Page:Historic highways of America (Volume 13).djvu/43

 their Canoes from one River to the other when they go to War—to hunt,—or trade.—The great Miame, which runs into the Ohio, communicates with a River of the same name, as also with Sandusky, which empty themselves into lake Erie, by short and easy Portages.—And all of these are so many channels through which not only the produce of the New States, contemplated by Congress, but the trade of all the lakes, quite to that of the Wood, may be conducted according to my information, and judgment—at least by one of the Routs—thro' a shorter, easier, and less expensive communication than either of those which are now, or have been used with Canada, New Yundefined or New Orleans.—

"That this may not appear an assertion, or even an opinion unsupported, I will examine matters impartially, and endeavour to state facts.—

"Detroit is a point, thro' which the Trade of the Lakes Huron, & all those above it, must pass, if it centres in any State of the Union; or goes to Canada; unless it should pass by the River Outawais, which disgorges itself into the Sundefined