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monopoly of the fur trade was the only inducement required to
promote the work of discovery。
La Verendrye was more eager to reach the Western Sea than he was
to trade。 To outward seeming； however； he became just a fur
trader and a successful one。 We find him； in 1726； at the
trading…post of Nipigon； not far from the lake of that name； near
the north shore of Lake Superior。 From this point it was not very
difficult to reach the shore of one great sea； Hudson Bay； but
that was not the Western Sea which fired his imagination。
Incessantly he questioned the savages with whom he traded about
what lay in the unknown West。 His zeal was kindled anew by the
talk of an Indian named Ochagach。 This man said that he himself
had been on a great lake lying west of Lake Superior； that out of
it flowed a river westward； that he had paddled down this river
until he came to water which； as La Verendrye understood； rose
and fell like the tide。 Farther； to the actual mouth of the
river； the savage had not gone； for fear of enemies； but he had
been told that it emptied into a great body of salt water upon
the shores of which lived many people。 We may be sure that La
Verendrye read into the words of the savage the meaning which he
himself desired and that in reality the Indian was describing
only the waters which flow into Lake Winnipeg。
La Verendrye was all eagerness。 Soon we find him back at Quebec
stirring by his own enthusiasm the zeal of the Marquis de
Beauharnois； the Governor of Canada； and begging for help to pay
and equip a hundred men for the great enterprise in the West。 The
Governor did what he could but was unable to move the French
court to give money。 The sole help offered was a monopoly of the
fur trade in the region to be explored； a doubtful gift； since it
angered all the traders excluded from the monopoly。 La Verendrye；
however； was able； by promising to hand over most of the profits；
to persuade merchants in Montreal to equip him with the necessary
men and merchandise。
There followed a period of high hopes and of heartbreaking
failure。 In 1731 La Verendrye set out for the West with three
sons； a nephew； a Jesuit priest； the Indian Ochagach as guidea
party numbering in all about fifty。 He intended to build
trading…posts as he went westward and to make the last post
always a base from which to advance still farther。 His
difficulties read like those of Columbus。 His men not only
disliked the hard work which was inevitable but were haunted by
superstitious fears of malignant fiends in the unknown land who
were ready to punish the invaders of their secrets。 The route lay
across the rough country beyond Lake Superior。 There were many
long portages over which his men must carry the provisions and
heavy stores for trade。 At length the party reached Rainy Lake；
and out of Rainy Lake the waters flow westward。 The country
seemed delightful。 Fish and game were abundant； and it was not
hard to secure a rich store of furs。 On the shore of the lake； in
a charming meadow surrounded by oak trees； La Verendrye built a
trading…post on waters flowing to the west； naming it Fort St。
Pierre。
The voyageurs could now travel westward with the current。 It is
certain that other Frenchmen had preceded them in that region；
but this is the first voyage of discovery of which we have any
details。 Escorted by an imposing array of fifty canoes of
Indians； La Verendrye floated down Rainy River to the Lake of the
Woods； and here； on a beautiful peninsula jutting out into the
lake； he built another post； Fort St。 Charles。 It must have
seemed imposing to the natives。 On walls one hundred feet square
were four bastions and a watchtower； evidence of the perennial
need of alertness and strength in the Indian country。 There were
a chapel； houses for the commandant and the priest； a
powder…magazine； a storehouse； and other buildings。 La Verendrye
cleared some land and planted wheat； and was thus the pioneer in
the mighty wheat production of the West。 Fish and game were
abundant and the outlook was smiling。 By this time the second
winter of La Verendrye's adventurous journeying was near； but
even the cold of that hard region could not chill his eagerness。
He himself waited at Fort St。 Charles but his eldest son； Jean
Baptiste； set out to explore still farther。
We may follow with interest the little group of Frenchmen and
Indian guides as they file on snowshoes along the surface of the
frozen river or over the deep snow of the silent forest on； ever
on； to the West。 They are the first white men of whom we have
certain knowledge to press beyond the Lake of the Woods into that
great Northwest so full of meaning for the future。 The going was
laborious and the distances seemed long； for on their return they
reported that they had gone a hundred and fifty leagues； though
in truth the distance was only a hundred and fifty miles。 Then at
last they stood on the shores of a vast body of water； ice…bound
and forbidding as it lay in the grip of winter。 It opened out
illimitably westward。 But it was not the Western Sea； for its
waters were fresh。 The shallow waters of Lake Winnipeg empty not
into the Western Sea but into the Atlantic by way of Hudson Bay。
Its shores then were deserted and desolate； and even to this day
they are but scantily peopled。 In that wild land there was no
hint of the populous East of which La Verendrye had dreamed。
At the mouth of the Winnipeg 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 Winnipeg River was not the river
flowing westward which he sought。 We know now that the northern
regions of the American continent east of the Rocky Mountains are
tilted towards the east and the north and that in all its vast
spaces there is no great river which flows to the west。 La
Verendrye； however； ignorant of this dictate of nature； longed to
paddle with the stream towards the west。 The Red River flows
from the south into Lake Winnipeg at a point near the mouth of
the Winnipeg River。 Up the Red River went La Verendrye and found
a tributary； the Assiniboine； flowing into it from the west。 At
the point of junction； where has grown up the city of Winnipeg；
he built a tiny fort； called Fort Rouge； a name still preserved
in a suburb of the modern Winnipeg。 The explorers went southward
on the Red River； and then went westward on the Assiniboine River
only to find the waters persistently flowing against them and no
definite news of other waters leading to the Western Sea。 On the