spire to give forty degrees north latitude the prefer-
ence for human beings to breathe in. This evening,
had a visit from Capt. John Drake, an old Guinea
trader, now a navigator on these lakes, remarkable
for using no kind of drink but water; yet is a healthy,
robust man. He is employed in the north-west trade,
and just arrived from the Falls of St. Mary, at the
entrance into Lake Superior. On this trade, the
company has one topsail vessel, and a larger on the
stocks, ready to launch. They navigate that lake
about four hundred miles, and some distance up a
river, to the Grand Portage — where the goods are
taken to canoes, by about one thousand men. These
canoes run, as it is supposed, at least fifteen hundred
miles, west-north-west — which requires them to be
exceedingly industrious to make the post before
winter — and when winter sets in a week or two
sooner than common, they are frequently caught by
the way.

One McKenzie, and ten men, set out last spring
was a year, from the Black, or by some called the
Grand North Post, to attempt further discoveries;
they have not been heard of since. He had been
out once before, for twelve months; and met with
mountains of salt ice. He now expects to be out
three years. Some of these northern adventurers
return, and appear as well as those who remain at
home, feasting on delicacies. In short, the young
men hereaway, think themselves no more accom-
plished for company or conversation, not having
taken this journey, than our young gentlemen, not
having taken the tour of Europe.

A day or two past, we had the company of five
Moravian Indians, whose sorrowful history deeply