Volume 1

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152 RETURN TO PARK RIVER POST.
Salt river, where we had another fine piece of business,
worse than at Turtle river. Charlo, willing to show his
horsemanship, attempted to drive through on his mare at a
round pace ; but, before she got halfway over, she plunged
her nose into the mud and fell on her side. Charlo came
souse into the water at full length. We had some trouble
to get her out ;
but he stood ferryman and helped us over,
when we mounted and went on at a gallop to warm our
horses. Late in the evening we arrived safe at the fort,
heartily glad to find ourselves at home.
But my joy was of a short duration. Two of Langlois'
men were waiting for me, with word that a number of Crees
and Assiniboines were daily assembling near our establishment
at Panbian mountain. They had some furs, and
were preparing for war. Langlois feared they might do
some mischief to our people, as some of the young Crees
had already insulted Hamel. He therefore wished me
to go and see how matters stood. I found another
cause of vexation. My hunter's father-in-law arrived here
yesterday from Red lake, without a skin of any kind ;
his
errand was for his gendre [son-in-law] to return with him,
and he would accept of no excuse. This will be some loss
to me. The young man says he will not return till he has
skins enough to pay for goods I have advanced him, but
I do not believe him. Nau-bun-ai-jam ^"^ tells me that when
he left the lake, some time ago, Mr. Jean Baptiste Cadotte
was making the Red Lake portage, about lo miles long,
and had informed the Indians he would winter on the lake
but that many of them had left on their way to this place,
having heard of my being here.
Nov. i^t/i. My two men came in, having made two kegs
of salt. They complain of the bad quality of the water.
I had my three canoes put in safety for the winter, between
my house and the stockades, bottom upward, on thre^
cross poles, and well covered with about a foot thick of straw,
having loosened the ribs.
Old Taon and family arrived from
^'
No. 23 of the list on p. 54, there spelled Naubeenvishcung.