the left hand: the stream then suddenly narrows; and after passing four
more carrying-places, the last of which is called _Hill’s Portage_,
there is a clear space, until a sudden serpentine bend in the river
forms the _White-fall_. The current now begins to be very weak; and a
little farther on, they enter a narrow part with still water. This spot
is the highest part of the land between _Lake Winnepeg_ and _Hudson’s
Bay_; and _Hayes’ River_ may, perhaps, be said to take its rise about
seven miles to the southward of it, in a small lake called
_Winnepegosis_. The boats now meet with a singular rock, which, from
some curious _Indian_ paintings once found there, has since been called
the _Painted Stone_. Over this rock the boat must be dragged, and again
launched on the opposite side, into a long, narrow, boggy slip of water,
called the _Echemamis_. After emerging from this strait, the current of
the river begins to operate in favour of the boats; and this proves that
the _Echemamis_ is a small river, taking its rise in the morasses about
the _Painted Stone_, and having no connection with the river which leads
from the _Painted Stone_ towards the sea. The _Echemamis_ is, however,
lost at a short distance from its source; as after the boats pass _Hairy
Lake_, the stream falls into the _Sea River_; and there is a portage at
their junction, called the _Sea River_ carrying-place. The _Sea River_
is a branch of the great _Nelson River_, separated from the main stream
at the _Play-green Lake_, and rejoining it by a creek that opens near
_Hairy Lake_.
The boats go against the current up the _Sea River_; and passing the
little _Cross Lake_ and _Pike River_, they reach _Winnepeg_, through the
_Play-green Lake_. This last is a wide body of water, covered with
islands; and may properly be said to be merely a part of _Nelson River_,
which holds its course from the _Stony Mountains_ to _Hudson’s Bay_. The
rough course from _York Factory_ to Lake _Winnepeg_ is about south-west;
but the _Nelson River_ makes a great angle between _Winnepeg_ and the
sea; as it first runs off N. N. E.; and then takes its course, due E. N.
E. to _Hudson’s Bay_, where it empties itself by the side of _Hayes’
River_[33].
The labour of getting the boats up these rivers is amazingly great:
their crews encamp on the banks every night; and they generally land
also to cook their meals, except when they are compelled to subsist on
_pemmican_, a sort of dried, husky compound, composed of pounded venison
and deer’s fat mixed together. This species of food is extremely
nutritious: it requires no cooking, and is sometimes rendered more
palatable by the addition of berries.
There are many kinds of wood growing on the banks of the rivers, and
indeed the whole of the interior near the sea is covered with it: but in
the country about Lake _Winnepeg_ there are very few trees, and the
inhabitants are therefore compelled to use the dung of the buffalo for
fuel. Both buffaloes and horses abound in the open country. The woods on
the coast are principally composed of dwarf poplars, larches, and all
the varieties of the pine species.
Having thus described the communication by water between Lake
_Winnepeg_ and _York Factory_, I shall conclude with a statement of the
respective distances.
Miles
Distance from _York Factory_ to the top of _Hayes’ River_ 50
Thence to the upper end of _Steel River_ 35
To _Rock Portage_ 35
To _Swampy Lake_ 35
Length of Ditto 9
Length of _Jack River_ 9
_Knee Lake_ 60
_Trout River_ 12
_Holey Lake_ 30
To _White-fall_ 45
_Painted Stone_ 15
Along the _Echemamis_ to _Hairy Lake_ 35
Length of Ditto 4
_Play-green Lake_ 35
It must be allowed, that the above is a mere rough statement of an
old trader, who had been accustomed to traversing the route for nearly
twenty years.
_Nelson River_ is a much more noble stream than _Hayes’ River_, with
respect to its navigation, extending about twenty miles from the sea;
but from thenceforward it becomes so full of obstructions, from
portages, falls, and rapids, that the Company have been compelled to
establish their factory upon, and give a decided preference to, _Hayes’
River_, although they have an establishment or two for trade on the
former. The _Nelson River_ takes its rise, according to _M^cKenzie_, in
the _Stony Mountains_; and empties itself into _Hudson’s Bay_, at the
same place as _Hayes’ River_. It is only divided from the latter, at the
mouth, by a very low cape, called _Point of Marsh_, upon which an
exceeding high wooden beacon has been erected by the Company, to enable
their ships to distinguish the mouth of the river. The continual washing
of the waters on either side of the _Point of Marsh_ has enabled the sea
to encroach a great deal on the land, and thereby created many dangerous
shoals in the mouths of the rivers: the navigation has, by these means,
been rendered extremely contracted and difficult. The breaking up of the
rivers in the spring tends also, in a great measure, to increase these
evils: for, in the first place, the ice being driven towards the sea
with an amazing velocity, it carries every thing forcibly away, and
causes a general ruin upon the banks, by cutting down large bodies of
earth, and hurling trees and rocks from their places. In the second
place, it frequently happens that immense stones lying at the bottom of
the rivers become fixed into the ice during the winter, and the freshes,
in the spring, consequently bear them away towards the sea; but the ice
not being able to sustain their ponderous weight for any length of time,
it naturally occurs, that those masses become disengaged, and are
deposited at the mouths of the rivers, where they not only incommode the
passages, but likewise injure the ships’ cables by their friction.
On the second day after our coming, an _Indian_ Chief arrived at the
factory from Lake _Winnepeg_, and some of our officers brought him on
board. He staid with us two days; and as he was the Chief of one of
those tribes who still maintain a great part of their primeval manners,
_untainted_ by _European_ civilization, a full description of him may
not be thought unentertaining.
This man had been brought from Lord _Selkirk’s_ colony, at _Red
River_, to _York Factory_, by Captain _M^cDonald_, the chief of the
colony. As far as I could collect, his tribe are properly called the
_Sotees_, or people who go up and down the falls of rivers. But they
have been styled _Bongees_ by the _British_, from their being addicted
to mendacity; and as they are always crying out “_Bongee!_” which, in
their tongue, signifies “a little,” perhaps, too, the colonists may have
thought the appellation peculiarly adapted to the _Sotees_, as they are
but a weak tribe in point of numbers.
The Chief in question was about five feet eight inches high, and, to
all appearance, about thirty years of age. It seems that he had some
claims to the territory on which Lord _Selkirk’s_ colony now stands; but
he had sold his birth-right “for a mess of pottage.” Therefore, to keep
him in good humour with the infant establishment, he had been brought
down on a visit to _York Factory_, where it was intended that he should
receive an accumulation of honours. A coat of coarse blue cloth,
tawdrily ornamented with tarnished lace, and adorned with
shoulder-knots; a round hat, with a red ostrich feather in front; a very
coarse white shirt, with frill and ruffles; a pair of red stockings,
yellow garters, and black shoes, were presented to him immediately upon
his arrival. If we add to all this finery, his native ornaments, such as
a neck-band of wampum or bead-work[34], a long string of beads suspended
by his hair from each temple, and a number of large metal links of the
coarsest workmanship, dangling from either ear, his appearance will
naturally be imagined to have bordered upon the grotesque. His thighs
were entirely naked, as he could not be prevailed upon to fetter them
with breeches; and the cartilage of his nose had been perforated.
He appeared a very intelligent man, and was highly delighted with
every thing he saw on board the ship. He was not particularly pleased
with any of our musical instruments, except the drum. A sky-rocket
struck him quite dumb with astonishment; and he afterwards observed to a
person who understood his language, “That the _Water-Governors_[35] must
be very powerful, who could thus force the stars to fall from the sky.”
Like most _Indians_, he was a great egotist, and the general tenor of
his conversation ran upon his dignity. He observed that he was a
Governor, like ourselves; and when the snow became deep on the ground,
his tribe were going out, under his command, to make war upon the _Swee_
Tribe; and that after quitting his own territory, he expected to meet
his enemy in eight days. He exulted that he had already killed two of
the _Swee_ nation with his own hand; and he gave us to understand, that
his own tribe always made war on horseback. We presented him with a
cutlass, at which he was delighted, waving it above his head, and
boasting what wonders he should be able to perform by its assistance.
Upon the whole, he was rather a swaggerer; but, perhaps, this was a
little excusable; because, according to the character given of him by
those _Europeans_ who had heard of his fame, he had acquired an amazing
influence amongst many savage tribes, by his courage and wisdom. Indeed,
his remaining two days with us, perfectly easy and contented, is a proof
that he possessed a good share of the former quality; particularly as we
were all utter strangers to him, and he had neither seen the sea nor a
ship before in his life: nor did he appear to be at all deficient in the
more tender susceptibilities of nature. He had two wives, four sons, and
six daughters; and when I presented him with a few spangles and beads,
he gave me to understand, that those trifles would be received with
great pleasure by his children, on his return to his native country. It
surprised us much to observe with what a degree of exactness he copied
all our methods of eating, drinking, &c. As we desired to hear him sing,
we took advantage of his imitative powers to make him comprehend our
wishes: accordingly, the person who sat next to him began first, and the
song went regularly round the table, until it reached the _Bongee_
Chief; when, instantly taking the hint, he rose up, and prefaced his
ditty with a long speech, which we of course did not comprehend; but, by
his gestures, we could perceive that it was evidently intended as an
explanation of the subject on which he was about to sing. Then he
suddenly struck off into an air that gave us a much higher opinion of
the strength than the harmony of his voice. The subject, we could
perceive, was an appeal to the Deity (_Manito_), to protect the ship
from all dangers, in her voyage across the waters. We had many other
songs from him during the evening: and on a special application, we were
favoured with a specimen of the war-whoop, a most discordant howl,
produced by striking the hand quick against the mouth, and shouting at
the same time. But the most farcical scene of all was the business of
getting him into a bed. The purser of the ship undertook the difficult
task of chambermaid; but our _Indian_ Chief disencumbered himself of all
his finery in a twinkling; and having reduced himself to a state of
nature, he rolled head foremost into the bed, placing his feet upon the
pillow: this produced great vexation in the mind of his _Abigail_, who
the next night succeeded, with much difficulty, in causing his _Indian_
Highness to lie down like a _Christian_.
On the evening of the second day, our _Indian_ friend left us, to
return back to his native country. He seemed to feel great regret at
parting with the _Water-Governors_; and he gave us all to understand,
that if we should hereafter visit his territories, he would insure us a
hearty welcome, and a handsome bed-fellow to boot.
Captain _Stopford_ having expressed a wish to observe the manner of
killing the reindeer, as practised by the _Indians_, and a party being
accordingly made to ascend the river, we left the factory early in the
morning, with a small boat of Captain _Stopford_’s, and a birch-bark
canoe to carry the provisions, tents, &c. We continued to push along
shore, against the stream, until 10 A.M. when we rested at a small
creek, called _Dram-gat_, to breakfast. _Dram-gat_ is about seven miles
from the factory: it abounds with wild-duck; and receives its name from
an old custom of giving the people in the traders’ boats a dram at this
spot, previously to proceeding farther on their journey up the river.
The tide of the sea ceases to affect the current of the river entirely
at the _Dram-gat_.
We landed upon the bank, kindled a fire, and roasted some
venison-steaks after the _Indian_ manner, called by them _ponask_.
Having cut a long skewer of wood, they scrape off the bark, and stick
the meat upon its point. The other end of the skewer is then forced into
the ground, close to the fire; and by turning it round occasionally, the
food is soon sufficiently cooked. I never tasted any thing more savoury
than a venison-steak prepared in this manner. After making a hearty
meal, we embarked again; and two men taking out a line to the beach, we
were thus laboriously dragged along shore. There are many islands and
shoals on the south side of the river; whilst the northern shore is,
generally speaking, steep. The mouth of _Hayes’ River_ is gradually
verging towards the north, in consequence of the perceptible
encroachments of the water upon the north bank, and the evident emerging
of islands and shoals towards the south side of the river.
As we proceeded up the stream, we met several canoes of _Indians_,
deeply laden with venison for the factory. After receiving from us a
small present of tobacco, they continued their course.
At 3 P.M. we had reached a large circular island on the south side
of the river, called _Rainbow Island_. The view from this spot was
delightfully picturesque. The northern shore was bounded with high clay
banks, covered with dark forests of the spruce-pine tree. Above us, upon
the southern banks, five or six remarkable mounds of earth rose
majestically from the river. At the termination of a long view upwards,
the stream was lost in a sudden bend to the northward; and the vista in
that direction was bounded by a noble grove of poplars, that stood on
the declivity of the green sloping bank; and their bright yellow colour
formed a fine contrast with the sable hue of a frowning forest in the
back ground. Directly opposite to the place where we stood, several
_Indian_ canoes lay scattered about the shore; and the natives sat
regaling themselves, around a blazing fire upon the beach. The river,
glittering with the golden tints of the sun, ran smoothly beneath our
feet; and a little farther down, foamed, in distant murmurs, over a
shoal-bed of pebbles. Whilst we stood contemplating the varied objects
in this interesting scene, a flock of wild geese flew screaming past;
and a gentleman, who knew the country well, immediately observed, that
we should have an “_early fall_;” thereby intimating that the winter
would soon make its appearance. Our admiration of the fine view before
us instantly gave way to other sensations; and we could not avoid
wishing ourselves speedily out of a country where the transition is so
instantaneous, from the most oppressive heat to intense cold; where the
ground is bound up in frost eight months of the year; and the miserable
inhabitants are tormented to madness by heat and mosquitoes during the
remaining four.
Upon leaving _Rainbow Island_, we approached the spiral mounds of
earth before mentioned. Their formation was so regular, that an
enthusiastic antiquary might easily have believed them to be antient
_Indian_ Tumuli; but upon a close inspection, we plainly perceived that
they had been separated from the body of the bank by the ices in the
spring; and they had probably assumed a circular form owing to the
washing of the great floods which follow the breaking up of the rivers,
and melting of the snows, at that season of the year.
[Illustration: _Interior of a Wigwam of the Cree Indians
London Published by J. Mawman 16.^th May 1817_]
About 5 P.M. we reached a place called _Poplar-fall_; and observing
an _Indian_ wigwam on the north bank, we crossed the river, and encamped
within pistol-shot of it. We had pitched our tent within the wood; and
from it we could discern the river, at intervals, through the openings
of the trees. Although we were but a short distance from the _Indian_
wigwam, yet the wood was so intricate, that we found it difficult to
find our way thither. We, however, paid the natives a visit, and sat
familiarly down in the wigwam. It contained one old and two young men,
one old and one young woman, and five or six children of both sexes,
besides two infants. The wigwam was a circular tent, constructed with
three or four poles, lashed together at the top, and covered over with
an inferior kind of leather, made of tanned deer-skins. In the midst of
the tent was a blazing fire; and in the smoke above, a quantity of
deer’s flesh was suspended, after the manner of bacon in _England_. On
the outside of the hut, there were several stages, on which their strips
of venison were exposed in the sun to dry, for the winter’s consumption.
After sitting a short time with the natives, and inquiring at what part
of the river the rein-deer were crossing, we were at length about to
depart, when the old _Indian_ presented Captain _Stopford_ with eight
deers’ legs, which, when roasted, are considered a great delicacy, on
account of the rich marrow they contain. The young woman then gave
another of our party a deer’s heart and tongue; and the old squaw, whose
aspect was sufficient to give any man a dis-relish to the whole sex,
kindly tossed into my lap a head and a brisket. Laden with these
presents, we returned to our tents, and dined heartily off a tongue and
heart, _ponasked_. But our kind _Indian_ neighbours had not been so
exceedingly munificent without entertaining strong expectations of an
adequate remuneration: accordingly, the visit was soon returned by the
whole horde; and the old _Indian_ brought a kettle in his hand, which
was intended as a _gentle hint_ that he wished for a liquid equivalent.
We therefore gave him about a quart of rum, mixed with three quarts of
water, and a trifling supply of tobacco. Extraordinary as it may appear,
this small donation was amply sufficient to intoxicate every member of
the wigwam; and their voices resounded, in song, through the woods, for
many hours after we had retired to rest.
Very shortly after the first dawn of day, we were awakened by the
old _Indian_: he came to inform us, that several herd of deer had
already crossed the river, and that it was high time we should repair to
our stations, to intercept any more which might attempt to follow; as it
is an ascertained fact, that these animals, during their periodical
journeys, are accustomed to follow each other’s footsteps.
According to the old _Indian_’s advice, we proceeded about two miles
farther up the river, until we reached a place called _Twenty-mile
Island_; so named from its distance from _York Factory_. Still pursuing
the directions of the friendly _Indian_, we hauled our canoe close to
the beach, on the north side of the river; as, at this season of the
year, the rein-deer, in pursuance of their northern journey, cross all
the rivers from the southward. The _Indian_ proceeded with his canoe
higher up the stream, and took his post opposite to the spot from whence
he had seen the before-mentioned herds crossing in the morning: he then
concealed himself in the high grass, by the side of his canoe; and we
also followed his example. After lying thus in ambush for a short time,
a small herd, consisting of five deer and a fawn, appeared on the south
bank of the river, exactly opposite the old _Indian_’s canoe. The timid
and wary animals stood for some time on the bank of the river, casting
an inquisitive glance across the water. We all crouched closer than
before, in the grass; and we had soon the satisfaction to see the whole
herd leap boldly from the shore. The _Indian_ above us immediately
pushed across the stream with his canoe, to intercept the retreat of the
deer; and this he was enabled to do unobserved, as he was also a
considerable distance above the deer; and the animals neither looked to
the right nor to the left, but kept their eyes anxiously fixed on the
shore which they were endeavouring to reach. As our lurking-place was
about half a mile lower down than the place from whence the deer had
taken to the water, and the rapid current of the river naturally drifted
them downwards, they would have attempted to land close to us, had not a
shoal in the river arrested their progress, upon which they mounted; and
by their superior height they immediately discovered us. The deer now
stood hesitating what they should do; and so in fact did we: but our
_Indian_ co-adjutor having by this time succeeded in gaining the
opposite shore, called loudly on us to rise and advance. As soon as we
sprang from the grass, the affrighted herd replunged into the river, and
attempted to gain the shore which they had quitted; but we pursued them
across the stream with such activity, that only one effected its
landing, and the remaining four again turned their heads to gain the
northern bank. From this moment their deaths were considered inevitable,
as the chief skill then lay in continually turning the weary animals
from the shore, which we were easily enabled to do, by the superior
speed of our canoe. The _Indian_, meanwhile, followed close behind a
large buck, until it approached the bank; when he deliberately speared
it in the haunch; and as it emerged from the water, he fired a bullet
into its body: yet the animal ran with speed into the wood, and we all
naturally concluded it must have escaped;—but the skilful hunter smiled
at the idea: “No, no,” said he; “I have it safe:—now for another;” on
which, he wheeled about his canoe, and instantly speared to death an
amazing fine doe. My gun being loaded with goose-shot only, I discharged
it into the rump of the surviving doe, which bled profusely; I also
again fired, and struck it on the nose, when my ramrod unfortunately
fell overboard: however, we still kept turning the animal from the
shore; and having now no weapon in the canoe wherewith we could kill it,
I was obliged to halloo for the _Indian_ to bring us a spear;
accordingly, he paddled towards the deer with all his might, and, on
reaching our canoe, tossed me the spear. Following the native’s example,
I made a deep thrust into its haunch, which soon put an end to its
existence; and putting a cord over its head, we towed it on shore in
triumph.
As the _Indian_ had predicted, he soon found the carcase of the
wounded buck, lying about ten yards within the wood. Thus we succeeded
in obtaining _three_ out of the original _five_: and with respect to the
other two; one, as above-mentioned, made good its escape in the first
instance; and the fawn also landed, whilst we were engaged with the doe.
I have been more particular in relating this expedition, because it
will serve as a specimen of the general manner in which the _Indians_
procure their supplies of venison and deer-skins. There have been
instances of taking the rein-deer alive, by throwing a rope about the
antlers; but this can only be attempted by a boat, as the sudden plunges
of the animal, when thus entangled, is very likely to upset a slight
bark canoe.
From the continual crossings that we had made athwart the stream,
whilst in pursuit of the deer, the current had drifted us down about two
miles below our encampment, which we did not regain until towards
evening; and our _Indian_ neighbour soon paid us a visit, to talk over
the day’s sport. Having received another present of _Scutee Wapper_[36]
(rum) and tobacco, he wished us a good-night; and their songs shortly
afterwards began to swell on the air; giving to us a sure indication of
the liquor having had its due effect on their senses.
To conclude my account of the rein-deer of _Hudson’s Bay_, I must
observe, that they are evidently the same species with those of
_Lapland_; although the _Indians_ have never attempted to render them in
any way useful for domestic purposes: but Lord _Selkirk_, with his usual
perseverance, has procured people from _Sweden_ to train the rein-deer
in _Hudson’s Bay_; although they have not yet been a sufficient time in
the country to ascertain the practicability of such a scheme[37].
If the _Indians_ be so fortunate, during their hunting journeys, as
to kill a rein-deer in the woods, they eat of it until they literally
cannot cram another mouthful. When their meal is finished, they erect a
high stage, on which they lay the remainder of the carcase, so as to
secure it from the wild beasts; and then cover it with branches of
trees, to defend it against the birds of prey. All this trouble is
taken, that the food which they are compelled by necessity to leave
behind them may be of service to some wandering tribe of hunters like
themselves, who may not have been so fortunate as to have met with any
deer in their journey.