|
Michigan CHAPTER 10 Effect Upon the Indians of the Lake Region
Common soldiers were sometimes brutal and treated the natives with the very rudest and coarsest incivility. All these things had their effect in producing a state of feeling greatly to be
deplored.
Another matter which went a long way to confirm the dissatisfaction and feeling of apprehension among the Indians was the extent to which the country was filling up with white men. The untutored savage was shrewd enough to see that this meant the extinction of the forest animals upon which he had hitherto been dependent for his livelihood. The Indian's natural occupation was that of the huntsman. His living depended upon the chase. When the white men swarmed into the land, built forts, established towns, felled the forests, wild game must retreat before him. The Indian felt that this land was his own by divine right of first possession. He could not help seeing that the white man was steadily
encroaching upon him and crowding him out of his own. The eastern tribes were naturally first to discover the effect of these movements of the whites. The Delawares and Shawanoes had been roused to a high state of indignation and rebellion. The Six Nations began to perceive that the white man was no friend of theirs, whether he be Englishman or Frenchman. So the feeling of discontent and unrest spread through the forest. The tribes about the great lakes were inoculated by it. This state of mind was fostered and encouraged by the French, who> still had great influence over the savages. The late masters of the country would, no doubt, be glad to see the Indians rise in successful rebellion and thus settle the ancient grudge which the French bore toward their conquerors. They helped to foment the resentment rankling in the Indian mind against the English. Though they might not hope to recover control of Canada, it would be some satisfaction to see bloody vengeance wreaked by the savages upon the English.
Michigan
Page 10
|
|
Please help us keep this site online and to continue to bring sites like this one.
Thank you
|
