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."