ROUTES WHICH THE FRENCH HAD TO THE MISSISSIPPI.*

REPRESENTATION OF THE LORDS COMMISSIONERS FOR TRADE AND PLANTANS TO THE KING, UPON THE STATE OF HIS MAJESTY'S COLONIES AND PLANIONS ON THE CONTINENT OF NORTH AMERICA. DATED SEPTEMBER THE 8th,

1.

French territories in America extend from the mouth of the River St. Lawrence to uchere of the Mississippi, forming one continued line from north to south on the back Majesty's plantations, and although their garrisons, in many parts, are hitherto but onsiderable, yet as they have, by the means of their missionaries, debauched several idian nations to their interest, your Majesty's subjects along the continent have the anger to apprehend from this new settlement, unless timely care be taken to prevent

ise.

m this lake [Erie] to the Mississippi they have three different routes. The shortest , is up the River Miamis, or Ouamis, on the south-west of Lake Erie, on which river about 150 leagues without interruption, when they find themselves stopped by anoding of about three leagues, which they call a carrying place, because they are obliged to carry their canoes over land in those places to the next river, and that ey next embark is a very shallow one called La Rivière de Portage; hence they row Oleagues to the River Oubach, and from thence about 120 leagues to the River o which the Oubach falls, as the River Ohio does, about 80 leagues lower, into the pi, which continues its course for about 350 leagues, directly to the Bay of Mexico. re are likewise two other passages, much longer than this, which are particularly lown in Hennipen's map, and may be described in the following manner :

n the north-west of Lake Erie to a fort on the Lake St. Clair called Pont Chartrin is about eight leagues sail. Here the French have a settlement, and often four traders meet there. Along this lake they proceed about seven leagues further, and the great Lake Huron about ten leagues; hence they proceed to the Straits of ackinack, one hundred and twenty leagues. Here is a garrison of about thirty and a vast concourse of traders, sometimes not less than 1000, besides Indians, common place of rendezvous. At and near this place the Outarwas, an Indian e settled.

a the Lake Huron they pass by the Straight of Machillimackinack four leagues, in breadth, and of a great depth, to the Lake Illinois; thence one hundred and es on the lake to Fort Miamis, situated on the mouth of the River Chigagoe; from e those Indians of the same name, viz: Miamis, who are settled on the foremener that runs into Erie.

he River Chigagoe they sail but three leagues to a passage of one-fourth of a league; - a small lake of about a mile, and have another very small portage; and again ano. o miles to the River Illinois; thence down the stream one hundred and thirty leagues ippi.

next rout is from Michillimakinack on the Lake Illinois to the Lake de Puans, gues; thence to the River Paans, eighty leagues; thence up the same to a portage our miles before they come to the River Owisconsing; thence forty leagues to Mis

distances are as the traders reckon them, but they appear generally to be much overch may be owing to those peoples coasting along the shores of the lakes and taking windings of the rivers.†

on Documents, N. Y. Hist. Col., Vol. V., pp. 620-2.

French had, besides those here mentioned, two other principal routes from the Lakes to the Misat of the Ohio, which, starting from Presqu' Isle, on the south shore of Lake Erie, proceeded to au Boeuf, down that stream to its junction with the Ohio, and by the latter to the Mississippi;

VII.

Correspondence and Documents relating to Hudson's Bay.

FRENCH CORRESPONDENCE AND MEMOIRS, 1668-1745.

FROM DENONVILLE'S INSTRUCTIONS TO SIEUR DE TROYES, FEB. 12TH, 1668.

The Marquis de Denonville, Feb. 12, 1668, appointed le Sieur de Trois (sic) to go in search of the most advantageous posts and occupy the shores of the Baie du Nord and the embouchures of the rivers that enter therein, "to entrench and fortify the said posts, to seize the robbers, coureurs des bois and others whom we know to have taken and arrested several of our French engaged in the Indian trade, whom we order him to arrest, especially the said Radisson and his adherents, wherever they may be found, and bring them to be punished as deserters, according to the rigour of the ordinances."

MEMOIR M. TALON TO M. COLBERT.*

Quebec, Nov. 10, 1670.

I learn by the return of the Algonquins, who will winter this year at Tadoussac, that the two European vessels have been seen very near Hudson's Bay, where they wigwam (cabanent), as the Indians express it. After reflecting on all the nations that might have penetrated as far north as that, I can only light on the English, who, under the guidance of a man named Des Grozeliers, formerly an inhabitant of Canada, might possibly have attempted that navigation, of itself not much known-and not less dangerous. I intend despatching thither, overland, some man of resolution to invite the Kilistinons, who are in great numbers in the vicinity of the Bay, to come down to see us, as the Ottawas do, in order that we may have the first pick of what the latter savages bring us, who, acting as pedlars between those nations and us, make us pay for a round-about of three or four hundred leagues.

M. TALON TO THE KING. +

Quebec, Nov. 2, 1671.

Three months ago I despatched with Father Albanel, a Jesuit, Sieur de St. Simon' a young Canadian gentleman recently honoured by His Majesty with that title. They are to penetrate as far as Hudson's Bay, draw up a memoir of all they will discover, drive a trade in furs with the Indians, and especially reconnoitre whether there be any means of wintering ships in that quarter, in order to establish a factory that might when necessary, supply provisions to the vessels that will possibly hereafter discover, by that channel, the communication between the two seas-the north and the south. Since their departure I have received letters from them three times. The last, brought from one hundred leagues from here, informs me that the Indians whom they met on the way have

assured them that two English vessels and three barks have wintered in the neighbourhood of the Bay, and made a vast collection of beavers there. If my letters, in reply, are safely delivered to the said Father, this establishment will be thoroughly examined, and His Majesty will have full information about it. As those countries having been long ago (anciennement) originally discovered by the French, I have commissioned the said Sieur de St. Simon to take renewed possession in His Majesty's name, with orders to set up the escutcheon of France, with which he is entrusted, and to draw up a procés verbal, in the form I have furnished him.

It is proposed to me to despatch a bark of sixty tons hence to Hudson's Bay, whereby it is expected that something will be discovered of the communication between the If the adventurers who form this design subject the King to no expense, I shall give them hopes of some mark of honour if they succeed, besides indemnifying themselves from the fur trade which they will carry on with the Indians.

two seas.

JOLIET'S VOYAGE TO HUDSON'S BAY.-FROM COUNT DE FRONTENAC.*

6th and 8th Nov., 1679.

[I] send the narrative and map of the voyage Sieur Joliet has made to Hudson's Bay, which the farmers of the revenue of Canada have demanded of him. This relation is dated 27th of October, 1679, and signed JOLIET.

FROM M. DE FRONTENAC, 2ND Nov., 1681.†

Sieur Radisson, who is married in England, had returned to Canada from the Islands, where he had served under Marshal D'Estrées. He had applied to him for permission to go in a vessel belonging to Sieur de la Chesnay, to form establishments along the coasts leading towards Hudson's Bay.

FROM DUCHESNEAU'S MEMOIR.S

13th Nov., 1681.

They [the English] are still at Hudson's Bay, on the north, and do great damage to our fur trade. The farmers (of the revenue) suffer in consequence by the diminution of the trade at Tadoussac, and throughout that entire country, because the English draw of the Outawa nations; for the one and the other design, they have two forts in the said Bay-the one towards Tadoussac, and the other at Cape Henriette Marie, on the side of the Assinibouetz.

The sole means to prevent them succeeding in what is prejudicial to us in this regard, would be to drive them by main force from that Bay, which belongs to us; or if there would be an objection to coming to that extremity, to construct forts on the rivers falling into the lakes, in order to stop the Indians at these points.

Should the King adopt the resolution to arrange with the Duke of York for his possessions in this quarter, in which case Boston could not resist, the only thing to fear would be that this country might go to ruin, the French being naturally inconstant and fond of novelty.

The Sieur Jacques Duchesneau, appointed by the King Intendant in Canada, &c. in 1675

§N. Y. Hist. Col., Vol. IX., p. 166.

But as this could be remedied by rigorcus prohibitions, that consideration ought not to prevail over the great benefit which would accrue, and the great advantages His Majesty and his subjects must eventually derive from the transaction.

MEMOIR RELATING TO HUDSON'S BAY.*

The Ambassador of the King of England, at Paris, complained that the man named Radisson and other Frenchmen having gone with two barks, called Le St. Pierre and La Ste. Anne, into the river and port of Nelson, in 1682, seized a fort and some property of which the English had been in possession for several years.

Radisson and Desgrozelliers maintained that these allegations are not true; but that having found a spot on the River Nelson adapted to their trade, more than 150 leagues distant from the place where the English were settled in Hudson's Bay, they took possession of it in the King's name, in the month of August, 1682, and had commenced building a fort and some houses there.

That on the 14th September following, having heard cannon, they went out to examine, and on the 26th found some beginning of houses on an Island, and a vessel aground near the coast.

That these houses had been begun since they entered the river and had set about working at their fort and building, and, therefore, that they were the first occupants. That, since then, each having wished to maintain his establishment, the French

were become the masters.

That the ice and bad weather having caused the destruction of an English ship, some men belonging to it had died; but that they had on their part, treated them with great moderation and kindness, and rendered every assistance to the English, who appeared satisfied.

FROM M. DE LA Barre, GovernoR OF CANADA.†

Quebec, Nov. 12, 1682.

As to what relates to Hudson's Bay, the company in old England advanced some small houses along a river which leads from Lake Superior. As possession was taken of this country several years ago, he will put an end to this disorder, and report next year the success of his design.

LOUIS XIV. TO M. DE LA BARRE.

Fontainebleau, 5th Aug., 1683.

I recommend you to prevent the English, as much as possible, from establishing themselves in Hudson's Bay, possession whereof was taken in my name several years ago; and as Col. d'Unguent [Dongan], appointed Governor of New York by the King of England, has had precise orders on the part of the said King to maintain good correspondence with us, and carefully to avoid whatever may interrupt it, I doubt not the difficulties you have experienced on the side of the English will cease for the future.

M. DE LA BARRE TO M. DE SEIGNELAY.*

Quebec, 4th Nov., 1683.

The English of Hudson's Bay have this year attracted many of our northern Indians, who for this reason have not come to trade to Montreal. When they learned by expresses sent to them by Du L'Hut, on his arrival at Missilimakinak, that he was coming, they sent him word to come quickly, and they would unite with him to prevent all the. others going thither any more. If I stop that pass, as I hope, and as it is necessary to do, as the English of that Bay excite against us the savages, whom Sieur De L'Hut alone can quieten, I shall enter into arrangements with those of New York for the surrender to me any guilty fugitives. They appear well satisfied with me, but were desirous to obtain an order to that effect from the Duke of York. I judge from the state of European affairs that it is important to manage that nation, and I shall assiduously apply myself thereto.

of

*

*

*

*

A small vessel has just arrived from Hudson's Gulf, two hundred leagues further north than the Bay. She brings back those who were sent there last year by order of Count de Frontenac. You will receive herewith an exact map of the place. But divers little rencontres have occurred between our Frenchmen and the English, of which I send you a particular relation, in order, should any complaint be made to the King of England, and he speak of it to M. Barillon, the latter may be able to inform him of the truth. It proper that you let me know early whether the King desires to retain that post, so that it may be done, or the withdrawal of the French; for which purpose I shall dispose matters in order to aid them overland beyond Lake Superior, through Sieur Du L'hut, and to send to them by sea to bring back the merchandize and peltries.

is

M. DE SEIGNELAY TO M. DE LA BARRET

Versailles, April 10, 1684.

It is impossible to imagine what you pretended when, of your own authority, without calling on the Intendant and submitting the matter to the Sovereign Council, you ordered a vessel to be restored to one Guillam, which had been captured by Radisson and De Groszeliers, and in truth you ought to prevent these sort of proceedings, which are entirely unwarranted, coming under His Majesty's eyes. You have herein done what the English will be able to make a handle of, since in virtue of your ordinance you caused a vessel to be surrendered which ought strictly to be considered a pirate, as it had no commission; and the English will not fail to say that you so fully recognized the regularity of this ship's papers that you surrendered it to the proprietors, and they will thence pretend to conclude that they had taken legitimate possession of the River Nelson before Messrs. Radisson and Desgroszeliers had been there, which will be very prejudicial to the colony.

FROM THE LETTER WRITTEN BY SIEUR DU L'HUT TO M. DE LA BARRE, FROM BELOW THE PORTAGE TERAGON.‡

10th September, 1684.

As I was leaving the Lake of Almepigon I made, in June, all the presents necessary to prevent the savages from further carrying their beaver to the English. I have met the Sieur de la Croix with his two comrades, who gave me your despatches, wherein you tell