16 THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY: 
The exact_terms of the treaty (which Nicolet characterizes 
as “the everlasting shameful one”’) were never published, 
and the fact was first made known to the inhabitants of 
Lower Louisiana, in October, 1764. It was not till the year 
1770, that Spanish authority was definitely established in 
Upper Louisiana. 
The mortification of the French settlers on the eastern 
bank of the Mississippi, including the Illinois country, in be- 
ing thus unceremoniously transferred to the rule of their old 
historic enemies, the English, had a manifest effect in hin- 
dering the progress of settlement, and whole communities 
left their homes, to seek others more congenial in Lower 
Louisiana, or on the west bank of the Mississippi, soon to 
pass under the less detested rule of Spain. 
On account of the isolated situation of the country, and 
especially the active opposition of the Indian tribes, who in 
cherishing kind regards to the French, extended a no less 
cordial hatred to their aggressive enemies, the English, 
military occupation of the country was delayed till July 17th, 
1765. It was at this period that the celebrated Indian war- 
rior, Pontiac, with his confederated Indian tribes, waged a 
bloody and exterminating war through all the English set- 
tlements west of the Alleghenies. St. Louis, the present me- 
tropolis of the Upper Mississippi valley, also had its origin 
in these unsettled times, having been selected by a Mr. La- 
clede, as the headquarters of a French fur trading establish- 
ment, its first actual occupation dating back to February 
15th, 1764. A very interesting account of the early history 
of St. Louis is contained in Nicolet’s report on the Upper 
Mississippi valley, published by Congress, in 1845. Thus 
have we traced a brief outline of the history of French oc- 
cupation of the Mississippi valley, covering a period of 
ninety years, from the discovery of Marquette, in 1673, to 
the treaty of Paris, of 1763.- It may be briefly summed up 
in the sparse and widely separated line of settlement in the 
