The Indian Wars, 1784-1787 133 



trade and cut down profits, and the British endeav 

 ored to keep the different tribes at peace among 

 themselves, and even with the Americans. Moreover 

 they always discouraged barbarities, and showed 

 what kindness was in their power to any unfortu 

 nate prisoners whom the Indians happened to bring 

 to their posts. But they helped the Indians in all 

 ways save by open military aid to keep back the 

 American settlers. They wished a monopoly of the 

 fur trade; and they endeavored to prevent the 

 Americans from coming into their settlements. 26 

 English officers and agents attended the Indian 

 councils, endeavored to attach the tribes to the Brit 

 ish interests, and encouraged them to stand firm 

 against the Americans and to insist upon the Ohio 

 as the boundary between the white man and the 

 red. 27 The Indians received counsel and advice 

 from the British, and drew from them both arms 

 and munitions of war, and while the higher British 

 officers were usually careful to avoid committing 

 any overt breach of neutrality, the reckless partisan 

 leaders sought to inflame the Indians against the 

 Americans, and even at times accompanied their war 

 parties. 



The life led at a frontier post like Detroit was 

 marked by sharp contrasts. The forest round about 

 was cleared away, though blackened stumps still 

 dotted the pastures, orchards, and tilled fields. The 



26 Do., John Hay to Haldimand, Aug. 13, 1784; James Mc 

 Neil, Aug. i, 1785. 



*' Do. Letter of A McKee, Dec. 24, 1786; McKee to Sir 

 John Johnson, Feb. 25, 1786; Major Ancrum, May 8, 1786. 



