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Primary sourceBook1660

Jesuit Relations, Relation of 1659–1660

Jesuit missionaries of New France (ed. Jérôme Lalemant) · 1660

An annual Jesuit missionary report that records news of French fur traders, including Radisson, returning from beyond Lake Superior with a great fur convoy.

This Jesuit report provides independent confirmation of Radisson's 1659–60 fur trade voyage from Lake Superior.

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Front cover of a dark olive-brown cloth-bound book with a central gold embossed seal reading 'University of Upper Canada', showing two figures beside a staff with a serpent. A library barcode label at the top left reads 'University of St. Michael's College' with the number 31761061195574.
Jesuit Relations, Relation of 1659–1660, ed. Jérôme Lalemant. Bound library volume.

About this source

What it is

The Jesuit Relations were annual reports written by Jesuit missionaries in New France, edited here by Jérôme Lalemant, covering the year 1659–1660. This volume records the return of French traders who had wintered beyond Lake Superior with a large fur convoy.

Why it matters

This is an independent, contemporary witness to Radisson's 1659–60 voyage, written by people who were not Radisson himself but who recorded news of the same events. It helps historians check and understand Radisson's own claims against outside testimony, and shows how missionaries documented life and trade in New France.

Look closer

  • Why might a missionary report mention fur traders at all?
  • How might the Jesuits' purposes differ from a trader's own account?
  • What does this source confirm or leave unclear about Radisson's journey?

This book is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Pierre-Esprit Radisson on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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Chouart et Radisson: odyssée de deux Canadiens-français

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