258 TRANSACTIONS OF THE CANADIAN INSTITUTE. [ VoL. eel 
south side of Lake Erie as far west as the Sandusky River. They held it 
solely as a hunting ground, making no attempt at a permanent settlement. 
. They also claimed the lands on either side of the Ohio from its source to 
the mouth of the Wabash. The Delawares, reduced to less than 500 war- 
riors had taken up their residence on the Muskingum, and the Shawanese, 
another allied tribe, numbering 300 fighting men, were seated on the 
Scioto. Neither of these tribes raised much grain. They maintained 
themselves almost entirely by hunting in which they were very expert. 
The Wyandots (frequently called Hurons) occupied a very fertile tract 
of land on the Sandusky River, The number of adult males was 
variously estimated at from two to six hundred. Their villages were 
composed of regularly framed houses neatly covered with bark. They 
were considered the richest and most industrious Indians on the contin- 
ent. Mr. McKee told Governor Simcoe that when he first became 
acquainted with these people (about 1750) they would frequently change 
their dresses eight or ten times in the course of an evening, when 
holding one of their grand dances, and that each dress was so loaded 
with ornaments as to be valued at 440 or £50. They bred many horses, 
black cattle, and hogs and grew great quantities of grain not only for 
their own use but for the supply of the neighboring tribes that preferred 
to employ themselves entirely in hunting. 
In 1752, Charles de Langlade at the head of a band of Chippewas 
destroyed the English factory at Pickiwillany and the remaining traders 
were soon chased from the Ohio valley. The neighboring Indians then 
passed fora few years under French influence, but never seem to have 
become actively hostile to the English. When the war was over, the 
trading-posts were not re-established, as the Indians could be easily 
supplied from Pittsburg or Detroit. 
This province as far north as the borders of Lake Michigan was 
frequented only by roving bands of Missassaugas who seldom remained 
long in one place. At the date of the conquest, their principal village 
seems to have been near the present site of Toronto. 
A remnant of the Hurons, Christianized and superintended by a 
French missionary, was settled opposite the village of Detroit. 
The French inhabitants of Detroit already numbered about 2500. 
The settlement extended seven or eight miles on both sides of the river, 
and was in a flourishing condition. The settlers grew a considerable 
quantity of grain and bred many cattle but they devoted their attention 
chiefly to the fur-trade which was great and lucrative. Tribes of the 
Ottawa Confederacy numbering about 900 warriors had their villages in 
the immediate vicinity. 
