156 THE WILDERNESS AND ITS TENANTS. [1760-1763 



Within the nominal limits of the Illinois Indians, 

 and towards the southern extremity of the present 

 state of Illinois, were those isolated Canadian set- 

 tlements, which had subsisted here since the latter 

 part of the preceding century. Kaskaskia, Caho- 

 kia, and Vincennes were the centres of this scat- 

 tered population. From Vincennes one might 

 paddle his canoe northward up the Wabash, until 

 he reached the little wooden fort of Ouatanon. 

 Thence a path through the woods led to the banks 

 of the Maumee. Two or three Canadians, or half- 

 breeds, of whom there were numbers about the fort, 

 would carry the canoe on their shoulders, or, for a 

 bottle of whiskey, a few Miami Indians might be 

 bribed to undertake the task. On the Maumee, at 

 the end of the path, stood Fort Miami, near the 

 spot where Fort Wayne was afterwards built. 

 From this point one might descend the Maumee to 

 Lake Erie, and visit the neighboring fort of San- 

 dusky, or, if he chose, steer through the Strait of 

 Detroit, and explore the watery wastes of the 

 northern lakes, finding occasional harborage at the 

 little military posts which commanded their impor- 

 tant points. Most of these western posts were 

 transferred to the English, during the autumn of 

 1760 ; but the settlements of the Illinois remained 

 several years longer under French control. 



Eastward, on the waters of Lake Erie, and the 

 Alleghany, stood three small forts, Presqu Isle, Le 



tion of Virginia, etc. Pownall, Topographical Description of North America. 

 Evans, Analysis of a Map of the Middle British Colonies. Beatty, Journal of 

 a Tour in America.. Smith, Narrative. M'Cullough, Narrative. Jemmison, 

 Narrative. Post, Journals. Washington, Journals, 1753-1770. Gist, 

 Journal, 1750. Croghan, Journal, 1765, etc., etc. 



