OF THE FUR TRADE, &c. XV

To aggravate the picture, if aggravation were poflible, may be added,
the putrid carcafes which the wolves, with a furious voracity, dragged
forth from the huts, or which were mangled within them by the dogs,
whofe hunger was fatisfied with the disfigured remains of their mafters.
Nor was it uncommon for the father of a family, whom the infection
had not reached, to call them around him, to reprefent the cruel fuffer-
ings and horrid fate of their relations, from the influence of fome evil
{pirit who was preparing to extirpate their race; and to incite them to
baffle death, with all its horrors, by their own poniards. At the fame
time, if their hearts failed them in this neceflary aét, he was himfelf
ready to perform the deed of mercy with his own hand, as the laft aét
of his affection, and inftantly to follow them to the common place of

reft and refuge from human evil.

It was never fatisfa€torily afcertained by what means this malignant

ae | diforder was introduced, but it was generally fuppofed to be from the

Maffiffoaic, by a war party.

The confequence of this melancholy event to the traders muft be
felfevident; the means of difpofing of their goods were cut off; and no
furs were obtained, but fuch as had been gathered from the habitations
of the deceafed Indians, which could not be very confiderable: nor did
they look from the loffes of the prefent year, with any encouraging ex-
pettations to thofe which were to come. The only fortunate people
confifted of a party who had again penetrated to the Northward and
Weitward in 1780, at fome diflance up the Miffinipi, or Englifh River,

to