40 M'Keevor's Voyage to Hudson's Bay. 



great, appeared capable of eradicating- this strong passion 

 from their hearts.* 



But where to find that happiest spot below, 

 Who can direct, when all pretend to know? 

 The shuddering tenant of the frigid zone 

 Boldly proclaims that happy spot his own ; 

 Extols the treasures of his stormy seas, 

 And his long nights of revelry and ease. 



With regard to their dispositions, were I to judge from what 

 I had an opportunity of seeing, I should suppose them to be 

 a good-humoured, mild, tractable race of people. Others, 

 however, have represented them in a very different light, 

 accusing them of cruelty, theft, deceit, and, in short, every 

 vice. It is probable, however, that these accounts have been 

 received from the North-American Indians, who, as I already 

 mentioned, have long been their inveterate enemies. Captain 

 Wales, who resided for many years in Hudson's Bay, speak- 

 ing of them, says, " I have had, whilst at Churchill, an ex- 

 ceedingly good opportunity of learning the dispositions of 

 these people, as several of them come almost every year by 

 their own free-will to reside at the factory, and can with truth 

 aver, that never people less deserved the epithets of * trea- 

 cherous, cruel, fawning, and suspicious ;' the contrary of 

 which is remarkably true in every particular. They are open, 

 generous, and unsuspecting ; addicted too much, it must be 

 owned, to passion ; and too apt to revenge what they think an 

 injury, if an opportunity offers at the moment, but are almost 

 instantly cool, without requiring any acknowledgment on 

 your part (which they account shameful), and, I verily be- 

 lieve, never remember the circumstance afterwards. Mr. 

 Ellis observes," continues Captain Wales, " that they are apt 

 to pilfer from strangers, easily encouraged to a degree of 

 boldness, but as easily frightened." Now, I cannot help 

 thinking, that he would have conveyed a much better idea of 

 them if he had expressed himself thus : They are bold and 

 enterprising, even to enthusiasm, whilst there is a probability 

 of success crowning their endeavours ; but wise enough to 

 desist, when inevitable destruction stares them in the face. 



* They are extremely, I might say obstinately, attached to their own cus- 

 toms and manner of living. Some of them, who were taken prisoners by the 

 southern Indians, when they were boys, and brought to the factories, and 

 there kept several years, have still regretted their absence from their native 

 country. One of these, after having been fed on English diet, being present 

 when one of the Englishmen was cutting up a seal, from whence the train- 

 oil ran very plentifully, licked up what he could save with his hands, and 

 said, "Ah! commend me to my own dear country, where I could get my 

 belly full of this." Ellis s Voyage to Hudson' t Bay, p. 63. 



