^",.1^ ^ IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) -^Z ^ ^J^ <^\^ 1.0 i^ui m ^^g itt lU i2.2 |j25|L^||A Hiotographic ^Sdenoes Corporalion 4^'^' «3 WS\ MAIN r TRHT wd^fEx, r v. i4sao (71«)Sn-4S0J v\ CIHM/ICMH Series. CIHM/ICMH Collection de microfiches. Canadian Instituta for historical Microraproductlona / Inttitut Canadian da ntlcroraproductlons historlquat C^ Technical and Bibliographic Notat/Notat tachniquaa at bibiiographiquaa T t( Tha Inatituta haa attamptad to obtain tha baat original copy availabia for filming. Faaturaa of thia copy which may ba bibliographically uniqua, which may altar any of tha imagaa in tha raproduction, or which may aignificantly changa tha uaual mathod of filming, ara chackad baiow. D D D D n D D D D D Colourad covara/ Couvartura da coulaur Covara damagad/ Couvartura andommagia Covara raatorad and/or laminatad/ Couvartura raataurAa at/ou paliiculAa Covar titia miaaing/ La titra da couvartura manqua Colourad mapa/ Cartaa gtegraphiquaa an coulaur Colourad ink (i.a. othar than blua or black)/ Encra da coukiur (i.a. autra qua blaua ou noira) Colourad plataa and/or illuatrationa/ Planchaa at/ou illuatrationa an coulaur Bound with othar matarlal/ RaliA avac d'autraa documanta Tight binding may cauaa ahadowa or diatortion along intarior margin/ La r9 liura aarrAa paut cauaar da I'ombra ou da la diatortion la long da la marga IntAriaura Blank laavaa addad during raatoration may appaar within tha taxt. Whanavar poaaibia, thasa hava baan omittad from filming/ II aa paut qua cartainaa pagaa blanchaa ajoutiaa lora d'una raatauration apparaiaaant dana la taxta, mais, ioraqua cala 4tait poaaibia, caa pagaa n'ont paa «t4 filmiaa. L'Inatitut a microfilm^ la maillaur axamplaira qu'll lui a 4ti poaaibia da aa procurar. Laa dAtaila da cat axamplaira qui aont paut-Atra uniquaa du point da vua bibliographiqua, qui pauvant modifiar una imaga raproduita, ou qui pauvant axigar una modification dana la mAthoda normala da filmaga aont indiqute ci-daaaoua. D D D D D D D D Colourad pagaa/ Pagaa da coulaur Pagaa damagad/ Pagaa andommagtea Pagaa raatorad and/or laminatad/ Pagaa raatauriaa at/ou pallicul4aa Pagaa diacolourad, atainad or foxad/ Pagaa dAcoiorAaa, tachattea ou piquAaa Pagaa datachad/ Pagaa dttachAaa Showthrough/ Tranaparanca Quality of print variaa/ Qualit* inigala da I'impraaaion Includaa aupplamantary matarial/ Comprand du matirial auppMmantalra Only adition availabia/ Saula MMon diaponibia Pagaa wholly or partially obacurad by arrata alipa, tiaauaa, ate, hava baan rafilmad to anaura tha baat poaaibia imaga/ Laa pagaa totalamant or- partiallamant obacurciaa par un fauillat d'arrata, una palura, ate, ont MA fiimiaa i nouvaau da fapon i obtanir la maillaura imaga poaaibia. T P o fi O b< t> ai 01 fii ai 01 Tl •r Tl w M di ar b« ri| ra Additional commanta:/ Commantairaa aupplAmantairaa: Imgular pagiration: (1] • 112, 115 - 116, 113 • 114. 117 • 118 p. Thia itam la filmad at tha raductton ratio chackad baiow/ Ca documant aat film4 au taux da rMuction indiqu* ci-daaaoua. 10X 14X 18X 22X 2BX aox y . 3 12X 1CX 20X a«x 32X Th« copy film«d lwr« Hm b—n r«produc«d thanks to th« gmiarotitv of: Library Division Provincial Archivtt of British Columbia L'OKomploiro film4 fut roproduit grico A la g4n*rotiti da: Library Division Provincial Archives of British ColiimlMa Tha imagaa appaaring hara ara tha baat quality posaibia conaMaring tha condition and iagibiiity of tha original copy and in kaaping with tha filming contract tpacifications. Laa imagaa suivantaa ont AtA raproduitaa avac ia plus grand toin. compta tanu da ia condition at da ia nattat* da i'axamplaira film*, at mn conformity avac las conditions du contrat da fiimaga. Original capiat in printed papar covart ara fiimad baginning with tha front covar and anding on tha iaat paga with a printad or iiiuatratad impraa- •ion. or tha bacli covar whan appropriate. All othar original copiaa ara fiimad baginning on tlia first paga with a printad or iiiuatratad impraa- sion, and anding on tha last paga with a printad or iiiuatratad impraaaion. Laa axampiairaa originauH dont ia couvartura w* papiar aat imprimAa sont filmAs an comman9ant par la pramiar plat at 1% tarminant soit par la darni4ra paga qui comporta una amprainta d'impraaaion ou d'illustration. aoit par la sacond plat, aalon la caa. Tous los autraa aHamplairas originauK sont filmte an commandant par la pramiAra paga qui comporta una amprainta d'imprassion ou d'illustration at •n tarminant par la darniira paga qui comporta una taila amprainta. Tha last racordad frama on aach microficha shall contain tha symbol -^ (moaning "CON- TINUED"!, or tha symbol V (moaning "END"), whichavar applias. )Jn das symboias suivanta apparattra sur la darnlAra imaga da chaqua microficha. solon la cas: la symbola — »> signifia "A SUIVRE". la symbols V signifia "FIN". Maps, platas. charts, ate. may ba fiimad at diffarant reduction ratios. Thosa too larga to ba entirely included in one exposure ere filmed beginning in the upper left hend corner, left to right end top to bottom, es many frames as required. The following diegrems iilustrete the method: Les certes. pionches. tebieeux. etc.. peuvent Atre fiimAs i des taux da rMuction diffirants. Lorsque ie document est trop grand pour Atre roproduit en un soul ciich*. il est film* A pertir do I'angia supArieur geuche. do geuche A droite. et do haut en Ims. en prenent Ie nombre d'imeges nAcessaire. Les diegrammas suivants illustrant ia mAthoda. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 «s?« JOURNEY FROM FORT PRINCE WALES, IN HUDSON'S BAY, To THE NORTHEkN OCEAN, i^O^ rif£ DISGOf^ERT OF COPPER MINES AND A NORTH H^EST-PASSAGE^ ' PtRFORMZD BETWEEN THt rEAKS 1769 AND f77a, / Bt Mr. SAMUEL HEARNE. PHILADELPHIA; .f- ■-» , _v ' '--^ ■ f^lWmi AM& SOLDBYJOitiPraCjAMeSCRUKSBANK, •.;*^ .r»i N0.^> BIOII«STEXBT. I 80a. li*?..--, ■ ■•*. • ^ \-k^ife'tjr.,\'v ^\VJ ■» i. > ^t ^«*- « t-v4 •^f'NV-'-t aH^ •^MAitiMi,) **i»**1*«iSii,i;;i, :»toui44,j t9 \ri So JOURNEY !J FROM FOR r PRINCE WALE S, Tp THE ,<. ; ?:» lit . NORTHERN OCEAN, &c. *liiiiMMMiii J M U -H':'- 'nPHE Hudfon's Bay Company^ how* l^yjt ever, traduced by fome, as being jiiimical to difcovericss within thebounds oftheir charter, have^ on moreoccaHoni thait one, fiiewnj themielyes .zealous in ipramoting whatever might tf nd to the honour or bei^^tr:^ their ccmitrT'^ as w«n as their o!wsa iifaiifvidjaal liMp^ 4tuma^ witl^ thi(:^t^%^iviii^ Ihep^ appc^edliAr. Sa^el llbtrii^^ • officers^ itaprofefike^^^i^^ sack Kttle know% esvcffirision^ the iimtiyejs; f iBi^b ibh^ JRi^ed to the lettl^Qiqat^; fai i&is^ k ^c^lte ^^asdtf c£bdf tbfii^ocf edtailririi Mthudeyo degf^orthi to oideaVi^rte 2uSu87 Ml" •IP«II| '« 1"»P J^IIWI « nfwup "r^'w ^ w*!' 4 Heirde'g |iou^ney. trace the Far-ofF-Metal River to ltd . . , ,.. .. mouth, to explore theTituation of the co(^per^ mines, ^fwy^ 9^ which ,indif- tih£t accounts had been given ; and, in fhort^ to attend to any localities which might beprodu£^iveof an extended com- His nrft attempt was made in the clofe of the year ^^(Jg, y^h^jt, after pro- ceeding about two tidnafed miles, his Indian guides deferted him ; and it was v(rich ^eait difficulty Isfe regiiH^A Jhe feiHebienitist f ori Prhitfe Walies;^ aot teribt xittt againr OQ!!tltt' ayi xsfBdbtdiAj ms^iti^'ZCC^^ northern «tnAt^^ kg^^thf place of thei4'^h Hcm«?»W. cai? Iphpuld be in their power, efcape jtheirlips. .«»C<^<«M^ -«-' L ^^9« ■ s Journey. ,7 ^ On the i8ifc|, aa tlijev were 'contiliu- irigt]^eir qofirib, ih^y f|jif/Eiovere4 fevcrM join^ of 4Qiid.tw6 men, zh^i^bo^ iwkhty wbmea mtid childreii pjsidliaak thofttwo w^nih^i U'dAkef jguhmo/f.^m^ munition^ tbs)i.b^d)iK> other imbm. of fubfifting tbemelves An4 frienda, but^ b^picfttdikg iiihy ^nd fiaaring 1 itm fiib- bits.^ Dhe ianfnit' unsre plehtifbli^ and coniSled of l4aayke^'^bati)el^^ wifh i fome fim :fer>|ivtikh we; ihaYe jiD EiiglUh tiaine. > i k^ » : f 1^6.i3eiM;te tif Ubild Lake ^hahn tltuda ;6o degi 45 /eqiih /horlh, kmgi^ tiodisi loi deg;*2$ imiui wett frbtn'ltiQS^ HoHk^i lit is f iof&mie {dices dbouk tiliiitjil iii^ci kmln .Wfda,roof hii wuthin** V^ki^s^pMy^^ pebpted: 1 lle|t day^ th^fi^ ^@^:it|br^drc ibi|i«^ibaii»lteittfN^ this w^' II Hearne^s Journey. moiag the deer. THi^ Hay they flw feve^^ alflrangerS) fonte bf wh^m j(^ftd^h«lr pai'ty. ■ ' -' ■■''^m^' ^i- 'i;u.:^p-a- ;.- Oft the 6th, they troffed tfife iiiain bratffch pf Cathawhachaga River, about three tjuartei^B^^a mile broad; and fpon after arrived kt the fide of Partridge Lake, which they fcrofled on the ice next day, whire It x^as abdnt fourteen miles over. The intenfity of the cold was beyond c^xpreffibn, and mny of the crew were Iroft bitten« One of the Matonabbee-s wives was fo frozen, as to be almoft incrufted on the loweir parts with ice V and as flie was thawing in great pain« her ei^iii#: i^ f>^tided in killiiig and esiiiiig ihf^ } but as Mr. Heame was ^ui^ ifb^ jd[^( feafon irould by na Qiams prf^^ttJiem to proteed in a dii^^ line to the Q^ per^Miae Eiver, this del»y #^ of Uttk cbnfcqu^ncc. In croffing Pike Lake, on the 3d of March, they cafti£^ up to ^ larg^ tent of northern Indians^ :who had bii^ IWipg there from the bci^nning of ii^inteiv and bad employed that long . interval to catching deer^ in si pound* Indf cfd fo fuccefsmi is this ^Dthpd of fportijiig, in a c^ymtry inhere th^ game is fo ahi^nd- ani^ that many ^mihes fubfift by it, without haying occafion to move their tents al^ve once or twice in th6 courfe of a wjiole winter. . S**eh jMi ealy m«le:4)f pro^Mi^ lUlktice^n the winter months, ii % ca- j^ital bleiling to the aged and the infirm } ai ■•'<,■«'■ i ih i ^ H^arne's Journey. 13 but is ipt to render the young and a£tive indcfent and inert; fofas thofc parts' of the couiitry, where deer abound, iare deftitilt^ of every animal of the fur kind, it cannot be^pp6fed that iuch as can live with fo little toil, \^ll give them- felves the irotible of hunting for furs, whicfesire requifite to^rocure them am- munition and other Eiirop^n commo* dities. Suth is the litfiguage^ our ail- thpr obferves, of the mord in^uftriou| among the indians them(dveSf but ih hisopiitibri, there ^aiinot exiftst Wron- ger prbof, that mankind were not crea- ted for happinefs in this world,- than the conduft of the mif^Me beings who in-' hsibit this wretched part of h**. None but theaged, theinfirm, thfe won^en, and children, and a few who are regardlefs of opinidn (and they are the happy few every wher6 !) will fubmit to refoain in the parts where food and clodding a^re to foofiih jpdpBit, or mt \kUig a flave to thepaMone dr 6pin« ions of 6mk^ teilvt Mm in ^ifery ^Bmate of hlii lAi^th ri^ht. I^^m iMc ijovmi fbw die Infdicit7l>f pim i not tbatimtujriliMbemflin^ or God unjlift. " -■y V 14 Hearne's Jourjiey. be, procured on Aich eafy terms j be- caiife they cannot fliine as hunters, or accumulate liirs. And what dp the more iuduftriou$ gain by all their trouble ? • Their real wants are e%fily fupplied* A hatchet, an ice cbiiTel, ajile, anda knife are aU that h required to enable them >|o procure a comfortable liireHhood ; aiid tbofe :9irho pirn at more, are^ways tb^ moft unhappy, and ha?f the moft ^fiumerc^us wa^nt^ to iVipply. ^ V s^ Thoi^ Mfho^ ^ring their nirs to |he j^c- tory, indetd^ |>tide themfelves much on the refpeft whiqhia^^ them by the Englifh ; to obtain which, tfafy frequent- ly run the! rifk of being ftaryed in their way thither or ^ct ; andall they can "^offiW^ prc3(f lire for their year's labour, feldom amounts ta more than i^fiiffici- ent to yield a bare fut^encc till the ^ rteturn of the le^n ; Mrhtle fiiich as^ are defpifed for their indolence pi* want of Ipirit, geiwrally live in a fti^e of pl^ty ; and confequOTtIf muft^^ b^ o^ and moft indepet^daiit allii^ ^ fore i$ at once the gre^teft ph||i^pher and the wifeft man,^ who^ lives for hi in- Hearne's Joufney, 15 ielf, his family, and friends ; and laughs^ at the inadnlfs of ambition, and the s' of a name. w Having flopped a night in cottipany with ttre Indiana whom they found on th^ Pike Lake, they began croffiiig the remaiirder of it next morning ; but thotigh the weather was finie, and the whble bitadth not more than twenty^^ feven miles, the Indians were fo full dF play, that they were upwar4£^ of twodayk before they reached the %eft fide of it. On the 8th of March^ they lay near a place called Black Bear Hill, where they killedi two deer ; and next day they had fuch fine pleafant weather, as gave them the prelude of fpring though little thaw ^as yet vifible. On tl^ % 9th, they few the track of vet^^ ftVangers; ana on the fubfequejttf^ ly came up to five tents of nortfiici^ Indians, who had iftffided tHiere ^nitt plrt of ^ winter, i^aring deer. At tlri^ place a ftci^ came on whiieh raged "^h lU<^h viol«ii<^j| that t^ef ^^(^ ndt move fbrlevipi|l%^ 0#th(!f tftdiansf they had^Mi in witfa^ 1 6 Hearne*^ Journey. were proceeding to Fort Prince Wales> IV^r^ Hearn^^n^braced tte opportunity oir fending a letter by them to the chief, I 1 to acquaint him with his progrefs^ The I I . latit^d^here was cakulat^to b^#i deg* 30 if^in^. north, longitude about 19 deg. 50 min« weft of Churchill River. The weather becoming fair and tem- perate on the a3dt they again purfued c|^ir way, and on that ai{il the fucceed- iag days, they f^U in with feveral In- dians, fom$ of whom b^ng acquaint- ances of the painty, joined compai^y. Continuing to rtiape thei%courfe to t|ie we^- ward, on the 8th of April,, they 2irrive4 at aiake called Little Fi& Hill, an^ pitched thf it t<^i|ts on an ifland in it. Here the Indians fin#ig deer very nu- ilifrous^ detertn^in^ to ftay foni^ time, ^l|Md to lay in a ftock of portable provi- ^^\ becaufe, from the feafbn of the J^^^ they were aware, that their game would foon quit the the covert of the ^qd« for thi barren groonds. ^ At fhis time the ps^ty^d iiit^confift of ieis tj|)ail|leventy perlcms, wild wqje lo%^ in f(|V||i tents! For tc;A days the hui \nhy 'be teg. leg. Heartiest Jliifney. f; hunting went on brilkly , and having procured an adequaie-fupply of dried {lores, they again fei off on the i8th of Apfil.» After travelKhg about ten miles; they came to a tent of Indians, near the 'Jhelewey -aza River. From t hefc peo- |>le Matonabbee purchafed another wife, tHoogh he had fix before ; and mbft'0f them of the fi2e of grenadiers. Indeed the chief pride of ^aft Indian is to have av vifih of ftreiirgtb rather than l)eauty i {omn> a country like • tbi6, where a part- ner, able to endure hard Is^bour, is th^ chief motive fcii? the union, and the at- tachment of Tex a fecondary objeft, this preference of choice is not :o be wonder- ed at. . ; v :^' '-' : •; ■-'■^' In general, the women here are far from being >olyfe£l8 of *ttraftion^ thtrfeure afew, when young, that^te |6^i quit« deftitiite of ptefrfoftai charing Mifd labour, however^ hard fare;/ axifcd a rigc>toiifii climate, ibon rendet^^h(|li^ wriimi|% and th^ have^ aU thfe ^ri^iiril of decripitiite beroce they afentliirty. 1 8 Heanii^l Journey. But this does ucft render tbem lefs d^r ^nd-Valuabld to tl^i owners, j>ravided their ftrenigth riemtins ; aad a woman Viho can carry eight or ten (tone weight in fumnier,, or drag a much greater weight in winter, is fute of ahufband, whatever her perfon niay be. A$ for good teo^per aiiid ft^ental i accompliih-^ tnei^ts, of Jo much conlequenceinpolifh* cd fociety^ and witbout which the con- jugal union muft be a ftate of mifery, it is nere of little valne. The men have a wonderful facility in rtiaking the moft ftubborn/comply , w itjh as much prompti- tude as the moft willing ;: the command is given, and it muft be; obeyed. Women indeed are kept at a very great diftance.1 They perform the mod laborious offiqesi;; atid yiftt the meaneft iliprle in the faflciily mvM be fatisfied be- fojj^jwife or daugfeter k periintted to tafte j^*^it i ahd in idirtjes of fcarcity^ they Irequcntly go without^ fingld inorfti J^di^ld they attempt to fervethemfelves in i^ it njiulfc \^d(M€ wi^- great caution, ^s a ide^teOdon -Would fiaribjeft them to a bfeating atlcaft. Indeed, an Hfurnei* Journey. 19 embezzlement 6fpr9Vifioi^ipK>uld be a Uo%M their |!hafaa»r wblcfe ijt, :w<»uld be (iiffieultiQ^afer. • , As tbe viciniiy qF THeIe:wi|^iaj?a River a^rd^ pleaty of go(||- bi^^K they hal^i^lieFfi' feveral day? tjj (^ plete: tlM^ 1»»oo(|i wprk for the cjyiu^m, andfjother neCeffary purpofes.r C^%|tH« aofh, a brothi^ i)f the tadHih,'guidQ, and foine . others t^ere feot forward vtp |j finali lake, naiped Clpwey, to bufld ji can?d JOf the parents^ or ifome pf thdr fteaareftir^ ktipiMt iBj^s have varioiw appelJjktio|>$, gjppi^r|Jly derived from pUqe, fo^ awmal f bf^ tie namer#i^^^^l^^^ chiei^ tals^ mmJfxm part pi; 0qiJ# ' ir^' ■" i;*: '"A .■• . ♦ ^J^i ':■ -H '■ ^f" ed |t^;^'i^:heai|orth^'|!J3^ w«;i»';'ten:' ' :^i$?j^-m&^^0s£^ Is^five mile? Igi4^ M^:M -•fe /«y?*. *<»?■»- ^' K-iuii; iv thfcJtj3^iSl*'Biii*^ P} i 'it ..K i 20 il»arnc'i Jtmtnty. ©n theJr^trivilitt Ct© (i lakft^^ boti* fwdv^niifes ov*r>*fee 3d of M^ thcj|lQ cap*Mh*$ brother artd afeaa*^1iad diftflfntfcd tbem three dijii^ Jflere they Were j^fted by fever- ^1 il^bs from drflferent itjuarcer8, all \^{ifef^ intent of buildibg their canoes It \<^a»^ )^^ lon^iig to Mr. H^ party w^e readyi 'fthiefe velfels ariglSeceffarily very Hight and fimple ia their coii|truaidn, 2^h (biWctimea requifiie%> ciirry them ;tfidi| thiSapi one hundred imiles. Tbeii; chieliife^fc^to croft lakes ai>d uh&rd- ^bl^ti^ef 8 J ^et ilhe i^ } ibr in; ^^iister^ both laiiciiiit wifttr aV one foi^ %aft. /^Jbe fe^Maft o 0^ WiSm fc a^^wl 5 ^yet the we things with hi« own hand. The eVietiiiig of the 24th of May, the weather wa* exceffiveiy bad^ accompa- nied v^th violent thunder and lightning. Nekt^tnorning, however, thfe wind veer- ing about ^ it became intenfely cold and frofty, which miit^ impeded their pro- grtfei^^^^^ (p^ ccHlntry over w hich they lil^eiNe^, Po^9 %as quite barren, and if^tedt^ ftumps of tr^es^^ 0n the 27th, refuming their journey^ they^^aped J^^ twelve miles to the ii^hiiNt^, on the ice of a finals river ti«i| fe#i«to PefteW Lake. Se^ijg a iVti^e%9l^^ to sin ^1^ in that lake, and theti pitci ed in] i^;** " <> H^fkrneS Journey. 23 ed their tents with an intention of wait- ing the approach of Captaiii j^eelihies. In the night, one of Matpnatxbee^s wives and another women e|oped ; and it was liippofed they liad goi^e to r^i}i their formerrhuibands, frorn w^qm they had feme, time before^ been taHen by force. The chief was almoil iticonfoK able for the lofs of his wi£^ j^oiigh he h^ad ftill fix remaining. Indeed ^ Teems ihe was by far the handfomefl: of his flock, and pofTefied every valuable and engaging quality to be fo^nd in^ an In- dian. She appeared, howevei^^ unhap- py with Matonabbee; and probably pre- ferred being the fol^ \yifif^/f^f;a: young fellow of lefs note, than tpfliara the divided aflfedion of the greatell nian of the country^ ^ Time immemorial, it hasrbeenH cuf- tom among thofe peo{>le to wri^le jF^ the woman to whom they are attached ; and of courfe, the ftrongeit carries off the prize. Indeed without a confider- able ffiiare of bodily ftrength^ or fome natural or acquired confequence, it i& icldbni permitted to keep a wife; whom 'W 24 Uiiair ne^s Jahrtie^. a ft]r9tigertii^ thinks vbrth his notice^ or w^dthSif wants to alfiffi in carrying hii^^gobd^i Tills feVage and unnittiral cuftbtn jn^i^tailf ]flfkin^h their tribesj and e^ate? iaf fpirit 6f ^ttlath^ am^^g ^th't<> ||^iii^i(h theipM gym- ii^l^ir ^^ tQ Enable them to protjdE^ P^f wves and propei-ty. TThe lifjii^ which they tear the lirbi^lp^ttHife^^ o- their^ nWii ip ri^ch by fighting as by hauling' cad& Vther by the hair r^ thfe head^^ SMdoriqi any hurt i^ done in thofe Tenctttintefs*? ipfefore the tonteft begins, it is ilbt lih^fusfl ftii^ or both of the combatants to cut of his hair, and to greafe his (e^rs iii private. If one only is ihorn^ though he be the weakei): tnan^ l>^ g#l^fly obtains the viftory; fothat it is etrideni, addrefs Will e? er exceed m^^3is ncift ifcle to wreftle wi|h the fcli;lftiant; he was ex- alp^ated at the trick put upon him ; howevert after fomelipurs fquabbling, the prefents "were produced, atid the But thisihdignjtyhfet could notbrook; he threatened to renounce his country- men, and^tojoin the Athapufco Indians, 28 Hearne's Joumi?v*r with whofe chiefs he was well acquaint-, ed ; and from whom he faid he had al- ways met with more civility than from his ^ own people. Had thi^ refolution been carried into effefl;, there would have been an end of the expedition to the Copper-Mine Riyer; fortbeAtha- piifco cpuiitry lies in a different direc- tion. ^ , I ] Alamred witti »he profpefl^f a tl^ird, failure, though under' no jj^^^prehenfiQa of pfcrlbnal &ty, Mr. I|earne wjiited with anxiety till he thought the paflioa of the chief had a little abated j^ and then by foochiiig^ language, by the ar- gun>6nts of duty, intereft and fidelity to the Hu4ibn*s Bay Company, he urg- ed hin(i not to abandon an expedition whicl^ could not be carried on without him, and for conducing ^hich to a for- tunate iffue, he might gxpeft not only favour, but rewatdv Rage at laft fVtfided, ; ^nd the chief, though la^i^e iii^ltljie afternoon, or^iered his^ crew to adya^ce, and after walking fome miles tbey put up on another ifl- and in Pefbew Lake. ■7' Heartie's Jdiiih^^ 29 ivjnfi got lo the ndrtU fide of this !Q|»;1^39th» every ari^ng^ wjsis ipjiiSe /or tjtcuitatingv t he execution pf thj^ j^flai^. Mc[ft of tliewbmeii and cl)y|^r|?tt fe^ l^ft under the care of lc)nife IM^ vii^ ord^s to proceed Wih^ noftb^jird at their leiiure, arid to wait iKe rfetirii 6f the party ftom the ^|t W|ve$ with him, ^^1^^ Drcre lightly lad||| a^ indeed, it ^as agreed on: at^Ho one in Iriore aiitlrtinitidni or jbthef articles, caifiipiji: ■■;';■ . '/' ■; ,: ^ ' -' Irtie Women c!Xprefled g^ f^TJf^T^ at paring, atid th^ c|i^f 1^ 6|^gea tp^ trfe ail hfs authoiity to keep Ma^^^ were nioft pttebus, as long as they were within hearing ; whil^ tHemdians walk- ed on With a gay ifed|8y^ce, fci^^ thjlnking pip thpie thiey I^ jS^hjindj or Cfittfiiibg their whtlle V^gl^ younget children. I 9 3).*i. 30 K^earncj*^ Journey* tljait they ia^ as^eft tp;^aiii:^ot hiiiif 1>^ night as by day. Hqi^ they found a feW kk cjijiefly ! lubfifted op ^p^r dried mxJv^ \t ihcHild bavp b^en pblJer^^, that a iaup(ib^r<)f lJ!^4ip? JP^^®^ ih^P^ ?^t CIq- to thp C|G©gejb^^ tberjol^ie^ ihajt fo iiiurder tjb^g Efqiill isaiix^^whp^ they jo^ ed that riy^ |n cbrifider al^ liuilfibers. Tthis horrid fc^^^ it feems, was uni- verlally approved of, and evfefy ittan eqtjfipped hl^^ ;s^^ \ targef, be|bife h^4^ft ^ #0q^^ a|<31oweyr %1^ iel|^; wl^ the -M^Jfiifen^ and ^ phiJcJren ^«|€f e lift, only fi^ v<)lun ^;.;t^ Wud^ly fiaid -xiM their ^?pi§aMfjw^ ^^^Jc)(^l^ 51s Mr. paarne ;was a^riz- ^^1 t|^^a^^ iptfnt|0% o^ humaie c^j^ft prin- «;^ ciples, s|i#: therefore he M |kut€^ them to tK^^sm^ >i ,tN ''>•»■■. S i.^ ^ lntj|ir- e|[^^^ ^ ufelefe ettctWjl:^at*aiii:e briciwle df dfe!^ great fpce(lj;%iit,o%% the badneft of j:lie wdri^^ IS #^^ the middle of June before th^yrteached the latitude of 67 die^, Jo miiif In their way thither, they crdfled lev^ral lakes on the ice :^and; in fome creeks and rit^ei^ thfey cii^ghta^ i^. I)^er were fb plentiiiJ^^ killed numbers merely fcir the laf^ mar- row an^ tongues j nor was it pi^i^^ to ^ "i^l iM' ■\ V* , , .»,,..'. M. w^ Hearne's Journey. **ir^ 32 mdk&ihmj^^ fropitjf^ wee ile^t^<^ #f idle [i^Mir^a^^ Tfeey or 5>tlii5|:,Mm<^ iJi^o|^e lf5|fo^ n(!^(^^^fpa)fe^ them £catcllyito n^ ^ it, ^i|ch ||is th^^^^l^^ (fifilh Views of|»f f^^I^I^ atcideft^Wteol 4c^a|ici and wfw| a^ iMiitt^b^ means of no more t|ifHft a precaii^ , Hav«^ppe4 Gbg^ pn the itoth of Jjine, on tb^e|^^ Hearne's Journey:., 33 Matonabbee, and many of his country- men, were p6rfonably acquainted with moft of thofe tlopper Indians; and their meeting was highly gre?itful to both parties. A feaft of dried meat and fat was prepared, and Mcrtonabbiee and his friends were invited to partake of it. The Copper Indians beihg made ac- quainted with the objeft of the preferit journey, highly approved 6f it^andeyen* offered their affiftance, pai^icularly in lending their canoes, which they faid would be v^ry ujfeful durinjj the remain- der of the journey • Our aqthor, accord- ing to his ixirfraiabns; fmokfed th^ calu- met of peace %ith the principal of the Copper Ihdian^^yi^o Was d?Kgh the profpeft of a fettlertient iq his cgun-' try : and feem^d td thii^ ttfei^e €6?ufd be no i^pediitteiit prevent itj for thoi;gh he acknowledged that he had n^verfeen the fea clear of ice at tlie itiouth of the* Copper River, yet it did not occur to hin]t,^ that this itiuft prgvfeht flifps fronji approaching their territbrifeSj^ Tilje whole party of th^ Copper In- dians, notwithft^nding they 'ligid never 34 Hearne's Journey. feen an Englifliman before, were ex- irepely qiviland obliging; our travel- ler made them a prefent of fome fuch :irticle& as he had, to conciliate their af- JcAiou the mor^ They pronounced liim to he a perfeft human being, ex- cept in the colour of his hair and ey^s ; the former they faid was like the ftain- cd hair of a buffaloe's#ail ; and the lat- ter like thofe of a gull.^ The^whitenefs of bis flpp they thought no ornament ; and compared it tp Aefli iodci J^hpl> he epn)fc?4lii$ head, they ^^{ked fof the Iiaits that came off, which iheY. (^m^ up? faying, ^' when J lee yoq 'ag&in, you (hall fee fhis/' Ijepc^ it feein$, that among the qivilized and unciviliiWr i1^^ is reg^rdpd ^^s ai: proof of afleftion, or as a memoTijil ■. of fri^n^lhip. jyjjttonafebee now difpatched his bro- ther and feveral Copper Indiians, to Cop- per-l^jn^ River, to anhounce the ar- rivaV of the ftr^pgers, and the objefts they had in view ; an4 that they njight fcarneT \ lel- Ich if. led meet with a more welcome reception, tobacco and otheir trifling articles were: were fent by the feme conveyance, to be diftributed in prefents. As it wa^ rfefolved on to leave all fhe women at thi^ place, and to proceed to the Copper-Mine kiver without then:^,^ it was neceffary to continue here a few days to kill deer fafficient for their fup- port, during the period of abfepce. Though game was tnoft abundant, ib large was th^ daily confumption, that it was fome time before they could pro- cure adequate fupply for the Woinl^ and for th^emfelvfes* Meat^ cut in thin ; flices and dried, is not only very por- Vtable biit palatable ; and, with ihte t;o ^ir it during the hot weather, will keep for a year without injury. Notwiihftanding the hofpitable man- ner in w^hich the Copper Indians be- haved, in fpite of Matonabbee's exer- tions, fome of liis party .made Aec v. ::h their young women, clothes and bows j a circuiftllance very diftrefling lo oVrr author. The chief, indeed, did not feeru to think there was much harm in mono- /^ 36- [earne's Journey. polizing the women; but he endeavour? ed to reprefs the depredations of his fol- lowers on other kinds of property, with- out making a due equivalent* That a plurality of wives ihould be the univer&l cuflom among thefe tribes, is not much to be wondered at, when it is cbnfidered that they are the greateft travellers on earth ; and as they have neither beaft of burden or water car- riage, every good hunter is under the neceffity of having perfons to carry his furs to market ; and none are fo well adapted for this work as ](hp women, who are inured to carry and haul heavy goods from their very child- hood ; {o that he who is capable of pro- viding for three, four, or more women, Js, compara^vely fpeaking, a great man. Jealoufies however fometimes appear a- mong them, notwithftandxng habit has familiarized them to their iituation ; but as the huiband is always arbitrator, the difpiites are fdon fettled, and fub- ^miflion tnuft be paid to his commands. The northern Indian women are the ,niilde|; and a^pft yirtijous of. the North men ous, hufb; othci brinj trar> men and oftl bou dec froi fee 'Hearne*s Journey. 37 American natives ; while the foutherii Indian females are remarkable^' for the diffolutenefs and indecency of their manners. In faft, they are fo far from laying any reftraints on the appetites and paflions, that they indulge them- felves in all the groflhefs of fenfuality, and even of inceftuous debauchery. No accomplilhments whatever, in man, can conciliate their afFeftions, or pre- ferve their chaftity, But though the northern Indian wo- men are incomparably the moft virtu- ous, it is np unufual thing for their hufbands t6 exchange beds with each other for a night. This, however, brings no difgrace; but, on the Jbn- trary, isconfidered as the ftronj^eft ce-~ ment of friendfliip between families; and in each cgfe of the death of either of the ihen, th.^ other tMnk*i himfelf V bound to fupport the^diulilten of deceafed, and is never laii^^n to iwerve • from the duty of a parent. Thus we fee how nearly virtfifee^ and vices are, m ./i^i. VF '^^': D V ■ j i"t' ' ■t ■ A- ■' i '.ri l■•^-^' \ > "t .'1. ■•»'• 38 Hearne's Journey. Though the northern Indians make] no fcrttple of having two or three fillers jFor wives at the fame time ; yet they are very particular jnobferving a pro- per diftance in the cbnfenguinity of thofe whom they adtnit to their beds. Thefouthern Indians, however^ follow the moft inceftyous pradiees, without| any fenle of impropriety* ^' J By the ^ft of July, they were ready 10] proceed on their journey ; and having deterEniHed the latitude of CongecBtha- ^hachaga to be 68 deg. 46 min, north, ^dlong^ 118 deg, 15 inin, weft, from l.ondqn, they fet out. Atfirft the wea- rther was extremely unpropijious, and lley made little progreft/ * Nfext morning feveral of tbe. vjciltnb.t teers deferted them, being quite fickof? the hardfhip^ they endured* For (QiVi4 days they I^not^been a moment ;di}y^r ^veu at night, the water .wa^ qonft;^^ dropping from the rocfes that hro^ipiri^ them, and formed their fole fli^tie'r fromi th^^nckmenc;^ of tli(5 Weath^t^ iEx^q^^^^ to Hgbttheir pl|>es, it w^t impoffibl^iip^: kindle any .fire. n , ' ,■',■' ,- .. . ■■'■■■ .J «'N #' i ';"'| 40' Hearne's Journey. i Early on the morning of the 7 th, they crawled from their receffes, and as the fun was hot, it foon melted the recent fnow ; and towards night they reached Mtfflt Ox Lake, fo (tailed from the num. ber of thofe animals they found on its xnargiri. The Indians killed feveral of theme ; but ai the flefli was lean, th^y on^ ly Itripped th^ 'bulls for the fake of theirv This was the firft time they had feen ally of thofie anitnals, fince they left the fal^y. In the Ki^h latitudes, how- ever, many herds or them may be feen ift tl^ courfe of a Say's walk. The num* b^r of btills is very fmall in proportion to^pit of covi^ } fo that there is every realbn to belieire they kill each other. They delight in the moft ftony and mdtilltftinolispatt^ of thebii^ ground, ^IW^gh of confiderable magnitude, axwif pi)iretitly little iadapted for agility, tfiey tlimb the rocks with the facility of ^tSjSnd like theriijtoo^ feed on every ■ Irtg^ mofs, herbage, orteowfe. The muik o3t, when full grown, is. about the ordinary fize of EnglifhblacI; Hearne's Journey^ 41 cattle ; but their legs are fliorter and thicker. The tail is (hort, and always bent inwards,,fo that it is entirely hid m the long hair of the rump und hind quarters. The hunch on the llioulders is not very prominent; t]ie hair^ on fome parts is very long, |>articularly on the bulls, under the throat, where it ap- pears like a horfe's mane inverted, and ^^'ves the animal a very formidable ap- pearance. It is of this hair that the Efquiniaux make their muiketto wigs. Towards the approach of winter, they are provided with a fine thick wool, or fur, which grows at the root of the long hair, and fliields. them from the intenfe cold vl that feafon, in this dreary clim- ate -fhis covering of nature falls off and inimediately a new one begins to appear. The flefh of the muflc ox refembles that of the moofe or elk ; the fat is a clear white, flightly tinged with azure. i/I e calves and young heifers are good ' eating J but the flefli of the bulls fmells and talies fo ftrong of muflvj that: it is al- 42 Hearrie's Journey. moft intolerable. Even the knife that cuts the flefti of an old bull, will fmeU fo ftrong, that nothing but fcowering it can remove the fcent. The organs of generj^tion, however, and parts ad- jacent, are moft ftrongly impregnated. The weather being fine and moder- ate on the 8th, they walked s^outeightr tctn or twenty u ;s, apd nieeting with fome deer, they kindled> fire, and made a better and m(s)re comfortable meal than they had done fpr a week. Their clothes too were no)^ dried by the fun and wind, and they Ifelr thertilelves in paradife, compared v^ith tMr %t^ fitu-! ation. That night they lay near Bear Griz^ zledHill, which takes its n«ime from the number of thofc animals tha| retire hither to bring forth their young in a cave. Our author having heard fo much of thisfpot, lie had the ciiriofity to view it. He tbund nothing, however^ to re- ward his labour, but a tumiilus of loamy earth, in the middle of a marfli, There are feveriil little hills df tlie fame kind} w Hearne*s Journey, 43 but the higheft is not more than twenty feet above the level of the ground. On the fide of Grizzled Bear Hill is a large cave, which penetrates a con* (iderable way into the rocic, and may probably have been thq labdur of the bears, which have maefenumerous deep furrows in fearch 6f ground-fquirrels - and mice, .which conftitute a favourite part of their food. The weather beintg very favourable on the 9th, tltey walked a great num- l^pr of miles, and by the way faw plenty of degr and ntuflc txxen. Next day, a- bout nooil) it becamtfTo hot and fuhry, that walking was (Juite irkfome ; they- therefoj-e put up on the top of a high iiill, and tis the mofs was then dry, they lighted a fire, and virould have bfeen (^gmfortable in oth^r refpefts, had not the mofehettoes fturig them in thei^oft intolerable manner. The fiibfSequent day was alio very Ailtify. After walking ^l>out ten miles, they f^ll in with a iibrthern Indian lead- p, named oy-Eye, an^ 'jh^i^ jpsimily, in company with fcveralCoppMwians, 44 Heatne's Journey. killing deer 'with boWs, arrows, and fpears* Mr. Hearne finoked his calumet with thefe ftrangers, and found thera itiuch lefs fociable than tneir country- raen, whoni he had formerly feen ; for though they h^^ plenty ^f proVifion?, they would not part with; a mouthful ; but oti the coirtraliy trie^ to rob and plunder them of every thing. The 1 2th was fo Mtrf^ ^at they did not move; but early ne3^tin6rning|hey fet out forward, in h6pfes of reacning Copper-Mine River that day. IJbwever, having mounted a long chain of hills, at the foot of which thejjr were tMd the river ran, they found it to be no tnore than a branch of it, which Ml into the main ftream abo^it forty mifes from it$ influx into the fea. T^^ ; '^^ At this time all the Copper Indians were diipatehed different ways^ fo that none of them knew ^he neareft road^ Piifeftfrtg their qoiiffe, however, by the fide of this riyul^t^ in hdpes of conithg 10 the maih ftream^ they fell in l;^ithfe ^V^ral fine buck deer J v^Mch and feaft^d bn with^ ^reat glee Hearne's Journey, 45 After regaling themfe^ves, and tak- ing, a few hours reft, they once mor^ fet forward, and after walking albout ten miles, they arrived at the long-wifh- for fpot^ the Gopper-Mine; River. Sqarcely lm4 tn^ «itrived herCj when they were joined by fiUr of the natives with tlyo canoes. They hadieeaall the Indians who had ten fen t to announce their a^prQ4p,h, except Matonabbee's brother and p^^ty, who had fet out firft, Mri Hearpe was not only iurprifed^ b^it mortified, to find^ the^ river |o very diperpnr firom^he del^ of it given at the fa^rjs^ f^ J#ftead of being navir gablefor fliippingy a-s b ad been r-^preftnt^ ed, it \!^u|4 fearcjeily^^ fwin<^ an Indian canoe j being every^iere full of fhosjs and frequent fells^. _ |^ ^. Near the edge of tti^ ft ream,? which inigh| be about one hundrjed and ^hty yards fcitoad, were fomp kinds ofiyood; but thoi^gh it f^emed to h^ve been more gleniiful fbrnierly^ there wa^ very lit^ in the vicinity, and none fit for any JN^ ihei |^ur|a%thi^ u f ^■ \ \ Pa l-.V' \ 46 Kearneys Jouriiiey. Soon after their arrival , three Indi- ans were difpatched to look out for any Ifquimaux who might be on the banks of the rivei- ;>and every precaution was taken to prevent an alarm, that the deftined viftiim might foil into their bttids without iii|>preh«i^fi6m ( On ike morniiig bf the 1 5th df J nly ; Mr* Hi^arne begaii his ftirvcy ceeded d^wn the rivei*,;w^i<::h w eve^^ tf wh^rfe^ folt of fealtf ^ind^in^fo )plme^ tftftjy contra ... ' der cover of the bank, they appi^oacfi- ed the other tents, where the Efqai- maux, thinking probably they were gone^ had returned, and were bufy in tying tifJ bundles* Thefewere feizedj but the owners fortunately efcaped a-^ gain in their canoes, except one otA man, who wa$ tre than about fix or feven pounds weight; bijtthfirhuni^ were almoft incredible^ and equal to any thing re- lated of the fhoals in Kamfchatka, Iwleed the Efquimaux have fcarcely any other means of fubfiftence than Ml. V After having plundered the fecond encampment, thq, northern Indians threw the tents intd the river, and de- ftroyed a large ftock of provifi^)ij|, merely from the infernal I'atisfaiaon of doing all the mifchief in their p^w^ er to the unhappy Ef(]uimaux, whti were^ ftanding i^po; a diftant flioal, the woful ipeftators oif their lofs. Pearne's Journey, 55 This bufinefs being completed, they refrefhed themfelves ; and iLea told Mr.^Heame, that they were again rea^ dy to affift him in the furvey. He there- fore inftantly fet about it, and purfued it to the mouth of the river, which j^as in every part fo full of fhoals and falls, as not to be navigiible even by a boat. The tide happened to be out, and a bar evidently obftrufted the very en- trance of the ftream. At the eftuary of the river, the iea is fuU of Mandsand fhoals, as far as the telefcope cail reach. The ice, though it was the 17th of Ju- ly, was only partiaMy broken up round the Chores^ Finding, after all his labour, that this river was unfit for being the chan- nel of any commercial intercourfe j and a thick fog and drizzling rain coming on, he did not wait to take an exafl: obfervation for determining the bljitude, but immediately fet out with his attendants, on his return to the fiDuthward. . . However, before we proeeeul, it ii»4 he proper to give a more particular 1/ 56. Hearne*s Jcjriirisey. aceaunt of the river and tht Goiiritry adjacent, Befidels fome ftun^ted pines, there are tufts of dwarf willows on the banks, plenty o( what is called wifii^ acuoipucky, fome jackafheypuck, and a few cranberries atid heathberry biifli- es ; b^t not the leail appestrance of a- liy Iruit. JEven this Icanty vegetation decreafes as the riyer approaches the lea ; and for the laft thirty miles, no- . thing^is to be feeri but barren hills and maribes, fome patches of herbage, and at the lip^ fine icurvy- grals. '^ The general direction of the river is nearly north by eaft, and its breadth varies fiforti twenty to four or five hun- dred yards. The banks are generally a foiid rock ; both fides of which cor- reipon4, and furnilh an irrefragable prooft^that the channel was formed by fome violent convulfion of nature. Some of the Indians pretend thai die Gopper-Mine River takes its rife from the north fide of Large White StonqLjdte, which is diftftnt three hun- dred miles in a (traight line J but our 5? .■"«■ , Ife^irne's Journi^jr. 57 author cannot think that its fource is fo remote, othierwife he conceives its . volume muft fe^ infinitely greater than It IS. S The Efquimaux, who refide on this j river, are rather low in ftature, and 4-.'/ ' ' ■ ' ,, - ' r^ though thick Jet ^ are neither well made j nor ftrong. Their /Complexion is a dir- ty copper colour, though fome of the women lare more fair. Their drefs re- fembles that ^Stbe Greenlanders in Davis's Str^iigl^- except that the wo^ men's boots ar# not ftiffened out with whalebone, and-tbe tails of their jack-^ ets are much fcorttr. "" Their arms and filhing tackle exact- ly refemble thofe of their nation in Hudfon's Straights, but for want of edge-tools, are inferior in workman- fhip. .5l^heir tents are rnade of parchment d^rikins in the hair^ and are pitched in- a circular fbrni.1^^ winter, nowe^ ver, they have huts half underground, rifing and pointed like a cone : thefe are always erefled in, the moil Ihelter* ed fituations. '-■:m ■^ . 1*. ,'r\.-.v t'*' 58 Heartje's Journey, Their domeftic utenfils confiit of ftone kettles and wooden troughs ; diflies, fcoops, and fpoons made of the horn^ of the mufk ox. Some of their kettles are capable of containing five or fix gallons, and are hollowed outin the form of an oblopg Iquarc^ withiiQ other inftrument than a harder ftone to work with. Their hatchets are made of a thick lump of copper, aBout:||ye or fix inch- es long, and aboui t!«^^inclies Iquare, bevelled away like at mortice-chiffel, with a handle about a foot,^ or more, in length. Neither the weight nor the fearpnefs will admit of the tool being ufed with much fuccefs by itfelf, and therefore it is generally applied to the wood like a chiffel^ and driven in with a heavy club. The ipe^r^ and knives are alfo i^^e of copper^ and afliong the Ipoils of twelve tents, only two fmall piec# of iron were found. j Thefe people had a fine breeds df dogs, with fharp ereft ears, fharptiofts and bufhy tails. They were all tied to Hearne*s Journey. 59 ftones, probably to prevent them from eatjng the fifli that was fpread out to dry on the rocks. The Indians did not meddle with thofe animals ; but after they had retired, lamented they had not brought off fome of them for ufe. Though there appeared fcarcely aliy diflference between thefe people and the natives of Hudfon*s Bay, in their ge- neral appearance and domeftic econor my, yet as the former had all the hair of their head§ pulled out by the roots, they mighr fet%ly ht pronounced of a diflPerent tribe. Near this mouth of the*Copper-Mine River they faw many feals on the ice, and flocks of marine fowls flying a- bcut the fliores. In the adjacent pool§ were alfo fvvans and geefe in a moulting fl:ate, and in the marfliesfome curlews and plovers. 7j^hat the muflc oxen, deer,ibwears, i^^ves, foxes, alpine hares, ^ntf %^ri- ous other quadrupeds, are the conftant denizens of this coaft, is a h&: that may be dependrd on, Mr. Hearne did not fpe any bird peculiar to thofe parts, 6o Hearne's Journey* except what the Copper Indians call the Alarm Bird. I ^appears to be of the^E>wi genus ; and'its name is faid to be well adapted to ks qualities. When it defcries either man or bead, it di. refts its flight towards them, and ho- vering over them, forms gyra(:ions round their head* Should two objefts at once arreft their attention, they fly from the one to the other alternately^ making a loud fcreapriing, like ^he cry- ing of a child. In thi^ manner they will follow travellers a whole day. The Copper Indians have a great value for thefe birds, as they frequent- ly indicate the approach of ftrangers, or conduft them to the herds of deer and muflc oxen, which, without fuch afliftance, they might poffibly mifs. Unfortunately, however, for the Ef- quimaux, they do not feem to place the filne faith in the alarm bird. d[f they had, they muft neceflarily have been apprized of the approach of the northern Indians, a§ all the time they lay in ambufli, before the maflacre be- giiil, a flock of them was continually fl^-^'i. Hearne's Journey. 6 1 flying about, and alternately hovering over the tents of the affailaiits. 4. But to return. Having walked abom thirty 'miles foil th eaftward of the ri- verv they came to one of the copper mines, if it deferves that appellation. It is no more than a jumble pf rocks and gravel, which have been rent by an earthquake, and through which rolls a fmall ftreatii- The Indians, whofe partial accounts gave rife to this expedition, reprefeiit- ed the mine as fo immenfely rich, that a fhip might be ballafled^with the ore inftead of ftoiie, with perfed facility ; and that the hills were entirely com* pofed of that metal, all in portaole lumps. After a fearch of four hours, however. Mi learne and his attend- ants could find only one piece of cop- per of any fize, and that did not weigh more than four pounds. Yet it feems probable, that this metal has formerly in much greater plenty, as the s and ftones are every where ting- wJith A^er digrea^. , ^ ^^ r3 mm m m Iv. - • 62 ' Hearne's Journey. , There is a fingular tradition among the natives, that a woman firft difco- vered thofe mines, and that (he con- duced her countrymen to the fpot for feveral years fucceffively ; but as ^fome of them attempted to behave rudely to her, ihe made a vow of revenge, and being a great conjurer, ihe put it in etfeft. When the men had loaded themfelves with copper, fhe refufed to return ; and faid flie would fit on the mine till fhe funk into the ground with all the copper. Next year, when the men went for their annual fupply, fhe had funk down to ,the waift, though flill alive, and the copper w^as vaftly di- miniflied ; and on their repeating their vifit thp following year, fhe had quite difappeared, and all the principal part of the mine with her; fo that after that period, nothing remained on the fur- face but a few fmall pieces.* * In this tradliiprji the circumftances of the copper mines appear to be liigenioufly veiled A i iirfti large JUnips of metal wer^ fot»nd on the fnrface of the e^rth ; by degrets that was carri- ed jiway ; and afterwards none was to be had| Hearne's Journey. 6^ Before Churchill River was fettled b]^ the Hudfon's Bay Company, the northern Indians had very little iron work among them : alnioft every im- plement was made of copper ; and to thi&ipot they annually reforted, till this metal began to fail, and they found other refources, of a fuperior kind. Yer to this day, the Copper Indians prefer their native ore for almoft eve- ry ufe, texcept that of the hatchet, the knife, and the awl. . ]rhe Cojiper and Dog^-ribbed Indi- ans^ lying fo remote froni the faftory, generally ufe the intehnediate tribes as brokers or chapmen ; and in confe-^' quence pay very dearly for every Eu- ropean article they ftand in need of. Several^tlempts, it feems> have been made to i^iduce thofe diftant nations to traffic iinme4iately wkh the Huclfon's Bay Compactly, at the fort ; b^tlhdugh '. ,: r-':^'Sm '•" ' ■' '■ ' . ' "'■■' ' ^ ' '■ except «%' 'digging in the bowels of the earth. Fron^ vaui|>amhor'8. defcription, tliere le Wtths, doi|blt feMl.fnatuhere are rich njJFies to be founil- he^C ; buV of what ufe would they be, wh,^p tht5fe%1iHJ-mci^ of conveyance for the ore ? '' -H ^4 Hearne's Journey; liberal prefents have been given to thofe ^who had the refolution to venture fo far, both for theuifelves and their chiefs, the northern Indians haite con- ftantly piunderied then^ of every^ithing, before th^y could reach their homes. This hard tr^tment, added to the ma^ ny inconven]^ces that attend fo long a journey^ are great obftacles in their yay, and will ever prevent a , direft and regular qommunication between the Englifli and them. ' Soon aft^r they left the coppey niine, ^ thic^ fpgt with rain, and at intervals, heavy; fhQwers of foow, came on. This kiftd of weather continued for fome days, ^n«d rendered t|iar pro- grefs very flow and unpleafanjt. : Early on the morning of the 2 2d of July, they were qvertaken by Maton- abbee's brother and a Copp^ Indian. They had vifited the Copper River, but met with no remarkable incident ; and ohferving fignals, which had bieen Uft fbk- their return, thev had tratVpl^ |ai one hundred niileij li^thdiit ' Wp- jaflg. The ^hdle patty impj?4iately fet ou wards Th« fultry delay fuch ] the 2 whac left? foun( and ' O ward med whe agai the befd the Th| ear car Go pe ha Kearneys Journey. 65 fet out, and proceeded homewards up- wards of forty miles that day. The weather now became hot and fultry ; but this did not occafion any delay in their march ; and they made fuch good ufe of their time, that, on the 24th, they reached Congecatha- whachaga, where the women had been left ; but, to their mortification, they found that they had croffed the river, and were gone on. Obferving a great fmoke to the fouth- ward, Mr. Hearne and his party i||i'- mediately proceeded towards it, and when they reached the place, they again were difappointed ; for though the women had been there a few daysv before, they had left it, and fet fire to the mofs, which was ftill burning. Their track, however, was vifible, and early on the morning of the 25th they came up with them, by the fide of Gogead Lake. From the time they had left the Cop- per-Mine River, they had travelled fo hard and with fo little intermiilion^ ¥ 2 • - 66 Hearne'^s Journey. i.*i«-^ that Mr. Hearne's feet and legs were confiderably fwelled, and his ankles were become quite ftifF. The nails of his toes were likewife fo much injured, tljat fe vera! of them dropped off; and before he caine up to the tents of the women, ahagft every Itep was printed -in hlbod. Even the natives began to complain ; but none of them were nearly fo bad as he was.- As foon as he arrived at the women's encampment, he immediately fet about bgthing and cleaning his fee^ ; and by the affiftance of a common drefling and reft, he was likely in a (hort time to get well. Reft, however, fo effential to his recovery, was not to be procured ; for, fter halting a day, the Indians refumed their march, and he was oblig- ed to follow t|iem. On the 31ft they reached the fpot where the greateft number of the wo- men, and all the children were to wait their return. Here thev found feveral Indian tents; but none of Matonab- \^t%piny had arrived. However, a fmoke being feento the eaft ward, two Hearne's Journey^ 67 young men were fent in queft of them ; and on the 5th of Aiiguft, they all joined, with a number of other Indi- ans, fo that they nov/ filled forty tents. Here the former hufband of one of Matonabbee's wives, who had eloped, brought her back again ; but the chief had the magnanimity to take no notice of her, and bade her depart; obferv- ing that if flie had refpefted him as fhe ought, (he would not have left him, and therefore flie was free to go where fhe pleafed. The womaii affefted con- cern#and reluftance, though moft af- furedly it was not fincere. She return- ed to her hufband^s tent, and probably both were happy. Several of the Indians being indif- pofed, the conjurers, who are always the doftors, began to try their fkill to efFeft their recovery. No medicine, feve charms, is ufedfor any complaint, whether external ot internal. In ordi- nary cafes, fucking the difeafed part, blowing, and finging to it, fpitting, and uttering much unintelligible jv? gon, compofe the procefs of the cure* *;.' o 68 Hearne's Journey. For complaints in the bowels, it is common to fee thole jugglers blowing up the anus till their eyes are almolt ready to ftart from their fockets ; and this operation is performed without re- gard to age or fex. The, accumulation of fo large a quantity of wind is apt, at times, to occafion fome extraordi- nary emotions in the patient ; and it is a laughable fcene,^ in fuch cafes, to fee the doftor and the fick perfon ; the one blowing up wind, and the other eafing nature, perhaps at one and the fame' inoment. « When a friend, for whom they have a particular regard, is fufpofed to be dangeroufly ill, they occafionally have recourfe to another very extraordinary piece ot fuperftition, namely fwallow- ing hatchets, knives, or thp like. On thefe occafions a conjuring houfe is erefted, by driving the ends of four fmall poles into the ground, the tops of which are tied together, and then covered with a tent cloth, with a little aperti^re at top to admit the light. In the middle of this tent, the patient is Hearne's Journey, 69 laid J and fometimes five or fix conjur- ers, quite naked, enter; and feciirlng the door, kneel round the fick, and )),egin to ii|ck and blow the part affeftr ed. After # ihqrt procels of this kind, they (ing and talk as if converfing with familiar fpirits, which they pretend ac- tually appear to ^thein in the form of b^afts, Qrj,)?irds of prey. . : Halving finiflied this ideal confer- ence, they call for the hatchet, bayo^ net, or the like, which is always pre^ pared by another perfon, and has a firing fattened te one end, to af]|[]^iiit drawing it up again, after they have fwallowed it ; for they do not pretend to be able to digefl, or pafs it. ^ . Our author now faw an experiment of this kind. A man being dangerouf- ly ill, and fome extraordinay experi- ments bmg judged necefTary^ one of . the conjurers confented to fwallow a broad bayonet. The houfe was erect- ed as befor^. inentioned, the invocati- ons took plac^ 1 1^^ bayonet being calle4 for, it difappeared in the twink^^ ling of an eye. Mr. Hearne fays, hfis ^rmj^. ir5P^«^f?FT?1«^^TP57T^ !'|., * iJH 'I I , I in«jj|l{ III ..ji|im»^i^p^^f^f|i|ip 70 Hearn^'s JourneJ^, not credulous enough to fuppofe that the juggler aflually fwallowed it; but he confeflT^s, he could fee nothing but the fniall piece of wood at the end of the firing, or one limilar to it, be- tween hisHeeth. v; The juggler then paraded backward and forward for a fliort time, when he feigned to be greatly difbrdered in his ftoniach and bowels ; apd after many wry fac^s and hideous groans, by the help of the ftiing and Tome tugging, he at length produced the bayonet^ appj^^ntly (irom his mouth, to the lib fmail furprife of the fpeftators. H^ then looked round with an air of exul- tation, and f etiring into the conjuring hottfe, renewed Ms incantations, which he continued without intermiffion fbr the fpace of twenty-four hotrH\ Our author admits h-e vv^s hct^abk to detefl: the deception, ftior^ 'particu- larly as it was' performed by at nak^d man ; and the natives thfemfelves feem- ed to exult at this tiumph, as ^thfey fitppofed it, over his fivrmer itiiredixlU tji The fick man foon recovered) and I Hearne's Journey,' 71 in a few days they proceeded to the fouth-vveft ; while the greaiteft part of the ftranger Indians left them. On the 19th, they reached the fide of Large Whiter Stone Lake, which is j^bout forty miles long. This is iup^ pofed by icHne to be , the fource ot the Copper-Mine River ; a circumftance which Mr. Hearne can neither verify nor contradift. ' They found deer plentiful the whole way ; and rfiany were killed fji the fak(? ot their (kins only. Tl e great deftru(ftion which is annually madq a- mong thefe animals is almoft incredi- ble; yet there appears no diminution of their numbers ; but in fome places, they are even laid to be more plenti- ful than formerly. • It requires the prime part of eight or ten deer ikins, to make a complete fuit of clothes for a grown perfon, during winter ; and all muft be pro- cured in |he month of Augurt, or ear- ly in September, elfe the hair will drop off with thp^fiighteft injury* 71 ' Hearne's Journey. Befides the Ikins with the hair on, each perfonvwants fevefal others to be dreffed in leather, for ftotkings, (hoes, and light fummet .d6thing. Several mote are aHo employedin a parchment ftate to make thongs, or netting, for v?irious purpoCes ; fo that each indivi- dual expends, in the coutfe of a year, upwards of twenty deer fkins, in cloth- ing and other domeftic ufes, ^^xclufive of tent clothes and bags. Indeed, during wimer, the fpare fkins produce a number of warbles^ which the natives pick but arid eat as common fpod. Soriid of them are as large as the joint of a finger ; and the childrjen, in particular, are very fond of them. Mr, Hearne feys,^ that, ex- cept thefe warbles and body lice, he has tailed 0f every difh in ufeairiong the native^; but though he did not pretend to be over delicate, he never could bring himfelf to eat them. The deer in thofe regions, are in- deed generally in motion from eaft to weft^ pr from wtk to eif^- according to the feafon, and the prevailing winds. 1S' Hearne s Journey, . ' 73 ' This IS the principal reafon why the northern Indians are always fliifting their (tations ; for as deer are their chief food, and their fldns are indif- penfablcj it is inipoliible fornhem to exill long at a diftance from their game. After leaving Stone V/hite Lake, they proceeded to the fouth-welt, at the rate of about twelve miles a day ; and, on the 3d of September, arrived at a fmall river connected with Point Lake. Llere the weather was fo boifter- ous, that it was fome days before they could venture to crofs it in their ca- noes ; but the time of the Indians was not loft by this interruption, as they killed numbers of deer, as well for their fkins as their flefli. In the afternoon of the yth, they pafTed the river, and fhaped their courfe by the fide of Point Lake to the north- weft. After three days eafy journeys, they came to a fcrutiby wood, which was the firft of any ntagnitude they had feerl for upw^ards of thr^e months. G 74 Hearne's Journey. One of the Indian women, who had been fome time in a lingering ftate, was now become &> weak as to be inca- pable o^^travelling, which, amon^ thofe people is the moft deplorable fituation to which a human being can be reduc- ed. No expedients were tried for her recovery, whether for want of friends, or from the fuppoftd inability of it, is , unknown ; and fhe was inhumanly left, unaffifted, to her fate. This, it appears, is a common prac- l:cf^, (hocking as it is ;' and they juftify It by fj^ying, that it is better to leave otic who is paft recovery, than for the whole family to fit down and ftarve in the fame place. On fuch occafions, however, the friends, or the relations of the fick, generally leave fome vic- tuals and water, and often a little fir- ing, with plenty of deer ikins. They then walk away crying, without men- tioning the road they mean to purfue. Inftances have pccurred of fuch de- ferted perfons recovering, and regain- ing their friends. /The po6r womin, juft mentioned, thrice came up to th e * Hearne's Journey. 75 party ; but at lafi: her ftrencrth totally failed her — Oie dropped behind, aij;d was noticed n-o more. A cuftorn fo unnatural is not often found among the human race ; but the northern Indians are certainly not the only favages in this refpecl ; and they have a better excufe, from the neceflity they are under to be adive during the favourable feafon, than any other people who are guilty of this vi- olation of all focial feeling. The early part of September gave in- dications that winter was approaching ;j and being now got among the woods, the Indians pu4*pofed halting for fome time, to drels^ their (kins for winter clothing, *and to furnifli themfelves with tent poles, fnow fhoes, and tem*- porary fledges. / ^ Towards the middle of the month, the weather became more mild and o-- pen, and continued To for feveral days; but they had almoft inceflTant rain. On the 28th, the wind fliifted to the north- weft, and blew fo ,cold, that in two days all the lakes and (landing waters 4P- p '^^6 Hcarne^s Journey. 'Were frozen over, hard enough to bear them without danger. Otlober commenced with heavy falls of fnow and much drift. On the 6th5 the wind blew with fo much violence as to overfet ieveral of the tents, and among the reft, that in which Mr. Hearnei lodged. By this misfortune, his quadrant, though well fecured, was fo much damaged as to be entirely ufe- lefs ; and he, therefore, divided its fragments among the Inaians. On the 23d, feveral Copper and Dog-ribbed Indians arrived at the tents, as it appeared, by previous ap* pointment, and fold their furs for fuch articles of iron as the rferthern Indians had in their polTeflion. One of the In- dians in Mr. Hearne^s parry, got forty beavers' fkins, and fixty martins', for a fingle piece of iron, which he had found means to purloin the laft time ;he vifited the fort. One of the ftrangers brought forty beaver fkins, with which he intended to pay Matonabbee an old debt ; but one of the other Indians feized the Hearne's Journey, j^7 whole, notwithftanding he knew for whom they were .defigned ; and this irritated the chief fo much, that he renewed his refolution of retiring to tiieAthapufco Indians. Our author did not now much interfere in his deter- mination, though he told him that he thought fuch behaviour uncivil, e!pe- cially in a man of his rank and digni- ty ; but he discovered afterwards, that they all intended to take a liuutiaorex- pedition into that country, for the fake ot the moofe and the beaver, which are either very fcarce, or never feen in the northern Indian territories. Indeed, except a few martins, wolves, quick^iatches, foxes, and ot- ters, are the chief furs to be met with in thofe parts ;. and, out of fome fu- perftitious notion, few of the northern Indians chufe to kill either the wolf or the quick-hatch, which they fuppofe to be more than common animals. By the end of Oftober, all their clothes and winter implements, were ready, and they once more began to .<' 78 Hearne's Journey. tnove. From the ift to the 5th of No- vember they walked oyer the ice of a large lake, which as it had no appella- tion before, our author called No Name Lake. This fheet of water, or rather of ice, as it then was, is about fifty miles long and thirty-five broad. It is faid to abound with fine fifh ; and in the ftateit then was, the Indians caught fome fine trout and perch. Having paffed this lake, they fhaped their courfc to the fouth-wert, and 011 the loth reached the commencement of the main woods, when they prepar- ed their proper fledges, and proceeded again to the fouth-weft. No game was killed for fome time, ef cept a few par- tridges ; however, they had by no means exhaufted their flock of provi- sions. 4^fter palling Methy Lake, and walk- ing near eighty miles on a fmall river that iflues from it, on the 20th they reached Indian Lake. This piece of watqr, though not more than twenty iinles oVer, is celebrated for producing plenty of fine fifh even in winter j and '-%^- Hearne's Journey. 79 accordingly the Indians fet their nets with fiich fuccefs, that in ^ about ten days they laded the women's fledges with roes only. Tittimeg, barbel, and pike were the only fifh they caught here. Two pounds wdght of roes, well bruifed, will make four gallons of excellent foup, very pleafant to the eye, as well as the palate. The land round this lake is very hil- ly, and confifl:s chiefly of loofe fl:ones and rocks. However, there are fofne parts well clothed with poplars^ pines, fir, and birch. Rabbits were fo plenti- ful here, that feveral of the Indians' caught twenty or thirty in a night with fnares ; and wood partridges were no lefs numerous in the trees. The flefli • of the latter is generally black- and bit- ter, from their feeding on the brufti of the fir tree. During their fl:ay at Indian Lakp, a man being entirely palfied on one fide, the deftors, or rather conjurers, fet about curing him j^ andtheperfon who h^d fwallowed^^ii biyonet in the fum. mer, now offerel^ ta fwallow a piece of mpM',''-. ■ ^-'rtwr '"^ '"■:/ !M«'n*'. '"T')"-'!''"'*!. '!■'•■ '!.!'f'*.'w,?' -';»'^'W" ^'y^.ir'i " So Hearne's Journey, llpard, as large as a barrel ftave, for his recovery. After the ufual preparatory ceremo- nies, the board was delivered to the conjurer, who apparently flioved one- third of ^it dov/n his throat, and then walked round the company, continu- ing to fwallow it, till no part was vifi- ble, except a fmall piece of the end. As our author had doubted the fpr- mer trial of his fkill, the Indians 'to cure his unbelief, gave him the mod favourable ftation for feeing the exploit performed ; but rtill, though he could not be convinced of what was in itfelf impoflible, he was unable to detect the impofition. - Soon after, being queftioned as to his opinion of the performance j as he was unwilling to offend by owning his fentiments that it was a juggle, he on- ly hinted at the impoffibility .of fwal- lowing a piece of vvmd longer than the man's whole |)ack, and twice as wide as his mouth. On this fome of them laughed at hiiii far his ignorance : and faid, that the fpirits in waiting Hearne's Journey. ^ 8^1 fwallowed, or otherwife conveyed ij§- way, the ftick, and only left the fork- ed end apparently flicking out of the conjurer's mouth. Matonabbee, tho' a man of fcnfe and obfervation, was io bigotted to the ,reality of thofe feats, that he aflured Mr, Hearne he had feen a man fwallow a childN cradle with as much eafe as he could fold up a piece of paper and put it in his mouth. Though they pretend that the whole is done by the intervention of fpirits, and that each conjurer has his familiar to affift him, who appears in various forms, there can be no doubt of the deception ; but ftill it is admirably per^ formed. As foon as the conjurer had finifhed the fvvallowing remedy, five other men and an old woman, all proficients in the art, ftripped quite naked, and en- tered with him into the conjuring houfe, where they began to fuck, blow, fing, and dance round the poor paralytic ; and continued this farce for three days and as many nights, without intermif- fion, or taking the lead refrelhment. . ,v'.M 82 Hearne's journey. I^At laft, when they came out, their mouths were quite parchjed and black, arid they were not able to articulate a fingle fyllable. They laid themfelves on their backs with their eyes fixed, as if in the agonies of death ; and for the firrt day were treated like young chil- dren, by being fed by hand. The paralytic, however, had not on- ly recovered his appetite, but was able to move all the fingers and toes of the 0de that had been fo long dead. In three weeks he could walk ; and at the end of fix went a hunting for his fa- mily. After that he accompstnied Mr. Hearne to the fort, and frequently vi- . fited the faftory during the following years. But his nature feemed quite changed ; for from being lively, bene- volent, and good-natured, he became penfive, quarreliome, and difcontent- ed ; and never recovered the look of health. Though the' reality of the deception performed by the Indian conjurers.mufl be unqueftionable, the apparent good effefls of their charms on the fick and wmmm m^mm ^?pi^ Hearne's Journey. difeafed, can only be accounted for qnM the principle of faith in the patient, which lets the mind at eafe, ancf.in- fpires hope^ fo effential to the well-be- ing of mam As a proof of the implicit confidence which is placed in' the fupernatural powers of thefe jugglers, even the threat of revenge on any perfon that has offended them is often fatal. The very idea that the conjurer poflefles the means of deftrudion, preys on the fpi- rits of the unhappy victims of his J^ will, and foon brings on a difordef that terminates his exiftence. A whole, {amily has Ibme times funk into the; grave, merely from the fancied dread of a conjurer's refentment. Mr. Ilearne fays, the natives always thought him poflefled of this art; and, accordingly, he was once folicited to kill a man, who had offended a chief, and who^was then feveral hundred miles oif. Topleafe his friend, he drewfome rude figures on a bit of paper, and gave it to the Indian, who willied for the dellruftion of his enemy. But what ww^ •V.f IJI" '.«"«» I He fays, the fituation of the beaver houfes is various. Where thefe animals are very plentiful, they are found to inhabit lakes, ponds, and rivers, as well as the narrow creeks which con- neft the lakes. In general, however, they prefer the rivers and creeks, on account of the advantage of the cur- rent, to float the materials for their ha- bitations. Such as build their houfes in fmali rivers and creeks, which are liable to become dry, fhew an admirable inflinc!: in providing againfl this calamity, by throwing a dam quite acrofs the ttream; and in nothing do they fliew more abi- lity and forefight than in this, v/hate- ver fagacity fome are ready to allow them. HeaVnc^s Journey. 87 iefe dams are conftruded of drift wood, green willows, birch, and pop- lar^ mud and ftones, or whatevei; ma- terials can moft readily be procured. Their houfes are alfo made of fnnilar arti(:les, and always proportioned in fize to |he number of inhabitants, which feldom exceed f(\ur old, and fix or eight young ones. It is a miftake, how- ever, to fay, that they have different apartments for their neceffary conveni- ences; all that the beaver feems to aim at, i^ to have a dry place to lie on. It, indeed, frequently hj-ppens, that forae of the large houfes have one or more partitions; but between the in- habitants of thefe, no more than a fo- cial intercourfe is kept up ; nor have they any common communication but by water. The accounts we read, in fome books, refpefling the manner in which the beavers build their houfes and dams, Mr. Hearne affures us, are mere fidions. They can neither r^rive piles, wattle their buildings, favv trees, nor life their tails as a trowel. Yet their fa- ,-#■ A vl m -0) ^& V^k 88 Hearne's Journey. gacity is, not fmall ; and they perrorni all that can be expeftod from animals of their fize and ftrength. Their work is entirely executed in the night, and they areTo expeditions in completing it, that our author f$ys, he has frequently been aftonifhed to-fee the quantity of mud they had colleft- ed in one night, or the progrefs they had made in a daip or houfe. The chief food is a root refembling a cabbage ftalk, which grows at the bottom of lakes and rivers, and which is acceffible to them at all feafons. They are alfo fond of che bark of trees dur- ing the fummer, and fuch kinds of herbage and berries as the vicinity fup- plies. When the ice breaks up in the fpring, the beavers quit their habitations, and rove about during the fummer, proba- bly in queft of a more favourable fitu- ation ; but if they cannot fuit them- felves better, they return to their old habitations foon enough to lay jn their winter ftock of woods. "'■'^- "^1 '■;";"?» m Hearne's Journey. Notwithftanding what has been re- peatedly reported, in regard to their forming towns and commonwealths, Mr. Hearne fays he is confident, that even where the greateft number of beavers are affembled together, their labours are not carried on jointly, nor have they any mutuality of interefts, except in fupporting the dam, which is common to feveral houies. In fuch caf- es they have, no doubt, fagacity enough to fee that what is of utility to all, (hould be repaired by the labours of each. ^ . The beaver is capable of keeping a long time under water ; fo that when their houfes are broken up, and their retreats cut off, they generally retire to the vaults in the banks, as their laft refource ; and here the grestteft number of them are taken. In winter they are very fat and deli- cious eating, and their furs are very valuable; but in fuiiimer, during the breeding time, and when they are rov- ing about, neither their flefli nor their H 2 > ^ I ,;js*s'jaE''i^ mm Hearne's Journey. ins are of much confequence. They produce from two to five young at a time ; and though feveral varieties of them are mentioned, it is moft proba- ble, that the difference of feafon alojie occafions the apparent diftinftion.* The beaver is a remarkably cleanly animal ; and is capable of being, in a great meafure domefticated, Mr. Hearne kept feveral of tbem, that anfwered to their names, and followed him and fondled on him like dogs. He had a houfe built for them, and a fmall piece of water before the door, into which they always plunged when they wanted to eafe nature. In winter they lived on the common food of the natives, and were remarkably fond of rice and plum pudding. They would even eat partridges and venifon freely ; and were the conftant attendants on the Indian women and children, for whom they fliewed a great partiality, and were always uneafy in their abfence. * LinnjEus defcrlbes three fpecies of beavers, whkh appear to be dilllnd* ^i^pppppp Hearne's Journey. 9^ After appropriating feveral days \Aa hunting beaver, they proceeded acrols the Aihapufco Lake, in the beginning of January 1772, and arrived on the fouth fide of it on the 9th. From the beft information, this h\ke appears to be about one hundred and twenty leagues long, from eaft to weft, and twenty wide, from north to fouth. It is full of iflands, moft of which are clothed with trees, and ftocked with Indian deer. This lake produces vaft quantities of fifh, fuch as pike, trout, perch, barbel, tittameg, and methy : the two laft fpe- cies of fiili aie peculiar to this coun- try, and the fhees, a fifh refembling a pike, to this lake only. The trout here weigh commonly from thirty-five to forty pounds. Pike are alfo of an incredible fize. On reaching the fouth fide of this lake, diey found the fcene very agree- ably altered. Inftead of an entire jum- ble of rocks and hills, they entered on a fine champaign country, where fcarce* ly a ilone was to be feen. IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 1.1 tiit21 |Z5 111 12,2 122 m JUi HO u& iii 1^ U4 ^ 6" ^ c Sdeiices CoiporaliGn 23 \WIST MAIN STMIT wnsTm,N.v. I4SI0 (71*)l7a-4S03 6^ ■5 * 4^ 02 Hcarne*3 Journey. .Buffalo, moofe, and beaver were very abundant ; and in many places they could dilcovcr the tracks of mar- tins, foxes, quickhatches, and other animals of the fur kind. The three former animals, however, were the fole obje^s of the Indians purfuit, per- haps principally on account of the ex- cellency of their flefli. Tile buffaloes appear much largeiv than the Englifh black cattle, particu- hirly the bulls. Their fldn is of an in- credible thicknefs, particularly about the neck ; the horns are black, fhort, and almoft ftraight, but very thick at the bafe. The tail is only about a foot long ; and the hair of the body is foft and curled, generally of a fandy brown colour. The flefli of this animal is entirely free from any difagreeable fmell or fla- vour, and is equal to the fineft beef. The hunch is reckoned a very delicate bit. The tongue alfo is much efteemed. The moofe deer often exceeds the largcfi: horfe, both in height and bulk; but the length of the legs, the fliort- IP Hearne's Journey. 93 nek of the neck, and the diTproporti- onate fize of the head and ears, give them a very awkward appearance ; and prevent them from grazing on level ground like other animals. In fummer, they brovvfe on the tops of large vege- tables, and the leaves of trees ; and in winter, they fubfirt entirely on the fmall branches of the willow and birch trees. ^ • " They are the moft inoffenfive of all animals, and never attempt refifhince. It is nothing unufual for an Indian to paddle his canoe up to one of them, and take it by the poll without oppo- fition. They are eafily earned ; and Mr, Hearne fays, he has feen fome of them that vi^ould follow their keeper, and I'm every thing obey his voice. The flefh of the moofe is good, tho* rather cot^rfer and tougher than other venilon. The nofe and tongue are pe- cuh'ar delicacies. All the external fat is foft, and when put into a bladder, is as fine as marrow. In all its aftions and attitudes, the moofe appears very uncouth j its gait is *s-i I >"« fi^ 94 Hearne's Journey. fl|[mbling, and it is both tender footed and fhort winded. The fkin makes ex- cellent tent-covers and (hoe-leather, and is dreffed for various other purpofes. On the nth of January, as fome of the Indians were engaged in hunting, they difcovered the track of a Itrangc fnow fhoe, and tracing it, they came to a little hut, where they found a young woman alone. She proved to be one of the weftern Dog-ribbed Indians, wh6 had been taken prifoner by thofe of A- thapufco, in the fummer of 1770, and had eloped from them the following feafon, when they were in the vicinity, with an intention of returning to her own country ; but the diftance being fo great, flie had forgot the track, and had therefore, built a hut for her protecti- on, in which (he had lived about feven moons, without feeing a human face. During this time (he had fupported herfelf by fnaring partridges, rabbits, and fquirrels. 1 hat (he had not been in want was evident from her appear- ance, and the (lock of proyifions (he had flill by her. Of a real Indian, (he )9 :o Hearne's Journey. g*^ wais one of the finelt women, in c^ur author's opinion, of any he ever faw. She had (hewn infinite ingenuity in procuring a livelihood. When the few deer finews (lie had carried off with her, were all expended in making fnares, and fewing her clothes ; (he had ufed thofe of the legs of rabbits with much dexterity and fuccefs. Of the (kins of thofe animals, (he had likewife made herfelf a complete and neat fuit of winter clothes ; and it was evident, (he had extended her care be- yond mere comfort, as her drefs exhi- bited no littJe variety of ornament. her leifure hours had been employ- ed in twilling the inner rind of willows into fmall lines, of which (he intended to make a (ilhing net. Five or fix in- ches of an iron hoop ferved her for a knife, and this, together with an awl of the fame metal, were all the imple- ments in her pofl'eliion. She Ught^^d a fire by rubbing two hard lulnhereous (tones againfl: each other, and when a few fparks were produced, (he had touchwood ready to receive them. ♦if6 Hearne's Journey. The conulinefs of her perfon, and IVct approved accomplifhments, occafi- ed a (Irong contcfl among the party, who (hould have her to wife ; and (he was actually won and loft by almoft ten men the lame evening. Matonabbee, though he had no lefs than feven, wo- men grown, and a young girl about twelve years old, wiflied to put in his claim for her: but one of his wives fhanied him from this, by obferving, that he had women enough already. This piece of fatire, however true it might be, irritated the chief fo much, that he fell upon the poor creature, and bruifed her fo exceffively, that af- ter lingering fome time, (he efcaped from his tyranny and life. It appeared that when the Athapuf- co Indians furpriled the friends of the young woman, they had butchered them all, except herfeif and three o- ther women. Among the viftims of their barbarity were her father, mo- ther, and huiband. She had a child a- bout four months old, which fhe con- cealed in a bundle of clothing, and car- Hearne's Journey. ' gy ried with her ; but when they joined, the Athapufco women, one of them fnatched it from her, and killed it on the fpot. Her new hulband, (he faid, was remarkably fond of her, and kind to her ; but this piece of barbarity fhe could never forget, and took the firft opportunity of eloping from the mur- derers of her infant. AfFedting as this ftory was, and told at the fame time with correfpondent feeling, Mr. Hearne fays, his party only laughed at it, and turned it into ridicule. Continuing their courfe to the fouth- weft, on the i6th they arrived at the Grand Athapufco River, at a place where it was about tv/o miles vide. The furrounding woods were very luxJ- uriant; and the banks of the river were nearly one hundred feet above the ordi- nary level of the water. The foil was rich and loamy, and fome of the pines that grew here, were large enough to make mafts for fhips of the firlt rate. In the river are feveral iflands, much frequented by the moofe deer. I i f:^ bW? m I? • I- it 98 Hearne's Journey. Agreeably to Matonabbee^s propo- fal, they continued their march up this river for many days, in hopes of falling in with fome of the natives ; but the* they favv feveral of their former en- campments, they did not difcover one of the people. Thus disappointed in their expeftations, it was refolved to fpend as much time in hunting the moofe, buftdlo, and beaver, as could be allowed, confident with their pur- pofed return to the fort, by the ufual period of the fliips' arrival from Eng- land. . Accordingly, on the 27th of Janua- ry, they dircfted their courfe to the eaitward ; but as game was very plen- tiful, they made frequent halts. About the middle of February, they walked. along a fmall river, which emp- ties itfelf into Lake Clowey, where they had bifilt their canoes the year before. On the 24th, they were joined by a northern Indian leader and his fol- lowers, who prefented Matonabbee and our author, with fome roll tobacco and about two quarts of brandy. The to- mgK Uearne's Journey. 99 bacco was very acceptable, as their ftock of that article had been long ex- pended. As this vicinity abounded in game, many days werefpent in hunting, feaft- ing, and preparing fuch a quantity of flelh, as might ferve them far forfie time ; well knowing, from experience, that a few days walk farther to the eaftward, would deprive them of the living animals. lii(t ftrangers who had left the fort, about November 1 77 1 , foon proceeded on their journey to the north-u eftward, except a few who had been lucky in hunting, and refolved to accompany them back to the faftory, to difpofe of their furs. " On the lad day of February, they refumed their journey ; and foon after the Indians fell in with a party of poor inoffenfive people, whom they plunder- ed of all they had, and even carried off fome of their young women. Thefe repeated afts of violent and unprovok- ed aggreflion, ferved to increafe our author's indignation ; and he felt very I II i 100 I Kearneys Jourijey. fetifibly for this in particular, as it was committed on a fet of hannlefs crea- tures, who were almofl: fecluded from all other human fociety. It appeared that for upwards of a ge- neration, one family only, as it may be called, had taken up their winter abode in thoie woods,- which are fo much out of the ufuai track of the other Indians, as to be very feldom vifited by them. The fituation, however, was moft fa- vourable for game of every kindj at the diu'erent feafons ; but the general dependence was on fifh and partridges. Thele advantages had tempted this (im- ple race to take up their abode here ; feveral hundred miles from the reft of their tribe. By the ift of March they began to leave the level country of the Athapuf- cos, and to approach the ftony moun- tains, which bound the northern Indi- an country. On the 14th, they difco- vered the tracks of more ftrangers, and next day came up with them. Among them was a perfon who had carried a letter from Mr, Hearne to Prince of ^'m^m^gt^Bi Hearne's Journey ■^i iX)i ♦ Wales Fort, about a year before ; and now accidentally met him, and retuniid ananfvver, dated in June 1771. Thefe Indians having obtained a few fur^, joined their party, v\hich now confifted of about two hundred per- fons. Our author found great reafon to lament the lofs of his quadrants, as he was unable to afcertain diftances and filuations, however dcfirable it would have been both for curiofity and infor- mation, in a country which no other European ever traverfed. On the 19th, they, took up their lodgiiigs near Large Pike Lake, which they croffed next day, where it was not more than feven miles wide. The fub- fequent day they pafled Bedodid Lake, which is about forty miles long and only three broad ; fo that it has the appearance of a river. The Indians faid it was fliut up on all fides by high lands, covered with pines of vaft mag- nitude, compared to which, tlie Euro- pean firs are only like fruit trees* I 2 :¥ ■} '1 ■ .•?td Hearne's Journey. je thaws now commenced, and ft^m the latter end of March to the middle of April, they were confidera- ble about noon ; but it commonly froze at night, and walking was by no means pleafant. The moole deer now began to become very fcarce. On the 1 2th of April, they faw feveral fwans flying to the northward, which being birds of paflage, were confidered as the harbingfers of fpring. On the 14th, they pitched their tents on Theelee-aza^, River, where they found fome families of ftrange north- ern Indians, employed in fnaring deer; and fo poor, that they had not a gun among them. The villains, however, in our author's party, fo far from ad- miniftering to them relief, robbed them of every ufeful article, and abufed fome of their young women in a manner too fhocking to mention, in fpite of all the remonftrances he could make. Deer being plentiful near this fpot, they halted here ten days, in order to prepare and dry a quantity of the flefh to carry with them. Id le lO le ins as Its Hearne*8 Journey. 103 The thaw now was fo confiderable ' that fome bare land appeared ; and the- ice on the dreams began to break upf On the 25th, as the weather was ve- ry inviting, they again fet out ; but on the ift of May, a heavy fall of (now came on, attended with a bitter gale of wind, which increafed to fuch a de- gree, that they were incapable of (land- ing upright, and the cold was extreme- ly piercing. The fecond proved fine with warm funfhine ; aud having dried their wet clothes, they proceeded to the place where it was intended to build their canoes ; but in confequence of a dif- pute between Matonabbee and fome of nis countrymen, he determined to tra- vel farther to the eaftward before they fet about this neceffary duty. for fome days the weather was hot pleafant. On the 6th, they fell in with fome ftrange Indians, who were proceeding to the fadory with their furs ; and on the invitation of Maton- abbee, they joined company. 1 i'il •^1 :.ioAfL Hearnc's Journey. - fh ■>*■ •ftef a reft of four days, it v/as a- ^^v|cd on to leave the elderly people aftd youn^ children here, in the care of fonie Indians, till the return of their relations from the fort. Matters Deing thus fettled, they fet out on the 1 ith, at a much briiker pace than be- fore ; and in the afternoon of the fame day, overtook fome more Indians laden with furs. The 1 2th was fo warm, and the wa- ter fo deep on the top of the ice, as to render walking on it, not only unplea- fant, but dangerous. It was, therefore, found neceflary to conftruft their ca- noes without delay ; and this bufmefs being accomplifhed by the i8th, they proceeded through fwamps of mud, wate:*, and wet fnow, which froze to their Itcckings and (hoes in fuch large crufts, as to render travelling very la- borious, and to expofe them to the danger of having their limbs froft-bit- ten. The weather, on the 21ft, was fo {harp, that the fwamps and ponds wer once more frozen over j and they found Hearne's Journey. it tolerable walking. This day fevdH-ar Indians turned back for want of pro- vifions ; which now began ig ruiif; fcarce, and no new fupplies were to be found, except a few geefe. The following day they had the good fortune to kill two deer ; but the party was now fo large,, that four of the northern deer were not more than ade- quate to a fingle meal. On the 25th, feveral more of the Indians abandoned the journey, for fear of famine ; and'as they travelled hard for fome days, all heavy laden, and in great diftrefs for want of food, fome of them became too weak to carry their furs any farther, and many others, being deftitute of guns and ammuniti- on, were no longer capable of bearing them company. Mr. Hearne, indeed, had plenty of both, but felf-prefervation obliged him to referve it for the ufe of his immediate attendants; efpecially as geefe and other birds were the only game they had to exped till they reached the fort. i' v7?^;« ,* vl* Ao§, Hearne's Journey. The 26th was fine and pleafant; and pafter walking about five miles, they fell |p with and killed three deer, which, as their numbers were confiderably leffened, ferved them for two or three meals, with little expence of ammuni- tion. They crofled Cathawhachaga river on the 30th of May, on the ice, which broke up foon after the laft party left it. Symptoms of bad weather now ap- peared ; and it was not long before the rain defcowdered charcoal into the wound. Morofe and covetous, the name of gratitude is fcarcely known among them. They feem to take a pleafure' in enumerating their wants, even where they have no profpeft of having them relieved; and frequently laugh at the dupes of their infincerity. Harfti, uncourteous ufage leems to agree better with them than kindnefs ; for if the leaft refpefl: be fhewn them, they become intolerably infolent. Yet as in all countries and among all peo- ple, there are fome who are capable of eftimating indulgence without trefpaff- ing too far. < To defraud the Europeans, and to ovferreach them in trade, are their plea- fure and ftudy. They difguife their perfons, change their names ; in fhort, any thing to efcape paying their lawful debts, or to enable them to contract iie^ ones. Notwithftanding thofe bad qualities, they are one of the mildeft of the la- ^g Hearne's Journey. iix dian tribes, the mod: fober, and the moft pacific. Though jealoufy is a general paffion among the men, marriages are con^ trafted without ceremony, and fre-r quently diffolved with as little. Young women have no choice of their own* Their parents match them to the man who feems beft able to maintain them,^ regardlefs of age, perfon, or difpofiti- on. Girls are generally betrothed, when children, to men^grown up. Nor is this practice deftitute of policy ; where the very exiftence of a family depends fometimes on the induftry and abili«> ties of one man. In cafe of a father's death, the poor female children would frequently be in danger of ftarving, did not thofe early contrafts taJke ..^ place, which are never yiolated on the ' part of the man, till after confumma- tion at leaft. • From the age of eight or nine, girls are ftridlly watched and clofely confined ; deprived evea of innocent" and cheerful amufemients, and cooped SI: ■I i k ■i 112 Hearne*s Journey. up by the (ide of old women, employ- ed in domeflic duties of every kind. j^^3 the condudk of *the pstrcnttj is by no means confident with thefe rigid reftraints. They fet no bounds to the freedom of their converfation before their children. Divorces are pretty common for in- continency, bad behaviour, or even ,the want of luch accomplifhments as the fiufband wiflies to find in a wife.' This ceremony confifts in nothing but a good drubbing, and turning the wo- man out of doors. j Providence has mcrcifullv denied the woman the fame fecundity as in more genial climes. Few produce more ^han five or fix children ; and thefe ge4 ; nerally at long intervals, which enables ^^4 the parents to bring: them up with greater facility, than if they had feve- ral very young children to take care of at once. For want of firing, ratlier than choice-, thefe poor people are frequent- ly obliged to^at their meat rav^^ pfet- ticularlyin the fummerfeafoni when oil -f "?,■ Hearne's Journey. 115 The tta£l of land inhabited by the north- ern Indiansi reaches from latitude 59 to 69 deg. and is about five hundred miles iii width. The furfacc is frequently covered Mi'itn a thin fod of mofs ; but^ iln general^ it is no more than on« folid mafs of rocks and (tones* It produces fome cranberries^ and a few other infignificant (hrubs and herbage; and in the i|iar(hes are found dif- ferent kinds of grafs : but nature has been very fparing in her gifts in the vegetable clafs. There is a kind of mofs of a black, hard, crumply appearance, growing on the rocks and large ftones, which is of infinite fervice to the natives, as it fometimes furnifhes them with a temporary fubfiftence, when no other food is to be procured. When boil- ed, it turns to a gummy confiftence, and is neither unpalateable nor unwholefome. Fi(K and deer, ^pwcver, conftitute theit^ princi- pal fupport; and thefe are in moft places, fufficienily abundant at the proper feafons. When two parties of thofe Indians meet, they make a full halt within a few yards of each other, and^in general, fit or lie down for a few minutes. At length one of them, commonly breaks filence, and when he has made his oration, the fpeaker of the -other party begins his reply. '■ \. . ,1 1 I\ ti6 Hearne's Journey. They have few diverfionsj and in a coun- try where want can only be warded off by cbnftant diligencci it is not to be expefied that they (hould ftiine in elegant amufements. Dancingi ifowever, is not unknown among them ; ana this exercile the men always per- form naked. The women, unlefs they arc commanded by their hufbands or fathersi never (hare in it^ and then alway^ by them* felves* A fcorbutic eruption, confumptions, and fluxes, are ttieir chief diforders. The firll, though very troublefomey is never of itfclf fatal ; but the two latter carry off great numbers of both fexes and all ages Indeed, few attain to IcJngevity, probably owing to the rigours of the climate, and the great fatigues they inceflantly uildergo. They ne- ver bury their dead> but leave them to be de- voured by the birds and wild beads. The death, however, of a near relation af- fciSls them mod fenfibly. They rend their clothes, cut their hair, and cry almod in- ceflantly for a great length of time. The periods of mourning are regulated by moons^ and they feem to fympathize with each other on t,heir refpedtive lofles, as if poflfeflTed of the fineft fenfibility ; yet there is certainly much of habit in this, and the emotions of nature have only a partial (hare, either in their forrow op condolence. Hearne's Journey. .115 the barren ground *, nor do they ever feel any inconvenience from this. Mr, Hekiriie fays, he has been frequently one of a party, who h^sfat down to a frefli-killed deer, arid aflided in picking the bones.cfkite clean. Their poverty is fo gre^tj that not many of them are abK to purchafe a brafs kettle ) fo that they are under the neceflity of conti- nuing* their original mode of boiling their victuals in large upright vefTels, made of birch rind. As thefe will not admit of being expofed to the fire, the defe£t is fupplied by red hot Hones, put into the water: which fpeedily occaGon it to boil. They have vari- ous diihes, at which the delicate (lomach of an European would revolt. ' Bows and arrows, their original weapons, are now fuperfeded by the ufe of fire-arms, except among the very jpoorefl, or when they wifh to fave ammunition. Deer are frequent- ly killed during the fummer feafon with ar- rows ; but from difufe, the Indians ar0 not very dextrous in the management of .thofe weapons. Their Hedges are of various fizes, accord- ing to the ftrength of the people who are to haul them., Some are not lefs than twelve or fourteen feet long^ and fifteen or fixteen inches wide ; but, in^ general, their dimen- (ions are much lefs. They are compofed of / K 2 \ I .'* fV.- 1. 'C 114, Hearite^s Journey. bpardSi a quarter of an inch thicki and a- boul^five or (ix inches wide, fewed together with thongs of parchment deer Ikin. The Keadf or fore part, is turned up, fa as to form a femicilcle of about a foot and a half diameter. This prevents the fledge from div- ing into light fnoW| and enables it to Aide over the inequalities of' the furface. The trace, or draught Hne^ is a double firing made faft to the head } and the bight 13 put acrofs the (houiders of the hauler, fo as to reft againft the brea(l, which allows the greateft exertion of ftrength with the leaft toil. ^ / ^ Their fnow flioes are fomewhat different frop the generality ufed in thofe regions, as they mutt always be worn on one foot, the inner fide of the frame beipg almoft ftraight, and the outfide having a large fweep. The frames are commonly made of birch wood, and the netting is compofed of thongs of deer ikin. j ,. , Their clothing principally confifts of deer flkin in the hair, which fubjefts them to vermin; but this is far from being confider» ed as a difgrace ; and, indeed a loufy gar- ment forms, in their eflimation, ^ delicious repaft. pifgufting as this may appear, it is perhaps, no mdxc indelicate than an Euro- pean epicure feafting on the mites in cheefe. Hearne's Journey. ny Religion, as a rule of Jife, has not fn begun to dawn among the northern Indiana* fuperftitipus as th^y are. Yet thejr think s^nd fptak rcfpeftfully of the devbtion ofotherfj- :uid fome of them are not unacquainted with the hiftory of the great Author of Chrifti- anity. Matonabbct*, who, our author fays, was one of ilie befl informed and fenfible men he ever knew among* them, gave the following account of his countrymen.— " Their only obje : n' -^i ^1 -JViU > ■■>" •*. 4: % ^ ■ .>■ •i^' **■* ' 'A ,-.4 -'*.- , -.,c ^