"A Journey up the Saskachwan by Malcolm Rofs"

Cumberland House Journal Malcolm Ross
Jan. 13 1794
" Monday Wind S West a Middling breeze Overcast with Snow at Night. At 10 AM I set off for Nippeway accompanied by 3 Men Viz. Andrew Davey, James Park & Magnus Spence & two Indians Women, went till 3 PM & put up. Distance 13 Miles"

Jan 14
"Tuesday Wind Westerly a gentle breeze Clear & Cloudy Alternate, & sharp weather. set of at 8 AM & went till 3 PM & put up. Distance 16 Miles"

Jan 15
"Wednesday Wind WNWest a Strong Gale Clear fine weather. set of at 7 1/2 AM. saw some Indians at a 11 I gave them some Brandy & Received the Meat of 3 Beaver from them. set of again & went till 3 PM & put up. Distance 12 Miles."

Jan 16
" Thursday Wind variable Easterly Clear Mild Weather. set of at 7 1/2 AM & went till 3 3/4 & put up. Distance 17 Miles."

Jan 17
"Friday Wind N West a Middling breeze Cloudy Mild weather. saw two Indians Men going to the House with a few Furrs. I gave them some Ammunition & Tobacco & got About 20 lbs of half Dried provisions. we set of at 8 AM & went till 3 PM & put up at the place I wintered At last Year. Distance 17 Miles."

Jan 18
"Saturday Wind variable all round the Compafs, Clear fine Weather, set of at 7 1/2 AM & met 3 Indians Men & their famileys Piching for the House. I gave them a little Brandy & Traded a little fresh Moose Flesh & 7 Beaver in Furrs & set of again & went till 3/4 & put up. Distance 12 Miles"

Jan 19
" Sunday Wind Easterly A Stiff Gale Overcast Rimey Dark Weather. set of at 7 AM & put up at 4 PM. Distance 18 Miles."

Jan 20
"Monday Wind W N West a light breeze Cloudy Mild Weather. set of at 8 AM & got to the Canadians House at Noon. Where I found 3 Men from Your Honours Settlement the South Branch & a trifle of Trading Goods Which is not sufficient to keep us in provisions & trade no Furrs & no Powder or Brandy in the list of it which is the two Principal Articles"

Jan 21
" Tuesday Wind & Weather as Yesterday. I was kindly received by the Canadian Master a Young Man only one Year from England. a Mr Mack Loed . he was so kind as to send About 50 lb of fresh Moose flesh to my Tent we being in Need of it I was glad to Receive it. we had only 8 Days Provisions from Cumberland House, & those from the South Branch only had 5 Days & have been here 8 Days two men went back Again Yesterday a little before I Arrived."

Jan 22 1794
"Wednesday Wind Southerly a light breeze Clear Weather. I having no hunter sent me by Mr Bird Which was my Principal Request to have one sent. Without a Hunter or some way of procuring Provisions if I had all the Goods at York Factory here it should be of no Servise as we cannot Subsist without Provisions. the Canadian Master sent me Down some fresh Provisions again this Day, I Must be Obliged to him, At Present, as there is no Indians here or do I know Where to look for Any, if I had Goods fit for the Purpose, but having no brandy or Powder the only two Articles that is fit for getting Provisions"

Jan 23
"Thursday Wind s West a light breeze Clear Sharp Weather. Pitch the Tent over again & got firewood"

Jan 24
" Friday Wind & Weather as Yesterday. I fited out two men to send of to morrow to the South Branch house for the following Demands Viz. 16 Gallons of Brandy, 22 yards of Blue Corded Cloth & a Man Capable of Going out in Charge of Goods to Trade with the Indians At their Tents. Nothing is got Otherways here & also a hunter to be sent Down if pofsible"

Jan 25
" Saturday Wind Westerly a Gentle breeze Overcast & Mild. At 8 AM the men set of for the South Branch the Others Employed Getting firewood. I received 50 lbs of fresh Buffalo flesh from Mr Mack Loed & an Invitation to send to his Hunter to fetch Meat."

Jan 26 1794
" Sunday Wind variable Easterly a Gentle breeze Clear. I sent two Men of with the Canadians to fetch Meat"

Jan 27
" Monday Wind S West a Gentle breeze Clear & Sharp. the two Men at home got fire wood. I Observed Meradian Altitude of the Sun L L the Latitude 53-17-20"

Jan 28
" Tuesday Wind & Weather as Yesterday. Employed the same. I observed a Meridian Altitude of the Sun L L Latitude 53-17-25"

Jan 29
" Wednesday Wind Nor West a fresh breeze Cloudy Sharp Weather. At Night the two men Returned with the Meat, the most part of a Buffalo."

Jan 30
"Thursday Wind Northerly, a light breeze Mild Weather."

Jan 31
" Friday Wind s West a gentle breeze Cloudy Mild Weather Inclinable to Snow, people got fire wood."

Feb 1 1794
" Saturday Wind & Weather as Yesterday Employed the same"

Feb 2
" Sunday Wind N West a Heavy Gale Overcast with Snow"

Feb 3
" Monday Wind Northerly a Heavy Gale Clear & Sharp, the people cut fire wood Mr Mack Loed was so kind as to offer his Afsistance again in Supplying us with provisions, which I was very Glad to Embrace this Offer, as I have no Other Means of helping Myself, at present having not seen an Indian since I have been here, we should have been in Great Distrefs for want of a Hunter had it not been for the Young Gentleman Mr Mack Loed."

Feb 4
" Tuesday Wind Sotherly a Gentle breeze, Cloudy Mild Weather. sent of two Men with Mr Mack Loed men for Meat from his Hunter they will be four Days away for it"

Feb 5
" Wednesday Wind S West a Middling breeze Clear fine Weather. At noon 4 Men from the South Branch House arrived to fetch the Trifle of Goods sent here by Mr Bird as he could not Answer my Demmands & I am Obliged to Return to Cumberland House again. if I had Tradeing here & could have Subsisted from Provisions I whould have Undoubtly Collected some Furrs 5 Indian Men & their familys arrived this Day, the first I have seen since I have been here they seemed to be well Gooded, I haveing no Brandy, I got nothing from them."

Feb 6
" Thursday Wind variable All Round the Compafs light breezes, Clear fine Weather. the people Resting themselfs. the two Men I sent for Meat Returned Yesterday With them, as they heard I was to Return to Cumberland House. they did not go for the Meat."

Feb 7
"Friday Wind variableWesterly a light breeze Overcast with Snow all Day the people not able to proceed."

Feb 8
" Saturday Wind S West a gentle breeze Clear fine Weather. the people set of for the South at 9 AM, I made a brush hut and Stayed all Day."

Feb 9 1794
" Sunday Wind East a Stiff Gale Overcast with thick Snow all Day. Could not Proceed the weather being so very bad."

Feb 10
" Monday Wind Westerly a Stiff Gale With flying Clouds. we got Under Way at 10 AM to proceed for Cumberland House. After I Returned my Most Gratefull Thanks to Mr Mack Loed the Canadian Master, for his kindnefs to us in Supplying us with Provisions while here, went till 4 PM & put up."

Feb 11
" Tuesday Wind S East a Stiff Gale fine Clear Weather. set of at 9 AM & went till 4 PM & put up."

Feb 12
" Wednesday Wind Southerly a Stiff breeze Overcast with snow afternoon. we got Under Way at 7 AM & put up at 3 PM."

Feb 13
" Thursday Wind Northerly a Stiff Gale Clear Sharp Weather. got Under Way at 7 AM & went till 4 PM put up. saw some Indians got a little fresh Meat from them"

Feb 14
" Friday Wind variable Southerly light breezes fore part Clear Latter Part Cloudy. set off at 7 PM & went till 3 1/2 PM & put up"

Feb 15
"Saturday Wind s West a Middling breeze Clear & Cludy alternate. set off at 7 1/2 AM & went till 3 1/2 PM & put up as Usel"

Feb 16
" Sunday Wind Southerly a heavy Gale Overcast with Snow & Drift. we was Obliged to lay by all Day."

Feb 17
" Monday Wind Westerly a Stiff Gale Overcast with Snow & Drift at times. set off at 7 1/2 AM & went till 3 1/2 PM & put up"

Cumberland House Journal Malcolm Ross
Feb 18 1794
" Tuesday Wind N West a fresh Gale Clear & Sharp. set off at 7 1/2 AM & went till 3 1/2 got to Cumberland House where blefs God I found all well and in good Order"
1M39 B.49/a/25b

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