SECOND EXPEDITION
On the 15th of August I left Pays Plat, with four
birch canoes, and the same men who wintered with me
at Lac la Mort, and arrived at Riviére la Pique, which
runs into Lake Superior: this river is very crooked for
about seven miles, and extremely deep; it abounds with
fish, particularly pike, from which it takes its name.[1] On our landing, we found a large band of Chippeways,
and some of the Rat nation, who immediately prepared a
feast for us of dried meat, fish, &c. Among them was an
Indian named Ogashy, or the horse; he was reckoned,
even by his own tribe, a bad Indian, which put me on my
guard during my encampment there. I traded for their
skins and furs, and gave them some rum, with which they
had a frolic, which lasted for three days and nights; on
this occasion five men were killed, and one woman
dreadfully burnt. When the fumes of the liquor had
evaporated, they began, as usual, to reflect on the folly
of their conduct, and all except Ogashy expressed great
concern; he seemed rather to be pleased at the mischief
which had happened, and before my departure, I was
informed that he intended to destroy me, and plunder the
property. To frustrate his villainous intention, I kept
him in good humour, and made [105] him sleep in my hut,
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- ↑ This is not the river now known as Pic River, which is east of Pays Plat, but one of the shorter streams between this and Nipigon River, probably the one now called Gravel River.—Ed.
