Volume 1

46 SCENES AND INCIDENTS AT THE FORKS.
five H. B. Co. boats, from Albany factory, or rather Martin's
falls, arrived, Robert Goodwin, master, assisted by
Mr. Brown ; they put ashore, and remained with us until
four o'clock, when they proceeded up the Assiniboine.
Their boats carry about 45 packages, of unequal weights,
but averaging 80 pounds each, and are conducted by four
oarsmen and a steersman. They are neatly built and
painted, -and sharp at both ends. Our people found amusement
in fishing with hook and line, and were well recompensed
for their trouble, as they took a great many of
different kinds. Pigeons were in great numbers ; the trees
were every moment covered with them, and the continual
firing of our people did not appear to diminish their
numbers.
In French times there was a trading establishment on
this spot, traces of which are still to be seen where the
chimneys and cellars stood [Verendrye's Fort Rouge].
I am also informed there was a chapel and a missionary
here for several years ; but I don't believe they ever made
much progress toward civilizing the natives.
We are troubled by swarms of water-snakes, which even
come into our tents at midday ; every morning some are
sure to be found on our beds ; but they are harmless.
They appear to lurk and breed in the old graves, of which
there are many, this spot having been a place of great
resort for the natives in 1781-82 ; and at the time the smallpox
made such havoc many hundreds of men, women, and
children were buried here.
They
This afternoon a few Indians arrived on horseback.
came from the direction of Portage la Prairie, and were of
the tribe called Snakes, who formerly inhabited Lake of
the Woods. They once were numerous, but now cannot
muster more than 50 men. They may be said to be of the
same nation as the Crees, but have a different dialect,
somewhat resembling the Saulteur language. They are
a mischievous and thieving set of scoundrels. They now
inhabit a tract of land upon the Assiniboine, about 30