A half-century of conflict. France and England in North America. Part ...

4 SEARCH FOR THE PACIFIC. [1717-1723.another at Lac des Cristineaux, now called Lake ofthe Woods, and the third at Lake Winnipeg, — thelast being what in American phrase is called the" jumping-off place," or the point where the expeditionwas to leave behind the last trace of civilization.These posts were to cost the Crown nothing; sinceby a device common in such cases, those who builtand maintained them were to be paid by a monopolyof the fur-trade in the adjacent countries. It wasadmitted, however, that the subsequent explorationmust be at the charge ofthe government, and wouldrequire fifty good men, at three hundred francs ayear each, besides equipment and supplies. Allthings considered, it was reckoned that an overlandway to the Pacific might be found for about fiftythousand francs,or ten thousand dollars.^The Regent approved the scheme so far as to orderthe preliminary step to be taken by establishing thethree posts, and in this same year, Lieutenant LaNoue, of the colony troops, began the work by buildinga stockade at the mouth of the Kaministiguia.Little more was done in furtherance of the explorationtill three years later, when the celebrated Jesuit,Charlevoix, was ordered by the Duke of Orldans torepair to America and gain all possible informationconcerning the Western Sea and the way to it.^In the next year he went to the Upper Lakes,^ Memoire fait et arrests par le Conseil de Marine, SFtfvrier, 1717 ;Mc'moire du Roij, 26 Juin, 1717.2 Charlevoix au Comte de Morville, 1 ^itjV, 1723.