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the¡¡12th¡¡of¡¡January£»¡¡nearly¡¡two¡¡weeks¡¡later£»¡¡with¡¡an¡¡advance

party¡¡of¡¡warriors£»¡¡the¡¡La¡¡Verendryes¡¡reached¡¡the¡¡foot¡¡of¡¡the

mountains£»¡¡¡¨well¡¡wooded¡¡with¡¡timber¡¡of¡¡every¡¡kind¡¡and¡¡very¡¡high¡£¡¨



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last¡¡mighty¡¡barrier¡¡of¡¡snow¡­capped¡¡peaks£»¡¡rugged¡¡valleys£»¡¡and

torrential¡¡streams£»¡¡beyond¡¡which¡¡lay¡¡the¡¡sea£¿¡¡That¡¡they¡¡had¡¡done

so¡¡was¡¡long¡¡assumed¡¡and¡¡many¡¡conjectures¡¡have¡¡been¡¡offered¡¡as¡¡to

the¡¡point¡¡in¡¡the¡¡Rockies¡¡near¡¡which¡¡they¡¡made¡¡their¡¡last¡¡camp¡£

Their¡¡further¡¡progress¡¡was¡¡checked¡¡by¡¡an¡¡unexpected¡¡crisis¡£¡¡One

day¡¡they¡¡came¡¡upon¡¡an¡¡encampment¡¡of¡¡the¡¡dreaded¡¡Snake¡¡Indians

which¡¡had¡¡been¡¡abandoned¡¡in¡¡great¡¡haste¡£¡¡This£»¡¡the¡¡Bow¡¡Indians

thought£»¡¡could¡¡only¡¡mean¡¡that¡¡the¡¡Snakes¡¡had¡¡hurriedly¡¡left¡¡their

camp¡¡in¡¡order¡¡to¡¡slip¡¡in¡¡behind¡¡the¡¡advance¡¡guard¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Bows¡¡and

massacre¡¡the¡¡women¡¡and¡¡children¡¡left¡¡in¡¡the¡¡rear¡£¡¡Panic¡¡seized

the¡¡Bows¡¡and¡¡they¡¡turned¡¡homeward¡¡in¡¡wild¡¡confusion¡£¡¡Their¡¡chief

could¡¡not¡¡restrain¡¡them¡£¡¡¡¨I¡¡was¡¡very¡¡much¡¡disappointed£»¡¨¡¡writes

one¡¡of¡¡the¡¡brothers£»¡¡¡¨that¡¡I¡¡could¡¡not¡¡climb¡¡the

mountains¡¨those¡¡mountains¡¡from¡¡which¡¡he¡¡had¡¡been¡¡told¡¡that¡¡he

might¡¡view¡¡the¡¡Western¡¡Sea¡£



There¡¡was¡¡nothing¡¡for¡¡it¡¡but¡¡to¡¡turn¡¡back¡¡through¡¡snowdrifts¡¡over

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By¡¡the¡¡20th¡¡they¡¡were¡¡encamped¡¡with¡¡a¡¡friendly¡¡tribe¡¡on¡¡the¡¡banks

of¡¡the¡¡Missouri¡£¡¡Here£»¡¡to¡¡assert¡¡that¡¡Louis¡¡XV¡¡was¡¡lord¡¡of¡¡all

that¡¡country£»¡¡they¡¡built¡¡on¡¡an¡¡eminence¡¡a¡¡pyramid¡¡of¡¡stones¡¡and

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recorded¡¡the¡¡name¡¡of¡¡Louis¡¡XV£»¡¡their¡¡King£»¡¡and¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Marquis¡¡de

Beauharnois£»¡¡Governor¡¡of¡¡Canada£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡date¡¡of¡¡the¡¡visit¡£



Truth¡¡is¡¡sometimes¡¡stranger¡¡than¡¡fiction¡£¡¡One¡¡hundred¡¡and¡¡seventy

years¡¡later£»¡¡on¡¡February¡¡16£»¡¡1913£»¡¡a¡¡schoolgirl¡¡strolling¡¡with

some¡¡companions¡¡on¡¡a¡¡Sunday¡¡afternoon¡¡near¡¡the¡¡High¡¡School¡¡in¡¡the

town¡¡of¡¡Pierre£»¡¡South¡¡Dakota£»¡¡stumbled¡¡upon¡¡a¡¡projecting¡¡corner

of¡¡this¡¡tablet£»¡¡which¡¡was¡¡in¡¡an¡¡excellent¡¡state¡¡of¡¡preservation¡£

Thus¡¡we¡¡know¡¡exactly¡¡where¡¡the¡¡brothers¡¡La¡¡Verendrye¡¡were¡¡on

April¡¡2£»¡¡1743£»¡¡when¡¡they¡¡bade¡¡farewell¡¡to¡¡their¡¡Indian¡¡friends

and¡¡set¡¡out¡¡on¡¡horseback¡¡for¡¡Fort¡¡La¡¡Reine¡£



Spring¡¡had¡¡turned¡¡to¡¡summer¡¡before¡¡the¡¡brothers¡¡reached¡¡their

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as¡¡they¡¡did£»¡¡could¡¡they¡¡have¡¡traveled¡¡from¡¡the¡¡distant¡¡Rockies

from¡¡the¡¡time¡¡in¡¡January¡¡when¡¡they¡¡turned¡¡back£¿¡¡It¡¡seems

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brothers¡¡reached¡¡the¡¡foothills¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Rocky¡¡Mountains£»¡¡it¡¡may¡¡be

that¡¡they¡¡had¡¡not¡¡penetrated¡¡beyond¡¡the¡¡barrier¡¡which¡¡we¡¡know¡¡as

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school¡¡children¡¡may¡¡in¡¡truth¡¡prove¡¡that£»¡¡as¡¡late¡¡as¡¡in¡¡1750£»¡¡the

Rocky¡¡Mountains¡¡had¡¡not¡¡yet¡¡been¡¡seen¡¡by¡¡white¡¡men¡¡and¡¡that¡¡the

first¡¡vision¡¡of¡¡that¡¡mighty¡¡range¡¡was¡¡obtained¡¡much¡¡farther¡¡north

in¡¡Canada¡£



After¡¡1743¡¡the¡¡French¡¡seem¡¡to¡¡have¡¡made¡¡no¡¡further¡¡efforts¡¡to

reach¡¡the¡¡Western¡¡Sea¡¡by¡¡way¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Missouri¡£¡¡If¡¡in¡¡reality¡¡the

brothers¡¡had¡¡not¡¡gone¡¡beyond¡¡the¡¡Black¡¡Hills¡¡in¡¡South¡¡Dakota£»

then¡¡their¡¡most¡¡important¡¡work¡¡appears¡¡to¡¡have¡¡been¡¡done¡¡within

what¡¡is¡¡now¡¡Canada£»¡¡as¡¡discoverers¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Saskatchewan£»¡¡the

mighty¡¡river¡¡which¡¡carries¡¡to¡¡far¡­distant¡¡Hudson¡¡Bay¡¡the¡¡waters

melted¡¡on¡¡the¡¡eastern¡¡slopes¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Rocky¡¡Mountains¡£¡¡It¡¡was¡¡by

this¡¡route¡¡up¡¡the¡¡Saskatchewan¡¡that¡¡fifty¡¡years¡¡later¡¡was¡¡solved

the¡¡tough¡¡and¡¡haunting¡¡problem¡¡of¡¡going¡¡over¡¡the¡¡mountains¡¡to¡¡the

Pacific¡¡Ocean¡£¡¡La¡¡Verendrye¡¡now¡¡ascended¡¡the¡¡Saskatchewan¡¡for

some¡¡three¡¡hundred¡¡miles¡¡to¡¡the¡¡forks¡¡where¡¡it¡¡divides¡¡into¡¡two

great¡¡branches¡£¡¡He¡¡was¡¡going¡¡deeper¡¡into¡¡debt¡¡but¡¡he¡¡hoped¡¡always

for¡¡help¡¡from¡¡the¡¡King¡£¡¡It¡¡is¡¡pathetic¡¡to¡¡see¡¡today£»¡¡on¡¡the¡¡map

of¡¡that¡¡part¡¡of¡¡western¡¡Canada¡¡which¡¡he¡¡and¡¡his¡¡sons¡¡explored£»¡¡a

town£»¡¡a¡¡lake£»¡¡and¡¡a¡¡county¡¡called¡¡Dauphin£»¡¡in¡¡honor¡¡of¡¡the¡¡heir

to¡¡the¡¡throne¡¡of¡¡France¡£¡¡No¡¡doubt¡¡La¡¡Verendrye¡¡had¡¡the¡¡thought

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King¡¡for¡¡help¡¡in¡¡his¡¡great¡¡task¡£



Before¡¡the¡¡year¡¡1749¡¡had¡¡ended¡¡La¡¡Verendrye£»¡¡who¡¡had¡¡returned¡¡to

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expected¡¡to¡¡be¡¡charged¡¡with¡¡the¡¡taskto¡¡which¡¡the¡¡King£»¡¡in¡¡1749£»

had¡¡anew¡¡appointed¡¡their¡¡fatherof¡¡continuing¡¡the¡¡work¡¡of

discovery¡¡in¡¡the¡¡West¡£¡¡Francois£»¡¡for¡¡a¡¡time¡¡ill£»¡¡wrote¡¡in¡¡1750

from¡¡Montreal¡¡to¡¡La¡¡Jonquiere£»¡¡the¡¡Governor¡¡at¡¡Quebec£»¡¡that¡¡he

hoped¡¡to¡¡take¡¡up¡¡the¡¡plans¡¡of¡¡his¡¡father¡£¡¡The¡¡Governor's¡¡reply

was¡¡that¡¡he¡¡had¡¡appointed¡¡another¡¡officer£»¡¡Legardeur¡¡de

Saint¡­Pierre£»¡¡to¡¡lead¡¡in¡¡the¡¡search¡¡for¡¡the¡¡Western¡¡Sea¡£¡¡Francois

hurried¡¡to¡¡Quebec¡£¡¡The¡¡Governor¡¡met¡¡him¡¡with¡¡a¡¡bland¡¡face¡¡and

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no¡¡preeminence¡¡and¡¡that¡¡they¡¡were¡¡ready¡¡to¡¡serve¡¡under¡¡the¡¡orders

of¡¡Saint¡­Pierre¡£¡¡The¡¡Governor¡¡was¡¡hesitant£»¡¡but¡¡at¡¡last¡¡told

Francois£»¡¡frankly¡¡that¡¡the¡¡new¡¡leader¡¡desired¡¡no¡¡help¡¡either¡¡from

him¡¡or¡¡from¡¡his¡¡brothers¡£¡¡Francois£»¡¡was¡¡dismayed¡£¡¡He¡¡and¡¡his

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provisions¡£¡¡His¡¡chief¡¡property¡¡was¡¡in¡¡the¡¡West¡¡in¡¡the¡¡form¡¡of

goods¡¡which¡¡would¡¡be¡¡plundered¡¡without¡¡his¡¡guardianship¡£¡¡To¡¡tide

over¡¡the¡¡immediate¡¡future¡¡he¡¡sold¡¡the¡¡one¡¡small¡¡piece¡¡of¡¡land¡¡in

Montreal¡¡which¡¡he¡¡had¡¡inherited¡¡from¡¡his¡¡father¡¡and¡¡threw¡¡this

slight¡¡sop¡¡to¡¡his¡¡urgent¡¡creditors¡£



Saint¡­Pierre£»¡¡strong¡¡in¡¡his¡¡right¡¡of¡¡monopoly£»¡¡insisted¡¡that¡¡the

brothers¡¡should¡¡not¡¡even¡¡return¡¡to¡¡the¡¡West¡£¡¡Francois£»¡¡urged¡¡that

to¡¡go¡¡was¡¡a¡¡matter¡¡of¡¡life¡¡and¡¡death¡£¡¡In¡¡some¡¡way¡¡he¡¡secured

leave¡¡to¡¡set¡¡out¡¡with¡¡one¡¡laden¡¡canoe¡£¡¡When¡¡Saint¡­Pierre¡¡found

that¡¡Francois¡¡had¡¡gone£»¡¡he¡¡claimed¡¡damages¡¡for¡¡the¡¡intrusion¡¡on

his¡¡monopoly¡¡and¡¡secured¡¡an¡¡order¡¡to¡¡pursue¡¡Francois¡¡and¡¡bring

him¡¡back¡£¡¡He¡¡caught¡¡him¡¡at¡¡Michilimackinac¡£¡¡The¡¡meeting¡¡between

the¡¡two¡¡men¡¡at¡¡that¡¡place¡¡involved¡¡explanations¡£¡¡Face¡¡to¡¡face

with¡¡an¡¡injured¡¡man£»¡¡Saint¡­Pierre¡¡admitted¡¡that¡¡he¡¡had¡¡been¡¡in

the¡¡wrong£»¡¡paid¡¡to¡¡Francois¡¡many¡¡compliments£»¡¡and¡¡regretted¡¡that

he¡¡had¡¡not¡¡joined¡¡hands¡¡with¡¡the¡¡brothers¡£



The¡¡mischief¡¡done¡¡was£»¡¡however£»¡¡irreparable¡£¡¡Francois£»¡¡crippled

by¡¡opposition£»¡¡could¡¡not¡¡carry¡¡on¡¡his¡¡trade¡¡with¡¡success¡¡and¡¡in

the¡¡end¡¡he¡¡returned¡¡to¡¡Montreal¡¡a¡¡ruined¡¡man¡¡overwhelmed¡¡with

debt¡£¡¡He¡¡wrote¡¡to¡¡the¡¡French¡¡court¡¡a¡¡noble¡¡appeal¡¡for¡¡relief£º



¡¨I¡¡remain¡¡without¡¡friends¡¡and¡¡without¡¡patrimony¡£¡£¡£a¡¡simple

ensign¡¡of¡¡the¡¡second¡¡grade£»¡¡my¡¡elder¡¡brother¡¡has¡¡only¡¡the¡¡same

rank¡¡as¡¡myself£»¡¡my¡¡younger¡¡brother¡¡is¡¡only¡¡a¡¡junior¡¡cadet¡£¡¡This

is¡¡the¡¡result¡¡of¡¡all¡¡that¡¡my¡¡father£»¡¡my¡¡brothers¡¡and¡¡myself¡¡have

done¡£¡£¡£¡£¡¡There¡¡are¡¡in¡¡the¡¡hands¡¡of¡¡your¡¡Lordship¡¡resources¡¡of

compensation¡¡and¡¡of¡¡consolation¡£¡¡I¡¡venture¡¡to¡¡appeal¡¡to¡¡you¡¡for

relief¡£¡¡To¡¡find¡¡ourselves¡¡excluded¡¡from¡¡the¡¡West¡¡would¡¡mean¡¡to¡¡be

cruelly¡¡robbed¡¡of¡¡our¡¡heritage£»¡¡to¡¡realize¡¡for¡¡ourselves¡¡all¡¡that

is¡¡bitter¡¡and¡¡to¡¡see¡¡others¡¡secure¡¡all¡¡that¡¡is¡¡sweet¡£¡¨



The¡¡appeal¡¡fell¡¡on¡¡deaf¡¡ears¡£¡¡The¡¡brothers¡¡sank¡¡into¡¡obscurity¡£

During¡¡Montcalm's¡¡campaigns¡¡from¡¡1756¡¡to¡¡1759¡¡Pierre¡¡and¡¡Francois

seem¡¡to¡¡have¡¡been¡¡engaged¡¡in¡¡military¡¡service¡£¡¡Francois¡¡was

killed¡¡in¡¡the¡¡siege¡¡of¡¡Quebec¡¡in¡¡1759¡£¡¡After¡¡the¡¡final¡¡surrender

of¡¡Canada¡¡the¡¡Auguste£»¡¡a¡¡ship¡¡laden¡¡for¡¡the¡¡most¡¡part¡¡with

refugees¡¡returning¡¡to¡¡France£»¡¡was¡¡wrecked¡¡on¡¡the¡¡St¡£¡¡Lawrence¡£

Among¡¡those¡¡on¡¡board¡¡who¡¡perished¡¡was¡¡Pierre¡¡de¡¡la¡¡Verendrye¡£¡¡He

died¡¡amid¡¡the¡¡howling¡¡of¡¡the¡¡tempest¡¡and¡¡the¡¡cries¡¡of¡¡drowning

men¡£¡¡Tragedy£»¡¡unrelenting£»¡¡had¡¡pursued¡¡him¡¡to¡¡the¡¡end¡£



Legardeur¡¡de¡¡Saint¡­Pierre£»¡¡the¡¡choice¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Marquis¡¡de¡¡la

Jonquiere¡¡to¡¡take¡¡up¡¡the¡¡search¡¡for¡¡the¡¡Western¡¡Sea¡¡in¡¡succession

to¡¡the¡¡elder¡¡La¡¡Verendrye£»¡¡himself¡¡went¡¡only¡¡as¡¡far¡¡as¡¡Fort¡¡La

Reine¡£¡¡It¡¡was¡¡a¡¡subordinate£»¡¡the¡¡Chevalier¡¡de¡¡Niverville£»¡¡whom¡¡he

sent¡¡farther¡¡west¡¡to¡¡find¡¡the¡¡great¡¡mountains¡¡and¡¡if¡¡possible¡¡the

sea¡£¡¡The¡¡winter¡¡of¡¡1750¡­51¡¡had¡¡set¡¡in¡¡before¡¡Niverville¡¡was

ready¡£¡¡He¡¡started¡¡apparently¡¡from¡¡Fort¡¡Maurepas£»¡¡on¡¡snowshoes£»

his¡¡party¡¡dragging¡¡their¡¡supplies¡¡on¡¡toboggans¡£¡¡Before¡¡they

reached¡¡Paskoya¡¡on¡¡the¡¡Saskatchewan¡¡£¨the¡¡modern¡¡Le¡¡Pas£©¡¡they¡¡had

nearly¡¡perished¡¡of¡¡hunger¡¡and¡¡were¡¡able¡¡to¡¡save¡¡their¡¡lives¡¡only

by¡¡catching¡¡a¡¡few¡¡fish¡¡through¡¡the¡¡ice¡£¡¡Niverville¡¡was¡¡ill¡£¡¡He

sent¡¡forward¡¡ten¡¡men¡¡by¡¡canoe¡¡up¡¡the¡¡Saskatchewan¡£¡¡They¡¡traveled

with¡¡such¡¡rapidity¡¡that¡¡on¡¡May¡¡29£»¡¡1751£»¡¡they¡¡had¡¡reached¡¡the

Rockies¡£¡¡They¡¡built¡¡a¡¡good¡¡fort£»¡¡which¡¡they¡¡named¡¡Fort¡¡La

Jonquiere£»¡¡and¡¡stored¡¡it¡¡with¡¡a¡¡considerable¡¡quantity¡¡of

provisions¡£¡¡If£»¡¡as¡¡seems¡¡likely£»¡¡the¡¡brothers¡¡La¡¡Verendrye¡¡saw

only¡¡the¡¡Black¡¡Hills£»¡¡these¡¡ten¡¡unknown¡¡men¡¡were¡¡the¡¡discoverers

of¡¡the¡¡Rocky¡¡Mountains¡£



Saint¡­Pierre¡¡braced¡¡himself¡¡to¡¡set¡¡out¡¡for¡¡the¡¡distant¡¡goal¡¡but

he¡¡was¡¡easily¡¡discouraged¡£¡¡Niverville£»¡¡he¡¡said£»¡¡was¡¡ill£»¡¡the

Indians¡¡were¡¡at¡¡war¡¡among¡¡themselves£»¡¡

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