Notes on "Travels and Adventures in Canada" by Alexander Henry

Henry leaves the Sault on June 10, 1775 by canoe into the North-West (the country northwest of Lake Superior). He passes the Tête de la Loutre, or Otter's Head on June 20 and camps at the mouth of the Pijitic river which "takes its rise in the high lands lying between Lake Superior and Hudson's Bay [this is Ojibwe territory]. On the Pijitic lives a band of Wood Indians.

On June 21st 1775 he leaves Pijitic, crosses ("coasts ten leagues") a bay on Lake Superior and lands on Pic Island opposite the Pays Plat, which gets its name "from the Indians" (238).

The Nipigon [Alampigon] River discharges into Lake Nipigon, where the French carried on considerable trade with the Indians [obviously before the British took over Canada in 1763]. 

beaver: quality excellent, better than "that from the north-west" (238)

Caministiquia [Kaministiquia/Caministigoya]: French trading-house [formerly/used to be there?]

He reaches Grand Portage on 24 June, 1775, after proceeding northwest along Lake Superior for four days.

Ile au Tonnerre (Thunder Island): one of the islands of a number of intervening islands along four day's journey: "At the Grand Portage, I found the traders in a state of extreme reciprocal hostility, each pursuing his interests in such a manner as might most injure his neighbour. The consequences were very hurtful to the morals of the Indians ["...the means which they employ for success are to sell as dear as possible the merchandise which they bring and to purchase the furs at the lowest price possible in which they cheat the Indians by making them drunk. In 1754 they had in the post of la Mer d'Ouest a skin of beaver for four grains of pepper and they charged up to eight hundred francs for a pound of vermilion (Innis, 108-9.]" (239). 

river Aux Groseilles: camp site of Henry after seven days travel ("river du Tourt,' [Tourtre]--'Dove or Pigeon river'.")

flora: birch & poplar in lowlands; pine in highlands