ple. "A Colony (says Raynal*) founded on such an uncertain basis, could never prosper." The death of D'Iberville had spread consternation amongst them and having lost their leader, they were thrown into a state of despair. The Colonists thought, they were about being totally abandoned by France, and sought other localities, where they hoped to find better means of living. Towards the end of the year 1711, there were but twenty-eight families remaining, and these were reduced to a state of the greatest misery.

The French possessions in America were in the state in which they are herein described, when in the year 1712, Crozat demanded and obtained from the King of France the monopoly of the commerce of Louisiana, for a period of sixteen years.

It is however necessary, that we should direct our attention to what was occurring in the North Western

* The Abbe Raynal whose work on the "History of the two Indies," excited such attention at the time of its publication and increased his reputation, as an author and a statesman. His "Essay on the American Revolution," is justly esteemed as a master-piece of fine writing and pure philosophy. This work contributed much to enlighten the public mind in Europe, as to the true character of the contest, between the Colonies and England. Many passages in it are truly eloquent.

portion of the Continent, before we refer to any other matters, connected with the colonization of the southern part of America.

Mr. Bancroft says,* that before 1693, the Reverend Father Gravier began a mission among the Illinois, and became the founder of Kaskaskia, though it is not known in what year it was established. This presumption is founded on the contents of a letter, written by the Reverend Gabriel Marest, dated "Aux Kaskaskias, autrement dit l'Immaculee Conception de la Sainte Vierge, le 9 Novembre, 1712, in which mention is made of there having been for some years, an establishment at this point. He further states, that soon after the founding of Kaskaskia, Cahokia and Peoria were established. These statements are repeated in "Perkins' Annals of the West,† and the authority, on which they are based, seems to be taken from a work, published in Paris in 1781, 'Lettres edifiantes,' 328, 339, 375. I have not seen any account, in the French histories, of the establishment of any place as a permanent settlement before that of the Forts Miami and Crevecœur, and in an old map in my possession, which was published in

* Bancroft vol. 3d, 195.

† Perkins Annals of the West., page 55.

France after the year 1738, descriptive of America, whilst in the occupation of the Indian tribes, I observe a river, marked on this chart, as running in a South Westerly direction from Detroit, and named the "River St. Jerome, by which the Canadians come from Quebec," (Riviere St. Jerome par ou les Canadiens viennent de Quebec.) The outlet of this river is at a place, called "Fort Staquado," on the Ohio, which if it be the Wabash, as I am inclined to believe, this Fort must have occupied the site, at the junction of that river with the Ohio. The Canadians generally followed the course of the rivers, and the geographer, by indicating the river St. Jerome, as the course which they took, it is rather singular if it be the Wabash, that they should not have established themselves, along the shores of that river and the Ohio, and the Southern branch of the Mississippi, before they ascended as high up the river as the present sites of Kaskaskia and Cahokia. These latter settlements are not marked on this old chart, and although the geographers of that period may not have been very remarkable for accuracy in describing the country, nevertheless I am inclined to entertain doubts, whether other places were not established before the Canadians had settled either in Kaskaskia or Cahokia. In my opinion, Fort Creve

cœur,* near Peoria, Illinois, might claim the honor of being the first permanent settlement of the "white men" in the West, for as we are informed, it was founded by La Salle, its claims to precedence in this respect are better, than those of either of the places which have been named. The matter is not of much importance, but as a historical fact, is worthy of further inquiry.

The historian Hennepin had said, "that those who would have the happiness, at some future period, to possess the lands of this agreeable and fertile country, would be under lasting obligations to those travellers, who showed them the way, and crossed Lake Erie, after a hundred leagues of difficult navigation." These words had

* Some writers, amongst others "Coxe's Coralana," at page 32 of his work, says, that Fort Crevecœur was built on the SOUTH EAST BANK of the River Illinois, others locate it differently. In the historical view of Peoria, published lately by S. Dewitt Drown, there is a plan of the Fort, which is located by the writer, "at two or three miles East of Peoria." Like other matters of historical inquiry, relating to discoveries in the West such as the dates of the establishments of Towns, villages, &c., nothing can be stated with certainty. In Mr. Drown's work, and the Rev. Mr. Peck's able sketches, which were concluded in the Republican of this City, on the 17th of August last may be found much useful and valuable information. Judge Breeze's labours on this subject and Mr. Primm's able address are too well known to need any reference to them.

hardly been pronounced, when in June 1700, M. de la Motte Cadillac, arrived at Detroit, with a hundred Canadians and a Missionary, to form an establishment. The colonists were delighted with the beauty of the country and the mildness of the climate. In the language of the writers of that period, "Nature spread its charms over the face of that delightful country." With its surface slightly undulated by picturesque elevations, its green prairies, its forests of oak, and of maple, intermingled here and there with specimens of the wild acacia, its running streams, and the beautiful small islands, dotted over the surface of its lakes, there was every thing to attract the attention and enrapture the imaginations of the newly arrived Colonists, particularly after leaving the bleak hills and snowy vales of Canada, their native country. Even at the present day, the Canadians, in the midst of their more enterprising brethren, still linger around the old homesteads of their ancestors, in that section of Michigan, and in the markets of Detroit, the old Canadian vehicles are to be found, in striking contrast with the more novel inventions of their industrious neighbours.

About this period, 1701, the English Colonists in America were beginning to be alarmed at the important position the French were assuming, in relation to the