[i] Source(s): Blegen, Theodore C., “The Land Lies Open” Pages 47 Blegen writes, “After his return with Hennepin he learned that he had been branded an outlaw and the leader of the Coureurs de bois” which according to the Hudson Bay Company fur trade glossary is “(French for "runner of the woods") and is a fur trader who went into the woods to find fur and trade fur with First Nations.  (Web site:  http://www.canadiana.org/hbc/stories/coureurs1_e.html#).  Once he had cleared his name, he returned to the upper Mississippi River valley in 1683, this time with a license to trade. 

 Source(s): “A Description of Louisiana” by Father Hennepin translated by John Gilmore Shea, which can be found in the “March of America Facsimile Series” volume 30, page 375 Du Luth writes in his account, “On the 2d of July, 1679, I had the honor to plant his majesties arms in the great village of the Nadouessioux [Sioux], called Izatys…”

[ii] Source: “ Minnesota in Three Centuries – Description and Explanations” by Upham, Warren, who wrote describes Du Luths council on page 235.

[iii] Source(s):  “My Minnesota ” by Ford, Antoinette E., page 24 states that “Before going to rescue of Father Hennepin, Duluth had planned making a trip to the west for the purpose of finding the great sea, which the Indians had described to him.”

[iv] Source(s): “A Description of Louisiana” by Father Hennepin translated by John Gilmore Shea, which can be found in the “March of America Facsimile Series” volume 30Hennepin wrote two books the first was the book that made him famous called “A Description of Louisiana” for the most part it is accurate.  However, most scholars realize that Hennepin was a proud man who was prone to exaggeration.  Even De la Salle writes of Hennepin, “…it is necessary to know him somewhat for he will not fail to exaggerate everything; it is in his character…”.  See page 371 A description of Louisiana” by Father Hennepin translated by John Gilmore Shea, which can be found in the “March of America Facsimile Series” volume 30.

The narrative in his first book is generally felt to be true, for he did go to the upper Mississippi River Valley , Became a prisoner of the Sioux, and Sieur du Luth did come to his rescue. John Shea in his translation writes, “It shows vanity in its author, but no falsification.  So far as it goes it presents Hennepin as truthful and accurate.” See page 52 in A description of Louisiana ” by Father Hennepin translated by John Gilmore Shea, which can be found in the “March of America Facsimile Series” volume 30.

Hennepin wrote a second book called “Nourvelle Découverte” where there are a number of falsifications.  However, this may not be Father Hennepin’s doing for John Shea writes, “On its very face Hennepin can scarcely be held responsible for a book thus tampered with.”  Shea adds, “At this time English projects of expeditions to the mouth of the Mississippi were attracting attention, and the careless irresponsible editor whose additions had already injured the work, may have sought to increase the popularity of the book, by suppressing part and inserting a voyage down to the mouth of the Mississippi, so as to make the volume bear directly on a question of the day.” See pages 46-51 in A description of Louisiana ” by Father Hennepin translated by John Gilmore Shea, which can be found in the “March of America Facsimile Series” volume 30.

There is also a charge of plagiarism oh Hennepin’s part.  this is not true.  John Shea writes”A careful comparison of the first and second parts of Margry’s Relation with Hennepin’s Description de la Lousisiane, 1683, will satisfy any one that the vaunted Margry document is a mere plagerism from Hennepin’s first work as far as it goes.”  Margry’s  was one of the three recollect fathers who went with De la Salle on his expedition and also wrote about the expedition.  See pages 39-43 in A description of Louisiana ” by Father Hennepin translated by John Gilmore Shea, which can be found in the “March of America Facsimile Series” volume 30.