THE TRAILMAKERS OF 
 CANADA 
 
INTRODUCTION 
 
 Champlain had pushed as far as Lake 
 
 - Huron and the Georgian Bay. Before the 
 
 ''^^ end of the seventeenth century French ex- 
 
 ^ plorers had reached the western end of Lake 
 
 Superior; La Salle had set np the lilies of 
 
 France at the mouth of the Mississippi ; Rad- 
 
 isson had gone overland to James Bay.* 
 
 In the eighteenth century began the ex- 
 ploration of the western plains, in which the 
 first great name is that of a native-born 
 Canadian, Pierre Gualtier de la Verendrye. 
 Born at Three Rivers in 1685, La Veren- 
 drye early entered the army, saw service in 
 Flanders and was left for dead on the field of 
 Malplaquet. Returning to Canada he took 
 to the fur trade, and from 1731 on he and 
 his heroic sons made journey after journey to 
 the westward. In 1737 he built a fort on the 
 site where is now the city of Winnipeg, and 
 in 1742-3 an expedition under his son Pierre 
 reached the lodges of the Mandans on the 
 Upper Missouri, and saw rise into view the 
 
 * Justin Winsor, Geographical Discovery in th^ 
 Interior of ^'orth America, 1534-1698, and Law- 
 rence J. Burpee, The Search for the Western Sea, 
 give good accounts of the gradual exploration of 
 the continent. 
 
 iii 
 
jagged line of the Kockies. But lacl 
 guides compelled the 3^oung explorer to 
 back, and the death of La Verendrye in : 
 left the mountain barrier still unpierced 
 With the expulsion of France from 
 continent of North America in 1763, 
 Hudson's Bay Company, which had hitt 
 confined its operations to the neighbor] 
 of Hudson Bay, began to send trading 
 exploring parties inland, which gathered ; 
 large profits that in 1783-4 the merchani 
 Montreal founded in opposition the Nc 
 west Fur-Trading Company. The chief 
 tories of the older company were on Hui 
 Bay, whence the furs were shipped by "w 
 to England, but the partners of the North 
 Company, most of whom were young and e 
 getic Scotchmen, brought their furs fron 
 land posts to Montreal by many a winding ] 
 and toilsome portage, and so added imp 
 to exploration. Among their employees 
 Alexander Mackenzie, a sturdy young h 
 lander, born at Stornoway in the islani 
 Lewis in 1763. After some years in 
 counting-house at Montreal, and a yea 
 Detroit, Mackenzie came west, and was 
 tioned at Fort Chipewyan on Lake Athabf 
 Hence on June 3, 1789, he started no 
 ward with a small party of Indians; 
 July 13th he reached the mouth of the g 
 
 iv 
 
INTRODUCTION 
 
 river which bears his name; on Sept". 12th 
 he was back at his post. Three years later he 
 essayed an even bolder journey. On Oct. 
 10, 1792, he set out along the valley of the 
 Peace, and wintered near the mouth of 
 Smoky Eiver; in the spring he struggled on 
 to the Fraser, but after descending it for 
 some distance left it for a last dash across 
 country, and after a thousand perils splen- 
 didly surmounted by himself and his French- 
 Canadian Voyageurs, on July 20, 1793, he 
 came out on the shores of the Pacific. (See 
 vol. ii., p. 282.) The problem of Cartier, of 
 Champlain, of La Verendrye was solved at 
 last; the continent had been crossed; the 
 great South Sea was won. Agamemnon's 
 was a small heroism compared to that of this 
 Scottish fur-trader. 
 
 Mackenzie's later life was prosperous and 
 turbulent. He returned with a competence 
 to London, where in 1801 he published his 
 voyages in a large quarto volume, dedicated 
 to King George III. In the following year 
 he was knighted. Soon afterward he re- 
 turned to Canada, and was a prominent mem- 
 ber of the X. Y. Co., which was for some 
 years a vigorous rival of the older companies, 
 but which in 1804-5 united with the North- 
 west Company. He was elected to the parlia- 
 ment of Lower Canada as member for Hunt- 
 
INTRODUCTION 
 
 ingdon, but made no special mark. A few 
 years later he retired to Scotland, married 
 and bought an estate in Eosshire, on which he 
 resided till his death in March, 1820. 
 
 W. L. Grant. 
 
 n 
 
Preface. 
 
 On presenting this Volume to my Country^ 
 it is not necessary to enter into a particular 
 account of those voyages whose journals form 
 the principal part of it, as they will be found, 
 I trust, to explain themselves. It appears, 
 liowever, to be a duty, which the Public have 
 a right to expect from me, to state the reasons 
 which have influenced me in delaying the 
 publication of them. 
 
 It has been asserted, that a misunderstand- 
 ing between a person high in office and my- 
 self, was the cause of this procrastination. 
 It has also been propagated, that it was oc- 
 <}asioned by that precaution which the policy 
 of commerce will sometimes suggest; but 
 they are both equally devoid of foundation. 
 The one is an idle tale ; and there could be 
 no solid reason for concealing the circum- 
 stances of discoveries, whose arrangements 
 and prosecution were so honourable to my 
 associates and myself, at whose expense they 
 were undertaken. The delay actually arose 
 from the very active and busy mode of life in 
 which I was engaged since the voyages have 
 been completed; and when, at length, the 
 opportunity arrived, the apprehension of pre- 
 vii 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 senting myself to the Public in the character 
 of an Author, for which the course and oc- 
 cupations of my life have by no means quali- 
 fied me, made me hesitate in committing my 
 papers to the Press ; being much better cal- 
 culated to perform the voyages, arduous as 
 they might be, than to write an account of 
 them. However, they are now offered to the 
 Public with the submission that becomes me. 
 I was led, at an early period of life, by 
 commercial views, to the country North- West 
 of Lake Superior, in North America, and be- 
 ^ ing endowed by Nature with an inquisitive 
 mind and enterprising spirit ; possessing also 
 a constitution and frame of body equal to the 
 most arduous undertakings, and being familiar 
 with toilsome exertions in the prosecution of 
 mercantile pursuits, I not only contemplated 
 the practicability of penetrating across the 
 continent of America, but was confident in 
 the qualifications, as I was animated by the 
 desire, to undertake the perilous enterprise. 
 
 The general utility of such a discovery, 
 has been universally acknowledged; while 
 the wishes of my particular friends and com- 
 mercial associates, that I should proceed in 
 the pursuit of it, contributed to quicken the 
 execution of this favourite project of my own 
 ambition : and as the completion of it extends 
 the boundaries of geographic science, and 
 adds new countries to the realms of British 
 viii 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 commerce, the dangers I have encountered, 
 and the toils I have suffered, have found 
 their recompence ; nor will the many tedious 
 and weary days, or the gloomy and inclement 
 nights which I have passed, have been passed 
 in vain. 
 
 The first voyage has settled the dubious 
 point of a practicable North-West passage; 
 and I trust it has set that long agitated ques- 
 tion at rest, and extinguished the disputes 
 respecting it for ever. An enlarged discus- 
 sion of that subject will be found to occupy 
 the concluding pages of this volume. 
 
 In this voyage, I was not only without the 
 necessary books and instruments, but also 
 felt myself deficient in the sciences of as- 
 tronomy and navigation ; I did not hesitate, 
 therefore, to undertake a winter's voyage to 
 this country, in order to procure the one, and 
 acquire the other. These objects being ac- 
 complished, I returned, to determine the 
 practicability of a commercial communication 
 through the continent of North America, be- 
 tween the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, which 
 is proved by my second journal. Nor do I 
 hesitate to declare my decided opinion, that 
 very great and essential advantages may be 
 derived by extending our trade from one sea 
 to the other. 
 
 Some account of the fur trade of Canada 
 from that country, of the native inhabitants, 
 ix 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 and of the extensive districts connected with 
 it, forms a preliminary discourse, which will,, 
 I trust, prove interesting to a nation, whose 
 general policy is blended with, and whose 
 prosperity is supported by, the pursuits of 
 commerce. It will also qualify the reader 
 to pursue the succeeding voyages with superior 
 intelligence and satisfaction. 
 
 These voyages will not, I fear, afford the 
 variety that may be expected from them; 
 and that which they offered to the eye, is not 
 of a nature to be effectually transferred to 
 the page. Mountains and valleys, the dreary 
 waste, and the wide-spreading forests, the 
 lakes and rivers succeed each other in general 
 description ; and, except on the coasts of the 
 Pacific Ocean, where the villages were per- 
 manent, and the inhabitants in a great meas- 
 ure stationary, small bands of wandering 
 Indians are the only people whom I shall 
 introduce to the acquaintance of my readers. 
 
 The beaver and the buffalo, the moose-deer 
 and the elk, which are the principal animals 
 to be found in these countries, are already so 
 familiar to the naturalists of Europe, and 
 have been so often as well as correctly de- 
 scribed in their works, that the bare mention 
 of them, as they enlivened the landscape, or 
 were hunted for food; with a cursory ac- 
 count of the soil, the course and navigation of 
 lakes and rivers, and their various produce, 
 
 X 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 is all that can be reasonably expected from 
 me. 
 
 I do not possess the science of the natural- 
 ist; and even if the qualifications of that 
 character had been attained by me, its curious 
 spirit would not have been gratified. I could 
 not stop to dig into the earth, over whose 
 surface I was compelled to pass with rapid 
 steps ; nor could I turn aside to collect the 
 plants which nature might have scattered on 
 the way, when my thoughts were anxiously 
 employed in making provision for the day 
 that was passing over me. I had to encounter 
 perils by land and perils by water ; to watch 
 the savage who was our guide, or to guard 
 against those of his tribe who might meditate 
 our destruction. I had, also, the passions 
 and fears of others to control and subdue. 
 To-day, I had to assuage the rising discon- 
 tents, and on the morrow, to cheer the faint- 
 ing spirits of the people who accompanied 
 me. The toil of our navigation was inces- 
 sant, and oftentimes extreme; and in our 
 progress over land, we had no protection from 
 the severity of the elements, and possessed 
 no accommodations or conveniences but such 
 as could be contained in the burden on our 
 shoulders, which aggravated the toils of our 
 inarch, and added to the wearisomeness of 
 our way. 
 
 Though the events which compose my 
 xi 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 journals may have little in themselves to 
 strike the imagination of those who love to 
 be astonished, or to gratify the curiosity of 
 such as are enamoured of romantic adventures ; 
 nevertheless, when it is considered, that I 
 explored those waters which had never before 
 borne any other vessel than the canoe of the 
 savage ; and traversed those deserts where an 
 European had never before presented himself 
 to the eye of its swarthy natives ; when to 
 these considerations are added the important 
 objects which were pursued, with the dangers 
 that were encountered, and the difficulties 
 that were surmounted to attain them, this 
 work will, I flatter myself, be found to excite 
 an interest, and conciliate regard, in the 
 minds of those who peruse it. 
 
 The general map which illustrates this vol- 
 ume, is reduced by Mr. Arrowsmith from his 
 three-sheet map of North America, with the 
 latest discoveries, which he is about to re- 
 publish. His professional abilities are well 
 known, and no encomium of mine will ad- 
 vance the general and merited opinion of them. 
 
 Before I conclude, I must beg leave to in- 
 form my readers, that they are not to expect 
 the charms of embellished narrative, or ani- 
 mated description; the approbation due to 
 simplicity and to truth, is all I presume to 
 claim; and I am not without the hope that 
 this claim will be allowed me. I have de- 
 xii 
 
scribed whatever I saw with the impressions 
 of the moment which presented it to me. 
 The successive circumstances of my progress 
 are related without exaggeration or display. 
 I have seldom allowed myself to wander into 
 conjecture; and whenever conjecture has 
 been indulged, it will be found, I trust, to 
 be accompanied with the temper of a man 
 who is not disposed to think too highly of 
 himself : and if, at any time, I have delivered 
 myself with confidence, it will appear, I hope, 
 to be on those subjects, which, from the 
 habits and experience of my life, will justify 
 an unreserved communication of my opinions. 
 I am not a candidate for literary fame ; at 
 the same time, I cannot but indulge the hope 
 that this volume, with all its imperfections, 
 will not be thought unworthy the attention 
 of the scientific geographer; and that, by 
 unfolding countries hitherto unexplored, and 
 which, I presume, may now be considered as 
 a part of the British dominions, it will be 
 received as a faithful tribute to the prosperity 
 of my country. 
 
 ALEXANDER MACKENZIE. 
 
 London, 
 Kovember 30, 1801. 
 
 Xlll 
 
Table of Contents. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 Embarked at Fort Chepewyan, on the Lake of the 
 Hills, in company with M. Le Roux. Account 
 of the party, provisions, etc. Direction of the 
 course. Enter one of the branches of the Lake. 
 Arrive in the Peace River. Appearance of the 
 land. Navigation of the river. Arrive at the 
 mouth of the Dog River. Successive description 
 of several carrying places. A canoe lost in one of 
 the Falls. Encamp on Point de Roche. Course 
 continued. Set the nets, etc. Arrive at the Slave 
 Lake. The weather extremely cold. Banks of 
 the river described, with its trees, soil, etc. Ac- 
 count of the Cjuimal productions, and the fishery 
 of the Lake. Obliged to wait till the moving of 
 the ice. Three families of Indians arrive from 
 Athabasca. Beavers, geese, and swans killed. 
 The nets endangered by ice. Re-embark and land 
 on a small island. Course continued along the 
 shores, and across the bays of the Lake. Various 
 successes of the hunters. Steer for an island where 
 there was plenty of cranberries and small onions. 
 Kill several reindeer. Land on an island named 
 Isle a la Cache. Clouds of mosquitoes . . 193 
 
 CHAPTER 11. 
 
 Landed at some lodges of Red-Knife Indians: pro 
 cure one of them to assist in navigating the bays 
 Conference with the Indians. Take leave of M 
 XV 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 Le Roux, and continue the voyage. Different 
 appearances of the land; its vegetable produce. 
 Visit an island where the wood had been felled. 
 Further description of the coast. Plenty of rein- 
 and moose-deer, and white partridges. Enter a 
 very deep bay. Interrupted by ice. Very blow- 
 ing weather. Continue to cross the bay. Arrive 
 at the mouth of a river. Great numbers of fish 
 and wild-fowl. Description of the land on either 
 side. Curious appearance of woods that had been 
 burned. Came in sight of the Horn Mountain. 
 Continue to kill geese and swans, etc. Violent 
 storm 211 
 
 CHAPTER ni. 
 
 Continued our course. The river narrows. Lost 
 the lead. Passed a small river. Violent rain. 
 Land on a small island. Expect to arrive at the 
 rapid. Conceal two bags of pemmican in an 
 island. A view of mountains. Pass several en- 
 campments of the natives. Arrive among the 
 islands. Ascend a high hill. Violence of the 
 current. Ice seen along the banks of the river. 
 Land at village of the natives. Their conduct 
 and appearance. Their fabulous stories. The 
 English chief and Indians discontented. Obtain 
 a new guide. Singular customs of the natives. 
 An account of their dances. Description of their 
 persons, dress, ornaments, buildings, arms for war 
 and hunting, canoes, etc. Passed on among isl- 
 ands. Encamped beneath a hill, and prevented 
 from ascending by the mosquitoes. Landed at an 
 encampment. Conduct of the inhabitants. They 
 abound in fabulous accounts of dangers. Land 
 at other encampments. Procure plenty of hares 
 and partridges. Our guide anxious to return. 
 Land and alarm the natives, called the Hare In- 
 xvi 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 dians, etc. Exchange our guide. State of the 
 weather 224 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 The new guide makes his escape. Compel another 
 to supply his place. Land at an encampment of 
 another tribe of Indians. Account of their man- 
 ners, dress, weapons, etc. Traffic with them. 
 Description of a beautiful fish. Engage another 
 guide. His carious behaviour. Kill a fox and 
 ground-hog. Land at an encampment of a tribe 
 called the Degutbee Denees, or Quarrellers. Saw 
 flax growing wild. The varying character of the 
 river and its banks. Distant mountains. Per- 
 plexity from the numerous channels of the river. 
 Determined to proceed. Land where there had 
 been an encampment of the Esquimaux. Saw 
 large flocks of wild-fowl. View of the sun at 
 midnight. Description of a place lately deserted 
 by the Indians. Houses of the natives described. 
 Frequent showers. Saw a black fox. The dis- 
 contents of our hunters renewed, and pacified. 
 Face of the country. Land at a spot lately inhab- 
 ited. Peculiar circumstances of it. Arrive at the 
 entrance of the lake. Proceed to an island. Some 
 account of it 248 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 The baggage removed from the rising of the water. 
 One of the nets driven away by the wind and 
 current. Whales are seen. Go in pursuit of 
 them, but prevented from continuing it by the 
 fog. Proceed to take a view of the ice. Canoe 
 in danger from the swell. Examine the islands. 
 Describe one of them. Erect a post to perpetuate 
 our visit there. The rising of tlie water appears 
 to be the tide. Successful fishing. Uncertain 
 2 xvii 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 weather. Sail among the islands. Proceed to a 
 river. Temperature of the air improves. Land 
 on a small island, which is a place of sepulture. 
 Description of it. See a great number of wild- 
 fowl. Fine view of the river from the high land. 
 The hunters kill reindeer. Cranberries, etc. , found 
 in great plenty. The appearance and state of the 
 country. Our guide deserts. Large flight of 
 geese ; kill many of them. Violent rain. Return 
 up the river. Leave the channels for the main 
 stream. Obliged to tow the canoe. Land among 
 the natives. Circumstances concerning them. 
 Their account of the Esquimaux Indians. Ac- 
 company the natives to their huts. Account of 
 our provisions 268 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 Employ the towing line. Description of a place 
 where the Indians come to collect flint. Their 
 shyness and suspicions. Current lessons. Ap- 
 pearance of the country. Abundance of hares. 
 Violent storm. Land near three lodges. Alarm 
 of the Indians. Supply of fish from them. Their 
 fabulous accounts. Continue to see Indian lodges. 
 Treatment of a disease. Misunderstanding with 
 the natives. The interpreter harangues them. 
 Their accounts similar to those we have already 
 received. Their curious conduct. Purchase some 
 beaver skins. Shoot one of their dogs. The conse- 
 quence of that act. Apprehensions of the women. 
 Large quantities of liquorice. Swallows' nests 
 seen in the precipices. Fall in with a party of the 
 natives killing geese. Circumstances concerning 
 them. Hurricane. Variation of the weather. 
 Kill great numbers of geese. Abundance of sev- 
 eral kinds of berries. State of the river and its 
 
 bank 287 
 
 xviii 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 Voyage continued. Suspect the integrity of the 
 interpreter. Stars visible. Springs of mineral 
 water, and lumps of iron ore. Arrive at the river 
 of the Bear Lake. Coal mine in a state of com- 
 bustion. Water of the river diminished. Con- 
 tinue to see Indian encampments, and kill geese, 
 etc. Hunting excursions. A canoe found on the 
 edge of the wood. Attempt to ascend a moun- 
 tain. Account of the passage to it. See a few of 
 the natives. Kill a beaver and some hares. De- 
 sign of the English chief. Kill a wolf. Change- 
 able state of the weather. Recover the pemmican, 
 which had been hidden in an island. Natives fly 
 at our approach. Meet with dogs. Altercation 
 with the English chief. Account of the articles 
 left by the fugitives. Shoals of the river covered 
 with saline matter. Encamp at the mouth of the 
 river of the mountain. The ground on fire on 
 each side of it. Continue to see encampments of 
 the natives. Various kinds of berries. Kill geese, 
 swans, etc., etc., etc. Corroding quality of the 
 water. Weather changeable. Reach the entrance 
 of the Slave Lake. Dangers encountered on en- 
 tering it. Caught pike and trout. Met M. Le 
 Roux on the lake. Further circumstances till our 
 return to Fort Chepewyan. Conclusion of the 
 voyage 306 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 Leave Fort Chepewyan. Proceed to the Peace 
 River. State of the Lakes. Arrive at Peace 
 Point. The reason assigned for its name. The 
 weather cold. Arrive at the Falls. Description 
 of the country. Land at the Fort, called The Old 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 Establishment. The principal building destroyed 
 by tire. Course of the river. Arrive at another 
 fort. Some account of the natives. Depart from 
 thence. Course of the river continued. It divides 
 into two branches. Proceed along the principal 
 one. Land at the place of our winter's residence 
 Account of its circumstances and inhabitants, etc 
 Preparations for erecting a fort, etc., etc. Table 
 of the weather. Broke the thermometer. Frost 
 sets in. Description of birds. . . . 339 
 
A GENERAL HISTORY 
 
 OF THE 
 
 FUR TRADE FROM CANADA 
 TO THE NORTH-WEST. 
 
 The fur trade, from the earliest settlement 
 of Canada, was considered of the first im- 
 portance to that colony. The country was 
 then so populous, that, in the vicinity of the 
 establishments, the animals whose skins were 
 precious, in a commercial view, soon became 
 very scarce, if not altogether extinct. They 
 were, it is true, hunted at former periods, 
 but merely for food and clothing. The In- 
 dians, therefore, to procure the necessary 
 supply, were encouraged to penetrate into 
 the country, and were generally accompanied 
 by some of the Canadians, who found means 
 to induce the remotest tribes of natives to 
 bring the skins which were most in demand, 
 to their settlements, in the way of trade. 
 
 It is not necessary for me to examine the 
 cause, but experience proves that it requires 
 much less time for a civilized people to de- 
 viate into the manners and customs of savage 
 life, than for savages to rise into a state of 
 civilisation. Such was the event witli those 
 xxi 
 
A GENERAL HISTORY 
 
 who thus accompanied the natives on their 
 hunting and trading excursions; for they 
 became so attached to the Indian mode of 
 life, that they lost all relish for their former 
 habits and native homes. Hence they de^ 
 rived the title of Coureurs des Bois, became 
 a kind of pedlars, and were extremely useful 
 to the merchants engaged in the fur trade ; 
 who gave them the necessary credit to pro- 
 ceed on their commercial undertakings. 
 Three or four of these people would join 
 their stock, put their property into a birch- 
 bark canoe, which they worked themselves, 
 and either accompanied the natives in their 
 excursions, or went at once to the country 
 where they knew they were to hunt. At 
 length, these voyages extended to twelve or 
 fifteen months, when they returned with rich 
 cargoes of furs, and followed by great num- 
 bers of the natives. During the short time 
 requisite to settle their accounts with the 
 merchants, and procure fresh credit, they 
 generally contrived to squander away all their 
 gains, when they returned to renew their 
 favourite mode of life : their views being an- 
 swered, and their labour sufficiently rewarded, 
 by indulging themselves in extravagance and 
 dissipation, during the short space of one 
 month in twelve or fifteen. 
 
 This indifference about amassing property, 
 and the pleasure of living free from all re- 
 xxii 
 
OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 
 
 straint, soon brought on a licentiousness of 
 manners which could not long escape the 
 vigilant observation of the missionaries, who 
 had much reason to complain of their being 
 a disgrace to the Christian religion ; by not 
 only swerving from its duties themselves, but 
 by thus bringing it into disrepute with those 
 of the natives who had become converts to 
 it; and, consequently, obstructing the great 
 object to which those pious men had devoted 
 their lives. They therefore exerted their in- 
 fluence to procure the suppression of these 
 people, and accordingly, no one was allowed 
 to go up the country to traffic with the In- 
 dians, without a license from the government. 
 
 At first these permissions were, of course, 
 granted only to those whose character was 
 such as could give no alarm to the zeal of the 
 missionaries : but they were afterwards be- 
 stowed as rewards for services, on officers, 
 and their widows; and they, who were not 
 willing or able to make use of them (which 
 may be supposed to be always the case with 
 those of the latter description), were allowed 
 to sell them to the merchants, who neces- 
 sarily employed the Coureurs des bois, in 
 quality of their agents ; and these people, as 
 may be imagined, gave sufficient cause for the 
 renewal of former complaints ; so that the rem- 
 edy proved, in fact, worse than the disease. 
 
 At length, military posts were established 
 xxiii 
 
A GENERAL HISTORY 
 
 at the confluence of the different large lakes 
 of Canada, which, in a great measure checked 
 the evil consequences that followed from the 
 improper conduct of these foresters, and, at 
 the same time, protected the trade. Besides, 
 a number of able and respectable men, retired 
 from the army, prosecuted the trade in per- 
 son, under their respective licences, with 
 great order and regularity, and extended it 
 to such a distance, as, in those days, was 
 considered to be an astonishing effort of com- 
 mercial enterprize. These persons and the 
 missionaries having combined their views at 
 the same time, secured the respect of the 
 natives, and the obedience of the people neces- 
 sarily employed in the laborious parts of this 
 undertaking. These gentlemen denominated 
 themselves commanders, and not traders, 
 though they were entitled to both those char- 
 acters : and, as for the missionaries, if suffer- 
 ings and hardships in the prosecution of the 
 great work which they had undertaken, de- 
 served applause and admiration, they had an 
 undoubted claim to be admired and applauded : 
 they spared no labour and avoided no danger 
 in the execution of their important office ; 
 and it is to be seriously lamented, that their 
 pious endeavours did not meet with the suc- 
 cess which they deserved ; for there is hardly 
 a trace to be found beyond the cultivated 
 parts, of their meritorious functions, 
 xxiv 
 
OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 
 
 The cause of this failure must be attributed 
 to a want of due consideration in the mode 
 employed by the missionaries, to propagate 
 the religion of which they were the zealous 
 ministers. They habituated themselves to 
 the savage life, and naturalized themselves 
 to the savage manners, and, by thus becoming 
 dependent, as it were, on the natives, they 
 acquired their contempt rather than their ven- 
 eration. If they had been as well acquainted 
 with human nature, as they were with the 
 articles of their faith, they would have known 
 that the uncultivated mind of an Indian must 
 be disposed by much preparatory method and 
 instruction to receive the revealed truths of 
 Christianity, to act under its sanctions, and 
 be impelled to good by the hope of its re- 
 ward, or turned from evil by the fear of its 
 punishments. They should have begun their 
 work by teaching some of those useful arts 
 which are the inlets of knowledge, and lead 
 the mind by degrees to objects of higher com- 
 prehension. Agriculture, so formed to fix 
 and combine society, and so preparatory to 
 objects of superior consideration, should have 
 been the first thing introduced among a sav- 
 age people : it attaches the wandering tribe 
 to that spot where it adds so much to their 
 comforts; while it gives them a sense of 
 property, and of lasting possession, instead 
 of the uncertain hopes of the chase, and the 
 
A GENERAL HISTORY 
 
 fugitive produce of uncultivated wilds. Such 
 were the means by which the forests of Para- 
 guay were converted into a scene of abundant 
 cultivation, and its savage inhabitants intro- 
 duced to all the advantages of a civilised life. 
 
 The Canadian missionaries should have 
 been contented to improve the morals of their 
 own countrymen, so that by meliorating their 
 character and conduct, they would have given 
 a striking example of the effect of religion in 
 promoting the comforts of life to the sur- 
 rounding savages ; and might by degrees have 
 extended its benign influence to the remotest 
 regions of that country, which was the ob- 
 ject, and intended to be the scene, of their 
 evangelical labours. But by bearing the 
 light of the Gospel at once to the distance of 
 two thousand five hundred miles from the 
 civilised part of the colonies, it was soon ob- 
 scured by the cloud of ignorance that dark- 
 ened the human mind in those distant regions. 
 
 The whole of their long route I have often 
 travelled, and the recollection of such a peo- 
 ple as the missionaries having been there, was 
 confined to a few superannuated Canadians, 
 who had not left that country since the cession 
 to the English, in 1763, and who particularly 
 mentioned the death of some, and the dis- 
 tressing situation of them all. But if these 
 religious men did not attain the objects of 
 their persevering piety, they were, during 
 xxvi 
 
OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 
 
 their mission, of great service to the com- 
 manders who engaged in those distant expedi- 
 tions, and spread the fur trade as far West 
 as the banks of the Saskatchiwine river, in 
 53. North latitude, and longitude 102. West. 
 
 At an early period of their intercourse with 
 the savages, a custom was introduced of a 
 very excellent tendency, but is now unfortu- 
 nately discontinued, of not selling any spiritu- 
 ous liquor to the natives. This admirable 
 regulation was for some time observed, with 
 all the respect due to the religion by which 
 it was sanctioned, and whose severest censures 
 followed the violation of it. A painful pen- 
 ance could alone restore the offender to the 
 suspended rites of the sacrament. The casu- 
 istry of trade, however, discovered a way to 
 gratify the Indians with their favourite cordial 
 without incurring the ecclesiastical penalties, 
 by giving, instead of selling it to them. 
 
 But notwithstanding all the restrictions 
 with which commerce was oppressed under 
 the French government, the fur trade was 
 extended to the immense distance which has 
 been already stated; and surmounted many 
 most discouraging difficulties, which will be 
 hereafter noticed; while, at the same time, 
 no exertions were made from Hudson's Bay 
 to obtain even a share of the trade of a coun- 
 try, which according to the charter of that 
 company, belonged to it, and, from its prox- 
 xxvii 
 
A GENERAL HISTORY 
 
 imity, is so much more accessible to the mer- 
 cantile adventurer. 
 
 Of these trading commanders, I understood, 
 that two attempted to penetrate to the Pacific 
 Ocean, but the utmost extent of their journey 
 I could never learn ; which may be attributed, 
 indeed, to a failure of the undertaking. 
 
 Eor some time after the conquest of Canada, 
 this trade was suspended, which must have 
 been very advantageous to the Hudson' s-Bay 
 Company, as all the inhabitants to the west- 
 ward of Lake Superior were obliged to go to 
 them for such articles as their habitual use 
 had rendered necessary. Some of the Cana- 
 dians who had lived long with them, and 
 were become attached to a savage life, accom- 
 panied them thither annually, till mercantile 
 adventurers again appeared from their own 
 country, after an interval of several years, 
 owing, as I suppose, to an ignorance of the 
 country in the conquerors, and their want 
 of commercial confidence in the conquered. 
 There were, indeed, other discouragements, 
 such as the immense length of the journey 
 necessary to reach the limits beyond which 
 this commerce must begin ; the risk of prop- 
 erty; the expenses attending such a long 
 transport ; and an ignorance of the language 
 of those who, from their experience, must be 
 necessarily employed as the intermediate 
 agents between them and the natives. But, 
 xxviii 
 
OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 
 
 notwithstanding these difficulties, the trade, 
 by degrees, began to spread over the differ- 
 ent parts to which it had been carried by tlie 
 French, though at a great risk of the lives^ 
 as well as the property of their new posses- 
 sors, for the natives had been taught by their 
 former allies to entertain hostile dispositions 
 towards the English, from their having been 
 in alliance with their natural enemies the 
 Iroquois ; and there were not wanting a suffi- 
 cient number of discontented, disappointed 
 people, to keep alive such a notion ; so that 
 for a long time they were considered and 
 treated as objects of hostility. To prove 
 this disposition of the Indians, we hare only 
 to refer to the conduct of Pontiac, at Detroit, 
 and the surprise and taking of Michilimakinac, 
 about this period. 
 
 Hence it arose, that it was so late as the 
 year 1766, before which, the trade I mean 
 to consider, commenced from Michilimakinac. 
 The first who attempted it were satisfied to 
 go the length of the river Camenistiquia, 
 about thirty miles to the Eastward of the 
 Grande Portage, where the French had a 
 principal establishment, and was the line of 
 their communication with the interior coun- 
 try. It was once destroyed by fire. Here 
 they went and returned successful in the fol- 
 lowing spring to Michilimakinac. Their suc- 
 cess induced them to renew their journey, 
 xxix 
 
A GENERAL HISTORY 
 
 and incited others to follow their example. 
 Some of them remained at Camenistiquia, 
 while others proceeded to and beyond the 
 Grande Portage, which, since that time has 
 become the principal entrepot of that trade, 
 and is situated in a bay, in latitude 48. North, 
 and longitude 90. West. After passing the 
 nsual season there, they went back to Michili- 
 makinac as before, and encouraged by the 
 trade, returned in increased numbers. One 
 of these, Thomas Curry, with a spirit of en- 
 terprize superior to that of his contemporaries, 
 determined to penetrate to the furthest limits 
 of the French discoveries in that country ; or 
 at least till the frost should stop him. For 
 this purpose he procured guides and inter- 
 preters, who were acquainted with the coun- 
 try, and with four canoes arrived at Fort 
 Bourbon, which was one of their posts, at 
 the West end of the Cedar Lake, on the 
 waters of the Saskatchiwine. His risk and 
 toil were well recompensed, for he came back 
 the following spring with his canoes filled 
 with fine furs, with which he proceeded to 
 Canada, and was satisfied never again to re- 
 turn to the Indian country. 
 
 From this period, people began to spread 
 over every part of the country, particularly 
 where the French had established settlements. 
 
 Mr. James Finlay was the first who fol- 
 lowed Mr. Curry's example, and with the 
 
 XXX 
 
OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 
 
 same number of canoes, arrived, in the course 
 of the next season, at Nipawee, the last of 
 the French settlements on the bank of the 
 Saskatchiwine river, in latitude nearly 43^. 
 North, and longitude 103. West: he found 
 the good fortune, as he followed, in every 
 respect, the example, of his predecessor. 
 
 As may be supposed, there were now peo- 
 ple enough ready to replace them, and the 
 trade was pursued with such avidity, and 
 irregularity, that in a few years it became 
 the reverse of what it ought to have been. 
 An animated competition prevailed, and the 
 contending parties carried the trade beyond 
 the French limits, though with no benefit to 
 themselves or neighbours, the Hudson*s-Bay 
 Company ; who in the year 1774, and not till 
 then, thought proper to move from home to 
 the East bank of Sturgeon Lake, in latitude 
 53. 56. North, and longitude 102. 15. West, 
 and became more jealous of their fellow sub- 
 jects; and, perhaps, with more cause, than 
 they had been of those of France. From this 
 period, to the present time, they have been 
 following the Canadians to their different 
 establishments, while, on the contrary, there 
 is not a solitary instance that the Canadians 
 have followed them ; and there are many trad- 
 ing posts which they have not yet attained. 
 This, however, will no longer be a mystery, 
 when the nature and policy of the Hudson' s- 
 xxxi 
 
A GENERAL HISTORY 
 
 Bay Company is compared with that which 
 has been pursued by their rivals in this trade. 
 — But to return to my subject. 
 
 This competition, which has been already 
 mentioned, gave a fatal blow to the trade 
 from Canada, and, with other incidental 
 causes, in my opinion, contributed to its ruin. 
 This trade Avas carried on in a very distant 
 country", out of the reach of legal restraint, 
 and where there was a free scope given to 
 any ways or means in attaining advantage. 
 The consequence was not only the loss of 
 commercial benefit to the persons engaged in 
 it, but of the good opinion of the natives, 
 and the respect of their men, who were in- 
 clined to follow their example ; so that with 
 drinking, carousing, and quarrelling with the 
 Indians along their route, and among them- 
 selves, they seldom reached their winter 
 quarters; and if they did, it was generally 
 by dragging their property upon sledges, as 
 the navigation was closed up by the frost. 
 When at length they were arrived, the object 
 of each was to injure his rival traders in the 
 ©pinion of the natives as much as was in their 
 power, by misrepresentation and presents, for 
 which the agents employed were peculiarly 
 calculated. They considered the command 
 of their employer as binding on them, and 
 however wrong or irregular the transaction, 
 the responsibility rested with the principal 
 xxxii 
 
OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 
 
 who directed them. This is Indian law. 
 Thus did they waste their credit and their 
 property with the natives, till the first was 
 past redemption, and the last was nearly ex- 
 hausted ; so that towards the spring in each 
 year, the rival parties found it absolutely 
 necessary to join, and make one common 
 stock of what remained, for the purpose of 
 trading with the natives, who could enter- 
 tain no respect for persons who had conducted 
 themselves with so much irregularity and 
 deceit. The winter, therefore, was one con- 
 tinued scene of disagreements and quarrels. 
 If any one had the precaution or good sense 
 to keep clear of these proceedings, he derived 
 a proportionable advantage from his good 
 conduct, and frequently proved a peacemaker 
 between the parties. To such an height had 
 they carried this licentious •onduct, that they 
 were in a continual state of alarm, and were 
 even frequently stopped to pay tribute on 
 their route into the country; though they 
 had adopted the plan of travelling together 
 in parties of thirty or forty canoes, and keep- 
 ing their men armed; which sometimes, in- 
 deed, proved necessary for their defence. 
 
 Thus was the trade carried on for several 
 years, and consequently becoming worse and 
 worse, so that the partners, who met them at 
 the Grande Portage, naturally complained of 
 their ill success. But specious reasons were 
 3 xxxiii 
 
y 
 
 A GENERAL HISTORY 
 
 always ready to prove that it arose from cir- 
 cumstances which they could not at that time 
 control ; and encouragements were held forth 
 to hope that a change would soon take place, 
 which would make ample amends for past 
 disappointments. 
 
 It was about this time, that Mr. Joseph 
 Frobisher, one of the gentlemen engaged in 
 the" trade, determined to penetrate into the 
 country yet unexplored, to the North and 
 Westward, and, in the spring of the year 
 1775, met the Indians from that quarter -^n 
 their way to Fort Churchill, at Portage de 
 Traite, so named from that circumstance, on 
 the banks of the Missinipi, or Churchill river, 
 latitude 55. 25. North, longitude 103i . West. 
 It was indeed, with some difficulty that he 
 could induce them to trade with him, but he 
 at length procured as many furs as his canoes 
 could carry. In this perilous expedition he 
 sustained every kind of hardship incident to 
 a journey through a wild and savage country, 
 where his subsistence depended on what the 
 woods and the waters produced. These diffi- 
 culties, nevertheless, did not discourage him 
 from returning in the following year, when 
 he was equally successful. He then sent his 
 brother to explore the country still further 
 West, who penetrated as far as the lake of 
 Isle a la Crosse, in latitude 55. 26. North, 
 and longitude 108. West. 
 xxxiv 
 
OF THE FUR TRADE. &c. 
 
 He, however, never after wintered among 
 the Indians, though he retained a large inter- 
 est in the trade, and a principal share in the 
 direction of it till the yesiv 1798, when he re- 
 tired to enjoy the fruits of his labours; and, 
 by his hospitality, became known to every 
 respectable stranger who visited Canada. 
 
 The success of this gentleman induced 
 others to follow his example, and in the 
 spring of the year 1778, some of the traders 
 on the Saskatchiwine river, finding they had 
 a quantity of goods to spare, agreed to put 
 them into a joint stock, and gave the charge 
 and management of them to Mr. Peter Pond, 
 who, in four canoes, was directed to enter the 
 English River, so called by Mr. Frobisher, to 
 follow his track, and proceed still further ; if 
 possible, to Athabasca, a country hitherto 
 unknown but from Indian report. In this 
 enterprise he at length succeeded and pitched 
 his tent on the banks of the Elk river, by him 
 erroneously called the Athabasca river, about 
 forty miles from the Lake of the Hills, into 
 which it empties itself. 
 
 Here he passed the winter of 1778-9; saw 
 a vast concourse of the Knisteneaux and 
 Chepewyan tribes, who used to carry their 
 furs annually to Churchill ; the latter by the 
 barren grounds, where they suffered innu- 
 merable hardships, and were sometimes even 
 starved to death. The former followed the 
 
 XXXV 
 
/ 
 
 y 
 
 A GENERAL HISTORY 
 
 course of the lakes and rivers, through a 
 country that abounded in animals, and where 
 there was plenty of fish : but though they did 
 not suffer from want of food, the intolerable 
 fatigue of such a journey could not be easily 
 repaid to an Indian: they were, therefore, 
 highly gratified by seeing people come to their 
 country to relieve them from such long, toil- 
 some, and dangerous journeys; and were 
 immediately reconciled to give an advanced 
 price for the articles necessary to their com- 
 fort and convenience. Mr. Pond's reception 
 and success was accordingly beyond his ex- 
 pectation; and he procured twice as many 
 furs as his canoes would carry. They also 
 supplied him with as much provision as he 
 required during his residence among them, 
 and sufiicient for his homeward voyage. 
 Such of the furs as he could not embark, he 
 secured in one of his winter huts, and they 
 were found the following season, in the same 
 state in which he left them. 
 
 These, however, were but partial advan- 
 tages, and could not prevent the people of 
 Canada from seeing the improper conduct of 
 some of their associates, which rendered it 
 dangerous to remain any longer among the 
 natives. Most of them who passed the winter 
 at the Saskatchiwine, got to the Eagle hills, 
 where, in the spring of the year 1780, a few 
 days previous to their intended departure, a 
 XXX vi 
 
OF THJE FUR TRADE. &c. 
 
 large band of Indians being engaged in drink- 
 ing about their houses, one of the traders, to 
 ease himself of the troublesome importunities 
 of a native, gave him a dose of laudanum in 
 a glass of grog, which effectually prevented 
 him from giving further trouble to any one, 
 by setting him asleep for ever. This accident 
 produced a fray, in which one of the traders, 
 and several of the men were killed, while the 
 rest had no other means to save themselves 
 but by a precipitate flight, abandoning a con- 
 siderable quantity of goods, and near half the 
 furs which they had collected during the 
 winter and the spring. 
 
 About the same time, two of the establish- 
 ments on the Assiniboin river, were attacked 
 with less justice, when several white men, and 
 a great number of Indians were killed. In 
 short, it appeared, that the natives had 
 formed a resolution to extirpate the traders ; 
 and, without entering into any further reason- 
 ings on the subject, it appears to be incon- 
 trovertible, that the irregularity pursued in 
 carrying on the trade has brought it into its 
 present forlorn situation; and nothing but 
 the greatest calamity that could have befallen 
 the natives, saved the traders from destruc- 
 tion: this was the small-pox, which spread 
 its destructive and desolating power, as the 
 fire consumes the dry grass of the field. The 
 fatal infection spread around with a baneful 
 xxxvii 
 
A GENERAL HISTORY 
 
 rapidity which no flight could escape, and 
 with a fatal effect that nothing could resist. 
 It destroyed with its pestilential breath whole 
 families and tribes; and the horrid scene 
 presented to those who had the melancholy 
 and afflicting opportunity of beholding it, a 
 combination of the dead, the dying, and such 
 as to avoid the horrid fate of their friends 
 around them, prepared to disappoint the 
 plague of its prey, by terminating their own 
 existence. 
 
 The habits and lives of these devoted peo- 
 ple, which provided not to-day for the wants 
 of to-morrow, must have heightened the pains 
 of such an affliction, by leaving them not only 
 without remedy, but even without alleviation. 
 Naught was left them but to submit in agony 
 and despair. 
 
 To aggravate the picture, if aggravation 
 were possible, may be added, the putrid car- 
 cases which the wolves, with a furious vorac- 
 ity, dragged forth from the huts, or which 
 were mangled within them by the dogs, whose 
 hunger was satisfied with the disfigured re- 
 mains of their masters. Nor was it uncom- 
 mon for the father of a family, whom the 
 infection had not reached, to call them around 
 him, to represent the cruel sufferings and 
 horrid fate of their relations, from the influ- 
 ence of some evil spirit who was preparing to 
 extirpate their race; and to incite them to 
 xxxviii 
 
OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 
 
 baffle death, with, all its horrors, by their own 
 poniards. At the same time, if their hearts 
 failed them in this necessary act, he was 
 himself ready to perform the deed of mercy 
 with his own hand, as the last act of his 
 affection, and instantly to follow them to the 
 common place of rest and refuge from hnman 
 evil. 
 
 It was never satisfactorily ascertained by 
 ^hat means this malignant disorder was in- 
 troduced, but it was generally supposed to be 
 from the Missisouri, by a war party. 
 
 The consequence of this melancholy event 
 to the traders must be self-evident ; the means 
 of disposing of their goods were cut off ; and 
 no furs were obtained, but such as had been 
 gathered from the habitations of the deceased 
 Indians, which could not be very consider- 
 able: nor did they look from the losses of 
 the present year, with any encouraging ex- 
 pectations to those which were to come. The 
 only fortunate people consisted of a party 
 who had again penetrated to the Northward 
 and Westward in 1780, at some distance 
 up the Missinipi, or English river, to Lake 
 la Rouge. Two unfortunate circumstances, 
 however, happened to them; which are as 
 follow : 
 
 Mr. Wadin, a Swiss gentleman, of strict 
 probity and known sobriety, had gone there 
 in the year 1779, and remained during the 
 xxxix 
 
A GENERAL HISTORY 
 
 summer of 1780. His partners and others, 
 engaged in an opposite interest, when at the 
 Grande Portage, agreed to send a quantity of 
 goods on their joint account, which was ac- 
 cepted, and Mr. Pond was proposed by them 
 to be their representative to act in conjunc- 
 tion with Mr. Wadin. Two men, of more 
 opposite characters, could not, perhaps, have 
 been found. In short, from various causes, 
 their situations became very uncomfortable 
 to each other, and mutual ill-will was the 
 natural consequence : without entering, there- 
 fore, into a minute history of these transac- 
 tions, it will be sufficient to observe, that, 
 about the end of the year 1780, or the begin- 
 ning of 1781, Mr. Wadin had received Mr. 
 Pond and one of his own clerks to dinner; 
 and, in the course of the night, the former 
 was shot through the lower part of the thigh, 
 when it was said that he expired from the 
 loss of blood, and was buried next morning 
 at eight o'clock. Mr. Pond, and the clerk, 
 were tried for this murder at Montreal, and 
 acquitted: nevertheless, their innocence was 
 not so apparent as to extinguish the original 
 suspicion. 
 
 The other circumstance was this. In the 
 spring of the year, Mr. Pond sent the above- 
 mentioned clerk to meet the Indians from the 
 Northward, who used to go annually to Hud- 
 son's Bay; when he easily persuaded them to 
 xl 
 
OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 
 
 trade with him, and return back, that they 
 might not take the contagion which had de- 
 populated the country to the Eastward of 
 them : bat most unfortunately they caught it 
 here, and carried it with them, to the destruc- 
 tion of themselves and the neighbouring tribes. 
 The country being thus depopulated, the 
 traders and their friends from Canada, who, 
 from various causes already mentioned, were 
 very much reduced in number, became confined 
 to two parties, who began seriously to think 
 of making permanent establishments on the 
 Missinipi river, and at Athabasca; for which 
 purpose, in 1781-2, they selected their best 
 canoe-men, being ignorant that the small-pox 
 penetrated that way. The most expeditious 
 party got only in time to the Portage la Loche, 
 «r Mithy-Ouinigam, which divides the waters 
 of the Missinipi from those that fall into the 
 Elk river, to despatch one canoe strong- 
 handed, and light-loaded, to that country; 
 but, on their arrival there, they found, in 
 every direction, the ravages of the small-pox ; 
 so that, from the great diminution of the 
 natives, they returned in the spring with no 
 more than seven packages of beaver. The 
 .strong woods and mountainous countries 
 afforded a refuge to those who fled from the 
 contagion of the plains; but they were so 
 alarmed at the surrounding destruction, that 
 they avoided the traders, and were dispirited 
 xli 
 
A GENERAL HISTORY 
 
 from hunting, except for their subsistence. 
 The traders, however, who returned into the 
 country in the year 1782-3, found the in- 
 habitants in some cort of tranquillity, and 
 more numerous than they had reason to ex- 
 pect, so that their success was proportion- 
 ably better. 
 
 During the winter of 1783-4, the mer- 
 chants of Canada, engaged in this trade, 
 7 formed a junction of interests, under the 
 name of the North- West Company, and di- 
 vided it into sixteen shares, without deposit- 
 ing any capital ; each party furnishing a pro- 
 portion or quota of such articles as were 
 necessary to carry on the trade : the respec- 
 tive parties agreeing to satisfy the friends 
 they had in the country, who were not ppo- 
 vided for, according to this agreement, out 
 of the proportions which they held. The 
 management of the whole was accordingly 
 entrusted to Messrs. Benjamin and Joseph 
 Frobisher, and Mr. Simon M'Tavish, two 
 distinct houses, who had the greatest interest 
 and influence in the country, and for which 
 they were to receive a stipulated commission 
 in all transactions. 
 
 In the spring, two of those gentlemen went 
 to the Grande Portage with their credentials, 
 which were confirmed and ratified by all the 
 parties having an option, except Mr. Peter 
 Pond, who was not satisfied with the share 
 xlii 
 
OF THE FLR TRADE, &c. 
 
 allotted him. Accordingly he, and another 
 gentleman, Mr. Peter Pangman, who had a 
 right to be a partner, but for whom no pro- 
 Yision ha,d been made, came to Canada, with 
 a determination to return to the country, if 
 they could find any persons to join them, and 
 give their scheme a proper support. 
 
 The traders in the country, and merchants 
 at Montreal, thus entered into a co-partner- 
 ship, which, by these means, was consolidated 
 and directed by able men, who, from the 
 powers with which they were entrusted, 
 would carry on the trade to the utmost ex- 
 tent it would bear. The traders in the coun- 
 try, therefore, having every reason to expect 
 that their past and future labours would be 
 recompensed, forgot all their former animosi- 
 ties, and engaged with the utmost spirit and 
 activity, to forward the general interest ; so 
 that, in the following year, they met their 
 agents at the Grande Portage, with their 
 canoes laden with rich furs from the different 
 parts of that immense tract of country. But 
 this satisfaction was not to be enjoyed with- 
 out some interruption; and they were mor- 
 tified to find that Mr. Pangman had prevailed 
 on Messrs. Gregory and Macleod to join him, 
 and give him their support in the business, 
 though deserted by Mr. Pond, who accepted 
 the terms offered by his former associates. 
 
 In the counting-house of Mr. Gregory I 
 xliii 
 
A GENERAL HISTORY 
 
 had been five years ; and at this period had 
 left him, with a small adventure of goods, 
 with which he had entrusted me, to seek my 
 fortune at Detroit. He, without any solici- 
 tation on my part, had procured an insertion 
 in the agreement, that I should be admitted 
 a partner in this business, on condition that 
 I would proceed to the Indian country in the 
 following spring, 1785. His partner came to 
 Detroit to make me such a proposition. I 
 readily assented to it, and immediately pro- 
 ceeded to the Grande Portage, where I joined 
 my associates. 
 
 We now found that independent of the 
 natural difficulties of the undertaking, we 
 should have to encounter every other which 
 they, who were already in possession of the 
 trade of the country, could throw in our way, 
 and which their circumstances enabled them 
 to do. Nor did they doubt, from their own 
 superior experience, as well as that of their 
 clerks and men, with their local knowledge 
 of the country and its inhabitants, that they 
 should soon compel us to leave the country 
 to them. The event, however, did not justify 
 their expectations; for, after the severest 
 struggle ever known in that part of the world, 
 and suffering every oppression which a jeal- 
 ous and rival spirit could instigate ; after the 
 murder of one of our partners, the laming of 
 another, and the narrow escape of one of our 
 xliv 
 
OF THE FUR TRADE, &c, 
 
 clerks, who received a bullet through his 
 powder horn, in the execution of his duty, 
 they were compelled to allow us a share of 
 the trade. As we had already incurred a 
 loss, this union was, in every respect, a de- 
 sirable event to us, and was concluded in the 
 month of July, 1787. 
 
 This commercial establishment was now 
 founded on a more solid basis than any hither- 
 to known in the country; and it not only 
 continued in full force, vigour, and prosper- 
 ity, in spite of all interference from Canada, 
 but maintained at least an equal share of 
 advantage with the Hudson^ s-Bay Company, 
 notwithstanding the superiority of their local 
 situation. The following account of this self- 
 crected concern will manifest the cause of its 
 success. 
 
 It assumed the title of the North-West 
 Company, and was no more than an associa- 
 tion of commercial men, agreeing among 
 themselves to carry on the fur trade, uncon- 
 nected with any other business, though many 
 of the parties engaged had extensive concerns 
 altogether foreign to it. It may be said to 
 have been supported entirely upon credit; 
 for, whether the capital belonged to the pro- 
 prietor, or was borrowed, it equally bore in- 
 terest, for which the association was annually 
 accountable. It consisted of twenty shares, 
 unequally divided among the persons con- 
 xlv 
 
A GENERAL HISTORY 
 
 cerned. Of these, a certain proportion was 
 held by the people who managed the busi- 
 ness in Canada, and were styled agents for 
 the Company. Their duty was to import the 
 necessary goods from England, store them 
 at their own expense at Montreal, get them 
 made up into articles suited to the trade, 
 pack and forward them, and supply the cash 
 that might be wanting for the outfits, for 
 which they received, independent of the 
 profit on their shares, a commission on the 
 amount of the accounts, which they were 
 obliged to make out annually, and keep the 
 adventure of each year distinct. Two of 
 them went annually to the Grande Portage, 
 to manage and transact the business there, 
 and on the communication at Detroit, Michili- 
 makinac, St. Mary's, and at Montreal, where 
 they received, stored, packed up, and shipped 
 the company's furs for England, on which 
 they had also a small commission. The re- 
 maining shares were held by the proprietors, 
 who were obliged to winter and manage the 
 business of the concern with the Indians, and 
 their respective clerks, etc. They were not 
 supposed to be under any obligation to furnish 
 capital, or even credit. If they obtained any 
 capital by the trade, it was to remain in the 
 hands of the agents; for Avhich they were 
 allowed interest. Some of them, from their 
 long services and influence, held double 
 xlvi 
 
OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 
 
 shares, and were allowed to retire from the 
 business at any period of the existing concern, 
 with one of those shares, naming any young 
 man in the company's service to succeed him 
 in the other. Seniority and merit were, 
 however, considered as affording a claim to 
 the succession, which, nevertheless, could not 
 be disposed of without the concurrence of the 
 majority of the concern; who, at the same 
 time, relieved the seceding person from any 
 responsibility respecting the share that he 
 transferred, and accounted for it according to 
 the annual value or rate of the property ; so 
 that the seller could have no advantage, but 
 that of getting the share of stock which he 
 retained realised, and receiving for the trans- 
 ferred share what was fairly determined to 
 be the worth of it. The former was also 
 discharged from all duty, and became a dor- 
 mant partner. Thus, all the young men who 
 were not provided for at the beginning of the 
 contract, succeeded in succession to the char- 
 acter and advantages of partners. They en- 
 tered into the Company's service for iive or 
 seven years, under such expectations, and 
 their reasonable prospects were seldom disap- 
 pointed: there were, indeed, instances when 
 they succeeded to shares, before their appren- 
 ticeship was expired, and it frequently hap- 
 pened, that they were provided for while they 
 were in a state of articled clerkship. Shares 
 xlvii 
 
A GENERAL HISTORY 
 
 were transferable only to the concern at large, 
 as no person could be admitted as a partner 
 who had not served his time to the trade. 
 The dormant partner indeed might dispose 
 of his interest to any one he chose, but if the 
 transaction was not acknowledged by his 
 associates, the purchaser could only be con- 
 sidered as his agent or attorney. Every 
 share had a vote, and two-thirds formed a 
 majority. This regular and equitable mode 
 of providing for the clerks of the company, 
 excited a spirit of emulation in the discharge 
 of their various duties, and in fact, made 
 every agent a principal, who perceived his 
 own prosperity to be immediately connected 
 with that of his employers. Indeed, without 
 such a spirit, such a trade could not have be- 
 come so extended and advantageous, as it 
 has been and now is. 
 
 In 1788, the gross amount of the adventure 
 for the year did not exceed forty thousand 
 pounds, * but by the exertion, enterprise, and 
 industry of the proprietors, it was brought, 
 4n eleven years, to triple that amount and 
 /^upwards; yielding proportionate profits, and 
 
 * This might be properly called the stock of the 
 company, as it Included, with the expenditure of 
 the year, the amount of the property unexpended, 
 which had been appropriated for the adventure of 
 that year, and was carried on to the account of the 
 following adventure. 
 
 xlviii 
 
OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 
 
 surpassing, in short, any thing known in 
 America. 
 
 Such, therefore, being the prosperous state 
 of the company, it, very naturally, tempted 
 others to interfere with the concern in a 
 manner by no means beneficial to the com- 
 pany, and commonly ruinous to the under- 
 takers. 
 
 In 1798 the concern underwent a new form, 
 the shares were increased to forty-six, new 
 partners being admitted, and others retiring. 
 This period was the termination of the com- 
 pany, which was not renewed by all the 
 parties concerned in it, the majority continu- 
 ing to act upon the old stock, and under the 
 old firm; the others beginning a new one; 
 and it now remains to be decided, whether 
 two parties, under the same regulations and 
 by the same exertions, though unequal in 
 number, can continue to carry on the business 
 to a successful issue. The contrary opinion 
 has been held, which if verified, will make 
 it the interest of the parties again to coalesce j 
 for neither is deficient in capital to support 
 their obstinacy in a losing trade, as it is not 
 to be supposed that either will yield on any 
 other terms than perpetual participation. 
 
 It will not be superfluous in this place, to 
 explain the general mode of carrying on the 
 fur trade. 
 
 The agents are obliged to order the neces- 
 4 xlix 
 
A GENERAL HISTORY 
 
 sary goods from England in the month of 
 October, eighteen months before they can 
 leave Montreal ; that is, they are not shipped 
 from London until the spring following, when 
 they arrive in Canada in the summer. In 
 the course of the following winter they are 
 made up into such articles as are required for 
 the savages ; they are then packed into parcels 
 of ninety pounds weight each, but cannot be 
 sent from Montreal until the May following ; 
 so that they do not get to market until the 
 ensuing winter, when they are exchanged for 
 furs, which come to Montreal the next fall, 
 and from thence are shij^ped, chiefly to Lon- 
 don, where they are not sold or paid for be- 
 fore the succeeding spring, or even as late as 
 June; which is forty-two months after the 
 goods were ordered in Canada; thirty-six 
 after they had been shipped from England, 
 and twenty-four after they had been for- 
 warded from IMontreal ; so that the merchant, 
 allowing that he has twelve months' credit, 
 does not receive a return to pay for those 
 goods, and the necessary expenses attending 
 them, which is about equal to the value of 
 the goods themselves^ till two years after 
 they are considered as cash, which makes this 
 a very heavy business. There is even a small 
 proportion of it that requires twelve months 
 longer to bring round the payment, going to 
 the immense distance it is carried, and from 
 1 
 
OF THE FUK TRADE. &c. 
 
 the shortness of the seasons, which pre- 
 vents the furs, even after they are collected, 
 from coming out of the country for that 
 period.* 
 
 The articles necessary for this trade, are 
 coarse woollen cloths of different kinds; 
 milled blankets of different sizes ; arms and 
 ammunition ; twist and carrot tobacco ; Man- 
 chester goods; linens, and coarse sheetings; 
 thread, lines, and twine ; common hardware ; 
 cutlery and ironmongery of several descrip- 
 tions ; kettles of brass and copper, and sheet- 
 iron; silk and cotton handkerchiefs, hats, 
 shoes, and hose ; calicoes and printed cottons, 
 etc., etc., etc. Spirituous liquors and provi- 
 sions are purchased in Canada. These, and 
 the expense of transport to and from the In- 
 dian country, including wages to clerks, in- 
 terpreters, guides, and canoe-men, with the 
 expense of making up the goods for the 
 
 * This will be better illustrated by the following 
 statement: — We will suppose the goods for 1798: 
 The orders for the goods are sent to this country 
 25th October, 1796 ; they are shipped from London 
 March, 1797; they arrive in Montreal June, 1797; 
 they are made up in the course of that summer and 
 winter; they are sent from Montreal May, 1798; 
 they arrive in the Indian country, and are exchanged 
 for furs the following winter, 1798-99; which furs 
 come to Montreal September, 1799; and are shipped 
 for London, where they are sold in March and April, 
 and paid for in May or June, 1800. 
 li 
 
A GENERAL HISTORY 
 
 market, form about half the annual amount 
 against the adventure. 
 
 This expenditure in Canada ultimately 
 tends to the encouragement of British manu- 
 factory, for those who are employed in the 
 different branches of this business, are en- 
 abled by their gains to purchase such British 
 articles as they must otherwise forego. 
 
 The produce of the year of which I am 
 now speaking, consisted of the following furs 
 and peltries : 
 
 106,000 Beaver skins. 6,000 Lynx skins, 
 
 2,100 Bear skins, 600 Wolverine skins, 
 
 1,500 Fox skins, 1.650 Fisher skins, 
 
 4,000 Kitt Fox skins 100 Rackoon skins, 
 
 4,600 Otter skins, 3,800 Wolf skins, 
 
 17,000 Musquash skins, 700 Elk skins, 
 
 32,000 Marten skins, 750 Deer skins, 
 
 1,800 ]Mink skins, 1.200 Deer skins dressed, 
 
 500 Buffalo robes, and a quantity of cas* 
 torum. 
 
 Of these were diverted from the British 
 market, being sent through the United States 
 to China, 13,364 skins, fine beaver, weighing 
 19,283 pounds; 1,250 fine otters, and 1,724 
 kitt foxes. They would have found their 
 way to the China market at any rate, but 
 this deviation from the British channel arose 
 from the following circumstance : 
 
 An adventure of this kind was undertaken 
 by a respectable house in London, half con* 
 lit 
 
OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 
 
 cerned with the North -West Company, in the 
 year 1792. The furs were of the best kind, 
 and suitable to the market ; and the adven- 
 turers continued this connexion for five suc- 
 cessive years, to the annual amount of forty 
 thousand pounds. At the winding up of the 
 concern of 1792, 1793, 1794, 1795, in the 
 year 1797 (the adventure of 1796 not being 
 included, as the furs were not sent to China, 
 but disposed of in London), the North- West 
 Company experienced a loss of upwards of 
 £40,000 (their half), which was principally 
 owing to the difficulty of getting home the 
 produce procured in return for the furs from 
 China, in the East India Company's ships, 
 together with the duty payable, and the vari- 
 ous restrictions of that company. Whereas, 
 from America there are no impediments ; they 
 get immediately to market, and the produce 
 of them is brought back, and perhaps sold in 
 the course of twelve months. From such 
 advantages, the furs of Canada will no doubt 
 find their way to China by America, which 
 would not be the case if British subjects had 
 the same privileges that are allowed to for- 
 eigners, as London would then be found the 
 best and safest market. 
 
 But to return to our prmcipal subject. We 
 
 shall now proced to consider the number of 
 
 men employed in the concern: viz., fifty 
 
 clerks, seventy-one interpreters and clerks, 
 
 liii 
 
A GENERAL HISTORY 
 
 one thousand one hundred and twenty canoe- 
 men, and thirty-five guides. Of these, five 
 clerks, eighteen guides, and three hundred 
 and fifty canoe-men, were employed for the 
 summer season in going from Montreal to the 
 Grande Portage, in canoes, part of whom 
 proceeded from thence to Rainy Lake, as will 
 be hereafter explained, and are called Pork- 
 eaters, or Goers and Comers. These were 
 hired in Canada or Montreal, and were absent 
 from the 1st of May till the latter end of 
 September. For this trip the guides had 
 from eight hundred to a thousand livres, and 
 a suitable equipment ; the foreman and steers- 
 man from four to six hundred livres; the 
 middle-men from two hundred and fifty to 
 three hundred and fifty livres, with an equip- 
 ment of one blanket, one shirt, and one pair 
 of trowsers ; and were maintained during that 
 period at the expense of their employers. 
 Independent of their wages, they were allowed 
 to traffic, and many of them earned to the 
 amount of their wages. About one-third of 
 these went to winter, and had more than 
 double the above wages and equipment. All 
 the winterers were hired by the year, and 
 sometimes for three years ; and of the clerks 
 many w^ere api^rentices, who were generally 
 engaged for five or seven years, for which 
 they had only one hundred pounds, provision 
 and clothing. Such of them who could not 
 liv 
 
OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 
 
 be provided for as partners, at the expiration 
 of this time, were allowed from one hundred 
 pounds to three hundred pounds per annum, 
 with all necessaries, till provision was made 
 for them. Those who acted in the two-fold 
 capacity of clerk and interpreter, or were so 
 denominated, had no other expectation than 
 the payment of wages to the amount of from 
 one thousand to four thousand livres per an- 
 num, with clothing and provisions. The 
 guides, who are a very useful set of men, 
 acted also in the additional capacity of in- 
 terpreters, and had a stated quantity of goods, 
 considered as sufficient for their wants, their 
 wages being from one to three thousand livres. 
 The canoe-men are of two descriptions, fore- 
 men and steersmen, and middlemen. The 
 two first were allowed annually one thousand 
 two hundred, and the latter eight hundred, 
 livres each. The first class had what is 
 called an equipment, consisting of two 
 blankets, two shirts, two pair of trowsers, 
 two handkerchiefs, fourteen pounds of carrot 
 tobacco, and some trifling articles. The 
 latter had ten pounds of tobacco, and all the 
 other articles: those are called North Men, 
 or Winterers ; and to the last class of people 
 were attached upwards of seven hundred In- 
 dian women and children, victualled at the 
 expence of the company. 
 
 The first class of people are hired in Mon-' 
 Iv 
 
A GENERAL HISTORY 
 
 treal five months before they set out, and re- 
 ceive their equipments, and one-third of theii 
 wages in advance ; and an adequate idea of 
 the labour they undergo, may be formed from 
 the following account of the country through 
 which they pass, and their manner of pro- 
 ceeding. 
 
 The necessary number of canoes being pur- 
 chased, at about three hundred livres each, 
 the goods formed into packages, and the 
 lakes and rivers free of ice, which they usu- 
 ally are in the beginning of May, they are 
 then despatched from La Chine, eight miles 
 above Montreal, with eight or ten men in each 
 canoe, and their baggage; and sixty-five 
 packages of goods, six hundred weight of 
 biscuit, two hundred weight of pork, three 
 bushels of pease, for the men's provision; 
 two oil-cloths to cover the goods, a sail, etc., 
 an axe, a towing-line, a kettle, and a sponge 
 to bail out the water, with a quantity of gum, 
 bark, and watape, to repair the vessel. An 
 European on seeing one of these slender ves- 
 sels thus laden, heaped up, and sunk with 
 her gunwale within six inches of the water, 
 would think his fate inevitable in such a boat, 
 when he reflected on the nature of her voyage ; 
 but the Canadians are so expert that few ac- 
 cidents happen. 
 
 Leaving La Chine, they proceed to St. 
 Ann's, within two miles of the Western ex- 
 Ivi 
 
OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 
 
 tremity of the island of Montreal, the lake of 
 the two mountains being in sight, which may 
 be termed the commencement of the Utawas 
 river. At the rapid of St. Ann they are 
 obliged to take out part, if not the whole of 
 their lading. It is from this spot that the 
 Canadians consider they take their departure, 
 as it possesses the last church on the island, 
 which is dedicated to the tutelar saint of 
 voyages. 
 
 The lake of the two mountains is about 
 twenty miles long, but not more than three 
 wide, and surrounded by cultivated fields, 
 except the Seignory belonging to the clergy, 
 though nominally in possession of the two 
 tribes of Iroquois and Algonquins, whose 
 village is situated on a delightful point of 
 land under the hills, which, by tho title of 
 mountains, give a name to the lake. Near 
 the extremity of the point their church is 
 built, which divides the village in two parts, 
 forming a regular angle along the water side. 
 On the East is the station of the Algonquins, 
 and on the West, one of the Iroquois, consist- 
 ing in all of about five hundred warriors. 
 Each party has its missionary, and divine 
 worship is performed according to the rites 
 of the Roman Catholic religion, in their re- 
 spective languages in the same church : and 
 so assiduous have their pastors been, that 
 these people have been instructed in reading 
 Ivii 
 
A GENERAL HISTORY 
 
 and writing in their own language, and are 
 better instructed than the Canadian inhabi- 
 tants of the country of the lower ranks : 
 but notwithstanding these advantages, and 
 though the establishment is nearly coeval 
 with the colonisation of the country, they do 
 not advance towards a state of civilisation, 
 but retain their ancient habits, language, and 
 customs, and are becoming every day more 
 depraved, indigent, and insignificant. The 
 country around them, though very capable of 
 cultivation, presents only a few miserable 
 patches of ground, sown by the women with 
 maize and vegetables. During the winter 
 season, they leave their habitations, and 
 pious pastors, to follow the chase, according 
 to the custom of their forefathers. Such is, 
 indeed, the state of all the villages near the 
 cultivated parts of Canada. But we shall 
 now leave them to proceed on our voyage. 
 
 At the end of the lake the water contracts 
 into the Utawas river, which, after a course 
 of fifteen miles, is interrupted by a succes- 
 sion of rapids and cascades for upwards of 
 ten miles, at the foot of which the Canadian 
 Seignories terminate; and all above them 
 were waste land, till the conclusion of the 
 American war, when they were surveyed by 
 order of government, and granted to the offi- 
 cers and men of the eighty-fourth regiment, 
 when reduced ; but principally to the former, 
 Iviii 
 
OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 
 
 and consequently little inhabited, though very 
 capable of cultivation. 
 
 The voyagers are frequently obliged to un- 
 load their canoes, and carry the goods upon 
 their backs, or rather suspended in slings 
 from their heads. Each man's ordinary load 
 is two packages, though some carry three. 
 Here the canoe is towed by a strong line. 
 There are some places where the ground will 
 not admit of their carrying the whole ; they 
 then make two trips, that is, leave half their 
 lading, and go and land it at the distance re- 
 quired ; and then return for that which was 
 left. In this distance are three carrying- 
 places, the length of which depends in a 
 great measure upon the state of the water, 
 whether higher or lower; from the last of 
 these the river is about a mile and a half 
 wide, and has a regular current for about 
 sixt}' miles, when it ends at the first Portage 
 de Chaudiere, where the body of water falls 
 twenty-five feet, over cragged, excavated 
 rocks, in a most wild, romantic manner. At 
 a small distance below, is the river Rideau 
 on the left, falling over a perpendicular rock, 
 near forty feet high, in one sheet, assuming 
 the appearance of a curtain ; and from which 
 circumstance it derives its name. To this 
 extent the lands have been surveyed, as be- 
 fore observed, and are very fit for culture. 
 Many loyalists are settled upon the river 
 lix 
 
A GENERAL HISTORY 
 
 Rideau, and have, I am told, thriving plan- 
 tations. Some American families preferring 
 the British territory, have also established 
 themselves along a river on the opposite 
 side, where the soil is excellent. Nor do I 
 think the period is far distant, when the 
 lands will become settled from this vicinity 
 to Montreal. 
 
 Over this portage, which is six hundred 
 and forty-three paces long, the canoe and all 
 the lading is carried. The rock is so steep 
 and difficult of access, that it requires twelve 
 men to take the canoe out of the water : it is 
 then carried by six men, two at each end on 
 the same side, and two under the opposite 
 gunwale in the middle. From hence to the 
 next is but a short distance, in which they 
 make two trips to the second Portage de 
 Chaudiere, which is seven hundred paces, to 
 carry the loading alone. From hence to the 
 next and last Chaudiere, or Portage des 
 Chenes, is about six miles, with a very strong 
 current, where the goods are carried seven 
 hundred and forty paces; the canoe being 
 towed up by the line, when the water is not 
 very high. We now enter Lac des Chau- 
 dieres, which is computed to be thirty miles 
 in length. Though it is called a lake, there 
 is a strong draught downwards, and its 
 breadth is from two to four miles. At the 
 end of this is the Portage des Chats, ovei 
 Ix 
 
OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 
 
 which the canoe and lading are carried two 
 hundred and seventy-four paces; and very 
 difficult it is for the former. The river is 
 here barred by a ridge of black rock, rising 
 in pinnacles and covered with wood, which, 
 from the small quantity of soil that nourishes 
 it, is low and stinted. The river finds its 
 way over and through these rocks, in numer- 
 ous channels, falling fifteen feet and up- 
 wards. From hence two trips are made 
 through a serpentine channel, formed by the 
 rocks, for several miles, when the current 
 slackens, and is accordingly called the Lac 
 des Chats. To the channels of the grand 
 Calumet, which are computed to be at the 
 distance of eighteen miles, the current re- 
 covers its strength, and proceeds to the Port- 
 age Dufort, which is two hundred and forty- 
 five paces long; over which the canoe and 
 baggage are transported. From hence the 
 current becomes more rapid, and requires two 
 trips to the Decharge des Sables, * where the 
 goods are carried one hundred and thirty-five 
 paces, and the canoe towed. Then follows 
 the Mountain Portage, where the canoe and 
 lading are also carried three hundred and 
 eighty-five paces; then to the Decharge of 
 
 * The place where the goods alone are carried, is 
 called a Decharge, and that where goods and canoes 
 are both transported overland, is denominated a 
 Portage. 
 
 Ixi 
 
A GENERAL HISTORY 
 
 the Derige, where the goods are carried two 
 hundred and fifty paces; and thence to the 
 grand Calumet. This is the longest carry- 
 ing-place in this river, and is about two thou- 
 sand and thirty-five paces. It is a high hill 
 or mountain. From the upper part of this 
 Portage the current is steady, and is only a 
 branch of the Utawas river, which joins the 
 main channel, that keeps a more Southern 
 course, at the distance of twelve computed 
 leagues. Six leagues further it forms Lake 
 Coulonge, which is about four leagues in 
 length ; from thence it proceeds through the 
 channels of the Allumettes to the decharge, 
 where part of the lading is taken out, and 
 carried three hundred and forty-two paces. 
 Then succeeds the Portage des Allumettes, 
 which is but twenty-five paces, over a rock 
 difficult of access, and at a very short dis- 
 tance from Decharge. Prom Portage de 
 Chenes to this spot, is a fine deer-hunting 
 country, and the land in many places very fit 
 for cultivation. From hence the river spreads 
 wide, and is full of islands, with some cur- 
 rent for seven leagues, to the beginning of 
 R'uriere CrPAise, or Deep Hiver, which runs in 
 the form of a canal, about a mile and a half 
 wide, for about thirty-six miles; bounded 
 upon the North by very high rocks, with low 
 land on the South, and sandy; it is inter- 
 cepted again by falls and cataracts, so that 
 Ixii 
 
OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 
 
 the Portages of the two Joachins almOvSt join. 
 The first is nine hundred and twenty-six 
 paces, the next seven hundred and twenty, 
 and both very bad roads. From hence is a 
 steady current of nine miles to the river du 
 Moine, where there has generally been a trad- 
 ing house; the stream then becomes strong 
 for four leagues, when a rapid succeeds, 
 which requires two trips. A little way on- 
 ward is the Decharge, and close to it, the 
 Portage of the Roche Capitaine, seven hun- 
 dred and ninety-seven paces in length. From 
 hence two trips are made through a narrow 
 channel of the Poche Capitaine, made by an 
 island four miles in length. A strong cur- 
 rent now succeeds, for about six leagues to 
 the Portage of the two rivers, which is about 
 eight hundred and twenty paces ; from thence 
 it is three leagues to the Decharge of the 
 Trou, which is three hundred paces. Near 
 adjoining is the rapid of Levellier; from 
 whence, including the rapids of Matawoen, 
 where there is no carrying-place, it is about 
 thirty-six miles to the forks of the same 
 name; in latitude 46. 45. North, and longi- 
 tude 78. 45. West, and is at the computed 
 distance of four hundred miles from Mont- 
 real. At this place the Petite Riviere falls 
 into the Utawas. The latter river comes from 
 a North-Westerly direction, forming several 
 lakes in its course. The principal of them 
 Ixiii 
 
A GENERAL HISTORY 
 
 is; Lake Teinescamang, where there has al- 
 ways been a trading post, which may be said 
 to continue, by a succession of rivers and lakes, 
 upwards of fifty leagues from the Forks, pass- 
 ing near the waters of the Lake Abbitiby, in 
 latitude 48]-, which is received by the Moose 
 Eiver, that empties itself into James's Bay. 
 
 The Petite Riviere takes a South- West di- 
 rection, Is full of rapids and cataracts to its 
 source, and is not more than fifteen leagues 
 in length, in the course of which are the fol- 
 lowing interruptions — The Portage of Plein 
 Champ, three hundred and nineteen paces; 
 the Decharge of the Rose, one hundred and 
 forty-five paces; the Decharge of Campion, 
 one hundred and eighty-four paces ; the Port- 
 age of the Grosse Roche, one hundred and 
 fifty paces ; the Portage of Paresseux, four 
 hundred and two paces; the Portage of 
 Prairie, two hundred and eighty-seven paces ; 
 the Portage of La Cave, one hundred paces ; 
 Portage of Talon, two hundred and seventy- 
 five paces ; which, for its length, is the worst 
 on the communication ; Portage Pin de Mu- 
 siqje, four hundred and fifty-six paces; next 
 to this, is mauvais de Musique, where many 
 men have been crushed to death by the ca- 
 noes, and others have received irrecoverable 
 injuries. The last in this river is the Turtle 
 Portage, eighty-three paces, on entering the 
 lake of that name, where, indeed, the river 
 Ixiv 
 
OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 
 
 m^j be said to take its source. At tlie first 
 vase from whence to the great river, the 
 country has the appearance of having been 
 over-run by fire, and consists, in general, of 
 huge rocky hills. The distance of this port- 
 age which is the height of land, between the 
 waters of the St. Laurance and the Utawas, 
 is one thousand five hundred and thirteen 
 paces to a small canal in a plain, that is just 
 sufficient to carry the loaded canoe about one 
 mile to the next vase, which is seven hun- 
 dred and twenty-five paces. It would be 
 twice this distance, but the narrow creek 's 
 dammed in the beaver fashion, to float the 
 canoes to this barrier, through which they 
 pass, when the river is just sufficient to bear 
 them through a swamp of two miles to the 
 last vase, of one thousand and twenty-four 
 paces in length. Though the river is in- 
 creased in this part, some care is necessary 
 to avoid rocks and stumps of trees. In about 
 six miles is the lake Nepisingui, which is 
 computed to be twelve leagues long, though 
 the route of the canoes is something more : it 
 is about fifteen miles wide in the widest part, 
 and bound with rocks. Its inhabitants con- 
 sist of the remainder of a numerous converted 
 tribe, called iSTepisinguis of the Algonquin 
 nation. Out of it flows the Kiviere des Fran- 
 Qois, over rocks of a considerable height. In 
 a bay to the East of this, the road leads over 
 5 Ixv 
 
A GENERAL HISTORY 
 
 the Portage of the Chaudiere des Francois, 
 five hundred and forty-four paces, to still 
 water. It must have acquired the name of 
 Kettle, from a great number of holes in the 
 solid rock of a cylindrical form, and not un- 
 like that culinary utensil. They are observ- 
 able in many parts along strong bodies of 
 water, and where, at certain seasons, and 
 distinct periods, it is well known the water 
 inundates ; at the bottom of them are gener- 
 ally found a number of small stones and peb- 
 bles. This circumstance justifies the conclu- 
 sion, that at some former period these rocks 
 formed the bed of a branch of the discharge 
 of this lake, although some of them are up- 
 wards of ten feet above the present level of 
 the water at its greatest height. They are, 
 indeed, to be seen along every great river 
 throughout this wide extended country. The 
 French river is very irregular, both as to its 
 breadth and form, and is so interspersed with 
 islands, that in the whole course of it the 
 banks are seldom visible. Of its various 
 channels, that which is generally followed 
 by the canoes is obstructed by the following 
 Portages, viz., des Pins, fifty-two paces; 
 Feausille, thirty-six paces; Parisienne, one 
 hundred paces ; Recolet, forty-five paces ; and 
 the Petite Feusille, twenty-five paces. In 
 several parts there are guts or channels, 
 where the water flows with great velocity, 
 Ixvi 
 
OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 
 
 which are not more than twice the breadth 
 of a canoe. The distance to Lake Huron is 
 estimated at twenty-five leagues, which this 
 river enters in the latitude 45. 53. North, 
 that is, at the point of land three or four 
 miles within the lake. There is hardly a 
 foot of soil to be seen from one end of the 
 Fench river to the other, its banks consisting 
 of hills of entire rock. The coast of the lake 
 is the same, but lower, backed at some dis- 
 tance by high lands. The course runs through 
 numerous islands to the North of West to the 
 river Tessalon, computed to be about fifty 
 leagues from the French river, and which I 
 found to be in latitude 46. 12. 21. North; 
 and from thence crossing, from island to isl- 
 and, the arm of the lake that receives the 
 water of Lake Superior (which continues the 
 same course), the route changes to the South 
 of West ten leagues to the Detour, passing 
 the end of the island of St. Joseph, within 
 six miles of the former place. On that isl- 
 and there has been a military establishment 
 since the upper posts were given up to the 
 Americans in tlie year 1794; and is the 
 Westernmost military position which we have 
 in this country. It is a place of no trade, 
 and the greater part, if not the whole of the 
 Lidians come here for no other purpose but 
 to receive the presents w^hich our government 
 annually allows them. They are from the 
 Ixvii 
 
A GENERAL HISTORY 
 
 American territory (except about thirty fam- 
 ilies, who are the inhabitants of the lake 
 from the French river, and of the Algonquin 
 nation) and trade in their peltries, as they 
 used formerly to do at Michilimakinac, but 
 principally with British subjects. The Amer- 
 icans pay them very little attention, and tell 
 them that they keep possession of their coun- 
 try by right of conquest : that, as their broth- 
 ers, they will be friends with them while they 
 deserve it ; and that their traders will bring 
 them every kind of goods they require, which 
 they may procure by their industry. 
 
 Our commanders treat them in a very dif- 
 ferent manner, and, under the character of 
 the representative of their father (which pa- 
 rental title the natives give to his present 
 Majesty, the common father of all his peo- 
 ple) present them with such things as the 
 actual state of their stores will allow. 
 
 How far this conduct, if continued, may, 
 at a future exigency, keep these people in 
 our interest, if they are even worthy of it, 
 is not an object of my present consideration : 
 at the same time, I cannot avoid expressing 
 my perfect conviction, that it would not be 
 of the least advantage to our present or fu- 
 ture commerce in that country, or to the peo- 
 ple themselves ; as it only tends to keep many 
 of them in a state of idleness about our mili- 
 tary establishments. The ammunition which 
 Ixviii 
 
OF TTIi: FUR TRADE, &c 
 
 they receive is employed to kill game, in 
 order to procure rum in return, though their 
 families may be in a starving condition : 
 hence it is, that, in consequence of slothful 
 and dissolute lives, their numbers are in a 
 very perceptible state of diminution. 
 
 From the Detour to the island of Michili- 
 makinac, at the conference of the Lakes 
 Huron and Michigan, in latitude 45. 54. 
 North is about forty miles. To keep the 
 direct course to Lake Superior, the North 
 shore from the river Tessalon should be fol- 
 lowed ; cro.^^eing to the North-West end of 
 St. Joseph, and passing between it and the 
 adjacent islands, which makes a distance of 
 fifty miles to the fall of St. Mary, at the foot 
 of which, upon the South shore, there is a 
 village, formerly a place of great resort for 
 the inhabitants of Lake Superior, and conse- 
 quently of considerable trade : it is now, 
 however, dwindled to nothing, and reduced 
 to about thirty families, of the Algonquin 
 nation, who are one half of the year starving, 
 and the other half intoxicated, and ten or 
 twelve Canadians, who have been in the In- 
 dian country from an early period of life, 
 and intermarried with the natives, who have 
 brought them families. Their inducements 
 to settle there, was the great quantity of 
 white fish that are to be taken in and about 
 the falls, with very little trouble, particu- 
 Ixix 
 
A GENERAL HISTORY 
 
 larly in the autumn, when that fish leave the 
 lakes, and comes to the running and shallow- 
 waters to spawn. These, when salt can be 
 procured, are pickled just as the frost sets 
 in, and prove very good food with potatoes, 
 which they have of late cultivated with suc- 
 cess. The natives live chiefly on this fish, 
 which they hang up by the tails, and pre- 
 serve throughout the winter, or at least as 
 long as they last ; for whatever quantity they 
 may have taken, it is never known that their 
 economy is such as to make them last through 
 the winter, which renders their situation very 
 distressing ; for if they had activity sufficient 
 to pursue the labours of the chase, the woods 
 are become so barren of game as to afford 
 them no great prospect of relief. In the 
 spring of the year, they and the other mhab- 
 itants make a quantity of sugar from the 
 majjle tree, which they exchange with the 
 traders for necessary articles, or carry it to 
 Michilimakinac, where they expect a better 
 price. One of these traders was agent for 
 the North- West Company, receiving, storing, 
 and forwarding such articles as come by the 
 way of the lakes upon their vessels : for it is 
 to be observed, that a quantity of their goods 
 are sent by that route from Montreal in boats 
 to Kingston, at the entrance of Lake Ontario, 
 and from thence in vessels to Niagara, then 
 over land ten miles to a water communica- 
 Ixx 
 
OF THE FUR TRADE &c. 
 
 tion, by boats, to Lake Erie, where tliey ai-e 
 again received into vessels, and carried over 
 that lake up the river Detroit, through the 
 lake and river Sinclair to Lake Huron, and 
 from thence to the Falls of St. Mary's, when 
 they are again landed and carried for a mile 
 above the falls, and shipped over Lake Supe- 
 rior to the Grande Portage. This is found 
 to be a less expensive method than by ca- 
 noes, but attended with more risk, and re- 
 quiring more time, than one short season of 
 this country will admit; for the goods are 
 always sent from Montreal the preceding 
 fall ; and besides, the company get their pro- 
 visions from Detroit, as flour and Indian 
 <}orn; as also considerable supplies from 
 Michilimakinac of maple sugar, tallow, gum, 
 'etc., etc. 
 
 For the purpose of conveying all these 
 things, they have two vessels upon the Lakes 
 Erie and Huron, and one on Lake Superior, 
 of from fifty to seventy tons burden. This 
 T3eing, therefore, the depot for transports, the 
 Montreal canoes, on their arrival, were for- 
 warded over Lake Superior, with only five 
 men in each ; the others were sent to Michil- 
 imakinac for additional canoes, which were 
 required to prosecute the trade, and then tak- 
 ing a lading there, or at St. Mary's, and fol- 
 low the others. At length they all arrive at 
 the Grande Portage, which is one hundred 
 Ixxi 
 
A GENERAL HISTORY 
 
 and sixty leagues from St. Mary's, coast- 
 ways, and situated on a pleasant bay on the 
 North side of the lake, in latitude 48. North, 
 and longitude 90. West from Greenwich, 
 where the compass has not above live degrees 
 East variation. 
 
 At the entrance of the bay is an island 
 which screens the harbour from every wind 
 except the South. The shallowness of the 
 water, however, renders it necessary for the 
 vessel to anchor near a mile from the shore, 
 where there is not more than fourteen feet 
 water. This lake justifies the name that has 
 been given to it; the Falls of St. Mary, 
 which is its Northern extremity, being in 
 latitude 46. 31. North, and in longitude 84. 
 West, where there is no variation of the com- 
 pass whatever, while its Southern extremity, 
 at the river St. Louis, is in latitude 46. 45. 
 North, and longitude 92. 10. West: its great- 
 est breadth is one hundred and twenty miles, 
 and its circumference, including its various 
 bays, is not less than one thousand two hun- 
 dred miles. Along its North shore is the 
 safest navigation, as it is a continued moun- 
 tainous embankment of rock, from three hun- 
 dred to one thousand five hundred feet in 
 height. There are numerous coves and sandy 
 bays to land, which are frequently sheltered 
 by islands from the swell of the lake. This 
 is particularly the case at the distance of one 
 Ixxii 
 
OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 
 
 hundred miles to the Eastward of the Grande 
 Portage, and is called the Pays Plat. 
 
 This seems to have been caused by some 
 convulsion of nature, for many of the islands 
 display a composition of lava, intermixed with 
 round stones of the size of a pigeon's egg. 
 The surrounding rock is generally hard, and 
 of a dark blue-grey, though it frequently has 
 the appearance of iron and copper. The 
 South side of the lake, from Point Shagoi- 
 migo East, is almost a continual straight line 
 of sandy beach, interspersed with rocky preci- 
 pices of lime-stones, sometimes rising to a 
 hundred feet in height, without a bay. The 
 embankments from that point Westward are, 
 in general, of strong clay, mixed with stones, 
 which renders the navigation irksome and 
 dangerous. On the same side, at the river 
 Tonnagan, is found a quantity of virgin cop- 
 per. The Americans, soon after they got 
 possession of that country, sent an engineer 
 thither; and I should not be surprised to 
 hear of their employing people to work the 
 mine. Indeed, it might be well worthy the 
 attention of the British subjects to work the 
 mines on the North coast, though they are 
 not supposed to be so rich as those on the 
 South. 
 
 Lake Superior is the largest and most 
 magnificent body of fresh water in the 
 world: it is clear and pellucid, of great 
 Ixxiii 
 
A GENERAL HISTORY 
 
 depth, and abounding in a great variety of 
 fish, which are the most excellent of their 
 kind. There are trouts of three kinds, 
 weighing from five to fifty pounds, sturgeon^ 
 pickerel, pike, red and white carp, black 
 bass, herrings, etc., etc., and the last, and 
 best of all, the Ticamang, or white fish, 
 which weighs from four to sixteen pounds, 
 and is of a superior quality in these waters. 
 
 This lake may be denominated the grand 
 reservoir of the River St. Laurence, as no 
 considerable rivers discharge themselves into 
 it. The principal ones are, the St. Louis, 
 the Nipigon, the Pic, and the Michipicoten. 
 Indeed, the extent of country from which 
 any of them flow, or take their course, in any 
 direction, cannot admit of it, in consequence 
 of the ridge of land that separates them from 
 the rivers that empty themselves into Hud- 
 son' s-Bay, the gulf of Mexico, and the waters 
 that fall in Lake Michigan, which afterward 
 become a part of the St. Laurence. 
 
 This vast collection of water is often cov- 
 ered with fog, particularly when the wind is 
 from the East, which, driving against the 
 high barren rocks on the North and West 
 shore, dissolves in torrents of rain. It is 
 very generally said, that the storms on this 
 lake are denoted by a swell on the preceding 
 day; but this circumstance did not appear 
 from my observation to be a regular phenom- 
 Ixxiv 
 
OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 
 
 enon, as the swells more regularly subsided 
 without any subsequent wind. 
 
 Along the surrounding rocks of this im- 
 mense lake, evident marks appear of the de- 
 crease of its water, by the lines observable 
 along them. The space, however, between 
 the highest and the lowest, is not so great as 
 in the smaller lakes, as it does not amount 
 to more than six feet, the former being very 
 faint. 
 
 The inhabitants that are found along the 
 coast of this water, are all of the Algonquin 
 nation, the whole of which do not exceed 150 
 families.* 
 
 These people live chiefly on fish ; indeed, 
 from what has been said of the country, it 
 cannot be expected to abound in animals, as 
 it is totally destitute cf that shelter, which 
 is so necessary to them. The rocks appear 
 to have been over-run by fire, and the stinted 
 timber which once grew there, is frequently 
 seen lying along the surface of them : but it 
 is not easy to be reconciled, that anything 
 
 * In the year 1668, when the first missionaries vis- 
 ited the South of this lake, they found the country 
 full of inhabitants. They relate, that about this 
 time a band of the Nepisingues, who were con- 
 verted, emigrated to the Nipigon country, which is 
 to the North of Lake Superior. Few of their de- 
 scendants are now remaining, and not a trace of 
 the religion communicated to them is to be discov- 
 ered. 
 
 Ixxv 
 
A GENERAL HISTORY 
 
 should grow where there is so little appear- 
 ance of soil. Between the fallen trees there 
 are briars, with hurtleberry and gooseberry 
 bushes, raspberries, etc., which invite the 
 bears in greater or lesser numbers, as they 
 are a favourite food of that animal : beyond 
 these rocky banks are found a few moose and 
 fallow deer. The waters alone are abun- 
 dantly inhabited. 
 
 A very curious phenomenon was observed 
 some years ago at the Grande Portage, for 
 which no obvious cause could be assigned. 
 The water withdrew with great precipitation, 
 leaving the ground dry that had never before 
 been visible, the fall being equal to four 
 perpendicular feet, and rushing back with 
 great velocity above the common mark. It 
 continued thus falling and rising for several 
 hours, gradually decreasing till it stopped at 
 its usual height. There is frequently an ir- 
 regular influx and deflux, which does not ex- 
 ceed ten inches, and is attributed to the wind. 
 
 The bottom of the bay, which forms an 
 amphitheatre, is cleared of wood and inclosed ; 
 and on the left corner of it, beneath an hill, 
 three or four hundred feet in height, and 
 crowned by others of a still greater altitude, 
 is the fort, picketed in with cedar pallisa- 
 does, and inclosing houses built with wood 
 and covered with shingles. They are calcu- 
 lated for every convenience of trade, as well 
 Ixxvi 
 
OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 
 
 as to accommodate the proprietors and clerks 
 during their short residence there. The 
 north men live under tents: but the more 
 frugal pork-eater lodges beneath his canoe. 
 The soil immediately bordering on the lake 
 has not proved very propitious, as nothing 
 but potatoes have been found to answer the 
 trouble of cultivation. This circumstance is 
 probably owing to the cold damp fogs of the 
 lake, and the moisture of the ground from 
 the springs that issue from beneath the hills. 
 There are meadows in the vicinity that yield 
 abundance of hay for the cattle ; but, as to 
 agriculture, it has not hitherto been an object 
 of serious consideration. 
 
 I shall now leave these geographical no- 
 tices, to give some further account of the 
 people from Montreal. — When they are ar- 
 rived at the Grande Portage, which is near 
 nine miles over, each of them has to carry 
 eight packages of such goods and provisions 
 as are necessary for the interior countr}^ 
 This is a labour which cattle cannot conve- 
 niently perform in summer, as both horses 
 and oxen were tried by the company without 
 success. They are only useful for light, 
 bulky articles; or for transporting upon 
 sledges, during the winter, whatever goods 
 may remain there, especially provision, of 
 which it is usual to have a year's stock oq 
 hand. 
 
 Ixxvii 
 
A GENERAL HISTORY 
 
 Having finished this toilsome part of their 
 duty, if more goods are necessary to be 
 transported, they are allowed a Spanish dol- 
 lar for each package : and so inured are they 
 to this kind of labour, that I have known 
 some of them set off with two packages of 
 ninety pounds each, and return with two oth- 
 ers of the same weight, in the course of six 
 hours, being a distance of eighteen miles over 
 hills and mountains. This necessary part of 
 the business being over, if the season be early 
 they have some respite, but this depends upon 
 the time the North men begin to arrive from 
 their winter quarters, which they commonly 
 do early in July. At this period, it is neces- 
 sary to select from the pork-eaters, a number 
 of men, among whom are the recruits, or 
 winterers, sufficient to man the North canoes- 
 necessary to carry, to the river of the rainy 
 lake, the goods and provision requisite for 
 the Athabasca country ; as the people of that 
 country (owing to the shortness of the sea- 
 son and length of the road, can come no fur- 
 ther), are equipped there, and exchange lad- 
 ings with the people of whom we are 
 speaking, and both return from whence they 
 came. This voyage is performed in the 
 course of a month, and they are allowed pro- 
 portionable wages for their services. 
 
 The North men being arrived at the Grande. 
 Portage, are regaled with bread, pork, butter^ 
 Ixxviii 
 
OF THE FUR TRADE, Arc. 
 
 liquor, and tobacco, and such as have not en- 
 tered into agreements during the winter, which 
 is customary, are contracted with, to return 
 and perform the voyage for one, two, or three 
 years; their accounts are also settled, and 
 such as choose to send any of their earnings 
 to Canada, receive drafts to transmit to their 
 relations or friends ; and as soon as they can 
 be got ready, which requires no more than a 
 fortnight, they are again despatched to their 
 respective departments. It is, indeed, very 
 creditable to them as servants, that though 
 they are sometimes assembled to the number 
 of twelve hundred men, indulging themselves 
 in the free use of liquor, and quarrelling with 
 each other, tht;y always show the greatest 
 respect to their employers, who are compara- 
 tively but few in number, and beyond the aid 
 of any legal power to enforce due obedience. 
 In short, a degree of subordination can only 
 be maintained by the good opinion these 
 men entertain of their employers, which has 
 been uniformly the case, since the trade has 
 been formed and conducted on a regular sys- 
 tem. 
 
 The people being despatched to their re- 
 spective winter-quarters, the agents from 
 Montreal, assisted by their clerks, prepare to 
 return there, by getting the furs across the 
 portage, and re-making them into packages 
 of one hundred pounds weight each, to send 
 Ixxix 
 
A GENERAL HISTORY 
 
 them to Montreal ; where they commonly ar- 
 rive m the month of September. 
 
 The mode of living at the Grande Portage 
 is as follows : The proprietors, clerks, guides, 
 and interpreters, mess together, to the num- 
 ber of sometimes an hundred, at several tables, 
 in one large hall, the provision consisting of 
 bread, salt pork, beef, hams, fish, and veni- 
 son, butter, peas, Indian corn, potatoes, tea, 
 spirits, wine, etc., and plenty of milk, for 
 which purpose several milch cows are con- 
 stantly kept. The mechanics have rations of 
 such provision, but the canoe -men, both from 
 the North and JMontreal, have no other al- 
 lowance here, or in the voyage, than Indian 
 corn and melted fat. The corn for this pur- 
 pose is 2")repared before it leaves Detroit, by 
 boiling it in a strong alkali, which takes off 
 the outer husk : it is then well washed, and 
 carefully dried upon stages, when it is fit for 
 use. One quart of this is boiled for two 
 hours, over a moderate fire, in a gallon of 
 water ; to which, when it has boiled a small 
 time, are added two ounces of melted suet; 
 this causes the corn to split, and in the time 
 mentioned makes a pretty thick pudding. If 
 to this is added a little salt, (but not before 
 it is boiled, as it would interrupt the opera- 
 tion) it makes a wholesome, palatable food, 
 and easy of digestion. This quantity is fully 
 sufficient for a man's subsistence during 
 Ixxx 
 
OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 
 
 twenty-four hours; though it is not suffi- 
 ciently heartening to sustain the strength 
 necessary for a state of active labour. The 
 Americans call this dish hominy.* 
 
 The trade from the Grande Portage is, in 
 some particulars, carried on in a diSPerent 
 manner with that from Montreal. The ca- 
 noes used in the latter transport are now too 
 large for the former, and some of about half 
 the size are procured from the natives, and 
 are navigated by four, five, or six men, ac- 
 cording to the distance which they have to 
 go. They carry a lading of about thirty-five 
 packages, on an average; of these twenty- 
 three are for the purpose of trade, and the 
 rest are employed for provisions, stores, and 
 baggage. In each of these canoes are a fore- 
 man and steersman ; the one to be always on 
 the look-out, and direct the passage of the 
 vessel, and the other to attend the helm. 
 They also carry her, whenever that office is 
 necessary. The foreman has the command, 
 and the middle-men obey both; the latter 
 earn only two-thirds of the wages which are 
 paid the two former. Independent of these, 
 a conductor or pilot is appointed to every 
 
 * Corn is the cheapest provision that can be pro- 
 cured, though from the expense of transport, the 
 bushel costs about twenty shillings sterling, at the 
 Grande Portage. A man's daily allowance does not 
 exceed ten-pence. 
 
 6 Ixxxi 
 
A GENERAL HISTORY 
 
 four or six of these canoes, whom they are 
 all obliged to obey; and is, or at least is 
 intended to be, a person of superior ex- 
 perience, for which he is proportionably 
 paid. 
 
 In these canoes, thus loaded, they embark 
 at the North side of the portage, on the river 
 Au Tourt, which is very inconsiderable ; and 
 after about two miles of a Westerly course, 
 is obstructed by the Partridge Portage, six 
 hundred paces long. In the spring this 
 makes a considerable fall, when the water is 
 high, over a perpendicular rock of one hun- 
 dred and twenty feet. From thence the 
 river continues to be shallow, and requires 
 great care to prevent the bottom of the canoe 
 from being injured by sharp rocks, for a dis- 
 tance of three miles and an half to the Priarie, 
 or Meadow, when half the lading is taken 
 out, and carried by jjart of the crew, while 
 two of them are conducting the canoe among 
 the rocks, with the remainder, to the Carre- 
 boeuf Portage, three miles and a half more, 
 when they unload, and come back .two miles, 
 and embark what was left for the other 
 hands to carry, which they also land with 
 the former ; all of which is carried six hun- 
 dred and eighty j^aces, and the canoe led up 
 against the rapid. From hence the water is 
 better calculated to carry canoes, and leads 
 by a winding course to the North of West 
 Ixxxii 
 
OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 
 
 three miles to the Outard Portage, over which 
 the canoe, and every thing in her, is carried 
 for two thousand four hundred paces. At 
 the further end is a very high hill to de- 
 scend, over which hangs a rock upwards of 
 seven hundred feet high. Then succeeds the 
 Outard Lake, about six miles long, lying in a 
 North- West course, and about two miles wide 
 in the broadest place. 
 
 After passing a very small rivulet, they 
 come to the Elk Portage, over which the ca- 
 noe and lading are again cai ried one thousand 
 one hundred and twenty paces; when they 
 enter the lake of the same name, which is an 
 handsome piece of water, running North- West 
 about four miles, and not more than one mile 
 and an half wide.* They then land at the 
 Portage de Cerise, over which, and in the 
 face of a considerable hill, the canoe and 
 cargo are again transported for one thousand 
 and fifty paces. This is only separated from 
 the second Portage de Cerise, by a mud-pond 
 (where there is plenty of water lilies), of a 
 quarter of a mile in length ; and this is again 
 separated by a similar pond, from the last 
 Portage de Cerise, which is four hundred and 
 ten paces. Here the same operation is to be 
 performed for three hundred and eighty 
 paces. They next enter on the Mountain 
 
 *Here is a most excellent fishery for white fish, 
 which are exquisite. 
 
 Ixxxiii 
 
A GENERAL HISTORY 
 
 Lake, running North-West by West six 
 miles long, and about two miles in its great- 
 est breadth. In the centre of this lake, and 
 to the right is the Old Eoad, by which I 
 never passed, but an adequate notion may bf 
 formed of it from the road I am going to de- 
 scribe, and which is universally preferred. 
 This is first, the small new portage over 
 which everything is carried for six hundred 
 and twenty-six paces, over hills and gullies ; 
 the whole is then embarked on a narrow line 
 of water, that meanders South-West about 
 two miles and an half. It is necessary to 
 unload here, for the length of the canoe, and 
 then proceed West half a mile, to the new 
 Grande Portage, which is three thousand one 
 hundred paces in length, and over very rough 
 ground, which requires the utmost exertions 
 of the men, and frequently lames them : from 
 hence they approach the Rose Lake, the port- 
 age of that name being opposite to the junc- 
 tion of the road from the Mountain Lake. 
 They then embark on the Rose Lake, about 
 one mile from the East end of it, and steer 
 West by South, in an oblique course, across 
 it two miles, then North-West passing the 
 Petite Peche to the Marten Portage three 
 miles. In this part of the lake the bottom 
 is mud and slime, with about three or four 
 feet of water over it ; and here I frequently 
 struck a canoe pole of twelve feet long, with- 
 Ixxxiv 
 
OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 
 
 out meeting any other obstruction than if the 
 whole were water : it has, however, a peculiar 
 suction or attractive power, so that it is diffi- 
 cult to paddle a canoe over it. There is a 
 small space along the South shore, where the 
 water is deep, and this effect is not felt. In 
 proportion to the distance from this part, the 
 suction becomes more powerful: I have, in- 
 deed, been told that loaded canoes have been 
 in danger of bemg swallowed up, and have 
 only owed their preservation to other canoes, 
 which were lighter. I have, myseK, found 
 it very difficult to get away from this attrac- 
 tive power, with six men, and great exertion, 
 though we did not appear to be in any danger 
 of sinking. 
 
 Over against this is a very high, rocky 
 ridge, on the South side, called Marten Port- 
 age, which is but twenty paces long, and sep- 
 arated from the Perche Portage, which is 
 four hundred and eighty paces, by a mud- 
 pond, covered with white lilies. From hence 
 the course is on the lake of the same name, 
 West- South- West three miles to the height 
 of land, where the waters of the Dove or 
 Pigeon River terminate, and v/hich is one of 
 the sources of the great St. Laurence in this 
 direction. Having carried the canoe and lad- 
 ing over it, six hundred and seventy-nine 
 paces, they embark on the lake of Hauteur 
 de Terre, which is in the shape of an horse- 
 Ixxxv 
 
A GENERAL HISTORY 
 
 shoe.* It is entered near the curve, and left 
 at the extremity of the Western limb, through 
 a very shallow channel, where the canoe 
 passes half loaded for thirty paces with the 
 current, which conducts these waters till they 
 discharge themselves, through the succeed- 
 ing lakes and rivers, and disembogues itself, 
 by the river Nelson, into Hudson's-Bay. 
 The first of these is Lac de pierres a fusil, 
 running AVest-South-West seven miles long, 
 and two wide, and making an angle at 
 North-West one mile more, becomes a river 
 for half a mile, tumbling over a rock, and 
 forming a fall and portage, called the Esca- 
 lier, of fifty -five paces ; but from hence it is 
 neither lake or river, but possesses the char- 
 acter of both, and runs between large rocks, 
 which cause a current or rapid for about two 
 miles and an half, West-North-West, to the 
 portage of the Cheval du Bois. Here the 
 canoe and contents are carried three hundred 
 and eighty paces, between rocks ; and within 
 a qaarter of a mile is the Portage des Gros 
 Pins, which is six hundred and forty paces 
 over a high ridge. The opposite side of it 
 
 * The route which we have been traveUing hitherto 
 leads along the high rocky land or bank of Lake 
 Superior on the left. The face of the country offers 
 a wild scene of huge hills and rocks, separated by 
 stony valleys, lakes and ponds. Wherever there is 
 the least soil, it is well covered with trees. 
 Ixxxvi 
 
OF THE FUR TRADE, &c.. 
 
 is washed by a small lake three mile round; 
 and the course is through the East end or 
 side of it, three quarters of a mile North- 
 East, where there is a rapid. An irregular 
 meandering channel, between rocky banks, 
 then succeeds, for seven miles and an half, 
 to the Maraboeuf Lake, which extends North 
 four miles, and is three-quarters of a mile 
 wide, terminating by a rapid and decharge 
 of one hundred and eighty paces, the rock of 
 Saginaga being in sight, which causes a fall 
 of about seven feet, and a portage of fifty-five 
 paces. 
 
 Lake Saginaga takes its name from its nu- 
 merous islands. Its greatest length from 
 East to West is about fourteen miles, with 
 very irregular inlets, is nowhere more than 
 three miles wide, and terminates at the small 
 portage of Le Roche, of forty-three paces. 
 Erom thence is a rocky, stony passage of one 
 mile, to Priarie Portage, which is very im- 
 properly named, as there is no ground about 
 it that answers to that description, except a 
 small spot at the embarking place at the 
 West end : to the East is an entire bog ; and 
 it is with great difficulty that the lading can 
 be landed upon stages, formed by driving 
 piles into the mud, and spreading branches 
 of trees over them. The portage rises on a 
 stony ridge, over which the canoe and cargo 
 must be carried for six hundred and eleven 
 Ixxxvii 
 
A GENERAL HISTORY 
 
 paces. This is succeeded by an embarkation 
 on a small bay, where the bottom is the same 
 as has been described in the West end of 
 Hose Lake, and it is with great difficulty that 
 a laden canoe is worked over it, but it does 
 not comprehend more than a distance of two 
 hundred yards. From hence the progress 
 continues through irregular channels, bounded 
 by rocks, in a Westerly course for about five 
 miles, to the little Portage des Couteaux, of 
 one hundred and sixty-five paces, and the 
 Lac des Couteaux, running about South- West 
 by West twelve miles, and from a quarter to 
 two miles wide. A deep bay runs East three 
 miles from the West end, where it is dis- 
 charged by a rapid river, and after running 
 tv/o miles West, it again becomes still water. 
 In this river are two carrying-places, the one 
 fifteen, and the other one hundred and ninety 
 paces. From this to the Portage des Carpes 
 is one mile North- West, leaving a narrow lake 
 on the East that runs parallel with the Lac 
 des Couteaux, half its length, Avhere there is 
 a carrying-place, which is used w^hen the 
 water in the river last mentioned is too low. 
 The Portage des Carpes is three hundred and 
 ninety paces, from whence the water spreads 
 irregularly between rocks, five miles North- 
 W^est and South-East to the Portage of Lac 
 Bois Blanc, which is one hundred and eighty 
 paces. Then follows the lake of that name, 
 Ixxxviii 
 
OF TPIE FUR TRADE, &c. 
 
 but I think improperly so called, as the na- 
 tives name it the Lac Passeau Minac Sagai- 
 gan, or lake of Dry Berries. 
 
 Before the small-pox ravaged this country, 
 and completed, what the Nodowasis, in their 
 warfare, had gone far to accomplish, the de- 
 struction of its inhabitants, the population 
 was very numerous : this was also a favourite 
 part, where they made their canoes, etc., the 
 lake abounding in fish, the country round it 
 bemg plentifully supplied with various kinds 
 of game, and the rocky ridges, that form the 
 boundaries of the water, covered with a vari- 
 ety of berries. 
 
 When the French were in possession of 
 this country, they had several trading estab- 
 lishments on the islands and banks of this 
 lake. Since that period, the few people re- 
 maining, who were of the Algonquin nation, 
 could hardly find subsistence; game having 
 become so scarce, that they depended princi- 
 pally for food upon fish and wild rice, which 
 grows spontaneously in these parts. 
 
 This lake is irregular in its form, and its 
 utmost extent from East to West is fifteen 
 miles; a point of land, called Point au Pin, 
 jutting into it, divides it in two parts: it 
 then makes a second angle at the West end, 
 to the lesser Portage de Bois Blanc, two hun- 
 dred paces in length. This channel is not 
 wide, and is intercepted by several rapids in 
 Ixxxix 
 
A GENERAL HISTORY 
 
 the course of a mile : it runs West-North- 
 West to the Portage des Pins, over which the 
 canoe and lading is again carried four hun- 
 dred paces. From hence the channel is also 
 intercepted by very dangerous rapids, for two 
 miles Westerly, to the point of Pointe du 
 Bois, which is two hundred and eighty paces. 
 Then succeeds the portage of La Croche, one 
 mile more, where the carrying-place is eighty 
 paces, and is followed by an embarkation on 
 that lake, which takes its name from its fig- 
 ure. It extends eighteen miles, in a nean- 
 dering form, and in a westerly direction ; it 
 is in general very narrow, and at about two- 
 thirds of its length becomes very contracted, 
 with a strong current. 
 
 Within three miles of the last Portage is 
 a remarkable rock, with a smooth face, but 
 split and cracked in different parts, which 
 hang over the water. Into one of its hori- 
 zontal chasms a great number of arrows have 
 been shot, which is said to have been done 
 by a war party of the Nadowasis or Sieux, 
 who had done much mischief in this country, 
 and left these weapons as a warning to the 
 Chebois or natives, that, notwithstanding its 
 lakes, rivers, and rocks, it was not inacces- 
 sible to their enemies. 
 
 Lake Croche is terminated by the Portage 
 de Kideau, four hundred paces long, and de- 
 rives its name from the appearance of the 
 xc 
 
OF THE FUU TRADE. &c. 
 
 water, falling over a rock of upwards of 
 thirty feet. Several rapids succeed, with in- 
 tervals of still water, for about three miles to 
 the Flacon portage, which is very difficult, is 
 four hundred paces long, and leads to the 
 Lake of La Croix, so named from its shape. 
 It runs about North-West eighteen miles to 
 the Beaver Dam, and then sinks into a deep 
 bay nearly East. The course to the Portage 
 is West by North for sixteen miles more from 
 the Beaver Dam, and into the East bay is a 
 road which was frequented by the French, 
 and followed through lakes and rivers until 
 they came to Lake Superior by the river 
 Caministiquia, thirty miles East of the 
 Grande Portage. 
 
 Portage la Croix is six hundred paces long: 
 to the next portage is a quarter of a mile, and 
 its length is forty paces ; the river winding 
 four miles to Vermillion Lake, which runs 
 six or seven miles North-North- West, and by 
 a narrow strait communicates with Lake 
 Namaycan, which takes its name from a par- 
 ticular place at the foot of a fall, where the 
 natives spear sturgeon : Its course is about 
 North-North-W^est and South-South-East, 
 with a bay running East, that gives it the 
 form of a triangle : its length is about sixteen 
 miles to the Nouvelle Portage. 
 
 The discharge of the lake is from a bay on 
 the left, and the portage one hundred eighty 
 xci 
 
A GENERAL HISTORY 
 
 paces, to which succeeds a very small river, 
 from whence there is but a short distance to 
 the next Nouvelle Portage, three hundred and 
 twenty paces long. It is then necessary to 
 embark on a swamp, or overflowed country, 
 where wild rice grows in great abundance. 
 There is a channel or small river in the cen- 
 tre of this swamp, which is kept with diffi- 
 culty, and runs South and North one mile 
 and a half. With deepening water, the 
 course continues North-North-West one mile 
 to the Chaudiere Portage, which is caused by 
 the discharge of the waters ranning on the 
 left of the road from Lake Namaycan, which 
 used to be the common route, but that which 
 I have described is the safest as well as short- 
 est. From hence there is some current though 
 the water is wide spread, and its course about 
 North by West three miles and an half to 
 the Lac de la Pluie, which lies nearly East 
 and West ; from thence about fifteen miles is 
 a narrow strait that divides the lake into tv»ro 
 unequal parts, from whence to its discharge 
 is a distance of twenty-four miles. There is 
 a deep bay running North-West on the right, 
 that is not included, and is remarkable for 
 furnishing the natives with a kind of soft, 
 red stone, of which they make their pipes ; it 
 also affords an excellent fishery both in the 
 summer and winter ; and from it is an easy, 
 safe, and short road to the Lac du Bois, 
 xcii 
 
OF THE FUR TRADE. &c. 
 
 (which I shall mention present!}^) for the 
 Indians to pass in their small canoes, through 
 a small lake and on a small river, whose 
 banks furnish abundance of wild rice. The 
 discharge of this lake is called Lac de la 
 Pluie Kiver, at whose entrance there is a 
 rapid below, which is a fine bay, where there 
 had been an extensive picketed fort and 
 building when possessed by the French : the 
 site of it is at present a beautiful meadow, 
 surrounded with groves of oaks. From hence 
 there is a strong current for two miles, where 
 the water falls over a rock twenty feet, and, 
 from the consequent turbulence of the water, 
 the carrying-place, which is three hundred 
 and twenty paces long, derives the name of 
 Chaadiere. Two miles onward is the present 
 trading establishment, situated on an high 
 bank on the North side of the river, in 48. 
 37. North latitude. 
 
 Here the people from Montreal come to 
 meet those who arrive from the Athabasca 
 country, as has been already described, and 
 exchange lading with them. This is also the 
 residence of the first chief, or Sachem, of all 
 the Algonquin tribes, inhabiting the different 
 parts of this country. He is by distinction 
 called Nectam, which implies personal pre- 
 eminence. Here also the elders meet in 
 council to treat of peace or war. 
 
 This is one of the finest rivers in the 
 xciii 
 
A GENERAL HISTORY 
 
 North- West, and runs a course West and 
 East one hundred and twenty computed 
 miles ; but in taking its course and distance 
 minutely I make it only eighty. Its banks 
 are covered with a rich soil, particularly to the 
 North, which, in many parts, are clothed 
 with fine open groves of oak, with the maple, 
 the pine, and the cedar. The Southern bank 
 is not so elevated, and displays the maple, 
 the white birch, and the cedar, with the 
 spruce, the alder, and various underwood. 
 Its waters abound in fish, particularly the 
 sturgeon, which the natives both spear and 
 take with drag-nets. But notwithstanding 
 the promise of this soil, the Indians do not 
 attend to its cultivation, though they are not 
 ignorant of the common process, and are fond 
 of the Indian corn, when they can get it from 
 us. 
 
 Though the soil at the fort is a stiff clay, 
 there is a garden, which, unassisted as it is 
 by manure, or any particular attention, is 
 tolerably productive. 
 
 We now proceed to mention the Lac du 
 Bois, into which this river discharges itself 
 in latitude 49. North, and was formerly fa- 
 mous for the richness of its banks and waters, 
 which abounded with whatever was necessary 
 to a savage life. The French had several 
 settlements in and about it; but it might be 
 almost concluded, that some fatal circum- 
 xciv 
 
OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 
 
 stance had destroyed the game, as war and 
 the small-pox had diminished the inhabi- 
 tants, it having been very unproductive in 
 animals since the British subjects have been 
 engaged in travelling through it; though it 
 now appears to be recovering its pristine 
 state. The few Indians who inhabit it might 
 live very comfortably, if they were not so 
 immoderately fond of spirituous liquors. 
 
 This lake is also rendered remarkable, in 
 consequence of the Americans having named 
 it as the spot, from which a line of boundary, 
 between them and British America, was to 
 run West, until it struck the Mississippi: 
 which, however, can never happen, as the 
 lS"orth-West part of the Lac du Bois is in 
 latitude 49. 37. North, and longitude 94.31. 
 West, and the jSTorthernmost branch of the 
 source of the Mississippi is in latitude 47. 38. 
 North, and longitude 95. 6. West, ascertained 
 by Mr. Thomson, astronomer to the North - 
 West Company, who was sent expressly for 
 that purpose in the spring of 1798. He, in 
 the same year, determined the Northern bend 
 of the Mississoury to be in latitude 47. 32. 
 North, and longitude 101. 25. West; and, 
 according to the Indian accounts, it runs to 
 the south of West, so that if the Mississoury 
 were even to be considered as the Mississippi, 
 no Western line could strike it. 
 
 It does not appear to me to be clearly de- 
 xcv 
 
A GENERAL 11! STORY 
 
 termined what course the Line is to take, or 
 from what part of Lake Superior it strikes 
 through the country to the Lac du Bois : were 
 it to follow the principal waters to their 
 source, it ought to keep through Lake Supe- 
 rior to the River St. Louis, and follow that 
 river to its source; close to which is the 
 source of the waters falling into the river of 
 Lac la Pluie, which is a common route of the 
 Indians to the Lac du Bois; the St. Louis 
 passes within a short distance of a branch of 
 the Mississippi, where it becomes navigable 
 for canoes. This will appear more evident 
 from consulting the map : and if the naviga- 
 tion of the Mississippi is considered as of auy 
 consequence by this country, from that part 
 of the globe, such is the nearest way to get 
 at it. 
 
 But to return to our narrative. The Lac 
 du Bois is, as far as I could learn, nearly 
 round, and the canoe course through the cen- 
 tre of it among a cluster of islands, some of 
 which are so extensive that they may be 
 taken for tlie mainland. The reduced course 
 would be nearly South and North. But fol- 
 lowing the navigating course, I make the dis- 
 tance seventy-five miles, though in a direct 
 line it would fall very short of tliat length. 
 At about two-thirds of it there is a small 
 carrying-place, when the water is low. The 
 carrying-place out of the Lake is on the isl- 
 xcvi 
 
OF THE FUK TRADE, &c. 
 
 and, and named Portage du Eat, in latitude 
 49. 37. North, and longitude 94. 15. West; 
 it is about fifty paces long. The lake dis- 
 charges itself at both ends of this island, and 
 forms the River Winipic, which is a large 
 body of water, interspersed with numerous 
 islands, causing various channels and inter- 
 ruptions of portages and rapids. In some 
 parts it has the appearance of lakes, with 
 steady currents ; I estimate its winding course 
 to the Dalles eight miles; to the Grand 
 Decharge twenty-five miles and an half, 
 which is a long carrying-place for the goods ; 
 from thence to the little Decharge one mile 
 and an half; to the Terre Jaune Portage two 
 miles and an half; then to its galet seventy 
 yards ; two miles and three quarters to the 
 Terre Blanche, near which is a fall of from 
 four to five feet ; three miles and an half to 
 Portage de L'Isle, where there is a trading- 
 post, and, about eleven miles, on the north 
 shore, a trading establishment, which is the 
 road in boats, to Albany Eiver, and from 
 thence to Hudson' s-Bay. There is also a 
 communication with Lake Superior, through 
 what is called the Nipigan country, which 
 enters that Lake about thirty-five leagues East 
 of the Grande Portage. In short, the coun- 
 try is so broken by lakes and rivers, that 
 people may find their way in canoes in any 
 direction they please. It is now four miles 
 7 xcvii 
 
A GENERAL HISTORY 
 
 to Portage de L'Isle, which is but short, 
 though several canoes have been lost in at- 
 tempting to run the rapid. From thence it 
 is twenty-six miles to Jacob's Falls, which 
 are about fifteen feet high ; and six miles and 
 an half to the woody point ; forty yards from 
 which is another Portage. They both form 
 an high fall, but not perpendicular. From 
 thence to another galet, or rock Portage, is 
 about two miles, which is one continual rapid 
 and cascade ; and about two miles further is 
 the Chute a I'Esclave, which is upward of 
 thirty feet. The Portage is long, through a 
 point covered with wood : it is six miles and 
 an half more to the barrier, and ten miles to 
 the Grand E,apid . From thence, on the North 
 side, is a safe road, when the waters are 
 high, through small rivers and lakes, to the 
 Lake du Bonnet, called the Pinnawas, from 
 the man who discovered it: to the White 
 River, so called from its being, for a consid- 
 erable length, a succession of falls and cata- 
 racts, is twelve miles. Here are seven port- 
 ages, in so short a space, that the whole of 
 them are discernible at the same moment. 
 From this to Lake du Bonnet is fifteen miles 
 more, and four miles across it to the rapid. 
 Here the Pinnawas Road joins, and from 
 thence it is two miles to the Galet du Lac du 
 Bonnet; from this to the Galet du Bonnet 
 one mile and an half ; thence to the Portage 
 xcviii 
 
OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 
 
 of the same name is three miles. This port- 
 age is near half a league in length, and de- 
 rives its name from the custom bhe Indians 
 have of crowning stones, laid in a circle on 
 the highest rock in the portage, with wreaths 
 of herbage and branches. There have been 
 examples of men taking seven packages of 
 ninety pounds each, at one end of the port- 
 age, and putting them down at the other 
 without stopping. 
 
 To this another small portage immediately 
 succeeds, over a rock producing a fall. From 
 thence to the fall of Terre Blanche is two 
 miles and an half; to the first portage Des 
 Eaux qui Remuent is three miles; to the 
 next, of the same name, is but a few yards 
 distant; to the third and last, which is a 
 Decharge, is three miles and an half; and 
 from this to the last Portage of the river, one 
 mile and an half; and to the establishment, 
 or provision house, is two miles and an half. 
 Here also the French had their principal in- 
 land depot, and got their canoes made. 
 
 It is here that the present traders, going to 
 great distances, and where provision is diffi- 
 cult to procure, receive a supply to carry 
 them to the Rainy Lake, or Lake Superior. 
 From the establishment to the entrance of 
 Lake Winipic, is four miles and an half, lat- 
 itude 50. 37. North. 
 
 The country, soil, produce, and climate, 
 xcix 
 
A GENERAL HISTORY 
 
 froin Lake Superior to this place, bear a gen- 
 eral resemblance, with, a predominance of 
 rock and water : the former is of the granite 
 kind. Where there is any soil it is well cov- 
 ered with wood, such as oak, elm, ash of dif- 
 ferent kinds, maple of two kinds, pines of 
 various descriptions, among which are what 
 I call the cypress, with the hickory, iron- 
 wood, laird, poplar, cedar, black and white 
 birch, etc., etc. Vast quantities of wild rice 
 are seen throughout the country, which the 
 natives collect in the month of August for 
 their winter stores.* To the North of fifty 
 degrees it is hardly known, or at least does 
 not come to maturity. 
 
 Lake Winipic is the great reservoir of sev- 
 eral large rivers, and discharges itself by the 
 River Nelson into Hudson's Bay. The first 
 in rotation, next to that I have just de- 
 scribed, is the Assiniboin, or Red River, 
 which at the distance of forty miles coast- 
 wise, disembogues on the south west side of 
 the Lake Winipic. It alternately receives 
 those two denominations from its dividing, 
 at the distance of about thirty miles from the 
 lake, into two large branches. The Eastern 
 branch, called the Red River, runs in a 
 Southern direction to near the head waters of 
 
 * The fruits are, strawberries, hurtleberries, plums, 
 and cherries, hazelnuts, gooseberries, currants, rasp- 
 berries, poires, etc. 
 
OF THE FUR TRADE, i&c. 
 
 the Mississippi. On this are two trading 
 establishments. The country on either side 
 is but partially supplied with wood, and con- 
 sists of plains covered with herds of the buf- 
 falo and elk, especially on the Western side. 
 On the Eastern side are lakes and rivers, and 
 the whole country is well wooded, level, 
 abounding in beaver, bears, moose-deer, fal- 
 low deer, etc., etc. The natives, who are of 
 the Algonquin tribe, are not very numerous, 
 and are considered as the natives of Lake 
 Superior. This country being near the Mis- 
 sissippi, is also inhabited by the Nadowasis, 
 who are the natural enemies of the former; 
 the head of the water being the war-line, they 
 are in a continual state of hostility; and 
 though the Algonquins are equally brave, the 
 others generally out- number them ; it is very 
 probable, therefore, that if the latter continue 
 to venture out of the woods, which form 
 their only protection, they will soon be ex- 
 tirpated. There is not, perhaps, a finer coun- 
 try in the world for the residence of uncivil- 
 ised man, than that which occupies the space 
 between this river and Lake Superior. It 
 abounds in every thing necessary to the wants 
 and comforts of such a people. Fish, veni- 
 son, and fowl, with wild rice, are in great 
 plenty ; while, at the same time, their subsist- 
 ence requires that bodily exercise so neces- 
 sary to health and vigour. 
 ci 
 
A GENERAL HISTORY 
 
 This great extent of country was formerly- 
 very populous, but from the information I 
 received, the aggregate of its inhabitants does 
 not exceed three hundred warriors; and, 
 among the few whom I saw, it appeared to 
 me that the widows were more numerous than 
 the men. The raccoon is a native of this 
 country, but is seldom found to the North- 
 ward of it. 
 
 The other branch is called after the tribe 
 of the Nadowasis, who here go by the name 
 of Assiniboins, and are the principal inhabi- 
 tants of it. It runs from the North-North- 
 West, and in the latitude of 51. 15. West, 
 and longitude 103. 20., rising in the same 
 mountains as the river Dauphin, of which I 
 shall speak in due order. They must have 
 separated from their nation at a time beyond 
 our knowledge, and live in peace with the 
 Algonquins and Knisteneaux. 
 
 The country between this and the Ked 
 Kiver, is almost a continual plain to the Mis- 
 sissoury. The soil is sand and gravel, with 
 a slight intermixture of earth, and produces 
 a short grass. Trees are very rare; nor are 
 there on the banks of the river sufficient, 
 except in particular spots, to build houses 
 and supply fire-wood for the trading establish- 
 ments, of which there are four principal ones. 
 Both these rivers are navigable for canoes to 
 their source, without a fall ; though in some 
 cii 
 
OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 
 
 parts there are rapids, caused by occasional 
 beds of limestone, and gravel ; but in general 
 they have a sandy bottom. 
 
 The Assiniboins, and some of the Fall, or 
 Big-bellied Indians, are the principal inhabi- 
 tants of this country, and border on the river, 
 occupying the centre part of it; that next 
 Lake Winipic, and about its source, being the 
 station of the Algonquins and Knisteneaux, 
 who have chosen it in preference to their own 
 country. They do not exceed five hundred 
 families. They are not beaver hunters, which 
 accounts for their allowing the division just 
 mentioned, as the lower and upper parts of 
 this river have those animals, which are not 
 found in the intermediate district. They 
 confine themselves to hunting the buffalo, 
 and trapping wolves, which cover the coun- 
 try. What they do not want of the former 
 for raiment and food, they sometimes make 
 into pemmican, or pounded meat, while they 
 melt the fat, and prepare the skins in their 
 hair, for winter. The wolves they never eat, 
 but produce a tallow from their fat, and pre- 
 pare their skins ; all which they bring to ex- 
 change for arms and ammunition, rum, to- 
 bacco, knives, and various baubles, with those 
 who go to traffic in their country. 
 
 The Algonquins, and the Knisteneaux, on 
 the contrary, attend to the fur-hunting, so 
 that they acquire the additional articles of 
 ciii 
 
A GENERAL HISTORY 
 
 cloth, blankets, etc., but their passion for 
 rum often puts it out of their power to sup- 
 ply themselves with real necessaries. 
 
 The next river of magnitude is the river 
 Dauphin, which empties itself at the head of 
 St. Martin's Bay, on the West side of the 
 Lake Winipic, latitude nearly 52. 15, North, 
 taking its source in the same mountains as 
 the last-mentioned river, as well as the 
 Swan and Red-Deer rivers, the latter passing 
 through the lake of the same name, as well 
 as the former, and both continuing their 
 course through the Manitoba Lake, which, 
 from thence, runs parallel with Lake Wini- 
 pic, to within nine miles of the Ked River, 
 and by what is called the river Dauphin, dis- 
 embogues its waters, as already described, 
 into that lake. These rivers are very rapid, 
 and interrupted by falls, etc., the bed being 
 generally rocky. All this country, to the 
 South branch of the Saskatchiwine, abounds 
 in beaver, moose-deer, fallow-deer, elks, 
 bears, buffaloes, etc. The soil is good, and 
 wherever any attempts have been made to 
 raise the esculent plants, etc., it has been 
 found productive. 
 
 On these waters are three principal forts 
 for trade. Fort Dauphin, which was estab- 
 lished by the French before the conquest. 
 Red-Deer River, and Swan-River Forts, with 
 occasional detached posts from these. The 
 civ 
 
OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 
 
 inhabitants are tlie Knisteneaux, from the 
 North of Lake Winipic; and Algonquins 
 from the country between the Red River and 
 Lake Superior; and some from the Rainy 
 Lake : but as they are not fixed inhabitants, 
 their number cannot be determined : they do 
 not, however, at any time exceed two hun- 
 dred warriors. In general they are good 
 hunters. There is no other considerable 
 river except the Saskatchiwine, which I shall 
 mention presently, that empties itself into 
 the Lake Winipic. 
 
 Those on the North side are inconsider- 
 able, owing to the comparative vicinity of the 
 high land that separates the waters coming 
 this way, from those discharging into Hud- 
 son's Bay. The course of the lake is about 
 West-ISTorth-West and South-South-East, and 
 the East end of it is in 50. 37. North. It 
 contracts at about a quarter of its length to 
 a strait, in latitude 51. 45., and is no more 
 than two miles broad, where the South shore 
 is gained through islands, and crossing vari- 
 ous bays to the discharge of the Saskatchi- 
 wine, in latitude 53. 15. This lake, in com- 
 mon with those of this country, is bounded 
 on the North with banks of black and grey 
 rock, and on the South by a low level coun- 
 try, occasionally interrupted with a ridge or 
 bank of lime-stones, lying in stratas, and ris- 
 iQg to the perpendicular height of from 
 cv 
 
A GENERAL HISTORY 
 
 twenty to forty feet ; these are covered with 
 a small quantity of earth, forming a level 
 surface, which bears timber, but of a mod- 
 erate growth, and declines to a swamp. 
 Where the banks are low, it is evident in 
 many places that the waters are withdrawn, 
 and never rise to those heights which were 
 formerly washed by them. 
 
 The inhabitants who are found along this 
 lake are of the Knisteneaux and Algonquin 
 tribes, and but few in number, though game 
 is not scarce, and there is fish in great abun- 
 dance. The black bass is found there, and 
 no further West; and beyond it no maple 
 trees are seen, either hard or soft. 
 
 On entering the Saskatchiwine, in the 
 course of a few miles, the great rapid inter- 
 rupts the passage. It is about three miles 
 long. Through the greatest part of it the 
 canoe is towed, half or full ladem, according 
 to the state of the waters : the canoe and its 
 contents are then carried one thousand one 
 hundred paces. The channel here is near a 
 mile wide, the waters tumbling over ridges of 
 rocks that traverse the river. The South 
 bank is very high, rising upwards of fifty 
 feet, of the same rock as seen on the South 
 side of the Lake Winipic, and the North is 
 not more than a third of that height. There 
 is an excellent sturgeon-fishery at the foot of 
 this cascade, and vast numbers of pelicans, 
 cvi 
 
OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 
 
 cormorants, etc., frequent it, where they 
 watch to seize the fish that may be killed or 
 disabled by the force of the waters. 
 
 About two miles from this Portage the 
 navigation is again interrupted by the Port- 
 age of the Koche Eouge, which is an hundred 
 yards long; and a mile and an half from 
 thence the river is barred by a range of isl- 
 ands, forming rapids between them; and 
 through these it is the same distance to the 
 rapid of Lake Travers, which is four miles 
 right across, and eight miles in length. Then 
 succeeds the Grande Decharge, and several 
 rapids, for four miles to the Cedar Lake, 
 which is entered through a small channel on 
 the left, formed by an island, as going round 
 it would occasion loss of time. Li this dis- 
 tance banks of rocks (such as have already 
 been described) appear at intervals on either 
 side ; the rest of the country is low. This is 
 the case along the South bank of the lake and 
 the islands, while the North side, which is 
 very uncommon, is level throughout. This 
 lake runs first West four miles, then as much 
 more West-South- West, across a deep bay on 
 the right, then six miles to the Point de 
 Lievre, and across another bay again on the 
 right; then North-West eight miles, across 
 a still deeper bay on the right ; and seven 
 miles parallel with the North coast. North' 
 North- West through islands, five miles more 
 cvii 
 
A GENERAL HISTORY 
 
 to Fort Bourbon, =* situated on a small island, 
 dividing this from Mud Lake. 
 
 The Cedar Lake is from four to twelve 
 miles wide, exclusive of the bays. Its banks 
 are covered with wood, and abound in game, 
 and its waters produce plenty of fish, partic- 
 ularly the sturgeon. The Mud Lake, and 
 the neighbourhood of the Fort Bourbon, 
 abound with geese, ducks, swans, etc., and 
 was formerly remarkable for a vast number 
 of martens, of which it cannot now boast but 
 a very small proportion. 
 
 The Mud Lake must have formerly been a 
 part of the Cedar Lake, but the immense 
 quantity of earth and sand, brought down by 
 the Saskatchiwine, has filled up this part of 
 it for a circumference whose diameter is at 
 least fifteen or twenty miles : part of which 
 space is still covered with a few feet of water, 
 but the greatest proportion is shaded with 
 large trees, such as the liard, the swamp-ash, 
 and the willow. This land consists of many 
 islands, which consequently form various 
 channels, several of which are occasionally 
 dry, and bearing young wood. It is, indeed, 
 more than probable that this river will, in 
 the course of time, convert the whole of the 
 Cedar Lake into a forest. To the North- 
 West the cedar is not to be found. 
 
 *This was also a principal post of the French, 
 who gave it its name. 
 
 cviii 
 
OF THE FUR TRADE. &c. 
 
 From this lake the Saskatchiwine may be 
 considered as navigable to near its source in 
 the rocky mountains, for canoes, and without 
 a carrying-place, making a great bend to 
 Cumberland House, on Sturgeon Lake. From 
 the confluence of its North and South 
 branches its course is Westerly; spreading 
 itself, it receives several tributary streams, 
 and encompasses a large tract of country, 
 which is level, particularly along the South 
 l^ranch, but is little known. Beaver, and 
 other animals, whose furs are valuable, are 
 amongst the inhabitants of the North-West 
 laranch, and the plains are covered with buf- 
 faloes, wolves, and small foxes ; particularly 
 about the South branch, which, however, has 
 of late claimed some attention, as it is now 
 understood, that where the plains terminate 
 "towards the rocky mountain, there is a space 
 of hilly country clothed with wood, and in- 
 habited also by animals of the fur kind. This 
 has been actually determined to be the case 
 towards the head of the North branch, where 
 the trade has been carried to about the lati- 
 tude 54. North, and longitude 114. 30. West. 
 The bed and banks of the latter, in some few 
 places, discover a stratum of free-stone ; but, 
 in general, they are composed of earth and 
 sand. The plains are sand and gravel, cov- 
 ered with line grass, and mixed with a small 
 quantity of vegetable earth. This is partic- 
 cix 
 
A GENERAL HISTORY 
 
 ularly observable along the North branch, 
 the West side of which is covered with wood. 
 
 There are on this river five principal 
 factories for the convenience of trade with 
 the natives. Nepawi House, South-branch 
 House, Fort-George House, Fort-Augustus 
 House, and Upper Establishment. There 
 have been many others, which, from various 
 causes, have been changed for these, while 
 there are occasionally others depending on 
 each of them. 
 
 The inhabitants, from the information I 
 could obtain, are as follow : 
 
 At ISTepawi and South-Branch House, about 
 thirty tents of Knisteneaux, or ninety war- 
 riors; and sixty tents of Stone Indians, or 
 Assiniboins, who are their neighbours, and 
 are equal to two hundred men : their hunting 
 ground extends upwards to about the Eagle 
 Hills. Next to them are those who trade at 
 Forts George and Augustus, and "are about 
 eighty tents or upwards of Knisteneaux : on 
 either side of the river, their number may be 
 two hundred. In the same country are one 
 hundred and forty tents of Stone Indians : 
 not quite half of them inhabit the West 
 woody country; the others never leave the 
 plains, and their numbers cannot be less than 
 four hundred and fifty men. At the South- 
 ern Head-waters of the North-branch dwells 
 a tribe called Sarsees, consisting of about 
 ex 
 
OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 
 
 thirty-five tents, or one hundred and twenty 
 men. Opposite to those Eastward, on the 
 head-waters of the South Branch, are the 
 Picaneaux, to the number of from twelve to 
 fifteen hundred men. Next to them, on the 
 same \yater, are the Blood-Indians, of the 
 same nation as the last, to the number of 
 about fifty tents, or two hundred and fifty 
 men. From them downwards extend the 
 Black-Feet Indians, of the same nation as 
 the two last tribes: their number may be 
 eight hundred men. Next to them, and who 
 extend to the confluence of the South and 
 North branch, are the Fall, or Big-bellied 
 Indians, who may amount to about six hun- 
 dred warriors. 
 
 Of all these different tribes, those who in- 
 habit the broken country on the North-West 
 side, and the source of the North branch, are 
 beaver-hunters ; the others deal in provisions, 
 wolf, buffalo, and fox skins; and many 
 people on the South branch do not trouble 
 themselves to come near the trading es- 
 tablishments. Those who do, choose such 
 establishments as are next to their country. 
 The Stone-Indians here, are the same people 
 as the Stone-Indians, or Assiniboins, w^ho 
 inhabit the river of that name already de- 
 scribed, and both are detached tribes from 
 the Nadowasis, who inhabit the Western side 
 of the Mississippi, and lower part of the Mis- 
 cxi 
 
A GENERAL HISTORY 
 
 sisoury. The Fall, or Big-bellied Indians, 
 are from the South-Eastward also, and of a 
 people who inhabit the plains from the North 
 bend of the last mentioned river, latitude 47. 
 32. North, longitude 101. 25. West, to the 
 South bend of the Assiniboin Kiver, to the 
 number of seven hundred men. Some of 
 them occasionally come to the latter river to 
 'exchange dressed buffalo robes and bad wolf- 
 skins for articles of no great value. 
 
 The Picaneaux, Black-Feet, and Blood- 
 Indians, are a distinct people, speak a lan- 
 guage of their own, and, I have reason to 
 think, are travelling North-West, as well as 
 the others just mentioned : nor have I heard 
 of any Indians with whose language that 
 which they speak has any affinity. — They are 
 the people who deal in horses, and take them 
 upon the war-parties towards Mexico ; from 
 which, it is evident, that the country to the 
 South-East of them consists of plains, as 
 those animals could not well be conducted 
 through an hilly and woody country, inter- 
 sected by waters. 
 
 The Sarsees, who are but few in number, 
 appear from their language, to come on the 
 contrary from the North-West, and are of 
 the same people as the Rocky-Mountain In- 
 dians described in my second journal, who 
 are a tribe of the Chepewyans; and, as for 
 the Knisteneaux, there is no question of their 
 cxii 
 
OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 
 
 having been, and continuing to be, invaders 
 of this country, from the Eastward. For- 
 merly, they struck terror into all the other 
 tribes whom they met; but now they have 
 lost the respect that was paid them ; as those 
 whom they formerly considered as barbarians 
 are now their allies, and consequently become 
 better acquainted with them, and have ac- 
 quired the use of fire-arms. The former are 
 still proud without power, and affect to con- 
 sider the others as their inferiors : those con- 
 sequently are extremely jealous of them, and, 
 depending upon their own superiority in num- 
 bers, will not submit tamely to their insults ; 
 so that the consequences often prove fatal, 
 and the Knisteneaux are thereby decreasing 
 both in power and number ; spirituous liquors 
 also tend to their diminution, as they are in- 
 stigateel thereby to engage in quarrels which 
 frequently have the most disastrous termina^ 
 tion among themselves. 
 
 The Stone-Indians must not be considered 
 in the same point of view respecting the 
 Knisteneaux, for they have been generally 
 obliged, from various causes, to court their 
 alliance. They, however, are not without 
 their disagreements, and it is sometimes very 
 difficult to compose their differences. These- 
 quarrels occasionally take place with the 
 traders, and sometimes have a tragical con- 
 clusion. They generally originate in conse^ 
 8 cxiii 
 
A GENERAL HISTORY 
 
 quence of stealing women and horses : they 
 have great numbers of the latter throughout 
 their plains, which are brought, as has been 
 observed, from the Spanish settlements in 
 Mexico; and many of them have been seen 
 even in the back parts of this country, branded 
 with the initials of their original owners' 
 names. Those horses are distinctly employed 
 as beasts of burden, and to chase the buffalo. 
 The former are not considered as being of 
 much value, as they may be purchased for a 
 gun, which costs no more than twenty-one 
 shillings in Great Britain. Many of the hunt- 
 ers cannot be purchased with ten, the com- 
 parative value of which exceeds the property 
 of any native. 
 
 Of these useful animals no care whatever 
 is taken, as when they are no longer em- 
 ployed, they are turned loose winter and 
 summer to provide for themselves. Here, it 
 is to be observed, that the country, in gen- 
 eral, on the West and North side of this 
 great riv^er, is broken by the lakes and rivers 
 with small intervening plains, where the soil 
 is good, and the grass grows to some length. 
 To these the male buffaloes resort for the 
 winter, and if it be very severe, the females 
 also are obliged to leave the plains. 
 
 But to return to the route by which the 
 progress West and North is made through 
 this continent. 
 
 cxiv 
 
OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 
 
 We leave the Saskatdiiwine"* by entering 
 the river which forms the discharge of the 
 Sturgeon Lake, on whose East bank is situ- 
 ated Cumberland house, in latitude 53. 56. 
 North, longitude 102. 15. The distance be- 
 tween the entrance and Cumberland house is 
 estimated at twenty miles. It is very evi- 
 dent that the mud which is carried down by 
 the Saskatchiwine River, has formed the land 
 that lies between it and the lake, for the dis- 
 tance of upwards of twenty miles in the line 
 of the river, which is inundated during one 
 half of the summer, though covered with 
 wood. This lake forms an irregular horse- 
 shoe, one side of which runs to the North- 
 West, and bears the name of Pine-Island 
 Lake, and the other, known by the name al~ 
 ready mentioned, runs to the East of North,, 
 and is the largest : its length is about twenty- 
 seven miles, and its greatest breadth about 
 six miles. The North side of the latter is 
 the same kind of rock as that described in 
 Lake Winipic, on the West shore. In lati- 
 tude 54. 16. North, the Sturgeon- Weir River 
 discharges itself into this lake, and its bed 
 
 *It maybe proper to observe, that the French had 
 two settlements upon the Saskatchiwine, long be- 
 fore, and at the conquest of Canada; the first at the 
 Pasquia, near Carrot River, and the other at Nipawi, 
 where they had agricultural instruments and wheel 
 carriages, marks of both being found about those 
 establishments, where the soil is excellent, 
 cxv 
 
A GENERAL HISTORY 
 
 appears to be of the same kind of rock, and 
 is almost a continual rapid. Its direct course 
 is about West by North, and with its wind- 
 ings, is about thirty miles. It takes its wa- 
 ters into the Beaver Lake the South-West 
 side of which consists of the same rock lying 
 in thin stratas : the route then proceeds from 
 island to island for about twelve miles, and 
 along the North shore, for four miles more, 
 the whole being a North- West course to the 
 entrance of a river, in latitude 54. 32. North. 
 The lake, for this distance, is about four or 
 five miles wide, and abounds with fish com- 
 mon to the country. The part of it upon the 
 right of that which has been described, ap- 
 pears more considerable. The islands are 
 rocky, and the lake itself surrounded by 
 rocks. The communication from hence to 
 the Bouleau Lake, alternately narrows into 
 rivers and spreads into small lakes. The 
 interruptions are, the Pente Portage, which 
 is succeeded by tlie Grand Rapid, where 
 there is a Decharge, the Carp Portage, the 
 Bouleau Portage m latitude 54. 50. North, 
 including a distance, together with the wind- 
 ings, of thirty-four miles, in a Westerly di- 
 rection. The Lake de Bouleau then follows. 
 This lake might with greater propriety be 
 denominated a canal, as it is not more than 
 a mile in breadth. Its course is rather to the 
 East of North for twelve miles to Portage de 
 cxvi 
 
OF THE FUR TRADE &c. 
 
 L'Isle. From thence there is still water to 
 Portage d'Epinettes, except an adjoining 
 rapid. The distance is not more than four 
 miles Westerly. After crossing this Port- 
 age, it is not more than two miles to Lake 
 Miron, which is in latitude 55. 7. North, 
 Its length is about twelve miles, and its 
 breadth irregular, from two to ten miles. It 
 is only separated from Lake du Chitique, or 
 Pelican Lake, by a short, narrow, and small 
 strait. That lake is not more than seven 
 miles long, and its course about North-West. 
 The Lake des Bois then succeeds, the passage 
 to which is through small lakes, separated 
 by falls and rapids. The first is a Decharge : 
 then follow the three galets, in immediate 
 succession. From hence Lake des Bois runs" 
 about twenty-one miles. Its course is South- 
 South-East, and North-North-West, and is 
 full of islands. The passage continues: 
 through an intricate, narrow, winding, and 
 shallow channel for eight miles. The inter- 
 ruptions in this distance are frequent, but 
 depend much on the state of the waters. 
 Having passed them, it is necessary to cross 
 the Portage de Traite, or, as it is called 
 by the Indians, Athiquisipichigan Ouinigam, 
 or the Portage of the Stretched Frog Skin, to 
 the Missinipi. The waters already described 
 discharge themselves into Lake Winipic, and 
 augment those of the river Nelson. These 
 cxvii 
 
A GENERAL HISTORY 
 
 which we are now entering are called the 
 Missinipi, or great Churchill River. 
 
 All the country to the South and East of 
 this, within the line of the progress that has 
 been described, is interspersed by lakes, hills, 
 and rivers, and is full or animals, of the fur- 
 kind, as well as the moose- deer. Its inhabi- 
 tants are the Knisteneaux Indians, who are 
 called by the servants of the Hudson's Bay 
 Company, at York, their home-guards. 
 
 The traders from Canada succeeded for 
 several years in getting the largest proportion 
 of their furs, till the year 1793, when the 
 servants of that company thought proper to 
 send people amongst them, (and why they 
 did not do it before is best known to them- 
 selves), for the purpose of trade, and secur- 
 ing their credits, which the Indians were apt 
 to forget. From the short distance they had 
 to come, and the quantity of goods they sup- 
 plied, the trade has, in a great measure, re- 
 verted to them, as the merchants from Can- 
 ada could not meet them upon equal terms. 
 What added to the loss of the latter, was the 
 murder of one of their traders by the Indians, 
 about this period. Of these people not above 
 eighty men have been known to the traders 
 from Canada, but they consist of a much 
 greater number. 
 
 The Portage de Traite, as has been already 
 hinted, received its name from Mr. Joseph 
 «xviii 
 
OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 
 
 Frobisher, who penetrated into this part of 
 the country from Canada, as early as the 
 years 1774 and 1775, where he met with the 
 Indians in the spring, on their way to 
 Churchill, according to annual custom, with 
 their canoes full of valuable furs. They 
 traded with him for as many of them as his 
 canoes could carry, and in consequence of 
 this transaction, the Portage received and 
 has since retained its present appellation. 
 He also denominated these waters the Eng- 
 lish River. The Missinipi is the name 
 which it received from the Knisteneaux, 
 when they first came to this country, and 
 either destroyed or drove back the natives, 
 whom they held in great contempt, on many 
 accounts, but particularly for their ignorance 
 in hunting the beaver, as well as in prepar- 
 ing, stretching, and drying the skins of those 
 animals. And as a sign of their derision, 
 they stretched the skin of a frog, and hung it 
 up at the Portage. This was, at that time, 
 the utmost extent of their conquest or war- 
 faring progress West, and is in latitude 55. 
 25. ¥orth, and longitude 103. 45. West. 
 The river here, which bears the appearance 
 of a lake, takes its name from the Portage, 
 and is full of islands. It runs from East to 
 West about sixteen miles, and is from four 
 to five miles broad. Then succeed falls and 
 cascades which form what is called the grand 
 cxix 
 
A GENERAL HISTORY 
 
 rapid. From thence there is a succession of 
 small lakes and rivers, interrupted by rapids 
 and falls, viz., the Portage de Bareel, the 
 Portage de L'Isle, and that of the Rapid 
 River. The course is twenty miles from 
 East-South-East to ]Srorth-:N"orth-West. The 
 Rapid-River Lake then runs West five miles, 
 and is of an oval form. The rapid river is 
 the discharge of Lake la Ronge, where there 
 has been an establishment for trade from the 
 year 1782. Since the small-pox ravaged 
 these parts, there have been but few inhabi- 
 tants ; these are of the Knisteneaux tribe, and 
 do not exceed thirty men. The direct navi- 
 gation continues to be through rivers and ca- 
 nals, interrupted by rapids ; and the distance 
 to the first Decharge is four miles, in a West- 
 erly direction. Then follows Lake de la 
 Montague, which runs South-South-West 
 three miles and an half, then North six miles, 
 through narrow channels, formed by islands, 
 and continues North-North-West five miles, 
 to the portage of the same name, which is no 
 sooner crossed, than another appears in sight, 
 leading to the Otter Lake, from whence it 
 is nine miles Westerly to the Otter Portage, 
 in latitude 55. 39. Between this and the 
 Portage du Diable, are several rapids, 
 and the distance three miles and an half. 
 Then succeeds the lake of the same name, 
 running from South-East to North- West, 
 cxx 
 
OF THE FUR TRADE. &c. 
 
 five miles, and West four miles and an 
 half. 
 
 There is then a succession of small lakes, 
 rapids, and falls, producing the Portage des 
 Ecors, Portage du Galet, and Portage des 
 Morts, the whole comprehending a distance 
 of six miles, to the lake of the latter name. 
 On the left side is a point covered with hu- 
 man bones, the relics of the small-pox ; which 
 circumstance gave the Portage and the lake 
 this melancholy denomination. Its course is 
 South- West fifteen miles, while its breadth 
 does not exceed three miles. From thence a 
 rapid river leads to Portage de Hallier, which 
 is followed by Lake de L'Isle d'Ours: it is, 
 however, improperly called a lake, as it con- 
 tains frequent impediments amongst its isl- 
 ands, from rapids. There is a very danger- 
 ous one about the centre of it, which is 
 named the Rapid qui ne parle point, or that 
 never speaks, from its silent whirlpool- mo- 
 tion. In some of the whirlpools the suction 
 is so powerful, that they are carefully 
 avoided. At some distance from the silent 
 rapid is a narrow strait, where the Indians 
 have painted red figures on the face of a 
 rock, and where it was their custom formerly 
 to make an offering of some of the articles 
 which they had with them, in their way to 
 and from Churchill. The course of this lake, 
 which is very meandering, may be estimated 
 cxxi 
 
A GENERAL HISTORY 
 
 at thirty -eight miles, and is terminated by 
 the Portage du Canot Tourner, from the dan- 
 ger to which those are subject who venture 
 to run this rapid. From thence a river of 
 one mile and an half North-West course 
 leads to the Portage de Bouleau, and in about 
 half a mile to Portage des Epingles, so called 
 from the sharpness of its stones. Then fol- 
 lows the Lake des Souris, the direction across 
 which is amongst islands, North-West by 
 West six miles. In this traverse is an is- 
 land, which is remarkable for a very large 
 stone, in the form of a bear, on which the 
 natives have painted the head and snout of 
 that animal; and here they also were for- 
 merly accustomed to offer sacrifices. This 
 lake is separated only by a narrow strait 
 from the Lake du Serpent, which runs North- 
 North-West seven miles, to a narrow chan- 
 nel, that connects it with another lake, bear- 
 ing the same name, and running the same 
 course for eleven miles, when the rapid of 
 the same denomination is entered on the 
 West side of the lake. It is to be remarked 
 here, that for about three or four miles on 
 the North- West side of this lake, there is an 
 high bank of clay and sand, clothed with 
 cypress trees, a circumstance which is not 
 observable on any lakes hitherto mentioned, 
 as they are bounded, particularly on the 
 North, by black and grey rocks. It may also 
 cxxii 
 
OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 
 
 be considered as a most extraordinary cir- 
 cumstance, that the Chepewyans go Korth- 
 West from hence to the barren grounds, 
 which are their own country, without the 
 assistance of canoes; as it is well known 
 that in every other part which has been de- 
 scribed, from Cumberland House, the coun- 
 try is broken on either side of the direction 
 to a great extent : so that a traveller could 
 not go at right angles with any of the waters 
 already mentioned, without meeting with 
 others in every eight or ten miles. This will 
 also be found to be very much the case in 
 proceeding to Portage la Loche. 
 
 The last mentioned rapid is upwards of 
 three miles long, North-West by West; 
 there is, however, no carrying, as the line 
 and poles are sufficient to drag and set the 
 canoes against the current. Lake Croche is 
 then crossed in a Westerly direction of six 
 miles, though its whole length may be twice 
 that distance : after which it contracts to a 
 river that runs Westerly for ten miles, when 
 it forms a bend, which is left to the South, 
 and entering a portion of its waters called 
 the Grass Eiver, whose meandermg course is 
 about six miles, but in a direct line not more 
 than half that length, where it receives its 
 waters from the great river, which then runs 
 Westerly eleven miles before it forms the 
 Knee Lake, whose direction is to the North 
 cxxiii 
 
A GENERAL HISTORY 
 
 of West. It is full of islands for eighteen 
 miles, and its greatest apparent breadth is 
 not more than five' miles. The portage of 
 the same name is several hundred yards long, 
 and over large stones. Its latitude is 55. 50. 
 and longitude 106. 30. Two miles further 
 North is the commencement of the Croche 
 Rapid, which is a succession of cascades for 
 about three miles, making a bend due South 
 to the Lake du Primeau, whose course is 
 various, and through islands, to the distance 
 of about fifteen miles. The banks of this 
 lake are low, stony, and marshy, whose grass 
 and rushes afford shelter and food to great 
 numbers of wild fowl. At its Western ex- 
 tremity is Portage la Puise, from whence the 
 river takes a meandering course, widening 
 and contracting at intervals, and is much in- 
 terrupted by rapids. After a Westerly course 
 of twenty miles, it reaches Portage Pellet. 
 From hence, in the course of seven miles, are 
 three rapids, to which succeeds the Shagoina 
 Lake, which may be eighteen miles in cir- 
 cumference. Then Shagoina strait and rapid 
 lead into the Lake of Isle a la Crosse, in 
 which the course is South twenty miles, and 
 South-South-West fourteen miles, to the 
 Point au Sable ; opposite to which is the dis- 
 charge of the Beaver-River, bearing South 
 six miles : the lake in the distance run, does 
 not exceed twelve miles in its greatest 
 cxxiv 
 
OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 
 
 breadth. It now turns West- South-West, 
 the Isle a la Crosse being on the South, and 
 the main land on the North; and it clears 
 the one and the other in the distance of 
 three miles, the water presenting an open 
 horizon to right and left; that on the left 
 formed by a deep narrow bay, about ten 
 leagues in depth ; and that to the right by 
 what is called la Riviere Creuse, or Deep 
 River, being a canal of still water, which is 
 here four miles wide. On following the last 
 course. Isle a la Crosse Fort appears on a 
 low isthmus, at the distance of five miles, 
 and is in latitude 55. 25. North, and longi- 
 tude 107. 48. West. 
 
 This lake and fort take their names from 
 the island just mentioned, which, as has 
 been already observed, received its denomi- 
 nation from the game of the cross, which 
 forms a principal amusement among the na- 
 tives. 
 
 The situation of this lake, the abundance 
 of the finest fish in the world to be found in 
 its waters, the richness of its surrounding 
 banks and forests, in moose and fallow deer, 
 with the vast numbers of the smaller tribes 
 of animals, whose skins are precious, and the 
 numerous flocks of wild fov/1 that frequent 
 it in the spring and fall, make it a most de- 
 sirable spot for the constant residence of 
 some, and the occasional rendezvous of oth- 
 cxxv 
 
A GENERAL HISTORY 
 
 ers of the inhabitants of the country, partic- 
 ularly of the Knisteneaux. 
 
 Who the original people were that were 
 driven from it, when conquered by the Knis- 
 teneaux, is not now known, as not a single 
 vestige remains of them. The latter, and 
 the Chepewyans, are the only people that 
 have been known here ; and it is evident that 
 the last-mentioned consider themselves as 
 strangers, and seldom remain longer than 
 three or four years, without visiting their 
 relations and friends in the barren grounds, 
 which they term their native country. They 
 were for some time treated by the Kniste- 
 neaux as enemies; who now allow them to 
 hunt to the North of the track which has 
 been described, from Fort du Traite up- 
 wards, but when they occasionally meet 
 them, they insist on contributions, and fre- 
 quently punish resistance with their arms. 
 This is sometimes done at the forts, or places 
 of trade, but then it appears to be a volun- 
 tary gift. A treat of rum is expected on the 
 occasion, which the Chepewyans on no other 
 account ever purchase ; and those only who 
 have had frequent intercourse Avith the Knis- 
 teneaux have any inclination to drink it. 
 
 When the Europeans first penetrated into 
 
 this country, in 1777, the people of both 
 
 tribes were numerous, but the small-pox was 
 
 fatal to them all, so that there does not exist 
 
 cxxvi 
 
OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 
 
 of the one, at present, more than forty resi- 
 dent families ; and the other has been from 
 about thirty to two hundred families. These 
 numbers are applicable to the constant and 
 less ambitious inhabitants, who are satisfied 
 with the quiet possession of a country afford- 
 ing, without risk or much trouble, every 
 thing necessary to their comfort; for since 
 traders have spread themselves over it, it is 
 no more the rendezvous of the errant Knis- 
 teneaux, part of whom used annually to return 
 thither from the country of the Beaver 
 River, which they had explored to its source 
 in their war and hunting excursions, and as 
 far as the Saskatchiwine, where they some- 
 times met people of their own nation, who 
 had prosecuted similar conquests up that 
 river. In that country they found abundance 
 of fish and animals, such as have been al- 
 ready described, with the addition of the 
 buffaloes, who range in the partial patches 
 of meadow scattered along the rivers and 
 lakes. From thence they returned in the 
 spring to their friends whom they had left ; 
 and, at the same time met with others who 
 had penetrated with the same designs into 
 the Athabasca country, which will be de- 
 scribed hereafter. 
 
 The spring was the period of this joyful 
 meeting, when their time was occupied in 
 feasting, dancing, and other pastimes, which 
 cxxvii 
 
A GENERAL HISTORY 
 
 were occasionally suspended for sacrifice, and 
 religious solemnity : wliile the narratives of 
 their travels, and the history of their wai'S, 
 amused and animated the festival. The time 
 of rejoicing was but short, and was soon in- 
 terrupted by the necessary preparations for 
 their annual journey to Churchill, to exchange 
 their furs for such European articles as were 
 now become necessary to them. The short- 
 ness of the seasons, and the great length of 
 their way requiring the utmost despatch, the 
 most active men of the tribe, with their 
 youngest women, and a few of their children 
 undertook the voyage, under the direction of 
 some of their chiefs, following the waters al- 
 ready described, to their discharge at Church- 
 ill Factory, which are called, as has already 
 been observed, the Missinipi, or Great Wa- 
 ters. There they remained no longer than 
 was sufficient to barter their commodities, 
 with a supernumerary day or two to gratify 
 themselves with the indulgence of spirituous 
 liquors. At the same time the inconsider- 
 able quantity they could purchase to carry 
 away with them, for a regale with their 
 friends, was held sacred, and reserved to 
 heighten the enjoyment of their return home, 
 when the amusements, festivity, and relig- 
 ious solemnities of the spring were repeated. 
 The usual time appropriated to these conviv- 
 ialities being completed, they separated, to 
 cxxviii 
 
OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 
 
 pursue their different objects; and if they 
 were determined to go to war, they made the 
 necessary arrangements for their future oper- 
 ations. 
 
 But we must now renew the progress of 
 the route. It is not more than two miles 
 from Isle a la Crosse Fort, to a point of land 
 which forms a cheek of that part of the lake 
 called the Kiviere Creuse, which preserves 
 the breadth already mentioned for upwards 
 of twenty miles; then contracts to about 
 two, for the distance of ten miles more, when 
 it opens to Lake Clear, which is very wide, 
 and commands an open horizon, keeping the 
 West shore for six miles. The whole of the 
 distance mentioned is about North-West, 
 when, by a narrow, crooked channel, turning 
 to the South of West, the entry is made into 
 Lake du Boeuf , which is contracted near the 
 middle, by a projecting sandy point; inde- 
 pendent of which it may be described as from 
 six to twelve miles in breadth, thirty-six 
 miles long, and in a North- West direction. 
 At the North-West end, in latitude 56. 8. it 
 receives the waters of the river la Loche, 
 which, in the fall of the year, is very shal- 
 low, and navigated with difficulty even by 
 half-laden canoes. Its water is not sufficient 
 to form strong rapids, though from its rocky 
 bottom the canoes are frequently in consider- 
 able danger. Including its meanders, the 
 9 cxxix 
 
A GENERAL HISTORY 
 
 course of this river may be computed at 
 twenty-four miles, and receives its first wa- 
 ters from the lake of the same name, which 
 is about twenty miles long, and six wide; 
 into which a small river flows, sufficient to 
 bear loaded canoes, for about a mile and an 
 half, where the navigation ceases; and the 
 canoes, with their lading, are carried over 
 the Portage la Loche for thirteen miles. 
 
 This portage is the ridge that divides the 
 waters which discharge themselves into Hud- 
 son's Bay, from those that flow into the 
 Northern ocean, and is in the latitude 56. 20. 
 and longitude 109. 15. West. It runs South- 
 West until it loses its local height between 
 the Saskatchiwine and Elk Kivers; close on 
 the bank of the former, in latitude 53. 36. 
 North, and longitude 113. 45. West, it may 
 be traced in an Easterly direction toward 
 latitude 58. 12. North, and longitude 103^. 
 West, when it appears to take its course due 
 North, and may probably reach the Frozen 
 Seas. 
 
 From Lake le Souris, the banks of the riv- 
 ers and lakes display a smaller portion of 
 solid rock. The land is low and stony, in- 
 termixed with a light, sandy soil, and clothed 
 with wood. That of the Beaver River is of 
 a more productive quality : but no part of it 
 has ever been cultivated by the natives or 
 Europeans, except a small garden at the Isle 
 cxxx 
 
OF THE FUR TRADE, &q 
 
 a la Crosse, which well repaid the labour be- 
 stowed upon it. 
 
 The Portage la Loche is of a level surface, 
 in some parts abounding with stones, but in 
 general it is an entire sand, and covered with 
 the cypress, the pine, the spruce fir, and other 
 trees natural to its soil. Within three miles 
 of the North- West termination, there is a 
 small round lake, whose diameter does not 
 exceed a mile, and which affords a trifling 
 respite to the labour of carrying. Within a 
 mile of the termination of the Portage is a 
 very steep precipice, whose ascent and de- 
 scent appears to be equally impracticable in 
 any way, as it consists of a succession of 
 eight hills, some of which are almost perpen- 
 dicular ; nevertheless, the Canadians contrive 
 to surmount all these difficulties, even with 
 their canoes and lading. 
 
 This precipice, which rises upwards of a 
 thousand feet above the plain beneath it, 
 commands a most extensive, romantic, and 
 ravishing prospect. From thence the eye 
 looks down on the course of the little river, 
 by some called the Swan river, and by oth- 
 ers, the Clear- Water and Pelican river, beau- 
 tifully meandering for upwards of thirty 
 miles. The valley, which is at once refreshed 
 and adorned by it, is about three miles in 
 breadth, and is confined by two lofty ridges 
 of equal height, displaying a most beautiful 
 cxxxi 
 
A GENERAL HISTORY 
 
 intermixture of wood and lawn, and stretch- 
 ing on till the blue mist obscures the pros- 
 pect. Some parts of the inclining heights 
 are covered with stately forests, relieved by 
 promontories of the finest verdure, where the 
 elk and buffalo find pasture. These are con- 
 trasted by spots where fire has destroyed the 
 woods, and left a dreary void behind it. 
 Nor, when I beheld this wonderful display of 
 uncultivated nature, was the moving scenery 
 of human occupation wanting to complete the 
 picture. From this elevated situation, I be- 
 held my people, diminished, as it were, to 
 half their size, employed in pitching their 
 tents in a charming meadow, and among the 
 canoes, which, being turned upon their sides, 
 presented their reddened bottoms in contrast 
 with the surrounding verdure. At the same 
 time, the process of gumming them produced 
 numerous small spires of smoke, which, as 
 they rose, enlivened the scene, and at length 
 blended with the larger columns that ascended 
 from the fires where the suppers were pre- 
 paring. It was in the month of September 
 when I enjoyed a scene, of which I do not 
 presume to give an adequate description ; and 
 as it was the rutting season of the elk, the 
 whistling of that animal was heard m all the 
 variety which the echoes could afford it. 
 
 This river, wliich waters and reflects such 
 enchanting scenery, runs, including its wind- 
 cxxxii 
 
OF THE FUR TRADE. &c. 
 
 ings, upwards of eighty miles, when it dis- 
 charges itself in the Elk River, according to 
 the denomination of the natives, but com- 
 monly called by the white people, the Atha- 
 basca Eiver, in latitude 56. 42. North. 
 
 At a small distance from Portage la Loche, 
 several carrying-places interrupt the naviga- 
 tion of the river ; about the middle of which 
 are some mineral springs, whose margins are 
 covered with sulphureous incrustations. At 
 the junction or fork, the Elk River is about 
 three quarters of a mile in breadth, and runs 
 in a steady current, sometimes contracting, 
 but never increasing its channel, till, after 
 receiving several small streams, it discharges 
 itself into the Lake of the Hills, in latitude 
 58. 36. North. At about twenty-four miles 
 from the Fork, are some bituminous foun- 
 tains, into which a pole of twenty feet long 
 may be inserted without the least resistance. 
 The bitumen is in a fluid state, and when 
 mixed with gum, or the resinous substance 
 collected from the spruce fir, serves to gum 
 the canoes. In its heated state it emits a 
 smell like that of sea-coal. The banks of the 
 river, which are there very elevated, discover 
 veins of the same bituminous quality. At a 
 small distance from the Fork, houses have 
 been erected for the convenience of trading 
 with a party of the Knisteneaux, who visit the 
 adjacent country for the purpose of hunting, 
 cxxxiii 
 
A GENERAL HISTORY 
 
 At the distance of about forty miles from the 
 lake, is the Old Establishment, which has 
 been already mentioned, as formed by Mr. 
 Pond in the year 1778-9, and which was the 
 only one in this part of the world, till the 
 year 1785. In the year 1788 it was trans- 
 ferred to the Lake of the Hills, and formed 
 on a point on its Southern side, at about 
 eight miles from the discharge of the river. 
 It was named Fort Chepewyan, and is in lat- 
 itude 58. 38. North, longitude 110. 26. West, 
 and much better situated for trade and fish- 
 ing as the people here have recourse to water 
 for their support. 
 
 This being the place which I made my 
 headquarters for eight years, and from whence 
 I took my departure, on both my expeditions, 
 I shall give some account of it, with the man- 
 ner of carrying on the trade there, and other 
 circumstances connected with it. 
 
 The laden canoes which leave Lake la Pluie 
 about the first of August, do not arrive here 
 till the latter end of September, or the begin- 
 ning of October, when a necessary propor- 
 tion of them is despatched up the Peace River 
 to trade with the Beaver and Rocky-Moun- 
 tain Indians. Others are sent to the Slave 
 River and Lake, or beyond them, and traffic 
 with the inhabitants of that country. A 
 small part of them, if not left at the Fork of 
 the Elk River, return thither for the Kniste- 
 cxxxiv 
 
OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 
 
 neaux, while the rest of the people and mer* 
 chandise remain here, to carry on trade with 
 the Chepewyans. 
 
 Here have I arrived with ninety or an hun« 
 dred men without any provision for their sus- 
 tenance; for whatever quantity might have 
 been obtained from the natives during the 
 summer, it could not be more than sufficient 
 for the people despatched to their different 
 posts ; and even if there were a casual super- 
 fluity, it was absolutely necessary to preserve 
 it untouched, for the demands of the spring. 
 The whole dependence, therefore, of those 
 who remained, was on the lake, and fishing 
 implements for the means of our support. 
 The nets are sixty fathom in length, when 
 set, and contain fifteen meshes of five inches 
 in depth. The manner of using them is as 
 follows : A small stone and wooden buoy are 
 fastened to the side-line opposite to each 
 other, at about the distance of two fathoms ; 
 when the net is carefully thrown into the 
 water, the stone sinks it to the bottom, while 
 the buoy keeps it at its full extent, and it is 
 secured in its situation by a stone at either 
 end. The nets are visited every day, and 
 taken out every other day to be cleaned and 
 dried. This is a very ready operation when 
 the waters are not frozen, but when the frost 
 bas set in, and the ice has acquired its great- 
 est thickness, which is sometimes as much as 
 cxxxv 
 
A GENERAL HISTORY 
 
 five feet, holes are cut in it at the distance 
 of thirty feet from each other, to the full 
 length of the net ; one of them is larger than 
 the rest, being generally about four feet 
 square, and is called the basin : by means of 
 them, and poles of a proportionable length, 
 the nets are placed in and drawn out of the 
 water. Tlie setting of hooks and lines is so 
 simple an employment as to render a descrip- 
 tion unnecessary. The white fish are the 
 principal object of pursuit: they spawn in 
 the fall of the year, and, at about the setting 
 in of the hard frost, crowd in shoals to the 
 shallow water, when as many as possible are 
 taken, in order that a portion of them may 
 be laid by in the frost to provide against the 
 scarcity of winter; as, during that season, 
 the fish of every description decrease in the 
 lakes, if they do not altogether disappear. 
 Some have supposed that during this period 
 they are stationary, or assume an inactive 
 state. If there should be any intervals of 
 warm weather during the fall, it is necessary 
 to suspend the fish by the tail, though they 
 are not so good as those which are altogether 
 preserved by the frost. In this state they 
 remain to the beginning of April, when they 
 have been found as sweet as when they were 
 caught.* 
 
 * This fishery requires the most unremitting atten- 
 tion, as the voyaging Canadians are equally indo- 
 cxxxvi 
 
OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 
 
 Thus do these voyagers live, year after 
 year, entirely upon fish, without even the 
 quickening flavour of salt, or the variety of 
 any farinaceous root or vegetable. Salt, 
 however, if their habits had not rendered it 
 unnecessary, might be obtained in this coun- 
 try to the Westward of the Peace River, 
 where it loses its name in that of the Slave 
 Eiver, from the numerous salt-ponds and 
 springs to be found there, which will supply 
 in any quantity, in a state of concretion, and 
 perfectly white and clean. When the Indi- 
 ans pass that way they bring a small quantity 
 to the fort, with other articles of traffic. 
 
 During a short period of the spring and fall, 
 great numbers of wild fowl frequent this 
 country, which prove a very gratifying food 
 after such a long privation of flesh-meat. It 
 is remarkable, however, that the Canadians 
 who frequent the Peace, Saskatchiwine, and 
 Assiniboin rivers, and live altogether on ven- 
 ison, have a less healthy appearance than 
 those whose sustenance is obtained from the 
 waters. At the same time the scurvy is 
 wholly unknown among them. 
 
 In the fall of the year the natives meet the 
 traders at the forts, where they barter the 
 furs or provisions which they may have pro- 
 lent, extravagant, and improvident, when left to 
 themselves, and rival the savages in a neglect of the 
 morrow. 
 
 cxxxvii 
 
A GENERAL HISTORY 
 
 cured : they tlien obtain credit, and proceed 
 to hunt the beavers, and do not return till the 
 beginning of the year ; when they are again 
 fitted out in the same manner and come back 
 the latter end of March, or the beginning of 
 April. They are now unwilling to repair to 
 the beaver hunt until the waters are clear of 
 ice, that they may kill them with fire-arms, 
 which the Chepewyans are averse to employ. 
 The major part of the latter return to the 
 barren grounds, and live during the summer 
 with their relations and friends in the en- 
 joyment of that plenty which is derived from 
 numerous herds of deer. But those of that 
 tribe who are most partial to these deserts, 
 cannot remain there in winter, and they are 
 obliged, with the deer, to take shelter in the 
 woods during that rigorous season, when they 
 contrive to kill a few beavers, and send them 
 by young men, to exchange for iron utensils 
 and ammunition. 
 
 Till the year 1782, the people of Athabasca 
 sent or carried their furs regularly to Fort 
 Churchill, Hudson's Bay; and some of them 
 have, since that time, repaired thither, not- 
 withstanding they could have provided them- 
 selves with all the necessaries which they re- 
 quired. The difference of the price set on 
 goods here and at the factory, made it an ob- 
 ject with the Chepewyans to undertake a 
 journey of five or six months, in the course 
 cxxxviii 
 
OF THE FUR TRADE, &c, 
 
 of which they were reduced to the most 
 painful extremities, and often lost their lives 
 from hunger and fatigue. At present, how- 
 ever, this traffic is in a great measure discon- 
 tinued, as they were obliged to expend in the 
 course of their journey, that very ammuni- 
 tion which was its most alluring object. 
 
 CXXXIX 
 
A GENERAL HISTORY 
 
 1 
 
 SOME ACCOUNT OF THE KNISTE- 
 NEAUX INDIANS. 
 
 These people are spread over a vast extent 
 of country. Their language is the same as 
 that of the people who inhabit the coast of 
 British America on the Atlantic, with the ex- 
 ception of the Esquimaux,* and continues 
 along the coast of Labrador, and the gulf and 
 banks of St. Laurence to Montreal. The 
 line then follows the Utawas river to its 
 source; and continues from thence nearly- 
 West along the highlands which divides the 
 waters that fall into Lake Superior and Hud- 
 son's Bay. It then proceeds till it strikes 
 the middle part of the river Winipic, follow- 
 ing that water to the Lake Winipic, to the 
 discharge of the Saskatchiwine into it ; from 
 thence it accompanies the latter to Fort 
 George, when the line, striking by the head 
 of the Beaver river to the Elk river, runs 
 along its banks to its discharge in the Lake 
 of the Hills ; from which it may be carried 
 
 * The similarity between their language and that 
 of the Algonquins is an unequivocal proof that they 
 are the same people. Specimens of their respective 
 tongues will be hereafter given. 
 cxl 
 
OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 
 
 back East, to the Isle a la Crosse, and so on 
 to Churchill by the Missinipi. The whole of 
 the tract between this line and Hudson's Bay 
 and Straits (except that of the Esquimaux in 
 the latter), may be said to be exclusively the 
 country of the Knisteneaux. Some of them 
 indeed, have penetrated further West and 
 South to the Red River, to the South of Lake 
 Winipic, and the South branch of the Sas- 
 katchiwme . 
 
 They are of a moderate stature, well pro- 
 portioned, and of great activity. Examples 
 of deformity are seldom to be seen among 
 them. Their complexion is of a copper col- 
 our, and their hair black, which is common to 
 all the natives of North America. It is cat 
 in various forms, according to the fancy of 
 the several tribes, and by some is left in the 
 long, lank, flow of nature. They very gen- 
 erally extract their beards, and both sexes 
 manifest a disposition to pluck the hair from 
 every part of their body and limbs. Their 
 eyes are black, keen, and penetrating; their 
 countenance open and agreeable, and it is a 
 principal object of their vanity to give every 
 possible decoration to their persons. A ma- 
 terial article in their toilets is vermilion, 
 which they contrast with their native blue, 
 white, and brown earths, to which charcoal 
 is frequently added. 
 
 Their dress is at once simple and commo- 
 cxli 
 
A GENERAL HISTORY 
 
 dious. It consists of tight leggins, reaching- 
 near the hip : a strip of cloth or leather, called 
 assian, about a foot wide, and five feet long, 
 whose ends are drawn inwards and hang be- 
 hind and before, over a belt tied round the 
 waist for that purpose : a close vest or shirt 
 reaching down to the former garment, and 
 cinctured with a broad strip of parchment 
 fastened with thongs behind ; and a cap for 
 the head, consisting of a piece of fur, or 
 small skin, with the brush of the animal as a 
 suspended ornament : a kind of robe is thrown 
 occasionally over the whole of the dress, and 
 serves both night and day. These articles, 
 with the addition of shoes and mittens, con- 
 stitute the variety of their apparel. The 
 materials vary according to the season, and 
 consist of dressed moose-skin, beaver pre- 
 pared with the fur, or European woollens. 
 The leather is neatly painted, and fancifully 
 worked in some parts with porcupine quills, 
 and moose-deer hair : the shirts and leggins 
 are also adorned with fringe and tassels; nor 
 are the shoes and mittens without somewhat 
 of appropriate decoration, and worked with a 
 considerable degree of skill and taste. These 
 habiliments are put on, however, as fancy or 
 convenience suggests; and they will some- 
 times proceed to the chase in the severest 
 frost, covered only with the slightest of 
 them. 
 
 cxlii 
 
OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 
 
 Their head-dresses are composed of the 
 feathers of the swan, the eagle, and other 
 birds. The teeth, horns, and claws of differ- 
 ent animals, are also the occasional ornaments 
 of the head and neck. Their hair, however 
 arranged, is always besmeared with grease. 
 The making of every article of dress is a fe- 
 male occupation; and the women, though by 
 no means inattentive to the decoration of 
 their own persons, appear to have a still 
 greater degree of pride in attending to the 
 appearance of the men, whose faces are 
 painted with more care than those of the 
 women. 
 
 The female dress is formed of the same 
 materials as those of the other sex, but of a 
 different make and arrangement. Their shoes 
 are commonly plain, and their leggins gar- 
 tered beneath the knee. The coat, or body 
 covering, falls down to the middle of the leg, 
 and is fastened over the shoulders with cords, 
 a flap or cape turning down about eight 
 inches, both before and behind, and agreeably 
 ornamented with quill-work and fringe ; the 
 bottom is also fringed, and fancifully painted 
 as high as the knee. As it is very loose, it 
 is enclosed round the waist with a stiff belt, 
 decorated with tassels, and fastened behind. 
 The arms are covered to the wrist, with de- 
 tached sleeves, which are sewed as far as the 
 bend of the arm ; from thence they are drawn 
 cxliii 
 
A GENERAL HISTORY 
 
 up to the neck, and the corners of them fall 
 down behind, as low as the waist. The cap, 
 when they wear one, consists of a certain 
 quantity of leather or cloth, sewed at one 
 end, by which means it is kept on the head, 
 and, hanging down the back, is fastened to 
 the belt, as well as under the chin. The 
 upper garment is a robe like that worn by the 
 men. Their hair is divided on the crown, 
 and tied behind, or sometimes fastened in 
 large knots over the ears. They are fond of 
 European articles, and prefer them to their 
 own native commodities. Their ornaments 
 consist in common with all savages, in brace- 
 lets, rings, and similar baubles. Some of the 
 women tattoo three perpendicular lines, which 
 are sometimes double : one from the centre of 
 the chin to that of the under lip, and one 
 parallel on either side to the corner of the 
 mouth. 
 
 Of all the nations which I have seen on this 
 continent, the Knisteneaux women are the 
 most comely. Their figure is generally well 
 proportioned, and the regularity of their feat- 
 ures would be acknowledged by the more civ- 
 ilised people of Europe. Their complexion 
 has less of that dark tinge which is com- 
 mon to those savages who have less cleanly 
 habits. 
 
 These people are, in general, subject to few 
 disorders. The lues venera, however, is a 
 cxliv 
 
OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 
 
 common complaint, but cured by the applica- 
 tion of simples, with whose virtues they ap- 
 pear to be well acquainted. They are also 
 subject to fluxes, and pains in the breast, 
 which some have attributed to the very keen 
 and cold air which they inhale ; but I should 
 imagine that these complaints must fre- 
 quently proceed from their immoderate in- 
 dulgence in fat meat at their feasts, particu- 
 larly when they have been preceded by long 
 fasting. 
 
 They are naturally mild and affable, as well 
 as just in their dealings, not only among them- 
 selves, but with strangers.* They are also 
 generous and hospitable, and good-natured 
 in the extreme, except when their nature is 
 perverted by the inflammatory influence of 
 spirituous liquors. To their children they 
 are indulgent to a fault. The father, though 
 he assumes no command over them, is ever 
 anxious to instruct them in all the preparatory 
 qualifications for war and hunting ; while the 
 mother is equally attentive to her daughters 
 in teaching them every thing that is consid- 
 ered as necessary to their character and situ- 
 ation. It does not appear that the husband 
 makes any distinction between the children 
 
 *They have been called thieves, but when that 
 vice can with justice be attributed to them, it may 
 be traced to their connexion with the civilised peo- 
 ple who come into their country to traffic, 
 lo cxlv 
 
A GENERAL HISTORY 
 
 of his wife, though they may be the offspring 
 of different fathers. Illegitimacy is only at- 
 tached to those who are born before their 
 mothers have cohabited with any man by the 
 title of husband. 
 
 It does not appear, that chastity is consid- 
 ered by them as a virtue ; or that fidelity is 
 believed to be essential to the happiness of 
 wedded life. Though it sometimes happens 
 that the infidelity of a wife is punished by 
 the husband with the loss of her hair, nose, 
 and perhaps life ; such severity proceeds from 
 its having been practised without his permis- 
 sion : for a temporary interchange of wives is 
 not uncommon : and the offer of their persons 
 is considered as a necessary part of the hos- 
 pitality due to strangers. 
 
 When a man loses his wife, it is considered 
 as a duty to marry her sister, if she has one ; 
 or he may, if he pleases, have them both at 
 the same time. 
 
 It will appear from the fatal consequences 
 I have repeatedly imputed to the use of spir- 
 ituous liquors that I more particularly con- 
 sider these people as having been, morally 
 speaking, great sufferers from their communi- 
 cation with the subjects of civilised nations. 
 At the same time they were not, in a state of 
 nature, without their vices, and some of them 
 of a kind which is the most abhorrent to cul- 
 tivated and reflecting man. I shall only ob- 
 cxlvi 
 
OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 
 
 serve, that incest and bestiality are among 
 them. 
 
 When a young man marries, he immediately 
 goes to live with the father and mother of his 
 wife, who treat him, nevertheless, as a per- 
 fect stranger, till after the birth of his first 
 child : he then attaches himself more to them 
 than his own parents ; and his wife no longer 
 gives him any other denomination than that 
 of the father of her child. 
 
 The profession of the men is war and hunt- 
 ing, and the more active scene of their duty 
 is the field of battle, and the chase in the 
 woods. They also spear fish, but the man- 
 agement of the nets is left to the women. 
 The females of this nation are in the same 
 subordinate state with those of all other sav- 
 age tribes, but the severity of their labour is 
 much diminished by their situation on the 
 banks of lakes and rivers, where they employ 
 canoes. In the winter, when the waters are 
 frozen, they make their journeys, which are 
 never of any great length, with sledges drawn 
 by dogs. They are, at the same time, sub- 
 ject to every kind of domestic drudgery ; they 
 dress the leather, make the clothes and shoes, 
 weave the nets, collect wood, erect the tents, 
 fetch water, and perform every culinary ser- 
 vice ; so that when the duties of maternal care 
 are added, it will appear, that the life of 
 these women is an uninterrupted succession 
 cxlvii 
 
A GENERAL HISTORY 
 
 of toil and pain. This, indeed, is the sense 
 they entertain of their own situation; and 
 under the influence of that sentiment, they 
 are sometimes known to destroy their fe- 
 male children, to save them from the miserief 
 which they themselves have suffered. They 
 also have a ready way, by the use of certain 
 simples, of procuring abortions, which they 
 sometimes practise, from their hatred of the 
 father, or to save themselves the trouble 
 which children occasion : and, as I have been 
 credibly informed, this unnatural act is re- 
 peated without any injury to the health of 
 the women who perpetrate it. 
 
 The funeral rites begin, like all other sol- 
 emn ceremonials, with smoking, and are con- 
 cluded by a feast. The body is dressed in 
 the best habiliments possessed by the de- 
 ceased, or his relations, and is then deposited 
 in a grave lined with branches ; some domestic 
 utensils are place on it, and a kind of canopy 
 erected over it. During this ceremony, great 
 lamentations are made, and if the departed 
 person is very much regretted, the near re- 
 lations cut off their hair, pierce the fleshy 
 part of their thighs and arms with arrows, 
 knives, etc , and blacken their faces with 
 charcoal If they have distinguished them- 
 selves in war, they are sometimes laid on a 
 kind of scaffolding; and I have been in- 
 formed, that women, as in the East, have 
 cxlviii 
 
 I 
 
OF THE FUR TRADE. &c. 
 
 been known to sacrifice themselves to the 
 manes of their husbands. The whole of the 
 property belonging to the departed person is 
 destroyed, and the relations take in exchange 
 for the wearing apparel, any rags that will 
 cover their nakedness. The feast bestowed 
 on the occasion, which is, or at least used to 
 be, repeated annually, is accompanied with 
 eulogiums on the deceased, and without any 
 acts of ferocity. On the tomb are carved or 
 painted the symbols of his tribe, which are 
 taken from the different animals of the coun- 
 try. 
 
 Many and various are the motives which in- 
 duce a savage to engage in war. To prove 
 his courage, or to revenge the death of his 
 relations, or some of his tribe, by the mas- 
 sacre of an enemy. If the tribe feel them- 
 selves called upon to go to war, the elders 
 convene the people, in order to know the gen- 
 eral opinion. If it be for war, the chief pub- 
 lishes his intention to smoke in the sacred 
 stem at a certain period, to which solemnity, 
 meditation and fasting are required as pre- 
 paratory ceremonials. When the people are 
 thus assembled, and the meeting sanctified by 
 the custom of smoking, the chief enlarges on 
 the causes which have called them together, 
 and the necessity of the measures proposed 
 on the occasion. He then invites those who 
 are willing to follow him, to smoke out of the 
 cxlix 
 
A GENERAL HISTORY 
 
 sacred stem, which is considered as the token 
 of enrolment; and if it should be the genei-al 
 opinion that assistance is necessary, others 
 are invited, with great formality, to join 
 them. Every individual who attends these 
 meetings, brings something with him as a 
 token of his warlike intention, or as an object 
 of sacrifice, which, when the assembly dis- 
 solves, is suspended from poles near the place 
 of council. 
 
 They have frequent feasts, and particular 
 circumstances never fail to produce them, 
 such as a tedious illness, long fasting, etc. 
 On these occasions it is usual for the person 
 who means to give the entertainment, to an- 
 nounce his design, on a certain day, of open- 
 ing the medicine-bag, and smoking out of 
 his sacred stem. This declaration is consid- 
 ered as a sacred vow that cannot be broken. 
 There are also stated periods, such as the 
 spring and autumn, when they engage in very 
 long and solemn ceremonies. On these occa- 
 sions dogs are offered as sacrifices, and those 
 which are very fat, and milk-white, are pre- 
 ferred. They also make large offerings of 
 their property, whatever it may be. The 
 scene of these ceremonies is in an open in- 
 closure on the bank of a river or lake, and in 
 the most conspicuous situation, in order that 
 such as are passing along or travelling, may 
 be induced to make their offerings. There is 
 cl 
 
OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 
 
 also a particular custom among them, that, 
 on these occasions, if any of the tribe, or 
 even a stranger, should be passing by, and 
 be in real want of any thing that is displayed 
 as an offering, he has a right to take it, so 
 that he replaces it with some article he can 
 spare, though it be of far inferior value ; but 
 to take or touch any thing wantonly is con- 
 sidered as a sacrilegious act, and highly in- 
 sulting to the great Master of Life, to use 
 their own expression, who is the sacred ob- 
 ject of their devotion. 
 
 The scene of private sacrifice is the lodge 
 of the person who performs it, which is pre- 
 pared for that purpose, by removing every 
 thing out of it, and spreading green branches 
 in every part. The fire and ashes are also 
 taken away. A new hearth is made of fresh 
 earth, and another fire is lighted. The own- 
 er of the dwelling remains alone in it ; and 
 he begins the ceremony by spreading a piece 
 of new cloth, or a well-dressed moose-skin 
 neatly painted, on which he opens his medi- 
 cine-bag and exposes its contents, consisting 
 of various articles. The principal of them 
 is a kind of household god, which is a small 
 carved image about eight inches long. Its 
 first covering is of down, over which a piece 
 of birch-bark is closely tied, and the whole is 
 enveloped in several folds of red and blue 
 cloth. This little figure is an object of the 
 cli 
 
A GENERAL HISTORY 
 
 most pious regard. The next article is his 
 war-cap, which is decorated with the feathers 
 and plumes of scarce birds, beavers, and 
 eagle's claws, etc. There is also suspended 
 from it a quill or feather for every enemy 
 whom the owner of it has slain in battle. 
 The remaining contents of the bag are, a 
 piece of Brazil tobacco, several roots and sim- 
 ples, which are in great estimation for their 
 medicinal qualities, and a pipe. These arti- 
 cles being all exposed, and the stem resting 
 upon two forks, as it must not touch the 
 ground, the master of the lodge sends for the 
 person he most esteems, who sits down oppo- 
 site to him ; the pipe is then filled and fixed 
 to the stem. A pair of wooden pincers is 
 provided to put the fire in the pipe, and a 
 double-pointed pin, to empty it of the rem- 
 nant of tobacco which is not consumed. This 
 arrangement being made, the men assemble, 
 and sometimes the women are allowed to be 
 humble spectators, while the most religous 
 awe and solemnity pervades the whole. The 
 Michiniwais, or Assistant, takes up the pipe, 
 lights it, and presents it to the officiating 
 person, who receives it standing and holds it 
 between both his hands. He then turns him- 
 self to the East, and draws a few whiffs, 
 which he blows to that point. The same cere- 
 mony he observes to the other three quarters, 
 with his eyes directed upwards during the 
 clii 
 
OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 
 
 whole of it. He holds the stem about the 
 middle between the three first fingers of both 
 hands, and raising them upon a line with his 
 forehead, he swings it three times round 
 from the East, with the sun, when, after 
 pointing and balancing it in various direc- 
 tions, he reposes it on the forks : he then 
 makes a speech to explain the design of their 
 being called together, which concludes with 
 an acknowledgment for past mercies, and a 
 prayer for the continuance of them, from the 
 Master of Life. He then sits down, and the 
 whole company declare their approbation and 
 thanks by uttering the word ho ! with an em- 
 phatic prolongation of the last letter. The 
 Michiniwais then takes up the pipe and holds 
 it to the mouth of the officiating person, who, 
 after smoking three whiffs out of it, utters a 
 short prayer, and then goes round with it, 
 taking his course from East to West, to every 
 person present, who individually says some- 
 thing to him on the occasion ; and thus the 
 pipe is generally smoked out; when, after 
 turning it three or four times round his head, 
 he drops it downwards, and replaces it in its 
 original situation. He then returns the com- 
 pany thanks for their attendance, and wishes 
 them, as well as the whole tribe, health and 
 long life. 
 
 These smoking rites precede every matter 
 of great importance, with more or less cere- 
 cliii 
 
A GENERAL HISTORY 
 
 mony, but always with equal solemnity. The 
 utility of them will appear from the follow- 
 ing relation. 
 
 If a chief is anxious to know the disposi- 
 tion of his people towards him, or if he 
 wishes to settle any difference between them, 
 he announces his intention of opening his 
 medicine-bag and smoking in his sacred stem ; 
 and no man who entertains a grudge against 
 any of the party thus assembled can smoke 
 with the sacred stem ; as that ceremony dis- 
 sipates all differences, and is never violated. 
 
 No one can avoid attending on these occa- 
 sions ; but a person may attend and be ex- 
 cused from assisting at the ceremonies, by 
 acknowledging that he has not undergone the 
 necessary purification. The having cohabited 
 with his wife, or any other woman, within 
 twenty-four hours preceding the ceremony, 
 renders him unclean, and, consequently, dis- 
 qualifies him from performing any part of it. 
 If a contract is entered into and solemnised 
 by the ceremony of smoking, it never fails of 
 being faithfully fulfilled. If a person, pre- 
 vious to his going a journey, leaves the sacred 
 stem as a pledge of his return, no considera- 
 tion whatever will prevent him from execut- 
 ing his engagement.* 
 
 * It is, however, to be lamented, that of late there 
 is a relaxation of the duties originally attached to 
 these festivals. 
 
 cliv 
 
OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 
 
 The chief, when he proposes to make a 
 feast, sends quills, or small pieces of wood, 
 as tokens of invitation to such as he wishes 
 to partake of it. At the appointed time the 
 guests arrive, each bringing a dish or platter, 
 and a knife, and take their seats on each side 
 of the chief, who receives them sitting, ac- 
 cording to their respective ages. The pipe is 
 then lighted, and he makes an equal division 
 of every thing that is provided. While the 
 company are enjoying their meal, the chief 
 sings, and accompanies his song with the 
 tambourine, or shishiquoi, or rattle. The 
 guest who has first eaten his portion is con- 
 sidered as the most distinguished person. If 
 there should be any who cannot finish the 
 whole of their mess, they endeavour to pre- 
 vail on some of their friends to eat it for 
 them, who are rewarded for their assistance 
 with ammunition and tobacco. It is proper 
 also to remark, that at these feasts a small 
 quantity of meat or drink is sacrificed, before 
 they begin to eat, by throwing it into the 
 fire, or on the earth. 
 
 These feasts differ according to circum- 
 stances; sometimes each man's allowance is 
 no more than he can despatch in a couple of 
 hours. At other times the quantity is suffi- 
 cient to supply each of them with food for a 
 week, though it must be devoured in a day. 
 On these occasions it is very difficult to pro- 
 civ 
 
A GENERAL HISTORY 
 
 cure substitutes, and the whole must be eaten 
 whatever time it may require. At some of 
 these entertainments there is a more rational 
 arrangement, when the guests are allowed to 
 carry home with them the superfluous part 
 of their portions. Great care is always taken 
 that the bones may be burned, as it would be 
 considered a profanation were the dogs per- 
 mitted to touch them. 
 
 The public feasts are conducted in the same 
 manner, but with some additional ceremony. 
 Several chiefs officiate at them, and procure 
 the necessary provisions, as well as prepare a 
 proper place of reception for the numerous 
 company. Here the guests discourse upon 
 public topics, repeat the heroic deeds of their 
 forefathers, and excite the rising generation 
 to follow their example. The entertainments 
 on these occasions consist of dried meats, as 
 it would not be practicable to dress a suffi- 
 cient quantity of fresh meat for such a large 
 assembly; though the women and children 
 are excluded. 
 
 Similar feasts used to be made at funerals, 
 and annually, in honour of the dead; but 
 they have been, for some time, growing into 
 disuse, and I never had an opportunity of 
 being present at any of them. 
 
 The women, who are forbidden to enter the 
 places sacred to these festivals, dance and 
 sing around them, and sometimes beat time 
 clvi 
 
OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 
 
 to the music within them ; which forms an 
 agreeable contrast. 
 
 With respect to their divisions of time, 
 they compute the length of their journeys by 
 the number of nights passed in performing 
 them ; and they divide the year by the suc- 
 cession of moons. In this calculation, how- 
 ever, they are not altogether correct, as they 
 cannot account for the odd days. 
 
 The names which they give to the names 
 are descriptive of the several seasons. 
 
 May 
 
 Atheiky o Pishim 
 
 Frog Moon. 
 
 June 
 
 Oppinu o Pishim 
 
 The Moon in which 
 birds begin to lay 
 their eggs. 
 
 July 
 
 Aupascen Pishim The Moon when 
 
 
 
 birds east their 
 
 
 
 feathers. 
 
 August 
 
 Aupahouo Pishim 
 
 The Moon when 
 the young birds 
 begin to fly. 
 
 September 
 
 Waskiscon o 
 
 The Moon when 
 
 
 Pishim 
 
 the moose deer 
 cast their horns. 
 
 October 
 
 Wisac Pishim 
 
 The Rutting-Moon. 
 
 November 
 
 Thithigon Pewai 
 Pishim 
 
 Hoar-Frost Moon. 
 
 
 Kuskatinayoui o 
 
 Ice Moon. 
 
 
 Pishim 
 
 
 December 
 
 Pawatchicanana- 
 sis Pishim 
 
 Whirl wind -Moon. 
 
 January 
 
 Kushapawastica- 
 
 Extreme cold 
 
 
 num Pishim 
 
 Moon. 
 
 
 civil 
 
 
A GENERAL HISTORY 
 
 February Kichi Pishim Big Moon ; some 
 
 say, Old Moon. 
 March Mickysue Pishim Eagle Moon. 
 
 April Niscaw o Pishim Goose Moon, 
 
 These people know the medicinal virtues of 
 many herbs and simples, and apply the roots 
 of plants and the bark of trees with success. 
 But the conjurers, who monopolise the med- 
 ical science, find it necessary to blend mys- 
 tery with their art, and do not communicate 
 their knowledge. Their materia medica they 
 administer in the form of purges and clysters, 
 but the remedies and surgical operations are 
 supposed to derive much of their effect from 
 magic and incantation. When a blister rises 
 in the foot from the frost, the chafing of the 
 shoe, etc., they immediately open it, and 
 apply the heated blade of a knife to the part, 
 which, painful as it may be, is found to be 
 efficacious. A sharp flint serves them as a 
 lancet for letting blood, as well as for scari- 
 fication in bruises and swellings. For sprains, 
 the dung of an animal just killed is consid- 
 ered as the best remedy. They are very fond 
 of European medicines, though they are ig- 
 noranbof their application : and those articles 
 form an inconsiderable part of the European 
 traffic with them. 
 
 Among their various superstitions, they 
 believe that the vapour which is seen to hover 
 over moist and swampy places, is the spirit 
 clviii 
 
OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 
 
 of some person lately dead. They also fancy 
 another spirit which appears, in the shape of 
 a man, upon the trees near the lodge of a 
 person deceased, whose property has not been 
 interred with them. He is represented as 
 bearing a gun in his hand, and it is believed 
 that he does not return to his rest, till the 
 property that has been withheld from the 
 grave has been sacrificed to it. 
 
 Examples op the Knisteneaux and Algonquin 
 Tongues. 
 
 
 Knisteneaux, 
 
 Algonquin. 
 
 Good Spirit 
 
 Ki jai Manitou 
 
 Ki jai Manitou. 
 
 Evil Spirit 
 
 Matclii manitou 
 
 Match! manitou 
 
 Man 
 
 Ethini 
 
 Inini 
 
 Woman 
 
 Esquois 
 
 Ich-quois. 
 
 Male 
 
 Nap hew 
 
 Aquoisi. 
 
 Female 
 
 Non-gense 
 
 Non-gense. 
 
 Infant 
 
 A' wash ish 
 
 Abi nont-chen. 
 
 Head 
 
 Us ti quoin 
 
 O'chiti-goine. 
 
 Forehead 
 
 Es caatick 
 
 catick. 
 
 Hair 
 
 Wes ty-ky 
 
 Winessis. 
 
 Eyes 
 
 Es kis och 
 
 Oskingick. 
 
 Nose 
 
 Oskiwin 
 
 O'chengewane. 
 
 Nostrils 
 
 Oo tith ee go Ni-de-ni-guom, 
 
 
 mow 
 
 
 Mouth 
 
 toune 
 
 tonne. 
 
 My teeth 
 
 Wip pit tall 
 
 Nibit. 
 
 Tongue 
 
 Otaithani 
 
 0-tai na-ni. 
 
 Beard 
 
 Michitoune 
 
 Omichitonn. 
 
 Brain 
 
 With i tip 
 
 Aba-e winikan. 
 
 Ears 
 
 tow ee gie 
 
 0-ta wagane. 
 
 Neck 
 
 qui ow 
 
 clix 
 
 O'quoi gan. 
 
A GENERAL HISTORY 
 
 Throat 
 
 Arms 
 
 Fingers 
 
 Nails 
 
 Side 
 
 My back 
 
 My belly 
 
 Thighs 
 
 My knees 
 
 Legs 
 
 Heart 
 
 My father 
 
 My mother 
 
 My boy (son) 
 
 My girl (daugh- 
 ter) 
 
 My brother, 
 elder 
 
 My sister, elder 
 
 My grandfather 
 
 My grandmother 
 
 My uncle 
 
 My nephew 
 
 My niece 
 
 My mother - in- 
 law 
 
 My brother - in- 
 law 
 
 My companion 
 
 My husband 
 Blood 
 Old Man 
 I am angry 
 I fear 
 
 Knisteneaux. 
 O koot tas gy 
 O nisk 
 Che chee 
 Wos kos sia 
 O's spig gy 
 No pis quan 
 Nattay 
 O povam 
 No die quoin noh 
 Nos 
 
 Ok thea 
 Noo ta wie 
 Nigah wei 
 Negousis 
 Netanis 
 
 Ni stess 
 
 Ne miss 
 Ne moo shum 
 N'o kum 
 N' o'kamiss 
 Ne too sira 
 
 Algonquin. 
 Nigon dagane 
 O nic. 
 
 Ni nid gines. 
 Os-kenge. 
 Opikegan. 
 Ni-pi quoini. 
 Ni my sat. 
 Obouame. 
 Ni gui tick. 
 Ni gatte. 
 Othal 
 Nossai. 
 Nigah. 
 Nigouisses. 
 Nidaniss. 
 
 Nis-a-yen. 
 
 Nimisain. 
 
 Ni-miH3homiss. 
 
 No-co-miss. 
 
 Ni ni michomen. 
 
 Ne do jim. 
 
 Ne too sim es- Ni-do-jira equois 
 
 quois 
 Nisigouse Ni sigousiss. 
 
 Nistah 
 
 Nitah. 
 
 Ne wechi wagan Ni wit - chi wa 
 
 gan. 
 Ni nap pern Ni na bem. 
 
 Mith coo Misquoi. 
 
 Shi nap Aki win se. 
 
 Nekis si wash en Nis Katissiwine. 
 Ne goos tow Nisest guse. 
 clx 
 
OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 
 
 Joy 
 
 Ne hea tha torn 
 
 Mamond gikisi. 
 
 Hearing 
 
 Pethom 
 
 Oda wagan. 
 
 Track 
 
 Mis conna 
 
 Pemi ka wois. 
 
 Chief, grea 
 
 ,t Haukimah 
 
 Kitchi onodis. 
 
 ruler 
 
 
 
 Thief 
 
 Kismouthesk 
 
 Ke moutiske. 
 
 Excrement 
 
 Meyee 
 
 Moui. 
 
 Buffalo 
 
 Moustouche 
 
 Pichike. 
 
 Ferret 
 
 Sigous 
 
 Shingouss. 
 
 Polecat 
 
 Shicak 
 
 Shi kak. 
 
 Elk 
 
 Moustouche 
 
 Michai woi. 
 
 Rein deer 
 
 Attick 
 
 Atick. 
 
 Fallow deer 
 
 Attick 
 
 Wa wasquesh. 
 
 Beaver 
 
 Amisk 
 
 Amic. 
 
 Wolverine 
 
 Qui qua katch 
 
 Quin quoagki. 
 
 Squirrel 
 
 Ennequachas 
 
 Otchi ta mou. 
 
 Minx 
 
 Sa quasue 
 
 Shaugouch. 
 
 Otter 
 
 Nekick 
 
 Ni guick. 
 
 Wolf 
 
 Mayegan 
 
 Maygan. 
 
 Hare 
 
 Wapouce 
 
 Wapouce. 
 
 Marten 
 
 Wappistan 
 
 Wabichinse. 
 
 Moose 
 
 Mouswah 
 
 Mouse. 
 
 Bear 
 
 Masqua 
 
 Macqua. 
 
 Fisher 
 
 Wijask 
 
 Od-jisck. 
 
 Lynx 
 
 Picheu 
 
 Pechou. 
 
 Porcupine 
 
 Cau quah 
 
 Kack. 
 
 Fox 
 
 Mikasew 
 
 Wagouche. 
 
 Musk Rat 
 
 Wajask 
 
 Wa-jack. 
 
 Mouse 
 
 Abicushiss 
 
 Wai wa be gou 
 noge. 
 
 Cow Buffalo 
 
 Noshi Mous 
 touche 
 
 , - Nochena pichik. 
 
 Meat-flesh 
 
 Wias 
 
 Wi-ass. 
 
 Dog 
 
 Atim 
 
 Ani-mouse. 
 
 Eagle 
 
 Makusue 
 
 Me-guissis. 
 
 Duck 
 
 Sy Sip 
 
 Shi-sip. 
 
 11 
 
 clxi 
 
 
A GENERAL HISTORY 
 
 
 Knisteneaux. 
 
 Algonquin. 
 
 Crow, Corbeau 
 
 Ca Cawkeu 
 
 Ka Kak. 
 
 Swan 
 
 Wapiseu 
 
 Wa-pe-sy. 
 
 Turkey 
 
 Mes sei thew 
 
 Mississay. 
 
 Pheasants 
 
 Okes kew 
 
 Ajack. 
 
 Bird 
 
 Pethesew 
 
 Pi-na-sy. 
 
 Outard 
 
 Niscag 
 
 Nic kack. 
 
 White Goose 
 
 Wey Wois 
 
 Woi wois. 
 
 Grey Goose 
 
 Pestasish 
 
 Pos ta kisk. 
 
 Partridge 
 
 Pithew 
 
 Pen ainse. 
 
 Water Hen 
 
 Chiquibish 
 
 Che qui bis. 
 
 Dove 
 
 Omi Mee 
 
 mi-mis. 
 
 Eggs 
 
 Wa Wah 
 
 Wa Weni. 
 
 Pike or Jack 
 
 Kenonge 
 
 Kenonge. 
 
 Carp 
 
 Na may bin 
 
 Na me bine. 
 
 Sturgeon 
 
 Na May 
 
 Na Maiu. 
 
 White fish 
 
 Aticaming 
 
 Aticaming. 
 
 Pickerel 
 
 Oc-chaw 
 
 Oh-ga. 
 
 Fish (in general) 
 
 Kenonge 
 
 Ki-cons. 
 
 Spawn 
 
 Waquon 
 
 AVa quock. 
 
 Fins 
 
 Chi chi kan 
 
 O nidj-igan. 
 
 Trout 
 
 Nay gouse 
 
 Na Men Gouse. 
 
 Craw Fish 
 
 A shag gee 
 
 A cha kens chac 
 que. 
 
 Frog 
 
 Athick 
 
 O ma ka ki. 
 
 Wasp 
 
 Ah moo 
 
 A mon. 
 
 Turtle 
 
 Mikinack 
 
 Mi-ki-nack. 
 
 Snake 
 
 Kinibick 
 
 Ki nai bick. 
 
 Awl 
 
 Oscajick 
 
 Ma-gose. 
 
 Needle 
 
 Saboinigan 
 
 Sha-bo nigan. 
 
 Fire steel 
 
 Appet 
 
 Scoutecgan. 
 
 Fire wood 
 
 Mich-tah 
 
 Missane. 
 
 Cradle 
 
 Teckinigan 
 
 Tickina-gan. 
 
 Dagger 
 
 Ta Comagau 
 
 Na-ba-ke-gou- 
 man. 
 
 Arrow 
 
 Augusk or Atou 
 che 
 clxii 
 
 - Mettickanouins. 
 
OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 
 
 
 Knisteneaux. 
 
 Algonquin. 
 
 Fish Hook 
 
 Quosquipichican Maneton Miquis 
 
 
 
 can. 
 
 Ax 
 
 Shegaygan 
 
 Wagagvette. 
 
 Ear-bob 
 
 Chi-kisebisoun 
 
 Na be chi be 
 soun. 
 
 Comb 
 
 Sicahoun 
 
 Pin ack wan. 
 
 Net 
 
 Athabe 
 
 Assap. 
 
 Tree 
 
 Mistick 
 
 Miti-coum. 
 
 Wood 
 
 Mistick 
 
 Mitic. 
 
 Paddle 
 
 Aboi 
 
 Aboui. 
 
 Canoe 
 
 Chiman 
 
 S-chiman. 
 
 Birch Rind 
 
 Wasquoi 
 
 Wig nass. 
 
 Bark 
 
 Wasquoi 
 
 On-na-guege. 
 
 Touch Wood 
 
 Pousagan 
 
 Sa-ga-tagan. 
 
 Leaf 
 
 Nepeshah 
 
 Ni-biche. 
 
 Grass 
 
 Masquosi 
 
 Masquosi. 
 
 Raspberries 
 
 Misqui-meinac 
 
 Misqui meinac. 
 
 Strawberries 
 
 O'-tai-e minac 
 
 O'-tai-e minac. 
 
 Ashes 
 
 Pecouch 
 
 Pengoui, 
 
 Fire 
 
 Scou tay 
 
 Scou tay. 
 
 Grapes 
 
 Shomenac 
 
 Shomenac. 
 
 Fog 
 
 Pakishihow 
 
 A Winni, 
 
 Mud 
 
 Asus ki 
 
 A Shiski. 
 
 Currant 
 
 Kisijiwin 
 
 Ki si chi woin. 
 
 Road 
 
 Mescanah 
 
 Mickanan. 
 
 Winter 
 
 Pipoun 
 
 Pipone. 
 
 Island 
 
 Ministick 
 
 Minisa. 
 
 Lake 
 
 Sagayigan 
 
 Sagayigan. 
 
 Sun 
 
 Pisira 
 
 Kijis. 
 
 Moon 
 
 T i b i sc a pesim 
 (the night Sun 
 
 Dibic Kiji 
 
 ) 
 
 Day 
 
 Kigigah 
 
 Kigi gatte. 
 
 Night 
 
 Tabisca 
 
 Dibic kawte. 
 
 Snow- 
 
 Counah 
 
 So qui po. 
 
 Rain 
 
 Kimiwoin 
 
 Ki mi woini 
 
 Drift 
 
 Pewan 
 
 clxiii 
 
 Pi-woine. 
 
A GENERAL HISTORY 
 
 
 Knisteneaux. 
 
 Algonquin. 
 
 Hail 
 
 Shes eagan 
 
 Me qua mensan. 
 
 Ice 
 
 Mesquaming 
 
 Me quam. 
 
 Frost 
 
 Aquatin 
 
 Gas-ga-tin. 
 
 Mist 
 
 Picasyow 
 
 An-quo-et. 
 
 Water 
 
 Nepec 
 
 Nipei. 
 
 World 
 
 Messeasky (all 
 the earth) 
 
 Missi achki. 
 
 Mountain 
 
 Wachee 
 
 Watchive. 
 
 Sea 
 
 Kitchi kitchi ga 
 
 - Kitchi kitchi ga- 
 
 
 ming 
 
 ming. 
 
 Morning 
 
 Kequishepe 
 
 Ki-ki-jep. 
 
 Mid -day 
 
 Abetah quisheik 
 
 Na ock quoi. 
 
 Portage 
 
 Unygam 
 
 Ouni-gam. 
 
 Spring 
 
 Menouscaming 
 
 Mino ka ming. 
 
 River 
 
 Sipee 
 
 Sipi. 
 
 Rapid 
 
 Bawastick 
 
 Ba wetick. 
 
 Rivulet 
 
 Sepeesis 
 
 Sipi wes chin. 
 
 Sand 
 
 Thocaw 
 
 Ne gawe. 
 
 Earth 
 
 Askee 
 
 Ach ki. 
 
 Star 
 
 Attack 
 
 Anang. 
 
 Thunder 
 
 Pithuseu 
 
 Ni mi ki. 
 
 Wind 
 
 Thoutin 
 
 No tine. 
 
 Calm 
 
 Athawostin 
 
 A-no-a-tine. 
 
 Heat 
 
 Quishipoi 
 
 Aboyce. 
 
 Evening 
 
 Ta kashike 
 
 O'n-a-guche. 
 
 North 
 
 Kywoitin 
 
 Ke woitinak. 
 
 South 
 
 Sawena woon 
 
 S h a - w a - n a- 
 
 wang. 
 
 East 
 
 Coshawcastak 
 
 Wa-ba no-no- 
 tine. 
 
 West 
 
 Paquisimow 
 
 Panguis-chi-mo. 
 
 To-morrow 
 
 Wabank 
 
 Wa-bang. 
 
 Bone 
 
 Oskann 
 
 Oc-kann. 
 
 Broth 
 
 Michim waboi 
 
 Thaboub. 
 
 Feast 
 
 Ma qua see 
 
 Wi con qui wine. 
 
 Grease or oil 
 
 Pimis 
 
 clxiv 
 
 Pimi-tais. 
 
 t 
 
 I 
 
OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 
 
 
 Knisteneaux. 
 
 Algonquin. 
 
 Marrow fat 
 
 Oscan pimis 
 
 Oska-pimitais. 
 
 Sinew 
 
 Asstis 
 
 Attiss. 
 
 Lodge 
 
 Wig-waum 
 
 Wi-gui-wam. 
 
 Bed 
 
 Ne pa win 
 
 Ne pai wine. 
 
 Within 
 
 Pendog ke 
 
 Pendig. 
 
 Door 
 
 Squaiidam 
 
 Scouandam. 
 
 Dish 
 
 Othagan 
 
 0' na gann. 
 
 Fort 
 
 Wasgaigan 
 
 Wa-kuigan. 
 
 Sledge 
 
 Tabanask 
 
 Otabanac. 
 
 Cincture 
 
 Poquoatehoun 
 
 Ketche pisou. 
 
 Cap 
 
 Astotin 
 
 Pe matinang. 
 
 Socks 
 
 Ashican 
 
 A chi-gan. 
 
 Shirt 
 
 Papackeweyan 
 
 Pa pa ki M'eyan. 
 
 Coat 
 
 Papise-co-wa 
 
 - Papise - c - w a ' 
 
 
 gan 
 
 gan. 
 
 Blanket 
 
 Wape weyang 
 
 Wape weyan. 
 
 Cloth 
 
 Maneto weguin 
 
 Maneto weguin. 
 
 Thread 
 
 Assabab 
 
 Assabab. 
 
 Garters 
 
 Chi ki-bisoon 
 
 Fi gaske-tase be- 
 soun. 
 
 Mittens 
 
 Astissack 
 
 Medjica wine. 
 
 Shoes 
 
 Maskisin 
 
 Makisin. 
 
 Smoking bag 
 
 Kusquepetagan 
 
 Kasquepetagan. 
 
 Portage sling 
 
 Apisan 
 
 Apican. 
 
 Strait on 
 
 Goi ask 
 
 Goi-ack. 
 
 Medicine 
 
 Mas ki kee 
 
 Macki-ki. 
 
 Red 
 
 Mes coh 
 
 Mes-cowa. 
 
 Blue 
 
 Kasqutch (same 
 as black) 
 
 } O-jawes-cowa. 
 
 White 
 
 Wabisca 
 
 Wabisca. 
 
 Yellow 
 
 Saw waw 
 
 0-jawa. 
 
 Green 
 
 Chibatiquare 
 
 O'jawes-cowa. 
 
 Brown 
 
 
 O'jawes-cowa. 
 
 Grey, etc. 
 
 
 O'jawes-cowa. 
 
 Ugly 
 
 Mache na gou 
 
 Mous-counu- 
 
 
 seu 
 
 gouse. 
 
 
 clxv 
 
 
A GENERAL HISTORY 
 
 
 Kaisteneaux. 
 
 Algonquin. 
 
 Handsome 
 
 Catawassiseu 
 
 Nam bissa. 
 
 Beautiful 
 
 Kissi Sawenogan Quoi Natch. 
 
 Deaf 
 
 Nima petom 
 
 Ka ki be chai. 
 
 Good-natured 
 
 Mithiwashin 
 
 Onichishin. 
 
 Pregnant 
 
 Paawie 
 
 And-jioko, 
 
 Fat 
 
 Outhineu 
 
 Oui-ni-noe. 
 
 Big 
 
 Mushikitee 
 
 Messha. 
 
 Small or little 
 
 Abisasheu 
 
 Agu-chin. 
 
 Short 
 
 Chemasish 
 
 Tackosi. 
 
 Skin 
 
 Wian 
 
 Wian. 
 
 Long 
 
 Kinwain 
 
 Kiniwa. 
 
 Strong 
 
 Mascawa 
 
 Mache-cawa. 
 Mas-cawise. 
 
 Coward 
 
 Sagatahaw 
 
 Cha-goutai-3^e. 
 
 Weak 
 
 Nitha missew 
 
 Cha-gousi. 
 
 Lean 
 
 Mahta waw 
 
 Ka wa ca tosa. 
 
 Brave 
 
 Nima Gustaw 
 
 Son qui taige. 
 
 Young man 
 
 Osquineguish 
 
 Oskinigui. 
 
 Cold 
 
 Kissin 
 
 Kissinan. 
 
 Hot 
 
 Kichatai 
 
 Kicha tai. 
 
 Spring 
 
 Minouscaming 
 
 Minokaming. 
 
 Summer 
 
 Nibin 
 
 Nibiqui. 
 
 Fall 
 
 Tagowagonk 
 
 Tagowag. 
 
 One 
 
 Peyac 
 
 Pecheik. 
 
 Two 
 
 Nisheu 
 
 ' Nige. 
 
 Three 
 
 Nishtou 
 
 Nis-w^ois. 
 
 Four 
 
 Neway 
 
 Ne-au. 
 
 Five 
 
 Ni-annan 
 
 Na-nan. 
 
 Six 
 
 Negoutawoesic 
 
 Ni gouta was- 
 w^ois. 
 
 Seven 
 
 Nish woisic 
 
 Nigi-was-w^ois. 
 
 Eight 
 
 Jannanew 
 
 She was wois. 
 
 Nine 
 
 Shack 
 
 Shann was wois. 
 
 Ten 
 
 Mitatat 
 
 Mit-asswois. 
 
 Eleven 
 
 Peyac osap 
 
 Mitasswois, 
 hachi peche.k. 
 
 clxvi 
 
OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 
 
 
 Knfsteneaux. 
 
 Algonquin. 
 
 Twelve 
 
 Nisheu osap 
 
 Mitasswois, 
 hachi, nige. 
 
 Thirteen 
 
 Nichtou osap 
 
 Mitasswois, 
 hachi, niswois. 
 
 Fourteen 
 
 Neway osap 
 
 Mitasswois, 
 hachi, ne-au. 
 
 Fifteen 
 
 Niannan osap 
 
 Mitasswois, 
 hachi, nanan. 
 
 Sixteen 
 
 Nigoutawo e s i c 
 
 Mitasswois, 
 
 
 osap 
 
 hachi, negou- 
 tawaswois. 
 
 Seventeen 
 
 Nish woesic osap 
 
 Mitasswois, 
 hachi, n i g i 
 was-wois. 
 
 Eighteen 
 
 Jannanew osap 
 
 Mitasswois, 
 hachi, shiwass- 
 wois. 
 
 Nineteen 
 
 Shack osap 
 
 Mitasswois, 
 hachi, shang 
 as wois. 
 
 Twenty- 
 
 Nisheii mitenah 
 
 Nigeta-nan. 
 
 Twenty -one 
 
 Nishew mitenah Nigeta nan, 
 
 
 peyac osap 
 
 hachi, pechic. 
 
 Twenty-two 
 
 Nisheu mitenah 
 
 
 etc. 
 
 nishew osap 
 
 
 Thirty 
 
 Nishtou mitenah Niswois mita- 
 
 
 
 nan. 
 
 Forty 
 
 Nev/ay mitenah 
 
 Neau mitanan. 
 
 Fifty 
 
 Niannan mite- 
 nah 
 
 Nanan mitanan. 
 
 Sixty 
 
 Negoutawoisic 
 
 Nigouta was 
 
 
 mitenah 
 
 wois mitanan. 
 
 Seventy 
 
 Nishwoisic mite- 
 
 Nigi was wois 
 
 
 nah 
 
 mitanan. 
 
 Eighty 
 
 Jannaeu mitenah She was wos mi- 
 
 
 
 tanan. 
 
 clxvii 
 
A GENERAL HISTORY 
 
 
 Knlsteneaux. 
 
 Algonquin. 
 
 Ninety 
 
 Shack mitenah 
 
 Shang was wois 
 mitanan. 
 
 Hundred 
 
 Mitana mitenan 
 
 Ningoutwack. 
 
 Two hundred 
 
 Neshew miteua a Nige wack. 
 
 
 mitenah 
 
 
 One thousand 
 
 Mitenah mitena Kitchi wack. 
 
 
 mitenah 
 
 
 First 
 
 Nican 
 
 Nitam. 
 
 Last 
 
 Squayatch 
 
 Shaquoiyanke. 
 
 More 
 
 Minah 
 
 Awa-clii min. 
 
 Better 
 
 Athiwack mitha 
 
 - A wachimin o 
 
 
 washin 
 
 nichi shen. 
 
 Best 
 
 Atni wack mitha 
 
 - Kitchi nichi 
 
 
 washin 
 
 shin. 
 
 I, or me 
 
 Nitha 
 
 Nin. 
 
 You, or thou 
 
 Kitha 
 
 Kin. 
 
 They, or them 
 
 Withawaw 
 
 Win na wa; 
 
 We 
 
 Nithawaw 
 
 Nina wa. 
 
 My, or mine 
 
 Nitayan 
 
 Nida yam. 
 
 Your's 
 
 Kitayan 
 
 Kitayam. 
 
 Who 
 
 
 Auoni. 
 
 Whom 
 
 Awoine 
 
 Kegoi nin. 
 
 What 
 
 
 Wa. 
 
 His, or her's 
 
 Otayan 
 
 Otayim mis. 
 
 All 
 
 Kakithau 
 
 Kakenan. 
 
 Some, or some Pey peyac 
 
 Pe-pichic. 
 
 few 
 
 
 
 The same 
 
 Tabescoutch 
 
 Mi tayoche. 
 
 All the world 
 
 Missi acki wan 
 que 
 
 - Mishiwai asky. 
 
 All the men 
 
 Kakithaw Ethi Missi I n i n i 
 
 
 nyock 
 
 wock. 
 
 More 
 
 Mina 
 
 Mina wa. 
 
 Now and then 
 
 
 Nannigouten- 
 gue. 
 
 Sometimes 
 
 I as cow-puco 
 clxviii 
 
 
OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 
 
 Seldom 
 Arrive 
 Beat 
 To burn 
 To sing 
 To cut 
 To hide 
 To cover 
 To believe 
 To sleep 
 To dispute 
 To dance 
 To give 
 To do 
 To eat 
 To die 
 To forget 
 To speak 
 To cry (tears) 
 To laugh 
 To set down 
 To walk 
 To fall 
 To work 
 To kill 
 To sell 
 To live 
 To see 
 To come 
 Enough 
 Cry (tears) 
 It hails 
 
 There is } 
 
 There is some f 
 
 It rains 
 
 After to-morrow 
 
 Knisteneaux. 
 
 Ta couchin 
 
 Otamaha 
 
 Mistascasoo 
 
 Nagamoun 
 
 Kisquishan 
 
 Catann 
 
 Acquahoun 
 
 Taboitam 
 
 Nepan 
 
 Ke ko mitowock 
 
 Nemaytow 
 
 Mith 
 
 Ogitann 
 
 Wissiuee 
 
 Nepew 
 
 Winnekiskisew 
 
 Athimetakcouse 
 
 Mantow 
 
 Papew 
 
 Nematappe 
 
 Pimoutais 
 
 Packisin 
 
 Ah tus kew 
 
 Nipahaw 
 
 Attawoin 
 
 Pimatise 
 
 Wabam 
 
 Astamoteh 
 
 Egothigog 
 
 Manteau 
 
 Shisiagan 
 
 Aya wa 
 
 Quimiwoin 
 Aw is wabank 
 clxix 
 
 Algonquin. 
 Wica ac-ko. 
 Ta-gouchin. 
 Packit-ais. 
 Icha-quiso. 
 Nagam. 
 Qui qui jan. 
 Caso tawe. 
 A CO na oune. 
 Tai boitam. 
 Ni pann. 
 Ki quaidiwine. 
 Nimic. 
 Mih. 
 
 0-gitoune. 
 Wissiniwin. 
 Ni po wen. 
 Woi ni mi kaw. 
 Aninntagousse. 
 Ma wi. 
 Pa-pe 
 
 Na matape win. 
 Pemoussai. 
 Panguishin. 
 Anokeh. 
 Nishi-woes. 
 Ata wois. 
 Pematis. 
 Wab. 
 
 Pitta-si-mouss. 
 Mi mi nic. 
 Ambai ma wita 
 Sai saigaun. 
 
 Aya wan. 
 
 Qui mi woin. 
 Awes wabang. 
 
A GENERAL HISTORY 
 
 1 
 
 
 Knisteneaux. 
 
 Algonquin. 
 
 To-day 
 
 Anoutch 
 
 Non gum. 
 
 Thereaway 
 
 Netoi 
 
 Awoite. 
 
 Much 
 
 Michett 
 
 Ni bi wa. 
 
 Presently 
 
 [ Pichisqua 
 
 Pitchinac. 
 
 Make, heart 
 
 Quithipeh 
 
 Wai we be. 
 
 This morning 
 
 Shebas 
 
 Shai bas. 
 
 This night 
 
 Tibiscag 
 
 De bi cong. 
 
 Above 
 
 Espiming 
 
 O kitchiai. 
 
 Below 
 
 Tabassish 
 
 Ana mai. 
 
 Truly 
 
 Taboiy 
 
 Ne de wache. 
 
 Already 
 
 Sashay 
 
 Sha shaye. 
 
 Yet more 
 
 Minah 
 
 Mina wa. 
 
 Yesterday 
 
 Tacoushick 
 
 Pitchinago. 
 
 Far 
 
 Wathow 
 
 Wassa. 
 
 Near 
 
 Quishiwoac 
 
 Paishou. 
 
 Never 
 
 Nima wecatch 
 
 Ka wi ka. 
 
 No 
 
 Nima 
 
 Ka wine. 
 
 Yes 
 
 Ah 
 
 In. 
 
 By-and-bye 
 
 Pa-nima 
 
 Pa nima. 
 
 Always 
 
 Ka-ki-kee 
 
 Ka qui nick 
 
 Make haste 
 
 Quethepeh 
 
 Niguim. 
 
 It's long since 
 
 Mewaisha 
 
 Mon wisha. 
 
 clxx 
 
OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 
 
 SOME ACCOUNT OF THE CHEPE- 
 WYAN INDIANS. 
 
 They are a numerous people, who consider 
 the country between the parallels of latitude 
 60. and 65. North, and longitude 100. to 
 110. West, as their lands or home. They 
 speak a copious language, which is very diffi- 
 cult to be attained, and furnishes dialects to 
 the various emigrant tribes which inhabit the 
 following immense track of country, whose 
 boundary I shall describe.* It begins at 
 Churchill, and runs along the line of separa- 
 tion between them and the Knisteneaux, up 
 the Missinipi to the Isle a la Crosse, passing 
 on through the Buffalo Lake, River Lake, 
 and Portage la Loche: from thence it pro- 
 ceeds by the Elk River to the Lake of the 
 Hills, and goes directly West to the Peach 
 River; and up that river to its source and 
 tributary waters ; from whence it proceeds to 
 the waters of the river Columbia; and fol- 
 lows that river to latitude 52. 24. North, and 
 longitude 22. 54. West, where the Chepe- 
 
 * Those of them who come to trade with us, do not 
 exceed eight hundred men, and have a smattering 
 of the Knisteueau tongue, in whicli they carry on 
 their dealings with us. 
 
 clxxi 
 
A GENERAL HISTORY 
 
 wyans have the Atnah or Chin Nation for 
 their neighbours. It then takes a line due 
 West to the seacoast, within which, the coun- 
 try is possessed by a people who speak their 
 language* and are consequently descended 
 from them : there can be no doubt, therefore, 
 of their progress being to the Eastward. A 
 tribe of them is even known at the upper 
 establishments on the Saskatchiwine ; and I 
 do not pretend to ascertain how far they may 
 follow the Eocky Mountains to the East. 
 
 It is not possible to form any just estimate 
 of their numbers, but it is apparent, never- 
 theless, that they are by no means propor- 
 tionate to the vast extent of their territories, 
 which may, in some degree, be attributed to 
 the ravages of the small-pox, wliich are, 
 more or less, evident throughout this part of 
 the continent. 
 
 The notion which these people entertain of 
 the creation, is of a very singular nature. 
 They believe that, at the first, the globe was 
 one vast and entire ocean, inhabited by no 
 living creature, except a mighty bird, whose 
 eyes were fire, whose glances were lightning, 
 and the clapping of whose wings were thun- 
 der. On his descent to the ocean, and touch- 
 ing it, the earth instantly arose, and re- 
 
 * The coast is inhabited on the North -West by the 
 Eskimaux, and on the Pacific Ocean by a people 
 diflfercnt from both. 
 
 clxxii 
 
OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 
 
 mained on the surface of the waters. This 
 omnipotent bird then called forth a'l the 
 variety of animals from the earth, except the 
 Chepewyans, who were produced from a dog ; 
 and this circumstance occasions their aversion 
 to the flesh of that animal, as well as the 
 people who eat it. This extraordinary tradi- 
 tion proceeds to relate, that the great bird, 
 having finished his Avork, made an arrow, 
 which was to be preserved with great care, 
 and to remain untouched ; but that the Chepe- 
 wyans were so devoid of understanding, as to 
 carry it away ; and the sacrilege so enraged 
 the great bird, that he has never since ap- 
 peared. 
 
 They have also a tradition amongst them, 
 that they originally came from another coun- 
 try, inhabited by very wicked people, and 
 had traversed a great lake, which was nar- 
 row, shallow, and full of islands, where they 
 had suffered great misery, it being always 
 winter, with ice and deep snow. At the 
 Copper-Mine River, where they made the 
 first land, the ground was covered with cop- 
 per, over which a body of earth had since 
 been collected, to the depth of a man's height. 
 They believe, also, that in ancient times their 
 ancestors lived till their feet were worn out 
 with walking, and their throats with eating. 
 They describe a deluge, when the waters 
 spread over the whole earth, except the high- 
 clxxiii 
 
A GENERAL HISTORY 
 
 est mountains, on the tops of which they pre- 
 served themselves. 
 
 They believe, that immediately after their 
 death, they pass into another world, where 
 they arrive at a large river, on which they 
 embark in a stone canoe, and that a gentle 
 current bears them on to an extensive lake, 
 in the centre of which is a most beautiful 
 island ; and that, in the view of this delight- 
 ful abode, they receive that judgment for 
 their conduct during life, which terminates 
 their final state and unalterable allotment. 
 If their good actions are declared to predom- 
 inate, they are landed upon the island, where 
 there is to be no end to their happiness; 
 which, however, according to their notions, 
 consists in an eternal enjoyment of sensual 
 pleasure, and carnal gratification. But if 
 their bad actions weigh down the balance, 
 the stone canoe sinks at once, and leaves 
 them up to their chins in the water, to be- 
 hold and regret the reward enjoyed by the 
 good, and eternally struggling, but with un- 
 availing endeavours, to reach the blissful 
 island, from which they are excluded for ever. 
 
 They have some faint notions of the trans- 
 migration of the soul ; so that if a child be 
 born with teeth, they instantly imagine, from 
 its premature appearance, that it bears a re- 
 semblance to some person who had lived to 
 an advanced period, and that he has assumed 
 clxxiv 
 
OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 
 
 a renovated life, with these extraordinary 
 tokens of maturity. 
 
 The Chepewyans are sober, timorous, and 
 vagrant, with a selfish disposition that has 
 sometimes created suspicions of their integ- 
 rity. Their stature has nothing remarkable 
 in it ; but though they are seldom corpulent, 
 they are sometimes robust. Their complexion 
 is swarthy; their features coarse, and their 
 hair lank, but always of a dingy black ; nor 
 have they universally the piercing eye, which 
 generally animates the Indian countenance. 
 The women have a more agreeable aspect than 
 the men, but their gait is awkward, which 
 proceeds from their being accustomed, nine 
 months in the year, to travel on snow-shoes 
 and drag sledges of a weight from two to four 
 hundred pounds. They are very submissive to 
 their husbands, who have, however, their fits 
 of jealousy; and, for very trifling causes, 
 treat them with such cruelty as sometimes to 
 occasion their death. They are frequently 
 objects of traffic ; and the father possesses the 
 right of disposing of his daughter.* The 
 men in general extract their beards, though 
 some of them are seen to prefer a bushy black 
 beard, to a smooth chin. They cut their hair 
 in various forms, or leave it in a long, natural 
 
 * They do not, however, sell them as slaves, but as 
 companions to those who are supposed to live more 
 comfortably than themselves, 
 clxxv 
 
A GENERAL HISTORY 
 
 flow, accordiDg as their caprice or fancy sug- 
 gests. The women always wear it in great 
 length, and some of them are very attentive 
 to its arrangement. If they at any time ap- 
 pear despoiled of their tresses, it is to be 
 esteemed a proof of the husband's jealousy, 
 and is considered as a severer punishment 
 than manual correction. Both sexes have 
 Hue or black bars, or from one to four 
 straight lines on their cheeks or forehead, to 
 distinguish the tribe to which they belong. 
 These marks are either tattooed, or made by 
 drawing a thread, dipped in the necessary 
 colour, beneath the skin. 
 
 There are no people more attentive to the 
 comforts of their dress, or less anxious re- 
 specting its exterior appearance. In the win- 
 ter it is composed of the skins of deer, and 
 their fawns, and dressed as fine as any 
 chamois leather, in the hair. In the summer 
 their apparel is the same, except that it is 
 prepared without the hair. Their shoes and 
 leggins are sewed together, the latter reach- 
 ing upwards to the middle, and being sup- 
 ported by a belt, under which a small piece 
 of leather is drawn to cover the private parts, 
 the ends of which fall down both before and 
 behind. In the shoes they put the hair of 
 the moose or reindeer with additional pieces 
 of leather as socks. The shirt or coat, when 
 girted round the waist, reaches to the middle 
 clxxvi 
 
OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 
 
 of the thigh, and the mittens are sewed to the 
 sleeves, or are suspended by strings from the 
 shoulders. A ruff or tippet surrounds the 
 neck, and the skin of the head of the deer 
 forms a curious kind of cap. A robe, made 
 of several deer or fawn skins sewed together, 
 covers the whole. This dress is worn single 
 or double, but always in the winter, with the 
 hair within and without. Thus arrayed a 
 Chepewyan will lay himself down on the ice 
 in the middle of a lake, and repose in com- 
 fort; though he will sometimes find a diffi- 
 culty in the morning to disencumber himself 
 from the snow drifted on him during the 
 night. If in his passage he should be in want 
 of provision, he cuts a hole in the ice, when, 
 he seldom fails of taking some trout or pike, 
 whose eyes he instantly scoops out, and eats 
 as a great delicacy; but if they should not be 
 sufficient to satisfy his appetite, he will, in 
 this necessity make his meal of the fish in its 
 raw state ; but, those whom I saw, preferred 
 to dress their victuals when circumstances 
 admitted the necessary preparation. Whea 
 they are in that part of their country which 
 does not produce a sufficient quantity of 
 wood for fuel, they are reduced to the same 
 exigency, though they generally dry their 
 meat in the sun.* 
 
 *The provision called pemmican, on which the 
 Chepewyans, as well as the other savages of this. 
 12 clxxvii 
 
A GE!S'ERAL HISTORY 
 
 The dress of the women differs from that 
 of the men. Their leggins are tied below the 
 knee ; and their coat or shift is wide, hang- 
 ing down to the ankle, and is tucked up at 
 pleasure by means of a belt, which is fastened 
 round the waist. Those who have children 
 have these garments made very full about the 
 shoulders, as when they are travelling they 
 carry their infants upon their backs, next 
 their skin, in which situation they are per- 
 fectly comfortable and in a position conveni- 
 ent to be suckled. Nor do they discontinue 
 
 country, chiefly subsist in their journeys, is prepared 
 in the following manner : The lean parts of the flesh 
 of the larger animals are cut in thin slices, and are 
 placed on a wooden grate over a slow fire, or exposed 
 to the sun, and sometimes to the frost. These oper- 
 ations dry it, and in that state it is pounded between 
 two stones ; it will then keep with care for several 
 years. If, however, it is kept in large quantities, it 
 is disposed to ferment in the spring of the year, 
 when it must be exposed to the air, or it will soon 
 decay. The inside fat, and that of the rump, which 
 is much thicker in these wild than our domestic ani- 
 mals, is melted down and mixed, in a boiling state 
 with the pounded meat, in equal proportions: it is 
 then put in baskets or bags for the convenience of 
 carrying it. Thus it becomes a nutritious food, and 
 is eaten, without any further preparation, or tlie 
 addition of spice, salt, or any vegetable or farina- 
 ceous substance. A little time reconciles it to the 
 palate. There is another sort made with the addi- 
 tion of marrow and dried berries, which is of a supe- 
 rior quality. 
 
 clxxviii 
 
OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 
 
 to give their milk to them till they have au- 
 other child. Childbirth is not the object of 
 that teuder care and serious attention among 
 the savages as it is among civilised people. 
 At this period no part of their usual occupa- 
 tion is omitted, and this continual and regu- 
 lar exercise must contribute to the welfare of 
 the mother, both in the progress of parturi- 
 tion and in the moment of delivery. The 
 women have a singular custom of cutting off 
 a small piece of the navel string of the new- 
 born children, and hang it about their necks: 
 they are also curious in the covering they 
 make for it, which they decorate with porcu- 
 pine's qaills and beads. 
 
 Though the women are as much in the 
 power of the men, as other articles of their 
 property, they are always consulted, and 
 possess a very considerable influence in the 
 traffic with Europeans, and other important 
 concerns. 
 
 Plurality of wives is common among them, 
 and the ceremony of marriage is of a very 
 simple nature. The girls are betrothed at a 
 very early period to those whom the parents 
 think the best able to support them : nor is 
 the inclination of the women considered. 
 Whenever a separation takes place, which 
 sometimes happens, it depends entirely on 
 the will and pleasure of the husband. In 
 common with the other Indians of this coun- 
 clxxix 
 
A GENERAL HISTORY 
 
 try, they have a custom respecting the peri- 
 odical state of a woman, which is rigorously 
 observed : at that time she must seclude her- 
 self from society. They are not even allowed 
 in that situation to keep the same path as the 
 men, when travelling : and it is considered a 
 great breach of decency for a woman so cir- 
 cumstanced to touch any utensils of manly 
 occupation. Such a circumstance is sup- 
 posed to defile them, so that their subsequent 
 use would be followed by certain mischief or 
 misfortune. There are particular skins which 
 the women never touch, as of the bear and 
 wolf; and those animals the men are seldom 
 known to kill. 
 
 They are not remarkable for their activity 
 as hunters, which is owing to the ease with 
 which they snare deer and spear fish : and 
 these occupations are not beyond the strength 
 of their old men, women, and boys : so that 
 they participate in those laborious occupa- 
 tions, which among their neighbours are con- 
 fined to the women. They make war on the 
 Esquimaux, who cannot resist their superior 
 numbers, and put them to death, as it is a 
 principle with them never to make prisoners. 
 At the same time they tamely submit to the 
 Knisteneaux, who are not so numerous as 
 themselves, when they treat them as enemies. 
 
 They do not affect that cold reserve at 
 meeting, either among themselves or stran- 
 clxxx 
 
OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 
 
 gers, which is common with the Knisteneaux, 
 but communicate mutually, and at once, all 
 the information of which they are possessed. 
 Nor are they roused like them from an ap- 
 parent torpor to a state of great activity. 
 They are consequently more uniform in this 
 respect, though they are of a very persever- 
 ing disposition when their interest is con- 
 cerned. 
 
 As these people are not addicted to spirit- 
 uous liquors, they have a regular and unin- 
 terrupted use of their understanding, which 
 is always directed to the advancement of 
 their own interest; and this disposition, as 
 may be readily imagined, sometimes occa- 
 sions them to be charged with fraudulent 
 habits. They will submit with patience ta 
 the severest treatment, when they are con- 
 scious that they deserve it, but will never 
 forget or forgive any wanton or unnecessary 
 rigour. A moderate conduct I never found 
 to fail, nor do I hesitate to represent them, 
 altogether, as the most peaceable tribe of In- 
 dians known in North America. 
 
 There are conjurers and high-priests, but I 
 was not present at any of their ceremonies ; 
 though they certainly operate in an extraor- 
 dinary manner on the imaginations of the 
 people in the cure of disorders. Their prin- 
 cipal maladies are, rheumatic pains, the flux 
 and consumption. The venereal complaint is 
 clxxxi 
 
A GENERAL HISTORY 
 
 very common ; but though its progress is slow, 
 it gradually undermines the constitution, and 
 brings on premature decay. They have re- 
 course to superstition for their cure, and 
 charms are their only remedies, except the 
 bark of the willow, which being burned and 
 reduced to powder, is strewed upon green 
 wounds and ulcers, and places contrived for 
 promoting perspiration. Of the use of sim- 
 ples and plants they have no knowledge ; nor 
 can it be expected, as their country does not 
 produce them. 
 
 Though they have enjoyed so long an in- 
 tercourse with Europeans, their country is so 
 barren , as not to be capable of producing the 
 ordinary necessaries naturally introduced by 
 such a communication ; and they continue, in 
 a great measure, their own inconvenient and 
 awkward modes of taking their game and 
 preparing it when taken. Sometimes they 
 drive the deer into the small lakes, where 
 they spear them, or force them into inclo- 
 sures, where the bow and arrow are employed 
 against them. These animals are also taken 
 in snares make of skin. In the former in- 
 stance the game is divided among those who 
 have been engaged in the pursuit of it. In 
 the latter it is considered as private property ; 
 nevertheless, any unsuccessful hunter pass- 
 ing by, may take a deer so caught, leaving 
 the- head; skin, and saddle for the owner. 
 
OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 
 
 Thus, though they have no regular govern- 
 ment, as every man is lord in his own family, 
 they are influenced, more or less, by certain 
 principles which condone to their general 
 benefit. 
 
 In their quarrels with each other, they very 
 rarely proceed to a greater degree of violence 
 than is occasioned by blows, wrestling, and 
 pulling of the hair, while their abusive lan- 
 guage consists in applying the name of the 
 most offensive animal to the object of their 
 displeasure, and adding the term ugly, and 
 chiay, or still-born.* 
 
 Their arms and domestic apparatus, in ad- 
 dition to the articles procured from Euro- 
 peans, are spears, bows, and arrows, fishing- 
 nets, and lines made of green deer-skin thongs. 
 They have also nets for taking the beaver as 
 he endeavours to escape from his lodge when 
 it is broken open. It is set in a particular 
 manner for the purpose, and a man is em- 
 ployed to watch the moment when he enters 
 the snare, or he would soon cut his way 
 through it. He is then thrown upon the ice 
 where he remains as if he had no life in him. 
 
 The snow-shoes are of a very superior 
 workmanship. The inner part of their frame 
 is straight, the outer one is curved, and it is 
 
 * This name is also applicable to the foetus of an 
 animal, when killed, which is considered as one of 
 the greatest delicacies. 
 
 clxxxiii 
 
A GENERAL HISTORY 
 
 pointed at both ends, with that in front 
 turned up. They are also laced with great 
 neatness with thongs made of deer-skin. The 
 sledges are formed of thin slips of board 
 turned up also in front, and are highly pol- 
 ished with crooked knives, in order to slide 
 along with facility. Close-grained wood is, 
 on that acount, the best; but theirs are made 
 of the red or swamp spruce-fir tree. 
 
 The country, which these people claim as 
 their land, has a very small quantity of earth, 
 and produces little or no wood or herbage. 
 Its chief vegetable substance is the moss, on 
 which the deer feed; and a kind of rock 
 moss, which, in times of scarcity, preserves 
 the lives of the natives. When boiled in 
 water, it dissolves into a clammy, glutinous 
 substance, that affords a very sufficient nour- 
 ishinent. But, notwithstanding the barren 
 state of their country, with proper care and 
 economy, these people might live in great 
 comfort, for the lakes abound in fish, and the 
 hills are covered with deer. Though, of all 
 the Indian people of this continent they are 
 considered as the most provident, they suffer 
 severely at certain seasons, and particularly 
 in the dead of winter, when they are under 
 the necessity of retiring to their scanty, 
 stinted woods. To the Westward of them the 
 musk-ox may be found, but they have no de- 
 pendence on it as an article of sustenance, 
 clxxxiv 
 
OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 
 
 There are also large hares, a few white 
 wolves, peculiar to their country, and several 
 kinds of foxes, with white and grey par- 
 tridges, etc. The beaver and moose-deer 
 the}^ do not find till they come within 60 de- 
 grees North latitude ; and the buffalo is still 
 further South. That animal is known to fre- 
 quent an higher latitude to the Westward of 
 their country. These people bring pieces of 
 beautiful variegated marble, which are found 
 on the surface of the earth. It is easily 
 worked, bears a fine polish, and hardens with 
 time ; it endures heat, and is manufactured 
 into pipes or calumets, as they are very fond 
 of smoking tobacco ; a luxury which the Euro- 
 peans communicated to them. 
 
 Their amusements or recreations are but 
 few. Their music is so inharmonious, and 
 their dancing so awkward, that they might 
 be supposed to be ashamed of both, as they 
 very seldom practise either. They also shoot 
 at marks, and play at the games common 
 among them ; but in fact they prefer sleep- 
 ing to either ; and the greater part of their 
 time is passed in procuring food, and resting 
 from the toil necessary to obtain it. 
 
 They are also of a querulous disposition, 
 and are continually making complaints ; which 
 they express by a constant repetition of the 
 word eduiy, " it is hard," in a whining and 
 plaintive tone of voice. 
 
 clxxxv 
 
A GENERAL HISTORY 
 
 They are superstitious in the extreme, and 
 almost every action of their lives, however 
 trivial, is more or less influenced by some 
 whimsical notion. I never observed that 
 they had any partcular form of religious wor- 
 ship ; but as they believe in a good and evil 
 spirit, and a state of future rewards and 
 punishments, they cannot be devoid of relig- 
 ious impressions. At the same time they 
 manifest a decided unwillingness to make any 
 communications on the subject. 
 
 The Chepewyans have been accused of 
 abandoning their aged and infirm people to 
 perish, and of not burying their dead; but 
 these are melancholy necessities, which pro- 
 ceed from their wandering way of life. They 
 are by no means universal, for it is within my 
 knowledge, that a man, rendered helpless by 
 the palsy, was carried about for many years, 
 with the gi-eatest tenderness and attention, 
 till he died a natural death. That they should 
 not bury their dead in their own country, 
 cannot be imputed to them as a custom aris- 
 ing from a savage insensibility, as they in- 
 habit such high latitudes that the ground 
 never thaws ; but it is well known, that when 
 they are in the woods, they cover their dead 
 with trees. Besides, they manifest no com- 
 mon respect to the memory of their departed 
 friends, by a long period of mourning, cut- 
 ting off their hair, and never making use of 
 clxxxvi 
 
OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 
 
 the property of the deceased. Nay, they 
 frequently destroy or sacrifice their own, as 
 a token of regret and sorrow. 
 
 If there be any people who, from the bar- 
 ren state of their country, might be supposed 
 to be cannibals by nature, these people, from 
 the difficulty they, at times, experience in 
 procuring food, might be liable to that impu- 
 tation. But, in all my knowledge of them, 
 I never was acquainted with one instance of 
 that disposition ; nor among all the natives 
 which I met with in a route of five thousand 
 miles, did I see or hear of an example of 
 cannibalism, but such as arose from that ir- 
 resistible necessity, which has been known to 
 impel even the most civilised people to eat 
 each other. 
 
 Example op the Chepewyan Tongue. 
 
 Man 
 
 Dinnie. 
 
 Woman 
 
 Chequois. 
 
 Young man 
 
 Quelaquis. 
 
 Young woman 
 
 Quelaquis chequoi. 
 
 My son 
 
 Zi azay. 
 
 My daughter 
 
 Zi lengai. 
 
 My husband 
 
 Zi dinnie. 
 
 My wife 
 
 Zi zayunai. 
 
 My brother 
 
 Zi raing. 
 
 My father 
 
 Zi tah. 
 
 My mother 
 
 Zi nah. 
 
 My grandfather 
 
 Zi unai. 
 
 Me, or my 
 
 See. 
 
 
 clxxxvii 
 
A GENERAL HISTORY 
 
 I 
 
 Ne. 
 
 You 
 
 Nun. 
 
 They 
 
 Be. 
 
 Head 
 
 Edthie. 
 
 Hand 
 
 Law. 
 
 Leg- 
 
 Edthen. 
 
 Foot 
 
 Cuh. 
 
 Eyes 
 
 Nackhay. 
 
 Teeth 
 
 Goo. 
 
 Side 
 
 Kac-hey. 
 
 Belly 
 
 Bitt. 
 
 Tongue 
 
 Edthu. 
 
 Hair 
 
 Thiegah. 
 
 Back 
 
 Losseh. 
 
 Blood 
 
 Dell. 
 
 The Knee 
 
 Cha-gutc. 
 
 Clothes or Blanket 
 
 Etlunay. 
 
 Coat 
 
 Eeh. 
 
 Leggin 
 
 Then. 
 
 Shoes 
 
 Kinchee. 
 
 Robe or Blanket 
 
 Thuth. 
 
 Sleeves 
 
 Bah. 
 
 Mittens 
 
 Geese. 
 
 Cap 
 
 Sah. 
 
 Swan 
 
 Kagouce. 
 
 Duck 
 
 Keth. 
 
 Goose 
 
 Gah. 
 
 White partridge 
 
 Cass bah. 
 
 Grey partridge 
 
 Deyee. 
 
 Buffalo 
 
 Giddy. 
 
 Moose deer 
 
 Dinyai. 
 
 Rein deer 
 
 Edthun. 
 
 Beaver 
 
 Zah. 
 
 Bear 
 
 Zass. 
 
 Otter 
 
 Gaby-ai. 
 
 Martin 
 
 Thah. 
 
 Wolverine 
 
 Naguiyai 
 
 clxxxviii 
 
OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 
 
 Wolf 
 
 Yess (Nouhoay> 
 
 Fox 
 
 Naguethey. 
 
 Hare 
 
 Cah. 
 
 Dog 
 
 Sliengh. 
 
 Beaver-skin 
 
 Zah thah. 
 
 Otter-skin 
 
 Naby-ai thith. 
 
 Moose-skin 
 
 Deny-ai thith. 
 
 Fat 
 
 Icah. 
 
 Grease 
 
 Thless. 
 
 Meat 
 
 Bid. 
 
 Pike 
 
 Uldiah. 
 
 White-fish 
 
 Slouev. 
 
 Trout 
 
 Slouey zinai. 
 
 Pickerel 
 
 G'Gah. 
 
 Fish-hook 
 
 Ge-eth. 
 
 Fish-lin-i 
 
 Clulez. 
 
 One 
 
 Slachy. 
 
 Two 
 
 Naghur. 
 
 Three 
 
 Tagh-y. 
 
 Four 
 
 Dengk-y. 
 
 Five 
 
 Sasoulachee. 
 
 Six 
 
 Alki tar-hy-y. 
 
 Seven 
 
 
 Eight 
 
 Alki deing-hy. 
 
 Nine 
 
 Cakina hanoth-na. 
 
 Ten 
 
 Ca noth na. 
 
 Twenty- 
 
 Na ghur cha noth na 
 
 Fire 
 
 Counn. 
 
 Water 
 
 Toue. 
 
 Wood 
 
 Dethkin. 
 
 Ice 
 
 Thun. 
 
 Snow 
 
 Yath. 
 
 Rain 
 
 Thinnelsee. 
 
 Lake 
 
 Touey. 
 
 River 
 
 Tesse. 
 
 Mountain 
 
 Zeth. 
 
 Stone 
 
 Thaih. 
 
 clxxxix 
 
A GENERAL HISTORY 
 
 Berries 
 
 Gui-eh. 
 
 Hot 
 
 Edowh. 
 
 Cold 
 
 Edzah. 
 
 Island 
 
 Nouey. 
 
 Gun 
 
 Telkithy. 
 
 Powder 
 
 Telkithy counna. 
 
 Knife 
 
 Bess. 
 
 Axe 
 
 Thynlc. 
 
 Sue 
 
 
 Moon 
 
 Sah. 
 
 Red 
 
 Deli couse. 
 
 Black 
 
 Dell zin. 
 
 Trade, or barter 
 
 Na-houn-ny. 
 
 Good 
 
 Leyzong. 
 
 Not good 
 
 Leyzong houiiey. 
 
 Stinking 
 
 Geddey. 
 
 Bad, ugly 
 
 Slieney. 
 
 Long since 
 
 Galladinna. 
 
 Now, to-day 
 
 Ganneli. 
 
 To-morrow 
 
 Gambeh. 
 
 By-and-bye, or presently GarahouUeh. 
 
 House, or lodge 
 
 Cooen. 
 
 Canoe 
 
 Shaluzee. 
 
 Door 
 
 The ball. 
 
 Leather-lodge 
 
 N'abalay. 
 
 Chief 
 
 Buchahudry. 
 
 Mine 
 
 Zidzy. 
 
 His 
 
 Bedzy. 
 
 Yours 
 
 Nuntzy. 
 
 Large 
 
 Unshaw. 
 
 Small, or little 
 
 Chautah. 
 
 I love you 
 
 Ba eioinichdinh. 
 
 I hate you 
 
 Bucnoinichadinh hillay. 
 
 I am to be pitied 
 
 Est-chounest-hinay. 
 
 My relation 
 
 Sy lod, innay. 
 
 Give me water 
 
 Too hanniltu. 
 
 Give me meat 
 
 Beds-hanniltu. 
 
 
 CXC 
 
OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 
 
 Give me fish 
 
 Give me meat to eat 
 
 Give me water to drink 
 
 It is far off 
 
 Is it not far 
 
 It is near 
 
 How many 
 
 What call you him, or 
 
 that 
 Come here 
 Pain, or suffc^^ng 
 It's hard 
 You lie 
 What then 
 
 Sloeeh anneltu. 
 Bid Barheeth&r. 
 To Barhithen. 
 Netha uzany. 
 Nilduay uzany. 
 Nitha-hillal. 
 Nilduay. 
 
 Etlaneldey. 
 Etla houllia. 
 Yeu dessay. 
 I-yah. 
 Untzee. 
 Eldaw-guebo 
 
 cxei 
 
JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE, &c. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 JUNE, 1789 
 
 Wednesday f 3. — We embarked at nine in 
 the morning, at Fort Chepewyan, on the 
 South side of the Lake of the Hills, in lati- 
 tude 58. 40. North, and longitude 110 30. 
 West from Greenwich, and compass has six- 
 teen degrees variation East, in a canoe made 
 of birch bark. The crew consisted of four 
 Canadians, two of whom were attended by 
 their wives, and a German ; we were accom- 
 panied also by an Indian, who had acquired 
 the title of English Chief, and his two wives, 
 in a snail canoe, with two young Indians ; 
 his followers in another small canoe. These 
 men were engaged to serve us in the twofold 
 capacity of interpreters and hunters. This 
 chief has been a principal leader of his coun- 
 trymen who were in the habit of carrying 
 furs to Churchill Factory, Hudson's Bay, and 
 till of late very much attached to the interest 
 of that company. These circumstances pro- 
 cured him the appellation of the English 
 Chief. 
 
 13 193 
 
JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE THROUGH THE 
 
 We were also accompanied by a canoe that 
 I had equipped for the purpose of trade, and 
 given the charge of it to M. Le Eoux, one of 
 the Company's clerks. In this I was obliged 
 to ship part of our provision; which, with 
 the clothing necessary for us on the voyage, 
 a proper assortment of the articles of mer- 
 chandise as presents, to ensure us a friendly 
 reception among the Indians, and the ammu- 
 nition and arms requisite for defence, as well 
 as a supply for our hunters, were more than 
 our own canoe could carry, but by the time 
 we should part company, there was every 
 reason to suppose that our expenditure would 
 make sufficient room for the whole. 
 
 We proceeded twenty-one miles to the 
 West, and then took a course of nine miles 
 to North-ISTorth-West, when we entered the 
 river, or one of the branches of the lake, of 
 which there are several. W^e then steered 
 North five miles, when our course changed for 
 two miles to North-North-East, and here at 
 seven in the evening we landed and pitched 
 our tents. One of the hunters killed a goose, 
 and a couple of ducks : at the same time the 
 canoe was taken out of the water, to be 
 gummed, which necessary business was effec- 
 tually performed. 
 
 Thursday, 4- — We embarked at four this 
 morning, and proceeded North-North-East 
 half a mile, North one mile and a half, AVest 
 194 
 
NORTH-WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 
 
 two miles, North-West two miles, West- 
 North- West one mile and a half, North- 
 North-West half a mile, and West-North- 
 West two miles, when this branch loses itself 
 in the Peace River. It is remarkable, that 
 the currents of these various branches of the 
 lake, when the Peace River is high, as in May 
 and August, run into the lake, which, in the 
 other months of the year returns its waters 
 to them ; whence, to this place, the branch is 
 not more than two hundred yards wide, nor 
 less than an hundred and twenty. The banks 
 are rather low, except in one place, where an 
 huge rock rises above them. The low land is 
 covered with wood, such as white birch, pines 
 of different kinds, with the poplar, three kinds 
 of willow, and the liard. 
 
 The Peace River is upwards of a mile broad 
 at this spot, and its current is stronger than 
 that of the channel which communicates with 
 the lake. It here, indeed, assumes the name 
 of the Slave River.* The course of this day 
 was as follows: — North- West two miles, 
 North-North- West, through islands, six miles. 
 North four miles and a half. North by East 
 
 *Tlie Slave Indians, having been driven from 
 their original country by their enemies, the Kniste- 
 neaux, along the borders of this part of the river, it 
 received that title, though it by no means involves 
 the idea of servitude, but was given to these fugi- 
 tives as a term of reproach, that denoted more than 
 common savageness. 
 
 195 
 
JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE THROUGH THE 
 
 two miles, West by Korth six miles, North 
 one mile, North-East by East two miles. 
 North, one mile. We now descended a rapid, 
 and proceeded North- West seven miles and a 
 half. North- West nine miles. North by West 
 six miles, North-West by West one mile and 
 a half, North-West by North half a mile, 
 North-North-West six miles. North one mile, 
 North-West by West four miles, North- 
 North-East one mile. Here we arrived at the 
 mouth of the Dog Eiver, where we landed, 
 and unloaded our canoes, at half past seven 
 in the evening, on the East side, and close by 
 the rapids. At this station the river is near 
 two leagues in breadth. 
 
 Friday, 5. — At three o'clock in the morn- 
 ing we embarked, but unloaded our canoes at 
 the first rapid. When we had reloaded, we 
 entered a small channel, which is formed by 
 the islands, and, in about half an hour, we 
 came to the carrying-place It is three hun- 
 dred and eighty paces in length, and very 
 commodious, except at the further end of it. 
 We found seme difficulty in reloading at this 
 spot, from the large quantity of ice which 
 had not yet thawed. From hence to the next 
 carrying-place, called the Fortarje d' Emhar- 
 ras, is about six miles, and is occasioned by 
 the drift wood filling up the small channel, 
 which is one thousand and twenty paces in 
 length J from hence to the next is one mile 
 196 
 
NORTH-WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 
 
 and a half, while the distance to that which 
 succeeds, does not exceed one hundred and 
 fifty yards. It is about the same length as 
 the last; and from hence to the carrying- 
 place called the Mountain, is about four miles 
 further; when we entered the great river. 
 The smaller one, or the channel, affords by 
 far the best passage, as it is without hazard 
 of any kind; though I believe a shorter 
 course Avould be found on the outside of the 
 islands, and without so many carrying-places. 
 That called the Mountain is three hundred 
 and thirty -five paces in length ; from thence 
 to the next, named the Pelican, there is about 
 a mile of dangerous rapids. The landing is 
 very steep, and close to the fall. The length 
 of this carrying-place is eight hundred and 
 twenty paces. 
 
 The whole of the party were now employed 
 in taking the baggage and the canoe up the 
 hill. One of the Indian canoes went down 
 the fall, and was dashed to pieces. The 
 woman who had the management of it, by 
 quitting it in time, preserved her life, though 
 she lost the little property it contained. 
 
 The course from the place we quitted in the 
 morning is about North-West, and compre- 
 hends a distance of fifteen miles. From hence 
 to the next and last carrying-place, is about 
 nine miles ; in which distance there are three 
 rapids: course North-West by West. The 
 197 
 
JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE TPIROUGH THE 
 
 carrying path is very bad, and five hundred 
 and thirty-five paces in length. Our canoes 
 being lightened, passed on the outside of the 
 opposite island, which rendered the carrying 
 of the baggage very short indeed, being not 
 more than the length of a canoe. In the 
 year 1786, five men were drowned, and two 
 canoes and some packages lost, in the rapids 
 on the other side of the river, which occa- 
 sioned this place to be called the Fortage des 
 Noyes. They were proceeding to the Slave 
 Lake, in the fall of that year, under the di- 
 rection of Mr. Cuthbert Grant. We pro- 
 ceeded from hence six miles, and encamped 
 on Point de Eoche, at half past five in the 
 afternoon. The men and Indians were very 
 much fatigued ; but the hunters had provided 
 seven geese, a beaver, and four ducks. 
 
 Saturday, 6. — We embarked at half past 
 two in the morning, and steered North-West 
 by North twenty-one miles, North-West by 
 West five miles, West-North- West four miles. 
 West six miles, doubled a point North- 
 North-East one mile. East five miles, North 
 two miles, North-West by North one mile 
 and a half, West-North- West three miles, 
 North-East by East two miles; doubled a 
 point one mile and a half. West by North 
 nine miles, North-West by West six miles^ 
 North-North-West five miles ; here we landed 
 at six o'clock in the evening, unloaded, and 
 198 
 
KORTH WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 
 
 encamped. Nets were also set in a small ad- 
 jacent river. We had an head wind during 
 the greater part of the day and the weather 
 was become so cold that the Indians were 
 •obliged to make use of their mittens. In this 
 day's progress we killed seven geese and six 
 ducks. 
 
 Sunday, 7. — At half past three we renewed 
 our voyage, and proceeded West-North-West 
 one mile, round an island one mile, North- 
 West two miles and a half. South by West 
 three miles, West-South- West one mile, 
 South- West by South half a mile, North- 
 West three miles, West-North- West three 
 miles and a half. North seven miles and a 
 half. North- West by North four miles. North 
 two miles and a half, North- West by North 
 two miles. The rain, which had prevailed 
 for some time, now came on with such vio- 
 lence, that we were obliged to land and un- 
 load, to prevent the goods and baggage from 
 getting wet; the weather, however, soon 
 cleared up, so that w^e reloaded the canoe, 
 and got under way. We now continued our 
 course North ten miles. West one mile and a 
 half, and North one mile and a half, when 
 the rain came on again, and rendered it abso- 
 lutely necessary for us to get on shore for the 
 night, at about half past three. We had a 
 strong North-North-East wind throughout 
 the day, which greatly impeded us; M. Le 
 199 
 
JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE THROUGH THE 
 
 Eoux, however, with his party, passed on in 
 search of a landing place more agreeable to 
 them. The Indians killed a couple of geese, 
 and as many dncks. The rain continued 
 through the remaining part of the day. 
 
 Monday, 8. — The night was very boister- 
 ous, and the rain did not cease till two in the 
 afternoon of this day ; but as the wind did 
 not abate of its violence, we were prevented 
 from proceeding till the morrow. 
 
 Tuesday, 9. — We embarked at half past 
 two in the morning, the weather being calm 
 and foggy. Soon after our two young men 
 joined us, whom we had not seen for two 
 days ; but during their absence they had killed 
 four beavers and ten geese. After a course 
 of one mile North-West by North, we ob- 
 served an opening on the right, which we took 
 for a fork of the river, but it proved to be a 
 lake. We returned and steered South-West 
 by West one mile and a half, West-South- 
 West one mile and a half. West one mile, 
 when we entered a very small branch of the 
 river on the East bank; at the mouth of 
 which I was informed there had been a carry- 
 ing-place, owing to the quantity of drift 
 wood, which then filled up the passage, but 
 has since been carried away. The course of 
 this river is meandering, and tends to the 
 North, and in about ten miles falls into the 
 Slave Lake, where we arrived at nine in the 
 200 
 
NORTHWEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 
 
 moraing, when we found a great change in 
 the weather, as it was become extremely cold. 
 The lake was entirely covered with ice, and 
 did not seem in any degree to have given 
 way, but near the shore. The gnats and 
 mosquitoes, which were very troublesome 
 during our passage along the river, did not 
 venture to accompany us to this colder region. 
 
 The banks of the river both above and be- 
 low the rapids, were on both sides covered 
 with the various kinds of wood common to 
 this country, particularly the Western side ; 
 the land being lower and consisting of a rich 
 black soil. This artificial ground is carried 
 down by the stream, and rests upon drift 
 wood, so as to be eight or ten feet deep. 
 The eastern banks are more elevated, and the 
 soil a yellow clay mixed with gravel ; so that 
 the trees are neither so large or numerous as 
 on the opposite shore. The ground was not 
 thawed above fourteen inches in depth ; not- 
 withstanding the leaf was at its full growth ; 
 while along the lake there was scarcely any 
 appearance of verdure. 
 
 The Indians informed me, that, at a very 
 small distance from either bank of the river, 
 are very extensive plains, frequented by large 
 herds of buffaloes ; while the moose and rein- 
 deer keep in the woods that border on it. 
 The beavers, which are in great numbers, 
 build their habitations in the small lakes and 
 201 
 
JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE THROUGH THE 
 
 rivers, as, in the larger streams, the ice car^ 
 ries every thing along with it, during tha 
 spring. The mud-banks in the river are cov- 
 ered with wild fowl; and we this morning 
 killed two swans, ten geese, and one beaver, 
 without suffering the delay of an hour; so 
 that we might have soon filled the canoe with 
 them, if that had been our object. 
 
 From the small river we steered East, 
 along the inside of a long sand-bank, covered 
 with drift wood and enlivened by a few wil~ 
 lows, which stretches on as far as the houses 
 erected by Messrs. Grant and Le Roux, in 
 1786. We often ran aground, as for five 
 successive miles the depth of the water no~ 
 where exceeded three feet. There we found 
 our people, who had arrived early in the 
 morning, and whom we had not seen since the 
 preceding Sunday. We now unloaded the 
 canoe, and pitched our tents, as there was 
 every appearance that we should be obliged 
 to remain here for some time. I then ordered 
 the nets to be set, as it was absolutely neces- 
 sary that the stores provided for our future 
 voyage should remain untouched. The fish 
 we now caught were carp, poisson inconnu, 
 white fish, and trout. 
 
 Wednesday, 10. — It rained during the great- 
 est part of the preceding night, and the 
 weather did not clear up till the afternoon of 
 this day. This circumstance had very much 
 202 
 
ISrORTH WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 
 
 "weakened tlie ice, and I sent two of the In- 
 dians on an hunting party to a lake at the 
 •distance of nine miles, which, they informed 
 me, was frequented by animals of various 
 kinds. Our fishery this day was not so 
 abundant as it had been on the preceding 
 afternoon. 
 
 Thursday, 11. — The weather was fine and 
 clear with a strong westerly wind. The 
 women were employed in gathering berries of 
 different sorts, of which there are a great 
 plenty ; and I accompanied one of my people 
 to a small adjacent island, where we picked 
 up some dozens of swan, geese, and duck- 
 eggs ; we also killed a couple of ducks and a 
 goose. 
 
 In the evening the Indians returned, with- 
 out having see any of the larger animals. A 
 swan and a grey crane were the only fruits of 
 their expedition. We caught no other fish 
 but a small quantity of pike, which is too 
 common to be a favourite food with the peo- 
 ple of the country. The ice moved a little to 
 the eastward. 
 
 Friday y 12. — The weather continued the 
 same as yesterday, and the mosquitoes began 
 to visit us in great numbers. The ice moved 
 again in the same direction, and I ascended 
 an hill, but could not perceive that it was 
 broken in the middle of the lake. The hunt- 
 ers killed a goose and three ducks. 
 203 
 
JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE THROUGH THE 
 
 Saturday, 13. — The weather was cloudy, 
 and the wind changeable till about sunset, 
 when it settled in the North. It drove back 
 the ice which was now very much broken 
 along the shore, and covered our nets. One 
 of the hunters who had been at the Slave 
 Kiver the preceding evening, returned with 
 three beavers and fourteen geese. He was 
 accompanied by three families of Indians, 
 who left Athabasca the same day as myself : 
 they did not bring me any fowl ; and they 
 pleaded in excuse, that they had travelled 
 with so much expedition, as to prevent them 
 from procuring sufficient provisions for them- 
 selves. By a meridian line, I found the 
 variation of the compass to be about twenty 
 degrees East. 
 
 Sunday, IJ/.. — The weather was clear and 
 the wind remained in the same quarter. The 
 ice was much broken, and driven to the side 
 of the lake, so that we were apprehensive for 
 the loss of our nets, as they could not, at 
 present, be extricated. At sunset there was 
 an appearance of a violent gust of wind 
 from the southward, as the sky became on a 
 sudden, in that quarter, of a very dusky blue 
 colour, and the lightning was very frequent. 
 But instead of wind there came on a very 
 heavy rain, which promised to diminish the 
 quantity of broken ice. 
 
 Monday f 15. — In the morning, the bay still 
 204 
 
NORTH-WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 
 
 continued to be so full of ice, that we could 
 not get at our nets. About noon, the wind 
 veered to the Westward, and not only uncov- 
 ered the nets, but cleared a passage to the 
 opposite islands. When Ave raised the nets 
 we found them very much shattered, and but 
 few fish taken. We now struck our tents, 
 and embarked at sunset, when we made the 
 traverse, which was about eight miles North- 
 East by North, in about two hours. At half- 
 past eleven P. M. we landed on a small 
 island and proceed to gum the canoe. At 
 this time the atmosphere was sufficiently 
 clear to admit of reading or writing without 
 the aid of artificial light. We had not seen 
 a star since the second day after we left 
 Athabasca. About twelve o'clock, the moon 
 made its appearance above the tops of the 
 trees, the lower horn being in a state of 
 eclipse, which continued for about six min- 
 utes, in a cloudless sky. 
 
 I took soundings three times in the course 
 of the traverse, when I found six fathoms 
 water, with a muddy bottom. 
 
 Tuesday, 16. — We were prevented from 
 embarking this morning by a very strong 
 wind from the North, and the vast quantity 
 of floating ice. Some trout were caught with 
 the hook and line, but the net was not so 
 successful. I had an observation which gave 
 61. 28. :N"orth latitude. 
 205 
 
JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE THROUGH THE 
 
 The wind becoming moderate, we embarked 
 about one, taking a North- West course, 
 through islands of ten miles, in which we 
 took in a considerable quantity of water. 
 After making several traverses, we landed at 
 five P. M., and having pitched our tents, the- 
 hooks, lines, and nets were immediately set. 
 During the course of the day there was occa~ 
 sional thunder. 
 
 Wednesday y 17. — We proceeded, and talv~ 
 ing up our nets as we passed, we found na 
 more than seventeen fish, and were stopped 
 within a mile by the ice. The Indians, how^ 
 ever, brought us back to a point where our 
 fishery was very successful. They proceeded 
 also on a hunting party, as well as to dis- 
 cover a passage among the islands; but at 
 three in the afternoon they returned without 
 having succeeded in either object. We 
 were, however, in expectation, that, as the 
 wind blew very strong, it would force a 
 passage. About sunset, the weather be- 
 came overcast, with thunder, lightning, and 
 rain. 
 
 Thursday, 18. — The nets were taken up at 
 four this morning with abundance of fish, and 
 we steered North- West four miles, where the 
 ice again prevented our progress. A South- 
 East wind drove it among the islands, in 
 such a manner as to impede our passage, and 
 we could perceive at some distance ahead, 
 206 
 
NORTH WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA 
 
 that it was but little broken. We now set 
 our nets in four fathom water. Two of our 
 hunters had killed a rein-deer and its fawn. 
 They had met with two Indian families, and 
 in the evening, a man belonging to one of 
 them, paid us a visit ; he informed me, that 
 the ice had not stirred on the side of the 
 island opposite to us. These people live 
 entirely on fish, and were waiting to cross 
 the lake as soon as it should be clear of 
 ice. 
 
 Friday, 19. — This morning our nets were 
 unproductive, as they yielded us no more 
 than six fish, which were of a very bad kind. 
 In the forenoon, the Indians proceeded to the 
 large island opposite to us, in search of game. 
 The weather was cloudy, and the wind 
 changeable ; at the same time, we were pes- 
 tered by mosquitoes, though, in a great meas- 
 ure, surrounded with ice. 
 
 Saturday, 20. — We took up our nets, but 
 without any fish. It rained very hard during 
 the night and this morning : nevertheless, M. 
 Le Roux and his people went back to the 
 point which we had quitted on the 18th, but 
 I did not think it prudent to move As I was 
 watching for a passage through the ice, I 
 promised to send for them when I could ob- 
 tain it. It rained at intervals till about five 
 o'clock; when we loaded our canoe, and 
 steered for the large island, West six miles 
 207 
 
JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE THROUGH THE 
 
 When we came to the point of it, we found a 
 great quantity of ice ; we, however, set our 
 nets, and soon caught plenty of fish. In our 
 way thither we met our hunters, but they 
 had taken nothing. I took soundings at an 
 hundred yards from the island, when we were 
 in twenty-one fathom water. Here we found 
 abundance of cranberries and small spring 
 onions. I now despatched two men for M. 
 Le Eoux, and his people. 
 
 Sunday J 21. — A Southerly wind blew 
 through the night, and drove the ice to the 
 Northward. The two men whom I had sent 
 to M. Le Eoux, returned at eight this morn- 
 ing ; they parted with him at a small distance 
 from us, but the wind blew so hard, that he 
 was obliged to put to shore. Having a 
 glimpse of the sun, when it was twelve by 
 my watch, I found the latitude 61. 34. 
 North latitude. At two in the afternoon, M. 
 Le Roux and his people arrived. At five, 
 the ice being almost all driven past to the 
 Northward, we accordingly embarked, and 
 steered West fifteen miles, through much 
 broken ice, and on the outside of the islands, 
 though it appeared to be very solid to the 
 North-East. I sounded three times in this 
 distance, and found it seventy-five, forty-four, 
 and sixty fathom water. We pitched our 
 tents on one of a cluster of small islands that 
 were within three miles of the main land, 
 208 
 
NORTH WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 
 
 which we could not reach in consequence of 
 the ice. 
 
 We saw some rein-deer on one of these 
 islands, and our hunters went in pursuit of 
 them, when they killed five large and two 
 small ones, which was easily accomplished, 
 as the animals had no shelter to which they 
 could run for protection. They had, without 
 doubt, crossed the ice to this spot, and the 
 thaw coming on had detained them there, 
 and made them an easy prey to the pursuer. 
 This island was accordingly named Isle de 
 Carreboeuf. 
 
 I sat up the whole of this night to observe 
 the setting and rising of the sun. That orb 
 was beneath the horizon four hours twenty- 
 two minutes, and rose North 20. East by 
 compass. It, however, froze so hard, that, 
 during the sun's disappearance, the water 
 was covered with ice half a quarter of an 
 inch thick. 
 
 Monday, 22. — We embarked at half past 
 three in the morning, and rounding the out- 
 side of the islands, steered North- West thir- 
 teen miles along the ice, edging in for the 
 main land, the wind West, then West two 
 miles ; but it blew so hard as to oblige us to 
 land on an island at half past nine, from 
 whence we could just distinguish land to the 
 South-East, at the distance of about twelve 
 leagues; though we could not determine 
 14 209 
 
JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE THROUGH THE 
 
 whether it was a continuation of the islands, 
 or the shores of the lake.* I took an observ- 
 ation at noon, which gave me 61. 53. Korth, 
 the variation of the compass being, at the 
 same time, about two points. M. Le Roux's 
 people having provided two bags of jpem- 
 mican-f to be left in the island against their 
 return ; it was called Isle a la Cache. 
 
 The wind being moderated, we proceeded 
 again at half past two in the afternoon, and 
 steering West by North among the islands, 
 made a course of eighteen miles. We en- 
 camped at eight o'clock on a small island, 
 and since eight in the morning had not passed 
 any ice. Though the weather was far from 
 being warm, we were tormented, and our rest 
 interrupted, by the host of mosquitoes that 
 accompanied us. 
 
 * Sometimes the land looms, so that there may be 
 a great deception as to the distance ; and I think this 
 was the case at present. 
 
 f Flesh dried in the sun, and afterwards pounded 
 for the convenience of carriage. 
 
 210 
 
KORTH-WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 
 
 CHAPTEH II. 
 
 JUKE, 1789. 
 
 Tuesday, 23. — Towards morning, the In- 
 dians wlio had not been able to keep up with 
 us the preceding day, now joined us, and 
 brought two swans and a goose. At half past 
 three we re-embarked, and steering West by 
 North a mile and an half, with a Northerly 
 wind, we came to the foot of a traverse across 
 a deep bay. West five miles, which receives a 
 considerable river at the bottom of it; the 
 distance about twelve miles. The North- 
 West side of the bay was covered with many 
 small islands that were surrounded with ice ; 
 but the wind driving it a little off the land, 
 we had a clear passage on the inside of them. 
 We steered South- West nine miles under sail, 
 then North- West nearly, through the islands, 
 forming a course of sixteen miles. We landed 
 on the main land at half past two in the aft- 
 ernoon at three lodges of Ked-Knife Indians, 
 so called from their copper knives. They 
 informed us, that there were many more 
 lodges of their friends at no great distance ; 
 and one of the Indians set off to fetch them : 
 they also said, that we should see no more of 
 them at present j as the Slave and Beaver In- 
 211 
 
JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE THROUGH THE 
 
 dians, as well as others of the tribe, would 
 not be here till the time that the swans cast 
 their feathers. In the afternoon it rained a 
 torrent. 
 
 Wednesday, 24- — M. Le Eoux purchase<? 
 of these Indians upwards of eight packs of 
 good beaver and marten skins; and there 
 were not above twelve of them qualified to 
 kill beaver. The English chief got upwards 
 of an hundred skins on the score of debts due 
 to him, of which he had many outstanding 
 in this country. Forty of them he gave on 
 account of debts due by him since the winters 
 of 1786 and 1787, at the Slave Lake; the 
 rest he exchanged for rum and other neces- 
 sary articles ; and I added a small quantity 
 of that liquor as an encouraging present to 
 him and his young men. I had several con- 
 sultations with these Copper Indian people, 
 but could obtain no information that was ma- 
 terial to our expedition ; nor were they ac- 
 quainted with any part of the river, which 
 was the object of my research, but the mouth 
 of it. In order to save as much time as pos- 
 sible in circumnavigating the bays, I engaged 
 one of the Indians to conduct us ; and I ac- 
 cordingly equipped him with various articles 
 of clothing, etc. I also purchased a large 
 new canoe, that he might embark with the 
 two young Indians in my service. 
 
 This day, at noon, I took an observation, 
 212 
 
NORTH-WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 
 
 which gave me 62. 24. North latitude; 
 the variation of the compass being about 
 twenty-six or twenty-seven degrees to the 
 East. 
 
 In the afternoon I assembled the Indians, 
 in order to inform them that I should take 
 my departure on the following day ; but that 
 people would remain on the spot till their 
 countrymen, whom they had mentioned, 
 should arrive; and that, if they brought a 
 sufficient quantity of skins to make it answer, 
 the Canadians would return for more goods, 
 with a view to winter here, and build a fort,* 
 which would be continued as long as they 
 should be found to deserve it. They assured 
 me that it would be a great encouragement to 
 them to have a settlement of ours in their 
 country; and that they should exert them- 
 selves to the utmost to kill beaver, as they 
 would then be certain of getting an adequate 
 value for them. Hitherto, they said, the 
 Chepewyans always pillaged them; or, at 
 most, gave little or nothing for the fruits of 
 their labour, which had greatly discouraged 
 them; and that, in consequence of this treat- 
 ment, they had no motive to pursue the 
 beaver, but to obtain a sufficient quantity of 
 food and raiment. 
 
 I now wrote to Messrs. Macleod and Mac- 
 
 *Fort is the name given to any establishment in 
 this comitry. 
 
 213 
 
JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE THROUGH THE 
 
 kenzie, and addressed my papers to the 
 former, at Athabasca. 
 
 Thursday y 25. — We left this place at three 
 this morning, our canoe being deeply laden, 
 as we had embarked some packages that had 
 come in the canoes of M. Le Roux. We 
 were saluted on our departure with some vol- 
 leys of small arms, which we returned, and 
 steered South by West straight across the 
 bay, which is here no more than two miles 
 and a half broad, but, from the accounts of 
 the natives, it is fifteen leagues in depth, 
 with a much greater breadth in several parts, 
 and full of islands. I sounded in the course 
 of the traverse and found six fathoms with a 
 sandy bottom. Here, the land has a very 
 different appearance from that on which we 
 have been since we entered the lake. Till 
 we arrived here there was one continued view 
 of high hills and islands of solid rock, whose 
 surface was occasionally enlivened with moss, 
 shrubs, and a few scattered trees, of a very 
 stinted growth, from an insufficiency of soil 
 to nourish them. But, notwithstanding their 
 barren appearance, almost every part of them 
 produces berries of various kinds, such as 
 cranberries, juniper berries, raspberries, par- 
 tridge berries, gooseberries, and the pathe- 
 gomenan, which is something like a raspberry ; 
 it grows on a small stalk about a foot and a 
 half high, in wet, mossy spots. These fruits 
 214 
 
NORTH-WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 
 
 are in great abundance, though they are not 
 to be found in the same places, but in situa- 
 tions and aspects suited to their peculiar na- 
 tures. 
 
 The land which borders the lake in this 
 part is loose and sandy, but is well covered 
 with wood, composed of trees of a larger 
 growth: it gradually rises from the shore, 
 and at some distance forms a ridge of high 
 land running along the coast, thick with 
 wood and a rocky summit rising above it. 
 
 We steered South-South-East nine miles, 
 when we were very much interrupted by 
 drifting ice, and with some difficulty reached 
 an island, where we landed at seven. I im- 
 mediately proceeded to the further part of it, 
 in order to discover if there was any proba- 
 bility of our being able to get from thence 
 in the course of the day. It is about five 
 miles in circumference, and I was very much 
 surprised to find that the greater part of the 
 wood with which it was formerly covered, 
 had been cut down within twelve or fifteen 
 years, and that the remaining stumps were 
 become altogether rotten. On making in- 
 quiry concerning the cause of this extraor- 
 dinary circumstance, the English chief in- 
 formed me, that several winters ago, many of 
 the Slave Indians inhabited the islands that 
 were scattered over the bay, as the surround- 
 ing waters abound with fish throughout the 
 215 
 
JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE TPIROUGH THE 
 
 year, but that they had been driven away 
 by the Knisteneaux, who contmually made 
 war upon them. If an establishment is to be 
 made in this country, it must be in the neigh- 
 bourhood of this place, on account of the 
 wood and fishery. 
 
 At eleven we ventured to re-embark, as the 
 wind had driven the greatest part of the ice 
 past the island, though we still had to en- 
 counter some broken pieces of it, which 
 threatened to damage our canoe. We steered 
 South-East from point to point across five 
 bays, twenty-one miles. We took soundings 
 several times, and found from six to ten 
 fathom water. I observed that the country 
 gradually descended inland, and was still 
 better covered with wood than in the higher 
 parts. — Wherever we approached the land, 
 we perceived deserted lodges. The hunters 
 killed two swans and a beaver; and at length 
 we landed at eight o'clock in the evening, 
 when we unloaded and gummed our canoe. 
 
 Friday, 26. — We continued our route at 
 five o'clock, steering South-East for ten miles 
 across two deep bays; then South-South- 
 East, with islands in sight to the Eastward. 
 We then traversed another bay in a course of 
 three miles, then South one mile to a point 
 which we named the Detour, and South-South- 
 West four miles and an half, when there was 
 an heavy swell of the lake. Here I took an 
 216 
 
NORTH-WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 
 
 observation, when we were in 61 40. North 
 latitude We then proceeded South-West 
 four miles, and West-South- West among 
 islands : on one of which our Indians killed 
 two rein-deer, but we lost three hours aft 
 wind in going for them : this course was nine 
 miles. About seven in the evening we were 
 obliged to land for the night, as the wind be- 
 came too strong from the South-East. We 
 thought we could observe land in this direc- 
 tion when the wind was coming on from sonic 
 distance. On the other side of the Detour, 
 the land is low, and the shore is fiat and dan- 
 gerous, there being no safe place to land in 
 bad weather, except in the islands which we 
 had just passed. There seemed to be plenty 
 of moose and rein-deer in this country, as we 
 saw their tracks wherever we landed. There 
 are also great numbers of white partridges, 
 which were at this season of a grey colour, 
 like that of the moor-fowl. There was some 
 floating ice in the lake, and the Indians killed 
 a couple of swans. 
 
 Saturday, 27. — At three this morning we 
 were in the canoe, after having passed a very 
 restless night from the persecution of the 
 mosquitoes The weather was fine and calm, 
 and our course West-South-West nine miles, 
 when we came to the foot of a traverse, the 
 opposite i)oint in sight bearing South-West, 
 distance twelve miles. The bay is at least 
 217 
 
JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE THROUGH THE 
 
 eight miles deep, and this course two miles 
 more, in all ten miles. It now became very 
 foggy, and as the bays were so numerous, we 
 landed for two hours, when the weather 
 cleared up, and we took the advantage of 
 steering South thirteen miles, and passed 
 several small bays, when we came to the 
 point of a very deep one, whose extremity 
 was not discernible ; the land bearing South 
 from us, at the distance of about ten miles. 
 Our guide not having been here for eight 
 winters, was at a loss what course to take, 
 though as well as he could recollect, this bay 
 appeared to be the entrance of the river. 
 Accordingly, we steered down it, about West- 
 South-West, till we were involved in a field 
 of broken ice. We still could not discover 
 the bottom of the bay, and a fog coming on, 
 made it very difficult for us to get to an 
 island to the South-West, and it was nearly 
 dark when we effected a landing 
 
 Sunday, 28. — At a quarter past three we 
 were again on the water, and as we could 
 perceive no current setting into this bay, we 
 made the best of our way to the point that 
 bore South from us yesterday afternoon. We 
 continued our course South three miles more, 
 South by West seven miles. West fifteen 
 miles, when by observation we were in 61 de- 
 grees North latitude; we then proceeded 
 West-North- West two miles. Here we came 
 218 
 
NORTH-WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 
 
 to the foot of a traverse, the opposite land 
 bearing South-West, distance fourteen miles, 
 when we steered into a deep bay, about a 
 westerly course ; and though we had no land 
 ahead in sight, we indulged the hope of find- 
 ing a passage, which, according to the Indian, 
 would conduct us to the entrance of the river. 
 Having a strong wind aft, we lost sight of 
 the Indians, nor could we put on shore to 
 wait for them, without risking material dam- 
 age to the canoe, till we ran to the bottom of 
 the bay, and were forced among the rushes; 
 when we discovered that there was no pas- 
 sage there. In about two or three hours they 
 joined us, but would not approach our fire, 
 as there was no good ground for an encamp- 
 ment : they emptied their canoe of the water 
 which it had taken in, and continued their 
 route, but did not encamp till sunset The 
 English chief was very much irritated against 
 the Red-Knife Indian, and even threatened 
 to murder him, for having undertaken to 
 guide us in a course of which he was ignorant ; 
 nor had we any reason to be satisfied with 
 him, though he still continued to encourage 
 us, by declaring that he recollected having 
 passed from the river, through the woods, to 
 the place where he had landed. In the blow- 
 ing weather to-day, we were obliged to make 
 use of our large kettle, to keep our canoe 
 from filling, although we did not carry above 
 219 
 
JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE THROUGH THE 
 
 three feet sail. The Indians very narrowly 
 escaped. 
 
 Monday, 29. — We embarked at four this 
 morning, and steered along the South- West 
 side of the bay. At half past live we reached 
 the extremity of the point, which we doubled, 
 and found it to be the branch or passage that 
 was the object of our search, and occasioned 
 by a very long island, which separates it 
 from the main channel of the river. It is 
 about half a mile across, and not more than 
 six feet in depth; the water appeared to 
 abound in fish, and was covered with fowl, 
 such as swans, geese, and several kinds of 
 ducks, particularly black ducks, that were 
 very numerous, but we could not get within 
 gun shot of them. 
 
 The current, though not very strong, set us 
 South-West by West, and we followed this 
 course fourteen miles, till we passed the point 
 of the long island, where the Slave Lake dis- 
 charges itself, and is ten miles in breadth. 
 There is not more than from five to two 
 fathom water, so that when the lake is low, 
 it may be presumed the greatest part of this 
 channel must be dry. The river now turns 
 to the Westward, becoming gradually nar- 
 rower for twenty-four miles, till it is not 
 more than half a mile wide; the current, 
 however, is then much stronger, and the 
 sounding were three fathom and a half. The 
 220 
 
NOKTH-WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 
 
 land on the North shore from the Idke is low, 
 and covered with trees ; that to the South is 
 much higher, and has also an abundance of 
 wood. The current is very strong, and the 
 banks are of an equal height on both sides, 
 consisting of a yellow clay, mixed with small 
 stones ; they are covered with large quanti- 
 ties of burned wood, lying on the ground, 
 and young poplar trees, that have sprung up 
 since the fire that destroyed the larger wood. 
 It is a very curious and extraordinary circum- 
 stance, that land covered with spruce pine, 
 and white birch, when laid waste by fire, 
 should subsequently produce nothing but 
 poplars, where none of that species of tree 
 were previously to be found. 
 
 A stiff breeze from the Eastward drove us 
 on at a great rate under sail, in the same 
 course, though obliged to wind among the 
 islands. We kept the North channel for 
 about ten miles, Avhose current is much 
 stronger than that of the South ; so that the 
 latter is consequently the better road to come 
 up. Here the river widened, and the wind 
 dying away, we had recourse to our paddies. 
 We kept our course to the North-West, ou 
 the North side of the river, which is here 
 much wider, and assumes the form of a small 
 lake; we could not, however, discover an 
 opening in any direction, so that we were at 
 a loss what course to take, as our Red-Knife 
 221 
 
JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE THROUGH THE 
 
 Indian had never explored beyond our present 
 situation. He at the same time informed us 
 that a river falls in from the North, which 
 takes its rise in the Horn Mountain, now in 
 sight, which is the country of the Beaver In- 
 dians; and that he and his relations fre- 
 quently meet on that river. He also added, 
 that there are very extensive plains on both 
 sides of it, which abound in buffaloes and 
 moose deer. 
 
 By keeping this course, we got into shal- 
 lows, so that we were forced to steer to tlie 
 left, till we recovered deep water, which we 
 followed till the channel of the river opened 
 on us to the southward, we now made for the 
 shore, and encamped soon after sunset. Our 
 course ought to have been West fifteen miles, 
 since we took to the paddle, the Horn Moun- 
 tains bearing from us North-West, and run- 
 ning North-North-East and South-South- 
 West. Our soundings, which were frequent 
 during the course of the day, were from three 
 to six fathoms water. The hunters killed 
 two geese and a swan : it appeared, indeed, 
 that great numbers of fowls breed in the 
 islands which we had passed. 
 
 Tuesday, 30. — At four this morning we got 
 under way, the weather being fine and calm. 
 Our course was South -West by South thirty- 
 six miles. On the South side of the river is 
 a ridge of low mountains, running East and 
 222 
 
NORTH-WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 
 
 West by compass. The Indians picked up a 
 white goose, which appeared to have been 
 lately shot with an arrow, and was quite 
 fresh. We proceeded South-West by South 
 six miles, and then came to a bay on our left, 
 which is full of small islands, and appeared 
 to be the entrance of a river from the South. 
 Here the ridge of mountains terminates. 
 This course was fifteen miles. 
 
 At six in the afternoon there was an ap- 
 pearance of bad weather; we landed there- 
 fore, for the night ; but before we could pitch 
 our tents, a violent tempest came on, with 
 thunder, lightning, and rain, which, however, 
 soon ceased, but not before we had suffered 
 the inconvenience of being drenched by it. 
 The Indians were very much fatigued, having 
 been employed in running after wild fowl, 
 which had lately cast their feathers; they, 
 however, caught five swans, and the same 
 number of geese. I sounded several times 
 in the course of the day, and found from four 
 to six fathoms water. 
 
 223 
 
JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE THROUGH THE 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 JULY, 1789. 
 
 Wednesday y 1, At half past four in the 
 morning we continued our voyage, and in a 
 short time found the river narrowed to about 
 half a mile. Our course was Westerly among 
 islands, with a strong current. Though the 
 land is high on both sides, the banks are not 
 perpendicular. This course was twenty-one 
 miles ; and on sounding we found nine fathoms 
 water. We then proceeded West-North- West 
 nine miles, and passed a river upon the 
 South-East side; we sounded, and found 
 twelve fathoms; and then we went North- 
 West by West three miles. Here I lost my 
 lead, Avhich had fastened at the bottom, Avith 
 part of the line, the current running so strong 
 that we could not clear \ ; with eight paddles, 
 and the strength of the line, which was equal 
 to four paddles. Continued North ^ rj West 
 five miles, and saw a high mountain, bearing 
 South from us; we then proceeded North- 
 West by North four miles. We now passed 
 a small river on the North side, then doubled 
 a point to West-South-West. At one o'clock 
 there came on lightnmg and thunder, with 
 wind and rain, which ceased in about half an 
 224 
 
Is^ORTH-WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 
 
 hour, and left us almost deluged with wet, as 
 we did not land. There were great quantities 
 of ice along the banks of the river. 
 
 We landed upon a small island, where there 
 were the poles of four lodges standing, which 
 we concluded to have belonged to the Kniste- 
 neaux, on their war excursions, six or seven 
 years ago. This course was fifteen miles 
 West, to where the river of the Mountain 
 falls in from the Southward. It appears to 
 be a very large river, whose mouth is half a 
 mile broad. About six miles further a small 
 river flows in the same direction; and our 
 whole course was twenty -four miles. We 
 landed opposite to an island, the mountains 
 to the Southward being in sight. As our 
 canoe was deeply laden, and being also in 
 daily expectation of coming to the rapids or 
 falls, which we had been taught to consider 
 with apprehension, we concealed two bags of 
 pemmican in the opposite island, in the hope 
 that they would be of future service to us. 
 The Indians were of a different opinion, as 
 they entertained no expectation of returning 
 that season, when the hidden provisions 
 would be spoiled. Near us were two Indian 
 encampments of the last year. By the man- 
 ner in which these people cut their wood, it 
 appears that they have no iron tools. The 
 current was very strong during the whole of 
 this day's voyage, and in the article of pro- 
 15 225 
 
JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE THROUGH THE 
 
 visions two swans were all that the hunters 
 were able to procure. 
 
 Thursday, 2. — The morning was very 
 foggy : but at half past five we embarked ; it 
 cleared up, however, at seven, when we dis- 
 covered that the water, from being very lim- 
 pid and clear, was become dark and muddy. 
 This alteration must have proceeded from the 
 influx of some river to the Southward, but 
 where these streams first blended their wa- 
 ters, the fog had prevented us from observ- 
 ing. At nine we perceived a very high moun- 
 tain ahead, which appeared, on our nearer 
 approach, to be rather a cluster of mountains, 
 stretching as far as oui- view could reach to 
 the Southward, and wh»^oe tops were lost in 
 the clouds. At noon there was lightning, 
 thunder, and rain, and at one, we came 
 abreast of the mountains ; their summits ap- 
 peared to be barren and rocky, but their de- 
 clivities were covered with wood; they ap- 
 peared also to be sprinkled with white stones, 
 which glistened in the sun, and were called 
 by the Indians vianetoe aseniah, or spirit 
 stones. I suspected that thoy were Talc, 
 though they possessed ^, more brilliant white- 
 ness ; on our return, however, these appear- 
 ances were dissolved, as they were nothing 
 more than patches of snow. 
 
 Our course had been West-South-West 
 thirty miles and we proceeded with great 
 226 
 
NORTH-WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 
 
 caution, as we continually expected to ap- 
 proach some great rapid or fall. This was 
 such a prevalent idea, that all of us were oc- 
 casionally persuaded that we heard those 
 sounds which betokened a fall of water. Our 
 course changed to West by North, along the 
 mountains, twelve miles. North by West, 
 twenty-one miles, and at eight o'clock in the 
 evening, we went on shore for the night, on 
 the North side of the river. We saw several 
 encampments of the natives, some of which 
 had been erected in the present spring, and 
 others at some former period. The hunters 
 killed only one swan and a beaver ; the latter 
 was the first of its kind which we had seen 
 in this river. The Indians complained of the 
 perseverance with which we pushed forward, 
 and that they were not accustomed to such 
 severe fatigue as it occasioned. 
 
 Friday, 3. — The rain was continual through 
 the night, and did not subside till seven this 
 morning, when we embarked and steered 
 North-North- West for twelve miles, the river 
 being enclosed by high mountains on either 
 side. We had a strong head-wind, and the 
 rain was so violent as to compel us to land at 
 ten o'clock. According to my reckoning, 
 since my last observation, we had run two 
 hundred and seventeen miles West, and forty- 
 four miles North. At a quarter past two the 
 rain subsided, and we got again under way, 
 227 
 
JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE THROUGH THE 
 
 our former course continuing for five miles. 
 Here a river feU in from the North, and in a 
 short time the current became strong and 
 rapid, running with great rapidity among 
 rocky islands, which were the first that we 
 had seen in this river, and indicated our near 
 approach to rapids and falls. Our present 
 course was North- West by North ten miles, 
 North- West three miles, West-North- West 
 twelve miles, and North-West three miles, 
 when we encamped at eight in the evening, at 
 the foot of an high hill, on the North shore, 
 which in some parts rose perpendicular from 
 the river. I immediately ascended it, ac- 
 companied by two men and some Indians, and 
 in about an hour and an half, with very hard 
 walking, we gained the summit, when I was 
 very much surprised to find it crowned by an 
 encampment. The Indians informed me, that 
 it is the custom of the people who have no 
 arms to choose these elevated spots for the 
 places of their residence, as they can render 
 them inaccessible to their enemies, particu- 
 larly the Knisteneaux, of whom they are in 
 continual dread. The prospect from this 
 height was not so extensive as we expected, 
 as it was terminated by a circular range of 
 hills, of the same elevation as that on which 
 we stood. The intervals between the hills 
 were covered with small lakes, which were 
 inhabited by great numbers of swans. We, 
 228 
 
I^ORTH-WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 
 
 saw no trees but the pine and the birch, which 
 were small in size and few in number. 
 
 We were obliged to shorten our stay here, 
 from the swarms of mosquitoes which at- 
 tacked us on all sides and were, indeed, the 
 only inhabitants of the place. We saw sev- 
 eral encampments of the natives in the course 
 of the day, but none of them were of this 
 year's establishment. Since four in the after- 
 noon the current had been so strong, that it 
 was at length, in an actual ebullition, and 
 produced an hissing noise like a kettle of 
 water in a moderate state of boiling. The 
 weather was now become extremely cold, 
 which was the more sensibly felt, as it had 
 been very sultry sometime before and since 
 we had been in the river. 
 
 Saturday, Jf. At five in the morning, the 
 wind and weather having undergone no alter- 
 ation from yesterday, we proceeded North- 
 West by West twenty-two miles. North- West 
 six miles, North-West by North four miles 
 and West-North-West five miles; we then 
 passed the mouth of a small river from the 
 North, and after doubling a point, South- 
 West one mile, we passed the influx of an- 
 other river from the South. We then con- 
 tinued our course North-North- West, with a 
 mountain ahead, fifteen miles, when the open- 
 ing of two rivers appeared opposite to each 
 otlier : we then proceeded West four miles, 
 229 
 
JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE THROUGH THE 
 
 and North-West thirteen miles. At eight 
 in the evening, we encamped on an island. 
 The current was as strong through the whole 
 of this day as it had been the preceding after- 
 noon ; nevertheless, a quantity of ice appeared 
 along the banks of the river. The hunters 
 killed a beaver and a goose, the former of 
 which sunk before they could get to him : 
 beavers, otters, bears, etc., if shot dead at 
 once, remain like a bladder, but if there re- 
 mains enough of life for them to struggle, 
 they soon fill with water and go to the bot- 
 tom. 
 
 Sunday, 5. The sun set last night at fifty- 
 three minutes past nine, by my watch, and 
 rose at seven minutes before two this morn- 
 iing : we embarked soon after, steering North- 
 North- West, through islands for five miles, 
 and West four miles. The river then in- 
 creased in breadth, and the current began to 
 slacken in a small degree ; after the continu- 
 ation of our course, we perceived a ridge of 
 high mountains before us, covered with snow. 
 West-South-West ten miles, and at three- 
 quarters past seven o'clock, we saw several 
 smokes on the North shore, which we made 
 every exertion to approach. As we drew 
 nearer, we discovered the natives running 
 about in great apparent confusion ; some were 
 making to the woods, and others hurrying to 
 their canoes. Our hunters landed before us, 
 230 
 
NORTH-WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 
 
 and addressed the few that had not escaped, 
 in the Chipewyan language, which, so great 
 was their confusion and terror, they did not 
 appear to understand. But when they per- 
 ceived that it was impossible to avoid us, as 
 we were all landed, they made us signs to 
 keep at a distance, with which we complied, 
 and not only unloaded our canoe, but pitched 
 our tents, before we made any attempt to ap- 
 proach them. During this interval, the Eng- 
 lish chief and his young men were employed 
 in reconciling them to our arrival ; and when 
 they had recovered from their alarm of hos- 
 tile intention, it appeared that some of them 
 perfectly comprehended the language of our 
 Indians; so that they were at length per- 
 suaded, though not without evident signs of 
 reluctance and apprehension, to come to us. 
 Their reception, however, soon dissipated 
 their fears, and they hastened to call their 
 fugitive companions from their hiding places. 
 There were five families, consisting of 
 twenty-five or thirty persons, and of two dif- 
 ferent tribes, the Slave and Dog-rib Indians. 
 We made them smoke, though it was evi- 
 dent they did not know the use of tobacco ; 
 we likewise supplied them with grog ; but I 
 am disposed to think, that they accepted our 
 civilities rather from fear than inclination. 
 We acquired a more effectual influence over 
 ■^iiem by the distribution of knives, beads, 
 231 
 
JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE THROUGH THE 
 
 awls, rings, gartering, fire-steels, flints, and 
 hatchets ; so that they became more familiar 
 even than we expected, for we could not keep 
 them out of our tents : though I did not ob- 
 serve that they attempted to purloin any- 
 thing. 
 
 The information which they gave respect- 
 ing the river, had so much of the fabulous, 
 that I shall not detail it : it will be sufficient 
 just to mention their attempts to persuade 
 us that it would require several winters to 
 get to the sea, and that old age would come 
 upon us before the period of our return : we 
 were also to encounter monsters of such hor- 
 rid shapes and destructive powers as could 
 only exist in their wild imaginations. They 
 added, besides, that there were two impass- 
 able falls in the river, the first of which was 
 about thirty days' march from us. 
 
 Though I placed no faith in these strang-e 
 relations, they had a very different effect 
 upon our Indians, who were already tired of 
 the voyage. It was their opinion and anx- 
 ious wish, that we should not hesitate to re- 
 turn. They said that, according to the in- 
 formation which they had received, there 
 were very few animals in the country beyond 
 us, and that as we proceeded, the scarcity 
 would increase, and we should absolutely 
 perish from hunger, if no other accident be- 
 fel us. It was with no small trouble that 
 232 
 
NORTH-WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 
 
 they were convinced of the folly of these 
 reasonings ; and by my desire, they induced 
 one of those Indians to accompany us, in 
 consideration of a small kettle, an axe, a 
 knife, and some other articles. 
 
 Though it was now three o'clock in the 
 afternoon, the canoe was ordered to be re- 
 loaded, and as we were ready to embark our 
 new recruit was desired to prepare himself 
 for his departure, which he would have de- 
 clined; but as none of his friends would take 
 his place, we may be said, after the delay of 
 an hour, to have compelled him to embark. 
 Previous to his departure a ceremony took 
 place, of which I could not learn the mean- 
 ing ; he cut off a lock of his hair, and having 
 divided it into three parts, he fastened one of 
 them to the hair on the upper part of his 
 wife's head, blowing on it three times with 
 the utmost violence in his power, and utter- 
 ing certain words. The other two he fastened 
 with the same formalities, on the heads of 
 his two children. 
 
 During our short stay with these people, 
 they amused us with dancing, which they 
 accompanied with their voices: but neither 
 their song or their dance possessed much 
 variety. The men and women formed a pro- 
 miscuous ring. The former have a bone dag- 
 ger or piece of stick between the fingers of 
 the right hand, which they keep extended 
 233 
 
JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE THROUGH THE 
 
 above the head, in continual motion : the 
 left they seldom raise so high, but work it 
 backwards and forwards in a horizontal di- 
 rection; while they leap about and throw 
 themselves into various antic postures, to the 
 measure of their music, always bringing their 
 heels close to each other at every pause. The 
 men occasionally howl in imitation of some 
 animal, and he who continues this violent 
 exercise for the longest period, appears to be 
 considered as the best performer. The women 
 suffer their arms to hang as without the 
 power of motion. They are a meagre, ugly, 
 ill-made people, particularly about the legs, 
 which are very clumsy and covered with 
 scabs. The latter circumstance proceeds 
 probably from their habitually roasting them 
 before the fire. Many of them appeared to 
 be in a very unhealthy state, which is owing, 
 as I imagine, to their natural filthiness. They 
 are of a moderate stature, and as far as could 
 be discovered, through the coat of dirt and 
 grease that covers them, are of a fairer com- 
 plexion than the generality of Indians who 
 are the natives of warmer climates. 
 
 Some of them have their hair of a great 
 length; while others suffer a long tress to 
 fall behind, and the rest is cut so short as to 
 expose their ears, but no other attention 
 whatever is paid to it. The beards of some 
 of the old men were long, and the rest had 
 234 
 
NORTH-WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 
 
 them pulled out by the roots so that not a 
 hair could be seen on their chins. The men 
 have two double lines, either black or blue, 
 tattooed upon each cheek, from the ear to the 
 nose. The gristle of the latter is perforated 
 so as to admit a goose-quill or a small piece 
 of wood to be passed through the orifice. 
 Their clothing is made of the dressed skins of 
 the rein or moose-deer, though more com- 
 monly of the former. These they prepare in 
 the hair for winter, and make shirts of both, 
 which reach to the middle of their thighs. 
 Some of them are decorated with an embroid- 
 ery of very neat workmanship with porcupine 
 quills and the hair of the moose, coloured 
 red, black, yellow, and white. Their upper 
 garments are sufficiently large to cover the 
 whole body, with a fringe round the bottom, 
 and are used both sleeping and awake. Their 
 leggins come half way up the thigh, and are 
 sewed to their shoes : they are embroidered 
 round the ancle, and upon every seam. The 
 dress of the women is the same as that of the 
 men. The former have no covering on their 
 private parts, except a tassel of leather which 
 dangles from a small cord, as it appears, to 
 keep off the flies, which would otherwise be 
 very troublesome. Whether circumcision be 
 practised among them, I cannot pretend to 
 say, but the appearance of it was general 
 among those whom I saw. 
 235 
 
^ JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE THROUGH THE 
 
 Their ornaments consist of gorgets, brace- 
 lets for the arms and wrists, made of wood, 
 horn, or bone, belts, garters, and a kind of 
 band to go round the head, composed of 
 strips of leather of one inch and an half 
 broad, embroidered with porcupine quills, 
 and stuck round with the claws of bears or 
 wild fowl inverted, to which are suspended a 
 few short thongs of the skin of an animal 
 that resembles the ermine, in the form of a 
 tassel. Their cinctures and garters are formed 
 of porcupine quills woven with sinews, in a 
 style of peculiar skill and neatness : they 
 have others of different materials, and more 
 ordinary workmanship ; and to both they at- 
 tach a long fringe of strings of leather, 
 worked round with hair of various colours. 
 Their mittens are also suspended from the 
 neck in a position convenient for the recep- 
 tion of the hands. 
 
 Their lodges are of a very simple structure : 
 a few poles supported by a fork, and forming 
 a semicircle at the bottom, with some brancliv^s 
 or a piece of bark as a covering, constitutes 
 the whole of their native architecture. They 
 build two of these huts facing each other, and 
 make the fire between them. The furniture 
 harmonises with the buildings : they have a 
 few dishes of wood, bark, or horn ; the ves- 
 sels in which they cook their victuals are in 
 the shape of a gourd, narrow at the top and 
 236 
 
NORTH-WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 
 
 wide at the bottom, and of watape,*' fabri- 
 cated in such a manner as to hold water, 
 which is made to boil by putting a succession 
 of red-hot stones into it. These vessels con- 
 tain from two to six gallons. They have a 
 number of small leather bags to hold their 
 embroidered work, lines, and nets. They 
 always keep a large quantity of the fibres of 
 willow bark, which they work into thread on 
 their thighs. Their nets are from three to 
 forty fathoms in length, and from thirteen to 
 thirtj^-six inches in depth. The short deep 
 ones they set in the eddy current of rivers, 
 and the long ones in the lakes. They like- 
 wise make lines of the sinews of the rein-deer, 
 and manufacture their hooks from wood, 
 horn, or bone. Their arms and weapons for 
 hunting, are bows and arrows, spears, dag- 
 gers, and pogamagans, or clubs. The bows 
 are about five or six feet in length, and the 
 strings are of sinews or raw skins. The ar- 
 rows are two feet and an half long, including 
 the barb, which is variously formed of bone, 
 horn, flint, iron, or copper, and are winged 
 with three feathers. The pole of the spears 
 
 * Watape is the name given to the divided roots 
 of the spruce fir, which the natives weave into a de- 
 gree of compactness that renders it capable of con- 
 taining a fluid. The different parts of the bark 
 canoes are also sewed together with this kind of fila- 
 ment 
 
 237 
 
JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE THROUGH THE 
 
 is about six feet in length, and pointed with a 
 barbed bone of ten inches. With this weapon 
 they strike the rein-deer in the water. The 
 daggers are flat and sharp -pointed, about 
 twelve inches long, and made of horn or bone. 
 The pogamagon is made of the horn of the 
 rein-deer, the branches being all cut off, ex- 
 cept that which forms the extremity. This 
 instrument is about two feet in length, and 
 is employed to despatch their enemies in 
 battle, and such animals as they catch in 
 snares placed for that purpose. These are 
 about three fathom long, and are made of the 
 green skin of the rein or moose-deer, but in 
 such small strips, that it requires from ten to 
 thirty strands to make this cord, which is 
 not thicker than a cod-line; and strong 
 enough to resist any animal that can be en- 
 tangled in it. Snares or nooses are also made 
 of sinews to take lesser animals, such as 
 hares and white partridges, which are very 
 numerous. Their axes are manufactured of 
 a piece of brown or grey stone from six to 
 eight inches long, and two inches thick. The 
 inside is flat, and the outside round and 
 tapering to an edge, an inch wide. They are 
 fastened by the middle with the flat side in- 
 wards to a handle two feet long, with a cord 
 of green, skin. This is the tool with which 
 they split their wood, and we believe, the 
 only one of its kind among them. They 
 238 
 
NORTH-WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 
 
 kindle fire, by striking together a piece of 
 white or yellow pyrites and a flint stone, over 
 a piece of touchwood. They are universally 
 provided with a small bag containing these 
 materials, so that they are in a continual 
 state of preparation to produce fire. From 
 the adjoining tribes, the Red-Knives and 
 Chepewyans, they procure, in barter for 
 marten skins and a few beaver, small pieces 
 of iron, of which they manufacture knives, 
 by fixing them at the end of a short stick, 
 and with them and the beaver's teeth, they 
 finish all their work. They keep them in a 
 sheath hanging to their neck, which also con- 
 tains their awls both of iron and horn. 
 
 Their canoes are small, pointed at both 
 ends, flat-bottomed and covered in the fore 
 part. They are made of the bark of the 
 birch-tree and fir-wood, but of so slight a con- 
 struction, that the man whom one of these 
 light vessels bears on the water, can, in re- 
 turn, carry it over land without any diffi- 
 culty. It is very seldom that more than one 
 person embarks in them, nor are they capable 
 of receiving more than two. The paddles 
 are six feet long, one half of which is occu- 
 pied by a blade of about eight inches wide. 
 These people informed us, that we had passed 
 large bodies of Indians who inhabit the moun- 
 tains on the east side of the river. 
 
 At four in the afternoon we embarked, and 
 239 
 
JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE THROUGH THE 
 
 our Indian acquaintance promised to remain 
 on the bank of the river till the fall, in case 
 T7e should return. Our course was West- 
 >'South-West, and we soon passed the Great- 
 l^ear-Lake River, which is of a considerable 
 depth, and a hundred yards wide : its water 
 is clear, and has the greenish hue of the sea. 
 We had not proceeded more than six miles 
 when we were obliged to land for the night, 
 in consequence of an heavy gust of wind, ac- 
 companied with rain. We encamped beneath 
 a rocky hill, on the top of which, according 
 to the information of our guide, it blew a 
 storm every day throughout the year. He 
 found himself very uncomfortable in his new 
 situation, and pretended that he was very ill, 
 in order that he might be permitted to return 
 to his relations. To prevent his escape it be- 
 came necessary to keep a strict watch over 
 him during the night. 
 
 Monday f 6. — At three o'clock, in a very 
 raw and cloudy morning, we embarked, and 
 steered West-South- West four miles, West 
 four miles, West-lSTorth-West five miles, 
 West eighj miles. West by South, sixteen 
 miles, West twenty-seven miles. South- West 
 nine miles, then West six miles, and en- 
 camped at half past seven. We passed 
 through numerous islands, and had the ridge 
 of snowy mountains always in sight. Our 
 conductor informed us that great numbers of 
 240 
 
NORTH-WEST CONTIISrENT OF AIVIERICA. 
 
 bears and small white buffaloes frequent those 
 mountains, which are also inhabited by In- 
 dians. We encamped in a similar situation 
 to that of the preceding evening, beneath an- 
 other high rocky hill, which I attempted to 
 ascend, in company with one of the hunters, 
 but before we had got half way to the sum- 
 mit, we were almost suffocated by clouds of 
 mosquitoes, and were obliged to return. I 
 observed, however, that a river flowed from 
 the Westward: I also discovered a strong 
 rippling current or rapid which ran close un- 
 der a steep precipice of the hill. 
 
 Tuesday, 7. — We embarked at four in the 
 morning, and crossed to the opposite side of 
 the river, in consequence of the rapid; but 
 we might have spared ourselves this trouble, 
 as there would have been no danger in con- 
 tinuing our course, without any circuitous 
 deviation whatever. This circumstance con- 
 vinced us of the erroneous account given by 
 the natives of the great and approaching 
 dangers of our navigation, as this rapid was 
 stated to be one of them. Our course was 
 now North-North-West three miles. West- 
 North - West four miles, North - West ten 
 miles, North two miles, when we came to a 
 river that flowed from the Eastward. Here 
 we landed at an encampment of four fires, all 
 the inhabitants of which ran off with the ut- 
 most speed, except an old man and an old 
 16 241 
 
JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE THROUGH THE 
 
 woman. Our guide called aloud to the fugi- 
 tives, and entreated them to stay, but with- 
 out effect: the old man, however, did not 
 hesitate to approach us, and represented him- 
 self as too far advanced in life, and too in- 
 different about the short time he had to re- 
 main in the world, to be very anxious about 
 escaping from any danger that threatened 
 him; at the same time he pulled his grey 
 hairs from his head by handfuls to distribute 
 among us, and implored our favour for him- 
 self and his relations. Our guide, however, 
 at length removed his fears, and persuaded 
 him to recall the fugitives, who consisted of 
 eighteen people ; whom I reconciled to me on 
 their return with presents of beads, knives, 
 awls, &c., with which they appeared to be 
 greatly delighted. They differed in no re 
 spect from those whom we had already seen ? 
 nor were they deficient in hospitable atten- 
 tions ; they provided us with fish, which was 
 very well boiled, and cheerfully accepted by us. 
 Our guide still sickened after his home, and 
 was so anxious to return thither, that we were 
 under the necessity of forcing him to embark. 
 
 These people informed us that we were close 
 to another great rapid, and that there were 
 several lodges of their relations in its vicinity. 
 
 Four canoes, with a man in each, followed 
 us, to point out the particular channels we 
 should follow for the secure passage of the 
 242 
 
NORTH-WEST CONTINENT OF AIMERICA. 
 
 rapid. They also abounded in discouraging 
 stories concerning the dangers and difficulties 
 which we were to encounter. 
 
 From hence our course was North-North- 
 Ea^t two miles, when the river appeared to 
 be enclosed, as it were, with lofty, perpen- 
 dicular, white rocks, which did not afford us 
 a very agreeable prospect. We now went on 
 shore, in order to examine the rapid, but did 
 not perceive any signs of it, though the In- 
 dians still continued to magnify its dangers : 
 however, as they ventured down it, in their 
 small canoes, our apprehensions were conse- 
 quently removed, and we followed them at 
 some distance, but did not find any increase 
 in the rapidity of the current ; at length the 
 Indians mformed us that we should find no 
 other rapid but that which was now bearing 
 us along. The river at this place is not above 
 three hundred yards in breadth, but on sound- 
 ing I found fifty fathoms water. At the two 
 rivulets that offer their tributary streams from 
 either side, we found six families, consisting 
 of about thirty-five persons, who gave us an 
 ample quantity of excellent fish, which were, 
 however, confined to white fish, the poisson 
 inconnu, and another of a round form and 
 greenish colour, which was about fourteen 
 inches in length. We gratified them with a 
 few presents, and continued our voyage. The 
 men, however, followed us in fifteen canoes. 
 243 
 
JOURNAL OF A VOYGAE THROUGH THE 
 
 This narrow channel is three miles long, 
 and its course North-North-East. We then 
 steered North three miles, and landed at an 
 encampment of three or more families, con- 
 taining twenty-two persons, which was situ- 
 ated on the bank of a river, of a considerable 
 appearance, which came from the Eastward. 
 We obtained hares and partridges from these 
 people, and presented in return such articles 
 as greatly delighted them. They very much 
 regretted that they had no goods or mer- 
 chandise to exchange with us, as they had 
 left them at a lake, from whence the river is- 
 sued, and in whose vicinity some of their 
 people were employed in setting snares for 
 rem-deer. They engaged to go for their ar- 
 ticles of trade, and would wait our return, 
 which we assumed them would be within two 
 months. There was a youth among them in 
 the capacity of a slave, whom our Indians 
 understood much better than any of the na- 
 tives of this country whom they had yet seen ; 
 he was invited to accompany us, but took the 
 first opportunity to conceal himself, and we 
 saw him no more. 
 
 We now steered West five miles, when we 
 again landed, and found two families, con- 
 taining seven people, but had reason to be- 
 lieve that there were others hidden in the 
 woods. We received from them two dozen 
 of hares, and they were about to boil two 
 244 
 
NORTH-WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 
 
 more, which they also gave us. We were not 
 ungrateful for fheir kindness, and left them. 
 Our course was now North- West four miles, 
 and at nine we landed and pitched our tents, 
 when one of our people killed a grey crane. 
 Our conductor renewed his complaints, not, 
 as he assured us, from any apprehension of 
 our ill-treatment, but of the Esquimaux, 
 whom he represented as a very wicked and 
 malignant people ; who would put us all to 
 death. He added, also, that it was but two 
 summers since a large party of them came up 
 this river, and killed many of his relations. 
 Two Indians followed us from the last lodges. 
 Wednesday, 8. — At half past two in the 
 morning we embarked, and steered a Westerly 
 course, and soon after put ashore at two 
 lodges of nine Indians. We made them a 
 few trifling presents, but without disembark- 
 ing, and had proceeded but a small distance 
 from thence, when we observed several 
 smokes beneath a hill, on the North shore, 
 and on our approach we perceived the natives 
 climbing the ascent to gain the woods. The 
 Indians, however, in the two small canoes 
 which were ahead of us, having assured them 
 of our friendly intentions, they returned to 
 their fires, and we disembarked. Several of 
 them were clad in hare-skins, but in every 
 other circumstance they resembled those 
 whom we had already seen. We were, how- 
 245 
 
JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE THROUGH THE 
 
 ever, informed that they were of a different 
 tribe, called the Hare Indians, as hares and 
 fish are their principal support, from the 
 scarcity of rein-deer and beaver, which are 
 the only animals of the larger kind that fre- 
 quent this part of the country. They were 
 twenty-five in number ; and among them was 
 a woman who was afflicted with an abscess in 
 the belly, and reduced, in consequence, to a 
 mere skeleton : at the same time several old 
 women were singing and howling around her ; 
 but whether these noises were to operate as 
 a charm for her cure, or merely to amuse and 
 console her, I do not pretend to determine. 
 A small quantity of our usual presents were 
 received by them with the greatest satisfac- 
 tion. 
 
 Here we made an exchange of our guide, 
 who had become so troublesome that we were 
 obliged to watch him night and day, except 
 when he was upon the water. The man, 
 however, who had agreed to go in his place 
 soon repented of his engagement, and en- 
 deavoured to persuade us that some of his re- 
 lations further down the river, would readily 
 accompany us, and were much better ac- 
 quainted with the river than himself. But, 
 as he had informed us ten minutes before 
 that we should see no more of his tribe, we 
 paid very little attention to his remonstrances, 
 and compelled him to embark. 
 246 
 
NORTH-WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 
 
 In about three hours a man overtook us in 
 a canoe, and we suspected that his object was 
 to facilitate, in some way or other, the escape 
 of our conductor. About twelve we also ob- 
 served an Indian walking along the North- 
 East shore, when the small canoes paddled 
 towards him. We accordingly followed, and 
 found three men, three women, and two chil- 
 dren, who had been on an hunting expedition. 
 They had some flesh of the rein-deer, which 
 they offered to us, but it was so rotten, as 
 well as offensive to the smell, that we ex- 
 cused ourselves from accepting it. They had 
 also their wonderful stories of danger and 
 terror, as well as their countrymen, whom we 
 had already seen ; and we were now informed, 
 that behind the opposite island there was a 
 Manitoe or spirit, in the river, which swal- 
 lowed every person that approached it. As 
 it would have employed half a day to have 
 indulged oar curiosity in proceeding to ex- 
 amine this phenomenon, we did not deviate 
 from our course, but left these people with 
 the usual presents, and proceeded on our 
 voyage. Our course and distance this day 
 were West twenty-eight miles, West-North- 
 West twenty-three miles, West-South-West 
 six miles. West by North five miles, South- 
 West four miles, and encamped at eight 
 o'clock. A fog prevailed the greater part of 
 the day, with frequent showers of small rain. 
 247 
 
JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE THROUGH THE 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 JULY, 1789. 
 
 Thursday, 9. — Thunder and rain prevailed 
 during the night, and, in the course of it, our 
 guide deserted; we therefore compelled an- 
 other of these people, very much against his 
 will, to supply the place of his fugitive coun- 
 tryman. V^e also took away the paddles of 
 one of them who remained behind, that he 
 might not follow us on any scheme of promot- 
 ing the escape of his companion, who was not 
 easily pacified. At length, however, we suc- 
 ceeded in the act of conciliation, and at half 
 past three quitted our station. In a short 
 time- we saw a smoke on the East shore, and 
 directed our course towards it. Our new 
 guide began immediately to call to the people 
 that belonged to it in a particular manner, 
 which we did not comprehend. He informed 
 us that they were not of his tribe, but were a 
 very wicked, malignant people, who would 
 beat us cruelly, pull our hair with great vio- 
 lence from our heads, and maltreat us in 
 various other ways. 
 
 The men waited our arrival, but the wom- 
 en and children took to the woods. There 
 were but four of these people, and previous 
 248 
 
NORTH-WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 
 
 to our landing, they all harangued us at the 
 same moment, and apparently with violent 
 anger and resentment. Our hunters did not 
 understand them, but no sooner had our guide 
 addressed them, than they were appeased. I 
 presented them with beads, awls, etc., and 
 when the women and children returned from 
 the woods, they were gratified with similar 
 articles. There were fifteen of them ; and of 
 a more pleasing appearance than any which 
 we had hitherto seen, as they were healthy, 
 full of flesh, and clean in their persons. 
 Their language was somewhat different, but 
 I believe chiefly in the accent, for they and 
 our guide conversed intelligibly with each 
 other ; and the English chief clearly compre- 
 hended one of them, though he was not him- 
 self understood. 
 
 Their arms and utensils differ but little 
 from those which have been described in a 
 former chapter. The only iron they have is 
 in small pieces, which serve them for knives. 
 They obtain this metal from the Esquimaux 
 Indians. Their arrows are made of very light 
 wood, and are winged only with two feathers ; 
 their bows differed from any which we had 
 seen, and we understood that they were fur- 
 nished by the Esquimaux, who are their 
 neighbours : they consist of two pieces, with 
 a very strong cord of sinews along the back, 
 which is tied in several places, to preserve 
 249 
 
JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE THROUGH THE 
 
 its shape; when this cord becomes wet, it 
 requires a strong bow-string, and a powerful 
 arm to draw it. The vessel in which they 
 prepare their food, is made of a thin frame 
 of wood, and of an oblong shape ; the bottom 
 is fixed in a groove, in the same manner as a 
 cask. Their shirts are not cut square at the 
 bottom, but taper to a point, from the belt 
 downwards as low as the knee, both before 
 and behind, with a border, embellished with 
 a short fringe. They use also another fringe, 
 similar to that which has been already de- 
 scribed, with the addition of the stone of a 
 grey farinaceous berry, of the size and shape 
 of a large barley-corn : it is of a brown col- 
 our, and fluted, and being bored is run on 
 each string of the fringe ; with this they dec- 
 orate their shirts, by sewing it in a semicircle 
 on the breast and back, and crossing over 
 both shoulders; the sleeves are wide and 
 short, but the mittens supply their deficiency, 
 as they are long enough to reach over a part 
 of the sleeve, and are commodiously sus- 
 pended by a cord from the neck. If their 
 leggins were made with waistbands, they 
 might with great propriety be denominated 
 trousers : they fasten them with a cord round 
 the middle, so that they appear to have a 
 sense of decency which their neighbours can 
 not boast. Their shoes are sewed to their 
 leggins, and decorated on every seam. One 
 250 
 
NORTH-WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 
 
 of the men was clad in a shirt made of the 
 skins of the musk-rat. The dress of the 
 women is the same as that of the men, except 
 in their shirts, which are longer, and without 
 the finishing of a fringe on their breast. 
 Their peculiar mode of tying the hair is as 
 follows : — that which grows on the temples, 
 or the fore part of the skull, is formed into 
 two queues, hanging down before the ears ; 
 that of the scalp or crown is fashioned in the 
 same manner to the back of the neck, and is 
 then tied with the rest of the hair, at some 
 distance from the head. A thin cord is em- 
 ployed for these purposes, and very neatly 
 worked with hair, artificially coloured. The 
 women, and, indeed, some of the men, let 
 their hair hang loose on their shoulders, 
 whether it be long or short. 
 
 We purchased a couple of very large moose 
 skins from them, which were very well 
 dressed; indeed we did not suppose that 
 there were any of those animals in the coun- 
 try ; and it appears from the accounts of the 
 natives themselves, that they are very scarce. 
 As for the beaver, the existence of such a 
 creature does not seem to be known by them. 
 Our people bought shirts of them, and many 
 curious articles, &c. They presented us with 
 a most delicious fish, which was less than a 
 herring, and very beautifully spotted with 
 black and yellow : its dorsal fin reached from 
 251 
 
JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE THROUGH THE 
 
 the head to the tail; in its expanded state 
 takes a triangular form, and is variegated 
 with the colours that enliven the scales : the 
 head is very small, and the mouth is armed 
 with sharp-pointed teeth. 
 
 We prevailed on the native, whose language 
 was most intelligible, to accompany us. He 
 informed us that we should sleep ten nights 
 more before we arrived at the sea; that sev- 
 eral of his relations resided in the immediate 
 vicinity of this part of the river, and that in 
 three nights we should meet with the Esqui- 
 maux, with whom they had formerly made 
 war, but were now in a state of peace and 
 amity. He mentioned the last Indians whom 
 we had seen in terms of great derision ; de- 
 scribing them as being no better than old 
 women, and as abominable liars ; which coin- 
 cided with the notion we already entertained 
 of them. . 
 
 As we pushed off, some of my men dis- 
 charged their fowling pieces, that were only 
 loaded with powder, at the report of which 
 the Indians were very much alarmed, as they 
 had not before heard the discharge of fire- 
 arms. This circumstance had such an effect 
 upon our guide, that we had reason to ap- 
 prehend he would not fulfil his promise. 
 When, however, he was informed that the 
 noise which he had heard was a signal of 
 friendship, he was persuaded to embark in 
 2o2 
 
NORTH-WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 
 
 his own small canoe, though he had been 
 offered a seat m ours. 
 
 Two of his companions, whom he repre- 
 sented as his brothers, followed us in their 
 canoes ; and they amused us not only with 
 their native songs, but with others, in imita- 
 tion of the Esquimaux ; and our new guide 
 was so enlivened by them, that the antics he 
 performed, in keeping time to the singing, 
 alarmed us with continual apprehension that 
 his boat must upset : but he was not long 
 content with his confined situation, and pad- 
 dling up alongside our canoe, requested us to 
 receive him in it, though but a short time be- 
 fore he had resolutely refused to accept our 
 invitation. No sooner had he entered our 
 canoe, than he began to perform an Esqui- 
 maux dance, to our no small alarm. He was, 
 however, soon prevailed upon to be more 
 tranquil ; when he began to display various 
 indecencies, according to the customs of the 
 Esquimaux, of which he boasted an intimate 
 acquaintance. On our putting to shore, in 
 order to leave his canoe, he informed us, that 
 on the opposite hill the Esquimaux, three 
 winters before, killed his grandfather. We 
 saw a fox, and a ground-hog on the hill, the 
 latter of which the brother of our guide shot 
 with his bow and arrow. 
 
 About four in the afternoon we perceived a 
 smoke on the West shore, when we traversed 
 253 
 
JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE THROUGH THE 
 
 and landed. The natives made a most ter- 
 rible uproar, talking with great vociferation, 
 and running about as if they were deprived 
 of their senses, while the greater part of the 
 women, with the children, fled away. Per- 
 ceiving the disorder which our appearance 
 occasioned among these people, we had waited 
 some time before we quitted the canoe ; and 
 I have no doubt, if we had been without 
 people to introduce us, that they would have 
 attempted some violence against us ; for when 
 the Indians send away their women and chil- 
 dren, it is always with a hostile design. At 
 length we pacified them with the usual pres- 
 ents, but they preferred beads to any of the 
 articles that I offered them ; particularly such 
 as were of a blue colour ; and one of them 
 even requested to exchange a knife which I 
 had given him for a small quantity of those 
 ornamental baubles. I purchased of them 
 two shirts for my hunters ; and at the same 
 time they presented me with some arrows, 
 and dried fish. This party consisted of five 
 families, to the amount, as I suppose, of 
 forty men, women, and children; but I did 
 not see them all, as several were afraid to 
 venture from their hiding-places. They are 
 called Deguthee Dimes, or the Quarrellers. 
 
 Our guide, like his predecessors, now man- 
 ifested his wish to leave us, and entertained 
 similar apprehensions that we should not re- 
 254 
 
NORTH-WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 
 
 turn by this passage. He had his alarms also 
 respecting the Esquimaux, who might kill us 
 and take away the women. Our Indians, 
 however, assured him that we had no fears 
 of any kind, and that he need not be alarmed 
 for himself. They also convinced him that 
 we should return by the way we were going, 
 so that he consented to re-embark without 
 giving us any further trouble ; and eight small 
 canoes followed us. Our courses this day 
 were South-West by West six miles, South- 
 W'est by South thirty miles. South- West three 
 miles. West by South twelve miles. West by 
 North two miles, and we encamped at eight 
 in the evening on the Eastern bank of the 
 river. 
 
 The Indians whom I found here, informed 
 me, that from the place where I this mornmg 
 met the first of their tribe, the distance over- 
 land, on the East side, to the sea, was not 
 long, and that from hence, by proceeding to 
 the Westward, it was still shorter. They 
 also represented the land on both sides as 
 projecting to a point. These people do not 
 appear to harbour any thievish dispositions ; 
 at least we did not perceive that they took, 
 or wanted to take, anything from us by stealth 
 or artifice. They enjoyed the amusements of 
 dancing and jumping in common with those 
 we had already seen; and, indeed, these ex- 
 ercises seem to be their favourite diversions. 
 255 
 
JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE THROUGH THE 
 
 About mid-day the weather was sultry, but 
 in the afternoon it became cold. There was 
 a large quantity of wild flax, the growth of 
 the last year, laying on the ground, and the 
 new plants were sprouting up through it. 
 This circumstance I did not observe in any 
 other part. 
 
 At four in the morning we embarked, at a 
 small distance from the place of our encamp- 
 ment: the river, which here becomes nar- 
 rower, flows between high rocks; and a 
 meandering course took us North- West four 
 miles. At this spot the banks became low ; 
 indeed, from the first rapid, the country does 
 not wear a mountainous appearance ; but the 
 banks of the river are generally lofty, in 
 some places perfectly naked, and in others 
 well covered with small trees, such as the fir 
 and the birch. We continued our last course 
 for two miles, with mountains before us, 
 whose tops were covered with snow. 
 
 The land is low on both sides of the river, 
 except these mountains, whose base is dis- 
 tant about ten miles : here the river widens, 
 and runs through various channels, formed 
 by islands, some of which are without a tree, 
 and little more than banks of mud and sand ; 
 while others are covered with a kind of 
 spruce fir, and trees of a larger size than we 
 had seen for the last ten days. Their banks, 
 which are about six feet above the surface of 
 256 
 
NOKTH-WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 
 
 the water, display a face of solid ice, inter- 
 mixed with, veins of black earth, and as the 
 heat of the sun melts the ice, the trees fre- 
 quently fall into the river. 
 
 So various were the channels of the river 
 at this time, that we were at a loss which to 
 take. Our guide preferred the Easternmost, 
 on account of the Esquimaux, but I deter- 
 mined to take the middle channel, as it ap- 
 peared to be a larger body of water, and run- 
 ning North and South : besides, as there was 
 a greater chance of seeing them I concluded, 
 that we could always go to the Eastward, 
 whenever we might prefer it. Our course 
 was now West by North six miles, North- 
 West by West, the snowy mountains being 
 West by South from us, and stretching to the 
 Northward as far as we could see. Accord- 
 ing to the information of the Indians, they 
 are part of the chain of mountains which we 
 approached on the third of this month. I 
 obtained an observation this day that gave 
 me 67. 47. North latitude, which was farther 
 North than I expected, according to the 
 course I kept : but the difference was owing 
 to the variation of the compass, which was 
 more Easterly than I imagined. From hence 
 it was evident that these waters emptied 
 themselves into the Hyperborean Sea; and 
 though it was probable that, from the want 
 of provision, we could not return to Atha- 
 17 257 
 
JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE THROUGH THE 
 
 basca in the course of the season, I neverthe- 
 less, determined to penetrate to the discharge 
 of them. 
 
 My new conductor being very much dis- 
 couraged and quite tired of his situation, 
 used his influence to prevent our proceeding. 
 He had never been, he said, at the Benahullo 
 Toe, or AVhite Man's Lake; and that when 
 he went to the Esquimaux Lake, which is at 
 no great distance, he passed over land from 
 the place where we found him, and to that 
 part where the Esquimaux pass the summer. 
 In short, my hunters also became so disheart- 
 ened from these accounts, and other circum- 
 stances, that I was confident they would have 
 left me, if it had been in their power. I, 
 however, satisfied them in some degree, by 
 the assurance, that I would proceed onwards 
 but seven days more, and if I did not then 
 get to the sea, I would return. Indeed, the 
 low state of our provisions, without any 
 other consideration, formed a very sufiicient 
 security for the maintenance of my engage- 
 ment. Our last course was thirty-two miles, 
 with a stronger current than could be expected 
 in such a low country. 
 
 We now proceeded North-North-West four 
 miles, North- West three miles, North-East 
 two miles. North- West by West three miles, 
 and North-East two miles. At half past 
 eight in the evening we landed and pitched 
 258 
 
NORTH-WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 
 
 our tents, near to where there had been three 
 encampments of the Esquimaux, since the 
 breaking up of the ice. The natives, who 
 followed us yesterday, left us at our station 
 this morning. In the course of the day we 
 saw large flocks of wild fowl. 
 
 Saturday, 11. — I sat up all night to ob- 
 serve the sun. At half past twelve I called 
 up one of the men to view a spectacle which 
 he had never before seen; when, on seeing 
 the sun so high, he thought it was a signal 
 to embark, and began to call the rest of his 
 companions, who would scarcely be persuaded 
 by me, that the sun had not descended nearer 
 to the horizon, and that it was now but a 
 short time past midnight. 
 
 We reposed, however, till three quarters 
 after three, when we entered the canoe, and 
 steered about North-West, the river taking a 
 very serpentine course. About seven we saw 
 a ridge of high land ; at twelve we landed at 
 a spot where we observed that some of the 
 natives had lately been. I counted thirty 
 places where there had been fires ; and some 
 of the men who went further, saw as many 
 more. They must have been here for a con- 
 siderable time, though it does not appear that 
 they had erected any huts. A great number 
 of poles, however, were seen fixed in the 
 river, to which they had attached their nets, 
 and there seemed to be an excellent fishery. 
 259 
 
JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE THROUGH THE 
 
 One of the fish, of the many which we saw 
 leap out of the water, fell into our canoe ; it 
 was about ten inches long, and of a round 
 shape. About the places where they had 
 made their fires, were scattered pieces of 
 whalebone, and thick burned leather, with 
 parts of the frames of three canoes ; we could 
 also observe where they had spilled train oil ; 
 and there was the singular appearance of a 
 spruce fir, stripped of its branches to the top 
 like an English May-pole. The weather was 
 cloudy, and the air cold and unpleasant. 
 From this place for about five miles, the river 
 widens, it then flows in a variety of narrow, 
 meandering channels, amongst low islands, 
 enlivened with no trees, but a few dwarf wil- 
 lows. 
 
 At four, we landed, where there were three 
 houses, or rather huts, belonging to the na- 
 tives. The ground-plot is of an oval form, 
 about fifteen feet long, ten feet wide in the 
 middle, and eight feet at either end; the 
 whole of it is dug about twelve inches below 
 the surface of the ground, and one half of it 
 is covered over with willow branches ; which 
 probably serves as a bed for the whole family. 
 
 A space, in the middle of the other part, 
 of about four feet wide, is deepened twelve 
 inches more, and is the only spot in the house 
 where a grown person can stand upright. 
 One side of it is covered, as has been already 
 260 
 
 J 
 
NORTH-WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 
 
 described, and the other is the hearth or fire- 
 place, of which, however, they do not make 
 much use. Though it was close to the wall, 
 the latter did not appear to be burned. The 
 door or entrance is in the middle of one end 
 of the house, and is about two feet and an 
 half high, and two feet wide, and has a cov- 
 ered way or porch five feet in length ; so that 
 it is absolutely necessary to creep on all fours 
 in order to get into, or out of, this curious 
 habitation. There is a hole of about eighteen 
 inches square on the top of it, which serves 
 the threefold purpose of a window, aa occa- 
 sional door, and a chimney. The under- 
 ground part of the floor is lined with split 
 wood. Six or eight stumps of small trees 
 driven into the earth, with the root upwards, 
 on which are laid some cross pieces of timber, 
 support the roof of the building, which is an 
 oblong square of ten feet by six. The whole 
 is made of drift-wood covered with branches 
 and dry-grass ; over which is laid a foot deep 
 of earth. On each side of these houses are a 
 few square holes in the ground of about two 
 feet in depth, which are covered with split 
 wood and earth, except in the middle. These 
 appeared to be contrived for the preservation 
 of the winter stock of provisions. In and 
 about the houses we found sledge runners and 
 bones, pieces of whalebone, and poplar bark 
 cut in circles, which are used as corks to buoy 
 261 
 
JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE THROUGH THE 
 
 the nets, aud are fixed to them by pieces of 
 whalebone. Before each hut a great number 
 of stumps of trees were fixed in the ground, 
 upon which it appeared that they hung their 
 fish to dry. 
 
 We now continued our voyage, and en- 
 camped at eight o'clock. I calculated our 
 course at about North- West, and, allowing 
 for the windings, that we had made fifty-four 
 miles. We expected, throughout the day, to 
 meet with some of the natives. On several 
 of the islands we perceived the print of their 
 feet in the sand, as if they had been there 
 but a few days before, to procure wild fowl. 
 There were frequent showers of rain in the 
 afternoon, and the weather was raw and dis- 
 agreeable. We saw a black fox; but trees 
 were now become very rare objects, except a 
 few dwarf willows, of not more than three 
 feet in height. 
 
 The discontents of our hunters were now 
 renewed by the accounts which our guide had 
 been giving of that part of our voyage that 
 was approaching. According to his informa- 
 tion, we were to see a larger lake on the 
 morrow. Neither he nor his relations, he 
 said, knew any thing about it, except that 
 part which is opposite to, and not far from, 
 their country. The Esquimaux alone, he 
 added, inhabit its shores, and kill a large fish 
 that is found in it, which is a principal part 
 262 
 
:noiith-west contikent of America. 
 
 X)f their food; this, we presumed, must be the 
 whale. He also mentioned white bears, and 
 tanother large animal which was seen in those 
 parts, but our hunters could not understand 
 i;he description which he gave of it. He also 
 represented their canoes as being of a large 
 construction, which would commodiously 
 contain four or five families. However, to 
 reconcile the English chief to the necessary- 
 continuance in my service, I presented him 
 with one of my capotes or travelling coats ; 
 at the same time, to satisfy the guide, and 
 i:eep him, if possible, in good humour, I gave 
 iiim a skin of the moose-deer, which, in his 
 opinion, was a valuable present. 
 
 Sunday f 12. — It rained with violence 
 "throughout the night, and till two in the 
 morning ; the weather continuing very cold. 
 We proceeded on the same meandering course 
 as yesterday, the wind North-North- West, 
 and the country so naked that scarce a shrub 
 was to be seen. At ten in the morning, we 
 landed where there were four huts, exactly 
 "the same as those which have been so lately 
 described. The adjacent land is high and 
 -covered with short grass and flowers, though 
 iihe earth was not thawed above four inches 
 from the surface ; beneath which was a solid 
 'body of ice. This beautiful appearance, 
 liowever, was strangely contrasted with the 
 ice and snow that are seen in the valleys. 
 263 
 
JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE THROUGH THE 
 
 The soil, where there is any, is a yellow clay 
 mixed with stones. These huts appear to 
 have been inhabited during the last winter ; 
 and we had reason to think that some of 
 the natives had been lately there, as the 
 beach was covered with the track of their 
 feet. Many of the runners and bars of their 
 sledges were laid together, near the houses, 
 in a manner that seemed to denote the return, 
 of the proprietors. There were also pieces 
 of netting made of sinews, and some bark of 
 the willow. The thread of the former was 
 plaited, and no ordinary portion of time must 
 have been employed in manufacturing so great 
 a length of cord. A square stone-kettle, with 
 a flat bottom, also occupied our attention, 
 which was capable of containing two gallons ^ 
 and we were puzzled as to the means these 
 people must have employed to have chiselled 
 it out of a solid rock into its present form. 
 To these articles may be added, small pieces 
 of flint fixed into handles of wood, which 
 probably serve as knives; several wooden 
 dishes ; the stern and part of a large canoe ; 
 pieces of very thick leather, which we con- 
 jectured to be the covering of a canoe; sev- 
 eral bones of large fish, and two heads ; but 
 we could not determine the animal to which 
 they belonged, though we conjectured that it 
 must be the sea-horse. 
 
 When we had satisfied our curiosity we re- 
 264 
 
NORTH-WEST CONTIKENT OF AMERICA. 
 
 embarked, but we were at a loss what course 
 to steer, as our guide seemed to be as igno- 
 rant of this country as ourselves. Though the 
 current was very strong, we appeared to have 
 come to the entrance of the lake. The stream 
 set to the West, and we went with it to an 
 high point, at the distance of about eight 
 m.iles, which we conjectured to be an island ; 
 but, on approaching it, we perceived it to be 
 connected with the shore by a low neck of 
 land. I now took an observation which gave 
 69. 1. I^orth latitude. From the point that 
 has been just mentioned, we continued the 
 same course for the Westernmost point of an 
 high island, and the Westernmost land in 
 sight, at the distance of fifteen miles. 
 
 The lake was quite open to us to the West- 
 ward, and out of the channel of the river 
 there was not more than four feet water, and 
 in some places the depth did not exceed one 
 foot. From the shallowness of the water it 
 was impossible to coast to the Westward. At 
 ^ve o'clock we arrived at the island, and 
 during the last fifteen miles, five feet was the 
 deepest water. The lake now appeared to 
 be covered with ice, for about two leagues 
 distance, and no land ahead, so that we were 
 prevented from proceeding in this direction 
 by the ice, and the shallowness of the water 
 along the shore. 
 
 We landed at the boundary of our voyage 
 265 
 
JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE THROUGH THE* 
 
 in this direction, and as soon as the tents, 
 were pitched I ordered the nets to be set> 
 when I proceeded with the English chief ta 
 the highest part of the island, from which we 
 discovered the solid ice, extending from the. 
 South- West by compass to the Eastward. As 
 far as the eye could reach to the South-West- 
 ward, we could dunly perceive a chain of 
 mountains, stretching further to the North 
 than the edge of the ice, at the distance of 
 upwards of twenty leagues. To the Eastward 
 we saw many islands, and in our progress we 
 met with a considerable number of white- 
 partridges, now become brown. There were 
 also flocks of very beautiful plovers, and I 
 found the nest of one of them with four eggs. 
 White owls, likewise, were among the inhab- 
 itants of the place : but the dead, as well as 
 the living, demanded our attention, for we. 
 came to the grave of one of the natives, by 
 which lay a bow, a paddle, and a spear. The 
 Indians informed me that they landed on a 
 small island, about four leagues from hence, 
 where they had seen the tracks of two men,, 
 that were quite fresh ; they had also found a 
 secret store of train oil, and several bones of 
 white bears were scattered about the place 
 where it was hid. The wind was now so 
 high that it was impracticable for us to visit 
 the nets. 
 
 My people could not, at this time, refrain 
 266 
 
l^ORTH-WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 
 
 from expressions of real concern, that they 
 i^ere obliged to return without reaching the 
 sea: indeed, the hope of attaining this object 
 encouraged them to bear, without repining, 
 the hardships of our unremitting voyage. 
 For some time past their spirits were ani- 
 mated by the expectation that another day 
 would bring them to the Mer d^ouest: and 
 «ven in our present situation they declared 
 their readiness to follow me wherever I 
 should be pleased to lead them. We saw sev- 
 eral large white gulls, and other birds, whose 
 back, and upper feathers of the wing are 
 brown ; and whose belly, and under feathers 
 of the wing are white. 
 
 267 
 
JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE THROUGH THE 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 JULY, 1789. 
 
 Monday, 13. — We had no sooner retired to 
 rest last night, if I may use that expression, 
 in a country where the sun never sinks be- 
 neath the horizon, than some of the people 
 were obliged to rise and remove the baggage, 
 on account of the rising of the water. At 
 eight in the morning the weather was fine 
 and calm, which afforded an opportunity to 
 examine the nets, one of which had been 
 driven from its position by the wind and cur- 
 rent. We caught seven poissons inconnus, 
 which were unpalatable; a white fish, that 
 proved delicious ; and another about the size 
 of an herring, which none of us had ever seen 
 before, except the English chief, who recog- 
 nised it as being of a kind that abounds in 
 Hudson's Bay. About noon the wind blew 
 hard from the Westward, when I took an ob- 
 servation, which gave 69. 14. North latitude, 
 and the meridian variation of the compass 
 was thirty-six degrees Eastward.* 
 
 This afternoon I re -ascended the hill, but 
 could not discover that the ice had been put 
 
 * The longitude has since been discovered, by the 
 dead reckoning, to be 135. West. 
 268 
 
NORTH-WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 
 
 in motion by the force of the wind. At the 
 same time I could just distinguish two small 
 islands in the ice, to the North-West by com- 
 pass. I now thought it necessary to give a 
 new net to my men to mount, in order to ob- 
 tain as much provision as possible from the 
 water, our stores being reduced to about five 
 hundred weight, which, without any other 
 supply, would not have sufficed for fifteen 
 people above twelve days. One of the young 
 Indians, however, was so fortunate as to find 
 the net that had been missing, and which con- 
 tained three of the poissons inconnus. 
 
 Tuesday y I4. — It blew very hard from the 
 North-West since the preceding evening. 
 Having sat up till three in the morning, I 
 slept longer than usual ; but about eight one 
 of my men saw a great many animals in the 
 water, which he at first supposed to be pieces 
 of ice. About nine, however, I was awakened 
 to resolve the doubts which had taken place 
 respecting this extraordinary appearance. I 
 immediately perceived that they were whales ; 
 and having ordered the canoe to be prepared, 
 we embarked in pursuit of them. It was, in- 
 deed, a very wild and unreflecting enterprise, 
 and it was a very fortunate circumstance that 
 we failed in our attempt to overtake them, 
 as a stroke from the tail of one of these enor- 
 mous fish would have dashed the canoe to 
 pieces. We may, perhaps, have been in- 
 269 
 
JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE THROUGH THK 
 
 debted to the foggy weather for our safety y. 
 as it prevented us from continuing our pur- 
 suit. Our guide informed us that they ar&. 
 the same kind of fish which are the principal 
 food of the Esquimaux, and they were fre- 
 quently seen as large as our canoe. The part 
 of them which appeared above the water wa& 
 altogether white, and they were much larger 
 than the largest porpoise. 
 
 About twelve the fog dispersed, and being 
 curious to take a view of the ice, I gave 
 orders for the canoe to be got in readiness. 
 We accordingly embarked, and the Indians 
 followed us. We had not, however, been an 
 hour on the water, when the wind rose on a. 
 sudden from the North-East, and obliged u& 
 to tack about, and the return of the fog pre- 
 vented us from ascertaining our distance front 
 the ice ; indeed, from this circumstance, the^ 
 island which we had so lately left was but. 
 dimly seen. Though the wind was close, we- 
 ventured to hoist the sail, and from the vio- 
 lence of the swell it was by great exertions, 
 that two men could bale out the water from 
 our canoe. We were in a state of actual 
 danger, and felt every corresponding emotion 
 of pleasure when we reached the land. The^ 
 Indians had fortunately got more to wind- 
 ward, so that the swell in some measure drove 
 them on shore, though their canoes were 
 nearly filled with water ; and had they beeiiL 
 270 
 
NORTH-WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 
 
 laden, we should have seea them no more. 
 As I did not propose to satisfy my curiosity 
 at the risk of similar dangers, we continued 
 our course along the islands, which screened 
 us from the wind. I was now determined to 
 take a more particular examination of the 
 islands, in the hope of meeting with parties of 
 the natives, from whom I might be able to 
 obtain some interesting intelligence, though 
 our conductor discouraged my expectations, 
 by representing them as very shy and inac- 
 cessible people. At the same time he in- 
 form.ed me, that we should probably find 
 some of them, if we navigated the channel 
 which he had originally recommended us to 
 enter. 
 
 At eight we encamped on the Eastern end 
 of the island, which I had named the Wliale 
 Island. It is about seven leagues in length. 
 East and West by compass; but not more 
 than half a mile in breadth. We saw several 
 red foxes, one of which was killed. There 
 were also five or six very old huts on the 
 point where we had taken our station. The 
 nets were now set, and one of them in five 
 fathom water, the current setting North-East 
 by compass. This morning^I_ordereda post 
 to be erected close to our tents, on which I 
 engraved the latitude of the place, my own 
 name, the number of persons which I had 
 with me, and the time we remained there. 
 271 
 
JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE THROUGH THE 
 
 Wednesday y 15. — Being awakened by some 
 casual circumstance, at four this morning, I 
 was surprised on perceiving that the water 
 had flowed under our baggage. As the wind 
 had not changed, and did not blow with 
 greater violence than when we went to rest, 
 we were all of opinion that this circumstance 
 proceeded from the tide. We had, indeed, 
 observed at the other end of the island, that 
 the water rose and fell ; but we then imagined 
 that it must have been occasioned by the 
 wind. The water continued to rise till about 
 six, but I could not ascertain the time with 
 the requisite precision, as the wind then be- 
 gan to blow with great violence ; I therefore 
 determined, at all events, to remain here till 
 the next morning, though, as it happened, 
 the state of the wind was such, as to render 
 my stay here an act of necessity. Our nets 
 were not very successful, as they presented 
 us with only eight fish. From an observa- 
 tion which I obtained at noon we were in 69. 
 7. North latitude. As the evening ap- 
 proached, the wind increased, and the weather 
 became cold. Two swans were the only 
 provision which the hunters procured for 
 us. 
 
 Thursday y 16. — The rain did not cease till 
 seven this morning, the weather being at in- 
 tervals very cold and unpleasant. Such was 
 its inconstancy, that I could not make an 
 272 
 
NORTH-WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 
 
 accurate observation; but the tide appeared 
 to rise sixteen or eighteen inches. 
 
 We now embarked, and steered under sail 
 among the islands, where I hoped to meet with 
 some of the natives, but my expectation was 
 not gratified. Our guide imagined that they 
 were gone to their distant haunts, where they 
 fish for whales and hunt the rein-deer, that 
 are opposite to his country. His relations, 
 he said, see them every year, but he did not 
 encourage us to expect that we should find 
 any of them, unless it were at a small river 
 that falls into the great one, from the East- 
 ward, at a considerable distance from our im- 
 mediate situation. We accordingly made for 
 the river, and stemmed the current. At two 
 in the afternoon the water was quite shallow 
 in every part of our course, and we could al- 
 ways find the bottom with the paddle. At 
 seven we landed, encamped, and set the 
 nets. Here the Indians killed two geese, two 
 cranes, and a white owl. Since we entered 
 the river, we experienced a very agreeable 
 change in the temperature of the air ; but this 
 pleasant circumstance was not without its in- 
 convenience, as it subjected us to the perse- 
 cution of the mosquitoes. 
 
 Friday, 17. — On taking up the nets, they 
 were found to contain but six fish. We em- 
 barked at four in the morning, and passed 
 four encampments ; which appeared to have 
 18 273 
 
JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE THROUGH THPi 
 
 been very lately inhabited. We then landed 
 upon a small round island, close to the East- 
 ern shore, which possessed somewhat of a 
 sacred character, as the top of it seemed to 
 be a place of sepulture, from the numerous 
 graves which we observed there. We found 
 the frame of a small canoe, with various 
 dishes, troughs, and other utensils, which 
 had been the living property of those who 
 could now use them no more, and form the 
 ordinary accompaniments of their last abodes. 
 As no part of the skins that must have cov- 
 ered the canoe was remaining, we concluded 
 that it had been eaten by wild animals that 
 inhabit, or occasionally frequent, the island. 
 The frame of the canoe, which was entire, 
 was put together with whale-bone; it was 
 sewed in some parts, and tied in others. The 
 sledges were from four to eight feet long ; the 
 length of the bars was upwards of two feet; 
 the runners were two inches thick and nine 
 inches deep ; the prow was two feet and an 
 half high, and formed of two pieces, sewed 
 with whalebone, to three other thin spars of 
 wood, which were of the same height ; and 
 fixed in the runners by means of mortises, 
 were sewed two thin broad bars lengthways, 
 at a small distance from each other ; these 
 frames were fixed together with three or four 
 cross bars, tied fast upon the runners, and on 
 the lower edge of the latter, small pieces of 
 274 
 
NORTH-WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 
 
 horn were fastened by wooden pegs, that they 
 might slide with greater facility. They are 
 drawn by shafts, which I imagine are applied 
 to any particular sledge as they are wanted 
 as I saw no more than one pair of them. 
 
 About half past one we came opposite to 
 the first spruce-tree that we had seen for 
 some time : there are but very few of them 
 on the main land, and they are very small : 
 those are larger which are found on the 
 islands, where they grow in patches, and 
 close together. It is, indeed, very extraor- 
 dinary that there should be any wood what- 
 ever in a country where the ground never 
 thaws above five inches from the surface. 
 We landed at seven in the evening. The 
 weather was now very pleasant, and in the 
 course of the day we saw great numbers of 
 wild fowl, with their young ones, but they 
 were so shy that we could not approach them. 
 The Indians were not very successful in their 
 foraging party, as they killed only two grey 
 cranes, and a grey goose. Two of them were 
 employed on the high land to the Eastward, 
 through the greater part of the day, in search 
 of rein-deer, but they could discover nothing 
 more than a few tracks of that animal. I also 
 ascended the high land, from whence I had 
 a delightful view of the river, divided into 
 innumerable streams, meandering through 
 islands, some of which were covered with 
 275 
 
JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE THROUGH THE 
 
 wood, and others with grass. The moun- 
 tains, that formed the opposite horizon, were 
 at the distance of forty miles. The inland 
 view was neither so extensive nor agreeable, 
 being terminated by a near range of bleak^ 
 barren hills, between which are small lakes 
 or ponds, while the surrounding country is 
 covered with tufts of moss, without the shade 
 of a single tree. Along tlie hills is a kind of 
 fence, made with branches, where the natives 
 had set snares to catch white partridges. 
 
 Saturday^ 18. — The nets did not produce 
 a single fish, and at three o'clock in the 
 morning we took our departure. The weather 
 was fine and clear, and we passed several en- 
 campments. As the prints of human feet 
 were very fresh in the sand, it could not have 
 been long since the natives had visited the 
 spot. We now proceeded in the hope of 
 meeting with some of them at the river, 
 whither our guide was conducting us with 
 that expectation. We observed a great num- 
 ber of trees, in different places, whose 
 branches had been lopped off to the tops. 
 They denote the immediate abode of the na- 
 tives, and probably serve for signals to direct 
 each other to their respective winter-quarters. 
 Our hunters, in the course of the day, killed 
 two rein-deer, which were the only large ani- 
 mals that we had seen since we had been in 
 this river, and proved a very seasonable sup- 
 270 
 
NORTH-WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 
 
 ply, as our pemmican had become mouldy for 
 some time past; though in that situation we 
 were under the necessity of eating it. 
 
 In the valleys and low lands near the 
 river, cranberries are found in great abun- 
 dance, particularly in favourable aspects. It 
 is a singular circumstance, that the fruit of 
 two succeeding years may be gathered at the 
 same time, from the same shrub. Here was 
 also another berry, of a very pale yellow col- 
 our, that resembles a raspberry, and is of a 
 very agreeable flavour. There is a great 
 variety of other plants and herbs, whose 
 names and properties are unknown to 
 me. 
 
 The weather became cold towards the after- 
 noon, with the appearance of rain, and we 
 landed for the night at seven in the evening. 
 The Indians killed eight geese. During the 
 greater part of the day I walked with the 
 English chief, and found it very disagreeable 
 and fatiguing. Though the country is so 
 elevated, it was one contin ual moras s, except 
 on the summits of some barren hills. As I 
 carried my hanger in my hand, I frequently 
 examined if any part of the ground was in a 
 state of thaw, but could never force the blade 
 into it, beyond the depth of six or eight 
 inches. The face of the high land, towards 
 the river, is in some places rocky, and in 
 others a mixture of sand and stone, veined 
 277 
 
JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE THROUGH THE 
 
 with a kind of red earth, with which the na- 
 tives bedaub themselves. 
 
 Sayiday, 19. — It rained, and blew hard from 
 the North, till eight in the morning, when 
 we discovered that our conductor had escaped. 
 I was, indeed, surprised at his honesty, as he 
 left the moose-skin which I had given him 
 for a covering, and went off in his shirt, 
 though the weather was very cold. I in- 
 quired of the Indians if they had given him 
 any cause of offence, or had observed any re- 
 cent disposition in him to desert us, but they 
 assured me that they had not in any instance 
 displeased him : at the same time they recol- 
 lected that he had expressed his apprehen- 
 sions of being taken away as a slave ; and his 
 alarms were probably increased on the preced- 
 ing day, when he saw them kill the two rein- 
 deer with so much readiness. In the after- 
 noon the v/eather became fine and clear, when 
 we saw large flights of geese with their young 
 ones, and the hunters killed twenty-two of 
 them. As they had at this time cast their 
 feathers, they could not fly. They were of 
 a small kind, and much inferior in size to 
 those that frequent the vicinity of Athabasca. 
 At eight, we took our station near an Indian 
 encampment, and, as we had observed in sim- 
 ilar situations, pieces of bone, rein-deer^s 
 horn, «&c., were scattered about it. It also 
 appeared, that the natives had been employed 
 278 
 
NORTH-WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 
 
 here in working wood into arms, uten- 
 sils, &G. 
 
 Monday, 20. — We embarked at three this 
 morning, when the weather was cloudy, with 
 small rain and aft wind. About twelve the 
 rain became so violent as to compel us to en- 
 camp at two in the afternoon. We saw great 
 numbers of fowl, and killed among us fifteen 
 geese and four swans. Had the weather 
 been more favourable, we should have added 
 considerably to our booty. We now passed 
 the river, where we expected to meet some of 
 the natives, but discovered no signs of them. 
 The ground close to the river does not rise 
 to any considerable height, and the hills, 
 which are at a small distance, are covered 
 with the spruce fir and small birch trees, to 
 their very summits. 
 
 Tuesday, 21. — We embarked at half past 
 one this morning, when the weather was cold 
 and unpleasant, and the wind South-West. 
 At ten, we left the channels formed by the 
 islands for the uninterrupted channel of the 
 river, where we found the current so strong, 
 that it was absolutely necessary to tow the 
 canoe with a line. The land on both sides 
 was elevated, and almost perpendicular, and 
 the shore beneath it, which is of no great 
 breadth, was covered with a grey stone that 
 falls from the precipice. We made much 
 greater expedition with the line, than we 
 279 
 
JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE THROUGH THE 
 
 could have done with the paddles. The men 
 in the canoe relieved two of those on shore 
 every two hours, so that it was very hard and 
 fatiguing duty, but it saved a great deal of that 
 time which was so precious to us. At half 
 past eight we landed at the same spot where 
 we had already encamped on the ninth in- 
 stant. 
 
 In about an hour after our arrival, we were 
 joined by eleven of the natives, who were 
 stationed farther up the river, and there were 
 some among them whom we had not seen 
 during our former visit to this place. The 
 brother of our late guide, however, was of 
 the party, and was eager in his inquiries after 
 him ; but our account did not prove satisfac- 
 tory. They all gave evident tokens of their 
 suspicion, and each of them made a distinct 
 harangue on the occasion. Our Indians, in- 
 deed, did not understand their eloquence, 
 though they conjectured it to be very unfa- 
 vourable to our assertions. The brother, 
 nevertheless, proposed to barter his credulity 
 for a small quantity of beads, and promised 
 to believe every thing I should say, if I would 
 gratify him with a few of those baubles ; but 
 he did not succeed in his proposition, and I 
 contented myself with giving him the bow 
 and arrows which our conductor had left with 
 us. 
 
 My people were now necessarily engaged 
 280 
 
NORTH-WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 
 
 in putting the fire-arms in order, after the 
 violent rain of the preceding day ; an employ- 
 ment which very much attracted the curios- 
 ity, and appeared in some degree, to awaken 
 the apprehensions of the natives. To their 
 inquiries concerning the motives of our prep- 
 aration, we answered by showing a piece of 
 meat and a goose, and informing them, that 
 we were preparing our arms to procure sim- 
 ilar provisions : at the same time we assured 
 them, though it was our intention to kill any 
 animals we might find, there was no inten- 
 tion to hurt or injure them. They, hovrever, 
 entreated us not to discharge our pieces in 
 their presence. I requested the English chief 
 to ask them some questions, which they either 
 did not or would not understand ; so that I 
 failed in obtaining any information from 
 them. 
 
 All my people went to rest ; but I thought 
 it prudent to sit up, in order to watch the 
 motions of the natives. This circumstance 
 was a subject of their inquiry; and their 
 curiosity was still more excited, when they 
 saw me employed in writing. About twelve 
 o'clock I perceived four of their women com- 
 ing along the shore ; and they were no sooner 
 seen by their friends, than they ran hastily 
 to meet them, and persuaded two of them, 
 who, I suppose, were young, to return, while 
 they brought the other two, who were very 
 281 
 
JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE THROUGH THE 
 
 old, to enjoy the warmth of our fire; but, 
 after staying there for about half an hour, 
 they also retreated. Those who remained, 
 immediately kindled a small fire, and laid 
 themselves down to sleep round it, like so 
 many whelps, having neither skins or gar- 
 ments of any kind to cover them, notwith- 
 standing the cold that prevailed. My people 
 having placed their kettle of meat on the fire, 
 I was obliged to guard it from the natives, 
 who made several attempts to possess them- 
 selves of its contents ; and this was the only 
 instance I had hitherto discovered, of their 
 being influenced by a pilfering disposition. 
 It might, perhaps, be a general opinion, that 
 provisions were a common property. I now 
 saw the sun set for the first time since I had 
 been here before. During the preceding 
 night, the weather was so cloudy, that I could 
 not observe its descent to the horizon. The 
 water had sunk, at this place, upward of 
 three feet since we had passed down the river. 
 Wednesday, 22. — We began our march at 
 half past three this morning, the men being 
 employed to tow the canoe. I walked with 
 the Indians to their huts, which were at a 
 greater distance than I had any reason to ex- 
 pect, for it occupied three hours in hard walk- 
 ing to reach them. We passed a narrow, and 
 deep river in our way, at the mouth of which 
 the natives had set their nets. They had hid 
 282 
 
NORTH-WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 
 
 their effects, and sent their young women 
 into the woods, as we saw but very few of 
 the former, and none of the latter. They 
 had large huts built with drift-wood on the 
 declivity of the beach and in the inside the 
 earth was dug away, so as to form a level 
 floor. At each end was a stout fork, whereon 
 was laid a strong ridge-pole, which formed a 
 support to the whole structure, and a cover- 
 mg of spruce bark preserved it from the rain. 
 Various spars of different heights were fixed 
 within the hut, and covered with split fish 
 that hung on them to dry; and fires were 
 made in different parts to accelerate the oper- 
 ation. There were rails also on the outside 
 of the building, which were hung around 
 with fish, but in a fresher state than those 
 within. The spawn is also carefully pre- 
 served and dried in the same manner. We 
 obtained as many fish from them as the canoe 
 could conveniently contain, and some strings 
 of beads were the price paid for them, an ar- 
 ticle which they preferred to every other. 
 Iron they held in little or no estimation. 
 
 During the two hours that I remained here, 
 I employed the English chief in a continual 
 state of inquiry concerning these people. 
 The information that resulted from this con- 
 ference was as follows : 
 
 This nation or tribe is very numerous, with 
 whom the Esquimaux had been continually 
 283 
 
JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE THROUGH THE 
 
 at variance, a people who take every advan- 
 tage of attacking those who are not in a state 
 to defend themselves ; and though they had 
 promised friendship, had lately, and in the 
 most treacherous manner, butchered some of 
 their people. As a proof of this circum- 
 stance, the relations of the deceased showed 
 us, that they had cut off their hair on the oc- 
 casion. They also declared their determina- 
 tion to withdraw all confidence in future from 
 the Esquimaux, and to collect themselves in 
 a formidable body, that they might be en- 
 abled to revenge the death of their friends. 
 
 From their account, a strong party of 
 Esquimaux occasionally ascends this river, in 
 large canoes, in search of flint stones, which 
 they employ to point their spears and arrows. 
 They were now at their lake due East from 
 the spot where we then were, which was at 
 no great distance over land, where they kill 
 the rein-deer, and that they would soon begin 
 to catch big fish for the winter stock. We 
 could not, however, obtain any information 
 respecting the lake in the direction in which 
 we were. To the Eastward and Westward 
 where they saw it, the ice breaks up, but soon 
 freezes again. 
 
 The Esquimaux informed them that they 
 
 saw large canoes full of white men to the 
 
 Westward, eight or ten winters ago, from 
 
 whom they obtained iron in exchange for 
 
 284 
 
NORTH-WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA.. 
 
 leather. The lake where they met these 
 canoes, is called by them Belhoullay Toe, or 
 White Man's Lake. They also represented 
 the Esquimaux as dressing like themselves. 
 They wear their hair short, and have two 
 holes perforated, one on each side of the 
 mouth, in a line with the under lip, in which 
 they place long beads tiiat they lind in the 
 lake. Their bows are somewhat different 
 from those used by the natives we had seen, 
 and they employ slings from whence they 
 throw stones with such dexterity that they 
 prove very formidable weapons in the day of 
 battle. 
 
 We also learned in addition from the na- 
 tives, that we should not see any more of 
 their relations, as they had all left the river 
 to go in pursuit of rein-deer for their provi- 
 sions, and that they themselves should en- 
 gage in a similar expedition in a few days. 
 Rein-deer, bears, wolverines, martens, foxes, 
 hares, and white buffaloes are the only quad- 
 rupeds in their country ; and that the latter 
 were only to be found in the mountains to 
 the Westward. 
 
 We proceeded with the line throughout the 
 day, except two hours, when we employed 
 the sail. We encamped at eight in the even- 
 ing. From the place we quitted this morn- 
 ing, the banks of the river are well covered 
 with small wood, spruce, firs, birch, and wil- 
 285 
 
JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE THROUGrfl THE 
 
 low. We found it very warm du ing the 
 whole of our progress. 
 
 Thursday, 23. — At five in the morning we 
 proceeded on our voyage, but found it very 
 difficult to travel along the beach. We ob- 
 served several places where the natives had 
 stationed themselves and set their nets since 
 our passage downwards. We passed a small 
 river, and at five o'clock our Indians put to 
 shore in order to encamp, but we proceeded 
 onwards, which displeased them very much, 
 from the fatigue they suffered, and at eight 
 we encamped at our position of the 8th in- 
 stant. The day was very fine, and we em- 
 ployed the towing line throughout the course 
 of it. At ten, our hunters returned, sullen 
 and dissatisfied. We had not touched any of 
 our provision stores for six days, in which 
 time we had consumed two rein-deer, four 
 swans, forty-five geese, and a considerable 
 quantity of fish : but it is to be considered, 
 that we were ten men, and four women. I 
 have always observed, that the north men 
 possessed very hearty appetites, but they 
 were very much exceeded by those with me, 
 since we entered this river. I should really 
 have thought it absolute gluttony in my peo- 
 ple, if my own appetite had not increased ii? 
 a similar proportion. 
 
 286 
 
NORTH-WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 
 
 CHAPTER yi. 
 
 JULY, 1789. 
 
 Friday f 24. — At five we continued our 
 course, but, in a very short time, were under 
 the necessity of applying to the aid of the 
 line, the stream being so strong as to render 
 all our attempts unavailing to stem it with 
 the paddles. We passed a small river, on 
 each side of which the natives and Esqui- 
 maux collect flint. The bank is an high, 
 steep, and soft rock, variegated with red, 
 green, and yellow hues. Erom the continual 
 dripping of water, parts of it frequently fall 
 and break into small stony flakes like slate, 
 but not so hard. Among them are found 
 pieces of Fetrolmm, which bears a resem- 
 blance to yellow wax, but is more friable. 
 The English chief informed me that rocks of 
 a similar kind are scattered about the country 
 at the back of the Slave Lake, where the 
 Chepewyans collect copper. 
 
 At ten, we had an aft wind, and the men 
 who had been engaged in towing, re-em- 
 barked. At twelve, we observed a lodge on 
 the side of the river, and its inhabitants run- 
 ning about in great confusion, or hurrying to 
 the woods. Three men waited our arrival, 
 287 
 
JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE THROUGH THE 
 
 though they remained at some distauce from 
 us, with their bows and arrows ready to be 
 employed; or at least, that appeared to be 
 the idea they wished to convey to us, by con- 
 tinually snapping the strings of the former, 
 and the signs they made to forbid our ap- 
 proach. The English chief, whose language 
 they, in some degree understood, endeavoured 
 to remove their distrust of us ; but till I went 
 to them with a present of beads, they refused 
 to have any communication with us. 
 
 When they first perceived our sail, they 
 took us for the Esquimaux Indians, who em- 
 ploy a sail in their canoes. They were 
 suspicious of our designs, and questioned us 
 with a view to obtain some knowledge of 
 them. On seeing us in possession of some 
 of the clothes, bows, etc., which must have 
 belonged to some of the Deguthee Denees, or 
 Quarrellers, they imagined that we had killed 
 some of them, and were bearing away the 
 fruits of our victory. They appeared, indeed, 
 to be of the same tribe, though they were 
 afraid of acknowledging it. From their 
 questions, it was evident that they had not 
 received any notice of our being in those 
 parts. 
 
 They would not acknowledge that they had 
 
 any women with them, though we had seen 
 
 them running to the woods; but pretended 
 
 that they had been left at a considerable dis- 
 
 288 
 
NORTH-WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 
 
 taiice from the river, with some relations, 
 who were engaged in killing rein-deer. 
 These people had been here but a short time, 
 and their lodge was not yet completed ; nor 
 had they any fish in a state of preparation 
 for their provision. I gave them a knife and 
 some beads for an horn-wedge or chisel, with 
 which they split their canoe-wood. One of 
 my Indians having broken his paddle, at- 
 tempted to take one of theirs, which was im- 
 mediately contested by its owner, and on my 
 interfering to prevent this act of injustice, 
 he manifested his gratitude to me on the oc- 
 casion. We lost an hour and a half in this 
 conference. 
 
 The English chief was during the whole of 
 the time in the woods, where some of the 
 hidden property was discovered, but the 
 women contrived to elude the search that was 
 made after them. • Some of these articles 
 were purloined, but I was ignorant of this 
 circumstance till we had taken our departure, 
 or I should have given an ample remunera- 
 tion. Our chief expressed his displeasure at 
 their running away to conceal themselves, 
 their property, and their young women, in 
 very bitter terms. He said his heart was 
 against those slaves ; and complained aloud of 
 his disappointment in coming so far without 
 seeing the natives, and getting something 
 from them. 
 
 19 289 
 
JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE THROUGH THE 
 
 We employed the sail and the paddle since 
 ten this morning, and pitched our tents at 
 seven in the evening. We had no sooner en- 
 camped than we were visited by an Indian 
 whom we had seen before, and whose family 
 was at a small distance up the river : at nine 
 he left us. The weather was clear and 
 serene. 
 
 Saturday, 25. — We embarked this morning 
 at a quarter past three, and at seven we 
 passed the lodge of the Indian who had vis- 
 ited us the preceding evening. There ap- 
 peared to have been more than one family, 
 and we naturally concluded that our visitor 
 had made such an unfavourable report of us, 
 as to induce his companions to fly on our ap- 
 proach. Their fire was not extinguished, and 
 they had left a considerable quantity of fish 
 scattered about their dwelling. 
 
 The weather was now very sultry ; but the 
 current had relaxed of its force, so that the 
 paddle was sufficient for our progress during 
 the greatest part of the day. The inland 
 part of the country is mountainous and the 
 banks of the river low, but covered with 
 wood, among which is the poplar, but of 
 small growth, and the first which we had 
 seen on our return. A pigeon also flew by 
 us, and hares appeared to be in great plenty. 
 We passed many Indian encampments which 
 we did not see in our passage down the river. 
 290 
 
NORTH WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 
 
 About seven the sky, to the Westward, be- 
 came of a steel blue colour, with lightning 
 and thunder. We accordingly landed to 
 prepare ourselves against the coming storm ; 
 but before we could erect our tents, it came 
 on with such violence that we expected it to 
 carry every thing before it. The ridge pole 
 of my tent was broken in the middle, where 
 it was sound, and nine inches and an half in 
 circumference ; and we were obliged to throw 
 ourselves flat on the ground to escape being 
 wounded by the stones that were hurled 
 about in the air like sand. The violence of 
 the storm, however, subsided in a short time, 
 but left the sky overcast with the appearance 
 of rain. 
 
 Sunday, 26. — It rained from the preceding 
 evening to this morning, w^hen we embarked 
 at four o'clock. At eight we landed at three 
 large Indian lodges. Their inhabitants, who 
 were asleep, expressed uncommon alarm and 
 agitation when they were awakened by us, 
 though most of them had seen us before. 
 Their habitations were crowded with fish, 
 hanging to dry in every part; but as we 
 wanted some for present use, we sent their 
 young men to visit the nets, and they re- 
 turned with abundance of large white fish, to 
 which the name has been given of poisson in- 
 connu) some of a round shape, and green 
 colour ; and a few white ones ; all which were 
 291 
 
JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE THROUGH THE 
 
 very agreeable food. Some beads, and a few 
 other trifles, were gratefully received in re- 
 turn. These people are very fond of iron 
 work of any kind, and my men purchased 
 several of their articles for small pieces of 
 tin. 
 
 There were five or six persons whom we 
 had not seen before ; and among them was a 
 Dog-rib Indian, whom some private quarrel 
 had driven from his country. The English 
 chief understood him as well as one of his 
 own nation, and gave the following account 
 of their conversation : — 
 
 He had been informed by the people with 
 whom he now lives, the Hare Indians, that 
 there is another river on the other side of the 
 mountains to the South-West, which falls 
 into the Belhoullay Teo, or White-man's 
 Lake, in comparison of which that on whose 
 banks we then were, was but a small stream ; 
 that the natives were very large, and very 
 wicked, and kill common men with their 
 eyes ; that they make canoes larger than ours ; 
 that those who inhabit the entrance of it kill 
 a kind of beaver, the skin of which is almost 
 red ; and that large canoes often frequent it. 
 As there is no known communication by 
 water with this river, the natives who saw it 
 went over the mountains. 
 
 As he mentioned that there were some 
 beavers in this part of the countrj'^, I told him 
 292 
 
NORTH-WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 
 
 to hunt it, and desii-e the others to do the 
 same, as well as the martens, foxes, beaver- 
 eater or wolverine, &c., which they might 
 carry to barter for iron with his own nation, 
 who are supplied with goods by us, near their 
 country. He was anxious to know whether 
 we should return that way ; at the same time 
 he informed us, that we should see but few 
 of the natives along the river, as all the 
 young men were engaged in killing rein-deer, 
 near the Esquimaux Lake, which, he also 
 said, was at no great distance. The latter 
 he represented as very treacherous, and add- 
 ed, that they had killed one of his people. 
 He told us likewise, that some plan of re- 
 venge was meditating, unless the offending 
 party paid a sufficient price for the body of 
 the murdered person. 
 
 My Indians were very anxious to possess 
 themselves of a woman that was with the na- 
 tives, but as they were not willing to part 
 with her, I interfered, to prevent her being 
 taken by force ; indeed, I was obliged to ex- 
 ercise the utmost vigilance, as the Indians 
 who accompanied me were ever ready to take 
 what they could from the natives, without 
 making them any return. About twelve, we 
 passed a river of some appearance, flowing 
 from the Eastward. One of the natives who 
 followed us, called it the Winter Road River. 
 We did not find the stream strong to-day, 
 293 
 
JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE THROUGH THE 
 
 along the shore, as there were many eddy 
 currents ; we therefore employed the sail dur- 
 ing some hours of it, and went on shore for 
 the night at half past seven. 
 
 Monday, 27. — The weather was now fine, 
 and we renewed our voyage at half past two. 
 At seven we landed where there were three 
 families, situated close to the rapids. We 
 found but few people ; for as the Indian who 
 followed us yesterday had arrived here be- 
 fore us, we supposed that the greater part 
 had fled, on the intelligence which he gave 
 of our approach. Some of these people we 
 had seen before, when they told us that they 
 had left their property at a lake in the neigh- 
 bourhood, and had promised to fetch it be- 
 fore our return ; but we now found them as 
 unprovided as when we left them. They 
 had plenty of fish, some of which was packed 
 up in birch bark. 
 
 During the time we remained with them, 
 which was not more than two hours, I en- 
 deavoured to obtain some additional intelli- 
 gence respecting the river which had been 
 mentioned on the preceding day; when they 
 declared their total ignorance of it, but from 
 the reports of others, as they had never been 
 beyond the mountains, on the opposite side of 
 their own river ; they had, however, been in- 
 formed that it was larger than that which 
 washed the banks whereon they lived, and 
 204 
 
NORTH-WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 
 
 that its course was towards the mid-day sun. 
 They added, that there were people at a 
 small distance up the river, who inhabited 
 the opposite mountains, and had lately de- 
 scended from them to obtain supplies of fish. 
 These people, they suggested, must be well 
 acquainted with the other river, which was 
 the object of my inquiry. I engaged one of 
 them, by a bribe of some beads, to describe 
 the circumjacent country upon the sand. 
 This singular map he unmediately undertook 
 to delineate, and accordingly traced out a 
 very long point of land between the rivers, 
 though without paying the least attention to 
 their courses, which he represented as run- 
 ning into the great lake, at the extremity of 
 which, as he had been told by Indians of 
 other nations, there was a Belhoullay Couin, 
 or White Man's Fort. This I took to be 
 Unalascha Fort, and consequently the river 
 to the West to be Cook's River; and that the 
 body of water or sea into which this river 
 discharges itself at Whale Island, communi- 
 cates with Norton Sound. I made an advan- 
 tageous proposition to this man to accompany 
 me across the mountains to the other river, 
 but he refused it. At the same time he rec- 
 ommended me to the people already men- 
 tioned, who were fishing in the neighbour- 
 hood, as better qualified to assist me in the 
 undertaking which I had proposed. 
 295 
 
JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE THROUGH THE 
 
 One of this small company of natives was 
 greviously afflicted with ulcers in his back, 
 and the only attention which was paid to his 
 miserable condition, as far at least as we 
 could discover, proceeded from a woman, 
 who carefully employed a bunch of feathers 
 in preventing the flies from settling upon his 
 sores. 
 
 At ten this morning we landed near the 
 lodges which had already been mentioned to 
 us, and I ordered my people to make prep- 
 aration for passing the remaining part of the 
 day here, in order to obtain that familiarity 
 with the natives which might induce them to 
 afford me, without reserve, the information 
 that I should require from them. This ob- 
 ject, however, was in danger of being alto- 
 gether frustrated, by a misunderstanding that 
 had taken place between the natives and my 
 young Indians, who had already arrived 
 there. Before the latter could disembark, 
 the former seized the canoe, and dragged it 
 on shore, and in this act of violence the boat 
 was broken, from the weight of the persons 
 in it. This insult was on the point of being 
 seriously revenged, when I arrived, to pre- 
 vent the consequences of such a disposition. 
 The variation of the compass was about 
 twenty-nine degrees to the East. 
 
 At four in the afternoon I ordered my in- 
 terpreter to harangue the natives, assembled 
 296 
 
NORTH-WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 
 
 in council; but his long discourse obtained 
 little satisfactory intelligence from them. 
 Their account of the river to the Westward, 
 was similar to that which he had already re- 
 ceived : and their description of the inhabi- 
 tants of that country was still more absurd 
 and ridiculous. They represented them as 
 being of a gigantic stature, and adorned with 
 wings ; which, however, they never employed 
 in flying. That they fed on large birds, which 
 they killed with the greatest ease, though 
 common men would be certain victims of their 
 ferocity if they ventured to approach them. 
 They also described the people that inhabited 
 the mouth of the river as possessing the ex- 
 traordinary power of killing with their eyes, 
 and devouring a large beaver at a single meal. 
 They added that canoes of very large dimen- 
 sions visited that place. They did not, how- 
 ever, relate these strange circumstances from 
 their own knowledge, but on the reports of 
 other tribes, as they themselves never ven- 
 tured to proceed beyond the first mountains, 
 where they went in search of the small white 
 buffaloes, as the inhabitants of the other side 
 endeavour to kill them whenever they meet. 
 They likewise mentioned that the sources of 
 those streams which are tributary to both the 
 great rivers are separated by the mountains. 
 It appeared to us, however, that these people 
 knew more about the country than they chose 
 297 
 
JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE THROUGH THE 
 
 to communicate, or at least reached me, as 
 the interpreter, who had long been tired of 
 the voyage, might conceal such a part of their 
 communications as, in his opinion, would in- 
 duce me to follow new routes, or extend my 
 excursions. 
 
 No sooner was the conference concluded, 
 than they began to dance, which is their fa- 
 vourite, and, except jumping, their only 
 amusement. In this pastime old and young, 
 male and female, continued their exertions, 
 till their strength was exhausted. This exer- 
 cise was accompanied by loud imitations of 
 the various noises produced by the rein-deer, 
 the bear, and the wolf. 
 
 When they had finished their antics, I de- 
 sired the English chief to renew the former 
 subjects; which he did without success. I 
 therefore assumed an angry air, expressed 
 my suspicions that they withheld their infor- 
 mation, and concluded with a menace, that if 
 they did not give me all the satisfaction in 
 their power, I would force one of them along 
 with me to-morrow, to point out the other 
 river. On this declaration, they all, at one 
 and the same moment, became sick, and an- 
 swered in a very faint tone, that they knew 
 no more than they had already communicated, 
 and that they should die if I took any of 
 them away. They began to persuade my in- 
 terpeter to remain with them, as they loved 
 298 
 
NORTH-WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 
 
 him as well as they did themselves, and that 
 he would be killed if he continued with me. 
 Nor did this proposition, aided as it was by 
 the solicitation of his women, fail of produc- 
 ing a considerable effect upon him, though 
 he endeavoured to conceal it from me. 
 
 I now found that it would be fruitless for 
 me to expect any accounts of the country, or 
 the other great river, till I got to the river of 
 the Bear Lake, where I expected to find some 
 of the natives who promised to wait for us 
 there. These people had actually mentioned 
 this river to me when we passed them, but I 
 then paid no attention to that circumstance, 
 as I imagined it to be either a misunderstand- 
 ing of my interpreter, or that it was an in- 
 vention which, with their other lies, might 
 tend to prevent me from proceeding down 
 their river. 
 
 We were plentifully supplied with fish, as 
 well dry as fresh, by these people ; they also 
 gathered as many whortle berries as we chose, 
 for which we paid with the usual articles of 
 beads, awls, knives, and tin. I purchased a 
 few beaver- skins of them, which, according 
 to their accounts, are not very numerous in 
 this country ; and that they do not abound in 
 moose-deer and buffaloes. They were alarmed 
 for some of their young men, who were kill- 
 ing geese higher up the river, and entreat- 
 ed us to do them no harm. About sunset I 
 299 
 
JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE THROUGH THE 
 
 was under the necessity of shooting one of 
 their dogs, as we could not keep those ani- 
 mals from our baggage. It was in vain that 
 I had remonstrated on this subject, so that I 
 was obliged to commit the act which has been 
 just m-entioned. When these people heard 
 the report of the pistol, and saw the dog dead, 
 they were seized with a very general alarm, 
 and the women took their children on their 
 backs and ran into the woods. I ordered the 
 cause of this act of severity to be explained, 
 with the assurance that no injury would be 
 offered to themselves. The woman, however, 
 to whom the dog belonged, was very much 
 affected, and declared that the loss of five 
 children, during the preceding winter, had 
 not affected her so much as the death of this 
 animal. But her grief was not of very long 
 duration ; and a few beads, &c. , soon assuaged 
 her sorrow. But as they can without diffi- 
 culty get rid of their affliction, they can 
 with equal ease assume it, and feign sickness 
 if it be necessary with the same versatility. 
 When we arrived this morning, we found the 
 women in tears, from an apprehension that 
 we were come to take them away. To the 
 eye of an European they certainly were ob- 
 jects of disgust ; but there were those among 
 my party who observed some hidden charms 
 in these females which rendered them objects 
 of desire, and means were found, I believe, 
 300 
 
NORTH-WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 
 
 that very soon dissipated their alarms and 
 subdued their coyness. 
 
 On the upper part of the beach, liquorice 
 grew in great abundance and it was now in 
 blossom. I pulled up some of the roots, 
 "which were large and long; but the natives 
 were ignorant of its qualities, and considered 
 it as a weed of no use or value. 
 
 Tuesday, 28. — At four this morning I or- 
 dered my people to prepare for our departure ; 
 and while they were loading the canoe, I 
 went with the English chief to visit the 
 lodges, but the greater part of their inhabi- 
 tants had quitted them during the night, and 
 those that remained pretended sickness and 
 refused to rise. When, however, they were 
 convinced that we did not mean to take any 
 of them with us, their sickness abandoned 
 them, and when we had embarked, they came 
 forth from their huts, to desire that we would 
 visit their nets, which were at a small dis- 
 tance up the river, and take all the fish we 
 might find in them. We accordingly availed 
 ourselves of this permission, and took as 
 many as were necessary for our own supply. 
 
 We landed shortly after where there were 
 two more lodges, which were full of fish, but 
 without any inhabitants, who were probably 
 with the natives whom we had just left. My 
 Indians, in rummaging these places, found 
 several articles which they proposed to take ; 
 301 
 
' JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE THROUGH THE 
 
 I therefore gave beads and awls to be left as 
 the purchase of them; but this act of justice 
 they were not able to comprehend, as the 
 people themselves were not present. I took 
 up a net and left a large knife in the place of 
 it. It was about four fathoms long, and 
 thirty-two meshes in depth; these nets are 
 much more convenient to set in the eddy cur- 
 rent than our long ones. This is the place 
 that the Indians call a rapid, though we went 
 up it all the way with the paddle ; so that 
 the current could not be so strong here, as in 
 many other parts of the river ; indeed, if it 
 were so, the difficulty of towing would be 
 almost insuperable, as in many parts, the 
 rocks, which are of a great height, and rather 
 project over the water, leave no shore between 
 them and the stream. These precipices- 
 abound in swallows' nests. The weather was 
 now very sultry, and at eleven we were under 
 the necessity of landing to gum our canoe. 
 
 In about an hour we set forward, and at 
 one in the afternoon, went on shore at a fire, 
 which we supposed to have been kindled by 
 the young men, who, as we had been already 
 informed, were hunting geese. Our hunters 
 found their canoe and the fowl they had got, 
 secreted in the woods; and soon after, the 
 people themselves, whom they brought to the 
 water side. Out of two hundred geese, we 
 picked thirty-six which were eatable; the 
 302 
 
NORTH-WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 
 
 rest were putrid, and emitted a horrid stench. 
 They had been killed some time without hav- 
 ing been gutted, and in this state of loathsome 
 rottenness, we have every reason to su|)[' >.-. ; 
 they are eaten by the natives. We paid for 
 those which we had taken, and departed. 
 At seven in the evening, the weather became 
 cloudy and overcast ; at eight we encamped ; 
 at nine it began to thunder with great vio- 
 lence ; a heavy rain succeeded, accompanied 
 with a hurricane, that blew down our tents, 
 and threatened to carry away the canoe, 
 which had been fastened to some trees with 
 a cod-line. The storm lasted two hours, and 
 deluged us with wet. 
 
 Wednesday/ J 29. — Yesterday the weather 
 was cloudy, and the heat insupportable ; and 
 now we could not put on clothes enough to 
 keep us warm. We embarked at a quarter 
 past four with an aft wind, which drove us 
 on at a great rate, though the current is very 
 strong. At ten we came to the other rapid, 
 which we got up with the line on the West 
 side, where we found it much stronger than 
 when we went down ; the water had also fallen 
 at least five feet since that time, so that sev- 
 eral shoals appeared in the river which we 
 had not seen before. One of my hunters 
 narrowly escaped being drowned in crossing 
 a river that falls in from the Westward, and 
 is the most considerable, except the mountain 
 303 
 
JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE THROUGH THE 
 
 river, that flows in this direction. We had 
 strong Northerly and cold wind throughout 
 the whole of the day, and took our station 
 for the night at a quarter past eight. We 
 killed a goose and caught some young ones. 
 
 Thursday, 30. — We renewed our voyage at 
 four this morning, after a very rainy night. 
 The weather was cloudy, but the cold had 
 moderated, and the wind was North-West. 
 TVe were enabled to employ the sail during 
 part of the day, and encamped at about seven 
 in the evening. We killed eleven old geese 
 and forty young ones which had just begun 
 to fly. The English chief was very much irri- 
 tated against one of his young men : that 
 jealousy occasioned this uneasiness, and that 
 it was not without very sufficient cause, was 
 all I could discover. For the last two or 
 three days we had eaten the liquorice root, 
 of which there is a great abundance on the 
 banks of the river. We found it a powerful 
 astringent. 
 
 Friday y 81. — The rain was continual 
 throughout the night, and did not subside till 
 nine this morning, when we renewed our pro- 
 gress. The wind and weather the same as 
 yesterday. About three in the afternoon it 
 cleared up and the wind died away, when 
 it became warm. At five the wind veered to 
 the East, and brought cold along with it. 
 There were plenty of whortle berries, raspber- 
 304 
 
NORTH-WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 
 
 ries, and a berry called poire, which grows in 
 the greatest abundance. We were very much 
 impeded in our way by shoals of sand and 
 small stones which render the water shallow 
 at a distance from the shore. In other places 
 the bank of the river is lofty : it is formed of 
 black earth and sand, £aid, as it is continu- 
 ally falling, displayed to ns, in some parts, a 
 face of solid ice, to within a foot of the sur- 
 face. We finished this day's voyage at a 
 quarter before eight, and in the course of it 
 killed seven geese. 
 
 We now had recourse to our corn, for we 
 had only consumed three days of our original 
 provision since we began to mount the cur- 
 rent. It was my intention to have ascended 
 the river on the South side from the last 
 rapid, to discover if there were any rivers of 
 consequence that flow from the Westward; 
 but the sand-banks were so numerous and the 
 current so strong, that I was compelled to 
 traverse to the opposite side, where the eddy 
 currents are very frequent, which gave us an 
 opportunity of setting our nets and making, 
 much more headway. 
 20 
 
 305 
 
JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE THROUGH THE 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 AUGUST, 1789. 
 
 Saturday, 1. — We embarked at three this 
 morning, the weather being clear and cold, 
 with the wind at South-East. At three in 
 the afternoon we traversed and landed to take 
 the canoe in tow : here was an encampment 
 of the natives, which we had reason to sup- 
 pose they had quitted the preceding day. At 
 five we perceived a family, consisting of a 
 man, two women, and as many children, sta- 
 tioned by the side of the water, whom we 
 had not seen before. They informed us, that 
 they had but few fish, and that none of their 
 friends were in the neighbourhood, except 
 the inhabitants of one lodge on the other side 
 of the river, and a man who belonged to 
 them, and who was now occupied in hunting. 
 I now found my interpreter very unwilling to 
 ask such questions as were dictated to him, 
 from the apprehension, as I imagined, that 
 I might obtain such intelligence as would pre- 
 vent him from seeing Athabasca this season. 
 We left him with the Indian, and pitched 
 our tents at the same place where we had 
 passed the night on the fifth of last month. 
 The English chief came along with the Indian 
 306 
 
NORTH-WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 
 
 to our fire ; and the latter informed us that 
 the native who went down part of the river 
 with us had passed there, and that we should 
 meet with three lodges of his tribe above the 
 river of the Bear Lake. Of the river to the 
 Westward he knew nothing, but from the re- 
 lation of others. This was the first night 
 since our departure from Athabasca, when it 
 was sufficiently dark to render the stars 
 visible. 
 
 Sunday y 2. — We set off at three this morn- 
 ing with the towing-line. I walked with my 
 Indians, as they went faster than the canoe, 
 and particularly as I suspected that they 
 wanted to arrive at the huts of the natives 
 before me. In our way, I observed several 
 small springs of mineral water running from 
 the foot of the mountain, and along the beach 
 I saw several lumps of iron ore. When we 
 came to the river of the Bear Lake, I ordered 
 one of the young Indians to wait for my 
 canoe, and I took my place in their small 
 canoe. This river is about two hundred and 
 fifty yards broad at this place, the water 
 clear and of a greenish colour. When I 
 landed on the opposite shore, I discovered 
 that the natives had been there very lately 
 from the print of their feet in the sand. We 
 continued walking till five in the afternoon, 
 when we saw several smokes along the shore. 
 As we naturally concluded, that these were 
 307 
 
JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE THROUGH THE 
 
 certain indications where we should meet the 
 natives who were the objects of our search 
 we quickened our pace ; but, in our progress, 
 experienced a very sulphurous smell, and at 
 length discovered that the whole bank was 
 on fire for a very considerable distance. It 
 proved to be a coal mine, to which the fire 
 had communicated from an old Indian en- 
 campment. The beach was covered with 
 coals, and the English chief gathered some of 
 the softest he could find, as a black dye ; it 
 being the mineral, as he informed me, with 
 which the natives render their quills black. 
 
 Here we waited for the large canoe, which 
 arrived an hour after us. At half past ten 
 we saw several Indian marks, which consisted 
 of pieces of bark fixed on poles, and pointing 
 to the woods, opposite to which is an old 
 beaten road, that bore the marks of being 
 lately frequented ; the beach also was covered 
 with tracks. At a small distance were the 
 poles of five lodges standing ; where we landed 
 and unloaded our canoe. I then despatched 
 one of my men and two young Indians to see 
 if they could find any natives within a day's 
 march of us. I wanted the English chief to 
 go, but he pleaded fatigue, and that it would 
 be of no use. This was the first time he had 
 refused to comply with my desire, and jeal- 
 ousy, I believe, was the cause of it in the 
 present instance ; though I had taken every 
 308 
 
NORTH-WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 
 
 precaution that he should not have cause to 
 be jealous of the Canadians. There was not, 
 at this time, the least appearance of snow on 
 the opposite mountains, though they were 
 almost covered with it, when we passed be- 
 fore. Set two nets, and at eleven o'clock at 
 night the men and Indians returned. They 
 had been to their first encampment, where 
 there were four fires, and which had been 
 quitted a short time before ; so that they were 
 obliged to make the circuit of several small 
 lakes, which the natives cross with their 
 canoes. This encampment was on the bor- 
 ders of a lake which was too large for them 
 to venture round it, so that they did not pro- 
 ceed any further. They saw several beavers 
 and beaver lodges in those small lakes. They 
 killed one of these animals whose fur began 
 to get long, a sure indication that the fall of 
 the year approaches. They also saw many 
 old tracks of the moose and reindeer. This, 
 is the time when the rein-deer leave the 
 plains to come to the woods, as the mosqui- 
 toes begin to disappear ; I, therefore, appre- 
 hended that we should not find a single In- 
 dian on the river side, as they would be in or 
 about the mountains setting snares to take 
 them. 
 
 Monday, 3. — We proceeded with a strong 
 Westerly wind, at four this morning, the 
 weather being cloudy and cold. At twelve it 
 
 ao9 
 
JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE THROUGH THE 
 
 cleared up and became fine ; the current also 
 increased. The water had fallen so much 
 since our passage down the river, that here, 
 as in other places, we discovered many shoals 
 which were not then visible. We killed sev- 
 eral geese of a larger size than tliose which 
 we had generally seen. Several Indian en- 
 campments were seen along the river, and we 
 landed at eight for the night. 
 
 Tuesday, 4- — ^^ four in the morning we re- 
 newed our course, when it was fine and calm. 
 The night had been cold and a very heavy 
 dew had fallen. At nine we were obliged to 
 land in order to gum the canoe, when the 
 weather became extremely warm. Numerous 
 tracks of rein-deer appeared on the side of 
 the river. At half past five we took our sta- 
 tion for the night, and set the nets. The cur- 
 rent was very strong all day, and we found it 
 very difficult to walk along the beach, from 
 the large stones which were scattered over it. 
 
 Wednesday, 5. — We raised our nets, but 
 had not the good fortune to take a single fish. 
 The water was now become so low that the 
 edd}' currents would not admit of setting 
 them. The current had not relaxed its 
 strength ; and the difficulty of walking along 
 the beach was continued. The air was now 
 become so cold, that our exercise, violent as 
 it was, scarce kept us warm. We passed sev- 
 eral points which we should not have accom- 
 310 
 
NORTH-WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA.- 
 
 plished, if the canoe had been loaded. We 
 were very much fatigued, and at six were 
 glad to conclude our toilsome march. The 
 Indians killed two geese. The women, who 
 did not quit the canoe, were continually em- 
 ployed in making shoes of moose-skin, for 
 the men, as a pair did not last more than a 
 day. 
 
 Thursday, 6. — The rain prevented us from 
 proceeding till half past six, when we had a 
 strong aft wind, which, aided by the paddles, 
 drove us on at a great rate. We encamped 
 at six to wait for our Indians, whom we had 
 not seen since the morning ; and at half past 
 seven they arrived very much dissatisfied with 
 their day's journey. Two days had now 
 elapsed, since we had seen the least appear- 
 ance of Indian habitations. 
 
 Friday, 7. — We embarked at half past 
 three, and soon after perceived two rein-deer 
 on the beach before us. We accordingly 
 checked our course ; but our Indians, in con- 
 tending who should be the first to get near 
 these animals, alarmed and lost them. We, 
 however, killed a female rein-deer, and from 
 the wounds in her hind legs, it was supposed 
 that she had been pursued by wolves, who 
 had devoured her young one : her udder was 
 full of milk, and one of the young Indians 
 poured it among some boiled corn, which he 
 ate with great delight, esteeming it a very 
 311 
 
JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE THROUGH THE 
 
 delicious food. At five in the afternoon we 
 saw an animal running along the beach, but 
 could not determine whether it was a grey 
 fox or a dog. In a short time, we went 
 ashore for the night, at the entrance of a 
 small river, as I thought there might be some 
 natives in the vicinity of the place. I or- 
 dered my hunters to put their fusees in or- 
 der, and gave them ammunition to proceed 
 on a hunting party the next day ; they were 
 also mstructed to discover if there were any 
 natives in the neighbouring mountains. I 
 found a small canoe at the edge of the woods, 
 which contained a paddle and a bow : it had 
 been repaired this spring, and the workman- 
 ship of the bark excelled any that I had yet 
 seen. We saw several encampments in the 
 course of the day. The current of the river 
 was very strong, and along the points equal 
 to rapids. 
 
 Saturday, 8. — The rain was very violent 
 throughout the night, and continued till the 
 afternoon of this day, when the weather be- 
 gan to clear, with a strong, cold, and West- 
 erly wind. At three the Indians proceeded 
 on the hunting expedition, and at eight they 
 returned without having met with the least 
 success; though they saw numerous tracks 
 of the rein-deer. They came to an old beaten 
 road, which one of them followed for some 
 time; but it did not appear to have been 
 312 
 
NORTH-WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 
 
 lately frequented. The rain now returned, 
 and continued till the morning. 
 
 Sunday, 9. — We renewed our voyage at 
 half past three, the weather being cold and 
 cloudy ; but at ten it became clear and mod- 
 erate. We saw another canoe at the outside 
 of the wood, and one of the Indians killed a 
 dog, which was in a meagre, emaciated con- 
 dition. We perceived various places where 
 the natives had made their fires; for these 
 people reside but a short time near the river, 
 and remove from one bank to the other, as it 
 suits their purposes. We saw a path which 
 was connected with another on the opposite 
 side of the river. The water had risen con- 
 siderably since last night, and there had been 
 a strong current throughout the day. At 
 seven we made to the shore and encamped. 
 
 Monday, 10. — At three this morning we re- 
 turned to our canoe; the weather fine and 
 clear, with a light wind from the South-East. 
 The Indians were before us in pursuit of 
 game. At ten we landed opposite to the 
 mountains which we had passed on the second 
 of the last month, in order to ascertain the 
 variation of the compass at this place: but 
 this was accomplished in a very imperfect 
 manner, as I could not depend on my watch. 
 One of the hunters joined us here, fatigued 
 and unsuccessful. As these mountains are 
 the last of any considerable magnitude on the 
 313 
 
JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE THROUGH THE 
 
 South- West side of the river, I ordered my 
 men to cross to that side of it, that I might 
 ascend one of them. It was near foui in the 
 afternoon when I landed, and I lost no time 
 in proceeding to the attainment of my object. 
 I was accompanied only by a young Indian, 
 as the curiosity of my people was subdued by 
 the fatigue they had undergone ; and we soon 
 had reason to believe that we should pay 
 dearly for the indulgence of our own. The 
 wood, which was chiefly of spruce firs, was so 
 thick that it was with great difficulty we made 
 our way through it. When we had walked 
 upwards of an hour, the under-wood de- 
 creased, while the white birch and poplar 
 were the largest and tallest of their kind that 
 I had ever seen. The ground now began to 
 rise, and was covered with small pines, and 
 at length we got the first view of the moun- 
 tains since we had left the canoe ; as they ap- 
 peared to be no nearer to us, though we had 
 been walking for three hours, than when we 
 had seen them from the river, my companion 
 expressed a very great anxiety to return ; his 
 shoes and leggins were torn to pieces, and he 
 was alarmed at the idea of passing through 
 such bad roads during the night. I persisted, 
 however, in proceeding, with a determination 
 to pass the night on the mountains and return 
 on the morrow. As we approached thei^, the 
 ground was quite marshy, and we waded in 
 314 
 
 I 
 
NORTH-WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 
 
 water and grass up to the knees, till we came 
 within a mile of them, when I suddenly sunk 
 up to my arm-pits, and it was with some dif- 
 ficulty that I extricated myself from this dis- 
 agreeable situation. I now found it impos- 
 sible to proceed ; to cross this marshy ground 
 in a straight line was impracticable, and it 
 extended so far to the right and left, that I 
 could not attempt to make the circuit; I 
 therefore determined to return to the canoe, 
 and arrived there about midnight, very much 
 fatigued with this fruitless jorney. 
 
 Tuesday, 11. — We observed several tracks 
 along the beach, and an encampment at the 
 edge of the woods, which appeared to be five 
 or six days old. We should have continued 
 our route along this side of the river, but we 
 had not seen our hunters since yesterday 
 morning. We accordingly embarked before 
 three, and at five traversed the river, when 
 we saw two of them coming down in search 
 of us. They had killed no other animals 
 than one beaver, and a few hares. According 
 to their account, the woods were so thick that 
 it was impossible to follow the game through 
 them. They had seen several of the natives' 
 encampments, at no great distance from the 
 river ; and it was their opinion that they had 
 discovered us in our passage down it, and had 
 taken care to avoid us ; which accounted for 
 the small number we had seen on our return. 
 315 
 
JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE THROUGH THE 
 
 I requested the English chief to return 
 with me to the other side of the river, in order 
 that he might proceed to discover the natives, 
 whose tracks and habitations we had seen 
 there ; but he was backward in complying with 
 my desire, and proposed to send the young 
 men ; but I could not trust to them, and at 
 the same time was become rather doubtful of 
 him. They were still afraid lest I should 
 obtain such accounts of the other river as 
 would induce me to travel overland to it, and 
 that they should be called upon to accompany 
 me. I was, indeed, informed by one of my 
 own people, that the English chief, his wives 
 and companions, had determned to leave me 
 on this side of the Slave Lake, in order to go 
 to the country of the Beaver Indians, and 
 that about the middle of the winter he would 
 return to that lake, where he had appointed 
 to meet some of his relatons, who, during the 
 last spring, had been engaged in war. 
 
 We now traversed the river, and continued 
 to track the Indians till past twelve, when 
 we lost all traces of them ; in consequence, as 
 we imagined, of their having crossed to the 
 Eastern side. We saw several dogs on both 
 shores ; and one of the young Indians killed 
 a wolf, which the men ate with great satis- 
 faction : we shot, also, fifteen young geese 
 that were now beginning to fly. It was eight 
 when we took our evening station, having 
 316 
 
NORTH-WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 
 
 lost four hours in making our traverses. 
 There was no interruption of the fine weather 
 during the course of this day. 
 
 Wednesday, 12. — We proceeded on our 
 voyage at three this morning, and despatched 
 the two young Indians across the river, that 
 we might not miss any of the natives that 
 should be on the banks of it. We saw many 
 places where fires had been lately made along 
 the beach, as well as fire running in the 
 woods. At four we arrived at an encamp- 
 ment which had been left this morning. 
 Their tracks were observable in several places 
 in the woods, and as it might be presumed 
 that they could not be at any great distance, 
 it was proposed to the chief to accompany me 
 in search of them. We accordingly, though 
 with some hesitation on his part, penetrated 
 several miles into the woods, but without dis- 
 covering the objects of our research. The 
 fire had spread all over the country, and had 
 burned about three inches of the black, light 
 soil, which covered a body of cold clay, that 
 was so hard as not to receive the least im- 
 pression of our feet. At ten we returned 
 from our unsuccessful excursion. In the 
 mean time the hunters had killed seven 
 geese. There were several showers of rain, 
 accompanied with gusts of wind and thunder. 
 The nets had been set during our absence. 
 
 Thursday^ IS. — The nets Avere taken up, 
 317 
 
JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE THROUGH THE 
 
 but not one fish was found in them ; and at 
 half past three we continued our route , with 
 very favourable weather. We passed f everal 
 places, where fires had been made by l^e na- 
 tives, and many tracks were perceptible along 
 the beach. At seven we were opposite the 
 island where our pemmican had been con- 
 cealed : two of the Indians were accordingly 
 despatched in search of it, and it proved very 
 acceptable, as it rendered us more independ- 
 ent of the provisions which were to be ob- 
 tained by our fowling pieces, and qualified 
 us to get out of the river without that delay 
 which our hunters would otherwise have re- 
 quired. In a short time we perceived a smoke 
 on the shore to the South-West, at the dis- 
 tance of three leagues, which did not appear 
 to proceed from any running fire. The In- 
 dians, who were a little way ahead of us, did 
 not discover it, being engaged in the pursuit 
 of a flock of geese, at which they fired several 
 shots, when the smoke immediately disap- 
 peared ; and in a short time we saw several 
 of the natives run along the shore, some of 
 whom entered their canoes. Though we were 
 almost opposite to them, we could not cross 
 the river without going further up it, from 
 the strength of the current ; I therefore or- 
 dered our Indians to make every possible ex- 
 ertion, in order to speak with them, and wait 
 our arrival. But as soon as our small canoe 
 318 
 
NORTH-WEST CONTIKENT OF AMERICA. 
 
 struck off, we could perceive the poor af- 
 frighted people hasten to the shore, and after 
 drawin^c their canoes on the beach, hurry into 
 the woods. It was past ten before we landed 
 at the -place where they had deserted their 
 canoes, which were four in number. They 
 were soj terrified that they had left several 
 articles on the beach. I was very much dis- 
 pleased with my Indians, who instead of 
 seeking the natives, were dividing their prop- 
 erty. I rebuked the English chief with some 
 severity for his conduct, and immediately or- 
 dered him, his young men, and my own peo- 
 ple, to go in search of the fugitivs, but their 
 fears had made them too nimble for us, and 
 we could not overtake them. We saw several 
 dogs in the woods, and some of them followed 
 us to our canoe. 
 
 The English chief was very much displeased 
 at my reproaches, and expressed himself to 
 me in person to that effect. This was the 
 very opportunity which I wanted, to make 
 him acquainted with my dissatisfaction for 
 some time past. I stated to him that I had 
 come a great way, and at a very considerable 
 expense, without having completed the object 
 of my wishes, and that I suspected he had 
 concealed from me a principal part of what 
 the natives had told him respecting the coun- 
 try, lest he should be obliged to follow me : 
 that his reason for not killing game, &c., was 
 319 
 
JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE THROUGH THE 
 
 liis jealousy, which likewise prevented him. 
 from looking after the natives as he ought ; 
 and that we had never given him any cause 
 for any suspicions of us. These suggestions 
 irritated him in a very high degree, and he 
 accused me of speaking ill words to him ; he 
 denied the charge of jealousy, and declared 
 that he did not conceal any thing from us ; 
 an that as to the ill success of their hunting, 
 it arose from the nature of the country, and 
 the scarcity, which had lutherto appeared, of 
 animals in it. He concluded by informing 
 me that he would not accompany me any 
 further: that though he was without ammu- 
 nition, he could live in the same manner as 
 the slaves (the name given to the inhabitants 
 of that part of the country), and that he 
 would remain among them. His harangue 
 was succeeded by a loud and bitter lamenta- 
 tion ; and his relations assisted the vocifera- 
 tions of his grief ; though they said that their 
 tears flowed for their dead friends. I did 
 not interrupt their grief for two hours, but as 
 I could not well do without them, I was at 
 length obliged to soothe it, and induce the 
 chief to change his resolution, which he did, 
 but with great apparent reluctance ; when we 
 embarked as we had hitherto done. 
 
 The articles which the fugitives had left be- 
 hind them, on the present occasion, were 
 bows, arrows, snares for moose and rein-deer, 
 320 
 
NORTH-WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA, 
 
 and for hares ; to these may be added a few 
 dishes, made of bark, some skins of the mar- 
 ten and the beaver, and old beaver robes, 
 with a small robe made of the skin of the 
 lynx. Their canoes were coarsely made of 
 the bark of the spruce-fir, and will carry two 
 or three people. I ordered my men to remove 
 them to the shade, and gave most of the other 
 articles to the young Indians. The English 
 chief would not accept of any of them. In 
 the place, and as the purchase of them, I left 
 some cloth, some small knives, a file, two fire- 
 steels, a comb, rings, with beads and awls. 
 I also ordered a marten skin to be placed on 
 a proper mould, and a beaver skin to be 
 stretched on a frame, to which I tied a 
 scraper. The Indians were of opinion that 
 all these articles would be lost, as the na- 
 tivs were so much frightened that they would 
 never return. Here we lost six hours ; and 
 on our quitting the place, three of the dogs 
 which I have already mentioned followed us 
 along the beach. 
 
 We pitched our tents at half past eight, at 
 the entrance of the river of the mountain; 
 and while the people were unloading the 
 canoe, I took a walk along the beach, and on 
 the shoals, which being uncovered since we 
 passed down, by the sinking of the waters, 
 were now white with a saline substance. I 
 sent for the English chief to sup with me, 
 21 321 
 
JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE THROUGH THE 
 
 and a dram or two dispelled all his heart- 
 burning and discontent. He informed me 
 that it was a custom with the Chepewyan 
 chiefs to go to war after they had shed tears, 
 in order to wipe away the disgrace attached 
 to such a feminine weakness, and that in the 
 ensuing spring he should not fail to execute 
 his design ; at the same time he declared his 
 intention to continue v/ith us as long as I 
 should want him. I took care that he should 
 carry some liquid consolation to his lodge, to 
 prevent the return of his chagrin. The 
 weather was fine, and the Indians killed three 
 geese. 
 
 Friday, IJ/., — At a quarter before four this 
 morning, we returned to our canoe, and went 
 about two miles up the river of the moun- 
 tains. Fire was in the ground on each side of 
 it. In traversing, I took soundings, and 
 found five, four and an half, and three and 
 an half fathoms water. Its stream was very 
 muddy, and formed a cloudy streak along the 
 water of the great river, on the West side to 
 the Eastern rapid, where the waters of the 
 two rivers at length blend in one. It was im- 
 possible not to consider it as an extraordinary 
 circumstance, that the current of the former 
 river should not incorporate with that of the 
 latter, but flow, as it were, in distinct streams 
 at so great a distance, and till the contracted 
 state of the channel unites them. We passed 
 322 
 
NORTH-WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 
 
 several encampments of the natives, and a 
 river which flowed in from the North, that 
 had the appearance of being navigable. We 
 concluded our voyage of this day at half past 
 five in the afternoon. There were plenty of 
 berries, which my people called poires : they 
 are of a purple hue, somewhat bigger than a 
 pea, and of a luscious taste ; there were also 
 gooseberries, and a few strawberries. 
 
 Saturday^ 15. — We continued our course 
 from three in the morning till half past five 
 in the afternoon. We saw several encamp- 
 ments along the beach, till it became too nar- 
 row to admit them ; when the banks rose into 
 a considerable degree of elevation, and there 
 were more eddy currents. The Indians killed 
 twelve geese, and berries were collected in 
 great abundance. The weather was sultry 
 throughout the day. 
 
 Sunday, 16. — We continued our voyage at 
 a quarter before four, and in five hours passed 
 the place where we had been stationed on the 
 13th of June. Here the river widened, and 
 its shores became flat. The land on the 
 North side is low, composed of a black soil, 
 mixed with stones, but agreeably covered 
 with the aspen, the poplar, the white birch, 
 the spruce-fir, &c. The current was so mod- 
 erate, that we proceeded upon it almost as 
 fast as in dead water. At twelve we passed 
 an encampment of three fires, which was the 
 323 
 
JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE THROUGH THE 
 
 only one we saw in the course of the day. 
 The weather was the same as yesterday. 
 
 Monday, 17. — We proceeded at half past 
 three ; and saw three successive encampments. 
 From the peculiar structure of the huts, we 
 imagined that some of the Ked-Knife Indians 
 had been in this part of the country, though 
 it is not usual for them to come this way. I 
 had last night ordered the young Indians to 
 precede us, for the purpose of hunting, and 
 at ten we overtook them. They had killed 
 five young swans ; and the English chief pre- 
 sented us with an eagle, three cranes, a small 
 beaver, and two geese. We encamped at 
 seven this evening on the same spot which 
 had been our resting-place on the 29th of 
 June. 
 
 Tuesday f 18. — At four this morning I 
 equipped all the Indians for an hunting ex- 
 cursion, and sent them onward, as our stock 
 of provision was nearl}'- exhausted. We fol- 
 lowed at half past six, and crossed over to the 
 North shore, where the land is low and 
 scarcely visible in the horizon. It was near 
 twelve when we arrived. I now got an ob- 
 servation, when it was 61. 33. North latitude. 
 We were near five miles to the North of the 
 main channel of the river. The fresh tracks 
 and beds of buffaloes were very perceptible. 
 
 Near this place a river flowed in from the 
 Horn Mountains, which are at no great dis- 
 324 
 
NORTH-WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 
 
 tance. We landed at five in the afternoon, 
 and before the canoe was unloaded, the Eng- 
 lish chief arrived with the tongue of a cow, 
 or female buffalo, when four men and the In- 
 dians were despatched for the flesh ; but they 
 did not return till it was dark. They in- 
 formed me, that they had seen several human 
 tracks in the sand on the opposite island. 
 The fine weather continued without interrup- 
 tion. 
 
 Wednesdaijj 19. — The Indians were again 
 sent forward in pursuit of game ; and some 
 time being employed in gumming the canoe, 
 we did not embark till half past five, and at 
 nine we landed to wait the return of the 
 hunters. I here found the variation of the 
 compass to be about twenty degrees East. 
 
 The people made themselves paddles and 
 repaired the canoe. It is an extraordinary 
 circumstance for which I do not pretend to 
 account, that there is some peculiar quality 
 in the water of this river, which corrodes 
 wood, from the destructive effect it had on 
 the paddles. The hunters arrived at a late 
 hour, without having seen any large animals. 
 Their booty consisted only of three swans and 
 as many geese. The women were employed 
 in gathering cranberries and crowberries, 
 which were found in great abundance. 
 
 Thursday y W. — We embarked at four 
 o'clock, and took the North side of the 
 325 
 
JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE THROUGH THE 
 
 channel, though the current was on that side 
 much stronger, in order to take a view of the 
 river, which had been mentioned to me in our 
 passage downwards, as flowing from the 
 country of the Beaver Indians, and which fell 
 in hereabouts. We could not, however, dis- 
 cover it, and it is probable that the account 
 was referable to the river which we had 
 passed on Tuesday. The current was very 
 strong, and we crossed over to an island op- 
 posite to us ; here it was still more impetu- 
 ous, and assumed the hurry of a rapid. We 
 found an awl and a paddle on the side of the 
 water ; the former we knew to belong to the 
 Knisteneaux : I supposed it to be the chief 
 Merde-d'our's and his party, who went to 
 war last spring, and had taken this route on 
 their return to Athabasca. Nor is it improb- 
 able that they may have been the cause that 
 we saw so few of the natives on the banks of 
 this river. The weather was raw and cloudy, 
 and formed a very unpleasant contrast to the 
 warm, sunny days, which immediately pre- 
 ceded it. We took up our abode for the 
 night at lialf past seven, on the Northern 
 shore, where the adjacent country is both low 
 and fiat. The Indians killed five young 
 swans, and a beaver. There was an appear- 
 ance of rain. 
 
 Friday, 21. — The weather was cold, with a 
 strong Easterly wind and frequent showers, 
 S26 
 
NORTH-WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 
 
 so that we were detained in our station. In 
 the afternoon the Indians got on the track of 
 a moose-deer, but were not so fortunate as to 
 overtake it. 
 
 Saturday, 22. — The wind veered round to 
 the Westward, and continued to blow strong 
 and cold. We, however, renewed our voyage, 
 and in three hours reached the entrance of 
 the Slave Lake, under half sail; with the 
 paddle, it would have taken us at least eight 
 hours. The Indians did not arrive till four 
 hours after us ; but the wind was so violent, 
 that it was not expedient to venture into the 
 lake ; we therefore set a net, and encamped 
 for the night. The women gathered large 
 quantities of the fruit already mentioned, 
 called Pathagomenan, and cranberries, crow- 
 berries, mooseberries, &c. The Indians killed 
 two swans and three geese. 
 
 Sunday, 23. — The net produced but five 
 small pike, and at live we embarked, and en- 
 tered the lake by the same channel through 
 which we had passed from it. The South- 
 West side would have been the shortest, but 
 we were not certain of there being plenty of 
 fish along the coast, and we were sure of 
 finding abundance of them in the course we 
 preferred. Besides, I expected to find my 
 people at the place where I left them, as they 
 had received orders to remain there till the 
 fall. 
 
 327 
 
JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE THROUGH THE 
 
 We paddled a long way into a deep bay to 
 get the wind, and having left our mast be- 
 hind us, we landed to cut another. We then 
 hoisted sail, and were driven on at a great 
 rate. At twelve the v>^ind and swell were 
 augmented to such a degree, that our under 
 yard broke, but luckily the mast thwart re- 
 sisted, till we had time to fasten down the 
 yard with a pole, withe ut lowering sail. 
 We took in a large quantity of water, and 
 had our mast given way, in all probability, 
 we should have filled and sunk. Our course 
 continued to be very dangerous, along a flat 
 lee-shore, without being able to land till 
 three in the afternoon. Two men were con- 
 tinually employed in bailing out the water 
 which we took in on all sides. We fortu- 
 nately doubled a point that screened us from 
 the wind and swell, and encamped for the 
 night, in order to wait for our Indians. AVe 
 then set our nets, made a yard and mast, and 
 gummed the canoe. On visiting the nets, we 
 found six white fish, and two pike. The 
 women gathered cranberries and crowberries 
 in great plenty; and as the night came on, 
 the weather became more moderate. 
 
 Monday, 24- — Our nets this morning pro- 
 duced fourteen white fish, ten pikes, and a 
 couple of trouts. At five we embarked with a 
 light breeze from the South, when we hoisted 
 sail, and proceeded slowly, as our Indians 
 328 
 
:north-west continent of America. 
 
 liad not come up with us. At eleven we went 
 on shore to prepare the kettle, and dry the 
 nets; at one we were again on the water. 
 At four in the afternoon, we perceived a large 
 canoe with a sail, and two small ones ahead ; 
 we soon came up with them, when they 
 proved to be M. Le Koux and an Indian, with 
 his family, who were on a hunting party, and 
 had been out twenty-five days. It was his 
 intention to have gone as far as the river, to 
 leave a letter for me, to inform me of his 
 situation. He had seen no more Indians 
 where I had left him ; but had made a 
 voyage to Lac la Marte, where he met eigh- 
 teen small canoes of the Slave Indians, from 
 whom he obtained five pack of skins, which 
 were principally those of the marten. There 
 were four Beaver Indians among them, who 
 had bartered the greatest part of the above 
 mentioned articles with them, before his ar- 
 rival. They informed him that their rela- 
 tions had more skins, but that they were 
 afraid to venture with them, though they 
 had been informed that people were to come 
 with goods to barter for them. He gave 
 these people a pair of ice chisels each, and 
 other articles, and sent them away to con- 
 duct their friends to the Slave Lake, where 
 he was to remain during the succeedmg 
 winter. 
 
 We set three nets, and in a short time 
 329 
 
JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE THROXTGH THE 
 
 caught twenty fish of different kinds. In the 
 dusk of the evening, the English chief arrived 
 with a most pitiful account that he had like 
 to have been drowned in trying to follow us ; 
 and that the other men had also a very nar- 
 row escape. Their canoe, he said, had broken 
 on the swell, at some distance from the shore, 
 but as it was flat, they had with his assist- 
 ance been able to save themselves. He added, 
 that he left them lamenting, lest they should 
 not overtake me, if I did not wait for them ; 
 he also expressed his apprehensions that they 
 would not be able to repair their canoe. This 
 evening I gave my men some rum to cheer 
 them after their fatigues. 
 
 Tuesday^ 25. — We rose this morning at a 
 late hour, when we visited the nets, which 
 produced but few fish: my people, indeed, 
 partook of the stores of M. Le Roux. At 
 eleven, the young Indians arrived, and re- 
 proached me for having left them so far be- 
 hind. They had killed two swans, and 
 brought me one of them. The wind was 
 Southerly throughout the day, and too strong 
 for us to depart, as we were at the foot of a 
 grand traverse. At noon I had an observa- 
 tion, which gave 61. 29. North latitude. 
 Such was the state of the weather, that we 
 could not visit our nets. In the afternoon, 
 the sky darkened, and there was lightning, 
 accompanied with loud claps of thunder. 
 330 
 
NORTH-WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 
 
 The wind also veered round to the Westward, 
 and blew a hurricane. 
 
 Wednesday, 26. — It rained throughout the 
 night, and till eight in the morning, without 
 any alteration in the wind. The Indians 
 went on a hunting excursion, but returned 
 altogether without success in the evening. 
 One of them was so unfortunate as to miss a 
 moose-deer. In the afternoon there were 
 heavy showers, with thunder, &c. 
 
 Thursday, 27. — We embarked before four, 
 and hoisted sail. At nine we landed to dress 
 victuals, and wait for M. Le Eoux and the 
 Indians. At eleven, we proceeded with fine 
 and calm weather. At four in the afternoon, 
 a light breeze sprang up to the Southward, to 
 which we spread our sail, and at half past 
 five in the afternoon, went on shore for the 
 night. We then set our nets. The English 
 chief and his ]3eople being quite exhausted 
 with fatigue, he this morning expressed his 
 desire to remain behind, in order to proceed 
 to the country of the Beaver Indians, engag- 
 ing at the same time, that he would return to 
 Athabasca in the course of the winter. 
 
 Friday, 28. — It blew very hard throughout 
 the night, and this morning, so that we found 
 it a business of some difficulty to get to our 
 nets ; our trouble, however, was repaid by a 
 considerable quantity of white fish, trout, &c. 
 Towards the afternoon the wind increased. 
 331 
 
JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE THROUGH THE 
 
 Two of the men who had been gathering ber- 
 ries saw two moose-deer, with the tracks of 
 buffaloes and rein-deer. About sunset we 
 heard two shots, and saw a fire on the oppo- 
 site side of the bay ; we accordingly made a 
 large fire also, that our position might be de- 
 termined. When we were all gone to bed, we 
 heard the report of a gun very near us, and 
 in a very short time the English chief pre- 
 sented himself drenched with wet, and in 
 much apparent confusion informed me that 
 the canoe with his companions was broken to 
 pieces; and that they had lost their fowling 
 pieces, and the flesh of a rein-deer, which 
 they had killed this morning. They were, 
 he said, at a very short distance from us; 
 and at the same time requested that fire might 
 be sent to them, as they were starving with 
 cold. They and his women, however, soon 
 joined us, and were immediately accommo- 
 dated with dry clothes. 
 
 SaUirday, 29. — I sent the Indians on an 
 hunting party, but they returned without suc- 
 cess ; and they expressed their determination 
 not to follow me any further, from their ap- 
 prehension of being drowned. 
 
 Sunday, 30. — We embarked at one this 
 morning, and took from the nets a large 
 trout, and twenty white fish. At siuirise a 
 smart aft breeze sprang up, which w^afted us 
 to M. Le Roux's house by two in the after- 
 332 
 
NORTH WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICxV. 
 
 noon. It was late before he and our Indians 
 arrived; when, according to a promise which 
 I had made the latter, I gave them a plenti- 
 ful equipment of iron ware, ammunition, to- 
 bacco, &c., as a recompense for the toil and 
 inconvenience they had sustained with me. 
 
 I proposed to the English chief to j^roceed 
 to the country of the Beaver Indians, and 
 bring them to dispose of their peltries to M. 
 Le Roux, whom I intended to leave there the 
 ensuing winter. He had already engaged to 
 be at Athabasca, in the month of INIarch next, 
 with plenty of furs. 
 
 Monday, 31. — I sat up all night to make 
 the necessary arrangements for the embarka- 
 tion of this morning, and to prepare instruc- 
 tions for M. Le Koux. We obtained some 
 provisions here, and parted from him at five, 
 with fine calm Aveather. It soon, however, 
 became necessary to land on a small island, 
 to stop the leakage of the canoe, which had 
 been occasioned by the shot of an arrow under 
 the water mark, by some Indian children. 
 While this business was proceeding, we took 
 the opportunity of dressing some fish. At 
 twelve, the wind sprang up from the South- 
 East, which was in the teeth of our direction, 
 so that our progress was greatly impeded. I 
 had an observation, which gave 62. 15. North 
 latitude. We landed at seven in the evening, 
 and pitched our tents. 
 
JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE THROUGH THE 
 
 Tuesday f 1. — We continued our voyage at 
 five in the morning, the weather calm and 
 fine, and passed the Isle a la Cache about 
 twelve, but could not perceive the land, which 
 was seen in our former passage. On passing 
 the Carreboeuf Islands, at five in the after- 
 noon, we saw land to the South by West, 
 which we thought was the opposite side of 
 the lake, stretching away to a great distance. 
 We landed at half past six in the evening, 
 when there was thunder, and an appearance 
 of change in the weather. 
 
 Wednesday, 2. — It rained and blew hard 
 the latter part of the night. At half past 
 five the rain subsided, when we made a trav- 
 erse of twelve miles, and took in a good deal 
 of water. At twelve it became calm, when I 
 had an observation, which gave 61. 36. 
 North latitude. At three in the afternoon, 
 there was a slight breeze from the Westward 
 which soon increased, when we hoisted sail, 
 and took a traverse of twenty-four miles, for 
 the point of the old Fort, where we arrived 
 at seven, and stopped for the night. This 
 traverse shortened our way three leagues ; in- 
 deed we did not expect to have cleared the 
 lake in such a short time. 
 
 Thursday, 3. — It blew with great violence 
 
 throughout the night, and at four in the 
 
 morning we embarked, when we did not make 
 
 more than five miles in three hours, without 
 
 334 
 
NORTH WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 
 
 stopping; notwithstanding we were sheltered 
 from the swell by a long bank. We now en- 
 tered the small river, where the wind could 
 have no effect upon us. There were frequent 
 showers in the course of the day, and we en- 
 camped at six in the evening. 
 
 Friday, Jf. — The morning was dark and 
 cloudy, nevertheless we embarked at five; 
 but at ten it cleared up. We saw a few fowl, 
 and at seven in the evening, went on shore 
 for the night. 
 
 Saturday, 5. — The weather continued to be 
 cloudy. At five we proceeded, and at eight it 
 began to rain very hard. In about half an 
 hour we put to shore, and were detained for 
 the remaining part of the da3^ 
 
 Sunday, 6. — It rained throughout the night, 
 with a strong North wind. Numerous flocks 
 of wild fowl passed to the Southward ; at six 
 in the afternoon, the rain, in some measure, 
 subsided, and we embarked, but it soon re- 
 turned with renew'xl violence; we, neverthe- 
 less took the advantage of an aft wind, 
 though it cost us a complete drenching. The 
 hunters killed seven geese, and we pitched 
 our tents at half past six in the evening. 
 
 Monday, 7. — We were on the water at five 
 this morning, with a head wind, accompanied 
 by successive showers. At three in the after- 
 noon, we ran the canoe on a stump, and it 
 filled with water before she could be got to 
 335 
 
JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE THROUGH THE 
 
 land. Two hours were employed in repairing 
 her, and at seven in the evening, we took our 
 station for the night. 
 
 Tuesday, 8. — We renewed our voyage at 
 "half past four in a thick mist which lasted 
 till nine, when it cleared away, and fine 
 weather succeeded. At three in the after- 
 noon we came to the first carrying-place, Por- 
 tage des Noyes, and encamped at the upper 
 €nd of it to dry our clothes, some of which 
 were almost rotten. 
 
 Wednesday, 9. — We embarked at five in 
 the morning, and our canoe was damaged on 
 the men's shoulders, who were bearing it over 
 the carrying-place, called Portage du Che- 
 tique. The guide repaired her, however, 
 while the other men were employed in carry- 
 ing the baggage. The canoe Avas gummed at 
 the carrying-place named the Portage de la 
 Montague. After having passed the carrying- 
 places, we encamped at the Dog River, at 
 half past four in the afternoon, in a state of 
 great fatigue^ The canoe was again gummed, 
 and paddles were made to replace those that 
 had been broken in ascending the rapids. A 
 swan was the only animal we killed through- 
 out the day. 
 
 Thursday, 10. — There was rain and violent 
 
 wind during the night : in the morning the 
 
 former subsided and the latter increased. 
 
 At half past five we continued our course 
 
 336 
 
NORTH-WEST CONTIKENT OP AMERICA. 
 
 with a North- Westerly wind. At seven we 
 hoisted sail : in the forenoon there were fre- 
 quent showers of rain and hail, and in the 
 afternoon two showers of snow : the wind 
 was at this time very strong, and at six in 
 the evening we landed at a lodge of Kniste- 
 neaux, consisting of three men and live wom- 
 en and children. They were on their return 
 from war, and one of them was very sick : 
 they separated from the rest of their party in 
 the enemy's country, from absolute hunger. 
 After this separation, they met with a family 
 of the hostile tribe, whom they destroyed. 
 They were entirely ignorant of the fate of 
 their friends, but imagined that they had re- 
 turned to the Peace River, or had perished 
 for want of food. I gave medicine to the 
 sick,* and a small portion of ammunition to 
 
 '■^ This man had conceived an idea, that the people 
 with whom he had been at war, had thrown medi- 
 cine at him, which had caused his present complaint, 
 and that he despaired of recovery. The natives are 
 so superstitious, that this idea alone was sufficient to 
 kill him. Of this weakness I took advantage ; and 
 assured him, that if he would never more go to war 
 with such poor defenceless people, I would cure 
 him. To this proposition he readily consented, and 
 on my giving him medicine, which consisted of 
 Turlington's balsam, mixed in water, I declared 
 that it would lose its effect, if he was not sincere in 
 the promise that he made me. In short, he actually 
 recovered, was true to his engagements, and on all 
 occasions manifested his gratitude to me. 
 22 837 
 
JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE THROUGH: THE 
 
 the healthy ; which, indeed, they very much 
 wanted, as they had entirely lived for the 
 last six months on the produce of their bows 
 and arrows. They appeared to have been 
 great sufferers by their expedition. 
 
 Friday, 11. — It froze hard during the 
 night, and was very cold throughout the day, 
 with an a^Dpearance of snow. We embarked 
 at half past four in the morning, and con- 
 tinued our course till six in the evening, 
 when we landed for the night at our encamp' 
 ment of the third of June. 
 
 Saturday, 12. — The weather was cloudy, 
 and also very cold. At night, we embarked 
 with a North-East wind, and entered the 
 Lake of the Hills. About ten, the wind 
 veered to the West-ward, and was as strong 
 as we could bear it with the high sail, so 
 that we arrived at Chepewyan fort by three 
 o'clock in the afternoon, where we found Mr. 
 Macleod, with five men busily employed in 
 building a new house. Here, then, we con- 
 cluded this voyage, which had occupied the 
 considerable space of one hundred and two 
 days. 
 
 338 
 
NORTH-WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 OCTOBER 10, 1792. 
 
 Having made every necessary preparation, 
 I left Fort Chepewyan, to proceed up the 
 Peace River. I had resolved to go as far as 
 our most distant settlement, which would oc- 
 cupy the remaining part of the season, it be- 
 ing the route by which I proposed to attempt 
 my next discovery, across the mountains 
 from the source of that river ; for whatever 
 distance I could reach this fall, would be a 
 proportionate advancement of my voyage. 
 
 In consequence of this design, I left the 
 establishment of Fort Chepewyan, in charge 
 of Mr. Roderic Mackenzie, accompanied by 
 two canoes laden with the necessary articles 
 for trade: we accordingly steered West for 
 one of the branches that communicates with 
 the Peace River, called the Pine River; at 
 the entrance of which we waited for the other 
 canoes, in order to take some supplies from 
 them, as I had reason to apprehend they 
 would not be able to keep up with us. We 
 entered the Peace River at seven in the morn- 
 ing of the 12th, taking a Westerly course. 
 It is evident, that all the land between it and 
 the Lake of the Hills, as far as the Elk River, 
 339 
 
JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE THROUGH THE 
 
 is formed by the quantity of earth and mud, 
 which is carried down by the streams of those 
 two great rivers. In this space there are sev- 
 eral lakes. The Lake Clear Water, which is 
 the deepest. Lake Vassieu, and the Athabasca 
 Lake, which is the largest of the three, and 
 whose denomination in the Kneisteneaux lan- 
 guage implies, a flat, low, swampy country, 
 subject to inundations. The two last lakes 
 are now so shallow, that from the cause just 
 mentioned, there is every reason to expect, 
 tliat in a few years they will have exchanged 
 their character, and become extensive forests. 
 
 This country is so level, that, at some sea- 
 sons, it is entirely overflowed, which accounts 
 for the periodical influx and reflux of thd 
 waters between the Lake of the Hills and the 
 Peace Kiver. 
 
 On the 13th at noon we came to the Peace 
 Point ; from which, according to the report 
 of my interpreter, the river derives its name ; 
 it was the spot where the Knisteneaux and 
 Beaver Indians settled their dispute ; the real 
 name of the river and point being that of 
 the land which was the object of conten- 
 tion. 
 
 When this country was formerly invaded 
 by the Knisteneaux, they found the Beaver 
 Indians inhabiting the land about Portage la 
 Roche ; and the adjoining tribe were those 
 whom they called slaves. They drove both 
 340 
 
NORTH-WEST CONTmENT OF AMERICA. 
 
 these tribes before them; when the latter 
 proceeded down the river from the Lake of 
 the Hills, in consequence of which that part 
 of it obtained the name of the Slave River. 
 The former proceeded up the river; and when 
 the Knisteneaux made peace with them, this 
 place was settled to be the boundary. 
 
 We continued our voyage, and I did not 
 find the current so strong in this river as I 
 had been induced to believe, though this, per- 
 haps, was not the period to form a correct 
 notion of that circumstance, as well as of the 
 breadth, the water being very low ; so that 
 the stream has not appeared to me to be in 
 any part that I have seen, more than a quar- 
 ter of a mile wide. 
 
 The weather was cold and raw, so as ta 
 render our progress unpleasant ; at the same 
 time we did not relax in our expedition, and, 
 at three on the afternoon of the 17th we ar- 
 rived at the falls. The river at this place is 
 about four hundred ^^ards broad, and the fall 
 about twenty feet high: the first carrying 
 place is eight hundred paces in length, and 
 the last, which is about a mile onwards, is 
 something more than two-thirds of that dis- 
 tance. Here we found several fires, from 
 which circumstance we concluded, that the 
 canoes destined for this quarter, which left 
 the fort some days before us, could not be far 
 a-head. The weather continued to be very 
 
JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE THROUGH THE 
 
 cold, and the snow that fell during the night 
 was several inches deep. 
 
 On the morning of the 18th, as soon as we 
 got out of the draught of the fall, the wind 
 being at North-East, and strong in our fa- 
 vour, we hoisted sail, which carried us on at 
 a considerable rate against the current, and 
 passed the Loon River before twelve o'clock; 
 from thence we soon came along the Grande 
 Isle, at the upper end of which we encamped 
 for the night. It now froze very hard : in- 
 deed, it had so much the appearance of whi- 
 ter, that I began to entertain some alarm lest 
 we might be stopped by the ice : we therefore 
 set off at three o'clock in the morning of the 
 19th, and about eight we landed at the Old 
 Establishment. 
 
 The passage to this place from Athabasca 
 having been surveyed by M. Yandrieul, for- 
 merly in the Company's service, I did not 
 think it necessary to give any particular at- 
 tention to it ; I shall, however, just observe, 
 that the course in general from the Lake of 
 the Hills to the falls, is Westerly, and as 
 much to the North as the South of it, from 
 thence it is about West-South- West to this 
 fort. 
 
 The country in general is low from our en- 
 trance of the river to the falls, and with the 
 exception of a few open parts covered with 
 grass, it is clothed with wood. Where the 
 342 
 
NORTH-WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 
 
 banks are very low the soil is good, being 
 composed of the sediment of the river and 
 putrefied leaves and vegetables. Where they 
 are more elevated, they display a face of yel- 
 lowish clay, mixed with small stones. On a 
 line with the falls, and on either side of the 
 river, there are said to be very extensive 
 plains, which afford pasture to numerous herds 
 of buffaloes. Our people a-head slept here 
 last night, and, from their carelessness, the 
 fire was communicated to and burned down, 
 the large house, and was proceeding fast to 
 the smaller buildings when we arrived to ex- 
 tinguish it. 
 
 We continued our voyage, the course of the 
 river being South-West by West one mile 
 and a quarter. South by East one mile, South- 
 West by South three miles, West by South 
 one mile, South-South- West two miles. South 
 four miles, South-West seven miles and a 
 half, South by West one mile, North-North - 
 West two miles and a half. South five miles 
 and a quarter, South-West one mile and a 
 half, North-East by East three miles and a 
 half, and South-East by East one mile. 
 
 We overtook Mr. Finlay, with his canoes, 
 who was encamped near the fort of which he 
 was going to take the charge, during the en- 
 suing winter, and made every necessary pre- 
 parative for a becoming appearance on our ar- 
 rival the following morning. Although I had 
 343 
 
JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE THROUGH THE 
 
 been since the year 1787, in the Athabasca 
 country, I had never yet seen a single native 
 of that part of it which we had now reached 
 
 At six o'clock in the morning of the 20th, 
 we landed before the house amidst the rejoic- 
 ing and tiring of the people, who were ani- 
 mated with the prospect of again indulging 
 themselves in the luxury of rum, of which 
 tliey had been deprived since the beginning of 
 May ; as it is a practice throughout the North- 
 West neither to sell or give any rum to the 
 natives during the summer. There was at 
 this time only one chief with his people, the 
 other two being hourly expected with their 
 bands ; and on the 21st and 22d they all ar- 
 rived except the war chief and fifteen men. 
 As they very soon expressed their desire of 
 the expected regale, I called them together, 
 to the number of forty-two hunters, or men 
 capable of bearing arms, to offer some advice, 
 which would be equally advantageous to them 
 and to us, and I strengthened my admonition 
 with a nine gallon cask of reduced rum, and 
 a quantity of tobacco. At the same time I 
 observed, that as I should not often visit 
 them, I had instanced a greater degree of lib- 
 erality than they had been accustomed to. 
 
 The number of people belonging to this 
 establishment amounts to about three hun- 
 dred, of which, sixty are hunters. Although 
 they appeal" from their language to be of the 
 344 
 
NORTH-WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 
 
 same stock as the Chepewyans, they differ 
 from them iu appearance, manners, and cus- 
 toms, as they have adopted those of their 
 former enemies, the Knisteneaux ; they speak 
 their language, as well as cut their hair, paint, 
 and dress like them, and possess their immod- 
 erate fondness for liquor and tobacco. This 
 description, however, can be applied only to 
 the men, as the women are less adorned even 
 than those of the Chepewyan tribes. We 
 could not observe, without some degree of 
 surprize, the contrast between the neat and 
 decent appearance of the men, and the nasti- 
 ness of the women. I am disposed, however, 
 to think, that this circumstance is generally 
 owing to the extreme submission and abase- 
 ment of the latter : for I observed, that one 
 of the chiefs allowed two of his wives more 
 liberty and familiarity than were accorded to 
 the others, as well as a more becoming ex- 
 terior, and their appearance was proportion- 
 ably pleasing; I shall, however, take a future 
 opportunity to speak more at large on this 
 subject. 
 
 There were frequent changes of the weather 
 in the course of the day, and it froze rather 
 hard in the night. The thickness of the ice 
 in the morning was a sufficient notice for me 
 to proceed. I accordingly gave the natives 
 such good counsel as might influence their be- 
 haviour, communicated my directions to Mr. 
 345 
 
JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE THROUGH THE 
 
 Findlay for his future conduct, and took my 
 leave under several vollies of musketry, on 
 the morning of the 23d. I had already dis- 
 patched my loaded canoes two days before, 
 with directions to continue their progress 
 without waiting for me. Our course was 
 South- South-East one mile and an half. South 
 three quarters ; East seven miles and a half, 
 veeriijg gradually to the West four miles and 
 an half. South-East by South three miles, 
 South-East three miles and an half, East- 
 South-East to Long Point three miles, South- 
 West one mile and a quarter, East by North 
 four miles and three quarters. West three 
 miles and an half, West-South- West one mile, 
 East by South five miles and a half. South 
 three miles and three quarters, South-East by 
 South three miles, East-South-East three 
 miles, East-North-East one mile, when there 
 was a river that flowed in on the right. East 
 two miles and an half, East-South-East half 
 a mile, South-East by South seven miles and 
 an half. South two miles, South-South-East 
 three miles and an half; in the course of 
 which we passed an island South by West, 
 where a rivulet flowed in on the right, one 
 mile. East one mile and an half. South five 
 miles, South-East by South four miles and an 
 half, South-West one mile, South-East by 
 East four miles and an half, West-South- 
 West half a mile. South -West six miles and 
 34G 
 
NORTH-WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 
 
 three quarters, South-East by South one mile 
 and an half, South one mile and an half; 
 South-East by South two miles. South- West 
 three quarters of a mile, South-East by South 
 two miles and an half. East by South one 
 mile and three quarters. South two miles, 
 South-East one mile and an half, South- 
 South-East half a mile. East by South two 
 miles and an half, Korth-East three miles, 
 South- West by West short distance to the 
 establishment of last year, East-North-East 
 four miles, South-South-East one mile and 
 three quarters. South half a mile, South-East 
 by South three quarters of a mile, North-East 
 by East one mile. South three miles, South- 
 South-East one mile and three quarters. South 
 by East four miles and an half, South-West 
 three miles. South by East two miles. South 
 by West one mile and an half, South-West 
 two miles. South by West foar miles and an 
 half, South-West one mile and an half, and 
 South by East three miles. Here we arrived 
 at the forks of the river ; the Eastern branch 
 appearing to be not more than half the size 
 of the Western one. We pursued the latter, 
 in a course South-West by West six miles, 
 and landed on the first of November at the 
 place which was designed to be my winter 
 residence : indeed, the weather had been so 
 cold and disagreeable, that I was more than 
 once apprehensive of our being stopped by 
 347 
 
JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE THROUGH THE 
 
 the ice, and, after all, it required the utmost 
 exertions of which my men were capable to 
 prevent it ; so that on their arrival they were 
 quite exhausted. Nor were their labours at 
 an end, for there was not a single hut to re- 
 ceive us : it was, however, now in my power 
 to feed and sustain them in a more comfort- 
 able manner. 
 
 We found two men here who had been sent 
 forward last spring, for the purpose of squar- 
 ing timber for the erection of a house, and 
 cutting pallisades, &c., to surround it. With 
 them was the principal chief of the place, 
 and about seventy men, who had been anx- 
 iously waiting for our arrival, and received 
 us with every mark of satisfaction and regard 
 which they could express. If we might judge 
 from the quantity of powder that was wasted 
 on our arrival, they certainly had not been in 
 want of ammunition, at least during the sum- 
 mer. 
 
 The banks of the river, from the falls, are 
 in general lofty, except at low woody points, 
 accidentally formed in the manner I have al- 
 ready mentioned : they also displayed, in all 
 their broken parts, a face of clay, intermixed 
 with stone; in some places there likewise 
 appeared a black mould. 
 
 In the summer of 1788, a small spot was 
 cleared at the Old Establishment, which is 
 situated on a bank thirty feet above the level 
 348 
 
KORTH-WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 
 
 of the river, aiid was sown with turnips, car- 
 rots, and parsnips. The first grew to a large 
 size, and the others thrived very well. An 
 ex^)eriment was also made with potatoes and 
 cabbage, the former of which were success- 
 ful ; but for want of care the latter failed. 
 The next winter the person who had under- 
 taken this cultivation, suffered the potatoes 
 which had been collected for seed, to catch 
 the frost, and none had been since brought to 
 this place. There is not the least doubt but 
 the soil would be very productive, if a proper 
 attention was given to its preparation. In 
 the fall of the year 1787, when I first arrived 
 at Athabasca, Mr. Pond was settled on the 
 banks of the Elk Kiver, where he remained 
 for three years, and had formed as fine a 
 kitchen garden as I ever saw in Canada. 
 
 In addition to the wood which flourished 
 below the fall, these banks produce the cy- 
 press tree, arrow-wood, and the thorn. On 
 either side of the river, though invisible from 
 it, are extensive plains, which abound in buf- 
 faloes, elks, wolves, foxes, and bears. At a 
 considerable distance to the Westward, is an 
 immense ridge of high land or mountains, 
 which take an oblique direction from below 
 the falls, and are inhabited by great numbers 
 of deer, which are seldom disturbed, but 
 when the Indians go to hunt the beaver in 
 those parts; and, being tired with the flesh 
 349 
 
JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE THROUGH THE 
 
 of the latter, vary their food with that of the 
 former. This ridge bears the name of the 
 Deer Mountain. Opposite to our present sit- 
 uation, are beautiful meadows, with various 
 animals grazmg on them, and groves of pop- 
 lars irregularly scattered over them. 
 
 My tent was no sooner pitched, than I sum- 
 moned the Indians together, and gave each of 
 them about four inches of Brazil tobacco, a 
 dram of spirits, and lighted the pipe. As they 
 had been very troublesome to my predecessor, 
 I informed them that I had heard of their mis- 
 conduct, and was come among them to inquire 
 into the truth of it. I added also that it 
 would be an established rule with me to treat 
 them with kindness, if their behaviour should 
 be such as to deserve it; but, at the same 
 time, that I should be equally severe if they 
 failed in those returns which I had a right to 
 expect from them. I then presented them 
 with a quantity of rum, which I recommended 
 to be used with discretion ; and added some 
 tobacco, as a token of peace. They, in re- 
 turn, made me the fairest promises ; and hav- 
 ing expressed the pride they felt on beholding 
 me in their country, took their leave. 
 
 I now proceeded to examine my situation ; 
 and it was with great satisfaction I observed 
 that the two men who had been sent hither 
 some time before us, to cut and square tim- 
 ber for our future operations, had employed 
 350 
 
i^ORTH-WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 
 
 the intervening period with activity and skill. 
 They had formed a sufficient quantity of pal- 
 lisades of eighteen feet long, and seven inches 
 in diameter, to inclose a square spot of an 
 hundred and twenty feet ; they had also dug 
 a ditch of three feet deep to receive them ; 
 and had prepared timber, planks, &c., for the 
 erection of a house. 
 
 I was, however, so much occupied in set- 
 tling matters with the Indians, and equipping 
 them for their winter hunting, that I could 
 not give my attention to any other object, till 
 the 7th, when I set all hands at work to con- 
 struct the fort, build the house, and form 
 store houses. On the preceding day the river 
 began to run with ice, which we call the last 
 of the navigation. On the 11th wq had a 
 South- West wind, with snow. On the 16thj 
 the ice stopped in the other fork, which wai 
 not above a league from us, across the inter- 
 vening neck of land. The water in this 
 branch continued to Hoav till the 22d, when 
 it was arrested also by the frost, so that we 
 had a passage across the river, which would 
 last to the latter end of the succeeding April. 
 This was a fortunate circumstance, as we de- 
 pended for our support upon what the hunters 
 could provide for us, and they had been pre- 
 vented by the running of the ice from cross- 
 ing the river. They now, however, very 
 shortly procured us as much fresh meat ?is we 
 351 
 
JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE THROUGH THE 
 
 ;^ 
 
 required, though it was for some time a toil- 
 some business to my people, for as there was 
 not yet a sufficient quantity of snow to run 
 sledges, they were under the necessity of 
 loading themselves with the spoils of the 
 chase. 
 
 On the 27th the frost was so severe that 
 the axes of the workmen became almost as 
 brittle as glass. The weather was very vari- 
 ous until the 2d of December, when my Faren- 
 heit's thermometer was injured by an acci- 
 dent, which rendered it altogether useless. 
 The table on page 353, therefore, from the 
 16th of November, to this unfortunate cir- 
 cumstance, is the only correct account of the 
 weather which I can offer. 
 
 In this situation, removed from all those 
 ready aids which add so much to the com- 
 fort, and, indeed is a principal characteristic 
 of civilized life, I was under the necessity of 
 employing my judgment and experience in 
 accessory circumstances by no means con- 
 nected with the habits of my life, or the en- 
 terprise in which I was immediately engaged. 
 I was now among the people who had no 
 knowledge whatever of remediable applica- 
 tion to those disorders and accidents to which 
 man is liable in every part of the globe, in 
 the distant wilderness, as in the peopled city. 
 They had not the least acquaintance with that 
 priiftitive piedicine, which consists in an ex- 
 352 
 
NORTH-WEST CONTINENT OF A^IERICA. 
 
 
 
 
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 At 10 last night 1 below 0. 
 
 River stopped. 
 
 Ice drove, and water rises. 
 
 Ice drove again. 
 
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 353 
 
JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE THROUGH THE 
 
 perience of the healing virtues of herbs and 
 plants, and is frequently found among unciv- 
 ilised and savage nations. This circumstance 
 now obliged me to be their physician and 
 surgeon, as a woman with a swelled breast, 
 which had been lacerated with flint stones for 
 the cure of it, presented herself to my atten- 
 tion, and by cleanliness, poultices, and heal- 
 ing salve, I succeeded in producing a cure. 
 One of my people, also, who was at work in 
 the woods, was attacked with a sudden pain 
 aear the first joint of his thumb, which dis- 
 abled him from holding an axe. On examin- 
 ing his arm, I was astonished to find a nar- 
 row red stripe, about half an inch wide, from 
 his thumb to his shoulder ; the pain was vio- 
 lent, and accompanied with chilliness and 
 shivering. This was a case that appeared to 
 be beyond my skill, but it was necessary to 
 do something towards relieving the mind of 
 the patient, though I might be unsuccessful 
 in removing his complaint. I accordingly pre- 
 pared a kind of volatile linament of rum and 
 soap, with which I ordered his arm to be 
 rubbed, but with little or no effect. He was 
 in a raving state throughout the night, and the 
 red stripe not only increased, but was also ac- 
 companied with the appearance of several 
 blotches on his body, and pains in his stoui- 
 ach ; the propriety of taking some blood from 
 him now occurred to me, and I ventured, from 
 354 
 
NORTH-WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 
 
 absolute necessity, to perform that operation 
 for the first time, and with aji effect that jus- 
 tified the treatment. The following night 
 afforded him rest, and in a short time he re- 
 gained his former health and activity. 
 
 I was very much surprised on walking in 
 the woods at such an inclement period of the 
 year, to be saluted with the singing of birds, 
 while they seemed by their vivacity to be ac- 
 tuated by the invigorating power of a more 
 genial season. Of these birds the male was 
 something less than the robin; part of his 
 body is of a delicate fawn colour, and his 
 neck, breast, and belly, of a deep scarlet; 
 the wings are black, edged with fawn colour, 
 and two white stripes running across them ; 
 the tail is variegated, and the head crowned 
 with a tuft. The female is smaller than the 
 male, and of a fawn colour throughout, ex- 
 cept on the neck, which is enlivened by an 
 hue of glossy yellow. I have no doubt but 
 they are constant inhabitants of this climate, 
 as well as some other small birds which we 
 fjaw, of a grey colour. 
 
 355 
 
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