Page 182 - La Société canadienne d'histoire de l'Église catholique - Rapport 1961

178 WISCONSIN IIISTOI~ICAL COLLECTIONS.

requesting me to let him and his nlcn and the prisoners have
provisions enough to last them back to the Fort. I told him
that he should not have a pound of anything-that they might
starve first. Soon after the Agent came to me, and coaxed me
until I concluded to let them have a supply; I sold them pork
at fifty cents per pound, flour twenty-five cents, corn fiftcen
dollars per bushel, and let; then1 have a horse and train* to
return wit11 for ten dollars. They took breakfast and left. I
collected all of the tools, provisions, and other articles, and
took them down to GRIGNON'S, and stored them. The next
day I started for the Portage, and encamped where Portage
City is now located. That night a sergeant came to my camp
to inform me that I had better not proceed by way of the Fort,
as Major TWIGGS was in a high rage, swearing that if I should
come nigh the Fort, he would have me arrested, put in irons,
and sent to Prairie du Chien; that I was as much a trespasser
on the Indian lands as any of the party of the shingle-makers,
as the officer and soldiers of the detachment sent up the ri~~er
had scen lne making shingles. The sergeant advised me to go
across the country, and keep entirely clew of the Fort. I
kindly thanked him for his good wishes, but told him that
I had business with the sutler at the Port, and should go that
way to see him; and that I was not in the habit of dodging
any mortal man or set of men. The Agent sent me word, that
I had not better go near tlie Fort; that he had heard what
TWIGGS had said, and it would be prudent to avoid coming in
contact with him. Still I was determined to go by way of the
Fort, while my teamsters wcre averse to it. I simply told
them, if they wcre cowards they could go any way they
pleased.
On the ensuing morning I got ~.eady, and started for the
Fort, my Inen all following. Nearing the garrison, I discov-
ered all of the officers down at the river near the crossing-
place. The soldiers were getting out ice. When they saw me,
- - -- --
-* A wooden sled, with plnnk I-unners, drawn by a single horse, is much
used in Canada, and itl called o, t~ain. L.O.D.