1891-92. ] EARLY TRADERS. 953 
EARLY TRADERS AND TRADE-ROUTES IN ONTARIO 
AND THE WEST. 1760-1783. 
By CAPT. ERNEST CRUIKSHANK. 
(Read, 27th February, 1892). 
The reason why I have included the “ West” within the scope of this 
paper is that from the conquest of Canada until about the year 1816 the 
whole region now forming the States of Iowa, Wisconsin, and Minnesota 
and for a considerable portion of that time, much of the present States 
of Ohio, Michigan, Indiana and Illinois still remained within the “sphere 
of British influence,” long after it had actually ceased to be British ter- 
ritory. During the period’ named, practically the entire trade of this vast 
territory was conducted by English, Scotch, and Canadian merchants 
having Montreal as their base of supplies. From 1763 to 1783, all these 
northwestern territories, together with Ontario, were administered as a 
part of the “government” or province of Quebec. 
These traders acted an important part during the American Revolution 
and the War of 1812 and it was largely due to their active loyalty and 
influence among the Indians that the western provinces were then pre- 
served from becoming a part of the United States. British garrisons 
continued to occupy Detroit and Mackinac until 1796 and for twenty 
years afterwards the isolated settlers at Milwaukee, Green Bay, and 
Prairie du Chien still professed themselves British subjects and proudly 
kept the Union Jack flying over their trading stations. As late as 1818, 
I find a trader described in a legal instrument as “ Amable Grignon of 
the parish of Green Bay, Upper Canada.” 
The Indian tribes of this region continued to be more or less under the 
control and superintendence of the Indian department of Upper Canada 
until about fifty years ago. Many of them made annual journeys from 
the banks of the Mississippi to Sandwich, Ont., to receive their presents. 
When the celebrated Black Hawk finally surrendered, he was found to 
have carefully treasured a British flag, and a medal of George the Third 
given to his tribe half a century before. 
The conquest of Canada at once transferred the trade of the province 
and the vast interior country to the North and West from the hands of 
the French to those of English traders. Successive governors of Canada 
