Monday 17^th Feb^y 1800 Cont^d

them all the Veillée about those Montagners they left on their lands altho they be all dead yet I am in hopes they will rise again from the Dead to give acc^t of their Actions while in this world – but these Stupid fellows who unworthily survived the fate of all the rest could give no Satisfactory Acc^t[.] What they told one moment they contradicted the next so that I was not a bit wiser when I finished than when I began asking them any Questions[.] It is unnecessary telling always in the Journal that every Indian who arrives whether good, bad, or indifferent gets a bit of Tobacco & a dram[.] It suffices to tell once that it is the Custom of the place & any one who reads of an Indian's arrival may suppose that this Custom is followed and should he wish to know how many bits of Tobacco & drams were expended he can count the Mountaineers on his fingers as he reads on – the number of Mountaineers found will be the number of bits & of drams required – having thus proceeded arithmetically to find out the expenses by means of his fingers he will with next (being a nice accomptant) to extract the Good from the bad[.] In order to acquire his end in this he must have recourse to Tare & Tret so as to separate the dross from the Neat weight but as he has no other arithmetican Implements about him than his eyes & fingers which are unequal to the Task for Conveniency's sake I shall inform him that it is all mere dross or Trash for the Tobacco is always rotten & the rum mostly water[.]

Tuesday 18^th[.] The two Indians that arrived last night paid 16 Skins Crs. & traded about 15 skins peltries[.] They assured us this morning several times that they left 6 more Montagners about 3 days march from this place who have no skins but intend to work the Beaver till the latest season when they mean to come here & pay their Credits – as they promised to do the Same themselves I gave them more Credits – and for nothing 1 L. & 1 S. Knife 1 awl, 1 firesteel, 1 flint, 1 Gun worm & 1 bit of Tob^c each with a great many fair words & promises of reward in return for theirs to do well[.] They went away well pleased[.] Sent a bit of Tobacco to each of those they left at their lodges but forbeid them to come any more for Credits till they could pay their old ones[.] Ch^s Cadien's Comrade came to tell that he Killed an orignal of which he means to eat but the rump[.] As there are no Dogs here he promised to bring us the rest of the Meat by the help of his wife & went off[.]

Wednesday 19^th[.] Ch^s Cadien's Comrade arrived with the Meat for which he was paid 7 Skins & 1 for the Grease of the orignal[.] Gave him 2 M. ammunition gratis so as to encourage him to hunt for the fort[.] The dirty beast Sucked the marrow of the bones of the Meat he brought – he said he thought nobody could eat marrow but himself[.] I write this as a farther Instance of Montagners Hoggishness[.] Lambert very busy about his house[.] Fine weather – the Snow Continually melting[.]

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