Harmon's journal. 



63 



custom of the country, early in the morning, pre- 

 sented him with a cross, &c. and at the same 

 time, a number of others, who were at his door, 

 discharged a volley or two of muskets. Soon af- 

 ter, they were invited into the hall, where they 

 received a reasonable dram, after which, Mr. 

 M c Leod made them a present of a sufficiency of 

 spirits, to keep them merry during the remainder 

 of the day, which they drank at their own house. 

 In the evening, they were invited to dance in the 

 hall; and during it, they received several flagons 

 of spirits. They behaved with considerable pro- 

 priety, until about eleven o'clock, when their 

 heads had become heated, by the great quantity 

 of spiritous liquor which they had drunk, during 

 the course of the day and evening. Some of 

 them became quarrelsome, as the Canadians gen- 

 erally are, when intoxicated, and to high words, 

 blows soon succeeded; and finally, two battles 

 were fought, which put an end to this truly genteel. 

 North Western ball. 



Tuesday, December 2. As yet, we have only a 

 few inches of snow. Yesterday morning, accom- 

 panied by six men on horse-back, I went to the 

 lodge or tent of one of our hunters. The people 

 went for meat, and I, for the pleasure of riding, 

 and seeing the country. We arrived at the place 

 where the Indian was encamped, just as the sun 



