Volume 1

I
58 DIFFERENT FRUITS—FRUITLESS OFFERINGS.
pieces.
There are some few places that appear too shallow,
but there is always a channel to be found amongst the
5umps of clay, and stones are rare. Those passages in some
places are very narrow and crooked, but deep.
Having come three leagues,^' we put ashore to wait for the
Indians. We crossed our horses over to the W. side, the
country being more favorable for them than upon the
which continues to be thick woods.
began fishing as usual, while others went in search of
E.,
After the rain the men
fruit,
of which they found great plenty, such as red plums, panbinas,*"
and grapes. The plums are just now ripe and very
good ; they appear to be of three different sorts—large
yellow speckled, large red, and small red. There are also
two other kinds—small gray speckled and small yellow
speckled. The panbina is fine and large, of a beautiful red,
but requires the frost to ripen it. The same is the case
with the grapes, which are of a small sort, when ripe perfectly
blue ;
the vines are bending to the ground with them.
The Indians brought me a horse which I purchased for
liquor. About sunset they all arrived and camped with us.
Old Buffalo, still
half drunk, brought me his eldest daughter,
about nine years of age, and insisted upon my taking her for
a wife, in hopes I would give him a keg of liquor ; but I
declined the offer. I gave him and each of his brethren a
dram, and sent them to their cabins. I was plagued by
several others, Charlo brought me his daughter, about 12
years old, for a wife, but I would have nothing to do with
any of them, and a dram apiece was all they could get.
Aȣ^. 2jd. The Indians paid me a very early visit to
demand dry goods on credit, in expectation of getting
liquor. This is customary on their taking debts ; we generally
give them some liquor to encourage them to hunt
" The strong water which Henry has passed is that now known as Crooked
He has probably passed Cartier, and camps in the vicinity of the place
rapids.
called Royal, 5 or 6 m. (direct) below the mouth of Rat r.
*" Berries of Viburnutn oxycoccus. The word yields several geographical
Barnes, to be discussed beyond (at Pembina).