<= rE aa a Soe ne airs xliv A GENERAL HISTORY is the fort, picketed in with cedar pallifadoes, and inclofing houfes built with wood and covered with fhingles. They are calculated for every convenience of trade, as well as to accommodate the proprietors and clerks during their fhort refidence there. The North men live under tents: but the more frugal pork-eater lodges beneath his canoe. The foil immediately bordering on the lake has not proved very propitious, as nothing but potatoes have been found to anfwer the trouble of cultiva- tion. This circumftance is probably owing to the cold damp fogs of the lake, and the moifture of the ground from the fprings that iffue from beneath the hills. ‘There are meadows in the vicinity that yield abun- dance of: hay for the cattle; but, as to agriculture, it has not hitherto been an object of ferious confideration. I fhall now leave thefe geographical notices, to give fome further account of the people from Montreal.— When they are arrived at the Grande Portage, which is near nine miles over, each of them has to carry eight packages of {uch goods and provifions as are neceflary for the interior country. This is a labour which cattle cannot conveniently perform in fummer, as both horfes and oxen were tried by the company without fuccefs. They are only ufeful for light, bulky articles; or for tranfporting upon fledges, during the winter, whatever goods may remain there, efpecially provifion, of which it is ufual to have a year’s ftock on hand. oe Having finifhed this toilfome part of their duty, if more goods are ne- ceflary to be tranfported, they are allowed a Spanifh dollar for each package: