Early western travels, 1748-1846, v. 23

Maximilian, Prince of Wied's, Travels in the Interior of North America, 1832-1834, part 2

Departure of the Assiniboin SteamerExcursions into the PrairieThe arrival of several bands of AssiniboinsThe Crees, or KnistenauxThe Visits to the Camps of the IndiansTheir DepartureDeath of MatsokuiArrival of our Keel-boatPreparations for our Journey to Fort Mc Kenzie. Mr. Mc Kenzie had given us a comfortable lodging in his house, and we lived here very pleasantly, in a plain style, suitable to the resources of so remote a place; for we could not hope to meet with so good a table as we had had on board the steamer. We had, every day, fresh or dried buffalo flesh, bread made of flour, and also a good supply of coffee and wine. The first days passed rapidly in examining the fort and the immediate environs, while, on board the steamer, they began already, on the 25th, to unload and convey the provisions and goods to the fort, so that all was bustle and activity. Eight hundred packs of buffalo hides, each consisting of ten, were immediately embarked, amid a heavy fall of rain, which did much injury to these hides, which are tanned by the Indians. It was, therefore, necessary[Pg 12] to open every one of the packs, and dry them again. The furs in the interior of North America are free from a nuisance so common among us, I mean insects, especially moths, which are unknown on the Upper Missouri. Besides the buffalo hides, many beaver, bear, wolf, lynx, fox, and other skins were embarked. Of the wolf and lynx, sixty-two packs, each consisting of 100 skins. Some of the Indians were very troublesome while this was doing, continually asking and begging for various things, particularly tobacco, which they were too indolent to prepare, or to get from the forest for themselves. The tobacco which the Fur Company sells to them, to mix with their leaves or bark, is strong, clammy, and black, and is in twists, six or eight inches long. Most of the Indians now present looked wretchedly poor, and many of them had not even a pipe of their own. Several apartments in the fort were assigned to these visitors, where they cooked and slept. ......Buy Now (To Read More)

Product details

Ebook Number: 47392
Author: Wied, Maximilian
Release Date: Nov 18, 2014
Format: eBook
Language: English

Contributors

Editor: Thwaites, Reuben Gold, 1853-1913
Illustrator: Bodmer, Karl, 1809-1893
Translator: Lloyd, Hannibal Evans, 1771-1847