CHAP. VI.J

SERIOUS TROUBLES.

101

The supply of provisions from the lands about Detroit began to fail, and for a while there was danger of suffering on this account. The Hurons became mutinous, and it was evident they had been effectually tampered with. In 1747, Father Potier was obliged to leave Bois-blanc and go up to Detroit. They committed outrages in various places, killing several Frenchmen at Sandusky. They had also planned a massacre of the people in the fort at Detroit, which was overheard by a squaw, by whom it was revealed to a Jesuit laybrother, who informed Longueuil. The rising was general, and manifestations were made in all parts of Michigan and the Northwest. Longueuil succeeded in persuading a deputation of several tribes to go with Bellestre to Quebec to confer with the Governor. Among these were the great chiefs Sastaretsi Sastaretsi and Taychatin. After his departure the Hurons held a council, in which they desired Father de la Richardie to be sent up. Arrangements were made that he should accompany Bellestre to Detroit. Unfortunately, both the chiefs died before these gentlemen started.'

The year 1747 was one of constant trouble about Detroit. The Indians who had agreed to attack the Huron village at Bois-blanc, when the troubles broke out, refused to do so. Longueuil, however, had succeeded in getting the upper hand of the Miamis and others to the southward, and they sent to sue for peace. Three of the treach

1 10 N. Y. Doc., 38, 83, 114, 115, 119.

2 Id., 123, 134.

102

INDIAN OUTRAGES.

[CHAP. VI.

erous Huron chiefs, Nicolas, Orotoni and Anioton, who had been most deeply implicated, came also for the same purpose. While these were at Detroit, news came that a party had waylaid three Frenchmen at Grosse Ile, and attempted to murder them. The Frenchmen themselves soon appeared, wounded, but not fatally. Longueuil immediately sent a force of thirty men after the marauders. The deputies, fearing for themselves, informed the Commander that the criminals were concealed at Bois-blanc, and volunteered to arrest them. Longueuil accepted their offer, and gave them ten more men to accompany them. They overtook the first detachment, and brought back the five Indians to the fort. They turned out to be one Onondaga, as leader, one Huron, one Seneca, and two Mohegans. The populace killed the leader as soon as he landed. The rest were confined in the fort in irons. This event created great excitement among the Ohio Indians, but Longueuil pacified them, insisting however, on retaining the prisoners, and giving the nations to understand the fate of these depended on the conduct of the tribes. On the morning of the 29th of December, 1747, the Seneca was found dead, it being doubtful whether he killed himself or was killed by the Huron, who was to kill himself also. It turned out they had all nearly succeeded in escaping, as they had loosened their irons and prepared to kill the guard.

Afterwards, in February, 1748, Longueuil re

CHAP. VI.]

HURON MISSION.

103

leased the three survivors, upon the request of formal deputations of northern and southern tribes, and upon very fair promises. He did this against the wishes and protests of the French at Detroit, and was censured by the Governor General. But the event proved fortunate, as the Indians sought eagerly to show their sincerity by taking the war-path; and he had no further serious. trouble with them, although there were some abortive attempts made here and there to do mischief.' In April, 1748, Galissonnière reports prospects of future tranquility."

In 1748, it was questioned whether it might not be well to remove the fort to Bois-blanc ; but it was not thought best to do so, as the Indians had settled at Detroit. The Huron Mission was re-established,3 under strong recommendations from the Governor to renew it, but with great precautions to have it in a safe place; and at this time it was accordingly removed, to the present town of Sandwich, opposite the western part of the city of Detroit. Father de la Richardie became attached to it, at the Governor's request. Father Potier also appears to have remained with it. A church was built of respectable dimensions, which, until about twenty years ago, was the place of worship of the Catholic population of that region. It was then taken down,-a commodious and spa

110 N. Y. Narratives of 1747-1748, passim.

2 10 N. Y. Doc., 133.

3 10 N. Y. Doc., 162, 148.

104

MEMOIR ON THE COLONIES.

[CHAP. VI.

cious brick church having been built in its immediate vicinity. The point at Sandwich where they settled is named in the Governor's report “Point Montreal." This name is not retained, and has not been noted except in that document.

In October, the Governor instructed Longueuil that, although the French and English were at peace, the English, if seeking to settle on the Ohio, White or Rock Rivers, or any of their tributaries, must be resisted by force.' He expressed the strongest convictions of the importance of Mackinaw and Detroit.3

In December, 1750, the late Governor, De la Galissonnière, who had been succeeded by De la Jonquière, prepared an elaborate memoir on the French colonies, which is one of the most enlightened documents ever written on that subject. He pointed out the utility of colonies, and the reasons. why the French, with less population, had obtained advantages over the English in dealing with the Indians; which he, as well as the English officials in this country, attributed to the habits of the French inhabitants in woodcraft, and in living with and like the Indians.

But he warned the Government that this was accidental, and could not always be relied on.

After noting the weak points as well as advantages of various places, he makes special

I 10 N. Y. Doc, 178.

2 10 N. Y. Doc, 179.

3 10 N. Y. Doc, 183-4.

4 10 N. Y. Doc., 220.

CHAP. VI.]

GALISSONNIÈRE'S MEMOIR.

105

reference to Detroit. "This last place demands now the greatest attention. Did it once contain a farming population of a thousand, it would feed and defend all the rest. Throughout the whole interior of Canada it is the best adapted for a town, where all the trade of the lakes would concentrate; were it provided with a good garrison and surrounded by a goodly number of settlements, it would be enabled to overawe almost all the Indians of the Continent. It is sufficient to see its position on the map to understand its utility. It would stand on the River St. Lawrence within reach of the Oyo, the Illinois, the River Mississippi, and in a position to protect all these different places, and even the posts north of the Lakes."

He concludes his memoir by urging that "the resolution ought to be adopted to send a great many people to New France, in order to enable those who have the administration thereof, to work at the same time at the different proposed forts. These people ought to be principally soldiers, who can in a very short time be converted into good settlers."

He suggests that some faux-saulniers, and even a few paupers might be sent, the latter to be very sparingly furnished as needed. Other persons of doubtful character should not be sent unless called for.

Many suggestions are made as to the establishment of profitable industries. In this regard