Indians from the last named date
to the year 1684, during which time they visited what is now Minnesota.
It is also a well authenticated fact that Du Luth anticipated Hennepin
at least one year, and visited Mille Lacs in 1679, and there, on the
southwest side of the lake, found a large Sioux town, called Kathio,
from which point he wrote to Frontenac, on the second day of July, 1679,
that he had caused his majesty's arms to be planted in Kathio, where no
Frenchman had ever been. Hennepin did not arrive until 1680. But as the
exploits of these earlier travelers left no trace that can in any
important way influence the history of our state beyond challenging the
claim of priority so long enjoyed by Hennepin, I will simply mention the
fact of their advent without comment, referring the curious reader for
the proof of these matters to the library of the Minnesota Historical
Society, where the details can be found.

Hennepin was with La Salle at Fort Creve-Coeur, near Lake Peoria, in
what is now Illinois, in 1680. La Salle was the superior of the
exploring party of which young Hennepin was a member, and in February,
1680, he selected Hennepin and two traders for the arduous and
dangerous undertaking of exploring the unknown regions of the Upper
Mississippi. Hennepin was very ambitious to become a great explorer, and
was filled with the idea that by following the water courses he would
find a passage to the sea and Japan.

On the 29th of February, 1680, he, with two voyageurs, in a canoe, set
out on his voyage of discovery. When he reached the junction of the
Illinois river with the Mississippi in March, he was detained by
floating ice until near the middle of that month. He then commenced to
ascend the Mississippi, which was the first time it was ever attempted
by a civilized man. On the 11th of April they were met by a large war
party of Dakotas, which filled thirty-three canoes, who opened fire on
them with arrows; but hostilities were soon stopped, and Hennepin and
his party were taken prisoners, and made to return with their captors to
their villages.

Hennepin, in his narrative, tells a long story of the difficulties he
encountered in saying his prayers, as the Indians thought he was working
some magic on them, and they followed him into the woods, and never let
him out of their sight. Judging from many things that appear in his
narrative, which have created great doubt about his veracity, it
probably would not have