A General History of the Fur Trade, 



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mal: beyond these rocky banks are found a few moose and 

 fallow deer. The waters alone are abundantly inhabited. 



A very curious phenomenon was observed some years 

 ago at the Grande Portage, for which no obvious cause 

 could be assigned. The water withdrew with great precipi- 

 tation, leaving the ground dry that had never before been 

 visible, the fall being equal to four perpendicular feet, and 

 rushing back with great velocity above the common mark. 

 It continued thus falling and rising for several hours, gradu- 

 ally decreasing until it stopped at its usual height. There 

 is frequently an irregular influx and deflux, which does not 

 exceed ten inches, and is attributed to the wind. 



The bottom of the bay, which forms an amphitheatre, is 

 cleared of wood and inclosed ; and on the left corner of it, 

 beneath an hill, three or four hundred feet in height, and 

 crowned by others of a still greater altitude, is the fort, 

 picketed in with cedar pallisadoes, and inclosing houses built 

 with wood and covered with shingles. They are calculated 

 for every convenience of trade, as well as to accommodate 

 the proprietors and clerks during their short residence there. 

 The North men live under tents : but the more frugal pork- 

 eater lodges beneath his canoe. The soil immediately bor- 

 dering on the lake has not proved very propitious, as nothing 

 but potatoes have been found to answer the trouble of culti- 

 vation. This circumstance is probably owing to the cold 

 damp fogs of the lake, and the moisture of the ground from 

 the springs that issue from beneath the hills. There are 

 meadows in the vicinity that yield abundance of hay for the 

 cattle; but, as to agriculture, it has not hitherto been an 

 object of serious consideration. 



I shall now leave these geographical notices, to give some 

 further account of the people from Montreal. — When they 

 are arrived at the Grande Portage, which is near nine miles 

 over, each of them has to carry eight packages of such goods 

 and provisions as are necessary for the interior country. 

 This is a labour which cattle cannot conveniently perform 

 in summer, as both horses and oxen were tried by the com- 

 pany without success. They are only useful for light, bulky 

 articles ; or for transporting upon sledges, during the win- 

 ter, whatever goods may remain there, especially provision, 

 of which it is usual to have a year's stock on hand. 



Having finished this toilsome part of their duty, if more 

 goods are necessary to be transported, they are allowed a 

 Spanish dollar for each package : and so inured are they to 



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