IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) ,^..^^ ^< 4^ ^ 1.0 I I.I >tt i2ii 12.2 1^ l££ 12.0 U 1^6 ^ ^ ^ ^-■^y '/ Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WtST MAIN STRUT WMSTiR.N.Y. 14SM (714)«73-4S03 CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHM/ICMH Collection de microfiches. Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions / Institut Canadian de microreproductions historiques Tachnical and Bibliographic Notas/Nota* tachniquas at bibliographiquaa Tha Instituta has attamptad to obtain tha t>ast original copy availabia for filming. Faaturas of this copy which may ba bibiiographically uniqua. which may altar any of tha imagas in tha raproduction, or which may significantly changa tha usual mathod of filming, ara chackad bbiow. □ D D D D Colourad covars/ Couvartura da coulaur I I Covars damagad/ Couvartura andommag6e Covars rastorad and/or laminatad/ Couvartura rastaurAa at/ou pallicul6a □ Covar titia missing/ La titra da couvartura manqua Colourad maps/ Cartas giographiquas an coulaur Colourad ink (i.e. othar than blua or black)/ Encra da coulaur (i.a. autra qua blaua ou noira) r~~| Colourad platas and/or illustrations/ Planchas at/ou illustrations an coulaur Bound with othar material/ RaliA avac d'autras documanta Tight binding may causa shadows or distortion along interior margin/ La re liure serrie peut causer de I'ombre ou de la distortion la long da la marge intirieure Blank leaves added during restoration may appear within the text. Whenever possible, these have bean omitted from filming/ II se peut que certaines pages blanches ajouttes lors d'une restauration apparaissent dans la taxte, mais, lorsqua cela 6tait possible, ces pages n'ont pas At* filmAes. L'Institut a microf ilmt la meilleur exemplaira qu'il lui a AtA possible de se procurer. Les details da cat exemplaira qui sont paut-Atre uniques du point de vue bibliographique, qui peuvent modifier une image reproduite, ou qui peuvent exiger une modification dans la mithoda normala de filmage sont indiquAs ci-dessous. I I Coloured pages/ D Pages de couleur Pages damaged/ Pages endommagtes Pages restored and/o( Pages restaurAes at/ou paliicui^es Pages discoloured, stained or foxet Pages dAcolories, tachettes ou piqu^es Pages detached/ Pages d^tachias Showthroughy Transparence Quality of prir Quality inigaia de I'impression Includes supplementary materii Comprend du materiel suppKmentaire Only edition available/ Seule Edition disponible I — I Pages damaged/ I I Pages restored and/or laminated/ r~T| Pages discoloured, stained or foxed/ I I Pages detached/ r~~l Showthrough/ I I Quality of print varies/ I I Includes supplementary material/ I I Only edition available/ Pages wholly or partially obscured by errata slips, tissues, etc., have been ref limed to ensure the best possible image/ Les pages totalement ou partiellement obscurcies par un feuillet d'errata, una pelure, etc., ont M film6es it nouveau de fapon A obtenir la meilleure image possible. Th( to Th( poi of filii Orl be( thi sio otr fin sio or Th( shi Tir wh Ma dif am bei rigl reci me Additional comments:/ Commentairas supplAmentairas: irrsgulsr pagination: [1]- 250, 253 -290 p. This item is filmed at the reduction ratio checked below/ Ce document est film* au taux de rMuction indiquA ci-dessous. 10X 14X 18X 22X 26X 30X y 12X 16X 20X 24X 28X 32X laire I d«tailt |uet du It modifier iger une 9 fiimage The copy filmed fiere haa been reproduced thanka to the generoaity of: BibliothAque nationale du Qu6bec The imagea appearing here are the beat quality poaaible conaidering the condition and legibility of the o/Sgiiial copy and in keeping with the filming contract apacif icationa. Original copiaa In printed paper covera are filmed beginning with the front cover and ending on the iaat page with a printed or illuatrated imprea- aion, or the back cover when appropriate. All other original copiaa are filmed beginning on the f irat page with a printed or illuatrated Imprea- aion, and ending on the Iaat page with a printed or illuatrated impreaaion. 1/ u6e8 L'exemplaire filmA f ut reproduit grAce A la gAnAroaitA de: BibliothAqua nationale du Quebec Lea imagea auivantea ont AtA reproduitea avac la piua grand aoin, compte tenu de la condition at de la nettetA de l'exemplaire f ilmA. at en conformity avac las conditions du contrat de fiimage. Lea exemplairea origlnaux dont la couverture en papier est imprimAe sont filmAs en commen9ant par le premier plat at en terminant soit par la darnlAre page qui comporte une empreinte d'impreaaion ou d'illuatration, aoit par le second plat, aelon le cas. Toua las autrea exemplairea originaux sont fiimAs en commenpant par la premiAre page qui comporte une empreinte d'impreaaion ou d'illuatration at en terminant par la derniAre page qui comporte une telle empreinte. The Iaat recorded frame on each microfiche ahall contain the aymbol —^-(meaning "CON- TINUED"), or the aymbol y (meaning "END"), whichever appliea. Un dea aymbolea suivants apparattra aur la dernlAre Image de chaque microfiche, aelon le cas: le symbole — »> signifie "A SUIVRE", le symbole V signifie "FIN ". lire Mapa, platea. charta, etc.. may be filmed at different reduction ratloa. Thoaa too large to be entirely included in one exposure are filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, aa many frames as required. The following diagrama illuatrate the method: Lea cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent Atre fiimAa A dea taux de rAduction diffArenta. Loraque le document eat trop grand pour Atre reproduit en un seul cllchA, il est filmA A partir de I'angle supArieur gauche, de gauche A droite. et de haut en baa. en prenant le nombre d'images nAcessaire. Lea diagrammea auivants lllustrent la mAthode. by errata led to ent une pelure. fapon A 1 2 3 32X 1 2 3 4 5 6 Mf t, i|^. .^, VOYAGES FROM MONTREAL THROUGH THE Continent of North America^ etc. etc* 'A- i 1 JJvV.;\^;j),|.:,:|> >:l.\r;KK;v-/;| '-: ir,,:v >•,',/ ',.',. I I.' .1, VOYAGES FROM MONT HEAL, ON THE RIVER ST. LAURENCE, THROUGH THE CONTINENT OF NORTH AMERICA, TO THE FROZEN AND PACIFIC OCEANS,; Jn the Years 1789 and 1793/ WITH A PRELIMINARY ACCOUNT OF THE RISF, PROGRESS, AND PRESENT STATE OE ' THE FUR TRADE - 01 THAT COUNTRY; With okicinal Notes and an Appendix by BouGAiNViLUt. Membkr OF xns Fkench biNATE; ILLUSTRATED WITH MAPS; BY ALEXANDER MACKENZIE, E.SO. VOL. L .^ f I LONDON'. fRlNTED FOR T. CADELL, JUN. AND W. DAVIES. STRAND | COBBETT AND MORGAN, PAL..-MALL; AND W. CREECH, AT EOl.^ BURGH ; BY R. NOBLE, OLD. BAILEY. M.DGCC.IX. % « #■ P'^ i^ •«*♦«* k^ J ' TO HIS MOST SACRED MAJESTY GEORGE THE THIRD, THIS VOLUME IS INSCRIBED, ■ . • ■» - . BY HIS MAJESTY'S MOST FAITHFUL SUBJECT, AND V % DEVOTED SERVANT, ALEXANDER MACKENZIE. /^- m / PREFACE \JN prefeiitiiig this Volume to my Country, it is not neceflary to enter into a particular account of thofe voyages whofe journals form the principal part of it, as they will be found, I truft, to explain themfelves. It appears, however, to be a duty, which the Public have a right to expedt from me, to ftate the reafons which have influenced me in delaying the publication of them. It has been afferted, that a mifunderftan- ding between a perfon hio;h in office and myfelf, was the caufe of this procraftination. It has alfo been propagated, that it was occa- fioned by that precaution which the policy of commerce will fometimes fuggeft; but they are both equally devoid of foundation. The one is an idle tale ; and there could be tio fblid reafon for concealing the circumftan- ces of difcoveries, whofe arrangements and profecution were fo honourable to my aflb- ciatcs and myfelf, at whofe expence they were undertaken. The delay adlually arofe from the very active and bufy mode of life in which I was engaged fince the voyages have If ] # It .' I Hi I" I llv I vili PREFACE have been completed ; and when, at length, the opportunity arrived, the apprchcnfion of prefciiting myfelf to the Public in the cha- racter of an Author, for which the courfe and occupations of my life have by no means qualified me, made me hcfitate in commit- ting my papers to the Prefs ; being much better calculated to perform the voyages, ar- duous as they might be, than to write an account of them. However, they are now offered to the Public with the fubmifTion that becomes me. I was led, at s.n early period of life, by commercial views, to the country North- Weft of Lake Superior, in North America, nnd being endowed by Nature with an in- quifitive mind and cnterprifing ipirit ; pof- ieffing alfo a conftitution and frame of body equal to the moft arduous undertakings, and being famihar with toilfome exertions in the profecution of mercantile purfuits, I not only contemplated the pradicability of penetrating acrofs the continent of America, but was confident in the qualifications, as I was ani- mated by the defire, to undertake the perilous cnterprize. The general utility of fuch a difcovery, has , been IX PREFACE. been univerfally acknowledged ; while the wifhes of my particular friends and commer- cial afTociates, that I fhould proceed in the purfuit of it, contributed to quicken the exe- cution of this favourite project of my own ambition : and as the completion of it extends the boundaries of geographic fcience, and adds new countries to the realms of Britifli commerce, the dangers I have encountered, and the toils I have fufFered, have found their recompence ; nor will the many tedious and weary days, or the gloomy and inclement nights which I have paffed, have been pafled in vain. The fir ft voyage has fettled the dubious point of a practicable North- Weft paflage ; and I truft, that it has fet that long agitated qucftion at rx,'ft, and extinguiftied the difputes refpedling it for ever. An enlarged difcuf- lion of that fubjedt will be found to occupy the concluding pages of this volume. In this voyage, I was not only without the neccflary books and inftruments, but alfo felt myfelf deficient in the fciences of aftronomy and navigation : I did not hefitate, therefore, to undertake a winter's voyage to this country, in order to procure the one and acquire the B other f II > i'tlV X PREFACE. other. Thefe objeds being accompliflied, I returned, to determine the pra£licability of a commercial communication through the continent of North America, between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, which is proved by my fecond journal. Nor do I hefitate to declare my decided opinion, that very great and eflential advantages may be derived by extending our trade from one fea to the other. Some account of the fur trade of Canada from that country, of the native inhabitants, and of the extenfive diftridts connected with it, forms a preliminary difcourfe, which will^ I truft, prove interefting to a nation whofe general policy is blended with, and whofe prolperity is fupported by, the purfuits of commerce. It will alfo qualify the reader to purfue the fucceeding voyages with fupe- rior intelligence and fatisfadion. Thefe voyages will not, I fear, afford the variety that may be expected from them ; and that which they offered to the eye, is not of a nature to be efFedually transferred to the page. Mountains and vallies, the dreary wafle, and wide-fpreading forefts, the lakes and rivers fucceed each other in ge- neral defcription ; and, except on the coafts of ^»i ed, I ty of h the the >roved ate to great ^ed by other. auada )itants, d with h willt whofe whofe ^ fuits of ; reader \ th fupe- I Ford the L them; ; eye, is jiisferred lies, the refts, the ;r in ge- tie coafts of PREFACE. xi )f the Pacific Ocean, where the villages were )ermanent, and the inhabitants in a great leafure flationary, fmall bands of wandering [ndians are the only people whom I fhall in- troduce to the acquaintance of my readers. The beaver and the buffalo, the moofe-deer ind the elk, which are the principal animals to be found in thefe countries, are already lb familiar to the naturalifls of Europe, and |bave been fo often as well as corredlly def- Icribed in their works, that the bare men- |tion of them, as they enlivened the landfcape, %)r were hunted for food ; with a curfory account of the foil, the courfe and navigation )f lakes and rivers, and their various produce, is all that can be reafonably expe(9:ed from le. I do not pofTefs the fcience of the naturalifl; I and even if the qualifications of that character I had been attained by me, its curious fpirit would not have been gratified. I could not flop to dig into the earth, over whofe fur- face I was compelled to pafs with rapid fleps ; nor could I turn afide to collect the plants which nature might have fcattered on the way, when my thoughts were anxioufly em- ployed in making provifion for the day that B 2 was II xii PREFACE. was pafling over me. I had to encounter pe- rils by land and perils by water ; to watch the favage who was our guide, or to guard againft thofe of his tribe who might meditate our deftrudion. I had, alfo, the paflions and fears of other to control and fubdue. To day I had to afluage the rifing diicontents, and on the morrow to cheer the fiinting fpi- rits, of the people who accompanied me. The toil of our navigation was inceflant, and of- tentimes extreme ; and in our progrefs over land we had no protection from the feverity of the elements, and poflefTed no accommo- dations or conveniences but fuch as could be contained in the burden on our ilioulders, which aggravated the toils of our march, and added to the wearifomenefs of our way. Though the events which compofe my journals may have little in themfclves to ftrike the imagination of thofe who love to be aftonifhed, or to gratify the curiofity of fuch as are enamoured of romantic adven- tures ; neverthelefs, when it is confidered that I explored thofe waters which had never before borne any other vefTel than the canoe of the favage ; and traverfed thofe deferts where an European had never before pre- fented PREFACE. xiii fented himfelf to the eye of its fwarthy na- tives ; when to thefe coniiderations are added the important objeds which were purfued, with the dangers that were encountered, and the difficulties that were furmounted to at- tain them, this work will, I flatter myfelf, be found to excite an intereft, and conciliate regard, in the minds of thofe who perufe it. The general map which illuftrates this vo- lume, is reduced by Mr. Arrowfmith from his three-iheet map of North- America, with the lateft difcoveries, which he is about to republifli. His profefTional abilites are well known, and no encomium of mine will advance the general and merited opinion of them. Before I conclude, I muft beg leave to in- form my readers, that they are not to expedl the charms of embellifhed narrative, or ani- mated defcription ; the approbation due to limplicity and to truth is all I prefume to claim ; and I am not without the hope that this claim will be allowed me. I have def- cribed whatever I faw with the impreflions of the moment which prefentcd it to me. The fuccefiive circumftances of my progrefs are related without exaggeration or dilplay. I f i:\ '(•I I # xiv PREFACE. I have feldom allowed myfelf to wander into conjedture ; and whenever conje6turc has been indulged, it will be found, I truft, to be accompanied with the temper of a man who is not difpofed to think too highly of himfelf : and if at any time I have deli- vered myfelf with confidence, it will appear, I hope, to be on thofe fubjedls which, from the habits and experience of my life, will juftify an unreferved communication of my opinions. I am not a candidate for literary fame : at the fame time, I cannot but indulge the hope that this volume, with all its imperfedlions, will not be thought unworthy the attention of the fcientific geo- grapher ; and that, by unfolding countries hitherto unexplored, and which, I prefume, may now be confidered as a part of the Britiih dominions, it will be received as a faithful tribute to the profperity of my country. • » rl- • let ..-. i '■" ;■ Cirri::';* ^v' ->f!i !•) ALEXANDER MACKENZIE. London, November 5o, 180 ji . *♦ •'^ ' ^ ■' « ' ■<■• ...•....'*.*.■■ i « - . t^ ... i^., I ' n > .j-':«- -jiTL <'}t • '- 7" n ander e£lurc truft, of a highly I deli- ppear, from I, will of my iterary 3t but with lought c geo- ntries ume, )f the ed as f my [E, -*a| ■^• ■!^^ d:^ T**»*. 4^' ^-.ff^fcCw i:^~^^^dM^< GENERAL HISTORY I i\ OF THE FUR TRADE FROM CANADA TO THE NORTH-PVEST. ♦*•' ^;» HE fur trade, from the earlieft fettlement of nada, was confidered of the firft importance to at colony. The country was then fo populous, at, in the vicinity of the eftablifhments, the ani- als whofe Ikins were precious, in a commercial iew, foon became very fcarce, if not altogether fextindt. They were, it is true, hunted at former periodsjbut merely for food and clothing. The Indians, therefore, to procure the neceflary fupply, were encouraged to penetrate into the country, and were generally accompanied by fome of the Cana- dians, who found means to induce the remoteft tribes of natives to bring the fkins which were moll in demand, to their (ettlements, in the way of trade. It is not neceflary for me to examine the caufe, but m I :*K \, l)t) / V .).) 1+.. • 4*; I x\,\ l/«^(> i:j.> ,tfO tl4> 11(1 / > N, / X l)ol\vc(Mi l.atiUi(l(\s lO.iiul /OXOirril ;i /;. \'////i/77. ^ a . '' / /f ' K /^ /•'/■(>/// MoiUival ^ Fort Chiuowvan ,1 TOO ()«> ^ iL« .) ISo 7 O 1 1*: \i I c 1 and Koiigitndos I/) and IflOWKST, (i (( '//■/>/// ///(•///•(■ //> ///, North Soa icillc Ocean f^f/70^> I^^KnsMH^j^^^^^^HlEmB^^^^bi^k^^^^HBBlSuZdui^ T () 60 ^JjL .>o OVVKST, ^ \ <5^ c^- ^"i*^' vt>\ .^^^ ..♦^' vV' Ki^ ^^ \ .1."^' <,OV>.^ ""•'"l,o|.« ^^'O' \ P ¥» ^■l^v\^ ft\^^ ^^ Ue^' It \"i' ^"'^;^., ■•<. '"^if'fK. IC"^!'.. Ltrndofi J^uhft^AcJ jj* i*i-t i^oi f*% .i/e.nunfe/ Mir< i f\\ hi>>n NovtUii /..'/ i;i("' \> .vW VoV* 1 jiiif ,,fit-> Vy ...*o«»»^ I .XV /. '/(I'll/.. () Wow" .h'" ., .Severn ^v iViiV- 'At. jlliJ'/'"'" fc>i<'' W '^■""'"" ' lonvoi Lake' /'//)«' LflnndJ'S if"^*l< '■"" A 1*. '5< S»* I //crtii'" ' ,, ,iii' x,c* A,v//;, Co Ac 1. A »i -►v' .,11"^ , < »•i '^> A'.-.*' iK < rtr//«'« y/ciW ,i'/i'/ /»■«•/ 'onitrvt farliurro •t //••»* ]lf*i^ Thorlnwne Uo. iP"!' il'« hr^^/'"'"""" vvv. /v «^„//-- //•■'"'^ , ,fc, i'cwa •%i7-.iA' ^i/i«'' cJH , 1'' ho aeon i\'i" //'<»«> >b«";>-' \.«Ueo it' i>A»/ .c?' -^ *"<■ .^^" .C ct^ M ^0" *■/»''« ftu/c v'>' AlVOl' JOO l.oiveitudc West p^) iVoin Orooi \/>:t;iii,/i-r .Uitri Afiixi^ .y'\">l> ^Vi'r/o/lt ,i/ree/ Stratut riuidoWost QO iVom Oreonwich 2 A GENERAL HISTORY but experience proves that it requires much lefs time for a civilized people to deviate into the man- ners and cuftoms of favage life, than for favages to rife into a ftate of civilization. Such was the event with thofe who thus accompanied the natives on their hunting and trading excurfions ; for they became fo attached to the Indian mode of life, that they loft all relifli for their former habits and na- tive homes. Hence they derived the title of Cou- reurs des Bois, became a kind of pedlars, and were extremely ufeful to the merchants engaged in the fur trade ; who gave them the neceflary credit to proceed on their commercial undertakings. Three or four ofthefe people would join their ftock, put their property into a birch-bark canoe, which they worked themfelves, and either accompanied the natives in their excurfions, or went at once to the country where they knew they were to hunt. At length, thefe voyages extended to twelve or fifteen months, when they returned with rich cargoes of furs, and followed by great numbers of the natives. During the (hort time requifite to fettle their ac- counts with the merchants, and procure freQi cre- dit, they generally contrived to fquander away all their gains, when they returned to renew their favourite mode of life : their views being anfwered, and their labour fufficiently rewarded, by indulging themfelves in extravagance and diffipation during the [hort fpace of one month in twelve or fifteen. This r !S much lefs ito the man- 3r favages to ch was the 1 the natives IS ; for they ; ofhfe, that bits and na- title of Cou- iS, and were jaged in the iry credit to ngs. Three r flock, put , which they npanied the once to the ) hunt. At ve or fifteen cargoes of the natives. ;le their ac- re frelh cre- der away all renew their g anfwered, ly indulging ition during or fifteen. This OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. p This indifference about amaffing property, and the pleafure of living free from all reflraint, fooii brought on a licentioufnefs of manners which could not long efcape the vigilant obfervation of the mif-* fionaries, who had much reafon to complain of their being a difgrace to the Chriflian religion ; by not only fwerving from its duties themfelves, but by thus bringing it into difrepute with thofe of the natives who had become converts to it ; and, con- fequently, obflruding the great objed to which thofe pious men had devoted their lives. They, therefore, exerted their influence to procure the fuprefiion of thefe people, and accordingly, no one was allowed to go up the country to traffic with the Indians, without a licence from the government. At firfl thefe permiffions were, of courfe, grant- ed only to thofe whofe charader was fuch as could give no alarm to the zeal of the miffionaries : but they were afterwards beflowed as rewards for f^r- vices, on officers, and their widows; and they, who were not willing or able to make ufe of them, (which may be fuppofed to be always the cafe with thofe of the latter defcription) were allowed to fell them to the merchants, who necefTarily employed the Coureurs des bois, in quality of their agents j and thfefe people, as may be imagined, gave suffi- cient caufe for the renewal of former complaints j fo that the remedy proved, in fadt, worfe dun the difeafe. . .p, :_ .^ r-, ,, ^ C At w m Li 4 A GENERAL HISTORY • > At length, military pofts were eftabliftied at the confluence of the different large lakes of Capada, which, in a great meafure, checked the evil confe- quences that followed from the improper conduct of thefe forefters, and, at the fame time, proteded the trade. Befides, a number of able and ref- peftable men retired from the army, prosecuted the trade in perfon under their refpective li- cences, with great order and regularity, and ex- tended it to fuch a diftance, as, in thofe days, was confidered to be an aftoniftiing effort of com- mercial enterprize. Thefe perfons and the miffio^ naries having combined their views at the fame time, fecured the refped of the natives, and the obedience of the people neceffarily employed in the laborious parts of this undertaking. Thefe gen- tlemen denominated themfelves commanders, and not traders, though they were intitled to both thofe charaders: and, as for the miflionaries, if fufferings and hardships in the profecution of the great work which they had undertaken, deferved applaufe and Admiration, they had an undoubted claim to be admired and applauded : they fpared no labour and avoided no danger in the execution of their impor- tant office ; and it is to be ferioufly lamented, that their pious endeavours did not meet with the fuc- cefs which they deferved : for there is hardly a trace to be found beyond the cultivated parts, of their meritorious fundions. . ' • The «/ % I 4 ^j I _. - lied at the of Canada, evil confe- ;r condudt , proted:ed ; and ref- prosecuted lective li- ^, and ex- hofe days, Tt of com- the miflio^ : the fame :s, and the byed in the rhcfe gen- nders, and both thofe ffufferings great work tplaufe and aim to be labour and leir impor- enteJ, that th the fuc- rdly a trace ts, of their OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 5 The caufe of this failure muft be attributed to a want of due confideration in the mode employed by the miffionaries to propagate the religion of which they were the zealous minifters. They habituated themfelves to the favage life, and natu- ralifed themfelves to the favage manners, and, by thus becoming dependant, as it were, on the na*- tives, they acquired their contempt rather than their veneration. If they had been as well acquainted with human nature, as they werfe with the articles of their faith, they would have known, that the uncultivated mind of an Indian muft be difpoled by much preparatory method and inftruction to receive the revealed truths of Chriftianity, to a6t under its fandions, and be impelled to good by the hope of its reward, or turned from evil by the fear of its punifliments. They (hould have began their work by teaching fon^ i of thofe u(eful arts which are the inlets of knowledge, and lead the mind by degrees to objedls of higher comprehen- fion. Agriculture fo formed to fix and combine fociety, and fo preparatory to dbjefts of fuperior confideration, ftiould have been the firft thing in- troduced among a favage people : it attaches the wandering tribe to that fpot where it adds fo much to their comforts ; while it gives them a ienfe of property, and of lafting poffeffion, inftead of the uncertain hopes of the chafe, and the fugitive pro- duce of uncultivated wilds. Such were the means C 2 by #« I f 6 A GENERAL HISTORY by which the forefts of Paraguay were converted into a fcene of abundant cultivation, and its favage inhabitants introduced to all the advantages of a civilized life. ":-.'' - • ' * ' • The Canadian mifiionaries (hould have been contented to improve the morals of their own countrymen, fo that by meliorating their character and condud:, they would have given a ftriking example of the efFedJ- of religion in promoting the comforts of life to the furrounding favages ; and might by degrees have extended its benign in- fluence to the remoteft regions of that country, which was the objed, and intended to be the fcene, of their evangelic labours. But by bearing the light of the Gofpel at onjce to the diftance of two thoufand five hundred miles from the civilized part of the colonies, it was foon obfcured by the cloud of ignorance that darkened the human mind in ihofe diftant regions, j,., ^o f -^ ^ t>: ; .' f The whole of their long route I have often tra- velled, and the recollection of fuch a people as the miflionaries having been there, was confined to a few fuperannuated Canadians, who had not left that country fince the ceffion to the Englilh, in 1763, and who particulaly mentioned the death of fome, and the diftreffing fituation of them all. But if thefe religious men did not attain the objedts of their perfevering piety, they were, during their mif- fion, of great fervice to the commanders who en- gaged r ; converted d its favage ntages of a have been their own r charafter a flriking noting the iges ; and tjenign in- it country, the fcene, earing the ice of two nlhcd part the cloud mind in often tra- ple as the Qned to a )t left that in 1763, of fome. But if )bjed:s of their mif- who en- gaged OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. ^ gaged in thofe diftant expeditions, and fpread the fur trade as far Weft as the banks of the Safkatchi- wine river, in 53. North latitude^ and longitude 102 Weft. . - ..• • / .J : At an early period of their intercourfe with the favages, a cuftom was introduced of a very excel- lent tendency, but is now unfortunately difconti- nued, of not felling any fpirituous liquor to the natives. This admirable regulation was for fome time obferved, with all the refped: due to the reli- gion by which it was fan(ftioned,andwhofe fevereft cenfures followed the violation of it. A painful penance could alone reftore the offender to the fuf- pended rites of the facrament. The cafuiftry of trade, however, difcovered a way to gratify the In- dians with their favourite cordial, without incur- ring the ecclefiaftical penalties, by giving, inftead of felling it to them. But notwithftanding all the reftri(ftions with which commerce was oppreffed under the French government, the fur trade was extended to the im- menfe diftance which has been already ftated ; and furmounted many moft difcouraging difficulties, which will be hereafter noticed ; while, at the fame time, no exertions were made from Hudfon*s Bay to obtain even a ftiare of the trade of a country which, according to the charter of that company, belonged to it, and^from its proximity, is fo much more acceffible to the mercantile adventurer. V ^ Of L f A GENERAL HISTORY - Of thefe trading commanders, I underftood, that two attempted to penetrate to the Pacific Ocean, but the utmoft extent of their journey I could ne^ ver learn ; which may be attributed, indeed, to a failure of the undertaking. For fome time after the conqneft of Canada, this trade was fufpended, which muft have been very advantageous to the Hudfon*s Bay Company as ail the inhabitants to the Weftward of Lake Superior, were obliged to go to them for fuch ar*- tides as their habitual ufe had rendered neceflary. Some of the Canadians who had lived long with them, and were become attached to a favage life, accompanied them thither annually, till mercantile adventurers again appeared from their own countrj'-, after an interval of feveral years, owing, as 1 fup- pofe, to an ignorance of the country in the con- querors, and their want of commercial confidence in the immenfe length of the journey neceflary to reach the limits beyond which this commerce muft -begin ; the rilk of property; the expences attending fuch a long tranfport ; and an ignorance of the Janguage of thofe who, from their experience, muft be neceflfarily employed as the intermediate agents between them and the natives. But, notwithftand- ing thefe difficulties, the trade, by degrees, began to .fpread over the different parts to which it had been carried by the French, though at a great rifk of the lives, as well as the property, of their new pof- Icflbr ,1 .1 f .V OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 9 fcffors, for the natives had been taught by their former allies to entertain hoftile difpofitions towards the englifli, from their having been in alliance with their natural enemies the Iroquois j and there were not wanting a fufficient number of difcontented, difappointed people to keep alive fuch a notion; fo that for a long time they were confidered and treated as objeds of hoftility. To prove this difpofition of the Indians, we have only to refer to the condud of Pontiac, at Detroit, and the sur- prife and taking of Michilimakinac, about this period. Hence it arofe, that it was fb late as the years 1766, before which, the trade I mean to confider, commenced from Michilimakinac. The firft who attempted it were fatisfied to go the length of the River Camcniftiquia, about thirty miles to the Eaftward of the Grande Portage, where the French had. a principaJ cftablifhment, and was the line of th^ir. communication with the interior country. It was once deftroyed by fire. Here they went and returned fuccefsful in the following fpring to Mi- chilimakinac. Their fuccefs induced them to re- new their journey, and incited others to follow their example. Some of them remained at Camc- niftiquia, while others proceeded to and beyond the Grande Portage, which, fmce that time has become the principal entrepot of that trade, and is fituated in a bay, in latitude 48. North, and lon^ gitude f 10 A GENERAL HISTORY gitude 90c Weft. After paffing the ufual feafon there, they went back to Michilimakinac as before, and encouraged by the trade, returned in increafed numbers. One of thefe, Thomas Curry, with a fpirit of enterprizc fuperior to that of his contem- poraries, determined to penetrate to the furtheft limits of the French difcoveries in that country j or at Icaft till the froft fhould ftop him. For this purpofe he procured guides and interpreters, who were acquainted with the country, and with four canoes arrived at Fort Bourbon, which was one of their pofts, at the Weft end of the Cedar Lake, on the waters of the Safkatchiwine. His rifk and toil were well recompenfed, for !ie came back the following fpring with his canoes filled with fine furs, with which he proceeded to Canada, and was fatisfied never again to return to the Indian country. ^ '■-^'^-f^ r^r-.- ^;. ?,„-... ■ F.-fV/HrH From this period people began to fpread over every part of the country, particularly where the French had eftablilhed fettlements. Mr. James Finlay was the firft who followed Mr. Curry's example, and with the fame number of canoes, arrived, in the courfe of the next feafon, at Nipawee, the laft of the French fettlements on the bank of the Safkatchiwine River, in latitude nearly a^^ North, and longitude 103 Weft : he found the good fortune, as he followed, in every rcfped, the example, of his predecefTor. .. . -' As ■M ■'I en< pu af to] an( the fell wh pre t Stt M lor I . i jea wit Fn !itV the dif] the hav pof how ture con riva 1 tioni nadz nion carri al feafon s before, iicreafed , with a contem- furtheft country ; For this ters, who with four vas one of lar Lake, is rilk and back the with fine nada, and he Indian 3read over where the o followed le number ext feafon, ements on n latitude Weft : he in every i 4 ■i^ OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. ii As may be fuppofed, there were now people enough ready to replace them, and the trade was purfued with fuch avidity, and irregularity, that in a few years it became the reverfe of what it ought to have been. An animated competition prevailed, and the contending parties carried the trade beyond the Fr??nch limits, though with no benefit to them- felves or neighbours, the Hudfon*s-Bay Company; who in the year 1774, and not till then, thought proper to move from home to the Eaft bank of Sturgeon Lake, in latitude 53. 56. North, and longitude 102. 15. Weft, and became more jealous of their fellow fubjedts ; and, perhaps, with more caufe, than they had been of thofe of France. From this period to the prefent time, they have been following the Canadians to their different eftablilhments, while, on the contrary, there is not a folitary inftance that the Canadians have followed them ; and there are many trading pofts which they have not yet attained. This, however, will no longer be a myftery when the na- ture and policy of the Hudfon's-Bay Company is compared with that which has been purfued by their rivals in this trade. — But to return to my fubjedt. This competition, which has been already men- tioned, gave a fatal blow to the trade from Ca- nada, and, with other incidental caufes, in my opi- nion, contributed to its ruin. This- trade was carried on in a very diftant country, out of the ,• D reach 12 A GENERAL HISTORY reach of legal reftraint, and where there was a free fcope given to any ways or means in attaining ad- vantage. The confequence was not only the lofs of commercial benefit to the perfons engaged in it, but of the good opinion of the natives, and the refpedt of their men, who were inclined to follow their example ; fo that with drinking, carouHng, and quarrelling with the Indians along their route, and among themfelves, they feldom reached their winter quarters ; and if they did, it was generally by dragging their property upon fledges, as the navigation was clofed up by the froft. When at length they were arrived, the objed of each was to injure his rival traders in the opinion of the na- tives as much as was in their power, by mifrepre- fentation and prefents, for which the agents em- ployed were peculiarly calculated. They confi- dered the command of their employer as binding on them, and however wrong or irtcgular the tranfadion, the refponfibility refted with the prin- cipal who dircded them. This is Indian law. Thus did they wafte their credit and their pro- perty with the natives, till the firft was pad re- demption, and the lail was nearly exhaufled ; fo that towards the fpring in each year, the rival parties found it abfolutely neceffary to join, and make one common ftock of what remained, for the pur- pofe of trading with the natives, who could en- tertain no refped for perfons who had conduced . . themfelves ■j their :nerally as the '^hen at ich was the na- lifrepre- its em- y confi- binding Lilar the he prin- ian law. eir pro- ^ paft re- [led; (o al parties id make the pur- 3uld en- onduded lemfelves OF THE FUR TRADE, ficc. 13 themfelves with fo much irregularity and deceit. The winter, therefore was one continued fcene of difagrecments and quarrels. If any one had the precaution or good fenfe to keep clear of thefe proceedings, he derived a proportionable advantage from his good condudt, and frequently proved a peace-maker between the parties. To fuch an height had they carried this licentious conduct, that they were in a continual ftate of alarm, and were even frequently ftopped to pay tribute on their route into the country j though they had adopted the plan of travelling together in parties of thirty or forty canoes, and keeping their men armed; which fometimcs, indeed, proved nccef- fary for their defence. Thus was the trade carried on for feveral years, and confequently becoming worfe, and worfe, fo that the partners, who met them at the Grande Portage, naturally complained of their ill fuccefs. But fpe- cious reafons were always ready to prove that it arofe from circumftances which they could not at that time control ; and encouragements were held forth to hope that a change would foon take place, which would make ample amends for paft difap- pointments. It was about this time, that Mr. Jofeph Fro- bifher, one of the gentlemen engaged in the trade, determined to penetrate into the country yet unex- plored, to the North and Weftward, and, in the 14 A GENERAL HISTORY w fpring of the year 1 775* met the Indians from that quarter on their way to Fort Churchill, at Portage de Traitc, fo named from that circumftance. on the banks of the Miffinipi, or Churchill River, lati- tude ^^. 25. North, longitude 103 J. Weft. It was, indeed, with fome difficulty that he could induce them to trade with him, but he at length procured as many furs as his canoes could carry. In this perilous expedition he fuftained every kind of hardlhip incident to a journey through a wild and favage country, where his fubfiftence depended on what the woods and the waters produced. Thefe difficulties, neverthelefs, did not difcourage him from returning in the following year, when he was equally fuccefsful. He then fent his bro- ther to explore the country ftill further Weft, who penetrated as far as the lake of Ifle a la Crofle, in latitude 55. 26. North, and longitude 108 Weft. He, however, never after wintered among the Indians, though he retained a large intereft in the trade, and a principal (hare in the diredtion of it till the year 1 798, when he retired to enjoy the fruits of his labours ; and, by his hofpitality, became known to every refpedable ftranger who vifited Canada. ,: :t; < The fuccefs of this gentleman induced others to follow his example, and in the fpring of the year 1778, fome of the traders on the Safkatchiwine River, finding they had a quantity of goods to fpare. rom that Portage :e. on the 'er» lati- ^eft. It ic could It length Id carry, cry kind h a wild lepended reduced, fcourage ir, when his bro- efl, who rofle, in 8 Weft, ong the ft in the >n of it ijoy the became vifited OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 15 (pare, agreed to put them into a joint ftock, and gave the charge and management of them to Mr. Peter Pond, who, in four canoes, was diredcd to enter the Englifli River, fo called by Mr. Frobiflier, to follow his track, and proceed ftill further ; if pofTible, to Atlubafca, a country hitherto unknown but from Indian report. In this enterprife he at length fucceoded, and pitched his tent on the banks of the Elk River, by him erroneoufly called the Atha- bafca River, about forty miles from the Lake of the Hills, into which it empties itfelf. Here he paflld the winter of 177S-9; faw a vaft concourfe of the Knifteneaux and Chepewyan tribes, who ufed to carry their furs annually to Churchill j the latter by the barren grounds, where they fuffered innumerable hardfliips, and were fometimes even ftarved to death. The former fol- lowed the courfe of the lakes and rivers, through a country that abounded in animals, and where there was plenty of fiftj : but though they did not fufFer from want of food, the intolerable fatigue of fuch a journey could not be eafily repaid to an Indian : they were therefore highly gratified by feeing people come to their country to relieve them from fuch long, toilfome, and dangerous journies j and were immediately reconciled to give an ad- vanced price for the articles neceffary to their com- fort and convenience. Mr. Pond's reception and fuccefs was accordingly beyond his expedation ; and u\ i6 A GENERAL HISTORY ' and he procured twice as many furs as his canoes would carry. They alfo fupplied him with as much provision as he required during his refidence among them, and fufficient for his homeward voyage. Such of the furs as he could not embark, he fecured in one of his winter huts, and they were found the following feafoo, in the fame (late in which he left them. Thefe, however, were but partial advantages, and could not prevent the people of Canada from feeing the improper conduct of fome of their af- fociates, which rendered it dangerous to remain any longer among the natives. Moft of them who paffed the winter at the Safkatchiwine, got to the Eagle hills, where, in the fpring of the year 1 7 80, a few days previous to their intended departure, a large band of Indians being engaged in drinking about their houfes, one of the traders, to eafe him- felf of the troublefome importunities of a native, gave him a dofe of laudanum in a glafs of grog, which effedually prevented him from giving fur- ther trouble to any one, by fetting him alleep for ever. This accident produced a fray, in which one of the traders, and feveral of the men, v/ere killed, while the reft had no other means to fave themfelves but by a precipitate flight, abandoning a confiderable quantity of goods, and near half the furs which they had coUeded during the win- ter and the Ipring. • ^ «*•' - > About 1 1 i on § tice .1 of 1 9 thai 1 -if Y s his canoes im with as biis refidence homeward lot embark, »d they were lie ftate in idvantages, inada from )f their af- remain any :hem who ^ot to the ^ear 1780, departure, 1 drinking eafe him- a native, of grog, ving fur- afleep for in which en, v/ere J to fave mdoning near half the win- About OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 17 About the fame time, two of the eftablifliments on the Affiniboin river, were attacked with lefs juf- tice, when fevcral white men, and a greater number of Indians were killed, ^n fliort, it appeared, that the natives had formed a refolution to extir- pate the traders ; and, without entering into any further reafonings on the fubje<5t, it appears to be incontrovertible, that the irregularity purfued in carrying on the trade has brought it into its prefent forlorn fituation ; and nothing but the greateft ca- lamity that could have befallen the natives faved the traders from deftrudion : this was the fmall pox, which fpread its deftrudtive and defolating power, as the fire confumes the dry grafs of the field. The fatal infection fpread around with a baneful rapidity which no flight could efcape, and with a fatal effe<5t that nothing could refift. It de- ftroyed with its peftilential breath whole families and tribes ; and the horrid fcene prefented to thofe who had the melancholy and afflidling opportunity of beholding it, a combination of the dead, the dying, and fuch as to avoid the horrid fate of their friends around them, prepared to difappoint the plague of its prey, by terminating their own exiftence. The habits and lives of thefe devoted people, which provided not to-day for the wants of to-mor- row, muft have heightened the pains of fuch an afflidion, by leaving them not only without remedy, but 18 A GENERAL HISTORY but even without alleviation. Nought was left them but to fubmit in agony and dcfpair. To aggravate the pi<5Vure, if aggravation were poflible, may be added, the putrid carcafes which the wolves, with a furious voracity, dragged forth from the huts, or which were mangled within them by the dogs, whofe hunger was fatisfied with the disfigured remains of their matters. Nor was it uncommon for the father of a family, whom the infedion had not reached, to call them around him, to reprefent the cruel fufferings and horrid fate of their relations, from the influence of fome evil fpirit who was preparing to extirpate their race ; and to incite them to baffle death, with all its horrors, by their own poniards. At the fame time, if their hearts failed them in this necelTary aft, he was himfelf ready to perform the deed of mercy with his own hand, as the lafl adt of his affection, and inflandy to follow them to the common place of refl and refuge from human evil. ? ^ ^ ' It was never fatisfadtorily afcertained by what means this malignant dilbrder was introduced, but it was generally fuppofed to be from the MifTifouri, by a war party. The confequence of this melancholy event to the traders muft be felf-evident ; the means of difpofrng of their goods were cut orT; and no furs were obtained, but luch as had been gathe- red OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 19 Ired from the habitations of the deceafed Indians, [which could not be very confiderable : nor did ihey look from the lofles of the present year, I with any encouraging expectations to thofe which (were to come. The only fortunate people con- Ififted of a party who had again penetrated to the [Northward and Weilward in 1780, at fome dif- tance up the Miffinipi^ or Englilh River, to Lake , Rouge. Two unfortunate ciicumftances, howe- ver, happened to them ; which are as follow. Mr. Wadin, a Swifs gentleman, of ftrin was, in was con- 5w foun- hitherto y conti- in [fpite liDtained i^ith the J the fu- )IIowing nanifeft t Com- cion of Ives to th any es en- breign to OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 25 to It. It may be faid to have been fupportcd entirely upon credit ; for, whether the capital belonged to the proprietor, or was borrowed, it equally bore intereft, for which the affociation was annually accountable. It confifted of twenty (hares, unequally divided among the perfons con- cerned. Of thefe, a certain proportion was held by the people who managed the bufinefs in Canada, and were ftiled agents for the Company. Their duty was to import the neceflary goods from England, ftore them at their own expence at Montreal, get them made up into the articles fuited to the trade, pack and forward theiji, and fupply the cafli that might be wanting for the outfits ; for which they received, independent of the profit on their (hares, a commiflion on the amount of the accounts, which they were obliged to make out annually, and keep the adventure of each year iiftinft. Two of them went annually to the Grande Portage, to manage and tranfaA the bufinefs there, and on the communication at Detroit, Michili- makinac, St Mary's, and at Montreal, where they received, ftored, packed up, and (liipped the com- pany's furs for England, on which they had alfo a fmall commi(fion. The remaining (hares were held by the proprietors, who were obliged to winter and manage the bufinefs of the concern with the Indians, and their refpedive clerks, &c. They were not fuppofed to be under any obligation to ■ i r- v' furnilh a6 A GENERAL HISTORY furnifh capital, or even credit. If they obtained any capital by the trade, it was to remain in the hands of the agents ; for which they were allowed intereft. Some of them, from their long fervices and influence, held double (hares, and were allow-* ed to retire from the butinefs at any period of the exifting concern, with one of thofe ihares, naming any young man in the company's fervice to fucceed him in the other. Seniority and merit were, however, confidered as affording a claim to the fucceffion, which, neverthelefs, could not be difpofed of without the concurrence of the majo- rity of the concern ; who, at the fame time re- lieved the feceding perfon from any refponlibi- lity refpe9 goods from England in the month of Odtober, eighteen months before they can leave Montreal } that is, they are not fhipped from London until the fpring following!:, when they arrive in Canada in the fummer. In the courfe of the following winter they arc made up into fuch articles as are required for the lavages; they are then packed into parcels of ninety pounds weight each, but cannot be fent from Montreal until the May following ; fo that they do not get to market until the enfuing winter, when ihey are exchanged for furs, which come to Montreal the next fall, and from thence are (hipped, chiefly to London, where they arc not fold or paid for before the fucceeding fpring, or even as late as June ; which is forty-two months after the goods were ordered in Canada ; thirty-fix after they had been Ihipped from England, and twenty -four after they had been forwarded from Montreal ; fo that the merchant, allowing that he has twelve months credit, does not receive a return to pay for thofe goods, and the necelFary expences attending them, which is about equal to the value of the goods themfelves, till two years after they are confidered as cafh, which makes this a very heavy bufinefs. There is even a fmall pro- portion of it that requires twelve months longer to bring round the payment, owing to the immenfe diftance it is carried, and from the fliortnefs of the feafons, which prevents the furs, even after F 2 they 30 A GENERAL HISTORY they are colledted, from coming out of the country for that period *. f^rs-z/i, f- . .^ y The articles neceflary for this trade, are coarfe woollen cloths of different kinds ; milled blankets of different fizes j arms and ammunition ; twift and carrot tobacco; Manchefler goods; linens, and coarle Iheetings ; thread, lines and twine ; common hardware ; cutlery and ironmongery of feveral defcriptions ; kettles of brafs and copper, and fheet- iron ; filkand cotton handkerchiefs ; hats, (hoes and hofe ; calicoes and printed cottons, &c. Spirituous liquors and provjfions are purchafed in Canada. Thefe> and the expence of trans- port to and from the Indian country, including wages to clerks, interpreters, guides, and canoe- men, with the expence of making up the goods for the market, form about half the annual amount againft the adventure. * This will be better illufirated by the following flatement : We will fuppofe the gooils for 1 798 ; The orders for the goods are fent to this country ajth Oft. 1 796. They are fhipped from London. .... . March 1797. They arrive in Montreal June 1 797. They are made up in the courfe of that fummer and winter. They are fent from Montreal May 1 798. They arrive in the Indian country, and are exchanged for furs the following winter 1798-9. "Which furs come to Montreal Sept. 1799. And are (hipped for London, where they are fuid in March and April, and ptid for in May or June. . 1800. This Tl to th thofe of th purch wife T iO«a .1796. arch 1797- une 1797- winter. ^ay 1798. ed . I 798-9. ept. 1 1799. 1 • 1800. This OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 3i This expenditure in Canada ultimately tends to the encouragement of Britiih manufadory, for thofe who are employed in the different branches of this bufinefs, are enabled by their gains to purchafe fuch Britifli articles as they muft other- wife forego. The produce of the year of which I am now fpeaking, confifted of the following furs and peltries : ' - - '. • " > 106,000 Beaver fkins 2 i 00 Bear ikins, 1 coo Fox fkins, 4000 ^Kitt Fox fkins, 4600 Otter fkins, 6000 Lynx fkins, i 600 ^Wolverine fkins, 1650^ Fiflier fkins, 1 00 Rackoon fkins, 3800 Wolf fkins. 1 7,000'^Mufquafh fkins, 700 Elk fkins, ,. 32,000 Marten fkins, 750 Deer fkins, ,' 1 800** Mink fkins, 1200 Deer fkins, drefTed, 500 Buffalo robes, and a quantity of caflo- rum. Of thefe were diverted from the Britifh market, being fent through the United States to China, 13,364 fkins, fine beaver, weighing 1 9283 pounds; 1250 fine otters, and 1724 kitt foxes. They would have found their way to the China market at any rate, but this deviation from the Britiih chan- nel arofe from the following circum (lance : An adventure of this kind was undertaken by a refpedable houfe in London, half concerned with the North- Weft Company in the year 1792. The 32 A GENERAL HISTORY The furs were of the beft kind, and fuitable to the market ; and the adventurers continued this connexion for five fucceffive years, to the an- nual amount of forty thoufand pounds. At the wmding up of 1799, 1793, ^794> ^795» ^^ ^^^ year 1797, (the adventure of 1796 not being included, as the furs were not fent to China, but difpofed of in London ), the North - Weft Company experienced a lofs of upwards of ^f 40,000 ( their half, ) which was principally owing to the difficulty of getting home the produce procured in return for the furs from China, in the Eaft India Company's (hips, together with the duty payable, and the various reftridlions of that com- pany. Wherea?, from America there are no im- pediments ; they get immediately to market, and the produce of them is brought back, and perhaps fold in the courfe of twelve months. From fuch advantages the furs of Canada will no doubt find their way to China by America, Vv^hich would not be the cafe if Britilh subjects had the fame privileges that are allowed to foreigners, as Lon- don would then be found the beft and fafeft market. . . But to return to our principal fubjed. — We ftiall now proceed to confider the number of men employed in the concern : viz, fifty clerks, feventy- one interpreters and clerks, one thoufand one hundred and twenty canoe men, and thiny-five ... guides. "uitable to nued this the an- At the )5i in the not being to China, rth - Weft f^jf 4o>ooo ng to the procured the Eaft the duty hat com- e no im- rket, and d perhaps rom fuch :^ubt find h would the fame as Lon- id fafeft •i ^1 OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 35 guides. Of thefe, five clerks, eighteen guides, and three hundred and fifty canoe men, were employed for the fummer feafon in going from Montreal to the Grande Portage, in canoes, part of whom proceeded from thence to Rainy Lak© as will be hereafter explained, and are called Pork- eaters, or Goers and Comers. Thefe were hired in Canada or Montreal, and were abfent from the firft of May till the latter end of September. For this trip the guides had from eight hundred to a thoufand livres, and a fuitable equipment; the foreman and fleerfman from five to fix hundred livres; the middlemen from two hundred and fifty to three hundred and fifty livres, with an equipment of one blanket, one fliirt, and one pair of trowfers; and were maintained during that period at the ex- pence of their employers. Independent of their wages, they were allowed to traffic, and many of them earned to the amount of their wages. About one third of thefe went to winter, and had more than double the above wages and equipment. All the winterers were hired by the year, and fometimes for three years ; and of the clerks many were ap- prentices, who were generally engaged for five or feven years, for which they had only one hundred pounds, provifion a; d clothing. Such of them who could not be provided for as partners, at the expiration of this time, were allowed from one hundred pounds to three hundred pounds per an- num ^ 34 A GENERAL HISTORY num; with all neceffaries, till provifion was made for them. Thofe who aded in the two-fold capa- city of clerk and interpreter, or were fo denomi- nated, had no other expedl ation than the payment of wages to the amount of from one thoufand livres per annum, with clothing and provifions. The guides, who are a very ufeful fet of men, aded alfo in the additional capacity of interpreters, and had a Hated quantity of goods, confidered as fufficient for their wants, their wages being from one to three thoufand livres. The canoe men are of two defcriptions, foremen and fteerfmen, and middle- men. The two firft were allowed annually one thoufand two hundred, and the latter four hundred, livres each. The firft clafs had what is called an equipment, conlifting of two blankets, two fhirts, two pair of trowfers, two handkerchiefs, fourteen pounds of carrot tobacco, and fome trifling articles. The latter had ten pounds of tobacco, and all the other articles : thofe are called North Men, or Winterers ; and to the laft clafs of people were at- tached upwards of feven hundred Indian women and children, victualled at the expence of the com- pany. The firft clafs of people are hired in Montreal five months before they fet out, and receive their equipments, and one third of their wages in advance; and an adequate idea of the labour they undergo may be formed from the following account of the country OF THE FUR TRADE, &.c. 35 country through which they pafs, and their man- ner of proceeding. The ncceflary number of canoes being purcha- fed, at about three hundred livres each, the goods formed into packages, and the lakes and rivers free of ice, which they ufually are in the beginning of Mny, they are then difpatched from La Chine, eight miles above Montreal, with eight or ten men in each canoe, and their baggage ; and fixty- five packages of goods, fix hundred weight of bif- CLiit, two hundred weight of pork, three bufliels of peafe, for the men*s provifion ; two oil cloths to cover the goods, a fail, &c. an axe, a towing-line, a kettle, and a fponge to bail out the water, with a quantity of gum, bark, and watape, to repair the veflel. An European on feeing one of thefe llen- der veflels thus laden, heaped up, and funk with her gunwale within fix inches of the water, would think his fate inevitable in fuch a boat, when he reflefted on the nature of her voyage ; but the Ca- nadians are fo expert that few accidents happen. ' Leaving La Chine, they proceed to St. Ann's, within two miles of the Weftern extremity of the iiland of Montreal, the lake of the two mountains being in fight, which may be termed the com- mencement of the Utawas River. At the rapid of St. Ann they are obliged to take out part, if not the whole of their lading. It is from this fpot that the Canadians confider they take their departure, G as km m k 36 A GENERAL HISTORY as it poflefles the laft church on the ifland, which is dedicated to the tutelar faint of voyagers. Thp lake of the two mountains is about twenty miles long, but not more than three wide, and furrounded by cultivated fields, except the Seign- ory belonging to the clergy, though nominally in poffviflion of the two tribes of Iroquois and Al- gonquins, whofe village is iituated on a delightful point of land under the hills, which, by the title of mountains, give a name to the lake. Near the extremity of the point their church is built, which divides the village in two parts, forming a regular an- gle along the water fide. On the Eaft is the ftation on the Algonquins, and on the Weft, one of the Iroquois, confifting in all of about five hundred warriors. Each party has its miffionary, and divine worfliip is performed according to the rites of the Roman Catholic religion, in their refpedive Jan- ^guages in the fame church : and fo afliduous have their paftors been, that thcfe people have been in- ftruded in reading and writing in their own lan- guage, and are better inftrudted than the Cana- dian inhabitants of the country of the lower ranks: but notwithftanding thefe advantages, and though the eftablifhment is nearly coeval with the coloni- zation of the country, they do not advance towards a ftate of civilization but retain their ancient habits, language, and cuftoms, and are becoming every day more depraved, indigent, and infignificant. ^ The I OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 37 The country around them, though very capable of cultivation, prefents only a few miferable patches of ground, fown by the women with maize and ve- getables. During the winter feafon, they leave their habitations, and pious paftors, to follow the chafe, according to the cuftom of their forefathers. Such is, indeed, the ftate of all the villages near the cul- tivated parts of Canada. But we (hall now leave them to proceed on our voyage. At the end of the lake the water contrads into the Utawas River, which, after a courfe of fifteen miles, is interrupted by a fucceffion of rapids and cafcades for upwards of ten miles, at the foot of which the Canadian Seignories terminate ; and all above them were wafte land, till the conclufionof the American war, when they were furveyed by order of government, and granted to the officers and men of the eighty-fourth regiment, when reduced; but principally to the former, and confequently little inhabited, though very capable of cultivation. The voyagers are frequently obliged to unload their canoes, and carry the goods upon their backs, or rather fufpended in flings from their he^ds. Each man's ordinary load is two packages, though fome carry three. Here the canoe is towed by a ftrong line. There are fome places where the ground will not admit of their carrying the whole ; they then make two trips, that is, leave half their lading, and go and land it at the diflance required ; *' G a and 38 A GENERAL HISTORY and then return for that which was left. In this diilance are three carrying- places, the length of which depends in a great meafure upon the ftate of the water, whether higher or lower ; from the laft of thefe the river is about a mile and an halt wide, and has a regular current for about fixty miles, when it ends at the firft Portage de Chaudiere, where the body of water falls twenty-five feet, over cragged, excavated rocks, in a moft wild, romantic manner. At a fmall diflance below, is the river Rideau on the left, falling over a perpendicular rock, near forty feet high, in one fheet, afluming the appearance of a curtain ; and from which cir- cumftance it derives its name. To this extent the lands have been furveyed, as before obferved, and are very fit for culture. Many loyalifts are fettled upon the river Rideau, and have, I am told, thri- ving plantations. Some American families pre- ferring the Britifh territory, have alfo eflablifhed themfelves along a river on the oppolite fide, where the foil is excellent. Nor do I think the period is far diflant, when the lands will become fettled from this vicinity to Montreal. ■>. • . Over this portage, which is fix hundred and forty-three paces long, the canoe and all the lading is carried. The rock is fo fteep and difficult of accefs, r'.xat it requires twelve men to take the ca- noe out of the water : it is then carried by fix men, two at each end on the fame fide, and two under , . the In this length of the flate from the id an half ixty miles, [Thaudiere, feet, over , romantic i the river pendicular , affuming vhich cir- cxtent the erved, and are fettled told, thri- nilies pre- eftablifhed ofite fide, think the 11 become idred and the lading lifficult of Le the ca- y_ fix men, wo under the I 4- ii' OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 89 the oppofite gunwale in the middle. From hence to the next is but a (hort diftance, in which they make two trips to the fecond Portage de Chau- diere, which is feven hundred paces to carry the loading alone. From hence to the next and laft Chaudiere, or Portage des Chenes, is about fix miles, with a very flrong current, where the goods are carried feven hundred and forty paces; the canoe being towed up by the line, when the water is not very high. We now enter Lac des Chau- dieres, which is computed to be thirty miles in length. Though it is called a lake, there is a ftrong draught downwards, and its breadth is from two to four miles. At the end of this is the Por- tage des Chats, over which the canoe and lading are carried two hundred and feventy-four paces ; and very difficult it is for the former. The river is here barred by a ridge of black rocks, rifing in pinnacles and covered with wood, which, from the fmall quantity of foil that nourilhes it, is low and ftinted. The river finds its way over and through thefe rocks, in numerous channels falling fifteen feet and upwards. From hence two trips are made through a ferpentine channel, formed by the rocks for feveral miles, when the current flackens, and is accordingly called the Lake des Chats. At the channels of the grand Calumet, which are compu- ted to be at the diftance of eighteen miles, the cur- rent recovers its ftrength, and proceeds to the Por- *, ^^u tage 40 A GENERAL HISTORY tagc Dufort, which is two hundred and forty-five paces long ; over which the canoe and baggage arc tranfported. From hence the current becomes more rapid, and requires two trips to the Dechar- ge des Sables *. where the goods are carried one hundred and thirty-five paces, and the canoe to- wed. Then follows the Mountain Portage, where the canoe and lading are alfo carried three hundred and eighty- five paces 5 then to the D^charge of the Derigc where the goods are carried two hun- dred and fifty paces ; and thence to the grand Ca- lumet. This is the longefl: carrying-place in this river, and is about two thoufand and thirty-five paces. It is a high hill or mountain. From the upper part of this Portage the current is fleady, and is only a branch of the Utawas River, which joins the main channel, that keeps a more Sou- thern courfe, at the diftance of twelve computed leagues. Six leagues further it forms Lake Cou- longe, which is about four leagues in length : from thence it proceeds through the channels of the AUumettes to the Decharge, where part of the la- ding is taken out, and carried three hundred and forty-two paces. Then fucceeds the Portage des AUumettes, which is but twenty-five paces, over a rock difikult of accefs, and at a very fliort dif- * The place where the goods alone are carried, is railed a Decharge^ and that where goods and canoes are both tranfported overland, is denominated a Portage^. 3\ ::. . i i „ J,. L J_k^'^ tance OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 41 wnce from the Dccharge. From Portage de Chenes to this fpot, is a fine deer-hunting country, and the land in niany parts very fit for cultivaxion. From hence the river fpreads wide, and is full of iflands, widi fome current for fcven leagues, to the beginning of Riviere Creu/e, or Deep River, which runs in the form of a canal, about a mile and an half wide, for about thirty-fix miles ; bounded upon the North by very high rocks, with low land on the South, and fandy j it is intercepted again by falls and catarads, fo that the Portages of the two Joachins almoft join. The firll is nine hundred and twenty, fix paces, the next feven hundred and twenty, and both very bad roads. From hence is a fteady current of nine miles to the River du Moine, where there has generally been a trad- ing houfe; the dream then becomes ftrong for four leagues, when a rapid fucceeds, which requires two trips. A little way onward is the Dccharge, and clofe to it, the Portage of the Roche Capi- taine, feven hundred and ninety-feven paces in length. From hence two trips are made through a narrow channel of the Roche Capitaine, made by an illand four miles in length. A flirong current now fucceeds, for about fix leagues to the Portage of the two rivers, which it about eight hundred and twenty paces ; from thence it is three leagues to the Dccharge of the Trou, which is three hundred paces. Near adjoining is the rapid of Levellier i from n n 42 A GENERAL HISTORY from whence, including the rapids of Matawoen, where there is no carrying-place, it is about thirty- fix miles to the forks of the fame name ; in lati- tude 46 J. North, and longitude 78 J. Weft, and is at the computed diftance of four hundred miles from Montreal. At this place the Petite Riviere falls into the Utawas. The latter river comes from a North- Wefterly direction , forming feveral lakes in its courfe. The principal of them is Lake Temefcamang, where there has always been a tra- ding poft, which may be faid to continue, by a fucceffion of rivers and lakes, upwards of fifty lea- gues from the Forks, paffing near the waters of the Lake Abbitiby, in latitude 48 1. which is re- ceived by the Moofe River, that empties itfelf into James Bay. The Petite Riviere takes a South-Weft diredlion, is full of rapids and catarads to its fource, and is not more than fifteen leagues in length, in the courfe of which are the following interruptions — The Portage of Plein Champ, three hundred and nineteen paces ; the Decharge of the Rofe, one hundred and forty-five paces ; the Decharge of Campion, one hundred and eighty-four paces ; the Portage of the Groffe Roche, one hundred and fifty paces ; the Portage of Pareffeux, four hun- dred and two paces ; the Portage of Priarie, two hundred and eighty-feven paces ; the Portage of La Cave, one hundred paces ; Portage of Talon, :a .1 two OF THE FUR TRADE, ^ci 4$ two hundred and feventy-five paces i which, for its length, is the word on the communication-; Por- tage Pin de Mufique, four hundred and fifty- fix paces ', next to this is Mauvais de Mufique, where many men have been crufhed to death by the ca- noes, and others have received irrecoverable injuries. The laft in this river is the Turtle Portage, eighty- three paces, on entering the lake of that name, where, indeed, the river may be laid to take its source. From the firft vafe to the great river, the country has the appearance of having been over- run by fire, and confifls in general of huge rocky hills. The diftance of this Portage which is the height of land, between the waters of the St. Lau- rence and the Utawas, is one thoufand five hundred and thirteen paces to a fmall canal in a plain, that is juft fufficient to carry the loaded canoe about one mile to the next vafe, which is feven hundred and twenty- five paces. It would be twice this diftance, but the narrow creek is dammed in the beaver falh- ion, to float the canoes to this barrier, through which they pafs, when the river is juft fufficient to bear them through a fwamp of two miles to the laft vafe, of one thoufand and twenty-four paces in length. Though the river is increafed in this part, fome care is neceflary to avoid rocks and ftumps of trees. In about fix miles is the lake Nepifingui, which is computed to be twelve leagues long, though the route of the canoes is fomething more : H it p 44 A GENERAL HISTORY it is about fifteen miles wide in the widefl: part, and bounded with rocks. Its inhabitants confiil of the remainder of a numerous converted tribe, called Nepifinguis of the Algonquin nation. Out of it flows the Riviere des Francois, over rocks of a confiderable height. In a bay to the Eaft of this, the road leads over the Portage of the Chaudiere des Fran9ois, five hundred and forty-four paces, to ftill water. It mud have acquired the name of Kettle, from a great number of holes in the folid rock of a cylindrical form, and not unlike that cu- linary utenfil. They are obfervable in many parts along ftrong bodies of water, and where, at certain feafons, and diflindl periods, it is well known the water inundates ; at the bottom of them are gene- rally found a number of fmall ftones and pebbles. This circumftance justifies the conclufion, that at fome former period thefe rocks formed the bed of a branch of the difcharge of this lake, althou8;h fome of them are upwards of ten feet above the prefent level of the water at its greatefl height. They are, indeed, to be seen along every great river throughout this wide extended country. The French river is very irregular, both as to its breadth and form, and is fo interfperfed with iflands, that in the whole courfe of it the banks are feldom vifible. Of its various channels, that which is generally fol- lowed by the canoes is obflrufted by the follow ing Portages, viz. des Pins, fifty- two paces j Feaufiile, thirty-fix , OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 45 Thirty-fix paces ; Parisienne, one hundred paces ; Recolet, forty-five paces ; and the Petite Feaufille, twenty-five paces. In feveral parts there are guts or channels, where the water flows with great velo- city, which are not more than twice the breadth of a canoe. The diflance to Lake Huron is eftimated at twenty-five leagues, which this river enters in the latitude 45. 53. North, that is, at the point of land three or four miles within the lake. There is hardly a foot of foil to be feen from one end of the French river to the other, its banks confiding of hills of entire rock. The coafl of the lake is the fame, but lower, backed at forne diflance by high lands. The courfe runs through numerous iflands to the North of Wefl to the river Teflalon, com- puted to be about fifty leagues from iht French river, and which I found to be in latitude 46. 1 2. 21. North ; and from thence crofTing, from ifland to ii- land, the arm of the lake that receives the water of Lake Superior (which continues the fame courfe ■, the route changes to the South of Wefl ten leagues to the Detour, pafTing the end of the ifland of St. Jo- feph, within fix miles of the former place. On that ifland there has been a military eflabliflimcnt fince the upper pofls were given up to the Americans in the year 1794; and is the Weflernmofl military pofition which we have in this country. It is a place of no trade, and the greater part, if not the whole of the Indians, come here for no other pur- H 2 pofi 4^ 1.0 I.I ■« Hi §23 m uj mm i la 12.0 L25 1111.4 1^ /: /A w % '/ Photographic Sciences Corporation 33 WIST MAIN STRiET WiBSTEt.N.Y. 14S80 (716)872-4503 4 sj ^^ V 1^ ;\ 56 A GENERAL HISTORY which they commonly do early in July. At this period, it U neceffary to iek^t from the pork- eaters, a number of men, among whom are the recruits, or winterers, fufficient to man the North canoes necelfary to carry to the river of the rainy lake the goods and provifion requifite for the Athabafca country ; as the people of that country, (owing to the fliortnefs of the feafon and length of the road, can come no further), are equipped there and ex- change ladings with the people of whom we are fpeaking, and both return from whence they came. This voyage is performed in the courfe of a month, and they are allowed proportionable wages for their fer vices. The north men being arrived at the Grande Port- age, are regaled with bread, pork, butter, liquor, and tobacco, and fuch as have not entered into agreements during the winter, which is cufhomary, are contracted with, to return and perform the voyage for one, two, or three years : their accounts are alfo fettled, and fuch as choofe to fend any of their earnings to Canada, receive drafts to tranfmit to their relations or friends : and as focn as they can be got ready, which requires no more than a fort- night, they are again difpatched to their refpedive departments. It is indeed, very creditable to ihera as fervants, that though they are fometimes aflem- bled to the number of twelve hundred men, indul- ging themfelves in the free ufe of liquor, and quar- relling OF THE FUR TRADE, &:c. 5; relling with each other, they always (how greateft refped: to their employers, who are comparatively but few in number, and beyond the aid of any legal power to enforce due obedience. In (hort, a degree of fubordination can only be maintained by the good opinion thefe men entertain of their em- ployers, which has been uniformly the cafe, fince the trade has been formed and conduced on a re- gular fyftem. The people being difpatched to their refpecflive winter quarters, the agents from Montreal, affifted by their clerks, prepare to return there, by getting the furs acrofs the Portage, and re-mafting them to Montreal ; where they commonly arrive in the month of September. The mode of living at the Grande Portage, is as follows : the proprietors , clerks , guides, and in- terpreters mefs together, to the number of fome- times an hundred, at feveral tables, in one large hall, the provifion confiding of bread, fait pork, beef, hams, fifh, and venifon, butter, peas, Indian corn, potatoes, tea, fpirits, wine, &c. and plenty of milk, for which purpofe feveral milch cows are conftantly kept. The mechanics have rations of fuch provifion, but the canoe-men, both from the North and Montreal, have no other allowance here, or on the voyage, than Indian corn and melted fat. The corn for this purpofe is prepared be- fore it leaves Detroit, by boiling it in a fbrong al- kali^ '^ii m 58 A GENERAL HISTORY kali, which takes off the outer hufk ; it is then well waflied, and carefully dried upon flages, when it is fit for ufe. One quart of this is boiled for two hours, over a moderate fire, in a gallon of water ; to which, when it has boiled a fmall time, are added two ounces of melted fuet ; this caufes the corn to fplit, and in the time mentioned makes a pretty thick pudding. If to this is added a little fait, (but not before it is boiled, as it would interrupt the operation), it makes an wholefome, palatable food, and eafy of digeftion. This quantity is fully fufficient for a man's fubfiftence during twenty-four hours ; though it is not fufficiently heartening to fuftain the ilrength necelfary for a (late of ac- tive labour. The Americans call this difli Ho- minee *. The trade from the Grande Portage, is, in fome particulars, carried on in a different manner with that from Montreal. The canoes ufed in the latter tranfport are now too large for the former, and fome of about half the fize are procured from the natives, and are navigated by four, five, or fix men, according to the diftance which they have to go. They carry a lading of about thirty-five pack- ages, on an average ; of thefe twenty-three are for * Corn is the cheapeft provifion that can be procured, though from the cxpence of tranfport, the bufUel coft about twenty fhillings ftcrling, at the Grande Portage. A man's daily allowance does not exceed ten-pence. the OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 59 the purpose of trade, and the reft are employed for provifions, (lores, and baggage. In each of thefe canoes are a foreman and ileerfman ; the one to be always on the look out, and dired: the paiFage of the veffel, and the other to attend the helm. They alfo carry her, whenever that office is neceflary. The foreman has the command, and the middle- men obey both ; the latter earn only two-thirds of the wages which are paid the two former. Inde- pendent of thefe a conductor or pilot is appointed to every four or fix of thefe canoes, whom they are all obliged to obey ; and is, or at leaft is intended to be, a perfon of fuperior experience, for which he is proportion ably paid. In thefe canoes, thus loaded, they embark at the North fide of the portage, on the river Au Tourr, which is very inconfiderable ; and after about two miles of a Wefterly courfe, is obftrudled by the Par- tridge Portage, fix hundred paces long. In the fpring this makes a confiderable fall, when the water is high, over a perpendicular rock of one hundred and twenty feet. From thence the river continues to be Ihallow, and requires great care to prevent the bottom of the canoe from being injured by (harp rocks, for a diftance of three miles and an half to the Prairie, or Meadow, when half the lading is taken out, and carried by part of the crew, while two of them are condu6ling the canoe among the rocks, with the remainder, to the Carreboeuf K Portage, 1* 60 A GENERAL HISTORY Portage, three miles and an half more, when they unload and come back two miles, and embark what was left for the other hands to carry, which they alfo land with the former ; all of which is car- ried fix hundred and eighty paces, and the canoe led up again ft the rapid. From hence the water is better calculated to carry canoes, and leads by a winding courfe to the North of Weft three miles to the Outard Portage, over which the canoe, and every thing in her, is carried for two thoufand four hundred paces. At the further end is a very high hill to defcend, over which hangs a rock upwards of feven hundred feet high. Then fucceeds the Outard Lake, about fix miles long, lying in a North-Weft courfe, and about two miles wide in the broadeft part. After pafling a very fmall ri- vulet, they come to the Elk Portage, over which the canoe and lading are again carried one thou- fand one hundred and twenty paces ; when they enter the lake of the fame name, which is an hand- fome piece of water, running North- Weft about four miles, and not more than one mile and an halt wide *. They then land at the Portage de Cerife, over which, and in the face of a confiderable hill, the canoe and cargo are again tranfported for one thou- fand and fifty paces. This is only feparated from the fecond Portage de Cerife, by a mud-pond * Here is a moll excellent fifhery for white fifh, which arc exquifite. (where OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 6i (where there is plenty of water Hlies , of a quarter of a mile in length ; and this is again feparated by a fimilar pond, from the laft Portage de Cerife, which is tour hundred and ten paces. Here the fame operation is to be performed for three hun- dred and eighty paces. They next enter on the Mountain Lake, running North- Well by Weft fix miles long, and about two miles in its greateft breadth. In the centre of this lak?, and to the right is the Old Road, by wh ch I never paflfed; but an adeqviate notion may be formed of it from the road I am going to describe, and which is uni- verfally preferred. This is firft, ihe fmall new portage over which every thing is carried for fix hundred and twenty fix paces, over hills and gullies ; the whole is then embaiked on a narrow line of water, that meanders South- Wefl about two miles and an half. It is nectfTary to unload here, for the length of the canoe, and then proceed Wefl half a mile, to the new Grande Portage, which is three thoufand one hundred paces in Icngtii, and over very rough ground, which requires the utmofl exertions of the rr.en, and frequently lames them : from hence they approach the Rofc Lake, the port- age of that name being oppofite to the junclionof the road from the Mountain Lake. They thea embark on the Rofe Lake, about one mile from the Eaft end of it, and fleer Wefl by South, in an oblique courfe, acrofs it two miles ; then Wefl- NorthAVefl fe 62 A GENERAL HISTORY North- Welt paffing the Petite Pcche to the Mar- ten Portage three miles. In this part of the lake the bottom is mud and (lime, with about three or four feet of water ovxr it ; and here I frccjucntly llruck a canoe pole of twelve feet loii^, without meeting any other obflruction than if the whole were water : it has, however, a peculiar fudion or attraftive power, fo that it is difficult to paddle a canoe over it. There is a fmall fpace along the South fhore, where the water is deep, and this effed is not felt. In proportion to 'the diftance from this part, the fu(5tion becomes more powerful : I have, indeed been told that loaded canoes have been in danger of being fwallowed up , and have only owed their prefervation to other canoes, which were lighter. I have, myfclf, found it very difficult to get away from this attradive power, with fix men, and great exertion, though we did not appear to be in any danger of finking. Over againft this is a very high, rocky ridge, on the South fide, called Marten Portage, which is but twenty paces long, and feparated from the Peche Portage, which is four hundred and eighty paces, by a mud-pond, covered with white lilies. From hence the courfe is on the lake of the fame name, Wefl-South-Weft three miles to the' height of land, where the waters of the Dove or Pigeon River terminate, and which is one of the fources of the great St. Laurence in this diredion. Having carried OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 63 carried the canoe and lading over ir, fix hundred and feventy-nine paces, they embark on the lake of Hauteur de Tcrre * , which is in the fliape of an horfe-flioe. It is entered near the curve, and left at the extremity of the Weflern limb, through a very (hallow channel, where the canoe pafles half loaded for thirty paces with the current, which conl duftsthefe waters through the fucceeding lakes and rivers, till they difcharge themfelves, by the river Nelfon, into Hudfon*s-Bay. The firfl of thefe is Lac de pierres a fufil, running Wcft-South-Weft feven miles long, and two wide, and, making an angle at North-Weft one mile more, becomes a river for half a mile, tumbling over a rock, and forming a fall and portage, called the Efcalier, of fifty-five paces ; but from hence it is neither lake or river, but pofTefles the charai!ler of both, and runs between large rocks, which caufe a current or rapid, for about two miles and an half, Weft- North- Weft, to the portage of the C eval du Bois. Here the canoe and contents are carric i three hun- dred and eighty paces, between rocks ; and within a quarter of a mile is the Portage des Gros Pins, which is fix hundred and forty paces over an high * The route which we have been travelling hitherto, leads along the high rocky land or bank of Lake Superior on the left. The face of the country offers a wild fcene of huge hills and rocks, fepirated by ftony vallies, lakes, and ponds. Wher- ever there is the leaft foil, it is well covered with trees. ridge. 64 A GENERAL HISTORY ridge. The oppofitc fide of it is waHicd by a fmall lake three miles round ; and the courfe is through the Eaft end or fide of it, three quarters of a mile North-Eaft, where there is a rapid. An irregular , meandering channel, between rocky banks, then fucceeds, for feven miles and an hall, to the Mara- boeuf Lake, which extends North four miles, and is three quarters of a mile wide, terminating by a rapid and dccharge, of one hundred and eighty paces, the rock of Saginaga being in fight, which caufes a fall of about feven feet, and a portage of fifty-five paces. Lake Saginaga takes its names from its nume- rous Iflands. Its greateft length from Eaft to Weft is about fourteen miles, with ver)' irregular inlets, is no where more than three miles wide, and termi- nates at the fmall portage of Le Rocher, of forty- three paces. From thence is a rocky, ftony paf- fage of one mile, to Prairie Portage, which is very improperly named, as there is no ground about it that anfwers to that defcription, except a fmall fpot at the embarking place at the Weft end : to the Eaft is an entire bog ; and ii is with great difficulty that the lading can be landed upon ftages, formed by driving piles into the mud, and fpreading branches of trees over them. The port- age rifes on a ftony ridge, over which the canoe and cargo muft be carried for fix hundred and eleven paces. This is fucceeded by an embarka- tion OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 65 tion on a fmall bay, where the bottom is the fame as has been dcfcribed in the Weft en J of Rofc Lake, and it is with great difficuhy that a laden canoe is worked over it, but it does not compre- hend more than a diftance of two hundred yards. From hence the progrefs continues through irre- gular channels, bounded by rocks, in a Weflerly courfe for about five miles, to the little Port- age des Couteaux , of one hundred and fixty- five paces, and the Lac des Couteaux, running about South -Weft by Weft twelve miles, and from a quarter to two miles wide. A deep bay runs Eaft three miles from the Weft end, where it is difcharged by a rapid river, and after running two miles Weft, it again becomes ftill water. Jn this river are two carrying- places, the one fifteen, and the other one hundred and ninety paces. From this to the Portage des Carpes is one mile North- Weft, leaving a narrow lake on the Eaft that runs parallel with the Lake des Couteaux, half its lengtli, where there is a carrying-place, which is ufed when the water in the river laft mentioned is too low. The Portage des Carpes is three hundred and nine- ty paces, from whence the water fpreads irregu- larly between rocks, five miles North- Weft and South-Eaft to the portage of Lac Bois Blanc, which is one hundred and eighty paces. Then follows the lake of that name, but I think improperly fo called, as %^ \ m 66 A GENERAL HISTORY as the natives name it the Lake Pafleau Minac Sagaigan, or lake of Dry Berries. Before the fmaJI pox ravaged this country, and completed, what the Nodowafis, in their warfare, had gone far to accomplifli, the deftrudion of its inhabitants, the population was very numerous : this was alfo a favourite part, where they made their canoes, &c. the lake abounding in filh, the country round it being plentifully fupplied with various kinds of game, and the rocky ridges, that form the boundaries of the water, covered with a variety of berries. When the French were in pofllflion of this country, they had feveral trading eflablifhments on the iflands and banks of this lake. Since that pe- riod, the few people remaining, who were of the Algonquin nation, could hardly find fubfiftence ; game having become ib fcarce, that they depended principally for food upon filh, and wild rice which grows fpontaneouily in thefe parts. This lake is irregular in its form, and its utmofl extent from Eaft to Weft is fifteen miles ; a point of land, called Point au Pin, jutting into it, divides it in two parts : it then makes a fecond angle at the Weft end, to the lefler Portage de Bois Blanc, two hundred paces in length. This channel is not wide, and is intercepted by feveral rapids in the courfe of a mile : it runs Weft-North- Weft to the Portage des Pins, over which the canoe and lading lading is hence thj Withir markable cracked i water. 1 number o have been or Sieux, country, a Chebois o rivers, anc enemies. Lake C Rideau, fl name fror over a roc pids fucce three mile OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 67 lading is again carried four hundred paces. From hence the channel is alfo intercepted by very dan- gerous rapids for two miles Wefterly, to the point of Pointc du Bois, which is two hundred and eighty paces. Then fucceeds the Portage of Lake Croche one mile more, where the carrying -place is eighty paces, and is followed by an embarkation oa that lake, whicb takes its name from its figure. It extends eighteen miles, in a meandering form, and in a wefterly diredion ; it is in general very narrow, and at about two-thirds of its length be^ comes very contrafted, with a ftrong current. Within three miles of the laft Portage is a re- markable rock, with a Cnooth face, but fplit and cracked in different parts; which hang over the water. Into one of its horizontal chafms a great number of arrows have been (hot, which is faid to have been done by a war party of the Nadowafis or Sieux, who had done much mifchief in this country, and left thefe weapons as a warning to the Chebois or natives, that, notwithftanding its lakes, rivers, and rocks, it was not inacceiTible to their enemies. Lake Croche is terminated by the Portage de Rideau, four hundred paces long, and derives its name from the appearance of the water, falling over a rock of upwards of thirty feet. Several ra- pids fucceed, with intervals of ftill water, for about three miles to the Flacon portage, which is very L difficult, ■ c . J, * 68 A GENERAL HISTORY difficult, is four hundred paces long, and leads to the Lake of La Croix, fo named froni its ftiape. It runs about North- Weft eighteen miles to the Beaver Dam, and then finks into a deep bay nearly Eaft. The courfe to the Portage is Weft by North for fixteen miles more from the Beaver Dam, and into the Eaft bay is a road which was frequented by the French, and followed through lakes and rivers until they came to Lake Superior by the river Caminiftiquia, thirty miles Eaft of the grand Portage. Portage la Croix is fix hundred paces long : to the next portage is a quarter of a mile, and its length is forty paces ; the river winding four miles to Vermillion Lake, which runs fix or feven miles North-North-Weft, and by a narrow ftrait com- municates with Lake Namaycan, which takes its name from a particular place at the foot of a fall, where the natives fpear fturgeon : Its courfe is about North-North- Weft and South-South-Eaft, with a bay running Eaft, that gives it the form of a triangle : its length is about fixteen miles to the Nouvelle Portage. The difcharge of the lake is from a bay on the left, and the portage one hun- dred and eighty paces, to which fuccecds a very fmall river, from whence there is but a ftiort dif- tance to the next Nouvelle Portage, three hun- dred and twenty paces long. It is then neceflary to embark on a fwamp, or overflowed country, where where w is a chai fwamp, South ai OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 69 where wild rice grows in great abundance. There is a channel or fmall river in the centre of this fwamp, which is kept with difficulty, and runs South and North one mile and a half. With deep- ening water, the courfe continues North-North- Weft one mile to the Chaudiere Portage, which is caufed by the difcharge of the waters running on the left of the road from Lake Namaycan, which ufed to be the common route, but that which I have defcribed is the fafeft as well as iTiorteft. From hence there is fome current though the wa- ter is wide fpread, and its courfe about North by Weft three miles and an half to the Lac de la Pluie, which lies nearly Eaft and Weft ; from thence about fifteen miles is a narrow ftrait that divides the lake into two unequal parts, from whence to its difcharge is a diftance of twenty-four miles. There is a deep bay running North-Weft on the right, that is not included, and is remark- able for furniftiing the natives with a kind of foft, red ftone, of which they make their pipes ; it ahb affords an excellent fiihery both in thefummer and winter ; and from it is an eafy, iafe, and fhort road to the Lake du Bois, (which I fliall mention prefendy) for the Indians to pafs in their fmall canoes, through a fmall lake and on a fmall river whofe banks furnifli abundance of wild rice. The difcharge of this lake is called Lake de la Pluie River, at whofe entrance there is a rapid, below which t!.i ■ -t'li 70 A GENERAL HISTORY which is a fine bay, where there had been an ex- tenfive picketted fort and building when pofleffed by the French : the fite of it is at prefent a beautiful meadow, furrounded with groves of oaks. From hence there is a flrong current for two miles, where the water falls over a rock twenty feet, and, from the confequent turbulence of the water, the carrying- place, which is three hundred and twenty paces long, derives the name of Chaudiere. Two miles onward is the prefent trading eftablilhment, fituated on an high bank on the Nonh fide of the river, in 48. 37. North latitude. Here the people from Montreal come to meet thofe who arrive from the Athabafca country, as has been already defer ibed, and exchange lading with them. This is alfo the refidence of the firft, chief, or Sachem, of all the Algonquin tribes, inha- biting the different parts of this country. He is by diftindtion called Nedam, which implies perfonal pre-eminence. Here alfo the elders meet in coun- cil to treat of peace or war. This is one of the fined rivers in the North- Weft, and runs a courfe Weft and Eaft one hun- dred and twenty computed miles ; but in taking its courfe and diftance minutely I make it only eighty. Its banks are covered with a rich foil, particularly to the North, which in many parts, are clothed with fine open groves of oak, with the maple, the pine, and the cedar. The Southern bank, is not fo eleva- ted. OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 71 ted, and dilplays the maple, the white birch, and the cedar, with the fpruce, the alder and various underwood. Its waters abound in filli, particularly the fturgeon, which the natives both fpear and take with drag-nets. But notwithftanding the promife of this foil, the Indians do not attend to its culti- vation, though they are not ignorant of the com- mon procefs, and are fond of the Indian corn, whea they can get it from us. Though the foil at the fort is a llifFclay, there is a garden, which, unaffifted as it is by manure, or any particular attention, is tolerably productive. We now proceed to mention the Lake du Bois, into which this river difcharges itfelf in latitude 49. North, and was formerly famous for the richnefs of its banks and waters, which abounded with whatever was neceflary to a favage life. The French had feveral fettlements in and about it ; but it might be almoft concluded, that fome fatal circumftance had deftroyed the game, as war and thefmall pox had di- miniflied the inhabitants, it having been very un- produdive in animals fince the Britilh fubjeds have been engaged in travelling through it ; though it now appears to be recovering its prifline ftate. The few Indians who inhabit it might live very comfort- ably, if they were not fo immoderately fond of fpirituous liquors. This lake is alfo rendered remarkable, in confc- quence of the Americans having named it as the fpot, 72 A GENERAL HISIORY fpot, from which a hne of boundary, between them and Britifli America, was to run Weft, until it ftruck the Mifliffippi ; which, however, can never happen, as the North- Weft part of theLakeduBois is in latitude 49. S;. North, and longitude 94. 31. Weft, and the Northernmoft branch of the fource of the Mifliffippi is in latitude 47. 38, North, and longitude 95. 6. Weft, afcertained by Mr. Thom- fon, aftronomer to the North- Weft Company, who was fent exprefsly for that purpofe in the fpring of 1798. He, in the fame year, determined the Northern bend of the Miffifoury to be in lati- tude 47. 32. North, and longitude 101. 25. Weft; and, according to the Indian accounts, it runs to the fouth of Weft, fo that if the Miffifoury were even to be confidered as the Miffiffippi, no Weftern line could ftrike it. It docs not appear to me to be clearly determi- ned what courfe the Line is to take, or from what part of Lake Superior it ftrikes through the coun- try to the Lake du Bois : were it to follow the prin- cipal waters to their fource, it ought to keep through Lake Superior to the River St. Louis, and follow that river to its fource ; clofe to which is the fource of the waters falling into the river of Lake la Pluie, which is a common route of the Indians to the Lake du Bois : the St. Louis pafles within a ftiort diftance of a branch of the Miffiffippi, where it: becomes navigable for canoes. This will appear more OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 73 more evident from conlulting the map ; and if the navigation of the Miffiffippi is confidered as of any confequence, by this country, from that part of the globe, fuch is the neareft way to get at it. But to return to our narrative. The Lake du Bois is, as far as I could learn, nearly round, and the canoe courfe through the centre of it among a clufter of iflands, fome of which are fo extenfive that they may be taken for the main land. The reduced courfe would be nearly South and North. But following the navigating courfe, I make the diftance feventy-five miles, though in a dire(5l line it would fall very fliort of that length. At about two-thirds of it there is a fmall carrying-place, when the water is low. The carrying-place out of the lake is on an ifland, and named Portage du Rat, in latitude 49. 37. North, and longitude 94I. Weft, it is about fifty paces long. The lake dif- charges itfelf at both ends of this ifland, and forms, the River Winipic, which is a large body of water, interfperfed with numerous iflands, caufing various channels and interruptions of portages and rapids. In fome parts it has the appearance of lakes, with fleady currents ; I eftimate its winding courfe to the Dalles eight miles ; to the Grand Dccharge twenty- five miles and an half, which is a long carrying- place for the goods ; from thence to the little De- charge one mile and an half; to the Terre Jaune Portage two miles and an half; then to its galet fe- venty I ■*!; .t'^' 74 A GENERAL HISTORY venty yards ; two miles and three quarters to the Terre Blanche, near which is a fall of from four to five feet ; three miles and an half to Portage de L'llle, where there is a trading-poft, and, about eleven miles, on the North (hore, a trading efta- blifliment, which is the road, in boats, to Albany River, and from thence to Hudfon's Bay. There alfo a communication with Lake Superior, IS through what is called the Nipigan country, which enters that Lake about thirty-five leagues Eaft of the Grande Portage. In fhort, the country is fo broken by lakes and rivers, that people may find their way in canoes in any dire6tion they pleafe. It is now four miles to Portage de L'Ifle, which is but fhort, though feveral canoes have been loft in at- tempting to run the rapid. From thence it is twenty-fix miles to Jacob's Falls, which are about fifteen feet high ; and fix miles and an half to the woody point j forty yards from which is another Portage. They both form an high fall, but not perpendicular. From thence to another galet, or rocky Portage, is about two miles; which is one continual rapid and cafcade ; and about two miles further is the Chute a I'Efclave, which is upwards of thirty feet. The Portage is long, through a point covered with wood : it is fix miles and an half more to the barrier, and ten miles to the Grand Rapid. From thence, on the North fide, is a fafe road, when the waters are high, through fmall rivers OF THE FUR TRADE, ficc. 75 rivers and lakes, to the Lake du Bonnet, called the Pinnawas, from the man who discovered it : to the White River, fo called from its being, for a conli- derable length, a fucceffion of falls and catarads, is twelve miles. Here are feven portages, in lb lliort a fpace, that the whole of them are difcerni- blc at the fame moment. From this to Lake du Bonnet is fifteen miles more, and four miles acrofs it to the rapid. Here the Pinnawas road joins, and from thence it is two miles to the Galet du Lac da Bonnet ; from this to the Galet du Bonnet one mile and an half; thence tJ the Portage of the fame name is three miles. This Portage is near half a league in length, and derives its name from a cuf- tom the Indians have of crowning flones, laid in a circle, on the higheft rock in the portage, with wreaths of herbage and branches. There have been examples of men taking feven packages of ninety pounds each, at one end of the portage, and putting them down at the other without (lopping. To this, another fmall portage immediately fuc- ceeds, over a rock producing a fall. From thence to the fall of Terre Blanche is two miles and an half; to the firft portage Dcs Eaux qui remuent is three miles ; to the next, of the fame name, is but a few yards diftant ; to the third and laft, which is a De- charge, is three miles and an half ; and from this to the laft Portage of the rivei* one mile and an lialf ; and to the eftablifliment, or provifion houfe, M is 76 A GENERAL HISTORY is two miles and an half. Here alfo the French had their principal inland depot , and got their ca- noes made. It is here, that the prefent traders, gping to great diftances, and where provifion is difficult to procure, receive a fupply to carry them to the Rainy Lake, or Lake Superior. From the eftabliiliment to the entrance of Lake Winipic is four miles and an half, latitude 50. 37. North. The country, foil, produce, and climate, from Lake Superior to this place bear a general refem- blance , with a predominance of rock and water ; the former is of the granite kind. Where there is any foil it is well covered with wood, fuch as oak, elm, afti of different kinds, maple of two kinds, pines of various defcriptions , among which are what I call the cyprefs, with the hickory, iron- wood, Hard, poplar, cedar, black and white birch, &c. &c. Vaft quantities of wild rice are feen throughout the country, which the natives colled in the month of Auguft for their winter ftores. * To the North of fifty degrees, it is hardly known, or at leaft does not come to maturity. Lake Winipic is the great refervoir of feveral large rivers, and difcharges itfelf by the River Nelfon into Hudfon's Bay. The firft in rotation, * The fruits are, ftrawberries, hurtleberries, plumbs, and cherries, hazlenuts, goofeberries, currants, rafpberries, poi- res, Sec, next' OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 77 next to that I have juft defcribed, is the Afliniboin, or Red River, which, at the diftance of forty miles coaftwife, difembogues on the South- Well fide of the lake Winipic. Jt alternately receives thofe two denominations from its dividing, at the dif- tance of about thirty miles from the lake, into two large branches. The Eaftern branch, called the Red River, runs in a Southern diredion to near the head waters of the Mifliffippi. On this are two trading eftablilhments. The country on ei- ther fide is but partially fupplied with wood, and confifts of plains covered with herd? of the buflalo and the elk, efpecially on the Weftern fide. On the Eaftern fide are lakes and rivers, and the whole country is well wooded, level, abounding in beaver, bears, moofe-deer, fallow-deer, Sec. &c. The na- tives, who are of the Algonquin tribe, are not very numerous, and are confidered as the natives of Lake Superior. This country being near the Mifliffippi, is alfo inhabited by the Nadowafis, who are the na- tural enemies of the former ; the head of the water being the war-line, they are in a continual flate of hoftility ; and though the Algonquins are equally brave , the others generally out-number them ; it: is very probable, therefore, that if the latter continue to venture out of the woods, which form their only protection, they will foon be extirpated. There is nor, perhaps, a finer country in the world for the refidence of uncivilifed man, than that which occu- M 2 pies m ^;i.; m -/8 A GENERAL HISTORY pies the fpace between this river and Lake Superior. Jt abounds in eveiy thing neccflary to tlie wants and comforts of fuch a people. Filh, venifon, and fowl, with wild rice, are in great plenty ; while, at the fame time, their fubfiflcnce requires that bodily excrcife fo neceflary to health and vigour. This great extent of country was formerly very populous, but from the information I received, the aggregate of its inhabitants does not exceed three hundred warriors ; and, among the few whom I faw, it appeared to me that tlie widows were more numerous than the men. The rackoon is a native of this country, but is fcldom found to the North- ward of it. The other branch is called after the tribe of the Nadawafis, who here go by the name of Affini- boins, and are the principal inhabitants of it. It runs from the North-North-Weft, and, in the la- titude of 51^. Weft, and longitude 1037. rJ^^g i^ the fame mountains as the river Dauphin, of which I fhall fpeak in due order. They muft have fepa- rated from their nation at a time beyond our know- ledge, and live in peace with the Algonquins and Knifteneaux. The country between this and the Red River , is almoft a continual plain to the Miffifoury. The foil is fand and gravel, with a flight intermixture of earth, and produces a ftiort grafs. Trees arc very rare ; nor are there on the banks of the river fufficient, OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 79 fiifficicnt, except in particular fpots, to build houfes andfupply fire-wood for the trading eflabjifli me nts, of which there are four principal ones. Both thcfe river& are navigable for canoes to their fource, with- out a fall ; though in fomc parts there are rapids, caufed by occafional beds of lime-flone, and gravel ; but in general they have afandy bottom. The Afliniboins, and fome of the Fall, or Big- belHed Indians, are the principal inhabitants of this country, and border on the river, occupying the centre part of it ; that next Lake Winipic, and about its fource, being the ftation of the Algon- quins and Knifleneaux, who have chofen it in pre- ference to their own country. They do not exceed five hundred families. They are not beaver hun- ters, which accounts for their allowing the divifion jufl mentioned, as the lower and upper parts of this river have thofe animals, which are not found in the intermediate diflridl. They confine them- felves to hunting the buffalo, and trapping wolves, which cover the country. What they do not want of the former for raiment and food, they fometimes make into pemmican, or pounded meat, while they melt the fat, and prepare the ikins in their hair, for winter. The wolves they never eat, but produce a tallow from their fat, and prepare their fkins ; all which they bring to exchange for arms and ammu- nition, rum, tobacco, knives, and various baubles, with thofe who go to traffic in their country. The 8o A GENERAL HISTORY The Algoncjuins, and the Knifteneaux, on the contrary, attend to the fur-hunting, lb that they acquire the additional articles of cloth, blankets, &c. but their paflion for rum often puts it out of their power to fupply themfelvcs with real necef- faries. The next river of magnitude is the river Dau- phin, which empties itfelf at the head of St. Mar- tin's Bay, on the Weft fide of the Lake Winipic, latitude nearly 52. 15. North, taking its fuurce in the fame mountains as the laft-mentioned river, as well as the Swan and Red-Deer River, the latter paffing through the lake of the fame name, as well as the former, and both continuing their courfe through the Manitoba Lake, which, from thence, runs parallel with Lake Winipic, to wiihin nine miles of the Red River, and by what is called the river Dauphin, difembogues its waters, as already dcfcribed, into that Lake. Thefe rivers are very rapid, and interrupted by falls, &c. the bed being generally rocky. All this country, to the South branch of the Safkatchiwine, abounds in beaver, moofe-deer, fallow-deer, elks, bears, bufflilos, &,c. The foil is good, and wherever any attempts have been made to raife the efculent plants, &c. it has been found productive. On thefe waters are three principal forts for trade. Fort Dauphin, which was eftabliflied by the French before the conqueft. Red-Deer River, and S»van- River OF THE FUR TRADE, «cc. Si River Forts, with occafional detached pods from thefc. The iniiabitants are the Knifteneaiix, from the North of Lake Winipic; and Algonquins from the country between the Red River and Lake Sa- perior ; and foine from tlie Rainy Lake : but as they are not fixed inb^bitants, their nnmber cannot be determined : they do not, however, at any time exceed two hundred warriors. In general they are good hunters. There is no other confiderable river except the Safkatchiwine, which I Ihall men- tion prefently, that empties itfelf into the Lake Winipic. Thofe on the North fide are inconfiderable, owing to the comparative vicinity of the high land that feparates the waters coming this way, from thofe difcharging into Hudfon's bay. The courfe of the lake is about Weft North-Weft, and South-South-Eaft, and the Eaft end of it is in 50. 37. North. It contracts at about a quarter of its length to a ftrait, in latitude 5 1 , 45- and is no more than two miles broad, where the South fliore is gained through iflands, and croffing various bays to the difcharge of the Safkatchiwine, in latitude 53. 15. This lake, in common with thofe of this country, is bounded on the North with banks of black and grey rock, and on the South by a low, level country, occafionally interrupted with a ridge or bank of lime-ftoncs, lying in ftratas, and rifing to the perpendicular height of from twenty to forty feet ; 82 A GENERAL HISTORY feet ; tliefe are covered with a fniall quantity of earth, forming a level furface, which bears timber, but of a moderate growth, and declines to a fwamp. Where the banks are low, it is evident in many places that the waters are withdrawn, and never rife to thofe heights which were formerly wafheu by them. The inhabitants who are found along this lake, are of the KnifteneauK and Algonquin tribes, and but few in number, though game is not fcarce, and there is filh in great abundance. The black bafs is found there, and no further Weft ; and beyond it no maple trees are feen, either hard or foft. On entering the Safkatchiwine, in the courfe of a few miles, the great rapid interrupts the paffage. It is about three miles long. Through the great- eft part of it the canoe is towed, half or full laden, according to the ftate of the waters : the canoe and its contents are then carried one thoufand one hun- dred paces. The channel here is near a mile wide, the waters tumbling over ridges of rocks that traverfe the river. The fouth bank is very high, rifing upwards of fifty feet, of the fame rock as feen on the South fide of the Lake Winipic, and the North is not more than a third of that height. There is an excellent fturgeon-fifhery at the foot of this cafcade, and vaft numbers of pelicans, cormorants, &.c. frequent it, where they watch to feize the fifli that may be killed or difabled by the force of the waters. ' About ^ This V its name. \ OF THE FUR TRADE, 6cc. fg About two miles from this Portage the na- vigation is again interrupted by the Portage of the Rocher Rouge, which is an hundred yards long ; and a mile and half from thence the river is barred by a range of illands, forming rapids be- tween them ; and through thefe it is the fame dif- tance to the rapid of Lake Travers, which is four miles right acrofs, and eight miles in length. Then fucceeds the Grande Decharge, and feveral rapids , for four miles to the Cedar Lake, which is entered through a fmall channel on the left, for- med by an illand, as going round it would occafion lofs of time. In this diflance banks of rocks ( fuch as have already been defcribed ), appear at intervals on either fide ; the reft of the country is low. This is the cafe along the South bank of the lake and the illands, while the North fide, which is very uncommon, is level throughout. This lake runs firft Weft four miles, then as much more Weft South -Weft, acrofs a deep bay on the right, then fix miles to the Point de Lievre, and acrofs another bay again on the right ; then North- Weft eight miles, acrofs a ftill deeper bay on the right ; and feven miles parallel with the North coaft. North- North- Weft through iflands, five miles more to Fort Bourbon *, fituated on a fmall ifland, di- viding this from Mud-Lake. -. ^ This was alfo a principal poft of the French, who gave it its name. m m m. S: N The [i!i 84 A GENERAL HISTORY ; The Cedar Lake is from four to twelve miles wide, exclufivc of the bays. Its banks are co- vered vvith wood, and abound in game, and its Wiiteis produce plenty of filh, particularly the ftur- gton. The Mud-Lake, and the neighbourhood of the Fort Bourbon, abound with geefe, ducks, fwans, he. and was formerly remarkable for a vaft number of martens, of which it cannot now boa (I b\it a very fmall proportion. The Mud Lake mufl have formerly been a part of the Cedar Lake, but the immenfe quan- tity of earth and fand, brought down by the Salkat- chiwine, has filled up this part of it for a circum- ference whofe diameter is at lead fifteen or twenty miles : part of which fpace is flill covered with a few feet of water, but the greateft proportion is (haded with large trees, fuch as the liard, the fwamp-alli, and the willow. This land confifls of many iilands, which confequently form various channels, feveral of which are occafionally dry, and beariiig young wood. It is, indeed, more than probable that this river will, in the courfe of time, convert the whole of the Cedar Lake into a foreft. To the North- Wefl the cedar is not to be found. From this lake the Safkatchiwine may be con- fidered as navigable to near its fources in the rocky mountains, for canoes, and without a carrying- place, making a great bend to Cumberland Houfe, on Sturgeon Lake. From the confluence of its North CF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 85 North and South branches its courfe is Wefterly ; fpreading itfelf, it receives feveral tributary ftreams, and encompafles a large track of country, which is level, particularly along the South branch, bur. is little known. Beaver, and other animals, whofe furs are valuable, are amongft the inhabitants of the North-Weft branch, and the plains are covered with buffalos, wolves, and fmall foxes ; particularly about the South branch, which, however, has of late claimed fome attention, as it is now underftood, that where the plains terminate towards the rock]^ mountain, there is a fpace of hilly country clothed with wood, and inhabited alio by animals of the fur kind. This has been adually determined to be the cafe towards the head of the North branch, where the trade has been carried to about the la- titude 54. North, and longitude 1 14I. Weft. The bed and banks of the latter, in fome few places, difcover a ftratum of free-ftone ; but, in general, they are compofed of earth and fand. The plains are fand and gravel, covered with fine grafs, and mixed with a fmall quantity of vegetable earth. This is particularly observable along the North branch, the Weft fide of which is covered with wood. There are on this river five principal fadories for the convenience of trade with the natives. Ne- pawi Houfe, South-branch Houfe, Fort- George Houfe, Fort-Auguftus Houfe, and Upper Efta- N 2 blifnment. '}'"l 86 A GENERAL HISTORY blifliment. There have been many others, which, from various caufes, have been changed for thefe, while there are occafionally others depending on each of them. The inhabitants, from the information I could obtain, are as follow : At Nepawi, and South-Branch Houfe, about thirty tents of KniHeneaux, or ninety warriors ; and (ixty tents of Stone-Indians, or Affiniboins, who are their neighbours, and are equal to two hundred then : their hunting ground extends upwards to about the Eagle Hi; Is. Next to them are thofe who trade at Forts George and Auguftus, and are about eighty tents or upwards of Knifteneaux : on either fide of the river, their number may be two hundred. In the fame country are one hundred and forty tents of Stone-Indians ; not quite half of them inhabit the Weft woody country j the others never leave the plains, and their numbers cannot be lefs than four hundred and fifty men. At the Southern Head-waters of the North branch dwells a tribe called Sarfees, confifting of about thirty-five tents, or one hundred and twenty men. Oppofite to thofe Eaftward, on the head-waters of the South Branch, are the Picaneaux, to the number of from twelve to fifteen hundred men. Next to them, on the fame water, are the Blood-Indians, of the fame nation as the laft, to the number of about fifty tents, or two hundred and fifty men. From them downwards OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 87 downwards extend the Black- Feet Indians, of the fame nation as the two laft tribes : their number may be eight hundred men. Next to them, and who extend to the confluence of the South and North branch, are the Fall, or Big-bellied Indians, who may amount to about fix hundred war- riors. Of all thefe different tribes, thofe who inhabit the broken country on the North- Weft fide, and the fource of the North branch, are beaver hunters ; the others deal in provifions, wolf, buffalo, and fox ikins ; and many people on the South branch do not trouble themfelves to come near the trading eftablifliments. Thofe who do, choofe fuch efta- bliOiments as are next to their country. The Stone-Indians here, are the fame people as the Stone-Indians, or Affiniboins, who inhabit the river of that name already defcribed, and both are de- tached tribes from the Nadawafis, who inhabit the Weftern fide of the Mifliflippi, and lower part of the Miflilbury. The Fall, or Big-bellied Indians, are from the South- Eaft ward alfo, and of a people who inhabit the plains from the North bend of the laft mentioned river, latitude 47. 32. North, lon- gitude loi. 25. Weft, to the South bend of the Affmiboin River, to the number of feven hundred men. Some of them occafionally come to the latter river to exchange dreffed buffalo robes, and bad wolf-ikins for articles of no great value. The mi 88 A GENERAL HISTORY The Picaneaux, Black -Feet, and Blood-Indians, are a diftindt people, fpeak a languag."; of iheir own, and, I have reafon to think, are travelling North- Weftward, as well as the others jufl mentioned : nor have I heard of any Indians with whofe lan- guage, that which they fpeak has any affinity. They are the people who deal in horfes and take them upon the war-parties towards Mexico ; fiom which, it is evident, that the country to the South- Eaft of them, confifts of plains, as thofe animals could not well be conduced through an hilly and woody country, interfered by waters. The Sarfees, who are but few in number, ap- pear from their language, to come on the contrary from the North- Weftward, and are of the fame people as the Rocky- Mountain Indians defcribed in my fecond journal, who are a tribe of the Chepe- wyani 5 and, as for the Knifteneaux, there is no queftion of their having been, and continuing to be, invaders of this country, from the Eaftward. Formerly, they flruck terror into all the other tribes whom they met ; but now they have loft the refpeft that was paid them ; as thofe whom they formedy confidered as barbarians, are now their allies, and confequently become better acquainted with them, and have acquired the ufe of ftre-anns. Tlie former are ftill proud without i)ov»^er, and afFe<5l to confider the others as their inferiors : thofe confe- quently arc extremely jealous ot them, and, de- pending OF THE FUR TRADE, 8cc. 89 pending upon their own fuperiority in numbers, will not fubmit tamely to their infults ; fo that the confequences often prove fatal, and the Knifteneaux are thereby decreafing both in power and number : rpirituous liquors alfo tend to their diminution, as they are inftigated thereby to engage in quarrels which frequently have the moft difaflrous termi- nation among themfelves. The Stone-Indians mud not be confidered in the fame point of view refpedting the Knifteneaux, for they have been generally obliged, from various caufes, to court their alliance. They, however, are not \vithout their difagreements, and it is fome- times very difficult to compofe their differences. Thefe quarrels occafionally take place with the traders, and fometimes have a tragical conclufion. They generally originate in confequence of ftealing women and horfes : they have great numbers of the latter throughout their plains, which are brought, as has been obferved, from the Spanifh fettlements in Mexico j and many of them have been feen even in the back parts of this country, branded with the initials of their original owners names. Thofe horfes are diftindly employed as beafts of burden, and to chafe the buffalo. The former are not con- fidered as being of much value, as they may be pur- chafed for a gun, which cofts no more than twenty- one (hillings in Great-Britain. Many of the hun- ters cannot be purchafed with ten, the comparative vdue, 90 A GENERAL HISTORY value of which exceeds the property of any native. Of thefe ufeful animals no care whatever is taken, as when they are no longer employed, they are turned loofe winter and fummer to provide for themfelves. Here, it is to be obferved, that the country, in general, on the Weft and North fide of this great river, is broken by the lakes and rivers with (mall intervening plains, where the foil is good, and the grafs grows to fome length. To thefe the male bufFalos rcfort for the winter, and if it be very fevere, the females alfo are obliged to leave the plains. But to return to the route by which the progrefs Weft and North is made through this continent. We leave the Safkatchiwine * by entering the river which forms the difcharge of the Sturgeon Lake, on whofe Eaft bank is fituated Cumberland houfcj in latitude 53. 56. North, longitude 102. 1 5. The diftance between the entrance and Cum- berland houfe is eftimated at twenty miles. It is very evident that the mud which is carried down by the Safkatchiwine River, has formed the land that lies between it and the lake, for the diftance * It may be proper to obferve, that the French had two fettlements upon the Salkatchiwine, long befort, and at the conqueft of Canada ; thefirft at the Pafquia, near Carrot River, and the other at Nipawi, were they had agricultural inftru- ments and wheel carriages, marks of both being found about thofe ellablifliments, where the foil is excellent. of OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 91 of upwards of twenty miles in the line of the river, which is inundated during one half of the fummer, though covered with wood. This lake forms an irregular horfe-flioe, one fide of which runs to the North-Weft, and bears the name of Pine-Ifland Lake, and the other known by the name already mentioned, runs to the Eaft of North, and is the largcft : its length is about twenty -feven miles, and its greateft breadth about fix miles. The North fide of the latter is the fame kind of rock as that defcribed in Lake Winipic, on the Weft fhore. In latitude 54. 16. North, the Sturgeon - Weir River difcharges itfelf into this lake, and its bed appears to be of the fame kind of rock, and is al- mofl; a continual rapid. Its direft courfe is about Weft by North, and with its windings, is about thirty miles. It takes its waters into the Beaver Lake, the South-Weft fide of which confifts of the fame rock lying in thin ftratas : the route then proceeds from iiland to ifland for about twelve miles, and along the North fliore, for four miles more, the whole' being a North- Weft courfe to ihe entrance of a river, in latitude 54. 32, North. The lake, for this diftance, is about four or five miles wide, and abounds with fifti common to the country. The part of it upon the right of that which has been defcribed, appears more confide- rable. The iflands are rocky, and the lake itfelf furrounded by rocks. The communication from - O hence 92 A GENERAL HISTORY hence to the Bouleau Lake, alternately narrows into rivers and fpreads into fmall lakes. The in- terruptions arc, the Pente Portage, which is fuc- ceeded by the Grand Rapid, where there is a De- charge, the Carp Portage, the Bouleau Portage in latitude 54. 5o. North, including a diftance, to- gether with the windings, of thirty-four miles, in a Wefterly diredion. 1 he lake de Bouleau then follows. This lake might with greater propriety, be denominated a canal, as it is not more than a mile in breadth. Its courfe is rather to the Eaft of North for twelve miles to Portage de I'lfle. From thence there is ftill water to Portage d*Epi- nettes, except an adjoining rapid. The diftance is not more than four miles Wefterly. After crofling this Portage, it is not more than two miles to Lake Miron, which is a,i latitude ^^, 7. North. Its length is about twelve miles, and its breadth irre- gular, from two to ten miles. It is only feparated from Lake du Chitique, or Pelican Lake, by a (hort, narrow, and fmall ftrait. That lake is not more than feven miles long, and its courfe about North-Weft. The Lake des Bois then fucceeds, the paffage to which is through fmall lakes, fepa- rated by falls and rapids. The firft is a Decharge : then follow the three galets, in immediate fuccef- fion. From hence Lake des Bois runs about twen- ty one miles. Its courfe is South-South- Eaft, and North-North-Weft, and is full of iilands. The paliage OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 99 paflTage continues through an intricate, narrow, winding, and fhallow channel foreight miles. The interruptions in this diftance are frequent, but de- pend much on the ftate of the waters. Having palfcd them, it is neceflary to crofs the Portage de Traite, or, as it is called by the Indians, Athi- quifipichigan Ouinigam, or the Portage of the Stretched Frog Skin, to the Miffinipi. The waters already defcribed difcharge themfelves into Lake Winipic, and augment thofe of the river Nelfon. Thefe which we are now entering are called the Miffinipi, or great Churchill River. All the country to the South eaft of this, within the line of the progrefs that has been defcribed, is interfperfed by lakes, hills, and rivers, and is full of animals, of the fur-kind, as well as the moofe- deer. Its inhabitants are the Knifteneaux Indians, who are called by the fervants of the Hudfon's- Bay Company, at York, their home-guards. The traders from Canada fucceeded for feveral years in getting the largeft proportion of their furs, till the year 1 793, when the fervants of that company thought proper to fend people amongfl them, ( and why they did not do it before is beft known to themfelves ), for the purpofe of trade, and fecuring their credits, which the Indians were apt to forget. From the Ihort diftance they had to come, and the quantity of goods they fupplied^ the trade has, in a great meafure, reverted to them, O 2 as .!*r vM I '-'v., 94 A GENERAL HISTORY as the merchants from Canada could not meet them upon equal terms. What added to the lofs of the latter, was the murder of one of their tra- ders, by the Indians, about this period. Of thefe people not above eighty men have been known to the traders from Canada, but they confifl: of a much greater number. The Portage de Traite, as has been already hint- ed, received its name from Mr. Jofeph Frobilh- er, who penetrated into this part of the country from Canada, as early as the years 1 774 and 1775, where he met with the Indians in the fpring, on their way to Churchill, according to annual ciif- tom, with their canoes full of valuable furs. They traded with him for as many of them as his ca- noes could carry, and in confequence of this tranf- aftion, the Portage received and has fince retain- ed its prefent appellation. He alfo denominated thefe waters the Englifli River. The Miffinipi, is the name which it received from the Knifteneaux, when they firft came to this country, and either deftroyed or drove back the natives, whom they held in great contempt, on many accounts, but particularly for their ignorance in hunting the beaver, as well as in preparing, ftretching, and drying the fkins of thofe animals. And as a fign of their derifion, they ftretched the fkin of a frog and hung it up at the Portage. This was, at that time, the utmofl extent of their conqueft or warfa- ring-progrefs OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 95 jiin[7 progrefs Weft, and is in latitude 55. 2 5. North, and longitude 103I. Weft. The river here, which bears the appearance of a lake, takes its lame from the Portage, and is full of iflands. It runs from Eaft to Weft about fixten miles, and is from four to five miles broad. Then fucceded tails and cafcades which form what is called the grand rapid. From thence there is a fuccefllon of fmall lakes and rivers, interrupted by rapids and falls, viz, the Portage de Bareel, the Portage de L'lfle, and that of the Rapid River. The courfc is twenty miles from Eaft-South-Eaft to North -North -Weft. The Rapid-River Lake then runs Weft five miles, and is of an oval form. The rapid river is the difcharge of Lake la Rouge, where there has been an eftabliftiment for trade from the year 1782. Since the fmall pox ravaged thefe parts, there have been but few inhabitants ; thefe are of the Knifteneaux tribe, and do not ex- ceed thirty men. The direft navigation continues to be through rivers and canals, interrupted by rapids ; and the diftance to the firft D^charge is four miles, in a Wefterly direftion. Then fol- lows Lake de la Montagne, which runs South- South- Weft three miles and an half, then North fix miles, through narrow channels, formed by if- lands, and continues North -North- Weft five miles, to the portage of the fame name, which is no foon- cr crofted, than another appears in fight, leading to I 96 A GENERAL HISTORY to the Otter Lake, from whence it is nine miles Wefterly to the Otter Portage, in latitude 55. 39. Between this and the Portage du Diable, are fe- veral rapids, and the ciftance three miles and an half. Then fucceeds the lake of the fame name, running from South-Eaft to North-Weft, five miles, and Weft four miles and an hatf. There is then a fucceffion of fmall lakes, rapids, and falls, producing the Portage des Ecors, Portage du Ga- let, and Portage des Morts, the whole compre- hending a diftance of fix miles, to the lake of the latter name. On the left fide is a point co- vered with human bones, the relics of the fmall pox ; which circumftance gave the Portage and the lake this melancholy denomination. Its courfe is South- Weft fifteen miles, while its breadth docs not exceed three miles. From thence a rapid river leads to Portage de Hallier, which is fpllowed by Lake de L'Ifle d'Ours : it is, however, improperly called a lake, as it contains frequent impediments amongft its iflands, from rapids. There is a very dangerous one about the centre of it, which is named the rapid qui ne parle point, or that nevi r fpeaks, from its filent whirlpool-motion. In fome of the whirlpools the fudioa is fo powerful, that they are carefully avoided. At fome diftance from the filent rapid, is a narrow ftrait, where the In- dians have painted red figures on the face of a rock, and v/herc it was their cuftom formerly to make an OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 97 an offering of fome of the articles which they had with them, in their way to and from Churchill. The courfe in this lake, which is very meandering, may be eftimated at thirty-eight miles, and is termi- nated by the Portage du Canot Tourner, from the danger to which thofe are fubjedl who venture to run this rapid. From thence a river of one mile and an half North-Weft courfe leads to the Por- tage de Bouleau, and in about half a mile to Por- tage des Epingles, fo called from the (harpnefs of its ftones. Then follows the Lake des Souris, the direAion acrofs which is amongft iflands, North- Weft by Weft fix miles. In this traverfe is an if- land, which is remarkable for a very large ftone, in the form of a bear, on which the natives have painted the head and fnout of that animal ; and here they alfo were formerly accuftomed to offer facrifices. This lake is feparated only by a -nar- rovv itrait from the Lake du Serpent, which runs North 'North- Weft feven miles, to a narrow chan- nel, that connefts it with another lake, bearing the fame name, and running the fame courfe for eleven miles, when the rapid of the fame denomi- nation is entered on the Weft fide of the lake. It is to be remarked here, that for about three or four miles on the North-Weft fide of this lake, there is an high hank of clay and fand, clothed with cyprefs trees, a circumftance which is not ob- servable on any lakes hitherto mentioned, as they are Kmm jiii 98 A GENERAL HISTORY are bounded, particularly on the North, by black and grey rocks. It may alfo be conlidered as a mofl extraordinary circumftance that the Che- pewyans go North-Weft from hence to the bar- ren grounds, which are their own country, with- out the afliftance of canoes -, as it is well known that in every other part which has been defcribed, from Cumberland Houfe, the country is broken on either fide of the diredion to a great extent : fo that a traveller could not go at right angles with any of the waters already mentioned, without meeting with others in every eight or ten miles. This will alfo be found to be very much the cafe in proceeding to Portage la Loche. The laft mentioned rapid is upwards of three miles long, North-Weft by Weft ; there is, how- ever, no carrying, as the line and poles are fuf- ficient to drag up the canoe againft the current. Lake Croche is then crofted in a Wefterly direc- tion of fix miles, though its whole length may be twice that diftancc ; after which it contrafts to a river that runs Wefterly for ten miles, when it forms a bend, which is left to the South, and en- tering a proportion of its waters called the Grafs River, whofe meandering courfe is about fix miles, but in a diredt line not more than half that length, where it receives its waters from the great river, which then runs Wefterly eleven miles be- fore it forms the Knee Lake, whofe diredion is to OF THE FUR TRADE, he. 99 to the North of Weft. It is full of iilands for eighteen miles, and its greateft apparent breadth it not more than five miles. The Portage of the ilime name is feveral hundred yards long, and over large ftones. Its latitude is 5^. .,0 and lon- gitude 106. So. Two miles further North is the commencement of the Croche Rapid, which is a fucceflion of cafcades for about three miles, ma- king a bend due South to the Lake du Primeau, whofe courfe is various, and through iilands, to the diftance of about fifteen miles. The banks of this lake are low, fl:ony, and marihy, whole grafs and ruihes afford flieiter and food to great numbers of wild fowl. At its Weftern extremity is Portage la Puife, from whence the river takes a meandering courfe, widening and contradling at intervals, and is much interrupted by rapids. After a Wefterly courfe of twenty miles, it reaches Portage Pellec. From hence, in the courfe of feven miles, are three rapids, to which fucceeds the Shagoina Lake, which may be eighteen miles in circumference. Then Shagoina ftrait and ra- pid leads into the Lake of Ifle a la CrofTe, in which the courfe is South twenty miles, and South- South- Weft fourteen miles , to the Point au Sable; oppofite to which is the difcharge of the Beaver- River, bearing South fix miles; the lake in the dif- tance run, does not exceed twelve miles in its greateft breadth. It now turns Weft-South Weft, P the ! tl 1 1 ';■■ ■;'•., loo A GENERAL HISTORY the iile a la Croifee being on the South, and the main land on the North j and it clears the one and the other in the diftance of three miles, the water prefenting an open horizon to right and left : that on the left formed by a deep narrow bay, about ten leagues in depth; and that to the right by what is called la Riviere Creufe, or Deep River, being a canal of Hill water, which is here four miles wide. On following the lafl courfe, Ifle a la Crofle Fort appears on a low ifthmus, at the diftance of five miles, and is in latitude 55. 25. North, and longitude 107. 48. Wefi., This lake and fort take their nam£s from the ifland juft mentioned, which, as has been already obferved, received it denomination from the game of the crofs, which forms a principal amufement among the natives. The fituation of this lake, the abundance of the fineft fifh in the world to be found in its waters, the richnefs of furrounding banks and forefts, in inoofe and fallow deer, with the vaft numbers of the fmaller tribes of animals, whole fkins are pre- cious, and the numerous flocks of wild fowl that frequent it in the fpring and fall, make it a moft defirable fpot for the conftant refidence of fomc, and the occafional rendezvous of others of the in- habitants of the country, particularly of the Knif- Cencaux. Who the original people were that were driven from OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. loi from it, when conquered by the Knifteneaux is not now known, as not a fingle veftige remains of them. The latter, and the Chepewyans, are the only people that have been known here ; and it is evident that the lad- mentioned confider themfelves as ftrangers, and feldom remain longer than three or four years, without vifiting their relations and friends in the barren grounds, which they term their native country. They were for fometime treated by the Knifteneaux as enemies ; who now allow them to hunt to the North of the track which has been defcribed, from Fort du Traite upwards, but when the occafionally meet them, they infift on contributions, and frequently punilh refiftance with their arms. This is fometimes done at the forts, or places of trade, but then it appears to be a voluntary gift. A treat of rum is expedted on the occafion, which the Chepewyans on no other account ever purchafe ; and thofe only who have had frequent intercourfe with the Knifteneaux have any inclination to drink it. When the Europeans firft penetrated into this country, in 1777, the people of both tribes were numerous, but the fmall pox was fatal to them all, fo that there does not exift of the one, at prefent, more than forty refident families j and the other has been from about thirty to two hundred families. Thefe numbers are applicable to the conftant and lefs ambitious inhabitants, who are fatisfied with p 2 the '■:'n 102 A GENERAL HISTORY ibe quiet pofleffion of a country affording, without ;';k or much trouble, every thing neceflary to >h'^ir comfort ; for fince traders have fpread them- feives over it, it is no more the rendezvous of the errant Knifleneaux, part of whom ufed an- nually to return thither from tlie country of the Beaver River, which they had explored to itsfource in their war and hunting excurfions and as far as the Safkatchiwine, where they fometimes met peo- ple of their own nation, who had profecuted fi- milar conquefts up that river. In that country they found abundance of fifli and animals, fuch as have been already defcribed, with the addition of the Buffalos, who range in the partial patches of meadow fcattered along the rivers and lakes. Froni thence they returned in the fpring to the friends whom they had left ; and, at the fame time met with others who had penetrated, with the fame defigns, into the Athabafca country, which will be defcribed hereafter. The fpring was the period of this joyful meet- ing, when their time was occupied in feafting, dancing, and other paftimes, which were oecafion- ally fufpended for facrifice, and religious foJem- nity : while the narratives of their travels, and the hiftory of their wars, amufed and animated the feftival. The time of rejoicing was but fhort, and was foon interrupted by the necelFary preparations for their annual journey to Churchill, to exchange their OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 103 their furs for fuch European articles as were now be- come necelfary to theoi. The fliortnefs of the fea- fons, and tlie great length of their way requiring the utmoft difpatch, the moil adive men of the tribe, with their youngcfl women, and a few of their chil- dren undertook the voyage, under the dire(5lion of fome of their chiefs, following the waters already defcribed, to their difcharge at Churchill Fadory, which are called, as has already been obferved, the Miffinipi, or Great Waters. There they remained no longer than was fufficient to barter their com- modities, with a fupernumerary day or two to gra- tify themfelves with the indulgence of fpirituous liquors. At the fame time the inconfiderable quantity they could purchafe to carry away with them, for a regale with their friends, was held fa- cred, and referved to heighten the enjoyment of their return home, when the amufements, feflivity, and religious folemnities of the fpring were repeated. The ufual time appropriated to thefe convivialities being completed, they ieparated, to purfue their different objedls ; and if they were determined to go ro war, they made the neceflary arrangements for their future operations. But we mufl now renew the progrefs of the route. It is not more than two miles from Ille a la Crofle Fort, to a point of land which forms a cheek of that part of the lake called the Riviere Creufe, which preferves the breadth already mentioned for up- wards 104 A GENERAL HISTORY wards of twenty miles ; then contrads to about two, for the diftance of ten miles more, when it opens to Lake Clear, which is very wide, and commands an open horizon, keeping the Weft (hore for fix miles. The whole of the diftance mentioned is about North-Weft, when, by a narrow, crooked channel, turning to the South of Weft, the entry is made into Lake du Bceuf, which is contracted near the middle, by a projeding fandy point ; in- dependent of which it may be defcribed as from fix to twelve miles in breadth, thirty-fix miles long, and in a North-Weft direction. At the North- Weft end, in latitude 56. 8. it receives the wa- ters of the river la Loche, which, in the fall of the year, is very (hallow, and navigated with difficulty even by half-laden canoes. Its water is not fuffi- cient to from ftrong rapids, though from its rocky bottom the canoes are frequently in confiderable danger. Including its meanders, the courfe of this river may be computed at twenty-four miles, and receives its firft waters from the lake of the fame name, which is about twenty miles long, and fix wide ; into which a fmall river flows, fufficient to bear loaded canoes, for about a mile and an half, where the navigation ceafes ; and the canoes, with their lading, are carried over the Portage la Loche for thirteen miles. This portage is the ridge that divides the waters which difcharge themfelves into Hudfon*s Bay, from thofe OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 105 thofe that flow into the Northern ocean, and is in the latitude ^6. 20. and longitude 109. 15. Weft. It runs South Weft until it lofes its local height between the Safkatchiwine and Elk Rivers ; clofe on the bank of the former, in latitude ^^. 36. North, and longitude 113. 45. Weft, it may be traced in an Eafterly diredion toward latitude 58. 12. North, and longitude 103I. Weft, when it appears to take its courfe due North, and may probably reach the Frozen Seas. From Lake le Souris, the banks of the rivers and lakes difplay a fmaller portion of folid rock. The land is low and ftony, intermixed with a light, fandy foil, and clothed with wood. That of the Beaver River is of a more produdive quality : but no part of it has ever been cultivated by the na- tives or Europeans, except a fmall garden at the Ifle a la CrofTe, which well repaid the labour beftowed upon it. The Portage la Loche is of a level furface, in fbme parts abounding with ftones, but in general it is an entire fand, and covered with the cyprefs, the pine, the fpruce fir, and other trees natural to its foil. Within three miles of the North- Weft termination, there is a fmail round lake, whofe dia- meter does not exceed a mile, and which aflTords a trifling refpite to the labour of carrying. Within a mile of the termination of the Portage is a very >fteep precipice, whofe afcent and defcenc appears to io6 A GENERAL HISTORY to be equally impradicable in any way, as It con- fifts of a fucceffion of eight hills, fome of which arc almoft perpendicular ; nevertbelefs, the Canadians contrive to furmount all thefe difficulties, even with their canoes and lading. ' This precipice, which rifes upwards of a thou- fand feet above the plain beneath it, commands a moft extenlive, romantic, and ravifhing profped. From thence the eye looks down on the courfe of the little river, by fome called the Swan river, and by others, the Clear- Water and Pelican river, beau- tifully meandering for upwards of thirty miles. The valley, which is at once refrelhed and adorned by it, is about three miles in breadth, and is con- fined by two lofty ridges of equal height, difplaying a moft delightful intermixture of wood and lawn, and ftretching on till the blue mift obfcures the profped. Some* parts of the inclining heights are covered with ftately forefts, relieved by promon- tories of the fineft verdure, where the elk and buf- falo find pafture. Thefe are contrafted by fpots where fire has deftroycd the woods, and left a drea- ry void behind it. Nor, when I beheld this won- derful difplay of uncultivated nature, was the mo- ving fcenery of human occupation wanting to com- plete the pi(5lure. From this elevated fituation, I beheld my people, diminiflied, as it were, to half their fize, employed in pitching their tents in a charming meadow, and among the canoes, which, being OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 107 being turned upon their fides, prefented their red- dened bottoms in contrail with the furrounding verdure. At the fame time, the procefs of gum- ming them produced numerous fmall fpires of fmoke, which, as they rofe, enlivened the fcene, and at length blended with the larger columns that afcended from the fires where the fnppers were pre- paring. It was in the month of September when I enjoyed a fcene, of which 1 do not prefume to give an adequate defcription ; and as it was the rut- ting feafon of the elk, the whiftling of that animal was heard in all the variety which the echoes could afford it. This river, which waters and reflefts fuch en- chanting fcenery, runs, including its windings, up- wards of eighty miles, when it difcharges itfeif in the Elk River, according to the denomination of the natives, but commonly called by the white people, the Athabafca River, in latitude 56. 42. North. At a fmall diftance from Portage la Loche, fe- veral carrying-places interrupt the navigation of the river ; about the middle of which are fome mi- neral fprings, whofe margins are covered with ful- phureous incruftations. At the jundion or fork, the Elk River is about three quarters of a mile in breadth, and runs in a fteady current, fometimes contrading, but never increafing its channel, till, after receiving feveral fmall ftreams, it difcharges Q^ itfeif If^l p^ i'.l 108 A GENERAL HISTORY itfelf into the Lake of the Hills, in latitude 58. 36. North. At about twenty-four miles from the Fork, are fome bitumcnous fountains, into which a pole of twenty feet long may be inferted without theleaft rcfiftance. The bitumen is in a fluid ftate, and when mixed with gum, or the refinous fub- fiance coUeded from the fpruce fir, fcrves to gum the canoes. In its heated ftate it emits a fmell like that of fca-coal. The banks of the river, which are there very elevated, difcover veins of the fame bitumenous quality. At a fmall diftancc from the Fork, houfes have been ere ■■Is^ ^ ^ l^H Hi ^1^ ^^Hm ■i d I i^ 114 A GENERAL HISTORY brador, and the gulph and banks of St. Laurence to Montreal. The line then follows the Utawas river to its fource; and continues from thence nearly Weft along the high lands which divide the waters that fall into Lake Superior and Hudfon*s Bay. It then proceeds till it ftrikes the middle part of the river Winipic, following that water through the Lake Winipic, to the difcharge of the Salkatchiwine into it ; from thence it accom- panies the latter to Fort George, when the line, ftriking by the head of the Beaver River to the Elk River, runs along its banks to its difcharge in the Lake of the Hills ; from which it may be car- ried back Eaft, to the Ifle a la Crofle, and fo on to Churchill by the Miffinipi. The whole of the trad between this line and Hudfon*s Bay and Straits, ( except that of the Efquimaux in the latter ), may be faid to be exclufively the country of the Knifteneaux. Some of them, indeed, have penetrated further Weft and South to the Red River, to the South of Lake Winipic, and the South branch of the Safkatchiwine. They are of a moderate ftature, well proportioned, and of great activity. Examples of deformity are feldom to be feen among them. Their complex- ion is of a copper colour, and their hair black, which is common to all the natives of North Ame- rica. It is cut in various forms, according to the fancy of the feveral tribes, and by fome is left in the ned, are ex- ack, me- the t in the OF THE FUR TRADE, &c: 115 the long, lank, flow of nature. They very gene- rally extrad: their beards, and both fexes manifeft a difpofition to pluck the hair from every part of the body and limbs. Their eyes are black, keen, and penetrating; their countenance "open and agreeable, and it is a principal objed of their va- nity to give every poflible decoration to their per- fons. A material article in their toilettes is ver- milion, which they contrail with their native blue, white, and brown earths, to which charcoal is fre- quendy added. Their drefs is at once fimple and commodious. It confills of tight leggins, reaching near the hip : a ftrip of cloth or leather, called affian, about a foot wide, and five feet long, whofe ends are drawn inwards and hang behind and before, over a belt tied round the waifl for that purpofe : a clofe vcft or {hirt reaching down to the former garment, and cindured with a broad ftrip of parchment fattened with thongs behind ; and a cap for the head, con- fifting of a piece of fur, or fmall fkin, with the bruQi of the animal as a fufpended ornament : a kind of robe is thrown occafionally over the whole of die drefs, and ferves both night and day. Thefe articles, with the addition of (hoes and mit- tens, conftitute the variety of their apparel. The materials vary according to the feafon, and confift of drefled moofe-fkin, beaver prepared with the fur, or European woollens. The leather is neatly R painted, ii6 A GENERAL HISTORY painted, and fancifully worked in fome parts with porcupine quills, and moofe-deer hair : the Ihirts and leggins are alfo adorned with fringe and taffels; nor are the flioes and mittens without fomewhat of appropriate decoration, and worked with a confi- derable degree of fkill and tafte. Thefe habili- ments are put on, however, as fancy or convenience fuggefts ; and they will fometimes proceed to the chafe in the feverefl froft, covered only with the flighted of them. Their head-dreffes are compofed of the feathers of the fwan, the eagle, and other birds. The teeth, horns, and claws of different animals, are alfo the occalional ornaments of the head and neck. Their hair, however arranged, is always befmeared with greafe. The making of every article of drefs is a female occupation ; and the women, though by no means inattentive to the decoration of their own perfons, appear to have a ftill greater degree of pride in attending to the appearance of the men, whofe faces are painted with more care than tLofe of the women. The female drefs is formed of the fame mate- rials as thofe of the other fex, but of a different make and arrangement. Their flioes are com- monly plain, and their leggins gartered beneath tlie knee. The coat, or body covering, falls down to the middle of the leg, and is faflened over the flioulders with cords, a flap or cape turning down about eight inches*, both before and behind, and agreeably OF THE FUR TRADE, 6cc. 117 agreeably ornamented with quill-work and fringe ; the bottom is alfo fringed, and fancifully painted as high as the knee. As it is very loofe, it is en- clofed round the waift with a flifF belt, decorated with taffels, and faftened behind. The arms are covered to the wrift, with detached fleeves, which are fewcd as far as the bend of the arm j from thence they are drawn up to the neck, and the corners of them fall down behind, as low as the waift. The cap, when they wear one, confifts of a certain quantity of leather or cloth, fewed at one end, by which means it is kept on the head, and, hanging down the back, is faftened to the belt, as well as under the chin. The upper garment is a robe like that worn by the men. Their hair is divided on the crown, and tied behind, or fome- times faftened in large knots over the ears. They are fond of European articles, and prefer them to their own native commodities. Their ornaments confift in common with all favages, in bracelets, rings, and fimilar baubles. Some of the women tatoo three perpendicular lines, which are feme- times double : one from the centre of the chin to that of the under lip, and one parallel on either fide to the corner of the mouth. Of all the nations which I have feen on this con- tinent, the Knifteneaux women are the moft come- ly. Their figure is generally well proportioned, and the regularity of their features would be ac- R a knowledged J" !.,«■ ii8 A GENERAL HISTORY knowledged by the more civilized people of Europe. Their complexion has lefs of thai dark tinge which is common to thofe favages who have lefs cleanly habits. • Thefe people are, in general, fubjed to few dlf. orders. The lues venerea, however, is a common complaint, but cured by the application of fimples, with whofe virtues they appear to be well ac- quainted. They are alfo fubjeft to fluxes, and pains in the breaft, which fome have attributed to the very cold and keen air which they inhale ; but I fliould imagine that thefe complaints muft fre- quently proceed from their immoderate indulgence in fat meat at their feafts, particularly when they have been preceded by long falling. They are naturally mild and affable, as well as juft in their dealings, not orly among themfelves, but with ftrangers. * They are alfo geneiuus and hofpitable, and good-natured in the extreme, except when their nature is perverted by the inflammatory influence of fpirituous liquors. To their children they are indulgent to a fault. The father, though he alTumes no command over them, is ever anxious to inftrudt them in all the preparatory qualifications for war and hunting ; while the mother is equally * They have been called thieves, but when vice can with juftice be attributed to them^ it may be traced to their connec- tion with the civilized people who come into their country to tralHc. - - - * attentive OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 119 attentive to her daughters in teaching them every thing that is confidered as necefTar}' to their cha- rader and fituation. It does not appear that the hu(band makes any diftindion between the child- ren of his wife, though they may be the off- spring of different fathers. Illegitimacy is only at- tached to thofe who are born before their mothers have cohabited with any man by the title of huf- band. It does not appear, that chaftity is confidered by them as a virtue ; or that fidelity is believed to be effential to the happinefs of wedded life. Though it fometimes happens that the infidelity of a wife is puniflied by the hulband with the lofs of her hair, nofc, and perhaps life ; fuch feverity proceeds from its having been pradlifed without his permiffion : for a temporary interchange of wives is not uncom- mon ; and the offer of their perfons is confidered as a neceffary part of the hofpitality due to flran- gers. When a man lofes his wife, it is confidered as a duty to marry her fifter, if flie has one ; or he may, if he pleafes, have them both at the fame time. It will appear from tVie fatal confequences I have repeatedly imputed to the ufe of fpirituous liquors, that I more particularly confider thefe people as having been, morally fpeaking, great fufferers from their communication with the fubjedls of civilized nations. At the fame time they were not, in a ftate ?i 120 A GENERAL HISTORY ftate of nature, without their vices, and fome of them of a kind which is the moil abhorrent to cul- tivated and refledting man. I (hall only obferve that inceft and beftiality are common among them. When a young man marries, he immediately goes to live with the father and mother of his wife, who treat him, neverihelefs, as a perfect ftranger, till after the birth of his firfl child : he then at- taches himfelf more to them than his own parents; and his wife no longer gives him any other deno- mination than that of the father of her child. The profeffion of the men is war and hunting, and the more a Shi nap - Aki win fe. I am angry - Ne kis fi wafli en Nif katifliwine. I fear - Ne goos tow - Nifeft gufe. Joy - Ne hea tha torn - Mamoud gikifi. Hearing • Pethom - Oda wagan. Track M Mis conna - Pemi ka wois. Chief, great ruler Haukimah - Kitchi onodis. Thief - Kifmouthelk - Ke moutilke. Excrement - Meyee - Moui. Buffalo - Moultouche - Pichike. Ferret - Sigous - Shingoufs. Polecat - Shicak - Shi-kak. Elk - Mouflouche - Michai woi. Rein deer •• Attick . Atick. Fallow deer * Attick - Wa wafqiiefli. Beaver - Amifk - Amic. Woolverine - Qui qua katch m Quin quoagkL Squirrel - Ennequachas - Otchi ta mou. Minx - Sa quafue - Shaugouch. - Otter • Nekick - Ni guick. Wolf - Mayegan - - Mpygan. Hare - Wapouce - - Wapouce. , -: Marten mi Wappiftan w Wabichinfe. Moofe . Moufwah - Moufe. Bear - Mafqua - Macqua. Fiftier m Wijalk - Od-jifck. Lynx - Picheu T a - Pechou. Porcupi 134 A GENERAL HISTORY > Kniftei>^aux. Algonquin. Porcupine Cau quah - Kack. Fox Ma kifew m Wagouchc. Muflc Rat Wajaflc m Wa*jack. Moufe Abicufliifs - Wai wa be gou noge. Cow Buffalo Noflii Moudoucbe Nochena ptchik. Meatfiefli Wias - Wi-afs. Dog Atim - Ani-moufe. Eagle Makufue « - Me-guiffis; Durk Sy Sip - Shi-fip. Crow, Corbeau - Ca Cawkeu m KaKak. Swan Wapifeu - Wa-pe-fy. Turkey Mes fei thew m Miffiflay. Fheafants - Okes kew - Ajack. Bird Pethefew - - Pi-na-iy. Outard Nifcag m Nic kack. White Goofe - Wer Wois m Woi wois. Grey Goofe Peftafini - - Pos-ta-kifk. Partridge Pithew - Pen ainfe. Water Hen Chiquibifh • Che qui bis. Dove Omi Mec . O mi-mis. Eggs Wa Wah . Wa Weni. Pike or Jack Kenonge - - Kenong6. ' Carp Na may bin - Na me bine. Sturgeon - Na May - - Na Maiu. , White Fifti Aticaming - Aticaming. Pikrcl Oc-chaw - m Oh-ga. Fifli (in general) Kenong^ - m Ki-cons. Spawn Waquon - - Wa qnock. Fins Chi chi kan - O nidj-igan. Trout Nay goufe . Na Men Goufe. Craw Filh A fliag gee - A cha kens chaque. Frog Athick - O ma ka ki. Wafp Ah moo - A mon. Turtle Mikinack - Mi-ki-nack. Suake Kinibick - - Ki nai bick. • Av-' !• OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 135 .•- Knifleneaux. Algonquin. ■ ■• Awl - Ofcajick Ma»gofe. r. Needle - Saboinigan Sha-bo-ni-gan. Fire Steel - - Appet Scoutccgan. goii noge. Fire wood - Mich-tah - Miflane. >ichik. Cradle - Tcckinigan Tickina-gan. Dagger - Ta comagau Na-ba-ke-gou-man. ;. Arrow - Augulk or Atouche Mettic ka nouins. • Fiih Hook - Quofquipichican Mancton Miquifcane. Ax - - * Shegaygan - - Wagagvette. Ear-bob - Chi-kifebifoun - Na be chi be foun. - Comb - Sicahoun - Pin ack wan. Net - Athabe Alfap. Tree - Miftick - Miti-coum. Wood - Miftick Mitic. 1 Paddle - Aboi Aboui. Canoe - Chiman S-chiman. c. Birch Rind - Wafquoi - Wig nafs. • Bark - Wafquoi - On-na-guege. is. Touch Wood - Poufagan - Sa-ga-tagan. • leaf - Nepefhah Ni-biche. li. Grafs - Mafquofi - Mafquofi. Rafpberries - Mifqui-meinac - Mifqui meinac. ine. Strawberries - O-tai-e minac O'-tai-e minac. • Aflies - Pecouch Pengoui. I' Fire - Scou tay - Scou tav. Grapes - Shomenac Shomenafc. Fog - Pakilhihow A Winni. k. Mud - Afus ki - - A Shifki. in. Currant - Kifijiwin - Ki fi chi wditi. Goufe. Road - Mefcanah . Mickanan. » chaque. Winter - Pipoun Pipone. ki. Ifland - Miniftick - Minifs. Lake - Sagayigan Sagayigam :k. Sun " - Pifim. Kijis. ick. Moon - Tibifca pefim (the Av/ night Sua Dibic k>ji£§. 136 A GENERAL HISTORY Knifteneaux. Algonquin. Day - Kigigah - Kigi gatte. Night - Tibifca Dibic kawte. Snow - Counah So qui po. Rain - Kimiwoin Ki mi woini. Drift - Pewan Pi woine. Hail - Shes eagan Me qua menfan. Ice - - Melquaming Me quam. rroft - Aquatin Gas-ga-tin. Mift - Picafyow An-quo-et. Water - Nepec Ni-pei. . World - Mefle afky ( all the . earth) - ■1 Midi achaki. Mountain - Wachee - Watchive. Sea , - . Kitchi kitchi ga Kitchi-kitchi ga ming - ming. Morning - - KequiHiepe m Ki-ki-jep. Mid-day - - Abetah quiflieik Na ock quoi» Portage . Unygam - Ouni-gam. Spring - Menoufcaming Mino ka ming. River - Sipee - Sipi. Rapid - Bawaftick - Ba wetick. Rivulet - Sepeefis - Sipi wes chin. Sand - Thocaw - Ne gawe. Earth - Afkee m Ach ki. Star - Attack - Anang. Thunder - - Pithufeu - - Ni mi ki. Wind - Thoutin - . No tine. Calm - Athawoftin . A-no-a-tine. Heat - Quifliipoi - Aboycc. Evening - Ta ka{hik6 - O'na guche. North - Kiwoitin - Ke woitinak. South - Sawena woon - Sha-wa-na-wang. Eaft - Cofliawcaftak » Wa-ba-no-notine. Weft - Paquifimow - Panguis-chi-mo. To-morrow - Wabank - - Wa-bang. Bone OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. Knideneaux. Algonquin. »37 Bone • Ofkann Oc-kann. Broth - Michim waboi - Thaboub. Fcaft - Ma qua fee Wi con qui wine. Greafe or oil - Pimis Pimi-tais. Marrow fat - Ofcan pimis Oflia-pimiiais. ' Sinew - Afstis Attifs. ,' Lodge - Wig-waum Wi-gvii-wam. Bed - Nc pa win Nc pai wine. Within - Pendog ke Pendig. Door - Sqiiandam Scouandam. Didi - Othagan - O' na gann. Port - Wafgaigan Wa-kuigan. Sledge - Tabanaflc - Otabanac. Cin£ture - - Poquoatehoun - Ketche pifou. Cap - Aftotin Pe Matinang. Socks - Adiican A chi gan. Shirt - Papackewyan. - Pa pa ki weyan. Coat - Papife-co-wagan Papife-co-wagan. Blanket - - Wape weyang - Wape weyan. Cloth - Manetoweguin - Maneto weguin. Thread - - Aflabab - Aflabab. Garten - Chi ki-bifoon Ni gaflce-tafe befoun: Mittens - Aftiffack - Medjicawine. Shoes - Malkifin - Makidn. Smoking bag - Kufquepetagan - Kafquepetagan. Portage fling - Apifan Apican. Strait on - - Goi a(k - - Goi-ack. Medicine - - Mas ki kee Macki-ki. - j Red - Mes roh - Mescowa. Blue - Kafqutch ( fame as - • black) - O-iawes-cowa. White - Wabifca Wabifca. Yellow - Saw waw - Ojawa. Green - Chibatiquare O'jawes-cowa. ' filirown - O'jawes-cowa. 1 Grey, 138 A GENERAL HISTORY O Grey, &c . Ugly Handfome - Beautiful Deaf Good-iiatured Pregnant Fat - Big . . Small or little Short - Skin - Long - Strong Coward Weak Lean - Brave Young man Cold Hot Spring Summer lali One Two Three Four Five Six - Seven Eight Nine Ten Knifteneaux. Mache na goufeu Catawaffifeu Kiffi Sawenogan Nima petom Mithiwafhin Paawie Outhineu - Mufliikitee Abifailieu - Chemalifli Wian Kinwain Mafcawa - Sagatahaw Nitha mifTew Mahta waw Nima Guftaw Ofquineguifh Kiffin Kichatai Minoufcaming - Nibin Tagowagonk Peyac Nillieu Niflitou - Neway Ni-annan - Ncgoutawoefic - Nilh woific Jannanew Shark Mitatat Algonquin. O'jawes-cowa. Mous-counu-goule. - Nam biifa. Qnoi Natch. Ka ki be chai. Onichifhin. And'jioko. Oui-ni-noe. Mefsha. Agu-chin. Tackofi. Wian. Kiniwa. CMache-cawa. \ Mas cawife. Cha-goutai-yc. Cha goufi. Ka wa ca tofa. Son qui taige. Ofliinigui. Kiflinan. Kicha tai. Minokaming. Nibiqui. Tagowag; Pecheik. Nige. Nis-wois. Ne au. Na-nan* Ni gouta waswois. Nigi-was-wois. She was wois. Shang was wois. Mit-alTwois. Eleven Eleven Twelve Thirteen . Fourteen • Fifteen Sixteen Seventeen - Eighteen Nineteen - Twenty Twenty-one Twenty-two, Thirty Forty Fifty Sixty Seventy I Eighty } OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 139 Knideneaux. Algonquin. Eleven Twelve - Peyac ofap - - Niiheu ofap Thirteen - - Nichtou ofap Fourteen - - Neway ofap Fifteen - - Niannan ofap Sixteen Seventeen - Eighteen - Nineteen - MitafTwoisjhachi, pe* cheik. MitaiTwois, hachi, nige. MitafTwois, hachi, nifwois. Mitaflwois, hachi, ne-au. MitaiTwois, hachi, nanan. - Nigoutawoeiic ofap Mitaflfwois, hachi, negoutawafwois. - Nifli woellc ofap MitaiTwois, hachi, nigi wafwois. - Jannanew ofap - Mitaflwois, hachi, fhiwafwoisk - Shack of^p - Mitaflwois, hachi, fliang as wois. Twenty - - Niftieu mitenah - Nigeta-nan. Twenty-one - Nifliew mitenah peyac ofap - Nigeta nan, hachi, pechic. Twenty-two, &c. Niflieu mitenah nilhew ofap - Thirty - - Niftitou mitenah Nifwois mitanan. Forty - - Neway mitenah - Neau mitanan. Fifty > - Niannan mitenah Nanan mitanan. Sixty - - Negoutawoific mi- tenah - - Nigouta was wois mitanan. Seventy - - Nifliwoific mitenah Nigi was wois mi- tanan. I Eighty - - Jannaeu mitenah She was wois mi- taniin. U Ninetjf 140 A GENERAL HISTORY Ninety Hundred - Tu'o Hundred One thoufand Firft - Lall More Better Beft - I, or me You, or thou They, or them We - My, or mine Your's Who Whom What His, or her's All - Ktiifteneaux. Shack mitenah Mitana mitinah - Nefliew mitena a mitenah Mitenah mitena mitenah - Nican Squayatch - Minah Athiwack mitha- waftiin - Algonquin. Shang was wois mi« tanan. Ningoutwack. I" Nige wack. > Kitchi-wack. - Nitam. - Shaquoiyanque. - Awa chi min. Athiwack walliin Nitha Kitha Withawaw Nithawaw Nitayan Kitayan mitha- Awachimin o nichi flien. fliin - Awoine - Otayan - Kakithau Some, or fome few Pey peyac Tht fame - All the world All the men More Now and then Sometimes - Seldom - Kitchi o nichi i' Nin. - Kin. - Win na wa, - Nina wa. - Nida yam. - Kitayam. - Auoni. - Kegoi nin. - Wa. - Otayim mis. - Kakenan. - Pe-pichic. - Mi ta yoche. Mifli acki wanque Mifliiwai aiky. KakitliawEthinyock Mifli Inini week. Mina - - Minawa. - Nannigoutengue. I as-cow-puco. - Wica-ac-ko. Arrive Tabefcoutch Arrive Beat To burn To fing To cut To hide To cover To believe To deep To difpute To dance To give To do To eat To die To forget To fpeak To cry \^te To laugh To fet do To walk To fall To work To kill To fell To live To fee To come Enough Cry ( tear It hails There is There is f It rains OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. ^t >' ■' Knifteneaux." Algonquin. Arrive Ta couchin Ta-gouchin. Beat Otamaha - Packit-ais. To bum - Miftafcafoo Icha-quifo. To fing - Nagamoun ^agam. To cut Kifquifhan Qui qui jan. To hide - Catann Cafe tawe. To cover - Acquahoun A CO na oune. To believe Taboitam Tai boitam. To deep - Nepan Ni ponn. To difpute Ke ko mi towock Ki quaidiwine. To dance - Nemaytow Nlrnic. To give Mith Mih. To do Ogitanii O-gitoune. To eat - - Wiflinee Williniwin. To die Nepew Ni po wen. To forget - Winnekifkifew - Woi ni mi kaw. To fpeak - Athimetakcoufc - Aniniitagouflc. To cry \^ tears) - Mantow Ma wi. To laugh - Papew Pa-pe. To fet down Nematappe Na matape win. To walk - Pimoutais - Pemouffai. To fall Packifm Panguifhin. To work - Ah tus kew Anokeh. To kill - Nipahaw - Niflii-woes. To fell - Attawoin - Ata wois. To live - Pimatife - Pematis. To fee Wabam Wab. To corae - Aflamoteh Pitta-fi-moufs. Enough Egothigog - Mi mi nic. Cry ( tears ) Manteau - Ambai ma wita. It hails Shifiagan - Sai faigaun. There is - \ There is fome J Aya wa Aya wan. It rains Quimiwoin U a Qui mi woin. i J / After 142 A GENERAL HISTORY i Knifleneaux. Algonquin, After to-morrow A wis wabank - Awes wabang To-day Anoutch - Non gum. Thereaway Netoi - Awoite. Much Michett - Ni bi wa. Prefently - Pichifqua - - Pitchinac. Make, heart Quithipeh - - Wai we be. This morning - Shebas - Shai bas. This night Tibifcag - - De bi cong. Above Efpiming - - O kitchiai. Below Tabaffilh - - Ana mai. Truly Taboiy - Ne da wache. Already Safhay - Sha fhaye. Yet, more - Minah - Mina wa. Yefterday - Tacoufliick - Pitchinago. Far - Wathow - Wafla. Near - - - Quifhiwoac - Paifliou. Never Nima wecatch - Ka wi ka. No - - - Nima - Ka wine. Yes - Ah - - In. By-and-bye Pa-nima - Pa-nima. Always Ka-ki-kee - Ka qui nick. Make hafle Quethepeh - Niguim. Its long fince Mewaiflia - Mon wifha. '*il Some Account of the Chepewyan Indians. THEY are a numerous people, who confider the country between the parallels of latitude 60. and 65. North, and longitude loo. to no. Weft, as OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 143 as their lands or home. They fpeak a copious language, which is very difficult to be attained, and furnifhes dialeds to the various emigrant tribes which inhabit the following immenfe track of country, whofe boundary I fliall defcribe*. It begins at Churchill, and runs along the line of reparation between them and the Knifteneaux, up the Miffinipi to the Ifle a la Crofle, paffing on through the Buffalo Lake, River Lake, and Por- tage la Loche : from thence it proceeds by the Elk River to the Lake of the Hills, and goes direftly Weft to the Peace River ; and up that river to its fource and tributary waters ; from whence it proceeds to the waters of the river Columbia ; and follows that river to latitude 52. 24. North, and longitude 122. 54. Weft, where the Chepewyans have the Atnah or Chin nation for their neighbours. It then takes a line due Weft to the fea-coaft, within which, the country is poflefled by a people who fpeak their language-f , and are confequently defcended from them : there can be no doubt, therefore, of their progrefs being to the Eaftward. A tribe of them is even known at the upper eftab- liftiments on the Safkatchiwine ; and I do not J v" r- * Thofe of them who come to trade with us, do not exceed eight hundred men, and have a fmattering of the Knifteneaux tongue, in which they carry on their deaHngs with us. t The coaft is inhabited on the North-Weft by the Efkimaux, and on the Pacific Ocean by a people different from bofli. pretend 144 A GENERAL HISTORY pretend to afcertain how far they may follow the Rocky Mountains to the Eaft. It is not poffible to form any juft eflimate of their numbers, but it is apparent, nevertheic's, that they are by no means proportionate to the vail ex- tent of their territories, which may, in iome degree, be attributed to the ravages of the fmall pox, which are, more or lefs, evident throughout this part of the continent. The notion which thefe people entertain of the creation, is of a very lingular nature. They believe that, at the firft, the globe was one vaft and entire ocean, inhabited by no living creature, except a mighty bird, whofe eyes were fire,whofe glances were lightning, and the clapping of whofe wings were thunder. On his defcent to the ocean, and touching it, the earth inftantly arofe, and remained on the fur- face of the waters. This omnipotent bird then called forth all the variety of animals from the earth, except the Chepewyans, who were produced from a dog; and this circumftancc occafions their averfion to the flefh of that animal, as well as the people who e:.t it. This extraordinary tradition proceeds to relate, that the great bird, having finifhed his work, made an arrow, which was to be preferved with great care, and to remain untouched ; but that the Che- pewyanswerefo devoid of underftandini^, as to car- ry it away ; and the facrilege fo enraged the great bird, that he has never fmce appeared. They OF THE FUR TRADE, ficc. 14^ They have alfo a tradition amongft them, that they originally came from another country, iniiabit- ed by very wicked people, and liad traverfed a great lake, which was narrow, Ihallow, and full of iflands, where they had fuffered great mifery, it being always winter, with ice and deep fnow. At the Copper-Mine River, where they made the firft land, the ground was covered with copper, over which a body of earth had fince been coUedted, to the depth of a man's height. They believe, alfo, that in ancient times their anceftors lived till their feet were worn out with walking, and their throats with eating. They defcribe a deluge, when the waters fpread over the whole earth, except the higheft mountains, on the tops of which they preferved themfelves. They believe, that immediately after their death, they pafs into another world, where they arrive at a large river, on which they embark in a ftone ca- noe, and that a gentle current bears them on to an extenfive lake, in the centre of which is a moft beautiful ifland ; and that, in the view of this de - lightful abode, they receive that judgment for their condudb during life, which terminates their final ftate and unalterable allotment. If their good aftions are declared to predominate, they are landed upon the ifland, where there is to be no end to their happinefs ; which, however, according to their no- tions, confills in an eternal enjoyment of fenfual pleafure. : ^ i /-■ ■ \ ■ :il ^■5^ 146 A GENERAL HISTORY pleafure, and carnal gratification. But if their bad adions weigh down the balance, the ftone canoe iinks at once, and leaves them up to their chins in the water, to behold and regret the reward enjoyed by the good, and eternally flruggling, but with unavailing endeavours, to reach the blifsful ifland, from which they are excluded for ever. They have fome faint notions of the transmigra- tion of the foul ; fo that if a child be born with teeth, they inftantly imagine, from its premature appearance, that it bears a refemblance to fome perfon who had lived to an advanced period, and that he has aflumed a renovated life, with thefe extraordinary tokens of maturity. The Chepewyans are fober, timorous, and va- grant, with a felfifh difpofition which has fome- times created fufpicions of their integrity. Their ftature has nothing remarkable in it ; but though they are feldom corpulent, they are fometimes ro- buft. Their complexion is fwarthy ; their features coarfe, and their hair lank, but not always of a dingy black ; nor have they univerfally the piercing eye, which generally animates the Indian counte- nance. The women have a more agreeable afpeA than the men, but their gait is awkward, which proceeds from their being accuftomed, nine months in the year, to travel on fnow-flioes and drag fled- ges of a weight from two to four hundred pounds. They are very fubmiflive to their hus- bands OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 147 bands, who have, however, their fits of jealoufy; and, for very trifling caufes, treat them with Rich cruelty as fometimes to occafion their death. They are frequently objects of traffic ; and the father poflefles the right of difpofing of his dauo^hter*. The men in general extradt their beards, though fome of them' are feen to prefer a bufhy, black beard, to a fmooth chin. They cut their hair in various forms, or leave it in a long, natural flow, according as their caprice or fancy iLiggefls. The women always wear it in great length, and fome of them are very attentive to its arrangement. If they at any time appear defpoiled of their trefles, it is to be efleemed a proof of the hu (band's jealoufy, and is confidered as a feverer punifhment than ma- nual corredlion. Both fexes have blue or black bars, or from one to four Itraight lines on their cheeks or forehead, to diftinguifli the tribe to which they belong, Thefe marks are either ta- tooed, or made by drawing a thread, dipped in the neceflary colour, beneath the {km. There are no people more attentive to the com- forts of their drefs, or lefs anxious refpeding its exterior appearance. In the winter it is compofed of the fkins of deer, and their fawns, and dreflfed as fine as any chamois leather, in the hair. In the fummer their apparel is the fame, except that it is * They do not, however, fell them as flaves, butas companions to thofe who arefuppofedtolive more comfortably than themfeives. X prepared r 148 'A GENERAL HISTORY prepared without the hair. Their flioes and Ic^- gins are fewn together, the latter reaching upwards to the middle, and being fupported by a belt, under which a fmall piece of leather is drawn to co- ver the private parts, the ends of which fall down both before and behind. In the flioes they put the hair of the moofe or rein-deer with additional pieces of leather as focks. The fliirt or coat, when girted round the waifi, reaches to the middle of the thigh, and the mittens are fewed to the fleeves, or are fufpended by firings from the flioul- ders. A ruff or tippet furrounds the neck, and the ikin of the head of the deer forms a curious kind of cap. A robe, made of feveral deer or fawn Ikins fewed together, covers the whole. This drefs is worn fingle or double, but always in the winter, with the hair within and without. Thus arrayed, a Chepewyan will lay himfelf down on the ice in the middle of a lake, and repofe in comfort; though he will fometimes find a difficulty in the morning to difencumber Limfelf from the fnow drifted on him during the night. If in his pafTage he fhould be in want of provifion, he cuts an hole in the ice, when he feldom fails of taking fome trout or pike, whofe eyes he inflantly fcoops out, and eats as a great delicacy ; but if they fhould not be fufficient to fatisfy his appetite, he will, in this necefTity make his meal of the fifh in its raw ftate J but, thofe whom I faw, preferred to drefs their viduals ifii'' OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 149 vi(^uals when circumftances admitted the neccflary preparation. When they are in that part of their country which does not produce a fufficicnt quan- tity of wood for fuel, they are reduced to the fame exigency, though they generally dry their meat in the fun.* The drcfs of the women differs from that of the men. Their leggins are tied below the knee ; and their coat or fhift is wide, hanging down to the ancle, and is tucked up at pleafure by means of a belt, which is fattened round the waift. Thofc who have children have thefe garments made very * The provifion called Pemican, on which the Chepewyans, as well as the other favages of this country, chiefly fubfift in their joumies, is prepared in the following manner. The lean parts of the flelk of the larger animals are cut in thin dices, and aie placed on a wooden grate over a flow fire, or expofed to the fun, and fometimes to the froft. Thefe operations dry it, and in that ilate it is pounded between two ilones : it will then keep with care for feveral years. If, however, it is kept in large quantities, it is difpofed to ferment in the fpring of the year when it mufl be expofed to the air, or it will foon decay. The infide fat, and that of the rump, which is much thicker in thefe wild than our domeftic animals, is melted down and mixed, in a boiling ftate, with the pounded meat, in equal pro- portions : it is then put in bafkets or bags for the convenience; of carrying it. Thus it becomes a nutritious food, and is eaten, without any further preparation, or the addition of fpice, fait, or any vegetable or farinaceous fubftancc. A little time recon- ciles it to the palate. There is another fort made with the ad- dition of marrow and dried berries, which is of a fuperior quality. X 2 fuU I ,fl :• [ ^, ^■Vs^. O-*./**-*- IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) .>■ 1.0 1.1 Lit2A mgs ■U Bii 12.2 1^ Si£ 12.0 im^ 1^ m m PhotDgra{iiic Sciences Corporation 23 WIST MAIN STRHT WEBSTER, N.Y. MSSO (716)872-4503 '^ I50 A GENERAL HISTORY full about the (boulders, as when they are travelling they carry their infants upon their backs, next their ikin, in which (ituation they are perfectly comfor- table and in a pofition convenient to be fuckled. Nor do they difcontinue to give their milk to them till they have another child. Child-birth is not the objed of that tender care and ferious atten- tion among the favages as it is among civilifed people. At this period no part of their ufual oc- cupation is omitted, and this continual and regu- lar exercife muft contribute, to the welfare of the mother, both in the progrefs of parturition and in the moment of delivery. The women have a fin- gular cuftom of cutting off a fmall piece of the navel - string of the new-born children, and hang it about their necks : they are alfo curious in the covering they make for it, which they decorate with porcupine's quills and beads. Though the women are as much in the power of the men, as any other articles of their property, they are always confulted, and poffefs a very con- fiderable influence in the traffic with Europeans, and other important concerns. Plurality of wives is common among them, and the ceremony of marriage is of a very limple nature. The girls are betrothed at very early period to thofe whom the parents think the beft able to fup- port them : nor is the inclination of the woman confidered. Whenever a feparaiion takes place, whicli OF THE FUR TRADE, ficc. i5i which fometimes happens, it depends entirely on the will und pleafure of the hufband. In common with the other Indians of this country, they have a cuftom refpedingthe periodical ftate of a woman, which is rigorouily obferved : at that time (hemufl feclude herfelf from fociety. They are not even allowed in that lituation to keep the fame path as the men, when travelling ; and it is confidered a great breach of decency for a woman fo cir- cumftanced to touch any utenfils of manly occu- pation. Such a circumftance is fuppofed to defile them, fo that their fubfequent ufe would be fol- lowed by certain mifchief or misfortune. There are particular Ikins which the women never touch, as of the bear and wolf 5 and thofe animals the men are feldom known to kill. They are not remarkable for their adivity as hunters, which is owing to the eafe with which they fnare deer and fpear fiih : and thefe occupa- tions are not beyond the ftrength of their old men, women, and boys : fo that they participate in thofe laborious occupations, which among their neigh- bours, are confined to the women. They make war on the Efquimaux, who cannot refift their fuperior numbers, and put them to death, as it is a principle with them never to make prifoners. At the fame time they tamely fubmit to the Knifte- neaux, who are not fo numerous as themfelves, when they treat them as enemies. . They i^-^i 4 152 A GENERAL HISTORY They do not affeft that cold referve at meeting, either among themfelves or ilrangers, which is com- mon with the Knifleneaux, but communicate mu- tually, and at once, all the information of which they are pofleffed. Nor are they roufed like them from an apparent torpor to a flate of great adlivity . They are confequently more uniform in this refpedl, though they are of a very perfevering difpofition when their intereft is concerned. As thefe people are not addided to fpirituous liquors, they have a regular and uninterrupted ufc of their underftanding, which is always direded to the advancement of their own intereft; and this difpofition, as may be readily imagined, fometimes occafions them to be charged with fraudulent ha- bits. They will fubmit with patience to the feve- reft treatment, when they are confcious that they deferve it, but will never forget or forgive any wanton or unneceffary rigour. A moderate con- dud I never found to fail, nor do I hefitate to re- prefent them, altogether, as the moft peaceable tribe of Indians known in North America. There are conjurers and high-priefts, but I was not prefent at any of their ceremonies ; though they certainly operate in an extraordinary manner on the imaginations of the people in the cure of diforders. Their principal maladies are, rheuma- tic pains, the flux and confumption. The venereal complaint is very conimon ; but though its progrefs is IS OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 153 is flow, it gradually undermines the conftitution, and brings on premature decay. They have recourfe to fuperftition for their cure, and charms are their only remedies, except the bark of the willow, which being burned and reduced to powder, is ftrewed upon green wounds and ulcers, and places contrived for promoting perfpiration. Of the ufe of fimples and plants they have no knowledge; nor can it be expedled, as their country does not produce them. Though they have enjoyed fo long an intercourfe with Europeans, their country is fo barren, as not to be capable of producing the ordinary neceifaries naturally introduced by fuch a communication ; and they continue, in a great meafure, their own in- convenient and awkward modes of taking their game and preparing it when taken. Sometimes they drive the deer into the fmall lakes, where they fpear them, or force them into inclofures, where the bow and arrow are employed againft them. Thefe animals are alfo taken in fnares made of fkin. In the former inftance the game is divided among ihofe who have been engaged in the purfuit of it. In the latter it is confidered as private property ; neverthelefs any unfuccefsful hunter paffing by, may take a deer fo caught, leaving the head, Ikin, and faddle for the owner. Thus, though they have no regular government, as every man is lord in his Qwn family, they are influenced, more or lefs, by cer- tain V^ ?.i fci [ 154 A GENERAL HISTORY tain principles which conduce to their general benefit. In their quarrels with each other, they very rare- ly proceed to a greater degree of violence than is occafioned by blows, wreftling, and pulling of the hair, while their abufive language cohfifts in ap- plying the name of the mod offenfive animal to the objeft of their difpleafure, and adding the term ugly, and chiay, or ftill-born.* . Their arms and domeftic apparatus, in addition to the articles procured from Europeans, are fpears, bows, and arrows, filhing-nets, and lines made of green deer-fkin thongs. They have alfo nets for taking the beaver as he endeavours to efcape from his lodge when it is broken open. It is fet in a particular manner for the purpofe, and a man is employed to watch the moment when he enters the fnare, or he would foon cut his way through it. He is then thrown upon the ice, where he remains as if he had no life in him. The fnow-flioes are of very fuperior work- manlhip. The inner part of their frame is ftraight, the outer one is curved, and it is pointed at both ends, with that in front turned up. They are alio laced with great neatnefs with thongs made of deer fkin. The fledges are formed of thin flips of board turned up alfo in front, and are highly poliQied with crooked knives, in order to * This name is alfo applicable to the fittus of an animal, when killed, which is confidered as one of the greateft delicacies. Hide or work- s ftraight, i at both y are alio made of thin flips and are order to an animal, |ft delicacies. Aide OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 155 Hide along with facility. Clofe-grained wood is, on that account, the befl ; but theirs are made of the red or fwanip fpruce-fir tree. The country, which thefe people claim as their land, has a very fmall quantity of earth, and pro- duces little or no wood or herbage. Its chief vege- table fubftance is the mofs, on which the deer feed j and a kind of rock mofs, which, in times of fcarcity, preferves the lives of the natives. When boiled in water, it diflblves into a clammy, glutinous, fubftance, that affords a very fufficient nourilliment. But, notwithftanding the barren ftateof their coun- try, with proper care and economy, thefe people might live in great comfort, for the lakes abound with fifh, and the hills are covered with deer. Though, of all the Indian people of this continent they are confidered as the moft provident, they fuf- fer feverely at certain feafons, and particularly in the dead of winter, when they are under the neceffiry of retiring to their fcanty, ftinted woods. To the Weftward of them the mufk-ox may be found, but they have no dependence on it as an article of fuftenance. There are alfo large hares, a few white wolves, peculiar to their country, and feveral kinds of foxes, with white and grey partridges, &c. The beaver and moofedeer they do not find till thfey come within 60. degrees North latitude; and thfc buffalo is ftill further South. That animal is knoWn to frequent an higher latitude to the Weftward of y their r3 I ^wj 156 A GENERAL HISTORY their country. Tliefe people bring pieces of beau- tiful variegated marble, which are found on the furface of the earth. It is eafily worked, bears a fine polilh, and hardens with time ; it endures hear, and is manufactured into pipes or calumets, as they are very fond of fmoking tobacco ; a luxury which the Europeans communicated to them. Their amufements or recreations are but few. Their mufic is fo inharmonious, and their dancincr fo awkward, that they might be fuppofed to be alhamed of both, as they very feldom pradifc either. They alfo (hoot at marks, and play at the games common among them ; but in fad they pre- fer fleeping to either ; and the greater part of their time is paifed in procuring food, and rcfling from the toil neceflary to obtain it They are alfo of a querulous difpofition, and are continually making complaints j which they exprefs by a conftant repetition of the word eduiy, " it is hard, " in a whining and plaintive tone of voice. They are fuperftitious in the extreme, and almoft every aftion of their lives, however trivial, is more pr iefs influenced by fome whimfical notion. 1 ne- ver obferved that they had any particular form of f eligious worftiip ; but as they believe in a good and evil fpirit, and a flate of future rewards and puniftiments, they cannot be devoid of religious impreffions. At the fame time they manifeft a de- cided OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. 157 cided unwillingnefs to make any communications on the fubjeA. The Chepewyans have been accufed of abandon- ing their aged and infirm people to perifli, and of not burying their dead j but thefe are melancholy neceffities, which proceed from their wandering way of life. They are by no means univcrfal, for it is within my knowledge, that a man, rendered help- lefs by the palfy, was carried about for many years, with the greateft tendernefs and attention, till he died a natural death. That they fhould not bury their dead in their own country cannot be imputed to them as a cuftom arifing from a favage infenfi- bility, as they inhabit fuch high latitudes that the ground never thaws ; but it is well known, that when they are in the woods, they cover their dead with trees. Befides, they manifeft no common refped to the memory of their departed friends, by a long period of mourning, cutting off their hair, and never making ufe of the property of the decea- fed. Nay, they frequently deftroy or facr. ^e their own, as a token of regret and forrow. If there be any people who, from the barren ftate of their country, might be fuppofed to be cannibals by nature, thefe people, from the difficulty they, at times, experience in procuring food, might be lia- ble to that imputation. But, in all my knowledge of them, I never was acquainted with one inftance of thatdifpofition ; nor among all the natives which y 2 I 1 i t ( A?.i ■ > fyA 158 A GENERAL HISTORY | 1 OF ^ I met with in a route of five thoufand miles, did I 1 Tongue fee or hear of an exam iple of cannibalifm, but fuch 1 Hair 1 Back as arofc from that irrefiflible neceflity, which has | 1 Blood been known to impel even the mod civilifed people 1 The Knee to eat each other. 1 Clothes or Bit ^ / ■ ' ' '■ 1 Coat • 1 / ' f , ^ 1 Leggin . . .:;:,,'. 1 Shoes Examples of tlu ' Chepewyan Tongues. I Robe or Blanket '.'4.-7 ': - •• I Sleeves ."'.i [.* .J:, f,:/ ; i ■' •."^ ' ' • " 1 Mittens Man - Dinnie. , 1 ^ap Woman - - Chequois. , 1 Swan Young man - - Quelaquis. I Duck Young woman - - Quelaquis chequoi. -' ^ 1 GooTe My fon - - Zi azay. * , 1 White partridge My daughter - - Zi lengay. .; ^ , 'r; 1 Grey partridge My hufband - - Zi dinnie. , , 1 Buffalo My wife - - - Zi zayunai. " ' 1 Moofe deer My brother - - Zi raing. 1 Rein-deer - My father - • - Zitah. \ I Beaver My mother - - Zi nah. . , ; -. 1 Bear My grandfather - - Zi unai. t ' * - • ■ Otter Me or my - - - See. H Martin I . '•- •?, ■'- - Ne. ; - "'- " 1 Wolvereen You - Nun. ' ( Wolf They - . Be. \^i -n i.jti! ■:' Fox Head • * Edthie. '^.. . ' Hare - • Hand • - Law. Dog Leg "^ - Edthen. ' ' ' ^ ' Beaver-(kin Foot m - Cuh. ■ -' '^' ' Otter-lkin - Eyes m - Nackhay. 4 si <, Moofe-fkin Teeth . - Goo. . ,f ' ; Fat Side m - Kac-hey. Greafe Belly - - Bitt. Meat Tongue OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. Tongue . - Edthu. Hail- - - Thiegah. Back • - Lofleh. Blood * . Dell. The Knee - - Cha-gutt. Clothes ur Blanket - Etiunay. Coat . - Eeh. Leggin - - Thell. Shoes - - Kinchee. Robe or Blanket • . Thuth. Sleeves . - Bah. • Mittens m - Geefe. Cap m - Sah. Swan m - Kagouce* Duck m - Keth. GooTe /•-- - Gah. White partridge - - Cafs bah. Grey partridge w - Deyee. Buffalo - . Giddy. Moofe deer m - Dinyai. Rein-deer - - - Edthun. Beaver » - Zah. Bear m - Zafs. Otter - • Naby-ai. Martin m - Thah. Wolvereen - - Naguiyai. Wolf . - Yefs ( Nouneay. ) Fox - - Naguethey. Hare m . Cah. Dog - - Sliengh. Beaver-flcin - • Zah thith. Otter-ikin - - - Naby-ai thith. Moofe-fkin m •. Deny-ai thith. Fat m - Icah. Greafe M - Thlefs. Meat > - Bid. »5§ ^1 «' .1 ' 1 Pilcc i6o Pike White-fifli Trout Pickerel Fiflihook Fifliiine ■' One Two Three Four Five Six Seven Eight Nine Ten Twenty Fire - Water Wood Ice t Snow Rain * Lake River Mountain • Stone Berries Hot Cold Idand Gun , Powder i. Knife i Axe S Sim Moon A GENERAL HISTORY . ITIdinh. • - S'ouejr. - blouyzinai. . O'Gah. - Ge-eth. - Clulez. » - - Slarhy. - Naghur. - Taj/h-y. - Dengk-y. - Safouiachee. • • - Aiki tar-hy-y. - Alki deing-hy. - Cakina hanoth-na. - Ca noth na. - Na ghur cha noth na. - Counn. - Toue. • Dethkin. - Thun. - Yath. - Thtnnelfee. - Touey. - Tefle. - Zeth. - Thaih. - - Gui-eh. - Edowh. - Edzah. - - Nouey. - - - Telkithy. - - Telkithy counna. • - Befs. - Thynle. Bed OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. x6t M - Black • Trade, or barter Good Not good Stinking Bad, ugly Long fince Now, to-day To-morrow By-and-bye, or prcfently Houfe, or lodge Canoe Door - Leather-lodge Chief Mine His - Yours' Urge Small, or little I love you I hate you I am to be pitied My relation Give me water Give me meat Give me fifli Give me meat to eat Give me water to drink Is it far off Is it near It is not far It is not near - How many Deli coufe. Dell zin. Na-houn-ny. Leyzong. Leyzong houlley. Geddey. Slieney. Galladinna. Ganneh. Gambeh. CarahouUeh. Cooen. Shaluzee. The o ball. N'abalay. Bnrhahudry. Zidzy. fiedzy. Nuntiy. Unfliaw. Chautah. Ba ehoinichdlnh. Bucnoinichadinh hillay. Ed-chouneil-hinay. Sy lod, innay. Too hanniltu. Beds-hanniltu. Sloeeh anneltu. Bid Barheether. To Barhithen. Netha uzany. Nilduay uzany. Nitha-hillai. Nilduay. £tlaneldey. What 1^ ^■^ mm 1 62 A GENERAL HISTORY What call you him, or that - Etla houUia. Come here - - Yeu deffa^. Pain, or fuifering - I-yah. It's hard • . - Eduyah. You lie % - Untzee. What then - - Edlaw-gueh. » 1 ' » #> t^o JOURNAL ♦ ♦ • #»• % ♦ i io<) h 108 ^7 io(> 10.) ip4 '■; (• ^'i ■■ 1^" i^! . %i>* . • X; \ JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE, &c. CHAPTER I. \Emharked at Fort Chepewyattf on the Lake of the Hills ^ in com' pany with M, he Roux, Account of the party^ provi' fions^ \lic» Direction of the courfe. Enter one of the bran- ches of the Lake. Arrive in the Peace River. Appearance of the land. Navigation of the river. Arrive at the mouth of the Dog River, SucceJJive defcription of fever al carrying places, A canoe loji in one of the Falls, Encamp on Point dc Roche. Courfe continued. Set the nets, tsfc. Arrive at the Slave Lake. 'The weather extremely cold, Banks of the river defcribedy with its trees, foil^ isfc. Account of the animal produ^ions^ and the fi/hery of the Lake. Obli- ged to wait till the moving of the ice. Three families of Indians arrive from Athabafca, Beavers, gcefe, and Jwans killed. The nets endangered by ice. Re-imbark and land n a fmall ijland, Courfe continued along the Jhores^ and acrofs the bays of the Lake. Various fucceffes vf the hunters. Steer for an ifland where there was plenty of cranberries and fmall onions. Kill feveral rein deer. Land on an ifland named Ifle a la Cache. Clouds of mufquitoes, lUNE 1789. Wednef. 3. ) VV E embarked at nine o'clock in the lorning, at Fort Chepewyan, on the South fide of the Vol. I. Z Lake S )i • » * 9- <»3 «C3 ff".ftt'/hr Ill o \ A_, <>'3 (I2 do '\'l \ 'wjp' IM AM) IXDLVvs .">« 1 130 I2« i2rLoiiftitn(J(> i2()U«'sl I'loiii li.X'.ivoiiwicli ju 1 \E 122 121 ■■-+- — t- 120 "!) /.o/iifon /'K/>/t.i/iff/ 1.1 (f I '^^'A H r 168 VOYAGE THROUGH THE NORTH- Grant. We proceeded from henaefix miles, and encamp- ed on Point de Roche, at half part five in the aftern ion. The men and Indians were very much fatigued ; but the hunters had provided feven geefc, a beaver, and four ducks. We embarked at half paft two in the morning, and (leered North-WeR by North iwenty-onr miles, North- Well by Weft five miles, Weft-Nortii-Weft four mUcs, Weft fix miles, doubled a point North-North-Eafl one mile, Eaft five miles, North two miles, North-Weft by North one mile and a half, Weft-North- Weft three miles, North-Eaft by Eaft two miles, doubled a point one mile and a half. Weft by North nine miles, North- Weft by Weft fix miles, North-North- Weft five miles ; heie we landed at fix o'clock in the evening, unloaded, and en- camped. Nets were alfo fet in a fmall adjacent river. We had an head wind during the greater part of the day, and the weather was become fo cold that the Indians were obliged to make ufe of tlv^ir mittens. In this day's pro- grefs we killed feven geefe and fix ducks. ( Sunday 7. ) At half paft three we renewed our voyage, and proceeded Weft-North- Weft one mile, round an ifland one mile. North -Weft two miles and a half. South by Weft three miles, Weft-South- Weft one mile, South- Weft by South half a mile. North- Weft three miles, Weft- North- Weft three miles and a half, North -Weft three mi- les. North- Weft by North four miles. North two miles and a half, North -Weft by North two miles. The rain, which had prevailed for fome time, now came on with fuch violence, that we were obliged to land and unload, to prevent the goods and baggage from getting wet ; the weather, however, foon cleared up, fo that we reloaded the canoe, and got under way. We WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. if ^ We now continued our courfe North ten miles, Weft ouc mile and a half, and North one mile and a half, when the rain came on again, and rendered it abfolutely ncceflary for us to get on fliore for the night, at about half part three. We had a ftrong North-North- Eaft wind throughout the day, which greatly impeded us. M. Le Roux, however, with his party, paflcd on in fearch of a landing place more agreeable to them. The Indians killed a couple of gecfe, and as many ducks. The rain continued through the re- maining part of the day. ( Monday 8. ) The night was very boifterous, and the rain did not ceafe till two in the afternoon of this day ; but as the wind did not abate of its violence, we were prevented from proceeding till the morrow. m, ( Tuefday 9. ) We embarked at half pad two in the morning, the weather being calm and foggy. Soon after our two young men joined us, whom we had not feen for two days; but during their abfence they had killed four beavers and ten gcefe. After a courfe of one mile North- Weft by North, we obferved an opening on the right, which we took for a fork of the river, but it proved to be a lake. We returned and fteered South- Weft by Weft one mile and a half, Weft-South-Weft one mile and a half. Weft one mile, when we entered a very fmall branch of the river on the Eaft bank, at the mouth of which I was informed there had been a carrying place, owing to the quantity of drift wood, which then filled up the paffage, but has fmce been carried away. The courfe of this river is meandering, and tends to the North, and in about ten miles falls into the Slave Lake, where we arrived at nine in the morning, when we found a great change in the weather, as .'i ■#" ■i.l f > ■ 1 170 VOYAGE THROUGH THE NORTH- as it was become extremely cold. The lake was entirely covered with ice, and did not feem in any degree to have given way, but near the fhore. The gnats and mu(kitoes, which were very troublefome during our paffagc along the river, did not ventute to accompany us to this colder region. The banks of the river both above and below the rapids, were on both fides covered with the various kinds of wood common to this country ; particularly the Weftern fide ; the land being lower and confilling of a rich foil. Tliis artificial ground is carried doWn by the ftream, and rells upon drift wood, fo as to be eight or ten feet deep. The eaftern banks are more elevated, and the foil a yellow clay mixed with gravel ; fo that the trees are neither fo large or numerous as on the oppofite fliore. The ground was not thawed above fourteen inches in depth ; notwithftanding the leaf was at its full growth ; while along the lake there was fcarcely any appearance of verdure. The Indians informed me, that, at a very fmall diftancc from either bank of the river, are very extenfive plains, frequented by large herds of buffaloes; while the moofe and rein-deer keep in the woods that border on it. The bea- vers, which are in great numbers, build their habitations in the fmall lakes and rivers, as in the larger dreams, the ice carries every thing along with it, during the fpring. The mud banks in the river are covered with wild fowl ; and we this morning killed two fwans, ten geefe, and one beaver, without fuiFering the delay of an hour ; fo that we might have foon filled the canoe with them, if that had been our obje6l. From the fmall river we fleered Eafl, along the infide of rj WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 171 «fa long fand bank, covered wiih drift wood and enlivened by a few willows, which ftretches on as far as the houfes creftci! by Meffis. Grant and Le Roux, in 1786. We often ran aground, as for five fucceflive miles the depth of the wnter no where exceeded three feet. There we found out r "^p'ff who had arrived early in the morning, and vrlioin we had not feen fince the preceding Sunday. We now unloaded the canoe, and pitched our tents, as there was every appearance that we ihould be obliged to remain here for fome time. I then oidered the nets to be fct, as it was abfolutely neceffary that the ftores provided for our future voyage (hould remain untouched. The fifli we now caught were carp, poiiTon inconnu, wh te fiih, and trout. ( Wednef. 10. ) It rained during the greateft part of the preceding night, and the weather did not clear up till the afternoon of this day. This circumftance had very much weakened ihe ice, and I fenttwo of the Indians on an hunt- ing party to a lake at the diftance of nine miles, which, they informed me, was frequented by animals of various kinds. Our fifhery this day was not fo abundant as it had been on the preceding afternoon. ( Thurfday 11.) The weather was fine and clear with aflrong westerly wind. The women were employed in gathering berries of different forts, of which there are great plenty; and I accompanied one of my people to a fmall adjacent ifland, where we picked up fome dozens of fwan, geefe, and duck- eggs ; we alfo killed a couple of ducks and a goofe. In the evening the Indians returned, without having feen any of the larger animals. A fwan and a grey crane Vol. I. Aa vfcii ;M If ■^■i ii I r i 172 VOYAGE THROUGH THE NORTH- were th^^ only fruits of their expedition. We caught no other fifh bur a fma!! quantity of pike, which is too com- mon to be a favourite food with the people of the country. The ice moved a little to the eallward. (Friday 12.) The weather continued the fame as yefterday, and the mufquitoes began to vifit us in great numbers. The ice moved again in the fame diredlion, and 1 afcended an hill, but could not perceive that it was broken in the middle of the lake. The hunters killed a goofe and three ducks. ( Saturday 13. ) The weather was cloudy, and the wind changeable till about fun-fet, when it fettled in the north. It drove back the ice which was now very much broken along the (liore, andcover'ed our nets. One of the hunters who had been at the Slave River the preceding eve- ning, returned with three beavers and fourteen geefe. He was accompanied by three families of Indians, who left Athabafca the lame day as myfelf : they did not bring me any fowl ; and they pleaded in excufe, that they had travelled with fo much expedition, as to prevent them from procuring fufficient provifions for themfelves. By a meridian line, I found the variation of the compafs to be about twenty degrees eaft. ( Sunday 14. ) The weather was clear and the wind remained in the fame quarter. The ice was much broken, and driven to the fide of the lake, fo that we w^re apprehen- iive for the lofs of our nets, as they could not, at prefent, be j extricated. At fun-fet there was an appearance of a vio- lent gud of wind from the fouthward, as the fky became I on a fudden, in that quarter, of a very dufky blue colour, «nd the lightning was very frequent. But inftead of wind tlierc WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 173 there came on a very heavy rain, which protnifed to dimi* iiifh the quantity of broken ice, (Monday 15. ) In the morning, the bay ftill continued to be fo full of ice, that we could not get at our nets. About noon, the wind veered to the Weflward, and not only uncoveied the nets, but cleared a paffage to the oppofite iflands. When we raifcd the nets we found them very much (battered, and but few fifh taken. Wc now ftruck our tents, and embarked at fun-fet, when wc made the traverfe, which was about eight miles Norih- Eaft by North in about two hours. At half part eleven P. M. we landed on a fmali idand and proceeded to gum the canoe. At this time the atmofphere was fufficiently clear to admit of reading or writing without the aid of ar- tificial light. We had not feen a ftar fince the fecond day after we left Athabafca. About twelve o'clock, the moon made its appearance above the tops of the trees, the lower horn being in a flate of eclipfe, which continued for about fix minutes, in a cloudlefs iky. I took foundings three times in the courfe of the traverse, when I found fix fathoms water, with a muddy bottom. (Tuefdayi6. ) We were prevented from embarking this morning by a very ftrong wind from the North, and the vaft quantity of floating ice. Some trout were caught with the hook and line, but the net was not fo fuccefsful. I had an obfervation which gave 61. 28. North latitude. The wind becoming modeiji*, we embarked about one, taking a North-Weft courfe, through iflands often miles, in which we took in a confiderable ijuantity of water, Aa 1 After 11 '1 '1 i' i ) I,; 174 VOYAGE THROUGH THE NORTH- After making feveral travetfes, we landed at five P. M. and having pitched our tents, the hooks, lines, and nets, were immediately fet. During the courfe of the day there was occafional thunder. ( Wednef. 17. ) We proceeded, and taking up our nets as we paffcd, we found no more than feventeen filh, and were flopped within a mile by the ice. The Indians, however, brought us back to a point where our fifhery ^as very fuccef^ful. They proceeded alfo on an hunting party, as well as to difcover a palTage among the iilands ; hut at three in the afternoon they returned without having fucceeded in either objeft. We were, however, in ex- pedikation, that, as the wind blew very ftrdng, it would force a paflTage. About fun-fet, the weather became overcaft, with thunder, lightning, and rain. (Thurfday 18. ) The nets were taken up at four this morning with abundance of fifh, and we fleered North- Weft four miles, where the ice again prevented our pro- grefs. A South-Eaft wind drove ir among the iflands, in fuch a manner as to impede our paffage, and we could per- ceive at fome diftance a-head, that it was but little broken. We now fet our nets in four fathom water. Two of our hunters had killed a rein-deer and its fawn. They had met with two Indian families, and in the evening, a man belonging to one of them, paid us a vifit : he informed me, that the ice had not ftirred on the fide of the ifland op- pofite to us. Thefe people live entirely on fifti, and were waiting to crofs the lake as foon as it fliould be clear of ice. ( Friday ig. ) This morning our nets were unprc- dudlive, as they yielded us no more than fix fiih, wlinh tl ;? i WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 175 were of a very bad kind. In the forenoon, the Indians proceeded to the large ifland opj^ofite to us; in fearch of game , The weather was cloudy, and the wind changeable : at the fa me time.e were peftercd by mufquitoes, though, in a great meafure, furrounded with ice. ( Saturday 20. ) We took up our nets, but without any fifh. It rained very hard during the night and this morn- ing : neverthelefs, M. Le Roux and his people went back to ihe point which we had quitted on the i8th. I promised to fend for them ; but as I was watching for a paffage through the ice, I did not think it piudent to move till I could obtain it. Ii rained at intervals till about five o'clock ; when we loaded our canoe, and (leered for the large ifland, Weft fix miles. When we came to the point of it, we found a great quantity of ice; we, however, fet our nets, and foon caught plenty of fifli. In our way thither we met our hunters, but they had ta- ken nothing. 1 took foundings at an hundred yards from the ifland, when we were in twenty-one fathom water. Here we fou.id abundance of cranberries and fmall fpring onions. I now difpatched two men for M. Le Roux, and his people. (Sunday 21.) A Southerly wind blew through the night, and drove the ice to the Northward. The two men whom I had fent to M. Le Roux, returned at eight this morning ; they parted with him at a fmall diftance from us, but the wind blew fo hard, that he was obliged to put to fliore. Having a glimpfe of the fun, when it was twelve by my watch, I found the latitude 61. 34. North latitude. At two in the afternoon, M. Le Roux, and his people ar- rived. At five, the ice being almoft all driven part to the North ward, we accordingly embarked; and fleered Weft fifteen 176 VOYAGE THROUGH THE NORTH- fifteen miles, through much broken ice, and on the outfida of the iflands, though it appeared to be very folid to the North-Eaft. I founded three times in this diftance, and found it feventy-five, forty-four, and fixiy faihom water. Wc pitched our tents on one of a ciufter of (mall illands that were within three miles of the main land, which wc could not reach in confequence of the ice. We faw fome rein-deer on one of the ifland?, and our hunters went in purfuit of them, when tliey killed five large and two fmall ones, which was eafily accotnplifhed, as the animals had no (helter to which they could run for prote£lion. They had, without doubt, cro.Ted the ice to this fpot, and the thaw coming on had detained them there, and made them an eafy prey to the purfucr. This ifland was accordingly named lile de Carreboeuf. I fat up the whole of this night to obferve the fetting and riling of the fun. That orb was beneath the horizon four hours twenty-two minutes, and rofe North 20. Eaft by compafs. It, however, froze fo hard, that dunng the fun's difappearance the water was covered with ice half a quarter of an inch thick. ( Monday 22. ) Wc embarked at half paft three in the morning, and rounding the outfide of the ifl'nds, Iteeied J«7orth-Weft thirteen miles along the ice, edging in foi the main land, the wind Weft, then Weft two miles ; bur ic blew fo hard as to oblige us to land on an iflind at half paft nine, from whence we could juft diftinguifh land to the South-Eaft, at the diftance of about twelve leagues ; though we could not determine, whether it was a conti< nuation WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 177 nuation of the iflands, or the fhores of the lake.* I took an obfervation at noon, which gave me 61. 53. North, the variation of the compafs being at the fame time, about two points. M. Le Roux's people having provided two bags o(pemican f to be left in the ifland againfl their re- turn ; it was called JJIe a la Cache, The wind being moderated, we proceeded again at half paft two in the afternoon, and fleering Weft by North among the iflands, made a courfe of eighteen miles. We encamped at eight o'clock on a fmall iHand, and fince eight in the morning had not palTed any ice. Though the weather was far from being warm, we were tormented, and our reft interrupted, by the hoft of mufquitoes that accompanied us. * Sometimes the land looms, fo that there may be a great deception as to the difiance : and I think this was the cafe as prefent. t Flefli dried in the fun, and afterwards pounded for th© convenience of carriage. CHAP. 178 VOYAGE THROUGH THE NORTH- CHAPTER 11. LMnded at fame lodges of Red- Knife Indians: procure one of them to afpji in navigating the bays. Conference with the Indians. Take leave of M, Leroux, and continue the voyage. Different appearances of the land ; its vegetable produce Vijit an ifland where the wood had been felled. Further defcription of the coaji. Plenty of rein and mooje^ deer^ and white partridges. Enter a very deep bay. In. termpted by ice. Very blowing weather. Continue to coajl the bay. Arrive at the mouth of a river. Great number i of fifh and wildfowl. Defcription of the land on either fide. Curious appearance of woods that had been burned. Came in fight of the Horn Mountain. Continue to kill geeje andjwans^ He. Violent fiorm. (Tuefday23. ) 1 OWARDS morning, the Indians who had not been able to keep up with us the preceding day, now joined us, and brought two fwans and a goofe. At half paft three we re-embarked, and fleering Weft by North a mile and an half, with a Northerly wind, we came to the foot of a traverfe acrofs a deep bay, Weft five miles, which receives a confiderable river at the bottom of it; the diftance about twelve miles. The North- Weft fide of the bay was covered with many fmall iflands that were fur- rounded with ice ; but the wind driving it a little off" the land, we had a wear paffage on the infide of them. We fleered South-Weft WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 175 South-Weft nine miles under fail, tlien North- Weft nearjy, through the idands, forming a courfe of fixtccn miles. We landed on the main land at half part two in the afternoon at three lodges of Red-Knife Indians, fo called from their copper knives. They informed us, that there were many more lodges of their friends at not great diftance ; and one of the Indians fet off to fetch them : they alfo faid, that we ftiould fee no more of them at prefcnt ; as the Slave and Beaver Indians, as well as others of the tribe, would not be here till the time that the fwans caft their feathers. In the afternoon it rained a torrent. ( Wednef. 24. ) M. Le Roux purchafed of thefe Indians upwards of eight packs of good beaver and marten Ikins; andthere were not above twelve of them qualified to kill beaver. The Englifh chief got upwards of an hundred Ikins on the fcore of debts due to him, of which he had many outftanding in this country. Forty of them he gave on account of debts due by him fince the winters of 1786 and 1787, at the Slave Lake ; the reft he exchanged for rum and other necefTary articles ; and I added a fmall quan- tity of that liquor as an encouraging prefent to him and his young men. I had fevcral confultations with thefe Copper Indian people, but could obtain no information that was material to our expedition ; nor were they acquainted with any part of the river, which was the objedl of my refearch, but the mouth of it. In order to fave as much time as pofTible in circumnavigating the bays, I engaged one of the Indians to conduct us; and I accordingly equipped him with various articles of clothing &c. I alfo purchafed a large new canoe, that he might embark with the two young Indians in my fervice. Vol. I, Bb This !5!. I i8o VOYAGE THROUGH THE NORTH- This day, at noon, I took an obfervation, which gave me 62. 24. North latitude ; the variation of the compals being about twenty-fix or twenty-feven degrees to tlie Eafir - In the afternoon I affemhied the Indians, in order to in- form them that I (hould take my departure on the fol- lowing day ; but that people would remain on the fpot til' their countrymen, whom they had mentioned, fliould ar- rive ; and that, if they brought a fufficient quantity ot fkins to make it anivver, the Canadians would return for more goods, with a view to winter here, and build a fort,^ which would be continued as long as they fliould be found to deferve it. They alTured me, that it would be a great encouragement to them to havea fettlement of ours in their country ; and that they fhould exert themfelves to the utmoft to kill beaver, as they would then be certain of getting an adequate value for them. Hitherto, they faid, the Chepewyans always pillaged them ; or, at mod, gave little or nothing for the fruits of their labour, which had greatly difcouraged them ; and that, in confequence of this treatment, they had no motive to purfue the beaver, but to obtain a fufficient quantity of food and raiment. I now wrote to Meffrs. Macleod and Mackenzie, and addrefled my papers to the former, at Athabafca. (Tliurfday 25. ) We left this place at three this mor- ning, our canoe being deeply laden, as we had embarked fome packages that had come in the canoes of M. Lc * Fort, is the name given to any eftablifhment in this country. Roux. WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 18 1 Roux. We were faluted on our departure with fomc vollies of fmall arms, which we rciurncd, and fleered South by Weft ftraight acrofs the bay, which is here no more than two miles and a half broad, but, from the ac- counts of the natives, it is fifteen leagues in depth, with a much greater breadth in feveral parts, and full of iflands. I founded in the courfe of the traverfeand found fix fathoms with a fandy bottom. Here, the land has a very different appearance from that on which we have been fmce we entered the lake. Till we arrived here there was one continued view of high hills and iflands of folid rock, whofe furface was occafionally enlivened with mofs, fhrubs, and a few fcattered trees, of a very ftinled growth from an infuflBciency of foil to nourifh them. But, notwithftand- ing their barren appearance, almoft every part of them produces berries of various kinds, fuch as cranbsrries, ju- niper-berries, rafpberries, partridge berries, goofeberries, and the pathagomenan, which is fomething like a rafp- berry ; it grows on a fmall flalk about a foot and a half high, in wet, mofTy fpots. Thele fruits are in great abun- dance, though they are not to be found in the fame places^ but in fituations and afpeds fuited to their peculiar natures. li-! The land which borders the lake in this part is loofe and fandy, but is well covered with wood, compofed of trees of a larger growth : it gradually rifes from the fhorc» and at fome diftance forms a ridge of high land running along the coaft, thick with wood and a rocky fummit nfing above it. We fleered South-South-Eaft nine miles, when we vith fom« Bb 2 difficulty were very much interrupted by drifting ice, and with fome i82 VOYAGE THROUGH THE NORTH- difficulty reached an ifland, where we landed at feven. 1 immediately proceeded to the further part of it, in order to difcover if there was any probability of our being able to get from thence in the courfc of the day. It is about five miles in circumference, and I was very much furprized to find that the greater part of the wood with which it was formerly coveredj had been cut down within twelve or fifteen years, and that the remaining flumps were become altogether rotten. On making inquiry concerning the caufe of this extraordinary circumftance, the Englifh chief in- formed me, that fcveral winters ago, many of the Slave In- dians inhabited the iilands that were fcattered over the bay, as the furrounding waters abound with fifli throughout the year, but that they had been driven away by the Knifte- naux, who continually made war upon them. If an cfta- blifliment is to be made in this country, it muft be in the neighbourhood of this place on account of the wood and the fifhery. At eleven we ventured to re-embark, as the wind had driven the greatcfl: part of the ice paft the illand, though we ftill had to encounter fomc broken pieces of it, which threatened to damage our canoe. We fteered South- Eall from point to point acrofs five bays, twenty-one miles. We took foundings feveral times, and found from fix to ten fathom water. I obferved that the country gradually def- cended inland, and was ftill better covered with wood than in the higher parts. Wherever we approached the land, we perceived defertcd lodges. The hunters killed two fwans and abeaver ; and at length we landed at eight o'clock in the evening, when we unloaded and gummed our canoe. ( Friday WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 183 (Friday 26.) We continued our route at five o'clock, fleering South-Eaft for ten miles acrofs two deep bays : then South-South- Eaft, with iflands in fight to the Eaft- ward. We then traverfed another bay in a courfe of three miles, then South one mile to a point which we named the Detour, and South -South-Weft four miles and an half, when there was an heavy fwell off the lake. Here I took an obfervation, when we were in 61. 40. North latitude. We then proceeded South-Weft four miles, and Weft- South- Weft among iflands : on one of which our Indians killed two rein-deer, but we loft three hours aft wind in going for them : this courfc was nine miles. About feven in the evening we were obliged to land for the night, as the wind became too ftrong from the South-Eaft. We thought we could obferve land in this dire£tion when the wind was coming on from fome diftance. On the other fide of the Detour, the land is low, and the ihore is flat and dangerous, there being no fafe place to land in bad weather, except in the iflands which we had juft pafled. There feemed to be plenty of moofe and rein-deer in this country, as we faw their tracks wherever we landed. There were alfo great numbers of white partridges, which are at this feafon of a grey colour, like that of the moor-fowl. There was fome floating ice in the lake, and the Indians killed a couple of fwans. (Saturday 27.) At three this morning we were in the canoe, after having pafled a very reftlefs night from the pcrfccution of the mufquitoes. The weather was fine and calm, and our courfe Weft- South- Weft nine miles, when we came to the foot of a traverfe, the oppofite point in fight bearing South- Weft, diftance twelve miles. The bay is at Icaft eight miles deep, and this courfe two miles more.: i84 VOYAGE THROUGH THE NORTII- more, in all ten miles. It now became very foggy, and as the bays were (o numerous, we landed (on two hour;, when the weather cleared up; and we took the advantage ol feering South thirteen miles, and pafled fcveral fmall bays, wlien we came to the point of a very deep one, whofe extremity was not difcerniblc ; the land bearing South from us, at the diftance of about ten miles. Our guido not having been here for eight winters, was at a lofs what courfe to take, thougli as well as he could recolledl, this bay appeared to be the entrance of the river. Accordingly* we ftcereddown it, about We ft- South-Weft, till we were involved in a field of broken ice. We ftill could not dil- cover the bottom of the bay, and a fog coming on, made it very difficult for us to get to an ifland to the South- Weft, and it was nearly dark when we eft"e£led a landing. ( Sunday 28.) At a quarter paft three we were again on the water, and as we could perceive no current fetting into this bay, we made the beft of our way to the point that bore South from us yefterday afternoon. We con- tinued our courfe South three miles more, South by Weft feven miles, Weft fifteen miles, when by observation we were in 61 degrees North latitude; we then proceeded Weft-North- Weft two miles. Here we came to the foot of a traverfe, the oppofite land bearing South- Weft, dif- tance fourteen miles, when we fteered into a deep bay, about a Wefterly courfe; and though we had no land a head in fight, we indulged the hope of finding a pafiage, which, according to the Indian, would condudl us to the entrance of the river. Having a ftronp; wind aft, we loft figth of the Indians, nor could we put on Oiore to wait for them, without rifking material WEST CONTINENT OF AML:RICA. 185 material tlamagc to tlie canoe, till we ran to the bottom of the bay, and were, forced among the ruflics; when wc difoovered that there was no pafla^c tlicre. In about two or three hours they joined us, but would not approach our iire, as there was no good ground for an encampment : they emptied their canoe of the water which it liad taken in, and continued their route, but did not encamp till fun- fct. The Englifli chief was very much irritated againrt: the Red- Knife Indian, and even threatened to murder him, for having undertaken to guide us in a courfe of which he was ignorant; nor had we any reafon to be fatisficd with him, though he ftill continued to encourage us, by declaring that he recolle6led having palfed from the river, through the woods, to the place where he had landed. In the blowing weather to-day, we were obliged to make ufe of our large kettle, to keep our canoe from filling, although we did not carry above three feet fail. The Indians very narrowly efcaped. (Monday 29. ) We embarked at four this morning, and fteered along the South- Weft fide of the bay. At half paft five we reached the extremity of the point, which we doubled, and found it to be the branch or paffage that was the obje6l of our fcarch, and occafioned by a very long iiland, which feparates it from the main channel of the river. It is about half a mile acrofs, and not more than fix feet in depth ; the water appeared to abound in fi(li, and was covered with fowl, fuch as fwans, gecfe, and feveral kinds of ducks, particularly black ducks, that were very numerous, but we could not get within gun (hot of them. The current, though not very ftrong, fet us South- Weft by Weft, and we followed this courle fourteen miles, till v.'e V I' i. Ml i mm i86 VOYAGE THROUGH THE NORTH. we pafled the point of the long ifland, where the Slave Lake difcharges itfelf, and is ten miles in breadth. There is not more than from five to two fathom water, fo that when the lake is low, it may be prefumed the greateft part of this channel muft be dry. The river now turns to tlie weftward, becoming gradually narrower for twenty-four miles, till it is not more than half a mile wide ; the current, however, is then much ftronger, and the foundings v^reie three fathom and a half. The land on the North fliore from the lake is low, and covered with trees ; that to the South is much higher, and has alio an abundance of wood. The current is very ftrong, and the banks are of an equal height on both fides, confiding of a yellow clay, mixed with fmall ftones ; they are covered with large quantities of burned wood, lying on the ground, and young poplar trees, the have fprung up fince the fire that deftroyed that larger wood. It is a very curious and extraordinary cir- cumftance, that land covered with fpruce pine, and white birch, when laid wafte by fire, fhould fubfequently produce nothing but poplars, where none of that fpecies of tree were prcvioufly to be found. A llifF breeze from the Eaft ward drove us on at a Jii eat rate under fail, in the fame courfe, though obliged to wind among iflands. We kept the North channel for about ten miles, whofe current is much ftronger than thatoftlie South ; fo that the latter is confequently the better road to come up. Here the river widened, and the wind dying away, we had recourfe to our paddles. We kept our courfe to the North- Weft, on the North fide of the river, which is here much wider, and affumes the form of a fmall lake ; we could not, howeiver, difcover an opening in any direction, fo that we were at a lofs what tourfe to take, WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 187 take, as our Red-Knife Indian had never explored beyond our prefent fituation. He at the fame lime informed us that a river falls in from the North, which takes its rife in the Horn Mountain, now in fight, which is the country of the Beaverlndir« :? r»nd that he and his relations frequently meet on that rivci. He alfo added, that there are very extenfive plains on both fides of it, which abound in buffa- loes and moofe deer. By keeping this courfe, we got into (hallows, fo that we were forced to fteer to the left, till we recovered deep water, which we followed, till the channel of the river opened on us to the fouthward. We now made for the fhore, and en- camped fooii after funfet. Our courfe ought to have been Wert fifteen miles, fincc we took to the paddle, the Horn Mountains bearing from us North- Weft, and running North-North Eaft and South- South- Weft, Our found- ings, which were frequent during the courfe of the day, were from three to fix fathoms water. The hunters killed two geefe and a fwan : it appeared, indeed, that great numbers of fowls breed in the iflands which we had pafled. ( Tuefday 30. ) At four this morning we got under way, the weather being fine and calm. Our courfe was South- Weft by South thirty-fix miles. On the South fide of the river is a ridge of low mountains, running Eaft and Weft by compafs. The Indians picked up a white goofe, which appeared to have been lately (hot with an arrow, and was quite freih. We proceeded South- Weft by South fix miles, and then came to a bay on our left, which is full of fmall iflands, and appealed to be the entrance of a rivef from ihe South. Here the ridge of mountains terminates. This courfe was fifteen miles. Vol. I. Cc At i88 VOYAGE THROUGH THE NORTH- At fix in the afternoon there was an appearance of I weather; we landed, therefore, for the night; but before! we could pitch our tents, a violent tempeft came on, witli thunder, lightning, and rain, which, however, foenceafed, but not before we had fufFered the inconvenience of being .drenched by it. The Indians were very much fatigued, having been employed in running after wild fowl, whicli had lately caft their feathers ; they, however, caught five fwans, and the fame number of geefe. I founded feveral times in the courfe of the day, and found from four to fix fathopas water. ( > '■T' CHAP. WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 189 CHAPTER III. Continue our cifurfe. The river narrows, Loji the lead. Faffed a fmall river. Violent rain. Land on a fmall ijland, Expe^ to arrive at the rapidi. Conceal two hags efpemican in an ijland. A view of mountains. Pafs feve' ral encampments of the natives. Arrive among the ijlands, Afcendan high hill. Violence of the current. Ice feen along the banks of the river. Land at a village of the natives, Their condufi and appearance. Their fabulousjiories. The Englifh Chief and Indians difcontented. Obtain a new guide. Singular cujioms of the natives. An account of their dances, Defcription of their perfons^ drefs^ ornaments^ buildings f arms for war and hunting , canoes, tsfc. PaJJed on among ijlands. Encamped beneath an hill, and prevented from afcending by the mufquitoes. Landed at an encamp- ment. Condufi of the inhabitants. They abound in fabu^ km accounts of dangers. Land at other encampments. Procure plenty of hares and partridges. Our guide anxious to return. Land and alarm the natives, called the Hare Indians, (^. Exchange our guide. State of the weather* 1789 JuLir. (Wednef. i. ) xjk'^ half 'pad four in the morn ii>g we continued our voyage, and in a fliort time found the river narrowed to about half a mile. Our courfe was Wefterly among iflands, with a ftrong current. Though the land is high on both lides, the banks are not perpendi- cular. This courfe was twenty-one miles ; and on found- Cc 2 ing 190 VOYAGE THROUGH THE NORTH- ing we found nine fathoms water. We then proceeded Weft-North -Weft nine miles, and pafted a river upon the South- Eaft fide; we founded, and found twelve fathoms; and then we went North- Weft hy Weft three miles. Here I loft my lead, which had faftened at the bottom, with part of the line, the current running fo ftrong that we could not clear it with eight paddles, and the ftrength of the line, which was equal to four paddles. Continued North by Weft five miles, and law an high mountain, bearing South from us ; we then proceeded North- Weft by North four miles. We now pafled a fmall river on the North fide, then doubled a point to Weft South- Weft. At one o'clock there came on lightning and thunder, with wind and rain, which ceafed in about half an hour, and left us almoft deluged with wet, as we did not land. There were great quantities of ice along the banks of the river. We landed upon a fmall ifland, where there were the poles of four lodges ftanding, which we concluded to have belonged to the Kniftineaux, on their war excurfions , fix or feven years ago. This courfo was fifteen miles Weft, to where the river of the Mountain falls in from the South- ward. It appears to l>e a very large river, whofe mouth is half a mile broad. About fix milts further a fmall river flows in the fame direction ; and our whole courfe was twenty-four miles. We landed oppofite to an ifland, the mountains to the Southward being in fight. As our canoe was deeply laden, and being alfo in daily expe6lation of coming to the rapids or fall, which we had been taught to confider with apprehenfion, we concealed two bags of pe- mican in the oppofite ifland, in the hope that they would be of future fervice to us. The Indians were of a different opinion, as they entertained no expectation of returning that WESi that feafon,| Near us By the mail appears thai ftrong duril article of were able ( Thurf( half paft feven, whe limpid and tcration m to the Sout waters the WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 191 that feafon, when the hidden provifions would be fpoiled. Near us were two Indian encampments of the laft year. By the manner in which thefe people cut their wood, it appears that they have no iron tools. The current was very ftrong during the whole of this day's voyage ; and in the article of provifions two fwans were all that the hunters were able to procure. ( Thurfday 2. ) The morning was very foggy; but at half pad five we embarked; it cleared up, however, at feven, when-we difcovered that the water, from being very limpid and clear, was become dark and muddy. This al- teration muft have proceeded from the influx of fome river to the Southward, but where thcfe dreams firfl: blended their waters the fog had prevented us from obferving. At nine we perceived a very high mountain a- head, which appeared, on our nearer approach, to be rather a duller of moun- tains, ftretching as far as our view could reach to the South- ward, and whofe tops were loft in the clouds. At noon there was lightning, thunder, and rain, and at one, we came abreaft of the mountains : their fummits appeared to be barren and rocky, but their declivities were covered with wood : they appeared alfo to be fprinkled with white ftones, which gliftened in the fun, and were called by the Indians manetoe afemah^ or fpirit ftones. I fufpedted that they were Talc, though they poflefled a more brilliant whitenefs : on our return, however, ihefe appearances were diflblved, as they were nothing more than patches of fnow. Our courfe had been Weft-South- Weft thirty miles, and we proceeded with great caution, as we continually expedled to approach fome great rapid or fall. This was fuch a prevalent idea, that all of us were occafionally per- fuaded i '■^-- *i92 VOYAGE THROUGH THE NORTH- fuaded that we heard thofe founds which betokened a fall of water. Our courfe changed to Weft by North, along the mountains, twelve miles, North by Weft twenty- one miles, and at eight o'clock in the evening we went on fliore for the night on the North fide of the river. We saw feveral encampments of the natives, fome of which had been erected in the prefent fpring, and others at fome former period. The hunters killed only one fwan and a beaver : the latter was the firft of its kind which we had feen in this river. The Indians complained of the perfe- vcrance with which we puftied forward, and that they were not accuftomed to fuch fevere fatigue as it occafioned. ( Friday 3. ) The rain was continual through the night, and did not fubfide till feven this morning, when v/e em- barked and fteered North North- Weft for twelve miles, the river being enclofed by high mountains on either fide. We had a ftrong head-wind, and the rain was fo violent as to compel us to land at ten o'clock. According to my reckoning, fince my laft obfervation, we had run two hundred and feventeen miles Weft, and forty-four miles North. At a quarter paft two the rain fubfided, and we got again under way, our former courfe continuing for five miles. Here a river fell in from the North, and in a ftiort time the current became ftrong and rapid, running with great rapidity among rocky iflands, which were the firft that we had feen in this river, and indicated our near ap- proach to rapids and falls. Our prefent courfe was Nortli- Weftby North ten miles. North- Weft three miles, Weft- North-Weft twelve miles, and North- Weft three miles, when we encamped at eight in the evening, at the foot of an high hill, on the north ftiore, which in fome parts rofe perpendicular from the river. I immediately afcended it* accompanied WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 193 accompanied by two men and fome Indians, and in about an hour and an half, with very hard walking, we gained the fummit, when I was very much furprized to find it crowned by an encampment. The Indians informed me, that it is the cudom of the people who have no arms to choofe thefe elevated fpots for the places of their refidence, as they can render them inacceffible to their enemies, par- ticularly the Knifteneaux, of whom they are in continual dread. The profpetSl: from this height was not fo extenfive as we expe£ted, as it was terminated by a circular range of hills, of the fame elevation as that on which we flood. The intervals between the hills were covered with fmall lakes, vhich were inhabited by great numbers of fwans. We faw no trees but the pine and the birch, which were fmall in fize and few in number. We were obliged to fhorten our ftay here, from the fwarms of mufquitoes which attacked us on all fides, and were, indeed, the only inhabitants of the place. We faw feveral encampments of the natives in the courfe of the day, but none of them were of this year's eflablifliment. Since four in the afternoon the current had been fo ftrong that it was, at length, in an a£iual ebullition, and produced an hifling noife like a kettle of water in a moderate (late of boiling. The weather was now become extremely cold, which was the more fenfibly felt, as it had been very fultry fome time before and fince we had been in the river. ( Saturday 4. ) At five in the morning the wind and weather having undergone no alteration from ycfterday, we proceeded North- Weft by Weft twenty-two miles, North- Weft fix miles. North- Weft by North four miles, and Weft North- Weft five miles: we then paffed the mouth cf J '■/'■ 194 VOYAGE THROUGH THE NORTH- of a fmall river from the North, and after doubling a point, South-Weft one mile, we paiTcd the influx of another river from the South. We then continued our courfe North- North- Weft, with a mountain a-head, fifteen miles, when the opening of two rivers appeared oppofite to each other : we then proceeded Weft four miles, and Noith-Weft thirteen miles. At eight in the evening, we encamped on an ifland. The current was as ftrong through the whole of this day as it had been the preceding afternoon ; never- thelefs, a quantity of ice appeared along the banks of the river. The hunters killed a beaver and a goofe, the former of which funk before they could get to him : beavers, ot- ters, bears, &c. if ftiot dead at once, remain like a bladder, but if there remains enough of life for them to ftruggle, they foon fill with water and go to the bottom. ( Sunday 5. ) The fun fet laft night at fifty-three mi- nutes paft nine, by my watch, and rofe at feven minutes before two this morning : we embarked foon after, fteering North-North- Weft, through iflands for five miles, and Weft four miles. The river then encreafed in breadth, and the current began to ilacken in a fmall degree ; after the continuation of our courfe, we perceived a ridge of high ^lountains before us, covered with fnow, Weft-South- Weft ten miles, and at three-quarters paft feven o'clock, we faw feveral fmokes on the North fliore, which we made every exertion to approach. As we drew nearer, we dif- covercd the natives running about in great apparent con- fufion ; fome were making to the woods, and others hur- ryii:g to their canoes. Our hunters landed before us, and addrefled the few that had not efcaped, in the Chipewyan language, which, fo great w;as their confufion and terror, they did not appear to underftand. But when they ptr- ceivcd WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 195 ccived that it was impoffible to avoid us, as we were all landed, they made us figns to keep at a diftance, with I which v/e complied, and not only unloaded our canoe, but pitched our tents, before we made any attempt to approach I them. During this interval, the Englifh chief and bis young men were employed in reconciling them to our I arrival : and when they had recovered from their alarm of hoftiie intention, it appeared that fome of them perfe(StIy comprehended the language of our Indians ; fo that they were at length perfuaded, though not without evident fi^ns of reludlance and apprehenfion, to come to us. Their reception, however, foon diiTipated their fears, and they haftened to call their fugitive companions from their hiding places. There were five families, confifting of twenty-five or thirty perfons, and of two different tribes, the Slave and Dog-rib Indians. We made them fmoke, though it was evident they did not know the ufe of tobacco ; we like- wife fupplied them with grog ; but I am difpofed to think, that they accepted our civilities rather from fear than incli- nation. We acquired a more efFe6tual influence over them by the difl:ribution of knives, beads, awls, rings, gartering, fire-fteels, flints, and hatchets ; fo that they became more familiarevcnthanwe expected, for we could not keep them out of our tents : though I did not obferve that they at- tempted to purloin any thing. The information which they gave refpefting the river, had fo much of the fabulous, that I (hall not detail it : it will be fufiicient juft to mention their attempts to perfuade us, that it would require feveral winters to get to the fea, and that old age would come upon us before the period Vol. I. D d of 196 VOYAGE THROUGH THE NORTH- of our return : we were alfo to encounter monfters of fuch horrid (hapes and deftruflive powers as could only cxift in their wild imaginations. They added, befides, that there were two impafTable falls in the river, the fiift of which was about thirty days march from us. Though I placed no faith in thefe ftrange relations, they had a very different efFcdl upon our Indians, who were already tired of the voyage. It was their opinion and anxious wi(h, that we Aiould not hefitate to return. They faid that, according to the information which they had received, there were very few animals in the country beyond us, and that as we proceeded, the fcarcity would increafe, and we (hould abfolutely periih from hunger, if no other accident befel us. It was with no fmall trouhle that they were convinced of the folly of thefe reafonings; and, by my defire, they induced one of thofe Indians to accompany us, in confideration of a fmall kettle, an axe, a knife, and fome other articles. , Though it was now three o'clock in the afternoon, the canoe was ordered to be reloaded, and as we were ready to embark our new recruit was delired to prepare himfelf for his departure, which he would have declined ; but as none of his friends would take his place, we may be faid, after the delay of an hour, to have compelled him to em- bark. Previous to his departure a ceremony took place, of which I could not learn the meaning : he cut off a lock of his h^r, and having divided it into three parts, he faftened one of them to the hair on the upper part of his wife's head, blowing on it three times with the utmoft violence in his power, and uttering certain words. The pther two he fadened with the fame formalities, on the jl^eads of bis two children* During WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 197 During our fhort ftay with ihcfe people, they amufed us with dancing, which they accompanied with their voi- ces ; but neither their fong or ilieir dance pofTeiTed much variety. The men and women formed a promifcuous ring. The former have a bone dagger or piece of ftick be- tween the fingers of the right hand, which they keep ex- tended above the liead, in continual motion : the left they feldom raife fo high, but work it backwards and forwards in anliorizontal dire6iion ; while they leap about and throw theinfelves into various antic podures, to the meafure of their mufic, always bringing their heels clofe to each other at every paufe. The men occafionally howl in imitation of fome animal, and he who continues this violent exer- cife for the longed period, appears to be confidered as the beft performer. The women fufFer their arms to hang as without the power of motion. They are a meagre, ugly^, ill-made people, particularly about the legs, which are very clumfy and covered with fcabs. The latter circumftance proceeds probably from their habitually roafting them be- fore the fire. Many of them appeared to be in a very unhealthy (late, which is owing, as I imagine, to their na- tural filthinefs. They are of a motlerate ftature, and as far as could be difcovered, through the coat of dirt and greafe that covers them, are of a fairer complexion than the gene* rality of Indians who are the natives of warmer'climates. Some of them have their hair of a great length ; while otheri fufFer a long trefs to fall behind, and the reft is cut fo fhort as to expofe their ears, but no other attention whatever is paid to it. The beards of fome of the old men were long, and the reft had them pulled out by the loots, fo that not an hair could be feen on their chins. The men have two double lines, either black or blue, tat-; Dd 2 tooed 198 VOYAGE THROUGH THE NORTH- tooed upon each cheek, from the car to the nofe. Tltc grilUe of the latter is perforated fo as to admita goofe-quitl or a fmall piece of wood to be pafTed through the orifice. Their clothing is made of the drefled fkins of the rein or moofedeer, though more commonly ofthe former. Thcfe they prepare in the hair for winter, and make fhirts of both, which reach to the middle of their thighs. Some of them arc decorated with an embroidery of very neat work- manfhip with porcupine quills and the hair ofthe moofe, cotoored red, black, yellow, and white. Their upptr garments are fufHciently large to cover the whole bod)', with a fringe round the bottom, and are ufed both fleeping and awake. Their leggins come lialf way up the thigh, and are fewed to their (hoes : they are embroidered round the ancle, and upon every feam. Thedrefs of the women is the fame as that of the men. The former have no co- vering on their private parts, except a talTel of leather which dangles from a fmall cord, as it appears, to keep oft the flies, which would otherwife be very trcublelome. Whether circumcifion be pra(5tifed among them, I cannot pretend to fay, but the appearance of it was general among thofe whom I faw. Their ornaments confifl of gorgets, bracelets for the nrms and wrifts, made of wood, horn, or bone, belts, garters, and a kind of band to go round the head, compofed of ftripi> of leather of one inch and an half broad, embroidered with porcupine quills, and ftuck round with the claws ofbears or wild fowl inverted, to which are fufpendcd a few fliort thongs ofthe (kin of an animal that refcmbles the ermine, in the form of a taflfel. Their cin£lures and garters are formed of porcupine quills woven with (inews, in a flyle of peculiar (kill and neatnefs : they have others of diflPercnt WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 199 different materials, and more ordinary workmanfhip ; and to both they attach a long fringe of ft rings of leather, worked round with with hair of various colours. Their mittens are alfo fufpcnded from the neck in a pofitioa convenient for the reception of the hands. Their lodges are of a very fimple ftrudlure : a few polet fuported by a fork, and forming a femicircle at the bottom, with fome branches or a piece of bark as a covering, con- ftitutes the whole of their native architetSture. They build two of thefe huts facing each other, and make the fire between them. The furniture harmonifes with the build- ings : they have a few diihes of wood, bark, or horn ; the veiTels in which they cook their vidluals, are in the (hape of a gourd, narrow at the top and wide at the bottom, and of watape*, fabricated in fuch a manner as to hold water, which is made to boil by putting a fucccfTion of red-hot flones into it. Thefe veftels contain from two to fix gal- lons. They have a number of fmall leather bags to hold their embroidered work, lines, and nets. They always keep a large quantity of the fibres of willow bark, which they work into thread on their thighs. Their nets are from three to forty fathoms in length, and from thirteen to thirty- fix mefhes in depth. The fhort deep ones they fet in the eddy current of rivers, and the long ones in the lakes. They likewife make lines of the fincws of the rein-deer, and manufacture their hooks from wood, horn, or bone. Their arms and weapons for hunting, arc bows and arrows, * Watape is the name given to the divided roots of the fpruce-fir, which the natives weave into a degree of compaftnefs that renders it capable of containing a fluid. The different parts of the bark canoes are alfo fewcd together with this kind of filament. " ' fpears, M «©o VOYAGE THROUGH THE NORTH- fpears, daggers, and pogamagans, or clubs. The bowt are about five or fix feet in length, and the firings are of iinews or raw (kins. The arrows are two feet and an half long, including the barb, which is varioufly formed of bone, horn, flint, iron, or copper, and are winged with three feathers. The pole of the fpears is about fix feet in length, and pointed with a barbed bone of ten inches. With this weapon they flrike the rein-deer m the water. The daggers are flat and fliarp -pointed, about twelve inches ]ong, and made of horn or bone. The pouatnagon is made of the horn of the rein-deer, the branches being ail cur of}, except that which forms the extremity. Tliis inftru- ment is about two feet in length, and is employed to dif- patch their enemies in battle, and fuch animals as they catch in fnares placed for that purpofe. Tliele are about three fathom long, and are made of the gre? n fkin of the rein or moofe-deer, but in fuch fmall ftrips, that it requires from ten to thirty (Irands to make this cord, which is not thicker than a cod-line ; and ftrong enough to refifl any animal that can be entangled in it. Snares or nooies aie alfo made of fmews to take leflTer animals, fuch as hans and white partridges, which are very numerous. Their axes are manufactured of a piece of brown or grey rtone from fix to eight inches long, and two inches thick. The infide is flat, and the outiide round and tapering to an edge, an inch wide. They are fattened by the middle wirh the flat fide inwards to an handle two feet long, with a cord of green flcin. This is the tool with which they fplit their wood, and we believe, the only one of its kind among them. They kinule fire, by ftriking together a piece ot white or yellow pyrites and a flint ftonc, over a piece of touchwood. They are univerfally provided with a fmall bag containing thcfe materials, fo that they are in a continual WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 5oi flate of preparation to produce fire. From the adjoining tribes, the Red Knives and Chepewyans, they procure, in barter for marten fkins and a few beaver, fmail pieces of iron, of which they manufa£lure knives, by fixing them at the end of a fhort ftick, and with them and the beavev*s teeth, they finifh ail their work. They keep them in a fheath hanging to their neck, which alfo contains their awls both of iron and horn. Their canoes arefmall, pointed at hath ends, flat-hottom- ed and covered in the fore part. They are mide of the bark of the birch-tree and fir-wood, hut of fo lllght a conftrudlion, that the man whom one of thefe light vef- feis bears on the water, can, in return, carry it over land without any difficulty. It is very feldom that more than one perfon embarks in them, nor are they capable of receiv- ing more than two. The paddles are fix feet long, one half of which is occupied by a blade, of about eight inches wide. Thefe people informed us, that we had pafled large bodies of Indians who inhabit the mountains on the Eaft fide of the river. At four o'clock in the afternoon we embarked, and our Indian acquaintance promifed to remain on the bank of the river till the tall, in cafe we fhould return. Our courfc was Weft- South- Weft, and wefoon paiTeJ the Great Bear Lake River, which is of a confiderabic depth, and an hun- dred yards wide : its water is clear, and has the greenifti hue of the fea. We had not proceeded more than fix miles when tve were obliged to land for the night, in confequence of an heavy guft of wind, accompanied with rain. We en- camped beneath a rocky hilJ, on the top of which, accord- itig to the information of our guide, it blew a ftorm «very 202 VOYAGE THROUGH THE NORTH- day throughout the year. He found himfelf very uncom- fortable in his new fituation, and pretended that he was very ill, in order that he might be permitted to return to his relations. To prevent his efcape, it became neceflary to keep a {lri(5t watch over him during the night. ( Monday 6. ) At three o*clock, in a very raw and clou- dy morning, we embarked, and fleered Weft-South- Weft four miles, Weft four miles, Weft-North- Weft five miles, Weft eight miles, Weft by South fixteen miles. Weft twenty-feven miles, South- Weft nine miles, then Weft fix miles, and encamped at half paft feven. We paffed through numerous iflands, and had the ridge of fnowy mountains always in fight* Our conductor informed us that great numbers of bears, and fmall white buffaloes, frequent thofe mountains, which are alfo inhabited by In- di.^ns. We encamped in a fimilar fituation to that of the preceding evening, beneath another high rocky hill, which I attempted to afcend, in company with one of the hunters, but before we had got half way to the fummit, we were almoft fuffocated by clouds of mufquitoes, and were obliged to return. I obferved, however, that the moun- tains terminated here, and that a river flowed from the Weftward : I alfo difcovered a ftrong ripling current, or rapid, which ran clofe under a fteep precipice of the hill. ( Tuefday 7. ) We embarked at four in the morning, and crofTed to the oppofite fide of the river, in confequence of the rapid ; but we might have fpared ourfelves this trouble, as there would hav'e been no danger in continuing our courfe, without any circuitous deviation whatever. This circumftance convinced us of the erroneous account given by the natives of the great and approaching dangers of WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 203 of our navigation, as this rapid was ftated to be one of them. Our courfe was now North- North -Weft three miles, Weft-North- Weft four miles, North-Weft ten miles, North two mi'cs, when we came to a river that flowed from the Eaflward. Here we landed at an encamp- ment of four fires, all the inhabitants of which ran off with the utmoft fpeed, except an old man and an old woman. Our guide called aloud to the fugitives, and en- treated them to ftay, but without efFed: the old man, however, did not hefitate to approach us, and reprefented himfelf as too far advanced in life, and too indifferent about the fhort time he had to remain in the world, to be very- anxious about efcaping from any danger that threatened him ; at the fame time he pulled his grey hairs from his head byhandfulls todiftribute among us, and implored our favour for himfelf and his relations. Our guide, however, at length removed his fe<'**'s, and perfuaded him to recall the fugiti- ves, who conftfted of eighteen people, whom I recon- ciled to me on their return with prefents of beads, knives, awls, &c. with which they appeared to be greatly de- lighted. They differed in no refpe6l from ihofe whom we had already feen ; nor were they deficient in hofpitable at- tentions; they provided us with fifh, which was very well boiled, and cheerfully accepted by us. Our guide ftill fick- ened after his home, and was fo anxious to return thither, that we were under the neceflity of forcing him to em- bark. Thefe people informed us that we Were clofe to another great rapid, and that there were feveral lodges of their rela- tions in its vicinity. Four canoes, with a man in each, followed us, to point out the particular channels we ftiould follow for the fecure paflage of the rapid. They alfo Vol. I, E e abounded K^.' i% I- ao4 VOYAGE THROUGH THE NORTH- abounded in difcouraging flories concerning the dangers and difficulties which we were to encounter. From hence our courfe was North-North-Eaft two miles, when the river appeared to be enclofed, as it were, with lofty, perpendicular, white rocks, which did not afford us a very agreeable profpedl. We now went on fhore in order to examine the rapid, but did not perceive any figns of it, though the Indians dill continued to magnify its dangers : however, as they ventured down it, in their fmall canoes, our apprehenfions were confequcntly remov. cd, and we followed them at fome diilance, but did not find any incrcafe in the rapidity of the current ; at length the Indians inforjrned us that we fliould find no other rapid but that which was now bearing us along. The river at this place is not above three hundred yards in breadth, but on founding I found fifty fathoms water. At the two ri- vulets that offer their tributary flreams from either fide, we found fix families, confifiing of about thirty-five perfons, who gave us an ample quantity of excellent fiffi, which were, however, confinedtwo hite fifh, the poiflbn inconnu, and another of a round form and grcenifh colour, which was about fourteen inches in length. We gratified them with a few prefents, and continued our voyage. The men, however, followed us in fifteen canoes. This narrow channel is three miles long, and its courfe North-North-Eaft. We then fteered North three miles, and landed at an encampment of three or more families, containing twenty-two perfons, which was fituated on the bank of a river, of a confiderable appearance, which came from the Eaftward. We obtained hares and partridges from thefe people, and prefented in return fuch articles as great- WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 205 ly delighted them. They very much regretted that they had no goods or merchandize to exchange with us, as they had left them at a lake, from whence the river iffued, and in whofe vicinity fome of their people were employed in fetting fnares for rein deer. They engaged to go for their articles of trade, and would wait our return, which we af- fured them would be within two months. There was a youth among them in the capacity of a Have, whom our Indians underftood much better than any of the natives of this country, whom they had yet feen : he was invited to accompany us, but took the firft opportunity to conceal himfelf, and we faw him no more. We now fleered Weft five miles, when we again landed, and found two families, containing feven people, but had reafon to believe that there were others hidden in the woods. We received from them two dozen of hares, and they were about to boil two more, which they alfo gave us. We were not ungrateful for their kindnefs, and left them. Our courfe was now North- Weft four miles, and at nine we landed and pitched oar tents, when one of our people killed a grey crane. Our condu<5lor renewed his complaints, not, as he afliired us, from any apprehenfiori of our ill-treatment, but of the Efquimaux, whom he re- prefented as a very wicked and malignant people ; who would put us all to death. He added, alfo, that it was but Wo fummers fmce a large party ot them came up this ri- ver, and killed many of his relations. Two Indians fol- lowed us from the laft lodges. At half paft two in the morning we embarked, and fleered a Wefterly courfe, and foon after put aftiore at two lodges of nine Indians. We made them a few trifling Ee 2 prefents. ao6 VOYAGE THROUGH THE NORTH- prefents, but without difembarking, and had proceeded but a fmall diftance from thence, when we obfervcd feveral fmokes beneath an hill, on the North fhore, and on our approach we perceived the natives climbing the afcent to gain the woods. The Indians, however, in the two fmall canoes which were a-head of us, having aiTured them of our friendly intentions, they returned to their fires, and we difembarked. Several of them were clad in hare-fkins, but in every other circumdance they refembled thofe whom we had already feen. We were, however, informed that they were of a different tribe, called the Hare Indians, as hares and fifh are their principal fupport, from the fcarcity of rein-deer and beaver, which are the only animals of the larger kind that frequent this part of the country. They were twenty-five in number ; and among them was a woman who was affli(Sted with an abcefs in the belly, and reduced, in confequence, to a mere fkeleton : at the fame time feveral old women were finging and howling around her ; but whether thefe noifcs were to operate as a charm for her cure, or merely to amufe and confole her, I do not pretend to determine. A fmall quantity of our ufual prefents were received by them with the greateft fatis- fatStion. Here we made an exchange of our guide, who had become fo troublefome that we were obliged to watch him night and day, except when he was upon the water. The man, however, who had agreed to go in his place foon re- pented of his engagement, and endeavoured to perfuadc us that fome of his relations further down the river, would readily accompany us, and were much better acquainted with the river than himfelf. But, as he had informed us ten minutes before that we ihould fee no more of his tribe, We WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 207 we paid very little attention to his remonftrances, andcom- pellttd him to embark. In about three hours a man overtook us in a fmall canoe, and we fufpecSted that his object was to facilitate, in fome way or other, th? efcape of our conductor. About twelve we alfo obferved an Indian walking along the North Eaft ihore, when the fmali canoes paddled towards him. We accordingly followed, and found three men, three women, and two children, who had been on an hunting expedition. They had fome flefli of the rein-deer, which they offered to us, but it was fo rotten, as well as offenfive to the fmell, that we excufed ourfelves from accepting it. They had alfo their wonderful (lories of danger and terror, as well as their countrymen, whom we had already feen ; and we were now informed, that behind the oppofite ifland there was a Manitoe or fpirit, in the river, which fwallowed every perfon that approached it. As it would have em- ployed half a day to have indulged our curiofity in pro- ceeding to examine this phaenomenon, we did not deviate from our courfe, but left thefe people with the ufual prefents, and proceeded on our voyage. Our courfe and diftance this day were Weft twenty-eight miles, Weft- North- Weft twentv-threc miles. Weft- South- Weft fix miles, Weft by North five miles. South- Weft four miles, and encamped at eight o'clock. A fog prevailed the greater part of the day, with frequent fhowers of fmall rain. » CHAP. A. «--;, ao8 VOYAGE THROUGH THE NORTH^ CHAPTER IV. ^he new guide makes his efcape. Compel another to fupply his place. Land at an encampment of another tribe of /«- diam. Account of their manners^ drejs., weapons^ ^c, Traffic with them. Defcription of a beautiful fifh. En- • gage another guide. His curious behaviour. Kill a fox • and ground-hog. Land at an encampment of a tribe called the Deguthee Denees^ or ^arellers. Saw flax growing wild. The varying character of the riucr and its banks. Di/iant mountains. Perplexity from the numerous channels of the river. Determined to proceed. Land where there had been an encampment of the Efquimaux. Saw large flocks of wildfowl. View of the fun at midnight. DeJ- cription of a place lately deferted by the Indians. Houfes of the natives defcribed. Frequent Jhowers, Saw a black fox. The difcontcnts of our hunters renewed, and pacified. Face of the country. Land at ajpot lately inhabited. Pe- culiar circmflances of it. Arrive at the en*rance of the lake Proceed to an iflund. Some account of it. ( Thurfday 9. ) X HUNDER and rain prevailed daring the nighl, and, in the courfc of it, our guide deferted ; we therefore compelled another of thefe people, very much againft his will, to fupply the place of his fugitive coun- tryman. We alfo took away the paddles of one of them who remained behind, that he might not follow us on any fchcme of promoting the efcape of his companion, who was WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 209 was not eafily pacified. At length, however, we fucceeded in the a6i of conciliation, and at half pad three quitted our ftation. In a (hort time we faw a fmokc on the Eaft rtiore, and dire(£led our coui fe towards it. Our new guide begaa immediately to call to the people that belonged to it in a particular manner, which we did not comprehend. He informed us that they were not of his tribe, but were a very wicked, malignant people, who would beat us cruelly pull our hair with great violence frorti our heads, and mal- treat us in various other ways. The men waited our arrival, but the women and child- ren took to the woods. There were but four of thefe people, and previous to our landing, they all harangued us at the fame moment, and apparently with violent anger and refentment. Our hunters did not underdand them, but no fooner had our guide adreiTed them, than they were appeafed. I prefented them with beads, awls, etc. and when the women and children returned from the woods, they were gratified with fimiliar articles. There were fifteen of them ; and of a more pleafing ap- pearance than any which we had hitherto fecn, as they were healthy, full of flefti, and clean in their perfons. Their language was fomewhat different, but I believe chiefly in the accent, for they and our guide converfed in- telligibly with each other ; and the Englifli chief clearly comprehended one of them, though he was not himfelf underflood. Their arms and utenfils differ but little from thofe which have been defcribed in a former chapter. The only iron they have is in fmall pieces, which ferve them for knives. They obtain this metal from the Efquimaux Indians. Their arrows are made of very light wood, and are winged only aio VOYAGE THROUGH THE NORTH- only with two feathers •, their bows differed from any which we had fecn, and we underflood that they were furniflied by the Efquimaux, who are their neighbours : they eonfift of two pieces, with a very (Irong cord of finews along the back, which is tied in feveral places, to preferve its (liape ; when this cord becomes wet, it requires a ftrong bow ftring, and a powerful arm to draw it. The veflel in which they prepare their food, is made of a thin frame of wood, and of an oblong (hape ; the bottom is fixed in a groove, in the fame manner as a cafk. Their fhirts are not cut fquare at the bottom, but taper to a point, from the belt downwards as low as the knee, both before and behind, with a border, embellifhed with a (hort fringe. They ufe alfo another fringe, fimilar to that which has been already defcribed, with the addition of the flone of a grey farinaceous berry, of the fize and fhape of a large barley-corn : it is of a brown colour, and fluted, and being bored is run on each ftring of the fringe ; with this they decorate their fl'iirts, by fewing it in a femtcirde on the breaft and back, and crofling over both fhoulders ; the fleeves are wide and (hort, but the mit- tens fupply their deficiency, as they are long enough to reach over a part of the fleeve, and are commodioully fuf- pended by a cord from the neck. If their leggins were made with waiftbands, they might with great propriety be denominated trowfers: they faften them with a cord round the middle, fo that they appear to have a fenfe of decency which their neighbours cannot boaft. Their (hoes are fewed to their leggins, and decorated on every feam. One of the men was clad in a fhirt made of the fkins of the muik-rat. The drefs of the women is the fame as that of the men, except in their fhirts, which are longer, and without the finifhing of a fringe on their breaft. Their peculiar mode of tying the hair is as follows : — that 1 which WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 211 which grows on the temples, or the fore part of the Ikull, is formed into two queues, hanging down before the cars ; that of the fcalp or crown is falliioned in the fame manner to the back of the neck, and is then tied with the rell of the hair, at fome diftance from the head. A thin cord is employed for thefe purpofes, and very neatly worked with hair, artificially coloured. The women, and, indeed, fomc of the men, let their hair hang loofe on their fhoulders, whether it be long or ihort. We purchafed a couple of very large moofe (kins from them, which were very well dreffed ; indeed we did not fuppofe that there were any of thofe animals in the coun* try; and it appears from the accounts of the natives them* felves, that they are very fcarce. As for the beaver, tlie cxiftence of fuch a creature does not feem to be known by them. Our people bought (hi rts of them, and many cu- rious articles, &c. They piefentcd us with a moft deli- cious fiih. which was lefs than an herring, and very beau- tifully fpottpd with black and yellow : its dorfal fin reached from the head to the tail; in its expanded llate it takes a triangular form, and is variegated with the colours that enliven the fcales : the head is very fmall, and the mouth is armed with (harp pointed teeth. We prevailed on the native, whofe language was moft intelligible, to accompany us. He informed us that we ihould deep ten nights more before we arrived at the fea ; that feveral of his relations refided in the immediate vici- nity of ihis part of the river, and that in three nights we Iflioiild meet with the Efquimaux, with whom they had' formerly made war, but were now in a ftate of peace and j amity. He mentioned the laft Indians whom we had fecn Vol. I. Ff in 112 VOYAGE THROUGH THE NORTH- in terms of great derifion ; defcribing them as being no better than old women, and as abominable liars ; which coincided with the notion we already entertained of them. As we pufhed off, fome of my men difchargcd their fowl- ing pieces, that were only loaded with powder, at tiie re- port of which the Indians were very much alarmed, as they had not before heard th^ difcharge of fire arms. This cir- cumftance had fuch ^ .cffe<5l upon our guide, th;kt we had reafon to apprehend He would not fulfil his promife. "When, however, he was informed that the noife which he had heard was a fignal of friendfhip, he was perfuadcd to embark in his own fmall canoe, though he had been offered a feat in ours. ■ Two of his companions, whom he reprefented as his brothers, followed us in their canoes ; and they amufed us not only with their native fongs, fo enlivened by them, that the antics he performed, in keeping time to the fing- ing, alarmed us with continual apprehenfion that his boat muft upfet : but he was not long content with his confined iituation, and paddling up along-fide our canoe, requeued us to receive him in it, though but a fhort time before he had refolutcly refufed to accept our invitation. No fooner had he entered our canoe, than he began to perform an Efquimaux dance, to our no fmall alarm. He was, how- ever, foqn prevailed upon to be more tranquil ; when he began to difplay various indecencies, according to the cufloms of the Efquimaux, of which heboafted an intimate acquaintance. On our putting to fhore, in order to leave his canoe, he informed us, that on the oppofite hill the Ef- quimaux, three winters before, killed his grandfather. We , faw a fox, and a ground hog on the hill, the latter of whicli WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 213 which the brother of our guide fliot with his bow and arrow. About four in the afternoon we perceived a fmoke on the Weft fliore, when we travcrfed and landed. The natives made a moft terrible uproar, talking with great vociferation, and running about as if they were deprived of their fenfes, while the greater part of the women, with the children, fled away. Perceiving the diforder which our appearance occafioned among thefe people, we had waited fome time before we quitted the canoe ; and 1 have no doubt, if we had been without people to introduce us, that they would have attcrnpted fome violence againft us ; for when the Indians fend away their women and children, it is always with an hoftile defign. At length we pacified them with the ufual prefents, but they preferred beads to any of the articles that I offered them ; particularly fuch as were of a blue colour ; and one of them even requefted to- exchange a knife which 1 had given him for a fmall quan- tity of thofe ornamental baubles. I purcbafed of them two (hirts for my hunters ; and at the fame time they pre- fented me with fome arrows, and dried fifh. This party confifted of five families, to the amount, as I suppofe, of forty men, women, and children ; but I did not fee them all, as feveral were afraid to venture from their hiding- places. They are called Deguthee DineSy or the QuarelUrs^ Our guide, like his predecefTors, now manifefted his wiih to leave us, and entertained fimilar apprehenfions that we fhould not return by this pafiage. He had his alarms alfo refpedling the Efquimaux, who might kill us, and take away the women. Our Indians, however, afTured him that we had no fears of any kind, and that he need not be Ff 2 alarmed. 214 VOYAGE THROUGH THE NORTH- alarmed for himfelf. They alfo convinced him that we fhould return by the way we were going, fo that he con- fented to re embark without giving us any further trouble; and eight fmall canoes followed us. Our courfes this day were South- Weft by Weft lix miles, South- Weft by South thirty miles, South- Weft three miles, Weft by South twelve miles, Weft by North two miles, and we encamped at eight in the evening on the Eaftern bank of the river. The Indians whom I found here, informed me, that from the place where I this morning met the firft of their tribe, the diftanoe overland, on the Eaft lide, to the len, was not long ; and that from hence, by proceeding, to the Weftward, it was ftill fhorter. They alfo reprelented the land on both fides as projetSting to a point. Thefe people do not appear to harbour any thievifh difpofitions ; at lead we did not perceive that they took, or wanted to take, any thing from us by ftealth or artifice. They enjoyed the amu- fements of dancing and jumping in common with thofe wc had already fcen ; and, indeed, thefe exercifes feem to be their favourite diverfions. About mio-day the weather was fultry, but in the afternoon it became cold. There was a large quantity of wild flax, the growth of the lail year, laying on the ground, and the new plants were fprout- ing up through it. This circumftance I did not obfcrve in any other part. At four in the morning we embarked^ at a fmall diftance from the place of our encampment ; tl.e river, which here becomes narrower, flows between high rocks ; and a mean- dring courfe took us North- Weft four miles. At this f^)ot the banks became low ; indeed, from the firft rapid, the country WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 215 country does not wear a mountainous appearance ; but the banks of the river are generally lofty, in fome places perfc6l!y naked, and in others well covered with fmall trees, fuch as the fir and the birch. We continued our lafl; courfefortwo miles, with mountains before us, whofetops were covered with fnow. The land is low on both fides of the river, except thefe mountains, whofe bafe is diftant about ten miles : here the river widens, and runs through various channels, formed by iflands, fome of which are without a tree, and little more than banks of mud and fand ; while others are covered with a kind of fpruce fir, and trees of a larger fizethan we had feen for the laft ten days. Their banks, which are about fix feet above the furfice of the water, difplay a face of folid ice, intermixed with veins of black earth and as the heat of the fun melts the ice, the trees frequently fall into the river. So various were the channels of the river at this time, that we were at a lofs which to take. Our guide preferred the Eafternmoft, on account of the Efquimaux, but I de- termined to take the middle channel, as it appealed to be a larger body of water, and running North and South : befides, as there was a greater chance of feeing them I concluded, that we could always go to the Eaftwaid, when- ever we might prefer it. Our courfe was now Weft by North fix miles. North- Weft by Weft, the fnowy moun- tains being Weft by South from us, and ftretching to the Northward as far as we could fee. According to the in- formation of the Indians, they are part of the chain ot mountains which we approached on th<^ thud of this month. I obtained an obfervation this day that g;ive ■%■ 2i6 VOYAGE THROUGH THE NORTH- me 67. 47. North latitude, which was farther North than I expelled, according to the courfe I kept ; but the difference was owing to the variation of thecompafs, which was more Eafterly than I imagined. From hence it was evident that thefe waters emptied themLlves into the Hy- perborean Sea ; and though it was probable that, from the want of provifion, we could not return to Athabafca in the courfe of the feafon, I ncverthelefs, determined to penetrate to the difcharge of them. My new condudlor being very much difcouraged and quite tired of his fituation, ufed his influence to prevent our proceeding. He had never been, he faid, at the Bcna' bulla ToBy or White Man's Lake ; and that when he went to the Efquimaux Lake, which is at no great diftance, he pafTed over land from the place where we found him, and to that part where the Efquimaux pafs the fummer. In fhort, my hunters alfo became fo diiheartened from thefe accounts , and other circumftances, that I was confident they would have left me, if it had been in their power. I, however, fatisfied them, in fome degree, by the affurance, that I would proceed onwards but feven days more, and if I did not then get to the fea, I would return. Indeed, the low ftate of our provifions, without any other confide- ration, formed a very fufficient fecurity for the maintenance of my engagement. Our laft courfe was thirty-two miles, with a Kronger current than could be expelled in fuch a low country. We now proceeded North- North- Wefl: four miles, North-Weft three miles, North-Eaft two miles, North- Weft by M'^eft three miles, and North-Eaft two miles. At half paft eight in the evening we landed and pitched our WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 217 our tents, near to where there had been three encampments of the Efquimaux, fince the breaking up of the ice. The natives, who followed us yefterday, left us at our ftation this morning. In the courfe of the day we faw large flocks of wild fowl. (Saturday 11.) I fat up all night to obferve the fun. At half pad twelve I called up one of the men to view a fpedlacle which he had never before feen ; when, on feeing the fun fo high, he thought it was a fignal to embark, and began to call the reft of his companions, who would fcarce- ly be perfuaded by me, that the fun had not defcended nearer to the hori'.ion, and that it was now byt a Hiort time pall: midnight. We repofed, however, till three quarters after three, when we entered the canoe, and fleered about North-Weft, the river taking a very ferpentine courfe. About feven we faw a ridge of high land : at twelve we landed at a fpot where we obferved that fome of the natives had lately been. I counted thirty places where there had been fires ; and Jome cf the men who went further, faw as many more. They muft have been here for a confiderable time, though it does not appear that they had erected any huts. A great number of poles, however, were feen fixed in the river, to which they had attached their nets, and there feemed to be an excellent fiftiery. One of the filh, of the many which we faw leap out of the water, fell into our canoe ; it was about ten inches long and of a round ftiape. About the places where they had made their fires were fcattercd pieces of whalebone, and thick burned leather, with parts of the frames of three canoes ; we could alfo obferve where they had fpilled train oil ; and there wasthefingular appea- rance m i it ^W' ai8 VOYAGE THROUGH THE NORTH- rance of a fpruce fir, ftripped of its branches to the top like an Englifh may-pole. The weather w;« cloudy, and the air cold and unpleafant. From tliis place for about five miles, the river widens, it then flows in a variety of narrow, meandering channels, amongft low iflands, enli- vened with no trees, but a few dwarf willows. At four, we Janded, where there were three houfes, or rather huts, belonging to the natives. The ground- plot is of an oval form, about fifteen feet long, ten feet wide in the middle, and eight feet at either end : the whole of it is dug about twelve inches below the furface of the ground, and one half of it is covered over with willow branches ; which probably ferves as a bed for the whole family. A fpace, in the middle of the other part, of about four feet wide, is deepened twelve inches more, and is the only fpot in the houfe where a grown perfon can (land upright. One fide of it is covered, as has been already defcribed, and the other in the hearth or fire-place, of which, however, they do not make much ufe. Though it was clofe to the wall, the latter did not appear to be burned. The door or entrance is in the middle of one end of the houfe, and is about two feet and an half h gh and two feet wide, and has a covered way or porch five feet in length ; fo that it is abfolutely neceffary to creep on all fours in order to get into, or out of, this curious habita- tion. There is an hole of about eighteen inches fcjuare on the top of it, which ferves the three-fold purpofe of a window, an occafional door, and a chimney. The under-ground part of the floor is lined with fplit wood. Six or eight (lumps of fmall trees driven into the earth, with the root upwards, on which are laid fome crofs jpieces of timber, fupport the roof of the building, which is WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. . 219 Is an oblong fquare of ten feet by fix. The whole ig made of drift-wood covered with branches and dry grafs ; ovei which is laid a foot deep of earth. On each fide of thefe houfes are a few fquare holes in the ground of about two feet in depth, which are covered with fplit wood and earth, except in the middle. Thefe appeared to be contrived for the prefervation of the winter ftock of provifions. In and about the houfes we found fledge runners and bones, pieces of whalebone, and poplar bark cut in circles, which are ufed as corks to buoy the nets, and are fixed to them by pieces of whalebone. Before each hut a great number of (lumps of trees were fixed in the ground, upon which it appeared that they hung the*- fifli to dry. We now continued our voyage, and encamped at eight o'clock. I calculated our courfe at about North- Weft, and, allowing for the windings, that we had made fifty-four miles. We expected, throughout the day, to meet with fome of the natives. On feveral of the iflandv<$ we perceived the print of their feet in the fand, as if they had been there but a few days before, to pro- cure wild fowl. There were frequent fhovvers of rain in the afternooii, and the weather was raw and difa- grefahle. We faw a black fox ; but trees were now become, very rare objedls except a few dwarf willows, of not more than three feet in height. The difcontents of our hunters were now renewed by the accounts which our guide had been giving of that part of our voyage that was approaching. Accord- ing to his information, we were to fee a larger lake on the morrow. Neither he nor his relations, he faid. Vol. I. Gg knew ato VOYAGE THROUGH THE NORTH- knew any thing about it, except that part which is op. pofite to, and not far from, their country. The Ef- quimaux alone, he added, inhabit its fhores, and kill a large fifli that is found in it, which is a principal part of their food ; this, we prefumed, muft be the whale. He alfo mentioned white bears and another large animal which was feen in thofe parts, but our hunters could not underftand the defcription which he gave of it. He alfo reprefcnted their canoes as being of a large conftru6lion, which would commodioufly contain four or five families. However, to reconcile the Englifh chief to the neceffary continuance in my fervice, I prefented him with one of my capots or travelling coats ; at the fame time, to fatisfy the guide and keep him, if poflible, in good humour, I gave him a Ikin of the moofe-deer, which, in his opinion, was a valuable prefent. . (Sunday 12.) It rained with violence throughout the night, and till two in the morning ; the weather con- tinuing very cold. We proceeded on the fame mean- dering courfe as yefterday, the wind North-North- Weft, and the country fo naked that fcarce a flirub was to be feen. At ten in the morning, we landed where there were four huts, exadlly the fame as ti.ofe which have been fo lately defcribed. The adjacent land is high and covered with fhort grafs and flowers, though the earth was not thawed above four inches from the furface; beneath which was a folid body of ice. This beautiful appearance, however, was ftrangely contrafted with the ice and fnow that are feen in the vallies. The foil, where there is any, is a yellow clay mixed with ftones. Thefe huts appear to have been inhabited tie mean- WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 221 inhabited during the laft winter ; and we had reafon to think, that fome of the natives had been lately there, as the beach was covered with the track of their feet. Many of the runners and bars of their fledges were laid together, near the houfes, in a man- ner that feemed to denote the return of the proprie- tors. There were alfo pieces cf netting made of finews, and fome bark of the willow. The thread of the former was plaited, and no ordinary portion of time mull have been employed in manufacturing fo great a length of cord. A fquare flone-kcttle, with a flat bottom, alfo occupied our attention, which was capable of containing two gallons ; and we were puz- zled as to the means thefe people mufl have em- ployed to have chifelled it out of a folid rock into its prefent form. To thefe articles may be added, fmall pieces of flint fixed into handles of wood, which, probably, ferve as knives ; feveral wooden dirties ; the ftern and part of a large canoe ; pieces of very thick leather, which we conjedlured to be the covering of a canoe; feveral bones of large fifh, and two heads ; but we could not determine the animal to which they belong- ed, though we conjedlured that it mufl: be the fea- horfe. When we had fatisficd our curiofity we re-embarked, but we were at a lofs what courfe to fteer, as our guide feemed to be as ignorant of this country as ouilelves. Though the current was very ftrong, we appeared to have come to the entrance of the lake. The ftream fet to the Welt, and we went with it to an high point, atthediftance of about eight miles, which we conje6lured to be an ifland ; hut, on approaching it, we perceived it to be connedetl G g 2 with Mi l#l il If' I{ 322 VOYAGE THROUGH THE NORTH- with the fhorc by a low neck of land. I now took an obfervation which gave 69. i. North latitude. From the point that has been juft mentioned, we continued the fame courfe for the Wefternmoft point of an high illand, and the Wefterninofl land in fight, at the diftance of fifteen miles. The lake was quite open to us to the Weftward, and out of the channel of the river there was not more than four feet water, and in fome places the depth did not exceed one foot. From the fhallownefs of the water it was im- poflible to coaft to the Wel^ward. At five o'clock we arrived at the illand, and during the lafl fifteen miles, five feet was the deepefl water. The lake now appeared to be covered with ice, for about two leagues diftance, and no land ahead, fo that we were prevented from proceeding in this dire, ^ ^. ^< IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 ^^ Ui ^ m ■ 2.2 I.I WUI. 2.0 I Hnl: IL25 |l|_u III 1.6 -^ -^z Hiotographic Sciences Corporation 23 WIST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14SS0 (716) •72-4503 226 VOYAGE THROUGH THE NORTH- of my men faw a great many animals in the water, which he at fir ft fuppofed to be pieces of ice. About nine, how- ever, 1 was awakened to refolve the doubts which had taken place refpedting this extraordinary appearance. I immediately perceived that they were whales ; and having ordered the canoe to be prepared, we embarked in purfuit of them. It was, indeed, a very wild and unrefle6ling enterprife, and it was a very fortunate circumftance that we failed in our attempt to overtake them, as a ftroke from ihe tail of one of thefe enormous fifli would have daflied the canoe to pieces. We may, perhaps, have been indebted to the foggy weather for our fafety, as it prevented us from continuing our purfuit. Our guide informed us that they are the fame kind of fifli which are the principal food of tlic Efquimaux, and they were frequently feen as large as our canoe. The part of them which appeared above the water was altogether white, and they were much larger than tlie largeft porpoife. us to enter. About twelve the fog difperfed, and being curious to take a view of the ice, I gave orders for the canoe to be got in readinefs. We accordingly embarked, and the Indians followed us. We had not, however, been an hour on the water, when the wind rofe on a fudden from the North- Eaft, and obliged us to tack about, and the return of the fog prevented us from alcertaining our diftance from the ice ; indeed, from this circumftance, the ifland which we had fo lately left was but dimly feen. Though the wind was clofe, we ventured to hoift the fail, and from the vio- lence oi the fwell it v. as only by great exertions that two men could bale out the water from our canoe. We were in a date of adtual danger, and felt every correfponding emotion of pleafure when we reached the land. The Indians had fortunately WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 227 fortunately got more to windward, fo that the fwell in fom« meafure drove them on fliore, though their canoes were nearly filled with water ; and had they been laden, we fhoujd liave feen them no more. As I did not propofe to fatisfy my curiofity at the rilk of fimilar dangers, we continued our courfe along the iflands, which fcreened us from the wind. I was now determined to take a more particular examination of the iflands, in the hope of meeting with parties of the natives, from whom I might be able to obtain fome interefting intelligence, though our condudlor dif- couraged my expecSlations by reprefenting them as very illy and inacceflible people. At the fame time he informed inc that we (hould probably find fome of them, if we navi- gated the channel which he had originally recommended us to enter. At eight we encamped on the Eaftern end of the ifland, which I had named the Whale Ifland. It is about (even leagues in length, Eaft and Weft by compafs ; but not more than half a mile in breadth. We faw feveral red foxes, one of which was killed. There were alfo five or fix very old huts on the point where we had taken our ftation. The nets were now fet, and one of them in five fathom water, the current fetting Norh-Eaft by compafs. This morning I ordered a poft to be eredted clofe to our tents, on which I engraved the latitude of the place, my own name, the number of perfons which I had with me, and the time we remained there. ( Wednef. 15.) Being awakened by fome cafual cir- cumftance, at four this morning, 1 was furprifed on per- ceiving that the water had flowed under our baggage. As the wind had not changed, and did not blow with greater Vol. I. H h violence P' I b;i 1 wn m\ ii m H' Ml 'j 228 VOYAGE THROUGH THE NORTH- violence than when we went to reft, we were all of opi- nion that this circumilance proceeded from the tide. We had, indeed, obferved at the other end of the ifland that the water rofe and fell ; but we then imagined that it mull have been occafioned by the wind. The water continued to rife till about fix, but I could not afcertain the time with the requifite precifion, as the wind then began to blow with great violence ; I therefore determined, at all events, to remain here till the next morning, though, as it happened, the ftate of the wind was fuch as to render my ftiw here an aft of neceflity. Our nets were not very fuccefsful, as they prefented us with only eight fifh. From an obfervation which 1 obtained at noon, we were in 69. 7. North latitude. As the evening approached, the wind increafed, and the weather became cold. Two fwans were the only provifion which the hunters procured for us. ( Thurfday i6. ) The rain did not ceafe till feven this morning, the weather being at intervals very cold and un- pleafant. Such was its inconftancy, that I could not make an accurate obfervation ; but the tide appeared to rife fixtccn or eighteen inches. We now embarked, and fleered under fail among the iflands, where I hoped to meet with fome of the natives, hut my expedlation was not gratified. Our guide imagi- ned that they were gone to their diftant haunts, where they fifli for whales and hurit the rein-deer, that are oppolittto his country. His relations, he faid, fee them every year, but he did not encourage us to expedl that we (hould find any of them, unlefs it were at a fmall river that falls into the great one, from the Eaftward, at a confiderable diflance from our immediate lituation. We accordingly made for the WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 229 the river, and (lemmed the current. At two in the after- noon the water was quite fhallow in every part of our courfe, and we could always find the bottom with the paddle. At feven we landed, encamped, and fet the nets. Here the Indians killed two gcefe, two cranes, and a white owl. Since we entered the river, we experienced a very agreeable change in the temperature of the air ; but this pleafant circumftancc was not without its inconvenience, as it fubjedled us to the perfecution of the muf.^uitoes. ( Friday 17. ) On taking up the nets, they were found tocontainbutfixfifh. We embarked at four in the morn- ing, and pafled four encampments, which appeared to have been very lately inhabited. We then landed upon a fmall round ifland, clofe to the Eaftern (hore, which pof- fefled fomewhat of a facred charadter, as the top of it feeincd to be a place of fepulturc, from the numerous graves which we obferved there. We found the frame of a fmall ca- noe, with various difhes,trouglis, and other utenfils, which had been the living property of thoie who could now ufe them no more, and form the ordinary accompaniments of their lafl abodes. As no part of the (kins that mufl have covered the canoe was remaining, we concluded that it had been eaten by wild animals that inhabit, or occafionally frequent, the ifland. The frame of the canoe, which was entire, was put together with whalebone : it was fewed in fome parts, and tied in others. The fledges were from tour to eight feet long ; the length of the bars was upwards of two feet ; tlje runners were two inches thick and nine inches deep ; the prow was two feet and an half high, and formed of two pieces, fewed with whalebone; to three other thin fpars of wood, which were of the fame height, and fixed in the runners by means of mortifes, were fewed two I i 430 VOYAGE THROUGH THE NORTH- two thin broad bars lengthways, at a fmall didance from each oiher ; thefe frames were fixed together with three or four crofs birs, tied faft upon the runners ; and on the lower edge of the latter, fmall pieces of horn were fallened by wooden pegs, that they might Aide with greater facility. They are drawn by fliafts, which I imagine are applied to any particular fledge as they arc wanted, as 1 law no more than one pair of them. About half part one we came oppofite to the firft fpruce- tree that we had feen for fome lime : there are but veiy few of them on the main land, and they are veiy fmall , thofc are larger which are found on the iflands, where they grow in patches, and clofe together. It is , indeed, very extraordinary that there (hould be any wood whatever in a country where the ground never thaws above five inches from the furface. We landed at feven in the evening. The weather was now very plcafant, and in the courfe of the day we faw great numbers of wild fowl, with their young ones , but they were fo fliy that we could not ap- proach them. The Indians were not very fuccefsful in their foraging party, as they killed only two grey cranes, and a grey goofe. Two of them were employed on the high land to the Eaftward, through the greater part of the day, in fearch of rein-deer, but they could difcovcr nothing more than a few tracks of that animal. I alfo afcended the high land, from whence I had a delightful view of the river, divided into innumerable ftreams, meandering through iflands, fome of which were covered with wood, and others with grafs. The mountains, that formed the oppofite ho- rizon, were at the diftance of forty miles. The inland . view was neither fo extenfive nor agreeable, being termi- nated by a near range of bleak, barren hills, between which arc WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 231 are fmall lakes or ponds, while the furrounding country is covered with tufts of mofs , without the fhadc of a fingle tree. Along the hills is a kind offence, made with bran- ches, where the natives had fet fnares to catch white par- tridges. ( Saturday 18. ) The nets did not produce a fingle fifli, and at three o'clock in the morning we took our de- parture. The weather was fine and clear, and we paflfed feveral encampments. As the prints of human feet were very frefli in the fand, it conld not have been long fince the natives had vifited the fpot. We now proceeded in the hope of meeting with fome of them at the river, whither our guide was conducing us with that expectation . We obferved a great number of trees, in different places, whofe branches had been lopped off to the tops. They denote the immediate abode of the natives, and probably ferve for fignals to direct each other to their refpedlive winter quarters. Our hunters, in the courfe of the day killed two rein-deer, which were the only large animals that we had feen fince we had been in this river, and proved a very feafonablc fupply, as our Pemmican had become mouldy for fome time p?ft ; though in that fituation we were under the neceffity of eating it. In the vallies and low lands near the river, cranberries are found in great abundance, particularly in favourable afpeCls. It is a Angular circumftance, that the fruit of two fucceeding years may be gathered at the fame time, from the fame fhrub. Here was alfo another berry, of a very pale yellow colour, that refembles a rafpberry, and is of a very agreeable flavour. There is a great variety of other plants and herbs, whofe names and properties are unknown to me. The r: , m ' f ■! l;l 231 VOYAGE THROUGH THE NORTH- Tlie weather became cold towards the afternoon, with the appearance of rain, and we landed for the night atfevcn in the evening. The Indians killed eight geefe. Durinp; the greater part of the day I walked with the Englifh chief, and found it very difagrecable and fatiguing. Though the country is fo elevated, it was one continual morafs, except on the fummits of fome barren hills. As I carried my hanger in my hand, I frequently examined if any part of the ground was in a ftate of thaw, but could never force the blade into it, beyond the depth of fix or eight inche;;. The face of the high land, towards the river, is in fome places rocky, and in others a mixture of fand and Aoiic, veined with a kind of red earth, with which the natives bedaub themfeives. ( Sunday 19. ) It rained, and blew hard from the North, till eight in the morning, when we difcovered that our condudtor had efcaped. I was, indeed, furprifed at his ho- nefty, as he left the moofe-fkin which I had given him for a covering, and went off in his (liirt, though the weather was very cold. I inquired of the Indians if they had given him any caufe of offence, or had obferved any recent dif- pofition in him to defert us, but they affured me that they had not in any inllance difpleafed him : at the fame time they recolledled that he had expreffed his apprehenfions of being taken away as a Have ; and his alarms were probably increafed on the preceding day, when he faw them kill the two rein-deer with fo much readinefs. In the after- noon the weather became fine and clear, when we faw large flights of geefe with their young ones, and the hunters killed twenty-two of them. As they had at this time cafl their feathers, they could not fly. They were of a fmall kind,and much inferior in fizc to tliofe that frequent the WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 233 the vicinity of Athabafca. At eight, ^c took our flatioii near an Indian encampment, and, as we had obfcrved in fiinilar fituations, pieces of bone, rein-deer's horn, &c. were fcattered about it. It alfo appeared, that the natives had been employed here in working wood into arms, utenfils , &c. ( Monday 20. ) We embarked at three this morning, when the weather was cloudy, with fmall rain and aft wind. About twelve the rain became fo violent as to com- pel us to encamp at two in the afternoon. We faw great numbers of fowl, and killed among us fifteen geefe and four fwans. Had the weather been more favourable, we fliould have added confiderably to our booty. We now pafled the river, where we expedled to meet fome of the natives, but difcovered no figns of them. The ground clofe to the river does not rife to any confiderable height, and the hills, which are at a fmall didance, are covered with the fpruce fir and fmall birch trees, to their very fummits. ( Tuefday 21. ) We emiarked at half pad one this morning, when the weather was cold and unpleafant, and the wind South- Weft. At tc ve left the channels form- ed by the iflands for the uni; f.errupted channel of the river, where we found the current fo ftrong, that it was ahfolutely neceffary to tow the canoe with a line. The land on both fides was elevated, and almoft perpendicular, and the Ihore beneath it, which is of no great breadth, was covered with a grey ftone that falls from the precipice. We made much greater expedition with the line, than we could have done with the paddles. The men in the canoe relieved two of thofe on (hore every two hours, fo that it was ml 234 VOYAGE THROUGH THE NORTH- was very hanl and fatiguing duty, but it favcd a great deal of that time which was fo precious to us. At half pad eight, we landed at the fame fpot where we had already encamped on the ninth indant. In about an hour after our arrival, we were joined l)y eleven of the natives, who were Ibtioncd further up tlic river, and there were fome among them whom we h;id not fcen during our former vifit to this place. The brother of our late guide, however, was of the party, and was eager in his inquiries after him ; but our account did not prove fatisfadlory. They all gave evident tokens of their fufpi- cion, and each of them made a diftinft harangue on the occafion. Our Indians, indeed, did not underlbnd their eloquence, though they conjeflured it to be very unfa- vourable to our affcrtions. The brother, neverthelefs, propoled to barter his credulity for a fmall quantity of beads, and promifed to believe every thing 1 fhould fay, if I would gratify him with a few of thofe baubles : but he did not fucceed in his propofition, and I contented myfelf with giving him the bow and arrows which our conduiftor had left with us. My people were now neceflTarily engaged in putting the fire-arms in order, afrer the violent rain of the preceding day ; an employment which very much attracted the cu- riofity, and appeared, in fome degree to awaken the appre- henfions, of the natives. To their inquiries concerning the motives of our preparation, we anfwered by (hewing a piece of meat and a goofe, and informing them, that we were preparing our arms to procure fimilar provifions : at the fame time we affured them, though it was our intention to kill any animals we might find, there was no intention to hurt WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. ' 335 hurt or injure them. They, however, entreated us not to difcharge our pieces in their prefencc. I requefted the Englifli chief to afk them fome queftions, which they either (lid not or would not underlhnd ; fo that I failed in obtain- ing any information from them. All my people went to reft ; but I thought it prudent to fit up, in order to watch the motions of the natives. Thig circumftance was a fubjeft of their inquiry ; and their cu- riofity was ftili more excited, when they faw me employed in writing. About twelve o'clock I perceived four of their women coming along the fliore ; and they were no fooner feen by their friends, than they ran haftily to meet them, and perfuaded two of them, who, I fuppofe, wer6 young, to return, while they brought the other two who were very old, to enjoy the warmth of our fire ; but, after flaying there for about half an hour, they alfo retreated, Thofe who remained, immediately kindied a fmall fire, and laid themfelves down to llcep round it, like fo many whelps, having neither (kins or garments of any kind to cover them, notwithftanding the cold that prevailed. My people having placed their kettle of meat on the fire, I was obliged to guard it from the natives, who made feveral attempts to poffcfs themfelves of its contents ; and this was the only iiiftapce I had hitherto difcovered, of their being influenced by a pilfering difpofition. It might, perhaps, be a general opinion, that provifions were a common property. I now law the fun fet for the firft time fince 1 had been here be- fore. During the preceding night, the weather was fo c'oudy, that I could not obferve its defcent to the horizon. The water had funk, at this place, upward of three feet fiiice we had pafled down the river. Vol. I. I J ( Wednef 1^ i V ili'i m 236 VOYAGE THROUGH THE NORTH- ( Wcdncf. 22. ) We began our march at half" \^^\\ three this morning, rh*^ men being employed to tow the canoe. 1 walked with the Indians to ilieir huts, which were at a greater diAance than I had any reafon to expecTt, for it occupied three hours in hard walking to reach them. We paiTed a narrow and deep river in our way, at the month of which the natives had fet their nets. They had ind their efFetSls, and fent their youtig women into the woo«ls, as we faw but very few of the former, and none of the latter. They had large huts built with drift wood on the declivity of the beacli, and in the infide the earth was dug away, fo as to form a level floor. At each end was a ftout fork, whereon was laid a ftrong ridge-pole, which formed a fupport to the whole flrudture, and a covering of fpruce bark preferved it from the rain. Various fpars of ditFerent heights were fixed within the hut, and covered with fplit fifh that hung on them to dry ; and fires were mado in different parts to accelerate the operation. There were rails alfo on the outfide of the building, which were hung around with fi(h, but in a frefher flate than thofe within. The fpawn is alfo carefully preferved and dried in the fame manner. We obtained as many fifli from them as the canoe could conveniently contain, and fome firings of beads were the price paid for them, an article which they pre- ferred to every other. Iron they held in little or no elli- mation. During the two hours that I remained here, I employed the Englifli chief in a continual flate of inquiry concerning thefe people. The information that rcfulted from this conference was as follows. This nation or tribe is very numerous, with whom the Efquimaux WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 237 Ef^uimaux had been continually at variance, a people who take every advantage of attacking thofc who are not in a ftatc to defend themfelvcs ; and tliough they had promifed fricndfliip, had lately, and in the moft treacherous manner, butchered foiiie of their people. As a proof of this cir- cumftance, the relations of the deceafod fliewcd us, that they liad cut oHT their hair on the occafion. They alfo declared their determination to withdraw ail confidence in future from the Efquimaux, and to colledl themfelves in a formidable body, that they might be enabled to revenge tlie death of their friends. From their account, a ftrong party of Efquimaux occa- fionally afcends this river, in large canoes, in fearch of flint ftones, which they employ to point their fpears and arrows. They were now at their lake due Eaft from the fpot where we then were, which was at no great diftance over land, where they kill the rein-deer, and where they would foon begin to catch big fifli for the winter ftock. We could not, however, obtain any information refpciStinjr the lake in the dire6lion in which we were. To the Eaftward and Weflward where they faw it, the ice breaks up, hut foon freezes again. The Efquimaux informed them that they faw large canoes full of white men to the Weflward, eight or ten winters ago, from whom they obtained iron in exchange for leather. The lake where they met thefe canoes, is called by them Belhoullay Toe^ or White Man's Lake. They alfo reprefented the Efquimaux as drefling like them- felves. They wear their hair fliort, and have two holes perforated, one on each fide of the mouth, in a line with the under lip, in which they place long beads that they li a i^nJ ^}.k\ 438 VOYAGE THROUGH THE NORTH- find in the lake. Their hows are fomewhat different from thofe ufed hy the natives we had feen, ^nd they employ flings from whence they throw ftones with fuch dexterity that they prove very formidable weapons in the day of battle. We alfo learned in addition from the natives, that we (hould not fee any more of their relations, as they hn J all left the river to go in purfuit of rein-deer for their provi- fions, and that they themfelves (hould engage in a ijmilar expedition in a few days. Rein-deer, bearjs, wolvereens, martens, foxes, hares, and white buffaloes are the only quadrupeds in their country ; and that the latter were only to be found in the mountains to the Weil ward. We proceeded with the line throughout the day, except two hours, when we employed the fail. We encamped at eight in the evening. From the place we quitted this morning, the banks of the river are well covered with fmall wood, fpruce, firs, birch, and willow. We found it very warm during the whole of our progrcfs. ( Thurfday 23. ) At five in the morning we proceeded on our voyage, but found it very difficult to travel along the beach. We obferved feveral places where the natives had Rationed themfelves and fet their nets fmce our paCHige downwards. We paffed a fmall river, and at five o'clock our Indians put to fliore in order to encamp, but we pro- ceeded onwards, which difpleafed them very much, from the fatigue they fuffered, and at eight we encamped at our pofition of the 8th inftant. The day was very fine, and we employed the towing line throughout the courfe of it. At ten, our hunters returned, fullen and didatisfieid. We had WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 439 had not tcuched any of our proviGon (lores for (ix days, in which time we had confumed two reindeer, four fwans, forty-five geefe, and a confiderable quantity of fiili : but it is to be confidered, that we were ten men, and four women. I have always obferved, that the north men pofTetTed very hearty appetites, but they were very much exceeded by thofc with me, fince we entered this river, I (hould really have thought it abfolute gluttony in my people, if my own appetite had not increafed in a iimilar proportion. 240 VOYAGE THROUGH THE NORTH- CHAPTER VI. Employ the towing line, Defcription of a place where the Indians come to ctlle^ flint. 'Their Jhynefs and fufpi^ ciom. Current lejjiim. /appearance of the country, uibun- dance of hares. Violent Jiorm. Land near three lodges Alarm of the Indians. Supply of fifhfrom them. Their fabulous accounts. Continue to fee Indian lodges. Treat- ment of a difeafe. Mifunderfianding with the na- tives. The interpreter harangues them. Their accounts fimilar to thofe we have already received. Their cu- rious condu^. Purchafe fame beaver fkins. Shoot one of their dogs. The confequence of that a^. Apprehen' fans of the women. Large quantities of liquorice. Swal- low* s nejisfeen in the precipices. Fall in with a party of natives killing geefe. Circumflances concerning them. Hurricane. Variation of the weather. Kill great numbers of geefe. Abundance of feveral kinds of berries. State of the river and its bank. (Friday 24.) ^^T five we continued onr courfe, but, in a very fhort time, were under the neceflity of applying to the aid of the hne, the ftrea»n being fo {bong as to render all our attempts unavailing to ftem it with the paddles. We pafled a fmall river, on each fide of which the natives and Efquimaux colledl flint. The bank is an high, lleep, and foft rock, variegated with red, green, and WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 241 and yellow hues. From the continual dripping of water, parts of it frequently fall and break into fmall ftony flakes like flate, but not fo hard. Among them are found pieces o( Petroliuntj which bears a reffemblance to yellow wax, but is more friable. The Englifli chief informed me, that rocks of a fimilar kind are fcattered about the country, at the back of the Slave Lake, where the Che- pewyans colledt copper. At ten, we had an aft wind, and the men who had been engaged in towing, re-embarked. At twelve we obfervcd a lodge on the fide of the river, and its inhabitants running about in great confufion, or hurrying to the woods. Three men waited our arrival, though they remained at fome diftance from us, with their bows and arrows ready to be employed ; or at leaft, that appeared to be the idea they wifhed to convey to us, by continually fnapping the firings of the former, and the fignsthey made to forbid our approach. The Englifh chief, whofe language they, in fome degree, underftood, endeavoured to remove their diftruft of us ; but till I went to them with a prefent of beads, they refufed to have any communication with us. When they firft perceived our fail, they took us for the Efquimaux Indians, who employ a fail in their canoes. They were fufpicious of our defigns, and queftioned us with a view to obtain fome knowledge of them. On feeing us in polfeilion of fome of the clothes, bows, &c, which mud have belonged to fome of the Deguthee Denees, or Quarrellers, they imagined, that we had killed fome of them, and were bearing away the fruits of our vidory. They appeared, indeed, to be of the fame tribe, though they were afraid of acknowledging it. From their queftions. 24« VOYAGE THROUGH THE NORTH- queftions, it was evident that they had not received any notice of our being in thofe parts. They would not acknowledge that they had any wo- men with them, though we had feen them running to the woods ; but pretended that they had been left at a con- fiderabie diftance from the river, with fome relations, who were engaged in killing rein deer. Thefe people had been here but a fhort time, and their lodge was not yet completed ; nor had they any fifh in a (late of prepara- tion for their provilion. I gave them a knife and feme beads for an horn-wedge or chifel, with which they fplit their canoe- wood. One of my Indians having broken his paddle, attempted to take one of theirs, which was imme- diately contefted by its owner, and on my interfering to prevent this aft of injuftice, he manifefted his gratitude lo me on the occafion. We loft an hour and a half in this conference. The Englifh chief was during the whole of the time in the woods, where fome of the hidden property was difco- vered, but the women contrived to elude the fearch that was made after them. Some of thefe articles were pur- loined, but I was ignorant of this circumftance till wc had taken our departure, or T fhould certainly have given an ample remuneration. Our chief expreffed his difpleaftire at their running away to conceal themfelves, their proper- ty, and their young women, in very bitter terms. He faid his heart was fet againft thofe flaves ; and complained aloud of his difappointment in coming fo far without feeing the natives, and getting fomething from them. We employed the fail and the paddle fmce ten this morning, WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 14.1 nivovning, and pitched our tents at feyeii in the evening. We had no fooner encamped than we were vifittd by an Imlian whom we had feen before, and whofe family was at a final I d ftancc up the river : at nine he left us. The weather was clear and ferene. ( Saturd.iy 25. ) We embarked this morning at a quarter pad three, and at feven we paffed the lodge of the Indian who had vifited us the preceding evening. There appeared to have been more than one family, and we natu rally- concluded that our viliior had m ide fuch an unfavourable report of us, as to induce his companions to fly on our approacii. Their fire wai not extinguiftied. and they had left a confidtrable quantity of fifh fcatlered about their dwelling. The weather was now very fultry ; but the current had relaxed of its force, fo that the paddiC was fufficient for our |ju)grefs during the gieateil part of the day. The inland part of the country is mountainous and the banks of the nver low, but covered with wood, among which is the poplar, but of fmall growth, and th- firfl which we had feen on our return. A pigeon alio flew by us, and hares appeared to be in great plenty. We palfed many Indian encam|iments which wc did not fee in our pafrag:^ down ihe river. About feven the fky , to the Weftward, became of a fteel-blue colour, with lightning and thunder. We accordingly landed to prepare ourfelves againft the coming Itorm ; but before we could ere6t our tents, it came on with fuch violence, that we expected it to carry every tliinjv before it. The ridge-pole of my tent was broken iii the middle, where it was found, and nine inches and ^11 half in circumference; and we were obliged to throw. Vol. I, Kk ourfelves ('„i 844 VOYAGE THROUGH THE NORTH- ourfelves flat on the ground to efcape being wounded by the flones that were hurled about in the air like fand. The violence of the ftorm, however, fubfided in a (hort time, but left the fky overcaft with the appearance of rain, ( Sunday 26. ) It rained from the preceding evening to this morning, when we embarked at four o'clock. At eight we landed at three large Indian lodges. Their inha- bitants, who were afleep, exprefled 'uncommon alarm and agitation when they were awakened by us , though moll of them had feen us before. Their habitations were crowded with fifli, hanging to dry in every part ; but as we wanted fome for prefent ufe, we fent their young men to vifit the nets, and they returned with abundance of larj^e white fifh, to which the name has been given ofpoij/oi inconnu ; fome of a round (liape, and green colour ; and a few white ones ; all which were very agreeable food. Some beads, and a few other trifles, were gratefully received in return. Thefe people are very fond of iron work of any kind, and my men purchafed feveral of their articles for fmall pieces of tin. There were five or fix perfons whom we had not feen before ; and among them was a Dog-rib Indian, whom fome private quarrel had driven from his country. The Eng'ifh chief underftood him as well as one of his own nation, and gave the following account of their converfa- lion : — He had been informed by the people with whom he now lives, the Hare Indians, that there is another river on the other fide of the mountains to the South- Weft, which falls, WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA. 245 falls into the Bvlhoiillay Tocy or White man's Lake, in comparifon ot which that on whofe banks wc then were, was but a fmall ftream ; that the natives were very laige, and very wicked, and kill common men with their eyes ; that they make canoes larger than ours ; that thofe who inhabit the entrance of it kill a kind of beaver, the Ikin of which is almoft red ; and that large canoes often frequent it. As there is no known communication by water with this river, the natives who faw it went over the mountains. As he mentioned that there were fome beavers in this part of the country, I told him to hunt it, and defire the others to do the fame, as well as the martens, foxes, beaver-eater or wolvereen, &c. which they miglu carry to barter for iron with his own nation, who are fiipplicd with goods by us, near their country. He was anxious to know whether we ihould return that way : at the fame time he informed us that we (liould fee but few of the na- tives along the river, as all the young men were engaged in killing rein-deer, near the Efquimaux Lake, which, he alfo faid, was at no great diflance. The latter he rcprcfent- ed as very treacherous, and added, that they had killed one of his people. He told us likewife, that fome plan of re- venge was meditating, unlefs the ofl :nding party paid a fufficient price for the body of the murdered perfon. •>\\ ! > III m My Indians were very anxious to poffefs themfelves of a woman that was with the natives, but as they were not willing to part with her , I interfered, to prevent her being taken by force : indeed I was obliged to cxercife the utmofi: vigilance, as the Indians who accompanied me were ever ready to take what they could from the natives, without K k 2 making : it m I' ' f/'- w II 246 VOYAGE THROUGH THE NORTH- making them any ret