22 PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS. 



remained there, until the evening of the 4th, giving Lieut. Allen, 

 who was in command of the troops, an opportunity to fire a sa- 

 lute in honor of the day, to the no small gratification of the 

 Indians, who, being apprized of the occasion, thronged the 

 banks of the river to witness the ceremony. 



Sandy Lake has been a post of importance in the fur trade 

 from the earliest French times, being one of the central seats of 

 Indian power on the Upper Mississippi. An assassination oc- 

 curred here in 1785, which affords a striking illustration of the 

 evils of using ardent spirits in the Indian country. Mr. Kay, 

 the victim of Indian resentment on this occasion, was a gentle- 

 man of Montreal, who had come out with an adventure of In- 

 dian goods, into this region. After passing the winter on the 

 waters of the Mississippi, he awaited the assembling of his 

 clerks at this place, and employed himself in closing the spring 

 business with the Indians, preparatory to his return to Michili- 

 mackinac. On the 2nd of May, he was informed of the near 

 arrival of one of his clerks, and prepared to go and meet him. 

 The sequel is given in a translation of the words of an eye 

 witness, whose manuscript account is before the author.* 



" Mr. Kay said that he would himself go, although somewhat 

 fatigued by the continual running of the Indians, the night pre- 

 vious. On parting he told me to draw some rum, of which he 

 took a stout drink. And as he knew there was no rum at the 

 post of Pine river, when he left Mr. Harris, he thought a dram 

 would be pleasing to him also ; for which reason he told me to 

 fill one of the flagons of his liquor case, to take with him. And 

 he gave me orders to give the Indians no drink during his ab- 

 sence, which was- difficult, because they were already tipsey. 



" The Indians had given me the name of The Writer, which 

 they are accustomed to do to all whom they observe writing. 

 As soon as Mr. Kay had gone, I did not want for visits, his 



* Relation des traverses et des aventures d'un Marchand Voyageur dans les. 

 territoires Sauvages de l'Ameriqne Septentrionale, parti de Montreal, le 28deMai, 

 1783. Par Jean Baptiste P£rault. 



