A General History of the Far Trade. 33 



The mode of living at the Grande Portage, is as follows : 

 The proprietors, clerks, guides, and interpreters, mess to- 

 gether, to the number of sometimes an hundred, at several 

 tables, in one large hall, the provision consisting of bread, 

 salt pork, beef, hams, fish, and venison, butter, peas, In- 

 dian corn, potatoes, tea, spirits, wine, &c. and plenty of 

 milk, for which purpose several milch cows are constantly- 

 kept. The mechanics have rations of such provision, but 

 the canoe-men, both from the North and Montreal, have 

 no other allowance here, or in the voyage, than Indian corn 

 and melted fat. The corn for this purpose is prepared be- 

 fore it leaves Detroit, by boiling it in a strong alkali, which 1 

 t es off the outer husk ; it is then well washed, and care- 

 ful iy dried upon stages, when it is fit for use. One quart 

 of this is boiled for two hours, over a moderate fire, in a 

 gallon of water ; to which, when it has boiled a small time, 

 are added two ounces of melted suet; this causes the corn 

 to split, and in the time mentioned makes a pretty thick 

 pudding. If to this is added a little salt (but not before it 

 is boiled, as it would interrupt the operation) it makes an 

 wholesome, palatable food, and easy of digestion. This 

 quantity is fully sufficient for a man's subsistence during 

 twenty-four hours ; though it is not sufficiently heartening 

 to sustain the strength necessary for a state of active labour. 

 The Americans call this dish nominee.* 



The trade from the Grande Portage, is, in some particu- 

 lars, carried on in a different manner with that from Mont- 

 real. The canoes used in the latter transport are now too 

 large for the former, and some of about half the size are 

 procured from the natives, and are navigated by four, five, 

 or six men, according to the distance which they have to 

 go. They carry a lading of about thirty-five packages, on an 

 average ; of these twenty-three are for the purpose of trade, 

 and the rest are employed for provisions, stores, and bag- 

 gage. In each of these canoes are a foreman and steersman ; 

 the one to be always on the look out, and direct the passage , 

 of the vessel, and the other to attend the helm. They also 

 carry her, whenever that office is necessary. The foreman 

 has the command, and the middlemen obey both ; the lat- 

 ter earn only two-thirds of the wages which are paid the two 



* Corn is the cheapest provision that can be procured, though from the 

 expense of transport, the bushel costs about twenty shillings sterling, at 

 the Grande Portage. A man's daily allowance does not exceed ten- 

 pence. 



> 



