36 PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS. 



crown, by whom they were sold out to enterprising individual?. 

 These persons went inland to exchange their goods for furs, and 

 first drew upon themselves the epithet of Couriers du Bois. 

 Great irregularities, however, existed. Civil and ecclesiastic 

 power were alternately exerted to restrain them. And an or- 

 der to prohibit the traffic in the article of brandy w r as issued by 

 one of the French governors. 



Under English rule, local agents were authorised, in the name 

 of the king, to oversee Indian affairs, grant licences, and exer- 

 cise a general supervision over the trade. Serious difficulties 

 arose in acquiring the confidence of the northern Indians after 

 the fall of Quebec. But, after an interruption of four or five 

 years, (say from '59 to '64.) including the period of Pontiac's 

 war, the trade gradually resumed its healthful action. French 

 enterprise had spread it through the region of Lake Superior 

 and the Upper Mississippi, to the banks of the Saskatchawino. 

 Scottish intrepidity carried it to the mouths of the Mackenzie, 

 and the Columbia. 



The date of American authority in the lake country, may be 

 placed in 1796. It was, however, but feebly felt in its influence 

 on the northwest fur trade, for several years. Congress first 

 legislated on the subject in 1802, but four years afterwards 

 Lieut. Pike, on reaching the Upper Mississippi, found it in the 

 exclusive possession of the North West Company. The In- 

 dians were then as much attached to the English, as they had 

 been to the French, in 1759. It cost the British crown the ex- 

 penses of a war to gain this ascendancy, and the Americans 

 were not permitted to succeed them, as the sovereign power 

 over Indian territory, at a less hazard. The war of 1S12, 

 found all the northern tribes confederated with the English. 

 Tecumseh had risen to re-act the part which Pontiac had failed to 

 accomplish, fifty-two years before, namely, driving back the in- 

 fringing power. This happened, in 1759, to be Great Britain : 

 but in 1812, it was the United States. With less sterling capa- 

 city to organise and command, however, than his great prede- 



