"St. Charles Hotel,New Orleans,November 21, 1881.Joseph S. Copes, M. D.President New Orleans Academy of Sciences:Dear Sir:—I have just concluded upon the border of the State of Louisiana, a voyage of observation and exploration; and as you have expressed considerable interest in the results of my expedition, and manifested a desire to possess the canoe in which the explorations were made, I find pleasure in presenting it to your honorable society as a souvenir of my voyage and discoveries.During this canoe journey of over three thousand miles, beginning at the headwaters of the Mississippi and extending to the Gulf of Mexico, I had the satisfaction of locating the source of the Great River which we have traversed, and feel a pride in having corrected a geographical error of half a century's standing.I will not now enter into a detailed account of my explorations on the Upper Mississippi, but shall take the earliest opportunity of transmitting to your secretary a complete history of the voyage, which will be issued in book form as soon as the matter can be prepared for publication.Very respectfully yours,Willard Glazier.
"St. Charles Hotel,
New Orleans,November 21, 1881.
Joseph S. Copes, M. D.
President New Orleans Academy of Sciences:
Dear Sir:—I have just concluded upon the border of the State of Louisiana, a voyage of observation and exploration; and as you have expressed considerable interest in the results of my expedition, and manifested a desire to possess the canoe in which the explorations were made, I find pleasure in presenting it to your honorable society as a souvenir of my voyage and discoveries.
During this canoe journey of over three thousand miles, beginning at the headwaters of the Mississippi and extending to the Gulf of Mexico, I had the satisfaction of locating the source of the Great River which we have traversed, and feel a pride in having corrected a geographical error of half a century's standing.
I will not now enter into a detailed account of my explorations on the Upper Mississippi, but shall take the earliest opportunity of transmitting to your secretary a complete history of the voyage, which will be issued in book form as soon as the matter can be prepared for publication.
Very respectfully yours,
Willard Glazier.
"A special meeting of the Academy of Sciences was held at No. 46 Carondelet street, Dr. J. S. Copes, president, in the chair, for the purpose of receiving from Captain Willard Glazier the handsome cedar canoe 'Alice,' with which he navigated the Mississippi River from Aitkin to the Gulf.
"By invitation Captain Glazier gave an account of his explorations on the Upper Mississippi and especially of that section of country beyond Lake Itasca, which body of water has hitherto been considered the fountain-head of the Great River.
"Dr. Copes in the name of the Academy thankedCaptain Glazier for his valuable gift, which would be highly prized, and then congratulated the explorer upon his contribution to American geographical knowledge, comparing him with De Soto, Marquette, La Salle, Hennepin, and Joliet, whose highest fame was connected with discoveries relating to the Mississippi.
"In the course of his remarks the learned doctor said that De Soto penetrated the continent of North America in pursuit of gold and accidentally discovered the Mississippi. Marquette, the zealous missionary, traversed the river from the mouth of the Wisconsin to the mouth of the Arkansas. La Salle pursued his explorations from the mouth of the Illinois to the Gulf, his sole aim seeming to be the conquest of North America in the name of the King of France. Hennepin explored but a small section of the stream, extending from the mouth of the Wisconsin to St. Anthony's Falls, while Captain Glazier has made the important discovery of its primal reservoir and traversed its entire length from source to sea.
"The members of the Academy listened with great interest to Captain Glazier's graphic account of his discovery, and also to the intellectual and historical address of Dr. Copes.
"Dr. J. R. Walker then offered the following resolutions:
Resolved:—That the thanks of this Academy are due and are hereby tendered to Captain Willard Glazier for the donation of his beautiful canoe "Alice," and for the brief narrative of his explorations at the source of the Mississippi River, and of his voyage thence to the Gulf of Mexico.Resolved:—That this Academy not only gratefully accepts this handsome gift, but promises to preserve and cherish it as a souvenir of Captain Glazier's high qualities as an explorer and contributor to the increase of American geographical knowledge.
Resolved:—That the thanks of this Academy are due and are hereby tendered to Captain Willard Glazier for the donation of his beautiful canoe "Alice," and for the brief narrative of his explorations at the source of the Mississippi River, and of his voyage thence to the Gulf of Mexico.
Resolved:—That this Academy not only gratefully accepts this handsome gift, but promises to preserve and cherish it as a souvenir of Captain Glazier's high qualities as an explorer and contributor to the increase of American geographical knowledge.
"Mr. H. Dudley Coleman moved as anamendmentthereto that a copy of the resolutions be appropriately written and framed, and presented to Captain Glazier, and that a committee of three be appointed to prepare the same in accordance therewith.
"The resolutions as amended were unanimously adopted, when Dr. Copes appointed as the committee, Messrs. Coleman, Walker, and Blanchard.
"The suggestion made by Mr. Coleman that the canoe remain at the arsenal of the Battalion Washington Artillery until such time as the Academy prepare a suitable place for it was acceded to.
"At the conclusion of the meeting Mr. Coleman escorted Captain Glazier to the Washington Artillery Arsenal, and introduced him to Colonel J. B. Richardson, commanding the battalion, who accepted for the command the care of the canoe, and extended to Captain Glazier the hospitalities of the battalion during his stay in the city. Colonel Richardson and Mr. Coleman then took him around the arsenal and showed him its attractive features."
It will be readily seen from this letter that the members of the New Orleans Academy of Sciences were much impressed with the importance of the discovery Captain Glazier had made. The resolutions which they passed were afterwards handsomely framed and sent to him at St. Louis.
Among the many courtesies which were tendered the Captain during his stay in New Orleans, he perhaps felt most deeply the royal welcome which was given him by the Old Guard of the Louisiana Tigers. In his own words "they could not do too much" for him,and when we remember that only twenty years have passed away since these brave men and the gallant Union soldier fought on opposite sides on the battlefields of Virginia, it cannot be wondered at that he was much impressed with the cordiality of his reception by his former foes.
At the headquarters of the Washington Artillery, too, he found many who as Confederate officers and soldiers had formerly been his opponents in the war, but nothing could exceed the heartiness of their welcome and the good-fellowship which they displayed. They showed him their old battle-flags still religiously kept, but a moment afterwards pointed to the Stars and Stripes which occupied a prominent position in the room. Altogether Captain Glazier found it difficult to realize that there had ever been other than the most cordial feeling between the North and South, and this as much as anything else tended to make his stay in New Orleans a pleasure which he will long remember.
Return to St. Louis. — Lecture at Mercantile Library Hall. — Brilliant audience. — The Missouri Historical Society present. — Eloquent introduction by Judge Todd. — "Pioneers of the Mississippi." — Presentation of the "Itasca" to the Historical Society. — Remarks of Captain Silas Bent on accepting the canoe. — Congratulations of the audience. — Closing scene.
Return to St. Louis. — Lecture at Mercantile Library Hall. — Brilliant audience. — The Missouri Historical Society present. — Eloquent introduction by Judge Todd. — "Pioneers of the Mississippi." — Presentation of the "Itasca" to the Historical Society. — Remarks of Captain Silas Bent on accepting the canoe. — Congratulations of the audience. — Closing scene.
On leaving New Orleans Captain Glazier returned to St. Louis, having an engagement there to deliver his lecture on the "Pioneers of the Mississippi." He had been unable to remain long enough for this purpose during his previous visit to the city on his way down the river, as winter was rapidly approaching and it was expedient to reach the Gulf as soon as possible. Therefore, as many were anxious to hear a lecture which had been so highly spoken of by the press of other cities, he had been induced to return with this object in view.
He was also desirous of presenting one of his canoes, the "Itasca," to the Missouri Historical Society in recognition of the unbounded hospitality he had enjoyed at the hands of the citizens of St. Louis, and it was decided that the donation of the canoe, a beautiful specimen of the Rob Roy pattern, should take place on the night of the lecture.
Accordingly, on the evening of January fourteenth, a large audience consisting of members of the Historical Society, Academy of Sciences, clergy, officers and teachers of the public schools, and the various boat clubs of the city, assembled at Mercantile Library Hall to listen to his thrilling lecture on the pioneer explorers of the Mississippi, and to witness the formalities of the presentation.
At eight o'clock, Captain Glazier, accompanied by Judge Albert Todd, an eminent lawyer, and vice-president of the Historical Society, made his appearance on the platform, and, after the storm of applause which greeted their entry had subsided, Judge Todd stepped to the front and introduced the lecturer in the following terms:—
Mark Twain wrote that in his oriental travels he visited the grave of our common ancestor, Adam, and as a filial mourner he copiously wept over it. To me, the grave of our common ancestress, Eve, would be more worthy of my filial affection; but instead of weeping over it, I should proudly rejoice by reason of her irrepressible desire for knowledge. She boldly gratified this desire, and thereby lifted Adam up from the indolent, browsing life that he seemed disposed and content to pass in the "Garden," and gave birth to that spirit of inquiry and investigation which is developing and elevating their posterity to "man's pride of place"—"a little lower than the angels," by keeping them ever discontented with the status quo, and constantly pressing on to the "mark of their high calling" beneath the blazing legend "Excelsior." It is the ceaseless unrest of the spirit, one of the greatest evidences of the soul's immortality, that is continually contracting the boundaries of the unknown in geography and astronomy, in physics and metaphysics, in all their varied departments. Of those pre-eminently illustrating it in geography were Jason and his Argonauts; Columbus, De Gama and Magellan; De Soto, Marquette and La Salle; Cabot and Cook; Speke, Baker, Livingstone and Franklin; and our own Ledyard, Lewis, Clarke, Kane, Hall and Stanley. And this evening will appear before you another of these irrepressiblediscontentswho would know what is still hidden at any risk or privation.Impelled by this spirit of enterprise in search of Truth, Captain Willard Glazier has discovered, at last, the true source of our grand and peerless river, the "Father of Waters," down which he has floated and paddled in frail canoes, a distance of more than three thousand miles, to its mouth in the Gulf of Mexico. One of these canoes is now placed here in your view, and will be presented to-night by its navigator to our Historical Society.Nearly two hundred years ago La Salle discovered the mouth of the Mississippi, yet only now in this year of grace, 1881, was ascertained its true fountain source.This, the latest achievement of Captain Glazier, is only in the natural course of his antecedents. Born as late as 1841, he has already gone through the experiences of the Adamic labors of a tiller of the soil, the hard toils of the student and of the successful teacher; of the dashing and brilliant cavalry officer in the Union army through the whole period of our late war, from its disastrous beginning to its successful ending; of the sufferings of capture and imprisonment in the notorious "Libby" and other prisons, and of a daring and perilous escape from their cruel walls; of an adventurous tourist on horseback through the most civilized and savage portions of our continent, beginning with the feet of his horse in the waters of the Atlantic, and ending with their splash in the waters of the Pacific. He delivered lectures along his route wherever a civilized audience could be collected, and suffered capture by the Indians, with all its sensational romance and hideous prospects.From the material of these antecedents he has written and published several books of singular interest and national value.From this brief sketch we would naturally expect to see a stalwart man, massive and powerful in form and muscle. Our conception of men of big deeds is that they also are big. But David was a stripling when he slew Goliath of Gath. Napoleon was characterized by the society ladies of the period of his early career as "Puss in Boots." Our own Fremont and Eads would seem at sight capable of only the ordinarily exposed duties of life. Of like physique is the subject of this introduction.Ladies and gentlemen, it is now my pleasant privilege to introduce to your acquaintance Captain Willard Glazier as the lecturer for the evening.
Mark Twain wrote that in his oriental travels he visited the grave of our common ancestor, Adam, and as a filial mourner he copiously wept over it. To me, the grave of our common ancestress, Eve, would be more worthy of my filial affection; but instead of weeping over it, I should proudly rejoice by reason of her irrepressible desire for knowledge. She boldly gratified this desire, and thereby lifted Adam up from the indolent, browsing life that he seemed disposed and content to pass in the "Garden," and gave birth to that spirit of inquiry and investigation which is developing and elevating their posterity to "man's pride of place"—"a little lower than the angels," by keeping them ever discontented with the status quo, and constantly pressing on to the "mark of their high calling" beneath the blazing legend "Excelsior." It is the ceaseless unrest of the spirit, one of the greatest evidences of the soul's immortality, that is continually contracting the boundaries of the unknown in geography and astronomy, in physics and metaphysics, in all their varied departments. Of those pre-eminently illustrating it in geography were Jason and his Argonauts; Columbus, De Gama and Magellan; De Soto, Marquette and La Salle; Cabot and Cook; Speke, Baker, Livingstone and Franklin; and our own Ledyard, Lewis, Clarke, Kane, Hall and Stanley. And this evening will appear before you another of these irrepressiblediscontentswho would know what is still hidden at any risk or privation.
Impelled by this spirit of enterprise in search of Truth, Captain Willard Glazier has discovered, at last, the true source of our grand and peerless river, the "Father of Waters," down which he has floated and paddled in frail canoes, a distance of more than three thousand miles, to its mouth in the Gulf of Mexico. One of these canoes is now placed here in your view, and will be presented to-night by its navigator to our Historical Society.
Nearly two hundred years ago La Salle discovered the mouth of the Mississippi, yet only now in this year of grace, 1881, was ascertained its true fountain source.
This, the latest achievement of Captain Glazier, is only in the natural course of his antecedents. Born as late as 1841, he has already gone through the experiences of the Adamic labors of a tiller of the soil, the hard toils of the student and of the successful teacher; of the dashing and brilliant cavalry officer in the Union army through the whole period of our late war, from its disastrous beginning to its successful ending; of the sufferings of capture and imprisonment in the notorious "Libby" and other prisons, and of a daring and perilous escape from their cruel walls; of an adventurous tourist on horseback through the most civilized and savage portions of our continent, beginning with the feet of his horse in the waters of the Atlantic, and ending with their splash in the waters of the Pacific. He delivered lectures along his route wherever a civilized audience could be collected, and suffered capture by the Indians, with all its sensational romance and hideous prospects.
From the material of these antecedents he has written and published several books of singular interest and national value.
From this brief sketch we would naturally expect to see a stalwart man, massive and powerful in form and muscle. Our conception of men of big deeds is that they also are big. But David was a stripling when he slew Goliath of Gath. Napoleon was characterized by the society ladies of the period of his early career as "Puss in Boots." Our own Fremont and Eads would seem at sight capable of only the ordinarily exposed duties of life. Of like physique is the subject of this introduction.
Ladies and gentlemen, it is now my pleasant privilege to introduce to your acquaintance Captain Willard Glazier as the lecturer for the evening.
At the close of Judge Todd's introduction, Captain Glazier began his instructive historic lecture on the "Pioneers of the Mississippi," holding the attention of all present by the interest of his subject and the eloquence of his delivery. Beginning with De Soto, the discoverer of the Great River, he gave an account of his early life and adventures, of his ambition to found an empire like that of Cortez, and of his arrival at the mighty stream in whose waters he soon found his final resting-place.
Marquette, the self-sacrificing missionary, was brought vividly before the mind's eye of the hearer as the Captain described in glowing terms the zeal with which he preached the Gospel to the poor benighted Indians, and drew a picture with all its poetical surroundings of his death and burial in the wilderness.
La Salle came next, pushing onward down the river until he planted his triumphant banner on the shores of the Gulf of Mexico, and took possession of the surrounding country in the name of the King of France. Hennepin and Joliet then claimed the attention of the eloquent speaker, and their exploits were clearly and forcibly recounted in graphic language. Other explorers were mentioned, but these formed the ground-work of the lecture—a lecture replete with historical interest, and crowded with such a vivid portrayal of incidents that from beginning to end one can see as in a panorama the Great River and all the mighty men whose fame is indissolubly connected with the history of its waters.
At the conclusion of the lecture the following letter to the President of the Historical Society was read:
1310 Olive Street,St. Louis,January 14, 1882.Edwin Harrison, Esq.,President Missouri Historical Society:Dear Sir:—In my recent canoe voyage down the Mississippi, it was my good fortune to receive many courtesies at the hands of the press, boat clubs, and other citizens of St. Louis. This, coupled with the fact that you have expressed considerable interest in the result of my explorations, inclines me to present to you the "Itasca," one of the canoes used in the expedition, for the Museum of your Society, as a memento of my voyage and discoveries.During this tour of observation and exploration, extending from the headwaters of the Mississippi River to the Gulf of Mexico, I had the satisfaction of locating the true source of the mighty stream down which we paddled our canoes to the sea.I am not now in a position to give you a detailed account of my explorations on the Great River, but shall avail myself of the earliest opportunity to transmit to your Secretary a complete history of the voyage, which will be issued in book form as soon as the matter can be put in proper shape for publication.Very truly yours,Willard Glazier.
1310 Olive Street,
St. Louis,January 14, 1882.
Edwin Harrison, Esq.,
President Missouri Historical Society:
Dear Sir:—In my recent canoe voyage down the Mississippi, it was my good fortune to receive many courtesies at the hands of the press, boat clubs, and other citizens of St. Louis. This, coupled with the fact that you have expressed considerable interest in the result of my explorations, inclines me to present to you the "Itasca," one of the canoes used in the expedition, for the Museum of your Society, as a memento of my voyage and discoveries.
During this tour of observation and exploration, extending from the headwaters of the Mississippi River to the Gulf of Mexico, I had the satisfaction of locating the true source of the mighty stream down which we paddled our canoes to the sea.
I am not now in a position to give you a detailed account of my explorations on the Great River, but shall avail myself of the earliest opportunity to transmit to your Secretary a complete history of the voyage, which will be issued in book form as soon as the matter can be put in proper shape for publication.
Very truly yours,
Willard Glazier.
In response to this letter Captain Silas Bent, late of the United States Navy, accepted for the Society the canoe in these words:
Captain Glazier:—It becomes my pleasant duty to accept for the Missouri Historical Society this beautiful canoe, which has itself become historic by reason of the service it has rendered you. It shall be deposited with other treasured relics in our museum.I have also to express to you the high appreciation in which the Society holds the valuable contributions to geographical knowledge resulting from your explorations among the headwaters of the Mississippi River, and your discovery of the remotest lake that contributes to the perennial birth of this hydra-headed "Father of Waters," whose Genesis near the Arctic regions gives it a length of more than three thousand miles to the tropical gulf, to which it bears upon its ample bosom in safety the freightage of an empire.I desire, too, to thank you for the interesting lecture just given us upon the achievements of the heroic old explorers, who have in centuries past preceded you in investigations of the characteristics of this river. But whilst past investigations have made us familiar with the general character of the stream, and the peculiarities of its many mouths, yet we know very little of its source; and should be gratified I am sure if you could give us this evening a brief account of the circumstances attending your explorations in that direction, and of the difficulties you had to encounter in the accomplishment of your object.
Captain Glazier:—It becomes my pleasant duty to accept for the Missouri Historical Society this beautiful canoe, which has itself become historic by reason of the service it has rendered you. It shall be deposited with other treasured relics in our museum.
I have also to express to you the high appreciation in which the Society holds the valuable contributions to geographical knowledge resulting from your explorations among the headwaters of the Mississippi River, and your discovery of the remotest lake that contributes to the perennial birth of this hydra-headed "Father of Waters," whose Genesis near the Arctic regions gives it a length of more than three thousand miles to the tropical gulf, to which it bears upon its ample bosom in safety the freightage of an empire.
I desire, too, to thank you for the interesting lecture just given us upon the achievements of the heroic old explorers, who have in centuries past preceded you in investigations of the characteristics of this river. But whilst past investigations have made us familiar with the general character of the stream, and the peculiarities of its many mouths, yet we know very little of its source; and should be gratified I am sure if you could give us this evening a brief account of the circumstances attending your explorations in that direction, and of the difficulties you had to encounter in the accomplishment of your object.
In compliance with Captain Bent's request that he would give some account of the events connected with his discovery of the source of the Mississippi, Captain Glazier, greatly to the satisfaction of his large and appreciative audience, now briefly narrated the leading incidents in his voyage of exploration.
When he had concluded his personal narrative many came forward to congratulate him upon his discovery, and to express their appreciation of the great work he had accomplished. All inspected the "Itasca," which occupied a prominent position on the platform, with the curiosity human nature invariably feels concerning any object closely connected with the fame of a distinguished man or daring exploit. The beautiful canoe was afterwards placed on exhibition at the rooms of the Historical Society.
An interesting souvenir. — Greeting at Lake Glazier. — Petition to Geographical Societies. — Voice from Aitkin, Gate City of the Upper Mississippi. — Tributes from Brainerd. — An old friend at La Crosse. — Welcome at Davenport. — Greetings at St. Louis. — Senator Lamar. — Royal welcome at Bayou Tunica. — Sentiment of Port Eads. — Congratulations of the officers of the "Margaret." — Greetings from New Orleans. — "Fame's triple wreath." — Closing remarks.
An interesting souvenir. — Greeting at Lake Glazier. — Petition to Geographical Societies. — Voice from Aitkin, Gate City of the Upper Mississippi. — Tributes from Brainerd. — An old friend at La Crosse. — Welcome at Davenport. — Greetings at St. Louis. — Senator Lamar. — Royal welcome at Bayou Tunica. — Sentiment of Port Eads. — Congratulations of the officers of the "Margaret." — Greetings from New Orleans. — "Fame's triple wreath." — Closing remarks.
Such an expedition as Captain Glazier has recently concluded inevitably gives birth to many souvenirs and trophies of the undertaking which are always interesting, not only to their immediate recipient but also to the public generally; for a man of his calibre is in one sense public property, and as such everything associated with any important enterprise of his, is loudly demanded by men of all classes without regard to what would be considered its privacy under other circumstances. It was the author's good fortune to see such a souvenir of the voyage—an album in which are inscribed the autographs of eminent men from various points along the entire route traversed, the first being dated at the source of the Mississippi, and the last on the shores of the Gulf of Mexico; and the thought occurred to him that this memento of the latest exploit in Captain Glazier's exciting life could not fail to be an object of some interest to the reader who had thus far followed the soldier, author,and explorer in his eventful and successful career. He therefore obtained permission to make a few extracts from the large number before him, and these Greetings of the Voyage are now presented to the public as a fitting conclusion to the story of the Captain's journey from source to sea.
The first in order is naturally that of Barrett Channing Paine, his constant companion during the entire voyage. Standing by the discoverer's side at the fountain-head of the Great River, he wrote:
Lake Glazier, Minnesota,July 22, 1881.My Dear Captain:—From this beautiful lake where the mighty Mississippi rises, my best wishes follow you down the course of the "Father of Waters" till it mingles its flood with the sea.Very truly yours,Barrett Channing Paine.
Lake Glazier, Minnesota,
July 22, 1881.
My Dear Captain:—From this beautiful lake where the mighty Mississippi rises, my best wishes follow you down the course of the "Father of Waters" till it mingles its flood with the sea.
Very truly yours,
Barrett Channing Paine.
We next quote a petition of Captain Glazier's companions to the Geographical Societies of the country, although it is not found in the album. It was published in the Missouri "Republican" and various other newspapers, but being dated Schoolcraft Island, the first stopping place after leaving the source of the river, it seems quite naturally to follow the greeting of Mr. Paine:
Schoolcraft Island,Lake Itasca,July 22, 1881.To Geographical and Historical Societies:—We the undersigned, companions of Captain Willard Glazier, in his voyage of exploration to the headwaters of the Mississippi, are fully convinced that the lake located by him is beyond question the source of the "Father of Waters."The privilege of bestowing a name upon the new discovery having been delegated to us, we hereby name itLake Glazierin honor of the leader of the expedition, whose energy, perseverance and pluck carried us through many difficulties and brought us at last to the shores of this beautiful lake—the True Source of the Great River.We respectfully petition all Geographical Societies to give it that recognition which has heretofore been accorded to Lake Itasca, and to which it is justly entitled as the primal reservoir of the grandest river on this continent.Barrett Channing Paine,Indianapolis, Indiana.George Herbert Glazier,Chicago, Illinois.}WhiteCompanions.Moses Lagard,Chenowagesic,Sebatise Lagard,Leech Lake, Minnesota,}InterpreterandIndianGuides.
Schoolcraft Island,
Lake Itasca,July 22, 1881.
To Geographical and Historical Societies:—We the undersigned, companions of Captain Willard Glazier, in his voyage of exploration to the headwaters of the Mississippi, are fully convinced that the lake located by him is beyond question the source of the "Father of Waters."
The privilege of bestowing a name upon the new discovery having been delegated to us, we hereby name itLake Glazierin honor of the leader of the expedition, whose energy, perseverance and pluck carried us through many difficulties and brought us at last to the shores of this beautiful lake—the True Source of the Great River.
We respectfully petition all Geographical Societies to give it that recognition which has heretofore been accorded to Lake Itasca, and to which it is justly entitled as the primal reservoir of the grandest river on this continent.
The inhabitants of Aitkin, the first town of importance on the Upper Mississippi, took great interest in the expedition, and did all they could to show their appreciation of the intrepid explorers. The following is from the pen of Warren Potter, one of the pioneer citizens of the place:
Aitkin, Minnesota,August 15, 1881.Captain Willard Glazier:—As you float in your birch canoe upon the bosom of the "Father of Waters" toward the sea, remember Aitkin, the Gate City of the Upper Mississippi.Yours very truly,Warren Potter.
Aitkin, Minnesota,
August 15, 1881.
Captain Willard Glazier:—As you float in your birch canoe upon the bosom of the "Father of Waters" toward the sea, remember Aitkin, the Gate City of the Upper Mississippi.
Yours very truly,
Warren Potter.
Brainerd, situated at the point where the Northern Pacific Railroad crosses the Mississippi, is a thriving town, and has the honor of possessing the first newspaper encountered in the descent of the river. This paper, the Brainerd "Tribune," exhibited much cordial interest in Captain Glazier and his successful explorations, and from time to time published accounts of the voyage. The autographs of its editor, Arthur E. Chase, is found in the album, as is that of Hon. Chauncey B. Sleeper, district attorney for the county, who introduced him to the first audience before whichhe delivered his lecture on the "Pioneers of the Mississippi:"
Brainerd, Minnesota,August 19, 1881.Dear Captain:—That your voyage down the Great "Father of Waters" may be fraught with experiences both pleasant to yourself and beneficial to the public; and that your undertaking may prove a worthy epoch in American history, is the wish ofYour sincere friend,Arthur E. Chase.
Brainerd, Minnesota,
August 19, 1881.
Dear Captain:—That your voyage down the Great "Father of Waters" may be fraught with experiences both pleasant to yourself and beneficial to the public; and that your undertaking may prove a worthy epoch in American history, is the wish of
Your sincere friend,
Arthur E. Chase.
Brainerd,August 19, 1881.ToCaptain Willard Glazier:—My cordial good wishes go with you on your long and interesting journey. May it result in benefit to yourself and your fellow-man.Chauncey B. Sleeper,District Attorney.
Brainerd,
August 19, 1881.
ToCaptain Willard Glazier:—My cordial good wishes go with you on your long and interesting journey. May it result in benefit to yourself and your fellow-man.
Chauncey B. Sleeper,
District Attorney.
At St. Cloud, Judge L. A. Evans introduced Captain Glazier to his audience on the evening of his lecture in that city, and wrote as follows in the album:
St. Cloud, Minnesota,August 23, 1881.ToCaptain Glazier:—May your life voyage and your contemplated voyage to the mouth of our Great River prove pleasant and profitable.L. A. Evans.
St. Cloud, Minnesota,
August 23, 1881.
ToCaptain Glazier:—May your life voyage and your contemplated voyage to the mouth of our Great River prove pleasant and profitable.
L. A. Evans.
Hon. Samuel E. Adams, whose patriotic greeting we quote next, is the editor of the Monticello "Times," and was one of the early pioneers of Wright County, Minnesota.
Monticello,August 24, 1881.Love of one's country is always commendable, and may your labors in its defence in the past, and its development in the future, be crowned with imperishable renown.Very truly yours,Samuel E. Adams.
Monticello,
August 24, 1881.
Love of one's country is always commendable, and may your labors in its defence in the past, and its development in the future, be crowned with imperishable renown.
Very truly yours,
Samuel E. Adams.
At Hastings, Captain Glazier was cordially and hospitably entertained by the proprietor and editor ofthe Hastings "Gazette," and other prominent citizens. On parting Mr. Todd writes the following in the album:
Hastings, Minnesota,September 5, 1881.With the cordial good wishes of the "Gazette" for a prosperous voyage to the Gulf.Fraternally,Irving Todd.
Hastings, Minnesota,
September 5, 1881.
With the cordial good wishes of the "Gazette" for a prosperous voyage to the Gulf.
Fraternally,
Irving Todd.
The friendly writer of the following is loyal to his State while greeting the man who evokes the sentiment:
Davenport, Iowa,September 25, 1881.Dear Captain:—As you plough the "Father of Waters" in your frail bark, think of "Iowa the Beautiful."Charles G. Plummer.
Davenport, Iowa,
September 25, 1881.
Dear Captain:—As you plough the "Father of Waters" in your frail bark, think of "Iowa the Beautiful."
Charles G. Plummer.
At Davenport, Iowa, Captain Glazier had the pleasure of again meeting Colonel P. A. J. Russell, city editor of the "Democrat." This gentleman had been the first to greet him on his arrival in that city during his journey across the continent in 1876, and it was with much cordiality that he now shook hands with the Captain and congratulated him upon the success of his latest expedition. But we will let him express his sentiments in his own language:
Davenport, on the Mississippi,September 25, 1881.ToCaptain Glazier:Safety and success—thus farAdown this mighty stream;May Heaven guard your progress stillAnd grant fulfilment of your dream.Very truly yours,P. A. J. Russell.
Davenport, on the Mississippi,
September 25, 1881.
ToCaptain Glazier:
Safety and success—thus farAdown this mighty stream;May Heaven guard your progress stillAnd grant fulfilment of your dream.
Safety and success—thus farAdown this mighty stream;May Heaven guard your progress stillAnd grant fulfilment of your dream.
Very truly yours,P. A. J. Russell.
The first man to welcome Captain Glazier at La Crosse was Pearce Giles, an old acquaintance whom hehad known for many years in the East. Mr. Giles tenders his congratulations in these words:
La Crosse, Wisconsin,September 10, 1881.My Dear Captain:—I congratulate you on your important discovery of the True Source of the Mississippi—a discovery which must associate your name forever with the "Father of Waters." The intelligence, earnestness, pluck and persistence you have displayed in this, as in numerous other ways, are such as to give you a place among the great Americans who have not lived in vain for their country.Always sincerely yours,Pearce Giles.
La Crosse, Wisconsin,
September 10, 1881.
My Dear Captain:—I congratulate you on your important discovery of the True Source of the Mississippi—a discovery which must associate your name forever with the "Father of Waters." The intelligence, earnestness, pluck and persistence you have displayed in this, as in numerous other ways, are such as to give you a place among the great Americans who have not lived in vain for their country.
Always sincerely yours,
Pearce Giles.
The visit to Trempealeau, on the left bank of the river, introduced the canoeists to some extremely agreeable people, whose hearty and disinterested welcome will be long remembered by Captain Glazier. The sentiment of one of them is thus kindly expressed:
Trempealeau, Wisconsin,September 11, 1881.Captain Glazier:—My best wishes follow you down the "Father of Waters" and through Life's Voyage.Very sincerely yours,M. H. Melchior.
Trempealeau, Wisconsin,
September 11, 1881.
Captain Glazier:—My best wishes follow you down the "Father of Waters" and through Life's Voyage.
Very sincerely yours,
M. H. Melchior.
While at Bellevue, Captain Glazier was entertained most agreeably by Hon. W. O. Evans, editor of the Bellevue "Republican" who welcomed him on his arrival, and launched his canoe when he resumed his voyage. He seemed greatly interested in the Captain's explorations, and expressed his interest in this manner:
Bellevue, Iowa,September 18, 1881.Dear Captain:—That health, wealth, success and perpetual youth may attend you in all your grand schemes and enterprises through the Voyage of Life is the wish of your new-made friend,W. O. Evans.
Bellevue, Iowa,
September 18, 1881.
Dear Captain:—That health, wealth, success and perpetual youth may attend you in all your grand schemes and enterprises through the Voyage of Life is the wish of your new-made friend,
W. O. Evans.
At Hannibal, Captain Glazier landed and remained three days, during which interval he met one or two valued friends. Before launching his canoe this entry found a place in the album:
Hannibal, Missouri,October 3, 1881.Dear Captain:—May the Mississippi—that Grand Old Patriarch of Rivers—carry you safely to the Gulf!A. M. Paget.
Hannibal, Missouri,
October 3, 1881.
Dear Captain:—May the Mississippi—that Grand Old Patriarch of Rivers—carry you safely to the Gulf!
A. M. Paget.
The "Post-Dispatch" one of the leading newspapers of St. Louis, was foremost in publishing accounts of the explorer's voyage from the time he left the headwaters of the Mississippi until he reached the Gulf, and hence the autograph of its editor, Colonel John A. Cockerill, now editor of the New York "World," is of special interest:
St. Louis, Missouri,October 8, 1881.The "Post-Dispatch," sailing on prosperous sea, sends greeting and good wishes to Captain Glazier and all daring navigators.John A. Cockerill.
St. Louis, Missouri,
October 8, 1881.
The "Post-Dispatch," sailing on prosperous sea, sends greeting and good wishes to Captain Glazier and all daring navigators.
John A. Cockerill.
Thomas E. Garrett, of the staff of the "Republican," inscribed the following poetic tribute:
Missouri Republican Office,St. Louis,October 14, 1881.On land and water—staunch and true,You steer and paddle your own canoe,Strong arm, brave heart, will pull you through.Very truly yours,Thomas E. Garrett.
Missouri Republican Office,
St. Louis,October 14, 1881.
On land and water—staunch and true,You steer and paddle your own canoe,Strong arm, brave heart, will pull you through.
On land and water—staunch and true,You steer and paddle your own canoe,Strong arm, brave heart, will pull you through.
Very truly yours,
Thomas E. Garrett.
The editor of the Helena "Yeoman" writes:
Helena, Arkansas,October 22, 1881.Captain Glazier:—May your present voyage down the great Mississippi redound to your credit, and add to the honors you have already won.W. L. Morris,"Yeoman" Office.
Helena, Arkansas,
October 22, 1881.
Captain Glazier:—May your present voyage down the great Mississippi redound to your credit, and add to the honors you have already won.
W. L. Morris,
"Yeoman" Office.
Prof. J. J. Flahift, Superintendent of Public Instruction at Helena, greets the navigator in these terms:
Helena, Arkansas,October26, 1881."Nothing great is lightly won,Nothing won is lost;Every good deed nobly done,Will repay the cost;Leave to Heaven in humble trustAll you will to do,"But, to reach the Gulf, you mustPaddle your own canoe.J. J. Flahift.
Helena, Arkansas,
October26, 1881.
"Nothing great is lightly won,Nothing won is lost;Every good deed nobly done,Will repay the cost;Leave to Heaven in humble trustAll you will to do,"But, to reach the Gulf, you mustPaddle your own canoe.
"Nothing great is lightly won,Nothing won is lost;Every good deed nobly done,Will repay the cost;Leave to Heaven in humble trustAll you will to do,"But, to reach the Gulf, you mustPaddle your own canoe.
J. J. Flahift.
At Natchez, Captain Glazier had the pleasure of hearing Senator Lamar deliver a political speech, and was afterwards introduced to him at the Foster House, where both were registered. The Senator seemed much interested in the Captain's explorations, and so signifies over his autograph:
Natchez, Mississippi,November3, 1881.Glad to have met you, Captain Glazier, and I leave with you my best wishes for the success of your undertaking.L. Q. C. Lamar.
Natchez, Mississippi,
November3, 1881.
Glad to have met you, Captain Glazier, and I leave with you my best wishes for the success of your undertaking.
L. Q. C. Lamar.
Bayou Tunica will always be held in pleasant remembrance by Captain Glazier, for he was there most hospitably received and entertained by John J. Winn, a prosperous merchant and planter. Mr. Winn insisted upon his remaining with him for two days during the progress of a violent storm which rendered the river unnavigable, and every effort was made to make the time pass agreeably. His greeting to the explorer is short but to the point:
Bayou Tunica, Louisiana,November 5, 1881.Captain Glazier:—May your voyage to the Gulf be a pleasant one.John J. Winn.
Bayou Tunica, Louisiana,
November 5, 1881.
Captain Glazier:—May your voyage to the Gulf be a pleasant one.
John J. Winn.
Captain Glazier's first acquaintance with a sugar plantation was made on reaching the estates of Messrs. V. U. Lefebre and son, who are extensively engaged in the production of this staple of commerce. This firm is counted among the wealthiest sugar planters of Plaquemine Parish, owning and controlling three large plantations. The Captain made the most of his opportunity to learn something of the art of sugar manufacture. The cane-field and sugar-mill and every detail were explained by his polite host, from the cutting of the canes to the refining process. The Captain and his companion were hospitably entertained an entire day, and on parting the senior Mr. Lefebre greeted him in French, the tongue of his mother country:
Eliza Plantation, Louisiana,November9, 1881.Cher Capitaine:—J'espère que votre voyage au Golfe sera agréable que vous garderes un bon souvenir de la Louisiane.Votre sincère,V. U. Lefebre.
Eliza Plantation, Louisiana,
November9, 1881.
Cher Capitaine:—J'espère que votre voyage au Golfe sera agréable que vous garderes un bon souvenir de la Louisiane.
Votre sincère,
V. U. Lefebre.
The inhabitants of Port Eads, the terminal point of the voyage, displayed, if possible, a more lively interest in the expedition than those of any other town along the river, for here it was that the goal was reached and the Captain's long and hazardous undertaking placed beyond the risk of failure. Some description has already been given of the triumphant manner in which the arrival of the "Alice" at the Gulf was proclaimed by the people, and the following lines of F. C. Welschaus, one of the citizens, expresses, in all probability, the general sentiment of Port Eads:
Port Eads, Louisiana,November15, 1881.ToThe Discoverer of the Mississippi's Source:—May all your undertakings prove as successful as this one.F. C. Welschaus.
Port Eads, Louisiana,
November15, 1881.
ToThe Discoverer of the Mississippi's Source:—May all your undertakings prove as successful as this one.
F. C. Welschaus.
This kindly wish of Mr. Welschaus in reality concludes the greetings of the voyage proper, but when Captain Glazier returned to New Orleans from Port Eads, and afterwards to St. Louis, others were added to the number, some of which are of so much interest that the author takes pleasure in quoting them.
The first in point of time was written by the officers of the steamshipMargaret, on board of which Captain Glazier steamed back to New Orleans. This vessel was engaged in the fruit trade between the Crescent City and ports in Central America. His reception and entertainment by the officers was characteristic of sailors in general, cordial and hospitable in the extreme. They expressed great wonder that a mere landsman could make such an extended voyage in so small a boat, and many questions were asked and answered upon this subject. Their farewell greeting is thus entered in the album:
On Board Steamship"Margaret," ®8:November16, 1881.ToCaptain Willard Glazier:—We congratulate you upon the successful completion of your great undertaking, and ask you to accept the following as our sincere wish and fervent prayer:"May your bark of mortalityGlide down the stream of Time,And land at last at that glorious havenWhere nothing reigns supremeBut joy, health, prosperity and happiness."John Otteson,Commander.Richard Hunter,Chief Officer.Albert J. Schlesinger,Purser.
On Board Steamship"Margaret," ®8:November16, 1881.
ToCaptain Willard Glazier:—We congratulate you upon the successful completion of your great undertaking, and ask you to accept the following as our sincere wish and fervent prayer:
"May your bark of mortalityGlide down the stream of Time,And land at last at that glorious havenWhere nothing reigns supremeBut joy, health, prosperity and happiness."
"May your bark of mortalityGlide down the stream of Time,And land at last at that glorious havenWhere nothing reigns supremeBut joy, health, prosperity and happiness."
John Otteson,Commander.Richard Hunter,Chief Officer.Albert J. Schlesinger,Purser.
While in New Orleans, Captain Glazier had an opportunity to listen to a sermon by Rev. B. M. Palmer, a prominent clergyman of that city. The Captain afterwards had the pleasure of meeting Dr. Palmer, who inscribed this beautiful wish in the album:
New Orleans, Louisiana,November22, 1881.Captain Glazier:—May your exploration of the Mississippi from its source to its mouth be typical of your Voyage of Life, as it rolls with its swelling flood into the bosom of God.Yours in the Faith of the Gospel,B. M. Palmer,Pastor First Presbyterian Church.
New Orleans, Louisiana,
November22, 1881.
Captain Glazier:—May your exploration of the Mississippi from its source to its mouth be typical of your Voyage of Life, as it rolls with its swelling flood into the bosom of God.
Yours in the Faith of the Gospel,
B. M. Palmer,
Pastor First Presbyterian Church.
The greetings from New Orleans would be incomplete without some reference to H. Dudley Coleman, a member of the New Orleans Academy of Sciences, and also of the Washington Artillery, of that city, who extended many courtesies to Captain Glazier. Mr. Coleman was a cavalry officer in the Confederate Army, and his command had been frequently opposed to that of the Union soldier on the battle-fields of Virginia. His Southern gallantry, however, prompted a cordial greeting, and the true gentleman appeared in the numerous attentions he showered on his former adversary in arms. Captain Glazier was greatly impressed by this display of good feeling, and the evident desire manifested on the part of many Southern gentlemen who received him to bury the animosities of the late war and promote a state of harmony and cordial friendship. The blue and the grey are no longer estranged, or such a hearty reception could not have been accorded to Captain Glazier, whose name and reputation were well known to many in the Crescent City as of a prolific writer on military subjects from a Union standpoint. Mr. Coleman's apparently sincere expressions of a deep friendly interest in the Captain's exploits on the Mississippi impressed him very sensibly. Want of space must be our excuse for not including his long and very cordial greeting in the album.
Albert G. Blanchard, also a member of the New Orleans Academy of Sciences, and formerly a brigadier-general, C. S. A., shows his appreciation of the explorations which Captain Glazier had successfully completed in these terms:
I congratulate you on your successful exploration of the headwaters of the Mississippi River. Your name will always be honored with that of Robert Cavalier de la Salle, the discoverer of the outlet of this river as you are of its source.Very respectfully your obedient servant,Albert G. Blanchard,Deputy City Surveyor.New Orleans,November22, 1881.
I congratulate you on your successful exploration of the headwaters of the Mississippi River. Your name will always be honored with that of Robert Cavalier de la Salle, the discoverer of the outlet of this river as you are of its source.
Very respectfully your obedient servant,
Albert G. Blanchard,
Deputy City Surveyor.
New Orleans,
November22, 1881.
We next quote from the pen of Dr. J. S. Copes, the learned President of the New Orleans Academy of Sciences. Dr. Copes manifested an intense interest in the results of Captain Glazier's expedition, and endeavored by every method within his power to show the high estimation in which he held the intrepid explorer:
Captain Glazier:—I congratulate you upon the successful completion of your search for the primal reservoir of the Mississippi River. It would be well for the country to erect before the view of its youths and young men two monuments, three thousand miles asunder—the one at the source, the other at the mouth of the great river of North America—upon which should be chiseled "Enterprise, Courage, Faith, Fortitude, Patriotism, Philanthropy," leaving to posterity the selection of an illustrative name to be engraven on each one when events shall have pointed conclusively to the benefactors most worthy of this honor.With great respect,Yours very truly,J. S. Copes,President New Orleans Academy of Sciences.New Orleans,November19, 1881.
Captain Glazier:—I congratulate you upon the successful completion of your search for the primal reservoir of the Mississippi River. It would be well for the country to erect before the view of its youths and young men two monuments, three thousand miles asunder—the one at the source, the other at the mouth of the great river of North America—upon which should be chiseled "Enterprise, Courage, Faith, Fortitude, Patriotism, Philanthropy," leaving to posterity the selection of an illustrative name to be engraven on each one when events shall have pointed conclusively to the benefactors most worthy of this honor.
With great respect,
Yours very truly,
J. S. Copes,
President New Orleans Academy of Sciences.
New Orleans,
November19, 1881.
We will conclude this pleasing souvenir of the voyage by quoting the sentiment of Judge Albert Todd, who, it will be remembered, introduced Captain Glazier to his audience at St. Louis upon the occasion of his lecture on the "Pioneers of the Mississippi," and the presentation of the "Itasca" to the Missouri Historical Society. Judge Todd is one of the oldest and most reputed citizens of St. Louis, and showed an especial appreciation of the Captain's endeavors to increase the geographical lore of the Mississippi River: