"YF Country Correspondence 1811"
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" York Factory Hudsons Bay Country Correspondence"

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" To Capt. Turnor
YF August 23rd 1810
Sir
I am under the painful necefsity of informing you that the Conduct of Mr Longmore has been so improper on a certain dreadful Occasion at the painted Creek that we cannot think of his being permitted to Mefs in the Cabbin or to receive any Countenance from you whatever during his pafsage to England in your Ship.
You are therefore requested to dispose of him in the Storage or any other place of Accomodation convenient to yourself and to bear in Mind that his Behaviour entitles him to no degree of favor or Respect.
I remain
Sir
Your Obed. Hble Servt
WH Cook."


" To Mr Swain at Severn
YF
31st Aug. 1810
Dear Sir
The Honorable Committee having in their new arrangement deputed you to the charge of Severn. I take the liberty of Offering my sincere Congratulations on the Occasion - You will no doubt receive every Information concerning the present state of Affairs from Mr Wm Auld who is superintendent of the Northern Settlements & whose anxious desire it is to adopt some advisable plan for the joint Benefit of the Departments & for the General good of the whole - The scarsity of Men at this time and the great demand for them at the Saskatchewan & Winnepeg Factories renders it impofsible for us to give you that afsistance we are sensible your necefsities require.
The hurry also which prevails at this Monment prevents men from entering into particulars on the subject of future Operations but as Mr Auld will be here again about the 10th Feb. next. I must beg to have the pleasure of your Company when there will be an Opportunity for explaining in the fullest manner every minutia relating to the Trade of Severn & to the Conduct of Affairs under the new System - We have detained a part of the Severn Cargo judging that your request for the Articles will be lefs than usual as the Hands returning to Severn this year are very few.
I have nothing more to add but to wish you Succefs & remain
Dr Sir
Your Obed. Hble Servt.
WH Cook."


" From Mr Swain SR
March 23rd 1811
Dear Sir
I am exceeding sorry that it has not been in my power to dispatch any body for York sooner, but from various Incidents it has really been hitherto impofsible nor do I yet see an immediate prospect of sending off.
We arrived here after a tedious & troublesome Journey of 11 Days & it was not without great difficulty we got the Dogs here altho we left two of their Sleds two days walk from this.
They have since been properly fed & attended to yet such was their weak state that they are scarcely yet in a condition to return.
I have since my Arrival been employed in making such Alterations & Additions in the Remains as were necefsary and have taken particular pains to be correct. I have also made an addition of such Brig Stores as were New but what I have taken into Acct. cannot be the whole as she must necefsarily have a number along with her & which I can know nothing of - The Gartering Pattern Book is returned having the necefsary Remarks in the Severn one - You will perceive in the Remains that instead of my making a Reduction in the above Article there is a considerable extra quantity put down because it is thus specified in the Accounts Sent home last Year, and this with the exception of a few dead men is the case with almost every other Article of Trading Goods.
The Brazil Tobacco is very deficient as it has been weighed with the Hide?, the Log & the inside covering add to this there is a part of it Mouldy - The whole grofs weight is 200 lbs & the Tare? & damaged cannot be lefs than 50 or 60 lb & if you will be so good as inform me in what manner I shall account for it it shall be specified accordingly.
A sample of each kind of Beads is sent with the weight mark'd opposite to its respective quality - Your opinion as to the Manner in which they are to be entered in the Book will much oblige as I am at a lofs on this head.
Mr Auld was remarking that the Accounts should be closed on the 1st of June but as the Inland Furs cannot be here so early & as a very small portion of the Natives will have arrived ere that period it would be much more convenient for correctnefs in the Accounts if they were not closed until the 20th & even then there will be a considerable after package.
There are three Men on this Establishmen whose Times are out next Shiptime. their Names are Lauchlan Philp, H Flett & Sam'l Spence. You have already had their Characters from Mr Thomas & if it is in your power to point out such advance of Salary as you may judge their several Abilties entitles them to, & they should agree to those terms it will be highly beneficial to the Affairs of this place next Summer, otherwise there will be only one Man, the Taylor, to leave here during the Brigs absence-
I have packed up 10 Indians Coats for your place & have enclosed a List of them -
Accept my best Wishes for the Health & Happinefs of yourself & all under your Command
I remain
Dear Sir
Your obed. Hble Servt
James Swain
Mr Spencer? Joins me in Comp'ts to the Gent. of your Mefs"


" To Mr Ja. Swain at Severn
YF June 17th 1811
Dear Sir
Your packet Men arrived here after a long and toilsome Journey of 22 Days in tolerably good Condition, but the poor Dogs who from hard treatment had nearly lost all power of Exertion did not reach the Factory till the following day, and Lion failed of reaching it at all having as I afterwards learnt made his exit about half way between this & Severn.
I am sorry that such Accidents happen but as they fall in with the common Occurences of Life we must put up with them & thank Heaven that they are no worse.
Your Remains as corrected we have taken on Account & I beg leave now to mention that it will be necefsary for you to be equally exact in taking your next Remains and to receive as I think Mr Auld has intimated a written Acknowledgement from the Person you may leave in charge, of every thing intrusted to his care for the time being - It will also be necefsary that you prepare a List of the Articles in use at Severn of every Description in order that the Indents in future may be governed by the Rule of Necefsity alone & not by conjectural Estimates as heretofore which you will know is not Suited to the present situation of Affairs.
The Brazil Tobacco must of course be taken on Account as it really is as well as every other Article in Stock; therefore if you have entered some things merely because you found them in a fallacious Account Book I conceive that you have done wrong & on the other hand if you have neglected to bring forward Articles that were in existance last August altho' not visible in the aforesaid Book you have also acted on an erroneous principle.
The Company wish to know the exact extent of their property & there is no way of arriving at this knowledge but by a fair & genuine Statement of the Remains.
The Tobacco in question I think ought to be taken at the Nett Weight and with regard to the moudly part as you cannot determine on the exact quantity or perhaps on the certainty of its being untradeable it will be better to make the Reduction at some future time.
In Addition to what I have before said in allusion to the Accounts I have to remark that should any new Article have been neglected to be brought forward this Season a memorandum of the same can be noted at the end of Account Book and a proper adjustment take place the ensuing year - and as to the closing of the Accounts precisely on the 1st of June altho we have done it here, it is neither Mr Aulds wish or mine to confine you to any particular time because it is necefsary that the Book should be accurately correct & we are desirous to give you every facility that may be required to render them so.
Regarding the Men whose times expire next Shiptime, I advise you in consideration of the great scarsity of Hands &c close with them on any conditions you pofsibly can, observing at the same time that as they are young and perhaps not of the first promise some regard to moderation ought to be observed, however, an addition of 3 or 4 £ Pr Annum might be granted with safety & as they are now at 8 £ only I should conceive might satisfy them well, but perhaps their Expectations are not so great & if you can engage them on easier Terms it will be advisable to do it & therefore I leave the matter with you.
I have nothing more to add but wish you Succefs & remain
Your Obed. Hble Servant
WH Cook."


" From Mr Sinclair
Oxford House June 3 1811
Dear Sir
Having no Shot to supply the outposts with for the Summer Hunt. I am at the necefsity to send down these Indians for 4 Bags if they can carry it.
I cannot inform you as yet what the Trade will be - The Indians has very little in the Fur way, not one of them has paid their Credits - The Deer was numerous in the Fall which was much against the Hunt.
I hear of no Canadians being near this Quarter except at the Island Lake. There is not lefs than 10 of them wintering in that Lake.
The Lakes is full of Ice as yet. I don't suppose I shall be able to be down at York before Mr Bird arrives - Wishing you a good Trade & plentiful Summer.
I remain
Dear Sir
Your Obed. Hble Servt.
Wm Sinclair."


" To Mr Sinclair Oxford House
YF June 8th 1811
Dear Sir
I received your favor late last night & have lost no time in dispatching the two Lads to your Request - Have sent 2 Bags of Shot & paid the Eagle 1/2 Gallon Brandy 1 White Waistcoat 2 yds Duffel & 1/2 yd Blue plain Cloth - Should have sent more Shot but the Canoe is small & I conjecture the demand will not be very prefsing till you receive a further supply.
Your account of the Trade is truely unpleasant, but by no means singular.
We hear of nothing but Relations? of this kind in every Quarter. Churchill Severn & York have never before experienced so sterile a Winter and the prospect of Trade at each of these places is miserable in the extreme - I hope your Returns will be better than you expect & that good News from the Interior will arrive to console us under the Misfortune of our declining Affairs.
I am distrefsed to find by enquiry from the Eagle that the poor Lad his brother who was supposed to have been drowned last year in a fit of Intoxication has never since been heard of - This is another Melancholly Instance of the dreadful Effects of that baleful stuff which we continue to distribute among the Indians contrary to the dictates of Humanity & every moral feeling & which alone if there is a superintending Intelligence is sufficient to draw down upon the Evils of which we unceasingly complain - Tis no longer ago than the Winter before last that an Indian returning from Robert Spence's House in the Grafs River was found frozen to death on a Lake, with his Brandy Keg empty by his side - and more shocking still than this was an instance that occur'd last Winer at one of the Churchill outposts where the poor Indian falling a sacrifice to the same cause was partially devoured by the Dogs & his Bones in many places left bare to the view - It is not necefsary to recur to the fate of poor Friday's Wife & children who in the Lake Winnepeg as you may well remember were all engulfed in one miserable vortex, but I cannot refrain from informing you of the Fate of a poor unhappy creature (Athuspescum) who last Winter full of this abominable trash fell into Nelson River and very narrowly escaped with his Life - he had some distance to go to his Tent & the weather being intensely cold his extremities were dilapidated in a shocking manner.
If he had died his Destiny had been lefs severe, but he lives a lasting Monument of the Iniquity of our Trade and a burthen to himself & Friends to the latest day of his Existance - If we can prosper under such hideous Auspices as these we may proceed but surely we shall leave behind us some dark traces of Indiscretion that will recoil upon our Consciences & deteriorate our Peace at a future Day.
I wish you succefs & remain
Your Obed. Hble Servt.
WH Cook."


" From Mr Swain
Severn House July 2nd 1811
Dear Sir
With much pleasure I inform you of the safe Arrival of your Packet at this place after a short Journey of Ten Days - I have now engaged the Indian who conveys this, to go by way of the Interior & have advised him to take particular notice of the Waters leading to York River that he may give you such an Account as will enable you to judge on the pofsibility of its turning to any future advantage.
The several Instructions contained in your last I shall not fail strictly to attend to & at all times to act upon such a Principle of Economy as may redound to the general Good of the Concern.
The Deficiencies mentioned in my last Letter, and which was entered as actual Remains in the Account I sent, arose from the Instructions I received from Mr Auld and Yourself while at York last Winter - it being concluded that the Deficiencies must have been created by the common course of trade from the time the Accounts were made up last July & therefore must be accounted for -
Two or three Articles which we could not find last Winter when we took Stock will now be carefully noticed.
I am sorry to inform you that our prospects with regard to Trade are very indifferent indeed. There is a universal scarsity prevails amongst the Natives belonging to this Quarter - add to this several of our Indians have gone to Albany in hopes of meeting with better treatment there than they can pofsibly get here.
Mr Tho. Swain arrived from Trout Lake the 17th Instant wth Furs to the amount of 1600 £ & which I hope will turn at least 60 Pct. profits - I must beg leave here again to observe the very distrefsed state of Affairs in this part of your Department for want of Men to conduct the Trade with that which would secure Advantage - It is needlefs for me here to enumerate the difficulties we labour under - they must occur to you who is so well acquainted with the number of Hands that have been employed to compleat the Duty of this Establishment Annually & the very few we have now left to carry it on with, but I look forward with Hope that you will be enabled to relieve us from the prefsure of our present Embarasments by dispatching as soon as convenient three or four experienced Men in a large Canoe by way of the interior which will enable us to continue our post at Beaver Lake otherwise we must relinquish that most important & valuable situation.
Our Spring Goose Hunt was miserable in the extreme - very few Wayweys flew during the Season & we could only procure two Casks in all.
Having nothing further to communicate I beg leave to subscribe myself
Dear Sir
Your most Obed. Servt.
James Swain"


" Oxford House July 30 1811
From Mr Sinclair
Dear Sir
The Goods proving far short to supply the different posts it will be necefsary to send up two Canoes with Goods as mentioned below - The Hands should be good and ordered to make the quickest dispatch - 15 Pieces to each Canoe will make a middling Cargo and to consist of
Cloth
Brandy or Rum
Sugar 8 Loaves
Blankets
Tobacco 4 Rolls
Flour 4 Bags 80 lb ea.
Shot what to spare
Your Obed. Hble Servt.
W Sinclair."


" To Mr Sinclair
YF August 7th 1811
I have taken the earlist Opportunity to forward the two Canoes with Cargoes agreeable to your Request.
Mr Fidler arrived at the Factory a few hour's after the departure of Mr Auld for Churchill but owing to some unfinished Charts & other Documents in his Line which he has to prepare for the Honble Committee he cannot transmit himself or family to you by this conveyance but promises himself the pleasure of accompanying you up in the Fall - how far this may be a real pleasure to you I cannot say, but it seems perfectly agreeable to him & when one party in a case of this kind is pleased we ought not to complain.
Inclosed is a List of Goods sent as also the Account of Mens allowance for 20 Days from the 8 Instant which I hope will be approved.
I have also enclosed for your perusal a Letter from Severn in which you will observe the laudable endeavours of Mr Swain to promote the Company's Interest & the great necefsity there is for some Measures to be immediately adopted for the relief of that much distrefsed & I might say neglected Settlement.
I trust you will consider this matter Attentively and do what you can to enable us to Till a little of that fertile Soil, which we have every reason to believe is capable of producing a most rich & abundant Harvest
I
remain
Your Obt. Hble Servt.
WH Cook"


" From Mr Snoddie
Split Lake Nelson River
Aug. 14 1811
Dear Sir
I arrived at this place on the 4th Instant after a pafsage of very bad weather by which our progrefs was greatly impeded.
As soon as the weather would permit after giving an Afsortment of Goods & some Instructions to Robert Spence. I dispatched him to the Grafs River with 4 Men - I then arranged with John Robinson & sent him & John Sinclair to the 4 points with Necefsaries for the Trade till the Fall.
To draw your Attention to the Trading Goods &c - I have had great trouble in getting the true Remains, the Accounts being brought from the upper Houses in a very incorrect manner, But I hope the Statement now sent will prove the exact one & give you Satisfaction.
I have sent down all the Furs this Year as also some I have traded since my arrival here which of course will come into next years Account.
Wishing you Health and prosperity in all your Undertakings
I remain
Your Obed. Hble Servt.
Adam Snoddie."


" To Mr Snoddie Nelson River
York Factory 18 Sept. 1811
Sir
Having waited in fruitlefs expectation of the Honble Company's Ship till this very late date I dispatch to you without farther delay the 6 Nelson River Men in one Canoe whom I hope will reach you in time to render the necefsary Succours to John Robinson & Rob. Spence whose Settlements are menaced with Strong Opposition & require efficient & immediate Aid.
I have transmitted to you every necefsary Instruction for your Guidance in our present forlorn situation & remain with a full conviction of Your Economy & Perserverance
Your Obed. Hble Servt
WH Cook."



B.239/b/81

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