But now this Elenor Murray being born, We start not with her life, but with her death, The finding of her body by the river. And then as Coroner Merival takes proof Her life comes forth, until the Coroner Traces it to the moment of her death. And thus both life and death of her are known. This the beginning of the mystery:-- FINDING OF THE BODY Elenor Murray, daughter of Henry Murray, The druggist at LeRoy, a village near The shadow of Starved Rock, this Elenor But recently returned from France, a heart Who gave her service in the world at war, Was found along the river's shore, a mile Above Starved Rock, on August 7th, the day Year 1679, LaSalle set sail For Michilmackinac to reach Green Bay In the _Griffin_, in the winter snow and sleet, Reaching "Lone Cliff," Starved Rock its later name, Also La Vantum, village of the tribe Called Illini. This may be taken to speak The symbol of her life and fate. For first This Elenor Murray comes into this life, And lives her youth where the Rock's shadow falls, As if to say her life should starve and lie Beneath a shadow, wandering in the world, As Cavalier LaSalle did, born at Rouen, Shot down on Trinity River, Texas. She Searches for life and conquest of herself With the same sleepless spirit of LaSalle; And comes back to the shadow of the Rock, And dies beneath its shadow. Cause of death? Was she like Sieur LaSalle shot down, or choked, Struck, poisoned? Let the coroner decide. Who, hearing of the matter, takes the body And brings it to LeRoy, is taking proofs; Lets doctors cut the body, probe and peer To find the cause of death. And so this morning Of August 7th, as a hunter walks-- Looking for rabbits maybe, aimless hunting-- Over the meadow where the Illini's La Vantum stood two hundred years before, Gun over arm in readiness for game, Sees some two hundred paces to the south Bright colors, red and blue; thinks off the bat A human body lies there, hurries on And finds the girl's dead body, hatless head, The hat some paces off, as if she fell In such way that the hat dashed off. Her arms Lying outstretched, the body half on side, The face upturned to heaven, open eyes That might have seen Starved Rock until the eyes Sank down in darkness where no image comes.