still distinguishes the County, the chief town
in which Kingston or Catarqui is. De Frontenac was a man of astonishing
energy. His self will and self esteem were only compensated for by
ability and a spirit of independence and honesty. It was not to be
supposed that such a man could long submit to the whims of his
co-equals, as far as governing was concerned. Nor did he. The
triumvirate--the Viceroy, the Bishop, and the Intendant--each with an
equal vote, were soon at loggerheads. Chesnau, the Intendant, without
Frontenac's ability, had all his bad qualities. The Intendant and
Viceroy were soon violently opposed to each other, and to make matters
worse, the Bishop, supported by his clergy, was annoyed with both. The
Bishop considered the sale of spirits to the Indians abominable; De
Frontenac thought it profitable; and Chesnau did not think at all. An
appeal was made by the clergy to the home government, and both De
Frontenac and Chesnau were re-called with censure, and the profitable
sale of spirits to the Indians was prohibited by a royal edict. De
Frontenac ruled Canada for ten years, and during his administration La
Salle discovered the mouths of the Mississippi. Only the year after De
Frontenac's arrival in Canada, the Indians reported that there was a
large river flowing out to the Atlantic, to the southwest of the
colony, and the Reverend Messire Marquette[2] and a merchant of Quebec,
were sent on an exploring expedition. Starting in two canoes, with only
a crew of six men for both, they found themselves, after an exceedingly
tedious voyage, on the Mississippi, and, rejoicing at their success,
returned back immediately to report progress. At Chicago, Marquette
separated from his companion. In that Indian village of Lake Michigan,
now a populous commercial town, the missionary remained with the Miami
Indians, while Jollyet went back to Quebec for further instructions. Of
course Jollyet was highly communicative at Quebec. The multitude could
not travel by steam in those days from Gaspe to Lake Michigan. It was
no easy matter at that period to paddle over those great seas, the
inland lakes, in a birch-bark canoe. Jollyet had much to boast of and
might, without chance of detection, boast of more than either his
experience or a strict adherence to truth could warrant. Jollyet was a
curiosity. Jollyet was the lion of Quebec, and he was toasted and
boasted accordingly. The Sieur La Salle was in Quebec when Jollyet
retur