Friday 27^th March 1800[.] About 12 oClock a young Man arrived from Marlin with a small Keg of his own making to be filled with rum[.] Marlins band Consists of 14 Men including himself[.] Paspartous who is a long with them Counted all their Skins and according to his Computation they have 19 packs[.] Ch^s Cadiens Comrade arrived and paid 25 Skins Credits which make him 85 Skins this winter[.] [F]ine weather[.]

Saturday 28^th[.] Sent Marlin 15 Measures Mixt rum & 3 feet Tobacco[.] Now, for you Antithesis philosophers, who are forever moved with the spirit of Contradiction & feel an itching to give fault where there is none, here is a fine occasion to shew your wonderful parts & produce Something worthy of your sect[.] Sending Rum to Indians according to you is an unpardonable Error in a poor fellow's Conduct – but may he beg leave Gentlemen to ask you a few Civil Questions by way of Vindication for his supposed Error[.] [P]ray then will 19 packs of fine Beaver have any weight in your Debates? if they will not I am sure they will in the Gentlemen of the North West Company's pockets when reduced into Cash[.] What is the reason you fret so much against sending rum to Indians more than other Goods? Is it because 7 parts in 8 of this rum are pure water, of course is less expensive to the C^o and pleases the Indians more than other Goods? No Gentlemen I suppose you will say it is because it Debauches the Indians and renders them troublesome but can sending a small keg in land by a Clerk debauch them more than giving them a Large keg in the fall and spring by a Bourgeois at the Fort while the Clerk who succeeds him is limited to give a smaller present in a kettle[.] If the Indians be spoiled it is the Bourgeois not the Clerks that do it – the former give the Indians every time they pass large presents which the latter are either afraid or forbid to give – the one of Consequence are regard'd by the Indians as superiour Beings whom they must adore – the other as mere tools to them whom they may despise and need not mind[.] Notwithstanding all this our Employers expect the same returns from us as they could hope from one of themselves in our places – but they cannot conceive that in our little stations we must act on as high a scale in order to produce the same effect as they[.] Here again Gentlemen of the Cynick Cast you will reprimand my warmth which in your phrase is empertinence to presume to speak against my Employers – but be pleased to recollect that though I have spoken against

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