1761.] RESOLUTION OF THE THREE TRADERS. 331 



with which Henry unwillingly complied ; and, hav- 

 ing distributed several small additional presents, he 

 beheld, with profound satisfaction, the departure 

 of his guests. Scarcely had he ceased to congratu- 

 late himself on having thus got rid of the Ojibwas, 

 or, as he calls them, the Chippewas, when a more 

 formidable invasion once more menaced him with 

 destruction. Two hundred L'Arbre Croche Otta- 

 was came in a body to the fort, and summoned 

 Henry, together with Goddard and Solomons, two 

 other traders, who had just arrived, to meet them 

 in council. Here they informed their startled 

 auditors that they must distribute their goods 

 among the Indians, adding a worthless promise to 

 pay them in the spring, and threatening force in 

 case of a refusal. Being allowed until the next 

 morning to reflect on what they had heard, the 

 traders resolved on resistance, and, accordingly, 

 arming about thirty of their men with muskets, 

 they barricaded themselves in the house occupied 

 by Henry, and kept strict watch all night. The 

 Ottawas, however, did not venture an attack. On 

 the following day, the Canadians, with pretended 

 sympathy, strongly advised compliance with the de- 

 mand ; but the three traders resolutely held out, and 

 kept possession of their stronghold till night, when, 

 to their surprise and joy, the news arrived that the 

 body of troops known to be on their way towards the 

 fort were, at that moment, encamped within a few 

 miles of it. Another night of watching and anxiety 

 succeeded ; but at sunrise, the Ottawas launched 

 their canoes and departed, while, immediately after, 



