We reached our destination on the following day about noon, where we found but little to recompense us for our journey.  Both our own people from the outpost and our opponents had already traded all the furs the Indian had to dispose of, although his supplies at the Lake of Two Mountains and at my post amounted to a sum that would have required his utmost exertions to pay.  We remained that night at his lodge, and very early on the succeeding morning, started on our return.  With the exception of a couple of trips I made to the inland posts, nothing disturbed the monotony of my avocations during the remaining part of the winter.  Petty traders swarmed all over the country; the posts which were established in the interior to cope with them traded freely with the natives, in order to secure their furs from competitors.  Thus the immense sacrifices which the Company had made to obtain a monopoly, as they imagined, yielded them no advantage whatever; and repeated defalcations on the part of the natives, induced them to curtail their advances at their principal station.  The natives, however, found no difficulty in procuring their requisites in exchange for their furs, either from the posts belonging to the Company in the interior, or from the opposition; for they were, with few exceptions, of the same character as the individual already alluded to.

The Indian whom I mentioned as residing in the neighbourhood of the establishment arrived, late in autumn, from the Lake, where he could not obtain a charge of ammunition on credit.  I supplied all his wants liberally, knowing him to be a good hunter, though a notorious rogue; and he set out for his hunting grounds, to all appearance well pleased.

In the course of the winter a Yankee adventurer opened a “grog shop,” within a short distance of the depot, who appeared to have no objection to a beaver’s skin in exchange for his commodities.  My Indian debtor returned in the month of March, with a tolerable “hunt,” and pitched his tent midway between the post and my Yankee neighbour.  I called upon the Indian immediately for payment, which he told me I should receive on the morrow.  I went accordingly at the time appointed, and was annoyed to find that he had already disposed of a part of his furs for the Yankee’s whiskey; and I therefore demanded payment in a tone of voice which clearly indicated that I was in earnest.  To-morrow was mentioned again; but having come with the determination of being satisfied on the spot, I seized, without further ceremony, what furs remained, and throwing them out of the wigwam to my man, who was placed there to receive them, I remained within, to bear the brunt of the Indian’s resentment, should he show any, until my man had secured the prize.  I was well prepared to defend myself, in case of any violence being offered.  Nothing of the kind was attempted, however; and I took my leave, after sustaining a volley of abuse, which did me no harm.  The Indian paid me a visit next morning, for the purpose of settling accounts, a small balance being due to him, which, at his own request, was paid in rum.  I soon after received another visit, for nectar, on credit; this request I granted.