SOURCE OF ST. PETER's RIVER. 119 



the 3d of September; the preceding evening, his daughters 

 asked and obtained his consent to go to the fort to see an 

 old half-breed Indian woman from whom they had expe- 

 rienced much kindness. They were seen going into the 

 fort, but did not return ; the father becoming uneasy went 

 in search of them, but could obtain no information con- 

 cerning their fate ; he applied to Major Long, who visited 

 Mr. M'Gillivray with Mr. Say, and stated to him the cir- 

 cumstance, desiring that he would use his influence and 

 authority to cause the children to be restored to their pa- 

 rent. The efforts of this gentleman were, however, un- 

 availing. The children were not found ; and at the time 

 that we left the fort, it was not known what had become 

 of them. Tanner was placed in a most distressing dilem- 

 ma ; he had re-entered the Indian country but a short 

 time before for the mere purpose of taking his daugh- 

 ters to Mackinaw ; if he returned without them, the ob- 

 ject of his voyage would be frustrated, and the hopes of 

 ever again seeing his children would be rendered very 

 faint. On the other hand, if he remained in the country 

 without any one to attend him in his wounded and infirm 

 condition, his situation would be very difficult. The In- 

 dian who had assaulted him was supposed to be lurking 

 in the neighbourhood, and would probably renew his at- 

 tempt ; at any rate, he could scarcely hope to find an op- 

 portunity of returning to the United States for a long 

 while. Under all these circumstances he determined to 

 persist in his former intention ; and in this he was strong- 

 ly encouraged by the assurances given to him by Dr 

 M'Laughlin,* a gentleman who had proved himself a warm 



• Dr. John M 'Laughlin was formerly a partner in the North-west 

 Company, and after the consolidation of the two societies he obtained 



