Harmon's journal. 89 



ans around me. All their chat is about horses, 

 dogs, canoes, women and strong men, who can 

 fight a good battle. I have, therefore, only one 

 way left to pass my time rationally, and that is 

 reading. Happily for me I have a collection of 

 good books ; and mine will be the fault if 1 do 

 not derive profit from them. % also, begin to find 

 pleasure in the study of French. 



Saturday, 20. The greater number of our 

 Indians have returned from the prairies ; and 

 as they have brought little with them to trade, I, 

 of course, give them as little ; for we are at too 

 great a distance from the civilized world, to make 

 many gratuities. Yet the Indians were of a differ- 

 ent opinion ; and at first made use of some unpleas- 

 ant language. But we did not come to blows, and 

 are now preparing to retire to rest, nearly as good 

 friends as the Indians and traders generally are. 

 With a few exceptions, that friendship is little 

 more, than their fondness for our property, and 

 our eagerness to obtain their furs. 



Wednesday, April 21. The most of the snow 

 is now dissolved ; and this afternoon the ice in the 

 river broke up. — All our Indians, who for several 

 days past encamped near the fort, have now de- 

 parted, to hunt the beaver. While they were 

 here, they made a Jeast, at which they danced, 

 cried, sung and howled, and in a word, made a ter- 

 12 



