as far as Sault Ste. Marie, the rigging and materials for the vessel. The post Chagouamigon was given him as a gratuity to defray expenses."
In 1786, the Governor of Canada wrote to France that there was increased hope of obtaining copper from Lake Superior, and that the Indians had reported that a certain isle, which appears on the new map, abounded in copper. "If this were true they will pass by the Rivière au Fer,[1] from which had been taken the lumps of copper which were sent this year. The son of De la Ronde will visit this isle and make a report.” Allusion is made in the same communication, that the Renards and their allies hunted in the vicinity of the River Tounagaune [Ontanagon], and it was recommended that the region should be explored by an experienced miner.
During the winter of 1740, La Ronde was in Canada and ordered to return to Chagouamigon. On his arrival at Mackinaw, in the spring, he was so sick that he returned to Montreal.[2]
On Bellin's Map of 1744, the island opposite Bayfield, now called Madaline, is named La Ronde.[3]
VÉRANDERIE EXPLORES WEST OF LAKE SUPERIOR.
The Sieur Véranderie, who had been stationed in 1727 at Lake Nepigon, was the first to perfect an expedition for the exploration of the chain of lakes which form the northern boundary of Minnesota. Three of his sons, and
- ↑ On modern maps still called Iron River. N. Bellin, in a map of Lake Superior, in Charlevoix's Nouvelle France, Paris, A.D. 1744, calls the stream Piouabic or R. au Cuivre. Baraga gives Miskwabik, as the Ojibway word for copper. Lahontan gives Piouabic for iron, which Carver writes Pewawbick. Iron River is east of Bois Brulé River.
- ↑ Letter of Beauharnois among Martin MSS. in Ottawa Library.
- ↑ The first Sieur de La Ronde was Pierre Denis or Denys, born A.D. 1630, married in 1655 to Catharine Le Neuf, of Quebec. It was his grandson who received the monopoly of the fur trade at Chagouamigon.
