the house, except the Indian and his wife, I desired him to make a
number of marten traps, and set them in two different roads, called a
fork. Having finished about two hundred, and set them in the woods,
baited with fish heads, which these animals are very fond of, he
returned, and I gave him some rum for his trouble. Every day, for a
considerable time, he went regularly to examine them, and when
successful, was always rewarded to his satisfaction. Having been
unfortunate several days, I charged him with doing other business,
instead of examining the traps, to which he made no reply. I
communicated my suspicions to my man, and desired him to watch the
Savage. The next day the Canadian discovered him in the woods dressing
some partridges:[67] when he returned home in the evening he asked for
rum, which I refused, telling him he did not deserve any. This answer
displeased him; and looking earnestly at me, he replied, that I did not
use him well; for though he had been unsuccessful with his traps, his
trouble was the same; and that he generally found them out of order,
which obliged him to set them right, and employed him the whole day.
This excuse did not make any alteration in my conduct, and I told him
the weather was too bad to get at any rum. He then began to imagine that
I suspected him, and knew of his laziness, and immediately opened his
mind, telling me very frankly that he was jealous of me; and that his
reason for not going to examine the marten traps, was to prevent any
communication between me and his wife, which, had he been far distant
from home, might have been easily effected; and for this reason he kept
near the house to watch her, knowing that she was fond of me; but that
if I would give him some rum, to drive away the bad spirit from his
heart, he would endeavour to forget the injury I had done him.
{91} Judging it prudent to remove his suspicions, I gave him two gallons
of rum, a carrot of tobacco, a shirt, a pair of leggons, a scalping
knife, &c. and several articles to his wife. Having received the
presents, he called her to drink with him, and thank the trader with a
cheerful heart for his great kindness. When they were a little merry he
began to sing, and I heard him repeat these words: “_Mornooch Amik kee
zargetoone mentimoyamish_;” or, “I do not care though the Beaver loves
my wife.” This did not please me, as I knew his jealousy would increase
in proportion to the quantity of liquor he drank. However, I used the
utmost precaution, securing his weapons to prevent his doing me any
injury. His wife hearing him repeat the words so frequently, began to be
angry, and pulled his hair and scratched his face. I thought this a
favourable opportunity to express my dislike, and told him he was a fool
to be jealous; that I gave him the rum to drive away the bad spirit, but
it had a contrary effect; that I never wanted any thing of his wife but
to make or mend snow shoes, and always paid her for her trouble. Yes,
cries the wife, he is a fool, Beaver, and I will beat him; which she
instantly did, and cut his head with a glass bottle. I then interfered,
and parted them.
The moment I was gone, he began the old song, and continued singing till
he was sober; when getting up, he came to me and said, “Beaver, I have
seen the bad spirit in my dream, who told me that the trader had robbed
me.” Irritated at the expression, I told him his lips never spoke truth,
and that he had no sense; and thinking it right to suppress this humour,
beat him very severely. When he had recovered his reason, he said to me,
“Beaver, you have sense, though you have spotted my carcase.” I then
remonstrated with him on the great {92} folly of being jealous; but he
was sullen, and made no reply. He then called his wife, but she being
asleep did not hear him; he called a second time, and asked for his gun,
tomahawk, and scalping knife; but not receiving any answer, he was very
angry, and said to me, “Beaver, I will throw away my body;” to which I
did not think it prudent to make any reply. He then laid himself down on
the ground, and called his wife a third time. She came to him, and
observing displeasure in his countenance, told him not to be angry with
the Beaver, for he was a great warrior, and always opened his heart to
them. He ordered her to bring him a bark bowl full of water, and set it
down carefully between the Beaver’s legs. Whilst she was gone for the
water, he said to me, “Come here, Beaver, and I will shew you that I
have nothing sweet on my lips, but will speak the truth.” The wife
returned and placed the bowl of water as her husband directed; when it
had stood some time he said, “Beaver, put your finger in the water, and
let it remain till I tell you to take it out.” I obeyed him with the
utmost cheerfulness, and in a few minutes, by his desire, withdrew it.
He then said, “Beaver, you know that a husband is so called because he
is the master of weakness, and for that reason he should protect his
wife; and at the same time, you, as a trader, should not injure me: but
that I may not accuse you unjustly, I will try you by my own thoughts.
Beaver, look at my wife, and look at the water, and tell me where you
put your finger; if you cannot tell, you have certainly robbed me.” I
then put in my finger again, and pointed out the place. “No;” said he,
looking earnestly at me and his wife, “as you cannot be certain that it
is the exact place where you first put in your finger, neither can I be
certain that you have robbed me; though I as much believe it, as you do
that the place you pointed out was the exact spot.” I {93} confessed
myself surprised at his disbelief; but not willing to incense him, I
told him I was sorry he should imagine me capable of such wickedness as
to be guilty of injuring him, for my mind was as calm as the water in an
undisturbed state; and after giving him a few presents, sent them away,
injoining him to use his wife well, as she was perfectly innocent. As
they departed, he said to me smiling, “Beaver, you must get somebody
else to look after your marten traps.”
Adultery among the northern Savages is generally punished in a summary
way by the husband, who either beats his wife very severely, or bites
off her nose. It is extremely dangerous for a trader to be suspected,
for when the husband is intoxicated, his jealousy rises into madness;
and revenge, whether the party suspected be innocent or guilty, is
continually to be expected. When the mind of an Indian is once affected,
his passion increases in proportion to the quantity of rum which he
drinks, though he has the art to conceal it when he is sober. It is the
baneful effects of rum which puts every jealous thought in motion, and
then it knows no bounds, till intoxication completely overpowers him, or
returning sobriety restores his lost reason.
Early in the month of April, I received a letter from Monsieur Jaques
Santeron at Lake Schabeechevan, in the same employ as myself, to inform
me that he was tired of being a servant, and thinking his labours not
sufficiently rewarded, had determined to make a grand _coup_, having a
number of fine packs which he purposed selling to the Hudson’s Bay
Company: that he should leave his wintering ground next morning with
four birch canoes, and would write further particulars on bark, which he
should nail against one of the crooked trees at the foot of {94} the
Grand Rapid, in case I should be disposed to come that way, and
concluded with great _gaieté de cœur_, wishing me and all my friends
very well.
I was greatly surprised on receiving this unpleasant intelligence, and
particularly as I had never heard of his integrity being impeached in
the smallest degree; and I was disappointed, as I expected him to pass
my wintering ground on his return to Pays Plat.
Conceiving it my duty to exert my best endeavours to prevent the loss of
so much property to my employers, I engaged _Kesconeek_ the chief, and
twenty Savages, under promise of being satisfied for their trouble, to
conduct me to the crooked trees. We went off with the utmost expedition,
and in a few days arrived at the spot, where I saw the piece of bark, as
he described, and the following words written with charcoal, “_Adieu,
mon cher ami, je prends mon départ avec courage, et j’attends une bonne
vente pour ma pelleterie. De bon cœur je vous souhaite la prosperité;
faites mes complimens à tous mes amis—au revoir mon cher companion._”
Having perused it, and explained it to the chief; he said he was a bad
spirit, and that as he had been gone six days before our arrival, it
would be impossible to overtake him, as he could not be far from the
entrance of the North River, leading to Hudson’s Bay, and if I pursued
him, I should not get back in time to trade with the Indians for their
great hunt. We therefore returned, after a fruitless expedition,
extremely mortified at the disappointment, as I was very sensible he
would never return to Canada, to make satisfaction to his employers.
{95} Soon after my return the grand band came in with all their winter’s
hunt, which they call _Kitchee Artawway_. They consisted of about thirty
families, of twenty in each. He who has most wives is considered the
best hunter, being obliged to provide for their maintenance by his own
industry. The Indians laugh at the Europeans for having only one wife,
and that for life, as they conceive the good spirit formed them to be
happy, and not to continue together unless their tempers and
dispositions were congenial.
Having bartered for their skins and furs, they asked for rum; I told
them I had only one small keg left, which I would give them at their
departure, which satisfied them: and when they were ready to embark, I
ordered a Canadian to put it into the chief’s canoe.
Having disposed of all my merchandise except a few articles, and a small
quantity of rum, to barter with any Indians I might happen to meet with
in my return to Pays Plat, we baled up our peltry, and on the 23d of May
left Lac la Mort, with four small birch canoes richly laden with the
skins of beavers, otters, martens, minx, loup serviers, beaver eaters,
foxes, bears, &c.[68]
Before I proceed to relate the particulars of my voyage, I shall mention
the Indian manner of killing the white bear and the buffalo. The large
white bear, commonly called the grisly bear,[69] is a very dangerous
animal; when the Indians hunt it they generally go six or eight in a
band; the instant they see one, they endeavour to surround it, by
forming a large circle: if it is on the march they fire at it;—but it is
most frequently discovered in the winter season sucking its paws; in
{96} that case they approach nearer, and form a double row for the
animal to run between. One of the party is then sent out, who fires at
the bear and generally wounds it: this rouzes it to pursue the Indian,
who runs between the ranks, and the rest of the band fire and soon
dispatch it.
The buffalo I need not describe; it is well known to be a remarkably
strong animal; the Indians say its head is bullet proof, and therefore
they always fire at the body, endeavouring to hit the heart. When they
are in pursuit of this animal they make up small huts of snow in
different places, for near a mile in length on each side of the road; in
each of these huts an Indian stands with a bow and arrow, to shoot at it
as it passes, preferring that mode to powder and ball, as it does not
alarm the rest of the herd. The snow prevents the buffalo from smelling
the Indians, though their scent is very strong and quick. The instant
the animal drops they tomahawk it.
On the 2d of July we arrived at Portage Plain, so called on account of
its being a barren rock, near a mile long, joining to Lake Alemipigon:
it was sunset when we encamped. Besides the sixteen Canadians, our party
was increased considerably by about twenty of the Sturgeon and Nipegon
Indians, who accompanied us according to the usual custom of following
the trader to assist at the carrying places. The day previous to our
departure some traders overtook us, and encamped also. They informed us
of a band of Indians who were enemies to the Nipegons being near at
hand, and desired me to acquaint the Savages with it. Before their
arrival the Sturgeon Indians left us, and the other band would fain have
quitted the ground; but upon telling them I wanted {97} their assistance
on my journey, they agreed to stay, though I thought very reluctantly.
We soon discovered several canoes, and in about half an hour the Indians
landed. They were of the nation of the Wasses, and always at war with
our Savages.[70] Being a select people, they seldom associate with other
tribes, and are continually on the hunt, only making their appearance in
spring and autumn. We received them very cordially, and after the usual
forms of salutation, made mutual presents to each other: they told me
they had heard of me by some Indians at Lac la Mort, and were desirous
of seeing me before my return to Michillimakinac, or in their language
_Tecodondoraghie_.
I soon perceived the uneasiness of my Indians, and was careful to keep
them at some distance from each other; but all my precaution was
ineffectual, and before my departure a most dreadful catastrophe was the
consequence of their mutual hatred.
Our Indians having made up huts, began to sing their medicine songs to
induce the Wasses to partake of a feast which they said they intended to
make, with a view of preventing any dispute with them; but knowing that
the Nipegons had no provisions but what I found them, I suspected their
intentions were not so pacific as they pretended: this induced me to ask
a boy belonging to the band, why they pretended to make a feast, without
having any provision to do it; he replied, that the Wasses had made them
a present of dried meat, and with this and some huckle berries they had
saved, they intended to make their visitants merry. This answer
confirmed my suspicions, as no feast is {98} ever made, where friendship
is intended, without inviting the trader; and as no notice was sent me,
I dreaded the evil consequence of their meeting.
Deliberating with myself on the unpleasant prospect, and considering how
to act to prevent mischief, I was interrupted in my meditations by a
Savage (_Ayarbee_, or the big man), who came to give me intelligence of
an intended plan to destroy the Nipegon Indians, and which was
communicated to him by an old woman who belonged to the band of Wasses.
In about an hour the Nipegon huts were in order to receive their
intended guests, who were encamped in a hollow, surrounded with cedar
trees and bushes, close to the lake side. The Nipegons being determined
to counteract the designs of their deceitful visitors, and punish their
intended perfidy, made holes in the bark of their huts, in which they
placed their guns, loaded with swan shot. Each man taking his station;
the Wasses, to the number of eighteen, ascended the hill, and were
coming prepared to partake of the feast, with knives and wooden bowls,
intending to overpower the Nipegons on a given signal; but they were
fatally disappointed, for when they got within thirty yards of the
Nipegon huts, they were fired at, and all the band, except a girl about
fourteen years of age, killed on the spot; she was dangerously wounded,
but advanced with a gun, which she snatched from an Indian who was
preparing to dispatch her, and shot _Ayarbee_ through the head, and was
herself soon after tomahawked and scalped by a Nipegon boy about the
same age, who at such an early period of life displayed all that
ferocity which marks the most determined chief.
{99} Thus was treachery rewarded: and though in my heart I could not but
approve of the conduct of the Nipegon Indians, I was afraid of trusting
to them, and had resolved on taking my leave of them, when the chief
came up and informed me, he was very sorry that his band could not
accompany me any farther, for being afraid of the resentment of the
nation of the Wasses, when they came to hear of the transaction,
notwithstanding they had done it in their own defence, they had
determined to depart; and soon after pushed off their canoes, and left
me, a circumstance which pleased me exceedingly. The next day a party of
Indians met us, to whom I related the disaster. They were very much
shocked, and said the Nipegon Savages might repent their rash conduct,
though at the same time they acknowledged them right in guarding against
the designs of the Wasses. They asked me if I had got their packs, as
they assured me they had made a good hunt, and had rich peltry. This
information vexed me exceedingly, as I should certainly have increased
my cargo had not the affair happened, and likewise have given more
satisfaction to my employers, though I had already a large quantity of
goods, and had every reason to be pleased with my success. The Nipegons
made up fourteen bales of dried meat, which they took with them; but the
furs and skins were hidden in the woods, and never afterwards found that
I heard of.
We continued our journey to Lac Eturgeon, where soon after our landing,
we killed a great many wild fowl, and caught plenty of fish. Here we met
about fifty of the Hawoyzask or Rat Nation Indians,[71] with whom I made
a small barter, chiefly with rum, having disposed of all my Indian
goods.
{100} Our journey was retarded for some time in order to gratify my
curiosity. A young Indian girl fell sick, and the chief desired me to
stay to see the wonderful effects of their medicines, as she was very
bad, and without immediate assistance, he said, must soon change her
climate. The physician who attended her said, that the _Matchee
Mannitoo_, or bad spirit, had put the bear’s claws into her, and his
medicines would remove them. A hut was prepared, and the girl stripped
to her _matcheecoaty_ or under petticoat; she was then painted with
vermilion, and daubed over with soot and bears’ grease, and profusely
sweated, which soon relieved her pain. During the operation, the
physician addressed himself to the Master of Life, begging his
assistance, and thanking him for giving knowledge to restore health:
then giving her a decoction of roots, he made a perfect cure. I could
not help admiring his skill and manner of proceeding, though I
attributed her recovery solely to the plentiful perspiration she
underwent.[72]
Previous to our departure, one of their women was delivered of a fine
boy, and I was highly delighted with the mother’s tenderness, as the
infant sucked the milk, which in their language is called
_tootooshonarbo_, or the sap of the human breast, an expression which
struck me forcibly. The husband was also very attentive, and performed
the part of an affectionate parent, which induced me to give him some
rum to cheer his heart, and drink my health. He seemed pleased with the
present, and addressing himself to the Great Spirit, thanked him for the
safe delivery of his _mentimoye_:—then looking very earnestly at me,
told me how much he was indebted to me for the comfort that I had
afforded him, and that he was sure that I was a brave warrior, for my
generosity to him and his wife, when they so much wanted assistance.
When the young {101} warrior cried, he observed, that he wished to be
grateful to me for my attention to his parents, and that it was only the
echo of his breath, (meaning his voice) to praise the goodness of the
_Saggonash_, or Englishman. As I got into my canoe, he said, “Beaver, be
strong, you will always have a public road among the Nipegon Indians,
therefore return as soon as you can; in the mean time, I shall take care
to acquaint all the Indians with your goodness, and I hope when we see
you again, we shall have had a good hunt, and be able to give you furs
and skins to repay your kindness.” I told him I always loved the
Indians, that I was adopted by the Chippeways, and considered myself as
one of their tribe; that I would return as soon as possible with plenty
of goods for their families; that my heart was melted by his regard for
me, and giving him and his wife each a parting glass of the strong
water, took my leave, and pursued my journey.
We arrived at Pays Plat on the 10th of August, where I met some brother
traders, who had been in different parts of the inlands, particularly
the Northwest. Here we waited for fresh goods from our employers, and
enjoyed ourselves with the remains of our different provisions, which we
threw into a common stock, and made ourselves merry with the scanty
pittance, recounting our several adventures: but none of them had
suffered the difficulties I had experienced, except Mr. Shaw, whom I
happily relieved at Lake Manontoye; the rest of the traders having
wintered very remote from me, by the way of the Grand Portage.
Soon after our arrival, our employers sent their agents with a fresh
assortment of merchandize and provisions, which rejoiced us exceedingly,
{102} having been a considerable time without corn or grease, and absent
from Michillimakinac about fourteen months. I delivered my cargo of
furs, consisting of about one hundred and forty packs, in good
condition,[73] and loaded the canoes with the fresh goods; then taking
leave of my companions, prepared for my departure for the Inlands, to
winter another year among the Nipegon Savages. But before I begin to
relate my second adventure, I cannot forbear making some observations on
the hardships attending an Indian life, particularly as an interpreter
and trader.
My salary was about one hundred and fifty pounds per annum, which I
certainly deserved, considering the knowledge I had of the Chippeway
language.
I was sent into the Inlands with only corn and hard grease, without any
other provisions I could rely on; for as to fish and other animal food,
the former in a great measure depends on the season, the latter on the
arrival of Savages; and though in general I was successful in aquatic
pursuits, and received frequent supplies from the Indians, it was a
precarious mode of subsistence, and at Lac la Mort I suffered great
hardships.
I had sixteen men, and an Indian and his wife occasionally with me, to
feed and govern, and on the continuance of their health my existence in
a great measure depended. As it was my constant duty to be in the way,
in case of the arrival of Savages, being the only one who could talk
their language, I had few opportunities of hunting, neither could I go
far abroad to examine whether the Canadians did their duty or not: I
{103} was therefore always full of anxiety, and rejoiced when the spring
returned to set me free.
The constant attention necessary in taking care of the goods to prevent
depredations, the continual fears and apprehensions of being plundered
by a set of intoxicated beings; always liable to insults, without daring
to resent them; and when I had bartered all my merchandize, and made a
successful trip—feeling a painful solicitude till the fruits of my
labours were safely delivered to my employers. Upon the whole, perhaps
no situation can be more distressing, and it has often filled my mind
with surprise when I reflected on the engagement I entered into, which
consumed the prime of my days in a traffic, the dangers and fatigues of
which scarce any salary could compensate. I believe nothing but the
flattering idea of thinking myself superior to others as an interpreter,
prompted me to continue in a station so fatiguing to support, and so
difficult to execute; and I cannot but conclude with this
observation:—That however censurable a man may be for indulging even
this degree of pride, the liberal mind will easily pardon the
presumption, as they know he alone is the sufferer; and as self-opinion
governs the pursuits of mankind, the individual who is most influenced
by it, must stand or fall by the consequences.
SECOND EXPEDITION
{104} _Proceed to winter again among the Nipegon Indians;—Design of an
Indian to plunder us;—unfortunate Accident happens to an Indian
Chief;—narrowly escape being assassinated by an Indian Straggler;
Murder of Joseph la Forme, a Trader._