Conditions were not a great deal better for the Ojibwe who had come to depend upon trade with the fort. John Askin Jr., the appointed storekeeper described the situation to his brother in January 1808: "To give you some idea of this place, first its an Island abounding with Rocks, and not a Deer, Bear, Racoon, Moose, Cariboux or Muskrat about it. A few Hares is caught and pheasants. The Indians live entirely on fish. They make their mokasins with the skins of sturgeon and Lace their snow shoes with the same skin ... They have sold to the only 5 Bever skins, 20 Martins, and 8 Fox skins which is the whole [amount of the Hunt of upwards of 120 Men since 24th of Sept. last."