1890-91.] DISCOVERER OF THE GREAT FALLS OF LABRADOR. 333; 



To this inhospitable region, and under these untoward circumstances,. 

 Mr. John McLean was ordered in the winter of 1837. 



This gentleman was born on the banks of Lochba, within the shadow 

 of grim old Benmore, in Argyleshire, about the end of 1797, or the 

 beginning of 1798. He entered the service of the Hudson Bay Company 

 in the winter of 1820-21, being, consequently about twenty-two years of 

 age at that time. He arrived in Montreal in January, 1821, and after 

 spending three or four months in residence with " the parish priest of 

 Petit le Maska,* for the purpose of studying the French language," he was 

 ordered to the post of Lake of Two Mountains. Here, he states that the 

 village " is inhabited by two distinct tribes of the aborigines, — viz. : the 

 Iroquois and the Algonquins ; the latter are a tribe of the Sauteaux 

 nation, or Ojibbeway, and live principally by the chase, the former culti- 

 vate the soil and engage as voyageurs, or in any other capacity that may 

 yield them the means of subsistence." His next post was at the Chats,, 

 further up the Ottawa, and in June of 1822, he was appointed to Fort 

 Coulonge, eighty miles higher up the river. 



On the conclusion of his three years' apprenticeship he was placed in 

 "charge of Lac de Sable, a post situated on a tributary of the Ottawa, 

 called Riviere aux Lievres, two hundred miles distant from Montreal." 

 Here he remained several years and succeeded by his admirable manage- 

 ment in driving away all the company's trade rivals, and placing the 

 affairs of the post in a good business condition. On this account he com- 

 plains bitterly that he was removed to a more distant situation. He 

 says, "I had now served the Hudson's Bay Company faithfully and 

 zealously for a period of twelve years, leading a life of hardship and toil, 

 of which no idea can be formed except by those whose hard lot it may 

 be to know it by experience. . . . And what was my reward ? I 

 had no sooner succeeded in freeing my district from opposition, than I 

 was ordered to resign my situation to another who would enjoy the 

 results of my labour." 



Poor fellow, he little knew how much more hardship and ill-treatment 

 were yet in store for him! 



Being now ordered to the North West, he describes his tedious journey 

 from Montreal up the Ottawa, travelling much by canoe, through Lake- 

 Nipissing and French River, mentioning Fort Mississaga, Sault Ste. 

 Marie, Fort William, Lac la Pluie and River, Lake Winnipeg and Norway 

 House. At the last named post he met Captain Back the Arctic traveller 

 After spending a short time here, he was notified to proceed to New 

 Caledonia, via Athabasca and Fort Dunvegan. 



* Yamaska ? 



