for a mission village was drawn up, a cross planted, and the mission of St. Mary's begun. The lay bro- thers built a church and residence, while De Smet went to Colville to obtain provisions. On his re- turn, the Blackfeet warriors went on the winter chase, and he remained in the village familiarizing himself with the language, into which he translated the catechism. He then resolved to visit Port Van- couver, hoping to find there the supplies necessary to make St. Mary's a fixed mission. On his way he visited several tribes, and taught them the ordinary prayers and rudiments of religion. After a narrow escape from drowning in Columbia river, he reached Fort Vancouver, but was deceived in his hope of finding supplies, and on his return to St. Mary's he resolved to cross the wilderness again to St. Louis. There he laid the condition of his mis- sion before his superiors, who directed him to go to Europe and appeal for aid to the people of Belgium and France. He excited great enthusiasm for his work in those countries, several priests of his order asked permission to join him, and the Sisters of the Congregation of our Lady volunteered to undertake the instruction of the Flathead children. He sailed from Antwerp in December, 1843, with five Jesuits and six Sisters, and reached Fort Vancouver in August, 1844. He was offered land on the Willa- mette river for a central mission, and at once began to clear ground and erect buildings. The work ad- vanced so rapidly that in October the Sisters, who had already begun their school in the open air, were able to enter their convent. In 1845 he began a series of missions among the Zingomenes, Sin- poils, Okenaganes, Flatbows, and Koetenays. which extended to the water-shed of the Saskatchewan and Columbia, the camps of the wandering Assini- boins and Creeks, and the stations of Fort St. Anne and Bourassa. Pie visited Europe several times in search of aid for his missions. Indeed, he calcu- lated that his journeys i\p to 1853, by land and water, must have been more than five times the cir- cumference of the earth. The ability and influence of Father De Smet were cordially acknowledged by the government of the United States, and his aid was often sought in preventing Indian wars. Thus he put an end to the Sioux war, and in Ore- gon he induced the Yahamas and other tribes, inider Kamiakim, to cease hostilities. He was chap- lain in the expedition to Utah, and opened new missions among the tribes in that territory. Dur- ing his last visit to Europe he met with a severe ac- cident, in which several of his ribs were broken, and on his return to St. Louis he wasted slowly away. Father De Smet was made a knight of the order of Leopold by the king of the Belgians. His best-known works, which have been translated into English, are " The Oregon Missions and Travels over the Rocky Mountains," "Indian Letters and Sketches," " Western Missions and Missionaries," and " New Indian Sketches."
DESNOYERS, Peter, pioneer, b. in France. 21
April, 1773 ; d. in Detroit, Mich., 6 March, 1880.
He came to this country in early life, and settled
first in Gallipolis, Ohio, and then in Pittsburg, Pa.
Later he removed to Detroit, Mich., where he re-
sided until his death. Congress, in 1807, gave him
a tract of land on Detroit rivei", in return for his
loyalty to the United States. He subsequently
became U. S. marshal for the territory of Michi-
gan, and in 1839 state treasurer. From his long
residence in Detroit, he came to be regarded as
one of the most influential men of the city, as well
as a leading spirit among the French population.
DE SOLA, Abraham, clergyman, b. in London,
18 Sept., 1825 ; d. in New York, 5 June, 1882. He
was called to the ministry of the Portuguese syna-
gogue in Montreal, Canada, in 1846, soon identified
himself with the various literary and scientific
bodies of his adopted country, ^n"d was appointed
in 1853 professor of Hebrew and oriental litera-
ture at McOill university. He received the degree
of LL. D. in 1858, and was elected president of
the Natural history, society of Montreal. In 1872
Dr. De Sola opened the session of the U. S. con-
gress with prayer. He labored by pen and in the
pulpit to promote the welfare of his co-religionists,
and was an eloquent expounder of conservative
Judaism. His published works include " Scripture
Zoology," " The Sanitary Institutions of the He-
brews," "Mosaic Cosmogony," "Sinaitic Inscrip-
tions," " Notes on the Jews of Persia," and minor
writings on Jewish history and literature.
|
|
DE SOTO, Fernando, Spanish discoverer, b. in Jerez de los Caballeros, Estremadura, Spain, about 1496; d. on the banks of the Mississippi, 20 June, 1542. He was the descendant of a noble but impoverished family, and was indebted to Pedrarias Davila for the means of pursuing a course at the university, where he distinguished himself in literary studies and in athletic performances. In 1519 he accompanied Davila, who had been made governor of Darien, on his second expedition to America, during which he showed great ability and determination of character, especially as an opponent of the oppressive measures of his superior officers. He served on the expedition to Nicaragua in 1527 under Hernandez, who afterward perished by the hand of Davila in consequence of not heeding his advice. In 1528 he withdrew from the service of his patron and explored the coasts of Guatemala and Yucatan for upward of 700 miles in search of a strait, which was supposed to connect the two oceans. Later he joined Pizarro in his expedition to Peru, with the promise of being made second in command. In 1533 he was sent with fifty horsemen and a few targeteers to explore the highlands of Peru. He penetrated through a pass in the mountains, and discovered the great national road that led to the Peruvian capital. De Soto was sent by Pizarro as ambassador to visit the Inca Atahualpa, after whose capture he expostulated with his chief for treacherously refusing to release the Peruvian monarch, but in vain, although an immense sum had been paid for his ransom. He was prominent in the engagements that completed the conquest of Peru, and was the hero of the battle that resulted in the capture of Cuzco. Subsequently De Soto, who had landed in America with nothing of his own save his sword and target, returned to Spain with a fortune of $500,000, which enabled him to marry the daughter of his old patron Davila, to whom he had long been attached, and to main-
