A Journey by James Sutherland from Osnaburgh House to Brandon House.

Brandon House Journal
"By Mr. J. Sutherland commencing from Osnaburgh"

Aug. 1 1796
" left Osnaburgh House this morning at 8 oclock AM with 21 men self and Jn Sutherland and 4 Battaux"...

Aug. 10 1796
" as we are now entering the country where we may every hour expect to meet with very bad Indians shall mount our Six Musquetoons and load our Musquets to be ready to act in our own defence if atacted, for I am sorry to say that a Spirit of Roberry murder and plunder has got among the Indians owing to such numbers of Traders comming among them. Shall use all well however who behaves well."
1M17 B.22/a/4

Aug. 19 1796
" fine weather, put up rather to soon I wanted the people to work to take advantage of the good weather for which reason they got 3 pints of grog per man. they will only work however as they please. what a hairey crew these Red River men are."

Aug. 24 1796
" carried over one carrying place & got the boat down by water, carried and launched over two more very bad ones indeed called the Silver falls from some quick silver being spilt here by former travelers some of which is still to be seen."

Aug. 25
..." arrived at Point U Futer? alias Point Pometigan at 12 oclock, and to my great disapointment found that out of 10 bags of Pometigan left here last spring by Mr. Goodwin on purpose to carry the men to Brandon House, 4 had been taken by Mr. Best 2 lent to Canadians 3 eaten by the men there and I had only 1 to receive to carry me to Brandon House"...

Aug. 30
..." self in company with Mr. John Sutherland travel'd by land through beautifull and extensive plains the grafs in many places striking our middle in other places short but thick"...

Aug. 31 1796
..." Self etc. traveld all day through beautifull plains which only wants the hand of industry to make this one of the finest countries in the Universe no clearing of ground wanted but the Plow to till and the Scyth to cut the finest Hay; the woods along the River is still large and thick, but no Pine Sticks to be seen, sleept below the Bank in a Bay, the very earth alive here with Snakes & frogs."
1M17 B.22/a/4

Sept. 3 1796
" the working as before as the places in this River is not generaly known, cannot say at what place we put up at and our distance very doubtfull"

Sept. 5
" sent two men through the plains to look for Buffalo as we will be short of Provisions but they returned in the evening without seeing anything. put up about 10 miles below Portage de prarie, for 5 days past I have not seen as much stone as would whit my knife, only mud & sand"

Sept. 6 1796
" setting and leading all day, past Portage de Prarie, here are 6 Canadian and Englis houses a Jn Linklater winter'd here 2 years also; wretched habitation indeed"...

Sept. 9
" rainy weather all day; men leading the Boats almost all day, people discontented and unhappy on such a long and tedious Journey, Self so wet I cannot write this journal as being obliged to put up in the face of a steep muddy bank as here we can get scarce much wood as make a fire and dry our wet cloaths."

Sept. 10 1796
" Cloudy weather, traveling the same as yesterday, dried all our baggage at noon; put up at the Half way bank from which I am told a path leads to Fort du Pinet, Self, Jn Sutherland and Rob Gun purpose to take that road and to proceed to Brandon house on purpose to send down Provisions owing to our disapointment at Point U Futer? and also Mr. Goodwins 3 bags of Pometigan half of which was unfit for use"

Sept. 11 1796
" Left the Boats and men this morning at 7 oclock. Mr. Jn Sutherland and Rob Gun in Company Travel'd through small shrubs and plains about noon we past a few diminutive Pines rare to be seen in this Country, sleept under the Canopy of Heaven with a Blanket each and a few willows for firewood beside a small lake on account of water so rare to be got"

Sept. 12
"arrived at Fort Pinet at 12 oclock"..." This has been a capital place formerly with two tiers of Palisades within 6 feet of each other with Bastions and propper places made for defence if atacked by an enemy but has now gone to decay ever since Mr. Makay settled Brandon House and which I am told stood 28 years being the principal residence of Mr. Robert Grant"

Sept. 13 1796 James Sutherland
" Left Fort du Pinet this morning at 7 oclcock was met by Loutit with two Horses halfway"..." arrived at Brandon House a little before 2 oclock"..." Here ends my Journey from Osnaburgh being exactly 44 day."
1M17 B.22/a/4

Home