from this arrangement; and in the following year, the freedom of commerce in New France was pro

claimed.

By the treaty of Breda in 1667, Acadie was restored to the French.

The ecclesiastical government of New France had been hitherto confided to an apostolic vicar, a bishop in partibus infidelium, that of Petrea. The pope now erected the city of Quebec, into a bishop's see, and St. Vallier was appointed its first incumbent. This gentleman, however, did not receive the canonical institution, till four years after.

The lords of manors in New France did not enjoy any ecclesiastical patronage; and the bishop who, receiving all the tithes collected in the diocess, was burdened with the support of the curates, had the uncontrolled appointment of them.

It does not appear, that with the exception of the seminary of St. Sulpice, any lord in New France, ever claimed the administration of justice by his own judges. This corporation was in the exercise of this right as lords of the island of Montreal; but they surrendered it to the king in 1692.

The Chevalier de Grandfontaine and Sir John Temple, plenipotentiaries of the French and British crowns, signed in Boston, on the seventh of July 1670, a declaration, by which the right of France to all the country from the river of Pentagoet, to the island of Cape Breton (both inclusive) was recog nised. The chevalier was appointed governor of Acadie.

Count de Frontenac succeeded Courcelles, in the government of New France, in the following year. He found it desolated by repeated irruptions of the Iroquois, who came down along the eastern shore of lake Ontario, and descended the St. Lawrence. With the view of checking their approach

this way, he built a fort at Catarocoui, on the lake, near the place where its waters form the river.

The western company, by an edict of February 1670, had been authorised to send to the islands, small coins expressly struck for circulation there, to the amount of one hundred thousand livres, (about $20,000) and the edict especially provided, they should not circulate elsewhere. In November 1672, however, their circulation was authorized in the king's dominions in North America, and their value was increased one third; pieces of fifteen sous being raised to twenty, and others in the same proportion. At the same time, the practice, that had prevailed in the islands and in new France, of substituting the contract of exchange to that of sale was forbidden. The king ordered, that in future, all accounts, notes, bills, purchases and payments should be made in money, and not by exchange or computation of sugar, or other produce, under pain of nullity. Former contracts, notes, bills, obligations, leases, &c., in which a quantity of sugar, or other produce, was stipulated to be delivered, were resolved by the royal power, into obligations to pay money. This interference in the concerns of individuals created confusion, and the great demand it occasioned for coin, increased its value and occasioned a consequent decrease of land and other property, which had a most mischievous effect.

The Canadians had learnt from the Indians, that there was a large stream to the west, the course of which was unknown; but they had ascertained it did not flow northerly nor easterly; and great hopes were entertained that it might afford a passage to China, or at least to the Gulf of Mexico. Talon, the first intendant of New France, was about returning home, and determined on discovering, before he sailed, the course of this great river.

He engaged, for this purpose, father Marquette, a

recollet monk, who had been for a long time employed in distant missions, and Joliet, a trader of Quebec, and a man of considerable information and experience in Indian affairs. The two adventurers proceeded to the bay of lake Michigan, and entered a river, called by the Indians Outagamis, and by the French, des renards. Ascending almost to its source, notwithstanding its falls, they made a small portage to that of Ouisconsing. Descending this stream, which flows westerly, they got into that they were in quest of, on the seventh of July 1673. History has not recorded any account of its having been floated on by any white man, since Muscoso, with the remainder of his army, descended it from Red River to its mouth, about one hundred and thirty years before.

Committing themselves to the current, the holy man and his companion soon reached a village of the Illinois, near the mouth of the Missouri. These Indians gladly received their visitors. Their nation was in alliance with the French, and traders from Canada came frequently among them; a circumstance which had rendered them obnoxious to the Iroquois, whom they found too numerous to be successfully resisted, without the aid of their white friends. The guests were hospitably entertained, and their influence, with the governor and ecclesiastical superior, was solicited, that some aid might be afforded them, and that a missionary might come and reside among them.

After a short stay, the current, which now began to be strong, brought the travellers in a few days to a village of the Arkansas. Believing now they had fully ascertained that the course of the river was towards the Gulf of Mexico, their stock of provisions being nearly exhausted, they deemed it useless and

unsafe to proceed farther, among unknown tribes, on whose disposition prudence forbade to rely. They therefore hastened back to the river of the Illinois, ascended it and proceeded to Chicagou, on lake Michigan. Here they parted: the father returning to his mission, among the Indians on the northern shore of the lake, and the trader going down to Quebec, to impart to their employer the success of their labours. Count de Frontenac gave to the river they had explored the name of Colbert, in compliment to the then minister of the marine.

Joliet's services in this circumstance, were remunerated by a grant of the large island of Anticosti, near the mouth of the river St. Lawrence.

This important discovery filled all Canada with joy, and the inhabitants of the capital followed the constituted authorities of the colony to the cathedral church, where the bishop, surrounded by his clergy, sung a solemn Te Deum. Little did they suspect that the event, for which they were rendering thanks to heaven, was marked, in the book of fate, as a principal one among those, which were to lead to the expulsion of the French nation from North America, that Providence had not destined the shores of the mighty stream for the abode of the vassals of any European prince; but had decreed that it should be for a while the boundary, and for ever after roll its waves in the midst of those free and prosperous communities, that now form the confederacy of the United States.

Robertson-Charlevoix.-Marshall.

CHAPTER IV.

The French are driven from Acadie.-Complaints of the Canadians against their Governor.-The Abbé de Fenelon.-Sale of spirituous liquors to the Indians.-Representations of the Clergy.-The Archbishop of Paris and Father de la Chaise.-Lasalle proposes to explore the course of the Mississippi.-He goes to France. The Prince of Conti.-The Chevalier de Tonti.-Lasalle returns.-Fort Frontenac.-Adventurers from NewEngland cross the Mississippi and visit New-Mexico. Lakes Ontario, Erie, Huron and Michigan.-Little Miami River.-Illinois.-Lasalle's men endeavour to indispose the Illinois against him.-He defeats their plan-The intrigue of a Mascoutan Indian.-Attempt to poison Lasalle.-Arkansas.-Dacan.-Hennepin.Mississippi.-Falls of St. Anthony.-Sioux.-Pennsyl vania.--Miamis.Outagamis.Ainous.- Mascoutans.-Fort Crevecœur.-Irruptions of the Iroquois into the country of the Illinois.-Acadie restored to the French-Fort Penkuit.-Chicagou.--Illinois.-Mississippi River.-The Miami-Chickasaws.-Fort

Prudhome.-Cappas.-Arkansas.---Alligators.-Tarnsas.-Red River-Quinipissas.-Tangipaos.-Gulf of Mexico.-Lasalle takes possession of the country, at the mouth of the Mississippi.-He calls the river, St. Louis, and the country Louisiana.-He is visited by Indians from several tribes.-He returns.-His party is attacked by the Quinipissas, who are routed.-The Natchez.Taensas.-Arkansas.-Chickasaw Bluffs.-Lasalle is detained there by sickness.-The Chevalier de Tonti proceeds with part of the men.-They meet at Michillimackinac.-The Chevalier goes to Fort St. Louis, and Lasalle to Quebec.-Count de Frontenac.-Lasalle sails for France.