Thursday 5^th March 1800 Cont^d

refusal. He has 5 Montagners in his retinue – they have the most of their Credits and mean to make a Tour de Chace to kill the rest[.] Sent word per Bouche to advertise all those Men who have not delivered their wood that if they do not make haste and deliver it I will employ Lambert, Cadien & Bouché to do this part of their Duty for them at their Expence beginning with Beauchimin the richest and laziest of them all[.]

Friday 6^th[.] This Evening Bouché and Mandeville arriv’d from the Islands[.] Soon after arrived Beauchimin to to cut his wood[.] Having helped himself rather too plentifully to troute he has grown so monstrously fat that I can Compare him to nothing else than to one of those fat hogs in Canada which weigh 400^lb[.] His lazy legs had great difficulty to lug his Clumsy Quarters this far[.] Gave Bilaine for his voyage to Isle a la Crosse 5 P^rs Shoes – 1 small knife 1 small Callumet, 1 flint & ½ feet of Tob^c rum of the best[.] Gave Mandeville 1 P^r Shoes to bring him to the Forks 1 P^r Rackets & 1 Dog[.] They have 25^lb Bull – & fish for the Dogs[.] Sent the Little Birds Son 1 foot Tob^c & 5 Measures of Ammⁿ and a small bit of Tob^c to each of the other Montagners[.] This I did to encourage them to work and to put it out of their power to Cast up a refusal to me next year when perhaps they will be haughtier & therefore more difficult to please than now[.] Gave the young Man 2 Measures of Ammⁿ & a piece tob^c[.]

Saturday 7^th[.] Bilain & Mandeville went off for Isle a la Crosse & so did Cadien & Bouche for River Dembarras to make Trap & Canoe wood[.] Ch^s Cadien's By^r in law and the young man who came from Picote's Son went away[.] Picoté & Gibeau arrived bag & baggage from the young Picote's Band[.] The First is shockingly scabbed – hands feet B___ks &c. He must be cured or else he can't go to Lac La Pluie[.] Having little to say this day regarding Business I cannot help relating a Dispute with my Cock Mar. Yesterday morning according to his Custom this ill bred fellow bawled out of his kitchen in a surly tone of voice mangez vous des Grillades – I answered in the affirmative but it seems the deaf stupid ass did not hear me but was too proud to come into my room or ask a Second time[.] Towards twelve of o'Clock having a pretty good Appetite I enquired what was become of the Grillades[.] Instead of making Grillades M^r Coq Mar was busy making or mending his Rackets[.] This was not the first time this Damned fellow provoked me but I was this last time too much out of patience to endure his insolence any longer[.] I therefore gave him his Congé & told him all his verities in the bitterest manner I could[.] He said he would have lived as well either with the Indians or fishing as with me[.] I told him it was very likely because he is de L'ordre des Cochons[.] Trash would agree better with him and fatten him more than Good Clean Victuals[.] He will not however leave good

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