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 after descending about two hundred and fifty miles from the mouth of the Ouisconsin, and supposing themselves in a vast solitude so far from civilization that the thought was overawing, they saw upon the eastern bank a village of about fifty houses, with outlying farms and farm-houses, all of civilized style, and a fort over which floated the well-known flag of England, and a banner bearing three bars of red, white, and blue. Going ashore, they learned that it was the outpost of the Colony of Aristopia, and was called Oquawka. The Frenchmen had heard of Aristopia, but had not supposed that its outposts were within five hundred miles of the great river. When they learned that down the river were other towns, one of which contained fifteen hundred inhabitants, Joliet said to Marquette:

"These cursed English will populate the whole earth some time."

"Meanwhile," answered Marquette, "they bar the way to the spread of the true religion of the holy cross among the heathen of this fair land."

The bright visions in which the Frenchmen had been indulging, while floating down the great river, of seeing this noble valley, with a