Savages, and to fill up the time, which hung heavy on our hands.
On the 24th of June, a band of Indians arrived from Lake Arbitibis, who brought a considerable quantity of excellent furs and skins, with dried meat, which I bartered for. When the bargain was made, I gave them some rum, as usual upon such occasions, which, after their long march, highly delighted them. They drank very plentifully, as I had exceeded the common donation, but their cargo deserved it; and I always found it my interest to be generous to them upon a barter.
{162} On their departure, taking an Indian for my guide, I made a visit to a brother trader, one hundred and fifty miles from my settlement. I stayed with him about a fortnight, and was on the point of returning, when two Indians came to inform me, by the desire of my Canadians, that a band of Savages waited for me. In about five days we returned, and I bartered for all their furs.
On the 16th of July, about fifty Savages came with their spring hunt, which I also bartered for, though the peltry was very inferior to what is collected in winter; but as I was determined to make as good a season as possible, I was eager to avail myself of every opportunity to increase my stock.
The latter end of the month, the band who had promised
to return came in, and fulfilled their promise, bringing
a large quantity of furs, which, with the stock I had
collected during their absence, was as much as my canoes
would hold. They also brought intelligence that the
Hudson's Bay Company had been pillaged of their furs
by the French.[1]
————
- ↑ This was the expedition of La Pérouse, who in the summer of 1782 captured Fort Prince of Wales and York factory. See Wilson, The Great Company (Toronto, 1899), pp. 320-326.—Ed.
