HISTORY. 



93 



bank. Many of the French m the settlement just named 

 followed them, others went to New Orleans, and those places 

 became nearly abandoned. — Nic, pp. 75, 77. 



Some of these people, however, especially those from 

 Fort Chartres and Prairie du Rocher, who went to New 

 Orleans, finding Louisiana transferred to Spain, returned to 



Illinois. — 16., 79. 



One of the most remarkable occurrences belonging to the 

 history of the Upper Missisippi happened at this period, 

 in consequence of the change of dominion over the Illinois 

 country. The Indians, having become attached to the 

 French, refused to acknowledge the sway of the power to 

 whom the latter had surrendered the country. This event 

 is thus related by Nicollet : — 



" In the meanwhile, the second year after the treaty of 

 peace had elapsed, and the British had not yet been able to 

 take possession of Ilhnois. This was owing to the opposi- 

 tion made by several Indian tribes, who, as alluded to above, 

 had refused to abide by the treaty, and were waging a most 

 cruel war against the British. These tribes had formed a 

 confederacy, under the command of Pontiac, a bold warrior, 

 who had already become celebrated for his prowess, and his 

 devoted attachment to France during the whole of the war 

 which the latter had carried on against Great Britain in 

 America. The confederated Indian army was composed of 

 Hurons, Miamis, Chippeways, Ottawas, Pottawatomie s, 

 Missourias, &c. The name of Pontiac was the terror of the 

 whole region of the lakes ; and, by his bands, he effectually 

 interrupted the British intercourse with the rest of the nations 

 that had remained friendly to that government. The taking 

 of Fort Michilimackinac, the attempt at Detroit, and the 

 attack upon the schooner Gladwin, on Lake Michigan, are 



