414 Frank Carney 



marched through many vallej^s tributary to the Ohio; they 

 learned how desirable was this territory from which they had 

 been ahuost entirely excluded by the French. But legally they 

 were no better off after their important aid to the British victory 

 over France; their own countrymen continued the plan of the 

 French governoi's and traders. 



Another effort on the part of Parliament seemed necessary 

 to keep the colonists out of the Ohio valley. The Quebec Act of 

 June, 1774, made the region between the Ohio and Mississippi 

 rivers and the lakes a part of the province of Quebec; the whole 

 area was to be governed from Quebec, and the coast colonies 

 therefore were shut off from any legal association with it. After 

 the treaty of 1763 officers had been sent to the various posts 

 which the Frencii had established. Some of these were very 

 tactful in their association with the Indians, but others were not. 

 Trouble continued; the presence everywhere among the western 

 Indians, of French voyageurs and similar nondescripts from the 

 English settlements did not tend to peace. 



Difficulties with Indians in enforcing claim. After the success 

 of the English had been assured, but before the treaty of Paris 

 was signed, Sir William Johnson visited Detroit and other points 

 in the recently acciuired territory; his object was to conciliate the 

 Indians, and he returned, feeling that he had won their support 

 for the English. It was not long before the English learned that 

 the very chiefs whom they had entertained were perpetrating a 

 revolt; Pontiac's war soon broke out; from the standpoint of the 

 Indians, it was a success; probably two thousand whites were 

 slaughtered, and oi\\y two posts were left in the hands of the 

 British, Fort Pitt and Detroit. The western Indians were still 

 loyal to the French. It was necessary for the English to demon- 

 strate their ability to control this region, the Indians and rene- 

 gade Frenchmen. At once expeditions were sent out; one from 

 Fort Niagara under Colonel Bradstreet, another from Fort Pitt 

 under Colonel Bouquet. Bradstreet was to take his force up 

 the Great Lakes as far as Mackinac, then return south to Sandusky 

 and meet Bouquet, who in the meantime was marching westward 

 from Fort Pitt through the central part of Ohio. Before Brad- 

 street had proceeded far, however, he was met by a delegation of 

 very penitent Indian chiefs, of the Delaware and Shawnee tribes; 

 they convinced Bradstreet of their sincerity; nevertheless, at 



