Harmon and his book--An honest man--"Straight as an arrow"--New views--An uncouth giant--"Gaelic, English, French, and Indian oaths"--McDonnell, "Le Prêtre"--St. Andrew's Day--"Fathoms of tobacco"--Down the Assiniboine--An entertaining journal--A good editor--A too frank trader--"Gun fire ten yards away"--Herds of buffalo--Packs and pemmican--"The fourth Gospel"--Drowning of Henry--"The weather cleared up"--Lost for forty days--"Cheepe," the corpse--Larocque and the Mandans--McKenzie and his half-breed children 166 CHAPTER XX. THE LORDS OF THE LAKES AND FORESTS.--III. Dashing French trader--"The country of fashion"--An air of great superiority--The road is that of heaven--Enough to intimidate a Cæsar--"The Bear" and the "Little Branch"--Yet more rum--A great Irishman--"In the wigwam of Wabogish dwelt his beautiful daughter"--Wedge of gold--Johnston and Henry Schoolcraft--Duncan Cameron on Lake Superior--His views of trade--Peter Grant, the ready writer--Paddling the canoe--Indian folk-lore--Chippewa burials--Remarkable men and great financiers, marvellous explorers, facile traders 178 CHAPTER XXI. THE IMPULSE OF UNION. North-West and X Y Companies unite--Recalls the Homeric period--Feuds forgotten--Men perform prodigies--The new fort re-christened--Vessel from Michilimackinac--The old canal--Wills builds Fort Gibraltar--A lordly sway--The "Beaver Club"--Sumptuous table--Exclusive society--"Fortitude in Distress"--Political leaders in Lower Canada 189 CHAPTER XXII. THE ASTOR FUR COMPANY. Old John Jacob Astor--American Fur Company--The Missouri Company--A line of posts--Approaches the Russians--Negotiates with Nor'-Westers--Fails--Four North-West officials join Astor--Songs of the voyageurs--True Britishers--Voyage of the _Tonquin_--Rollicking Nor'-Westers in Sandwich Islands--Astoria built--David Thompson appears--Terrible end of the _Tonquin_--Astor's overland expedition--Washington Irving's "Astoria, a romance"--The _Beaver_ rounds the Cape--McDougall and his smallpox phial--The _Beaver_ sails for Canton 193 CHAPTER XXIII. LORD SELKIRK'S COLONY. Alexander Mackenzie's book--Lord Selkirk interested--Emigration a boon--Writes to Imperial Government--In 1802 looks to Lake Winnipeg--Benevolent project of trade--Compelled to choose Prince Edward Island--Opinion as to Hudson's Bay Company Charter--Nor'-Westers alarmed--Hudson's Bay Company's Stock--Purchases Assiniboia--Advertises the new colony--Religion no disqualification--Sends first colony--Troubles of the project--Arrive at York Factory--The winter--The mutiny--"Essence of Malt"--Journey inland--A second party--Third party under Archibald Macdonald--From Helmsdale--The number of colonists 200 CHAPTER XXIV.