innipeg River, where it enters Lake Winnipeg, La
Verendrye built Fort Maurepas, named after the French minister who was
in charge of the colonies and who was influential at court. The name no
doubt expresses some clinging hope which La Verendrye still cherished of
obtaining help from the King. Already he was hard pressed for resources.
Where were the means to come from for this costly work of building
forts? From time to time he sent eastward canoes laden with furs which,
after a long and difficult journey, reached Montreal. The traders to
whom the furs were consigned sold them and kept the money as their own
on account of their outlay. La Verendrye in the far interior could not
pay his men and would soon be without goods to trade with the Indians.
After having repeatedly begged for help but in vain, he made a rapid
journey to Montreal and implored the Governor to aid an enterprise which
might change the outlook of the whole world. The Governor was willing
but without the consent of France could not give help. By promising the
traders, who were now partners in his monopoly, profits of one hundred
per cent on their outlay, La Verendrye at last secured what he needed.
His canoes were laden with goods, and soon brawny arms were driving
once again the graceful craft westward. He had offered a new hostage
to fortune by arranging that his fourth son, a lad of eighteen, should
follow him in the next year.

La Verendrye pressed on eagerly in advance of the heavy-laden canoes.
Grim news met him soon after he reached Fort St. Charles on the Lake of
the Woods. His nephew La Jemeraye, a born leader of men, who was at the
most advanced station, Fort Maurepas on Lake Winnipeg, had broken down
from exposure, anxiety, and overwork, and had been laid in a lonely
grave in the wilderness. Nearly all pioneer work is a record of tragedy
and its gloom lies heavy on the career of La Verendrye. A little later
came another sorrow-laden disaster. La Verendrye sent his eldest son
Jean back to Rainy Lake to hurry the canoes from Montreal which were
bringing needed food. The party landed on a peninsula at the discharge
of Rainy Lake into Rainy River, fell into an ambush of Sioux Indians,
and were butchered to a man. This incident reveals the chief cause of
the slow progress in discovery in the Great West: the temper of the
savages was always uncertain.

There is no sign that La Verendrye wavered in his great hope even when
he realized that the Win