We reached the post of Michipikoton early on the morning of the 19th, and passed the remainder of the day waiting for despatches which Mr. K——­ was preparing for the interior.  We left on the 20th, put ashore at the Pic on the 23d, where we dined with Mr. McMurray, and after experiencing much bad weather, adverse winds, together with showers of snow, we reached Fort William on the 28th, about noon.

We found the grand depot of the North-West Company falling rapidly to decay, presenting in its present ruinous state but a shadow of departed greatness.  It is now occupied as a petty post, a few Indians and two or three old voyageurs being the sole representatives of the crowded throngs of former times.  It must have been a beautiful establishment in its days of prosperity; but the buildings certainly do not appear to have been erected with a view to durability.  We here exchanged our large Montreal canoes for those of the North, (the former carrying seventy packages of ninety pounds, the latter twenty-five, exclusive of provisions;) and each of the passengers had a canoe for his own accommodation—­an arrangement that seemed to increase in no small degree the self-importance of some of our number.  Our guide was now obliged to perform the duty of bowsman, still, however, retaining his authority over the whole brigade.

We bade adieu to Fort William and its hospitable commander on the 29th.  Mr. McI——­h had supplied all our wants most liberally, but the men were now allowed only Indian corn and a small quantity of grease;—­a sad and unpleasing change for poor Jean Baptiste; but he had no help but to submit, though not perhaps with the utmost “Christian resignation.”

Our men being now well disciplined, and our canoes comparatively light, we sped over our way at an excellent rate.  We encamped on the 4th of June at one of the Thousand Lakes, and the canoes were drawn up before M. Thibaud (the priest) arrived.  I was surprised to observe his frowning aspect on landing, and ascribed it to the circumstance of his being the “harse,” or harrow, a term of derision applied to the slowest canoe.  Calling me aside, however, he explained the cause of his discontent, which was very different from what I had surmised:  his crew, whenever they found themselves sufficiently far in the rear to be out of hearing, invariably struck up an obscene song, alike unmindful of his presence and remonstrances; and this day had not only sung, but indulged in conversation the most indecent imaginable.  This announcement appeared to me the more strange, that most of these young men had never before quitted home; and I had always understood the authority of the priest to be, at least, equal to that of the parent.  Although, therefore, I never had any very great reverence for the (so-called) successors of St. Peter, I yet felt for my fellow-traveller, and addressed the miscreants who had insulted him in terms of grave reprehension, threatening them with severe punishment if such conduct should again be repeated.