proceeded to Lake Superior; where, however, he accomplished nothing,
except, perhaps, a traffic with the Indians on his own account; and he
soon after returned to Quebec. Talon was resolved to find the Mississippi,
the most interesting object of search, and seemingly the most attainable,
in the wild and vague domain which he had just claimed for the king. The
Indians had described it; the Jesuits were eager to discover it; and La
Salle, if he had not reached it, had explored two several avenues by which
it might be approached. Talon looked about him for a fit agent of the
enterprise, and made choice of Louis Joliet, who had returned from Lake
Superior. [Footnote: _Lettre de Frontenac au Ministre_, 2 _Nov_. 1672, MS.
In the Brodhead Collection, by a copyist's error, the name of the
Chevalier de Grandfontaine is substituted for that of Talon.] But the
Intendant was not to see the fulfilment of his design. His busy and useful
career in Canada was drawing to an end. A misunderstanding had arisen
between him and the Governor, Courcelles. Both were able and public-
spirited; but the relations between the two chiefs of the colony were of a
nature necessarily so critical, that a conflict of authority was scarcely
to be avoided. The Governor presided at the council, and held the military
command; the Intendant directed affairs of justice, finance, and commerce.
Each thought his functions encroached upon, and both asked for recall.
[Footnote: Courcelles returned home on the plea of ill health. Talon
remained a little longer; but soon asked leave to return to France, seeing
that he should fare worse with the new governor than with the old.]
Another governor succeeded; one who was to stamp his mark, broad, bold,
and ineffaceable, on the most memorable page of French-American History.

In the Church of Notre Dame, at Quebec, on a day in the early autumn of
1672, the priests were singing _Te Deum_ for the safe arrival of him whom
they were soon to wish beyond the sea again, or beneath it. Here you would
have seen the new governor surrounded by officers, and by the chief