to be taken.

Amid all the troubles and complaints of the winter there were none
against the suitableness of the log dwellings which were erected on the
chosen site to which was given the name, "Nelson Encampment." Winter,
however, came in fiercely enough in November, although again on the 29th
of November, Macdonell writes to Cook, Governor of the Factory: "A mild
day enables us to send a boat across the Nelson with the Express." It
was open water on the river.

Macdonell knew well that with the recent arrivals from the Old Land, one
of the greatest dangers would be the weakening and dangerous disease of
scurvy. He had sought for supplies of "Essence of Malt" and "Crystallized
Salts of Lemon," and at the beginning of December as the people were
living chiefly on salt provisions and a short allowance of oatmeal the
scurvy made its appearance. Medical care was given by Mr. Edwards and
the disease was at once met. However within a month one-third of the
Immigrants were thus afflicted and the fear was that the malady would go
through the whole Encampment. But the remedy that Champlain found so
effective at Quebec--the juice of the Spruce tree, which grew in
abundance around the Encampment--checked the disease, wherever the
obstinacy of the settlers did not prevent its use, for says Macdonell,
"It is not an easy matter to get the Orkneymen to drink it, particularly
the old hands." A smouldering fire of discontent that had been detected
on board the ship on crossing the ocean now broke out into a flame. The
Irish and the Orkneymen could not agree. In February the vigilant leader
Macdonell writes: "The Irish displayed their native propensity and
prowess on the first night of the year, by unmercifully beating some
Orkneymen. Too much strong drink was the chief incitement." This
antipathy continued to be a difficulty even until the party arrived at