INTRODUCTION. PAGE. Pre-historic Man in the Northwest--The Red Race--First Discoveries in New France, vii CHAPTER I. Events Leading to Western Exploration, 11 CHAPTER II. John Nicolet, the Explorer, 26 CHAPTER III. Nicolet Discovers the Northwest, 35 CHAPTER IV. Subsequent Career and Death of Nicolet, 75 APPENDIX, 93 INDEX, 107 INTRODUCTION. PRE-HISTORIC MAN IN THE NORTHWEST--THE RED RACE--FIRST DISCOVERIES IN NEW FRANCE. Of the existence, in what are now the States of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin, at a remote period, of a race superior in intelligence to the red men who inhabited this region when first seen by a European, there are indubitable evidences. Who were these ancient occupiers of the territory just mentioned--of its prairies and woodlands, hills and valleys? There are no traditions of their power, of their labor, or of their wisdom--no record of their having lived, except in rapidly-decaying relics. They left no descendants to recount their daring deeds. All that remain of them--the so-called Mound-Builders--are mouldering skeletons. All that are to be seen of their handicraft are perishing earth-works and rude implements. These sum up the "types and shadows" of the pre-historic age. There is nothing to connect "the dark backward and abysm" of mound-building times with those of the red race of the Northwest; and all that is known of the latter dating earlier than their first discovery, is exceedingly dim and shadowy. Upon the extended area bounded by Lake Superior on the north, Lake Michigan on the east, wide-spreading prairies on the south, and the Mississippi river on the west, there met and mingled two distinct Indian families--Algonquins and Dakotas. Concerning the various tribes of these families, nothing of importance could be gleaned by the earliest explorers; at least, very little has been preserved. Tradition, it is true, pointed to the Algonquins as having, at some remote period, migrated from the east; and this has been confirmed by a study of their language. It indicated, also, that the Dakotas, at a time far beyond the memory of the most aged, came from the west or southwest--fighting their way as they came; that one of their tribes[1] once dwelt upon the shores of a sea; but when and for what purpose they left their home none could relate.