A General History of the Fur Trade* 



In the whole course of it the banks are seldom visible. Of 

 its various channels, that which is generally followed by the 

 canoes is obstructed by the following Portages, viz. des 

 Pins, fifty-two paces ; Feausille, thirty-six paces ; Parisi- 

 enne, one hundred paces ; Recolet, forty-five paces ; and 

 the Petite Feausille, twenty-five paces. In several parts 

 there are guts or channels, where the water flows with great 

 velocity, which are not more than twice the breadth of a 

 canoe. The distance of Lake Huron is estimated at twenty- 

 five leagues, which this river enters in the latitude 45. 53. 

 North, that is, at the point of land three or four miles with- 

 in the lake. There is hardly a foot of soil to be seen from 

 one end of the French river to the other, its banks consist- 

 ing of hills of entire rock. The coast of the lake is the 

 same, but lower, backed at some distance by high lands. 

 The course runs through numerous islands to the North of 

 West to the river Tessalon, computed to be about fifty 

 leagues from the French river, and which I found to be in 

 latitude 46. 12. 21. North ; and. from thence crossing, from 

 island to island, the arm of the lake that receives the w r ater 

 of Lake Superior (which continues the same course) the 

 route changes to the South of West ten leagues to the De- 

 tour, passing the end of the island of St. Joseph, within six 

 miles of the former place. On that island there has been a 

 military establishment since the upper posts were given up 

 to the Americans in the year 1794 ; and is the Westernmost 

 military position which we have in this country. It is a 

 place of no trade, and the greater part, if not the whole of 

 the Indians, come here for no other purpose but to receive 

 the presents which our government annually allows them. 

 They are from the American territory (except about thirty 

 families, who are the inhabitants of the lake from the French 

 river, and of the Algonquin nation) and trade in their pel- 

 tries, as they used formerly to do at Michilimakinac, but 

 principally with British subjects. The Americans pay them 

 very little attention, and tell them that they keep possession 

 of their country by right of conquest : that, as their brothers, 

 they will be friends with them while they deserve it ; and 

 that their traders will bring them every kind of goods they 

 require, which they may procure by their industry. 



Oar commanders treat them in a very different manner, 

 and, under the character of the representatives of their fa- 

 ther ; (which parental title the natives give to his present 

 Majesty, the common father of all his people) present them 

 with such things as the actual state of their stores will allow. 



