and his buoyant spirits, activity and watchfulness, together with his piety and earnest supplications to the men, insured, no doubt, its success, even at the loss of his health, which from that time forward failed rapidly, and prostrated him for some time at Green Bay; but scarcely had he risen from his bed of sickness, ere this noble-minded man again proceeded, working vigorously as ever in the furtherance of the cause to which he devoted all his best energies. Orders came for him to open a mission on the upper waters of the Illinois, in the settlement of the Kaskaskia; and thither he departed on the 23rd of October, 1674. But now, through the privations and hardships which he had endured, his fine and vigorous 'constitution gave way a second time, and his malady returned with more fierceness than ever. He was again prostrated, in the forest; and, through the kind attentions of the Indians, restored to a feeble state of existence. He proceeded to the settlement, and, in a short space of time, administered the duties of his high office, and gave the natives such instruction as he was able to do; but, finding that the term of his existence was rapidly drawing to a close, he left Kaskaskia, hoping to be able to reach Mackinaw, there to lay his wearied head among his proselytes, and die in peace. But fate ordained otherwise; for on the way his disease returned again with increased virulence, and his hour had come, which he hailed with ecstacy, thanking Heaven for allowing him to die a Jesuit, a missionary, and alone. This event occurred on the 18th of May, 1675, on the river that bears his name. Shea says of him: "He was of a cheerful, joyous disposition, playful even in his manner, and universally beloved. His letters show him to us a man of education, close observation, sound sense, strict integrity, a freedom from exaggeration, and yet a vein of humor which here and there breaks out in spite of all his self-command."

FATHER HENNEPIN.

He

THIS celebrated man, early connected with the history of the province, and an adventurous and intrepid traveller, deserves to be placed on a par with the distinguished Charlevoix. was a French Recollet friar, famous as a missionary and traveller in North America. He was born in Flanders about 1640. His inclination for travelling led him to Italy; and he

was afterwards a preacher at Hall, in Hainault. He then went into a convent, and being sent by his superiors to Calais and Dunkirk, the stories which he heard from the sailors inspired him with a desire to visit distant countries. At length he embarked for Canada, and arrived at Quebec in 1675, in the same ship as Bishop Laval and the Chevalier La Salle. Between that period and 1682, he explored the region now called the State of Louisiana, and first saw the Falls of St. Anthony. Returning to Europe, he published an account of his researches, entitled: "Description de la Louisiane nouvellement découverte au sud-ouest de la Nouvelle France, avec la Carte du pays, les mœurs et la manière de vivre des Sauvages." Paris: 1683. 12mo. He afterwards produced other works, containing fuller descriptions of the result of his observations. He was appointed guardian of the convent of Renty, in Artois; and refusing to return to America, after some disputes, he was permitted by his superiors to retire into Holland in 1697, where he found protectors at the court of William III., and accompanied that monarch to England. Though he adopted the secular habit among the Dutch, it does not appear that he relinquished his religion or his profession, as he always added to his signature the title of Missionary Recollet and Apostolic Notary.

He died in Holland about the year 1700. Bancroft says, referring to some discoveries which Hennepin claims to have made, that he was not merely a light-hearted, ambitious, daring discoverer, but a boastful liar.

SIR WILLIAM PHIPPS.*

THE history of this celebrated and distinguished gentleman is a remarkable one. Raised, one may say, almost from nothing, he attained, through his energy, perseverance and peculiar abilities, the highest honours; and having been appointed commander of the gallant expedition against Quebec in 1690, deserves a high place in this work.

Our information is chiefly derived from Allen. Sir William Phipps was born at Pemaquid, now Bristol, Maine, on the 2nd of February, 1651. His father, James Phipps, was a gunsmith in

* Many writers aver, among them Dr. Smiles, that this was the founder of the House of Normanby, while as many contradict it.

humble circumstances; and his mother had twenty-six children, of whom twenty-one were sons. After living in the wilderness till he was eighteen years of age, he bound himself as an apprentice to a ship-carpenter for four years; at the expiration of this time he went to Boston, where he learned to read and write. He had determined to seek his fortune upon the sea; and after a variety of adventures, he discovered a Spanish wreck on the coast of Hispaniola, from which he fished up plate and pearls and jewels, amounting in value to £300,000 sterling. With this treasure he sailed to England in 1687; and such was his honesty, and so liberal was he to his seamen, that his own share amounted only to £16,000. At this time he received the honor of knighthood, which was conferred upon him by King James. Returning to Boston, he was, in 1690, admitted a member of the North Church, being baptized and professing repentance of his sins. He then commanded an expedition against Port Royal, which place he captured. Later in the same year, the English colonists forming the patriotic intention of capturing Canada from the French, Phipps was intrusted with the command of the expedition by sea, which consisted of thirty-four vessels of different burthen, and was manned by nearly fifteen hundred of the "hardy sailors of New England," with thirteen hundred militia under the command of Major Walley. This formidable armament appeared before the walls of Quebec on the morning of the 5th of October, and on demanding, in the name of King William III., the surrender of that city, the brave De Frontenac, nothing daunted, replied: "I do not acknowledge King William, and I well know that the Prince of Orange is a usurper, who has violated the most sacred rights of blood and religion. I will answer your master by the mouth of my cannon." To this Phipps replied by sending a tremendous broadside into the town, and the siege, if it can be called such, commenced. Walley landed on the St. Charles, and defeated a body of French troops, which had stationed themselves there to obstruct his movements. But, notwithstanding this advantage, the fire from the batteries was of such a terrific nature, and so injurious to the fleet, that, on the 11th, Phipps at a council held on board his ship, resolved to abandon the enterprise; and accordingly during the night, carried his determination into execution. But a terrible storm arising in the Gulf, nine of his ships were wrecked. He arrived at Boston on the 19th of November, considerably distressed at his defeat, which had, however, partly arisen from the lateness of the season in which the expedition had been undertaken.

When the new charter of Massachusetts was obtained, he was nominated governor. In this capacity he arrived at Boston, May 14, 1692. He soon put a stop to prosecutions for witchcraft. In August, he sailed with about four hundred and fifty men to Pema

quid, where he built a fort. In 1694, in a dispute with the collector of the port, Sir William was so far carried away by the passion of the moment as to have recourse to blows to settle the controversy. He was soon afterwards removed; and he sailed in November for England, where he received assurances of being restored; but, being seized by a malignant fever, he died in 1695, at the premature age of forty-four.

Sir William, though his origin was very humble, was not elated by the change in his circumstances. He was a man of uncommon enterprise and industry, of an excellent disposition (though he did not always retain the command of his temper), and of perfect honesty and integrity. He exerted himself to promote the interests of New England.

MAJOR WALLEY,

AN English colonist, born 1644. In the year 1690 accompanied Sir William Phipps as commander of the troops on board his fleet to capture Quebec, at which place he did good service, repulsing a body of French troops to the number of 300, on the banks of the St. Charles. On his return to Boston, he published a narrative of the expedition, which is to be found in Hutchinson. Afterwards was appointed a Judge of the Superior Court of Massachusetts, and a member of the Council. Was one of the principal founders of the town and church of Bristol, U. S., and a man of merit and ability; zealous in his country's service, and a good Christian. Died at Boston, January 11, 1712.

M. LEFEBVRE DE LA BARRE.

M. DE LA BARRE was Governor of New France from 1682 to 1685. He was a marine officer, who had distinguished himself in action against the English in the West Indies, having taken from them the islands of Antigua and Montserrat. However brave his

conduct may have been there, according to the record of history, it was quite the reverse in Canada. He not only had not the courage to confront a few wild and uncivilized hordes of Iroquois ; but he sacrificed a small and valuable army in making some attempts to do so, to the infinite disgust of the people of the colony. His general management of affairs was extremely bad, and being recalled, he left the province without the regret of any of its inhabitants.

MARQUIS DE DENONVILLE.

JACQUES RENÉ DE BRISAY, Marquis de Denonville, Governor of New France from 1685 to 1689, was at once a brave officer, and a man of a religious turn of mind. He was also imbued with a lofty sense of honor, and was polished in his manners. Yet he was often liable to receive wrong impressions of things; and his imperfect knowledge of the relations, subsisting between the French and the savage races, caused him to commit acts which violated the principles of equity, and brought about that retribution which never fails to follow, sooner or later, violations of the laws of nature and of nations.

By not following up a victory, which he achieved over the Iroquois, and striking a decided blow on the whole confederation, he inspired the savages with a glow of triumph, and a sense of contempt of what they deemed his cowardice. He likewise kidnapped a number of their chiefs, and sent them to France to work at the galleys, at a time when they were bound on a peaceable mission to himself. He thus excited against himself and the French a spirit of hate and detestation in the heart of the "Red men" - a feeling which only terminated by the frightful "Massacre of Lachine."

He certainly had sound ideas on many points; but he had a speculative, rather than an energetic mind, and was not prompt in action. Few governors of Canada ever set down on paper more sage maxims for its proper administration, yet fewer left it in a sadder plight.