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Commerce}

I Shall confine my Statement of the begining of commerce to the Indians of the Grand River [long] as I dont suppose a further is demanded[.]

A Post being Established at Slave Lake in the year 1786 for the Chipewean Nation, Per the NWC^o under the Care of one Mons^r Le Roux who was a Clerk to the Said Company[.] This man it is Said not being of an enterprising disposition gave himself little Trouble in inquiring of the Chipeweans whether the Countries beyond the Slave Lakes were inhabited by Indians Tribes or not, remained in an indolent quietude waiting for the furs of the before ment^d nation[.] [T]hese being some what lazy to Hunt the different Species of Animals in order to procure necessaries, and much indisposed to a crafty ambition, went in quest of Strange nations with whom they would trade an old Knife or a worn out Ax which they had got for little or nothing, for double and triple its value – till at length M^r Le Roux ambition seemed to be roused by the intreaties of his Employees – Sent the English Chief – the Principal man of the Chipewean Tribe, to do his endeavours to bring them to trade at the Fort[.] This expedition was crowned with Success, this good fortune was soon followed by another of more consequence, one Jame[s] Sutherland a Common Man in the Comp^y's Service went in quest of them & brought a great number of them the same year in the Spring to the Fort – from whom a competent number of Peltries was traded[.] In the course a few Presents were made to the great men this Produced the desired effect, these People gave such a high character of the whites generosity and good disposition that all the neighboring Natives who heard of it, vied the next year with each other who Should Carry the most to the Fort to Trade[.]

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