[Garry ] DIARY OF NICHOLAS GARRY 93 
McGillivray answered. After a short Preface the Boy said, “ Monsieur, 
vous êtes mon Père.” Mr. McGillivray “Comment, Coquin,” and his 
Look with it I shall never forget, and it set his Brother and Myself 
laughing in such a manner that I thought we should never have ceased. 
However the Laugh was a good deal turned against Mr. Simon MeGilli- 
vray on the Boy stating that Simon was his name. However after a few 
more Questions the poor enfant trouvé was dismissed without finding his 
Père. I could not but admire the Ruse de Guerre of the old Voyageur 
Mr. McGillivray turning the Tables on his Brother who was not less 
expert in Expedient, as he took me aside afterwards saying it was an odd 
Adventure but added “I see how it is,—it is my nephew Simon’s Son.” 
So that the poor Boy must go to the Athapascan for a Father and when 
he arrives the Nephew will be as ready in throwing the charge from his 
Shoulders. The Mr. McGillivrays intend enquiring out the History 
of the Boy. 
Wednesday 13th [June]. Having now our Complement of men 
we actually take our Departure. Our Party consists in Mr. William 
McGillivray, Mr. Simon McGillivray and myself, [?]Mornis' an old 
Canadian Voyageur as McG’s servant, an English Boy servant to his 
Brother and my man Raven, one Guide Langue, 12 Canadian Voyageurs, 
an Illisquois, Thoma, making in all 19 [?20] Persons. Our Canoe is 36 
feet in Length and about 6 Feet extreme Breadth. It is constructed 
entirely of Bark, Cedar Splints, the Roots of the Spruce, and the Pitch 
of the yellow Pine, with no Iron except a few Nails to fasten the Top of 
Frame of Gunwale. The extreme width is six feet from whence it tapers 
gradually towards Bow and Stern to a wedge like Point and is turned 
over from the extremities towards the Centre so as to have in some degree 
the Resemblance of a Head of a Violin. They are made of the Bark of 
the White Birch which is peeled from the Tree in large Sheets, left to 
dry for some time and then bent over a slender frame of Cedar Ribs, 
confined by Gunwales which are kept apart by slender Bars of the same 
wood running across. Around this the Bark is sewed by the slender and 
flexible Roots of the young Spruce Tree called Wattape and also where 
the pieces of Bark join so that the Gunwales resemble the Rim of an 
Indian Basket. The joinings are afterwards luted and rendered water- 
tight by a coat of Pine Pitch called Gum. In the third cross Bar an 
Aperture is cut for the Mast so that a Sail can be employed. Seats for 
the Paddlers are made by suspending a strip of Board on the Cords in 
such a manner that they do not press against the Sides. The Paddles 
are made of Cedar and are about four feet and a half in Length. Gov- 

1 Or Momis. 
