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dashed water into our canoes. Put in for a few minutes to take the bearings at a bluff point' about six miles from our last encampment. This being accomplished we coasted close in shore for some time, and, the wind abating, made for an island near the head of the lake, and landed there about two o'clock and dined. This island, now Francis's Island,' is pleasantly situated, having a fine prospect of the lake. The Indians used to raise corn upon it, but have not for some time. It is quite covered with long grass. About two o'clock we embarked and shortly after leaving the island entered a small straight,3 near the far extremity of which we saw two Indians in a canoe paddling across. So soon as the Indian in the Governor's canoe perceived them, he gave the death hallow; the strange Indians made for land, and we, seeing the wigwam, followed. So soon as our Indian got near enough to be heard, he made a melancholy detail of the number of deaths that had lately happened among the Lake Simcoe Indians, and closed his speech with saying "that the end of the world was at hand, Indians would be no more." An old Indian, owner of the wigwam, gave a similar unpleasant account of the great sickness in his neighbourhood also, and added that he expected his eldest son would soon change his climate, and that nothing but his being unwell prevented his going to his wintering ground. His Excellency made this family a small present, and we parted. Soon after leaving them, the wind turning fair, we hoisted sail. At this place the lake widens, and is interspersed with small islands, on some of which the Indians had planted corn, turnips, and squashes. About sunset got to the head of the lake, entered the river Matchetache, and encamped.

2nd. Proceeded down the river, and in the space of two hours had to carry our canoes, &c. over two portages. A short distance below the first carrying place the Black River empties itself into the Matchetache, and changes the colour of that river from a clear to a dusky brown, which it does not vary until it enters the bay of the same name upon Lake Huron. Below the second carrying place the river widens, and at about a distance of six or seven miles from it we crossed a small lake about six miles in circumference. Put on shore and dined upon a point where we got various kinds of berries. Mr. Pilkington's canoe and mine, being leaky, were hauled out of the water and gummed well. After dinner pushed off, and about sunset came to a third carrying place, where, after hauling up our canoes, we encamped. This place is said to be much infested with rattlesnakes; it certainly has much the appearance of it, being almost a solid rock, with a few scrub

5

1 At Carthew's Bay.

2 The largest of the two islands at the entrance of the lake was given the name of Darling; the other that of Pilkington. Two streams flowing into the east side of the lake were named Grey's river and Talbot's river in honour of members of Simcoe's staff. Francis Island was named in honour of his son. "Francis Island is in the north part of lake Simcoe, near the narrows leading to a small lake. Between this island and the north shore, vessels may lie in safety. From the bay west of Francis Island there is a good path, and a short portage into a small lake; this is the nearest way to Lake Huron." Smith, Gazetteer of Upper Canada. It is now known as Grape Island. The name of Canise, the Indian chief, (Keenees) was given to an island in the southern part of the lake.

3 "The Narrows" leading from Lake Simcoe into Lake Couchiching.

4 Known as the Severn River.

5 Sparrow Lake.

by pines and oaks growing upon it. John Vincall of the Rangers, cut one of his toes almost off here. To the left of the carrying place is a handsome fall, and below that an impetuous rapid.'

3rd. Had the canoes, &c. carried across early in the morning and after breakfast proceeded down the river. Went through several rapids and crossed two more carrying places. At two o'clock arrived at, and had everything carried over a fifth portage. The scene of the place is pleasing and romantick; the portage is a solid level rock, with a few small pines and oaks growing out of the rents. The falls rush, as may easily be conceived to be the case, from an immense body of water, having a great descent, and being condensed between two rocks, at not more than fifteen feet asunder. After dinner continued our journey, and soon after crossed a sixth portage. Shortly after re-embarking it began to rain, and we encamped upon a small island about two miles below the last mentioned carrying place.

4th. Loaded our canoes early in the morning and embarked. The wind being fair hoisted sail, and in about three or four hours arrived at a seventh and the last carrying place. Having crossed our canoes, &c., and again re-embarking, at 11 o'clock we entered Matchetache Bay. The Indians being apprised, by an express across the country from Oakland Point, of the Governor's being near at hand, were assembled upon a point at a short distance from the last carrying place. Upon seeing them we made towards them. When we got within a few yards of the shore they complimented His Excellency with a feu de joie, which we answered with three cheers, and immediately landed. After all the Indians had shook hands with the Governor, the chief presented him with two dozen ducks. His Excellency thanked him and told him he would be happy to see him and his band in the evening at Mr. Cowan's on the opposite side of the bay. Re-embarked and sailed across in little more than an hour; it blew so fresh before we arrived that we were obliged to lower our sails. Upon landing, unloaded and hauled up our canoes, encamped in the woods a small distance from the lake and about half a mile from Mr. Cowan's house, or rather fort, for it is a square stockade; his house is in one, his store opposite to it in another, an out-house for potatoes, corn, &c. in a third, and the gate in the fourth. He does not allow the Indians to get drunk within the garrison. Soon after we had encamped the Indians arrived, and the Governor made each of them a present of tobacco. About eight o'clock Mr. Cowan, who had been out hunting all day, returned. He sent His Excellency some ducks, and shortly afterwards came to pay his respects. Mr. Cowan is a decent, respectable looking man, and much liked by the Indians. He was taken prisoner by the French at Fort Pitt during the war of '58 and '59, when a boy. He has adopted all the customs and manners of the Canadians, and speaks much better French than English. He has been settled at Matchetache upwards of fifteen years without once going to Lower Canada. He makes an annual trip to Michillimackinac to meet his supplies there and forward his furs to Montreal. He has in general six

1Known as The Ragged Rapids, and Swift Rapids, at which there is now a generating station of the Hydro-Electric Power Commission of Ontario. Mrs. Simcoe's "Diary" (Toronto, 1911), contains her copies of Lieut. Pilkington's sketches of various rapids and falls on this Severn River.

Canadians engaged with him, and is well known to that class of people by the name of Constant.1

5th. Mr. Cowan, having been desired by the Governor the preceding evening to attend next morning to interpret, arrived after we had breakfasted, and the Indians being met, addressed the Governor in the usual manner: "They were happy to see him in good health and thanked him for taking the trouble of visiting them in their own country &c." The Governor replied that he would always be glad to hear of the prosperity of the Indians, and entreated them to attend to their hunts, and told them that he wished for nothing more than seeing them and his children, the whites, live in harmony together and mutually assist each other. He promised them a keg of rum which should be delivered to them the day of his departure from the bay, and told the chief he would send him from York a silver medal and a flag, the usual badges of distinction, which this chief had not as yet received. They then shook hands and went away well satisfied. I must here observe that the Lake Simcoe Indians were much mortified at the Governor not taking the beaver blanket when offered to him. This they communicated to the Matchetache Indians by the express which went overland; and they simply replied that their Father did right not to take it, that they should have made his bed upon his arrival at York, (as they did), and not waited for his arrival in their village. The Matchetache Indians had made his bed at York by presenting a beaver blanket. Soon after the departure of the Indians His Excellency, Mr. Cowan, and the gentlemen of the party embarked in one of Mr. Cowan's large canoes, worked by five Canadians (leaving the Rangers, &c. at the encampment), intending to visit Penetanguashin, a place supposed to be a good harbour for vessels. The wind blew so fresh that we could not effect our purpose, especially as we had a wide traverse to make. We however, landed upon an island called by Mr. Cowan, "Place la Traverse." We got to a point opposite to it and had an ample view of it, and from its appearance and the account Mr. Cowan gave of the depth of water, I believe His Excellency

1 George Cowan, otherwise known as Jean Baptiste Constant or Constance, was subsequently appointed official interpreter for the Indians residing near Lake Huron. In a letter to Joseph Chew, dated at Detroit River, 22nd January, 1797, Alexander McKee wrote. "This man was nominated for the Messasagues from the strong recommendation of Lieut. Governor Simcoe & appointed by Lord Dorchester, 7th July, 1796, together with Johnston & Price for the 6 Nations. "I believe there is no doubt that Constance is one of the best Chippawa and Messasague Interpreters in this Country, he is besides a man of great influence from a long residence among them & it was considered proper by His Lordship there should be one for that Nation at Niagara.' His trading post was situated on the east side of the long arm of Matchedash Bay that extends inward nearly to Coldwater village, and almost opposite Fesserton railway station. It was near here that Simcoe's camp was placed during this visit. Cowan was one of those drowned when the government schooner "Speedy" was lost in 1804, while conveying officials to hold a court near Brighton for the trial of an Indian for murder. In the Journal of Indian Transactions at (Fort) Niagara, 1767, (Doc. Hist. of N.Y., II. 868, 8vo. ed'n) the name of this interpreter is given as Jean Baptiste de Couagne. According to Rod. McKenzie's Narrative (L. R. Masson's "Bourgeois de la compagnie du Nord-Ouest," II, 9) Cowan had a temporary trading lodge at La Cloche in 1785.

2 Now known on all maps as Prince William Henry Island, but by all the resident population of the district surrounding it as Beausoleil Island. By the voyageurs of Simcoe's time it was known as Isle du Traverse, because it lies across the mouth of Matchedash Bay. The distance across the open passage from the place where Simcoe viewed Penetanguishene harbour to the Pinery Point on the mainland is less than two miles. On the mainland here are the high cliffs on the shore from which the harbour gets its name "Place of the rolling sands." Capt. Gother Mann had reported to Lord Dorchester that Matchedash Bay with its environs were all shallow (see Vol I, p. 342). And Simcoe endeavoured now to improve upon that selection and find near it a proper naval station. The selection of Penetanguishene harbour which he now made resulted subsequently in the Indian treaty of 1798 for land adjacent to it, and the establishment of the British naval station there in 1815.