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The Dokis Band may correctly be termed a tribe of shopkeepers or traders
On my return journey I met the principal members of this community on their way home from Penetanguishene with four or five boats and large canoes, deeply laden with provisions, groceries, dry goods, sleighs, sewing machines... The property in their possession might be approximately valued at from $1,500 to $2,000. With these goods they will trade during the coming fall and winter. They do not occupy their reserve; neither do they attend much to agriculture, nor have they any school -
The trading band of Dokis, whose reserve consists of two valuable islands at the mouth of French River...
... but who, with the consent of the Lake Nipissing band, occupy locations on the reserve of the latter, still pursue their mercantile life, doing besides a little gardening. They are more than comfortable in their circumstances; sufficiently prosperous indeed to be able to complacently incur the risk of fire devastating the fine timber on their reserve on the French River, rather than allow the same to be sold and a large revenue accrue to them therefrom.