Wanderings of an Artist Among the Indians of North America; From Canada to Vancouver's Island and Oregon, Through the Hudson's Bay Company's Territory Paperback -

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAP. III. Sir George Simpson. ?My Start.? Difficulties of the Route. ?The Sault St. Marie.?The White Fish and Thunder Point.? A Day behind the Fair.? Pulling against Stream. ? Mangeurs du Lard. ?The Lost Men's Portage.? The Blanket of the Dead. ? A Compliment from Sir George.? Running from a Bear. In the ensuing March I repaired to Lachine to seek an interview with Sir George Simpson. Having exhibited to him the sketches which I had made, and explained the nature of the objects which I had in view, Sir George entered cordially into my plans; and, in order to facilitate them, ordered a passage in the spring brigade of canoes. Accordingly, on the 9th of May, 1846, I left Toronto in company with Governor Simpson for the Sault St. Marie, in order to embark in the brigade of canoes which had left Lachine some time previously, taking the route of the Ottawa and Lake Huron. On my arrival at Mackenaw in the evening, I DIFFICULTIES OF THE ROUTE. 43 was informed by the master of the steamboat that he would not leave until 9 o'clock next morning. Trusting to this assurance, I went on shore for the night; but on coming down to the wharf on the following day, I found that the vessel with Sir George Simpson had departed about twenty minutes previously. This was indeed a damper of no ordinary magnitude, as, should I fail in seeing Sir George before he left the Sault, I should not be able to accompany the canoes. I was aware, likewise, that the governor would not remain longer than a few hours; but how to overtake him was the difficulty, as no boat would leave for four days. Determined, however, not to be disappointed in my proposed expedition, I used every exertion to procure a mode of conveyance. Walking along the beach, I saw a small skiff lying, and having found t...