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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
Assiniboine； near the site of the present town of Portage la
Prairie in Manitoba； La Verendrye built Fort La Reine。 Its name
is evidence still perhaps of hopes for aid through the Queen if
not through the King of France。
In 1737 La Verendrye made once more the long journey to Montreal。
His fourteen canoes laden with furs were an earnest of the riches
of the wonderful West and so pleased his Montreal partners that
again they fitted him out with adequate supplies。 In the summer
of 1738 we find him at Fort La Reine； rich for the moment in
goods with which to trade； keen and competent as a trader； and
having great influence with the natives。 All through the West he
found Indians who went to trade with the English on Hudson Bay；
and he constantly urged them not to take the long journey but to
depend upon the French who came into their own country。 It was a
policy well fitted to cause searching of heart among the English
traders who seemed so secure in their snug quarters on the
seashore waiting for the Indians to come to them。
La Verendrye had now a fresh plan for penetrating farther on his
alluring quest。 He had heard of a river to the south to be
reached by a journey overland。 It was a new thing for him to
abandon canoes and march on foot but this he now did and with
winter approaching。 On October 16； 1738； when the autumn winds
were already chill； there was a striking little parade at Fort La
Reine。 The drummer beat the garrison to arms。 What with soldiers
brought from Canada； the voyageurs who had paddled the great
canoes； and the Indians who dogged always the steps of the French
traders； there was a muster at the fort of some scores of men。 La
Verendrye reviewed the whole company and from them chose for his
expedition twenty soldiers and voyageurs and about twenty
Assiniboine Indians。 As companions for himself he took Francois
and Pierre； two of his three surviving sons； and two traders who
were at the fort。
We can picture the little company setting out on the 18th of
October on foot； with some semblance of military order； by a
well…beaten trail leading across the high land which separates
the Red River country from the regions to the southwest。 La
Verendrye had heard much of a people； the Mandans； dwelling in
well…ordered villages on the banks of a great river and
cultivating the soil instead of living the wandering life of
hunters。 Such wonders of Mandan culture had been reported to La
Verendrye that he half expected to find them white men with a
civilization equal to that of Europe。 The river was in reality
not an unknown stream； as La Verendrye hoped； but the Missouri； a
river already frequented by the French in its lower stretches
where its waters join those of the Mississippi。
It was a long march over the prairie。 La Verendrye found that he
could not hurry his Indian guides。 They insisted on delays during
days of glorious autumn weather when it would have been wise to