In the month of April the last band came in, and I was extremely perplexed how to act, having a very small portion of rum, and no prospect of encreasing my stock; I was therefore obliged to dilute it so as to make it about one-fifth part weaker than usual, which made twenty gallons of very passable Indian rum. Having supplied them {134} with wearing apparel, &c. and received their peltry, I gave them a taste of the _scuttaywabo_, and just before my embarkation made the following speech: “_Haguarmissey cockinnor an Nishinnorbay kee wabindan cawwickcar nin serpargussey nee zargetoone, keennerwind kaygo kee cushkendum webatch neennerwind tercushenan nepewar annacotchigon nin ojey petoone. Wa haguarmissey cockinnor meenwendesay bazam Ebeckcheck megoyyack debwoye neegee kaygo arwayyor matchee oathty, kee cannawendan cockinnor, mokoman, baskeyzegan goyer becka, kee minniquy kaygo arwayyor annascartissey woke, mornooch kee permartissyan cockinnor an Nishinnorbay nogome debwoye negee nepewar artawway winnin ojey zargetoone an Nishinnorbay, keshpin suggermarch wennewar metach nin ojey debarchemon kitchee ojemaw awassa woity kitchee wakaygan Michillimakinac metach kaygoshish ween ojey bockettywaun keennerwind._ “Now, my friends, take courage, I have always shewn you a good heart, and you all know I am full of pity for you, your wives, and children; therefore do not be uneasy, or think the time long I shall be absent from you. I hope the Master of Life will give me courage and strength to return to you, and bring you goods. Now, as you know I have no sugar on my lips, nor any spear at my tongue, and that my ears are not stopt, nor my heart bound up, I hope you will deliver up your knives, guns, and tomahawks, and have no bad heart before you begin to drink, so that on my return I may find you all well. I shall speak with {135} courage to the great English chief, at _Michillimakinac_, and he will open his heart to you.” Having finished my speech, the weapons were collected and delivered to me. I then gave them a considerable quantity of rum, after which I returned their knives, &c. to convince them of the good opinion I entertained of them, and that I had no doubt but they would attend to the advice I had given them. I then got into my canoe, and waving my hand, was saluted by a discharge of 200 guns, which I returned by one volley, and pursued my journey in good spirits, heartily pleased at leaving my winter quarters.