M. de la Verendrye continues the Exploration of the Great Northwest by establishing a Chain of Fur Posts across the Continent--Privations of the Explorers and the Massacre of Twenty Followers--His Sons visit the Mandans and discover the Rockies--The Valley of the Saskatchewan is next explored, but Jealousy thwarts the Explorer, and he dies in Poverty PART THREE SEARCH FOR THE NORTHWEST PASSAGE LEADS SAMUEL HEARNE TO THE ARCTIC CIRCLE AND ATHABASCA REGION CHAPTER IX SAMUEL HEARNE The Adventures of Hearne in his Search for the Coppermine River and Northwest Passage--Hilarious Life of Wassail led by Governor Norton--The Massacre of the Eskimo by Hearne's Indians North of the Arctic Circle--Discovery of the Athabasca Country--Hearne becomes Resident Governor of the Hudson's Bay Company, but is captured by the French--Death of Norton and Suicide of Matonabbee PART FOUR FIRST ACROSS THE ROCKIES--HOW MACKENZIE CROSSED THE NORTHERN ROCKIES AND LEWIS AND CLARK WERE FIRST TO CROSS FROM MISSOURI TO COLUMBIA CHAPTER X FIRST ACROSS THE ROCKIES How Mackenzie found the Great River named after him and then pushed across the Mountains to the Pacific, forever settling the Question of a Northwest Passage CHAPTER XI LEWIS AND CLARK The First White Men to ascend the Missouri to its Sources and descend the Columbia to the Pacific--Exciting Adventures on the Canons of the Missouri, the Discovery of the Great Falls and the Yellowstone--Lewis' Escape from Hostiles APPENDIX INDEX ILLUSTRATIONS Stealing from the Fort by Night . . . . . . Frontispiece Map of the Great Fur Country Three Rivers in 1757 Map of the Iroquois Country in the Days of Radisson Albany from an Old Print The Battery, New York, in Radisson's Time Fort Amsterdam, from an ancient engraving executed in Holland One of the Earliest Maps of the Great Lakes Paddling past Hostiles Jogues, the Jesuit Missionary, who was tortured by the Mohawks Chateau de Ramezay, Montreal A Cree Brave, with the Wampum String An Old-time Buffalo Hunt on the Plains among the Sioux Father Marquette, from an old painting discovered in Montreal Voyageurs running the Rapids of the Ottawa River Montreal in 1760 Chateau St. Louis, Quebec, 1669 A Parley on the Plains Martello Tower of Refuge in Time of Indian Wars--Three Rivers Skin for Skin, Coat of Arms and Motto, Hudson's Bay Company Hudson's Bay Company Coins, made of Lead melted from Tea-chests at York Factory Hudson Bay Dog Trains laden with Furs arriving at Lower Fort Garry, Red River Indians and Hunters spurring to the Fight Fights at the Foothills of the Rockies, between Crows and Snakes Each Man landed with Pack on his Back and trotted away over Portages A Cree Indian of the Minnesota Borderlands A Group of Cree Indians The Soldiers marched out from Mount Royal for the Western Sea Traders' Boats running the Rapids of the Athabasca River The Ragged Sky-line of the Mountains Hungry Hall, 1870