Upon Which Wee
Wrought Day & Night Without Intermission, Intending This Vessell Should
Carry The English Into The Bay, As I Had Promis'd Mr Bridgar.
I went down 2 or 3 times to the River's mouth to see what the floods & Ice
had don
There, & if I could pass the point into the other River, wher mr
Bridgar & the English vessell was at the fort of the Island, for was
impossible to pass through the woods, all being cover'd with water. I
adventur'd to pass, & I doubled the point in a canoo of bark, though the
Ice was so thick that wee drew our canoo over it. Being enter'd the River,
I march'd along the South Shore & got safe to the fort of the Island with
great difficulty. I found the shipp lying dry, as I mention'd before, in a
bad condition, but easily remedy'd, the stern being only a litle broke. I
gave directions to have her fitted, & I incouradged the English to work,
which they did perform better than the french. Having given these
directions, I took the shipp's Boat & went down to Mr. Bridgar's
habitation, & looking in what condition it was, I found that 4 of his men
were dead for lack of food, & two that had ben poyson'd a litle before by
drinking some liquer they found in the Doctor's chest, not knowing what it
was. Another of Mr. Bridgar's men had his Arm broke by an accident abroad a
hunting.
Seeing all these disorders, I passed as soon as I could to the South side
of the river to recover unto our Houses, from whence I promis'd Mr. Bridgar
I would send his English Curiorgion that was with us some Brandy, vinegar,
Lynnen, & what provisions I could spare out of the small store wee had
left. Being got a shore, I sent back the Boat to the fort of the Isle, with
orders unto my 2 men I left there to bring my canoo & to use it for
fowling. In returning I went a shore with one of Mr. Bridgar's men that I
took along with me to carry back the provisions I had promis'd, although
hee did not seeme to be very thankfull for it, continueing his threatnings,
& boasted that hee expected shipps would come unto him with which hee would
take us all. I was nothing daunted at this, but kept on my cours, knowing
very well Mr. Bridgar was not in a capacity of doing us any harm; but it
being impossible but that his being present on the place should hinder me,
I order'd my business so as to bee gon with what skins I had, & sent away
Mr. Bridgar after having secured our Trade.
I made severall journeys to the Fort of the Island about repairing of the
shipp; also I went severall times to Mr. Bridgar's house to carry him
provisions, & to assist him & also his men with all things that I could
procure, which they can testify; & had it not ben for me they had suffred
much more misery.
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