On July 19th, 1701, the Iroquois ceded to the British the entire
country between the lakes, "including the country where beavers and all
sorts of wild game keep, and the place called De Tret,"[10] but this
appears to have been a mere formality as no possession was taken by the
purchasers.
[10] History of Middlesex County, p. 17.
The Ojibways have a tradition that they defeated the Iroquois (called by
them the Nottawas or Nahdoways) in a succession of skirmishes, ending in
a complete victory at the outlet of Burlington Bay, and the final
expulsion of the Six Nations from that part of Ontario between the Great
Lakes. The Ojibways then spread east and west over the country. "A
treaty of peace and friendship was then made with the Nahdoways residing
on the south side of Lake Ontario, and both nations solemnly covenanted,
by going through the usual forms of burying the tomahawk, smoking the
pipe of peace, and locking their hands and arms together, agreeing in
future to call each other _Brothers_. Thus ended their war with the
Nahdoways."[11]
[11] "Peter Jones and the Ojebway Indians," p. 113.
Whatever may be the truth of the details, there is no doubt of the fact
that the Ojibways or their kindred the Mississagas were the sole
occupants of Western Ontario at the time of the conquest in 1759, except
near the Detroit River where the remnant of the Hurons or Wyandots had
settled. It was with the Mississagas that the British negotiated in 1784
for the cession of the country from the "head of the Lake Ontario or the
Creek Waghguata to the River La Tranche, then down the river until a
south course will strike the mouth of Cat Fish Creek on Lake Erie." On
the 21st May, 1790, Alexander M'Kee announced to the Land-board at
Detroit the cession to the Crown by the Indians of that part of Upper
Canada west of the former grant. The surrender of the Indian title
opened the way in each division of the lake shore district for
settlement.[12]
NOTE.--The explanatory notes referring to the extract are by the
late Leonidas Burwell, M.P.P., and are given by him in a letter to
His Honor, Judge Hughes, which has been kindly presented by the
recipient to the Elgin Historical and Scientific Institute.
[12] The north shore of Lake Erie appears to have been so little
known to the officials, that Kettle Creek and Cat Fish Creek were
continually confused and taken as being one or different streams
as chance would have it. The Land-board considered that a
surrender of the lands west of Kettle Creek gave the Crown all
the territory not previously ceded. The Indians at Detroit who
made the cession were the Ojibways, Hurons, Ottawas and
Pottawatamies.