Page:Early western travels, 1748-1846 (1907 Volume 2).djvu/97



fatigue my Canadians had undergone 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 shew 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 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 {55} long excursions, without using snow shoes. 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