to the new occupants of the forts in their territory.
When the trader Alexander Henry arrived there in 1761,
he had found them decidedly hostile. On his journey up
the Ottawa he had been warned of the reception in store
for him. At Michilimackinac he was waited on by a party
of Chippewas headed by their chief, Minavavna, a remarkably
sagacious Indian, known to the French as _Le Grand
Sauteur_, whose village was situated at Thunder Bay. This
chief addressed Henry in most eloquent words, declaring
that the Chippewas were the children of the French king,
who was asleep, but who would shortly awaken and destroy
his enemies. The king of England, he said, had entered
into no treaty with the Chippewas and had sent them no
presents: they were therefore still at war with him, and
until he made such concessions they must look upon the
French king as their chief. 'But,' he continued, 'you
come unarmed: sleep peacefully!' The pipe of peace was
then passed to Henry. After smoking it he bestowed on
the Indians some gifts, and they filed out of his presence.
Almost immediately on the departure of the Chippewas came
some two hundred Ottawas demanding of Henry, and of
several other British traders who were also there,
ammunition, clothing, and other necessaries for their
winter hunt, on credit until spring. The traders refused,
and, when threatened by the Indians, they and their
employees, some thirty in all, barricaded themselves in
a house, and prepared to resist the demands by force of
arms. Fortunately, at this critical moment word arrived
of a strong British contingent that was approaching from
Detroit to take over the fort, and the Ottawas hurriedly