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MICHIGAN AS A PROVINCE 1 - 5
This fact drew other settlers to the locality and Sieur Maisonneuve was invested with its government. A fort was constructed at the mouth of the Sorel to protect the infant settlement from the Iroquois who proved to be most pestiferous neighbors. The Hurons who were peaceably disposed and easily tractable to religious instruction gathered about the new settlement and the village of St. Joseph became the center of quite a colony of them. But the Iroquois could not long refrain from hostile demonstrations. In 1649 a band of those warriors suddenly descended upon the village, burnt and destroyed everything and put the missionaries to death.
The Hurons being thus dispersed, a plan was formed for re-uniting them in some more favorable location. The island of Manitoulin at the north end of Lake Huron was chosen for the purpose and hither the scattered tribes were glad to make their way. The missionaries also moved into this region and ministered to the religious wants of their proteges, many of whom had been converted to Christianity during their residence near Quebec and Montreal.
Meanwhile the colonies languished. The company gave little or no attention beyond the fur traffic in which lay apparently its sole interest. Harrassed by Indian raids, often on the verge of starvation, exposed to th'e rigors of a harsh climate, the settlers found themselves in truly desperate straits. Finally in 1662 the governor and all the people wrote to the king beseeching him in the strongest terms to take the colony under his protection. The king was much surprised to learn that the country had so suffered from neglect. He sent a special commissioner to Canada to observe and report and also four hundred of his troops to reinforce the garrisons and exposed posts. These things raised high hopes, which were still further encouraged by the arrival of supplies.
MICHIGAN
Page 51
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