Page:Aristopia (1895).pdf/206

 daughters and to each family of the two who had died. He left in the bank of Amsterdam three million dollars, which, with the accrued interest, was to be used by the commonwealth at a certain crisis, which he foretold in a letter which he had the governor read and then seal up and reserve for his successor. Each governor of Aristopia on his accession was to open and read this letter, and then seal it and leave it for his successor, first solemnly promising never to reveal the contents of the letter until the crisis should arrive, when he was to draw upon the fund and use it for the commonwealth.

In the war between England and France, from 1744 to 1748, Aristopia had to defend itself vigorously against the French, who had become considerably numerous in the western part of Canada, and their Indian allies. The posts on the route to the copper mines had to be strongly fortified, and the vessels on Lake Michigan heavily armed. But Aristopia was ten times as strong as all New France, and the Aristopians captured the forts of the French at Mackinaw and Detroit, and easily routed their Algonquin allies. The French never were able to seduce the Ojibways, Sauks, and Foxes from