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Show TRAVELS THROUGH UPPER CANADA: vifiblc to a fpecbttor on the L:k , exr pt the few 01abhy houfes at the nearefl: end, it m.dces but a very poor appcar.ll1ce. Having breakfaflcd, and exchanged our habits rle 'i.JDJf1{{1', for lttch as it w,t.s prop r to appear in at the capital of Upper Canada, and at the center of the beau monde of the province, the ichooner's yawl was launched, and we were landed, together with fu ·h of the f aDengers as were difpofed to go on £horc, at MiDJ.!Taguis Poi nt, from whence there is an agreeable walk of one mile, partly through woods, to the town of Niagara. This p int takes its name from the Miffitfaguis Indians, great numbers of whom arc generally encamped upon it. The MifTiffitguis tribe inhabits the D1orcs of Lake Ontario, and it is one of the moil: numerous of this part of the country. The men are in general very D:out, and they ue cfl:eemed mofl: excellent hunters and fi01crs; but Je(s warlike, it is faid, than any of the neighbouring nati ns. They are of a much darker complcCl:ion than any other Indians l ever met with; fome of them being nearly as black as negroe . They arc extremely dirty and .flovenly in their appearance, and the women are frill more fo than the men; fucb indeed is the odour exhaled in a warm day from the rancid greafe and fi{h oil with which the latter daub their hair, necks, and face profufely, that it is offcnfive in the highei1: degree to npproach within fome yards of them. On arriving at Niagara, we found great numbers of thefc Indians difperfed in knots, in different parts of the town, in great oncern for the lofs of a f.wourite and experienced chief. This m:1n, whofe name was Wompakanon, had been killed, it appeared, by a white man, in a fray which happened at Toronto, near to which place is the princi1 al village of the Mifliilaguis nation. The remaining ch i fs immediately ailcm~ led their warriors, and marched down to Niagara, to m~ke a formal complaint to the Britifh government. To appeafe their rdentment, the commanding officer of the garrifon difl:ributcd prefents amongfl:: th m to a large amount, and atrlongfl: other things they were allowed no fntall portion of rum and provifions, upon which the tribe feafl:ed, according to cufiom, the day before we reached the town; but th rum being all con fumed, they fc emcd to feel fcvercly for the lof') of poor Wompakanon. Fear of exciting the anger of the DritiDl government would prevent them from taking revenge openly on this occafion, F I S H. '-95 ?ccnfion, but I ~·as iJtfc~·n 'li hy a r-entlcm:1n 'n th-: Tn !ian <kpnrtm<.:nt, Jntllnat..:ly acqu:untcd \\ 1th . the di(r, ,oJi t;ons· of t) 1'. -. [ 11 li.1·1 1 J.~, , tl l.. lt as l1l't ll J·I JC,. but blood ~s du:n <:d 1ufJ1cil! llt in their opir 1ion to atone for th l! <.kath of a ftvotmt. .c nief, they \~ uld ert ··l inly kill fum. w'' llt c man, per 1J .tp · one p~rfcC.lly ~nno ·ent, wh ' !1 a f.tvourablc and fc cr ·t opportunity of-fer 'd for fo do1ng, though it 01 ull k twe11ty ye.u-s afterwards. · Th_c _MifEH:tgui · ] ~.::ep the inhabitants of K1ngflun, of Ni 11r,m1, and of the JJifcren_t to~.vn ~n the lal·e, wellil.1ppli <.:d with fifh and game, the value of wh1 h JS efiunatcd by bottles of rum and Jo,tvcs of bread. A gentleman, with whom we dined at ]' irtgfloq, entert;.Jined us with a. ~no11: excellent haunch of vcnifon of a very large fiz..:, and a f:tlmon wcighmg .at Jcail fifteen pounds, which he had purchaCnl from one of thefe Ind1ans for a bottle of rum and ·1 ] af of b1-, • .,,l ·* ., l · I • • • '-" 1 , .. nt upon cnquJry found that the Ind1an thong·ht him1df ·tr<.:mely "'ell J)'' · 1 d . n "Jl' an was hJghly pleafcd with having made fuch a good barg.1in. The Indians catch falmon and oth .r large fi 01 in the foll wing manner. Tv/o men go together in a canoe at night; the one Ji ts in the ficrn and paddles, and the other fran d. with a f1 ear over a flam beau placed in the head of th canoe. The fif11, attraCted by the light, Ct)Jl1e in numbers aron 1J the c ~.ncic , • t • the fpearfman then tal cs the opportunity of flriking them. 1 he arc very 'XP 'rt at this bufhcr:~ , feld utll milling their aim . L ake Ontario, and all tht: ri v<. rs which f:t ll into it, abou nd with exccl-lcJ. lt fit.lm m, an l many ditTc1 cnt kinds of iea-fi01, which come up the Rlv<:r St. Lawrence; it alfo abound with fuch a glTa t v.triety of frdh water fi01, that it is fuppofcd th ·rc are many for ts in it w]1ich h~vc 11ever yet been nam d. In almoil: every part of tht: River St. Lawr nee, fi fh is found i11 the greate Ll abundance; and it is th~: p1111011 ~f many pcrfons, that if the fdhcrics WLre 1 rop<.:rly attended to, p:t rtlcuhrly the falmon fifhcry, tht: country would be even more enri_ ched ther<.:by than by the fur trade. Sea wolves an l [ea cows, amphibi. ous animals, weighing from one to two thoufand pounds ca h, art: fa1d to have been found in Lake Ontario; f the truth of thi , however, there i fomc doubt; but certain it is, that in failing a rofs that Jake animals of an immenfe fizc are frequently leen playing on the furfacc of • Both together prob~tbly not war h more than half a dollar. |