the conquest of new france-第15部分

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last　they　stood　on　the　shores　of　a　vast　body　of　water；　ice…bound

and　forbidding　as　it　lay　in　the　grip　of　winter。　It　opened　out

illimitably　westward。　But　it　was　not　the　Western　Sea；　for　its

waters　were　fresh。　The　shallow　waters　of　Lake　Winnipeg　empty　not

into　the　Western　Sea　but　into　the　Atlantic　by　way　of　Hudson　Bay。

Its　shores　then　were　deserted　and　desolate；　and　even　to　this　day

they　are　but　scantily　peopled。　In　that　wild　land　there　was　no

hint　of　the　populous　East　of　which　La　Verendrye　had　dreamed。



At　the　mouth　of　the　Winnipeg　River；　where　it　enters　Lake

Winnipeg；　La　Verendrye　built　Fort　Maurepas；　named　after　the

French　minister　who　was　in　charge　of　the　colonies　and　who　was

influential　at　court。　The　name　no　doubt　expresses　some　clinging

hope　which　La　Verendrye　still　cherished　of　obtaining　help　from

the　King。　Already　he　was　hard　pressed　for　resources。　Where　were

the　means　to　come　from　for　this　costly　work　of　building　forts？

》From　time　to　time　he　sent　eastward　canoes　laden　with　furs　which；

after　a　long　and　difficult　journey；　reached　Montreal。　The　traders

to　whom　the　furs　were　consigned　sold　them　and　kept　the　money　as

their　own　on　account　of　their　outlay。　La　Verendrye　in　the　far

interior　could　not　pay　his　men　and　would　soon　be　without　goods　to

trade　with　the　Indians。　After　having　repeatedly　begged　for　help

but　in　vain；　he　made　a　rapid　journey　to　Montreal　and　implored　the

Governor　to　aid　an　enterprise　which　might　change　the　outlook　of

the　whole　world。　The　Governor　was　willing　but　without　the　consent

of　France　could　not　give　help。　By　promising　the　traders；　who　were

now　partners　in　his　monopoly；　profits　of　one　hundred　per　cent　on

their　outlay；　La　Verendrye　at　last　secured　what　he　needed。　His

canoes　were　laden　with　goods；　and　soon　brawny　arms　were　driving

once　again　the　graceful　craft　westward。　He　had　offered　a　new

hostage　to　fortune　by　arranging　that　his　fourth　son；　a　lad　of

eighteen；　should　follow　him　in　the　next　year。



La　Verendrye　pressed　on　eagerly　in　advance　of　the　heavy…laden

canoes。　Grim　news　met　him　soon　after　he　reached　Fort　St。　Charles

on　the　Lake　of　the　Woods。　His　nephew　La　Jemeraye；　a　born　leader

of　men；　who　was　at　the　most　advanced　station；　Fort　Maurepas　on

Lake　Winnipeg；　had　broken　down　from　exposure；　anxiety；　and

overwork；　and　had　been　laid　in　a　lonely　grave　in　the　wilderness。

Nearly　all　pioneer　work　is　a　record　of　tragedy　and　its　gloom　lies

heavy　on　the　career　of　La　Verendrye。　A　little　later　came　another

sorrow…laden　disaster。　La　Verendrye　sent　his　eldest　son　Jean　back

to　Rainy　Lake　to　hurry　the　canoes　from　Montreal　which　were

bringing　needed　food。　The　party　landed　on　a　peninsula　at　the

discharge　of　Rainy　Lake　into　Rainy　River；　fell　into　an　ambush　of

Sioux　Indians；　and　were　butchered　to　a　man。　This　incident　reveals

the　chief　cause　of　the　slow　progress　in　discovery　in　the　Great

West：　the　temper　of　the　savages　was　always　uncertain。



There　is　no　sign　that　La　Verendrye　wavered　in　his　great　hope　even

when　he　realized　that　the　Winnipeg　River　was　not　the　river

flowing　westward　which　he　sought。　We　know　now　that　the　northern

regions　of　the　American　continent　east　of　the　Rocky　Mountains　are

tilted　towards　the　east　and　the　north　and　that　in　all　its　vast

spaces　there　is　no　great　river　which　flows　to　the　west。　La

Verendrye；　however；　ignorant　of　this　dictate　of　nature；　longed　to

paddle　with　the　stream　towards　the　west。　The　Red　River　flows

from　the　south　into　Lake　Winnipeg　at　a　point　near　the　mouth　of

the　Winnipeg　River。　Up　the　Red　River　went　La　Verendrye　and　found

a　tributary；　the　Assiniboine；　flowing　into　it　from　the　west。　At

the　point　of　junction；　where　has　grown　up　the　city　of　Winnipeg；

he　built　a　tiny　fort；　called　Fort　Rouge；　a　name　still　preserved

in　a　suburb　of　the　modern　Winnipeg。　The　explorers　went　southward

on　the　Red　River；　and　then　went　westward　on　the　Assiniboine　River

only　to　find　the　waters　persistently　flowing　against　them　and　no

definite　news　of　other　waters　leading　to　the　Western　Sea。　On　the

Assiniboine；　near　the　site　of　the　present　town　of　Portage　la

Prairie　in　Manitoba；　La　Verendrye　built　Fort　La　Reine。　Its　name

is　evidence　still　perhaps　of　hopes　for　aid　through　the　Queen　if

not　through　the　King　of　France。



In　1737　La　Verendrye　made　once　more　the　long　journey　to　Montreal。

His　fourteen　canoes　laden　with　furs　were　an　earnest　of　the　riches

of　the　wonderful　West　and　so　pleased　his　Montreal　partners　that

again　they　fitted　him　out　with　adequate　supplies。　In　the　summer

of　1738　we　find　him　at　Fort　La　Reine；　rich　for　the　moment　in

goods　with　which　to　trade；　keen　and　competent　as　a　trader；　and

having　great　influence　with　the　natives。　All　through　the　West　he

found　Indians　who　went　to　trade　with　the　English　on　Hudson　Bay；

and　he　constantly　urged　them　not　to　take　the　long　journey　but　to

depend　upon　the　French　who　came　into　their　own　country。　It　was　a

policy　well　fitted　to　cause　searching　of　heart　among　the　English

traders　who　seemed　so　secure　in　their　snug　quarters　on　the

seashore　waiting　for　the　Indians　to　come　to　them。



La　Verendrye　had　now　a　fresh　plan　for　penetrating　farther　on　his

alluring　quest。　He　had　heard　of　a　river　to　the　south　to　be

reached　by　a　journey　overland。　It　was　a　new　thing　for　him　to

abandon　canoes　and　march　on　foot　but　this　he　now　did　and　with

winter　approaching。　On　October　16；　1738；　when　the　autumn　winds

were　already　chill；　there　was　a　striking　little　parade　at　Fort　La

Reine。　The　drummer　beat　the　garrison　to　arms。　What　with　soldiers

brought　from　Canada；　the　voyageurs　who　had　paddled　the　great

canoes；　and　the　Indians　who　dogged　always　the　steps　of　the　French

traders；　there　was　a　muster　at　the　fort　of　some　scores　of　men。　La

Verendrye　reviewed　the　whole　company　and　from　them　chose　for　his

expedition　twenty　soldiers　and　voyageurs　and　about　twenty

Assiniboine　Indians。　As　companions　for　himself　he　took　Francois

and　Pierre；　two　of　his　three　surviving　sons；　and　two　traders　who

were　at　the　fort。



We　can　picture　the　little　company　setting　out　on　the　18th　of

October　on　foot；　with　some　semblance　of　military　order；　by　a

well…beaten　trail　leading　across　the　high　land　which　separates

the　Red　River　country　from　the　regions　to　the　southwest。　La

Verendrye　had　heard　much　of　a　people；　the　Mandans；　dwelling　in

well…ordered　villages　on　the　banks　of　a　great　river　and

cultivating　the　soil　instead　of　living　the　wandering　life　of

hunters。　Such　wonders　of　Mandan　culture　had　been　reported　to　La

Verendrye　that　he　half　expected　to　find　them　white　men　with　a

civilization　equal　to　that　of　Europe。　The　river　was　in　reality

not　an　unknown　stream；　as　La　Verendrye　hoped；　but　the　Missouri；　a

river　already　frequented　by　the　French　in　its　lower　stretches

where　its　waters　join　those　of　the　Mississippi。



It　was　a　long　march　over　the　prairie。　La　Verendrye　found　that　he

could　not　hurry　his　Indian　guides。　They　insisted　on　delays　during

days　of　glorious　autumn　weather　when　it　would　have　been　wise　to

press　on　and　avoid　the　winter　cold　on　the　wind…swept　prairie。

They　went　out　of　their　way　to　visit　a　village　of　their　own

Assiniboine　tribe；　and；　when　they　resumed　their　journey；　this

whole　village　followed　them。　The　prairie　Indians　had　a　more

developed　sense　of　order　and　discipline　than　the　tribes　of　the

forest。　La　Verendrye　admired　the　military　regularity　of　the

savages　on　the　march。　They　divided　the　company　of　more　than　six

hundred　into　three　columns：　in　front；　scouts　to　look　out　for　an

enemy　and　also　for　herds　of　buffalo；　in　the　center；　well

protected；　the　old　and　the　lame；　all　those　incapable　of　fighting；

and；　for　a　rear…guard；　strong　fighting　men。　When　buffalo　were

seen；　the　most　active　of　the　fighters　rushed　to　the　front　to　aid

in　hemming　in　the　game。　Women　and　dogs　carried　the　baggage；　the

men　condescending　to　bear　only　their　weapons。



Not　until　cold　December　had　come　did　the　party　reach　the　chief

Mandan　village。　It　was　in　some　sense　imposing；　for　the　Indian

lodges　were　arranged　neatly　in　streets　and　squares　and　the

surrounding　palisade　was　strong　and　well　built。　Around　the　fort

was　a　ditch　fifteen　feet　deep　and　of　equal　width；　which　made　the

village　impregnable　in　Indian　warfare。　After　saluting　the　village

with　three　volleys　of　musket　fire；　La　Verendrye　marched　in　with

great　ceremony；　under　the　French　flag；　only　to　discover　that　the

Mandans　were　not　greatly　unlike　the　Assiniboines　and　other

Indians　of　the　West　whom　he　already　knew。　The　men　went　about

naked　and　the　women　nearly　so。　They　were　skilled　in　dressing

leather。　They　were　also　cunning　traders；　for　they　duped　La

Verendrye's　friends；　the　Assiniboines；　and　cheated　them　out　of

their　muskets；　ammunition；　kettles；　and　knives。　Great　eaters　were

the　Mandans。　They　cultivated　abundant　crops　and　stored　them　in

cave　cellars。　Every　day　they　brought　their　visitors　more　than

twenty　dishes　cooked　in　earthen　pottery　of　their　own　handicraft。

There　was　incredible　feasting；　which　La　Verendrye　avoided　but

which　his　sons　enjoyed。　The　Mandan　language　he　could　not

understand　and　close　questioning　as　to　the　route　to　the　Western

Sea　was　thus　impossible。　He　learned　enough　to　discredit　the　vague

tales　of　white　men　in　armor　and　peopled　towns　with　which　his

lying　guides　had　regaled　him。　In　the　end　he　decided　for　the　time

being　to　return　to　Fort　La　Reine　and　to　leave　two　of　his

followers　to　learn　the　Mandan　language　so　that　in　the　future　they

might　act　as　interpreters。　When　he　left　the　Mandan　village　on　the

13th　of　December；　he　was　already　ill　and　it　is　a　wonder　that　he

did　not　perish　from　the　cold　on　the　winter　journey　across　hill

and　prairie。　〃In　all　my　life　I　have　never；〃　he　says；　〃endured

such　misery　from　illness　and　fatigue；　as　on　that　journey。〃　On　the

11th　of　February　he　was　back　at　Fort　La　Reine；　worn　out　and

broken　in　health　but　still　undaunted　and　resolved　never　to

abandon　his　search。



Abandon　it　he　never　did。　We　find　him　in　Mon