4.4 Mackenzie’s Voyages

Ile a la Cache at 2.30 p.m., a course was followed eighteen
miles west and north among the islands and camp was made
at eight on a small one. Although the weather was by no
means warm they were tormented and their rest interrupted
by hosts of mosquitoes which followed them in dense swarms.
On Tuesday they landed on the mainland at three lodges of
the Red-Knives, and were told that there were many more
lodges of their friends at no great distance.

As this is the first occasion when a transaction in trade
occurs it Is interesting to quote his exact words describing
it, particularly his reference to the use of liquor in such
transactions. “‘M. Le Roux purchased of these Indians
upwards of eight packs of good beaver and marten skins and
there was not above twelve of them qualified to kill beaver.
The ‘English Chief’ got upwards of a hundred skins on
the score of debts due to him, of which he had many out-
standing in this country. Forty of them he gave on account
of debts due by him since the winters 1786 and 1787, at
the Slave Lake; the rest he exchanged for rum and other
necessary articles, and I added a small quantity of that
liquor as an encouraging present to him and his young men. |
I had several consultations with these Copper Indian people,
but could obtain no information that was material to our
expedition, nor were they acquainted with any part of the
river which was the object of my research, but the mouth
of it. In order to save as much time as possible in circum-
navigating the bays, I engaged one of the Indians to conduct
us; and I accordingly equipped him with various articles of
clothing, etc. I also purchased a large new canoe, that he
might embark with the two young Indians in my service.”

In the afternoon the Indians were assembled and told
that a fort would be established here for their benefit under
M. Le Roux, “which would be continued as long as they