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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/15342-8.txt b/15342-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..bdc2bd2 --- /dev/null +++ b/15342-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,5721 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Notes of a Twenty-Five Years' Service in +the Hudson's Bay Territory, by John M'lean + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Notes of a Twenty-Five Years' Service in the Hudson's Bay Territory + Volume I. + +Author: John M'lean + +Release Date: March 12, 2005 [EBook #15342] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SERVICE IN THE HUDSON'S BAY TERRITORY *** + + + + +Produced by Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions, +Wallace McLean and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team. + + + + + + +NOTES + +OF A + +TWENTY-FIVE YEARS' SERVICE + +IN THE + +HUDSON'S BAY TERRITORY. + +BY JOHN M'LEAN. + + + + +IN TWO VOLUMES. + +VOL. I. + + + + +LONDON: + +RICHARD BENTLEY, NEW BURLINGTON STREET, + +Publisher in Ordinary to her Majesty. + +1849. + + + + +PREFACE. + + +The writer's main object in first committing to writing the following +Notes was to while away the many lonely and wearisome hours which are +the lot of the Indian trader;--a wish to gratify his friends by the +narrative of his adventures had also some share in inducing him to +take up the pen. + +While he might justly plead the hacknied excuse of being urged by not +a few of those friends to publish these Notes, in extenuation of the +folly or presumption, or whatever else it may be termed, of obtruding +them on the world, in these days of "making many books;" he feels that +he can rest his vindication on higher grounds. Although several works +of some merit have appeared in connexion with the subject, the +Hudson's Bay territory is yet, comparatively speaking, but little +known; no faithful representation has yet been given of the situation +of the Company's servants--the Indian traders; the degradation and +misery of the many Indian tribes, or rather remnants of tribes, +scattered throughout this vast territory, is in a great measure +unknown; erroneous statements have gone abroad in regard to the +Company's treatment of these Indians; as also in regard to the +government, policy, and management of the Company's affairs;--on these +points, he conceives that his plain, unvarnished tale may throw some +new light. + +Some of the details may seem trivial, and some of the incidents to be +without much interest to the general reader; still as it was one chief +design of the writer to draw a faithful picture of the Indian trader's +life,--its toils, annoyances, privations, and perils, when on actual +service, or on a trading or exploring expedition; its loneliness, +cheerlessness, and ennui, when not on actual service; together with +the shifts to which he is reduced in order to combat that ennui;--such +incidents, trifling though they may appear to be, he conceives may yet +convey to the reader a livelier idea of life in the Hudson's Bay +Company's territories than a more ambitious or laboured description +could have done. No one, indeed, who has passed his life amid the busy +haunts of men, can form any just idea of the interest attached by the +lonely trader to the most trifling events, such as the arrival of a +stranger Indian,--the coming of a new clerk,--a scuffle among the +Indians,--or a sudden change of weather. No one, unaccustomed to their +"short commons," can conceive the intense, it may be said fearful, +interest and excitement with which the issue of a fishing or hunting +expedition is anticipated. + +Should his work contribute, in any degree, to awaken the sympathy of +the Christian world in behalf of the wretched and degraded Aborigines +of this vast territory; should it tend in any way to expose, or to +reform the abuses in the management of the Hudson's Bay Company, or to +render its monopoly less injurious to the natives than hitherto it has +been; the writer's labour will have been amply compensated. Interested +as he still is in that Company, with a considerable stake depending on +its returns, it can scarcely be supposed that he has any intention, +wantonly or unnecessarily, to injure its interests. + + GUELPH, CANADA WEST, + _1st March, 1849._ + + + + +CONTENTS + +OF + +THE FIRST VOLUME. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +The Hudson's Bay Company and Territories + + +CHAPTER II. + +I enter the Hudson's Bay Company's Service--Padre Gibert + + +CHAPTER III. + +On Service--Lake of Two Mountains--Opposition--Indians--Amusements at +the Posts + + +CHAPTER IV. + +Portage des Chats--Tactics of our Opponents--Treachery of an +Iroquois--Fierce yet ludicrous nature of the Opposition + + +CHAPTER V. + +Arrival at the Chats--Installed as Bourgeois--First Trading +Excursion--Bivouac in the Woods--Indian Barbarity + + +CHAPTER VI. + +Trip to Fort Coulonge--Mr. Godin--Natives + + +CHAPTER VII. + +Superseded--Feelings on the Occasion--More Opposition--Æ. +Macdonell--Tactics--Melancholy Death of an Indian + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +Activity of our Opponents--Violent Conduct of an Indian--Narrow +Escape--Artifice--Trip to Indian's Lodge--Stupidity of Interpreter + + +CHAPTER IX. + +Expedition to the Bear's Den--Passage through the Swamp--Cunning of +the Indians--A Scuffle--Its Results + + +CHAPTER X. + +Père Duchamp--Mr. S.'s Instructions--Unsuccessful--Trading +Excursion--Difficulties of the Journey--Lose our way--Provisions +fail--Reach the Post--Visit to an Algonquin Chief--His abusive +Treatment--Success + + +CHAPTER XI. + +Success of the Iroquois Traders--Appointed to the Charge of the +Chats--Canadian disputes Possession--Bivouac without a Fire--Ruse to +baffle my Opponents--Roman Catholic Bigotry + + +CHAPTER XII. + +Journey to Montreal--Appointment to Lac de Sable--Advantages of this +Post--Its Difficulties--Governor's flattering Letter--Return from +Montreal--Lost in the Woods--Sufferings--Escape + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +Narrowly escape Drowning--Accident to Indian Guide--Am nearly Frozen +to Death--Misunderstanding between Algonquins and Iroquois--Massacre +at Hannah Bay + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +Fall through the Ice--Dangerous Adventure at a Rapid--Opponents give +in--Ordered to Lachine--Treatment on my Arrival--Manners, Habits, and +Superstitions of the Indians--Ferocious Revenge of a supposed +Injury--Different Methods of the Roman Catholic and Protestant +Missionary--Indian Councils--Tradition of the Flood--Beaver +Hunting--Language + + +CHAPTER XV. + +Embark for the Interior--Mode of Travelling by Canoes--Little +River--Lake Nipissing--French River--Old Station of Indian +Robbers--Fort Mississaga--Indians--Light Canoe-Men--Sault Ste. +Marie--Lake Superior--Canoe-men desert--Re-taken--Fort William--M. +Thibaud--Lac la Pluie and River--Indians--White River--Narrow +Escape--Conversation with an Indian about Baptism + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +Continuation of the Voyage--Run short of Provisions--Dogs +Flesh--Norway House--Indian Voyageurs--Ordered to New Caledonia--Lake +Winnipeg--McIntosh's Island submerged--Cumberland House--Chippewayan +and Cree Indians--Portage La Loche--Scenery--Athabasca--Healthiness of +the Climate + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +Arrival of Mr. F. from Caledonia--Scenery--Land-slip--Massacre at Fort +St. John's--Rocky Mountain Portage--Rocky Mountains--Magnificent +Scenery--McLeod's Lake--Reception of its Commander by the Indians + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +Arrival at New Caledonia--Beautiful Scenery--Indian Houses--Amusements +at the Fort--Threatened Attack of Indians--Expedition against +them--Beefsteaks--New Caledonian Fare--Mode of catching +Salmon--Singular Death of native Interpreter--Indian Funeral +Rites--Barbarous Treatment of Widows + + +CHAPTER XIX. + +Indian Feast--Attempt at Dramatic Representation--Religion--Ordered to +Fort Alexandria--Advantages of the Situation--Sent back to Fort St. +James--Solitude--Punishment of Indian Murderer--Its Consequences--Heroic +Adventure of Interpreter + + +CHAPTER XX. + +Appointed to the Charge of Fort George--Murder of Mr. Yale's +Men--Mysterious Loss of Mr. Linton and Family--Adventures of Leather +Party--Failure of Crops--Influenza + + +CHAPTER XXI. + +Climate of New Caledonia--Scenery--Natural +Productions--Animals--Fishes--Natives--Their Manners and +Customs--Duelling--Gambling--Licentiousness--Language + + + + +NOTES + +OF A + +TWENTY-FIVE YEARS' SERVICE + +AT THE + +HUDSON'S BAY TERRITORY. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +THE HUDSON'S BAY COMPANY AND TERRITORIES. + + +That part of British North America known by the name of the Hudson's +Bay territory extends from the eastern coast in about 60° W. long. to +the Russian boundary in 142° W.; and from the Gulf of St. Lawrence, +along the Ottawa River and the northern shores of Lakes Huron and +Superior, and thence to the boundary line of the United States; +extending in latitude thence to the northern limit of America; being +in length about 2,600 miles, and in breadth about 1,400 miles. This +extensive space may be divided into three portions, each differing +most materially in aspect and surface. The first and most extensive is +that which is on the east, from the Labrador coast, round Hudson's +Bay, northward to the Arctic region, and westward to the Rocky +Mountains. This is entirely a wooded district, affording that +plentiful supply of timber which forms so large a branch of the +Canadian export trade. These interminable forests are principally +composed of pines of large size, but which towards the northern +boundary are of a very stinted growth. Another portion is the prairie +country, reaching from Canada westward to the Rocky Mountains, and +intersected by the boundary line of the United States. In general, the +soil is rich alluvial, which being covered with luxuriant herbage, +affords pasturage for the vast herds of wild buffaloes which roam over +these extensive plains. The western part is that which lies between +the Rocky Mountains and the Pacific Ocean, including the Oregon +territory, which was likely to have led to a serious misunderstanding +between Great Britain and the United States. + +These extensive portions are divided by the Hudson's Bay Company into +four departments, and these departments are again subdivided into +districts. At the head of each department and district a chief factor +or chief trader generally presides, to whom all the officers within +their respective jurisdictions are amenable. Those in charge of posts, +whatever may be their rank, are subject to the authority of the person +at the head of the district; and that person receives his instructions +from the superintendent of the department. The whole affairs of the +country at large are regulated by the Governor and Council, and their +decisions again are referred, for final adjustment, to the Governor +and Committee in London. + +The Montreal department comprehends all the districts and posts along +the Gulf and River St. Lawrence; also the different posts along the +banks of the Ottawa and the interior country. The depôt of the +department is at Lachine, where all the returns are collected, and the +outfits prepared. + +The southern department has its depôt at Moose Factory, in James's +Bay; it includes the districts of Albany, Rupert's House, +Temiscamingue, Lake Huron, and Lake Superior, together with several +isolated posts along the shores of the Bay. + +The northern department is very extensive, having for its southern +boundary the line which divides the British from the American +territories, sweeping east and west from Lac La Pluie, in 95° W. long, +and 49° N. lat. to the Rocky Mountains in 115° W. long.; then, with +the Rocky Mountains for its western boundary, it extends northward to +the Arctic Sea. The whole of this vast country is divided into the +following districts: Norway House, Rainy Lake, Red River, +Saskatchewan, English River, Athabasca, and McKenzie's River. The +depôt of this department is York Factory, in Hudson's Bay, and is +considered the grand emporium; here the grand Council is held, which +is formed of the Governor and such chief factors and chief traders as +may be present. The duty of the latter is to sit and listen to +whatever measures the Governor may have determined on, and give their +assent thereto, no debating or vetoing being ever thought of; the +Governor being absolute, his measures therefore more require obedience +than assent. Chief traders are also permitted to sit in council as +auditors, but have not the privilege of being considered members. + +The Columbia department is bounded on the east by the Rocky Mountains, +and on the west by the Pacific Ocean. An ideal line divides it on the +south from the province of California, in lat. 41° 30'; and it joins +the Russian boundary in lat. 55°. This, although a very extensive +department, does not consist of many districts; New Caledonia is the +principal, situated among the Rocky Mountains, and having several of +its posts established along the banks of the Fraser River, which +disembogues itself into the Gulf of Georgia in nearly 49° lat. and +122° W. long. The next is Colville, on the Columbia River, along with +some isolated posts near the confluence of the same river. The +_forts_, or trading posts, along the north-west coast, have each their +respective commander. The shipping business is conducted by a person +appointed for that purpose, who is styled, _par excellence_, the head +of the "Naval department." The Company have a steamboat and several +sailing vessels, for the purpose chiefly of trading with the natives +along the coast. The primary object, however, is not so much the +trade, as to keep brother Jonathan in check, (whose propensity for +encroaching has of late been "pretty much" exhibited,) and to deter +him from forming any establishments on the coasts; there being a just +apprehension that if once a footing were obtained on the coast, an +equal eagerness might be manifested for extending their locations into +the interior. Strong parties of hunters are also constantly employed +along the southern frontier for the purpose of destroying the +fur-bearing animals in that quarter; the end in view being to secure +the interior from the encroachments of foreign interlopers. The depôt +of this department is at Fort Vancouver, on the Columbia River. + +The Hudson's Bay Company, as it at present exists, was incorporated in +the winter of 1820-21, a coalition having been then formed with the +North-West Company. Upon this taking place, an Act of Parliament was +obtained which gave them not only the possession of the territory they +had originally held by virtue of their royal charter, but also +investing them with the same rights and privileges conferred by that +charter in and over all the territories that had been settled by the +North-West Company for a term of twenty-one years. + +The Governor, Deputy-Governor, and managing Committee, are, properly +speaking, the only capitalists. The stock is divided into one hundred +shares; sixty of which their Honours retain for themselves; and the +remaining forty are divided among the chief traders and chief factors, +who manage the affairs in the Indian country. A chief factor holds two +of these shares, and a chief trader one; of which they retain the full +interest for one year after they retire, and half interest for the six +following years. These cannot be said to be stock-holders, for they +are not admitted to any share in the executive management; but +according to the present system they are termed Commissioned Officers, +and receive merely the proceeds of the share allotted to them. They +enjoy, however, one very superior advantage,--they are not subjected +to bear their share in any losses which the Company may sustain. It is +generally reckoned that the value of one share is on an average about +350l. sterling a-year. By the resignation of two chief traders, one +share is at the Company's disposal the year after, which is then +bestowed on a clerk. When two chief factors retire, a chief trader is +promoted in like manner. Promotion also take place when the shares of +the retired partners fall in. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +I ENTER THE HUDSON'S BAY COMPANY'S SERVICE--PADRE GIBERT. + + +I entered the service of the Company in the winter of 1820-21, and +after passing my contract at Montreal in the month of January, I took +up my residence for the remainder of the season with a French priest, +in the parish of Petit le Maska, for the purpose of studying the +French language. The Padre was a most affable, liberal-minded man, a +warm friend of England and Englishmen, and a staunch adherent to their +government, which he considered as the most perfect under the sun. The +fact is, that the old gentleman, along with many others of his +countrymen who had escaped from the horrors of the French Revolution, +had found an asylum in our land of freedom, which they could find +nowhere else; and the personal advantages that had accrued to him from +that circumstance, naturally induced a favourable disposition towards +his benefactors, their laws, and their institutions. Though the Padre +was extremely liberal in his political opinions, his management of his +worldly affairs bore the stamp of the most sordid parsimony. He +worshipped the golden calf, and his adoration of the image was +manifest in everything around him. He wore a cassock of cloth which +had in former times been of a black colour, but was now of a dusky +grey, the woollen material being so completely incorporated with dust +as to give it that colour. His table was furnished with such fare as +his farm produced, with the addition, on particular occasions, of a +bottle of _black strap_. A charming nymph, of some fifty years of age +or so, had the management of the household, and discharged all her +duties with strict decorum and care. I have the beauties of her person +in my mind's eye to this day. She was hump-backed, short-necked, and +one-eyed, and squinted bewitchingly with the remaining one: she had a +short leg and a long one, a high shoulder and a low. In short, the +dear creature seemed to be formed, or rather deformed, by the hand of +nature on purpose to fill the situation of housekeeper for a +priest,--so that whatever might be his age, no scandal could possibly +attach itself to him from such a housekeeper. The man-servant was +directly the counterpart of the charming Marguerite; he also was far +advanced in the vale of years, and was of a most irascible temper. To +stir up Joseph to the _grinning point_ was a very easy matter; and his +frantic gesticulations, when thus goaded to wrath by our teasing +pleasantries, (there were two other young gentlemen beside myself,) +were of the most extraordinary description, and afforded infinite +amusement. We never failed to amuse ourselves at Joseph's expense, +when the Padre's absence permitted our doing so with impunity,--especially +as a small present of tobacco, which was always kept at hand for such +occasions, soon made us friends again. But it sometimes happened that +such jokes were carried too far, so as to render the offering of +_incense_ quite unacceptable, when the touch of _metal_ could alone +produce the desired effect. + +I remained with Father Gibert until spring, and shall take leave of +him by relating an anecdote or two illustrative of his loyalty and +benevolence. Some time during Madison's unprovoked war with Great +Britain, an alarm came from the upper part of the parish of which +Father Gibert was _curé_, that a party of Americans had been seen +marching down the country. The _Capitaine_ of militia, who was the +_curé's_ next door neighbour, was immediately sent for, and by their +joint influence and authority a considerable number of _habitans_ were +soon assembled under arms, such as they were. The Father then +shouldering his musket, and placing himself at the head of his +parishioners, led them into his garden, which was enclosed by a picket +fence, and bordered on the highway. Here the loyal band took their +stand under cover of the fence, waiting to give Jonathan a warm +reception the moment he came within reach. The supposed Americans +proved to be a small detachment of British troops, and thus the affair +ended. + +On another occasion during the same period the Padre's loyalty and +good humour were manifested, though in a different manner. While +amusing himself in the garden one day, he overheard two Irish soldiers +engaged in conversation to this effect:-- + +"You know that the ould boy asks every body afore he gives any +praties, if they belong to St. Patrick; well, is it a hard matter to +tell him we do, agrah?" + +"Sure you'd be telling a lie, Paddy!" + +"Never mind that," said Paddy, "I'll spake." + +The old gentleman immediately returned to the house, and entering by a +back door, was snugly seated in his arm-chair, book in hand, when the +two Hibernians were admitted. + +"Well, my boys, what is your business with me?" + +"We would be wanting a few praties, if your Riverence could spare +them." + +"Aha! you are from Ireland, I perceive. Irishmen very fond of +potatoes! Well, my boys, I have a few remaining, and you shall have +some if you belong to St. Patrick." + +"Faith, and it is all as your honour says; we are Irishmen, and we +belong to St. Patrick." + +The old gentleman ordered Joseph to supply them with the "blessed +root," without any further parley. Then addressing the speaker in a +voice of assumed choler, exclaimed:-- + +"You are a great raskail! does your religion teach you to tell lies? +You are Protestant both of you. However, if you do not belong to St. +Patrick, you belong to the King of England, and I give my potatoes for +his sake. But you must never try to impose upon an old priest again, +or you may not come so well off." + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +ON SERVICE--LAKE OF TWO MOUNTAINS--OPPOSITION--INDIANS--AMUSEMENTS AT +THE POSTS. + + +I arrived at Montreal about the beginning of May, and soon learnt that +I was appointed to the post at Lake of Two Mountains. The Montreal +department was headed at that time by Mr. Thane, a man of rather +eccentric character, but possessed of a heart that glowed with the +best feelings of humanity. I was allowed to amuse myself a few days in +town, having directions however to call at the office every day, in +case my services should be required. The period of departure at length +arrived. I was one evening accosted by Mr. Thane in these terms:--"I +say, youngster, you have been trifling away your time long enough +here; you must hold yourself ready to embark for your destination +to-morrow morning at five o'clock precisely. If you delay one moment, +you shall have cause to remember it." Such positive injunctions were +not disregarded by me. I was of course ready at the time appointed, +and after all the hurry, had the honour of breakfasting with my +commander before departing; but the woful and disheartening accounts +of the hardships and privations I was to suffer in the country to +which I was to proceed, fairly spoiled my appetite. I was told that my +only lodging was to be a tent, my only food Indian corn, _when I could +get it_; and many other _comforts_ were enumerated with the view of +producing a certain effect, which my countenance no doubt betrayed, +whilst he chuckled with the greatest delight at the success of his +jokes. I took leave, and found myself that evening at the Lake of Two +Mountains. On my arrival, a large building was pointed out to me as +the Company's establishment, to which I soon found admittance, and +was, to my great surprise, ushered into a large well furnished +apartment. Tea had just been served, with a variety of substantial +accompaniments, to which I felt heartily disposed to do ample justice, +after my day's abstinence. This was very different entertainment from +what I had been led to expect in the morning; would it had been my lot +to be always so agreeably deceived! + +The village of the Lake of Two Mountains is inhabited by two distinct +tribes of the aborigines--viz. the Iroquois and the Algonquins; the +latter are a tribe of the Sauteux nation, or Ojibbeway, and live +principally by the chase. The former cultivate the soil, and engage as +voyageurs, or in any other capacity that may yield them the means of +subsistence. They are a very hardy industrious race; but neither the +habits of civilized life, nor the influence of the Christian religion, +appear to have mitigated, in any material degree, the ferocity that +characterized their pagan ancestors. Although they do not pay great +deference to the laws of God, they are sufficiently aware of the +consequences of violating the laws of man, and comport themselves +accordingly. + +The Catholic seminary and church, along with the gardens of the +establishment, almost divide the village into two equal parts; yet +this close proximity does not appear to encourage any friendly +intercourse between the two tribes. They in fact seldom pass their +respective limits, and, with few exceptions, cannot converse together, +the language of the one being unintelligible to the other. + +The Company established a post here in the spring of 1819, and when I +arrived it was in charge of Mr. Fisher, then a senior clerk. He had +two other clerks under him, besides myself, a like number of +_attachés_, two interpreters, two servants, and a horse to ride upon. +With such an establishment to rule over, need it be matter of surprise +that our _bourgeois_ was in his own estimation a magnate of the first +order? _N'importe_,--whatever might be his vanity, he possessed those +qualities which constitute a first-rate Indian trader, and he required +them to fill successfully his present situation. A number of petty +traders were settled in the village, who, whenever the Company entered +the lists against them, laid aside the feuds that subsisted among +themselves, and joined to oppose their united efforts against the +powerful rival that threatened to overwhelm them all. The spring fur +campaign was about to open when I made my _début_ at the post. The +natives being daily expected from the interior, all parties watched +their arrival night and day. This was not a very harassing duty to us, +as we relieved each other; but the situation of our superior was +exceedingly irksome and annoying. The moment an Indian canoe appeared +(the Indians always arrived at night), we were ordered to apprize him +of it; having done so, he was immediately at the landing-place, our +opponents being also there, attending to their own interests. Some of +the natives were supplied by the Company, others by the petty traders; +and according as it happened to be the customers of either that +arrived, the servants assisted in unloading the canoes, conveying the +baggage to their houses, and kindling a fire. Provisions were +furnished in abundance by both parties. While these preliminary +operations were being performed by the servants, the traders +surrounded the principal object of their solicitude--the hunter; first +one, then another, taking him aside to persuade him of the superior +claims each had on his love and gratitude. After being pestered in +this manner for some time, he, (the hunter,) eventually allowed +himself to be led away to the residence of one of the parties, where +he was treated to the best their establishment afforded; the natives, +however, retaining their furs, and visiting from house to house, until +satiated with the good cheer the traders had to give them, when they +at length gave them up, but not always to the party to whom they were +most indebted. They are generally great rogues; the sound of the +dollars, which the Company possessed in abundance, often brought the +furs that were due to the petty trader to the Company's stores; while +some of our customers were induced by the same argument to carry their +furs to our rivals. + +For a period of six weeks or so, the natives continued to arrive; +sometimes in brigades, sometimes in single canoes; during the whole of +this period we were occupied in the manner now described, day and +night. So great was the pressure of business, that we had scarcely +time to partake of the necessary refreshment. When they had at length +all arrived, we enjoyed our night's rest, if indeed our continually +disturbed slumbers could be called rest:--what with the howling of two +or three hundred dogs, the tinkling of bells with which the horses the +Indians rode were ornamented, the bawling of the squaws when beaten by +their drunken husbands, and the yelling of the savages themselves when +in that beastly state, sleep was impossible,--the infernal sounds that +continually rent the air, produced such a _symphony_ as could be heard +nowhere else out of Pandemonium. No liquors were sold to the natives +at the village, but they procured as much as they required from the +opposite side of the lake. Some wretches of Canadians were always +ready, for a trifling consideration, to purchase it for them; thus the +law prohibiting the sale of liquor to the Indians was evaded. After +wallowing in intemperance for some time, they ultimately submitted to +the authority of the priests, confessed their sins, received +absolution, and became _good Christians_ for the remainder of the +season. If any indulged in the favourite vice--a few always did--they +were confined to their quarters by their families. After attending +mass on Sundays, they amused themselves playing at ball, or running +foot races; and it was only on such occasions they were seen to +associate with their neighbours the Iroquois. They took opposite sides +in the games; small stakes were allowed, merely to create an interest +in the issue of the contest. The chiefs of both tribes sat smoking +their pipes together, viewing the sports in silent gravity, and acting +as umpires in all cases of doubt between the parties. They, in fact, +led a glorious life during the three months they remained at the +village; that period was to them a continued carnival. The best fare +the country afforded--the best attire that money could procure--all +that sensuality, all that vanity could desire--their means permitted +them to enjoy. Their lands not having been hunted on during the war, +the beaver multiplied at an extraordinary rate, and now swarmed in +every direction. Every individual belonging to the tribe might then +have acquired an independent fortune. They arrived at the village, +their canoes laden with furs; but the characteristic improvidence of +their race blinded them to future consequences. Such was their +wasteful extravagance, that the money obtained by the sale of their +furs was dissipated ere half the summer season was over. The traders +supplied them afterwards with all requisites at a _moderate_ per +centage; and when they embarked in autumn for their hunting grounds, +they found themselves deeply involved in debt, a few only excepted. + +In the course of this summer, some of our opponents foreseeing the +probable issue of the contest they were engaged in, proposed terms of +capitulation, which were in most instances readily assented to by the +Company; the inventories and outstanding debts were assumed at a +certain valuation. They retired from the field, some with annuities +for a stipulated period, while to others a round sum of money was +granted; in either case the party bound himself, under certain +penalties, not to interfere in the trade for a stated period of time. + +In this manner the Company got rid of all petty opponents, with the +exception of two who continued the unequal contest. By the latter end +of August the natives had all started for the interior, leaving behind +only a few decrepit old men and women. The scene was now completely +changed; a death-like stillness prevailed where but a few days before +all was activity, bustle and animation. Two of my brother scribes were +ordered to the interior; one[1] to the distant Lake Nipissingue, the +other to the Chats. Mr. Fisher set off to enjoy himself in Montreal, +Mr. Francher, the accountant, being appointed _locum-tenens_ during +his absence. Another young Scot and myself, together with two or three +non-descripts, formed the winter establishment. Having just quitted +the scenes of civilized life, I found my present solitude sufficiently +irksome; the natural buoyancy of youthful spirits, however, with the +amusements we got up amongst us, conspired to banish all gloomy +thoughts from my mind in a very short time. We--my friend Mac and +myself--soon became very intimate with two or three French families +who resided in the village, who were, though in an humble station, +kind and courteous, and who, moreover, danced, fiddled and played +whist. + + [1] This gentleman's name was Cockburn;--he met his end a few + years afterwards in a very melancholy manner, while on his way + to Montreal (having retired from the service). He rolled over + the canoe on a dark night, and disappeared for ever! + +There was another family of a different status from the others, that +of Capt. Ducharme, the king's interpreter, a kind-hearted, hospitable +man, who frequently invited us to his house, where we enjoyed the +charms of polished society and good cheer. The captain's residence was +in the Iroquois division of the village; this circumstance led us to +form another acquaintance that for some time afforded us some +amusement, _en passant_. We discovered that a very ugly old widow, who +resided in that quarter, had two very pretty young daughters, to whom +we discoursed in Gaelic; they answered in Iroquois; and in a short +time the best _understanding_ imaginable was established between us, +(Mac and myself, be it always understood.) No harm came of it, though; +I vow there did not; the priests, it seems, thought otherwise. Our +acquaintance with the girls having come to their knowledge, we were +one day honoured with a visit from the Iroquois padre; the severe +gravity of whose countenance convinced us at a glance of the nature of +his mission. I must do him the justice to say, however, that his +address to us was mild and admonitory, rather than severe or +reproachful. I resolved from that moment to speak no more Gaelic to +the Iroquois maidens; Mac continued his visits. + +We always amused ourselves in the evenings with our French +_confrères_, (whom I have mentioned as "nondescripts," from the +circumstance of their being under no regular engagement with the +Company,) playing cards or fiddling and dancing. We were on one +occasion engaged in the latter amusement _en pleine midi_--our +_Deputy_ Bourgeois being one of the party, and all of us in the +highest possible glee, when lo! in the midst of our hilarity, the hall +door flew open and the _great man_ stood sternly before us. The +hand-writing on the wall could scarcely have produced a more startling +effect on the convivial party of old, than did this unexpected +apparition upon us. We listened to the reprimand which followed in all +due humility, none more crest-fallen than our worthy Deputy. Mr. +Fisher then opened his portmanteau and drew forth a letter, which he +presented to my friend Mac, exclaiming in a voice of thunder, "Read +that, gentlemen, and hear what Mr. Thane thinks of your conduct." We +read and trembled; Mac's defiance of the authority of the priests +offended them mortally; a formal complaint was consequently preferred +against the innocent and the guilty, (although there was no guilt in +fact, unless _speaking Gaelic_ to the wood-nymphs could be so +construed,) and drew upon us the censures this dreadful missive +conveyed. The magnate remained a few days, and on his departure for +town, we resumed our usual pastimes, but selected a different _path_ +to Captain Ducharme's. The Fathers had requested, when this +establishment was first formed, that some of the Company's officers +should attend church on Sundays for the purpose of showing a good +example to the natives. I did so, on my part, very regularly until +Christmas Eve, when having witnessed the ceremonies of the midnight +mass, I determined on remaining at home in future. I shuddered with +horror at the idolatrous rites, as they appeared to me, which were +enacted on that occasion. The ceremonies commenced with the +celebration of mass; then followed the introduction of the "Infant +Jesus," borne by four of the choristers, attired in surplices of white +linen. The image being placed by them on a sofa in front of the altar, +the superior of the seminary made his début, retiring to the railing +that surrounds the altar, when he knelt, and bending low his head +apparently in devout adoration, he arose, then advanced two steps +towards the altar and knelt again; he knelt the third time close to +the side of the image, which he devoutly embraced, then withdrew: the +younger priests performed the same ceremonies; and after them every +one of their congregation: yet these people protest that their +religion has no connexion with idolatry, and that the representations +of Protestants regarding it are false and calumnious. If we credit +them, however, we must belie the evidence of our own senses; but the +fact is, there are not a few Roman Catholics who speak with very +little _respect_ themselves of some of these mummeries. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +PORTAGE DES CHATS--TACTICS OF OUR OPPONENTS--TREACHERY OF AN +IROQUOIS--FIERCE, YET LUDICROUS NATURE OF THE OPPOSITION. + + +MR. Fisher returned from town in the month of March; he had learnt +that our opponents intended to shift the scene of operations to the +Chats, (where the greater number of the Indians pass on their way +going to or returning from their hunting grounds,) and were making +preparations of a very extensive nature for the spring competition. +The Company were not tardy in adopting such measures as were deemed +the most efficient to meet them on their own terms. We understood that +they had hired two _bullies_ for the purpose of deciding the matter +_par voie de fait_. Mr. Fisher hired two of the same description, who +were supposed to be more than a match for the opposition party. On the +28th of April, 1822, our opponents set off in two large canoes, manned +by eight men in each; we followed in three canoes with twenty-four +men, under the command of three leaders--namely, Captain Ducharme, who +had volunteered on the occasion, Mr. Lyons, a retired trader, and +myself. Nothing occurred worthy of description on our passage to the +Chats. + +The Ottawa is at this point interrupted by a ledge of rock, which +extends across its whole breadth. In forcing a passage for itself +through this barrier, it is divided into several channels, which form +as many beautiful cascades as they fall into the extensive basin that +receives them below. On one of the islands thus formed, the natives +make a portage. Here, then, we took our station close to a cascade: +our opponents commenced building a hut on one side of the path, we on +the other. While this operation was in progress, basilisk looks +denoted the strength of feeling that pervaded the breasts of either +party, but not a word was exchanged between us. Our hut was first +completed, when our champion clambered aloft, and crowed defiance; +three times he crowed (aloud), but no responding voice was heard from +the opposite camp. This act was altogether voluntary on the part of +our man, but it did not displease us, as the result convinced us that +we stood on safe ground, should any violence be attempted. Our +opponents were enraged at the want of spirit evinced by their men, and +determined on being revenged upon _us_ in a manner that showed the +virulence of their animosity. A number of lumber men were making up +their rafts within a short distance of us at the time, who were for +the most part natives of the Emerald Isle. Paddy's "knocking down for +love" is proverbial. Our opponents immediately sent them word that the +Hudson's Bay Company had brought up a _bully_ from Montreal who defied +"the whole of the Grand River." "By my faith, does he thin," said Pat; +"let us have a look at him, any how." + +On the succeeding evening (after the occurrence of the circumstance +above related) we were surprised to see the number of canoes that +arrived at the portage from all directions. The crew of each canoe as +they landed went direct to our opponents, where they appeared to be +liberally supplied with spirits. Their object was sufficiently +evident, as the potent agent they had employed, in a short time, +produced the desired effect. Oaths and execrations were heard amid +crowing and yelling. Our Canadians all took to their heels, except our +noble game-cock and two others; and now the drama opened. A +respectable good looking fellow stept out from the crowd, accompanied +by another man, a Canadian, and advancing to our champion, asked him +"if he would not sell his feathers" (his hat being decorated with +them). It is unnecessary to state the reply. An altercation ensued, +and blows would undoubtedly have succeeded, had I not then interfered. +I invited the stranger to my tent, and having opened my _garde de +vin_, produced some of the good things it contained. A little +conversation with my guest, proved him to be a shrewd sensible man; +and when I explained the nature of our dispute with our rivals, he +comprehended in an instant the object they had in view in circulating +the reports which induced him and others to assemble at the portage. +The consanguinity of the sons of Erin and Caledonia was next touched +upon, and the point settled to our mutual satisfaction; in short, my +brother Celt and I parted as good friends as half-an-hour's +acquaintance and a bottle of wine could make us. At the conclusion of +our interview he departed, and meeting our champion, cordially shook +him by the hand; then addressing his companions, remarked, "This, my +lads, is a quarrel between the traders, in which we have no right to +interfere at all; for my own part, I am very much obliged to the +jintlemin on both sides o' the road, for traiting me so jintaily; but +Jack Hall shall not be made a tool of by anybody whatsumdever." + +Jack Hall embarked with his crew, and was soon afterwards followed by +the others. Both parties were thus again in their previous positions, +and a little tact saved us from the fatal consequences that might have +ensued, had their villainous design proved successful. The daring +insult was keenly felt by us all, and accordingly one of our trio +despatched a message to the only individual of the opposite party who +had any pretension to the title of gentleman, soliciting the pleasure +of his company to take the air next morning. The invitation was +accepted. Our party kept the appointment, and remained for two hours +on the ground, awaiting the arrival of their _friends_; but the +friends allowed them the sole enjoyment of the morning air. + +A few days afterwards the natives began to make their appearance, and +scenes of a revolting nature were of frequent occurrence. Rum and +brandy flowed in streams, and dollars were scattered about as if they +had been of no greater value than pebbles on the beach. The expenses +incurred by both parties were very great; but while this lavish +expenditure seriously affected the resources of the petty traders, the +coffers of the Company were too liberally filled to be sensibly +diminished by such outlay. Nevertheless, the natives would not dispose +of their furs until they reached the village. + +We remained at the portage until the 7th of June, when the natives +having all passed, we embarked, and arrived at the lake on the 10th, +where we were shocked to learn that our Bourgeois[1] had had a very +narrow escape from the treachery of an Iroquois during our absence, +the particulars of which were thus related to us. Mr. Fisher had +advanced a sum to this scoundrel two years before, and seeing him pass +his door the ensuing spring after the debt had been contracted, with +his furs, which he carried to our opponents, he watched his return, +and calling him in, demanded payment; an insolent reply was the return +for his kindness, which so much exasperated him, that he kicked him +out in presence of several other Indians. The insult was not +forgotten. Soon after his arrival this spring, he sent for Mr. Fisher, +who complied with the invitation, expecting payment of his debt. The +moment he entered the house, however, he discovered that he had been +inveigled. The Indian stood before him, his face painted, and a pistol +in his hand, which he presented. In an instant Mr. Fisher bared his +breast, and staring his enemy fiercely in the face, exclaimed, "Fire, +you black dog! What! did you imagine you had sent for an old woman?" + + [1] The term Bourgeois is used for Master throughout the + Indian country. + +Mr. Fisher's knowledge of the Indian character saved his life; had he +betrayed the slightest symptom of fear, he was a dead man; but the +undaunted attitude he assumed staggered the resolution of the savage; +a new bias seemed to operate on his mind, probably through a feeling +of respect for the determined courage displayed by his intended +victim. He could not brace his nerves to a second effort; his hand +dropped listlessly by his side; his gaze was fixed on Mr. Fisher for a +moment; then dashing the pistol violently on the ground, he beckoned +him to withdraw.[1] + + [1] At that period some of the Iroquois made good hunts, + trapping beaver along the main rivers and outskirts of the + Algonquin lands. + +Immediately after the close of the spring trade, the most formidable +of our opponents _hinted_ that he might be induced to quit the field; +a negotiation was accordingly opened with him, which soon terminated +in a favourable issue, on very advantageous terms to the retiring +party. + +The solitary being who remained behind was thus thrown upon his own +resources, and his efforts to maintain the unequal contest unaided, +were so feeble and ineffectual, that the Company might be said to hold +a monopoly of the fur-trade at this period; but thereafter they paid +dearly for their triumph, as further sacrifices had yet to be made ere +they could enjoy it in quiet. A Canadian merchant, in easy +circumstances, who dwelt opposite to the village, having learned the +advantageous terms obtained by the petty traders from the Company, +addressed a very polite note to Mr. Fisher, stating his intention to +try his fortune as a trader, but that he would have no objection to +postpone the attempt for five years, provided the Company would allow +him 150l. per annum, during that period. The proposal was submitted to +Mr. Thane, who laconically replied, "Let him do his worst, and be...." +Accordingly, St. Julien immediately commenced operations. He hired one +end of an Indian house, which he fitted up as a trader's shop: Fisher +hired the other end. St. Julien then removed to another: Fisher +occupied the other end of that house also. St. Julien next rented a +_whole_ house: Fisher purchased a house, placed it upon rollers, and +wheeled it directly in front of that of his rival, rearwards, scarcely +leaving sufficient room for one person to pass between the premises. +This caused great amusement to the Indians; not so to St. Julien, who +had not anticipated so excessive a desire on the part of any of the +Company's officers for so close an intimacy; and at the end of six +weeks he took his departure without pay or pension from the Company. + +In the course of this summer our Algonquins received a visit from a +party of Ottawas, (this tribe occupies the hunting grounds in the +vicinity of Michimmakina or Makinaw, and speaks the Sauteaux +language,) which created considerable alarm in the village, as they +came for the purpose of demanding satisfaction for the murder of one +of their tribe, which had been perpetrated two years before by an +Algonquin. The details of the atrocious deed were communicated to me +as follows. The Ottawas and Algonquins, with their families, were +proceeding in company to the Lake, in the spring of 1819, when being +encamped in the neighbourhood of the long Sault rapid, the Algonquin +sprang upon his unsuspecting companion, and cleft his skull with his +tomahawk, without the least apparent provocation; then dragging the +body to the water's edge, he cut it up into small pieces, and threw +them in. He next despatched the woman, and mutilated her body in the +same savage manner, having first committed the most horrible barbarity +on her person; (the recital of which curdled my blood; and yet our +Christianized (?) Algonquins laughed heartily on hearing it!) The +demon in human form, with the yet reeking tomahawk raised over the +heads of his wife and children, made them swear that they would never +divulge the horrid deed; but they did disclose it; and it was from the +wife the tale of horror was elicited. The object of the Ottawas was +not revenge. Compensation to the full estimated value of the lives of +a man and woman was all they demanded; and that they received to an +amount that far exceeded their expectations. Had the murderer been in +the village the chiefs declared they would have given him up; but they +had already delivered him over to the proper authorities, and he was +then in prison waiting his sentence. + +It has been already mentioned, that the Company had assumed the +outstanding debts of the petty traders. When the accounts were closed +this autumn, the aggregate amount of liabilities due to the Company +exhibited the enormous sum of seventy-two thousand dollars--not a +shilling of that sum has ever been repaid. + +Soon after the departure of the natives for the interior, I was +notified of my appointment to the charge of the Chats post. My friend +Mac also received marching orders; and after parting with him I took +leave of the Lake of Two Mountains on the 20th of August. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +ARRIVAL AT THE CHATS--INSTALLED AS BOURGEOIS--FIRST TRADING +EXCURSION--BIVOUAC IN THE WOODS--INDIAN BARBARITY. + + +I ARRIVED at the Chats on the 26th of August, 1822. As we approached +the establishment, the crew struck up a song which soon attracted the +notice of its only inmate; a tall gaunt figure, who was observed +moving toward the landing-place, where it remained stationary. With +the exception of this solitary being, no sign of animation was +perceptible. We landed, and found the recluse to be the gentleman whom +I was to succeed. The men belonging to the post were at the time +employed elsewhere; fire-arms were therefore discharged, to summon +them to return. An old interpreter and two men, constituting the force +at this station, soon made their appearance. Such an uncommon event as +an _arrival_ seemed to produce an exhilarating effect upon them. +Immediately after my landing the charge was made over to me; and on +the following day my predecessor, Mr. Macdonald, took his departure, +leaving me to the fellowship of my own musings, which for a time +assumed but sombre hues; but I was then young, and the hopes and +aspirations of an ardent mind threw a halo around the gloomy path that +lay before me, and resting upon the bright spots that glimmered in the +distant background, concealed from my view the toils and miseries I +had to experience in the intermediate passage. + +On assuming the responsibility of this post, I found myself in a +position which gratified my vanity. I was Bourgeois of the Chats; had +an interpreter and two men subject to my orders; and could make such +arrangements as my own inclinations dictated, without the surveillance +of a superior. I was, in fact, master of my own time and of my own +actions; could fiddle when I pleased, and dance when I had a mind with +my own shadow; no person here dared to question my actions. + +About the beginning of September the natives began to pass for the +interior, and to my great surprise appeared to be in want of further +supplies, although they had left the Lake amply provided with +everything necessary. Some of them took advances here again to a +considerable amount. I learned from them that a petty trader who had +just then sprung into existence, intended to establish a couple of +posts in the interior of the district--(this post being subject to the +Lake of Two Mountains.) This was rather an unpleasant piece of +intelligence, and quite unexpected by my superiors or myself. I +despatched a messenger to head-quarters to give the alarm, and was +soon joined by a reinforcement of men conducted by a junior clerk and +an interpreter. Preparations were then made to follow up this new +competitor the moment he appeared. He did not allow us to remain long +in suspense. A few days afterwards his party was observed passing in +two canoes; our people were immediately in their wake, and I remained +with but one man and the old interpreter during the winter. I had only +two Indian hunters to attend to; one in the immediate vicinity of the +post, the other about three days' journey distant. Late in autumn I +was gratified by a visit from the superintendent of the district, who +expressed himself perfectly satisfied with my arrangements. As soon as +the river _set fast_ with ice, I resolved on paying a visit to my more +remote customer, and assumed the snow-shoes for the first time. I set +out with my _only_ man, leaving the old interpreter sole occupier of +the post. My man had visited the Indian on several occasions during +the previous winter, and told me that he usually halted at a +Chantier,[1] on the way to his lodge. We arrived late in the evening at +the locality in question, and finding a quantity of timber collected +on the ice, concluded that the _shanty_ must be close at hand. We +accordingly followed the lumber-track until we reached the hut which +had formerly afforded such comfortable accommodation to my companion. +Great was our disappointment, however, to find it now tenantless, and +almost buried in snow. I had made an extraordinary effort to reach the +spot in the hope of procuring good quarters for the night, and was now +so completely exhausted by fatigue that I could proceed no further. +The night was dark, and to make our situation as cheerless as +possible, it was discovered that my companion had left his +"fire-works" behind--a proof of his inexperience. Under these +circumstances our preparations were necessarily few. Having laid a few +boughs of pine upon the snow, we wrapped ourselves up in our blankets, +and lay down together. I passed the night without much rest; but my +attendant--a hardy Canadian--kept the wild beasts at bay by his deep +snoring, until dawn. I found myself completely benumbed with cold; a +smart walk, however, soon put the blood in circulation, and ere long +we entered a shanty where we experienced the usual hospitality of +these generous folks. Here we borrowed a "smoking-bag," containing a +steel, flint, and tinder. With the aid of these desiderata in the +appointments of a voyageur, we had a comfortable encampment on the +following night. + + [1] The hut used by the lumbermen, and the root of the + well-known "shanty." + +The mode of constructing a winter encampment is simply this:--you +measure with your eye the extent of ground you require for your +purpose, then taking off your snow-shoes, use them as shovels to clear +away the snow. This operation over, the finer branches of the balsam +tree are laid upon the ground to a certain depth; then logs of dry +wood are placed at right angles to the feet at a proper distance, and +ignited by means of the "fire-works" alluded to. In such an encampment +as this, after a plentiful supper of half-cooked peas and Indian +corn--the inland travelling fare of the Montreal department--and a +day's hard walking, one enjoys a repose to which the voluptuary +reclining on his bed of down is a perfect stranger. + +We reached our destination on the following day about noon, where we +found but little to recompense us for our journey. Both our own people +from the outpost and our opponents had already traded all the furs the +Indian had to dispose of, although his supplies at the Lake of Two +Mountains and at my post amounted to a sum that would have required +his utmost exertions to pay. We remained that night at his lodge, and +very early on the succeeding morning, started on our return. With the +exception of a couple of trips I made to the inland posts, nothing +disturbed the monotony of my avocations during the remaining part of +the winter. Petty traders swarmed all over the country; the posts +which were established in the interior to cope with them traded freely +with the natives, in order to secure their furs from competitors. Thus +the immense sacrifices which the Company had made to obtain a +monopoly, as they imagined, yielded them no advantage whatever; and +repeated defalcations on the part of the natives, induced them to +curtail their advances at their principal station. The natives, +however, found no difficulty in procuring their requisites in exchange +for their furs, either from the posts belonging to the Company in the +interior, or from the opposition; for they were, with few exceptions, +of the same character as the individual already alluded to. + +The Indian whom I mentioned as residing in the neighbourhood of the +establishment arrived, late in autumn, from the Lake, where he could +not obtain a charge of ammunition on credit. I supplied all his wants +liberally, knowing him to be a good hunter, though a notorious rogue; +and he set out for his hunting grounds, to all appearance well +pleased. + +In the course of the winter a Yankee adventurer opened a "grog shop," +within a short distance of the depôt, who appeared to have no +objection to a beaver's skin in exchange for his commodities. My +Indian debtor returned in the month of March, with a tolerable "hunt," +and pitched his tent midway between the post and my Yankee neighbour. +I called upon the Indian immediately for payment, which he told me I +should receive on the morrow. I went accordingly at the time +appointed, and was annoyed to find that he had already disposed of a +part of his furs for the Yankee's whiskey; and I therefore demanded +payment in a tone of voice which clearly indicated that I was in +earnest. To-morrow was mentioned again; but having come with the +determination of being satisfied on the spot, I seized, without +further ceremony, what furs remained, and throwing them out of the +wigwam to my man, who was placed there to receive them, I remained +within, to bear the brunt of the Indian's resentment, should he show +any, until my man had secured the prize. I was well prepared to defend +myself, in case of any violence being offered. Nothing of the kind was +attempted, however; and I took my leave, after sustaining a volley of +abuse, which did me no harm. The Indian paid me a visit next morning, +for the purpose of settling accounts, a small balance being due to +him, which, at his own request, was paid in rum. I soon after received +another visit, for nectar, on credit; this request I granted. + +The visits, however, were repeated so often for the same purpose, that +I at length found it advisable to give a denial, by proxy, not wishing +to part on bad terms with him, if possible, on account of the spring +hunt. I absented myself from the house, having instructed my +interpreter how to act. I took my station in a small grove of pines, +close by, watching for the appointed signal to apprise me of the +departure of the Indian. My attention was suddenly arrested by most +doleful cries at the house; and presently the voice of my interpreter +was heard, calling me loudly by name. I ran at the top of my speed, +and arrived just in time to save the life of a poor old woman, who had +been making sugar in my neighbourhood. I found the father and two +sons, both approaching manhood, in a complete state of nudity, dancing +round the body of their victim (to all appearance dead), their bodies +besmeared with blood, and exulting in the barbarous deed they had +committed. My interpreter informed me, that as soon as they observed +the old woman approaching the house, the Christian father told his +sons that now was the time to take revenge for the death of their +brother, whose life had been destroyed by this woman's "bad medicine." +We drove the wretches away, and carried the miserable woman into the +house; and so dreadfully bruised and mangled were her head and face, +that not the least trace of her features could be distinguished. At +the end of a month she recovered sufficiently to crawl about. Her son +passed in the spring, with an excellent hunt. When I related to him +the manner his mother had been treated by the Indians, and the care I +had taken of her, he coolly replied that he was sure they were bad +Indians. "It was very charitable of you," said he, "to have taken so +much care of the old woman. Come to my wigwam next winter, and I shall +trade with you, and treat you well." In the meantime every skin he had +went to our opponents, although he was deeply indebted to the Company. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +TRIP TO FORT COULONGE--MR. GODIN--NATIVES. + + +A large canoe arrived from Montreal about the latter end of June, by +which I received orders to proceed to Fort Coulonge, situated about +eighty miles higher up the Ottawa, to relieve the person then in +charge of that post. I accordingly embarked in the same canoe, +accompanied by my young friend Mr. MacDougal, who joined me last +autumn, and who kindly volunteered to proceed along with me to my +destination. This canoe was under the charge of people hired for the +trip, and directed by the bowsman, or guide. I soon discovered that I +was considered merely as a piece of live lumber on board. My companion +and myself were reduced to the necessity of cooking our own victuals, +or of going without them. We pitched our tent as best we could, and +packed it up in the morning without the slightest offer of assistance +from the crew. + +No incident worthy of notice occurred until we reached the Grand +Calumet Portage, the longest on the Ottawa River. The crew slept at +the further end of the portage, whither the canoe and part of the +cargo had been carried during the day, and we pitched our tent there +also in the usual awkward manner. The weather was very fine in the +evening, but soon after night-fall a tremendous storm burst upon us: +our tent was blown about our ears in an instant. We endeavoured to +compose ourselves to rest underneath, but found it impracticable. We +then attempted to pitch it anew, but our strength and ingenuity were +not sufficient for the purpose. We tried afterwards to find shelter +under the canoe (the rain pouring in torrents), but the crew were +already in possession, and so closely packed, that not an inch was +unoccupied. Thus baffled on every hand, we passed the night completely +exposed to the "pelting of the pitiless storm," learning a lesson of +practical philosophy which I have not yet forgotten. + +We arrived at Fort Coulonge early the next day, when a portly old +gentleman, bearing a paunch that might have done credit to an +Edinburgh baillie, came puffing down to the landing-place to receive +us. We soon discovered that Mr. Godin was only "nominally" in charge +of the establishment, for that his daughter, a stout, masculine-looking +wench, full thirty summers blown, possessed what little authority was +required for the management of affairs. + +We arrived on Wednesday. The father proposed setting out for Montreal +on Friday; the daughter objected the ill luck of the day: it was +finally determined that they should embark on Thursday, however late. +The necessary preparations were immediately commenced under her +ladyship's superintendence, and being completed late in the evening, +they embarked, leaving me perfectly alone. The contracts with the men +had just expired, which I proposed to renew, but the answer from one +and all was, "I shall follow my bourgeois." This was the result of the +old gentleman's arrangements (having been ordered off contrary to his +wishes), and which might have been anticipated by those who appointed +me to the situation; but it would have been derogatory to the exalted +rank of their highnesses to bestow any consideration on such trivial +matters as related to the comfort or convenience of a paltry +apprentice! Their neglect, however, might have been attended on this +occasion with serious consequences to the Company's interests, as I +had never seen any of the Indians of that quarter before, and knew +very little of their mode of trading. It was a fortunate circumstance +for myself that I understood the language sufficiently well to +converse with the natives, otherwise my situation would have been +disagreeable in the extreme. I remained alone until the latter end of +July, when I was joined by an English lad, whom I induced by the +promise of high wages to leave his former employers (lumbermen) and +share my solitude. + +The history of my predecessor being rather singular, a few words here +regarding him may perhaps not be considered out of place. He commenced +his career as a hired servant, or Voyageur, as they are termed in the +country, and was thirty years of age before he knew a letter of the +alphabet. Being a man possessed of strong natural parts, and great +bodily strength withal, he soon distinguished himself as an under +trader of uncommon tact,--his prowess as a pugilist also gave him a +very decided advantage in the field of competition. Endowed with such +qualifications, his services were duly appreciated by the traders, and +he knew full well how to turn them to his own advantage. He served all +parties alike; that is, he served each in turn, and cheated and +deceived them all. + +After the organization of the North-West Company, he entered their +service; and returning to the same quarter, Temiscamingue, where he +had wintered for his last employer, he passed the post unperceived, +and falling in with a band of Indians, whom he himself had supplied +the preceding autumn, told them he still belonged to the same party, +and traded all their furs on the spot. The North-West Company gave him +charge of a post, when his subtle management soon cleared the country +of opposition. + +The natives of Temiscamingue were in those times very treacherous, as +they would be at this day, did they not dread the consequences; +several men had been murdered by them, and they at length became +exceedingly bold and daring in deeds of violence. One example is +sufficient:--Godin happened, on one occasion, to remain at his post +with only one man, who attended the nets,--fish being the staff of +life in that quarter. Visiting them regularly every day to procure his +own and his master's subsistence, his return was one morning delayed +much beyond the usual time. Godin felt so anxious, that he determined +on going to the fishery to learn the cause; and just as he had quitted +the house with that intention, he met an Indian who had been for some +time encamped in the vicinity, and asked him-- + +"What news?" + +"I have killed a white dog this morning," was the reply. + +"Indeed!" said Godin, feigning ignorance of the Indian's meaning: +"Pray, to whom did he belong?" + +"He was a stray dog, I believe." + +Conversing with him in this strain, he threw the Indian completely off +his guard, while he approached him until he was sufficiently near him +for his purpose, when, raising his powerful arm, he struck the savage +a blow under the ear that felled him to the ground,--he fell to rise +no more. The next moment, a couple of well-disposed Indians came to +inform Godin of the murder of his man, which it appeared they could +not prevent. "My children," said he, with the utmost composure, "the +Master of life has punished your kinsman on the spot for taking the +life of a white man; he told me just now that he had killed a white +dog, and had scarcely finished the sentence when he fell down dead at +my feet. Feel his body, it must be still warm; examine it, and satisfy +yourselves that he has suffered no violence from me, and you see that +I have no weapons about me." + +Godin was soon afterwards removed to Fort Coulonge, and was allowed a +high salary by the North-West Company. Here he learned to read and +write, and married a fair countrywoman of his own, who resided the +greater part of the time in Montreal, where, to make the gentleman's +establishment complete, he had the good taste to introduce his +mistress. A circumstance that presents his character in its true +colours made his wife acquainted with his infidelity. Writing to both +his ladies at the same time, he unwittingly addressed his mistress's +letter to his wife, by which she learnt, with other matters, that a +present of ten prime otters had been sent to her rival. The enraged +wife carried the letter to Mr. Thane, from whom, however, she met with +a very different reception to what she had anticipated. After perusing +the letter, he ordered her immediately out of his presence. "Begone, +vile woman!" he exclaimed: "What! would you really wish to see your +husband hanged?" + +The Company were well aware of Godin's tricks, but winked at them on +account of his valuable services. He was removed from Fort Coulonge in +consequence of mismanagement, (occasioned by aberration of his mental +faculties,) and was allowed by the Company to retire with a pension of +100l. per annum. The transcript of a public letter, addressed to Mr. +Thane, will show his attainments in literature; and, with this I shall +close my sketch of Mr. Godin:-- + + "Mon'r Tane, + + "Cher Mon'r, + + "Vot letre ma té livie par Guiaume dean aisi qui + le butin tout a bon ord le Shauvages on ben travaié + set anne et bon aparans de bon retour st. anne Dieu + merci je ne jami vu tant de moustique et de maragoen + com il en a st anne je pens desend st anne ver le meme + tan com l'anné pasé. + + "Je sui, + + "Cher Mon'r, &c. + + "JOSEPH GODIN." + +The Indians attached to this post speak the Sauteux language, and are +denominated "Tetes des Boules" by the French, and "Men of the Woods" +by the other Indians. Although so near to priests and ministers, they +are still Pagans, but are nevertheless a quiet harmless race, and +excellent hunters. The greater part of them originally belonged to +Temiscamingue, and were drawn to this quarter by Mr. Godin. A +considerable number of Algonquins also trade here, where they pass the +greater part of their lives without visiting the Lake. The people +appear to me to differ in no respect from their heathen brethren, save +in the very negligent observance of certain external forms of worship, +and in being more enlightened in the arts of deceiving and lying. + +About the middle of August, I was gratified by the arrival of Mr. +Godin's interpreter, and three men, by whom I received letters from +head-quarters, informing me that my neighbours of last winter intended +to establish posts in this quarter also, and that I should soon be +joined by a strong reinforcement of men, to enable me to cope +successfully with them. We complain of solitude in the Indian forests, +yet the vicinity of such a neighbour is considered the greatest evil; +and instead of cherishing the feelings enjoined in the Decalogue, one +hates his neighbour as the d----l, and employs every means to get rid +of him. + +The natives having been all supplied, had taken their departure for +their hunting-grounds by the latter end of August; I then commenced +making the arrangements requisite for the coming contest. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +SUPERSEDED--FEELINGS ON THE OCCASION--MORE OPPOSITION--Æ. +MACDONELL--TACTICS--MELANCHOLY DEATH OF AN INDIAN. + + +About the middle of September, I observed a north canoe paddling in +for the landing-place, having a gentleman passenger on board, who +immediately on landing ordered his servant to carry his baggage up to +the Fort. On his entering the house, the apparent mystery was soon +unfolded. Mr. Siviright handed me a letter from Mr. Thane, conveying +the agreeable Intelligence of my being superseded by the +bearer,--commanding me to obey him as my bourgeois, and to conduct +myself in such a manner as to give Mr. S. every satisfaction. The +latter injunction I felt very little inclination to comply with at the +time; in fact, the slight put upon me caused my northern blood to rise +to fever heat; and in this excited frame of mind I sat down to reply +to the "great man's" communication, in which I gave vent to my injured +feelings in very plain language. What he may have thought of the +epistle, I know not, as he never deigned to reply. It was +inconsiderate in me, however, to have so acted; but prudence had not +yet assumed her due influence over me. + +Mr. S. had been at that time twenty-four years in the service, I only +three; he had therefore a superior claim to any I could advance: but +why not inform me at once that my appointment to the charge was merely +temporary? This double dealing manifested a distrust of me, for which +no cause could possibly be assigned: that excited my resentment, and +not the circumstance of being superseded. + +Towards the latter end of the month of September, our opponents made +their appearance in three small canoes, while I embarked in pursuit +with the same number. One of my north canoes was in charge of three +men, the others contained two, counting myself as a man. Having become +rather expert as an amateur voyageur, I considered myself capable of +undertaking the real duty now, and accordingly volunteered my services +as steersman, as no additional hand could be spared, without great +inconvenience to my bourgeois. A little experience convinced me, +however, that my zeal exceeded my ability. My opponent was in a light +canoe, and moved, about with a celerity that my utmost exertions could +not cope with; for as soon as an Indian canoe appeared, he paddled off +for it; I of course attempted to compete, but generally arrived just +in time to find that he had already concluded his transaction with the +hunters. + +We reached Black River on the third day from Fort Coulonge, where it +appeared my opponent's intention to remain for some time, to await the +arrival of certain Indians who were expected down by that river. I +determined therefore to despatch a canoe to Fort Coulonge, to acquaint +Mr. S with the particulars above related; and sent back therewith such +of the property as I thought could be dispensed with at the time, as +it was quite evident we could not keep up with our opponent in the +portages with such a quantity of baggage as we then had, and we could +obtain no information that could be depended upon as to their ultimate +destination--it might be at the distance of a hundred miles, or only +ten. + +My messengers were but two days absent; and I was not a little +mortified to learn from them, that Mr. S., instead of attending to my +suggestions, not only returned all the property I had sent, but nearly +an equal quantity in addition. He wrote me his reasons for doing so; +but I felt assured that he had no other object in view than to show me +that he was the superior, I the subordinate; and I resolved from that +moment, to perform no more extra duty. + +After continuing a fortnight at our encampment, we again embarked, +when I ordered the third man in the large canoe into my own, and +tossing my paddle down stream, took my station in the middle of my +canoe. A few hours' paddling brought us to an old shanty in the island +of Allumette, where, to my great joy, I perceived my opponent intended +to fix his winter quarters. We accordingly commenced erecting a couple +of huts, a store, and dwelling-house, in close proximity to him. This +being the best season of the year for the natives to hunt, it was the +interest of all parties not to molest them; and we therefore employed +our time in preparing suitable accommodation for the winter. + +On the completion of our arrangements, I set out, about the beginning +of October, on a visit to Fort Coulonge; and on the day after my +arrival there we observed a north canoe paddling slowly past, and +distinguished the features of every individual on board through a +telescope, but could recognise no one: however, to clear up the doubt, +the interpreter was sent after them in a small canoe, with +instructions to make a close scrutiny. They no sooner discovered that +he was in pursuit, than they ceased paddling. After a long +confabulation he learned that they were proceeding to Sault St. Marie, +where they intended to settle. I passed two days with my bourgeois, +and returned home, where we--our opponents and ourselves--watched each +other's movements, being our only occupation until the end of +November, when Mr. S. paid me a visit, which proved anything but +gratifying. + + +He (Mr. S.) had learned from some lumbermen, that the "Settlers for +the Sault Ste. Marie" were an opposition party conducted by Mr. Æneas +Macdonell, my predecessor at the Chats; and that he purposed to +_settle_ for the winter near Lac des Allumettes. This gentleman's +engagement had been cancelled at the earnest solicitation of his +father, whom death had lately deprived of another son; and who now, to +requite the favour granted to him by the Company, sent this son in +opposition! We had barely a sufficient number of men to perform the +necessary duties of the two posts already established; we were, +therefore, completely at a loss to meet this emergency. Mr. S. could +spare one man only from his own post, whom he brought up to me. + +I embarked early next morning with one of my own men, in search of the +"settler." On reaching Lac des Allumettes on the same evening, our +attention was arrested by the voices of Indians, singing on an island. +We immediately pulled in for the spot, and found a large camp of +Algonquins, men, women and children, all in a state of intoxication; +from whom I learned, though with much difficulty, the whereabouts of +Macdonell's retreat. Quitting this disgusting scene as speedily as +possible, we resumed our paddles, and soon afterwards discovered the +opposition post. When we landed, my quondam mess-mate advanced to +receive me, and, after a cordial shake of the hand, kindly invited me +to pass the night with him. I gladly accepted the offer; and was not a +little concerned to perceive that his preparations for winter were +already complete; a circumstance which gave him a decided advantage. +Happening in the course of conversation to express my surprise at +seeing him in the character of an opponent, he told me that nothing +could be farther from his intention than to oppose the Company. He +came to this quarter for the purpose of preparing timber for the +Quebec market; in provincial phrase, "to make a shanty." But I knew +well enough his designs. + +I started early next morning on my return, and immediately thereafter +prepared a small outfit; and re-embarked next evening with five men in +two canoes, leaving the interpreter in charge of the post, with one +man to assist him. + +Having experienced very bad weather on our way, and consequently some +delay, we did not reach our new station until late in the evening of +the fourth day. I immediately sent back two of the men to the +interpreter, and retained three with myself, which placed me on a par +with my opponent in point of numbers. But he was now ready for active +operations, while I had every thing to prepare. I resolved, however, +to forego every personal comfort and convenience rather than allow him +to enjoy any advantage over me. I accordingly assisted in erecting a +small hut, which I intended should serve for dwelling-house for myself +and men, trading-shop, store and all. + +A couple of days after our arrival, Macdonell was seen walking down to +the water's edge with a very cautious step, accompanied by one of his +men, bearing his canoe, basket fashion, on one arm, and a large bundle +on the other, from which, notwithstanding his steady pace, the +jumbling sound of liquor was distinctly heard. + +"Holla, Mac, where are you going with your basket?" + +"Why, I am going across to Herd's shanty, to get my axes ground." + +"My dear fellow, how can you think of risking yourself in such a +gimcrack contrivance as that? I must absolutely send a couple of my +men along with you to see no accident happens to you." + +Having a parcel of goods ready for emergencies of this kind, my men +started in a moment, and embarked at the same time as my neighbour. I +continued with my only man completing my castle; but the earth being +already hard frozen, no clay could be obtained for the purpose of +plastering; the interstices between the logs were therefore caulked +with moss; a large aperture being left in the roof to serve the +double purpose of chimney and window. I had formerly seen houses so +constructed--somewhere--but let no one dare to imagine that I allude +to "my own, my native land." Stones were piled up against the logs, to +protect them from the fire. The timber required for floor, door, and +beds, was all prepared with the axe; our building being thus rendered +habitable without even going to the extent of Lycurgus' frugal laws, +for the axe was our only implement. + +My opponent returned in four days, having been at an Indian camp, not +far distant, where both he and our people traded a considerable +quantity of furs. This was our only trip by open water. As soon as the +river became ice-bound, we were again in motion. + +To enter into minute details of our various movements would but prove +tedious; I shall therefore present a general sketch of our mode of +life at this period, and such occurrences as I may consider worthy of +note. + +Macdonell had chosen his situation with great judgment. The majority +of the Algonquins take their start from the Grand River at this place +for their hunting-grounds. Some of them not being more than a day's +journey distant from us, the joyful intelligence soon spread amongst +them that an opposition party had been established in their +neighbourhood; they accordingly flocked about us as soon as travelling +became practicable on the ice, and generally brought with them the +means of ensuring a friendly reception. One party came in at this +early season with all their fall hunts, which they bartered for +liquors and provisions, and encamped close by, enjoying themselves, +until an event occurred that alarmed them so much, (being with some +reason considered by them as a punishment for the wicked life they had +led,) that with the utmost precipitation they struck their camp. + +I was joined early in the month of January by a party of men and a +clerk, whom Mr. S. had ordered, or rather "requested," from Montreal; +and having, on the day of their arrival, received an invitation from +one of our Algonquin chiefs to pay him a _trading_ visit, I started +next day, leaving Mr. Lane in charge, accompanied by two men, and +reached the chief's wigwam late in the evening. As soon as I was +seated, he asked me if I had not met the Matawin Indians. On my +replying in the negative, he informed me that they had passed his +place early in the morning, loaded with furs, and that they expressed +their intention of proceeding to the post before they halted. These +Indians had all been supplied by myself in autumn to a large amount; +so that the intelligence acted on my nerves like an electric shock. I +felt much fatigued on entering the lodge, but I now sprung to my feet, +as fresh for the journey as when I had commenced it; and ordering one +of my men to return with me, left the other, an experienced hand, to +manage affairs with the chief. + +I arrived at my post about two next morning, when I found the Indians, +some at our hut, some at our opponent's, all of them approaching the +climax of Indian happiness, and Mr. Lane in a state of mind bordering +on distraction. Neither he nor any of the men had ever seen any of +these Indians before, nor did they understand a word of the language. +The Indians were honest enough, however, to give him their furs in +charge till my return; reserving only a small quantity to dispose of +at discretion. My arrival was soon announced at my neighbour's, and +brought the whole bevy about me in an instant, only one individual +remaining behind. On inquiring into the cause of his absence, his +companions replied that he had fallen asleep immediately after he had +supped, and that they did not wish to disturb him. + +A few hours afterwards I was not a little surprised to see my +neighbour entering our hut hurriedly, who addressed me thus:-- + +"My dear Mac, it is true we are in opposition, but no enmity exists +between us. A dreadful misfortune happened in my house last +night.--Come and see!" + +I instantly complied with his request; proceeded to his hut, and saw +the Indian who was said to be asleep, with his eyes closed--for ever; +a sad spectacle, for it was evident that the death of the poor wretch +had been caused by intemperance; he was found in the morning lying on +his face, and his body already stiff. We were both alike involved in +the same awful responsibility, for the Indians drank as much at one +house as the other, though his death occurred at the establishment of +the other party. The Company only permit the sale of liquors to the +natives when the presence of opponents renders it an indispensable +article of trade, as it is by this unhallowed traffic that the petty +traders realize their greatest profit. Yet this plea of necessity, +however satisfactory it may appear in a certain quarter, will not, +I feel assured, be accepted in our vindication by the world, nor +hereafter in our justification at that tribunal where worldly +considerations have no influence. Information soon reached the camp of +the calamity that had happened, which promptly silenced the clamorous +mirth that prevailed; and the voice of mourning succeeded--the Indians +being all in good crying trim, that is, intoxicated; for I have never +seen an Indian shed a tear when sober. + +No more liquor was traded; the relatives of the deceased departed with +the body to the Lake of Two Mountains, and the other Indians started +for their hunting-grounds--thus granting us a short respite from +the arduous duties in which we had been engaged. While the Indians +remained about us we never enjoyed a moment's refreshing rest, our hut +being crowded with them night and day. It was at times with difficulty +we could prepare our victuals, or, when cooked, command sufficient +time to partake of a hasty meal, in the midst of the "living mass" +that environed us. All this was extremely annoying; but other comforts +must be added ere this picture of the life we then led is complete. +The motions of our opponents must needs be attended to, at dawn of +day; each morning every path was carefully examined, to ascertain that +no one had started during night: these precautions were also +punctually taken by our opponents; and every stratagem that could be +devised to elude each other's vigilance put in practice, it being the +"interest" of each party to reach the Indians alone. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +ACTIVITY OF OUR OPPONENTS--VIOLENT CONDUCT OF AN INDIAN--NARROW +ESCAPE--ARTIFICE--TRIP TO INDIAN'S LODGE--STUPIDITY OF INTERPRETER. + + +When we discovered that our opponents had outwitted us, we would +despatch messengers in pursuit; and I need scarcely add, the same +means were resorted to by our neighbours, when inquisitive about +our movements. We had now the advantage in point of numbers, being +nearly two to one; yet it so happened that we seldom could perform +a trip unattended; very frequently by a single man against two or +three--still he got his share; for the system of trade in this quarter +does not allow violent means being employed to obtain possession of +the products of the hunt. The mode of procedure is this:--On entering +the lodge of an Indian, you present him with a small keg of nectar, as +a propitiatory offering; then, in suppliant tones, request payment of +the debt he may owe you, which he probably defers to a future day--the +day of judgment. If your opponent be present, you dare not open your +lips in objection to the delay; for you may offend his dignity, and +consequently lose all his furs. This you are aware of, and accordingly +proceed to untie your pack, and exposing its contents to view, solicit +him to give, at least, the preference in trade. Your opponent, on the +other side of the fire-place, having also poured out his libation, +imitates your example in every respect; and most probably he may +secure the wife, while you engage the husband as customers. + +A few weeks elapsed without the arrival of any hunters, and we were +beginning to recover from the effects of our late fatigues, when a +numerous band arrived from a considerable distance, and encamped on +the same spot that had been occupied by those lately noticed, and the +same riotous scenes were again enacted, although these new comers were +fully aware of the misfortune that had already occurred in consequence +of similar disgusting intemperance. + +Among this band was a son of the principal sachem of the Algonquins, +who was acknowledged heir apparent to his _dad's vermin_, and who +assumed the airs of a man of great consequence, in virtue of his +prospective dignity. The father bore a respectable character; the son +was a sot. In consideration of his furs, however, I paid him some +little attentions, though much against my inclination. He came one +evening reeling into our hut, more than "half-seas over," having been +thus far advanced on his voyage to Elysium through the insinuating +influences of my opponent's "fire-water;" and seating himself on a +three-legged stool, close to the fire-place, he soon began to nod; +then, losing his equilibrium, ultimately fell at full length on the +floor. I could not suppress a smile at sight of his copper highness's +prostrate position, when springing up in a furious passion, he seized +an axe, and proceeded to demolish the seat. I wrested the axe from his +grasp, and reprimanded him sharply for his insolence. This exasperated +him to the utmost: he swore I was in league with the stool to insult +him; but that he should be revenged on us both before morning. +Uttering these menaces, he set out for the camp. + +It so happened that a strong party of men arrived on that evening from +Fort Coulonge with supplies, and were huddled together with myself +and my men, all under the same roof. The greater part of them lay +down to rest; but a few still continued the vigil, indulging in the +favourite luxury of smoking, and chatting about the enjoyments of +"Mont-rial,"--when, all of a sudden, the dread-inspiring war-whoop +echoed through our little hut; the next instant the door flew off +its wooden hinges, and fell with a crash on the floor, exhibiting to +view the person of the Indian, standing on the threshold, holding a +double-barrelled gun in his hand, with blackened face and his eyes +flashing fire. + +The men had now all started to their feet, as well as myself. The +moment the eyes of the savage fell upon me, in the midst of the crowd, +he brought the piece to bear upon me, or at least attempted to do +so; but I sprang upon him with a bound, and beat the muzzle down; +instantly the discharge followed: we then struggled for the possession +of the gun, which I quickly wrested from his grasp; and, applying the +butt end of it "gently" to his ear, laid him sprawling at my feet. + +On the discharge of the gun, I heard a voice calling out, "Mon Dieu!" +and another, in a plaintive tone, exclaiming, "Ah mon garçon!" This +was all I heard distinctly, when every voice joined in one cry, +"Tueons le crapaud;" and presently the wretched Indian was kicked +and cuffed by as many as could press round him. I called on them to +desist--as well have spoken to the wind!--not a soul heeded my orders. +At length one of them observed, "What occasion is there for more +beating of him--the black dog is dead enough." + +I looked about for the person whom I supposed to have been wounded, +in vain--the whole mass was in motion. As soon as the tumult had +subsided, however, I was glad to find that no one had received any +serious injury; the ball had grazed the thigh of a youth (who had +arrived from Montreal on a visit to his father), and lodged in a log +of the building. + +The uproar occasioned by the men soon brought the Indians from the +camp about the hut; and perceiving the apparently lifeless body +stretched on the floor, they raised a yell that was reverberated by +the surrounding hills. "Revenge! revenge!" shouted every savage +present. We mustered too strong, however, to permit their threats +being put into execution without great hazard to themselves; which +fact pressed itself so powerfully on their minds, that for the present +they discreetly vented their rage in abuse, and returned to their +quarters. Satisfied by the feeble beating of the Indian's pulse that +the vital spark was not extinct, I would not allow his kinsmen to +remove him. Towards morning, recovering the use of speech, he +inquired, in a voice scarcely audible, if he "had shed the blood of a +white man?" I replied in the affirmative. "Then," said he, "it would +have been better had you despatched me at once, for I shall certainly +be hanged." + +With the view of pacifying the natives, I deemed it advisable to +represent the young man's wound as very severe, and exercised my wits +to give my representation the semblance of truth. I caused the young +man's leg to be carefully bandaged; and, luckily, happening to have +a fresh beaver in the house, the bandage was speedily besmeared with +its blood, and the sound patient placed in bed, with instructions how +to act his part. The Indians returned early on the following morning +to inquire after their young chief, and being all perfectly sober, +I descanted on the calamity of the previous night, describing _my_ +young man's case to be of such a serious nature as to induce the +apprehension that death, or at least amputation of the limb, would be +the consequence. In confirmation of the veracity of this statement, +the afflicted leg was exposed to view, while the patient's groans, +which impressed on the minds of the bystanders the conviction of the +pain he endured, prevented too close a scrutiny. + +"Alas!" they exclaimed, "it is all very true. Wagh! this is indeed a +sad business; but the bad fire-water is to blame for it all." + +My stratagem had succeeded. Most of the natives acknowledged the +justice of the punishment inflicted on their young chief, who had a +brother present, however, whose sullen countenance betrayed the +vindictive feelings in his breast, although he maintained a profound +silence. + +The Fort Coulonge party started early next day, dragging their wounded +companion on a sled, until they were out of sight. The relatives of +the chief removed him to the camp, where he soon recovered. All the +other Indians took their departure on the day following the affray. +Shortly afterwards we were favoured with a visit from one whose +hunting-grounds bordered on Rice Lake, a distance of 150 miles. I +had advanced this Indian all the supplies he required previous to +Mr. Siviright's arrival, which formed a pretty large amount. On +examining the books, he animadverted upon the advance in terms of +disapprobation, as being very imprudent to risk so much with an +Indian. Most gratified and happy was I then to learn from the hunter +that he had sufficient to liquidate the debt, and nearly as much more +to trade. On making out his requisition for the latter purpose, it was +found that four sleds at least would be required for the transport of +all the property. To employ this number in one direction, however, +would leave my neighbour at liberty to prosecute his views in another +quarter without the necessary attendance. Still, I determined on +risking a point, and securing at all hazards the valuable prize now +offered. Obtaining a _piece_ at the sacrifice of a _pawn_ is +considered good play. + +I proceeded accordingly with the Indian, accompanied by four men, +all with heavily laden sleds, with a pack of goods strapped over my +shoulders weighing eighty pounds. Macdonell did not follow, as the +Indian gave him no encouragement. We reached the Indian's lodge on the +eleventh day from the post, when the abundant display of furs I beheld +gave assurance of being amply remunerated for my trip. There were +eleven packs of beaver piled upon a scaffold, besides some others, +amounting to at least 600l. sterling. My hospitable customer detained +me two days with him to partake of his good cheer. After settling +accounts with him, together with payment of the sum he owed, seven of +the eleven packs were placed in my possession, with which I started on +my return, as proud as if I had been advanced to a share in the +Company. + +We arrived at the post after an absence of twenty-five days; and I +was mortified to learn that my substitute had most stupidly bungled +affairs. A number of Indians had come in during my absence who were +considered our best friends, and entering our hut without noticing our +opponent, threw down their bundles, thereby clearly indicating, +according to the usual custom, their intention of trading with one +party only. On the other hand, should they leave a bundle at the door, +it shows that they intend to divide its contents between two parties. +With these particulars the interpreter's experience rendered him +perfectly well acquainted, but he "cau'd na be fasht." + +It is customary when the Indians arrive, to present each with a pipe, +a plug of tobacco, and, though last, not least in their estimation, "a +dram." The usual _politesse_ was expected as a matter of course on +this occasion. Seeing it was not forthcoming, the Indians demanded it. +They were answered that no instructions had been left to that effect. + +"Very well," said they, "we shall soon find it elsewhere." And away +they went. + +Macdonell received them with open arms. His reception not only induced +them to trade every skin they had brought with them, but they also +invited him to their camp; and he consequently returned with his own +and his men's sleds laden with furs. + +I learnt all these particulars from himself; for he and I were on as +good terms as the nature of our occupation and our relative positions +would admit. I was, moreover, made acquainted through him that the +Indians had expressed regret at my absence, and that an immense +quantity of "beaver" still remained at their camp. + +The spring was now fast approaching, the ice so bad as to render +travelling dangerous, and but little snow on the ground. Still, I +determined on paying a visit to these Indians, in order to retrieve +the loss, if possible, sustained through the mismanagement of the +interpreter. They might yet be in want of some supplies, poor fellows; +and we were all so anxious they should want for nothing we could spare +for their accommodation;--we, therefore, good, humane souls, supplied +them even at the hazard of our lives. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +EXPEDITION TO THE BEAR'S DEN--PASSAGE THROUGH THE SWAMP--CUNNING OF +THE INDIANS--A SCUFFLE--ITS RESULTS. + + +I set off on this trip accompanied by another interpreter recently +sent from Montreal, and one of my men, all with heavy burdens on our +backs, the season not allowing the use of sledges. The second day we +arrived at an Indian lodge about half-way to the Bear's Camp, where I +learned that our opponent at the lower outpost had given our people +the slip, but had been induced to return from the supposition that +the extensive swamp in his way was impassable, being so inundated as +to present the appearance of a lake. Urged on, however, by youthful +ardour and ambition, I determined to make at least one attempt ere I +relinquished the enterprise; although I acknowledge that the idea of +overcoming difficulties deemed insurmountable by an opponent, had as +much to do with the resolution as the desire of doing my duty. +Followed by my men, I accordingly plunged in, along the margin of the +marsh; the water reached our middle, but we found it to decrease in +depth as we proceeded, though never below the knee. The water being +very cold, our legs soon became quite benumbed; nevertheless we moved +onward. A certain passage in history occurred to my mind, which +records the perseverance of a great man in a like situation. I too +persevered, though with a different object in view. We all have our +hobbies. I waded for furs, he for glory. We occasionally met with +large trunks of trees as we proceeded, on which we mounted, and +restored the circulation to our limbs by stamping upon them; and thus, +after five or six hours' painful exertion we reached dry land, where a +rousing fire and a hearty breakfast made us soon forget the miseries +of the swamp. + +We reached the old _bear's den_ next evening, who, with his party, +expressed much surprise to see me at such a season, and in recompense +for my exertions, "traded"[1] every article of goods I had. + + [1] _Anglicè_,--bought. + +There were here seven Indians, who, notwithstanding the frequent +visits that had been paid them, in the course of the winter, by the +people of the lower posts, had still upwards of forty packs of beaver. +I got one pack, with which I set off on my return, pleased enough. +We found the water in the swamp so far subsided as to permit an easy +passage; but the ice on the Grand River was so much worse that we were +compelled to travel in the woods the greater part of the way. + +On arriving at the post, I found the opposition party in active +preparation for their departure, Macdonell having received orders +from his father to that effect. He embarked as soon as the navigation +became practicable. Opponent as he was, I experienced some painful +sensations at parting with him; but soon had the _consolation_ to see +our opponent at the lower post occupy his place,--a measure which he +ought to have adopted at a much earlier period, as even then it gave +him a much better chance for a share of the spring trade than below, +where he might be said to be placed between two fires. His removal, +however, enabled us to concentrate our whole strength against him, so +that he could not move a foot without a strong party at his heels. +Thus circumstanced, he chose to await the arrival of the natives +quietly at his post, and we were happy to follow his example. + +The spring passed in a happy state of quiescence, which was scarcely +disturbed by the arrival of the Indians, who, this year, had all +taken a fancy to visit their ghostly fathers at the Lake,[1] and had, +consequently, no time to spend with us; some intending to get married, +some having children to be baptized, and some carrying their dead, in +order that the last sacred rites for the benefit of their departed +spirits might be performed upon them. A few _têtes de boules_ remained +for some time, but under so strict a surveillance that they could +seldom communicate with our opponents without being observed, and the +discovery subjected them to some chastisement. + + [1] Of the Two Mountains. + +I shall here relate a circumstance that occurred at this time, as an +example of the cunning of the Indians in devising plans to evade us. +Soon after their arrival, an old squaw brought to our house several +casseaux[1] of sugar, and pointing out one, which she said was left open +for immediate consumption, said she would return for it presently. She +came next day and took the casseaux down to the tent of the Algonquin +chief, who had passed the spring close by, and was now building a +canoe, preparatory to his departure for the Lake. Soon after I went +to have a chat with the chief, and found only his squaw at home. I +observed the casseau, and asked for what purpose it was brought there. +"Mine hostess" smiled, and answered, "You ought to know everything +about it, when it has just quitted your house and passed the night +with you. You whites pretend to be very cunning," she continued, "but +when an Indian, or even an old squaw tries to cheat you, your 'white' +knowledge is no match for her. Now look into that casseau, Anamatik,[2] +and see what is in it." + + [1] Packages made of bark. + + [2] My Indian cognomen. + +I looked, and found, instead of sugar, a very valuable bundle of furs. + +"What do you think of the sugar?" + +"Oh, it is very fine indeed; so much finer than any that I have, that +I must take it along with me." + +"Your white neighbour will be angry with you, for it is left here for +him." + +"Let him come to my house if he wants any." + +I set off with my prize, and as soon as it was deposited in a place of +safety, took up a favourable position to watch my opponent, whom I +soon perceived making for the tent with long and rapid strides. I +could not help laughing heartily at the idea of his disappointment, +when told what had happened. The "fair deceiver," to whom the bone of +contention had belonged, soon made her appearance with downcast looks, +humbly entreating payment for her furs, and I paid her the full +amount, after lecturing her severely on the treachery of her conduct +_in doing "what she willed with her own._" + +My opponent embarked on the 10th June, and I immediately followed him +to the lower post, which he left in charge of one man, and then set +off for Montreal. I kept him company as far as Fort Coulonge, where I +met with a very friendly reception from my bourgeois,--the collected +trade of the different posts having far exceeded his most sanguine +expectations. He set out for Montreal with returns of the value +of 5,000l. sterling, and left me in charge for the summer at Fort +Coulonge, and Mr. Lane at the outpost. Only one family of Algonquins +passed the summer inland,--the same miscreants that had nearly +murdered the old woman at the Chats; a deed which I had neither +forgotten, nor could divest myself of the feelings of indignation it +had awakened in my breast. + +In the course of the summer, the interpreter of the post being in want +of some paddles, employed this exemplary father to make them, and paid +for them in rum. The quantity was so small, however, that it only had +the effect of exciting their thirst, and they returned early in the +night for more, which was peremptorily refused. The doors were bolted, +and we retired to rest; but rest they were determined we should not +have that night; and they continued knocking at the doors and windows, +and bawling out at the top of their lungs, "Rum,--more rum!" until +daylight next morning. I rose very early, in not the best humour +possible, and taking the key of the store in my hand--I know not +for what purpose--went out, and was followed by the Indian, still +demanding more rum. I told him he should have none from me. "But I +must have some." "Then you shall go elsewhere for it;" and without +more ado, I turned him out, pushing him with some violence from the +door. He fell on his face on the platform that ran in front of the +building, and leaving him there to recover his footing at leisure, I +returned towards the dwelling-house; but had scarcely reached the end +of the platform, when the yell of defiance, "Hee-eep, hoo-aw!" +resounded in my ears. I instantly wheeled round, and found myself face +to face with the Indian. The old villain attempted to collar me, but, +enraged to madness, I now grappled with him, and with all my might +hurled him from the platform to the ground. + +I stood for a moment hesitating whether I should strike him while +down, but had little time to deliberate,--the savage was again on his +legs. He rushed towards a gun that stood against a fur-press hard +by; I instantly comprehended his intention, and finding a stick at +hand, in the twinkling of an eye, I struck him a blow that laid him +senseless on the ground. Being scarcely aware of what I was doing, I +was about to repeat the blow, when I found the uplifted weapon seized +from behind. It was Primeau, my interpreter, who addressed me in a +soothing tone, telling me I had already "done for" the Indian. + +This startling announcement restored me to reason. Was I indeed guilty +of the blood of a fellow-creature? The thought chilled me with horror. +I dashed the stick to the ground. It was instantly picked up by one of +his three sons, whom the noise of the scuffle had now brought all up; +brandishing it aloft, he aimed a blow at my head, which I parried with +my arm, the limb dropping senseless to my side. My men, however, were +now on the spot to defend me, and a fierce scuffle took place between +them and the Indian's sons. Had they been the stronger party on this +occasion, my fur-trading career would have terminated that morning. +They, however, got a sound drubbing; while their wretched father, who +had been the cause of the disturbance, lay unheeded and unconscious on +the spot where he had fallen, not exhibiting the least sign of life. + +A place of temporary accommodation being prepared by his family, he +was borne thither on a blanket, and I retired to my quarters in a +state of mind not easy to be described. Soon after, the interpreter +came in with a message from the Indians, entreating me to come and +advise with them touching the manner in which they should dispose of +their father's body. I went, and just as I stepped within the camp, to +the astonishment of all present, the dead man sprang upon his feet. +Seeing me at his side, he exclaimed, "You shall have cause to repent +this!" The words were scarcely out of his mouth, when he sank down +again, and for a period of six weeks after he remained as helpless as +an infant. He was subsequently carried down to the Lake of Two +Mountains, where he recovered from the effects of this castigation, to +die, two years after, in a fit of drunkenness. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +PÈRE DUCHAMP--MR. S.'s INSTRUCTIONS--UNSUCCESSFUL--TRADING +EXCURSION--DIFFICULTIES OF THE JOURNEY--LOSE OUR WAY--PROVISIONS +FAIL--REACH THE POST--VISIT TO AN ALGONQUIN CHIEF--HIS ABUSIVE +TREATMENT--SUCCESS. + + +Mr. Siviright arrived about the latter end of August, accompanied by +another junior clerk, and a few days afterwards the opposition were +seen passing. I embarked with my fellow-scribe, and arrived next day +at the lower outpost, when I was much disappointed to find my old +interpreter, whom I had with me at the Chats, in the service of our +opponents. He was my Indian tutor, and took every pains, not only to +teach me the language, but to initiate me in the mysteries of the +trade, in which he was justly considered an adept. Our opponents +offered him a high salary, which he would not accept until he had +previously made a tender of his valuable services to the Company, whom +he had faithfully served for a period of thirty years and upwards. He +requested a small addition to his salary, which was refused. + +My regard for the worthy old man, however, was not in the least +diminished by the circumstance of his being in opposition. Père +Duchamp and I had still our friendly _tête-à-tête_ whenever we had an +opportunity. The autumn passed without any incident having occurred +worthy of note, I and my opponent being occupied in the usual +way,--watching each other night and day, chasing each other, and +circumventing each other when we could. + +Late in the month of October, I was surprised to observe a couple of +middle-sized canoes, deeply laden, put ashore at our opponent's, where +the crews, five in number, passed the night. Next morning, as soon as +they were gone, I called on my old friend, who happened to be alone at +the time, to inquire about his visitors. + +He demurred for a little, and at length said: "For your sake, and +to you only, would I disclose the secret of these people's object +and destination. They called at Fort Coulonge yesterday, and gave +themselves out for a party of hunters, bound for the Temiscamingue +quarter;--they are a party of Iroquois, supplied with a valuable +assortment of goods for trade, and their destination is Lac de la +Vieille, in the very centre of the Algonquin hunting-grounds." + +This was a most important piece of intelligence: some of these Indians +had been supplied at Fort Coulonge, some at my post, and all of them +were deeply indebted at the Lake of Two Mountains. I passed the day +in the anxious expectation of seeing Mr. S., or at least receiving +instructions from him with reference to these people. No one coming, I +resolved to proceed to Fort Coulonge, and communicate _viva voce_ the +information I had received. + +Late in the evening, I embarked in a small canoe, with two men, and +reached the Fort at early dawn; and rousing Mr. S. from his slumbers, +I at once announced the object of my visit. + +"Well," said he, "this requires consideration: retire to rest, and I +shall think about it." + +I retired accordingly, and slept till breakfast-time, when the subject +was discussed; and his decision was, that I should send one of the two +young men who were at my post in pursuit of the Iroquois, with +instructions to follow them up, until the season should be so far +advanced as merely to admit of his return by open water, unless the +Iroquois pitched their tent before then. + +I volunteered myself to go after them with an outfit; but no; it would +be dividing our forces, thereby allowing an advantage to our more +formidable opponents; besides, we had not much to apprehend from the +Iroquois with their trifling means. "_Très bien_," I said to myself, +and set off on my return forthwith. I of course lost no time in +executing the orders I had received. My bourgeois had his opinion of +the matter, and I had mine; I knew that the Iroquois, when left to +themselves, would make their own prices for their goods, and thus, +even with the small outfit they had, fleece the Indians of the +principal part of their furs. + +Among the Indians whom I had supplied, was an individual whose +advances amounted to a heavy sum. I felt extremely anxious about him, +and resolved to pay him a visit as soon as travelling was practicable; +meantime, Swanston, who had been in pursuit of the Iroquois, returned +from his disagreeable voyage on the 28th November, having learned +nothing more than we already knew. + +I set off the next day, ostensibly on a visit to Mr. S., but really +with the intention of starting from his post on my intended +"derouine,"[1] arrived at Fort Coulonge among the drift ice, and on +the 1st December started, accompanied by the interpreter Primeau and +another man, all of us with heavy burdens on our backs. This proved +the most toilsome trip I had yet undertaken; the smaller lakes only +were passable on the ice, and the rivers were nearly all open. The +difficulties we thus encountered necessarily retarded our progress, +and occupied so much more time than we had calculated upon, that our +provisions were nearly consumed by the time we reached the first +Indian camp, where we expected to procure a guide to conduct us to the +party we were in search of. We succeeded in hiring a young man, but we +only obtained a small supply of flour, the Indians having no other +kind of provision to spare. + + [1] "Derouine,"--a trading visit to the Indians. + +Three days travelling brought us to the borders of the Indian's lands, +where we soon discovered one of his early winter encampments; had we +been a few days sooner we could have easily traced him from this spot, +but the snow, which had recently fallen to a great depth, had nearly +obliterated the marks he had left behind him.[1] My interpreter, +accustomed to "tracking," followed the _scent_ for two days; our +guide, discontented with the short allowance, gave no assistance, till +coming to an extensive "brulé,"[2] he was completely _at fault_, as no +marks of any kind could be discovered. + + [1] When Indians remove in winter, in passing on rivers and + lakes, they stick, at intervals, in the snow, branches of + balsam, inclining in the direction they may have gone. In the + woods, small saplings are cut or broken down; if there is no + underwood, an occasional "blaze" serves as a sign-post to the + experienced woodsman. + + [2] "Brulé," a part of the forest consumed by fire. + +Our situation was now extremely critical; we were reduced to one +solitary meal of flour and water per diem, and but a few handfuls of +this poor fare remained; to return by the way we came was out of the +question, to proceed to the post was in truth our only alternative, +and none of us was sufficiently acquainted with that part of the +country to be sure of finding it; while the Indian, positively +refusing to keep us company any longer, turned back, and left us to +get out of our difficulties as we best could. + +The interpreter proposed that another attempt should be made to find +the Indian's encampment, and volunteered to go alone; this proved the +poor fellow's zeal, but he returned to our encampment next morning +unsuccessful; we therefore resolved to go back, and, finding our way +without much difficulty for a couple of days, we reached the upper end +of a long portage leading to the Ottawa River, where we encamped late +in the evening, and supped on the _hope_ of getting to the post next +forenoon. + +We started early in the morning, the Canadian leading, and about noon +fell on fresh snow-shoe tracks--the tracks, we supposed, of some of +our people who had come to seek us; and feeling assured that our +sufferings would terminate with the day, we pursued our route with +renovated vigour and speed; when lo! our encampment of the preceding +night came in view, the excitement of our minds having prevented us +from discerning our mistake, as we might have done, sooner. The sun +was still high, but the circumstance of the encampment being already +prepared, induced us to put up there again for the night. It was a sad +disappointment, and I felt it as such, though I affected a gaiety that +was far from my heart; while with downcast looks and heavy hearts my +poor fellows betook themselves to rest at a very early hour. + +Next morning we set off determined to be more cautious; the mistake of +the previous day was ascribed to the sound of a high cascade at the +head of the rapid, which we had mistaken for another considerably +farther down; our Canadian still acted as guide--the blind leading +the blind--and after two hours' walk we fell upon our own tracks +again;--the poor fellow had yielded so completely to despair, that he +walked about mechanically, scarcely knowing or caring whither he went; +he was therefore ordered to the rear, and Primeau succeeded as leader. +We saw nothing more of our tracks, but encamped in the evening with +much the same prospects as before. I felt extremely weak, having +carried Primeau's pack along with my own, as the old man could +scarcely move when beating the track in the deep snow. Having a few +fresh beaver skins, we cut off the thicker parts about the head and +legs, and made a _bouillon_ of them, which we drank, and then turned +in. + +In the morning it became a subject of serious debate what direction we +should proceed in; the sky, however, having been clear the preceding +evening, I observed the sun setting, and determined in my own mind the +proper course; both my companions differed from me, but readily agreed +to follow me. I therefore took the lead, and was so fortunate as +to discover an old track, soon after leaving our encampment, which +we followed until it brought us in sight of the Grand River--the +long looked-for object of our fast failing hopes. Tears of joy burst +from my eyes, as I beheld before me the wide expanse of the noble +stream: although covered with ice and divested of the beauties of +summer, it never appeared more lovely to me. We reached the post after +night-fall; opening the door cautiously, I threw in my snow-shoes, +then bolting in myself, was gratified with the sight of a table +garnished with the best things the country afforded, which my two +friends had prepared for their Christmas dinner; the sight, however, +was all that prudence allowed us for the present to enjoy, our long +abstinence rendering it necessary to confine ourselves, for a time, to +a very weak diet. + +Next day I despatched a messenger to Fort Coulonge with the narrative +of my adventures; and as soon as my strength was sufficiently +recruited I set off again, accompanied by a _tête de boule_ as my +guide, who led us direct to the camp of the Indian I had so long been +in search of; where I had the mortification to learn, that on my first +attempt I had returned from within a day's journey of him, and that +if I had then succeeded in finding him, I should have secured the +whole of the valuable hunts of him and his people, which were now +in possession of the Iroquois traders. On my return to the post I +communicated my sentiments freely to Mr. S. in writing, regarding the +oversight that had led to consequences so injurious to the Company, +and went afterwards, at his own request, to talk over the matter +with him. It was now decided that I should go with a party of men to +establish a post against them, i.e. to shut the stable-door after +the steed was stolen. To accomplish this object supplies of every +kind must be hauled on sledges by the men, at an enormous expense, +and after all we could not furnish the means of competing with the +Iroquois with any prospect of advantage. I however lost no time in +executing the orders of my superior, and set off with as many men as +could be spared for the purpose. + +On arriving at our destination, we built a temporary hut for our own +accommodation, and a small store for the goods; but I soon discovered +that the Iroquois had not only already secured all the Indians' furs, +but had so completely ingratiated themselves with them that we were +scarcely noticed. I remained two months in this wretched situation, +and, as Mr. S.'s instructions left me in some measure to the exercise +of my own judgment, I resolved on transferring the _honourable_ charge +to persons less sanguine than myself, and returned to my post, where +I knew my services could be turned to better account. In returning I +happened to fall in with a small band of Indians, who had not yet been +visited by the Iroquois, one of whom was the brother of the Algonquin +chief, who had been so severely chastised the preceding winter. At +his lodge I passed the night, and was not only treated with the usual +Indian hospitality, but received a very pressing invitation to return +with a supply of goods, which he promised to trade. + +Such invitations are never neglected. The moment I arrived at my post +I laid aside the articles required by the Indians, and after one day's +rest, started, myself and two men, carrying everything on our backs. +It being late in the season, we encountered every possible difficulty +on our way: the small streams overflowed, and the ice was so bad +on the rivers as to preclude travelling on them. We were therefore +under the necessity of taking to the woods, through a horridly rugged +country, now ascending hills so steep that we could only scramble up +their sides by holding on by the branches and underwood, the descent +on the opposite side being equally difficult and laborious; now +forcing our way through deep ravines overgrown with underwood, all but +impervious; sinking to the ground at every step, and raising on our +snow-shoes a load of half-melted snow, which strained the tendons of +the legs and caused acute pain. + +Early in the morning of the sixth day we arrived at the camp, but, to +our astonishment, neither heard the voice nor saw the form of a human +being, though there were infallible signs that the camp was inhabited. +It was the sugar season. I entered the great man's hut with a cautious +step, and found every soul in it fast asleep. I marked with surprise +the confusion that prevailed around,--sugar kettles upset, pots, +pans, wearing apparel, blankets, and other articles, scattered about +in every direction;--what could it mean? I awoke the chief, and +the mystery was solved. He appeared to be just recovering from the +effects of the night's debauch,--the Iroquois were in the camp. Mine +host "grinned horribly a ghastly smile" as he placed himself, rather +unsteadily, in a sitting posture in his bed, and in a hoarse tremulous +voice bade me welcome, at the same time rousing his better-half, who +appeared to be in the same _happy_ state as himself. + +A clatter ensued that soon set the whole household in motion, and I +hastened to make the customary offering of a small keg of rum to the +chief, and another of shrub to the squaw, who immediately ordered a +young woman (the family drudge) to prepare my breakfast. Meanwhile the +chief, along with two of his relatives, amused himself quaffing his +nectar, which evidently began to have its usual effects, and from the +expressions I overheard, I could gather that he had neither forgotten +his brother's treatment last winter, nor forgiven me the part I had +acted on the occasion. I listened with affected indifference for a +time to the taunts he began to throw out, and at last, to get rid +of them, went to visit the other huts, where I found the Iroquois +preparing for their departure; they had several parcels of beaver, +which they took no pains to conceal from me, but there was still much +more remaining. + +After seeing them depart I returned to my chief, who received me +with a volley of abuse, in which he was joined by his associates. +The women, who were sober, observing by my looks that I was getting +excited, requested me to withdraw. I did so, but was followed by the +chief to the next hut, which I quitted immediately; I found myself +still pursued by the same insufferable insolence. My philosophy being +unequal to so severe a trial, I turned upon my tormentor, and seizing +him by the throat, dashed him to the ground, and left him there +speechless. I then made for a hut a short distance apart from the +others, belonging to a _tête de boule_, where I remained in quietness +for about the space of fifteen minutes; when suddenly my Canadian came +rushing into the hut, his countenance betraying the utmost alarm, and +staring me wildly in the face, he stammered out, "Les sauvages! les +sauvages, monsieur, prennent leurs armes! Sauvons-nous! Sauvons-nous!" +The Iroquois, coming in the next instant, confirmed his report; but I +had, in fact, been flying the whole morning, and thought it now high +time to take my stand. My Iroquois appearing quite calm, I told him I +was determined not to stir from the spot, and asked if he would remain +with me. + +"I came here for that purpose," said he, "and shall stand by you to +the last." + +Our _tête de boule_ had two guns, which he loaded; Sabourin had his, +which he promised to use in his own defence: thus prepared, we awaited +the expected attack. The remainder of the day, however, passed without +molestation, and after night-fall, I sent out my trusty Iroquois to +reconnoitre; he soon returned with the welcome intelligence that the +Indians had all retired to rest. We did the same. + +Next morning I went to the chief's lodge, and found him perfectly +sober; I saluted him according to custom, which he returned with a +scowl, repeating my words in a contemptuous manner; this exasperated +my yet excited feelings to the highest degree. I felt assured that +the fellow had invited me on purpose to insult me, if not for a worse +purpose; and, addressing him in language that plainly bespoke my +feelings, I immediately ordered my men to prepare for our departure. +He remained silent for a moment, and then whispered in his wife's ear; +she turned round to me, smiling, and asked if I had not brought the +goods, my men were packing up, to trade? + +"Yes," I replied. + +"Then," said she, "you must not be in such a hurry to go away." + +The husband now spoke to me in a conciliatory tone, begging me to +place all that had happened to the account of the "fire-water," and +for heaven's sake not to acquaint his father with his conduct. + +This I readily assented to; we entered upon business, and nearly all +the goods I had were exchanged for their full value in beaver. We +found the travelling much better on our return, the small streams +having subsided, and the snow so much diminished, that we could walk +without snow-shoes. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +SUCCESS OF THE IROQUOIS TRADERS--APPOINTED TO THE CHARGE OF THE +CHATS--CANADIAN DISPUTES POSSESSION--BIVOUAC WITHOUT A FIRE--RUSE TO +BAFFLE MY OPPONENTS--ROMAN CATHOLIC BIGOTRY. + + +The Iroquois passed early in spring with eighteen Indian packs in +their canoes,--each pack might be estimated at 60l.,--our other +opponent started for Montreal about the same time as last year, and +I was ordered down to Fort Coulonge to take Mr. S.'s place for the +summer. He returned from Montreal about the end of August, and I was +much gratified to learn from him that I had been again appointed to +the charge of the Chats, so that all the merit or demerit of good or +bad management would now be entirely my own. A few days after, a +middle-sized canoe arrived, manned by three Canadians, with whom I +embarked for the scene of my first essay as an Indian trader. + +On arriving at the post, I was surprised to find an old Canadian and +his _cara sposa_ in possession,--a circumstance of which I had had no +previous intimation. This worthy pair seemed determined to maintain +their position in defiance of me; and not wishing to employ violent +means to dispossess them if it could possibly be done otherwise, I +passed the night in the hall. Having, however, obtained possession of +the outworks, I was determined to carry the citadel; and, summoning +the contumacious occupants into my presence next morning, I demanded, +in a peremptory tone, the immediate surrender of the keys. + +"Show me your authority," said he. + +"If I do not show it, you shall feel it presently!" + +Seeing that I ordered my men to put my threat into execution, Jean +Baptiste assumed a more humble attitude, and requested me, as a +favour, to permit him to remain in the kitchen until he could find a +passage to Montreal;--with this request I willingly complied. + +My old opponent had still a post in this district, and I was directed +to send a party in opposition to him; which being done, I remained +quiet until the winter communication became practicable, when I +determined on paying a visit to my friends in the Fort Coulonge +district. The distance being short, and my object having no connexion +with the Company's interests, I set off on my pleasure jaunt alone. +I put up the first night at a sort of tavern just then opened by an +American at the upper end of the Chats' Lake, the only habitation at +that time in the quarter, whence I started at early dawn, expecting +to reach Fort Coulonge before night. The lumbermen having commenced +sledging their winter supplies, the road formed by these vehicles +presented a hard, smooth surface, on which I made good speed, as I had +nothing to encumber me, save my blanket and tomahawk. + +Arriving at a long bend of the river about 2 P.M., I put on my +snow-shoes to cut across the point and meet the road again, flattering +myself that I should thus shorten the distance some two or three +miles. The weather being mild, and the sun overcast, I was as much at +a loss to find my way in the woods as if I had been blindfolded; I +nevertheless continued my onward course, and again came on the road. I +proceeded in high spirits for a considerable time, when I perceived a +man before me going in the same direction with myself; quickening my +pace I soon came up with him, and asked him if he was bound for the +Fort? + +"I guess I don't know of any fort in this part of the world," said he. + +"What! not know of Fort Coulonge, and you so near to it? are you not +going there?" + +"I have heard of such a place," said Jonathan; "but I'd take a +tarnation long time to get to it, I calculate, if I followed my nose +as it points now." + +I told him who I was, whither bound, and where I slept last night. + +"I guess then you had better sleep there again, for it is not quite +three miles off." + +This was the result of making a short cut, and I resolved to follow +the long and sure road in future. + +A shanty that had been recently occupied, afforded me comfortable +lodgings for the night, and I arrived at Fort Coulonge about noon +next day, where I passed the night, and started for the outpost. +Here I remained two days, and would have remained still longer, had +it not been discovered one morning that our opponents were off in +the direction of my outpost on the Bonne Chere. As the Indians in +that quarter were excellent hunters, and owed me much, I deemed it +advisable to follow them; my friends, too, sent an interpreter and +three men along with me, for the purpose of trading what they could on +account of their own post--_chacun pour soi_ being the order of the +day. + +We soon overtook our opponents, and I resolved, if possible, to give +them the slip by the way. Accordingly, when within a day's journey of +the establishment, I pretended to have sprained my foot so badly, that +I walked with the greatest seeming difficulty. My men, who were aware +of the ruse, requested me to place my bundle on their sledges, to +enable me to keep up with them. This farce commenced in the evening. +Next morning my leg was worse than ever, until we came on the river at +about ten miles' distance from the post. I was delighted to find but +little snow upon the ice, so that I had a fair opportunity of putting +the metal of my legs to the test, and the opposition party having +sledges heavily laden, I walked hard, my foot on a sudden becoming +perfectly sound, in order to tire them as much as possible before I +bolted. Having apparently effected my purpose, I set off at the top of +my speed, and never looked behind me until I had cleared the first +long reach, when turning round, I saw a man in pursuit about half-way +across; I started again, and saw no more of my pursuer. + +On arriving at the post I was gratified to learn that the Indians, +whom I was so anxious about, had been in a few days previously, while +our opponents were off in another direction; so that they had been +seen by none save our own people. Finding two men at home, I proceeded +with them to the Indian camp, and arrived at dawn of day. I met with a +very friendly reception, and had the good fortune to prevail upon the +Indians to deliver me their furs upon the spot, which formed a very +heavy load for both myself and men. We met our opponents in returning; +but though they had ocular proof of my success, they nevertheless went +on to the camp. + +Having arrived at the post, I found some Indians there all +intoxicated; I was also mortified to find the person in charge in the +same state. I immediately displaced him, and made over the charge, +_pro tempore_, to one of the men. The conduct of my worthless deputy +hurt me so much that I could not remain another night under the same +roof with him. I therefore set off on my return to the Chats, although +already late in the afternoon, expecting to reach the first shanty in +the early part of the night. + +The Bonne Chere river is very rapid in the upper part, and does not +"set fast"[1] until late in the season, unless the cold be very intense. +I arrived at this part soon after night-fall, and perceiving by the +clear light of the moon the dangers in my way, I deemed it imprudent +to proceed farther; and having nothing to strike fire with, I cut a +few branches of balsam and strewed them under the spreading boughs of +a large cedar, and wrapping myself up in my blanket, lay down. The +weather being mild, I thought I could sleep comfortably without fire; +but was mistaken. When I awoke from my first sleep, which must have +been sound, I found my limbs stiff with cold, while my teeth chattered +violently in my head. To remain in this condition till daylight was +almost certain death; I resolved, therefore, at all hazards to find my +way to the shanty, which might be about ten miles distant. The light +of the moon being very bright, enabled me to avoid the openings in the +ice, and by moving on cautiously, about three o'clock in the morning I +reached the shanty; which belonged to a warm-hearted son of Erin, who +received me with the characteristic hospitality of his countrymen, +placing before me the best his cabin afforded, and with his own +blankets and those of his men making up a comfortable bed, on which I +slept till late in the day, and next night in my own bed. + + [1] Freeze. + +As the greater part of my customers wintered in the vicinity of the +outpost, and I had no longer any confidence in the person in charge +there, I resolved on passing the remainder of the winter at it myself; +I therefore requested that a person should be sent up from the Lake of +Two Mountains to take care of the establishment during my absence. On +the arrival of this person, I proceeded to the outpost, but shall pass +over the transactions that occurred there, being similar in all +respects to those already narrated. One circumstance, however, +occurred, which, though not in my vocation, I think worthy of notice. + +Two itinerant missionaries called at the Lake of Two Mountains and +distributed a number of religious tracts among the natives, together +with a few copies of the Gospel according to St. John, in the Indian +language. My Algonquin interpreter happened to get one of the latter, +and took much pleasure in reading it. Towards the latter end of the +season I received a packet from my superior at the Lake, and, to my +surprise, found in it a letter with the seal of the Church affixed, +addressed to my interpreter, which I put into his hands, and observed +him perusing very attentively. Soon after he called me aside, and told +me that the letter in question conveyed a peremptory command from the +priest to destroy the bad book he had in his possession, or else his +child that died in autumn would be denied the rites of Christian +sepulture. + +We are told that the age of bigotry is past: facts like this prove the +contrary. I asked him if he intended to obey the commands of his +ghostly father. "Not exactly," said he; "I shall send the book to him, +and let him do with it what he pleases; for my part, I have read it +over and over again, and find it all good, very good; why the 'black +coat' should call it bad is a mystery to me." + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +JOURNEY TO MONTREAL--APPOINTMENT TO LAC DE SABLE--ADVANTAGES OF THIS +POST--ITS DIFFICULTIES--GOVERNOR'S FLATTERING LETTER--RETURN FROM +MONTREAL--LOST IN THE WOOD--SUFFERINGS--ESCAPE. + + +Early in spring I returned to the Chats, and after the close of +the trade took my departure for Montreal, having finished my +apprenticeship. I renewed my contract for three years, and was +appointed to the charge of Lac de Sable, a post situated on a +tributary of the Ottawa, called _Rivière aux Lièvres_, two hundred +miles distant from Montreal. + +I embarked on the 15th August, 1826, and arrived at the post on +the 1st September; where I was gratified to find a comfortable +dwelling-house, and a large farm with pigs, poultry, and cattle in +abundance. All this was very well, but there was also a powerful +opposition, and I had experience enough to know that the enjoyment of +any kind of comfort is incompatible with the life we lead in +opposition. + +The difficulties of my situation, moreover, were from various +causes extremely perplexing. The old North-West agents, acting for +the Hudson's Bay Company in Canada, had declared a bankruptcy the +preceding winter; the principal manager having quitted the country +rather precipitately, as was supposed, and forgotten to appoint a +successor; the management devolved in consequence upon the head +accountant, Mr. C----e, who, however well he might be qualified +for the duties of the situation, felt the responsibility of acting +without authority to be too great, and confined himself accordingly +to such measures only as he was confident would subject him to no +inconvenience when the day of reckoning arrived. Meantime the business +of this department sustained a serious check; the old hands of the +post, having been tampered with by the opposition in the course +of last winter, quitted the service to a man, and I now found the +establishment to consist of a clerk, interpreter, and one man only. +I was given to understand that three men additional would join me as +soon as they could, and that I must not expect any more; thus our +number would be seven against twenty-two. + +A disparity so vast precluded all hopes of maintaining the contest +with advantage to the Company or credit to myself. Fortune, however, +declared in our favour; dissensions arose in the ranks of our +opponents, clerks and men deserted, supplies for trade ran short, and +from being the weaker party we were now the stronger. + +Governor Simpson having taken up his residence at La Chine in autumn, +men and goods were furnished in abundance, and the petty traders were +made to see, ere the winter passed, the futility of entering the lists +in competition with a Company possessing so vast resources. + +Mr. MacD----l having wintered two years at this post, and being +consequently well acquainted with the natives, I entrusted the +direction of affairs against the opposition entirely to him, and +remained quietly at home, having only the few Indians that wintered in +the neighbourhood of the post to attend to; my situation, however, was +often far from agreeable, being frequently reduced to the company of +my pigs and poultry for weeks together, and obliged to act as trader, +cook, hewer of wood, and drawer of water. + +In the course of the winter I was favoured with a visit from Mr. +F----r, to whose district this post had just been annexed, and had the +gratification to receive, through him, a letter from Governor Simpson, +conveying, in very flattering terms, his approbation of my conduct. +I was told that I was in the direct road to preferment--that my +merits should be represented to the Council on his arrival in the +interior--and that he should be happy to have an opportunity of +recommending me to the Governor and Committee, when he returned to +England. We shall see, in the sequel, how these promises were +fulfilled. + +I embarked, on the 15th June, 1827, for Montreal, and found Mr. +K----h, a chief factor in the service, at the head of affairs; and my +outfit being prepared in a few days, I re-embarked, taking my passage, +as formerly, on board of a large canoe, deeply laden. The last rapid +and portage on the Rivière aux Lièvres is within eight miles of the +establishment, and generally takes the men a day to pass it. Arriving +at this place late in the evening, I resolved on going on a-foot; +it being fine moonlight, I felt confident of finding my way without +difficulty. The weather having been immoderately hot for some time +past, I had sat in the canoe divested of my upper garments, and +thought I might, without inconvenience, dispense with them now, as I +expected to reach the house ere the night air could prove injurious to +me. + +Setting off, therefore, in "light marching order," I immediately +gained the high grounds, in order to keep clear of the underwood that +covers the banks of the river; and just as the moon appeared above the +surrounding hills, arrived on the banks of a small stream, where I +observed a portage path sunk deep in the ground, a circumstance which +proved it to be much frequented--by whom or for what purpose I could +not say, for I had seldom passed the limits of my farm during last +winter, and was nearly as ignorant of the topography of the environs +as the first day I arrived. I had not heard of the existence of a +river in the quarter, nor did I imagine there was any; the conclusion +I arrived at therefore was, that I had lost my way, and that my most +eligible course was, to endeavour to find the main stream, and by +following it, retrace my course to the portage. + +I soon fell on the river, but my retrograde march proved exceedingly +toilsome; at every step I was obliged to bend the branches of the +underwood to one side and another, or pressing them down under my +feet, force my way through by main strength: some short spaces indeed +intervened, that admitted of an easier passage; still my progress was +so slow that the sun appeared before I reached the upper end of the +portage. Finding an old canoe here, belonging to the post, I resolved +on crossing to the opposite side of the river, where I knew there was +a path that led to the house, by which the Indians often passed when +travelling in small canoes. I accordingly ran to the lower end of the +portage for a paddle, where I found my men still asleep; and having +heard that the lower end of this path came out exactly opposite to the +upper end of the portage, I struck out into the woods the moment I +landed, fancying that I could not fail to discover it. + +The sun got higher and higher as I proceeded, and I went faster and +yet faster, to no purpose;--no path appeared; and I at length became +convinced that I was lost--being equally in difficulty to find my way +back to the river as forward to the post. + +The weather was very sultry; and such had been the drought of the +season that all the small creeks were dried up, so that I could +nowhere procure a drop of water to moisten my parched lips. The +sensations occasioned by thirst are so much more painful than those we +feel from hunger, that although I had eaten but little the preceding +day, and nothing on that day, I never thought of food. While my inner +man was thus tortured by thirst, my outer man scarcely suffered less +from another cause. The country through which I passed being of a +marshy nature, I was incessantly tormented by the venomous flies that +abound in such situations,--my shirt, and only other habiliment, +having sustained so much damage in my nocturnal expedition, that the +insects had free access _partout_.[1] + + + [1] There are three different kinds of these tormenting + insects, viz. the mosquito, the black-fly, and the gnat--the + latter the same as the midge in N. Britain--who relieve each + other regularly in the work of torture. The mosquitoes + continue at their post from dawn to eight or nine o'clock, + A.M.; the black-flies succeed, and remain in the field till + near sunset; the mosquitoes again mount guard till dark, and + are finally succeeded by the gnats, who continue their watch + and incessant attacks till near sunrise. + +I came to the foot of a high hill about two o'clock P.M., which I +ascended, and got a very good view of the surrounding country from its +summit; hills and lakes appeared in every direction; but the sight +of these objects only served to impress my mind with the conviction, +that, unless Providence should direct my steps to the establishment, +the game was up with me. Having descended, I sauntered about the +remainder of the day, my ideas becoming more and more bewildered, +and my strength declining; and passed the night sometimes sitting, +sometimes standing, sometimes moving about;--but sitting, standing, or +moving about, subjected to the same tortures. + +I endeavoured during the night to compose my mind as much as possible; +some happy thought might perchance suggest itself, which might lead to +my deliverance. Nor were my efforts without some success: I called to +mind the position of the post with respect to the rising and setting +sun; another circumstance of importance also recurred to me. + +A Canadian hunter, who received his supplies at my post, had told me +that such Indians as did not wish to pay their debts at the post, +frequently passed unperceived by a chain of small lakes that ran +parallel to the river, and extended from Lac de Sable to somewhere +near the rapid, whence I had taken my departure. I recollected, too, +his having mentioned that some Indian families occasionally made sugar +on the borders of these lakes, and that a good path lay from their +camp to the post. Having passed the night in a deep valley, the sun +did not appear until late in the morning, when I shaped my course, +to the best of my judgment, for the post. Two or three hours' walk +brought me to the foot of a high hill, nearly destitute of wood on one +side; and expecting that some discovery might be made from the top +which might be of use to me, I resolved on attempting the ascent--an +undertaking of no small difficulty in my enfeebled state. I succeeded +in gaining the top, and to my unspeakable joy, perceived a chain of +lakes within about two miles of me, exactly corresponding to the +description given me by the Canadian hunter. I also heard the reports +of guns, but so indistinctly that I could not determine the direction +the report came from. Noting with the utmost care the course that +would lead me to the lakes, I descended the steep declivity with a +degree of speed that surprised myself,--such is the powerful influence +the mind exercises over the body. + +I expected an hour's walk would bring me to the lakes, but the sun +being in the zenith, and my way lying through a dense forest of pine, +I could not keep a straight course. I proceeded onward, however, as +well as _reason_ could direct me, and most willingly would I have +exchanged a little of that _faculty_ for the _instinct_ that leads the +brute creation with unerring certainty through the pathless depths of +the forest. + +The sun was rapidly declining, and my hopes with it, when suddenly I +fancied I heard the murmuring sound of running water. Could it be +really so? What a delightful feast I should have! for I had passed the +day, like the preceding, without a drop of water to allay my raging +thirst. I listened; the sound became more distinct--it was no +illusion. I quickened my pace, and soon came upon a charming rivulet, +flowing rapidly over a bed of white pebbles, its water clear as +crystal. I rushed into the midst of it, and fervently thanking the +Giver of all good, threw myself on my knees, and drank draught +after draught till my thirst was quenched. I felt refreshed to an +extraordinary degree, and concluding that the stream would lead me +to the river, or to some lake communicating with it, I followed its +course, wading in the water that there might be "no mistake," and soon +came out on the border of a small lake, where I had the additional +satisfaction of hearing the report of guns so distinctly as to +convince me that the party firing them could be at no great distance. +I walked round the lake, and at its far end fell on a portage path +that soon conducted me to another lake. This, then, must be the chain +of lakes I was in search of! I was transported at the thought. + +But an incident soon occurred that served to damp at once my spirits +and my person: a distant peal of thunder was heard; peal after peal +succeeded; the heavens were obscured, and heavy drops of rain, the +harbingers of an approaching storm, fell from the dark clouds. I +strained every nerve to reach the firing party ere the storm should +burst upon me. I reached the foot of the hill, but the firing had +ceased. I nevertheless ascended as quickly as my wearied limbs would +carry me, but on reaching the spot found no one there. + +The storm now burst upon me in all its fury. Flash followed flash in +quick succession, and the rain fell in torrents, which, however, as +the few clothes that still adhered to my person were already saturated +by the previous rain, caused me but little additional inconvenience. +I descended to the lake, and by the time I reached the far end of it +the darkness had increased so much, that I could proceed no farther. +Perceiving an old encampment--a few half-decayed branches of balsam, +at the foot of a large hemlock--I took up my quarters there for the +night. The tufted branches of this tree render it a much more secure +retreat in a thunder-storm than the pine, whose pointed branches and +spiral shaped top frequently attract the electric fluid. + +Towards morning the storm seemed to have expended its fury; and, +strange to say, in the midst of it I enjoyed two or three hours' +sleep. Nature had been so exhausted by protracted sufferings, that +(though the flies were driven to their covert) I believe I could have +slept upon a bed of thorns, covered with gnats and mosquitoes. As soon +as it was sufficiently clear to enable me to find my way, I quitted +my hemlock and fell on the portage path, which soon led me to another +small lake, and which I proceeded to circumambulate as usual, keeping +a sharp look-out for the path that led to the post; when suddenly the +report of a gun burst from an adjoining hill. At the same instant, I +observed a net pole standing in the water at the bottom of a small +bay close by, and directed my steps towards it; when on approaching +it I discovered a broad path ascending from the water's edge, and +immediately after the buildings of a sugar camp. + +Allowing the party on the hill to blaze away, I followed the +path, and in less than half-an-hour came out upon the Rivière aux +Lièvres, immediately opposite the house. I perceived the men of the +establishment, with some Indians, all in a bustle; some preparing to +embark in a canoe, others firing. I sat down to gaze for a moment on +the most interesting scene I had ever witnessed, and then gave a loud +cry, which it was evident nobody heard, although the river is not more +than a stone-cast across. I made a second effort with better success. +The Indians raised a shout of triumph; the men hallooed, + +"Le voilà! le voilà! Je le vois! Je le vois à l'autre bord! Embarquez! +embarquez!" + +A few minutes more, and I found myself restored to at best a prolonged +life of misery and exile. Let it not be inferred from this expression +that I felt ungrateful for my deliverance; on the contrary, my escape +from a death so lingering and terrible made a deep impression upon my +mind. I afterwards gave a holiday to my men in remembrance of it, and +made them all happy for one day. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +NARROWLY ESCAPE DROWNING--ACCIDENT TO INDIAN GUIDE--AM NEARLY FROZEN +TO DEATH--MISUNDERSTANDING BETWEEN ALGONQUINS AND IROQUOIS--MASSACRE +AT HANNAH BAY. + + +Nothing occurred this year out of the usual routine, save an accident +that happened to myself, and had nearly proved fatal. A couple of +hounds had been presented to me by a friend, for the purpose of +hunting the deer that abounded in the neighbourhood. The dogs having +one day broken loose from the leash, betook themselves to the hills; +and the first intimation we had of their being at liberty, was the +sound of their voices in full cry on an adjacent hill. I instantly +seized my gun, and following a beaten track that led to a small lake +at the base of the hill, I perceived a deer swimming towards an island +in the middle of the lake, and only a little beyond the range of +gun-shot. An old fishing-canoe happening to be at hand, I immediately +launched it, and gave chase, without examining the condition it was +in. I proceeded but a short distance, however, when I perceived that +it leaked very much. I continued, nevertheless, to paddle, till I got +nearly half-way across to the island; but by this time the quantity of +water in the canoe had increased so much, that my ardour for the chase +began to give way to anxiety for my own safety. I perceived a large +hole in the stern of the canoe, now almost level with the surface of +the lake, through which the water gushed with every stroke of the +paddle. The fore-part appearing free from injury, I immediately +inverted my position,--a movement necessarily effected with much +difficulty in so small a craft; and having thus placed myself, the +stern was consequently raised a little higher. I then paddled gently +towards a long point projecting from the mainland, much nearer me than +the island; and although I used the utmost caution in paddling, the +canoe sunk under me some distance from the shore. The lake, however, +was fortunately shallow at this place, so that I soon found bottom. +Had there been the least ripple on the water, I could not have +escaped; but the weather was perfectly calm, and the lake smooth as +glass. + +In the early part of next winter, I went again in pursuit of the +deer; and although I incurred no great risk of losing my life, I yet +experienced such inconveniences as seldom fall to the lot of amateur +hunters in other parts of the world. I left the house early in the +morning, and, starting a deer close by, gave chase, following the +track over hill and dale, until I reached a high ridge bordering on +Lac de Sable. Here the deer slackened his pace, and appeared, by his +track, to have descended slowly into a valley, where he remained until +I started him a second time. I still continued the pursuit, without +thinking of time or distance from the establishment. At length the +night evidently began to close, and I felt faint and exhausted from +want of food, and the exertions I had made during the day. I therefore +gave up the chase; but to retrace my steps by the devious path by +which I had pursued the deer, would have occupied the greater part of +the night; I therefore resolved on returning by a more direct course; +but the upshot was, that, after wandering about for some time, and +repeatedly falling on my own tracks, I passed the night in the woods. +Although nearly overcome with fatigue, I durst not think of lying +down, well knowing what the consequence would be; I therefore walked +backwards and forwards, on a beaten track, the whole night; and next +morning adopted the sure course of finding my way by my tracks of the +preceding day. Meeting an Indian by the way, who had been sent in +search of me, he led me by a short cut, and we arrived at the house +about two o'clock, P.M. + +In the autumn of 1829, another opponent entered the lists against +us,--an enterprising Canadian, who had been for a long time in the +Company's service. This adventurer proceeded some distance inland, +and I need scarcely say that a party was sent to keep him company. +Understanding that the new competitor gave our people more trouble +than had been anticipated, I determined on taking an active part in +the game; and as I had only two men with me at Lac de Sable, whose +services were required there, I set off alone, intending to take with +me an Indian who had an encampment by the way, as I was unacquainted +with the route. I slept at the Indian's wigwam, who readily +accompanied me next morning; but the weather being intolerably cold, +the poor fellow got both his ears frozen, _et aliud quidquam +præterea_, in crossing a large lake not far from his camp. The moment +he perceived his mishap, he assailed me in the most abusive terms, and +swore that he would accompany me no farther; which, being conscious +that I was partly the cause of his misfortune, I bore with as much +equanimity as I could; and arriving at the opposite side of the lake, +we kindled a fire, and I proceeded to treat his case according to the +usual practice; that is, rubbing the part affected with snow, or +bathing it with cold water until it is thawed, and the circulation +restored. Having happily succeeded, I forthwith dismissed him, and +determined to find my way alone; and having a tolerable idea of the +direction in which I should go, and the weather being clear, I +entertained no doubt of falling somewhere on the river whereon the +post is situated. I came upon it, as it seemed to me, a considerable +distance below the establishment, just as the sun was setting. + +Having travelled in deep snow the whole day, I felt so much fatigued +that I could scarcely exert myself sufficiently to keep my body warm, +the cold being intense. I walked as briskly as my diminished strength +would allow; but at length became so weak, that I was obliged to lay +myself down at short intervals. In this wretched state,--my limbs +benumbed with cold, and thinking I should never see daylight,--I +suddenly came upon a hard beaten path: this inspired me with new +vigour, as it indicated the close vicinity of a shanty. I soon +discovered the desired haven, and crawling up the steep bank that led +to it, I knocked at the door with my snow-shoes, and was immediately +admitted. + +The noise I made roused the inmates, who had been sound asleep; and +who, seeing my helpless condition, exerted themselves in every +possible way to relieve me. I was nearly in the last stage of +exhaustion, being unable to take off my snow-shoes, or even articulate +a word. One of these noble woodsmen guided me next day to the post; +when, as a small mark of gratitude for his generous kindness, I +presented him and his companions with what is always acceptable to a +shanty-man, a liberal allowance of the "crathur," to enjoy themselves +withal. + +If it be asked why I did not make a fire, when I had the necessary +apparatus; I answer, that I had but a very small axe, quite unfit for +felling so large timber as grew on the banks of this river; and I was, +besides, so benumbed and exhausted as to be unequal to the task even +of lighting a fire. + +Sometime after my return from Montreal in the autumn of 1830, I went +to pay a visit to one of my customers whose lands were at a +considerable distance. I was accompanied by one man in a small canoe; +and as it was necessary that one of us should carry the canoe over the +portages, and the other the property, I chose the former, being the +lightest though by far the most inconvenient load. I found it very +oppressive at first, but use rendered it more easy. This was the first +time I carried a canoe. + +On our return from the Indian's camp we met with rather a disagreeable +accident, while ascending a small and very rapid river. In pushing +forward the canoe against the stream, my pole happened to glance off a +stone, and the canoe swinging round came in contact with the trunk of +a tree projecting from the bank, and we, or at least I, was upset in +an instant. Fortunately the current, though strong, was smooth and +free from whirlpools; so that, after swimming down a short distance +in search of a landing-place, I rejoined my companion, whom I found +standing on the bank perfectly dry. On inquiring of him how he +happened to avoid a ducking, he told me he sprang ashore while I was +attempting to parry off the tree; doubtless his having done so was in +a great measure the cause of the accident. He, however, acted a very +prudent part after landing, having caught hold of the canoe in the act +of upsetting, and thus preserved the goods from being lost or damaged. + +In the course of this year, the Iroquois and Algonquins were nearly +coming to blows on account of the hunting-grounds. This quarrel +originated from a speech which Colonel McKay, then at the head of the +Indian department, had addressed to the Iroquois, in which, making use +of the metaphorical language of the people, he observed that Indians +of all tribes ought to live together in the utmost concord and amity, +seeing they inhabited the same villages, "and ate out of the same +dish." This the Iroquois interpreted in a way more suitable to their +own wishes than consistent with its real meaning. "Our father," said +they, "tells us we eat out of the same dish with the Algonquins;--he +means that we have an equal right to the hunting-grounds." They +proceeded, accordingly, to avail themselves of the supposed privilege. +The consequence was a very violent quarrel, in which Government was +ultimately obliged to interfere. + +The Indians informed us, this spring, of a dreadful murder that had +been committed in the early part of the winter by some of the natives +of Hudson's Bay. The particulars of this tale of blood I since learned +from an individual that escaped from the massacre. The Indians +attached to the posts established along the shores of Hudson's Bay are +comparatively civilized; most of them speak English, and are employed +as voyageurs by the Company. Few or no precautions are taken at these +posts to guard against treachery; the gates are seldom shut, and some +of the posts are destitute of palisades or defence of any kind. Of +this description was the post where the catastrophe occurred which I +am about to relate. + +The post of Hannah Bay is situated about sixty miles to the north +of Moose Factory, and was at this time under the charge of a Mr. +Corrigal. His establishment consisted of two or three half-breeds, and +an Indian who had been brought up by the whites. He and some of the +men had families. In the course of the winter five Indians came in +with their "hunts," and agreeably to their usual practice encamped +close by. Those Indians are designated "Home Guards,"--a term +generally applied to the Indians attached to a trading post; they hunt +in winter at a convenient distance from the post, and are employed in +summer as voyageurs, or in performing any other necessary duty. +Notwithstanding their thus being frequently in company with white men +and Christians, they still retain many of the barbarous habits, and +much of the superstitious belief of their forefathers, aggravated, I +regret to say, by some of the vices of the whites. + +Among the number of those just mentioned was an individual who had +acquired considerable influence among his tribe, from his pretending +to be skilled in the art of divination. This man told his fellows that +he had had a communication from the Great Spirit, who assured him that +he would become the greatest man in Hudson's Bay if he only followed +the course prescribed to him, which was, first, to cut off their own +trading post, and then with the spoil got there to hire other Indians, +who should assist in destroying all the other posts the Company +possessed in the country. Accordingly, it was determined to carry +their design into execution, whenever a favourable opportunity +occurred. This was not long in presenting itself. They came one day to +the establishment, and told the people that the "man of medicine" had +come for the purpose of performing some extraordinary feat that would +astonish them all. The silly creatures believed the story, and went to +the borders of the lake, where they observed the sorcerer showing off +a variety of antics very much to their amusement. The conspirators, +seeing this part of the stratagem succeed, rushed into the house, and +immediately despatched Mr. Corrigal and his family. The men, hearing +the report of the guns, hastened back towards the house. The two that +first arrived were saluted by a volley of balls; the one fell dead, +the other fled. The third, seeing what had happened, seized his +youngest child, and also fled. The murderers pursued. The poor fellow, +encumbered by the weight of his child, necessarily fell behind. A ball +from the pursuers killed the child, and wounded him in the hand. +Dropping, then, the lifeless body, he soon came up with his fellow, +and both escaped without further injury. + +It was about noon when they began their flight. One of them reached +Moose Factory next day about noon, the other soon after. The +distance--nearly sixty miles--travelled in so short a space of time, +may appear incredible; but fear gave them wings, they fled for their +lives and never halted. One of them, my informant, lost all the toes +of one of his feet by the frost. + +Measures were immediately adopted to frustrate the further diabolical +designs of the Indians, as well as to avenge the innocent blood that +had been shed. Messengers were despatched with all possible haste to +Rupert's house, the nearest post, to give the alarm, and a party of +men, under an efficient leader, was sent to seize the murderers. This +expedition, however, proved unsuccessful, as the Indians could not be +found in that direction; but, in the meantime, two of them who had +come to Rupert's house to "spy the land," were seized and sent bound +to Moose Factory, and one of them was compelled to act as guide to +another party. Led by him, they approached the camp without being +perceived, and found the "man of medicine" sitting very composedly in +his tent, surrounded by the spoils he had taken from the fort. He was +secured, and the rest of his associates, who were absent hunting, were +soon "tracked," and secured likewise. They then all underwent the +punishment they deserved. + +The fort presented a horrible spectacle. Men, women, and children +shared the same fate, and the mangled limbs of their victims were +scattered among the articles of property which the wretches, not being +able to carry off with them, had attempted to destroy. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +FALL THROUGH THE ICE--DANGEROUS ADVENTURE AT A RAPID--OPPONENTS GIVE +IN--ORDERED TO LA CHINE--TREATMENT ON MY ARRIVAL--MANNERS, HABITS, +AND SUPERSTITIONS OF THE INDIANS--FEROCIOUS REVENGE OF A SUPPOSED +INJURY--DIFFERENT METHODS OF THE ROMAN CATHOLIC AND PROTESTANT +MISSIONARY--INDIAN COUNCILS--TRADITION OF THE FLOOD--BEAVER-HUNTING-- +LANGUAGE. + + +Finding that my presence was more wanted at the outpost than +elsewhere, I resolved on taking up my residence there for the winter +1831-32. Our active opponent gave us much annoyance, causing great +expense to the Company, without any benefit to himself; on the +contrary, it ultimately ruined him. + +While accompanying our party on a trading excursion in the beginning +of winter, I had a very narrow escape. We were travelling on the +Gatineau, a very rapid stream that joins the Ottawa, a little below +Hull. A young lad, interpreter to the opposition, and I, had one +morning gone considerably in advance of the others, walking smartly +to keep ourselves warm, when I suddenly broke through the ice. The +current here running strong, I should soon have been swept under the +ice, had I not, by extending my arms upon it on either side of me, +kept my head above water. At the hazard of his own life, my companion +came to my assistance; but the ice was too weak to admit of his +approaching sufficiently near to reach me his hand; he therefore cut a +long pole, and tying his belt to it, threw it to me; and laying hold +of it, I dragged myself on the sound ice. But the danger was not yet +over; the weather was intensely cold, so that my clothes were soon +frozen solid upon me, and having no means of lighting a fire, I ran +into the woods; and in order to keep my body from being frozen into +the same mass with my clothes, continued running up and down with all +my might, till the rest of the party arrived. + + +I had a still more narrow escape in the month of March ensuing. I had +been on a visit to the post under my own immediate charge, termed +head-quarters _par excellence_; returning to the post alone, I came to +a place where our men, in order to avoid a long detour occasioned by a +high and steep hill coming close to the river, were accustomed to draw +their sledges upon the ice along the edge of a rapid. About the middle +of the rapid, where the torrent is fiercest, the banks of the river +are formed of rocks rising almost perpendicularly from the water's +edge; and here they had to pass on a narrow ledge of ice, between the +rock on the one side, and the foaming and boiling surge on the other. +The ledge, at no time very broad, was now reduced, by the falling in +of the water, to a strip of ice of about eighteen inches, or little +more, adhering to the rock. The ice, however, seemed perfectly solid, +and I made no doubt that, with caution, I should succeed in passing +safely this formidable strait. + +The weather having been very mild in the fore-part of the day, my +shoes and socks had been saturated with wet, but were now frozen hard +by the cold of the approaching night. Overlooking this circumstance, +I attempted the dangerous passage; and had proceeded about halfway, +when my foot slipped, and I suddenly found myself resting with one hip +on the border of ice, while the rest of my body overhung the rapid +rushing fearfully underneath. I was now literally in a state of +agonizing suspense: to regain my footing was impossible; even the +attempt to move might precipitate me into the rapid. + +My first thought indeed was to throw myself in, and endeavour by +swimming to reach the solid ice that bridged the river a short +distance below; a glance at the torrent convinced me that this was a +measure too desperate to be attempted;--I should have been dashed +against the ice, or hurried beneath it by the current. But my time was +not yet come. Within a few feet of the spot where I was thus suspended +_in sublimis_, the rock projected a little outward, so as to break +the force of the current. It struck me that a new border of ice +might be formed at this place, under and parallel to that on which +I was perched; exploring cautiously, therefore, with a stick which +I fortunately had in my hand, all along and beneath me, I found my +conjecture well founded; but whether the ice were strong enough +to bear me, I could not ascertain. But it was my only hope of +deliverance; letting myself down therefore gently, I planted my feet +on the lower ledge, and clinging with the tenacity of a shell-fish to +the upper, I crept slowly along till I reached land. + +This autumn, I had the satisfaction of seeing all my opponents quit +the field, some of whom had maintained a long and obstinate struggle; +yet, although I had reason to congratulate myself on their departure, +as it promised me relief from the painfully toilsome life I had led, +I must do one of the parties, at least, the justice to say, that, in +different circumstances, I should have beheld their departure with +regret. Dey and McGillivray carried on the contest longer than the +others, and did so without showing any of that rancorous feeling which +the other petty traders manifested towards the Company. MacGillivray +and myself, when travelling together, often shared the same blanket, +and the same kettle; and found, that while this friendly feeling was +mutually advantageous to ourselves, it did not in any way compromise +the interests of our employers. I parted from him, wishing him every +success in _any other_ line of business he might engage in. + +After the removal of my competitors, I found the time to hang heavily +on my hands; and the ease I had so often sighed for, I now could +scarcely endure; but I was not allowed long time to sigh for a change. +On the 5th of April an Iroquois came up from Montreal with a packet +conveying orders to me to proceed forthwith to Lachine, whence I +should embark by the opening of the navigation for the northern +department. I was alone at the post when these unexpected orders came +to hand, all the men being absent at the outpost; and as it behoved me +to use the utmost diligence in order to get away ere winter travelling +should break up, leaving an old squaw in charge, I set out for the +outpost in quest of Mr. Cameron, who was appointed my successor; and +on the 7th of April took my departure. + +On arriving at the Grand River, I found travelling on the ice to +be attended with great danger, and several accidents had already +happened; but I had the good fortune to reach Grenville at the head +of the Long Sault in safety; here, however, my farther progress was +arrested for a fortnight, the roads being impassable. I arrived at +Lachine in the end of April, and after handing in the documents +relative to my late charge, Mr. K---- toldme I was at liberty to spend +the intervening time until the embarkation, where and how I pleased. +Gratified by this indulgence, I was about to frame a speech expressive +of my gratitude, when he continued,--"for, Sir, you are to understand +we do not keep a boarding-house here." This stopped my mouth, and I +reserved my thanks for a future occasion; for I could not but feel, +that being an officer of the Company, it was robbing me of a part of +my pay under the pretext of an indulgence. Availing myself, however, +of this ungenerous grant of freedom, I spent some halcyon days in the +company of relatives most dear to me, and expected no interruption to +my enjoyment until the time appointed for the embarkation: but a few +days after I had joined my relatives in the vicinity of Montreal, I +received a letter, commanding me, in the most peremptory manner, to +repair to Lachine,--"circumstances not foreseen at my arrival from the +interior required my departure without further delay." I accompanied +the bearer of Mr. K----'s letter, and found, on arriving at Lachine, +that I had been appointed to conduct some of Captain Back's party, who +proved rather troublesome to him at Montreal, to the Chats, and there +to await my passage to the north by the Brigade. + +I had now served the Hudson's Bay Company faithfully and zealously +for a period of twelve years, leading a life of hardship and toil, +of which no idea can be formed except by those whose hard lot it may +be to know it by experience. How enthusiastically I had laboured for +them, may be better gathered from the foregoing narrative than from +any statement I could here make. And what was my reward? I had no +sooner succeeded in freeing my district from opposition, than I was +ordered to resign my situation to another, who would enjoy the fruits +of my labour:--when I arrived at the Company's head-quarters to take +my departure for a remote district, I was ordered to provide for +myself until I embarked; and when enjoying myself in the bosom of my +family, to suit the convenience of one of their correspondents, I was +torn away from them prematurely, and without warning,--treatment, +which caused one of them so severe a shock as nearly to prove fatal! + +Before I take leave of the Montreal department, it may be well to +allude more particularly to the manners and customs of the natives. +The mode of life the Algonquins lead, while at their village, has been +already touched upon; within these few years a great change has taken +place, not in their morals, but in their circumstances. The southern +and western parts of their hunting-grounds are now nearly all +possessed by the white man, whose encroachments extend farther and +farther every year. Beaver meadows are now to be found in place of +beaver dams; and rivers are crossed on bridges formed by the hand of +man, where the labours of the beaver afforded a passage for the roving +Indian and hunter only a few years before. + +Happy change, it may be said; but so say not the Indians; the days +of happiness are gone for them, at least for those of the present +generation; though I have no doubt that their posterity may, in course +of time, become reconciled to, and adopt those habits of life which +their altered circumstances may require. A few have done so already, +but many of them still remain on the most remote parts of their lauds, +having no longer the means of enjoying themselves at their village, or +of satisfying the avarice of priests and traders. Here they pursue, +without restraint or interruption, the mode of life most congenial to +their habits. + +I have already observed, that I could discover but little difference +between the (so called) Christian Indians, and their unbaptized +countrymen, when beyond the surveillance of their priests. They +practise all the superstitious rites of their forefathers, and place +implicit confidence in the power of magic, although they admit that +the same results cannot be obtained now, as formerly, in consequence, +as they say, "of the Cross having come in contact with the Medicine." +They have their genii of lakes, rivers, mountains, and forests, to +whom they offer sacrifice. I was present at the sacrifice of a +beaver, made by an Algonquin to his familiar, or "totem," in order +to propitiate him, because he had been unsuccessful in hunting. +The beaver was roasted without being skinned, the fur only being +appropriated to the spirit, whilst the flesh afforded a luxurious +feast to the sacrificer; and in this part of the ceremony I willingly +participated. + +When any of them is taken ill, the indisposition is ascribed to the +effects of "bad medicine;" and the person is mentioned whom they +suspect of having laid the disease upon them. Many violent deeds are +committed to revenge these supposed injuries. An Algonquin, who had +lost a child, blamed a _tête de boule_, who was domiciled at Lac de +Sable, for his death. The ensuing spring the _tête de boule_ took a +fancy to visit the Lake of Two Mountains, and set off in company with +the Algonquins. + +On arrival of the party at the Grand River, he who had lost his child +invited the _tête de boule_ to his tent, and entertained him in the +most friendly manner for a time, then suddenly drawing his knife, he +plunged it into the side of his unsuspecting guest. The poor wretch +fled, and concealed himself in a pig-sty, where his groans soon +discovered him to the Algonquin, who, again seizing him, thrust his +knife into his throat, and did not withdraw it until he ceased to +live. + +"Now," exclaimed his murderer, "I am avenged for the death of my +child. You wanted to go to the Lake to be baptized, and here I have +baptized you in your own blood." + +Many other instances might be adduced to prove that the savage +disposition of these Indians has not been greatly ameliorated by their +profession of Christianity; they have, in fact, all the vices with but +few of the virtues of their heathen countrymen. + +They are immoderately fond of ardent spirits, men, women and--shocking +to say--children. This hateful vice, which contributes more than any +other to the debasement of human nature, seems to produce more baneful +effects upon the Indian, both physically and morally, than upon the +European. The worst propensities of his nature are excited by it. +While under the influence of this demon he spares neither friend nor +foe; and in many instances the members of his own family become the +victims either of his fury or his lust. + +The crime of incest is by no means unknown among them; rum, the +greatest scourge and curse of the Indian race, is undoubtedly the +principal cause of this dreadful corruption: but is it not strange +that religion should have so little effect in reforming their manners? +The Mississagays, the neighbours of the Algonquins, who speak the same +language, were only converted a few years ago by the Methodists, and +from being the most dissipated and depraved of Indians, are now become +sober, industrious and devout. + +It seems, therefore, impossible even for the most unprejudiced to +avoid the conclusion that the difference in manners must in a great +measure be ascribed to the different methods adopted by the Roman +Catholic and Protestant missionaries in converting the natives. The +Roman Catholic convert is first baptized, then instructed in the forms +of worship, taught to repeat Pater nosters and Ave Marias, to make the +sign of the cross, and to confess. He is now a member of the Church, +and is dismissed to his woods--a Christian, can we say? The Methodists +pursue a different course. Their converts must not only reform their +lives, but give indubitable proofs that they are reformed; they +are taught so as to understand thoroughly the sound principles of +Christianity; and they must give an account of their faith, and a +reason for the hope that is in them, before they are admitted as +members of the Christian community. "The tree is known by its fruits." + +The Sachems, or chiefs of the Algonquins, possess little or no +authority, but their advice is of some weight There are gradations of +rank in the chieftainship; the Kitchi Okima, or great chief, takes +precedence at the Council, and propounds the subject of discussion; +the inferior chiefs (Okimas) speak in turn, according to seniority; +every old man, however, whether chief or not, is allowed to give his +opinion, and the general voice of the assembly decides the question at +issue. It is seldom, however, that any question arises requiring much +deliberation in the present times of peace. When a party of strange +Indians arrives at the village, a council is called to ascertain the +means the community may possess of discharging properly the rites of +hospitality; each individual states the modicum he is willing to +contribute, in cash or in kind, and the proceeds, which are always +sufficient to entertain the guests sumptuously, according to Indian +ideas, while they remain, are placed at the disposal of the Kitchi +Okima. + +Councils are held and harangues delivered when they receive their +annual presents from Government; these consist of blankets, cloth, +ammunition, and a variety of small articles, all of which in their +present impoverished state are highly valued by them. They profess an +attachment to the British Government; but, like certain more civilized +nations, they will fight for the cause that is likely to yield them +most advantage. Their loyalty to Britain, therefore, is less to be +depended on than their hatred to America. A general idea has gone +abroad regarding their taciturnity which does not accord with my +experience. Far from being averse to colloquial intercourse, they +delight in it; none more welcome to an Indian wigwam than one who +can talk freely. They pass the winter evenings in relating their +adventures, hunting being their usual theme, or in telling stories; +and often have I heard the woods resound with peals of laughter +excited by their wit, for they too are witty in their own way. + +Their tradition of the flood (_kitchi a tesoka_, or "great tale,") is +somewhat remarkable. The world having been overflowed by water, all +mankind perished but one family, who embarked in a large canoe, taking +a variety of animals along with them. The canoe floated about for some +time, when a musk-rat, tired of its confinement, jumped overboard and +dived; it soon reappeared, with a mouthful of mud, which it deposited +on the surface of the water, and from this beginning the new world was +formed. + +When the veracity of an Indian is doubted, he points to heaven with +his forefinger, and exclaims:-- + +"He to whom we belong knows that what I say is true." + +No white man trusts more firmly in the validity of a solemn oath than +the Indian in this asseveration. Still it must be confessed that they +are prone to falsehood; but they seem to allow themselves a much +greater licence in this respect in their intercourse with the whites +than amongst themselves. + +When an Indian is about to enter a wigwam, he utters the word or sound +"Quay" in a peculiar tone; the word repeated from within is considered +as an invitation to enter. Should he neglect to announce himself +in this way he is considered as ill-bred--an unmannerly boor. The +left-hand side of the wigwam as you enter is considered the place +of honour; here the father of the family and chief squaw take their +station, the young men on the opposite side, and the women next to the +door, or at the upper end of the fire-place, both ends being alike +plebeian. When a person of respectability enters, the father, moving +towards the door, resigns his place to his guest, places skins under +him, and otherwise pays every attention to his comfort. They are +extremely hospitable, and cheerfully share their last morsel with the +stranger who may be in want. Hospitality, however, is a virtue which +civilization rarely improves. + +A good hunter always leaves his lodge by dawn of day, and seldom +tastes food till he returns late at night. Hunting beavers is a most +laborious occupation, and becomes more so in proportion to the +scarcity of these animals; for this reason, that when a great number +of beavers occupy a lake, their places of retreat are in closer +proximity to each other, and for the most part inhabited; if the +number be reduced, it is likely they will have the same places of +retreat, and the hunter must bore through the ice, before he can +ascertain whether they are inhabited or not. + +The sagacity of their dogs is truly surprising. The beaver house being +first destroyed by the hunter, the dogs are urged by a peculiar call +to scent out their retreats, which they never fail to do, whatever +may be the thickness of the ice. They keep running about the borders +of the lake, their noses close to the ground, and the moment they +discover a retreat, begin to bark and jump on the ice; the hunter then +cuts a hole with his trench, and with a stick which he carries along +with him feels for the beaver; should he find one, he introduces his +bare arm into the hole, and seizing his prey by the tail, drags it out +on the ice, where it is dispatched with a spear. There is less danger +in this operation than one would imagine, for the beaver allows itself +to be seized without a struggle, but sometimes inflicts severe wounds +on his captor after he is taken out of the water. + +When the retreat is not inhabited, the entrance to it is barred by +sticks, and the hunter proceeds to chisel again, and continues his +operations until the beaver is either taken, or shut out from all his +haunts, in which case he is compelled to return to the house to take +breath, where he is either shot or caught in a trap. + +The language of these Indians is a dialect of the Sauteux or Bungee, +intermixed with Cree, and a few words of French derivation. The +greater part of them have a smattering of French or English; but the +acquisition of a foreign language is extremely difficult to them, +from the peculiar formation of their own, which wants the letter r. +An Algonquin pronounces the word "marrow" "manno" or "mallo." Their +dialect has all the softness of the Italian, but is extremely poor and +defective. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +EMBARK FOR THE INTERIOR--MODE OF TRAVELLING BY CANOES--LITTLE +RIVER--LAKE NIPISSING--FRENCH RIVER--OLD STATION OF INDIAN +ROBBERS--FORT MISSISSAGA--INDIANS--LIGHT CANOE-MEN--SAULT STE. +MARIE--LAKE SUPERIOR--CANOE-MEN DESERT--RE-TAKEN--FORT WILLIAM--M. +THIBAUD--LAC LA PLUIE AND RIVER--INDIANS--WHITE RIVER--NARROW +ESCAPE--CONVERSATION WITH AN INDIAN ABOUT BAPTISM. + + +On the 25th April, 1833, I embarked on board of a steamboat at +Lachine, and reached Hull on the 27th. Here the regular conveyance by +land carriages and steamboat ended, and the traveller in those days +was obliged to wait his passage by the canoes of shanty men, or hire a +boat or canoe for himself. I had recourse to the latter expedient, and +reached the post of the Chats, then in charge of my esteemed friend +Mr. McD----l, on the 30th. Captain Back arrived on the 1st of May, +put ashore for a few supplies and my wards, and immediately +re-embarked. + +The brigade arrived on the 2d, and the guide delivered me a letter +from Mr. K----, informing me that I was to consider myself merely as +a passenger, the command of the men being entrusted to the guide by +Governor Simpson's orders. This arrangement relieved me of much +anxiety and trouble; though I would rather have preferred undergoing +any personal inconvenience to being placed under the command of an +ignorant Canadian, who might use his "brief" authority in a way very +offensive to my feelings, without being guilty of anything that I +could complain of. + +My fears, however, were disappointed, as he showed every deference to +my wishes, as well as the utmost courtesy to the other passengers, +most of whom were of a rank not likely to find much consideration from +a Canadian boatman; they consisted of a young priest not yet ordained, +an apprentice clerk, three youths who had been at their education in +Lower Canada, and myself. + +The brigade consisted of three Montreal canoes, laden with provisions +for the trip, and some tobacco for the southern department; and manned +by sixty Iroquois and Canadians, the latter engaged to winter, the +former for the trip. + +The day was far spent when we left the portage of the Chats, and we +encamped in the evening near the head of the rapids. The mode of +travelling in canoes being now well known, I shall not detail the +occurrences of each day, but confine myself to the narration of such +incidents as may be most worthy of notice throughout the voyage. The +moment we landed the tent was pitched by men employed for the purpose; +the other men unloaded the canoes, and carried the goods beyond +high-water mark, where it was piled and covered with oil-cloths. + +It is the particular duty of the bowsman to attend to the canoe, to +repair and pitch it when necessary, and to place it in security when +the cargo is discharged. In consideration of these services he is +exempt from the duty of loading or unloading, his wages are higher +than those of the steersman, and he ranks after the guide. The latter +generally messes with the gentlemen, his canoe always takes the lead +in the rapids, but in still water the post of honour is held by the +best going canoe. The guide rouses the men in the morning; the moment +the call is heard, "Lève, lève!" the passengers spring upon their +feet, tie up their beds, and if they are not smart about it, the tents +go down about their ears, and they must finish the operation in the +open air. + +Several of our men having already deserted, we encamped upon islands, +when they could be found, or kept watch on the mainland. Our hour +of departure was three o'clock, A.M.; when the weather permitted we +breakfasted at seven, dined at one or two o'clock, P.M., and encamped +at sunset. In calm weather the canoes went abreast, singing in chorus +and keeping time with the paddles. All was then gaiety, and, to +appearance, happiness; but this is one of those bright spots in a +voyageur's life which are few and far between. + +We reached Fort Coulonge on the 3d, and it being late, I took up my +quarters with my worthy old bourgeois, Mr. S. Here we received some +additional supplies of provisions for the crews and passengers. We +arrived at Lac des Allumettes on the 5th, where I put ashore merely to +say _bon jour_ to an old acquaintance. We encamped rather early this +evening, to allow the men a little extra rest, on account of the +laborious duty they had performed for some days before. Next day, +when ascending the rapid of Roche Capitaine, the canoe in which I +was passenger came in violent contact with another; but mine only +sustained damage. The bow being stove in, the canoe began to fill; we +however gained the shore, to which fortunately we were close, at a +leap, and lost no time in discharging the cargo. Drying the goods and +repairing the canoe occupied us a good part of the day. + +We reached the Forks of Mattawin on the 8th, where we found a small +outpost belonging to the Fort Coulonge district, recently established +for the purpose of securing the hunts of the Indians of this quarter, +who were in the habit of trading with shanty men. Being no longer +under any apprehensions of the men deserting, we now discontinued the +watch and slept in comfort. + +The passage of the Little River was effected with much toil and +difficulty, from the shallowness of the water. We entered Lake +Nipissing on the 10th; descended French River, a rapid and dangerous +stream, without accident, and entered Lake Huron on the morning of the +12th. The guide pointed out to me a place near the mouth of the river +where the Indians used to waylay the canoes on their passage to and +from the interior; a sort of rude breastwork still marks the spot. +After much destruction of life and property by the savages, they +were eventually caught in their own toil; the voyageurs, instead +of descending the river at this place, passed by land, and coming +unawares on the Indians killed them all. + +We reached the post of the Cloche early on the 13th, and spent two +hours in the company of Mr. McB----u, who entertained us most kindly; +and on the 14th looked in at Mississaga post, an establishment which +appeared to possess but few attractions as a place of residence; +consisting of a few miserable log buildings, surrounded by a number +of pine-bark wigwams, the temporary residence of the natives; several +of whom came reeling into the house after our arrival, there being an +opposition party there. + +These Indians were, without comparison, the most uncouth, +savage-looking beings I ever beheld; mouth from ear to ear, +cheek-bones remarkably high, low projecting forehead, hair like a +horse's mane, and eyes red and swollen by continual intoxication. +American whisky had no doubt contributed to increase their natural +deformity. + +After leaving this post we had a strong breeze of adverse wind for the +remainder of the day, and encamped in consequence earlier than usual. +On the following morning we were very early roused from our slumbers +by the call of "Canot à lège," (light canoe). Our beds were tied up, +tents packed, canoes launched and loaded in an instant; and we set off +in pursuit of the mail, which we overtook at breakfast time, and found +Mr. G. K----th in charge, who had just returned from England, and +was now proceeding to assume the charge of Lake Superior district. +Mr. K----th exchanged some of his men, who were found incapable of +performing light canoe duty, for some of our best; an arrangement that +did not appear to please our guide much. + +The duty which the crew of a light canoe have to perform is laborious +in the extreme, and requires men of the greatest strength and vigour +to stand it. They are never allowed to remain more than four hours +ashore by night, often only two or three; during the day they are +constantly urged on by the guide or person in command, and never cease +paddling, unless during the few moments required to exchange seats, or +while they take their hasty meals ashore. They are liberally plied +with grog, well paid, and well fed, and seldom quit the service until +it is hinted to them that the duty is become too hard for them. A +light canoe-man considers it quite a degradation to be employed in +loaded craft. + +We arrived early on the 16th at the Company's establishment at Sault +Sainte Marie, where there is a large depôt of provisions for the +purpose of supplying the canoes passing to and from the interior and +the surrounding districts. The south side of the river is occupied by +the Americans as a military post, and it was gratifying to see the +friendly intercourse that subsisted between the American officers and +the gentlemen in the Company's service. Would that the same good +feeling were more universal between two nations of one blood and the +same language! + +The rapid which unites the waters of Lakes Huron and Superior is +avoided by making a portage. The carrying of the canoes and goods +to the upper end of this portage occupied the men till about noon, +when we embarked on the "Sea of Canada," having Messrs. Bethune and +McKenzie on board as passengers. We proceeded about fifteen miles and +encamped. We were ready to embark at the usual hour next morning, but +being prevented by the high wind, to make the best of the time we +turned in again, and after a most refreshing nap got up to breakfast. + +The weather moderating soon after, all hands were ordered to embark, +but all hands were not there; four of them had deserted during the +night, and were not missed until the crews mustered for embarkation. + +While we were holding a consultation regarding this unpleasant matter, +an Indian canoe luckily cast up, and it was determined to despatch a +party of Iroquois, conducted by a passenger in disguise, in pursuit of +the fugitives. Another party was sent by land, and after an absence +of about three hours returned with their prisoners. No criminals ever +appeared more dejected than they; so humble did they seem, that they +got off with a slight reprimand. + +We reached the post of Michipikoton early on the morning of the 19th, +and passed the remainder of the day waiting for despatches which Mr. +K---- was preparing for the interior. We left on the 20th, put ashore +at the Pic on the 23d, where we dined with Mr. McMurray, and after +experiencing much bad weather, adverse winds, together with showers of +snow, we reached Fort William on the 28th, about noon. + +We found the grand depôt of the North-West Company falling rapidly +to decay, presenting in its present ruinous state but a shadow of +departed greatness. It is now occupied as a petty post, a few Indians +and two or three old voyageurs being the sole representatives of +the crowded throngs of former times. It must have been a beautiful +establishment in its days of prosperity; but the buildings certainly +do not appear to have been erected with a view to durability. We +here exchanged our large Montreal canoes for those of the North, +(the former carrying seventy packages of ninety pounds, the latter +twenty-five, exclusive of provisions;) and each of the passengers had +a canoe for his own accommodation--an arrangement that seemed to +increase in no small degree the self-importance of some of our number. +Our guide was now obliged to perform the duty of bowsman, still, +however, retaining his authority over the whole brigade. + +We bade adieu to Fort William and its hospitable commander on the +29th. Mr. McI----h had supplied all our wants most liberally, but +the men were now allowed only Indian corn and a small quantity of +grease;--a sad and unpleasing change for poor Jean Baptiste; but he +had no help but to submit, though not perhaps with the utmost +"Christian resignation." + +Our men being now well disciplined, and our canoes comparatively +light, we sped over our way at an excellent rate. We encamped on the +4th of June at one of the Thousand Lakes, and the canoes were drawn +up before M. Thibaud (the priest) arrived. I was surprised to observe +his frowning aspect on landing, and ascribed it to the circumstance of +his being the "harse," or harrow, a term of derision applied to the +slowest canoe. Calling me aside, however, he explained the cause of +his discontent, which was very different from what I had surmised: +his crew, whenever they found themselves sufficiently far in the rear +to be out of hearing, invariably struck up an obscene song, alike +unmindful of his presence and remonstrances; and this day had not only +sung, but indulged in conversation the most indecent imaginable. This +announcement appeared to me the more strange, that most of these young +men had never before quitted home; and I had always understood the +authority of the priest to be, at least, equal to that of the parent. +Although, therefore, I never had any very great reverence for the +(so-called) successors of St. Peter, I yet felt for my fellow-traveller, +and addressed the miscreants who had insulted him in terms of grave +reprehension, threatening them with severe punishment if such conduct +should again be repeated. + +We arrived at the post of Lac de la Pluie, on the 8th of June; and, +after a short halt, and carrying our _impedimenta_ across the portage +on which the fort is situated, commenced the descent of Lac de la +Pluie river,--a beautiful stream, running with a smooth, though strong +current, and maintaining a medium breadth of about 200 yards. Its +banks, which are clothed with verdure to the water's edge, recede by a +gradual slope until they terminate in a high ridge, running parallel +to the river on both sides. This ridge yields poplar, birch, and +maple, with a few pines, proving the excellence of the soil. The +interior, however, is said to be low and swampy. + +We passed the residence of an old retired servant of the Company, on +the 9th, who, if I may judge from the appearance of his farm and the +number of his cattle, must vegetate very much at his ease. + +Observing in the evening a large Indian camp, I requested the guide +to put ashore for a little. We were received kindly, but in a manner +quite different to what I had been accustomed. The young men were +drawn up on the shore, and eyed us with a savage _fierté_ in their +looks, returning our salutation in a way that convinced us that we +were at length among the "wild men of the woods." The weather being +extremely hot, we found them in almost a complete state of nudity, +with only a narrow shred of cloth around their loins. They speak +the Sauteux language; and I had much difficulty in making myself +understood by them. In their physiognomy and personal appearance they +exhibit all the characteristic features of the genuine aboriginal +race; and this party certainly appeared, one and all, to be "without a +cross;" but there had been long a trading post at Lac la Pluie, and I +noticed, in a neighbouring camp, a lass with brown hair and pretty +blue eyes. Where did she get them? After bartering some sturgeon with +the Indians, and presenting them with a little tobacco, we parted good +friends, and encamped so near them as to be annoyed the whole night by +the sound of their drum. + +On the following morning we entered the Lake of the Woods, and next +morning White River, a very violent stream, full of falls and +dangerous rapids. The portages are innumerable, and often close +together. After crossing one of these portages, we observed, with +astonishment, a number of people on the next portage, La Cave, about +pistol-shot distance from us. They proved to be Mr. Hughes, formerly +partner of the North-West Company; Mr. Berens, a member of Committee, +and suite: they were painfully situated, in consequence of the loss of +their bowsman, who, by missing a stroke with his pole, fell into the +rapid, and was drowned: the steersman was saved with great difficulty. + +We got safe through this dangerous river, on the 15th; but two of the +men had a narrow escape in one of the last portages. Our guide here, +as everywhere else, having a picked crew, pushed on, and left us +considerably in the rear. Approaching a fall, Le Bonnet, where no +traces of a portage could be discovered, the men unloaded the canoes, +and commenced carrying the goods through the woods; but the _boutes_ +(bowsmen and steersmen) determined on wading down with the canoes, the +water being shallow, until they should come close to the fall; where, +by lifting them across a narrow point, they could place them in the +smooth water beneath. The attempt was made accordingly, by the leading +canoe; but the rock over which the current flows being smooth, and +covered with a slimy moss, the men slipped, and were in an instant +precipitated over the fall. When we saw the canoe rushing over the +brink, with the poor fellows clinging to it, we all concluded they had +reached the end of their voyage. Running down to the foot of the fall, +which was about eleven feet high, having previously ordered a canoe to +be carried across the point, and some shots to be fired to recall the +guide, who was now nearly out of sight, I was astonished to find the +canoe had not upset, although the men had got into it, and it was half +full of water, and so near the shore that I extended my arm to lay +hold of the bow. The next moment, however, the stern having come +within the influence of a whirlpool, it was hurried out into the +middle of the stream, and dashed with such violence against a rock, +that the crashing of the timbers was distinctly heard from the shore. +This shock, which had nearly proved fatal to the men, threw the canoe +into an eddy, or counter-current, which whirled it to the opposite +shore, where it was about to sink when assistance came. + +In the evening, we arrived at the post of Bas de la Rivière, in charge +of an Orkney-man, by name Clouston, who had risen from the ranks, and +who, seeing what small fry he had to deal with, treated us somewhat +superciliously. Our stock of provisions being exhausted, we applied to +_Maister_ Clouston for a fresh supply: he granted us what I thought +very inadequate to our wants; but he said it was all that was allowed +by the Governor for the passage of the Lake. Here M. Thibaud found two +men with a small canoe, who had been sent by the Bishop of Red River +to convey him to his destination, waiting his arrival. We parted with +feelings of mutual regret. + +We left this post late on the 16th, and had proceeded but a short +distance on the Lake, when a strong head wind compelled us to put +ashore. We now experienced constant bad weather, never completing a +day's sailing without interruption from some cause or other; and in +consequence of these delays, it was found necessary to curtail our +allowance of provisions. On the 20th, we pitched our tents near a camp +of Sauteux, from whom the men procured a small quantity of sturgeon, +in exchange for some articles of clothing. I was surprised to find +Indians, in a quarter so remote from those tribes with whom I had +hitherto been conversant, speaking a dialect which I understood +perfectly: their erratic habits, and intercourse with the Crees and +Algonquins, may perhaps account for this similarity of dialect. + +I entered into conversation with a shrewd old fellow, who had been +often at Red River settlement. Among other questions, I asked him +whether he had not been baptized? + +"Baptized!" he exclaimed; "don't speak of it, my brother. +Baptized--that I may go to the devil! Indians think a good Indian goes +to the good place when he dies; but the priests send _all_ to the evil +one." + +I asked him how he made that out? + +"Why, I learned it from the priests themselves. When I first went to +Red River, I met a French priest, who earnestly besought me to be +converted. I heard him attentively, and his words had a great effect +upon me; but I had been told there was another priest there, who had +different thoughts about religion, and I thought I would go to him +too. He was very kind to me, and spoke nearly the same words as the +French priest; so that I thought there was no difference in their +religions. He asked me if I would be baptized? and I told him that I +would; but I wanted to learn the French prayer. 'Ah! my son,' he said, +'that must not be: if you adopt that bad religion, you will be burned +for certain.' And he spoke so strong, that I almost thought he was +right. But before I would do anything, I went to the French priest +again, and told him what the English priest said to me; and then said +I would learn the English prayer. 'Ah! my son,' said he, 'if you do +so, it will lead you to perdition: all that pray after the English +manner go to the fire.' And he said much more, and his words were very +strong too; so I saw that I could be no better by forsaking the belief +of my fathers, and I have not gone to French or English priest since." + +This is by no means a solitary case; and it is one of the sore evils +which arise from the corruption of Christianity, and the divisions +of Christians. Nor, in the case of creeds so opposite as those of +Protestants and Roman Catholics--creeds as opposite as light and +darkness--is it easy to point out a remedy. After all, it is surely +better for these poor Indians to adopt some form of Christianity, +however corrupt, than to remain in the darkness and debasement of +heathenism. And if our missionaries would act upon the noble maxim +of the greatest of the Apostles--"never to enter upon the sphere of +another man's labours,"--consequences so injurious would be avoided. +If they have not so much Christianity and good sense as to do so of +themselves, where there is the power, they should be compelled to do +it. The Company have the power, but are too much occupied with matters +which they deem more momentous, to waste a thought upon this. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +CONTINUATION OF THE VOYAGE--RUN SHORT OF PROVISIONS--DOGS' +FLESH--NORWAY HOUSE--INDIAN VOYAGEURS--ORDERED TO NEW CALEDONIA--LAKE +WINNIPEG--MACINTOSH'S ISLAND SUBMERGED--CUMBERLAND HOUSE--CHIPPEWEYAN +AND CREE INDIANS--PORTAGE LA LOCHE--SCENERY--ATHABASCA--HEALTHINESS OF +THE CLIMATE. + + +High winds detained us in camp on the 21st. The crews of two canoes, +having finished their last meal to-day, bartered some more of their +clothes for dogs. We reached a small outpost called Berens House on +the 23d, where we procured a couple of sturgeon, and a dog valued at +ten shillings, for which I gave my note of hand. I had a _preein_ of +this cynic mutton at breakfast; and could not help thinking it would +have made a most appropriate and _philosophical_ addition to the +larder of the wise man of the tub. The men, however, having been for +some time on short commons, seemed to relish it. We supped lightly +enough on the remainder of Mr. Clouston's bountiful supply, giving a +share to the men. + +After a most tedious and miserable passage, we reached the outlet of +Lake Winnipeg on the 24th, and arrived next morning at Norway House. +Here the men were liberally supplied; and I found myself at breakfast +with a number of chief factors and chief traders, just arrived from +their respective districts, and on their way with their valuable +returns to York Factory. Captain Back was also here, having sent on +his men and baggage under the command of Dr. King, intending himself +to follow in a light canoe, after having forwarded his despatches to +Europe. + +The day after my arrival, I was notified by one of the officials, +that it was arranged that I should pass the summer here, giving such +assistance to the gentleman in charge as might be required of me; and +that my future destination should be determined upon at York Factory. +I now passed my time very agreeably, having just enough employment +in the day-time to keep off _ennui_, and the company of several +gentlemen, and, what I thought still better, that of a fair +countrywoman,[1] in the evening. I was gratified to find that there +existed here a far greater degree of intimacy between gentlemen of +different ranks in the service, than in the Montreal department, where +a clerk is considered as a mere hireling; here, on the contrary, +commissioned officers look upon clerks as candidates for the same rank +which themselves hold, and treat them accordingly. + + [1] Mistress of the establishment. + +The Governor, having taken up his residence for some years past in +England, crosses the Atlantic once a year, and during his brief +sojourn, Norway House forms his head-quarters. Here it is that the +sham Council is held, and everything connected with the business of +the interior arranged. Here also is the depôt for the districts of +Athabasca and McKenzie's River, which supplies all the provisions +required for inland transport. These provisions are furnished by the +Saskatchewan district, or are purchased by the Company from the +colonists of Red River, who have no other customers. + +The natives of this quarter speak a jargon of Cree and Sauteux, which +sounds very harshly. They all understand English, and some of them +speak it fluently. Many of them are constantly employed as voyageurs +between Norway House and York Factory; and none perform the trip more +expeditiously, or render their cargoes in better condition than they. +Of Christianity, they have learned just as much as enables them to +swear; in other respects, they are still Pagans. + +On the 20th of July, I received a letter from Mr. Chief Factor +Cameron, who acted as President of the Council in the Governor's +absence, conveying orders for me to proceed to New Caledonia; Mr. +Charles being instructed to furnish me with a passage to Athabasca, +and to forward me afterwards to Fort Dunvegan, on Peace River, where I +was to wait the arrival of the party sent annually from New Caledonia +for a supply of leather. + +The brigade having been despatched on the 27th, Mr. C. and I embarked +on the 28th, and overtook it at the entrance of Lake Winnipeg. The +crews being ashore, and enjoying themselves, we passed on; but did not +proceed far, ere the wind blew so violently as to compel us to put +ashore. After a delay of about four hours, we "put to sea" again; and +the wind gradually abating as we proceeded, we encamped in the evening +nearly opposite to McIntosh's Island. + +This island, some years ago, presented an extensive surface of land +covered with wood: there is not now a vestige of land to be seen; the +spot where it existed being only known to voyagers by a shoal which is +visible at low water. But not only have the islands been swept away, +but the mainland along the west end of the lake seems gradually being +encroached upon and engulphed by the waves; an undeniable proof of +which is, that the old post of Norway House, which formerly stood at a +considerable distance from the water's edge, is now close to it, and +the burial-ground is nearly all submerged. + +We arrived at the foot of Grand Rapid late on the 29th of July, and +passed the portage on the 30th, assisted by the natives--Sauteux, +Crees, and half-breeds. These live luxuriously on sturgeon, with +little toil. Among them I observed two or three old Canadians, who +could scarcely be distinguished from the natives by language, manners, +or dress; such persons, when young, having formed an attachment to +some of the Indian young women, betake themselves to their half-savage +mode of life, and very soon cannot be persuaded to quit it. + +We arrived on the 5th of August at Rivière du Pas, where an old +Canadian, M. Constant, had fixed his abode, who appeared to have +an abundance of the necessaries of life, and a large family of +half-Indians, who seemed to claim him as their sire. We breakfasted +sumptuously on fish and fowl, and no charge was made; but a gratuity +of tea, tobacco, or sugar is always given; so that M. Constant loses +nothing by his considerate attentions to his visitors. + + +We reached Cumberland House on the 8th. Here I was cheered by the +sight of extensive corn-fields, horned cattle, pigs and poultry, which +gave the place more the appearance of a farm in the civilized world, +than of a trading post in the far North-West; and I could not help +envying the happy lot of its tenant, and contrasting it with my own, +which led me to the wilds of New Caledonia--to fare like a dog, +without knowing how long my exile might be protracted. + +We arrived at the post of Isle à la Crosse, where we were detained a +day in consequence of bad weather. This post is also surrounded by +cultivated fields, and I observed a few cattle; but the voice of the +grunter was not heard. + +The Indians who frequent this post are chiefly Chippeweyans, with a +few families of Crees. The former differ in features, language, and +manners from any I had yet seen. Their face is of a peculiar mould, +broad; the cheekbone remarkably prominent, chin small, mouth wide, +with thick lips, the upper covered with beard; the body strongly built +and muscular. They appear destitute of the amiable qualities which +characterise the Crees. Whenever we met any of them on our route, and +asked for fish or meat, "Budt hoola,"[1] was the invariable answer; +yet no Indians were ever more importunate than they in begging for +tobacco. On the contrary, when we fell in with Crees, they allowed +us to help ourselves freely, and were delighted to see us do so, +receiving thankfully whatever we gave them in return. The features of +the Crees are not so strongly marked as those of the Sauteux, although +they are a kindred people; yet they are as easily distinguishable from +each other, as an Englishman from a Frenchman. + + [1] There is none. + +We left Isle à la Crosse on the 12th, and without meeting with any +adventure worthy of notice, reached the end of Portage la Loche +about two o'clock P.M. of the following day, with canoe and baggage. +In this, as in every other part of their territories, the Company +use boats for the transport of property; but by a very judicious +arrangement, much time and labour are saved at this portage, which is +said to be twelve miles in length. Boats are placed at the upper and +lower ends, so that the men have only to carry across the property, +which, in truth, of itself is a sufficiently laborious operation for +human beings. The people from the district of McKenzie's River come +thus far with their returns, and receive their outfit in boats manned +by half-breeds, who are hired at Red River for the trip. + +The prospect which the surrounding country presents from the upper +end of the portage is very striking; and the more so from the sudden +manner in which it bursts upon the view. You suddenly arrive at the +summit of a remarkably steep hill, where, on looking around, the first +object that attracts attention is a beautiful green hill standing on +the opposite side of the deep glen, through which the clear Water +River flows, forming the most prominent feature of an extensive range, +cut up by deep ravines, whose sides are clothed with wood, presenting +already all the beautiful variety of their autumnal hues; while, +at intervals, a glimpse was caught of the river meandering through +the valley. In former times these hills were covered with herds of +buffaloes, but not one is to be seen now. + +We once more proceeded down the stream, and arrived at Athabasca on +the 21st of August, where we found Dr. King, who had been delayed some +days repairing his boats; Capt. Back having proceeded onwards in a +light canoe to fix on a winter residence. + +Fort Chippeweyan was, in the time of the North-West Company, next in +importance to Fort William. Besides having several detached posts +depending immediately upon itself, and carrying on a very extensive +trade with the Chippeweyans, (the best hunters in the Indian country,) +it served as depôt for the districts of McKenzie's River, and Peace +River. + +The trade of this district, although it bears no comparison to that of +former times, is yet pretty extensive. It is still the depôt for Peace +River, and commands the trade with the Chippeweyans. Trade is carried +on in this quarter solely by barter, which secures the Company from +loss, and is apparently attended with no inconvenience to the natives, +who used formerly to take their supplies on credit. + +Beaver is the standard according to which all other furs are rated; so +many martens, so many foxes, &c., equal to one beaver. The trader, on +receiving the Indian's hunt, proceeds to reckon it up according to +this rule, giving the Indian a quill for each beaver; these quills are +again exchanged at the counter for whatever articles he wants. The +people of this post subsist entirely on the produce of the country, +fish, flesh, and fowl, of which there is the greatest abundance. Both +soil and climate are said to be unfavourable to the cultivation of +grain or vegetables; the attempt is made, however, and sometimes with +success. + +I took my departure from Athabasca on the 24th of August, accompanied +by Mr. Charles Ross, who had passed the summer there as _locum +tenens_, and was now proceeding to assume the charge of his own post, +Fort Vermillion, where we arrived on the 1st of September. + +This post is agreeably situated on the right bank of Peace River, +having the river in front, and boundless prairies in the rear. The +Indians attached to it are designated Beaver Indians, and their +language is said to have some affinity to the Chippeweyan. This is, +however, the only point of resemblance between them. The Beavers are +a more diminutive race than the Chippeweyans, and their features bear +a greater resemblance to those of the Crees. They are allowed to be +generous, hospitable and brave; and are distinguished for their strict +adherence to truth. + +Most Indians boast of the murder of white men as a glorious exploit; +these, on the contrary, glory in never having shed the blood of one, +although they often imbrue their hands in the blood of their kindred; +being very apt to quarrel among themselves, chiefly on account of +their gallantry. When an illicit amour is detected, the consequence is +frequently fatal to one of the parties; but the unmarried youth, of +both sexes, are generally under no restraint whatever. + +I bade adieu to Mr. Ross, a warm-hearted Gael, on the 3d, and arrived +at Fort Dunvegan on the 10th of September, then under the charge of +Mr. McIntosh, chief factor, where I met with a Highland welcome, and +passed the time most agreeably in the company of a well educated +gentleman. The Indians here are of the same tribe as those of Fort +Vermillion, but are not guiltless of the blood of the whites. This +post is also surrounded by prairies. A large farm is cultivated, +yielding in favourable seasons a variety of vegetables and grain: but +the crops are subject to injury from frost; sometimes are altogether +destroyed. When the wind blows for some time from the west, it cools +in its passage across the glaciers of the Rocky Mountains, to such +a degree, that the change of temperature caused by it is not only +severely felt in the vicinity of the mountains, but at a great +distance from them, as far even as Red River. + +From the great age attained by many of the retired servants of the +Company, who pass their lives in this country, the salubrity of the +climate may fairly be inferred. Meeting a brigade of small canoes +between Fort Vermillion and this place, and observing an old man with +a white head and wrinkled face, sitting in the centre of one of them, +I made up to him, and after saluting him _à la Française_, presented +him with a piece of tobacco--the Indian letter of introduction. I +inquired of him how long it was since he had left home. + +"Sixty-two years, Monsieur," was the reply; and as the canoes +assembled around us, he pointed out to me his sons, and his sons' +sons, to the third and fourth generation. + +I heard of no malady which the white inhabitants are liable to, except +the goîtres; caused, it is presumed, in part by the use of snow-water, +and in part by the use of the river-water, which is strongly +impregnated with clay, so much so, as sometimes to resemble a solution +of the earth itself. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +ARRIVAL OF MR. F. FROM CALEDONIA--SCENERY--LAND-SLIP--MASSACRE AT FORT +ST. JOHN'S--ROCKY MOUNTAIN PORTAGE--ROCKY MOUNTAINS--MAGNIFICENT +SCENERY--M'LEOD'S LAKE--RECEPTION OF ITS COMMANDER BY THE INDIANS. + + +Mr. Paul Fraser, a senior clerk, arrived from Caledonia with three +canoes, on the 26th of September, and on the 28th we took our +departure. Above Fort Dunvegan the current becomes so strong that +the canoes are propelled by long poles, in using which the men had +acquired such dexterity that we made much better progress than I +could have expected. As we ascended the river, the scenery became +beautifully diversified with hill and dale and wooded valleys, through +which there generally flowed streams of limpid water. I observed at +one place a tremendous land-slip, caused by the water undermining the +soil. Trees were seen in an inverted position, the branches sunk in +the ground and the roots uppermost; others with only the branches +appearing above ground; the earth rent and intersected by chasms +extending in every direction; while piles of earth and stones +intermixed with shattered limbs and trunks of trees, contributed to +increase the dreadful confusion of the scene. The half of a huge hill +had tumbled into the river, and dammed it across, so that no water +escaped for some time. The people of Dunvegan, seeing the river +suddenly dry up, were terrified by the phenomenon, but they had not +much time to investigate the cause: the river as suddenly reappeared, +presenting a front of nearly twenty feet in height, and foaming and +rushing down with the noise of thunder. + +On the 3d of October we reached the tenantless Fort of St. John's, +where a horrid tragedy was enacted some years ago--the commander of +the post with all his men having been cut off by the Indians. The +particulars of this atrocious deed, as related to me by the gentleman +at the head of the district at the time, were as follows:-- + +It had been determined that the post of St. John's should be +abandoned, and the establishment removed to the Rocky Mountain +portage, for the convenience of the Tsekanies, who were excellent +hunters, but who could not be well supplied from this post, on account +of the greatness of the distance. Unfortunately a quarrel had arisen +about this time between the Indians of St. John's and the Tsekanies. +The former viewed the removal of the post from their lands as an +insult, and a measure that gave their enemies a decided superiority +over them, and they took a very effectual method of disappointing +them. + +Mr. Hughes, having sent off his men with a load of property for the +new post, remained alone. This was the opportunity the Indians sought +for, and they did not fail to take advantage of it. The unfortunate +man had been in the habit of walking daily by the river side, and was +taking his usual promenade the day after the departure of his men, +when he was shot down by two of the assassins. They then carried his +body to his room and left it, and his blood still marks the floor. +The men, altogether unconscious of the fate that awaited them, came +paddling toward the landing-place, singing a voyageur's song, and just +as the canoe touched the shore a volley of bullets was discharged at +them, which silenced them for ever. They were all killed on the spot. +The post has remained desolate ever since. Fort Dunvegan was also +abandoned for some years, which reduced the natives to the greatest +distress. + +As soon as intelligence was received of the catastrophe, a party of +half-breeds and Crees, under the command of one of the clerks, was +fitted out in order to inflict deserved punishment on the murderers; +but just as the party had got on the trail, and within a short +distance of the camp, they received orders from the superintendent to +return. + +These orders were no doubt dictated by feelings of humanity, as Mr. +McIntosh had learned that some Indians, who were not concerned in the +murder, were in the same camp, and he was apprehensive the innocent +might be involved in the same punishment with the guilty. The most +of them, however, were afterwards starved to death; and the country +having been abandoned by the Company, gave the natives occasion to +remark, that the measure was dictated more by fear of them than by +motives of humanity. + +The Rocky Mountains came in view on the 8th of October, and we reached +the portage bearing their name on the 10th, the crossing of which took +us eight days, being fully thirteen miles in length, and excessively +bad road, leading sometimes through swamps and morasses, then +ascending and descending steep: hills, and for at least one-third of +the distance so obstructed by fallen trees as to render it all but +impassable. I consider the passage of this portage the most laborious +duty the Company's servants have to perform in any part of the +territory; and, as the voyageurs say, "He that passes it with his +share of a canoe's cargo may call himself a man." + +In the passage we came upon a large camp of Tsekanies, Mr. Eraser's +customers. Their dialect is similar to that of the Beaver Indians, but +they understand the Cree, which is the medium of communication between +Mr. F. and them. It thus appears that this language is understood from +the shores of Labrador to the foot of the Rocky Mountains. + +After passing the portage, the Rocky Mountains reared their snow-clad +summits all around us, presenting a scene of gloomy grandeur, that +had nothing cheering in it. One scene, however, struck me as truly +sublime. As we proceeded onward the mountains pressed closer on the +river, and at one place approached so near that the gap seemed to have +been made by the river forcing a passage through them. We passed in +our canoes at the base of precipices that rose almost perpendicularly +above us on either side to the height of 3,000 or 4,000 feet! After +passing through these magnificent portals, the mountains recede to +a considerable distance, the space intervening between them and the +river being a flat, yielding timber of a larger growth than I expected +to find in such a situation. + +We arrived at McLeod's Lake--Mr. Fraser's post--on the 25th, where +a number of Indians were waiting their supplies. They received us +quite in a military style, with several discharges of fire-arms, and +appeared delighted at the arrival of their chief. They seemed to be +on the best possible terms together--the white chief and his _red +"tail"_. They are Tsekanies, and are reputed honest, industrious, and +faithful. + +The outfit for this post is conveyed on horse-back from Stuart's Lake. +A more dreary situation can scarcely be imagined, surrounded by +towering mountains that almost exclude the light of day, and snow +storms not seldom occurring, so violent and long continued as to bury +the establishment. I believe there are few situations in the country +that present such local disadvantages; but there is the same miserable +solitude everywhere; and yet we find natives of England, Scotland, +and Ireland devoting their lives to a business that holds forth +such prospects! I remained with my new friend one day, enjoying the +comforts of his _eyry_, and then set off for the goal of my long +course, where I arrived on the 28th of October. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +ARRIVAL AT NEW CALEDONIA--BEAUTIFUL SCENERY--INDIAN HOUSES--AMUSEMENTS +AT THE FORT--THREATENED ATTACK OF INDIANS--EXPEDITION AGAINST +THEM--BEEF-STEAKS--NEW CALEDONIAN FARE--MODE OF CATCHING +SALMON--SINGULAR DEATH OF NATIVE INTERPRETER--INDIAN FUNERAL +RITES--BARBAROUS TREATMENT OF WIDOWS. + + +Fort St. James, the depôt of New Caledonia district, stands near +the outlet of Stuart's Lake, and commands a splendid view of the +surrounding country. The lake is about fifty miles in length, and +from three to four miles in breadth, stretching away to the north and +north-east for about twenty miles; the view from the Fort embraces +nearly the whole of this section of it, which is studded with +beautiful islands. The western shore is low, and indented by a number +of small bays formed by wooded points projecting into the lake, the +back-ground rising abruptly into a ridge of hills of varied height and +magnitude. On the east the view is limited to a range of two or three +miles, by the intervention of a high promontory, from which the eye +glances to the snowy summits of the Rocky Mountains in the distant +back-ground. I do not know that I have seen anything to compare with +this charming prospect in any other part of the country; its beauties +struck me even at this season of the year, when nature having partly +assumed her hybernal dress, everything appeared to so much greater +disadvantage. + +The Indian village is situated in a lovely spot at the outlet of the +lake, and consists of only five or six houses, but every house is +occupied by several families. These buildings are of a very slight and +simple construction, being merely formed of stakes driven into the +ground; a square piece of timber runs horizontally along the top of +this wall, to which the stakes are fastened by strips of willow bark. +This inclosure, which is of a square form, is roofed in by placing two +strong posts at each gable, which support the ridge pole, on which +the roof sticks are placed, one end resting on the ridge pole, and +the other on the wall, the whole being covered with pine bark: there +is generally a door at each end, which is cut in the wall after the +building is erected. These apertures are of a circular form, and about +two and a half feet in diameter, so that a stranger finds it very +awkward to pass through them. In effecting a passage you first +introduce a leg, then bending low the body you press in head and +shoulders; in this position you will have some difficulty in +maintaining your equilibrium, for if you draw in the rest of the body +too quickly, it is a chance but you will find yourself with your head +undermost: the natives bolt through them with the agility of a weasel. + +For some time after my arrival here, I had very little employment, +there being a scribe already in the establishment, whose experience +and industry required no assistance from me. I thus found myself a +supernumerary--a character that did not suit me, but I was obliged to +content myself for the present. We were joined early in winter by some +of the gentlemen in charge of posts, when we managed to pass the time +very agreeably. Mr. D----, superintendent of the district, played +remarkably well on the violin and flute, some of us "wee bodies" could +also do something in that way, and our musical soirees, if not in +melody, could at least compete in noise, numbers taken into account, +with any association of the kind in the British dominions. Chess, +backgammon, and whist, completed the variety of our evening pastimes. +In the daytime each individual occupied himself as he pleased. When +together, smoking, "spinning yarns" about _dog_ racing, canoe sailing, +and _l'amour_; sometimes politics; now and then an animated discussion +on theology, but without bitterness; these made our days fly away as +agreeably as our nights. + +While thus pleasantly occupied, a piece of intelligence was received, +which caused the breaking up of our little society, and created some +alarm. A party of seven or eight Indians having been drowned on their +way to Alexandria, in autumn, their relatives imputed the misfortune +to the whites. "Had there been no whites at Alexandria," said they, +"our friends would not have gone there to trade; and if they had not +gone there, they would not have been drowned:" _ergo_--the white men +are the cause of their death, and the Indians must be avenged. + +Nothing, however, was known of their hostile intentions until winter, +when Mr. F. had occasion to send a man to Stuart's Lake with +despatches, who, on arriving opposite to the Indian camp, found +himself suddenly surrounded by the natives. They advanced rapidly upon +him, brandishing their arms, and uttering horrid yells, and would +have dispatched him on the spot but for the interference of one of +themselves, who nobly threw himself between the Canadian and the +muzzles of the guns that were levelled at him, and beckoned him to +flee. He took to his heels accordingly, and never looked behind him +till he reached the fort. + +A little before Mr. Fisher had learned from his home guards that an +attack on the fort was intended, and that they had been solicited by +their neighbours to join in it, but had refused. So far, indeed, from +wishing to injure the whites, they consented to carry the despatches +which conveyed the information I have just mentioned. As Mr. F. +urgently requested that assistance should be afforded him with as +little delay as possible, it was determined that I should forthwith +proceed to Alexandria, accompanied by Waccan, the interpreter, and +eight men well armed. + +Passing Fraser's Lake and Fort George posts, we arrived at the Indian +winter camp, which we found abandoned; but a well beaten track led +from it in the direction of Alexandria, a circumstance which made +us apprehensive that our aid might come too late, and prompted us +to redouble our speed. Our party consequently was soon very much +scattered--a most unmilitary procedure--which might have proved fatal +to ourselves, while we thought of relieving our friends. + +The interpreter, myself, and two Iroquois, forming the advanced +guard of the _grand army_, which consisted of full six men, still +considerably in the rear, on turning a point found ourselves +immediately in front of the camp. We were thus as much taken by +surprise as those whom we wished to surprise; but without hesitating a +moment we rushed up the bank, and were instantly in the midst of the +camp. The uproar was tremendous, the Indians seized their arms with +the most threatening gestures and savage yells, and it would have +been impossible for us to execute our orders--which were to seize +the ringleader only--without a fierce struggle and bloodshed on both +sides; and though more resolute, perhaps, than our enemies, we were by +far the weaker party, their numbers being at least ten to one of ours. + +Happily, however, there was an Indian (one of our friends) from +Alexandria, in the camp, who, as soon as he could make himself +heard, informed us that the affair had been already arranged to the +satisfaction of both parties. Thus terminated our expedition, without +bloodshed and without laurels. A few days earlier it might have been +otherwise; nor was Mr. F. without blame in neglecting to advise us of +the arrangement. + +We continued our course towards Fort Alexandria, and reached it late +in the evening. My unexpected appearance gave my old bourgeois of Two +Mountains an agreeable surprise. Having eaten nothing since morning, +we made sad havoc of his beefsteaks and potatoes. + +"Well, Mac," said he, "to judge from your appetite, the air of New +Caledonia seems to agree wonderfully with you. Pray how do you like +the beef-steaks?" + +"Never tasted anything better," said I. + +Next morning he requested me to accompany him to the store, as he +said, to see a hind-leg of the steer which had furnished me with my +steaks. I approached it, and lo! it was the hind-leg of a horse! +The beef-steaks, or rather _horse_-steaks, were again presented at +breakfast, and I confess I had not the same relish for them as at +supper, but my repugnance--such is the effect of habit--was soon +overcome. + +I remained a few days here for the sake of repose, and then returned. +On the approach of spring, my fellow-subordinate, Mr. McKenzie, +dissatisfied with the service, left for the east side of the +mountains, and I took his place at the desk, the duties of which, +although by no means harassing, left me but little leisure. The +accounts of all the posts in the district, eight in number, were made +up here; I had also to superintend the men of the establishment, +accompany them on their winter trips, and attend to the Indian trade. +But even if the duty had been more toilsome, I had every inducement to +perform it cheerfully, as Mr. Dease was one of the kindest and most +considerate of men. On the 5th of May Mr. Dease took his departure +for Fort Vancouver, with the returns of his district, which might he +valued at 11,000l. The outfit, together with servants' wages and +incidental expenses, amounted to about 3,000l., leaving to the Company +a clear profit of about 8,000l. + + +I was appointed to the charge of Stuart's Lake during the summer, with +four men to perform the ordinary duties of the establishment--making +hay, attending to gardens, &c. A few cattle were introduced in 1830, +and we now began to derive some benefit from the produce of the dairy. +Our gardens (a term applied in this country to any piece of ground +under cultivation) in former times yielded potatoes; nothing would now +grow save turnips. A few carrots and cabbages were this year raised +on a piece of new ground, which added to the luxuries of our table. +Heaven knows, they were much wanted, for the other fare was scarcely +fit for dogs! In the early part of the season it consisted entirely +of salmon, which this year was of the worst quality, having been two +years in the store. A few sturgeon, however, of enormous[1] size, +were caught, whose flesh was the most tender and delicious I had ever +eaten, and would have been considered a delicacy by Apicius himself; +it need not be wondered at then that the capture of one caused +universal joy. + + [1] Belluga? + +The salmon (the New Caledonian staff of life) ascend Frazer's River +and its tributaries, from the Pacific in immense shoals, proceeding +towards the sources of the streams until stopped by shallow water. +Having deposited their spawn, their dead bodies are seen floating down +the current in thousands; few of them ever return to the sea; and in +consequence of the old fish perishing in this manner, they fail in +this quarter every fourth year. The natives display a good deal of +ingenuity in catching them. Where the current and depth of water +permit, they bar it across by means of stakes driven into the bottom +with much labour, and standing about six inches apart; these are +strongly bound to a piece of timber, or "plate," running along the +top; stays, or supporters, are placed at intervals of ten or twelve +feet, the upper end bearing against the plate so as to form an angle +with the stream. Gaps are left in the works of sufficient size to +admit the _varveaux_, or baskets, in which the fish are taken. After +the whole is finished, square frames of wicker-work, called keys, are +let down against the upper side, to prevent the fish from ascending, +and at the same time to allow the water a free passage. The keys must +be kept entirely free from filth, such as branches, leaves, &c., +otherwise the whole works would soon be swept away. The baskets are +of a cylindrical form, about two and a half feet in diameter at the +mouth, and terminate in a point of four or, five inches. When the +fishing is over, all the materials are removed, and replaced the +ensuing year with equal labour. + +To preserve the fish for future consumption the following process is +adopted. The back being split up, and the back-bone extracted, it is +hung by the tail for a few days; then it is taken down and distended +on splinters of wood; these are attached to a sort of scaffold erected +for the purpose, where the fish remains till sufficiently dry for +preservation. Even in dry seasons, during this process, the ground all +round the scaffold is thickly covered with large maggots; but in wet +seasons the sight becomes much more loathsome. + +I have already observed that the salmon fail periodically, and the +natives would consequently be reduced to the utmost distress, did not +the goodness of Providence furnish them with a substitute. Rabbits +are sent to supply the place of the salmon; and, singular as it may +appear, these animals increase in number as the salmon decrease, +until they swarm all over the country. When the salmon return, they +gradually disappear, being destroyed or driven away by their greatest +enemy, the lynx, which first appear in smaller, then in greater +numbers;--both they and their prey disappearing together. As to the +_cause_ that induces those animals to appear and disappear in this +manner, I cannot take upon myself to explain. + +In the course of this summer one of our interpreters, a native, lost +his life in rather a singular manner. He had made a bear-trap, and +wishing to ascertain how it would work, tried his own weight on the +spring, which yielded but too readily, and crushed him in so dreadful +a manner that he only survived his experiment but a few hours. As +he had withdrawn from the Company's service this year, his body was +disposed of after the manner of his own people, except that it was +buried instead of being burned; this, however, was the first instance +of an interment, it being introduced through our influence in pity to +the unfortunate widows, who are exposed to the cruellest tortures at +the burning of the body. I never beheld a more affecting scene than +the present. Immediately as the coffin was lowered into the grave, the +widow threw herself upon it, shrieking and tearing her hair, and could +only be removed by main force: several other females, relatives of the +deceased, were also assembled in a group hard by, and evinced all the +external symptoms of extreme grief, chanting the death-song in a most +lugubrious tone, the tears streaming down their cheeks, and beating +their breasts. The men, however, even the brothers of the deceased, +showed no emotion whatever, and as soon as the rites were ended, moved +off the ground, followed by the female mourners, who soon after were +seen as gay and cheerful as if they had returned from a wedding. The +widow, however, still remained by the grave, being obliged to do so +in conformity with the customs of her nation, which required that she +should mourn day and night, until the relatives of the deceased should +collect a sufficiency of viands to make a feast in honour of his +bones. + +As already observed, the bodies were formerly burned; the relatives of +the deceased, as well as those of the widow, being present, all armed; +a funeral pile was erected, and the body placed upon it. The widow +then set fire to the pile, and was compelled to stand by it, anointing +her breast with the fat that oozed from the body until the heat became +insupportable: when the wretched creature, however, attempted to draw +back, she was thrust forward by her husband's relatives at the point +of their spears, and forced to endure the dreadful torture until +either the body was reduced to ashes, or she herself almost scorched +to death. Her relatives were present merely to preserve her life; when +no longer able to stand they dragged her away; and this intervention +often led to bloody quarrels! The body being burned, the ashes were +collected in a box and given in charge to the widow, who carried them +about with her until the feast was prepared, when they were taken from +her, and deposited in a small hut or placed upon the top of a wooden +pillar neatly carved, as their final resting-place. + +During this interval she was in a state of the most wretched slavery; +every child in the village might command her and beat her unmercifully +if they chose, no one interfered. After the feast, however, she +regained her freedom, and along with that the privilege of incurring +the risk of another scorching. Our interference relieved them from the +most cruel part of the ceremony; the temporary state of slavery is +still continued. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + +INDIAN FEAST--ATTEMPT AT DRAMATIC REPRESENTATION--RELIGION--ORDERED TO +PORT ALEXANDRIA--ADVANTAGES OF THE SITUATION--SENT BACK TO FORT ST. +JAMES--SOLITUDE--PUNISHMENT OF INDIAN MURDERER--ITS CONSEQUENCES--HEROIC +ADVENTURE OF INTERPRETER. + + +Mr. Dease arrived from Fort Vancouver on the 5th of September, and +expressed himself highly gratified with the appearance our "gardens" +presented; an ample stock of salmon had also been laid in, so that we +had nothing to fear from want, which sometimes had been severely felt. +In the beginning of November, our despatches from the east side of the +mountains came to hand, usually a joyful event, but saddened this year +by the intelligence we received, that our excellent superintendent was +about to leave us, having obtained permission to visit the civilized +world for medical advice;--the doctor was only 5,000 miles off! + +In the beginning of the winter we were invited to a feast held in +honour of a great chief, who died some years before. The person who +delivered the invitation stalked into the room with an air of vast +consequence, and strewing our heads with down, pronounced the name of +the presiding chief, and withdrew without uttering another syllable. +To me the invitation was most acceptable: although I had heard much of +Indian feasts, I never was present at any. + +Late in the evening we directed our steps towards the "banqueting +house," a large hut temporarily erected for the occasion. We found the +numerous guests assembled and already seated around "the festive +board;" our place had been left vacant for us, Mr. Dease taking his +seat next to the great chief, Quaw, and we, his Meewidiyazees (little +chiefs), in succession. The company were disposed in two rows: the +chiefs and elders being seated next the wall, formed the outer, and +the young men the inner row; an open space of about three feet in +breadth intervening between them. Immense quantities of roasted meat, +bear, beaver, siffleu or marmot, were piled up at intervals, the whole +length of the building; berries mixed up with rancid salmon oil, fish +roe that had been buried underground a twelve-month, in order to give +it an _agreeable_ flavour, were the good things presented at this +feast of gluttony and flow of oil. The berry mixture, and roes were +served in wooden troughs, each having a large wooden spoon attached to +it. The enjoyments of the festival were ushered in with a song, in +which all joined:-- + + "I approach the village, + Ya ha he ha, ya ha ha ha; + And hear the voices of many people, + Ya ha, &c. + The barking of dogs, + Ya ha, &c. + Salmon is plentiful, + Ya ha, &c. + The berry season is good, + Ya ha, &c. + +After the song commenced the demolition of the mountains of meat, +which was but slowly effected, notwithstanding the unremitting and +strenuous exertions of the guests. The greatest order, however, was +maintained; the relatives of the deceased acted as stewards, each of +them seizing a roasted beaver, or something else, squatted himself in +front of one of the guests, and presenting the meat, which he held +with both his hands (males and females officiating), desired him to +help himself. If the guest appeared backward in the attack, he was +pressed, in the politest terms, to eat. "Now, I pray you, tear away +with a good will;"--"I am glad to see you eat so strongly;"--"Come +now, stuff yourself with this fine piece of fat bear." And stuff +himself he must, or pay a forfeit, to avoid a catastrophe. But having +paid thus, and acknowledged himself fairly overcome by his host's +politeness, he is spared any further exertions, and his viands are no +longer presented to him in this way, but placed in a dish beside him. + +Well aware of our inability to maintain the honour of our country in a +contest of this kind, we paid our forfeit at the commencement of the +onslaught, reserving our portions to be disposed of at home. + +The gormandizing contest ended as it began, with songs and dances; in +the latter amusement, however, few were now able to join; afterwards +ensued a rude attempt at dramatic representation. Old Quaw, the chief +of Nekaslay, first appeared on the stage, in the character of a +bear--an animal he was well qualified to personate. Rushing from his +den, and growling fiercely, he pursued the huntsman, the chief of +Babine portage, who defended himself with a long pole; both parties +maintained a running fight, until they reached the far end of the +building, where they made their exit. Enter afterwards a jealous +husband and his wife, wearing masks (both being men). The part these +acted appeared rather dull; the husband merely sat down by the side of +his "frail rib," watching her motions closely, and neither allowing +her to speak to nor look at any of the young men. As to the other +characters, one personated a deer, another a wolf, a third a strange +Tsekany. The bear seemed to give the spectators most delight. + +The scene was interesting, as exhibiting the first rude attempts at +dramatic representation of a savage people; and it served, in some +measure, to efface the impression made by the somewhat disgusting +spectacle previously witnessed. The affair concluded by an exchange of +presents, and the party broke up. + +Two young men, natives of Oregon, who had received a little education +at Red River, had, on their return to their own country, introduced a +sort of religion, whose groundwork seemed to be Christianity, +accompanied with some of the heathen ceremonies of the natives. This +religion spread with amazing rapidity all over the country. It reached +Fort Alexandria, the lower post of the district, in the autumn; and +was now embraced by all the Nekaslayans. The ceremonial consisted +chiefly in singing and dancing. As to the doctrines of our holy +religion, their minds were too gross to comprehend, and their manners +too corrupt to be influenced by them. They applied to us for +instruction, and our worthy chief spared no pains to give it. But, +alas! it is for the most part labour in vain. Yet, an impression +seemed to have been made on a few; and had there been missionaries +there at the time, their efforts might have proved successful. But the +influence of the "men of medicine," who strenuously withstand a +religion which exposes their delusive tricks, and consequently +deprives them of their gains,--together with the dreadful depravity +everywhere prevalent,--renders the conversion of the Tekallies an +object most difficult to accomplish. + +It is a general opinion among Christians, that there exists no nation +or people on earth who are entirely ignorant of a Supreme Being. I +shall contrast the language of this tribe with that of the Sauteux or +Ojibbeway, and let the reader judge for himself. + +I have heard a heathen Ojibbeway, when giving a feast, express himself +thus: "The great Master of Life, he who sees us and whom we cannot +see, having done me charity, I invite you, my brother, to partake of +it." On a like occasion, a Takelly describes the manner in which he +killed his game, but never alludes to a deity. When an Ojibbeway +wishes to confirm the truth of what he says beyond a doubt, he points +to heaven and exclaims, "He to whom we belong hears that what I say is +true." The Takelly says, "The toad hears me." You ask a Takelly what +becomes of him after death, he replies, "My life shall be _extinct_, +and I shall be dead." Not an idea has he of the soul, or of a future +state of rewards and punishments. The Ojibbeway answers, "After death +my soul goes either to a happy land, abounding with game and every +delight; or to a land of misery, where I shall suffer for ever from +want. Whether it go to the good or bad place depends on my good or bad +conduct here." + +In fact the Takelly language has not a term in it to express the name +of Deity, spirit, or soul. When the Columbia religion was introduced +among them, our interpreters had to invent a term for the +Deity--Yagasita--the "Man of Heaven." The only expression I ever heard +them use that conveyed any idea whatever of a superior Being is, that +when the salmon fail, they say, "The Man who keeps the mouth of the +river has shut it up with his red keys, so that the salmon cannot get +up." One of our gentlemen, a member of the Roman Catholic Church, +teaching the Takellies to make the sign of the cross, with the words +used on the occasion, his interpreter translated them, "Au nom du +Père, de son Frère, et puis de son petit Garçon!" (In the name of the +Father, his Brother, and his little Boy!) + +The accompts and despatches for head-quarters being finished in the +beginning of March, I was ordered to convey them to Fort Alexandria, +to the charge of which post I was now appointed. This post is +agreeably situated on the banks of Frazer's River, on the outskirts of +the great prairies. The surrounding country is beautifully diversified +by hill and dale, grove and plain; the soil is rich, yielding abundant +successive crops of grain and vegetable, unmanured; but the crops are +sometimes destroyed by frost. The charming locality, the friendly +disposition of the Indians, and better fare, rendered this post one of +the most agreeable situations in the Indian country. In spring, +moreover, the country swarms with game--pheasants and a small species +of curlieu in the immediate vicinity, and ducks and geese within a +short distance. The sport was excellent, and, with the amusement the +cultivation of my garden afforded me, enabled me to vegetate in great +comfort--a comfort I was not destined long to enjoy. + +Mr. Ogden, chief factor, arrived from Fort Vancouver about the end of +May, and Mr. Fisher from Stuart's Lake a few days afterwards; and +having consulted together, determined that I should retrace my steps +to Stuart's Lake without delay. When I arrived at Fort St. James its +dreadful solitude almost drove me to despair. I found myself sitting +alone in the hall where my late excellent bourgeois and friends had +passed the time so happily, and I felt a depression of spirits such as +I never experienced before. Fortunately for me, my old friend Mr. +Fraser, a gentleman of a gay and lively disposition, arrived soon +after, and continued with me for the remainder of the season, and his +company soon drove melancholy away. + +The particulars of an affair which had occurred here some years +before, and threatened the most serious consequences to the post, were +about this time related to me by Waccan, the interpreter. + +A native of Frazer's Lake had murdered one of the Company's servants, +and, strange to say, no steps were taken to punish him; he concealed +himself some time, and finding he had nothing to apprehend, returned +to his village. At length he was led by his evil genius to visit +Stuart's Lake, then under the command of a Douglas. Douglas heard of +his being in the village, and though he had but a weak garrison, +determined that the blood of the white man should not be unavenged. +The opportunity was favourable, the Indians of the village were out on +a hunting excursion, the murderer was nearly alone. He proceeded to +the camp accompanied by two of his men, and executed justice[1] on the +murderer. On their return in the evening, the Indians learned what had +happened, and enraged, determined to retaliate. Aware, however, that +Douglas was on his guard, that the gates were shut and could not be +forced, they resolved to employ Indian stratagem. + + [1] "Wild justice,"--Bacon. + +The old chief accordingly proceeded to the Fort alone, and knocking at +the gate desired to be admitted, which was granted. He immediately +stated the object of his visit, saying that a deed had been done in +the village which subjected himself and his people to a heavy +responsibility to the relatives of the dead; that he feared the +consequences, and hoped that a present would be made to satisfy them; +and continuing to converse thus calmly, Mr. Douglas was led to believe +that the matter could easily be arranged. Another knock was now heard +at the gate: "It is my brother," said the chief, "you may open the +gate; he told me he intended to come and hear what you had to say on +this business." + +The gate was opened, and in rushed the whole Nekasly tribe, the +chief's brother at their head; and the men of the Fort were +overpowered ere they had time to stand on their defence. Douglas, +however, seized a wall-piece that was mounted in the hall, and was +about to discharge it on the crowd that was pouring in upon him, when +the chief seized him by the arms, and held him fast. For an instant +his life was in the utmost peril. Surrounded by thirty or forty +Indians, their knives drawn, and brandishing them over his head with +frantic gestures, and calling out to the chief, "Shall we strike? +shall we strike?" + +The chief hesitated; and at this critical moment the interpreter's +wife[1] stepped forward, and by her presence of mind saved him and the +establishment. + + [1] This woman is the daughter of Mr. James MacDougal, a + gentleman who had a chief hand in the settlement of the + district. He served the Company for a period of thirty-five + years, enduring all the hardships that were in his time + inseparable from an Indian trader's life; and was dismissed + from their service, in old age, without a pension, to starve + on such little savings as he had effected out of his salary. + He is still alive (1841), struggling with adversity. + +Observing one of the inferior chiefs, who had always professed the +greatest friendship for the whites, standing in the crowd, she +addressed herself to him, exclaiming, "What! you a friend of the +whites, and not say a word in their behalf at such a time as this! +Speak! you know the murderer deserved to die; according to your own +laws the deed was just; it is blood for blood. The white men are not +dogs; they love their kindred as well as you; why should they not +avenge their murder?" + +The moment the heroine's voice was heard the tumult subsided; her +boldness struck the savages with awe; the chief she addressed, acting +on her suggestion, interfered; and being seconded by the old chief, +who had no serious intention of injuring the whites, was satisfied +with showing them that they were fairly in his power. Mr. Douglas and +his men were set at liberty; and an amicable conference having taken +place, the Indians departed much elated with the issue of their +enterprise. + +A personal adventure of Waccan's is worth recording. An interpreter, a +Cree half-breed, had been murdered by the Indians of Babine post with +circumstances of great barbarity; and the perpetrators of the deed +were allowed to exult in the shedding of innocent blood with impunity, +one feeble, ineffectual attempt only having been made to chastise +them. Waccan, however, determined that the matter should not end thus, +the victim being his adopted brother. Having been sent to Babine post +with an Indian lad, he learned from him that the murderers were +encamped in a certain bay on Stuart's Lake, and resolved to seize the +long wished-for opportunity of revenge; but fearing for his +companion's safety more than his own, he landed him at a considerable +distance from the camp, directing him to make the best of his way home +if he should hear many shots. + +He then paddled down as near the camp as he could without being +discovered, and landing, threw off every article of clothing save a +shred round his loins; and with his gun in the one hand, and dagger in +the other, proceeded to the spot. Having approached sufficiently near +to see all that passed in the encampment, he squatted among the +bushes, and watching his opportunity, "picked off" the ringleader; +then rushing from his covert, and giving the war whoop, he planted his +dagger in his heart almost before the Indians had time to know what +had happened. Seeing the infuriated "avenger of blood" in the midst of +them, they fled precipitately to the woods. Waccan dared them to +revenge the death of the "dead dog" who had murdered his brother. + +"Come," said he, "you that were so brave at Babine Lake, and danced +round the body of him whom you did not face, but knocked down when his +back was to you, now is your time to show yourselves _men_." + +No one answering the challenge, he shouldered his gun, walked along +the beach to his canoe, and paddling leisurely off from the shore, +sang the Cree song of triumph. + + + + +CHAPTER XX. + +APPOINTED TO THE CHARGE OF FORT GEORGE--MURDER OF MR. YALE'S +MEN--MYSTERIOUS LOSS OF MR. LINTON AND FAMILY--ADVENTURES OF LEATHER +PARTY--FAILURE OF CROPS--INFLUENZA. + + +In the beginning of September, Mr. Ogden arrived from Fort Vancouver, +and I was appointed by him to the charge of Fort George, whither I +proceeded forthwith. Mr. Linton, my predecessor, was directed to wait +the arrival of the party sent to Jasper's house for a supply of +leather, ere he took his departure for Chilcotin, an outpost of Fort +Alexandria. + +Fort George was established a few years ago, and passed through the +bloody ordeal ere yet the buildings were completed. The gentleman in +charge, Mr. Yale, had left his men at work, and gone on a visit to +Fort St. James, where he only remained a few days; on his return he +found his men had been treacherously murdered by the Indians during +his absence. Their mangled bodies were found in one of the houses, +with one of their own axes by their side, which evidently had been the +instrument of their destruction. The poor men were in the habit of +retiring to rest during the heat of the day, and were despatched while +they slept. + +A great change has come over this people since that time; they are now +justly considered the best disposed and most industrious Indians in +the district. The situation of the post is exceedingly dreary, +standing on the right bank of Frazer's River, having in front a high +hill that shades the sun until late in the morning, and in the midst +of "woods and wilds, whose melancholy gloom" is saddening enough. Yet +it has its _agrémens_, its good returns,--the _ne plus ultra_ of an +Indian trader's happiness,--its good Indians, and its good fare; the +produce of the soil and dairy. + +Poor Linton had remained with me till late in autumn; when the cold +weather setting in with unusual rigour, the ice began to drift on the +river, rendering the navigation already dangerous; and no accounts +having been received of the leather party, he determined to embark for +his destination without further loss of time. He, alas! had already +waited too long. Having occasion in the beginning of winter to send +down a messenger to Fort Alexandria, I was surprised to see him two +days after enter the fort, accompanied by one of Mr. Fisher's men, who +brought me the melancholy tidings of Mr. L.'s death, part of his +baggage having been found by the natives among the ice. Eight souls +had perished, no one knows how; Mr. L., his wife and three children, +an interpreter, his wife and one child. + +Some suspicions attached to a disreputable family of Indians who were +known to be encamped on the banks of the river at the time; but it is +more probable that the catastrophe occurred in a rapid not far from +this post, as a dog which the party had with them came back at an +early hour the day after their departure. This misfortune threw a +gloom over the whole district, where Linton was much beloved, and his +death, so sudden and mysterious, made the blow be felt more severely. + +Before this sad intelligence reached us, the safety of the leather +party had become a source of deep anxiety. They had been expected in +October, and no accounts had been received of them in the month of +December. Having forwarded Mr. Fisher's despatches to head-quarters, I +received orders from Mr. Ogden to proceed to Jasper's house, in order, +if possible, to obtain information regarding them; which I eagerly +obeyed, setting off with five men, and sledges loaded with provisions, +drawn by dogs. We had not proceeded far, however, when we met the +truants all safe and sound. Their non-arrival in the fall was +occasioned by the winter setting in unprecedentedly early. + +They experienced the utmost difficulty in crossing the Rocky +Mountains, from the great depth of snow that had already fallen; and +when they reached the heights of Frazer's River, they found the ice +beginning to form along its shores. They persevered, however; +sometimes forcing their way through the ice, sometimes carrying the +canoes and property overland where the passage was blocked up by the +ice. But all their efforts proved unavailing, for they were at length +completely frozen in. + +Their prospects were now most disheartening. Their remaining +provisions would only suffice for four days on short allowance, and +they had a journey of fifteen days before them, whichever way they +should direct their course. Some of the men yielded to despair, but +the greater part cheerfully embraced Mr. Andersen's views. Those only +who are unacquainted with the Canadian voyageurs will deny them the +possession of qualities, of the highest value in this country--ready +obedience to their superiors, patience of fatigue and hardship, and +unyielding perseverance under the most trying difficulties, so long as +their leaders show them the way. Mr. Anderson having secured the +property _en cache_, determined to return to Jasper's house, in order +to procure at least a part of the much wanted supply of leather. On +their way back they had the good fortune to light upon a stray horse, +which they converted into provender: they also shot a moose deer; and +thus providentially supplied, they suffered little from want. + +On arriving at the post, they found to their sad disappointment that +nothing could be got there, except some provisions; it was therefore +necessary to proceed to Fort Edmonton, at least 400 miles distant, +with but one intermediate post. They succeeded in reaching it, though +in a most deplorable condition, half starved and half frozen, none of +the party being provided with winter clothing; but they were most +hospitably received by the kind-hearted bourgeois Mr. Rowand; and, +after remaining a few days to recruit their strength in this land +overflowing with fat and pemmican, and receiving their supplies, they +set off on their return, and reached their destination without +accident. + +Farming on a small scale had been attempted here by my predecessor, +and the result was such as to induce more extensive operations. I +received orders, therefore, to clear land, sow and plant, forthwith. +These orders were in part carried into effect in the autumn. Four +acres of land were put in a condition to receive seed, and about the +same quantity at Fort Alexandria. Seed was ordered from the Columbia, +and handmills to grind our grain. Pancakes and hot rolls were +thenceforward to be the order of the day; Babine salmon and dog's +flesh were to be sent--"to Coventry!" The spring, however, brought +with it but poor prospects for pancakes; the season was late beyond +all precedent; the fields were not sown until the 5th of May; they, +nevertheless, promised well for some time, but cold weather ensued, +and continued so long that the crops could not recover before the +autumn frosts set in, and thus our hopes were blasted. The farm at +Alexandria had not much better success, owing to the neglect of the +good people themselves;--not having enclosed their fields, the cattle +destroyed the greater part of the crops. Here, however, +notwithstanding the failure of our grain crops, we had abundance of +vegetables and a large stock of cattle, so that our fare was far +superior to that of the other _exiles_ in the district. + +Mr. Ogden returned from Fort Vancouver about the usual time, and was +mortified to find that our grand agricultural experiment had so +completely failed. He, however, had brought a supply of flour +sufficient to afford each commander of posts a couple of bags, and +thus the inconvenience arising from our disappointment was, in some +degree, obviated. + +From his first arrival amongst us, Mr. Ogden evinced the most earnest +desire to ameliorate the condition of his subordinates in this +wretched district, and all felt grateful to him for his benevolent +intentions. To Mr. Dease, however, the praise is due of having +introduced this new order of things: he it was who first introduced +cattle from Fort Vancouver; it was he who first introduced farming, +and recommended it to others. + +Late in autumn, the natives being all about the post, the dread +influenza, that had made such fearful havoc among the Indians in other +quarters, broke out here also. The poor creatures had a great deal of +confidence in my medical skill, from the circumstance of my having +saved the life of a boy who had eaten some poisonous root, when +despaired of by their own mountebanks. + +On the present occasion I tried my skill on one of the subjects best +able to bear my experiments, by administering a strong emetic and +purge, and causing him afterwards to drink a decoction of mint. He was +cured, and I afterwards prescribed the same medicine to many others +with a like success; so that my reputation as a disciple of Æsculapius +became firmly established. + +Having last year applied to the Governor for permission to visit +head-quarters, for a purpose which will be noticed hereafter, I +received a favourable answer, and, in the month of February, set off +for the depôt of the district preparatory to my departure, where I +remained for a month in company with Mr. Ogden and several +fellow-scribes. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI. + +CLIMATE OF NEW CALEDONIA--SCENERY--NATURAL +PRODUCTIONS--ANIMALS--FISHES--NATIVES--THEIR MANNERS AND +CUSTOMS--DUELLING--GAMBLING--LICENTIOUSNESS--LANGUAGE. + + +Ere I proceed on my long journey, I must pause for a little to +describe more particularly the country, which I am about to quit, +perhaps for ever, and the manners of its savage inhabitants. The +climate of New Caledonia is exceedingly variable at all seasons of the +year. I have experienced at Stuart's Lake, in the month of July, every +possible change of weather within twelve hours; frost in the morning, +scorching heat at noon; then rain, hail, snow. The winter season is +subject to the same vicissitudes, though not in so extreme a degree: +some years it continues mild throughout. These vicissitudes may, I +think, be ascribed to local causes--proximity to, or distance from the +glaciers of the Rocky Mountains, the direction of the winds, the +aspect of the place, &c. Fort St. James is so situated as to be +completely exposed to the north-east wind, which wafts on its wings +the freezing vapours of the glaciers. The instant the wind shifts to +this quarter, a change of temperature is felt; and when it continues +to blow for a few hours, it becomes so cold that, even in midsummer, +small ponds are frozen over. The surrounding country is mountainous +and rocky. + +Frazer's Lake is only about thirty miles distant from Fort St. James +(on Stuart's Lake), yet there they raise abundance of vegetables, +potatoes and turnips, and sometimes even wheat and barley. The post +stands in a valley open to the south-west,--a fine champaign country, +of a sandy soil; it is protected from the north-east winds by a high +ridge of hills. The winter seldom sets in before December, and the +navigation is generally open about the beginning of May. + +Few countries present a more beautiful variety of scenery than New +Caledonia. Stuart's Lake and its environs I have already attempted to +describe, but many such landscapes present themselves in different +parts of the country, where towering mountains, hill and dale, forest +and lake, and verdant plains, blended together in the happiest manner, +are taken in by the eye at a glance. Some scenes there are that recall +forcibly to the remembrance of a son of Scotia, the hills and glens +and "bonnie braes" of his own poor, yet beloved native land. New +Caledonia, however, has the advantage over the Old, of being generally +well wooded, and possessed of lakes of far greater magnitude; +unfortunately, however, the woods are decaying rapidly, particularly +several varieties of fir, which are being destroyed by an insect that +preys on the bark: when the country is denuded of this ornament, and +its ridges have become bald, it will present a very desolate +appearance. In some parts of the country, the poplar and aspen tree +are to be found, together with a species of birch, of whose bark +canoes are built; but there is neither hard wood nor cedar. + +Such parts of the district as are not in the immediate vicinity of the +regions of eternal snow, yield a variety of wild fruit, grateful to +the palate, wholesome, and nutritious. Of these, the Indian pear is +the most abundant, and most sought after, both by natives and whites; +when fully ripe, it is of a black colour, with somewhat of a reddish +tinge, pear-shaped, and very sweet to the taste. The natives dry them +in the sun, and afterwards bake them into cakes, which are said to be +delicious; for my own part, having seen the process of manufacturing +them, I could not overcome my prejudices so far as to partake of a +delicacy in whose composition filth formed so considerable an +ingredient. When dried, the cakes are placed in wooden vessels to +receive the juice of green fruit, which is expressed by placing +weights upon it, in wooden troughs, from which spouts of bark draw off +the liquid into the vessels containing the dry fruit; this being +thoroughly saturated, is again bruised with the unclean hand, then +re-formed into cakes, and dried again; and these processes are +repeated alternately, until the cakes suit the taste of the maker. +Blue berries are plentiful in some parts of the district; there is a +peculiar variety of them, which I preferred to any fruit I ever +tasted; it is about the size of a musket-ball, of a purple colour, +translucid, and in its taste sweet and acid are deliciously blended. + +The district is still rich in fur-bearing animals, especially beavers +and martens, which are likely to continue numerous for many years to +come, as they find a safe retreat among the fastnesses of the Rocky +Mountains, where they multiply undisturbed. This is the great beaver +nursery, which continues to replace the numbers destroyed in the more +exposed situations; there is, nevertheless, a sensible decrease in the +returns of the fur since the introduction of steel traps among the +natives: there are also otters, musk-rats, minxes, and lynxes. Of the +larger quadrupeds bears only are numerous, and in all their varieties, +grizzled, black, brown, and chocolate: numbers of them are taken by +the natives in wooden traps. A chance moose or reindeer is sometimes +found. The mountain sheep generally keeps aloft in the most +inaccessible parts of the mountains, and is seldom "bagged" by a +Carrier, but often by the Tsekanies. I have before observed that +rabbits sometimes abound. Another small animal, whose flesh is +delicious in season, the marmot, is found in great numbers. In the +neighbourhood of Fort Alexandria, the jumping deer, or chevreuil, is +abundant. To these add dog and horse flesh, and you have all the +varieties of animal food the country affords to its inhabitants, +civilized or savage. + +A most destructive little animal, the wood-rat, infests the country, +and generally nestles in the crevices of the rocks, but prefers still +more human habitations; they domicile under the floors of +out-buildings, and not content with this, force their way into the +inside, where they destroy and carry off every thing they can; nor is +there any way of securing the property in the stores from their +depredations but by placing it in strong boxes. When fairly located, +it is almost impossible to root them out. They are of a grey colour, +and of nearly the size and form of the common rat, but the tail +resembles that of the ground squirrel. + +The birds of this country are the same as in Canada. I observed no +strange variety, except a species of curlieu that frequents the plains +of Fort Alexandria in the summer. Immense flocks of cranes are seen in +autumn and spring, flying high in the air; in autumn directing their +flight towards the south, and in spring towards the north. + +Some of the Lakes abound in fish; the principal varieties are trout, +carp, white fish, and pike. Stuart's Lake yields a small fish termed +by the Canadians "poisson inconnu;" it seems as if it were partly +white fish and partly carp, the head resembling the former; it is full +of small bones, and the flesh soft and unsavoury. The sturgeon has +been already mentioned, but they are unfortunately too rare; seldom +more than five or six are captured in a season; they weigh from one +hundred to five hundred pounds. A beautiful small fish of the size of +the anchovy, and shaped like a salmon, is found in a river that falls +into Stuart's Lake; it is said they pass the winter in the lake, and +ascend their favourite stream in the month of June, where they deposit +their spawn. They have the silvery scales of the larger salmon, and +are exceedingly rich; but the natives preserve them almost exclusively +for their own use. There are four varieties of salmon, distinguished +from each other by the peculiar form of the head; the largest species +seems to be the same we have in the rivers of Britain, and weighs from +ten to twenty pounds; the others do not exceed half that weight. + +New Caledonia is inhabited by the Takelly or Carrier nation, and by a +few families of Tsekanies on the north-eastern extremity of the +district. The Takellies are divided into as many tribes as there are +posts--viz. eight, who formerly were as hostile to each other as if +they had been of different nations. The presence of the whites, +however, has had the beneficial effect of checking their cut-throat +propensities, although individual murders still occasionally occur +among them. + +Before the introduction of fire-arms, the _honourable_ practice of +duelling prevailed among them, though in a fashion peculiar to +themselves. One arrow only was discharged, by the party demanding +satisfaction, at his opponent, who, by dint of skipping about and +dodging from side to side, generally contrived to escape it; fatal +duels, therefore, seldom if ever occurred; and the parties, having +thus given and received satisfaction, retired from the field +reconciled.[1] They appear more prone to sudden bursts of passion than +most Indians I have seen, and quarrel often and abuse each other in +the most scurrilous terms. With the Sauteux, Crees, and other tribes +on the east side of the mountains, few words are uttered before the +blow, often a fatal one, is given; whereas, with the Takellies, it is +often many words and few blows. In the quarrels which take place among +them, the ladies are generally the _causa belli_--a cause which would +soon lead to the depopulation of the country, were all husbands to +avenge their wrongs by shedding the blood of the guilty. + + [1] I would recommend this mode of conducting "affairs of + honour" to _honourable_ gentlemen using the hair-trigger, as + an improvement. Though practised by savages, it must be + allowed to be somewhat less barbarous than ten paces' + distance, and standing still! If the exhibition should appear + somewhat ludicrous, both parties would have the additional + "satisfaction" that their morning _exercise_ had given a + keener zest to their breakfast. It would be a sort of Pyrrhic + dance. + +Their chiefs have still considerable authority; but much of the homage +they claimed and received in former times is now transferred to the +white chiefs, or traders, whom they all esteem the greatest men in +the universe. "After the Man of heaven," said old Guaw to Mr. Dease, +"you are next in dignity." Owing to the superstitious notions of the +people, the chiefs are still feared on account of the magical powers +ascribed to them; it is firmly believed they can, at will, inflict +diseases, cause misfortunes of every kind, and even death itself; +and so strong is this impression, that they will not even pass in a +direction where the shadow of a chief, or "man of medicine," might +fall on them, "lest," say they, "he should bear us some ill-will and +afflict us with some disease." + +These conjurors, nevertheless, are the greatest bunglers at their +trade of any in the Indian territory; they practise none of the +clever tricks of the Sauteux sorcerers, and are perfectly ignorant +of the medicinal virtues of herbs and plants, with which the Sauteux +and other Indians often perform astonishing cures. The Takellies +administer no medicine to the sick; a variety of ridiculous +gesticulations, together with singing, blowing, and _beating_ on +the _patient_, are the means they adopt to effect their end; and +they, not seldom, effectually cure the patient of "all the ills of +life." Whether they effect a cure or not, they are sure to be well +recompensed for their expenditure of wind, an article of which they +are not sparing: they, in fact, exert themselves so much that the +perspiration pours from every pore. The only real remedy they use, +in common with other Indians, is the vapour-bath, or sweating-house. +The house, as it is termed, which is constructed by bending twigs of +willow, and fixing both ends in the ground, when finished, presents +the appearance of a bee-hive, and is carefully covered to prevent the +escape of the vapour; red-hot stones are then placed inside, and water +poured upon them, and the patient remains in the midst of the steam +thus generated as long as he can bear it, then rushing out, plunges +into the cold stream. This is said to be a sovereign remedy for +rheumatism, and the natives have recourse to it in all cases of severe +pain: I myself witnessed its efficacy in a case of paralysis. + +The salubrity of the climate, however, renders disease of every kind +extremely rare, except such as are caused by the excesses of the +natives themselves. The venereal is very common, and appears to have +been indigenous. At their feasts they gorge themselves to such a +degree as to endanger their lives; after a feast many of the guests +continue ill for a considerable time, yet this does not prevent them +from gormandizing again whenever an opportunity presents itself. Old +and young, male and female, are subject to severe inflammation in the +eyes, chiefly, I believe, from their passing the winter in hovels +underground, which have no outlet for the smoke, and passing from them +into the glare of sunshine upon the snow. What with the confined smoke +and tainted atmosphere of these abominable burrows, I found it painful +to remain even for a few minutes in them. + +It has been remarked by those who first settled in the district, that +the Indians are rapidly decreasing in numbers since their arrival--a +fact which does not admit of a doubt: I myself have seen many villages +and encampments without an inhabitant. But what can be the cause of +it? Here there has been neither rum nor small-pox--the scourges of +this doomed race in other parts. Yet, on the banks of the Columbia, +which, when first visited by the whites a few years ago, literally +swarmed with Indians, a disease broke out which nearly exterminated +them. Has the fiat, then, gone forth, that the aboriginal inhabitants +of America shall make way for another race of men? To my mind, at +least, the question presents not the shadow of a doubt. The existence +of the present race of Indians at some future, and by no means distant +period, will only be known through the historical records of their +successors. + +The Takellies do not use canoes on their hunting excursions, so +that they are necessitated to carry all their conveniences on their +backs; and it is astonishing to see what heavy loads they can carry, +especially the women, on whom the transport duty generally devolves. +Among this tribe, however, the women are held in much higher +consideration than among other Indians: they assist at the councils, +and some ladies of distinction are even admitted to the feasts. This +consideration they doubtless owe to the efficient aid they afford +in procuring the means of subsistence. The one sex is as actively +employed during the fishing season as the other. The men construct +the weirs, repair them when necessary, and capture the fish; the +women split them up--a most laborious operation when salmon is +plentiful--suspend them on the scaffolds, attend to the drying, &c. +They also collect berries, and dig up the edible roots that are found +in the country, and which are of great service in years of scarcity. +Thus the labour of the women contributes as much to the support of the +community as that of the men. + +The men are passionately addicted to gambling, staking everything they +possess, and continuing at it night and day, until compelled to desist +by sheer hunger, or by the loss of all. I could not understand their +game; we, in fact, used our best endeavours to abolish the pernicious +custom, and, to avoid countenancing it, were as seldom present as +possible. It is played with a few small sticks, neatly carved, with a +certain number of marks upon them, tied up in a small bundle of hay, +which the player draws out successively, throws up and catches between +his hands; and when all are drawn, they are taken up one by one, and +dashed against a piece of parchment, and rolled up again in the hay. + +The whole party appear merry enough at the commencement of the game, +all joining chorus in a song, and straining their lungs to such +a degree, that hoarseness soon ensues, when they continue their +amusement in silence. When the game is ended, some of them present +a sad spectacle; coming forth, their hair dishevelled, their eyes +bloodshot, and faces ghastly pale, with probably nothing to cover +their nakedness, save perhaps an old siffleux robe, which the winner +may be generous enough to bestow. They never shoot or hang themselves, +let their luck be ever so bad, but sometimes shoot the winning party. + +Dogs, if not held sacred, are at least as much esteemed by them as +their own kindred. I have known an instance of a quadruped of the +cynic sect being appointed successor to a biped chief, and discharging +the duties of his office with the utmost gravity and decorum; +appearing at the feast given in honour of his deceased predecessor, +and furnishing his quota--(this of course by proxy)--of the +provisions. This dog-chief was treated by his owner with as much +regard as if he had been his child! All, indeed, treat their dogs +with the greatest respect, calling them by the most endearing +epithets:--"Embark, my son;" "Be quiet, my child;" "Don't bark at the +white men, they will not harm you." + +The lewdness of the Carrier women cannot possibly be carried to a +greater excess. They are addicted to the most abominable practices; +abandoning themselves in early youth to the free indulgence of their +passions, they soon become debilitated and infirm; and there can be no +doubt that to this monstrous depravity the depopulation of the country +may, in part, be ascribed. + +They never marry until satiated with indulgence; and if the woman then +should be dissatisfied with the restraint of the conjugal yoke, the +union, by mutual consent, is dissolved for a time; both then betake +themselves to their former courses. The woman, nevertheless, dare +not, according to law, take another husband during this temporary +separation. Whoever infringes this law, forfeits his life to the +aggrieved party, if he choose, or dare to take it. + +Polygamy is allowed; but only one of the women is considered as the +wife. The most perfect harmony seems to subsist among them. When the +favourite happens to be supplanted by a rival, she resigns her place +without a murmur, well pleased if she can only enjoy the countenance +of her lord in a subordinate situation. Yet a rupture does sometimes +occur, when the repudiated party not unfrequently destroys herself. +Suicides were frequent among the females in the neighbourhood of Fort +Alexandria. + +The Takellies are a sedentary people, remaining shut up in their huts +during the severer part of the winter. You may then approach a camp +without perceiving any sign of its vicinity, until you come upon +their well, or one of their salmon _caches_. They are very social, +congregating at each other's huts, and passing their time talking or +sleeping. When awake, their tongues are ever in motion,--all bawling +out at the same time; and it has often surprised me how they could +possibly make themselves understood in the midst of such an uproar. + +All Indians with whom I have come in contact, Christian as well as +Pagan, are addicted to falsehood; but the Takellies excel; they +are perfect adepts in the art, telling their stories with such an +appearance of truth, that even those who know them well are often +deceived. They were the greatest thieves in the world when the whites +first settled among them. The utmost vigilance failed to detect them. +Some of our people have been known to have their belts taken off them, +without perceiving it till too late; and many a poor fellow, after +passing a night in one of their encampments, has been obliged to pass +the remainder of the winter with but half a blanket--the other half +having been cut off while he slept. + +Theft, however, is not quite so prevalent as formerly; and, strange +to say, no Indians can be more honest in paying their debts. It would +indeed be desirable that this credit system, long since introduced, +were abolished; but if this were done, the natives would carry the +greater part of their hunts to another quarter. Some of the natives +of the coast, having become regular traders of late years, penetrate +a considerable distance into the interior; in this manner the goods +obtained from the Company's posts along the coast, or from foreign +trading ships, pass from hand to hand in barter, until they eventually +reach the borders of New Caledonia, where the trade still affords a +very handsome profit to the native speculator. + +These Indians are not given to hospitality in the proper sense of +the word. A stranger arriving among them is provided with food +for a day only; should he remain longer, he pays for it; for that +day's entertainment, however, the best fare is liberally furnished. +Strangers invited to their feasts are also provided for while they +remain. + +There is much more variety and melody in the airs they sing, than +I have heard in any other part of the Indian country. They have +professed composers, who turn their talent to good account on the +occasion of a feast, when new airs are in great request, and are +purchased at a high rate. They dance in circles, men and women +promiscuously, holding each other by the hand; and keeping both feet +together, hop a little to a side all at once, giving at the same time +a singular jerk to their persons behind. The movement seems to be +difficult of execution, as it causes them to perspire profusely; they, +however, keep excellent time, and the blending of the voices of the +men and women in symphony has an agreeable effect. + +The Takelly, or Carrier language is a dialect of the Chippewayan; and +it is rather a singular fact, that the two intervening dialects of +the Beaver Indians and Tsekanies, kindred nations, should differ more +from the Chippewayan than the Carrier; the two latter nations being +perfectly intelligible to each other, while the former are but +very imperfectly understood by their immediate neighbours, the +Chippewayans. + +An erroneous opinion seems to have gone abroad regarding the variety +of languages spoken by the Indians. There are, in reality, only four +radically distinct languages from the shores of Labrador to the +Pacific: Sauteux, Chippewayan, Atna and Chinook. The Cree language +is evidently a dialect of the Sauteux, similar in construction, and +differing only in the modification of a few words. The Nascopies, or +mountaineers of Labrador, speak a mixture of Cree and Sauteux, the +former predominating. + +Along the communication from Montreal to the foot of the Rocky +Mountains, following the Peace River route, we first meet with the +Sauteux tribes, who extend from the Lake of the Two Mountains to Lake +Winnipeg; then the Crees to Isle à la Crosse; after them, Crees and +Chippewayans to Athabasca; and along the banks of Peace River, the +Beaver Indians occupy the lower, and the Tsekanies the upper part. The +Chippewayan is evidently the root of the Beaver, Tsekany and Carrier +dialects; it is also spoken by a numerous tribe in the McKenzie's +River district--the Hare Indians. + +On the west side of the Rocky Mountains the Carrier language is +succeeded by the Atna, which extends along the Columbia as far down, +as the Chinooks, who inhabit the coast. The Atna language, in its +variety of dialects, seems to have as wide a scope as either the +Sauteux or Chippewayan. + +New Caledonia is one of the richest districts in the Company's +vast domain; its returns average about 8,000 beavers, with a fair +proportion of other valuable furs. When the district was first +settled, the goods required for trade were brought in by the winterers +from Lac la Pluie, which was their dépôt. The people left the district +as early in spring as the navigation permitted, and returned so +late that they were frequently overtaken by winter ere they reached +their destination. Cold, hunger, and fatigue, were the unavoidable +consequences; but the enterprising spirit of the men of those +days--the intrepid, indefatigable adventurers of the North-West +Company--overcame every difficulty. It was that spirit that opened a +communication across the broad continent of America; that penetrated +to the frostbound regions of the Arctic circle; and that established +a trade with the natives in this remote land, when the merchandise +required for it was in one season transported from Montreal to within +a short distance of the Pacific. Such enterprise has never been +exceeded, seldom or never equalled. The outfit is now sent out from +England by Cape Horn, to Fort Vancouver, thence it is conveyed in +boats to Okanagan, then transported on horses' backs to Alexandria, +the lower post of the district, whence it is conveyed in boats to Fort +St. James. + +There are generally two commissioned gentlemen in this district,--a +chief-factor and chief-trader, with six or seven clerks in charge of +posts; and about forty men, principally Iroquois and half-breeds. The +fare at the different posts depends entirely on local circumstances. +In some places it is tolerable, in others, scarcely fit for dogs. For +the year's consumption, the Company allow a clerk two bags of flour, +sixty pounds of sugar, twelve pounds of tea, and a small quantity of +wine and brandy. Butter is now produced in abundance in the district. +Where there are no gardens, the men have only dried salmon,--as poor +fare as civilized man subsists on in any part of the world. It has at +first the same effect on most people as if they fed on Glauber salts. +Nevertheless, the men generally continue in this wretched condition +for many years, apparently contented and happy; the indulgence they +find among the females being, I grieve to say, the principal +inducement. + + + + +END OF VOL. I. + +R. CLAY, PRINTER, BREAD STREET HILL. + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Notes of a Twenty-Five Years' Service +in the Hudson's Bay Territory, by John M'lean + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SERVICE IN THE HUDSON'S BAY TERRITORY *** + +***** This file should be named 15342-8.txt or 15342-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/5/3/4/15342/ + +Produced by Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions, +Wallace McLean and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team. + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + https://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. diff --git a/15342-8.zip b/15342-8.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..bf94ca0 --- /dev/null +++ b/15342-8.zip diff --git a/15342-h.zip b/15342-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..8888e1a --- /dev/null +++ b/15342-h.zip diff --git a/15342-h/15342.htm b/15342-h/15342.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..7e693ad --- /dev/null +++ b/15342-h/15342.htm @@ -0,0 +1,7699 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> +<head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1" /> + +<title>Notes of a Twenty-Five Years' Service in the Hudson's Bay Territory, Vol. I, by John McLean.</title> + + <style type="text/css"> + <!-- + body {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%;} + p {text-align: justify;} + blockquote {text-align: justify;} + h1,h2,h3,h4 {text-align: center;} + h5,h6 {text-align: left;} + pre {font-size: 0.7em;} + .sc {font-variant: small-caps;} + .left {text-align: left;} + .center {text-align: center;} + + hr {text-align: center; width: 50%;} + html>body hr {margin-right: 25%; margin-left: 25%; width: 50%;} + hr.full {width: 100%;} + html>body hr.full {margin-right: 0%; margin-left: 0%; width: 100%;} + hr.short {text-align: center; width: 20%;} + html>body hr.short {margin-right: 40%; margin-left: 40%; width: 20%;} + + .note + {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-size: 0.9em;} + + .poem + {margin-left:10%; margin-right:10%; margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: left;} + .poem .stanza {margin: 1em 0em 1em 0em;} + .poem p {margin: 0; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} + .poem p.i2 {margin-left: 1em;} + .poem p.i4 {margin-left: 2em;} + .poem p.i6 {margin-left: 3em;} + .poem p.i8 {margin-left: 4em;} + + .footnote {font-size: 0.9em; margin-right: 10%; margin-left: 10%;} + + p.author {text-align: right; margin-right:10%;} + p.index {margin: 0; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} + --> + </style> +</head> +<body> + +<pre> +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Notes of a Twenty-Five Years' Service in +the Hudson's Bay Territory, by John M'lean + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Notes of a Twenty-Five Years' Service in the Hudson's Bay Territory + Volume I. + +Author: John M'lean + +Release Date: March 12, 2005 [EBook #15342] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SERVICE IN THE HUDSON'S BAY TERRITORY *** + + + + +Produced by Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions, +Wallace McLean, William Flis, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team. + + + + +</pre> + +<h1>NOTES</h1> +<h4>OF A</h4> +<h2>TWENTY-FIVE YEARS' SERVICE</h2> +<h4>IN THE</h4> +<h1>HUDSON'S BAY TERRITORY. </h1> +<hr /> +<h3>BY JOHN M‘LEAN.</h3> + +<h3>IN TWO VOLUMES.</h3> + +<h2>VOL. I.</h2> + +<p class="center">LONDON:<br /> + +R. CLAY. PRINTER, BREAD STREET HILL.</p> + + +<p class="center">LONDON:<br /> +RICHARD BENTLEY, NEW BURLINGTON STREET,<br /> +Publisher in Ordinary to her Majesty.<br /> +1849.</p> +<hr /> + +<h2>PREFACE.</h2> + +<p>The writer's main object in first committing +to writing the following Notes was to +while away the many lonely and wearisome +hours which are the lot of the Indian trader;—a +wish to gratify his friends by the narrative +of his adventures had also some share in +inducing him to take up the pen.</p> + +<p>While he might justly plead the hacknied +excuse of being urged by not a few of those +friends to publish these Notes, in extenuation +of the folly or presumption, or whatever else it +may be termed, of obtruding them on the +world, in these days of "making many +books;" he feels that he can rest his +vindication on higher grounds. Although +several works of some merit have appeared +in connexion with the subject, the Hudson's +Bay territory is yet, comparatively speaking, +but little known; no faithful representation +has yet been given of the situation +of the Company's servants—the Indian +traders; the degradation and misery of the +many Indian tribes, or rather remnants of +tribes, scattered throughout this vast territory, +is in a great measure unknown; erroneous +statements have gone abroad in regard to +the Company's treatment of these Indians; +as also in regard to the government, policy, +and management of the Company's affairs;—on +these points, he conceives that his +plain, unvarnished tale may throw some new +light.</p> + +<p>Some of the details may seem trivial, and +some of the incidents to be without much +interest to the general reader; still as it +was one chief design of the writer to draw +a faithful picture of the Indian trader's life,—its +toils, annoyances, privations, and perils, +when on actual service, or on a trading or +exploring expedition; its loneliness, cheerlessness, +and ennui, when not on actual service; +together with the shifts to which he is reduced +in order to combat that ennui;—such incidents, +trifling though they may appear to be, he +conceives may yet convey to the reader a livelier +idea of life in the Hudson's Bay Company's +territories than a more ambitious or laboured +description could have done. No one, indeed, +who has passed his life amid the busy haunts +of men, can form any just idea of the interest +attached by the lonely trader to the most +trifling events, such as the arrival of a stranger +Indian,—the coming of a new clerk,—a scuffle +among the Indians,—or a sudden change of +weather. No one, unaccustomed to their +"short commons," can conceive the intense, +it may be said fearful, interest and excitement +with which the issue of a fishing or hunting +expedition is anticipated.</p> + +<p>Should his work contribute, in any degree, +to awaken the sympathy of the Christian +world in behalf of the wretched and +degraded Aborigines of this vast territory; +should it tend in any way to expose, or to +reform the abuses in the management of the +Hudson's Bay Company, or to render its monopoly +less injurious to the natives than hitherto +it has been; the writer's labour will have +been amply compensated. Interested as he +still is in that Company, with a considerable +stake depending on its returns, it can scarcely +be supposed that he has any intention, wantonly +or unnecessarily, to injure its interests.</p> + +<blockquote> +<p><span class="sc">Guelph, Canada West</span>,<br /> + 1<i>st March</i>, 1849.</p> +</blockquote> + +<hr /> + + +<h2><a name="CONTENTS"></a>CONTENTS</h2> + +<h4>OF</h4> + +<h2>THE FIRST VOLUME.</h2> + +<hr /> + +<h4><a href="#I">CHAPTER I.</a></h4> + +<p class="left"><a href="#I1">The Hudson's Bay Company and Territories</a></p> + +<h4><a href="#II">CHAPTER II.</a></h4> + +<p class="left"><a href="#II1">I enter the Hudson's Bay Company's Service</a>—<a href="#II2">Padre Gibert</a></p> + +<h4><a href="#III">CHAPTER III.</a></h4> + +<p class="left"><a href="#III1">On Service</a>—<a href="#III2">Lake of Two Mountains</a>—<a href="#III3">Opposition</a>—<a href="#III4">Indians</a>—<a href="#III5">Amusements +at the Posts</a></p> + +<h4><a href="#IV">CHAPTER IV.</a></h4> + +<p class="left"><a href="#IV1">Portage des Chats</a>—<a href="#IV2">Tactics of our Opponents</a>—<a href="#IV3">Treachery of +an Iroquois</a>—<a href="#IV4">Fierce yet ludicrous nature of the Opposition</a></p> + +<h4><a href="#V">CHAPTER V.</a></h4> + +<p class="left"><a href="#V1">Arrival at the Chats</a>—<a href="#V2">Installed as Bourgeois</a>—<a href="#V3">First Trading +Excursion</a>—<a href="#V4">Bivouac in the Woods</a>—<a href="#V5">Indian Barbarity</a></p> + +<h4><a href="#VI">CHAPTER VI.</a></h4> + +<p class="left"><a href="#VI1">Trip to Fort Coulonge</a>—<a href="#VI2">Mr. Godin</a>—<a href="#VI3">Natives</a></p> + +<h4><a href="#VII">CHAPTER VII.</a></h4> + +<p class="left"><a href="#VII1">Superseded</a>—<a href="#VII2">Feelings on the Occasion</a>—<a href="#VII3">More +Opposition</a>—<a href="#VII4">Æ. Macdonell</a>—<a href="#VII5">Tactics</a>—<a href="#VII6">Melancholy Death of an Indian +</a></p> + +<h4><a href="#VIII">CHAPTER VIII.</a></h4> + +<p class="left"><a href="#VIII1">Activity of our Opponents</a>—<a href="#VIII2">Violent Conduct of an Indian</a>—<a href="#VIII3">Narrow +Escape</a>—<a href="#VIII4">Artifice</a>—<a href="#VIII5">Trip to Indian's Lodge</a>—<a href="#VIII6">Stupidity of Interpreter</a></p> + +<h4><a href="#IX">CHAPTER IX.</a></h4> + +<p class="left"><a href="#IX1">Expedition to the Bear's Den</a>—<a href="#IX2">Passage through the Swamp</a>—<a href="#IX3">Cunning +of the Indians</a>—<a href="#IX4">A Scuffle</a>—<a href="#IX5">Its Results</a></p> + +<h4><a href="#X">CHAPTER X.</a></h4> + +<p class="left"><a href="#X1">Père Duchamp</a>—<a href="#X2">Mr. S.'s Instructions</a>—<a href="#X3">Unsuccessful</a>—<a href="#X4">Trading +Excursion</a>—<a href="#X5">Difficulties of the Journey</a>—<a href="#X6">Lose our +way</a>—<a href="#X7">Provisions fail</a>—<a href="#X8">Reach the Post</a>—<a href="#X9">Visit to an +Algonquin Chief</a>—<a href="#X10">His abusive Treatment</a>—<a href="#X11">Success</a></p> + +<h4><a href="#XI">CHAPTER XI.</a></h4> + +<p class="left"><a href="#XI1">Success of the Iroquois Traders</a>—<a href="#XI2">Appointed to the Charge +of the Chats</a>—<a href="#XI3">Canadian disputes Possession</a>—<a href="#XI4">Bivouac +without a Fire</a>—<a href="#XI5">Ruse to baffle my Opponents</a>—<a href="#XI6">Roman Catholic Bigotry</a></p> + +<h4><a href="#XII">CHAPTER XII.</a></h4> + +<p class="left"><a href="#XII1">Journey to Montreal</a>—<a href="#XII2">Appointment to Lac de Sable</a>—<a href="#XII3">Advantages +of this Post</a>—<a href="#XII4">Its Difficulties</a>—<a href="#XII5">Governor's flattering +Letter</a>—<a href="#XII6">Return from Montreal</a>—<a href="#XII7">Lost in the Woods</a>—<a href="#XII8">Sufferings</a>—<a href="#XII9">Escape</a></p> + +<h4><a href="#XIII">CHAPTER XIII.</a></h4> + +<p class="left"><a href="#XIII1">Narrowly escape Drowning</a>—<a href="#XIII2">Accident to Indian Guide</a>—<a href="#XIII3">Am +nearly Frozen to Death</a>—<a href="#XIII4">Misunderstanding between Algonquins and Iroquois</a>—<a href="#XIII5">Massacre +at Hannah Bay</a></p> + +<h4><a href="#XIV">CHAPTER XIV.</a></h4> + +<p class="left"><a href="#XIV1">Fall through the Ice</a>—<a href="#XIV2">Dangerous Adventure at a Rapid</a>—<a href="#XIV3">Opponents +give in</a>—<a href="#XIV4">Ordered to Lachine</a>—<a href="#XIV5">Treatment on +my Arrival</a>—<a href="#XIV6">Manners, Habits, and Superstitions of the +Indians</a>—<a href="#XIV7">Ferocious Revenge of a supposed Injury</a>—<a href="#XIV8">Different +Methods of the Roman Catholic and Protestant +Missionary</a>—<a href="#XIV9">Indian Councils</a>—<a href="#XIV10">Tradition of the Flood</a>—<a href="#XIV11">Beaver +Hunting</a>—<a href="#XIV12">Language</a></p> + +<h4><a href="#XV">CHAPTER XV.</a></h4> + +<p class="left"><a href="#XV1">Embark for the Interior</a>—<a href="#XV2">Mode of Travelling by Canoes</a>—<a href="#XV3">Little +River</a>—<a href="#XV4">Lake Nipissing</a>—<a href="#XV5">French River</a>—<a href="#XV6">Old Station +of Indian Robbers</a>—<a href="#XV7">Fort Mississaga</a>—<a href="#XV8">Indians</a>—<a href="#XV9">Light +Canoe-Men</a>—<a href="#XV10">Sault Ste. Marie</a>—<a href="#XV11">Lake Superior</a>—<a href="#XV12">Canoe-men +desert</a>—<a href="#XV13">Re-taken</a>—<a href="#XV14">Fort William</a>—<a href="#XV15">M. Thibaud</a>—<a href="#XV16">Lac +la Pluie and River</a>—<a href="#XV16.5">Indians</a>—<a href="#XV17">White River</a>—<a href="#XV18">Narrow +Escape</a>—<a href="#XV19">Conversation with an Indian about Baptism </a></p> + +<h4><a href="#XVI">CHAPTER XVI.</a></h4> + +<p class="left"><a href="#XVI1">Continuation of the Voyage</a>—<a href="#XVI2">Run short of Provisions</a>—<a href="#XVI3">Dogs +Flesh</a>—<a href="#XVI4">Norway House</a>—<a href="#XVI5">Indian Voyageurs</a>—<a href="#XVI6">Ordered +to New Caledonia</a>—<a href="#XVI7">Lake Winnipeg</a>—<a href="#XVI8">McIntosh's Island +submerged</a>—<a href="#XVI9">Cumberland House</a>—<a href="#XVI10">Chippewayan and +Cree Indians</a>—<a href="#XVI11">Portage La Loche</a>—<a href="#XVI12">Scenery</a>—<a href="#XVI13">Athabasca</a>—<a href="#XVI14">Healthiness of the Climate</a></p> + +<h4><a href="#XVII">CHAPTER XVII.</a></h4> + +<p class="left"><a href="#XVII1">Arrival of Mr. F. from Caledonia</a>—<a href="#XVII2">Scenery</a>—<a href="#XVII3">Land-slip</a>—<a href="#XVII4">Massacre +at Fort St. John's</a>—<a href="#XVII5">Rocky Mountain Portage</a>—<a href="#XVII6">Rocky +Mountains</a>—<a href="#XVII7">Magnificent Scenery McLeod's +Lake</a>—<a href="#XVII8">Reception of its Commander by the Indians</a></p> + +<h4><a href="#XVIII">CHAPTER XVIII.</a></h4> + +<p class="left"><a href="#XVIII1">Arrival at New Caledonia</a>—<a href="#XVIII2">Beautiful Scenery</a>—<a href="#XVIII3">Indian +Houses</a>—<a href="#XVIII4">Amusements at the Fort</a>—<a href="#XVIII5">Threatened Attack of +Indians</a>—<a href="#XVIII6">Expedition against them</a>—<a href="#XVIII7">Beefsteaks</a>—<a href="#XVIII8">New +Caledonian Fare</a>—<a href="#XVIII9">Mode of catching Salmon</a>—<a href="#XVIII10">Singular +Death of native Interpreter</a>—<a href="#XVIII11">Indian Funeral Rites</a>—<a href="#XVIII12">Barbarous Treatment of Widows</a></p> + +<h4><a href="#XIX">CHAPTER XIX.</a></h4> + +<p class="left"><a href="#XIX1">Indian Feast</a>—<a href="#XIX2">Attempt at Dramatic Representation</a>—<a href="#XIX3">Religion</a>—<a href="#XIX4">Ordered +to Fort Alexandria</a>—<a href="#XIX5">Advantages of the +Situation</a>—<a href="#XIX6">Sent back to Fort St. James</a>—<a href="#XIX7">Solitude</a>—<a href="#XIX8">Punishment +of Indian Murderer</a>—<a href="#XIX9">Its Consequences</a>—<a href="#XIX10">Heroic Adventure of Interpreter</a></p> + +<h4><a href="#XX">CHAPTER XX.</a></h4> + +<p class="left"><a href="#XX1">Appointed to the Charge of Fort George</a>—<a href="#XX2">Murder of Mr. +Yale's Men</a>—<a href="#XX3">Mysterious Loss of Mr. Linton and Family</a>—<a href="#XX4">Adventures +of Leather Party</a>—<a href="#XX5">Failure of Crops</a>—<a href="#XX6">Influenza</a></p> + +<h4><a href="#XXI">CHAPTER XXI.</a></h4> + +<p class="left"><a href="#XXI1">Climate of New Caledonia</a>—<a href="#XXI2">Scenery</a>—<a href="#XXI3">Natural Productions</a>—<a href="#XXI4">Animals</a>—<a href="#XXI5">Fishes</a>—<a href="#XXI6">Natives</a>—<a href="#XXI7">Their +Manners and Customs</a>—<a href="#XXI8">Duelling</a>—<a href="#XXI9">Gambling</a>—<a href="#XXI10">Licentiousness</a>—<a href="#XXI11">Language</a></p> + +<hr /> + + +<h2><a name="I"></a>CHAPTER I.</h2> + +<blockquote> +<p><a name="I1"></a>THE HUDSON'S BAY COMPANY AND TERRITORIES.</p> +</blockquote> + +<p>That part of British North America known by +the name of the Hudson's Bay territory extends +from the eastern coast in about 60° W. long. to the +Russian boundary in 142° W.; and from the Gulf +of St. Lawrence, along the Ottawa River and the +northern shores of Lakes Huron and Superior, and +thence to the boundary line of the United States; +extending in latitude thence to the northern limit +of America; being in length about 2,600 miles, +and in breadth about 1,400 miles. This extensive +space may be divided into three portions, each +differing most materially in aspect and surface. +The first and most extensive is that which is on +the east, from the Labrador coast, round Hudson's +Bay, northward to the Arctic region, and westward +to the Rocky Mountains. This is entirely a +wooded district, affording that plentiful supply of +timber which forms so large a branch of the Canadian +export trade. These interminable forests +are principally composed of pines of large size, +but which towards the northern boundary are of +a very stinted growth. Another portion is the +prairie country, reaching from Canada westward +to the Rocky Mountains, and intersected by the +boundary line of the United States. In general, +the soil is rich alluvial, which being covered with +luxuriant herbage, affords pasturage for the vast +herds of wild buffaloes which roam over these extensive +plains. The western part is that which +lies between the Rocky Mountains and the Pacific +Ocean, including the Oregon territory, which +was likely to have led to a serious misunderstanding +between Great Britain and the United +States.</p> + +<p>These extensive portions are divided by the +Hudson's Bay Company into four departments, +and these departments are again subdivided into +districts. At the head of each department and +district a chief factor or chief trader generally +presides, to whom all the officers within their +respective jurisdictions are amenable. Those in +charge of posts, whatever may be their rank, are +subject to the authority of the person at the head +of the district; and that person receives his instructions +from the superintendent of the department. +The whole affairs of the country at large +are regulated by the Governor and Council, and +their decisions again are referred, for final adjustment, +to the Governor and Committee in +London.</p> + +<p>The Montreal department comprehends all the +districts and posts along the Gulf and River St. +Lawrence; also the different posts along the banks +of the Ottawa and the interior country. The +depôt of the department is at Lachine, where +all the returns are collected, and the outfits +prepared.</p> + +<p>The southern department has its depôt at Moose +Factory, in James's Bay; it includes the districts +of Albany, Rupert's House, Temiscamingue, Lake +Huron, and Lake Superior, together with several +isolated posts along the shores of the Bay.</p> + +<p>The northern department is very extensive, +having for its southern boundary the line which +divides the British from the American territories, +sweeping east and west from Lac La Pluie, in 95° +W. long, and 49° N. lat. to the Rocky Mountains +in 115° W. long.; then, with the Rocky Mountains +for its western boundary, it extends northward to +the Arctic Sea. The whole of this vast country +is divided into the following districts: Norway +House, Rainy Lake, Red River, Saskatchewan, +English River, Athabasca, and McKenzie's +River. The depôt of this department is York +Factory, in Hudson's Bay, and is considered the +grand emporium; here the grand Council is held, +which is formed of the Governor and such chief +factors and chief traders as may be present. The +duty of the latter is to sit and listen to whatever +measures the Governor may have determined on, +and give their assent thereto, no debating or +vetoing being ever thought of; the Governor +being absolute, his measures therefore more require +obedience than assent. Chief traders are +also permitted to sit in council as auditors, but +have not the privilege of being considered +members.</p> + +<p>The Columbia department is bounded on the +east by the Rocky Mountains, and on the west by +the Pacific Ocean. An ideal line divides it on the +south from the province of California, in lat. +41° 30'; and it joins the Russian boundary in +lat. 55°. This, although a very extensive department, +does not consist of many districts; New +Caledonia is the principal, situated among the +Rocky Mountains, and having several of its posts +established along the banks of the Fraser River, +which disembogues itself into the Gulf of +Georgia in nearly 49° lat. and 122° W. long. +The next is Colville, on the Columbia River, +along with some isolated posts near the confluence +of the same river. The <i>forts</i>, or trading posts, +along the north-west coast, have each their respective +commander. The shipping business is +conducted by a person appointed for that purpose, +who is styled, <i>par excellence</i>, the head of +the "Naval department." The Company have a +steamboat and several sailing vessels, for the +purpose chiefly of trading with the natives along +the coast. The primary object, however, is not +so much the trade, as to keep brother Jonathan +in check, (whose propensity for encroaching has of +late been "pretty much" exhibited,) and to deter +him from forming any establishments on the +coasts; there being a just apprehension that if +once a footing were obtained on the coast, an +equal eagerness might be manifested for extending +their locations into the interior. Strong parties of +hunters are also constantly employed along the +southern frontier for the purpose of destroying +the fur-bearing animals in that quarter; the end +in view being to secure the interior from the encroachments +of foreign interlopers. The depôt of +this department is at Fort Vancouver, on the +Columbia River.</p> + +<p>The Hudson's Bay Company, as it at present +exists, was incorporated in the winter of 1820-21, +a coalition having been then formed with +the North-West Company. Upon this taking +place, an Act of Parliament was obtained which +gave them not only the possession of the territory +they had originally held by virtue of their +royal charter, but also investing them with the +same rights and privileges conferred by that +charter in and over all the territories that had +been settled by the North-West Company for +a term of twenty-one years.</p> + +<p>The Governor, Deputy-Governor, and managing +Committee, are, properly speaking, the only capitalists. +The stock is divided into one hundred +shares; sixty of which their Honours retain for +themselves; and the remaining forty are divided +among the chief traders and chief factors, who +manage the affairs in the Indian country. A chief +factor holds two of these shares, and a chief trader +one; of which they retain the full interest for one +year after they retire, and half interest for the six +following years. These cannot be said to be stock-holders, +for they are not admitted to any share in +the executive management; but according to the +present system they are termed Commissioned +Officers, and receive merely the proceeds of the +share allotted to them. They enjoy, however, one +very superior advantage,—they are not subjected +to bear their share in any losses which the Company +may sustain. It is generally reckoned that +the value of one share is on an average about 350<i>l</i>. +sterling a-year. By the resignation of two chief +traders, one share is at the Company's disposal the +year after, which is then bestowed on a clerk. +When two chief factors retire, a chief trader is +promoted in like manner. Promotion also take +place when the shares of the retired partners +fall in.</p> + + + + +<h2><a name="II"></a>CHAPTER II.</h2> + +<blockquote> +<p><a href="#II1">I ENTER THE HUDSON'S BAY COMPANY'S SERVICE</a>—<a href="#II2">PADRE GIBERT</a>.</p> +</blockquote> + +<p><a name="II1"></a>I entered the service of the Company in the +winter of 1820-21, and after passing my contract +at Montreal in the month of January, I took up +my residence for the remainder of the season with +a French priest, in the parish of Petit le Maska, +for the purpose of studying the French language. +The Padre was a most affable, liberal-minded man, +a warm friend of England and Englishmen, and a +staunch adherent to their government, which he +considered as the most perfect under the sun. +The fact is, that the old gentleman, along with +many others of his countrymen who had escaped +from the horrors of the French Revolution, had +found an asylum in our land of freedom, which +they could find nowhere else; and the personal +advantages that had accrued to him from that circumstance, +naturally induced a favourable disposition +towards his benefactors, their laws, and their +institutions. Though the Padre was extremely +liberal in his political opinions, his management of +his worldly affairs bore the stamp of the most +sordid parsimony. He worshipped the golden calf, +and his adoration of the image was manifest in +everything around him. He wore a cassock of +cloth which had in former times been of a black +colour, but was now of a dusky grey, the woollen +material being so completely incorporated with +dust as to give it that colour. His table was +furnished with such fare as his farm produced, +with the addition, on particular occasions, of a +bottle of <i>black strap</i>. A charming nymph, of some +fifty years of age or so, had the management of +the household, and discharged all her duties with +strict decorum and care. I have the beauties of +her person in my mind's eye to this day. She was +hump-backed, short-necked, and one-eyed, and +squinted bewitchingly with the remaining one: +she had a short leg and a long one, a high shoulder +and a low. In short, the dear creature seemed to +be formed, or rather deformed, by the hand of +nature on purpose to fill the situation of housekeeper +for a priest,—so that whatever might be +his age, no scandal could possibly attach itself +to him from such a housekeeper. The man-servant +was directly the counterpart of the charming +Marguerite; he also was far advanced in the +vale of years, and was of a most irascible temper. +To stir up Joseph to the <i>grinning point</i> was a very +easy matter; and his frantic gesticulations, when +thus goaded to wrath by our teasing pleasantries, +(there were two other young gentlemen beside +myself,) were of the most extraordinary description, +and afforded infinite amusement. We never +failed to amuse ourselves at Joseph's expense, +when the Padre's absence permitted our doing so +with impunity,—especially as a small present of +tobacco, which was always kept at hand for such +occasions, soon made us friends again. But it +sometimes happened that such jokes were carried +too far, so as to render the offering of <i>incense</i> quite +unacceptable, when the touch of <i>metal</i> could alone +produce the desired effect.</p> + +<p><a name="II2"></a>I remained with Father Gibert until spring, +and shall take leave of him by relating an +anecdote or two illustrative of his loyalty and +benevolence. Some time during Madison's unprovoked +war with Great Britain, an alarm came +from the upper part of the parish of which Father +Gibert was <i>curé</i>, that a party of Americans had +been seen marching down the country. The <i>Capitaine</i> +of militia, who was the <i>curé's</i> next door +neighbour, was immediately sent for, and by their +joint influence and authority a considerable number +of <i>habitans</i> were soon assembled under arms, +such as they were. The Father then shouldering +his musket, and placing himself at the head +of his parishioners, led them into his garden, +which was enclosed by a picket fence, and bordered +on the highway. Here the loyal band took +their stand under cover of the fence, waiting to +give Jonathan a warm reception the moment he +came within reach. The supposed Americans +proved to be a small detachment of British troops, +and thus the affair ended.</p> + +<p>On another occasion during the same period the Padre's +loyalty and good humour were manifested, though in a different manner. While +amusing himself in the garden one day, he overheard two Irish soldiers engaged +in conversation to this effect:—</p> + +<p>"You know that the ould boy asks every body +afore he gives any praties, if they belong to St. +Patrick; well, is it a hard matter to tell him we +do, agrah?"</p> + +<p>"Sure you'd be telling a lie, Paddy!"</p> + +<p>"Never mind that," said Paddy, "I'll spake."</p> + +<p>The old gentleman immediately returned to the +house, and entering by a back door, was snugly +seated in his arm-chair, book in hand, when the +two Hibernians were admitted.</p> + +<p>"Well, my boys, what is your business with +me?"</p> + +<p>"We would be wanting a few praties, if your +Riverence could spare them."</p> + +<p>"Aha! you are from Ireland, I perceive. +Irishmen very fond of potatoes! Well, my boys, +I have a few remaining, and you shall have some +if you belong to St. Patrick."</p> + +<p>"Faith, and it is all as your honour says; we +are Irishmen, and we belong to St. Patrick."</p> + +<p>The old gentleman ordered Joseph to supply them with the +"blessed root," without any further parley. Then addressing the speaker in a +voice of assumed choler, exclaimed:—</p> + +<p>"You are a great raskail! does your religion +teach you to tell lies ? You are Protestant both +of you. However, if you do not belong to St. +Patrick, you belong to the King of England, and +I give my potatoes for his sake. But you must +never try to impose upon an old priest again, or +you may not come so well off."</p> + + + + +<h2><a name="III"></a>CHAPTER III.</h2> + +<blockquote> +<p><a href="#III1">ON SERVICE</a>—<a href="#III2">LAKE OF TWO MOUNTAINS</a>—<a href="#III3">OPPOSITION</a>—<a href="#III4">INDIANS</a>—<a href="#III5">AMUSEMENTS +AT THE POSTS</a>. </p> +</blockquote> + +<p><a name="III1"></a>I arrived at Montreal about the beginning of +May, and soon learnt that I was appointed to the +post at Lake of Two Mountains. The Montreal +department was headed at that time by Mr. Thane, +a man of rather eccentric character, but possessed +of a heart that glowed with the best feelings of +humanity. I was allowed to amuse myself a few +days in town, having directions however to call at +the office every day, in case my services should be +required. The period of departure at length +arrived. I was one evening accosted by Mr. +Thane in these terms:—"I say, youngster, you +have been trifling away your time long enough +here; you must hold yourself ready to embark +for your destination to-morrow morning at five +o'clock precisely. If you delay one moment, you +shall have cause to remember it." Such positive +injunctions were not disregarded by me. I was of +course ready at the time appointed, and after all +the hurry, had the honour of breakfasting with my +commander before departing; but the woful and +disheartening accounts of the hardships and privations +I was to suffer in the country to which I was +to proceed, fairly spoiled my appetite. I was told +that my only lodging was to be a tent, my only +food Indian corn, <i>when I could get it</i>; and many +other <i>comforts</i> were enumerated with the view of +producing a certain effect, which my countenance +no doubt betrayed, whilst he chuckled with the +greatest delight at the success of his jokes. I took +leave, and found myself that evening at the Lake +of Two Mountains. On my arrival, a large building +was pointed out to me as the Company's establishment, +to which I soon found admittance, and +was, to my great surprise, ushered into a large well +furnished apartment. Tea had just been served, +with a variety of substantial accompaniments, to +which I felt heartily disposed to do ample justice, +after my day's abstinence. This was very different +entertainment from what I had been led to expect +in the morning; would it had been my lot to be +always so agreeably deceived!</p> + +<p><a name="III2"></a>The village of the Lake of Two Mountains is +inhabited by two distinct tribes of the aborigines—viz. +the Iroquois and the Algonquins; the latter +are a tribe of the Sauteux nation, or Ojibbeway, +and live principally by the chase. The former cultivate +the soil, and engage as voyageurs, or in any +other capacity that may yield them the means of +subsistence. They are a very hardy industrious +race; but neither the habits of civilized life, nor +the influence of the Christian religion, appear +to have mitigated, in any material degree, the +ferocity that characterized their pagan ancestors. +Although they do not pay great deference to the +laws of God, they are sufficiently aware of the +consequences of violating the laws of man, and +comport themselves accordingly.</p> + +<p>The Catholic seminary and church, along with +the gardens of the establishment, almost divide +the village into two equal parts; yet this close +proximity does not appear to encourage any +friendly intercourse between the two tribes. They +in fact seldom pass their respective limits, and, +with few exceptions, cannot converse together, +the language of the one being unintelligible to the +other.</p> + +<p>The Company established a post here in the +spring of 1819, and when I arrived it was in +charge of Mr. Fisher, then a senior clerk. He +had two other clerks under him, besides myself, +a like number of <i>attachés</i>, two interpreters, two +servants, and a horse to ride upon. With such an +establishment to rule over, need it be matter of +surprise that our <i>bourgeois</i> was in his own estimation +a magnate of the first order? <i>N'importe</i>,—whatever +might be his vanity, he possessed those +qualities which constitute a first-rate Indian +trader, and he required them to fill successfully +his present situation. A number of petty traders +were settled in the village, who, whenever the +Company entered the lists against them, laid aside +the feuds that subsisted among themselves, and +joined to oppose their united efforts against the +powerful rival that threatened to overwhelm them +all. The spring fur campaign was about to open +when I made my <i>début</i> at the post. The natives +being daily expected from the interior, all parties +watched their arrival night and day. This was +not a very harassing duty to us, as we relieved +each other; but the situation of our superior was +exceedingly irksome and annoying. The moment +an Indian canoe appeared (the Indians always +arrived at night), we were ordered to apprize him +of it; having done so, he was immediately at the +landing-place, our opponents being also there, +attending to their own interests. Some of the +natives were supplied by the Company, others by +the petty traders; and according as it happened +to be the customers of either that arrived, the +servants assisted in unloading the canoes, conveying +the baggage to their houses, and kindling a +fire. Provisions were furnished in abundance by +both parties. While these preliminary operations +were being performed by the servants, the traders +surrounded the principal object of their solicitude—the +hunter; first one, then another, taking +him aside to persuade him of the superior claims +each had on his love and gratitude. After being +pestered in this manner for some time, he, (the +hunter,) eventually allowed himself to be led away +to the residence of one of the parties, where +he was treated to the best their establishment +afforded; the natives, however, retaining their furs, +and visiting from house to house, until satiated +with the good cheer the traders had to give them, +when they at length gave them up, but not always +to the party to whom they were most indebted. +They are generally great rogues; the sound of +the dollars, which the Company possessed in +abundance, often brought the furs that were due +to the petty trader to the Company's stores; +while some of our customers were induced by +the same argument to carry their furs to our +rivals.</p> + +<p>For a period of six weeks or so, the natives +continued to arrive; sometimes in brigades, +sometimes in single canoes; during the whole +of this period we were occupied in the manner +now described, day and night. So great was +the pressure of business, that we had scarcely +time to partake of the necessary refreshment. +When they had at length all arrived, we enjoyed +our night's rest, if indeed our continually disturbed +slumbers could be called rest:—what with the +howling of two or three hundred dogs, the tinkling +of bells with which the horses the Indians rode +were ornamented, the bawling of the squaws when +beaten by their drunken husbands, and the yelling +of the savages themselves when in that beastly +state, sleep was impossible,—the infernal sounds +that continually rent the air, produced such a +<i>symphony</i> as could be heard nowhere else out of +Pandemonium. No liquors were sold to the +natives at the village, but they procured as much +as they required from the opposite side of the lake. +Some wretches of Canadians were always ready, +for a trifling consideration, to purchase it for them; +thus the law prohibiting the sale of liquor to the +Indians was evaded. After wallowing in intemperance +for some time, they ultimately submitted +to the authority of the priests, confessed their +sins, received absolution, and became <i>good Christians</i> +for the remainder of the season. If any +indulged in the favourite vice—a few always did—they +were confined to their quarters by their +families. After attending mass on Sundays, they +amused themselves playing at ball, or running foot +races; and it was only on such occasions they were +seen to associate with their neighbours the Iroquois. +They took opposite sides in the games; +small stakes were allowed, merely to create an +interest in the issue of the contest. The chiefs +of both tribes sat smoking their pipes together, +viewing the sports in silent gravity, and acting as +umpires in all cases of doubt between the parties. +They, in fact, led a glorious life during the three +months they remained at the village; that period +was to them a continued carnival. The best fare +the country afforded—the best attire that money +could procure—all that sensuality, all that vanity +could desire—their means permitted them to enjoy. +Their lands not having been hunted on during the +war, the beaver multiplied at an extraordinary +rate, and now swarmed in every direction. Every +individual belonging to the tribe might then have +acquired an independent fortune. They arrived +at the village, their canoes laden with furs; but the +characteristic improvidence of their race blinded +them to future consequences. Such was their +wasteful extravagance, that the money obtained +by the sale of their furs was dissipated ere +half the summer season was over. The traders +supplied them afterwards with all requisites at a +<i>moderate</i> per centage; and when they embarked +in autumn for their hunting grounds, they found +themselves deeply involved in debt, a few only +excepted.</p> + +<p><a name="III3"></a>In the course of this summer, some of our +opponents foreseeing the probable issue of the +contest they were engaged in, proposed terms of +capitulation, which were in most instances readily +assented to by the Company; the inventories and +outstanding debts were assumed at a certain valuation. +They retired from the field, some with +annuities for a stipulated period, while to others a +round sum of money was granted; in either case +the party bound himself, under certain penalties, +not to interfere in the trade for a stated period +of time.</p> + +<p>In this manner the Company got rid of all petty +opponents, with the exception of two who continued +the unequal contest. <a name="III4"></a>By the latter end of +August the natives had all started for the interior, +leaving behind only a few decrepit old men and +women. The scene was now completely changed; +a death-like stillness prevailed where but a few +days before all was activity, bustle and animation. +Two of my brother scribes were ordered to the +interior; one<a id="footnotetag1" + name="footnotetag1"></a><a href="#footnote1"><sup>1</sup></a> to the distant Lake Nipissingue, the +other to the Chats. Mr. Fisher set off to enjoy +himself in Montreal, Mr. Francher, the accountant, +being appointed <i>locum-tenens</i> during his absence. +Another young Scot and myself, together with +two or three non-descripts, formed the winter +establishment. Having just quitted the scenes of +civilized life, I found my present solitude sufficiently +irksome; the natural buoyancy of youthful +spirits, however, with the amusements we got up +amongst us, conspired to banish all gloomy thoughts +from my mind in a very short time. We—my +friend Mac and myself—soon became very intimate +with two or three French families who resided in +the village, who were, though in an humble station, +kind and courteous, and who, moreover, danced, +fiddled and played whist.</p> + +<p>There was another family of a different status +from the others, that of Capt. Ducharme, the +king's interpreter, a kind-hearted, hospitable man, +who frequently invited us to his house, where we +enjoyed the charms of polished society and good +cheer. The captain's residence was in the Iroquois +division of the village; this circumstance led us +to form another acquaintance that for some time +afforded us some amusement, <i>en passant</i>. We +discovered that a very ugly old widow, who resided +in that quarter, had two very pretty young +daughters, to whom we discoursed in Gaelic; they +answered in Iroquois; and in a short time the +best <i>understanding</i> imaginable was established +between us, (Mac and myself, be it always understood.) +No harm came of it, though; I vow there +did not; the priests, it seems, thought otherwise. +Our acquaintance with the girls having come to +their knowledge, we were one day honoured with +a visit from the Iroquois padre; the severe gravity +of whose countenance convinced us at a glance of +the nature of his mission. I must do him the +justice to say, however, that his address to us was +mild and admonitory, rather than severe or reproachful. +I resolved from that moment to speak +no more Gaelic to the Iroquois maidens; Mac +continued his visits.</p> + +<p><a name="III5"></a>We always amused ourselves in the evenings +with our French <i>confrères</i>, (whom I have mentioned +as "nondescripts," from the circumstance of their +being under no regular engagement with the Company,) +playing cards or fiddling and dancing. +We were on one occasion engaged in the latter +amusement <i>en pleine midi</i>—our <i>Deputy</i> Bourgeois +being one of the party, and all of us in the +highest possible glee, when lo! in the midst of +our hilarity, the hall door flew open and the <i>great +man</i> stood sternly before us. The hand-writing +on the wall could scarcely have produced a more +startling effect on the convivial party of old, than +did this unexpected apparition upon us. We +listened to the reprimand which followed in all +due humility, none more crest-fallen than our +worthy Deputy. Mr. Fisher then opened his +portmanteau and drew forth a letter, which he +presented to my friend Mac, exclaiming in a voice +of thunder, "Read that, gentlemen, and hear +what Mr. Thane thinks of your conduct." We +read and trembled; Mac's defiance of the authority +of the priests offended them mortally; a +formal complaint was consequently preferred +against the innocent and the guilty, (although +there was no guilt in fact, unless <i>speaking Gaelic</i> to +the wood-nymphs could be so construed,) and +drew upon us the censures this dreadful missive +conveyed. The magnate remained a few days, +and on his departure for town, we resumed our +usual pastimes, but selected a different <i>path</i> to +Captain Ducharme's. The Fathers had requested, +when this establishment was first formed, that +some of the Company's officers should attend +church on Sundays for the purpose of showing a +good example to the natives. I did so, on my part, +very regularly until Christmas Eve, when having +witnessed the ceremonies of the midnight mass, +I determined on remaining at home in future. I +shuddered with horror at the idolatrous rites, as +they appeared to me, which were enacted on that +occasion. The ceremonies commenced with the +celebration of mass; then followed the introduction +of the "Infant Jesus," borne by four of the +choristers, attired in surplices of white linen. The +image being placed by them on a sofa in front of +the altar, the superior of the seminary made his +debut, retiring to the railing that surrounds the +altar, when he knelt, and bending low his head +apparently in devout adoration, he arose, then +advanced two steps towards the altar and knelt +again; he knelt the third time close to the side of +the image, which he devoutly embraced, then +withdrew: the younger priests performed the +same ceremonies; and after them every one of +their congregation: yet these people protest that +their religion has no connexion with idolatry, and +that the representations of Protestants regarding +it are false and calumnious. If we credit them, +however, we must belie the evidence of our own +senses; but the fact is, there are not a few Roman +Catholics who speak with very little <i>respect</i> themselves +of some of these mummeries.</p> + +<blockquote class="footnote"> + <a id="footnote1" name="footnote1"></a><b>Footnote 1:</b> + <a href="#footnotetag1">(return)</a> + <p>This gentleman's name was Cockburn;—he + met his end a few years afterwards in a very melancholy manner, while on his + way to Montreal (having retired from the service). He rolled over the canoe + on a dark night, and disappeared for ever!</p> +</blockquote> + + + + +<h2><a name="IV"></a>CHAPTER IV.</h2> + +<blockquote> +<p><a href="#IV1">PORTAGE DES CHATS</a>—<a href="#IV2">TACTICS OF OUR OPPONENTS</a>—<a href="#IV3">TREACHERY +OF AN IROQUOIS</a>—<a href="#IV4">FIERCE, YET LUDICROUS NATURE OF THE +OPPOSITION.</a> </p> +</blockquote> + +<p>Mr. Fisher returned from town in the month +of March; he had learnt that our opponents intended +to shift the scene of operations to the Chats, +(where the greater number of the Indians pass on +their way going to or returning from their hunting +grounds,) and were making preparations of a very +extensive nature for the spring competition. The +Company were not tardy in adopting such measures +as were deemed the most efficient to meet +them on their own terms. We understood that +they had hired two <i>bullies</i> for the purpose of deciding +the matter <i>par voie de fait</i>. Mr. Fisher +hired two of the same description, who were supposed +to be more than a match for the opposition +party. On the 28th of April, 1822, our opponents +set off in two large canoes, manned by eight men +in each; we followed in three canoes with twenty-four +men, under the command of three leaders—namely, +Captain Ducharme, who had volunteered +on the occasion, Mr. Lyons, a retired trader, and +myself. Nothing occurred worthy of description +on our passage to the Chats.</p> + +<p><a name="IV1"></a>The Ottawa is at this point interrupted by +a ledge of rock, which extends across its whole +breadth. In forcing a passage for itself through +this barrier, it is divided into several channels, +which form as many beautiful cascades as they +fall into the extensive basin that receives them +below. On one of the islands thus formed, the +natives make a portage. Here, then, we took our +station close to a cascade: our opponents commenced +building a hut on one side of the path, we +on the other. While this operation was in progress, +basilisk looks denoted the strength of feeling that +pervaded the breasts of either party, but not a +word was exchanged between us. Our hut was +first completed, when our champion clambered +aloft, and crowed defiance; three times he crowed +(aloud), but no responding voice was heard from +the opposite camp. This act was altogether voluntary +on the part of our man, but it did not +displease us, as the result convinced us that we +stood on safe ground, should any violence be +attempted. Our opponents were enraged at the +want of spirit evinced by their men, and determined +on being revenged upon <i>us</i> in a manner that +showed the virulence of their animosity. A number +of lumber men were making up their rafts +within a short distance of us at the time, who +were for the most part natives of the Emerald Isle. +Paddy's "knocking down for love" is proverbial. +Our opponents immediately sent them word that +the Hudson's Bay Company had brought up a <i>bully</i> +from Montreal who defied "the whole of the +Grand River." "By my faith, does he thin," +said Pat; "let us have a look at him, any how."</p> + +<p><a name="IV2"></a>On the succeeding evening (after the occurrence +of the circumstance above related) we were surprised +to see the number of canoes that arrived at +the portage from all directions. The crew of each +canoe as they landed went direct to our opponents, +where they appeared to be liberally supplied with +spirits. Their object was sufficiently evident, as +the potent agent they had employed, in a short +time, produced the desired effect. Oaths and execrations +were heard amid crowing and yelling. +Our Canadians all took to their heels, except our +noble game-cock and two others; and now the +drama opened. A respectable good looking fellow +stept out from the crowd, accompanied by another +man, a Canadian, and advancing to our champion, +asked him "if he would not sell his feathers" (his +hat being decorated with them). It is unnecessary +to state the reply. An altercation ensued, +and blows would undoubtedly have succeeded, had +I not then interfered. I invited the stranger to my +tent, and having opened my <i>garde de vin</i>, produced +some of the good things it contained. A +little conversation with my guest, proved him to +be a shrewd sensible man; and when I explained +the nature of our dispute with our rivals, he comprehended +in an instant the object they had in +view in circulating the reports which induced him +and others to assemble at the portage. The consanguinity +of the sons of Erin and Caledonia was +next touched upon, and the point settled to our +mutual satisfaction; in short, my brother Celt and +I parted as good friends as half-an-hour's acquaintance +and a bottle of wine could make us. At the +conclusion of our interview he departed, and +meeting our champion, cordially shook him by the +hand; then addressing his companions, remarked, +"This, my lads, is a quarrel between the traders, +in which we have no right to interfere at all; for +my own part, I am very much obliged to the +jintlemin on both sides o' the road, for traiting me +so jintaily; but Jack Hall shall not be made a tool +of by anybody whatsumdever."</p> + +<p>Jack Hall embarked with his crew, and was +soon afterwards followed by the others. Both +parties were thus again in their previous positions, +and a little tact saved us from the fatal consequences +that might have ensued, had their villainous +design proved successful. The daring +insult was keenly felt by us all, and accordingly +one of our trio despatched a message to the only +individual of the opposite party who had any pretension +to the title of gentleman, soliciting the +pleasure of his company to take the air next +morning. The invitation was accepted. Our +party kept the appointment, and remained for two +hours on the ground, awaiting the arrival of their +<i>friends</i>; but the friends allowed them the sole +enjoyment of the morning air.</p> + +<p>A few days afterwards the natives began to +make their appearance, and scenes of a revolting +nature were of frequent occurrence. Rum and +brandy flowed in streams, and dollars were scattered +about as if they had been of no greater +value than pebbles on the beach. The expenses +incurred by both parties were very great; but +while this lavish expenditure seriously affected +the resources of the petty traders, the coffers of +the Company were too liberally filled to be sensibly +diminished by such outlay. Nevertheless, the +natives would not dispose of their furs until they +reached the village.</p> + +<p><a name="IV3"></a>We remained at the portage until the 7th of +June, when the natives having all passed, we +embarked, and arrived at the lake on the 10th, +where we were shocked to learn that our Bourgeois<a id="footnotetag2" + name="footnotetag2"></a><a href="#footnote2"><sup>2</sup></a> +had had a very narrow escape from the +treachery of an Iroquois during our absence, +the particulars of which were thus related to +us. Mr. Fisher had advanced a sum to this +scoundrel two years before, and seeing him pass +his door the ensuing spring after the debt had +been contracted, with his furs, which he carried to +our opponents, he watched his return, and calling +him in, demanded payment; an insolent reply was +the return for his kindness, which so much exasperated +him, that he kicked him out in presence +of several other Indians. The insult was not forgotten. +Soon after his arrival this spring, he sent +for Mr. Fisher, who complied with the invitation, +expecting payment of his debt. The moment he +entered the house, however, he discovered that +he had been inveigled. The Indian stood before +him, his face painted, and a pistol in his hand, +which he presented. In an instant Mr. Fisher +bared his breast, and staring his enemy fiercely +in the face, exclaimed, "Fire, you black dog! +What! did you imagine you had sent for an old +woman?"</p> + +<p>Mr. Fisher's knowledge of the Indian character +saved his life; had he betrayed the slightest +symptom of fear, he was a dead man; but the +undaunted attitude he assumed staggered the +resolution of the savage; a new bias seemed to +operate on his mind, probably through a feeling +of respect for the determined courage displayed +by his intended victim. He could not brace his +nerves to a second effort; his hand dropped listlessly +by his side; his gaze was fixed on Mr. Fisher +for a moment; then dashing the pistol violently +on the ground, he beckoned him to withdraw.<a id="footnotetag3" + name="footnotetag3"></a><a href="#footnote3"><sup>3</sup></a></p> + +<p><a name="IV4"></a>Immediately after the close of the spring trade, +the most formidable of our opponents <i>hinted</i> that +he might be induced to quit the field; a negotiation +was accordingly opened with him, which soon +terminated in a favourable issue, on very advantageous +terms to the retiring party.</p> + +<p>The solitary being who remained behind was +thus thrown upon his own resources, and his +efforts to maintain the unequal contest unaided, +were so feeble and ineffectual, that the Company +might be said to hold a monopoly of the fur-trade +at this period; but thereafter they paid dearly for +their triumph, as further sacrifices had yet to +be made ere they could enjoy it in quiet. A +Canadian merchant, in easy circumstances, who +dwelt opposite to the village, having learned the +advantageous terms obtained by the petty traders +from the Company, addressed a very polite note +to Mr. Fisher, stating his intention to try his +fortune as a trader, but that he would have no +objection to postpone the attempt for five years, +provided the Company would allow him 150<i>l.</i> +per annum, during that period. The proposal +was submitted to Mr. Thane, who laconically +replied, "Let him do his worst, and be ...." +Accordingly, St. Julien immediately commenced +operations. He hired one end of an Indian house, +which he fitted up as a trader's shop: Fisher hired +the other end. St. Julien then removed to another: +Fisher occupied the other end of that house also. +St. Julien next rented a <i>whole</i> house: Fisher +purchased a house, placed it upon rollers, and +wheeled it directly in front of that of his rival, +rearwards, scarcely leaving sufficient room for one +person to pass between the premises. This caused +great amusement to the Indians; not so to St. +Julien, who had not anticipated so excessive a +desire on the part of any of the Company's officers +for so close an intimacy; and at the end of six +weeks he took his departure without pay or pension +from the Company.</p> + +<p>In the course of this summer our Algonquins +received a visit from a party of Ottawas, (this +tribe occupies the hunting grounds in the vicinity +of Michimmakina or Makinaw, and speaks the +Sauteaux language,) which created considerable +alarm in the village, as they came for the purpose +of demanding satisfaction for the murder of one +of their tribe, which had been perpetrated two +years before by an Algonquin. The details of +the atrocious deed were communicated to me as +follows. The Ottawas and Algonquins, with their +families, were proceeding in company to the Lake, +in the spring of 1819, when being encamped in +the neighbourhood of the long Sault rapid, the +Algonquin sprang upon his unsuspecting companion, +and cleft his skull with his tomahawk, +without the least apparent provocation; then +dragging the body to the water's edge, he cut it +up into small pieces, and threw them in. He next +despatched the woman, and mutilated her body +in the same savage manner, having first committed +the most horrible barbarity on her person; (the +recital of which curdled my blood; and yet our +Christianized (?) Algonquins laughed heartily on +hearing it!) The demon in human form, with +the yet reeking tomahawk raised over the heads +of his wife and children, made them swear that +they would never divulge the horrid deed; but +they did disclose it; and it was from the wife the +tale of horror was elicited. The object of the +Ottawas was not revenge. Compensation to the +full estimated value of the lives of a man and +woman was all they demanded; and that they +received to an amount that far exceeded their +expectations. Had the murderer been in the +village the chiefs declared they would have given +him up; but they had already delivered him +over to the proper authorities, and he was +then in prison waiting his sentence.</p> + +<p>It has been already mentioned, that the Company +had assumed the outstanding debts of the +petty traders. When the accounts were closed +this autumn, the aggregate amount of liabilities +due to the Company exhibited the enormous sum +of seventy-two thousand dollars—not a shilling +of that sum has ever been repaid.</p> + +<p>Soon after the departure of the natives for the +interior, I was notified of my appointment to the +charge of the Chats post. My friend Mac also +received marching orders; and after parting with +him I took leave of the Lake of Two Mountains +on the 20th of August.</p> + +<blockquote class="footnote"> + <a id="footnote2" name="footnote2"></a><b>Footnote 2:</b> + <a href="#footnotetag2">(return)</a> + <p>The term Bourgeois is used for Master + throughout the Indian country.</p> +</blockquote> + +<blockquote class="footnote"> + <a id="footnote3" name="footnote3"></a><b>Footnote 3:</b> + <a href="#footnotetag3">(return)</a> + <p>At that period some of the Iroquois made good hunts, +trapping beaver along the main rivers and outskirts of the +Algonquin lands.</p> +</blockquote> + + + + +<h2><a name="V"></a>CHAPTER V.</h2> + +<blockquote> +<p><a href="#V1">ARRIVAL AT THE CHATS</a>—<a href="#V2">INSTALLED AS BOURGEOIS</a>—<a href="#V3">FIRST +TRADING EXCURSION</a>—<a href="#V4">BIVOUAC IN THE WOODS</a>—<a href="#V5">INDIAN +BARBARITY. </a></p> +</blockquote> + +<p><a name="V1"></a>I arrived at the Chats on the 26th of August, +1822. As we approached the establishment, the +crew struck up a song which soon attracted the +notice of its only inmate; a tall gaunt figure, who +was observed moving toward the landing-place, +where it remained stationary. With the exception +of this solitary being, no sign of animation was perceptible. +We landed, and found the recluse to be +the gentleman whom I was to succeed. The men +belonging to the post were at the time employed +elsewhere; fire-arms were therefore discharged, to +summon them to return. An old interpreter and +two men, constituting the force at this station, +soon made their appearance. Such an uncommon +event as an <i>arrival</i> seemed to produce an exhilarating +effect upon them. Immediately after my +landing the charge was made over to me; and on +the following day my predecessor, Mr. Macdonald, +took his departure, leaving me to the fellowship +of my own musings, which for a time assumed but +sombre hues; but I was then young, and the +hopes and aspirations of an ardent mind threw +a halo around the gloomy path that lay before me, +and resting upon the bright spots that glimmered +in the distant background, concealed from my +view the toils and miseries I had to experience +in the intermediate passage.</p> + +<p><a name="V2"></a>On assuming the responsibility of this post, +I found myself in a position which gratified my +vanity. I was Bourgeois of the Chats; had an interpreter +and two men subject to my orders; and +could make such arrangements as my own inclinations +dictated, without the surveillance of a superior. +I was, in fact, master of my own time and +of my own actions; could fiddle when I pleased, +and dance when I had a mind with my own shadow; +no person here dared to question my actions.</p> + +<p><a name="V3"></a>About the beginning of September the natives +began to pass for the interior, and to my great +surprise appeared to be in want of further supplies, +although they had left the Lake amply +provided with everything necessary. Some of +them took advances here again to a considerable +amount. I learned from them that a petty trader +who had just then sprung into existence, intended +to establish a couple of posts in the interior of the +district—(this post being subject to the Lake of +Two Mountains.) This was rather an unpleasant +piece of intelligence, and quite unexpected by my +superiors or myself. I despatched a messenger +to head-quarters to give the alarm, and was soon +joined by a reinforcement of men conducted by +a junior clerk and an interpreter. Preparations +were then made to follow up this new competitor +the moment he appeared. He did not allow us +to remain long in suspense. A few days afterwards +his party was observed passing in two +canoes; our people were immediately in their +wake, and I remained with but one man and the +old interpreter during the winter. I had only +two Indian hunters to attend to; one in the immediate +vicinity of the post, the other about three +days' journey distant. Late in autumn I was gratified +by a visit from the superintendent of the +district, who expressed himself perfectly satisfied +with my arrangements. As soon as the river +<i>set fast</i> with ice, I resolved on paying a visit to +my more remote customer, and assumed the snow-shoes +for the first time. I set out with my <i>only</i> +man, leaving the old interpreter sole occupier of +the post. My man had visited the Indian on +several occasions during the previous winter, and +told me that he usually halted at a Chantier,<a id="footnotetag4" + name="footnotetag4"></a><a href="#footnote4"><sup>4</sup></a> on +the way to his lodge. We arrived late in the +evening at the locality in question, and finding +a quantity of timber collected on the ice, concluded +that the <i>shanty</i> must be close at hand. +We accordingly followed the lumber-track until we +reached the hut which had formerly afforded such +comfortable accommodation to my companion. +Great was our disappointment, however, to find +it now tenantless, and almost buried in snow. +I had made an extraordinary effort to reach the +spot in the hope of procuring good quarters for +the night, and was now so completely exhausted +by fatigue that I could proceed no further. The +night was dark, and to make our situation as +cheerless as possible, it was discovered that my +companion had left his "fire-works" behind—a +proof of his inexperience. Under these circumstances +our preparations were necessarily few. +Having laid a few boughs of pine upon the snow, +we wrapped ourselves up in our blankets, and lay +down together. I passed the night without much +rest; but my attendant—a hardy Canadian—kept +the wild beasts at bay by his deep snoring, +until dawn. I found myself completely benumbed +with cold; a smart walk, however, soon put the +blood in circulation, and ere long we entered +a shanty where we experienced the usual hospitality +of these generous folks. Here we borrowed +a "smoking-bag," containing a steel, flint, and +tinder. With the aid of these desiderata in the +appointments of a voyageur, we had a comfortable +encampment on the following night.</p> + +<p><a name="V4"></a>The mode of constructing a winter encampment +is simply this:—you measure with your eye the +extent of ground you require for your purpose, +then taking off your snow-shoes, use them as +shovels to clear away the snow. This operation +over, the finer branches of the balsam tree are +laid upon the ground to a certain depth; then +logs of dry wood are placed at right angles to the +feet at a proper distance, and ignited by means +of the "fire-works" alluded to. In such an +encampment as this, after a plentiful supper of +half-cooked peas and Indian corn—the inland travelling fare of the Montreal department—and +a day's hard walking, one enjoys a repose to which +the voluptuary reclining on his bed of down is a +perfect stranger.</p> + +<p>We reached our destination on the following +day about noon, where we found but little to +recompense us for our journey. Both our own +people from the outpost and our opponents had +already traded all the furs the Indian had to dispose +of, although his supplies at the Lake of Two +Mountains and at my post amounted to a sum +that would have required his utmost exertions to +pay. We remained that night at his lodge, and +very early on the succeeding morning, started on +our return. With the exception of a couple of +trips I made to the inland posts, nothing disturbed +the monotony of my avocations during the remaining +part of the winter. Petty traders swarmed all +over the country; the posts which were established +in the interior to cope with them traded freely +with the natives, in order to secure their furs from +competitors. Thus the immense sacrifices which +the Company had made to obtain a monopoly, as +they imagined, yielded them no advantage whatever; +and repeated defalcations on the part of the +natives, induced them to curtail their advances at +their principal station. The natives, however, +found no difficulty in procuring their requisites in +exchange for their furs, either from the posts +belonging to the Company in the interior, or from +the opposition; for they were, with few exceptions, +of the same character as the individual +already alluded to.</p> + +<p>The Indian whom I mentioned as residing in +the neighbourhood of the establishment arrived, +late in autumn, from the Lake, where he could +not obtain a charge of ammunition on credit. I +supplied all his wants liberally, knowing him to +be a good hunter, though a notorious rogue; and +he set out for his hunting grounds, to all appearance +well pleased.</p> + +<p>In the course of the winter a Yankee adventurer +opened a "grog shop," within a short distance of +the depôt, who appeared to have no objection to +a beaver's skin in exchange for his commodities. +My Indian debtor returned in the month of March, +with a tolerable "hunt," and pitched his tent +midway between the post and my Yankee neighbour. +I called upon the Indian immediately for +payment, which he told me I should receive on +the morrow. I went accordingly at the time +appointed, and was annoyed to find that he had +already disposed of a part of his furs for the Yankee's +whiskey; and I therefore demanded payment +in a tone of voice which clearly indicated that I +was in earnest. To-morrow was mentioned again; +but having come with the determination of being +satisfied on the spot, I seized, without further +ceremony, what furs remained, and throwing them +out of the wigwam to my man, who was placed there +to receive them, I remained within, to bear the +brunt of the Indian's resentment, should he show +any, until my man had secured the prize. I was well +prepared to defend myself, in case of any violence +being offered. Nothing of the kind was attempted, +however; and I took my leave, after sustaining a +volley of abuse, which did me no harm. The +Indian paid me a visit next morning, for the purpose +of settling accounts, a small balance being +due to him, which, at his own request, was paid +in rum. I soon after received another visit, for +nectar, on credit; this request I granted.</p> + +<p><a name="V5"></a>The visits, however, were repeated so often for +the same purpose, that I at length found it advisable +to give a denial, by proxy, not wishing to part on +bad terms with him, if possible, on account of the +spring hunt. I absented myself from the house, +having instructed my interpreter how to act. I +took my station in a small grove of pines, close by, +watching for the appointed signal to apprise me of +the departure of the Indian. My attention was +suddenly arrested by most doleful cries at the +house; and presently the voice of my interpreter +was heard, calling me loudly by name. I ran at +the top of my speed, and arrived just in time to +save the life of a poor old woman, who had been +making sugar in my neighbourhood. I found the +father and two sons, both approaching manhood, +in a complete state of nudity, dancing round the +body of their victim (to all appearance dead), their +bodies besmeared with blood, and exulting in the +barbarous deed they had committed. My interpreter +informed me, that as soon as they observed +the old woman approaching the house, the Christian +father told his sons that now was the time to +take revenge for the death of their brother, whose +life had been destroyed by this woman's "bad +medicine." We drove the wretches away, and +carried the miserable woman into the house; and so +dreadfully bruised and mangled were her head and +face, that not the least trace of her features could +be distinguished. At the end of a month she +recovered sufficiently to crawl about. Her son +passed in the spring, with an excellent hunt. When +I related to him the manner his mother had been +treated by the Indians, and the care I had taken +of her, he coolly replied that he was sure they +were bad Indians. "It was very charitable of you," +said he, "to have taken so much care of the old +woman. Come to my wigwam next winter, and I +shall trade with you, and treat you well." In the +meantime every skin he had went to our opponents, +although he was deeply indebted to the +Company.</p> + +<blockquote class="footnote"> + <a id="footnote4" name="footnote4"></a><b>Footnote 4:</b> + <a href="#footnotetag4">(return)</a> + <p>The hut used by the lumbermen, and the + root of the well-known "shanty."</p> +</blockquote> + + + + +<h2><a name="VI"></a>CHAPTER VI.</h2> + +<blockquote> +<p><a href="#VI1">TRIP TO FORT COULONGE</a>—<a href="#VI2">MR. GODIN</a>—<a href="#VI3">NATIVES</a>. </p> +</blockquote> + +<p><a name="VI1"></a>A large canoe arrived from Montreal about the +latter end of June, by which I received orders to +proceed to Fort Coulonge, situated about eighty +miles higher up the Ottawa, to relieve the person +then in charge of that post. I accordingly embarked +in the same canoe, accompanied by my +young friend Mr. MacDougal, who joined me +last autumn, and who kindly volunteered to proceed +along with me to my destination. This canoe +was under the charge of people hired for the trip, +and directed by the bowsman, or guide. I soon +discovered that I was considered merely as a piece +of live lumber on board. My companion and myself +were reduced to the necessity of cooking our +own victuals, or of going without them. We +pitched our tent as best we could, and packed it +up in the morning without the slightest offer of +assistance from the crew.</p> + +<p>No incident worthy of notice occurred until +we reached the Grand Calumet Portage, the +longest on the Ottawa River. The crew slept +at the further end of the portage, whither the +canoe and part of the cargo had been carried +during the day, and we pitched our tent there +also in the usual awkward manner. The weather +was very fine in the evening, but soon after nightfall +a tremendous storm burst upon us: our tent +was blown about our ears in an instant. "We endeavoured +to compose ourselves to rest underneath, +but found it impracticable. We then +attempted to pitch it anew, but our strength and +ingenuity were not sufficient for the purpose. We +tried afterwards to find shelter under the canoe +(the rain pouring in torrents), but the crew were +already in possession, and so closely packed, that +not an inch was unoccupied. Thus baffled on +every hand, we passed the night completely exposed +to the "pelting of the pitiless storm," +learning a lesson of practical philosophy which I +have not yet forgotten.</p> + +<p>We arrived at Fort Coulonge early the next +day, when a portly old gentleman, bearing a +paunch that might have done credit to an Edinburgh +baillie, came puffing down to the landing-place +to receive us. We soon discovered that +Mr. Godin was only "nominally" in charge of +the establishment, for that his daughter, a stout, +masculine-looking wench, full thirty summers +blown, possessed what little authority was required +for the management of affairs.</p> + +<p>We arrived on Wednesday. The father proposed +setting out for Montreal on Friday; the +daughter objected the ill luck of the day: it was +finally determined that they should embark on +Thursday, however late. The necessary preparations +were immediately commenced under her +ladyship's superintendence, and being completed +late in the evening, they embarked, leaving me +perfectly alone. The contracts with the men had +just expired, which I proposed to renew, but the +answer from one and all was, "I shall follow my +bourgeois." This was the result of the old gentleman's +arrangements (having been ordered off +contrary to his wishes), and which might have +been anticipated by those who appointed me to +the situation; but it would have been derogatory +to the exalted rank of their highnesses to bestow +any consideration on such trivial matters as related +to the comfort or convenience of a paltry +apprentice! Their neglect, however, might have +been attended on this occasion with serious consequences +to the Company's interests, as I had never +seen any of the Indians of that quarter before, +and knew very little of their mode of trading. +It was a fortunate circumstance for myself that I +understood the language sufficiently well to converse +with the natives, otherwise my situation +would have been disagreeable in the extreme. I +remained alone until the latter end of July, when +I was joined by an English lad, whom I induced +by the promise of high wages to leave his former +employers (lumbermen) and share my solitude.</p> + +<p><a name="VI2"></a>The history of my predecessor being rather +singular, a few words here regarding him may +perhaps not be considered out of place. He +commenced his career as a hired servant, or +Voyageur, as they are termed in the country, +and was thirty years of age before he knew a +letter of the alphabet. Being a man possessed +of strong natural parts, and great bodily strength +withal, he soon distinguished himself as an under +trader of uncommon tact,—his prowess as a +pugilist also gave him a very decided advantage in +the field of competition. Endowed with such qualifications, +his services were duly appreciated by +the traders, and he knew full well how to turn +them to his own advantage. He served all parties +alike; that is, he served each in turn, and cheated +and deceived them all.</p> + +<p>After the organization of the North-West +Company, he entered their service; and returning +to the same quarter, Temiscamingue, where he +had wintered for his last employer, he passed the +post unperceived, and falling in with a band of +Indians, whom he himself had supplied the preceding +autumn, told them he still belonged to +the same party, and traded all their furs on the +spot. The North-West Company gave him charge +of a post, when his subtle management soon +cleared the country of opposition.</p> + +<p><a name="VI3"></a>The natives of Temiscamingue were in those times +very treacherous, as they would be at this day, +did they not dread the consequences; several men +had been murdered by them, and they at length +became exceedingly bold and daring in deeds of +violence. One example is sufficient:—Godin happened, +on one occasion, to remain at his post +with only one man, who attended the nets,—fish being the staff of life in that +quarter. Visiting them regularly every day to procure his own and his master's +subsistence, his return was one morning delayed much beyond the usual time. +Godin felt so anxious, that he determined on going to the fishery to learn the +cause; and just as he had quitted the house with that intention, he met an +Indian who had been for some time encamped in the vicinity, and asked him—</p> + +<p>"What news?"</p> + +<p>"I have killed a white dog this morning," was +the reply.</p> + +<p>"Indeed!" said Godin, feigning ignorance of +the Indian's meaning: "Pray, to whom did he +belong?"</p> + +<p>"He was a stray dog, I believe."</p> + +<p>Conversing with him in this strain, he threw the +Indian completely off his guard, while he approached +him until he was sufficiently near him +for his purpose, when, raising his powerful arm, +he struck the savage a blow under the ear that +felled him to the ground,—he fell to rise no more. +The next moment, a couple of well-disposed +Indians came to inform Godin of the murder of +his man, which it appeared they could not prevent. +"My children," said he, with the utmost +composure, "the Master of life has punished +your kinsman on the spot for taking the life of +a white man; he told me just now that he had +killed a white dog, and had scarcely finished the +sentence when he fell down dead at my feet. +Feel his body, it must be still warm; examine it, +and satisfy yourselves that he has suffered no +violence from me, and you see that I have no +weapons about me."</p> + +<p>Godin was soon afterwards removed to Fort +Coulonge, and was allowed a high salary by the +North-West Company. Here he learned to read +and write, and married a fair countrywoman of +his own, who resided the greater part of the time +in Montreal, where, to make the gentleman's +establishment complete, he had the good taste to +introduce his mistress. A circumstance that +presents his character in its true colours made +his wife acquainted with his infidelity. Writing +to both his ladies at the same time, he unwittingly +addressed his mistress's letter to his wife, by which +she learnt, with other matters, that a present +of ten prime otters had been sent to her rival. +The enraged wife carried the letter to Mr. Thane, +from whom, however, she met with a very different +reception to what she had anticipated. +After perusing the letter, he ordered her immediately +out of his presence. "Begone, vile +woman!" he exclaimed: "What! would you +really wish to see your husband hanged?"</p> + +<p>The Company were well aware of Godin's tricks, +but winked at them on account of his valuable +services. He was removed from Fort Coulonge +in consequence of mismanagement, (occasioned +by aberration of his mental faculties,) and was +allowed by the Company to retire with a pension +of 100<i>l</i>. per annum. The transcript of a public letter, addressed to Mr. +Thane, will show his attainments in literature; and, with this I shall close my +sketch of Mr. Godin:—</p> + +<p align="left" style="margin-left: 50px; margin-right: 50px"> + "Mon<sup>r</sup> Tane,</p> + +<blockquote> + <p align="left" style="margin-left: 50px; margin-right: 50px">"Cher Mon<sup>r</sup>,</p> +</blockquote> + +<p align="left" style="margin-left: 50px; margin-right: 50px"> "Vot letre ma té livie par Guiaume dean + aisi qui le butin tout a bon ord le Shauvages on + ben travaié set anne et bon aparans de bon retour + st. anne Dieu merci je ne jami vu tant de moustique + et de maragoen com il en a st anne je pens + desend st anne ver le meme tan com l'anné + pasé.</p> + +<blockquote> + <blockquote> + <p align="left" style="margin-left: 50px; margin-right: 50px">"Je sui,</p> + <blockquote> + <p align="left" style="margin-left: 50px; margin-right: 50px">"Cher Mon<sup>r</sup>, &c.</p> + <blockquote> + <p align="left" style="margin-left: 50px; margin-right: 50px">"JOSEPH GODIN."</p> + </blockquote> + </blockquote> + </blockquote> +</blockquote> + +<p>The Indians attached to this post speak the +Sauteux language, and are denominated "Tetes des +Boules" by the French, and "Men of the Woods" +by the other Indians. Although so near to priests +and ministers, they are still Pagans, but are nevertheless +a quiet harmless race, and excellent +hunters. The greater part of them originally +belonged to Temiscamingue, and were drawn to +this quarter by Mr. Godin. A considerable number +of Algonquins also trade here, where they +pass the greater part of their lives without visiting +the Lake. The people appear to me to differ in +no respect from their heathen brethren, save in the +very negligent observance of certain external forms +of worship, and in being more enlightened in the +arts of deceiving and lying.</p> + +<p>About the middle of August, I was gratified by +the arrival of Mr. Godin's interpreter, and three +men, by whom I received letters from head-quarters, +informing me that my neighbours of last +winter intended to establish posts in this quarter +also, and that I should soon be joined by a strong +reinforcement of men, to enable me to cope successfully +with them. We complain of solitude in +the Indian forests, yet the vicinity of such a +neighbour is considered the greatest evil; and +instead of cherishing the feelings enjoined in the +Decalogue, one hates his neighbour as the d——l, +and employs every means to get rid of him.</p> + +<p>The natives having been all supplied, had taken +their departure for their hunting-grounds by the +latter end of August; I then commenced making +the arrangements requisite for the coming contest.</p> + + + + +<h2><a name="VII"></a>CHAPTER VII.</h2> + +<blockquote> +<p><a href="#VII1">SUPERSEDED</a>—<a href="#VII2">FEELINGS ON THE OCCASION</a>—<a href="#VII3">MORE OPPOSITION</a>—<a href="#VII4">Æ. MACDONELL</a>—<a href="#VII5">TACTICS</a>—<a href="#VII6">MELANCHOLY DEATH OF AN +INDIAN. </a> </p> +</blockquote> + +<p><a name="VII1"></a>About the middle of September, I observed a +north canoe paddling in for the landing-place, +having a gentleman passenger on board, who +immediately on landing ordered his servant to +carry his baggage up to the Fort. On his entering +the house, the apparent mystery was soon unfolded. +Mr. Siviright handed me a letter from +Mr. Thane, conveying the agreeable Intelligence +of my being superseded by the bearer,—commanding +me to obey him as my bourgeois, and to conduct +myself in such a manner as to give Mr. S. +every satisfaction. <a name="VII2"></a>The latter injunction I felt +very little inclination to comply with at the time; +in fact, the slight put upon me caused my northern +blood to rise to fever heat; and in this excited +frame of mind I sat down to reply to the "great +man's" communication, in which I gave vent to +my injured feelings in very plain language. What +he may have thought of the epistle, I know not, +as he never deigned to reply. It was inconsiderate +in me, however, to have so acted; but +prudence had not yet assumed her due influence +over me.</p> + +<p>Mr. S. had been at that time twenty-four +years in the service, I only three; he had therefore +a superior claim to any I could advance: +but why not inform me at once that my appointment +to the charge was merely temporary? This +double dealing manifested a distrust of me, for +which no cause could possibly be assigned: that +excited my resentment, and not the circumstance +of being superseded.</p> + +<p><a name="VII3"></a>Towards the latter end of the month of September, +our opponents made their appearance in +three small canoes, while I embarked in pursuit +with the same number. One of my north canoes +was in charge of three men, the others contained +two, counting myself as a man. Having become +rather expert as an amateur voyageur, I considered +myself capable of undertaking the real +duty now, and accordingly volunteered my services +as steersman, as no additional hand could +be spared, without great inconvenience to my +bourgeois. A little experience convinced me, +however, that my zeal exceeded my ability. +My opponent was in a light canoe, and moved, +about with a celerity that my utmost exertions +could not cope with; for as soon as an Indian +canoe appeared, he paddled off for it; I of course +attempted to compete, but generally arrived just +in time to find that he had already concluded +his transaction with the hunters.</p> + +<p>We reached Black River on the third day from +Fort Coulonge, where it appeared my opponent's +intention to remain for some time, to await the +arrival of certain Indians who were expected +down by that river. I determined therefore to +despatch a canoe to Fort Coulonge, to acquaint +Mr. S with the particulars above related; and +sent back therewith such of the property as +I thought could be dispensed with at the time, +as it was quite evident we could not keep up +with our opponent in the portages with such a +quantity of baggage as we then had, and we +could obtain no information that could be depended +upon as to their ultimate destination—it +might be at the distance of a hundred miles, +or only ten.</p> + +<p>My messengers were but two days absent; +and I was not a little mortified to learn from +them, that Mr. S., instead of attending to my +suggestions, not only returned all the property +I had sent, but nearly an equal quantity in +addition. He wrote me his reasons for doing so; +but I felt assured that he had no other object in +view than to show me that he was the superior, +I the subordinate; and I resolved from that +moment, to perform no more extra duty.</p> + +<p>After continuing a fortnight at our encampment, +we again embarked, when I ordered the third man +in the large canoe into my own, and tossing my +paddle down stream, took my station in the +middle of my canoe. A few hours' paddling +brought us to an old shanty in the island of +Allumette, where, to my great joy, I perceived +my opponent intended to fix his winter quarters. +We accordingly commenced erecting a couple of +huts, a store, and dwelling-house, in close proximity +to him. This being the best season of the +year for the natives to hunt, it was the interest of +all parties not to molest them; and we therefore +employed our time in preparing suitable accommodation +for the winter.</p> + +<p>On the completion of our arrangements, I set +out, about the beginning of October, on a visit to +Fort Coulonge; and on the day after my arrival +there we observed a north canoe paddling slowly +past, and distinguished the features of every individual +on board through a telescope, but could +recognise no one: however, to clear up the doubt, +the interpreter was sent after them in a small +canoe, with instructions to make a close scrutiny. +They no sooner discovered that he was in pursuit, +than they ceased paddling. After a long confabulation +he learned that they were proceeding to +Sault St. Marie, where they intended to settle. +I passed two days with my bourgeois, and +returned home, where we—our opponents and +ourselves—watched each other's movements, being +our only occupation until the end of November, +when Mr. S. paid me a visit, which proved +anything but gratifying.</p> + +<p><a name="VII4"></a>He (Mr. S.) had learned from some lumbermen, +that the "Settlers for the Sault Ste. Marie" +were an opposition party conducted by Mr. +Æneas Macdonell, my predecessor at the Chats; +and that he purposed to <i>settle</i> for the winter +near Lac des Allumettes. This gentleman's +engagement had been cancelled at the earnest +solicitation of his father, whom death had lately +deprived of another son; and who now, to requite +the favour granted to him by the Company, sent +this son in opposition! We had barely a sufficient +number of men to perform the necessary +duties of the two posts already established; we +were, therefore, completely at a loss to meet this +emergency. Mr. S. could spare one man only +from his own post, whom he brought up to me.</p> + +<p>I embarked early next morning with one of +my own men, in search of the "settler." On +reaching Lac des Allumettes on the same evening, +our attention was arrested by the voices of +Indians, singing on an island. We immediately +pulled in for the spot, and found a large camp of +Algonquins, men, women and children, all in +a state of intoxication; from whom I learned, +though with much difficulty, the whereabouts of +Macdonell's retreat. Quitting this disgusting +scene as speedily as possible, we resumed our +paddles, and soon afterwards discovered the opposition +post. When we landed, my quondam mess-mate +advanced to receive me, and, after a cordial +shake of the hand, kindly invited me to pass the +night with him. I gladly accepted the offer; and +was not a little concerned to perceive that his +preparations for winter were already complete; +a circumstance which gave him a decided advantage. +Happening in the course of conversation +to express my surprise at seeing him in +the character of an opponent, he told me that +nothing could be farther from his intention than +to oppose the Company. He came to this quarter +for the purpose of preparing timber for the +Quebec market; in provincial phrase, "to make +a shanty." But I knew well enough his designs.</p> + +<p>I started early next morning on my return, +and immediately thereafter prepared a small outfit; +and re-embarked next evening with five men +in two canoes, leaving the interpreter in charge +of the post, with one man to assist him.</p> + +<p>Having experienced very bad weather on our +way, and consequently some delay, we did not +reach our new station until late in the evening +of the fourth day. I immediately sent back two +of the men to the interpreter, and retained three +with myself, which placed me on a par with my +opponent in point of numbers. But he was +now ready for active operations, while I had every +thing to prepare. I resolved, however, to forego +every personal comfort and convenience rather +than allow him to enjoy any advantage over me. +I accordingly assisted in erecting a small hut, +which I intended should serve for dwelling-house +for myself and men, trading-shop, store and all.</p> + +<p>A couple of days after our arrival, Macdonell +was seen walking down to the water's edge with +a very cautious step, accompanied by one of his +men, bearing his canoe, basket fashion, on one +arm, and a large bundle on the other, from which, +notwithstanding his steady pace, the jumbling +sound of liquor was distinctly heard.</p> + +<p>"Holla, Mac, where are you going with your +basket?"</p> + +<p>"Why, I am going across to Herd's shanty, to +get my axes ground."</p> + +<p>"My dear fellow, how can you think of risking +yourself in such a gimcrack contrivance as that? +I must absolutely send a couple of my men along +with you to see no accident happens to you."</p> + +<p>Having a parcel of goods ready for emergencies +of this kind, my men started in a moment, and +embarked at the same time as my neighbour. +I continued with my only man completing my +castle; but the earth being already hard frozen, +no clay could be obtained for the purpose of +plastering; the interstices between the logs were +therefore caulked with moss; a large aperture +being left in the roof to serve the double +purpose of chimney and window. I had formerly +seen houses so constructed—somewhere—but let +no one dare to imagine that I allude to "my own, +my native land." Stones were piled up against +the logs, to protect them from the fire. The +timber required for floor, door, and beds, was all +prepared with the axe; our building being thus +rendered habitable without even going to the +extent of Lycurgus' frugal laws, for the axe was +our only implement.</p> + +<p>My opponent returned in four days, having +been at an Indian camp, not far distant, where +both he and our people traded a considerable +quantity of furs. This was our only trip by +open water. As soon as the river became ice-bound, +we were again in motion.</p> + +<p><a name="VII5"></a>To enter into minute details of our various +movements would but prove tedious; I shall +therefore present a general sketch of our mode of +life at this period, and such occurrences as I may +consider worthy of note.</p> + +<p>Macdonell had chosen his situation with great +judgment. The majority of the Algonquins take +their start from the Grand River at this place +for their hunting-grounds. Some of them not +being more than a day's journey distant from us, +the joyful intelligence soon spread amongst them +that an opposition party had been established +in their neighbourhood; they accordingly flocked +about us as soon as travelling became practicable +on the ice, and generally brought with them the +means of ensuring a friendly reception. One +party came in at this early season with all their +fall hunts, which they bartered for liquors and +provisions, and encamped close by, enjoying +themselves, until an event occurred that alarmed +them so much, (being with some reason considered +by them as a punishment for the wicked life they +had led,) that with the utmost precipitation they +struck their camp.</p> + +<p>I was joined early in the month of January by +a party of men and a clerk, whom Mr. S. had +ordered, or rather "requested," from Montreal; +and having, on the day of their arrival, received +an invitation from one of our Algonquin chiefs +to pay him a <i>trading</i> visit, I started next day, +leaving Mr. Lane in charge, accompanied by two +men, and reached the chief's wigwam late in the +evening. As soon as I was seated, he asked me +if I had not met the Matawin Indians. On my +replying in the negative, he informed me that +they had passed his place early in the morning, +loaded with furs, and that they expressed their +intention of proceeding to the post before they +halted. These Indians had all been supplied by +myself in autumn to a large amount; so that the +intelligence acted on my nerves like an electric +shock. I felt much fatigued on entering the +lodge, but I now sprung to my feet, as fresh for +the journey as when I had commenced it; and +ordering one of my men to return with me, left +the other, an experienced hand, to manage affairs +with the chief.</p> + +<p>I arrived at my post about two next morning, +when I found the Indians, some at our hut, some +at our opponent's, all of them approaching the +climax of Indian happiness, and Mr. Lane in a +state of mind bordering on distraction. Neither +he nor any of the men had ever seen any of these +Indians before, nor did they understand a word +of the language. The Indians were honest +enough, however, to give him their furs in charge +till my return; reserving only a small quantity +to dispose of at discretion. My arrival was soon +announced at my neighbour's, and brought the +whole bevy about me in an instant, only one +individual remaining behind. On inquiring into +the cause of his absence, his companions replied +that he had fallen asleep immediately after he +had supped, and that they did not wish to disturb +him.</p> + +<p><a name="VII6"></a>A few hours afterwards I was not a little surprised to see my +neighbour entering our hut hurriedly, who addressed me thus:—</p> + +<p>"My dear Mac, it is true we are in opposition, +but no enmity exists between us. A dreadful +misfortune happened in my house last night.—Come +and see!"</p> + +<p>I instantly complied with his request; proceeded +to his hut, and saw the Indian who was +said to be asleep, with his eyes closed—for ever; +a sad spectacle, for it was evident that the death +of the poor wretch had been caused by intemperance; +he was found in the morning lying on +his face, and his body already stiff. We were +both alike involved in the same awful responsibility, +for the Indians drank as much at one house +as the other, though his death occurred at the +establishment of the other party. The Company +only permit the sale of liquors to the natives +when the presence of opponents renders it an +indispensable article of trade, as it is by this +unhallowed traffic that the petty traders realize +their greatest profit. Yet this plea of necessity, +however satisfactory it may appear in a certain +quarter, will not, I feel assured, be accepted in +our vindication by the world, nor hereafter in our +justification at that tribunal where worldly considerations +have no influence. Information soon +reached the camp of the calamity that had happened, +which promptly silenced the clamorous +mirth that prevailed; and the voice of mourning +succeeded—the Indians being all in good crying +trim, that is, intoxicated; for I have never seen +an Indian shed a tear when sober.</p> + +<p>No more liquor was traded; the relatives of the +deceased departed with the body to the Lake of +Two Mountains, and the other Indians started for +their hunting-grounds—thus granting us a short +respite from the arduous duties in which we had +been engaged. While the Indians remained about +us we never enjoyed a moment's refreshing rest, +our hut being crowded with them night and day. +It was at times with difficulty we could prepare +our victuals, or, when cooked, command sufficient +time to partake of a hasty meal, in the midst of +the "living mass" that environed us. All this +was extremely annoying; but other comforts must +be added ere this picture of the life we then led +is complete. The motions of our opponents must +needs be attended to, at dawn of day; each morning +every path was carefully examined, to ascertain +that no one had started during night: these +precautions were also punctually taken by our opponents; +and every stratagem that could be devised +to elude each other's vigilance put in practice, it +being the "interest" of each party to reach the +Indians alone.</p> + + + +<h2><a name="VIII"></a>CHAPTER VIII.</h2> + +<blockquote> +<p><a href="#VIII1">ACTIVITY OF OUR OPPONENTS</a>—<a href="#VIII2">VIOLENT CONDUCT OF AN INDIAN</a>—<a href="#VIII3">NARROW +ESCAPE</a>—<a href="#VIII4">ARTIFICE</a>—<a href="#VIII5">TRIP TO INDIAN'S LODGE</a>—<a href="#VIII6">STUPIDITY +OF INTERPRETER</a>.</p> +</blockquote> + +<p><a name="VIII1"></a>When we discovered that our opponents had +outwitted us, we would despatch messengers in +pursuit; and I need scarcely add, the same means +were resorted to by our neighbours, when inquisitive +about our movements. We had now the advantage +in point of numbers, being nearly two to +one; yet it so happened that we seldom could perform +a trip unattended; very frequently by a +single man against two or three—still he got his +share; for the system of trade in this quarter does +not allow violent means being employed to obtain +possession of the products of the hunt. The mode +of procedure is this:—On entering the lodge of +an Indian, you present him with a small keg of +nectar, as a propitiatory offering; then, in suppliant +tones, request payment of the debt he may +owe you, which he probably defers to a future +day—the day of judgment. If your opponent be +present, you dare not open your lips in objection +to the delay; for you may offend his dignity, and +consequently lose all his furs. This you are aware +of, and accordingly proceed to untie your pack, +and exposing its contents to view, solicit him to +give, at least, the preference in trade. Your opponent, +on the other side of the fire-place, having +also poured out his libation, imitates your example +in every respect; and most probably he may secure +the wife, while you engage the husband as customers.</p> + +<p>A few weeks elapsed without the arrival of any +hunters, and we were beginning to recover from +the effects of our late fatigues, when a numerous +band arrived from a considerable distance, +and encamped on the same spot that had been +occupied by those lately noticed, and the same +riotous scenes were again enacted, although these +new comers were fully aware of the misfortune +that had already occurred in consequence of similar +disgusting intemperance.</p> + +<p><a name="VIII2"></a>Among this band was a son of the principal +sachem of the Algonquins, who was acknowledged +heir apparent to his <i>dad's vermin</i>, and who assumed +the airs of a man of great consequence, in +virtue of his prospective dignity. The father bore +a respectable character; the son was a sot. In +consideration of his furs, however, I paid him +some little attentions, though much against my +inclination. He came one evening reeling into +our hut, more than "half-seas over," having been +thus far advanced on his voyage to Elysium +through the insinuating influences of my opponent's +"fire-water;" and seating himself on a three-legged +stool, close to the fire-place, he soon began +to nod; then, losing his equilibrium, ultimately fell +at full length on the floor. I could not suppress +a smile at sight of his copper highness's prostrate +position, when springing up in a furious passion, he +seized an axe, and proceeded to demolish the seat. +I wrested the axe from his grasp, and reprimanded +him sharply for his insolence. This exasperated +him to the utmost: he swore I was in league with +the stool to insult him; but that he should be +revenged on us both before morning. Uttering +these menaces, he set out for the camp.</p> + +<p>It so happened that a strong party of men +arrived on that evening from Fort Coulonge with +supplies, and were huddled together with myself +and my men, all under the same roof. The greater +part of them lay down to rest; but a few still continued +the vigil, indulging in the favourite luxury +of smoking, and chatting about the enjoyments of +"Mont-rial,"—when, all of a sudden, the dread-inspiring +war-whoop echoed through our little +hut; the next instant the door flew off its wooden +hinges, and fell with a crash on the floor, exhibiting +to view the person of the Indian, standing +on the threshold, holding a double-barrelled gun +in his hand, with blackened face and his eyes +flashing fire.</p> + +<p><a name="VIII3"></a>The men had now all started to their feet, as +well as myself. The moment the eyes of the +savage fell upon me, in the midst of the crowd, he +brought the piece to bear upon me, or at least +attempted to do so; but I sprang upon him with +a bound, and beat the muzzle down; instantly +the discharge followed: we then struggled for the +possession of the gun, which I quickly wrested +from his grasp; and, applying the butt end of it +"gently" to his ear, laid him sprawling at my +feet.</p> + +<p>On the discharge of the gun, I heard a voice +calling out, "Mon Dieu!" and another, in a plaintive +tone, exclaiming, "Ah mon garçon!" This +was all I heard distinctly, when every voice joined +in one cry, "Tueons le crapaud;" and presently the +wretched Indian was kicked and cuffed by as many +as could press round him. I called on them to +desist—as well have spoken to the wind!—not a +soul heeded my orders. At length one of them +observed, "What occasion is there for more beating +of him—the black dog is dead enough."</p> + +<p>I looked about for the person whom I supposed +to have been wounded, in vain—the whole mass +was in motion. As soon as the tumult had subsided, +however, I was glad to find that no one had +received any serious injury; the ball had grazed +the thigh of a youth (who had arrived from Montreal +on a visit to his father), and lodged in a log of +the building.</p> + +<p>The uproar occasioned by the men soon brought +the Indians from the camp about the hut; and +perceiving the apparently lifeless body stretched on +the floor, they raised a yell that was reverberated +by the surrounding hills. "Revenge! revenge!" +shouted every savage present. We mustered too +strong, however, to permit their threats being put +into execution without great hazard to themselves; +which fact pressed itself so powerfully on their +minds, that for the present they discreetly vented +their rage in abuse, and returned to their quarters. +Satisfied by the feeble beating of the Indian's +pulse that the vital spark was not extinct, I +would not allow his kinsmen to remove him. +Towards morning, recovering the use of speech, +he inquired, in a voice scarcely audible, if he +"had shed the blood of a white man?" I replied +in the affirmative. "Then," said he, "it +would have been better had you despatched me at +once, for I shall certainly be hanged."</p> + +<p><a name="VIII4"></a>With the view of pacifying the natives, I +deemed it advisable to represent the young man's +wound as very severe, and exercised my wits to +give my representation the semblance of truth. I +caused the young man's leg to be carefully bandaged; +and, luckily, happening to have a fresh +beaver in the house, the bandage was speedily +besmeared with its blood, and the sound patient +placed in bed, with instructions how to act his +part. The Indians returned early on the following +morning to inquire after their young chief, +and being all perfectly sober, I descanted on the +calamity of the previous night, describing <i>my</i> +young man's case to be of such a serious nature +as to induce the apprehension that death, or at +least amputation of the limb, would be the consequence. +In confirmation of the veracity of +this statement, the afflicted leg was exposed to +view, while the patient's groans, which impressed +on the minds of the bystanders the conviction of +the pain he endured, prevented too close a +scrutiny.</p> + +<p>"Alas!" they exclaimed, "it is all very true. +Wagh! this is indeed a sad business; but the +bad fire-water is to blame for it all."</p> + +<p>My stratagem had succeeded. Most of the +natives acknowledged the justice of the punishment +inflicted on their young chief, who had a +brother present, however, whose sullen countenance +betrayed the vindictive feelings in his +breast, although he maintained a profound +silence.</p> + +<p>The Fort Coulonge party started early next +day, dragging their wounded companion on a +sled, until they were out of sight. The relatives +of the chief removed him to the camp, where he +soon recovered. All the other Indians took +their departure on the day following the affray. +Shortly afterwards we were favoured with a visit +from one whose hunting-grounds bordered on +Rice Lake, a distance of 150 miles. I had +advanced this Indian all the supplies he required +previous to Mr. Siviright's arrival, which formed +a pretty large amount. On examining the books, +he animadverted upon the advance in terms of +disapprobation, as being very imprudent to risk +so much with an Indian. Most gratified and +happy was I then to learn from the hunter that +he had sufficient to liquidate the debt, and nearly +as much more to trade. On making out his +requisition for the latter purpose, it was found +that four sleds at least would be required for +the transport of all the property. To employ +this number in one direction, however, would +leave my neighbour at liberty to prosecute his +views in another quarter without the necessary +attendance. Still, I determined on risking a +point, and securing at all hazards the valuable +prize now offered. Obtaining a <i>piece</i> at the +sacrifice of a <i>pawn</i> is considered good play.</p> + +<p><a name="VIII5"></a>I proceeded accordingly with the Indian, accompanied +by four men, all with heavily laden +sleds, with a pack of goods strapped over my +shoulders weighing eighty pounds. Macdonell +did not follow, as the Indian gave him no encouragement. +We reached the Indian's lodge on +the eleventh day from the post, when the abundant +display of furs I beheld gave assurance of +being amply remunerated for my trip. There +were eleven packs of beaver piled upon a scaffold, +besides some others, amounting to at least +600<i>l.</i> sterling. My hospitable customer detained +me two days with him to partake of his good +cheer. After settling accounts with him, together +with payment of the sum he owed, seven +of the eleven packs were placed in my possession, +with which I started on my return, as proud +as if I had been advanced to a share in the +Company.</p> + +<p><a name="VIII6"></a>We arrived at the post after an absence +of twenty-five days; and I was mortified to +learn that my substitute had most stupidly +bungled affairs. A number of Indians had come +in during my absence who were considered our +best friends, and entering our hut without noticing +our opponent, threw down their bundles, +thereby clearly indicating, according to the usual +custom, their intention of trading with one party +only. On the other hand, should they leave a +bundle at the door, it shows that they intend to +divide its contents between two parties. With +these particulars the interpreter's experience rendered +him perfectly well acquainted, but he +"cau'd na be fasht."</p> + +<p>It is customary when the Indians arrive, to +present each with a pipe, a plug of tobacco, +and, though last, not least in their estimation, +"a dram." The usual <i>politesse</i> was expected +as a matter of course on this occasion. Seeing +it was not forthcoming, the Indians demanded +it. They were answered that no instructions had +been left to that effect.</p> + +<p>"Very well," said they, "we shall soon find +it elsewhere." And away they went.</p> + +<p>Macdonell received them with open arms. +His reception not only induced them to trade +every skin they had brought with them, but +they also invited him to their camp; and he +consequently returned with his own and his +men's sleds laden with furs.</p> + +<p>I learnt all these particulars from himself; +for he and I were on as good terms as the +nature of our occupation and our relative positions +would admit. I was, moreover, made acquainted +through him that the Indians had +expressed regret at my absence, and that an +immense quantity of "beaver" still remained +at their camp.</p> + +<p>The spring was now fast approaching, the +ice so bad as to render travelling dangerous, +and but little snow on the ground. Still, I +determined on paying a visit to these Indians, +in order to retrieve the loss, if possible, sustained +through the mismanagement of the interpreter. +They might yet be in want of some +supplies, poor fellows; and we were all so +anxious they should want for nothing we could +spare for their accommodation;—we, therefore, +good, humane souls, supplied them even at the +hazard of our lives.</p> + +<h2><a name="IX"></a>CHAPTER IX.</h2> + +<blockquote> +<p><a href="#IX1">EXPEDITION TO THE BEAR'S DEN</a>—<a href="#IX2">PASSAGE THROUGH THE +SWAMP</a>—<a href="#IX3">CUNNING OF THE INDIANS</a>—<a href="#IX4">A SCUFFLE</a>—<a href="#IX5">ITS +RESULTS</a>.</p> +</blockquote> + +<p><a name="IX1"></a>I set off on this trip accompanied by another +interpreter recently sent from Montreal, and one +of my men, all with heavy burdens on our backs, +the season not allowing the use of sledges. The +second day we arrived at an Indian lodge about +half-way to the Bear's Camp, where I learned +that our opponent at the lower outpost had given +our people the slip, but had been induced to +return from the supposition that the extensive +swamp in his way was impassable, being so inundated +as to present the appearance of a lake. +Urged on, however, by youthful ardour and +ambition, I determined to make at least one +attempt ere I relinquished the enterprise; although +I acknowledge that the idea of overcoming difficulties +deemed insurmountable by an opponent, +had as much to do with the resolution as the +desire of doing my duty. Followed by my men, +I accordingly plunged in, along the margin of +the marsh; the water reached our middle, but +we found it to decrease in depth as we proceeded, +though never below the knee. The water being +very cold, our legs soon became quite benumbed; +nevertheless we moved onward. A certain passage +in history occurred to my mind, which records +the perseverance of a great man in a like situation. +I too persevered, though with a different object +in view. We all have our hobbies. I waded for +furs, he for glory. We occasionally met with +large trunks of trees as we proceeded, on which +we mounted, and restored the circulation to our +limbs by stamping upon them; and thus, after +five or six hours' painful exertion we reached dry +land, where a rousing fire and a hearty breakfast +made us soon forget the miseries of the swamp.</p> + +<p>We reached the old <i>bear's den</i> next evening, +who, with his party, expressed much surprise to +see me at such a season, and in recompense for +my exertions, "traded"<a id="footnotetag5" + name="footnotetag5"></a><a href="#footnote5"><sup>5</sup></a> every article of goods +I had.</p> + +<p><a name="IX2"></a>There were here seven Indians, who, notwithstanding +the frequent visits that had been paid +them, in the course of the winter, by the people +of the lower posts, had still upwards of forty +packs of beaver. I got one pack, with which I +set off on my return, pleased enough. We found +the water in the swamp so far subsided as to +permit an easy passage; but the ice on the Grand +River was so much worse that we were compelled +to travel in the woods the greater part of the +way.</p> + +<p>On arriving at the post, I found the opposition +party in active preparation for their departure, +Macdonell having received orders from his father +to that effect. He embarked as soon as the navigation +became practicable. Opponent as he was, +I experienced some painful sensations at parting +with him; but soon had the <i>consolation</i> to see our +opponent at the lower post occupy his place,—a +measure which he ought to have adopted at +a much earlier period, as even then it gave him +a much better chance for a share of the spring +trade than below, where he might be said to be +placed between two fires. His removal, however, +enabled us to concentrate our whole strength +against him, so that he could not move a foot +without a strong party at his heels. Thus circumstanced, +he chose to await the arrival of the +natives quietly at his post, and we were happy +to follow his example.</p> + +<p>The spring passed in a happy state of quiescence, +which was scarcely disturbed by the arrival of the +Indians, who, this year, had all taken a fancy to +visit their ghostly fathers at the Lake,<a id="footnotetag6" + name="footnotetag6"></a><a href="#footnote6"><sup>6</sup></a> and had, +consequently, no time to spend with us; some +intending to get married, some having children +to be baptized, and some carrying their dead, in +order that the last sacred rites for the benefit of +their departed spirits might be performed upon +them. A few <i>têtes de boules</i> remained for some +time, but under so strict a surveillance that they +could seldom communicate with our opponents +without being observed, and the discovery subjected +them to some chastisement.</p> + +<p><a name="IX3"></a>I shall here relate a circumstance that occurred +at this time, as an example of the cunning of the +Indians in devising plans to evade us. Soon after +their arrival, an old squaw brought to our house +several casseaux<a id="footnotetag7" + name="footnotetag7"></a><a href="#footnote7"><sup>7</sup></a> of sugar, and pointing out one, +which she said was left open for immediate consumption, +said she would return for it presently. +She came next day and took the casseaux down +to the tent of the Algonquin chief, who had +passed the spring close by, and was now building +a canoe, preparatory to his departure for the Lake. +Soon after I went to have a chat with the chief, +and found only his squaw at home. I observed +the casseau, and asked for what purpose it was +brought there. "Mine hostess" smiled, and answered, +"You ought to know everything about it, +when it has just quitted your house and passed +the night with you. You whites pretend to be +very cunning," she continued, "but when an +Indian, or even an old squaw tries to cheat you, +your 'white' knowledge is no match for her. +Now look into that casseau, Anamatik,<a id="footnotetag8" + name="footnotetag8"></a><a href="#footnote8"><sup>8</sup></a> and see +what is in it."</p> + +<p>I looked, and found, instead of sugar, a very +valuable bundle of furs.</p> + +<p>"What do you think of the sugar?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, it is very fine indeed; so much finer than +any that I have, that I must take it along with +me."</p> + +<p>"Your white neighbour will be angry with +you, for it is left here for him."</p> + +<p>"Let him come to my house if he wants any."</p> + +<p>I set off with my prize, and as soon as it was +deposited in a place of safety, took up a favourable +position to watch my opponent, whom I soon +perceived making for the tent with long and rapid +strides. I could not help laughing heartily at the +idea of his disappointment, when told what had +happened. The "fair deceiver," to whom the bone +of contention had belonged, soon made her +appearance with downcast looks, humbly entreating +payment for her furs, and I paid her the full +amount, after lecturing her severely on the +treachery of her conduct <i>in doing "what she willed +with her own."</i></p> + +<p>My opponent embarked on the 10th June, +and I immediately followed him to the lower post, +which he left in charge of one man, and then +set off for Montreal. I kept him company as +far as Fort Coulonge, where I met with a very +friendly reception from my bourgeois,—the collected +trade of the different posts having far +exceeded his most sanguine expectations. He +set out for Montreal with returns of the value +of 5,000<i>l.</i> sterling, and left me in charge for the +summer at Fort Coulonge, and Mr. Lane at +the outpost. Only one family of Algonquins +passed the summer inland,—the same miscreants +that had nearly murdered the old woman at the +Chats; a deed which I had neither forgotten, nor +could divest myself of the feelings of indignation +it had awakened in my breast.</p> + +<p><a name="IX4"></a>In the course of the summer, the interpreter +of the post being in want of some paddles, employed +this exemplary father to make them, and +paid for them in rum. The quantity was so small, +however, that it only had the effect of exciting +their thirst, and they returned early in the night +for more, which was peremptorily refused. The +doors were bolted, and we retired to rest; but +rest they were determined we should not have +that night; and they continued knocking at the +doors and windows, and bawling out at the top +of their lungs, "Rum,—more rum!" until daylight +next morning. I rose very early, in not +the best humour possible, and taking the key of +the store in my hand—I know not for what +purpose—went out, and was followed by the +Indian, still demanding more rum. I told him +he should have none from me. "But I must +have some." "Then you shall go elsewhere for +it;" and without more ado, I turned him out, +pushing him with some violence from the door. +He fell on his face on the platform that ran in +front of the building, and leaving him there to +recover his footing at leisure, I returned towards +the dwelling-house; but had scarcely reached the +end of the platform, when the yell of defiance, +"Hee-eep, hoo-aw!" resounded in my ears. +I instantly wheeled round, and found myself +face to face with the Indian. The old villain +attempted to collar me, but, enraged to madness, +I now grappled with him, and with all my +might hurled him from the platform to the +ground.</p> + +<p>I stood for a moment hesitating whether I +should strike him while down, but had little time +to deliberate,—the savage was again on his legs. +He rushed towards a gun that stood against a fur-press +hard by; I instantly comprehended his +intention, and finding a stick at hand, in the +twinkling of an eye, I struck him a blow that laid +him senseless on the ground. Being scarcely +aware of what I was doing, I was about to repeat +the blow, when I found the uplifted weapon +seized from behind. It was Primeau, my interpreter, +who addressed me in a soothing tone, +telling me I had already "done for" the +Indian.</p> + +<p>This startling announcement restored me to +reason. Was I indeed guilty of the blood of a +fellow-creature? The thought chilled me with +horror. I dashed the stick to the ground. It was +instantly picked up by one of his three sons, +whom the noise of the scuffle had now brought all +up; brandishing it aloft, he aimed a blow at my +head, which I parried with my arm, the limb +dropping senseless to my side. My men, however, +were now on the spot to defend me, and a +fierce scuffle took place between them and the +Indian's sons. Had they been the stronger party +on this occasion, my fur-trading career would +have terminated that morning. They, however, +got a sound drubbing; while their wretched +father, who had been the cause of the disturbance, +lay unheeded and unconscious on the spot where +he had fallen, not exhibiting the least sign of +life.</p> + +<p><a name="IX5"></a>A place of temporary accommodation being +prepared by his family, he was borne thither on +a blanket, and I retired to my quarters in a state +of mind not easy to be described. Soon after, +the interpreter came in with a message from the +Indians, entreating me to come and advise with +them touching the manner in which they should +dispose of their father's body. I went, and just as +I stepped within the camp, to the astonishment of +all present, the dead man sprang upon his feet. +Seeing me at his side, he exclaimed, "You shall +have cause to repent this!" The words were +scarcely out of his mouth, when he sank down +again, and for a period of six weeks after he +remained as helpless as an infant. He was subsequently +carried down to the Lake of Two +Mountains, where he recovered from the effects +of this castigation, to die, two years after, in a fit +of drunkenness.</p> + +<blockquote class="footnote"> + <a id="footnote5" name="footnote5"></a><b>Footnote 5:</b> + <a href="#footnotetag5">(return)</a> +<p><i>Anglicè</i>,—bought.</p> +</blockquote> + +<blockquote class="footnote"> + <a id="footnote6" name="footnote6"></a><b>Footnote 6:</b> + <a href="#footnotetag6">(return)</a> +<p>Of the Two Mountains.</p> +</blockquote> + +<blockquote class="footnote"> + <a id="footnote7" name="footnote7"></a><b>Footnote 7:</b> + <a href="#footnotetag7">(return)</a> +<p>Packages made of bark.</p> +</blockquote> +<blockquote class="footnote"> + <a id="footnote8" name="footnote8"></a><b>Footnote 8:</b> + <a href="#footnotetag8">(return)</a> +<p>My Indian cognomen.</p> +</blockquote> + + +<h2><a name="X"></a>CHAPTER X.</h2> + +<blockquote> +<p><a href="#X1">PÈRE DUCHAMP</a>—<a href="#X2">MR. S.'s INSTRUCTIONS</a>—<a href="#X3">UNSUCCESSFUL</a>—<a href="#X4">TRADING +EXCURSION</a>—<a href="#X5">DIFFICULTIES OF THE JOURNEY</a>—<a href="#X6">LOSE +OUR WAY</a>—<a href="#X7">PROVISIONS FAIL</a>—<a href="#X8">REACH THE POST</a>—<a href="#X9">VISIT +TO AN ALGONQUIN CHIEF</a>—<a href="#X10">HIS ABUSIVE TREATMENT</a>—<a href="#X11">SUCCESS.</a></p> +</blockquote> + +<p>Mr. Siviright arrived about the latter end +of August, accompanied by another junior clerk, +and a few days afterwards the opposition were +seen passing. I embarked with my fellow-scribe, +and arrived next day at the lower outpost, when +I was much disappointed to find my old interpreter, +whom I had with me at the Chats, in the +service of our opponents. He was my Indian +tutor, and took every pains, not only to teach +me the language, but to initiate me in the mysteries +of the trade, in which he was justly considered +an adept. Our opponents offered him +a high salary, which he would not accept until +he had previously made a tender of his valuable +services to the Company, whom he had faithfully +served for a period of thirty years and upwards. +He requested a small addition to his salary, which +was refused.</p> + +<p><a name="X1"></a>My regard for the worthy old man, however, +was not in the least diminished by the circumstance +of his being in opposition. Père Duchamp +and I had still our friendly <i>tête-à-tête</i> whenever +we had an opportunity. The autumn passed +without any incident having occurred worthy of +note, I and my opponent being occupied in the +usual way,—watching each other night and day, +chasing each other, and circumventing each other +when we could.</p> + +<p>Late in the month of October, I was surprised +to observe a couple of middle-sized canoes, deeply +laden, put ashore at our opponent's, where the +crews, five in number, passed the night. Next +morning, as soon as they were gone, I called +on my old friend, who happened to be alone at +the time, to inquire about his visitors.</p> + +<p>He demurred for a little, and at length said: +"For your sake, and to you only, would I disclose +the secret of these people's object and destination. +They called at Fort Coulonge yesterday, and gave +themselves out for a party of hunters, bound for +the Temiscamingue quarter;—they are a party of +Iroquois, supplied with a valuable assortment +of goods for trade, and their destination is Lac +de la Vieille, in the very centre of the Algonquin +hunting-grounds."</p> + +<p>This was a most important piece of intelligence: +some of these Indians had been supplied +at Fort Coulonge, some at my post, and all of +them were deeply indebted at the Lake of Two +Mountains. I passed the day in the anxious +expectation of seeing Mr. S., or at least receiving +instructions from him with reference to these +people. No one coming, I resolved to proceed +to Fort Coulonge, and communicate <i>viva voce</i> +the information I had received.</p> + +<p>Late in the evening, I embarked in a small +canoe, with two men, and reached the Fort at +early dawn; and rousing Mr. S. from his slumbers, +I at once announced the object of my +visit.</p> + +<p>"Well," said he, "this requires consideration: +retire to rest, and I shall think about it."</p> + +<p><a name="X2"></a>I retired accordingly, and slept till breakfast-time, +when the subject was discussed; and his +decision was, that I should send one of the two +young men who were at my post in pursuit of +the Iroquois, with instructions to follow them +up, until the season should be so far advanced +as merely to admit of his return by open water, +unless the Iroquois pitched their tent before +then.</p> + +<p>I volunteered myself to go after them with +an outfit; but no; it would be dividing our +forces, thereby allowing an advantage to our more +formidable opponents; besides, we had not much +to apprehend from the Iroquois with their trifling +means. "<i>Très bien</i>," I said to myself, and set +off on my return forthwith. I of course lost +no time in executing the orders I had received. +My bourgeois had his opinion of the matter, +and I had mine; I knew that the Iroquois, when +left to themselves, would make their own prices +for their goods, and thus, even with the small +outfit they had, fleece the Indians of the principal +part of their furs.</p> + +<p><a name="X3"></a>Among the Indians whom I had supplied, was +an individual whose advances amounted to a heavy +sum. I felt extremely anxious about him, and +resolved to pay him a visit as soon as travelling +was practicable; meantime, Swanston, who had +been in pursuit of the Iroquois, returned from +his disagreeable voyage on the 28th November, +having learned nothing more than we already +knew.</p> + +<p><a name="X4"></a>I set off the next day, ostensibly on a +visit to Mr. S., but really with the intention +of starting from his post on my intended "derouine,"<a id="footnotetag9" + name="footnotetag9"></a><a href="#footnote9"><sup>9</sup></a> +arrived at Fort Coulonge among the +drift ice, and on the 1st December started, accompanied +by the interpreter Primeau and another +man, all of us with heavy burdens on our backs. +This proved the most toilsome trip I had yet +undertaken; the smaller lakes only were passable +on the ice, and the rivers were nearly all open. +The difficulties we thus encountered necessarily +retarded our progress, and occupied so much more +time than we had calculated upon, that our provisions +were nearly consumed by the time we +reached the first Indian camp, where we expected +to procure a guide to conduct us to the party we +were in search of. We succeeded in hiring a +young man, but we only obtained a small supply +of flour, the Indians having no other kind of +provision to spare.</p> + +<p>Three days travelling brought us to the +borders of the Indian's lands, where we soon +discovered one of his early winter encampments; +had we been a few days sooner we could +have easily traced him from this spot, but the +snow, which had recently fallen to a great depth, +had nearly obliterated the marks he had left +behind him.<a id="footnotetag10" + name="footnotetag10"></a><a href="#footnote10"><sup>10</sup></a> My interpreter, accustomed to +"tracking," followed the <i>scent</i> for two days; our +guide, discontented with the short allowance, gave +no assistance, till coming to an extensive "brulé,"<a id="footnotetag11" + name="footnotetag11"></a><a href="#footnote11"><sup>11</sup></a> +he was completely <i>at fault</i>, as no marks of any +kind could be discovered.</p> + +<p><a name="X5"></a>Our situation was now extremely critical; +we were reduced to one solitary meal of flour +and water per diem, and but a few handfuls +of this poor fare remained; to return by the +way we came was out of the question, to +proceed to the post was in truth our only alternative, +and none of us was sufficiently acquainted +with that part of the country to be sure of finding +it; while the Indian, positively refusing to keep us +company any longer, turned back, and left us to +get out of our difficulties as we best could.</p> + +<p>The interpreter proposed that another attempt +should be made to find the Indian's encampment, +and volunteered to go alone; this proved the poor +fellow's zeal, but he returned to our encampment +next morning unsuccessful; we therefore resolved +to go back, and, finding our way without much +difficulty for a couple of days, we reached the +upper end of a long portage leading to the Ottawa +River, where we encamped late in the evening, +and supped on the <i>hope</i> of getting to the post +next forenoon.</p> + +<p><a name="X6"></a>We started early in the morning, the Canadian +leading, and about noon fell on fresh snow-shoe +tracks—the tracks, we supposed, of some +of our people who had come to seek us; and +feeling assured that our sufferings would terminate +with the day, we pursued our route with +renovated vigour and speed; when lo! our encampment +of the preceding night came in view, +the excitement of our minds having prevented +us from discerning our mistake, as we might +have done, sooner. The sun was still high, but +the circumstance of the encampment being already +prepared, induced us to put up there again for +the night. It was a sad disappointment, and I +felt it as such, though I affected a gaiety that +was far from my heart; while with downcast +looks and heavy hearts my poor fellows betook +themselves to rest at a very early hour.</p> + +<p><a name="X7"></a>Next morning we set off determined to be +more cautious; the mistake of the previous day +was ascribed to the sound of a high cascade at +the head of the rapid, which we had mistaken +for another considerably farther down; our Canadian +still acted as guide—the blind leading the +blind—and after two hours' walk we fell upon +our own tracks again;—the poor fellow had +yielded so completely to despair, that he walked +about mechanically, scarcely knowing or caring +whither he went; he was therefore ordered to +the rear, and Primeau succeeded as leader. We +saw nothing more of our tracks, but encamped +in the evening with much the same prospects +as before. I felt extremely weak, having carried +Primeau's pack along with my own, as the old +man could scarcely move when beating the track +in the deep snow. Having a few fresh beaver +skins, we cut off the thicker parts about the +head and legs, and made a <i>bouillon</i> of them, +which we drank, and then turned in.</p> + +<p><a name="X8"></a>In the morning it became a subject of serious +debate what direction we should proceed in; +the sky, however, having been clear the preceding +evening, I observed the sun setting, and +determined in my own mind the proper course; +both my companions differed from me, but +readily agreed to follow me. I therefore took +the lead, and was so fortunate as to discover an +old track, soon after leaving our encampment, +which we followed until it brought us in sight +of the Grand River—the long looked-for object +of our fast failing hopes. Tears of joy burst +from my eyes, as I beheld before me the wide +expanse of the noble stream: although covered +with ice and divested of the beauties of summer, +it never appeared more lovely to me. We +reached the post after night-fall; opening the +door cautiously, I threw in my snow-shoes, then +bolting in myself, was gratified with the sight +of a table garnished with the best things the +country afforded, which my two friends had +prepared for their Christmas dinner; the sight, +however, was all that prudence allowed us for +the present to enjoy, our long abstinence rendering +it necessary to confine ourselves, for a +time, to a very weak diet.</p> + +<p>Next day I despatched a messenger to Fort +Coulonge with the narrative of my adventures; +and as soon as my strength was sufficiently recruited +I set off again, accompanied by a <i>tête +de boule</i> as my guide, who led us direct to the +camp of the Indian I had so long been in search +of; where I had the mortification to learn, that +on my first attempt I had returned from within +a day's journey of him, and that if I had then +succeeded in finding him, I should have secured +the whole of the valuable hunts of him and his +people, which were now in possession of the +Iroquois traders. On my return to the post +I communicated my sentiments freely to Mr. S. +in writing, regarding the oversight that had led +to consequences so injurious to the Company, +and went afterwards, at his own request, to talk +over the matter with him. It was now decided +that I should go with a party of men to establish +a post against them, <i>i.e.</i> to shut the stable-door +after the steed was stolen. To accomplish this +object supplies of every kind must be hauled +on sledges by the men, at an enormous expense, +and after all we could not furnish the means of +competing with the Iroquois with any prospect +of advantage. I however lost no time in executing +the orders of my superior, and set +off with as many men as could be spared for +the purpose.</p> + +<p>On arriving at our destination, we built a +temporary hut for our own accommodation, and +a small store for the goods; but I soon discovered +that the Iroquois had not only already +secured all the Indians' furs, but had so completely +ingratiated themselves with them that +we were scarcely noticed. I remained two +months in this wretched situation, and, as Mr. +S.'s instructions left me in some measure to +the exercise of my own judgment, I resolved +on transferring the <i>honourable</i> charge to persons +less sanguine than myself, and returned to my +post, where I knew my services could be turned +to better account. In returning I happened to +fall in with a small band of Indians, who had +not yet been visited by the Iroquois, one of +whom was the brother of the Algonquin chief, +who had been so severely chastised the preceding +winter. At his lodge I passed the night, +and was not only treated with the usual Indian +hospitality, but received a very pressing invitation +to return with a supply of goods, which +he promised to trade.</p> + +<p><a name="X9"></a>Such invitations are never neglected. The +moment I arrived at my post I laid aside the +articles required by the Indians, and after one +day's rest, started, myself and two men, carrying +everything on our backs. It being late in the +season, we encountered every possible difficulty +on our way: the small streams overflowed, and +the ice was so bad on the rivers as to preclude +travelling on them. We were therefore under +the necessity of taking to the woods, through +a horridly rugged country, now ascending hills +so steep that we could only scramble up their +sides by holding on by the branches and underwood, +the descent on the opposite side being +equally difficult and laborious; now forcing our +way through deep ravines overgrown with +underwood, all but impervious; sinking to +the ground at every step, and raising on our +snow-shoes a load of half-melted snow, which +strained the tendons of the legs and caused acute +pain.</p> + +<p><a name="X10"></a>Early in the morning of the sixth day we +arrived at the camp, but, to our astonishment, +neither heard the voice nor saw the form of a +human being, though there were infallible signs +that the camp was inhabited. It was the sugar +season. I entered the great man's hut with a +cautious step, and found every soul in it fast +asleep. I marked with surprise the confusion +that prevailed around,—sugar kettles upset, pots, +pans, wearing apparel, blankets, and other articles, +scattered about in every direction;—what could +it mean? I awoke the chief, and the mystery +was solved. He appeared to be just recovering +from the effects of the night's debauch,—the +Iroquois were in the camp. Mine host "grinned +horribly a ghastly smile" as he placed himself, +rather unsteadily, in a sitting posture in his bed, +and in a hoarse tremulous voice bade me welcome, +at the same time rousing his better-half, who +appeared to be in the same <i>happy</i> state as himself.</p> + +<p>A clatter ensued that soon set the whole household +in motion, and I hastened to make the customary +offering of a small keg of rum to the chief, +and another of shrub to the squaw, who immediately +ordered a young woman (the family +drudge) to prepare my breakfast. Meanwhile +the chief, along with two of his relatives, amused +himself quaffing his nectar, which evidently +began to have its usual effects, and from the expressions +I overheard, I could gather that he had +neither forgotten his brother's treatment last +winter, nor forgiven me the part I had acted on +the occasion. I listened with affected indifference +for a time to the taunts he began to throw out, +and at last, to get rid of them, went to visit the +other huts, where I found the Iroquois preparing +for their departure; they had several parcels of +beaver, which they took no pains to conceal from +me, but there was still much more remaining.</p> + +<p>After seeing them depart I returned to my +chief, who received me with a volley of abuse, in +which he was joined by his associates. The women, +who were sober, observing by my looks that I +was getting excited, requested me to withdraw. +I did so, but was followed by the chief to the +next hut, which I quitted immediately; I found +myself still pursued by the same insufferable +insolence. My philosophy being unequal to so +severe a trial, I turned upon my tormentor, and +seizing him by the throat, dashed him to the +ground, and left him there speechless. I then +made for a hut a short distance apart from the +others, belonging to a <i>tête de boule</i>, where I +remained in quietness for about the space of +fifteen minutes; when suddenly my Canadian +came rushing into the hut, his countenance +betraying the utmost alarm, and staring me wildly +in the face, he stammered out, "Les sauvages! +les sauvages, monsieur, prennent leurs armes! +Sauvons-nous! Sauvons-nous!" The Iroquois, +coming in the next instant, confirmed his report; +but I had, in fact, been flying the whole morning, +and thought it now high time to take my stand. +My Iroquois appearing quite calm, I told him I +was determined not to stir from the spot, and +asked if he would remain with me.</p> + +<p>"I came here for that purpose," said he, "and +shall stand by you to the last."</p> + +<p>Our <i>tête de boule</i> had two guns, which he +loaded; Sabourin had his, which he promised to +use in his own defence: thus prepared, we awaited +the expected attack. The remainder of the day, +however, passed without molestation, and after +night-fall, I sent out my trusty Iroquois to reconnoitre; +he soon returned with the welcome intelligence +that the Indians had all retired to rest. +We did the same.</p> + +<p><a name="X11"></a>Next morning I went to the chief's lodge, and +found him perfectly sober; I saluted him according +to custom, which he returned with a scowl, +repeating my words in a contemptuous manner; +this exasperated my yet excited feelings to the +highest degree. I felt assured that the fellow +had invited me on purpose to insult me, if not +for a worse purpose; and, addressing him in language +that plainly bespoke my feelings, I immediately +ordered my men to prepare for our +departure. He remained silent for a moment, +and then whispered in his wife's ear; she turned +round to me, smiling, and asked if I had not +brought the goods, my men were packing up, to +trade?</p> + +<p>"Yes," I replied.</p> + +<p>"Then," said she, "you must not be in such +a hurry to go away."</p> + +<p>The husband now spoke to me in a conciliatory +tone, begging me to place all that had happened +to the account of the "fire-water," and for heaven's +sake not to acquaint his father with his +conduct.</p> + +<p>This I readily assented to; we entered upon +business, and nearly all the goods I had were +exchanged for their full value in beaver. We +found the travelling much better on our return, +the small streams having subsided, and the snow +so much diminished, that we could walk without +snow-shoes.</p> + +<blockquote class="footnote"> + <a id="footnote9" name="footnote9"></a><b>Footnote 9:</b> + <a href="#footnotetag9">(return)</a> +<p>"Derouine,"—a trading visit to the Indians.</p> +</blockquote> + +<blockquote class="footnote"> + <a id="footnote10" name="footnote10"></a><b>Footnote 10:</b> + <a href="#footnotetag10">(return)</a> + <p>When Indians remove in winter, in passing on rivers and +lakes, they stick, at intervals, in the snow, branches of balsam, +inclining in the direction they may have gone. In the woods, +small saplings are cut or broken down; if there is no underwood, an occasional + "blaze" serves as a sign-post to the experienced woodsman.</p> +</blockquote> + +<blockquote class="footnote"> + <a id="footnote11" name="footnote11"></a><b>Footnote 11:</b> + <a href="#footnotetag11">(return)</a> + <p>"Brulé," a part of the forest consumed + by fire.</p> +</blockquote> + + + + +<h2><a name="XI"></a>CHAPTER XI.</h2> + +<blockquote> +<p align="center"><a href="#XI1">SUCCESS OF THE IROQUOIS TRADERS</a>—<a href="#XI2">APPOINTED TO THE +CHARGE OF THE CHATS</a>—<a href="#XI3">CANADIAN DISPUTES POSSESSION</a>—<a href="#XI4">BIVOUAC +WITHOUT A FIRE</a>—<a href="#XI5">RUSE TO BAFFLE MY OPPONENTS</a>—<a href="#XI6">ROMAN +CATHOLIC BIGOTRY.</a></p> +</blockquote> + +<p><a name="XI1"></a>The Iroquois passed early in spring with +eighteen Indian packs in their canoes,—each pack +might be estimated at 60<i>l.</i>,—our other opponent +started for Montreal about the same time as last +year, and I was ordered down to Fort Coulonge +to take Mr. S.'s place for the summer. He +returned from Montreal about the end of August, +and I was much gratified to learn from him that +I had been <a name="XI2"></a>again appointed to the charge of the +Chats, so that all the merit or demerit of good +or bad management would now be entirely my +own. A few days after, a middle-sized canoe +arrived, manned by three Canadians, with whom +I embarked for the scene of my first essay as an +Indian trader.</p> + +<p><a name="XI3"></a>On arriving at the post, I was surprised to find +an old Canadian and his <i>cara sposa</i> in possession,—a +circumstance of which I had had no previous +intimation. This worthy pair seemed determined +to maintain their position in defiance of me; and +not wishing to employ violent means to dispossess +them if it could possibly be done otherwise, +I passed the night in the hall. Having, +however, obtained possession of the outworks, +I was determined to carry the citadel; and, summoning +the contumacious occupants into my +presence next morning, I demanded, in a peremptory +tone, the immediate surrender of the keys.</p> + +<p>"Show me your authority," said he.</p> + +<p>"If I do not show it, you shall feel it presently!"</p> + +<p>Seeing that I ordered my men to put my threat +into execution, Jean Baptiste assumed a more +humble attitude, and requested me, as a favour, +to permit him to remain in the kitchen until he +could find a passage to Montreal;—with this +request I willingly complied.</p> + +<p>My old opponent had still a post in this +district, and I was directed to send a party in +opposition to him; which being done, I remained +quiet until the winter communication became +practicable, when I determined on paying a visit +to my friends in the Fort Coulonge district. The +distance being short, and my object having no +connexion with the Company's interests, I set off +on my pleasure jaunt alone. I put up the first +night at a sort of tavern just then opened by +an American at the upper end of the Chats' +Lake, the only habitation at that time in the +quarter, whence I started at early dawn, expecting +to reach Fort Coulonge before night. The +lumbermen having commenced sledging their winter +supplies, the road formed by these vehicles +presented a hard, smooth surface, on which I +made good speed, as I had nothing to encumber +me, save my blanket and tomahawk.</p> + +<p>Arriving at a long bend of the river about +2 P.M., I put on my snow-shoes to cut across the +point and meet the road again, flattering myself +that I should thus shorten the distance some two +or three miles. The weather being mild, and the +sun overcast, I was as much at a loss to find my +way in the woods as if I had been blindfolded; +I nevertheless continued my onward course, and +again came on the road. I proceeded in high +spirits for a considerable time, when I perceived a +man before me going in the same direction with +myself; quickening my pace I soon came up +with him, and asked him if he was bound for the Fort?</p> + +<p>"I guess I don't know of any fort in this part +of the world," said he.</p> + +<p>"What! not know of Fort Coulonge, and you +so near to it? are you not going there?"</p> + +<p>"I have heard of such a place," said Jonathan; +"but I'd take a tarnation long time to get to +it, I calculate, if I followed my nose as it points +now."</p> + +<p>I told him who I was, whither bound, and +where I slept last night.</p> + +<p>"I guess then you had better sleep there again, +for it is not quite three miles off."</p> + +<p>This was the result of making a short cut, and +I resolved to follow the long and sure road in +future.</p> + +<p>A shanty that had been recently occupied, afforded me +comfortable lodgings for the night, and I arrived at Fort Coulonge about noon +next day, where I passed the night, and started for the outpost. Here I remained +two days, and would have remained still longer, had it not been discovered one +morning that our opponents were off in the direction of my outpost on the Bonne +Chere. As the Indians in that quarter were excellent hunters, and owed me much, +I deemed it advisable to follow them; my friends, too, sent an interpreter and +three men along with me, for the purpose of trading what they could on account +of their own post—<i>chacun pour soi</i> being +the order of the day.</p> + +<p><a name="XI5"></a>We soon overtook our opponents, and I +resolved, if possible, to give them the slip by +the way. Accordingly, when within a day's +journey of the establishment, I pretended to have +sprained my foot so badly, that I walked with +the greatest seeming difficulty. My men, who +were aware of the ruse, requested me to place +my bundle on their sledges, to enable me to +keep up with them. This farce commenced in +the evening. Next morning my leg was worse +than ever, until we came on the river at about +ten miles' distance from the post. I was delighted +to find but little snow upon the ice, so +that I had a fair opportunity of putting the +metal of my legs to the test, and the opposition +party having sledges heavily laden, I walked +hard, my foot on a sudden becoming perfectly +sound, in order to tire them as much as possible +before I bolted. Having apparently effected my +purpose, I set off at the top of my speed, and +never looked behind me until I had cleared the +first long reach, when turning round, I saw a +man in pursuit about half-way across; I started +again, and saw no more of my pursuer.</p> + +<p>On arriving at the post I was gratified to +learn that the Indians, whom I was so anxious +about, had been in a few days previously, while +our opponents were off in another direction; +so that they had been seen by none save +our own people. Finding two men at home, +I proceeded with them to the Indian camp, and +arrived at dawn of day. I met with a very +friendly reception, and had the good fortune to +prevail upon the Indians to deliver me their +furs upon the spot, which formed a very heavy +load for both myself and men. We met our +opponents in returning; but though they had +ocular proof of my success, they nevertheless +went on to the camp.</p> + +<p>Having arrived at the post, I found some +Indians there all intoxicated; I was also mortified +to find the person in charge in the same state. +I immediately displaced him, and made over the +charge, <i>pro tempore</i>, to one of the men. The +conduct of my worthless deputy hurt me so much +that I could not remain another night under the +same roof with him. I therefore set off on my +return to the Chats, although already late in the +afternoon, expecting to reach the first shanty in +the early part of the night.</p> + +<p><a name="XI4"></a>The Bonne Chere river is very rapid in the +upper part, and does not "set fast"<a id="footnotetag12" + name="footnotetag12"></a><a href="#footnote12"><sup>12</sup></a> until late +in the season, unless the cold be very intense. +I arrived at this part soon after night-fall, and +perceiving by the clear light of the moon the +dangers in my way, I deemed it imprudent to +proceed farther; and having nothing to strike +fire with, I cut a few branches of balsam and +strewed them under the spreading boughs of a +large cedar, and wrapping myself up in my +blanket, lay down. The weather being mild, +I thought I could sleep comfortably without fire; +but was mistaken. When I awoke from my first +sleep, which must have been sound, I found my +limbs stiff with cold, while my teeth chattered +violently in my head. To remain in this condition +till daylight was almost certain death; +I resolved, therefore, at all hazards to find my +way to the shanty, which might be about ten +miles distant. The light of the moon being very +bright, enabled me to avoid the openings in the +ice, and by moving on cautiously, about three +o'clock in the morning I reached the shanty; +which belonged to a warm-hearted son of Erin, +who received me with the characteristic hospitality +of his countrymen, placing before me the +best his cabin afforded, and with his own blankets +and those of his men making up a comfortable +bed, on which I slept till late in the day, and next +night in my own bed.</p> + +<p>As the greater part of my customers wintered +in the vicinity of the outpost, and I had no longer +any confidence in the person in charge there, I resolved +on passing the remainder of the winter at it +myself; I therefore requested that a person should +be sent up from the Lake of Two Mountains to +take care of the establishment during my absence. +On the arrival of this person, I proceeded to the +outpost, but shall pass over the transactions that +occurred there, being similar in all respects to +those already narrated. One circumstance, however, +occurred, which, though not in my vocation, +I think worthy of notice.</p> + +<p><a name="XI6"></a>Two itinerant missionaries called at the Lake of +Two Mountains and distributed a number of religious +tracts among the natives, together with a +few copies of the Gospel according to St. John, in +the Indian language. My Algonquin interpreter +happened to get one of the latter, and took much +pleasure in reading it. Towards the latter end +of the season I received a packet from my superior +at the Lake, and, to my surprise, found in +it a letter with the seal of the Church affixed, +addressed to my interpreter, which I put into his +hands, and observed him perusing very attentively. +Soon after he called me aside, and told +me that the letter in question conveyed a +peremptory command from the priest to destroy +the bad book he had in his possession, or else his +child that died in autumn would be denied the +rites of Christian sepulture.</p> + +<p>We are told that the age of bigotry is past: +facts like this prove the contrary. I asked him +if he intended to obey the commands of his +ghostly father. "Not exactly," said he; "I shall +send the book to him, and let him do with it +what he pleases; for my part, I have read it over +and over again, and find it all good, very good; +why the 'black coat' should call it bad is a +mystery to me."</p> + +<blockquote class="footnote"> + <a id="footnote12" name="footnote12"></a><b>Footnote 12:</b> + <a href="#footnotetag12">(return)</a> + <p>Freeze.</p> +</blockquote> + + + + +<h2><a name="XII"></a>CHAPTER XII.</h2> + +<blockquote> +<p align="center"><a href="#XII1">JOURNEY TO MONTREAL</a>—<a href="#XII2">APPOINTMENT TO LAC DE SABLE</a>—<a href="#XII3">ADVANTAGES +OF THIS POST</a>—<a href="#XII4">ITS DIFFICULTIES</a>—<a href="#XII5">GOVERNOR'S +FLATTERING LETTER</a>—<a href="#XII6">RETURN FROM MONTREAL</a>—<a href="#XII7">LOST IN +THE WOOD</a>—<a href="#XII8">SUFFERINGS</a>—<a href="#XII9">ESCAPE.</a></p> +</blockquote> + +<p><a name="XII1"></a>Early in spring I returned to the Chats, and +after the close of the trade took my departure +for Montreal, having finished my apprenticeship. +I renewed my contract for three years, and was <a name="XII2"></a>appointed to the charge of Lac de Sable, a post +situated on a tributary of the Ottawa, called +<i>Rivière aux Lièvres</i>, two hundred miles distant +from Montreal.</p> + +<p><a name="XII3"></a>I embarked on the 15th August, 1826, and +arrived at the post on the 1st September; where +I was gratified to find a comfortable dwelling-house, +and a large farm with pigs, poultry, and +cattle in abundance. All this was very well, +but there was also a powerful opposition, and +I had experience enough to know that the enjoyment +of any kind of comfort is incompatible +with the life we lead in opposition.</p> + +<p><a name="XII4"></a>The difficulties of my situation, moreover, were +from various causes extremely perplexing. The +old North-West agents, acting for the Hudson's +Bay Company in Canada, had declared a bankruptcy +the preceding winter; the principal +manager having quitted the country rather precipitately, +as was supposed, and forgotten to +appoint a successor; the management devolved +in consequence upon the head accountant, Mr. +C——e, who, however well he might be qualified +for the duties of the situation, felt the responsibility +of acting without authority to be too great, +and confined himself accordingly to such measures +only as he was confident would subject him to no +inconvenience when the day of reckoning arrived. +Meantime the business of this department sustained +a serious check; the old hands of the post, +having been tampered with by the opposition in +the course of last winter, quitted the service to +a man, and I now found the establishment to +consist of a clerk, interpreter, and one man only. +I was given to understand that three men additional +would join me as soon as they could, and +that I must not expect any more; thus our +number would be seven against twenty-two.</p> + +<p>A disparity so vast precluded all hopes of +maintaining the contest with advantage to the +Company or credit to myself. Fortune, however, +declared in our favour; dissensions arose in the +ranks of our opponents, clerks and men deserted, +supplies for trade ran short, and from being the +weaker party we were now the stronger.</p> + +<p>Governor Simpson having taken up his residence +at La Chine in autumn, men and goods +were furnished in abundance, and the petty +traders were made to see, ere the winter passed, +the futility of entering the lists in competition +with a Company possessing so vast resources.</p> + +<p>Mr. MacD——l having wintered two years at +this post, and being consequently well acquainted +with the natives, I entrusted the direction of affairs +against the opposition entirely to him, and remained +quietly at home, having only the few +Indians that wintered in the neighbourhood of the +post to attend to; my situation, however, was +often far from agreeable, being frequently reduced +to the company of my pigs and poultry for weeks +together, and obliged to act as trader, cook, hewer +of wood, and drawer of water.</p> + +<p><a name="XII5"></a>In the course of the winter I was favoured with +a visit from Mr. F——r, to whose district this post +had just been annexed, and had the gratification +to receive, through him, a letter from Governor +Simpson, conveying, in very flattering terms, his +approbation of my conduct. I was told that I was +in the direct road to preferment—that my merits +should be represented to the Council on his arrival +in the interior—and that he should be happy to +have an opportunity of recommending me to the +Governor and Committee, when he returned to +England. We shall see, in the sequel, how these +promises were fulfilled.</p> + +<p><a name="XII6"></a>I embarked, on the 15th June, 1827, for +Montreal, and found Mr. K——h, a chief factor +in the service, at the head of affairs; and my outfit +being prepared in a few days, I re-embarked, +taking my passage, as formerly, on board of a large +canoe, deeply laden. The last rapid and portage +on the Rivière aux Lièvres is within eight miles +of the establishment, and generally takes the men +a day to pass it. Arriving at this place late in +the evening, I resolved on going on a-foot; it +being fine moonlight, I felt confident of finding +my way without difficulty. The weather having +been immoderately hot for some time past, I had +sat in the canoe divested of my upper garments, +and thought I might, without inconvenience, dispense +with them now, as I expected to reach the +house ere the night air could prove injurious to me.</p> + +<p><a name="XII7"></a>Setting off, therefore, in "light marching +order," I immediately gained the high grounds, in +order to keep clear of the underwood that covers +the banks of the river; and just as the moon appeared +above the surrounding hills, arrived on +the banks of a small stream, where I observed a +portage path sunk deep in the ground, a circumstance +which proved it to be much frequented—by +whom or for what purpose I could not say, for I +had seldom passed the limits of my farm during +last winter, and was nearly as ignorant of the +topography of the environs as the first day I arrived. +I had not heard of the existence of a river +in the quarter, nor did I imagine there was any; +the conclusion I arrived at therefore was, that I +had lost my way, and that my most eligible course +was, to endeavour to find the main stream, and by +following it, retrace my course to the portage.</p> + +<p>I soon fell on the river, but my retrograde march +proved exceedingly toilsome; at every step I was +obliged to bend the branches of the underwood to +one side and another, or pressing them down under +my feet, force my way through by main strength: +some short spaces indeed intervened, that admitted +of an easier passage; still my progress was so slow +that the sun appeared before I reached the upper +end of the portage. Finding an old canoe here, +belonging to the post, I resolved on crossing to the +opposite side of the river, where I knew there was +a path that led to the house, by which the Indians +often passed when travelling in small canoes. I +accordingly ran to the lower end of the portage for +a paddle, where I found my men still asleep; and +having heard that the lower end of this path came +out exactly opposite to the upper end of the portage, +I struck out into the woods the moment I +landed, fancying that I could not fail to discover it.</p> + +<p>The sun got higher and higher as I proceeded, +and I went faster and yet faster, to no purpose;—no +path appeared; and I at length became convinced +that I was lost—being equally in difficulty to find +my way back to the river as forward to the post.</p> + +<p><a name="XII8"></a>The weather was very sultry; and such had been +the drought of the season that all the small creeks +were dried up, so that I could nowhere procure a +drop of water to moisten my parched lips. The +sensations occasioned by thirst are so much more +painful than those we feel from hunger, that +although I had eaten but little the preceding day, +and nothing on that day, I never thought of food. +While my inner man was thus tortured by thirst, +my outer man scarcely suffered less from another +cause. The country through which I passed being +of a marshy nature, I was incessantly tormented +by the venomous flies that abound in such situations,—my +shirt, and only other habiliment, having +sustained so much damage in my nocturnal +expedition, that the insects had free access <i>partout</i>.<a id="footnotetag13" + name="footnotetag13"></a><a href="#footnote13"><sup>13</sup></a></p> + +<p>I came to the foot of a high hill about two o'clock +P.M., which I ascended, and got a very good view +of the surrounding country from its summit; hills +and lakes appeared in every direction; but the +sight of these objects only served to impress my +mind with the conviction, that, unless Providence +should direct my steps to the establishment, the +game was up with me. Having descended, I +sauntered about the remainder of the day, my +ideas becoming more and more bewildered, and +my strength declining; and passed the night +sometimes sitting, sometimes standing, sometimes +moving about;—but sitting, standing, or moving +about, subjected to the same tortures.</p> + +<p>I endeavoured during the night to compose my +mind as much as possible; some happy thought +might perchance suggest itself, which might lead +to my deliverance. Nor were my efforts without +some success: I called to mind the position of the +post with respect to the rising and setting sun; +another circumstance of importance also recurred +to me.</p> + +<p>A Canadian hunter, who received his supplies +at my post, had told me that such Indians as did +not wish to pay their debts at the post, frequently +passed unperceived by a chain of small lakes that +ran parallel to the river, and extended from Lac +de Sable to somewhere near the rapid, whence +I had taken my departure. I recollected, too, +his having mentioned that some Indian families +occasionally made sugar on the borders of these +lakes, and that a good path lay from their camp +to the post. Having passed the night in a deep +valley, the sun did not appear until late in the +morning, when I shaped my course, to the best +of my judgment, for the post. Two or three +hours' walk brought me to the foot of a high hill, +nearly destitute of wood on one side; and expecting +that some discovery might be made from the +top which might be of use to me, I resolved on +attempting the ascent—an undertaking of no small +difficulty in my enfeebled state. I succeeded in +gaining the top, and to my unspeakable joy, perceived +a chain of lakes within about two miles +of me, exactly corresponding to the description +given me by the Canadian hunter. I also heard +the reports of guns, but so indistinctly that I +could not determine the direction the report came +from. Noting with the utmost care the course +that would lead me to the lakes, I descended the +steep declivity with a degree of speed that surprised +myself,—such is the powerful influence the +mind exercises over the body.</p> + +<p>I expected an hour's walk would bring me to +the lakes, but the sun being in the zenith, and +my way lying through a dense forest of pine, +I could not keep a straight course. I proceeded +onward, however, as well as <i>reason</i> could direct +me, and most willingly would I have exchanged +a little of that <i>faculty</i> for the <i>instinct</i> that leads +the brute creation with unerring certainty through +the pathless depths of the forest.</p> + +<p>The sun was rapidly declining, and my hopes +with it, when suddenly I fancied I heard the +murmuring sound of running water. Could it +be really so? What a delightful feast I should +have! for I had passed the day, like the preceding, +without a drop of water to allay my +raging thirst. I listened; the sound became +more distinct—it was no illusion. I quickened +my pace, and soon came upon a charming +rivulet, flowing rapidly over a bed of white +pebbles, its water clear as crystal. I rushed into +the midst of it, and fervently thanking the Giver +of all good, threw myself on my knees, and drank +draught after draught till my thirst was quenched. +I felt refreshed to an extraordinary degree, and +concluding that the stream would lead me to the +river, or to some lake communicating with it, +I followed its course, wading in the water that +there might be "no mistake," and soon came out +on the border of a small lake, where I had the +additional satisfaction of hearing the report of +guns so distinctly as to convince me that the +party firing them could be at no great distance. +I walked round the lake, and at its far end fell +on a portage path that soon conducted me to +another lake. This, then, must be the chain of +lakes I was in search of! I was transported at +the thought.</p> + +<p>But an incident soon occurred that served +to damp at once my spirits and my person: a +distant peal of thunder was heard; peal after +peal succeeded; the heavens were obscured, and +heavy drops of rain, the harbingers of an approaching +storm, fell from the dark clouds. I +strained every nerve to reach the firing party +ere the storm should burst upon me. I reached +the foot of the hill, but the firing had ceased. +I nevertheless ascended as quickly as my wearied +limbs would carry me, but on reaching the spot +found no one there.</p> + +<p>The storm now burst upon me in all its fury. +Flash followed flash in quick succession, and the +rain fell in torrents, which, however, as the +few clothes that still adhered to my person were +already saturated by the previous rain, caused +me but little additional inconvenience. I descended +to the lake, and by the time I reached +the far end of it the darkness had increased so +much, that I could proceed no farther. Perceiving +an old encampment—a few half-decayed +branches of balsam, at the foot of a large hemlock—I +took up my quarters there for the night. +The tufted branches of this tree render it a +much more secure retreat in a thunder-storm +than the pine, whose pointed branches and +spiral shaped top frequently attract the electric +fluid.</p> + +<p>Towards morning the storm seemed to have +expended its fury; and, strange to say, in the +midst of it I enjoyed two or three hours' sleep. +Nature had been so exhausted by protracted +sufferings, that (though the flies were driven to +their covert) I believe I could have slept upon +a bed of thorns, covered with gnats and mosquitoes. +As soon as it was sufficiently clear to +enable me to find my way, I quitted my hemlock +and fell on the portage path, which soon +led me to another small lake, and which I proceeded +to circumambulate as usual, keeping a +sharp look-out for the path that led to the +post; when suddenly the report of a gun burst +from an adjoining hill. At the same instant, I +observed a net pole standing in the water at +the bottom of a small bay close by, and directed +my steps towards it; when on approaching +it I discovered a broad path ascending from the +water's edge, and immediately after the buildings +of a sugar camp.</p> + +<p><a name="XII9"></a>Allowing the party on the hill to blaze away, +I followed the path, and in less than half-an-hour +came out upon the Rivière aux Lièvres, immediately +opposite the house. I perceived the +men of the establishment, with some Indians, +all in a bustle; some preparing to embark in a +canoe, others firing. I sat down to gaze for a +moment on the most interesting scene I had ever +witnessed, and then gave a loud cry, which it +was evident nobody heard, although the river +is not more than a stone-cast across. I made a +second effort with better success. The Indians +raised a shout of triumph; the men hallooed,</p> + +<p>"Le voilà! le voilà! Je le vois! Je le vois à +l'autre bord! Embarquez! embarquez!"</p> + +<p>A few minutes more, and I found myself restored +to at best a prolonged life of misery and +exile. Let it not be inferred from this expression +that I felt ungrateful for my deliverance; +on the contrary, my escape from a death so +lingering and terrible made a deep impression +upon my mind. I afterwards gave a holiday to +my men in remembrance of it, and made them +all happy for one day.</p> + +<blockquote class="footnote"> + <a id="footnote13" name="footnote13"></a><b>Footnote 13:</b> + <a href="#footnotetag13">(return)</a> + <p>There are three different kinds of these + tormenting insects, viz. the mosquito, the black-fly, and the gnat—the + latter the same as the midge in N. Britain—who relieve each other regularly + in the work of torture. The mosquitoes continue at their post from dawn to + eight or nine o'clock, A.M.; the + black-flies succeed, and remain in the field till near sunset; the + mosquitoes again mount guard till dark, and are finally succeeded by the + gnats, who continue their watch and incessant attacks till near sunrise.</p> +</blockquote> + + + + +<h2><a name="XIII"></a>CHAPTER XIII.</h2> + +<blockquote> +<p align="center"><a href="#XIII1">NARROWLY ESCAPE DROWNING</a>—<a href="#XIII2">ACCIDENT TO INDIAN GUIDE</a>—<a href="#XIII3">AM +NEARLY FROZEN TO DEATH</a>—<a href="#XIII4">MISUNDERSTANDING BETWEEN ALGONQUINS AND IROQUOIS</a>—<a href="#XIII5">MASSACRE AT HANNAH +BAY.</a></p> +</blockquote> + +<p><a name="XIII1"></a>Nothing occurred this year out of the usual +routine, save an accident that happened to myself, +and had nearly proved fatal. A couple of +hounds had been presented to me by a friend, for +the purpose of hunting the deer that abounded +in the neighbourhood. The dogs having one +day broken loose from the leash, betook themselves +to the hills; and the first intimation we +had of their being at liberty, was the sound of +their voices in full cry on an adjacent hill. I +instantly seized my gun, and following a beaten +track that led to a small lake at the base of the +hill, I perceived a deer swimming towards an +island in the middle of the lake, and only a little +beyond the range of gun-shot. An old fishing-canoe +happening to be at hand, I immediately +launched it, and gave chase, without examining +the condition it was in. I proceeded but a short +distance, however, when I perceived that it leaked +very much. I continued, nevertheless, to paddle, +till I got nearly half-way across to the island; +but by this time the quantity of water in the +canoe had increased so much, that my ardour +for the chase began to give way to anxiety for +my own safety. I perceived a large hole in the +stern of the canoe, now almost level with the +surface of the lake, through which the water +gushed with every stroke of the paddle. The +fore-part appearing free from injury, I immediately +inverted my position,—a movement necessarily +effected with much difficulty in so small a +craft; and having thus placed myself, the stern +was consequently raised a little higher. I then +paddled gently towards a long point projecting +from the mainland, much nearer me than the +island; and although I used the utmost caution +in paddling, the canoe sunk under me some distance +from the shore. The lake, however, was +fortunately shallow at this place, so that I soon +found bottom. Had there been the least ripple on +the water, I could not have escaped; but the +weather was perfectly calm, and the lake smooth +as glass.</p> + +<p>In the early part of next winter, I went again +in pursuit of the deer; and although I incurred +no great risk of losing my life, I yet experienced +such inconveniences as seldom fall to the lot of +amateur hunters in other parts of the world. +I left the house early in the morning, and, starting +a deer close by, gave chase, following the track +over hill and dale, until I reached a high ridge +bordering on Lac de Sable. Here the deer +slackened his pace, and appeared, by his track, to +have descended slowly into a valley, where he +remained until I started him a second time. +I still continued the pursuit, without thinking of +time or distance from the establishment. At +length the night evidently began to close, and +I felt faint and exhausted from want of food, and +the exertions I had made during the day. I +therefore gave up the chase; but to retrace my +steps by the devious path by which I had pursued +the deer, would have occupied the greater +part of the night; I therefore resolved on returning +by a more direct course; but the upshot was, +that, after wandering about for some time, and +repeatedly falling on my own tracks, I passed the +night in the woods. Although nearly overcome +with fatigue, I durst not think of lying down, +well knowing what the consequence would be; +I therefore walked backwards and forwards, on a +beaten track, the whole night; and next morning +adopted the sure course of finding my way by +my tracks of the preceding day. Meeting an +Indian by the way, who had been sent in search +of me, he led me by a short cut, and we arrived +at the house about two o'clock, P.M.</p> + +<p><a name="XIII2"></a>In the autumn of 1829, another opponent +entered the lists against us,—an enterprising +Canadian, who had been for a long time in the +Company's service. This adventurer proceeded +some distance inland, and I need scarcely say +that a party was sent to keep him company. +Understanding that the new competitor gave our +people more trouble than had been anticipated, +I determined on taking an active part in the +game; and as I had only two men with me at +Lac de Sable, whose services were required there, +I set off alone, intending to take with me an +Indian who had an encampment by the way, as +I was unacquainted with the route. I slept at +the Indian's wigwam, who readily accompanied +me next morning; but the weather being intolerably +cold, the poor fellow got both his ears +frozen, <i>et aliud quidquam præterea</i>, in crossing +a large lake not far from his camp. The moment +he perceived his mishap, he assailed me in the +most abusive terms, and swore that he would +accompany me no farther; which, being conscious +that I was partly the cause of his misfortune, +I bore with as much equanimity as I could; and +arriving at the opposite side of the lake, we +kindled a fire, and I proceeded to treat his case +according to the usual practice; that is, rubbing +the part affected with snow, or bathing it with +cold water until it is thawed, and the circulation +restored. Having happily succeeded, I forthwith +dismissed him, and determined to find my way +alone; and having a tolerable idea of the direction +in which I should go, and the weather being +clear, I entertained no doubt of falling somewhere +on the river whereon the post is situated. +I came upon it, as it seemed to me, a considerable +distance below the establishment, just +as the sun was setting.</p> + +<p><a name="XIII3"></a>Having travelled in deep snow the whole day, +I felt so much fatigued that I could scarcely +exert myself sufficiently to keep my body warm, +the cold being intense. I walked as briskly as +my diminished strength would allow; but at +length became so weak, that I was obliged to +lay myself down at short intervals. In this +wretched state,—my limbs benumbed with cold, +and thinking I should never see daylight,—I +suddenly came upon a hard beaten path: this +inspired me with new vigour, as it indicated the +close vicinity of a shanty. I soon discovered the +desired haven, and crawling up the steep bank +that led to it, I knocked at the door with my +snow-shoes, and was immediately admitted.</p> + +<p>The noise I made roused the inmates, who had +been sound asleep; and who, seeing my helpless +condition, exerted themselves in every possible +way to relieve me. I was nearly in the last stage +of exhaustion, being unable to take off my snow-shoes, +or even articulate a word. One of these +noble woodsmen guided me next day to the post; +when, as a small mark of gratitude for his +generous kindness, I presented him and his +companions with what is always acceptable to a +shanty-man, a liberal allowance of the "crathur," +to enjoy themselves withal.</p> + +<p>If it be asked why I did not make a fire, +when I had the necessary apparatus; I answer, +that I had but a very small axe, quite unfit +for felling so large timber as grew on the banks +of this river; and I was, besides, so benumbed +and exhausted as to be unequal to the task +even of lighting a fire.</p> + +<p>Sometime after my return from Montreal in +the autumn of 1830, I went to pay a visit to one +of my customers whose lands were at a considerable +distance. I was accompanied by one man +in a small canoe; and as it was necessary that one +of us should carry the canoe over the portages, +and the other the property, I chose the former, +being the lightest though by far the most inconvenient +load. I found it very oppressive at first, +but use rendered it more easy. This was the first +time I carried a canoe.</p> + +<p>On our return from the Indian's camp we met +with rather a disagreeable accident, while ascending +a small and very rapid river. In pushing +forward the canoe against the stream, my pole +happened to glance off a stone, and the canoe +swinging round came in contact with the trunk +of a tree projecting from the bank, and we, or +at least I, was upset in an instant. Fortunately +the current, though strong, was smooth and free +from whirlpools; so that, after swimming down +a short distance in search of a landing-place, +I rejoined my companion, whom I found standing +on the bank perfectly dry. On inquiring of him +how he happened to avoid a ducking, he told me +he sprang ashore while I was attempting to parry +off the tree; doubtless his having done so was in +a great measure the cause of the accident. He, +however, acted a very prudent part after landing, +having caught hold of the canoe in the act of +upsetting, and thus preserved the goods from +being lost or damaged.</p> + +<p><a name="XIII4"></a>In the course of this year, the Iroquois and +Algonquins were nearly coming to blows on +account of the hunting-grounds. This quarrel +originated from a speech which Colonel McKay, +then at the head of the Indian department, had +addressed to the Iroquois, in which, making use +of the metaphorical language of the people, he +observed that Indians of all tribes ought to live +together in the utmost concord and amity, seeing +they inhabited the same villages, "and ate out +of the same dish." This the Iroquois interpreted +in a way more suitable to their own wishes than +consistent with its real meaning. "Our father," +said they, "tells us we eat out of the same dish +with the Algonquins;—he means that we have +an equal right to the hunting-grounds." They +proceeded, accordingly, to avail themselves of the +supposed privilege. The consequence was a very +violent quarrel, in which Government was ultimately +obliged to interfere.</p> + +<p><a name="XIII5"></a>The Indians informed us, this spring, of a +dreadful murder that had been committed in the +early part of the winter by some of the natives +of Hudson's Bay. The particulars of this tale +of blood I since learned from an individual that +escaped from the massacre. The Indians attached +to the posts established along the shores of Hudson's +Bay are comparatively civilized; most of +them speak English, and are employed as +voyageurs by the Company. Few or no precautions +are taken at these posts to guard against +treachery; the gates are seldom shut, and some +of the posts are destitute of palisades or defence +of any kind. Of this description was the post +where the catastrophe occurred which I am about +to relate.</p> + +<p>The post of Hannah Bay is situated about sixty +miles to the north of Moose Factory, and was at +this time under the charge of a Mr. Corrigal. +His establishment consisted of two or three half-breeds, +and an Indian who had been brought up +by the whites. He and some of the men had +families. In the course of the winter five Indians +came in with their "hunts," and agreeably to their +usual practice encamped close by. Those Indians +are designated "Home Guards,"—a term generally +applied to the Indians attached to a trading post; +they hunt in winter at a convenient distance from +the post, and are employed in summer as voyageurs, +or in performing any other necessary duty. +Notwithstanding their thus being frequently in +company with white men and Christians, they still +retain many of the barbarous habits, and much +of the superstitious belief of their forefathers, +aggravated, I regret to say, by some of the vices +of the whites.</p> + +<p>Among the number of those just mentioned +was an individual who had acquired considerable +influence among his tribe, from his pretending +to be skilled in the art of divination. +This man told his fellows that he had had a +communication from the Great Spirit, who assured +him that he would become the greatest man in +Hudson's Bay if he only followed the course prescribed +to him, which was, first, to cut off their +own trading post, and then with the spoil got +there to hire other Indians, who should assist in +destroying all the other posts the Company possessed +in the country. Accordingly, it was +determined to carry their design into execution, +whenever a favourable opportunity occurred. +This was not long in presenting itself. They +came one day to the establishment, and told the +people that the "man of medicine" had come for +the purpose of performing some extraordinary +feat that would astonish them all. The silly +creatures believed the story, and went to the +borders of the lake, where they observed the +sorcerer showing off a variety of antics very much +to their amusement. The conspirators, seeing +this part of the stratagem succeed, rushed into +the house, and immediately despatched Mr. Corrigal +and his family. The men, hearing the +report of the guns, hastened back towards the +house. The two that first arrived were saluted +by a volley of balls; the one fell dead, the other +fled. The third, seeing what had happened, +seized his youngest child, and also fled. The +murderers pursued. The poor fellow, encumbered +by the weight of his child, necessarily fell behind. +A ball from the pursuers killed the child, and +wounded him in the hand. Dropping, then, the +lifeless body, he soon came up with his fellow, +and both escaped without further injury.</p> + +<p>It was about noon when they began their flight. +One of them reached Moose Factory next day +about noon, the other soon after. The distance—nearly +sixty miles—travelled in so short a space +of time, may appear incredible; but fear gave +them wings, they fled for their lives and never +halted. One of them, my informant, lost all the +toes of one of his feet by the frost.</p> + +<p>Measures were immediately adopted to frustrate +the further diabolical designs of the Indians, as +well as to avenge the innocent blood that had +been shed. Messengers were despatched with all +possible haste to Rupert's house, the nearest post, +to give the alarm, and a party of men, under an +efficient leader, was sent to seize the murderers. +This expedition, however, proved unsuccessful, +as the Indians could not be found in that direction; +but, in the meantime, two of them who had +come to Rupert's house to "spy the land," were +seized and sent bound to Moose Factory, and one +of them was compelled to act as guide to another +party. Led by him, they approached the camp +without being perceived, and found the "man of +medicine" sitting very composedly in his tent, +surrounded by the spoils he had taken from the +fort. He was secured, and the rest of his associates, +who were absent hunting, were soon +"tracked," and secured likewise. They then all +underwent the punishment they deserved.</p> + +<p>The fort presented a horrible spectacle. Men, +women, and children shared the same fate, and +the mangled limbs of their victims were scattered +among the articles of property which the wretches, +not being able to carry off with them, had attempted +to destroy.</p> + + +<h2><a name="XIV"></a>CHAPTER XIV.</h2> + +<blockquote> +<p><a href="#XIV1">FALL THROUGH THE ICE</a>—<a href="#XIV2">DANGEROUS ADVENTURE AT A RAPID</a>—<a href="#XIV3">OPPONENTS +GIVE IN</a>—<a href="#XIV4">ORDERED TO LA CHINE</a>—<a href="#XIV5">TREATMENT +ON MY ARRIVAL</a>—<a href="#XIV6">MANNERS, HABITS, AND SUPERSTITIONS OF +THE INDIANS</a>—<a href="#XIV7">FEROCIOUS REVENGE OF A SUPPOSED INJURY</a>—<a href="#XIV8">DIFFERENT +METHODS OF THE ROMAN CATHOLIC AND PROTESTANT +MISSIONARY</a>—<a href="#XIV9">INDIAN COUNCILS</a>—<a href="#XIV10">TRADITION OF +THE FLOOD</a>—<a href="#XIV11">BEAVER-HUNTING</a>—<a href="#XIV12">LANGUAGE.</a></p> +</blockquote> + +<p>Finding that my presence was more wanted at +the outpost than elsewhere, I resolved on taking +up my residence there for the winter 1831-32. +Our active opponent gave us much annoyance, +causing great expense to the Company, without +any benefit to himself; on the contrary, it ultimately +ruined him.</p> + +<p><a name="XIV1"></a>While accompanying our party on a trading +excursion in the beginning of winter, I had a +very narrow escape. We were travelling on the +Gatineau, a very rapid stream that joins the +Ottawa, a little below Hull. A young lad, +interpreter to the opposition, and I, had one +morning gone considerably in advance of the +others, walking smartly to keep ourselves warm, +when I suddenly broke through the ice. The +current here running strong, I should soon +have been swept under the ice, had I not, by +extending my arms upon it on either side of me, +kept my head above water. At the hazard of +his own life, my companion came to my assistance; +but the ice was too weak to admit of +his approaching sufficiently near to reach me his +hand; he therefore cut a long pole, and tying +his belt to it, threw it to me; and laying hold +of it, I dragged myself on the sound ice. But +the danger was not yet over; the weather was +intensely cold, so that my clothes were soon +frozen solid upon me, and having no means of +lighting a fire, I ran into the woods; and in order +to keep my body from being frozen into the +same mass with my clothes, continued running +up and down with all my might, till the rest of +the party arrived.</p> + +<p><a name="XIV2"></a>I had a still more narrow escape in the month +of March ensuing. I had been on a visit to the +post under my own immediate charge, termed +head-quarters <i>par excellence</i>; returning to the +post alone, I came to a place where our men, +in order to avoid a long detour occasioned by a +high and steep hill coming close to the river, +were accustomed to draw their sledges upon the +ice along the edge of a rapid. About the middle +of the rapid, where the torrent is fiercest, the +banks of the river are formed of rocks rising almost +perpendicularly from the water's edge; and here +they had to pass on a narrow ledge of ice, between +the rock on the one side, and the foaming and +boiling surge on the other. The ledge, at no +time very broad, was now reduced, by the falling +in of the water, to a strip of ice of about eighteen +inches, or little more, adhering to the rock. The +ice, however, seemed perfectly solid, and I made +no doubt that, with caution, I should succeed in +passing safely this formidable strait.</p> + +<p>The weather having been very mild in the +fore-part of the day, my shoes and socks had been +saturated with wet, but were now frozen hard +by the cold of the approaching night. Overlooking +this circumstance, I attempted the dangerous +passage; and had proceeded about halfway, +when my foot slipped, and I suddenly found +myself resting with one hip on the border of +ice, while the rest of my body overhung the rapid +rushing fearfully underneath. I was now literally +in a state of agonizing suspense: to regain my +footing was impossible; even the attempt to move +might precipitate me into the rapid.</p> + +<p>My first thought indeed was to throw myself +in, and endeavour by swimming to reach the solid +ice that bridged the river a short distance below; +a glance at the torrent convinced me that this +was a measure too desperate to be attempted;—I +should have been dashed against the ice, or +hurried beneath it by the current. But my time +was not yet come. Within a few feet of the +spot where I was thus suspended <i>in sublimis</i>, +the rock projected a little outward, so as to +break the force of the current. It struck me +that a new border of ice might be formed at this +place, under and parallel to that on which I was +perched; exploring cautiously, therefore, with a +stick which I fortunately had in my hand, all +along and beneath me, I found my conjecture +well founded; but whether the ice were strong +enough to bear me, I could not ascertain. But +it was my only hope of deliverance; letting myself +down therefore gently, I planted my feet on +the lower ledge, and clinging with the tenacity +of a shell-fish to the upper, I crept slowly along +till I reached land.</p> + +<p><a name="XIV3"></a>This autumn, I had the satisfaction of seeing +all my opponents quit the field, some of whom +had maintained a long and obstinate struggle; +yet, although I had reason to congratulate myself +on their departure, as it promised me relief from +the painfully toilsome life I had led, I must do +one of the parties, at least, the justice to say, +that, in different circumstances, I should have +beheld their departure with regret. Dey and +McGillivray carried on the contest longer than +the others, and did so without showing any of +that rancorous feeling which the other petty +traders manifested towards the Company. MacGillivray +and myself, when travelling together, +often shared the same blanket, and the same +kettle; and found, that while this friendly feeling +was mutually advantageous to ourselves, it did +not in any way compromise the interests of our +employers. I parted from him, wishing him +every success in <i>any other</i> line of business he +might engage in.</p> + +<p><a name="XIV4"></a>After the removal of my competitors, I found +the time to hang heavily on my hands; and the +ease I had so often sighed for, I now could scarcely +endure; but I was not allowed long time to sigh +for a change. On the 5th of April an Iroquois +came up from Montreal with a packet conveying +orders to me to proceed forthwith to Lachine, +whence I should embark by the opening of the +navigation for the northern department. I was +alone at the post when these unexpected orders +came to hand, all the men being absent at the +outpost; and as it behoved me to use the utmost +diligence in order to get away ere winter travelling +should break up, leaving an old squaw in +charge, I set out for the outpost in quest of Mr. +Cameron, who was appointed my successor; and +on the 7th of April took my departure.</p> + +<p><a name="XIV5"></a>On arriving at the Grand River, I found travelling +on the ice to be attended with great danger, +and several accidents had already happened; but +I had the good fortune to reach Grenville at the +head of the Long Sault in safety; here, however, +my farther progress was arrested for a fortnight, +the roads being impassable. I arrived at Lachine +in the end of April, and after handing in the +documents relative to my late charge, Mr. K—— +told me I was at liberty to spend the intervening +time until the embarkation, where and how I +pleased. Gratified by this indulgence, I was +about to frame a speech expressive of my gratitude, +when he continued,—"for, Sir, you are to +understand we do not keep a boarding-house +here." This stopped my mouth, and I reserved +my thanks for a future occasion; for I could not +but feel, that being an officer of the Company, it +was robbing me of a part of my pay under the +pretext of an indulgence. Availing myself, however, +of this ungenerous grant of freedom, I spent +some halcyon days in the company of relatives +most dear to me, and expected no interruption to +my enjoyment until the time appointed for the +embarkation: but a few days after I had joined +my relatives in the vicinity of Montreal, I received +a letter, commanding me, in the most peremptory +manner, to repair to Lachine,—"circumstances +not foreseen at my arrival from the interior required +my departure without further delay." +I accompanied the bearer of Mr. K——'s letter, +and found, on arriving at Lachine, that I had +been appointed to conduct some of Captain Back's +party, who proved rather troublesome to him at +Montreal, to the Chats, and there to await my +passage to the north by the Brigade.</p> + +<p>I had now served the Hudson's Bay Company +faithfully and zealously for a period of twelve +years, leading a life of hardship and toil, of which +no idea can be formed except by those whose +hard lot it may be to know it by experience. +How enthusiastically I had laboured for them, +may be better gathered from the foregoing narrative +than from any statement I could here +make. And what was my reward? I had no +sooner succeeded in freeing my district from +opposition, than I was ordered to resign my +situation to another, who would enjoy the fruits +of my labour:—when I arrived at the Company's +head-quarters to take my departure for a +remote district, I was ordered to provide for +myself until I embarked; and when enjoying +myself in the bosom of my family, to suit the +convenience of one of their correspondents, I +was torn away from them prematurely, and without +warning,—treatment, which caused one of +them so severe a shock as nearly to prove fatal!</p> + +<p><a name="XIV6"></a>Before I take leave of the Montreal department, +it may be well to allude more particularly +to the manners and customs of the natives. The +mode of life the Algonquins lead, while at their +village, has been already touched upon; within +these few years a great change has taken place, +not in their morals, but in their circumstances. +The southern and western parts of their hunting-grounds +are now nearly all possessed by the white +man, whose encroachments extend farther and +farther every year. Beaver meadows are now to +be found in place of beaver dams; and rivers are +crossed on bridges formed by the hand of man, +where the labours of the beaver afforded a passage +for the roving Indian and hunter only a few +years before.</p> + +<p>Happy change, it may be said; but so say not +the Indians; the days of happiness are gone for +them, at least for those of the present generation; +though I have no doubt that their posterity may, +in course of time, become reconciled to, and adopt +those habits of life which their altered circumstances +may require. A few have done so already, +but many of them still remain on the most remote +parts of their lauds, having no longer the means of +enjoying themselves at their village, or of satisfying +the avarice of priests and traders. Here +they pursue, without restraint or interruption, +the mode of life most congenial to their habits.</p> + +<p>I have already observed, that I could discover +but little difference between the (so called) Christian +Indians, and their unbaptized countrymen, +when beyond the surveillance of their priests. +They practise all the superstitious rites of their +forefathers, and place implicit confidence in the +power of magic, although they admit that the +same results cannot be obtained now, as formerly, +in consequence, as they say, "of the Cross having +come in contact with the Medicine." They have +their genii of lakes, rivers, mountains, and forests, +to whom they offer sacrifice. I was present at the +sacrifice of a beaver, made by an Algonquin to +his familiar, or "totem," in order to propitiate +him, because he had been unsuccessful in hunting. +The beaver was roasted without being skinned, +the fur only being appropriated to the spirit, +whilst the flesh afforded a luxurious feast to the +sacrificer; and in this part of the ceremony I +willingly participated.</p> + +<p>When any of them is taken ill, the indisposition +is ascribed to the effects of "bad medicine;" and the +person is mentioned whom they suspect of having +laid the disease upon them. Many violent deeds are +committed to revenge these supposed injuries. An +Algonquin, who had lost a child, blamed a <i>tête +de boule</i>, who was domiciled at Lac de Sable, +for his death. The ensuing spring the <i>tête de +boule</i> took a fancy to visit the Lake of Two +Mountains, and set off in company with the +Algonquins.</p> + +<p><a name="XIV7"></a>On arrival of the party at the Grand River, +he who had lost his child invited the <i>tête de +boule</i> to his tent, and entertained him in the +most friendly manner for a time, then suddenly +drawing his knife, he plunged it into the side of +his unsuspecting guest. The poor wretch fled, +and concealed himself in a pig-sty, where his +groans soon discovered him to the Algonquin, +who, again seizing him, thrust his knife into +his throat, and did not withdraw it until he +ceased to live.</p> + +<p>"Now," exclaimed his murderer, "I am +avenged for the death of my child. You wanted +to go to the Lake to be baptized, and here I +have baptized you in your own blood."</p> + +<p>Many other instances might be adduced to +prove that the savage disposition of these Indians +has not been greatly ameliorated by their profession +of Christianity; they have, in fact, all the +vices with but few of the virtues of their heathen +countrymen.</p> + +<p>They are immoderately fond of ardent spirits, +men, women and—shocking to say—children. This +hateful vice, which contributes more than any +other to the debasement of human nature, seems +to produce more baneful effects upon the Indian, +both physically and morally, than upon the European. +The worst propensities of his nature are +excited by it. While under the influence of this +demon he spares neither friend nor foe; and in +many instances the members of his own family +become the victims either of his fury or his +lust.</p> + +<p>The crime of incest is by no means unknown +among them; rum, the greatest scourge and +curse of the Indian race, is undoubtedly the +principal cause of this dreadful corruption: but +is it not strange that religion should have so +little effect in reforming their manners? The +Mississagays, the neighbours of the Algonquins, +who speak the same language, were only converted +a few years ago by the Methodists, and +from being the most dissipated and depraved of +Indians, are now become sober, industrious and +devout.</p> + +<p><a name="XIV8"></a>It seems, therefore, impossible even for the +most unprejudiced to avoid the conclusion that the +difference in manners must in a great measure +be ascribed to the different methods adopted +by the Roman Catholic and Protestant missionaries +in converting the natives. The Roman Catholic +convert is first baptized, then instructed +in the forms of worship, taught to repeat Pater +nosters and Ave Marias, to make the sign of the +cross, and to confess. He is now a member of +the Church, and is dismissed to his woods—a +Christian, can we say? The Methodists pursue +a different course. Their converts must not +only reform their lives, but give indubitable +proofs that they are reformed; they are taught +so as to understand thoroughly the sound principles +of Christianity; and they must give an +account of their faith, and a reason for the hope +that is in them, before they are admitted as members +of the Christian community. "The tree is +known by its fruits."</p> + +<p>The Sachems, or chiefs of the Algonquins, +possess little or no authority, but their advice +is of some weight There are gradations of rank +in the chieftainship; the Kitchi Okima, or great +chief, takes precedence at the Council, and propounds +the subject of discussion; the inferior chiefs +(Okimas) speak in turn, according to seniority; +every old man, however, whether chief or not, is +allowed to give his opinion, and the general voice +of the assembly decides the question at issue. +It is seldom, however, that any question arises +requiring much deliberation in the present times +of peace. When a party of strange Indians arrives +at the village, a council is called to ascertain +the means the community may possess of discharging +properly the rites of hospitality; each +individual states the modicum he is willing to +contribute, in cash or in kind, and the proceeds, +which are always sufficient to entertain the guests +sumptuously, according to Indian ideas, while +they remain, are placed at the disposal of the +Kitchi Okima.</p> + +<p><a name="XIV9"></a>Councils are held and harangues delivered when +they receive their annual presents from Government; +these consist of blankets, cloth, ammunition, +and a variety of small articles, all of which +in their present impoverished state are highly +valued by them. They profess an attachment +to the British Government; but, like certain +more civilized nations, they will fight for the +cause that is likely to yield them most advantage. +Their loyalty to Britain, therefore, is less +to be depended on than their hatred to America. +A general idea has gone abroad regarding +their taciturnity which does not accord with +my experience. Far from being averse to colloquial +intercourse, they delight in it; none more +welcome to an Indian wigwam than one who +can talk freely. They pass the winter evenings +in relating their adventures, hunting being their +usual theme, or in telling stories; and often have +I heard the woods resound with peals of laughter +excited by their wit, for they too are witty +in their own way.</p> + +<p><a name="XIV10"></a>Their tradition of the flood (<i>kitchi a tesoka</i>, +or "great tale,") is somewhat remarkable. +The world having been overflowed by water, +all mankind perished but one family, who embarked +in a large canoe, taking a variety of +animals along with them. The canoe floated +about for some time, when a musk-rat, tired +of its confinement, jumped overboard and dived; +it soon reappeared, with a mouthful of mud, +which it deposited on the surface of the water, +and from this beginning the new world was +formed.</p> + +<p>When the veracity of an Indian is doubted, he points to +heaven with his forefinger, and exclaims:—</p> + +<p>"He to whom we belong knows that what I +say is true."</p> + +<p>No white man trusts more firmly in the validity +of a solemn oath than the Indian in this +asseveration. Still it must be confessed that +they are prone to falsehood; but they seem to +allow themselves a much greater licence in this +respect in their intercourse with the whites than +amongst themselves.</p> + +<p>When an Indian is about to enter a wigwam, +he utters the word or sound "Quay" in a peculiar +tone; the word repeated from within is +considered as an invitation to enter. (Should he +neglect to announce himself in this way he is +considered as ill-bred—an unmannerly boor. The +left-hand side of the wigwam as you enter is +considered the place of honour; here the father +of the family and chief squaw take their station, +the young men on the opposite side, and the +women next to the door, or at the upper end +of the fire-place, both ends being alike plebeian. +When a person of respectability enters, the father, +moving towards the door, resigns his place to +his guest, places skins under him, and otherwise +pays every attention to his comfort. They +are extremely hospitable, and cheerfully share +their last morsel with the stranger who may be +in want. Hospitality, however, is a virtue which +civilization rarely improves.</p> + +<p><a name="XIV11"></a>A good hunter always leaves his lodge by dawn +of day, and seldom tastes food till he returns late +at night. Hunting beavers is a most laborious +occupation, and becomes more so in proportion +to the scarcity of these animals; for this reason, +that when a great number of beavers occupy a +lake, their places of retreat are in closer proximity +to each other, and for the most part inhabited; +if the number be reduced, it is likely they will +have the same places of retreat, and the hunter +must bore through the ice, before he can ascertain +whether they are inhabited or not.</p> + +<p>The sagacity of their dogs is truly surprising. +The beaver house being first destroyed by the +hunter, the dogs are urged by a peculiar call to +scent out their retreats, which they never fail to +do, whatever may be the thickness of the ice. +They keep running about the borders of the lake, +their noses close to the ground, and the moment +they discover a retreat, begin to bark and jump +on the ice; the hunter then cuts a hole with +his trench, and with a stick which he carries +along with him feels for the beaver; should he +find one, he introduces his bare arm into the +hole, and seizing his prey by the tail, drags it +out on the ice, where it is dispatched with a +spear. There is less danger in this operation +than one would imagine, for the beaver allows +itself to be seized without a struggle, but sometimes +inflicts severe wounds on his captor after +he is taken out of the water.</p> + +<p>When the retreat is not inhabited, the entrance +to it is barred by sticks, and the hunter proceeds +to chisel again, and continues his operations +until the beaver is either taken, or shut out from +all his haunts, in which case he is compelled to +return to the house to take breath, where he is +either shot or caught in a trap.</p> + +<p><a name="XIV12"></a>The language of these Indians is a dialect of +the Sauteux or Bungee, intermixed with Cree, +and a few words of French derivation. The +greater part of them have a smattering of French +or English; but the acquisition of a foreign +language is extremely difficult to them, from +the peculiar formation of their own, which wants +the letter r. An Algonquin pronounces the word +"marrow" "manno" or "mallo." Their dialect +has all the softness of the Italian, but is extremely +poor and defective.</p> + + + + +<h2><a name="XV"></a>CHAPTER XV.</h2> + +<blockquote> +<p align="center"><a href="#XV1">EMBARK FOR THE INTERIOR</a>—<a href="#XV2">MODE OF TRAVELLING BY +CANOES</a>—<a href="#XV3">LITTLE RIVER</a>—<a href="#XV4">LAKE NIPISSING</a>—<a href="#XV5">FRENCH RIVER</a>—<a href="#XV6">OLD +STATION OF INDIAN ROBBERS</a>—<a href="#XV7">FORT MISSISSAGA</a>—<a href="#XV8">INDIANS</a>—<a href="#XV9">LIGHT +CANOE-MEN</a>—<a href="#XV10">SAULT STE. MARIE</a>—<a href="#XV11">LAKE +SUPERIOR</a>—<a href="#XV12">CANOE-MEN DESERT</a>—<a href="#XV13">RE-TAKEN</a>—<a href="#XV14">FORT WILLIAM</a>—<a href="#XV15">M. THIBAUD</a>—<a href="#XV16">LAC LA PLUIE AND RIVER</a>—<a href="#XV16.5">INDIANS</a>—<a href="#XV17">WHITE +RIVER</a>—<a href="#XV18">NARROW ESCAPE</a>—<a href="#XV19">CONVERSATION WITH AN +INDIAN ABOUT BAPTISM.</a></p> +</blockquote> + +<a name="XV1"></a><p>On the 25th April, 1833, I embarked on board +of a steamboat at Lachine, and reached Hull +on the 27th. Here the regular conveyance by +land carriages and steamboat ended, and the traveller in those days was obliged to wait his +passage by the canoes of shanty men, or hire a +boat or canoe for himself. I had recourse to +the latter expedient, and reached the post of +the Chats, then in charge of my esteemed friend +Mr. McD——l, on the 30th. Captain Back +arrived on the 1st of May, put ashore for a few +supplies and my wards, and immediately re-embarked.</p> + +<p>The brigade arrived on the 2d, and the guide +delivered me a letter from Mr. K——, informing +me that I was to consider myself merely as +a passenger, the command of the men being +entrusted to the guide by Governor Simpson's +orders. This arrangement relieved me of much +anxiety and trouble; though I would rather have +preferred undergoing any personal inconvenience +to being placed under the command of an +ignorant Canadian, who might use his "brief" +authority in a way very offensive to my feelings, +without being guilty of anything that I could +complain of.</p> + +<p>My fears, however, were disappointed, as he +showed every deference to my wishes, as well as +the utmost courtesy to the other passengers, +most of whom were of a rank not likely to find +much consideration from a Canadian boatman; +they consisted of a young priest not yet ordained, +an apprentice clerk, three youths who had +been at their education in Lower Canada, and +myself.</p> + +<p>The brigade consisted of three Montreal +canoes, laden with provisions for the trip, and +some tobacco for the southern department; and +manned by sixty Iroquois and Canadians, the +latter engaged to winter, the former for the +trip.</p> + +<p>The day was far spent when we left the +portage of the Chats, and we encamped in the +evening near the head of the rapids. The mode +of travelling in canoes being now well known, +I shall not detail the occurrences of each day, +but confine myself to the narration of such +incidents as may be most worthy of notice +throughout the voyage. The moment we landed +the tent was pitched by men employed for the +purpose; the other men unloaded the canoes, +and carried the goods beyond high-water mark, +where it was piled and covered with oil-cloths.</p> + +<p><a name="XV2"></a>It is the particular duty of the bowsman to +attend to the canoe, to repair and pitch it when +necessary, and to place it in security when the +cargo is discharged. In consideration of these +services he is exempt from the duty of loading +or unloading, his wages are higher than those +of the steersman, and he ranks after the guide. +The latter generally messes with the gentlemen, +his canoe always takes the lead in the rapids, +but in still water the post of honour is held by +the best going canoe. The guide rouses the men +in the morning; the moment the call is heard, +"Lève, lève!" the passengers spring upon their +feet, tie up their beds, and if they are not smart +about it, the tents go down about their ears, +and they must finish the operation in the open air.</p> + +<p>Several of our men having already deserted, +we encamped upon islands, when they could be +found, or kept watch on the mainland. Our hour +of departure was three o'clock, A.M.; when the +weather permitted we breakfasted at seven, dined +at one or two o'clock, P.M., and encamped at +sunset. In calm weather the canoes went abreast, +singing in chorus and keeping time with the +paddles. All was then gaiety, and, to appearance, +happiness; but this is one of those bright +spots in a voyageur's life which are few and far +between.</p> + +<p>We reached Fort Coulonge on the 3d, and it +being late, I took up my quarters with my worthy +old bourgeois, Mr. S. Here we received some +additional supplies of provisions for the crews and +passengers. We arrived at Lac des Allumettes +on the 5th, where I put ashore merely to say +<i>bon jour</i> to an old acquaintance. We encamped +rather early this evening, to allow the men a little +extra rest, on account of the laborious duty they +had performed for some days before. Next day, +when ascending the rapid of Roche Capitaine, the +canoe in which I was passenger came in violent +contact with another; but mine only sustained +damage. The bow being stove in, the canoe began +to fill; we however gained the shore, to which +fortunately we were close, at a leap, and lost no +time in discharging the cargo. Drying the goods +and repairing the canoe occupied us a good part +of the day.</p> + +<p>We reached the Forks of Mattawin on the +8th, where we found a small outpost belonging +to the Fort Coulonge district, recently established +for the purpose of securing the hunts of the +Indians of this quarter, who were in the habit +of trading with shanty men. Being no longer +under any apprehensions of the men deserting, we +now discontinued the watch and slept in comfort.</p> + +<p><a name="XV3"></a>The passage of the Little River was effected +with much toil and difficulty, from the shallowness +of the water. <a name="XV4"></a>We entered Lake Nipissing on +the 10th; descended <a name="XV5"></a>French River, a rapid and +dangerous stream, without accident, and entered +Lake Huron on the morning of the 12th. The +guide pointed out to me <a name="XV6"></a>a place near the mouth +of the river where the Indians used to waylay the +canoes on their passage to and from the interior; +a sort of rude breastwork still marks the spot. +After much destruction of life and property by +the savages, they were eventually caught in their +own toil; the voyageurs, instead of descending +the river at this place, passed by land, and coming +unawares on the Indians killed them all.</p> + +<p>We reached the post of the Cloche early on +the 13th, and spent two hours in the company +of Mr. McB——u, who entertained us most +kindly; and on the 14th looked in at <a name="XV7"></a>Mississaga +post, an establishment which appeared to possess +but few attractions as a place of residence; consisting +of a few miserable log buildings, surrounded +by a number of pine-bark wigwams, +the temporary residence of the natives; several +of whom came reeling into the house after our +arrival, there being an opposition party there.</p> + +<p><a name="XV8"></a>These Indians were, without comparison, the +most uncouth, savage-looking beings I ever beheld; +mouth from ear to ear, cheek-bones remarkably +high, low projecting forehead, hair like a +horse's mane, and eyes red and swollen by continual +intoxication. American whisky had no doubt +contributed to increase their natural deformity.</p> + +<p><a name="XV9"></a>After leaving this post we had a strong breeze +of adverse wind for the remainder of the day, and +encamped in consequence earlier than usual. On +the following morning we were very early roused +from our slumbers by the call of "Canot à lège," +(light canoe). Our beds were tied up, tents +packed, canoes launched and loaded in an instant; +and we set off in pursuit of the mail, which we +overtook at breakfast time, and found Mr. G. +K——th in charge, who had just returned from +England, and was now proceeding to assume the +charge of Lake Superior district. Mr. K——th +exchanged some of his men, who were found +incapable of performing light canoe duty, for +some of our best; an arrangement that did not +appear to please our guide much.</p> + +<p>The duty which the crew of a light canoe have +to perform is laborious in the extreme, and requires +men of the greatest strength and vigour +to stand it. They are never allowed to remain +more than four hours ashore by night, often only +two or three; during the day they are constantly +urged on by the guide or person in command, +and never cease paddling, unless during the few +moments required to exchange seats, or while they +take their hasty meals ashore. They are liberally +plied with grog, well paid, and well fed, and +seldom quit the service until it is hinted to them +that the duty is become too hard for them. A +light canoe-man considers it quite a degradation +to be employed in loaded craft.</p> + +<p><a name="XV10"></a>We arrived early on the 16th at the Company's +establishment at Sault Sainte Marie, where there +is a large depot of provisions for the purpose of +supplying the canoes passing to and from the +interior and the surrounding districts. The south +side of the river is occupied by the Americans as +a military post, and it was gratifying to see the +friendly intercourse that subsisted between the +American officers and the gentlemen in the Company's +service. Would that the same good feeling +were more universal between two nations of +one blood and the same language!</p> + +<p><a name="XV11"></a>The rapid which unites the waters of Lakes +Huron and Superior is avoided by making a +portage. The carrying of the canoes and goods +to the upper end of this portage occupied the +men till about noon, when we embarked on the +"Sea of Canada," having Messrs. Bethune and +McKenzie on board as passengers. We proceeded +about fifteen miles and encamped. We +were ready to embark at the usual hour next +morning, but being prevented by the high wind, +to make the best of the time we turned in +again, and after a most refreshing nap got up to +breakfast.</p> + +<p><a name="XV12"></a>The weather moderating soon after, all hands +were ordered to embark, but all hands were not +there; four of them had deserted during the +night, and were not missed until the crews mustered +for embarkation.</p> + +<p><a name="XV13"></a>While we were holding a consultation regarding +this unpleasant matter, an Indian canoe +luckily cast up, and it was determined to despatch +a party of Iroquois, conducted by a passenger in +disguise, in pursuit of the fugitives. Another +party was sent by land, and after an absence of +about three hours returned with their prisoners. +No criminals ever appeared more dejected than +they; so humble did they seem, that they got off +with a slight reprimand.</p> + +<p><a name="XV14"></a>We reached the post of Michipikoton early on +the morning of the 19th, and passed the remainder +of the day waiting for despatches which +Mr. K—— was preparing for the interior. We +left on the 20th, put ashore at the Pic on the 23d, +where we dined with Mr. McMurray, and after +experiencing much bad weather, adverse winds, +together with showers of snow, we reached Fort +William on the 28th, about noon.</p> + +<p>We found the grand depot of the North-West +Company falling rapidly to decay, presenting in +its present ruinous state but a shadow of departed +greatness. It is now occupied as a petty post, +a few Indians and two or three old voyageurs +being the sole representatives of the crowded +throngs of former times. It must have been a +beautiful establishment in its days of prosperity; +but the buildings certainly do not appear to have +been erected with a view to durability. We here +exchanged our large Montreal canoes for those +of the North, (the former carrying seventy packages +of ninety pounds, the latter twenty-five, +exclusive of provisions;) and each of the passengers +had a canoe for his own accommodation—an +arrangement that seemed to increase in +no small degree the self-importance of some +of our number. Our guide was now obliged to +perform the duty of bowsman, still, however, +retaining his authority over the whole brigade.</p> + +<p>We bade adieu to Fort William and its hospitable +commander on the 29th. Mr. McI——h +had supplied all our wants most liberally, but the +men were now allowed only Indian corn and a +small quantity of grease;—a sad and unpleasing +change for poor Jean Baptiste; but he had no +help but to submit, though not perhaps with the +utmost "Christian resignation."</p> + +<p><a name="XV15"></a>Our men being now well disciplined, and our +canoes comparatively light, we sped over our way +at an excellent rate. We encamped on the +4th of June at one of the Thousand Lakes, and +the canoes were drawn up before M. Thibaud (the +priest) arrived. I was surprised to observe his +frowning aspect on landing, and ascribed it to the +circumstance of his being the "harse," or harrow, +a term of derision applied to the slowest canoe. +Calling me aside, however, he explained the cause +of his discontent, which was very different from +what I had surmised: his crew, whenever they +found themselves sufficiently far in the rear to be +out of hearing, invariably struck up an obscene +song, alike unmindful of his presence and remonstrances; +and this day had not only sung, but +indulged in conversation the most indecent imaginable. +This announcement appeared to me the +more strange, that most of these young men had +never before quitted home; and I had always +understood the authority of the priest to be, at +least, equal to that of the parent. Although, +therefore, I never had any very great reverence +for the (so-called) successors of St. Peter, I yet felt +for my fellow-traveller, and addressed the miscreants +who had insulted him in terms of grave +reprehension, threatening them with severe punishment +if such conduct should again be repeated.</p> + +<p><a name="XV16"></a>We arrived at the post of Lac de la Pluie, +on the 8th of June; and, after a short halt, and +carrying our <i>impedimenta</i> across the portage on +which the fort is situated, commenced the descent +of Lac de la Pluie river,—a beautiful stream, +running with a smooth, though strong current, and +maintaining a medium breadth of about 200 yards. +Its banks, which are clothed with verdure to the +water's edge, recede by a gradual slope until they +terminate in a high ridge, running parallel to the +river on both sides. This ridge yields poplar, +birch, and maple, with a few pines, proving the +excellence of the soil. The interior, however, is +said to be low and swampy.</p> + +<p>We passed the residence of an old retired servant +of the Company, on the 9th, who, if I may +judge from the appearance of his farm and the +number of his cattle, must vegetate very much at +his ease.</p> + +<p><a name="XV16.5"></a>Observing in the evening a large Indian camp, +I requested the guide to put ashore for a little. +We were received kindly, but in a manner quite +different to what I had been accustomed. The +young men were drawn up on the shore, and eyed +us with a savage <i>fierté</i> in their looks, returning our +salutation in a way that convinced us that we were +at length among the "wild men of the woods." +The weather being extremely hot, we found them +in almost a complete state of nudity, with only a +narrow shred of cloth around their loins. They +speak the Sauteux language; and I had much +difficulty in making myself understood by them. +In their physiognomy and personal appearance +they exhibit all the characteristic features of the +genuine aboriginal race; and this party certainly +appeared, one and all, to be "without a cross;" but +there had been long a trading post at Lac la Pluie, +and I noticed, in a neighbouring camp, a lass with +brown hair and pretty blue eyes. Where did +she get them? After bartering some sturgeon +with the Indians, and presenting them with a +little tobacco, we parted good friends, and encamped +so near them as to be annoyed the whole +night by the sound of their drum.</p> + +<p><a name="XV17"></a>On the following morning we entered the Lake +of the Woods, and next morning White River, a +very violent stream, full of falls and dangerous +rapids. The portages are innumerable, and often +close together. After crossing one of these portages, +we observed, with astonishment, a number +of people on the next portage, La Cave, about +pistol-shot distance from us. They proved to be +Mr. Hughes, formerly partner of the North-West +Company; Mr. Berens, a member of Committee, +and suite: they were painfully situated, in consequence +of the loss of their bowsman, who, by +missing a stroke with his pole, fell into the rapid, +and was drowned: the steersman was saved with +great difficulty.</p> + +<p><a name="XV18"></a>We got safe through this dangerous river, on +the 15th; but two of the men had a narrow escape +in one of the last portages. Our guide here, as +everywhere else, having a picked crew, pushed on, +and left us considerably in the rear. Approaching +a fall, Le Bonnet, where no traces of a portage +could be discovered, the men unloaded the canoes, +and commenced carrying the goods through the +woods; but the <i>boutes</i> (bowsmen and steersmen) +determined on wading down with the canoes, the +water being shallow, until they should come close +to the fall; where, by lifting them across a narrow +point, they could place them in the smooth water +beneath. The attempt was made accordingly, by +the leading canoe; but the rock over which the +current flows being smooth, and covered with a +slimy moss, the men slipped, and were in an instant +precipitated over the fall. When we saw the +canoe rushing over the brink, with the poor fellows +clinging to it, we all concluded they had reached +the end of their voyage. Running down to the +foot of the fall, which was about eleven feet high, +having previously ordered a canoe to be carried +across the point, and some shots to be fired to +recall the guide, who was now nearly out of sight, +I was astonished to find the canoe had not upset, +although the men had got into it, and it was half +full of water, and so near the shore that I extended +my arm to lay hold of the bow. The next +moment, however, the stern having come within +the influence of a whirlpool, it was hurried out +into the middle of the stream, and dashed with +such violence against a rock, that the crashing of +the timbers was distinctly heard from the shore. +This shock, which had nearly proved fatal to the +men, threw the canoe into an eddy, or counter-current, +which whirled it to the opposite shore, +where it was about to sink when assistance came.</p> + +<p>In the evening, we arrived at the post of Bas +de la Rivière, in charge of an Orkney-man, by +name Clouston, who had risen from the ranks, +and who, seeing what small fry he had to deal +with, treated us somewhat superciliously. Our +stock of provisions being exhausted, we applied +to <i>Maister</i> Clouston for a fresh supply: he granted +us what I thought very inadequate to our wants; +but he said it was all that was allowed by the +Governor for the passage of the Lake. Here +M. Thibaud found two men with a small canoe, +who had been sent by the Bishop of Red River +to convey him to his destination, waiting his +arrival. We parted with feelings of mutual +regret.</p> + +<p>We left this post late on the 16th, and had +proceeded but a short distance on the Lake, +when a strong head wind compelled us to put +ashore. We now experienced constant bad +weather, never completing a day's sailing without +interruption from some cause or other; and +in consequence of these delays, it was found +necessary to curtail our allowance of provisions. +On the 20th, we pitched our tents near a camp +of Sauteux, from whom the men procured a +small quantity of sturgeon, in exchange for some +articles of clothing. I was surprised to find +Indians, in a quarter so remote from those tribes +with whom I had hitherto been conversant, +speaking a dialect which I understood perfectly: +their erratic habits, and intercourse with the +Crees and Algonquins, may perhaps account for +this similarity of dialect.</p> + +<p><a name="XV19"></a>I entered into conversation with a shrewd old +fellow, who had been often at Red River settlement. +Among other questions, I asked him +whether he had not been baptized?</p> + +<p>"Baptized!" he exclaimed; "don't speak of +it, my brother. Baptized—that I may go to the +devil! Indians think a good Indian goes to +the good place when he dies; but the priests +send <i>all</i> to the evil one."</p> + +<p>I asked him how he made that out?</p> + +<p>"Why, I learned it from the priests themselves. +When I first went to Red River, I met +a French priest, who earnestly besought me to +be converted. I heard him attentively, and his +words had a great effect upon me; but I had +been told there was another priest there, who +had different thoughts about religion, and I +thought I would go to him too. He was very +kind to me, and spoke nearly the same words +as the French priest; so that I thought there +was no difference in their religions. He asked +me if I would be baptized? and I told him that +I would; but I wanted to learn the French +prayer. 'Ah! my son,' he said, 'that must +not be: if you adopt that bad religion, you will +be burned for certain.' And he spoke so strong, +that I almost thought he was right. But before +I would do anything, I went to the French priest +again, and told him what the English priest said +to me; and then said I would learn the English +prayer. 'Ah! my son,' said he, 'if you do so, +it will lead you to perdition: all that pray after +the English manner go to the fire.' And he said +much more, and his words were very strong too; +so I saw that I could be no better by forsaking +the belief of my fathers, and I have not gone to +French or English priest since."</p> + +<p>This is by no means a solitary case; and it is +one of the sore evils which arise from the corruption +of Christianity, and the divisions of +Christians. Nor, in the case of creeds so +opposite as those of Protestants and Roman +Catholics—creeds as opposite as light and darkness—is +it easy to point out a remedy. After +all, it is surely better for these poor Indians to +adopt some form of Christianity, however corrupt, +than to remain in the darkness and debasement +of heathenism. And if our missionaries +would act upon the noble maxim of the greatest +of the Apostles—"never to enter upon the sphere +of another man's labours,"—consequences so +injurious would be avoided. If they have not +so much Christianity and good sense as to do +so of themselves, where there is the power, they +should be compelled to do it. The Company +have the power, but are too much occupied +with matters which they deem more momentous, +to waste a thought upon this.</p> + + + +<h2><a name="XVI"></a>CHAPTER XVI.</h2> + +<blockquote> +<p align="center"><a href="#XVI1">CONTINUATION OF THE VOYAGE</a>—<a href="#XVI2">RUN SHORT OF PROVISIONS</a>—<a href="#XVI3">DOGS' +FLESH</a>—<a href="#XVI4">NORWAY HOUSE</a>—<a href="#XVI5">INDIAN VOYAGEURS</a>—<a href="#XVI6">ORDERED +TO NEW CALEDONIA</a>—<a href="#XVI7">LAKE WINNIPEG</a>—<a href="#XVI8">MACINTOSH'S +ISLAND SUBMERGED</a>—<a href="#XVI9">CUMBERLAND HOUSE</a>—<a href="#XVI10">CHIPPEWEYAN +AND CREE INDIANS</a>—<a href="#XVI11">PORTAGE LA LOCHE</a>—<a href="#XVI12">SCENERY</a>—<a href="#XVI13">ATHABASCA</a>—<a href="#XVI14">HEALTHINESS +OF THE CLIMATE.</a></p> +</blockquote> + +<p><a name="XVI1"></a>High winds detained us in camp on the 21st. +The crews of two canoes, <a name="XVI2"></a>having finished their +last meal to-day, bartered some more of their +clothes for dogs. We reached a small outpost +called Berens House on the 23d, where we procured +a couple of sturgeon, and a dog valued at +ten shillings, for which I gave my note of hand. +<a name="XVI3"></a>I had a <i>preein</i> of this cynic mutton at breakfast; +and could not help thinking it would have made +a most appropriate and <i>philosophical</i> addition to +the larder of the wise man of the tub. The men, +however, having been for some time on short +commons, seemed to relish it. We supped +lightly enough on the remainder of Mr. Clouston's +bountiful supply, giving a share to the men.</p> + +<p><a name="XVI4"></a>After a most tedious and miserable passage, +we reached the outlet of Lake Winnipeg on the +24th, and arrived next morning at Norway House. +Here the men were liberally supplied; and I +found myself at breakfast with a number of chief +factors and chief traders, just arrived from their +respective districts, and on their way with their +valuable returns to York Factory. Captain Back +was also here, having sent on his men and baggage +under the command of Dr. King, intending +himself to follow in a light canoe, after having +forwarded his despatches to Europe.</p> + +<p>The day after my arrival, I was notified by +one of the officials, that it was arranged that +I should pass the summer here, giving such +assistance to the gentleman in charge as might +be required of me; and that my future destination +should be determined upon at York Factory. +I now passed my time very agreeably, having +just enough employment in the day-time to keep +off <i>ennui</i>, and the company of several gentlemen, +and, what I thought still better, that of a fair +countrywoman,<a id="footnotetag14" + name="footnotetag14"></a><a href="#footnote14"><sup>14</sup></a> in the evening. I was gratified +to find that there existed here a far greater degree +of intimacy between gentlemen of different ranks +in the service, than in the Montreal department, +where a clerk is considered as a mere hireling; +here, on the contrary, commissioned officers look +upon clerks as candidates for the same rank which +themselves hold, and treat them accordingly.</p> + +<p>The Governor, having taken up his residence +for some years past in England, crosses the +Atlantic once a year, and during his brief +sojourn, Norway House forms his head-quarters. +Here it is that the sham Council is held, and +everything connected with the business of the +interior arranged. Here also is the depot for +the districts of Athabasca and McKenzie's River, +which supplies all the provisions required for +inland transport. These provisions are furnished +by the Saskatchewan district, or are purchased +by the Company from the colonists of Red River, +who have no other customers.</p> + +<p><a name="XVI5"></a>The natives of this quarter speak a jargon of +Cree and Sauteux, which sounds very harshly. +They all understand English, and some of them +speak it fluently. Many of them are constantly +employed as voyageurs between Norway House +and York Factory; and none perform the trip +more expeditiously, or render their cargoes in +better condition than they. Of Christianity, +they have learned just as much as enables them +to swear; in other respects, they are still Pagans.</p> + +<p><a name="XVI6"></a>On the 20th of July, I received a letter from +Mr. Chief Factor Cameron, who acted as President +of the Council in the Governor's absence, +conveying orders for me to proceed to New +Caledonia; Mr. Charles being instructed to furnish +me with a passage to Athabasca, and to +forward me afterwards to Fort Dunvegan, on +Peace River, where I was to wait the arrival of +the party sent annually from New Caledonia +for a supply of leather.</p> + +<p><a name="XVI7"></a>The brigade having been despatched on the +27th, Mr. C. and I embarked on the 28th, and +overtook it at the entrance of Lake Winnipeg. +The crews being ashore, and enjoying themselves, +we passed on; hut did not proceed far, ere the +wind blew so violently as to compel us to put +ashore. After a delay of about four hours, we +"put to sea" again; and the wind gradually +abating as we proceeded, we encamped in the +evening nearly opposite to McIntosh's Island.</p> + +<p><a name="XVI8"></a>This island, some years ago, presented an extensive +surface of land covered with wood: there +is not now a vestige of land to be seen; the spot +where it existed being only known to voyagers +by a shoal which is visible at low water. But +not only have the islands been swept away, but +the mainland along the west end of the lake +seems gradually being encroached upon and +engulphed by the waves; an undeniable proof +of which is, that the old post of Norway House, +which formerly stood at a considerable distance +from the water's edge, is now close to it, and the +burial-ground is nearly all submerged.</p> + +<p>We arrived at the foot of Grand Rapid late +on the 29th of July, and passed the portage on +the 30th, assisted by the natives—Sauteux, Crees, +and half-breeds. These live luxuriously on sturgeon, +with little toil. Among them I observed +two or three old Canadians, who could scarcely +be distinguished from the natives by language, +manners, or dress; such persons, when young, +having formed an attachment to some of the +Indian young women, betake themselves to their +half-savage mode of life, and very soon cannot +be persuaded to quit it.</p> + +<p>We arrived on the 5th of August at Rivière +du Pas, where an old Canadian, M. Constant, +had fixed his abode, who appeared to have an +abundance of the necessaries of life, and a large +family of half-Indians, who seemed to claim him +as their sire. We breakfasted sumptuously on +fish and fowl, and no charge was made; but a +gratuity of tea, tobacco, or sugar is always given; +so that M. Constant loses nothing by his considerate +attentions to his visitors.</p> + +<p><a name="XVI9"></a>We reached Cumberland House on the 8th. +Here I was cheered by the sight of extensive +corn-fields, horned cattle, pigs and poultry, which +gave the place more the appearance of a farm +in the civilized world, than of a trading post in +the far North-West; and I could not help +envying the happy lot of its tenant, and contrasting +it with my own, which led me to the +wilds of New Caledonia—to fare like a dog, without +knowing how long my exile might be +protracted.</p> + +<p>We arrived at the post of Isle à la Crosse, +where we were detained a day in consequence +of bad weather. This post is also surrounded by +cultivated fields, and I observed a few cattle; +but the voice of the grunter was not heard.</p> + +<p><a name="XVI10"></a>The Indians who frequent this post are chiefly +Chippeweyans, with a few families of Crees. The +former differ in features, language, and manners +from any I had yet seen. Their face is of +a peculiar mould, broad; the cheekbone remarkably +prominent, chin small, mouth wide, with +thick lips, the upper covered with beard; the +body strongly built and muscular. They appear +destitute of the amiable qualities which characterise +the Crees. Whenever we met any of them +on our route, and asked for fish or meat, "Budt +hoola,"<a id="footnotetag15" + name="footnotetag15"></a><a href="#footnote15"><sup>15</sup></a> was the invariable answer; yet no +Indians were ever more importunate than they +in begging for tobacco. On the contrary, when +we fell in with Crees, they allowed us to help +ourselves freely, and were delighted to see us +do so, receiving thankfully whatever we gave +them in return. The features of the Crees are +not so strongly marked as those of the Sauteux, +although they are a kindred people; yet they +are as easily distinguishable from each other, as +an Englishman from a Frenchman.</p> + +<p><a name="XVI11"></a>We left Isle à la Crosse on the 12th, and +without meeting with any adventure worthy of +notice, reached the end of Portage la Loche +about two o'clock P.M. of the following day, with +canoe and baggage. In this, as in every other +part of their territories, the Company use boats +for the transport of property; but by a very +judicious arrangement, much time and labour are +saved at this portage, which is said to be twelve +miles in length. Boats are placed at the upper +and lower ends, so that the men have only to +carry across the property, which, in truth, of +itself is a sufficiently laborious operation for +human beings. The people from the district of +McKenzie's River come thus far with their +returns, and receive their outfit in boats manned +by half-breeds, who are hired at Red River for +the trip.</p> + +<p><a name="XVI12"></a>The prospect which the surrounding country +presents from the upper end of the portage is +very striking; and the more so from the sudden +manner in which it bursts upon the view. You +suddenly arrive at the summit of a remarkably +steep hill, where, on looking around, the first +object that attracts attention is a beautiful green +hill standing on the opposite side of the deep +glen, through which the clear Water River flows, +forming the most prominent feature of an extensive +range, cut up by deep ravines, whose +sides are clothed with wood, presenting already +all the beautiful variety of their autumnal hues; +while, at intervals, a glimpse was caught of +the river meandering through the valley. In +former times these hills were covered with herds +of buffaloes, but not one is to be seen now.</p> + +<p><a name="XVI13"></a>We once more proceeded down the stream, and +arrived at Athabasca on the 21st of August, +where we found Dr. King, who had been delayed +some days repairing his boats; Capt. Back having +proceeded onwards in a light canoe to fix on a +winter residence.</p> + +<p>Fort Chippeweyan was, in the time of the +North-West Company, next in importance to +Fort William. Besides having several detached +posts depending immediately upon itself, and +carrying on a very extensive trade with the +Chippeweyans, (the best hunters in the Indian +country,) it served as depôt for the districts of +McKenzie's River, and Peace River.</p> + +<p>The trade of this district, although it bears +no comparison to that of former times, is yet +pretty extensive. It is still the depôt for Peace +River, and commands the trade with the Chippeweyans. +Trade is carried on in this quarter +solely by barter, which secures the Company from +loss, and is apparently attended with no inconvenience +to the natives, who used formerly to +take their supplies on credit.</p> + +<p>Beaver is the standard according to which all +other furs are rated; so many martens, so many +foxes, &c., equal to one beaver. The trader, on +receiving the Indian's hunt, proceeds to reckon +it up according to this rule, giving the Indian +a quill for each beaver; these quills are again +exchanged at the counter for whatever articles +he wants. The people of this post subsist entirely +on the produce of the country, fish, flesh, +and fowl, of which there is the greatest abundance. +Both soil and climate are said to be +unfavourable to the cultivation of grain or vegetables; +the attempt is made, however, and sometimes +with success.</p> + +<p>I took my departure from Athabasca on the +24th of August, accompanied by Mr. Charles +Ross, who had passed the summer there as <i>locum +tenens</i>, and was now proceeding to assume the +charge of his own post, Fort Vermillion, where +we arrived on the 1st of September.</p> + +<p>This post is agreeably situated on the right +bank of Peace River, having the river in front, +and boundless prairies in the rear. The Indians +attached to it are designated Beaver Indians, and +their language is said to have some affinity to +the Chippeweyan. This is, however, the only +point of resemblance between them. The Beavers +are a more diminutive race than the Chippeweyans, +and their features bear a greater resemblance +to those of the Crees. They are allowed +to be generous, hospitable and brave; and +are distinguished for their strict adherence to +truth.</p> + +<p>Most Indians boast of the murder of white +men as a glorious exploit; these, on the contrary, +glory in never having shed the blood of one, +although they often imbrue their hands in the +blood of their kindred; being very apt to quarrel +among themselves, chiefly on account of their +gallantry. When an illicit amour is detected, +the consequence is frequently fatal to one of +the parties; but the unmarried youth, of both +sexes, are generally under no restraint whatever.</p> + +<p>I bade adieu to Mr. Ross, a warm-hearted +Gael, on the 3d, and arrived at Fort Dunvegan +on the 10th of September, then under the charge +of Mr. McIntosh, chief factor, where I met with +a Highland welcome, and passed the time most +agreeably in the company of a well educated +gentleman. The Indians here are of the same +tribe as those of Fort Vermillion, but are not +guiltless of the blood of the whites. This post +is also surrounded by prairies. A large farm +is cultivated, yielding in favourable seasons a +variety of vegetables and grain: but the crops +are subject to injury from frost; sometimes are +altogether destroyed. When the wind blows for +some time from the west, it cools in its passage +across the glaciers of the Rocky Mountains, to +such a degree, that the change of temperature +caused by it is not only severely felt in the +vicinity of the mountains, but at a great distance +from them, as far even as Red River.</p> + +<p><a name="XVI14"></a>From the great age attained by many of the +retired servants of the Company, who pass their +lives in this country, the salubrity of the climate +may fairly be inferred. Meeting a brigade of +small canoes between Fort Vermillion and this +place, and observing an old man with a white +head and wrinkled face, sitting in the centre of +one of them, I made up to him, and after saluting +him <i>(à la Française,</i> presented him with a +piece of tobacco—the Indian letter of introduction. +I inquired of him how long it was since +he had left home.</p> + +<p>"Sixty-two years, Monsieur," was the reply; +and as the canoes assembled around us, he +pointed out to me his sons, and his sons' sons, to +the third and fourth generation.</p> + +<p>I heard of no malady which the white inhabitants +are liable to, except the goîtres; caused, +it is presumed, in part by the use of snow-water, +and in part by the use of the river-water, which +is strongly impregnated with clay, so much so, +as sometimes to resemble a solution of the earth +itself.</p> + +<blockquote class="footnote"> + <a id="footnote14" name="footnote14"></a><b>Footnote 14:</b> + <a href="#footnotetag14">(return)</a> +<p>Mistress of the establishment.</p> +</blockquote> + +<blockquote class="footnote"> + <a id="footnote15" name="footnote15"></a><b>Footnote 15:</b> + <a href="#footnotetag15">(return)</a> +<p>There is none.</p> +</blockquote> + + + +<h2><a name="XVII"></a>CHAPTER XVII.</h2> + +<blockquote> +<p><a href="#XVII1">ARRIVAL OF MR. P. FROM CALEDONIA</a>—<a href="#XVII2">SCENERY</a>—<a href="#XVII3">LAND-SLIP</a>—<a href="#XVII4">MASSACRE +AT FORT ST. JOHN'S</a>—<a href="#XVII5">ROCKY MOUNTAIN PORTAGE</a>—<a href="#XVII6">ROCKY +MOUNTAINS</a>—<a href="#XVII7">MAGNIFICENT SCENERY</a>—<a href="#XVII8">M'LEOD'S +LAKE</a>—<a href="#XVII9">RECEPTION OF ITS COMMANDER BY THE +INDIANS.</a></p> +</blockquote> + +<p><a name="XVII1"></a>Mr. Paul Fraser, a senior clerk, arrived from +Caledonia with three canoes, on the 26th of September, +and on the 28th we took our departure. +Above Fort Dunvegan the current becomes so +strong that the canoes are propelled by long poles, +in using which the men had acquired such dexterity +that we made much better progress than +I could have expected. <a name="XVII2"></a>As we ascended the river, +the scenery became beautifully diversified with +hill and dale and wooded valleys, through which +there generally flowed streams of limpid water. +<a name="XVII3"></a>I observed at one place a tremendous land-slip, +caused by the water undermining the soil. Trees +were seen in an inverted position, the branches +sunk in the ground and the roots uppermost; +others with only the branches appearing above +ground; the earth rent and intersected by chasms +extending in every direction; while piles of earth +and stones intermixed with shattered limbs and +trunks of trees, contributed to increase the dreadful +confusion of the scene. The half of a huge +hill had tumbled into the river, and dammed it +across, so that no water escaped for some time. +The people of Dunvegan, seeing the river suddenly +dry up, were terrified by the phenomenon, +but they had not much time to investigate the +cause: the river as suddenly reappeared, presenting +a front of nearly twenty feet in height, and +foaming and rushing down with the noise of +thunder.</p> + +<p><a name="XVII4"></a>On the 3d of October we reached the tenantless +Fort of St. John's, where a horrid tragedy was +enacted some years ago—the commander of the post with all his men having been +cut off by the Indians. The particulars of this atrocious deed, as related to me +by the gentleman at the head of the district at the time, were as follows:—</p> + +<p><a name="XVII5"></a>It had been determined that the post of +St. John's should be abandoned, and the establishment +removed to the Rocky Mountain portage, +for the convenience of the Tsekanies, who were +excellent hunters, but who could not be well +supplied from this post, on account of the greatness +of the distance. Unfortunately a quarrel +had arisen about this time between the Indians +of St. John's and the Tsekanies. The former +viewed the removal of the post from their lands +as an insult, and a measure that gave their enemies +a decided superiority over them, and they took +a very effectual method of disappointing them.</p> + +<p>Mr. Hughes, having sent off his men with a +load of property for the new post, remained alone. +This was the opportunity the Indians sought for, +and they did not fail to take advantage of it. +The unfortunate man had been in the habit of +walking daily by the river side, and was taking +his usual promenade the day after the departure +of his men, when he was shot down by two of the +assassins. They then carried his body to his room +and left it, and his blood still marks the floor. +The men, altogether unconscious of the fate that +awaited them, came paddling toward the landing-place, +singing a voyageur's song, and just as the +canoe touched the shore a volley of bullets was +discharged at them, which silenced them for ever. +They were all killed on the spot. The post has +remained desolate ever since. Fort Dunvegan +was also abandoned for some years, which reduced +the natives to the greatest distress.</p> + +<p>As soon as intelligence was received of the +catastrophe, a party of half-breeds and Crees, +under the command of one of the clerks, was +fitted out in order to inflict deserved punishment +on the murderers; but just as the party had got +on the trail, and within a short distance of the +camp, they received orders from the superintendent +to return.</p> + +<p>These orders were no doubt dictated by feelings +of humanity, as Mr. McIntosh had learned that +some Indians, who were not concerned in the +murder, were in the same camp, and he was +apprehensive the innocent might be involved in +the same punishment with the guilty. The most +of them, however, were afterwards starved to +death; and the country having been abandoned +by the Company, gave the natives occasion to +remark, that the measure was dictated more by +fear of them than by motives of humanity.</p> + +<p><a name="XVII6"></a>The Rocky Mountains came in view on the +8th of October, and we reached the portage bearing +their name on the 10th, the crossing of which +took us eight days, being fully thirteen miles in +length, and excessively bad road, leading sometimes +through swamps and morasses, then ascending +and descending steep: hills, and for at least +one-third of the distance so obstructed by fallen +trees as to render it all but impassable. I consider +the passage of this portage the most laborious +duty the Company's servants have to perform +in any part of the territory; and, as the voyageurs +say, "He that passes it with his share of a canoe's +cargo may call himself a man."</p> + +<p>In the passage we came upon a large camp of +Tsekanies, Mr. Eraser's customers. Their dialect +is similar to that of the Beaver Indians, but they +understand the Cree, which is the medium of +communication between Mr. F. and them. It +thus appears that this language is understood +from the shores of Labrador to the foot of the +Rocky Mountains.</p> + +<p><a name="XVII7"></a>After passing the portage, the Rocky Mountains +reared their snow-clad summits all around us, +presenting a scene of gloomy grandeur, that had +nothing cheering in it. One scene, however, +struck me as truly sublime. As we proceeded +onward the mountains pressed closer on the river, +and at one place approached so near that the gap +seemed to have been made by the river forcing +a passage through them. We passed in our canoes +at the base of precipices that rose almost perpendicularly +above us on either side to the height +of 3,000 or 4,000 feet! After passing through +these magnificent portals, the mountains recede +to a considerable distance, the space intervening +between them and the river being a flat, yielding +timber of a larger growth than I expected to find +in such a situation.</p> + +<p><a name="XVII8"></a>We arrived at McLeod's Lake—Mr. Fraser's +post—on the 25th, where a number of Indians +were waiting their supplies. <a name="XVII9"></a>They received us +quite in a military style, with several discharges +of fire-arms, and appeared delighted at the arrival +of their chief. They seemed to be on the best +possible terms together—the white chief and his +<i>red "tail"</i>. They are Tsekanies, and are reputed +honest, industrious, and faithful.</p> + +<p>The outfit for this post is conveyed on horse-back +from Stuart's Lake. A more dreary situation +can scarcely be imagined, surrounded by +towering mountains that almost exclude the light +of day, and snow storms not seldom occurring, +so violent and long continued as to bury the +establishment. I believe there are few situations +in the country that present such local disadvantages; +but there is the same miserable solitude +everywhere; and yet we find natives of England, +Scotland, and Ireland devoting their lives to a +business that holds forth such prospects! I remained +with my new friend one day, enjoying +the comforts of his <i>eyry,</i> and then set off for the +goal of my long course, where I arrived on the +28th of October.</p> + + +<h2><a name="XVIII"></a>CHAPTER XVIII.</h2> + +<blockquote> +<p><a href="#XVIII1">ARRIVAL AT NEW CALEDONIA</a>—<a href="#XVIII2">BEAUTIFUL SCENERY</a>—<a href="#XVIII3">INDIAN +HOUSES</a>—<a href="#XVIII4">AMUSEMENTS AT THE FORT</a>—<a href="#XVIII5">THREATENED ATTACK +OF INDIANS</a>—<a href="#XVIII6">EXPEDITION AGAINST THEM</a>—<a href="#XVIII7">BEEF-STEAKS</a>—<a href="#XVIII8">NEW +CALEDONIAN FARE</a>—<a href="#XVIII9">MODE OF CATCHING SALMON</a>—<a href="#XVIII10">SINGULAR +DEATH OF NATIVE INTERPRETER</a>—<a href="#XVIII11">INDIAN FUNERAL +RITES</a>—<a href="#XVIII12">BARBAROUS TREATMENT OF WIDOWS.</a></p> +</blockquote> + +<p><a name="XVIII1"></a>Fort St. James, the depôt of New Caledonia +district, stands near the outlet of Stuart's Lake, +and commands a splendid view of the surrounding +country. <a name="XVIII2"></a>The lake is about fifty miles in length, +and from three to four miles in breadth, stretching +away to the north and north-east for about +twenty miles; the view from the Fort embraces +nearly the whole of this section of it, which +is studded with beautiful islands. The western +shore is low, and indented by a number of small +bays formed by wooded points projecting into +the lake, the back-ground rising abruptly into +a ridge of hills of varied height and magnitude. +On the east the view is limited to a range of +two or three miles, by the intervention of a high +promontory, from which the eye glances to the +snowy summits of the Rocky Mountains in the +distant back-ground. I do not know that I have +seen anything to compare with this charming +prospect in any other part of the country; its +beauties struck me even at this season of the +year, when nature having partly assumed her +hybernal dress, everything appeared to so much +greater disadvantage.</p> + +<p><a name="XVIII3"></a>The Indian village is situated in a lovely spot +at the outlet of the lake, and consists of only +five or six houses, but every house is occupied +by several families. These buildings are of a +very slight and simple construction, being merely +formed of stakes driven into the ground; a square +piece of timber runs horizontally along the top +of this wall, to which the stakes are fastened by +strips of willow bark. This inclosure, which is +of a square form, is roofed in by placing two +strong posts at each gable, which support the +ridge pole, on which the roof sticks are placed, +one end resting on the ridge pole, and the other +on the wall, the whole being covered with pine +bark: there is generally a door at each end, +which is cut in the wall after the building is +erected. These apertures are of a circular form, +and about two and a half feet in diameter, so +that a stranger finds it very awkward to pass +through them. In effecting a passage you first +introduce a leg, then bending low the body you +press in head and shoulders; in this position +you will have some difficulty in maintaining +your equilibrium, for if you draw in the rest +of the body too quickly, it is a chance but you +will find yourself with your head undermost: +the natives bolt through them with the agility +of a weasel.</p> + +<p><a name="XVIII4"></a>For some time after my arrival here, I had +very little employment, there being a scribe +already in the establishment, whose experience +and industry required no assistance from me. +I thus found myself a supernumerary—a character +that did not suit me, but I was obliged +to content myself for the present. We were +joined early in winter by some of the gentlemen +in charge of posts, when we managed to pass +the time very agreeably. Mr. D——, superintendent +of the district, played remarkably well +on the violin and flute, some of us "wee bodies" +could also do something in that way, and our +musical soirees, if not in melody, could at least +compete in noise, numbers taken into account, +with any association of the kind in the British +dominions. Chess, backgammon, and whist, completed +the variety of our evening pastimes. In +the daytime each individual occupied himself +as he pleased. When together, smoking, "spinning +yarns" about <i>dog</i> racing, canoe sailing, and +<i>l'amour;</i> sometimes politics; now and then an +animated discussion on theology, but without +bitterness; these made our days fly away as +agreeably as our nights.</p> + +<p><a name="XVIII5"></a>While thus pleasantly occupied, a piece of +intelligence was received, which caused the +breaking up of our little society, and created +some alarm. A party of seven or eight Indians +having been drowned on their way to Alexandria, +in autumn, their relatives imputed the misfortune +to the whites. "Had there been no whites at +Alexandria," said they, "our friends would not +have gone there to trade; and if they had not +gone there, they would not have been drowned:" +<i>ergo</i>—the white men are the cause of their +death, and the Indians must be avenged.</p> + +<p>Nothing, however, was known of their hostile +intentions until winter, when Mr. F. had occasion +to send a man to Stuart's Lake with despatches, +who, on arriving opposite to the Indian camp, +found himself suddenly surrounded by the natives. +They advanced rapidly upon him, brandishing +their arms, and uttering horrid yells, and would +have dispatched him on the spot but for the +interference of one of themselves, who nobly +threw himself between the Canadian and the +muzzles of the guns that were levelled at him, +and beckoned him to flee. He took to his heels +accordingly, and never looked behind him till he +reached the fort.</p> + +<p><a name="XVIII6"></a>A little before Mr. Fisher had learned from his +home guards that an attack on the fort was intended, +and that they had been solicited by their +neighbours to join in it, but had refused. So +far, indeed, from wishing to injure the whites, +they consented to carry the despatches which +conveyed the information I have just mentioned. +As Mr. F. urgently requested that assistance +should be afforded him with as little delay as +possible, it was determined that I should forthwith +proceed to Alexandria, accompanied by +Waccan, the interpreter, and eight men well +armed.</p> + +<p>Passing Fraser's Lake and Fort George posts, +we arrived at the Indian winter camp, which we +found abandoned; but a well beaten track led +from it in the direction of Alexandria, a circumstance +which made us apprehensive that our aid +might come too late, and prompted us to redouble +our speed. Our party consequently was soon +very much scattered—a most unmilitary procedure—which +might have proved fatal to ourselves, +while we thought of relieving our friends.</p> + +<p>The interpreter, myself, and two Iroquois, +forming the advanced guard of the <i>grand army</i>, +which consisted of full six men, still considerably +in the rear, on turning a point found ourselves +immediately in front of the camp. We were +thus as much taken by surprise as those whom +we wished to surprise; but without hesitating +a moment we rushed up the bank, and were +instantly in the midst of the camp. The uproar +was tremendous, the Indians seized their arms +with the most threatening gestures and savage +yells, and it would have been impossible for us +to execute our orders—which were to seize the +ringleader only—without a fierce struggle and +bloodshed on both sides; and though more resolute, +perhaps, than our enemies, we were by far +the weaker party, their numbers being at least +ten to one of ours.</p> + +<p>Happily, however, there was an Indian (one +of our friends) from Alexandria, in the camp, +who, as soon as he could make himself heard, +informed us that the affair had been already +arranged to the satisfaction of both parties. Thus +terminated our expedition, without bloodshed +and without laurels. A few days earlier it might +have been otherwise; nor was Mr. F. without +blame in neglecting to advise us of the arrangement.</p> + +<p><a name="XVIII7"></a>We continued our course towards Fort Alexandria, +and reached it late in the evening. My +unexpected appearance gave my old bourgeois +of Two Mountains an agreeable surprise. Having +eaten nothing since morning, we made sad havoc +of his beefsteaks and potatoes.</p> + +<p>"Well, Mac," said he, "to judge from your +appetite, the air of New Caledonia seems to +agree wonderfully with you. Pray how do you +like the beef-steaks?"</p> + +<p>"Never tasted anything better," said I.</p> + +<p>Next morning he requested me to accompany +him to the store, as he said, to see a hind-leg +of the steer which had furnished me with my +steaks. I approached it, and lo! it was the +hind-leg of a horse! The beef-steaks, or rather +<i>horse</i>-steaks, were again presented at breakfast, +and I confess I had not the same relish for them +as at supper, but my repugnance—such is the +effect of habit—was soon overcome.</p> + +<p>I remained a few days here for the sake of +repose, and then returned. On the approach of +spring, my fellow-subordinate, Mr. McKenzie, +dissatisfied with the service, left for the east +side of the mountains, and I took his place at +the desk, the duties of which, although by no +means harassing, left me but little leisure. The +accounts of all the posts in the district, eight +in number, were made up here; I had also to +superintend the men of the establishment, accompany +them on their winter trips, and attend +to the Indian trade. But even if the duty +had been more toilsome, I had every inducement +to perform it cheerfully, as Mr. Dease was +one of the kindest and most considerate of men. +On the 5th of May Mr. Dease took his departure +for Fort Vancouver, with the returns of +his district, which might he valued at 11,000<i>l</i>. +The outfit, together with servants' wages and +incidental expenses, amounted to about 3,000<i>l</i>., +leaving to the Company a clear profit of about +8,000<i>l</i>.</p> + +<p><a name="XVIII8"></a>I was appointed to the charge of Stuart's Lake +during the summer, with four men to perform the +ordinary duties of the establishment—making hay, +attending to gardens, &c. A few cattle were +introduced in 1830, and we now began to derive +some benefit from the produce of the dairy. Our +gardens (a term applied in this country to any +piece of ground under cultivation) in former +times yielded potatoes; nothing would now grow +save turnips. A few carrots and cabbages were +this year raised on a piece of new ground, which +added to the luxuries of our table. Heaven knows, +they were much wanted, for the other fare was +scarcely fit for dogs! In the early part of the +season it consisted entirely of salmon, which this +year was of the worst quality, having been two +years in the store. A few sturgeon, however, of +enormous<a id="footnotetag16" + name="footnotetag16"></a><a href="#footnote16"><sup>16</sup></a> size, were caught, whose flesh was the +most tender and delicious I had ever eaten, and +would have been considered a delicacy by Apicius +himself; it need not be wondered at then that +the capture of one caused universal joy.</p> + +<p><a name="XVIII9"></a>The salmon (the New Caledonian staff of life) +ascend Frazer's River and its tributaries, from the +Pacific in immense shoals, proceeding towards +the sources of the streams until stopped by +shallow water. Having deposited their spawn, +their dead bodies are seen floating down the +current in thousands; few of them ever return +to the sea; and in consequence of the old fish +perishing in this manner, they fail in this quarter +every fourth year. The natives display a good +deal of ingenuity in catching them. Where the +current and depth of water permit, they bar it +across by means of stakes driven into the bottom +with much labour, and standing about six inches +apart; these are strongly bound to a piece of +timber, or "plate," running along the top; stays, +or supporters, are placed at intervals of ten or +twelve feet, the upper end bearing against the +plate so as to form an angle with the stream. +Gaps are left in the works of sufficient size to +admit the <i>varveaux,</i> or baskets, in which the fish +are taken. After the whole is finished, square +frames of wicker-work, called keys, are let down +against the upper side, to prevent the fish from +ascending, and at the same time to allow the +water a free passage. The keys must be kept +entirely free from filth, such as branches, leaves, +&c., otherwise the whole works would soon be +swept away. The baskets are of a cylindrical +form, about two and a half feet in diameter at +the mouth, and terminate in a point of four or, +five inches. When the fishing is over, all the +materials are removed, and replaced the ensuing +year with equal labour.</p> + +<p>To preserve the fish for future consumption +the following process is adopted. The back being +split up, and the back-bone extracted, it is hung +by the tail for a few days; then it is taken down +and distended on splinters of wood; these are +attached to a sort of scaffold erected for the purpose, +where the fish remains till sufficiently dry +for preservation. Even in dry seasons, during +this process, the ground all round the scaffold +is thickly covered with large maggots; but in wet +seasons the sight becomes much more loathsome.</p> + +<p>I have already observed that the salmon fail +periodically, and the natives would consequently +be reduced to the utmost distress, did not the +goodness of Providence furnish them with a substitute. +Rabbits are sent to supply the place of +the salmon; and, singular as it may appear, these +animals increase in number as the salmon decrease, +until they swarm all over the country. +When the salmon return, they gradually disappear, +being destroyed or driven away by their +greatest enemy, the lynx, which first appear in +smaller, then in greater numbers;—both they +and their prey disappearing together. As to the +<i>cause</i> that induces those animals to appear and +disappear in this manner, I cannot take upon +myself to explain.</p> + +<p><a name="XVIII10"></a>In the course of this summer one of our interpreters, +a native, lost his life in rather a singular +manner. He had made a bear-trap, and wishing +to ascertain how it would work, tried his own +weight on the spring, which yielded but too +readily, and crushed him in so dreadful a manner +that he only survived his experiment but a few +hours. As he had withdrawn from the Company's +service this year, his body was disposed of after +the manner of his own people, except that it was +buried instead of being burned; this, however, +was the first instance of an interment, it being +introduced through our influence in pity to the +unfortunate widows, who are exposed to the +cruellest tortures at the burning of the body. I +never beheld a more affecting scene than the +present. Immediately as the coffin was lowered +into the grave, the widow threw herself upon it, +shrieking and tearing her hair, and could only be +removed by main force: several other females, +relatives of the deceased, were also assembled in +a group hard by, and evinced all the external +symptoms of extreme grief, chanting the death-song +in a most lugubrious tone, the tears streaming +down their cheeks, and beating their breasts. +The men, however, even the brothers of the deceased, +showed no emotion whatever, and as soon +as the rites were ended, moved off the ground, +followed by the female mourners, who soon after +were seen as gay and cheerful as if they had +returned from a wedding. The widow, however, +still remained by the grave, being obliged to do +so in conformity with the customs of her nation, +which required that she should mourn day and +night, until the relatives of the deceased should +collect a sufficiency of viands to make a feast in +honour of his bones.</p> + +<p><a name="XVIII11"></a>As already observed, the bodies were formerly +burned; the relatives of the deceased, as well +as those of the widow, being present, all armed; +a funeral pile was erected, and the body placed +upon it. <a name="XVIII12"></a>The widow then set fire to the pile, +and was compelled to stand by it, anointing her +breast with the fat that oozed from the body +until the heat became insupportable: when the +wretched creature, however, attempted to draw +back, she was thrust forward by her husband's +relatives at the point of their spears, and forced +to endure the dreadful torture until either the +body was reduced to ashes, or she herself almost +scorched to death. Her relatives were present +merely to preserve her life; when no longer able +to stand they dragged her away; and this intervention +often led to bloody quarrels! The +body being burned, the ashes were collected in +a box and given in charge to the widow, +who carried them about with her until the feast +was prepared, when they were taken from her, +and deposited in a small hut or placed upon the +top of a wooden pillar neatly carved, as their +final resting-place.</p> + +<p>During this interval she was in a state of the +most wretched slavery; every child in the village +might command her and beat her unmercifully +if they chose, no one interfered. After the feast, +however, she regained her freedom, and along +with that the privilege of incurring the risk of +another scorching. Our interference relieved +them from the most cruel part of the ceremony; +the temporary state of slavery is still continued.</p> + +<blockquote class="footnote"> + <a id="footnote16" name="footnote16"></a><b>Footnote 16:</b> + <a href="#footnotetag16">(return)</a> +<p>Belluga?</p> +</blockquote> + + + +<h2><a name="XIX"></a>CHAPTER XIX.</h2> + +<blockquote> +<p><a href="#XIX1">INDIAN FEAST</a>—<a href="#XIX2">ATTEMPT AT DRAMATIC REPRESENTATION</a>—<a href="#XIX3">RELIGION</a>—<a href="#XIX4">ORDERED +TO PORT ALEXANDRIA</a>—<a href="#XIX5">ADVANTAGES +OF THE SITUATION</a>—<a href="#XIX6">SENT BACK TO FORT ST. JAMES</a>—<a href="#XIX7">SOLITUDE</a>—<a href="#XIX8">PUNISHMENT +OF INDIAN MURDERER</a>—<a href="#XIX9">ITS CONSEQUENCES</a>—<a href="#XIX10">HEROIC +ADVENTURE OF INTERPRETER.</a></p> +</blockquote> + +<p>Mr. Dease arrived from Fort Vancouver on the +5th of September, and expressed himself highly +gratified with the appearance our "gardens" +presented; an ample stock of salmon had also +been laid in, so that we had nothing to fear from +want, which sometimes had been severely felt. +In the beginning of November, our despatches +from the east side of the mountains came to hand, +usually a joyful event, but saddened this year +by the intelligence we received, that our excellent +superintendent was about to leave us, having +obtained permission to visit the civilized world +for medical advice;—the doctor was only 5,000 +miles off!</p> + +<p><a name="XIX1"></a>In the beginning of the winter we were invited +to a feast held in honour of a great chief, who +died some years before. The person who delivered +the invitation stalked into the room with an air +of vast consequence, and strewing our heads with +down, pronounced the name of the presiding +chief, and withdrew without uttering another +syllable. To me the invitation was most acceptable: +although I had heard much of Indian feasts, +I never was present at any.</p> + +<p>Late in the evening we directed our steps +towards the "banqueting house," a large hut +temporarily erected for the occasion. We found +the numerous guests assembled and already seated +around "the festive board;" our place had been +left vacant for us, Mr. Dease taking his seat +next to the great chief, Quaw, and we, his +Meewidiyazees (little chiefs), in succession. The +company were disposed in two rows: the chiefs +and elders being seated next the wall, formed +the outer, and the young men the inner row; +an open space of about three feet in breadth +intervening between them. Immense quantities +of roasted meat, bear, beaver, siffleu or marmot, +were piled up at intervals, the whole length of the +building; berries mixed up with rancid salmon oil, +fish roe that had been buried underground a twelve-month, +in order to give it an <i>agreeable</i> flavour, were the good things presented +at this feast of gluttony and flow of oil. The berry mixture, and roes were +served in wooden troughs, each having a large wooden spoon attached to it. The +enjoyments of the festival were ushered in with a song, in which all joined:—</p> + +<div class="poem"> + <div class="stanza"> + <p>"I approach the village,</p> + <p>Ya ha he ha, ya ha ha ha;</p> + <p>And hear the voices of many people,</p> + <p>Ya ha, &c.</p> + <p>The barking of dogs,</p> + <p>Ya ha, &c.</p> + <p>Salmon is plentiful,</p> + <p>Ya ha, &c.</p> + <p>The berry season is good,</p> + <p>Ya ha, &c.</p> +</div></div> + +<p> +After the song commenced the demolition of +the mountains of meat, which was but slowly +effected, notwithstanding the unremitting and +strenuous exertions of the guests. The greatest +order, however, was maintained; the relatives of +the deceased acted as stewards, each of them seizing +a roasted beaver, or something else, squatted +himself in front of one of the guests, and presenting +the meat, which he held with both his hands +(males and females officiating), desired him to help +himself. If the guest appeared backward in the +attack, he was pressed, in the politest terms, to +eat. "Now, I pray you, tear away with a good +will;"—"I am glad to see you eat so strongly;"—"Come +now, stuff yourself with this fine piece of +fat bear." And stuff himself he must, or pay a +forfeit, to avoid a catastrophe. But having paid +thus, and acknowledged himself fairly overcome by +his host's politeness, he is spared any further exertions, +and his viands are no longer presented to +him in this way, but placed in a dish beside +him.</p> + +<p>Well aware of our inability to maintain the +honour of our country in a contest of this kind, +we paid our forfeit at the commencement of the +onslaught, reserving our portions to be disposed of +at home.</p> + +<p><a name="XIX2"></a>The gormandizing contest ended as it began, +with songs and dances; in the latter amusement, +however, few were now able to join; afterwards +ensued a rude attempt at dramatic representation. +Old Quaw, the chief of Nekaslay, first appeared +on the stage, in the character of a bear—an animal +he was well qualified to personate. Rushing from +his den, and growling fiercely, he pursued the +huntsman, the chief of Babine portage, who defended +himself with a long pole; both parties +maintained a running fight, until they reached the +far end of the building, where they made their exit. +Enter afterwards a jealous husband and his wife, +wearing masks (both being men). The part these +acted appeared rather dull; the husband merely +sat down by the side of his "frail rib," watching +her motions closely, and neither allowing her to +speak to nor look at any of the young men. As to +the other characters, one personated a deer, another +a wolf, a third a strange Tsekany. The bear +seemed to give the spectators most delight.</p> + +<p>The scene was interesting, as exhibiting the +first rude attempts at dramatic representation of a +savage people; and it served, in some measure, to +efface the impression made by the somewhat disgusting +spectacle previously witnessed. The affair +concluded by an exchange of presents, and the +party broke up.</p> + +<p><a name="XIX3"></a>Two young men, natives of Oregon, who had +received a little education at Red River, had, on +their return to their own country, introduced a +sort of religion, whose groundwork seemed to be +Christianity, accompanied with some of the heathen +ceremonies of the natives. This religion spread +with amazing rapidity all over the country. It +reached Fort Alexandria, the lower post of the +district, in the autumn; and was now embraced by +all the Nekaslayans. The ceremonial consisted +chiefly in singing and dancing. As to the doctrines +of our holy religion, their minds were too gross to +comprehend, and their manners too corrupt to be +influenced by them. They applied to us for instruction, +and our worthy chief spared no pains to +give it. But, alas! it is for the most part labour in +vain. Yet, an impression seemed to have been +made on a few; and had there been missionaries +there at the time, their efforts might have proved +successful. But the influence of the "men of +medicine," who strenuously withstand a religion +which exposes their delusive tricks, and consequently +deprives them of their gains,—together +with the dreadful depravity everywhere prevalent,—renders +the conversion of the Tekallies an object +most difficult to accomplish.</p> + +<p>It is a general opinion among Christians, that +there exists no nation or people on earth who are +entirely ignorant of a Supreme Being. I shall +contrast the language of this tribe with that of +the Sauteux or Ojibbeway, and let the reader +judge for himself.</p> + +<p>I have heard a heathen Ojibbeway, when giving +a feast, express himself thus: "The great Master +of Life, he who sees us and whom we cannot +see, having done me charity, I invite you, my +brother, to partake of it." On a like occasion, +a Takelly describes the manner in which he +killed his game, but never alludes to a deity. +When an Ojibbeway wishes to confirm the truth of +what he says beyond a doubt, he points to heaven +and exclaims, "He to whom we belong hears +that what I say is true." The Takelly says, +"The toad hears me." You ask a Takelly what +becomes of him after death, he replies, "My +life shall be <i>extinct</i>, and I shall be dead." Not +an idea has he of the soul, or of a future state of +rewards and punishments. The Ojibbeway answers, +"After death my soul goes either to a happy +land, abounding with game and every delight; +or to a land of misery, where I shall suffer for +ever from want. Whether it go to the good or +bad place depends on my good or bad conduct +here."</p> + +<p>In fact the Takelly language has not a term in +it to express the name of Deity, spirit, or soul. +When the Columbia religion was introduced +among them, our interpreters had to invent a +term for the Deity—Yagasita—the "Man of +Heaven." The only expression I ever heard +them use that conveyed any idea whatever of a +superior Being is, that when the salmon fail, they +say, "The Man who keeps the mouth of the river +has shut it up with his red keys, so that the +salmon cannot get up." One of our gentlemen, +a member of the Roman Catholic Church, teaching +the Takellies to make the sign of the cross, +with the words used on the occasion, his interpreter +translated them, "Au nom du Père, de son +Frère, et puis de son petit Garçon!" (In the name +of the Father, his Brother, and his little Boy!)</p> + +<p><a name="XIX4"></a>The accompts and despatches for head-quarters +being finished in the beginning of March, I was +ordered to convey them to Fort Alexandria, to +the charge of which post I was now appointed. +This post is agreeably situated on the banks +of Frazer's River, on the outskirts of the great +prairies. The surrounding country is beautifully +diversified by hill and dale, grove and plain; the +soil is rich, yielding abundant successive crops of +grain and vegetable, unmanured; but the crops +are sometimes destroyed by frost. <a name="XIX5"></a>The charming +locality, the friendly disposition of the Indians, and +better fare, rendered this post one of the most agreeable +situations in the Indian country. In spring, +moreover, the country swarms with game—pheasants +and a small species of curlieu in the immediate +vicinity, and ducks and geese within a short +distance. The sport was excellent, and, with the +amusement the cultivation of my garden afforded +me, enabled me to vegetate in great comfort—a +comfort I was not destined long to enjoy.</p> + +<p><a name="XIX6"></a>Mr. Ogden, chief factor, arrived from Fort +Vancouver about the end of May, and Mr. Fisher +from Stuart's Lake a few days afterwards; and +having consulted together, determined that I +should retrace my steps to Stuart's Lake without +delay. <a name="XIX7"></a>When I arrived at Fort St. James its +dreadful solitude almost drove me to despair. +I found myself sitting alone in the hall where +my late excellent bourgeois and friends had +passed the time so happily, and I felt a depression +of spirits such as I never experienced before. +Fortunately for me, my old friend Mr. Fraser, a +gentleman of a gay and lively disposition, arrived +soon after, and continued with me for the remainder +of the season, and his company soon +drove melancholy away.</p> + +<p>The particulars of an affair which had occurred +here some years before, and threatened the most +serious consequences to the post, were about +this time related to me by Waccan, the interpreter.</p> + +<p><a name="XIX8"></a>A native of Frazer's Lake had murdered one +of the Company's servants, and, strange to say, +no steps were taken to punish him; he concealed +himself some time, and finding he had nothing to +apprehend, returned to his village. At length he +was led by his evil genius to visit Stuart's Lake, +then under the command of a Douglas. Douglas +heard of his being in the village, and though he +had but a weak garrison, determined that the +blood of the white man should not be unavenged. +The opportunity was favourable, the Indians of +the village were out on a hunting excursion, +the murderer was nearly alone. He proceeded to +the camp accompanied by two of his men, and +executed justice<a id="footnotetag17" + name="footnotetag17"></a><a href="#footnote17"><sup>17</sup></a> on the murderer. On their +return in the evening, the Indians learned what +had happened, and enraged, determined to retaliate.</p> + +<p><a name="XIX9"></a>Aware, however, that Douglas was on +his guard, that the gates were shut and could +not be forced, they resolved to employ Indian +stratagem.</p> + +<p>The old chief accordingly proceeded to the +Fort alone, and knocking at the gate desired to +be admitted, which was granted. He immediately +stated the object of his visit, saying that +a deed had been done in the village which subjected +himself and his people to a heavy responsibility +to the relatives of the dead; that he feared +the consequences, and hoped that a present would +be made to satisfy them; and continuing to +converse thus calmly, Mr. Douglas was led to +believe that the matter could easily be arranged. +Another knock was now heard at the gate: "It +is my brother," said the chief, "you may open +the gate; he told me he intended to come and +hear what you had to say on this business."</p> + +<p>The gate was opened, and in rushed the whole +Nekasly tribe, the chief's brother at their head; +and the men of the Fort were overpowered ere +they had time to stand on their defence. Douglas, +however, seized a wall-piece that was mounted in +the hall, and was about to discharge it on the crowd +that was pouring in upon him, when the chief +seized him by the arms, and held him fast. For +an instant his life was in the utmost peril. Surrounded +by thirty or forty Indians, their knives +drawn, and brandishing them over his head with +frantic gestures, and calling out to the chief, +"Shall we strike? shall we strike?"</p> + +<p>The chief hesitated; and at this critical +moment the interpreter's wife<a id="footnotetag18" + name="footnotetag18"></a><a href="#footnote18"><sup>18</sup></a> stepped forward, +and by her presence of mind saved him and the +establishment.</p> + +<p>Observing one of the inferior chiefs, who had +always professed the greatest friendship for the +whites, standing in the crowd, she addressed +herself to him, exclaiming, "What! you a friend +of the whites, and not say a word in their behalf +at such a time as this! Speak! you know the +murderer deserved to die; according to your own +laws the deed was just; it is blood for blood. +The white men are not dogs; they love their +kindred as well as you; why should they not +avenge their murder?"</p> + +<p>The moment the heroine's voice was heard the +tumult subsided; her boldness struck the savages +with awe; the chief she addressed, acting on her +suggestion, interfered; and being seconded by the +old chief, who had no serious intention of injuring +the whites, was satisfied with showing them that +they were fairly in his power. Mr. Douglas and his +men were set at liberty; and an amicable conference +having taken place, the Indians departed +much elated with the issue of their enterprise.</p> + +<p><a name="XIX10"></a>A personal adventure of Waccan's is worth +recording. An interpreter, a Cree half-breed, +had been murdered by the Indians of Babine +post with circumstances of great barbarity; and +the perpetrators of the deed were allowed to +exult in the shedding of innocent blood with +impunity, one feeble, ineffectual attempt only +having been made to chastise them. Waccan, +however, determined that the matter should not +end thus, the victim being his adopted brother. +Having been sent to Babine post with an Indian +lad, he learned from him that the murderers were +encamped in a certain bay on Stuart's Lake, and +resolved to seize the long wished-for opportunity +of revenge; but fearing for his companion's safety +more than his own, he landed him at a considerable +distance from the camp, directing him to +make the best of his way home if he should hear +many shots.</p> + +<p>He then paddled down as near the camp as +he could without being discovered, and landing, +threw off every article of clothing save a shred +round his loins; and with his gun in the one hand, +and dagger in the other, proceeded to the spot. +Having approached sufficiently near to see all +that passed in the encampment, he squatted +among the bushes, and watching his opportunity, +"picked off" the ringleader; then rushing from +his covert, and giving the war whoop, he planted +his dagger in his heart almost before the Indians +had time to know what had happened. Seeing +the infuriated "avenger of blood" in the midst +of them, they fled precipitately to the woods. +Waccan dared them to revenge the death of the +"dead dog" who had murdered his brother.</p> + +<p>"Come," said he, "you that were so brave at +Babine Lake, and danced round the body of him +whom you did not face, but knocked down when +his back was to you, now is your time to show +yourselves <i>men</i>.</p> + +<p>No one answering the challenge, he shouldered +his gun, walked along the beach to his canoe, and +paddling leisurely off from the shore, sang the +Cree song of triumph.</p> + +<blockquote class="footnote"> + <a id="footnote17" name="footnote17"></a><b>Footnote 17:</b> + <a href="#footnotetag17">(return)</a> +<p>"Wild justice,"—BACON.</p> +</blockquote> + +<blockquote class="footnote"> + <a id="footnote18" name="footnote18"></a><b>Footnote 18:</b> + <a href="#footnotetag18">(return)</a> +<p>This woman is the daughter of Mr. James MacDougal, a +gentleman who had a chief hand in the settlement of the district. +He served the Company for a period of thirty-five +years, enduring all the hardships that were in his time inseparable +from an Indian trader's life; and was dismissed +from their service, in old age, without a pension, to starve +on such little savings as he had effected out of his salary. +He is still alive (1841), struggling with adversity.</p> +</blockquote> + + + +<h2><a name="XX"></a>CHAPTER XX.</h2> + +<blockquote> +<p><a href="#XX1">APPOINTED TO THE CHARGE OF FORT GEORGE</a>—<a href="#XX2">MURDER OF +MR. YALE'S MEN</a>—<a href="#XX3">MYSTERIOUS LOSS OF MR. LINTON AND +FAMILY</a>—<a href="#XX4">ADVENTURES OF LEATHER PARTY</a>—<a href="#XX5">FAILURE OF +CROPS</a>—<a href="#XX6">INFLUENZA.</a></p> +</blockquote> + +<p><a name="XX1"></a>In the beginning of September, Mr. Ogden +arrived from Fort Vancouver, and I was appointed +by him to the charge of Fort George, whither I +proceeded forthwith. Mr. Linton, my predecessor, +was directed to wait the arrival of the party +sent to Jasper's house for a supply of leather, ere +he took his departure for Chilcotin, an outpost of +Fort Alexandria.</p> + +<p><a name="XX2"></a>Fort George was established a few years ago, +and passed through the bloody ordeal ere yet +the buildings were completed. The gentleman in +charge, Mr. Yale, had left his men at work, and +gone on a visit to Fort St. James, where he only +remained a few days; on his return he found his +men had been treacherously murdered by the +Indians during his absence. Their mangled bodies +were found in one of the houses, with one of their +own axes by their side, which evidently had been +the instrument of their destruction. The poor +men were in the habit of retiring to rest during +the heat of the day, and were despatched while +they slept.</p> + +<p>A great change has come over this people since +that time; they are now justly considered the best +disposed and most industrious Indians in the district. +The situation of the post is exceedingly +dreary, standing on the right bank of Frazer's +River, having in front a high hill that shades the +sun until late in the morning, and in the midst of +"woods and wilds, whose melancholy gloom" is +saddening enough. Yet it has its <i>agrémens</i>, its +good returns,—the <i>ne plus ultra</i> of an Indian +trader's happiness,—its good Indians, and its good +fare; the produce of the soil and dairy.</p> + +<p><a name="XX3"></a>Poor Linton had remained with me till late in +autumn; when the cold weather setting in with +unusual rigour, the ice began to drift on the river, +rendering the navigation already dangerous; and +no accounts having been received of the leather +party, he determined to embark for his destination +without further loss of time. He, alas! had already +waited too long. Having occasion in the +beginning of winter to send down a messenger +to Fort Alexandria, I was surprised to see him +two days after enter the fort, accompanied by one +of Mr. Fisher's men, who brought me the melancholy +tidings of Mr. L.'s death, part of his baggage +having been found by the natives among the +ice. Eight souls had perished, no one knows +how; Mr. L., his wife and three children, an +interpreter, his wife and one child.</p> + +<p>Some suspicions attached to a disreputable +family of Indians who were known to be encamped +on the banks of the river at the time; but it is +more probable that the catastrophe occurred in a +rapid not far from this post, as a dog which the +party had with them came back at an early hour +the day after their departure. This misfortune +threw a gloom over the whole district, where +Linton was much beloved, and his death, so sudden +and mysterious, made the blow be felt more +severely.</p> + +<p><a name="XX4"></a>Before this sad intelligence reached us, the +safety of the leather party had become a source +of deep anxiety. They had been expected in +October, and no accounts had been received of +them in the month of December. Having forwarded +Mr. Fisher's despatches to head-quarters, +I received orders from Mr. Ogden to proceed to +Jasper's house, in order, if possible, to obtain +information regarding them; which I eagerly +obeyed, setting off with five men, and sledges +loaded with provisions, drawn by dogs. We had +not proceeded far, however, when we met the +truants all safe and sound. Their non-arrival in +the fall was occasioned by the winter setting in +unprecedentedly early.</p> + +<p>They experienced the utmost difficulty in +crossing the Rocky Mountains, from the great +depth of snow that had already fallen; and when +they reached the heights of Frazer's River, they +found the ice beginning to form along its shores. +They persevered, however; sometimes forcing +their way through the ice, sometimes carrying +the canoes and property overland where the passage +was blocked up by the ice. But all their +efforts proved unavailing, for they were at length +completely frozen in.</p> + +<p>Their prospects were now most disheartening. +Their remaining provisions would only suffice for +four days on short allowance, and they had a +journey of fifteen days before them, whichever +way they should direct their course. Some of +the men yielded to despair, but the greater part +cheerfully embraced Mr. Andersen's views. Those +only who are unacquainted with the Canadian +voyageurs will deny them the possession of qualities, +of the highest value in this country—ready +obedience to their superiors, patience of fatigue +and hardship, and unyielding perseverance under +the most trying difficulties, so long as their +leaders show them the way. Mr. Anderson having +secured the property <i>en cache,</i> determined to +return to Jasper's house, in order to procure at +least a part of the much wanted supply of leather. +On their way back they had the good fortune to +light upon a stray horse, which they converted +into provender: they also shot a moose deer; +and thus providentially supplied, they suffered +little from want.</p> + +<p>On arriving at the post, they found to their +sad disappointment that nothing could be got +there, except some provisions; it was therefore +necessary to proceed to Fort Edmonton, at least +400 miles distant, with but one intermediate post. +They succeeded in reaching it, though in a most +deplorable condition, half starved and half frozen, +none of the party being provided with winter +clothing; but they were most hospitably received +by the kind-hearted bourgeois Mr. Rowand; and, +after remaining a few days to recruit their +strength in this land overflowing with fat and +pemmican, and receiving their supplies, they set +off on their return, and reached their destination +without accident.</p> + +<p><a name="XX5"></a>Farming on a small scale had been attempted +here by my predecessor, and the result was such +as to induce more extensive operations. I received +orders, therefore, to clear land, sow and +plant, forthwith. These orders were in part carried +into effect in the autumn. Four acres of land +were put in a condition to receive seed, and about +the same quantity at Fort Alexandria. Seed was +ordered from the Columbia, and handmills to +grind our grain. Pancakes and hot rolls were +thenceforward to be the order of the day; Babine +salmon and dog's flesh were to be sent—"to Coventry!" +The spring, however, brought with it but +poor prospects for pancakes; the season was late +beyond all precedent; the fields were not sown +until the 5th of May; they, nevertheless, promised +well for some time, but cold weather ensued, +and continued so long that the crops could not +recover before the autumn frosts set in, and thus +our hopes were blasted. The farm at Alexandria +had not much better success, owing to the neglect +of the good people themselves;—not having enclosed +their fields, the cattle destroyed the greater +part of the crops. Here, however, notwithstanding +the failure of our grain crops, we had abundance +of vegetables and a large stock of cattle, +so that our fare was far superior to that of the +other <i>exiles</i> in the district.</p> + +<p>Mr. Ogden returned from Fort Vancouver about +the usual time, and was mortified to find that our +grand agricultural experiment had so completely +failed. He, however, had brought a supply of +flour sufficient to afford each commander of posts +a couple of bags, and thus the inconvenience +arising from our disappointment was, in some +degree, obviated.</p> + +<p>From his first arrival amongst us, Mr. Ogden +evinced the most earnest desire to ameliorate +the condition of his subordinates in this wretched +district, and all felt grateful to him for his benevolent +intentions. To Mr. Dease, however, the +praise is due of having introduced this new order +of things: he it was who first introduced cattle +from Fort Vancouver; it was he who first +introduced farming, and recommended it to +others.</p> + +<p><a name="XX6"></a>Late in autumn, the natives being all about +the post, the dread influenza, that had made such +fearful havoc among the Indians in other quarters, +broke out here also. The poor creatures had +a great deal of confidence in my medical skill, +from the circumstance of my having saved the +life of a boy who had eaten some poisonous +root, when despaired of by their own mountebanks.</p> + +<p>On the present occasion I tried my skill on one +of the subjects best able to bear my experiments, +by administering a strong emetic and purge, and +causing him afterwards to drink a decoction of +mint. He was cured, and I afterwards prescribed +the same medicine to many others with a like +success; so that my reputation as a disciple of +Æsculapius became firmly established.</p> + +<p>Having last year applied to the Governor for +permission to visit head-quarters, for a purpose +which will be noticed hereafter, I received a +favourable answer, and, in the month of February, +set off for the depôt of the district preparatory +to my departure, where I remained for a month +in company with Mr. Ogden and several fellow-scribes.</p> + + + +<h2><a name="XXI"></a>CHAPTER XXI.</h2> + +<blockquote> +<p><a href="#XXI1">CLIMATE OF NEW CALEDONIA</a>—<a href="#XXI2">SCENERY</a>—<a href="#XXI3">NATURAL +PRODUCTIONS</a>—<a href="#XXI4">ANIMALS</a>—<a href="#XXI5">FISHES</a>—<a href="#XXI6">NATIVES</a>—<a href="#XXI7">THEIR MANNERS AND +CUSTOMS</a>—<a href="#XXI8">DUELLING</a>—<a href="#XXI9">GAMBLING</a>—<a href="#XXI10">LICENTIOUSNESS</a>—<a href="#XXI11">LANGUAGE.</a></p> +</blockquote> + +<p><a name="XXI1"></a>Ere I proceed on my long journey, I must pause +for a little to describe more particularly the +country, which I am about to quit, perhaps for +ever, and the manners of its savage inhabitants. +The climate of New Caledonia is exceedingly +variable at all seasons of the year. I have experienced +at Stuart's Lake, in the month of July, +every possible change of weather within twelve +hours; frost in the morning, scorching heat at +noon; then rain, hail, snow. The winter season +is subject to the same vicissitudes, though not in +so extreme a degree: some years it continues mild +throughout. These vicissitudes may, I think, be +ascribed to local causes—proximity to, or distance +from the glaciers of the Rocky Mountains, the +direction of the winds, the aspect of the place, &c. +Fort St. James is so situated as to be completely +exposed to the north-east wind, which wafts on +its wings the freezing vapours of the glaciers. The +instant the wind shifts to this quarter, a change +of temperature is felt; and when it continues to +blow for a few hours, it becomes so cold that, +even in midsummer, small ponds are frozen over. +The surrounding country is mountainous and +rocky.</p> + +<p>Frazer's Lake is only about thirty miles distant +from Fort St. James (on Stuart's Lake), yet there +they raise abundance of vegetables, potatoes and +turnips, and sometimes even wheat and barley. +The post stands in a valley open to the south-west,—a +fine champaign country, of a sandy soil; +it is protected from the north-east winds by a high +ridge of hills. The winter seldom sets in before +December, and the navigation is generally open +about the beginning of May.</p> + +<p><a name="XXI2"></a>Few countries present a more beautiful variety +of scenery than New Caledonia. Stuart's Lake +and its environs I have already attempted to describe, +but many such landscapes present themselves +in different parts of the country, where +towering mountains, hill and dale, forest and +lake, and verdant plains, blended together in the +happiest manner, are taken in by the eye at a +glance. Some scenes there are that recall forcibly +to the remembrance of a son of Scotia, the hills +and glens and "bonnie braes" of his own poor, +yet beloved native land. New Caledonia, however, +has the advantage over the Old, of being +generally well wooded, and possessed of lakes of +far greater magnitude; unfortunately, however, +the woods are decaying rapidly, particularly +several varieties of fir, which are being destroyed +by an insect that preys on the bark: when the +country is denuded of this ornament, and its +ridges have become bald, it will present a very +desolate appearance. In some parts of the country, +the poplar and aspen tree are to be found, +together with a species of birch, of whose bark +canoes are built; but there is neither hard wood +nor cedar.</p> + +<p><a name="XXI3"></a>Such parts of the district as are not in the +immediate vicinity of the regions of eternal snow, +yield a variety of wild fruit, grateful to the +palate, wholesome, and nutritious. Of these, +the Indian pear is the most abundant, and most +sought after, both by natives and whites; when +fully ripe, it is of a black colour, with somewhat +of a reddish tinge, pear-shaped, and very sweet +to the taste. The natives dry them in the sun, +and afterwards bake them into cakes, which are +said to be delicious; for my own part, having +seen the process of manufacturing them, I could +not overcome my prejudices so far as to partake +of a delicacy in whose composition filth formed +so considerable an ingredient. When dried, the +cakes are placed in wooden vessels to receive +the juice of green fruit, which is expressed by +placing weights upon it, in wooden troughs, +from which spouts of bark draw off the liquid +into the vessels containing the dry fruit; this +being thoroughly saturated, is again bruised with +the unclean hand, then re-formed into cakes, and +dried again; and these processes are repeated +alternately, until the cakes suit the taste of the +maker. Blue berries are plentiful in some parts +of the district; there is a peculiar variety of +them, which I preferred to any fruit I ever tasted; +it is about the size of a musket-ball, of a purple +colour, translucid, and in its taste sweet and +acid are deliciously blended.</p> + +<p><a name="XXI4"></a>The district is still rich in fur-bearing animals, +especially beavers and martens, which are likely +to continue numerous for many years to come, +as they find a safe retreat among the fastnesses +of the Rocky Mountains, where they multiply +undisturbed. This is the great beaver nursery, +which continues to replace the numbers destroyed +in the more exposed situations; there is, nevertheless, +a sensible decrease in the returns of the +fur since the introduction of steel traps among +the natives: there are also otters, musk-rats, +minxes, and lynxes. Of the larger quadrupeds +bears only are numerous, and in all their varieties, +grizzled, black, brown, and chocolate: numbers +of them are taken by the natives in wooden traps. +A chance moose or reindeer is sometimes found. +The mountain sheep generally keeps aloft in the +most inaccessible parts of the mountains, and is +seldom "bagged" by a Carrier, but often by the +Tsekanies. I have before observed that rabbits +sometimes abound. Another small animal, whose +flesh is delicious in season, the marmot, is found +in great numbers. In the neighbourhood of Fort +Alexandria, the jumping deer, or chevreuil, is +abundant. To these add dog and horse flesh, +and you have all the varieties of animal food +the country affords to its inhabitants, civilized or +savage.</p> + +<p>A most destructive little animal, the wood-rat, +infests the country, and generally nestles in the +crevices of the rocks, but prefers still more human +habitations; they domicile under the floors of out-buildings, +and not content with this, force their +way into the inside, where they destroy and carry +off every thing they can; nor is there any way of +securing the property in the stores from their +depredations but by placing it in strong boxes. +When fairly located, it is almost impossible to +root them out. They are of a grey colour, and +of nearly the size and form of the common rat, +but the tail resembles that of the ground squirrel.</p> + +<p>The birds of this country are the same as in +Canada. I observed no strange variety, except +a species of curlieu that frequents the plains of +Fort Alexandria in the summer. Immense flocks +of cranes are seen in autumn and spring, flying +high in the air; in autumn directing their flight +towards the south, and in spring towards the north.</p> + +<p><a name="XXI5"></a>Some of the Lakes abound in fish; the principal +varieties are trout, carp, white fish, and pike. +Stuart's Lake yields a small fish termed by the +Canadians "poisson inconnu;" it seems as if it +were partly white fish and partly carp, the head +resembling the former; it is full of small bones, +and the flesh soft and unsavoury. The sturgeon +has been already mentioned, but they are unfortunately +too rare; seldom more than five or six +are captured in a season; they weigh from one +hundred to five hundred pounds. A beautiful +small fish of the size of the anchovy, and shaped +like a salmon, is found in a river that falls into +Stuart's Lake; it is said they pass the winter in +the lake, and ascend their favourite stream in +the month of June, where they deposit their spawn. +They have the silvery scales of the larger salmon, +and are exceedingly rich; but the natives preserve +them almost exclusively for their own use. There +are four varieties of salmon, distinguished from +each other by the peculiar form of the head; the +largest species seems to be the same we have in +the rivers of Britain, and weighs from ten to +twenty pounds; the others do not exceed half +that weight.</p> + +<p><a name="XXI6"></a>New Caledonia is inhabited by the Takelly +or Carrier nation, and by a few families of +Tsekanies on the north-eastern extremity of the +district. The Takellies are divided into as many +tribes as there are posts—viz. eight, who formerly +were as hostile to each other as if they had been +of different nations. <a name="XXI7"></a>The presence of the whites, +however, has had the beneficial effect of checking +their cut-throat propensities, although individual +murders still occasionally occur among them.</p> + +<p><a name="XXI8"></a>Before the introduction of fire-arms, the +<i>honourable</i> practice of duelling prevailed among +them, though in a fashion peculiar to themselves. +One arrow only was discharged, by the party +demanding satisfaction, at his opponent, who, by +dint of skipping about and dodging from side to +side, generally contrived to escape it; fatal duels, +therefore, seldom if ever occurred; and the +parties, having thus given and received satisfaction, +retired from the field reconciled.<a id="footnotetag19" + name="footnotetag19"></a><a href="#footnote19"><sup>19</sup></a> They +appear more prone to sudden bursts of passion +than most Indians I have seen, and quarrel often +and abuse each other in the most scurrilous terms. +With the Sauteux, Crees, and other tribes on +the east side of the mountains, few words are +uttered before the blow, often a fatal one, is +given; whereas, with the Takellies, it is often +many words and few blows. In the quarrels +which take place among them, the ladies are +generally the <i>causa belli</i>—a cause which would +soon lead to the depopulation of the country, +were all husbands to avenge their wrongs by +shedding the blood of the guilty.</p> + +<p>Their chiefs have still considerable authority; +but much of the homage they claimed and received +in former times is now transferred to the +white chiefs, or traders, whom they all esteem +the greatest men in the universe. "After the +Man of heaven," said old Guaw to Mr. Dease, +"you are next in dignity." Owing to the superstitious +notions of the people, the chiefs are still +feared on account of the magical powers ascribed +to them; it is firmly believed they can, at will, +inflict diseases, cause misfortunes of every kind, +and even death itself; and so strong is this +impression, that they will not even pass in a +direction where the shadow of a chief, or "man +of medicine," might fall on them, "lest," say +they, "he should bear us some ill-will and afflict +us with some disease."</p> + +<p>These conjurors, nevertheless, are the greatest +bunglers at their trade of any in the Indian +territory; they practise none of the clever tricks +of the Sauteux sorcerers, and are perfectly ignorant +of the medicinal virtues of herbs and plants, +with which the Sauteux and other Indians often +perform astonishing cures. The Takellies administer +no medicine to the sick; a variety of +ridiculous gesticulations, together with singing, +blowing, and <i>beating</i> on the <i>patient</i>, are the means +they adopt to effect their end; and they, not seldom, +effectually cure the patient of "all the ills of life." +Whether they effect a cure or not, they are sure +to be well recompensed for their expenditure of +wind, an article of which they are not sparing: +they, in fact, exert themselves so much that the +perspiration pours from every pore. The only +real remedy they use, in common with other +Indians, is the vapour-bath, or sweating-house. +The house, as it is termed, which is constructed +by bending twigs of willow, and fixing both ends +in the ground, when finished, presents the appearance +of a bee-hive, and is carefully covered to +prevent the escape of the vapour; red-hot stones +are then placed inside, and water poured upon +them, and the patient remains in the midst of +the steam thus generated as long as he can bear +it, then rushing out, plunges into the cold stream. +This is said to he a sovereign remedy for rheumatism, +and the natives have recourse to it in +all cases of severe pain: I myself witnessed its +efficacy in a case of paralysis.</p> + +<p>The salubrity of the climate, however, renders +disease of every kind extremely rare, except such +as are caused by the excesses of the natives themselves. +The venereal is very common, and appears +to have been indigenous. At their feasts they +gorge themselves to such a degree as to endanger +their lives; after a feast many of the guests +continue ill for a considerable time, yet this +does not prevent them from gormandizing again +whenever an opportunity presents itself. Old +and young, male and female, are subject to +severe inflammation in the eyes, chiefly, I believe, +from their passing the winter in hovels underground, +which have no outlet for the smoke, +and passing from them into the glare of sunshine +upon the snow. What with the confined smoke +and tainted atmosphere of these abominable +burrows, I found it painful to remain even for +a few minutes in them.</p> + +<p>It has been remarked by those who first settled +in the district, that the Indians are rapidly decreasing +in numbers since their arrival—a fact +which does not admit of a doubt: I myself have +seen many villages and encampments without an +inhabitant. But what can be the cause of it? +Here there has been neither rum nor small-pox—the +scourges of this doomed race in other parts. +Yet, on the banks of the Columbia, which, when +first visited by the whites a few years ago. +literally swarmed with Indians, a disease broke +out which nearly exterminated them. Has the +fiat, then, gone forth, that the aboriginal inhabitants +of America shall make way for another +race of men? To my mind, at least, the question +presents not the shadow of a doubt. The +existence of the present race of Indians at some +future, and by no means distant period, will only +be known through the historical records of their +successors.</p> + +<p>The Takellies do not use canoes on their hunting +excursions, so that they are necessitated to +carry all their conveniences on their backs; and +it is astonishing to see what heavy loads they +can carry, especially the women, on whom the +transport duty generally devolves. Among this +tribe, however, the women are held in much +higher consideration than among other Indians: +they assist at the councils, and some ladies of +distinction are even admitted to the feasts. This +consideration they doubtless owe to the efficient +aid they afford in procuring the means of subsistence. +The one sex is as actively employed +during the fishing season as the other. The +men construct the weirs, repair them when +necessary, and capture the fish; the women split +them up—a most laborious operation when salmon +is plentiful—suspend them on the scaffolds, +attend to the drying, &c. They also collect +berries, and dig up the edible roots that are +found in the country, and which are of great +service in years of scarcity. Thus the labour of +the women contributes as much to the support +of the community as that of the men.</p> + +<p><a name="XXI9"></a>The men are passionately addicted to gambling, +staking everything they possess, and continuing +at it night and day, until compelled to desist +by sheer hunger, or by the loss of all. I could +not understand their game; we, in fact, used +our best endeavours to abolish the pernicious +custom, and, to avoid countenancing it, were as +seldom present as possible. It is played with a +few small sticks, neatly carved, with a certain +number of marks upon them, tied up in a small +bundle of hay, which the player draws out successively, +throws up and catches between his +hands; and when all are drawn, they are taken +up one by one, and dashed against a piece of +parchment, and rolled up again in the hay.</p> + +<p>The whole party appear merry enough at the +commencement of the game, all joining chorus +in a song, and straining their lungs to such a +degree, that hoarseness soon ensues, when they +continue their amusement in silence. When the +game is ended, some of them present a sad spectacle; +coming forth, their hair dishevelled, their +eyes bloodshot, and faces ghastly pale, with +probably nothing to cover their nakedness, save +perhaps an old siffleux robe, which the winner +may be generous enough to bestow. They never +shoot or hang themselves, let their luck be +ever so bad, but sometimes shoot the winning +party.</p> + +<p>Dogs, if not held sacred, are at least as much +esteemed by them as their own kindred. I have +known an instance of a quadruped of the cynic +sect being appointed successor to a biped chief, +and discharging the duties of his office with the +utmost gravity and decorum; appearing at the +feast given in honour of his deceased predecessor, +and furnishing his quota—(this of course by +proxy)—of the provisions. This dog-chief was +treated by his owner with as much regard as if +he had been his child! All, indeed, treat their +dogs with the greatest respect, calling them by +the most endearing epithets:—"Embark, my +son;" "Be quiet, my child;" "Don't bark at +the white men, they will not harm you."</p> + +<p><a name="XXI10"></a>The lewdness of the Carrier women cannot +possibly be carried to a greater excess. They +are addicted to the most abominable practices; +abandoning themselves in early youth to the free +indulgence of their passions, they soon become +debilitated and infirm; and there can be no doubt +that to this monstrous depravity the depopulation +of the country may, in part, be ascribed.</p> + +<p>They never marry until satiated with indulgence; +and if the woman then should be dissatisfied +with the restraint of the conjugal yoke, +the union, by mutual consent, is dissolved for +a time; both then betake themselves to their +former courses. The woman, nevertheless, dare +not, according to law, take another husband +during this temporary separation. Whoever infringes +this law, forfeits his life to the aggrieved +party, if he choose, or dare to take it.</p> + +<p>Polygamy is allowed; but only one of the +women is considered as the wife. The most +perfect harmony seems to subsist among them. +When the favourite happens to be supplanted by +a rival, she resigns her place without a murmur, +well pleased if she can only enjoy the countenance +of her lord in a subordinate situation. Yet a +rupture does sometimes occur, when the repudiated +party not unfrequently destroys herself. +Suicides were frequent among the females in the +neighbourhood of Fort Alexandria.</p> + +<p>The Takellies are a sedentary people, remaining +shut up in their huts during the severer part +of the winter. You may then approach a camp +without perceiving any sign of its vicinity, until +you come upon their well, or one of their salmon +<i>caches.</i> They are very social, congregating at +each other's huts, and passing their time talking +or sleeping. When awake, their tongues are +ever in motion,—all bawling out at the same +time; and it has often surprised me how they +could possibly make themselves understood in +the midst of such an uproar.</p> + +<p>All Indians with whom I have come in contact, +Christian as well as Pagan, are addicted to falsehood; +but the Takellies excel; they are perfect +adepts in the art, telling their stories with such +an appearance of truth, that even those who know +them well are often deceived. They were the +greatest thieves in the world when the whites +first settled among them. The utmost vigilance +failed to detect them. Some of our people have +been known to have their belts taken off them, +without perceiving it till too late; and many +a poor fellow, after passing a night in one of +their encampments, has been obliged to pass the +remainder of the winter with but half a blanket—the +other half having been cut off while he +slept.</p> + +<p>Theft, however, is not quite so prevalent as +formerly; and, strange to say, no Indians can +be more honest in paying their debts. It would +indeed be desirable that this credit system, long +since introduced, were abolished; but if this +were done, the natives would carry the greater +part of their hunts to another quarter. Some +of the natives of the coast, having become regular +traders of late years, penetrate a considerable +distance into the interior; in this manner the +goods obtained from the Company's posts along +the coast, or from foreign trading ships, pass from +hand to hand in barter, until they eventually +reach the borders of New Caledonia, where the +trade still affords a very handsome profit to +the native speculator.</p> + +<p>These Indians are not given to hospitality in +the proper sense of the word. A stranger +arriving among them is provided with food for +a day only; should he remain longer, he pays +for it; for that day's entertainment, however, the +best fare is liberally furnished. Strangers invited +to their feasts are also provided for while they +remain.</p> + +<p>There is much more variety and melody in the +airs they sing, than I have heard in any other +part of the Indian country. They have professed +composers, who turn their talent to good account +on the occasion of a feast, when new airs are in +great request, and are purchased at a high rate. +They dance in circles, men and women promiscuously, +holding each other by the hand; and +keeping both feet together, hop a little to a side +all at once, giving at the same time a singular +jerk to their persons behind. The movement +seems to be difficult of execution, as it causes +them to perspire profusely ; they, however, keep +excellent time, and the blending of the voices of +the men and women in symphony has an agreeable +effect.</p> + +<p><a name="XXI11"></a>The Takelly, or Carrier language is a dialect +of the Chippewayan; and it is rather a singular +fact, that the two intervening dialects of the +Beaver Indians and Tsekanies, kindred nations, +should differ more from the Chippewayan than +the Carrier; the two latter nations being perfectly +intelligible to each other, while the former +are but very imperfectly understood by their +immediate neighbours, the Chippewayans.</p> + +<p>An erroneous opinion seems to have gone +abroad regarding the variety of languages spoken +by the Indians. There are, in reality, only four +radically distinct languages from the shores of +Labrador to the Pacific: Sauteux, Chippewayan, +Atna and Chinook. The Cree language is evidently +a dialect of the Sauteux, similar in +construction, and differing only in the modification +of a few words. The Nascopies, or mountaineers +of Labrador, speak a mixture of Cree and Sauteux, +the former predominating.</p> + +<p>Along the communication from Montreal to +the foot of the Rocky Mountains, following the +Peace River route, we first meet with the Sauteux +tribes, who extend from the Lake of the +Two Mountains to Lake Winnipeg; then the +Crees to Isle à la Crosse; after them, Crees +and Chippewayans to Athabasca; and along the +banks of Peace River, the Beaver Indians occupy +the lower, and the Tsekanies the upper part. The +Chippewayan is evidently the root of the Beaver, +Tsekany and Carrier dialects; it is also spoken by +a numerous tribe in the McKenzie's River district—the +Hare Indians.</p> + +<p>On the west side of the Rocky Mountains +the Carrier language is succeeded by the Atna, +which extends along the Columbia as far down, +as the Chinooks, who inhabit the coast. The +Atna language, in its variety of dialects, seems to +have as wide a scope as either the Sauteux or +Chippewayan.</p> + +<p>New Caledonia is one of the richest districts in +the Company's vast domain; its returns average +about 8,000 beavers, with a fair proportion of +other valuable furs. When the district was first +settled, the goods required for trade were brought +in by the winterers from Lac la Pluie, which was +their dépôt. The people left the district as early +in spring as the navigation permitted, and returned +so late that they were frequently overtaken by +winter ere they reached their destination. Cold, +hunger, and fatigue, were the unavoidable consequences; +but the enterprising spirit of the +men of those days—the intrepid, indefatigable +adventurers of the North-West Company—overcame +every difficulty. It was that spirit that +opened a communication across the broad continent +of America; that penetrated to the frostbound +regions of the Arctic circle; and that +established a trade with the natives in this remote +land, when the merchandise required for it was +in one season transported from Montreal to +within a short distance of the Pacific. Such +enterprise has never been exceeded, seldom or +never equalled. The outfit is now sent out from +England by Cape Horn, to Fort Vancouver, +thence it is conveyed in boats to Okanagan, then +transported on horses' backs to Alexandria, the +lower post of the district, whence it is conveyed +in boats to Fort St. James.</p> + +<p>There are generally two commissioned gentlemen +in this district,—a chief-factor and chief-trader, +with six or seven clerks in charge of posts; +and about forty men, principally Iroquois and +half-breeds. The fare at the different posts depends +entirely on local circumstances. In some +places it is tolerable, in others, scarcely fit for +dogs. For the year's consumption, the Company +allow a clerk two bags of flour, sixty pounds of +sugar, twelve pounds of tea, and a small quantity of +wine and brandy. Butter is now produced in +abundance in the district. Where there are no +gardens, the men have only dried salmon,—as +poor fare as civilized man subsists on in any part +of the world. It has at first the same effect on +most people as if they fed on Glauber salts. +Nevertheless, the men generally continue in this +wretched condition for many years, apparently +contented and happy; the indulgence they find +among the females being, I grieve to say, the +principal inducement.</p> + +<blockquote class="footnote"> + <a id="footnote19" name="footnote19"></a><b>Footnote 19:</b> + <a href="#footnotetag19">(return)</a> +<p>I would recommend this mode of conducting "affairs of +honour" to <i>honourable</i> gentlemen using the hair-trigger, as an +improvement. Though practised by savages, it must be +allowed to be somewhat less barbarous than ten paces' distance, +and standing still! If the exhibition should appear +somewhat ludicrous, both parties would have the additional +"satisfaction" that their morning <i>exercise</i> had given a keener +zest to their breakfast. It would be a sort of Pyrrhic dance.</p> +</blockquote> + +<p class="center">END OF VOL. I.</p> + +<p class="center">R. CLAY, PRINTER, BREAD STREET HILL.</p> + +<hr class="full" /> + +<pre> + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Notes of a Twenty-Five Years' Service +in the Hudson's Bay Territory, by John M'lean + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SERVICE IN THE HUDSON'S BAY TERRITORY *** + +***** This file should be named 15342-8.txt or 15342-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/5/3/4/15342/ + +Produced by Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions, +Wallace McLean, William Flis, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team. + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Service in the Hudson's Bay Territory + +Author: John M'lean + +Release Date: October 13, 2005 [EBook #15342] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SERVICE IN THE HUDSON'S BAY *** + + + + +Produced by The Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions, +Wallace McLean and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team. + + + + + +NOTES + +OF A + +TWENTY-FIVE YEARS' SERVICE + +IN THE + +HUDSON'S BAY TERRITORY. + +BY JOHN M'LEAN. + + + + +IN TWO VOLUMES. + +VOL. I. + + + + +LONDON: + +RICHARD BENTLEY, NEW BURLINGTON STREET, + +Publisher in Ordinary to her Majesty. + +1849. + + + + +PREFACE. + + +The writer's main object in first committing to writing the following +Notes was to while away the many lonely and wearisome hours which are +the lot of the Indian trader;--a wish to gratify his friends by the +narrative of his adventures had also some share in inducing him to +take up the pen. + +While he might justly plead the hacknied excuse of being urged by not +a few of those friends to publish these Notes, in extenuation of the +folly or presumption, or whatever else it may be termed, of obtruding +them on the world, in these days of "making many books;" he feels that +he can rest his vindication on higher grounds. Although several works +of some merit have appeared in connexion with the subject, the +Hudson's Bay territory is yet, comparatively speaking, but little +known; no faithful representation has yet been given of the situation +of the Company's servants--the Indian traders; the degradation and +misery of the many Indian tribes, or rather remnants of tribes, +scattered throughout this vast territory, is in a great measure +unknown; erroneous statements have gone abroad in regard to the +Company's treatment of these Indians; as also in regard to the +government, policy, and management of the Company's affairs;--on these +points, he conceives that his plain, unvarnished tale may throw some +new light. + +Some of the details may seem trivial, and some of the incidents to be +without much interest to the general reader; still as it was one chief +design of the writer to draw a faithful picture of the Indian trader's +life,--its toils, annoyances, privations, and perils, when on actual +service, or on a trading or exploring expedition; its loneliness, +cheerlessness, and ennui, when not on actual service; together with +the shifts to which he is reduced in order to combat that ennui;--such +incidents, trifling though they may appear to be, he conceives may yet +convey to the reader a livelier idea of life in the Hudson's Bay +Company's territories than a more ambitious or laboured description +could have done. No one, indeed, who has passed his life amid the busy +haunts of men, can form any just idea of the interest attached by the +lonely trader to the most trifling events, such as the arrival of a +stranger Indian,--the coming of a new clerk,--a scuffle among the +Indians,--or a sudden change of weather. No one, unaccustomed to their +"short commons," can conceive the intense, it may be said fearful, +interest and excitement with which the issue of a fishing or hunting +expedition is anticipated. + +Should his work contribute, in any degree, to awaken the sympathy of +the Christian world in behalf of the wretched and degraded Aborigines +of this vast territory; should it tend in any way to expose, or to +reform the abuses in the management of the Hudson's Bay Company, or to +render its monopoly less injurious to the natives than hitherto it has +been; the writer's labour will have been amply compensated. Interested +as he still is in that Company, with a considerable stake depending on +its returns, it can scarcely be supposed that he has any intention, +wantonly or unnecessarily, to injure its interests. + + GUELPH, CANADA WEST, + _1st March, 1849._ + + + + +CONTENTS + +OF + +THE FIRST VOLUME. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +The Hudson's Bay Company and Territories + + +CHAPTER II. + +I enter the Hudson's Bay Company's Service--Padre Gibert + + +CHAPTER III. + +On Service--Lake of Two Mountains--Opposition--Indians--Amusements at +the Posts + + +CHAPTER IV. + +Portage des Chats--Tactics of our Opponents--Treachery of an +Iroquois--Fierce yet ludicrous nature of the Opposition + + +CHAPTER V. + +Arrival at the Chats--Installed as Bourgeois--First Trading +Excursion--Bivouac in the Woods--Indian Barbarity + + +CHAPTER VI. + +Trip to Fort Coulonge--Mr. Godin--Natives + + +CHAPTER VII. + +Superseded--Feelings on the Occasion--More Opposition--AE. +Macdonell--Tactics--Melancholy Death of an Indian + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +Activity of our Opponents--Violent Conduct of an Indian--Narrow +Escape--Artifice--Trip to Indian's Lodge--Stupidity of Interpreter + + +CHAPTER IX. + +Expedition to the Bear's Den--Passage through the Swamp--Cunning of +the Indians--A Scuffle--Its Results + + +CHAPTER X. + +Pere Duchamp--Mr. S.'s Instructions--Unsuccessful--Trading +Excursion--Difficulties of the Journey--Lose our way--Provisions +fail--Reach the Post--Visit to an Algonquin Chief--His abusive +Treatment--Success + + +CHAPTER XI. + +Success of the Iroquois Traders--Appointed to the Charge of the +Chats--Canadian disputes Possession--Bivouac without a Fire--Ruse to +baffle my Opponents--Roman Catholic Bigotry + + +CHAPTER XII. + +Journey to Montreal--Appointment to Lac de Sable--Advantages of this +Post--Its Difficulties--Governor's flattering Letter--Return from +Montreal--Lost in the Woods--Sufferings--Escape + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +Narrowly escape Drowning--Accident to Indian Guide--Am nearly Frozen +to Death--Misunderstanding between Algonquins and Iroquois--Massacre +at Hannah Bay + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +Fall through the Ice--Dangerous Adventure at a Rapid--Opponents give +in--Ordered to Lachine--Treatment on my Arrival--Manners, Habits, and +Superstitions of the Indians--Ferocious Revenge of a supposed +Injury--Different Methods of the Roman Catholic and Protestant +Missionary--Indian Councils--Tradition of the Flood--Beaver +Hunting--Language + + +CHAPTER XV. + +Embark for the Interior--Mode of Travelling by Canoes--Little +River--Lake Nipissing--French River--Old Station of Indian +Robbers--Fort Mississaga--Indians--Light Canoe-Men--Sault Ste. +Marie--Lake Superior--Canoe-men desert--Re-taken--Fort William--M. +Thibaud--Lac la Pluie and River--Indians--White River--Narrow +Escape--Conversation with an Indian about Baptism + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +Continuation of the Voyage--Run short of Provisions--Dogs +Flesh--Norway House--Indian Voyageurs--Ordered to New Caledonia--Lake +Winnipeg--McIntosh's Island submerged--Cumberland House--Chippewayan +and Cree Indians--Portage La Loche--Scenery--Athabasca--Healthiness of +the Climate + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +Arrival of Mr. F. from Caledonia--Scenery--Land-slip--Massacre at Fort +St. John's--Rocky Mountain Portage--Rocky Mountains--Magnificent +Scenery--McLeod's Lake--Reception of its Commander by the Indians + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +Arrival at New Caledonia--Beautiful Scenery--Indian Houses--Amusements +at the Fort--Threatened Attack of Indians--Expedition against +them--Beefsteaks--New Caledonian Fare--Mode of catching +Salmon--Singular Death of native Interpreter--Indian Funeral +Rites--Barbarous Treatment of Widows + + +CHAPTER XIX. + +Indian Feast--Attempt at Dramatic Representation--Religion--Ordered to +Fort Alexandria--Advantages of the Situation--Sent back to Fort St. +James--Solitude--Punishment of Indian Murderer--Its Consequences--Heroic +Adventure of Interpreter + + +CHAPTER XX. + +Appointed to the Charge of Fort George--Murder of Mr. Yale's +Men--Mysterious Loss of Mr. Linton and Family--Adventures of Leather +Party--Failure of Crops--Influenza + + +CHAPTER XXI. + +Climate of New Caledonia--Scenery--Natural +Productions--Animals--Fishes--Natives--Their Manners and +Customs--Duelling--Gambling--Licentiousness--Language + + + + +NOTES + +OF A + +TWENTY-FIVE YEARS' SERVICE + +AT THE + +HUDSON'S BAY TERRITORY. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +THE HUDSON'S BAY COMPANY AND TERRITORIES. + + +That part of British North America known by the name of the Hudson's +Bay territory extends from the eastern coast in about 60 deg. W. long. to +the Russian boundary in 142 deg. W.; and from the Gulf of St. Lawrence, +along the Ottawa River and the northern shores of Lakes Huron and +Superior, and thence to the boundary line of the United States; +extending in latitude thence to the northern limit of America; being +in length about 2,600 miles, and in breadth about 1,400 miles. This +extensive space may be divided into three portions, each differing +most materially in aspect and surface. The first and most extensive is +that which is on the east, from the Labrador coast, round Hudson's +Bay, northward to the Arctic region, and westward to the Rocky +Mountains. This is entirely a wooded district, affording that +plentiful supply of timber which forms so large a branch of the +Canadian export trade. These interminable forests are principally +composed of pines of large size, but which towards the northern +boundary are of a very stinted growth. Another portion is the prairie +country, reaching from Canada westward to the Rocky Mountains, and +intersected by the boundary line of the United States. In general, the +soil is rich alluvial, which being covered with luxuriant herbage, +affords pasturage for the vast herds of wild buffaloes which roam over +these extensive plains. The western part is that which lies between +the Rocky Mountains and the Pacific Ocean, including the Oregon +territory, which was likely to have led to a serious misunderstanding +between Great Britain and the United States. + +These extensive portions are divided by the Hudson's Bay Company into +four departments, and these departments are again subdivided into +districts. At the head of each department and district a chief factor +or chief trader generally presides, to whom all the officers within +their respective jurisdictions are amenable. Those in charge of posts, +whatever may be their rank, are subject to the authority of the person +at the head of the district; and that person receives his instructions +from the superintendent of the department. The whole affairs of the +country at large are regulated by the Governor and Council, and their +decisions again are referred, for final adjustment, to the Governor +and Committee in London. + +The Montreal department comprehends all the districts and posts along +the Gulf and River St. Lawrence; also the different posts along the +banks of the Ottawa and the interior country. The depot of the +department is at Lachine, where all the returns are collected, and the +outfits prepared. + +The southern department has its depot at Moose Factory, in James's +Bay; it includes the districts of Albany, Rupert's House, +Temiscamingue, Lake Huron, and Lake Superior, together with several +isolated posts along the shores of the Bay. + +The northern department is very extensive, having for its southern +boundary the line which divides the British from the American +territories, sweeping east and west from Lac La Pluie, in 95 deg. W. long, +and 49 deg. N. lat. to the Rocky Mountains in 115 deg. W. long.; then, with +the Rocky Mountains for its western boundary, it extends northward to +the Arctic Sea. The whole of this vast country is divided into the +following districts: Norway House, Rainy Lake, Red River, +Saskatchewan, English River, Athabasca, and McKenzie's River. The +depot of this department is York Factory, in Hudson's Bay, and is +considered the grand emporium; here the grand Council is held, which +is formed of the Governor and such chief factors and chief traders as +may be present. The duty of the latter is to sit and listen to +whatever measures the Governor may have determined on, and give their +assent thereto, no debating or vetoing being ever thought of; the +Governor being absolute, his measures therefore more require obedience +than assent. Chief traders are also permitted to sit in council as +auditors, but have not the privilege of being considered members. + +The Columbia department is bounded on the east by the Rocky Mountains, +and on the west by the Pacific Ocean. An ideal line divides it on the +south from the province of California, in lat. 41 deg. 30'; and it joins +the Russian boundary in lat. 55 deg.. This, although a very extensive +department, does not consist of many districts; New Caledonia is the +principal, situated among the Rocky Mountains, and having several of +its posts established along the banks of the Fraser River, which +disembogues itself into the Gulf of Georgia in nearly 49 deg. lat. and +122 deg. W. long. The next is Colville, on the Columbia River, along with +some isolated posts near the confluence of the same river. The +_forts_, or trading posts, along the north-west coast, have each their +respective commander. The shipping business is conducted by a person +appointed for that purpose, who is styled, _par excellence_, the head +of the "Naval department." The Company have a steamboat and several +sailing vessels, for the purpose chiefly of trading with the natives +along the coast. The primary object, however, is not so much the +trade, as to keep brother Jonathan in check, (whose propensity for +encroaching has of late been "pretty much" exhibited,) and to deter +him from forming any establishments on the coasts; there being a just +apprehension that if once a footing were obtained on the coast, an +equal eagerness might be manifested for extending their locations into +the interior. Strong parties of hunters are also constantly employed +along the southern frontier for the purpose of destroying the +fur-bearing animals in that quarter; the end in view being to secure +the interior from the encroachments of foreign interlopers. The depot +of this department is at Fort Vancouver, on the Columbia River. + +The Hudson's Bay Company, as it at present exists, was incorporated in +the winter of 1820-21, a coalition having been then formed with the +North-West Company. Upon this taking place, an Act of Parliament was +obtained which gave them not only the possession of the territory they +had originally held by virtue of their royal charter, but also +investing them with the same rights and privileges conferred by that +charter in and over all the territories that had been settled by the +North-West Company for a term of twenty-one years. + +The Governor, Deputy-Governor, and managing Committee, are, properly +speaking, the only capitalists. The stock is divided into one hundred +shares; sixty of which their Honours retain for themselves; and the +remaining forty are divided among the chief traders and chief factors, +who manage the affairs in the Indian country. A chief factor holds two +of these shares, and a chief trader one; of which they retain the full +interest for one year after they retire, and half interest for the six +following years. These cannot be said to be stock-holders, for they +are not admitted to any share in the executive management; but +according to the present system they are termed Commissioned Officers, +and receive merely the proceeds of the share allotted to them. They +enjoy, however, one very superior advantage,--they are not subjected +to bear their share in any losses which the Company may sustain. It is +generally reckoned that the value of one share is on an average about +350l. sterling a-year. By the resignation of two chief traders, one +share is at the Company's disposal the year after, which is then +bestowed on a clerk. When two chief factors retire, a chief trader is +promoted in like manner. Promotion also take place when the shares of +the retired partners fall in. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +I ENTER THE HUDSON'S BAY COMPANY'S SERVICE--PADRE GIBERT. + + +I entered the service of the Company in the winter of 1820-21, and +after passing my contract at Montreal in the month of January, I took +up my residence for the remainder of the season with a French priest, +in the parish of Petit le Maska, for the purpose of studying the +French language. The Padre was a most affable, liberal-minded man, a +warm friend of England and Englishmen, and a staunch adherent to their +government, which he considered as the most perfect under the sun. The +fact is, that the old gentleman, along with many others of his +countrymen who had escaped from the horrors of the French Revolution, +had found an asylum in our land of freedom, which they could find +nowhere else; and the personal advantages that had accrued to him from +that circumstance, naturally induced a favourable disposition towards +his benefactors, their laws, and their institutions. Though the Padre +was extremely liberal in his political opinions, his management of his +worldly affairs bore the stamp of the most sordid parsimony. He +worshipped the golden calf, and his adoration of the image was +manifest in everything around him. He wore a cassock of cloth which +had in former times been of a black colour, but was now of a dusky +grey, the woollen material being so completely incorporated with dust +as to give it that colour. His table was furnished with such fare as +his farm produced, with the addition, on particular occasions, of a +bottle of _black strap_. A charming nymph, of some fifty years of age +or so, had the management of the household, and discharged all her +duties with strict decorum and care. I have the beauties of her person +in my mind's eye to this day. She was hump-backed, short-necked, and +one-eyed, and squinted bewitchingly with the remaining one: she had a +short leg and a long one, a high shoulder and a low. In short, the +dear creature seemed to be formed, or rather deformed, by the hand of +nature on purpose to fill the situation of housekeeper for a +priest,--so that whatever might be his age, no scandal could possibly +attach itself to him from such a housekeeper. The man-servant was +directly the counterpart of the charming Marguerite; he also was far +advanced in the vale of years, and was of a most irascible temper. To +stir up Joseph to the _grinning point_ was a very easy matter; and his +frantic gesticulations, when thus goaded to wrath by our teasing +pleasantries, (there were two other young gentlemen beside myself,) +were of the most extraordinary description, and afforded infinite +amusement. We never failed to amuse ourselves at Joseph's expense, +when the Padre's absence permitted our doing so with impunity,--especially +as a small present of tobacco, which was always kept at hand for such +occasions, soon made us friends again. But it sometimes happened that +such jokes were carried too far, so as to render the offering of +_incense_ quite unacceptable, when the touch of _metal_ could alone +produce the desired effect. + +I remained with Father Gibert until spring, and shall take leave of +him by relating an anecdote or two illustrative of his loyalty and +benevolence. Some time during Madison's unprovoked war with Great +Britain, an alarm came from the upper part of the parish of which +Father Gibert was _cure_, that a party of Americans had been seen +marching down the country. The _Capitaine_ of militia, who was the +_cure's_ next door neighbour, was immediately sent for, and by their +joint influence and authority a considerable number of _habitans_ were +soon assembled under arms, such as they were. The Father then +shouldering his musket, and placing himself at the head of his +parishioners, led them into his garden, which was enclosed by a picket +fence, and bordered on the highway. Here the loyal band took their +stand under cover of the fence, waiting to give Jonathan a warm +reception the moment he came within reach. The supposed Americans +proved to be a small detachment of British troops, and thus the affair +ended. + +On another occasion during the same period the Padre's loyalty and +good humour were manifested, though in a different manner. While +amusing himself in the garden one day, he overheard two Irish soldiers +engaged in conversation to this effect:-- + +"You know that the ould boy asks every body afore he gives any +praties, if they belong to St. Patrick; well, is it a hard matter to +tell him we do, agrah?" + +"Sure you'd be telling a lie, Paddy!" + +"Never mind that," said Paddy, "I'll spake." + +The old gentleman immediately returned to the house, and entering by a +back door, was snugly seated in his arm-chair, book in hand, when the +two Hibernians were admitted. + +"Well, my boys, what is your business with me?" + +"We would be wanting a few praties, if your Riverence could spare +them." + +"Aha! you are from Ireland, I perceive. Irishmen very fond of +potatoes! Well, my boys, I have a few remaining, and you shall have +some if you belong to St. Patrick." + +"Faith, and it is all as your honour says; we are Irishmen, and we +belong to St. Patrick." + +The old gentleman ordered Joseph to supply them with the "blessed +root," without any further parley. Then addressing the speaker in a +voice of assumed choler, exclaimed:-- + +"You are a great raskail! does your religion teach you to tell lies? +You are Protestant both of you. However, if you do not belong to St. +Patrick, you belong to the King of England, and I give my potatoes for +his sake. But you must never try to impose upon an old priest again, +or you may not come so well off." + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +ON SERVICE--LAKE OF TWO MOUNTAINS--OPPOSITION--INDIANS--AMUSEMENTS AT +THE POSTS. + + +I arrived at Montreal about the beginning of May, and soon learnt that +I was appointed to the post at Lake of Two Mountains. The Montreal +department was headed at that time by Mr. Thane, a man of rather +eccentric character, but possessed of a heart that glowed with the +best feelings of humanity. I was allowed to amuse myself a few days in +town, having directions however to call at the office every day, in +case my services should be required. The period of departure at length +arrived. I was one evening accosted by Mr. Thane in these terms:--"I +say, youngster, you have been trifling away your time long enough +here; you must hold yourself ready to embark for your destination +to-morrow morning at five o'clock precisely. If you delay one moment, +you shall have cause to remember it." Such positive injunctions were +not disregarded by me. I was of course ready at the time appointed, +and after all the hurry, had the honour of breakfasting with my +commander before departing; but the woful and disheartening accounts +of the hardships and privations I was to suffer in the country to +which I was to proceed, fairly spoiled my appetite. I was told that my +only lodging was to be a tent, my only food Indian corn, _when I could +get it_; and many other _comforts_ were enumerated with the view of +producing a certain effect, which my countenance no doubt betrayed, +whilst he chuckled with the greatest delight at the success of his +jokes. I took leave, and found myself that evening at the Lake of Two +Mountains. On my arrival, a large building was pointed out to me as +the Company's establishment, to which I soon found admittance, and +was, to my great surprise, ushered into a large well furnished +apartment. Tea had just been served, with a variety of substantial +accompaniments, to which I felt heartily disposed to do ample justice, +after my day's abstinence. This was very different entertainment from +what I had been led to expect in the morning; would it had been my lot +to be always so agreeably deceived! + +The village of the Lake of Two Mountains is inhabited by two distinct +tribes of the aborigines--viz. the Iroquois and the Algonquins; the +latter are a tribe of the Sauteux nation, or Ojibbeway, and live +principally by the chase. The former cultivate the soil, and engage as +voyageurs, or in any other capacity that may yield them the means of +subsistence. They are a very hardy industrious race; but neither the +habits of civilized life, nor the influence of the Christian religion, +appear to have mitigated, in any material degree, the ferocity that +characterized their pagan ancestors. Although they do not pay great +deference to the laws of God, they are sufficiently aware of the +consequences of violating the laws of man, and comport themselves +accordingly. + +The Catholic seminary and church, along with the gardens of the +establishment, almost divide the village into two equal parts; yet +this close proximity does not appear to encourage any friendly +intercourse between the two tribes. They in fact seldom pass their +respective limits, and, with few exceptions, cannot converse together, +the language of the one being unintelligible to the other. + +The Company established a post here in the spring of 1819, and when I +arrived it was in charge of Mr. Fisher, then a senior clerk. He had +two other clerks under him, besides myself, a like number of +_attaches_, two interpreters, two servants, and a horse to ride upon. +With such an establishment to rule over, need it be matter of surprise +that our _bourgeois_ was in his own estimation a magnate of the first +order? _N'importe_,--whatever might be his vanity, he possessed those +qualities which constitute a first-rate Indian trader, and he required +them to fill successfully his present situation. A number of petty +traders were settled in the village, who, whenever the Company entered +the lists against them, laid aside the feuds that subsisted among +themselves, and joined to oppose their united efforts against the +powerful rival that threatened to overwhelm them all. The spring fur +campaign was about to open when I made my _debut_ at the post. The +natives being daily expected from the interior, all parties watched +their arrival night and day. This was not a very harassing duty to us, +as we relieved each other; but the situation of our superior was +exceedingly irksome and annoying. The moment an Indian canoe appeared +(the Indians always arrived at night), we were ordered to apprize him +of it; having done so, he was immediately at the landing-place, our +opponents being also there, attending to their own interests. Some of +the natives were supplied by the Company, others by the petty traders; +and according as it happened to be the customers of either that +arrived, the servants assisted in unloading the canoes, conveying the +baggage to their houses, and kindling a fire. Provisions were +furnished in abundance by both parties. While these preliminary +operations were being performed by the servants, the traders +surrounded the principal object of their solicitude--the hunter; first +one, then another, taking him aside to persuade him of the superior +claims each had on his love and gratitude. After being pestered in +this manner for some time, he, (the hunter,) eventually allowed +himself to be led away to the residence of one of the parties, where +he was treated to the best their establishment afforded; the natives, +however, retaining their furs, and visiting from house to house, until +satiated with the good cheer the traders had to give them, when they +at length gave them up, but not always to the party to whom they were +most indebted. They are generally great rogues; the sound of the +dollars, which the Company possessed in abundance, often brought the +furs that were due to the petty trader to the Company's stores; while +some of our customers were induced by the same argument to carry their +furs to our rivals. + +For a period of six weeks or so, the natives continued to arrive; +sometimes in brigades, sometimes in single canoes; during the whole of +this period we were occupied in the manner now described, day and +night. So great was the pressure of business, that we had scarcely +time to partake of the necessary refreshment. When they had at length +all arrived, we enjoyed our night's rest, if indeed our continually +disturbed slumbers could be called rest:--what with the howling of two +or three hundred dogs, the tinkling of bells with which the horses the +Indians rode were ornamented, the bawling of the squaws when beaten by +their drunken husbands, and the yelling of the savages themselves when +in that beastly state, sleep was impossible,--the infernal sounds that +continually rent the air, produced such a _symphony_ as could be heard +nowhere else out of Pandemonium. No liquors were sold to the natives +at the village, but they procured as much as they required from the +opposite side of the lake. Some wretches of Canadians were always +ready, for a trifling consideration, to purchase it for them; thus the +law prohibiting the sale of liquor to the Indians was evaded. After +wallowing in intemperance for some time, they ultimately submitted to +the authority of the priests, confessed their sins, received +absolution, and became _good Christians_ for the remainder of the +season. If any indulged in the favourite vice--a few always did--they +were confined to their quarters by their families. After attending +mass on Sundays, they amused themselves playing at ball, or running +foot races; and it was only on such occasions they were seen to +associate with their neighbours the Iroquois. They took opposite sides +in the games; small stakes were allowed, merely to create an interest +in the issue of the contest. The chiefs of both tribes sat smoking +their pipes together, viewing the sports in silent gravity, and acting +as umpires in all cases of doubt between the parties. They, in fact, +led a glorious life during the three months they remained at the +village; that period was to them a continued carnival. The best fare +the country afforded--the best attire that money could procure--all +that sensuality, all that vanity could desire--their means permitted +them to enjoy. Their lands not having been hunted on during the war, +the beaver multiplied at an extraordinary rate, and now swarmed in +every direction. Every individual belonging to the tribe might then +have acquired an independent fortune. They arrived at the village, +their canoes laden with furs; but the characteristic improvidence of +their race blinded them to future consequences. Such was their +wasteful extravagance, that the money obtained by the sale of their +furs was dissipated ere half the summer season was over. The traders +supplied them afterwards with all requisites at a _moderate_ per +centage; and when they embarked in autumn for their hunting grounds, +they found themselves deeply involved in debt, a few only excepted. + +In the course of this summer, some of our opponents foreseeing the +probable issue of the contest they were engaged in, proposed terms of +capitulation, which were in most instances readily assented to by the +Company; the inventories and outstanding debts were assumed at a +certain valuation. They retired from the field, some with annuities +for a stipulated period, while to others a round sum of money was +granted; in either case the party bound himself, under certain +penalties, not to interfere in the trade for a stated period of time. + +In this manner the Company got rid of all petty opponents, with the +exception of two who continued the unequal contest. By the latter end +of August the natives had all started for the interior, leaving behind +only a few decrepit old men and women. The scene was now completely +changed; a death-like stillness prevailed where but a few days before +all was activity, bustle and animation. Two of my brother scribes were +ordered to the interior; one[1] to the distant Lake Nipissingue, the +other to the Chats. Mr. Fisher set off to enjoy himself in Montreal, +Mr. Francher, the accountant, being appointed _locum-tenens_ during +his absence. Another young Scot and myself, together with two or three +non-descripts, formed the winter establishment. Having just quitted +the scenes of civilized life, I found my present solitude sufficiently +irksome; the natural buoyancy of youthful spirits, however, with the +amusements we got up amongst us, conspired to banish all gloomy +thoughts from my mind in a very short time. We--my friend Mac and +myself--soon became very intimate with two or three French families +who resided in the village, who were, though in an humble station, +kind and courteous, and who, moreover, danced, fiddled and played +whist. + + [1] This gentleman's name was Cockburn;--he met his end a few + years afterwards in a very melancholy manner, while on his way + to Montreal (having retired from the service). He rolled over + the canoe on a dark night, and disappeared for ever! + +There was another family of a different status from the others, that +of Capt. Ducharme, the king's interpreter, a kind-hearted, hospitable +man, who frequently invited us to his house, where we enjoyed the +charms of polished society and good cheer. The captain's residence was +in the Iroquois division of the village; this circumstance led us to +form another acquaintance that for some time afforded us some +amusement, _en passant_. We discovered that a very ugly old widow, who +resided in that quarter, had two very pretty young daughters, to whom +we discoursed in Gaelic; they answered in Iroquois; and in a short +time the best _understanding_ imaginable was established between us, +(Mac and myself, be it always understood.) No harm came of it, though; +I vow there did not; the priests, it seems, thought otherwise. Our +acquaintance with the girls having come to their knowledge, we were +one day honoured with a visit from the Iroquois padre; the severe +gravity of whose countenance convinced us at a glance of the nature of +his mission. I must do him the justice to say, however, that his +address to us was mild and admonitory, rather than severe or +reproachful. I resolved from that moment to speak no more Gaelic to +the Iroquois maidens; Mac continued his visits. + +We always amused ourselves in the evenings with our French +_confreres_, (whom I have mentioned as "nondescripts," from the +circumstance of their being under no regular engagement with the +Company,) playing cards or fiddling and dancing. We were on one +occasion engaged in the latter amusement _en pleine midi_--our +_Deputy_ Bourgeois being one of the party, and all of us in the +highest possible glee, when lo! in the midst of our hilarity, the hall +door flew open and the _great man_ stood sternly before us. The +hand-writing on the wall could scarcely have produced a more startling +effect on the convivial party of old, than did this unexpected +apparition upon us. We listened to the reprimand which followed in all +due humility, none more crest-fallen than our worthy Deputy. Mr. +Fisher then opened his portmanteau and drew forth a letter, which he +presented to my friend Mac, exclaiming in a voice of thunder, "Read +that, gentlemen, and hear what Mr. Thane thinks of your conduct." We +read and trembled; Mac's defiance of the authority of the priests +offended them mortally; a formal complaint was consequently preferred +against the innocent and the guilty, (although there was no guilt in +fact, unless _speaking Gaelic_ to the wood-nymphs could be so +construed,) and drew upon us the censures this dreadful missive +conveyed. The magnate remained a few days, and on his departure for +town, we resumed our usual pastimes, but selected a different _path_ +to Captain Ducharme's. The Fathers had requested, when this +establishment was first formed, that some of the Company's officers +should attend church on Sundays for the purpose of showing a good +example to the natives. I did so, on my part, very regularly until +Christmas Eve, when having witnessed the ceremonies of the midnight +mass, I determined on remaining at home in future. I shuddered with +horror at the idolatrous rites, as they appeared to me, which were +enacted on that occasion. The ceremonies commenced with the +celebration of mass; then followed the introduction of the "Infant +Jesus," borne by four of the choristers, attired in surplices of white +linen. The image being placed by them on a sofa in front of the altar, +the superior of the seminary made his debut, retiring to the railing +that surrounds the altar, when he knelt, and bending low his head +apparently in devout adoration, he arose, then advanced two steps +towards the altar and knelt again; he knelt the third time close to +the side of the image, which he devoutly embraced, then withdrew: the +younger priests performed the same ceremonies; and after them every +one of their congregation: yet these people protest that their +religion has no connexion with idolatry, and that the representations +of Protestants regarding it are false and calumnious. If we credit +them, however, we must belie the evidence of our own senses; but the +fact is, there are not a few Roman Catholics who speak with very +little _respect_ themselves of some of these mummeries. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +PORTAGE DES CHATS--TACTICS OF OUR OPPONENTS--TREACHERY OF AN +IROQUOIS--FIERCE, YET LUDICROUS NATURE OF THE OPPOSITION. + + +MR. Fisher returned from town in the month of March; he had learnt +that our opponents intended to shift the scene of operations to the +Chats, (where the greater number of the Indians pass on their way +going to or returning from their hunting grounds,) and were making +preparations of a very extensive nature for the spring competition. +The Company were not tardy in adopting such measures as were deemed +the most efficient to meet them on their own terms. We understood that +they had hired two _bullies_ for the purpose of deciding the matter +_par voie de fait_. Mr. Fisher hired two of the same description, who +were supposed to be more than a match for the opposition party. On the +28th of April, 1822, our opponents set off in two large canoes, manned +by eight men in each; we followed in three canoes with twenty-four +men, under the command of three leaders--namely, Captain Ducharme, who +had volunteered on the occasion, Mr. Lyons, a retired trader, and +myself. Nothing occurred worthy of description on our passage to the +Chats. + +The Ottawa is at this point interrupted by a ledge of rock, which +extends across its whole breadth. In forcing a passage for itself +through this barrier, it is divided into several channels, which form +as many beautiful cascades as they fall into the extensive basin that +receives them below. On one of the islands thus formed, the natives +make a portage. Here, then, we took our station close to a cascade: +our opponents commenced building a hut on one side of the path, we on +the other. While this operation was in progress, basilisk looks +denoted the strength of feeling that pervaded the breasts of either +party, but not a word was exchanged between us. Our hut was first +completed, when our champion clambered aloft, and crowed defiance; +three times he crowed (aloud), but no responding voice was heard from +the opposite camp. This act was altogether voluntary on the part of +our man, but it did not displease us, as the result convinced us that +we stood on safe ground, should any violence be attempted. Our +opponents were enraged at the want of spirit evinced by their men, and +determined on being revenged upon _us_ in a manner that showed the +virulence of their animosity. A number of lumber men were making up +their rafts within a short distance of us at the time, who were for +the most part natives of the Emerald Isle. Paddy's "knocking down for +love" is proverbial. Our opponents immediately sent them word that the +Hudson's Bay Company had brought up a _bully_ from Montreal who defied +"the whole of the Grand River." "By my faith, does he thin," said Pat; +"let us have a look at him, any how." + +On the succeeding evening (after the occurrence of the circumstance +above related) we were surprised to see the number of canoes that +arrived at the portage from all directions. The crew of each canoe as +they landed went direct to our opponents, where they appeared to be +liberally supplied with spirits. Their object was sufficiently +evident, as the potent agent they had employed, in a short time, +produced the desired effect. Oaths and execrations were heard amid +crowing and yelling. Our Canadians all took to their heels, except our +noble game-cock and two others; and now the drama opened. A +respectable good looking fellow stept out from the crowd, accompanied +by another man, a Canadian, and advancing to our champion, asked him +"if he would not sell his feathers" (his hat being decorated with +them). It is unnecessary to state the reply. An altercation ensued, +and blows would undoubtedly have succeeded, had I not then interfered. +I invited the stranger to my tent, and having opened my _garde de +vin_, produced some of the good things it contained. A little +conversation with my guest, proved him to be a shrewd sensible man; +and when I explained the nature of our dispute with our rivals, he +comprehended in an instant the object they had in view in circulating +the reports which induced him and others to assemble at the portage. +The consanguinity of the sons of Erin and Caledonia was next touched +upon, and the point settled to our mutual satisfaction; in short, my +brother Celt and I parted as good friends as half-an-hour's +acquaintance and a bottle of wine could make us. At the conclusion of +our interview he departed, and meeting our champion, cordially shook +him by the hand; then addressing his companions, remarked, "This, my +lads, is a quarrel between the traders, in which we have no right to +interfere at all; for my own part, I am very much obliged to the +jintlemin on both sides o' the road, for traiting me so jintaily; but +Jack Hall shall not be made a tool of by anybody whatsumdever." + +Jack Hall embarked with his crew, and was soon afterwards followed by +the others. Both parties were thus again in their previous positions, +and a little tact saved us from the fatal consequences that might have +ensued, had their villainous design proved successful. The daring +insult was keenly felt by us all, and accordingly one of our trio +despatched a message to the only individual of the opposite party who +had any pretension to the title of gentleman, soliciting the pleasure +of his company to take the air next morning. The invitation was +accepted. Our party kept the appointment, and remained for two hours +on the ground, awaiting the arrival of their _friends_; but the +friends allowed them the sole enjoyment of the morning air. + +A few days afterwards the natives began to make their appearance, and +scenes of a revolting nature were of frequent occurrence. Rum and +brandy flowed in streams, and dollars were scattered about as if they +had been of no greater value than pebbles on the beach. The expenses +incurred by both parties were very great; but while this lavish +expenditure seriously affected the resources of the petty traders, the +coffers of the Company were too liberally filled to be sensibly +diminished by such outlay. Nevertheless, the natives would not dispose +of their furs until they reached the village. + +We remained at the portage until the 7th of June, when the natives +having all passed, we embarked, and arrived at the lake on the 10th, +where we were shocked to learn that our Bourgeois[1] had had a very +narrow escape from the treachery of an Iroquois during our absence, +the particulars of which were thus related to us. Mr. Fisher had +advanced a sum to this scoundrel two years before, and seeing him pass +his door the ensuing spring after the debt had been contracted, with +his furs, which he carried to our opponents, he watched his return, +and calling him in, demanded payment; an insolent reply was the return +for his kindness, which so much exasperated him, that he kicked him +out in presence of several other Indians. The insult was not +forgotten. Soon after his arrival this spring, he sent for Mr. Fisher, +who complied with the invitation, expecting payment of his debt. The +moment he entered the house, however, he discovered that he had been +inveigled. The Indian stood before him, his face painted, and a pistol +in his hand, which he presented. In an instant Mr. Fisher bared his +breast, and staring his enemy fiercely in the face, exclaimed, "Fire, +you black dog! What! did you imagine you had sent for an old woman?" + + [1] The term Bourgeois is used for Master throughout the + Indian country. + +Mr. Fisher's knowledge of the Indian character saved his life; had he +betrayed the slightest symptom of fear, he was a dead man; but the +undaunted attitude he assumed staggered the resolution of the savage; +a new bias seemed to operate on his mind, probably through a feeling +of respect for the determined courage displayed by his intended +victim. He could not brace his nerves to a second effort; his hand +dropped listlessly by his side; his gaze was fixed on Mr. Fisher for a +moment; then dashing the pistol violently on the ground, he beckoned +him to withdraw.[1] + + [1] At that period some of the Iroquois made good hunts, + trapping beaver along the main rivers and outskirts of the + Algonquin lands. + +Immediately after the close of the spring trade, the most formidable +of our opponents _hinted_ that he might be induced to quit the field; +a negotiation was accordingly opened with him, which soon terminated +in a favourable issue, on very advantageous terms to the retiring +party. + +The solitary being who remained behind was thus thrown upon his own +resources, and his efforts to maintain the unequal contest unaided, +were so feeble and ineffectual, that the Company might be said to hold +a monopoly of the fur-trade at this period; but thereafter they paid +dearly for their triumph, as further sacrifices had yet to be made ere +they could enjoy it in quiet. A Canadian merchant, in easy +circumstances, who dwelt opposite to the village, having learned the +advantageous terms obtained by the petty traders from the Company, +addressed a very polite note to Mr. Fisher, stating his intention to +try his fortune as a trader, but that he would have no objection to +postpone the attempt for five years, provided the Company would allow +him 150l. per annum, during that period. The proposal was submitted to +Mr. Thane, who laconically replied, "Let him do his worst, and be...." +Accordingly, St. Julien immediately commenced operations. He hired one +end of an Indian house, which he fitted up as a trader's shop: Fisher +hired the other end. St. Julien then removed to another: Fisher +occupied the other end of that house also. St. Julien next rented a +_whole_ house: Fisher purchased a house, placed it upon rollers, and +wheeled it directly in front of that of his rival, rearwards, scarcely +leaving sufficient room for one person to pass between the premises. +This caused great amusement to the Indians; not so to St. Julien, who +had not anticipated so excessive a desire on the part of any of the +Company's officers for so close an intimacy; and at the end of six +weeks he took his departure without pay or pension from the Company. + +In the course of this summer our Algonquins received a visit from a +party of Ottawas, (this tribe occupies the hunting grounds in the +vicinity of Michimmakina or Makinaw, and speaks the Sauteaux +language,) which created considerable alarm in the village, as they +came for the purpose of demanding satisfaction for the murder of one +of their tribe, which had been perpetrated two years before by an +Algonquin. The details of the atrocious deed were communicated to me +as follows. The Ottawas and Algonquins, with their families, were +proceeding in company to the Lake, in the spring of 1819, when being +encamped in the neighbourhood of the long Sault rapid, the Algonquin +sprang upon his unsuspecting companion, and cleft his skull with his +tomahawk, without the least apparent provocation; then dragging the +body to the water's edge, he cut it up into small pieces, and threw +them in. He next despatched the woman, and mutilated her body in the +same savage manner, having first committed the most horrible barbarity +on her person; (the recital of which curdled my blood; and yet our +Christianized (?) Algonquins laughed heartily on hearing it!) The +demon in human form, with the yet reeking tomahawk raised over the +heads of his wife and children, made them swear that they would never +divulge the horrid deed; but they did disclose it; and it was from the +wife the tale of horror was elicited. The object of the Ottawas was +not revenge. Compensation to the full estimated value of the lives of +a man and woman was all they demanded; and that they received to an +amount that far exceeded their expectations. Had the murderer been in +the village the chiefs declared they would have given him up; but they +had already delivered him over to the proper authorities, and he was +then in prison waiting his sentence. + +It has been already mentioned, that the Company had assumed the +outstanding debts of the petty traders. When the accounts were closed +this autumn, the aggregate amount of liabilities due to the Company +exhibited the enormous sum of seventy-two thousand dollars--not a +shilling of that sum has ever been repaid. + +Soon after the departure of the natives for the interior, I was +notified of my appointment to the charge of the Chats post. My friend +Mac also received marching orders; and after parting with him I took +leave of the Lake of Two Mountains on the 20th of August. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +ARRIVAL AT THE CHATS--INSTALLED AS BOURGEOIS--FIRST TRADING +EXCURSION--BIVOUAC IN THE WOODS--INDIAN BARBARITY. + + +I ARRIVED at the Chats on the 26th of August, 1822. As we approached +the establishment, the crew struck up a song which soon attracted the +notice of its only inmate; a tall gaunt figure, who was observed +moving toward the landing-place, where it remained stationary. With +the exception of this solitary being, no sign of animation was +perceptible. We landed, and found the recluse to be the gentleman whom +I was to succeed. The men belonging to the post were at the time +employed elsewhere; fire-arms were therefore discharged, to summon +them to return. An old interpreter and two men, constituting the force +at this station, soon made their appearance. Such an uncommon event as +an _arrival_ seemed to produce an exhilarating effect upon them. +Immediately after my landing the charge was made over to me; and on +the following day my predecessor, Mr. Macdonald, took his departure, +leaving me to the fellowship of my own musings, which for a time +assumed but sombre hues; but I was then young, and the hopes and +aspirations of an ardent mind threw a halo around the gloomy path that +lay before me, and resting upon the bright spots that glimmered in the +distant background, concealed from my view the toils and miseries I +had to experience in the intermediate passage. + +On assuming the responsibility of this post, I found myself in a +position which gratified my vanity. I was Bourgeois of the Chats; had +an interpreter and two men subject to my orders; and could make such +arrangements as my own inclinations dictated, without the surveillance +of a superior. I was, in fact, master of my own time and of my own +actions; could fiddle when I pleased, and dance when I had a mind with +my own shadow; no person here dared to question my actions. + +About the beginning of September the natives began to pass for the +interior, and to my great surprise appeared to be in want of further +supplies, although they had left the Lake amply provided with +everything necessary. Some of them took advances here again to a +considerable amount. I learned from them that a petty trader who had +just then sprung into existence, intended to establish a couple of +posts in the interior of the district--(this post being subject to the +Lake of Two Mountains.) This was rather an unpleasant piece of +intelligence, and quite unexpected by my superiors or myself. I +despatched a messenger to head-quarters to give the alarm, and was +soon joined by a reinforcement of men conducted by a junior clerk and +an interpreter. Preparations were then made to follow up this new +competitor the moment he appeared. He did not allow us to remain long +in suspense. A few days afterwards his party was observed passing in +two canoes; our people were immediately in their wake, and I remained +with but one man and the old interpreter during the winter. I had only +two Indian hunters to attend to; one in the immediate vicinity of the +post, the other about three days' journey distant. Late in autumn I +was gratified by a visit from the superintendent of the district, who +expressed himself perfectly satisfied with my arrangements. As soon as +the river _set fast_ with ice, I resolved on paying a visit to my more +remote customer, and assumed the snow-shoes for the first time. I set +out with my _only_ man, leaving the old interpreter sole occupier of +the post. My man had visited the Indian on several occasions during +the previous winter, and told me that he usually halted at a +Chantier,[1] on the way to his lodge. We arrived late in the evening at +the locality in question, and finding a quantity of timber collected +on the ice, concluded that the _shanty_ must be close at hand. We +accordingly followed the lumber-track until we reached the hut which +had formerly afforded such comfortable accommodation to my companion. +Great was our disappointment, however, to find it now tenantless, and +almost buried in snow. I had made an extraordinary effort to reach the +spot in the hope of procuring good quarters for the night, and was now +so completely exhausted by fatigue that I could proceed no further. +The night was dark, and to make our situation as cheerless as +possible, it was discovered that my companion had left his +"fire-works" behind--a proof of his inexperience. Under these +circumstances our preparations were necessarily few. Having laid a few +boughs of pine upon the snow, we wrapped ourselves up in our blankets, +and lay down together. I passed the night without much rest; but my +attendant--a hardy Canadian--kept the wild beasts at bay by his deep +snoring, until dawn. I found myself completely benumbed with cold; a +smart walk, however, soon put the blood in circulation, and ere long +we entered a shanty where we experienced the usual hospitality of +these generous folks. Here we borrowed a "smoking-bag," containing a +steel, flint, and tinder. With the aid of these desiderata in the +appointments of a voyageur, we had a comfortable encampment on the +following night. + + [1] The hut used by the lumbermen, and the root of the + well-known "shanty." + +The mode of constructing a winter encampment is simply this:--you +measure with your eye the extent of ground you require for your +purpose, then taking off your snow-shoes, use them as shovels to clear +away the snow. This operation over, the finer branches of the balsam +tree are laid upon the ground to a certain depth; then logs of dry +wood are placed at right angles to the feet at a proper distance, and +ignited by means of the "fire-works" alluded to. In such an encampment +as this, after a plentiful supper of half-cooked peas and Indian +corn--the inland travelling fare of the Montreal department--and a +day's hard walking, one enjoys a repose to which the voluptuary +reclining on his bed of down is a perfect stranger. + +We reached our destination on the following day about noon, where we +found but little to recompense us for our journey. Both our own people +from the outpost and our opponents had already traded all the furs the +Indian had to dispose of, although his supplies at the Lake of Two +Mountains and at my post amounted to a sum that would have required +his utmost exertions to pay. We remained that night at his lodge, and +very early on the succeeding morning, started on our return. With the +exception of a couple of trips I made to the inland posts, nothing +disturbed the monotony of my avocations during the remaining part of +the winter. Petty traders swarmed all over the country; the posts +which were established in the interior to cope with them traded freely +with the natives, in order to secure their furs from competitors. Thus +the immense sacrifices which the Company had made to obtain a +monopoly, as they imagined, yielded them no advantage whatever; and +repeated defalcations on the part of the natives, induced them to +curtail their advances at their principal station. The natives, +however, found no difficulty in procuring their requisites in exchange +for their furs, either from the posts belonging to the Company in the +interior, or from the opposition; for they were, with few exceptions, +of the same character as the individual already alluded to. + +The Indian whom I mentioned as residing in the neighbourhood of the +establishment arrived, late in autumn, from the Lake, where he could +not obtain a charge of ammunition on credit. I supplied all his wants +liberally, knowing him to be a good hunter, though a notorious rogue; +and he set out for his hunting grounds, to all appearance well +pleased. + +In the course of the winter a Yankee adventurer opened a "grog shop," +within a short distance of the depot, who appeared to have no +objection to a beaver's skin in exchange for his commodities. My +Indian debtor returned in the month of March, with a tolerable "hunt," +and pitched his tent midway between the post and my Yankee neighbour. +I called upon the Indian immediately for payment, which he told me I +should receive on the morrow. I went accordingly at the time +appointed, and was annoyed to find that he had already disposed of a +part of his furs for the Yankee's whiskey; and I therefore demanded +payment in a tone of voice which clearly indicated that I was in +earnest. To-morrow was mentioned again; but having come with the +determination of being satisfied on the spot, I seized, without +further ceremony, what furs remained, and throwing them out of the +wigwam to my man, who was placed there to receive them, I remained +within, to bear the brunt of the Indian's resentment, should he show +any, until my man had secured the prize. I was well prepared to defend +myself, in case of any violence being offered. Nothing of the kind was +attempted, however; and I took my leave, after sustaining a volley of +abuse, which did me no harm. The Indian paid me a visit next morning, +for the purpose of settling accounts, a small balance being due to +him, which, at his own request, was paid in rum. I soon after received +another visit, for nectar, on credit; this request I granted. + +The visits, however, were repeated so often for the same purpose, that +I at length found it advisable to give a denial, by proxy, not wishing +to part on bad terms with him, if possible, on account of the spring +hunt. I absented myself from the house, having instructed my +interpreter how to act. I took my station in a small grove of pines, +close by, watching for the appointed signal to apprise me of the +departure of the Indian. My attention was suddenly arrested by most +doleful cries at the house; and presently the voice of my interpreter +was heard, calling me loudly by name. I ran at the top of my speed, +and arrived just in time to save the life of a poor old woman, who had +been making sugar in my neighbourhood. I found the father and two +sons, both approaching manhood, in a complete state of nudity, dancing +round the body of their victim (to all appearance dead), their bodies +besmeared with blood, and exulting in the barbarous deed they had +committed. My interpreter informed me, that as soon as they observed +the old woman approaching the house, the Christian father told his +sons that now was the time to take revenge for the death of their +brother, whose life had been destroyed by this woman's "bad medicine." +We drove the wretches away, and carried the miserable woman into the +house; and so dreadfully bruised and mangled were her head and face, +that not the least trace of her features could be distinguished. At +the end of a month she recovered sufficiently to crawl about. Her son +passed in the spring, with an excellent hunt. When I related to him +the manner his mother had been treated by the Indians, and the care I +had taken of her, he coolly replied that he was sure they were bad +Indians. "It was very charitable of you," said he, "to have taken so +much care of the old woman. Come to my wigwam next winter, and I shall +trade with you, and treat you well." In the meantime every skin he had +went to our opponents, although he was deeply indebted to the Company. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +TRIP TO FORT COULONGE--MR. GODIN--NATIVES. + + +A large canoe arrived from Montreal about the latter end of June, by +which I received orders to proceed to Fort Coulonge, situated about +eighty miles higher up the Ottawa, to relieve the person then in +charge of that post. I accordingly embarked in the same canoe, +accompanied by my young friend Mr. MacDougal, who joined me last +autumn, and who kindly volunteered to proceed along with me to my +destination. This canoe was under the charge of people hired for the +trip, and directed by the bowsman, or guide. I soon discovered that I +was considered merely as a piece of live lumber on board. My companion +and myself were reduced to the necessity of cooking our own victuals, +or of going without them. We pitched our tent as best we could, and +packed it up in the morning without the slightest offer of assistance +from the crew. + +No incident worthy of notice occurred until we reached the Grand +Calumet Portage, the longest on the Ottawa River. The crew slept at +the further end of the portage, whither the canoe and part of the +cargo had been carried during the day, and we pitched our tent there +also in the usual awkward manner. The weather was very fine in the +evening, but soon after night-fall a tremendous storm burst upon us: +our tent was blown about our ears in an instant. We endeavoured to +compose ourselves to rest underneath, but found it impracticable. We +then attempted to pitch it anew, but our strength and ingenuity were +not sufficient for the purpose. We tried afterwards to find shelter +under the canoe (the rain pouring in torrents), but the crew were +already in possession, and so closely packed, that not an inch was +unoccupied. Thus baffled on every hand, we passed the night completely +exposed to the "pelting of the pitiless storm," learning a lesson of +practical philosophy which I have not yet forgotten. + +We arrived at Fort Coulonge early the next day, when a portly old +gentleman, bearing a paunch that might have done credit to an +Edinburgh baillie, came puffing down to the landing-place to receive +us. We soon discovered that Mr. Godin was only "nominally" in charge +of the establishment, for that his daughter, a stout, masculine-looking +wench, full thirty summers blown, possessed what little authority was +required for the management of affairs. + +We arrived on Wednesday. The father proposed setting out for Montreal +on Friday; the daughter objected the ill luck of the day: it was +finally determined that they should embark on Thursday, however late. +The necessary preparations were immediately commenced under her +ladyship's superintendence, and being completed late in the evening, +they embarked, leaving me perfectly alone. The contracts with the men +had just expired, which I proposed to renew, but the answer from one +and all was, "I shall follow my bourgeois." This was the result of the +old gentleman's arrangements (having been ordered off contrary to his +wishes), and which might have been anticipated by those who appointed +me to the situation; but it would have been derogatory to the exalted +rank of their highnesses to bestow any consideration on such trivial +matters as related to the comfort or convenience of a paltry +apprentice! Their neglect, however, might have been attended on this +occasion with serious consequences to the Company's interests, as I +had never seen any of the Indians of that quarter before, and knew +very little of their mode of trading. It was a fortunate circumstance +for myself that I understood the language sufficiently well to +converse with the natives, otherwise my situation would have been +disagreeable in the extreme. I remained alone until the latter end of +July, when I was joined by an English lad, whom I induced by the +promise of high wages to leave his former employers (lumbermen) and +share my solitude. + +The history of my predecessor being rather singular, a few words here +regarding him may perhaps not be considered out of place. He commenced +his career as a hired servant, or Voyageur, as they are termed in the +country, and was thirty years of age before he knew a letter of the +alphabet. Being a man possessed of strong natural parts, and great +bodily strength withal, he soon distinguished himself as an under +trader of uncommon tact,--his prowess as a pugilist also gave him a +very decided advantage in the field of competition. Endowed with such +qualifications, his services were duly appreciated by the traders, and +he knew full well how to turn them to his own advantage. He served all +parties alike; that is, he served each in turn, and cheated and +deceived them all. + +After the organization of the North-West Company, he entered their +service; and returning to the same quarter, Temiscamingue, where he +had wintered for his last employer, he passed the post unperceived, +and falling in with a band of Indians, whom he himself had supplied +the preceding autumn, told them he still belonged to the same party, +and traded all their furs on the spot. The North-West Company gave him +charge of a post, when his subtle management soon cleared the country +of opposition. + +The natives of Temiscamingue were in those times very treacherous, as +they would be at this day, did they not dread the consequences; +several men had been murdered by them, and they at length became +exceedingly bold and daring in deeds of violence. One example is +sufficient:--Godin happened, on one occasion, to remain at his post +with only one man, who attended the nets,--fish being the staff of +life in that quarter. Visiting them regularly every day to procure his +own and his master's subsistence, his return was one morning delayed +much beyond the usual time. Godin felt so anxious, that he determined +on going to the fishery to learn the cause; and just as he had quitted +the house with that intention, he met an Indian who had been for some +time encamped in the vicinity, and asked him-- + +"What news?" + +"I have killed a white dog this morning," was the reply. + +"Indeed!" said Godin, feigning ignorance of the Indian's meaning: +"Pray, to whom did he belong?" + +"He was a stray dog, I believe." + +Conversing with him in this strain, he threw the Indian completely off +his guard, while he approached him until he was sufficiently near him +for his purpose, when, raising his powerful arm, he struck the savage +a blow under the ear that felled him to the ground,--he fell to rise +no more. The next moment, a couple of well-disposed Indians came to +inform Godin of the murder of his man, which it appeared they could +not prevent. "My children," said he, with the utmost composure, "the +Master of life has punished your kinsman on the spot for taking the +life of a white man; he told me just now that he had killed a white +dog, and had scarcely finished the sentence when he fell down dead at +my feet. Feel his body, it must be still warm; examine it, and satisfy +yourselves that he has suffered no violence from me, and you see that +I have no weapons about me." + +Godin was soon afterwards removed to Fort Coulonge, and was allowed a +high salary by the North-West Company. Here he learned to read and +write, and married a fair countrywoman of his own, who resided the +greater part of the time in Montreal, where, to make the gentleman's +establishment complete, he had the good taste to introduce his +mistress. A circumstance that presents his character in its true +colours made his wife acquainted with his infidelity. Writing to both +his ladies at the same time, he unwittingly addressed his mistress's +letter to his wife, by which she learnt, with other matters, that a +present of ten prime otters had been sent to her rival. The enraged +wife carried the letter to Mr. Thane, from whom, however, she met with +a very different reception to what she had anticipated. After perusing +the letter, he ordered her immediately out of his presence. "Begone, +vile woman!" he exclaimed: "What! would you really wish to see your +husband hanged?" + +The Company were well aware of Godin's tricks, but winked at them on +account of his valuable services. He was removed from Fort Coulonge in +consequence of mismanagement, (occasioned by aberration of his mental +faculties,) and was allowed by the Company to retire with a pension of +100l. per annum. The transcript of a public letter, addressed to Mr. +Thane, will show his attainments in literature; and, with this I shall +close my sketch of Mr. Godin:-- + + "Mon'r Tane, + + "Cher Mon'r, + + "Vot letre ma te livie par Guiaume dean aisi qui + le butin tout a bon ord le Shauvages on ben travaie + set anne et bon aparans de bon retour st. anne Dieu + merci je ne jami vu tant de moustique et de maragoen + com il en a st anne je pens desend st anne ver le meme + tan com l'anne pase. + + "Je sui, + + "Cher Mon'r, &c. + + "JOSEPH GODIN." + +The Indians attached to this post speak the Sauteux language, and are +denominated "Tetes des Boules" by the French, and "Men of the Woods" +by the other Indians. Although so near to priests and ministers, they +are still Pagans, but are nevertheless a quiet harmless race, and +excellent hunters. The greater part of them originally belonged to +Temiscamingue, and were drawn to this quarter by Mr. Godin. A +considerable number of Algonquins also trade here, where they pass the +greater part of their lives without visiting the Lake. The people +appear to me to differ in no respect from their heathen brethren, save +in the very negligent observance of certain external forms of worship, +and in being more enlightened in the arts of deceiving and lying. + +About the middle of August, I was gratified by the arrival of Mr. +Godin's interpreter, and three men, by whom I received letters from +head-quarters, informing me that my neighbours of last winter intended +to establish posts in this quarter also, and that I should soon be +joined by a strong reinforcement of men, to enable me to cope +successfully with them. We complain of solitude in the Indian forests, +yet the vicinity of such a neighbour is considered the greatest evil; +and instead of cherishing the feelings enjoined in the Decalogue, one +hates his neighbour as the d----l, and employs every means to get rid +of him. + +The natives having been all supplied, had taken their departure for +their hunting-grounds by the latter end of August; I then commenced +making the arrangements requisite for the coming contest. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +SUPERSEDED--FEELINGS ON THE OCCASION--MORE OPPOSITION--AE. +MACDONELL--TACTICS--MELANCHOLY DEATH OF AN INDIAN. + + +About the middle of September, I observed a north canoe paddling in +for the landing-place, having a gentleman passenger on board, who +immediately on landing ordered his servant to carry his baggage up to +the Fort. On his entering the house, the apparent mystery was soon +unfolded. Mr. Siviright handed me a letter from Mr. Thane, conveying +the agreeable Intelligence of my being superseded by the +bearer,--commanding me to obey him as my bourgeois, and to conduct +myself in such a manner as to give Mr. S. every satisfaction. The +latter injunction I felt very little inclination to comply with at the +time; in fact, the slight put upon me caused my northern blood to rise +to fever heat; and in this excited frame of mind I sat down to reply +to the "great man's" communication, in which I gave vent to my injured +feelings in very plain language. What he may have thought of the +epistle, I know not, as he never deigned to reply. It was +inconsiderate in me, however, to have so acted; but prudence had not +yet assumed her due influence over me. + +Mr. S. had been at that time twenty-four years in the service, I only +three; he had therefore a superior claim to any I could advance: but +why not inform me at once that my appointment to the charge was merely +temporary? This double dealing manifested a distrust of me, for which +no cause could possibly be assigned: that excited my resentment, and +not the circumstance of being superseded. + +Towards the latter end of the month of September, our opponents made +their appearance in three small canoes, while I embarked in pursuit +with the same number. One of my north canoes was in charge of three +men, the others contained two, counting myself as a man. Having become +rather expert as an amateur voyageur, I considered myself capable of +undertaking the real duty now, and accordingly volunteered my services +as steersman, as no additional hand could be spared, without great +inconvenience to my bourgeois. A little experience convinced me, +however, that my zeal exceeded my ability. My opponent was in a light +canoe, and moved, about with a celerity that my utmost exertions could +not cope with; for as soon as an Indian canoe appeared, he paddled off +for it; I of course attempted to compete, but generally arrived just +in time to find that he had already concluded his transaction with the +hunters. + +We reached Black River on the third day from Fort Coulonge, where it +appeared my opponent's intention to remain for some time, to await the +arrival of certain Indians who were expected down by that river. I +determined therefore to despatch a canoe to Fort Coulonge, to acquaint +Mr. S with the particulars above related; and sent back therewith such +of the property as I thought could be dispensed with at the time, as +it was quite evident we could not keep up with our opponent in the +portages with such a quantity of baggage as we then had, and we could +obtain no information that could be depended upon as to their ultimate +destination--it might be at the distance of a hundred miles, or only +ten. + +My messengers were but two days absent; and I was not a little +mortified to learn from them, that Mr. S., instead of attending to my +suggestions, not only returned all the property I had sent, but nearly +an equal quantity in addition. He wrote me his reasons for doing so; +but I felt assured that he had no other object in view than to show me +that he was the superior, I the subordinate; and I resolved from that +moment, to perform no more extra duty. + +After continuing a fortnight at our encampment, we again embarked, +when I ordered the third man in the large canoe into my own, and +tossing my paddle down stream, took my station in the middle of my +canoe. A few hours' paddling brought us to an old shanty in the island +of Allumette, where, to my great joy, I perceived my opponent intended +to fix his winter quarters. We accordingly commenced erecting a couple +of huts, a store, and dwelling-house, in close proximity to him. This +being the best season of the year for the natives to hunt, it was the +interest of all parties not to molest them; and we therefore employed +our time in preparing suitable accommodation for the winter. + +On the completion of our arrangements, I set out, about the beginning +of October, on a visit to Fort Coulonge; and on the day after my +arrival there we observed a north canoe paddling slowly past, and +distinguished the features of every individual on board through a +telescope, but could recognise no one: however, to clear up the doubt, +the interpreter was sent after them in a small canoe, with +instructions to make a close scrutiny. They no sooner discovered that +he was in pursuit, than they ceased paddling. After a long +confabulation he learned that they were proceeding to Sault St. Marie, +where they intended to settle. I passed two days with my bourgeois, +and returned home, where we--our opponents and ourselves--watched each +other's movements, being our only occupation until the end of +November, when Mr. S. paid me a visit, which proved anything but +gratifying. + + +He (Mr. S.) had learned from some lumbermen, that the "Settlers for +the Sault Ste. Marie" were an opposition party conducted by Mr. AEneas +Macdonell, my predecessor at the Chats; and that he purposed to +_settle_ for the winter near Lac des Allumettes. This gentleman's +engagement had been cancelled at the earnest solicitation of his +father, whom death had lately deprived of another son; and who now, to +requite the favour granted to him by the Company, sent this son in +opposition! We had barely a sufficient number of men to perform the +necessary duties of the two posts already established; we were, +therefore, completely at a loss to meet this emergency. Mr. S. could +spare one man only from his own post, whom he brought up to me. + +I embarked early next morning with one of my own men, in search of the +"settler." On reaching Lac des Allumettes on the same evening, our +attention was arrested by the voices of Indians, singing on an island. +We immediately pulled in for the spot, and found a large camp of +Algonquins, men, women and children, all in a state of intoxication; +from whom I learned, though with much difficulty, the whereabouts of +Macdonell's retreat. Quitting this disgusting scene as speedily as +possible, we resumed our paddles, and soon afterwards discovered the +opposition post. When we landed, my quondam mess-mate advanced to +receive me, and, after a cordial shake of the hand, kindly invited me +to pass the night with him. I gladly accepted the offer; and was not a +little concerned to perceive that his preparations for winter were +already complete; a circumstance which gave him a decided advantage. +Happening in the course of conversation to express my surprise at +seeing him in the character of an opponent, he told me that nothing +could be farther from his intention than to oppose the Company. He +came to this quarter for the purpose of preparing timber for the +Quebec market; in provincial phrase, "to make a shanty." But I knew +well enough his designs. + +I started early next morning on my return, and immediately thereafter +prepared a small outfit; and re-embarked next evening with five men in +two canoes, leaving the interpreter in charge of the post, with one +man to assist him. + +Having experienced very bad weather on our way, and consequently some +delay, we did not reach our new station until late in the evening of +the fourth day. I immediately sent back two of the men to the +interpreter, and retained three with myself, which placed me on a par +with my opponent in point of numbers. But he was now ready for active +operations, while I had every thing to prepare. I resolved, however, +to forego every personal comfort and convenience rather than allow him +to enjoy any advantage over me. I accordingly assisted in erecting a +small hut, which I intended should serve for dwelling-house for myself +and men, trading-shop, store and all. + +A couple of days after our arrival, Macdonell was seen walking down to +the water's edge with a very cautious step, accompanied by one of his +men, bearing his canoe, basket fashion, on one arm, and a large bundle +on the other, from which, notwithstanding his steady pace, the +jumbling sound of liquor was distinctly heard. + +"Holla, Mac, where are you going with your basket?" + +"Why, I am going across to Herd's shanty, to get my axes ground." + +"My dear fellow, how can you think of risking yourself in such a +gimcrack contrivance as that? I must absolutely send a couple of my +men along with you to see no accident happens to you." + +Having a parcel of goods ready for emergencies of this kind, my men +started in a moment, and embarked at the same time as my neighbour. I +continued with my only man completing my castle; but the earth being +already hard frozen, no clay could be obtained for the purpose of +plastering; the interstices between the logs were therefore caulked +with moss; a large aperture being left in the roof to serve the +double purpose of chimney and window. I had formerly seen houses so +constructed--somewhere--but let no one dare to imagine that I allude +to "my own, my native land." Stones were piled up against the logs, to +protect them from the fire. The timber required for floor, door, and +beds, was all prepared with the axe; our building being thus rendered +habitable without even going to the extent of Lycurgus' frugal laws, +for the axe was our only implement. + +My opponent returned in four days, having been at an Indian camp, not +far distant, where both he and our people traded a considerable +quantity of furs. This was our only trip by open water. As soon as the +river became ice-bound, we were again in motion. + +To enter into minute details of our various movements would but prove +tedious; I shall therefore present a general sketch of our mode of +life at this period, and such occurrences as I may consider worthy of +note. + +Macdonell had chosen his situation with great judgment. The majority +of the Algonquins take their start from the Grand River at this place +for their hunting-grounds. Some of them not being more than a day's +journey distant from us, the joyful intelligence soon spread amongst +them that an opposition party had been established in their +neighbourhood; they accordingly flocked about us as soon as travelling +became practicable on the ice, and generally brought with them the +means of ensuring a friendly reception. One party came in at this +early season with all their fall hunts, which they bartered for +liquors and provisions, and encamped close by, enjoying themselves, +until an event occurred that alarmed them so much, (being with some +reason considered by them as a punishment for the wicked life they had +led,) that with the utmost precipitation they struck their camp. + +I was joined early in the month of January by a party of men and a +clerk, whom Mr. S. had ordered, or rather "requested," from Montreal; +and having, on the day of their arrival, received an invitation from +one of our Algonquin chiefs to pay him a _trading_ visit, I started +next day, leaving Mr. Lane in charge, accompanied by two men, and +reached the chief's wigwam late in the evening. As soon as I was +seated, he asked me if I had not met the Matawin Indians. On my +replying in the negative, he informed me that they had passed his +place early in the morning, loaded with furs, and that they expressed +their intention of proceeding to the post before they halted. These +Indians had all been supplied by myself in autumn to a large amount; +so that the intelligence acted on my nerves like an electric shock. I +felt much fatigued on entering the lodge, but I now sprung to my feet, +as fresh for the journey as when I had commenced it; and ordering one +of my men to return with me, left the other, an experienced hand, to +manage affairs with the chief. + +I arrived at my post about two next morning, when I found the Indians, +some at our hut, some at our opponent's, all of them approaching the +climax of Indian happiness, and Mr. Lane in a state of mind bordering +on distraction. Neither he nor any of the men had ever seen any of +these Indians before, nor did they understand a word of the language. +The Indians were honest enough, however, to give him their furs in +charge till my return; reserving only a small quantity to dispose of +at discretion. My arrival was soon announced at my neighbour's, and +brought the whole bevy about me in an instant, only one individual +remaining behind. On inquiring into the cause of his absence, his +companions replied that he had fallen asleep immediately after he had +supped, and that they did not wish to disturb him. + +A few hours afterwards I was not a little surprised to see my +neighbour entering our hut hurriedly, who addressed me thus:-- + +"My dear Mac, it is true we are in opposition, but no enmity exists +between us. A dreadful misfortune happened in my house last +night.--Come and see!" + +I instantly complied with his request; proceeded to his hut, and saw +the Indian who was said to be asleep, with his eyes closed--for ever; +a sad spectacle, for it was evident that the death of the poor wretch +had been caused by intemperance; he was found in the morning lying on +his face, and his body already stiff. We were both alike involved in +the same awful responsibility, for the Indians drank as much at one +house as the other, though his death occurred at the establishment of +the other party. The Company only permit the sale of liquors to the +natives when the presence of opponents renders it an indispensable +article of trade, as it is by this unhallowed traffic that the petty +traders realize their greatest profit. Yet this plea of necessity, +however satisfactory it may appear in a certain quarter, will not, +I feel assured, be accepted in our vindication by the world, nor +hereafter in our justification at that tribunal where worldly +considerations have no influence. Information soon reached the camp of +the calamity that had happened, which promptly silenced the clamorous +mirth that prevailed; and the voice of mourning succeeded--the Indians +being all in good crying trim, that is, intoxicated; for I have never +seen an Indian shed a tear when sober. + +No more liquor was traded; the relatives of the deceased departed with +the body to the Lake of Two Mountains, and the other Indians started +for their hunting-grounds--thus granting us a short respite from +the arduous duties in which we had been engaged. While the Indians +remained about us we never enjoyed a moment's refreshing rest, our hut +being crowded with them night and day. It was at times with difficulty +we could prepare our victuals, or, when cooked, command sufficient +time to partake of a hasty meal, in the midst of the "living mass" +that environed us. All this was extremely annoying; but other comforts +must be added ere this picture of the life we then led is complete. +The motions of our opponents must needs be attended to, at dawn of +day; each morning every path was carefully examined, to ascertain that +no one had started during night: these precautions were also +punctually taken by our opponents; and every stratagem that could be +devised to elude each other's vigilance put in practice, it being the +"interest" of each party to reach the Indians alone. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +ACTIVITY OF OUR OPPONENTS--VIOLENT CONDUCT OF AN INDIAN--NARROW +ESCAPE--ARTIFICE--TRIP TO INDIAN'S LODGE--STUPIDITY OF INTERPRETER. + + +When we discovered that our opponents had outwitted us, we would +despatch messengers in pursuit; and I need scarcely add, the same +means were resorted to by our neighbours, when inquisitive about +our movements. We had now the advantage in point of numbers, being +nearly two to one; yet it so happened that we seldom could perform +a trip unattended; very frequently by a single man against two or +three--still he got his share; for the system of trade in this quarter +does not allow violent means being employed to obtain possession of +the products of the hunt. The mode of procedure is this:--On entering +the lodge of an Indian, you present him with a small keg of nectar, as +a propitiatory offering; then, in suppliant tones, request payment of +the debt he may owe you, which he probably defers to a future day--the +day of judgment. If your opponent be present, you dare not open your +lips in objection to the delay; for you may offend his dignity, and +consequently lose all his furs. This you are aware of, and accordingly +proceed to untie your pack, and exposing its contents to view, solicit +him to give, at least, the preference in trade. Your opponent, on the +other side of the fire-place, having also poured out his libation, +imitates your example in every respect; and most probably he may +secure the wife, while you engage the husband as customers. + +A few weeks elapsed without the arrival of any hunters, and we were +beginning to recover from the effects of our late fatigues, when a +numerous band arrived from a considerable distance, and encamped on +the same spot that had been occupied by those lately noticed, and the +same riotous scenes were again enacted, although these new comers were +fully aware of the misfortune that had already occurred in consequence +of similar disgusting intemperance. + +Among this band was a son of the principal sachem of the Algonquins, +who was acknowledged heir apparent to his _dad's vermin_, and who +assumed the airs of a man of great consequence, in virtue of his +prospective dignity. The father bore a respectable character; the son +was a sot. In consideration of his furs, however, I paid him some +little attentions, though much against my inclination. He came one +evening reeling into our hut, more than "half-seas over," having been +thus far advanced on his voyage to Elysium through the insinuating +influences of my opponent's "fire-water;" and seating himself on a +three-legged stool, close to the fire-place, he soon began to nod; +then, losing his equilibrium, ultimately fell at full length on the +floor. I could not suppress a smile at sight of his copper highness's +prostrate position, when springing up in a furious passion, he seized +an axe, and proceeded to demolish the seat. I wrested the axe from his +grasp, and reprimanded him sharply for his insolence. This exasperated +him to the utmost: he swore I was in league with the stool to insult +him; but that he should be revenged on us both before morning. +Uttering these menaces, he set out for the camp. + +It so happened that a strong party of men arrived on that evening from +Fort Coulonge with supplies, and were huddled together with myself +and my men, all under the same roof. The greater part of them lay +down to rest; but a few still continued the vigil, indulging in the +favourite luxury of smoking, and chatting about the enjoyments of +"Mont-rial,"--when, all of a sudden, the dread-inspiring war-whoop +echoed through our little hut; the next instant the door flew off +its wooden hinges, and fell with a crash on the floor, exhibiting to +view the person of the Indian, standing on the threshold, holding a +double-barrelled gun in his hand, with blackened face and his eyes +flashing fire. + +The men had now all started to their feet, as well as myself. The +moment the eyes of the savage fell upon me, in the midst of the crowd, +he brought the piece to bear upon me, or at least attempted to do +so; but I sprang upon him with a bound, and beat the muzzle down; +instantly the discharge followed: we then struggled for the possession +of the gun, which I quickly wrested from his grasp; and, applying the +butt end of it "gently" to his ear, laid him sprawling at my feet. + +On the discharge of the gun, I heard a voice calling out, "Mon Dieu!" +and another, in a plaintive tone, exclaiming, "Ah mon garcon!" This +was all I heard distinctly, when every voice joined in one cry, +"Tueons le crapaud;" and presently the wretched Indian was kicked +and cuffed by as many as could press round him. I called on them to +desist--as well have spoken to the wind!--not a soul heeded my orders. +At length one of them observed, "What occasion is there for more +beating of him--the black dog is dead enough." + +I looked about for the person whom I supposed to have been wounded, +in vain--the whole mass was in motion. As soon as the tumult had +subsided, however, I was glad to find that no one had received any +serious injury; the ball had grazed the thigh of a youth (who had +arrived from Montreal on a visit to his father), and lodged in a log +of the building. + +The uproar occasioned by the men soon brought the Indians from the +camp about the hut; and perceiving the apparently lifeless body +stretched on the floor, they raised a yell that was reverberated by +the surrounding hills. "Revenge! revenge!" shouted every savage +present. We mustered too strong, however, to permit their threats +being put into execution without great hazard to themselves; which +fact pressed itself so powerfully on their minds, that for the present +they discreetly vented their rage in abuse, and returned to their +quarters. Satisfied by the feeble beating of the Indian's pulse that +the vital spark was not extinct, I would not allow his kinsmen to +remove him. Towards morning, recovering the use of speech, he +inquired, in a voice scarcely audible, if he "had shed the blood of a +white man?" I replied in the affirmative. "Then," said he, "it would +have been better had you despatched me at once, for I shall certainly +be hanged." + +With the view of pacifying the natives, I deemed it advisable to +represent the young man's wound as very severe, and exercised my wits +to give my representation the semblance of truth. I caused the young +man's leg to be carefully bandaged; and, luckily, happening to have +a fresh beaver in the house, the bandage was speedily besmeared with +its blood, and the sound patient placed in bed, with instructions how +to act his part. The Indians returned early on the following morning +to inquire after their young chief, and being all perfectly sober, +I descanted on the calamity of the previous night, describing _my_ +young man's case to be of such a serious nature as to induce the +apprehension that death, or at least amputation of the limb, would be +the consequence. In confirmation of the veracity of this statement, +the afflicted leg was exposed to view, while the patient's groans, +which impressed on the minds of the bystanders the conviction of the +pain he endured, prevented too close a scrutiny. + +"Alas!" they exclaimed, "it is all very true. Wagh! this is indeed a +sad business; but the bad fire-water is to blame for it all." + +My stratagem had succeeded. Most of the natives acknowledged the +justice of the punishment inflicted on their young chief, who had a +brother present, however, whose sullen countenance betrayed the +vindictive feelings in his breast, although he maintained a profound +silence. + +The Fort Coulonge party started early next day, dragging their wounded +companion on a sled, until they were out of sight. The relatives of +the chief removed him to the camp, where he soon recovered. All the +other Indians took their departure on the day following the affray. +Shortly afterwards we were favoured with a visit from one whose +hunting-grounds bordered on Rice Lake, a distance of 150 miles. I +had advanced this Indian all the supplies he required previous to +Mr. Siviright's arrival, which formed a pretty large amount. On +examining the books, he animadverted upon the advance in terms of +disapprobation, as being very imprudent to risk so much with an +Indian. Most gratified and happy was I then to learn from the hunter +that he had sufficient to liquidate the debt, and nearly as much more +to trade. On making out his requisition for the latter purpose, it was +found that four sleds at least would be required for the transport of +all the property. To employ this number in one direction, however, +would leave my neighbour at liberty to prosecute his views in another +quarter without the necessary attendance. Still, I determined on +risking a point, and securing at all hazards the valuable prize now +offered. Obtaining a _piece_ at the sacrifice of a _pawn_ is +considered good play. + +I proceeded accordingly with the Indian, accompanied by four men, +all with heavily laden sleds, with a pack of goods strapped over my +shoulders weighing eighty pounds. Macdonell did not follow, as the +Indian gave him no encouragement. We reached the Indian's lodge on the +eleventh day from the post, when the abundant display of furs I beheld +gave assurance of being amply remunerated for my trip. There were +eleven packs of beaver piled upon a scaffold, besides some others, +amounting to at least 600l. sterling. My hospitable customer detained +me two days with him to partake of his good cheer. After settling +accounts with him, together with payment of the sum he owed, seven of +the eleven packs were placed in my possession, with which I started on +my return, as proud as if I had been advanced to a share in the +Company. + +We arrived at the post after an absence of twenty-five days; and I +was mortified to learn that my substitute had most stupidly bungled +affairs. A number of Indians had come in during my absence who were +considered our best friends, and entering our hut without noticing our +opponent, threw down their bundles, thereby clearly indicating, +according to the usual custom, their intention of trading with one +party only. On the other hand, should they leave a bundle at the door, +it shows that they intend to divide its contents between two parties. +With these particulars the interpreter's experience rendered him +perfectly well acquainted, but he "cau'd na be fasht." + +It is customary when the Indians arrive, to present each with a pipe, +a plug of tobacco, and, though last, not least in their estimation, "a +dram." The usual _politesse_ was expected as a matter of course on +this occasion. Seeing it was not forthcoming, the Indians demanded it. +They were answered that no instructions had been left to that effect. + +"Very well," said they, "we shall soon find it elsewhere." And away +they went. + +Macdonell received them with open arms. His reception not only induced +them to trade every skin they had brought with them, but they also +invited him to their camp; and he consequently returned with his own +and his men's sleds laden with furs. + +I learnt all these particulars from himself; for he and I were on as +good terms as the nature of our occupation and our relative positions +would admit. I was, moreover, made acquainted through him that the +Indians had expressed regret at my absence, and that an immense +quantity of "beaver" still remained at their camp. + +The spring was now fast approaching, the ice so bad as to render +travelling dangerous, and but little snow on the ground. Still, I +determined on paying a visit to these Indians, in order to retrieve +the loss, if possible, sustained through the mismanagement of the +interpreter. They might yet be in want of some supplies, poor fellows; +and we were all so anxious they should want for nothing we could spare +for their accommodation;--we, therefore, good, humane souls, supplied +them even at the hazard of our lives. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +EXPEDITION TO THE BEAR'S DEN--PASSAGE THROUGH THE SWAMP--CUNNING OF +THE INDIANS--A SCUFFLE--ITS RESULTS. + + +I set off on this trip accompanied by another interpreter recently +sent from Montreal, and one of my men, all with heavy burdens on our +backs, the season not allowing the use of sledges. The second day we +arrived at an Indian lodge about half-way to the Bear's Camp, where I +learned that our opponent at the lower outpost had given our people +the slip, but had been induced to return from the supposition that +the extensive swamp in his way was impassable, being so inundated as +to present the appearance of a lake. Urged on, however, by youthful +ardour and ambition, I determined to make at least one attempt ere I +relinquished the enterprise; although I acknowledge that the idea of +overcoming difficulties deemed insurmountable by an opponent, had as +much to do with the resolution as the desire of doing my duty. +Followed by my men, I accordingly plunged in, along the margin of the +marsh; the water reached our middle, but we found it to decrease in +depth as we proceeded, though never below the knee. The water being +very cold, our legs soon became quite benumbed; nevertheless we moved +onward. A certain passage in history occurred to my mind, which +records the perseverance of a great man in a like situation. I too +persevered, though with a different object in view. We all have our +hobbies. I waded for furs, he for glory. We occasionally met with +large trunks of trees as we proceeded, on which we mounted, and +restored the circulation to our limbs by stamping upon them; and thus, +after five or six hours' painful exertion we reached dry land, where a +rousing fire and a hearty breakfast made us soon forget the miseries +of the swamp. + +We reached the old _bear's den_ next evening, who, with his party, +expressed much surprise to see me at such a season, and in recompense +for my exertions, "traded"[1] every article of goods I had. + + [1] _Anglice_,--bought. + +There were here seven Indians, who, notwithstanding the frequent +visits that had been paid them, in the course of the winter, by the +people of the lower posts, had still upwards of forty packs of beaver. +I got one pack, with which I set off on my return, pleased enough. +We found the water in the swamp so far subsided as to permit an easy +passage; but the ice on the Grand River was so much worse that we were +compelled to travel in the woods the greater part of the way. + +On arriving at the post, I found the opposition party in active +preparation for their departure, Macdonell having received orders +from his father to that effect. He embarked as soon as the navigation +became practicable. Opponent as he was, I experienced some painful +sensations at parting with him; but soon had the _consolation_ to see +our opponent at the lower post occupy his place,--a measure which he +ought to have adopted at a much earlier period, as even then it gave +him a much better chance for a share of the spring trade than below, +where he might be said to be placed between two fires. His removal, +however, enabled us to concentrate our whole strength against him, so +that he could not move a foot without a strong party at his heels. +Thus circumstanced, he chose to await the arrival of the natives +quietly at his post, and we were happy to follow his example. + +The spring passed in a happy state of quiescence, which was scarcely +disturbed by the arrival of the Indians, who, this year, had all +taken a fancy to visit their ghostly fathers at the Lake,[1] and had, +consequently, no time to spend with us; some intending to get married, +some having children to be baptized, and some carrying their dead, in +order that the last sacred rites for the benefit of their departed +spirits might be performed upon them. A few _tetes de boules_ remained +for some time, but under so strict a surveillance that they could +seldom communicate with our opponents without being observed, and the +discovery subjected them to some chastisement. + + [1] Of the Two Mountains. + +I shall here relate a circumstance that occurred at this time, as an +example of the cunning of the Indians in devising plans to evade us. +Soon after their arrival, an old squaw brought to our house several +casseaux[1] of sugar, and pointing out one, which she said was left open +for immediate consumption, said she would return for it presently. She +came next day and took the casseaux down to the tent of the Algonquin +chief, who had passed the spring close by, and was now building a +canoe, preparatory to his departure for the Lake. Soon after I went +to have a chat with the chief, and found only his squaw at home. I +observed the casseau, and asked for what purpose it was brought there. +"Mine hostess" smiled, and answered, "You ought to know everything +about it, when it has just quitted your house and passed the night +with you. You whites pretend to be very cunning," she continued, "but +when an Indian, or even an old squaw tries to cheat you, your 'white' +knowledge is no match for her. Now look into that casseau, Anamatik,[2] +and see what is in it." + + [1] Packages made of bark. + + [2] My Indian cognomen. + +I looked, and found, instead of sugar, a very valuable bundle of furs. + +"What do you think of the sugar?" + +"Oh, it is very fine indeed; so much finer than any that I have, that +I must take it along with me." + +"Your white neighbour will be angry with you, for it is left here for +him." + +"Let him come to my house if he wants any." + +I set off with my prize, and as soon as it was deposited in a place of +safety, took up a favourable position to watch my opponent, whom I +soon perceived making for the tent with long and rapid strides. I +could not help laughing heartily at the idea of his disappointment, +when told what had happened. The "fair deceiver," to whom the bone of +contention had belonged, soon made her appearance with downcast looks, +humbly entreating payment for her furs, and I paid her the full +amount, after lecturing her severely on the treachery of her conduct +_in doing "what she willed with her own._" + +My opponent embarked on the 10th June, and I immediately followed him +to the lower post, which he left in charge of one man, and then set +off for Montreal. I kept him company as far as Fort Coulonge, where I +met with a very friendly reception from my bourgeois,--the collected +trade of the different posts having far exceeded his most sanguine +expectations. He set out for Montreal with returns of the value +of 5,000l. sterling, and left me in charge for the summer at Fort +Coulonge, and Mr. Lane at the outpost. Only one family of Algonquins +passed the summer inland,--the same miscreants that had nearly +murdered the old woman at the Chats; a deed which I had neither +forgotten, nor could divest myself of the feelings of indignation it +had awakened in my breast. + +In the course of the summer, the interpreter of the post being in want +of some paddles, employed this exemplary father to make them, and paid +for them in rum. The quantity was so small, however, that it only had +the effect of exciting their thirst, and they returned early in the +night for more, which was peremptorily refused. The doors were bolted, +and we retired to rest; but rest they were determined we should not +have that night; and they continued knocking at the doors and windows, +and bawling out at the top of their lungs, "Rum,--more rum!" until +daylight next morning. I rose very early, in not the best humour +possible, and taking the key of the store in my hand--I know not +for what purpose--went out, and was followed by the Indian, still +demanding more rum. I told him he should have none from me. "But I +must have some." "Then you shall go elsewhere for it;" and without +more ado, I turned him out, pushing him with some violence from the +door. He fell on his face on the platform that ran in front of the +building, and leaving him there to recover his footing at leisure, I +returned towards the dwelling-house; but had scarcely reached the end +of the platform, when the yell of defiance, "Hee-eep, hoo-aw!" +resounded in my ears. I instantly wheeled round, and found myself face +to face with the Indian. The old villain attempted to collar me, but, +enraged to madness, I now grappled with him, and with all my might +hurled him from the platform to the ground. + +I stood for a moment hesitating whether I should strike him while +down, but had little time to deliberate,--the savage was again on his +legs. He rushed towards a gun that stood against a fur-press hard +by; I instantly comprehended his intention, and finding a stick at +hand, in the twinkling of an eye, I struck him a blow that laid him +senseless on the ground. Being scarcely aware of what I was doing, I +was about to repeat the blow, when I found the uplifted weapon seized +from behind. It was Primeau, my interpreter, who addressed me in a +soothing tone, telling me I had already "done for" the Indian. + +This startling announcement restored me to reason. Was I indeed guilty +of the blood of a fellow-creature? The thought chilled me with horror. +I dashed the stick to the ground. It was instantly picked up by one of +his three sons, whom the noise of the scuffle had now brought all up; +brandishing it aloft, he aimed a blow at my head, which I parried with +my arm, the limb dropping senseless to my side. My men, however, were +now on the spot to defend me, and a fierce scuffle took place between +them and the Indian's sons. Had they been the stronger party on this +occasion, my fur-trading career would have terminated that morning. +They, however, got a sound drubbing; while their wretched father, who +had been the cause of the disturbance, lay unheeded and unconscious on +the spot where he had fallen, not exhibiting the least sign of life. + +A place of temporary accommodation being prepared by his family, he +was borne thither on a blanket, and I retired to my quarters in a +state of mind not easy to be described. Soon after, the interpreter +came in with a message from the Indians, entreating me to come and +advise with them touching the manner in which they should dispose of +their father's body. I went, and just as I stepped within the camp, to +the astonishment of all present, the dead man sprang upon his feet. +Seeing me at his side, he exclaimed, "You shall have cause to repent +this!" The words were scarcely out of his mouth, when he sank down +again, and for a period of six weeks after he remained as helpless as +an infant. He was subsequently carried down to the Lake of Two +Mountains, where he recovered from the effects of this castigation, to +die, two years after, in a fit of drunkenness. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +PERE DUCHAMP--MR. S.'s INSTRUCTIONS--UNSUCCESSFUL--TRADING +EXCURSION--DIFFICULTIES OF THE JOURNEY--LOSE OUR WAY--PROVISIONS +FAIL--REACH THE POST--VISIT TO AN ALGONQUIN CHIEF--HIS ABUSIVE +TREATMENT--SUCCESS. + + +Mr. Siviright arrived about the latter end of August, accompanied by +another junior clerk, and a few days afterwards the opposition were +seen passing. I embarked with my fellow-scribe, and arrived next day +at the lower outpost, when I was much disappointed to find my old +interpreter, whom I had with me at the Chats, in the service of our +opponents. He was my Indian tutor, and took every pains, not only to +teach me the language, but to initiate me in the mysteries of the +trade, in which he was justly considered an adept. Our opponents +offered him a high salary, which he would not accept until he had +previously made a tender of his valuable services to the Company, whom +he had faithfully served for a period of thirty years and upwards. He +requested a small addition to his salary, which was refused. + +My regard for the worthy old man, however, was not in the least +diminished by the circumstance of his being in opposition. Pere +Duchamp and I had still our friendly _tete-a-tete_ whenever we had an +opportunity. The autumn passed without any incident having occurred +worthy of note, I and my opponent being occupied in the usual +way,--watching each other night and day, chasing each other, and +circumventing each other when we could. + +Late in the month of October, I was surprised to observe a couple of +middle-sized canoes, deeply laden, put ashore at our opponent's, where +the crews, five in number, passed the night. Next morning, as soon as +they were gone, I called on my old friend, who happened to be alone at +the time, to inquire about his visitors. + +He demurred for a little, and at length said: "For your sake, and +to you only, would I disclose the secret of these people's object +and destination. They called at Fort Coulonge yesterday, and gave +themselves out for a party of hunters, bound for the Temiscamingue +quarter;--they are a party of Iroquois, supplied with a valuable +assortment of goods for trade, and their destination is Lac de la +Vieille, in the very centre of the Algonquin hunting-grounds." + +This was a most important piece of intelligence: some of these Indians +had been supplied at Fort Coulonge, some at my post, and all of them +were deeply indebted at the Lake of Two Mountains. I passed the day +in the anxious expectation of seeing Mr. S., or at least receiving +instructions from him with reference to these people. No one coming, I +resolved to proceed to Fort Coulonge, and communicate _viva voce_ the +information I had received. + +Late in the evening, I embarked in a small canoe, with two men, and +reached the Fort at early dawn; and rousing Mr. S. from his slumbers, +I at once announced the object of my visit. + +"Well," said he, "this requires consideration: retire to rest, and I +shall think about it." + +I retired accordingly, and slept till breakfast-time, when the subject +was discussed; and his decision was, that I should send one of the two +young men who were at my post in pursuit of the Iroquois, with +instructions to follow them up, until the season should be so far +advanced as merely to admit of his return by open water, unless the +Iroquois pitched their tent before then. + +I volunteered myself to go after them with an outfit; but no; it would +be dividing our forces, thereby allowing an advantage to our more +formidable opponents; besides, we had not much to apprehend from the +Iroquois with their trifling means. "_Tres bien_," I said to myself, +and set off on my return forthwith. I of course lost no time in +executing the orders I had received. My bourgeois had his opinion of +the matter, and I had mine; I knew that the Iroquois, when left to +themselves, would make their own prices for their goods, and thus, +even with the small outfit they had, fleece the Indians of the +principal part of their furs. + +Among the Indians whom I had supplied, was an individual whose +advances amounted to a heavy sum. I felt extremely anxious about him, +and resolved to pay him a visit as soon as travelling was practicable; +meantime, Swanston, who had been in pursuit of the Iroquois, returned +from his disagreeable voyage on the 28th November, having learned +nothing more than we already knew. + +I set off the next day, ostensibly on a visit to Mr. S., but really +with the intention of starting from his post on my intended +"derouine,"[1] arrived at Fort Coulonge among the drift ice, and on +the 1st December started, accompanied by the interpreter Primeau and +another man, all of us with heavy burdens on our backs. This proved +the most toilsome trip I had yet undertaken; the smaller lakes only +were passable on the ice, and the rivers were nearly all open. The +difficulties we thus encountered necessarily retarded our progress, +and occupied so much more time than we had calculated upon, that our +provisions were nearly consumed by the time we reached the first +Indian camp, where we expected to procure a guide to conduct us to the +party we were in search of. We succeeded in hiring a young man, but we +only obtained a small supply of flour, the Indians having no other +kind of provision to spare. + + [1] "Derouine,"--a trading visit to the Indians. + +Three days travelling brought us to the borders of the Indian's lands, +where we soon discovered one of his early winter encampments; had we +been a few days sooner we could have easily traced him from this spot, +but the snow, which had recently fallen to a great depth, had nearly +obliterated the marks he had left behind him.[1] My interpreter, +accustomed to "tracking," followed the _scent_ for two days; our +guide, discontented with the short allowance, gave no assistance, till +coming to an extensive "brule,"[2] he was completely _at fault_, as no +marks of any kind could be discovered. + + [1] When Indians remove in winter, in passing on rivers and + lakes, they stick, at intervals, in the snow, branches of + balsam, inclining in the direction they may have gone. In the + woods, small saplings are cut or broken down; if there is no + underwood, an occasional "blaze" serves as a sign-post to the + experienced woodsman. + + [2] "Brule," a part of the forest consumed by fire. + +Our situation was now extremely critical; we were reduced to one +solitary meal of flour and water per diem, and but a few handfuls of +this poor fare remained; to return by the way we came was out of the +question, to proceed to the post was in truth our only alternative, +and none of us was sufficiently acquainted with that part of the +country to be sure of finding it; while the Indian, positively +refusing to keep us company any longer, turned back, and left us to +get out of our difficulties as we best could. + +The interpreter proposed that another attempt should be made to find +the Indian's encampment, and volunteered to go alone; this proved the +poor fellow's zeal, but he returned to our encampment next morning +unsuccessful; we therefore resolved to go back, and, finding our way +without much difficulty for a couple of days, we reached the upper end +of a long portage leading to the Ottawa River, where we encamped late +in the evening, and supped on the _hope_ of getting to the post next +forenoon. + +We started early in the morning, the Canadian leading, and about noon +fell on fresh snow-shoe tracks--the tracks, we supposed, of some of +our people who had come to seek us; and feeling assured that our +sufferings would terminate with the day, we pursued our route with +renovated vigour and speed; when lo! our encampment of the preceding +night came in view, the excitement of our minds having prevented us +from discerning our mistake, as we might have done, sooner. The sun +was still high, but the circumstance of the encampment being already +prepared, induced us to put up there again for the night. It was a sad +disappointment, and I felt it as such, though I affected a gaiety that +was far from my heart; while with downcast looks and heavy hearts my +poor fellows betook themselves to rest at a very early hour. + +Next morning we set off determined to be more cautious; the mistake of +the previous day was ascribed to the sound of a high cascade at the +head of the rapid, which we had mistaken for another considerably +farther down; our Canadian still acted as guide--the blind leading +the blind--and after two hours' walk we fell upon our own tracks +again;--the poor fellow had yielded so completely to despair, that he +walked about mechanically, scarcely knowing or caring whither he went; +he was therefore ordered to the rear, and Primeau succeeded as leader. +We saw nothing more of our tracks, but encamped in the evening with +much the same prospects as before. I felt extremely weak, having +carried Primeau's pack along with my own, as the old man could +scarcely move when beating the track in the deep snow. Having a few +fresh beaver skins, we cut off the thicker parts about the head and +legs, and made a _bouillon_ of them, which we drank, and then turned +in. + +In the morning it became a subject of serious debate what direction we +should proceed in; the sky, however, having been clear the preceding +evening, I observed the sun setting, and determined in my own mind the +proper course; both my companions differed from me, but readily agreed +to follow me. I therefore took the lead, and was so fortunate as +to discover an old track, soon after leaving our encampment, which +we followed until it brought us in sight of the Grand River--the +long looked-for object of our fast failing hopes. Tears of joy burst +from my eyes, as I beheld before me the wide expanse of the noble +stream: although covered with ice and divested of the beauties of +summer, it never appeared more lovely to me. We reached the post after +night-fall; opening the door cautiously, I threw in my snow-shoes, +then bolting in myself, was gratified with the sight of a table +garnished with the best things the country afforded, which my two +friends had prepared for their Christmas dinner; the sight, however, +was all that prudence allowed us for the present to enjoy, our long +abstinence rendering it necessary to confine ourselves, for a time, to +a very weak diet. + +Next day I despatched a messenger to Fort Coulonge with the narrative +of my adventures; and as soon as my strength was sufficiently +recruited I set off again, accompanied by a _tete de boule_ as my +guide, who led us direct to the camp of the Indian I had so long been +in search of; where I had the mortification to learn, that on my first +attempt I had returned from within a day's journey of him, and that +if I had then succeeded in finding him, I should have secured the +whole of the valuable hunts of him and his people, which were now +in possession of the Iroquois traders. On my return to the post I +communicated my sentiments freely to Mr. S. in writing, regarding the +oversight that had led to consequences so injurious to the Company, +and went afterwards, at his own request, to talk over the matter +with him. It was now decided that I should go with a party of men to +establish a post against them, i.e. to shut the stable-door after +the steed was stolen. To accomplish this object supplies of every +kind must be hauled on sledges by the men, at an enormous expense, +and after all we could not furnish the means of competing with the +Iroquois with any prospect of advantage. I however lost no time in +executing the orders of my superior, and set off with as many men as +could be spared for the purpose. + +On arriving at our destination, we built a temporary hut for our own +accommodation, and a small store for the goods; but I soon discovered +that the Iroquois had not only already secured all the Indians' furs, +but had so completely ingratiated themselves with them that we were +scarcely noticed. I remained two months in this wretched situation, +and, as Mr. S.'s instructions left me in some measure to the exercise +of my own judgment, I resolved on transferring the _honourable_ charge +to persons less sanguine than myself, and returned to my post, where +I knew my services could be turned to better account. In returning I +happened to fall in with a small band of Indians, who had not yet been +visited by the Iroquois, one of whom was the brother of the Algonquin +chief, who had been so severely chastised the preceding winter. At +his lodge I passed the night, and was not only treated with the usual +Indian hospitality, but received a very pressing invitation to return +with a supply of goods, which he promised to trade. + +Such invitations are never neglected. The moment I arrived at my post +I laid aside the articles required by the Indians, and after one day's +rest, started, myself and two men, carrying everything on our backs. +It being late in the season, we encountered every possible difficulty +on our way: the small streams overflowed, and the ice was so bad +on the rivers as to preclude travelling on them. We were therefore +under the necessity of taking to the woods, through a horridly rugged +country, now ascending hills so steep that we could only scramble up +their sides by holding on by the branches and underwood, the descent +on the opposite side being equally difficult and laborious; now +forcing our way through deep ravines overgrown with underwood, all but +impervious; sinking to the ground at every step, and raising on our +snow-shoes a load of half-melted snow, which strained the tendons of +the legs and caused acute pain. + +Early in the morning of the sixth day we arrived at the camp, but, to +our astonishment, neither heard the voice nor saw the form of a human +being, though there were infallible signs that the camp was inhabited. +It was the sugar season. I entered the great man's hut with a cautious +step, and found every soul in it fast asleep. I marked with surprise +the confusion that prevailed around,--sugar kettles upset, pots, +pans, wearing apparel, blankets, and other articles, scattered about +in every direction;--what could it mean? I awoke the chief, and +the mystery was solved. He appeared to be just recovering from the +effects of the night's debauch,--the Iroquois were in the camp. Mine +host "grinned horribly a ghastly smile" as he placed himself, rather +unsteadily, in a sitting posture in his bed, and in a hoarse tremulous +voice bade me welcome, at the same time rousing his better-half, who +appeared to be in the same _happy_ state as himself. + +A clatter ensued that soon set the whole household in motion, and I +hastened to make the customary offering of a small keg of rum to the +chief, and another of shrub to the squaw, who immediately ordered a +young woman (the family drudge) to prepare my breakfast. Meanwhile the +chief, along with two of his relatives, amused himself quaffing his +nectar, which evidently began to have its usual effects, and from the +expressions I overheard, I could gather that he had neither forgotten +his brother's treatment last winter, nor forgiven me the part I had +acted on the occasion. I listened with affected indifference for a +time to the taunts he began to throw out, and at last, to get rid +of them, went to visit the other huts, where I found the Iroquois +preparing for their departure; they had several parcels of beaver, +which they took no pains to conceal from me, but there was still much +more remaining. + +After seeing them depart I returned to my chief, who received me +with a volley of abuse, in which he was joined by his associates. +The women, who were sober, observing by my looks that I was getting +excited, requested me to withdraw. I did so, but was followed by the +chief to the next hut, which I quitted immediately; I found myself +still pursued by the same insufferable insolence. My philosophy being +unequal to so severe a trial, I turned upon my tormentor, and seizing +him by the throat, dashed him to the ground, and left him there +speechless. I then made for a hut a short distance apart from the +others, belonging to a _tete de boule_, where I remained in quietness +for about the space of fifteen minutes; when suddenly my Canadian came +rushing into the hut, his countenance betraying the utmost alarm, and +staring me wildly in the face, he stammered out, "Les sauvages! les +sauvages, monsieur, prennent leurs armes! Sauvons-nous! Sauvons-nous!" +The Iroquois, coming in the next instant, confirmed his report; but I +had, in fact, been flying the whole morning, and thought it now high +time to take my stand. My Iroquois appearing quite calm, I told him I +was determined not to stir from the spot, and asked if he would remain +with me. + +"I came here for that purpose," said he, "and shall stand by you to +the last." + +Our _tete de boule_ had two guns, which he loaded; Sabourin had his, +which he promised to use in his own defence: thus prepared, we awaited +the expected attack. The remainder of the day, however, passed without +molestation, and after night-fall, I sent out my trusty Iroquois to +reconnoitre; he soon returned with the welcome intelligence that the +Indians had all retired to rest. We did the same. + +Next morning I went to the chief's lodge, and found him perfectly +sober; I saluted him according to custom, which he returned with a +scowl, repeating my words in a contemptuous manner; this exasperated +my yet excited feelings to the highest degree. I felt assured that +the fellow had invited me on purpose to insult me, if not for a worse +purpose; and, addressing him in language that plainly bespoke my +feelings, I immediately ordered my men to prepare for our departure. +He remained silent for a moment, and then whispered in his wife's ear; +she turned round to me, smiling, and asked if I had not brought the +goods, my men were packing up, to trade? + +"Yes," I replied. + +"Then," said she, "you must not be in such a hurry to go away." + +The husband now spoke to me in a conciliatory tone, begging me to +place all that had happened to the account of the "fire-water," and +for heaven's sake not to acquaint his father with his conduct. + +This I readily assented to; we entered upon business, and nearly all +the goods I had were exchanged for their full value in beaver. We +found the travelling much better on our return, the small streams +having subsided, and the snow so much diminished, that we could walk +without snow-shoes. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +SUCCESS OF THE IROQUOIS TRADERS--APPOINTED TO THE CHARGE OF THE +CHATS--CANADIAN DISPUTES POSSESSION--BIVOUAC WITHOUT A FIRE--RUSE TO +BAFFLE MY OPPONENTS--ROMAN CATHOLIC BIGOTRY. + + +The Iroquois passed early in spring with eighteen Indian packs in +their canoes,--each pack might be estimated at 60l.,--our other +opponent started for Montreal about the same time as last year, and +I was ordered down to Fort Coulonge to take Mr. S.'s place for the +summer. He returned from Montreal about the end of August, and I was +much gratified to learn from him that I had been again appointed to +the charge of the Chats, so that all the merit or demerit of good or +bad management would now be entirely my own. A few days after, a +middle-sized canoe arrived, manned by three Canadians, with whom I +embarked for the scene of my first essay as an Indian trader. + +On arriving at the post, I was surprised to find an old Canadian and +his _cara sposa_ in possession,--a circumstance of which I had had no +previous intimation. This worthy pair seemed determined to maintain +their position in defiance of me; and not wishing to employ violent +means to dispossess them if it could possibly be done otherwise, I +passed the night in the hall. Having, however, obtained possession of +the outworks, I was determined to carry the citadel; and, summoning +the contumacious occupants into my presence next morning, I demanded, +in a peremptory tone, the immediate surrender of the keys. + +"Show me your authority," said he. + +"If I do not show it, you shall feel it presently!" + +Seeing that I ordered my men to put my threat into execution, Jean +Baptiste assumed a more humble attitude, and requested me, as a +favour, to permit him to remain in the kitchen until he could find a +passage to Montreal;--with this request I willingly complied. + +My old opponent had still a post in this district, and I was directed +to send a party in opposition to him; which being done, I remained +quiet until the winter communication became practicable, when I +determined on paying a visit to my friends in the Fort Coulonge +district. The distance being short, and my object having no connexion +with the Company's interests, I set off on my pleasure jaunt alone. +I put up the first night at a sort of tavern just then opened by an +American at the upper end of the Chats' Lake, the only habitation at +that time in the quarter, whence I started at early dawn, expecting +to reach Fort Coulonge before night. The lumbermen having commenced +sledging their winter supplies, the road formed by these vehicles +presented a hard, smooth surface, on which I made good speed, as I had +nothing to encumber me, save my blanket and tomahawk. + +Arriving at a long bend of the river about 2 P.M., I put on my +snow-shoes to cut across the point and meet the road again, flattering +myself that I should thus shorten the distance some two or three +miles. The weather being mild, and the sun overcast, I was as much at +a loss to find my way in the woods as if I had been blindfolded; I +nevertheless continued my onward course, and again came on the road. I +proceeded in high spirits for a considerable time, when I perceived a +man before me going in the same direction with myself; quickening my +pace I soon came up with him, and asked him if he was bound for the +Fort? + +"I guess I don't know of any fort in this part of the world," said he. + +"What! not know of Fort Coulonge, and you so near to it? are you not +going there?" + +"I have heard of such a place," said Jonathan; "but I'd take a +tarnation long time to get to it, I calculate, if I followed my nose +as it points now." + +I told him who I was, whither bound, and where I slept last night. + +"I guess then you had better sleep there again, for it is not quite +three miles off." + +This was the result of making a short cut, and I resolved to follow +the long and sure road in future. + +A shanty that had been recently occupied, afforded me comfortable +lodgings for the night, and I arrived at Fort Coulonge about noon +next day, where I passed the night, and started for the outpost. +Here I remained two days, and would have remained still longer, had +it not been discovered one morning that our opponents were off in +the direction of my outpost on the Bonne Chere. As the Indians in +that quarter were excellent hunters, and owed me much, I deemed it +advisable to follow them; my friends, too, sent an interpreter and +three men along with me, for the purpose of trading what they could on +account of their own post--_chacun pour soi_ being the order of the +day. + +We soon overtook our opponents, and I resolved, if possible, to give +them the slip by the way. Accordingly, when within a day's journey of +the establishment, I pretended to have sprained my foot so badly, that +I walked with the greatest seeming difficulty. My men, who were aware +of the ruse, requested me to place my bundle on their sledges, to +enable me to keep up with them. This farce commenced in the evening. +Next morning my leg was worse than ever, until we came on the river at +about ten miles' distance from the post. I was delighted to find but +little snow upon the ice, so that I had a fair opportunity of putting +the metal of my legs to the test, and the opposition party having +sledges heavily laden, I walked hard, my foot on a sudden becoming +perfectly sound, in order to tire them as much as possible before I +bolted. Having apparently effected my purpose, I set off at the top of +my speed, and never looked behind me until I had cleared the first +long reach, when turning round, I saw a man in pursuit about half-way +across; I started again, and saw no more of my pursuer. + +On arriving at the post I was gratified to learn that the Indians, +whom I was so anxious about, had been in a few days previously, while +our opponents were off in another direction; so that they had been +seen by none save our own people. Finding two men at home, I proceeded +with them to the Indian camp, and arrived at dawn of day. I met with a +very friendly reception, and had the good fortune to prevail upon the +Indians to deliver me their furs upon the spot, which formed a very +heavy load for both myself and men. We met our opponents in returning; +but though they had ocular proof of my success, they nevertheless went +on to the camp. + +Having arrived at the post, I found some Indians there all +intoxicated; I was also mortified to find the person in charge in the +same state. I immediately displaced him, and made over the charge, +_pro tempore_, to one of the men. The conduct of my worthless deputy +hurt me so much that I could not remain another night under the same +roof with him. I therefore set off on my return to the Chats, although +already late in the afternoon, expecting to reach the first shanty in +the early part of the night. + +The Bonne Chere river is very rapid in the upper part, and does not +"set fast"[1] until late in the season, unless the cold be very intense. +I arrived at this part soon after night-fall, and perceiving by the +clear light of the moon the dangers in my way, I deemed it imprudent +to proceed farther; and having nothing to strike fire with, I cut a +few branches of balsam and strewed them under the spreading boughs of +a large cedar, and wrapping myself up in my blanket, lay down. The +weather being mild, I thought I could sleep comfortably without fire; +but was mistaken. When I awoke from my first sleep, which must have +been sound, I found my limbs stiff with cold, while my teeth chattered +violently in my head. To remain in this condition till daylight was +almost certain death; I resolved, therefore, at all hazards to find my +way to the shanty, which might be about ten miles distant. The light +of the moon being very bright, enabled me to avoid the openings in the +ice, and by moving on cautiously, about three o'clock in the morning I +reached the shanty; which belonged to a warm-hearted son of Erin, who +received me with the characteristic hospitality of his countrymen, +placing before me the best his cabin afforded, and with his own +blankets and those of his men making up a comfortable bed, on which I +slept till late in the day, and next night in my own bed. + + [1] Freeze. + +As the greater part of my customers wintered in the vicinity of the +outpost, and I had no longer any confidence in the person in charge +there, I resolved on passing the remainder of the winter at it myself; +I therefore requested that a person should be sent up from the Lake of +Two Mountains to take care of the establishment during my absence. On +the arrival of this person, I proceeded to the outpost, but shall pass +over the transactions that occurred there, being similar in all +respects to those already narrated. One circumstance, however, +occurred, which, though not in my vocation, I think worthy of notice. + +Two itinerant missionaries called at the Lake of Two Mountains and +distributed a number of religious tracts among the natives, together +with a few copies of the Gospel according to St. John, in the Indian +language. My Algonquin interpreter happened to get one of the latter, +and took much pleasure in reading it. Towards the latter end of the +season I received a packet from my superior at the Lake, and, to my +surprise, found in it a letter with the seal of the Church affixed, +addressed to my interpreter, which I put into his hands, and observed +him perusing very attentively. Soon after he called me aside, and told +me that the letter in question conveyed a peremptory command from the +priest to destroy the bad book he had in his possession, or else his +child that died in autumn would be denied the rites of Christian +sepulture. + +We are told that the age of bigotry is past: facts like this prove the +contrary. I asked him if he intended to obey the commands of his +ghostly father. "Not exactly," said he; "I shall send the book to him, +and let him do with it what he pleases; for my part, I have read it +over and over again, and find it all good, very good; why the 'black +coat' should call it bad is a mystery to me." + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +JOURNEY TO MONTREAL--APPOINTMENT TO LAC DE SABLE--ADVANTAGES OF THIS +POST--ITS DIFFICULTIES--GOVERNOR'S FLATTERING LETTER--RETURN FROM +MONTREAL--LOST IN THE WOOD--SUFFERINGS--ESCAPE. + + +Early in spring I returned to the Chats, and after the close of +the trade took my departure for Montreal, having finished my +apprenticeship. I renewed my contract for three years, and was +appointed to the charge of Lac de Sable, a post situated on a +tributary of the Ottawa, called _Riviere aux Lievres_, two hundred +miles distant from Montreal. + +I embarked on the 15th August, 1826, and arrived at the post on +the 1st September; where I was gratified to find a comfortable +dwelling-house, and a large farm with pigs, poultry, and cattle in +abundance. All this was very well, but there was also a powerful +opposition, and I had experience enough to know that the enjoyment of +any kind of comfort is incompatible with the life we lead in +opposition. + +The difficulties of my situation, moreover, were from various +causes extremely perplexing. The old North-West agents, acting for +the Hudson's Bay Company in Canada, had declared a bankruptcy the +preceding winter; the principal manager having quitted the country +rather precipitately, as was supposed, and forgotten to appoint a +successor; the management devolved in consequence upon the head +accountant, Mr. C----e, who, however well he might be qualified +for the duties of the situation, felt the responsibility of acting +without authority to be too great, and confined himself accordingly +to such measures only as he was confident would subject him to no +inconvenience when the day of reckoning arrived. Meantime the business +of this department sustained a serious check; the old hands of the +post, having been tampered with by the opposition in the course +of last winter, quitted the service to a man, and I now found the +establishment to consist of a clerk, interpreter, and one man only. +I was given to understand that three men additional would join me as +soon as they could, and that I must not expect any more; thus our +number would be seven against twenty-two. + +A disparity so vast precluded all hopes of maintaining the contest +with advantage to the Company or credit to myself. Fortune, however, +declared in our favour; dissensions arose in the ranks of our +opponents, clerks and men deserted, supplies for trade ran short, and +from being the weaker party we were now the stronger. + +Governor Simpson having taken up his residence at La Chine in autumn, +men and goods were furnished in abundance, and the petty traders were +made to see, ere the winter passed, the futility of entering the lists +in competition with a Company possessing so vast resources. + +Mr. MacD----l having wintered two years at this post, and being +consequently well acquainted with the natives, I entrusted the +direction of affairs against the opposition entirely to him, and +remained quietly at home, having only the few Indians that wintered in +the neighbourhood of the post to attend to; my situation, however, was +often far from agreeable, being frequently reduced to the company of +my pigs and poultry for weeks together, and obliged to act as trader, +cook, hewer of wood, and drawer of water. + +In the course of the winter I was favoured with a visit from Mr. +F----r, to whose district this post had just been annexed, and had the +gratification to receive, through him, a letter from Governor Simpson, +conveying, in very flattering terms, his approbation of my conduct. +I was told that I was in the direct road to preferment--that my +merits should be represented to the Council on his arrival in the +interior--and that he should be happy to have an opportunity of +recommending me to the Governor and Committee, when he returned to +England. We shall see, in the sequel, how these promises were +fulfilled. + +I embarked, on the 15th June, 1827, for Montreal, and found Mr. +K----h, a chief factor in the service, at the head of affairs; and my +outfit being prepared in a few days, I re-embarked, taking my passage, +as formerly, on board of a large canoe, deeply laden. The last rapid +and portage on the Riviere aux Lievres is within eight miles of the +establishment, and generally takes the men a day to pass it. Arriving +at this place late in the evening, I resolved on going on a-foot; +it being fine moonlight, I felt confident of finding my way without +difficulty. The weather having been immoderately hot for some time +past, I had sat in the canoe divested of my upper garments, and +thought I might, without inconvenience, dispense with them now, as I +expected to reach the house ere the night air could prove injurious to +me. + +Setting off, therefore, in "light marching order," I immediately +gained the high grounds, in order to keep clear of the underwood that +covers the banks of the river; and just as the moon appeared above the +surrounding hills, arrived on the banks of a small stream, where I +observed a portage path sunk deep in the ground, a circumstance which +proved it to be much frequented--by whom or for what purpose I could +not say, for I had seldom passed the limits of my farm during last +winter, and was nearly as ignorant of the topography of the environs +as the first day I arrived. I had not heard of the existence of a +river in the quarter, nor did I imagine there was any; the conclusion +I arrived at therefore was, that I had lost my way, and that my most +eligible course was, to endeavour to find the main stream, and by +following it, retrace my course to the portage. + +I soon fell on the river, but my retrograde march proved exceedingly +toilsome; at every step I was obliged to bend the branches of the +underwood to one side and another, or pressing them down under my +feet, force my way through by main strength: some short spaces indeed +intervened, that admitted of an easier passage; still my progress was +so slow that the sun appeared before I reached the upper end of the +portage. Finding an old canoe here, belonging to the post, I resolved +on crossing to the opposite side of the river, where I knew there was +a path that led to the house, by which the Indians often passed when +travelling in small canoes. I accordingly ran to the lower end of the +portage for a paddle, where I found my men still asleep; and having +heard that the lower end of this path came out exactly opposite to the +upper end of the portage, I struck out into the woods the moment I +landed, fancying that I could not fail to discover it. + +The sun got higher and higher as I proceeded, and I went faster and +yet faster, to no purpose;--no path appeared; and I at length became +convinced that I was lost--being equally in difficulty to find my way +back to the river as forward to the post. + +The weather was very sultry; and such had been the drought of the +season that all the small creeks were dried up, so that I could +nowhere procure a drop of water to moisten my parched lips. The +sensations occasioned by thirst are so much more painful than those we +feel from hunger, that although I had eaten but little the preceding +day, and nothing on that day, I never thought of food. While my inner +man was thus tortured by thirst, my outer man scarcely suffered less +from another cause. The country through which I passed being of a +marshy nature, I was incessantly tormented by the venomous flies that +abound in such situations,--my shirt, and only other habiliment, +having sustained so much damage in my nocturnal expedition, that the +insects had free access _partout_.[1] + + + [1] There are three different kinds of these tormenting + insects, viz. the mosquito, the black-fly, and the gnat--the + latter the same as the midge in N. Britain--who relieve each + other regularly in the work of torture. The mosquitoes + continue at their post from dawn to eight or nine o'clock, + A.M.; the black-flies succeed, and remain in the field till + near sunset; the mosquitoes again mount guard till dark, and + are finally succeeded by the gnats, who continue their watch + and incessant attacks till near sunrise. + +I came to the foot of a high hill about two o'clock P.M., which I +ascended, and got a very good view of the surrounding country from its +summit; hills and lakes appeared in every direction; but the sight +of these objects only served to impress my mind with the conviction, +that, unless Providence should direct my steps to the establishment, +the game was up with me. Having descended, I sauntered about the +remainder of the day, my ideas becoming more and more bewildered, +and my strength declining; and passed the night sometimes sitting, +sometimes standing, sometimes moving about;--but sitting, standing, or +moving about, subjected to the same tortures. + +I endeavoured during the night to compose my mind as much as possible; +some happy thought might perchance suggest itself, which might lead to +my deliverance. Nor were my efforts without some success: I called to +mind the position of the post with respect to the rising and setting +sun; another circumstance of importance also recurred to me. + +A Canadian hunter, who received his supplies at my post, had told me +that such Indians as did not wish to pay their debts at the post, +frequently passed unperceived by a chain of small lakes that ran +parallel to the river, and extended from Lac de Sable to somewhere +near the rapid, whence I had taken my departure. I recollected, too, +his having mentioned that some Indian families occasionally made sugar +on the borders of these lakes, and that a good path lay from their +camp to the post. Having passed the night in a deep valley, the sun +did not appear until late in the morning, when I shaped my course, +to the best of my judgment, for the post. Two or three hours' walk +brought me to the foot of a high hill, nearly destitute of wood on one +side; and expecting that some discovery might be made from the top +which might be of use to me, I resolved on attempting the ascent--an +undertaking of no small difficulty in my enfeebled state. I succeeded +in gaining the top, and to my unspeakable joy, perceived a chain of +lakes within about two miles of me, exactly corresponding to the +description given me by the Canadian hunter. I also heard the reports +of guns, but so indistinctly that I could not determine the direction +the report came from. Noting with the utmost care the course that +would lead me to the lakes, I descended the steep declivity with a +degree of speed that surprised myself,--such is the powerful influence +the mind exercises over the body. + +I expected an hour's walk would bring me to the lakes, but the sun +being in the zenith, and my way lying through a dense forest of pine, +I could not keep a straight course. I proceeded onward, however, as +well as _reason_ could direct me, and most willingly would I have +exchanged a little of that _faculty_ for the _instinct_ that leads the +brute creation with unerring certainty through the pathless depths of +the forest. + +The sun was rapidly declining, and my hopes with it, when suddenly I +fancied I heard the murmuring sound of running water. Could it be +really so? What a delightful feast I should have! for I had passed the +day, like the preceding, without a drop of water to allay my raging +thirst. I listened; the sound became more distinct--it was no +illusion. I quickened my pace, and soon came upon a charming rivulet, +flowing rapidly over a bed of white pebbles, its water clear as +crystal. I rushed into the midst of it, and fervently thanking the +Giver of all good, threw myself on my knees, and drank draught +after draught till my thirst was quenched. I felt refreshed to an +extraordinary degree, and concluding that the stream would lead me +to the river, or to some lake communicating with it, I followed its +course, wading in the water that there might be "no mistake," and soon +came out on the border of a small lake, where I had the additional +satisfaction of hearing the report of guns so distinctly as to +convince me that the party firing them could be at no great distance. +I walked round the lake, and at its far end fell on a portage path +that soon conducted me to another lake. This, then, must be the chain +of lakes I was in search of! I was transported at the thought. + +But an incident soon occurred that served to damp at once my spirits +and my person: a distant peal of thunder was heard; peal after peal +succeeded; the heavens were obscured, and heavy drops of rain, the +harbingers of an approaching storm, fell from the dark clouds. I +strained every nerve to reach the firing party ere the storm should +burst upon me. I reached the foot of the hill, but the firing had +ceased. I nevertheless ascended as quickly as my wearied limbs would +carry me, but on reaching the spot found no one there. + +The storm now burst upon me in all its fury. Flash followed flash in +quick succession, and the rain fell in torrents, which, however, as +the few clothes that still adhered to my person were already saturated +by the previous rain, caused me but little additional inconvenience. +I descended to the lake, and by the time I reached the far end of it +the darkness had increased so much, that I could proceed no farther. +Perceiving an old encampment--a few half-decayed branches of balsam, +at the foot of a large hemlock--I took up my quarters there for the +night. The tufted branches of this tree render it a much more secure +retreat in a thunder-storm than the pine, whose pointed branches and +spiral shaped top frequently attract the electric fluid. + +Towards morning the storm seemed to have expended its fury; and, +strange to say, in the midst of it I enjoyed two or three hours' +sleep. Nature had been so exhausted by protracted sufferings, that +(though the flies were driven to their covert) I believe I could have +slept upon a bed of thorns, covered with gnats and mosquitoes. As soon +as it was sufficiently clear to enable me to find my way, I quitted +my hemlock and fell on the portage path, which soon led me to another +small lake, and which I proceeded to circumambulate as usual, keeping +a sharp look-out for the path that led to the post; when suddenly the +report of a gun burst from an adjoining hill. At the same instant, I +observed a net pole standing in the water at the bottom of a small +bay close by, and directed my steps towards it; when on approaching +it I discovered a broad path ascending from the water's edge, and +immediately after the buildings of a sugar camp. + +Allowing the party on the hill to blaze away, I followed the +path, and in less than half-an-hour came out upon the Riviere aux +Lievres, immediately opposite the house. I perceived the men of the +establishment, with some Indians, all in a bustle; some preparing to +embark in a canoe, others firing. I sat down to gaze for a moment on +the most interesting scene I had ever witnessed, and then gave a loud +cry, which it was evident nobody heard, although the river is not more +than a stone-cast across. I made a second effort with better success. +The Indians raised a shout of triumph; the men hallooed, + +"Le voila! le voila! Je le vois! Je le vois a l'autre bord! Embarquez! +embarquez!" + +A few minutes more, and I found myself restored to at best a prolonged +life of misery and exile. Let it not be inferred from this expression +that I felt ungrateful for my deliverance; on the contrary, my escape +from a death so lingering and terrible made a deep impression upon my +mind. I afterwards gave a holiday to my men in remembrance of it, and +made them all happy for one day. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +NARROWLY ESCAPE DROWNING--ACCIDENT TO INDIAN GUIDE--AM NEARLY FROZEN +TO DEATH--MISUNDERSTANDING BETWEEN ALGONQUINS AND IROQUOIS--MASSACRE +AT HANNAH BAY. + + +Nothing occurred this year out of the usual routine, save an accident +that happened to myself, and had nearly proved fatal. A couple of +hounds had been presented to me by a friend, for the purpose of +hunting the deer that abounded in the neighbourhood. The dogs having +one day broken loose from the leash, betook themselves to the hills; +and the first intimation we had of their being at liberty, was the +sound of their voices in full cry on an adjacent hill. I instantly +seized my gun, and following a beaten track that led to a small lake +at the base of the hill, I perceived a deer swimming towards an island +in the middle of the lake, and only a little beyond the range of +gun-shot. An old fishing-canoe happening to be at hand, I immediately +launched it, and gave chase, without examining the condition it was +in. I proceeded but a short distance, however, when I perceived that +it leaked very much. I continued, nevertheless, to paddle, till I got +nearly half-way across to the island; but by this time the quantity of +water in the canoe had increased so much, that my ardour for the chase +began to give way to anxiety for my own safety. I perceived a large +hole in the stern of the canoe, now almost level with the surface of +the lake, through which the water gushed with every stroke of the +paddle. The fore-part appearing free from injury, I immediately +inverted my position,--a movement necessarily effected with much +difficulty in so small a craft; and having thus placed myself, the +stern was consequently raised a little higher. I then paddled gently +towards a long point projecting from the mainland, much nearer me than +the island; and although I used the utmost caution in paddling, the +canoe sunk under me some distance from the shore. The lake, however, +was fortunately shallow at this place, so that I soon found bottom. +Had there been the least ripple on the water, I could not have +escaped; but the weather was perfectly calm, and the lake smooth as +glass. + +In the early part of next winter, I went again in pursuit of the +deer; and although I incurred no great risk of losing my life, I yet +experienced such inconveniences as seldom fall to the lot of amateur +hunters in other parts of the world. I left the house early in the +morning, and, starting a deer close by, gave chase, following the +track over hill and dale, until I reached a high ridge bordering on +Lac de Sable. Here the deer slackened his pace, and appeared, by his +track, to have descended slowly into a valley, where he remained until +I started him a second time. I still continued the pursuit, without +thinking of time or distance from the establishment. At length the +night evidently began to close, and I felt faint and exhausted from +want of food, and the exertions I had made during the day. I therefore +gave up the chase; but to retrace my steps by the devious path by +which I had pursued the deer, would have occupied the greater part of +the night; I therefore resolved on returning by a more direct course; +but the upshot was, that, after wandering about for some time, and +repeatedly falling on my own tracks, I passed the night in the woods. +Although nearly overcome with fatigue, I durst not think of lying +down, well knowing what the consequence would be; I therefore walked +backwards and forwards, on a beaten track, the whole night; and next +morning adopted the sure course of finding my way by my tracks of the +preceding day. Meeting an Indian by the way, who had been sent in +search of me, he led me by a short cut, and we arrived at the house +about two o'clock, P.M. + +In the autumn of 1829, another opponent entered the lists against +us,--an enterprising Canadian, who had been for a long time in the +Company's service. This adventurer proceeded some distance inland, +and I need scarcely say that a party was sent to keep him company. +Understanding that the new competitor gave our people more trouble +than had been anticipated, I determined on taking an active part in +the game; and as I had only two men with me at Lac de Sable, whose +services were required there, I set off alone, intending to take with +me an Indian who had an encampment by the way, as I was unacquainted +with the route. I slept at the Indian's wigwam, who readily +accompanied me next morning; but the weather being intolerably cold, +the poor fellow got both his ears frozen, _et aliud quidquam +praeterea_, in crossing a large lake not far from his camp. The moment +he perceived his mishap, he assailed me in the most abusive terms, and +swore that he would accompany me no farther; which, being conscious +that I was partly the cause of his misfortune, I bore with as much +equanimity as I could; and arriving at the opposite side of the lake, +we kindled a fire, and I proceeded to treat his case according to the +usual practice; that is, rubbing the part affected with snow, or +bathing it with cold water until it is thawed, and the circulation +restored. Having happily succeeded, I forthwith dismissed him, and +determined to find my way alone; and having a tolerable idea of the +direction in which I should go, and the weather being clear, I +entertained no doubt of falling somewhere on the river whereon the +post is situated. I came upon it, as it seemed to me, a considerable +distance below the establishment, just as the sun was setting. + +Having travelled in deep snow the whole day, I felt so much fatigued +that I could scarcely exert myself sufficiently to keep my body warm, +the cold being intense. I walked as briskly as my diminished strength +would allow; but at length became so weak, that I was obliged to lay +myself down at short intervals. In this wretched state,--my limbs +benumbed with cold, and thinking I should never see daylight,--I +suddenly came upon a hard beaten path: this inspired me with new +vigour, as it indicated the close vicinity of a shanty. I soon +discovered the desired haven, and crawling up the steep bank that led +to it, I knocked at the door with my snow-shoes, and was immediately +admitted. + +The noise I made roused the inmates, who had been sound asleep; and +who, seeing my helpless condition, exerted themselves in every +possible way to relieve me. I was nearly in the last stage of +exhaustion, being unable to take off my snow-shoes, or even articulate +a word. One of these noble woodsmen guided me next day to the post; +when, as a small mark of gratitude for his generous kindness, I +presented him and his companions with what is always acceptable to a +shanty-man, a liberal allowance of the "crathur," to enjoy themselves +withal. + +If it be asked why I did not make a fire, when I had the necessary +apparatus; I answer, that I had but a very small axe, quite unfit for +felling so large timber as grew on the banks of this river; and I was, +besides, so benumbed and exhausted as to be unequal to the task even +of lighting a fire. + +Sometime after my return from Montreal in the autumn of 1830, I went +to pay a visit to one of my customers whose lands were at a +considerable distance. I was accompanied by one man in a small canoe; +and as it was necessary that one of us should carry the canoe over the +portages, and the other the property, I chose the former, being the +lightest though by far the most inconvenient load. I found it very +oppressive at first, but use rendered it more easy. This was the first +time I carried a canoe. + +On our return from the Indian's camp we met with rather a disagreeable +accident, while ascending a small and very rapid river. In pushing +forward the canoe against the stream, my pole happened to glance off a +stone, and the canoe swinging round came in contact with the trunk of +a tree projecting from the bank, and we, or at least I, was upset in +an instant. Fortunately the current, though strong, was smooth and +free from whirlpools; so that, after swimming down a short distance +in search of a landing-place, I rejoined my companion, whom I found +standing on the bank perfectly dry. On inquiring of him how he +happened to avoid a ducking, he told me he sprang ashore while I was +attempting to parry off the tree; doubtless his having done so was in +a great measure the cause of the accident. He, however, acted a very +prudent part after landing, having caught hold of the canoe in the act +of upsetting, and thus preserved the goods from being lost or damaged. + +In the course of this year, the Iroquois and Algonquins were nearly +coming to blows on account of the hunting-grounds. This quarrel +originated from a speech which Colonel McKay, then at the head of the +Indian department, had addressed to the Iroquois, in which, making use +of the metaphorical language of the people, he observed that Indians +of all tribes ought to live together in the utmost concord and amity, +seeing they inhabited the same villages, "and ate out of the same +dish." This the Iroquois interpreted in a way more suitable to their +own wishes than consistent with its real meaning. "Our father," said +they, "tells us we eat out of the same dish with the Algonquins;--he +means that we have an equal right to the hunting-grounds." They +proceeded, accordingly, to avail themselves of the supposed privilege. +The consequence was a very violent quarrel, in which Government was +ultimately obliged to interfere. + +The Indians informed us, this spring, of a dreadful murder that had +been committed in the early part of the winter by some of the natives +of Hudson's Bay. The particulars of this tale of blood I since learned +from an individual that escaped from the massacre. The Indians +attached to the posts established along the shores of Hudson's Bay are +comparatively civilized; most of them speak English, and are employed +as voyageurs by the Company. Few or no precautions are taken at these +posts to guard against treachery; the gates are seldom shut, and some +of the posts are destitute of palisades or defence of any kind. Of +this description was the post where the catastrophe occurred which I +am about to relate. + +The post of Hannah Bay is situated about sixty miles to the north +of Moose Factory, and was at this time under the charge of a Mr. +Corrigal. His establishment consisted of two or three half-breeds, and +an Indian who had been brought up by the whites. He and some of the +men had families. In the course of the winter five Indians came in +with their "hunts," and agreeably to their usual practice encamped +close by. Those Indians are designated "Home Guards,"--a term +generally applied to the Indians attached to a trading post; they hunt +in winter at a convenient distance from the post, and are employed in +summer as voyageurs, or in performing any other necessary duty. +Notwithstanding their thus being frequently in company with white men +and Christians, they still retain many of the barbarous habits, and +much of the superstitious belief of their forefathers, aggravated, I +regret to say, by some of the vices of the whites. + +Among the number of those just mentioned was an individual who had +acquired considerable influence among his tribe, from his pretending +to be skilled in the art of divination. This man told his fellows that +he had had a communication from the Great Spirit, who assured him that +he would become the greatest man in Hudson's Bay if he only followed +the course prescribed to him, which was, first, to cut off their own +trading post, and then with the spoil got there to hire other Indians, +who should assist in destroying all the other posts the Company +possessed in the country. Accordingly, it was determined to carry +their design into execution, whenever a favourable opportunity +occurred. This was not long in presenting itself. They came one day to +the establishment, and told the people that the "man of medicine" had +come for the purpose of performing some extraordinary feat that would +astonish them all. The silly creatures believed the story, and went to +the borders of the lake, where they observed the sorcerer showing off +a variety of antics very much to their amusement. The conspirators, +seeing this part of the stratagem succeed, rushed into the house, and +immediately despatched Mr. Corrigal and his family. The men, hearing +the report of the guns, hastened back towards the house. The two that +first arrived were saluted by a volley of balls; the one fell dead, +the other fled. The third, seeing what had happened, seized his +youngest child, and also fled. The murderers pursued. The poor fellow, +encumbered by the weight of his child, necessarily fell behind. A ball +from the pursuers killed the child, and wounded him in the hand. +Dropping, then, the lifeless body, he soon came up with his fellow, +and both escaped without further injury. + +It was about noon when they began their flight. One of them reached +Moose Factory next day about noon, the other soon after. The +distance--nearly sixty miles--travelled in so short a space of time, +may appear incredible; but fear gave them wings, they fled for their +lives and never halted. One of them, my informant, lost all the toes +of one of his feet by the frost. + +Measures were immediately adopted to frustrate the further diabolical +designs of the Indians, as well as to avenge the innocent blood that +had been shed. Messengers were despatched with all possible haste to +Rupert's house, the nearest post, to give the alarm, and a party of +men, under an efficient leader, was sent to seize the murderers. This +expedition, however, proved unsuccessful, as the Indians could not be +found in that direction; but, in the meantime, two of them who had +come to Rupert's house to "spy the land," were seized and sent bound +to Moose Factory, and one of them was compelled to act as guide to +another party. Led by him, they approached the camp without being +perceived, and found the "man of medicine" sitting very composedly in +his tent, surrounded by the spoils he had taken from the fort. He was +secured, and the rest of his associates, who were absent hunting, were +soon "tracked," and secured likewise. They then all underwent the +punishment they deserved. + +The fort presented a horrible spectacle. Men, women, and children +shared the same fate, and the mangled limbs of their victims were +scattered among the articles of property which the wretches, not being +able to carry off with them, had attempted to destroy. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +FALL THROUGH THE ICE--DANGEROUS ADVENTURE AT A RAPID--OPPONENTS GIVE +IN--ORDERED TO LA CHINE--TREATMENT ON MY ARRIVAL--MANNERS, HABITS, +AND SUPERSTITIONS OF THE INDIANS--FEROCIOUS REVENGE OF A SUPPOSED +INJURY--DIFFERENT METHODS OF THE ROMAN CATHOLIC AND PROTESTANT +MISSIONARY--INDIAN COUNCILS--TRADITION OF THE FLOOD--BEAVER-HUNTING-- +LANGUAGE. + + +Finding that my presence was more wanted at the outpost than +elsewhere, I resolved on taking up my residence there for the winter +1831-32. Our active opponent gave us much annoyance, causing great +expense to the Company, without any benefit to himself; on the +contrary, it ultimately ruined him. + +While accompanying our party on a trading excursion in the beginning +of winter, I had a very narrow escape. We were travelling on the +Gatineau, a very rapid stream that joins the Ottawa, a little below +Hull. A young lad, interpreter to the opposition, and I, had one +morning gone considerably in advance of the others, walking smartly +to keep ourselves warm, when I suddenly broke through the ice. The +current here running strong, I should soon have been swept under the +ice, had I not, by extending my arms upon it on either side of me, +kept my head above water. At the hazard of his own life, my companion +came to my assistance; but the ice was too weak to admit of his +approaching sufficiently near to reach me his hand; he therefore cut a +long pole, and tying his belt to it, threw it to me; and laying hold +of it, I dragged myself on the sound ice. But the danger was not yet +over; the weather was intensely cold, so that my clothes were soon +frozen solid upon me, and having no means of lighting a fire, I ran +into the woods; and in order to keep my body from being frozen into +the same mass with my clothes, continued running up and down with all +my might, till the rest of the party arrived. + + +I had a still more narrow escape in the month of March ensuing. I had +been on a visit to the post under my own immediate charge, termed +head-quarters _par excellence_; returning to the post alone, I came to +a place where our men, in order to avoid a long detour occasioned by a +high and steep hill coming close to the river, were accustomed to draw +their sledges upon the ice along the edge of a rapid. About the middle +of the rapid, where the torrent is fiercest, the banks of the river +are formed of rocks rising almost perpendicularly from the water's +edge; and here they had to pass on a narrow ledge of ice, between the +rock on the one side, and the foaming and boiling surge on the other. +The ledge, at no time very broad, was now reduced, by the falling in +of the water, to a strip of ice of about eighteen inches, or little +more, adhering to the rock. The ice, however, seemed perfectly solid, +and I made no doubt that, with caution, I should succeed in passing +safely this formidable strait. + +The weather having been very mild in the fore-part of the day, my +shoes and socks had been saturated with wet, but were now frozen hard +by the cold of the approaching night. Overlooking this circumstance, +I attempted the dangerous passage; and had proceeded about halfway, +when my foot slipped, and I suddenly found myself resting with one hip +on the border of ice, while the rest of my body overhung the rapid +rushing fearfully underneath. I was now literally in a state of +agonizing suspense: to regain my footing was impossible; even the +attempt to move might precipitate me into the rapid. + +My first thought indeed was to throw myself in, and endeavour by +swimming to reach the solid ice that bridged the river a short +distance below; a glance at the torrent convinced me that this was a +measure too desperate to be attempted;--I should have been dashed +against the ice, or hurried beneath it by the current. But my time was +not yet come. Within a few feet of the spot where I was thus suspended +_in sublimis_, the rock projected a little outward, so as to break +the force of the current. It struck me that a new border of ice +might be formed at this place, under and parallel to that on which +I was perched; exploring cautiously, therefore, with a stick which +I fortunately had in my hand, all along and beneath me, I found my +conjecture well founded; but whether the ice were strong enough +to bear me, I could not ascertain. But it was my only hope of +deliverance; letting myself down therefore gently, I planted my feet +on the lower ledge, and clinging with the tenacity of a shell-fish to +the upper, I crept slowly along till I reached land. + +This autumn, I had the satisfaction of seeing all my opponents quit +the field, some of whom had maintained a long and obstinate struggle; +yet, although I had reason to congratulate myself on their departure, +as it promised me relief from the painfully toilsome life I had led, +I must do one of the parties, at least, the justice to say, that, in +different circumstances, I should have beheld their departure with +regret. Dey and McGillivray carried on the contest longer than the +others, and did so without showing any of that rancorous feeling which +the other petty traders manifested towards the Company. MacGillivray +and myself, when travelling together, often shared the same blanket, +and the same kettle; and found, that while this friendly feeling was +mutually advantageous to ourselves, it did not in any way compromise +the interests of our employers. I parted from him, wishing him every +success in _any other_ line of business he might engage in. + +After the removal of my competitors, I found the time to hang heavily +on my hands; and the ease I had so often sighed for, I now could +scarcely endure; but I was not allowed long time to sigh for a change. +On the 5th of April an Iroquois came up from Montreal with a packet +conveying orders to me to proceed forthwith to Lachine, whence I +should embark by the opening of the navigation for the northern +department. I was alone at the post when these unexpected orders came +to hand, all the men being absent at the outpost; and as it behoved me +to use the utmost diligence in order to get away ere winter travelling +should break up, leaving an old squaw in charge, I set out for the +outpost in quest of Mr. Cameron, who was appointed my successor; and +on the 7th of April took my departure. + +On arriving at the Grand River, I found travelling on the ice to +be attended with great danger, and several accidents had already +happened; but I had the good fortune to reach Grenville at the head +of the Long Sault in safety; here, however, my farther progress was +arrested for a fortnight, the roads being impassable. I arrived at +Lachine in the end of April, and after handing in the documents +relative to my late charge, Mr. K---- toldme I was at liberty to spend +the intervening time until the embarkation, where and how I pleased. +Gratified by this indulgence, I was about to frame a speech expressive +of my gratitude, when he continued,--"for, Sir, you are to understand +we do not keep a boarding-house here." This stopped my mouth, and I +reserved my thanks for a future occasion; for I could not but feel, +that being an officer of the Company, it was robbing me of a part of +my pay under the pretext of an indulgence. Availing myself, however, +of this ungenerous grant of freedom, I spent some halcyon days in the +company of relatives most dear to me, and expected no interruption to +my enjoyment until the time appointed for the embarkation: but a few +days after I had joined my relatives in the vicinity of Montreal, I +received a letter, commanding me, in the most peremptory manner, to +repair to Lachine,--"circumstances not foreseen at my arrival from the +interior required my departure without further delay." I accompanied +the bearer of Mr. K----'s letter, and found, on arriving at Lachine, +that I had been appointed to conduct some of Captain Back's party, who +proved rather troublesome to him at Montreal, to the Chats, and there +to await my passage to the north by the Brigade. + +I had now served the Hudson's Bay Company faithfully and zealously +for a period of twelve years, leading a life of hardship and toil, +of which no idea can be formed except by those whose hard lot it may +be to know it by experience. How enthusiastically I had laboured for +them, may be better gathered from the foregoing narrative than from +any statement I could here make. And what was my reward? I had no +sooner succeeded in freeing my district from opposition, than I was +ordered to resign my situation to another, who would enjoy the fruits +of my labour:--when I arrived at the Company's head-quarters to take +my departure for a remote district, I was ordered to provide for +myself until I embarked; and when enjoying myself in the bosom of my +family, to suit the convenience of one of their correspondents, I was +torn away from them prematurely, and without warning,--treatment, +which caused one of them so severe a shock as nearly to prove fatal! + +Before I take leave of the Montreal department, it may be well to +allude more particularly to the manners and customs of the natives. +The mode of life the Algonquins lead, while at their village, has been +already touched upon; within these few years a great change has taken +place, not in their morals, but in their circumstances. The southern +and western parts of their hunting-grounds are now nearly all +possessed by the white man, whose encroachments extend farther and +farther every year. Beaver meadows are now to be found in place of +beaver dams; and rivers are crossed on bridges formed by the hand of +man, where the labours of the beaver afforded a passage for the roving +Indian and hunter only a few years before. + +Happy change, it may be said; but so say not the Indians; the days +of happiness are gone for them, at least for those of the present +generation; though I have no doubt that their posterity may, in course +of time, become reconciled to, and adopt those habits of life which +their altered circumstances may require. A few have done so already, +but many of them still remain on the most remote parts of their lauds, +having no longer the means of enjoying themselves at their village, or +of satisfying the avarice of priests and traders. Here they pursue, +without restraint or interruption, the mode of life most congenial to +their habits. + +I have already observed, that I could discover but little difference +between the (so called) Christian Indians, and their unbaptized +countrymen, when beyond the surveillance of their priests. They +practise all the superstitious rites of their forefathers, and place +implicit confidence in the power of magic, although they admit that +the same results cannot be obtained now, as formerly, in consequence, +as they say, "of the Cross having come in contact with the Medicine." +They have their genii of lakes, rivers, mountains, and forests, to +whom they offer sacrifice. I was present at the sacrifice of a +beaver, made by an Algonquin to his familiar, or "totem," in order +to propitiate him, because he had been unsuccessful in hunting. +The beaver was roasted without being skinned, the fur only being +appropriated to the spirit, whilst the flesh afforded a luxurious +feast to the sacrificer; and in this part of the ceremony I willingly +participated. + +When any of them is taken ill, the indisposition is ascribed to the +effects of "bad medicine;" and the person is mentioned whom they +suspect of having laid the disease upon them. Many violent deeds are +committed to revenge these supposed injuries. An Algonquin, who had +lost a child, blamed a _tete de boule_, who was domiciled at Lac de +Sable, for his death. The ensuing spring the _tete de boule_ took a +fancy to visit the Lake of Two Mountains, and set off in company with +the Algonquins. + +On arrival of the party at the Grand River, he who had lost his child +invited the _tete de boule_ to his tent, and entertained him in the +most friendly manner for a time, then suddenly drawing his knife, he +plunged it into the side of his unsuspecting guest. The poor wretch +fled, and concealed himself in a pig-sty, where his groans soon +discovered him to the Algonquin, who, again seizing him, thrust his +knife into his throat, and did not withdraw it until he ceased to +live. + +"Now," exclaimed his murderer, "I am avenged for the death of my +child. You wanted to go to the Lake to be baptized, and here I have +baptized you in your own blood." + +Many other instances might be adduced to prove that the savage +disposition of these Indians has not been greatly ameliorated by their +profession of Christianity; they have, in fact, all the vices with but +few of the virtues of their heathen countrymen. + +They are immoderately fond of ardent spirits, men, women and--shocking +to say--children. This hateful vice, which contributes more than any +other to the debasement of human nature, seems to produce more baneful +effects upon the Indian, both physically and morally, than upon the +European. The worst propensities of his nature are excited by it. +While under the influence of this demon he spares neither friend nor +foe; and in many instances the members of his own family become the +victims either of his fury or his lust. + +The crime of incest is by no means unknown among them; rum, the +greatest scourge and curse of the Indian race, is undoubtedly the +principal cause of this dreadful corruption: but is it not strange +that religion should have so little effect in reforming their manners? +The Mississagays, the neighbours of the Algonquins, who speak the same +language, were only converted a few years ago by the Methodists, and +from being the most dissipated and depraved of Indians, are now become +sober, industrious and devout. + +It seems, therefore, impossible even for the most unprejudiced to +avoid the conclusion that the difference in manners must in a great +measure be ascribed to the different methods adopted by the Roman +Catholic and Protestant missionaries in converting the natives. The +Roman Catholic convert is first baptized, then instructed in the forms +of worship, taught to repeat Pater nosters and Ave Marias, to make the +sign of the cross, and to confess. He is now a member of the Church, +and is dismissed to his woods--a Christian, can we say? The Methodists +pursue a different course. Their converts must not only reform their +lives, but give indubitable proofs that they are reformed; they +are taught so as to understand thoroughly the sound principles of +Christianity; and they must give an account of their faith, and a +reason for the hope that is in them, before they are admitted as +members of the Christian community. "The tree is known by its fruits." + +The Sachems, or chiefs of the Algonquins, possess little or no +authority, but their advice is of some weight There are gradations of +rank in the chieftainship; the Kitchi Okima, or great chief, takes +precedence at the Council, and propounds the subject of discussion; +the inferior chiefs (Okimas) speak in turn, according to seniority; +every old man, however, whether chief or not, is allowed to give his +opinion, and the general voice of the assembly decides the question at +issue. It is seldom, however, that any question arises requiring much +deliberation in the present times of peace. When a party of strange +Indians arrives at the village, a council is called to ascertain the +means the community may possess of discharging properly the rites of +hospitality; each individual states the modicum he is willing to +contribute, in cash or in kind, and the proceeds, which are always +sufficient to entertain the guests sumptuously, according to Indian +ideas, while they remain, are placed at the disposal of the Kitchi +Okima. + +Councils are held and harangues delivered when they receive their +annual presents from Government; these consist of blankets, cloth, +ammunition, and a variety of small articles, all of which in their +present impoverished state are highly valued by them. They profess an +attachment to the British Government; but, like certain more civilized +nations, they will fight for the cause that is likely to yield them +most advantage. Their loyalty to Britain, therefore, is less to be +depended on than their hatred to America. A general idea has gone +abroad regarding their taciturnity which does not accord with my +experience. Far from being averse to colloquial intercourse, they +delight in it; none more welcome to an Indian wigwam than one who +can talk freely. They pass the winter evenings in relating their +adventures, hunting being their usual theme, or in telling stories; +and often have I heard the woods resound with peals of laughter +excited by their wit, for they too are witty in their own way. + +Their tradition of the flood (_kitchi a tesoka_, or "great tale,") is +somewhat remarkable. The world having been overflowed by water, all +mankind perished but one family, who embarked in a large canoe, taking +a variety of animals along with them. The canoe floated about for some +time, when a musk-rat, tired of its confinement, jumped overboard and +dived; it soon reappeared, with a mouthful of mud, which it deposited +on the surface of the water, and from this beginning the new world was +formed. + +When the veracity of an Indian is doubted, he points to heaven with +his forefinger, and exclaims:-- + +"He to whom we belong knows that what I say is true." + +No white man trusts more firmly in the validity of a solemn oath than +the Indian in this asseveration. Still it must be confessed that they +are prone to falsehood; but they seem to allow themselves a much +greater licence in this respect in their intercourse with the whites +than amongst themselves. + +When an Indian is about to enter a wigwam, he utters the word or sound +"Quay" in a peculiar tone; the word repeated from within is considered +as an invitation to enter. Should he neglect to announce himself +in this way he is considered as ill-bred--an unmannerly boor. The +left-hand side of the wigwam as you enter is considered the place +of honour; here the father of the family and chief squaw take their +station, the young men on the opposite side, and the women next to the +door, or at the upper end of the fire-place, both ends being alike +plebeian. When a person of respectability enters, the father, moving +towards the door, resigns his place to his guest, places skins under +him, and otherwise pays every attention to his comfort. They are +extremely hospitable, and cheerfully share their last morsel with the +stranger who may be in want. Hospitality, however, is a virtue which +civilization rarely improves. + +A good hunter always leaves his lodge by dawn of day, and seldom +tastes food till he returns late at night. Hunting beavers is a most +laborious occupation, and becomes more so in proportion to the +scarcity of these animals; for this reason, that when a great number +of beavers occupy a lake, their places of retreat are in closer +proximity to each other, and for the most part inhabited; if the +number be reduced, it is likely they will have the same places of +retreat, and the hunter must bore through the ice, before he can +ascertain whether they are inhabited or not. + +The sagacity of their dogs is truly surprising. The beaver house being +first destroyed by the hunter, the dogs are urged by a peculiar call +to scent out their retreats, which they never fail to do, whatever +may be the thickness of the ice. They keep running about the borders +of the lake, their noses close to the ground, and the moment they +discover a retreat, begin to bark and jump on the ice; the hunter then +cuts a hole with his trench, and with a stick which he carries along +with him feels for the beaver; should he find one, he introduces his +bare arm into the hole, and seizing his prey by the tail, drags it out +on the ice, where it is dispatched with a spear. There is less danger +in this operation than one would imagine, for the beaver allows itself +to be seized without a struggle, but sometimes inflicts severe wounds +on his captor after he is taken out of the water. + +When the retreat is not inhabited, the entrance to it is barred by +sticks, and the hunter proceeds to chisel again, and continues his +operations until the beaver is either taken, or shut out from all his +haunts, in which case he is compelled to return to the house to take +breath, where he is either shot or caught in a trap. + +The language of these Indians is a dialect of the Sauteux or Bungee, +intermixed with Cree, and a few words of French derivation. The +greater part of them have a smattering of French or English; but the +acquisition of a foreign language is extremely difficult to them, +from the peculiar formation of their own, which wants the letter r. +An Algonquin pronounces the word "marrow" "manno" or "mallo." Their +dialect has all the softness of the Italian, but is extremely poor and +defective. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +EMBARK FOR THE INTERIOR--MODE OF TRAVELLING BY CANOES--LITTLE +RIVER--LAKE NIPISSING--FRENCH RIVER--OLD STATION OF INDIAN +ROBBERS--FORT MISSISSAGA--INDIANS--LIGHT CANOE-MEN--SAULT STE. +MARIE--LAKE SUPERIOR--CANOE-MEN DESERT--RE-TAKEN--FORT WILLIAM--M. +THIBAUD--LAC LA PLUIE AND RIVER--INDIANS--WHITE RIVER--NARROW +ESCAPE--CONVERSATION WITH AN INDIAN ABOUT BAPTISM. + + +On the 25th April, 1833, I embarked on board of a steamboat at +Lachine, and reached Hull on the 27th. Here the regular conveyance by +land carriages and steamboat ended, and the traveller in those days +was obliged to wait his passage by the canoes of shanty men, or hire a +boat or canoe for himself. I had recourse to the latter expedient, and +reached the post of the Chats, then in charge of my esteemed friend +Mr. McD----l, on the 30th. Captain Back arrived on the 1st of May, +put ashore for a few supplies and my wards, and immediately +re-embarked. + +The brigade arrived on the 2d, and the guide delivered me a letter +from Mr. K----, informing me that I was to consider myself merely as +a passenger, the command of the men being entrusted to the guide by +Governor Simpson's orders. This arrangement relieved me of much +anxiety and trouble; though I would rather have preferred undergoing +any personal inconvenience to being placed under the command of an +ignorant Canadian, who might use his "brief" authority in a way very +offensive to my feelings, without being guilty of anything that I +could complain of. + +My fears, however, were disappointed, as he showed every deference to +my wishes, as well as the utmost courtesy to the other passengers, +most of whom were of a rank not likely to find much consideration from +a Canadian boatman; they consisted of a young priest not yet ordained, +an apprentice clerk, three youths who had been at their education in +Lower Canada, and myself. + +The brigade consisted of three Montreal canoes, laden with provisions +for the trip, and some tobacco for the southern department; and manned +by sixty Iroquois and Canadians, the latter engaged to winter, the +former for the trip. + +The day was far spent when we left the portage of the Chats, and we +encamped in the evening near the head of the rapids. The mode of +travelling in canoes being now well known, I shall not detail the +occurrences of each day, but confine myself to the narration of such +incidents as may be most worthy of notice throughout the voyage. The +moment we landed the tent was pitched by men employed for the purpose; +the other men unloaded the canoes, and carried the goods beyond +high-water mark, where it was piled and covered with oil-cloths. + +It is the particular duty of the bowsman to attend to the canoe, to +repair and pitch it when necessary, and to place it in security when +the cargo is discharged. In consideration of these services he is +exempt from the duty of loading or unloading, his wages are higher +than those of the steersman, and he ranks after the guide. The latter +generally messes with the gentlemen, his canoe always takes the lead +in the rapids, but in still water the post of honour is held by the +best going canoe. The guide rouses the men in the morning; the moment +the call is heard, "Leve, leve!" the passengers spring upon their +feet, tie up their beds, and if they are not smart about it, the tents +go down about their ears, and they must finish the operation in the +open air. + +Several of our men having already deserted, we encamped upon islands, +when they could be found, or kept watch on the mainland. Our hour +of departure was three o'clock, A.M.; when the weather permitted we +breakfasted at seven, dined at one or two o'clock, P.M., and encamped +at sunset. In calm weather the canoes went abreast, singing in chorus +and keeping time with the paddles. All was then gaiety, and, to +appearance, happiness; but this is one of those bright spots in a +voyageur's life which are few and far between. + +We reached Fort Coulonge on the 3d, and it being late, I took up my +quarters with my worthy old bourgeois, Mr. S. Here we received some +additional supplies of provisions for the crews and passengers. We +arrived at Lac des Allumettes on the 5th, where I put ashore merely to +say _bon jour_ to an old acquaintance. We encamped rather early this +evening, to allow the men a little extra rest, on account of the +laborious duty they had performed for some days before. Next day, +when ascending the rapid of Roche Capitaine, the canoe in which I +was passenger came in violent contact with another; but mine only +sustained damage. The bow being stove in, the canoe began to fill; we +however gained the shore, to which fortunately we were close, at a +leap, and lost no time in discharging the cargo. Drying the goods and +repairing the canoe occupied us a good part of the day. + +We reached the Forks of Mattawin on the 8th, where we found a small +outpost belonging to the Fort Coulonge district, recently established +for the purpose of securing the hunts of the Indians of this quarter, +who were in the habit of trading with shanty men. Being no longer +under any apprehensions of the men deserting, we now discontinued the +watch and slept in comfort. + +The passage of the Little River was effected with much toil and +difficulty, from the shallowness of the water. We entered Lake +Nipissing on the 10th; descended French River, a rapid and dangerous +stream, without accident, and entered Lake Huron on the morning of the +12th. The guide pointed out to me a place near the mouth of the river +where the Indians used to waylay the canoes on their passage to and +from the interior; a sort of rude breastwork still marks the spot. +After much destruction of life and property by the savages, they +were eventually caught in their own toil; the voyageurs, instead +of descending the river at this place, passed by land, and coming +unawares on the Indians killed them all. + +We reached the post of the Cloche early on the 13th, and spent two +hours in the company of Mr. McB----u, who entertained us most kindly; +and on the 14th looked in at Mississaga post, an establishment which +appeared to possess but few attractions as a place of residence; +consisting of a few miserable log buildings, surrounded by a number +of pine-bark wigwams, the temporary residence of the natives; several +of whom came reeling into the house after our arrival, there being an +opposition party there. + +These Indians were, without comparison, the most uncouth, +savage-looking beings I ever beheld; mouth from ear to ear, +cheek-bones remarkably high, low projecting forehead, hair like a +horse's mane, and eyes red and swollen by continual intoxication. +American whisky had no doubt contributed to increase their natural +deformity. + +After leaving this post we had a strong breeze of adverse wind for the +remainder of the day, and encamped in consequence earlier than usual. +On the following morning we were very early roused from our slumbers +by the call of "Canot a lege," (light canoe). Our beds were tied up, +tents packed, canoes launched and loaded in an instant; and we set off +in pursuit of the mail, which we overtook at breakfast time, and found +Mr. G. K----th in charge, who had just returned from England, and +was now proceeding to assume the charge of Lake Superior district. +Mr. K----th exchanged some of his men, who were found incapable of +performing light canoe duty, for some of our best; an arrangement that +did not appear to please our guide much. + +The duty which the crew of a light canoe have to perform is laborious +in the extreme, and requires men of the greatest strength and vigour +to stand it. They are never allowed to remain more than four hours +ashore by night, often only two or three; during the day they are +constantly urged on by the guide or person in command, and never cease +paddling, unless during the few moments required to exchange seats, or +while they take their hasty meals ashore. They are liberally plied +with grog, well paid, and well fed, and seldom quit the service until +it is hinted to them that the duty is become too hard for them. A +light canoe-man considers it quite a degradation to be employed in +loaded craft. + +We arrived early on the 16th at the Company's establishment at Sault +Sainte Marie, where there is a large depot of provisions for the +purpose of supplying the canoes passing to and from the interior and +the surrounding districts. The south side of the river is occupied by +the Americans as a military post, and it was gratifying to see the +friendly intercourse that subsisted between the American officers and +the gentlemen in the Company's service. Would that the same good +feeling were more universal between two nations of one blood and the +same language! + +The rapid which unites the waters of Lakes Huron and Superior is +avoided by making a portage. The carrying of the canoes and goods +to the upper end of this portage occupied the men till about noon, +when we embarked on the "Sea of Canada," having Messrs. Bethune and +McKenzie on board as passengers. We proceeded about fifteen miles and +encamped. We were ready to embark at the usual hour next morning, but +being prevented by the high wind, to make the best of the time we +turned in again, and after a most refreshing nap got up to breakfast. + +The weather moderating soon after, all hands were ordered to embark, +but all hands were not there; four of them had deserted during the +night, and were not missed until the crews mustered for embarkation. + +While we were holding a consultation regarding this unpleasant matter, +an Indian canoe luckily cast up, and it was determined to despatch a +party of Iroquois, conducted by a passenger in disguise, in pursuit of +the fugitives. Another party was sent by land, and after an absence +of about three hours returned with their prisoners. No criminals ever +appeared more dejected than they; so humble did they seem, that they +got off with a slight reprimand. + +We reached the post of Michipikoton early on the morning of the 19th, +and passed the remainder of the day waiting for despatches which Mr. +K---- was preparing for the interior. We left on the 20th, put ashore +at the Pic on the 23d, where we dined with Mr. McMurray, and after +experiencing much bad weather, adverse winds, together with showers of +snow, we reached Fort William on the 28th, about noon. + +We found the grand depot of the North-West Company falling rapidly +to decay, presenting in its present ruinous state but a shadow of +departed greatness. It is now occupied as a petty post, a few Indians +and two or three old voyageurs being the sole representatives of +the crowded throngs of former times. It must have been a beautiful +establishment in its days of prosperity; but the buildings certainly +do not appear to have been erected with a view to durability. We +here exchanged our large Montreal canoes for those of the North, +(the former carrying seventy packages of ninety pounds, the latter +twenty-five, exclusive of provisions;) and each of the passengers had +a canoe for his own accommodation--an arrangement that seemed to +increase in no small degree the self-importance of some of our number. +Our guide was now obliged to perform the duty of bowsman, still, +however, retaining his authority over the whole brigade. + +We bade adieu to Fort William and its hospitable commander on the +29th. Mr. McI----h had supplied all our wants most liberally, but +the men were now allowed only Indian corn and a small quantity of +grease;--a sad and unpleasing change for poor Jean Baptiste; but he +had no help but to submit, though not perhaps with the utmost +"Christian resignation." + +Our men being now well disciplined, and our canoes comparatively +light, we sped over our way at an excellent rate. We encamped on the +4th of June at one of the Thousand Lakes, and the canoes were drawn +up before M. Thibaud (the priest) arrived. I was surprised to observe +his frowning aspect on landing, and ascribed it to the circumstance of +his being the "harse," or harrow, a term of derision applied to the +slowest canoe. Calling me aside, however, he explained the cause of +his discontent, which was very different from what I had surmised: +his crew, whenever they found themselves sufficiently far in the rear +to be out of hearing, invariably struck up an obscene song, alike +unmindful of his presence and remonstrances; and this day had not only +sung, but indulged in conversation the most indecent imaginable. This +announcement appeared to me the more strange, that most of these young +men had never before quitted home; and I had always understood the +authority of the priest to be, at least, equal to that of the parent. +Although, therefore, I never had any very great reverence for the +(so-called) successors of St. Peter, I yet felt for my fellow-traveller, +and addressed the miscreants who had insulted him in terms of grave +reprehension, threatening them with severe punishment if such conduct +should again be repeated. + +We arrived at the post of Lac de la Pluie, on the 8th of June; and, +after a short halt, and carrying our _impedimenta_ across the portage +on which the fort is situated, commenced the descent of Lac de la +Pluie river,--a beautiful stream, running with a smooth, though strong +current, and maintaining a medium breadth of about 200 yards. Its +banks, which are clothed with verdure to the water's edge, recede by a +gradual slope until they terminate in a high ridge, running parallel +to the river on both sides. This ridge yields poplar, birch, and +maple, with a few pines, proving the excellence of the soil. The +interior, however, is said to be low and swampy. + +We passed the residence of an old retired servant of the Company, on +the 9th, who, if I may judge from the appearance of his farm and the +number of his cattle, must vegetate very much at his ease. + +Observing in the evening a large Indian camp, I requested the guide +to put ashore for a little. We were received kindly, but in a manner +quite different to what I had been accustomed. The young men were +drawn up on the shore, and eyed us with a savage _fierte_ in their +looks, returning our salutation in a way that convinced us that we +were at length among the "wild men of the woods." The weather being +extremely hot, we found them in almost a complete state of nudity, +with only a narrow shred of cloth around their loins. They speak +the Sauteux language; and I had much difficulty in making myself +understood by them. In their physiognomy and personal appearance they +exhibit all the characteristic features of the genuine aboriginal +race; and this party certainly appeared, one and all, to be "without a +cross;" but there had been long a trading post at Lac la Pluie, and I +noticed, in a neighbouring camp, a lass with brown hair and pretty +blue eyes. Where did she get them? After bartering some sturgeon with +the Indians, and presenting them with a little tobacco, we parted good +friends, and encamped so near them as to be annoyed the whole night by +the sound of their drum. + +On the following morning we entered the Lake of the Woods, and next +morning White River, a very violent stream, full of falls and +dangerous rapids. The portages are innumerable, and often close +together. After crossing one of these portages, we observed, with +astonishment, a number of people on the next portage, La Cave, about +pistol-shot distance from us. They proved to be Mr. Hughes, formerly +partner of the North-West Company; Mr. Berens, a member of Committee, +and suite: they were painfully situated, in consequence of the loss of +their bowsman, who, by missing a stroke with his pole, fell into the +rapid, and was drowned: the steersman was saved with great difficulty. + +We got safe through this dangerous river, on the 15th; but two of the +men had a narrow escape in one of the last portages. Our guide here, +as everywhere else, having a picked crew, pushed on, and left us +considerably in the rear. Approaching a fall, Le Bonnet, where no +traces of a portage could be discovered, the men unloaded the canoes, +and commenced carrying the goods through the woods; but the _boutes_ +(bowsmen and steersmen) determined on wading down with the canoes, the +water being shallow, until they should come close to the fall; where, +by lifting them across a narrow point, they could place them in the +smooth water beneath. The attempt was made accordingly, by the leading +canoe; but the rock over which the current flows being smooth, and +covered with a slimy moss, the men slipped, and were in an instant +precipitated over the fall. When we saw the canoe rushing over the +brink, with the poor fellows clinging to it, we all concluded they had +reached the end of their voyage. Running down to the foot of the fall, +which was about eleven feet high, having previously ordered a canoe to +be carried across the point, and some shots to be fired to recall the +guide, who was now nearly out of sight, I was astonished to find the +canoe had not upset, although the men had got into it, and it was half +full of water, and so near the shore that I extended my arm to lay +hold of the bow. The next moment, however, the stern having come +within the influence of a whirlpool, it was hurried out into the +middle of the stream, and dashed with such violence against a rock, +that the crashing of the timbers was distinctly heard from the shore. +This shock, which had nearly proved fatal to the men, threw the canoe +into an eddy, or counter-current, which whirled it to the opposite +shore, where it was about to sink when assistance came. + +In the evening, we arrived at the post of Bas de la Riviere, in charge +of an Orkney-man, by name Clouston, who had risen from the ranks, and +who, seeing what small fry he had to deal with, treated us somewhat +superciliously. Our stock of provisions being exhausted, we applied to +_Maister_ Clouston for a fresh supply: he granted us what I thought +very inadequate to our wants; but he said it was all that was allowed +by the Governor for the passage of the Lake. Here M. Thibaud found two +men with a small canoe, who had been sent by the Bishop of Red River +to convey him to his destination, waiting his arrival. We parted with +feelings of mutual regret. + +We left this post late on the 16th, and had proceeded but a short +distance on the Lake, when a strong head wind compelled us to put +ashore. We now experienced constant bad weather, never completing a +day's sailing without interruption from some cause or other; and in +consequence of these delays, it was found necessary to curtail our +allowance of provisions. On the 20th, we pitched our tents near a camp +of Sauteux, from whom the men procured a small quantity of sturgeon, +in exchange for some articles of clothing. I was surprised to find +Indians, in a quarter so remote from those tribes with whom I had +hitherto been conversant, speaking a dialect which I understood +perfectly: their erratic habits, and intercourse with the Crees and +Algonquins, may perhaps account for this similarity of dialect. + +I entered into conversation with a shrewd old fellow, who had been +often at Red River settlement. Among other questions, I asked him +whether he had not been baptized? + +"Baptized!" he exclaimed; "don't speak of it, my brother. +Baptized--that I may go to the devil! Indians think a good Indian goes +to the good place when he dies; but the priests send _all_ to the evil +one." + +I asked him how he made that out? + +"Why, I learned it from the priests themselves. When I first went to +Red River, I met a French priest, who earnestly besought me to be +converted. I heard him attentively, and his words had a great effect +upon me; but I had been told there was another priest there, who had +different thoughts about religion, and I thought I would go to him +too. He was very kind to me, and spoke nearly the same words as the +French priest; so that I thought there was no difference in their +religions. He asked me if I would be baptized? and I told him that I +would; but I wanted to learn the French prayer. 'Ah! my son,' he said, +'that must not be: if you adopt that bad religion, you will be burned +for certain.' And he spoke so strong, that I almost thought he was +right. But before I would do anything, I went to the French priest +again, and told him what the English priest said to me; and then said +I would learn the English prayer. 'Ah! my son,' said he, 'if you do +so, it will lead you to perdition: all that pray after the English +manner go to the fire.' And he said much more, and his words were very +strong too; so I saw that I could be no better by forsaking the belief +of my fathers, and I have not gone to French or English priest since." + +This is by no means a solitary case; and it is one of the sore evils +which arise from the corruption of Christianity, and the divisions +of Christians. Nor, in the case of creeds so opposite as those of +Protestants and Roman Catholics--creeds as opposite as light and +darkness--is it easy to point out a remedy. After all, it is surely +better for these poor Indians to adopt some form of Christianity, +however corrupt, than to remain in the darkness and debasement of +heathenism. And if our missionaries would act upon the noble maxim +of the greatest of the Apostles--"never to enter upon the sphere of +another man's labours,"--consequences so injurious would be avoided. +If they have not so much Christianity and good sense as to do so of +themselves, where there is the power, they should be compelled to do +it. The Company have the power, but are too much occupied with matters +which they deem more momentous, to waste a thought upon this. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +CONTINUATION OF THE VOYAGE--RUN SHORT OF PROVISIONS--DOGS' +FLESH--NORWAY HOUSE--INDIAN VOYAGEURS--ORDERED TO NEW CALEDONIA--LAKE +WINNIPEG--MACINTOSH'S ISLAND SUBMERGED--CUMBERLAND HOUSE--CHIPPEWEYAN +AND CREE INDIANS--PORTAGE LA LOCHE--SCENERY--ATHABASCA--HEALTHINESS OF +THE CLIMATE. + + +High winds detained us in camp on the 21st. The crews of two canoes, +having finished their last meal to-day, bartered some more of their +clothes for dogs. We reached a small outpost called Berens House on +the 23d, where we procured a couple of sturgeon, and a dog valued at +ten shillings, for which I gave my note of hand. I had a _preein_ of +this cynic mutton at breakfast; and could not help thinking it would +have made a most appropriate and _philosophical_ addition to the +larder of the wise man of the tub. The men, however, having been for +some time on short commons, seemed to relish it. We supped lightly +enough on the remainder of Mr. Clouston's bountiful supply, giving a +share to the men. + +After a most tedious and miserable passage, we reached the outlet of +Lake Winnipeg on the 24th, and arrived next morning at Norway House. +Here the men were liberally supplied; and I found myself at breakfast +with a number of chief factors and chief traders, just arrived from +their respective districts, and on their way with their valuable +returns to York Factory. Captain Back was also here, having sent on +his men and baggage under the command of Dr. King, intending himself +to follow in a light canoe, after having forwarded his despatches to +Europe. + +The day after my arrival, I was notified by one of the officials, +that it was arranged that I should pass the summer here, giving such +assistance to the gentleman in charge as might be required of me; and +that my future destination should be determined upon at York Factory. +I now passed my time very agreeably, having just enough employment +in the day-time to keep off _ennui_, and the company of several +gentlemen, and, what I thought still better, that of a fair +countrywoman,[1] in the evening. I was gratified to find that there +existed here a far greater degree of intimacy between gentlemen of +different ranks in the service, than in the Montreal department, where +a clerk is considered as a mere hireling; here, on the contrary, +commissioned officers look upon clerks as candidates for the same rank +which themselves hold, and treat them accordingly. + + [1] Mistress of the establishment. + +The Governor, having taken up his residence for some years past in +England, crosses the Atlantic once a year, and during his brief +sojourn, Norway House forms his head-quarters. Here it is that the +sham Council is held, and everything connected with the business of +the interior arranged. Here also is the depot for the districts of +Athabasca and McKenzie's River, which supplies all the provisions +required for inland transport. These provisions are furnished by the +Saskatchewan district, or are purchased by the Company from the +colonists of Red River, who have no other customers. + +The natives of this quarter speak a jargon of Cree and Sauteux, which +sounds very harshly. They all understand English, and some of them +speak it fluently. Many of them are constantly employed as voyageurs +between Norway House and York Factory; and none perform the trip more +expeditiously, or render their cargoes in better condition than they. +Of Christianity, they have learned just as much as enables them to +swear; in other respects, they are still Pagans. + +On the 20th of July, I received a letter from Mr. Chief Factor +Cameron, who acted as President of the Council in the Governor's +absence, conveying orders for me to proceed to New Caledonia; Mr. +Charles being instructed to furnish me with a passage to Athabasca, +and to forward me afterwards to Fort Dunvegan, on Peace River, where I +was to wait the arrival of the party sent annually from New Caledonia +for a supply of leather. + +The brigade having been despatched on the 27th, Mr. C. and I embarked +on the 28th, and overtook it at the entrance of Lake Winnipeg. The +crews being ashore, and enjoying themselves, we passed on; but did not +proceed far, ere the wind blew so violently as to compel us to put +ashore. After a delay of about four hours, we "put to sea" again; and +the wind gradually abating as we proceeded, we encamped in the evening +nearly opposite to McIntosh's Island. + +This island, some years ago, presented an extensive surface of land +covered with wood: there is not now a vestige of land to be seen; the +spot where it existed being only known to voyagers by a shoal which is +visible at low water. But not only have the islands been swept away, +but the mainland along the west end of the lake seems gradually being +encroached upon and engulphed by the waves; an undeniable proof of +which is, that the old post of Norway House, which formerly stood at a +considerable distance from the water's edge, is now close to it, and +the burial-ground is nearly all submerged. + +We arrived at the foot of Grand Rapid late on the 29th of July, and +passed the portage on the 30th, assisted by the natives--Sauteux, +Crees, and half-breeds. These live luxuriously on sturgeon, with +little toil. Among them I observed two or three old Canadians, who +could scarcely be distinguished from the natives by language, manners, +or dress; such persons, when young, having formed an attachment to +some of the Indian young women, betake themselves to their half-savage +mode of life, and very soon cannot be persuaded to quit it. + +We arrived on the 5th of August at Riviere du Pas, where an old +Canadian, M. Constant, had fixed his abode, who appeared to have +an abundance of the necessaries of life, and a large family of +half-Indians, who seemed to claim him as their sire. We breakfasted +sumptuously on fish and fowl, and no charge was made; but a gratuity +of tea, tobacco, or sugar is always given; so that M. Constant loses +nothing by his considerate attentions to his visitors. + + +We reached Cumberland House on the 8th. Here I was cheered by the +sight of extensive corn-fields, horned cattle, pigs and poultry, which +gave the place more the appearance of a farm in the civilized world, +than of a trading post in the far North-West; and I could not help +envying the happy lot of its tenant, and contrasting it with my own, +which led me to the wilds of New Caledonia--to fare like a dog, +without knowing how long my exile might be protracted. + +We arrived at the post of Isle a la Crosse, where we were detained a +day in consequence of bad weather. This post is also surrounded by +cultivated fields, and I observed a few cattle; but the voice of the +grunter was not heard. + +The Indians who frequent this post are chiefly Chippeweyans, with a +few families of Crees. The former differ in features, language, and +manners from any I had yet seen. Their face is of a peculiar mould, +broad; the cheekbone remarkably prominent, chin small, mouth wide, +with thick lips, the upper covered with beard; the body strongly built +and muscular. They appear destitute of the amiable qualities which +characterise the Crees. Whenever we met any of them on our route, and +asked for fish or meat, "Budt hoola,"[1] was the invariable answer; +yet no Indians were ever more importunate than they in begging for +tobacco. On the contrary, when we fell in with Crees, they allowed +us to help ourselves freely, and were delighted to see us do so, +receiving thankfully whatever we gave them in return. The features of +the Crees are not so strongly marked as those of the Sauteux, although +they are a kindred people; yet they are as easily distinguishable from +each other, as an Englishman from a Frenchman. + + [1] There is none. + +We left Isle a la Crosse on the 12th, and without meeting with any +adventure worthy of notice, reached the end of Portage la Loche +about two o'clock P.M. of the following day, with canoe and baggage. +In this, as in every other part of their territories, the Company +use boats for the transport of property; but by a very judicious +arrangement, much time and labour are saved at this portage, which is +said to be twelve miles in length. Boats are placed at the upper and +lower ends, so that the men have only to carry across the property, +which, in truth, of itself is a sufficiently laborious operation for +human beings. The people from the district of McKenzie's River come +thus far with their returns, and receive their outfit in boats manned +by half-breeds, who are hired at Red River for the trip. + +The prospect which the surrounding country presents from the upper +end of the portage is very striking; and the more so from the sudden +manner in which it bursts upon the view. You suddenly arrive at the +summit of a remarkably steep hill, where, on looking around, the first +object that attracts attention is a beautiful green hill standing on +the opposite side of the deep glen, through which the clear Water +River flows, forming the most prominent feature of an extensive range, +cut up by deep ravines, whose sides are clothed with wood, presenting +already all the beautiful variety of their autumnal hues; while, +at intervals, a glimpse was caught of the river meandering through +the valley. In former times these hills were covered with herds of +buffaloes, but not one is to be seen now. + +We once more proceeded down the stream, and arrived at Athabasca on +the 21st of August, where we found Dr. King, who had been delayed some +days repairing his boats; Capt. Back having proceeded onwards in a +light canoe to fix on a winter residence. + +Fort Chippeweyan was, in the time of the North-West Company, next in +importance to Fort William. Besides having several detached posts +depending immediately upon itself, and carrying on a very extensive +trade with the Chippeweyans, (the best hunters in the Indian country,) +it served as depot for the districts of McKenzie's River, and Peace +River. + +The trade of this district, although it bears no comparison to that of +former times, is yet pretty extensive. It is still the depot for Peace +River, and commands the trade with the Chippeweyans. Trade is carried +on in this quarter solely by barter, which secures the Company from +loss, and is apparently attended with no inconvenience to the natives, +who used formerly to take their supplies on credit. + +Beaver is the standard according to which all other furs are rated; so +many martens, so many foxes, &c., equal to one beaver. The trader, on +receiving the Indian's hunt, proceeds to reckon it up according to +this rule, giving the Indian a quill for each beaver; these quills are +again exchanged at the counter for whatever articles he wants. The +people of this post subsist entirely on the produce of the country, +fish, flesh, and fowl, of which there is the greatest abundance. Both +soil and climate are said to be unfavourable to the cultivation of +grain or vegetables; the attempt is made, however, and sometimes with +success. + +I took my departure from Athabasca on the 24th of August, accompanied +by Mr. Charles Ross, who had passed the summer there as _locum +tenens_, and was now proceeding to assume the charge of his own post, +Fort Vermillion, where we arrived on the 1st of September. + +This post is agreeably situated on the right bank of Peace River, +having the river in front, and boundless prairies in the rear. The +Indians attached to it are designated Beaver Indians, and their +language is said to have some affinity to the Chippeweyan. This is, +however, the only point of resemblance between them. The Beavers are +a more diminutive race than the Chippeweyans, and their features bear +a greater resemblance to those of the Crees. They are allowed to be +generous, hospitable and brave; and are distinguished for their strict +adherence to truth. + +Most Indians boast of the murder of white men as a glorious exploit; +these, on the contrary, glory in never having shed the blood of one, +although they often imbrue their hands in the blood of their kindred; +being very apt to quarrel among themselves, chiefly on account of +their gallantry. When an illicit amour is detected, the consequence is +frequently fatal to one of the parties; but the unmarried youth, of +both sexes, are generally under no restraint whatever. + +I bade adieu to Mr. Ross, a warm-hearted Gael, on the 3d, and arrived +at Fort Dunvegan on the 10th of September, then under the charge of +Mr. McIntosh, chief factor, where I met with a Highland welcome, and +passed the time most agreeably in the company of a well educated +gentleman. The Indians here are of the same tribe as those of Fort +Vermillion, but are not guiltless of the blood of the whites. This +post is also surrounded by prairies. A large farm is cultivated, +yielding in favourable seasons a variety of vegetables and grain: but +the crops are subject to injury from frost; sometimes are altogether +destroyed. When the wind blows for some time from the west, it cools +in its passage across the glaciers of the Rocky Mountains, to such +a degree, that the change of temperature caused by it is not only +severely felt in the vicinity of the mountains, but at a great +distance from them, as far even as Red River. + +From the great age attained by many of the retired servants of the +Company, who pass their lives in this country, the salubrity of the +climate may fairly be inferred. Meeting a brigade of small canoes +between Fort Vermillion and this place, and observing an old man with +a white head and wrinkled face, sitting in the centre of one of them, +I made up to him, and after saluting him _a la Francaise_, presented +him with a piece of tobacco--the Indian letter of introduction. I +inquired of him how long it was since he had left home. + +"Sixty-two years, Monsieur," was the reply; and as the canoes +assembled around us, he pointed out to me his sons, and his sons' +sons, to the third and fourth generation. + +I heard of no malady which the white inhabitants are liable to, except +the goitres; caused, it is presumed, in part by the use of snow-water, +and in part by the use of the river-water, which is strongly +impregnated with clay, so much so, as sometimes to resemble a solution +of the earth itself. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +ARRIVAL OF MR. F. FROM CALEDONIA--SCENERY--LAND-SLIP--MASSACRE AT FORT +ST. JOHN'S--ROCKY MOUNTAIN PORTAGE--ROCKY MOUNTAINS--MAGNIFICENT +SCENERY--M'LEOD'S LAKE--RECEPTION OF ITS COMMANDER BY THE INDIANS. + + +Mr. Paul Fraser, a senior clerk, arrived from Caledonia with three +canoes, on the 26th of September, and on the 28th we took our +departure. Above Fort Dunvegan the current becomes so strong that +the canoes are propelled by long poles, in using which the men had +acquired such dexterity that we made much better progress than I +could have expected. As we ascended the river, the scenery became +beautifully diversified with hill and dale and wooded valleys, through +which there generally flowed streams of limpid water. I observed at +one place a tremendous land-slip, caused by the water undermining the +soil. Trees were seen in an inverted position, the branches sunk in +the ground and the roots uppermost; others with only the branches +appearing above ground; the earth rent and intersected by chasms +extending in every direction; while piles of earth and stones +intermixed with shattered limbs and trunks of trees, contributed to +increase the dreadful confusion of the scene. The half of a huge hill +had tumbled into the river, and dammed it across, so that no water +escaped for some time. The people of Dunvegan, seeing the river +suddenly dry up, were terrified by the phenomenon, but they had not +much time to investigate the cause: the river as suddenly reappeared, +presenting a front of nearly twenty feet in height, and foaming and +rushing down with the noise of thunder. + +On the 3d of October we reached the tenantless Fort of St. John's, +where a horrid tragedy was enacted some years ago--the commander of +the post with all his men having been cut off by the Indians. The +particulars of this atrocious deed, as related to me by the gentleman +at the head of the district at the time, were as follows:-- + +It had been determined that the post of St. John's should be +abandoned, and the establishment removed to the Rocky Mountain +portage, for the convenience of the Tsekanies, who were excellent +hunters, but who could not be well supplied from this post, on account +of the greatness of the distance. Unfortunately a quarrel had arisen +about this time between the Indians of St. John's and the Tsekanies. +The former viewed the removal of the post from their lands as an +insult, and a measure that gave their enemies a decided superiority +over them, and they took a very effectual method of disappointing +them. + +Mr. Hughes, having sent off his men with a load of property for the +new post, remained alone. This was the opportunity the Indians sought +for, and they did not fail to take advantage of it. The unfortunate +man had been in the habit of walking daily by the river side, and was +taking his usual promenade the day after the departure of his men, +when he was shot down by two of the assassins. They then carried his +body to his room and left it, and his blood still marks the floor. +The men, altogether unconscious of the fate that awaited them, came +paddling toward the landing-place, singing a voyageur's song, and just +as the canoe touched the shore a volley of bullets was discharged at +them, which silenced them for ever. They were all killed on the spot. +The post has remained desolate ever since. Fort Dunvegan was also +abandoned for some years, which reduced the natives to the greatest +distress. + +As soon as intelligence was received of the catastrophe, a party of +half-breeds and Crees, under the command of one of the clerks, was +fitted out in order to inflict deserved punishment on the murderers; +but just as the party had got on the trail, and within a short +distance of the camp, they received orders from the superintendent to +return. + +These orders were no doubt dictated by feelings of humanity, as Mr. +McIntosh had learned that some Indians, who were not concerned in the +murder, were in the same camp, and he was apprehensive the innocent +might be involved in the same punishment with the guilty. The most +of them, however, were afterwards starved to death; and the country +having been abandoned by the Company, gave the natives occasion to +remark, that the measure was dictated more by fear of them than by +motives of humanity. + +The Rocky Mountains came in view on the 8th of October, and we reached +the portage bearing their name on the 10th, the crossing of which took +us eight days, being fully thirteen miles in length, and excessively +bad road, leading sometimes through swamps and morasses, then +ascending and descending steep: hills, and for at least one-third of +the distance so obstructed by fallen trees as to render it all but +impassable. I consider the passage of this portage the most laborious +duty the Company's servants have to perform in any part of the +territory; and, as the voyageurs say, "He that passes it with his +share of a canoe's cargo may call himself a man." + +In the passage we came upon a large camp of Tsekanies, Mr. Eraser's +customers. Their dialect is similar to that of the Beaver Indians, but +they understand the Cree, which is the medium of communication between +Mr. F. and them. It thus appears that this language is understood from +the shores of Labrador to the foot of the Rocky Mountains. + +After passing the portage, the Rocky Mountains reared their snow-clad +summits all around us, presenting a scene of gloomy grandeur, that +had nothing cheering in it. One scene, however, struck me as truly +sublime. As we proceeded onward the mountains pressed closer on the +river, and at one place approached so near that the gap seemed to have +been made by the river forcing a passage through them. We passed in +our canoes at the base of precipices that rose almost perpendicularly +above us on either side to the height of 3,000 or 4,000 feet! After +passing through these magnificent portals, the mountains recede to +a considerable distance, the space intervening between them and the +river being a flat, yielding timber of a larger growth than I expected +to find in such a situation. + +We arrived at McLeod's Lake--Mr. Fraser's post--on the 25th, where +a number of Indians were waiting their supplies. They received us +quite in a military style, with several discharges of fire-arms, and +appeared delighted at the arrival of their chief. They seemed to be +on the best possible terms together--the white chief and his _red +"tail"_. They are Tsekanies, and are reputed honest, industrious, and +faithful. + +The outfit for this post is conveyed on horse-back from Stuart's Lake. +A more dreary situation can scarcely be imagined, surrounded by +towering mountains that almost exclude the light of day, and snow +storms not seldom occurring, so violent and long continued as to bury +the establishment. I believe there are few situations in the country +that present such local disadvantages; but there is the same miserable +solitude everywhere; and yet we find natives of England, Scotland, +and Ireland devoting their lives to a business that holds forth +such prospects! I remained with my new friend one day, enjoying the +comforts of his _eyry_, and then set off for the goal of my long +course, where I arrived on the 28th of October. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +ARRIVAL AT NEW CALEDONIA--BEAUTIFUL SCENERY--INDIAN HOUSES--AMUSEMENTS +AT THE FORT--THREATENED ATTACK OF INDIANS--EXPEDITION AGAINST +THEM--BEEF-STEAKS--NEW CALEDONIAN FARE--MODE OF CATCHING +SALMON--SINGULAR DEATH OF NATIVE INTERPRETER--INDIAN FUNERAL +RITES--BARBAROUS TREATMENT OF WIDOWS. + + +Fort St. James, the depot of New Caledonia district, stands near +the outlet of Stuart's Lake, and commands a splendid view of the +surrounding country. The lake is about fifty miles in length, and +from three to four miles in breadth, stretching away to the north and +north-east for about twenty miles; the view from the Fort embraces +nearly the whole of this section of it, which is studded with +beautiful islands. The western shore is low, and indented by a number +of small bays formed by wooded points projecting into the lake, the +back-ground rising abruptly into a ridge of hills of varied height and +magnitude. On the east the view is limited to a range of two or three +miles, by the intervention of a high promontory, from which the eye +glances to the snowy summits of the Rocky Mountains in the distant +back-ground. I do not know that I have seen anything to compare with +this charming prospect in any other part of the country; its beauties +struck me even at this season of the year, when nature having partly +assumed her hybernal dress, everything appeared to so much greater +disadvantage. + +The Indian village is situated in a lovely spot at the outlet of the +lake, and consists of only five or six houses, but every house is +occupied by several families. These buildings are of a very slight and +simple construction, being merely formed of stakes driven into the +ground; a square piece of timber runs horizontally along the top of +this wall, to which the stakes are fastened by strips of willow bark. +This inclosure, which is of a square form, is roofed in by placing two +strong posts at each gable, which support the ridge pole, on which +the roof sticks are placed, one end resting on the ridge pole, and +the other on the wall, the whole being covered with pine bark: there +is generally a door at each end, which is cut in the wall after the +building is erected. These apertures are of a circular form, and about +two and a half feet in diameter, so that a stranger finds it very +awkward to pass through them. In effecting a passage you first +introduce a leg, then bending low the body you press in head and +shoulders; in this position you will have some difficulty in +maintaining your equilibrium, for if you draw in the rest of the body +too quickly, it is a chance but you will find yourself with your head +undermost: the natives bolt through them with the agility of a weasel. + +For some time after my arrival here, I had very little employment, +there being a scribe already in the establishment, whose experience +and industry required no assistance from me. I thus found myself a +supernumerary--a character that did not suit me, but I was obliged to +content myself for the present. We were joined early in winter by some +of the gentlemen in charge of posts, when we managed to pass the time +very agreeably. Mr. D----, superintendent of the district, played +remarkably well on the violin and flute, some of us "wee bodies" could +also do something in that way, and our musical soirees, if not in +melody, could at least compete in noise, numbers taken into account, +with any association of the kind in the British dominions. Chess, +backgammon, and whist, completed the variety of our evening pastimes. +In the daytime each individual occupied himself as he pleased. When +together, smoking, "spinning yarns" about _dog_ racing, canoe sailing, +and _l'amour_; sometimes politics; now and then an animated discussion +on theology, but without bitterness; these made our days fly away as +agreeably as our nights. + +While thus pleasantly occupied, a piece of intelligence was received, +which caused the breaking up of our little society, and created some +alarm. A party of seven or eight Indians having been drowned on their +way to Alexandria, in autumn, their relatives imputed the misfortune +to the whites. "Had there been no whites at Alexandria," said they, +"our friends would not have gone there to trade; and if they had not +gone there, they would not have been drowned:" _ergo_--the white men +are the cause of their death, and the Indians must be avenged. + +Nothing, however, was known of their hostile intentions until winter, +when Mr. F. had occasion to send a man to Stuart's Lake with +despatches, who, on arriving opposite to the Indian camp, found +himself suddenly surrounded by the natives. They advanced rapidly upon +him, brandishing their arms, and uttering horrid yells, and would +have dispatched him on the spot but for the interference of one of +themselves, who nobly threw himself between the Canadian and the +muzzles of the guns that were levelled at him, and beckoned him to +flee. He took to his heels accordingly, and never looked behind him +till he reached the fort. + +A little before Mr. Fisher had learned from his home guards that an +attack on the fort was intended, and that they had been solicited by +their neighbours to join in it, but had refused. So far, indeed, from +wishing to injure the whites, they consented to carry the despatches +which conveyed the information I have just mentioned. As Mr. F. +urgently requested that assistance should be afforded him with as +little delay as possible, it was determined that I should forthwith +proceed to Alexandria, accompanied by Waccan, the interpreter, and +eight men well armed. + +Passing Fraser's Lake and Fort George posts, we arrived at the Indian +winter camp, which we found abandoned; but a well beaten track led +from it in the direction of Alexandria, a circumstance which made +us apprehensive that our aid might come too late, and prompted us +to redouble our speed. Our party consequently was soon very much +scattered--a most unmilitary procedure--which might have proved fatal +to ourselves, while we thought of relieving our friends. + +The interpreter, myself, and two Iroquois, forming the advanced +guard of the _grand army_, which consisted of full six men, still +considerably in the rear, on turning a point found ourselves +immediately in front of the camp. We were thus as much taken by +surprise as those whom we wished to surprise; but without hesitating a +moment we rushed up the bank, and were instantly in the midst of the +camp. The uproar was tremendous, the Indians seized their arms with +the most threatening gestures and savage yells, and it would have +been impossible for us to execute our orders--which were to seize +the ringleader only--without a fierce struggle and bloodshed on both +sides; and though more resolute, perhaps, than our enemies, we were by +far the weaker party, their numbers being at least ten to one of ours. + +Happily, however, there was an Indian (one of our friends) from +Alexandria, in the camp, who, as soon as he could make himself +heard, informed us that the affair had been already arranged to the +satisfaction of both parties. Thus terminated our expedition, without +bloodshed and without laurels. A few days earlier it might have been +otherwise; nor was Mr. F. without blame in neglecting to advise us of +the arrangement. + +We continued our course towards Fort Alexandria, and reached it late +in the evening. My unexpected appearance gave my old bourgeois of Two +Mountains an agreeable surprise. Having eaten nothing since morning, +we made sad havoc of his beefsteaks and potatoes. + +"Well, Mac," said he, "to judge from your appetite, the air of New +Caledonia seems to agree wonderfully with you. Pray how do you like +the beef-steaks?" + +"Never tasted anything better," said I. + +Next morning he requested me to accompany him to the store, as he +said, to see a hind-leg of the steer which had furnished me with my +steaks. I approached it, and lo! it was the hind-leg of a horse! +The beef-steaks, or rather _horse_-steaks, were again presented at +breakfast, and I confess I had not the same relish for them as at +supper, but my repugnance--such is the effect of habit--was soon +overcome. + +I remained a few days here for the sake of repose, and then returned. +On the approach of spring, my fellow-subordinate, Mr. McKenzie, +dissatisfied with the service, left for the east side of the +mountains, and I took his place at the desk, the duties of which, +although by no means harassing, left me but little leisure. The +accounts of all the posts in the district, eight in number, were made +up here; I had also to superintend the men of the establishment, +accompany them on their winter trips, and attend to the Indian trade. +But even if the duty had been more toilsome, I had every inducement to +perform it cheerfully, as Mr. Dease was one of the kindest and most +considerate of men. On the 5th of May Mr. Dease took his departure +for Fort Vancouver, with the returns of his district, which might he +valued at 11,000l. The outfit, together with servants' wages and +incidental expenses, amounted to about 3,000l., leaving to the Company +a clear profit of about 8,000l. + + +I was appointed to the charge of Stuart's Lake during the summer, with +four men to perform the ordinary duties of the establishment--making +hay, attending to gardens, &c. A few cattle were introduced in 1830, +and we now began to derive some benefit from the produce of the dairy. +Our gardens (a term applied in this country to any piece of ground +under cultivation) in former times yielded potatoes; nothing would now +grow save turnips. A few carrots and cabbages were this year raised +on a piece of new ground, which added to the luxuries of our table. +Heaven knows, they were much wanted, for the other fare was scarcely +fit for dogs! In the early part of the season it consisted entirely +of salmon, which this year was of the worst quality, having been two +years in the store. A few sturgeon, however, of enormous[1] size, +were caught, whose flesh was the most tender and delicious I had ever +eaten, and would have been considered a delicacy by Apicius himself; +it need not be wondered at then that the capture of one caused +universal joy. + + [1] Belluga? + +The salmon (the New Caledonian staff of life) ascend Frazer's River +and its tributaries, from the Pacific in immense shoals, proceeding +towards the sources of the streams until stopped by shallow water. +Having deposited their spawn, their dead bodies are seen floating down +the current in thousands; few of them ever return to the sea; and in +consequence of the old fish perishing in this manner, they fail in +this quarter every fourth year. The natives display a good deal of +ingenuity in catching them. Where the current and depth of water +permit, they bar it across by means of stakes driven into the bottom +with much labour, and standing about six inches apart; these are +strongly bound to a piece of timber, or "plate," running along the +top; stays, or supporters, are placed at intervals of ten or twelve +feet, the upper end bearing against the plate so as to form an angle +with the stream. Gaps are left in the works of sufficient size to +admit the _varveaux_, or baskets, in which the fish are taken. After +the whole is finished, square frames of wicker-work, called keys, are +let down against the upper side, to prevent the fish from ascending, +and at the same time to allow the water a free passage. The keys must +be kept entirely free from filth, such as branches, leaves, &c., +otherwise the whole works would soon be swept away. The baskets are +of a cylindrical form, about two and a half feet in diameter at the +mouth, and terminate in a point of four or, five inches. When the +fishing is over, all the materials are removed, and replaced the +ensuing year with equal labour. + +To preserve the fish for future consumption the following process is +adopted. The back being split up, and the back-bone extracted, it is +hung by the tail for a few days; then it is taken down and distended +on splinters of wood; these are attached to a sort of scaffold erected +for the purpose, where the fish remains till sufficiently dry for +preservation. Even in dry seasons, during this process, the ground all +round the scaffold is thickly covered with large maggots; but in wet +seasons the sight becomes much more loathsome. + +I have already observed that the salmon fail periodically, and the +natives would consequently be reduced to the utmost distress, did not +the goodness of Providence furnish them with a substitute. Rabbits +are sent to supply the place of the salmon; and, singular as it may +appear, these animals increase in number as the salmon decrease, +until they swarm all over the country. When the salmon return, they +gradually disappear, being destroyed or driven away by their greatest +enemy, the lynx, which first appear in smaller, then in greater +numbers;--both they and their prey disappearing together. As to the +_cause_ that induces those animals to appear and disappear in this +manner, I cannot take upon myself to explain. + +In the course of this summer one of our interpreters, a native, lost +his life in rather a singular manner. He had made a bear-trap, and +wishing to ascertain how it would work, tried his own weight on the +spring, which yielded but too readily, and crushed him in so dreadful +a manner that he only survived his experiment but a few hours. As +he had withdrawn from the Company's service this year, his body was +disposed of after the manner of his own people, except that it was +buried instead of being burned; this, however, was the first instance +of an interment, it being introduced through our influence in pity to +the unfortunate widows, who are exposed to the cruellest tortures at +the burning of the body. I never beheld a more affecting scene than +the present. Immediately as the coffin was lowered into the grave, the +widow threw herself upon it, shrieking and tearing her hair, and could +only be removed by main force: several other females, relatives of the +deceased, were also assembled in a group hard by, and evinced all the +external symptoms of extreme grief, chanting the death-song in a most +lugubrious tone, the tears streaming down their cheeks, and beating +their breasts. The men, however, even the brothers of the deceased, +showed no emotion whatever, and as soon as the rites were ended, moved +off the ground, followed by the female mourners, who soon after were +seen as gay and cheerful as if they had returned from a wedding. The +widow, however, still remained by the grave, being obliged to do so +in conformity with the customs of her nation, which required that she +should mourn day and night, until the relatives of the deceased should +collect a sufficiency of viands to make a feast in honour of his +bones. + +As already observed, the bodies were formerly burned; the relatives of +the deceased, as well as those of the widow, being present, all armed; +a funeral pile was erected, and the body placed upon it. The widow +then set fire to the pile, and was compelled to stand by it, anointing +her breast with the fat that oozed from the body until the heat became +insupportable: when the wretched creature, however, attempted to draw +back, she was thrust forward by her husband's relatives at the point +of their spears, and forced to endure the dreadful torture until +either the body was reduced to ashes, or she herself almost scorched +to death. Her relatives were present merely to preserve her life; when +no longer able to stand they dragged her away; and this intervention +often led to bloody quarrels! The body being burned, the ashes were +collected in a box and given in charge to the widow, who carried them +about with her until the feast was prepared, when they were taken from +her, and deposited in a small hut or placed upon the top of a wooden +pillar neatly carved, as their final resting-place. + +During this interval she was in a state of the most wretched slavery; +every child in the village might command her and beat her unmercifully +if they chose, no one interfered. After the feast, however, she +regained her freedom, and along with that the privilege of incurring +the risk of another scorching. Our interference relieved them from the +most cruel part of the ceremony; the temporary state of slavery is +still continued. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + +INDIAN FEAST--ATTEMPT AT DRAMATIC REPRESENTATION--RELIGION--ORDERED TO +PORT ALEXANDRIA--ADVANTAGES OF THE SITUATION--SENT BACK TO FORT ST. +JAMES--SOLITUDE--PUNISHMENT OF INDIAN MURDERER--ITS CONSEQUENCES--HEROIC +ADVENTURE OF INTERPRETER. + + +Mr. Dease arrived from Fort Vancouver on the 5th of September, and +expressed himself highly gratified with the appearance our "gardens" +presented; an ample stock of salmon had also been laid in, so that we +had nothing to fear from want, which sometimes had been severely felt. +In the beginning of November, our despatches from the east side of the +mountains came to hand, usually a joyful event, but saddened this year +by the intelligence we received, that our excellent superintendent was +about to leave us, having obtained permission to visit the civilized +world for medical advice;--the doctor was only 5,000 miles off! + +In the beginning of the winter we were invited to a feast held in +honour of a great chief, who died some years before. The person who +delivered the invitation stalked into the room with an air of vast +consequence, and strewing our heads with down, pronounced the name of +the presiding chief, and withdrew without uttering another syllable. +To me the invitation was most acceptable: although I had heard much of +Indian feasts, I never was present at any. + +Late in the evening we directed our steps towards the "banqueting +house," a large hut temporarily erected for the occasion. We found the +numerous guests assembled and already seated around "the festive +board;" our place had been left vacant for us, Mr. Dease taking his +seat next to the great chief, Quaw, and we, his Meewidiyazees (little +chiefs), in succession. The company were disposed in two rows: the +chiefs and elders being seated next the wall, formed the outer, and +the young men the inner row; an open space of about three feet in +breadth intervening between them. Immense quantities of roasted meat, +bear, beaver, siffleu or marmot, were piled up at intervals, the whole +length of the building; berries mixed up with rancid salmon oil, fish +roe that had been buried underground a twelve-month, in order to give +it an _agreeable_ flavour, were the good things presented at this +feast of gluttony and flow of oil. The berry mixture, and roes were +served in wooden troughs, each having a large wooden spoon attached to +it. The enjoyments of the festival were ushered in with a song, in +which all joined:-- + + "I approach the village, + Ya ha he ha, ya ha ha ha; + And hear the voices of many people, + Ya ha, &c. + The barking of dogs, + Ya ha, &c. + Salmon is plentiful, + Ya ha, &c. + The berry season is good, + Ya ha, &c. + +After the song commenced the demolition of the mountains of meat, +which was but slowly effected, notwithstanding the unremitting and +strenuous exertions of the guests. The greatest order, however, was +maintained; the relatives of the deceased acted as stewards, each of +them seizing a roasted beaver, or something else, squatted himself in +front of one of the guests, and presenting the meat, which he held +with both his hands (males and females officiating), desired him to +help himself. If the guest appeared backward in the attack, he was +pressed, in the politest terms, to eat. "Now, I pray you, tear away +with a good will;"--"I am glad to see you eat so strongly;"--"Come +now, stuff yourself with this fine piece of fat bear." And stuff +himself he must, or pay a forfeit, to avoid a catastrophe. But having +paid thus, and acknowledged himself fairly overcome by his host's +politeness, he is spared any further exertions, and his viands are no +longer presented to him in this way, but placed in a dish beside him. + +Well aware of our inability to maintain the honour of our country in a +contest of this kind, we paid our forfeit at the commencement of the +onslaught, reserving our portions to be disposed of at home. + +The gormandizing contest ended as it began, with songs and dances; in +the latter amusement, however, few were now able to join; afterwards +ensued a rude attempt at dramatic representation. Old Quaw, the chief +of Nekaslay, first appeared on the stage, in the character of a +bear--an animal he was well qualified to personate. Rushing from his +den, and growling fiercely, he pursued the huntsman, the chief of +Babine portage, who defended himself with a long pole; both parties +maintained a running fight, until they reached the far end of the +building, where they made their exit. Enter afterwards a jealous +husband and his wife, wearing masks (both being men). The part these +acted appeared rather dull; the husband merely sat down by the side of +his "frail rib," watching her motions closely, and neither allowing +her to speak to nor look at any of the young men. As to the other +characters, one personated a deer, another a wolf, a third a strange +Tsekany. The bear seemed to give the spectators most delight. + +The scene was interesting, as exhibiting the first rude attempts at +dramatic representation of a savage people; and it served, in some +measure, to efface the impression made by the somewhat disgusting +spectacle previously witnessed. The affair concluded by an exchange of +presents, and the party broke up. + +Two young men, natives of Oregon, who had received a little education +at Red River, had, on their return to their own country, introduced a +sort of religion, whose groundwork seemed to be Christianity, +accompanied with some of the heathen ceremonies of the natives. This +religion spread with amazing rapidity all over the country. It reached +Fort Alexandria, the lower post of the district, in the autumn; and +was now embraced by all the Nekaslayans. The ceremonial consisted +chiefly in singing and dancing. As to the doctrines of our holy +religion, their minds were too gross to comprehend, and their manners +too corrupt to be influenced by them. They applied to us for +instruction, and our worthy chief spared no pains to give it. But, +alas! it is for the most part labour in vain. Yet, an impression +seemed to have been made on a few; and had there been missionaries +there at the time, their efforts might have proved successful. But the +influence of the "men of medicine," who strenuously withstand a +religion which exposes their delusive tricks, and consequently +deprives them of their gains,--together with the dreadful depravity +everywhere prevalent,--renders the conversion of the Tekallies an +object most difficult to accomplish. + +It is a general opinion among Christians, that there exists no nation +or people on earth who are entirely ignorant of a Supreme Being. I +shall contrast the language of this tribe with that of the Sauteux or +Ojibbeway, and let the reader judge for himself. + +I have heard a heathen Ojibbeway, when giving a feast, express himself +thus: "The great Master of Life, he who sees us and whom we cannot +see, having done me charity, I invite you, my brother, to partake of +it." On a like occasion, a Takelly describes the manner in which he +killed his game, but never alludes to a deity. When an Ojibbeway +wishes to confirm the truth of what he says beyond a doubt, he points +to heaven and exclaims, "He to whom we belong hears that what I say is +true." The Takelly says, "The toad hears me." You ask a Takelly what +becomes of him after death, he replies, "My life shall be _extinct_, +and I shall be dead." Not an idea has he of the soul, or of a future +state of rewards and punishments. The Ojibbeway answers, "After death +my soul goes either to a happy land, abounding with game and every +delight; or to a land of misery, where I shall suffer for ever from +want. Whether it go to the good or bad place depends on my good or bad +conduct here." + +In fact the Takelly language has not a term in it to express the name +of Deity, spirit, or soul. When the Columbia religion was introduced +among them, our interpreters had to invent a term for the +Deity--Yagasita--the "Man of Heaven." The only expression I ever heard +them use that conveyed any idea whatever of a superior Being is, that +when the salmon fail, they say, "The Man who keeps the mouth of the +river has shut it up with his red keys, so that the salmon cannot get +up." One of our gentlemen, a member of the Roman Catholic Church, +teaching the Takellies to make the sign of the cross, with the words +used on the occasion, his interpreter translated them, "Au nom du +Pere, de son Frere, et puis de son petit Garcon!" (In the name of the +Father, his Brother, and his little Boy!) + +The accompts and despatches for head-quarters being finished in the +beginning of March, I was ordered to convey them to Fort Alexandria, +to the charge of which post I was now appointed. This post is +agreeably situated on the banks of Frazer's River, on the outskirts of +the great prairies. The surrounding country is beautifully diversified +by hill and dale, grove and plain; the soil is rich, yielding abundant +successive crops of grain and vegetable, unmanured; but the crops are +sometimes destroyed by frost. The charming locality, the friendly +disposition of the Indians, and better fare, rendered this post one of +the most agreeable situations in the Indian country. In spring, +moreover, the country swarms with game--pheasants and a small species +of curlieu in the immediate vicinity, and ducks and geese within a +short distance. The sport was excellent, and, with the amusement the +cultivation of my garden afforded me, enabled me to vegetate in great +comfort--a comfort I was not destined long to enjoy. + +Mr. Ogden, chief factor, arrived from Fort Vancouver about the end of +May, and Mr. Fisher from Stuart's Lake a few days afterwards; and +having consulted together, determined that I should retrace my steps +to Stuart's Lake without delay. When I arrived at Fort St. James its +dreadful solitude almost drove me to despair. I found myself sitting +alone in the hall where my late excellent bourgeois and friends had +passed the time so happily, and I felt a depression of spirits such as +I never experienced before. Fortunately for me, my old friend Mr. +Fraser, a gentleman of a gay and lively disposition, arrived soon +after, and continued with me for the remainder of the season, and his +company soon drove melancholy away. + +The particulars of an affair which had occurred here some years +before, and threatened the most serious consequences to the post, were +about this time related to me by Waccan, the interpreter. + +A native of Frazer's Lake had murdered one of the Company's servants, +and, strange to say, no steps were taken to punish him; he concealed +himself some time, and finding he had nothing to apprehend, returned +to his village. At length he was led by his evil genius to visit +Stuart's Lake, then under the command of a Douglas. Douglas heard of +his being in the village, and though he had but a weak garrison, +determined that the blood of the white man should not be unavenged. +The opportunity was favourable, the Indians of the village were out on +a hunting excursion, the murderer was nearly alone. He proceeded to +the camp accompanied by two of his men, and executed justice[1] on the +murderer. On their return in the evening, the Indians learned what had +happened, and enraged, determined to retaliate. Aware, however, that +Douglas was on his guard, that the gates were shut and could not be +forced, they resolved to employ Indian stratagem. + + [1] "Wild justice,"--Bacon. + +The old chief accordingly proceeded to the Fort alone, and knocking at +the gate desired to be admitted, which was granted. He immediately +stated the object of his visit, saying that a deed had been done in +the village which subjected himself and his people to a heavy +responsibility to the relatives of the dead; that he feared the +consequences, and hoped that a present would be made to satisfy them; +and continuing to converse thus calmly, Mr. Douglas was led to believe +that the matter could easily be arranged. Another knock was now heard +at the gate: "It is my brother," said the chief, "you may open the +gate; he told me he intended to come and hear what you had to say on +this business." + +The gate was opened, and in rushed the whole Nekasly tribe, the +chief's brother at their head; and the men of the Fort were +overpowered ere they had time to stand on their defence. Douglas, +however, seized a wall-piece that was mounted in the hall, and was +about to discharge it on the crowd that was pouring in upon him, when +the chief seized him by the arms, and held him fast. For an instant +his life was in the utmost peril. Surrounded by thirty or forty +Indians, their knives drawn, and brandishing them over his head with +frantic gestures, and calling out to the chief, "Shall we strike? +shall we strike?" + +The chief hesitated; and at this critical moment the interpreter's +wife[1] stepped forward, and by her presence of mind saved him and the +establishment. + + [1] This woman is the daughter of Mr. James MacDougal, a + gentleman who had a chief hand in the settlement of the + district. He served the Company for a period of thirty-five + years, enduring all the hardships that were in his time + inseparable from an Indian trader's life; and was dismissed + from their service, in old age, without a pension, to starve + on such little savings as he had effected out of his salary. + He is still alive (1841), struggling with adversity. + +Observing one of the inferior chiefs, who had always professed the +greatest friendship for the whites, standing in the crowd, she +addressed herself to him, exclaiming, "What! you a friend of the +whites, and not say a word in their behalf at such a time as this! +Speak! you know the murderer deserved to die; according to your own +laws the deed was just; it is blood for blood. The white men are not +dogs; they love their kindred as well as you; why should they not +avenge their murder?" + +The moment the heroine's voice was heard the tumult subsided; her +boldness struck the savages with awe; the chief she addressed, acting +on her suggestion, interfered; and being seconded by the old chief, +who had no serious intention of injuring the whites, was satisfied +with showing them that they were fairly in his power. Mr. Douglas and +his men were set at liberty; and an amicable conference having taken +place, the Indians departed much elated with the issue of their +enterprise. + +A personal adventure of Waccan's is worth recording. An interpreter, a +Cree half-breed, had been murdered by the Indians of Babine post with +circumstances of great barbarity; and the perpetrators of the deed +were allowed to exult in the shedding of innocent blood with impunity, +one feeble, ineffectual attempt only having been made to chastise +them. Waccan, however, determined that the matter should not end thus, +the victim being his adopted brother. Having been sent to Babine post +with an Indian lad, he learned from him that the murderers were +encamped in a certain bay on Stuart's Lake, and resolved to seize the +long wished-for opportunity of revenge; but fearing for his +companion's safety more than his own, he landed him at a considerable +distance from the camp, directing him to make the best of his way home +if he should hear many shots. + +He then paddled down as near the camp as he could without being +discovered, and landing, threw off every article of clothing save a +shred round his loins; and with his gun in the one hand, and dagger in +the other, proceeded to the spot. Having approached sufficiently near +to see all that passed in the encampment, he squatted among the +bushes, and watching his opportunity, "picked off" the ringleader; +then rushing from his covert, and giving the war whoop, he planted his +dagger in his heart almost before the Indians had time to know what +had happened. Seeing the infuriated "avenger of blood" in the midst of +them, they fled precipitately to the woods. Waccan dared them to +revenge the death of the "dead dog" who had murdered his brother. + +"Come," said he, "you that were so brave at Babine Lake, and danced +round the body of him whom you did not face, but knocked down when his +back was to you, now is your time to show yourselves _men_." + +No one answering the challenge, he shouldered his gun, walked along +the beach to his canoe, and paddling leisurely off from the shore, +sang the Cree song of triumph. + + + + +CHAPTER XX. + +APPOINTED TO THE CHARGE OF FORT GEORGE--MURDER OF MR. YALE'S +MEN--MYSTERIOUS LOSS OF MR. LINTON AND FAMILY--ADVENTURES OF LEATHER +PARTY--FAILURE OF CROPS--INFLUENZA. + + +In the beginning of September, Mr. Ogden arrived from Fort Vancouver, +and I was appointed by him to the charge of Fort George, whither I +proceeded forthwith. Mr. Linton, my predecessor, was directed to wait +the arrival of the party sent to Jasper's house for a supply of +leather, ere he took his departure for Chilcotin, an outpost of Fort +Alexandria. + +Fort George was established a few years ago, and passed through the +bloody ordeal ere yet the buildings were completed. The gentleman in +charge, Mr. Yale, had left his men at work, and gone on a visit to +Fort St. James, where he only remained a few days; on his return he +found his men had been treacherously murdered by the Indians during +his absence. Their mangled bodies were found in one of the houses, +with one of their own axes by their side, which evidently had been the +instrument of their destruction. The poor men were in the habit of +retiring to rest during the heat of the day, and were despatched while +they slept. + +A great change has come over this people since that time; they are now +justly considered the best disposed and most industrious Indians in +the district. The situation of the post is exceedingly dreary, +standing on the right bank of Frazer's River, having in front a high +hill that shades the sun until late in the morning, and in the midst +of "woods and wilds, whose melancholy gloom" is saddening enough. Yet +it has its _agremens_, its good returns,--the _ne plus ultra_ of an +Indian trader's happiness,--its good Indians, and its good fare; the +produce of the soil and dairy. + +Poor Linton had remained with me till late in autumn; when the cold +weather setting in with unusual rigour, the ice began to drift on the +river, rendering the navigation already dangerous; and no accounts +having been received of the leather party, he determined to embark for +his destination without further loss of time. He, alas! had already +waited too long. Having occasion in the beginning of winter to send +down a messenger to Fort Alexandria, I was surprised to see him two +days after enter the fort, accompanied by one of Mr. Fisher's men, who +brought me the melancholy tidings of Mr. L.'s death, part of his +baggage having been found by the natives among the ice. Eight souls +had perished, no one knows how; Mr. L., his wife and three children, +an interpreter, his wife and one child. + +Some suspicions attached to a disreputable family of Indians who were +known to be encamped on the banks of the river at the time; but it is +more probable that the catastrophe occurred in a rapid not far from +this post, as a dog which the party had with them came back at an +early hour the day after their departure. This misfortune threw a +gloom over the whole district, where Linton was much beloved, and his +death, so sudden and mysterious, made the blow be felt more severely. + +Before this sad intelligence reached us, the safety of the leather +party had become a source of deep anxiety. They had been expected in +October, and no accounts had been received of them in the month of +December. Having forwarded Mr. Fisher's despatches to head-quarters, I +received orders from Mr. Ogden to proceed to Jasper's house, in order, +if possible, to obtain information regarding them; which I eagerly +obeyed, setting off with five men, and sledges loaded with provisions, +drawn by dogs. We had not proceeded far, however, when we met the +truants all safe and sound. Their non-arrival in the fall was +occasioned by the winter setting in unprecedentedly early. + +They experienced the utmost difficulty in crossing the Rocky +Mountains, from the great depth of snow that had already fallen; and +when they reached the heights of Frazer's River, they found the ice +beginning to form along its shores. They persevered, however; +sometimes forcing their way through the ice, sometimes carrying the +canoes and property overland where the passage was blocked up by the +ice. But all their efforts proved unavailing, for they were at length +completely frozen in. + +Their prospects were now most disheartening. Their remaining +provisions would only suffice for four days on short allowance, and +they had a journey of fifteen days before them, whichever way they +should direct their course. Some of the men yielded to despair, but +the greater part cheerfully embraced Mr. Andersen's views. Those only +who are unacquainted with the Canadian voyageurs will deny them the +possession of qualities, of the highest value in this country--ready +obedience to their superiors, patience of fatigue and hardship, and +unyielding perseverance under the most trying difficulties, so long as +their leaders show them the way. Mr. Anderson having secured the +property _en cache_, determined to return to Jasper's house, in order +to procure at least a part of the much wanted supply of leather. On +their way back they had the good fortune to light upon a stray horse, +which they converted into provender: they also shot a moose deer; and +thus providentially supplied, they suffered little from want. + +On arriving at the post, they found to their sad disappointment that +nothing could be got there, except some provisions; it was therefore +necessary to proceed to Fort Edmonton, at least 400 miles distant, +with but one intermediate post. They succeeded in reaching it, though +in a most deplorable condition, half starved and half frozen, none of +the party being provided with winter clothing; but they were most +hospitably received by the kind-hearted bourgeois Mr. Rowand; and, +after remaining a few days to recruit their strength in this land +overflowing with fat and pemmican, and receiving their supplies, they +set off on their return, and reached their destination without +accident. + +Farming on a small scale had been attempted here by my predecessor, +and the result was such as to induce more extensive operations. I +received orders, therefore, to clear land, sow and plant, forthwith. +These orders were in part carried into effect in the autumn. Four +acres of land were put in a condition to receive seed, and about the +same quantity at Fort Alexandria. Seed was ordered from the Columbia, +and handmills to grind our grain. Pancakes and hot rolls were +thenceforward to be the order of the day; Babine salmon and dog's +flesh were to be sent--"to Coventry!" The spring, however, brought +with it but poor prospects for pancakes; the season was late beyond +all precedent; the fields were not sown until the 5th of May; they, +nevertheless, promised well for some time, but cold weather ensued, +and continued so long that the crops could not recover before the +autumn frosts set in, and thus our hopes were blasted. The farm at +Alexandria had not much better success, owing to the neglect of the +good people themselves;--not having enclosed their fields, the cattle +destroyed the greater part of the crops. Here, however, +notwithstanding the failure of our grain crops, we had abundance of +vegetables and a large stock of cattle, so that our fare was far +superior to that of the other _exiles_ in the district. + +Mr. Ogden returned from Fort Vancouver about the usual time, and was +mortified to find that our grand agricultural experiment had so +completely failed. He, however, had brought a supply of flour +sufficient to afford each commander of posts a couple of bags, and +thus the inconvenience arising from our disappointment was, in some +degree, obviated. + +From his first arrival amongst us, Mr. Ogden evinced the most earnest +desire to ameliorate the condition of his subordinates in this +wretched district, and all felt grateful to him for his benevolent +intentions. To Mr. Dease, however, the praise is due of having +introduced this new order of things: he it was who first introduced +cattle from Fort Vancouver; it was he who first introduced farming, +and recommended it to others. + +Late in autumn, the natives being all about the post, the dread +influenza, that had made such fearful havoc among the Indians in other +quarters, broke out here also. The poor creatures had a great deal of +confidence in my medical skill, from the circumstance of my having +saved the life of a boy who had eaten some poisonous root, when +despaired of by their own mountebanks. + +On the present occasion I tried my skill on one of the subjects best +able to bear my experiments, by administering a strong emetic and +purge, and causing him afterwards to drink a decoction of mint. He was +cured, and I afterwards prescribed the same medicine to many others +with a like success; so that my reputation as a disciple of AEsculapius +became firmly established. + +Having last year applied to the Governor for permission to visit +head-quarters, for a purpose which will be noticed hereafter, I +received a favourable answer, and, in the month of February, set off +for the depot of the district preparatory to my departure, where I +remained for a month in company with Mr. Ogden and several +fellow-scribes. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI. + +CLIMATE OF NEW CALEDONIA--SCENERY--NATURAL +PRODUCTIONS--ANIMALS--FISHES--NATIVES--THEIR MANNERS AND +CUSTOMS--DUELLING--GAMBLING--LICENTIOUSNESS--LANGUAGE. + + +Ere I proceed on my long journey, I must pause for a little to +describe more particularly the country, which I am about to quit, +perhaps for ever, and the manners of its savage inhabitants. The +climate of New Caledonia is exceedingly variable at all seasons of the +year. I have experienced at Stuart's Lake, in the month of July, every +possible change of weather within twelve hours; frost in the morning, +scorching heat at noon; then rain, hail, snow. The winter season is +subject to the same vicissitudes, though not in so extreme a degree: +some years it continues mild throughout. These vicissitudes may, I +think, be ascribed to local causes--proximity to, or distance from the +glaciers of the Rocky Mountains, the direction of the winds, the +aspect of the place, &c. Fort St. James is so situated as to be +completely exposed to the north-east wind, which wafts on its wings +the freezing vapours of the glaciers. The instant the wind shifts to +this quarter, a change of temperature is felt; and when it continues +to blow for a few hours, it becomes so cold that, even in midsummer, +small ponds are frozen over. The surrounding country is mountainous +and rocky. + +Frazer's Lake is only about thirty miles distant from Fort St. James +(on Stuart's Lake), yet there they raise abundance of vegetables, +potatoes and turnips, and sometimes even wheat and barley. The post +stands in a valley open to the south-west,--a fine champaign country, +of a sandy soil; it is protected from the north-east winds by a high +ridge of hills. The winter seldom sets in before December, and the +navigation is generally open about the beginning of May. + +Few countries present a more beautiful variety of scenery than New +Caledonia. Stuart's Lake and its environs I have already attempted to +describe, but many such landscapes present themselves in different +parts of the country, where towering mountains, hill and dale, forest +and lake, and verdant plains, blended together in the happiest manner, +are taken in by the eye at a glance. Some scenes there are that recall +forcibly to the remembrance of a son of Scotia, the hills and glens +and "bonnie braes" of his own poor, yet beloved native land. New +Caledonia, however, has the advantage over the Old, of being generally +well wooded, and possessed of lakes of far greater magnitude; +unfortunately, however, the woods are decaying rapidly, particularly +several varieties of fir, which are being destroyed by an insect that +preys on the bark: when the country is denuded of this ornament, and +its ridges have become bald, it will present a very desolate +appearance. In some parts of the country, the poplar and aspen tree +are to be found, together with a species of birch, of whose bark +canoes are built; but there is neither hard wood nor cedar. + +Such parts of the district as are not in the immediate vicinity of the +regions of eternal snow, yield a variety of wild fruit, grateful to +the palate, wholesome, and nutritious. Of these, the Indian pear is +the most abundant, and most sought after, both by natives and whites; +when fully ripe, it is of a black colour, with somewhat of a reddish +tinge, pear-shaped, and very sweet to the taste. The natives dry them +in the sun, and afterwards bake them into cakes, which are said to be +delicious; for my own part, having seen the process of manufacturing +them, I could not overcome my prejudices so far as to partake of a +delicacy in whose composition filth formed so considerable an +ingredient. When dried, the cakes are placed in wooden vessels to +receive the juice of green fruit, which is expressed by placing +weights upon it, in wooden troughs, from which spouts of bark draw off +the liquid into the vessels containing the dry fruit; this being +thoroughly saturated, is again bruised with the unclean hand, then +re-formed into cakes, and dried again; and these processes are +repeated alternately, until the cakes suit the taste of the maker. +Blue berries are plentiful in some parts of the district; there is a +peculiar variety of them, which I preferred to any fruit I ever +tasted; it is about the size of a musket-ball, of a purple colour, +translucid, and in its taste sweet and acid are deliciously blended. + +The district is still rich in fur-bearing animals, especially beavers +and martens, which are likely to continue numerous for many years to +come, as they find a safe retreat among the fastnesses of the Rocky +Mountains, where they multiply undisturbed. This is the great beaver +nursery, which continues to replace the numbers destroyed in the more +exposed situations; there is, nevertheless, a sensible decrease in the +returns of the fur since the introduction of steel traps among the +natives: there are also otters, musk-rats, minxes, and lynxes. Of the +larger quadrupeds bears only are numerous, and in all their varieties, +grizzled, black, brown, and chocolate: numbers of them are taken by +the natives in wooden traps. A chance moose or reindeer is sometimes +found. The mountain sheep generally keeps aloft in the most +inaccessible parts of the mountains, and is seldom "bagged" by a +Carrier, but often by the Tsekanies. I have before observed that +rabbits sometimes abound. Another small animal, whose flesh is +delicious in season, the marmot, is found in great numbers. In the +neighbourhood of Fort Alexandria, the jumping deer, or chevreuil, is +abundant. To these add dog and horse flesh, and you have all the +varieties of animal food the country affords to its inhabitants, +civilized or savage. + +A most destructive little animal, the wood-rat, infests the country, +and generally nestles in the crevices of the rocks, but prefers still +more human habitations; they domicile under the floors of +out-buildings, and not content with this, force their way into the +inside, where they destroy and carry off every thing they can; nor is +there any way of securing the property in the stores from their +depredations but by placing it in strong boxes. When fairly located, +it is almost impossible to root them out. They are of a grey colour, +and of nearly the size and form of the common rat, but the tail +resembles that of the ground squirrel. + +The birds of this country are the same as in Canada. I observed no +strange variety, except a species of curlieu that frequents the plains +of Fort Alexandria in the summer. Immense flocks of cranes are seen in +autumn and spring, flying high in the air; in autumn directing their +flight towards the south, and in spring towards the north. + +Some of the Lakes abound in fish; the principal varieties are trout, +carp, white fish, and pike. Stuart's Lake yields a small fish termed +by the Canadians "poisson inconnu;" it seems as if it were partly +white fish and partly carp, the head resembling the former; it is full +of small bones, and the flesh soft and unsavoury. The sturgeon has +been already mentioned, but they are unfortunately too rare; seldom +more than five or six are captured in a season; they weigh from one +hundred to five hundred pounds. A beautiful small fish of the size of +the anchovy, and shaped like a salmon, is found in a river that falls +into Stuart's Lake; it is said they pass the winter in the lake, and +ascend their favourite stream in the month of June, where they deposit +their spawn. They have the silvery scales of the larger salmon, and +are exceedingly rich; but the natives preserve them almost exclusively +for their own use. There are four varieties of salmon, distinguished +from each other by the peculiar form of the head; the largest species +seems to be the same we have in the rivers of Britain, and weighs from +ten to twenty pounds; the others do not exceed half that weight. + +New Caledonia is inhabited by the Takelly or Carrier nation, and by a +few families of Tsekanies on the north-eastern extremity of the +district. The Takellies are divided into as many tribes as there are +posts--viz. eight, who formerly were as hostile to each other as if +they had been of different nations. The presence of the whites, +however, has had the beneficial effect of checking their cut-throat +propensities, although individual murders still occasionally occur +among them. + +Before the introduction of fire-arms, the _honourable_ practice of +duelling prevailed among them, though in a fashion peculiar to +themselves. One arrow only was discharged, by the party demanding +satisfaction, at his opponent, who, by dint of skipping about and +dodging from side to side, generally contrived to escape it; fatal +duels, therefore, seldom if ever occurred; and the parties, having +thus given and received satisfaction, retired from the field +reconciled.[1] They appear more prone to sudden bursts of passion than +most Indians I have seen, and quarrel often and abuse each other in +the most scurrilous terms. With the Sauteux, Crees, and other tribes +on the east side of the mountains, few words are uttered before the +blow, often a fatal one, is given; whereas, with the Takellies, it is +often many words and few blows. In the quarrels which take place among +them, the ladies are generally the _causa belli_--a cause which would +soon lead to the depopulation of the country, were all husbands to +avenge their wrongs by shedding the blood of the guilty. + + [1] I would recommend this mode of conducting "affairs of + honour" to _honourable_ gentlemen using the hair-trigger, as + an improvement. Though practised by savages, it must be + allowed to be somewhat less barbarous than ten paces' + distance, and standing still! If the exhibition should appear + somewhat ludicrous, both parties would have the additional + "satisfaction" that their morning _exercise_ had given a + keener zest to their breakfast. It would be a sort of Pyrrhic + dance. + +Their chiefs have still considerable authority; but much of the homage +they claimed and received in former times is now transferred to the +white chiefs, or traders, whom they all esteem the greatest men in +the universe. "After the Man of heaven," said old Guaw to Mr. Dease, +"you are next in dignity." Owing to the superstitious notions of the +people, the chiefs are still feared on account of the magical powers +ascribed to them; it is firmly believed they can, at will, inflict +diseases, cause misfortunes of every kind, and even death itself; +and so strong is this impression, that they will not even pass in a +direction where the shadow of a chief, or "man of medicine," might +fall on them, "lest," say they, "he should bear us some ill-will and +afflict us with some disease." + +These conjurors, nevertheless, are the greatest bunglers at their +trade of any in the Indian territory; they practise none of the +clever tricks of the Sauteux sorcerers, and are perfectly ignorant +of the medicinal virtues of herbs and plants, with which the Sauteux +and other Indians often perform astonishing cures. The Takellies +administer no medicine to the sick; a variety of ridiculous +gesticulations, together with singing, blowing, and _beating_ on +the _patient_, are the means they adopt to effect their end; and +they, not seldom, effectually cure the patient of "all the ills of +life." Whether they effect a cure or not, they are sure to be well +recompensed for their expenditure of wind, an article of which they +are not sparing: they, in fact, exert themselves so much that the +perspiration pours from every pore. The only real remedy they use, +in common with other Indians, is the vapour-bath, or sweating-house. +The house, as it is termed, which is constructed by bending twigs of +willow, and fixing both ends in the ground, when finished, presents +the appearance of a bee-hive, and is carefully covered to prevent the +escape of the vapour; red-hot stones are then placed inside, and water +poured upon them, and the patient remains in the midst of the steam +thus generated as long as he can bear it, then rushing out, plunges +into the cold stream. This is said to be a sovereign remedy for +rheumatism, and the natives have recourse to it in all cases of severe +pain: I myself witnessed its efficacy in a case of paralysis. + +The salubrity of the climate, however, renders disease of every kind +extremely rare, except such as are caused by the excesses of the +natives themselves. The venereal is very common, and appears to have +been indigenous. At their feasts they gorge themselves to such a +degree as to endanger their lives; after a feast many of the guests +continue ill for a considerable time, yet this does not prevent them +from gormandizing again whenever an opportunity presents itself. Old +and young, male and female, are subject to severe inflammation in the +eyes, chiefly, I believe, from their passing the winter in hovels +underground, which have no outlet for the smoke, and passing from them +into the glare of sunshine upon the snow. What with the confined smoke +and tainted atmosphere of these abominable burrows, I found it painful +to remain even for a few minutes in them. + +It has been remarked by those who first settled in the district, that +the Indians are rapidly decreasing in numbers since their arrival--a +fact which does not admit of a doubt: I myself have seen many villages +and encampments without an inhabitant. But what can be the cause of +it? Here there has been neither rum nor small-pox--the scourges of +this doomed race in other parts. Yet, on the banks of the Columbia, +which, when first visited by the whites a few years ago, literally +swarmed with Indians, a disease broke out which nearly exterminated +them. Has the fiat, then, gone forth, that the aboriginal inhabitants +of America shall make way for another race of men? To my mind, at +least, the question presents not the shadow of a doubt. The existence +of the present race of Indians at some future, and by no means distant +period, will only be known through the historical records of their +successors. + +The Takellies do not use canoes on their hunting excursions, so +that they are necessitated to carry all their conveniences on their +backs; and it is astonishing to see what heavy loads they can carry, +especially the women, on whom the transport duty generally devolves. +Among this tribe, however, the women are held in much higher +consideration than among other Indians: they assist at the councils, +and some ladies of distinction are even admitted to the feasts. This +consideration they doubtless owe to the efficient aid they afford +in procuring the means of subsistence. The one sex is as actively +employed during the fishing season as the other. The men construct +the weirs, repair them when necessary, and capture the fish; the +women split them up--a most laborious operation when salmon is +plentiful--suspend them on the scaffolds, attend to the drying, &c. +They also collect berries, and dig up the edible roots that are found +in the country, and which are of great service in years of scarcity. +Thus the labour of the women contributes as much to the support of the +community as that of the men. + +The men are passionately addicted to gambling, staking everything they +possess, and continuing at it night and day, until compelled to desist +by sheer hunger, or by the loss of all. I could not understand their +game; we, in fact, used our best endeavours to abolish the pernicious +custom, and, to avoid countenancing it, were as seldom present as +possible. It is played with a few small sticks, neatly carved, with a +certain number of marks upon them, tied up in a small bundle of hay, +which the player draws out successively, throws up and catches between +his hands; and when all are drawn, they are taken up one by one, and +dashed against a piece of parchment, and rolled up again in the hay. + +The whole party appear merry enough at the commencement of the game, +all joining chorus in a song, and straining their lungs to such +a degree, that hoarseness soon ensues, when they continue their +amusement in silence. When the game is ended, some of them present +a sad spectacle; coming forth, their hair dishevelled, their eyes +bloodshot, and faces ghastly pale, with probably nothing to cover +their nakedness, save perhaps an old siffleux robe, which the winner +may be generous enough to bestow. They never shoot or hang themselves, +let their luck be ever so bad, but sometimes shoot the winning party. + +Dogs, if not held sacred, are at least as much esteemed by them as +their own kindred. I have known an instance of a quadruped of the +cynic sect being appointed successor to a biped chief, and discharging +the duties of his office with the utmost gravity and decorum; +appearing at the feast given in honour of his deceased predecessor, +and furnishing his quota--(this of course by proxy)--of the +provisions. This dog-chief was treated by his owner with as much +regard as if he had been his child! All, indeed, treat their dogs +with the greatest respect, calling them by the most endearing +epithets:--"Embark, my son;" "Be quiet, my child;" "Don't bark at the +white men, they will not harm you." + +The lewdness of the Carrier women cannot possibly be carried to a +greater excess. They are addicted to the most abominable practices; +abandoning themselves in early youth to the free indulgence of their +passions, they soon become debilitated and infirm; and there can be no +doubt that to this monstrous depravity the depopulation of the country +may, in part, be ascribed. + +They never marry until satiated with indulgence; and if the woman then +should be dissatisfied with the restraint of the conjugal yoke, the +union, by mutual consent, is dissolved for a time; both then betake +themselves to their former courses. The woman, nevertheless, dare +not, according to law, take another husband during this temporary +separation. Whoever infringes this law, forfeits his life to the +aggrieved party, if he choose, or dare to take it. + +Polygamy is allowed; but only one of the women is considered as the +wife. The most perfect harmony seems to subsist among them. When the +favourite happens to be supplanted by a rival, she resigns her place +without a murmur, well pleased if she can only enjoy the countenance +of her lord in a subordinate situation. Yet a rupture does sometimes +occur, when the repudiated party not unfrequently destroys herself. +Suicides were frequent among the females in the neighbourhood of Fort +Alexandria. + +The Takellies are a sedentary people, remaining shut up in their huts +during the severer part of the winter. You may then approach a camp +without perceiving any sign of its vicinity, until you come upon +their well, or one of their salmon _caches_. They are very social, +congregating at each other's huts, and passing their time talking or +sleeping. When awake, their tongues are ever in motion,--all bawling +out at the same time; and it has often surprised me how they could +possibly make themselves understood in the midst of such an uproar. + +All Indians with whom I have come in contact, Christian as well as +Pagan, are addicted to falsehood; but the Takellies excel; they +are perfect adepts in the art, telling their stories with such an +appearance of truth, that even those who know them well are often +deceived. They were the greatest thieves in the world when the whites +first settled among them. The utmost vigilance failed to detect them. +Some of our people have been known to have their belts taken off them, +without perceiving it till too late; and many a poor fellow, after +passing a night in one of their encampments, has been obliged to pass +the remainder of the winter with but half a blanket--the other half +having been cut off while he slept. + +Theft, however, is not quite so prevalent as formerly; and, strange +to say, no Indians can be more honest in paying their debts. It would +indeed be desirable that this credit system, long since introduced, +were abolished; but if this were done, the natives would carry the +greater part of their hunts to another quarter. Some of the natives +of the coast, having become regular traders of late years, penetrate +a considerable distance into the interior; in this manner the goods +obtained from the Company's posts along the coast, or from foreign +trading ships, pass from hand to hand in barter, until they eventually +reach the borders of New Caledonia, where the trade still affords a +very handsome profit to the native speculator. + +These Indians are not given to hospitality in the proper sense of +the word. A stranger arriving among them is provided with food +for a day only; should he remain longer, he pays for it; for that +day's entertainment, however, the best fare is liberally furnished. +Strangers invited to their feasts are also provided for while they +remain. + +There is much more variety and melody in the airs they sing, than +I have heard in any other part of the Indian country. They have +professed composers, who turn their talent to good account on the +occasion of a feast, when new airs are in great request, and are +purchased at a high rate. They dance in circles, men and women +promiscuously, holding each other by the hand; and keeping both feet +together, hop a little to a side all at once, giving at the same time +a singular jerk to their persons behind. The movement seems to be +difficult of execution, as it causes them to perspire profusely; they, +however, keep excellent time, and the blending of the voices of the +men and women in symphony has an agreeable effect. + +The Takelly, or Carrier language is a dialect of the Chippewayan; and +it is rather a singular fact, that the two intervening dialects of +the Beaver Indians and Tsekanies, kindred nations, should differ more +from the Chippewayan than the Carrier; the two latter nations being +perfectly intelligible to each other, while the former are but +very imperfectly understood by their immediate neighbours, the +Chippewayans. + +An erroneous opinion seems to have gone abroad regarding the variety +of languages spoken by the Indians. There are, in reality, only four +radically distinct languages from the shores of Labrador to the +Pacific: Sauteux, Chippewayan, Atna and Chinook. The Cree language +is evidently a dialect of the Sauteux, similar in construction, and +differing only in the modification of a few words. The Nascopies, or +mountaineers of Labrador, speak a mixture of Cree and Sauteux, the +former predominating. + +Along the communication from Montreal to the foot of the Rocky +Mountains, following the Peace River route, we first meet with the +Sauteux tribes, who extend from the Lake of the Two Mountains to Lake +Winnipeg; then the Crees to Isle a la Crosse; after them, Crees and +Chippewayans to Athabasca; and along the banks of Peace River, the +Beaver Indians occupy the lower, and the Tsekanies the upper part. The +Chippewayan is evidently the root of the Beaver, Tsekany and Carrier +dialects; it is also spoken by a numerous tribe in the McKenzie's +River district--the Hare Indians. + +On the west side of the Rocky Mountains the Carrier language is +succeeded by the Atna, which extends along the Columbia as far down, +as the Chinooks, who inhabit the coast. The Atna language, in its +variety of dialects, seems to have as wide a scope as either the +Sauteux or Chippewayan. + +New Caledonia is one of the richest districts in the Company's +vast domain; its returns average about 8,000 beavers, with a fair +proportion of other valuable furs. When the district was first +settled, the goods required for trade were brought in by the winterers +from Lac la Pluie, which was their depot. The people left the district +as early in spring as the navigation permitted, and returned so +late that they were frequently overtaken by winter ere they reached +their destination. Cold, hunger, and fatigue, were the unavoidable +consequences; but the enterprising spirit of the men of those +days--the intrepid, indefatigable adventurers of the North-West +Company--overcame every difficulty. It was that spirit that opened a +communication across the broad continent of America; that penetrated +to the frostbound regions of the Arctic circle; and that established +a trade with the natives in this remote land, when the merchandise +required for it was in one season transported from Montreal to within +a short distance of the Pacific. Such enterprise has never been +exceeded, seldom or never equalled. The outfit is now sent out from +England by Cape Horn, to Fort Vancouver, thence it is conveyed in +boats to Okanagan, then transported on horses' backs to Alexandria, +the lower post of the district, whence it is conveyed in boats to Fort +St. James. + +There are generally two commissioned gentlemen in this district,--a +chief-factor and chief-trader, with six or seven clerks in charge of +posts; and about forty men, principally Iroquois and half-breeds. The +fare at the different posts depends entirely on local circumstances. +In some places it is tolerable, in others, scarcely fit for dogs. For +the year's consumption, the Company allow a clerk two bags of flour, +sixty pounds of sugar, twelve pounds of tea, and a small quantity of +wine and brandy. Butter is now produced in abundance in the district. +Where there are no gardens, the men have only dried salmon,--as poor +fare as civilized man subsists on in any part of the world. It has at +first the same effect on most people as if they fed on Glauber salts. +Nevertheless, the men generally continue in this wretched condition +for many years, apparently contented and happy; the indulgence they +find among the females being, I grieve to say, the principal +inducement. + + + + +END OF VOL. I. + +R. CLAY, PRINTER, BREAD STREET HILL. + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Service in the Hudson's Bay Territory +by John M'lean + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SERVICE IN THE HUDSON'S BAY *** + +***** This file should be named 15342.txt or 15342.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/5/3/4/15342/ + +Produced by The Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions, +Wallace McLean and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team. + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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