Page 161 - La Société canadienne d'histoire de l'Église catholique - Rapport 1961

culty with liis employers, lie left them and wcnt to the Indian
Agent at Mackinaw to obtain a license to trade with the
Indians at the mouth of tlic Menomonee river. The Agent
being a great favorite of the American Fur Company, refuaed
to grant the license, when PARNSWORTII went to Sault Ste.
Marie, and readily obtained one from the Indian Agent there
located. He afterwards brought suit against the Mackinaw
Agent for refusing the trading license, and recovered heavy
damages.
FARNSWORTII located his trading post near the mouth of the
Menomonee River, close alongside that of tlie American Fur
Company. The Company sent an experienced trader to bring
their peculiar tactics, usual in such cases, to bear upon the
man whom they regarded as little better than an audacious
interloper. The Company's Agent or trader, like the craft
generally, was fond of the "ardent"; he liad a young Indian
in his en~ploy, whcm he would send to PARNSWORTII with eight
or ten muskrat skins to exchange for whiskey, and FARNS-
WORTH was alwayag~ fortunate as to have a little left. This
traffic continued for a long time, until one of the Company's
Agents came around to inspect the affairs at that post, and soon
found that the trader had but few furs; and upon instituting an
inquiry into the matter, the little Indian informed the Agent
that the trader liad bought a great many furs, which had been
sent to FARNSRORTII'S for whiskey ~lmost as fast as they had
been taken. The reckless and improvident trader was dis-
charged, and another sent to supply his place. The new
trader had a half-breed wife, quite a good looking woman, who
accompanied hirn from one trading-post to another; but he,
too, like liis predecessor, was fond of his drops. FARNS-
WORTH soon inade friends with him, inviting him to his house,
and treating him freely; and the upsliot of tlie matter was
that FA~LNSWORTII soon obtained his furs by barter, and coaxed
away his wife, when the poor fellow, furlcss and wifeless, the
next spring left the country.
About this time the Agent of the American Fur Company