breadth; it is the largest of several islands which are situated in the
St. Lawrence, at the mouth of the Utawa River. Its soil is luxuriant,
and in some parts much cultivated and thickly inhabited. It is agreeably
diversified with hill and dale, and towards its center, in the
neighbourhood of Montreal, there are two or three considerable
mountains. The largest of these stands at the distance of about one mile
from the town, which is named from it. The base of this mountain is
surrounded with neat country houses and gardens, and partial
improvements have been made about one third of the way up; the remainder
is entirely covered with lofty trees. On that side towards the river is
a large old monastery, with extensive inclosures walled in, round which
the ground has been cleared for some distance. This open part is covered
with a rich verdure, and the woods encircling it, instead of being
overrun with brushwood, are quite clear at bottom, so that you may here
roam about at pleasure for miles together, shaded, by the lofty trees,
from the rays of the sun.
[Sidenote: FUR TRADE.]
The view from hence is grand beyond description. A prodigious expanse of
country is laid open to the eye, with the noble river St. Lawrence
winding through it, which may be traced from the remotest part of the
horizon. The river comes from the right, and flows smoothly on after
passing down the tremendous rapids above the town, where it is hurried
over huge rocks with a noise that is heard even up the mountain. On the
left below you appears the town of Montreal, with its churches,
monasteries, glittering spires, and the shipping under its old walls;
several little islands in the river near the town, partly improved,
partly overgrown with wood, add greatly to the beauty of the scene. La
Prarie with its large church on the distant side of the river, is seen
to the greatest advantage, and beyond it is a range of lofty mountains
which terminates the prospect. Such an endless variety and such a
grandeur is there in the view from this part of the mountain, that even
those who are most habituated to the view always find it a fresh subject
of admiration whenever they contemplate it; and on this part of the
mountain it is that the club which I mentioned generally assembles. Two
stewards are appointed for the day, who always chuse some new spot where
there is a spring or rill of water, and an agreeable shade: each family
brings cold provisions, wine, &c.; the whole is put together, and the
company, often amounting to one hundred persons, sits down to dinner.
The fur trade is what is chiefly carried on at Montreal, and it is there
that the greater part of the furs are shipped, which are sent from
Canada to England.
This very lucrative trade is carried on, partly by what is called the
North West Company, and partly by private individuals on their own
account. The company does not possess any particular privileges by law,
but from its great capital merely it is enabled to trade to certain
remote parts of the continent, to the exclusion of those who do not hold
any shares in it. It was formed originally by the merchants of Montreal
themselves, who wisely considered that the trade could be carried on to
those distant parts of the continent, inhabited solely by Indians, with
more security and greater profit, if they joined together in a body,
than if they continued to trade separately. The stock of the company was
divided into forty shares, and as the number of merchants in the town at
that time was not very great, this arrangement afforded an opportunity
to every one of them to join in the company if he thought proper. At
present these shares have all fallen into the hands of a few persons.
[Sidenote: CANOES.]
The company principally carries on its trade by means of the Utawas or
Grand River, that falls into the St. Lawrence about thirty miles above
Montreal, and which forms, by its confluence with that river, “Le Lac de
Deux Montagnes et le Lac St. Louis,”—the lake of the Two Mountains and
the Lake of St. Louis, wherein are several large islands. To convey the
furs down this river, they make use of canoes, formed of the bark of the
birch tree, some of which are upon such a large scale that they are
capable of containing two tons, but they seldom put so much in them,
especially on this river, it being in many places shallow, rapid, and
full of rocks, and contains no less than thirty-two portages.
The canoes are navigated by the French Canadians, who are particularly
fond of the employment, preferring it in general to that of cultivating
the ground. A fleet of them sets off from Montreal about the month of
May, laden with provisions, consisting chiefly of biscuit and salt pork,
sufficient to last the crews till their return, and also with the
articles given in barter to the Indians. At some of the shallow places
in the river, it is sufficient if the men merely get out of the canoes,
and push them on into the deep water; but at others, where there are
dangerous rapids and sharp rocks, is it necessary for the men to unlade
the canoes, and carry both them and the cargoes on their shoulders, till
they come again to a safe part of the river. At night they drag the
canoes upon shore, light a fire, cook their provisions for the following
day, and sleep upon the ground wrapped up in their blankets. If it
happens to rain very hard, they sometimes shelter themselves with boughs
of trees, but in general they remain under the canopy of heaven, without
any covering but their blankets: they copy exactly the Indian mode of
life on these occasions, and many of them even wear the Indian dresses,
which they find more convenient than their own.
Having ascended the Utawas River for about two hundred and eighty miles,
which it takes them about eighteen days to perform, they then cross by a
portage into Lake Nispissing, and from this lake by another portage they
get upon French River, that falls into Lake Huron on the north-east
side; then coasting along this last lake they pass through the Straits
of St. Mary, where there is another portage into Lake Superior; and
coasting afterwards along the shores of Lake Superior, they come to the
Grand Portage on the north-west side of it; from hence by a chain of
small lakes and rivers they proceed on to the Rainy Lake, to the Lake of
the Woods, and for hundreds of miles beyond it, through Lake Winnipeg,
&c.
[Sidenote: M‘KENZIE’S EXPEDITIONS.]
The canoes, however, which go so far up the country, never return the
same year; those intended to bring back cargoes immediately, stop at the
Grand Portage, where the furs are collected ready for them by the agents
of the company. The furs are made up in packs of a certain weight, and a
particular number is put into each canoe. By knowing thus the exact
weight of every pack, there can be no embezzlement; and at the portages
there is no time wasted in allotting to each man his load, every one
being obliged to carry so many packs.
At the Grand Portage, and along that immense chain of lakes and rivers,
which extend beyond Lake Superior, the company has regular posts, where
the agents reside; and with such astonishing enterprize and industry
have the affairs of this company been carried on, that trading posts are
now established within five hundred miles of the Pacific Ocean. One
gentleman, indeed, a partner in the house at Montreal, which now holds
the greatest part of the shares of the company, has even penetrated to
the Pacific Ocean itself. The journal kept by this gentleman upon the
expedition is, it is said, replete with information of the most
interesting nature. That it has not been laid before the public long
ago, together with an accurate map of his track, is to be imputed solely
to an unfortunate misunderstanding which took place between him and a
noble lord high in the confidence of government.
In the first attempt which this adventurous gentleman, a Mr. M‘Kenzie,
made to penetrate to the ocean, he set out early in the spring from the
remotest of the posts belonging to the company. He took with him a
single canoe, and a party of chosen men; and after passing over
prodigious traits of land, never before traversed by any white person,
at last came to a large river. Here the canoe, which was carried by the
men on their shoulders, was launched, and having all embarked, they
proceeded down the stream. From the course this river took for a very
great distance, Mr. M‘Kenzie was led to imagine that it was one of those
rivers he was in quest of; namely, one which emptied itself into the
Pacific Ocean; but at the end of several weeks, during which they had
worked their way downward with great eagerness, he was convinced, from
the gradual inclination of the river towards another quarter, that he
must have been mistaken; and that it was one of those immense rivers, so
numerous on the continent of North America, that ran into Baffin’s Bay,
or the Arctic Ocean.
[Sidenote: M‘KENZIE’S EXPEDITIONS.]
The party was now in a very critical situation; the season was far
advanced, and the length of way which they had to return was prodigious.
If they attempted to go back, and were overtaken by winter, they must in
all probability perish for want of provisions in an uninhabited country;
if, on the contrary, they made up their minds to spend the winter where
they were, they had no time to lose in building huts, and going out to
hunt and fish, that they might have sufficient stores to support them
through that dreary season. Mr. M‘Kenzie represented the matter, in the
most open terms, to his men, and left it to themselves to determine the
part they would take. The men were for going back at all hazards; and
the result was, that they reached their friends in safety. The
difficulties they had to contend with, and the exertions they made in
returning, were almost surpassing belief.
The second expedition entered upon by Mr. M‘Kenzie, and which succeeded
to his wishes, was undertaken about three years ago. He set out in the
same manner, but well provided with several different things, which he
found the want of in the first expedition. He was extremely well
furnished this time with astronomical instruments, and in particular
with a good time-piece, that he procured from London. He took a course
somewhat different from the first, and passed through many nations of
Indians who had never before seen the face of a white man, amongst some
of whom he was for a time in imminent danger; but he found means at last
to conciliate their good will. From some of these Indians he learned,
that there was a ridge of mountains at a little distance, beyond which
the rivers all ran in a western direction. Having engaged some of them
therefore for guides, he proceeded according to their directions until
he came to the mountains, and after ascending them with prodigious
labour, found, to his great satisfaction, that the account the Indians
had given was true, and that the rivers on the opposite side did indeed
all run to the west. He followed the course of one of them, and finally
came to the Pacific Ocean, not far from Nootka Sound.
[Sidenote: HUDSON BAY.]
Here he was given to understand by the natives, and their account was
confirmed by the sight of some little articles they had amongst them,
that an English vessel had quitted the coast only six weeks before. This
was a great mortification to Mr. M‘Kenzie; for had there been a ship on
the coast, he would most gladly have embarked in it rather than
encounter the same difficulties, and be exposed to the same perils,
which he had experienced in getting there; however there was no
alternative; he set out after a short time on his journey back again,
and having found his canoe quite safe under some bushes, near the head
of the river, where he had hid it, together with some provisions, left
on going down to the coast the natives might have proved unfriendly, and
have cut off his retreat by seizing upon it, he finally arrived at one
of the trading posts in security. When I was at Montreal Mr. M‘Kenzie
was not there, and I never had an opportunity of seeing him afterwards.
What I have here related respecting his two expeditions is the
substance, to the best of my recollection, of what I heard from his
partners.
Many other individuals belonging to the North West Company, before Mr.
M‘Kenzie set out, penetrated far into the country in different
directions, and much beyond what any person had done before them, in
order to establish posts. In some of these excursions they fell in with
the agents of the Hudson Bay Company, who were also extending their
posts from another quarter: this unexpected meeting between the two
companies, at one time gave rise to some very unpleasant altercations,
and the Hudson Bay Company threatened the other with an immediate
prosecution for an infringement of its charter.
By its charter, it seems, the Hudson Bay Company was allowed the
exclusive privilege of trading to the Bay, and along all the rivers and
waters connected with it. This charter, however, was granted at a time
when the northern parts of the continent were much less known than they
are now, for to have the exclusive trade along all the waters connected
with Hudson Bay was, literally speaking, to have the exclusive trade of
the greater part of the continent of North America. Hudson Bay by a
variety of rivers and lakes, is closely connected with Lake Superior,
and from that chain of lakes, of which Lake Superior is one, there is a
water communication throughout all Canada, and a very great part of the
United States; however, when the agents of the North-west Company were
fixing trading posts upon some rivers which ran immediately into
Hudson’s Bay, it undoubtedly appeared to be an infringement of the
charter, and so indeed it must strictly have been, had not the Hudson’s
Bay Company itself infringed its own charter in the first instance, or
at least neglected to comply with all the stipulations contained
therein. A clause seems to have been in the charter, which, at the same
time that it granted to the company the exclusive privilege of trading
to Hudson’s Bay, and along all the waters connected with it, bound it to
erect a new post twelve miles farther to the westward every year,
otherwise the charter was to become void. This had not been done; the
North-west Company therefore rested perfectly easy about the menaces of
a prosecution, satisfied that the other company did not in fact legally
possess those privileges to which it laid claim.
[Sidenote: TRADING COMPANIES.]
The Hudson’s Bay Company, though it threatened, never indeed attempted
to put its threats into execution, well knowing the weakness of its
cause, but continued nevertheless to watch the motions of its rival with
a most jealous eye; and as in extending their respective trades, the
posts of the two companies were approximating nearer and nearer to each
other every year, there was great reason to imagine that their
differences, instead of abating, would become still greater than they
were, and finally, perhaps, lead to consequences of the most serious
nature. A circumstance, however, unexpectedly took place, at a time when
the greatest enmity subsisted between the parties, which happily
reconciled them to each other, and terminated all their disputes.
A very powerful nation of Indians, called the Assiniboins, who inhabit
an extended tract of country to the south-west of Lake Winnipeg,
conceiving that the Hudson’s Bay Company had encroached unreasonably
upon their territories, and had otherwise maltreated a part of their
tribe, formed the resolution of instantly destroying a post established
by that company in their neighbourhood. A large body of them soon
collected together, and breathing the fiercest spirit of revenge,
marched unperceived and unsuspected by the party against whom their
expedition was planned, till within a short distance of their post. Here
they halted according to custom, waiting only for a favourable moment to
pounce upon their prey. Some of the agents of the North-west Company,
however, who were scattered about this part of the country, fortunately
got intelligence of their design. They knew the weakness of the place
about to be attacked, and forgetting the rivalship subsisting between
them, and thinking only how to save their countrymen, they immediately
dispatched a messenger to give the party notice of the assault that was
meditated; they at the same time sent another messenger to one of their
own posts, desiring that instant succour might be sent to that belonging
to the Hudson Bay Company, which the Indians were about to plunder. The
detachment arrived before the attack commenced, and the Indians were
repulsed; but had it not been for the timely assistance their rivals had
afforded, the Hudson Bay people were fully persuaded that they must have
fallen victims to the fury of the Indians.
This signal piece of service was not undervalued or forgotten by those
who had been saved; and as the North-west Company was so much stronger,
and on so much better terms with the Indians in this part of the country
than its rivals, it now evidently appeared to be the interest of the
latter to have the posts of the North-west Company established as near
its own as possible. This is accordingly done for their mutual safety,
and the two companies are now on the most friendly terms, and continue
to carry on their trade close to each other.
[Sidenote: FUR TRADE.]
About two thousand men are employed by the North-west Company in their
posts in the upper country. Those who are stationed at the remote
trading posts lead a very savage life, but little better indeed than
that of Indians: some of them remain far up in the country for four or
five years together. The head clerk or principal agent generally marries
an Indian girl, the daughter of some eminent chief, by which he gains in
a peculiar manner the affections of the whole tribe, a matter of great
importance. These marriages, as may be supposed, are not considered as
very binding by the husband; but that is nothing in the opinion of an
Indian chief, who readily brings his sister or daughter to you; at the
same time he can only be appeased by blood if a person attempts to take
any improper liberties with his wife. Amongst no people are the wives
more chaste, or more devoted to their husbands.
Besides the furs and pelts conveyed down to Montreal from the
north-western parts of the continent, by means of the Utawas River,
there are large quantities also brought there across the lakes, and down
the River St. Lawrence. These are collected at the various towns and
posts along the Lakes Huron, Erie, and Ontario, where the trade is open
to all parties, the several posts being protected by regular troops, at
the expence of the government. Added likewise to what are thus collected
by the agents of the company, and of private merchants, there are
considerable quantities brought down to Montreal for sale by traders, on
their own account. Some of these traders come from parts as remote as
the Illinois Country, bordering on the Mississippi. They ascend the
Mississippi as far as Ouisconsing River, and from that by a portage of
three miles get upon Fox River, which falls into Lake Michigan. In the
fall of the year, as I have before mentioned, these two rivers overflow,
and it is then sometimes practicable to pass in a light canoe from one
river to the other, without any portage whatsoever. From Lake Michigan
they get upon Lake Huron, afterwards upon Lake Erie, and so on to the
St. Lawrence. Before the month of September is over, the furs are all
brought down to Montreal; as they arrive they are immediately shipped,
and the vessels dispatched in October, beyond which month it would be
dangerous for them to remain in the river on account of the setting in
of winter.
Furs are also shipped in considerable quantities at Quebec, and at the
town of Trois Rivieres. These furs are brought down the rivers that fall
into the St. Lawrence, on the north side, by Indians.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
+LETTER + XXIII.
_Voyage to Quebec down the St. Lawrence.—A Bateau preferable to a Keel
Boat.—Town of Sorelle.—Ship-building there.—Description of Lake St.
Pierre.—Batiscon.—Charming Scenery along the Banks of St. Lawrence.—In
what respects it differs from the Scenery along any other River in
America.—Canadian Houses.—Sketch of the Character and manners of the
lower Classes of Canadians.—Their Superstition.—Anecdote.—St. Augustin
Calvaire.—Arrive at Quebec._
Quebec, August.
[Sidenote: SORELLE.]
WE remained in Montreal until the first day of August, when we set off
in a bateau for Quebec, about one hundred and sixty miles lower down the
St. Lawrence. A bateau is a particular kind of boat, very generally used
upon the large rivers and lakes in Canada. The bottom of it is perfectly
flat, and each end is built very sharp, and exactly alike. The sides are
about four feet high, and for the convenience of the rowers, four or
five benches are laid across, sometimes more, according to the length of
the bateau. It is a very heavy awkward sort of vessel, either for rowing
or sailing, but it is preferred to a boat with a keel for two very
obvious reasons; first, because it draws less water, at the same time
that it carries a larger burthen; and secondly, because it is much safer
on lakes or wide rivers, where storms are frequent: a proof of this came
under our observation the day of our leaving Montreal. We had reached a
wide part of the river, and were sailing along with a favourable wind,
when suddenly the horizon grew very dark, and a dreadful storm arose,
accompanied with loud peals of thunder and torrents of rain. Before the
sail could be taken in, the ropes which held it were snapped in pieces,
and the waves began to dash over the sides of the bateau, though the
water had been quite smooth five minutes before. It was impossible now
to counteract the force of the wind with oars, and the bateau was
consequently driven on shore, but the bottom of it being quite flat, it
was carried smoothly upon the beach without sustaining any injury, and
the men leaping out drew it up on dry land, where we remained out of all
danger till the storm was over. A keel boat, however, of the same size,
could not have approached nearer to the shore than thirty feet, and
there it would have stuck fast in the sand, and probably have been
filled with water. From being fitted up as it was, our bateau proved to
be a very pleasant conveyance: it was one of a large size, and over the
widest part of it an oilcloth awning was thrown, supported by hoops
similar to the roof of a waggon: thus a most excellent cabin was formed,
large enough, to contain half a dozen chairs and a table, and which, at
the same time that it afforded shelter from the inclemency of the
weather, was airy, and sufficiently open to let us see all the beauties
of the prospect on each shore to the greatest advantage.
It was about eleven o’clock in the morning when we left Montreal, and at
five in the afternoon we reached the town of Sorelle, fifteen leagues
distant. The current is very strong the whole way between the two
places. Sorelle stands at the mouth of the river of the same name, which
runs from Lake Champlain into the St. Lawrence. It was laid out about
the year 1787, and on an extensive plan, with very wide streets and a
large square, but at present it contains only one hundred houses, are
all very indifferent, and standing widely asunder. This is the only town
on the St. Lawrence, between Montreal and Quebec, wherein English is the
predominant language. The inhabitants consist principally of loyalists
from the United States, who took refuge in Canada. The chief business
carried on here is that of ship-building; there are several vessels
annually launched from fifty to two hundred tons burthen; these are
floated down to Quebec, and there rigged. Ship-building is not carried
on to so much advantage in Canada as might be imagined, all the bolts
and other articles of iron, the blocks, and the cordage, being imported;
so that what is gained by having excellent timber on the spot is lost in
bringing over these different articles, which are so bulky, from Europe.
The river of Sorelle is deep at the mouth, and affords good shelter for
ships from the ice, at the breaking up of winter: it is not navigable
far beyond the town, even in boats, on account of the rapids.
[Sidenote: SCENERY.]