ing emotions and passions. Surprise at the overthrow of their great ally, wonder at the sudden growth of their enemy bewildered them, and held their hatred of the English in suspense. The woods appeared to be all quiet. The Indians appeared submissive. But before two years had elapsed, the delusion of the English was dispelled, and the whole West was wrapped in flame.

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CHAPTER VI.

Manner of trading with the Indians - Early routes to the West-The Albany route - The Philadelphia route-The Indian trader - His dress Trading stations - The Indian's notion of the surveyor's compass and chain - The Acadians - Destruction of their property Transported to the sea-coast- They gather, and emigrate in a body to the French settlements - Received with great hospitality— The Indian character.

AT the close of the old French war, the English settlements extended from Georgia to Maine, along the Atlantic, and reached in from the coast about one hundred and fifty miles, to the mountains a narrow border of civilization upon the edge of the dark back-ground of wilderness. Hostile military posts no longer frowned upon the western waters. Bold, adventurous men were eager to penetrate the wilds. Ever since Major McGregory had been plundered on Lake Huron, English traders had been impatient to secure to themselves the traffic with the Indians. The rich furs could be bought for a song. A few strings of beads, gaudy ribbons, hatchets, knives, gunpowder, and lead, and a little poor whisky, was all the stock required for the trade. In the distant forest, far beyond the reach of the law, dealing with ignorant savages, a system of cheating could be carried on with impunity, and enormous profits could be realized. The trader's goods were disposed of in packages, or by the piece, at prices regulated by his own greediness. Competition would seem to have been impossible. Whatever was bought of the Indians was bought by weight; a white man's hand placed on the scale was allowed to weigh a pound, and his foot five pounds. It is needless to say,

that the weights grew heavier in proportion to the value of the furs that swung at the other end of the beam. Even though the bargaining may have been conducted honestly throughout, the trader's goods were unconscionably dear, while the Indian's goods were rated at merely nominal prices. With such golden opportunities before them, on the return of peace the greedy traders hastened into the West.

The American forest, in 1761, may be compared with the sea, in this respect: the sea had its ports, and the forest had its places of rendezvous and outfit. While the former were thronged with merchants and seamen, the latter were swarming with traders and borderers. The ocean and the woods were alike lawless and perilous. In the northern provinces there were two important places for fitting out for the wilderness. Albany and Philadelphia were competing with each other for the monopoly of the trade of the West. Both held communications immediately with the sea; and they had each a peculiar mode of inland transportation. Their advantages and disadvantages were about equally balanced. Albany had intercourse with the interior by means of rivers and the great lakes; Philadelphia, overland, and through the head-waters of the Ohio. The route from Albany was interrupted by frequent carrying-places; that from Philadelphia by a double chain of mountains.

Availing themselves of the opportunity for developing the western trade, which the surrender of Canada had, for the first time, afforded them, large swarms of traders set out from Albany and from Philadelphia with such kinds of goods as were thought most likely to please their savage customers. Those who went by the more northern route, passed up the Mohawk in boats or canoes, paddling where the current was not too swift, and at other times.

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working their way against the stream with setting-poles. The latter process was called "punting." Passing by Fort Hunter, at the mouth of the Schoharie creek, and Fort Herkimer, at German Flats, they would make a halt for a while at Fort Stanwix, now Rome, at the head of river navigation. Thence crossing through the swamp to Wood creek, they would again embark. The channel of that creek was so crooked, that it is said to have run through in the night and got lost. Taking to the oars once more, on Oneida Lake, they would pass Fort Brewerton by the outlet to the Oswego River, which was once a broad, deep, clear stream, before the canal was dug along its banks; but, on account of that, the river is said to have been running swamp water, from sheer mortification, ever since. Shooting the falls, they would soon arrive at Lake Ontario. The rest of the way was plain sailing, except the long portage at Niagara.

The troops often followed this route. Lieutenant Gorrell, in 1763, passed over it with a detachment of soldiers. His diary shows some of the inconveniences which attended upon him: "July 2d. Dined with Sir William, at Johnson Hall. The office of superintendent very troublesome. Sir William continually plagued with Indians about him-generally from three hundred to nine hundred in number-spoil his garden, and keep his house always dirty.

“10th. Punted and rowed up the Mohawk River against the stream, which, on account of the rapidity of the current, is very hard work for the poor soldiers. Encamped on the banks of the river. Musquitoes. The inconveniences attending a married subaltern strongly appear in this tour. What with the sickness of their wives, the squealing of their children, and the smallness of their pay, I think the gentlemen discover no common

share of philosophy in keeping themselves from running mad.

Monday, 14th. Went on horseback by the side of Wood creek, twenty miles, to the Royal Block-house, a kind of wooden castle, proof against any Indian attacks. It is now abandoned by the troops, and a sutler lives there, who keeps rum, milk, raccoons, etc., which, though none of the most elegant, is comfortable to strangers passing that way."

When the Albany traders had arrived at Presque Isle, they could either continue on up the lakes, and spread out through Michigan and the north, or crossing to French creek, and down the Alleghany River, penetrate into southern Ohio and Indiana.

From Philadelphia, the route led over to the Susquehanna, at Harrisburgh; thence up the valley of the lovely Juniata, winding for an hundred miles through scenes of romantic beauty; and then across the mountains to Pittsburgh. Thence following down the Ohio, the traders could ascend its tributaries into the heart of the northwest. More commonly, the journeys by the southern route were made with brigades of pack-horses, loaded with goods, and led along the rugged pathways of the mountains, and urged on through thickets, and swimming the rivers, under the guidance of drivers who had been trained to their calling in the midst of the perils of the borders.

That class of frontiersmen who were engaged in the Indian trade have long since disappeared from the regions of their former renown. They were rough, bold men, intractable and fierce. During their seasons of repose among the homes of civilization, they kept the sober and steady people in constant alarm with their wild pranks. They loved to drink. They loved to dance with