These are some recent (2012) things I've found.

The Soup-O-Matic.

From Hudson's Bay House London
to William Tomison, John Ballenden & Council at York Factory.
May 31 1799
..."We have sent you and our other Factories & their Dependant Settlements a Pot or Kettle call'd a Digester both simple in its construction & in its use but of the utmost Utility.-Scarcly will there be a Family here Rich or Poor but will soon be in pofsefsion of one. They are calculated entirely for making Soup as you will perceive by the printed Instructions which accompany each other. It is needlefs to dwell on its usefulnefs, common sense will immediately point it out to eveyone who see it and we trust you will not fail to Make constant use of it. The Digesters After first boiling are to be put on a slow Fire or in the Oven & there to simmer for any length of time which may be thought Necefsary. Cakes of this Portable Soup when cold make be taken Inland, but it should be diluted with water discretionally before eaten."...
Reel 1M258 B.239/b/78


The "Steam Digester" or "Bone Digester" was a forerunner of pressure cookers. Apparently it forces fat from bones and I guess that is what they were supposed to make the soup with. I wonder what the HBC men thought of it. Their reply was polite enough.

Excerpt from the General Letter to HBC House London From Wm. Tomison and Council at York Sept 1799
"We thank your Honours for the Digesters the utmost care shall be taken of them, some are already gone Inland where they must be of the greatest Utility."

..."The Crystalized Lemon Juice we return your Honours thanks for."

" The Flour sent us last Year turned out very bad Often creating much discontent Among the Men - Having not Biscuits to give the Natives as usual a great expenditure of this invaluable Article is unavoidably attached to this Years Account-"

Same letter

"Mr. George Sutherland's Son John returns [to England] by Your Honours Order and Mr. Rofs's Son George [also returns]"..." as does also Mr. Donald McKay to the great satisfaction of every person at York."
1M258 B.239/b/79

General Letter Sept. 1800 No signatures
"Henry Linklater & James Budge belonging to the Severn Brig having shewn signs of a Mutinous disposition are sent Home.:...
1M258 B.239/b/79

A letter to Thomas Topping at Churchill from Wm Cook at York and sent by Hookemowkeshick
Sept. 24 1809
"Dear Sir
Knowing how necefsary it is to check the wandering dispositon of the Indians & to discourage a practise which has too long been suffered to violate the Obligations of Friendships & subvert the best Interests of our employers I send the bearer and his Family to you & he returns with the fullest afsurance that he must not on any pretense whatsoever think of returning to this place again.- They are fitted out with such necefsaries as are indispensable to the Indian Life & I have not forgot to administer some salutary admonitions on the necefsity of Honesty & fair dealing. These have been given & I hope have the desired Effect."...

Hookemowkeshick
1st Son
2nd Son
3rd Son
Wethewicappo
Shewacoochin
Keshicowethin
Iammehogan
Thomas Isham's Son

Next week:

A letter to Thomas Topping at Churchill from Wm Cook at York and sent by Keshicowethin
Sept.30 1809
"My Dear Sir
"I wrote you a letter by Hookemowkeshick of the 24th of Sept. wherein I noticed a Debt"...
He had sent a bill and found a bit more.

From Mr. Topping at Churchill to Wm. Cook at York
Dec. 10 1809
"My Dear Sir
"Wethewacappo came here last night by whom I received your Letter dated 30th Sept.. I have neither seen nor heard any thing of Hugemowkeshick or any of his Family this Winter of course your letter of the 24th Sept is not yetcome to hand."..."and flatter myself their rambling from one place to another is now quite over."...
Reel 1M258 B.239/b/80

From another letter dated Mar. 27 1798 J. Colen says Hookemowkeshicks first son is called Queskako Ethinue and his second son is called Pushako Ethinue.
HBCA number coming


Nelson Encampment April 17 1812
"Catabithitan & 2 young Indians from Steel River brought us a few deers heads"..."This old fellow and his family have 45 Bear Skins"...
Miles MacDonell
1M258 B.239/b/82


Pembina Dec. 5 1812
Miles MacDonell
"Tupootum goes down with the exprefs. I found him coming up as useful as any ordinary man"...
1M258 B.239/b/83


From John Hodgson at Albany
April 8 1806
"P.S. We lost Mr. Robert Goodwin last Summer who died of the Gout on his Journey down from Onasburgh. also three men drown'd coming down from Henley in a canoe soon after the Ice broke in the Spring. Their names were Geo. Holt, Don'd Flaur? and Tho. Sinclair"
1M258 B.239/b/76


From John Mannall at Moose River
Mar. 14 1808
..."our Surgeon Mr. Robins is no more he was taken ill on Tuesday 13th October and died Sunday following"...
1M258 B.239/b/75


To Wm Sinclair at Oxford House from John McNab at Steel river
June 29 1808
" I was sorry to hear of the lofs of two fine lads on Island Lake (Wm Morrick Jn Norquey) James Halcro tells me he found their bodies and that they were decently interr'd"...
1M258 B.239/b/75

I won't put up any more entries of deaths like those three. Too common.

To HBC House London from Joseph Colen and council At York Factory
Sept. 16 1795
" The Natives are an artful race of People and are never at a lofs for invention where their own Interest is concerned."...
1M258 B.239/b/79


I think Peter Fidler had some respect.

From James Sutherland at Cumberland House
Jan. 15 1807
"Sir
"By the arrival of the fall canoes I was favoured with your letter of last fall. Your Order respecting Mr. Fidler is Complied with and I feel a particular satisfaction in being guided by his well directed Conduct and whatever he may point out shall be performed with pleasure on my part."..
1M258 B.239/b/74

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