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 KEY. r;:'iEii JACOh.:, 
 
 1NI:IAN MI««10NAIIY. 
 
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 ^ 
 
 "x: 
 
 J I' i: N A I. 
 
 <yr ine 
 
 REVERE N D V E T E 11 J A VU B S , 
 
 ftxm 
 
 'VE I.AKK TU 1ME HUDSON'S i)\y rEUIUTOKY; 
 
 AHSi 4il*Ti;ftJII'ea, 
 
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 tub 
 
 f h miORT HlSTOaV v>V THE WESLEY A^ iir«*K'^<; /o ■r«A<' f^'^f^tr. 
 
 TOR«)N TO: 
 
 PUBLISHilJ) By ANaON <ihgfc|!f 
 1853. 
 
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 ii 
 
 a 
 
 M 
 
 
'ti 
 
 
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 If 
 
 !»•( «i!«»r- )*■•»» 
 
JOURNAL 
 
 OF THE 
 
 EEVEKEND PETER JACOBS, 
 
 Snttfan Wixltsm i«f»stonatj!, 
 
 ^ 
 
 FROM 
 
 ICE LAKE TO THE HUDSON'S BAY TERRITORY; 
 
 AND RETURNING. 
 
 COMMENCING MAY, 1853: 
 
 WITH 
 
 A BRIEF ACCOUNT OF HIS LIFeT 
 
 AND 
 
 A SHORT HISTORY OF THE WESLEYAN MISSION TO ^ 
 
 THAT COUNTRY. 
 
 ■* 
 
 TORONTO: 
 PUBLISHED BY ANSON GREEN, 
 
 AT THE CONFBRENCB OFFICE, No 0. WELLINGTON BUILDINGS. KING STREET. 
 
 1853. 
 
 ■,! I . 
 
•,11 7 . TrS. 
 
 ■'■'. V 
 
 ,.f il^'C 
 
 fi 
 
 ,.'>■ 
 
 
 s. 
 
 S 9 1! i .1. V 
 
 THOMAS n. DE.VTtET, 1»RIKTER. 
 
 i 
 
PETER JACOBS'S HISTORY OF HIMSELF, 
 
 Twcnty-ciglit years ago I wua a Heathen, and so wore all tho tribos of Canada West. When I 
 was a iud, I never heard an Indian praj', as Christians pray, to the Great Being. Our people believed 
 in the oxisionce of a Great Being, tho Maker of all things ; but wo thought that God was so very 
 far away, that no human voice could reach Him ; and, indeed, we all believed that God did not 
 meddle with the affairs of tho children of men. 
 
 I, OS well ua the people of my tribe, were very cruel and wicked, because there was no fear of God 
 
 in our heart, and no fear of punishment ; but every man settles his o\vn affairs by the force of his 
 
 tomahawk; that is to say, by burying his tomahawk in the people's heads, and that ends all disputes. 
 
 The Indians made their women do all their work, and the men did little or iiuchmg, in heathen lifo 
 
 ■| The women made tho wigwam, and removed it when necessary, carrying it on their backs ; and they 
 
 /; chop tho wood, and carry it home on their backs. They brought tho venison home, when the doer 
 
 7^ is killed by their husband ; they dress the skins for their husband's clothes ; and make the ooats^ 
 
 ■ shirts, mocassins, which completes tiio Indian dress, as you now see in the picture. AH was dona 
 
 by tho women. Notwithstanding the poor women done all this, they got very little gratitude from 
 
 their Heathen husbands. 
 
 I will just relate to you one of my prayers in Heathen life. " O God, the Sun, I beseech you to 
 hear my prayer, and to direct my steps througii tho woods ir that direction where the deer is feeding, 
 that I may get near him, shoot him, and ki'l him, and hnvo something to cat thereby." And this was 
 all the prayer I over made. Tiiere is nothing about soul-salvation in that prayer. Some pray for 
 fish, or ducks, or rabbits, or whatever they wish to got 
 
 At length the Missionary came, and began to preach about Christ, nnd how he died for me ; but 
 I first said, " No, tiiat is tlie white man's God and white man's religion, and that God would not have 
 anything to do with tho Indians." But ho assured me that God would save me, if I would believe on 
 tho Lord Josus Christ : and, as a proof, he read portions of Scripture to me, again and again. And 
 then, at last, I began to think that he must bo right, and I must be wrong, because he read the "book 
 of God" (as we call the Bible) to me. Then I began to pray, for the first time, in English. I only 
 then knew a few words. I said, " O God, be merciful to me, poor Indian boy,, great sinner." And 
 tho word of God had now got hold of my heart, but it made me feel very sick in my heart. I went 
 to bed, and I could not sleep, for my thoughts trouble me very much. Then 1 would pray the words 
 over and over again, and got more and more sick in my heart. I was very sorry that God could not 
 understand my Ojibway. J thought God could only understand English ; and when I was praying, 
 tears came spontaneously from my eyes ; and I could not understand this, because I had been taught 
 from infancy never to weep. In this misery I passed three or four weeks. I then met with Petor 
 Jones, who was converted a few months before me, and, to my surprise, I heard him return thanks, 
 at moal, in Ojibway. This was quite enough for me. I now saw that God could understand roe in 
 my Ojibway, and therefore went far into the woods, and prayed, in the Ojibway tongue, to God, and 
 sty, <* O God, I was so i|jfnorant and blind, that I did not know that thou couldst understand my 
 
ir 
 
 Ojibway tonguo ! Now, O God, I bosonch thco to bo jracious to mc, a sinner ! Take away this 
 sickness that I now fool in my heart ; for all my nins lay very heavy in my hfart ! Send now thy 
 Holy Spirit to come work in my heart ! Let tho blood of Christ bo now applied to my heart, that all 
 my sins may depart !" Though I eould now pray in this way in my native tongue, yoc God did not 
 seem to think it best to hoar my prayers at this time, but left mo to pass many miserable nights. 
 And I cried out again, " O God, I will not let thoo alono ! I shall trouble thoo with my pruycrs, till 
 thou bless mo !" And at last God heard my prayers, and lie took away this heavy sickness of heart ; 
 but not till many tears had boon shod. And when this sickness was taken away from my heart, then 
 I jxperionced another fooling, which was joy in tho Iluly Ghost, which wns indeed full of glory. 
 My tongue could not express tho joy I then felt. I could say nothing but, " Happy, happy !" When 
 I found this religion of Christ so sweet in tho hoort of man, I wanted all my people then to know of 
 tho great and true God ; but they all paid. No : that I was wrong ; that I had been to tho white 
 man's God, and not tho Saviour of the Indians. But I said that God was tho Saviour of oil tho 
 nations of tho earth ; for 1 know in my own heart what ho has done for mo : and what ho has dono 
 for me, he can do for you. And they began to pray for mercy and the forgiveness of their sins ; 
 and they praying in strong faith, many of them were converted ; and now at this time there aro 
 hundreds that are converted among tho North American Indians. I was tho first fruits of tho Mis- 
 sionary labours in my tribe. After I was converted I became a Irayor-loador, and afterwards, when 
 the Indians were settled in houses, I became a Class-Leader, then a Local Preacher. 
 
 
 When I was a Local Preacher, I used to preach very long, very hard, and very often. Once I 
 had been preaching til' eleven at night, to tho converted Indians from Loko Simooo, and was just 
 finishing, when iho Indians said, " When wo were Heathen, wo never gave up drinking tho fire- 
 waters the whole night; and why should wo now go to bed' Why should wo not gj on singing and 
 praising God till daylight?" I was young and full of spirits ; and though I had just dono preaching, 
 I began again, and preached a great part of the night. 
 
 After their conversion, the Indians were settling in houses, and I built myself a largo house, and 
 then began to keep a store, and mado a comfortablo living by selling things ; but I wished to be a 
 Missionary to the tribes of Indians who had not heard of the Gospel ; and I oflTered myself for tho 
 Mission-work, and was accepted, sold off my store, and went as a Missionary. 
 
 I have been a Missionary for sixteen years. 
 Indians in tho Hudson's Bay Territory. 
 
 Twelve years I have been to the far west, among the 
 
 
 In the year 1842 I came to England, and was ordained in tho Centenary-Hall ; and in 1843 was 
 sent back to the Hudson's Bay Territory. I cannot tell you about all the tribes of Indians that I have 
 visited, it would take too long. I have preached to many poor Indians in their Heathen state, and 
 they have become Christian. At Norway-House I first formed seven classes, and helped the Indiana 
 to build eleven houses ; kept school for children and married women. This mission is now one of 
 the best in the Hudson's Baj Territory. There aro more than three hundred hearers, fine chapel, and 
 eighty children in the school. Since I have been in the Hudson's Bay Territory, there has boon 
 slow progress mado among tho Indians there. There have not been many converts ; but the Indiana 
 are not so wicked as they were. I am now going back, and my heart is altogether bent to go to 
 Hudson's Bay. 
 
 ? 
 
 Pbter Jacobs. 
 
 
iikc away tills 
 5oiid now thy 
 huart, that all 
 )t God dill not 
 crablo nights. 
 ly priiycr:', till 
 nosH of lioart ; 
 ny heart, ihca 
 full of fflory. 
 ppy !" When 
 an to know of 
 to the white 
 )ur of all the 
 it ho has done 
 }f thoir sins ; 
 imo thoro are 
 8 of tiio Mis- 
 )rword3, when 
 
 ton. Once I 
 and tvas just 
 nking tho fire- 
 n singing and 
 }no preaching, 
 
 •go house, and 
 wished to be a 
 myself for tho 
 
 est, among the 
 
 I in 1843 was 
 ins that I have 
 hon state, and 
 ed the Indians 
 
 is now one of 
 ne ohapel, and 
 thoro has boon 
 jul the Indiana 
 
 bent to go to 
 
 R Jacobs. 
 
 1 
 
 JOURNAL, &e. 
 
 I 
 
 T/nirsday, May 6(h, 1852. — This momingat 
 ten o'clock 1 left this tine Wosleyan Mission at 
 Rice Luke. The Indians of this mission nie far 
 advanced in civilizaticjn : tliey are all dressed 
 like Europeans : on Sundays the congregation 
 dress \ory well ; the women have line gowns on, 
 &c.; and the blanket, whioh they formerly used 
 as an article of dress is now seen no longer, but 
 is exchanged for a shawl. There are choirs of 
 Indians in the Clunchos who sing most delight- 
 fully in time of divine service. Th»ire is another 
 Wesleyan Mission, seven miles from this, Avhich is 
 in a high state of civilization: the Indians of that 
 place have a large Academy, built of brick, where 
 young peo])le are taught to be of use as Mission- 
 ai'ies or Teachers in their country here.ifter. The 
 majority of these ))eople are tee-t<itallers, — they 
 take no wine or beer. The Rice Lake itself is 
 one of the most beautiful lakes in Canada West: 
 it is about thirty miles in length and three miles 
 in breadth. In it Aild rice grows, and conse- 
 quently a groat many wild ducks of all sorts fre- 
 quent the lake. This is therefore a great sporti»\g 
 jplace for English gentlemen. In its waters abound 
 'muskinoonj. bahs, eels, and other sorts of fish 
 hat take the hook. The lake is an excellent 
 lace for angling and trolling : very often gentle- 
 en come from Boston, Kew-York, and other 
 ties to aiuuse themschcs in angling and trolling 
 iSbr weeks together. Also in the foi'ost abound 
 deer, ])heas;uiUs, and rabbits, \Yljich make good 
 sport for a marksman. The land around this 
 ilakejj,s of good cjuality and very richly tiiubere.l 
 iwith all sorts of vahialilc tiiubcr; it is well settled 
 ;by English farmers, many of whom ar>'iad('iH'nd- 
 eat gentlemen. On thenoith side of this beauti- 
 ful lake is an Indian \ illage, which is situated on 
 Jiigh banks. A beautiful scenery is ]irosenled to 
 the tiaveller's eye from this village, and the whole 
 
 length of tho lake can be seen with one glance of 
 the eye. The beautiful sctmery that this lake pre- 
 sents would aftbrd abundant matter to the traveller 
 for exercising his poetical powers. There are four 
 little steamboats on the lake, which are emiiloyed 
 in bringing goods from vilhige to village, and ta- 
 king in return cargoes of wheat and otlier grain 
 from Peterboruugh : some of them are also em- 
 ployed in bringing boards for the American mar- 
 ket : by this it may bo seen that the country and 
 the lake ha\e great resources. 
 
 At 12 o'clock we roache<.l Hams's hotel, and 
 landed there. Mr. Harris himself drove us in his 
 carriage to Cobourg, which is 12 miles distant, on 
 the fine jJank road. From Cold Springs to 
 Cobourg the country is very well settled, and 
 many farm«!rs live on the road. At 3 o'clock we 
 arrived at tho beautiful town of Cobourg. This 
 beatiful town I cannot praise too highly : it is 
 situated on elevated groimd and is very healthy, 
 for the inhabitants are refreshed by every breeze 
 of wind that blows on Lake Ontario. In this 
 j>lace are many fine Churches, belonging to dif- 
 ferent denominations, and on tho height of the 
 bank at the north end of the town, stands con- 
 s])icuous!y, the beautiful college called Victoria 
 College, lielonging to the great body of Wesleyans* 
 Within its walls at the present time avo about TO 
 students. This excellent college has already pro- 
 duced uiany eminent men ; and God grant that 
 it may produce more excellent statesmen and min- 
 istei"s who shall be an honour to the Province. 
 At 7 o'clock wo started in a steamer for Toronto, 
 and arrived there dui'ing the night. 
 
 Friday, ^th, 1852. — I went about from place 
 to place, getting a few things for my use in my 
 long voyage. The city of Toronto is one of the 
 

 
 moHt liiloiulid cities of Canatla West; it is still 
 rising and will coiitimio to do ^>k tlu' ImildingH 
 aro generally of brick. The principal street for- 
 merly was King Street, li\i' there are now Tany 
 other beautiful streets, especially ^'o^go 'Street. 
 There aro many fine largo wholesale stores, ns 
 veil iis many tine retail stores. In tlu' city aro 
 four Wesjcy'an Churches, and n few sninjl chapels 
 in the vicinity of the City; there aio also many 
 cliurclus jf other dtnoniinatioiis; there are two 
 or three ('olleges, luid also Normal, Model and 
 Common i^chools. 
 
 The land extending 100 miles around this City 
 is excellent, rich, and well covered with valu.-iblc 
 timber; the farmers that live here are as hapj^y 
 as princes. 
 
 In the afternoon, at 2 o'clock, I met the Re-, . 
 Enoch Wood, and he gave mo £25 in cash for 
 my travelling expenses ; and after I received his 
 Messing and prayers for my safety and preserva- 
 tion in the journey, I parttd with liim. 
 
 Saturday^ %tk. — I was accompanied thus far 
 by my wife Elizabeth, and my daughter Mary, 
 and the little baby, and my brother-in-law, An- 
 drew Anderson, and at 7 o'clock this morning, 
 after commending each other to God's care, we 
 parted. My wife and family then t(X)k a steamer 
 for Col)ourg and the Rice Lake. I myself went 
 in the steamer for Niagara Falls, and the Lake 
 Ontario being calm, we were soon over i.ic Ijako, 
 and at 12 o'clock we an-ived at the old English 
 town of Niagara. On each side of the river there 
 is a garrison, one belonging to the English and 
 the other to the Americans, All the soil of the 
 Niagara District is rich, and the timber is valuable 
 that grows here, such as the black walnut and the 
 cherry : when the black walnut is sawed into 
 boards, it makes chests of drawei-s and tables, and 
 beautiful doors for the houses of the rich ; and 
 when cherry trees are sawn, the wood appears 
 like Mahogany. There is the sugar maple, the 
 l)eech, and the liickoiy, and also the sassafrsis, 
 which has a pleasant scent. 
 
 At 1 o'clock we arrrived at Queenston, and 
 took the stages for the Falls, where we arrived 
 soon after two o'chwk. Hero we spent two hours, 
 and afterwards I went down to see the greatest 
 Fall in the world. The cataract is indeed awfully 
 grand; and it aj'iK'ared to me as if an angi-y god 
 was dwelling beneath it, for my whole frame 
 shook .IS a leaf w hile I was viewing these mighty 
 angrv falls. Now it is no woTider that my fore- 
 fathers, in by-gone days shou' ■>lVi.'r ui> sficritices 
 at the foot of these falls : they u.-ed to come and 
 jtrav to the god of the fall to bless them in their 
 hunt and to jmilono- their life and that of their 
 children : for everv indiau believed thiit a i,'nd 
 
 dwelt under this miglity slioet of water; but lat- 
 terly the Weslcyan Missionaries have taught them 
 bettor things, and toM them that no (Jod dwelt 
 there, but ]ioinliiig nj) to heaven, directed thcra 
 to pray to Ilim that dwells there. They now no 
 longer come to ]>ray to the god of the Fall, but 
 are found daily on their knees at the forit of the 
 cross of Christ, praying through Mini that Ood 
 might be merciful unto them (-itmers, and keep 
 them in his own care, 
 
 I'l conclusion, f would just say that English 
 ge'itlemen and ladies would bo well repaid if 
 th.'y would come and see the Falls of Niagara 
 V hile they are in America. Th(!ro arc five or si.\ 
 large hotels by the Falls, some of w hich will eon- 
 tain about two hundred boarders : and there are 
 also hotels of smaller classes, so that a gentleman 
 can be boarded at from one dollar to four dollars 
 a day ; for these largo hotels are as fashionable 
 and as great as any of the IksLionable hotels in 
 the city of New- Yoik. 
 
 At 4 o'clock, took the railway cars, and reached 
 Buffalo in a very short time. I passed over 
 soil very rich and well timbered. The city of 
 Buftalo is a very important and flourishing city ; it 
 is situated at the foot of Lake Erie, and it has a 
 very fine harbour, where all the western vessels 
 and steamers como : more than a dozen steamers 
 leave its wharves every day; that is to say morn- 
 ing and evening. The g;:at Erie Canal ends 
 here, and the New- York and Albany Railroad 
 ends hero also; and there are other railroads that 
 end here. There is a railroad that conies from 
 the Southern States, and there is another that 
 goes throujjb the citv of Cleveland and other ci- 
 ties of the West to Cincinnati, so that the city of 
 Bull'alo is becoming an important city : it is a 
 great city of business. The main street of Buflfa- 
 lo is a beautiful street, and there are many fino 
 buildings there, and many churches of dif- 
 ferent denominations, three of which belong to 
 the Episcopal Methodists. I put up at the Wes- 
 tern Hotel. 
 
 Sunday, Olli, — At 11 o'clock, I went to one 
 of the Methodist chapels, and at 3 o'clock I went 
 to the same chajiel. At six o'clock in the even- 
 ing I preached in the stone church called the 
 Niagara church, to the edification of a large 
 ctingiegation. After divine service many of the 
 principal men of the congregation gave me thanks 
 for my preaching, and the Minister said to mo 
 that he had luvcr lieard an Indian preach like 
 me, and that I was a great orator: however, I 
 did not stiiiid ii|) to dispute with him, I just 
 allowe<l liiiii to tell his own opinions freely. It 
 a) ipears tliiit two Sabbaths before this the Rev. 
 Peter .loiu.'s pieachetl in the same church, and the 
 
 tht 
 
 4 
 
ntor; l>iit Int- 
 c tjiuglit them 
 no (lod dwelt 
 dirocU'il thcra 
 Tlioy Jiow 110 
 ' tli(^ Knll, but 
 ho tWit of the 
 lini tlint Ood 
 srs, and koop 
 
 ' that En^flish 
 well repaid if 
 lis of Niagara 
 
 arc five or six 
 rliich will con- 
 
 and there are 
 t a i^entloman 
 to four dollars 
 aH fashionable 
 fible hotels in 
 
 8, and reached 
 
 [ passed over 
 
 The city of 
 
 riHhin;;^ city ; it 
 
 , and it has a 
 
 iw.'storn vessols 
 
 lozon steamers 
 
 ) to say morn- 
 
 •ie Canal ends 
 
 bany Railroad 
 
 railroadrt that 
 
 ; conios from 
 
 another that 
 
 and other ci- 
 
 hat tho city of 
 
 city : it IS a 
 
 treet of Buffa- 
 
 are many tine 
 
 'chcs of dif- 
 
 ich belong to 
 
 ip at tho Wea- 
 
 wcnt to one 
 o'clock I went 
 i in the even- 
 ch called the 
 n of a large 
 
 many of the 
 ave me thanks 
 jr said to mo 
 im preach like 
 
 hnwev«'r, I 
 
 him, I just 
 >ns freely. It 
 this tho R«v. 
 huroh, an<l the 
 
 Minister told mo tliat tho fli-st p«rt of my sermon 
 f wuH vory much liko his. 
 
 f Monday 10//*. — In the cveniDg at 8 o'clock, 
 after tJio railway cars came in from Now-York 
 and Albany, I went on board tho Ocean steamer, 
 which had about throe hundred jiassungors — 
 gentlemen and ladies. The stoamers, especially 
 the Mayjlower, tliat run in connection with tho 
 railroads of the We8t,aro most eplondid and highly 
 tiniHhed steamers ; their cabins are like palace- 
 parlours. At o'clock our Ocean began to move 
 throu^di fields of broken ic(^ : I was very much 
 i afraid that her paddles would be broken ; however, 
 a wc got through safely. The steamer then ran 
 f through the middle of Lake Erie ail night and 
 ! half a day without staying at any harbour, until 
 we reached the city of Detroit, which is about 
 300 miles. Tho i)assengers in tho steamer were 
 so numerous tliat thoy could not all como to tho 
 first bible. At meal times, some gentlemen, fear- 
 ing that they could not como to tho tii-st table, 
 practised this artifice. Thoy generally took up a 
 newspaper and began to read it, in pretence of 
 being deeply engaged in reading, and seated 
 thernsehea in front of the plates, and so be in 
 readiness wlien the signal would be given, to take 
 their seats {it the table; but notw ithstaudintr their 
 acuteness tJiey would sometimes lose their seats 
 and plates in the following manner: The ladies 
 (these lower angels) as every body knows, must 
 have their seats ])r()vided for them at all risks, as 
 tho Wilitors always informed the ladies first when 
 tho meals wore rc.dy, and afterwards the gentle- 
 men; but sometimes a few of the ladies were a 
 few minutes too late; and a gentleman who had 
 bei-n hitherto seated comfortably before a dish of 
 some rich sort, hearing the approaching steps of 
 a lady and tin* rustling of a silk gown, jumps up 
 on his two feet, and to show that he is a highly 
 polished gentleman, ho otlers tho lady his seat 
 and walks tmaj, as many do, grudgingly, to wait 
 a long hour for tho next table. But on these 
 occasions, when I find myself seated so corutortably, 
 I generally appear to be deaf to the sound of the 
 approaching steps of theso lower angels, and 
 hasten to get some article on my plate ;iiid begin 
 to c:it a mouthful or two, that none of these lieau- 
 ties would desire to take my seat aiuj plate. The 
 victuals that lay on tho tabie were of all sorts, and 
 the sweetimmts were too various to eimmenfte : 
 all that I can say about them is that they wca-o 
 very fine. 
 
 I know the shores of Lake P^iic well on the 
 British and Aiuericiin sid.'s. Thoy inciiiio to bo 
 fiat. The soil is of clay, and some parts of it are 
 .sandy; but, taking it alfogetliei', iioth side-* of 
 
 the lake are g<.)od 
 
 agricultural 
 
 ci.iuiitries, and 
 
 heavily timbered. In its forests, tiirbor is found 
 of all sorts. There are a few ports on tho BritLsb 
 side, and small villages; but, on the American 
 side, ports lue more nuiin^rous. There are e\en 
 two or three cities. Tho city of Cleveland is the 
 most beautiful city on Lake Erie. It is situated 
 on a high bank, and has a fine view of Lake 
 Erie. Canals and niilroads come into this city 
 from all parts of the country, as well as vcsseLs 
 and steamers. This city is doing a great deal of 
 business. There are other small cities on the 
 shores of the lake, belonging to tho Americans. 
 Tho lake itself is very shallow, and, const^qiicntly, 
 whcjii the wind blows high it is very rough 
 alwa}s. Its waters abound with white fish, 
 salmon trout, and other fish. The best sorts of 
 fish are tho white fish and trout. The entrance 
 of Detroit River is garrisoned by the British. 
 The village and the garrison arecalleil Amherst- 
 burgh. The scenery around this village is bean- 
 tiful, and tho '^ountiy is level, and abounds with 
 timber of all sorts. Tho whole length of Detroit 
 River is beautiful, and tho country on each side of 
 it is picturesque, especially tho Canadian side. The 
 only fault the country has, is, that it is too flat, 
 coasequently there is a great deal of stagnant 
 water, which makes it very unhealthy in the 
 summer, and tluis the people have tho ague and 
 the fever, which is very prevalent here in the 
 summer season. Tho river is about ;}0 or 40 
 miles in length, and is a beautiful ri\ er. Now 
 comes the city of Detroit. It was formerly a 
 French city, but now it belongs to the Americans, 
 and is the capital of Michigan. It has many fine 
 buildings and many fine sti'oets. Jt is becoming 
 very important, and is a great city of busiiioss in 
 tho west. The railro-id to Chicago begins here, 
 so that one going thither, might go by tho "ail- 
 road, or around by the 'ikes in a steamer. The 
 word Chicago is a ct .iptible form of tho word 
 Shekakong, which means the"placeof ashunk." 
 0|^^o«ite Detroit is a littlo village called Sand- 
 wich, on the British side, where there is a British 
 Post Office. Tho country around it appears to 
 be a fine fai niing country ; ail the ground in the 
 District of Detroit is fiat, and the land is weU 
 timbered with all sorts of timber, but it is a very 
 bad country for tho fever. If any person wishes 
 to catch it he may go there in summer. 
 
 Wednesday I2th. Remained all day in the 
 city, saw nothing worth relating ; but I shall 
 relate tho following ciivumstance. As I was 
 ]iassing one, of tlie grog shops in the streets, I 
 lie.'ii'd a man talk very roughlj'-, and he swore to 
 the ma-.ter of the house that if he did not give 
 him aruithev glass of whi.-^key, he would lay him 
 flat ou the ground, in two seconds ; the land- 
 
8 
 
 lord replied " not a dro)> will you get." The tall 
 Yankee that I uow got a sight of, cursed and 
 Bwore at the master that if ho did not give him 
 another glass ho would flatten him like a paneako 
 in two seconds, at the same time showing his 
 fist now holding it near the end of the mastei-'s 
 nose. The tall Ya:;kee then saiO; " you are an 
 nngrateful being, I have spent many dollars here, 
 and yea will not give me another glass ;" the 
 landlord then said " no." He was of very little 
 stature, and tho Yankee could have had no 
 trouble in giving tho landlord a g.)od thrashing. 
 However he was just going to pounce upon him 
 when a servant man came out from one of the 
 rooms, and said to t)ie tall Yankee, " I guess you 
 better walk out of this." The tall Yankee show- 
 ed his fist again, and tho servant by this time 
 got hold of him by the collar, aud dragged him 
 out to the sti-eet imd gave him a blow under the 
 'iar which stupified the tall Yankee, and inado 
 iiim stand speechless far a long time. This was 
 all that was done unto him, and ho never spoke 
 again, but quietly walked away. I think that the 
 blow did him a great deal of good. 
 
 Thursday VMh. Before daylight our steamer 
 London was olf, passed the little Lake St. Clair, 
 before I was from my cabin for breakfast. Tho 
 Lake St. Clair is a small lake, of about 150 or 
 more milos in oiivumference, all its banks are 
 very low but tho land is good and heavily tim- 
 U'red. There are many farms around the lake. 
 'J'ho St. Clair river is a very fino river ; it has 
 Tory fine banks, the land is good and possesses 
 much valuable timber of all sorts, Tho only fault 
 about the country farther back, is that it inclines 
 to bo swampy. In the interior, the inhabitants 
 sufler very much in the summer from fever and 
 ague. Thousands and I may say millions A all 
 kinds of fish abound in tho river, tho fish are 
 caught by means of the spear, tho hook, tho not, 
 and seine. In the W(Kx1s farther back from tho 
 jiver alK)und deer, bears, rabbits, ©Iks, patridges, 
 wild turkeys and other animals. Tho marshes 
 abound with ducks. Tho St. Clair river is al)out 
 60 miles in length, and it has many fino villages 
 on each side of the river. Fariiiors settle on both 
 sides. Tho east side belongs tc the English, and 
 the West to tho Americans. The river runs from 
 north to sfuith. By tho appoanince of the houses 
 the faiiiKTs are well otV. The whole of thecoun- 
 tr}' that I have now trav^'lk'd over for 300 niik's, 
 is very good for wheat anil other grain, wiM and 
 cultivated fruits of all sorts such as apples, 
 poaclips and plums; and there are also in some 
 parts of tho Western Provincf wild ci-ab-apfdes. 
 At the inkt of tho Kivt-r of St. Clair are two 
 villages, tho EiiglL'<h village is called Port Sarniii, 
 
 but tho American village opposite is much larger 
 than tho English, On the English side ndjom- 
 ing Port Sarniij, we have an Indian Wesleyan 
 Mission ; as tho steamboat went along close by 
 the Indian Mission, I perceived that the Indians 
 and their wives, and their children appeared to 
 be well dressed. They were busily emplo}ed in 
 their agricultural operations, and some of them 
 were collecting wood for the steamboats. The j 
 Indiaus appear to bo well off. I should have 1 
 been glad to have spent a day with them. St. 
 Clair village appears to bo healthy as it is daily 
 refreshed by the breezes that blow on Lakfe Huron. 
 The clay of the land is mixed with sand. About 
 a mile from this village, towards the lake, there 
 are beautiful sandy plains with a few oak trees 
 standing here and there ; it would bo an excel- 
 lent place for a gentleman to live in. At the 
 entrance of the river is a beautiful sandy beech 
 where the fisherman catches thousands and thou- 
 sands of white fish in the fall. On the east sid« 
 of Lake Huron, that is toward the town Goderich 
 and Saugeeng, I have travelled by land, and I 
 found the soil very good. The trees ihat grow 
 on it are the oak, beech, maple, pine and other 
 trees, which make valuable timber. This is a 
 fino country for farmers. Tho country gonevally 
 inclines to be flat, but on the American side 
 which runs N. W. the land is excellent, ami 
 much heavy timber is obtained from the land. 
 
 At 6 o'clock in the evening we were fairly out 
 to sea, and our steamer ran all night. Tho night 
 was very calm. 
 
 Friday lith. Calm day. Our steamer made 
 great progress. We saw the land all day on the 
 left at a distance. At 4 o'clock, we were near 
 Mackinaw, and met a heavy fog. Mackinaw 
 comes from an Indian word Moshenemahkenoong, 
 tho immense turtle. On account of tho heavy 
 fog our st«ainer lost its way and and was wander- 
 ing about during the night 
 
 Saturday l^th, 1852. When it became clear 
 in tho morning, wo were near Mackinaw ; tho 
 passengevs were glad that they did not nm 
 ashore during the night. Mackinaw is a high 
 sjilendid island, many parts of it are more than 
 100 f(K)t high, and some parts aro veiy preoipi- 
 t4>us. The top of tho island is flat, and is good 
 for fanning. There is an American garrison 
 on the suniiiiit. The town of Mackinaw, lif«? in 
 a bay at tho foot of tln^ high ground The lower 
 classes of tho iiili'Mt.'uits of tho island sujiport 
 thetnsclvHs priiK'ipdily by fishing ; for white fish 
 and sjilmon trout jirp caught here in great abun- 
 dance in all scafons of the year, and especially in 
 tho fall. Tho town has a few stores au<l grr^ 
 
 I 
 1 
 

 
 is much larger 
 h side ndjom- 
 ian Wesleyan 
 ilong close by 
 it the IciiianR 
 1 appeared to 
 y emplo} ed in 
 some of them 
 imboats. The 
 I should have 
 ;h them. St. 
 y as it is daily 
 n Lake Huron, 
 sand. About 
 he lake, there 
 few oak trees 
 I be an excel- 
 ^e in. At the 
 il sandy beech 
 inds and thou- 
 a the east side 
 town Goderich 
 y land, and I 
 ■ees Ihat grow 
 ne and other 
 er. This is a 
 mtry gonewlly 
 Lnierican side 
 excellent, an<l 
 )m the land, 
 were fairly out 
 It. The night 
 
 steamer made 
 all day on the 
 wo were near 
 Mackinaw 
 emahkenoong, 
 of the heavy 
 d was wauder- 
 
 t became clear 
 ackinaw ; tho 
 
 did not nm 
 naw is a high 
 ire more than 
 
 veiy prccipi- 
 it, and is good 
 ■rioan garrison 
 kinaw, lips in 
 The lower 
 slaiid sTipport 
 
 for white fish 
 m great abun- 
 1 especial ly in 
 i>r(>s and grr^ 
 
 shop, and there is a new liotel at tho Old 
 Presbyterian Mission at the point. There is a 
 Komisli Church hero, and a Presbyterian Church. 
 Travcllei-s when they are on the suninilt of tho 
 island have a most splendid view of the straits of 
 Michigan, and the shores and islands on the 
 West, and on tho east side they have a fine view 
 of Liike Huron and its islands. There is a 
 breeze a>nstantly passing and repassing over the 
 island. This is the place for invalids to come 
 and improve their health. 
 
 We were at this beautiful harbour for an hour, 
 and the men took in their wood for the boat ; 
 after this, we were oft" again for the Sault. When 
 we were about P miles from Mackinaw towards 
 the ejist, we beheld a steamer in a bay in diflicul- 
 ty. Her bows were high anil dry upon the 
 sandy beach ; she raised a signal of distre&s for 
 our stearccr. and when we arrived there most of 
 tho paisengeis and especially the females were 
 crying. I do not suppose they knew why the}' 
 cried. After a loss uf time for an hoiii-, tho 
 Loudon Steamer got the other steamer off by the 
 use of her cable ropes and chains. Tlie steamer 
 had about 300 passengers; she was one of the 
 large steamers. When they were oft" they ga>e 
 our Captain three cheers. I'oor fl'Uows! They 
 then went away to Chicago. It is said by the 
 pas»engei*» that our Captain will get about four 
 hundred dollars for his trouble. 
 
 At noon we rounded the detour on the west 
 side of Drummond's Island, wliioli is about -30 
 miles from Mackinaw and 40 miles from the 
 Sault. The islands now assume a ditK-rent aspect 
 from what we were accustomed to see of fine 
 rich lands. At this place wherever you direct 
 your eye, you see the granite stones showing their 
 teeth to you, and the timber that you see is 
 scrubby pine, poplar and Avhito birch. I have 
 travelled again and again, on the north shore of 
 Lake Huron, and I am sorrj' to say, that ilie 
 islands and the mainland on this sidt- are nothing 
 but barren rocks. V^ery little good soil if there 
 is any, is found in tho valleys. Manitoullu 
 Islands is the only exception to the bad land, and 
 lit is only the soil on the ea.-<t half side of 
 I tlie island which is gooil. Maple anil other hard 
 timber gr'^iw on this island. It is about TO 
 ^ miles in length. Tho CliSrch Missionr.ry Society, 
 ' and and the Romish Cl.urch, havo Missions on 
 tho good part of the island. At the Cliunh 
 Mission in one of tho bays of tli(> island, are 
 Government stores, and a Covornnunt Indian 
 Agent resides here, \vlio gi\ c annual ]»rosents to 
 tlie Indians who assfniMe in hundreds at this 
 place. Tho Indians subsist by fishing in the 
 siunmer, and Tocnring furs in tiie winter, which 
 tlioy give in exchange for clothing. We now 
 
 passed on the south side of St. Joseph's Island, 
 which is about 30 miles in length. Some parts 
 of the soil are good, maple and other hard timber 
 growing thereon ; but other parts are rocky and 
 mountiiinous. One Major lljiines and some other 
 genilemen are trying to colonize the lands. The 
 Indians say that the mountains of this Island have 
 rich copper mines, but they do not show the 
 veins of copper ore to the white man for fear of 
 making thegod of the copper mine angiy, and thus 
 losing their hves by it. The Indians are very 
 supei-stitious respecting all mines, for they believe 
 that there is a god over eveiy mine. On one of 
 tho beautiful pt)ints of the Island there stands the 
 remains of an old British fort : this must have 
 b(;en a fine place when the troops were here. — 
 We now passed l)y many inferior Islands, and I 
 found the country had a dismal appearance. At 
 sunset we reached the Garden River : and liere 
 the Wesleyans ai'o forming an Indian mission, and 
 there are already many little houses on the banks 
 and many little gardens. I think in a few years 
 this Avill be an important mission. About two or 
 three miles back from the mission there are moun- 
 tainous places jutting out their nigge." peaks, 
 which seem to defy the fanner, and sa; , " there 
 is no farming here." 
 
 At 9 o'clockj wo anchored at the American 
 town of St. Mary's, which lies at the foot of tho 
 falls of the St. Mary's. The new town of St. Ma- 
 ry's is rising very fiist and becoming important. 
 It has improved very much since I was here in 
 1836, as Missionary to the Sault Indians on the 
 American side. I was glad to find many of my 
 old converts here, and that they were still faithful, 
 and serving the Lord their (rod. Their mission 
 hiis been removed fro'.u tho Sault to a place 10 
 miles above it, where the Indians are now culti- 
 vating the soil. The town of St. Mary's has a 
 few large stores and many small ones, two fine 
 hotels, and a few inns and small grog shops. The 
 missionaries here aro Episcopal Methodists, Bap- 
 tists, and Romish priests. The American govf -u- 
 meut are proposing to make a canal here, which 
 will be about thive quarters of a mile in length. 
 Tho canal is to be 100 feet wide at the suiface. 
 To at bottom, and 12 feet <leop; there are to bo 
 two locks, 325 feet in length and 75 fcot in width. 
 The ])robable cost v. ill be less than half a million 
 of dollar?. The rapids, or as it is called, the fall 
 of St. Mai'} 's, has a descent of 21 feet : canoes and 
 boats can run down tlioiapids without any barm. 
 Tho width of these rajiids [■■ iiciuly oiio mile; — 
 Near the foot of the fall there is an excellent 
 fishery: Indians and half breed-; scoop the finest 
 white fish in all the setisons of the year. They 
 are the most excellent iish in the country. 
 how 1 feasted on them wliilo I remained here. 
 
10 
 
 T'.ie Indians and half breeds make a fji-cat deal of 
 money by their fish. The Hon. Hudson's Bay 
 Company have an establishment on the other 
 sido of the river. One or two or more stoamere, 
 as well as sailinir vessels, como here once every 
 •week, from Buflalo, Cleveland, Detroit, and Pene- 
 tanguishine, or Penahtahwahiiiroshecng, the 'alter 
 being an Indian word, moaning the tumbling 
 sandbanks. Our steamer London, landed here 
 160 passcngei-s, and the majority of them have 
 gone to the mines of Lake Superior. 
 
 The population of those now engaged in the 
 minus of Lake Superior is 8000, and 1000 are in 
 commercial business. This is very v.ell for Lake 
 Superior. 
 
 Sunday, 1 Gth. — I went to hear the Episcopal 
 clergyman Dr. Omeara projich this morning ; he 
 read his sermon, so and so. lie is rather defec- 
 tive in his delivery. In the evening, I gave a 
 short exhortation to those v,ho were present, in 
 the same cha])el. It rained very hard in the 
 evening, and the whole of the next day — that is 
 tliG 17th— so that I saw very little of Sault Ste. 
 Marie that day. The Methodist clergyman of 
 this place is a good man : he is the Superinten- 
 dent of the Indian Missions in these pails. He 
 was just now about to tike a tour to visit his 
 Missions on the southern shore of Lake Superior, 
 Fondulac, S;mdy Lake, and Ited Lake. 
 
 Tiiesdai/,\Hth. — The day was fine. I dined 
 with John Johnston, Esq., and his lady, and 1 
 fomul them affable and kind. This John J<jhn- 
 ston is a »^>n of the late great John Johnston of 
 Saut Ste. Marie. After dinner the Hudson's Bay 
 can«ws arrived. The number of men in the 
 canoes was about iiO; thoy had a young clerk 
 with them nainfed Mr. Taylor. 
 
 Wednesday/, \Mt. — At ten o'clock I left ray 
 hotel, at Sault Ste. Mario, and wont over to the 
 other side of the river to the Hudson's Bay House, 
 and after being furnished witii provisions, we were 
 at the farther side o^ the Poilage at 2 o'clock. 
 The number of passengers now in the canoes, 
 excluding myself, wa** two, viz. ; Francis Erma- 
 tinger, Es(]., Chief T-ador, and young Mr. Taylor. 
 Tlie Canadians and Iricjuois now fiuslied oft and 
 gave us some of their beautiful Canadian canoe 
 songs. We encamped at a ]i1ace about 1.5 miles 
 from the ^ault, ca!l<'d Point Pino. Tbis was a 
 fine en'>!imiiiiient for us. Tiio sf)il of this ]il;iee 
 is of light sand, and the timber is nothing but 
 pino; and inde>'d I may say lure in iny Journal — 
 Farewell ye beautiful lands (if Canada, mo shall 
 not s(!e you for many u long day. 
 
 Thursday, 20tk. — At 4 o'clock wo started, and 
 breakfasted at the Gros Cap, 18 miles from our 
 encampment It is the first point that projects 
 out into the lake, and it has a beautiful mountain 
 on it. Many gentlemen and ladies come hero to 
 the mountain to have a view of the splendid Lake 
 Superior, and then return to their eastern homea. 
 After breakfast, the men pulled away across a 
 long travei-se of 16 miles, called Gooley's Bay, 
 and dined on an island in the traverse. After 
 dinner we hoisted sail and sailed very well this 
 day. At five o'clock we passed the Lake Supe- 
 rior mines, and there we saw 20 or 30 houses, 
 one or two of which are very large houses. At 
 1 o'clock v,i went in Montre J River, and encamp- 
 ed in it. We made about 60 miles this day. 
 The face of the country is a mass of rocks ; we 
 passed very little good land to-day : at Gooley's 
 Bay we saw some good land, for there are sugar 
 maple trees growing there ; and the Indians of 
 this part make a gi-eat deal of sugar in the spring. 
 A great many fish are caught by the Indians 
 here. They em]>loy diftei-f-'ntways to take them, 
 viz^ by moans of nets in the fall; and by spear- 
 ing them and angling in the winter, in holes made 
 in the ice. 
 
 Friday, 2lst. — Windbound here till noon: we 
 found the time very long. The half day appear- 
 ed to be as long as two days. The men were 
 grumbling and comi>laiTiiiig, and they seemed to 
 be the most miserable of all men. Thoy were 
 saying owe to another about the guide : '' Why 
 not go at once ?" But our guide wa.s a trusty 
 man, he would n-^t let them go, until he thought 
 it safe for them to go. After dinnei-, the guide 
 ga\c the word to go; and in a few minutes wo 
 were again afloat on the lake, rolling up and 
 down on its waves.. When wo got oif about 1 5 
 miles from our eneampment, the sea and the wind 
 began to riso higher and higher, and as the rocks 
 of the mountains on lan<l were very steep, the sea 
 diished its waves against the rocks, and it became 
 very rough. The canoe jumped so high and 
 went down again on the w!iti?r, that I was afraid 
 something very serious would haj»pen to the 
 canoe. Wo were in tfiis condition for half an 
 hour. The danger a\ as very great; and I am not 
 one of those cowards tnat are afraid when there 
 is a little ruining in the watore; but I have boon 
 frer|uently called the brave \t.)yager. As we were 
 passing along the rooks, o\w vr t\\o waves dashed 
 in to our canoe, so that oue of the men was con- 
 stantly bailing (Hit IIk; wati;r; we were not in dan- 
 ger of upsetting, but we were afraid that the bark 
 at the bottom of t!i<' canoe would break, a^ it 
 sometimes ha]/pens to the canoe in a heavy gale 
 in this fresh water sea. We cncampodj for the 
 
 8ny pc 
 
ro started, and 
 liles from our 
 
 that projccta 
 tiful mountain 
 J come hero to 
 splendid Lake 
 sastcrn homes, 
 away across a 
 Gooley'a Bay, 
 averse. After 
 
 very M'cH thia 
 16 Lake Supe- 
 I or 30 houses, 
 houses. At 
 r, and encamp- 
 tilos this day. 
 
 of rocks; we 
 y : at Gooley's 
 here are sugar 
 
 the Indians of 
 r in the spring. 
 )y the Indiana 
 9 to take them, 
 
 and by spcar- 
 , in holes made 
 
 •e till noon : we 
 alf day appear- 
 Tho men were 
 they seemed to 
 1. They were 
 guide : *' Why 
 
 was a trusty 
 ntil he thought 
 mer, the guide 
 3w minutes we 
 rolling up and 
 ot oif ahout 15 
 'a and the wind 
 ,nd as the rocks 
 y steep, the sea 
 ;, and it biK^ame 
 
 1 80 high and 
 I at I was afraid 
 happen ti> the 
 on for half an 
 
 and I am not 
 raid when there 
 nit I have boon 
 r. As we were 
 o waves dashed 
 men was con- 
 keie not in ilan- 
 id that the bark 
 aid break, as. it 
 in a heavy galft 
 ampodj for the 
 
 11 
 
 evening near the mountains and point called by 
 the Indians Nanahboshoo. We only made 36 
 miles this day. The convei-sation this evening 
 was about the danger of to-day. It appears that 
 die men in the other canoes were as afraid as our 
 men ; our new hands, called Pork Eaten?, said they 
 thought they would be drowned. It must be 
 remembered that we had three canoes in all. 
 
 There is a large stone here, near the Nanahbo- 
 shoo mountains, which is very remarkable. The 
 Btone looks as if some man had sat on the i-ock 
 land made an impression on it, as one would on 
 lie snow in winter. This was not carved by any 
 :ndian, but it is very natural. The impression 
 is very large, and is about six times as large as an 
 impression made in the snow by a man. The 
 findians say that Nanahboshoo, a god, sat here 
 long ago, and smoked, and that he left it for the 
 " west. Every time the Indians pass here, they 
 leave tobacco at the stone, that Nanahboshoo might 
 smoke in his kingdom in the west The Indians 
 tell many traditions respecting Nanahboshoo, and 
 ,.of his wonderful deeds. About the mountain, 
 i there are many precious stones to be found, which 
 I the Indians collect and sell at Sault Ste. Mario. 
 
 Saturday, 22nd. — At one o'clock this morning 
 our guide gave the command for embarking, and 
 in a short time the men were again on the water. 
 It was very calm, and Ave came on very w<.>ll. At 
 eight o'eldck we arrived at Michipicoton, the Com- 
 pany's Fort. John Swanson, Esquire, the gentle- 
 man in charge, is a very good man ; he gave us 
 • a very kind reception, and we took breakfiust with 
 Lim. 
 
 All iho coast that we made before breakfast, 
 
 for 20 miles, is of barren rocks : some of the 
 
 mountains are almost perpendicular at the water's 
 
 edo-e : some of them are more than 200 feet high. 
 
 jThey are so high that they malce the passengers 
 
 sncck quite tired by constantly looking up to the 
 
 ^top of the mountain from the water's edge. 
 
 Michipicoton ri\ er is found at th(* foot of a deep 
 
 bay ; it is a beautiful j)lace for a fort. The whole 
 
 ay or the mouth of the river is of thy sand. The 
 
 iurrounding hills and mountains are barren rocks. 
 
 After breakfast we again staitetl : wo had beau- 
 iful calm weather. I know the men must have 
 made iP':^,e than CO miles to-day. All the coast 
 that Ave pass<Hl over to-day is barren. In tlie 
 liills and valleys are found blue hueca berries, 
 which are excellent for food : they are found in 
 great abundaiu'c; but ofti'utimes 1i(>ars an^ to be 
 c^)ntended with before the berries are taken aAvay, 
 j for tliey claim the sole right of the berries, and 
 I tlius they become latlicr dangerous customers if 
 8ny persons infringe on their rights. 
 
 Sunday, 23rc?. — This morning, at half-past 
 three o'clock, before we cor'd really iinish sjiying 
 our prayei-s, the guide had his canoes already on 
 the water, and so we had to start off. In the 
 evening, Ave encamped at a ]ilace about one mile 
 from Fort Pic. Our coast the whole day Avas of 
 the same apjiearanco as the day before: there 
 Avere nothing but barren rocks and mountains. 
 
 In the evening, Ahtikoos, a young Indian, 
 belonging to the Wosleyans, and avIio Avas for- 
 merly a memlier of Rev.Thos. Hurlburt's Church, 
 of this place, came to see me. I asked him if he 
 was still a Wesleyan, or if he had joined the 
 Roman Catliolics or not ; his ansAver Avas, that 
 he was still a Wesleyan, and he intended never to 
 be any but that. I therefore gave him a good 
 exhortation to fear God and to love him, and if 
 he did so, God woukl be gracious to him in his 
 last days. He told me he liad not the least doubt 
 that the Indians at this place Avould embrace 
 Christianity if a missionaiy came to reside among 
 them. I told him the day may come wlien % 
 Missionary shall come to see you. Ahtikoot; 
 could read the Indian traiislations he had with 
 him, and the books the Roman Catholics use. 
 The Priest oftered to Itaptize him, but he fiankly 
 refused, saAing, he did not Avish to bo baptized 
 again. 
 
 Monday, 24//;. — At half-past three o'clock we 
 Avere off again from Pic, after commending Ahti- 
 koos to the care of God, and bidding liini fsire- 
 AVell. We crossed two large tiwerses, the first 
 was about 10 miles in wi<ith, and the second about 
 8 miles. We then brefikfasted, at a late hour, 
 and after a delay of one hour Ave Avere off again. 
 We made about 20 miles since avc started till we 
 had breakfast. We passed a great manv islands. 
 At one o'clock Ave dined on one of the islands, 
 and after some delay, Ave went away again. In 
 the evening Ave encamped fm an island : maile 60 
 miles to-day. The coast and the islands we passed 
 are barren rocks. This is no place for farmers. 
 Many excellent fish are caught along the coast, 
 such as Avhitc fish, salmon trout, and sturgeon. 
 The Indians catch tlx-ni at all seasons of the year 
 Avith nets, hooks, and spears. 
 
 Tuesday, 25th. — A fine calm day: the mem 
 made very good progress. As \ e jiassed through 
 one of the narrows this evening, we saw a house 
 that belongeil to one of the Mining Comjiany'a 
 men, who bad now left it. At 7 o'clock in the 
 evening, we encamped on an island nearly oppo- 
 site the Thunder Mountain. We made about GO 
 miles to-day. 
 
13 
 
 t I 
 
 Wednesday, 26/A.— At half-past three o'clock 
 we left the island, and coon went round the Thun- 
 der Mountain. The roason that it is called Thun- 
 der Mountain, or Ahnemekee W^acheo, according 
 to Ihe Indiana, i.;, that the Indians originally 
 believed that tliunder used to come and lay her 
 eggs on this mountain and hatch them: for the 
 Indians believe that thunder is a large bird, pos- 
 sessing great power. Many of the Indians to this 
 day believe this still. The reason they thought so, 
 and do think still, is founded upon what is as 
 follows : — When the canoes are passing and re- 
 passing the large traverse, between the mountain 
 and Fort William, there is generally thunder and 
 fog upon the mountain. The Bay there is also 
 called Thunder Bay. The Thunder Mountain is 
 a long narrow mountain, more than 200 feet in 
 height, that is, perpendicularly ; and there is no 
 access to the top of the mountain, unless that he 
 wlio wishes to go, goes a long way on the north- 
 eastern side of the mountain, and then he can 
 reach the top by a vale at the bottom of the 
 mountain. There are many beautiful islands in 
 this bay that have large, towering mountains. 
 These would make strong fortifications that would 
 have command o\'er the bay and the mouth of 
 Fort William River. But the mountains are all 
 barren rocks. 
 
 W\i breakfiisted at one of the islands in the 
 bay, and after breakfast, at 10 o'clock, we arrived 
 at Fort William, at the mouth of Fort William 
 River, where we were heartily received by Mr. 
 and Mi-s. McKennie. We made 20 miles this 
 morning. At diimer we lay to and bore hard on 
 tlie beautiful white fish on the table. We arose 
 from the tJible, remarking, tliat we had an excel- 
 lent dinner. Mr. and Mrs. McKennie were indeed 
 very kind to us, during the shoil time we weiv 
 with tliem : and we were perfectly welcome to 
 take anything in the way of provisions, if we only 
 asked for it 
 
 In the afternoon, young Mr. Taylor went off 
 with 10 men in a light canoe to Red River. As 
 Mr. Francis Ermatinger was to take charge of 
 tliis Fort, ho remained here. 1 find Mr. Erma- 
 ting(^r a very fine tra-.elling comjianion. There 
 Ls no home sickness whore he is. We spent here 
 a very i)l.'asjmt evening with Mr. McKennie. 
 
 Fort William is situated on beautiful ground. 
 Tliis fort was formerly one of the gi-eat forts of 
 the North West Company. I Wiis told that in 
 \h<i tini'' of its glorj-, it was not uiiconiiiion to 
 find a tlioiisund men here belonging to the Com- 
 pany. But its greatuesfi is now fast diminishing. 
 
 Fish are caught hero in great abundance, at all 
 the s/-;wni)s of the year. Fort William has a fine 
 view of the bay and the moiuitains. The whole 
 country is surrounded by barren, rocky mountains ; 
 
 and not only thw part is rocky, but all the coast 
 from Sault Ste. Mary. The canoe route from the 
 Sault, in and out of the bays to Fort William, ia 
 about 300 miles. 
 
 Thursday, 21th.— At 10 o'clock we started 
 from Fort William ; and a little way up the 
 Fort William River there is a Roman Catholic 
 mission, which we visited, where some of the 
 Iroquois went, made signs of the cross, and said 
 a few short prayers. The priest has gathered 
 about 15 families of Indians; he speaks a little 
 English and tolerably good Indian. He was 
 busy in raising the frame of a chtpel, and will 
 likely, in process of time, mr.ke a good mission 
 of this ; though now newly established, but is 
 getting on wonderfully, and the Indians are Uv- 
 ing in their wgwams. 
 
 Having staid here a few minutes we proceeded 
 on our voyage up against a strong current, and 
 made about 21 miles this afternoon. The banks 
 on each side of the river are high. The soil ap- 
 pears tolerably good, well wooded, with heavy 
 birch, poplar, elm, and pine. I think a farmer 
 might make a living by cultivating these wild 
 lands. ThisevcTiing we bought Ici or lii small 
 sturgeon from the Indians, and in the hurry and 
 bustle some we paid for and sf>me not, as the In- 
 dians were not satisfied with wliiit wo gave them, 
 which was in Indian corn, from 1 to 1% pints per 
 sturgeon, I dare say from one to two pence. At 
 supper time the men had a regular blow out on 
 the sturgeon. We met with an Indian Chief, 
 who gave ua very bad news of some of the Lac 
 Lapluio Indians starving to death this spring. 
 This Chief, Ah De Goiise, is one of the fii-st In- 
 dian orators in these parts, and can, without any 
 apparent difficulty, speak for houj-s together. 
 This same Chief delivered a s])eech to his Excel- 
 lency Sir George Simpson, in the s])ring of 1841, 
 when soine of the Officers and gentlemen accom- 
 panying Sir George, admired the masterly man- 
 ner of his address. 
 
 Friday, 2Bth. — After an early breakfast, the 
 men began to pole up against a stronc^ current 
 or rapid, some where about 16 miles in length. 
 The banks of the river are hisTh, dry and sandy. 
 The princip.ll timber being birch, poplar, and 
 small stinted pine. The north bank is inclining 
 t<5 bo like a prarie, whore, in the month of July, 
 an abundance of blue berries (wortleberncs) are to 
 be found. I and eight men gotoutof thecauoesand 
 walked on the north bank of the river for the 
 distance of some miles, and then got into the 
 canoes again ; after an hour's paddling, we caiiio 
 to a pi ue where the men were obliged to jiiake a 
 half portage by taking out part of the bagg;»go, 
 
13 
 
 t all the coast 
 oute from the 
 >rt William, is 
 
 ik we started 
 
 way up the 
 
 man Catholic 
 
 some of the 
 
 sross, and said 
 
 has gathered 
 
 s^Miaksa little 
 
 an. He was 
 
 .pel, and will 
 
 good mission 
 
 Wished, but is 
 
 ndians are liv- 
 
 \ we proceeded 
 J current, and 
 1. The banks 
 
 The soil ap- 
 il, with heavy 
 liink a Inrmer 
 ing these wild 
 LU or 15 amall 
 the hurry and 
 not, as the In- 
 wo gave them, 
 ;o l4- pints per 
 vo pence. At 
 X blow out on 
 Indian Chief, 
 no of the Lac 
 Ih this spring, 
 of the firet In- 
 n, without any 
 lOurs together. 
 
 to his Excel- 
 pringof 1841, 
 itleuuiu acoom- 
 masterly man- 
 breakfast, the 
 stronc; current 
 liles in length. 
 Iry and sandy, 
 h, poplar, and 
 uk is inclining 
 month of J iily, 
 leliorruw) are to 
 fthccanoesand 
 
 river for the 
 
 got into tho 
 lUing, we camo 
 igod to make a 
 ■ tiio baggage, 
 
 tiio current being too strong, so that when the 
 canoe is thus discharged, the men pulled them by 
 I a cord line about 30 fathoma long. After 
 another hour's pull we came to a dead water, 
 that is where the current was strong, and appar- 
 ently no current at all. This was about two 
 miles in length, and at the upper end of this we 
 I dined on a tine open space or plain cleared by 
 [former fires. After this I and eight men crossed 
 [over to the south side of the river, and followed 
 an Indian trail or path for about three miles, 
 rhich brought us to tho foot of the mountain 
 ?ortage, and after waiting about 15 minutes the 
 anoes arrived. Wo are now about 36 miles 
 rom Fort William. The stone competing this 
 lountain is of the slate appearance ; the portage 
 Itself is about a mile in length. At this place is 
 3ne of the grandest falls of water to be seen at 
 iiy in all the many noble rivers of America, and 
 second in grandeur to the greatest of cataracts, 
 lat of Niiigara. It is \Vl)rth the while of any 
 me passing by this portage to go and take a view 
 [)f these grand falls of water. Tho next portage 
 .^ eing close at hand, and a little better than half 
 % milo in length, and at the upper end of it we 
 jlencamped for the night. Fort William River is 
 acar(;oIy at sc.no places over a quarter of a 
 mile in breadth, 
 
 Saturday, 2Wi. — After an early breakfast we 
 rtarted otf again, and during the forenoon we 
 made three half portages, that is, tho men taking 
 out part of tho luggage, and then pulled up the 
 canoes by lines, or i>olo up the rapids with the 
 Jialf-loaded canoes. The first regular portage we 
 iDade to day was on an island, and about 500 
 yards abovo this is anotlter portage ; both are 
 liery short, and while the men were carrying tho 
 (Janoe over tho portiige one of the men fell down, 
 4id not break the canoe, but it falling upon him 
 '^urt him very much. It is not an uncommon 
 eident for men carrying canoes to meet with 
 |iich an accident as this ; some times it has hap- 
 pened that men have died by the hurt they re- 
 eivod by fallinj^ lown with the canoe. After 
 linner wo made two or three half portages, where 
 lie men hauled up the canoes with lines ; and 
 1 the evening made ono regular portage, on an 
 ^land, only about 15 rods long, and about half a 
 mile from this made another \ mile long, and 
 kere we encamped for tho night. 
 
 Sunday, 90th. — Early this morning we were 
 " again. Poor Christians we are ! In an hour's 
 5mo arrived at the dog portage ; here we met 
 rith Mrs. Ermetinger with five men, one boy, and 
 p woman. She is on her way down to Fort 
 nViJliam to meet her husband, who ia now in 
 
 charge of that Estiblishraent They left the por- 
 tage as we entered it, and we made this splendid 
 portage.in two hours' time, some say it is three 
 miles long, and from the top of which you have 
 a most splendid view of the surrounding countiy, 
 and I think the height of this portage is jnore 
 than 200 feet above water level. At the other 
 end there is a fine lake called after the portage, 
 and here we had breakfiist. The lands we passed 
 from mountain jjortago to this are worth little 
 or nothing for agricultural purposes, in fact they 
 consist of hi^h and barren rocks, covered with a 
 few stinted pme, birch and juniper ; and if it is 
 not rocky it is swampy. We are now about 36 
 miles from the mountain portage. 
 
 The Dog Lakejs a fine large lake; the part of 
 it crossed by tlie canoes is about twelve miles, 
 but the gi-eater part of it extends to the north- 
 ward at a great length, and an abundance offish 
 is found in it ; of course its shores are rocks, and 
 barren rocks I 
 
 We enter a narrow and serpentine river bear- 
 ing the same name of tho lake and portage, well 
 timbered on both sides with large and tall cypress; 
 the soil is of a light quick-sand, and I think, in 
 some places it would bear cultivation; might raise 
 potatoes. Tho general appearance of the country 
 through which the river runs, which is uji wards 
 of 40 miles, is a dismal waste howling desert ; 
 no hard-wood of any description whatever. In 
 the evening we encamped at the firat little rapid 
 in this river. 
 
 Monday, 31st. — Early this morning we made 
 the little portage, on which Ave encamped, and 
 after a few more small portages we breakfasted. 
 While the men were busy with their breakfast, 
 I found a large new axe, which I made a present 
 of to the voyagers. At these small rapids tho 
 Indians make weirs and catch great quantities of 
 fish, which they lay up for their winter provisions, 
 very desirable at times, and after passing through 
 a very narrow river, a little wider than'the canoe, 
 and ha\ ing made two more little portages, came 
 to the head waters of Lake Superior. At this 
 place is a spring of cold water. We now come 
 to a height of land, to a portage called the Prairie, 
 which forms the dividing ridge between Canada 
 and the Hudson's Bay Territories. This height 
 of land is not, I dare say, much above GO Set 
 above water level, and is one of the best 
 portages that we have as yet come to, is fine, dry, 
 and mostly plain, and about three miles long ; 
 at the commencement of this portage there is a 
 small pond of fine cold water, and here we dined. 
 After dinner made this portage, and cailie to a 
 small marshy pond, crossing this we came to 
 anotlier portage of about a mile in length, to 
 
14 
 
 another lake again, tbiee miles long, then cntei-ed 
 into a small cruek, and camo to the 8wan.ij>y or 
 savan portage. This is one of the worst {portages 
 on the whole water, it is a complete miry pjace, 
 go down to the kneea in mud, and I was obliged 
 to pull oflf my shoes and walk over this abomina- 
 ble portage barefooted; it is about two miles and 
 a half long, at other end of m hich we encamped. 
 The portage ought to be \Mved, as it was in the 
 time of the West Comjjany, and it would per- 
 hap cost some where about £W. The men 
 finished making this pitjigo at a late hour, and 
 all very tired, so much so that some of them laid 
 down and slept, without taking thek suppers, and 
 grumbled a good deal 
 
 June, Isl, — The men having been wearit'd by 
 the previous evening's struggle through the mud, 
 we did not start till aft*!r bieakfjist, and descended 
 the Savan River which is about ;J0 miles long, 
 and now we aie in the watei-s which flow down 
 to the Hudson's Bay. To day we dined on one 
 of the points of the lake called Tliousuid Island 
 Lake, and the length of the lake passed by the 
 canoes is about 25 miles, though the gri;ater part 
 lies on one side of the country. On leaving the 
 lake we enter a portiige which is a little over a 
 mile in length, and this ought to he called the 
 Thousand Island Lake Portiigc. The distance 
 from the prairie or the height of land, U> this, is 
 about 63 miles. I wonld here say that this is 
 my sixth trip through this wild n^uto, so that I 
 can very well calculate the distjinccs of these lakes, 
 rivers, and poi-Uiges. 
 
 Wednesdar/, 2nd. — At three o'clock this morning 
 we again started for our encampment, and passed 
 through two small lakes, the length of both about 
 12 miles — came to a portage of about three quar- 
 ters of a mile long, which is line, and dry. We 
 then came into a creek little wider than the 
 breadth of the canoe ; thence, entered and passed 
 through a narrow lake of about three miles long, 
 when we again entered a creek of ab< )Ut a mile 
 in length ; we then came to another narrow 
 lake eight miles long, at the end of this lake we 
 breakfasted. This lake is called by the Indians 
 Win de goo oea dc gouun. (The Cannibal's 
 Head). After breakfast we passed through a 
 chain of small lakes, varying from two to four 
 miles in length, and we ran one short rapid in 
 passing these lakt^ We then c^me to the French 
 portage, which is three miles long ; but the 
 water being high in the creek we avoided the 
 portage by going down in this small, but long, 
 and tediously-long creek, called the French River, 
 and made only one small portage, &c^ in the 
 creek, and is about seven miles long. At the 
 
 outlet of this creek we dined. After diimer we 
 passed through two small lakes, and then we i 
 came to the O gahse gab ning, (the Pickerel | 
 fishery) so called, the pickerel being very numer- 
 ous here in the spring. The length of this lake | 
 is 16 miles, and after ptissing about two-thirds of! 
 its length o encamped on an island. The appear- 
 ance of the country we passed to-day is nothing I 
 woi-se nor better than the other parts already de- 
 scribed, consisting of barren rocky hills, the hollows 1 
 or valleys of dry sand, but bearing be..utiful large i 
 white and Norway pines, which could answer 
 finely for building, such pine as I have seen in ilj 
 Canada, made into boards and frames of houses. 
 
 Thursday. Srd, — During past night it was 
 rather cold, and during ibis voyage we sutl'ered a 
 good deal from the cold weather, which generally 
 hajipens when there is no appearance of rain. ' 
 However we started at 3 o'clock, and in an hour I 
 and a half came to a*lx)rtiige which is a mile I 
 long, and ends into another lake about 4 miles ' 
 in length, and at tlie otlier end of this lake we 
 made another ix)rtage a mile in length, when we 
 breakfasted. I bore shot four partridges, and 
 made our brcakfiist of them. After breakfast 
 wo crossed a lake about a mile long, and then 
 went into a river of two miles in length, which 
 brought us into a long narrow lake of about l-l 
 miles long, at the end of which the men ran 
 down very heavy rapids with lightening the 
 canoes, and within a few hundred yard from tliis 
 another portage, where the men took out ])art of 
 the luggage, and then ran down the rapids. It 
 is wonderful how well tluvso men manage to run 
 down heavy rapids with their frail bark canoes. 
 
 After this our way lay in a large river with a 
 strong current, and many small rapids, which 
 were in our favour. 
 
 Wo dined at the outlet of this river; after this 
 we passed a lake of seven miles long, and came 
 to a portage, where the men ran their canoes j, 
 down these rapids. Thtjse are the rapids where! 
 John Tanner was shot by an Indian, who wasj 
 hired by his wife to kill him. Tanner, in the! 
 act of hauling up his canoe these rapidn, wius shot' 
 from a bush hiu-d by, j'nd fell into the water, and ^ 
 was then left for dead ; but Ts days were not 
 yet numbered, became to, and fortunately, the 
 next day, a Montreal canoe pa.%d and picked | 
 him up. The same John Tanner was oj yearsl 
 among the Indians, he had been taken by them! 
 when quite » child, a captive. The people of* 
 the civilized world are acquainted with the narra- 
 tive), published some ten or fifteen years ago, at 
 New York, where he narrates the various inci- 
 dents of his thirty years captivity ; the work a i 
 very interesting. 
 
15 
 
 fter dinner we 
 and then we 
 
 (the Pickerel 
 g vt'ry numer- 
 tti of this lake I 
 t two-thirds of j 
 1. Theappear- 
 day is nothing 
 irts already de- [ 
 ills, tho hollows I 
 be..utiful large \ 
 
 could answer 
 I have seen in 
 mes of houseSi ' 
 
 The river on wbioli wc are now going c^pwn is 
 about ten miles long, with strong curnmt, much 
 to our advantage ; afler having gone about two- 
 thirds of this river, we made a portage on an 
 island, called the Island Portage, about a quar- 
 ter of a mile long. From the Thousand Island 
 Lake Portage to this, is, I think, rightly calculat- 
 ing the distances from one place to another, about 
 131 miles, which will be observed isrnt^ r under 
 tbe proper, or what may be called the real dis- 
 tance. Late this afternoon came to a lake called 
 1 by the Indians, She gonno go que ming, (Pine 
 iLake) and then went on this lake for about 
 eight miles, and then encamped for the night. 
 
 arance 
 
 and in an hour 
 ■hich is a mile 
 about 4 miles 
 )f this lake we 
 ingtli, when we 
 partridges, and 
 After breakfast 
 long, and then 
 1 length, which 
 nke of about l-l 
 tlie men ran 
 lightening the 
 1 yard from tliis 
 wk out i>art of 
 the rapids. It 
 manage to run 
 lil bark canoes. 
 rge river with a 
 1 rapids, which 
 
 river; after this 
 ong, and came 
 an their canocs. 
 xe rapids where 
 dian, who was 
 Tanner, in the 
 rapi<-lfl, wjis shot 
 x> tne water, and 
 days were not 
 fortunately, the 
 sed and picked 
 er was bi> years 
 taken by them 
 The people of 
 i with the narra- 
 en years t^o, at 
 the various inci- 
 ;ty ; th« work if :. 
 
 n 
 
 t night it was J Friday, Uh June.— We again suffered ' 
 •ewe suffered a I from the cold during the past night, though 
 which generally Jit is now the 4th June. At three o'clock, we came 
 arance of rain. ■ off again from the encampment ; aftei- paddling 
 about six miles through this lake, we entered the 
 Macan River. The banks of the lake we have 
 just pa«sed are covered with large and tall white 
 and Nomay pines ; the same kind of timber has 
 been seen plentiful during the tv.'o previous days' 
 , voyage. This country produces fuw and skins 
 Ifor the traders, of the richest sort. 
 i After entering the river, about two miles dis- 
 tant*, we came to a portage a quarter of a mile 
 in length. We then descended a wide ri>er, 
 and strong current favouring us. Having gone 
 three miles further, we came to another portage, 
 quarter of a mile in length, and after we had 
 
 fone on miles' more, avo bn-akfasted. After 
 rcakfast, and having gone about four miles, we 
 «ame to a portage, quarter of a mile in length ; 
 ve then defended this river, whose strong cur- 
 rent, carried us on with a good speed for about 
 $ miles, and then arrived at rapids about a 
 mile long. The men ran these rapids, and three 
 miles fuither down this river, we came to another 
 rtage or rapids, about a mile long. These are 
 e rapids which are called by the Indians, Nah- 
 aguun, where the Indians catch sturgeon and 
 bite fish in great abundance during the summer 
 n. To-day saw the first Indian that I have 
 on while travelling through this vast wilderness, 
 e was a good distance off, so did not speak 
 ith him, and seven miles down this river we 
 itered Nabmaguun lake; as regards the soil 
 long this river, there is nothing but rocks, and 
 little timber of any kind that is valuable. — 
 e islands on the Namaguun possess good soil, 
 cultivation, and some of th'? Indian families 
 ave raised a good quantity of potatoes, which 
 ey barter to the traders for goods. Afler paa- 
 14 miles on this lake, we arrived at the two 
 rtages ; these two portages are, each, half a mile 
 ng, and a half a mile apart The water 
 
 being high, the men had no trouble in making 
 these portages. They had only to hand over the 
 canoes a few paces of ground, on one of them, 
 but the other w.^ all under water, and passed 
 over the ground where formerly the road w.is. 
 1 have never seen the water so high, before, 
 and here we dined, and the men gummed their 
 canoes, being now to voyage on open water all 
 the way to the Company's Establishment, at Lac 
 la Pluie. I dare say, ou rough guessing, it is 
 about 70 miles from this to that EstablLshment. 
 
 After passing down the river, wo soon came to 
 the Kettle Rapids, so called, I suppose from the 
 whirl-pools in these rapids ; here the Indians catch 
 white flsh in great abundance, by scooping them 
 up from the eddies and whirlpools in these rapids. 
 Tliis they do during the M'holo summer season. 
 This evening, at a very late hour, we reached the 
 narrows of the Lac la Pluie, called by the Indiana 
 Wahbahsgahndugaung, and here we encamped 
 for the night. 
 
 Saturday^ 5ih June, — Eaily, at three o'clock, 
 we again left our encampment, and after pad- 
 dling till eight o'clock, Ave breakfasted at a i)laco 
 called the (rrind Stone Narrows. After break- 
 fast Ave proceeded on our Avay, about one o'clock 
 we entered th3 Lac la Pluie River. 
 
 The Lac la Pluie is a large lake, and runs from. 
 N. West to a S. East direction, containing many 
 islands Avell wooded with white and Noi-way 
 pines, and bounded Avith rocky and barren shores, 
 but white pine of no large size. 
 
 At one o'clock Ave entered the Lac la Pluio 
 riA'er, and soon amved at the Company's Fort ; 
 being, a.s I think, one of the finest and the largest 
 establishments the Hudson's Bay Company has, 
 in this part of the country ; it is beautifully situ- 
 ated below a large fall of waters, whose continu- 
 ous din is ever heard by the people living here, 
 and beloAv the Fort : there is a fine view a long 
 way down the river, and about a mile from the 
 Company's present establishment, is to be seen 
 some fcAV vestiges of an old estjiblishment, occu- 
 pied in former days by the North Wert 
 Company. There is not a building remains 
 standing ; the traveller is only reminded 
 that there was once such a Company in oxisteno?, 
 and that this place was occtfpied by them, — but 
 their glory and the glory of their place is totally 
 departed. The river Avhich floAvs before the door 
 of the present establishment, forms tlie boundary 
 line which separates the possessions of John Bull, 
 from these of his brother Jonathan. 
 
 Sunday, 6th. — ^There are not many people at 
 the Fort at present Mr. Pether, a yowig clerk 
 in charge, and two women. Remaining here over 
 
f; r 
 
 10 
 
 Sabbatli, I am soi'i'y to say I had no congrega- 
 tion to preach, to, but in the evening I baptized 
 one Httle girl. The gontleman of llie District 
 had already gone with all his men in boats down 
 to York Factory, so that the ostablis^hinent looked 
 rather bolitary. A person entering the stores of 
 this Fort can see in fifteen minutes time more 
 rich furs such as sable, silver, and black foxes, &,c. 
 than he would in 20 yeare time in Canada. Young 
 Mr. Pether was very kind to me while I remain- 
 ed here. 
 
 ' ' ' » 
 
 Monday, 7/A.— At 4 o'clock we commenced 
 our voyage down this beautiful river, which is 
 estimated to be TO miles long. In the forenoon 
 to-day passed three rivers flowing into this from 
 the south, and at the junction of these rivora are 
 spots of ground, which, I think, would be fine 
 situations for mission stations, the soil being rich 
 and climate favourable, and therefore could raise 
 wheat, barley and potatoes; wood for building 
 purposes at hand, and there is also scrubby white 
 oak to be found at these places. 
 
 We met with a good many canoes of Crce men 
 who reside about the Company's Foil, and 
 Indians, and not a f«w of them expressed sorrow 
 that I had not come to rcmaiii, and hoped that I 
 would some day come again. About 12 o'clock 
 we arrived at the Manito Rapids, where we found 
 numerous tents of Indians who are now engaged 
 in the sturgeon fishery, about 300 souls in all. 
 These Indians are tall, strong, and well built ; as 
 a community, they are good and handsome look- 
 ing; some of them who are good hunters, dress 
 very well, their foces well painted with rod and 
 other colours, feathers on their heads, silver 
 ringlets about their arms, and earrings and other 
 b-inkets. The women also are well dressed, 
 something corresponding with the dress of their 
 lords, excepting the feathoi-s, but tliey wear alwut 
 their necks brass wire which they consider a 
 oreat ornament. Taking them a-^ a community, 
 they look well ; and of coui-se, as in all communi- 
 ties, there are some poor who arc almost in a 
 state of nudity. About the Manito Rapids would 
 ' 3 a grand situation for a Mission Station, where 
 Mr. Mason and myself once thought of establish- 
 ing ; and the Indians and others opposing the 
 project which, they said would entirely rum the 
 sturgeon fUbery here. And taking other 
 things into consideration, though the place itself 
 is good as can be found anywhere, but being far 
 away from any sea port, or the civilized world, 
 whence things necessary could be liad,^ and the 
 expense that would be mcreased in getting these 
 things would be great, ww the cause of our abau- 
 doning tlie project. 
 
 SinAs I was among this people, it appears a 
 gwxl many have dioil ; a few by natural death 
 but most by starvation in the winter; for instance, 
 a family seven in number wove found dead just 
 as thev were sitting around their fire near (Jhaa- 
 tellaiu 8 Post, at the Lac du dois Blanc. 
 
 After distributing some tobacco among these 
 Indians, and the men having taken as muoli stur- 
 geon, fresh and dried, as they wanted, we pushed 
 oft" from them, and dined near the Long Sault. , 
 After dinner we put ashore again at the Long*, 
 Sault, where tliere were some more Indians, but, 
 not so many as at the other place. Here also i 
 gave some tobacco. On going oftj it was as much 
 as I could do to prevent Es qua gesig, one of the 
 principal Indians belonging to the river, from 
 jumping into the canoe, that ho might have som© 
 convei-sation with me, and to make me promise 
 to come back again and be a missionary among 
 them. I wjis forcibly reminded of that passage 
 of scripture, — ",0 hadst thou known even thou 
 things which belong to thy peace ; but now they 
 are hid from thine eyes !" I did not receive him 
 into the cjuioe. 
 
 I may here remark that the Long iSault is one 
 of those places on which I had my eyes when I 
 was here before, to have a mission station, .and 
 this place is far better than even the ilauito. 
 This is upwards of a mile in extent; good laud; 
 and further down the river, for at l«ast two miles, 
 are ready cleared lands, rich soil, hay and grjisa 
 for cattle. At night we encamped at the Rajiid 
 River, so 'called from its ha\ ing a fall of consider- 
 able height as it enters the main river. 
 
 Tuesday, B(k. — Head wind all day, and there- 
 fore did not budge an inch from our encampment 
 
 Wednesday, dth. — At peep of day we were off 
 and breakfa!*ted at the mouth of the river. As I 
 have said befure, the banks of this river are good, 
 and capable of being cultivated ; but it has this 
 drawback, — that a ridge of good land of the 
 breadth of quarter of a mile extends along the | 
 length of the river, and further back are swamps. 
 The wind still blowing, and direct ahehd, we only 
 came to the sbu-ting place of the Grand Travei-se 
 of the Lake of the woods, and dined there. It is 
 a kind of a strait, and about six miles across, and 
 in windy weather it has generally a very rough 
 sea from the circumstance of ita being shoal. It 
 has been known, in former days, in the time of 
 the North West Company, when bark canoes i 
 were the only crafts m use, that people have * 
 thrown overboard their cargoes to save them- 
 selves from perishing in the water. At night we 
 reached the painted stone, so called, the Indians 
 having panted a stone here. The Lake of the 
 
, U appcara a 
 lutui'al duuth 
 ; fur instance, 
 .ind duail just 
 ii'ti near Cuaa- 
 anc. 
 
 aiuung tbeae 
 as niuoli stur- 
 sd, wo pushed 
 B Long Sault. , 
 
 at tbo Long*. 
 B Indians, but. 
 Here also i 
 t was as much 
 Big, one of the 
 le river, from 
 rbt have some 
 u me promise 
 ionary among 
 f that passage 
 ivn even thou 
 but now they 
 ot receive bim 
 
 g Sault is one 
 y eyes when I 
 1 station, and 
 t the Llauito. 
 it; good laud; 
 Bast two miles, 
 bay and gniss 
 
 I at the Rapid 
 all of consider- 
 ivcr. 
 
 ay, nnd tbero- 
 r cueampment 
 
 ay wo were off 
 10 river. As I 
 river are good 
 but it has this 
 
 II land of the 
 ends along tbo 
 ;k are swamps. 
 aboUd, we only 
 Jrand Travei"8e 
 id tliere. It is 
 iles across, and 
 
 a very rough 
 ;ing shoal. It 
 in the time of 
 1 bark canoes 
 »t people have 
 to save them- 
 At night we 
 ;d, the Indians 
 le Lake of the 
 
 It 
 
 woods oontiiins many Islands that njight bo culti- 
 vated, but ita main shores aro rocks and swamps. 
 Tlio Indians on a small scale raiso Indian corn, 
 pumpkins and iX)tatocs. At the eiustern extremity 
 [of the lake wild rice is to bo found in great abun- 
 lance. 
 
 Thursday/, lOlh. — Fine calm day ; at balf- 
 
 ^last three o'dtwk we reached the Hat Portage. 
 
 Jriie length of the Lake of the woods, from the 
 
 1 louth of Lake la Pluio to Rat Portage, which is 
 
 ■i)nsidcred the extremity of the Lake, is more than 
 
 I '1 miles. The Rat Portage itself is about half a 
 
 ilo long, and from the other end of it we could 
 
 "0 one of the out-posts of the Company, and on 
 
 '•iving there, found Mr. James McKenzio in 
 
 Inarge of the place, who gave us some notatoos, 
 
 K)r which we thanked him, proceeded on our 
 
 royage, and encamped at Birch Point. 
 
 Friday^ Wtk — Early this morning we started 
 
 tf with a strong current in our favour, and soon 
 
 me to and ran down the Dalles. Here the men 
 
 ught some sturgeon from the Indians. I also 
 
 lought a young porcupine for my own breakfast. 
 
 gave a little tobacco for it. The flesh of this 
 
 fnimal is excellent, and I shared it among a few 
 
 <rf my choice fiiends, iho Iro(iuoi8. After breakfast 
 
 the wind being strong and fair, and the cuirent 
 
 ■^leing strong, all in our favour, we hoisted sail, 
 
 >nd soon pjissed through a chain of lakes; and at 
 
 alf-past 10 o'clock arri\ ed at the Grand discharge, 
 
 be commencement of a succession of short porta- 
 
 ;es, the three principal of which aro a quarter of 
 
 mile in length, and two or three more smaller 
 
 ines, and all these lay within four miles of each 
 
 her. At one o'clock, p. m., wo arrived at the 
 
 hite Dog, where I met with Mr. Kennedy, who 
 
 in charge of a newly established Mission Sta- 
 
 ion of the Church of England, and here we took 
 
 dinner. I here had a long convereation with 
 
 o Indians on religious subjects. I wiis especially 
 
 lesirous to impress their minds on the happy re- 
 
 •Its of becoming christians in earnest, bringing 
 
 a proof of my remarks, the happy condition 
 
 the Indians in Canada, who aro christians, and 
 
 e rapidly advancing in civilization. I told them 
 
 at I had been over the great waters to England, 
 
 d had seen the Oreat Female Chi'f eight 
 
 s during my last visit They enquired how 
 
 e looked, I told them that she was very hand- 
 
 me, that she lived in house or castles like raoun- 
 
 lins, was surrounded by many great men, sol- 
 
 'ers, and great guns, so that none who intends 
 
 ivil to the great female Chief, can come near her. 
 
 told them also that England was a wonderful 
 
 nd a very rich country, everything wonderful 
 
 as there to be found, — ateam boatK and car- 
 
 riages, which go by steam, running very fast on 
 iron roads, ami the whole land is tilled with 
 people like the multitudes of mosquitoes in their 
 own country. 
 
 On leaving tlioni I distributed among them 
 some tobacco and fish-hooks, as I have done 
 among the other Indians I met with on my 
 journey in these Territories. I had a large 
 supply of fish-hooks given mo by a young lady 
 at Hr()oklyii, in New York, for to give away to 
 the Indians, and may that young lady ever live 
 before the Lord. 
 
 The soil about the mission establishment is 
 most excellent for cultivation, the climate being 
 the same as the li«d River settlement, and 
 within the same latitude, and capable of raising 
 wheat, barley, oats, and Indian corn, potatoes and 
 other vegetables. This spot of good land con- 
 tains about 400 or more acres, but the surround- 
 ing country, as well as that we passed, is notliing 
 but barren rocks and swamps. The distance from 
 Rat Portage to this place (White Dog) is about 
 50 miles. 
 
 The wind still fair, so we hoisted sail, and 
 having passed many a long turn in the river and 
 lake wo came to the Island Portage, and, Avithout 
 ever stopping, we went down these fearful rapids, 
 and in spite of what the men could do, the canoes 
 were carried to the middle of the rapids and 
 were whirled round for some minutes in the 
 whirlpools, and every one thought our day was 
 come, the men turned pale as death. I must 
 say I was not a little frightened, 
 away and over the panic, there 
 men close to me, they gave 
 Lord for our deliverance from 
 danger, and I secretly responded amen to what 
 they said. After the men bailed out the water 
 fron^ the canoes which we shipped in the rapids, 
 we hoisted sail again and sailed till dusk, and 
 passed the Crook Lake, called by the Indians, the 
 Grand Turn. Having had fair wind and strong 
 current in our favour during the whole of the 
 day, I dare say we have made somewhere about 
 80 miles. 
 
 Saturday, 12<A.— Started at our usual hour, 3 . 
 o'clock, we soon arrived at the Chats du Jaque, 3 of^ 
 4 hundred yards long, and without delaying in 
 making this poiiage, we soon came to the two 
 portages, called Portage du Bois. The first of 
 these is a quarter of a mile Jong, and the other 
 shorter, and another in sight which is only a few 
 100 yards long, at the lower end of which we 
 breakfasted. About 10 o'clock we arrived at 
 the Slave Falls. The name of these originated 
 from two Indian slaves escaping from their cruel 
 masters, went down these falls, and there perish- 
 
 After we got 
 were two Irish- 
 thanks to the 
 such imminent 
 
t8 
 
 1^ 
 
 
 ed. Tlio porUigo in Dually half a niilo long, after 
 which wo itusseJ through a river with a strong 
 current, and psissoj oiio small lake, antl tluiucanio 
 to tho tails called JJarrier, ami soon paKted this, 
 and on we went with n good speed and jjassed 
 two little lakes, and dineil near the Grand 
 Rapids, and having passed two or throo more 
 little rapids, we came to tho district of jiortages, 
 7 in numboi", and all lay within seven miles of 
 each other, and none exceeding a tpiarter of a 
 mile in length, and they are most dangerous to 
 approach either by a cauoe or boat. Having 
 passed these safely, we came to the Uliite Jiiver, 
 and here wo encamped for the night. We had 
 made about 60 miles to-day. 
 
 Sunday, \^th. We descended the Wliito River, 
 whose current is strong and swift, and passing 
 down, came to the Lake de Bonnet, afttir which 
 we made two.portages close together, and arrived 
 at the Portage de J5onnet. Here also is a spot of 
 all jut 200 acres of oak laud, fine grass growing 
 for cattle, but the surrounding land is worthless 
 80 far as agricultural purjioses are t;oncerncd. — 
 There may be a few fur-boaring animals found in it 
 The portage itself is more than a mile long, and 
 a small distance below this, is anotluir portage 
 one quarter of a mile long ; and pjuaing tliis, we 
 descended tho river for about four miles, and 
 arrived at the portage called tho White Clay 
 Portage. This is a very fine portage, a few oak 
 trees about it, and having made another four miks 
 down the river, wo came to the Silver Falls, with 
 two portages over a quarter of a mile in length, 
 and somewhere about 800 yards from each 
 other. At the lower end of the last portage we 
 dined, and after dinner we went on and leaving 
 many ripples and rapids wo arrived at tho l;wt 
 portage in tho Winipeg River, which is about a 
 half mile long; and going down in a strong 
 current, and before coming in sight of the Com- 
 pany's Fort, we came to a strong rapids called by 
 the Indians Manito Rtipids, and tho piacf, ^vllere 
 they genersilly hold their manilo feasts; and 1 
 dare say, by the number of tents at a point close 
 by, there were about 100 Indians assembled, and 
 evidently by their dress, paints about their per- 
 sons, and feathers about their heads, they weie 
 at the annual ceremonies of their heathen worship. 
 We were in sight of Fort Alexander, when the 
 people of the Fort saw us they hoisted up a flag, 
 as they have done at the other Forts we passed, 
 in honour of the gentleman whom they suppose 
 to be a passenger in the canoes. Wo landed at 
 the Fort at four o'clock, at the rate we came we 
 must have made about fifty miles to-day. I was 
 very respectfully received by Mr. James Isbester, 
 a Post Master, in charge of this Establishment. — 
 
 Hcrelalwo met with Roderick McKenzio Ewi., 
 a chief factor in the servic(( of tho Hudsttn s 
 Ray (.\>mpany, with his intelligent family. As 
 the g(!ntlemeii and ladies of this Fort, undeiutand 
 the Ojibw.'iy tongue, 1 therefore prayed and 
 preached in that hmgunge, and during my stay 
 luTc 1 had prayei-8 with people. 
 
 On Monday morning early, tho canoo» in 
 which I came thus far, went olf for Norway 
 House. I remained here for a couple of days, in 
 order to get a pnssjige to tho Red River settle- 
 ment, to see my son, who is at the collegiate \ 
 school in that settlement. 
 
 In former days, Fort Alexander was a consi- 
 derable establisliment, especially in the great 
 object of its foimders, namely, the getting of furs 
 and shins, and it had also a large farm attached 
 to it, or vestige of a large farm. Tho people 
 here may raise any (piantity of wheat, barley, or 
 any kind of grain and vegetables. The soil on 
 both sides of the river being very good, and the 
 climate being also favourable, any where about 
 the j^recincts of this place, would bo a line place 
 for a Mission Station, as there are Intlians always 
 about tho place, and 1 also found the Indians^ 
 more favourable towards Christianity than they '% 
 were when 1 used to be travelling up and down 
 among them. 
 
 During my short stay here, Mr. McKenzie, 
 kindly invited me i;> partake of the good thingsj 
 of his own table, which was loaded down withj 
 what w;i9 good. 
 
 Wednesday, Wth. Early this morning 11 
 started off a in small canoe which I had hired onl 
 my own {)rivate account. The distance from 
 Fort Alexander to the up)»er Fort Garry, is about 
 1 00 miles, which makes in all from Lac la Pluit 
 to the upper Fort (iarry over 400 miles. 
 
 At 12 o'clock to-day, arrived at the iron wood! 
 point, which is a sort of a harbour for canoes toi 
 I'un into in bad weather, and had to remaiui 
 here during tho whole afternoon, being wind! 
 bound. 
 
 Thursday, llth. At 10 this morning, thel 
 wind abated, and at one o'clock reached the Bigl 
 Stone Point. Here unexpectedly, I met my soiT 
 Peter, in a small canoe on his way to Fort Alex] 
 ander to meet me. I thank the Lord for 8j)aring 
 the life of my son and mine, and permitted u»| 
 once more to nuwt each other. Our meetingl 
 was therefore a joyful one. My son and hijj 
 crew consisted of one young Mr. MeKenzio andl 
 three Indian boys ; their provisions, a piece ofl 
 ham, lialf a loaf of bread, half pound tea, one I 
 
 pound f 
 kettle, 1 
 for thei 
 by then 
 hero, an 
 to a poi 
 mouth < 
 
 Mont 
 whore n 
 Mr. and 
 while w 
 Went 
 pruvisioi 
 could n( 
 at the < 
 before h 
 biscuit li 
 I would 
 when th 
 times in 
 cannot j 
 voyage. 
 ho woul 
 assured 
 any thin 
 my jou 
 'factor) 
 of butto 
 gave m< 
 of butte 
 thanks 
 him, wli 
 ment of 
 tho Loi 
 
 At 
 I pleasure 
 f Cockraii 
 I dinner 
 I with tlu 
 1 his prin( 
 I Having 
 I start anc 
 I River. 
 
\: 
 
 10 
 
 cKenzio Em 
 tlio Hudson's 
 
 family. Ab 
 it, undei'stand 
 
 prayed and 
 iriiig my stay 
 
 ;Lo canoe» in 
 for Norway 
 [tie of days, in 
 . River settle- 
 the collegiate 
 
 )r waa a consi- 
 in the great 
 letthif/ of furs t 
 farm attached | 
 The people J 
 leat, barley, or 
 The soil on 
 goo<l, and the 
 where about! 
 w a fine place M 
 [ndiaiis always ^1 
 d the Indians" 
 ity than they 
 up and down 
 
 Jr. MeKenzie, 
 le good things I 
 ed down with I 
 
 19 morning 
 I had hired on' 
 distance from 
 Garry, is about j 
 in Lac la PluieS 
 miles. ' 
 
 t the iron wood 
 ■ for canoes to 
 lad to remaiuj 
 
 being wind! 
 
 i morning, th«| 
 sached the ] 
 'j I met my soi 
 y to Fort Alex] 
 jord. for sparing 
 I permitted uii 
 Our nieetingl 
 y son and hiij 
 MeKenzie and! 
 ions, a piece ofl 
 pound tea, one I 
 
 Eournl sugar, each had a tin cup, they had a small 
 ettlo, but no plate nor knife, and it w:w well 
 for them that they had not to .spend a night 
 by themselves. They of course returned from 
 hero, and jtassed the Broken Head lliver, came 
 to a point of marsh in the nieighboihood of the 
 mouth of litid River, and eneanipetl for the night. 
 
 Mondatf, 28/A June. — Left the (irand Rapids', 
 whore my son and I boarded in a private house. 
 Mr. and Mrs. M. our hosts were very ki.id to us 
 while we staid with them. 
 
 Wont then to Stone Fort, for my voyaging 
 provisions, I was not a little disappointed when I 
 could not got a ]>ound of butter. I was grieved 
 at the conduct of one, a Mr. Lane, a clerk; 
 before ho came into the shop, I had got some 
 biscuit and a ham, and evidently by his behaviour 
 I would not ha\o got these, had he been by 
 when they were put down. I cannot believe that 
 times in Red River are so hard jus that a passer-by 
 cannot get to purchiiso a poimd of butter, for his 
 voyage. I am sure had J. Black, P^si[., been here, 
 ho would have given every thing necessary ; he 
 assured mo on last Saturday that 1 would get 
 any thing which I required at the Stone Fort, for 
 ray journey. When Mr. Ross, (a retired cliief 
 factor) heai'd that I had been refused a pound 
 of butter, he cheerfully, with his usual kindness, 
 gave me two or three |X)und8 from his own stO(;k 
 of butter, gratis. I owe this gentleman many 
 thanks for kindness shown me and family by 
 him, when 1 w;i9 at Rossville, at the commence- 
 ment of that mission. May he ever live before 
 the Lord. 
 
 At one o'clock we went down and had the 
 [pleasure of dinning with the Rev. Mr. and Mrs. 
 jCockran, at the Indian Mission Station. After 
 (dinner I parted with ray son, who is engaged 
 ' with the Bishop of Rupeit's Land to teach one of 
 I {lis principal schools, during the coming year. 
 I Having hired two men and a canoe, I made a 
 j start and only went to the mouth of the Red 
 I River. 
 
 Tuesday, 2Qth. — At day-break some unknown 
 
 [evil minded Indian fired a gun through my tent 
 
 ith shot, the report of the gun made me jump 
 
 from my bed, and I asked my bowsman, if ho 
 
 |had killed a duck or a goose, supposing that ho 
 
 oust have fired at something of the kind ; but ho 
 
 skod if 1 had killed anything by firing, he tliink- 
 
 _ I wa3 the person who had fired the gun so 
 
 near the tent, as he was, like myself, asleep, but 
 
 I only awakened by the report of the gun. 
 
 jBut on examination I found that five grains of 
 
 (shot had passed through my tent. I suppose 
 
 that tlie unknown oneiny fired at the tent to 
 frighten us away from our encampment, so that 
 j in the hurry of departing we might leave sonie- 
 j thing for him to pick up. I could not imagine 
 1 that he intemled to kill any of us, as he did not 
 ' know who we were, not having seen any one 
 iluring the previous evening. 
 
 ' Wednesdai/, 30th. — All day tho wind being 
 contrary we did not budge. 
 
 ; T/ntrsdin/, 1st of Juhj. — Fine and calm 
 I weather, made and i)assed the CJrassy Narrows, 
 
 and eucam}ied near the Grind Stone Point, and 
 I must have made over 50 miles to day. A great 
 
 deal of the coiist we passed to day has good soil 
 
 which might be cultivated ; but no timber which 
 
 may be used for building. 
 
 Friday, 2nd, — We sailed to the Grind Stone 
 Point, here stopped an hour. Tho Point takes 
 its name from the quality of stono found about it; 
 for miles along this coast are (piarries of excellent 
 grind, and lime stone, wliicli may answer for 
 buildings, and I wonder that tho inhabitants of 
 Red River do not make use of it for their stone 
 buildings, as it is open water all the way, and 
 may be boated to any part of the settlement. 
 Having staid here an hour, we sailed across the 
 grand traverse of Lake Wenipeg, and landed on 
 the north eastern coast. The coast extending 
 from Fort Alexander to the end of the lake is a 
 mere desert. The points of bare granite 
 rock, and now and then you see a bay with a 
 sandy beach, and its stinted timber and the 
 general appearance of the country, tell tho sum- 
 mer traveller that the winteis in these regions 
 of country must be awfully severe. The lake 
 itself has an abundance of fish of excellent qua- 
 lity, — white fish and sturgeon. Tho white fish 
 are the staple food of the inhabitants of these 
 out-of-the-way regions. The sturgeon of this 
 lake are superior to any which may be found in 
 any part of tho world. There are fur-bearing 
 animals to be found in its wild woods, both of a 
 common and rich sort. This evening we en- 
 camped at tho Dog's Head. 
 
 Saturday, Zrd. — Reached the Rabbit Point, 
 in tho forenoon, and were detained during the 
 rest of the day by contrary wind, and rain. 
 
 Sunday, 4th. — Being calm and fine, we went 
 on and arrived at Berere's River at 10 o'clock, 
 wdicre I was kindly received by Mr. Curaminga, a 
 Post Master in charge. At 4 o'clock, we met 
 together for religious worship, when I was about 
 giving out my text to preach, I asked Mr. Cum- 
 
to 
 
 U 
 
 
 minfif in what laiiQiu.'injc tlicv wished tlie wM'inon 
 to bi'(It'hvero<i, he said in Imliaii. Tint pi'dph* 
 paid very >fiK»\ attt-iition to my diswinw, and 
 thero won) a jjoodly minilicrot' th<' paijari Indians 
 pn'scnt, nnd I sonu'liincs ainn-d at thi-ir .•<ii]'<'isti- 
 tiouH ncitioiis. Thoy also paiil itdihI atti'iitimi. 
 
 My men prcfi'mnL; slccpimi; out, we wont out 
 i>f tlio bay and slept on a roeky inland, on leavinij 
 the house Mr. Cummintifs lie, likea ijjood ehristian, 
 ;;ave ns a !j;ood largo sturgeon, and fome butter. 
 May the go(xl man never want butter in his 
 flays. 
 
 Mondaif, Mh. — Wo are now about 150 miles 
 from the Hod Kivor, and we are yet to niako UK) 
 to reaili Hossville, and tho lake itself is considered 
 something over 200 miles. This evening wo 
 oneampeil at the Poplar Point, a long day'rt voy- 
 age to day. 
 
 Tuesday, 6th — Head wind all day, and did 
 not stir from our oiieampmeut. it is sickening 
 to be 80 often wind-l>ound. 
 
 Wednadaij, 1th. — Calm this morning, and in 
 the afternoon fair wind getting up we soon hoisted 
 sail and reaehed the Spider Islands, but too Into 
 to proeeed oti to the outdel of the Winripog, 
 thougii it wjLs witiiin view. 
 
 Thursday, 8/A.— Tlie wind being still fair, but 
 rather too strong for our frail bark ; we however 
 ventured ami sailed over a verj* rough sea, our 
 canoe now and then shipped some water, an<l 
 one of us was constantly cmployod in bailing it 
 out as fast as it came in. It reijuired no small 
 degree of courag*; to sail in such a craft as ours, 
 no gentleman would risk any valuable property 
 in these small cano<'S of birch bark, much less 
 his life. On this voyage I hail the management 
 of the sail, teing accustomed to voyage in the 
 small canoes, knowing when to furl and unfurl the 
 sail, and knowing too what a small canoe can 
 bear. We at last entered a harbour, went ashore 
 and got our breakfast The men were now 
 praising the canoe, how bravely it navigated the 
 boisterous Winepeg. But lifting up my hand 
 to heaven, saying, there is our guide and preserver I 
 "the two men, being christians, understood my 
 'meaning, said nothing. Coming through 
 the lake I killed many ducks and two geese, 
 one was very fat, and while we were at breakfa'. . 
 •there were many pelicans flying about us and 
 some were feeding in the bays, but having no 
 caps for my gim, they escaped unmolested. Be- 
 ing now calm, we proceeded through the Play 
 Green Lake, and entered a river which brought 
 -VB to Rossville, The appearance of the country 
 
 is most dismal, though tlie summer has already 
 set in, still the eoiinlry is not divested of (he oilects 
 of the intense cold winter, which generally con- 
 tuiues eight or nine nKMiths in this niiserablo re- 
 gion. Uarren n-cks, hero and there n small clus 
 ter of trees, willows, and a few stinted pine or tir 
 dwarl'ted by the cold, which ever prevails here, 
 and nothing to relieve the evi.' from the cheerles*! 
 view before; it. 
 
 Nolle but the worldling whoso object is gain 
 an accumulation of wealth, could be a wilhiif; 
 inhabitant of this inhospitable region, or ho whose 
 object is more exalted, and more noble than thf 
 former, namely the salvation of the aboriginal 
 inhabitants of this waste howling ilesert, by thf 
 j)reaching of the (Jospol to thoni. 
 
 At 5 o'clock, arrived at Norway House. This 
 is one of the ])rineipal establishments of thi 
 Hudson's Hay t'ompay, in those ))arts being 
 central, and an inland depot, where all tbt 
 brigades of the Northern Department, (except 
 McKenzie's River,) meet on their way down t' 
 York Factory. 
 
 (r. Harnston, Esip, a Chief Factor, is in charge, 
 who kindly received me on my ariival, auii 
 in\ ited mo to tea, which I rea<lily acce])ted, and 
 aft<'r which procwded down to the UossvilL 
 Mission Statioji, which is about one and a hal: 
 miles bel<iw, where I found Mr. and Mrs. Masoi 
 and family all well. I, just coming from Europ 
 and through Canada, they of course, expects 
 oNory information relative to the civilized aiii., 
 christian world, and iis a matter of course, 
 cheerfully gave them such information as I pes- 
 8<!ssed concerning men, with iiuitters and thing? 
 
 Friday, 9/A. — After breakfast and prayer, M: 
 Mason and I went out to tiko a view of the Mis 
 sion buildings and premises, and also the Indiai J 
 houses. The appearance of the whole Mission, (^ 
 very pleasing. 
 
 The Church is .30 x 60 feet long, with a 8te('| 
 pie arid bell, it has lately been weather boardecf 
 and painted, both in and outside, as well as thl 
 pews and free seats. It has a beautiful appeail 
 ance fiom a distance, and taking it all in all, i 
 think it would not disgrace any country towi 
 in Canada. Leaving the Church, we went into tbT 
 largo school house, well filled with day scholanl 
 heard some of the leading classes say their lessoul 
 who said them very well, and they sing well ; > 
 am informed by the school-master, that wbc 
 they nil attend, he has 14 boys and girls; ther| 
 were about 60 present, the others being awa;! 
 with their parents in quest of food in these har; 
 times. 
 
 The next mission building we visited w« 
 what Mr. Mason calls the Printing Office. Tbij 
 
 IS a goo( 
 being w( 
 with a s 
 cd a\m, 
 good w 
 snow. 'I 
 feet lonji 
 sohool-n 
 business 
 Mason n 
 departm 
 tttTorts t( 
 among < 
 country, 
 have pr 
 Catcchii 
 the Sun 
 Wosleyf 
 The do 
 tliey art 
 as fast a 
 not boiii 
 civilized 
 other m: 
 busines.s 
 printing 
 gone in 
 mission! 
 
 Res| 1 
 years st 
 roofing 
 almost 
 creases 
 all the 
 roofed, 
 roofs at 
 degree 1 
 viewed 
 Indian 
 eleven \ 
 and in I 
 to bo ill 
 havo be 
 their st< 
 been mi 
 street ai 
 
 The 
 belongi 
 doubt \ 
 kind ca 
 being t( 
 
 Afte 
 went in 
 at this ; 
 school 
 it is nat 
 good cr 
 standi i 
 
tt 
 
 er linn alrond} 
 m1 (if tlh- clit'ctV 
 j^eiii'i'iilly cou- 
 rt iiiisciablo rc- 
 i-(> a Hiimll clu8' 
 iiti'il piiic or fir 
 • |>itniiil« licrt'J 
 Ml tlui fluiorli's,*! 
 
 objt'ct iH gftinJ 
 
 Id bo n w'i]lii)J 
 
 on, or lio whoHi| 
 
 noble tlian tlu- 
 
 tlu) uboriginni, 
 
 desert, by tbci 
 
 yf House. Thisi 
 biiuiiits of th(| 
 w! parts beingj 
 wlicre all tbJ 
 rtiiK'ui, (exceptj 
 ir way down t' 
 
 or, is in obargf.l 
 ly anival, aiiii 
 y at'oe])ted, and 
 > tbo RossvilL 
 one and a bal! 
 nd Mrs. Masoi 
 igfrom Europi 
 ourHC, expeck'i. 
 civilized atii.., 
 Kr of course, 
 ation as I pes-* 
 tera and tbing;^ 
 
 and prayer, M: 
 iew of tiie Mi* 
 also tbo Indiai : 
 
 rtbole Mission,! 
 
 ;, witb a stef| 
 
 ^eatbcr boardeil 
 
 as well aa tLi 
 
 dutiful appearl 
 
 I it all in 
 
 country tov 
 we went into til 
 th day scholani 
 say their lessonl 
 ley sing well ; 
 iter, that wh« 
 and girls; 
 srs being awa'; 
 )d in these '. 
 
 ia a good house for the mission family to live in, 
 being well built, weather boardotl and painted, 
 with UHliingle roof, and inside is lined a.ul paint- 
 ed also, anilin every respect well adapted for a 
 good winter house in these regitjns of ice and 
 snow. The size of this house is 20 ft. wide by ;t6 
 I feet long, one of the rooms is occupied Ijy the 
 school-master; one part is used for the printitig 
 business ; and I must say, that the Rev. Mr. 
 Mason and liis colleague, Mr. Steinhauer, in this 
 department, deserve commendation for their 
 [efforts to promote the knowledge of Christianity 
 I among the benighted, ignorant heathen of this 
 I country, througli the medium of the books they 
 have printed. They have printed the Wesleyan 
 Catechism, No. 1., an edition of hymns, part of 
 the Sunday service of the Metbotlitts, also the 
 Wesleyan Di.scipline, and the Oospel of St. John 
 The demand for these books, is so great, that 
 tliey are not able to comi>ly with those demands 
 as fast as th.'y could wisli, their printing operations 
 not being carried on so rapidly as those of the 
 civilized world, for want of a better press, and 
 other materials reouiaite, in order to carry on the 
 business successfully, though bimdieds of their 
 printing have been issued, and these works lir vo 
 gone into thos«^ parts of the country where the 
 missionary can never have access. 
 
 Respecting the Mission House, that after eleven 
 years stan ling, it now rcrpiires a few repairs; the 
 roofing being made of bark, wnich requires 
 almost annual repair, which not a little in- 
 creases the expenses of those missions, and were 
 all the mission buildings weather boarded and 
 roofed, then the expense of renewing the bark 
 roofs and mudding the walls Avould in sr)me 
 degree lessen the expense incurred. After having 
 viewed the Mission premises, wo went to see the 
 Indian bouses, which I superintended in building 
 cloven v<'ars ago; some of them are still standing 
 and inliabited by the same peopb; ; they appear 
 to bo in tolerable good order yet ; but others 
 havo been pulled down anfl better houses built in 
 their stead. 1 fouml also that another street biis 
 1 been made since, and of course the houses in this 
 j street are lately and better finished. 
 
 The Mission potatoe fi<'lds as well aa those 
 belonginii to the Indians, are looking well, and no 
 doubt will reap a good crop; but no grain of any 
 kind can grow to any maturity here, dio climate 
 being tf)o vigorous. 
 
 After ]i!ussing and repassing tho village wo 
 went into the house wherein I lived when I kvas 
 at this station, which may now bo culled tho 
 school master's licuse, (should ho havo a f niily) 
 it is natura' and inviting to me, and is in a very 
 gO(^d condition yet, notwithstanding eleven years 
 standing. 
 
 Snmlnif 1 IM. — At 1 o'clock this morning, Mr. 
 Abison b gan reading the sunday service of the 
 MetliodislN, an<l a few of tho Indians responded, 
 after tlu' lessons, colloets, and prayers, he then 
 read a sermon translated into the Indian v.ritten 
 in tho syllabic eharactei-s. He performed the. 
 whole of the service well, and reail bis siMmon 
 well; but 1 am not a competent judge of this 
 mixed language of Ojibway — Creo and Swampy. 
 Tho Cree and Swampy are nearer kin to each 
 other, than either to the noblo and majestic Ojib- 
 way; and that is the language I profess to 
 understimd. 
 
 Wc Went o\ or to the Company's Fort, wliere 
 Mr. Mason read the Knglisli service, and atler 
 which I preached in English to a respectable 
 congregation, who paid juarketl attention to my 
 discourse. I trust some good has been done to 
 th(! edification of some of my hearers. Tho ser- 
 vice being over, Mr. Bannton kindly invited us 
 to dine with him. I find this gentleman is of 
 high and polished education, and tho best of all 
 is, that he loves and feaw God. 
 
 At three o'clock this afternoon, we hold 
 another service in the mission church, which was 
 quite full, as many of the Fort people came down 
 to join our afternoon woi'ship. Mr. Mason read 
 the h)inns in the dree. I ])niyed, and had a 
 tolerablt! good time in preaching to my native 
 brethren. Once or twice I reminded tho con- 
 gregation of the nifiny ])recious seasons wo had 
 together in the honso of (iod, eleven years ago, 
 and some of tho old members caught the spirit of 
 this, and I ha\ o reason to thank (lod that they 
 were encoiuaged to go on their way rejoicing, 
 and that they were edific I. The men and women 
 of this congregation were respectably clad, and 
 sang W"ll. The church, at both morning and 
 afte:noon service was well rtttonded; and lam 
 iHf)rmeil by Mr. Masson, that when the men 
 belonging to this villngc, and passing brigades, 
 stopping for the Sabbath, tho chui-ch rt such 
 times is crowded to overflowing, as it occuiTed 
 again on the following Sunday. 
 
 At seven o'clock we had a prayer-meoting in 
 the church, and many of those who prayed, refer- 
 red to the good things they had heard during 
 this Sabbath day. This is tho process of Sunday 
 labour whicli Mr. Masson has to go through 
 every Sabbath day when there is no one to assist 
 him. On reviewing the labours of this Sabbath, 
 the u]>pearance of the church and the congrega- 
 tion of this mission alone, tho zeal they manifested 
 in tho house of God their Saviour, how I 
 wisheil that some of the sujtporters of the cause 
 of missions wore eye-witnesses. I verily think 
 that they would say they have not thrown away 
 their money in vain, and would be impelled more 
 
99 
 
 '•i 
 
 
 3 
 
 t 
 
 .1 
 
 than ever to do more for tho interest of the mis- 
 sions in those torritorios. On incjiiiry, I learned 
 t'le numlvjr of members in society is 120, and 10 
 on trial for metnboi-ship. Tho whole number of 
 jieoplo attached to this station is about 300. 
 
 Wednesday, \Uh. — IIn\iiig remained lioro to 
 this day, and thinkiiicf that it w.-is tiino for mo to 
 proceed on myjouincy, I bou^lit a small canoe 
 and provisions, and hired two men for my vojago 
 down to Oxford Mission Station, and to York 
 Factory. This oveniiifc I again preached to tho 
 congregation assembled for religious worship. 
 
 During my st;iy at tliis station, Mr. Masson 
 and I had some consultation on thosidv'U't of the 
 Sascatcliwan Mission, read soma lettei-s received 
 from tho Indians in that quarter, who jiressingly 
 call for a missionary ami teacher. Wc concluded, 
 the loiist that can be done for the ])res<nit, was to 
 (X;cupy that station for two yeai-s longer, thinking 
 that, in the moan time, something will bo done 
 for that and the other mission stations belonging 
 to the Wo-sleyan Missionary Society in tlie Hud- 
 son's Bay Territories. 
 
 Benjamin Sinclair, a local preacher, with his 
 family, agreetl to go and occupy that station for 
 the siiid term of two years, strictly instructing 
 him not to incur any unn»>cossary expcMise. He 
 luv? be"n there alivady, ar.d inquiring of him Jis 
 to the number of Indians who were desirous of 
 being instructed in Christianity, he said " too 
 many for me to tell you." I saiil that is well 
 said, wo will leave it there. This st.iion is 
 situnfi'd in a rich country of wild animals, such 
 as burt'alo, moose, deer, beai-s ; ducks, ami geese, 
 and fish in abundance. In fm't everything con- 
 cerning that station is favourable. The soil and 
 climate are such as will raise any kind of grain 
 which any one may wish to raise. 
 
 Thiirxdoi/, I5(h. — After ' .oakfast, loaded our 
 canoe. The men r.nd women of the viil;igiM\aine 
 and bid me a farewt'll at my departui'e. Mr. 
 Mason and men accompanied me for a eoiisiiler- 
 able distaiic^e down tlie lake, and we dined to- 
 gether; and, at\er we had a word of jtravei', we 
 parted. H« went back *o his station, an«i I pro- 
 ceeded on to ,Taeks(in's Bay Mission Station. 
 Having pii«sed through rivei's, l;ik<>s, and nine 
 portages, we met with about 30 freiuhtint; iioats 
 from York F.actory ; among thom wen* the boats 
 nf my old accjuaintaneo, \Vm. Sinclair, Esi|Mire. 
 The Sribhath came as wo entered the Oxford 
 Lake, an 1 laid by for the day. At 12 o'l'loek 
 ve had prayers: as there were onlv three of us, 
 we disnensc'd with the rontineaf a rt'ifular service. 
 The country we pa-sid diu'ing the three days' 
 voyage, is the same, on\\ a little woi-se in appear- 
 
 ance — rocks ajid swamps — but they Mid it was 
 the country for furs and skins, to enrich thecoffcis 
 of the fur irn^o. 
 
 Monday, VMh. — At eight o'clock, arrived at 
 the Jm'kson's Bay Mission Station, where I was 
 welc:omly recei\ed by Mr. Steinhauer in charge 
 of the station, wlio, with the people of his charge, 
 were anxiously waiting for my arrival, but were 
 quite disappointed when I informed them that I 
 h.ad not come to sUiy. 
 
 I found the mission premises, which have been 
 hurriedly put up, in such a state as wo\dd require 
 not less than £.50 to put them in a habibiblo and 
 comfortable order. The evening after I arrived, 
 I baptized an infant, which was suj)posod to be 
 dying, but, since then, tho infimt has been doing 
 well. 
 
 Theie arc^ but a few Indians at the station at 
 present. Their men are employed in boating for 
 tho Company, and their families are at the Fort, 
 where they are fed. Of course they will always 
 be there on these conditions. One Indian house 
 has been put up, und some more have cut and 
 squared their tind)er ready for building their 
 house's. When more houses are built, they will 
 the mission staticm quite an iinproved ap- 
 pearance. 
 
 I find my friend, Mr. Steiidiauor, who is 
 Labouring amo;ig this people under soiiit; disad- 
 vantagc^s; though I have not the least doubt 
 that he is doing all in his power to promote tlie 
 good cause here, and that there is some fruit of 
 his labour, lie is leaching the school ; ]ircaches 
 to the people in their own language, (he is an 
 Ojibway by birth,) and also preaches at tho 
 Company's Fort, in English, for the benefit of 
 the people in that establishment; and lie is also 
 enixaged in the work of translating the Seriplures 
 into the Cree, I say, therefore, that he is fully 
 ((ualitied, as far as tliesc> things go; nor can I 
 doubt of other and higher <pialifications indi.spe.i- 
 s;il>ly necessary for being fully nirolled in tho 
 ordv r of tli(» ministry. The jieople of his charge 
 see the necessity of luiving among them an or- 
 dained missiniiary, who may have authority to % 
 marry, baptize them and their childnMi. To 
 further Mr. Steinliauer's usefulness, he ought to 
 be fidly set apart for the good vnrk, and be 
 ordain h|, which would enhance! the ])rosperity of 
 this mi.ssin,: st;ition so long as he may be here. I 
 ho]ie. therefore, the day is not far distant when 
 he will be fully set apart for tho work of the 
 ministry. 
 
 Sundtn/, 25///. — Another Sabbath day has 
 come, and wc! cheeifully commence(l our work. 
 At eight o'clock, tlicM-e was a Sundry School. 
 
 try, 
 
hey Mid it wn« 
 nricli the coffeis 
 
 oolv, arrived at 
 n, where I was 
 nuer in charge 
 
 of Ijis cliarge, 
 rrival, but were 
 cd them that I 
 
 hich have been 
 i woul<I require 
 
 1 habibiblo and 
 after I arrived, 
 w])|ioMod to be 
 has btH3n doing 
 
 t tlie station at 
 I in boatinpj for 
 ire at tlie Fort, 
 ey will always 
 Indian house 
 ' havo out and 
 building their 
 built, they will 
 iinprove<l ap- 
 
 liauor, who is 
 
 LT soiiii; disad- 
 
 loast doubt 
 
 o jiromoto the 
 
 SOI 110 fruit of 
 
 iiool ; ]ireache8 
 
 ipo, (1)0 is an 
 
 eaclics at the 
 
 tlio bonefit of 
 
 and lie is also 
 
 the Scriptures 
 
 lat he is fully 
 
 jo; nor can I 
 
 iti<ins iudispea- 
 
 rollcil in the 
 
 e of his ohargp 
 
 f tlicin an or- 
 
 3 authority to 
 
 ohildiiMi. To 
 
 *S ho ought to 
 
 V oik, and be 
 
 i> ])ros|p(!rity of 
 
 ay Inj hero. I % 
 
 ' distant when 
 
 ^ work of the 
 
 Imlh (lay has 
 iccil our work, 
 uidry School. 
 
 23 
 
 Though the nun:ber of soholai* was but few, yet 
 it was pietising to see how well they said their 
 lessons, and repeated the greater part of tho 
 Wesleyan (Jatechisi^i, Nc. 1 ; and tliey sang well. 
 At 11 o'clock, wo assombloi together. Mr. 
 Steinhauer read the Sunday service of the Mcth- 
 odisis and the lesson for the day, and I pi-oaehed 
 with considerable freedom. The small congroga- 
 tion were deeply attentive, and 1 trust that some 
 good has been effected, which will appear here- 
 after. At three o'clock, Mr. Steinhauer proach(>d ; 
 and in the evening we had a prayer-meeting, 
 when some of the Indians prayed. 
 
 The little potatoe-fiolds of this mission station 
 are looking very well. The Oxfoi'd, or Holy 
 Lake, as it is called in the map, is a fine large 
 lake, clear water. Fine trout are to bo found in 
 its waters, and the finest white fish in the country. 
 It is interspersed with numerous islands, >.oll 
 wooded with good timl)er. Its main shores are 
 high and rocky, and in some of its deep bays is 
 p. dy good soil to be found, but the climate 
 being too severe for raising any kind of grain; 
 but jiotatoes may be matured at some seasons. 
 These parts being what they call the lower coun- 
 try, are rocky, but mostly swampy. However, 
 about this lake there is a good deal of timber, the 
 while or silvor piuo, which is sawn into boards, 
 (tc, for building. 
 
 Fridaij Morning, ^Olh Jiih/. — At four o'ckxik 
 1 loft tli(! Jackson's Hay Mission Station, where I 
 remained nearly two weeks, and have had 
 ocular observation of what is going on at this 
 mission station. The distauco from the station 
 to the Company's Kstablishinont is full twenty 
 miles, which is one of the rjisadvantages atten- 
 dant upon this station, too far fvorii tlu* l*'ort. At 
 about twelve o'clock, arrived at Oxford House, 
 vthere I was reeoived by Mr. Robertson, a Pi^st 
 Jhister, in charge of this place. The Sabbath 
 being t.io dose at hand, we determined toroinain 
 till Monday. Tliei'^ voro a good number of 
 Indians, and some having expressed their desire 
 to lia''e their children baptized, so when Sunday 
 came there was a good congregation, when Mr. 
 Mason ]ireaclied in '.he moriiiiij:';, and baptize<l 
 four children of a once most noted conjuror; and 
 in the atlernoi>n wo had another Si.'i'vico, when 
 the conjure , his wife, and oldest son came and 
 otlered themselves for tli<! rite of baptism to bo 
 administered to them, and ton eliildron besides, 
 po thatsonietliing has been done to-day, and may 
 (jod add his blessiiii'! Amen. 
 
 SJo)iiI(V/ ^fnrni1l(|, 2n<l Axiju.tt, — Wo started 
 from York Factory. Tlu; gi\>ater ]iart of the 
 day we were going down in a circuitous river; 
 
 ran many rapids f>r ripples of water, and only 
 once lifted the canoes over a portage of about 
 CO yards long, called the Trout Fall, and soon 
 aft3r this, entorer' Rice Lake, wliicli u between 
 forty and fifty miles, and passing the lake 
 again, entered many portages and running places, 
 and came to the Swampy Lake, about twelve 
 miles long; at the end of which is the begin- 
 ning of rapids and portages Lo the Hill, from 
 which the river takes its name, and ptasing the 
 Hill, we came to the jiart of the river called the 
 Still Water, which continues for a considerable 
 distance, till within a short distance of the liock 
 — the last of the rajiids are falls and portages, in 
 the Hill River, whence commences a continuous 
 rapid g'^'.g at the rate of eight or ten miles per 
 hour. 
 
 From the Ro<'k to York Facttory is 100 miles, 
 making, in all, from Norway House to the Fac- 
 tory, 4;>() miles. Meeting with no remarkable 
 incid<Mit on the voyage down tlie Hill River, and 
 going down lightly in a small canoo, we of course 
 went expeditii^usly ; and, soon passing the Hill 
 Riv(.>r, camo to the junction with the Foxes River. 
 Here the Ri\er iKKMmes wider and deeper, and 
 the current is somewhat smoother, but equally 
 strong as the. Hill River. After a few hours' 
 piLssjigo down the Foxes River, we came to 
 whore it joins with a largo river, which they 
 called Street River. Hero the riv-r is still wider 
 at some ])lac<;s, a (piartc'r or half a mile wide. It 
 looks fine to a stranger. Its high clay bank, 
 white as snow from a distance, a Ktrangor would 
 think that the laud on the top of the banks was 
 good; but no. It is one continuous swamp as 
 far as the eye can rench — all barren — only here 
 and there a small cluster of stunted pine, and a 
 few withered juniper, and, withal, this is the 
 country of mosquitoes. The only plea.snre whicli 
 a traveller experiences a'ong these rivers, through 
 this swampy country, is to preserve himself, as 
 b"st lie can, from being eaten up by these flies. 
 ,11 former days this was the country for the rein- 
 deer; but they are very scarce now-a-days, so 
 also are ftir-boaring animals. 
 
 The Steel River brought us to the end of our 
 jonrney in this miserable country, and from 
 wlieiico I am to return. The country from Ox- 
 ford House is muel) the same as other parts 
 already described, but. perha])s, much worse for 
 its dismal and doKort-likc apjtearance — swamps, 
 lakes, crooks, and rivers; in fact there is more 
 water than dry land: hence the multitude of 
 mosquitoes, which increase the miseries of travel- 
 lini; in thiscountiy. 
 
 On o'lr Olli day from O.vford House, we ar- 
 rived at the general do]i6t, York Factory. Here 
 are extensive warediouses, wherein English goods 
 
S4 
 
 are stored, imported from England, antl are in- 
 tended for the whole of the Northern Department 
 of the Hudson's Bay Territories; not that theie 
 is a factory at York where g<X)d8 are manufac- 
 tured, as people would naturally think by the 
 word factory. At the time the shij) arrives 
 from England, the place is quite lively, like some 
 seaports in the civilized world. 
 
 At York Factory there are numerous small 
 white whales, which come up the river to wharfs 
 of the establishments, and the people kill them to 
 feed their dogs upon. Seals also are found here. 
 The Polar beara are also very plentiful, and 
 walruses along thf coast from either of the Fac- 
 tories. In the seasons of spring and autumn, it 
 is said geese and ducks are very numerous, and 
 the Company send out hunters in those seasons 
 who kill them by hundreds, and then salt them, 
 which they serve out as rations to their people. 
 I have not seen any of the Esquimaux here, but 
 they are at Church Hill, where they trade. This 
 is an out port of York Factory, in the northern 
 direction from the Factory. The Esquimeaux 
 are of a white complexion, and in their mode of 
 living, they are exceedingly filthy. None of this 
 people trade at the Factory. 
 
 On the aiTival of Mr. Mason rnd niyseh' at 
 York Factory, we were kindly received by W. 
 MeTavish, Esq., the Governor of the Fort. We 
 Btaid there a fortnight, and baptized over thirty 
 
 persons; which number added to those baptized 
 at Oxford Mission, make over sixty. Let the 
 friei'ds of Missions rejoice ! even in the Hudson 
 Bay Territories, where the cause hivs to contend 
 with opposing influences, existing, perhaps, no 
 where else, it is progressing. How attentive to 
 the spoken word are the Indians of these Terri- 
 tories. Ill the congregations there is no cough- 
 ing, no going out and in, no sneezing with a 
 whoop that in the woods would make an Indian 
 dodge behind a tree and k)o!< tv.i his gun ; but 
 every one is as quiet and still, as they would wish 
 those to be to whom they themselves were speak- 
 ing. Were gold as plenty as lead, a guinea would 
 be of the same worth as a bullet, did it weigh as 
 much. The people of Canada do not, nor the 
 people of England, value the preached word as 
 they should. Did they, as the Indians of Hud- 
 sou's Bay, hear a preacher, perhaps, only once a 
 year, tlu^y would be quiet and still enough during 
 sei'vice. 
 
 After anxiously waiting for the i.^rival of the 
 Hudson Bay Conipain's annual ship, the Prince 
 Rupert, it arrived on the 15th of August, on 
 Sabbath, after morning service. Wo expected the 
 Rev. .Tohn Byersoii, and wore much disappointed 
 at not meeting him. I received a l(!tter from hin'i, 
 per ship, in which he gave his reasons for not 
 coming. 1 felt sorry that circumstances assumed 
 such a fi>rm as to |»revent him from following up 
 the Society's plans. 
 
5 those baptized 
 sixty. Let the 
 1 in the Hudson 
 hiw to contend 
 injr, perhaps, no I 
 [ow attentive to I 
 of these Terri- 
 jre is no cough- 
 neezing with a I 
 make an Indian [ 
 to his gun ; hut 
 they would wish 
 Ives were speak- 
 a guinea would 
 did it weigh as 
 do not, nor the 
 eached word as 
 ndians of Hud- 
 fips, only once a 
 enough during 
 
 } jwrfval of the 
 Inp, the Pritice 
 of August, on 
 Vo expectod the 
 u'h disappointed 
 k'ttor from liini, 
 reasons for not 
 tanoos assumed 
 n following up 
 
 JOURNAL, &c, -RETURNING. 
 
 [The following, the remainder of the Journal of my journey from the Hudson Bay Territories, is 
 written from memory, as the original papen were lost in Lake VViuipeg. 
 
 .« 
 
 ■',> 
 ■I 
 
 On Monday,tho 10th, the Hudson's Bay Com- 
 
 J)any's Express Canoe left for Canada. I applied 
 or a jiassagc, hut wjis refused ; consequently had 
 ,to gul a jiiivj'te conveyance. I was, however, 
 aftered a passage to England in the Friace 
 tupert. 
 
 I had made arrangements with Mr. Mason, who 
 Ihad given his canoe and men, to convey Mr. 
 ""yerson, at our own charge, to Norway 1 1 ase 
 and lied River; but those arrangements had to 
 be set aside ; and procuring provisions, tfec, with 
 till haste, in my own single canoe, and with two 
 [lien, I turned my face homeward. Even at the 
 ifar end of a long journey there is pleasure in 
 roinji home. 
 
 On the lOth, with the evening tide, which 
 rises here ten ck twelve feet, we left York Fac- 
 "v. The tide bore us along over twelve miles. 
 [That night we slej>t on the beach. The night 
 ins colli, and accustomed, for some time past, to 
 variu bed-rooms, I did not slee]i much. 
 
 1 will describe our mode of travelling up York 
 liver. The men alternately towed the canoe by 
 ithhly fathom cod line. The tow-path is uot a 
 planked one; rocks, stones, sand, and sonietinies 
 Iwator breast high. Thus, for about a hundred 
 [miles, and with a strong current pulling the 
 (caiioe the other way, we travelled u[> York Hiver. 
 [I walked nearly all the way, and tired enough I 
 was when we got to the " Hock," which crosses 
 the river like a mill-dam. 
 
 A.t Fox River we came upon a flock of young 
 wild geese. The geese could fly but a little, and 
 we had a '' wila goose chase." Every man to his 
 goose ; in water and out of watei', through brush, 
 over b'ier, heads up, heels u]\ every man to his 
 goose ! The banks of the River at this place 
 are forty or fifty feet high, and in going down 
 the River at this same place, in company with 
 Mr. Mason, we killeil twenty geese. He was too 
 stout to roll about the banks and bushes in chase, 
 but perhaps did as iiv" ' service to the common 
 good, with a canoe in tJie river, by piokinf;' up 
 the dead as they I'olled down the steep bniik. 
 The proceeds of this chase were six geese in ex- 
 cellent condition. 
 
 The chase being ended, we were ready for 
 lunch ; so we set about it. A friend at the Fort 
 had given nie three bottles of ginger beer; and as 
 I ft'lt somewhat thirsty from the excitement of 
 the chase, my cook, John, set about drawing the 
 cork of one of the bottles. He apjicared to do it 
 awkwai'dly, and as I was dubious of an explosion, 
 I slopped him, saying, " Take care, John. Give 
 it to me : Take care ! !" Pulling a cork— that 
 was nothing; John could do that; perhaps had 
 done it too often : but John and my hows-man, an ' 
 elderly man, now were good mcndiers of Norway 
 House Mission, and showed themselves, during 
 the time they were with me, to be consistent 
 Christians. What made the drawing of this cork 
 dangerous, John wished to know ? His curiosity 
 
30 
 
 \ 
 
 \ ] 
 
 . : 
 
 was oxcitofl ; and, as I proceeded, he stood, with 
 oi>on eyes and nioutli, looking over my shoulder. 
 For, as much as I laughed during the goose chase, 
 when I observed John, I felt inclined to laugh a 
 little more. The confint'd JJeer- Spirit in the bot- 
 tle began to hiss, a thought crossed me, when 
 away wont the cork, with a jiistol repoit, missing 
 John's tact' by about an inch; but the beer, it 
 went right in. Poor John, was as frightened as 
 the geese w(>re a few minutes beff)re, blinded and 
 roaring, attempted, with wide-spread fingei-s, to 
 stop the current; and, not much accustomed to 
 handling the bottle, either of beer or else, by 
 the time I got my hand on its mouth, the con- 
 tents were gone. John would not venture to the 
 canoe, where the remaining bottles were, until 
 ho saw them carefully covered; and ever after 
 avoided their corks jiresented, as he would the 
 mizzle of a loaded ritle. 
 
 As I have said before, the face of the country 
 liereabouts is hilly, covered with marsh, and here 
 and there, with low evergreens. This is the 
 dominion of the rein-deer. 
 
 Here begins an extensive beaver settlement. 
 It continues up this river for alM)ut sixty miles. 
 When travelling with a row-boat, the noise 
 frightens the beaver, and they dive under water; 
 but, as we had a light canoe, we saw them at 
 evening and at day-bi'eak, going to and returning 
 from their work on shore. They sleep during 
 day, and chop, or gnaw during night. They 
 cut from wands up to puli-s foiu' inches through, 
 and from one to two ffifhnms long. A large 
 beaver will carry a stick I would not like to 
 shoulder, for two or three hundred yards to the 
 water, and then float it oti" to where he wants to 
 take it. The kimlrf of tree used are willow and 
 poplar; the long leaf anil the round Iciif, prefer- 
 ing the ].»tt<'r. The Canada beaNOi-s, where the 
 pojjlir is larger, lumber on a larger scaK'. They 
 cut trees over a f^ot through; but, in that case, 
 ot'iV the limbs are used. About tv.o cords of 
 "i.'ood serve Mr. Boaxcr and his family for the 
 winter; but it is closer piled than the wood I 
 have seen sold to some of our citizens at five dol- 
 lars a cord. A beaver's house is largo enough to 
 allow two men a comfort^ible sleeping room, and 
 is very eliaii. It is built of sticks, stone>^, and 
 mud ; and is well pkistered outside and in. The 
 trovtel the beaver uses in plastering is his tail; 
 a1 the lal)le it is considered a great delicacy. 
 Tli'ir beds are made of chips, split as fine as the 
 bru-h of a wooden broom, and is put in one cor- 
 ner, and kept clean and dry. After the lark is 
 stripped — the only jiart the beaver uses iis food— 
 the >tii'k is carried off a distance from the house. 
 Many of our good housewives might be nothing 
 the w<.)i-se of readinsr a little about the beaver. 
 
 The beaver in large rivers and lakes make do 
 dams; they have wrter enough without; but in 
 small creeks they dam up, and make a better stop 
 water than is done by many of our millere. The 
 jilace where they build their Jams is the most 
 labour-saving sj)ot in the valley, and where the 
 work will stand best. The dam finished — not a | 
 drop of water escapes. This country abounds 
 with beaver, and an Indian will kill upwards of j 
 three hundred in a season. The skin of the I 
 beaver is not worth as much now as it used to be, 
 but their flesh is one of the main articles of food. 
 We shot three in this settlement; and, as every 
 voyager knows their flesh is good to eat, with the 
 geese and the beaver wo fared well. 
 
 A few evenings after we left the " Rock," while 
 the men were on before me " tracking," that is, 
 towing the canoe as before described, I observed 
 behind a rock in the river that which I took to be 
 a black fox. I stole upon it as quietly as possible, 
 hoping to get a shot, but the animal saw me, and 
 wading ti3 the shore, it tuined out to be a bear, 
 who had been a fishing. The bear is a great fish- 
 erman. His mode of fishing is rather curious. 
 He wades into a current, and seating himself on 
 his hams upright, the wiiter c<iming up to about 
 his shoiddei-s, ho patiently waits until the little 
 fishes come along, and, mistaking his black shaggy 
 sides for a stone, rub themselves against him. 
 He immediately seizes them, gives them a nip, 
 and with his left paw tosses tht^m over his left 
 shoulder on to the shore. His left paw is the 
 one always used for the tossiug-ashore pjirt of his 
 fishing. It is feeling he uses, not sight. The 
 Indians say he catches sturgeon when spawning 
 in shoal water — sometimes so shoal that their 
 tails stick out; but the only fish I know of his 
 being in the habit of catching are suckei's: tiiese 
 in April and May, their R])awning s<\asc)ns, the 
 bear m;»ke his daily food; breakfasting about 
 eight, a.m., and making dinner and supper of one 
 meal, about four, p. m. About thirty or forty 
 suckei's serve him. In the spawning months he 
 can catch that number in a few minutes. As 
 s(X)n as he has caught a sufHcient number, he 
 retires to the beach, and regahis himself on the 
 most delicate part of the fish, that ])art immedi- 
 ately behind the gills, throwing the rest away. 
 The Indians freipiently shoot him •■'<en engageii 
 in fishing. 
 
 We now " made" as many portages as possible; 
 that is, got over them with all speed. The por- 
 tages on this route, are fiom a quarter of a mile 
 to a mile, and over. Crossing a portage is a 
 .serious aflhir. Some of my readttrs may not know 
 wh.'it a portage is. A portage is the land that i 
 divides lakes from lakes, and rivers from rivers, or ' 
 the neck of a iieninsula formed by the bend of ' 
 
1 lakes make no 
 
 without; but in 
 lake a better stop 
 lur jnillere. The 
 lams is the most 
 , ami where the 
 
 finished — not a 
 'ountry abounds 
 
 kill upwards of 
 ho skin of the 
 i' as it used to be, 
 1 articles of food, 
 t; and, as every 
 i to eat, with the 
 ^ell. 
 
 10 " Rock," while 
 acking," that is, 
 ibed, I ob^served 
 liich I took to be 
 lietly as possible, 
 nal sjiw me, and 
 )ut to ho, a bear, 
 ir is aj^reat fish- 
 5 rather curious, 
 itiiig himself on 
 ling up to about 
 s until the little 
 his black sliaggy 
 es against him. 
 vos thorn a nip, 
 im over his left 
 left paw is the 
 shore part of his 
 not sight. Tlio 
 ivhen spawning 
 hoal tliat their 
 . I know of his 
 e snckere: these 
 ng s«\'»st>ns, the 
 nkfasting about 
 d supper of one 
 . thirty or forty 
 ling months he 
 V minutes. As 
 lit number, he 
 
 himself on the 
 'it ])art immedi- 
 
 the lest a\\n\. 
 I ■' 'leii engaged 
 
 iges as possible ; 
 lecd. The jior- 
 artcr of a mile 
 a j)ortagt' is a 
 * may not know 
 5 tlk' land that 
 s fi'om rivers, or 
 by the bend of I 
 
 97 
 
 a river, or the sweep of a lake, and the circuits 
 voyagers have to make to avoid waterfalls and 
 rapids. To save time, canoe and every thing 
 else are carried on our shoulders across these. A 
 man is not required to caiTy more than ninety 
 pounds doubled. Ninely pounds weight is called 
 a " piece." Over every portage I carried my 
 two " pieces", and some notion of the toil may be 
 had, when I say that the portages are crossed 
 (tenerally barefooted, and the paths are none of 
 the smoothest. We are forced to go barefooted, bo- 
 cause our feet are so frequently wet, that, did we 
 wear boots, we would soon get so galled, that we 
 probably would get so bad as to be unable to 
 proceed. The clam-shells on the beach wound 
 the feet more than any thing else does. At Knee 
 Lake the portages are nearly all over, and it gave 
 us great pleasure to sec its blue waters stretching 
 out before us. In this lake we met thirty or forty 
 of the Red River boats, going their last trip this 
 season, for their fall goods, brought out by the 
 Prince Rupert. We spoke those we passed in 
 day-light ; but, as we pulled night and day, we 
 passed many at night. T^re is pleasure in meeting 
 with follow creatures in the wilderness, even to 
 those who have passed much of their lives there 
 alone. 
 
 At Oxford House, Mr, Robertson, the gentle- 
 mar in charge, received us kindly, and offered me 
 any thing I wanted ; but as I was well supplied 
 sJready, I thanked him and accepted nothing. 
 
 Wo feared head winds more than any thing 
 else, and when weather served, or the sky wore a 
 threatening appearance, wo pulletl all night: 
 always next day we felt wearied and stupid. 
 Tims wo got to the head of Oxford Lake. We 
 did not call at Jackson's Bay Mission for the sake 
 of time ; it was late in the season, and we were 
 going home. We pulled hard during the remain- 
 der of the week, that we might reach Norway 
 House Mission to spend the Sabbath there. 
 Saturday night came, and we expected to have 
 got to the Mission for moniing service, but we 
 could not. We then attempted to got, in time 
 for evening service, but the winds would not let 
 us cross the lake ; and although, for the greater 
 part of the day we were within sight of the Mis- 
 sion, wo could not get there until ten o'cl(x;k, p.m. 
 Mrs. Mason was in bed, and, not wishing to disturb 
 her, I went up to my own old habitation, stand- 
 ing omptj-, and kindling a fire, lay down until 
 morning. In the midst of friends I slept alone. 
 I felt dopro8so<l ; there was a sadness, a foding of 
 coming ovil upon me, and to pass the night alone 
 in my old hmiso, whore every thing spoke of 
 those now l';ii', far from me, was my choice, for it 
 accorded with my own feelings. 
 
 5 At day-light the Class-Leaders came to welcome 
 me, and, wliilo breakfivst was getting r(>ady, we 
 had a good Prayei- meeting. Mrs, Mason paid 
 us every attention. 
 
 The whole of Monday, the 30th of August was 
 spent in preparing for our voyage up Lake Wini- 
 peg; gumming canoe, washing linen, (fee. 
 
 On Tuesday, ten o'clock, a. m., the p'oople as- 
 sembled at our canoe, and we had a Prayer-meet- 
 ing. Then parting with Mi's. Mason, and friends, 
 we proceeded to Norway House, which is in sight 
 of the Mission, and dined with the gentleman in 
 charge. He was very kind to us, and gave me 
 some things for the voyage. The afteiiioon was 
 calm and beautiful, and, a; e had ha<l a good 
 rest, and Avere apiu-ehensive of head a\ iiids, we 
 pulled all that night. At sunrise next morning 
 we attempted to land and breakfast, but the water 
 was so shoal we could not, without having to wade 
 a distance. The beach was of bright sand, and 
 the sun was alx/at two hours up when I saw an 
 object moving on shore ; it appeared to be a man ; 
 and as we neared it, it appeared to make gestures 
 'to us. We were wearied and hungry, but, never- 
 theless, thinking the stranger was in danger, or 
 suft'ering, we pulled on towards liim. Judge of 
 our surprise when we found him to be an enor- 
 mous boar. He was seated on his hams; and 
 Avhat wo thought his gestures, were his motions 
 in raising himself on his hind l<'gs to pull lierries 
 from a high bush, and with both his paws filled, 
 sitting down again. Thus he continued, daintily 
 enjoying his fresh fruit, in the position some of 
 our lady's lap dogs are taught to assume, when 
 asking a morsel from their mistioss. On we 
 pulled, and forgot our hunger and ■.voariness. 
 The bear still continued breakfasting. We got 
 as close in shore as the shoal wat(!r would permit, 
 and John tiiking my gun, a ddlible-barrol, leaped 
 into the water and gained the beach. Some dead 
 brush-wood lav between John and tin; boar, hidincf 
 the bear from b.is sight. From our pcxsition off 
 shore, we could see both ,Tohn and the lK\<ir. Ho 
 now discovered us, and advanced towni(J us ; and 
 John, not seeing him for the dead brush, ran along 
 the boach towards him. The weaiinoss from 
 pulling all night, and being so long without break- 
 f;ist, and the reaction produced at seeing I'/ie bear, 
 probably destroyed my presence of m'lid, for I 
 remombo.'ed, only now, *hat the gun was loaded 
 with heavj duck-shot onh", and you might as well 
 with p.as meet a bear. John was in danger, and 
 we strained at our i)ai'idlos; but as tin; boar was 
 a very largo one, and wo had no other fire-arms 
 than the gun John had, we would have 1 icon but 
 poor help to John in the hug of a wouiide*^ bear. 
 The bear was at tlio other side of the dry brush 
 on the beach. John heard the drv bianches 
 
cracking bcfoio tho bruto, and lie doJgi'd into a 
 hollow, iiniler a thick bush. Tho boar passed tho 
 drv brush, and was ooursinti; aloiiij tho sand, but 
 as ho piussed by where John lay, bang ! wont tho 
 gun. Tho boar avhs struck. We saw him loap 
 Uirough tho suioko on to the vory 8])()t where we 
 saw John kist. We hold our bioath ; but, instead 
 of tho cry of agony we OApcctcd, bang ! went tho 
 gun agair .' John is not yet caught! Ourcanoo 
 rushed through tho water. "We might yet be in 
 time ; but my i>addle fell from my hand as I saw 
 John pop head and shoulders al>ove a bush, and 
 with a shout, point to the side of the log he stood 
 upon. " There ho lies— dead enough !" Wo 
 were indeed thankful to the Preserver ! The 
 man who was somewhat scnred at a corked bottle 
 of gingor-bocr could meet alone, with duck-shot 
 only, a large, old boar, and kill bin), too. 
 
 Here I learned, for the fii-st time, how to pro- 
 serve meat, without salt, for a month, and have it 
 then good and fresh as when killed. The men 
 having to return to Norway House, their home, 
 dug a hole in the swamp, about two and a hidf 
 feet deep, put in the bottom a few dry boughs, 
 then, putting in the bear's skin and about half 
 the moa^ covered all up. When they returned 
 they would take it home with them. We took 
 about half the boar along with us — all the canoe 
 would carry. 
 
 We wore now in Lake Wiuij>og. None of us 
 will ever forgot it. Again and again wore we 
 wind-bound at its many points '"id several times 
 were we nearly swami)ed. My department of 
 tJie labour was bailing; this I jieiformed with a 
 small kettle. No accident had e\er occurred to 
 me on the water, and approhensivo of delay per- 
 mitting the frost from the north to overtake us, 
 we wore, porha]is„too venturesome. During the 
 Cthand 7ih'<.)f September, we were wind-bound. 
 On the 8th tho wind abated, and we again put 
 out to the lake. Tho waves were high, but as tho 
 wind hail gone down, we thought they also would 
 fall. It was morning; we had not jus yet taken 
 breakfast, and were about an hour and a half 
 from our encamimicnt, doubling a point, when a 
 wave t^truck us and half filled the canoe. We 
 ran into the bay, bailed out, and again tinned to 
 tlie Like. A ]ioint lay about a mile ami a half 
 ahead. Piouiid this point and th<^ wind would 
 b-^ almost fair. On we pulled, wet and cold. 
 
 )w uncertain is the future ! We were nearly 
 ■ -o milfts from shore when a wave struck us and 
 : :' wo w ent. When I rose to the sui-face, I 
 found the canoe bottom up, anil John astride on 
 its stern. I struck for the stern, and grasping it 
 in my arms hung on. The old man, my bows- 
 man, hung on somewhere iiT)out the midships. 
 Ho had the woret bold cf us throe, and, from his 
 
 being more frequently under tho waves than John \ 
 or I, he would be tho first to give out. I sjiid to | 
 John, " Wo dio now." " Yes, Jolm replied, " we 
 certainly ^^io now." I advised tho men not to j 
 attempt swimming to shore, as tho water was so 
 cold they would get faint and drown, but to hold 
 on to tho canoo and we would drift ashore some | 
 time. They promised to do so. 
 
 I now saw that tho bowa-man was getting ex- 1 
 hausted ; his offoiia to resist and rise with the I 
 heave of the wave, appeared to bo more and more > 
 feeble. I asked iiim if ho were i)ropared to meet 
 his God ? lie said, " I have prayed to him long, 
 long ago." f lo was ready to dio. Both tho men 
 were good Christians, members of iho Norway 
 House Mission. The old man's eyes were closing 
 when John reached forward his hand, and taking i 
 him l)y tlio hair, at the risk of loosing his own [ 
 hold, placed the old man's chin upon his knee, 
 and kept it there, thus keeping his mouth out of j 
 tho water. Wo thought that the old man was 
 dead; but John, a hero, would not let his head 
 drop, determined if w(^hould get to shore to 
 bury his companion on tm; beach. 
 
 I now felt getting weak, and that all hopo was 
 over. I committed my soul and my family to 
 God. I told John that I felt I was drowning, 
 and that he must, if ho'could, save his own life. 
 He replied that ho had no wish to live; if we] 
 were drowned that ho would drown too. The I 
 poor fellow's heart was like to burst, not for him- 
 self, but for the old man and me. When I thought i 
 of home, and the wants of the work, 1 did wish 
 to Hvo. If my work was done I would dio, if \ 
 not, all the water in the lake could not drown me. 
 God's will be done. I was perfectly re'signed. I 
 prayed, and as 1 prayed, suddeidy hojie of being i 
 saved, hithei-to lost, filled my mind. I felt by an 
 irrosistablo impression that we would not drown, | 
 that we woidd jdl be saved. Nothing, that I saw, : 
 had occurred to cause this, but I felt assured of its 
 truth. The wind blew, the wa\es heaved, and 
 we, like floating leaves, were tossed about as the j 
 sti)rm willed. It was He who rules the winds, ' 
 tho waves, and the hearts and strength of men — 
 from him did we get our hope, and our strength. 
 I felt so much revived that 1 began to paddle 
 with my arm, and just as tho waves threw a 
 paddle almost into John's hand, tho bows-man's 
 eyes opened. I now felt merry, not that I could '; 
 laugh, but very, very hajipy — thankfulness to 
 God being the upmost feeling. 
 
 We neared tho shore, and several times T let 
 my feet drop to sound ; but no bottom. Still we 
 neared the shore, and again and again did I sound, 
 and at last found the bottom, but a few yards 
 from the beach. 
 
fS^i 
 
 39 
 
 Tlie old iTiiin wns ouv fii-sl care — lio ooiiUl not 
 wnlk iijuight. John and I loturiietl to save tli(! 
 canoe, and on turning it up, found of all we Lad 
 only my bedding. God was 'iidotMl good to us 
 in this, for wo would have nutfored murli frojn 
 (X)ld during night, had tho bedding not been 
 re«tore<l to us. We knelt down on the beach and 
 returned Him thanks. We now felt ourselves so 
 much exhausted that we had to lay down on tlx; 
 beflch, wet and a)ld as wo were, and rest. 
 
 Wo picked up a few things that came ashore, 
 among others a bag of biscuit, and about four 
 pounds of ]ienecan. Our misfortune lost to mo 
 my double-barreled gun, all my clothing, money 
 and the goods I had to pay my voyagers, amount- 
 ing to over £80 sterling. 
 
 We continued our voyage. The allowance of 
 tlie three men wore about two bites of penecan 
 per day, and a little mush, which liad once been 
 biscuit ; but I could eat nothing — my losses, and 
 tlie shock I recei\ed from our danger, destroyed 
 all sensation of hunger. 
 
 In tliree days wo anived at Fort Alexander. 
 The men did ample justice to whatever was set 
 before them ; and, to confess tha truth, the sym- 
 
 pathy of kind friends, and ]ilenty, brouglit back 
 my own appetite witli an edge I'fuund ditliculty 
 in turning. 
 
 We were kindly received by Mr. Isbistor, the 
 person in charge. I cannot say too much of the 
 liitidnoss of Mrs. W. Sinclair. Mr. W. Sinclair 
 had a good stock, and his benevolent lady ])res.«ed 
 me to take, without ])rice, all that I needed for 
 the remainder of my journey. I had often heard 
 of her kindness; but never proved it imti' now. 
 I accejjted tw(j shirts, one neck 'kerchief, and a 
 few other things, and had to refuse her many, 
 many ofters, as I couM not conscientiously take 
 what I really did not want. 
 
 Here I paid to John and the bows-man their 
 losses, caused by the upsetting of the ea-joe; and 
 after prayer we parted. 1 might here siiy, that 
 we had daily prayer through all the journey, and 
 with tli(! families of the various forts we called 
 a'. I felt sorry to part with the men who hud 
 served me so faithfully, and so long. Here we 
 J.,"! ted ; they to their homes, and me to my home. 
 Home, though it is a bark wigwam, is a place to 
 love ! 
 
 I 
 
 *i 
 
T 
 
 WKSLEYAN MISSION AT llOSS-VILLE 
 
 HUDSON'S DAY TERRITORIES. 
 
 i -^i 
 
 Tlio Mi-siou Villngv of Ro.ssvillr, in the IIiiJ- 
 soil's J?iiy Ten iturios is Htiialcd ul'uiit tliia; luiliv. 
 from Norwiiy-llouse, one of tho j)riiici|)a! trading 
 eatiibliyliiiicnts of tho lludaon's liny Company, 
 at the iioilliern oinl of Lake Winipej;, Tlie 
 Station wiis commeiieed in S»'|jtoiiilior, 1H4U, hy 
 tlio hito Ki'V. ,lainc.-j Kvaiis. Having wieetod 
 a sito for tlio cifctiou of Miasion-prcmises and 
 dwoHinirdiouses for thi> native eonviTts, he found 
 the s[)iit thirldy covered with jxtphirs and uiuler- 
 wood ; but, witli the iiel|' of Peter Jacohs, tlie 
 Native Teaeher, aided by the Indians C(jnnected 
 with tlie post, he s(jon succeeded in clearing the 
 wilderni'ss ; and bel'ore the winter set in, ten com- 
 fortable house** liad been laised, to which a mis- 
 sion house was added \>y the Honourable Com- 
 pany, The Indian'; f<v whose benetit the Station 
 was espe(Mally designed, are a ])artof the S\vam])y 
 Cree tribe ; wme of whom find i)crmaiu'nt em- 
 ployment JL-* iishcrnicn, boatmen, and labourers, 
 m the service of tho Company, while others pro- 
 cure tticir subsistence by hunting tho fur-bearing 
 animals with which the country abounds, the 
 skins of which they sell ti> the Company's agents. 
 
 Four months jireviously to tho commencemont 
 of the Station, the Rev. R. T. Rundle had ai'iived 
 at the Norway- House on his way to the Sascat- 
 chewan district ; and while awaiting the arrival 
 of Mr. Kvans, to take charge of the Mission, ho 
 opened his commission, by preaching in English 
 to the Cuni])a!iy'soflicersand clerks, and address- 
 ed the Indians through tlie medium of an inter- 
 preter. On the first occasion of bis proclaiming 
 
 the Gospel to tho Indians, about one htindred 1 
 were present, who manifested gioat attention 
 whilst he unfolded to them the]ilan of redeeming 
 love. On that very day some of them applied 
 to him for baptism ; but wishing to instruct them ^ 
 further in the things of God, he declined comply- 
 ing with their request for a season. Tho Indians j 
 appeared to be a peojde jMepareil of the Lord. 
 Donald Ross, J]sf|., tlio Company's oflicor, the 1 
 gentleman after whom the village received its name, J 
 had taken great pains in endeavors to civilize 
 them ; and ho had been evidently rendered very 
 useful in preparing them to receive the word of j 
 truth. Before Mr. Evans reached tho post, seve- j 
 ral of the Indians wore under deep co;icern for I 
 the salvation of their immortal souls, and one, a 
 female, had been made a happy believer in Jesus, 
 The Indians now came from a distam-o to hear 
 the word ; and it was no uncommon sight to ;| 
 see groups of penitents, of every age, weeping 
 under the subduing influence of the Spirit's 
 power. Being united in Church fellowship, the'" 
 steadily advanced in Christian knowledge and 
 ]iiety, and demonstrated to those around, that 
 the grace of (Jod can change the savage into aj 
 saint. Simultaneously with liislaboui's in the! 
 formation of the village, the eflbrts of Mr. Evans g 
 wore diiected to the adoption of measures for the 
 still further diffusion of Divine truth. Having | 
 invented syllabic characters, by which the reading | 
 of the Cree language might be greatly facilitated, 
 he succeeded, after encountering many ditticulties, 
 in cutting punches, casting type, and printing, 
 
31 
 
 it one handled 
 great attention 
 all tji' rodeeiiiing 
 f them appUed 
 to histruct them 
 ecliiied comply- 
 TIio Indians 
 of the Lord, 
 ly's otlicer, the 
 eoeivedibiiiaTne, 
 OPS to civilize 
 y rendered verj' 
 va the word of 
 the post, seve- 
 'eji concern for 
 Mils, and one, a 
 ii'ver in Jesus, 
 islain'o to hear 
 imon sight to 
 age, weeping 
 the Spirit's 
 illowsliip, the*" 
 nowlcdgo and 
 around, that 
 ><avage into aj 
 abotim in the 
 of Mr. Evans 
 leasuves for the 
 uth. Having 
 ich the reading 
 atly facilitated, 
 any ditliculties, 
 and printing, 
 
 i)f 
 
 with hia own hand, losson-books, hymns, and^por- 
 tions of the holy Scriptures, «fec. Many of tlie 
 Indians and children (juickly acquired the art of 
 reading, and learned to sing with fluency our 
 beautiful hymns. 
 
 The summer of 1842 was unfavourable to 
 agricultural improvements ; but the religious 
 I state of the mission was encouraging. The num- 
 I ber of residents on the station increaseil ; and 
 the 8ch(K)l was in a prosperous state; the average 
 I attendance being tifiy-five. The Company 
 I erected a school-house at the village, and the 
 1 foundation for a chapel was commenced. 
 I The Ilossville settlement consisted in the au- 
 Itumn of 1844 of thirty dwelling-houses, a chapel 
 [ill course of erection, a school-house, and work- 
 shop. Industry arlvanced under the influence of 
 Christianity ; the cultivation carried on by the 
 inhabitants gave promise of a productive harvest 
 ; of barley, turnips and potatoes, tlie only crops 
 which the rigour of the climate perinitt*.'d them 
 i to cultivate. The Mission-gardeu couuneiiced in 
 I the spring, atibrded a constant 8Ui)ply of fresh 
 vegetables for the families of the Missionaries 
 during the summer, tvs well as store-potatoes for 
 the long winter, andseedforthe following spring. 
 The gardens of the children in the school, Mr. 
 Mason stated in a communication to the Commit- 
 tee, looked well, as also the giuxlens and tields of 
 barley throughout the settlement. But, what 
 was infinitely more important, the people ad- 
 vanced in spiritual attainments. Their regular 
 attendance on the means of grace, their consistent 
 behaviour, and the ardent tlesiro they manifested 
 for the salvation of their fellow-countrymen still 
 in heathen darkness, showed them to be j)osse8sed 
 , of those sacred principles which had made them 
 I new creatures in Christ Jesus. 
 
 The church, erected by the Jiasistance of the 
 Company, wiis opened for divine service in 1846, 
 I ami impro\ed the appearance of the village, as 
 well as greatly ])r<jmoted the comfort of the Min- 
 isters !ind worshippers. Being anxious to estab- 
 I lish a Manuel-Labour School, Mr. Evans procured 
 from the Red River settlement, a female teacher 
 , to instruct the girls in spinning ; and Ilis Excel- 
 ilency, Sir (Jeorge Simpson, the Governor of the 
 ' Company's Territories, generously supplied eight- 
 ty-eight pounds of wool, the fli'st ever spun at 
 Kossville. The summer and fall of this year 
 were very favourable for the gardens, which 
 produced nearly one thousand bushels of potatoes. 
 They ini|)roved much in civilization. They were 
 clean and neat in their ptreons, and their houses 
 exhibited an air of comfort. When assembled in 
 the house of Ood on the Sabbath, the Missionary 
 rei)orted, their deportment and a))pearance are 
 8uch that it would have been diflicult to decide 
 
 whether it was an asseiiilly of whites, oxce]»tiiig 
 for the deep brown colour of their skin. The 
 power and presence of God were fell in tin; pub- 
 lic miniHtrations of the sanctuary, as well as at 
 l»rayer-meetings and more ptivatc means of grace ; 
 and the church-members progressed in knowledge 
 and holiness. The schools were in a flourishing 
 state, and j)romi8ed, at no distant jieiiod, to fur- 
 nish native agents for employment < n the Mis- 
 sion, yiom Donald Ros.>i, Es<|., the Missionaries 
 received unremitting kindness ; and the interests 
 of the people were promoted by that gentleman 
 to the utmost of his ability. A Mission-press 
 was sent from England at the close nfiluj year, 
 much to the joy of the Mis-^^iunaries, who had 
 long and anxiously looked for such a menus of 
 carrying the light of the Gospel to the dark 
 places surrounding them on every hand. 
 
 The Indians on the Statitjii W(.'ie reported, in 
 1846, to be persevering, generally in the paths 
 of piety, and the w(irk of (n>(l piospeie'd. The 
 school was in a promising state, and the j)it)giess 
 of the youths and chiMieii was satisfaehjiy to 
 the Missionary, and did credit to the Teachers. 
 The young females Avere advancing in the know- 
 ledge of domestic duties. Tlu' lemale Teacher 
 engaged during the i)re\ious ye.-ir had succeeded 
 in teaching several of the girls to sjiin, and to 
 knit stockings, gloves, and mittens, and to make 
 straw hats and bonnets. 
 
 Space does not permit that we should continue 
 the history of the Station through succes-sive years; 
 but its gratilying state at the present time ia 
 shown in the following extract of a comniunica- 
 tion from the liev. William Mtison ; who writes 
 under date of August 19th, 1852 : — 
 
 Never were our Missions more prospoi'ous, and 
 never were our circumstances more calculated to 
 inspire hope. We all feel encouiage'd, and, with 
 renewed faith and trust in God our Saviuur, are 
 we determined to prosecute our woilc of mercy ; 
 for the progress of our Missions is truly encour- 
 aging. There is a gradual iinprovenit'iit going 
 on in the experience and knowledge of Divine 
 things in the members of Society. Their up- 
 right and consistent conduct, their stcadlastness 
 and diligent attention to religious, and (onscien- 
 tious discharge of relative duties, both at home 
 and when hunting, cannot fail in gi\ ing witisfac- 
 tion and encouragement to all who tjike an inter- 
 est in the spiritual and temporal v.elfyre of the 
 poor aborigines of these extensive Territories. 
 
 Heathenism has received its death blow, and 
 falls before the power and influence of the Gospel. 
 Priestly incantations and Indian juggling have 
 ceased : the conjurora themselves are asking for 
 baptism at the hands of the Missionaiies. The 
 
•.V 
 
 day bcforo tlio nrrival of the Rev. Peter Jacol)8, 1 ! ablo Cdinpany'r' oHicci-s, — a list of whioli I now 
 iitliiiittc(l into tlu' visible church of ChriHt five forward you fur due insertion. (The transfeiy will 
 
 ajipear in the CoMi[)anyV account next year.) 
 
 Our ciperatiouH in the jtrintitifij department 
 have be»>n soniewhat retanleil bv the want of a 
 
 ehil(hen of the Chief «if a few ninaining I'agans 
 of iNorway House. At Jackson Hay and Oxford- 
 House wo baptised thnty -four souls.* We have 
 one hunilred and twenty in Society at Ross-Vilie, 
 and ten on trial : tlios'liool is also prospering. 
 Since the arrival t)f Mr. James Isbister, fi'om 
 Neison-Uiver, (wlioso diligent and iK-njevering 
 application to the duties of his ollice I cannot 
 but commend,) the children have made rapid pro- 
 gress. There are seventy-four scholars, divided iuto 
 ten classes, who ar<^ taught reiding, writing, 
 arithtnetic, and singing. Many of the children 
 love the school, and beg to remain at the village, 
 when necessity compels their jtarents to leave, 
 that they may go to school. Their g(K)d conduct 
 and regular !lttendance are truly iiloasing, and wo 
 have every reason to hi>po that they will be a 
 blessing to the laud of their birth ; certain it is, 
 tliey will be nmch more intelligent than their 
 fathers ; but we never forget that grace alone can 
 renew tlie heart, and make them new creatures in 
 Christ Jesus. 
 
 Our church has undergone repaiis. During 
 tlie winter we sawed timber for weather board- 
 ing, which was jilaned in tlie spring, and put up. 
 The building now k)ok8 very well, and will last 
 for years, as it hv, been painted both inside and 
 out. Towards defraying the expenses incurred, 
 I am glad to acknowledge the liberal contribu- 
 tion of George Hamston, Esq., of .£5 ; and also 
 £2 for prizes to tlu; school-children. The Chris- 
 tian Indians gave three days' work each, and 
 some are becoming (piite expert joiners. 
 
 A great stitmdus was given to the children's 
 progress in learning, and to the; mission generally, 
 by the interest which George Harnston, Esq., hiis 
 taken in the i>rosperity of our caus<.% and by the 
 very liberal contributions of some of tlie Honour- 
 
 • Morctimn eight hundred bnptlsitu nre rrKistrred on this 
 Ptntion since the commencercnt oliUic Mission in the year 
 
 printer and an ink-ball ; }et notwithstanding, wi' 
 managed to take otf an eilition of St. .lohn'H 
 Gospel, six copies of which 1 now forward you. 
 This will be a great blessing to our Indians, 
 especially when far away from their hcmies and 
 the appointed means of grace, endeavouring to 
 obtain food, and clothing for their families by 
 the only means these cold and desolate regions 
 atlbrd, namely, liunting. Our Indiatis are fond 
 of reading, and highly v.'due the books printed 
 in the syllabic characters, a knowledge of which 
 they soon ac(juire. This adilitional piiblicatioii 
 will bo to them a rich mine of spiritual wealth, 
 imparting light to their mtnds, consolation to their 
 hearts, and will lead them to hope anil prepare 
 for a better and brighter world above. VVo need 
 help in this department; for we are quite out of 
 our Hymn- Books, Prayer-Books, Catechisms, 
 translations of which works are ready for a second 
 and third edition. 
 
 My own proper work, thank (lod, I have been 
 enabled to perform during the pjist year without ! 
 intenriission : preaching once in English to the "^ 
 residents of the Company's Fort, Norway-Hous«\, 
 and twice in Indian at Ross-Ville, every Sabbatlu 
 In both places the congregations are good, and! 
 the people give great attention to the word of I 
 life. Our school examination, conducted by f 
 George Barnston, Es*]., was a very interesting 
 iKcasion ; .£10 in goods and provisions wercj 
 distiibuted ; and truly sorry we were that Mr.i 
 Jacobs ImC not arrived to enjoy the scone. 
 
 I forward you, also, by this opportunity, two ' 
 letters from the Sascatchewan, one from Jamcx '| 
 Hope, and the other from Batosh ; the earnest j 
 nnd touching appeal for lielp I hope will be met 
 by our Conference in Canada. Another priest ^ 
 has gone up there this summer. 
 
 i 1=31=' 
 
OMiSSiON. 
 
 rfhi^ followiilg was omitted in printing; the forc^oinK Journnl. It thniild hnvc been inantcd on the lUlh page. 
 I Tile umisaioii is there indicated liy thi- tiiarH. 
 
 \Vli(jii wo came t^ the nioutli ot'tlic river, wo 
 Lil lo |)flA8 through niarahcs ubnut (3 Piilcn l'>iig, 
 V'l'orn wo arrivod at the real banks ot' t\n'. riviT. 
 )iulis arovcry niiiiu'rouH here <luriiij^ tho Huinmer 
 i-iiwin. (it'cxo arc only seen hero in the spring 
 lar^io bandn. About H niilnH from tho nioiitli 
 ' tht' rivor coinmetKH'!* tho Indian Sottlenicnt, 
 hich was founded by tho lio\. Williuni (kn-h- 
 jif, Olio of tho Missionaries sent out to this coun- 
 by the Cliurcli Missionary Soiicty. Tho 
 liole, Indian Settlement is about four miles in 
 kiif^tli, tho up|ier part of whicli is sotthfd by the 
 luscaigoes, and tho lower part by tho ('hippo- 
 iiVB. Tile Miis<;aig(Mis occu])y most of tiie ground, 
 lid their Mission and (!hurcli look most beauti- 
 Tin! hmises are built on both »id<'» of the 
 jver. From the mouth of tho river to tho upper 
 Ind of tho Indian S<.'ttlemeiit, there an- 12 niilos, 
 [nil from this to tho Lower Fort Garry, are 6 
 Viiles. This Fort belongs to the Hudson's Bay 
 uinpany. All tho houses are l>uilt of stone, 
 id they are fortified by a stono wall around them, 
 ihieh is about 9 feet high. This would not stand 
 veil against a well disciplined army with cannon, 
 i>r they could ou«ily throw up temporary ladders 
 lind scale the walls. The banks w\wn) this Fort 
 situateil, aro the highest in tho settlement, so 
 is no fear of a flood overtlowing the banks, 
 i'roni this Fort, to the White Horse Plain, which 
 about 48 miles distant, houses aro to be seen 
 along the rivor, especially on the west side, — 
 Ine farms and excelletit laud aro to be seen all 
 le way. The farmers here do not manure their 
 aelds; they say that if they would manure them 
 le wheat would grow up into stalks, without any 
 piim. This plainly shows tho great richness of 
 {lie S(.>il. The soil of tho whole country is of a 
 lark looray clay. On the west side of the river 
 kre prairies, extending many miles bsick, with 
 lery few trees imd a little scrubby oak and poplar. 
 The ])rairie8 appear to tho traveller's eye as an 
 imcns^^ ocean. There is nothing to attract the 
 Attention of the eye. I believe that the whole 
 rio country for hundreds of miles towards tho 
 cky Mountains, is excellent soil and rich coun- 
 try. In tliese jn-airies of the western world there 
 |s room fur a million or more of farmers — I mean 
 Uo whole prairie country on tho east side of the 
 locky Mountains, where thousands of buft'aloes 
 ^0 on the British Territories, and more so on 
 ^he American Territories. Mut there is no tim- 
 to bo found in the plains, and therefore if 
 aen would settle hero, they would have to build 
 ieir houses of brick. 
 On the flat.s of ]\amI Rivor, from the Lower Fort 
 |(iarryand upwards, grow largo elm trees; this is 
 [the only hard timber worth speaking of. Tho 
 [distance boLweiiU tho Lower Fort Garry and 
 the Upper Fort Garry is 18 miles. This Uj)per 
 I Fort Garry is situated on tho banks of tho Assi- 
 nibonie River, which falls into the. Rod River, 
 and is a much stronger fort than the other. A.11 
 [the houses are built of wood, except two, which 
 built of stone. In the sumraer season the 
 iutiful. 
 
 There are four Clmrches in the whole sottle- 
 meiit, belonging to the (Jlmrch of England, tho 
 largest of which is St. Andrews, at tho Grand 
 Kajdds. 'J'his is a beautiful building of stone. 
 Another idiiirch is about to be built by the 
 Church MiKsioiiary Six-iety on tho Assinibonio 
 River; and juvjiarations aro made I y tho Pros 
 byterian community for erecting a church at the 
 Frog Plain, wliich is jibout five miles below the 
 Upper l''()rt (larry. Mr. Black, the Presbyterian 
 clergyman, is an excellent man. It is not quite 
 a year since he came to the settiement from 
 Caiiad.'i. There are five clergymen ol' the Church 
 of England and a Bishop named David Ander- 
 son, wlio is a very giXHl and kin<I iian. He is 
 doing all lie can for the Indians. There is also a 
 Roman Catholic Bishop and three or four Priests. 
 
 When I camo to the settlement, I found tliat 
 th«ire had been a flood this spring in the settle- 
 ment. Nearly every day during the lloixl, houses, 
 barns, «kc. were seen floating down the river from 
 the upper part of the settlement. T le sight was 
 really awful. The settlers wore obliged to leave 
 their houses and property and tent out on the 
 hills and mountains around them. Very much 
 property was lost on the whole; but only one life 
 was lost, and this was the servant of the Bishop. 
 It will be long before the inhabitant ; of the set- 
 tlement are in the same condition as formerly. 
 'J'imber is now ver' scarce, and it mu^t be brought 
 down from the Pen bina, wliich is 60 miles from 
 tho settlement, before any houses are built. It is 
 a great pity tliat the inhabitants of this place 
 make not their houses of brick inst( ad of woodj 
 for they would stand much longer, and they 
 would bo nearly as cheap as wood ho ises. Many 
 of the inhabitants, however, on the lower pai-t of 
 the settlement, are now building itone houses. 
 There aro 17 wind mills and 2 water mills^ 
 There ;iro 7 or 8 schools in the setthraent. Tha 
 gentlemen and ladies that come to church, come 
 in high style — that is, with their he ises, and car- 
 ri.igcs and buggies of the London make : and 
 many of them caine on horseback. Most of 
 those gentlemen are those who retired from the 
 service of iho Hon. Hudsou^s Bay C jmpany, for- 
 merly called Chief Factors and Chief Traders* 
 The Company have two largo store J in tho set- 
 tlement, one at the Upper Fort and one at the 
 Lower Fort, where they have warehouses filled 
 with all sorts of merchandise, and liquors of dif- 
 ferent sorts. The wines are c^ the superior kind. 
 The gentlemen of tho Company have everything 
 pretty much their own way. 
 
 Formerly wild buffliloes used to be found in 
 the woods at the mouth of ^ " Rive-, and on the 
 prairies along the River, but none are now to be 
 found within 20 days' journey of the S. W. side 
 of the Settlement, :t's tiw.y have been driven away 
 and killed ; but moose and reindeer are still to be 
 found in the woods at the mouth of Red River. 
 They are also pretty numerous in Lac La Pluie 
 District. 
 
 I