Journal Thomsons River December 1841
[Journal kept by Chief Trader John Tod]
Wednesday 1
Clear sharp weather_
Thursday 2
Cloudy. Indians arrive with thirty M.B. chiefly martens which they traded for blankets, cloth &~,
Friday 3
SnoWednesday the whole day_ The Ind.ns of Yesterday remain at the Fort smoking
Saturday 4
Snow again_ Sent the men squaring another weeks rations. M. Ogden off hunting.
Sunday 5
M.r Cameron & people arrived from Alexandria yesterday with 6000 Salmon from that Post_
Monday 6
Weather mild_ making preparation for Sending a supply of about two thousand Salmon to Okanagan. Men continue squaring wood & chopping fuel
Tuesday 7
Weather mild. Indians came in with a few small furs which they traded for Tobacco & am.n
Wednesday 8
Clear & sharp_ This morning M.r Cameron & five men & horses started for Okanagan with 2000 salmon _ one of the men Doullette is to remain at that Post with LaPrade and the others are to return here with M.r Cameron taking Colvile on their way for the purpose of obtaining from them a supply of large axes
Thursday 9
Weather mild. E. Moungtinie directed to look after the horses Martins and Bellain both unwell Ignace keeps the fires going_
Friday 10
A good deal of ice floating down the river_ Work the Same as before.
Saturday 11
Snow_
Sunday 12
Cloudy with a gentle thaw_ wind South
Monday 13
The people resumed work the same as last week_ Two Indians arrived from some distance up Thomsons River with 1 otter & 6 martens. Martins & Bellard having recovered their health joined the others chopping fuel.
Tuesday 14
Nothing worth mentioning_
Wednesday 15
Clear & comparatively mild. Snow thawing at midday.
Thursday 16
Sharp frost during the night_ one of the men McKay came from the wood Tent where the men are
at work squaring, with his ax broken complains much of the miserable state of their axes, being quite worn out & very unfit for the purpose of Squaring_ It is worthy of remark that knowing the ruinous and delapsed state of the buildings here as M.r C.F. Ogden must have done, he should have supplied the place with no more than two large axes, and in the whole complement of men he left here scarcely an individual amongst them could helve an axe_
Friday 17
Clear & sharp. McKay was sent off again this morning with a half sized ax, there being no other.
Saturday 18
Snow_ nothing worthy of remark_
Sunday 19
Cloudy_ The Snow lays now about four inches deep on the ground_
Monday 20
M.r Manson & I paid a visit to the men Squaring timber. Considering the state of their axes they are proceeding with their work tolerably well. The distance from here we computed to be about twenty miles_
Tuesday 21
Snow_ Men at the Fort occupied bringing home fuel in a Canoe
Wednesday 22
Again Snow_ Indians from the South branch came in with a few furs which they traded for tobacco & ammu.n
Thursday 23
dark but mild weather_ Two men cutting cord wood. one man with an Indian bringing fuel to the Fort
Friday 24
The Indians from the South branch of Wednesday .y set off this morning to return to their families, promising to employ their time hunting martens
Saturday 25
Give to the men for their Christmass each 1 q.t Flour, 1 q.t Corn, 3 lbs fresh meat (horse), 1 lbs grease & 1 P.t wine.
Sunday 26
all quiet_
Monday 27
Snow_ the men resume work as before_ Seven up the north branch Squaring timber for building a new Fort_ three empd here. collecting & cutting fuel_
Tuesday 28
Snow again_ Work the same_
Wednesday 29
Hot sunshine_ The Snow dropping in water from the roofs of the houses. Work the same
Thursday 30
Overcast with a light fall of Snow on the after part of the day_ In the evening Lefleure arrived from Okanagan having left J. B. Leonard & La Prad Son with most of his horses a short distance from this, by Lefleure a note was received from M.r Cameron of the 19th. Ins.t complaining much of the difficulties he had to encounter from the quantity of snow which had fallen in that direction & also between Okanagan & Colvile_ Requests that a man with fresh horses be sent to
meet him on the return from the latter
Friday 31
Light fall Snow_ Sent Lefleure up to the men squaring with their weeks rations. making an extra allowance for tomorrow. the same as on Christmass.
Thompson River Post
Table of Contents
|
