" Letters Between York Fort and the Other Factorys 1775"
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"From Mr Ferdinand Jacobs to Mr Andrew Graham
York Fort September the 1st 1774
Good Sir
Yours of the 20th Ult. I received the 27th which gave us great Pleasure to hear of the safe arrival of Capt. Christopher. Capt. Fowler received his dispatches from me the 27th Ult. but could not go a board till the 30th when it blow'd hard at NE which prevented his Sailing. I hope Capt. Christopher will be sailed before this Comes to hand, whom with the Company's other Ships I sincerely wish a good pafsage and safe Arrival at London. There have been 56 Canoes of Pedlers amongst the several Tribes of York Fort Indians part of whom have Come so nigh York Fort as where the Bungee Tribes winters. two Canoes of the Pedlers winter'd with them & Traded all their Goods.
It was well you did not send the brigg as there is but a poor prospect of a Venison Season, there being no Deer about and you know there can not be much Expected from the fall Goose Season. I remain Good Sir
Your most obedient
Humble Servant
Ferdinand Jacobs
PS As soon as Port Nelson River is frose over I will send to Enquire after all your healths. Our Compliments waits on you & the Gentlemen of your Mefs."


" From Mr Andrew Graham to Mr Ferdinand Jacobs
Prince Wales's Fort Aug. the 28th 1774
Good Sir
I received your kind favour, pleased to hear Capt. Fowler in the King George arrived safe Capt. Christopher in the Sea Horse Arrived the same day at 9 OClock in the Morning all well; He sailed this morning and is now becalmed in the offing, distance five Leagues. Mr Wills is gone home on his private Businefs. Mr Thomas Seacole fills up the Vacancy. I am sorry York Fort Trade is gone. I heard the Pedlers were among your Bungee natives. the Northern Indians, our Goose hunters were among the north River Indians and received furrs from them that I must acknowledge. I received a Letter from Joseph Frobisher, Lewis Primo's Master. I sent him an answer with a few Medicines and 12 lbs Sugar. I wish Mefs Hearne & Cocking may have succefs but without Large Canoes nothing ever will or can be done. The Company's affairs are in a bad Situation and If it were not for the Northern Indians this place would not be so good as Severn. I shall be glad to hear from you about Christmafs I sincerely wish you health with Peace and Plenty and Desire to remain Good Sir
Your Obliged & obedient Servant
Andrew Graham"


" From Mr Ferdinand Jacobs to Mr Andrew Graham
York Fort the 27th Dec. 1774
Good Sir
I have according to promise in my last Letter, sent three Indians to Enquire after your good health & those under your Command a blefsing we all Except myself Injoy. The Bearers brings to you your wearing apparel which I received from Mr Falconer. I had the Pleasure of an opportunity to send in September Last Considerable Supply of Trading Goods to Mr Hearne by 6 Canoes of trading Indians and one Canoe of home Indians. One the above Trading Indians was the very man whom Mr Hearne proceeded with inland, says he left them with Mr Hearne all well. Notwithstanding what I mentioned in my last of there being but a poor Prospect of the Venison & Goose Season. they far Exceeded my Expectation having Salted above 30 Casks of Geese and Venison; & the Partridges are not so Scarce as last year. We get two Days a week besides what was gave away for the Holydays but we are obliged to Shoot them; I expect to get them with the Netts when there is more Snow on the Ground at present they get Gravel every where . The weather for three weeks past have been very Sharp and Cold. We have got 16 Coloured Foxes & 10 white foxes at the Traps and Guns in the Neighbourhood of the Factory. But have had no news from any Indians since Last September. I wish you better succefs and am with respect your most
Obedient Humble Servant
Ferdinand Jacobs.
PS Myself & officers Joins in our best wishes & Compliments of the Season to you & the Gentlemen of your Mefs. Please to dispatch the bearers back as Soon as Pofsible on whose return I will send to Severn."


" From Mr Andrew Graham To Mr Ferdinand Jacobs
Prince Wales's Fort 9th Jan. 1775
Good Sir
Your favour came safe to hand in due time for which I return thanks also for sending my necefsary's. I heartily wish Mr Hearne Succefs I hope he will be capable to procure large Canoes; for without them a quantity of Goods will never be got up sufficient to put a Stop to the Interlopers. I received 1000 Geese in the fall. the Northern Indians brought above 10,000 lbs of Venison in November and Partridges are middling Plenty all which have blotted out the words Short Allowance, a good Goose season next Spring will give us a good Stock. I am sorry to hear you are out of order sincerely wish you better. We all enjoy health, peace and Plenty, the Surgeon excepted, who hath been laid by these three weeks past with a Violent disorder in his head. - I had 6 Canoes down in the fall for debt they brought a few Beaver which with the northern Natives make my Total of made Beaver nigh 4000 Trappings Home and a broad about Forty Foxes and two Wolves - We had a long fall our River was not froze over abreast of Muskito point till the 7th December since which time the Weather hath been Very Sharp and on Friday last it blowed a perfect Hurricane, filled our yard with Snow and blowed down the Great Beacon. I shall erect a new one before the 10th of August next. the third Instant I sent 38 men to the following departments Viz. Four to the North River, three to the Brushy Islands and five to Butlers Creek to Net Partridges, Three to Saw Timber into Plank. Nineteen at the Goose Ridge hawling firewood and Four with the two Horses hawling firewood from behind the Hay mash? Our Compliment at Home is Fifteen; in all Fifty Three Men and I must say in Justice say they are all very Sober good Servants. I hope you will excuse this long Letter, for I know you will be pleased with hearing how we go on. I conclude wishing you a full reestablishment of health &c. And am with due respect
Your most Obedient
& Oblig'd Humble Servant
Andrew Graham
PS My self and Officers Joins in our best wishes & Compliments of the Season to You and the Gentlemen of your Mefs. as the Company has been so kind as to promise to provide for John Ballenden and had order'd him down to Severn, He being desireous to serve under you at York Fort. Shall take it kind if you will permit me to send him in the Summer."


" A coppy of the General Letter was sent to Mr William Falconer, Mr Tho. Hutchins & Mr Eusebious Bacchus Kitchen
York Fort January the 24th 1775
Good Sirs
Having received the agreeable news of our friends at Prince Waleses Fort being well and in Great Plenty. it gives me great Pleasure to Inform you of so a greeable Circumstance attending them and I dare say you will be pleased to hear we are in the same a greeable Situation except my self. I am in hopes that a great Stop will be put to the Incroachments of the Pedlars, by our men inland, whom I had an Opportunity to supply with a Considerable quantity of trading Goods Last September. I have not heard from them since, but I expect to hear very Early in the Summer, how they go on by an Indian Captain who promised me he would see them this Winter and bring me an Account very soon next Summer by which I hope to be able to provide for them such trading Goods and other Necefsaries as will be most agreeable to the Natives and Usefull to themselves. We have had a very Cold winter. Partridges is not Scarce but we can not get them with the Netts, there is so little Snow on the Ground There is nothing else Material has Occur'd since my Last. therefore Conclude with my best wishes for the Prosperity of the Companies affairs and recovery of their Trade, under your Prudent Care.
I remain your most
Obedient Servant
Ferdinand Jacobs
PS Our best wishes Attends the Gentlemen of your Mefs."


" From Mr William Falconer to Mr Ferdinand Jacobs
Severn House Febuary 5th 1775
Dear Sir
Your two Indians arrived here on the 3rd instant with yours and Churchill Letters. I am sorry you cannot include yourself in so agreeable Situation as those under your command. Health Peace and Plenty attend all of us at present thank God. I was troubled with a very alarming disorder soon after I left you in my head and eyes from which I have for two months Past been happily delivered. Our Pafsage here was both Short and Pleasant. Had upwards of 2000 Geese killed in Autumn. other sorts of food have since been Plenty. In Jan. our Nets caught 600 Partridges but at present we are obliged to Shoot them in the Plains where they have retired. this we suppose to be occasioned by the finenefs of the weather which has been extremely so except a few sharp days in the beginning of January.
The news of Mr Hearnes Arrival in the interior Parts of the Country is very agreeable especially as it enabled you to send him a Supply of Goods which apparently will be of great Utility to that undertaking.
One of our Home Natives named Jackasish being deprived of his reason was put to death on the Plantation by a Half Home guard man on the Night of September the 28th notwithstanding all our intreaties to save him. He for some days before his death frightened the other domestic natives sev'l times within our works for shelter having disengaged himself from cords with which he was tied till according to the desire of the other Indians we put both his legs and arms in irons and in that Situation did they inhumanly put him to death by bruising his Skull in a most shocking manner with Hatchets ? few days only elapsed when a nother Tragedy hapened among these Savages for on the night of October the 1st one Taitenau? & Chucky quarreled when the former after some time struggling put an end to the dispute with his knife, which he lodged so in the body of his Antagonist that he instantly fell without a single Groan. The dispute began on account of the disceased Striking his Wife who was Niece to the other. The Afsafsin next day Pitched away Northward & has not since been seen by any of the other natives only his Track by which they think he is bound for your Place. he had thirty four Beaver in debt here last Autumn which I hope you will take from him, if he comes your way, with so much Goods as it is the Company's Property.
Having ended the disagreeable news I have nothing to further relate, other than wishing you General Succefs to their Honours Affairs & every thing to yourself that may Promote Happinefs.
And Am
Dear Sir
Your most obliged and Obedient
Humble Servant
William Falconer
PS My Compliments to the Gentlemen of your Mefs.
We kill'd our Bull in Autumn on account of his Mischeviousnefs. if you can save one for this Place it will be a means of Preserving the Breed."


" From Mr William Falconer to Mr Ferdinand Jacobs
Severn House Febuary the 7th 1775
Yesterday morning when I was about to seal up this Packet. I found Ekikehue one of your Pacquet men determined not to return toYork Fort having met with his Parents here so that Tamash is to proceed by himself, a Circumstance very disagreeable to me but as it would be unnatural to force the other from his Native Place & Relations &c I cannot help it.
I am
Sir
Your most Obedient Humble Servant
William Falconer


" From Mr William Falconer to Mr Ferdinand Jacobs
Severn House Febuary 10th 1775
A most disagreeable accident which befel Edward Umfreville is the reason of my troubling you with this. As the above person was going after Partridges in close woods last Wednesday morning with his Gun on his shoulder Some twig accidentally pulling the Trigger the went off and Shot him in the right hand with which he held her by the muzzle. When he returned at 9 O'clock AM the flesh about the root of the third finger where the wound mostly appeared was sadly mangled. I had dispatched your Indian with the Pacquet about an hour before this happened but as I thought then, a Surgeon would be necefsary to perform a cure I sent a Mefsenger after him who brought him back on a design to send Edward with him & others to your Place immediately. But since the wound has been clean'd we have hopes of making a cure here (according to his own desire) without his undertaking such a Journey as would expose him to many inconveniences.
As it is Natural for us to look round for relief when any painfull Sensation attacks us tis no lefs incumbant with my duty to return you my most grateful thanks for the Valuable paper (for this House) which you sent with the Pacquet concerning Medicines & their use; which I now do in the ? manner and am
Dear Sir
Your most Obliged & Obedient Humble Servant
William Falconer
NB I am informed since I wrote my other Letter that Taitanaw is tented a small distance off with some of our Indians. Adieu"


" From Mr Andrew Graham to Mr Ferdinand Jacobs
Prince of Wales's Fort 6th March 1775
Sir
I embrace this Opportunity to inquire after your health hoping long ere this. you have got a reestablishment thank God we all here enjoy health (slight colds excepted) Partridges still continue tolerable plenty. I serve out three days per week . please to dispatch the bearers back as soon as convenient. Wishing you a good Trade, health and succefs in all your undertakings. I remain
Good Sir
Your most Obedient
Humble Servant
Andrew Graham
PS My self and officers present our respectfull Compliments to Mr Jacobs and the Gentlemen of his Mefs."


" From Mr Ferdinand Jacobs to Mr Andrew Graham
York Fort March the 20th 1775
Good Sir
Yours of January the 9th and of the 6th Instant I received am much Obliged for your hearty wishes to Mr Hearne on the Expedition are in great hopes it will in time Answer the Intent. It gave great pleasure at this Place to hear you received so very great Supply of meat from the Northern Indians and that the Goose & Partridges Seasons have been so favourable Circumstances that must add greatly to your Felicity & heartily wish next Springs Goose Season may Compleat your wishes. I am sorry to hear your Surgeon is ailing.
Your fall & winter Trade is more than we have got since the Ship went, but I am in hopes of something Coming in very soon from some of our home Indians and some Bungee's that I hear are Coming this Spring, or very soon after the River breaks up. -
Your Judicious distribution of your men to the several necefsary Works which must be done will I hope Answer your Expectations.
We have had a sharp winter & but little Snow and the Partridges have been Scarce since December. I have 9 Men Laying Out since the 5th January Netting Partridges who have got but 816 Partridges.
With regard to John Ballenden I would advise you not to send him till you hear at Ship time what the Company's Orders may be; for we do not know what Alterations or removes they may please to make; and as to my part I am firmly resolved to ad hear strictly to the Orders I shall then receive from them.-
I have sent at this time the Packet I received from Severn for you.
We are all pretty well here and that the same Blefsing may attend our friends at Prince Wales's Fort with Prosperity to the Company's Affairs is the Ardent wishes of
Good Sir
Your much Obliged &
Obedient Servant
Ferdinand Jacobs
PS Mr Jacobs & officers best wishes attend Mr Graham & the Gentlemen of his Mefs."

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