etween the two rivers lay a creek by which
Indian canoes from time immemorial had crossed. Taking a canoe and three of
his best men, Radisson paddled and portaged over this route to the Nelson.
There, on what is now known as Seal or Gillam Island, stood a crude new
fort; and anchored by the island lay a stout ship--the _Bachelor's
Delight_--cannons pointing from every porthole. Was it the pirate ship seen
off Labrador? It took very little parleying to ascertain that the ship was
a poacher, commanded by young Ben Gillam of Boston, son of the Company's
captain, come here on illicit trade, with John Outlaw and Mike
Grimmington, who later became famed seamen, as first and second mates.
Radisson took fate by the beard, introduced himself to young Gillam, went
on board the ship--not, however, without first seeing that two New
Englanders remained as hostages with his three Frenchmen--quaffed drinks,
observed that the ship was stout and well manned, advised Ben not to risk
his men too far from the fort among the Indians, and laughed with joyous
contempt when Ben fired cannon by way of testing the Frenchman's courage.

[Illustration: ON THE HAYES RIVER From a photograph by R. W. Brock]

There was enough to try Radisson's courage the very next day. While
gliding leisurely down the current of the Nelson, he saw at a bend in
the river the Hudson's Bay Company's ship _Prince Rupert_, commanded by
his quondam enemy, Captain Gillam, sailing straight for the rendezvous
already occupied by Ben Gillam. At any cost the two English ships must
be kept apart; and at once! Singly, perhaps they could be mastered by
the French. Together, they would surely overpower Radisson. It was
nightfall. Landing and concealing his comrades, Radisson kindled such a
bonfire as Indians used to signal trade. The ship immediately anchored.
There was a comical meeting on the _Prince Rupert_ the next morning, at
which Radisson represented to the new governor, John Bridgar, who was on
the ship with Gillam, that each of his three paddlers was a captain of
large ambushed forces. Charity will, perhaps, excuse Radisson for his
fabulous tales of a powerful French fort on the Nelson and his
disinterested observation that this river had a dangerous current higher
up. It appears that Radisson succeeded completely in deceiving the
Englishmen. Had they known how helpless he was, with only a few rude
'shacks' on the Hayes river garrisoned by twenty or thirty mutinous
sailors