First French Foot-Prints Beyond the Lahes. 119 



all parts of Wisconsin, all of them having something to do with 

 fur. How fully even in his lifetime the region between Lake 

 Michigan and the great river had become known to the French, is 

 plain from the early geographical names being largely French. 



Le Sueur, who passed up the Mississippi in the year 1700, men- 

 tions between the Wisconsin and the St. Croix, six rivers with 

 French names, all apparently of long standing. These rivers 

 were Aux Canots, Cachee, Aux Ailes, Des Eaisins, Pasquilenette 

 and Bon Secours. In other parts of Wisconsin not a few French 

 names run back as far as these on its western border. 



In 1654: Father Ls Mercier at the outlet of Lake Superior 

 wrote that about Green Bay, nine days' journey distant, there 

 were Algonquins, and that if thirty French were sent there they 

 would not only gain many souls to God but would receive pecu- 

 niary profit, because the finest peltries came from those quarters. 

 The next year fifty canoes of these Indians visited Quebec, and 

 thirty Frenchmen returned with them. Among Ottawas between 

 Green Bay and Lake Superior French traders are mentioned in 

 1659. In 1665 Perrot was buying beaver of Outagamies in or 

 near the Wisconsin county in the name of which they still live, 

 and in the following year the second flotilla of Pottawatomies had 

 reached Montreal. 



French fur-factors penetrated the furtherinto western fastnesses, 

 because by this means they practically enjoyed free-trade. Mak- 

 ing bark canoes far inland they evaded the crushing imposts on 

 all canoes allowed to pass up. While mother-states were all at 

 war, they plied friendly commerce with Dutch and English mid- 

 dle-men as well as their Indian confederates. Thus their beaver 

 were either exported through New York, dodging the French tax, 

 or they were bartered there for blankets cheaper and better than 

 were to be had in Canada. 



As a rule the French governor and intendant were at swords' 

 points with each other. Each would charge the other with a 

 heinous offense — carrying furs to the English province. The 

 truth is that each of them was determined to be the only sinner 

 in that line. Each thus resembled the usurer who was delighted 

 with a sermon against usury, paid iov printing it and said to the 



