1700. The province of Detroit was set off from Michilimackinac, and included all of Canada west of the cataract of Niagara, and north to Lake Huron, that part of Michigan south of Saginaw bay, and most of Ohio and Indiana. Detroit was settled by Cadillac in 1671, who moved his soldiers and some of the Indians down in canoes and batteau from St. Ignace de Michilimackinac where they had been established since 1669. In a few years it became more important than Michilimackinac. Before 1701 Michilimackinac had a history, and after that date a separate history. Before and after these last dates the capital, and the metropolis of the province of Michilimckinac was on the island of the same name in the straits of Michilimackinac. It was not only the seat of justice and base of supplies, but the center of trade of a vast territory. It was the headquarters of the French trappers and traders and their coureur de bois and white and Indian employees. The “Fairy Isle" was well known and gave its name to the extensive province of Michilimackinac.

Mich-ili-mack-i-nac (Algonquin) is the name given by the Indians, and rendered through the French to the island now called Mackinac, pronounced in English, French, and also Indian, Mack-i-naw. Several meanings are ascribed to it, and they depend on the original root word. Thus, in Ottawa, Chippewa, or Cree, similar dialects, the shades of interpretation, also spelling would vary. Hence we have the translations, “Great Turtle, Turtle, Fairy Island, Dancing, or Fairy Spirits," etc. "In the mouth of an Algonquin it is Michilimackinac; in that of a Chippewa, Michinimackinac."* The Turtle on which the world of the Indians rested, and Beaver, Fox, Plover, etc., tribal totems, were wont to assume the forms of spirits and fairies. Michili-mackinac, contracted to Mackinac, final a broad, c silent, there being no w in French, is pronounced in English-Mack-i-naw.

An Indian interpreter, Macka-de-pe-nessy, son of an Ottawa chief, says that Mi-she mi-ki-nock (Chippewa) does not mean "large Turtle," nor "monstrous large turtle." Michilimackinac is not derived from "Michimickinock." When the Ottawas discovered the Island of Michilimackinac, long before the Spaniards first came to America it was inhabited by a small remnant, independent tribe, who became confederates with the Ottawas.

The Ottawas were then living on Manitoulin Island, Lake Huron. Their enemies, the Iroquois of New York, often made war with them. Once, in the dead of winter, the Ottawas were having a great jubilee and war dances, on Manitoulin island, to celebrate their victory over the Winnebagoes of Ouisconsin, when the Iroquois swept down upon them and annihilated all but two. These two, a young man and maiden escaped, and traveled over the ice to Michilimackinac island with inverted snow shoes. That was done to prevent their tracks being followed. They made their hiding place in the natural caves of the island. They selected the wildest part of the forest and lived in seclusion. They were occasionally seen, and in time they raised a family of ten children, all boys. One winter the whole family vanished in some mysterious way. Ever since the Ottawas and Chippewas have called them "Paw-gwa-tchaw-nish-naw-bay," "Wild, roaming, supernatural being." To this day they are in existence, roaming in the wildest parts of the island and on the mainland they can be seen or unseen, just as they, as spirits, please. Sometimes they will throw a stone or a war club at a person walking in a lonely place, at other times they will throw at your dog and set him to barking with fright. Again, they will in day or night, throw clubs at a lodge in a lonely place and have been heard walking around the wigwam. They have been tracked over the snow by hunters, but never overtaken. An Indian or hunter walking or hunting alone will apprehend some great evil and be seized with unearthly fright that makes him shiver from head to feet, and the hairs on his head stand up like porcupine quills. *For particulars refer to the story of Alexander Henry in Mackinac, formerly Michilimackinac.

You are benumbed with terror by these spirits, the sensation is so awful. But they never harm any one.

When an Indian recovers from the spell he generally exclaims, "Pshaw! there is nothing to fear; it is Paw-gwa-tchaw-nish-naw-bay approaching me; he wants something." Then they leave tobacco, powder, or something else that the spirits fancy when in the flesh in their tracks. If they appear and talk to you they always begin with the sad tale of the catastrophe on the island of Michilimackinac, and whoever is so fortunate as to see and talk to them always becomes prophet to his people. If you are imaginative and seek these lonely woods and caves alone, and the proper spell comes over you, perhaps you may see these spirit fairies face to face and learn of them their tragic fate. Therefore, according to understood traditions, the tribal name of these people was "Michine-macki-naw-go," which is to this day a monument to their existence. The Ottawas and Chippewas named the little island "Mi-shi-ne-macki-nong," in memorial of their former confederates. It is the vocative case of the Indian noun, "Michine-macki-naw-go," and is where the name Michilimackinac originated.

1660. October 15th Father Rene Mesnard, S. J., was at Keweenaw bay, Province of Michilimackinac. It is thought he perished, after an encounter with a bear, which he killed, near the headquarters of Black river, Ouisconsin, about August 10, 1661.

1669. Father Allouez is at the Algonquin mission of Ottawas at La Pointe du Saint Esprit, Lake Superior. That year he went to Quebec and turned over to M. de Courelles some Iroquois captains whom he had redeemed of the Ottawas. Father Claude Dablon was sent to the Superior missions and Allouez went to Sault Ste. Marie and remained until November 5, 1669. He then departed for Green bay (Baie des Preants) by way of the Straits of Michilimackinac, arriving December 2, 1669. Many Hurons and Ottawas, after the Georgian bay massacre, December 2, 1649, fled beyond the straits to the large islands and bays at the head of Lake Superior. Subsequently they were joined by Father James Marquette at the Mission of La Pointe du Esprit. They cultivated fields of Indian corn, tobacco, and northern products, and their clearings were extensive. Not content with rural pursuits, their young men encountered the Sioux and were repulsed by those Tartars of the plains. Defeated, they again fled to the Island of Michilimackinac and the region of the straits. Marquette followed and was on the island the winter of 1669, where, with Dablon, "they began the mission of St. Ignace." That mission was firmly started on the north shore of the straits in 1671, Father Marquette in charge, under Dablon. A rude chapel had been built in 1669. Lands were cleared "three leagues around their villages and perfectly well cultivated," and Huron and Ottawa palisade forts built for protection. From 6,000 to 8,000 Indians were gathered about the mission. Here, 1763 the first Fort Michilimackinac, in the province of that name, was established, and garrisoned by 200 French soldiers. It was the most important point in Canada, the center of the fur trade, and the Straits were "the home of the fishes." The outlines of the fort are visible to this day, and helped to verify the position of Marquette's grave.

1671. A treaty was concluded, "Process Verbal," with the many tribes of Indians assembled at Sainte Mary du Sault, which placed them under the protection of the king of France. Had that treaty been continued any length of time it would have made the French domain permanent in North America.

1673. Marquette wrote, when he with Joliet left to explore the Mississippi: "It was on the 17th of May, 1763, that we started from the Mission of St. Ignatius, at Michilimackinac, where I then was." Returning from the discovery, Marquette died May 19, 1675, and was buried at the mouth of the little river that bears his

name. Two years after the Kiskakon band of Ottawas and a number of Iroquois disinterred the remains, cleaned his bones, inclosed them in a neat birch-bark "mocock," and conveyed them to the mission of St. Ignace. Here they were deposited June 9, 1677, with funeral honors, in the little vault under the altar of the church. There he now reposes, the “guardian angel of the Ottawa missions," opposite the beautiful island of Michilimackinac, "the birthplace of Michabow, the Indian God of Waters," the home of the "Great Manitou," and of the "spirits," whom the Indians delighted to worship. That church was burned by the Jesuits in 1705, when they got discouraged and moved to Quebec. May 4, 1877, the foundations of the old church were discovered at St. Ignace de Michilimackinac, and September 3, 1877, by careful excavation, a part of the charred remains of Marquette, in the vault, with a much decayed bark casket. There is now a plain monument over the site of the grave. When Detroit was settled, in 1701, Cadillac withdrew the troops to that post; many Indians and French, but not all, removed. Fort Michilimackinac was regarrisoned in 1714, but had much declined. Father Charlevoix visited Michilimackinac (St. Ignace) June 28, 1721, and wrote: "The fort is preserved and the house of the missions;" the church was not mentioned.

1721. Subsequently the fort and the mission were established at South Michilimackinac (the date has not been determined), Mackinaw City, where the railroads of the southern peninsula now terminate. The movement to that site must have been gradual up to 1760, when Canada, resulting from the victory before Quebec, was transferred to the British crown.

There were frequent encounters from 1684 to 1760, between the British and French and their Indian allies, also disputes between the governors of New York and Canada about their boundaries. After the transfer of Canada, in 1760, and the forts, including the second Fort Michilimackinac on the south side of the straits, in 1761 the Indians did not take kindly to British rule. The conspiracy of Pontiac followed. Eleven forts along the line were to be attacked, on the same day, among them the one in the wilderness on the Straits of Michilimackinac. That happened on the birthday of King George III, June 4, 1763. The garrison of three officers and 90 men were surprised during a game of bag-gat-iway, part of the command and English traders scalped alive and butchered, except Alexander Henry, who escaped, but the French were not molested.*

1764. The year following the post was regarrisoned by a detachment of troops sent by Lt. Col. Bradstreet, under Capt. Howard. The fur trade was resumed and the post and mission remained until 1780.

1780. During that year the garrison and settlement were transferred to Michilimackinac island, where, November 4, 1780, Lt. Governor Pat. Sinclair moved his headquarters. In a letter to Capt. Sinclair, August 21, 1780, Gov. General Fred Haldimand wrote: "It is however, my desire that the post, although moved to the island, may still be called Michilimackinac, and the fort styled Fort Mackinac." This, then, is the third post of Michilimackinac. It is more secure than the one on the mainland from attacks by the fleet of the rebel colonists. The three blockhouses, arched stone magazine, stone walls, stockade, necessary buildings, and foundation, and walls of the stone quarters were mainly completed within three years. The ditch about the fort was never finished, and the stone quarters were not completed for some years after. That position, commanded by Fort George (Holmes) and hill, was only tenable against Indians. But of the island, Lt. Col. McDonall wrote, May 2, 1815, "I am prostrated with grief at the restoration of this fine island-a fortress built by nature for herself." There is a copy of the Indian deed of Michilimackinac Island, May 12, 1781, through Gen. Fred Haldimand *Henry's Travel, etc., p. 107.