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Iowa, Early, Marquette & Joliet, The Iowa 1976 (2) A Pre - Revolutic BERT VQ< ..-~_......... Peek at Iowaland Traders with fur-laden canoes gliding along waterways, intrepid explorers greeting tribes of Indians, the first battle between white men and Indians on Iowa soil, a Revolutionary War skirmish and lead from mines turned into bullets for rebel Americans - all are part of the history of the land across the Mississippi which would eventually become the state of Iowa. From the time Marquette and Joliet first laid eyes on "a large Chain of very high Mountains" in 1673 until 1788 when Julien Dubuque received rights to mine lead in the vicinity of the present-day city bearing his name, various dramas were acted out in or near Iowa country in the upper Mississippi River valley. The actors were mainly French. Priests, explorers and traders alike traveled the vast unknown region beyond the Great Lakes for numerous reasons. Among them were the prospect of making Christians out of savages, charting territory new to white men's eyes and gaining wealth from trade with the Indians. The presence of the French in Canada and the access route through the Great Lakes made their entry into the area natural. The British on the other hand were hemmed in by the Allegheny Mountains and the Spanish were preoccupied by their many conquests in Central and South America. While Britain and Spain at various times On a high bluff overlooking the Mississippi, a circular tower of Galena limestone erect- ed in 1897 marks the grave of Julien Dubuque, generally regarded as the first permanent white settler in Iowa. made imprints in Iowa country, it was essentially the French who wrote its history during the first hundred years after its discovery. The tale is one of exploration and then efforts to keep the Indians at bay while extracting wealth (mostly furs) to enrich royal coffers abroad. Colonization was not here a part of French policy; indeed, the immense size and Indian resistance made governing the Louisiana territory haphazard at best. The settlement of Iowa was left to Americans who after the Revolutionary War streamed across the Alleghenies in search of more living room. The conquest of America by A mericans.fills another chapter. Here is chronicled the Iowa story from forty years before Marquette and Joliet to a few years after the close of the War of Independence. While lacking Plymouth, Salem, Lexington and Concord, as well as the deeds and ideas now commemorated during the Bicentennial year, the interior con- tinent has its own drama. And for the Iowa scenes, the definitive work of Jacob Van der Zee, published in 1914 in several issues of the Iowa Journal of History and Politics, provides the framework for the following chronology. From the early 1900s, this painting commemorates a historic moment from Iowa's past. On June 17, 1673, Pierre Marquette and Louis Joliet entered the channel of the Missis- sippi River and thus, presumably, were the first white men to lay eyes on land that even- tually would become the state of Iowa. MINNESOTA HISTORICAL SOCIETY 5 . . . . . · .. t t-dt ..(1.. .!Jlt i" 1fI-I. ~ . . ... . .. . . .. . ...~.~ . .. .. . . .i . ~ .. +:[. ..., . . ~----- · · ) 1:, Rrb~ ~') · ..' . t~. .. .fr d . " . j Joliet's map of the North American continent was reconstructed from memory about 1674. The explorer lost all the original maps and records of the historic Mississippi voyage in a canoeing accident while returning to Montreal to file his report. 1634 Jean Nicolet, a Frenchman and Indian interpreter, is dispatched by the Governor of New France os- tensibly to find a water route to China. Nicolet travels through the Strait of Mackinac, then along Lake Michigan to Green Bay, up the Fox River to Lake Winnebago where he learns from Indians of a great water (the Wisconsin River) just three days hence. He returns home by another route and thus misses encoun tering the Mississippi. During his journey, he spies a tribe of Winnebagos along a shore and thinking the natives must be Chinese dons a "grand robe of 6 Article by Charles W. Roberts China damask, all strewn with flowers and birds of many colors." Later, Nicolet relates his reception to a Jesuit missionary who described it as follows: No sooner did they perceive him than the woman and children fled, at the sight of a man who carried thunder in both hands - for thus they called the pistols that he held. The news of his coming quickly spread to the places round about, and there assembled four or five thousand men. Each of the chief men made a feast for him, and at one of these banquets they served at least sixscore Beavers. 1659-1660 Pierre Esprit Radis- son and his brother-in-law, Medard Chouart des Groseilliers, explore the upper Mississippi region. In Radisson's writings about his travels, references to the "Maingonis," the name of an Indian tribe later en- countered by Marquette and Joliet in Iowa country, suggest the two French explorers might have been in Iowa. However, the evidence is in- conclusive. Radisson envisions the region as a ..... kind of Garden Europeans, yet one with great effort: . of Eden for obtainable only ~ ;' The Country was so pleasant, so beautifull & fruitful/ that it grieved me to see ye world could not discover such inticing countrys to live in. This I say because that the Europeans fight for a rock in the sea against one another, or for a sterill land and horrid country. . . . Contrarywise those kingdoms are so delicious & under so temperat a climat, plentifull of all things, the earth bringing foorth its fruit twice a yeare, the people live long & lusty & wise in their way. What conquest would that bee att little or no cost; what laborinth of pleasure should millions of people have, instead that millions complaine of misery & poverty! It's true, I confess, that the ac- cesse is difficult, but must say that we are like the Cockscombs of Paris, when first they begin to have wings, imagining that the larks will fall in their mouths roasted; but we ought (to remember) that vertue is not acquired without labour and taking great paines. I ~ II " 'I II !I 1673 Here we are, then, on this so renowned River, all of whose peculiar features I have en- deavored to note carefully. The Missisipi River takes its rise in various lakes in the country of the Northern nations. It is narrow at the place where the Miskous (Wisconsin) empties; its Current, which flows southward, is slow and gentle. To the right is a large Chain of very high Mountains, and to the left are beautiful lands; in various Places, the stream is Divided by Islands. .. II I !I I ~ t Il Such is Marquette's account of the Frenchmen's discovery of the upper Mississippi and hence, Iowa. Pierre Marquette, a Jesuit priest eager to spread the Christian message, and his companion Louis Joliet, an ex- perienced fur trader, are sent by Count Frontenac, Governor of New France to look for the "Great River." On June 17 they enter its channel. Downstream about a week later, they see foot tracks of men on the Iowa shore. They disembark and follow a trail at a distance of several miles. They come upon an Indian I' II I: " r L" ",;:;,. ,...... / L.. " " f ) - I \1"'1 ?' <Lor '1. 1 ..,.~..p _'_' ./ /Jr~l(v y( "~,""",;,,~....... 'G~!" C4)'i$"tvTl..~r'~f"'''/~ . '\.'" ,~ I r" Nt I.,) ""'--"'t,,/) S ATIONS~--"'ViJ V". t~~ I ..,.1Y ~ l 1\' ,;11 ~ ~..,,1t 1)1- '''f il'''', f) ~/ 10 · ,,~,n~ ; ~ ~..;" ~ '_~ r' 0<1 <> ~ ~!' .~. ....: :.,,(.,..., """ ~ ,,~c:.0 ~ '01 ~ '.. ~"'- l:;t '~~~'o/J~i) .l"'<Al.?,;".,g... /') .'" ""'l~' c~ '1 .~ 't,. _A'l ",'J :\~. ~~~> _{ i~~/'; T A- ~. 1 !t)1.5 '.\ ~v:" ~'\~~//. ' ... . "\)\!I!)-~"C.'" -" ,". ..: \ \ . ;S"\.j "p '. , .J' . '" / _~ ";~ La c "J._' ' ~ ;. l' ~~.., (f,t'.f; \, .II ~", ~/ (Y , ~ ~" :~y -0 U?e)-Z-t7Ir:J__.~-lO J ~\ ';Y.,.-r''''. :;.ot- .-_. J '- -:.~' ,,,,~,,,., 4 ~~.."""-' , >......,-<.... A, \, _ ~ ~A.'" ~ -<::),~ S ':t ;i ~ .'"~.~...--<:...~ ---~ --- -~- --:5' ._,~-~tZ.::~~ i :to t ,r-' ~,~'" ( J , .to ;..' IOWA DEPT. OF HISTORY, MUSEUM AND ARCHIVES DIVI This map of the upper Mississippi River valley and vicinity was drawn in 1688 by French cartographer J. B. Franquelin for presentation to Louis XIV. A crude represel tion, it does show the curve of the Mississippi which delineates the characteristic bl along the eastern border of the state. It also locates the Wisconsin River (R. Ouisconsi and the Des Moines River (R. des Moingana). village on the banks of a river and note two more camps on hills beyond: especially when they saw a blac gown, - or, at least, having J cause for distrust, as we we only two men, and had give notice of our arrival, - the deputed four old men to come al speak to us. Two of these bo tobacco-pipes, finely ornament. and Adorned with variol feathers. 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, After ceremonious introduct during which the Frenchmen presented a long-stemmed calumE peace symbol among all India ki nd of Garden Europeans, yet one with great effort: , of Eden for obtainable only The Country was so pleasant, so beautiful! & fruitfull that it grieved me to see ye world could not discover such inticing countrys to live in. This I say because that the Europeans fight for a rock in the sea against one another, or for a sterill land and horrid country. . . . Contrarywise those kingdoms are so delicious & under so temperat a climat, plentifull of all things, the earth bringing foorth its fruit twice a yeare, the people live long & lusty & wise in their way. What conquest would that bee att little or no cost; what laborinth of pleasure should millions of people ha ve, instead that millions complaine of misery & poverty! It's true, I confess, that the ac- cesse is difficult, but must say that we are like the Cockscombs of Paris, when first they begin to have wings, imagining that the larks will fall in their mouths roasted; but we ought (to remember) that vertue is not acquired without labour and taking great paines. 1673 Here we are, then, on this so renowned River, all of whose peculiar features I have en- deavored to note carefully. The Missisipi River takes its rise in various lakes in the country of the Northern nations. It is narrow at the place where the Miskous (Wisconsin) empties; its Current, which flows southward, is slow and gentle. To the right is a large Chain of very high Mountains, and to the left are beautiful lands ; in various Places, the stream is Divided by Islands. Such is Marquette's account of the Frenchmen's discovery of the upper Mississippi and hence, Iowa. Pierre Marquette, a Jesuit priest eager to spread the Christian message, and his companion Louis Joliet, an ex- perienced fur trader, are sent by Count Frontenac, Governor of New France to look for the "Great River." On June 17 they enter its channel. Downstream about a week later, they see foot tracks of men on the Iowa shore. They disembark and follow a trail at a distance of several miles. They come upon an Indian (1/) ,. La t....;,- ~ ? ') , ~,."" -." <Lu ,21 ~. I" *,.u"'~,/' C'" /, 1:::': j " firl~.r7taft..x \.. _/ ~_ _"~,o{' /v':' ~t ':\ ' ~~ (/"],) i ~ ~ j , ( J I .1\< / ?l ..."},tA-1t joO, 1tJcJ k'" ,1 I I> ~ ,0 q<O<;J,nc ; ~ o <!) <> ~ f ~-~."r;..... .""~,,, ,,~c:0~"1f i ~"'- .l,... Ai.",;"..,!,,,- /~ ~ ,,' IOWA DEPT. OF HISTORY, MUSEUM AND ARCHIVES DIVISION This map of the upper Mississippi River valley and vicinity was drawn in 1688 by the French cartographer J. B. Franquelin for presentation to Louis XIV. A crude representa- tion, it does show the curve of the Mississippi which delineates the characteristic bulge along the eastern border of the state. It also locates the Wisconsin River (R. Ouisconsing) and the Des Moines River (R. des Moingana). village on the banks of a river and note two more camps on hills beyond: especially when they saw a black gown, - or, at least, having no cause for distrust, as we were only two men, and had given 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. 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, After ceremonious introductions during which the Frenchmen are presented a long-stemmed calumet (a peace symbol among all Indians), 7 .. 1,)" "CARTE DE _ :r/.,u .lIfI' fill yn(n,1 /hllllf,I't ']-,OUISIANE ,{, '^' '/'<<;i IOWA DEPT. OF HISTORY, MUSEUM AND ARCHIVES DIVISION 8 ..I..,..""..Iv_.", >.1...........l-~, MEX QUE ;<< Beginning in 1703, the noted French grapher, William Delisle (1675-1726) dre series of increasingly accurate maps of Louisiana territory showing the course of Mississippi River. From the 1720s, this sion includes such details as the routl De Soto's ill-fated expedition across southern part of North America in the 15 Lead mines (mine de Plomb) near the I ent-day Dubuque, the Des Moines Rivel Moingona R.) and a fur traders' trail (ChE de Voyageurs) across northern Iowa are tails of lowaland from the Delisle map. there is a great feast. The four courses include: cornmeal boiled in water, seasoned with fat and then fed by the spoonful to the Frenchmen; boiled fish, de-boned and hand fed; roast dog which the guests decline; and finally roast buffalo, with the choicest bits popped by their hosts into the Frenchmen's mouths. A tour of the villages, presentation of gifts, and an overnight rest upon fur robes in the chief's lodge precede Marquette and Joliet's departure the following day for a continuation of their voyage downstream. They take with them a slave boy, the calumet and various baubles. According to one account, the trinkets are hastily thrown into the river once the French- men are out of sight of the Indians. Footnote: Marquette with two French companions journeys to Illinois country during the winter of 1674-75. While returning to the mission at St. Ignace after the visit to an Illinois tribe, an ailing Marquette succumbs and is buried on a high bluff along the eastern shore of Lake Michigan. Joliet returns to Montreal in 1674 to file his report with the Governor of New France. Ap- proaching Montreal, he overturns his canoe, drowning his companions including the slave boy from Iowa and destroying all his records and maps. He barely escapes death and lives to reconstruct from memory an account of his travels. 1679-1680 The French explorer Rene Robert Cavelier de la Salle dispatches two seasoned explorers, Michel Accau and Picard du Gay, and a priest, Louis Hennepin, on a scouting expedition of the upper reaches of the Mississippi. They pass by Iowa and eventually reach the Falls of St. Anthony (so named by Hl:mnepin for his patron saint, St. Anthony of Padua), site of the present-day Minneapolis. 1690 About this time, another Frenchman, Nicholas Perrot, a familiar face among the Indian tribes of the Great Lakes region as early as 1665, receives an invitation from the Miami Indians to construct a fort for fur trading some miles below the mouth of the Wisconsin River. He is CURATOR, JAMES FORO BEll LIBRARY, MINNEAPOLIS Seventeenth-century Europeans were fascinated by accounts of the exploration of the interior North American continent. From Father Louis Hennepin's "New Discovery" (1688), an illustration of a buffalo and other creatures in a fanciful setting suggests the extent of exaggeration in some of the reports. given lead ore and comes to in- vestigate the presence of mines in the region. He finds them, but whether they are located at Galena or Dunleith on the Illinois side of the Mississippi, or at Dubuque on the Iowa side, remains unanswered to this day. Records of the time indicate that Perrot constructed a fort opposite the lead mines "in a situation very strong against the assaults of neighboring tribes." His own writings report the activities of Indians in Iowa country. 1700 It is called the Riviere de Moingona, the name of a nation of Savages who dwelt upon its banks. Beyond its mouth, a league up the Mississipy, there are rapids broken up into cascades. Thus writes Jean Penicaut of the Des Moines River. Penicaut ac- companies an expedition of 19 men led by Pierre Charles Ie Sueur up the Mississippi to negotiate a peace between the Sioux and the Chippewa Indians. He describes the Iowa countryside, not to be broken by the white man's plow until more than 130 years later: To the left of these rapids is an open prairie country extending inland for more than ten leagues from the bank of the Mississipy. The grass of these prairies is like sainfoin (a European herb) and does not quite reach up to the knee. There are all kinds of animals upon these prairies. When we had passed these rapids, which made us very tired, we found upon the right and the left mines of lead which are called to this day the Mines of Nicolas Perrot, which is the name of the man who discovered them. The same year, an Englishman, Dr. Daniel Coxe of Carolina, arms two vessels and sends an exploring party up the Mississippi. From it, he learns of some of the river's tributaries, including "a fair river, which our people were at the mouth of, but could not learn its name. I suppose it's the same the French call Moingona." 1703 The noted French car- 9 tographer William Delisle draws a map of the Louisiana territory which shows some of the rivers of Iowa as well as identifies the approximate location of Perrot's lead mines, 1712 Increasingly concerned about the French intrusions in their territory, the Fox Indians begin a campaign of resistance which lasts for almost 30 years. 1718 Delisle improves his 1703 map with a revised version which records a traders' trail running westward across northern Iowa to the vicinity of the Okoboji-Spirit Lake region and then on to a final point near the present-day Sioux Falls, South Dakota. 1721 The Moingona issues from the midst of an immense meadow which swarms with Buffaloes and other wild beasts. Its course from north to west is said to be two hundred and fifty leagues in length. . . Going up the Moingona, we find great plenty of pit coal; one hundred and fifty leagues from its mouth there is a very large cape, which causes a turn in the river, where its waters are red and stinking. It is said that great quantities of mineral stones and some antimony have been found upon this cape. A French traveler and writer, Pere Pierre Francois Xavier Charlevoix, provides this description of the Des Moines River and its vicinity during his journey through Louisiana terri tory. 1727-1728 The Governor of New France dispatches Pierre Boucher, Sieur de Boucherville, and other Frenchmen to establish a fort among the Sioux in the upper Mississippi River valley region for trading and defense against the warring Foxes. In the fall of 1728, de Boucherville abandons the fort and with his companions proceeds south along the Mississippi between Iowa and Illinois. On October 16,1728, de Boucherville and his men are detained by some Kickapoo and Mascoutin Indians at a village along a stream (believed to be the present Iowa River). De Boucherville and his men are 10 Captain Jonathan Carver, a Connecticut Yankee shoe- maker and soldier, explor- ed the upper Mississippi valley in the 1760s. He fail- ed to capitalize personally on an account of his ex- plorations, "Travels through the Interior Parts of North America" (1778), and died in poverty in London in 1780. His book, however, ran through many editions and for years was consider- ed the authoritative source on the subject. titpt::fOJVATIL1iV (/dRYER. . {~~'::;n I;:;~ Onb,;naJ Picture~;' /;;S. /JL::-t:/~n' i't,'t,://'h'H, AIJJ._ {7.~/-- ~/1_ ,_ ILI>IMA/d _lkki4ra*'.t, b..r<<I'fUe..W'J7~4I"G!~'k.llr/hmr,:t;,y.;t<,JiS('. CURATOR, JAMES FORD BELL LIBRARY, MINNEAPOLIS treated courteously as he recounts la ter : Afterwards they held a council and came to the conclusion to lodge us in the cabin of Ouiskouba whose relatives had just been killed by the French acting with the Illinois. All our baggage was carried into this cabin; Father Guignas was placed upon a mat and upon a very fine bear skin; an equally honorable place was prepared for me opposite the Reverend Father; we were regaled with deer flesh. We had no lack of company throughout the night as a great many of these barbarians had never seen a Frenchman and were attracted by curiosity . . . Soon after, to protect themselves from the Fox, the Kickapoos move their camp to an island (location uncertain). The Frenchmen remain with the Indians until spring at which time an uneasy peace, largely engineered by de Boucherville, is negotiated between the two tribes. De Boucherville and his men then depart for Montreal. 1735 On April 19, forty years to the day before Concord, the first recorded battle between Indians and white men on Iowa soil takes place along the Des Moines River, possibly near the site of the present-day Des Moines. During the months previous, Captain Nicholas Joseph de Noyelles leads a band of 80 or so well-armed Frenchmen and about 150 Indian allies - Iroquois, Hurons and Potawatomis - on a grueling trek across Iowa territory in pursuit of the allied Sac and Fox. De Noyelles en- counters the enemy encamped along the Des Moines River. Several days of skirmish end in a draw. De Noyelles departs leaving the Sac and Fo}( unwilling to participate peaceably in the fur trade and even more resentful of the French. Of more hardship to the French and their allies than the fighting is the march to the Des Moines during a bitter Midwest winter. The troops ford streams in ice-cold water up to their necks, suffer frostbite and en- dure extreme hunger - desperate conditions which de Noyelles records later on: "For four days our party had nothing to eat but twelve dogs and a horse that was killed near the Foxes' fort. Several soldiers were obliged to eat their moccasins." 1738-1740 According to sources, in order to keep a watchful eye on the Indians, a French officer, Pierre Paul, Sieur Marin, builds and maintains a fort during these years al the head of Magill's Slough on the Iowa bank of the Mississippi in what is now Clayton County. 1739 The Fox Wars are closed "by leniency and diplomacy on part of the French officials." 1750 A French trader is killed by the Little Osage Indians on the upper part of the "Riviere des Mouens." 1760 The French regime in the upper Mississippi begins to collapse (a consequence of the ongoing French and Indian War). Beaujeu evacuates the French post at Mackinac and heads south down the Mississippi, wintering at a Sac and Fox village near the mouth of the Rock River in Illinois. The same year, the first English colonists reach the Mississippi River from over the Alleghenies, inviting the Indian tribes along the Rock River to trade. 1762 One year before the treaty ending the French and Indian War, the French secretly convey to Spain all the territory west of the Mississippi. Henceforth, until 1800, when it passes back to France, Iowa territory is under the jurisdiction of Spanish officials at New Orleans. 1766 For it would not only disclose new sources of trade, and promote many useful discoveries, but In 1788, the Fox Indians granted Julien Dubuque the right to mine lead in the vicinity of Catfish Creek on the Iowa side of the Mississippi. This facsimile of the original land plat shows the tract of approximately 189 square miles, encompassing the present-day city of Dubuque, deeded to the young French Canadian. Also noted is land sold in 1804 to Auguste Chouteau. a Saint Louis merchant, to whom Dubuque was heavily indebted. The date of 1774 is possibly a clerk's error. 1711 ~ z 0 ;;; > c > :I: U :( c z <( " ~ " ~ ,: 1 ~ 1 :I: (; ~ ~ <( ~ !2 /771f _' r~ ~ a1lanJc4;IH-aAx. ck. ~ I&n, de ?/Imu1NU" otbw .bak~ elaJlWur//774. ~w~ 4-~W..PU 4/-_-'-; ",au...n..-a<. ~~, d4 ~ ~4..;/& CI...i:- . ..,"" ~ r-~lk'.& 7021 -J-', k,t..J;- ~ ~ ~ III I&.LAltf. ~\U,J., .ltl. 1'1-...... ~ 4 ,..J.!... b~":' f...J...LJ.... "lIi<&,.: 177,;.-'" J.'/ouU G..,..,f..,tl..-t- ~ I.;. -..f ;.:...... f..........f :.l..;t.1...J. ....-a:..... 1.....,..... 1..,....""71>.<.4..,..,..4""*'" ~t.l.iJ-...l...L.....d. k "" G:> _A ,.. rh~ ,~.1 /""-~" .. __ .I< /'-/ fj " I..W"'!..t ~ ..;..., 1--.;,.. .."'-... (" ...;... d /J'ouJ; Ao~. .II --:, ......,: '" JIu,..E..-..,,,,: E /",."".6. "- ~ ,f. .1-,' 1_;;..fIU I-/~J. _..J ~~ .f ......1...., ,....,JI...,,... -"--'-~. ..,...... L.., L,.. ,,~ 'i' I ~:~ .~ ..._~^.d....->l...~".t..",,__D_..""""""" ( , ~ .?-1;'-l1''"''-.f"Jo..wt....- ~.,-.., l.J_., j..oI......, ~;.r ~?~~. ~w-. / d ~ ~Jd c-;ftr 1'1'.1,/::> ~~..:.t""""""" .' /.l..4 ~.cJ ~~$ ,r....,..:, ~ t/;;;<.. "'J) rf Xi:> -~~ r~:A~'!-'7'!/' ~---/4":';/4~. : '-'7) tzI. J I{J.....&~ ~../'~./dI1.- t ,..calml. of orlt\'lnnl plat of :u.nd deeded to .'ulien Duhu<lue. K<:..~ 7- ~~ J 1774. Copy or from. Recorder' fI. c:ft'lce in ...t.i!OU1.,.,_~M~~.(,t~f . 11 would open a passage for con- veying intelligence to China, and the English settlements in the East Indies, with greater ex- pedition than a tedious voyage by the Cape of Good Hope, or the Straits of Magellan will allow of. One of the last hopefuls of discovering the route to China, as revealed later in the above excerpt from his book Travels through the Interior Parts of North A merica in the Years 1766, 1767, and 1768, Jonathan Carver sets out from Mackinac with a party of English and Canadian traders to explore the upper reaches of the Mississippi. After a stopover in Prairie du Chien, the former Con- necticut shoemaker and soldier of fortune, travels up the Mississippi, and from the following account, presumably spends time in Iowa. A little farther to the west, on the _contrary side, a small river falls into the Mississippi, which the French call Le Juan Riviere, or the Yellow River. Here the traders who had accompanied me hitherto, took up residence for the winter. I then bought a canoe, and with two servants, one a French Canadian and the other a Mohawk of Canada, on the 19th proceeded up the Mississippi. After several years of wandering in the upper Mississippi and western Great Lakes region, Carver heads east to tell his story. Unable to in- terest revolutionary-preoccupied Bostonians in his tale, he travels to London to seek a publisher. There, after exploring several alternatives for cashing in on his adventures, he finds an interested party. Travels is published, however not in the form of the original manuscript. Extensively edited, the book contains embroideries, tales not reported by Carver and excerpts from other authors, as well as several hundred pages devoted to inaccurate descriptions of Indian life. For various reasons, Carver fails to share in the book's success. It is translated into several languages and for more than a century goes through numerous editions. The man who provided the raw material for this work dies destitute in London in 1780. Despite Carver's ignominious end, 12 he does recognize in Travels the value of the Mississippi region for set- tlement, as had Radisson 120 years previous. With a few exceptions, the Connecticut Yankee hits the mark in predicting what will be eventual products of this fruitful land - "wine, oil, beef, tallow, skins, buffalo, wool and furs; with lead, copper, iron, coals, lumber, corn, rice and fruits, besides earth and barks for dyeing." 1770 The Governor of Upper Louisiana, headquartered in St. Louis, informs his superior at New Orleans that a fort should be established at the mouth of the Des Moines River to prevent the British from using it as an easy route to the Missouri. 1773 Peter Pond, a New England trader visiting Prairie du Chien, camps at a Fox village on the Iowa side of the river and with untutored spelling describes the highlight of his day's stay in Iowa - fishing for catfish: We (Pond and some fellow traders) were Incampt Near Each other. We Put our Hoock and Lines into the Water and Leat them Lyall nite. In the Morning we Perseaved thare was fish at the Hoocks and went to the Wattr Eag (water's edge) and halld on our line. Thay Came Heavey. At Length we hald one ashore that wade a Hundered and four Pounds - a Seacond that was One Hundered Wate - a third of Seventy five Pounds. The Men was Glad to Sea this for thay Had not Eat mete for Sum Days nor fish for a long time. We asked our men How meney Men the Largest would Give a Meale. Sum of the Largest Eaters Sade twelve men would Eat it at a Meal. We Agread to Give ye fish if thay would find twelve men that would undertake it. Thay Began to Dres it. The fish was what was Cald the Cat fish. It Had a large flat Head Sixteen Inches Betwene the eise. Thay Skind it - Cut it up in three large Coppers Such as we have for the Youse of our men. After it was Well Boild thay Sawd it up and all Got Round it. Thay Began and Eat the hole without the least thing with it But Salt and Sum of them Drank the Licker it was Boild in. The Other two was Sarved out to the Remainder of the People who finished them in a Short time. Thay all Declard thay felt the Beater of thare Meale Nor did I perseave that Eney of them ware Sick or Complaind. 1780 A year after Spain's declaration of war on Great Britain (already embroiled with her colonies in their war for independence), a British Lieutenant, Alexander Kay, stationed at Mackinac, leads a band of men down the Mississippi against the Spanish at St. Louis. It is reported that lead from the Dubuque mines is reaching George Rogers Clark for use in American bullets. In April, at the mouth of the Turkey River, Kay and his men capture the crew - "twelve men & a Rebel Commissary -" and cargo of an American trader's barge. The British continue to the lead mines and seize 17 Spanish and Rebels, a quantity of lead ore and other provisions. These two skirmishes are the only Revo- lutionary War engagements fought on or in close proximity to Iowa soil. 1781 Dispatched by the Spanish Governor at St. Louis, a Monsieur Boucher de Monbruen and a detach- ment of 40 militiamen establish an outpost above the mouth of the Des Moines River near the present town of Montrose in order to observe the movements of the enemy Sac Indians. 1788 On September 22, the Fox Indians grant permission to Julien Dubuque to mine lead near Catfish Creek on the Iowa side of the Mississippi. A 26-year-old French- Canadian, Dubuque claims for himself land stretching more than 20 miles along the river and nine miles inland, a tract including the present- day city of Dubuque. He calls his digging operations the "Mines of Spain" in recognition of the country which governs the entire Louisiana territory. Dubuque clears the land, builds a smelter and cabins, and mines the lead with the help of squaw labor. Thus, he is the first permanent white settler and resident businessman in Iowa country - 15 years before the Louisiana Purchase and 45 years before the territory is officially opened to settlement by the American people.