Page:Early western travels, 1748-1846 (1907 Volume 2).djvu/169

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1768-1782]
J. Long's Voyages and Travels
163

off his guard, he replied in great wrath, the feet. The party encouraged by this confession, pressed the charge, till at last he confessed the facts he was accused of, and declared that in a similar situation he would kill his brother.

Mr. Fulton could no longer suppress his resentment, and going up to Janvier, told him he was an abandoned villain, first for killing a harmless Indian who had generously relieved his wants, and afterwards eating him like a cannibal; that not content with these atrocious acts, he had encreased his guilt by another deliberate murder on a defenceless man, his companion, his fellow-labourer, and friend; that he was a disgrace to human nature, and ought not to be suffered to live a moment longer; and without allowing him time to reply, shot him through the head. The men were ordered to bury him, and in the morning Mr. Fulton continued his journey to Michillimakinac, where on his arrival he surrendered himself to the commanding officer, who on a close examination of the men, honourably acquitted him; but recommended him not to venture again into those parts, where the Indian was killed, lest the Savages should hear of the transaction, and resent the death of one of their tribe, whereby the innocent might suffer for the acts of the guilty.[1]

In the month of February I had a visit from a trader, dressed in a smoked leather shirt; who was accompanied by three Indians, and had been absent five days from Fort Albany.[2] He said he was induced to come [126]
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  1. On the subject of justice in the forest, as exercised by the British companies, see Bancroft, Northwest Coast, i, pp. 538-542.—Ed.
  2. Fort Albany was built by the Hudson's Bay Company in the seventeenth century. It was in a sheltered inlet, forty yards from the borders of James Bay on the south side of Albany River. In 1686 it was attacked and captured by