[BRYCE] LORD SELKIRK’S DIARIES 5 
Both the North-West Companies (Old North-West Co. and X Y 
Company. Ed.) have vessels in the Upper Lakes (neither of them on 
Ontario) McTavish two, Mackenzie one, to ply between Fort Erie, Detroit 
and St. Mary’s (Sault Ste. Marie. Ed.) and the same on Lake Superior 
An Iron work has been attempted near Niagara but it was Bog 
Iron Ore and soon exhausted. . 
The Mississippi traders had a kind of Association at Prairie des 
Chênes in which was Dickson (from Dumfries, whose brother is settled 
at Queenston and is a principal trader). Some years ago the Spaniards 
attempted to prevent their trade—they belled the cat and had a battle 
with them: the matter was compromised by their agreeing'to pay the 
Spaniards a license fee for the trade of particular districts (on the West 
side of the Mississippi River,) which was Spanish territory then. (None 
are ever allowed to go up the Missouri). (This reference to a battle 
with Spaniards has explained an allusion hitherto unsolved, made in 
Pierre Falcon’s song; see “The Romantic History of Lord Selkirk’s 
Colonists,’’ published by the writer. Ed.) . 
Friday, Nov. 18th. Hearing of the arrival of a vessel at Niagara, 
I left Queenston after paying a visit to the sheep (Lord Selkirk’s own 
flock) and went to Niagara—alias Newark. 
(Here comes a description of Queenstown. Ed.) 
Saturday, Nov. 19th. Staid at Niagara. Then had three days 
sharp frost. Met Col. Talbot returning from Toronto going toward 
his settlement in Dunwich. car 
(Criticizes somewhat severely Col. Talbot’s Immigration plans. 
Ed.) 
Sunday, Nov. 20th. A south wind brought a call early in the morn- 
ing to embark. Had a pleasant, smooth passage and reached York 
(Toronto. Ed.) inthe evening (Vessel a schooner of about 50 tons) . 
York contains 60 or 70 houses—the first-built part is compact— 
the lots being one-fifth of an acre each; the western part of the town is 
very scattered—the roads called streets, infamous and almost impas- 
sable—the whole appears very ragged from the stumps—near the 
eastern end of the town is a blockhouse built by President Russell (on 
an alarm from Brant’s Indians, who at Brant’s instance threatened to 
attack York unless his demands were granted), and near it the situation 
proposed for a Government House, where only two rooms are built 
that serve for the meeting of Assembly, Courts of Justice, ete. 
This situation is found to be unhealthy, from the neighbourhood of a 
marsh of a thousand acres formed by the mouth of the Don (ci-devant 
Toronto River). This marsh is not found to affect the garrison or more 
distant part of the town at a mile or a mile and a half distant. A party 
of soldiers stationed in the block-house last summer were constantly 
