Our country in story . veness. How hardhe has tried to win themfrom their foolish supersti-tions ! He has baptized hun-dreds of dying children, andhas cheered the sick andsuffering. Yonder are thecabins of his convertedHurons and Ottawas. Hereto the south are the wig-wams of some pagan Indians,who, though they esteemhim highly, will not be con-verted. Now and then Illinois Indians have come far fromthe southwest. They have told of a mighty river whichflows through their country and so far away to the souththat no one knows into what ocean or gulf it , great Blackrobe, to our villag
Our country in story . veness. How hardhe has tried to win themfrom their foolish supersti-tions ! He has baptized hun-dreds of dying children, andhas cheered the sick andsuffering. Yonder are thecabins of his convertedHurons and Ottawas. Hereto the south are the wig-wams of some pagan Indians,who, though they esteemhim highly, will not be con-verted. Now and then Illinois Indians have come far fromthe southwest. They have told of a mighty river whichflows through their country and so far away to the souththat no one knows into what ocean or gulf it , great Blackrobe, to our village, they of Illinois are waiting for you. There are alsomany other tribes living on the banks of the great and tell all the redmen how to pray and how toplease the Great Spirit. Here was the field for the boundless zeal of FatherMarquette, Joliet continued, with his face all years the priest has hoped against hope and prayedto the Blessed Virgin to help him discover the great river. FATHER MARQUETTE THE STORY OF A GREAT RIVER 77 and thus meet the numerous Indian tribes dwelling uponits banks. At last, today, on the feast of the ImmaculateConception, the feast of all the year to him, I bring himthe news that he has been chosen by his superior, whileI have been appointed by the governor of New France,to discover the Mitchi Sipi, or great river, as the Indianscall it. Ah, said Pierre, now I understand why Father Mar-quettes great loving heart is overflowing with joy. But,Joliet, how do you happen to know all these things aboutthe good priest? I studied a number of years in a Jesuit house at Que-bec, said Joliet. While there I met Father Marquetteand learned, partly from him and partly from otherJesuits, what I have told you. While Father Marquette and JoKet were ^waiting forspring to come and melt the ice in the Straits, they spenttheir time making plans and learning all they could fromthe Indians concerning the great river. Kneeling on thegro
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