us much trouble.
Pierre did not arrive until an hour after dark, having
lost his way
on a path where he had never been. After the rain and thunder,
snow
fell.
[29th] Being compelled to change our camping ground, We continue
to carry our packs. The portage covers nearly a league,
and is very difficult in many places. The Ilinois assemble
in
the evening
in our cabin, and ask us not to leave them, as we tray
need them, and they know the lake better than we do. We promise
them this.
[30th[ The Ilinois women complete our portage in the morning.
We are delayed by the wind. There are no animals.
]31st] We start, with tolerably fair weather, and sleep
at a small river. The road by land from Sturgeon Bay
is very
difficult. Last
autumn, we were traveling not far from it when we entered
the forest.
[November 1st] After I said I loly Mass, we came for
the night to a river, whence one goes to the Poutewatamis
by
a good road.
Chachagwessiou, an llinois greatly esteemed among
his nation, partly because he engages in the fur trade,
arrived at
night with a deer
on his back, of which he gave us a share.
[2nd] After Holy Mass, we travel all day in very
fine weather. We kill two cats, which are almost
nothing
but fat.
[3rd] While I am ashore, walking on fine sand the
whole water's edge being covered with grass similar
to that
which is hauled
up by the nets at St. Ignace, 1 come to a river
which 1 am unable to cross. Our people enter
it, in order
to take
me
on board;
but
we are unable to go out, on account of the waves.
All the other canoes go on, excepting one, which
came with
us.
[4th] We are delayed. There seems to be an island
out in the lake, for the game go there at night.
[5th] We had considerable difficulty in getting
out of the river at noon. We found the savages
in a river.
where
1 seized
the
opportunity of instructing the Ifnois, on
account of a feast that Nawaskingwe
had just given to a wolfskin.
[6th] We performed a good day's journey.
While the savages were hunting, they discovered
some
tracks
of men, and
this compelled
us to stay over on the following day.
[9th] We landed about 2 o'clock, because
there was a good camping ground. We were
detained
there for
5 days,
on account
of the
great agitation of the lake, although
without any wind; and afterward of the snow, which
was melted
on the
following day by the sun,
and a breeze from the lake.
[15th] After proceeding a sufficient distance,
we camp at a favorable place, where we
are detained 3 days. Pierre
mends
a
savage's gun.
Snow falls at night, and thaws during
the day.
[20th] We sleep near the bluffs, and
are very poorly sheltered. The savages
remain behind while we are delayed 2 days and a half by the
wind.
Pierre
goes into
the woods,
and
finds the prairie
20
leagues from the portage. He also goes
through a fine canal
which is vaulted, as it were, to the
height of a man, in which there
is water a foot deep.
[23rd] After embarking at noon we experience
some difficulty in reaching a river.
Then the cold began,
and more
than a foot of
snow covered the ground; it has remained
ever since. We were delayed for three
days, during
which Pierre
killed a deer,
3 bustards,
and 3 turkeys, which were very good.
The others proceeded to the prairies.
A savage
discovered
some cabins,
and came
to
get us.
Jacques went there on the following
day with him; 2 hunters also came
to see
me. They
were Maskoutens,
to the number
of 8 or 9
cabins, who had separated from the
others in order to obtain subsistence.
With fatigues almost impossible to
Frenchmen,
they travel throughout the winter
over very bad roads,
the
land abounding
in streams,
small lakes, and swamps. Their cabins
are wretched; and they eat or starve,
according
to the places
where they
happen
to be. Being
detained by the wind, we noticed
that there were great shoals out in the
lake, over
which the
waves broke
continually. Here I had
an attack of diarrhoea.
[27th] We had some trouble in getting
out of the river; then, after proceeding
about
3 leagues,
we found the
savages, who
had killed
some cattle, and 3 llinois who
had come from the
village. We were delayed there
by a wind from the land, by heavy
waves from the
lake, and by cold.
[December 1st] We went ahead of
the savages so that I might celebrate
Holy Mass.
[3rd] After saying I Holy Mass,
we embarked, and were compelled
to make
for a point,
so that we
could land,
on account
of floating masses of ice.
[4th] We started with a favoring
wind, and reached the river
of the portage,
which was
frozen to
the depth of
half a foot;
there
was more snow there than
elsewhere, as well as more tracks of animals
and turkeys.
Navigation on the lake is
fairly good from one portage
to the
other, for
there is
no crossing to be made,
and one can
land
anywhere,
unless one persist in going
on when the waves are high
and the
wind is
strong.
The land
bordering it is of
no value,
except on the prairies.
There are 8 or 10 quite fine rivers.
Deer
hunting
is very good, as one goes
away from the Poutewatamis.
[12th] As we began yesterday
to haul our baggage in
order to approach
the portage,
the Ilinois
who had
left the
Poutewatarnis arrived,
with great difficulty.
We were unable
to celebrate I loly Mass
on the day of the Conception,
owing to the bad weather
and cold. During
our
stay at
the entrance
of the
river, Pierre
and Jacques
killed 3 cattle and 4
deer, one of which ran some distance
with
its
heart split
in 2. We
contented ourselves with
killing 3 or
4 turkeys, out of the
many that came around our cabin
because
they were
almost dying
of hunger.
Jacques
brought in a
partridge that
he had killed, exactly
like those of France
except that
it had
two ruffs,
as it were,
of 3 or 4
feathers
as long
as
a finger,
near the head, covering
the 2 sides of the neck
where
there are no
feathers.
[14th] Having encamped
near the portage, 2
leagues up
the river,
we resolved
to winter there, as
it was impossible
to go farther,
since we were too much
hindered and my ailment
did not permit
me to give
myself
much fatigue.
Several
Ilinois
passed yesterday,
on their way to carry
furs to Nawaskingwe;
we gave
them one
of the cattle
and one of the
deer
that
Jacque had
killed
on the
previous
day. 1 do not think
that I have ever seen any
savages more eager
for French
tobacco
than
they. They came
and threw
beaver
skins
at our feet, to get
some pieces
of it; but we returned
these, giving them
some pipefuls
of
the tobacco
because we had not
yet decided
whether we would go
farther.
[15th] Chachagwessiou
and the other Ilinois
left
us, to go
and join
their people
and give them
the goods
that they
had
brought,
in order to obtain
their robes. In this
they act
like the traders,
and
give hardly
any
more than
do the French.
1
instructed them
before their departure,
deferring the holding
of a council
until the spring,
when 1 should
be in
their village.
They traded us
3 fine robes of ox
skins for a cubit
of tobacco;
these were very useful
to us during
the winter. Being
thus rid of them,
we said
the Mass of the Conception.
After the 14th, my
disease turned into
a bloody flux.
[30th] Jacque arrived
from the Ilinois
village, which
is only
six leagues
from here; there
they were suffering
from
hunger,
because
the cold and snow
prevented them
from hunting.
Some of them notified
La Toupine
and the
surgeon that
we were
here; and,
as they could
not leave their
cabin, they had so frightened
the savages,
believing
that we would
suffer from hunger
if we remained
here, that Jacque
had much difficulty
in
preventing 15 young
men from coming
to carry away
all our belongings.
[January 16th,
1675] As soon
as the 2
Frenchmen learned
that my
illness
prevented
me from
going to them
the surgeon came
here with
a savage, to
bring us some
blueberries and
corn. They are
only 18
leagues
from here,
in a fine
place for
hunting cattle,
deer, and turkeys,
which
are excellent
there. They had also
collected provisions
while
waiting for us;
and had given
the savages
to understand
that their
cabin belonged
to the black
gown; and it
may be said that
they
have done and
said all that
could
be expected from
them.
After the surgeon
had
spent
some time
here, in order
to perform his
devotions, I
sent Jacque
with him to
tell the Ilinois
near that
place that my
illness prevented
me from going
to see them; and
that
I would even
have some
difficulty
in going
there in
the spring,
if
it continued.
[24th] Jacque
returned with
a sack of
corn and other
delicacies,
which the
French
had given
him for me.
He had also
brought the tongues and
flesh of two
cattle, which
a savage
and
he
had killed
near here.
But all the animals
feel
the bad
weather.
[26th] 3 Ilinois
brought us,
on behalf
of the
elders, 2
sacks of
corn, some
dried meat,
pumpkins,
and
12 beaver
skins; 1st, to make
me a mat;
2nd, to ask me for
powder; 3rd,
that we
might
not be hungry;
4th, to obtain
a few
goods. I
replied; 1st,
that
I had
come to instruct
them, by
speaking to them
of prayer,
etc.; 2nd,
that 1 would
give
them no
powder, because
we sought
to restore
peace everywhere,
and I did
not wish them
to begin
war
with the
muiamis;
3rd, that
we feared
not hunger;
4th,
that 1
would encourage
the French
to bring
them goods,
and
that
they
must give
satisfaction to those
who were
among them for the
beads which they
had taken
as soon
as the surgeon
started to
come here.
As they
had
come
a distance
of 20 leagues
I
gave
them, in
order to reward
them for
their trouble and
for what
they had
brought me,
a hatchet,
2 knives,
3 clasp
knives, 10
brasses of
glass beads,
and 2 double
mirrors,
telling them
that I would
endeavor
to go
to the
village,
for a few days
only,
if
my illness
continued.
They
told me to
take courage,
and to remain
and die in
their
country
and
that
they had
been informed that
I would
remain there
for a
long time.
[February
9th] Since
we addressed
ourselves
to
the Blessed
Virgin
Immaculate, and commenced
a novena
with
a Mass,
at which
Pierre
and Jacque,
who do
everything
they can
to relieve
me,
received
Communion
to ask
God to restore
my health,
my bloody
flux
has
left me,
and all
that remains is
a weakness
of the
stomach.
I am beginning
to feel
much better, and
to regain
my strength.
Out
of a cabin
of Ilinois,
who
encamped
near us
for a month,
a portion
have again
taken
the road
to the
Poutewatamis, and
some are
still
on the
lake shore, where
they wait
until navigation
is open.
They
bear letters
for our
Fathers of
St.
Francois.
[20th]
We have
had
opportunity
to observe
the tides
coming
in from
the lake,
which
rise and fall
several
times
a
day;
and, although
there
seems to
be no
shelter in the
lake,
we have
seen
the ice
going
against
the wind.
These
tides
made
the water good
or bad,
because
that
which flows
from
above comes from
the prairies
and small
streams.
The deer
which
are plentiful
near
the lake
shore,
are so
lean
that
we
had to
aban¬don
some
of those
which
we had
killed.
[March
23rd]
We
killed several
partridges,
only
the
males
of
which had ruffs
on
the neck,
the
females not having
any.
These
partridges
are
very good,
but
not like
those
of
France.
[30th]
The
north
wind
delayed
the
thaw
until
the
25th
of
March,
when
it
set
in
with
a
south wind.
On
the
very
next
day,
game
began
to
make
its
appearance.
We
killed
30
pigeons,
which
I
found better
than
those
down
the
great
river;
but
they
are
smaller,
both
old
and
young.
On
the 28th,
the
ice
broke
up,
and
stopped
above
us.
On
the
29th,
the
waters
rose
so
high
that
we
had
barely
time
to
decamp
as
fast
as
possi¬ble, putting our goods in the trees,
and trying to sleep on a hillock. The water gained on us nearly
all night, but there was a slight freeze, and the water fell a
little, while we were near our packages. The barrier has just broken,
the ice has drifted away; and, because the water is already ris¬ing,
we are about to embark to continue our journey.
The
Blessed Virgin
immaculate has
taken such
care of
us during
our wintering
that we
have not
lacked provisions,
and have
still remaining
a large
sack of
corn, with
some meat
and fat.
We also
lived very
pleas¬antly, for my illness did not prevent me from
saying Holy Mass every day. We were unable to keep Lent,
except on Fridays and Saturdays.
[31st]
We started
yesterday and
traveled 3
leagues up
the river
without finding any portage. We hauled our goods probably
about half an arpent. Besides this discharge, the river has
another one by which we are to go down. The very high lands
alone are not
flooded. At the place where we are, the water has risen more
than 12 feet. This is where we began our portage 18 months
ago. Bustards
and ducks pass continually; we contented ourselves with 7.
The ice, which is drifting down, keeps us here, as we do not
know in
what condition the lower part of the river is.
[April
1st] As
1 do
not yet
know whether
I shall
remain next
sum¬mer
in the village, on account of my diarrhoea, we leave here
part of our goods, those with which we can dispense, and especially
a sack of corn. While a strong south wind delays us, we hope
to
go tomorrow to the place where the French are, at a distance
of 15 leagues from here.
[9th]
Strong winds
and the
cold prevent
us from
proceeding. The
two lakes
over which
we passed
are full
of bustards,
geese, ducks,
cranes, and
other game
unknown to
us. The
rapids are
quite dangerous
in some
places. We
have just
met the
surgeon, with
a savage
who was
going up
with a
canoe load
of furs;
but, as
the cold
is too
great for
persons who
are obliged
to drag
their canoes
in the water, he
has made
a cache
of his
beaver skins,
and returns
to the
village tomorrow
with us.
If the
French procure
robes in
this country,
they do
not disrobe
the savages,
so great
are the
hardships that
must be
endured to
obtain them.
