B. 239/a/52
Smith's inland journey 1763/64
York Factory post journal
Microfilm Real 1M157
Remarks of a Journey inland Commencing July 3, 1763 and ending June 16, 1764 by Joseph Smith - The journey began from York Factory, the main Hudson's Bay Company post on the coast of Hudson Bay.
July
3 We proceeded until night and lay at the 20 mile creek and the Indians drank
4 We tracked until noon and then we met 3 canoes of Indians and there they went drinking and drank We ate We lay at Ten Shilling Creek
5 it rained until about noon and then it cleared up then we tracked until night and lay at the head of the little sand island
6 We tracked all day fine Weather and about 9 we left Hayes River went up Steel River and got almost to Cockeanor river and We lay that night
fine clear day - We tracked about 2 hours and came to the Cockeanor river and then we left Isaac Batts and then about noon we left off tracking and paddled and got to a lake and there we lay that night
8 We paddled until about noon and then we came to a carrying place and it was about 2 miles long and then we passed falls and then we came to another carrying place it was about 2 miles later we passed falls until night
9 We paddled and had nothing but carrying places and falls and then we came to another river is I never went up before so We went--- We paddled and carried it four carrying places then we tracked for about 11 miles we came to a carrying place and then it rained as we put we Went south West wind West nothing to be gotten to eat neither fish nor ducks
11 Clear weather until noon and then rain there we set the net and caught 4 Jack and 5 pikes, perch(?) there we had something to eat and went to the south wind west north west
12 fine morning, paddled until noon there We met 3 canoes of Indians there they went to drinking the Indians we met drank We paddled a little way and from there We went south by west Lake all the day
13 We paddled and nothing but falls(or shoals?) and carrying places until night We Went south west the wind North west
14 We paddled nothing but carrying places and shoals there We lay by to see if We could not get anything to eat the men Went hunting and brought 2 loons than We paddled until night and lay at the mouth of the lake We went south by West wind northeast
15 We paddled over the lake and then We came to a river and there We had nothing but carrying places and shoals and then We came to a lake there We killed 4 geese then We put up for that day we went south by west wind the same as the day before
16 We paddled a little way and then it rained and blew hard at the South west as we Were forced to lay by for a little while then we came to a carrying place that was about 5 miles long we carried at that and there we lay that night
17 We paddled and went up a river and then it rained hard as we will were forced to lay by killed 3 ducks and one porcupine Went south west wind in the South West
18 We paddled over one lake and then came to a river as was shoals and one carrying place then We came to a lake and paddled over that and carried at 3 (5) carrying places and then put up for that day when South West wind West North West
19 We paddled up a river that was nothing but carrying places and falls then We came to a lake We paddled in it until night We Went South West the wind West We killed nothing the Indians almost starved with hunger
20 We paddled and then came to carrying places passed 4 carrying places and we came to a lake and in that lake we came to two tents of the half home guard and they had killed to Moose so we lay there.
21 We went along with these half on guard to ???? meat and there we dried it and there Were 3 canoes of the uplanders as well as along with them who Were forced to stay for hunger with them but who got almost all the moose when it was dry We paddled a little way Went south wind West
22 We paddled up a river as falls and 4 carrying places killed one black bear Went South by west wind up west put up that day
23 We passed falls and two carrying places and killed one more black bear and then We came to a lake and paddled until night went south west wind East
24 Went over one lake and then came to a river and paddled up it and then came to Lake we went over it and then put for that day went SW wind ESE
25 We crossed one lake and came to a river that was nothing but falls and 5 carrying places and then we crossed one more lake and put up for that day we went south by west wind South
26 We paddled over two lakes and carried at four carrying places and then We came to where 3 families were and there were but 6 men for the they were gone before then We Went to drinking and were all drunk but me went south West wind east southeast
27 We paddled a little way and it blew hard as we could not paddle there Were 2 tents of Indians and there they drank 2 gallons of brandy we went south by West wind West nothing to be got to eat
28 We paddled and went the same We paddled across one lake and then the men went hunting and killed nothing so We had nothing to eat but berries - there Were strawberries and raspberries plenty and cherries and nuts
29 We paddled a little way on the men went hunting and killed 1 moose We Went West wind North West
30 We paddled across one lake and then We came to 3 tents of Indians and they had killed 1 moose and two sturgeon and there Were plenty of young geese there they feasted and drank the last of their brandy We went west wind North West
31 We lay by for it blew hard as we could not paddle and there they feasted all day wind North West
August
1 We lay by for the gale was not over some of the men who went hunting could not come home there were plenty of bears of sorts there were cherries and raspberries and ???? the men killed nothing but one sturgeon
2 We lay by for the gale still large as we could not paddle so we had nothing to eat but berries at night thunder and rained hard and lightning continued almost all night
3 fine morning but blew not so hard as before so we paddled across one lake there are plenty of young geese but we could not kill any then We parted from 3 tents of Indians we went south West and they went south to ???? when the men went hunting but killed nothing so We had nothing to eat but berries
4 We paddled and we saw geese but we could not get any of them it blew still so we had nothing to eat but berries we Went the same and the wind the same 3 tents of Indians came to us then one man died who belonged to them still nothing but berries there I gave tobacco to smoke and knives and powder for they had not been at the factory
5 We lay by to see if we could not get any geese the men went hunting killed 1 moose and 1 deer and a good many geese wind West then they feasted off the meat that they brought home
6 We lay by and they went to ???? meat and there came four tents of Indians and I gave the same to them wind the same 7 We paddled and went west paddled across one lake and then we paddled up a river and there we staked the river across thinking to get Sturgeon but got none wind killed one swan wind northeast
8 We laid by but no sturgeon wind west one-man who went hunting killed 1 moose and there he made a feast of it all and that night ate it all
9 We laid by but no sturgeon as we had nothing that day wind east it blew fresh
10 We laid by but no sturgeon then there Were 3 of their slaves run away wind was the same
11 We paddled all day and the men went hunting but killed nothing but one young beaver there We parted from the Indians and then We were but 2 tents of us went South by West wind east
12 We paddled and went South West across one small lake and then went west killed nothing and at night one tent of Indians came that We had left behind and they had found the slaves and killed one of them
13 We paddled and killed one moose and one bear and there we parted from all the Indians by 4 tents We Went up Sturgeon River and they Went to ???? when We Went West and they Went south
14 We lay by to dress the skins wind East 3 canoes Went from us
15 We paddled and went west killed two Moose We had nothing but shoals but no carrying places
16 We lay by to dress the skins wind East
17 We paddled and went South west but did not go four in a day and killed one deer and 2 moose and then we had plenty of victuals
18 We paddled and one tent went away from us they Went West and We south West wind east southeast
19 We paddled and went South west falls but no carrying places plenty of berries of all sorts
20 We lay by it rained hard all day wind at northeast the Indians feasting on the victuals they had saved for that purpose.