1764.] POPULATION OF THE ILLINOIS. 253 



with him. He lives a mere drone in the busy hive 

 of an American population. The living tide en- 

 croaches on his rest, as the muddy torrent of the 

 great river chafes away the farm and homestead 

 of his fathers. Yet he contrives to be happy, 

 though looking back regretfully to the better days 

 of old. 



At the date of this history, the population of the 

 colony, exclusive of negroes, who, in that simple 

 community, were treated rather as humble friends 

 than as slaves, did not exceed two thousand souls, 

 distributed in several small settlements. There 

 were about eight}^ houses at Kaskaskia, forty or 

 fifty at Cahokia, a few at Vincennes and Fort 

 Chartres, and a few more scattered in small clus- 

 ters upon the various streams. The agricultural 

 portion of the colonists were, as we have described 

 them, marked with many weaknesses, and many 

 amiable virtues ; but their morals w^ere not im- 

 proved by a large admixture of fur-traders, — 

 reckless, harebrained adventurers, who, happily for 

 the peace of their relatives, were absent on their 

 wandering vocation during the greater part of the 

 year.^ 



1 Lieutenant Alexander Fraser visited the Illinois in 1765, as we shall 

 see hereafter. He met extreme ill-treatment, and naturall}^ takes a pre- 

 judiced view of the people. The following is from his MS. account of 

 the country : — 



" The Illinois Indians are about 650 able to bear arms. Nothing can 

 equal their passion for drunkenness, but that of the French inhabitants, 

 who are for the greatest part drunk every day, while they can get drink 

 to buy in the Colony. They import more of this Article from New 

 Orleans than they do of any other, and they never fail to meet a speedy 

 and good market for it. They have a great many Negroes, who are obliged 

 to labour very hard to support their Masters in their extravagant debauch- 



