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European River Explorer
Question by Ethan Gelber

The Question:

In 1541, an intrepid European voyager "discovered" a great river. However, he and his entourage were unwelcome invaders. The native populations, the flooding, and the death of the explorer all sent the flotilla running in homemade boats. It took another 132 years before the river saw another foreign explorer.

What was the river and who was the explorer?

The Answer:

The Missouri-Mississippi River (the Missouri was named incorrectly since it is actually the main feeder river) was "discovered" in 1541 by Hernando de Soto, a Spanish conquistador eager to take advantage of the tribes of the New World. His flotilla pushed as far north along the waterway as what would become Memphis, Tennessee. However, raids by local Indian tribes along the river's lower and middle reaches — the Illinois, Biloxi, Taensa, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Koroa, Tunica, Yazoo, Pascagoula, Natchez, and Alibamu — as well as flooding and the eventual death of de Soto himself sent the Spaniards packing. It wasn't again until 1673 that Louis Jolliet and Jacques Marquette came at the Mississippi from the north having traveled overland from French Canada.

The Winners:

This week's first five correct answers came from Jeff Lonard, Gaetano Auricchio, Fifeplayer, William Sprouse, and Mark Carriere. The following people also answered correctly: Jan Carver, Ed Berkowitz, Molly Brunner, Brian Emerson, Trina Burke, Richard D. Hill, Jan Vandenhende, and Cy Aman.

Other good guesses included: the Ganges and Magellan, the Amazon and Francisco de Orellana, and the St. Laurens and Pierre Laurens.

THANKS for your contributions!