“They claim, however, to have retained the following reserves.” Mississauga Point, six miles below Belleville, about 1,200 acres; Grassy Point—​in Sophiasburgh—​about 600 acres; Cape Vesey, in Marysburgh, six miles east of Wappoose Island, 450 acres; Bald Head, at Weller’s Bay, Ameliasburgh, 100 acres. “They also claim the islands eastward from Presqu Isle to Gananoque, Nicholsons’ Island, in Lake Ontario, 250 acres, near West Lake, Wellington; Weir’s or Tubb’s Island, McDonald’s Island, and Sugar Island, in all about 1,000 acres. The islands from Trenton to Kingston, and thence to Gananoque. Also, Green’s Island, Timber Island, False Ducks, with others in Lake Ontario.”

The Commissioners considered that the Indians had claims to compensation for their lands. As for the islands, the following extract from a letter from Sir John Johnson to the Military Secretary, dated Lachine, 9th October, 1797, will show their right to the Islands. “No islands were ceded to the Crown but Grenadier Island and the Islands between it and Kingston; two of which were granted to me, with the lands at Gananoque, by the Governor and Council, together with the Island of Tontine above Kingston, at the entrance of Lake Ontario.” This was Amherst Island.

The portion of the Mississaugas to which the land belonged, were those subsequently known as the Bay Quinté, and the Kingston Indians. The same that lived for a time at Grape Island, and who now reside at Alnwick.

“The acceptance of the surrender of the Indians in 1856, by the Government, is an acknowledgment that these islands had never been ceded by them.”

We thus learn that the Indian claims made to the islands and reserves in Prince Edward, were allowed by the Government. But the Indians claimed also that the treaty of cession, as they understood it when made, did “not include, a portion of land bounded on the north by a line which marks where the waters flow into the Ottawa River, and thence to the south, some thirty miles, to the head waters of some streams which flow towards the Lake, with a length of some sixty miles.” But this claim was not considered as tenable.

According to the testimony of the first settlers, Wappoose Island, at the opening of Smith’s Bay, was the abode of the Indian Chief; at least, he came here yearly to receive the rates from the settlers who had squatted upon it. The Indians went from this to Kingston, to get their presents, which they obtained from one Lyons, who it is said, was the first Indian agent there. He lived a quarter of a mile from the Market Place.

From the several villages, placed by the water board, the Mississaugas were accustomed to ascend up the rivers to the interior of the country for game. Of the different rivers, the Sagonaska, (Moira), was, perhaps, more generally selected. Stoco Lake was a favorite hunting and fishing region, so named after a famous Mississauga Chief, Stougeong. They had a lot reserved at the mouth of the river, and also lot number four, in the second concession of Thurlow,—​altogether 428 acres, which was sold in 1816, for £107. They generally ascended about the last of March, and returned the latter part of December. The writer can remember to have seen their birch canoes, well laden, passing up and down the river. Before the settlement of Belleville, they had their encampment on the plains by the river’s mouth, but in later years they selected grounds some way up the stream. At first the trading post, kept by Chisholm, east of the river on the bay, was a point of attraction to them.

The Indians would make sugar in the spring, and bring it to the settlers in small basswood bags, which they would exchange for different articles.

The Mississaugas being a race of naturally peaceful disposition, the settlers never had any reason to fear them, even had the Canadian Government, like the American, forgot to recognize the rights of the natives, and owners of the soil. When under the influence of liquor they might assume a mock heroic character to intimidate women and children, in order to get something; but no attempt was ever made to disturb the settlers along the Bay.

Every year the Indians would go to Kingston to receive their presents, annually given by Government; sometimes there would be a hundred canoes.