62 A JOURNEY TO THE 
1770, before I could obtain from him my difpatches. 
‘y= It may not be improper to obferve, that he again 
Peembct:  anted to force fome of the home-guard Indians 
(who were his own relations*) into our company, 
merely 
4 
* Mr. Norton was an Indian; he was born at Prince of Wales’s Fort, 
bot had been in England nine years, and confidering the {mall fam which 
was expended on his education, had made fome progrefs in literature, At 
his return to Hudfon’s Bay he entered into all the abominable vices of his 
countrymen. He kept for his own ufe five or fix of the fineft Indian girls 
which he could feleét; and notwith{tanding his own uncommon propenfity 
to the fair fex, took every means in his power to prevent an= European 
from having intercourfe with the women of the country; for which pure 
pofe he proceeded to the moft ridiculous length. To his own fiiends and 
country hé was fo partial, that he fet more value on, and fhewed more re- 
{pe& to one of their favourite dogs, than he ever did to his firft officer. 
Among his miferable and ignorant countrymen he pafled for a proficient 
in phyfic, and always kept a box of poifon, toadminifter to thofe who re- 
fufed him their wives or daughters. 
With all thefe bad qualities, no man took more pains to inculcate virtue, 
morality, and continence on others; always painting, in the moft odious 
colours, the jealous and revengeful difpofition of the Indians, when any at- 
teropt was made to violate the chaftity of their wives or daughters. Lec- 
tures of this kind from a man of eftablifhed virtue might have had fome 
efc&; but when they came from one who was known to live in open defis 
ance of every law, human and divine, they were alway's heard with indig- 
nation, and confidered as the hypoeritical cant of a felfifh debauchee, who 
withed to engrofs every woman in the country to himfelf, 
His apartments were not only convenient but elegant, and always 
crowded with favourite Indjans: at night he locked the doors, and put the 
keys under his pillow; fo that in the morning his dining-room was gene~ 
rally, for the want of neceflary conveniencies, worfe than a hog-ftye. As 
he advanced in years his jealoufy inereafed, and he aQually poifoned two of — 
his women becaufe he thought them partial to other objects more fuitable 
to their ages. He was a moft notorious fmuggter; but though he put 
many thoufands into the pockets of the Captains, he feldom put a hhilling 
into his own. 
An inflammation in his bowels eccafioned his death on the 29th of De- 
cember 1473; and thongh he died in the moft excruciating pain, he retain» 
ed his jealoufy to the laft; for a few minutes before he expired, happen- 
ing to fee an officer laying hold of the hand of one of his women who was 
flanding 
