Discovery and Exploration of the Mississippi Valley

It has long been a desideratum to have in English the early narratives, of the discovery and exploration of the Mississippi. Marquette's map and voyage have indeed appeared, but the narrative varies in no small degree from the authentic manuscript, and the map is not at all a copy of that still preserved, as it came from the hand of the great explorer. These published from original manuscripts, and accompanied by the narratives of the missionaries in La Salle's expedition, are now first presented in an accessible shape, and complete the annals of the exploration.

The life of Marquette, and the history of the exploration itself, are the result of many years study of the early Spanish and French authorities, both printed and manuscript, some of which have never before been consulted.

By : John Gilmary Shea (1824 - 1892)

00 - Preface 01 - Pt 1 History of the Discovery of the Mississippi River 02 - Pt 2 History of the Discovery of the Mississippi River 03 - Pt 3 History of the Discovery of the Mississippi River 04 - Pt 1 Life of Father James Marquette 05 - Pt 2 Life of Father James Marquette 06 - Pt 3 Life of Father James Marquette 07 - Notice on the Sieur Jolliet 08 - Notice on Father Dablon, Pt 1 Voyages and Discoveries of Father James Marquette 09 - Pt 2 Voyages and Discoveries of Father James Marquette 10 - Footnote on the Character of the Illinois 11 - Pt 3 Voyages and Discoveries of Father James Marquette 12 - Pt 4 Voyages and Discoveries of Father James Marquette 13 - Narrative of a Voyage Made to the Illinois by Father Claude Allouez 14 - Bibliographical Notice of the 'Etablissement de la Foi' of Father Christian le Clercq 15 - Pt 1 Narrative of the First Attempt by M. Cavelier de la Salle to Explore the Mississippi 16 - Pt 2 Narrative of the First Attempt by M. Cavelier de la Salle to Explore the Mississippi 17 - Biographical Notice of the Works of Father Louis Hennepin 18 - Pt 1 Narrative of a Voyage to the Upper Mississippi, by Father Louis Hennepin 19 - Pt 2 Narrative of a Voyage to the Upper Mississippi, by Father Louis Hennepin 20 - Pt 3 Narrative of a Voyage to the Upper Mississippi, by Father Louis Hennepin 21 - Narrative of the Adventures of La Salle's Party 22 - Narrative of La Salle's Voyage Down the Mississippi 23 - Account of La Salle's Attempt to Reach the Mississippi by Sea 24 - Pt 1 Narrative of La Salle's Attempt to Ascend the Mississippi in 1687 25 - Pt 2 Narrative of La Salle's Attempt to Ascend the Mississippi in 1687 26 - Pt 3 Narrative of La Salle's Attempt to Ascend the Mississippi in 1687