Original - North Central Michigan College Library

Crafcrig antithe atmosphere grown more clear, I discerneda cariole, or sledge, moving our way, and immediatelysent my guide to the driver with arequest that he would come to my encampment.On his arrival I agreed with him tocarry me to Les Cedres, a distance of eightleagues, for a reward of eight dollars. Thedriver was a Canadian who had been to theIndian village of St. Regis, and was now on hisreturn to Les Cedres, then the uppermostwhite settlement on the St. Lawrence.Late in the evening I reached Les Cedres,and was carried to the house of M. Leduc, itsseignior, by whom I was politely and hospitablyreceived. M. Leduc being disposed toconverse with me, it became a subject of regretthat neither party understood the languageof the other; but an interpreter wasfortunately found in the person of a Serjeantof His Majesty's Eighteenth Regiment ofFoot.I now learned that M. Leduc in the earlierpart of his life had been engagedin the furtrade with the Indians of Michilimackinac andLake Superior. He informed me of his acquaintancewith the Indian languages and hisknowledge of furs, and gave me to understandthat Michilimackinac was richer in this commoditythan any other part of the world. Headded that the Indians were a peaceable raceof men, and that an European might travelfrom one side of the continent to the other