[ 1 
from the hither end of the Erie lake, to the 
bottom of the lake Michigan , and for ought 
vve know, through all parts of the 3 middle 
lakes. Tliefe lakes receive the waters of many 
rivers, that in fome places approach lb near the 
branches of the vaft river that a 
fhort land carriage fupplies the communication. 
And here to ufe the words of a moft judicious 
writer, “ He that reflects on the natural Hate 
“ of that continent muft open to himlelf a 
a field for traffick in the fouthern parts of N. 
“ America , and by the means of this river 
u and the lakes, the imagination takes into 
“ view fuch a feene of inland navigation; as 
cannot be paralleled in any other part of 
u the world. ” 
The honour of firft dilcovering thele ex- 
tenfive frelh water Teas, is certainly due to the 
French , who are at this time in pofleffion of 
fettlements at Fort Fonchartrian , on the ftrait 
between Lake Erie and the Lake Huron and 
at Mijlltmahinac between the latter and the 
upper lake, but as thefei can give them no ti- 
tle againft the original inhabitants or the five 
nations. Conquerors of all the adjacent na- 
tions, lo it is difficult to conceive by what ar- 
guments thele fmall pofts, inhabited by no fub- 
jecitsof France but l'oldiers, can be extended to 
mark any pofiefiion beyond the reach of 
their gun’s, or land actually cultivated, ex- 
cept by Inch as muft intitle the crown of Great 
H % Britain 
