Histories of the Metis
Metis Culture and History 1640-1646
1640 The Company of New France assigns it's fur trade monopoly to Compagne des Habitants. However over 30 percent of the Canadian fur trade is controlled by the Free Traders. The French and Iroquois/English war drove the Coureurs de Bois and Metis further into the West.
THE FRENCH ARE COMPLAINING:
Those Coureurs de Bois are traveling everywhere, illegally and without permit.
In 1640 Jean Brebeuf (1593-1649) visited the Neutrals at Sault Ste Marie and this angered the Wendat as they are being bypassed in trade. Jean Brebeuf (1593-1649) and Father Charles Lalemant's (1587-1674) religious education had reduced the desire and effectiveness of the Wendat to defend themselves.
Brebeuf said he had a vision of the Iroquois driving their brothers the Wendat off their traditional lands into the Ojibwa Chequamegon Territory to the west. Some contend they fled as far as Chequamegon Bay and Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Algonquin previously had a vision that the French would destroy the Wendat. These claims are historically both correct as the French instigated the mischief between the Iroquois and Wendat.
Jean Brebeuf (1593-1649), Charles Lalemant (1587-1674) (Superior of Canada) and Father Ennemond Masse (1574-1646) is the advance guard of the Jesuit Order storm troupers. They had been instructed to operate under a cloak of secrecy concerning Jesuit covert activities and are under orders of punishment to eliminate the Recollect, convert the Indians and secure the fur trade for God. This Evil Order would focus on the fires of Hell to undermine the Natives belief in the brotherhood of all men. Charles Lalemant's (1587-1674) received his marching orders from Jesuit Philibert Noyrot confessor to Duc de Ventadour Viceroy to Canada.
Those who believe the musket opened the Northwest is brought back to reality to learn that a German writer boasted this year that his prince's musketeers, in battle lasting six hours, had fired their pieces five times. Others suggest one had to fire away their own weight in lead for every enemy killed so inaccurate is the piece.
1641 Father Charles Raymbault or Raimbault (1602-1642) and Isaac Jogues (1607-1646). The Jesuits attended a mission with the Ojibwa at Sault Ste Marie. They named the place Rapids of Saint Mary. They must have been aware that the Ojibwa strong hold is nine days further to the west at La Pointe and an additional nine days by river led to the Nadoussis Indian (Dakota Sioux). About 2,000 Saulteurs are gathered here at Bawating (place of the rapids) for the semi-annual meetings, trade and fishing season. Father Le Jeune, one of the authors of the Jesuit Relations, returned to France to seek aid against the Iroquois.
The Sault (the rapids of Sault Ste Marie) provided fresh fish. Each fall large schools of whitefish migrated upstream. They,scooped the fish with a dip-net and large numbers could be acquired in a relatively short time. They also did night fishing using a birch bark torch and spear. It is believed the Ojibwa and others have been fishing here since 1500 or earlier. This also is a meeting and trading location from very early times.
1642 Father Isaac Jogues is captured by the Iroquois in August.
1643 Monsieur Nicollet, Coureur de Bois, trader, interpreter, agent of the gentlemen of the Company of New France, died this year in a shipwreck. He lived 25 years (1618-1643) in New France. He spent two years with the Island Algonguin. He accompanied 400 Algonguin to the Iroquois to make treaty. He spent eight to nine years living with the Algonquin Nipissiriniens. Having joined that Nation, he maintained his own household among them. He spent the remainder of his years as interpreter in Kabec and Three Rivers. He journied 300 leagues to the People of the Sea to make treaty, some 4000 to 5000 people. He is survived by a wife and daughter who he assigned to Monsieur de Savigny.
1645 Louis d'Ailleboust, Seigneur de Coulanges, became temporary Governor of Montreal (1645-1646).
The Company of New France agreed to assign its fur trade monopoly to the Quebec based Compagnie des Habitants. Thirty percent of the known 30,000-pound fur trade down the St. Lawrence River went to the free traders --- those Coureurs de Bois. This would imply that at a very minimum there are 20 unrecognized Coureurs de Bois trading the Great Lakes. The official recognized European Voyagers of the Great Lakes area is 68 French living with the Wendat primarily in the Jesuit Saint Marie Mission between Georgian Bay and Lake Simcoe.
At the Jesuit Mission are 22 soldiers, 18 priests and 20 lay members, most of whom are part time fur traders. The Jesuit mission fort, the most modern of itŐs kind, contained a three- year supply of food, making it defensible from any Iroquois attack. The traders make up of the fort included:
- Robert La Cog - Business Manager
- Charles Boivin - Builder and Carpenter
- Joseph Molere - Apothecary
- Ambrose Brouet - Cook
- Louis Gauber - Blacksmith
- Pierre Masson - Taylor
- Christopher Regnaut - Bootmaker