Original - North Central Michigan College Library

This is only one-half of the real value of thefurs; and it is therefore always agreed to payeither in furs at their actual price at the fort,or in cash to double the amount, as reckonedin furs.At the same time that I paid the price whichI have mentioned for maize I paid at the rateof a dollar per pound for the tallow, or preparedfat to mix with it. The meat itself wasat the same price. The Jesuit missionarykilled an ox which he sold by the quarter,taking the weight of the meat in beaver skin.Beaver skin as just intimated, was worth adollar per pound.These high prices of grain and beef led meto be very industrious in fishing. I usually settwenty lines and visited them daily, andoften found at every visit fish enough to feeda hundred men. Whitefish, which exceedthe trout as a delicious and nutritive food, arehere in astonishing numbers. In shape theysomewhat resemble the shad, but their flavorisperhaps above all comparison whatever.Those who live on them for months togetherpreserve their relish to the end. This cannotbe said of the trout.The whitefish is taken in nets which are setunder the ice. To do this several holes aremade in the ice, each at such distance fromthat behind it as that it may be reached underTwenty-five sols were equal to one shilling one pennysterling. Editor.S6