The French have, with much Industry, settled small Colonies, and built stockaded Forts at all the considerable Passes between the Lakes, except between Cataracui Lake (called by the French Ontario) and Lake Erie, one of our Five Nations of Indians, whom we call Sennekas, (and the French Sonontouans) having hitherto refused them leave to erect any Buildings there.
The French have been indefatigable in making Discoveries, and carrying on their Commerce with Nations, of whom the English know nothing but what they see in the French Maps and Books. The Barrenness of the Soil, and the Coldness of the Climate of Canada, obliges the greatest number of the Inhabitants to seek their living by travelling among the Indians, or by trading with those that do travel. The Governor, and other Officers, have but a scanty Allowance from the King, and could not subsist were it not by the Perquisites they have from this Trade; neither could their Priests find any means to satisfy their Ambition and Luxury without it: So that all Heads and Hands are employ'd to advance it, and the Men of best Parts think it the surest way to advance themselves by travelling among the Indians, and learning their Languages; even the Bigotry and Enthusiasm of some hot Heads has not been a little useful in advancing this Commerce; for that Government having prudently turn'd the Edge of the Zeal of such hot Spirits upon converting the Indians, many of them have spent their Lives under the greatest Hardships, in endeavouring to gain the Indians to their Religion, and to love the French Nation, while, at the same time, they are no less industrious to represent the English as the Enemies of Mankind. So that the whole Policy of that Government, both civil and religious, is admirably turn'd to the general Advancement of this Trade. Indeed the Art and Industry of the French, especially that of their religious Missions, has so far prevail'd upon all the Indians in North-America, that they are every where directed by French Councils. Even our own Five Nations, (the Iroquois) who formerly were mortal Enemies of the French, and have always liv'd in the strictest Amity with the English, have, of late, (by the Practices of the French Priests) been so far gain'd, that several of the Mohawks, who live nearest the English, have left their Habitations, and are gone to settle near Monreal in Canada; and all the rest discover a Dread of the French Power. That much of this is truly owing to the Priests, appears from many of the Sachems of the Iroquois wearing Crucifixes when they come to Albany: And those Mohawk Indians that are gone to Canada, are now commonly known, both to the French and English, by the Name of The Praying Indians, it being customary for them to go through the Streets of Monreal with their Beads, praying and begging Alms.
But notwithstanding all these Advantages, the French labour under Difficulties that no Art or Industry can remove. The Mouth of the River of St. Lawrence, and more especially the Bay of St. Lawrence, lies so far North, and is thereby so often subject to tempestuous Weather and thick Fogs, that the Navigation there is very dangerous, and never attempted but during the Summer Months. The Wideness of this Bay, together with the many strong Currents that run in it, the many Shelves, and sunken Rocks that are every where spread over both the Bay and River, and the want of Places for anchoring in the Bay, all increase the Danger of this Navigation; so that a Voyage to Canada is justly esteem'd much more dangerous than to any other Part of America. The many Shipwrecks that happen in this Navigation, are but too evident Proofs of the Truth of this, particularly the Miscarriage of the last Expedition against Canada. The Channel is so difficult, and the Tides so strong, that after their Shipping get into the River, they never attempt to sail in the Night, tho' the Wind be fair, and the Weather good. These Difficulties are so considerable, that the French never attempt above one Voyage in a Year to Europe, or the West-Indies, tho' it be really nearer Europe than any of the English Colonies, where the Shipping that constantly use the Trade, always make two Voyages in the Year.
The Navigation between Quebeck and Monreal is likewise very dangerous and difficult: The Tide rises about 18 or 20 Feet at Quebeck, which occasions so strong a Stream, that a Boat of six Oars cannot make way against it: The River in many Places very wide, and the Channel at the same time narrow and crooked; there are many Shelves and sunken Rocks, so that the best Pilots have been deceived; for which reason the Vessels that carry Goods to Monreal are always obliged to anchor before Night, tho' both Wind and Tide be fair. The Flood goes no further than Trois Rivieres, half way to Monreal, and about ninety Miles from Quebeck: After they pass this Place they have a strong Stream always against them, which requires a fair Wind and a strong Gale to carry the Vessels against the Stream. And they are obliged in this Part of the River, as well as under the Trois Rivieres, to come to an anchor at Night, though the Wind be good. These Difficulties make the common Passages take up three or four Weeks, and sometimes six Weeks; tho' if they have the chance of a Wind to continue so long, they may run it in five or six Days.
After they pass Monreal they have a strong Stream against them till they come near the Lakes; so that in all that, which is about one hundred and fifty Miles in Length, they force their Canoes forward with setting Poles, or drag them with Ropes along shoar; and at five or six different Places in that way the River falls over Rocks with such Force, that they are obliged to unload their Canoes, and carry them upon their Shoulders. They never make this Voyage from Monreal to Cataracui in less than twenty Days, and frequently, twice that Time is necessary.
Now we are come so far as the Lake, my Design leads me no further, for at this Lake all the far Indians, that go to Canada, must pass by our Traders. And from thence the Road to the Indian Countries is the same from Albany that it is from Monreal.
Besides these Difficulties in the Transportation, the French labour under greater in the purchasing of the principal Goods proper for the Indian Market; for the most considerable and most valuable Part of their Cargo consists in Strouds, Duffils, Blankets, and other Woollens, which are bought at a much cheaper Rate in England than in France. The Strouds (which the Indians value more than any other Cloathing) are only made in England, and must be transported into France before they can be carried to Canada. Rum is another considerable Branch of the Indian Trade, which the French have not, by reason they have no Commodities in Canada fit for the West India Market. This they supply with Brandy, at a much dearer Rate than Rum can be purchased at New-York, tho' of no more Value with the Indians. Generally, all the Goods used in the Indian Trade, except Gun-Powder, and a few Trinkets, are sold at Monreal for twice their Value at Albany. To this likewise must be added, the necessity they are under of laying the whole Charge of supporting their Government on the Indian Trade. I am not particularly informed of their Duties or Imposts, but I am well assured, that they commonly give six or seven hundred Livres for a Licence for one Canoe, in proportion to her Largeness, to go with her Loading into the Indian Country to trade.
I shall next consider the Advantages the Inhabitants of New-York have in carrying on this Trade. In the first place, the Ships that constantly use the Trade to England, perform their Voyage to and from London twice every Year; and those that go to Bristol (the Port from whence the greatest part of the Goods for the Indian Trade are exported) frequently return in four Months. These Goods are bought much cheaper in England than in France: They are transported in less Time, with less Charge, and much less Risque, as appears by the Premio for Insurance between London and New-York, being only Two per Cent. Goods are easily carried from New-York to Albany, up Hudson's River, the Distance being only 140 Miles, the River very strait all the way, and bold, and very free from Sandbanks, as well as Rocks; so that the Vessels always sail as well by Night as by Day, and have the Advantage of the Tide upwards as well as downwards, the Flood flowing above Albany. It may therefore be safely concluded, that all sorts of Goods can be carried to Albany at a cheaper Rate than they can be to Quebeck, which is also three times further from the Indian Country than Albany is. To put the Truth of this out of all dispute, I need only observe what is well known both at New-York and Albany, viz. That almost all the Strouds carried by the French into the Indian Countries, as well as large Quantities of other Goods, for the Use of the French themselves, are carried from Albany to Monreal. There has been an Account kept of nine hundred Pieces of Strouds transported thither in one Year, besides other Commodities of very considerable Value. The Distance between Albany and Monreal is about two hundred Miles, all by Water, except twelve Miles between Hudson's River and the Wood-Creek, where they carry their Bark Canoes over Land, and about sixteen Miles between Chambly and La Prairie, overagainst Monreal. And tho' the Passage be so short and easy, these Goods are generally sold at double their Value in Albany.
But as this Path has been thought extremely prejudicial to the Interest of this Colony, I shall leave it, and go on to another, that leads directly from Albany into the Cataracui or Ontario Lake, without going near any of the French Settlements.
From Albany the Indian Traders commonly carry their Goods sixteen Miles over Land, to the Mohawks River at Schenechtady, the Charge of which Carriage is Nine Shillings New-York Money, or Five Shillings Sterling each Waggon-Load. From Schenechtady they carry them in Canoes up the Mohawks River, to the Carrying-place between the Mohawks River, and the River which runs into the Oneida Lake; which Carrying-place between is only three Miles long, except in very dry Weather, when they are obliged to carry them two Miles further. From thence they go with the Current down the Onondaga River to the Cataracui Lake. The Distance between Albany and the Cataracui Lake (this Way) is nearly the same with that between Albany and Monreal; and likewise with that between Monreal and the Cataracui Lake, and the Passage much easier than the last, because the Stream of the Mohawks River is not near so strong as the Cataracui River between the Lake and Monreal, and there is no Fall in the River, save one short one; whereas there are (as I have said) at least five in the Cataracui River, where the Canoes must be unloaded. Therefore it plainly follows, that the Indian Goods may be carried at as cheap a Rate from Albany to the Cataracui Lake, as from Albany to Monreal. So that the People of Albany plainly save all the Charge of carrying Goods two hundred Miles from Monreal to that Part of the Cataracui Lake, which the French have to carry before they bring them to the same Place from Monreal, besides the Advantage which the English have in the Price of their Goods.