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diff --git a/22363.txt b/22363.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..20d34ad --- /dev/null +++ b/22363.txt @@ -0,0 +1,2159 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Country of the Neutrals, by James H. Coyne + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Country of the Neutrals + (As Far As Comprised in the County of Elgin), From Champlain to Talbot + +Author: James H. Coyne + +Release Date: August 21, 2007 [EBook #22363] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE COUNTRY OF THE NEUTRALS *** + + + + +Produced by A www.PGDP.net Volunteer and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by the Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions +(www.canadiana.org)) + + + + + + +THE COUNTRY OF THE NEUTRALS + +(AS FAR AS COMPRISED IN THE COUNTY OF ELGIN) + +FROM CHAMPLAIN TO TALBOT + + + + +BY + +JAMES H. COYNE. + + + + +ST. THOMAS, ONT. +TIMES PRINT. +1895. + + +[Illustration: This is a copy of Galinee's map of 1670, the first made +from actual exploration in which Lake Erie appears. It was printed in +Faillon's "Histoire de la Colonie Francaise," and in "The History of +the Early Missions in Western Canada." The plate was very kindly placed +at the service of the Elgin Historical and Scientific Institute, for +use in this work by the Very Reverend Dean Harris, the author of the +last mentioned book. + +The following explanations refer chiefly to the western portion of the +map: + +Title: "Map of the country visited by Messrs. Dollier de Casson and de +Galinee, missionaries of St. Sulpice, drawn by the same M. de Galinee. +(See M. Talon's letter 10th November, 1670)." L. Huron: "Michigan or +Fresh-Water Sea of the Hurons." (These lakes were erroneously supposed +to be but one). N. End: "Bay of the Pottawatamies." Islands near +Mackinac: "I entered this bay only as far as these islands." W. of St. +Clair River: "Great hunting ground." At Detroit: "Here was a stone, +idol of the Iroquois, which we broke up and threw into the water." +Essex Peninsula: "Large prairies." Lake Erie: "I mark only what I have +seen." Long Point: "Peninsula of Lake Erie." North Shore Opposite: +"Here we wintered." The Bay Opposite: "Little Lake Erie." Grand River: +"Rapid River on Tina-Toua." East Side Grand River: "Excellent land." +West Side Grand River: (up the river): "The Neutral Nation was formerly +here." West of Burlington Bay: "Good land." Niagara River: "This +current is so strong that it can hardly be ascended." At its Mouth: +"Niagara Falls said by the Indians to be more than 200 feet high." +Lake Ontario: "I passed on the south side, which I give pretty +accurately." North Shore: "Mr. Perot's encampment. Here the +missionaries of St. Sulpice established themselves."] + + + + + +THE COUNTRY OF THE NEUTRALS. + +BY + +JAMES R. COYNE. + + +In that part of the township of Southwold included in the peninsula +between Talbot Creek and the most westerly bend of Kettle Creek there +were until a relatively recent date several Indian earthworks, which +were well-known to the pioneers of the Talbot Settlement. What the tooth +of time had spared for more than two centuries yielded however to the +settler's plough and harrow, and but one or two of these interesting +reminders of an almost forgotten race remain to gratify the curiosity of +the archaeologist or of the historian. Fortunately, the most important of +all is still almost in its original condition. It is that, which has +become known to readers of the Transactions of the Canadian Institute as +the Southwold Earthwork. It is situated on the farm of Mr. Chester +Henderson, Lot Number Four North on Talbot Road East. Mr. David Boyle in +the Archaeological Reports printed in 1891 has given the results of his +examinations of the mounds. A carefully prepared plan made from actual +survey by Mr. A. W. Campbell, C.E., for the Elgin Historical and +Scientific Institute of St. Thomas, was presented by the latter to the +Canadian Institute.[1] These will together form a valuable, and, it is +hoped, a permanent record of this interesting memorial of the aboriginal +inhabitants of South-western Ontario. + + [1] Mr. J. H. Scott, of St. Thomas, has made a number of + photographs of the mounds at the instance of an American lady, + who, it is understood, will reproduce them in a work about to be + published by her. + +The writer of this paper has been acquainted with "the old fort," as it +was called, since the year 1867. At that time it was in the midst of the +forest. Since then the woods have been cleared away, except within the +fort and north of it. Indeed, a considerable number of trees have been +felled within the southern part of the enclosure. In the mounds +themselves trees are abundant, and there are many in the moat or ditch +between. The stumps of those which have been cut down are so many +chronological facts, from which the age of the fort may be conjectured +with some approach to accuracy. A maple within the enclosure exhibits +242 rings of annual growth. It was probably the oldest tree within the +walls. A maple in the outer embankment shows 197 rings; between the +inner and outer walls a beech stump shows 219 rings, and an elm 266. +Many of the trees were cut down a good many years ago. Judging from +these stumps, it would be safe to calculate the age of the forest at +about two hundred years, with here and there a tree a little older. The +area enclosed is level. In the field south there are numerous hummocks +formed by the decayed stumps of fallen trees. The walls were manifestly +thrown up from the outside. There is an exception on the south-east. +Here the ground outside was higher, and to get the requisite elevation +the earth was thrown up on both walls from the intervening space, as +well as on the exterior wall from the outside. Each of the walls runs +completely round the enclosure, except where the steep bank of the +little stream was utilized to eke out the inner wall for five or six +rods on the west side, as shewn on the plan. Opposite the south end of +this gap was the original entrance through the outer wall. The walls +have been cut through in one or two other places, doubtless by settlers +hauling timber across them. + +The writer accompanied Mr. Campbell on his visits in the spring and fall +of 1891. The members of the Elgin Historical and Scientific Institute +made a pretty thorough examination of a large ash-heap south-east of the +fort. It had, however, been frequently dug into during the last score or +two of years, with ample results, it is said, in the way of stone +implements of various kinds. There still remained, however, arrow-heads +and chippings of flint, stones partially disintegrated from the action +of heat, fragments of pottery whose markings showed a very low stage of +artistic development, fish scales, charred maize and bones of small +animals, the remains of aboriginal banquets. Within the enclosure, +corn-cobs were found by digging down though the mould, and a good +specimen of a bone needle, well smoothed, but without any decoration, +was turned up in the bed of the stream where it passes through the fort. + +The original occupants were manifestly hunters, fishermen and +agriculturists, as well as warriors. Nothing appears to have been found +in the neighborhood, pointing to any intercourse between them and any +European race. + +It would seem that the earth-work was constructed in the midst of a +large clearing, and that the forest grew up after the disappearance of +the occupants. A few saplings, however, may have been permitted to +spring up during their occupancy for the sake of the shelter they might +afford. These are represented by the oldest stumps above mentioned. + +The question, who were the builders, is an interesting one. To answer it +we need not go back to a remoter period than the middle of the +seventeenth century, when the Iroquois after destroying the Huron +Settlements turned their attention to the southwest, and the Neutral +Nation ceased to exist. The enclosure was, we may reasonably believe, a +fortified village of the Neutrals at the time of their evacuation of +this province, nearly a quarter of a millennium ago. + +Substantially all that is known of the Neutrals is to be found in +Champlain's works, Sagard's History, the Relations and Journal of the +Jesuits, and Sanson's map of 1656. A digest of the information contained +therein is given in the following pages. The writer has availed himself +of one or two other works for some of the facts mentioned. Mr. Benjamin +Sulte's interesting and learned articles on "Le pays des grands lacs au +XVIIe Siecle" in that excellent magazine, "Le Canada Francais," have +been most valuable in this connection. + +The first recorded visit to the Neutrals was in the winter of 1626, by a +Recollet father, De Laroche-Daillon. His experiences are narrated by +himself, and Sagard, who includes the narrative in his history, +supplements it with one or two additional facts. + +In company with the Jesuit Fathers Brebeuf and De Noue, Daillon left +Quebec with the purpose of visiting and converting the Hurons, who were +settled in villages between the Georgian Bay and Lake Simcoe. After the +usual hardships, journeying by canoe and portage, by way of the Ottawa +and French Rivers, they arrived at their destination. The ill-fated +Brule told wonderful stories of a nation, whom the French called the +Neutrals, and Father Joseph Le Caron wrote Daillon urging him to +continue his journey as far as their country. + +He set out accordingly on the 18th October, 1626, with two other +Frenchmen, Grenolle and La Vallee. Passing through the territory +occupied by the Tobacco Nation, he met one of their chiefs, who not +merely offered his services as guide, but furnished Indian porters to +carry their packs and their scanty provisions. They slept five nights +in the woods, and on the sixth day arrived at the village of the +Neutrals. In this as well as in four other villages which they visited, +they were hospitably entertained with presents of food, including +venison, pumpkins, "neintahouy," and "the best they had." Their dress +excited the astonishment of their Indian hosts, who were also surprised +that the missionary asked nothing from them but that they should raise +their eyes to heaven, and make the sign of the cross. + +What excited raptures of admiration, however, according to his narrative +was to see him retire for prayer at certain hours of the day: for they +had never seen any priests beyond passing glimpses when visiting amongst +the neighboring Hurons and Tobacco Indians. + +At the sixth village, Ounontisaston, in which Daillon had been advised +to take up his abode, a council was held at his instance. He observes +that the councils are called at the will of the chiefs, and held either +in a wigwam or in the open air, the audience being seated on the ground; +that silence is preserved whilst a chief is addressing the assembly, and +that what they have once concluded and settled is inviolably observed +and performed by them. + +Daillon explained that he had come on the part of the French to make +alliance and friendship with them and to invite them to come and trade, +and begged them to permit him to stay in their country "to instruct them +in the laws of our God, which is the only means of going to Paradise." +They agreed to all he proposed and in return for his gifts of knives and +other trifles, they adopted him as "citizen and child of the country," +and as a mark of great affection entrusted him to the care of +Souharissen, who became his father and host. The latter was, according +to Daillon, the chief of the greatest renown and authority that had ever +been known in all the nations, being chief not only of his own village, +but of all those of his nation, to the number of twenty-eight, besides +several little hamlets of seven to eight cabins built in different +places convenient for fishing, hunting, or cultivating the ground. +Souharissen had acquired his absolute and extraordinary authority by his +courage and his success in war. He had been several times at war with +the seventeen tribes, who were the enemies of his race, and from all he +had brought back the heads of those he had slain, or prisoners taken +alive, as tokens of his prowess. His authority was without example +amongst other tribes. + +The Neutrals are reported by Daillon as being very warlike, armed only +with war-club and bow, and dexterous in their use. His companions having +gone back, the missionary remained alone, "the happiest man in the +world," seeking to advance the glory of God and to find the mouth of the +river of the Iroquois, (probably the Niagara,) in order to conduct the +savages to the French trading posts. He visited them in their huts, +found them very manageable and learned their customs. He remarked that +there were no deformed people amongst them. The children, who were +sprightly, naked and unkempt, were taught by him to make the sign of the +Holy Cross. + +The natives were willing that at least four canoes should go to trade if +he would conduct them, but nobody knew the way. Yroquet, an Indian known +in the country, who had come hunting with twenty of his tribe and +secured five hundred beaver skins, declined to give him any indication +of the mouth of the river; but he agreed with several Hurons in assuring +Daillon that a journey of ten days would take him to the trading post. +The missionary, however, was afraid of taking one river for another and +getting lost or perishing of hunger. + +For three months he was treated with kindness. Then the Hurons became +jealous lest the trade should be diverted from them. They accordingly +circulated rumors through every village, that Daillon was a great +magician, that he had poisoned the air in their country, and many had +died in consequence, that if he was not killed soon, he would burn up +their villages and kill their children, with other stories as +extraordinary and alarming about the entire French nation. The Neutrals +were easily influenced by the reports. Daillon's life was in danger on +more than one occasion. The rumor reached Brebeuf and De Noue, that he +had been killed. They at once despatched Grenolle to ascertain the +truth, with instructions to bring Daillon back if alive. He acquiesced, +and returned to the Huron country. + +He speaks of a Neutral village called Ouaroronon, one day's journey from +the Iroquois, the people of which came to trade at Ounontisaston. Their +village was the last of the Neutral villages, and was probably east of +the Niagara River. + +Daillon, like every other traveller, was charmed with the Neutral +country, which he pronounces incomparably greater, more beautiful +and better than any other "of all these countries." He notes the +incredible number of deer, the native mode of taking them by +driving them into a gradually narrowing enclosure, their practice +of killing every animal they find whether they needed it or not. The +reason alleged was that if they did not kill all, the beasts that +escaped would tell the others how they had been chased, so that +afterwards when the Indians needed game it would be impossible to get +near it. He enumerates moose, beaver, wild-cats, squirrels larger +than those of France, bustards, turkeys, cranes, etc., as abundant, +and remaining in the country through the winter. The winter was +shorter and milder than "in Canada." No snow had fallen by the 22nd +November. The deepest was not more than two and a half feet. Thaw set +in on the 26th of January. On the 8th March the snow was gone from the +open places, but a little still lingered in the woods. The streams +abounded in very good fish. The ground produced more corn than was +needed, besides pumpkins, beans and other vegetables in abundance, and +excellent oil. He expresses his surprise that the Merchants' Company had +not sent some Frenchman to winter in the Country: for it would be very +easy to get the Neutrals to trade and the direct route would be much +shorter than that by way of French River and the Georgian Bay. He +describes the Neutrals' country as being nearer than the Huron to the +French, and as being on one side of the lake of the Iroquois (Lake +Ontario) whilst the Iroquois were on the other. The Neutrals, however, +did not understand the management of canoes, especially in the rapids, +of which there were only two, but long and dangerous. Their proper +trade was hunting and war. They were very lazy and immoral. Their +manners and customs were very much the same as those of the Hurons. +Their language was different, but the members of the two nations +understood one another. They went entirely unclad. + +Sagard adds that "according to the opinion of some," the Neutrals' +country was eighty leagues (about 200 miles) in extent, and that they +raised very good tobacco which they traded with their neighbors. They +were called Neutrals on account of their neutrality between the Hurons +and the Iroquois; but they were allies of the Cheveux Releves (the +Ottawas) against their mortal enemies of the Nation of Fire. Sagard was +dissuaded by some members of the French trading company from attempting +to bring about a peace between the Hurons and the Iroquois. It was +supposed that this would divert the trade of the Hurons from Quebec by +sending it through the Iroquois country to the Dutch of the Hudson +River. At so early a date did the question of closer trade relations +between the territories north and south of the lakes agitate the minds +of statesmen and men of commerce. + +In the winter of 1640-1, the Jesuit missionaries, Brebeuf and Chaumonot +traversed the country of the Neutrals. The former composed a dictionary +showing the differences between the kindred dialects of the Hurons and +Neutrals. Chaumonot made a map of the country, which is not extant, but +there is reason for believing that it was the authority for the +delineation of the territory on Sanson's map of 1656 and Ducreux's Latin +map of 1660. From the facts hereinafter detailed it is highly probable +that they reached the Detroit River, and that they visited and named the +Neutral village of which the Southwold Earthwork is the memorial. The +first printed map in which Lake Erie is shown was made by N. Sanson +d'Abbeville, geographer in ordinary to the King, and printed in Paris, +with "privilege du Roy" for twenty years, in the year 1656. It is a map +of eastern North America. The sources of information are stated in +general terms, which may be translated as follows: "The most northerly +portion is drawn from the various Relations of the English, Danes, etc. +Towards the south the coasts of Virginia, New Sweden, New Netherlands +and New England are drawn from those of the English, Dutch, etc. THE +GREAT RIVER OF CANADA, or of St. Lawrence and all the neighboring +regions (_environs_) are according to the Relations of the French." + +Now, we know that Father Raymbault visited Sault Ste. Marie in 1641 and +mapped Lake Superior, and that Father Chaumonot in the same year +rendered the same service for the Neutral Country. Sanson's map is +fairly accurate for the upper lakes, when compared with some maps +published at much later periods when the lakes had become tolerably well +known to traders and travellers. It shows an acquaintance with the +general contour of Lakes Erie, St. Clair and Huron, with several of the +streams emptying into Lakes Erie and Huron on both the Canadian and the +American sides, with the names of tribes inhabiting both shores, and +with the locations of five towns of the Neutrals, besides some towns of +the Tobacco Nation. The Neutral towns are given as S. Francois, +(north-east of Sarnia) S. Michel, (a little east of Sandwich), S. +Joseph, (apparently in the county of Kent), Alexis, (a few miles west of +a stream, which flows into Lake Erie about midway between the Detroit +and Niagara Rivers, and where the shore bends farthest inland),[2] and +N. D. des Anges (on the West bank of a considerable river, probably the +Grand River, near where Brantford now stands). The Detroit and Niagara +Rivers and four streams flowing into Lake Erie between them are shown +but not named. The great cataract is called "Ongiara Sault." The name +Ongiara may, however, be that of the Neutral village east of the Falls. +Lake St. Clair is called Lac des Eaux de Mer, or Sea-water Lake, +possibly from the mineral springs in the neighborhood. The country of +the Tobacco Nation includes the Bruce peninsula and extends from the +Huron country on the east to Lake Huron on the west, and Burlington Bay +on the southeast. The Neutral Country (_Neutre ou Attiouandarons_) would +embrace the whole of southwestern Ontario south of a line drawn from the +west end of Lake Ontario to a stream which flows into Lake Huron about +midway between Point Edward and Cape Hurd, and which is probably the +Maitland River. The tribes to the south of the lakes are indicated from +the Niagara River to Lake Superior. The Eries or "Eriechronons, ou du +Chat," are south-east of Lake Erie; the "Ontarraronon" are west of what +is probably the Cuyahoga River; at the southwest of the lake appear the +"Squenqioronon;" west of the Detroit River are the "Aictaeronon;" west +of Port Huron the "Couarronon;" Huron County in Michigan is occupied by +the "Ariaetoeronon;" at the head of Saginaw Bay and extending southward +through Michigan are the "Assistaeronons ou du Feu;" in the peninsula +extending north to Mackinac are the "Oukouarararonons;" beyond them Lake +Michigan appears as "Lac de Puans;" then come the northern peninsula and +"Lac Superieur." Manitoulin Island is marked "Cheveux Releves;" the old +French name for the Ottawas. The Tobacco Nation called "N. du Petun on +Sanhionontateheronons" includes villages of "S. Simon et S. Iude" in the +Bruce promontory, "S. Pierre" near the south end of the County of Bruce, +and "S. Pol," southwest of a lake which may be Scugog. + + [2] Alexis corresponds with the actual position of the Southwold + Earthwork, and the stream with that of Kettle Creek. + +To return to the narratives, these agree in stating that the Neutrals, +like their kinsmen of the Huron, Tobacco and Iroquois Nations, were a +numerous and sedentary race living in villages and cultivating their +fields of maize, tobacco and pumpkins. They were on friendly terms with +the eastern and northern tribes, but at enmity with those of the west, +especially the Nation of Fire, against whom they were constantly sending +out war parties. By the western tribes it would appear that those west +of the Detroit River and Lake Huron are invariably meant. + +Champlain refers to the Neutrals in 1616 as a powerful nation, holding a +large extent of country, and numbering 4,000 warriors. Already they were +in alliance with the Cheveux Releves (the Ottawas), whom he visited in +the Bruce Peninsula, against the Nation of Fire. He states that the +Neutrals lived two days' journey southward of the Cheveux Releves, and +the Nation of Fire ten days from the latter. The Nation of Fire occupied +part of what is now Michigan, probably as far east as the Detroit and +St. Clair Rivers. + +Describing his visit to the Cheveux Releves, he adds:--"I had a great +desire to go and see that Nation (the Neutrals), had not the tribes +where we were dissuaded me from it, saying that the year before one of +ours had killed one of them, being at war with the Entouhoronons (the +Senecas), and that they were angry on account of it, representing to us +that they are very subject to vengeance, not looking to those who dealt +the blow, but the first whom they meet of the nation, or even their +friends, they make them bear the penalty, when they can catch any of +them unless beforehand peace had been made with them, and one had given +them some gifts and presents for the relatives of the deceased; which +prevented me for the time from going there, although some of that nation +assured us that they would do us no harm for that. This decided us, and +occasioned our returning by the same road as we had come, and continuing +my journey, I found the nation of the Pisierinij etc." + + NOTE.--This is a literal translation, and shows the crudity of + Champlain's sailor style of composition. + +Brebeuf, who reckoned the Hurons at more than 30,000, describes the +Neutrals in 1634 as much more numerous than the former. The Relation of +1641 gives them at least 12,000, but adds that notwithstanding the wars, +famine and disease (small pox), which since three years had prevailed in +an extraordinary degree, the country could still furnish 4,000 warriors, +the exact number estimated by Champlain a quarter of a century earlier. +The name of the Neutrals is variously given as Attikadaron, Atiouandaronk, +Attiouandaron, Attiwandaronk, but the last is the more common. The name +signified "people who spoke a slightly different dialect," and the +Hurons were known to the Neutrals by the same name. The latter are +mentioned in the Relations as one of the twelve numerous and sedentary +nations who spoke a common language with the Hurons. The Oueanohronons +formed "one of the nations associated with the Neutral Nation." They +are afterwards called in the same Relation (1639) the Wenrohronons, and +are said to have lived on the borders of the Iroquois, more than eighty +leagues from the Huron country. So long as they were on friendly terms +with the Neutrals they were safe from the dreaded Iroquois; but a +misunderstanding having arisen between them, they were obliged to flee +in order to avoid extermination by the latter. They took refuge, more +than 600 in all, with the Hurons, and were received in the most +friendly and hospitable manner. + +The Relation of 1640 speaks of a Huron map communicated by Father Paul +Ragueneau in which a large number of tribes, most of them acquainted +with the Huron language, are shown, including the Iroquois, the +Neutrals, the Eries, etc. The "Mission of the Apostles" was established +among the Tobacco Nation by Garnier and Jogues in 1640. Nine villages +visited by them were endowed by the missionaries with the names of +apostles, two of which are given in Sanson's map of 1656.[3] In one +"bourg" called S. Thomas, they baptized a boy five years old belonging +to the Neutral Nation, who died immediately afterwards. "He saw himself +straightway out of banishment and happy in his own country." The famine +had driven his parents to the village of the Tobacco Nation. The devoted +missionaries add that this was the first fruits of the Neutral nation. + + [3] The principal "bourg" was Ehwae, surnamed S. Pierre et S. + Paul. If S. Pierre on Sanson's map is the same place, this most + have been near the southern end of the county of Bruce. The other + village or mission shown on the map is S. Simon et S. Iude. + +In the fall of the same year "The Mission of the Angels" was begun among +the Neutrals. The lot fell upon Jean de Brebeuf and Joseph Marie +Chaumonot. The former was the pioneer of the Jesuit Mission. He had +spent three years among the Hurons from 1626 to 1629, and, after the +restoration of Canada to the French by Charles I., he had returned in +1634 to the scene of his earlier labors. His associate had only come +from France the year before. Brebeuf was distinguished for his mastery +of the native tongues, and Chaumonot had been recognized as an apt +student of languages. The plan of the Jesuits was to establish in the +new mission a fixed and permanent residence, which should be the +"retreat" of the missionaries of the surrounding country, as Ste. Marie +was of those of the Huron mission. + +Lalemant from their report describes the Neutral Nation as exceedingly +populous, including about forty villages ("bourgs ou bourgades.") The +nearest villages were four or five days' journey or about forty leagues +(100 miles) distant from the Hurons, going due south. He estimates the +difference in latitude between Ste. Marie and the nearest village of the +Neutrals to the south at about 1 deg.55'. Elsewhere the distance is spoken +of as about thirty leagues. + +From the first "bourg," going on to the south or south-west (a mistake +for south-east it would seem,) it was about four days' journey to the +mouth of the Niagara River. On this side of the river, and not beyond +it, as "some map" lays it down, (Champlain's, doubtless,) were most of +the "bourgs" of the Neutral Nation. There were three or four on the +other side towards the Eries. Lalemant claims, and there is no doubt as +to the fact, that the French were the first Europeans to become +acquainted with the Neutrals. The Hurons and Iroquois were sworn enemies +to each other, but in a wigwam or even a camp of the Neutrals until +recently each had been safe from the other's vengeance. + +Latterly however the unbridled fury of the hostile nations had not +respected even the neutral ground of their mutual friends. Friendly as +they were to the Hurons and Iroquois, the Neutrals engaged in cruel wars +with other nations to the west, particularly the Nation of Fire, as has +been stated above. The previous year a hundred prisoners had been taken +from the latter tribe. This year, returning with 2,000 warriors, the +Neutrals had carried off more than 170. Fiercer than the Hurons, they +burned their female prisoners. Their clothing and mode of living +differed but little from those of the Hurons. They had Indian corn, +beans and pumpkins in equal abundance. Fish were abundant, different +species being met with in different places. The country was a famous +hunting ground. Elk, deer, wild cats, wolves, "black beasts" +(squirrels), beaver and other animals valuable for their skins and +flesh; were in abundance. It was a rare thing to see more than half a +foot of snow. This year there was more than three feet. The deep snow +had facilitated the hunting, and, in happy contrast with the famine +which had prevailed, meat was plentiful. They had also multitudes of +wild turkeys which went in flocks through the fields and woods. Fruits +were no more plentiful than amongst the Hurons, except that chestnuts +abounded, and wild apples were a little larger. + +Their manners and customs, and family and political government, were +very much like those of the other Indian tribes, but they were +distinguished from the Hurons by their greater dissoluteness and +indecency. On the other hand they were taller, stronger and better +formed. + +Their burial customs were peculiar, although similar customs are +reported at this day amongst some African tribes. The bodies remained in +their wigwams until decomposition rendered them insupportable, when they +were put outside on a scaffold. Soon afterward, the bones were removed +and arranged within their houses on both sides in sight of the inmates, +where they remained until the feast of the dead. Having these mournful +objects before their eyes, the women habitually indulged in cries and +laments, in a kind of chant. + +The Neutrals were distinguished for the multitude and quality of their +madmen, who were a privileged class. Hence it was common for bad Indians +to assume the character of maniacs in order to perpetrate crimes without +fear of punishment. The Jesuits suffered very much from their malice. +Some old men told them that the Neutrals used to carry on war "towards" +a certain western nation, who would seem to have lived on the Gulf of +Mexico, where the "porcelain, which are the pearls of the country," was +obtained from a kind of oysters. It is an undoubted fact that a traffic +was carried on with tribes as far south as the Gulf of Mexico, from whom +shells used for wampum were obtained by successive interchanges of +commodities with intervening tribes. They had also some vague notion of +alligators, which are apparently referred to by the description, +"certain aquatic animals, larger and swifter than elk," against which +these same people had "a kind of war," the details of which are somewhat +amusing, as given by Lalemant. + +The two Jesuits left Ste. Marie the 2nd November, 1640, with two French +servants (probably "donnes,") and an Indian. They slept four nights in +the woods. The fifth day they arrived at the first village ("bourg") of +the Neutral Nation called Kandoucho, but to which they gave the name of +All Saints. This is probably the same as N. D. des Anges on Sanson's +map, and was not far perhaps from the site of Brantford. + +Owing to the unfavorable reports which had been spread through the +country about the Jesuits, the latter were anxious to explain their +purposes to a council of the chiefs and old men. The head chief, "who +managed the affairs of the public" was called Tsohahissen (doubtless the +same as Daillon's Souharissen). His "bourg" was "in the middle of the +country;" to reach it, one had to pass through several other villages +("bourgs et bourgades.") In Sanson's map, Alexis is placed almost +exactly "in the middle of the country" of the Neutrals. No other village +is marked on the map, to which the expression could be applied. Its +situation nearly midway between the Detroit & Niagara Rivers, a few +miles west of a stream which flows into Lake Erie just where the mouth +of Kettle Creek would appear in a map of our own century, corresponds +with that of the Southwold earthwork. Was the latter the Neutrals' +capital? We can only conjecture; but the evidence of the Relations, the +map and the forest growth, all points to an affirmative answer. There is +a strong probability that it was here Tsohahissen reigned (if the +expression is allowable in reference to an Indian potentate) as head +chief of the forty Neutral villages. Through the western gate, +doubtless, his warriors set out to wage their relentless warfare against +the Nation of Fire. Within these mounds, returning satiated with blood, +they celebrated their savage triumph, adorned with the scalps of their +enemies. + +Brebeuf's Huron surname "Echon" had preceded him. He was regarded as +"one of the most famous sorcerers and demons ever imagined." Several +Frenchmen had travelled through the country before him, purchasing furs +and other commodities. These had smoothed the way for the Jesuits. Under +the pretext of being traders, Brebeuf's party succeeded in making their +way in spite of all obstacles interposed. They arrived at the head-chief's +village, only to find that he had gone on a war party and would not +return until spring. The missionaries sought to negotiate with those who +administered affairs in his absence. They desired to publish the Gospel +throughout these lands, "and thereby to contract a particular alliance +with them." In proof of their desire, they had brought a necklace of two +thousand grains of "porcelain" or wampum which they wished to present to +"the Public." The inferior chiefs refused to bind themselves in any way +by accepting the present, but gave the missionaries leave, if they would +wait until the chief of the country returned, to travel freely and give +such instruction as they pleased. Nothing could have suited the fathers +better. First however they decided to return in their steps and +reconduct their domestics out of the country. Then they would resume +their journey for the second time, and "begin their function." As it had +been the servants however, who had acted the part of traders, this +pretext was now wanting to the Jesuits. They suffered everywhere from +the malicious reports which had been circulated as to their purposes in +visiting the nation and the acts of sorcery with which they were +charged. The Hurons of the Georgian Bay alarmed for the monopoly they +had hitherto enjoyed and jealous of the French traders, had sent +emissaries amongst the Neutrals to poison their minds against the +adventurous travellers, by the most extraordinary calumnies. + +For these reports two Huron Indians Aouenhokoui and Oentara were +especially responsible. They had visited several villages, presented +hatchets in the name of the Huron chiefs and old men, and denounced +their white visitors as sorcerers who desired to destroy the Neutrals by +means of presents. These representations were so effectual that a +council was at length held by the chiefs and the present formally +refused, although permission to preach was granted. + +From village to village they passed, but everywhere the doors were +barred to them. Hostile looks greeted them wherever they went. No sooner +did they approach a village than the cry resounded on all sides "Here +come the Agwa." This was the name given by the natives to their greatest +enemies. If the priests were admitted into their dwellings at all, it +was more frequently from fear of the "sorcerers'" vengeance than for the +hope of gain, "God making use of everything in order to nourish his +servants." + +In the graphic language of Lalemant: "The mere sight of the fathers, in +figure and habit so different from their own, their gait, their gestures +and their whole deportment seemed to them so many confirmations of what +had been told them. The breviaries, ink-stands and writings were +instruments of magic; if the Frenchmen prayed to God, it was according +to their idea simply an exercise of sorcerers. Going to the stream to +wash their dishes, it was said they were poisoning the water: it was +charged that through all the cabins, wherever the priests passed, the +children were seized with a cough and bloody flux, and the women became +barren. In short, there was no calamity present or to come, of which +they were not considered as the source. Several of those with whom the +fathers took up their abode did not sleep day or night for fear; they +dared not touch what had been handled by them, they returned the +strangers' presents, regarding everything as suspicious. The good old +women already regarded themselves as lost, and only regretted the fate +of their little children, who might otherwise have been able to repeople +the earth." + +The Neutrals intimidated the fathers with rumors of the Senecas, who +they were assured were not far off. They spoke of killing and eating the +missionaries. Yet in the four months of their sojourn Brebeuf and +Chaumonot never lacked the necessaries of life, lodging and food, and +amidst difficulties and inconveniences better imagined than described +they retained their health. Their food supply was bread baked under +ashes after the fashion of the country, and which they kept for thirty +and even forty days to use in case of need. + +"In their journey, the fathers passed through eighteen villages (_bourgs +ou bourgades_), to all of which they gave a Christian name, of which we +shall make use hereafter on occasion. They stayed particularly in ten, +to which they gave as much instruction as they could find hearers. They +report about 500 Fires and 3,000 persons, which these ten _bourgades_ +may contain, to whom they set forth and published the Gospel." +(Lalemant's Relation.)[4] + + [4] In another place it is stated that there were 40 villages of + the Neutrals in all. + +Disheartened, the fathers decided to return to Kandoucho or All Saints +to await the spring. Midway, however, at the village of Teotongniaton, +or S. Guillaume, (perhaps in the vicinity of Woodstock) the snow fell in +such quantities that further progress was impossible. They lodged here +in the cabin of a squaw, who entertained them hospitably and instructed +them in the language, dictating narratives syllable by syllable as to a +school boy. Here they stayed twenty-five days, "adjusted the dictionary +and rules of the Huron language to that of these tribes (the Neutrals), +and accomplished a work which alone was worth a journey of several years +in the country." + +Hurons from the mission of La Conception volunteered to go to the +relief of the daring travellers. After eight days of travel and +fatigue in the woods the priests and the relief party arrived at Ste. +Marie on the very day of St. Joseph, patron of the country, in time to +say mass, which they had not been able to say since their departure. + +Amongst the eighteen villages visited by them, only one, that of +Khioetoa, called by the fathers Saint Michel, gave them the audience +their embassy merited. In this village, years before, driven by fear of +their enemies, had taken refuge a certain foreign nation, "which lived +beyond Erie or the Cat Nation," named Aouenrehronon. It was in this +nation that the fathers performed the first baptism of adults. These +were probably a portion of the kindred Neutral tribe referred to above +as having fled to the Huron country from the Iroquois. Their original +home was in the State of New York. Sanson's map shows S. Michel a +little east of where Sandwich now stands. + +Owing to their scanty number and the calumnies circulated amongst the +Indians respecting the Jesuits of the Huron Mission the latter resolved +to concentrate their forces. The Neutral mission was abandoned, but +Christian Indians visited the Neutrals in 1643 and spread the faith +amongst them with a success which elicits Lalemant's enthusiastic +praises. Towards the end of the following winter a band of about 500 +Neutrals visited the Hurons. The fathers did not fail to avail +themselves of their opportunity. The visitors were instructed in the +faith and expressed their regret that their teachers could not return +with them. A different reception from that experienced by Brebeuf and +Chaumonot three years before was promised. + +Lalemant relates that in the summer of 1643, 2,000 Neutrals invaded the +country of the Nation of Fire and attacked a village strongly fortified +with a palisade, and defended stoutly by 900 warriors. After a ten +days' siege, they carried it by storm, killed a large number on the +spot, and carried off 800 captives, men, women and children, after +burning 70 of the most warlike and blinding the eyes and "girdling the +mouths" of the old men, whom they left to drag out a miserable +existence. He reports the Nation of Fire as more populous than the +Neutrals, the Hurons and the Iroquois together. In a large number of +these villages the Algonkin language was spoken. Farther away, it was +the prevailing tongue. In remote Algonkin tribes, even at that early +day, there were Christians who knelt, crossed their hands, turned their +eyes heavenward, and prayed to God morning and evening, and before and +after their meals; and the best mark of their faith was that they were +no longer wicked nor dishonest as they were before. So it was reported +to Lalemant by trustworthy Hurons who went every year to trade with +Algonkin nations scattered over the whole northern part of the +continent. + +Ragueneau in the Relation of 1648 refers to Lake Erie as being almost +200 leagues in circuit, and precipitating itself by "a waterfall of a +terrible height" into Lake Ontario, or Lake Saint Louys. + +The Aondironnons a tribe of the Neutrals living nearest to the Hurons +were treacherously attacked in their village by 300 Senecas, who after +killing a number carried as many as possible away with them as +prisoners. The Neutrals showed no open resentment but quietly prepared +to revenge themselves. A Christian Huron, a girl of fifteen, taken +prisoner by the Senecas, escaped from them and made her way to the +Neutral country, where she met four men, two of whom were Neutrals and +the others enemies. The latter wished to take her back to captivity; but +the Neutrals, claiming that within their country she was no longer in +the power of her enemies, rescued her and she returned in safety to Ste. +Marie on the Georgian Bay. These incidents were the prelude to the storm +which shortly afterward burst. + +In 1650 the principal part of the Iroquois forces was directed against +the Neutrals. They carried two frontier villages, in one of which were +more than 1600 men, the first at the end of autumn, the second early in +the spring of 1651. The old men and children who might encumber them on +their homeward journey were massacred. The number of captives was +excessive, especially of young women, who were carried off to the +Iroquois towns. The other more distant villages were seized with terror. +The Neutrals abandoned their houses, their property and their country. +Famine pursued them. The survivors became scattered amongst far-off +woods and along unknown lakes and rivers. In wretchedness and want and +in constant apprehension of their relentless enemy, they eked out a +miserable existence. + +The Journal (April 22, 1651) adds that after the destruction of the +Neutral village in the previous autumn, the Neutral warriors under the +lead of the Tahontaenrat (a Huron tribe) had followed the assailants and +killed or taken 200 of them; and 1,200 Iroquois warriors had returned in +the spring to avenge this disaster. In August a Huron reported at +Montreal the capture of Teot'ondiaton (probably the village in which +Brebeuf composed his dictionary, and which is referred to in the +Relation as having been taken in the spring). The condition of the +Neutrals was desolate and desperate. In April, 1652, news reached Quebec +that they had leagued with the Andastes against the Iroquois, that the +Senecas had been defeated in a foray against the Neutrals, so that the +Seneca women had been constrained to quit their village and retreat to +the Oneida country; also that the Mohawks had gone on the war path +against the Andastes during the winter, and the issue of the war was +unknown. The last of July, 1653, seven Indians from the Huron country +arrived at Quebec and reported a great gathering near Mackinac of all +the Algonkin nations with the remains of the Tobacco and Neutral Nations +at A'otonatendie three days above the Sault Ste. Marie (Skia'e) towards +the south. The Tobacco Indians had wintered at Tea'onto'rai; the +Neutrals to the number of 800 at Sken'chio'e towards Teo'chanontian. +These were to rendezvous the next fall with the Algonkins, who were +already on the spot to the number of 1,000. + +This is probably the last we hear of the Neutrals under their own name. +Some of the survivors united with the remnant of the Hurons at Mackinac +and on Lake Superior; and under the name of the Hurons and Wyandots they +appear from time to time on the page of history. Their removal to +Detroit on the establishment of the latter trading post by Cadaillac, is +perpetuated by the name of Wyandotte, to the south of the City of the +Straits. + +Parkman mentions the circumstance that an old chief named Kenjockety, +who claimed descent from an adopted prisoner of the Neutral Nation, was +recently living among the Senecas of Western New York. + +It is stated in the "History of the County of Middlesex" that over 60 +years ago, "Edouard Petit, of Black River, discovered the ruins of an +ancient building on the Riviere aux Sables, about 40 miles from Sarnia. +Pacing the size, he found it to have been 40x24 feet on the ground. On +the middle of the south or gable end, was a chimney eighteen feet high, +in excellent preservation, built of stone, with an open fire place. The +fire place had sunk below the surface. This ruin had a garden surrounding +it, ten or twelve rods wide by twenty rods in length, marked by ditches +and alleys. Inside the walls of the house a splendid oak had grown to +be three feet in diameter, with a stem sixty feet high to the first +branch. It seemed to be of second growth, and must have been 150 years +reaching its proportions as seen in 1828-9." + +This must have been the mission of S. Francois shown on Sanson's map. + + + + +THE IROQUOIS' HUNTING GROUND. + + +After the expulsion of the Neutrals, the north shore of Lake Erie +remained an unpeopled wilderness until the close of the last century. +The unbroken forest teemed with deer, racoons, foxes, wolves, bears, +squirrels and wild turkeys. Millions of pigeons darkened the sky in +their seasons of migration. For generations after the disappearance of +the Neutrals, the Iroquois resorted to the region in pursuit of game. +The country was described in maps as "_Chasse de Castor des Iroquois_," +the Iroquois' beaver ground. Numerous dams constructed by these +industrious little animals still remain to justify the description. + +The French built forts at Detroit, Niagara and Toronto to intercept the +beaver traffic, which otherwise might be shared by the English on the +Hudson and Mohawk rivers; but for nearly a hundred and fifty years no +settlement was attempted on the north shore. References to the region +are few and scanty. Travellers did not penetrate into the country. +Coasting along the shore in canoes on their way to Detroit, they landed +as rarely as possible for shelter or repose. There were forest paths +well known to the Indians, by which they portaged their canoes and goods +from one water stretch to another. One of these led from the site of +Dundas to a point on the Grand River near Cainsville; another from the +latter stream to the Thames River near Woodstock; and a third from the +upper waters of the Thames to Lake Huron. Besides these, there was a +trail from the Huntly farm in Southwold on the River Thames (Lot 11, +Con. 1,) to the mouth of Kettle Creek; and a fifth from the Rondeau to +M'Gregor's Creek near Chatham. These were thoroughfares of travel and of +such rude commerce as was carried on by the savages with their French +and English neighbors. + + + + +THE FRENCH EXPLORATION. + + +Joliet was the first Frenchman to descend Lake Erie from Detroit. He had +been sent by Talon to investigate the copper mines of Lake Superior. He +returned to Quebec in the autumn of 1669 by way of the lower lakes, +instead of taking the usual route by the French River and the Ottawa. At +the mouth of Kettle Creek he hid his canoe. Thence he portaged, +doubtless by the well-known trails to the Thames and Grand rivers, until +he reached Burlington Bay.[5] + + [5] This is the most probable inference from the facts stated by + Galinee. + +At the Seneca village of Tinaouatoua, midway between the Bay and the +Grand River, he met La Salle and the Sulpician priests, Dollier de +Casson and Galinee on their way to Lake Erie and the Ohio River. The +result of the meeting and of the information given by Joliet was that +the priests altered their purpose and decided to proceed to Sault Ste. +Marie and then to the Pottamatamies, where they would establish their +mission: whilst La Salle, who evidently was dissatisfied with his +companions, went back with Joliet and, it is now pretty generally +believed, discovered the Ohio by journeying overland from the Seneca +villages south of Lake Ontario during the winter or the following +spring. Joliet gave the missionaries a description of his route, from +which Galinee was able to make a map which was of great assistance in +the further progress of their expedition.[6] The priests descended the +Grand River to Lake Erie, and wintered at the forks of Patterson's +Creek, where Port Dover now stands. After a sojourn of five months and +eleven days, during which they were visited in their cabin by Iroquois +beaver hunters, they proceeded westward along the north shore of the +lake. Losing one of their canoes in a storm, they were obliged to divide +their party. Four men with the luggage proceeded in the two remaining +canoes. Five of the party, including apparently the two priests, made +the wearisome journey on foot from Long Point all the way to the mouth +of Kettle Creek, where on the tenth of April, 1670, they found Joliet's +canoe, and the party was reunited for the rest of the long journey to +the Sault. Upon leaving their winter abode however the whole party had +first proceeded to the lake shore, and there on the 23rd March 1670, +being Passion Sunday, planted a cross, as a memorial of their long +sojourn, and offered a prayer. The official record is as follows: + + "We the undersigned certify that we have seen affixed on the lands + of the lake called Erie the arms of the King of France with this + inscription: The year of salvation 1669, Clement IX. being seated in + St. Peter's chair, Louis XIV. reigning in France, M. de Courcelle + being governor of New France, and M. Talon being intendant therein + for the King, there arrived in this place two missionaries from + Montreal accompanied by seven other Frenchmen, who, the first of all + European peoples, have wintered on this lake, of which, as of a + territory not occupied, they have taken possession in the name of + their King by the apposition of his arms, which they have attached + to the foot of this cross. In witness whereof we have signed the + present certificate." + + "FRANCOIS DOLLIER, + Priest of the Diocese of Nantes in Brittany. + DE GALINEE, + Deacon of the Diocese of Rennes in Brittany." + + [6] Galinee's map is reproduced in Faillon's Histoire de la + Colonie Francaise. + +Galinee grows enthusiastic over the abundance of game and wild fruits +opposite Long Point. The grapes were as large and as sweet as the finest +in France. The wine made from them was as good as _vin de grave_. He +admires the profusion of walnuts, chestnuts, wild apples and plums. +Bears were fatter and better to the palate than the most "savory" pigs +in France. Deer wandered in herds of 50 to 100. Sometimes even 200 would +be seen feeding together. In his enthusiasm the good priest calls this +region "the terrestrial paradise of Canada." + +Fortunately for the explorers, the winter was as mild at Port Dover as +it was severe at Montreal. Patterson's Creek was however still frozen +over on the 26th March, when, having portaged their goods and canoes to +the lake, they embarked to resume their westward journey. They had to +pass two streams before they arrived at the sand beach which connected +Long Point with the mainland. To effect the first crossing they walked +four leagues inland before they found a satisfactory spot. To cross Big +Creek, they were obliged to spend a whole day constructing a raft. They +were further delayed by a prolonged snow storm and a strong north wind. +On the west bank was a meadow more than 200 paces wide, in passing over +which they were immersed to their girdles in mud and slash. Arriving at +the sandy ridge which then connected Long Point with the mainland, they +found the lake on the other side full of floating ice, and concluded +that their companions had not ventured to proceed in their frail +barques. They encamped near the sandbar and waited for the canoes, +which had doubtless been delayed by the weather. The missionaries put +themselves on short rations in order to permit the hunters to keep up +their strength for the chase, and were rewarded with a stag as the +result. As it was Holy Week the whole party decided not to leave the +spot until they had kept their Easter together. On the Tuesday +following, which was the eighth day of April, they heard mass and, +although the lake had still a border of ice, they launched their canoe, +and continued their journey as before, five of the party going by land. +When they arrived at "the place of the canoe," on the 10th great was +their disappointment to find that the Iroquois had anticipated them and +carried it away. Later in the day however it was found, hidden between +two large trees on the other side of a stream. The discoverers came +upon it unexpectedly whilst looking for dry wood to make a fire, and +bore it in triumph to the lake. The hunters were out the whole day +without seeing any game. For five or six days the party subsisted on +boiled maize, no meat being obtainable. Being provided now with three +canoes, the party paddled up the lake in one day to a place where game +was abundant. The hunters saw more than 200 deer in a single herd, but +missed their aim. In their craving for flesh-meat, they shot and +skinned a poor wolf and had it ready for the kettle, when one of their +men perceived twenty or thirty deer "on the other side of a small lake +on the shore of which we were."[7] The deer were surrounded and forced +into the water, where 10 were killed, the rest being permitted to +escape. Well supplied with fresh and smoked meat they went on nearly +twenty leagues (about fifty miles) in one day, "as far as a long point +which you will find marked in the map of Lake Erie. We arrived there on +a beautiful sand-beach on the east side of this point."[8] Here +disaster overtook them. They had drawn up their canoes beyond high +water mark, but left their goods on the sand near the water, whilst +they camped for the night. A terrific gale came up from the north-east, +and the water of the lake rose until it swept with violence over the +beach. One of the party was awakened by the roaring of the waves and +wind and aroused the rest, who attempted to save their supplies. +Groping with torches along the shore, they succeeded in securing the +cargo of Galinee's canoe, and of one of Dollier's. The other canoe load +was lost, including provisions, goods for bartering, ammunition, and, +most important of all, the altar service, with which they intended +establishing their mission among the Pottawatamies. The question was +debated whether they should take up their mission with some other +tribe, or go back to Montreal for a new altar service and supplies, +and, returning at a later period, establish themselves wherever they +should then determine. Deciding in favor of the latter view, they +concluded that the return journey would be as short by way of the Sault +and the French River as by the route which they had followed from the +east. In favor of this decision was the further consideration that not +only would they see a new country but they would have the escort of the +Ottawas who were assembling at the Sault for their annual trading visit +to Montreal and Quebec. Galinee continues: "We pursued our journey +accordingly towards the west, and after having made about 100 leagues +on Lake Erie arrived at the place where the _Lake of the Hurons_, +otherwise called the _Fresh-water Sea of the Hurons_, or the Michigan, +discharges itself into that lake. This outlet is perhaps half a league +wide and turns sharply to the north-east, so that we were in a measure +retracing our steps; at the end of six leagues we found a place that +was very remarkable and held in great veneration by all the savages of +these regions, because of a stone idol of natural formation, to which +they say they owe the success of their navigation on Lake Erie when +they have crossed it without accident, and which they appease by +sacrifices, presents of skins, provisions, etc., when they wish to +embark on it." + + [7] Evidently the Rondeau. + + [8] This was Point Pelee. + +"This place was full of huts of those who had come to pay homage to this +idol, which had no other resemblance to a human figure than that which +the imagination chose to give it. However it was painted all over, and a +kind of face had been formed for it with vermillion. I leave you to +imagine whether we avenged upon this idol, which the Iroquois had +strongly recommended us to honor, the loss of our chapel." + +"We attributed to it even the scarcity of food from which we had +suffered up to that time. In fine there was nobody whose hatred it had +not incurred. I consecrated one of my hatchets to break this god of +stone, and then having locked canoes we carried the largest piece to the +middle of the river, and immediately cast the remainder into the water, +that it might never be heard of again." + +"God rewarded us forthwith for this good act: for we killed a deer that +same day, and four leagues farther we entered a little lake about ten +leagues long and almost as wide, called by Mr. Sanson the _Lake of the +Salted Waters_, but we saw no sign of salt. From this lake we entered +the outlet of Lake Michigan, which is not a quarter of a league in +width." + +"At last ten or twelve leagues farther on, we entered the largest lake +in all America, called here "the Fresh-water Sea of the Hurons," or in +Algonkin, _Michigan_. It is 600 to 700 leagues in circuit. We made on +this lake 200 leagues and were afraid of falling short of provisions, +the shores of the lake being apparently very barren. God, however, did +not wish that we should lack for food in his service." + +"For we were never more than one day without food. It is true that +several times we had nothing left, and had to pass an evening and +morning without having anything to put into the kettle, but I did not +see that any one was discouraged or put to prayers (_sic_) on that +account. For we were so accustomed to see that God succored us mightily +in emergencies, that we awaited with tranquility the effects of his +goodness, thinking that He who nourished so many barbarians in these +woods would not abandon his servants." + +"We passed this lake without any peril and entered the _Lake of the +Hurons_, which communicates with it by four mouths, each nearly two +leagues in width." + +"At last we arrived on the 25th May, the day of Pentecost, at Ste. Marie +of the Sault, where the Jesuit fathers have made their principal +establishment for the missions to the Ottawas and neighboring tribes." + +Here they found fathers D'Ablon and Marquette in charge of the mission, +with a fort consisting of a square of cedar posts, enclosing a chapel +and residence. They had cleared and seeded a large piece of ground. The +Sulpicians remained only three days and then hired an experienced guide +to take them to Montreal, where they arrived on the 18th June after a +fatiguing journey of twenty-two days. They had been absent since the 6th +July 1669, and were welcomed as if they had come to life again after +being dead. It was their intention to return in the following spring and +renew their search for the Ohio River, where they purposed establishing +a mission; but this intention was never carried into effect. + +"This famous voyage," says Dean Harris in his interesting 'History of +the Early Missions in Western Canada,' "stimulated to an extraordinary +degree enthusiasm for discovery, and in the following year Talon sent +out expeditions to the Hudson Bay, the Southern Sea, and into the +Algonquin country to the north." Marquette, Tonty, Hennepin, Du Lhut, La +Salle and Perrot explored the Mississippi valley, and the head waters of +the St. Lawrence system, and almost the entire continent was claimed by +the French as belonging to New France. As far as appears, there were no +Indians having settled abodes on the north shore of Lake Erie for more +than a century after the expulsion of the Neutrals. Nor does any attempt +appear to have been made by the whites to explore south-western Ontario +until the close of the last century. The Iroquois continued for a long +period to range its forests for beaver in the winter. The rivalry +between the French and the English for the control of the vast western +fur trade led to the erection of outposts by the English at Oswego and +by the French at Cataraqui, Niagara, Detroit and Michilimakinac, during +the latter part of the 17th century. English traders sailed or paddled +up the lakes to get their share of the traffic, and were from time to +time summarily arrested and expelled by their rivals. Both parties tried +to ingratiate themselves with the natives. The French were as eager to +maintain a state of warfare between the Iroquois and the Indians of the +upper Lakes--the Hurons, Ottawas, Pottawatamies, Ojibways etc.--as to +induce the former to keep the peace with the white inhabitants of +Canada. There were two great trade routes to Montreal, viz: by Mackinac, +the Georgian Bay and the French and Ottawa River and by Detroit, Lake +Erie and Niagara; the Lake Simcoe portage routes by the Trent River +system, and the Holland River and Toronto were also used. Trading or +military parties, under the leadership of La Salle, Tonty, Perrot, Du +Lhut, Cadaillac, passed along the coast of L. Erie in canoes; but little +record if any remained of their visits to the shores. Kettle Creek was +long called the Tonty River. It is so named in one of Bellin's maps of +1755, and by the Canadian Land Board at Detroit as lately as 1793. The +only northern tributaries of Lake Erie to which names are given on the +map of 1755 are the Grand River, River D'Ollier (Patterson's Creek), +which in some maps is called the River of the Wintering--a manifest +reference to Galinee and Dollier de Casson's sojourn in 1669-70--the +River a la Barbue (Catfish Creek), the River Tonty (Kettle Creek) a +little east of P'te au Fort (Plum Point or else Port Talbot) and the +River aux Cedres (M'Gregor's Creek in Essex). The Thames is described as +a "River unknown to all geographers, and which you go up eighty leagues +without finding any rapids (_saults_)." The Chenail Ecarte is indicated +as the only outlet of the Sydenham river the map-makers assuming that +Walpole Island was part of the mainland. The mouths of four or five +streams are shown between Long Point and "the Little Lake" (Rondeau), +and the shore is marked "The High Cliffs." "The Low Cliffs" were +between the Rondeau and Point Pelee. In one of Bellin's maps of 1755 in +the present writer's possession Long Point is shown as a peninsula, and +the streams now in the County of Elgin are marked "Unknown Rivers," but +the map firstly mentioned and published in the same year, is more +complete, represents Long Point as an island, and names the Barbue and +Tonty rivers and Fort Point, (_P'te au Fort_) which are not named in +the other. The Tonty, moreover, is represented as an inlet by way of +distinction from the other streams (including the Barbue) which appear +as of equal insignificance. The naming of Kettle Creek after the great +explorer and devoted lieutenant of La Salle indicates its consequence. +Its harbor was of paramount importance to the navigation of these early +days, but no doubt the portage route extending from its mouth to the +Thames, exalted the little river in the eyes of the explorers who +honored it with Tonty's name.[9] + + [9] General John S. Clarke, of Auburn, N.Y., in correspondence + with the present writer, dwells upon the importance of the Kettle + Creek portage route in the seventeenth century. He is a + recognized authority upon the subject of Indian trade routes. + + + + +THE INDIAN TITLE. + + +On July 19th, 1701, the Iroquois ceded to the British the entire +country between the lakes, "including the country where beavers and all +sorts of wild game keep, and the place called De Tret,"[10] but this +appears to have been a mere formality as no possession was taken by the +purchasers. + + [10] History of Middlesex County, p. 17. + +The Ojibways have a tradition that they defeated the Iroquois (called by +them the Nottawas or Nahdoways) in a succession of skirmishes, ending in +a complete victory at the outlet of Burlington Bay, and the final +expulsion of the Six Nations from that part of Ontario between the Great +Lakes. The Ojibways then spread east and west over the country. "A +treaty of peace and friendship was then made with the Nahdoways residing +on the south side of Lake Ontario, and both nations solemnly covenanted, +by going through the usual forms of burying the tomahawk, smoking the +pipe of peace, and locking their hands and arms together, agreeing in +future to call each other _Brothers_. Thus ended their war with the +Nahdoways."[11] + + [11] "Peter Jones and the Ojebway Indians," p. 113. + +Whatever may be the truth of the details, there is no doubt of the fact +that the Ojibways or their kindred the Mississagas were the sole +occupants of Western Ontario at the time of the conquest in 1759, except +near the Detroit River where the remnant of the Hurons or Wyandots had +settled. It was with the Mississagas that the British negotiated in 1784 +for the cession of the country from the "head of the Lake Ontario or the +Creek Waghguata to the River La Tranche, then down the river until a +south course will strike the mouth of Cat Fish Creek on Lake Erie." On +the 21st May, 1790, Alexander M'Kee announced to the Land-board at +Detroit the cession to the Crown by the Indians of that part of Upper +Canada west of the former grant. The surrender of the Indian title +opened the way in each division of the lake shore district for +settlement.[12] + + NOTE.--The explanatory notes referring to the extract are by the + late Leonidas Burwell, M.P.P., and are given by him in a letter to + His Honor, Judge Hughes, which has been kindly presented by the + recipient to the Elgin Historical and Scientific Institute. + + [12] The north shore of Lake Erie appears to have been so little + known to the officials, that Kettle Creek and Cat Fish Creek were + continually confused and taken as being one or different streams + as chance would have it. The Land-board considered that a + surrender of the lands west of Kettle Creek gave the Crown all + the territory not previously ceded. The Indians at Detroit who + made the cession were the Ojibways, Hurons, Ottawas and + Pottawatamies. + + + + +CHARLEVOIX'S DESCRIPTION. + + +In the year 1721 the distinguished traveller, Charlevoix, passed through +Lake Erie on his way up the Lakes and thence down the Mississippi to +New Orleans. The north shore of Lake Erie, and chiefly that part now +embraced within the limits of the County of Elgin, is singled out by him +as the most beautiful country he met with in his passage. Many +travellers since Charlevoix have admired the charming scenery at the +mouths of Otter, Catfish, Kettle and Talbot Creeks, but few if any have +described it so well. As Colonel Talbot was influenced mainly by +Charlevoix's description of the country to establish his settlement at +the outlet of Talbot Creek in 1803, the present writer makes no apology +for reproducing the following extended passage from the celebrated and +gifted traveller: + +"The 28th May, 1721, I went eighteen leagues and found myself over +against the _great river_ which comes from the East in forty-two +degrees fifteen minutes. Nevertheless the great trees were not yet +green. This country appeared to me to be very fine. We made very little +way the 29th and none at all the 30th. We embarked the next day about +sun rise, and went forward apace. The first of June being Whitsunday, +after going up a pretty river almost an hour which comes a great way, +and runs between two fine meadows, we made a portage about sixty paces +to escape going round a point which advances fifteen leagues into the +lake: they call it the _Long Point_. It is very sandy and produces +naturally many vines."[13] + + [13] This river is what is now known as "Big Creek" and, answers + this description at the present day. It enters the lake a little + above Fort Rowan. + +"The following days I saw nothing remarkable, but I coasted a charming +country that was hid from time to time by some disagreeable skreens, but +of little depth. In every place where I landed I was enchanted with the +beauty and variety of landscape bounded by the finest forest in the +world; besides this water fowl swarmed everywhere. I cannot say there is +such plenty of game in the woods: but I know that on the south side +there are vast herds of wild cattle."[14] + + [14] This charming country is evidently, the greater part of it, + the County of Elgin, as the portage is not more than thirteen + miles from the boundary line of Bayham. In passing up the lake + one would meet with a great variety of landscape as the + sand-hills in Houghton and the mouths of the Otter, Catfish and + other creeks would be passed. The lofty pines and chestnuts and + oaks along this coast, in their original state no doubt appeared + like the "finest forest in the world." + +"If one always travelled as I did then, with a clear sky and charming +climate on water as bright as the finest fountain, and were to meet +everywhere with safe and pleasant encampings, where one might find all +manner of game at little cost, breathing at one's ease a pure air, and +enjoying the sight of the finest countries, one would be tempted to +travel all one's life." + +"It put me in mind of those ancient patriarchs who had no fixed abode, +dwelt under tents, were in some manner master of all the countries they +travelled over, and peaceably enjoyed all their productions without +having the trouble which is inavoidable in the possession of a real +domain. How many oaks represented to me that of _Mamre_? How many +fountains made me remember that of Jacob? Every day a situation of my +own choosing, a neat and convenient house set up and furnished with +necessaries in a quarter of an hour, spread with flowers always fresh, +on a fine green carpet, and on every side plain and natural beauties +which art had not altered and which it can not imitate. If the pleasures +suffer some interruption either by bad weather or some unforseen +accident, they are the more relished when they reappear." + +"If I had a mind to moralize, I should add, these alternations of +pleasure and disappointment which I have so often experienced since I +have been travelling, are very proper to make us sensible that there is +no kind of life more capable of representing to us continually that we +are only on the earth like pilgrims, and that we can only use, as in +passing, the goods of this world; that a man wants but a few things; and +that we ought to take with patience the misfortunes that happen in our +journey, since they pass away equally, and with the same celerity. In +short how many things in travelling make us sensible of the dependence +in which we live upon Divine providence, which does not make use of, for +this mixture of good and evil, men's passions, but the vicissitudes of +the seasons which we may foresee, and of the caprice of the elements, +which we may expect of course. Of consequence, how easy is it, and how +many opportunities have we to merit by our dependence on and resignation +to the will of God?" + +"They say commonly that long voyages do not make people religious, but +nothing one would think should be more capable of making them so, than +the scenes they go through." + + + + +THE BRITISH OCCUPATION. + + +The conquest of Canada in 1759 was followed by the occupation of Detroit +and the upper forts by a British force under the famous Major Robert +Rogers. He followed the south shore of Lake Erie, and near the site of +Cleveland was met by the celebrated Ottawa chief, Pontiac, who +challenged his right to pass through the country without the formal +permission of its savage sovereign. The operations of the conspiracy of +Pontiac (1763-5) are described in Parkman's glowing pages. The success +of the American Revolution was followed by the settlement not only of +the U.E. Loyalists but also of many of the disbanded British troops in +the most fertile districts north of the lakes. To locate these +advantageously a Land-board was established at Detroit by the Canadian +Government and it continued to perform its functions until the surrender +of that post to the United States under the provisions of the Jay Treaty +of 1794. + + + + +McNIFF'S EXPLORATION. + + +The Indian title to the whole north shore region having been surrendered +to the Crown, no time was lost in opening the territory for settlement. +Patrick McNiff, an assistant surveyor attached to the Ordinance +Department, was ordered by Patrick Murray, Commandant at Detroit, to +explore the north shore from Long Point westward and investigate the +quality and situation of the land. His report is dated 16th June 1790. +The following extract is interesting: + + "From Pointe aux Pins to the portage at Long Point, no possibility + of making any settlement to front on the Lake, being all the way a + yellow and white sand bank from 50 to 100 feet high, top covered + with chestnut and scrubby oak and no harbours where even light boats + may enter except River Tonty and River a la Barbue.[15] A load boat + may enter the latter having four and a half feet water on the bar; + on each side of River a la Barbue are flats of excellent lands, but + not above fifteen or twenty chains wide, before very high land + commences, which in many places does not appear to be accessible for + any carriage. On the tops of these very high hills, good land, + timber, some very large chestnut, hickory and bass. These hills are + separated by dry ravines almost impassable from their great + depth--on the back of Long Point very good land, not so hilly as + what I have passed. Timber bass, black walnut and hard maple, but + marshy in front for twenty or thirty chains." + + [15] Kettle and Catfish Creeks. + +In consequence of this unfavorable report, townships were directed to be +laid out on the River Thames, instead of the lake shore. + + + + +LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR SIMCOE. + + +In the year 1791 the Quebec Act was passed, dividing Quebec into +two provinces, and Colonel John Graves Simcoe became the first +lieutenant-governor of Upper Canada. Before the Bill was introduced into +parliament, it was understood that Simcoe had been selected by Pitt to +govern the new province, direct its settlement and establish +constitutional government after the model of the British system. As +early as January, 1791, he had written a letter to Sir Joseph Banks, +President of the Royal Society,[16] in which after mentioning his +appointment, he explained his own plans as to the administration, and +stated his desire to profit by the ideas of his correspondent whom he +would wait upon for that purpose. + + [16] Record book of the Land Board at Detroit, now in the Crown + Lands Department at Toronto. + +"For the purpose of commerce, union and power, I propose that the site +of the colony should be in that Great Peninsula between the Lakes Huron, +Erie and Ontario, a spot destined by nature, sooner or later, to govern +the interior world." + +"I mean to establish a capital in the very heart of the country, upon +the River La Tranche, which is navigable for batteauxs for 150 +miles--and near to where the Grand River, which falls into Erie, and +others that communicate with Huron and Ontario almost interlock. The +capital I mean to call Georgina--and aim to settle in its vicinity +Loyalists, who are now in Connecticut, provided that the Government +approve of the system." + +As a member of the House of Commons, Simcoe spoke in support of a +provision in the bill for the establishment of an hereditary nobility, +which Fox had moved to strike out. The report states that Colonel Simcoe +"having pronounced a panegyric on the British constitution, wished it to +be adopted in the present instance, as far as circumstances would +admit." The provision was in the bill as finally passed. + +Having proceeded to Quebec to enter upon the performance of his duties, +he appears to have utilized every opportunity for informing himself of +his new domain. He writes to Hon. Henry Dundas from Montreal, December +7, 1791, in a letter marked "secret and confidential," as follows:-- + + "I am happy to have found in the surveyor's office an actual survey + of the River La Tranche. It answers my most sanguine expectations, + and I have but little doubt that its communications with the Ontario + and Erie will be found to be very practicable, the whole forming a + route which, in all respects, may annihilate the political + consequences of Niagara and Lake Erie. * * * My ideas at present + are to assemble the new corps, artificers, etc., at Cataraqui + (Kingston), and to take its present garrison and visit Toronto and + the heads of La Tranche, to pass down that river to Detroit, and + early in the spring to occupy such a central position as shall be + previously chosen for the capital." + +On the 16th July, 1792, the name of the River La Tranche was changed to +the Thames by proclamation of the Governor, issued at Kingston. In the +spring, he had written that "Toronto appears to be the natural arsenal +of Lake Ontario and to afford an easy access overland to Lake Huron." He +adds: "The River La Tranche, near the navigable head of which I propose +to establish the Capital, by what I can gather from the few people who +have visited it, will afford a safe, more certain, and I am inclined to +think, by taking due advantage of the season, a less expensive route to +Detroit than that of Niagara." + +At Quebec Simcoe had met the Hon. Thomas Talbot, who had joined the +24th Regiment as Lieutenant in the previous year. Talbot was then a +young man of twenty, whilst Simcoe was in his fortieth year. A strong +attachment sprang up between these two remarkable men, and Talbot +accompanied the lieutenant-governor to Niagara, in the capacity of +private and confidential secretary. After meeting the first Legislature +elected in Upper Canada during the fall of 1792 Simcoe decided to make +a journey overland to Detroit. He left Navy Hall on the 4th February, +1793, and returned on the 10th March. His travelling companions were +Capt. Fitzgerald, Lieutenant Smith (previously Secretary to the Detroit +Land Board, subsequently the first Surveyor General of Upper Canada, an +M.P.P., Speaker of the House, etc., and afterward created a baronet), +Lieutenants Talbot, Gray, Givens and Major Littlehales. All of these +were prominent afterward in the history of the Province. Talbot became +the founder of the Talbot Settlement. Gray was appointed Solicitor +General; he perished in the schooner 'Speedy' on Lake Ontario in 1804 +with Judge Cochrane, Sheriff Macdonell and others. Givens was afterward +the well-known Colonel Givens, Superintendant of Indian Affairs at +York. Littlehales was afterward Sir E. B. Littlehales, Secretary of War +for Ireland, during the Lord-Lieutenancy of the Marquis of Cornwallis; +he married in 1805 the Lady Elizabeth Fitzgerald, daughter of the Duke +of Leinster and sister of the unfortunate Lord Edward Fitzgerald.[17] + + [17] Dr. Scadding's notes to his reprint of Littlehales' Journal. + +The journey was made partly in sleighs, but chiefly on foot. Littlehales +kept a diary of the occurrences on the way. The route was by Ten-mile +Creek, Nelles' house at the Grand River, the Mohawk Indian village (a +little below Brantford), the portage route to the Forks of the Thames +(London), and then down or along the River to Detroit. Joseph Brant with +about a dozen of his Indians accompanied the party from the Mohawk +Village to Delaware, doubtless to furnish them with game and guide them +over the long portage. The Indians excited admiration by their skill in +constructing wigwams of elm bark to lodge the company. After leaving the +Grand River the trail passed a Mississaga encampment, a trader's house, +fine open deer plains, several beaver dams, "an encampment said to have +been Lord Fitzgerald's when on his march to Detroit, Michilimackinac and +the Mississippi," a cedar grove; crossed a small branch of the La +Tranche, and the main branch soon afterwards; "went between an irregular +fence of stakes made by the Indians to intimidate and impede the deer, +and facilitate their hunting;" again they crossed the main branch of +the Thames,[18] and "halted to observe a beautiful situation, formed by +a bend of the river--a grove of hemlock and pine, and a large creek. We +passed some deep ravines and made our wigwam by a stream on the brow of +a hill, near a spot where Indians were interred. The burying ground was +of earth raised, nearly covered with leaves; and wickered over--adjoining +it was a large pole, with painted hieroglyphics on it denoting the +nation, tribes and achievements of the deceased, either as chiefs, +warriors, or hunters." This was on the 13th February. The food of the +party consisted of soup and dried venison, to which squirrel and racoon +meat added variety. Littlehales remarks about the latter: "The three +racoons when roasted made us an excellent supper. Some parts were +rancid, but in general the flesh was exceedingly tender and good." On +the 14th they encamped a few miles above the Delaware village. During +the day the diarist had "observed many trees blazed, and various +figures of Indians (returning from battle with scalps) and animals +drawn upon them, descriptive of the nations, tribes and number that had +passed. Many of them were well drawn, especially a bison." + + [18] This was no doubt where London now is. + +"This day we walked over very uneven ground, and passed two lakes of +about four miles in circumference, between which were many fine larch +trees." + +Next morning they walked on the ice of the river five or six miles to +the Delaware village, where the chiefs received them cordially and +regaled them with eggs and venison. "Captain Brant being obliged to +return to a council of the Six Nations, we stayed the whole day. The +Delaware Castle is pleasantly situated upon the banks of the Thames; the +meadows at the bottom are cleared to some extent, and in summer planted +with Indian corn. After walking twelve or fourteen miles this day, part +of the way through plains of white oak and ash, and passing several +Chippawa Indians upon their hunting parties, and in their encampments, +we arrived at a Canadian trader's; and a little beyond, in proceeding +down the river the Indians discovered a spring of an oily nature, which +upon examination proved to be a kind of petroleum. We passed another +wigwam of Chippawas, making maple sugar, the mildness of the winter +having compelled them in a great measure to abandon their annual +hunting. We soon arrived at an old hut where we passed the night." + +On the 17th, after a journey of four or five miles, they passed the +Moravian Village which had been begun in May, 1792. The Delaware Indians +were "under the control, and in many particulars, under the command of +four missionaries, Messrs. Zeisberger, Senseman, Edwards and Young." +They were making progress towards civilization, and already had corn +fields and were being instructed in different branches of agriculture. +"At this place every respect was paid to the Governor, and we procured a +seasonable refreshment of eggs, milk and butter. Pursuing our journey +eight or nine miles, we stopped for the night at the extremity of a new +road, cut by the Indians and close to a creek." + +"18th--Crossing the Thames and leaving behind us a new log house, +belonging to a sailor named Carpenter, we passed a thick, swampy wood of +black walnut, where His Excellency's servant was lost for three or four +hours. We then came to a bend of the La Tranche (Thames)[19] and were +agreeably surprised to meet twelve or fourteen carioles coming to meet +and conduct the Governor, who, with his suite, got into them, and at +about four o'clock arrived at Dolsen's, having previously reconnoitred a +fork of the river, and examined a mill of curious construction erecting +upon it. The settlement where Dolsen resides is very promising, the land +is well adapted for farmers, and there are some respectable inhabitants +on both sides of the river: behind it to the south is a range of +spacious meadows--elk are continually seen upon them--and the pools and +ponds are full of cray fish." + + [19] Afterwards referred to by the diarist as the high bank. + +"From Dolsen's we went to the mouth of the Thames in carioles, about +twelve miles, and saw the remains of a considerable town of the +Chippawas, where, it is reported, a desperate battle was fought between +them and the Senecas, and upon which occasion the latter, being totally +vanquished, abandoned their dominions to the conquerors. Certain it is, +that human bones are scattered in abundance in the vicinity of the +ground, and the Indiana have a variety of traditions relative to this +transaction."[20] + + [20] Note Peter Jones' statement as quoted on page 28. + +We pass over briefly the Governor's reception at Detroit. The Canadian +militia on the east bank fired a _feu de joie_. He crossed the river in +boats amidst floating ice. The garrison of Detroit was under arms to +receive His Majesty's representative. A royal salute was fired. + +The farms, the apple orchards, windmills and houses close together on +the river bank gave an appearance of population and respectability. +Talbot's regiment, the 24th, was stationed at Detroit. Fort Lenoult and +the rest of the works were inspected. The party visited at the River +Rouge a sloop almost ready to be launched. They went to see the Bloody +Bridge, memorable for the slaughter of British troops by Pontiac 30 +years before. + +On the 23rd, the Governor left Detroit on his homeward journey. Col. +McKee, Mr. Baby and others escorting His Excellency as far as the high +bank where the carioles had met the party on the 18th. "Here we +separated; and each taking his pack or knapsack on his back, we walked +that night to the Moravian village." + +On the 27th the chiefs at the village entertained the party with +venison, and dancing, "a ceremony they never dispense with when any of +the King's officers of rank visit their villages." + +"28th.--At six we stopped at an old Misissaga hut, upon the south side +of the Thames. After taking some refreshment of salt pork and venison, +well cooked by Lieutenant Smith, who superintended that department, we, +as usual, sang God Save the King, and went to rest." + +"March 1st.--We set out along the banks of the river; hen, ascending a +high hill, quitted our former path, and directed our course to the +northward. A good deal of snow having fallen, and lying still on the +ground, we saw tracks of otters, deer, wolves and bears and other +animals many of which being quite fresh induced the Mohawks to pursue +them, but without success. We walked 14 or 15 miles and twice crossed +the river, and a few creeks, upon the ice; once we came close to a +Chippawa hunting camp, opposite to a fine terrace, on the banks of which +we encamped, near a bay. * * * 2nd.--We struck the Thames at one end +of a low flat island enveloped with shrubs and trees; the rapidity and +strength of the current were such as to have forced a channel through +the main land, being a peninsula, and to have formed the island. We +walked over a rich meadow, and at its extremity came to the forks of the +river.[21] The Governor wished to examine this situation and its +environs: and we therefore remained here all the day. He judged it to be +a situation eminently calculated for the metropolis of Canada. Among +many other essentials, it possesses the following advantages: command of +territory,--internal situation,--central position,--facility of water +communication up and down the Thames into Lakes St. Clair, Erie, Huron +and Superior,--navigable for boats to near its source, and for small +crafts probably to the Moravian settlement--to the northward by a small +portage to the waters flowing into Lake Huron--to the south-east by a +carrying place into Lake Ontario and the River St. Lawrence; the soil +luxuriantly fertile,--the land rich, and capable of being easily +cleared, and soon put into a state of agriculture,--a pinery upon an +adjacent high knoll, and other timber on the heights, well calculated +for the erection of public buildings,--a climate not inferior to any +part of Canada." + + [21] Now the city of London. + +"To these natural advantages an object of great consideration is to be +added, that the enormous expenses of the Indian Department would be +greatly diminished, if not abolished; the Indians would, in all +probability, be induced to become the carriers of their own peltries, +and they would find a ready, contiguous, commodious, and equitable mart, +honorably advantageous to Government, and the community in general, +without their becoming a prey to the monopolizing and unprincipled +trader." + +"The young Indians, who had chased a herd of deer in company with +Lieutenant Givens, returned unsuccessful, but brought with them a large +porcupine; which was very seasonable, as our provisions were nearly +expended. This animal afforded us a very good repast, and tasted like a +pig. The Newfoundland dog attempted to bite the porcupine, but soon got +his mouth filled with the barbed quills, which gave him exquisite pain. +An Indian undertook to extract them, and with much perseverance plucked +them out, one by one, and carefully applied a root or decoction, which +speedily healed the wound." + +"Various figures were delineated on trees at the forks of the River +Thames, done with charcoal and vermillion; the most remarkable were the +imitations of men with deer's heads." + +"We saw a fine eagle on the wing, and two or three large birds, perhaps +vultures." + +"3rd.--We were glad to leave our wigwam early this morning, it having +rained incessantly the whole night; besides, the hemlock branches on +which we slept were wet before they were gathered for our use.--We first +ascended the height at least 120 feet into a continuation of the pinery +already mentioned; quitting that, we came to a beautiful plain with +detached clumps of white oak, and open woods; then crossing a creek +running into the south branch of the Thames, we entered a thick swampy +wood, where we were at a loss to discover any track; but in a few +minutes we were released from this dilemma by the Indians, who making a +cast, soon descried our old path to Detroit. Descending a hill and +crossing a brook, we came at noon to the encampment we left on the 14th +of February, and were agreeably surprised by meeting Captain Brant and a +numerous retinue; among them were four of the Indians we had despatched +to him when we first altered our course for the forks of the River +Thames." + +On the 4th, after crossing brooks and rivulets, much swollen by a +thunder-storm, and passing the hut occupied by them on the 12th February +they noticed "very fine beech trees." + +Next day:--"We again crossed one of the branches of the south-east fork +of the Thames, and halted in a cypress or cedar grove, where we were +much amused by seeing Brant and the Indians chase a lynx with their dogs +and rifle guns, but they did not catch it. Several porcupines were +seen." + +On the 6th they reached the Mohawk village, crossing the river at a +different place and by a nearer route than before. The Indians had met +the Governor with horses at "the end of the plain, near the Salt Lick +Creek." The party finally arrived at Navy Hall on the 10th day of March. + +At this period the overland route from Detroit to Niagara was apparently +well known. There was an annual "Winter-express" each way, which Simcoe +met on his westward journey on the 12th February and on his homeward +route on the 5th March. Littlehales mentions a Mr. Clarke as being with +it on each occasion. On their first meeting, the express was accompanied +by a Wyandot and a Chippawa Indian. The second time, Mr. Augustus Jones, +the surveyor, was either with or following it. He surveyed the +north-west part of Southwold in the following year. On the up trip, the +Governor's party met one man, who afterward proved to be a runaway thief +from Detroit. They were also overtaken by a traveller, who, as they were +subsequently informed, had got himself supplied with provisions and +horses to the Grand Rivet, and a guide from thence to Detroit, by the +false representation that he had despatches for the Governor. "He +quitted us under the plausible pretence of looking for land to establish +a settlement." + +It appears that immediately after the capture of Niagara by Johnston in +1759, merchants from New England and Virginia had rushed in to +participate in the fur-trade, which until that time had been largely +monopolized by the French. As might be expected, many lawless acts were +committed by these adventurers, and various proceedings were adopted by +the Government to check and control them. After the American Revolution +land-hunters came into the peninsula and undertook to purchase lands +directly from the Indians. These purchases were ignored by the Land +Boards, who always repudiated the idea that the Indians were proprietors +of the land. No steps were taken however to locate settlers until the +Indian title by occupancy was surrendered to the Crown. Even then, +Simcoe's first step was to procure surveys for the purpose of +establishing military roads, fortified posts, dockyards, etc., in order +that when the settlers came they might be easily defended against +hostile attacks, whether from the Indians, the United States troops, or +the French or Spanish, who it was believed might invade the province by +way of the Mississippi, the Ohio and the upper lakes. + +Patrick McNiff's survey of the River Thames, as far as the upper +Delaware village, was finished in 1793. His map is dated at Detroit on +the 25th June of this year. In it he mentions that "from the entrance to +the 12th lot of the 3rd township was surveyed two years since, from the +12th lot * * * to the upper village was surveyed in April and May +1793." + +The map gives the "road leading from the Delawares to the Moravian +village," "corn-fields" along the east bank of the river, an Indian +village in the Southwold bend, and opposite on the southerly bank the +"road leading to the entrance of Kettle Creek[22] on Lake Erie. Five +hours' journey." It also shows the road leading to the Mohawk village on +the Grand River. + + [22] This disposes of the story told by Colonel Talbot to Mrs. + Jamieson in 1837. He informed her that the name originated from + his men having lost a kettle in the creek. But the creek was + called Riviere a la Chaudiere or Kettle River by the French, and + that is one of the names given to it in D. W. Smith's Gazetteer, + of Upper Canada published in 1799. + +The Moravian village is near the site of the battle field, and it is +marked "commenced in May, 1792." The present location of Dundas Street +and the Longwoods Road would appear to correspond with the roads east +and west of Delaware as laid down.[23] Simcoe in forwarding McNiff's +survey to Mr. Dundas on 20th September, 1793, thus refers to the Lake +Erie region: + + [23] The writer has not been able to see Mr. McNiff's report upon + this survey. + +"The tract of country which lies between the river (or rather navigable +canal as its Indian name and French translation import) and Lake Erie, +is one of the finest for all agricultural purposes in North America, and +far exceeds the soil or climate of the Atlantic States. There are few or +no interjacent swamps, and a variety of useful streams empty themselves +into the lake or the river." + +The Governor makes frequent reference in his correspondence and state +papers to his plans for establishing the capital of Upper Canada at the +upper forks of the Thames, to be called Georgina, London or New London. +Down to the very time of his departure in 1796, and after the seat of +government had been transferred to York (now Toronto), he regarded the +latter as but a temporary capital, the real metropolis having yet to be +built at London in accordance with his original design. + +Talbot remained in the service of the Lieutenant Governor until June +1794, when as Major of the 5th Regiment he departed for England under +orders for Flanders, carrying with him special letters of recommendation +from Simcoe to Dundas and to Mr. King, the Under Secretary of State. He +had been employed in various confidential missions. In 1793 he had been +sent to Philadelphia to await news from Europe, when war with France was +believed to be imminent. On the 22nd August, 1793, we find Talbot in +"the most confidential intercourse with the several Indian tribes," as +Simcoe expresses it, at the Miamis Rapids, where he had met the United +States Commissioners and the Confederated Indians to consider the +boundary question. In April, 1794; Simcoe was himself at the Falls of +the Miami, and he repeated the visit during the following September, +going by way of Fort Erie. This visit was a prolonged one; for we find +that in October he met an Indian Council at Brown's Town in the Miami +country. It is probable Talbot accompanied him in his capacity as +military secretary. The construction by Simcoe of the fort at the foot +of the rapids of the Miami in the spring of that year was an audacious +step, which might easily have produced a new war between the United +States and England, although Simcoe believed it had had the opposite +result, and prevented war. All disputes between the two nations were +however concluded by the treaty of 1794, usually called the Jay Treaty. +Provision was made for the abandonment of the frontier posts hitherto +occupied by English garrisons. Forts Niagara, Detroit, Miami and +Michilimackinac received American garrisons in 1796 or shortly +thereafter; English troops were stationed in new forts at St. Joseph's +Island, Malden, Turkey Point, Fort Erie, Toronto, etc. The English flag +floated no longer south of the great lakes. During the year 1796, Simcoe +went to England on leave of absence, and he never returned to Canada. + + + + +COLONEL TALBOT. + + +The Honorable Thomas Talbot received his company and his majority in the +same year, 1793. He was Colonel of the Fifth Regiment in 1795, at the +early age of twenty-five. After eight years of military service on the +Continent, partly in Flanders and partly at Gibraltar, he was still in +1803 a young man with every prospect that is usually considered alluring +to ambition. Suddenly, to the amazement of his friends and the public, +he abandoned the brilliant career upon which he had entered under so +favorable auspices, cut himself loose from civilization itself, and +buried himself in the recesses of the Canadian forest. He determined to +settle on the north shore of Lake Erie, where he had previously selected +a location on one of his journeyings with Governor Simcoe. Talbot had +formed plans for diverting the stream of immigration from the United +States, or rather for continuing its current as far as Upper Canada. He +would attract settlers from New York, Pennsylvania and New England, who +were dissatisfied with republican institutions or allured by the +fertility of the Lake Erie region, and would build up a loyal British +community, under the laws and institutions of the mother land. + +It was a memorable event in the history of the County of Elgin, when on +the 21st day of May, 1803, landing at Port Talbot, he took an axe and +chopped down the first tree, thus inaugurating what has since been known +as the Talbot Settlement. Henceforward, Colonel Talbot, Port Talbot, the +Talbot Road, and the Talbot Settlement, are names inseparably connected +with the history of the making of Upper Canada. + +At that time the nearest settlement on Lake Erie was near Turkey Point, +60 miles away. In 1802 there was but one settled minister west of +Niagara, Father Marchand, of Sandwich, a Roman Catholic priest. There +were but seven clergymen settled in the whole Province. The record[24] +states, however, that "Besides, there are several missionaries of the +Methodistical order, whose residence is not fixed." Even at that early +day the circuit-rider threaded the maze of forest between the Long Point +clearings and those near the mouth of the Thames, and made his way down +the Detroit River to the Essex shore of Lake Erie, where there was a +fringe of settlement. But, generally speaking, the country north of Lake +Erie to the borders of Lake Huron and the Georgian Bay was still a +wilderness of continuous unbroken forest. + + [24] Tiffany's Upper Canada Almanac, Niagara, 1802. + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Country of the Neutrals, by James H. 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