40 A General History of the Fur Trade. 



ter falls over a rock twenty feet, and, from the consequent 

 turbulence of the water, the carrying-place, which is three 

 hundred and twenty paces long, derives the name of Chau- 

 diere. Two miles onward is the present trading establish- 

 ment, situated on a high bank on the North side of the ri- 

 ver, in 48. 37. North latitude. 



Here the people from Montreal come to meet those who 

 arrive from the Athabasca country, as has been already de- 

 scribed, and exchange lading with them. This is also the 

 residence of the first chief, or Sachem, of all the Algonquin 

 tribes, inhabiting the different parts of this country. He is 

 by distinction called Nectam, which implies personal pre- 

 eminence. Here also the elders meet in council to treat of 

 peace or war. 



This is one of the finest rivers in the North- West, and 

 runs a course West and East one hundred and twenty com- 

 puted miles ; but in taking its course and distance minutely 

 I make it only eighty. Its banks are covered with a rich 

 soil, particularly to the North, which, in many parts, are 

 clothed with fine open groves of oak, with the maple, the 

 pine, and the cedar. The Southern bank is not so elevated, 

 and displays the maple, the white birch, and the cedar, with 

 the spruce, the alder, and various underwood. Its waters 

 1 abound in fish, particularly the sturgeon, which the natives 

 both spear and take with drag-nets. But notwithstanding 

 the promise of this soil, the Indians do not attend to its cul- 

 tivation, though they are not ignorant of the common pro- 

 cess, and are fond of the Indian corn, when they can get it 

 from us. 



Though the soil at the fort is a stiff clay, there is a gar- 

 den, which, unassisted as it is by manure, or any particular 

 attention, is tolerably productive. 



We now proceed to mention the Lake du Bois, into 

 which this river discharges itself in latitude 49. North, and 

 was formerly famous for the richness of its banks and wa- 

 ters, which abounded with whatever was necessary to a 

 savage life. The French had several settlements An and 

 about it ; but it might be almost concluded, that some fatal 

 circumstance had destroyed the game, as war and the small- 

 pox had diminished the inhabitants, it having been very un- 

 productive in animals since the British subjects have been 

 engaged in travelling through it ; though it now appears to 

 be recovering its pristine state. The few Indians who in- 

 habit it might live very comfortably, if they were not so im- 

 moderately fond of spirituous liquors. 



