is the fort, picketed in with cedar pallifadoes, and inclofihg houfes built
with #ood and covered Ihihgfe; They 'are callMpdd^for ietfeisjr
convenience of trade; as well as to accommodate' the proprietors and
clerks duringvtheir fhort refidence there. The North men live under
tents: but the more frugal pork-eater, lodges beneath his canoe. The foil
immediately bordering ■ on the lake, has not proved' very propitious;
nothing but potatoes have been found to.anfwer the* trouble o f cultivation.
This eircumftance is probably owing to the cold damp fogs of the
lake, and the moifture of the ground from the fpringS that ilfue-from
beneath the hills. There are meadows in the .vicinity, that yield abundance
of hay for the cattle«; but, as to agriculture, it has not hitherto
been an object of ferious confideration.
I {halt now leave thefe geographical notices,-*tq give fome further
account of the people from Montreal.—When they'are . arrived at the
Grande Portage, which is- near nine miles over; each of them has
to carry eight packages of fuch goods ]and pro vifions as are neGeffary for
the interior country. This is a labour which cattle cannot conveniently
perform in fommer, as both horfes and oxen were tried by }the company
without fuccefe. They are only ufeful for light, bulky aftel^i$ of for
tranfporting upon fledges, during the winter, whatever goods, may remain
there, efpecially provifion, of which it is ufual to have a year’s flock «on
hand.
Having finiftied this, tpilfome part of their difty, if more ^oods/arie nei-
ceflary to be tranfported, they are allowed a Spanifh dollar for each
package:
package; and fo ilflured are,they to this kind of labour, that I have
known.;fon?e of them fet pff wkh two packages of ninety pounds each,
and return with twq,others, of j£e fame yceight, in the courte, o ffix hours,
being a d$ançe. of; eighteen miles a over-hills and mountains. This
jnecçffary part of .fhe,bufinefs 'being .„oyer, if the feafon be early they
bave.fotpe çefpite, but this depends; upon, the time the North men begin
to arrive from their ydnter quarters, which they commonly do early in
July. At this period,, it^.neçeflary .to feleft from the pork-eaters, a
number of men, amongyrtipjn are the f r u i t s , or winterers, fufficient
lÉ ^ a a the North canoes neçeflary to ca'rry,^Ô: the river of the rainy
lake,, the goods and provifion requifitefprthe Athabafca country ; as the
.people,of that country,;(owing tq the lhortnefs of the feafon and length
of the road, can» come no fuytherj, ,are equipped there, and exchange
ladings, with tfie people of whom, we are fpeaking, and both return
came. This,, voyage is performed in the eoujfe
o f a month, and they are allowed' proportionable wages for their
Tervices.
north-meçu being 'arriyed at the Grande Portage, are regaled
With feead^pork, butfcqj-, liquor,- aridÿtqbaeco, and fuch as have not entered
info agreements during; the, w(nteF, which Js^.puftomary, aré edn-
jtya^^^yitlfesfo;^turn; perform; th^-yoyage for one, two, or three
years :.,their-.accqjlnts5 are, alfo,féttfodii:arcd iuch as ehoofe to fpnd any of
fo.Çanada, receive drafts -to tranfmit to, their relations or
they £an bgjgot .ready, which, requires no more
th'ah^ fortnight, they tare again difpatçhred to their refpe&ive departments.