The demand for beaver pelts in France was insatiable and even uneducated trappers could make a small fortune. The Indians were a challenge, but they eventually recognized and accepted the French as partners in trade. The natives did not see the French as a physical threat to their land since so few of them actually settled. The ones that did come were mostly men, hunters and trappers, who were not interested in settling or farming. These unaccompanied men soon found it acceptable to pair with the Indian women and have children, which were known as metissages. A view as societal equals and outwardly shown respect between the French and the native Indians, along with mutual acceptance allowed this to occur. The children that were produced further solidified the bond between the two groups, which united the cultures economically, racially and culturally. Maintaining a state of peaceful cohabitation between the French and the Indians was not an