Mississippi River

Rises in northern Minnesota, its chief source being

Itasca Lake, and enters the Gulf of Mexico, after a course of 2550

miles. It was discovered by the Spaniards, early in the sixteenth

century. De Soto explored the lower part of the river, and died on its

banks in 1541. Radisson was probably the first white man to see its

upper waters, in 1659. Jean Nicolet reached Wisconsin River in 1634, but

did not descend it to the Mississippi. Jolliet and Marquette in 1673

reached the Mississippi, and descended as far as the mouth of the

Arkansas. In 1682 La Salle descended the river from the mouth of the

Illinois to the Gulf of Mexico. Its headwaters were discovered by David

Thompson, of the North West Company, in 1798. =Index=: (Wolfe / Montcalm era) Exploration

of, 19. (Bishop Laval era) Exploration of, 145; La Salle reaches mouth of, 150; taken

possession of, in name of king of France, 151. (Sir Frederick Haldimand era) Proposed canal route

to, 77. =Bib.=: Lippincott's Gazetteer of the World; Parkman, La

Salle; Chambers, The Mississippi River and its Wonderful Valley.