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L E S S E R S L A V E R I V E R A N D L A K E 45
Slavery was common enough amongst the Indians everywhere.
A thriving trade was done at the Detroit in the
18th century i n Pawnees, or Panis, as they were called, captured
by Indian raiders on the western prairies and sold to
the white settlers along the river. I have seen i n Windsor,
Ont., an old b i l l of sale of one of these P a n i slaves, the consideration
being, i f I recollect aright, a certain quantity of
Indian corn.
To return to the river. The distance from Athabasca
Landing to the Lesser Slave is called sixty- five miles, but
this must have been ascertained by measuring from point to
point, for, following the shore up stream, as boats must, it
is certainly more. To the head of the river is an additional
sixty miles, and thence to the head of the lake seventy- five
more. The Hudson's Bay Company had a storehouse at the
Forks, and an island was forming where the waters meet,
the finest feature of the place being an echo, which reverberated
the bugler's call at reveille very grandly.
A spurt was made i n the early morning, the trackers first
following a bank overgrown with alders and sallows, all of
a size, which looked exactly l i k e a well- kept hedge, but soon
gave way to the usual dense dine of poplar and spruce, rooted
to the very edges of the banks, which are low compared with
those of the Athabasca. After ascending it for some distance,
it being Sunday, we camped for the day upon an open
grassy point, around which the river swept i n a perfect semicircle,
the dense forest opposite towering i n one equally perfect,
and glorious i n light and shade and harmonious tints of
green, from sombre olive to the lightest pea. The point
itself was covered with strawberry vines and dotted with
clumps of saskatoons all i n bloom.
I t was a lovely and lonely spot, which was soon converted
into a scene of eating and laughter, and a drying ground for
wet clothes. Towards evening Bishop Grouard and Father
Lacombe held a well- attended service, which i n this profound
wilderness was peculiarly impressive. Listening, one thought
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| Title | Page 52 |
| OCR | L E S S E R S L A V E R I V E R A N D L A K E 45 Slavery was common enough amongst the Indians everywhere. A thriving trade was done at the Detroit in the 18th century i n Pawnees, or Panis, as they were called, captured by Indian raiders on the western prairies and sold to the white settlers along the river. I have seen i n Windsor, Ont., an old b i l l of sale of one of these P a n i slaves, the consideration being, i f I recollect aright, a certain quantity of Indian corn. To return to the river. The distance from Athabasca Landing to the Lesser Slave is called sixty- five miles, but this must have been ascertained by measuring from point to point, for, following the shore up stream, as boats must, it is certainly more. To the head of the river is an additional sixty miles, and thence to the head of the lake seventy- five more. The Hudson's Bay Company had a storehouse at the Forks, and an island was forming where the waters meet, the finest feature of the place being an echo, which reverberated the bugler's call at reveille very grandly. A spurt was made i n the early morning, the trackers first following a bank overgrown with alders and sallows, all of a size, which looked exactly l i k e a well- kept hedge, but soon gave way to the usual dense dine of poplar and spruce, rooted to the very edges of the banks, which are low compared with those of the Athabasca. After ascending it for some distance, it being Sunday, we camped for the day upon an open grassy point, around which the river swept i n a perfect semicircle, the dense forest opposite towering i n one equally perfect, and glorious i n light and shade and harmonious tints of green, from sombre olive to the lightest pea. The point itself was covered with strawberry vines and dotted with clumps of saskatoons all i n bloom. I t was a lovely and lonely spot, which was soon converted into a scene of eating and laughter, and a drying ground for wet clothes. Towards evening Bishop Grouard and Father Lacombe held a well- attended service, which i n this profound wilderness was peculiarly impressive. Listening, one thought |
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