28 



A General History of the Fur Trade, 



the year they, and the other inhabitants, make a quantity of 

 sugar from the maple tree, which they exchange with the 

 traders for necessary articles, or carry it to Michilimakinac, 

 where they expect a better price. One of these traders 

 was agent for the North- West Company, receiving, stor- 

 ing, and forwarding such articles as come by the way of 

 the lakes upon their vessels: for it is to be observed, that 

 a quantity of their goods are sent by that route from Mont- 

 real in boats to Kingston at the entrance of Lake Ontario, 

 and from thence in vessels to Niagara, then over land ten 

 miles to a water communication, by boats, to Lake Erie, 

 where they are again received into vessels, and carried over 

 that lake up the river Detroit, through the lake and river 

 Sinclair to Lake Huron, and from thence to the Falls of 

 St. Mary's, when they are again landed and carried for a 

 mile above the falls, and shipped over Lake Superior to the 

 Grande Portage. This is found to be a less expensive me- 

 thod than by canoes, but attended with more risk, and re- 

 quiring more time, than one short season of this country 

 will admit; for the goods are always sent from Montreal 

 the preceding fall; and besides, the company get their 

 provisions from Detroit, as flour and Indian corn ; as also 

 considerable supplies from Michilimakinac of maple sugar, 

 tallow, gum, &c. &c. 



For the purpose of conveying all these things, they have 

 two vessels upon the Lakes Erie and Huron, and one on 

 Lake Superior, of from fifty to seventy tons burthen. This 

 being, therefore, the depot for transports, the Montreal 

 canoes, on their arrival, were forwarded over Lake Supe- 

 rior, with only five men in each ; the others were sent to 

 Michilimakinac for additional canoes, which were required 

 to prosecute the trade, and then take a lading there, or at 

 St. Mary's, and follow the others. At length they all ar- 

 rive at the Grande Portage, which is one hundred and sixty 

 leagues from St. Mary's, coastways, and situated on a plea- 

 sant bay on the North side of the lake, in latitude 48. North 

 and longitude 90. West from Greenwich, where the com- 

 pass has not above five degrees East variation. 



At the entrance of the bay is an island which screens the 

 harbour from every wind except the South. The shallow- 

 ness of the water, however, renders it necessary for the 

 vessel to anchor near a mile from the shore, where there is 

 not more than fourteen feet water. This lake justifies the 

 name that has been given to it : the Falls of St. Mary, which 



