On the Discovery of the Mississippi and on the South-Western, Oregon, and North-Western Boundary of the United States With a Translation from the Original Ms. of Memoirs, Etc. Relating to the Discovery of the Mississippi, by Robert Cavelier de La...

by Thomas Falconer

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99 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1975

Reviews

[Larry Hostetler · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actually a compilation of several texts, this book turned out to be more intriguing than I expected, and less intriguing. For historians it would be a trove of information; indeed some of the inclusions are writings not published before its first printing in 1844. This 1975 replication of that edition goes as far as to replicate the cover design of the original.

What I expected was for it to have more about the "South-Western, Oregon, and North-Western Boundary of the United States". It was mostly about travels along the route from Montreal through the Great Lakes (and not a lot about that) to the Illinois portage (from what is now Chicago, I believe) down the Illinois River to the Mississippi and there down to what is now New Orleans. Since the writings are from the 1600s many of the place names have changed. Fort St. Louis is nowhere near modern-day St. Louis (which wouldn't be founded for another 75 years). It's actually in Texas.

What is contained in the book are stories about explorations and encounters with Native Americans of de La Salle and others whose names that are now known (like Metarie) as place names. Since the reproduction is true to the original some transcription is necessary (the Native American tribe known as Poutouattami is now written Potawatomi, while Hurons were written as Hourons.) and provided: what is written as the river Akansas is parenthetically noted as the Arkansas.

The recounting of trips and experiences is great, but there is ancillary information provided that becomes somewhat tedious and is of value (I imagine) more to historians than to the casual reader. However, I am glad to have picked up the book and read it. It will remain in my library.