In the governorship of Dongan of New York, as has been noted, the
English were endeavoring to secure the trade of the Northwest. As early
as 1685, English traders had reached Michillimackinac, the depot of
supplies for the _coureur de bois_, where they were cordially received
by the Indians, owing to their cheaper goods[111]. At the same time the
English on Hudson Bay were drawing trade to their posts in that region.
The French were thoroughly alarmed. They saw the necessity of holding
the Indians by trading posts in their midst, lest they should go to the
English, for as Begon declared, the savages "always take the part of
those with whom they trade."[112] It is at this time that the French
occupation of the Northwest begins to assume a new phase. Stockaded
trading posts were established at such key-points as a strait, a
portage, a river-mouth, or an important lake, where also were Indian
villages. In 1685 the celebrated Nicholas Perrot was given command of
Green Bay and its dependencies[113]. He had trading posts near
Trempealeau and at Fort St. Antoine on the Wisconsin side of Lake Pepin
where he traded with the Sioux, and for a time he had a post and worked
the lead-mines above the Des Moines river. Both these and Fort St.
Nicholas at the mouth of the Wisconsin[114] were dependencies of Green
Bay. Du Lhut probably established Fort St. Croix at the portage between
the Bois Brulé river and the St. Croix.[115] In 1695 Le Sueur built a
fort on the largest island above Lake Pepin, and he also asked the
command of the post of Chequamegon.[116]
These official posts were supported by the profits of Indian
commerce,[117] and were designed to keep the northwestern tribes at
peace, and to prevent the English and Iroquois influence from getting
the fur trade.