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270 TRANSACTIONS OF THE CANADIAN INSTITUTE. [ Vou. TI. 
part of the country for a number of years previous at £50,000 worth of 
furs. They stated that 300 men were employed by them who usually 
returned to Grand Portage from the interior between the 1oth of June 
and the 15th of July to deliver their furs and receive supplies for the next 
year. They had not been permitted as in former years to purchase 
provisions of any kind for the use of these men at Mackinac and Detroit 
in the autumn of 1779 owing to the increased demands of the garrison 
and Indians and consequently were obliged to send everything from 
Montreal, a distance of 1350 miles to Grand Portage, and_ 1800 miles 
further to their most remote stations. ‘‘ Sometimes,” they added dis- 
mally, “it happens that winter sets in before your Memorialists can arrive 
at the factories where they intend to pass the winter and when that 
unfortunate circumstance takes place there are instances of several having 
starved, and even so direful have the consequences been as to occasion 
the casting of lots for an unhappy victim to serve as food for his more 
unhappy companions.” This memorial was signed hy John Porteous, 
Holmes and Grant, Simon McTavish, Charles Grant, Todd and McGill, 
Benjamin and Joseph Frobisher, McGill and Paterson, Forest Oakes, 
George McBeth, and Adam Lymburner. Most of these ranked among 
the foremost merchants of the province. 
Besides twenty canoes designed to supply the local trade of Mackinac, 
licenses were issued in 1778 for sixty-one canoes destined for places 
beyond, exclusive of the northwest trade which was mainly conducted 
from Grand Portage. These were distributed in the following propor- 
tions:—two to Grand River; three to Grand River and the Mississippi; six 
to the Mississippi ; two to the Northwest ; twelve to the Illinois ; twenty- 
one to La Baye and the Mississippi; eight to Nipigon; three to Lake 
Superior; four to Prairie du Chien. Included in their cargoes, were 680 
fusees and 29,575 pounds of powder. 
The merchants trading in this quarter soon after formed an association 
which they termed “the general store,” having a nominal capital of 29} 
canoes and 438,750 /¢vres in merchandise. Nine of the partners are 
named as residing in Montreal, seven at Mackinac, six at the Mississippi, 
one at each of the following places Akikemazac, Deux Riviéres, Grand 
River, La Baye, La Point in Lake Superior, Matchedash, Riviére au 
Sable, St Joseph’s, and Saginaw. The principal merchants living at 
Mackinac were Mathew Lesley, David McCrae, John McNamara, Patrick 
Duggan, Henry Bostwick, and Renjamin Lyons. Mention is made of 
Lyons as the owner of houses at the mouth of French River and Alexis 
Campion is named as residing at Matchedash Bay. 
This combination of interests was promoted by Major De Peyster, the 
Se eee Oe eS ee ene 
