On the evening of the second day, our Indian friend left us, to return back to his native country. He seemed to feel great regret at parting with the Water-Governors; and he gave us all to understand, that if we should hereafter visit his territories, he would insure us a hearty welcome, and a handsome bed-fellow to boot.
Captain Stopford having expressed a wish to observe the manner of killing the reindeer, as practised by the Indians, and a party being accordingly made to ascend the river, we left the factory early in the morning, with a small boat of Captain Stopford’s, and a birch-bark canoe to carry the provisions, tents, &c. We continued to push along shore, against the stream, until 10 A.M. when we rested at a small creek, called Dram-gat, to breakfast. Dram-gat is about seven miles from the factory: it abounds with wild-duck; and receives its name from an old custom of giving the people in the traders’ boats a dram at this spot, previously to proceeding farther on their journey up the river. The tide of the sea ceases to affect the current of the river entirely at the Dram-gat.
We landed upon the bank, kindled a fire, and roasted some venison-steaks after the Indian manner, called by them ponask. Having cut a long skewer of wood, they scrape off the bark, and stick the meat upon its point. The other end of the skewer is then forced into the ground, close to the fire; and by turning it round occasionally, the food is soon sufficiently cooked. I never tasted any thing more savoury than a venison-steak prepared in this manner. After making a hearty meal, we embarked again; and two men taking out a line to the beach, we were thus laboriously dragged along shore. There are many islands and shoals on the south side of the river; whilst the northern shore is, generally speaking, steep. The mouth of Hayes’ River is gradually verging towards the north, in consequence of the perceptible encroachments of the water upon the north bank, and the evident emerging of islands and shoals towards the south side of the river.
As we proceeded up the stream, we met several canoes of Indians, deeply laden with venison for the factory. After receiving from us a small present of tobacco, they continued their course.
At 3 P.M. we had reached a large circular island on the south side of the river, called Rainbow Island. The view from this spot was delightfully picturesque. The northern shore was bounded with high clay banks, covered with dark forests of the spruce-pine tree. Above us, upon the southern banks, five or six remarkable mounds of earth rose majestically from the river. At the termination of a long view upwards, the stream was lost in a sudden bend to the northward; and the vista in that direction was bounded by a noble grove of poplars, that stood on the declivity of the green sloping bank; and their bright yellow colour formed a fine contrast with the sable hue of a frowning forest in the back ground. Directly opposite to the place where we stood, several Indian canoes lay scattered about the shore; and the natives sat regaling themselves, around a blazing fire upon the beach. The river, glittering with the golden tints of the sun, ran smoothly beneath our feet; and a little farther down, foamed, in distant murmurs, over a shoal-bed of pebbles. Whilst we stood contemplating the varied objects in this interesting scene, a flock of wild geese flew screaming past; and a gentleman, who knew the country well, immediately observed, that we should have an “early fall;” thereby intimating that the winter would soon make its appearance. Our admiration of the fine view before us instantly gave way to other sensations; and we could not avoid wishing ourselves speedily out of a country where the transition is so instantaneous, from the most oppressive heat to intense cold; where the ground is bound up in frost eight months of the year; and the miserable inhabitants are tormented to madness by heat and mosquitoes during the remaining four.
Upon leaving Rainbow Island, we approached the spiral mounds of earth before mentioned. Their formation was so regular, that an enthusiastic antiquary might easily have believed them to be antient Indian Tumuli; but upon a close inspection, we plainly perceived that they had been separated from the body of the bank by the ices in the spring; and they had probably assumed a circular form owing to the washing of the great floods which follow the breaking up of the rivers, and melting of the snows, at that season of the year.
Interior of a Wigwam of the Cree Indians
London Published by J. Mawman 16.th May 1817
About 5 P.M. we reached a place called Poplar-fall; and observing an Indian wigwam on the north bank, we crossed the river, and encamped within pistol-shot of it. We had pitched our tent within the wood; and from it we could discern the river, at intervals, through the openings of the trees. Although we were but a short distance from the Indian wigwam, yet the wood was so intricate, that we found it difficult to find our way thither. We, however, paid the natives a visit, and sat familiarly down in the wigwam. It contained one old and two young men, one old and one young woman, and five or six children of both sexes, besides two infants. The wigwam was a circular tent, constructed with three or four poles, lashed together at the top, and covered over with an inferior kind of leather, made of tanned deer-skins. In the midst of the tent was a blazing fire; and in the smoke above, a quantity of deer’s flesh was suspended, after the manner of bacon in England. On the outside of the hut, there were several stages, on which their strips of venison were exposed in the sun to dry, for the winter’s consumption. After sitting a short time with the natives, and inquiring at what part of the river the rein-deer were crossing, we were at length about to depart, when the old Indian presented Captain Stopford with eight deers’ legs, which, when roasted, are considered a great delicacy, on account of the rich marrow they contain. The young woman then gave another of our party a deer’s heart and tongue; and the old squaw, whose aspect was sufficient to give any man a dis-relish to the whole sex, kindly tossed into my lap a head and a brisket. Laden with these presents, we returned to our tents, and dined heartily off a tongue and heart, ponasked. But our kind Indian neighbours had not been so exceedingly munificent without entertaining strong expectations of an adequate remuneration: accordingly, the visit was soon returned by the whole horde; and the old Indian brought a kettle in his hand, which was intended as a gentle hint that he wished for a liquid equivalent. We therefore gave him about a quart of rum, mixed with three quarts of water, and a trifling supply of tobacco. Extraordinary as it may appear, this small donation was amply sufficient to intoxicate every member of the wigwam; and their voices resounded, in song, through the woods, for many hours after we had retired to rest.
Very shortly after the first dawn of day, we were awakened by the old Indian: he came to inform us, that several herd of deer had already crossed the river, and that it was high time we should repair to our stations, to intercept any more which might attempt to follow; as it is an ascertained fact, that these animals, during their periodical journeys, are accustomed to follow each other’s footsteps.