" A Sketch of the principal Transactions and Occurrences at Saskatchewan Factory and on a Voyage to and from York Factory by James Bird."

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July 28 1812
" Embarked from Oxford House with twenty seven Men in five small Boats laden with Trading Goods &c for Saskatchewan Factory"

Aug. 4 1812
" Pafsed Jack River House and encamped at the entrance of Lake Winnepeg."

Aug. 8
" Arrived at the Great Rapid."

Aug. 11
" Mr Henry the proprietor acting for the NWest Co. in the Saskatchewan arrived on the Carrying place. He informed me that War was declared against Great Britain by America on the 17th of June last, and gave me the perusal of the Presidents Proclamation on this Subject, and other Papers. - Mr Henrys Canoe is manned with ten Men and he is proceeding with all Expedition to overtake six Canoes which are eight Days before him, & bound for the Columbia."

Aug. 19
" Arrived at Cumberland House."

Aug. 31
" Arrived at Carlton House, found Mr Pruden and Men all very well, a small Stock of dry Provisions in the House but no Furs of consequence: Here are also a Man and a Boy from Paint Creek at which place they left Mr John Park and Men all very well, a few Days since."

Sept. 4 1812
" Left a proper Afsortment of Goods at Carlton house and resumed our Journey up the River."

Sept. 13
" Sent Mr McFarlane forward, on horseback, to Paint Creek to take an Inventory of the Goods remaining there and the Receipt of Provisions and Furs procured since our Departure last Spring."

Sept. 17
" Arrived without having met with any particular Occurrence in our Journey, at Paint Creek. - Here are as many Furs, principally Swans, as I could expect ? a tolerable Stock of dry Provision, and I have the Satisfaction to find that the Expenditure of Goods is very moderate."

Sept. 18
" Sent Mr McFarlane, and a Lad, on Horseback to go and take an Inventory of the Goods and Furs at the Factory."

Sept. 21
" Left a proper Afsortment of Goods at Paint Creek & renewed our Journey towards the Factory."

Sept. 26
" Arrived at the Factory, and found all very well. Very few Indians have visited this place in course of the Summer and consequently no Furs or Provisions of importance have been procured here, indeed the Situation of this Factory proves to be so inconvenient that I intend building a new One, in the Neighbourhood of Edmonton House."

Sept. 29
" Sent off five Men, in a Boat, with a small Afsortment of Goods, to Little White Earth House."

Oct. 2 1812
" Sent Mr McFarlane to Little White Earth House, to take an Account of the Summer Expenditure of Goods and Receipt of Furs &c at that place; also to sell the Summer Men their Winters supply of Goods &c."

Oct. 6
" Sent off two Men to begin felling Wood for a new Factory in the Neighbourhood of old Edmonton House."

Oct. 9
" Set out myself, on Horseback, to go & examine a Spot near Edmonton House, which is thought to be convenient for building on."

Oct. 10
" Arrived at the place proposed to build on; found here the Men who preceded me, the Situation quite satisfactory, and measured out the Ground for a New Factory."

Oct. 12
" Arrived at the Factory and found a few Blood Indians at the House, but they have brought nothing of consequence. - The plains are, and have been these several Days past, burning in a most dreadful Manner; Fires are raging in all Directions, and the Sun obscured with Smoke that covers the whole Country; and should the remarkable dry Weather which has now continued so long, not change very soon, the plains must be burnt to such an Extent as to preclude all Hopes of our getting a large Supply of dry Provisions, for which Appearances on our Arrival here, were very flattering."

Oct. 14
" Sent off two Men to go and prepare wood for a new Factory, and with him an Indian to kill Meat for them."

Oct. 15
" Mr McFarlane return'd from Little White Earth House the Summer ? Trade of which place is very small indeed: it appears that Swans have ceased entirely to resort to the Lakes in that Neighbourhood."

Oct. 16
" Several Indians arrived from the plains: they have brought very little, and are come principally to get small Supplies on credit."

Oct. 17
" Sent off two Men to fish at a Lake situated about fifty Miles from hence. I have been induced to resort to this Expedient, by the dreadful fires which have so long raged, without Interruption, thro' the plains, and a consequent dread of being unable to procure sufficient Meat to subsist on during Winter."

Oct. 27
" Sent two Lads to Paint Creek, at which place I expect the Letters from England must now soon arrive. I am particularly anxious to know the present Value of Wolves that I may be enabled, in time, to prevent, or encourage the killing of them."

Nov. 3 1812
" The River froze over."

Nov. 4
" The Lads I sent to Paint Creek returned, but without any news of the Fall Exprefs. The Fires on the plains have extended beyond Paint Creek downwards, and Southward to the South Branch River. Eleven Blackfeet have been consumed in the Flames near Paint Creek House; & all Hopes of Provisions at that place are gone."

Nov. 10
" A few Mifsouri Indians arrived, they appear to have brought very little, but I have the Satisfaction to learn from them that James Whiteway whom I sent to pafs the Summer with their Countrymen was well when they left their Tents, on the southern Banks of the South Branch River, from which, to this place they say there is not a Bull to be seen nor a bit of dry Ground unburned. - Sent another man to join the Men who are preparing Wood for building."

Nov. 22
" Mr Carswell and a Man, on Horseback arrived with the long expected Letters from England. - The great Demand there is on this Factory for dry Provisions gives me the utmost Concern, convinced, as I am, that it will be impofsible for us to fulfill it, or even to procure the Quantity we had last Year; no Trouble on our part, nor any reasonable Expence, shall be, however, spared to procure all we can. Wolves can not now be considered an Article of Trade, & this Circumstance will unavoidably create no trifling Discontent among the Indians of the plains (or, as they are generally called here, the Slave Tribes) who have been accustomed to Supplies from us, whose Country affords nothing of value that they can bring us as a Substitute for Wolves, & who will regard us as Friends no longer than we are useful to them. Nor is this all, for, if no Profit can be made on Wolves, this River cannot afford so large an Establishment as it has at present, and it has always been thought that Settlements in this River require Men sufficient to defend them, or that otherwise they could not remain long unplundered."

Nov. 24
" Sent Mr McFarlane down to Paint Creek to afsist Mr John Park whom I have continued in charge of that Settlement. By Mr McFarlane I have written to Mefs Pruden & Park informing them of the present Value of the different sorts of Furs and the great quantity of Provisions required of us. I have urged them to make use of every means in their Power to obtain a large Supply of the latter, to send word to all the Indians accustomed to make Provisions & to offer them a greater price than they have been accustomed to receive; I am afraid however that all our my Efforts will be ? & that instead of being able to furnish us with Provisions, that? the Indians will have difficulty in supporting their own Families."

Nov. 26
" Sent three Men to fetch part of 1500 Tickameg that the Men I sent to fish have caught. - Sent two Men to Little White Earth House with? Letters to Mr Wm Flett informing him of the present Value of Furs &c, and desiring him to get as many Boats as pofsible made."

Dec. 6? 1812
" The two Men I sent to Little White Earth House returned and with them arrived James Whiteway who has pafsed the Summer with the Mifsouri Indians. These Men inform me that the Indians of the plains have, by the directions of a Canadian Freeman, found their way to the above small Settlement, at which there are few Men, which is unsurrounded with Stockades and of course quite unfit for Defence. From the Mifsouri Indians we hope there is not much to apprehend, but the Fall Indians have of late circulated so many Threats, and behaved, at the Houses, in so suspicious a Manner as to make us apprehensive that they will have no hesitation in plundering a Settlement incapable of Defence, if a great number of them should go to it.
James Whiteway acquired no Information of consequence by his Summer abode on the Mifsouri, the Indians resided there all the Summer in hopes of cutting off some Americans who they expected would ascend that River, but they saw none; and we have heard from the Columbia that the Americans, taught by frequent Disasters left the Mifsouri & took their Route by Land to the Columbia where about forty Men had safely arrived."

Dec. 8?
" Sent off James Whiteway and two more Men to strengthen Wm Flett at the Little White Earth House, and by them a few pieces of Trading Goods required there. - I have desired Wm Flett to be constantly on his guard, & if he hears intelligence of a large Band of Fall Indians being on their way to his House, to join the Canadians, and, ? the Indians remain, to occupy one House, which, together they may be able to defend."

Dec. 13
" Sent off two more Men to strengthen Wm Flett at the Little White Earth House, and by them I have sent him particular Directions how to trade Wolves, and other Furs of small Value."

Dec. 15
" A few thick Wood Indians arrived; starvation, owing to very calm? Weather, drove them to the House: they have made most wretched Hunts; the best of them have killed no more than six or eight Martins Pr? Man and several of them nothing at all."

Dec. 27
" A few Blood Indian young Men arrived; they are sent by their Chiefs, with a few Musquashes to purchase a small supply of Tobacco. These young Men slept twenty Nights on their way to the House and saw not a Buffalo by the Road; they say, as we have heard before, that the plains are burnt from this place to the South Branch River, and that their Countrymen are so far off that we may not expect to see many of them till the Snow is quite melted away."

Dec. 28
" The Indians of yesterday went away: I desired them to inform all the Indians of the plains that we will take no wolves, but to desire them all to kill Kits & Musquashes and to bring as much Provisions as they can."

Dec. 29
" Received Letters by Servants of the NWC from Carlton House and Paint Creek. - Mr Pruden lays under the same discouraging prospects as ourselves with regard to Trade and Provisions, but more particularly the latter. The plains in that quarter are, he says, burnt, also, to a most destructive Extent, his Indians complain of being barely able to find wandering Bulls sufficient to subsist their Families, and he has not procured 300 lb of dry Provisions since we left him. It is now therefore impofsible for us to obtain by any Means any considerable Quantity of Pimecan. We may urge the Indians to make Provisions, &, to encourage them, promise extraordinary Payment, but, till they can with ease procure more than their own Wants require, all will be to no purpose. I know the Necefsity there is for our procuring Provisions and had I the slightest prospect of being able to obtain a supply, neither Trouble nor necefsary Expence should be spared, but this Year it will be impofsible to procure even the usual quantity.
Two Indians arrived from the plains; they have killed no Furs and made no Provisions."

Feb. 7 1813
" Received Letters from Little White Earth House. It appears that a small Band of Blood and Fall Indians have been there which brought 10 Beavers and 600 Musquashes but not an Ounce of Provisions of any kind: they slept twenty five Nights on their way to the House & found the Road so bad that there is no Reason to think more of them will visit that place, but that all will go to the New Factory, when the Snow is melted. - The Crees of Little White Earth House have made poorer Hunts than those of this place even."

Feb. 8
" A free Canadian, his Son and Son in law arrived: they left Little White Earth House in October last, since which time they have killed together, no more than eleven beaver and seven Martins, altho' they have travelled over a great extent of Country in search of Beaver, and are good Hunters."

Feb. 11
" The Freemen above went off towards Red Deer Lake."

Feb. 22
" Two free Canadians who have pafsed the Winter near Red Deer Lake arrived. These also have made very poor Hunts in Beaver, and, like all others, complain of being unable to find any."

Feb. 26
" The Freeman traded and went away. They brought thirty Beavers of sizes two hundred and seventy Martins six Otters and a few Musquashes."

Feb. 27
" A young Cree Indian arrived from the Northward: he brings Intelligence of all our Indians in that Quarter who, I am exceedingly sorry to hear, have made most wretched Hunts. He says that they could find no Beaver, and that they have been continually so pinched? for want of Meat as to be unable to afford bait for Martin Traps."

Feb. 28
" Two Indians arrived from the Beaver Hill for Men to fetch their Furs."

Mar. 2 1813
" Sent two Men with the two Indians above."

Mar. 6
" The Men above arrived; they have brought 70 Beavers 4 Otters and a few Martins and Musquashes, the Hunts of six Men and as Circumstances now are we must consider them as having done pretty well."

Mar. 8
" A few Crees arrived from the Northward and who have brought sixteen Beavers one Otter and seventy four Martins."

Mar. 31
" A Goose was seen to Day."

Apr. 9 1813
" A Man arrived from the New Factory to inform me that several Slave Indians had arrived there & that all might be expected to visit that place about the beginning of next Month."

Apr. 11
" Sent the Man of the 9th inst back to New Building. By him I have written to Mr Wm Flett to leave Little White Earth House, &, with the principal part of his Men to come down to the New Factory and endeavor to get up the Stockadoes before the Indians of the Plains arrive there."

Apr. 16
" A few Blackfeet arrived traded and went away: They brought 1 Beaver, 6 Musquashes, 6 Buffalo Robes, and 50 lbs of wretched dry Meat, made from the Limbs of poor old Bulls. These Indians give the same Account, we have so uniformly received of the extreme scarcity of Buffalo and general starvation among the Indians of the Plains, and what they have brought us sufficiently confirms the truth of their Report."

Apr. 20
" Mr McFarlane arrived from Paint Creek at which place nothing of consequence has lately occurred: all the Pimecan made there amounts to no more than 3200 lbs of which, not twenty pounds has been procured since September. - Several of our Indians arrived from the Woods: they have made very poor spring Hunts and now nothing further is to be expected from them so that this Season will inevitably prove even lefs productive than the last."

Apr. 22
" Sent Mr McFarlane up to the New Factory to inspect and manage Affairs at that place. - Ten Horses, the property of Indians tenting at the House were stolen in course of last night."

Apr. 28
" Two Sufsew Indian young Men arrived: these say that, the Horses above, were stolen by a party of Blood Indians that pafsed their Tents a few Days ago, and that the Blood Indians, and Blackfeet are determined to steal Every Horse belonging to white Men, in Revenge for the death of their Relations, fifty of whom have been killed by the Flat Heads, since last Summer. White Men they say, by supplying the Flat Heads with fire Arms, are the principal cause of their great Lofs."

Apr. 30
" Two Men arrived from the New Factory: They are sent for a few Articles of trading goods required there as it appears that most of the Indians of the plains intend going there to trade; fortunately the Stockadoes are all erected there and a House built to receive the Indians in.
The River Ice cleared away."

May 5 1813
" Three Men in a large Boat arrived from the Little White Earth House & new Factory: They have brought the Returns? of the former place which, I am sorry to say, is much lefs than those of any former Year; a large Band of Mifsouri Indians (all we have to expect before the Embarkation) had arrived at New Factory, but these likewise brought very few Furs to trade and no provisions whatever - we desired them to kill no Wolves, and they have killed but few without endeavoring to procure anything as a substitute for them. These Indians confefsed their having killed, on the borders of the Rocky Mountain, a free Canadian and two Iroquois, and declared that they are determined to kill every white Man they may find west of the Rocky Mountain, or on his way thither."

May 6
" Sent away five Men in a Boat laden with Goods, the Remains of this place, to New Factory."

May 14
" The Men above returned. No Indians of consequence have been at the New Factory since the last Accounts: Mr Wm Flett and party from Little White Earth House had arrived there. - Last night several Indians, supposed to be Horse Stealers, were perceived round the House who on finding themselves discovered retired to the thick Willows which are near the Stockadoes; their Numbers, or to what Tribe they belong, we are unable to discover."

May 15
" Three Men arrived from Paint Creek, at which place a large Band of Fall Indians had been to trade which brought nine Beavers 300 Kits, 130 Buffalo Robes and a very few Musquashes, but not an ounce of Fat or good split Meat. - Men sat on guard all last night without perceiving anything more of the Villains who had infested? us the preceeding Night."

May 17
" Sent off seven Men in a large Boat, with all the Remains of Goods &c to the New Factory."

May 18
" Set off on Horseback for the New Factory."

May 19
" Arrived at the New Factory where I had the Satisfaction to find every thing in very good Order and the Building as forwarded as I could pofsibly expect."

May 20
" Settled Men to pafs the Summer at New Factory left Wm Flett in charge and embarked for the old Factory."

May 21
" Arrived at the Old Factory."

May 24
" Sent three Men in a small Boat up to the new Factory with the final Remains of Goods, abandoned the Old Factory and embarked for Paint Creek."

May 25
" Arrived at Paint Creek. Nothing of any consequence has occurred here lately, neither Provisions or Furs have received any Augmentation & the Trade is of course more poor than could have been expected."

May 26
" Embarked for Carlton House. Mr McFarlane I have left in charge of Paint Creek: He has orders to use every Means in his power to procure a small Stock of dry Provisions and send a Boat down with it to Cumberland House, to arrive there from the eight to the tenth of August. It will be too late for this Provision to be taken to York Factory, but I hope it will be at Jack River in time to be of considerable benefit to the people who are expected to come inland in the Fall."

May 30
" Arrived at Carlton House & I had the pleasure to find Mr Pruden well. I have already said so much on the Trade of this place that little can be added at present. Mr Pruden has done every thing in his Power to procure Pimecan, but it was impofsible that he could succeed to any great Extent, this Season.
Mr Pruden complains to me of the very ill Behaviour of John Howrie? & Murdoch Rosie? who refused to perform their Duty to the reasonable Extent he desired them. - I sent for and examined these Men before Mr Pruden and as they were unable to afsign any satisfactory Reason for the non fulfillment of their duty I fined them in the Sum of forty Shillings each and informed them that they were fined accordingly, telling them also that if they presumed again to disregard the Orders Mr Pruden might think proper to give them they would be fined in a much more considerable Sum and dismifsed the Service."

June 2 1813
" Embarked with thirty three Men in eight Boats carrying the Furs & Provisions procured in the Saskatchewan Department, for York Factory."

June 9
" Arrived with every thing in good Condition at Jack River where I had the pleasure to meet Mr Auld."

" Copy of Letters received at Jack River from Miles McDonnell Esq. dated Fort Dair 12th Feb. 1813
Dear Sir
I wrote you from here on 17th January & sent that letter with others to Brandon House to be forwarded by an Exprefs from there. Mr Fidler since informs me that Indians would not be had to go with the Exprefs your length. - The purpose of my letter was to request of you to get as much Pimecan as pofsible with about 200 lb Fat for the use of the Colony - & also 2 or 300 Drefsed Moose skins all of which I wished to have left for me at Jack River House, in charge of Mr Sinclair or other Gentlemen there. - This will serve to give you an idea of our wants, & will save you the trouble of bringing such articles farther down the Water - we are good pay? - Your attention to the above will oblige
Dear Sir
Your most Obt.
& very Humble Servant
Miles Macdonell."


1M49 B.60/a/11

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