South Dakota Historical Collections (Volume 7)

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text, images, or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1914. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... that mountain to the mouth of the stream, --ami vice versa, -- making at least three crossings of the Mouse (two on the loup and one near the mouth) and cutting across to save distance; yet we believe the Verendrye party must have gone from the Turtle Mountain region considerably farther west than this general route: since it is certain that the lengthening of the road by some fifty leagues,20 as indicated by his journal, must have brought them to a point far west of the most westerly region traversed by the lower Mouse. But here we may only speculate; as nothing is said in any of the Verendrye journals about crossing any stream south of the Assiniboinc, --save the recital as to the Misssouri River in the journal of the Chevalier on the exploration of 1742-M. But it is highly probable that, after making the wide detour mentioned by Verendrye, to the village of 102 huts. they were so far west as to make it necessary, in reaching the Mandans. to travel a considerable distance east of south toward the end of the journey. To return to the subject of the meeting at the big village: The journal relates: A number of messengers had gone before us and we were received with great joy. They led us, Mr. de la Marque, his brother and my children, into the hut of a young chief, where every one was ready to receive us. They made a great feast foi; us and for all our people, who did not want for a good appetite. On the 19th I assembled the chiefs and head men of the village in the hut where I was. 1 gave them a present in your name of powder, balls, knives and tobacco, telling them that I received them into the number of your children: that if they had sense you promised not to abandon them: that the French were now established on their lands and would provide fo...