

DBKIO] THK ASSIXIHOIN 459 



Mackinaw boats made at each fort for the purpose, and manned by 

 the voyageurs who came up on the steamboat the year previous. The 

 risks are numerous, both in bringing up the supplies in steamers and 

 in taking down the returns in Mackinaws. In the spring of 1819 this 

 company lost two steamboats in bringing up the supplies, one burned 

 with the cargo at St. Louis and the other snagged and sunk. Also 

 the Mackinaws down are often snagged and sunk, swamped, or the 

 robes wetted by rain and leakage. The loss of an ordinary boatload 

 of robes would be $10,000, and every year losses more or less are in- 

 curred in some way. From experience we know that the chance of 

 loss is equal to that of gain in a given period of 10 years, yet should 

 everything prove fortunate for a length of time money would be 

 made. 



All men of family who turn their attention to hunting and collect- 

 ing skins and robes are shrewd and sensible enough in the trading 

 of them, sometimes too much so for some of the traders. Knowing 

 the value of merchandise and of what kind they stand in need, they 

 make their calculations of purchases before they leave their homes 

 and any additional article they can beg or otherwise get is so much 

 additional gain. They do not purchase useless articles. Goods of 

 all kinds having stated prices enables them to deal to a fraction, 

 nevertheless they will quibble and beat down the price if possible, 

 even in the least thing, and are generally successful in getting some- 

 thing out of the trader in this way. 



As for their debts, they will not pay. An Indian does not con- 

 tract a debt actually with the intention of deceiving; but before he 

 has the means to pay, new wants arise, his family wants clothing, 

 he, ammunition, etc. ; in short, he is always in need, consequently 

 never in a situation to pay. Therefore they use every argument to 

 get clear of the debt, many of which are very ingenious, and if none 

 will answer, say they will not pay and that the trader has no business 

 to trust them. This being the case, but few credits are made. When- 

 ever their wants are too great, or means too small to enable them to 

 hunt, the articles are given them, though not credited. In the few 

 instances where credits are made the Indians keep no accounts what- 

 ever of them, their object being to forget them as soon as possible; 

 until they have their memory refreshed of the disagreeable fact by 

 a reference of the clerk to his blotter. Our books are full of unpaid 

 debts of 20 years' standing, which would make a handsome fortune 

 if the value could be realized. There is no worse pay in the world, 

 and a credit is considered lost as soon as given, or if afterwards the 

 trader receives half pay he considers himself very fortunate. This 

 being the case, no runners are employed to collect, as in the Missis- 

 sippi trade. As they (the Indians) are not honest, neither are they 

 sober, nor moral, but have discretion for their own advantage. 



