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.