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The rivalry between the Dutch fur-traders of New 
York and those of the French was exceedingly intense 
in their attempts to control the fur trade of the North- 
west. The Iroquois were incited by the Dutch to throw 
every obstacle possible in the way of encroaching 
advances by the French traders and colonists. For many 
years the Iroquois, who by reason of their situation acted 
as intermediaries between the further western tribes of 
Indians, controlling in their own interests the fur trade 
between the Dutch and these tribes, fiercely resented all 
attempts at interference in this trade by the French. 
As aresult of their attitude the great waterway commu- 
nication between Montreal, the seat of the French fur 
trade, and the Great Northwestern lakes was closed by 
the Iroquois, and communication with the upper lakes 
was made by way of the Ottawa and the French Rivers 
into Georgian Bay and from thence into lakes Huron, 
Michigan and Superior. 
Meagre, however, as the information is that we have 
concerning the condition of the fisheries on Lake Erie 
at this early period, such information as we have shows 
beyond question that fish were exceedingly plentiful, 
especially at the Put-in-Bay Islands and Sandusky Bay. 
Dr. McCallum of Dunville, Ontario, at a meeting of the 
International Fish Conference, held at Hamilton last 
winter, exhibited to the meeting two crude shellfish 
hooks which were found on Point au Pelee, in the Prov- 
ince of Ontario on the North Shore of Lake Erie. These 
hooks were presumably made from the shell of the fresh- 
water mussel. In appearance they resemble the rude 
hooks employed for taking fish by the Esquimaux and 
other aboriginal types. The shank and the point were 
in two separate pieces, having holes drilled through them 
by which they could be attached to each other with 
thongs, the hook itself being barbless. Their form and 
construction indicated plainly that if the aboriginal man 
was compelled to sustain life by means of fish taken 
