Father Jacques Marquette, a young Jesuit priest, and Louis Joliet met in New France and soon became good friends. Father Marquette hoped to explore the wilderness and preach Christianity to the Indians that lived there. Both men dreamed of exploring the great southward flowing river the Indians had spoken of. They thought they might possibly discover a waterway to China. From the earliest days of exploration, this had been the hope of men of all nationalities. Before long, Joliet was chosen to make the trip and Father Marquette was selected to accompany him.

MARQUETTE AND JOLIET tells the exciting story of their discovery of the Mississippi and their adventurous journey on it as far south as the Arkansas. The book describes the hardships and successes they experienced, the Indian villages they visited, and all the strange and unusual sights they saw along the way.

From the dust jacket