More "miscellaneous" until I can get proper numbers for them. Or a proper place.
June 8 1820 Cumberland House Reel 1M40
"The Govenor Mefser's Pruden Heron Rofs Haynes Boulton & Hutchinson with 10
Boats Loaded with furs & Provisions for York Factory left this place about
10 A.M. - The following officers & Men are left to pafs the Summer here
viz. Mr. Holmes-Master - Mr. J. Isbister trader - James Sandison, John
Skinner, James Spence, John Isbister, William McKinlay, James Snodie,
Donald Thomson, John Budge and John Kirknefs. -Sent Tomie Humpherville &
Wemeshae down to Norway House to bring up some supplies for this place -the
Big Frog, Winter Child & flying Indian came in; brought 235 Rats and some
green Meat - Men employed in turning over the Pemican - got 11 Sturgeon
from the narrows."
Nov.22 1802 William Tomison Cumberland House Reel 1M40
"Sent five men to overhaul the nets and set two more, brought one sturgeon
and a few small fish, we have 14 Nets set, each net measures 55 fathoms
which in all make 770 fathoms and with all we do not make out five days in
the week"...
Nov.9 1802 William Tomison Cumberland house Reel 1M40
"Between 7 & 8 PM eight men & two boys arrived from York Factory in a
starving Condition and had it not been for a bag of Oatmeal and another of
flour that they had as Cargo God only knows what would have been the result
they were taken with Ice on the 13th of Oct. on a small Island in the Cedar
Lake where nothing Existed but a few trees, they had a small piece of a net
that they set which did not procure them above a meal in three days, and
that but a very poor one, and what made the matter still worse, the flour
they had served out at york was very bad, when they used it with water or
in making fish broth, if they filled a dish of it, and stirred it as thick
as it was pofsible for them to do, it would turn like water when it got
hot. Its for truth if their be any thing bad at york its good enough for
the Inlanders, this I have Experienced long ago, the last time I was there
I had Bacon & Cheese given me that was so Bad that it put me from eating
either Bacon or Cheese ever since, before your Honour's was pleased to send
the Oatmeal out ready ground their was great Complaints from the men, that
the oatmeal was nothing but husks owing to the fine part of the oatmeal
being taken away as it was Ground. once at York I went to Inspect the same
and found it every bit as bad was represented, on my telling the Chief of
the Circumstance, I was told I should not Complain as I was not served with
such; my reply was, that as I was a fellow servant and working as they did
my wish was that they should be served with as good provisions as I had or
how could I expect they would obey my orders in taking care of the
Company's property."
Sept.9 1782 Hudson House Journal Reel 1M63
Excerpt of a letter from George Hudson at Cumberland House
" Magnus Slater Supposed by all to have been dead, arrived here Sept. 4th
with an Indian Woman he Employed to bring him up the Small River to the
House. He came on his journey in the spring very well till within three
Days of the House turning then snow Blind he proceeded down the River till
she went away but got no further than a little below A'Basquiau, living
upon Scraping of Sticks withered Berres, and sometimes forced to swallow
Tobacco by way of nourishment. The Dog that was with him died of Hunger,
him He also eat, He at last by crawling about found an old Canoe, Which he
mended & proceeded down to the Head of the Branches. there he built a small
House, made him a Drag of Willows and caught a few Small Jacks which he
lived on all the Summer. At last recovering his strength he Ventured in
search of the House to which he was 17 Days coming having seen no living
Creature but wild Beast for 6 Months and 5 Days."
Written by James Bird at Edmonton House Reel number 1M49
May 13 1816
"The men whom I sent with Horses from Edmonton to Convey Pemmican to
Beaver River arrived at this place a few days ago. They give the following
extraordinary Account /which they received from Mr McVicars Men that came
from the lake to fetch the Pemmican and from an Indian who accompanied
them/ of the murder of an Indian at Green Lake by Mr [Peter] Ogden and
other Servants of the NWC.
"Two Canadians had been sent by Ogden a little distance from his House
at Green Lake on some business. These Men saw an Indian called the Buffalo
going towards the houses of the HBC and the NWC which are situated at a
short distance from each other and they insisted on conducting him to the
house of the latter. But the Indian refused to be controlled by them saying
that he had been a slave long enough, that he was old enough to think for
himself and that, in short, he was now determined to go where he chose. The
Canadians, still persisted in their attempts to control him, he at length
fired his gun at them but (perhaps intentionally) mifsed them, upon which
they ran off and informed Ogden what had happened. Ogden immediately armed
six or seven of his men and went on Quest of the Indian whom they found
still continuing his way towards the Houses. Ogden made the Indian go
before him and returned homewards, but when they were opposite Mr. McVicars
House(which they must necefsarily pafs on their way to the NWC's House) the
Indian who had still pofsefsion of his arms jumped to one side and ran off
and succeeded in gaining Mr McVicar's House where he expected to find
protection. Ogden and his Men followed the Indian and demanded of Mr
McVicar that he should be given up to him, to which Mr McVicar, after some
hesitation consented and the Indian was turned out of the house unarmed to
the mercy of Ogden and his worthy companions.
Ogden and his men, who were principally Half Breeds, dragged the Indian
out in the Lee of the Lake and there butchered him in a most Cruel Manner.
They first fired two Balls into his body, then a Canadian Half-Breed
stabbed him in the belly with a bayonet and his Bowels fell out. The Indian
then requested a Gun that he might have a chance of revenging himself
before he died, to which Ogden replied by ordering a Canadian to knock him
down with an Axe. Still the Indian continued in his Quest till Ogden,
enraged, tripped him and when he was down he stabbed him with his Dirk
after which a half breed literally cut him to pieces in revenge for the
difficulty they had in killing him."
Home
HBCA microfilm numbers:
Reel 1M40 Doc. Ref. No. Coming
Reel 1M49 Doc. Ref. No. Coming
Reel 1M63 Doc. Ref. No. B.87/a/5