Original - North Central Michigan College Library

DESTRUCTION OF THE FORT AND RETURN TOMACKINACIN the beginning of October the fish as isusual was in great abundance at the Sault;and by the fifteenth day of the month I hadmyself taken upward of five hundred. TheseI caused to be dried in the customary mannerby suspending them in pairs, head downward,on long poles laid horizontally for that purposeand supported by two stakes driveninto the ground at either end. The fishare frozen the first night after they aretaken; and by the aid of the severe cold ofthe winter they are thus preserved in a stateperfectly fit for use even till the month ofApril.Others were not less successful than myself;and several canoe-loads of fish were exportedto Michilimackinac, our commanding officerbeing unable to believe that his troops wouldhave need to live on fish during the winter;when, as he flattered himself, a regular supplyof venison and other food would reach thegarrison through the means of the Indians,whose services he proposed to purchase out ofthe large funds of liquor which were subjectto his orders.63