*3® JOURNAL GF A VOYAGE .THROUGH THE
ü S S » . In ad4«fen tb.the wood WhicI floüriffled chetow >the..feli;.thdfc>nks
' ----- f produce the cyprefs tree, arrow-wood, and.the thorn,. On either fide of
the river, though invifible from, it, are extenfive plains, which .ahoqndin
buffaloes, elks, wolves,: foxes,,and bears. At a confider;able. d,iiaqce .to
the Weftward, is an imroenfevridge of high land or mountains* which, take
an oblique direaion from below the falls, and .are, inhabited, by great
numbers^of deer, who are feldom difturbed, .but when the Indians go.tp
hunt the beaver in tlple parts.;
vary their food with that of the former. . This ridge bears the name of
the Deer Mountain. Oppofite to :our, prefer fixation, ..are. beautiful
meadows, with variqus animals grazing on them, and groves o f poplars
irregularlyScattered over them. ; *
My tent was no fooner pitched, than I fummoned the Indians toge-
ther, and gave each of them about fourjnches of Brazil; tobacco, a dram
o f fpirits, and lighted the pipe. As th e y^ h e en .v e r^ t r o u bM ^ t o
my predecfeffijrj reformed them that I had heard o f tbeir-mifeondu^and
was come among them to inquire into the truth-óf% I added alfo. that
it would be an eftablifhed rule with me to. .treat .them with kindnefs
if their behaviour fhould be fuch as to deferve i t ;; but, at the fame time,’
that I fhould be equally fevere if they failed in.thofe returns which I had-
a right tp expeét from them. I then prefented them with a quantity o f
rum, which I recommended to be.ute,d with difcretipn; and added, fome
tobacjq, as a token of peace. They, in return, made me the. faireft
promifes; and, having expreffed the pride they felt on beholding me in
their country, took their leave.
I now
; F now proceeded tttexamine my ’>fituation’;'-’ and it' was with great
fötisfaftion l obferved that thé'two mèn:'W&&h!affbeéii'fèiit' hither fome
time before us, ‘$É cut and fqöafë timber for our future operations, had
employed thé ‘ ihterMéning 'period with a&ivity and They1 had
formed a fufficiént quantity of pallifadeS'of eighteen felt long,' and feven
ihches in diameter, to inclofe" a fquaré fpot of an’ hunched and twenty
feet; they had élfo dug a ditch o f 'tliréè feet deep to receive them; and
hadprepared timber, planks; &c;forThe eréétióiï o f an fröüfb:'*?
I was, however, fo much pceupied in-fettling matters With thé Indians,
and equipping them For their wirttef hunting, that TcouM ribt' givè my
attention td any othënobjeft, till tHei yth/wheri f fetall hands at wöbkfó
hdhffruél the fort*. build the houfe, and form ftolre-houfes. On the ’ preceding
day'the rivéi began,to run with ice, which we Call the laft of the
navigation. On the n th we had.a' South-Weft wind, with fnow. On
the ïöththe ice flopped in the other fork, which was not above1 a league
from us, acrofs the intervening neck of land. The water in this branch
continued to flow till the 2 2d, when it was arrefted alfo by the frbft, To
that we had a paffage acrofs the river, which would 1 aft to the latter end
of the fucceëding April. This* was a‘fortunate circdmffanee^És wé depended
for bur fupport upon what the huntéH could provide for us, and
they had héén prevented by the running ïtF thé ice1 from' crofting the
river. They now, however, Very fhórtly procured üs'as riiuchfrefh meat
as wë' required, though1 it Was forilotne time a toillome b’uiïnéfs' to my
people, fór as there was not yet afufficierit'quaiffity'of fnow T8 run
•fledges, they Were undér the neceflitv of loading thémrelves' with the
fpoils o f the chafe; |H
■ S 2
_*792,
December.
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On