And autumn, likewise prove a valuable
resource both to the Indians and white residents; but the principal
article of food after the moose-deer is fish; indeed it forms almost the
sole support of the traders at some of the posts. The most esteemed fish
is the Coregonus albus, the attihhawmeg of the Crees and the white-fish
of the Americans. Its usual weight is between three and four pounds, but
it has been known to reach sixteen or eighteen pounds. Three fish of the
ordinary size is the daily allowance to each man at the fort and is
considered as equivalent to two geese or eight pounds of solid
moose-meat. The fishery for the attihhawmeg lasts the whole year but is
most productive in the spawning season from the middle of September to
the middle of October. The ottonneebees (Coregonus artedi) closely
resembles the last. Three species of carp (Catastomus hudsonius, C.
forsterianus, and C. lesueurii) are also found abundantly in all the
lakes, their Cree names are namaypeeth, meethquawmaypeeth, and
wapawhawkeeshew. The occuw, or river perch, termed also horn-fish,
piccarel, or dore, is common, but is not so much esteemed as the
attihhawmeg. It attains the length of twenty inches in these lakes. The
methy is another common fish; it is the Gadus lota, or burbot, of Europe.
Its length is about two feet, its gullet is capacious and it preys upon
fish large enough to distend its body to nearly twice its proper size. It
is never eaten, not even by the dogs, unless through necessity but its
liver and roe are considered as delicacies.
The pike is also plentiful and, being readily caught in the wintertime
with the hook, is so much prized on that account by the natives as to
receive from them the name of eithinyoocannooshoeoo, or Indian fish. The
common trout, or nammoecous, grows here to an enormous size, being caught
in particular lakes, weighing upwards of sixty pounds; thirty pounds is
no uncommon size at Beaver Lake, from whence Cumberland House is
supplied. The Hioden clodalis, oweepeetcheesees, or gold-eye, is a
beautiful small fish which resembles the trout in its habits.
One of the largest fish is the mathemegh, cat-fish, or barbue. It belongs
to the genus silurus. It is rare but is highly prized as food.
The sturgeon (Accipenser ruthenus) is also taken in the Saskatchewan and
lakes communicating with it and furnishes an excellent but rather rich
article of food.
CHAPTER 4.
LEAVE CUMBERLAND HOUSE.
MODE OF TRAVELLING IN WINTER.
ARRIVAL AT CARLTON HOUSE.
STONE INDIANS.
VISIT TO A BUFFALO POUND.
GOITRES.
DEPARTURE FROM CARLTON HOUSE.
ISLE A LA CROSSE.
ARRIVAL AT FORT CHIPEWYAN.
LEAVE CUMBERLAND HOUSE.
January 18, 1820.
This day we set out from Cumberland House for Carlton House but,
previously to detailing the events of the journey, it may be proper to
describe the necessary equipments of a winter traveller in this region
which I cannot do better than by extracting the following brief but
accurate account of it from Mr. Hood's journal:
