John Long's Voyages and Travels in the Years 1768-1788 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1922 edition. Excerpt: ... Chapter s THE WINTER AT LAC LA MORT: ENCOUNTER iHE fatigue my Canadians had under gone rendered it necessary to prepare for wintering and induced me to settle at Lac la Mort. The weather was also setting in cold, and threatened to be very severe, which was an additional motive. Having refreshed ourselves and secured the canoes, I took two Indians to show me a spot proper for building upon. We fixed close to the lake side, where we erected a loghouse, thirty feet long and twenty feet wide, divided into two apartments, into which we deposited our goods. The next concern was to conceal our canoes in the woods and to hide the rum under ground, except a small quantity for immediate use, knowing by experience the necessity of keeping it from the Indians, as our safety so essentially depended on it. Having arranged every domestic concern, and spread our table in the wilderness, we prepared our winter firing, as wood is very difficult to bring home in severe weather. At leisure times we hunted, to increase our stock of provisions, which would not have been sufficient to support our household, and not WITH THE NATIVES choosing to risk the uncertainty of the arrival of savages, who sometimes bring animal food to the traders. As the snow began to fall very heavy, we were prevented from making long excursions without using snowshoes. For the space of a fortnight we hunted with great success and caught a number of small animals, on which we feasted daily; these proved a seasonable relief, and saved the corn and grease. We had been settled about three weeks when a large band of savages arrived. Having only eight Canadians with me, I desired them to act with the utmost precaution as our number was comparatively small, and in case of a drunken frolic...