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UNIVERSITY |
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OF PITTSBURGH |
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THIS BOOK PRESENTED BY |
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Mr. Howard N. Eavenson |
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Digitized by the Internet Archive
in 2009 with funding from
University of Pittsburgh Library System
http://www.archive.org/details/accountofcountriOOdobb
To which are added.
I. A Letter from Bartholorneiu dc Fonie, Vice- Admiral of Peru and Mexico ; giving ail Account of his Voyage from Li?na in Peru, to prevent, or feize upon any Ships that fliould attempt to find a North- wefl Faflage to the South Sea.
If. All Abftraft of all the Difcoveries which Jiave been publifh'd of thelflands and Countries in and adjoining to the (ireat Wiiftern Ocean, between Ame- rica, India, and China, &c. pointing
out the Advantages that may be made, if a fhort Paffage fliould be found thro' Hiidfon's Streight to that Ocean.
III. The Hudfon's i?a; Compam-'s Charter.
IV. The Standard of Trade in thofc Parts of America ; with an Account of the Exports and Profits made an- nually by the Hudfon'i Bay Compani*.
V. Vocabularies of the Languages of fc- veral Indian Nations adjoinino' to Hud- fon'i Bay.
The whole intended to fhew the great Probability of a North-west Passage, fo long defired ; and which (if difcovered) would be of the- higheft Advantage to thefe Kingdoms.
A ceo U N T
Of the Countries adjoining to
H U D S O N's BAT^,
IN THE
North-west Part of AMERICA:
CONTAINING
A Description of their Lakes and Rivers, the Nature of the Soil and Climates, and their Methods of Commerce, ^c. Shewing the Benefit to be made by fetthng Colonies, and opening a Trade in thefe Parts ; whereby the French will be deprived in a great Meafure of their Trap pick in Furs, and the Communication between Canada and MiJfiJJippi be cut off. with An Abstract of Captain Middletonh Journal, and Observations upon his Behaviour during his Voyage,, and fince his Return.
By A R r H U R D O B B S, Efq;
LONDON: Printed for J. Robinson, at the Golden Lion in Ludgate-Street. M DCC XLIV,
1)
•••<?
T O T H E
K IN G.
S 1 1^, rir^HE Divine Providence having called
I Your Aiigufl Family to the Govern- ment of the Britijh Empire, and placed Your Majefty on the Throne, to be the Guar- dian of our Civil and Religious Liberties j not content with fecuring thefe ineftimable Bleffings to Your own, Your Majefty extends Your au- fpicious Regards to other Nations : Thofe of Europe have already experienced the happy In- fluence of Your Royal Care, and hope for the Reftoration of Peace, and Continuance of their Tranquillity, and future Profperity, from the Succefs of Your Arms, and the Wifdom of Your Counfels. While Your Majefty is aflert- ing and defending the Rights of Princes abroad, Your Britijh Dominions reap the Fruits of Your gracious and Prudent Adminiftration j extend- ing their Commerce, increafing in Wealth, and flouriftiins with Arts and Sciences. Since thefe Advantages for Your People are the perpetual Objedis of Your Care, permit me, SIR, to
implore
11
DEDICATION.
implore Your Royal Patronage of the follow- ing Sheets, which are publifhed with no other View than that of increafing the Commerce and Riches of Your Kingdoms : An Intention that muft always be agreeable to Your Majefty, which they are calculated to improve, by open- ing a new Field of Trade, where ^^aft Improve- ments may be made, and Nations yet unknown may be made happy, and contribute to raife the Power and Fame of Britain j from whence Your Sacred Name will derive additional Ho- nour, and Your Realms a conliderable Increale of Wealth and Happinefs.
That Your Majefty's Reign may be long and glorious, over a free and grateful People, is the ardent Wilh and Prayer of,
J\4ay it pleafe Tour Majefty^
Tour Majefty^ s
moft dutiful^
and moft obedient
SubjeSi and Servant^
Arthur Dobbs.
(I )
A N
ACCOUNT
O F T H E
Situation^ Climate and Trade ^ of the Coun- tries adjoining to Hudfon'^ Bay^ &c.
lUD SON'S Bay Is a great inland Sea, iituated betwixt 51 and 65 Degrees North Latitude, and from 78 to 95 Weft Longitude from London, being in Length from Nodivay and Moofe Rivers, in the Bottom of _ the Bay, to Whalebone Point, 14 Degrees j which, at 69 Englijh Miles to a Degree, is about 970 Miles ; and in Breadth from Digg's IJle, the Eaft Entrance of the Bay, to the Land Weft- ward of Churchill Ri'ver, 200 Leagues, of 20 to a Degree, 690 Miles, furrounded by a great Continent, except the Opening of Hudfon's Streight, and the North-weft Side of the Bay, which
B appears
(I )
A N
ACCOUNT
O F T H E
Situation^ Climate and Trade ^ of the Coun- tries adjoining to Hudfon\ Bay^ Sec.
\UD SON'S Bay Is a great inland Sea, fituated betwixt 51 and 65 Degrees North Latitude, and from 78 to 95 Weft Longitude from London, being in Length from Nodway and Moofe Rivers, in the Bottom of
the Bay, to Whalebone Pointy 14 Degrees j which,
at 69 Engiip Miles to a Degree, is about 970 Miles ; and in Breadth ivomDigg's Ijle, the Eaft Entrance of the Bay, to the Land Weft- ward of Churchill River, 200 Leagues, of 20 to a Degree, 690 Miles, furrounded by a great Continent, except the Opening of Hudfon's Streight, and the North-weft Side of the Bay, which
B appears
( ^)
to be all broken Land, the furrounding Coaft being above 3000 Englip Miles.
Thefe Countries, tho' moft of them are In cold Climates, yet in the coldeft Parts, even North of the Polar Circle, are inhabited by the Ejkimaux Indians ; and by the Whalebone and Oil, Skins and Furs got there at prefent, areofconfiderable Advantage tothofe who are concerned in that Trade ; and If the Trade was laid open, would be of vaftly greater Benefit to Britain^ by affording a con- fiderable Market for our coarfe "Woollen and Iron Manufactures ; and by forming proper Settlements in healthy and (helter'd Situa- tions, out of the fwampy Grounds, there might be comfortable Settlements made in moil Places, and very tolerable, even in the worfh and coldeft Parts of that Continent, which are the North- eaft and North-weft Sides of the Bay ; but in the Southern and Weftern Sides of the Bay, there might be made as comfortable Settlements as any in Sivedeii, Livonia^ or the South Side of the Baltick ; and farther into the Country South-weft, the Climate Is as good as the Southern Part oi Poland, and North Part of Germa- ny and Holland ; nothing being wanting to make it fo, but the building convenient Houfes with Stoves, fuch as are ufed In the fame Climates in Europe. ♦
The Reafon why the Manner of living there at prefent appears to be fo difmal to us in Britain, is Intirely owing to the Monopoly and Avarice of the Hiidfoji's, Bay Company, (not to give it a harftier Name) who, to deter others from trading there, or mak- ing Settlements, conceal all the Advantages to be made In that Country, and give out, that the Climate, and Country, and Paf- fage thither, are much worfe, and more dangerous, than they really are, and vaftly worfe than might be, if thofe Seas were more frequented, and proper Settlements and Improvements were made, and proper Situations chofen for that Purpofe ; this they do^ that they may ingrofs a beneficial Trade to themfelves, and there- fore oblige their Captains not to make any Charts or Journals that may difcover thofe Seas or Coafts, in order to prevent others from failing to their Fadories. They alfo prevent their Servants from giving any Account of the Climate or Countries adjacent, that might be favourable, and induce others to trade and fettle there ; nor do they encourage their Servants, or even allow them to make any Improvements without their Fadtories, unlefs it be a Turnip
Garden v
( 3 )
Garden ; confining them all the Summer Seafon, during the Time of the Indian Trade, witliin their Fadlories, left they lliould trade by Stealth with the Natives, and by a Crane let down their Goods to the Natives, and take up their Furs and Skins in Ex- change ; by which Means no Improvement can be made but their Kitchen Garden adjoining to their Factories ; nor can any com- fortable Settlements be made ; for they, not having thirty Men in any of their Faftories, dare not go at any Diftance either to im- prove or make Difcoveries, their whole Time being employed in cutting and carrying Wood for their Winter Firing, and catching Fifli, and killing Geefe, for their Winter Provilions ; in which the Natives generally affift them, by fliooting for them in the Swamps, they depending upon Britain for all other Things for their Suite- nance ; which, if Settlements were made in proper Places, might very well be raifed and procured in thofe Countries.
I therefore think myfelf obliged, from the Accounts publiflied by the French^ and from what I have had communicated to me by thofe who have refided there, or have been employed in that Trade, and particularly from what I have collected from Jofeph la France^ a French Canadefe Indian, who was born near the French Lakes, and lived and traded from thefe Lakes to Monreal and ^ebec for above thirty Years, and having furrounded the fuperior Lake, had, in a Journey of three Years, pafled from thence to Tork Fort, on Nelfon River, through all the Lakes and Rivers on the South- weft Side of the Bay, and came over in Septe?nber, 1742, from thence : I fay, I think myfelf obliged to make publick all I can depend upon of the Climate, Soil, Lakes and Rivers, contiguous to the Bay, and the Indian Nations adjoining, and alio what Im- provements this fpacious Country is capable of, and of the great Benefit which may be made of the Trade, in cafe it be laid open, and Settlements be made there : For by that Means the Fur Trade might be vaflly enlarged, and be intirely recovered from the Fre?ich, which they have now in great Meafure gained from us by the Mo- nopoly and Avarice of the Company, upon account of the exorbi- tant Prices they take for their Goods from the Natives, even to 2000 per Cent. Profit ; who, for that Reafon, fell their mofl va- luable Furs to the French, tho' the Carriage to Canada be near 200 Leagues farther than to our Fadories.
B 2 Since
( 4 )
Since the Eaflern Main of Hudfon's Bay, otherwife called Terra de Labarador, extends to the Atlantick Ocean, North of New- foundland, in which many of the Efmnaux Indians live, who feed upon raw Flefh and Fiih, preferved in the Winter by Frofl ; I fhall, in this Defcription of the Bay, take notice of the Eafl Coaft of that Country, fo far as it is known, from the Streight of Bell IJle in Newfoundlafid, in 52 Degrees, to Button'?, IJle, at the En- trance into Hudfon'z Streight, in about 61 Degrees, which extends about 620 Miles.
This Coafl, from Hudfon's Streight to 57°, is pefier'd with Ice in the Beginning of Summer, occafioned by the Quantity which comes out from the feveral Inlets there, as well as that which comes from Hudfon's, and Davis's Streights, thefe Iflands of Ice being fre- quently carried as far as the Banks of Newfoundland, before they are dilTolved ; but the reft of the Coaft to the Southward, from 57 to 52°, is free from Ice.
Aloncf that Coaft a very fine Fifhery might be carried on, there ■being as fine and large Fifh there as any upon the Coaft of New- foundland ; and at the fame time a Trade for Furs might be intro- duced with the Natives, the Furs upon the Eaft Main being as fine as any in America, and richer than thofe to the Southward. The French fi-om Canada get the moft of thefe at prefent, there being none to interfere with them in that Trade, it being too far from the Fadories in the Bay, and at prefent it is open to any who fhould 50 there to trade or fifti ; and it would prevent the Natives, by getting a Market nearer Home, from going fo far to trade with the French ; our Goods alfo could be afforded cheaper than the French Goods from Canada.
In the Latitude 56°. is a very great and bold Inlet to this Coun- try, into which Captain Dflw fail'd 10, and Captain Weymouth aftervv'ards 30 Leagues, which was 2 Leagues wide j the Sea, Inlet and Coaft, was full of the fineft Cod that Davis had ever feen; there were great Numbers of all forts of Land and Water-fowl, and the Country full of fine Woods, of Fir, Pine, Alder, Yew, Withy and Birch ; he coafted that Land to the Southward of the Inlet four or five Days, and found it improve in Woods and low Grounds, with fair Inlets, and vaft Numbers of Cod. It is fur- prizing that none of late have attempted to begin a Trade there with the Natives ; at firft they might not only make faving, but
beneficial
(s )
beneficial Voyages, by the Fiflit to be caught tnere, ana ano oy na.- Vcil Stores ; for undoubtedly the,Timber and Mafls there are Wrong- er and more durable than thofe which grow in New-England, they being of a flower Growth, as it is a colder Climate, and confe- quently the Timber would be clofer in the Grain, and tougher, as well as more durable.
It is more than probable that this, or fome other Inlet near it, may go into the Heart of that Country, which feems to be made up of Iflands near Hudfon's Streight ; for a great inland Sea has been difcovered lately within the Eaft Main from Hudjon'i Bay, betwixt Sleepers IJle and Cape Smith, in Lat. 59°. which is 2 or 300 Leagues in Circumference, and probably may have a Commu- nication with fome of thefe Inlets.
The Entrance of Hiidfoii's Streight, betwixt Button's Ijle to the Southward, in about Lat. 61°. and Cape Warwick, the South End of Refolution IJle, in Lat. 61°, 25', and Long. 64° Weflfrom hon- don, is about 1 3 Leagues wide. In the South Side is a great Bay or Inlet never yet failed into ; here the Variation is 40° Weft, the Depth 200 Fathoms in the Channel. Beyond this, about 87 Leagues from the Entrance, is Cape Hope ; further Weftward is Prince Henrfs Foreland and Cape Charles ; and at the Weft End of the Streight, and South Side is Cape Diggs, in Lat, 62°. 42'. and Long. 77°. 45'. Weft 140 Leagues from Refolution IJle, which is the whole Length of the Streight.
From Cape Charles to the Weftern Savage Ifle, in the Middle of the Streight, it is 15 Leagues in Breadth ; and at the Weft End, from Cape Diggs to Cape Charles, on the North Shore, the Streight is enlarged to 20 Leagues.
There are feveral great Bays and Inlets in the South Side, with Head-lands and Iflands, it being all a broken Coaft, crowded with Ice in the Beginning of Summer j fome of thefe probably com- municate with the inland Sea lately difcovered upon the Eaft Main.
The North Shore is alfo a broken Land, full of Inlets and Iflands } the firft were called the Ifles of God's Mercy, the next were called Savage IJles, about 60 Leagues from the Entrance. Beyond thefe is Nicholas Ifle, Cape Cook, on the Eaft Side of it, and Cape Dorfet to the Weftward ; thefe laft were fo named by Fox. Ten Leagues W. N. W. is Prince Charles'^ Foreland, the
North-
(6)
North- weft Side of the Streight. Five Leagues North-weft from this is King Charles's Pi'omontary, in Lat, 64°. 46' ; and fix Leagues Northward of that Promontary, in Lat. 65°. 13'. is C-A^t Maria. In Lat. 6 5°. 26. is Cape Dorchejier, near which are three Iflands called 'Trifi'ity IJlei. North of thefe is Cooks IJle, and North-eaft of this, in Lat. 66". 35'. is Lord JVeJion's Portland ; beyond which the Land falls off to the Eaftward toward Cumberland's Inlet.
At the Entrance of the Bay, in Lat. 63°. 30'. Long. 78°. Weft, is- Salisbury IJle ; and to the Weftward of it Nottingham IJle, North- weft of which lie M/V/ 7/7^^, in Lat. 64°. 20'. Long. 80'. 30'. Weft. All the Coaft on each Side the Streight is very high, covered with Snow, and the Coaft crowded with Iflands of Ice, until the lat- ter End of Summer, when it is moftly difcharged into the Ocean, or diffolved by the Sun. There are great Numbers of Sea-horfes, Seals and White Bears feen there ; but no other Fifli are feen, nor any Whales, except a little Way within the Entrance, as they pafs to Davis's Streight.
At the Entrance of the Bay, 14 Leagues Weft from Cape Diggs, is Manfel's IJle, which is 20 Leagues long, and about 3 Leagues broad. It is a low flat Ifland, not to be feen above three or four Miles from the Deck in clear Weather, with deep Water clofe to the Shore. The North End is in Lat. 62°. 40'. and Long. 79°. 5'. Weft.
The Coaft upon the Eaft Main, Eaft of the Bay, from Cape Diggs to the Bottom of the Bay in 51°. to Rupert's and Nodway Rivers, is very little known. There are many Iflands at fome Diftance from the Coaft, as the North Sleepers, twenty Leagues from the Coaft, in Lat. 61°. and the Wejlern Sleepers in 59°. Be- twixt thefe on the Main is Cape Smith, near which was lately found an Inlet to that great inland Sea before-mentioned. In 59°. South of the Wejlern Sleepers, are a Number of Iflands called the Baker's Dozen. There are many more namelefs Iflands fcattered along the Coaft towards the Bottom of the Bay, from thence to 53°. where the Coaft begins to be low and full of Trees. In about 52°. is Slude River, where the Company have a Houfe and feven or eight Servants. To the Northward of it is a Rock of clear Stone, which proves to be Mitfcovy Glafs. To the Southward of Slude River, in 51°. is Rupert's River, difcovered by Zachariah Gillam in 1667, where the Company eftablifhed their firft Faftory. He I found
( 7)
tound eight Feet Water at the Entrance, and anchor'd within it in 2 Fathoms and a half in frefli Water,. The River there was a Mile broad ; its Courle came from E. S. E, it flow'd in that Ri- ver eight Feet. All the Trees were Spruce except on an Ifland in the River, which was full of Poplars. From that to St. Marga- ret's River, which falls into the River St. Laurence, is about 1 50 Leagues. A little to the Southward of this is Frenchman'^ River, which Cometh from the S. E. and a little to Southward is Nodivafs River, which runneth from the S. S. E. This lafl is five Miles broad to the Falls, full of Iflands and Rocks, upon which Geefe breed. There are alfo great Numbers of Duck, Teal and Plover. To the Weft ward of this is Point Comfort, where are many Seals, and fome white Whales, as big as Grampus',
About eight Days Journey from Nodiivafs, River to the Weft- ward, in the Bottom of the Bay, is Moofe River or Monjipi, in 51°. 28'. Lat. This is a very large River, upon which the Com- pany have a Fadlory, and might have a very confiderable Trade, About twenty Leagues from this River in 52°. is Albany River, or Kichichouan, another very large River upon which the Compa- ny have a Fadiory, which runneth from the W. S. W. North- ward from this on the Weft Coaft, is a fmall River called JE^jco;;, not regarded, nor any Thing obiervable upon that Coaft ; from thence to Cape Henrietta Maria in 55°. from the Moofe River to this Cape is about 80 Leagues, and the Breadth of the Bay here about 50 Leagues ; at the Bottom of the Bay it is about 40 Leagues wide ; in that Space are many Iflands, Viner's Ifland near the Weft Shore in Lat. 52°. is 30 Leagues in Circuit ; Lord Wefton'% Ifle in Lat. 53°. 5' ; Roe'% in Lat. 52°. 10'. full of fmall Wood ; Denbigh's and Cbarleton's in Lat. 52°. 3'. on the laft Captain j^fl/w« wintered in 1632; Hafs Ifland more foutherly, on which the Company had once a Factory ; Robinfon's and JVil- low Ifland near the South Shore, and many other namelefs Iflands.
From Cape Henrietta Maria the Coaft falls away to the W. N. W. and the Bay is enlarged.
In Lat. 56°. is the River Savanne, or New Severn, called by the French St. Huiles, a fine River, tho' not deep, call'd by the Indians Kouachoue ; it is full of Woods within Land, and Pools of Water, in which Beavers abound, and many other Beafts of rich Fvirs.
Noi'th-
( 8 )
North-wefl from this River, in Lat. 57". is Nelfon River, cali'J by the French the River Bourbon. In Haf^ Ifland, upon this Ri- ver, is Tork Fort, a Faftory belonging to the Company. This is a noble, fine River, running through many Lakes, for fome hun- dred Leagues, from the South-weft ; it is of difficult Entrance, the Water without of a red, muddy, fandy Colour, and fhallow, not 7 or 8 Fathom out of Sight of Land : There are two fmall Iflands to the South-eaftward of it, at 4 Leagues Diftance, it is rtioal, and full of Breakers, where they muft conftantly ufe the Lead ; the Tide here rifes from 9 to 1 2 Feet. Forty Leagues to Northward of this is the DaniJJj or Churchill River, in Lat. 58°, 56', a noble River, and a deep, bold Entrance ; the Tide flows here from 10 to 14 Feet. Here is the Prince of Wales's Fort, upon which they have 40 Guns mounted : This is the Company's chief Facflory, and is new built of Lime and Stone ; it ftands ele- vated 40 Feet high, on the North- weft Side of the River, within two Points, one called Cape Merry, the other EJkimaux Point. On the South-eart Side of the Point is Ward's Mount j 1 5 Leagues to the Northward is the River the French call Loup Marine, or River of Seals ; in Lat. 59°. 40'. is the Place call'd Hubbari's Hope, and in 60°. 30'. Cape Fjkimaux; in Lat. 61°. is Hopes check" d ; a flatfand Coaft, with Iflands lying ofFit ; in Lat, 6i°. 40'. are three Iflands at fome Diftance from the Coaft; from thence to Lat. 62". is a broken Coaft full of Iflands, called by Fox, Briggs's Mathe-' maticks. The Company at prefent fend a Sloop to this Latitude annually from Churchill to Whale Cove, where they trade with the EJkimaux for Whale-fin and Oil, there being plenty of Whales from that Place along the Coaft to 65°. all the Coaft being a bro- ken Land, full of Iflands and Inlets. In Lat. 62°. 30' is Dun Fox's Ifland, with many Iflands betwixt it and the fuppos'd Main. In Lat.63°. is an Ifland called Marble Ifland, or Brook Cobham by Captain Middleton, tho' not the fame fo called by Fox, within 3 Leagues of the Coaft ; it is about 7 Leagues long, and 3 broad, its Length from Eaft to Weft ; on the South-fide is a fine Cove fafe fi-om all Winds, an Ifland lying crofs the Entrance, and an Opening in the Coaft Weft ward of the Ifland, from whence the Tide flowed with a great Current; the Tide fometimes rifing there 22 Feet; it is in Long. 93°. 40'. Weft from London. On this Ifland are white Bears, Deer, Swans, Ducks, and other Water-fowl.
» To
(9)
To the North-eaflward of this Ifland, in Lat. 63% 20', is a Head-land, near which were many Whales feen by Captain Mtd- dleton upon his Return ; he took it to be a Head-land upon the Main ; but Fox called this Brook Cobham^ and fays it is an Ifland of white Marble, fix or feven Miles long, upon which he hunted a Rain-deer, and got Swans and other Fowl, and faw forty Whales fleeping near it j betwixt it and the Coaft was all broken Shelves, and a great Bay betwixt the high Land to the North, and the low Ground to the Southward ; there was a Cove or Harbour on the Eaft Side, where a Ship might lie in Safety in two Fathoms at low Water. From this Ifland or Head-land is a great Bay in Land, and. then another Head-land in Lat. 64°, i o', which is alfo an Ifland, Soundings betwixt them from 3 5 to 72 Fathoms, all within is bro- ken Land and Iflands. This Head-land Scroggs called Cape Ful- lerton ; this was Pbx's Welcome^ and Button's Ne Ultra. Here is a great Bay, an Opening betwixt this and Whalebone Point, in Lat. 64", 56', in which Scroggs faw many Whales, and Captain Norton from a high Land faw an open Sea leading to the Southward of the Weft.
North-eaft of this Point, in Lat. 65°, 10', Long. 88°, 6' Weft, a fair Cape or Head-land was difcovered by Captain MiJd/eton, which he called Cape Dobbs ; to the Northward of which was an Opening, River or Streight, which at the Entrance, in Lat. 65°, 24, was fix or feven Miles wide, and from 14 to 44 Fathoms deep in the mid Channel ; it continued of that Breadth for 4 or c Miles ; 4 Leagues higher it was 4 or 5 Leagues wide j and higher up even to 30 Leagues. It was from 8 to 10 Leagues wide, and above 70 Fathom deep. The Courfe of the River was about N. Weft by Compafs, which Variation allowed of 35°, is about W. by N. At a high Bluff, on the South- weft Side, 30 Leagues up the River, they faw a large Streight or River, 4 or 5 Leagues wide, running W. S. W. with high, mountainous, broken Lands, on each Side. The Tide flowed from the Eaftward at the Mouth of the River, and in the Narrows 5 or 6 Miles in an Hour, At the Entrance, without in the Welcome, and for a confiderable Way up the River, it was choaked with Ice, driving backwards and forwards with the Tide. At 1 6 Leagues Diftancc from the En- trance was a Sound 6 or 7 Miles wide, and below it a very large, fafe Harbour, capable of containing a Fleet in Safety j the Sound
C he
( lo )
he called Deer Sound. He anchored in a Cove 8 Leagues below it, within fome Ifles which he called Savage Sound. The upper Part of the River was almoft clear of Ice, and many true Whales in it, but none below, nor without the River ; this Streight he called Wager Streight.
To the North-eaft of this is another Streight, running N. N. E. to Cape Hope, fo called by him, upon Pretence of his Expedlation of its being the North Point of America, in Lat, 66°, 40'. To the North-weft and North of this, is a great Bay, about 20 Leagues deep, and 8 or 10 wide, quite furrounded with Land, except to the Eaftward, where he gave out, upon his going to Land, that there was a Streight frozen over, leading to the South-eaft, from 4 to 7 Leagues wide, full of Iflands, through which the Tide flowed ; bat by others who were on Shore, it appears there was no fuch Streight nor Tide, but only a narrow Sound around an Ifland, upon which they flood, about 3 Leagues wide, where was no Tide but what flowed fi-om the Southward up the Streight from the Welcome, which ended in the Bay, in which they found no Tide nor Current. The North Point of this Ifland he called Cape Frigid; and to the SouthAvard of the Sound, South of the Ifland, was a low Beachy Point, but high Lands to the Eaftward of it, and fo round to the Northward, From this Beachy Point to Cape Hope^ the Streight was 7 or 8 Leagues wide j and from it, along the Eaft Side of the Welcome, as far as Lat. 64°, was a low contiguous Beachy Coaft, and fo onto Cape Southampton, in about Lat. 62°; from whence the Coaft is Eafterly to Gary's Swan's Nefi ; from thence to Cape Nafdrake N. E. in Lat. 62°. 40'. Long. 83°. 50'. Weft ; thence Northerly to Cape Fembrook, in Lat. 63°. 30'. Shark, or Sea-Horfe Point, North of this, in Lat, 64°. 10'. and Cape Comfort, in Lat. 65°. 85'. Weft ; from wl:ience the Land falls away North- weft tov/ards his imaginary frozen Streight. On tlie other Side of a Bay, E. N.E. from this Point, is Lord Wejion's Portland, already mentioned, on the North-weft of Hudfon's Streight, where the Land falls away towards Ciunberland's Inlet ; fo far Fox had failed. This is the whole Extent of the Bay and Strcights adjoining to it that are yet known or divulged. '
Having givci this fhort Defcription of the Coaft of Hudfon's Bay and Streights adjoining, as far as any thing has been publifhed, or is come to my Knowledge by private Journals or Information,
the
( ir )
the Company concealing, as much as they can, all Things relating to the Commerce and Navigation of 'the Bay, as well as of the Climate and Countries adjoining ; I fliall, before I make any gene- ral Obfervations upon the Rivers, Soil, Climates, and Produce of the feveral adjoining Countries, give fome fhort Abftradts of Jour- nals relating to the Seafons and Weather in different Parts of the Bay, and afterwards give fuch Defcriptions of thefe Countries as the French have publiflied, and what I have colleSed from fome who have been there, and particularly from jofeph la France, the French Canadefe Indian^ already mentioned.
The firft Journal that can be depended upon for Obfervations upon wintering in this Bay, is that of Captain James in Charleton IJIandy in Lat. 52°. for Hudfo?i's and Button's Journals are not to be found.
He wintered there in 1632 ; he was obliged to take Harbour in the Beginning of OSlober, the Snow and Ice began in that Month, but the Sea was not frozen clofe to the Illand until the Middle of December. The Cold was very intenfe until the Middle of jjpril^ unto thofe who had no Place to refide in, but a Tent covered with their Sails, and fuch Branches of fmall Spruce as that Ifland afforded ; and confequently in fuch a Situation they endured great Hardfhips in fo long a Winter, furrounded by a Sea all covered with Ice, for a long Time after it was dilTolved upon the Lands ad- joining to the Bay. The 29th ol April it rained all Day. The third of May the Snow was melted in many Places of the Ifland. The thirteenth the Weather was very warm in the Day-time, but there was flill Frofl in the Night. The 24th the Ice was con- fumed along the Shore, and crack'd all over the Bay, and began to float by the Ship, The 30th the Water was clear of Ice be- twixt the Shore and the Ship, and fome Vetches appeared. The 1 5th of "June the Sea was flill fj-ozen over, and the Bay fiill of Ice. The 16th was very hot, with Thunder. The 19th they faw fome open Sea, and by the 20th all the Ice was drove to the' Northward. This Ifland was a dry Sand, covered with a white - Mofs, and fmall Shrubs and Bufhes, no Trees but Spruce and Ju-- niper, the longefl a Foot and a Half over. The Sea to North- ward was full of floating Ice until the 2 2d of "July.
The next that wintered in the Bottom of the Bay was Captain Gillam^ in the Nonfuch Catch, in 1668 ; it was September before
C 2 he
(
12
he got to the Bottom of the Bay, where he was cmbay'd betwix* Rupert's, Frenchman's, and Nodivay Rivers. He got into Ruperf% River the 29th of September, and came to an Anchor in two Fa- thoms and a Half Water, the River was a Mile broad. The 9th of December they were frozen up in the River, and went upon the Ice to a fmall Ifland full of Poplars, all the other Trees were Spruce. In April \i)b(), the Cold was almoft over, and the J«^/- ans came down to them. They faw no Grain there, but many Goofeberries, Strawberries, and Dewotter Berries. The Indians about that River are fimpler than thofe of Canada. The Nodways or EJkimaux Indians, near Hudfon's Streight, are wild and barba- rous. In 1670 the Ice began m Rupert's River on the lothof OBoher, but they had warm Weather after that. The River was frozen over the 6th oi November, they then (hot white Partridges in Petre River to Northward of them, and at Frenchman's River, a great River to Southward of them. The Snow that Year was 7 or 8 Feet thick, tho' in 1673 it was but 4 Feet thick. The lirft of February they had fuch a Change of Weather, that it ra- ther thawed than froze. About the 20th of March it began to thaw, and the firft of April the Geefe returned ; the River was thawed the 20th of April.
The next is an Abftradt of a Journal kept at Albany River^ in Lat. 52°. one of the Fadlories belonging to the Company, from OSiober 1729, to the Year 173 1, giving an exad: Account of the Weather and Climate, and how they ipent their Time there.
The Froft began in OSiober 1729, about which time the Geefe, that returned from the Northward to that River in Augujl, de- parted from thence to the more fouthern Countries. The Creek near the Factory was frozen over the 13th ; by the 21ft there was a great deal of Ice floating in the River ; by the 3 1 ft it was faft as far as Charles Creek ; by the 5th of November the whole Ri- ver was frozen over, but not fo ftrong as to bear ; the Weather was temperate with fome Snow to the 27th ; all the Month of December was interchangeably three or four Days cold, and then a temperate Froft, with fome Snow ; the Month of "January much the fame, cold and temperate interchangeably ; the Month of February was variable, but moftly moderate, at Intervals warm,^ and then fharp Weather ; March, to the 8th, was warm tempe- rate Froft J from that Time to the i7tli fine clear Weather, with 1 fome
( 13 )
rotiic Snow ; thence to 29th clear Weather tolerably warm ; on, the 30th a Storm of Snow, and then it began to thaw in the mid- dle of the Day ; it continued thawing till the 5th of yipril, then two Days Frofl, it thawed again until the 1 3th, when the Geefe returned from the Southward ; then to 1 7th raw cold Weather ; 1 8th warm and Rain ; then interchangeably warm, and raw Wea-
. ther, until the 28 th ; when the Frofl was broke up in the Coun- try iDy the Freihes coming down ; the 29th the Ice gave Way to the Head of the Ifland, and next Day drove down to Baily's Ifland, when all the Marflies were overflowed, the Bay being not yet thawed ; the Ice continued driving in the River until the 5th of May^ then the River fell five Feet, by the breaking up of the Ice at Sea ; the 7th they had Thunder and Rain, the Ice ftill driving in the River ; the 8th the Indium came down in their Canoes to trade ; to 13 th they had raw cold Weather ; i6th they began to dig their Garden ; 2 2d the Tide began to flow regularly j the 23d they fowed their Turnips, the Geefe went then to the Northward to breed ; raw cold Weather until the 29th ; 30th variable Weather, with fome Hail and Snow ; from that Time to the 1 2th of July fine warm Weather, and then to the 7th of Sep- tember, warm or very hot Weather ; to the 1 8th warm and tem- perate ; then to 25th variable and temperate, with fome Rain ; then Frofl: in the Night ; fine Weather until the 29th ; OBobe?' 2d and 3d, Snow and fome Frofl: in the Night; then to the 9th moderate Weather, with fome Snow and Frofl in the Night ; to the 1 2th fine Weather ; fl:op'd Fifliing, having no Frofl: to freeze the Fifli ; to the 24th fine warm Weather with fmall Frofl: ; the 28 th Ice in the River and the Gt&it going away ; November 13 th the River full of heavy Ice ; the 18th it was frozen over, but fl:ill moderate Weather ; the Winter was not fo fevere as the for- mer, the Geefe returned the 14th of j^pril 173 1, the Freflies came down May 5th, the 12th the Ice was gone to Sea, the
- 13th the Indians came to trade in their Canoes ; they had fine warm Weather that Year from the nth of May to the middle of September. The Indians that came that Year to trade were 3 5 Canoes of Wefl:ern Indians, 3 1 of upland Indians, i o of French Indians, i oi^x-ixi^^ Indians, 22 of Sturgeon Indians, 5 of Home Indians, 9 of Jack Indians, and 5 of Moofe River Indians^ 1 1 8 in all.
The
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The Beaver Sloop left the Failory 20th of Auguji 1729, to winter in Slude River on the Eafl Main, and returned to Albany 5th of July 1730. Auguji 22d Captain Middkton arrived at the Factory in the Hudfon's Bay Frigate, was loaded by the 29th, and failed September ift for Kngland.
The 7th the two Sloops failed for Moofe River, to fix a Fadiory there, in 51°. 28'. This is a much finer and larger River than Albany, and navigable for Canoes above the Falls, a great Way to the Southward, towards the Inland Lakes.
July 2d 173 1, the Beaver Sloop returned from Slude River ; the 3 1 ft Captain Middkton returned, and failed for Moofe River the 9th of Augufiy and the 2 1 ft failed from thence for England ; the 28 th the Beaver Sloop returned to Slude River y November loth 1731, Albany River was fi'ozen over. So far goes this Journal.
If I may depend upon a fhort Sketch mentioned by Fox from Button's Journal, of his wintering in Nelfon River, in ^j°. in 161 2, it would appear that the Winter was. not fo long or fevere at Port Nelfon, as sX Albany in 52°. occafidned, I fuppofc, from the Strength arid Heighth of the Tide there, which rifes near 14 Feet, when at Albany it does not rife above 4 Feet ; for he fays, altho' the River was not above a Mile over, it was not frozen over that Year until the 1 6th of February ; and they had feveral warm thawing Days before, and the River was clear of Ice the 21ft of April : But by this Journal, Albany River was frozen over the Beginning of November, and the Ice did not break up at the Fa- ctory until the Beginning of May. I have feen no late Journal of the Weather at Tork Fort, on the Southern Branch of Nelfon Ri- ver, fo can't tell whether the Climate be fuch now, as is here re- prefented. But fince the Winter 1741 was fo fevere at Churchill River, only 2°. more northerly than Nelfon River, of which the following Journal was taken by Captain Middkton, I fliould fup- pofe this more fevere than ufual, or wrote with a View to ferve the Company, by fetting it forth in its worft Colours, or the Cli- mate at York Fort is more fevere than is here mentioned from But- ton's Journal.
Captain Middkton arrived at Churchill River the i oth of Auguji
1741, the Weather was moderate and fair, with Calms until the
24th J the Home Indians having been gone into the Country,
I they
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they feht to Tor ^ Fort for hidians to kill Geefe for their Winter Store, before they went to the Southward ; they funk a Pit fix Feet deep in the new Fort to put tkeir Beer in, to preferve it from the Winter's Froft, which they covered eight Feet high a- bove Ground with Earth and Horfe Dung j the 26th w^as flormy with Rain.
The firft Snow they had was on the ift of September, the Geefe then going to the Southward ; cold blowing Weather with Snow Showers until the 8th, the Ground flill marfliy and Boggy ; the fame Weather until the 13th j moderate Weather, v/ith fome Rain and Thunder until the 2 2d ; 23d freezing, with fmall Snow ; 27th the Thermometer as low as in London in the great Froft, they killed 1 00 white Partridges before the cold Weather came on ; they then went to the Woods ; 30th the River full of floating Ice driving out with the Ebb ; OSlober ift the Ice faft along the Shore for two Miles 5 7th the River almofl full of floating Ice j but not much Snow on the Ground ; 1 2th moil of the Ice that lined the Shore for two Miles above them, drove to Sea, and was out of Sight next Day ; the Ice farther up fafl froze ■, they crofs'd the River upon the Ice eight Miles above the Fort the 9th ; 1 6th the Ice not yet fafl at the Mouth of the River, tho' the Sea was full of Ice when the Wind blew upon the Shore j 17th all the Ice without drove out of Sight; 18th cold Weathef now with all Winds ; 2ifl Water and Ink freeze by the Bedfide ; 22 d the Ri- Ver flill open in feveral Places. The Company's Servants take white Foxes, which are plenty here ; fi-om 1 8th to 27th moderate calm Weather, but hard Frofl, the Snow in many Places 1 o or 1 2 Feet deep ; no flirring without Snow? Shoes, 5 Feet long, and 18 Inches broad ; high Winds and much Snow till the 36th ; 3 1 ft cold with thicli Fog ; fome of -the Company's Men came home from Wooding and Hunting, having their Necks- and Faces ifi-ozen. Novernber 2d the Ice drives in and out each Tide, but no Water to be feen at Sea, nor above a Mile up the River ; the 9th a Bottle of Spirits full Proof, fet out at Night was ftozen ; they flill get white Foxes and Partridges near the Fort, tho' not fo plen- ty as in former Years; nth hard Gales and flormy, no going* out without being froze; 12 th the River now fafi froze at the Entrance ; 1 5th fet up Beacons crofs the River to guide them, the Ice 4 or 5 Feet thick ; not yet faft above a Mile from Shore ;
the
( i6 )
the Weather fometlmes moderate, fometimes fevere, until the loth oi December ', they got to that Time 1500 Partridges j 14th fo cold an Indian feventy Years old was ftarved to Death under the Walls of the Fort in his Tent; 22d moft of the Fadory's Men, who had been Hunting and Fifhing, returned for a Fortnight to keep Chrijlmas ; 30th moderate warm Weather, fix Home I?idi^ am came from the Northward wkh Buffalo's Flefh and Goods for Trade ; they were five Months from the Faftory, and twenty Days in their Journey home ; they fay their Country is barren and without Wood ; very cold from the i fl to 9th of January ; clofe hazy Weather, very cold from that Time to 1 8th ; the Captain walked five Miles to the old Fadlory and returned in the Evening; cold Frofl to 24th ; got to that Time 300 more Partridges ; 29th feveral of the Factory's Men came from the Woods for a Fort- night's Provifions j mofl of them lie in the Woods all the Winter,, (hooting, fifhing, and cutting fire Wood ; got fifteen Jacks from, one of them, who fifhed all the Winter in Holes in the Ice ; 31ft returned again to the Woods ; moderate Weather, clear and cold until 8th of February ; it freezes flill hard in the Night ; the Wea- ther very cold, but generally clear until the 1 5th ; got to that Time 229 more Partridges ; none who lie out in the Woods and exercife, are troubled with any Diflempcr ; moderate, fair, temperate Weather, with Frofl, until the 2d of Af(7rc/6; very cold from that Time to the 1 2th. Several Indians came down almoft ftarved for want of Food, and feveral Wolves. Thirteenth very cold, got 50 Partridges, and 22 Fifh from his Servant, who had fifhed all the Winter 25 Miles up the River ; 14th and 15th, very cold, hard Gales, and drifting Snow ; i6th and 17th, moderate and clear ; to 2 ift frefh Gales with Froft, but fair ; 2 2d moderate, began to repair the Ships ; to 27th moderately warm, with fbme Snow in the Nights, the Weather now grown milder ; 28 and 29th a great Snow for 30 Hours, the Fort full within and without, as high as the Ramparts ; 30th the Storm abated, but very cold ; the Ice 3 or 4 Inches thick under the Deck. Cold until the 2d of April, then calm and warm, with a clear Sky, the Sun now begins to thaw fomc Places. Fourth drift Snow, but not fo cold as ufual ; 5th to 7th cold freezing Weather. The Water rofe 9 or i o Feet, the Ice at the Ship 10 Feet thick, and Snow 13 Feet above it j 9th and loth moderate warm Weather to what they had, fome
HaU,
( 17 ) •
Hail, and large Flakes of Snow, a Sign the Winter is fpent, all the Snow for 6 Months being as fine as Duft ; nth moderate and hazy, got 300 Partridges; 12th to i8th Froft, with fome Snow and Sleet ; Ink freezes by the Fire ; 1 9th light Airs, and warm iii the Day, but cold in the Night; 20th warm, clear Weather, with frefh Gales, the Ice without the Harbour, not faft, is drove to Sea ; but when it drives to the Shore, no End to be feen of it ; 2 ift and 2 2d moderate, pleafant, warm Weather, had a Shower of Rain, none before for 7 Months ; 23d frefli Gales, with Froft, and fome Snow ; the Tide rofe 10 Feet 3 Inches ; Froft and fome Snow until the 28th, then moderate and fair, with fome Snow Showers; faw a Goofe that Day, which was killed 4 Miles from the Ship ; Froft, Sleet and Rain, to the ifl oi May ; 2d Thunder, Rain and Hail ; 3d and 4th cold and Froft ; 5th Fog and Rain ; 6th to loth Froft and Snow, then moderate, fair Weather; 12th and 13 th Hail, with Frofl ; 14th to i8th moderate and cloudy, with fome Rain, fre{h Gales, with fome Snow, Hail and Rain, until the 23d; cloudy and hazy, with fome Rain, until the 26th ; the River opens a little above, but is faft below ; 31ft moderate and clear. June the ift the Ice gave way in the Channel, and drove to Sea, but ftill faft on the Flats, near a Mile from the Shore ; 2d mode- rate, fair Weather, Ice driving in and out with the Tide ; 3d Thunder and large Hail, very warm after the Shower ; 4th mo- derate and cloudy, with Thunder and Rain ; fhot a white Whale, and got a Barrel of Oil from it ; 5th cloudy, moft of the Ice broke off from the Flats, and drove to Sea ; 6th and 7th fair and cloudy ; 8th fqually, with Showers of Rain ; the Flats almoft clear, Ice flill driving in the River; oth and loth moderate, fair Weather, got the Ship out of her Dock, and moored her ; 1 1 th fair Wea- ther, with thick Fog ; feveral Northern Indians came to trade ; 13th got the Ship into the Stream, all the Ice gone out of the Ri- ver ; 14th and 15th moderate, hazy Weather; i6th fqually. Thunder and Rain ; fent a Sloop to the Goofe Tent, 7 Leagues from the River, for Gtt(t; 17th Cloudy, 30 Canoes of upland Indians came down to trade ; 1 8th to 20th cloudy ; the Sloop re- turned with 16 Cafks of falted Geefe ; employed in watering and digging up their Beer, which was in one Cake of Ice ; from that time to the 28th warm and fair, got every thing ready for failing.
D Since
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Since the Hudfon's Bay Company conceal as much as poffihle the Nature of the Soil and Climates of the feveral Countries within their Grant, as vvell as the Benefit to be made by their Trade, up- on fuch noble Rivers and Lakes as communicate with the Bay, .from the Merchants in Britain, left they fliould interfere with them in their Trade ; in order to give a better Idea of thefe Coun- tries, before I make any Obfervations upon thefe Journals, I fhall give a brief Defcription of thefe Rivers and Lakes on the Weft Side of the Bay from the French Accounts of Monlieur "Jereniie and de la Poterit\ and then give the Account I got from Jojfeph la Fra?jce, who travelled through all thefe Coun- tries within thefe t;, or 4 Years, and from their Accounts, and thefe Journals, make tlie beft Obfervations I can upon the Soil, Climates, and extenfive Trade of thefe great inland Countries and Lakes from Canada to the Weftern Ocean oi America, and what great Improvements may be made by laying open that Trade, and fettling in proper Places, on the Rivers which enter into the Bay.
The French were in Pofleflion of Fort Bourbon, which we call •now Tork Forty upon St. Therefa, the Eaftern Branch of Nelfcn River, from the Year 1697 to 17 14. Monfieur Jeremie, who was Lieutenant there from 1697 ^^ ^yo^j and afterwards Governor, until he gave it up in 171 4 to us, gives a very particular Account of that River and the adjoining Countries, great Part of which he affirms to be of his own Knowledge, having travelled a great Way South-weft into the Country among the Rivers and Lakes.
The Danijlo or Churchill River, upon which the Company have lately built a ftrong Stone Fort, he fays, is fituated in 59°. North Latitude, and is about 500 Paces wide at the Entrance, for about ii Quarter of a League, and is very deep ; but within it is much broader, and is navigable into the Country 1 50 Leagues ; there is but httle "Wood upon this River, near the Bay, except in the Iflands, At i 50 Leagues Diftance is a Chain of high Mountains, with great Cataradls and Falls of Water ; but beyond thefe it is again navigable, and has a Communication with a River called the River of Stags.
Fifteen Leagues Northward of this River, is the River of Loup
Marine, or River of Seals ; betwixt thefe Rivers is a kind of
Ox, called the Mujk Ox, which fmells at fome Time in the Year
J fa
( 19 )
lb ftrong of Muflc, that it cannot be eat. Tliey have very fine Wool, which is longer than that of the Barbary Sheep ; they are fmailer than FrOTc/) Oxen, with very 'crooked Horns, which turn round like Rams Horns, and are fo large, that they weigh fome- times 60 Pounds ; they have fhort Legs, and their Wool trails up- on the Ground ; they are not numerous.
This River comes from a Country he calls Platfcotez de Chtens, who make War againfl the Savanna Ijidians, who traded with the' French. In that Country they have a large Copper Mine, fo fine» that without fmelting it, they make Copper of it by beating it be- twixt two Stones. He faw a great deal of it, which their Indians got when they went to War againfl that Nation.
This Nation has a fweet, humane Afpedl, but their Country is not good. They have no Beaver, but live by Filhing, and a kind of Deer they call Cariboux, (Rain-Deer.) The Hares grow white in Winter, and recover their Colour in Spring ; they have very large Ears, and are always black. Their Skins in Winter are very pretty, of fine long Hair, which does not fall, fo that they make very fine Muffs.
He fays he can fay nothing pofitive in going farther Northward, but only that their Savages reported, that in the Bottom of the Northern Bay, there is a Streight where they can eafily difcover Land on the other Side ; they had never gone to the End of that Streight ; they fay there is Ice there all the Year, which is drove by the Wind fometimes one Way, fometimes another. According to all Appearance, this Arm of the Sea has a Communication with the Weflern Ocean, and what makes it more probable, is, that when the Wind comes from the Northern Quarter, the Sea is dif- charged by that Streight in fuch Abundance into Hudfo?i's Bay, fo as to raife the Water 10 Feet above the ordinary Tides ; infomuch as when they find the Waters rife, Ships take Shelter againfl thefe Northerly Winds.
The Savages fay, that after travelling fome Months to the W. S. W. they came to the Sea, upon which they faw great Vefiels with Men who had Beards and Caps, who gather Gold on the Shore, that is at the Mouths of Rivers.
In pafiing to the Southward from the DaniJJ} River, at 60 Leagues Diflance, is the River of Bourbon, or Nelfon, in Lat. ^y'\ there is nothing remarkable in the Country betwixt thefe two Ri-
D 2 ver5.
(20 )
vers, but a great Number of the Deer called Cariboux, which be- ing drove from the Woods by a great Number of Mufketoes or Midges, come to the Shore to refrefh themfelves; they are in Hoards of loooo together, and fpread through a Country 40 or 50 Leagues in Extent ; they might have as many of their Skins as they pleafed, and fome have been drefled, which have been very fine.
They have there alfo all Sorts of Wild-fowl, as Swans, Buftards, Geefe, Cranes, Ducks, and thofe of the fmaller Kind, in fuch great Numbers, that when they rife they darken the Sky, and make fo much Noife, that they can fcarce hear each other fpeak. He fays that may appear fabulous, but affirms he fays nothing but what he faw himfelf ; for he would not truffc to the Report of others, but went himfelf to almoft every Place he mentions.
The River St. There/a, upon which they built Fort Bourbon, is a Branch of Nelfon River, by which the Natives come down to trade. This River is of fo great Extent, that it pafTes thro' many great Lakes ; the firft is 150 Leagues from the Entrance of the River, and is 100 Leagues in Circuit: The Natives call it the Lake of Forts (or rather Forejis). On the North Side a River dif- charges itfelf, called the Rapid River ; this takes its Rife from a Lake 300 Leagues from the firft, which they call Michitiipi, or the great Water, becaufe in EfFedl it is the greateft and deepefl Lake, being 600 Leagues in Circumference, and receives into it many Rivers,fome of which have a Communication with the DaniJJj River, and others with the Plafcotez de Chiens. About this Lake, and along thefe Rivers, are great Numbers of Indians, who call themfelves the Nation of the great Water, or of AJjinibouels ; it is to be remarked that thefe are as humane and affable, as the Fjki- maux are fierce and barbarous, as are alfo all the other Nations a- long Hudfon's Bay. At the Extremity of the Lake of Forefls, the River Bourbon continues its Courfe, and comes firom another Lake, called, the JunBion of the two Seas, becaufe the Land al- moft meets in the middle of the Lake. The Eaft Side of this Lake is a Country full of thick Forefls, in which are great Num- bers of Beaver and Elks. Here begins the Country of the Chri- Jiinaux. This is in a much more temperate Climate j the Weft Side is fiiU of fine Meadows, filled with wild Oxen ; the AJjini- bouels live here. The Lake is 400 Leagues in Circumference, and
I 2QQ
( il )
200 from the other Lake. A hundred Leagues further W. S. W. along this River, is another Lake they call Ounipigouchih, or the Little Sea. It is almoft the fame Country and Climate with the other, inhabited by the fame Indians, the Afjiniboueh^ the Chri- Jlinaux, and Saiiteurs, it is 300 Leagues in Circumference ; at the further End is a River which comes from Tacamioicen, which is not fo great as the other ; it is into this Lake that the River of Stags is difcharged, which is of fuch a Length that the Natives have not yet difcovered its Source.
From this River they can go to another which runs Weflward, but all the reft run either into the Bay, or River of Canada. He en- deavoured to fend the Natives to difcover if it went to the Weftern Sea ; but their Enemies lying in their Way prevented them ; how- ever they brought fome of them Prifoners, who faid they alfo were at War with another Nation farther Weft ; thefe faid they had Neighbours with Beards, who liv'd in Stone Houfes and Forts ; that they were not cloathed like them ; that they had white Kettles, and fliewing them a Silver Cup, they faid it was of that Mettal ; they faid they tilled their Land with Tools of that Mettal J according to their Defcription, it was Maize they culti- vated.
The Intendant of Canada wanted to difcover thefe Countries from thence ; but it is much eaiier from Fort Bourbon, as it is fhorter, and through a fine Country, full of Beaftsand wild Fowl, befides Fruit which grow wild, as Plumbs, Apples and Grapes^ and a great Variety of fmaller Fruit.
On the South- weft Side of this Lake Tacamiouen, is a River which comes from another, CAWtdi the Lake of Dogs, which is not far from the fuperior Lake.
The River St. TJoerefa is but half a League wide where the Fort is built. Two Leagues higher is Fort Philipeattx, built for a Retreat ; there the River begins to be interfperfed with Iflands. Twenty Leagues above the Fort the River divides into two Branches, one which comes from the North-v/eft Side, communicates with Nelfon or Bourbon River, by which the Natives come down to trade, by the Means of a Land Carriage from the Lake of For efts to this River. Twenty Leagues above the firft Fork there is another, that comes from the South-eaft, which the Natives call Guichema- tQuarig^ or the great Fork. This has a Commui:jication v/ith the
River
( al )
River Sf. Huiles -, the Weftern Branch, tho' ftill called St. Therefa^ is but of fmall Extent, coming from its Source by feveral fmall Brooks, in each of which are great Numbers of Lynx, Beavers, Martins, and others of fmaller Furs, Betwixt the two Forts is a fmall River called Egaree, from whence they get their Wood for firing, it being fcarce at the Fort. Near the Mouth of the River is another fmall one they call GargouJJe ; there comes in at high Water a great Number of Porpoifes ; the River being narrow here. There might be a good Fifhing, where they might make above 600 Barrels of Oil annually.
From this River to St. Huiles, or New Severn, is 1 00 Leagues S. E. It is fituated in Lat. 56". The Entrance is but fliallow, on- ly capable of Veflels of 60 Tons. Here might be made good Houfes, for Wood is very plenty here, and there are great Num- bers of Beavers higher up the River.
As to the Climate at Fort Bourbon, it being in Lat. t^j''. it is ve- ry cold in Winter, which begins about Michaelmas, and ends in May. The Sun fets about 3, and rifes about 9 in the Winter. When the Days grow a little longer, and the Cold is more tempe- rate, the Sportfmen kill as many Partridges and Hares as they pleafe. One Year, when they had eighty Men in Garifon, they had the Curiofity to reckon the Number, which amounted to 90,000 Partridges, and 25,000 Hares.
At the End of April, the Geefe, Buftards, and Ducks, return in fuch Numbers, that they kill as many as they pleafe ; they alfo take great Numbers of Cariboux or Rain-Deer. In March and April they come from the North to the South, and extend then along the River 60 Leagues j they go again Northward in ^iily and Auguft ; the Roads they make in the Snow are as well padded, and crofs each other as often as the Streets in Faris ; the Natives make Hedges with Branches of Trees, and leave Openings in which they fix Snares, and thus take Numbers of them. When they fwim the Rivers in returning Northwards, the Natives kill them in Canoes with Lances, as many as they pleafe. In Summer they have the Pleafure of Fifliing, and with Nets take Pike, Trout and Carp, and a white Fifh fomething like a Herring, by much the beft Fifli in the World ; they preferve thofe for their Winter Provifion, by putting them in Snow, or freezing them, as alfo the Flelh they would preferve : They keep thus alfo Geefe, Ducks,
and
( ^3 )
and Buftards, which they roaft with the Hares and Partridges they kill in Winter ; Co that tho' it be a cold Climate, there is good Living there, by getting Bread and Wine from Europe. Tho' the Summer be (hort, they had a Garden and good Coleworts, with Sallads and fmall Herbs, which they had in their Soups in Winter. He had 120,000 Livres Profit out of 8000 fent him in Goods in one Seafon ; they have alfo Bears, Elks, and all Sorts of Beafts whofe Skins and Furs are valued in France ; and according to him it is one of the mod profitable Pofts in North America, confidering the Expence. This is an Extrad; of fo much as is material out of Monfieur Jeretnie's Letter, defcribing the Climate and Countries adjoining to Fort Bourbon. To this I will give an Abftrad: of what de la Poterie ■ mentions in relation to that River, and the Nations and Countries adjoining to it.
He fays the Ouinebigonbelinis inhabit on the Sea-coaft. The Poaourmagou, or River Bourbon is a League wide, inhabited by the Mifkogonhirinis, or Savatina Indians, who make War with the Hakouchirmiou. Five Leagues within it, are two Iflands of a League in Circuit each, where there are large Trees ; this River is but five Leagues from St. Therefa by Land, and feven by Water ; here is a flat Coaft for 100 Leagues j a League without the Mouth of the River is a Pool betwixt two Banks, in which is 1 8 Foot at low Water, and five Fathoms at high Water, 200 Fathom over, and 600 in Length, where Ships may ly at Anchor. A League within the River on the Star board Side is Fort Nelfon. This Ri- ver takes its Source from a great Lake called Michinipi, where is the true Nation of the Cris, or Chrijiinaux ; from whence there is a Communication with the AJjinibouels, tho' far from each other ; the River Mathifipi, called Leogane, empties itfelf on the Larboard Side near its Mouth ; and about a League higher over againft the Fort is Matchifipi, called Gargouffe ; by thefe two Rivers the Sa- vages come to the Fort of Neiv Savanne, by the great Pv.iver they call Kouachoue. Twelve Leagues above the Fort is the River Oii- juragntchouftbi , and two Leagues higher is the River Apithfibi, called the River Pierre, or Fleches, which is the Way by which the Sa- vages come to a great Lake called Namoufaki^ or the River of Sturgeons, where the Nakonkirhirinous refide.
Twenty
( M )
Twenty Leagues above Apithfibi is Kechematoiiamis, called the Great Fork, by which they go to Kichichouane or Albany River ^ in the Bottom of the Bay.
The Country about Fort Nelfon is very low, it is filled with Woods of fmall Trees, and is very marlhy. The Natives live by Hunting and Fifliing •, Seals abound there, which are larger than thofe of Canada ; they fell the Oil extraded from them at the Fort, which is better and clearer than Nut Oil. They have Bu- llards and wild Gtdis. in great Numbers, and fell the Feathers at the Fort. The white Partridges are as large as Capons. They have white Foxes and Martin Zebelins fairer than thofe in Mufcovy.
The Monfonis or Nation of the Marfhes live higher up, than the Oumebegonbelinis, in a Country full of Marfhes. As they have a great many fmall Rivers and Brooks, which fall into great Ri- vers, thefe People kill a great many Beavers ; they find fome ve- ry black, a Quality rare enough ; for they are commonly of a red- difli Colour, Thefe would have prevented the Nations at a greater Diftance from trading with the Englip ; but they obliged them to give them a Paflage if they would enjoy any Commerce them- fclves.
The Savanna Indians are more to the Southward j they have Savannas, Meadows, and fine Hills in their Country. There the Elks, Roe-Bucks, Rain-Deer, and Squinaton, have Place to range in. The Squinaton refembles a Roe-Buck ; it is higher, has finer Legs, and the Head longer and fharper.
The Cris, or Chriftinaux, that is Savages who dwell upon the Lakes, are i6o Leagues higher ; they ufe the Calumet of Peace ; they are a numerous Nation, and extend over a vaft Country, as far as the upper Lake, and trade fometimes at Mijfilimakijiac. They are lively, always in Adlion, dancing and finging j they are at the fame time Warriors, and very like to the Manners of the Gafcoyns.
The Migichihilinious, that is Eagle efd Indians, are at 200 Leagues Diflance ; the AJfiniboueU inhabit the Wefl and the North ; they are reputed to be the fame Nation, becaufe of the great Afii- nity of their Language'. The Name fignifies Men of the Rock. They ufe the Calumet, and live at 250 Leagues Diflance. They paint their Bodies, are grave, and have much Phlegm, like the Flemings.
The
( ^5 )
The Ofjuifakamals live upon Fi£li ; they kill but few Beavers, but their Coat Beaver is the befl from their greafy Way of living, and cleaning their Hands upon them.
The Michi?iipicpoets, or Men of Stone of the great Lake, are at 300 Leagues Diftance ; they live North and South.
The Netouatjimipoets, or Men of the Point, are diftant 400 Leagues.
The Attimofpiquay which fignifies the Coafl of Dogs ; they have yet had no Commerce with the French, becaufe they dare not pafs the h^rnis o^ the Mafiigo7iehiri?iis, with whom they have War ; here is the Mufk Ox, whofe Hair is as fine as the Beavers, which is fit for Hats ; their Horns turn round like Rams Horns ; they learn from thefe People, that there is a Strait, at the End of which is an Icy Sea, which has a Communication with the South Seas.
Thefe Nations, who come from a great Diftance, aflemble in May 2iX. a great Lake, fometimes 12 or 1500 together, to begin their Voyage. The Chiefs reprefent their Wants, and engage the young Men to prepare and get Beavers, and each Family makes a Feaft, and fix upon a certain Number to go together, and they re- new Alliances with each other ; then Joy, Pleafure, and good Cheer reigns, in which Time they make their Canoes, which are of Birch Bark ; the Trees are much larger than thofe in France ; they make the Floor-timbers of little Pieces of w^hite Wood, four Inches thick ; they bind them at the Top to Pieces an Inch thick, which keeps the Bark open above, and few up the two Ends ; thefe are fo fwift as to go 30 Leagues in a Day with the Stream ; they carry them eafily on their Backs, and are very light in the Wa- ter ; they have no Seats, and they muft paddle either fitting in the Bottom, or upon their Knees ; when they are ready for their Voy- age they choofe feveral Chiefs ; the Number that trade annually are not certain, according as they happen to have War or not, which affedls their Hunting ; but there comes down generally to Port Nelfo?i 1000 Men, fome Women, and about 600 Canoes.
There are eight Kinds of Beavers received at the Farmer's Office.
The firil is the fat Winter Beaver, kill'd in Winter, which is worth ^ s. 6 d. per Pound.
E The
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The fecond Is the fat Summer Beaver killed in Summer, and is worth 2 s. g d.
The third the dry Winter Beaver, and fourth the Bordeau, is much the fame, and are worth 3 j. 6 ^,
The fifth the dry Summer Beaver is worth very Uttle, about i s. 9 d. per Pound.
The fixth is the Coat Beaver, which is worn till it ishalf greafed, and is worth 4 j. 6 ^. per Pound.
The 7th the Miifcovite dry Beaver, of a fine Skin, covered over with a filky Hair ; they wear it in Riijjia, and comb away all the fiiort Down, which they make into Stuffs and other Works, leav- ing nothing but the filky Hair ; this is worth ^s. 6 d. per Found.
The eight is the Mittain Beaver, cut out for that Purpofe to make Mittains, to preferve them from the Cold, and are greafed by being ufed, and are worth 1 s. g d. per Pound.
Before I mention the Account given by Jofeph la France, the French Canadefe Indian, whofe Father, he fays, was a Frenchman, and his Mother an Indian of the Nation of the Santeiirs, who re- fide at the Fall of St. Mary, between the Upper Lake and Lake of Hurons ; I fliall mention the State of the Fnglip and French Trade at prefent upon thefe Canada Lakes.
Mr. Burnet, when he was appointed Governor of New-Tork in 1727, finding that the French in Canada were in Pofi"effion of all the Indian Fur Trade, through all the Countries adjoining to the Canadefe Lakes, except what Trade the EngliJJj carried on with the fix Iroquefe Nations, (the Tujkeruro Nation now united to the others, making the 6th Tribe) and knowing that the chief Sup- port of the Colony at Canada was the Benefit they made by their Indian Fur Trade, thought it of great Moment to gain that Trade to our Colony of Neiso-York from the French ; upon enquiring in- to the Nature of that Trade, and Manner of carrying it on, he found, that the French at ^lebec and Montreal, were chiefly fup- plied with European Goods from the Merchants at New-Tork, where they had them upon much eafier Terms than they could have them from France ; by which he found we could trade up- on much better Terms diredlly v/ith the Indians, than with the French, and would by that Means make all the Indians our Friends ; and confequently by our giving them our Goods cheaper at the firft Hand, we might gain moll; of that Trade from the Frejtchy and
by
( ^7 )
by that Means weaken their Colony at Canada, whofe chief Sup- port is from that Trade ; accordingly. He prohibited the Trade from New-Iork to Canada, by an Ad: he got pafs'd in the Aflem- bly there ; and being oppos'd in it by the Merchants trading to ^ebec, who appeal 'dagainft it to the Council in England, at laft got the Adl confirmed by the Council ; by this Means a Trade was open'd direilly with the Weftcrn lndia?is through the Ircquefe Country, and an Intercourfe and Familiarity of Confequence, be- twixt all thefe Nations and our Colonies ; the Aflembly was at the Expence to build and fortify a trading Houfe at Ofwega, on the Cadarakui or Frontenac Lake, in the Neighbourhood of the Iroquefe, near the Ono7itagues, and have from that Time maintain 'd a Garifon there ; by this Means they have gained a confiderable Part of the Trade which the French formerly had with the We- ftern Indians, and all the Allies of the Iroquefe now trade with us, as well as thofe on the Ilknefe Lake, MijJUimakinae, and ^aut St. Mary. Before that Time a very inconfiderable Number were em- ployed in that Trade ; now above 300 are employed at the Trading Houfe at Ofwega alone, and the Indian Trade fince that Time has fo much increafed, that feveral Indian Nations come now each Year to trade there, whofe Names before were not fo much as known to the Fnglijh.
The feveral Indian Nations who are now in Alliance with the fix Nations, and trade with us according to the Information given to Conrad Weafer Efq; in open Council at Turpehawkie, at their Return from the Indian Treaty at Philadelphia in yuly 1742, are,
1 . A Nation of Indians living on the Weft Side of the Lake Er- rie, and along the Straits to Huron Lake, and the South Side of Huron Lake ; they are called by the Iroquefe Vnighkillyia-kow, con- fifting of about 30 Towns, each of about 200 fighting Men.
2. The fecond live among the former called confifting
of four Towns of their own People, and 400 able Men all.
3 . The third called by them Ifiifageck Roanu, live on the Eaft Side of the Huron Lake ; feveral of the Council have been there, and they all agree they have three large Towns of 600, 800, and 1000 able Men.
4. The fourth, called Twightivis Roanu, live at the Head of Huakiky River, near the little Lakes.
E 2 " 5. The
( i8 )
5. The fifth, OjkiaUkis, living on a Branch o? Ohio, that Heads near the Lake Errie, four large Towns of about 1000 Warriors,
6. The lixth, OyachtowniikRoanu, near Black River, conlirts of four Towns, and 1 000 Warriors.
7. The feventh, Kighetawkigh Roanu, upon the great River MtJjiJJippi, above the Mouth of Ohio, three Towns, the Number of People uncertain.
8. The eighth, Kirhawgimgh Roanu, feveral Savage Nations as their Niime lignifies (the People of the Wildernefsl they live on the North-iide of the Huron Lake ; they neither plant Corn, nor any Thing ehe, but live altogether upon Flefli, Roots and Herbs ; an infinite Number of People of late become Allies to the Iro- quefe.
The above Account was communicated by a Gentleman of good Underftanding and Probity, and very well flcill'd in the Indian Tongue and Manners , being himfelf adopted into one of their Tribes, and is their conftant Interpreter at the Philadelphia Trea- ties, and the Account may be depended upon.
The Iroquefe are now civilizing, and many of them become Chriftians and Proteflants, by the Care of Mr. Barclay now among them ; who among the Moivhawks has m great Meafure fupprefTed their darling Vice Drunkennefs, and has perfuaded them to marry, and not to divorce their Wives ; they are not now fo cruel to their Enemies as formerly, and have in great Meafure left off their Wars with their Neighbours, having entered into Alliances with them, and by that Means have brought their Fur Trade to Ofwega in their own Country, and thus the mcfl: material Points are gained towards civilizing and converting them to Chrillianity. This Account is of lail: Summer 1742.
Ofwega is fituated upon the Lake Fronlenac, about 20 Leagues below the Fall of Niagara ; the Indian Traders have two Ways of coming there, either by a fliort Land Carriage betwixt two Ri- vers, v/hich fall into Huron and Frontenac Lake, and io crofs that Lake to Ofwega, or by the Streight of St. fofeph, betwixt Hiiro?! and Errie Lakes, and fo to the Fall of Niagara, where they have one Land Carriage, and then go by Water to Ofwega. This is a much eafier Voyage and Pafilige than to Monreal, and fo to ^e- bec, there being above 3 6 Fails upon the River Oiitaouas, by which they pafs from Huron Lake to Monreal; and if they fhould go by
the
( 2.9 )
the Lake Frontenac down the River St. Laurence to Monreal^ which is 80 Leagues ; above 60 Leagues, of it is all Sharps and Wa- terfalls, which makes it both dangerous and tedious in returning from Mojireal, and the E7iglijh alfo afford their Goods better and cheaper than the French.
Jofepb la France is now about 36 Years old. Fie was born at Miffilitnakinac, and was 5 Years old when his Mother died. His Father then took him with him to ^ebec to learn Fretich, where he flaid the Winter, about 6 Months. He fays, as well as he can remember, ^lebec was about a League long, and Half a League broad, and had 4 or 5000 Men in Garrifon, it being about the Time of the Peace of Utrecht. He returned from thence with his Father, and lived with him until his Death, which happened when he was 14 Years old. After his Death, when he was about 16, he went down to Monreal, to fell what Furs and Peltry his Father had left him, and then returned to Mijfilimakinac, where he traded and hunted in the neighbouring Countries until he was 27 Years old ; in which Time he went one Year to MiJjiJJippi. He went by the lUiiieJe Lake, which he calls Michigon. At the Bottom of the Lake there was a French Fort, in which there were 1 5 French in Garrifon, about 1 1 Years ago. The River upon which it is built, he calls St. Jofeph, it is very rapid. He paffed by Otdfconf.c to the MiJiJJippi , and went down it as far as the River Miff'oiiriSy and re- turned by the fame Rout. In his Return he paffed by the Bay of UOur qui Dort, fo called from a Heap of Sand upon a Point, which refembles a Bear fleeping. When he was 28 Years old, he went v/ith a Parcel of Furs, with 8 Troquefe, in 2 Canoes, crofs the Lake of Hiirons, by the Bay of Sakinac, to the Str eights of Errie, which they paffed in the Night for fear of being flopped by the French, who have a Village or little Fort there, in which he believes there may be 100 Houfes. He from thence paffed thro' Lake Errie to the Fall of Niagara, and the Iroquefe carried his Canoes and Furs down by the Fall to Lake Frontenac, for which he gave them 100 Beavers, and thence went to Ofwega, but was not within the Fort or Town, the Iroquefe felling his Furs for him, and then returned by the fame Way to MiJJilimakinac. He fays the ^rench have a Fort on the North Side of the Fall of Niagara, be- twixt the Lakes Errie and Frontenac, about 3 Leagues within the Woods from the Fall, in which they keep 30 Soldiers, and have
about
( 3° )
about as many more with them as Servants and Affiftants ; thefe have a fmall f rade with the Indiam for Meat, Ammunition and Arms.
About 6 Years ago he went again to Monreal with two Indians^ and a confiderable Cargo of Furs, where he found the Governor oi Canada, who wintered there. He made him a Prefent of Mar- tins Skins, and alfo i coo Crowns, for a Conge or PaiTport to have a Licence to trade next Year : But in Spring he would neither give him his Conge nor his Money, under Pretence that he had fold Brandy to the Indians^ which is prohibited, and threatened him with Imprifonment for demanding his Money ; fo that he was obliged to ileal away with his two Indians, and what Goods he had got in Exxhange for his Furs, with his 3 Canoes. Monreal, he fays, is about 60 Leagues above ^lebec. It is a large Town, about a League and a Half in Circuit within the Walls, which are 1 5 Feet high, of Lime and Stone. They have 300 Men in Garrifon. This is the only confiderable Town in Canada belides ^lebec ; for Trois Rivieres is but a Village. He fays they have a Fort the Na- tives call Catarakui Fort, 80 Leagues above Monreal, near Lake Frontenac, in which they keep a Garrifon of 40 Men, as the hi- dians informed him, and about as many more Inhabitants. The River St. Laurence, from thence to Monreal, is fo full of Water- falls, and fo rapid, that there is the utmoft Danger and Difficulty in going by Water, and no going fo far by Land through the Woods, fo that no Trade can be carried on that Way but at great Expence.
They have no other fortified Places in Canada but one Fort called Champli, near Champlain Lake, upon the E?iglifi and Iroquefe Frontiers, in which they have 20 Men in Garrifon.
He was above 40 Days in going up the River from Monreal to the Lake Nepejing, which is at the Source of that River which he calls St. Laurence, and not the River which paffes through the Lakes, but La Hontan calls it the River Outaouas. He had 36 Land Carriages before he got to Nepifi7ig. He was but 1 8 Days in going down it to Monreal. He fays the River Nepifing runs from the fame Lake into the Lake of Hurons. This is what La Hontan calls Freticb River ; it is 20 Leagues in its Courfe, and had three Falls upon it, which they defcended in two Days j and with a fdir Wind they might go from thence to Mijilmahnac in two Days 1 more
( 31 )
more along the Illands. Upon his Return he exchanged his Goods for Furs, and refolved to try his Fortune once more to Monreal^ and make his Peace with the Governor. He fays, when he left MiJJilimakinac, there were but 2 Men with the Governor in Garri- fon, which was only to open and iQiut the Gates. He fays, that of late the Trade from thence to Monreal is fo much leflened upon ac- count of the EngliJJ:) fupplying the Indiatis much cheaper and bet- ter, by an eafy Navigation through the Lakes to Niagara, that there does not go above 1 2 Canoes in a Year, and thofe Licences are generally given to fuperannuated Officers ; the Avarice and In- juftice of the Governor of Canada has like wife difgufted the Na- tives.
After having got a Parcel of Furs, he, with two Indian Slaves, and 3 Canoes, pafled the Lake Huron, and enter'd the River Ne- pifing, and went up it feveral I eagues ; but at a Turn in the River he met 9 Canoes, in which was the Governor's Brother-in-law, with 30 Soldiers, and as many more to manage the Canoes, who feized him and his Furs, and Slaves, as a Runav/ay without a Paff- port, and would have carried him away to Monreal, but he made his Efcape into the Woods in the Night, with only his Gun and five Charges of Powder and Ball, and pafled by Land alone through the Woods on the North Side of Huron Lake, until he met with fome of the Mijfada Indians, who live there, having been fix Weeks in his Journey, travelling behind the Mountains, on the North Side of the Lake, in a marfhy Country, abounding with Beavers, and thus returned to S,aut St. Marie ; and having lofl: all, determined to go to the Englijh in Hudfon's Bay, by paffing through the Indian Nations Weft of the upper Lake, until he fhould arrive, by thefe Lakes and Rivers which run Northwards, at Tork Fort, on N elfin- River.
He fet out in the Beginning of Winter 1739 upon this Journey and Voyage, and hunted and lived with the Indians his Relations the Saufeurs, on the North Side of the upper Lake, where he was well acquainted, having hunted and traded thereabouts for fourteen Years. He fays the upper Lake has three Iflands near the North Shore, about 3 Leagues from the Shore ; they are about 3 or 4 Leagues each in Circumference. One of them he calls IJle du Li- gnon i they are full of fine Woods, as is all the North Coaft, which
is
( 3i )
is very mountainous, but the Country is very fine to the Northward of the high Land.
The Upper Lake falls into the Lake of Hurons by the Falls of St. Mary, v/hich is a Rapid Current of feveral Leagues. From that Fall to the River Michipikoton on the North Side of tfe Lake, is 60 Leagues ; that River is navigable Northward for 20 Leagues, being 3 Fathoms deep and without Catarafts ; it runs through a Valley betwixt the Mountains, which is about three Leagues wide, full of fine Woods ; and then there is a Fork where two Branches meet, and on each Side, at a confiderable Diftance, are two round Hills detached from the others, which they call Le deux Mamelles, or two Paps ; thefe two Branches come from their feveral Sources, after running about eight Leagues, through a Country abounding in Beavers. There are two /«i?«« Nations upon this North Coaft, the Epinette Nation are upon the Eaft Side of that River, and the OuaJJi upon the Weft Side, both Tribes of the Saufeurs.
About 100 Leagues farther Wefl: is another River, which runs from the North-wefi; into this Lake, which he calls the Ri- ver du Pique from a fliarp Rock at the Mouth of the River, formed like a Pike or Halbert, it is only navigable for about three Leagues to a Fall, above which is a Lake about fix Leagues long, Avhich comes from a marfliy Country full of Beavers ; on the Wefl Side of this River, and of the Upper Lake, is a Range of Mountains full of Woods, and a River full of Catarads defcends from them, and enters into the River du Pique, a little before it pafTes into the Lake ; among thefe Mountains are feveral rich Mines ; he faw feme very good Lead and Copper Oar, which the Natives brouo-ht down from thefe Mountains. On the South-weft Side of the Lake, under thefe Mountains, is a flat Country, full of Woods and Beavers, but the South and South-eaft Side is a fandy, low, dry Country, without Wood. He ftaid Part of the Winter with the Indians at Michipikoton, and in the Month of March got to the River Du Pique, which he pafiTed on the Ice, it being not then thawed. He fays there are many Beavers alfo among the Mountains, Southward of that River, they having great Flats above, and among the Mountains, where they make their Dams and Ponds. The Ice was quite gone on the South-weft Side of the Lake by the 15th of Jpril'N. S. He fays the Lake is never frozen at any Diftance from the Shore, only in little Bays, where I it
( 2,3 )
it fometimes is frozen, and breaks off, and is carried out and in with the Wind.
On the fandy Coaft on the South-eaft Side of the Lake, there is nothing but Shrubs not above iix Feet high ; but at fome Di- ftance from the Coaft there are fine Meadows and Pafture, full of Elks, Stags, Deer, Goats, wild Beeves, Gfc. interfperfed with Woods ; and the Indian Nations in the neighbouring Countries remove thither in the Summer Seafon to hunt and feed upon them.
On the South-weft Side of the Lake, betwixt the woody and Champaign fandy Country, there is a Land Carriage of 3 Leagues, and they came to a Marfh or Bog about a League long, and five Furlongs over, and from thence another Land Carriage of nine Leagues to the River Du Pluis, which, after a Courfe of fifteen Leagues, falls into the Lake Du Finis. He was from the Begin- ning to the 1 8th oi April 1740 in getting to this River ; there he, and the Indians with him, got fine Birch Trees of a great Size to make their Canoes. The River they embark'd upon was about three Furlongs broad, but was not deep, and had no Waterfalls ; the Courfe was South-weft. The Indiaiis who are on the Weft Side of that River are called Monfoni or Mojonique, or Gens de Orignal. The Lake Tin Pluis is 100 Leagues in Length, and is fo called from a perpendicular Water-fall, by which the Water falls into a a River South-weft of it, which raifes a Mift-like Rain. He was 1 5 Days in paffing down this River to the Lake Du Pluis in his Canoe ; he coafted along the North- weft Side of the Lake, which was full of fine Woods, but there was none on the South- eaft Side, as the Natives informed him, except near the Edge of the Lake, for about Half the Length of the Lake, at which Place a River enters it from the South Side, which comes from a low Country, . full of Beavers. The French, upon account of thefe Land Carriages, never pafs into thefe Countries adjoining to this Lake.
He pafled the Lake Du Pluis in the latter End oi April, and Beginning of May, and ftaid 10 Days at the Fall with the Monfo- ni, where they filh with Nets at the Bottom of the Fall. They have two great Villages, one on the North Side, and the other on the South Side of the Fall.
F The
( 34)
The River Du Phds, which falls from the Lake, is a fine large River, which runs Weftward, and is about t, Furlongs in Breadth ; its Courfe is about 60 Leagues before it falls into the Lake Du Bois, or Des IJIes, and is free from Catarails, having only two fharp Streams. He was i o Days in going down it in his Canoe j the whole Country along its Banks is full of fine Woods, in which are great Variety of Wild-fowl and Beails, as wild Beaver, Stags, Elk, Deer, &c. and the River and adjoining Lakes full of excel- lent Fifli. This River falls into the Lake Du Bois, where he ar- rived about the End of Mciy. This Lake is very large, and filled with fine lOands j he was 30 Days in pafling it, filliing and hunt- ing as he went with the Natives, and ftaid a Month in one of the Wands with the Monfoni and Sturgeon Indians, who live on the North Side of this Lake, and meet in that Ifland to be merry and confirm their Friendfhip and Alliance ; thefe lafi: are called fo from the great Number of Sturgeons they take in this Lake, which is the greateft Part of their Provifions. He ftaid there until the Month of Augujl -, all thefe Iflands and Coafts are low, and fiiU of fine Woods, where all kind of Fowl breed. At the Weft End of this Lake, which is much longer than the Lake Du Pluis, a great River enters it near the Place where the great Ouinipique River pafi"es out of it, and runs into the Lake of the fame Name. This River has a long Courfe from the Southward. On the South-weft of this Lake is the Nation of the Sieiix Indians. The River Oui- nipique is as large as the River Du Pluis^ but is much more rapid, having about 30 Falls or Sharps upon it, where they muft carry their Canoes. Two or three of them are Carriages of a League or two, the others are very fliort. Upon that Account he was 1 5 Days in going down the River, which runs North-weft about 1 00 Leagues. It alfo runs through a fine woody Country, having ma- ny Sorts of Timber Trees of great Bulk, On the South-weft Side, at fome Diftance, is a flat Country, full of Meadows ; at the Falls it is about a Furlong in Breadth, in other Places three or four. He arrived at the great Ouinipique Lake in September ; he was about 30 Days in pafiing it, fliooting and fifiiing as he went. After going half way through it, he joined the Cris or Chriftinaux In- dians, who live on the North-eaft Side, and went on Shore, and hunted Beavers all the Autumn. He faw but two Ifles in it ; one was fiall of Wood, it was about 3 Leagues long and 2 broad. He I called
( 35 )
called it the IJle Du Blche, or of Hhids, there being feveral upon it ; the other was fandy, and without, Wood, full of Gecfc and other Water- fowl, which breed there ; he called it Goofe Ijle^ but the Natives called it Sandy IJle.
On the Weft Side of this Lake the Indians told him a River en- ter'd it, which was navigable with Canoes ; it defcended from Lac Rougeor, the Red Lake, called fo from the Colour of the Sand ; they faid there were two other Rivers run out of that Lake, one into the MiJJiJJippt, and the other Weftward, into a mariliy Coun- try, full of Beavers.
The Country Weft of the Ouinipique Lake has dry Iflands or Hills with marfhy Bottoms, full of Wood and Meadows. On the Eaft Side is a fine flat Country, full of Woods, until they come to tlie Bottom of the Mountains, which are betwixt this and the upper Lake. On a Lake on that Side, betwixt this Lake and Lake Du Bois, are the Migechichilinious, or Eagle-eyed Indians ; theie, he fays, are not called fo from their having a iharp Sight, but upon account of many Eagles which breed in Iflands in that Lake.
Upon the Weft Side of Lake Ouinipique are the Nation of the AJfmibouels of the Meadows, and farther North a great Way, are the AJJiniboiieh of the Woods. To the Southward of thefe are the Nation of Beaux Hommes, fituated betwixt them and the Sieux In- dians. The Indians on the Eaft Side are the Chriftinaux, vvhofe Tribes go as far North on that Side as the AJfmibouels do on the other. All thefe Nations go naked in Summer, and paint or ftain their Bodies with different Figures, anointing themfelves with Greafe of Deer, Beavers, Bears, ^c. which prevents the Mufki- toes, Serpents, or other Vermin, from biting them, they having an Antipathy to all Oils.
The great Ouinipique Lake was frozen over in Winter ; it is no where i o Leagues wide, and in feme Places not above a Lea2;ae and a Half wide ; the Winter tliere was not fevere, it lafted about 3 Months and a Half, the Froft breaking up there in March.
This Lake is difcharged into the little Ouinipique by a River he calls the Red River, or little Oui?iipique, after a Courfe Northwaj'ds of about 60 Leagues.
This River runs through the like woody Country as the others ; but the Weft Side is more temperate than the Eaft, upon account
F 2 K-ii
( 36 )
of the Mountains to Eaftward of it ; from whence a River de- fcends into it through a marfhy Country, full of Beavers.
He made his Canoe in the Spring, at the North End of this Lake, and went down to the little Ouimpique in the Beginning of Summer ; this laft Lake is about 3 5 Leagues long, and 6 broad ; there is but one little liland in it, almoft upon a Water Level, the Indians call it Mmi Sabique.
■ The Courfe of this Lake is from South to North, through a Avoody, low Country. In all thefe Countries are many Kinds of Avild Fruit, as Cherries, Plumbs, Strawberries, Nuts, Walnuts, &c. The Winters here are from 3 to 4 Months, according as they happen to be more or lefs fevere. He paffed this Lake, and the River which runs into the Lake Du Sie7is, in Summer and Au- tumn ; this is about 1 00 Leagues from the other. He fays there is a Fork in this River Du Sicns, by which one Branch difcharges itfelf more Wefterly, and runs into the Country, where is the Na- tion of Vieiix Hommes ; this Nation is not called fo from the Age of the Inhabitants, but from a Number of old Men, who fepa- rated from fome others, under a Chief or Leader of their own ; and from that time they were called fo. On the Baft Side there enters a rapid River from the Mountains, full of Falls, upon which the Nation Du Cris Panis Blanc inhabit, who are ftill a Tribe of the Chriftinaiix.
The Lake Du Siens is but fmall, being not above 3 Leagues in Circuit ; but all around its Banks, in the fhallow Water and Marfh- es, grows a kind of wild Oat, of the Nature of Rice ; the out- ward Hulk is black, but the Grain within is white and clear like Rice ; this the Indians beat off into their Canoes, and ufe it for Food.
AH the Country adjoining this River is alfo full of Beavers. Here the Winter overtook him, and he was obliged to part with his Canoe, and travelled and hunted through that Country for fix Months, in which Time he paiTed Northwards near 100 Leagues, but would have been much more, had he followed the Courfe of the River in Summer in his Canoe. He got to the Lake Cariboux in the Beginning of March ij^i : This Lake is about 10 Leagues long, and 5 broad ; the Ice was beginning to thaw when he came there ; a Tribe of the Chrijlinaux live on the Eaft of this Lake, and the JJfiniboiieis of the Woods on the Weft Side. The River I Cariboux
( 37 )
Cariboux runs out of tliis Lake Northwards for about 1 5 Leagues, and then it fpreads, and is waiied in a marfhy Country, where tliere is no paffing by Water, nor by Land in Summer -, the Ice being then breaking up, he was obhged to go about 1 5 Leagues Eaftward, to avoid the Bogs, before he could reach the Lake Pachegoia, into which the River Cariboux defcends through the Marflies.
Pachegoia is the Lake where all the Indians affemble in the latter End of March every Year, to cut the Birch Trees and make their Canoes of the Bark, which then begins to run, in order to pafs down the River to Tork Fort on Nelfon River with their Furs ; it is divided fo as to make almofl two Lakes ; the Weft Side by which he pafs'd was about 1 00 Leagues in Circuit ; the other Side or Eaftern Lake was much larger, as the Indians informed him. The River De vieux Hommes runs from the Weft for about 200 Leagues, and falls into this Lake, near the Place the River Cari- btiux enters it ; it has a ftrong Current and is always muddy, but there are no Falls upon it ; thefe go generally down the River Ma- fioutifibi or Churchill River, and trade there, having either a Paf- fage or {hort Land Carriage to that River. The Lake Pachegoia was furrounded with fine Woods of Oak, Cedar, Pine, Poplar, Birch, (sc. He arrived there the latter End of March, and he, with the other Indians, cut the Bark for their Canoes, and then hunted for fome Time for Provifions ; they begun to make their Canoes the firft of Aprils. S. which they finifhed in three Days; on the 4th, he being appointed one of their Leaders, fet out with 100 Canoes in Company, for the Fadory at Tork Fort; there are generally two Indians in a Canoe, but he was alone in his ; they were three Weeks in pafling along the Weft Side of the Lake be- fore they came to the Place it is difcharged by the River Savanne or Epi7iette ; for they were obliged to coaft the Weft Side of the Lake in their little Canoes, and keep along the Bottom of each Bay ; for thefe fmall Canoes can bear no Surge or Waves when the Wind blows, and when they came to any Point on the Lake, if there was any Wind, they were obliged to carry their Furs and Canoes over the Land to the next Bay, which, with hunting for Provifions delayed them greatly ; at that Time they had neither Ice on the Lake nor Snow on the Land. In the Beginning of May N. S. he enter'd the River Savanne, but did not reach the
great
(38 )
great Fork where the River divides, until the Beginning of 'June ; for the Indians, what with hunting for Provilions, and from their Lazinefs, who would not flir or exercife in the Heat of the Day, it being then very warm, and the Trees all fully blown j and from fome Land Carriages upon the Sharps and Falls, did not go above two or three Leagues in a Day. The River was fmall where it came out of the Lake for about fix Leagues, it fpreading through feveral little Paflages through the Marfhes, but farther down, when coUedled together, formed a large River ; it was then quite free of Ice, they had a brifk Current, and feveral Sharps, but had but one Carriage of loo Yards j it is about 80 or 90 Leagues from the Lake to the Fork. The Land at fome Diftance from the River was dry and hilly, and full of fine Trees of great Bulk and Heighth, as Fir, Pine, Spruce, Afh, Elm, Birch, Cedar, Alder, ^c. The Banks were low, until they got to the great Fork, where the Ri- ver is divided by a Rock upon which a convenient Fort might be built, which might be cut off by bringing the Water around it. It is about 60 Leagues from this Fork to the Fadtory ; they ftay'd here eight Days to hunt for Provifions ; there not being plenty of Game upon the Eafi: Branch, which is the Way he went down, it being the fhorteft Paffage ; at the fame time another Fleet of 100 Canoes went down the Weftern Branch ; it was the 29th of June N. S. when he got to the Fa(flory, and the other Party who went down the other Branch, were three Weeks later. From this Fork to within four or five Leagues of the Fort, the Banks are high, and of red Earth, from which he calls the River from the Fork, the River de Terre rouge ; and from that Place they defcend gradually to the Sea, until they are near a Water Level ; the Cur- rent was very eafy from the Fork to the Fort, the Illand to Weft- ward of their Channel was full of Wood, hut the Country above and beyond the other Bank, was not fo woody. They were about three Weeks in going from the Fork to the Factory ; for the Indi- ans told him, notwithftanding it was fo warm and pleafant in pafilng down the River, and the Trees fully blown, that when they would come near the Sea, they would find it very cold- with Snow and Ice in the River, and the Trees but juft beginning to bud ; and accordingly they delayed going down fo foon as they otherwife might, or tliey could have gone down in four or five Days ; this he could not eafily believe, confidcriiig hov/ forward
the
( 39 )
the Spring was there, and the Weather fo warm ; but when he came within four or five Leagues of the -Fort where the Land be- gan to flope towards the Sea, he then found a great deal of Ice in the River, and the Trees butjuft budding, and when he got to the Fort, the Snow fell in one Night three or four Inches thick, but all above, along the River, the Climate and Seafon was warm, and the Trees all in high Bloom.
Two Days after he got to Tork Fort, one of the Monfoni Indi- ans arrived there with his Wife ; he had four Packs of Beavers of 40 each ; he told him he came by the River and Lake Du Pique ^ and was two Years hunting from thence before he got to the Fort ; that he had about fixty Land Carriages, paffing from Lake to Lake, having no Rivers running the Courfe he came, except one which he pafled down for two Days 3 he came to one very great Lake, in which he could difcover no Land on either Side, but pafTed along it from Ifland to Ifland, which took him up a confiderable Time.
The hidiam being obliged to go afhore every Day to hunt for Provifions, delays them very much in their Voyages ; for their Canoes are fo fmall, holding only two Men and a Pack of 100 Beavers Skins, that they can't carry Provifions with them for any Time ; if they had larger Canoes they could make their Voyages fhorter, and carry many more Beavers to Market, at leaft four times as many, befides other Skins of Value, which are too heavy for their prefent Canoes ; this, and the high Price fet upon the Eu- ropean Goods by the Company in Exchange, difcourages the Na- tives fo much, that if it were not that they are under a Necefiity of having Guns, Powder and Shot, Hatchets, and other Iron Tools for their Hunting, and Tobacco, Brandy, and fome Paint for Luxury, they would not go down to the Fadory with what they now carry ; at prefent they leave great Numbers of Furs and Skins behind them. A good Hunter among the Indians can kill 600 Beavers in a Seafon, and can carry down but 100, the reft he ufes at home, or hangs them upon Branches of Trees, upon the Death of their Children as an Ofi^ering to them, or ufe them for Bedding and Coverings ; they fometimes burn off the Fur, and roft the Beavers like Pigs, upon any Entertainments, and they often let them rot, having no further Ufe of them. Tlie Beavers, he fays, are of three Colours j the brown reddilh Colour, the black,
and
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and the white ; the firft is the cheapeft ; the black is moft valued by the Company, and in England ; the white, tho' moft valued in Canada, giving 1 8 Shillings, when others gave 5 or 6 Shillings, is blown upon by the Company's Fadlors at the Bay, they not al- lowing fo much for thefe as for the others ; and therefore the Indians ufe them at home, or burn off the Hair, when they roaft the Beavers like Pigs, at an Entertainment when they feaft together j he fays thefe Skins are extremely white, and have a fine Luftre, no Snow being whiter, and have a line long Fur or Hair ; he has feen 1 5 taken of that Colour out of one Lodge or Pond. The Beavers have three Enemies, Man, Otters, and the Carca- Mon or Queequehatch, which prey upon them when they take them at an Advantage ; the laft is as large as a very great Dog, it has a fliort Tail like a Deer or Hair, and has a good Fur, va- lued at a Beaver and half in Exchange. The Beavers chiefeft Food is the Poplar or Tremble, but they alfo eat Sallows, Alders, and moft other Trees not having a refinous Juice j the middle Bark is their Food ; in May when the Wood is not plenty, they live up- on a large Root which grows in the Marflies a Fathom long, and as thick as a Man's Leg, the French call it Volet ; but the Beavers are not fo good Food as when they feed upon Trees. They will vC'.'t ^'^^^ down Trees above two Fathoms in Girth with their Teeth, and one of them obferves when it is ready to fall, and gives a great Cry, and runs the contrary Way, to give Notice to the reft to get out of the Way ; they then cut off all the Top Twigs, and fmaller Branches two or three Fathoms in Length, and draw them to their Houfes which they have built in their Ponds, after havins; railed or repaired their Pond Head, and made it ftaunch, and thruft one End into the Clay or Mud, that they may lie under Water all the Winter, to preferve the Bark green and tender for their Winter Provifion ; after cutting off the fmall Branches, they cut and carry away the larger, until they come to the Bole of the Tree. The Beavers are delicious Food, but the Tongue and Tail the moft de- licious Parts of the whole ; they are very fat from No'vember un- til the End of March ; they have their Young in the Beginning of Summer, at which time the Females are lean by fuckling their Young, and the Males are lean the whole Summer, when they ^re making or repairing their Ponds and Houfes, and cutting down and providing Timber and Branches for their Winter Store. They
breed
( 41 )
breed once in a Year, and have from ten to fifteen at a Litter, which grow up in one Seafon ; fo that they multiply very faft, and if they can empty a Pond, and take the whole Lodge, they gene- rally leave a Pair to breed, fo that they are fully flocked again in two or three Years.
The Loup Cervier, or Lynx, is of the Cat Kind, but as large as a great Dog ; it preys upon all Beafts it can conquer, as does the Tyger, which is the only Beaft in that Country that v/on't fly from a Man.
The American Oxen, or Beeves, have a large Bunch upon their Backs, which is by far the mofl delicious Part of them for Food, it being all as fweet as Marrow, juicy and rich, and weighs feveral Pounds.
The Indians Weft of the Bay, living an erratick Life, can have no Benefit by tame Fowl or Cattle ; they feldom ftay above a Fort- night in a Place, unlefs they find Plenty of Game. When they remove, after having built their Hut, they difperfe to get Game for their Food, and meet again at Night, after having killed enough to maintain them for that Day ; they don't go above a League or two from their Hut. When they find vScarcity of Game, they re- move a League or two farther, and thus they traverle through thefe woody Countries and Bogs, fcarce miffing one Day, Winter or Summer, fiir or foul, in the greateft Storms of Snow, but what they are employed in fome kind of Chace. The fmaller Game, got by Traps or Snares, are generally the Employment of the Wo- men and Children, fuch as the Martins, Squirrels, Cats, Ermins, &c. The Elks, Stags, Rain-Deer, Bears, Tygers, wild Beeves, Wolves, Foxes, Beavers, Otters, Corcajeu, ^c. are the Employ- ment of the Men. The Indians^ when they kill any Game for Food, leave it where they kill it, and fend their Wives next Day to carry it home. They go home in a diredl Line, never miffing their Way, by Obfervations they make of the Courfe they take upon their going out, and fo judge upon what Point tlieir Huts are, and can thus direct themfelves upon any Point of the Compafs. The Trees all bend towards the South, and the Branches on that Side are larger and ftronger than on the North Side, as alfo the Mofs upon the Trees. To let their Wives know how to come at the killed Ganie, they firom Place to Place break oif Branches '■^'^'^'^
G lay
lay them in the Road, pointing them the Way they iLould go, and fometimes Mols, fo that they never mils finding it.
In Winter, when they go abroad, which they muft do in all Weathers, to hunt and ihoot for their daily Food, before they drefs they rub themfelves all over . with Bears Greafe, or Oil of Beavers, which does not freeze, and alfo rub all the Fur of their Beaver Coats, and then put them on ; they have alfo a kind of Boots or Stockings of Beavers Skin well oiled, with the Fur in- wards,and above them they have an oiled Skin laced about their Feet, which keeps out the Cold, and alfo Water, when there is no Ice or Snow ; and by this Means they never freeze, nor fuffer any thing by Cold. In Summer alfo, when they go naked, they rub themfelves with thefe Oils or Greafe, and expofe themfelves to the Sun, without being fcorched, their Skins always being kept foft and fupple by it ; nor do any Flies, Bugs, or Mufketoes, or any noxi- ous Infeft ever moleft them. When they want to get rid of it, they go into the Water, and rub themfelves all over with Mud or Clay, and lets it dry upon them, and then rub it off; but whene- ver they are free from the Oil, the Flies and Mufketoes immediately attack them, and oblige them again to anoint themfelves.
The Indians make no Ufe of Honey; he faw no Bees there but the wild humble Bee ; but they are fo much afraid of being flung with them, they going naked in Summer, that they avoid them as much as they can ; nor did he fee any of the Maple they ufe in Canada to make Sugar of, but only the Birch, whofe Juice they ufe for the fame Purpofe, boyling it until it is black and dry, and then ufing it with their Meat. Tliey ufe no Milk from the Time they are weaned, and they all hate to tafte Cheefe, having taken up an Opinion that it is made of dead Mens Fat. They love Pruins and Raifins, and will give a Beaver Skin for twelve of them to carry to their Children, and alfo for a Trump or Jew'^ Harp. He fays the Women have all fine Voices, but have never heard any mufical Inftrument. They are very fond of all kind of Pictures or Prints, giving a Beaver for the leafl Print, and all Toys are like Jewels to them.
When he got to the Natives Southward of Pachegola, he had about 30 Cowries left, and a few fmall Bells lefs than Hawks Bells ; when he fliewed one of them, they gave him a Beaver Skin for one, and they were fo fond, that fome gave him two Skins, or
three
(43)
tJiree Martin Skins for one, to give their Wives to make them fine. The Martins they take in Traps, for if they (hot them, their Skins would be Ipoiled ; they have generally five or fix at a Litter.
He fays the Natives are fo difcouraged in their Trade witli the Compaiiy, that no Peltry is worth the Carriage, and the finefl Furs are fold for very little. When they came to the Fadlory in Juf/e 1742, the Prices they took for the European Goods were mucJi higher than the fettled Prices fixed by the Company, v/hicli tlie Governors fix fo, to fliew the Company how zealous they are to improve their Trade, and fell their Goods to Advantage. He fays they gave but a Pound of Gunpowder for 4 Beavers, a Fathom of Tobacco for 7 Beavers, a Pound of Shot for one, an Ell of coarfe Cloth for 15, a Blanket for 12, 2 Fifli-hooks, or three Flints, for one, a Gun for 25, a Piftol for 10, a common Hat with v/hite Lace 7, an Ax 4, a Bill-hook i , a Gallon of Brandy 4, a che- quer'd Shirt 7, all which are fold at a monftrous Profit, even to 2000 per Cent. Notwithftanding this Difcouragement, the two Fleets which went down with him, and parted at the great Fork, carried down 200 Packs of 100 each, 20000 Beavers; and the other Lidians who arrived that Year, he computed carried down 300 Packs of 200 each, 30000, in all 50000 Beavers, and above 9000 Martins.
The Furs there are much more valuable than the Furs upon the Canada Lakes, fold at Neiv-Tork ; for thefe will give five or fix ShilHngs per Pound, when the others fell at three Shillings and Sixpence. He fays, that if a Fort was built at the great Fork, 60 Leagues above Tork Fort, and a Fadlory with European Goods were fixed there, and a reafonable Price was put upon European Goods, that the Trade would be wonderfully increafed ; for the Natives from the Southward of Pachegoia, could make at leaft two Returns in a Summer, and thofe at greater Diflances could make one, who can't now come at all ; and above double the Number would be employed in Hunting, and many more Skins would be brought to Market, that they can't now afford to bring for the Expence and low Price given for them. The Stream is io gentle from the Fork to Tork Fort, on either Branch, that large Veficls and Shallops may be built there, and carry down bulky Goods, and alfo return again againfl: the Stream; and the Climate is good,.
G 2 and
( 44 )
and fit to produce Grain, Pulfe, ^c. and very good Grafs and Hay for Horfes and Cattle ; and if afterwards any Settlements were made upon Pachegcia, and VefTels built to navigate that Lake, which is not mere northerly than Lat. 52°. the Trade would be ftill vailly more enlarged and improved, and fpread the Trade not only up the Rivers and Lakes as far as the Lake Du Bois and De Pints, but alfo among the AJJintboiieh and Nations beyond them, and the Nation de vieiix Hotnmes, who are 200 Leagues Weftward of Pachegoia. He fays the Nations who go up that River with Prefents to confirm the Peace with them, are three Months in going up, and fay they live beyond a Range of Moun- tains beyond the Ajjiniboueh, and that beyond them are Nations who have not the Ufe of Fire Arms, by which Means many of them are made Slaves by them, and are fold to the AJfinibouels^ Panis Blanc, and Chrifiinaiix. He faw feveral of them, who all wanted a Joynt of their little Finger, which they faid was cut off foon after they were born, but gave no Reafon for it.
Whilft he was at York Fort he got acquainted with an old Indi- an, who lived at fome Diftance from Nelfon River, to the Well- ward, being one of thofe they call the Home Indians, who had, about 1 1; Years ago, gone at the Head of 30 Warriors to make war againfl: the Attimofpiquais, Tete Plat, or Plafcotez de ChienSy a Nation living Northward on the Weflern Ocean of America j he was the only one who returned, all the reft being either killed, or periflied through Fatigue or want of Food, upon their Return. When they went they carried their whole Families with them, and hunted and fifhed from Place to Place for two Winters, and one Summer, having left their Country in Autunm, and in April following, came to the Sea-fide, on the Weflern Coafl, where they immediately made their Canoes. At fome little Diftance they faw an Ifland, which was about a League and a Half long when the Tide was out, or Water fell, they had no Water betwixt them and the Ifland, but when it rofe, it covered all tRe Paflage betwixt them and the Ifland as high up as the Woods upon the Shore. There they left their Wives and Children, and old Men to condudl them home, and provide them with Provifions, by hunting and fhooting for them upon the Road ; and he, with 30 "Warriors, went in queft of their Enemies the Tete Plat. After they parted with their Families, they came to a Streight, which they I paflTed
( 45 )
pafled in their Canoes. The Sea Coafl lay ahiiofi Eafl and Weil:, for he faid the Sun rofe upon his -Right-hand, and at Noon it was almoft behind him, as he paffed the Streight, and always fet in the Sea. After paffing the Streight they coafted along the Shore for three Months, going into the Country and Woods as they went along to hunt for Provilions. He faid they faw a great many large black Fiih fpouting up Water in the Sea. After they had thus coafted for near three Months, they faw the Footfteps of fome Men on the Sand, by which they judged they were not far from their Enemies, upon which they quit their Canoes, and went five Days through the Woods and Bufhes, which were but very low and flirubby, and fo clofe, they could with Difficulty make way through it, and then came to the Banks of a River, where they found a large Town of their Enemies, and after making their ufual Cry, they difcharged their Arrows and Guns againft thofe who ap- peared, upon which they fled ; but upon finding how few they were, they returned and killed 1 5 of them, and wounded 3 or 4 more, upon which they fled to the Woods, and from thence made their Efcape to their Canoes before their Enemies overtook them, and after a great deal of Fatigue got to the Streight, and after get- ting over, they all died one after another, except this old Man, of Fatigue and Famine, leaving him alone to travel to his own Coun- try, which took him up about a Year's Time, having left his Gun when his Ammunition was Ipent, and loft all his Arrows, and upon his Return had not even a Knife with him ; fo that he was reduced to live upon Herbs and the Mofs growing upon the Rocks, and was almoft famifhed when he reached the River Saki'e, Vv'here he met his Friends again, who relieved him, when he de- fpaired of ever again feeing his own Country. This is the Ac- count, fo far as "Jofeph la France could inform me, of thofe Coun- tries Southward of Tork Fort, which may be brought to trade there.
Mr. Froft, who has been many Years employed by the Compa- ny in the Bay, both at Churchill and Moofe River Fad:ory, who was their Interpreter with the Natives, and travelled a confiderablc Way into the Country, both North-weftward of Churchill, and Southward of Moofe River Fad:ory, and has refided at Moofe River fince the Fa<3:ory was made there in 1730, gives a very good Ac- count of the Climate and Country there, and up the River South- ward
■ ( 46 )
ward of it. He fays the Fadory is built near the Mouth of the River, in Lat, 51°. 28'. upon a navigable River, which at 12 Miles Diltance Southward of the Fort, is divided into two Branches, one comes from. the Southward, the other from the South-weft ; upon the Southern Branch all Sorts of Grain thrives, as Barley, Beans and Peafe do at the Fadlory, tho' expofed to all the chilling Winds which comes from the Ice in the Bay. Upon the Southern Branch above the Falls, there grows naturally along the River the. fame Kind of wild Oats Or Rice, mentioned already upon the Lake of Siens, the Huik being black, but the Grain within perfedly white and clear like Rice, the Indians beating it off into their Ca- noes when ripe, as they pafs along the River, it growing in the Water like Rice. In their Woods, at the Bottom of the Bay at Moofe and Albany^ as well as at Rupert's Kwcv^ are very large Timber Trees of all Kinds, Oak, Afli, &c. as well as Pine, Ce- dar and Spruce ; they have exceeding good Grafs to make Hay, which improves every Day as they cut and feed it, and may have every where within Land all Sorts of Pulfe and Grain, and all Sorts of Fruit Trees as in the fame Climates in Europe^ for what Sorts they have tried thrive very well ; the Ice breaks up at Moofe Fadlo- ry in the Beginning of April, but higher up in the Country in March; it is navigable for Canoes a great Way up among the Falls ; at a confiderable Diftance there is one Fall of 50 Feet, but above that it is deep and navigable for a great Way. The Climate above the Fall is very good, and the River abounds with that wild Rice, The French have got a Houfe or Settlement for Trade near the Southern Branch, about 100 Miles above the Fadlory, where they fell their Goods cheaper than the Company do, altho' it be fo difficult to carry them fo far from Canada, and very ex- penlive, and give as much for a Martin's Skin as they do for a Beaver, when we infift upon three for one ; fo that the French get all the choice Skins, and leave only the Refufe for the Com- pany. The French have alfo got another Houfe pretty high "up upon Rupert River, by which they have gained all the Trade up- on the Eaft Main, except a little the Company get at Shide River. He fays, upon the South Side of the great Inland Sea upon the Eaft Main, v/hich has lately been difcovered, there is an exceed- ing rich Lead Mine, from which the Natives have brought very- good Ore, which might turn out to great Advantage, as well as I the
(47)
"the Furs upon that Coaft, which might be vaftly increafed, if the Trade was laid open and Settlements made in proper Places. He lays when he was at Churchill, he travelled a confiderable Way in the Country North-weftward of the River of Seals ; that near the Rivers and Sea-coaft, there was fmall fhrubby Woods, but for many Miles, at leaft 60 farther into the Country, they had no- thing but a barren white Mofs upon which the Rain-Deer feed, and alfo the Moofe, Buffixlos, and other Deer j and the Natives told him, further Weftward beyond that barren Country, tliere were large Woods. He was acquainted, when there about fifteen Years ago, with an Indiaji Chief, who traded at Churchill, who had been often at a fine Copper Mine, which they ftruck off fi-om the Rocks with fharp Stones j he faid it was upon Iflands at the Mouth of a River, and lay to the Northward of that Countrv where they had no Night in Summer,
As to the Trade at Churchill it is increafing, it being at too great a Diflance from the French for them to interfere in the Trade. The Year 1742 it amounted to 20,000 Beavers : There were about 100 Upland Indians came in their Canoes to trade, and about 200 Northern Indians, who brought their Furs and Peltry upon Sledges ; fome of them came down the River of Seals, 1 5 Leagues Northward of C6^irrr,6z7/, in Canoes, and brought their Furs from thence by Land, They have no Beavers to Northward of Churchill, they not having there fuch Ponds or Woods as they choofe or feed upon, but they have great Numbers of Martins, Foxes, Bears, Rain-Deer, Buffalos, Wolves, and other Beafis of rich Furs, the Country being moftly rocky, and covered with a white Mofs upon which the Rain-Deer or Cariboux feed. There is a great deal of fmall Wood of the Spruce or Fir Kind near the old Fadlory, but the Wood improves as it is further up the River from the Bay, where they have Juniper, Birch and Poplar, and more Southerly the Timber is larger, and there are greater Va- riety of Trees. They are under great Inconveniencies at the new Fort, which is upon an elevated Situation upon a Rock without Shelter, clofe by the Shore, furrounded with Snow and Ice for eight Months in the Year, expofed to all the Winds and Storms that happen, where they can have no Conveniency of Grafs or Hay or Gardening, and yet they had four or five Horfes there, and a Bull and two Covins near the Fadlory ; but they were obliged
to
(48 )
to bring their Hay from a marfliy Bottom fome Miles up the Ri- ver, to feed them in Winter ; but if a Settlement v/ere made liigher up the River Southward, fome Leagues from the Bay, in Shelter without the Reach of the chilling Winds, they would have Grafs and Hay fufficient, and might have alfo Gardens and proper Greens and Roots propagated there.
They fay there is a Communication betwixt that River and Nel- fon River at a great Diflance within Land, or a very fliort Land Carriage betwixt them ; for the Indians who trade here, tell them each Seafon what Chiefs, with their Followers, go down that Year to Nelfon or Albany Rivers.
The Company avoid all they can making Difcoveries to North- ward of Churchill, or extending their Trade that Way, for fear they fhould difcover a PafHige to the Weflern Ocean of America, and tempt, by that Means, the reft of the E?iglijh Merchants to lay open their Trade, which they know they have no legal Right to, which, if the PafTage was found, would not only animate the reft of the Merchants to purfue the Trade through that PafTage, but alfo to find out the great Advantages that might be made of tlie Trade of the Rivers and Countries adjoining to the Bay, by which Means they would lofe their beloved Monopoly ; but the Prolpetl they have of Gain to be made with trading with the Ejkimaux Indians, for Whale-Fin, Whale and Seal Oil, and Sea- liorfe Teeth, induces them to venture a Sloop annually as far 62°. 30'. to Whale Cove, where thefe Indians meet them, and truck their Fin and Oil with them : But tho' they are fully informed of a fine Copper Mine on a navigable Arm of the Sea North-weftward -of Whale Ccve, and the Indians have offered to carry their Sloops to it, yet their Fear of difcovering the Paftage puts Bounds to their Avarice, and prevents their going to the Mine, which by all Ac- counts is very rich ; yet thofe who have been at Whale Cove own, that from thence Northwards is all broken Land, and that after pafling fome Iflands, they from the Hills fee the Sea open, lead- ing to the Weftward ; and the Lidians who have been often at the Mine fay, it is upon a navigable Arm of the Sea of great Depth, leading to the South- weft, where are great Numbers of large black Filh fpouting Water, which confirms the Opinion, that all the Whales feen betwixt Whale Cove and Wager River, all come there from the Weftern Ocean, fince none are feen any where elfe in
Hudfoji'^
( 49 )
Hudfon's Bay or Strait. All along this Coafl from Lat. 62°. to 65°. a very beneficial Fifliery of Whales may be carried on with thefe Ejkimaux Indians, who even without the Ufe of Iron, can harpoon and kill Whales, and if they were fuppiied with Iron Harpoons, and with proper Cordage, might be brought to kill great Numbers of them ; at prefentall their Nets, Lines and Snares are made of Whale-bone, and moil of their Boats and other Ne- ceflaries of that. Seal Skins, Fifh Bones, and Sea-Horfe Teeth, and in making all Things neceflary for them they are very neat and ingenious.
From thefe feveral Journals, and from the Accounts taken from Monfieur Jeremie and De la Poterie, and from Jofeph la France. and Mr. Frofl, we may frame a tolerable Judgment of the Cli- mate, Soil, Rivers, and Lakes adjoining to the Bay, and the great Advantage to be made by improving our Trade there, by making Fadlories or Settlements upon feveral of thefe fine Rivers and In- land Lakes ; for tho' the Names, Situation and Distances of thefe Lakes are not the fame, being taken from /W/^^^ perhaps of dif- ferent Nations and Languages, and by People who had no Op- portunity, or perhaps were not capable of fixing the proper Lati- tudes or Longitudes of thefe Lakes, yet they all concur that there are many noble and great Rivers and Lakes extending to the South- ward, South- weflward, and Wcftward of the Bay, in fine Coun- tries and temperate Climates, the Lands and Countries being ca- pable of great Improvement, and to afford a Trade of great Ex- tent, and in Time, of an immenfe Profit. I fhall therefore, from thefe Accounts make fome Obfervations upon the Climate, Soil and Improvements which may be made by Trade in the feveral Parts of the Bay already known, and then fliew the Probability of extending it by a new Pafi!age to the Weftern Countries of Ame- rica, and through that great Weftern Ocean.
The Soil and Climates are vaftly different in the feveral Coun- tries adjoining to the Bay. The Eaft Main, from Slide River to Hudjhi's Streight, is leaft known, there being no Fadlories fixed there for Trade, altho' the bed: Sable and black Fox Skins are o-ot there. Here the Nodway or Ejkifnaux Indians live, who are in a manner hunted and deftroyed by the more Southerly Indians, be- ing perpetually at war with each other. They feem not to be Na- tives of America^ but rather Europeans from Greenland. The
H French
( so )
French imagine they are defcended from Bifcayners, they having Beards up to the Eyes, which the Americaiis\\i\.vt not; they are of a white Complexion, not Copper coloured like the other Ameri- cans^ having black, ftrong Hair. They live in Caves under the Snow in Winter, feeding upon Seals Flefli and dried Fifli, drink- ing the Oil, and ufing it for their Lamps, with which they alfo greafe their Bodies, which defends them from the piercing icy Par- ticles in the Air, If when travelling a Storm of Snow is too vio- lent for them to withftand, they dig a Hole in the Snow five or fix Feet deep, and cover the Hole with Skins or Branches, and fo lie warm under the Storm. Upon this Coaft, in Lat. 59°. near Cape Smith, is a Paflage lately difcovered into an inland Sea, 300 I-^eagues in Circuit, which, if a proper Ufe was made of it, would open a confiderable Trade for Furs into the Heart of the Terra de Labarador, which the Company now negledts for fear of Expence, as they do all the Coaft on the Eaft Main, having only a Houfe, with feven or eight Servants, at Slude River, in Lat. i;2°. 30'. It is near the South Side of this Sea that the rich Lead Mine has been lately difcovered, which would alfo turn to very good Account, if a Settlement was there in about Lat, 56°, or 57°. it would be in as good a Climate as at Tork Fort or New Severn, which is in a Cli- mate equal to the middle Part of Swede?! or Livo?iia, being in the Latitude of Edinburgh ; and if one was made in 59°. near Cape Smith, it would be equal to that now at Churchill.
Rupert River, in about Lat. 51°. is in a very good Climate, and is a fine River, well wooded, having eight Feet Water at the En- trance, and the Tide rifes eight Feet ; the River is a Mile over, and cometh from the Southward of the Eaft ; it is about 1 50 Leagues from St. Margaret's River, which filleth into St. Laurence in Ca- nada. A little to Southward of Rupert's is Frenchman's and Nod- way Rivers ; thefe run from S. E. and S. S. E. fi-om Sources a great Way up in the Country ; the laft is 5 Miles broad to the Falls, Thefe, tho' in fo good a Climate, are all negle6ted by the Com- pany, upon account of the Neighbourhood of the French, who have encroached upon them, and have a trading Houfe upon the Head of Rupert's River, by which they have engrolTed almoft all the Trade of the Eafl Main. To avoid Expence they will not fix a fufficient Factory there to recover fo great a Trade, nor will allow any other from Britain to fettle there and trade, choofing rather
to
(51 )
to give it up to the French than to tlieir Countrymen, that they may preferve tlieir prefent Monopoly to themfelves. The Faftories at prefent on Moofe River, in Lat. 5 1°. 28'. and in Alban\\ in Lat. 52". on the South-weft of the Bay, are at prefent in a very tolera- ble Climate, being the fime with thefe already mentioned, but would be in a vaftly better Climate, if they ^vere fixed fome Miles higher up, at fome Diftance from the chilling Winds in the Bay, where it appears all Sorts of Grain and Pulfe would grow to Per- fedlion, and moft kind of Eto'opean Fruits. Here they may have Horfes, Cows, Sheep, and all other domeftick Animals, here be- ing excellent Grafs, and very good Hay may be made of it, whicli would improve by feeding and cutting it for their Ufe in Winter ; and all Sorts of Grain may be had for their Ufe, as well as for the Inhabitants, wild Oats or Rice growing in Abundance Ipontaneouf- ly farther up the Rivers to the Southward, at fome Diftance from the Bay. The Moofe River is a noble, large River, which Com- eth from two Branches, Southward and South-weftward, of the Bay, for fome hundred Miles from the Mountains, above the Hu- ron and Upper Lakes, to near Lat. 48°. There are feveral Falls up- on it, but above the Falls it is again navigable a great Way into the Country, from whence the Natives come down fome Hundreds of Miles in their Canoes to trade at the Fadlory ; yet, from the Ava- rice of the Company, they have in a manner left that Southern Trade to the FreJich, having allowed the Freticb to have a trading Houfe upon, or near, the Southern Branch oi Moofe River, within three Days Journey, not 100 Miles from that Fa6tory j who, at fo many hundred Miles from Canada , underfell the Company, and carry away all the valuable Furs, leaving only the Refufe to them, becaufe of the exorbitant Prices they take for their Goods from the Natives in Exchange. l( the Trade was opened, and thefe Rivers on the Bottom of the Bay were fettled £u-ther up in the Country, they would have a very temperate, fine Climate, with all Necefla- ries for Life, and even for Luxury. Here are very fine Woods of all Kinds of large Timber for Shipping or Building, where they may have all Sorts of Fruit and Grain, tame Cattle and Fowl. The Rivers abound with excellent Fifti, and the Woods with Wild- fowl, and moft kind of wild Beafts for Profit or Pleafure. Goofcr berries, Rafpberries and Strawberries, grow wild in the Woods, every thing in Gardens would grow with proper Culture. In
Ha the
( 5^ )
the Country the Snow and Frofl breaks up hi March, and does not begin again until about November.
^bany River is alfo very confiderable, in Lat. 52°. and cometh from W. S. W. and within Land has the fame CUmate and other Advantages ; at prefent the Situation of the Faftories of Moofe and Albany are very unhappy, being placed in the Swamps, at the Mouth.s of the Rivers j for the Company's chief Aim being Trade, they don't regard the Soil, Afped: or Situation, where they fix them, provided they are upon navigable Rivers where their Ships can approach them, and where the Natives can come in their Ca- noes ; fo that their Fadlories there, are placed in a low fwampy Ground, which is overflowed by the Rivers upon the breaking up of the Ice, which makes them much moifter and warmer in Sum- mer, and colder in Winter, from the Quantity of Ice there is in Winter in the Rivers and Bay : If they had fixed them higher up in the Country, where the Thaw begins much fooner than at the Bay, they would have had a happier Situation, and a quite different Climate and Soil. How can it be expected that any Thing can thrive in their Garden, or be brought to Ferfedlion ? when the Floods in the latter End of ^nV leave Flakes of Ice fe- veral Feet thick in their Gardens, which are not difTolved until the latter End of May ; and yet after that Time, when they dig their Gardens, they have very good Coleworts and Turnips, green Peafe and Beans, when if they had been fituated higher up in the Country from the Bay, they might have had all Sorts of Fruit, Grain and Roots in Perfeftion, and tame Cattle and Fowl for their Ufe ; at prefent the Company's Servants depend upon the Fifh and wild Geefe they take for their Winter Store. They have Pike, Trout, Perch, and white Trout in great Perfedion in all their Ri- vers; but the principal Fifli they take is a little larger than a Mackarel, of which 13 or 14000 are taken at Albany in a Seafon^ which fupplies them and their Indian Friends in Winter ; thefe they take after the Rivers are frozen over, keeping Holes open in the Ice, in a flreight Line at proper Diflances, through which they thruft their Nets with Poles, and the Fifh coming there to breathe, are mafk'd or entangled in the Net ; thefe they freeze up for Winter v/ithout Salt. The wild Geefe come to thefe Ri- vers from the Southward in the Middle of April, as foon as the Swamps are thawed, at which Time they are lean j they ftay I until
( 53 )
until the Middle of May, when they go Northward to breed * they take -aX Albany in that Seafon about 1300 for prefent Ufe ; they return again with their young about the Middle of Augiiji, and ftay until the Middle of OSlober, when they go farther South- ward ; they fave generally about 3000 ofthefe, which they fait before the Froll: begins, and what they take afterwards they hang up in their Feathers to freeze for Winter Store, without Salt j the Natives flioot them in the Sv/amps. There are three Kinds, one a grey Goofe, which without Giblets weighs from 6 to 10 Pounds, another which they call Whaweys, are from 4 to 6 Pounds j they have alfo Swans, grey Plover exceeding fat, white Partridges as big as Capons, in Abundance all Winter and Spring, which feed upon the Buds of Spruce, Birch and Poplars.
The New Severn River, which the French call St. Huiles, is in Lat. 56". this the Company negledts, to avoid Expence, tho' it be a very fine River, well wooded, capable of receiving Ships of 50 or 60 Tons Burthen, and full of Beavers and other wild Beads of rich Furs ; for they being too far off the French, they oblige them to come to Albany or Tork Fort, with their Furs. The Ri- ver Bourbon or Nelfon, upon whofe South-eaflern Branch is l^ork Fort in Hafs Ifland in Lat. 57°. is one of the nobleft Rivers in America, and by much the finefh and largcfl in the Bay, and tho' the Names given to the feveral Lakes and Rivers which enter into thefe Lakes, which are upon it, betwixt its Source on the South-wefl Side of the Upper Lake, and York Fort are different, according to the Accounts given by yeremie, De la Poterie, and Jofepb la France, yet they all agree in this, that there are a great Number of very large Lakes upon it, at great Diflances within Land, South-wefteriy and Weflerly from the Bay, in fine Cli- mates and fruitflil Countries, among many populous erratick Nati- ons, fuch as the Ajjiniboiiels, Chrijlinatix, Savaiina, Monfoni, Vieux Hommes, Tete Plat, Panis Bla?2C, Sturgeon Lidians, &c. which abound with all Sorts of excellent Fi£h, and are navigable for many hundred Leagues, tho' the Rivers which fall into them have feve- ral Sharps and Falls, which occafions feveral Land Carriages, yet Canoes pafs and repafs all thefe Lakes and Rivers from its Source to Tork Fort, the Natives coming down for above a thoufand Miles to trade there.
Th?
( 54)
The Climate at Tork Fort, tho' in Lat. e^y". feems not to be colder than at u^ba?iy in 52°. fince, if the Account taken from But- ton be true, the Ice broke up there in that River on the 26th of jipril^ and the River, tho' not above a Mile broad, was not that Year frozen over the 1 6th of February, when at Alhajiy it was frozen over in the Beginning of November, and it did not break up at the Faftory until the Beginning of May ; this might pro- bably be occafioned by the Strength of the Tide at Fort Nelfon, which rofe fometimes 14 Feet, when at Albany it does not rife 4 Feet, and the Waters of Ne If on River run from the Southward, from more immediately warm Climates, when that at Albany comes from the W. S. W. and all the Bottom of the Bay being full of Ice, makes the Cold more intenfe and continue longer at the Mouth of that River.
This feems confirmed from La France's Account, that within four or five Leagues of the Sea at Tork Fort, the Cold continued, and there was Ice in the River in June, when above that they had a fine Spring, all the Trees in Bloom, and very warm Weather, up to the great Fork in the Beginning of June, and in the River from thence to Pachegoia, or the Lake of For efts, there was a fine Spring and Bloom from the Beginning of May, all the Lands about that Lake, and to the Southwards, being free from Ice and Snow, in the Beginning of April N. S. fo that here is an excellent Soil and Climate upon this River, a few Days failing up the River, even below the great Fork, which is but 60 Leagues to the South- ward, and the River navigable fo far with large Shallops and Boats.
This River opens a Trade into a Country of furprizing Greatnefs through the Lakes Pachegoia, Coriboux, Siens, Great and Little Ouinipiqiie, the Lakes Du Bois, De Pluis, and Red Lake, according to La Frajice, and the Rivers Vieux Hommes and others \yhich enter thefe feveral Lakes ; or by the Lake of Forefls, the Great Wafer, the Jundiion of the tisoo Seas, Tacamiouan and others, according to Jeremie, abounding with all Kinds of Game, Fifli, and Beafts of rich Furs, in excellent Climates, abounding with Timber Trees of all Sorts, and wild Fruit, and capable of all other Kinds of Fruit and Grain upon Cultivation. What an immenfe Trade might be begun and improved through thefe Countries ? for the Natives being numerous, and of a humane Difpofition, upon ha- 2 ving
( 55 )
vlng an equitable Commerce with us, would foon be civilized and become induftrious. In fuch rich and delightful Climates, what a Vent might be had there for our Woollen and Iron Ma- nuficlures, as well as for others, may be eafily conceived ?
At prefent the Company have a little wooden Fort upon Hafs Ifland much decayed, in which they keep 25 Servants to manage their Trade, from whence they return annually about 50000 Bea- vers Skins, or other Furs to that Value, under all the Difadvan- tages the Indians trade with them at prefent. Northwards from this in Lat. 59°. is Churchill River, where the Climate, at fome Diflance from the Bay, is not worfe than at Stockholm or Peters- burgh. This River is navigable for 150 Leagues; and again, after paffing fome Mountains, is navigable far to the Weflward, to a Country abounding in Copper. This communicates with the River of Stags^ which falls into the great Lakes upon Nelfon Ri- ver, infomuch that the South-weftern and Weftern Part of the Bay, without including the Southern or Eaftern Sides, would in fome Years, if fettled and improved by civilizing the Natives, af- ford an inexhauftible Fund for Trade. The prefent Situation of the Prince of JValcs's Fort on Churchill River is vaftly cold, and for that Reafon very inconvenient, as are all the other Factories in the Bay, all the others being fixed with a View only to Profit, and this alone for Profit and Strength, without any View to other Conveniencies, and therefore they have fixed it upon an Eminence 40 Feet high, furrounded on all Sides, without any Shelter, by a frozen Sea and River, and Plains of Snow, expofed to all Storms, which caufes its being colder than in proper Situations within the Polar Circle, being vaftly colder than a few Leagues up the River among the Woods, where the Fadlory's Men lived comfortably in Huts or Tents all the Winter, without any Complaint of Cold or Sicknefs, hunting, fhooting and fifhing the whole Seafon.
The Trade upon this River, tho' very much fliort of that on Nelfon River, yet is very much increafed. Lafl Year, 1742, it amounted to 20000 Beavers, and all the Amount of Moofe, Jilbany and Slude, don't exceed it, but rather falls fhort of it, which is oc- cafioned by the Monopoly, Avarice and Weaknefs, of the Compa- ny, they having but 25 Men in Alban)\ as many at Moofe River, and 7 or 8 at Slude ^ upon the Eaft Main, and have therefore fuf- fered the French to encroach upon them, and to trade and fettle at
the
( s6 )
the Head of Rupert's River, and near Moofe River, within three Days Journey of their Fadtory, betraying the Englijl:) Right to that Part of the Bay, by giving up the Poffeffion to the French by their Weaknefs, and have lofl the Trade there to them by their Avarice, upon account of the exorbitant Gain they take upon their Goods from the Natives of near zooo per Cent . Vvo^l, taking a Beaver Skin, worth from eight to nine Shillings in England, for a Quart of EngliJJj Spirits, mixed with a Third Water, which pro- bably may coft them a Groat ; they alfo in Exchange value three Martins or Sable Skins at one Beaver, when the French give as much for a Martin as for a Beaver ; fo that the Natives carry all their befl Furs to the French, and leave them the Refiife ; for which Reafon, and the French giving them Goods at a cheaper Rate than the Company, all the Eaftcrn and Southern Trade is in a manner loft to the French, and a confiderable Part of the South- weftern Trade, they fcarce preferving the Tirade at Tork Fort and Churchill River to themfelves j fo that were the Trade laid open, and the Southern and Weftern Countries fettled, we might not on- ly regain that Trade from the French, which would probably in- creafe our Profit from 40000 /. which the Company gain at pre- fent upon their Trade, to 1 00000 /. but we might in a ihort Time increafe it to 200000 /. by fupplying the Natives with Woollen Goods, Iron Tools, Guns, Powder and Shot, at reafonable Rates ; for by this Treatment, and fixing Fadiories for Goods higher up the Rivers, upon Rupert's, Moofe, Albany, and Nelfon Rivers j by having Markets nearer them, and cheaper, the Number of Hunt- ers would increafe, and would bring four times as many Furs, be- fides other valuable Skins, not worth the Carriage at prefent, and they would make two Returns for one, and many come from greater Diftances, which don't now come at all ; and we fhould have all that now perifh and rot, and they ufe at home, by get- ting better and cheaper European Goods in Return, and a fhorter and quicker Carriage to Market j this would make them more in- duftrious, and would preferve the Lives of many of them who can't fubfift now without Fire Arms and Iron Tools, having in great Meafure loft the Ufe of Arrows, and inftead of our exporting to the Value of 2 or 3000 /. which is the moft the Company exports in one Seafon, we might export to the Value of 100000 /. in coarfe Woollen and Iron Manufadures, Powder, Shot, Spirits, Tobacco,
Paint,
( 57 )
Paint, and Toys, which would afford Sublicence and Employ- ment to our induftrious Poor, and yet the Merchant might gain near Cent, per Cent, upon his Trade. By increafing our Settle- ments to the Southward, in the Bottom of the Bay, we fhould by this Encouragement make all the Natives our Friends, by un- derfelling the French, and fecuring the Trade, and force the French out of their Trade upon the Eafl Main, and Countries North of Huron, and the other Canada Lakes, and become fo powerful , as not to fear the French in cafe of a War ; whereas at prefent, if a War fliould commence, the Company in a few Weeks would lofe all their Faftories in the Bottom of the Bay, and Tork Fort, where they have but 2^ Men, would foon after fall into their Hands ; for they have none but the Prince of Wales's Fort at Churchill that is in a State of Defence, and even there they keep but 28 Men to defend a Fort in which they have 40 Guns mounted. Such is the melancholy Situation of our Factories and Trade in fo extended a Country at prefent, from the Monopoly and Covetoufnefs of the Company, who have been in Poffeffion of Part of thefe Countries to the Southward from the Time of their Charter In 1670, above 70 Years, and have enjoyed the reft uninterrupted from 171 4 near 30 Years ; yet, tho' they have had the moft extenfive Powers granted to them that were ever granted to any Company, the whole Property and exclufive Trade of all thefe Countries, and all others they fhould difcover from thence not poffeffed by any Chriftian Power J with a Power to make War, raife Troops, and fit out Ships of War to preferve their Poffeffions, to induce them to dif- cover, plant and improve, thefe Countries, and to extend the Bri- tijh Trade, by finding out a PafTage to the Weftern Ocean of America ; yet they have been fo bafe to their Country, as not only to negledl it themfelves, but to prevent and difcourage any At- tenipt to find out fo beneficial a Pafiage, and have alfo prevented any Perfons from fettling in thofe Countries, which would have effeftually fecured all their Fadf ories, and put them out of Danger of being infulted by the French in cafe of a War, and this v/ith a View only of keeping a Monopoly and exclufive Trade to them- felves from the reft of the Britijh Merchants, which they liave no Right to by Law, it being only granted by Charter, without Aft of Parliament. But fuppofing they had a legal Right, they have forfeited their Right by not fettling thefe Countries, and pre-
I venting
( 58 )
venting any of his Majefty's Subjefts from fettling there ; fo that they have forfeited their Right to all thefe Countries except their prefent Factories, upon account of their not taking in, and fetthng upon thofe Lands : Befides, they have not only neglected to find a Paffage to the Weftern Ocean, but have alfo refufed to look for it, and have difcouraged and endeavoured to feduce others from finding it, by ofi^ering Rewards or Bribes to Captain Middleton, who was employed by the Government to make that Difcovery, as he informed me ; tho' the attempting that Difcovery was the chief Prayer for their Patent, and the principal Motive which induced King Charles to grant them their Charter, which was then given to f jme of the moft confiderable Noblemen, Gentlemen and Mer- chants, in England, but now is confin'd to eight or nine private Merchants, who have ingrofled nine Tenths of the Company's Stock, and by that Means are perpetual Diredlors ; the fmall Pro- portion of Stock which is in other Hands, when fold, being pur- chafed by thofe who have in a manner ingrofled the whole, it not being allowed to go to a publick Market.
What great Advantages might Britain by this time have receiv'd, had the Proprietors fettled thefe Countries after the fame manner our other Colonies are fettled, at a trifling Quit-rent, with a Freedom of Trade to all Britijh SubjeBs ? We fhould, by this time, have had populous Settlements, and an extenfive Trade in the Southern and Weftern Countries adjoining the Bay, among thofe noble Rivers and Lakes which have their Sources in, and run through temperate and healthy Climates, in rich and fruitful Countries. The Slude, or Petre River, in Lat. 52°. the Rivers Rupert, Frenchmen's, and Nodway, at the South-weft Corner of the Bay, in Lat. 51°. which _have their Courfes fome Hundreds of Miles into the Country, even to the Latitude of 48°. or 49". in a Climate as good as North France and Germany. The Moofe River, which difembogues in Lat. 51°. 28'. in the South-weft Corner, and is by two Branches navigable for the moft part from Lat. 48°. and 49°. in the fame Cli- mate as the others, by which the Indians defcend fome hundred Miles to the Fadtory from near the Upper Lake, whence by a Land Carriage they come at a River which falls into that Lake.
The River Albany, tho' not fo large, yet is navigable fome hun- dred Miles W. S. W. and enters the Bay in Lat. 52°. coming from fome of thofe Lakes which communicate with Nelfon River, run- ning through fertile and woody Countries in a temperate Climate. 1 The
( 59 )
The New Severn enters the Bay, in Lat. 56°. and comes from the South-weft from at leaft 53°. through a rich and fertile Coun- try, full of fine Woods for above 100 Leagues, full of Beavers and other Beafts of rich Furs, having Branches which communicate with Albajiy and Nelfon Rivers.
The River Nelfon, or Bourbon, opens a Navigation into a Coun- try of furprizing Greatnefs, through many Lakes of great Ex- tent, having many navigable Rivers running into them from diflant Countries in delightful Climates, even to Lat. 46°. and to Nations adjoining to the Weftern Ocean.
Churchill River, in Lat. 59°. a noble River, navigable for 1 50 Leagues, and after pafTing the Falls, navigable again to far diflant Countries, abounding in Mines of Copper, and other rich Com- modities, even to the Weftern Sea ; fo that the Southern and We- ftern Parts of the Bay would, in fome Time, afford an inexhaufti- ble Fund for Trade j nor is the Eaft Side of the Bay defpicable, about the new difcover'd Inland-fea, where there are rich Furs, and Mines of Lead. What an immenfe Trade might be begun and carried on from thefe Countries ; for the Natives, being numerous, and of a humane Difpofition, inclin'd to trade, upon having an equitable Trade with us, would be foon civilized, and become in- duftrious, in fuch rich and delightful Climates ? What a Vent might be had in thofe Countries for our Woollen, Iron, and other Manufadlures, may be eafily conceived : So that by opening the Trade, and fettling thefe Countries, the Fre?tch in time would be confined to the Rivers which fall into the River St. Laurence, and be deprived of all their North-weftern Trade.
The North-weft Part of the Bay, beyond the River oj Seals, in Lat. 60. is the moft incapable of Improvement, there being lit- tle Wood to be had there near the Bay ; nor is it neceflary to have any Settlements there, unlefs one fliould be made for convi(5led Fe- lons, by way of Punifhment or Baniihment, as is pradlifed in Muf- covy, by fending Criminals to Siberia, or by the Danes lately to their Settlement in Davis's Streight, upon the Coaft of Greenland: But tho' there are few Woods there, yet there is Plenty of Game, Rain-Deer in great Numbers, Hares, Buffaloes, Foxes, and many other Beafts, whofe Skins and Furs are valuable ; and the Natives there might be employed in Hunting and Fifhing, and aUo in the Mines, there being a fine Copper Mine already dilcovered on a
I 2 Streij'ht
( 6o )
Straight or Arm of the Sea in that Country. Whale-fin and Oil may be had in Abundance, from the Number of Whales feen there, as alfo Seals, white Bears, and Sea-Horfes, from the Lati- tude of 62°. to 66°. and this Trade would increafe by employing thfe EJkimaiix Indians^ who are already fo dextrous as to flrike and kill them with Harpoons made of Bone, and muft improve, by furnifhing theiii with our Harpoons and Lines, and other Imple- ments of Iron, and Fire Arms to fuch as would be reclaimed and civilized, which the Benefit they would have by a free Trade would very much contribute to. We find the North Bay, above the Wel- come^ even to 66°. is in a habitable Climate, having met with the EJkimaux Indians in Wager River, at Deer Sound, and we find in Europe many Inhabitants within the Polar Circle, for all to the North of the Bofhnick Gulph from Torneo exceeds that Latitude ; all the Laplands, Petzora, the Samoyeds, and all North of Siberia, and yet by their Rain-Deer and Sledges they are fo well pleafed with their Country, that they are with Difficulty prevailed with to leave it, fo that fome Advantage may be made of the moft North- erly Parts ; tho' few or no Europeans fettle there, by civilizing the Natives, and learning them the Ufe of Rain-Deer and Sledges, and Lapland Shoes for the Snow, and fhewing them the way to make Stoves where Firing may be had, fo that an Advantage may be had of the coldelt Parts of that Country.
But befides the Advantage to be made of thefe Countries ad- joining to the Bay, by opening the Trade, and fettling there, a ftill more confiderable one might be made, by opening a Communica- tion with our prefent Northern Colonies upon that Continent by the Means of the Canada Lakes, by forming a Settlement on the River Conde, which is navigable into the Lake Errie, which is within a fmall Diflance of our Colonies of Penfyhania and Mary- land, and being above the great Fall of Niagara, and in the Neigh- bourhood of the Iroquefe, who are at prefent a Barrier againft the French, and a fiifficient Protediion to our Fort and trading Houfe at Ofwega, in their Country upon the Lake Frontenac, who by that Trade have fecured the Friendship of all the Nations around the Lakes oi Huron and Errie. We fliould from thence, in a little Time, fecure the Navigation of thefe great and fine Lakes, and paffing to the Southward, at the fame time, from Hudfon'^ Bay to the Upper Lake, and Lake of Hurons, we fliould cut off the Com- munication
( 6i )
munication betwixt their Colonies of Canada and MiJJiJfippi, and fecure the Inland Trade of all that vafl Continent. I Ihall there- fore from Lahoittan, and other French Authors, give a fliort Ac- count of the Climates and Situations of thefe Lakes, and the Soil of the adjacent Countries. The Upper Lake is lituated South-weft- ward of Hudjbn's Bay^ which may be come at by the Mcofe River ; from whence, after a Navigation of i oo Leagues, and paffing fome Falls, there is a Land Carriage of feven Leagues to the River Me- chipikoton, which falls into that Lake. This Lake is fituated be- tween 46". and 49°. of Latitude, and is about 500 Leagues in Cir- cuit, taking in the feveral Windings of the Coaft. It it calm from May to September^ the South Side well llielter'd with Bays. There is a large River, call'd Camanitigoyan, on the North Side ; there are many large Iflands in it, in which are Elks and wild AfTes, great Quantities of Sturgeon, Trout, and white Fifti, and very good Copper is got near the Lake. This Lake is cold for near iix Months, and is frozen fometimes feveral Leagues from the North Shore.
• This falls into Huron Lake by the Fall of St. Mary, a Sharp of two Leagues. Huron Lake is to the South-eaftward, fituated betwixt Lat. 43°. and 46°. and is about 400 Leagues in Circuit. The North Side is well fheltered by many Iflands full of Woods, one called Manatoualin is 20 Leagues long and 10 broad ; on the Eaft Side is the River Fran^oife, which is as broad as the Seine at Paris ; it runs 40 Leagues from the Lake Nepicerini North- eaftward, and South-eaft of it is the Bay of I'oranto, which is in Depth 25 Leagues and i 5th in Breadth ; the River Toranto iA\h into it, which is full of Cataradts, from the Head of which they can go by a fhort Land Carriage to Lake Frontenac by the River Taneoiite. There is nothing remarkable from that Bay to the Streights of St. Jojeph, through which it is emptied into Lake Er- rie, on the North weft Side below St. Mary's, is the Town of MiJJilimakitiac, fituated between the Fall and the Illinefe Lake. Crofling the Entrance of this Lake, we come to the Weft Side of Huron Lake, in which is the Bay of Sakinac, 1 6 Leagues deep and 6 broad at the Entrance. The River Sakinac falls into it, which is navigable for 60 Leagues, and is as broad as the Seine at Seve Bridge ; this Country abounds with Beavers ; from this Bay
the
( 62 )
the Coaft runs South Eaft to the Streight of St. Jofeph already mentioned.
MiJJilimakinac is fituated in 45°. 30'. within a League of the Entrance into the Illinefe Lake, extreinely pleafantly, as well as conveniently for Trade. Here is a great Fifhery for white Fifh, the richeft and beft Fifh in the World, being fo lufcious that all Sauce fpoils it. The Indians here fow Indiafi Corn, Beans and Peafe, and have excellent Citi-u!s and Melons.
This Lake is fituated in an excellent Climate, affording all Things neceflary for Life, as well as all Fruit and Trees which are for Ornament and Pleafure, filled with Fifli, and furrounded with Herds of Deer, wild Oxen, Beavers, and other Beafts of rich Furs, and all Sorts of wild Fowl : In the Northern Side of the Lake the Spring begins with April N. S. In the Land the Ice breaks up in Marcl\ but there is floating Ice until the Beginning of April, and the Froft and Winter fets in, the latter End of No- •vember. On the South Side the Winter breaks up the Beginning of March, all the Ice being gone before April, and the Winter does not begin until the Beginning of December. From the French River, he fays, there is a Land Carriage to a River which falls into St. Laurence near Monreal.
The ////w^y^ Lake begins at MiJJilimakinac in Lat. 45°. 30'. and extends Southwards to about 40°. being above 300 Leagues in Circumference, in one of the befl Climates in the World ; it is free from Sands, Shelves, or Rocks, furrounded with Woods of the largeft and befl Kinds, either for Food, Delight, or Ufe, hav- ing mofl excellent Fruit of all Kinds. Forty Leagues Southward of the Entrance, on the Wefl Side of the Lake, is the Bay of Piiants, I o Leagues broad at the Entrance, filled with fine Iflands, and 25 Leagues deep, betwixt Lat. 43°. and 44°. it produces all Sorts of Grain and Fruit almofl without Culture. The Fall of Kakalin is on the River which falls into this Lake ; above it is the Nation of Kikapotis, and above them a fmall Lake called Malomi- nis ; upon the Sides of it grows a Kind of wild Oats, from which the Natives get plentiful Crops 5 above this is the Outagamis Fort, and a little higher the Land Carriage to Oidjconfic River, which Ellis into the MiJJiJippi.
There is nothing remarkable from the Bay of Puanfs to the Ri- ver Chicakou, in the South End of the Lake, which has its Source
near
( 63 )
near the Illtnefe River, to which there is a Land Carriage of ibme Miles. The Illinefe River is navigable from about Lat. 39°. to the Mijjijfippi for about 60 Leagues South-weft. " This River runs through one of the moft delightful Countries in the World, abounding with the moft delightful Meadows and Woods, which produce every Thing for Delight or Ufe, filled with plenty of Deer, wild Oxen, and wild Fowl of all Kinds ; on the Eaft Side of the Lake is another fine River, called Oumamis or Miamis, whofe Source is near the Huron Lake. There is nothing remarkable on this Eaft Coaft, except the Bay De L'Ours qui dort, until you come to its Entrance into the Huron Lake.
The Climate upon this Lake is moft delightful, few Storms met with here. The Bay of Piianti is frozen over about the Middle of December^ and the Froft is gone again in February, the Grafs being well grown in the Meadows by the Middle of March. On the South Side of the Lake the River Chicacou was frozen over the Beginning oi December ; and upon the 3d of January it began to thaw, and was navigable the 24th. The whole Country around this Lake is fill'd with Woods of moft excellent Timber of the greateft Growth, which are fill'd with Deer, Buffalo's, &c. and all kind of wild Fowl ; and rich Mines have been difcovered up- on the Illinefe River in its Neighbourhood.
To the Southward of the Lake of Hurons, by the Streights of St. Jofeph, which are half a League broad, after a Courfe of fix Leagues, is the Lake of St, Clair, which is 1 2 Leagues in Cir- cuit ; and from thence by another Streight of 20 Leagues long, and the fame Breadth, is the Entrance into the Lake Errie. All along this Streight, and around St. Clair Lake, are fine Woods full of Harts and Roe-bucks, ftored with all kinds of Fowl. The Lake Errie or Conti is 230 Leagues in Circumference, in the moft excellent Climate in the World, from 40°. to 42°. The Country around it is low and champaign, fill'd with moft delight- ful Woods, full of excellent wild Fruit, interfperfed with Mea- dows filled with feveral Sorts of Deer and wild Beeves. Two fine Rivers fall into it from the Southweft, without Catarafts or rapid Currents. From one of thefe, by a Land-carriage, there is a PafTage to the Illinefe River ; and by another to the River Oua- bach or Ohio ; which, after a Courfe of near 200 Leagues, 100 of which is three and a half Fathoms deep, enters into the Mijif-
( 64 )
fippi, in about 36°. Latitude, about 80 Leagues below the Illijieje River.
This Lake abounds with Sturgeon and white Fifli, the beft in the World. It is clear of Rocks, Shelves, or Sands, generally .14 to 15 Fathoms deep, feldom or never diflurbed with Storms, ;uid thefe only in the three Winter Months, when they happen. Stags, Roe-bucks, and wild Beeves abound on its Banks, and Turkeys and other wild Fowl in the Woods. On the North Side a narrow Strip of Land runs into the L ake for 1 5 Leagues, Thirty Leagues to the Eaftward of this is a fmall River that rifes near the Bay of Gamaxajki in Front enac Lake. From this River to the Fall o? Niagara is 30 Leagues ; this is fuppofed to be the greatefl Fall in this Globe, from its Height and Quantity of Water it dif- charges ; the Height was computed formerly above 100 Fathom, but by a late exadt Account taken by the French in 172 1 , it is faid to be only 26 Fathom pei-pendicular by a Plumb Line, befides the Declivity above and below, it being rapid and full of Shelves for fix Miles below it, before it is again navigable. The Streight above Niagara at the Lake is about a League wide. From this to the River Co?ide is 20 Leagues South-weft ; this River runs from the 8. E. and is navigable for 60 Leagues without any Catara(Ss or Falls ; and the Natives fay, that from it to a River which falls into the Ocean, is a Land Carriage of only one League. This muft be either the Safquehana or Powtomack, which fall into the Bay of Chifapeak. There are feveral fine Iflands on the South- weft of this Lake filled with Fruit Trees of feveral Kinds, and there is a Profpei^l of rich Mines within 20 Leagues of it upon a Mountain from which Oar has been brought which proved good.
From this fhort Abftrad: of the Lakes, taken from the Frejich, who difcovered them, we muft conclude that the Countries ad- ioining to them are the moft delightful in the World ; that in time, by civilizing the Natives, and making them become induftrious, a very fine Commerce might be carried on through thefe extenfive Lakes, which might be fecured to us, by making a fufficient Set- tlement upon the River Conde, where it begins to be navigable, which is but at a fmall Diftance from our prefent Colonies of Ma- ryland and Penfihattia, from whence we might extend that Settle- ment by Degrees, and by building proper VefTels there to navigate thefe Lakes, we might gain the whole Navigation and Inland I Trade
( 6s )
Trade of Furs, &c. from the French, the Fall of Niagara being a fufficient Barrier betwixt us and the French of Canada by Water, and the Iroquefe and Fort at Ofwega upon Lake Frontenac, " an impregnable Barrier by Land, and by the Neighbourhood of our moft populous Colonies, and Numbers tranfplanting themfelves annually from Eiirope, particularly from Switze?dand and Ger- many to Fenfihania ; they would be eafily induced to ftrengtheu our Settlements upon this River and Lake Frrie, in fuch a rich Soil and delightful Climate ; and by our fecuring the Streights of St. Jofeph, betwixt Errie and Huron Lake and the River Fran- pife, near the Bay of Toranfo, we fliould cut off the French at Canada from their Communication with thefe Lakes and the Mif- Jijpppi, and join our Settlements to be made Southward oi Hudfons Bay upon the Moofe, Nodway and Rupert's Rivers, which in time would fecure to us the whole Fur Trade, and make Canada inlig- nificant to the French ; and alio by fettling upon the Ouabach or Ohio near Lake Errie, by having the Cherokees and Chickefaias to the Southward, as a Barrier betwixt us and Louifiana, and fecur- ing the ChoBaws, we might fpread our Commerce beyond the MiJJiJJippi ; by which Means, the Inland Trade of that vafl Northern Continent, much greater than Europe, would in time be wholly enjoy'd by us in Britain, independent of any other European Power.
How glorious would it be for us at the fame time to civilize fo many Nations, and improve fo large and fpacious a Country ? by communicating our Conflitution and Liberties, both civil and re- ligious, to fuch immenfe Numbers, whofe Happinefs and Pleafure would increafe, at the fame Time that an Increaie of Wealth and Power would be added to Britain.
There is at prefent a Beginning of this Scheme by the Zeal of Mr. Barclay, who is inftru6ting and civilizing the Moivhanah among the Iroquefe, who from a warlike Nation have embarked in Trade, and entered into Alliances with all the Nations around the Lakes Huron and Errie, and to the Weftward as far as the MiJJiJJippi, which is firmly eflabliflied by the Gain they make by the Trade the EngliJJo from New-Tork have fixed at Ofwega in their Country, upon equitable Terms with all the Indians, who come now from a great Diftance to trade at that Town, Indians coming now to trade there whofe Names were never before known to the EngliJJi. This therefore feems to be the critical Time to begin this
K Settle-
( 66)
Settlement on the Banks of Conde River. If there be a War with France, as we are at a great Expence to fave the Liberties of Eu- rope, and fupport the Houfe of y^ujlria, lince we can have no- thing in Europe beneficial for us, in cafe we are fuccefsful at the Conclufion of the War, we ought to flipulate for fomething ad- vantageous in America ; and the leaft we ought to claim is our Right to the American Lakes, and fecuring the Navigation of them. The French have at prefent two little Forts, of about thirty Men in each, at Niagara, and the Streights of St, Jofeph, and a few Men at MiffiUmakinac, and at the Bottom of the lllinefe Lake ; thefe we ought to have from them, either by Force or Treaty, which would fecure the Inland-Trade to us, and prevent their fu- ture Incroachments either there or in Hudfon's Bay ; and to do this efi^edlually, would be to make this Settlement near the Lake Errie, which may be done at little or no Expence, confidering our pre- fent Barrier, and Alliance and Trade with the Natives j and when our Troops are difbanded, fome of them may be fent over upon Half-pay to fix in proper Places, and make good our Pofifeffions, which would be a fine Retreat to our Soldiers, who can't fo eafily, after being difbanded, bring themfelves again to hard Labour, after being fo long difufed to it.
By thefe Settlements, and thofe adjoining to Hudfon's Bay, and by opening the Trade in the Bay, many Thoufands more would be employed in Trade, and a much greater Vent would be opened for our Manufadtures ; whereas all the Gain we have at prefent, whilfl the Trade is confined to the Company, is the Employment of 1 20 Men in all their Faftories, and two or three Ships in that Trade, mann'd perhaps with 120 Men in time of War, to enrich nine or ten Merchants at their Country's Expence ; at the fame time betraying the Nation, by allowing the Fraich to encroach up- on us at the Bottom of the Bay, having given up by that means the greatefl Part of their Trade there to the French ; it is therefore humbly fubmitted to the Government, whether it is not jufl, as well as prudent, to open that Trade to all the Britijh Merchants, and refume, at the fame time, the Charter fo far, as to take from them all thoie Lands they have not reclaimed or occupied after 70 Years Pofleflion, leaving them only their Faftories, and fuch Lands as they have reclaimed adjoining to them j and to give Grants as ufual in other Colonies, to all who fhall go over to trade and make
Settle-
( (>! )
Settlements in the Country j for no Grant was ever intended to be made to them, to enable them to prevent other Subjedls of Britain from planting thofe Countries, which they themfelves would not plant or occupy ; for fuch a Power, inflead of being beneficial, would be the greateft Prejudice to Britain^ and is become a gene- ral Law in all the Colonies, that thofe who take Grants of Land, and don't plant them in a reafonable, limited Time, forfeit their Right to thofe Lands, and a new Grant is made out to fuch others as fliall plant and improve them ; and if this Grant be not imme- diately refumed fo far, and the Trade laid open, and fome Force be not fent to fecure our Southern Polfeffions in the Bay by the Go- vernment, in cafe there fliould be a French War, we ihall fee the French immediately difpoifefs the Company of all their Fadlories but Churchill^ and all thefe Countries, and that Trade, will be in the Pofleffion of the French.
To the making fuch Settlements fome Objedlions have been made by the Friends of the Company j as the great Difficulty of getting People to go to fettle and plant in fo cold a Country, and the Difficulty and Danger attending the making Settlements higher up upon the Rivers, and navigating them, they being fo full of Falls and Rapids, that can only be navigated by the Natives in fmall Canoes made of Birch Bark, which can't contain above two Men with any Cargo ; and in thefe they are often overfet, and are in danger of being drowned, and of fpoiling their Goods ; that they are often obliged to carry their Canoes and Cargo from Place to Place, which obftruds greatly, and delays the Navigation, and that fcarce 5 Men out of 1 20, which the Company now have in the Bay, will venture themfelves in, or can condudl fuch Canoes, without imminent Danger of being drowned, and confequently thefe Hardfhips and Difficulties will counterbalance the Profit to be made of fettling higher up in the Country, upon the Rivers in pleafanter and warmer Climates.
To this I anfwer, that by the Accounts already given here of thefe Climates and Countries by impartial Perfons, who don't want to difguife the Truth, it appears that the Cold is tolerable even at thefe difadvantageous Settlements at prefent in the Bay, and that upon paffing only five or fix Leagues up the Rivers into the Coun- try, the Climate is fo altered, as to be equal to thofe of the fame Latitudes in Europe ; and that thefe prodigious Accounts of the Ef-
K 2 fedts.
( 68 )
fed:s of Cold are calculated only to ferve the Company, in order to prevent People from going there to fettle, and encroach upon the Company's Monopoly of Trade.
As to the Difliculty they make about navigating thefe Rivers in thofe fmall Canoes, and the fmall Number of thofe employed by the Company, who will venture in them, or can conduit them ; I anfwer, that their Servants, being at prefent no Gainers by Trade, won't endeavour to learn to navigate thefe Canoes, where there is any Rifque, and Care neceffary to prevent the Danger : Belides, the Company allows them no Time to leai'n, by confining them to their Faftories whilft the Indian Trade continues, and the Navi- gation is open ; and at other Times keep them employed in cutting Wood for Firing, bringing it home, and in (hooting, fifhing, and digging in their Gardens, to fupply themfelves with Provifions, to lelTen the Company's Expence ; fo that they are allowed no Time to learn to navigate thefe Boats, or to go up the Rivers to obferve the Soil and Climate, or what Improvements might be made in the Country : But if they were Mailers of their own Time, and could advance their Wealth by Trade, and found a confiderable Profit to arife to them by their Dexterity in managing thefe Canoes, and the great Pleafure and Satisfaction they would have, by living in a fine Climate among thefe Lakes and Rivers, they would be as enterpri- zing and dexterous as the Cureur de Bois, and be as able to navigate among thefe Water-falls as the French. Neither is it impradicable to prevent even thefe Canoes from overfetting, by Outlagers or blown Bladders fixed to their Sides ; or other Kinds of Boats may be ufed, fuch as are made at 'Torneo, in Sweden, upon the Rivers falling into the Bothnick Gulph ; and Laplanders might be pre- vailed upon to go there to teach them how to make and manage thefe Boats, and train up Rain-Deer to draw in Sleds in Winter, and alfo to ufe Lapland Shoes, which are better than thofe ufed in Afnerica.
If the Trade was once made free, the Profit made upon it would induce many to go and fettle upon thefe Rivers, when not only Horfes and other Conveniencies would be had near thefe Water- falls to afilft the Land Carriage in Summer, but alfo Horfes and Rain-Deer to draw their Sleds in Winter as in RuJIia, which is almoft as cheap a Carriage as by Water, when the proper Roads are made through the Woods y fo that Objeftion muA be of no I Force
( 69 )
Force to prevent our opening the Trade, and fettling thefe Coun- tries.
But fuppofing the word, that we could not manage thefe Canoes, that could not prevent our fettling to Advantage upon thefe Rivers and Lakes above the Falls ; for the Natives might flill be our Car- riers in navigating thofe dangerous Places, and taking our Goods from one Settlement to another, whilfl we fliould be employed in Navigation and Trade among the Lakes and Rivers where there are no Falls in larger Veffels, and pufh our Commerce Southward into better Climates and richer Soils, and put the Natives upon Im- provements in Trade, by civilizing and inftrudting them in build- ing convenient Houfes, and affociating in Towns, making Gardens, and tilling their Lands, providing them with Horfes and tame Cat- tle, and Fowl for their Ufe, and proper Tools, which our Trade would furniflT them with.
Another Objedion is, that it is a difficult and dangerous Naviga- tion into the Bay, and the Trade is not worth the Rifque,
To this I anfwer, that the Navigation is not fo dangerous as it is apprehended to be, but appears to be more fo by the Infinuations and Report of the Company and their Friends, who give it out in order to deter others from venturing and interfering in their Trade j and for that Reafon they oblige their Captains, under a Penalty, not to publifli any Charts of the Bay and Streight. Captain Mid- dkton, who was in their Service, made above twenty Voyages to different Parts of the Bay, and never loll a Ship, nor had any Ac- cident in thefe Voyages ; nor have I heard that the Company, in about 23 Years, have loft any Ships in that Trade but tv/o, and the Men and Cargo were faved by Captain Middlcton. Where Cap- tains are careful in the Ice, there is not much Danger ; it is of great Advantage to them that there is no Night at that Seafon they enter the Bay where the Quantity of Ice is greateft ; and when they return in September, or even in OBcber, all the Ice is in a manner diffolved, or paffed out of the Streight into the Ocean, and none feen that can obftrudt their Paffage.
It is probable, that during the whole Winter, from OElober to March, there is no Ice in the Streight to obftrud; their Paffage in- to, or out of, the Bay ; for a Ship which chanced to be clofed up with Ice in an Inlet, by the breaking of the Ice got out, and came through the Streights at Chriftmas, without finding any Ice in the
Streight
( 7° )
Streight to prevent her Paffage : For the Ice which is formed in Bays and Rivers in Winter, does not break up, and get into the Channel or Streight, until it begins to thaw upon the Shores in March and April j at which Time it is carried by the Winds and Tide into the Streight, and obftrudls the Paffage in May, and Part of June, until it is diflblved ; yet even then good Pilots know how to avoid it, and get into the Eddy Tide, out of the Current, where the Ice is more open, and not drove together by the Winds and Current, as it is in the Channel ; but thefe Difficulties would leffen every Day, if the Trade were open'd, and the Voyages were more frequent by the greater Number of Ships, which would make ma- ny more experienced Pilots ; and as there is now a more accurate Cliart publifhed of the Streight and Bay by Captain Middleton, with the lllands. Soundings, Tides and Variation, the Navigation will become lefs dangerous daily, and Coves and Places of Shelter for Ships will be found out by the Numbers of Ships which would then pafs, and be trading in thefe Seas, which are now unknown.
I therefore apprehend, that the Danger from the Ice is more in Imagination than Reality, when Care and Judgment are employed j for Ships are moftly inclofed in Ice in calm Weather and Fogs, when the Ice prevents the Motion of the Sea j flormy Weather difperfes and breaks the Ice and blows off the Fogs, and Ships keep a good Offing from the Ice, unlefs they get under the Lee of a large Ifland of Ice, and then they faften to it and drive along with it, whilft the fmaller Ice to Leeward is drove from them by the Wind ; and the large Iflands being many Fathoms deep in the Water, come on Ground before the Ships are in Danger of be- ixig forced on Shore in ihallow Water,
The greatefl: Danger and Delay from the Ice is in the Entrance into the Streight ; for the firft 40 Leagues from thence the Quan- tity is lefs, and they pafs on with lefs Difficulty, and after getting into the Bay, the North-weft Side is freeft from Ice, the Bottom of the Bay is full of low flat Ice, which is all diffolved in the latter End of Summer.
Upon the whole, except two Ships which were loft in King William's Reign, and a French Ship, after an Engagement with our Ships, when they attack' d Fort A^^Z/c??, I have heard of none but the Ships already mentioned which have been loft in that Voy- age. The two Ships which went with Barloiv in 17 19 to find* " I the
( 71 )
the North- weft Paflage, contrary to the Inclinations of the Compa- ny, if they did not make the Paffage, were probably in the Win- ter furprized by the Natives, and were not loft in the Ice ; for they lay that the Natives in about Lat, 63°. where they fup^iofe they were loft, are fliyer fince that Time in trading with the Company's Sloops, which they apprehend to be from a Confcioufnefs of Guilt, fearing that it might be known, and they flaould be pu- niilied for it.
Since therefore the greateft Danger from the Ice is in paffing the Streight, and fo few Accidents have happened in fo many Years, the Navigation, I think, can't be call'd dangerous, tho' it has been generally fo apprehended ; and not equal to the Whale Fifhers who go annually to Spitzberg and Davis's Streights, to Lat. 78°. and 80°. without any Objeftion to that Navigation, either by the Dutch, Hamburgers, Danes, Bifcayners, or EngHjJj.
I think therefore it appears, that upon opening the Trade, and fettling in the Bay, a very great Improvement may be made to our Trade, by the Increafe of our Fur Trade, and from the Mines ; and beneficial Whale Fifhery, which may be improved and carried on there by the Indians ; and the whole may be had without Danger or Difficulty, altho' no Paftage fhould be found to the Weftern Ocean ; but if there be a Probability of that Paf- fage, and the Prefumptions are now vaftly ftronger, fince the Dif- coveries lately made by the Ships under Captain Middleton'i Com- mand, and the Advantages would be fo very great to our Trade^ in cafe a fafe Paflage fhould be found, I fhall here give a ftiort Abftrad: of the Journal which he has been pleafed to give us,, wherein, tho' many material Obfervations have been concealed and omitted, and others have been mifreprefented ; and the chief Part of the Coaft, where the greateft Hopes was of a PafiTage, was en- tirely flighted and negled:ed by him. Part being pafl^ed in the Night, and the Remainder failed along in hazy Weather, at five, fix,, and eight Leagues Diftance, fo as to make no Difcovery of thofe broken Lands, of which that whole Coaft confifts ; which feems plainly done with a Defign in him to compliment the Company at the publick Expence, that he might have it in his Power to gratify them by concealing the Difcovery ; and thought from his Charadler of being an experienced Sailor, no other after him would >if)retend to look after it for the future, which would quiet the Com- pany
( 7^ )
pany in the Poffeflion of their darUng Monopoly in the Bay, for which, 110 doubt, he had ftrong Motives to induce him to flight it, they hav- ing offered him before he went the Voyage /. 5000 not to go, or to flight the Difcovery, by going to Davis's Streights, or any other Way . but where he was directed, as he has own'd to feveral Perfons ; yet notwithftanding all his Art in concealing a great deal, and difguifing more, in his Journal, enough is difcovered in it, to fliew he was in the PafTage, and that if his Inclination had been as good as his Abili- ty, he could have made a confiderable Progrefs in the Difcovery of the Paflage lall Voyage ; and after obferving upon his own Journal, I ihall add what further Remarks have been made in the Voyage by Ibme Officers who were on board him, and Objediions to his Condud: upon the Voyage, fo far as related to his concealing and flighting the Difcovery j and by comparing his Journal and their Obfervations, with the Accounts formerly given by Butto?z, Fox, Scroggs ^nd Norton, fhall fliew that the Prefumptions now of their being a fafe Paffage to the Weflern Ocean oi America, are as flrong , as well can be, without a Demonflration by an adlual pafling it. y\\y\,.<- Y{^ could not get out fooner than the ifl of July from Churchill aM^. River in Lat. 58°. 56'. to fearch for the Paflage ; on the 3d at five pAZ- ^'^ *^^ Morning he faw three Iflands in Lat. 61°. 40'. on the 4th hefaw Brook Cobhatn in Lat. 63°. Long. 93°. 40'. Wefl fromZ/ow- don, the Variation there was 21°. Weft. This Ifland had much Snow upon it; on the 6th in the Morning he faw a Head-land in Lat. 63°. 20'. Long. 93°. Weft ; Soundings from 35 to 72 Fa- thoms ; at five the Current fet N. N. E. 2 Knots 2 Fathoms ; the Tide flowed from N. E. by N. Variation 30°. Weft ; a W. by N. Moon made high Water; the 8th he was in Lat. 63°. 39'. faw no Whales or other Fifli yet, except one white Whale as big as a Grampus, and fome Seals ; much Ice North of them, clofe in Shore for feveral Leagues ; Depth 60 to 90 Fathoms ; Land 7 or 8 Leagues N. W. loth in Lat. 64°. 51'. Long. 88°. 34', Weft, the Welcome here 11 or 12 Leagues wide, the Eaft Coaft a low flat Coaft, the whole Welcome full of Ice ; they filled frefh Water off the Ice; clos'd in the Ice until the 12th; the 13 th he got through the Ice to Northwards of Cape Dobbs, a new difcovered Head-land, on the N. W. Side of the Welcome, in Lat. 65°. 10'. Long. 86°. 6'. Weft, faw a fair Opening N. W. of it ; failed into this Opening or River to fecure the Ships from the Ice, until it
difperfed
( 73 )
difperfed In the Welcome. The Entrance of this River 6 or 8 Miles wide for 4 or 5 Miles. Four Leagues higher it was 4 to 5 Leagues wide ; he anchored on the North Side above fome lilands in 34 Fathoms ; the Tide in the Narrow flowed 5 Miles an Hour > not ib ftridt further up ; much Ice came down with the Ebb ; the Soundings, as they went up, were from 1 4 to 44 Fathoms in , the Middle of the Channel, Next Morning feveral of the Ejki- maux Indians came on board, who had nothing to exchange but their old Cloaths and 20 Gallons of Train Oil ; he gave them fe- veral Toys ; he went higher about four Miles, above fome Iflands, and anchored in a Sound betwixt them and the North Shore, in an Eddy Tide, to be out of the Way of the driving Ice, which went in and out with the Tide, and anchored in 16 Fathoms ; this he called Savage Sound ; the River above and below full of Ice ; the 1 5th he fent up the Lieutenant with nine Men well armed, with Provifions for 48 Hours, in the eight oar'd Boat, to try the River, who returned on the 17th ; he had been up as far as the Ice would permit, it being fafl above from Side to Side ; he found the Depth above from 70 to 80 Fathoms. The 16th the Captain went afliore on fome Iflands, and found them quite -^ bare, except fome Ihort Grafs, and Mofs in the Valleys, and a little Sorrel and Scurvy-Grafs above High-water Mark, They fet the Fifhing Nets but got no Fifh ; many of his Men relapfed in the Scurvy, above half not ferviceable. The Tide at the Mouth of the River on Change Days flows five Hours, and rifes from 10 to 15 Feet, Variation 35°, Wefl: ; where the Lieutenant was, it flowed from the Southward, and rofe 1 3 Foot at Neap Tide. The Northern Indians he took from Churchill knew nothing of the Country ; 1 8th got the Ships into a fafe Cove, and moor'd in nine Fathoms and a half : The Captain went up the River in the Morning with eight Men and the two Indians, and by eight at Night was got up 1 5 Miles : He found the Tide flowed 1 2 Feet,, and a Weft Moon made high Water ; the Tide flowed from S. S, E. the Indians killed a Deer ; they heard an uncommon cry- ing in the Night, generally made by Savages when they fee Stran- gers ; 1 9th by two in the Morning went five Miles higher, and got into a fmall River or Sound, fix or feven Miles wide, but how far it went up they knew not ; the main River was there fix or fe- ven Leagues wide, but fo full of Ice tl^ey could not go much far-
L tlicr :
( 74)
ther ; the Lands on both Sides very high ; lie went upon one of the higheft Mountains 24 Miles above Savage Cove, where the Ships lay, from whence he could fee where the Ships lay, and a- bout 8 or lo Leagues higher up than the Place he was at ; he ©bferved the River run N. by W. by the Compafs, which, Vari- ation allowed, was to Weftward of N. W. but it grew narrower in its Couife upwards, and was full of Ice ; the 20th, at eight in the Evening, he returned on board with fix Deer, which tlie ht- (Jians had fliot whilft he was on Shore : He called that Place Deer Sound ; the Land is very mountainous and barren, with Rocks of the Marble Kind ; in the Vales a great many Lakes, with fome Grafs, and Numbers of large Deer, as big as a fmall Horfe, 12 or 13 Hands high ; upon Iflands not half a Mile in Circuit they generally faw a fmall Herd. 21ft he went down the River, which was ftill full of Ice ; when he was within 4 Miles of the Entrance, he got upon a high Hill, and faw the JVelcojne ftill full of Ice from Side to Side. 2 2d the Ice very thick in the River above and below, and more drives in every Tide, if the Wind comes from the Welcome ; he fent the Lieutenant with the fix oar'd Boat up the River. 24th more Ice in the River than ever ; no fending a Boat downwards. 25th Lieutenant returned, after having been 48 Hours founding among the Iflands near Deer Sound; he found the River full of Ice j he brought three Deer with him. 26th fent the Lieutenant and Mafler down to fee if the Ice was clearer below, and in the Welcome ; Savage Sound is in Long. 89°. 28'. Weft, Variation 35°. Weft; the Entrance of Wager River is in Lat. 65°. 23'. Deer Sound 65°. 50'. the Courfe from Savage Bay is N. W. by Compafs, which, Variation allov/ed, is W. by N. 27th Lieutenant returned, having been carried out by the Ice and Tide fix or feven Leagues, and found the River be- low quite choak'd up with Ice, but thinner when they got into the Welcome. 28th at one in the Afternoon, the Lieutenant and Mafter went up the River, to try if they could find out any other Way into the Welcome befides that they came in at, on Account they had feen many black Whales, and other Fifh, the Time they were up laft, and none were feen where the Ships lay, nor any where below ; he was like wife ordered to try Deer Sound, and every Opening, to find whether the Tide came in any other Way, than the Way they came in at, this he had Time to do, until
the
( 75 )
the Ice cleared in the NTouth of the River and Welcome. 2gt\\ he fent the Boat with eight lick Men, and feveral tliat were lame ivith the Scurvy, to an Ifland about five Miles oif, it having Plenty of Sorrel and Scurvy-Grafs upon it, and left with them Tenting and Neceflaries; the Tide flowed 12 Fathom 6 Inches ; the Cap- tain went up one of the higheft Hills, and found the River full of Ice below, but fomething thinner above. 30th he perceived the Ice was all faft below them, and for eight or ten Miles above tlicm, without the Iflands ; but pretty clear without the Cove. 3 I ft Abundance of Ice drove in from the Welcome, and almoft fil- led the Bay without them. The ift of Augiift the Lieutenant and Mafter came on board, having been four Days out, who faid they had been 10 or 12 Leagues above Hcer Sound ; they faw a great many black Whales of the Whale-bone Kind ; they tried every Opening they faw, and conftantly found the Tide of Flood came from the Eaftward, or in at the Mouth of the River F/ager, 2d they unmoored and warp'd out into Savage Sound, and on the 4th by loth at Night got out of the River, the Ebb carrying them out at the Rate of five Miles in an Hour, being clear of Ice until they got out ; it being almoft calm put the Pinnace a Head, and tow'd and row'd with the Ship's Oars. They were then in 65°. 38'. and Long. 87°. 7'. Weft Variation 38°. Here they entered a new Streight N. E. of /F^^^r River, 13 Leagues wide; the Entrance of Wager River is in Lat. 65°. 24'. Long. 88°. 37'. the 5th they were in Lat. 66°. 14. Long. 86°. 28'. Weft ; the Strait there was about 8 or 9 Leagues wide, failing among Ice ; the S. E. Coaft was low and fhingly 7 Leagues long ; at the N. E. End of the Beach was a mountainous ragged Land like Part of Hudfo?i's Streight ; good Soundings herefrom 25 to 44 Fathoms, Variation 40°. Weft ; the Tide comes from E. by N. by the Compafs ; the Tide runs very ftrong here with Eddies and Whirlings. 6th tried the Tide, and found it came from the E. by S. the Point of the Beach at two was diftant four or five Miles ; at half an Hour paft two fent the Lieutenant aflwre with the fix oar'd Boat to try the Tide, and found it had ebbed two Feet, and the Flood came from the Eaftward ; at three made a Signal for the Boat to come on board ; at four faw a fair Cape or Head-land on the Weft or North Shore, bearing from them S. W. half S. fix or feven Leagues, the Land trenching away from E, by N. to N. by W. making eight
L 2 Points
( 76 )
Points of the Compafs ; this gave them Joy, beheving it the North Point of u4merica, and therefore he called it Cape Hope ; they work'd round it through much ftraggling Ice all Night ; in the Morning when the Sun clear'd away the Haze, they faw Land all round, quite from the low Beach to the Weflward of the North, meeting the Well Shore, and made a deep Bay, but to make fure they kept their Courfe to the Cod of it, until two next Afternoon, when every one faw plainly it was a Bay, and they could not go above fix or eight Miles farther ; fo trying the Tide feveral Times, and finding it always llack Water, they found they had overihot the Opening where the Tide came in at, from the Eallward, the Variation here was 50°. This Bay at the Bottom was fix or feven Leagues wide from Side to Side ; very high Land from thence to the frozen Streight Eaftward of them ; Soundings from 50 to 105 Fathom ; they failed Eaftward out of the Bay, much Ice to Eaft- ward. The 8th at i o in the Morning the Captain went on Shore with the Boat, taking the Gunner, Carpenter, and his Clerk with him, to try if he could find from whence the Flood came in at to this Streight or Bay. At Noon Cape Hope bore N. half E. five or fix Leagues ; the Beach W. S. W. four Leagues ; the Entrance of the frozen Streight amongft the Iflands on the Eaft Side, bore Eaft two Leagues ; at four the Middle of the frozen Streight bore E. S. E. three Leagues ; at half an Hour paft nine at Night he re- turned on board ; he had travelled about 1 5 Miles to the higheft Mountain that overlooked the Streight, and Eaft Bay on the other Side, and faw the PafTage the Flood came in at ; the narroweft Part of this Streight is four or five Leagues, and five, fix or {even in the broadeft, almoft full of large and fmall Iflands, and in length about 16 or 18 Leagues; it ftretches S. E. round to the South and to the Weftward ; it was full of Ice not broke up, all faft to both Shores, and Iflands therein ; he faw very high Land, about 15 or 20 Leagues Southward of the Place he was at, which he took to run towards Cape Comfort, and the Bay betwixt that and We/ion's, Fortland, being Part of Hudfon's North Bay ; the Ice being not yet broke up, it was refolved in Council to try the other Side of the Welcome, from Cape Dobbi to Brook Cobhanty to know if there was any Opening there, and then return to Eiig- land.
The
( 77 )
The 9th at two in the Morning they bore away ; at three founded 3 5 Fathom within a Mile of the Beach, fix Leagues to Cape Hope, and three to the Beach Point ; they failed along the South-eaft Shore at three Leagues Diftance ; there being much Ice to Weftward, almoft one third over ; at four in the Afternoon Cape Dobbs bore N. W. three fourths W. by Compafs fix Leagues ; at 10 founded 50 Fathom ; at 12, 60 to 65. The loth at four in the Morning 43 to 25 Fathom, five Leagues from the Weft Land at eight ; 66 to 70 Fathom ; then in Lat. 64°. 10'. Long. 88°. 56'. Weft; t\\t WeIco77ie htxc 16 or 18 Leagues wide ; the extreme Part of the S. E. Shore ftill in Sight, bore from S. to S. E. by E. diftant fix or feven Leagues. The i ith at four in the Morn- ing 45 to 35 Fathom, the North Shore from N. E, to N.N. W. four or five Leagues diftant, then in about Lat. 64°. and Long. 90°. 53'. near the Head-land ; they kept as near as they could to the Shore, to fee if there was any Opening into the Land, 2 5 to 3 5 Fathoms j continued failing in Sight of the North Shore from Cape Hope ; at four in the Afternoon haul'd off from the Shore to deepen the Water ; at fix, 34 to 28 Fathom ; at eight, 30 to 40 ; then lay by until Day-light ; Soundings all Night fi"om 44 to 60 Fathom. At four on the 12th made fail ; at fix, flood in with the Head-land 9 or 10 Leagues to Eaftward of Brook Cobham ; it bore then from them N. W. by N. 5 or 6 Leagues ; founded 60 to 49 Fathom ; at ten 49 to 9 Fathom, ftanding in to the Head- land ; at twelve haul'd oflF to deepen the Water, they were then in Lat. 63°. 14'. and Long. 92°. 25'. W. He fays he found in coafting along the Shore of the Welcome, from the frozen Streight to this Place, that it was all a Main-land, tho' there are feveral fmall Iflands and deep Bays ; this Head-land, and the other in Lat. 64°. makes a deep Bay ; in their Paflfage out they did not fee the Bottom of it, as they did upon their Return ; and by keeping clofe along Shore, they faw many large black Whales of the right Whale-bone Kind.
They had from 20 to 40 Fathom off Brook Cobham, which at four in the Afternoon was W. N. W. 4 Leagues diftant. The 13th he fent afhore to fee if he could water the Ships ; the two Northern Indians went aftiore in the Boat ; the Ifland is 3 Leagues from the Main, 7 Leagues long and three broad, all of hard white Stone like Marble. The 1 4th the Lieutenant returned with the I Boat,
( 78 )
Boat, and brought a Deer the Indians had Hiot, and a white Bear j they faw feveral Swans and Ducks.
The 1 5th lent the Boat for more Water with the two Northern India?is, who were defirous of being left near their own Country, he gave them a fmall Boat, which he taught them the Ufe of, and loaded it with Powder, Shot, Provifions, Hatchets, Tobacco, and Toys, of every Kind he had on board. The Afternoon the Boat returned on board, and brought an Account, that by Marks left on the Shore, the Tide flows fometimes there 22 Feet ; they left the two Indians afhore, who deligned to go to tlie Main-land the firft Opportunity ; the other Indian being defirous of feeing England, he brought with him, and the fame Day bore away for Efigland.
If nothing more was known or difcovered by this Voyage, than what is here mentioned in this Journal, yet it even appears from it, and by the former Accounts given by Button, Fox, Scroggs, and Norton, that there are ftrong Prefumptions of a Paflage, of which I fliall give a fhort Abftradt, with Obfervations upon this Journal, as here given in by Captain Middleton. But when I fliall take No- tice of what more has been difcovered in this Voyage, which has been induftrioufly concealed by him, and that he not only flighted examining the material Parts of the Coafl:, and the Dired:ion and Height of the Tide, where the greatefl; Probability was of a Pal- fage by all former Accounts ; but even avoided the Coaft, and pafl'ed great Part in the Night, and has given falfe Accounts of the Courfe of the Tides, and has made an imaginary frozen Streight, in order to bring a Tide of Flood through it to fupport the falfe Fads he has laid down in his Journal, and publiflied in his Chart of the Courfe of the Tide, from thence to conclude, that there is no Paflage ; and when a Pafl*age or Streight free from Ice, lead- ing to the W. S. W. four or five Leagues wide was difcovered, and reported to him under the Lieutenant and Mafl:er's Hand, he would not purfue it, but fail'd out of the Streight N. E, a Courfe the Reverfe of what he ftiould have taken, and followed the Tide con- trary to his Inflruftions ; and afterwards, when a Tide of Flood was difcovered coming from the Wefl:ward at Marble Ifland, through an Open on the Wefl:ern Shore, he not only flighted looking into it, but even refufed the Lieutenant when he defired to try that Opening, and difcouraged all thofe who were on board
( 79 )
him, who were of Opinion that there was a Paffiage, and were inquilitive and defirous of having it found. When all this is fhewn, it will not only increafe the Probability of there being a Paflage, but alfo confirm the Belief, that undue Influence has been made Ufe of by the Company, to induce the Captain to conceal the Paffige and ftifle the Difcovery, and publifli a falfe Chart to fix it, and deter any others from attempting it for the future.
In order to make all this plain, I fliall firft give a ftiort Abflracfb fi'om Button, Fox, and Scroggs, of wliat they obferved, and then reafon from their Accounts, and the Fadls he himfelf has allowed in his Journal, before I mention what he has concealed, avoided and fahified in it.
It appears from Biitton'% Journal, who was the firfl: we have re- corded to have been upon that Coafl in 1613, after wintering in Port Neljm, that he faw a Head-land when in 62°. 42'. North La- titude, bearing from him N. E. by E. 8 or 9 Leagues, and ano- ther Head-land in about Lat. 64°. which are the fame mentioned in this Journal ; he was then forced by a Storm into Lat. 65°. and fell in with the Eaft Land ; this Place he called A^^ Ultra, not knowing whether it was a Bay or Inlet. He was afterwards forced by ftormy Weather to the Southward, without making any other Difcovery, only leaving it doubtful. He was here on the 28th of yiih, but faw neither Ice nor Snow upon the Coafl at that Time, but faid all he faw was a broken Land and Iflands upon the North- weft Coaft.
Fox was the next, who was there in 1632. The firft Land he made, after palling Gary's Sii'an's Neft, was in Lat. 64°. i o'. which he called Sir 'Thomas Roe's Welcome, but was the fame Button called Ne Ultra. This, he fays, was an Ifland, a high, broken Land. He liad fine, clear Weather, an open Sea, free from Ice, no Snow on the Land, but a bold, ragged Coaft, like Head-lands upon the Ocean, with Tangle and Rock-weed, and great Store of Fifh leap- ing. Here the Tide rofe 4 Fathom. He failed from thence South- weft, and in Lat. 63°. 37'. faw another Head-land to Southward of him, and fmall Iflands and broken Land upon the Main, with many Fifli and Seals, and one black Whale. He failed to South- ward, and came to Brook Cobham, an Ifland in Lat. 63°. where he faw two Whales, and betwixt that Ifland and the Main his Men
faw
( 8o )
•faw 40 Whales, This was the 27th of "July. He failed thence to the Southward.
Scroggs was the third that was there. He failed from Churchill River on the 2 2d of June 1722. In Lat. 62°. he traded with the Natives for Whale-fin and Sea-horfe Teeth. On the 9th of July he was drove in hazy, thick Weather, to Lat. 64°. 56'. where he anchored in 1 2 Fathoms. When it cleared up, he found himfeif within 3 Leagues of the North Shore. The Read-land which bore E. N. E. from him, he called Whalebone Point. He faw at the fame time feveral Iflands bearing from S. W. by W. to S. W. by S. which, Variation allowed, was from S. W. by S. to S. S. W. He iaw Land from. South up to the Weft ; the Welcome was very high Land, as high as any in Hudfon's Streight. The Southermoft Illand he called Cape Fiillerton. Here he faw many black Whales, and fome white. He fent his Boat on Shore, they faw many Deer, Geefe, Ducks, ^c. He faid it flowed there 5 Fathoms upon his Lead-line, he having but 7 Fathom at low Water, and 1 2 at high Water, He had two Northern Indians with him, who had win- tered at Churchill^ and told him of a rich Copper Mine fomewhere in that Country, upon the Shore, near the Surface of the Earth, and they could direct the Sloop fo near it, as to lay her Side to it, and be foon loaden with it ; they had brought fome Pieces of Copper from it to Churchill., that made it evident there was a Mine thereabouts. They had fketched out the Country with Charcoal upon a Skin of Parchment before they left Churchill, and fo far as they went it agreed very well. One of the Indians defired him to leave him, faying, he was within three or four Days Journey of his own Country, but he would not let him go. He faid he was up in the Cod of the Bay, and that there was a Bar there ; but his Men faid he was 10 Leagues from what he called a Bar. He failed out S. E. and on the 15th croffed to the Weft Side of the Welcome, in Lat. 64°. 15'. In Lat. 64°. 8'. he faw again many Whales, but faW no Ice when he was there. The Land from Whalebone Point fell off" to the Southward of the Weft, and the Men who went aihore, faid they faw nothing to prevent their go- ing farther. They had Soundings there from 40 to 70 Fathoms.
Captain Norton, late Governor oi Churchill, was then with him, and confirmed this Account, and that the Tide rofe 5 Fathom ; and faid that he was on Shore, on the Top of a Mountain, and
faw
{ 8i )
law the Land fall away to the Southward of a Weft, and nothing to prevent their going further.
Captain Middleton in his Journal confirms all thefe Head-lands in the very fame Places they mention them, with high, ragged Lands and Iflands off the Main, and fiw many Whales at the fame Head-land Fox had (czn one. Upon his going out it appears he kept at a great Diftance from the Weft Shore, fo as fcarce to de- fcry it, under Pretence of Ice; and upon his Return, tho' there v/as then no Ice, it appears he was 6 Leagues to Eaftward of Cape Dobbs, paffed Whalebone Foint in the Night, without feeing that Coaft-, and was 5 or 6 Leagues to Eaftward of Cape Fulkrton next Morning, as it appears from his Logg-book ; he afterwards coafted down the Bay Southward of that Cape. But by the Logg-book it appears he was 7 or 8 Leagues off the Coaft, and generally fo ha- zy, as only barely to defcry Mountains, as it were, in the Clouds, never once fending his Boat on Shore to try the Tide, or look out for Inlets, until he arrived at the Marble liland he called Brook Cobham ; fo that he could not fee any Whales where Scroggs ob- ferved them, nor could he defcry any Land at the Bottom of the feveral Bays, when he was fo far to Eaftward of the Iflands and Head-lands ; and yet he takes upon him to fay, he had fearched all that Coaft, and found it to be a main Land from Cape Hope to