XIV.

Documents and Arguments Opposing Ontario's Claims.

DISCOVERIES AND NATIONAL RIVALRIES IN AND AROUND HUDSON'S BAY.*

THE ENGLISH ACCOUNT FROM THE HUDSON'S BAY COMPANY'S POINT OF VIEW.†

In the year 1576, Cap. Martin Frobisher made his first voyage for the discovery of a passage to China and Cathay by the north-west; and on the 12th of June he discovered Tierra de Labrador in 63 degrees 8 minutes, and entered a Streight which he called by his name. On the 1st of October he return'd to England. In the following year, he went a second time on the same discovery, came to the same Streight, and us'd all possible means to bring the natives to trade, or give him some account of themselves, but they were so wild, that they only study'd to destroy the English. Cap. Frobisher stay'd here till winter drew on, and then he return'd to England. He made the same voyage the following year, and with the like success.

After which there

Six years afterwards, A.D. 1585, John David sail'd from Dartmouth on the same adventure, came into the latitude of 64 degrees 15 minutes, and proceeded to 66 degrees 40 minutes. In the year ensuing, he ran to 66 degrees 20 minutes, and coasted southward again to 56 degrees. Sailing thence in 54 degrees, he found an open sea, tending westward, which he hoped might be the passage so long sought for; but the weather proving tempestuous, he return'd to England. In October, the next year, he did the same. were no more adventures this way, till the year 1607, when Cap. Henry Hudson discover'd as far as 80 degrees 23 minutes. In 1608, he set out again; and, having added little to his former discoveries, return'd. Two years after he again undertook a voyage to find out the north-west passage, proceeded 100 leagues further than any man had done before him, till he could not go forward for ice and shoal water; and finding himself imbay'd, he resolv'd to winter there. In the spring of 1611, pursuing a further discovery, he and seven more of his company were seiz'd, the rest of his men put into an open boat, and committed to the mercy of the waves and savages.

We know 'tis pretended, that a Dane made the discovery of this Streight, and that he call'd it Christiana, from the King of Denmark, Christian the IVth, then reigning. But Cap. Hudson was the man who discovered it to the English, and who indeed first sail'd so near the bottom of the Bay, as he did within a degree or two.

The same year that he dy'd, Sir Thomas Button, at the instigation of Prince Henry,‡ pursu'd the same discovery. He pass'd Hudson's Streights, and leaving Hudson's Bay to the south, settled above 200 leagues to the south-west, and discover'd a great continent, by him called New Wales. He winter'd at the place afterwards call'd Port Nelson, carefully search'd all the Bay, from him call'd Button's Bay, and return'd to Digg's Island.

In 1516, Mr. Baffin enter'd Sir Thomas Smith's Bay, in 78 degrees, and return'd despairing to find any passage that way. All the adventures made to the north-west, were in hopes of passing to China. In 1631, Capt. James sail'd to the north-west, and arrived at Charlton Island, where he winter'd in 52 degrees. Cap. Fox went out this year on the same account, but proceeded no further than Port Nelson.

This account, abridged from Oldmixon's British Empire in America, is taken from "An investigation of the Unsettled Boundaries of Ontario," by Charles Lindsey, p. 146. The foot notes (with the present exception) are Mr. Lindsey's.

This account may be regarded as semi-official, much of the materials being derived from the Hudson's Bay Company.

The expense of the expedition was certainly borne by merchant adventurers of London.

The civil wars in England put discoveries out of men's heads; and we hear of no more such adventures till the year 1667, when Zachariah Gillam, in the Nonsuch, ketch, pass'd thro' Hudson's Streights, and then into Baffin's Bay to 75 degrees; and thence southward into 51 degrees; where in a river, afterwards call'd Prince Rupert's River, he had a friendly correspondence with the natives, built a fort, nam'd it Charles Fort, and return'd with success.

The occasion of Gillam's going was this: Monsieur Radison and Monsieur Gooselier [de Groisselier], two Frenchmen, meeting with some savages in the Lake of Assimponals, in Canada, they learnt of them that they might go by land to the bottom of the Bay, where the English had not yet been.* Upon which they desir'd them to conduct them thither, and the savages accordingly did it. The two Frenchmen return'd to the upper lake the same way they came, and thence to Quebec, the capital of Canada: where they offer'd the principal merchants to carry ships to Hudson's Bay, but their project was rejected. Thence they went to France, in hopes of a more favourable hearing at court; but after presenting several memorials, and spending a great deal of time and money, they were answer'd as they had been at Quebec, and their project look'd upon as chimerical. The King of England's ambassador at Paris, hearing what proposals they had made, imagin'd he should do his country a good service in engaging them to serve the English, who had already pretences to the Bay, persuaded them to go to London, where they met with a favourable reception from some men of quality, merchants and others, who employ'd Gillam, before mention'd, a New England captain, in the voyage; and Radison and Gooselier accompanying, they arrived at the bottom of the Bay, and succeeded as we have hinted already.

When Gillam return'd, the adventurers concern'd in fitting him out apply'd themselves to King Charles II. for a patent; who granted one to them and their successors, for the bay call'd Hudson's Bay, and the streights called Hudson's Streights. The patent bears date the 2nd of May, in the 22nd year of that King's reign, A.D. 1670.

On the west side of the Bay, the English made a settlement, and built a fort at Port Nelson. The Bay here is call'd Button's; and Hudson's Bay is broadest in this place. The two opposite shores are call'd the East Main and West Main. The former is Labrador, and the latter New South Wales. The continent at the bottom of the Bay is by the French pretended to be part of New France; and indeed to cross the country from St. Margaret's River, which runs into the River of Canada, to Rupert's River, at the bottom of Hudson's Bay, is not above 150 miles.† At Rupert's River, the English built their first fort, which they call Charles Fort.

In the year 1670 the Company sent off Charles Baily, Esq., Governour, with whom went Mr. Radison and 10 or 20 men, who were to stay on the place; his residence being at Rupert River, where a mean fort has been built. Mr. Baily appointed Mr. Thomas Gorst to be his secretary, and order'd him to keep à journal of their proceedings there, which is now in my custody.‡

The English had now worse hutts, than afterwards, and no covering for them but moose skins. There was at this time a factory at Port Nelson, where Captain Gooselier arrived in August, 1673. He search'd the river for Indians, but met with none. He saw several wigwams, where they had lately been, and suppos'd them to be gone up the country. This captain was order'd to search for Severn River, but could not find it, tho' 'twas in the old draughts of this Bay.

Now Mr. Baily and his little colony fell to patching up their cabbins, and prepare for the enemy. The 23rd of October several Indians came to the Fort to trade, and among others one from Quebec.

Several Indians came in March, and built their wigwams at the east end of the Fort, intending to stay there all winter, that they might be ready for trade in the spring. About the 20th of March it began to thaw ; and the Nodwayes still threatening the English with

This is an admission that Frenchmen had been overland to Hudson's Bay before the Hudson's Bay Company was formed; and that their knowledge was utilized in the adventure that led to the formation of that Company.

+Their claim was surely as good as that of the English; one nation having pushed its discoveries in one direction, and the other in another, to the same point.

This proves that the author relied on the Company for much of his information.

war, the Governour prepar'd every thing necessary in the Fort for his defence. On the 25th of March, six men as Ambassadors, came from King Cuscudidah, to notify his approach, and that he would be at the Fort next day, which he made good, and was troubled that the Governour was absent. He brought a retinue with him, but little beaver, the Indians

having sent their best to Canada.*

The English at the Fort stood on their guard, and Mr. Cole commanded them in the Governour's absence; for whom the King sent two Indians. And the 31st of March, the Governour returned, with a small supply of moose flesh.

All this while the Indian King stayed at the wigwams, near the Fort; and the reason of it was, they were apprehensive of being attack'd by some Indians, whom the French Jesuits had animated against the English,† and all that dealt with them. The French us'd many artifices to hinder the natives trading with the English; they gave them great rates for their goods, and oblig'd Mr. Baily to lower the prices of his, to oblige the Indians who dwelt about Moose River, with whom they drove the greatest trade.

The French, to ruin their commerce with the natives, came and made a settlement not above eight days' journey up that river, from the place where the English traded. 'Twas therefore debated, whether the Company's agents should not remove from Rupert's to Moose River, to prevent their traffick being intercepted by the French.

On the 3rd of April, 1674, a council of the principal persons in the Fort was held, where Mr. Baily, the Governour, Capt. Gooselier, and Capt. Cole, were present, and gave their several opinions. The Governour inclin'd to remove. Capt. Cole was against it, as dangerous; and Capt. Gooselier for going thither in their bark to trade, when the Indians belonging to King Cuscudidah were gone a hunting, and there was no fear of the Fort's being surpriz'd.

The Indians went to building their wigwams near the Fort, and rais'd their Wauscoheigein, or fort, so near the English, that the palisadoes join'd. On the 20th of May, 12 Indians, subjects to King Cuscudidah, came in seven canoos, and the King meeting them, conducted them to the Fort, where they told him there would be few or no Upland Indians come to trade that season, the French having perswaded them to come to Canada. However, Mr. Baily order'd the sloop to be got ready, and resolv'd to go up the river.

Upon the arrival of this new company, among whom was the King's brother, a feast was inade.

The next day (May 23), the Governour, and some English and Indians arm'd, went down to the bottom of the Bay, to Frenchmen's River, to seek for the Nodways, but could meet with none. On the 27th of May, about 50 men, women and children, came in 22 canoos, to trade, but brought little or no beaver with them, They were of the nation called Pishhapocanoes, near a-kin to the Eskeimoes, and both alike a poor beggarly people by which we may perceive the French ran away with the best of the trade.

The Governour having got everything ready for a voyage to Moose River, sent Capt. Gooselier, Capt. Cole, Mr. Gorst, my author, and other English Indians, to trade there. They got about 250 skins. The Captain of the Tabittee Indians informed them the French Jesuits had not brib'd the Indians, not to deal with the English, but to live in friendship with the Indian nations in league with the French. He blam'd the English for trading with such pitiful nations as the Cuscudidahs and Pishhapocanoes, advising them to settle at Moose Sebee, and the Upland Indians would come down and trade with them. The reason they got no more peltry now, was, because the Indians thought Gooselier was too hard for them, and few would come down to deal with him.§

Mr. Baily sail'd himself for Moose Sebee, and brought home 1,500 skins; the Shechittawams, 50 leagues from that river, having come to trade with him. By the 24th of June all the Indians had left their wigwams near the fort, and were gone abroad to hunt and trade, some with the English and some by themselves.

* This proves that when the Hudson's Bay Company first established itself on the shores of the Bay, the Indians there had already a trading connection with Canada.

There must then, if this representation be true, have been French missionaries there already. This affords proof that in 1674 the trade of the south-western side of James's Bay was in the hands of the French.

That is, they found a better market with the French.

The Governour undertook a voyage to discover Shechittawam River; and thence intended to coast along to Port Nelson, where as yet was no Fort. In the meantime Mr. Gorst, who was left deputy at the fort, sent a yaul, and four men well arm'd, up to Nodways River, which, as high as they could go for the Falls, was 5 miles broad. After abont 2 months' voyage, Mr. Baily return'd and gave this account of his voyage in the sloop. On the 16th July he sail'd from Moose River, and arriv'd at Schetta wam* River on the 18th, where no Englishman had been before. He stayed there till the 21st, but could meet with little or no beaver.

'Tis a fine river, and a good channel to the N. W. in 52 degrees, N. L. He treated with the King, and his son made them a promise to come with a ship and trade with them the next year. In return, they assured him they would provide store of beaver, and bring the Upland Indians down.t

On the 27th of July, the sloop ran upon ice, and had like to have founder'd.

After he had returned to the fort, on the 30th of August, a canoo arriv'd at Rupert's River, with a missionary Jesuit, a Frenchman, born of English parents, attended by one of Cuscudidah's family, a young Indian. The Frier brought a letter to Mr. Baily from the Governour of Quebec, dated the 8th of October, 1673. For the priest should have been at Rupert's River several months before, but that he was stop'd by the Indians. The Governor of Quebec desired Mr. Baily to treat the Jesuit civilly, on account of the great amity between the two crowns; and Mr. Baily resolved to keep the Jesuit till ships came from England.

The Tabittee Indians being within the Hudson's Bay Company's Pattent, 'twas an encroachment for the French to trade with them; the Jesuit confessed they did it. Mr. Baily cloathed him, the Indians having rob'd him; and entertained him with great kindness. The Priest resolving to return to Europe in an English ship, did not like another journey of 400 miles length, thro' many barbarous nations, overland, and a country almost impassible

The English were frequently allarm'd with reports of incursions from the Nodways and Moose River Indians, whose quarrel with them was their selling too dear.

In the evening, September 24, the sloop appeared in the river, but having no ensign out, they concluded they were all lost men; and in this extremity of sorrow, they were soon revived by the sight of five Englishmen, whom they had not seen before, and from whom they understood the Prince Rupert, Capt. Gillam, commander, was arriv'd, with the new Governour, William Lyddal, Esq.

The next day, the old Governour, and Mr. Gorst, sailed for Point Comfort, where the Shaftsbury, Capt. Shepherd, commander, arriv'd also from England. And the new Governour's commission and instructions being read, all hands set to work, to refit and load the ships home as soon as possible.

On the 18th September, Mr. Lyddal landed, and took possession of the fort. Mr. Baily deliver'd him the pattent. Mr. Lyddal, finding the season was so far spent, before the ships could be unloaden and loaden again, that it would be impracticable to return; after several councils, 'twas resolv'd they should winter at Rupert's River; and Capt. Gillam, and Capt. Shepherd's ships' crews were employed to cut timber, to build houses for them, as also a brewhouse and bake-house in the fort.

Mr. Baily, who had very well discharged his trust, returning to England, inform'd the Company fully of their affairs; and now as they advanced in reputation, so they were industrious to increase their trade and settlements. They appointed a trader to act under the Governour, and chiefs of the factories at other rivers, according as they were settled.

Port Nelson was the next settlement which they made, and thither they sent John Bridger, Esq., with the character of Governour for the Hudson's Bay Company, of the

The same as Quichichouanne.

The whole idea of the English seemed to be to bring the Indians to their quarters, not to go after them; which, indeed, for want of expert canoe-men [as to this, see letter, Middleton to Dobbs, p. 121, ante), they were unable to do.

It is quite certain the French did not admit they were guilty of encroaching on territory belonging to e English. Nothing was settled.

West Main, from Cape Henrietta Maria, which was included in the Governour of the East Main's patent.

Mr. Lyddal was succeeded by John Nixon, Esq., in whose time the Company thought of removing their chief factory from Rupert's River to Chick wan River, as the place most resorted to by the Indians. Charlton Island was now frequented by the ships bound to Hudson's Bay, and made the place of rendezvous for all the factors to bring their merchandize to, and load it there aboard the Company's ship.

In the year 1682, Mr. Bridger embark'd for Port Nelson, where a factory was to be establish'd and a fort built, but before he arriv'd, Cap. Benjamin Gillam, master of a New England ship, and son of Cap. Gillam, commander of the Prince Rupert, then in the Company's service, settled at that factory, but had not been there above 14 days before Mr. Raddison and Cap. Gooselier, who deserted the English, arriv'd from Canada.

The Company having dismiss'd them their service, these two Frenchmen ir revenge procured some merchants of Canada to undertake a settlement there. Gillam was not strong enough to repel them, but he remain'd at Port Nelson; where 10 days after Raddison and Gooselier's arrival, came Mr. Bridger. The French no sooner perceiv'd he was come, but they sent aboard his ship immediately, and commanded him to be gone, for that Mr. Raddison and Cap. Gooselier had taken possession of the place for the French King, their master.

Mr. Bridger, being warranted so to do by the Company's commission, unloaded some of his goods, and with all hands went to work in order to make a settlement. Raddison continu'd at Port Nelson, and Mr. Bridger and he became very intimate, which intimacy lasted from October, 1682, to the February following, when Raddison seized Bridger and Gillam, with all their people and effects.

Having kept them some months in a sort of imprisonment, about August the French put several of the Company's and Gillam's people aboard a rotten bark, and they were taken up by an English ship near Cape Henrietta Maria. Bridger and Gillam they carry'd with them to Canada, where Raddison and Gooselier ran some of their cargo ashoar, intending to defraud their employers. After which they made their escape, and got into France. The Company having notice of it, writ to him, and he to the Company, promising, if they would forgive the injury he had done them, and employ him again at such a sallary, he would undertake to deliver the French, whom he had left there till he came again, to them, and seize all the furrs they had traded for, which would make them satisfaction for the wrongs he had done them. Accordingly they forgave him and employ'd him again, and he took Port Nelson from his countrymen. But before his arrival Cap. John Abraham had been there with supplies of stores; and finding Mr. Bridger was gone, he stay'd himself and was continu'd Governor by the Company, in 1684.

In the preceding year, Mr. Nixon, Governour of Rupert's River, was recall'd, and Henry Sergeant, Esq., made Governour, by whose instructions we find the chief factory was remov'd from Rupert's to Moose-sebee, or Chickewan River which has ever since been call'd Albany River; where a fort was built, a factory settled, and the Governour made it the place of his residence. 'Tis the bottom of the Bay, below Rupert's River.*

He was ordered to come every spring, as soon as the trade was over, to Charlton Island and bring what goods he had with him, to wait for the arrival of the Company's ships. From thence he was to visit the other factories, and see that their merchandize was sent in due time to Charlton Island, to attend the ship's arrival.

The Governor of Canada, having given the Hudson's Bay Company to understand the French were very much offended at their discoveriest in these parts, Mr. Sergeant was ordered to be careful that he was not surprised by them.

There is an island at the bottom of the Bay called Hayes Island, where a factory had been settled. This isle and Rupert's River were near the French, Albany being more to the southward; and of these factories the Company were most apprehensive that their enemies would endeavour to dispossess them.

The Company intended to plant a colony at Charlton Island, and order'd Mr. Sergeant to build a fort there, and always keep some men upon it. Warehouses were also built

* This is evidently the first time the English got a footing on the South-west side of James's Bay. + Encroachments the French considered them.