118 THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



eight Mississagues and Chippewas by one Ramsay, a small Trader 

 on Lake Erie, in which he appears to have been actuated by wanton 

 cruelty more than by any other consideration." The chiefs and 

 principal warriors of the Six Nations had been at Johnson Hall and 

 made representations with reference to the "great irregularities in the 

 present state of the Indian Trade, the promises made to them that the 

 same should be on a good footing, the want of Regulations therein, 

 the Abuses committed by Traders rambling where they pleased with 

 strong liquors, and the General discontentment amongst all the 

 Nations on that account, to which I made them the best answer I 

 could, considering the little prospect there is of any such Regulations 

 being made in the Colonies." 



Referring to the general lawless behaviour of "the back inhabi- 

 tants, particularly those who dajly go over the mountains of Virginia," 

 their hatred of the Indians, their frequent murders and robberies, he 

 dwells upon the complaint of the natives "that whatever these people 

 do their Jurys will acquit them, the Landed men protect them or a 

 Rabble rescue them from the hands of Justice. The truth of all which 

 I am equally sensible of." 



He adds: "The Common Traders or Factors who are generally 

 rapacious, ignorant and without principle pretending to their mer- 

 chants that they cannot make good returns unless they are at liberty 

 to go where and do as they please, and present extravagant gain 

 being too much the Object and the only object of all, they are tempted 

 in pursuit of it to venture amongst the most distant Stations where 

 they are daily guilty of the most glaring impositions — of the fatal 

 effects of Rum (so often requested by the Indians not to be brought 

 amongst them) I have just received a fresh instance in the murder of 

 a Trader and his two servants on Lake Huron by some of the Nation 

 whose people were killed by Ramsay. The Trader sold them Rum 

 and neglecting to leave them, tho' advised by themselves to do so, 

 on being refused more liquor they seized it, got intoxicated, a squabble 

 ensued, which ended in the death of the Trader and his Servants. 

 The Nation have promised to deliver the murderer but I doubt it 

 much, as the murders committed by Ramsay cannot be easily forgotten 

 by them, especially when disguised by Liquor which they always 

 consider as a mitigation of the offence." 



Ramsay Escapes Punishment. 



On the 26th December, 1772, Johnson again refering to Ramsay, 

 reports: "I have lately heard that thro the want of a material evidence 

 which by some means was permitted to escape from one of the out- 



