"The Post of La Mer de l'Ouest includes the forts of St. Pierre, St. Charles, Bourbon, De la Reine, Dauphin, Poskoiac, and Des Prairies (De la Jonquière), all of which are built with palisades that can give protection only against the Indians." "The post of La Mer de l'Ouest merits special attention for two reasons: the first, that it is the nearest to the establishments of the English on Hudson Bay, and from which their movements can be watched; the second, that from this post, the discovery of the Western Sea may be accomplished; but to make this discovery it will be necessary that the travellers give up all view of personal interest." Two years later, French power in North America came to an end, and a generation afterward, the Western Sea was discovered by British fur traders. CHAPTER XI. THE SCOTTISH MERCHANTS OF MONTREAL. Unyielding old Cadot--Competition--The enterprising Henry--Leads the way--Thomas Curry--The older Finlay--Plundering Indians--"Grand Portage"--A famous mart--The plucky Frobishers--The Sleeping Giant aroused--Fort Cumberland--Churchill River--Indian rising--The deadly smallpox--The whites saved. The capture of Canada by General Wolfe in 1759 completely changed the course of affairs in the Western fur country. Michilimackinac and Sault Ste. Marie had become considerable trading centres under the French _régime_, but the officers and men had almost entirely been withdrawn from the outposts in the death struggle for the defence of Quebec and Montreal. The conquest of Canada was announced with sorrow by the chief captain of the West, Charles de Langlade, on his return after the capitulation of Montreal. The French Canadians who had taken Indian wives still clung to the fur country. These French half-breed settlements at Michilimackinac and neighbouring posts were of some size, but beyond Lake Superior, except a straggler here and there, nothing French was left behind. The forts of the western post fell into decay, and were in most cases burnt by the Indians. Not an army officer, not a priest, not a fur trader, remained beyond Kaministiquia.