After the fall of New France, a time of chaos followed in the wilderness. With the restraint of the strictly enforced code of French rule removed, with a host of French traders in the woods who did not yield to British control, and with an opportunity for rivalry and ill-feeling between every two traders, Indians as well as white men became demoralized and the profits decreased greatly. Then twenty-three merchants of Montreal formed the Northwest Fur Company (1783) and took into their employ two thousand French and other fur traders. They traded with the Indians of the Northwest, with Mackinac as a centre. A rival company soon started competition in the southern region of Wisconsin, Illinois, and the Mississippi Valley. A careful statement concerning the British trade was sent to the authorities in Canada in 1790, when the possible future evacuation of the southern shores of the lakes was beginning to be considered. By this estimate the average produce of furs and skins amounted for ten years to two hundred thousand pounds a year. How this was distributed among the various lake posts is shown in the following table:-- _Statement concerning Trade at Detroit and Other Posts_ POUNDS The whole Country & Posts below Montreal 30,000 The Grand River, the North Side of the Lakes Ontario, Huron, & Superior 30,000 In the Country generally called the North West 40,000 In the Countries to the Southward of the Lakes, the Trade of which is principally brought to the posts of Detroit and Michillimackinac, there being very little Indian Trade at Niagara 100,000 ------------------------------------------------------- As above £200,000 Dividing this general estimate into smaller districts, the estimate was as follows:-- In the District of the Garrison of Detroit PACKS The Fort of Detroit, Sagana & the South Side of Lake Huron 1000 Miamis & Wabash Country 2000 Sandusky 400 ----------------------------------------------------------- Say 3400 packs of Furrs estimated at 12£ each is £40,800