George Bancroft, History of the United States from the Discovery of the American Continent, Vol. 6, 10th edition.

¹ and to hold the territory through the

Chap. XXXVIII} 1768. Oct.

friendship of the savages. But this design was obstructed by the actual settlements in Illinois and on the Wabash; the roving disposition of the Americans; and the avarice of British officers who coveted profit from concessions of lands. In this conflict of interests, the office of the Colonial Secretary was swayed by wavering opinions,² producing only inconclusive correspondence, references, and reports on the questions, how to regulate trade with the Indians; how to ‘reform’ the excess in expenses; how to keep off settlers; how to restrain the cupidity of British Governors and agents.

The Spanish town of Saint Louis, on the west of the Mississippi, was fast rising into importance,³ as the centre of the fur trade with the Indian nations on the Missouri; but the population of Illinois had declined, and scarcely amounted to more than one thousand three hundred and fifty-eight, of whom rather more than three hundred were Africans. Kaskaskias counted six hundred white persons, and three hundred and three negroes. At Kahokia there were about three hundred persons; at Prairie Du Rocher, one hundred and twenty-five; at St. Philip fifteen; and not more at Fort Chartres,⁴ which the floods of Spring