Page 163 - La Société canadienne d'histoire de l'Église catholique - Rapport 1961

return th:~t he too was brave, and would put their boasted
bravery to the test; and then produced a keg nearly full of
gunpowder, with the head out, and carefully inserted the lower
end of a lighted candle in the combustible article, so that the
light was about six inches :ibovc the powder, and then compos-
edly lit his pipe and sat down beside the Indians, saying he
would soon see who the brave men were. The Indians soon
rushed out of the house as for their lives, when FARNSWORT~I
cautiously removed the candle so as not to drop a spark.
After this exhibition of bravery, the Indians became very
friendly with FARNSWORTII, and the Fur Company gave up
their fruitless cfforts against him. I give this sketch of
WII~I~IA~I FARNS\VOKTH shorn to what extremities the Fur
to
Company would carry their plans in order to rid themselves of
any one who attempted to oppose them, or interfere with their
desired monopoly of the Indian trade. I may add that FARNS-
WORTH remained at his post, near the mouth of the Menomo-
nee, a great many years; and by his woman mhom he took
away from the trader, he raised three fine children, all of
mhom have made good citizens.
At Mackinaw I engaged with a man of the name of BURR,
who was going to Green Bay with a stock of goods. I took
charge of the goods, and placing them on board of a small
schooner, sailed for Green Bay, where I arrivcd on the 9th of
May, 1820. I rented a store three miles above Fort Howard,
opened my goods and groceries and commenced trading.
About that time a detachment of troops was sent to Green
Bay to build another fort on the east side of Pox River, a
short distance above vhcre I was located. The soldiers were
daily passing and re-passing from one garrison to the other;
and mould frequently call at my place and get something to
drink. The officers finding it out, forbid the soldiers calling
at my trading establishment. A few days after, an officer
called and inquired what I kept for salc? I replied that I kept
all kinds of groceries, and invited him to take a drink of good
brandy. Hc did so. Then learning for a certainty that I