THE FRENCH HALF-BREEDS OF THE NORTHWEST. 315 



government officials, so that I have reason to believe the following sum- 

 mary to be tolerably full and correct. 



Michigan,. — There are about 8,000 people of French origin in the city of 

 Detroit, and 2,000 more in its neighborhood. Farther off are Canadian 

 colonies, at Bay City, Saginaw, Monroe, and other places, with a popula- 

 tion of 5,000. Total in Eastern Michigan, 15,000. As explained before, 

 very few, if any, of these people are free from Indian blood. 



We find many metis along the straits which connect the Great Lakes. 

 At various points of the southern coast of Upper Michigan, from the 

 Bay des Moquets to Point Detour; on the islands of Mackinac and Bois 

 Blanc; at the towns of Saint Ignace, Pointe la Barbe, and Gras Cap; 

 south of the straits, near old Fort Mackinac, and at the village of Che- 

 boygan. By including those who have only one-eighth Indian blood, 

 their probable number is 1,000. Others are also scattered on Saint 

 Mary's River, Sault Ste. Marie (Michigan and Ontario sides), Garden 

 River (Ontario), Whisky Bay, and Sugar Island; on Saint Joseph and 

 Drummond Islands; at several points in Georgian Bay (French River, 

 Killarney, Little Current, &c); at l'Auxe, in Keweenaw Bay; in all, about 

 400. Total in Michigan and the adjoining Ontario shore, 10,100. Of 

 this number from 300 to 400 live on Canadian territory. 



Wisconsin. — In this State we find metis at the two old French settle- 

 ments of Green Bay and La Pointe. Green Bay, settled by Augustin 

 de Langlade aud his son Charles in 1703, was the cradle of the State of 

 Wisconsin. About 350 half-breeds live at several places ou the bay, 

 principally Menomonee, and on the Indian Reserve. La Pointe received 

 a Jesuit mission as early as 1005, where flocked thousands of Indians, 

 and became a great trading emporium. Half-breeds are numerous there 

 and at other points of the Wisconsin coast from Fond du Lac to Montreal 

 River, also in the interior, on the Wisconsin, Black, and Chippewa 

 Rivers; in all, about 1,100, giving a total of 1,450 for the State. 



Minnesota. — In Minnesota they are distributed as follows: 



At and near White Earth Agency, 400; Red Lake Agency, 25; north 

 shore of Lake Superior (Bay de Goulet, Badji warning, Fort William, 

 Grand Portage) and northern line, 100; in Saint Paul and vicinity, L00; 

 about Crookston, G families; at Morehead and Fargo, 10 families; 

 along the Red River (Minnesota side), 15 families. Total, 780 (counting 

 five persons to a family). 



Dakota, — In this Territory we find French half-breed guides and inter- 

 preters at most military posts and agencies; a, few families scattered on 

 the Missouri, mostly between Green River and Yankton; a small set I le- 

 nient about the Lower Brule Agency; about L5 families on the Sisseton 

 Reservation, and as many at Devil's Lake Agency, partly settled on 

 Cheyenne River and partly roaming with the Indians. 



Theearliest marriage on record on the bower Missouri between French 

 and Indian is probably that of Sergeant Dubois, of De Bourgmont's 

 company, who, before 1725, had wedded a girl of the tribe of the Mis- 



