FROM
Mr JOHN M'DONNELL'S JOURNAL
Arrived at the fort of the River qui appelle, called by Mr. ocronrr Robert Grant, when he built it, Fort Espérance.—About sixty 11th, Fri.
lodges of Indians at the fort, chiefly Crees.
I went with Mr. C. Grant to the Forks to separate the men, 12th, Sat :
canoes and goods mtended for the Upper Fort, or River Tremblante, from those that are to come here.
(1) The clerks of the North-West Company—especially those in charge of posts and trading expeditions—were required to keep a journal or diary, in which they took notes daily of all occurrences which might be of importance to the Company and to their trade. They were so particular on that score that, when their always very small stock of paper became exhausted, they had recourse to birch bark, upon which they would scribble, as well as they could, and with whatever substitute for ink they could find, the notes required of them, and sew the leaves up in book form for their Bourgeois.
These journals are, of necessity, uninterssting reading, as a rule ; but they may, in many instances, have their importance in recalling old names of men and places which the rapid strides of civilisation will probably soon have consigned to obiivion.
Having been written without any thought of publicity and with no desire to create effect, they must, so far as they go, give a better and safer idea of what the Natives ofthe North-West really were at the time they were written than most writings of higher protensions.
The extracts here published, from Mr. MeDonnell’s journal of 1793-1795, give a fair idea of what most of these journals and diaries were.
15th,Tues :
16tb,Wed
18th, Fri:
19th, Sat :
20th, Sun :
22nd,Tues :
Returned from the Forks after performing the duty we went upon.—Traded with the Assinibouans a quantity of provisions ; many of them went away not chusing to stay and drink with the Crees.
Gave ‘he Trees some credits.—They were drunk and trouble-
me all might ? the Squesipi-bouatac, gens des filles arrived, made their presvnts au, got drunk.
Neil McKay set out to build and winter at the forks of this river, aiongside of Mr. Peter Grant, who has made his pitch about five leagues from here. Mr. N. McKay's effects are car. ried in two boats, navigated by five men, each. Mr. C. Grant set out also for his quarters of River Tremblante, about thirty leagues from here. The dogs made a woeful howling at alithe departures.
Peltier and Sansregret came from the Pine Fort with letters from John Miln, left in charge there, which I immediately sent
after Mr. GC Grant by Jos. Tranquille. Seventeen warriors came |
from the banks of the Missouri for tobacco. They slept ten nights on their way, and are emissaries from a party of Assini. bouans who went to war upon the Scioux.
The warriors traded a few skins brought upon their backs, and went off ill-pleased with their reception. After dark, the
dogs kept a constant barking, which induced a belief that some |
of the warriors were lurking about the fort for an opportunity to steal. I took a sworü and a pistol and went to sleep in the store. Nothing took place.
Paul Tranquille came from the Forks for a supply of goods for Neil McKay, which I sent him.—Dug up and entered our potaloes, sav: ten bushels.
go Tay Ger for wint alon, lear
is als
duty we went of provisions ; nd drink with
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nk and trouble-
ved, made their
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he A dt this made his pitch ; effects are Car- .. Mr. C. Grant rate, about thirty owling at alithe
ort with letters immediately sent n warriors Came They slept ten party of Assini-
pon their backs,
After dark, the à belief that some r an opportunity t to sleep in the
supply of goods
n and entered our
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There fell six inches of snow last night.—Drew up the canoes 24th,Thur : to pass the winter.—The river frozen over.—A single lodge of Assinibouans came in to trade.
sssestessee eee . Two of Mr. N. McKay’s men came from the s1st, Thur: Forks, supposing this to be AIl Saints Day.—Raised a flag staff, poplar, 50 feet above ground.
Five men, five loaded horses and five dog trains sta: :d
goods for Mr. Grant’s, River Tremblante. Peltier, "1 FE. :2rt çth, Wea : Taylor, (freemar from the Missouri), Toussaint Ch:rp'nneau, Gervais and Belair started for Pine Fort. Mr. Grant is :5 ill off for writers, that he hired this Robert Taylor f:: $60 for the winter to write for Augé, whom he left at Riv : ja Souris alongside with Mr. Ronald Cameron, and where we have since learned Mr. D. McKay, with his Hudson’s Bay boats and canoes, is also.
th Noveuuek,
The men were in chace of a white Buffalo all day but coul 4, Sat : not get within shot of him. Faignant killed two cows.—a mild day.
The men commenced a fresh chase of the white buffalo, but o4tp, Sun :
) with as little success as the preceeding day................…. PT
St. en day. Hoisted the flag in honor of the Titulary sotb, sat : Saint of Scotland.—A beautiful day.-—-Expected Messrs Peter Grant and Neil McKay to dinner,—they sent an excuse by Bonneau,
COELELLELEEERELEEEEEEEEEEEEEX) CCLELELELENEEEEREEELEEEEILEEEELRENEEEELX)
.—$Sent Mr, Peter dt a Town and Connu Dichisér Minute of 00 (1790). Poitra’s wife made me nine pairs Of 954, Mon : shoes.
3rd, Tues : Poitras killed à cow at the Prairie à la Paille, half à mile
from the fort, which La Grave drew home. :
RTE PRET EL EI TETE DL I TO NE dé
10th,Tuc: The nine men equipt (on their own account) for the Missouri col started, viz : Raphaël Faignan, Antoine Bourier dit Lavigne, an
Joseph Dubé, J. B. Lafrance, Joseph Tranquille, J. B. Bertrand, ifr Chrysostôme Joncquard, Louis Houle et François La Grave: "
the Machinaway (1) du Chien Fou and associate came in ; two L
lodges. ‘The former made a present of 30 Ps of dried meat and knc
10 skins for which he got 9 gals, to take away with him (2) spil
He made a small present of 5 ps dried meat and 10 fresh tongues, [ct
to drink here, for which he got 8 fioles. Gave the hunter 6 fiokes Min
to drink with them. nn
28th, Sat : An Assinibouan came from the ?nd lake of this river, who Bra: says the warriors are returned, having killed one man an balls
eight women and taken two female captives, blue
3 ell
1794. soso sosoossosase enson ose sreseosseoe cesse non cesse ce sonne ose oososose afte
CRREERENENTET
on
JANUARY Mr. Grant gave the men two gallons rum and three fathoms 1st, Wed : Of tobacco, by way of New Year’s gift.
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ab, Satur: Mr, GC. Grant started on his return home to the Upper Fort As I was firing, with my own musket, in compliment to my Bourgeois’ departure, a handful of of powder I held blew up accidentally and burnt my hand and face a good deal,
