38 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [BULL. 69 
first known, along the southeastern shores of Lake Erie and the 
upper waters of the Allegheny River, but who, as the result of a 
desperate three years’ war with the confederated Iroquois, 1653- 
1655, were utterly defeated and destroyed as a people, a part of 
the survivors being incorporated with the conquerors, while the 
rest fled to the southward, as did the kindred Susquehanna for the 
same cause and from the same enemy 20 years later.” 
The manners and customs of the western Algonquians do not 
appear to have differed greatly from those of the eastern tribes, and 
their villages were quite similar in appearance, but they were not 
known to Europeans until some years after the settlement of James- 
town in the year 1607. Now, with the country so thickly settled, 
it is of the greatest interest to trace the journeys of the early French 
missionaries and explorers through the unexplored wilderness between 
the Great Lakes and the Mississippi. Of the many who entered 
this western country the names of Marquette and La Salle will ever 
remain the most prominent in-history. 
The region of lakes and forests south of Lake Superior must have 
been occupied by many camps and villages, for when writing ‘of the 
peoples connected with the Mission of Saint steeper, at the point 
called Chagaouamigong,”’ it was said: 
“More than fifty Villages can be counted, which comprise divers 
peoples, either nomadic or stationary, who depend in some sort on 
this Mission” (p. 165). They resorted to this spot for trade, even 
the distant Illinois being among the number to gather here. And 
in mentioning the latter in detail the narrative continued: ‘‘The 
Ilinois, tribes extending toward the South, have five large Villages, 
of which one has a stretch of three leagues, the cabins being placed 
lengthwise. ‘They number nearly two thousand souls, and repair to 
this place from, time to time in great numbers, as Merchants, to 
carry away hatchets and kettles, guns, and other articles that they 
need. During the sojourn that they make here, we take the oppor- 
tunity to sow in their hearts the first seeds of the Gospel. Fuller 
mention will be hereafter made of these peoples, and of the desire 
which they manifest to have one of our Fathers among them, to 
instruct them; and also of the plan formed by Father Marquette to 
go thither next Autumn.’ (Dablon, (1), p. 167.) 
This related to events during the years 1669 and 1670. The mission 
stood on the south shore of Lake Superior. The number of villages 
mentioned, if correct, must necessarily have included many of only a 
few wigwams, but nevertheless the Mission of St. Esprit must have 
been an important gathering place, some coming from their homes 
on distant lakes and rivers in light bark canoes to barter their beaver 
skins for weapons and utensils brought by traders from Montreal. 
And an animated scene it must have been, Jesuits and traders, with 
