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Jacob Lindley's Account, 1793

SW_JL1793_Page_101

tute huckleberries in their season, which they dry in the smoke, to take off the insipid sweet taste — other times, wild rye is gathered and boiled — at others, they catch large fish, boil them, select the large bones, which being pounded or beaten, are packed in the skin of some beast just taken off, to preserve for use. They kill beasts and birds, eat the flesh and drink the blood, without either bread or salt. Thus they live. The trade is principally carried on (that is, the labour,) by Canadians, who are quite as hardy, and almost as savage, as the Indians themselves. They are not allowed by the merchants at Montreal, to take into the north-west, more than one bushel, as their canoes must be of just such a weight as two men can carry on their shoulders, and will just hold so much, as is completely filled with goods suita-ble for Indian trade. The company has arrived at great opulence by this business. They extend it by their accounts, so far as to mix, at times, and meet with merchants of the wilderness like themselves, employed by the Hudson Bay company. One old man is returned, whom John Askin says he never knew to deviate from the truth, as too many travellers do: He says he has explored those high latitudes fifty years, and that far beyond all buffaloes, bears, and large beasts of any kind; the country there will pro-duce no kind of grain, nor large trees; but the most fine furs, the beaver, otter, and martin skins, always selling at market for a third more than middle furs.Askin says, Alexander Henry frequently tried to raise corn on the banks of Lake Superior, but never could get one ear in perfection. All which, and abundance more that might be truly inserted, con-