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Journal of a Voyage through the 



the other, for very obvious reasons, we kept with us. In 

 the mean time the canoe was unloaded, the necessary 

 baggage carried up the hill, and the tents pitched. 



Here I determined to remain till the Indians became so 

 familiarized with us, as to give all the intelligence which 

 we imagined might be obtained from them. In fact, it had 

 been my intention to land where I might most probably 

 discover the carrying-place, which was our more imme- 

 diate object, and undertake marches of two or three days 

 in different directions, in search of another river. If un- 

 successful in this attempt, it was my purpose to continue 

 my progress up the present river,- as far as it was naviga- 

 ble, and if we did not meet with natives to instruct us in 

 our further progress, I had determined to return to the 

 fork, and take the other branch, with the hope of better 

 fortune. 



It was about three in the afternoon when we landed, and 

 at five the whole party of Indians were assembled. It con- 

 sisted only of three men, three women, and seven or eight 

 boys and girls. With their scratched legs, bleeding feet, 

 and dishevelled hair, as in the hurry of their flight they 

 had left their shoes and ieggins behind them, they dis- 

 played a most wretched appearance : they were consoled, 

 however, with beads, and other trifles, which seemed to 

 please them ; they had pemmican also given them to eat, 

 which was not unwelcome, and, in our opinion, at least, 

 superior to their own provision, which consisted entirely 

 of dried fish. • 



When I thought that they were sufficiently composed, 

 I sent for the men to my tent, to gain such information 

 respecting the country as I concluded it was in their power 

 to afford me. But my expectations were by no means 

 satisfied : they said that they were not acquainted with 

 any river to the W estward, but that there was one from 

 whence they were just arrived, over a carrying-place of 

 eleven days march, which they represented as being a 

 branch only of the river before us. Their iron-work 

 they obtained from the people who inhabit the bank of that 

 river, and adjacent lake, in exchange for beaver skins, 

 and dressed moose skins. They represented the latter 

 as travelling, during a moon, to get to the country of 

 other tribes, who live in houses, with whom they traffic 

 for the same commodities ; and that these also extend 

 their journies ..in the same manner to the sea coast, or, to 



