1763. J THE NEIGHBORING TRIBES. 325 



and the settlers were completely isolated — cut off 

 from all connection with the world ; and, indeed, 

 so great was the distance, and so serious the perils, 

 which separated the three sister posts of the north- 

 ern lakes, that often, through the whole winter, all 

 intercourse was stopped between them.^ 



It is difficult for the imagination adequately to 

 conceive the extent of these fresh-water oceans, 

 and vast regions of forest, which, at the date of 

 our narrative, were the domain of nature, a mighty 

 hunting and fishing ground, for the sustenance of a 

 few wandering tribes. One might journey among 

 them for days, and even weeks together, without 

 beholding a human face. The Indians near Mich- 

 illimackinac were the Ojibwas and Ottawas, the 

 former of whom claimed the eastern section of 

 Michigan, and the latter the western, their respec- 

 tive portions being separated by a line drawn 

 southward from the fort itself.^ The principal 

 village of the Ojibwas contained about a hundred 

 warriors, and stood upon the Island of Michilli- 

 mackinac, now called Mackinaw. There was 

 another smaller village near the head of Thunder 

 Bay. The Ottawas, to the number of two hun- 

 dred and fifty warriors, lived at the settlement of 

 L'Arbre Croche, on the shores of Lake Michigan, 

 some distance west of the fort. This place was 

 then the seat of the old Jesuit mission of St. Ig- 

 nace, originally placed, by Father Marquette, on the 

 northern side of the straits. Many of the Ottawas 



1 MS. Journal of Lieutenant Gorell, commanding at Green Bay, 1761-63. 



2 Carver, Travels, 29. 



