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 http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924028912066 
 

 Publications of the Canadian Archives — No. 3. 
 
 JOURNAL OF LAROCQUB 
 
 ?« 'fl 
 
 FROM THE . *,■■ " ' ' 
 
 , 4 "'if 
 
 ASSINIBOINE TO THE YELLOWSTONE 
 
 1805 
 
 KniTKD WITH NOTES BY 
 
 L. J. BURPEE, P.R.G.S. 
 
 Published by authority of the Minister of Agriculture 
 under the direction of the Archivist 
 
 OTTAWA 
 
 GOVERNMENT PRINTING BUREAU 
 
 1910 
 
 iJ 
 
JOURNAL OF LAROCQUE. 
 
 rC^TBODIICTION. 
 
 In a letter dated l^ovember 7tli, 1806, Sir Alexander Mac- 
 kenzie writes liia cousin, Roderick McKenzie, of the North 
 West Company : ' When I wrote you respecting the publication 
 of the second edition of my voyages, I had not the most distant 
 idea that it was the intention of the Company to give the His- 
 tory of the Northwest,- and now, instead of asking your assist- 
 ance, I offer you mine, as you are the person that seems to take 
 the lead.' In a foot-note to this letter, in his Bourgeois de la 
 Compdgnie du Nord-Ouest, L. R. Masson throws some further 
 light upon this project : " The Hon. E. McKenzie was a man of 
 considerable literary attainments and very extensive reading. 
 He appears to have at one time entertained the idea of publish- 
 ing a History of the Aboriginal tribes of the Northwest, as well 
 as a History of the Northwest Company. In order to procure 
 the necessary materials for that work, he sent printed circulars 
 to many of the vdntering partners and clerks of the Northwest 
 Company, requesting them to collect, and send to him in the 
 form of letters or journals, such information as they could 
 obtain relating to the country in which they were respectively 
 stationed; the natives, their origin, religion, morals and cus- 
 toms ; their most eminent chiefs, their government ; the origin 
 of their trade with this white, &c. He received in response 
 several reports, " accounts," and journals from the Northwest, — 
 some of which are published in this collection (Bourgeois de la 
 Compagnie du Nord-Ouest) — ^but he does not appear to have 
 carried out his original plan, but seems to have been content 
 with collecting a vast number of most interesting extracts from 
 the books of different travellers and writers, and arranging 
 them so as to prove and establish a perfect analogy of race be- 
 tween the Aborigines of the Northwest and other nations, 
 ancient and modem, throughout the world, by the similarity of 
 their ideas, customs and modes of living." 
 
 2078—1 
 
i CANADIAJSr ARCHIVES 
 
 The material so gathered by Koderick McKenzie, or most 
 of it, came eventually into the hands of Senator Masson, and a 
 selection of it was published, with an introduction and notes, 
 in his Bourgeois de la Gompagnie du Nord-Ouest. After tlie 
 death of Senator Masson these valuable documents were sold at 
 auction, many being acquired by the Dominion Archives, others 
 by the Library of McGill University. Among those in the 
 McGill Library is a draft outline of Koderick McKenzie's pro- 
 jected work, which apparently was to have been in two volumes. 
 It is entitled : ' Some Account of the Northwest Company. 
 Containing Analogy of E'ations Ancient and Modern. By 
 Roderick' Mackenzie, Esq., a Director. Member of the Legis- 
 lative Council of Lower Canada. Lieut. -Col. of Militia. 
 Member of the Literary and Historical Society of Quebec. 
 Member of the American Antiquarian Society; and Fellow of 
 the Eoyal Society of ISTorthern Antiquities at Copenhagen.* 
 Whether Roderick McKenzie was appalled at the magnitude of 
 the task he had undertaken, or discouraged by its cost, there 
 is no means of knowing ; at any rate his ambitious work never 
 saw the light, in spite of its elaborate title-page. 
 
 Among the journals that McKenzie had obtained for his. 
 work were the narratives of* a series of expeditions overland 
 from the Assiniboine to the Mandan villages on the Missouri. 
 These journals, by Erangois Antoine Larocque, and Charles 
 Mackenzie, clerks in the employ of the Northwest Company,, 
 covered the years 1804, 1805 and 1806, and are interesting, 
 not only because of the light they throw upon the history of the 
 fur trade, but also on account of the particulars they furnish 
 as to the life and customs of one of the most remarkable of 
 western tribes, the Mandahs. Larocque's ' Missouri Journal, 
 1804-05,' and the first part of Charles Mackenzie's ' Missis- 
 souri Indians,' cover the same joiirney. The expedition was in 
 charge of Larocque, and Mackenzie accompanied him as an 
 assistant. 
 
 In the second expedition, of a much more ambitious nature 
 than the first, Larocque was again in charge, with Mackenzie 
 as assistant. Of this journey, or a portion of it, an account is 
 given in Mackenzie's ' Second Expedition, 1805,'' but until 
 quite recently' Larocque's own narrative has not been available. 
 
JOTJENAL OF LAEOCQUE 3 
 
 It may have formed part of the material collected by Eoderick 
 McKenzie, but if so was not acquired by Masson, and in fact 
 does not seem to have been known to him. References are made 
 in Mackenzie's narrative of his ' Third Expedition, 1805/ to 
 Larocque's journal, but for a long time no trace could be found 
 of the document itself. In fact the original journal is still 
 missing, but what purports to be an exact copy is now in the 
 Library of Laval Unive]:3ity,' Montreal, with a number of other 
 manuscripts bequeathed to that institution by the late Judge 
 Bkby of Montreal. This ' Journal of a Voyage to the Rocky 
 Mountains from my leaving the Assinibois River on the 2nd 
 Jane, 1805,' as it is entitled, is now printed for the first time, 
 being, so far as can be ascertained at present, a verbatim tran- 
 script of the original. 
 
 Mackenzie accompanied Larocque only as far as the Man- 
 dan and Minnetaree villages on the Missouri. Up to that point 
 each journal forms an admirable commentary upon the other, 
 as in the case of the previous expedition. Mackenzie also sup- 
 plements Larocque in regard to the preparations for the latter's 
 journey from the Missouri villages to the country of the Rocky 
 Mountain Indians, or Crows, and the attempts of some of the 
 Minnetarees to block the enterprise. From the time of 
 Larocque's final departure, however, until his return in October^ 
 nothing has hitherto been known of his movements beyond 
 Mackenzie's meagre reference, in his ' Third Expedition.' ' On 
 the 18th ISTovember,' he says (he was a month out, Larocque's 
 journal proving that he returned on the 18th October), ' to our 
 great joy our worthy friend Mr. Larocque and his party made 
 their appearance from their visit to the Rocky Mountain. It 
 is not necessary that I should give the particulars of his jour- 
 ney, as Mr. Larocque himself has kept an account of it, I shall 
 merely observe that he was disappointed in his expedition, 
 suffered great hardships and took no less th^n thirty-six days on 
 his return to our establishment.' It was thirty-four days, to be 
 strictly accurate. 
 
 Before going further it may be worth while to quote an 
 interesting passage from Daniel Williams Harmon's ' Journal 
 of Voyages and Travels in the Interior of North America.' 
 Under date of April, 10th, 1806, he writes: 
 
 2078— li 
 
4 CATTADIAN ARCHIVES 
 
 ' While at Montagne a la Basse, Mr. Ohaboillez induced me 
 to consent to undertake a long and arduous tour of discovery. 
 I am to leave that place, about the begiiming of June, accom- 
 panied by six or seven Canadians, and by two or three Indians. 
 The first place at which we shall stop will be the Mandan Vil- 
 lage, on the Missouri Eiver. Thence, we shall steer our course 
 towards the Eocky Mountain, accpmpanied by a number of the 
 Mandan Indians, who proceed in that direction every spring, 
 to meet and trade with another tribe of Indians, who reside, on 
 the other side-of the Eocky Mountain. It is expected that we 
 shall return from our excursion in the month of November 
 next.' 
 
 To this statement Harmon added the following, apparently 
 when preparing his narrative for publication : ' This journey I 
 never undertook; for soon after the plan of it was settled, my 
 health became so much impaired, that I was under the neces-. 
 sity of proceeding to Headquarters, to procure medical assist- 
 ance. A Mr. La Eocque attempted to make this tour, but went 
 no farther than the Mandan Village.' This last statement 
 reveals remarkable ignorance of the extent of Larocque's jour- 
 ney ; all the more strange when it is remembered that Harmon 
 and Larocque were members of the same fur company, and that 
 Harmon was upon terms of intimacy with Charles J. B. 
 Chaboillez, the Bourgeois or partner in charge of the Upper 
 Eed Eiver, or Assiniboine, Department, who had sent Larocque 
 upon his journey, and to whom he reported upon his return. 
 Possibly, from motives of trade policy or for some other reason, 
 the particulars of Larocque's journey may have been so care- 
 fully suppressed at the time, that even Harmon was ignorant 
 as to its extent. It will be clear, also, after reading Larocque's 
 narrative, that Harmon was inaccurate as to the movements of 
 the Indians, upon whom he relied to accompany him to the 
 ' Eocky Mountain.' 
 
 The special interest of Larocque's journal lies in the fact 
 that it describes the first visit of white men to the country of 
 the Crow Indians, with the exception of La Verendrye's expe- 
 dition of 1Y42-43, and contains the earliest authoritative 
 account of that ttibe. The narrative is remarkably clear and 
 full, bespeaking an exceptionally intelligent and wide-awake 
 
JOUENAl OF LAEOCQUB 5;. 
 
 traveller; and, despite tie comparatively limited field it covers, 
 deserves to rank with such classics of the fur trade as the jour- 
 nals of Alexander Henry, the Elder, and his nephew of the 
 same name, Daniel Williams Harmon, ' John McDonald of 
 Garth, Alexander Koss, Gabriel Franchere, Charles Mackenzie 
 and Ross Cox. Larocque's journal is in fact more readable 
 than many more ambitious narratives of the fur trade. It 
 contains herp and there vivid- touches that carry the reader back 
 ijnto the heart of that vanished period in western historj^lwheni 
 men of fearless, and often heroic, mould blazed new trails 
 through a vast wilderness, taking most of the time gamblers' 
 chances of winning through, descending unknown rivers in 
 their frail canoes, dashing overland in midwinter from one 
 remote trading post to another, accepting even chances of death 
 by starvation or exposure as part of the day's work, penetrating 
 single-handed into the territory of hostile tribes. These rough 
 fur-traders were no saints, but nevertheless they were for the 
 most part men of whom any country might be proud. Their 
 faults as, well as their virtues were those of a virile race. They 
 were the true pioneers in that land of marvellous possibilities 
 to which all eyes are now turned, and it is not too much to say 
 that they were largely instrumental in winning the western 
 half of the continent to civilization. 
 
 While Larocque's narrative is chiefly notable for its descrip- 
 tions of the Crows and their country, it also throws new light 
 upon the characteristics of the Mandans and Minnetarees, and 
 offers a valuable commentary upon the narra,tive of Lewis and 
 Clark as regards those tribes of the Pacific slope, the Flatheads 
 and Snakes. Like Alexander Henry, the Younger, and other 
 chroniclers of the fur-trade period, Larocque is entirely frank 
 as to the seamy side of native life. As Dr. Coues said of 
 Henry's Indians, these ' are the genuine aboriginal articles, not 
 the mock heroes of Leatherstocking romance.' For this very 
 reason the narrative is all the more valuable as a contribution to 
 North American ethnology. 
 
 Of the writer of this journal, Frangois Antoine Larocque, 
 not much is known. .According to Masson, he was a brother of 
 Joseph Larocque, who ' occupied for many years a very promi- 
 nent position in the Northwest and Hudson Bay Companies." 
 
6 CANADIAN AEC HIVES 
 
 ' Mr. F. A. Larocque,' continues Masson, ' was a man of good 
 abilities, of great courage and energy. He was well read, 
 studious and equallj^ proficient in the use of the French and 
 English languages, but he decidedly preferred the latter. The 
 life of an Indian trader had not for him the attractions it had 
 for his brother ; he soon left the Northwest, came to Montreal 
 and entered business, in which he was most unfortunate. He 
 passed the last years of his life in close retirement and arduous 
 study, and died, much advanced in years, in the Grey nunnery 
 of St. Hyacinthe. Mr. Larocque married a Miss Cote, the 
 daughter of an independent ]!^orthwest trader, and the sister 
 of Mr. Jules Maurice Quesnel. He left only one son, Mr. 
 Alfred Larocque, the father of Mr. le Chevalier Larocque, ex- 
 papal zouave; of Mr. Armand Larocque and of Mrs. Alderic 
 Ouimet, the wife of the [former] Speaker of the House of 
 Commons.' Dr. Elliott Coues has a biographical note on 
 Larocque, taken for the most part from Masson, in his ' Henry- 
 Thompson Journals ' (I. 361) ; and Joseph Tasse has a few 
 words to say of him in his ' Oanadiens de I'Ouest ' (IL 324-5). 
 Larocque is frequently mentioned in the journals of Lewis and 
 Clark, who met him at the Mandan villages on the Missouri; 
 and is also referred to by Alexander Henry, the Younger, 
 Charles Mackenzie, and Daniel Williams Harmon. Larocque's 
 own narrative, here published, supplies some meagre details not 
 hitherto available as to his life in the west previous to his first 
 expedition ■ to the Missouri with Charles Mackenzie, in the 
 'autumn of 1804. From these fragmentary notes, which will 
 be found at the end of his journal, it appears that he left Mon- 
 treal, or Lachine, on the 26th April, 1801, in the service of the 
 X Y Company, and arrived at Grand Portage the latter end of 
 June. From there he was sent to Fort Charlotte, on Pigeon 
 Eiver, and later in the year to English river, where he spent 
 the winter. In the spring he journeyed farther west, to Fort 
 des Prairies, on the Saskatchewan, and around to Eed river. 
 In 1802 he was still in the service of the X T Company, but 
 does not say where he was stationed. For the two following 
 years he gives no particulars whatever, but we know that he 
 was stationed at Fort Assiniboine in the autumn of 1804, and, 
 as already stated, left with Charles Mackenzie. J. B. Lafrance, 
 
JOUKH-AL OF LAEOCQUE 7 
 
 and four voyageurs, on a trip to the Mandans. His name is 
 mentioned, as a commis, or clerk, in the department of Eaut 
 de la Riviere Rouge, in the ' Lists des bourgeois, commis, en- 
 gages, et voyageurs de la Oompagnie du Nord-Ouest, apres la 
 fusion de 1804,' at the end of v. I of Masson's Bourgeois de 
 la Compagnie du Nord-Ouest. 
 
 The accompanying map will be of assistance in following 
 Larocque step by step, from his departure from Fort a la 
 Bosse, on the Assiniboihe, on June 2nd, 1805, to his return to 
 the same place on October 18th of the same year. 
 
 The following bibliographical notes will also be of service 
 to those who may wish to dig deeper into the rich mines of 
 ethnology, history and crude human nature to be found in the 
 literature of the western fur trade. These notes serve the more 
 immediate purpose of a commentary upon Larocque's narra- 
 tive: 
 
 Larocque' s personal history: 
 
 L. E. Slasson. ' Bourgeois de la Compagnie du Nord- 
 Ouest,' I, 81 et seq, 299. 
 
 Joseph Tasse. ' Les Oanadiens de I'Ouest,' II, 324-5. 
 
 Elliott Ooues. ' Manuscript Journals of Alexander Henry 
 and David Thompson,' I, 301. 
 
 Daniel Williams Harmon, ' Journal of Voyages and Tra- 
 vels in the Interior of North America,' Oct. 4, 1804. 
 
 North West Company: 
 
 L. E. Masson. ' Bourgeois de la Oompagnie du Nord-Ouest.' 
 
 George Bryce. ' Kemarkable History of the Hudson's Bay 
 Company, including that of the French Traders of 
 Northwestern Canada and of the Northwest, X Y and 
 Astor Fur Companies.' 
 
 ' Origin and Progress of the North West Company of Can- 
 ada,' London, 1811. 
 
 ' History of the Fur-Trade,' in Alexander Mackenzie's 
 ' Voyages from Montreal to the Frozen and Pacific 
 Oceans.' 
 
 ' Eeport on Canadian Archives, 1888, Note E, Northwest 
 Trade. 
 
O CAWADIAlir AECHIVES 
 
 Eeport on Canadian Archives, 1890, Note G, JSTorthwest' 
 ern Explorations. 
 
 Northwest manuscripts, in Canadian Archives. 
 
 Masson papers, in McGill University Library. 
 
 Alexander Henry. ' Travels and Adventures in Canada 
 and the Indian Territories, 1760-1Y76.' Ed. by James 
 Bain. 
 
 Elliott Cones. ' Manuscript Journals of Alexander Henry 
 and David Thompson.' 
 
 Daniel Williams Harmon. ' Journal of Voyages and Tra- 
 vels in the Interior of North America.' 
 
 Alexander Eoss. ' Eur-Hunters of the Far West.' 
 
 Alexander Eoss. ' Eed Eiver Settlement,' London, 1856. 
 
 Eoss Cox. ' Adventures on the Columbia.' 
 
 Gabriel Franchere. ' Narrative of a Voyage to the North- 
 west Coast of America.' 
 
 Edouard Umfreville. ' The Present State of Hudson Bay.' 
 
 H. H. Bancroft. ' History of the Northwest Coast.' 
 
 Joseph Tasse. ' Les Canadiens de I'Ouest.' 
 
 0/. Dugas. L'ouest Canadien. 
 
 Alexander Begg. ' History of the Northwest.' 
 
 The Mandans and other Tribes of the Upper Missouri: 
 
 Journal of La Verendrye, 1738-39. ' Eeport on Canadian 
 Archives, 1889,' Note A. 
 
 Journal of La Verendrye, 1742-43. Canadian Archives 
 MSS. 
 
 Maximilian, Prince of Wied. ' ' Travels in the Interior of 
 North America, 1832-34.' 
 
 Lewis and Clark. ' Expedition to the Sources of the Mis- 
 souri,' &c., 1804-5-6. 
 
 George Catlin. ' Letters and Notes on the Manners, Cus- 
 toms and Condition of the North American Indians.' 
 
 George Catlin. ' 0-Kee-Pa and Other Customs of the Man- 
 dans.' 
 
 Charles Mackenzie. ' The Mississouri Indians.' In Masson, 
 I. 
 
 E. A. Larocque. 'The Missouri Journal, 1804-5.'- In 
 Masson, I. 
 
JOUENAL 01" LAEOCQtTB V 
 
 David Thompson. Mandan tour. In his MSS. Journals, 
 Book 9, vol. 5, Crown Lands Department, Toronto. See 
 also Dr. Coues' note, in Henry-Thompson Journals, I,' 
 301. 
 
 Alexander Henry. The Mandan Tour, 1806. 'Henry- 
 Thompson Journals,' chap. IX. 
 
 H. E. Schoolcraft. ' Information respecting the History, 
 Condition and Prospects of the Indian Tribes of the 
 United States,' &c., pt. Ill, pp. 247 et seq. 
 
 Lewis H. Morgan. ' Systems of Consanguinity and AfSnity 
 of the Human Family,' 181 et seq. 
 
 Lewis H. Morgan. ' Houses and House Life of the Ameri- 
 can Aborigines.' 
 
 Lewis H. Morgan. ' Ancient Society.' 
 
 J. O. Dorsey. ' Study of Siouan Cults.' 
 
 J. O. Dorsey. ' Siouan Ethnology.' 
 
 The Grow Indians: 
 
 Morgan. ' Ancient Society.' 
 
 Morgan. ' Systems of Consanguinity,' &c. 
 
 J. P. Beckwourth. ' Life and Adventures.' 
 
 P. V. Hayden. ' Contributions to the Ethnography and 
 Philology of the Indian Tribes of the Missouri Valley.' 
 
 Maximilian. ' Travels in the Interior of ISTorth America.' 
 
 Thomas Say. Vocabulary of the TTparoka or Crow. In E. 
 James' ' Account of an Expedition,' &o. 
 
 E. G. Latham. ' Miscellaneous Contributions to the Eth- 
 nography of North America.' 
 
 M. I. Carrington. ' Ab-Sa-Ea-Ka.' 
 
 Elliott Coues. ' Henry-Thompson Journals.' 
 
 Catlin. ' North American Indians.' 
 
 The Flathead Indians: 
 
 Lewis and Clark Expedition. 
 
 Elliott Coues. ' Henry-Thompson Journals.' 
 
 Gabriel Franchere. ' Narrative of a Voyage,' &c. 
 
 Paul Kane. ' Wanderings of an Artist among the Indians 
 
 of North America.' 
 Patrick Gass's Journal. 
 
10 CAIfADIAN ABCHIVES 
 
 The Snake or Shoshone Indians: 
 Lewis and Clark Expedition. 
 Coues. ' Henry-Thompson Journals.' 
 Maximilian. ' Travels in the Interior of Forth America.' 
 
 A general reference may be made, in connection with all 
 these tribes, their manners, customs, language, habitat, &c., to 
 that unrivalled storehouse of information, the Annual Reports 
 of the Bureau of Ethnology of the United States. 
 
 It may be noted here that all references in foot-notes to 
 Maximilian are to the edition included in R. G. Thwaites' 
 ' Early Western Travels ' ; to Lewis & Clark, the J. K. Hosmer 
 edition ; to Gabriel Franchere's Narrative, J. V. Huntington's 
 translation, 1854, except where otherwise specified; and to Har- 
 mon, the 1903 reprint. References to Lewis & Clark in the 
 Bibliographical notes are understood to include also the 
 Coues' and Thwaites' editions. The exhaustive notes added to 
 these editions increase enormously the value of the work, from 
 the historical, ethnographical, geographical and scientific points 
 of view'. 
 
JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE TO THE EOOKY MOUN- 
 TAINS FEOM MY LEAVING THE ASSINIBOIS' 
 RIVER ON THE 2nd JUNE, 1805. 
 
 At my arrival at Riviere Fort de la Bosse^ I prepared for 
 going on a voyage of discovery to the Rocky Mountains and set 
 of on the 2nd June with two men having each of us two horses, 
 one of which was laden with goods to facilitate an intercourse 
 with the Indians we might happen to see on our road. Mr. 
 Charles McKenzie* and Mr. Lassana* set out with me to go & 
 pass the summer at the Missouri, and haying to parsue the 
 same road we Kept Company as far as the B.B." village. 
 
 Mr. McKenzie with the other men set of about at two in 
 the afternoon, but I having [been] so very busy that I had not 
 as yet been able to write my letters to my friends remained and 
 wrote letters and settled some little business of my own. After 
 
 1. One of the innumerable variants of the name Assiniboine. This 
 main branch of the Ked River has also borne various other names, the 
 first of which was Eivier© St. Charles, given by La Verendrye, the first 
 white man to stand upon its banks. In the manuscript map of David 
 Thompson, astronomer of the Northwest Company, it is called Stone 
 Indian River. See footnote, p. ib, Coues' 'Henry-Thompson Journals.' 
 
 2. Larocque elsewhere calls this trading post Mount a la Bosse. 
 
 3. McKenzie joined the Northwest Company in 1803 as an apprentice 
 clerk, made an expedition to the Mandan villages on the Missouri in 1804, 
 in which he was accompanied by Larocque, and, as above stated, again 
 travelled with Larocque in 1805 as far as the Missouri. He made a third 
 journey to the Mandans in the fall of the same year, and a fourth in 
 1806. His narr.atives of the four journeys are printed in Masson, V.I. 
 See Masson's biographical note, p. 317, and Cones', p. 345. 
 
 4. No such name in Roderick McKenzie's list of 'Proprietors, clerks, 
 interpreters, &c., of the Northwest Company, 1799,' nor in the 'Liste des 
 bourgeois, commis, engages, et voyagecrs de la Compagnie du Nord-Ouest, 
 aprfes la fusion de 1804,' Masson, I, 395. May be intended for J. B. 
 Lafrance, mentioned by Charles McKenzie as of the party. 
 
 5. Big Bellies, called by the French, Gros Ventres. The name has 
 been applied at different times and by different writers to two quite 
 distinct tribes: the Atsina (called Fall Indians by tTmfreville, and Rapid 
 Indianis, by Alexander Henry), and the Minnetarees or Hidatsas. The 
 former are of Algonquian, the latter of Siouan, stock. 
 
 11 
 
12 CANADIAN ARCHIVES 
 
 sunset we supped & bidding farewell to Mr. Ohabelly' & Henry' 
 & to all the people, departed, every one beings affected at our 
 departure thinking it more than'^probable that I should not 
 return with my men, and I confess I left the fort with a heavy 
 heart but riding at a good rate I soon got chearful again, and 
 thought of nothing but the [means] of ensuring success to my 
 undertaking. 
 
 At 10 at flight I arrived at the Eiver aux Prunes' where I 
 found the people encamped asleep. 
 
 Monday 3rd. I sat of early in the morning and stopped at 
 12 to refresh our horses, and encamped at night at River la 
 Sorie,* where we had not been two hours encamped when three, 
 and after many other Assiniboins rushed in upon us, a few 
 endeavouring to take our horses, but seeing our guns and run- 
 ning to them we made them depart. They ran afterwards to 
 our fire and seeing us well armed and by our looks that w!e 
 would well defend ourselves and our property they remained 
 quiet. There were 40 tents of them not 10 acres from us with- 
 out that we had perceived them. I gave 1 fm. tobacco' to their 
 Chief to make his young men smoke & engage them to remain 
 peaceable. Some of them offered to accompany us to the Mis- 
 souri, but upon being told that we would like it well they spoke 
 no more of it. 
 
 1. Charles Jean-Baptiste Chaboillez, 'Bourgeois^ or partner of the 
 Northwest Company, at this time in charge of the Assiniboine department. 
 See Masson, I, 81, and footnote; also Coues, p. 60, note. 
 
 2. Alexander Henry, known as the Younger, to distinguish him from 
 his uncle, Alexander Henry, the Elder, whose 'Travels and Adventures in 
 Canada and the Indian Territories' was first published in 1809 (new ed. 
 by Dr. James Bain, 1901.) The voluminous manuscript journals of Henry 
 the Younger were edited by Dr. Elliott Coues, in conjunction with those 
 of David Thompson, under the title, 'New Light on the Early History of 
 the Greater Northwest,' New York, 1897. Chap. IX contains Henry's ac- 
 count of the Mandan Tour, 1806. 
 
 3. Pipestone river, or creek, a branch of the Souris river coming in 
 from the west. I cannot find the name given by Larocque in this 
 locality on any of the maps. 
 
 i. Elsewhere Larocque spells it Eiver la Sourie. The Souris appears 
 as Mouse river on some of the older maps. 
 
 5. The Brazil tobacco, so-called> used in trade by the North West and 
 Hudson's Bay Companies, , was prepared in the form of a rope, and cut 
 off as required. Larocque cut off 1 fathom as a present to placate the 
 Assiniboines. See Dr. Bain's note, p. 321, Henry's 'Travels and Adven- 
 tures.' The fathom, according to Masson, was the French measure then 
 in use in the Northwest, une brasse. 
 
JOUEN^AL OF LAEOCQUE 13 
 
 Thinking it Lower not prudent to pass the night so close to 
 them we saddled our horses and departed although they did all 
 in their power of engaging us to sleep at those tents. One of 
 them conducted us to a good fording place pf Eiver la Sourie 
 which we crossed striking in the plain. We walked all night to 
 come out of their reach for they are worst cunning horse thiveve 
 that ever I said or heard of. A little before day light we 
 stopped and took a nap. 
 
 Tuesday 4th. We proceeded on our journey early in the 
 morning having very fine weather all day, and at night en- 
 camped on the banks of the Eiver la Sourie at a place called 
 Green Eiver^ for its havin no wood on its side for about 30 
 miles. We saw no other animals but four cabois' of which we 
 killed two. 
 
 Wednesday 5th. We followed the Green Eiver till eleven 
 O'clock when we arrived at the woods, where being an appear- 
 ance of rainy weather we encamped. There was no Buffalo in 
 seight. At 12 it began to rain and continued hard and unin- 
 terruptedly until next morning. Here we saw plenty of wild 
 fowls, Ducks, Bustards, Geese, Swans, &c., and killed a number 
 of them. 
 
 Thursday 6th. There being an appearance of fine weather, 
 we sat off and walked about three miles, when the weather being 
 cloudy we stopped to encamp, but before we could make a hut 
 for our goods the rain began again, and fell amasingly hard so 
 that in a few hours eve'ry hollows or valley in the plains were 
 full of water, and every brook or creek was swollen to rivers. 
 There were plenty of Buffaloes and the rain ceasing in the even- 
 ing we killed a very fat young bull' and a fat Elk deer. At 
 night the rain began again and continued without intermission 
 until morning. 
 
 Eriday Yth. The weather continued cloudy, but the sun 
 appearing now and then we hoped for fair weather and past of 
 
 1. Cut Bank creek, rising close to the International Boundary, and 
 joining the Souris in the southern part of Bottineau county, N.D. 
 Alexander Henry calls it Bivifere Pl^. 
 
 2. Elsewhere Larooque spells it caribo. The animal referred to is the 
 familiar American antelope, Antilocapra americana. 
 
 3. ' In the early part of the season,' says Alexander Boss in his ' Bed 
 River Settlement,' 'the bulls are fat and the oows lean; but in the au- 
 tumn the case is the reTerse,*the bulls are lean and the cows fat.' 
 
14 CANADIAN- AECHIVES 
 
 but as yesterday it began to rain at 12, at two we found some 
 wood on some sandy bills in the plains where we stopped to cook 
 our goods, being completely trenched [drenched]. There being 
 no water on the sand hills, we raised a Bark of Elm tree and 
 pulling one end in a Kettle, the other end a little higher, all the 
 water that fell on the Bark ran into the kettle and we had pre- 
 sently a sufficient quantity; we also made a tent with bark and 
 passed the night comfortably enough. 
 
 Saturday 8th. We sat of to go to a hill called Grosse Butte^ 
 to dry our things, and water our horses, but their being none 
 here, arrived there two hours and a half where we stopped 
 for the remainder of the day & night. The Grosse Bute is a 
 high hill which is seen at 20 miles off on either side. At its 
 foot on the north side is a Lake of about 8 miles in circumfer- 
 ence in which there are middle sized pikes. Between the Lake 
 and the hill there is some wood chiefly Elm ; all around are 
 many lakes, which by the late rain communicated with each 
 other. From the top of the hill the turtle mountain^ was seen 
 being due I^orth, Eiver la Sourie likewise was of in N.N.E. 
 and south and south west, being seen on all sides of the hill 
 excepted west. 
 
 Sunday 9th. We sat of early in the morning, in a course 
 S.S.W. and at 1 o'clock in the afternoon we arrived on the Bank 
 of the Kiver la Sourie.' The water being amazing high we 
 made a raft to cross our things over the Eiver and the horses 
 swam over. We saddled immediately atid encamped in a Coule* 
 about three miles from the Eiver. 
 
 Monday 10th. Leaving this we went and slept in the Man- 
 dan plain,^ saw plenty of buffaloes all along, but did not dare 
 
 1. The position of this hill is sufSoiently indicated in the next para- 
 graph. Dr. Coues identifies Grosse Butte with present White Eock hill. 
 North Dakota. 
 
 2. Turtle Mountain is a well-known landmark, lying across the par- 
 allel of 49°, partly in Canadian and partly in United States territory. 
 It is constantly referred to in the journals of fur-traders and explorers,' 
 the old Indian thoroughfare between the Assiniboine and the Missouri 
 passing around it to the westward. 
 
 3. He crosses the Souris about its most southerly point, where it is 
 nearest to the Missouri. 
 
 4. A deep gully. This is probably one of the earliest instances of the 
 use of the term. 
 
 5. The CoteaU du Missouri, or tableland separating the waters of the 
 Missouri from tbose of the Assiniboine. 
 
JOUBNAL OP LAEOCQUE 15 
 
 to fire at them, being on the enemies lands is Sioux/ It rained 
 a little in the night, 
 
 Tuesday 11th. At 8 in the morning I saw the hanks of the 
 Missoury/ at 12 arrived at the Eiver Bourbeuse/ when we 
 unsad[dl]ed our horses where we unloaded our horses and 
 crossed the property on our shoulders there being not more than 
 2 feet of water, but we sunk up to our middle in mud, the 
 horses bemired themselves in crossing and it was with difficulty 
 we got them over the bank beings bogs as also the bed of the 
 river. We intended to get the villages today but being over- 
 taken by a Shower of rain we encamped in a coule at the Ser- 
 pent lodge,* being a winter village of Ae B. Belly's at the Elbow 
 of the River, where I passed part of last winter. Being unwil- 
 ling to untie my things before the Indians of the village as I 
 was necessarily be put to. some expence I took here a small 
 equipment of different article for present expense, as the sight 
 of my goods would perhaps cause the B. B. to refuse our pas- 
 sage to the Eocky Mountains. 
 
 Wednesday 12th. ' I arrived at 9 o'clock in the morning on 
 the banks of the Missury, fired a few shots to inform the in- 
 dians of our being there and in a few hours many came over 
 with Canoes to cross us and our things. Lafrance proceeded to 
 the Mandans' but I and my men with Mr. McKenzie crossed 
 here at the B. Belly's & entered intodift lodges, gave my men 
 
 1. All this country w€st of Red River and 'betweeii the boundary and 
 the Missouri was Sioux territory. The traveller, white or red, who 
 came this way, stepped warily. It was as well not to meet these fierce 
 and crafty warriors of the plains. When Alexander Henry ascended Red 
 River in 1800 he had the greatest difficulty in preventing his men from 
 turning back, when they reached the borders of the Sioux country. 
 
 2. Charles McKenzie, and others, spell it Mississouri; Alexander 
 Henry, Missburie. Other variants are found in narratives and journals 
 of the period. 
 
 3. Miry Creek of Lewis & Clark, now Snake Creek, flows S.W. into the 
 Missouri, in McLean County. 
 
 i. Loge de Serpent, ^n Henry's narrative, and still known as the 
 Snakes Den. A bold bluff at the mouth of Snake Creek. 
 
 5. No American tribe, with the possible exception of the Iroquois, 
 has excited more interest and curiosity than the Mandans. Certain 
 peculiarities in their language, habits, and physical appearance have given 
 rise to much speculation as to their origin. The first white man to visit 
 the Mandans was Pierre Gaultier de Varennes, Sieur de La Vereudrye, 
 the narrative of whose journey will be found in the Archives Report, 
 1889, pp. 2-29. John McDonnell records what appears to be the earliest 
 visit of British traders to the Mandans. (Masson, I, 273.) 
 
16 dAlSADIAN AEC HIVES 
 
 each a small equipment of Knives Tobacco and ammunition 
 to give the landlords.^ 
 
 Thursday 13th. Three Assiniboins arrived in the evening. 
 4 Canadians from the Illinois, who are hunting Beaver in these 
 parts, came to see me. I gave each of them 6 inches of [Brazil] 
 Tobacco which pleased them very much as they had for several 
 months not smoked any but Indian Tobacco. 
 
 Fryday 14th. The Indians here are exceedingly trouble- 
 some to sell their horses to us, the prise that we usually pay 
 them for a horse can purchas two from the Eocky Mountain 
 Indians who are expected dayly, & they would wish us to have 
 more goods when those Indians arrive, so as to have the whole 
 trade themselves. I told them that the purpose of our coming 
 was not to purchase horses either from them or the Rocky 
 Mountains, that we came for Skins and Kobes and that for that 
 purpose one of us was to pass the summer with them and one 
 at the Mandans; that I and two men were sent by the white 
 people's Ohief^ to smoke a pipe of peace & amity with the 
 Rocky Mountain Indians and to accompany them to their lands 
 to examine them and see if there were Beavers as is reported & 
 to engage them to hunt it, that we would not purchase a horse 
 from none, therefore that their best plan would be to dress 
 Buffalo Robes, so as to have ammunition to trade with the 
 Rocky Mountain Indians. 
 
 They pretend to be in fear of the surrounding nations, that 
 is Assineboines,' Sioux,* Oheyeniies' & Ricaras,* so as to have an 
 
 1. The traders were usually guests of some leading member of tie 
 tribe, but remuneration in the form of gifts was always expected and 
 given. 
 
 2. In this case, the bourgeois Chaboillez. For the native attitude to- 
 ward the 'white people's Chief see Masson, I, 383-4. 
 
 3. See the manuscript journals and letters of Pierre de La Vfoendrye 
 and his sons, in the Dominion Archives. See footnote, pp. 269-70, 'Con- 
 tributions to the Historical Society of Montana, I (1876, 2nd ed.); Maxi- 
 milian, I, 887 et seq. The Assinibiines were of Siouan stock. 
 
 i. The earliest accounts of the Naudowessi or Sioux are contained in 
 the Jesuit Eelations. Other records of the same period are the Letters of 
 Daniel Greyselon Du Lhut and Father Guignas (Dominion Archives 
 'Posts in the Western Sea,' Vol. 16) ; and the Voyages of Pierre Esprit 
 Eadisson (Prince Society, 1885) ; and Pike's 'Expeditions to Headwaters of 
 the Mississippi' (Coues' ed.), 1, 341 et seq. 
 
 5. Charles Mackenzie calls them Shawyens or Chawyens. and describes 
 a visit to their country in his Fourth Expedition (Masson, I. 373 et seq.) 
 An earlier account of the same tribe is found in La V^rendrye's 1742:44 
 Journal already oited. They belong to the Algonquin family. 
 
 6. Originally Pawnees, who settled on the Missouri below the 
 Cheyennes, and later moved down to the neighbourhood of the Mandans. 
 
JOURNAL OF LAEOCQUB 17 
 
 excuse for not trading their guns with the Eocky Mountain 
 Indians, and likewise to prevent us. Some of those Eocky 
 Mountain Indians have been here already and are gone back, 
 but more are expected, with whom I intend to go. 
 
 Saturday 15th. I was sent for by one of the Chiefs who 
 asked me what I intended to do with the pipe stem I had 
 brought, upon my telling him that it was for the Eocky Moun- 
 tain Indians he made a long harangue to dissuade me from 
 going there, saying that I would be obliged to winter there on 
 account of the length of the way, that the Cayennes and Eicaras 
 were enemies and constantly on the Eoad, and that it was prob- 
 able we should be killed by them. He gave the worst character 
 possible to the Eocky Mountain Indians, saying they were 
 thieves and liar, of which he gave an example that is of a Cana- 
 dian of the name of Menard,^ who had lived here about 40 
 years and a few years ago sett of to go to the Eocky Mountains 
 to trade horses and Beavers, these Indians did all in the.ir 
 power to prevent him, but seeing him absolutely bent upon 
 going they let him go, he arrived at the Eocky Mountain In- 
 dians tents, where he was well treated, & got 9 horses and 2 
 female slaves, besides a quantity of Beaver, he left the lodge 
 very well pleased, but were followed by some young men who 
 in the night stole 7 horses, a few nights after his 2 Slaves de- 
 serted with the other horses and other young men coming took 
 from him everything he had even to his knife, he came crying to 
 the B. B. Village almost dead having but his robe to make shoes 
 (with flint stone) which he tied about his feet with cords, which 
 so pained the B. B. that they killed some of the Eoche Moun- 
 tain^ for revenge & &. he told me many other stories, to all 
 which I answered that my Chief had sent me to go, and that I 
 would or die. 
 
 There is seven nights that 5 young men are gone to meet the 
 Eocky Mountain Indians, they are expected dayly & the Eocky 
 Mountain with them. 
 
 1. Probably the same Menard who, according to Alexander Henry, 
 'was pillaged and- murdered by three Assiniboines in 1803, on his way to 
 the MisBourie.' 
 
 2. i.e., Bocky Mountain Indians. 
 2078—2 
 
18 CAN-ADIAir AECHIVES 
 
 Sunday 16th. This Evening the Indian women danced the 
 scalp of a Black feet' Indian which they killed the- last spring. 
 The Canadians from below said they had killed some white men 
 at the same time, that they had seen cloths such as Corduroy 
 Jackets and trousers, collars shirts, part of Linnen Tents, Casi-, 
 mer^ waist coats ,and many other things belonging to the whites. 
 The Borgne' the Great Chief of this pillage told me that war 
 party had fired upon and killed people who were going down a 
 very large Eiver, in skin canoes,* but that they could not tell 
 whether they were Crees' or Sauteux* or whites. I spoke to old 
 Cerina Grape' the father of the Chief of that party, and to the 
 Chief himself, they prove by the fire, Earth and Heaven that 
 they were not whites. They made a plan of the Country through 
 which they passed, and in my opinion it is some where [about] 
 the Sas Eatehewini' or its branches. They showed me part of 
 what they plundered but I saw nothing that could prove them 
 to have killed Whites except the quantity of gun powder he had, 
 for it was no less than half a Keg and at lease 200 balls. Their 
 plunder was parted among all the wariors and their relations. 
 Among the articles that the Cerina Grappe showed me there 
 was a Coat made of the skin of a young horse wrought with 
 
 1. The earliest account of the Blackfeet is contained in the Journal 
 of Anthony Hendry (Trans., Royal Society of Canada, 1907.) See also 
 Matthew Cooking's Journal. (Trans. Royal Society of Canada, 1908.) 
 
 2. i.e.. Cashmere. 
 
 3. This very remarkable Indian figures prominently in all contem- 
 porary Missouri narratives. See Charles Mackenzie's Mississouri Indians 
 (Masson, I); Henry-Thompson Journals, pp. 259, 322, 346, etc.; Lewis & 
 Clark, ch. vi and xviii. 
 
 i. The 'bull-boat' of the Missouri and Saskatchewan, of which an ex- 
 cellent representation is given in one of Bodmer's plates (Maximilian's 
 Travels.) 
 
 5. The Crees, of Algonquian stock, covered in Larocque's day an im- 
 mense territory. Under the name of Christineaux, or its innumerable 
 variants: Cristinapx, Kilistinaux, Kinistinces, Knistineaux, and so 
 forth, this numerous tribe is constantly referred to in the Jesuit Relations 
 and the narratives of fur-traders, explorers and travellers, down to the 
 close of the period of French rule in Canada, and later. They were 
 found anywhere around Lake Superior, the Red River country. Lake 
 Winnipeg, sometimes as far west as the upper Missouri and the South 
 Saskatchewan, and north-west even to the Peace River and the Mac- 
 kenzie. 
 
 6. Chippewas, sometimes known as Ojibways. Of Algonquian stock. 
 
 7. Not elsewhere referred to under this name. 
 
 8. Saskatchewan. In La V^rendrye's day it went under a different 
 name, variously spelled, Poskoiac, Pasquayah, Basquda, etc. 
 
JOUKliTAL or LAROCQUE 19 
 
 porcupine quills and human hair, 2 skunk skins guarnished 
 with red stroud and blue beads, which those Indians generally 
 wear round their ancles, one musket by Ketland one gun by 
 Barnett,' and lastly one scalp which was evidently that of an 
 Indian. But I realy believe they have Killed some white people 
 about fort des prairies" for they brought more, goods than ever 
 I saw in the possession of Indians at one time. 
 
 Monday lYth. I went down to the Mondan Village on horse 
 back and purchased a saddle there for which I paid 30 lbs 
 ammunition desired Lafrance to get some provision made for 
 J^y voyage as there is no com where I live.' I returned home 
 to my lodge. In the evening having settled some business with 
 a man of the name of Jusseaux* who was indebted to the Com- 
 pany. 
 
 Tuesday 18th. The son of the White Wolf fell from his 
 horse and bruised his leg terribly, the flesh was taken clean of 
 the bone from the ancle, round the leg to the calf. The Indian 
 doctor was sent for who began his cure by blowing and singing 
 while the child suffered quietly. Thunder storm. 
 
 Wednesday 19th. There being another sick person in my 
 Lodge and there being rather too much fuss about medicines, 
 conjuring & singing I went & lived in another lodge where I 
 had placed one of my men before. Went to see the Borgne our 
 Chief and being desirous that he should stand by me in case of 
 need I made him a present of f lb. Tobacco, one knife and 50 
 Rounds of amunition at which he was well pleased — ^he is the 
 greatest Chief in this place, but does not talk against our going 
 to the Rocky Mountains as the other Chiefs do — Thunder and 
 rain at night. 
 
 Thursday 20th. I was again teased by some of the Chief to 
 purchase horses and was told the Big Bellys had two hearts^ 
 and that they not know whether they would allow me to go to 
 
 1. Well-known English makers of the period. 
 
 2. Several different trading posts on the Saskatchewan bore this 
 name. The one mentioned by Larocque was on the South Saskat:chewan. 
 
 . That is, on the Assiniboine. 
 
 i. Mentioned by Masson as having resided in the Missouri uountry as 
 an independent trader for over fifteen years, and as having served as 
 guide and interpreter to Mr. David Thompson in his voyage of explorar 
 tion of 1797. 
 
 5, Or as we would say, were of two minds. 
 
 2078— 2i 
 
20 CANADIAN ARCHIVES 
 
 the Eocky Mountains, and in the course of a long harangue they 
 made use of all their art to induce me not to go representing 
 the journey as dangerous to the last degree and that the Eocky 
 Mountain would not come, for they were afraid of the Bicaras 
 & Assiniboines to all which I could make no answer but by 
 signs, as there was no one present that could speak to them 
 properly, one of my men of the name of Souci^ spoke the Sioux 
 language but there was no one there that understood that lan- 
 guage. About [noon] two of the young B. B. that had been 
 sent to meet the Eocky Mountains arrived, they left the Eocky 
 Mountain Indians in the morning and they will be here in 3 
 or 4 days. Upon the receipt of those news, the Chief pretended 
 to have received information that the Orils^ & Assiniboines were 
 assembled to come and war upon them (which is false) and 
 harangues were made to the people to keep their guns and am- 
 munitions and not to trade them with the Eocky Mountain 
 Indians, &c. All this I believe a scheme to prevent me from 
 going, for as yet ihe^^ do not like to tell me so exactly, but are 
 for ever saying that they have two hearts which means that they 
 are undetermined in what manner to act. 
 
 Fryday 21st. I went to see the Borgne enquired of him 
 what he and the Big Bellys thought of our going to the Eocky 
 Mountains and whether they have a mind to prevent us. He 
 answered to my wish, that the Eocky ^tlountains were good 
 people, that they had plenty of Beaver on their hands, and that 
 his adopted son, one of the Ghiefs of the Eocky Mountains & 
 the greater would take care of us, for that he would strongly 
 recommend to him to put the white people in his heart and 
 watch over them. I told him that the B. B. had no reason to be 
 displeased for that one of us remains with them who has plenty 
 of amunition, Knives, tobacco. Hatchets and other articles, 
 where with to supply their wants, whenever they would be dis- 
 posed to trade. He said it was true that none would molest us.' 
 He is the only Chief that speaks so, but as he has the most 
 
 1. -Pierre Saucie's name is included under the department of Baut 
 de la Biviire Bouge, in the Liste des bourgeois, etc., at the end of vol. I 
 of Mpsson. 
 
 2. Another variant of the name Crees. 
 
 3. Charles Mackenzie's version of this speech is found in Masson I, 344. 
 
JOUBNAL OF LAEOCQUE 21 
 
 ■\ 
 
 authority of any I hope by his means we will pass. A certain 
 method to get the road clear would be to assemble the Chiefs, 
 make them a present of Tobacco and amunition, make them 
 smoke & speak to them what occasion I may have for them in 
 future. I like not to do it only when I see that I caimot other- 
 wise for assembling a Council and haranging without a present 
 is no better than speaking to a heap of stones. Besides I am 
 apprehensive that paying as it were for our first going to these 
 nations will give a footing to the B. Bellys which they will en- 
 deavoure to improve every time we should go there if a trading 
 interest takes place. So we pass this time without making them 
 any present at all, I believe it will be done away for ever. If 
 the Borgne retains that authority he formerly had he alone will 
 be able to clear the Road for us and he appears to be sincerely 
 our friend. 
 
 Saturday 22nd. In the beginning I went to an Indian's 
 tent whose two sons had been in that party that defeated the 
 White on the Saskatchion, he gave me a full account and more 
 like truth than any other. He says there were four Linnen 
 tents and four leather on the sides of the Eiver where there 
 were Skin Canoes ; they fired upon the largest leather tent and 
 Killed three men, two of whom were Indians, the other they be- 
 lieve to be a White man but not certain. They brought one 
 scalp & if it is that which they showed me, it is an Indian 
 There was plenty of tents of all kinds besides goods. What 
 they could not take with them, they broke and threw in the 
 River. 
 
 Sunday 23rd. Three men and one woman arrived from 
 the Rocky Mountains about noon, the other are near hand and 
 would have arrived today but for rain which fell in the evening. 
 
 In the evening I went to see the Brother of the Borgne, 
 where I found two Rocky Mountain Indians, one of whom was 
 the Chief of whom the Borgne had spoken with me.' I smoked 
 with them for some |;ime when the Borgne told them that I was 
 going with them and spoke very much in our favor. They 
 appeared to be very well pleased. 
 
 1. 'Le Borgne,' says Charles Mackenzie, 'sent for us in order to in- 
 troduce Mr. La !Bocque to the Bocky Mountain Chief, whose name is 
 Nakesinia, or Red Calf.' Masson, 1, 345. 
 
22 .CANADIAN ARCHIVES 
 
 Monday 24th. Lafrance, with the other white people from 
 below who reside at the Mandans came to see the people which 
 were arrived from the Eocky Mountains, who were prevented 
 from coming by appearance of bad weather. It thundered the 
 whole day but it did not rain. I gave a small knife to my Land 
 lady. 
 
 Tuesday 25th. About one in the afternoon theEock Moun- 
 tain Indians arrived, they encamped at a little distance from 
 the village with the wariors, to the number of 645, passed 
 through the village on horseback with their shields & other war- 
 like implements," they proceeded to the little village,' Souliers" 
 and then to the Mandans and returned. There did not remain 
 20 person in the village, men women and children all went to 
 the newly arrived camp carrying a quantity of Corn raw and 
 cooked which they traded for Leggins, Eobes and dried meat. 
 There are 20 lodges of the snake Indians* & about 40 men. The 
 other bands are more numerous. 
 
 This morning the Borgne sent for me, he showed me the 
 Eocky Mountain Chief of the Ererokas,' and told him before 
 me that I was going with him & to take good care of us & he 
 
 1. Mackenzie gives a more spirited account of the arrival of the 
 Rocky Mountain Indians. 'They consisted,' he says, 'of more than three 
 hundred tents, and presented the handsomest sight that one could 
 imagine; all on horseback, children of small size were lashed to the sad- 
 dle and those above the age of six could manage a horse. The women 
 had wooden saddles, most of the men had none. There were a great 
 many horses for the baggage and the whole, exceeding twO' thousand, 
 covered a large spa<;e of ground, and had the appearance of an army. 
 They halted on a rising ground behind the village, and, having formed 
 a circle, the chief addressed them; they then descended full speed, rode 
 through the village, exhibiting their dexterity in horsemanship in a 
 thousand shapes. I was astonished to see their agility and ''.ddress, and 
 I do believe they are the best riders in the world. They were dressed in 
 leather and looked clean and neat; some wore beads and rings as orna- 
 ments. Their arms were bows and arrows, lances and round stones 
 enclosed in leather and slung to a shank in the form of a whip; they 
 mad© use of shields, and they have a few guns.' 
 
 2. The Minnetaree village called Metaharta by Lewis & Clark, and 
 Awatichay by Maximilian. It was on the south side of Knife river, and 
 was the residence of Le Borgne. 
 
 3. The Amahami, called by the French traders Gens des Souliers or 
 Souliers Noirs. ' 
 
 4. Shoshone Indians. They were known as the Snake Indians to 
 Henry and other writers of the period. Their habitat was about the 
 headwaters of the Missouri or its branches. 
 
 5. 'The Crows,' says Granville Stuart, ' are called Absar6fcis, or 
 Upsaroka.' (Contr. Hist. Soc, Montana, I, 274,.) 
 
JOUEWAL OF LAEOCQUE 23 
 
 spoke very much in our favour telling me that the B. Bellys 
 were undetermined whether they would allow us to go or not, 
 but that we would go if we liked it for that he would clear the 
 road before us if necessary. I gave to two of the Ererokas each 
 6 [feet] of tobacco and 20 JRounds of amunitions. 
 
 Wednesday 26th. The Mandans, Souliers, little village 
 people & the people of the Village, went on horse back and 
 arived to perform the same ceremonys round the Kocky Moun- 
 tain Camp, as the Eocky Mountains did yesterday here,^ they 
 were about 500, but a great many Wariors are absent being 
 gone to war. 
 
 Thursday 27th. Assembled the Chiefs of the different 
 Bands of the Eock Mountains and made them a present of 
 2 Latrge Axes 16 large Knives 
 
 2 Small Axes 12 Small do 
 
 8 Ivory Combs 2 lbs. Vermillion 
 
 10 Wampum Shells 8 do?. Kings 
 
 8 fire steels and Flint 4 papers co'd Glasses 
 
 4 cassetete' 4 Doz. Awls 
 
 6 Masses B. C. Beads" 1^ lb. Blue Beads 
 
 4 f. Tobacco 2 Doz. do 
 
 8 Cock feathers 1000 balls & powder 
 
 Made them smoke in a stem* which I told them was that of 
 the Chief of the White people who was desirous of making them 
 his Children & Brethren, that he knew they were pitiful and 
 had no arms to defend themselves from their enemies, but that 
 they should cease to be pityful as soon as they would makel 
 themselves brave hunters. That 1 and two men were going 
 with them to see their lands and that we took with us some 
 articles to supply their present want, that our Chief sent them 
 those goods that lay before them, to make them listen to what 
 we were now telling tiiem, that he expected they would treat all 
 white people as their Brethern for that we were in peace and 
 
 1. Masson, I, 345. 
 
 2. 'B.C.' probably stands for 'Blue Canton.' John McDonnell speaks of 
 '6 bunches blue beads/ and Larocque (in Masson) buys a dog for, among 
 other things, '13 china beads.' 
 
 3. In his Missouri Journal (Masson, I, 309) Larocque has '1 casse-tete 
 a calumet, the familiar combination of tomahawi and pipe. 
 
 i. i.e., pipe. 
 
24 aANADIAN ABCHIVES 
 
 friendship with the Eed skined people and did not go about to 
 get a scalp, that probably they would see White people on their 
 lands from another quarter but that they were our brethern and 
 of course we expected they would not hurt them, that a few 
 years ago they pillaged and ill treated a white man who went to 
 trade with them,' that we would see how they would treat us 
 and if they have behaved well towards us and kill JBeavers* 
 Otters & Bears they would have white people on the lands in a 
 few year, who would winter with them and supply them with 
 all their wants & &. I told them many other things which I 
 thought was necessary and closed the Harangue by making them 
 smoke the Medicin Pipe." They thanked [me] and make a 
 present of 6 robes, one Tyger' skin, 4 shirts, 2 women Cotil- 
 lons* 2 dressed Elk skins, 3 saddles and 13 pair leggins. I 
 clothed the Chief of the Ererokas at the same time^ and gave 
 him a flag and a Wanpoon Belt and told them that our Chief 
 did not expect that we would pass many different nations and 
 therefore had sent but one Chief Clothing, but that in the course 
 of the summer we would fix upon a spot most convenient for 
 them all where we would build & trade with them, if we saw 
 that they wished to encourage the white people to go on their 
 lands by being good hunters and that then all their Chiefs who 
 Would behave well would get a Coat. 
 
 The ceremony of adopting Children was going on at the 
 same time," but I was so very bussy that I could not attend, but 
 about the middle of the ceremony, and therefore can give but an 
 imperfect account of it from my own observation, but as the two 
 people were present I will give an account of it in another 
 place. 
 
 Fryday 28th. I preferred to go of in the evening to the 
 lodge of the Erreroka Chief in order to be ready with them in 
 
 1. The unfortunate Menard, before mentioned. 
 
 2. Throughout all the tribes the medicine pipe was held in high ven- 
 eration, and the smoking of this pipe formed an important feature of all 
 treaties or meetings with other Indians or Whites. 
 
 3. The puma (Felis concolor), also known as the panther or mountain 
 lion, or the wildcat (Lynx rufus fasciatus.) 
 
 i. Petticoats. One cotillon was valued at 7 beaver skins. See Roderick 
 McKenzie'e Reminiscences. (Masson, I, 14; also I, 87.) 
 
 5. The presentation of a Chief's Clothing formed an important part 
 of a visit to or from a new tribe. What the clothing consisted of may be- 
 gathered from James MoKenzie's Journal (Masson, II, 384.) 
 
JOURNAL OF LAEOCQUE 25 
 
 the morning but he and the other Chiefs were called to a fare- 
 well Council in the Borgnes Lodge so that I did not Stir. 
 
 Saturday 29th. Saddled our horses and left the B. Belly 
 village, we remained about half an hour in the Rocky Moun- 
 tain Camp where they threw down their tents and all sat of. 
 We marched aloiig the Knife River' for about eight miles when 
 we stopped and encamped. The Borgne and many other B. 
 Belly's came and slept with us. 
 
 Sunday 30th. We foUowe a south course for about 4 mile- 
 and stoped to dine and resumed a S.S.W. course and encamped 
 for night, Knife River in Sight when no hills intervemxed,. 
 about 6 miles on our right, a thunder storm in the evening. 
 
 July 1st, JiIo:tiday. We sat [out] -at 8 o'clock in the morn- 
 ing and encamped at 12 having followed a South West course ; 
 we crossed three small creeks running North and E". East into 
 the Knife River. It began to rain as soon as the lodges were 
 pitched and continued so all day. The Indians hunted and 
 Killed a few Bulls. I gave the people of my lodge a few art- 
 icles, as Beeds, Knives. 
 
 Tuesday 2nd. We sat out at 9 o'clock followed a south 
 Course and encamped at 2 after noon. It thundered very much 
 the whole of the afternoon and at sun set there fell such a 
 shower of hail as I never saw before, some of the hail stones 
 being as large as hen eggs and the rest as a Yolk ; they fell with 
 amazing violence and broke down several tents. The wind dur- 
 ing the storm was West, it breesed to the North and continued 
 during the whole night. 
 
 Wednesday 3rd. We continued our journey for about 4r 
 hours, through a very hilly country and encamped at the foot 
 of a very high Hill on the top of which I ascended, but could 
 see at no considerable distance, another range of hills surround- 
 ing this on all sides. I lost my spy glass in coming down the- 
 hill and could not find it again. Our course was south. 
 
 Thursday 4th. We stopped after a south course for the- 
 
 1. Knife Ei-rer enters the Missouri from the south about long. 101° 
 20' W. The village from -which Larocque and his friends the Crows have 
 just departed -was on the S. side of Knife River, about half a mile above 
 its mouth. The party are therefore marching along the north bank of 
 the river. 
 
26 CANADIAN- AECHIVES 
 
 night on the side of a small hill at a Creek' which empties in 
 the Missouri above the Panis' village about 5 leagues distant 
 from our last encampment having crossed another a little before 
 emptying in the Missury about one mile below the Mandans. 
 The Scouts reported that Buffaloes were at hand. 
 
 Fryday 5th. We discovered a thief last night in the act of 
 stealing a gun from under our loads thinking we were asleep. 
 The Chief sent two young men to sleep behind the lodge and 
 guard our property. After three hours and a half march in a 
 southerly direction we espied Buffaloes, and stopped all. 
 The Chief harangued and the young men set out to hunt after 
 which we marched on for about a league and a half and en- 
 camped. There was no Creek or Eiver here for water only a 
 few ponds of stagnant water which by reason of so many dogs 
 and horses bathing in them was not drinkeable being as thick 
 as mud. 
 
 Saturday 6th. A Big Belly found my spy glass and re- 
 turned it to me, we set of at 8. At 11 the scouts reported that 
 they had seen enemies. We all stopped, the men armed them- 
 selves and mounting their fleetest horses went in pursuit, they 
 returned in a few hours, as what the scouts had taken for 
 ennemies were a party of their own people who were gone hunt- 
 ing and not been seen. We proceeded and encamped at one on 
 the side of a small River running West and emptying in the 
 lasser Missouri' It blew a hurricane in the evening. Course 
 south about four leagues. 
 
 Sunday 7th. At ten O'Clock we rose the Camp and at 3 
 we saw Buffaloes, harangues were made to the Young Men to 
 go and hunt while a party of these latter who are a guard of 
 soldiers* paraded before the body of the people preventing any 
 
 1. Heart river, whiot empties into the Missouri a, little to the east 
 of long. 101°. 
 
 2. Pawnees. For history and description of this tribe see Henry, I, 
 334; Lewis and Clark (Hosmer ed.), I, 35-36; Cones' 'Pike,' II, 532 et seq; 
 Catlin, II, 27. 
 
 3. Lesser Missouri, or Little Missouri, as it is more generally known; 
 joins Missouri long. 102° 15'. 
 
 i. Most of the migratory prairie tribes subjected themselves to some 
 form of discipline on the march as well as in their temporary camps, and 
 appointed a species of police to keep order. See La Verendrye (Journal, 
 Archives, 1889), and Henry the Elder (Bain's ed., 294) as to the Assini- 
 boiues; Hendry's Journal (E.S.C., 1907) as to the Blackfeet; Maximilian 
 describes similar soldiers or police among the Mandans. 
 
JOUENAL OP LAEOCQUE 27 
 
 one from setting off till all the huntsmen were gone ; after which 
 we set off again and encamped at the foot of a hill, which we 
 had in sight since the day before yesterday. Course S. West 
 about 18 miles. 
 
 Monday 8th. Before we rose the camp a general muster of 
 all the guns in the Camp was taken an the number found to be 
 204 exclusive of ours. Our huntsmen had brought in a plenty 
 of Buffaloes. We marched this day by a south Course about 7 
 miles. 
 
 Tuesday 9th. From the Big Belly village to the place I 
 lost my spy glass the country was very hilly, from that to this 
 place it was much more upon a level though not entirely so. 
 The plains produce plenty of fine grass. In the course of this 
 days journey we passed between two big hills on the top of 
 which as far as the eye could discern Buffalo were seen in 
 amazing number, we camped on the side of a small Creek run- 
 ning West into the lesser Missouri. The Indian hunted and 
 killed many Buffaloes. Course South S. West & S. W. 9 miles. 
 It blew a hurricane at night -^ithout rain. Many lodges were 
 thrown down although well tied and picketted. 
 
 Wednesday 10th. We remained the greatest part of the 
 day at this place to dry the meat and bury a woman that died 
 here, and sat of at 4 in the afternoon and pitched the tents by 
 a small creek running west after having pursued our road S. 
 W. by West for 5 miles. The Country was hilly but produsing 
 plenty of grass and numberless flowers of different Kinds.^ 
 
 Thursday 11th. We passed through a range of hills of 
 about 3 miles broad, on the top of every one was a heap of 
 stones appearing as if burnt, part of the rocks had fallen down 
 the hills. Leaving those hills we had a pretty level plain til] 
 we reach a small brook running S^. West where we encamped, 
 the lesser Missouri in Sight at about 4 miles on our right, by 
 a course south west, we had advanced about 12 miles. On our 
 way we saw a few Battle Snakes but none of them very large; 
 they are the first I saw in the Indian countries and none are to 
 be found more northwards. 
 
 1. See Maximilian's list of plants collected in the Missouri country, 
 at the end of his work. 
 
28 OANADIAN AECHIVES 
 
 Fryday 12th. This day we passed through a pleasant plain 
 and pitched the tents by a small broot 5 miles S. W. of our 
 last encampment. 
 
 Saturday 13th. We set of at 9 through hilly and barren 
 Country, in crossing two small Creeks, and arrived at 12 on 
 the bank of lesser Missouri, we crossed it and encamped on its 
 border about 2 miles higher. The-Eiver is here about f of an 
 acre in breadth from bank to bank but there is very little water 
 running, the bed appearing dry in many places and is of sand 
 and gravel. A few liards" scattered thinly along its banks. The 
 rugged and barren aspect of the hills which are composed of 
 Whitish Clay looking lik rocks at a distance. The ground on 
 
 which [we] stood [was covered] with a prickly heap of ^ 
 
 so very thick that one does not know where to set ones feet, no 
 grass at all. The whole forms a prospect far from pleasing. 
 Our Course was for 12 miles S.S.W. A few days ago a child 
 being sick I gave him a few drops of Turlington balsam' which 
 eased him immediately of his cholic. This cure gave me such 
 a reputation of being a great phisician that I am plagered to 
 cure every distemper in the camp. A man came today to me 
 desiring me to act the man mid wife to his wife. 
 
 Sunday lith. We remained the whole day here the Indians 
 being bussy with drying meat. I went a little distance up the 
 Kiver and saw a little Beaver work. 
 
 Monday 15th. We crossed the river at three different times 
 in the Course of this days journey when it happened to inter- 
 sect the line of our course which was S.S.W. and encamped on 
 its borders about 14 miles higher up. It has the same appear- 
 ance in every respect as when we arrived at it. The indiena 
 Killed a few Beavers of which I got two dressed by my men to 
 show them how to do it. 
 
 Tuesday 16th. We remained here the whole day. The 
 Indians tried to dance the Bull dance in (imitation of the B. 
 Belley's but did it very ill. 
 
 1. Populus haUamifera, the familiar Cottonwood of the western plains. 
 The French word gave a name to tho great branch of the Mackenzie- 
 Kiver. 
 
 2. Blank in original. 
 
 3. An old English remedy still in nse. 
 
JOVRNAX. OF LAEOCQUE 29 
 
 Wednesday l7th. It rained in the morning, at 11 before 
 noon the weather clearing up, we sat of following the river in 
 a Course S.S West about 9 miles. The bed and Banks in many 
 places were solid Eock; there is very little water running. 
 There is a few trees in the decline of the hill here. 
 
 Thursday 18th. I went hunting with the Chief while the 
 camp flitted, we killed one cow and returned to the river at 3 
 in the after noon where we found the people encamped 15 miles 
 S.W. of our last encampment. The banks and bed of the river 
 are rocks ; the plains are a continual series of high rocky hills 
 whose sides and tops are partly covered with the red pine and 
 other wood such as poplar, Elm, Ash, and a kind of Maple. 
 
 Fryday 19th. We [stopped] at an hour before sun set and 
 encamped 5 miles higher up the river. 
 
 Saturday 20th. Some one being sick we did not stir. Here 
 the poiat of the Kiver was pretty large and well stocked with 
 wood, viz. Liard, Ash and a kind of shrub resembling the 
 prickly Ash which bears a fruit of the size of a small pea, red 
 and of a sourish taste but not disagreeable. 
 
 Sunday 21st. The Camp, rose at 8 in the morning and pro- 
 ceeded along the Kiver for about 15 miles in a S.S. Westerly 
 direction ; the banks and bed of the river are of soil but muddy. 
 I saw a beaver lying dead on the banks, here the river is ford- 
 able, without wetting ones feet in stepping over upon loose 
 large stones, as we trotted almost the whole of this day's journey 
 the unusual jolting of the Packages on the horses back occa- 
 sioned the breaking of my thermometre. From this place we 
 left the lesser Missouri on our left, its Course above this ap-' 
 pears to be South to north, and stopping in the plains we en- 
 camped at one in the after noon on the side of a little river 
 running into the lesser Missouri our course S.W. The Banks 
 of L. M. [Lesser Missouri] in sight. We crossed two small 
 Creeks in which there was no running water but many deep 
 ponds in which there are Beavers. We saw this day plenty of 
 Buffaloes. 
 
 We remained at this place 2 days. I have been very sick 
 since some time, and so weak that it was difficult I could keep 
 my saddle, the Indians on that occasion did not flit. I traded 
 a few Beavers. 
 
30 CANADIAN AECHIVBS 
 
 Thursday 25th. We sat of this mormng at 10 following 
 the little Greek on which we were encamped for 4 miles by a 
 SiW. course and encamped. Wind S.E. 
 
 Fryday 26th. We passed through a Kange of hills^ whose 
 tops and sides are covered with pine, and -at tEe foot are many 
 small creeks well wooded with Ash and Maple, there are plenty 
 of different kinds of mint here which emit a very odoriferant 
 smell. We crossed three small Creeks running north and IST. 
 W. into the Powder Eiver* whose bancs we had in sight from 
 the top of those hills. The wind was E".W. & very strong, a 
 hurricane blew at night. The course we have pursued on a very 
 barren soil for 22 Miles was West. 
 
 Saturday 27th. We arrived at noon at the Powder Eiver 
 after 6 hours ride by course West by South for about 20 miles. 
 The Powder River is here about | of an acre in breadth, its 
 waters middling deep, but it appears to have risen lately as a 
 quantity of leaves and wood was drifting on it. The points of 
 the river are large with plenty of full grown trees, but no 
 underwood, so that on our arrival we perceived diverse herds of 
 Elk Deers^ through the woods. There are Beaver dams all 
 along the river. Three of these animals have been felled by 
 our Indians. 
 
 When we arrived here the plains on the western side of the 
 river were covered with Buffaloes and the bottoms full of Elk 
 and Jumping deers* & Bears which last are mostly yellow and 
 very fierce.' It is amazing how very barren the ground is be- 
 tween this and the lesser Missouri, nothing can hardly be seen 
 but those Gome de Baquettes.^ Our horses were nearly starved. 
 There is grass in the woods but none in the plains which by the 
 by might vsdth more propriety be called hills, for though there 
 is very little wood it is impossible to find a level spot of one or 
 two miles in extent except close to the Eiver. The current in 
 
 1. Powder Kiver Mountains. 
 
 2. A branch of the Yellowstone. Eises in Wyoming, among the Big 
 Horn Mountains, and joins the Yellowstone about lat. 46° 46' N. 
 
 3. Cervus canadensis, the American elk or wapiti. The French trad- 
 ers and trappers called it la hiche; hence the lake of that name fre- 
 quently mentioned in Henry's Journal. 
 
 4. Antelope (Antilocapra americana). See previous note. 
 
 5. Grizzly bear (Vrsus horribilis), 
 
 6. Probably the dogwood {Cornus). 
 
JOUKNAL OF LAKOCQUE 31 
 
 that river is very strong and the water so muddy as to he hardly 
 drinkable. The Indians say it is always so, and that is the 
 reason they call it Powder Kiver, from the quantity of drifting 
 fine sand set in motion by the coast^ wind which blinds people 
 and dirtys the water. There are very, large sand shoals along 
 the river for several acres breadth and length, the bed of the 
 river is likewise sand, and its Course North East. 
 
 Sunday 28th. We remained here the whole day to let the 
 horses feed, the women were bussily employed in dressing and 
 drying the skins of those animals that were Killed Yesterday. 
 I traded one 3 Beavers and one Bear skin. 
 
 Monday 29th. We rose the Camp late in the evening and 
 pitched the tents about 4 miles higher up the river having fol- 
 lowed for that short space a course S.W. 
 
 Tuesday 30th. Early this morning we set out ; the body of 
 the people followed the river for about 17 miles S.W. white I 
 with the Chief and a few others went hunting. We wounded 
 Cabrio, Buffalow, and the large horned animal,^ but did not Kill 
 any, which made the Chief say that some one had thrown bad 
 medicin' on our guns and that if he could Know him he would 
 surely ^ie. 
 
 The Country is very hilly about the river, but it does not 
 appear to be so much so towards the North. About two miles 
 above the encampment a range of high hills begins on the west 
 side of the River, and Continues North for about 20 miles, when 
 it appears to finish. The tongu River* is close on the other side 
 of it. There is a parting ridge between the two Rivers. 
 
 I assended some very high hills on the side of which I found 
 plenty of shells of the Comu amonys Species* by some called 
 snake shell, likewise a kind of shining stone' lying bare at the 
 surface of the ground having to all appearance been left there 
 by the rain water washing away the surrounding earth, they 
 are of different size and form, of a Clear water Colour and 
 
 1. Probably refers to the well-known Chinook winds. 
 
 2. Mountain sheep or big-horn (Ovis Montana). 
 
 3. The . Indian always blames his non-success in hunting to some 
 'bad medioinie.^ See Mackenzie (Masson, I, 373.) 
 
 i. Tongue river. ' The Indian name was (Lazeka.) 
 
 5. Comu Ammonis, or Ammonite, a fossil oephalopod shell related to 
 the nautilus. Popularly known as serpent stone or snake stone. 
 
 6. Quartz. 
 
52 CANADIAN ARCHIVES 
 
 reflect with as much force as a looking, glass of its size. It is 
 certainly those stones that have given the name of shining to 
 that Mountain.^ The hills are high, rugged and barren mostly 
 Eocks with beds of loose red gravel on their tops or near it 
 which being washed down by the rain water give the hills a red- 
 ish appearance. On many hills a heape of calomid stone* 
 among which some time I find pumice stone. 
 
 When we left the encampment this morning we were stopped 
 by a party of their soldiers who would not allow us to proceed, 
 as they intended to have a general hunt, for fear that we should 
 rise the Buffaloes, but upon promisse being made by the Chief 
 whom I accompanied that he would not hunt in the way of the 
 Camp, and partly on my account we were suffered to go on. We 
 were however under the necessity of gliding away unperceived 
 to prevent Jealousy. 
 
 Wednesday 31st. We sat out at 7 in the mornjng and pro- 
 ceeded up the Eiver in a Southern course for about 13 miles 
 and encamped about mid day; the weather being very warm 
 and the wind from the south. I traded a few Beaver skins. 
 
 Thursday August 1st. Bain and thunder storm prevented 
 our stirring this day. The water rose about 6 inches in the 
 river and is as thick as mud. The current very swift. 
 
 Fryday 2nd. Last night some children playing at some dis- 
 tance from the Camp on the river, were fired at. The Camp 
 was allarmed and watchers were set for the night but nothing 
 appeared. It rained hard during most part of the night. We 
 rose the Camp at one in the afternoon following the river for 
 about 9 miles in a south course. The hills of the Eiver are at 
 a less distance from one another than they were here tofore. 
 The bottoms or points of the river are not so large nor so well 
 wooded and the grass entirely eat up by the Buffaloes and Elk. 
 
 Saturday 3rd. We sat out at sun rise and encamped at one 
 in the afternoon having pursued a South Course with fare 
 [fair] weather and a south east wind. We followed the Eiver 
 
 1. Larocque's statement is scarcely probable. It seems more reason- 
 able to suppose that the name— which must have first reached European 
 ears through Indian report— had its origin in the brilliant, snow-capped 
 peaks of the Rookies. See Thwaites' 'Rooky Mountain Exploration,' chap. 
 
 8. Probably ' calumet ' stone, or pipestone. 
 
JOUENAl OF LAEOCQUE 33 
 
 as usually; its bends are very short not exceeding two miles and 
 many not one. The face of the Country indicates our approacli 
 to the large Mountains and to the heads of the Kiver/ A few 
 Jumping [deer] or chevreuils' were Killed today. It has been 
 very Cold these few nights. 
 
 Sunday 4th. We did not rise the Camp till late in the 
 evening. In the morning we assended the hills of the Eiver and 
 saw the Eocky Mountains' not at a very great distance with Spy 
 Glass, its clifts and hollows could be easly observed with the 
 wood interspersed among the Kocks. We removed our camp 
 about 4: miles higher up the Hiver having pursued a S.E. 
 Course. 
 
 Monday 5th. We had a thick fog in the morning, the night 
 was so Cold that one Blanket could not Keep us warm enough 
 to sleep, so that I purchased two Buffaloe Kobes. About mid- 
 day however it is generally very warm. We sat of at 7 and con- 
 tinued our way for about 12 miles by a south course along the 
 Eiver and with a north West wind. We arrived at the forks 
 of the Pine Eiver* which are assunder for about one mile, and 
 encamped. The water in this Eiver is clear and good issuing 
 from the Mountains at a short distance from this, and is very 
 cold, while that of the Powder Eiver was so muddy that the 
 Indians were under the necessity of making [holes] in the 
 Beach and drink the water that gathered in them. We left 
 this last mentioned river on our left where we went up the 
 Pine Eiver which is between 20 & 30 yards in breadth and runs 
 ^ over rocks. There is a rapid at every point and very little wood 
 along its banks,. 
 
 Tuesday 6th. We rose the Camp at 7 and j)roceeded up- 
 wards along the pine Eiver in a S. Western direction for 12 
 miles, having the Eocky Mountains a head and in sight all day. 
 
 1. Tkat is, of the Little Missouri. 
 
 2. French for roe-deer (Capreolus caprea), otherwise roebuck. 
 
 3. Lewis and Clark anticipated Larocque hy a few weeks in their first 
 view of the Rooky Mountains, but neither could claim the honour of 
 discovery. La VSrendrye having achieved that distinction some sixty-two 
 years before. Larocque has as a matter of fact only reached the Big 
 Horn, an offshoot of the main range. 
 
 4. The west abounded in Pine rivers and creeks. Larooqne's Pine 
 river does not appear elsewhere under that name. It .is a branch of 
 Powder river, having its source in the Big Horn range. 
 
 2078—3 
 
34 CAIfADIAW ABOHIVES 
 
 The weather was foggy with a N. W. wind. An Indian shot 
 another mans wife in the breast and wounded her dangerously. 
 Jealousy was the occasion thereof. The Indian after inquire 
 when I intend to depart. They appear to wish me to be off. I 
 have 23 Beaver skins which they think a great deal, and more 
 more than we have occasion for. They thought that upon seeing 
 the Eocky Mountains we would immediately depart as they 
 cannot emmagine what I intend to see in them. It is hard to 
 make them understand by signs only, especially in this case for 
 they do not want to understand. 
 
 Wednesday 7th. "We sat of at 6 and pitched the tents at 9 
 miles higher up the River having followed a South course. The 
 Indians hunted and killed many Buffaloes and one cow came 
 and took refuge among the horses where she were killed. At 5 
 in the evening we again flitted and encamped 5 miles higher up 
 having pursued the same course as in the morning with a head 
 wind. 
 
 Thursday 8th. We marched 24 miles in a south West 
 course along the Pine Eiver. Many small Branches fall in it 
 at a little distance from one another. A man and horse were 
 wounded by a Bear but not dangerously. There is much fruit 
 here about and many Bears. Wind S.E. We are here en- 
 camped at the foot of the mountain. 
 
 Fryday 9th. The people went out hunting and returned 
 with many skins to be dressed for tents. The weather is 
 Cloudy and the wind south. Eapids succeed each other in the 
 Eiver here very fast and the current between is very swift 
 running on a bed of Eocks. 
 
 Saturday 10th. Some Indians arrived from hunting and 
 brought 9 Beavers which I traded for Beads. Weather the 
 same as yesterday. 
 
 Sunday 11th. They are undetermined in what course to 
 proceed from this place they have sent a party of young men 
 along the Mountains Westerly and are to wait here until they 
 return. They often enquire with anxious expectation of our 
 departure when I intend to leave them and to day they were 
 more troublesome than usual. What I have seen of their lands 
 hitherto has -not given me the satisfaction I look for [in] ' 
 Beavers. I told them that I would remain with them 20 or 30 
 
JOTTEJSTAL OF LABOCQTJE 35 
 
 days more. That I wislied very much to see the Eiver aux 
 Eoches Jaunes' and the place they usually in habit, otherwise 
 that I would be unable to return and bring them their wants. 
 They saw it was true, but to remove the objection of my not 
 knowing their lands a few of them assembled and draughted on 
 a dressed skin I believe a very good map of their Coimtry^ and 
 they showed me the place where at different season they were 
 to be found. The only reason I think they have in wishing my 
 departure, is their haste to get what goods I still have. Besides 
 we not a little embarrass the. people in whose tent we live. They 
 pretend to be fond of us, treat us well and say they will shed 
 tears when we leave them. 
 
 Monday 12th. In the evening the young men that had been 
 sent to reconnoitre returned and reported that there was plenty 
 of Buffaloes & fruit on the tongue and small horn -River,' that 
 they had seen a lately left encampment of their people who had 
 not been at the Missouri (about 9 lodges) that they were gone 
 across the Mountains that they had seen no appearance of their 
 being enemies on that side. A Council ensued, and harangues 
 were made to raise the Camp in the morning and proceed along 
 to the River aux Roches Jaunes. 
 
 Tuesday 13th. We sat of at half after 8 in the morning 
 following a West Course along the Mountain, through Creeks 
 and hills such as I never saw before, it being impossible to 
 climb these hills with Loaded Horses we were obliged to go 
 round them about the middle of their hight from whence we 
 were in imminent danger of rolling down being so steep that 
 one side of the horses load rubbed against the side of the hill. 
 One false step of the horse would certainly have been fatal to 
 himself and rider. The wind was S.E. in the morning and 
 north W. in the evening and the weather sultry. We encamped 
 at 12 on the banks of a small branch of the Tongue River, whose 
 water was very clear and cold as Ice. The people Killed two 
 Bears to day. I traded a few Bears. I saw a few crows today 
 
 1. Yellowstone river. Eiviere aux Eoches Jaunes was the original 
 French name, probably derived from some native equivalent. ,^ 
 
 2. The Indian possesses a natural aptitude for map-making. Constant 
 references are found in the narratives of explorers and furtraders to the 
 skill and accuracy of these native geographers. 
 
 3. Lewis & Clark's Little Bighorn river. , 
 2078— 3i 
 
36 dAlSTADIAN AECHIVES 
 
 which are the only birds I have seen since I left the Missouri 
 except a few wood Peckers, 
 
 Wednesday 14th. It rained part of the morning, as soon 
 as the rain ceased we sat off when it began again and continued 
 raining until we reached another branch of the Tongue Kiver, 
 where we encamped. We went close along the mountain all the 
 way for about 10 miles by a West Course crossing many small 
 Creeks all running into the Tongue Eiver, most of them were 
 dry but thickly wooded with the Saule blanc;' there was no 
 Bearer work I saw a few Cranes. 
 
 Thursday 15th. Fine clear weather. I traded 8 Beavers 
 and purchased a horse for which I paid a gun 200 balls, one 
 flanel Eobe, one shirt, one half axe^ one battle do, one bow iron, 
 one comb, one But Knife, one small do, 2 Wampoon hair pipes, 
 
 one , 2 axes, one Wampoon shell, 40 B. Blue Beads, 3 
 
 Mass Barley Corn do and one fm W. S. Ked Stroud.'' We left 
 this place at 11 before noon and proceeded 9 miles in a ITorth 
 West Course and encamped on another branch of the Tongue 
 Eiver, Wind IST-W. fine warm weather. The Indians Killed 
 Buffaloes and a few Bears, the latter they hunt for pleasure 
 only as they do not eat the flesh but in case of absolute neces- 
 sity. Perhaps the whole nation is employed about a bear, whom 
 they have caused to take refuge in a thicket, there they plague 
 him a long while and then Kill him, he is seldom stript of his 
 skin. 
 
 Pryday 16th. I purchased a saddle and [bridle ?] for the 
 horse I purchased yesterday for which I paid 40 shots Powder 
 Being short of Balls. I gave 20 pounds Powder only for a 
 Beaver 1 Knife, I sell 2 Beavers 10 String Blue Beads, 1 
 Beaver & so on. We proceeded along the mountain as usual by 
 a IsT.W. Course about 15 miles, crossed 3 small Creeks emptying 
 in the Tongue Eiver where we arrived at one in the afternoon,' 
 we forded it and encamped on the north side, N. & N.E. is a 
 small Mountain lying between this river and the large Horn 
 
 1. White willow. 
 
 2. A coarse flannel blanket, made in Stroud, Gloucestershire, and very 
 popular at one time in the Indian trad©. In his Missouri Journal (Mas- 
 son), Larocque mentions trading '1 fathom Hudson's Bay red strouds/ 
 The initial letters are not clear in copy; may be 'W.S.', otr 'U.S.', or 'U.T.' 
 
 3. Not far north of the boundary between Montana and Wyoming. 
 
JOUENAJL OF LAEOCQUE 37 
 
 Eiver, they call it the Wolf Teeth^ (Se la is in the Kocky 
 Mountain language and Seja in the ^ig Belly's). Fine wea- 
 ther wind ISr.W. 
 
 Saturday lYth. The Indians haying hunted yesterday we 
 did not rise the Camp but remained here all day. There were 
 many -Bears here about, who are attracted by the quantity of 
 Choak Cherries^ and other fruit there is here. The Woods 
 along the Eivers are as thickly covered with Bears Dung as a 
 Barn door is of that of the Cattle, large Cherry trees are broken 
 down by them in Grreat number. The Indians Kill one or two 
 almost every day. The Tongue Kiver here is small being only 
 about 20 feet broad with two feet water in the deepest part of 
 the rapids. It receives many additional small stream in its 
 way to the Eiver Roches Jaunes. The points of the Eiver are 
 pretty large and well stocked with wood viz. . . .' & maple. 
 
 Sunday 18th. At 7 O'Clock we left our encampment and 
 proceeded Northward ; at noon we stopped on a branch of the 
 smal] Horn Eiver & the greatest part of the Indians went on 
 to the small Horn River^ hunt. At half past two in the after- 
 noon we sat off again and crossing the River we encamped on 
 its Borders where we found the hunting partty with their horses 
 loaded with fresh meat. We travelled about 15 miles this day 
 and are farther from the mountain than yesterday though still 
 Close to it. 
 
 Monday 19th. Since we are close to the mountain many 
 women have deserted with their lovers to their fine tents that 
 are across the mountain, there are no Cattle in the mountain 
 nor on the other side, so that they are loth to go that way, while 
 the desertion of their wives strongly Call them there. Haran- 
 gues were twice made to rise the Camp, and counter order were 
 given before the tents were thrown down. The reason of this is 
 that the wife of the Spotted Crow who regulates our mo[ve]- 
 ments has deserted, he is for going one way while the Chief of 
 
 1. Tongue river flows through a small range known as Chetish or 
 Wolf Mountains. Another small range. Rosebud Mountains, lies between 
 Tongue river and the Big Horn. Either mighe be Larocque's 'Wolf 
 Teeth.' 
 
 2. The ohoke-cherry (Prunus Virginiana) is found everywhere on the 
 Upper Missouri and Yellowstone. 
 
 3. Name of some other tree omitted here. 
 
38 CANADIAN AECHIVES 
 
 the other bands are for following our old course. Horses have 
 been Killed and women wounded since I am with them on the 
 score of jealousy/ To day a snake Indian shot his wife dead 
 but it seems not without reason for it is said it was the third 
 time he found her and'^'the Gallant together. The Small Horn 
 river runs East from the Mountain to this place here it makes 
 a bend N by East and passing round of the wolf teeth it falls 
 into the large Horn river. The bed of the Eiver here is Eocks 
 a continual rapid, the water clear and cold as Ice, the ground 
 barren an the banlis of the river thinly wooded with same Kind 
 of wood as heretofore. I traded 6 Beavers. 
 
 Tuesday 20th. We flitted and encamped 3 miles h'gher up 
 the Eiver on a beautiful spot where there was plenty of fine 
 grass for the horses, our Course West. I traded 3 Beavers. 
 
 Wednesday 21st. I made a present of a few articles to the 
 Chief and a few other Considered Persons. We remained here 
 all day. There is plenty of ash here. There were very few 
 persons in the Camp that were not employed in making them- 
 selves horse whip handles with tha|jpvood; it was with that 
 design they came h^re, as that wood is seldom found elsewhere. 
 I saw some Beavers work on that Eiver. 
 
 Thursday 22nd. Water frose the thickness of paper last 
 night in horsetracks. I was called to a Council in the Chiefs 
 Brothers tent Lodge, where the Spotted Crow resigned his em- 
 ployment of regulating our marches, an other old man took the 
 office upon himself and told me that he intended to pursue their 
 old course to the Eiver aux Eoches Jaune. I traded 8 Beavers 
 with the Snake Indians in whose possession I saw a Kettle or 
 Pot hewn out of a solid stone, it was about IJ inch thick & con- 
 tained about 6 or 8 quarts; it had been made with no other 
 instrament but a piece of Iron. 
 
 Eryday 23rd. We rose the Camp at 11 in the forenoon and 
 
 followed a IST.E. Course for one mile ISF.W. 6 de, & encamped 
 
 on a branch of the . . . .^ Eiver, where there is a Beaver Dam 
 
 and other work occasionally found. I traded — 4 Beavers, 
 
 Wind S.E. the only roads practicable to Cross the mountain 
 
 are at the heads of this and the Tongue Eiver. 
 
 2. See previous note. 
 2. Name illegible. 
 
JOUEETAL OF LAEOCQUE 39 
 
 Saturday 24th. This morning we were allarmed by the 
 report that three Indians had been seen on the first hill of the 
 mountain and that three Buffaloes were in motion and that two 
 shots had been heard towards the large Horn Eiver. Thirty 
 men saddled their horses and immediately went off to see what 
 was the matter while all the other Kept in readiness to follow if 
 necessary. In a few hours some came back and told us that 
 they had seen 35 on foot walking on the banks of one of the 
 branches of the' Large Horn Eiver. In less time than the Cour- 
 rier Could well tell his news no one remained in the Camp, but 
 a few old men and women, all the rest scampered off in pur- 
 suit. I went along with them we did not all Set off together 
 nor could we all Keep together as some horses were slower than 
 other but the foremost stopped galloping on a hill, and con- 
 tinued on with a small trot as people camfe up. They did the 
 dance^ when the Chief arrived, he and his band or part of it 
 galloped twice before the main body of the people who still con- 
 tinued their trot intersecting the line of their course while one 
 of his friends I suppose his aide de Camp harangued. They 
 were all dressed in their best Cloths. Many of them were fol- 
 lowed by their wives who carried their arms, and who were to 
 deliver them at the time of Battle. There were likewise nlany 
 children, but who could Keep their saddles. A head of us were 
 some young men on different hills , making signs with their 
 Robes which way we were to go.^ As soon as all the» Chiefs were 
 come up and had made their harangue every one set off the way 
 he liked best and pursued according to his own judgement. The 
 Country is very hilly and full of large Creeks whose banks are 
 Eocks so that the pursued had the advantage of being able to 
 get into places where it was impossible to go with horses & hide 
 themselves. All escaped but two of the foremost who being 
 scouts of the party had advanced nearer to us than the others 
 and had not discovered us, they were surrounded after a long 
 race but Killed and scalped in a twinkling. When I arrived at 
 the dead bodies they had taken but his scalp and the fingers of 
 his right hand with which the outor was off. the[y] borrowed 
 my hanger with which the[y] cut off his left hand and returned 
 it [the knife] to me bloody as a mafE of honour and desired 
 
 1. War danoe. See Maximilian, II, 291, et seq. 
 
 2. Maximilian, III, 300, et seq — Notes on Indian Sign Language. 
 
40 c'A]srADiA]sr aechives 
 
 me to at him. Men women and children were throng- 
 ing io see the dead Bodies and taste the Blood. Everyone was 
 desirous of stabbing the bodies to show what he would have 
 done had he met them alive and insulted & frotted at them in 
 the worst language they could give. In a short time the re- 
 mains .of a human body was hardly distinguishable, every 
 young man had, a piece of flesh tied to his gun or lance with 
 which he rode off to the Camp singing and exultingly showing 
 it to every young women in his way, some women had whole 
 limb dangling from their saddles. The sight made me Shudder 
 with horror at such Cruelties and I returned homie in quiet 
 different frame from that in which I left it. 
 
 Sunday 25th. The Scalp dance was danced all night and 
 the "scalps carried in procession through the day. 
 
 Monday 26th. It rained in the morning as it did yesterday, 
 at noon the Weather Clearing we sat off Course S.W. wind S.E. 
 fine weather. We encamped in the mountain 9 miles distant 
 from our last encampment by a small Creek in which there 
 was little running water, but an amazing number of Beaver 
 Dams. I counted 6 in about 2 points of the River but most of 
 them appeared" to be old Dams. The young men paraded all 
 day with the scalps tied to their horses bridles sing[ing] and 
 keeping time with the Drum and Sheskequois* or Rattle. 
 
 Tuesday 27th. We remained here all day, 10 Young Men 
 were sent to 'observe the motions of those who were routed lately^ , 
 they are afraid of being attaked having seen the road of a 
 numerous body of people on the large Horn River. In the even- 
 ing news came that the Buffaloes were in motion on the Large 
 Horn River, and harangues were made to guard the Camp. 
 
 Wednesday 28th. Two hours before day light, all the In- 
 dians horses were saddled at their doors, they put all their 
 young children on horse back & tied to the saddles, then they 
 slept the remainder of the night. They likewise loaded some 
 horses with the most valuable part of their property while they 
 in the expectation of being attacked sat in the tents their arms 
 ready & their horses saddled at the door. At broad day light 
 
 1. Catlin calls the rattle She-she-quois, and says 'that most generally 
 used is made of rawhide, charged with pebbles, which produce a shrill 
 noise to mark time in the Indian dances and songs/ See two illustra- 
 tions on Plate lOlJ, p. 210, Catlin, I. 
 
JOTJENAL OP LAEOCQUE 41 
 
 nothing appearing they took in their children and unloaded 
 their horses. At 9 in the morning 4 young men arrived and 
 reported that they had seen nothing of the enemy, that there 
 were party Buffaloes between the Large Horn and the Eiver 
 aux Eoches Jaunes. 
 
 Thursday 29th. We rose the Camp this morning and 
 marched a Course West by iN'orth. The Indians himted and 
 saw Strange Indians. There was a Continual harangue by 
 different Chiefs the whole night which with the singing and 
 dancing of the scalp prevented any Sleep being had. We 
 pitched the tents on a small creek running into the large Horn 
 River distant about 20 miles froni our last encampment. 
 
 Fryday 30th. We left the place and encamped on the Large 
 Horn Eiver close to the foot of the mountain and of very high 
 Eocks, Course West about 5 miles. 
 
 Saturday 31st. We remained at this place the whole day. 
 Some young one who had been en decouverte returned from a 
 deserted camp of about 30 Lodges where they found Chief 
 Coats JST'.B. straud' Wampoon shells and other articles, which 
 it seems had been left by the people inhabiting those tents upon 
 some panic. This is what these Indians say but it is my opin- 
 ion that those goods are rather an offering to the supreme being 
 which those Indians often make and leave in tree well wrapt 
 up, and which our young men found. This Eiver is broad deep 
 and clear water strong courrent, bed stone and gravel about J 
 mile above this encampment, the Eiver runs between 2 big 
 Eocks & losses f of its breadth but gains .proportionally in 
 depth. There is no beach at the foot of the Eocks, they are but 
 perpendicular down to the water. It is aweful to behold and 
 makes one giddy to look down upon the rivej from the top of 
 those Eocks.^ The Eiper appears quite narrow and rnus with 
 great rapidity inunediately under our feet, so that I did not 
 dare to look down but when I could find a stone behind which 
 I could keep & looking over it to see the foaming water without 
 danger of falling in. This river does not take its rise in this 
 mountain, it passes through the mountains and takes its water 
 
 1. Stroud, i.e., cloth or blanket. 
 
 2. The description would Seem to point to the Big Horn Canon, but 
 Larocque's narrative makes it clear that he was farther down the river. 
 
42 CAJfADIAN AECHIVES* 
 
 in the next range.^ There is a fall in this Eiver 30 or 40 miles 
 above this where presides a Manitoin^ or Devil. These Indians 
 say it is a Man Wolf who lives in the fall and rises out of it to 
 devour any person or beast that go to near. They say it is im- 
 possible to Kill him for he is ball proof. I measured a Kam's 
 horn which I found when walking along the Eiver, it was 5 
 spans in length'' and was very weighty, it seems to me that the 
 animal who carried it died of old age for the small end of the 
 horn was much worn and broke into small splinters, which was 
 not the case in any of the animals I saw Killed, nor were their 
 , horns of that size neither. 
 
 The Mountain is here a solid Eock in most places bare and 
 naked, in other places Cloathed with a few Eed Pine. The 
 sides of some Coule are as smooth and perpendicular as any 
 wall, and of an amazing hight ; and in places there are holes in 
 those perpendicular Eocks resembling much those niches in 
 which statues are placed, others like church doors & vaults, 
 the tout ensemble is grand and striking. Beautiful prospects 
 are to be had from some parts of those Eocks, but the higher 
 places are inaccessible. The Large Horn Eiver is seen winding 
 through a level plain of about 3 miles breadth for a great dis- 
 tance almost to its conflux with the Eiver aux Eoches Jaunes. 
 
 Sunday, September 1st. We Left this place and pitched our 
 tents about 3 miles lower down where we remained two days, 
 while we were here a Snake Indian arrived, he had been absent 
 since the Spring and had seen part of his nation who traded 
 with the Spaniards, he brought a Spanish B[r]idle and Battle 
 ax, a large thick blanket, striped white and black and a few 
 other articles, such as^ Beads, etc. A Missouri Big Belly fished 
 here and cought 14 moyens Cat fish' in a very short time. 
 
 We had much dancing at this place still for the scalps. 
 There are Islands in the Eiver here but most of them are heaps 
 of sand. The Wooded points of the Eiver do not join the open 
 
 1. The Big Horn river rises in Western Wyoming, in the main range 
 of the Kooky Mountains. It flows around the northwestern extremity of 
 the Big Horn range. 
 
 2. Manitou, or more properly, Windego. Scores of waterfalls have 
 been the reputed home of this picturesque but rather bloodthirsty spirit. 
 In one form or another, and under varying names, the Windego ranged 
 almost from the Atlantic to the Pacific. 
 
 3. Amiurus nebulosus. Moyen catfish, i.e., middle-sized catfish. 
 
JOUENAX OF LAEOCQUE 43 
 
 plain is seen between them but there is plenty of wood in some 
 places. The leaves beg [in] to fall. 
 
 Wednesday 4th. We left the encampment and proceeded 
 N. W. by North about 15 miles and pitched the tents on' a Small 
 Creek running into the Large Horn Eirer. Where we left the 
 River we had a level plain for about 4 or 5 miles when the 
 Country became hilly and barren. 
 
 Thursday 5th. We Kept the same Course as yesterday and 
 encamped on a most small Creek running as the former about 
 the same nature. 
 
 Fryday 6th. We rose the Camp early and at 11 before 
 noon arrived at Mampoa or Shot stone River/ from whence the 
 Indians went out to hunt, there being plenty of Buffaloes on 
 the road to this place, the mountains were as follows. The 
 mountain along which we travelled from the Pine River lay 
 S.E. another called Amanchabe Clije south, the Boa [or Boii] 
 Mountain S.W. but appeared faintly on account of a thick fog 
 that covered it. 
 
 Saturday Tth. We remained all day here, the Indian 
 women being very bussy to dry tongues and the best part of the 
 meat and dressing skins for a great feast they are preparing, 
 while their war exploits are recapitulated. 
 
 Sunday 8th. I sat off early this morning with two Indians 
 to visit the River aux Roches Jaunes and the adjacent part. 
 I intended to return from this place as the Indians will take a 
 very round about road to go there. We were not half ways, 
 when we fell in with Buffaloes, my guides were so bent upon 
 hunting that they did not guide me where I wanted, and we 
 returned at night to the tents with meat, but with rain as it 
 rained from noon till night. The Indians showed me a moun- 
 tain lying North West which they told me was in a direct line 
 to the Missouri falls and not far from it." We passed through 
 two new raised Camps of strange Indians at the door of the 
 largest tent were T heaps of sticks each containing 10 sticks 
 denoting the number of lodges in the .Camp, to have been 70. 
 
 1. Manpoa or Shot Storm river, Larocquie spells it farther on. Shan- 
 non's Creek, a small tributary of the Yellowstone. 
 
 2. Some error here, as the Great Falls of the Missouri are about 200 
 miles in an sir line from where Larooque then stood. 
 
44 OAITADIAlSr AKCHIVES 
 
 Monday 9th, I purchased a horse we had information that 
 four strangers had been seen who likewise saw our people & hid 
 themselves. At night a young man arrived vrho saw and con- 
 versed (I cannot say he spoke for the whole conversation was 
 carried on by signs they not understanding one another lan- 
 guage) with a fort de prairie Big Belly/ they wanted to bring 
 each other to their respective Camps but both were afraid and 
 neither of them dared to. go to the other Camp. The B.B. are 
 encamped on the large Horn Eiver behind the mountain and 
 are come on peaceable terms they are 275 or 300 Lodges. 
 
 Tuesday 10th. We rose the Camp at 9 and took a N. West 
 Course to the Eiver aux Koches Jaunes where we arrived" at 
 two in the afternoon distant 16 miles we forded into a large 
 Island in which we encamped. This is a fine large Kiver in 
 which there is a strong current, but the Indians say there are 
 no falls. Fordable places are not easly found although I believe 
 the water to be at its lowest. The bottoms are large and well 
 wooded. 
 
 Wednesday 11th. 5 Big Bellys arrived and came into our 
 lodge being the Chief Lodge. They brought words of peace 
 from their nation and say they Come to trade horses. They 
 were well received by, the Indians and presents of different art- 
 icles were made them, they told me they had traded last winter 
 with Mr. Donald whom they made Known to me a[s] crooked 
 arm.^ I went round the Island in which we are encamped, it 
 is about 5 miles in circumference and thickly wooded in some 
 places all along the ISTorth Side of the Island. The Beaver has 
 cut down about 50 feet of the wood. 9 Lodges of the people 
 that were left in the Spring was joined in they are' 15 tents at 
 present, they encamped on the opposite side'of the River, 
 
 1. The Fall Indians of the Saskatcliewaii, {Atsinas). 
 
 2. He reached the Yellowstone below Pryor's Fork. 
 
 3. John McDonald of Garth, known among the fur-traders and In- 
 dians as 'Bras Croche-" because of his deformed arm. McDonald wrote a 
 series of ©xceedingly interesting Autobiographical Notes, 1791-1816, for 
 which see Masson, II, 1-59. They were written at the age of 85, and are 
 consequently not always to be relied upon in the matter of dates. He 
 says that he built New Chesterfield House (on South Saskatchewan, at 
 mouth of Red Deer) in 1805, and gives a graphic account of the arrival 
 of a band of 'Missisourie Indians ' (evidently the 'Big Bellys' whom 
 Larocque now mentions) aTaout Christmas of that year. Larocque's Jour- 
 nal makes it clear that the year should be 1804. 
 
JOUEWAL OF LAEOCQUE 45 
 
 Thursday 12th. I traded six large Beavers from the Snake 
 Indians. We crossed from the Island to the West side of the 
 Kiver & proceeded upward for about 9 miles south West and 
 encamped in a point where they usually make their fall medi- 
 cine. 
 
 Fryday 13th. I bought a Horn 'Sow & a few Arrows a 
 Saddle & pichimom/ part of a tent and a few of those blue 
 Glass Beads they have from the Spaniards, and on which they 
 set such value that a horse is given for 100 grains. 
 
 Saturday 14th. Having now full filled the instructions I 
 received from Mr. Chaboillez, which were to examine the lands 
 of the Crow Indians and see if there is Beaver as was reported, 
 and I to invite them to hunt it, I now prepared to depart, I 
 assembled the Chiefs in Council, and after having smoked a 
 few pipes, I informed them that I was setting off, that I was 
 well pleased with them and their behaviour towards me, and 
 that I would return to them next fall. I desired them to kill 
 Beavers and Bears 'all winter for that I would come and trade 
 with them and bring them and bring them their wants. I added 
 many reasons to show them that it was their interest to hunt 
 Beavers, and then proceeded to settle the maimers of Knowing 
 one another next fall, and how I am to find them which is as 
 follows. Upoif my arrival at the Island if I do not find them 
 I am to go to the Mountain called Amanchabe Chije & then 
 light 4 dift fires on 4 successive days, and they will Come to us 
 (for it is very high and the fire can be seen at a great distance) 
 in number 4 & not more, if more than four come to us, we are to 
 act upon the defensive for it will be other Indians. If we light 
 less than 3 fires they will not come to us but think it is enemies. 
 They told me that in winter they were alway to be found at a 
 Park by the foot of the Mountain a few miles from this ore 
 there abouts. In the spring and fall they are upon this River 
 and in summer upon the Tongue and Horses^ River. 
 
 I have 122 Beavers 4 Bears and two otters which I traded 
 not so much for their value (for they are all summer skins) as 
 
 1. Or, picMmori, copy is indistin<?t. Possibly the Crow uame for a 
 bridl*. It may even be a very wild spelling or transcription of pem- 
 mican, the mixture of pounded meat and melted fat which formed so 
 important a feature of the fur-traders' equipment. 
 
 2. Possibly, Pumpkin creek, the chief branch of Tongue river. 
 
46 OAWADIAW AECHIVES 
 
 to show them that I set some value on the Beavers and our pro- 
 perty. The presents I made them I thought were sufficient to 
 gain their good will in which I thinlc I succeeded. 
 
 I never gave them any thing without finding means to let 
 them know it was not for nothing. Had more been given they 
 would have thought that good[s] were so common among us 
 than to set no value upon them, for Indians that have seen few 
 White men will be more thankful for a few articles given them 
 than for great many, as they think that little or no value is 
 attached to what is so liberally given. It was therefore I pur- 
 chased their Bears and likewise as a proof that there is Beaver 
 in those parts, besides it saved to distribute the good I had into 
 the most deserving hands, that is the less lazy. 
 
 We departed about noon 2 Chiefs accompanied us about B 
 miles, we stopped and snioked a parting pipe, the[y] embrased 
 us, we shook hands & parted they followed us about one mile, 
 at a distance gradually lessening their steps till we were almost 
 out of sight and Crying or pretending to Cry they then turned 
 their backs and went home. At parting they pronaissed that 
 none of their young men would follow us, they took heaven and 
 earth to witness to attest their sincerity in what they had told 
 us, and that they had opened their ears to my words and would 
 do as I desired them, they made me swear by ^he same that I 
 would return and that I told them no false words (and cer- 
 tainly I had no intention of breaking my oath nor have I still. 
 If I do not keep them my word it certainly is not my fault) . 
 
 Our course was I^.E. 20 miles, a little before sun set wo 
 were overtaken by a storm which forced us into a point of the 
 River where we encamped & passed the night during which our 
 horses were frightened & it was with difficulty we cotild got 
 them together again. We Kept watch by night. 
 
 Sunday 15th. We followed a N.E. course and crossed tho 
 River Rocher Jaune at 9 and proceedecl along the South side, 
 at 10 we crossed Manpoa River at its entrance into River 
 Roches Jaunes, Manpoa or the Shot Storm River is about 10 
 feet in breadth and with' very little water it take its waters in 
 Amanabe Chief at a short distance there is wood along its 
 Banks, especially close to the mountaiji and Beaver on the east 
 side of this River, close to its discharge in the Riv: Rocher 
 
JOTJENAL OF LAEOCQUE 47 
 
 Jaune is a Whitish perpendicular Eock on which is paihted 
 with Ked earth a battle between three persons on horseback and 
 3 on foot, ' at 2 in the afternoon we arrived at a high hill on tho 
 side of the river called by the Natives Erpian Macolie where 
 we stopped to refresh our horses & killed one Cow. An hour 
 before sun set we sat of again and encamped after dark making 
 no fire for fear of being discovered by horse thieves or enemies. 
 From Manpoa to this p[l]ace our Course was east. Buffaloes 
 and Elk we found in great plenty. Wind S.W. 
 
 Monday 16th. It froze hard last night isTorth, Weather 
 Cloudy ]Sr.E. 9 miles and stopped to Cook victuals for the day 
 as we make no fire at night. Elk and Buffaloes in the greates 
 plenty. It rained till 3 in the afternoon, when weather clearing 
 we sett off and encamped at the Kocks of the large Horn Eiver 
 where we arrived at 8 in the evening. 
 
 Tuesday 17th. We crossed the river early in the morning, 
 its points here are large & beautiful well stocked with wood, wo 
 passed through a most abominable Country and often despaired 
 of being able to get clear of this place enceting (sic) with Rocks 
 which it was impossible to ascend or to go round so we were 
 obliged often to go back on other road which presented us with 
 the same difficulties, at last we .ascended the hill but being on 
 the top did not offer a more pleasing prospect, we were often 
 obliged to unload the horses and carry baggage ourselves and 
 
 the horses being light we made chump [jump] over ^ in 
 
 the Kock and climb precipices, but were near losing them at 
 last at 3 in the afternoon we had passed the whole of that bad 
 road and arrived at the Border of Kocks where we could see a 
 fine level country before us but the sun was set before we could 
 find a practiable road to come down to it, which we effected not 
 without unloading the horses and carrying down their loads 
 
 1. Descending the Yellowstone, in July, 1806, Captain Clark visited a 
 remarkable rock near the confluenoe of Shannon's Creek with the Yellow- 
 stone. He describes it as 'nearly four hundred paces in circum- 
 ference, two hundred feet high, and accessible only from the northeast, 
 the other sides being a perpendicular cliff of a light-coloured gritty 
 rock. The Indians have carved the figures of animals and other objects 
 on the sides of the rock, and on the top are raised two piles of stones.' 
 He named this remarkable rock Pom^ey's pillar, and it is so marked on 
 his map. This is apparently the same rock mentioned by Larocque, and 
 his Manpoa river is Clark's Shannon's creek. 
 
 2. Illegible, may be ' channels,' in sense of chasms. 
 
48 CANADIAN AEC HIVES 
 
 part of the way, while the horses glided down upon their rumps 
 about 25 yards. We broke some of our saddles, and arrived in 
 the plain just as the day was setting and encamped further on 
 by the side of the River/ It is probable that had we had a guide 
 with us we could have avoided those Eocks, while our ignorance 
 of the Eoad made us enter into & once engaged among the diffi- 
 culty was as great to return as to proceed. We Kept no regular 
 course, but went on as we could to all points of the compass in 
 order to extricate ourselves. We Killed one Elk. 
 
 Wednesday 18th. This morning we saw the points of wood 
 where we encamped last night 9 miles south of us from which 
 we were parted by the Eiver on one side and the Eocks on the 
 other. I heard the noise of the fall or Great Eapids' yesterday, 
 but now at too great a distance from the Eiver and too busily 
 engaged to go and see it. It froze hard last night, we left our 
 encampment later our horses were tired, but after having set 
 out did not stop till after sun set having followed for 22 miles 
 a north East course wind South West, fine weather plenty Elk 
 and Buffaloes. 
 
 Thursday 19th. Cold and Cloudy and followed the same 
 course as last day for 22 miles stopped at 2 in the afternoon 
 and Killed a stag which was very poor be.ing its Eutting Sea- 
 son. We resumed our course to the IS". East for 8 miles and 
 encamped for the night. 
 
 Eriday 20th. We sat this day early out, assended the hills 
 which are rugged and barren proceeding N.E. for 36 miles. 
 Killed one large ........ fine weather with a N.E. vnnd. 
 
 Saturday 21st. We had a very bad road Came down to 
 the Eiver to see if we could find a better passage but it was im- 
 possible, the Eiver striking the Eock at every bend and assend- 
 ed the hill again and with difficulty made our way over Eocks. 
 After sun set we encamped on the Eiver a la Langue" Killed 2 
 Elks which were very fat. Course East for 18 miles wind !N".E. 
 
 Sunday 22nd. We crossed the Eiver a la Langue and passed 
 over a plain of about 9 miles in breadth where we came again 
 to Eocks and precipices without number over which we joareed 
 
 1. Not clear to what falls Larocque refers. The Yellowstone is navig- 
 able from its mouth to some distance above Larocque' present position. 
 
 2. Tongue River. See previous note. 
 
JOUENAL OF LAEOCQUE 4:9 
 
 on witEout stopping till 2 hours before sun set when we en- 
 camped on the side of the River close to a Rapid. There is 
 little or no wood here along the River except a few Liards scat- 
 tered here -and there and no grass at all. Course IST.E. for about 
 18 miles. Wind S.W. 
 
 Monday 23rd. We had a pretty level plain the whole of 
 the day 12 miles West and 24 miles N.E. at 10 we crossed the 
 Powder River/ it has no wood on its bank here and is much 
 shallower than when we crossed it going ; its water is the same 
 being still muddy, we encamped at night by a small Creek, hav- 
 ing been unable to find grass for our horses throughout the day 
 we were obliged to cut down three Lair[d]s and let the horses 
 feed on the bark. 
 
 Tuesday 24:th. Set off early, at 9 in the morning we found 
 a place where there was grass where we stopped and let our 
 horses eat. At three in the afternoon we saddled our horses and 
 went on imtil we encamped after sunset having followed an 
 Eastern Course for 13 miles. Wind S.W. fine weather. It is 
 4 nights since it froze. 
 
 Wednesday 25th. We passed through a very uneven coun- 
 try, but there being no Rocks we had no very great difficulties 
 and encamped at night in a very large point of wood in which 
 there was plenty of Deer — ^watched all night having seen some- 
 thing like a man Creeping on the beach. We had made this day 
 37 miles by a Iforth Course. The fire is in the plains from 
 which the wind brought colums of thick smoke in abundance so 
 that we could barely see. We shoed our horses with raw deer 
 hide as their hoofs are worn out to the flesh with continual walk- 
 ing since last Spring setting their feet on loose stones lames 
 tbem & sometimes makes them bleed. 
 
 Thursday 26th. What we saw las night and mistook for a 
 man was a Bear whose tracks we found this morning. We sat 
 out at 8 and the plain being even we went on at a great rate, at 
 2 in the afternoon we stopped to Kill a cow, our provision being 
 out, at three we sat off again and met on our road a femal bear 
 
 eating we killed her and took the skin it being good, at 
 
 five we stopped for the night. 
 
 1. Crosses Powder Eiver about midway between the forks and mouth. 
 2078—4 
 
50 CAlSrADIAN ARCHIVES 
 
 Here the Eiver is divided into many channels forming so 
 many islands/ the bank and islands are thickly covered vrith 
 woods, chiefly Liard, oak and maple. Our course was North 
 which followed for 39 miles having the wind ahead, which 
 brought us thick smoke in abundance. We saw this day plenty 
 Elk and Buffaloes. 
 
 Friday 27th. We crossed a plain of about 6 miles and 
 arrived at a bend of the Eiver where it was impossible to con- 
 tinue on the hill so that we were fain to descend to the Kiver 
 and Beach. We bemired 3 of our horses and got them out but 
 with great diiSculty. At one we stopped to let the horses eat. 
 The wind was south and we had no appearance of smoke but 
 the weather threatened rain. We encamped at sun set after 
 having followed a ISTorth course for 24 miles and found plenty 
 of grass. 
 
 Saturday 28th. This whole day we travelled through a level 
 country having fine weather. We made 30 miles in a Northerly 
 direction and passed .3 Indian encampment of this summer, 
 whom I suppose must have been occupied by warriors for 
 the[y] had no tents. 
 
 Sunday 29th. We passed through a most beautiful and 
 pleasant country, the river being well wooded. We found here 
 more fine grass than in any place since I left the Missouri and 
 of course the greatest number of Buffaloes. The wind was IST. 
 W. and the weather Cloudy and Cold. Having made 30 miles 
 by a ISr.JSr.E. Course we encamped on a small creek roimd which 
 the river passed. 
 
 Monday 30th. We assended the hill which produces plenty 
 of fine grass; about 6 miles further we saw the forks of the 
 Eiver aux Eoches Jaunes and the Missouri Course N.E. 21 
 miles and descended to the Eiver (the Missouri) haying but a 
 bend. We had followed the Eiver for 7 miles when we heard 
 the report of a gun twice, and the voice of a woman as crying. 
 We stopped and sent Morrison^ en decouverte and I and Souci 
 remained to watch the horses and property. Morrison returned 
 in about 2 hours and reported that what we had taken for a 
 
 1. See tescription of this portion of the Yellowstone, in Lewis & 
 Clark II, chap. 17. 
 
 2. William Morrison. See Masson's Liste des Bourgeois, &o., I, 402, 
 403. 
 
JOUBWAl, OF LAEOCQUE 51 
 
 Woman's voice was that of a young Oub, and as to the gun we 
 supposed it proceeded from trees thrown down by the wind, as 
 it blew very hard, and the Buffaloes, Bears and Elk were very 
 quiet in the wood and plain, so that there was no appearance 
 of being any human Creature there a bout. We went on & 
 assended the hills to cut a large bend of the River following 
 an east course for' 11 miles and encamped in a large point of 
 Elm trees for the night. The Wind was ISTorth West and very 
 strong tearing down trees by their roots every moment. 
 
 Tuesda.y October 1st. Weather Cloudy raining now and 
 then, Wind N.W. very cold Course iN'orth 12 miles. Passing 
 through a Coule yesterday I found a lodge made in the form of 
 those of the Mandans & Big Bellys (I suppose made by them) 
 surrounded by a small Fort. The Lodge appears to have been 
 made 3 or 4 years ago but was inhabitted last winter. Out side 
 of the fort was a Kind of Stable in which the[y] kept their 
 horses. There was plenty of Buffaloes heads in the Fort some 
 of them painted red. 
 
 Wednesday 2nd. Strong N.W. wind Cold and Cloudy — 
 Course IST.E. 26 miles Killed a Cow — Country even plenty of 
 grass. 
 
 Thursday 3rd. Set off at 7 through a very hilly and bad 
 country N.E. 20 miles east 15 and encamped on the Eiver it 
 rained part of the day Wind north West very Cold. 
 
 Friday 4th. It rained and was bad weather all night, at 
 break of the day it began to snow and continued snowing very 
 hard till 2 in the afternoon. Strong IST.W. wind. We sought 
 our horses all day without being able to find them till after sun 
 set ; the bad weather having drawn them in the woods. 
 
 Saturday 5th. Sat off early, fine weather Course S.E. by 
 E. 26 miles plenty of Buffaloes on both sides of the Eiver 
 Killed Cow. 
 
 Sunday 6th. All the small Creeks and Ponds. were frozen 
 over this morning Course S.E. by S. 20 miles Sout[h] — ^passed 
 through a thick wood of about 4 miles. 
 
 Monday 7th. East 2 miles south 11 de arrived at the lesser 
 Missory which we crossed S.E. 3 miles saw many Bears and 
 Skunks. 
 '2078— 4i 
 
62 CAN-ADIAIir AECHIVES 
 
 Tuesday 8th. Assended the hills, Plains even 39 miles S. 
 S.E. fine warm weather wind S.W. 
 
 Wednesday 9th. Proceeded on the hills through a fine 
 Country course E. by S. 12 miles. South 2 miles and arrived 
 at the Big Bellys who were encamped about 3 miles above their 
 village. I found here a letter of Mr. Charles McKenzie to me. 
 
 Thursday 10th. I remained here all day to refresh the 
 horses before I proceed to the Assinibois River. Among other 
 news the Indians tell me that there are 14 American Crafts 
 below the [villages ?] who are asiending to this place.* The 
 Sioux have Killed 8 White men last spring upon St. Peters 
 River & 3 Big Bellys here. 
 
 Friday 11th. I intended crossing over to day but was pre- 
 vented by the strength of the wind which blew all day with 
 amazing violence from the North West. I got a few pair of 
 shoes made and Corn pounded for provision, news came that 
 the Scioux were seen encamped at a short distance below. Ex- 
 pecting to be attacked they [the Big Bellies] were imder arms 
 all night. 
 
 Saturday 12th. About noon the weather being calm & 
 warm we crossed the River ; the horses swam the whole bredth 
 of the River & were nearly spent. We met with 3 Assiniboines 
 and their wives on the North side of the River who were going 
 to the Big Bellys to trade. We went slowly on till sun set when 
 we encamped on the side of a small lake in the Pjains which 
 are burning to the West. Course North. 
 
 Sunday 13th. Fine weather, wind N.W. plenty of ' 
 
 Buffaloes just arriving in the plain. Few being on all sides. 
 The Buffaloes were in motion so that we could not get near 
 enough to get a shot at them, & our horses so tired & fatigued 
 that I did not chuse to run them. We crossed the fire at sun 
 set and encamped by the side of a small lake whose borders had 
 escaped the general Conflagration. 
 
 Monday 14th. We watched our horses all that night for 
 fear of Assiniboines, of whom we had seen the tracks, in the 
 
 1. This would seem to refer to the Lewis & Clark Expedition, but at 
 this date Lewis & Clark were on Columbian waters west of the Rocky 
 Mountains. 
 
 2. In this and in other cases of omitted words throughout the journal, 
 the lacuna is in the Laval University copy, of which this is a transcrip- 
 tion. 
 
JOURNAL OF LAEOCQXTE 53 
 
 evening ; sat off before sun rise and arrived at 10 in the fore- 
 noon at the River la Sonrie v^here we stopped for the remainde'" 
 of the day. The grass on either side of the river here is not 
 burnt but the fire appears on both sides at a distance, West and 
 north. Soon in the evening the Buffaloes V7ere in motion on the 
 North side of the River which made us fear for our horses.'' 
 
 Tuesday 15th. After dark last night we left our encamp- 
 ment and mar[ched] two and a half hours by star light, when 
 Clouds gathering so as to obscure our sight of the stars and of 
 course being unable to regulate our course we stopped in a 
 Creek and there passed the night being free of anxiety. 
 
 In the morning we proceeded weather Cold and Cloudy wind 
 W.W. We stopped for the Night on the deep River,^ which 
 
 does not draw the name of a Riper, being a hallow 'in 
 
 the plain in which thercare small deep ponds communicating 
 with each other in the spring and rainy seasons only, nor is 
 there a single twig to be found about. At sun set it began to 
 rain and continued so all night. We covered the property with 
 part of a tent we had, and we passed the whole night Shivering 
 by a small fire made of Cowdung* (which we had taken care to 
 gether before the rain began) withe the assistance of our saddle 
 on our back, by the way of Cloaks. 
 
 Wednesday 16th. It snowed rained and hailed the whole 
 day. Wind W.W. and amazing strong. We arrived after dark 
 at the wo«is of one of the Elk Head Rivers,^ wet to the skin 
 and quite benumbed with Cold. 
 
 Thursday lYth. Weather Cloudy and wind IST.W. and very 
 Cold so we were fain to stop, make a fire and warm ourselves, 
 especially as we are not over and above well dressed to Keep off 
 the Cold. We wrapt ourselves in Buffaloe Robes and proceeded 
 
 1. The movement of the buflaloes suggesting the presence of those 
 dreaded horse-thi«res the Assiniboines. 
 
 2. Some small creek, not now distinguishable. 
 
 3. Word illegible. 
 
 i. The bois de vache, or 'bodevache" (probably a corruption of bouse 
 de vache), so often mentioned in the journals of western fur-traders. 
 This unsatisfactory fuel had often to be resorted to in crossing the 
 prairie, where wood of any kind was unprocurable. 
 
 5. North and South Antler creeks. North Antler creek was formerly 
 called T6te a la Biche. 
 
64 CAWADIAIf ARCHIVES 
 
 to the Grand Coule' and encamped on the very same spot where 
 we had the quarrel last spring with the Assiniboine. 
 
 Friday 18th. In the morning we met with a few Assini- 
 boines coming from the Fort, we stopped and smoked a pipe 
 with them. They told us that Mount a la Bosse [fort] had been 
 evacuated^ and that Mr. Falcon' was building a house to winter 
 in,* about half ways between that and R. qu'il appelle Fort." 
 We arrived at Mount a la Bosse Fort, where I found Mr. 
 Charles McKenzie and 3 men taking care of the remaining pro- 
 perty. 
 
 I remained here one day and then went to see Mr. Falcon 
 at the G-rand Bois about 16 miles above this, returned the next 
 day and then satt out for Eiver la Sourie Fort' where I ar- 
 rived the 22 October. So ends my Journal of my Journey to 
 the Eocky Mountains. 
 
 1. Near Souris river, nortK^or northwest of Turtle Mountain. 
 
 2. This is important as fixing the date of the abandonment of the 
 Montague k la Bosse post, which has hitherto been in doubt. 
 
 3. Pierre Falcon. See Masson's Liste under 'Haut de la Riviere 
 Rouge.' He was father of the Half-Breed of the same name who took part 
 in the Seven Oaks affair when Governor Semple met his death, and was 
 the author of a ballad on the fight, for which see Hargrave's 'Red River,' 
 p. 488. See Tass^'s 'Canadiens de I'Ouest,' II, 339, et seq. 
 
 i. Grand Bois, as Larooque names it in the following paragraph. 
 
 5. Riviere Qu'Appelle Fort, at the mouth of the river of same name, 
 an affluent of the Assiniboine. 
 
 6. On the south side of the Assiniboine, at the mouth of the Sonris 
 river. 
 
A FEW OBSERVATIONS ON THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN 
 INDIANS WITH WHOM I PASSED THE SUM- 
 MER, 1805. 
 
 This nation known among the Sioux by the name of Crow 
 Indians inhabit the Eastern part of the Rocky Mountains at 
 the head of the River aux Roches Jaunes (which is Known by 
 the Kinistinaux and Assiniboines by the name of River a la 
 Biche, from the great number of Elks with which all the Coun- 
 try along it abounds) and its Branches and Close to the head 
 of the Missouri. 
 
 There are three principal tribes of them whose names in 
 their own language are Apsarechas, Kee the resas and Ashcab- 
 caber, and these tribes are again divided into many other small 
 ones' which at present consist but of very few people each, as 
 they are the remainder of a numerous people who were reduced 
 to their present number by the ravage of the Small Pox, which 
 raged among them for many years successively and as late as 
 three years ago. They told itne they counted 2000 Lodges^ or 
 tents in their Camp when alltogether before the Small Pox had 
 infected them. At present their whole number consist of about 
 2400 persons dwelling in 300 tents and are able to raise 600 
 Wariors like the Sioux and Assiniboines. They wander about 
 
 1. Lewis H. Morgan in 'Ancient Society' gives the following list of 
 gentes of the Crows or Absarokas: — 
 
 1. Prairie Dog gens, A-che-pa-be-cha. 
 
 2. Bad Leggings, Esash'-ka-buk. 
 
 3. Skunk, Ho ka-rut'-cha. 
 
 i. Treacherous Lodges, Ash-bot-chee-ah. 
 
 5. Lost Lodges, Ah-shin'-na-d^-ah. 
 
 6. Bad Honors, Ese-kep-ka'-buk. 
 
 7. Butchers, Oo-sa-bot'-see. 
 
 8. Moving Lodges, Ah-ha-chick. 
 
 9., Bear-Paw Mountain, Ship-tet'-za. 
 
 10. Blaokfoot Lodges, Ash-kane'-na. 
 
 11. Fish Catchers, Boo-a-dS'-sha. 
 
 12. Antelope, 0-hot-du-sha. 
 
 13. Raven, Pet-ohale-ruh-pa'-ka. 
 
 55 
 
50 CANADIAN ARCHIVES 
 
 in Leather tents and remain where there are Buffaloes and 
 Elks. After having remained a few days in one place so that 
 game is not more so plentiful as it was they flit to another place 
 where there are Buffaloes or deers and so on al the year around. 
 Since the great decrease of their numbers they generally dwell 
 all together and flit at the same time and as long as it is pos- 
 sible for them to live when together they seldom part. The fear 
 of some of their neighbours with whom they are at war compels 
 them to that, as collectively they can repulse a greater party of 
 their enemies, than when divided into small bands ; though at 
 such sesons as they are not liable to be attacked, they part for 
 a short time. In general they are middle size men, but many 
 of them are tall and stout and some inclined to corpulency 
 which is seldom the case with American Indian. 
 
 Such of them as do not make practice of exposing them- 
 selves naked to the sun have a skin. nearly as white as that of 
 white people.' Those parts which the women keep concealed 
 are likewise white, but their face, breast arms and shoulders 
 are burnt to the common Copper colour of the Indians by the 
 scorching rays of ~the sun. Most of those Indians as they do 
 not so' often go naked, are generally of a fairer skin than most 
 of the other tribes with which I am acquainted. It is my opin- 
 ion that the "N-W. Americans in General were they to be b3;ought 
 up in the same manner that we are, and their bodies kept from 
 the burning heat of the sun, would in a few generations be as 
 white as Europeans. Some of them have the hair of the head 
 entirely gray although young ;^ and though I enquired I could 
 not find that sikness had been the cause thereof. They make a 
 practice like the other americans of eradicating the hair from 
 every part of the body except the head, as fast as it groes, and 
 deem it unseemly in a young man especially to have beard. 
 The old men when they grown careless about their person let 
 the beard grow, and in other parts of the body. The hair it 
 seems groes faster than they could pull it out. 
 
 1. From tlfe period of their first contact with the tribes of the Up- 
 per Missouri, white traders and travellers have constantly mentioned 
 the comparatively fair complexion of these Indians. 
 
 2. From and including La Verendrye, all travellers in the Upper 
 Missouri country have noticed this peculiarity. See Catlin, I, 9i-5. 
 
JOURNAL OF LAEOCQUE 57 
 
 They practice so little walking & running, using horses and 
 all occasions, that they are not so swift in running as their 
 neighbours the Big Bellys and Mandans. I saw more cripples 
 and decrepid old men among them than among any other nation 
 except the Big Bellys and the Mandans. It is said that the 
 Sauteurs and Kinistenaux tribes send their enfirms and old to 
 Kingdome Come to ease themselves of the trouble of attending 
 the care of them/ These Nations,^ however, do it not, their old 
 and infirm are of very little truble to them. The Mandanes and 
 Big Bellys are sedentary and the Eocky Mountain Indians have 
 so many horses, that they can transport their sick without 
 trouble. Whethere they did it or not before they had horses I 
 do not Know; besides their country abounds so much in Buffa- 
 loes and Deer that they find no diificulty in finding provision 
 for a noumerous family, which is likewise the cause of their 
 having a plurality of wives,^ some of them have 8 or 10 and 12, 
 but in such cases they do not all live with him some are young 
 girls that are only betustted* But by far the greatest part have 
 only 2 or 3 wives ; some have only one, and those reason upon 
 the folly of those that take many wives, and say that it is im- 
 possible for them to live happy and quiet as their wives ar Jeal- 
 ous & for ever wrangling. They are not so stupid as Indians 
 are generally thought to be. .they reasons justly enough upon 
 such subjects as they have had the occasion to see and be ac- 
 quainted with. They certainly express wonder and admiration 
 when such things are shown them as they have no conception 
 
 1. Peter, Grant, in his valuable account of ' The Sauteux Indians ' 
 (Masson, II, 307-366), says that they 'greatly respect their old men" while 
 they ar« of some use in society, but if, from extreme age or other in- 
 firmity, they become incapacitated to follow them in their encampments, 
 they are then considered as dead to society, and their nearest relations 
 think themselves no longer bound to maintain them; in this case a tem- 
 porary shade is provided for them, with provisions and necessaries to 
 prolong their miserable existence for a few days, and they are abandoned 
 for ever.' Hearne and M'ackenzie describe similar practices among the 
 far northern tribes. See Lewis & Clark, II, 145-6. 
 
 2. That is, the Crows, Mandans and Minnetarees. 
 
 3. See Catlin, North American Indians, I, 118-20. Peter Grant says 
 that among the Sauteux, 'the generality are content with one wife, yet 
 polygamy is encouraged among them, and a good hunter has commonly 
 two or three." Grant adds that the first wife claims & certain superiority 
 over the others, and is generally considered by the husband as chief 
 mistress of the family. 
 
 i. Probably betrothed. 
 
58 CAjN-ADIAJST aechives 
 
 of, of such as Spy Glasses, Watches, &o., but that is certainly 
 no matter of stupidity. They know very well how to make 
 unadyantageous' bargain in their sales and purchases, and dis- 
 cover no little share of ingenuity in making their saddles, fabri- 
 cating knives &c out of a broken piece of Iron &c. 
 
 They have not that taciturnity common to the more Nor- 
 thern Nation ; I have never seen them remain any time in their 
 tents alone with their hand between their knees and not uttering 
 a word ; they are social are fond of Company and are lonesome 
 when alone. In walking in their camp numbers of small par- 
 ties of old men are seen smoking and chatting together while 
 the younger are playing at diverse 'games or exercising them- 
 selves at firing at a mark and When a Sauteux or As- 
 
 siniboine enter a strangers tent they keep down their head, or 
 muffle it so in their Eobe or Blanket that it can hardly be seen. 
 These Indians never do it, they are bold & Keep up their heads 
 in any place and say that it is a sign of having bad designs 
 when one is ashamed to show his face. A few Fall Indians' 
 that I saw are the same. 
 
 The North West Indians have been generally greatly mis- 
 represented by some Authors, they have not that stupidity & 
 listlessness which is attributed to them and I am persuaded 
 tha,t a child taken young from among his parents might be 
 taught the sciences and would learn them as eassily as any other 
 It is not out of bashfulness that the Sautaux etc hide their face 
 when entering in a strange tent, but they esteem it polite. 
 When they begin to smoke or after they have smoked a few 
 pipes that they uncover their face but the custume is in general 
 with the young men than with those of a certain age. '' 
 
 Jealousy seems to be their predominant passion; many do 
 not go hunting without taking their favourite wife with them. 
 The consequence of infidelity to the marriage bed is often dan- 
 gerous to the wife who is often killed or wounded & some times 
 the paramour likewise, but the most common revenge taken by 
 the enraged husband is Killing or taking the horses of the wifs 
 
 1. Unadvantageous. presumably, for the other party. 
 
 2. Atsinas. The name Fall Indians as applied to this tribe is first 
 found in UmfreTille's 'Present State of Hudson Bay.' See his vocabulary 
 of their language opposite p. 202. Also Coues' Henry, II, 530. 
 
JOUEITAL OS" LAEOCQUE 59 
 
 galant, besides unmercifully beating her. They sometimes pre- 
 send their wife to a stranger for the night, but that is very sel- 
 dom & is always for some interested consideration. 
 
 Like all other Indian nations the women do most of their 
 work, but as they are not so wretchedly situated as those nations 
 who live in forests the women do work here that is done by man 
 among the Cree, Sauteux etc & yet have less work to do and are 
 more at ease while the men are proportionally idle.' When 
 hunting they Kill the Cattle and their wives who generally fol- 
 low them skin the animal, and dress it while they sit looking 
 by; they do not even saddle their own horses when their wives 
 are present nor do they take off their shoes or leggings when 
 they come in to go to bed. In flitting the women ride & have no 
 loads to carry on their backs as is common among other nations 
 though it is certain that had they no horses they would be in 
 the same predicament as their less fortunate neighbours for 
 though the men are fond of their wives & use them well, yet it 
 is not to be supposed they would take a greater share of work 
 than other Indians. The women are indebted solely to their 
 having horses for. the ease they enjoy more than their neigh- 
 bours. Tbey are very fond of their children but seldom or 
 never reprimand them. 
 
 1. Duncan Cameron, in Ms Sketch of the Nipigou Country (Masson, 
 11, 239-300), gives the following account of the daily work of the Sauteux 
 women, and with few variations the same description would apply to the 
 women of most -of the other western tribes: 'Their women must, even in 
 the severest weather, put up all these Ipdges, and cut all the fire wood, 
 as a man _would consider himself degraded by doing that work, even if he 
 had nothing to do all the time, but he will sit quietly smoking his pipe 
 and hurrying them in the work. The man goes oft early in the morning 
 with his medicine bag, his gun, powder horn, shot pouch, his axe and 
 ice chisel and leaves the women to fold their covering, pack up and haul 
 along every thing they have. If they have daughters, they give each a 
 load in proportion to their strength, and their youngest children they 
 carry on their backs tied up standing in a sort of cradle peculiar to the 
 country and well wrapped up in moose or rabbit skins, with a blanket 
 over the whole to screen them from the inclemency of the weather. The 
 women must dress the leather, make and mend the shoes of the whole 
 family, skin and dress all their furs, mend their clothes, cook, put up 
 and take down the lodge, cut and carry home all the fire wood, kindle 
 the fire every morning, dry the men's shoes and rub them quite soft 
 before they presume to present them to their husbands in the morning. 
 They must set and attend the nets whenever they fish, and generally serve 
 their husbands even if they were doing nothing at the time, and them- 
 selves very busy.' 
 
60 CANADIAN- AECHIVES 
 
 They live upon Buffaloes & Deer, very few of them eat 
 Bears or Beaver flesh, hut when compelled by hunger; they eat 
 no fish. They are most improvident with regard of provision. 
 It is amazing what number of Buffaloes or other quadrupeds 
 the[y] destroy — Yet 2 or 3 days after a very successful hunt 
 the beef is gone. When hunting they take but the fattest and 
 cut part of an animal and leave the remainder; but it is no 
 wonder that in a country abounding so much in Deer of all 
 kind & Buffaloes & where the inhabitants kill it with so much 
 ease to themselves, being always on horseback, that their love of 
 good eating should expose them to the danger of a temporary 
 fast. As deer keep generally in the woods it bears but little 
 proportion to the Buffaloes that are Killed, excepting Oabri a 
 small Kind of Deer resembling the Eoe which always Keeps in 
 the open country. 
 
 The hunting matches are regulated by a band of Young 
 men who have much authority causing them to encamp or flit 
 at their pleasure tell them where there are Buffaloes & to go 
 hunting, they prevent them from setting one after another and 
 make those that are first ready wait for the others so that they 
 may all go together and have an equal chance.. Those that be- 
 have refractory to their orders are punished by a beating or 
 their arm are broken or their tents cut to pieces. 
 
 It is generally an old Chief who conducts their business and 
 causes his orders to be executed by those young men whom we 
 call soldiers. Every young man enjoys that Dignity in his 
 turn. There are generally 10 or 12 chosen at a time for that 
 purpose, both the Conductor and the young men are chosen by 
 the other Chiefs. As long as the conductor is pleased with the 
 post he keeps it, upon his resignation another person is chosen. 
 Their Authority does not extend to every thing they only regu- 
 late the great hunting matches & the encampments, in every 
 thing else every one does as he pleases. They also regulate the 
 medicin feasts. The Conductor as he is called never does any- 
 thing of consequence without consulting the other Chiefs, and 
 it is in consequence of the resolution taken in Council that he 
 harangues and acts. His tent is thrown down the first when 
 the[y] rise the camp, he goes fore most all the way (except a 
 
JOtrElSTAL OF LAEOCQUE 61 
 
 few young men who go far before as scouts) and pitches his tent 
 the first, all the other encamp ahout him. Previous to their 
 fliting he rides about the Camp, and tells them to throw down 
 their tents that they are going to such a place & for such and 
 such reason. Some of the Soldiers go far ahead and others 
 remain far behind to watch and see if there be no enemies. 
 Wen Buffaloes are seen on the Eoad and the[y wish] to hunt 
 the[y] cause the people to stop and the old man harangues from 
 one end to the other. Wen all are ready the hunts men set off 
 and the body of the people follow slowly. 
 
 When a quarrel happens between two persons they interfer 
 and try to reconcile them by fair mea[n]s (that is when they 
 push their quarrels to far) but I do not know that they ever 
 employed an authoritative one.. Generally a present of a horse 
 or Gun is made to the offended person, as the means of recon- 
 ciliatipn, but there happen few quarrels, and they are generally 
 occasioned by their wives and jealousy. The young men seldom 
 hunt until they are married, their whole time previous to that 
 epoch being dedicated to dress and parade.' A Young Man rises 
 late in the morning, about midday he begins to dress & has not 
 finished till late in the evening, he then mounts on his horse on 
 whom he has spread 2 fais Eed and Blue an in Company with 
 his associates he rides about the camp, with the wing of a Bus- 
 tard or Hawk before his face in lieu of a fan to keep him from 
 the burning sun, at night he dismounts courts the women or 
 goes to the place of rendez-vous and at day light comes in to 
 sleep. The married men dress fine but when the[y] rise the 
 camp and on certain occasions. To please the females and 
 attract their attention is the motive of the young mens attention 
 to dress. They in their turn turn as clear and fine as they can 
 to please the young men. I have seen courtship carried on in 
 much the same manner as we do, whither it is their usual cus- 
 tom of wooing the girls before marriage^ or not I do not Know 
 
 1. 'It is remarkable,' says Maximilian, 'that the men are far more 
 vain than the women, and the latter are obliged to be greatly inferior to 
 the lords of the creation in their attire and adornments. A warrior takes 
 more time for his toilette than the most elegant Parisian belle.' See 
 Catlin, I, 112, on the Indian dandy. 
 
 2. On Indian courtship, see Catlin, I, 120; Maximilian, II, 279; Har- 
 mon, 294; James McKenzie (Masson, II, 417); Peter Grant (Masson, II, 
 319.) 
 
62 CANADIAN AECHIVES 
 
 as I could not get the proper information; but some attention 
 & deference seems to be paid to the young females. 
 
 I do not know what they believe as to their origin or their 
 opinions, more than they believe in Good and Bad Spirits, and 
 in a Supreme Master of life. A pipe is. never smoked without 
 the first whiffs being offered to the rising midday and setting 
 sun, to the earth, to the heavens, to these the stem is pointed to 
 the respective place they occupy and a whiff blown to the same 
 quarter, then a few whiffs are blown to diverse spirits which 
 the smoker names and to whom he mutters a few words and 
 then the pipe goes round each person smoking 4 whiffs & no 
 more. The pipe must always [go] to your left hand man, as, 
 that is the course that the sun takes. What they call spirits are 
 quadrupeds or fowls which the[y] think act as guardians 
 angels. They have no notion of spirits in the [sense] that we 
 have it is certain, but the[y] believe that these are invisible 
 beings who have the power to do them 111 or Good and to them 
 they make their offerings. One thinks it is the Moon that 
 watches over him and another thinks that it is a Bea or Mouse 
 and so on. It is their dreams that cause them to worship one 
 thing rather than another, but the sun, moon, stars, heaven and 
 earth are of General worship & an Oath on one of them is 
 ro'koned inviolable. Their is not an animal, fowl, reptile or 
 insect that is not worshiped by some of these indians who think 
 that the object of his worship can save his life and render him 
 invaluable,' whether it be a [bee], or a mouse. Inanimate 
 things, such as a ball & stone, etc., are likewise thought to be 
 able to do good or hurt. 
 
 They have no representation of the thing they worship, as 
 Idols nor do they pray at any other time but when lighting their 
 pipes. They have great medicine feasts, but these they make 
 only in the fall, and I had no opportunity of seeing them. 
 They are not superstitious with regard to the pipe which is the 
 object of their most sacred regard." Numberless are the cere- 
 monies attended on smoking a pipe of tobacco. The regulations 
 common to all are these, the pipe and stem must be clean, a coal 
 must be drawn out of the fire to light the pipe with, care must 
 
 1. Ttis should pertaps have been 'invulnerable.' 
 
 2. Meaning not quite clear. 
 
JOURNAL OF LAEOCQUE 63 
 
 be taken not to light the pipe in the flames or ashes and none 
 must empty the ashes out of the pipe but he that filled or 
 lighted it. There being but little fire I once lighted' the pipe in 
 the Ashes. My Landlord told me a lew days after that his eyes 
 were sore and my lighting the pipe in the ashes was the occasion 
 thereof. Some will not smoke if the pipe has touched grass, 
 another if there are women in the tent, if there are guns, if 
 shoes are seen when smoking, if a part of wearing apparels be 
 thrown over the pipe, if some one blows in the pipe stem to 
 clean it, if the pipe pass over Assichimous. some will not allow 
 the stem before the Door, another must empty the ashes on Cow- 
 dung brought in on purpose, another again will not smoke un- 
 less every smoker be naked and none but smokers are allowed 
 to remain in the tent, to one the pipe must be given the stem 
 foremost, to another the reverse, another will not take it unless 
 you push it to him as hard as you can, to some it must be given 
 quiete slowly. In short every man has his particular way of 
 smoking from which it seems he has vowed never to swerve and 
 cause to be attended by those with whom he smokes or he would 
 think himself under the displeasure of that invincible thing 
 (his guardian angel) and incur its resentment, he therefore in 
 such case does pennance. A pair of leggings were. thrown over 
 a pipe stem, a person present whose [vow] forbade any such 
 doings in his presence had the contents of the stem which was 
 full of tobacco juice blown in his mouth & he swallowed it ; tlie 
 potion he took was so disagreeable that he was near fainting 
 but he attributed his weakness to anger of the Deity that had 
 been offended. Some who are to ceremonious in their smoking 
 do not smoke but with their intimates and those that are well 
 acquainted with their mummery; those that are less so take 
 care to sit next to a man that Knows in what manner the pipe 
 is to be given to them. The women never smoke. Before the 
 smoking begin, he that has some peculiarity in his way of 
 smoking tells in what manner it is, and every one attends to. 
 
 Their Doctors perform their cure by the application of 
 simples with very few of which they are acquainted and by 
 blowing on the afflicted part, , smoking and singing, they like- 
 wise burn the leaves of Fir trees on some coals, the phisician 
 spreads his hand over the wound as close as possible without 
 
64: CANADIAN AECHIVES 
 
 touching it. Internally they have purging Boots which they 
 take, and prepare some other, but as none was sick while I was 
 with them I had no opportunity of seeing them perform any 
 cure of consequence. They appear to be a healthy people.^ 
 They have no other tame animals but Dogs and horses, few of 
 the former but many of the latter whom they use on all occa- 
 sions, for war and for hunting, they have them in trade from 
 the flat head Indians' in great numbers and very cheap. They 
 sell part to the Big Bellys and Mandans at double the price 
 they purchase them and carry a continual trade in that man- 
 ner. They had as yet given no Guns or amunition to the Flat 
 head Indians in exchange of horses, but this year as they have 
 plenty they intend giving them some. He is reckoned a poor 
 man that has not 10 horses in the spring before the trade at the 
 Missouri takes place and many have 30 or 40, every body rides, 
 men, women & children. The female ride astride as the men 
 do. A child that is too young to keep his saddle is tied to it, 
 and a small whip is tied to his wrist, he whips away and gallops 
 or trots the whole day if occasion requires. Their saddles are 
 so made as to prevent falling either backwards or forward,' the 
 hind part reaching as high as between the shoulders and the 
 fore part of the breast. The women saddles are more especially 
 so. Those of the men are not quite so high, and many use sad- 
 dles such as the Canadians make in the !N.W. Country. 
 
 They are excellent riders, being trained to it from their in- 
 fantiy. In war or hunting if they mean to exert their horses 
 to the utmost the[yj ride without a saddle. In their whelings 
 and evolutions they often are not seen, having only a leg on 
 the horse back and clasping the horse with their -arms around 
 his neck, on the side opposite to where the ennemy is. Most of 
 their horses can be guided to any place without bridle, only by 
 leaning to one side or the other they turn immediately to the 
 side on which you lean, and will not bear turning until you 
 resume a direct posture. They are very fond of their horses 
 and take good care of them ; as soon as a horse has a sore back 
 he is not used until he is healed ; no price will induce a ifian to 
 
 1. riathead Indians, of whom Larocque has something to say later. 
 The name was applied rather loosely to several different tribes whose 
 homes were west of the Rocky Mountains. 
 
 2. Either Spanish saddles, obtained from the south, or native saddles 
 patterned on these. 
 
JOUEN-AL OF LAEOOQtTE 65 
 
 part with a favorite horse on whom he places confidence for 
 security either in attack or flight. 
 
 They say that no equal number of other Indians can beat 
 them on horseback, but that on foot they are not capable to cope 
 with those nations who have no horses. They pass for brave 
 and courageous among their neighbours. They seldom go to 
 war, or to steal horses, but defend themselves with courage 
 when attacked. They Keep an excellent look out and have 
 always Young men night and day at 2 or 3 miles from 
 the Camp upon the watch, besides they often send parties 
 of young men on a two or three days scout on the road they 
 intend to take. Any person of any nation going to their Camp 
 will be Veil treated and received, but when coming at night or 
 seen skulking about need not expect mercy. They cut and hash 
 to pieces their enemies slainin battle but do not eat them. The 
 young men and children seeks the Blood and plays with the 
 Carcass, but I have not seen any Chief or respectable person 
 meddle vsdth the dead bodies. On the day they have got a scalp 
 and the two ensuing ones they dance in the evenings. Their 
 scalp dance is as follows, as I saw them dancing it when they 
 Killed two Assiniboines.^ 17 young men, their face painted 
 black and dressed as fine as possible stood in a demi circle sing- 
 ing and beating time with Drums and Shrisiquois or Battles ; 
 before them 30 young women dressed in the war habilements of 
 the men & carrying their weapons, their faces black danced to 
 the music of the young men, 2 of them carried the scalps tied 
 to the Enclosa Pole, they danced in a circle & while dancing 
 they advanced slowly towards the Center making the ring 
 smaller, they then returned to their former station and began 
 again, and shaking their heads always in union vdth the music. 
 There were soldiers standing out side of the ring to prevent the 
 people from thronging to much on the dancers. About the 
 middle of the ceremony one of the Chiefs took hold of the 
 bridle of a horse on which rode a young man plainly dressed & 
 led him in the middle of the Dancers haranguing at the same 
 
 1. See Journal, p. 40, Catlin's aooouiit of the scalp dance, I, 246, and 
 plate 104. 
 
 2. What 'onolosa paW means is not clear. Possibly an error in trans- 
 cription. See CatUn's plate 104. 
 
 2078—5 
 
66 CAITADIAEr ABOHIVES 
 
 time, the young man had Killed one of the Assiniboines. The 
 chief then led him out, and they danced again, the other, per- 
 son who Killed the 2 Assiniboines was led in the Circle in the 
 same manner by anpther Chief and a little after the. dance fin- 
 ished. At night a band of young men walked about the Camp 
 singing they stopped at the door of every Chief and sang songs 
 in which were rehersed the exploits of the Chief at whpse door 
 they were. These ceremonies continued 3 days. In the day 
 time the scalps were tied to the bridle of horses on which young 
 men rode singing & beating the Drums. 
 
 Their arms are bows & arrows lances & guns when they go 
 to war they take their medicine bags' at least the Chief of the 
 party does, when. they have found out their enemies & on the 
 point of beginning the. attack the bag of medicin is opened, they 
 sing few airs but very shortly smoke and then attack. It is 
 generally at the break of day that they fall upon their enemies 
 when they are fast locked in the arms of sleep. One of the 
 Chiefs has part of a magic lanthom on which he reckons as 
 upon his chief support. The figures that are painted on the 
 glass he thinks are spirits & that they assist him, he never leaves 
 them behind when he goes to war. 
 
 They are excellent markg men with the bows & arrow but 
 poor shots with the gun, but they practice dayly of late years 
 they have more ammunition than usual. 
 
 They have never had any traders with them, they get their 
 battle Guns, ammunitions etc from the Mandans & Big Bellys 
 in exchange for horses, Kobes, Leggins & shirts, they likewise 
 purchase corn, Pumkins & tobacco from, the Big Bellys as they 
 do not cultivate the ground. 
 
 Their Dress for Men & Women. 
 
 The men weare tight leggins, made of the skin of Cabri or 
 other small deer reaching up to the hips and the end tucked in a 
 belt or girdle the seam is ornamented with beads, porcupine 
 quills horse and human hair dyed with divers Colours. 
 
 Their Shirts are made of the same kind of skin and are- 
 composed of 3 skins, 2 making the body and one the Sleeves, 
 the skins are joint together in the shoulder only & the sleeves 
 
 1. Catlin describes minutely the medicine bag and its misoellaneoua 
 contents, I, 35-8, plate 18. 
 
JOUEWAL OP LAEOCQUE 67, 
 
 also which are left open under the pit of the arm ; the neck of 
 one of the skins hangs on the breast and the other behind they 
 are guarnished on the sleeves with the same materiols as the 
 Leggings, and their shoes are likewise decorated in the same 
 manner and are made in. the manner of niittens having a seam 
 round the outside of the foot only without pleat. Over this 
 part of dress they wear a Buffaloe Eobe on which is painted 
 their war exploits, or garnished with beads and porcupine quills 
 over the- seam. A slip of Wolf or Skunk skin is generally worn 
 round the ankle and is left to drag behind as they walk, bits 
 of red Cloth are sewed to it. The skin of the Bears foot with 
 the Claws the [y] wear on the breast with as many buttons as 
 they -can find sewed to it, 12 or 15 Bears Claws threaded and 
 tied round their neck is also very fashionable.^ Over their 
 forehead suspended from, their hear are two skins of Coloured 
 Beads, with a few Hawk Bells or buttons, a little horse hair 
 stained yellow which dangles on each side their nose, on their 
 head they wear a Killion feather belt of brass & tin. None 
 
 of them are those who have long hair gum them into 
 
 10 or 12 plat plastered over with white earth, except the end 
 which is well combed. Those, whose hair is not long enough 
 lengthen them with horse hair which they gum to their own 
 and divide in the same manner as the other. I saw one that 
 had two large white horsetails gummed to his hair, that was as 
 black as sloe, when he walked the hair dragged 2 feet behind 
 him on the Ground, they are fond of long hair.^ 
 
 The women's dress consist in a pair of logging reaching to 
 the middle of the thigh tied with a garter below the knees, they 
 wear no hair in their ornaments, but the seams of their leggins 
 are covered with blue beads (which is the kind they are most 
 fond of) and buttons when they can have them. Their leggins 
 are round like stockings and Tiave no fringes as the men's their 
 shift or cottillon reaches mid leg and lower and are made of 
 Elk skin, but the fine ones are made of two large Cabri or 
 Mountain Earn skins, like the man's shirts the bottom or lower 
 part is cut out into fringes and garnished with Porcupine. The 
 
 1. Maximdlian, II, 261-2. 
 
 2. Catlin, I, 49-50. 
 2078— 5i 
 
68 OAlTADIAlSr AECHIVES 
 
 skins are joined below as high as the Kibs where an aperture 
 is left on each side to suckle their children. The sleeves are 
 joined to the body of the shirt on the shoulders only and en- 
 circle the arm from the elbow to the wrist, the upper part of the 
 arm being covered only outside, but part of the leather is left to 
 flap down so as to hide the pit of the arm.' 
 
 Their Kobes and shoes are likewise garnished, but the for- 
 mer are never painted, they wear no ornament on their head, 
 paint their faces red. The Children of both sexes are dressed in 
 the same manner as The Sex they belong to, the boys go naked 
 till they are 8 or 10 years of age, not for want of Clothes, but 
 to be more at their ease, but the girls never. Both sexes are 
 very Cleanly, washing and bathing every morning in the river, 
 and in Winter in the snow, they keep their Clothes always 
 clean, and as white as snow, with a kind of white earth resem- 
 bling chalk, with which they dayly clean their Cloths. This 
 earth has not only the property of whitening but also clears 
 leather & cloth of spots of grease and other dirt, it is an article 
 they are never with out. A woman never sets the Kettle on the 
 fire in the morning without first washing her hands, and the 
 men do not eat without the same precaution. 
 
 They seldom wear breech Cloths, except when they do not 
 put on their leggins, as their leggins are so made that if they 
 had a waist band they might be called trousers. They wear 
 shells and Beads in their ears, but they do not cut them as the 
 Sauteux & Sioux. 
 
 One of them had the tail of a Spanish cow in his Medicin 
 Bag, and when he intended to dress fine or went to war he 
 would put it on his head. They cut their hair and scarify their 
 limbs at the death of their Relations. They are fond of small 
 blue glass beads that they get from the Spaniards but by the 
 second or third man. 
 
 The low waters are Generally in September. 
 
 Their Language is evidently a Corruption of the Sioux^ as 
 is the Mandan and Big Belly's to which last it bears most 
 
 1. On womea's dress, see Maximilian, II, 265; Catlin, I, 51, 204. 
 Compare Harmon, 275, and Alexander Mackenzie, xciv, on women's dress 
 among th© Croes and other northern tribes. 
 
 2. For references on vocabulary, names, gemtes, etc., see James C. 
 Filling's 'Bibliography of the Siouan Languages,' p. 22. 
 
JOURNAL OP liAEOCQUE 
 
 affinity and resembles in the same degree as the Kinistinaux 
 does the Algonquin or Ohipway.^ 
 
 
 Big Bellys 
 
 Eocky Mountain 
 
 one 
 
 Nowaza 
 
 ama te 
 
 two 
 
 Nomba 
 
 Nomba 
 
 three 
 
 N'omini 
 
 Namini 
 
 four 
 
 Tobas 
 
 Shobas 
 
 five 
 
 Kichon 
 
 Kichons 
 
 six 
 
 Akaw was 
 
 Akaw 
 
 seven 
 
 Shapois 
 
 Sapois 
 
 eight 
 
 Noobasse 
 
 Noobasse 
 
 nine 
 
 Noobetzape 
 
 Amatape 
 
 ten 
 
 Pirakau 
 
 Pirakau 
 
 100 
 
 Pirakau tie 
 
 Pirake sash 
 
 20 
 
 Noombau Pirakas 
 
 the same 
 
 
 &c 
 
 &c 
 
 large 
 
 Eties 
 
 Se 
 
 small 
 
 Carishta 
 
 Casota 
 
 head 
 
 Auto 
 
 Austio 
 
 River 
 
 Amje 
 
 Amje 
 
 knife 
 
 Matse 
 
 Mitse 
 
 man 
 
 Matray 
 
 the Same 
 
 woman 
 
 Meay 
 
 Meay 
 
 my child, male 
 
 Matijay eshie 
 
 Matsay sa 
 
 robe 
 
 Ituwje 
 
 I saw je 
 
 1. 'The Algonquian speaking peoples,' says Filling, 'covered a gi'eater 
 extent of country, perhaps, than those of any other of the linguistic 
 stocks of North America, stretching from Labrador to th© Rocky Moun- 
 tains, and from the Churchill River of Hudson Bay to Pamlico Sound in 
 North Carolina/ Preface to 'Bibliography of the Algonquian Lan- 
 guages.* 
 
 2. Maximilian gives the following, in his Vocabulary of the 'Minni- 
 tarris or Grosventres' :^one, nowassa; two, dHupa; three, n&hwi; four, 
 tohp&; five, kechU; six, akahuh; seven, schachpu. It will be seen that, 
 with the. exception of two, Larocque's vocabulary corresponds pretty 
 closely with that of Maximilian. Maximilian does not include the 
 numerals in his vocabulary of the Crow language. 
 
70 OANADIAW AECHIVES 
 
 They make very expressive signs with their hands to person 
 that does not understand their language, they often told me 
 long stories without hardly opening their lips & I understood 
 very well. They represent a Sioux by passing the edge of their 
 hand across their neck, a Panis by showing large ears, a Flat 
 head by pressing with both hands on each side their head etc. 
 
 All the animals in their country are the following 
 
 Buffaloes Fallo Deer or Kitts" 
 
 Bear? Chevi^euil a few Foxes 
 
 Beavers of both kinds a Kind of Tiger 
 
 a few Otters White Bektails' (which! suppose is 
 
 Elk Deer Vid: (a) on the the pant [h]er like 
 
 Cabri following page that of the alle- 
 
 Large Homed Ani- gany Mountains)' 
 
 mal* 
 
 (a) this is a Kind of small animal who live in holes in the 
 ground like Badgers, but assemble in very large bands and 
 make a kind of village. Upon any disturbance they issue out 
 of their [holes] and bark at what disturbs them with a great 
 deal of virulence.^ It is hard to get a shot at them as they stand 
 upon the bord,ers of their holes and jump in upon the least 
 motion. When Killed they fall in their holes from whence it is 
 difficult to get them out. Captain Lewis caught one by filling 
 its hole with water & as it always rose above the water upon 
 its appearance it was caught hold of and Kept all winter in a 
 cage at their fort on the Missouri. It fed of flesh & roots, they 
 are of the size of a Musk-rat and of a Greyish colour, .num- 
 bers of them of their village are to be seen about the Missouri 
 & some are 3 or four acres iii circumference. 
 
 Of fowls along the River Roches Jaunes I saw a flock of 
 birds like the Grouse, much larger having a broad [tail?] 
 
 1. Prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus.j 
 
 2. Kit foxes (Vulpes velox), or, perhaps, coyotes (Cams latrans.) 
 
 3. Puma, variously known as catamount, mountain lion, American 
 lion, cougar, panther or painter. Its range is 'from Canada to' Patagonia, 
 especially among the mountains.'' 
 
 4. See previous notes on Cabri, and Large-horned animal. 
 
 5. See Catlin's graphic description of a prairie dog village near the 
 banks of the Missouri, I, 76-7, and, plate 42. 
 
JOUElirAL OF XAEOCQtJE 71 
 
 which is^ spread when flying.^ I could not shoot any of them 
 ■they were lying on thegfouhd among hetbs and I never saw 
 them until they were gone tod flying; the whole flock did not 
 rise upon the flight of one but each went off as it was disturbed 
 m the same manner as the Groners, or as we call them her 
 Phesants.^ 
 
 The Flat heads inhabite the western side of the Eocky 
 Mountains at the heads of Eivers that have a S. Western course 
 & flow in the western ocean. The Ridge of Mountains that 
 parts those waters with the Missouri can be crossed in two days 
 and no more mountains are found to the ocean. They come 
 every fall to the fort of the Missouri or there about to kill 
 Buffaloes of which there are none across that range of moun- 
 tains, dress robes, dry me,at with which they returned as soon as 
 the Winter set in. They have Deers of different Kinds on their 
 lands and Beaver with which they make themselves Eobes, but 
 they prefer Buffaloes. They have a great, number of horses 
 which they sell for a trifle and give many for nothing. They 
 say there is white people who inhabit the lower parts of the 
 River upon whose lands they dwell from whom they get glass 
 beads and a kind of small cylindrical stick like wampoon.' 
 Those people they say carry on no fur trade. The Beaver 
 these Indians kill are singed & the skin eat with the flesh. They 
 spear both fish and Beaver with darts made of Deers horns, 
 they live part of the year upon fish, which by the description 
 they give of it I thinJk is Salmon. 
 
 When ever they get a brass Kettle from their neighbours 
 they do not use it for culinary purposes but cut it into small 
 pieces with which they ornament and decorate their Garments 
 and their hair. Elk teeth are likewise very orna[men]tal 
 among them and they will give a horse for 70 or 80 of them. 
 They trade chiefly with the Ererokas and give horses & horn 
 bows for such articles as the Ererokas get from us, the Mandans 
 and Big Bellys. The arrows they make use off in war are 
 poisonous and are much smaller than those they make use off 
 
 1. Prairie chicken, otherwise, prairie hen, prairie grouse (Tympanu- 
 chus Americanus.) Inhabits the prairies, from the Saskatchewan south. 
 See description in Lewis and Clark, I, 201. 
 
 2. Pheasant, ruffled grouse, partridge, common to the wooded districts 
 of Canada arid the Northern United States. 
 
 3. Wampum. See Tranchere, 244-5. 
 
72 CfANADIAlir ARCHIVES 
 
 hunting.' They generally fight on horseback & have 2 bows and 
 2 quivers full of arrows, with which they defend themselves and 
 greatly annoy their enemies even in flying. They are expert 
 horsemen. They represent their country as so very good that 
 what fruit trees groes here as shrubs are there tall tree. They 
 generally speak very low, their language is very difficult to be 
 learned, none of the surrounding nations speaking it, it resem- 
 bles the sound made by a number of small bits of glass shaken 
 together. Their bows are almost all made [of] the horns of 
 different Kind of Deers and of one piece. They never saw a 
 Moose Deer." 
 
 The Snakes dwell east of the Flat heads upon the same 
 range of mountains and on the head of rivers that have likewise 
 a southerly- course. They say there is much beaver on their 
 lands and that they partly dress with it, they are all on good 
 terms with the Eocky Mountains with whom they carry on such 
 a trade as the Flat Heads. This nation is very numerous & 
 each tribe has different names.' The more southern tribes hape 
 dealings with the white of New Mexico from whom they get 
 thick striped Blankets Bridles & Battle axes in exchange for 
 Buffaloes robes and Deer Skins, but it is probable that this 
 trade of the Snakes is carried on at a second or third hand and 
 that they themselves have no direct trade with the Spaniards. 
 One of their tribes has been destroyed and the remainder being 
 about 12 tents live with the Eocky Mountain Indians who are 
 at peace with the whole nation & from whom they get in trade 
 a kind [of] sweet intoxicating herb which they smoke as to- 
 bacco. Their pipes are made of a transparent stone. They 
 ■ have horn bows & horses which they give in exchange of knives, 
 tobacco etc. This nation as well as the Mat heads trade as yet 
 
 1. Lewi? & Clark's description of the bows and arrows and quivers of 
 the Shoshone agrees with what Larocque here says of those of the 
 riatheads, except that nothing- is said as to the nse of poisoned arrows, 
 nor have I been able to find confirmation of this elsewhere. (Lewis & 
 Clark, I, 151.) 
 
 2. The moose is not found west of the Eocky Mountains, nor is it 
 known to have ranged as far south anywhere in these latitudes, in 
 western America. 
 
 3. 'The Shoshunees are a small tribe of the nation called Snake In- 
 dians, a vague denomination, which embraces at once the inhabitants of 
 the southern parts of the Eocky mountains and of the plains on each 
 side.' Lewis & Clark, I, 445. 
 
JOUElirAL OF LAEOCQUE 
 
 73 
 
 no guns from the Ererokas but this year the Ererokas intend 
 selling them a few as they have many. 
 
 From the following few words of their language it can 
 easily be observed that they must be of a quite different origine 
 of the Big Belly's and Eocky Mountain Indians.^ 
 
 Far — ^Mawnatow. 
 
 Near — Mush tits. 
 
 Good — tsanti. 
 
 Bad — tish tsent. 
 
 I love you — Makaw makan. 
 
 Come — Keman. 
 
 Go — Mean. 
 
 Run — Kech tan. 
 
 One — Shemits. 
 Two— Wawk. 
 Three— Pa its 
 Four — Waw tsouts. 
 Five — ^waw ni kith. 
 Six — ^waw watch. 
 Seven — tawt souts. 
 Eight — na waw tsouts. 
 Nine — sheman doun. 
 Ten — Toshamb. 
 11 — Shemits shemandow. 
 12 — ^Wawk o mandon. 
 13 — ^Past o mandow. 
 20 — ^Wawk on torhamb. 
 
 The[y] call themselves Sho shone tHat tribe that I saw at 
 the Eocky Mountains. 
 
 1. The Sboshones were a distinct linguistic family, of which the 
 Snakes were one of the northerly tribes, others ranging as far south as 
 Mexico. The Minnetarees and Crows were of Siouan stock. 
 
74 cAn-Xdiaw archives 
 
 October, 1805.' 
 
 Upon my arrival at the Eiver la Sourie I f ouud Mr. Pierre 
 Kocheblave" who was proprietor and Bourgeois of the Depart- 
 ment in Mr. Chabilly's stead, who was transferred to fort Dau- 
 phin department.' I passed a very pleasant winter with this 
 Gentleman and F. N. Lamoth* nothing remarkable occurring 
 during the whole winter. I made a couple of trip to the In,- 
 dian tents in the course of the winter and the remainder of the 
 time I pased chiefly in reading as there were plenty of books 
 at the place." Lamoth went to take charge of Appell Fort' in 
 the place of Poitras' who was going out. On the 28 Mr. Eoche- 
 blave left this place (very sick) for Kaministiquia.* Mr. Fal- 
 con likewise went out this year' and no Clerk remained inland 
 but those that had or was serving an apprentiship at E.Q.A.^° 
 and Eiver la Sourie, where I was myself with two others. I 
 
 1. In printing Larocque's Journal, the arrangement of the original 
 has been strictly adhered to, though it might have been more convenient 
 to insert what her© follows at the end of the Journal proper, before the 
 'Observations on the Eocky Mountain Indians.' Larocque returned to 
 Eiver La Souris fort, as stated at the conclusion of the Journal of his 
 journey to the Eocky Mountains, on October 22nd, 1805. He now proceeds 
 to describe briefly the incidents of the winter 1805-06 and the succeeding 
 summer. 
 
 2. Pierre Eastel do Eocheblave was one of the pioneers of the North- 
 west Company; he joined the X. Y. Company in 1801; signed the Montreal 
 agreement of Nov. 5th, 1804, by which the two companies were amalga- 
 mated; and replaced the elder Chaboillez in the Assiniboine department 
 in 1805. 
 
 3. Included in the country about Lake Dauphin, in what is now 
 Western Manitoba. 
 
 4. Very little is known of this man, beyond what Larocque says of 
 him here, and the disastrous incident described by McDonald of Garth, 
 to be referred to in a later note. McDonald says he was of a respectable 
 family. 
 
 5. This passing remark of Larocque's opens up the interesting ques- 
 tion of libraries at the fur-trading posts in the west, including the famous 
 little library at Fort Chipewyan, on the far-off shores of Lake Athabaska, 
 as well as others of which we get random glimpses in the narratives of 
 the fur-traders. 
 
 6. Eiviere Qu'Appelle fort. 
 
 7. Andre Poitras, who was in charge of the N.W.C. post at the 
 mouth of the Qu'Appelle, winter 1804-05. 
 
 8. This trip to Kaministiquia— or Kaministikwia. to adopt the spelling 
 approved by the Geographic Board of Canada— adds an item to the very 
 meagre particulars of Pierre de Eocheblave's connection with the western 
 fur-traders. 
 
 9. Pierre Falcon. See previous not. 'This year,' that is, 1806. 
 
 10. Eiviere Qu'Appelle. 
 
JOUKIfAL OF LAEOCQUE 75 
 
 •passed the summer of 1804 at this place' and though Buffaloes 
 were at a great distance we lived pretty well and I had greatly 
 
 advantage over my neighbours the Mn point of trade. 
 
 This is the Only place in the Assiniboine Eiver where the ' 
 
 have a summer establishment so that Mr. Lamoth at K.Q.A. is 
 without an opposition. Having very little to do I kept a set of 
 books according to the station method of duble entry so as not 
 to forget it, in this and in reading I employed my leisure hours. 
 Messrs. Ohaboillez, Chr Henry, Hess McDowell paid me a visit 
 in the course of the summer and [went] to the Missouri,* they 
 returned with men who had passed the summer there on a trad- 
 ing jaunt.' On the last day of Aug: a man [arrived] from 
 Kamt* belonging to lower Ked Eiver Department which was 
 not ready to leave Kam : when they sat off. At the latter end 
 of Sept. the brigade for this department arrived under the com- 
 mand of Big Joh. McDowelF the bourgeois of my first year in 
 
 1. Port Assiniboine, on the south side of the Assiniboine, near the 
 month of the Souris. The date may be a slip of the pen for 1806. 
 Otherwise, Larooque is harking back for a moment to the incidents of 
 two years before. He has just been describing what happened during the 
 winter of 1805-06, and the spring of 1806, so that what he now says may 
 have been meant to refer to the 'summer of 1806.' 
 
 2. If the date 1804 is correct, Larocque's neighbours may have been 
 either the Hudson's Bay Company, or the X Y company, or both. If 
 1806 is right, the reference must be to the Hudson's Bay Company. 
 Harmon says in his Journal, under date June 27th, 1805: 'Here are three 
 establishments, formed severally by the Northwest, X. Y., and Hudson's 
 Bay Companies'; and Dr. Cones adds further particulars as to these 
 posts (Henry-Thompson, I, 298.) As the junction of the Northwest and 
 X Y Companies took place on Nov. ,5th, 1804, (Miasson, II, 482 et seq) 
 Larocque's only trade rivals in 1806 would be the Hudson's Bay Com- 
 pany. 
 
 3. The reference is now clearly to 1906, and the Hudson's Bay Com- 
 pany. 
 
 i. Some confusion here, either on Larocque's part, or in the copy. 
 The expedition referred to is Alexander Henry's Mandan Tour. He left 
 Fort Assiniboine on July 14th, 1806, the party consisting of Alexander 
 Henry, Charles J. B. Chaboillez, Allan McDonald, Toussaint Viandrie or 
 Vaudry, Joseph Ducharme, Hugh MaoEaean (McCraoken), and a young 
 Indian, Pautohauoonce, Chaboillez's brother-in-law. (See Henry-Thomp- 
 son, I, 304). 
 
 5. Henry and his party returned from the Missouri, Aug. 9th, 1806. 
 Charles McKenzie and James Caldwell, who returned with Henry and 
 the -others, aie no doubt the men referred to by tarocque. 
 
 6. i.e., Kaministikwia, or as Larooque generally spells it, Kamin- 
 istiquia or Gaministiquia. 
 
 7. In Masson's 'Liste des Bourgeois,' &c., are included John Mac- 
 Donnell, John McDonald (of Garth), and John Macdonald, all bourgeois 
 or partners of the Company, but no McDowell, neither is the latter name 
 found elsewhere in the literature of the fur-trade at this period. Prob- 
 ably Larocque's 'Big Joh. McDowell' may be identified as the bourgeois, 
 John MacDonnell. 
 
76 
 
 CANADIAN ABC HIVES 
 
 this country who was then coming jfrom Montreal. Mr. Roche- 
 Have having heard at Caministiquia of the death of his Brother 
 Noel went down. Mr Maedonell' continued [me] in the com- 
 mand of the fort being that in which I summered and gave me 
 a Commis' Mr. Lamoth. This young man had done very well 
 
 at R " It seems that notwithstanding the junction of tKe 
 
 two companies' and the resolution they had taken of carrying in 
 obligation' of all the differences, quarrels etc which the animos- 
 ity of rival ship in trade had caused that the N.W. Oomp. could 
 not forget the Death of the villain King" which this Mr. Lamoth 
 Killed in his own defence on the Sassratcheoin or fort des 
 Prairies department, or rather Mr. A. N. McLod' being of 
 those kind of men who can never think themselves forgiven by 
 a person they have grossely injured, because they are themselves 
 incapable of forgiving, and who will continue hate, illwill and 
 offences to a person because they [expect] such from him them- 
 selves, this Mr McLeod with some others having influence 
 enough on Mr McDonell made , him promise that he would 
 render Mr Lamoth's situation as irksome and as disagreable as 
 possible in order to make him leave the Country, they being 
 hurt at the sight of a person who called to their minds the base- 
 ness of their proceedings towards him. Mr McDonell then in 
 order to effect their design & his promise gave no command or 
 employment what ever to the young man, would neither see nor 
 
 1. Obviously the same mentioned as bourgeois a few lines above, which 
 makes it clear that 'McDowell' should read 'McDonell.' 
 
 2. i.e., clerk. 
 
 3. Probably, Kiviefe Qu'Appelle. 
 
 4. On Nov. 5th, 1804, as already mentioned. 
 
 5. Wiping out, or forgetting, is the evident meaning. 
 
 6. The shooting of King (James King is listed under the department 
 of Upper Port des Prairies and Rocky Mountains, in Roderick Mc- 
 Kenzie'e 'Arrangements of Proprietors,' Masson, I, 63) by La Mothe, near 
 Fort de I'lsle, on the Saskatchewan, in 1801, is graphically described by 
 John McDonald of Garth, in his Reminiscences (Masson, II, 25-26). 
 There had evidently been bad blood between the two men, and La Mothe's 
 defence was that he shot in self-defence. Larocque's fierce characteriza- 
 tion of King as 'the villain' seems scarcely justifiable. McDonald, at any 
 rate, thought highly of him. La Mothe was tried at Montreal and 
 acquitted; or, as McDonald cynically puts it, 'he was of a respectable 
 family and escaped.' 
 
 7. Archibald Norman McLeod, listed as bourgeois in 1804, Masson's 
 list. See Coues' note, Henry-Thompson, I, 277. McLeod may have acted 
 vindictively toward La Mothe, yet he could hardly have been as bad as 
 Larocque paints him, for Harmon and other contemporaries speak of him 
 in the highest terms. 
 
JOUENAL OF LAEOCQUE 77 
 
 speak to him and sent him to pass the winter with me hoping 
 that such treatment would effectually rid them of him. Mr 
 McDonell at different times expressed his sorrow at being 
 obliged he said to use Mr Lamoth in that manner whom he 
 knew did ont deserve it but urged in excuse the necessity he was 
 under of following the Directions of his fellow partners & the 
 acquittance of his promise. Mr Lamoth bore this treatment 
 with indignation but Concentrated within himself however not 
 to a degree as to influence his usual good humor, he dispised 
 too much the author of it (whom he thought to be Mr McLeod) 
 to suffer the thoughts to intrude long upon his mind. I found 
 him an excellent companion and in the Course of time a friend. 
 He rendered me all the services in his power and volunteered 
 them every time, that the interest of the Company required it, 
 which was very often in dangerous as well as disagreable trips 
 to the Indian tents & often did the duty of a common engage' 
 to promote the interest of those who illtreated him. I was 
 absent 22 days at one time from my fort, during which time I 
 gave him the charge of it, although I thought it would displease 
 the Bourgeois. I found every thing on return in the best order 
 possible in short I had numberless obligation to him & we pas- 
 sed an agreable winter together. I had under me one Clerk and 
 an interpreter one guide who served as Cooper & Inter- 
 preter and 9 men.^ There was a Hudson Bay establishment 
 on the opposite side of the Kiver' in trading opposition, the 
 master of which was named Thomas Vincent, he had 23 men 
 with him, and a great quantity of goods. We entered into 
 some agreements in the fall with regard to the Indians and 
 the trade with them, which we inviolably Kept and which we 
 found to be of mutual advantage.* My returns were superior 
 
 1. Or voyageur, upon whom developed the purely manual labour of 
 the furtradf. 
 
 2. Alexajider Henry, on his arrival at Fort Assiniboine, July 12th, 
 3806, says: 'Mr. P. A. La Rocque has this post in charge for the summer. 
 There are here three laboring men, an Assiniboine interpreter, and 40 
 women and children, almost starring. There are no bufialo in these 
 parts at present, and they have finished what pemmican was left here 
 last spring. Everything here bore the aspect of distress and desolation.' 
 Larocque's cheerful narrative is in rather marked contrast to this tale 
 of woe. 
 
 3. Brandon House, built in 1794, 'nearly or about opposite the mouth 
 of Mouse (Snuris) river.' 
 
 i. Compare Charles Mackenzie (Masson, I, 327.) 
 
78' CAKADIAN AECHIVES 
 
 to those of last year at the same place and superior to my neigh" 
 hours but the utmost exertions were used by me and Clerks, we 
 were few men in comparison to our opponents, had 22 women 
 and their family to. feed. The Buffaloes our almost only re- 
 source were at a great distance, the men being hardly able to. 
 bring provision in fast enough for such a number of mouths, 
 
 and with that our Indians & 'to watch and bring iUj so 
 
 that we were unremittingly and constantly on the go, but we 
 succeeded in surpassing the expectation of our Bourgeois who 
 thought that 60 Packs would be the utmost of our return and 
 we had 65/ I wrote an exact Journal of every days transaction, 
 Kept regular account, and Knowing, that I would not be there 
 the ensuing winter I left the whole with a character of the In- 
 dians for the use of my successor. 
 
 In May I had the house and hangards' which were not of 
 absolute an immediate necessity thrown down and had them 
 rafted to a place called Pine fort* (from an old fort that had 
 been there in Mr Eobert Grants time) about 13 miles lower 
 down the Piver in pursuance of directions from Mr J. Mc- 
 Donell who had planed the erection of a fort at that place, and 
 the demolition of the one where I had wintered. Kept all the 
 men that I could spare at work in rebuilding those hangards 
 and before I left the place all the property was removed to the 
 new fort, and under cover. In consequence of Letters I had 
 received last fall from the family I had determined upon going 
 out [to] Kaministicoia at least, and perhaps thence to Canada 
 according to the contents of the Letters I would there receive 
 would influence my mind. Mr McDonell wished me very much 
 to remain as the young men that remained in land did not pos- 
 sess his entire confidence and the time prognosticated a hard 
 
 1. Horses, probably. 
 
 2. Of the neighbouring post of Montagne a la Bosse, John McDonnell 
 says that it 'turned out about 60 packs a year, mostly wolves and buff- 
 alo.' 
 
 3. Magazines or storehouses. James McKeuzio, in his 1799 Journal 
 (MatsfJD, II, 386), speaks of the 'hangard which contains the ammunitions, 
 high-winos, &o.' 
 
 i. John McDonnell notes in his Journal, under date Oct. 11th, 1793: 
 'Arrived at the Port of the River qui appelle, called by Mr. Robert Urant, 
 when he built it. Fort Esp^rauce.' Massou, I, 294.; also 271. This, how- 
 ever, was not Larooque's Pin© Fort, which stood on the north side of the 
 Assiniboine, west of Pine Creek. It was built in 1785, abandoned in 1794, 
 and was variously known as Fort des Epinettes, or Fort des Pins. 
 
JOUENAL OF LAEOCQUE 7& 
 
 and disagreeable summer to them, few men could be left witk 
 them and there was much work to be done. 
 
 On the 3rd June I left Pine Fort in Mr. Charles McKenzies 
 care and embarked with Mr McDonell for Kaministicoia. The 
 brigade with us, Mr Lamothe had been sent off with a single 
 canoe 3 days before with directions to wait, for us at the bottom 
 of the Eiper Ouinipegue.^ We joined Mr. Henry at fork of the- 
 Ked Eiver^ and Mr. Lamothe at Lake Ouinipiegue — ^we all re- 
 mained at Mr. Wm McBays fort' at the bottom of the Eiver 
 Ouinipieque 3 days in settling the mens accounts unloading the- 
 boats and canoes, giving the canoes their proper loads for Kam- 
 inisticoia & different brigades from English Eiver* and fort des 
 prairies overtook us here. I embarked in the same canoe with 
 Mr Lamothe. Mr McDonell gave us a profusion of the best. 
 kind of provision the country could afford for our voyage, he 
 and other Bourgeois in half loaded canoes well manned' sat off 
 a head and got much before us at Kaministicoia, at Lake La 
 
 1. Or Winnipeg river. Bas de la Rivi&re, was a familiar name in the 
 palmy days of the fur-^;rade. The first trading post here was La Veren- 
 drye's Tort Maurepas, built in 173*. It was the first of several, under the 
 successive reigns of tbe NorthWest and Hudson's Bay Companies. 
 
 2. Where the city of Winnipeg now stands. See'Coues' exhaustive; 
 note (Heinry-Thompson, I, 43-5) on various posts at -this point, from La 
 Vdrendrye's day down to the historic Port Garry. 
 
 3. The fort was known as Fort an Bas de la Eiviere, and is mentioned 
 in the narratives of Alexander Henry, the Younger, Harmon and David' 
 Thompson. The latter calls it Winnipeg House, but the former name 
 was that in "general use. No such name as Wm. MoBay in Masson's 
 Liste des Bourgeois,' or elsewhere in the literature of the fur-trade. It 
 is evidently an error. Possibly Larocque misunderstood the name, or it 
 may have been Incorrectly copied from his original journal. Wm. McKay 
 is listed as bourgeois in 1804, and signed the Montreal agreement of Nov. 
 5, 1804, as one of the wintering partners. He is frequently mentioned in 
 Bavid Thompson's journals; and may be Larocque's ma;n. Or possibly 
 the reference is ia Wm. McCrea, or McKae, listed by Masson as clerk in 
 the Lac La Pluie department in 1804. 
 
 4. This was one of the most important departments of the North West: 
 Company, as may be seen from the formidable list of clerks, interpreters 
 and voyageurs credited thereto in Masson's 1804 List. English river was 
 one of the early names of the Churchill, given 'by or for Joseph 
 Frobisher, 1786,' says Dr. Coues. 
 
 5 The partners of the NorthWest Company, like the chief factors of 
 the Hudson's Bay Company, travelled 'light' in their visits to the various 
 posts under their jurisdiction. See Malcolm MoLeod's note on 'Light 
 Canoes,' p. 41 of 'Peace River.' Sir George Simpson, of the Hudson s- 
 Bay Company, always 'had the best of canoe-men, Iroquois, and any extra 
 Canadians who could keep up with them in quickness of stroke (60 a 
 minute at times) and otherwise be up to their mark in the work. 
 
80 CAliTADJAN ARCHIVES 
 
 Pluie fort^ I found some letters for me from Mr. McDonell in 
 which he empowered me to take every thing I wanted at the 
 fort to make our voyage pleasant and comfortable that fort 
 being well stored with every Kind of provision. 
 
 I left my companion Lamothe at the Mountain^ being the 
 last portage on the way to Kaministicoia, there was a temporary 
 establishment here, and Lamothe was directed to remain there 
 until a Brigade for Montreal was ready to leave Kaministicoia 
 when he would be sent for. This was the last mortification the 
 poor young man had to endure from his employers. We slept but 
 one night on our way down and the next morning we all arrived 
 at the Grand Portage Kaministicoia which fort had been 
 built to supersed the establishment of the Grand Portage' which 
 being within the American Territory was liable to subject its 
 proprietors to taxes & Imports from the American Government 
 which to avoid the N.W. Oomp. abandoned their Establishment 
 at that place and erected new buildings upon a greater and more 
 convenient site at the entrance of the River called by the In- 
 dians Kaministicoia, which name means the River whose en- 
 
 1. Fort St. Pierre, built by La Jemeraye for La Verendrye in 1731, 
 Btoiod at the outlet o'f Lao la Pluie, or Rainy lake; but a still earlier post 
 had been built on the shores of the lake by De Noyon about 1688; and 
 another by Zacharie Eobutel de la Noue in 1717. The N." W. C. post, 
 Kainy Lake House, was on the north side of the lake, a little below 
 Chaudiere Falls. See Coues' note, Henry-Thompson, I, 20; and Judge L. 
 A. Prud^homme's 'Tentatives infruotueuses de p^nfitrer dans TOuest avant 
 La Verandrye.' (Trans. E.S.C., Second Series, Vo. XI, Sec. 1. 
 
 2. Mountain portage is mentioned by David Thompson, in his 'Jour- 
 ney from Kaministiquia to the West End of Lao la Croix, 1804,' vol. VII 
 of the Thompson MSS, but according to his account, as well as the later 
 record of S. J. Dawson, the last portage before you reached Kaministiquia 
 was Lazy Portage. See Dr. Coues' exhaustive description of the Kaminis- 
 tiquia Route (Henry-Thompson, I, 217-218); and S. J. Dawson's 'Report on 
 the Exploration of the Country between Lake Superior and the Red River 
 Settlement,' for the Dawson Route, which for a portion of the way was 
 identical with the Kaministiquia Route. 
 
 3. This was a notable place throughout the entire period of the fur- 
 trade, French and English. La Verendrye when he set forth in 1731 upon 
 his romantic search for the Western Sea, sent his nephew La Jemeraye 
 over the Grand Portage to Rainy lake, while he himself wintered at 
 Kaministikwia. Jonathan Carver visited Grand Portage in July, 1767; 
 and Alexander Henry, the Elder, in June, 1775. The first trading post 
 must have been built some time, about the latter year. In 1785 it was 
 well established; and in 1797 a rival fort was built by the X T Company. 
 The N. W. Company removed their establishment, in 1803, from Grand 
 Portage to the mouth of the Kaministikwia, where what was later known 
 as Fort William was built. See Coues' note, Henry-Thompson, I, 6-7; and 
 Sir Alexander Mackenzie's Voyage, &o., (1801), xlviii-lxii. 
 
JOUENAL OF LAEOCQUE 81 
 
 trance is full of Islands and Inlets.' The bay of Lake Superior 
 in which this Eiver empties' is indeed full of large and beauti- 
 ful Islands and so is the whole of the North Coast of that Lake. 
 The vessels that sailed on that Lake can come at the very gates 
 of the Fort, the Eiver being deep, an there Load and unload.' 
 Before the Conquest the French. . . .had a fort and trading 
 establishment at this very spot.*. 
 
 [Left Lachine] on the 26th of April 1801, and arrived at 
 the Grand Portage at the latter end of June.^ From thence I 
 was sent to Fort Charlotte,^ and returned back. Some time 
 afterwards I was sent to English River for wintering there. 
 from this place I was sent to Fort Des Prairies and Red 
 
 1. Abb€ E. F. Petitot, S. J., says that Kaministi Kweya means Wide river ; 
 the name has elsewhere been interpreted as Three Eivers. There have been 
 innumerable variants in spelling of the Indian name. The first trading 
 post was built here by Dulhut about 1678. 
 
 2. Thunder Bay. 
 
 3. The North West Company had several vessels on Lake Superior, at 
 different times, carrying supplies to the great distributing point for the 
 western departments. Fort William, and bringing thenoe rich cargoes of 
 furs to Miohilimakinac, where they were transferred to canoes for the 
 long journey down to Montreal. In an anonymous Journal, among the 
 Masson MSS in McGill University Library, the writer says, under datp 
 July 3rd, 1793: 'Stopped at Point© aux Pins (north shore. Lake Superior) 
 two leagues above the Sault. We found Mr. Nelson building a vessel for 
 the North West Company to navigate the Lake Superior and to be called 
 
 the Otter. She is to be launched shortly The Athabasca which sailed 
 
 the lake before her is to be floated down the falls of St. Mary to help the 
 Beaver to bring the needful from Detroit and Mackinac to the Sault, 
 which the Otter is supposed sufficient to convey from St. Mary's to the 
 Grand Portage, and in return she takes a cargo of furs to the Sault 
 when they are arrived from the north. Part of the Company's furs are 
 sent round the lakes in shipping, but the major part goes down the Ot- 
 tawa in the Montreal canoes.' Aug. 2ud, he adds, having in the meantime 
 reached Grand Portage: 'Old Bazil Ireland the guide arrived with two 
 Montreal canoes and brings the agreeable news of the Otter lying off 
 Point aux Pins. Early next morning a boat well manned was sent to tow 
 her up into port and to their surprise spied her behind the point a V.\ 
 Framboise after passing before the fort in the night with a north-west 
 wind. It was ten o'elock before she anchored at the wharf having entered 
 partly by sailing and partly by toning.' On Lake Superior, see John 
 Johnston's 'Account of Lake Superior, 1792-1807,' in Masson, II, 145-174. 
 
 4. Fort Gamanitigoya, Kaministigoya, etc. See Prud'homme's paper, 
 already cited. 
 
 5. What follows is a very fragmentary account of Larocque's move- 
 ments from the time he left Montreal in 1801. to the date of his Bocky 
 Mountain Journal. 
 
 6. At the western end of Grand Portage, on Pigeon river, 9 miles from 
 the post known as Grand Portage. 
 
 2078-€ 
 
82 CANADIAN ARCHIVES 
 
 River, passing lake La pluie Fort, Assinibois River, River 
 la Sourie Fort, Rapid River, River aux Bois Fort/ 
 
 1802 X Y Oomp. 
 
 1803 
 
 1804 
 
 1805. februar fort of Mt a la Bosse. When I arrived at 
 the Missouri in the fall, 1804, 1 found a party of 40 Americana 
 under two Captains Clark & Lewis who were sent by their 
 Government to explore the upper part of the Missouri & N.W. 
 Countries to the pacific Ocean, they wintered at this place and 
 on the 28th March 1805' proceeded on their voyage of dis- 
 covery with 7 piroques having sent the boats in which they came 
 as far as this place down loaded with all Kind of minerals, 
 Roots, plants carcasses & skins of different animals, and many 
 other things, which they deemed worth the attention of the lit- 
 teray world. I offered to accompany them on their voyage,* 
 but for certain Grovernmental reasons they declined my pro- 
 posal. 
 
 The Mandan Village is on the Missouri 1009 miles above 
 the Confluence with the Mississipi taking in the windings of 
 the River and 
 
 in North Latitude 47 : 21 : 40 
 Longitude 
 
 West of Grenwich 99 : 24 : 45 
 
 from observation of Captain Lewis and Clark.* 
 
 1. Bapid river, a branch of the Assiniboine, now known as Little 
 Saskatchewan. 'River aux Bois Port' is probably a slip for Eiver aux 
 Bosse Fort, or Riviere Fort de la Bosse, aS Larocque elsewhere has it. 
 
 2. For an account of the origin and history of the X Y Company, 
 see George Bryoe's 'Remarkable History of the Hudson's Bay Company,* 
 chap. XVII. 
 
 3. The actual date was April 7th, 1805. See Lewis and Clark, (Hoa- 
 raer ed.) I, 189. 
 
 4. 'Mr. Laroche, the trader from the northwest company, paid us a 
 visit in hopes of being able to accompany as on our journey westward, 
 but this proposal we thought it best to decline.' Lewis and Clark, I, 168. 
 
 5. Lewis and Clark give the latitude of Fort Mandan, their winter 
 quarters on the Missouri, as 47° 21' 47'.