(June 1, 1637–May 18, 1675), was a French missionary explorer in America. Landing in Quebec, 1666, he began learning the Algonquin and Huron languages. He founded a mission at Sault Sainte Marie, and from 1669 to 1671 had his station at La Pointe du Saint Esprit, at the head of Ashland Bay. Forced to flee by the Sioux Indians, he moved to Mackinaw, where founded the mission of Saint Ignatius. In 1673, Louis Joliet (1645–1700) visited Marquette with a message from Frontenac (1620–1698), governor of Canada, requesting him to lead an expedition down the Mississippi River. They explored from Green Bay, up the Fox River, across Lake Winnebago and down the Mississippi to just below the Arkansas River. Jacques Marquette gave his account in Voyage et De’couverte de Quelques Pays et Nations de l’Amerique Septemtrionale (translated 1852). He then worked as a missionary among the Illinois Indians. In 1877, his remains were discovered at Point St. Ignace, Michigan. A statue of Jacques Marquette represents the people of the State of Wisconsin in the rotunda of the United States Capitol, Washington, D.C.
Father Jacques Marquette, as recorded in The Jesuit Relations, Volume LIX, stated:
On the 17th day of May, 1673, we started from the mission of St. Ignatius at Michilimakinac, where I then was. The joy that we felt at being selected for this expedition animated our courage and rendered the labor of paddling from morning to night agreeable to us. And because we were going to seek unknown countries, we took every precaution in our power, so that, if our undertaking was hazardous, it should not be foolhardy. To that end we obtained all the information that we could from the savages who had frequented those regions; and we even traced out from their reports a map of the whole of that new country; on it we indicated the rivers which we were to navigate, the names of the people and of the places through which we were to pass, the course of the great river, and the direction we were to follow when we reached it.
With al these precautions, we joyfully plied our paddles on a portion of Lake Huron, on that of the Illinois, and on the Bay des Puants.
The first nation that we came to was that of the Folle Avoine [Menominee]. I entered their river to go and visit these people to whom we preached the Gospel for several years—in consequence of which, there are several good Christians among them.
I told these people of the Folle Avoine of my design to go and discover those remote nations, in order to teach them the mysteries of our holy religion. They were greatly surprised to hear it, and did their best to dissuade me. They represented to me that I would meet nations who never show mercy to strangers, but break their heads without any cause; and that war was kindled between various peoples who dwelt upon our route, which exposed us to the further manifest danger of being killed by the bands of warriors who are ever in the field. They also said that the great river was very dangerous, when one does not know the difficult places; that it was full of horrible monsters, which devoured men and canoes together; that there was even a demon, who was heard from a great distance, who barred the way and swallowed up all who ventured to approach him; finally, that the heat was so excessive in those countries that it would inevitably cause our death.
I thanked them for the good advice that they gave me, but told them that I could not follow it, because the salvation of souls was at stake, for which I would be delighted to give my life; that I scoffed at the alleged demon; that we would easily defend ourselves against those marine monsters; and, moreover, that we would be on our guard to avoid the other dangers with which they threatened us. After making them pray to God, and giving them some instructions, I separated from them. …
Here we are at Maskoutens. This word may, in Algonquin, mean “the Fire Nation”—which, indeed, is the name given to this tribe. Here is the limit of the discoveries which the French have made, for they have not yet gone any farther. …
No sooner had we arrived than we, Monsieur Joliet, and I, assembled the elders together; and he told them that he was sent by Monsieur our Governor to discover new countries, while I was sent by God to illumine them with the light of the holy Gospel. He told them that, moreover, the Sovereign Master of our lives wished to be known by all the nations; and that in obeying His will I feared not the death to which I exposed myself in voyages so perilous. He informed them that we needed two guides to show us the way; and we gave them a present, by it asking them to grant us the guides. To this they very civilly consented; and they also spoke to us by means of a present, consisting of a mat to serve us as a bed during our whole voyage. …
On the 25th day of June we perceived on the water’s edge some tracks of men, and a narrow and somewhat beaten path leading to a fine prairie. We stopped to examine it; and, thinking that it was a road which led to some village of savages, we resolved to go and reconnoiter it. We therefore left our two canoes under the guard of our people, strictly charging them not to allow themselves to be surprised, after which Monsieur Joliet and I undertook this investigation—a rather hazardous one for two men who exposed themselves alone to the mercy of a barbarous and unknown people. We silently followed the narrow path, and, after walking about two leagues, we discovered a village on the bank of the river, and two others on a hill distant about half a league from the first.
Then we heartily commended ourselves to God, and, after imploring His aid, we went farther without being perceived, and approached so near that we could even hear the savages talking. We therefore decided that it was time to reveal ourselves. This we did by shouting with all our energy, and stopped without advancing any farther.
On hearing the shout, the savages quickly issued from their cabins, and having probably recognized us as Frenchmen, especially when they saw a black gown—or, at least, having no cause for distrust, as we were only two men, and had given them notice of our arrival—they deputed four old men to come and speak to us. Two of these bore tobacco pipes, finely ornamented and adorned with various feathers. They walked slowly, and raised their pipes toward the sun, seemingly offering them to it to smoke—without, however, saying a word. They spent a rather long time in covering the short distance between their village and us. Finally, when they had drawn near, they stopped to consider us attentively. I was reassured when I observed these ceremonies, which with them are performed only among friends; and much more so when I saw them clad in cloth, for I judged thereby that they were our allies. I therefore spoke to them first, and asked who they were. They replied that they were Illinois; and, as a token of peace, they offered us their pipes to smoke. They afterward invited us to enter their village, where all the people impatiently awaited us.318