New Light on the Early History of the Greater Northwest, Vol. 2 of 3 : The Manuscript Journals of Alexander Henry and of David Thompson 1799-1814, Exploration and Adventure Among the Indians on the Red, Saskatchewan, Missouri and Columbia Rivers

Excerpt from New Light on the Early History of the Greater Northwest, Vol. 2 of 3: The Manuscript Journals of Alexander Henry and of David Thompson 1799-1814, Exploration and Adventure Among the Indians on the Red, Saskatchewan, Missouri and Columbia Rivers

The small band of Courtes Oreilles settled here came from Michilimakinac about 16 years ago, when the pros pects of great beaver hunts allured them from their native country. At first they dispersed in different quarters of the North West. A band went as far as Lesser Slave Lake and Athabasca river, by the Saskatchewan route; but beaver getting scarce, they abandoned those parts and are now nearly all here, where they pass the summer attending to their corn and potatoes, and in the autumn separate to hunt. These people have no inclination to intermarry with the Saulteurs; they keep to themselves, and dispose of their daughters only among their own tribe. Their man ner of living is entirely that of their own nation; they erect bark huts for the summer, others of birch rind for the winter, and also use rush mats [pukkwi, in Tanner]. Their utensils and furniture are neatly constructed, and generally kept clean. They are thus much more civilized and more industrious than the Saulteurs. The first corn and potatoes they planted here was a small quantity which I gave them in the spring of 1805, since which period they have ex tended their fields, and hope in a few years to make com a regular article of traffic with us.

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