Soon after their first pioneers were established, in 1670, at Fort Nelson, on the west coast of Hudson Bay, near where York Factory now stands, there was born--or brought out from England as an infant--a little boy named Henry Kellsey, who as a child took a great fancy to the Amerindians who came to trade at Fort Nelson.

As he played with them, and they returned his affection, he learnt their language, and--for some inconceivable reason--this gave great offence to the stupid governor of the fort (indeed, when Kellsey as a grown man, some years afterwards, compiled a vocabulary of the Kri language for the use of traders, the Hudson's Bay Company ordered it to be suppressed).

Stupid Governor Geyer not only objected to Kellsey picking up the Kri language, but punished him most severely for that and for his boyish tricks and jokes; so much so, that Kellsey, when he was about ten years old, ran away with the returning Indians, some of whom had grown very fond of him whilst they stayed at Fort Nelson.
Six years afterwards an Indian brought to the governor of the fort a letter written by Kellsey in charcoal on a piece of white birch bark.
In this he asked the governor's pardon for running away, and his permission to return to the fort.

As a kind reply was sent, Kellsey appeared not long afterwards grown into a young man, accompanied by an Indian wife and attended by a party of Indians.

He was dressed exactly like them, but differed from them in the respect which he showed to his native wife.