CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY BOUGHT WITH THE INCOME OF THE SAGE ENDOWMENT FUND GIVEN IN 1891 BY HENRY WILLIAMS SAGE oi/iy^)^^\ \y F 1063 G97"" ""'™""y '-'""'T ^'^'"I'lllllMillllllJSIi'lllwr ■ ''^°'" ""^ earliest 3 1924 028 903 775 olin ■^\ 1' MA'. ' ^^. >^l^2^^^r-I^ Or J -^ /^ 3 / Cornell University Library The original of this book is in the Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924028903775 HISTORY MANITOBA — FBOM THK — EARLIEST SETTLEMENT TO 1835 — BY IHB — LATE HON. DONALD GUNN, And/rom 1835 to the Admission of the Province into the Dominion BY CHARLES R. TUTTLE, Author of the " Illustrated History of the Dominion of Canada," etc., etc., etc. OTTAWA : PEIXTED BY MACLEAN, ROGER & CO. 1880. F /063 Entered according to Act of Parliament in the Year 1880, hy CHARLES R. TUTTLE, In the Office of the Minister of Agriculture and Statistics, at Ottawa, Canada, PREFACE. This volume is presented to the public in the hope that it "will supply a want long felt for a complete and reliable account of the events which make up the history of the Province of Manitoba, down to the close of what is well known as the " Eed Eiver Rebellion." That part of the work written by the late Hon. Donald G-unn, is presented without any material alterations in the manuscript prepared by him ; while that portion furnished by the writer was collected from the most reliable sources. As the space was limited, no attempt has been made to Tecord the events of civil government which constitute the several administrations since the formation of the Province; nor has it been an object to forecast the future greatness which the destiny of Manitoba comprehends. These things have been left for a second volume, which it is the intention of the undersigned to publish early next year. The present work is therefore intended to furnish the early history of the North-West, together with a full narrative of the troubles which were connected with the entrance of Manitoba into the Confederation. CHARLES R. TUTTLE. Winnipeg, Oct. 25, 1880. CONTENTS. Portrait of the late Hon. Donald Guna Frontispiece. PA.OB Sketch of the late Hon. Donald Gunn 9 CHAPTER I.— Discovery— Voyages of the Cabots— Oartier's Explora- tions — Voyage of Roberval — Ohamplain — Discovery of the Hudson's Bay Country — Contest between the English and French for the Fur Trade— The first Forts and Factories — Karlj; Trade Statistics — Last Appearance of the French in the Hudson's Bay Country 32 "CHAPTER ir.— The Earl of Selkirk— His Dealings with the Pur Com- pany — The Selkirk Grant— Prospectus of the Selkirk Colony— Curious Incidents of Immigratiou~A; Winter on the Nelson River in 1811 — Contention in the Colony — Early Methods of Trial and Punishment — Miles Macdonell and his Colony at Red River in 1812 — Thrilling Incidents of Immigration — First Settlers at Pembina— Privations of the First Red River Set- tlers — The Rival Fur Companies— The Indians- 60 CHAPTER III.— Emigrants for the Earl's Colonjr— A Case of Love- Typhus Fever on Board the Ships — Trading with the Esquimaux — Arrival at Nelson River — Great Priva- tions — A Fire — Want of Implements — Contention between Rival Companies — Arrested — Dissatisfaction among Settlers — A Fight— Tried and Acquitted— Colonists Returning to Canada — Dr. Strachan's Hospitality ~ 89 CHAPTER IV.— A Skirmish in which two are Killed— A Wake without Whiskey — Petty Annoyances — Lord Selkirk in Mon- treal—The Fur Trade— Destitution among Hudson's Bay Men— From Scotland to Red Kiver— A New Governor— Adminietration of Justice— A Surprise — Doings at Pembina— A Conflict— Mr. Keveny in Trouble— Murdered— The Earl's Soldiers for the North-West ~ 122 CHAPTER v.— Lord Selkirk at Fort William— He takes Possession of the Fort in Military Order— A Protest— Prisoners sent to Montreal- Searching Storehouses— A Procla- mation—Selkirk's Depredations— Suffering Colonists on Jack River— Return of the Colonists to Red Kiver Privations — Arrival of the Canadian Commis- sioners— Restitution— The first Shower of Grass- hoppers-Conflicts between the North-West and Hudson's Bay Companies— Sufferings of the Pio- neers ■ ~ "••" "* Ti CONTENTS. PAGIt CHAPTER VI.— Captain Bulger' g Administration— Incidents among the Pioneers of Red River— The Buffalo Wool Factory— The first Protestant Missionaries— The Chase— At- tempts at Agriculture 221 CHAPTER VII.— Events of 1826-7— Famine and Starvation among the Hunters — A Severe Winter— Thirty Perish from Cold and Starvation— The Terrible Flood— The Red River Valley becomes a Continuous Lake — The Damages- Trade and Con«merce — Agriculture and the Produce Market. 245 CHAPTER VIII.— Progress of the Settlements- Arrival of Colonists at Red River— Erection of a New Fort— The Difficulties of Stock-Raising— The Unfortunate Sheep Specula- tion — Driving Sheep from Kentucky to Red River 264 CHAPTER IX. — The Experimental Farms- Early Produce Markets- Sale of the Colony to the Hudson's Bay Company — The French Half-Breeds threaten to Revenge an Assault Committed on One of their Number — The Hudson's Bay Company Forced to make Slight Con- cessions • 27S OHJlPTER X.— The New Council— Laws Passed— The Law Courts- Judicial Districts — Politics-rlntroduotion of the Jury System — Public Flogging and its Results — Damage by Frosts — Non-Arrival of Supplies 28T CHAPTER XL— The Objectional Monopoly of the Hudson's Bay Co.— Settlers Fretting under the Tbke of Oppression — The Early Tariff— Long Delayed Vengeance — Growing Breach between Metis and the Hudson's Bay Co. — •The Indians and the Half-Breeds — War and Peace — Arrival of the Sixth Royals — The Metis Resisting the Authority of the Hudson's Bay Company — Celebra- ting their Success 295 CHAPTER XII.— The Pembina Treaty— The Great Flood of 1852— Judicial — The Mails — Arrival of Dr. Schultz — A Printing Press— Mr. Dallas succeeds Governor Simp- son — William MacTavish becomes Governor, and Difficulties follow — The Sioux Massacre — The Riot over the Case of the Rev. Mr. Corbett 300' CHAPTER XIII.— Events from 1863 to 1868— The Indians— Ravages of the Grasshoppers — Struggles between the Colonists and the Officers of the Hiidsou's Bay Company — The"Nor'- VVester" — Agitation for Union with Canada — Hon. Dr. Schultz's Conflict with the Hudson's Bay Com- pany 315 CHAPTER XIV.— The Crop of 1868— Famine-Relief— Union with Cana- da — Resolutions of Hon. Mr. Macdougal — Debate on acquiring the North- West Territories — Opposition to the Annexation— The Resolutions adopted 324 CONTENTS. Vii PAGE CHAPTER XV.— The Imperial Government requires that terms should be made with the Hudson's Bay Company before the transfer takes place— The terms finally agreed to— Act passed providing a Territorial OoTernment — Surveys — Hon. W. Macdougall appointed Governor — Hon. Joseph Howe's visit to the Territory — Mr. Mac- dougall warned not to enter the Territory— The situ- ation in the Colony — Mr. Macdougall driven out of the Territory 331 CHAPTER XVI.— Opposition in the Colony to a Union with Canada- Bishop Tache's objections— The first Steamer on the Red River— The Meeting at River Sale— Apathy of the Hudson's Bay Company's Officers — Stoppage of the Mails— Occupation of Fort Garry- The Insurrec- tion assumes formidable proportions — Riel summons a Convention — Mr. MacTavish issues a Proclamation — Meeting of the Convention— Passage of a " Bill of Rights " 345 CHAPTER XVII.— Action of the Canadian Government— Mr. Macdougall issues two Proclamations — The Mission of Colonel Dennis — Its failure — Affairs in Winnipeg — Capture of Dr. Schultz — Declaration of Independence — The Rebel Flag — Arrival of the Canadian Commissioners 362 CHAPTER XVIII — Inactivity of the Canadian Commissioners— Riel's OfBcial Organ — Escape of Prisoners — Mass Meeting — Escape of Dr. Schultz from Prison — The Convention — The second "Provisional Government" formed — Appointment of Delegates to Canada — The rising at Eildonan — Capture of the Portage Detatchment — The First Blood Spilled — Major Boulton Condemned to Death — Mr. Smith Electioneers for Eiel — Dr. Schullz's Escape to Lake Superior 375 CHAPTER XIX — The Dark Crime of the Rebellion— The Murder of Thomas Scott — The mock " Court Martial " — Its Secretary's Account of it — Mr. Smith's Account of his Efforts to Save Scott's Life — Rev. George Young's Account of bow Scott was Butchered— Mysterious Disappearance of the Body — The Reign of Terror 393 CHAPTER XX.— Bishop Tache's Mission— A Series of Mistakes— Meeting of the "Provisional" Parliament — The Delegates leave for Ottawa — Hoisting the Union Jack — Review of Bishop Tache's Action in Promising a General Amnesty.. i 408 CHAPTER XXI.— Excitement in Canada over Scott's Murder— Father Richot and Alfred Scott Arrested on their Arrival in Ottawa — Tried and Discharged— Terms agreed on by the Delegates and the Dominion Government- Passage ot the "Manitoba Act" — Provisions of the Act 421 Vlll CONTENTS. CHAPTER XXtl.— A Military Expedition to Red River detenniaed on— The Terms on which the Expodition was sent — Pre- parations for the Expedition — The Militia Contingent — How it was Drafted — Colonel Wolseley appointed to Command the Expedition — The Stoppage of the " Chioora'" — The Projtress of the Troops from Prince Arthur's Laqding to Red River — The Arrival at Fort Garry— The Flight of Riel 434 CHAPTER XXIir.— Arrival of Lieut.-Governor Archibald— The Advan- tage of Riel's Flight — Governor Archibald's Conci- liatory Coarse — The Death of Goulet — Why Regular Troops should have been left at Fort Garry — A Census taken — First Local Legislature — The "Fenian Raid" — A Contemptible Fizzle — Arrest of "General" O'Neil and his Release by V. S. Autho- rities — The second Expedition to Red River — Offer of $5,000 by the Ontario Government for the Arrest of the Murderers of Scott — Riel Assisted by the Domin- ion Government to Leave the Country „ 459 THE LATE HONORABLE DONALD GUNN MEMBER OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL OF MANITOBA. -CORRESPONDING SECREIARY OF SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTE. meSi/n'^fiy'ff'^^^^^^^^ ^'^^'^ ^ -«*S7/7.4V.?/ SKETCH OF THE LIFE CF IBS LATE HON. DONALD GUNN. There is no^finer trait knowa to mankind than the honor and respect accorded men who haye risen above adverse and obscure conditions, and " won their spurs " upon that hones- test of all battle fields, the one whose fray opens with the morning of their life and ends only with its close. Nowhere is this recognition so fully made, this sympathy so quickly avouched as on this continent, and nowhere on this continent has literary merit achieved a right to be heard, under such unique and secluded circumstances, as a success won in the inner wastes of that vast wilderness known, till of late, as the Territory of the Honorable Hudson's Bay Company. The condition of individual life in this — save to the trader — unknown region was that of singular bodily vigor, the most robust and assured vitality, the natural outcome of the hardy simplicity yet fullness of fare, the pure atmos- phere and healthful alternations of exercise and repose com- mon to the European adventurers in the ranks of the great trading corporation ; conditions that bred and sustained the ambitious enterprise so essential to exploration, and the establishment of — in unknown and hazardous regions— a trafl3.c with the wild tribes and savage peoples whom they encountered, a record of which — could it be known — would furnish the nervous thrilling annals of the British race with matter equal to any that has gone before. Tasks like these, and daily kindred essay — dwarf lesser and more tranquil habitudes, are not an atmosphere for men X LIFE OF HON. DONALD GUNN. on studions thoughts intent, the few books that found their way inland, standard and valuable as they were, were only enough to keep alive the traditions of the youth, heir- looms and links that recalled the distant homes across the water and seas, subordinate entirely, a rule which found rare exceptions. Prominently one whose scholarly instinct was of a verity a part of his nature, the author of the History of which this brief notice is a prefix, Donald G-unn, was born in the Parish of Halkirk in the County of Caithness, Scotland, in the year l'79*r, and sprang from that strong and fertile class of peasant farmers whose health of body and mind — nurtured in the frugal simplicity of their native hills— has furnished so many worthy sons to the stout old land that gave them birth. A land whose scant nurture and limited scope, while it con- serves so much, yet breeds a necessity enriching other shores than those of the rugged peninsula stretching its rocky arms into the wild northern seas, sending out, from time to time, to the great unoccupied spaces her colonizing children, who achieve by virtue of inherent and trained qualities — that stand them ever in stead — a success second to none, if equalled by any. Of the children of the tenant of the old farm house in the strath of Braeholme, two furnish worthy proof of this fact, an elder son seeking at an early day his fortune in the wilds of Australia, becoming in due course of time one of the largest wool growers and sheep farmers in the colony ; the other, the subject of our memoir, who turning his face to the west, wrought out amid the ice and snow of the northern land, not only fair fortune but an honored name. It was in the Parish School of Halkirk that the blue-eyed, fair-haired Scotch lad first mastered the mystic signs that were to prove to him in after years, such unvarying delight. Here the speech of the Hills took precedence, and the G-aelic (the tongue the Scotsmen fondly boast contains all others), found an apt and loving pupil ; one who to the latest years LIFE OF HON. DONALD GUNN. xi of his life knew no poet king save Ossian, no loftier flight than that of the strong wing of the early Scottish bard, whose bold imaginings conned by the boy on the mist clad heights of the tempestuous shore, resonant with the mighty- music of the sea, found quick interpretation, and were framed in kindred elevation, leaving a picture no time could fade. Secondary, came the alien English — the strange classic spoken by the Southerns— that lent dignity to the little school-house, whose curriculum boasted these two alone, yet in themselves an education holding all of flexibility an d. power that written or spoken thought demands, an equip- ment, seeming slender, in reality full of pith. Happily for the boy, the hills and valley, the storm and sunshine on the heather-clad braes, the glory and changeful lights of his mountain, sea girt home, these too were his- teachers. Here following the herds, or watching the brows- ing, wandering sheep, he drank in a tranquil strength he little wot of, received the silent benison of nature, knit- ting together the robust tissues that make life a harmony,. a forceful quietude, breeding strength for cheerful essay of all tasks, admirably fitted for the one that now came quickly to his youthful hand. The Hudson's Bay Company, who had depots and shippings ports on the neighbouring islands, had long been in the- habit of mainly recruiting their force of servants among the- hardy, frugal peoi^le in the north of Scotland and the Ork- ney Isles. Their ships were the ' argosies ' that freighted fortunes from the distant shores of Hudson's Bay ; and their ships were to the simple youth of the coast — wearied with an unrenumerative toil that held no future — the brave craft that would bear them to a better fate. The slender stipend promised seeming, by home comparison, large indeed. Young Donald, now some sixteen summers, urged by such thoughts, and a love of wandering that seems instinctive at a certain period of life, aware of the large number of families being sent out by the Earl of Selkirk, engaged with the local Xll LIFE OF HON. DONALD GUNN. agent, and in the year of grace, 1813, found himself duly enrolled as a servant of the great fur trading company, and bound for York Factory, on Hudson's Bay, in company with the Pilgrim Fathers of the North- West, now widely known as the Selkirk settlers. The future historian will yet linger over the pages of this volume, in seeking to portray anew the story of these peo- ple. No record of colonial life is more affecting than the tearful embarkation of these cottagers, their hardships at the bay, and the culminating and dreadful distresses in which they and their helpless families were plunged on their arri- val at the Red River, caused by their miserable and unex- pected involvment in the deadly strife and murderous' •competition of the two great rival companies, their own protectors and the wild half-savage men of the " North-West." The suffering is so real and persistent, their patience so admirable, their helpless acceptance of the most grievious situation so simple and unostentatious, that it hardly seems Teal ; deepening our sympathy and admiration as we look Tipon the picture of to-day, the smiling farms of their chil- dren and descendants, where plenty and peace brood over the spot fraught to their progenitors with terror, flight and distress. The life of a " Company man " — in the phrase of the country — is either fraught with incident or entirely unevent- ful, being simply a matter of locality. " The Severn District," abutting upon " the Bay," in which Mr. G-unn passed his ten years of service, was the natural stronghold of the Hudson's Bay men, peopled by peaceful, inoffensive Indians, and pro- ductive of DO marked event, while at the same time the plains to the west — as is seen in this narrative — were, with the Red River country, the theatre of a warfare so fatal to the contestants as to impel the coalition of the great rivals, the North- West Company being merged into that of the Hudson's Bay in the year 1821. LIFE OF HON. DONALD GUNN. xiii But the time, to a man of Mr. G-unn's energetic character, and thirst for knowledge, was not— if barren of event — unprofitably spent. His vicinity to the great depot of the north, and his early promotion to the position of a lesser postmaster, ihrew him continually into the society of the leading men of the Company, from vrhose conversation he derived a great store of exact information touching the past and contemporaneous history of the great governing Corpor- ation. He was also enabled to acquire, by loan or purchase, books, and the digest of his acquisitions at this period, as shown in conversation and reminiscences in after years, was of singular fullness and value. An immense amount ol local and character detail of the most unique and interesting description has, by his decease, been forever lost to the lesser records of our colonial history, a loss as great to us in the future as would have been the early destruction of " Pepy's Diary " to the English people. The year 1819 was to Mr. G-unn alike a memorable and happy one, he then marrying Margaret, the eldest daughter of James Swain, Esquire, the officer in charge of the York District, a union blessed and fortunate in every respect— one unbroken for a period of fifty years. That the newly married couple were in no danger of being at the time of their marriage enervated by luxury, Mr. Grunn would, with a keen recollection of the time and their free- dom from care and grief, amusingly relate. In addition to the usual allowance of small stores, their outfit of meats and breadstufis was more suggestive than real, consisting of a " flint trade gun," ammunition, and twine for nets. The hardship was but in seeming, game and fish abounded, Indians and traders alike resorted to their well stocked " preserves " for subsistence, and, possibly, the jaded epicures of the city would have envied the young couple their keen enjoyment of their woodland fare. A deprivation more felt was at times when in recent pos- session of a treasured book, to be without candles or oil. 31V LIFE OF HON. DONALD GUNN. when thinly split pitch pine fagots would light up the house, drag from their shadowy coverts the finest print, and •convert the snug log dwelling, nestled in evergreens, into a hall of learning, where each recurring page folded down and conserved satisfactions remembered through life. It being found inexpedent by the Hudson's Bay Company after the absorption of the North- West, to maintain so large a force as the united employes of the late Company and its own, certain reductions were determined upon, and Mr. G-unn gladly availed himself of the opportunity to retire. With his wife and newly born son, he followed his old friends, the "Selkirk Settlers," to the Red River, settling in what is now the Parish of St. Andrews, but, which he and a few friends of certainly ambitious loyalty for the time named " Little Britain," scarce foreseeing that their tiny speck of civilization "would ripen so quickly, and assure here and to the west a " Greater Britain." The locality chosen, however, proved to be a good one, and drew about it a more than usually intelligent class of "freemen," as the retired servants of the Company were called ; among them Mr. William Smith, an English worthy full of strong, honest points, one of the most genial and humor- ous of men, who had also married a daughter of Mr. Swain,and was after appointed Secretary to the Council of Assiniboia and Clerk of the Local Courts, an office which he held until liis death. Happily for the new farmers, these were the halcyon days of the hunters. Buffalo were near and plenty, the net was ever in the water, sturgeon and ' gold eyes ' daily fair. Without ploughs, tools or cattle, their first attempts at agri- culture were of the rudest description ; putting down wheat with a hoe, the quantity of seed is. not hard to sur- mise, yet from such a beginning ere many years— aided by his stout sons — a spacious stone house with ample stabling for the large stock of horses and horned animals, and abun- dant grain, made the homestead of Donald Gunn one of the LIFE OF HON. DONALD GUNN. XV foremost in the entire settlement, one whose abundance made glad many a l-uckless soul. After an interval of ten years spent in active farming, Mr. G-nnn found himself, by the increasing size and usefulness of his large family so relieved from personal attention to the farm, that he was enabled to take charge of the Parish School established, and, with the exception of the very slight contributions of the parents, supported by the Mission Society of the English Church. This task, one held in the highest honor and respect in those primitive days — to the shame of our own diminished and unwise estimate be it spoken — was one so congenial to his taste, that, fortunately for the youth of both sexes in his charge, it was contintied without intermission by him for the long period of eighteen years A period of usefulness in one of the highest and most re- sponsible functions possible to an individual, one which while training others has disciplined and fitted for distinc- tion many of our best thinkers and actors in the world of statecraft and of letters. This was, in the case of Mr. Gunn, very distinctly avouched, not only in the career of numbers of his pupils who attained to positions of public trust and honor, but even more cer- tainly, if less marked, in the sustained life impress made upon all, intelligence bearing fruit by many a fireside, unseen rivulets trained to fertilize and make glad an otherwise barren field. Had the classes in charge of Mr Grunn been fired with the same student ardor — simple and pure love of knowledge for its own sake — as their teacher, his task, always an arduous one, would have been slight indeed. Its compensation lay in the fact that he was at last at the centre of all literary lore in the North- West, in contact with such varied and sufficient printed erudition as made him more than content. Wh«n-, later, made custodian and librarian in his own house of the only public collection of books in the country, he X\i LIFE OF HON. DONALD GUNN. was fairly environed with satisfaction, each tome a silent friend. It is hardly to be supposed that Mr. G-unn, with his ac- tivity of thought and broad well won culture, could be other than stirred by impulses looking beyond the school-room and farm. The hardly wrought settlers had at last emerged from the pressure that beset them, and were day by day as- suring themselves of greater comfort, stirred by certainties that held within them a future. The governmental structure under which they rested was alike primitive and paternal. But a paternal government is in its nature despotic, and the tradition of their race was averse to restraint however bene- ficient, unaccompanied by representation, the moulding hand of the governed. This they did not have. The Council of Assiniboia, the members of which were composed of leading English and French settlers, the Recorder or Judge of the Court, the Sheriff and all officers connected in any way with the simple machinery of the Government, were appointees of the Hud- son's Bay Company. The settlers were in fact without any representation or weight whatever — a strange anomaly under the British constitution — one which, failing in a single point, had cost the Crown the thirteen original colojiies now form- ing the United States. But, if the anomaly was strange, the circumstances which begot it were more so. The presence of the settlers was due to the action of a great controlling member of the Hudson's Bay Company. ' The exigence that had prompted the settlement had long ago ceased to exist, but the settlement remained to be admin- istered as circumstances might require. The Company was a great chartered monopoly, with ascer- tained governing rights, and finding occasion to use them had formulated such as they deemed sufficient for the time and population, and it is hardly compatible with the least knowledge of human nature to suppose that they would per- LIFE OF HON. DONALD GtTNN. XVll mit — ^much less initiate themselves — the slighest infringement on their chartered rights. To grant the settlers representation and then limit or nullify their legislative action -would be idle. Both the set- tlers and the Company were right in the positions they as- sumed ; the one to desire and insist on responsible govern- ment ; the other to guard their immunities and privileges at all points. The lesson to be deduced even at this day, so remote from the charter, is one adverse to the existence of any monopoly whatever. We have sought to make clear by the briefest summary the causes of an agitation that shook the little settlement of Eed River to its centre, in order to illustrate the public spirit and self-sacrifice of Mr. Grunn, who took a leading part in all movements tending to establish a responsible Grovern- ment in the country — drafting petitions to the Imperial and Canadian Parliaments, presiding at the numerous meet- ings called for discussion of the theme, one looking forward to the formation of either a Colonial Government under the Crown, or adoption and recognition by Canada. By his frank utterance and open effort he certainly sacrific- ed all chance of a seat in the Council of Assiniboia, at that time an object of laudable ambition to the leading men in the settlement, but lived to know that the agitation was not without fruit ; it, conjointly with the establishment of a press by Mr. Caldwell, directing attention 1o the country and hastening the negotiations which ended in the purchase of the Company's rights in the vast domain over which they had so long held undisputed sway. Certainly the most strenu- ous ambition or pronounced capacity found but meagre scope in the days of which we write, but, both by the old and new regime Mr. Gunn's service was sought to fill various local positions of trust ; he being from a very early day joined in the magistracy, presiding as President of the Court of Petty Sessions in his District, and was after appoints B XVlll LIFE OF HON. DONALD GTTNN. Police Magistrate and Justice of the Peace for the Province, Postmaster and Inspector of Fisheries. These positions are mentioned as showing mainly the un- broken confidence extending over a long lapse of years felt by all classes in the integrity and ability of Mr. Grunn, who, upon the formation of the new Government, waiving his just claims to the representation of his District in the Dominion Parliament as too remote and arduous a task for one of his now advanced years, accepted a seat in the Legislative Coun- cil or Upper House of the Manitoba Assembly, which he held until its discontinuance as a public body,some fiv.e years later, voting unhesitatingly himself for its abolition when con- vinced that its slight function was alike unneeded and an unnecessary stress upon the slender resources of the new Province. During what is popularly known as the " Red Eiver troubles'" Mr. Gunn had a somewhat unexpected and undesired experience in legislation, being chosen a member to the Provisional Assembly, organized during the winter of the armed resistance to the entry of Hon. Mr. Macdougall, and the arrival of the troops in the spring. This Assembly began its sittings during a period of great solicitude and apprehension to the English population of the settlement, and Mr. Gunn, who had been one of the most pronounced and active friends of the incoming government, only yielded to the urgent eiitreaties of the people of St. Andrews to appear as their delegate, in the hope that such joint action on the part of the English and French delegates might be had as would allay the present alarm, and pro- vide a peaceful solution to questions that momentarily threatened collision between these isolated and kindred peo- ples. This action was a judicious one ; and although productive of no' marked effect, in one sense, yet the joint assemblage of the two races, not only recalled their former unity, but diverting the action of the ruling party from appearance of lilFE OF HON. DONALD GUNN. xix secrecy and surprise, gave confidence and tranquility to this widely-spread and, for the first time, divided community. We turn from passing mention of those troublous times, remembrance of which is now quickly fading out, to a theme more in accordance with a thoughtful life. The spacious stone farm-house, to which we have adverted, was always the hospitable home, alike of the purposless tourist or the wandering Savant who sought its well known doors in search of special facts in the physical geography or natural history of the vast terra incognita of which the Eed River settlement was the threshold. At Donald Grunn's, the stranger foundnotonly the warmth of a home, but an intelligence which threw light on all detail of purposed travel and entered into and discussed every theme of scientific research. The grateful and unexpected fact was so thoroughly appre- ciated by that late accomplished and adventurous ornitho- logist, Mr, Kennicott, of the Smithsonian Institute, Wash- ington City, that it at once led to Mr. Gunn being appointed as correspondent and contributing member to that institu- tion, nor can we in any way so well give an idea of the consideration in which Mr. Gunn's services were held, as by reproducing from the published report of the Secretary of the Institute, 1878, its regretful estimate of his value. " In addition to its irreparable loss in the death of its late Secretary, the institution has also to lament that of a number of valued correspondents " Among those to be first mentioned is Mr. Donald Gunn, of Winnipeg, Manitoba, a veteran correspondent of the Smithsonian Institution, one of the earliest of its meteoro- logical observers, and one who for more than twenty years has been a constant contributor of information and collections relating to the natural history of the North- West. ^ * * * # * is stated, the first connection of Mr. Gunn with the Smithsonian Institute was that of a meteorological observer. His long continued observations of XX LIFE OF HON. D(DNALD GUNN. the weather were among the .most reliable of those within its archives. His contributions of objects of natural history were still more important, embracing, as they did, nearly every branch in the various classes of the animal and vege- table kingdoms, and numerous collections in archaeology and ethnology. Few reports of the Institution since 1850 are without some reference to his services. " In 1866 he made a special exploration, in behalf of the Institution, of the region west of Lake Winnipeg, spending considerable time in the vicinity of Shoal Lake and Lake Manitoba, in the course of which he collected large numbers of skins and eggs of birds ; among the latter, several previously entirely unknown in museums. Within a year correspondence was in progress with him in regard to the renewal of this exploration. # # ^ 4t 4^ " It is understood that he has left behind him a minutely detailed journal of his experiences and his relations to the colony in which he lived for over fifty years, which will doubtless be published on account of its great historical value." As we transfer these words, we are moved with regret that we cannot also transfer a picture of the modest essay and quaint surroundings attending Red River foray into the domain of science at an early day. The simple outfit of canoe or cart heralding research into distant iii'lds and haunts, whose wretched 'fauna' were made re] u.: tars t accessions to an undesired catalogue. Luck- less snakes and other " Reptilia," unconscious of their good fortune, plunged in perpetual alcohol, — their manner of taking off envied to the core by the drauthy souls who con- temned strongly the '■ waste of whuskey." The picture, again, of the veteran seeker after the sca> tered type that, reset, tells the strauge story of buried days ; intent on fossil evidences, sought among the ' debris " of the limestone outcrop on the River. The honest neighbours looking askance at this, to them " blind work ;" one a \ LIFE OP HON. Donald gdi^n. xxi delver in quarries and unconscious iconoclast of unnumber- ed trilobites, being moved to say ; " Eh mon ! were he but looking for gold now" He was, but of a kind n ^t found in the shining sand ; rathert he sort that illuminates scrolls, fair to eyes peering steadfastly into the twilight of the past. The personal characteristics of Mr. Gruun were of the most engaging character. In an intercourse of nearly twenty years we fail to recall other than the moot genial and unaffected cordiality to all ; superadded to this, his varied powers of conversation, replete with valuable matter gathered from all sources, his sense of humor lighting up old Gaelic lore, the traditions of the Yi-king race from whom he sprung, the rough adventures and eccentricities of the hero worthies of " the trade," the early and chequered life in the settlement, with a vein of grounded culture running through all, made him to be one of the most companionable and instructive of men. An elder in the Kirk for many years, Mr. Grunn's liber- ality of thought — in this direction — would have been marked were it not for the general charity and largest tolerance uni- versal in the country. The three chiirches, English, French and Scotch, resting in close and harmonious vicinage. Latterly, when he had retired mainly from public affairs, nearly all of Mr. G-unn's time was occupied in the preparation of this history, arranging his collated facts and personal experience with such care and patience as will doubtless cause it to be — as he intended it should be — an authority upon all the matters coming under his hands. Towards the close of his life, his sight failing him, it was his greatest pleasure to have some one read aloud to him from his favorite authors, his mind retaining its force and clearness until a few hours before his death. This occurred on the last day of November, 18*78, in his own house, surrounded by his family, the parting being so peaceful as to be literally falling asleep. In tracing the career of Donald Gunn from his boyhood, on the Strath of Braeholme to the close, and setting forth the detail of his faithful life, we cannot, knowing him so well, resist the impression that his truest and best success lay not either in public affairs nor ripe attainment, but was garnered under his own roof tree — was most assured in the affectionate devotion and unbroken regard of his friends. In the primitive simplicity and honest warmth of the society of which he was the patriach and head, in the con- fidence he inspired and the good he was enabled to do, lay his best guerdon. In this sphere he won the merit deserved by so few, for of him it can, of a truth, be said " the world was better in that he had lived." F. L. H. HISTORY OF MANITOBA. PART I. EARLY HISTORY— loOO TO 1835, By the late ^on. Donald puNN. CHAPTEE I. Discovery — A'oyacies of the Cabots — Caktieu's Explorations — Voyage of Robeeval — Champlain — Discovery of the Hudson's Bay Country — Contest between the English AND French for the Eur Trade — The First Forts and I Factories — Early Trade Statistics — Last Appearance of the French in the Hudson's Bay Country. The discovery of the islands in the Gulf of Mexico by the great Christopher Columbus, in 1492, excited the ambition and cupidity of the English and French Monarchs. The former, Henry the Seventh, in 1497 commissioned John Cabot, a Venetian, to sail to the west in search of unknown lands, and to take possession for the Crown of England of all places that he might find in the course of his voyage. Cabot was so far successful as to discover and touch at some points of the American Continent. The following year, Sebastian Cabot, son of the former discoverer, was commis- sioned by the English Monarch, and performed a most extensive exploratory voyage, along the eastern shores of America from Honduras to Labrador. Various circumstances concurred to re- strain Henry's successors from prosecuting the brilliant career commenced in his reign. The immediate object of these voyages was the discovery of a north-west passage to India. But, although unsuccessful in the main object, yet these voyages justly entitle the English to the high c 34 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. distinction of being the first to discover the American Continent. But they did not for yefirs attempt to establish a trade or plant colonies in the lately discovered country. But while England reposed on her laurels, her energetic Galic neighbor fitted out an expedition in search of a passage to the rich countries of the East. The expedition, we are told, coasted the American Continent from Carolina to the northern extremity of Nova Scotia. It was then appropriated in the name of his most Christian Majesty, under the magnificent title of New France ; but the primary object of the voyage had not been accomplished; but in 1534 Jacques Cartier, an experienced and able seaman of St. Malo, was sent out with a similar view. He seems to have steered for Newfoundland or for tlie Labrador coast, and he is said to have passed between the Magdalen Isles and entered the Bay of Chaleurs, ^hich name it still retains. He landed on its coast and took formal possession of tlie surrounding country in the French Icing's name. The only fruit of Cartier's first expedition was that it led to the" discovery of the St. Lawrence afterwards. Two of the natives whom he took on board at Gaspe and carried with him to France, were the first parties who informed liim that the river existed. Cartier departed on his second voyage in May, l'>o') ; he had three vessels under his command, and hoisted his penant on board the Hermine, of about 110 tons burden, the two others of much less tonage. After having been separated by stress of weather, tliey arrived at the appointed rendevous in the montli of July.* And, after enjoying a few days rest, they sailed up the great Gulf, and on considering the route which Ire piu-sued, we believe that his two savages were of great service to Irim ; but we are not informed M'hether they were those taken at Gaspe the previous year and carried to France, or taken on board at some point along the Gulf at which Ire landed. y>Q that as it may, we are informed that he had been conducted by two savages taken on board and entered the mouth of the river, and ascended to a point fully 200 leagues up. Eeaching a fair island, since named D'Orleans, Cartier set his two native guides ashore to treat with the people of the country, who fled from them at first, but soon returned, and in their canoes of bark quite * " Ilistoire clu Canada " of F. ti. (jiirneau, Esq. HISTORY OF MANITOBA. b'5 encircled llie ships, oft'ering to their crews supplies of luaise, fish aad fruits. Cartier gave all a kind reception, and made them presents. Impatient to visit Hochelaga, Cartier set sail for that place, leaving Stadicona on the 1 9th of September ; the voyage up the river occupied thirteen days. Hochelaga was on the island where the City of Montreal now stands. When the French appeared crowds of natives came out to meet them, as the inhabitants of Stadicona had done before. Here the natives were foiind dwelling in a village consisting of about fifty wooden houses of considerable dimensions, suiTounded by a triple line of high palisades, which indicated, to the new comers, that the native tribes lived in constant dread of each other. After ascend- ing to the summit of the Mountain on the island, and viewing therefrom the great extent of country that lay before him, he gave the hill the name of Eoyal Mount. " Cartier returned to St. Cliarles River, and fearing that the " fickle savages might become hostile during the winter, where all " means of escape would be cut off," he strengthened the palisades of an enclosure which his men had, while he was absent, made about the vessels, adding thereto some pieces of artillery. Garneau informs us that the cold of the winter became intense iu Decem- ber. Scurvy of a very malignant character broke out among the French, and so deplorable was their condition that of 110 men on board the three vessels, three or four only were free from disease and able to attend on the sick. Twenty-six men died between the beginning of December and the first of April. The living, too much weakened in body to open a gxave for the dead, the few who were yet able to crawl about, deposited the bodies under the snow. The survivors were at death's door. Cartier had become scorbatic. Fortunately for them, at this critical moment, a native visited them and told their leader of the means of cure, which being re- sorted to, did cure all the ailing Frenchmen in a few days. Such were the miseries endured by the French the first winter they passed in the New World. On the return of spring, Cartier departed for France, taking with him, for presentation to its king, several natives^ among them Donacona. Their presence in the 36 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. land soon began to be felt beyond the limits of their actual possessions. The fame of these wonderful strangers spread over lake and forest to remote tribes, many of whom hastened, from far distant regions, to the white man's settlements to gratify their curiosity by the sight of a people of whom they had heard so many strange accounts, and at the same time to participate in the rich presents bestowed by the military commanders of New France on the native tribes, of which firearms and ammunition always formed a part, which in com'se of time enabled the tribes, who resided near the French settlements, to drive their countrymen who lived further west from their hunting grounds, leaving the streams and forests where their forefathers fished and hunted, to be occupied by the new comers, M'ho struggled on extending their agricultural settlements, and, in doing so, had, no doubt, to encounter a large amount of such toils, privations and dangers as have been ex- perienced by all, who at a later period and under more favorable circumstances, have formed settlements in the forests of the New World. However slow their progress had been its course was westward. " A chief, who vaunted to have travelled much, and professed to " have seen in the western regions of the country, men who wore " woollen garments. None of these 'savages, thus expatriated, ever " returned, all dying before 1541, the earliest year after the " present that the French again visited Canada." When the Sieur de Eoberval, a nobleman of Picardy, who stood liigh in the estimation of his Sovereign, asked and obtained a Eoyal edict by which he was empowered to raise volunteers, form a permanent establishment and govern it in tlie King's name. Cartier had the command of the vessels assigned for the transpor- tation of the Colonists to America. He set out with five ships, early in the summer of 1541. We are informed that, after a stonny passage of three months, he an-ived at Newfoundland, where he remained for some time expecting to be joined by his patron, Koberval, who was to have followed him ; but he came not, and Caitier, pursuing his voyage, ascended the St. Lawrence and cast anchor before Quebec. The Colonists, on landing, com- HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 37 menced cleaving the land, near by, for cultivation. Leaving his people thus occupied, Cartier ascended the St. La^^'rence, hoping to get above the rapids, or Sault St. Louis, but failed in the attempt. " Autumn came on and passed away bringing no tidings of Rober- val." Cartier, therefore, prepared to winter in tlie country, but despatched two of his vessels to St. JIalo to inform the King of his owm proceedings, and to make enquiry why Eoberval delayed coming out. Cartier and his remaining people were allowed to pass the winter iir peace ; but in spring following, the savages manifesting a hostile spirit, he thought it fitting to embark his Colonists and return home. He set sail for France about the very time that Eoberval was leaving it, \\-ith three ships, in which were several gentlemen adventurers, besides 200 other Colonists of both sexes. Insuperable obstacles had, it seems, prevented I{ober\-al from joining Cartier the year before. According to the statement of a document lately found in the archives of the Depot de la Marine, Paris* the two squadrons met at a short distance from Quebec, and Eoberval caused Cartier to turn back, in view of founding a settlement in tlie Isle d'Orleans. And if we may con- fide in another version of the alleged encounter, it took place near St. John's, Newfoundland, a more likely locality, tlie narrator adding, that Cartier declined to follow Eoberval, as perceiving that the latter desired to rob him of a part of his discoveries, lie all this as it may, we know for certain that Eoberval reached his destination in safety ; that he sent home, in autumn following, two of his vessels to inform the King of his arrival, and to request that provisions might be sent out to him next year.f We know also that fifty of his Colonists perished during the winter 1542-43, and that the Governor started, in June following, with 70 men, upon ap expedition for the interior, in quest of the coun- try which the savages spoke of as abounding in precious metals and stones of price. This exploratory voyage to the interior was less successful than the former performed by Cartier. Tlie extant relation of it by Eoberval himself is incomplete ; liut liad he dis- covered the country in the West, reported by the savages of the * " Documents du P.irii'." tVide Garneau's- History of Caniid;v. 38 HISTOEY OF MANITOBA. East as abounding in gold, silver and precious stones — missed by his predecessor, of course — surely some indications of its existence, if discovered, would be fovmd in the extant account, fragmentary though it is ; from which, however, we learn the discouraging fact, that before tlie expedition returned to Quebec, one of Eoberval's vessels sank, and eight of his men were drowned. Intelligence of Eoberval's arrival in Canada amved in Paris just as war was to recommence between Francis the First and Charles the Fifth. Instead of sending the supplies demanded, some historians have stated that the King ordered Cartier in 1543 to bring Eoberval and his Colonists back to France. And thus ended the first at- tempt at colonizing l)y France in Canada. The war witli the Emperor. The rulers of. France lost sight of Canada. Francis First died 31st March, 1547. He was succeeded by Henry II., and in 1549 Eoberval organized his second expedition for Canada ; but which he was destined never to reach, as he and all his followers perished in the passage. From Eoljerval's unfortunate expedition in 1549 the French nation seem to huve neglected, if not forgotten, Caiiada, and con- fineil all their efforts for trade and colonization to Acadia until the year 1607, wlien the Sieur de Monts abandoned Acadia and turned his attention to Canada. We are informed that, in doing this, he had two oliji'rts in viL•■^^•, /'. c, a desire to eidarge tlio French j)os- sessions in .Vmerica, and a liope of being able at some futuie time, to reach tlie Pacific liy a north-west passage. After having obtained fi'om thy King a rene-wal of liis pri\-ileges for one year, il. de ]Mouts aj'pointed Chamiilain his Lieutenant, and along witli liis lartuers piimpped two vessels, one to traffic at Tadusac, the otlier to Inar tlie Colonists wlio were tii (-ommence a settlement near the St. Lawrcnc. Tlie e.xpcdition airived at Stadacona (^•vUiebec) on the tliird day of July. Cluun]>]ain's ])eople disem- barked at tlie point of land now occupied tiy the lower Unvn of the ])re8ent City of (,^)uebee. They forthwith cleared a place and erected temporary cabins for sheltering places. Tiie historian informs us that Champlain, having set his hand in earnest to the work, soDU sa.M' a fort rise liefore him of some extent and respect- able stivngth, while seveial were busied in cleariuLf land for tillage HISTOKY 01'' MANITOBA. 39 or in other useful and and urgent works. The foundations of a town yet to become one of the most famous cities in the New World, were now being laid in the presence of wondering redmen of the woods. From the building of the above fort by Chainplaiii, we are tt) date the permanent establishment of the French in Canada. Cliamplain, soon after he commenced clearing and building, discovered that some of his Colonists were plotting his assassina- tion, and on enquiry found that one Duval, was the originator of tlie conspiracy. Cliamplain had ample powers conferred upon him by his sovereign. Legislative, Judicial and Executive. Tliese great powers enabled the Governor to dispose in a summary manner of those wlu) had banded together to destroy his hfe. Duval was trieil and hung, his associates were sent back to France, and, after some time, the King extended his prerogative (jf pardoning offences to the accused. 'We are informed that tlie example thus made sutticed to keep down a spirit of mutiny among the (,'olonists. Chainplain found, or believed that he had found, that since ('ar- tier's time, aboriginal Canada had undergone a great change among its contending tribes. Stadacona and Hochelaga existed no more ; and it did not seem that the same Jiative populations, as those of Cartier's day, possessed the country whicli liad tlmse places for tliaiv headquarters. Yet tlie triple line of stockades that sur- rounded the village of Hochelaga and the raised passage^^■ays, ^^'itll ladders planted for ascending to the platform, with the lieaps of stones that lay near by for defence in (Jartier's time, showed conclusively that war was the normal condition of those who inhabited Hochelaga. And we may, \\-ithout any hesitation, add that it was the condition of all the tribes from Hudson's Bay to the (hilf of Mexic(j, and from the Atlantic seaboiird to the liocky ^lonntains. Tlie country, Ijordering on tlio St. Lawrence at tlie time of Champlain's arrival at (Quebec, was occupied by bands of Algon- quins, who were engaged in internecine whv with the far-famed Iroquois ( 'onfederacy. The former, doubtful of holding out against the latter, eagerly sought an alliancL' with the French. Cham- plain, though uninformed of tlie nature and strength of the 40 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. I Iroquois Confederacy, accepted the proposal above mentioned, and by doing so involved the colony iil' a war, which with few and short intermissions lasted more than a century. The French commander was naturally anxious, we may suppose, to stand well with his nearest native neighbors. We are informed that he ex- pected that, by securing the friendship of one of the native tribes, he might not only break up the Iroquois Confederation, but ultimately subdue or overawe all other tribes disposed to be troublesome to the French. M. Pontgrave having arrived from Europe with two vessels fuU of men, Champlain set out with his Indian allies to attack the Cantons, on July 29th, 1609. They met their foes on the borders of the lake which bears the illustri- ous Frenchman's name. We are informed by the historian that both sides prepared for the combat, which did not take place, however, till next day. During the intervening night the savages beguiled the time with dances, songs and provocative terms launched at the native foe before them, in the style of warriors of the heroic ages of Greece as recorded by Homer. When day dawned, a body of Iroquois, 200 strong, ad\'anced slowly, but with steady step and much confidence, to the attack, headed by three chiefs, each distinguished by a large bunch of feathers in his head. Champlain's allies, drew up into two separate corps, and put him forward as their leader, he was accompanied by two of his men, the rest of his people not having come up. Their Indian allies told the French to aim principally at the enemy's chiefs. The Iroquois when within thirty steps of their foes, stood stiU in wonder upon observing the unknown auxiliaries in the van of battle. Eecovering from their surprise, they answered a flight of arrows from their adversaries with another; but when the French discharged their firelock and shot dead two of tlie chiefs, and mortally wounded another, the entire horde tied to the ■\\'oods, and, being hotly pursued thither by their triumphant antagonists, several more were killed and some taken prisoners. We are in- formed by the historian that none of the victors were killed and only fifteen or sixteen wounded. They pillaged the enemy's camp and began a hasty retreat. Evening being come, they camped and took one of their prisoners, and first causing him to sing the HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 41. native chant of death, prelusi\'e to his coming fate, they tortured: him in the mode usual with them on such occasions. Champlain, shocked with their barbarity, asked leave to put the wretched man out of further pain by a quick despatch ; but this was not allowed until the tormentors had exhausted every device of savage cruelty. In this first essay against the white man in Canada, the contending tribes had an opportunity of seeing the destructive effects of the strangers' weapons of war. And Champlain and his countrymen liad an example of the ferocity and barbarous cruelty of their new aUies. On his return from the above ad\'enture, Champlain set sail for France, where he arrived in due time, and spent the winter of 1609 and 1610. In forming an association for the purpose of' carrying on the peltry trade, he obtained a new commission whicK warranted him to seize every unauthorized vessel he should find trafficing in furs between Quebec and the sources of the .St. La\\Tence. Armed with the above arbitrary power, which was to continue for eleven years, he returned to his Govermnent of Canada. He had very little time to attend to the commercial affairs of the New Colony before he was summoned to the field by his allies to do battle against the once dreadful, now despised, Iroquois, who were hovering in considerable force near the embouchere of the Eichelieu. The battle was joined ; the fire- arms of the French decided the fate of the Iroquois, who were all cut to pieces or drowned in the ri^'er. At the close of the engagement, 200 Hurons appeared on the field. Most of these, having never seen an European, regarded the persons of the French, their dress, their arms, with astonishment. Little foreseeing the effect these strangers, whom they met now for the first time, would liave on their own destiny and on that of their fellow red men. After the above campaign had ended, Champlain returned to, France, where he passed the winter. Champlain had many and powerful friends at Court, whose influence procured for him a new commission which empowered him to seize all unauthorized, vessels he would find trafficing in peltry between Quebec and the^ sources of the St. Lawrence. Champlain, thus armed with absolute power, naturally expected great returns from the society'? traffic, caused a site to be cleared in the vicinity of Montreal, for-- 42 HISTORY or MANITOBA. •erecting a fort to protect the factory intended to be oi)ened on the island of that name. He concluded at the same time a treaty of -aUiance and trade with the Hurons, a party of which nation, 200 in number, had come on a visit ; and the chiefs gave him permis- sion to commence a .settlement in their country if he found its soil suitable for the purpose. In 1615 Champlain ascended the 'Ottawa, penetrated to Lake Nippissing, and passing on to the south arri^-ed at the glittering waters of Lake Huron and travelling southwards he reached Lake Ontario in July. These Hurons and Outawas visited Champlain while he was residing at the Sault St. Louis, and urged him to accompany them in "their intended expedition against their common enemies the Iroquois, and took the circuitous route by the Ottawa, not solely, we may suppose, for the purpose of exploring these hitherto im- known regions of the West, but for the purpose of better 'COMcealing their advance from the enemy. On arriving at Lake Ontario, operations forthwith commenced, for all that was needed was to cross the St. Lawrence. The Iroquois from past defeats ^jecame cautious and were found entrenched, and by this means "effectually resisted their aboriginal foes, who advanced in a dis- •er.'< dfi-i Bois, who ^-ery likely, even at that early ])eriod, extended their trapping and trading excursions lieyond the western .shores of the great lake. If so, we must acknowledge that tliey wei'c not, if I'eports be true, the best adapted messengers to pre- pare the savage mind for the reception of the sublime truth of the (_}ospel. However desirous the early settlers in Canada might have been of extending their discoveries to the West, they had not been indifferent to tlie discovery of the country which lay between the St. Lawrence and Hudson's Bay. Some of these trailers at an early period explored the gieat river of the (^utawas, some of them readied the height of land which divides the affluents of the Ottawa from the streams that run northward and pour their waters into James' Bay. AMiile their discoveries were carried on to the north, De Grosselier and Eaddison, turned their attention to the North- west and :ibnut 166(i pushed through Lake Superior, ascended the Kaniin- ist.^uia Kiver, and fell on the waters that How nortli '\\'est tlirough Lfike La Plui to the Lake of the Woods and thence pass through tlie Winnipeg Ifiver into the lake of that name, and finally pass by the River Xelson into Hudson's IViy. These gentlemen were conduct- ed by the Assinil Klines to Hudson's Bay, probably liy tlie Nelson or Hay's IfiNers, and after having discovered that great inland sea, tliey retraced tlieir steps, being still guided and protected by tlieir friends the Assiniboines as far as Lake Superior, wlience they pro- ceeded to the settlements on the lower St. Lawrence. Tlieir sagacity at once pointed out to tliem the comparati\'e fa- cility and advantage of carrying on the trade through the Bay. On their return to Canada they represented to tlieir countrymen the great benefit that would accrue, not only tri the colony, but to the French Nation at large, if trading establishments would be planted 44 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. on the shores of Hudson's Bay and the trade carried on through it. In vain did they represent to the vivid imaginations of their fellow Colonists the living treasures that they had seen in the streams and forests through which they had travelled. But owing to incredu- lity, want of means, and above all owing to the blithing influence of a monopoly, in furs lately established in the colony by the King of France, all parties turned a deaf ear to their entreaties, and re- mained unmoved by glowing representations placed before them ; disappointed in their expectations, and disgusted by the cold indiff- erence of their countrymen in the colony, and having no funds of their own, they turned their thoughts towards France, crossed the Atlantic, and presented their views and wishes in the proper quar- ter ; but, unfortunately for them, their project had no better suc- cess in the mother country than it had in the colony. Some of the English Historians have stated that during their stay at Paris, they had been introduced to the English Ambassador at the Court of France, who sent them to'England, and provided 'Our adventur- ers with letters of introduction to several of his influential friends at the English Court who are said to have recei\'ed the ad^'entur- ers and persevering Frenchmen with great kindness and entered fully into their views — and several persons of rank and wealth joined in fitting out the Ketch "Nonepariel" under the command of Captain Zachariah Gillani who lived in New England and who probably had sailed north from there and was acquainted with those Northern Seas ; Eaddison and Grosselier accompanied him. We learn from Gillam's Journal that he sailed from Gra^esend the 3rd of June 1668 ; on the 4th of August he saw Resolution Isle at the entrance of Hudson's Straits ; on the 19th he got to Digger's Isle," at the entrance of the bay ; and on the 4th Sep- and by the 29th to a lliver called Nemisco from Lake Nemisco from wliich it drew its waters, but called by them Ruperts River, where they wintered. They M'ere frozen up on the 9th De- cember, and the cold was almost over in April. In June it was very hot when they prepared to sail for England* The pro- ceeds of the adventure must have been remunerative, for on the •■Jiobpori's Hudson Biiy. HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 45 return of the Ketch, in 1669, the adventurers, with Prince Rupert and several other great men at their head, apphed and obtained an unlimited charter power of all the lands around and beyond the bay ; all included within the grant of land was to be called Rupert's land ; and Avith the land the charter proposed to confer an exchi- sive right of trade on the company. This famous, but much dis- puted charter, was granted on the 2nd May, 1670. Mr. Charles Bayley was sent over Governor that year in order to begin a fac- tory which accordingly was fixed at Rupert's River where Eaddison, De Grosselier and Gillam, who went with Bayley, wintered before. In 1674 after consultation they proposed moving to Moose River in lat. 'A ° 28, where, as being farther from Canada, they expected a better trade. Accordingly the Governor sailed to discover it, and sailed on to what was afterwards known as Albany River in lat. 52 ^ 0' 0' and extended his discovery to Cape Henrietta Maria in lat. 55 ° . In 1673, a Jesuit, a native of England, was sent over land to discover the country and our situation under the pretence of friendship, bringing with Irim some letters to Captain De Grosse- lier from his friends there, which gave the Governor suspi- cion of his corresponding to our prejudice and on this suspicion Raddison and De Grosselier were dismissed the Company's service, upon which they returned to the French in Canada, but Avhether by sea via England, or by land across the country, we cannot say. De la Poterie in his history of New France, says that Jean Bour- don who was out in the year 1656 was the first Frenchman who was in Hudson's Bay, having sailed round from Canada by the coast of Labrador and landed on the south side of the bay where he met some Indians with whom he formed treaties, and they, hear- ing of a strange nation in their neighborhood, sent to Quebec in 1661 to beg-in a trade and to desire that a missionary might be sent to them. Accordingly one was ordered, but the Indians on their return repenting of what they had done, refused to conduct them, so they went back to Canada. Our author further states that when De Grosselier and his companion w^ere dismissed the Hudson's Bay's service they expressed their sorrow for having en« gaged in it, obtained their pardon in France, and, on their return to Canada, they prevailed with the French company there to join 46 HISTOKY OF MANITOBA. them and to tit out a bark to take possession of Nelson lli^er, which the English company at that time had not settled. While De Grosselier and Raddison were sailing round in their bark, in 1682, the English Company at the same time resolved to possess Nelson Eiver, and appointed John Eadiger Governor, wlio was to fix a factory there by the advice of Captain Gillani. But before either of them got there Benjamin Gillam had from New England, made a lodgment there ; but was not left by his ship above fourteen days before De Grosselier and Raddison arrived. The English had fixed at the mouth of the Nelson River, and the French had enter- ed St. Theresa or Hay's River. Ten days after Eidgar arrived but was ordered away by De Grosselier who liad possession of the River. The French and he continued good friends until February, when the French surprised him, put his men on board a rotten ship and sent them down to the bottom of the bay ; but carried liidgar and Dillam to Canada, leaving De Gosselier's Son Chouart and five men to keep possession of Fort Bourbon. This is the ac- count given by the Enghsh. There are, however, two other ac- counts given by the French, differing from each other, and from the above statement. These statements have been made by Mes- sieurs Jerniie who was afterwards Governor of Fort Bourbon and ^ by De la Foterie. Jerniie says that De Grosseher hearing of Hudson's Bay from the Indians (Ontawas) upon his return to Canada, engaged some merchants to supply hun with the necessary outfit, and sailel to St. Theresa or Hay's River, where he wintered. During the winter some of his people, hunting upon the ice, found that there were some Europeans at the entrance to Nelson River ; and informing the Governor, he went and found six Englishmen almost starved to death who submitted to him, telling him that they had been left by a Boston ship which had been forced to sea. After this some savages had told him there were other Englishmen some miles higher up the River. Whereupon he went over feasting night, when they had been drinking freely, surprised them and took eighty prisoners, though, he had but fourteen men. The following year he left his son Chouart with five men to keep the Fort and returned to (Canada ; but being disgusted with his em- HISTORY OF MANITOBA. i:; ployees, who had charged him with conceahng part of the oaigo, iit sent his brother-in-law Eaddison to France to complain ; but his remonstrances not being regarded he reconciled himself to the English and went to England, whence he returned to the Bay tc^. relieve his nephew and give vip the place to the English. Monsieur J)e la Poterie says that De Grosselier and Kaddisom having formed a scheme to possess the Bay, went to Boston and thence to England, (London) and afterwards by the aid of the English Company erected Factories on Eupert, Moose and Albany rivers. By the time this was known in France Mr. Colljert was sent to Descheneaii intendant of Canada in ]\Iay 1678, to cuntest the possession with the English. De Grosselier and Eaddison had repented of the expedition and having obtained their pardon from the French court, returned to Canada where the French formed a cojnpany for the Bay and fitted out two small vessels under their command Avhich went to St. Theresa Eiver and built a little Fort., A vessel from Boston arrived three days after with ten men, Avhom tliey received as friends permitting them to go to Bourbon, Nelsou River, and four days after that a ship arri\ed from London the crew of which, after coming to land, was opposed by the Foit, and in the contest the ice cutting the cables the ship was lost with fourteen of the crew, the rest implored the succor of the Fort which they in pity granted and gave them a bark to carry them tcv the bottom of the baj-. De Grosselier and Eaddison, leaving eight men in the Fort, took the leaders of the interlopers to Quebec and were soon after released by the Governor. De Grosselier and Ead-- dison being disgusted with their associates returned to France where Lord Preston was their abassador from England who engag- ed Eaddison to go again to London and give up the Forts, which his nephew Chouart, commanded wliich he accordingly did. At the same time the French Company had sent from Canada two little ships under Montegnie, who, when he came to St, Theresa was surprised to find it in possession of the English. He was therefore obliged to winter on some small river in the neigh- bourhood, and returned next year with a bad trade. The French Company having suffered a loss of 100,000 livires, Theres Conthey petitioned the French King for redress; who on the 20 May, 1684, •13 HISTOEY OF MANITOBA. gave them St. Theresa, Hay's Eiver, in possession. Which of the •above accounts, is, in general, most correct, we must leave the read- er to determine. From the same authority we learn that in 1685 the Hudson's Bay Company had iive flourishing Factories on the Bay, viz : Al- bany, Moose, Rupert, Nelson and Severn. But in 1686, the Chavalier De Troyes in time of peace went from Canada by land and took Eupert, Moose and Albany Factories. In 1690 Mon- sieur D'Ibervile attempted to take York Factory of which Geyer was commander, but failed of success ; however, in sailing south- Ward, he attacked and captured New Severn Factory. After the French had remained seven years in possession of the Forts on James' Bay, the Hudson's Bay Company, and by the assis- tance of the Crown, regained possession of their factories. But the following year, 1694, the French carried them, and the following year, by the assistance of the King's ships, the Bonavintura and Seaforth, they were retaken from the French. While the British were occupied in regaining their forts, and in restoring their lost trade on James' Bay, the French were not idle. D'lberville set sail with two ships, the Poll and Charonte, fi-om Canada, caiTying with him 120 men, and arrived in Hay's Hiver on the 24th of September. Geyer was still in charge, but less successful than he had been four years before, being compelled to surrender his Fort on the 14th of October. The French passed the winter in the place, and D'lberville took Ms departure on the 20th July, 1695, leaving one Forest in "cliarge of his conquest. The next year, 1696, it was retaken by the English, who had fitted out four ships for the accomplishment of the above capture. The garrison were canied prisoners to England, among whom was Monsieur Jeronice, where they remained four months. After their return to France, a squadron of five ships was fitted out, •consisting of the Pelican, of 50 guns ; the Palmier, of 40 guns ; the Wasp, the Profound and the Violente. These were put under D'Iberville's command at Newfoundland, and in Hudson's Straits were met by the Hampshire, and two Hudson's Bay ships, the Deering and the Hudson's Bay, which De la Poterie says were of HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 49 56, 36 and 32 guns. An engagement ensued with the Profound, but without any success on either side, being separated by the ice. Four of the French ships afterwards took shelter in Danish Eiver, now Churchill. The Palmier, having lost her rudder in hard weather, but the Pelican, commanded by D'Iberville, arrived at the entrance of Hay's Eiver on the 3rd of September, and next morning the three English ships arrived. The Pelican had sent her shallop on shore, but, weighed, stood out to sea, and fought the three English ships. By some unfortunate accident the Hampshire, while in the act of veering, overset, upon which the two other ships steered off, but he came up and captured the Hudson's Bay. All on board the Hampshire, perished, as the Pelican had no boat to relieve them. A storm coming on that night, the Pelican was driven ashore and lost, with part of crew, as was also the Hudson's Bay. But D'lverville, with the greater part of his crew, getting safe to shore, upon the arrival of the other ships from Danish Eiver, besieged and took York Fort, and after wintering, returned in the Profound. Before his departure he appointed M. Serigny , Governor, and M. Jeromie, Lieutenant, who was afterwards made Governor in 1708. The Treaty of Eyswilk was signed in September, 1697, leaving the French in possession of all the settlement along the Bay, except Albany Fort, carrying on an inconsiderable trade for a period of seventeen years, until the Treaty of Utrecht, when all the territories on the Bay were restored to the British. After the Company had regained possession of York Fort, in the year 1718, they built a wooden fort at Churchill, which they named Fort Prince of Wales, and in 1742 they made the first settlement beyond the shores of the Bay, at a distance of 150 miles up the Albany Eiver, as a check to the Indians, who carried their trade from the shores of the Bay to the French in the interior. In 1746 the Company had four small factories and two smaU houses, in which they did not employ over 150 Europeans, and to carry on the trade at these posts they had three or four small vessels under two hundred tons burden each. The trade principally con- sisted of those furs which the natives brought down in their birch canoes, scarce large enough to contain two men with an incon- D 50 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. considerable cargo, and as this abused people receive little or nothing in exchange for their furs, on account of the extravagant standard by which British goods are rated, they brought down no more than would purchase common necessaries and a few trifling toys; In order that we may present a continuous view of the transactions which took place on the shores of the Bay from the Treaty of Utrecht to the year 1782, when Fort Prince of Wales and York Fort were captured and destroyed by La Persuse, we shall present to our readers a few extracts from " The Present State of Hudson's Bay," written by Mr. Edward Umfraville, who served eleven years (from 1771 to 1782) at York Factory on Hudson's Bay, and who afterwards entered into the North- West Company's service and passed a few winters on the Saskatchewan. The above gentleman gives an account of the Hudson's Bay Company's exports of trading goods and charges attending carrying on their trade and maintaining their factories for ten years, of which we shall give an abstract : — £ s. d. Amount of trading goods for ten years 52,^63 9 Factoiy charges during the above time 157,432 14 4 Total expenses for ten yeai-s from 1739 to 1748, both inclusive 209,896 3 4 Amount of the several sales of furs for the above ten years 273,542 18 8 Clear profit for ten years 63,646 15 4 Dividends in one year among 100 proprietors 6,364 13 6 For each proprietor for ten years 63 12 11 An account of the value of exports made by the Hudson's Bay Company for ten years last past : — i AXNO. £ s. d. 1739 ' 4,994 5 10 1740 5,630 10 11 1741 5 622 11 4 1742 1743 4,007 16 10 1744 4,894 11 11 1745 6,736 9 1746 5,462 10 6 1747 5,431 7 11 1748 4,581 8 7 1749 5,102 12 3 Total 52,463 16 10 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 51 The amount of trading goods only : — £. s. d. 1739 3,477 8 5 1740 4,052 14 5 1741 4,028 8 3 1742 3,618 15 11 1743 3,613 13 1744 4,162 16 11 1745 3,810 5 2 1746 3.390 8 5 1747 3,143 18 4 1748 3,453 2 7 Total amount of trading goods used in the fur trade for ten years at the seven forts, namely : Rupert, Moose, Albany, Henlej , Severn, York and Churchill '.. 36,741 11 5 An account of the imports or sales of furs made by the Hudson's Bay Company for ten years last past, distinguishing the amount for each year — £ =. d. From Michaelmas, 1738 to Michaelmas, 1739 23,328 6 11 " 1740 30,279 16 6 1741 28,877 17 1 1742 22,957 1 8 1743 26,804 19 7 1744 29,785 19 3 " 1745 30,148 6 " 1746 26,350 15 9 " 1747 24,849 7 2 1748 30,160 5 11 1739 1740 1741 1742 1743 1744 1745 1746 1747 Total 273,542 14 10 An account of the amount of charges attending the carrying on the trade of the trade of the Hudson's Bay Campany for ten years past, distinguishing each year : — Anno. £ s. d. 1739 12,245 14 9 1740 13,346 9 3 1741 11,757 10 6 1742 12,084 3 1743 12,772 13 1744 20,201 13 11 1745 21,702 5 1746 19,360 11 4 1747 16,609 13 4 1748 17,352 4 10 Amount of charges, including ^^15,722 3s. 5d., provisions and stores sent to the forts ; men's wages must be added 157,432 14 4 Note.— Laboring men, as a rule, were paid six pound sterling per annum for the first three years, and those who distinguished themselves by their activity and honesty, generally, on entering on a second term of three years, got some advance, commonly in clothing ; and in 1794, on the petition of a clergyman or two in the Orkneys, men's wages were raised to £8 per annum. Amount of fiirs of each kind sold during the ten years last past, with the average price at which each kind sold. Extracted from the Blue Book of 1749. s. d. £ s. d. 572,597 Beaver, average price per pound, 4 4-10 \'11,'l'i'b 8 6f 3,400 Bears, " " each, 19 1 3,194 3 4 11,448 Cats, " " " 14 5f 8,288 7 6 52 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. s. d. £ s. d. 1,970 lbs. Castoram, " per pound, 9 2^ 907 S 33,482 " Bed Feathers, average price per pound, 1 0^ 1,743 17 1 3,460 Deer Skins, " each, 3 519 960 Elk Skins, " " 6 9i 326 17 Ermine, " " 15 14 1 4,604 Foxes, " " 9 li 2,095 15 7 83,100 Goose QuiUs, ^ per M, 15 6 64 8 OJ 146,065 Martin Skins, (S) each, 6 44 46,558 4 4^ 89 Minks " " 2 8 11 17 4 338 Musquash, " " 8 11 5 4 7,978 Otters, " " 8 SJ 3,473 5 1 52 Racoons, " " 2 3 5 17 1 1,513 Squin-els, " " 3 43 18 3 5 Tons "Whale Oil at ^14 8s. per ton, 72 28 3 4,887 Whale Fins, " 2 1 509 1 3 10,591 Wolves, " 13 6 7,143 18 6 8,431 Wolverines, " 7 8J 3,240 13 Sf 2,540 Woodchucks, " 9 9 1,238 5 There are a few other articles of small value. 252,181 9 Hi These tables are based on accounts laid before the Select Com- mittee of the House of Commons in 1749. Mr. Umfraville signi- ficantly adds : If then they could not afford to divide more than this, in the very zenith of their prosperity, how inconsiderably must their gains have been of late years, since the French Canadian traders have penetrated the interior country. Their expenses have increased in a three-fold proportion and their furs sent to England have decreased at least one third since the above period. By way of elucidating the above assertion I shall just state the difference of maintaining York Fort at present (1788) and the ex- pense attending the same at the time the above enquiry took place (1749). York Fort at this time has four subordinate settlements, at which settlements, conjointly, the Company allow one hun- dred men, whose wages amount to about £1860 per annum; be- sides a sloop of sixty tons, that makes a voyage once a year be- tween York and Severn Factories. To discharge these expenses they received on an average from them all about 25,000 skins. In the year 1748 the compliment of men at that settlement was no more than 25, whose wages amounted to £470 per annum, and their trade then stood at 30,000 skins one year with another. The oth- HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 53 er establishments, which the Company maintained in the Bay have suffered the like proportional change, all decreasing in trade and bearing additional incumbrances. Mr. UmfraviUe further states : It must be observed, that the calculation in the annexed tables, with many others, were compulsively produced before the House of Commons. It is not the inclination of the Company, that the minutest matter relating to their trade should be exposed to pub- lic view. They do not even allow their factors to know what the furs sell for in London for fear that inquisitiveness, to which man- kind are so prone, should lead them to speculate, and draw infer- ences on matters which the Lords of the soil deem their own special province, and prerogative. But, the station I was in while I resided on the Bay, enabled me to know for a certainty, that the quantity of furs imported of late years, has fallen short of their for- mer imports ; though it is allowed that they sell better now than at former periods. The Hudson's Bay Company confined their operations to the shores of the Bay, for a period of seventy-two years after the date of their charter. We have seen that by the treaty of Utrecht the French had to surrender all the settlememts which they had occu- pied on the Bay. But the year after that treaty, they established a post on the head waters of the Albany Eiver, most likely at the Lake which had then been known as Lake St. Joseph, and, is known to the traders of the present time as Osnaburg Lake ; here they intercepted many of the tribes, who had, in former years, to take their peltries to the factory on the Bay. The English smart- ing under the loss which this new movement of their national enemies had inflicted on their trade, after many complaints to their Government, and after some fruitless attempts to negotiate with the French authorities for the abandonment of the obnoxious post, the Hudson's Bay Company's servants ventured one hundred and fifty miles up the Albany Eiver, and built Fort Hurley, with the in- tention of keeping the French at a respectable distance from the Bay, and of supplying the natives with necessaries, near their hunting grounds. We shall now make a few extracts from our author's ac- count of the capture and destruction of Fort I^rince of Wales and of York Factory : — The French visited Fort Prince of Wales first, on 54 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. account of its northern situation and the general prevalency of winds from that quarter, thinking of taking advantage of them in going southward. Accordingly the three ships appeared before the Fort, on 8th August, 1782. At this time, which was six o'clock in the evening, the enemy had cast anchor within six miles of the Fort, and in a little time afterwards appeared to be very industrious in sounding the river, and I have heard the Governor declare, that their oiJicers went about the avenues of the Factory shooting birds, with the greatest indifference ; a convincing proof that they did not conceive themselves to be in much danger. The Fort at this time mounted forty-two cannon, six, twelve and twenty-four pounders, and was provided with ammunition in great plenty, and the place was not in immediate want of any kind ; the strength of the Fort itself was such as would have resisted the attack of a more considerable force than that which was brought against it. In short it was the opinion of every intelligent person that it might have made a very obstinate resistance when attacked, had it been as well provided in other respects ; but, through the impolitic conduct of the Directors in London, every courageous exertion of their servants must have been considersd as impru- dent temerity for this place which would have required four hundred men for its defence, the Company, in their consumate. wisdom, had garrisoned with only thirty-nine. August 9th, aboiit three o'clock in the morning, the enemy began to disembark their troops at a place called Hare Point ; whence they marched in regular order towards the Factory until they arrived within four hundred yards, when they made a halt, and sent two officers from the main body with a summons to the Governor to surrender the place. The Governor and two of his officers met them half way, when all the difficulties that obstructed the negotiations were speedily overcome, to the satisfaction of both parties. In conse- quence of this agreement, the French, to the number of about four hundred, entered the Fort about six o'clock in the morning, when the British Flag was lowered and a table cloth from the Governor's table hoisted in its stead. Every part now exhibited a scene of devastation and ruin, for the licentious soldiery, finding they were not restrained by a capit- HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 55 Illation, began to plunder whatever came in their way. It must, however, at the same time be acknowledged that the officers took every opportunity to depress this spirit in the common soldiers with great humanity and address, politely sympathizing with the sufferers in the inevitable distress attending the fortunes of war. The remainder of this and the following day, were spent in demol- ishing the works belonging to the fortifications, shipping on board various articles of stores and provisions, and a valuable quantity of peltries which, if the Company had received, would have in- demnified them for all their other losses conjointly. On the 11th the three ships set sail for York Factory, but about five o'clock in the morning a sail was observed apparently steering for Churchill, which was now in flames. One of the frigates gave chase. The experience of her commander was inadequate to the task of coping with the skill of the English commander that if he had persevered he would probably have been led into such labyrinth of shoal water and rocky ground as might have made him repent his visit to Hudson's Bay ; but the Frenchman prudently gave up the chase in the evening. Our author states that Churchill was, by far, the best settlement erected on the Bay, and while the trade of other settlements was on the decline for some years, this place had in general held its former medium, and of late years considerably increased. Notwithstanding the advantages, of so flourishing a settlement, to the Company, their extreme parsi- mony would not permit to have above one man to a gun, even in the midst of a precarious war. What folly could be more egregi- ous, than to erect a Fort of such extent, strength and expense and only allow thirty-nine men to defend it. The force which the French sent into Hudson's Bay was more than sufficient to reduce every place in the country, weakly as they were. This place, in particular, with so few men, was totally incapable of withstanding the well directed efforts of so strong" an armament, especially as the depth of the water in the Eiver would admit of the largest ships being brought very near the Fort. Notwith- standing, the Governor must have been sensible of his inability to make an obstinate defence. In some respects his conduct was highly reprehensible, in the first place he 56 HISTOKY OF MANITOBA. should have sent information to York Fort over land of an ene- my's arrival in the Bay ; had he done so, the people at that settle- ment would have had five days more, at least, to prepare them- selves for so unexpected an event. Secondly, he should have de- stroyed the papers of the master of the sloop, who was then to the northward on a trading voyage. By the possession of these papers the enemy acquired a complete description of York Fort, with an account of its weakness on the land side, which induced them to try their fortune in that way. We shall here subjoin Mr. UmfrS,- viUe's account of the taking of York Fort. "The first notice we had of an enemy being on the coast, was on the 20th of August, 1782, in the evening, at which time the Com- pany's ship was lying at anchor in the roads, and had been there five days, without having the least intimation of this event, al- though Mons. la Perouse, by his own account, had been sounding (the river) Port Nelson, on the 18th. The next day August 21st, the weather being extremely fine and calm, it afforded the enemy an opportunity to land their men in safety, which they attempted in fourteen boats, provided with mortars, cannon, scahng ladders, and about three hundred men, exclusive of marines. "Our number of men consisted of sixty English and twelve In- dians, who behaved extremely well to us, and evinced their regard for us by every execution in their power. ' The defences of York Fort consisted of thirteen cannon, twelve and nine pounders, which formed a half moon battery in the front of the factory, but it being thought probable that the enemy might come in the night, and turn these guns against us, they were over set to prevent the French from taking this advantage. On the ramparts were twelve Swivel Guns, mounted on carriages, which might have annoyed the enemy in the most effectual manner. Every kind of small arms were in plenty and good condition within the Fort. We had likewise ammunition in great store, and the people seemed to be under no apprehension. A fine rivulet of fresh water ran within the stockades ; there were also about thirty head of cattle, and as many hogs, with a great quantity of salt provisions of every kind. "August 22nd, two Indian scouts were sent out to gain intelli- gence, who returned in about three hours, and gave it as their opin- HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 57 ion, that the enemy must be nigh at hand, as they heard several guns fired in the vicinity of the Fort. About sunset we could plainly discern a large fire behind us, kindled by the French, as we supposed, to refresh themselves before attack the next day. August 23rd it was observed at dayhght that the company's ship had taken the advantage of a fine breeze at S. W. and prudently shaped her course for England, unperceived by the enemy. About ten o'clock in the morning the enemy ap-i peared before our gates ; during their approach a most inviting op- portunity offered itself to be revenged on our invaders, by discharg- ing the guns on our ramparts, which must have done great execu- tion ; but a kind of tipid stupefraction seemed to have taken pos- session of the Governor's mind, at this time of trial, and he perempto-, rily declared he would shoot the first man who offered to fire a gun. Accordingly, as the place was not to be defended, resolving to be beforehand with the French, held out a white sheet (or flag) with his own hand, which was answered by the French Offi- cer showing his pocket handkerchief, under the sanction of the flag of truce, a parley took place, when the Governor received a summons written in English. In this summons two hours were granted to consider the situation, but this indulgence was made no use of, and the place was most ingloriously given up in ten minutes, without one officer being consulted, or a council being assembled, so that this Fort, which might have withstood the united efforts of double the number of those by whom it was assailed in an attack with small arms, was surrendered to a half starved, wretched group of Frenchmen, worn out with fatigue and hard labor, in a country where they were entire strangers. From the nature of their attack from Port Nelson Eiver, where they could not use their mortars or artillery, the ground being so very bad and interspersed with woods, thickets and bogs, by which they were so roughly handled in the course of their march that I verily believe they had not fifty pairs of shoes in their whole army. The diflSculty of their march appears very conspicuous when it is considered they were a whole day in marching seven miles. When it is considered that the enemy's ships lay at twenty miles from the Factory in a boisterous sea, at a dangerous 68 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. season of the year, and consequently could not co-operate with their troops on shore, but with the greatest difficulty and uncer- tainty ; and even this depended solely on propitious winds and weather; when it is further considered that their troops could teceive no supplies, but what came from the ships and that cold, hunger and fatigue which had taken possession of their bodies, were hourly working in our favor ; when it is further considered that the Factory was not in want of anything which would enable them to withstand an attack with musketry ; and that the people shewed no signs of fear, dismay or dejection, but quite the reverse, I say when all these material circumstances are considered by the impartial reader, he will, undoubtedly, look with idignation on the pusilanimity of the English Governor, who, with aU these advant- ages on his side, surrendered without firing a gun. The poor Indians were so affected at our captivity that they expressed their sorrows by sighs and tears. " What ever opinion the French might entertain of us on account of our timidity, it is but justice to say, that they behaved to their easily acquired prisoners, with that politeness which is pecuhar to their nation. Mons. LaPerouse, the commander of the sceptre, was an honor to his nation and an ornament to human nature. His politeness, humanity and goodness, secured him the affection of all the Company's officers, and on parting at the mouth of Hudson's Straits, they felt the same sen- sation which the dearest friends feel in an interview preceding a long separation. His human disposition was more particularly conspicuous in leaving a repository of ammimition, etc., etc., for the poor Indians, who otherwise must have experienced great inconvenience and distress. Though the enemy sustained no loss from us during the attack on York Factory, yet, through the severity of the climate and their own inexperience, they lost five large barges, a considerable quantity of merchandise and fifteen soldiers, who were drowned in Hay's Eiver after the place was taken. The Company suffered great loss by the capture of this place which had remained in their possession since the peace of Utrecht. The whole of the ships outward bound cargo were entirely burnt and destroyed, together with great quantities of provisions, stores. HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 59 etc., etc., which had been accumulating for about seventy years. Having briefly narrated the transactions which took place on the shores of Hudson's Bay, from the formation of the first settle- ments on it to the period when the French made their last appear- ance in those seas, we shall now resume our narrative of their progress westward, beyond Lake Superior. We have stated above that the progress of the French in forming agricultural settlements was slow, yet the influence of their presence in the land soon began to be felt beyond the limits of their actual possessions. The fame of these wonderful strangers spread over lake and forest to remote tribes, many of whom hastened from far distant regions to the white man's settlements to gratify their curiosity by the sight of a people of whom they had heard so many strange accounts, and at the same time to participate in the rich presents bestowed, by the military commanders of New France, on the native tribes, of which firearms and ammunition always formed a part, which, in course of time, enabled the tribes, who resided near the French settlements, to drive their countrymen, who lived farther west, from their hunting grounds, leaving the streams and forests, where their forefathers fished and hunted, to be occupied by the new comers, who struggled on, extending their agricultural settlements, and in doing so, had, no doubt, to en- counter a large amount of such toils, privations and dangers as has been experienced by all who at a later period and under more favourable circumstances have formed settlements in the forests of the new world. However, slow as their progress had been, its course was westward. 60 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. CHAPTEE II. The Eael of Selkirk — His Dealings with the Fur Company — The Selkirk Grant — Prospectus of the Selkirk Colony — Curious Incidents of Immigration — A Writer on the Nelson Eiver in 1811 — Contention in the Colony — Early Methods of Trial and Punishment — Miles Mac- donald and his Colony at Eed Eiver in 1812 — Thrilling Incidents of Immigration — First Settlers at Pembina — Privations of the First Eed Eiver Settlers — The Eival Fur Companies — The Indla.ns. In the beginning of the present century, the Earl of Selkirk had been extensively engaged in land and colonization speculations in British America, and in the prosecution of these objects he visited Montreal, at that time the emporium of the fur trade in Canada. His Lordship was received with the hospitality which so much characterizes the inhabitants of that affluent city, and to none was he indebted for more pointed attention and civility, than to the merchant princes connected with the fur trade, the agents and part- ners of the North-west Company. These gentlemen were of re- spectable parentage, many of them being the sons of clergymen, of small landed proprietors, and of tacksmen in the Highlands of Scotland. A Scotch nobleman, and above all a Douglas, could not fail in meeting with the most cordial reception fi-om these warm hearted Gael. Their attentions were unwearied, they freely spent their money in entertaining their noble and distinguished visitor. In the course of his travels, his attention was naturally directed to the state of the trade, and particularly to that carried on with the Indians in the barter of manufactured goods, and other articles, for furs and peltries, which, ever since the discovery and establishment of the Colony by the French, had been considered the chief branch of its commerce. According to a writer of the period, Mr. William McGillivray, his enquiries into the nature and extent of the trade and their particular establishment, which always had been an ob- ject of curiosity to strangers visiting in Canada, were readily an- HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 61 swered by these gentlemen, who withheld no information which could gTatify the liberal and useful researches of a noble traveller, They remarked at the time that these enquiries were more ex- tensive than usual, but they little expected that their confidential communications to a person expressing his admiration at the re- sult of their exertions, and his sincere friendship and thankful ac- knowledgments to themselves, should have awakened the spirit of self-interest, which has subsequently been so apparent; still less did they expect they were placing means in the hands of a com- mercial rival, to be appUed first in opposition to their trade, and, after the failure of that experiment, in an attempt to affect the ruin of their establishments. On the noble Lord's return to England, he prosecuted with much anxiety, the enquiries he had commenced in Canada, con- nected with this subject, and the situation of the Hudson's Bay Company, with the great advantage under which the fur trade might be conducted from Hudson's Bay, when compared with the obstacles and difficulties opposed to the Canadian merchants, soon presented themselves to his discernment. The route to the re- mote and most valuable trading stations in the North- west country, was nearly two thousand miles more distant by interior communi- cation from Montreal than from Hudson's Bay, and it was evident, if the assumed rights of this company to the exclusive commerce and navigation of the Bay were legal, by a strict enforcement of them the whole trade in furs and peltries might' be diverted into that channel. His Lordship communicated his idea on the sub- ject, though very partially, to a gentleman then in England, who had long been interested in the North-west Company, and to whom the pubKc are indebted for a description of the country, and of his own voyages and discoveries. In consequence of this com- munication, an agreement was subsequently entered into between Lord Selkirk and this gentleman to speculate in the stock of the Hudson's Bay Company, without any definite object on the part of his Lordship's associate, beyond possibly a re-sale at an enhanced price when a sufficient amount should have been procured to enable them to exercise a beneficial influence in the management of the Company's concerns, and thereby to increase the 62 HISTOBY OF MANITOBA. value of their stock. The moment was pecuKarly favourable for their purpose; the stock of the Company had fallen from 250 per cent, to between 50 and 60 in consequence of misfortunes or mismanagement of their affairs, which were in a rapid state of decay and considered bordering of insolvency, no dividends having been paid for several years. Under such circumstances, considerable purchases were easily made by the parties; but his Lord- ship's views becoming enlarged with the extended knowledge he obtained of the supposed rights conferred upon the Company by charter, a disagreement took place as to the further objects they had in view, and after some legal proceedings, an arrangement was made between the parties, by which the Earl of Selkirk be- came proprietor of the quarter part of the stock acquired on the joint account. Being thus disengaged from any connection which would interfere with his views, and having established for himself a sufficient footing in the affairs of the Company, Lord Selkirk extended his purchases to the amount of nearly £40,000.00, .the whole amount of the Company's stock being under £100,000.00. Several members of the committee immediately made way for the appointment of his near relatives and friends to the direction, and from this period, his Lordship may be considered as possessing unlimited influence and control in the management of the affairs and disposal of the property of the Company. Although more activity was perceived in the general conduct of their concerns, some time elapsed before his Lordship's ultimate object and plans were disclosed ; but his preparations being then made, a general court was convened by public notice in the month of May, 1811. The proprietors were informed at this meeting that the Governor and committee considered it beneficial to their general interests, to gxant to his Lordship, in fee simple, about 116,000 square miles of what was supposed to be their territory, on condition that he should establish a Colony on the grant, and furnish, on certain terms, from among the settlers such laborers as are required by the Com- pany in their trade. The proprietors did not see, in these conditions, any sufficient consideration for the grant, and every one present, with the exception of the noble Lord, and the committee, signed and delivered a protest against it to the court. Notwithstanding HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 6^ this opposition the grant was confirmed, and his Lordship became the ideal proprietor of a domain, exceeding in extent the Kingdom of England, with only one objection to the title, that with respect to the right of the grantors. Eemonstrances were made against the project of establishing the proposed Colony by every person inter, ested in the trade of the. country. Notwithstanding, his Lordship determined to persevere in his schemes, and succeeded in obtainr ing the grant, which we shall transcribe for our reader's information, " The Earl of Selkirk's grant of land from the Hudson's Bay Com- pany," described as foUows : — Beginning at the western shores of Lake Winnipeg, at a point on 52 ° , 50' north latitude, and thence running due west to Lake Wiunipegoosis, otherwise calle4 Little Winnipeg ; thence in a southerly direction through said Lake, so as to strike its western shore in latitude 52 ° ; thence due west to the place where the paralle|. 52 ° intersects the western branch of the Ked Eiver, otherwise called the Assiniboine River ; thence due south from that point of intersection to the heights of land which separates the watei-s running into the Hudson's Bay from those of the Missouri and the Mississippi Rivers ; thence in an easterly direction along the height of land to the sources of the River "Winnipeg, meaning by such last named River the priucipaj. branch of the waters which unite in the Lake Saginagas ; thence along the main stream of those waters, and the middle of the several Lakes through which they flow, to the mouth of the River Winnipeg, and thence in a northerly direction througlj the middle of Lake Winnipeg to the place of beginning, which Territory is callej Assiniboia. The following is the protest of the proprietors of the Hudson's Bay Company against the grant to Lord Selkirk : — To the Hmyyurable the Gmeriwr and Cmnpany of Adventurers of E'rigland tradilvj in Hudson's Bay : — The memorial of the undersigned Stockholders and pi-oprietors in said Company, sheweth : that whereas it appears from the records of the proceedings of said Comr pany, at their last meeting, that it is in contemplation to grant to the right Honourable, the Earl of Selkirk, a certain part of the territory of the said Company to him and his heirs for ever in fee simple. Your memorialists have taken the same into their most serious consideration and availing themselves of the limited period allowed by the adjournment of the said meeting, submit to your hon. body, the grounds and reasons upon which they diSf sent to any such grant, or alienation of the Company's Property. 1st. Because, wavering all the arguments which occur to them, proving the im- policy of the said grant, there does not appear to be any adequate consideration stip- ulated for between the said Company and the said Earl. — The land proposed to be granted, comprehends a temtory of about seventy thousand superficial miles, con- taining about forty-five millions of acres, of tliat part of the territoi-y which is valua- ble and fit for cultivation, and constitutes no inconsiderable portion of the Company'? Capital Stock. U HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 2nd. — Because, if it be for the benefit of the said Company, (and there is no eri- dence of suiiicient weight to make it clear to the understanding of your Memorialists) to sell so large and valuable a portion of their territory, the proper mode of doing so for the interest ot the stockholders, is obviously that which is usually adopted in the faithful execution of sU trusts of a similar nature ; namely, to expose it to pub- lic sale, or at least give such notoriety to the the transaction as to admit of competi- tion between individuals who may be inclined to purchase. The necessity of such a mode in the present case is placed beyond all dispute by the fact that a more valu- able consideration, than that proposed by the said Earl, may now be obtained for the property in question. 3rd — Because it does not appear that the said Earl is bound by the conditions of his grant, in a suiiicient penalty, to establish such a settlement as will produce to the Company any substantial benefits, or to exercise such acts of ownership as may be necessary to the ostensible objects of the Company in making the grant. In aU grants recently made by the Crown in British America, provision is made for bona fide settlements, and a mere nominal provision to give a colourable pretext for the alienation of public property, but such as to secure the actual residence of one person in proportion to twelve hundred acres. And it has been proved by experience, and is clear to the understanding of your Memorialists, that the foregoing regulations, adopted by his Majesty, is highly expedient and wise, and was suggested by the evUs which had formally arisen from the possession of a tract of land by one person, who could seldom, even in the vicinity of a populous country, procure a sufficient number of settlers to satisfy the creditors of the original grant. If, with all the facilities afforded by a regular and extensive intercourse with Great Britain, it was impracticable to induce a very considerable number of persons to immigrate, how much more insurmountable must be the difficulty of peopling a region two thousand miles from any sea port, and out of the reach of all those aids and comforts which are derived from civil society. 4th. Because, upon a fair and impartial estimation of the futwe value and import- ance of the lands purposed to be granted, and the limited and unproductive consider- ation to be given, for them, by the said Earl, your Memorialists cannot perceive for the grant any other motive than to secure to the prosterity of the said Earl, at the expense of the stock holders of the said Company, an immensely valuable landed estate. 5th. Because in the event of a settlement of the said territory under the control of any power than that of the Company, private traffic would be carried on between the settlers and Indians, and clandestinely with tradera from the United States and Canada, which no ordinance of the Company would prevent. Besides, it has been found that colonization is at all times unfavorable to the fur trade ; and it is not very apparent to your Memorialists, that said Company has full power to exercise a final jui'isdiction, since various acts have been passed in contravention of the powers, perhaps intended to be imparted in the charter, more especially the act of '43 of His Ma- jesty, George III, which gives the entire jurisdiction in criminal oases throughout the whole Indian territory to His Majesty's Courts of King's Bench, in Upper and Lower Canada. 6th. Because, under the foregoing circumstances, such a settlement as the pro- posed would, in process of time, erect itself into a distinct interest, adverse to that HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 65 of the Company, become an asylum for deserters from their service, and eventually under their authority in practice a mere nuUity. 7th. Because, from the situation of the lands proposed to be granted, and their contiguity to the United States, the intercourse wiU be greater, and tlie communica- tion more easy between the frontier ports of the United States and settlement con- temtilated, than between the said settlement and Port Nelson ; hence the laws and regulations of the company will be evaded, and every expectation of revenue de- feated in its very principle. Sth. Because, your memorialists do not perceive that in making such a gi'ant ac- cording to the tenus expressed in the agreement to be entered into, sufficient regard is had to the difficulties in the way of can-ying it into eifect, or to the sacrifices which the Company may be called upon to make. These reasons, and many others, which require more fuU illustration than the shortness of time between the last and present meeting would permit, appear to your memorialists sufficiently cogent to prevent the Company from making the grant under consideration, upon such terms as are proposed by the Earl of Selkirk. LOKDOK, May 30th, 1811. [Signed] William Thwaits, RoBEKT Whitehead, John Ikglis, John Fish, Edward Elide, Alex. McKbnzie. Lord Selkirk's Advertisement and Prospectus of the New Colony. A tract of land consisting of some miUious of acres, and in point of soil and cli- mate inferior to none of equal extent in British America, is now to be disposed of, and will be sold extremely cheap, on account of its situation, which is remote from the present establishments. If a tract of the same extent and fertility were offered for sale in Lower or Upper Canada or Nova Scotia, purchasers would be eager to obtain it at one hundred or perhaps two hundred thousand guineas, and at that price would make an ample fortune in the course of some years, by retailing it in small lots at an advance price to actual settlers. The land in question, no way different in advantage, may be purchased for about .:fil 0,000. The title has been submitted to lawyers of the first eminence in London, and is declared to be unexceptionable ; but the situation is such, that the population of the older settlements cannot be expected, in the natural course of things, to be spread into it for a long period of time, and tiU that takes place, this disadvantage of its remote situation must be an insuperable objection in the eyes of any unconnected individual who is looking out for lands to establish his family. Hence the prospect of finding settlers to purchase the land in smaU lots is remote, and on this account the proprietors are willing to part with it for so inconsiderable a price. But the obstacles which, to an unconnected adventurer, may justly be deemed in- surmountable, may be overcome with ease by the combined efforts of many, and an adequate sum of money judiciously expended in removing the first difficulties of an E 66 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. infant settlement, may place this tract of land in circumstances as aJvantageoujs to the proprietors as if it were in the immediate vicinity of populous colonies. The expenses, however, would be too great for an individual : it is therefore proposed to form a joint stock company, in 200 shares of ^100 each, so as to raise a sum of jS20,000, of which a moiety is to be employed in the purchase of the lands in ques- tion ; the remainder, in those expenses which are necessary for bringing settlers and ther«by rendering the land valuable. To those settlers, lands will be disposed of, either in the way of sale, or lease in perpetuity at the option of the settler, on terms very encouraging to him, and abundantly advantageous to the proprietors. As there are serious objections against receiving into the proposed settlement any Americans of the description of those who are likely to offer themselves, the settlers must be emigrants from Em'ope, and the most feasible plan seems to be, that they should be selected from those parts of the United Kingdom which are most overburdaned with inhabitants, viz. : the Highlands of Scotland and some parts of Ireland ; a small portion of the emigrants who now go from these districts to the United States of America would be more than sufficient for the object in view. Such a change of their destination could injure no part of the Kingdom, aud would save the Empire subjects, who would otherwise be entirely lost to their country. To facilitate an object thus equally advantageous to the public and to the parties concerned, it is proposed that a preference should be allowed to subscribers who are pereonally connected with these districts of the Kingdom, and whose local influence may be of service in promoting the desired change in the destinatson of those who are determined to emigrate. The settlement is to be formed in a tenitory where re- ligion is not the ground of any disqualification, au unreserved participation in every privilege will therefore be enjoyed by Protestants and Catholics without ; and it is proposed that in every parochial division an allotment of land shall bf made for the perpetual support of a clergyman, of that persuasion which the miijtrity of the in- habitants adhere to. As the lands in question possess important natural advant.vges over any which now remain unoccupied in Nova Scotia and the adjacent colonies, it cannot be deemed unreasonable, if the settlers in general get their lands at the lowest rate which they would pay in those provinces. On the other hand, they will naturally expect to be conveyed to their land without incurring move expense than if they were to settle in these Maritime Colonies. The managers of the concern must, therefore, undertake to provide conveyance at moderate rates for the emigrants who go out under tJ-sir patronage. The rate of passage money paid on board of other ships bound to Americ* may be taken as the criterion. These rates being always proportioned to the prices of freight and shipping at the time, no material loss can be apprehended upon the sea voyage ; but as the place of settlement is at a considerable distance fro'n the sea, an extra expense must be incurred in inland conveyance, which the emigrants cannot be expected to pay, if they are to be charged for land at the rate of the Maritime Colonies ; the expense which may thus be on the proprietors, may be estimated at about £10 for each family of settlers at an average. This will, however, be amply reimbursed in the price of land ; the lowest price of land in the Maritime Colonies, when sold to actual settlers, and possessing any HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 67 tolerable advantages of situation, is at the rate of 10s per acre, if sold, or if leased for a perpetuity, Is per annum ; every family of settlers may be expected to take up at least 100 acres. They ai-e allowed some accommodation of time for the payment and • 100 acres at the above rate, will amount to ^50, a net advantage of ^£40 after reimbui'sing the charge of bringing in the settlers. If he should prefer leasing his rent will in two year's repay the charge, and will remain afterwards as a clear income to the proprietor. As the inland sitiiation of the settlement will preclude the settler from some of the sources of profit which are enjoyed in Maritime situations, it be- comes necessary to provide substitutes. The cultivation of hemp is peculiarly calculated for inland situations, as that article is so valuable in proportion to its weight, that it can bear the expense of a consider- able inland navigation. This cultivation is also a favoiuite national object, and the settlement wiU derive benefits from the public encouragement which is held out for promoting it. A still more beneficial object of attention is the growth of fine wool, an article so valuable, that it would bear any expense of inland conveyance and one for which the country is peculiarly adapted. In the vicinity of the proposed settlement there are immense open plains without wood, fine dry grass land, much of it capable of immediate cultivation and all well fitted for pasturage, particularly sheep. This is an advantage that no other part of British America possesses by nature, and which the colonists of the Maritime Provino«a cannot obtain without the laborous and expensive operation of clearing. If to this advantage the proprietors add that of a good band of merino sheep, the settlers can never meet with any difficulty in paying the price or rent for their land. The fleeces of ten or twelve sheep will pay the rent of 100 acres, and with the produce of a very small (lock, the price of a lot of land may be paid off in three or four years. With such advantages the settlers must thrive rapidly, and it will soon become apparent to them that the land is worth a much larger price. At first, however, it cannot be supposed that the common emigrant will understand or become capable ot appreciating these advantages ; on the contraiy, it is to be expected that they will Le diffident and afraid of venturing to a new and (to them) unknown country ; it will, therefore, be necessary to give some extraordinary encouragement to a few of the first who enter into the plan. From this and other causes the commencement of the undertaking must be subject to expenses, which will not continue permanently when the settlement is well estab- lished, but, it is only by means of the first outlay, that we can expect to attain the ultimate advantages which are to accrue to the proprietors. There is no room to believe that these expenses will exceed the sum which is proposed to be raised, but it must be some time before the settlers can be numerous enough to pay much either of rent or of purchase money ; ten or twelve years must, therefore, elapse before the profits of the undertaking can be sufficient to aflbrd a dividend to the proprietors. After that period the returns may be expected to increase rapidly, and will soon form an ample indemnification to the subscribers for the loss of interest on the money in the meantime. The amount to which the profits may ultimately arise seems almost to baffle imagination upon any principle of calculation wliich can reasonably be adopted ; the result comes out so extraordinarily great, that it might appear like exaggeration to state it. But the difl'erence between buying land at one penny or 68 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. two pence per acre, and selling at eight or ten shillings is very palpable, and does not seem to require comment. The epeculation may not suit those who require an immediate income, but for any one who is desirous to provide beforehand fok a young family, such an opportunity ' seldom occui-s. The above prospectus was addressed to and well calculated to quicken the spnits of emigration which so universally prevailed in Ireland and in the Higlilands of Scotland. Agents were sent to those countries to engage a number of servants, some for the Hudson Bay Company's service and others to labor in the colony ; these were known as His Lordship's servants, and were, as well as the others, engaged for a term of years, and, at the expiration of their contracts each of them became entitled to one hundred acres of land, free of cost, in the new colony. The servants who had been engaged by his Lordship's agents in Ire- land, in Glasgow and in other parts of Scotland met at Stomoway, in the Island of Lewis, in the month of May, 1811. The colony servants, from twenty to thirty in number, were placed under Captain Miles McDoneU's command, who had been nominated by his Lordship and the Hudson's Bay Company, Governor of the new colony. The Hudson's Bay ships did not arrive until some time in June. The servants who, as we have said above arrived in May, had time for reflection ; unfavorable reports of the country to which they were to be transported were circulated ; it was known then in the Highlands and North of Scotland by the significant and appro- priate name of " The land of the cold," the abode of perpetual winter. They became terrified at the thought of being doomed to suffer the intense severity of the artic winter of Hudson's Bay and the extraordinary labor and drudgery to which they would be sub- jected in the Hon. Company's service. The effect of these fears soon became manifest. A few days after the ships came to anchor before the ancient village of Stornoway, the Captain's called for all those, whom they were ordered to convey to Hudson's Bay ; on the day appointed for their embarkation some went on board, others sent their chests or trunks on board emptied of their usual contents, a fjw stones, HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 69 some sand and straw having been put in to make some weight, and to prevent suspicion in the minds of those who were receiving them ; the owners of these empty chests set off to the hills and mountains and could not be found. Inauspicious as this was, it was only the beginning of trouble ; some of those who had embarked refused to go further, threatened the captain's life, and at the same time declared that if they would not order them to be conveyed to the shore that they would seize the boats and go to the land. A few, in the height of their fury sprang over-board, swam unmolested to the shore, and fled to the hills, and were never retaken. The troubles on board the ships were soon made known in the town. A Captain McKenzie went to the ships, and invited all who were dissatisfied with their position to come on board his boat, promising to set them free ; however. Jack Tar had something to say on the subject, and showed that he was not willing to be so easily deprived of his freight, and adopted an expedient, which relieved him for the present from all trouble from the gallant Cap- tain. Some one of the ship's crew pitched a nine-pound round shot into the boat, which passed through her bottom, leaving those who were in her to choose between sinking or a speedy retreat for the shore. They prudently embraced the latter alternative. The irri- tated veteran, McKenzie, on reaching shore, sent a formal chal- lenge to the Captain of the ship, whose crew had treated him so unceremoniously; but a fair wind sprang up in the night; the ship left the harbor, our friend the Captain had to bear the insult, and with it his disappointment in not being able to redress his great' grievance by the prowess of his own right hand. We have never been able to obtain correct information as to the authority on which Captain McKenzie acted in the difficulties which took place on board the Hudson's Bay ships ; some persons expressed the opinion that the Captain was connected with the Custom House, and that he endeavored to seize the ships, in consequence of their taking a greater number of persons on board than was permitted by the provisions of an act of I'arliament commonly 70 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. called " Dundas '" Act, regulating the number of passengers emi- gi-ating to America according to the tonnage of the ship in which they are to be embarked. We cannot say how far this statement of the above affair is correct. The company's ships were each registered at something near four hundred tons. Many of those engaged for the country deserted at Stornoway. The ships for James' Bay would doubtless easily accommodate those who were intended for the Southern De- partment. The difficulty then could only arise from the number received on board the ship which was to sail for York Factory. The number landed there in the fall, I have reason to believe, did not exceed fifty or sixty at the utmost, and surely this number could not be an infringement of the act; if this be so, Captain McKenzie must have acted in this affair from the benevolent and patriotic impulses of his own mind ; believing, we may suppose, that the involuntary expatriation of these poor men, whom he wished to liberate, was an act of great injustice and of unmitigated tyranny. As we have said above, the ship sailed in June with her discon- tented and refractory cargo. How they fared and behaved on the voyage, we have never been able to learn ; but this we know, that in the fall of 1811 they arrived at York Factory, in Latitude 57 ^ North. We cannot state the day, nor even the month, on which they landeil on the shores of Hudson's Bay ; but from their passing the winter near the Bay, we may infer that they arrrived late in the season, or that there had Ijeen culpable negligence somewhere, either in his Lordship, or in those who acted under him, in not making known to those in the country, by the ship of the previous summer (1810), that more than the ordinary number of men were to be sent to the Red River, and might require a few additional boats to carry them thither. His Lordship might have communicated all the necessary in- formation and instructions to those who ruled in the country, and they, from indolence, or from a desire to gTatify the party of stock- holders who were inimical to his Lordship's colonizing projects, might leave those who had to begin the colony to provide the HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 71 means of transportation for themselves. It is too late to learn the cause : the effect we know. The men for the colony were sent away late in Autumn, from the Factory, and were directed to go forty or fifty miles up the Nelson Eiver to a place known as Seal's Creek ; their Governor, Captain Miles McDonell, and Captain Hillier (known as a justice of the peace), accompanied them. Here they were instructed and assisted, by a few old hands, to erect log huts for their protection from the chilling and bitter blasts of winter. We may easily fancy how difficult this labour would prove to men unaccustomed to the use of the axe ; notwithstanding, they proved that patience and perseverance can remove the greatest difficulties ; they built their shanties ; poor and mean they were, but preferable to open huts, and even to tents covered with nothing but pine bush. No sooner were they lodged in their winter quarters than the demon of discord and insubordination reappeared among them. It is hard to say, after the lapse of more than fifty years, what the prolific source of these diiSLculties was. It has been stated by some of the men who were there at the time, men whose veracity I never heard called in question, that the food allowed was insuflfi- cient in quantity and of poor quality, and, further, their Governor endeavoured to subject them to military discipline. Whatever might have been the cause or causes, rhe long dreary and severe winter of that inhospitable region was passed in mutiial hatred and distrust between the officers and their men. The spring, though late, came at last with all its ameliorating influences, long, bright, warm, sunny days, with abundance of water fowl, the greatest and best gift of spring to the inhabitants of these sterile regions. All who wintered at Seal's Creek were ordered to headquarters, and to headquarters they came to occupy houses which were palaces in comparison to their mean and miserable winter habitations. Now they were fed two or three days in the week on fresh provisions. They were no longer suffer- ing under the storms and bitter frosts of winter, and we might ex- pect a corresponding change in the men's feelings. But, unfortunately, this was not the case, the spirit of insubor- 72 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. dination was still rankling in men's hearts and leading them to frequent acts of disobedience, which conduct on their parts would naturally produce a spirit of unkindly feeling and harshness in the bosom of those who were in authority. At the time of which we are writing, William Auld, Esq., was superintendent of the Northern Department of Eupert's Land, and was residing at York Factory in the spring 1812. He has been represented, by some of those who served under him, as stern and dispotic in the exercise of his authority. In his of&ce of Governor and judge he was assisted by a council, (but we must not forget that the Governor on all matters of im- portance received private instructions from the committee and acted upon them independent of the council.) This Council was composed of three or four of the senior clerks residing at head- quarters and passed resolutions for the proper management of the trade with the Indians, and appointed officers and men for the different inland districts within the department. In its judicial capacity the council took cognizance of acts of dis- obedience on the part of the labouring men and clerks to the mandate of their superiors. For offences of a grave character fining the unfortunate culprit to the fuU amount of all the savings of former years if in deposit in the Company's hands, and if the individual had his money in any other bank it would be safe, but he stood a fair chance of being dismissed the service, However, such cases as I have represented were of rare occurrence ; fines generally ranged in amount from five to ten pounds sterling. In minor cases the obnoxious subject would be punished by being, for some time, put in irons or by being put off duty and half allowance. Some of the Glasgow men and Irishmen were summoned to appear before the Governor's tribunal, who in the present case called to his assistance Mr. Miles McDonnell and Mr. HiUier, to act as Magistrates in awarding condeign punishment to these refractory subjects. The accused parties appeared, and one of them under- took the defence, this man had been a clerk to a sheriff in Scotland, and professed to know soipething about law ; he pointed out to his would-be judges the illegality of a court constituted as their court HISTOKY OF MANITOBA. 73 was, where prosecutors were sitting as judges, and after some alter-i cation our pleader appealed to some higher court. The whole party walked out of the room, leaving the Goveriror and his judicial aids to chew the cud of disappointment. The spring of 1812 was passed in the above unpleasant manner. The ice on the river generally breaks up in the last week of May or first week in June. The navigation is not often practicable before the tenth of that month. Miles McDoneH and some of his men left for the Eed River as early as circumstances would admit, and we may suppose that they arrived in the month of July or in the beginning of August. Some of those who wintered at Seal's Creek were sent to different parts of the country, and the ringleaders in the quarrels of the pre- ceding winter, were kept at the factory for the purpose of being sent home by the ship. We cannot dismiss the transactions of the winter and spring without giving an instance of singular and laudable devotion to duty in the young men from the Island of Lewis ; they were not in any way exempted from the trials and privations undergone by their companions, yet, throughout all these trying times they exhibited an unconquerable spirit of patient endurance, and were ever ready to obey their superiors and perform their duty. And to Governor Auld's praise be it said, that he did not overlook such exemplary conduct nor let it pass unrewarded. On the first opportunity that offered he represented these men's good behaviour to the committee, and that honourable body presented, through their agents in Stornoway, each of their parents with the sum of five pounds sterling as a substantial token of their approbation of these young men's merits. We have stated above that Mr. Miles McDoneU and his men arrived on the prairies of Eed Eiver, at the latest, in the month of August, 1812. How these pioneers of civilization in the wilderness fared or how they were employed we have not been able to learn, but we may rest satisfied that a great part of their time would be occupied in procuring food from the surrounding Indians and free- men, and that the rest of their time would be employed in erecting dwellings and stores at the place chosen for the headquarters of the li HISTORY OF MANITOBA. hew settlement, which was at a point a mile below the confluence of the Assiniboine and Red Eiver. This point had the name of Douglas bestowed upon it, and continued during a period of four- teen years to enjoy the honour of being the site of the Governor's residence, the Colony stores and of the Hudson's Bay Fort. Now that we have followed the footsteps, and recorded as much as came to our knowledge of the history of the small band of immigi-ants from the green valleys of Erin, and from that busy hive of manufacturing and commercial industry, Glasgow, to the centre of the American continent, to the very place which his Lordship had appointed for the future colony, and where they were directed to make preparations for the reception of the multitudes who were expected to flow in each succeeding year, we will leave them for a time and endeavour to follow his Lordship in his peregrinations for recruits for the Hudson's Bay Company's service and for emigrants to the intended colony. For the accomplishment of these objects he went over to Ireland, and during his residence there he visited Sligo and other towns in the west, where he employed agents to engage servants for the fur trade and for the colony. A great number of laborers and some clerks were soon procured. His Lordship, when in the Emerald Isle, met with Mr. Owen Keveny whom he engaged for the Hudson's Bay Company's service, and likely in the first place, for the purpose of taking charge of all the men who had been engaged in Ireland with the view, no doubt, of preventing desertion and mutinies similar to those which took place the previous season at Stornoway, and afterwards to be employed in the service as circumstances might require. Mr. Keveny has been represented as uncommonly severe and cruel in his treatment of those under his authority. It has been currently reported, and not contradicted, that for the most trivial offence he would order the offending party to be put in irons ; in other cases the unfortunate culprit was made to run between two lines of men drawn up fronting each other, and each man prepared with a cudgel to commence the strange, and to one party concerned, unpleasant operation of belabouring the object of their chiefs resentment as soon as he entered between their ranks. The Hudson's Bay Com- pany's ships sailed fov Ireland, and put into the Bay of Sligo to HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 75 take on board all those who had been engaged. Here they were joined by ten or eleven newly married couple?, some young men, and two or three unmarried young ladies, all from the Western Islands of Scotland. The ships left Ireland some time in June, and if we judge from what transpired on the passage, we must come to the conclusion, that all who were on board were not satisfied with their condition. No desertions took place this season, and all seemed to go on well for a time, but a fierce spirit of discontent began to spread from one bosom to another, until all the sailors and the passengers between decks became infected by it, and soon appeared in an attempt to overpower the Captain and his adherents, seize the ship and take her to some country at War with Great Britain and sell ship and cargo to the best advantage and divide the proceeds among the captors. However secret their machinations, there was a traitor among them who betrayed all their proceedings to the Captain, and by the time they were all prepared for the meeting, the Captain and those who were loyal to him and willing at all hazards to do their duty at this dangerous moment, were ready to meet them. The' Captain placed armed parties to guard the hatches, the quarter guns were loaded with grape shot and pointed forward ; when the conspirators attempted to get on deck they were hurled back into the hole by those who had been appointed to perform that duty. One man, more daring or less fortunate than his associates in evil, received a dangerous sword wound on his shoulder, which nearly severed his arm from his body. This blow was given by Mr. Johnston, who was assassinated in a most deliberate but coward- ly manner by a French half-breed in a foolish quarrel that took place at Isle a la Cross Lake, in the winter of 1814 between the two opposing companies. The mutineers subdued, aU parties seemed to be satisfied or were quiet, which answered equally well, and early in the month of August they were landed at York Factory on the shores of Hudson's Bay. While here Mr. Keveny had to exercise some despotic, but, no doubt, a wholesome discipline by making a few unruly fellows run the gauntlet, somewhat terrifying and amusing to the 76 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. beholders, who for the first time saw this very ancient but long neglected mode of punishment put into operation. A number of the ringleaders and of the most desperate of the mutineers were sent back with the ship. We must'here notice that Father Bourke accompanied the Irishmen as their spiritual guide, but returned by the same conveyance that brotight him into the country ; this gentleman was the first minister of religion from the British Isles, that set foot on Rupert's Land, or at least that set his foot on the shores of Hudson's Bay. We must further notice in this place, that the first matrimonial union entered into by persons of pure European blood, in Rupert's Land, took place this season, at York Factory, both parties were Protestants and had arrived with the ship ; the marriage ceremony was performed by Father Bourke, the catholic priest. After a short stay at the Factory those who were destined to serve at the different posts in the interior were dispersed in every direction. Mr. Keveny, the colonists and all the laboring men for the colony, with some boats for upper Red River, in all, eight or nine barges took their departure for their destination, and after a favor- able passage they arrived in health and good spirits some time in the latter end of October, on the banks of the much talked of, and long wished for. Red River. Mr. Keveny consigned his charge to Mr. Miles McDonell who had been already some months on the site of the intended colony, and who might now with some propriety assume the high sounding title of Governor of Assiniboia, for here were ten or eleven families to begin with. — Tliis small increase of numbers added to Governor McDonell's difliculties. Provisions were not easily obtained at Fort Douglas, and in consequence they could not remain together at head-quarters. The colonists, after remaining a short time at the Governor's residence, had to raise their camp before the winter set in, and remove to .Pembina, to be within easy reach of the buffalo, the only source whence they expected to draw their supply of provisions for the fa,st approaching winter.. To Pembina they went and in conjunction with his Lord- ship's servants built a few huts which they surrounded with a low stockade and dignified the place with the honorable name of Daer. In the beginning of winter scarcity of food began to be severely HISTOKY OF MANITOBA. 77 felt and stern necessity compelled the newcomers to separate. Some went lip to the post on the Turtle River, others had to take to the plains and join the Freemen who were hunting the buffalo on these treeless wastes and who were encamped along the different streams that flow into the Red River from the west. The traders at that time were accustomed to hire hunters who supplied them with provisions. These hunters were either Indians or Freemen and at some Forts Freemen and Indians ; when thus em ployed by the traders, each hunter had commonly a Company's servant placed with him, whose duty was to receive the carcases from the hunter, to draw in the meat to a stage erected near the hunter's lodge, and to keep account of the number of animals or carcases he lecei^'ed. Horses and dogs were employed to drag in the meat to the Fort; but as these useful animals were too few for the work the deficiency had to supplied by the colonists and ser- vants harnessing themselves by tens or by dozens to huge flat sleds, loaded with green buffalo beef at which they toiled day after day till they arrived at the Fort. Each buffalo, moose or red deer, was valued at so many shillings, Halifax currency, although most commonly paid in merchandize. We may form some idea of the great and nearly insurmountable difficulties which these poor men had to encounter— travelling for days without snowshoes through deep snow, unaccustomed to the rigors of the climate, always exposed to intense cold, and not unfrequently overtaken on the plains by high winds and snow which in a few minutes fill the air with drift, leaving the traveller no alternative but that of burying himself in a snow bank or freezing to death. When these parties took their loads and turned for the Fort, on some trips, they tugged for days at their un- wieldy burdens ; it is true that every meal lessened their freight, so much so, that when the distance was great all they brought to the Fort was very little, more than would be required to find them- selves until they should return to the hunting tents again, so that those who resided at the fort fared but indifferently. In their distress during that winter the North West Company's servants generously supplied them often with provisions and with- out such help some of the colonists, and even some of the Com- 78 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. pany's servants, would have perished of hunger, not only on the plains of Eed River, but also along the shores of Lake Winnipeg, one instance of which we shall here relate, as showing in some de- gree the privations and miseries which the fur traders had to endure at the time of which we are writing and, as showing also, the friendly spirit by which some, at least, of the North West partners were animated towards the Hudson's Bay Company servants when they were in distress. The Hudson's Bay Company had a small trading post near the mouth of Pigeon Eiver. The fall fishing proved a failure, and after the winter set in no supplies could be drawn from the waters. Neither deer nor rabbits could be found in the forests. The few people who were at the place were compelled, by famine to break up into small parties of two or three in each ; these took different directions and pitched their camps along the lake at some distance from each other. All failed to procure anything adequate to the supply of their most urgent wants, and after some time the little they had been able to procure became less, so much so, that some were reduced to absolute want. Thus enfeebled from the want of sufficiency of food, some of them were so much overcome by the dark prospect before them that they began to despair, and if they had been left to their own resources would have perished, but for- tirnately for them a young gentleman was with one party whose strong and energetic mind was more than equal to the difficulties of the position in which he and his companions in misery were placed. To remain where they were would be certain death. And where were they to go ? they were Hudson's Bay men, and the nearest Fort belonging to that company was Fort Douglas, and for Fort Douglas our young friend, with two other men, set out, travelling on the east side of Lake Winnipeg for Bas de la Eiver, where the North-West Company had a post, (or rather, a depot). This place was much nearer to them than Eed Eiver ; but these emaciated and enfeebled men — scarcely able to walk — travelled on day after day, exposed to the bitter chilling winds that blew over the lake, nor did the night bring them relief ; without strength to cut down trees, they had to content themselves with wiUows for fuel over which they had to watch all night being unable to enjoy HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 79 sleep from tlie constant pinching of the cold. After struggling on for some days our friend's two companions became so discouraged, that great persuasion had to be used before they could l)e induced to leave the hut in the morning, and after they had I'esumed the journey they did not go far until they felt overcome and unable to proceed any further and lay down on the ice to wait patiently for death to put an end to their misery. The clerk seeing that he could not prevail on them to make another effort to save themselves, bade them farewell and continued on his journey, but did not go many miles until he espied a party of men on the lake coming to- wards him. These were North- West men who were going in searcli of Indians, and who had just left their camp in the nearest point ; on meeting him some returned with him to the camp which they had left, a short time before, and kindly ministered to his wants, and gave him some information on the way and distance to the Fort for which after being refreshed he set out ; but not before he had the pleasure of seeing his companions rescued from an un- timely and miserable death, brought to the hut and supplied with food by their kind neighbors, who in the morning had left a quan- tity of potatoes in the hut, which nearly proved fatal during the ensuing night to the famished men who could not restrain the cravings of their appetites, but indulged freely in the use of the potatoes. The clerk arrived that night at the North-West Fort and on the following day men were sent with dogs and sleds for the two men left behind and brought them to the place, where they were fed and cared for until their health and strength had been restored after which they were supplied with provisions to serve them until they arrived at Fort Douglas. Such generosity on the part of the North- West traders may ap^ pear strange to some of my readers ; but here I must candidly state that up to that time, 1813, there was nothing approaching to animosity existing between the servants of the two companies ; the struggle for existence between the rivals had not yet com- menced, if any little difficulties occurred they were always speedily settled, generally in a very friendly and pleasant manner over a " flowing bowl " of Demara punch. When the winter of 1812-13 had passed, with all its concomitant 80 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. evils, and the spring advanced with all its genial influences ; when the soft winds of the south and the warm rays of the sun had dissolved the snow on the plains and the ice on the rivers, fish of all kinds began to swarm in every stream, and wild fowl became abundant over the whole country. These favorable changes never fail to infuse gladness into every heart in the land, and never did ■a change from one extreme of temperature to the opposite extreme, and from poverty to plenty, bring greater joy into the human heart than it brought into the hearts of the destitute and miserable immigxants of 1812, who with the change of the season changed their residence ; leaving the plains of Dakota and Pembina passed on to Fort Douglas, and here once more Mr. McDonell had the l^leasure of seeing all his people united and under his immediate command. Here each colonist had a lot of land assigned to him, and all commenced the arduous and tedious work of subduing the earth in order that it might bring forth food for themselves and for their families. This labor was undertaken with no more efficient implements than hoes, and feeble as these instruments were, they could not obtain as much seed as they could be able to commit to the ground. But here again the ISTorth West Company's partner in Eed Eiver lent a helping hand, by either giving or selling to the Colony Governor some wheat, barley, potatoes, garden seeds, a bull, four cows, some pigs and some fowls, which had been brought from Canada at great expense ; and altough still disapproving the motives under which the settlement was established they did aU in their power to relieve the distress and wants of the colonists. Mr. McDoneU was not backwards in acknowledging his obligations for their assistance, both in his letters and in his verbal communications with the traders, but these were "soon forgotten when his difficulties diminished, and he was aware that all his zeal was required in carrying into effect by active measures the views of his employers. Early in the spring of 1813, when he had so far by the assistance of the North-West traders overcome the difficulties of his situation, his conduct, which had hitherto been rather temporizing than friendly, became less equivocal. In his capacity of Governor and representative of Lord Selkirk, he told the Indians that they must take to him alone, for HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 81 sale, their provisions and peltries, being the produce of lands of which his Lordship was proprietor, and on which, consequently, they could only hunt with his permission ; a doctrine ridiculed by the natives, but of a nature to rouse all the apprehensions of the Canadian traders, whose existence, not only on the Eed River, but in gi-eat part of the country, depended upon the provisions procured at their posts within Lord Selkirk's grant. We ha\-e stated above that the Jesuit Fathers Charles Baunbault and Isaac Jogues visited Lake Superior as early as 1641, and individual laics, led by curiosity or love of adventure, made flying visits even to the great Dakota tribes that lived on the plains of the South- West. But the tirst trader, of whom we have any account, who erected his log hut at the mouth of the Kaministigoya, was Daniel Greysolon du Luth, who had the honor of being the first who established a trading post to the west of the Sault St. Marie. He left Quebec to explore the country of the Dacotahs and Assini- boines in the month of September, 1678, and passed the following winter trading with the Assiniboines, who lived in the surrounding forests. We are iijformed by history that the enterprising du Luth, during the summer of 1679, visited some encampments of the Dacotahs where no Frenchman had ever been. After his return we find him meeting the Assiniboines and other nations at the head of Lake Superior for the purpose of settling their difficulties -with the Dacotahs and was successful. History does not inform us whether he extended his trading posts towards Rainy Lake or not, but as we find him soon after toward the Mississippi in a military capacity wo arc inclined to belie\'e that liu d'A not continue to carry on the trade in peltries, and apparently no further steps had been taken for some years to extend the peltry trade in the Nor' West. In 1731 M. Verendrye having formed a trading'^company with some Montreal merchants, who equipped Mm for his journey, set out for Lake Superior with Pere Messager, a missionary priest. He had received orders to take possession in the King's name of all countries he should discover, also, to examine them carefully in order to form an idea what facilities they might possess for estab- lishing a route across them to connect Canada and Louisiana with the sea board of the Pacific. To enable him to perform this useful F 82 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. service no public aid was given him, if promised, and as a con- sequence, he was obliged to linger about the intermediate regions, attending to his own interests and that of his partners, till the year 1733. Previously to the year 1731 some of his people starting from Kamanistigoya, a fort constructed to the north of Lake Superior in 1717 by Lieutenant Eobertal de Lanoue, passed to the Lake of Lapline, where they built Fort St. Peter, then to the Lake des Bois, where they erected Fort St. Charles in 1732 ; next they followed the course of the river Winnipeg, upon a bank of which they raised, in 1734, Fort Maurepas. The adventurers took possession of the country for a double purpose : to fulfil the obligation they owed to their King, and to establish fortified posts useful to themselves for the prosecution of their private trade. Continuing their travels they crossed Lake Dauphin and Swan Lake, discovered Eed Deer Eiver and ascended the Saskatchewan to the junction of its two great branches. They are said to have estab- lished several trading forts {i e) Fort Dauphin, at the head of Lake Manitoba, and Fort de La Eeine at its foot ; also, Fort Bourbon, on the Biche Eiver, at the head of Lake Winnipeg ; lastly, , Fort Eouge, in the angle formed by the Eed and Assiniboine Elvers. They continued afterwards, directed by M. de Verendry./s brother and, sons, to advance westwardly, other whiles northerl}-, but without finding the ocean they were in quest of. In one of these explora- tions, during the year 1736, a son of M. de Verendrye, the Jesuit, Pere Aneau, and twenty others were massacred by the Sioux, in an island in the Lake Des Bois. The enterprising Verendryes are said to have extended their travels in 1742 to the YeUow Stone Eiver, and in the following year to the foot of the Eocky Mountains. Their course, no doubt, had been up the Assiniboine Eiver, thence across the plains to the Missouri Eiver, following its course to the Mountains. The travellers on their return were cut off by the savages. Verendrye spent 40,000 livres on his travels ; he expected some pecuniary compensation, but was practically denied. But his successors reaped the fruits of his patriotic, self-denying and extensive labours, and so judicious was his choice of the localities where he built his trading posts, that some of them have been occupied as centres of Indian trade up to HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 83 the present time, and to his enterprising genius we may attribute the only settlements which the French had on the Saskatchewan^ namely, Fort Bourbon, at the head of Cedar Lake, and Fort la Come in lat. ^>oh, 103 west longtitude, thelastof the French settle- ments on the above river. The war which transferred the Dominion of Canada from France to Great Britain deranged the widely extended trade carried on from Montreal, on the one side to the shores of Hudson's Bay, and on the other side to Fort la Come, on the Saskatchewan, and pro- bably to the tops of the Assiniboine River. But after the cession of Canada and the restoration of peace, numbers of British born subjects entered into the fur trade, who, after a few years, fixed their headquarters at the Grand Portage, near the mouth of Pigeon River. The first of these enterprising adventurers of whom we have any account was Mr. Thomas Currie, who in 1767 entered the Saskatchewan with four canoes and wintered at the west end of Cedar Lake. The success of his expedition loused the cupidity of other bold spirits. Mr. James Finlay was the next who entered the great river, pushed on to Fort la Come* where he wintered, and remained a number of years on the borders of the great river, oc- cupied in the fur trade. Mr. Frobisher, with a brigade of 30 or 40 ranoes, in 1775 met the Indians on their way to Churchil, in lat. 55| and long. 103|, and bought all their peltries, thereby remov- ing the necessity of their long journey to the Bay. He returned the following year with his canoes loaded with choice prime furs and tradition did not hesitate to say that he cleared £10,000 by his adventure, and sent his brother westward who penetrated to Isle a la Cross, and retained a large interest in the concern till 1798. In 1778 several of the traders on the Saskatchewan, finding that they had a quantity of goods on hand, or to spare, agTeed to put them in common stock, and gave them in charge to Mr. Peter Pond who was directed to proceed tot he Athabaska, where he win- tered, and obtained more furs than his canoes could carry out. And here we beg to inform the reader that this association formed by a few petty traders, amid the marshes on the lower part of the Saskatchewan was the germ from which the great North-West •Lat. 52i, Long. 103. McKenzie's Trayels. 84 HISTOllY OF MANITOBA. Company sprung which in a few years extended its discoveries and trade to the Arctic and Pacific oceans. Though a little out of chronological order ■\\e must mention the first appearance of the Hudson's Bay Company on the Saskatchewan, which took place in the year 1774, eleven years after the Treaty of Paris, and seven .years after Thomas CJurrip settled at the west end of Cedar Lake. We have stated in a former part of this work the injurious effect, the presence of the French-Canadian traders in the interior had on the profits at the factories on the shores of Hudson's Bay. As the In- dians could now barter their peltries for articles of European manu- facture within their hunting grounds ; thereby removing the neces- sity that compelled them in former years to spend the summer months in the performance of long and dangerous voyages, over stdiijiy lakes and rivers full of rapids and cataracts. To remedy , the evil, and to restoi'e their declining trade, the Company saw the necessity of carrying their goods to the natives, as the latter would no longer take their trade to the Bay, and for the accomplishment of that object an expedition was sent inland in 1774, under the command of Mr. Hearne, the discoverer of Coppermine River, who continued on till he reached Pine Island Lake, where he built his fort, 7iinety-two years after York Factory had been settled. Once roused from the torpid state in which they existed on the fi-ozen shores of the Bay, they followed the example set them by their more energetic competitors, and, in little more' than twenty years, had extended their trading posts from Cumberland to the base of the Rocky Mountains. Thus, side by side, with their rivals from Canada, forming commercial relations with the savage tribes that roam over the vast plains through which both branches of the great river flow ; and who, according to Sir Alexander McKenzie's ac- count, occupied the following regions, and the number of warriors in each band or tribe in 1798, namely, at Nepoweand south branch, thirty tents of Bristineaux or 90 warriors, and sixty tents of Stone liidianc, 20" ".'arricr? Tbei" iTir:tiii""''euiic'=' oy,<-eT,riori m-itn tVio Eagle Hills. Those who trade at Forts George and Agustus, 80 tents ; Crees on either side of the river, 200 tents. In the same country are 140 tents of Stone Indians; not quite the half of them inhabit the west woody country, their number cannot be less HISTOKY OF MANITOBA. 85 than 450. The Sarceeson the north branch, 35 tents or 120. Op- posite to these on the eastward near the head waters of the south branch are the Peigans, numbering from 1200 to 1500 men; next to them are the Blood Indians to the number of 50 tents or 200 men. From them downwards extend the Blackfeet Indians of the same nation as the two last tribes ; their number may he 800 men. Next to them and extending to the confluence of the two branches are the Fall or Big-belhed Indians, who may amount to 600 warriors. The Crees or Bristineaux, as called by some writers, and known among themselves by the name of " Nehec Ethinniwoc," have been at all times since the advent of the whites probably the most numerous tribe of Indians on the east side of the Eocky Mountains ; and occupied, and at the present time do occupy, a wider range of hunting grounds than any other of the aboriginal nations in what has been known as Rupert's Land, their hunting grounds extending from the vicinity of Ungava Bay to James' Bay, thence northwardly along the shores of Hudson's Bay to Churchil River on the north, which formed the boundary between them and the Chepewayan, and in the south-westerly direction to where in former times they met the Assiniboines, and of late years, since the Assiniboines have moved to the west, met the Saulteaux or Ojibois, who speak a cognate dialect, and who have formed marriages with the Crees, whence a race has sprung who speak a mixed dialect and on whom the trader havt imposed the new name of Fachdawewoc. This mixed people occupy the country on each side of the height of land ' north of Lake Superior and Rainy Lake and to the north-east of Lake Winnipeg. In 1682 the English company took jjossessit))! of the mouth of the Nelson River, and in the same autumn the French from Canada passed the winter near the sea on St. Theresa's or Hay's River, and althoTigh from that day to the treaty of Utrecht they had carried on a destructive war with each other, yet there was one thing in which they seemed to agree, namely, in supplying the natives with fire-arms and ammunition, which they soon learned to use with deadly effect against the inland tribes, whose only weapons of war were the tomahawk, the bow and the arrow. The swampy Crees would be induced by many reasons to abandon the frosty 86 HISTOEY OF MANITOBA. forests that border on the Bay, and press on to a milder climate and occupy a country abounding in the larger animals of the chase. The Crees, who visited the trading posts on the shores of Hudson's Bay, and the Assiniboines, who traded in 1678 with du Luth at the west end of Lake Superior, were about the same time put in possession of fire arms, and within a few years thereafter they seemed as if by mutual consent to have made a simultaneous movement, the former pressing on to the south west, the latter pursuing their course to the north-west until they met in the region west of Lake Winnipeg, and on the plains of Red and Assiniboine Rivers. Indian tradition informs us that during the first half of the last century the Mandans occupied the country to the south- west of Lake Winnipeg, and that they had been forced by the united efforts of their in\'aders to leave their hunting grounds and retire to the Upper Missouri. But how long it took these tribes to drive out those whom they found in possession of the country, and what wars they carried on to accomplish that object, are lost in the mist of years. However, we have had the evidence of a living witness to the fact, that the Crees and the Assiniboines lived on the plains south-west of Lake Winnipeg for some years previous to the year 1780, and that they made a preconcerted attack that year on the trading posts on the Assiniboine. These small houses were at Portage la Prairie, and represented three different associations, and had but few men at each. The Indians had kept their intentions so hid from the whites that the latter were altogether unprepared to resist the onslaught made by their painted and feathered assail- ants, who made themselves masters of two of the hoiises, massacred those wlio defended them and carried away the booty. Intoxicated by their success and confiding in their prowess they rushed on to attack the third house, which was defended by a Mr. Bruce at the head of a few men. Mr. Bruce was known among the savages by the formidable name of Ketelie Mink-man, i. e. Big Knife. He was evidently known among the Indian tribes for his bravery and determined courage, and they learned by sad experience on the present occasion that his fame for valor had not been over-rated, for he not only defended his post but slew a number of those by whom he had been attacked, thereby admonishing the survivors to HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 87 beat a timely retreat, lea\-ing the resolute and formidable Bruce in possession of the slain and of the field of battle. How far the savages intended to carry their hostility towards the traders we have not been able to learn, but we may presume that their defeat before Mr. Bruce's little post at Portage la Prairie cooled their military ardour, and the following year small-pox of a most viru- lent type attacked the tribes in the vicinity of Eed Eiver and spread over all the Indian Territories, even to the shores of Hudson's Bay. As late as the year 1815 the bleached bones of those, who had be- come the victims of the plague, were to be seen in great q.uantities at several points on the shores of the Bay. The Assiniboines were encamped at several points near the Eed Eiver when the disease appeared among them, and was attended by the most fatal effects ; so much so, that ten years after, when the Eed Lake Ojibways came, for the first time, to Pembina to trade, they found the Assi- niboines, or rather, a small remnant of that once numerous tribe in that vicinity. After some days had been devoted to feasting and the mutual interchange of presents, the Assiniboine orators pa- thetically deplored the miserable condition of their people, stating that wherever they went they saw nothing but the bleached bones of their kindred ; that their former allies, the Crees, had always been treacherous, and that on the appearance of the disease they went before it to the west. " We are no longer able to resist our enemies, the Sioux. Come, then, and live with us ! Let u§ have one fire and one dish. The country is large and full of all kinds of wild animals. You need not fear want." After spending some time with their new made friends, the Ojibways went back to Eed Lake for their fami- lies, and returned the foIlo^ving year to join their allies. Their de- scendants still occupy the banks of the lower Eed Eiver and the shores of Lakes Manitoba and Winnipeg. The Hudson's Bay Company's servants made their appearance, for the first time, in Eed Eiver in the year 1793. They met the Assiniboines in small groups at different points, along the lower Eed Eiver and along the Assiniboine Eiver, as far west as the mouth of the Little Souris, where the Enghsh company erected their first trading establishment to the south-west of Lake Winnipeg. This expedition had been equipped at Albany on James' Bay and was conducted by Mr. 88 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. Donald McKay, a veteran trader, who had, in connection with some other petty traders, passed a few winters on the plains among the bnffalo and the beaver. McKay built in juxtaposition to two of his former rivals in trade, the North- West and X Y Companies and during the winter traded with the Assiniboines. The Crees had passed on to the West, chiefly to Swan River. The Hudson's Bay posts on the Red River had remained connected with Albany until the introduction of the new system in 1810. When it (to wit) the Red River District, had been transfeiTed to the newly-formed Northern Department. Much could be said of the manner in which the trade was carried on with the simple-minded natives. Intoxi- cating liquor was the first thing presented to the savage when he arrived at the fort, and the last thing given him when he left it ; not only in opposition but along the shores of Hudson's Bay where no rival traders existed within hundreds of miles. HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 8& CHAPTER III. Emigrants fok the Earl's Colony — A Case of Love — Typhus Fever on Board the Ships — Trading with the Esquimaux — Arrival at Nelson Epver — Great Privations — A Fire — , Want of Implements — Contention Between Eival Com- panies — Arrested — Dissatisfaction Among Settlers — A Fight — Tried and Acquitted — Colonists Returning to Canada — Dr. Strachan's Hospitality. ^^'^lile those who had arrived on the plains of the Red River, in the season of 1812, were battling for dear life during the following winter and spring, His Lordship was not unmindful of the great work which he had commenced and determined to carry on. In the beginning of the year 1813 he employed agents, in the North of Scotland, to engage servants for the Hudson's Bay Company and settlers for the colony. The time was favourable for the accomplishment of these objects. The late Marchioness of Stafford and Duchess of Sutherland in her own right, the only offspring of the last Duke of Sutherland, com-i menced a few years before the selfish and cruel work of clearing the country of its inhabitants, leasing the farms to sheep-herds who stocked their holdings, in many places very extensive tracts, with sheep. Many of these unfortunate people were driven by the force of circumstances, or rather, the force of cruel and un- natural laws, from their humble, but once happy homes, which they had occupied, and which, in many cases, had been occupied by their forefathers, for many generations, under the good and. kind Earls of former times, without knowing where to find a home to shelter themselves and their unfortunate families, and not in a few cases destitute of food, and of means wherewith to procure it. Their only wealth consisted in a few small black cattle and some sheep ; these could not be readily turned into cash, and even when these unfortunate people found a market for their stock, the prices were generally so low that selling was but another downward step to ruin. All who could realize a trifle by the sale of their proper. '90 " HISTORY OF MANITOBA. ty tui'iied their thoughts towards the western world, and anxiously waited for the first chance of transporting themselves and their families to the North American continent, expecting there to find a resting place which the beloved land of their forefathers no longer 'afforded them. This crisis in their affairs was well calculated to aid his Lord- ship's scheme of planting a colony on the banks of the Red Paver. Numbers of the farmers and crofters of the strath of Kildonan, and in some other parts of the country of Sutherland, had been evicted in the spring of 1813. Many of them found means of, transportation to Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and to the Island of St. John, now Prince Edward's Island, others flocked to His Lordship's agents, offering to become settlers in the new colony, which was to be planted, and if any rehance could be placed on his Lordship's flattering prospectus, " a land flowing with milk and honey, the glory of all lands." A few families, about twenty in number, each averaging about five souls, embarked in the Enter- prise; agreeing to pay ten pounds sterhng per head. For this sum, a passage was to be provided for them to the place of their destination, and they were to be furnished with provisions for twelve months after the day of their embarkation. To these families may be added some unmarried young men and young women, who were sent by their parents along with these families for the express purpose of taking })ossession of lots of land, build- ing houses, and bringing under culti^'ation as much land as possi- ble. In few words, they were to prepare lor thu reception of their parents and the younger members of their respective families, when ejected from their mountain homes. To tlie colonists were added a number of young men from all parts of Scotland, who were engaged for a term of three years. Some of them were to serve in the fur trade, others were to serve in the colony. Each of the laborers was to be paid twenty pounds sterling per annum and, at the end of their term of service, each became entit- led to one hundred acres of land in Eed Eiver. During the first week in June, 1813, the Earl of Selkirk, on his way north, arrived in Sutherlandshire, where he remained for some time, holding intercourse with intending emigrants, making many HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 91 promises of future favour, and pointing out to them the advantag- es which the change they were about to make would ultimately ■confer upon them. After arranging affairs and giving all necessary instructions to his agents, he proceeded on to Thurso, where he re- mained a short time, preparing for the reception of the colonists and servants, who were expected to arrive there in a few days. After these arrangements had been accomplished His Lordship passed over the Pentland Firth to Stromness. Soon after his de- parture the colonists and servants began to make their appearance in the good old town of Thurso. Here their stay was short. The agent had a coasting vessel ready to receive and to transport to Stromness the motley crowd of both sexes and of all ages who pressed into the town during the last few days. The embarkation comn.enced in the forenoon, and by one o'clock all were on board the singularly arranged and singularly freighted craft. The fore part of the hold was formed into a huge bin, filled with oatmeal ; the after part of the hold was occupied by two splendid quadru- peds of the bovine tribe (a bull and a cow) from Ball' n' Ghobhainn in Eossshire, and which had travelled so far on their way to the new colony. All things being ready the sloop hoisted sail. The passengers ^\'ho had to accommodate themselves on deck, as cir- cumstances admitted, raised their bonnets and bade farewell to their beloved friends and relations, who had gathered at this place to give them the last embrace, the last shake of the hand and to see them on board. The wind blew freshly from the hills and the Water-tvitch cut her way swiftly through the rough and foamy waves of the Pent- land Firth. All on board, except the stout quadrupeds and sailors, were prostrated by that most nauseous complaint, sea-sickness, groaning distressively and heartily wishing themselves once more on terra fivma. The oft expressed wish was soon gratified. Late in the evening we came in sight of the little village of Stromness, and soon afterwards were anchored in its quiet and safe harbour, and those who had been sick a few minutes before became suddenly well. A few boats came alongside on which we vvere embarked and from which we landed a few minutes after. Here we were billeted to the different houses in the town ; the Hon. Company 92 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. allowing each of us a certain sum per diem for board and lodging. Here we must not omit to state that the aged and the very young, who were going to the colony, had a passage provided for them by sea from Helmsdale, and had arrived at this rendezvous a few hours bcifore us. Ireland and the western islands of Scotland contribut- ed their tjuota of intending settlers a.nd labourers who were wait- ing here for a passage to Hudson's Bay. Stromness, at the time of which we write, was a small village ; yet it was honoured and protected by a few companies of pension- ers, who were quartered at the place and did duty at a half-moon battery, that stood near the harbour, for the protection of the town and the ships that were constantly calling there. These soldiers and the new-comers filled the little town, and, no doubt, enhanced the price of everj^thing that could contribute to man's comfort, especially food and lodgings. A few found tolerable accommoda- tions, others had to take up their quarters in garrets, every house being occupied to the full extent of its capacity. And, if our Or- cadian friends laid a heavy hand on our purses, they repaid us to some extent by many kind words and friendly attentions. Boat building for the herring fisheries on the coast of Caithness seemed to be the chief, if not the only business, carried on in the place, and we may admit that a considerable portion of its wealth was de- rived from the trade carried on with the ships of all descriptions and of all nations that frequented its commodious and safe harbour. A few days aftei- the landing of the emigrants, the Hudson's Bay ships and a brig bound for the Moravian Missions on the frozen shores of Labrador, under the protection of the Brazen, a sloop of war, came to anchor before the town. About the 20th of June all were embarked. The colonists were lodged between decks in the Prince of Wales ; the Company's ser- vants were put on board the Eddystone. While the vessels lay here an incident occurred which I cannot forbear relating : A fair- haired, blue-eyed lassie had been wooed and won by a fine-looking, athletic young man, who had been her neighbour in her native village ; but cruel fate forbade their union. He, on some account, enlisted in the militia, but had not joined his regiment. The dread of eviction from their home, which continually haunted and dis- HISTORY OV MANlTOliA. 93 ', tressed her parents, reduced lier to the necessity of emigrating to the plains of the western wilderness, to prepare, or help to prepare, a resting place for the loved ones she left behind, and who were likely soon to be driven from their once happy home. Her lover followed close in her footsteps, and overtook her at Thurso. Here he arranged for his passage to Red Eiver and went as far as Strom- ness, and while the ships lay before that place a recruiting sergeant came to the ship, presented his warrant, seized the young and faith- ful lover, and took him away to the army, leaving the fair one of his love to mourn her bereavement. The morning of the 28th of June 1813 saw our little fleet of four sails ^\•■.'igh anchor, set sail, and ];ass on through the mouth slowly and steadily before a fresh breeze of north east wind, and as we sailed along the north coast of our beloved native land, one after another of its lofty mountains seemed to sink its head in the waves and disappear. Sea sickness prostrated many to so great a degree that they covild not think of anything but their own suffer- ing, country friends and relatives left behind were all forgotten by these unfortunates ; biit there were others who were able to reflect and realize their position. All felt sad, but not to an equal degree. Some bade farewell for ever to their native hills. Those who were eno-aged only for a few years, kept up their sinking spirits with the thought that their time of service would soon expire, when they would return to their native land and once more be in the presence and society of those whom they had left behind. How- ever, few, very few, ever returned to realize the soul sustaining, hope, which cheered their hearts in that sad and trying hour. Little did these heavy heaited exiles know, or even think that there were far gxeater sufferings and heart rending trials before them than those which they had to endure on bidding a last adieu to their friends, and to the land of their birth. Little did they know that in a few weeks time they would have to endure the bumino- nains -of tynhus fever in the over crowd pd and iD ven- tilated hold of a ship, never intended for the transport of any great number of people. For some time everything went on well, with only one incident to break the dull monotony of a voyage on the Atlantic. 94 HISTOKY OF MANITOBA. On the evening of the second day after leaving Stromness, we sighted a large American privateer steering across onr course and towing a small schooner which she had captured in the Xorth Sea. On seeing our fleet the privateer cast oft' her prize, spread her canvass and steered south-west before the wind, which blew freshly at the time. The Brazen gave chase, and recaptured the prize. Some time was lost by the Brazen, while putting some of her men on board the schooner, to navigate her into some British port. After this delay, the chase was resumed and continued during the night,, but day-hght convinced the British captain that he had been pur- suing in vain for the privateer was no where to be seen. In the afternoon of the second day the Brazen rejoined the . vessels under her protection. After this stirring affair all things held " the even tenor of their way" until we arrived in the-vicinity of Greenland. Here we began to feel the chilling effects of these wonderful accumulations of ice and frozen snow, commonly called ice-bergs. On a bright calm July morning we beheld a few of these glittering mountains ; the sun rose .in all its splendour, diffusing her bright illuminating beams over a cloudless sky, while her dazzling rays seemed to be reflected by a smooth and unruftled expanse of ocean. As we progressed to the north-west these float- ing mountains increased in number until we crossed Davis' Straits and entered those of Hudson, where we met the pack ice. Here we learned that typhus fever had appeared with fatal effects 'among the colonists on board the Prince of Wales. A few had been already consigned to the keeping of the great deep ; others- were prostrated by the disease, whose condition was reported to be almost hopeless. Our progress through the straits was slow and difficult, the ice being unusually heavy and compact. When we had well advanced towards the Bay and lay near the north shore of the straits, we were visited by these extraordinary specimens of humanity, the Esquimaux. The morning was bright and calm, the streams of open water in which the ships lay were smooth and shining like a mirror under the beams of the morning sun. At an early hour the open water was literally covered with a numerous fleet of umiacks and kyacks. These crafts have frames. HISTOKA OF JIANITOBA. 95 of wood ; tho wood frame is covered with the skin of some marine animal, probably that of the whale. The umiack is fashioned or formed like a boat, and withont a deck. The kyack, in shape, like the birch canoe of the red man, with this difi'ereiice, that the kj-ack is covered on the top and is navigated by a single individual who sits midway between stem and stern, and uses a paddle which has a blade on each end, is held by the middle and is dexterously wielded by the rower, first striking a stroke on one side, then on the other, propelling and steering his tiny bark through floats of ice and over angrj^ and tumultuous waves, often against both Avind and tide. The umiacks seemed to be fiUed with aged men, women and children; some aged patriarchs steered, the ladies did the rowing. The youngsters, not to be idle, screamed and tumbled over each other in the bottom of the frail crafts. On approaching the ships they made a most discordant noise, whooping and yelling their customary salutations of Jimo Pilate. On their arrival at the ships, or rather at the ship, for the Prince of Wales refused to traffic with them, being apprehensive of their becoming infected with the fever that raged on that ship, a very brisk trade commenced between them and the Eddystone, the savages handing over their oil, ivory, some fox skins, and even their clothing, in many cases stripping themselves to a state of nudity, for which they received, in return, razors of the most inferior quality, knives, a few short hand-saws, needles, and though last, not the least esteemed, bits of iron hoops. These poor ignorant people, on receiving these trifles, expressed their joy in the most extravagant manner, for instance, when an individual had acquired the coveted treasure he Kcked it with the tongue, at the same time, shouting, leaping and laughing; the bit of rusty iron hoop was received with demonstrations indicating equal satisfaction. This trade, convenient for both parties, and no doubt profitable to the white man, continued from the morning until the evening, when the natives retired to their frozen rocks, where summer, with its genial influences, never softens the frozen earth ; where no herbage clothes the ground nor flowers adorn the landscape, except a few stinted lichens that seem to creep temerariously out of the cliffs of their parent rock as if afraid to come into contact with the frosty, 9tj HISTOKY OF MANITOBA. stormy blasts that sweep over these sterile rocks and stormy seas. We may well suppose that when the earth was divided among the sons of men, the unfortunate Esquimaux must have come in for the last cut. As I said above, our passage through the straits was slow, but on entering the Bay we found open water, with here and there a float or field of floating ice, tossed about by wind and tide. Having arrived at the point where the Hon. Company's ships part with each other, all the servants, intended for the northern depart- ment, were embarked on His Majesty's sloop of war, which, in company with the Prince of Wales, steered her course for Churchil Eiver. , Our passage across the Bay was quick and pleasant, and about noon on the 12th day of August, 1813, we beheld the low and un- interesting shores of Hudson's Bay stretched before us, presenting its narrow border of yellow sand and dark blue swamp in the front, with its dark and dismal looking line of spruce and tamarack in the back ground. The scenery appeared bleak and desolate beyond the power of description. In a few hours, after we had seen the land, we were passing up the river between Cape Merry on our left, and Esquimaux Point terminating the low narrow slip of granite formation on our right, on which Fort Prince of Wales once stood. The Churchil Eiver at this point is very narrow and deep. The Fort was commenced in 1733 and built chiefl)', if not entirely, of granite. It stood within 30 or 40 yards of the river. The engineer who superintended the building describes it thus : — A square fort with four bastions. All the stone, lime-stone, sand, the wood for burning the lime, were within a quarter mile's distance from the place. Horses were employed to drag the material to the place. Servants' wages were extremely low ; yet with all these faculties the building was rendered useless for the purpose of defence owing to the ignorance and stubbornness of the Governor, whose word was the law of the land. By the oriainal plans the rampart was to be 43 feet thick, but the Governor was sure that 25 feet would do; so the original plan was laid aside, and so was the engineer's opinion, and the man in power had it all his own way, His Excellency, doubtless, believing himself equally capable HISTOKY OF MANITOBA. 97 of judging the strength of fortifications as well as the quality of beaver skins. After having trespassed so far on the reader's time and patience, we will resume our narrative. Leaving the ruins of the old Fort behind us, we passed into an expansion of the river affording good and secure anchorage and sufficiently capacious to contain a numer- ous fleet. In the afternoon of the 13th we were taken to the new, or present factory, a few miles higher up the river than where the old Fort stood, and, when landed, we were left at fuU Uberty to accommodate ourselves with lodgings on the bare rock where every man could please his own taste, as the Honorable Company's agents did not think proper to admit us into the Fort, nor to pro- vide us with tents to shelter us without. However, our stay was but short. Four or five days after landing, we were embarked in bjats and set out for York Factory, which was at that period head- quarters of the I^orthern Department. After passing down the river we proceeded along the coast, and in three or four days arrived at Broad Rivers, where we took refuge for the night. While here a great storm of wind came on which continued for two days, dnd, as prudent economy was the order of the day, the stock of provisions allowed us for the journey began to look small. The boats were crowded with new hands, and to avoid starvation, our commander judged it expedient to send off about forty of the party to go by land to York Factory. The party was placed under the guidance of a man who had been in the country some years before, but who, unfortunately, knew nothing of the hne of road which we ought to follow. The first day we travelled on ridges of sand and gravel, which, at some for. mer period, had been tlirown up by the tumultuous ^vaves of the great inland sea, when lashed into fury by the stormy winds of the north. These ancient sea beaches extend for many miles in- land, demonstrating the encroachment of the land on the waters of the Bay. In our journey on the second day, our guide, in the afternoon, led us into a sv.'amp with water knee deep, the surfact at every step yielding under u.'!, rendering our travelling not only slow, but extremely fatigueing ; however, as the sun was going down, chance or good fortune, brought us to a dry ridge where we G 98 HISTOEY OF MANITOBA. passed the night. On the third day, at an early hour, we des- patched our meal, and to our dismay, found that we had finished the last of our food. York Factory, to which we were travelling, and the only place where our wants could be supplied, was forty or fifty miles distant with the broad and rapid Nelson Kiver to cross, notwithstanding the difficulties which lay in our way, being all young and hearty men, we scorned to complain or show any signs of weakness. We had the good fortune to keep out of the swamps and had fine dry gTound to travel on all day ; and in the evening we arrived at Sam's Creek, where we found a shanty, built for the accommodation of a few men who were sent there from York Factory in the spring and fall of the year, for the man- agement of the goose hunt. But when we arrived there, there were neither Indians, white men or geese, and for want of any- thing better to sup on, we gathered a few nettle leaves, boiled them in water, ate, and went to rest. The following morning we went a few miles up along the Eiver, gathered piles of pine brush, to which we set fire, to let those at the Factory know that parties were waiting to be ferried over. The weather was fine, and we had plenty of dry wood for fuel, so that we did not feel our want of food as much as we would undoubtedly have done under less favourable circumstances. On observing the columns of smoke that rose from the heaps of wood and brush that we set on fire, some boats were sent to our relief, and about noon of the fifth day of our training for the Hon. Company's service, the boats came to us, and in a few hours were landed on the east side of the Nelson. Five miles had to be travelled over before we reached the Factory. The path was a very miry and unpleasant one, but in the evening we arrived, all safe with very keen appetites, at the great emporium of the fur trade in the northern department of Eupert's Land. Here we were sup- plied with food, but, most unaccountably, there were no houses in the place to afford us lodgings, and in consequence we had to bivouac on the river bank before the Fort. Our companions whom we left in the boat were not many days behind us, and soon after their arrival we were dispersed over the whole country, manyfof us no more to meet in this world. HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 99 But, as their history is not our object, we must return to the fever-stricken and miserable colonists. We have never been able to ascertain the number of deaths that took place on board the ship, but the disease was raging among them when they arrived at the Churchil Eiver, and although they were released in a few days after from what had proved to them to have been no better than a pestiferous prison ; yet, after having been landed, or rather thrown ashore on the bare rocks at Sloop's Cove, their condition had not been much improved. Their food, for the most part, consisted of such as was taken from the ship ; fresh provisions for so many could not be easily procured. They were not provided with any- thing to shelter or protect them from the heat by day or from the frost by night. It is true, after they had been landed, they could move about, if their health and strength permitted. They had the benefit of the refreshing and invigorating breezes of that northern climate. ISTotwithstanding, the fever continued unabated, carrying off its victims daily. The few who escaped the fever were worn out with nursing and watching the sick and the dying. The con- valescent were emaciated and feeble, and many of them were so prostrated, morally and physically, that they coveted the fate of those who had been set free by the hand of death from the sorrows and sufferings of this mortal life ; even the stoutest hearts could not think of their sad and forlorn condition but with feelings of the most poignant grief and apprehension of future calamities. Much has been said about the quantity and quality of the food served out to the colonists from the Company's stores, and all that has been said may be true ; even the Company's servants who wintered at the posts, along the Bay, were on very short al- lowance during the winter, and it is not likely that Churchil had been supplied more liberally than other places ; and further, I may observe that nothing but the most common kinds of provisions were at that period brought into the country. If anything suitable, for the nourishment of the sick, had been at the place, and had the doctor recommended it to be given, let us believe, for human nature sake, that the gentleman in charge would have freely bestowed it. However, we may admit, without any doubt, that to the want of proper and suitable nourishment and to the entire 100 HISTOKY OF MANITOBA. absence of warm and comfortable lodging, may be justly attributed many of the deaths which took place after the landing. As the autumn advanced the inclemency of the weather increased to such a degree, that it became absolutely necessary for them to leave, the barren rocks, on which they had been landed and on which they had suffered so much misery and bereavement, and remove to a place that would afford wood for building and fuel. Such a place ■was not to be found near the Fort, and in consequence they had to go a distance of fifteen miles up the river to where the primeval forest stood unbroken in all its solemn and silent grandeur. We can easily conceive the difficult task these men had to perform. The axe is an unwieldy weapon in hands unaccustomed to its use ; and such were these men, and besides they were, from the effects of their late sufferings, incapable of performing any great amount of hard labour. Notwithstanding the disadvantages under which they laboured, huts must be built to shelter tjiemselves and their famihes from the inclemency of the season, and to work they went with indomit- able resolution and untiring perseverance ; the work, we may suppose, advanced slowly, and likely not in the most workmanlike manner, but before the winter had far advancced a few shanties had been erected in which these unfortunates had to huddle together. Logs had to serve as chairs, and mud flooring had to supply the want of beds, tables, &c., &c. We can easily 'fancy that these habitations were of the most simple construction and very ill adapted to defend their inmates from winter frosts, so often accom- panied by heavy gales of wind, while Fahrenheit's thermometer ranged for months from o5 ° to 50 ° below zero, and many times in the course of the winter fell as low as 55 ° or even to 60 ° . To the above we may add, that they had to drag on flat sleds the scanty rations dealt out to them from the Company's stores, and in order to receive the same and return with it to their families they had every week to perform a journey of thirty miles on snow-shoes. WhUe in Strnmness His Lordshin ga.ve the emiarants to under- stand that there wa,a no necessity to take money, clothing or articles of furniture along with them, as they could procure these things as cheap in Eod River as in Stromness. The poor exiles found, to HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 101 their sad disappointment, that these words were of no value at Churchil ; nothing could be obtained without leady cash, and at prices ranging from one to two hundred per cent, above what similar articles could be purchased at in their native land. When they complained of the deception practised upon them they were told that these promises could only be fulfilled at Bed River. Here they were without cash and ^^ithout credit, no doubt, many wants pressing on them, and unfortunately nine hundred miles from the place where they were promised cheap goods ; and where they were led to believe all their toils and suffering would come to an end. However they found that complaints and remon- strances were useless, and had, for the present, to bear their unen- viable condition with as much resignation and equanimity as i)OS- sible. Before leaving their homes, His Lordship and his agents had suggested to them the desirableness of providing themselves with firearms for their defence against any attacks which might be made upon them by their enemies. They were not slow to follow that advice, and every man provided himself with a musket qi" fowling piece and ammunition, powder and duck shot as far as his means would enable him to do. As the winter advanced, the willow grouse or white partridge became very plentiful, and the hungry Highlandei's rejoiced to see- their huts surrounded by the cheei ing presence of so much animal life, and could not fail to consider this unexpected abundance, as a providential deliverance wrought in their behalf, similar to that which had taken place in behalf of the Chosen people of old; when, after their murmurings, the quails spread over their camp. The exiles began to hunt, to kill and to eat, promising themselves the pleasure of bidding farewell to hunger while surrounded by so much food. But alas ! our joys are often transient and our hopes illusory and, unfortunately, so were theirs. Scarcely had they tasted of the abundance with which the whole land teemed before they were made to feel, and that bitterly, their dependent condition. Superintendent William Auld, knew, no doubt, that the partridges were not the enemies meant by His Lordsliin, and in consequence commanded every man to put the lock of his gun into the great man's keeping, with the threat that, refusing to ci.mply with this 102 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. modest request would subject the refractory delinquent to the grievous pains and penalties of having his rations stopped. We have stated a fact well known to all who were along the Bay at the time. Different motives have been ascribed to the superintendent in perpetrating this extraordinary act of despotism. Some said that his motives were good and humane, viz. :' to keep these hungry men from strolling after the birds, and thereby run the risk of losing their way in the woods and perishing in the snow. Others said, and probably said with truth, that his action originated in a desire to keep the settlers dependent on the Company's stores for their subsistence. Or perhaps, taking for granted that the charter had conferred on his employers the exclusive right of hunting these fowls, and that any one unconnected with the Com- pany, or without his Hcense, who presumed to hunt them, ought to be treated as a poacher. Be the motive whatever it may have been, the superintendent's infamous interference, with what would no doubt have been a great benefit to those iU-fed people, must have proved highly injurious to their comfort and well-being. Hunting aflbrded a motive for exercise and added to their sca'nty supply of food, and both were very much required. Here we must relate an accident that took place at Churchil in December, 1813, which was calculated to do anything but draw forth the superintendent's sympathy towards his unfortunate country-men. We have said above that the colonists were wintering at a distance from the Fac- tory, but some of them had, at stated periods, to come to that place to receive the rations serve'd to them from the Company's stores, and as they could not return to their families the same day they were permitted to lodge in a room in the lower story of the dwelling-house. Unfortunately, when a few of them were passing the night in the room assigned to them, the ceiling above them caught fire. It was supposed at the time that the devouring element found its way through a chink in the chimney to the stuffing between the ceiling and the upper flooring. But where it originated, or from what cause, is hard to say. The entire house was reduced to ashes, and the settlers got the credit of what we believe to have been accidental. No lives were lost, and the devour- ing flames did not extend to the buildings where the provisions and HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 103 trading goods were stored. If these had been destroyed the resulting calamities would have been gxeat and deplorable in the extreme ; many of the settlers would in all probability have perished of cold and hunger. York Factory was the only place where help could be found, and to travel to it in the short cold days of midwinter would prove more than formidable to the weaker sex and the children ; even men in the full vigor of life, if unaccustomed to travel on snow-shoes would find the journey a very hard one, especially if unsupplied with provisions. After the above untoward event had taken place and its immediate consequences remedied as far as could be done at that season of the year, the settlers made their weekly visits to the Company's store to draw their rations, and during their nightly stay lodged with the Company's servants, and thus time passed on until the beginning of April, when the long dreary and inclement winter of that sub-arctic region was drawn to an end, and the settlers began to prepare for their journey to York Factory. In the above month the days are long, and generally bright and sometimes mild in the height of the day ; yet the frost at night in that season was very keen, and at times storms of wind prevailed which rendered travelling along the Bay slow, generally unpleasant, and sometimes dangerous. However, no time could be lost, the exiles had to start for York Factory, and about the middle of April they left their humble abodes at what has been known since their time as " The Colony Creek." Before leaving Churchil they received their gun-locks, and were provided with provisions and snow-shoes for the journey. They had to drag their rations, and as much of their baggage as they could, on fiat sleds, and those who had children had to take them along as best they could. We cannot form an adequate conception of the misery suffered by these people on this trip. The females suffered most, as they were not so well protected from cold as the men were, and were less able to move through loose snow with these unmanageable requisites — snow-shoes — attached to their feet. We have not been able to learn how long they had been occupied in performing this journey of one hundred and forty miles, but we know that with the exception of some frost bites on noses, cheeks and chins, they arrived safely at the end of their journey, except a Mr. Angus McKay, whose 104 HISTOKY OF MANITOBA. wife had been confined wliile on the journey. Their friends could not remain with them, and the only way in which they could help them was by giving to the unfortunate and forlorn pair, as much of their own rations as they could spare, in order that they might not die of hunger before help could be sent to them from the Factory. We do not know how these people fared or how they were supported in their solitude, all we know is that they were taken to the Factory and to Eed Eiver, and in the summer of 1815 they were among those who left the colony for Canada, of whom we shall have something more to say hereafter. When the colonists arrived at the first stage of their journey they had to betake them- selves to the forest the second time to erect h,uts or tents to live in until the opening of the river. These tents were composed of a few poles covered with brush, forming a very imperfect defence against wind, snow or rain, but on the whole their condition was much superior to what it had been at Churchil. Mr. W. H. Cook, an eccentric but kind-hearted gentleman, was in charge at York Factory at the time, and for many reasons wished the attempt to form the colony at Red Eiver success as he and other fur traders, who had famihes in the country, began to look on the new settle- ment as likely to become, in the course of time, a desirable and convenient place of retirement, where they would enjoy the pleasure of spending the evening of hfe in the bosom of their famihes and in each other's society. These feelings, operating on a heart naturally kind, had the effect, and proved very advantageous to the colonists, so that they had great reason to congratulate themselves on their improved condition. In the latter end of April the weather in that climate is gener- ally mild and pleasant, geese and ducks begin to make their ap- pearance, and in the month of May become plentiful over the whole land. They were permitted, to hunt as much as they pleas- ed. The migratory deer were very numerous in the vicinity dur- ing the spring and hunted by every one who could iise a gun, but more especially by the Indians who took great quantities of veni- son to the Fort, of which the settlers received a liberal share. It is likely that the colonists did not leave the shores of the Bay be- fore the middle of June. Seven hundred miles of difficult and HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 105 dangerous navigation lay between them and Red River. For miles, in the lower rivers, the boats had to be towed by men against a swift current, besides many discharges or landing places where part of the cargo had to be carried ; and in other places the entire cargo had to be carried over on men's backs, the boats taken out of the water and launched over dry land. Besides lesser bodies of water, they had to pass over Lake Winnipeg, a distance of three hundred miles. Some " old hands ", (Company's servants) who understood working the boats in the rapids, and over the lakes, were put into each boat with the colonists, who had to work as common laborers on the passage ; to take the tow rope by turns, to tug at the oar from morning to night, and to carry the freight over the portages ; and all this labour without any conipensatii m. We cannot say when these people arrived in Red River, but it is like- ly that they had the pleasure of seeing the long looked for land of promise some time in the month of July ; neither can we state the number that went inland by the first brigade. But, whatever may have been their number, their arrival added greatly to Governor McDonell's numerical strength and advantage, which he did not allow to pass witTiout endeavoring to turn it to good account, as we shall see hereafter. A few of the aged immigrants remained at Churchil after the younger members of their families had left. These had a passage provided for them to York Factory in boats after the ice had cleared away from the shores of the Bay. Their condition, after their arrival there, was as miserable and distressing as it could possibly be, and this we say from personal knowledge of the case. An aged and venerable patriarch, with his aged and equally venerable partner in life, was there in the month of July and had taken up his residence in the ruins of the old Fort, de- stroyed by La Perouse and his Frenchmen in 1782. This man, who had been a substantial farmer in his native land, now appeared to be in the most destitute state imaginable. His habitation consist- ed of a few poles on which was stretched, as an apology for a cover- ing, a piece of what had been in its better day, a boat sail, but now so tattered and torn that it was pervious to every blast of wind that blew and to every drop of rain that feU ; the half frozen earth formed the flooring of his mean and uncomfortable abode. 106 HISTOEY OF MANITOBA. He spoke mournfully of the sufferings and bereavements of his fellow exiles and companions in sorrrow but said very little of kis own sad fate. When ejected from his farm he disposed of his stock by auction ; out of the proceeds he paid into His Lordship's hands ten guineas for the passage of each of his numerous famUy, and de posited a considerable sum in the Earl's hands to be drawn upon as circumstances might require ; but here he could not get even a needle on the credit of his deposit. The surviving members of the family had gone to Eed Kiver, two did not ; they had been cut off in early youth and consigned to the grave in the land of eternal frost. And here were the aged and broken hearted parents in their desolation without shelter, and with food barely sufficient to sus- tain life, deprived of all the property they once had possessed, and for what ? exile and misery. We have accompanied the immigrants from the brown hills and green straths of their native land to the wide spread plains of North America. We have endeavored to give a plain, unvarnislhed naiTative of their sufferings from sickness, hunger and the toils which they had to endure by land and by water. We shall now say a few words on the manner in which they were received by Mr. MUes McDonell, the colony Governor. A few days after their arrival, each head of family, and some young men who represented families who were expected to come the next year to the colony, were put in possession of 100 acres of land each. A few were supplied with two Indian ponies each, while their less fortunate brethren had to be content with one each of these useful animals. In the course of a few days His Excel- lency mustered his men, servants and settlers. All were treated to a glass of spirits and furnished with muskets and bayonets and ammunition. Two of the settlers refused to take these weapons of war. The Governor, at the same time, telling them, that according to the law of the land the strong dictated to the weak. The colonists were put in possession of land and ponies, but where were the implements of agriculture or even the iron to make them of. How strange there were none of these articles taken into the country although we can easily see that without the necessary implements the most industrious could not succeed. Yet His Lordship did not HISTORA' OF MANITOBA. 107 forget to send a battery of Held artillery witli ammunition and tumbrels, with many chests of muskets and bayonets. The absence of the former and the abundance of the latter raises the idea in one's mind that His Lordship intended the immigrants to become soldiers rather than agriculturists. The new comers expected to find a supply of clothing and furniture for their money, but these were not to be had either for love or money, and the only provisions obtainable were a scanty supply of pemican and cat-fish, and that without the luxury of salt. We shall now retirrn to the spring of 1813 and trace up the transactions between the two companies during the following eventful winter. The few colonists who came to the country in 1812 were not provided with sufficient means to enable them to carry on agTicultural operations with any fair prospect of success ; and we may well believe that nothing had been attempted beyond the planting of a few potatoes, except what had been done on His Lordship's farm. Destiti^te of everything that could con- duce to their advancement as agriculturists, they had to become trip-men between the Eed Eiver and Hudson's Bay, so that at the above period we may truly say that the Governor, two or three clerks, and a few laboring men represented the colony. During the summer of 1813 peace, if not good wiU, prevailed in Eed Eiver. Early in the following winter the progress of the; American arms along the Canadian lakes had become known on the Eed Eiver. O The North-West partners seen the probability that all supplies from Canada might be cut off by the enemy, and trembled at the prospect of the destruction of their trade throughout the whole country, and Mr. Miles McDonell did not fail to see that the critical moment had arrived for commencing operations against the Canadian traders in pursuance, as will hereafter be shown, of the general instructions of Lord Selkirk. The opportunity was eagerly taken advantage of by the Governor. This principal establishment was so placed as to enable him to intercept the communication by which canoes with provisions might be sent to meet the people employed in the remote stations in Lake Winnipeg, on their route to and from the principal depot on Lake Superior ; and if the intercourse with Canada should be intercepted, not only the canoe men from the 108 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. northern posts but those from the nearest districts would be obliged to fall back on the Red River department for subsistence. At this moment of eminent danger to their concerns, a general system of aggi-esssion and violence against their property was begun by Mr. Miles McDonell under pretense that aU the provisions collected in the country were required for the maintenance of the colonists, who, at this time, be it observed, did not exceed twenty-five or thirty persons. Parties of colony servants were sent to intercept convoys of traders on their way to the posts. Their boats and canoes navi- gating the rivers were fired at from the Fort and from batteries erected on the banks, brought to and rigorously searched, and wherever provisions of any description could be found they were plundered without hesitation. "When it became necessary in con- sequence of these outrages to conceal the property, warrants were issued to apprehend the North-West Company's servants on the most frivolous and vexatious pretences, but the object of aU. the examinations, when brought before the Governor in his magisterial capacity, was to discover the deposits where provisions were removed to or concealed. Great pains were taken to impress on the minds of the servants and Indians that the ruin of the North- West Company was at hand, that it was equally dangerous and useless to resist such coersive measures as the Governor had it in his power to apply — to drive them entirely from the country. The partner of the North- West Company, in charge of the Red River department was placed by Mr. McDonell's conduct in the most distressing situation. Being aware of the necessity of providing against a danger which threatened the entire ruin of their trade, he made every exertion to protect the property under his charge. The means of precaution and defence he resorted to soon produced the following proclamation from the Governor of Assinniboia : After defining the limits of His Lordship's grant, the proclamation was as follows : — And whereas the welfare of the families at present forming the settlement on the Eed River within the said territoiy, with those on their way to it, passing the winter iit York or Churchil Fort, on Hudson's Bay, as also those who are expected to arrive next autumn, renders it a necessary and indispensable part of my duty to provide for their support. In the yet uncultivated state of the country, the ordinary resources derived from the buffalo and other wild animals hunted within the terri- HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 109 tory are not more than adequate for the requisite supply ; wherefore, it is hereby ordered that uo pereon trading iu furs or provisions within the territory for the Hudson's Bay Company, Nortli-West Company, or any unconnecti-d individual, person or traders whatever, shall take out provisions, either of flesh, dried meat, grain or vegetables procured or raised within the said territory hy water or land carnage for one twelve months from the date hereof, save and except what may be judged necessary for the trading parties at this present time within the territory to carry them to tlieir respective destinations, and who may, on due application to me, obtain a license for the same. The provisions, procured and raised as above, shal' be taken for the use of the colony ; and, that no loss mayacci-ue to parties concerned' they will be paid tor by British bills at the customary rates. And be it hereby fmther made known, that wlioever shall be detected iu attempting to carry out, or shall aid or assist in carrying out, or attempt to carry out, any provisions prohibited as above, either by land or by water carriage, sliall be taken into custoay and prosecuted as the law in such cases directs, and the provisions so taken, as well as any goods or chattels of what nature so ever, which may be taken along with them and also the craft, carriage and cattle instruuiental in conveying away the same [to any part but the settlement on lied Kiver, shall be forfeited. Given under my hand at Fort D.ier, Sth day of January, 1814. (Signed,) Miles MoDonell, Governor. John Spenoek, Secretary. This proclamation indicated very plainly to the Canadian traders ^vhat they might expect, and their apprehensions of troubles and dangers were by no means lessened by a knowledge of the fact, that His Lordship's Governor, who was a military man, was regularly traininc the men under his command to the use of fire-arms and artillery, and, wiR it be believed, that these were supplied to Lord Selkirk on the pretence urged by him that it was necessary for the defence of the colony against the Americans, whose nearest settle- ments, at that time, were two thousand miles from Eed River. And is it not equally singular, that His Lordship should be careful to provide against imaginary dangers, and overlook the necessity of providing the colonists with agricultural implements, or even with iron to supply these indispensible requisites to a community of husbandmen ? Governor McDonell had also, at this time, suc- ceeded in impressing the minds of the natives with the belief that he acted on a direct and not on assumed authority from His Maiesty's Government, and being appointed, at the desire of Lord Selkirk, a magistrate for the Indian territories, he made no scruple of applying according to discretion and to existing circumstances, the authority best suited to the vexatious and oppressive system he 110 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. had been directed to enforce. We will not attempt giving a detailed account of Mr. McDonell's various acts of aggression this winter on the property and servants of the North-West Company, as doing so would be equally tedious and unnecessary ; however, we shall give two instances out of many. The first took place near Turtle Eiver, in Dacotah territory, and this experiment was made by a party of fifteen or sixteen men sent from Pembina by His Excellency, under John Warren's command, with instructions to proceed to where some Freemen were tenting on the plains. The second or third night they passed at the~Freemen's tents. Here they found one Michael McDonell, a clerk in the Hudson Bay Company's service, and Jean Baptiste Demanais, and two or three North-West Com- pany's servants. Next morning the servants of the North-West Company received a (|uantity of provisions consisting of meat and fat (tallow) from the Freemen, with which they proceeded towards their Fort at Turtle River. Mr. Warren and Mr. Michael Mc- Donell ordered the Hudson's Bay men to form rank and file, to load their muskets with powder and ball, to screw on their bayonets and to put themselves in array to compel Demarrais and party to surrender the provisions, which he prudently did and without any loss of honour, as they were outnumbered three to one, the Hud- son's Bay men had, as they wished, gained an easy victory, and, by the laws of war, carried off the spoils. The success of this adventure emboldened Governor McDonell to engage his men in several similar foraging excursions, in every one of which they proved successful, thereby contributing to their own comfort and advantage, and at the same time greatly distresssing and deranging their opponents affairs. But the great and notable transaction of the spring of 1814 was the breaching of the defences by which the North-West Company's Fort at the mouth of the little Sourie Eiver was defended, and the seizure of all the provisions in the Fort, which led to Mr. McDonell's and his sheriff's apprehension the following winter, to take their trial in Lower Canada under the provisions of the Act of the 43rd of the King, which Act he was appointed magistrate to enforce. It is essential to state this, that the proceedings, subsequently adopted with respect to this transac- tion, may be understood. Under the circumstances before mentioned, HISTORY OF MANITOBA. IH the North- West partner had accumulated a supply of provisions at one of their posts on a river called Kiviere la Sourie, upon which the subsistence of their people principally depended. The Governor had long directed his attention to this depot, and within a few days after the date of his proclamation, under the pretext that it had been disobeyed, he sent a person named John Spencer, whom he called or appointed sheriff for Lord Selkirk's territory, to seize the Fort. Spencer finding resistance made by the persons in charge, and seeing that there might be dilUculty in executing his orders, and having probably some scruple about enforcing them without more particular instructions, returned and reported these circum-. stances to his employers. Mr. McDonell immediately issued his warrant in a legal form for the seizure of the provisions (in which his authority as Governor or magistrate was not mentioned, nor was it material) which he delivered to the sheriff, and reinforcing his former party with an additional number of armed men, directed him, according to the expression in his warrant, to break open posts, locks and doors which might impede his proceeding. The party in charge of the post, Mr. Pritchard, being intimidated by the formidable appearance of the assailants, made no further resistance than retiring within the stockades and shutting the gate of the Fort, Spencer, in execution of the warrant, directed his men to cut down the pickets with their axes, and breaking into the store, plundered it of all the provisions it contained, consisting of 500 bags of pemican, 96 kegs of grease, and about 100 bales of dried meat, weighing about 85 lbs. pach, which were taken across the river and deposited in the Hudson Bay Company's stores, except two batteaux loads that Mr. Spencer took down to Fort Douglas as unmistakable tokens of his success. In the first week of June the North-West traders, who had wintered at the different posts in the district, met at head- quarters where they were accustomed to receive their supply of provisions to carry them to Fort William; but this year their stores were empty. What was to be done under these circumstances so unusual and so trying ? How could provisions be procured to feed so many men on their long voyage to headquarteis ? The North- West partners, in charge of the district, and their men, knew that the Hudson's Bay men alongside of them had great quantities of HISTORY OF MANITOBA. pemican, some of it the property of the North-West Company taken from them by force of arms during the preceding winter and spring. Here were met a great many North-West Company servants, and they were accompanied by numerous bands of Indians from the different outposts. No doubt they were in every respect more than a match for Governor McDonell and his followers, and being so, might we not expect, and with some reason, that the members of the fraternity which has, unfortunately, been reijresented as capable of committing the foulest crimes to forward its interest, I say might we not expect that they would, if not retaliate to the full, at least assail the Hudson's Bay Fort, and retake their own provisions ; for we have shown above that they possessed ample power to enable them to do so ? However, these gentlemen adopted a very different course, and to obtain a part of the provisions taken from them the previous winter, they entered into an arrangement with Governor McDonell, in which he agreed to condescend so far as to let them have a limited supply for their voyage, on their promising to return to his ExceUeucy an equal quantity as soon as they would be in a position to do so. Thus enabled to proceed on their journey, they ■arrived with their returns at Fort William. Here they were met by their partners from Montreal, and by those from aU other parts of the interior, and every account concurred in stating that a violent system had been adopted by the servants of the Hudson's Bay Company throughout the country. These accounts from all parts of the Indian country were fully confirmed by a letter written by His Lordship to one of his agents on the confines of Athabaska, which fell into the hands of some one of the North- West partners, and showed clearly his determination to insist on forcibly ejecting the Canadians from what the Hudson's Bay Company assumed to be their territory and exclusive property. This letter contains the following directions, which are best given in his own words : — You must give them (the Canadians) solemn warning that the land belongs to the Hudson's Bay Company, and that they must remove from it ; after this warning the)' should not be allowed to cut any timber either for building or fuel. "What they have out ought to be openly and forcibly seized, and their buildings destroyed. In like manner they should be warned not to fish in your waters, and if they put down nets seize them as you would in England those of a poacher. We are so fuUy advised by thei unimpeachable validity of the rights of property that there can be HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 113 no scruple in enforcing them wherever you hare the physical means. If they make forcible resistance they are acting illegally and are responsible for the con- sequences of what they do, while you are safe, so long as you take only the reason- able and necessary means of enforcing that which is right." Instructions of the same nature as the above had been disseminated over the whole of what the Hudson's Bay Company thought proper to call their territory. And if the Hudson's Bay Company had the pnysical means to enable them to carry out the above instructions, what would then be the condition of the Canadian traders the reader may form some faint idea, when we tell him that the poor people, inhabiting that inhospitable region, were dependent almost entirely on fish for their subsistence during winter, and the cold so intense as frequently to freeze mercury in open air. Spirit ther- mometers were generally used graduated to 60 ° below zero of Fahrenheit. His Lordship was well aware of the severity of the climate and the impossibility of subsisting in it without fuel and fish, when he issued the above considerate and humane com- mands. And if the Canadians, on being warned off, but unable to return to Fort WiUiam, were to surrender to those who represented His Lordship, would they be in a condition to supply with food, any addition to the number of men required at each of their own posts ? The best answer to the above question, is that about the time of which we are writing, Indians and white men, year after, perished from want of food. And we give the following as an instance : — In the winter of 1815 and 1816, no fewer than eighteen or twenty Hudson Bay Company's men per- ished from the united effects of cold and hunger, in the Athabaska district. With the above information before them, and aware from past experience that Mr. McDonell's boasting and successful de- predations had already produced a considerable effect on the minds of the Indians and on the minds of their own servants on whose steady adherence and devotion to their cause, the prosperity of their trade and general success depended, the North-West Com- pany at this critical juncture in their affairs, came to the deter- mination of resisting to the utmost of their power, the further vio- lence of their opponents and, if possible, to make an example of H m HISTORY OF MANITOBA. Governor McDonell and of his sheriff, Mr. Spencer, by procuring their arrest and trial at Montreal, for the offences they had com- mitted in the spring of the year. Mr. Duncan Cameron, one of their partners, a man of deter- mined resolution, but irritable temper, was entrusted with these measures of self-defence, and the management of the Eed Eiver district. Mr. Cameron had been provided before he left Fort Wil- liam with warrants against Messrs. McDoneU and Spencer, grant- ed under the authority of the 43rd of King, upon the information of persons who had been eye witnesses to their proceedings. No sooner had the North-Westers arrived at their wintering ground than disputes arose, as might have been expected, between parties. These frivolous and vexatious disputes served only to widen and deepen the breach which previous acts of aggression had made be- tween the rival companies. And, as if Mr. McDonell intended to make that breach incurable, he served the following notice, in a legal form, upon Mr. Cameron, which left no hope of any good un- derstanding being established between them. DISTKICT OF ASSINIBOIA. Te Mr. Duncan Cameron, acting for tJie North- West Company, at tJie forks of the Eed River. Take notice that by the authority and on the behalf of your land-lord, the right honorable Thomas Earl of Selkirk, I do hereby warn you, and all your associates of the North- West Company, to quit the post and premises you now occupy at the Fort of the Red Eiver within six calendar months from the date hereof. Given under my hand at Red River Settlement, this tweiity-first day of October, 1814. (Signed.) Miles McDonell. This notice was followed by a correspondence relative to the arrangement made by Mr. Cameron's predecessor, in the spring, for the exchange of provisions. A great deal has been said, and published, against Mr. Cameron, who possibly assumed more con- sequence in his ' situation than was intended, with a view to counteract the effect upon the Indians of his adversary's misrepre- sentations ; but, from what we have been able to learn of their corres- pondence, it seems to have been conducted on both sides with more irritability and attention to party feeling, than to temper and descretion. Similar notices to quit the Hudson's Bay Company and Lord Selkirk's territory were published throughout the country, HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 115 one of which we shall insert as it is well calculated to give the reader some idea of the moving spirit which was at work and throwing everything into confusion throughout the land. £y order of IVilliam, Hilller, Esquire, Justice of the Peace. If after this notice your building is continued 1 shall be under the necessity of razing them to the ground. (Signe 1) A. Kennedy. Mr. McDonell's conduct became more outrageous than ever, not only towards his opponents, but also towards the helpless settlers under his protection. Many of the latter wearied and disgusted with the country, on account of the trials and bereavements of the last year, which feelings were increased and imbittered by a keen sense of the harsh and unjust manner in which they had been treated at Churclul, and on their inland voyage, heartily wished themselves away from Eed Eiver and under the influence of more favourable surroundings. To those recollections of the past were added the sufferings and miseries of the past winter, on the plains among the savages and barbarous Freemen. All of which, put together, rendered them everything but satisfied with their present condition, nor did the prospect before them indicate any- thing to cheer up their careworn and desponding spirits. We have observed above that the Governor's first of&cial act was to enroll the new comers among the Company's servants, and to put arms into their hands to fight His Lordship's battles for the destruction of his commercial rivals ; and for the establishment of a cruel and despotic monopoly in the great north-west territories. Let us enquire against whom, were they called upon to fight ? In some cases against near relations ; in most cases against men speaking the same language with themselves ; and in every case, against their country-men and fellow subjects. Can we then feel surprised when we are informed that the colonists had become ex- tremely dissatisfied with the experiment they had made ? When they thought on the past, Churchil with all the misery they suffer- ed there, rose before their minds. And when they endeavored to look forward into the future, they could see nothing but endless troubles and privations before them. They were fuUy convinced that it would be impossible for them to succeed in their agricul- 116 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. tural efforts, or to remain with any prospect of safety in the coun- try, -while the Hudson's Bay Company assumed the right of seiz- ing the persons of the North-West Company's servants and of confiscating their property, and had enforced these assumed rights whenever their physical means enabled them to do so. They knew also that the North-West Company had decided to protect their servants and their property against all aggressors, by opposing force to force. They j^istly inferred that aU law and order would, in a short time, be set at defiance and equally disregarded by the contending parties, and that, whichever of the two might come off victorious, they saw clearly they would be forced to take part in the quarrel in which they might lose some valuable lives, and were sure of being unable to proceed with the object for which they came toRed Eiver. During the winter and spring the settlers had often to apply to the North- West people for the means of saving their families from starvation, Mr. Cameron commiserated his unfortunate countrymen and did aU. in his power to relieve their wants, and we may believe that he and those of the settlers who were capable of reflecting, would have talked over ' the present sad condition and of the dark prospect before them, and it might have been on one of these occa- sions the idea of leaving Eed Eivet, if possible, for Canada origin- ated. However that may have been, Governor McDoneU did not approve of the intimacy that was growing daily between those whom he called his people and those who were his employers op- ponents in trade. As the spring advanced, the intercourse between the leading men among the settlers and Fort Gibraltar became more frec^uent ; from which conduct on their part, the Governor came to the conclusion that all was not right, and perhaps, the hitherto latent idea might have come to his knowledge, if so, he would see at once that the defection of the colonists, of which, as we shall see hereafter, they had already shown some symptoms, would frustrate aU his cherished projects for driving the Canadian traders, not only from the Eed Eiver, but out of all the Indian territories. His Excellency's disappointment at this apparent defection was great, nnt his displeasure was atiU greater, which he p.Thibitftd in refusing provisions for the maintenance of those whom he suspect- HISTOKY OF MANITOBA. H7 ed of being discontented, and if there be any truth in what has been said and written at the time, he put the most obnoxious in prison, some of whom he put in irons. This harsh and high- handed treatment of men who had, or ought to have the rights of British subjects, we must confess, was not the most likely to sooth their distressed, irritated and troubled spirits, but was, on the con- trary, well adapted to produce a very different effect. And that it did soon produce that effect was manifest, for those whd had hitherto been undecided as to their future movements, adopted the opinions and followed the example of their more resolute and de- termined associates, and, with very few exceptions, decided on leaving the country, if they could procure the means to enable them to do so ; and, as a preliminary step in self-protection, they took possession of the field pieces that were either in the bastions or in the colony stores. These they committed for safe-keeping to Mr. Cameron's care on the 3rd of April, 1815. Here we must leave them for a time and turn our attention to other events that transpired during the autumn and winter of 1814. Early in the winter Mr. Spencer was aiTested on a warrant against him, and sent down to Lac la Plui. An attempt to rescue him failed, the settlers refusing to use their fire-arms against the Cana- dians. An opportunity was afterwards taken of serving Mr. McDonell with the warrant against him, to which submission, out- wardly, he treated the warrant with great contempt, but in the meantime was busily preparing for measures of defence, if they should be necessary. He posted up notices that his patron would grant pensions to all persons maimed and wounded in his service, according to their rank, (for he had made several appointments from the step of captain to that of ensign) and threatened the North- West with instant hostilities, taking every opportunity of seizing their people as prisoners when they were found in a defenseless situation. We have stated above that Mr. McDonell had told the Indians that they must take their hunts to him, as they could hunt on these lands only by his permission. It is likely that some attempt, to enforce the above declaration, led to the misunder- ing which took place between Governor McDonell and the free Ca- nadians, half-breeds and Indians. These wandering people were 118 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. as free as the winds that swept over their extensive plains ; they were altogether unaccustomed to the commands of a superior and could not brook the treatment they received from His Excellency. The consequences were innumerable. Scuffles and petty affrays be- tween the parties, which the former asserted, began by a party of Hudson'? Bay men firing on one of theirs proceeding peaceably along a road with some provisions. Who were the aggressors is hard to say at this distance of time, but we have never heard of any lives having been lost in any of these foolish affairs. Except in one which took place at the colony Fort. This affair is state d by some of the Earl of Selkirk's partisans, to 'have been brought on by the North- West Company people, (Bois Brule), viz. : * They marched from the North- West Company's post and stationed them- selves in a wood adjoining the Governor's house, which was the principal building in the settlement ; they began their operations by firing a shot at Dr. White, the surgeon, who was walking near the house, but, fortunately it missed him. Another shot was fired at the same time, at Mr. Bourke, the store-keeper, and the ball passed close by him. A general firing then took place from the ' woods, which was returned by those in the house, four of whom were wounded, and one of them (Mr. Warren) died of his wounds. After the North- West party had kept up their fire for some time, they returned with Mr. Cameron who, shortly after they left the forks, had followed them armed, and who, on their return, con- gratulated them with much satisfaction, upon the result of their exploit, and on their personal safety ; a circumstance not very surprising considering that, during the attack, they were concealed in a wood, not one of them being visible to those on whom they were firing. After this cowardly and unprovoked attack, it would have been absurd in the remaining officers and settlers of the colony to have supposed that they would be permitted to remain in security. It was given out by Mr. Cameron that he was resolved to have Mr. McDoneU dead or alive ; but that, if he would suiTender him- self quietly, or if the settlers would give him up, all further hos- tility should cease. At length Mr. McDonell, at the persuasion *The attack took place on the Uth of June, 1815. £>■ HISTOKY OF MANITOBA. 119 of tlie other officers of the settlement, in order to prevent the fur- ther effusion of blood, and in the hope of securing the r&maining settlers from further violence, surrendered himself to the warrant ; and was soon afterwards carried down to Montreal (about 2,500 miles) to be tried ; but no trial took place. So much for His Lordship's statement. Fortunately, for the cause of truth, in this case, we have other information than that of the interested partisans of either Company. We have the evidence of living and reliable witnesses, who were present when the above occurrences took place ; who all agree in stating that the French half-breeds, under Cuthbert Grant, took possession of a grove of trees near the colony Fort, where the Governor resided. Being under the shelter of the bushes, they opened fire on the Fort, and most likely, as related above, the Fort men manned their bastions, of which there were four, one on each angle. These bastions were armed with small wall pieces and blunderbusses, which were always kept loaded, ready for any emergency. As Mr. Warren was in the act of firing one of them the piece unfortunately burst, slightly wounding two or three of the men who were in the bastion, but dealing a mortal wound to poor Mr. Warren, who died from its effects, as he was on his way from Red Eiver to Norway House. We have stated above that Mr. McDonell and his sheriff had been apprehended and carried to Canada to take their trial at Montreal for the robbery committed at Brandon House, in June, 1814. Mr. Spencer was duly arraigned before the courts of Lower Canada on the charge on which he had been apprehended, and in justification of his arrest, a true bill was found by the grand jury against him for grand larceny. A plea as to the proceedings was put in on behalf of the prisoner, alleging that the charter of the Hudson's Bay Company authorized the seizure, in virtue of his office. Time was given by the Court to procure evidence and the opinions of legal authorities in England, with respect to the validity of that plea. Mr. McDonell had been detained on the route to Montreal, and did not arrive in time to be placed on his trial at the session of the court. The defendants were admitted on bail, and, it appearing clearly from opinions subsequently taken in London, that, as they might have acted under a misapprehension 120 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. of authority, there would be a failure in proving against them the felonious intent. The prosecution was dropped and there was no jurisdiction vested by the 43rd of King George the III, under which trials could take place in the courts of Lower Canada in actions for damages in civil cases. AU hope, therefore, of bringing the question to issue in Canada, being at an end, the Canadian merchants again addressed the most urgent application on the subject to His Majesty's Government. After Mr. McDoneU had surrendered the colonists became more earnest in their entreaties for assistance to enable them to proceed to Canada. The greater part of those who had hitherto remained at or about the colony Fort took the opportunity now offered by the captivity of their leader, to present themselves at the North-West Fort and join their companions in pressing their entreaties for a passage to Canada. And upon a distinct understanding that noth- ing would be given beyond their transportation and provisions as far as York (now Toronto), the seat of government in Upper Cana- da, about fifty families, comprising above one hundred persons, were embarked in North- West Company's canoes and safely landed at their destination. Here their sufferings found Relief in the pro- tection and assistance of the government and public commiseration was drawn to their case, by the zealous interference, in their behalf, and benevolence of the Eev. Dr. Strachan, who shortly afterwards published a statement, from their own evidence, of their case, and the delusions practised upon them, in order to warn the poorer classes of his countrymen against becoming, like these unfortunate people, the dupes of land-jobbing speculators, a class of persons well known in America, and of whom Lord Selkirk, from the mag- nitude of his operations, may be styled the chief. The settlers thus disposed of were nearly the whole of those who had wintered at Churchil, including some of those who arrived in the settlement in 1812. A few of them took employment in the Hudson Bay Company's service, a few went to Jack Kiver, and three, the residue of the emigrants of 1813, went as far as York Factory with the intention of returning to their native land, but met a number of their former neighbors at that place, who had just landed from, the ship, and returned with them to Eed Eiver. HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 121 Here we beg to add Dr. Strachan's preface : — As soon as I heard that the Earl of Selkirk was commencing a settlement on the. Red River I determined to warn the public of the deception and of the great misery which emigrants must experience in such a distant and inhospitable region. But it was difficult to procure the necessary iuformatibn, and, before it could be obtained, the progress of the American war called my attention to distress nearer home. It was not till last June that I was able to see a copy of the prospectus, a paper neatly- drawn up, but, alas, destitute of truth. To those who are amazed after reading my remarks, at the promises and assertions which it contains, I am justified in saying that promises still more extravagant were made by the Earl of Selkirk himself at Stromness, in June, 1818, to persons whom he was enticing to go out. Few of these wretched men had any agreement, an omission I hope not wilfully made to prevent legal redress, for surely punishment ought to be inflicted on speculators who persuade families under false pretences to leave their native land. Of the settlers who went to the Red River many died at Churchil, in Hudson's Bay, from fever, the severity of the climate and the quality of their food. Othei-s seriously injured their health, and not one of those who have escaped saw a joyful day from the time they left Scotland till they began their journey to Canada. The following letter may prevent more from encountering the miseries of the polar regions ; and this is all that I can do, or able to affect. But retributive justice is due, and I flatter myself that, among the great examples of disinterested benevolence so common in Great Britain, one may be found, sufficiently prompted to compel Lord Selkirk and his brother proprietors to make ample restitution to the survivors, for the money and effects lost at Churchil and for the miseries they have endured. YoKK, Upper Canada, October 5th, 1815. We have stated above that the colony Governor had been taken to Canada to be tried for felony. The people were dispersed. The arduous labours of years, with a great outlay in money, were de- stroyed in a few short months, and the colony, to all human ap- pearance, destroyed forever. In recording the transactions of the memorable spring and summer of 1815, we must for a moment take notice of a deplorable encounter which took place at Isle a la Cross between the servants of the rival companies in which two, valuable lives were destroyed, a brief sketch of which we shaH give in the chapter following. 122 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. chaptj:e IV. A Skirmish in which Two are Killbd-t-A Wake without Whis- key — Petty Annoyances — Lord Selkirk in Montreal — , The Fur Trade — Destitution among Hudson's Bay Men — From Scotland to Ebd Eiver — A New Governor — Admi- nistration OF Justice — A Surprise — Doings at Pembina — A Conflict — Mr. Keveny in Trouble — Murdered — The Earl's Soldiers for the North-West. This quarrel, which ended so fatally, originated about a steel Arap. The Hudson Bay Company's servants were setting traps along the lake for foxes and the North- Westers were doing the same. Each party occupied different localities along the shore and separate islands. The North- West partner in charge of the dis- trict, finding himself at the head of a greater number of men than his opponent, built a small house close to the Hudson Bay Com- pany's house, for a fort it could not be called, where a number of men were stationed for the express purpose of watching the move- ments of their rivals in trade. One of the Hudson Bay Company's men, on visiting his traps, according to custom, found that one of them had been taken away. He at once came to the conclusion that the missing trap had been stolen and that the theft had been committed by some one of the North-west people. He imme- diately returned to the Hudson Bay Company's house, made known his loss, roused the sympathy of a strong and vahant son of the Emerald Isle, who volunteered to accompany him to hunt for the traps which they knew had been set in different places in the vici- nity by the North- West Company's servants, with the laudable intention of appealing to the law for retaliation. Our two heroes hunted around some points and bays of the lake, but found no trap. However, their movements were not unobserved by their neigh- bors, the North- West men. Mr. Samuel Black, a clerk in the North- West Company's service, who commanded the men in the "look-out house," took a few men with him and went out to the lake to meet the hunters. A few of the Hudson's Bay men, under HISTOKY OF MANITOBA. 123 the command of Mr. Johnston, followed after. The parties met on the ice and a short parley took place between Mr. Johnston and Mr. Black ; after which all returned to their respective houses, ex- cept the trap hunters, who extended their search to what was called the "big island," which was at some distance from where the above meeting took place. They did not go far nor search long before they found a trap that had been set by Mr. Black and with which they were returning in triumph. Mr. Black, ever vigilant, saw them returning, left the house at the head of a large party of his men and met the two Hudson's Bay men and stopped their pro- gress homeward. The two brave young men kept possession of the trap until Mr. Johnston, with a party of Hudson's Bay men, came up to them. Mr. Johnston addressed himself to Mr. Black,, saying, "It is much better that you and I settle this affair and let the men be quiet." Scarcely had these brief words been uttered before a savage and reckless Canadian half Indian, brother-in-law to Mr. Black, levelled his piece at Mr. John.:ton's ear, iired and blew out his brains. A few moments passed before either party could realize the horrid spectacle that lay before them ; but, after a short pause, the demon of destruction took possession of these fierce and fiery spirits, a general discharge of fire arms took place, the contending parties rushing on each other with the most deter- mined fury. The firing was kept up and strokes were dealt on every side ; but, fortunately for them, the dark shades of night were silently but swiftly stealing down on the scene of these bar- barous murders and unnatural strife, rendering aim uncertain, and causing many deadly angry bullets to spend their force in the air. While this tragedy was being acted Mr. Black stood with folded arms imploring the infuriated combatants to cease fighting ; but he might as well have entreated the stormy and boisterous winds of the north, when in their most angry and turbulent mood, to be still. However, by degrees the North-West men began to weary at their work, and to acknowledge their defeat by retiring from the long contested field, of which their opponents kept possession ; and, according to the rules of war, "to the victors belong the spoils,'' which consisted of the broken stocks and locks of a few trading guns. 124 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. Each party had to attend to the duty of burying its dead, and unhappily each side had to deplore the death of one of its number, Mr. Johnston on the Hudson Bay Company's- side and a Canadian laborer on the part of the North-West Company. We have never been able to ascertain whether the Canadian was slain by bullet or by blow ; but, considering the length of time they fought and the fury with which they carried on the fight, it is remarkable that one life only had been destroyed in the melee, and may be attri- buted, in some degree, to the darkness in which they were enveloped. A few fresh men were sent out from the Hudson's Bay house to bring in Mr. Johnston's remains, and the sons of the Emerald Isle and their warm hearted friends from " the land of piany hills " honored his memory with as decent " a wake " as circumstances would admit. But sad were their complaints of the stinted measure with which drink was dealt out to them, and be- yond measure did they deplore the entire absence of their favorite beverage, whiskey; for, without the aid of its soul-stirring influences they were convinced of their utter inability to perform their friend's obsequies in a becoming manner. The gentleman, who was then in charge for the Hudson's Bay Company, was a man who delighted not .in strife and bloodshed. He saw that the men who returned from the fight were highly excited, and feared, and that justly, that if their excitement would be increased by drink, they might become ungovernable and perpetrate some rash deed, for which on the return of reason they might feel both sorry and ashamed. From these considerations he resolutely refused drink, except a very small quantity — and ammunition and arms altogether. It will appear extraordinary and unaccountable to men who are unacquainted with the fierce spirit worked by numerous acts of aggression on the one part and resistance on the other, that the representatives of two wealthy associations formed of christain men, members of one of the most humane nations in Europe, should go to such fearful extremity ; and, that for an ar-- tide not exceeding twenty shillings in value. But those who know what took place at Isle a la Cross, during the preceding four or five years, are not ignorant of the causes which operated on the Hudson's Bay men and compelled them to resist the very first HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 125 attempt made by the North- West meia to annoy them, as they had annoyed their predecessors. Owing to the way in which the North- West Company paid their servants, they were able to employ great numbers. Isle a la Cross being a place of great importance, not only on occount of the valuable trade made there, but also on account of its being situated half-way between Lac la Plui, to the south and the McKenzie river posts to the north, had generally from forty to fifty men stationed at it during the winter months ; whereas their opponents never had more men at their posts in that department than they required to work their boats into the interior. During the last eight or ten years, they never had more than a dozen men, and the person in charge, to compete with their numer- ous opponents. The consequence was that the servants of the North- West Company, among whom Mr. Samuel Black and Mr. Peter Ogden acted a conspicuous part, when at leizure, amused themselves by annoying and insulting their neighbors, at times en- couraging, if not commanding, their men to set their nets adrift, and at other times cutting them into pieces — not forgetting to pay occasional visits to the Hudson Bay Company's house, where their conduct was often highly improper and unjustifiable. In the spring of 1814, Mr. Howse was appointed to take charge of the Hudson Bay Company's interests at Isle a la Cross. Sev- eral boats were fitted out for the expedition, and the crews were composed of Irishmen and Higlilanders, with a few old hands from the Orkney Islands ; the latter knew, from experience, how the North- West men had treated them in former years, and while en- joying the luxury of their evening pipes, before their blazing fires, related their unfortunate adventures, the recital of which roused the spirit of these acts to the highest pitch of indignation. All swore as one man by the souls of their grandfathers that they would not allow the opposition to play their villanous outrages and pranks on them with impunity. The lost trap and Mr. John- ston's cruel and barbarous murder afforded the above spirit of resis- tance an opportunity of developing itself, and the fight which we have endeavored to describe has been the deplorable result. Having digressed from our professed subject and narrated the events which took place at Isle a la Cross during the winter of 126 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 1814-15, we shall now turn our attention to the Earl of Selkirk's simultaneous proceedings in Scotland and in Canada, as these pro- ceedings, each in its way, have had considerable influence on the affairs of the country in general and on those of the colony in par- ticular. Since the time that Sir Alexander McKenzie discovered the regions drained by the streams whose united waters form that mighty river that bears its bold and energetic discoverer's name, the North-West Company enjoyed the exclusive trade of those districts, which then abounded, and even now abound, more in valuable furs than any other district in North America. The above named Company occupied several permanent stations beyond the Long Portage. From each of these stations parties were sent in every direction to occupy localities to which the surrounding na- tives would find easy access and where fish and game could be easily procured. Each of these parties were furnished with trad- ing goods, to a small amount, which consisted of iron works, fire- arms, ammunition, tobacco and spirits, though last not the least prized by the poor ignorant children of the soil. When the dif- ferent parties returned to head-quarters, with the proceeds of the winter's trade, their returns were commonly so great that they could not procure canoes and men to take the furs to Fort William, and were year after year under the necessity of leaving large quantities of valuable peltries in the interior. The wealth obtained from the trade carried on in those distant regions must have been very great indeed. His Lordship of Selkirk visited Montreal in the beginning of the present century and became acquainted with the magnates of the North- West Company, who vied with each other in pointing out to his Lordship, not only the great ex- tent over which they carried on their business and the large profits realized from it, but even the mode on which they conducted it. Possessed of the above information, His Lordship, on his return to England, took steps to turn it to his own advantage. In the first place he bought up 40 out of the 100 shares into which the stock of the Hudson's Bay was divided, which enabled him to become not only the moving spirit in that body, but in fact its lord and master. The Hudson's Bay Company, before the present period, HISTOEY OF MANITOBA. 127 1815, had made a few attempts, with long intervals between, to, establish their trade beyond the Long Portage. A single canoe fitted out at York Factory made an excursion to Great Slave Lake, where they passed, the winter and returned the following spring, Some years after another effort was made with a single canoe, manned by five men, to discover a water communication betweei\ the rivers sending their waters into Hudson's Bay, and those fall-, ing into Athabaska Lake. This passage was supposed to exist on the east side of Portage la Loche, which, if discovered, would supercede the necessity of carrying canoes and cargoes over that formidable barrier ; but, unfortunately our discoverers were unsuc-. cessful, and returned late in the autumn of the same year to Isle a la Cross, where they passed the winter. After the above expedi- tion no attempt had been made by the English Company to extend their trade beyond the limits of the Enghsh river district untilthe winter of 1814 when His Lordship had succeeded in infusing some portion of his own energetic spirit into the Moreband Association of which he had become the head, for the purpose of carrying on the trade successfully in the country to the north and west of the Long Portage. It was considered necessary to have birch rind canoes, similar to those used by the North-West Company, and in order to obtain these and expert crews to work them- His Lordship soon dis^ covered that he would have to look for them in Lower Canada where numbers of canoe men, guides, interpreters and clerks, who had served the North- West Company for years in the interior, were to be found, many of them, lounging about without any regular employment, ready to engage in any new adventure that offered them pay and freedom from the restraints imposed by the laws of civilized society. For the purpose of engaging men and purchasing canoes and provisions for the intended expedition to the Athabaska and to Mc-i Kenzie's river, the Hudson's Bay Company, in the sunmier of 1814, despatched an agent (Mr. James Sutherland, who had returned the previous fall from Hudson's Bay,) to Canada for the purpose of employing agents in Montreal to transact business for his employers, He had the good fortune of meeting with Mr. Colin Eobertson, who had, at least, served an apprenticeship in the North- West •128 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. Company's service, as one of their clerks, but, becoming discon- tented, he retired from the service the previous summer. He readily accepted Mr. Sutherland's proposals, and was certainly one ■of the best adapted men that could be found in the colony, to put his Lordship's plans into execution in person, Mr. Eobertson was tall and stout, with a fearless disposition and a considerable degree ■of ostentatiousness in his appearance. His mind was weU inform- ed, and his disposition affable and kind ; he spoke the French Canadian language fluently, and was in every respect well qualified to become a leader of these men. He succeeded in engaging a commercial firm in Montreal (Maitland, Gardener, Auldjo & Co.) to become agents for the Hudson's Bay Company. By their aid .joined to his own indefatigable perseverance, he had the pleasure, before the first of May, of seeing himself at the head of a noble brigade of twenty-two canoes, manned and equipped with their full compliment of veteran voyageurs, interpreters, guides, sub-clerks, clerks, and a class commonly known by the title " Bourgeois." This brigade took its departure from Lachine in the beginning of May, 1815, and, passing through the usual canoe route, arrived in the latter end of June at Jack Eiver, below Lake Winnipeg. Here they remained for some time, and were regaled according to North- West custom, each man being served with an allowance of rum, loaf bread, butter and pork. After this great feast they had to be contented with such rations as were served to the European ser- vants who were at the place, which invariably consisted of fish. We may here observe, that the men of this expedition were en- gaged and paid on the same system, as the North- West acted upon, in dealing with their engaged servants. The goods for the expe- dition to the North had been freighted early in the season from York Factory to Jack Eiver and were waiting the arrival of the ■brigades. In the beginning of July they left for the north under the command of several leaders, of whom, Mr. John Clarke was the chief. This gentleman was a native of Montreal and had been some years in the North- West Company's employment, in the fur trade ; but from some cause or other returned to his native city in 1809 and in the following spring embarked in the Astor expedition Vhicii was then fitting out at New York for the purpose of estab- HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 129 lishing a trade in furs with the Indians on the Columbia river. He sailed round the Cape in the unfortunate Tonquin and arrived, after a tedious and dangerous voyage, in the mouth of the fax famed river of the west, and lent his aid in building Astoria. He passed three years to the west of the mountains, where he had to endure such toils, privations and dangers, as seldom the bold and enduring fur trader on the east side of the mountains, even in those days of hardships and perils, had to encounter. Under its veteran leader the expedition passed on, without any accident, to Isle a la Cross, where a few canoes with their crews and cargoes were left to winter. The rest passed on to the north and arrived late in September at Athabaska Lake, which was to be considered, for the present, the head-quarters of the expedition. Having arrived at this central point, canoes were sent to lesser and greater Slave Lakes. A third brigade went up to Peace Eiver under Mr. Plarke's immediate command. All these detachments arrived too late in the season at their appointed stations. The spawning sea- son was over, the fish had left the shores for the deep parts of the lakes and could not be found. The Indians had been supplied by the North-West traders and hurried off to their hunting grounds in the surrounding forests, and as none of them could be found by the Hudson's Bay people, who were desirous of engaging them to hunt provisions for their estab- hshments, destitution stared them in the face. They had to endure great privations while occupied in erecting temporary habitations for the winter, and as that season advanced the fish taken became every day fewer ; even the rabbits which had hitherto afforded some aid, were all killed. Every iiecourse thus failing the winter months were passed in a state of unmitigated misery ft-om the want of food. Towards the spring a second attempt was made to find Indians, hoping, that if these people could be found, that they would obtain provisions from them, by employing them to hunt. Parties were sent off in every direction, but failed to meet with any of those on whom they depended so much for their subsistence. And, it is truly painful to record, that no fewer than eighteen men of these different parties, died from the combined effects of cold and hunger. We may safely believe that the North- West traders, lA 130 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. instructed the Indians to remove to a distance from where the Hud- son's Bay men were likely to settle, and we have every reason to think, that these simple minded children of the forest, would im- plicitly obey the injunctions of men, who, by long intercourse and many kind words and some kind deeds, had gained their coniidence. However, the North-West Company, in some cases, extended their charity to their famishing countrymen and preserved some of the survivors. Here we must leave them for the present, and turn our attention to the noble Lord'slj transactions in Scotland. Early in the spring of 1813 he employed agents in Sutherlandshire to procure emi- grants for the Eed Eiver. Clearances were still the order of the day, especially in the Parish of Kildonan. The only ray of hope that now remained was in emigrating from their native land and seek for new abodes beyond the Atlantic, in the forests or on the plains of North America. At this crisis in their affairs His Lordship's agents appeared in the place and began to direct their thoughts towards the wide and fertile plains of British North America, where they were led to believe all their cares, suffering and sorrows would terminate; where each and all of them might with the gi-eatest facility become the proprietor or proprie- tors of fine estates at the low price of five shillings sterling per acre ; the above prospect, we must admit, was highly encouraging. A number of families (consisting of seventy-two individuals) be- lieved the promises made, and accepted the offer of transportation to the plains of the far west. The next step to be taken was to procure money to pay for their passage, which was to be ten guineas per head, and for such equipment as were absolutely necessary for their comfort on the voyage by sea, and on the long inland journey they would have to perform between the Bay and the Eed Eiver. The next step to be taken was the sale of their property, which they had to accomphsh under great disadvantages, as had generally been the case when these clearances took place. Notwithstanding, many of them realized enough to pay for their passage and .necessary outfits. A few had a balance over, which they deposited in His Lordship's hands for the payment of land from which they were separated over four thousand miles by inter- HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 131 vening seas and lands, which they would have to pass before they could take possession of that for which they had thus paid their money. A few persons were desirous of emigrating, who could not pay the passage money ; yet, these were furnished a passage on condition of paying for it by labour on His Lordship's farm in the colony, or by working in the boats from Eed River to the Bay and back again to the colony. These different steps consumed time, the spring was far advanced, the day of ejectment was at hand ; the time was drawing near when they were to leave desolate their humble, but onoe happy homes, the time when they were to cast their last sad look on the land of their birth, whose every hUl and valley (in their names) recorded the glorious deed of their heroic sires in the days of old ; in their long and arduous, but suc- cessful, struggles against the fierce and warlike sea Kings of the north. The sad day, so long anticipated, had dawned when they were to leave forever their brown heaths, their deep glens, and lovely green straths with their sweet streams, where in their youth they loved to lave. It has been said, and said, I believe with truth, that no people in Europe can compare in deep heart-felt attachment to their native land with the Highlanders of Scotland. If this be the case it is easier to conceive than to express the dis- tress and sorrow of their hearts at this important change in their condition. Yet they could discern a ray of hope through the dark and portentous clouds by which they were surrounded. They were habitually humble and devout students of their bibles. They remembered who said " Fear not little flock," and believed that he who decked the lillies of the field with their brilliant hues, and fed the fowls of the air, would provide for them and theirs. Animated by hope, founded on faith, they commenced the long and arduous journey which had to be perlormed before they could find a resting place. The first part of this journey was performed by land and on foot ; some of their lighter stuff was carried on their backs, while the more ponderous articles were borne on the backs of such ponies as the kindness of their kindred and former friends could supply. Three days' travelling brought them to the ancient town of Thurso, whence they were ferried over the Pentland firth .to Stromness. There they were embarked on board the Hedlow, 132 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. bound for Hudson's Bay. This ship was capacious and well arranged for passengers ; adequate stores of provisions of the best quality were taken on board. Some of the Company's servants were embarked on the same ship with the settlers, while Eobert Simple and Alexander McDonell, with a staff of clerks took their passage on board the rrince of Wales. The fleet took its departure from Stromness on the 17th day of June, 1815 ; it consisted of four sail, viz : — the Hedlow, the Prince of Wales, the Eddystone, bound for James' Bay, and a sloop of war, to protect the merchantmen from the depredations of French privateers ; for Napoleon I. had burst the chains that bound him to his insular Empire (Elba) invaded the ancient kingdom of France, drove the unfortunate Bourbon from his throne, reseated himself upon it and rekindled the flames of war from the mouth of the river Oby to Cape Finisterre. The passage was easy and pleasant, general good health prevailed on board the fleet and on the 18th day of August they came to anchor in what is known as " Five Fathom Hole," an open roadstead near the mouth of Hay's Eiver and about five miles distant from the present Factory. A few days sufficed to land the passengers, and during their short stay at that place, some of the men in the Company's service were captiv- ated by. the charms of the fair and lovely maidens just landed from the ship. They were not long in wooing and winning the affec- tions of the objects of their choice ; and, before they took inland, three or four pair were made happy by being united in the holy bonds of matrimony. The matrimonial ceremonies were performed by Mr. James Sutherland, who, previous to his emigration, had been an elder in the Established Church of Scotland and had been duly licensed before his departure to marry, to baptize, to instruct and to perform the duties of teacher and spiritual guide to his fellow emigrants. Mr. Sutherland was an uneducated man, in the common acceptation of that phrase ; but he is spoken of by those who knew him, as a man of sterling and unfeigned piety. And here I must state that Mr. Sutherland was the first licensed preacher of the reformed faith on the shores qf the Hudson's Bay. After a brief sojourn at York Factory, which had been greatly to the satisfaction of the new comers, they were embarked on board HISTOKY OF MANITOBA. 133 of some inland boats and commenced the long, difficult and danger- ous voyage of 700 miles from York Factory to the Red Eiver. The men had to perform the part of towing and rowing the boats and of carrying His Lordship's goods and stores over the carrying-places, and they had to do so without any compensation. The progress made waS very slow, but the autumn proved very favourable, and the journey was accomplished, without any serious accident. On the ord of November the boats entered the Red River and on the 5th arrived at Fort Douglas. Here we must mention an incident, which reflects great credit on Governor Semple for kind- ness to those who were under his care. The colonists had been for some time on very short rations and the night they entered the Red River the very last was finished for supper. The follow- ing morning the colonists were making no preparations for break- fast. He enquired what was the cause of this unusual state of inactivity, and, on being informed that the people had no food to prepare, he immediately ordered his servant to deliver to them the biscuit and cheese which he had taken so far with him for the use of his mess during the winter. Fortunately for these pilgrims the winter was late in setting in ; had it been otherwise they would have been set fast in Lake Winnipeg, and would most like- ly havfe perished of cold and hunger. A kind providence decreed otherwise and, as we have stated above, they arrived at Fort Douglas on the 5th day of November, 1815, in good health and fuU of hope. But here, though head quarters in the colony, no provisions had been made for the expected strangers, and all that they could ob- tain from His Lordship's stores was a small quantity of unground wheat and a few ounces of rancid grease, per day, for each family ; but unsavory and scanty as this supply was it could not be con- tinned for many days. His Lordship had engaged to provide food for the colonists for the first twelve months, but now, in the cam- mencement of an Arctic winter, his stores were empty. The winter was fast approaching ; the buffalo, on which they must depend for their subsistence, were only to be found on the great pl£kins which extend from the Pembina Mountains to the Missouri. It was considered most advisable to send the settlers to Pembina, 134 HISTOKY OF MANITOBA. which was seventy miles nearer to the hunting grounds than Fort Douglas ; and to Pembina the immigrants must go. All those who were young and active, and as many company's servants, as could be spared from the Fort, were embarked in two boats and proceeded up the Eed Eiver for Fort Daer. The water was low, the days were short, and in consequence their progress was very slow. Notwithstanding, in the course of a few days they arrived at Scratching River and while passing the night there the sky be- came overcast and the wind blew strongly and keenly from the north. During the night there was a fall of snow and in the morning the river was covered over with ice. The boat voyage was at an end for the season. Starvation began to stare them in the face ; their stock of provissions was nearly exhausted, aud none could be obtained in their present position. Pembina, the nearest point where supplies could be expected, was distant thirty or forty miles. No beaten path pointed out the way, to the cheer- less and foodless strangers, over the fi^ozen waste that lay between them and where they might expect to find food and rest. Their way lay over the plains, which were covered with a heavy growth of untrodden gi-ass — every blade of which was covered with snow and ice. However dreary and difficult the journey before them, stem necessity compelled them to enter upon it, and each one took a load of whatever was most valuable or most required of their individual property. Fathers and mothers were, in many cases, unable to take or carry anything with them except their little ones, which they had, Indian fashion, to bind on their backs, and with these precious burdens, the gems of a future population, the Gipsey like crowd trudged along bearing the inclemency of the season and the pangs of hunger with as much equanimity as humanity could exercise under such trying circumstances. A few days, of severe and un- usual toil, brought these pioneers of civilization to the celebrated Fort Daer, which was situated on the south side of the Pembina Eiver. Dearth met them here, similar to that from which they iled on leaving Fort Douglas, but they drew some consolation from the fact that they were seventy miles nearer to tlie source whence they expected to draw their winter supplies of food. The HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 135 month of November was far spent when they arrived at what they fondly believed would be the end of their long and fatigueing journey. And in that belief they went to work with all their strength and energy to hew down timber and to build huts to shelter them from the inclemency of the winter, which had now set in in aU its severity. These huts were of the most primative char- acter, the walls and roofs were composed of round unliewn logs, the interstices filled up with clay served to keep out the wind ; the floorings were such as nature provided — the bare earth. In these rude and humble dwellings our immigrants intended to pass the winter months ; but the improvidence and bad management of those who were in charge of His Lordship's affairs in the colony soon began to be seriously felt by aU who were dependent on his stores for subsistence. We have said above that no provisions had been laid up for the maintenance of the expected settlers. The ground continued black and bare during the first two months of the winter, which prevent- ed the iise of sleighs, the ordinary vehicles for hauling in the winter season ; and without these appliances no provisions, to any great extent, could be brought to the Fort. The result was that the sorely tried and distressed strangers had to leave Pembina and per- form a journey of over one hundred and fifty miles over the plains, to where the Indians and others were hunting the buffalo. These unfortunate people had to perform the journey on foot, in the latter end of December, the most unfavorable time in the year for travelling ; they were iU provided with suitable clothing to protect their persons from the icy gales that swept irresistibly over these bleak and treeless plains ; in a word they suffered so much misery, that those of them, who hved after, could not relate the sufferings of that winter without a shudder. On their arrival at the hunting tents. Freemen, half-breeds, and Indians vied with each other in extending their kind offers to the new comers. Never- theless, their condition was far from being enviable ; they, in the ordinary course of things, became hewers of wood and drawers of water, the objects of these rude and savage people's pity and con- tempt. However, before the spring some of the strangers had learned how to approach the buffalo and became excellent hunters, 186 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. a fact which inclined their hosts to entertain far more faV^orable opinions of their pale-faced guests than they had on their first acquaintance. Here we must leave them for a time and 'turn our attention to what had taken place on the lower Red Eiver during the autumn and winter months. We have stated above that Eobert Semple^ on landing at York Factory, entered on the duties of his high office of Governor-in-Chief of the Northern Department. This gentle- man was entrusted with powers far exceeding those conferred on any of his predecessors in office, as we see from a series of resolu- tions passed by the stockholders of the Hudson's Bay Company on the 19th of May, 1815. Hudson's Bay House, May 19tli, 1815. At a general court, held this day, of the Governor and Company of Adventurers of England, trading in Hudson's Bay, for the purpose of taking into consideration an ordinance for the more effectual administration of justice in the Company's territories, pursua,nt to a notice of the same advertised in the London Gazette, on Saturday th« 13th instant, the following resolutions were submitted to the proprietors and passed in the affirmative. First — That there shall be appointed a Governor-in-Chief and Council, who shall have paramount authority over the whole of the Company's territories in Hudson's Bay. Secondly — That the Giovernor, with any two of his Council, shall be competent ta form a council for the administration of justice, and the exercise of the power vested in them by charter. Thirdly — That the Governor of Assiniboia and the Governor of Moose, within their respective districts and with any two of their respective Councils, shall have the same power ; but their power shall be suspended, while the Governor-in-Chief is actually present, for judicial purposes. Fourthly — That a sheriff be appointed for each of the districts of Assiniboia and Moose, and one for the remainder of the Company's territory, for the execution of all such processes as shall be directed to them according to law . Fifthly — That, in the case of death or absence uf any councillor or sheriff, the G<)vernor-in-Chief shall appoint a person to do tha duty of the office till the pleasure of the Company be known. Extracted from the Minute Book of the said Company. ALEXANDER LANE, Secretary. 9th June, 1815. By the adoption of the foregoing resolutions a system of admi- nistering justice was introduced into the country which could not fail being highly disagreeable to the Canadian traders. Governor Semple has been represented as an amiable and cau- HISTOKY OF MANITOBA. 1ST tious man, and not desirous of increasing the unfriendly feeling that existed between the servants of the rival companies ; and besides he had ample employment in arranging the affairs of the fur trade, and in providing sustenance for the settlers, in whose behalf he manifested the deepest interest, and for whom he did everything that kindness could suggest and that his high position enabled him to do. Soon after the new Governor's arrival in the colony his subordinates commenced a series of vexatious aggres-- sions on the Canadian traders and looked with peculiar odium on Mr. Duncan Cameron. As this gentleman was one day quietly passing on the highway, unarmed and unattended, he was met by a party of armed Hudson's Bay men, headed by one of the Com- pany's clerks, who, according to his own statement, drew his pistol, cocked it and levelled it at Mr. Cameron's head and then com- menced to horse-whip him for some real or supposed insult which had been offered the preceding spring. After this castigation Mr, Cameron was seized by the party, carried before the Governor, and accused of having induced the settlers, the spring before, to go to Canada, a charge to which we believe Mr. Cameron would feel dis- posed, to some extent, to plead guilty. However, notwithstand- ing his well known hardihood, we have reason to believe he would not dare to incur the responsibility of furnishing a passage to up~ wards of one hundred and forty persons, from Eed Eiver to York, in Upper Canada, without the previously understood concurrence of his co-partner. These gentlemen must have made a great pecu« niary sacrifice in providing so many people with provisions and the means of transport from Eed Eiver to Little York. We must not overlook the fact that the settlers who went to Canada incurred heavy losses. All of them left their baggage at Churclul and was totally lost to them. Many of them had paid considerable sums for land from which they never derived any benefit ; others deposited handsome sums in His Lordship's hands,, every farthing of which was lost to them, partly owing to their own ignorance in money transactions, but chiefly from the disho- nesty of the parties to whom, in their simplicity, they entrusted their property. These were subjects that must have forced them- selves on their minds, and compelled them to make a choice. That 138 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. choice inclined them to leave Eed Eiver and accept the offer of a free passage to Canada. Mr. Cameron, although backed by the influ- ence of the North- West Company, had no means of constraining them to leave the colony. Yet, the fact of their leaving the colony and Mr. Cameron's share in enabling them to do so, is now brought as a charge against him, and on that charge he is, without sum- mons or warrant, taken prisoner on the highway and forced to go to Fort Douglas, where he was for some time detained prisoner. After the above kind treatment he was unconditionally released.* After this adventure affairs went smoothly for some time, and each party prosecuted its interests without any unjustifiable oppo- sition from its rivals. They stored up all the trade they could procure ; but this peaceable state of affairs was too good to last long. In the beginning of March Mr. Semple left Fort Douglas for the purpose of inspecting the posts on the Assiniboine, on Swan Eiver and on Lake Manitoba, leaving Mr. Colin Eobertson to act as chief in his absence. Apparently Mr. Eobertson did not relish a life of peace and inglorious ease. However, we may safely admit that the programme of what was to be done, in the spring, at the Eed Eiver, had been discussed in his presence, and most likely approved and even authorized by him. Soon after Governor Semple had left rumors got into circulation of some heavy pressure that was to be applied to the North- West Company's servants ; yet nothing had occun-ed to enable them to form any idea of what their antagonists' plans were until the night of the 17th of March, 1816, when, between seven and eight o'clock, Mr. Eobertson, at the head of an armed party of Hudson Bay Company's servants, attacked Fort Gibralter. The assailants rushed, with drawn swords, into Mr. Cameron's sitting room, where that gentleman, unsuspicious of danger, was passing the evening in conversation with his clerks. On entering the room Mr. Eobertson collared Mr. Cameron. Cap- tain McLean, Mr. Bourke and others seized his sword, pistols and other arms. The captured gentleman, as soon as he had recovered from his surprise, asked Mr. Eobertson what he meant by his un- e:ipected visit and extraordinary conduct. He replied "you will know that by and by." Mr. Cameron, his clerks and servants, The statements say that Mr. Cameron promised better behaviour. HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 139 were for several hours kept in confinement, with a giiard of armed men placed over them. The behaviour of some of the Hudson's Bay clerks was rude in the lowest degree, threatening to blow out the brains of one of the North-West Company's clerks who was their disarmed prisoner. After some time had been passed, and a great amount of entreaty had been used, Mr. McLean permitted Mr. Severight to go to Mr. Le Marr's room, who was also guarded by a sentinel, and there found Mr. Colin Eobertson, and asked him if he meant to keep them all prisoners, to which the man in power replied that he would give an answer the next day. On the 19th the North-West Company's express, from Fort William, was captured and brought into the Fort. The two men who had charge of it were put in prison. The letters were seized by Mr. Eobertson, who, by the powers conferred by the charter, opened and read all except three which were addressed to Mr. John Sev- eright and were handed unopened to that gentleman. On the same day Mr. Cameron sent his clerk, Mr. Severight, to Mr. Eob- ertson requesting the restoration of Fort Gibralter to its lawful owners and allow them to carry on the trade as formerly. To this message Mr. Eobertson replied that it was the key of the Eed Eiver, being situated at the confluence of the two Eivers, and that he was determined to keep it at all hazards. After the Hudson Bay Company's servants had taken possession of the place, they removed all the arms, public and private, likewise the trading goods, provisions of every kind, furs, books and papers, to the Hudson's Bay Fort. In due time the furs were sent to York Factory. A squad of men with cannon and muskets were sent, on the 19th, from Fort Douglas to North- West Fort to guard Mr. Cameron and his men. Those kept watch and ward until their patience became exhausted, when they turned all the Canadians, except two, and Mr. Cameron, out of the Fort. The labouring men had to take to the plains or lakes to hunt for their country- men, the Freemen, and throw themselves at their generosity for the preservation of their lives, during the spring months. Mr. John Severight made his way to Fort Qu'AppeUe where Mr. Alex- ander McDonell was in command of the North- West post. Here we must leave him for the present and turn our attention no HISTORY OF MANITOBA. to what had taken place at Pembina, where, as well as in every other part of the interior, each company had a few rude log huts dignified with the title Fort. The North-West Company's house stood on the north side of the Pembina Eiver, at its junction with the Red River. The Hudson Bay Company's establishment was directly opposite to the former but on the south side of Pembina. These were the chief provision posts, whence the posts on the lower Red Eiver received their supplies. The Canadian traders had but few persons to feed at this place and were enabled to lay up a great stock of provision procured by the chase, with large quantities of Indian corn and potatoes. Bostennois Paugman, a half-breed, was in charge of the place, and two clerks and six or seven tripmen constituted all his available forces. On the night of the 20th of March, three days after Fort Gibralter had been captured, Bostennois' house and all the little shanties in which his men lodged, were secretly surrounded and simultaneous- ly assaulted. The master, clerks and men were made prisoners, taken to Foit Daer, lodged in cJose quarters for some days, and. Were afterwards sent down in bond to Fort Douglas, where they underwent a rigorous confinement for the space of a week or two, and were at last turned out of the Fort. Mr. John Pritchard and Mr. Alexander McDonell were the master spirits in the above affair, and appropriated to their own use the spoils of those whom they had vanquished by their valor. These spoils consisted of arms, ammunition, trading goods, four or five packs of furs, great quantities of dried buffalo meat, Indian corn and potatoes ; every thing, whether the produce of the chase or the fruit of the earth, was taken away by the victors. The poor Canadians were not only deprived of their hard gained accumulations, and driven from their comfortable homes but were, as stated above, carried prisoners to Fort Douglas, and finally, like their fellows taken in Fort Gibralter, had to seek for an asylum among their kind countrymen who were passing the spring among the buffalo on the plains. Mr. John Severight arrived safely at Qu'Appelle and acquainted Mr. Mc- Donell with what had taken place on the Red River. That gen- tleman wrote immediately to Mr. Colin Robertson requesting him to surrender the North-West Company's Forts to their lawful owners HISTOEY OF MANITOBA. 141 and lea\'e them in the same condition in which he found them. This Mr. Robertson refused to do, and Mr. Severight had to retrace his steps to Qu'Appelle to tell Mr. McDonell that Mr. Robertson had refused compliance and that Mr. Cameron was still prisoner in his own house, attended by two of his own servants. The Hud- son Bay mens' desire of glory was not satisfied with their past achievements and as little was their avarice satisfied with all the plunder which they had already obtained. In the beginning' of April an attempt was made to take the North- West Company's house at Qu'Appelle, but McDonell was prepared to meet them and they had to retire without accomplishing their object. Hither- to we have seen the servants of the North- West Company submit to the attacks made on their property and even to the imprison- ment of their persons, without any violent resistance, although they had been instructed by their council of the preceding summer to defend their property against all aggressors. However, after the attempt on the Post at Qu' AppeUe, Mr. McDonell, seriously impressed with the disorganised condi- tion into which the North-West Company's business had been thrown by the destruction of their posts on the lower Red River, the plundering of their stores, the dispersion of their servants and the captivity of their leader, set his mind to work to provide such meand as would enable him to evade or overcome the difficulties of his position. He knew that Governor Semple and his people were preparing for his interception. The colony Fort cokimanded the river. Its block houses were armed with a part of the field artillery brought from England in 1813, and were so near the water's edge, that, even armed with musketry, no craft could pass in safety without the permission of those who occupied it. These difficulties were neither overlooked nor despised by Mr. McDonell who immediately adopted and began to put in execution such plans as appeared to him to be best adapted for the protection of the persons and property under his charge, arid for the purpose of enabling him to accomplish that object, he saw the necessity of having the number of his men increased. He sent messengers and letters to the North-West Company's agents on the Saskatche- wan and on Swan River, and his appeal met with a favorable 148 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. response. A number of men were sent from the above districts and those sent were half-breeds (half-indians), the sons of French Canadian fathers by Indian mothers ; the major part of whom were no doubt Freemen who roamed over the plains and through the forests, following the chase, with few if any exceptions, desti- tute of the most trifling rudiments of civilization, and as barbarous as their aboriginal relatives among whom they lived. Unfortun- ately such were the auxilaries which were sent from all quarters to Mr. McDonell's aid. Their first operation was the interception of four or five flat bottomed boats loaded with pemican, and hav- ing on board from thirty to forty packs of furs. Mr. James Sutherland was in charge of the boats and property; they seized the whole, but restored one of the boats and a sufficient quantity of provisions to take Mr. Sutherland and his men to Fort Douglass, all of whom they allowed to go on except two, Mr. Pambrun and Mr. James Bird, junior, whom they kept prisoners. When Mr. Sutherland and his party arrived at Fort Douglas without the pemican, and told of the clouds that were gathering in the west, Mr. Eobertson concluded that his best plan would be to leave the Eed Eiver and pass on to Hudson's Bay, which resolution he speedily put into execution ; but, before he left Mr. Duncan Cameron was embarked in a light boat and sent off for York Factory. This gentleman had nothing to complain of at York Factory, and after some months detainment he was shipped for England, but before the ship reached the straits, the ice had become too solid for her to penetrate through it; and, being repulsed in her attempt, she had to put back to Charlton Island where she lay during the winter months, and when the ice on the bay had become sufficiently strong to travel on, the passengers went to Moose Factory, where Mr. Cameron, in common with the rest, remained until the following July, (1817), when they depart- ed for England, where in due time, the ship with her passengers arrived safely. After Mr. Cameron had been taken, in bond, from the heart of the American continent to England and after seven- teen months' imprisoimient, he was set free without ever having been brought to trial, and, that, just because neither the one party nor the other was desirous of bringing its rival's illegal actions before HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 143: a couit of Justice iu England. The Hudson's Bay Company, no doubt, feared that their many acts of aggression against the rights of their opponents, would not be justified in a court of law. The North- West Company's agents, on the other hand, had no desire to test the validity of the charter before a competent tribunal ^ fearing,that if a legal decision would be given against it, swarms of trappers and traders would pour into the country against whom both companies would have to contend and increase the troubles that so distracted the minds of all who were, at the time, in the Indian country. Mr. Duncan Cameron, after a short stay in Eng- land, returned to Canada where he spent the remainder of his days in peace and quietness and died at a good old age. He had scarcely lost sight of Fort Gibralter before it was torn down by the Hudson Bay Company's men. All the serviceable timber was rafted down to Fort Douglas and used in new erections within the place ; the refuse was consumed by iire and the mud chimnies were the only remaining vestiges to point out where once that far-famed Fort stood. After this long degression we shall return to the colonists whom we left scattered over the Dacotah plains where they had to en- dure such privations as are generally the lot of those who depend for their subsistence on the chase. Fortunately for them, his Lordship had engaged to furnish them with provisions for some months after their arrival in the colony, but, notwithstanding every effort made to supply their wants, they had to fast one day and half starve the other. They likewise suffered severely from ex^ posure to the inclemency of the season, very different from the mild winters which they had been accustomed to in their native land. Thus the winter of 1815 and 1816 was passed by those who may appropriately be handed down to posterity as " The Pilgrim fathers of the Eed River Colony." As the spring advanced, the cold, a fertile source of the sufferings endured by the settlers, was daily diminishing ; the snow began to disappear, wild fowl were plentiful in every pond and marsh, fish became abundant in the rivers, and every person who had thrift to hunt for food could obtain it. Influenced by this favorable change of circumstances, all who wintered on the plains turned their steps towards Pembina, 144 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. ■where they all met in April and remained until the navigation became free, when they descended by water to Fort Douglas. The Oovernor gave each family a lot of land, and a few Indian ironies "were distributed among them, which, with the land were to be paid for at some future time, but neither ploughs nor harrows were to be had, nor iron with which to mount them could be had in the colony. The hoe was the only available implement, and a few only of these could be got, and with these feeble instruments they went to work with all their energy to subdue the earth ; men and women commenced to labor, with right good will, on land for which they had paid their money. In a word they felt that they were no longer " tenants at will," but holders of free estate, labor- ing on their own land, from which no tyrannical landlords could remove them. These feelings strengthened their hearts and nerved their arms. Here there v/ere neither stones nor trees to impede their progress ; a boundless open plain lay before them inviting the husbandman to put in the plow ; but, such had been the unac- countable improvidence, of those who were at the hebd of affairs in the colony, that they neglected altogether the importation of iron during the preceding season. The country afforded plenty of ash and oak suitable for plough-making, and there was no want of mechanical skill to construct these implements so important to an agricultural community, but the culpable indifference of His Lord- ship's clerks and men in office, rendered all the facilities offered by the country and the mechanical ingenuity of the settlers of no avail. These settlers, in their native land, had been rather keepers of cattle than tillers of the soil, and we may reasonably beheve that they cherished the hope that before many years would pass they would, by some means, be able to supply what they felt to be their greatest want, namely, domestic cattle. We have stated above that in 1813 the Xorth-West Company's people gave or sold some horn cattle to the Earl of Selkirk's servants in the colony, but they had disappeared in the strife of the two following years. The Canadian traders at the time of which we are writing had a considerable number of domestic cattle, and a grist wind-mill at Swan Eiver. We have already stated that the colonists made vigorous efforts HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 145 to SOW grain and plant potatoes ; seed wheat was scarce, but pota- toes were more plentiful, and each family committed to the earth as much seed as they conld obtain. They procured a tolerable supply of excellent fish, from the bountiful stream that flowed by their dwellings. Everything appeared propitious to their un- dertaking ; fortune seemed to smile on all their efforts, the seed sown sprung up and promised to bestow a rich reward on their labors. Their weary and depressed spirits were revived by the fair prospect which they beheld in the vesta of coming time andt he reasonable hope of food for the coming winter and the gratifying belief that they had at last found homes and a resting place. But, alas ! man's lot on earth is biit a checkered scene at best ; and, as the serenest sky and brightest sunshine are often obscured by dark and threatening clouds, so was the sunshine of their anticipated happiness darkened ; adverse clouds were swiftly gathering around their devoted heads, which speedily poured forth an irresistible tempest that desolated their habitations and drove them out home- less and helpless wanderers on the voyage of life. The tragedy of the 19th day of June, 1816, destroyed all their prospects and dispersed them for the second time. The seed sown grew and brought forth abundantly, but the fowls of heaven reaped the har- vest and enjoyed the fruit thereof. After having narrated the trials and siifferings of last winter ; and the fa\'orable prospects of the last spring, we shall leave them for a short time and turn our attention to Mr. McDonell's move- ments. He and his haK-breeds made their appearance, about the middle of June, at Portage la Prairie, being desirous, as he pro- fessed, to prevent a contest between his men and those under Governor Semple's command. A brigade of canoes, from Fort William, was expected to arrive in Eed Eiver about the 20th of June. Mr. McDonell knew that those in possession of Fort Douglas could blockade the river, at that point, and cut off all com- munication between the expected canoes and the North-West Company's servants encamped at Portage la Prairie. He knew that any attempt, made by his people, to pass up or down by water, would end in a collision of the rival parties and the proba- ble discomfiturj of the Canadian traders and the ruin of their iB 146 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. interest in the Red River country. To avoid this dreaded result, the North-West Company's servants essayed to open the commun- ication, by land, between the stations on the Assiniboine and Lake Winnipeg, to effect that object. About sixty men, chiefly half- breeds and a few Indians were each provided with a horse, some bags of pemican were given them, part of which they were to use, the balance was to be given to the people, in the canoes, whom they were expected to meet on their way down the river. On leavmg Portage la Prairie, Mr. McDonell gave them express orders to pass at a distance behind Fort Douglas and the colony ; to molest no person, and, if possible, to avoid all observation. In pursuance of these orders, on the evening of the 19th day of June, 1816, the party proceeded by the edge of a swamp, about two miles from the Fort, with the intention of turning into the usual path, at a little distance below it. One half of the party had passed, if not unobserved, at least unpursued, and had reached Frog Plains, fully four miles below the Fort. Here they found a few colonists whom they detained as prisoners, but treated them well in every other respect. As the second party of the half- breeds, about one-half of the whole brigade, was passing down, they were, by the aid of a telescope, observed by a sentinel who was on the look-out on the top of the Fort. Governor Semple anxious, we may suppose, to execute his employers orders, saw the necessity of preventing, if possible, the North- West people who were up the river joining those who were expected to arrive from below. This is the North- West Company'sedition of the movements of the half-breeds up to the time they met Gov- ernor Semple. And here we shall give the testimony of a gentleman who was present at the iU-advised and ever to be lamented conflict which took place between the rival parties on the 19th day of June, 1816. Mr. Pritchard in his narrative, says:— "On the afternoon of the 19th June a man in the watch-house called out that the half-breeds were coming. The Governor, some gentlemen and myself looked through spy-glasses and saw dis- tinctly some armed people passing along the plains. A man then calling out " they," meaning the half-breeds, " are making for the settlers "; on which the Governor said, " we must go out and meet HISTORY OY MANITOBA. 147 these people, let twenty men follow me." We proceeded by the old road leading down to the settlement. As we were going along we met many of the settlers running to the Fort, crying "the half- breeds, the half-breeds." When we were advanced about three quai*ters of a nule along the settlement, we saw some people on horseback behind a point of woods. On a nearer approach the paity appeared to be more numerous, on which the Governor made a halt and sent for a field piece, which, delaying to arrive, he ordered us to advance. We had not proceeded far before the half- breeds on horseback, with their faces painted in the most hideous manner, and in the dress of Indian warriors, came forward and surrounded us in the form of a half-moon. We then extended our line and moved more into the plain, and as they advanced, we retreated a few steps backwards and then saw a Canadian named Bouchier ride up to us waiving his hand, and calling out, " What do you want ? " The Governor replied, " What do you want ? " To which Bouchier answered, " We want our Fort," to which the G<)vernor said, " Go to your Fort." They were by this time near each other and consequently spoke too low for me to hear. Being at some little distance to the right of the Governor, I saw him take hold of Bouchier's gun and in a moment a discharge of fire- arms took place ; but whether it began on our side or by the enemy it was impossible to distinguish. My attention was theji directed towards my personal defence. In a few minutes almost all our people were killed or wounded. Captain Rogers, having fallen, rose up again and came towards me, when, not seeing one of our party that was not either killed or wounded, I called to him, " For God's sake give yourself up." He ran towards the enemy for that purpose, myself following him. He raised up his hands, and in Eng- lish and broken French, called out for mercy ; a half-breed, son of Col. William McKay, shot him through the head, and another ripped opened his belly with a knife while uttering the most horrid impre- cations. Fortunately for me, a Canadian named Lavigne joined his entreaties with mine and saved me, though with the greatest difficulty, from sharing the fate of my friend at that moment. I was rescued from death in the most providential manner, no less than six times, on my road to and at the Frog Plain, the head- 148 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. quarters of these cruel murderers. No quarter was given to any of the party, except to myself. The knife, the axe, or the ball put a period to the existence of the wounded ; and such horrible bar- barities were practiced on the bodies of the dead as characterises the inhuman heart of the savage. The mild and amiable Mr. Sample, lying on his side, his thigh broken, and supporting his head on his hand, addressed the chief commander of our enemies by inquiring if he was Mr. Grant, and being answered in the affirmative, said, " I am not mjrtally wounded and if you could get me conveyed to the Fort, I think I would live." Grant promised to do so ; and immediately left him in the care of a Canadian, who afterwards told that an Indian of their party came up and shot Mr. Semple in the breast. I entreated Mr. Grant to procure me Mr. Semples watch or seals for the purpose of trans- mitting them to his friends, but I did not succeed. Our force amounted to twenty-eight men of whom twenty-one were killed and one wounded. These were Governor Semple, Captain Eogers, Mr. James White, surgeon; Mr. Wilkinson, pri- vate secretary to the Governor ; Lieutenant Holt, of the Swedish navy, and Mr. Alexander McLean, a settler, with iifteen laboring men. J. P. Bourke was wounded in his retreat to the Fort. The enemy I am told, were sixty-two in number, the greater part of whom were the regularly engaged clerks and servants of the North- West Company. They had one man killed and another wounded. On the field I saw six of the North- West Company's Canadian servants, viz. : Bouchier, Morin, Deschamp, Joseph Hesse, Magian, and Lavigne. AU parties agxee that the half-breeds were on horse- back when they passed down the country, and agree that Governor Semple mustered his men and followed the road that led north and parallel to Eed Eiver, in order to meet the North- West Com- pany's men when they came to the road that led to the north. Semple's followers numbered twenty-eight or thirty men, most of them young lads unaccustomed to the use of fire-arms, and desti- tute, we may well suppose, of that self-reliance which every expert and well tried marksman possesses, even when confronted with the most imminent danger. Some of the settlers pressed their be- loved Governor to grant them permission to accompany him, but HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 149 he prudently refused their kind otfers and enjoined on them the necessity of remaining in the Fort with their famihes. While thus careful of the lives and comfort of others, this conscientious and high-minded gentleman was constmined by his sense of honor and devotion to what he believed to be the inalienable rights of his employers, to leave his Fort and meet the party that was passing by. It is likely that he and the North- West party came at the same time, to the place known as the Seven Oaks. We shall now give the North- West Company's version of the affair at the Seven Oaks, which is corroborated in almost every particular by the settlers who were in the colony at the time. This version states that on meeting the Hudson's Bay men, the half-breeds sent one of their number, a Canadian named Bouchier, who spoke English, to enquire of the Governor his object in pursuing them in a hostile manner. Bouchier rode up to the Governor, some words passed between them, upon which Mr. Semple took hold of Bouchier's horse by the bridle, disarmed him and ordered him -to betaken prisorier, and that on his attempting to escape, the Governor ordered his men to fire immediately at Bouchier, and when his people hesitated, seeing the danger they would incur in such a conflict, he was more pre- emptory in his commands, accusing them of cowardice for not immediately obeying. His orders were at last obeyed by some of his party and of the shots fired one passed by Bouchier's ear in lis flight, and another through the blanket of an Indian who was advancing in the attitude and with the language of friendship. Seeing himself thus treacherously assaulted, the Indian levelled his gun and fired in return, which example his party followed, and the melancholy result of the conflict was that the Indians rushing in, Mr. Semple and about twenty of his people lost their lives, and one half-breed and an Indian on the other side. After the coalition of the two companies, when party interest required no longer to be propped up by any fabrications that woi^ s^rve that purpose, all parties agreed in acknowledging that the first shot was from Lieutenant Holt's piece which went off acci- dentally. On hearing the report, Bouchier fancied that he had been fired at and instinctively threw himself from his horse. His 150 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. companions hearing the shot and seeing Bouchier slip, or as they most likely thought, tumble wounded, if not dead, to the ground, threw themselves from their horses, each man turning his horse into what may be termed " a breast work," fired steadily over its back into the crowd of men that were before them and who were doubtless taken unprepared and by surprise. The settlers who were at the time in the Colony Fort, state that they always understood that the first shot went off accidentally from Holt's gun. However, no one was injured by that shot, yet we may suppose that it was the cause, indirectly of all the firing that ensued. Mr. Sample was first wounded in the arm, and a second shot broke his thigh bone. When in this helpless condi- tion he implored Mr. Cuthbert Grant to get him conveyed to the Fort, where he might be attended to, stating that he was not mor- tally wounded, and would recover, if medical aid could be procured. Mr. Grant consigned him to the care of one of his party, and while that person was standing over him an Indian came up to them saying, "you dog you have been the cause of all this and shall not live," and at the same time shot him through the breast, causing immediate death. Eigit of the Hudson's Bay men fell with him at Seven Oaks, the rest, thirteen in nuinber, fell between the Seven Oaks and the Fort. A few got into the woods, that at that early date fringed the river on the west bank, thence crossed the river, hid themselves during the day, and after nightfall recrossed to the Fort. We have seen by Mr. Pritchard's narrative that Mr. Bourke was ordered by Governor Semple to go back to the Fort, and to bring out a field-piece ; but, before Mr. Bourke had left the Fort with the field-piece the work of destruc-" tion had begun and nearly completed, and he and his party had not proceeded far on their way to join, the Governor before they met some of the fugitives running for their lives towards the Fort. The half-breeds, intoxicated, we may well suppose, with their easy victory, were frantically galloping after them, whooping and yell- ing like so many incarnate fiends. However, Mr. Bourke and his party drew near, and when the victors perceived that they were supported by a field-piece, they began to show their dread of its power, by keeping at a respectable distance from it. Yet, they did HISTOKY OF MANITOBA. 151 not cease annoying the retreating party; they spread over the plains, each loaded his piece as quickly as he could, turned about his steed, darted forward at full speed as far as the terror of the field-piece would permit, fire his gun, then gallop off to a safe dis- tance from the dreaded cannon. Thus each one in his turn con- tinued to annoy the retreating party until they saw the guns in the watch-towei's on the Fort. By them they were admonished to beat a retreat. Mr. Bourke, no doubt, had the pleasure and the merit of saving the lives of a few of his friends and feUow servants, who had the good fortune of getting under the protecting influence of the field-piece ; but, unfortunately, Mr. Bourke did not escape unhurt. He received a ball wound in his leg, from which he suf- fered occasionally during the whole period of his after life. Many of the colonists were in the Fort, either on business or for protection, before the Governor and his party left it. These, or at least some of them, made him an offer of their services, which he declined, as we have stated before. Others, alarmed by the constant report of discharged firearms, which took place in the afternoon, hastened to their "city of refuge," the Fort, so that before night came on most of the settlers were within its defences. How- ever, their lodgings were not of the most desirable kind. Men, women and children had to crowd together in a house that was in course of erection ; the walls had been logged but the seams were open and the apertures for the windows had neither parchment nor glass in them. The night passed quietly without any alarm, yet it was passed in the most agonizing terror. They had heard the sad tale of the savage butchery at the Seven Oaks, and they did not know how soon a similar fate might be their own. Mr. John Pritchart had been taken by his captors to their head-quarters at Frog Plains, and had to bear many threats and bitter insults from his savage tormenters. However, by many humble and pressing entreaties, assisted by Mr. Cuthbert Grant's all powerful interces- sion, he was at last permitted to leave for the Fort, accompanied part of the way by Mr. Grant, for the purpose of protecting him from any of the half-breeds that might be prowling about near the road. When he arrived at the Fort he found the inmates in a miserably distracted condition. It is true, none of the settlers, 152 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. properly so called, were present in the affair of the preceding day except Mr. McLean, who was unfortunately slain, leaving a widow and three small children to deplore his untimely end and their own sad bereavement. The families who had not hitherto lost any of their members, could not say what even an hour might bring to pass. Their first resolution was to defend the place at all hazards, but, on further and more mature consideration, they saw clearly that they could not do so with any prospect of success. The available force did not exceed thirty men, and these men were undisciplined and un- accustomed to the use of arms ; moreover the provision stores were nearly empty. But, while still engaged in delibemting on the most advisable course for them to adopt, under existing circum- stances, Mr. Pritchard appeared at the place, with some vague promises, viz. : that their lives would be spared if they would immediately surrender the place, without offering any resistance. This promise was accompanied by the terrible threat that if they fired a single shot at those who were preparing to advance on the place the following day, men, women and children would be in- discriminately slaughtered. The colonists could not or would not agree to the terms offered, stating at the same time, that, although they knew the untenable nature of their position and the desperate condition to which they were reduced, resistance, so long as they could offer any, was all that remained for them, unless the enemy would grant better terms. To obtain these Mr. Pritchard was despatched a second and a third time to Mr. Grant to negotiate terms of surrender. At last it was stipulated that the Governor, Mr. Alex. McDonell, (the former sheriff), and his people were to evacuate the Fort and be permitted to take all their private prop- erty, and be supplied with boats and provisions to take them to the north end of Lake Winnipeg. And further, that all the public property, (i. e.) the property belonging to the Earl of Selkirk, was to be taken possession of, for the indemnification of the North- West Company. While the negotiations were pending, the settlers had time to reflect. They considered the number and ferocity of their enemies, they knew that they had large supplies of provisions within easy reach, they had heard of parties of North- HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 15S West people being on their way to the Eed River, both from tha north and from Fort William. All these facts and statements after serious deliberation, inclined them to accept the terms offered. In due time Mr. Grant and a number of his men appeared before the Fort. Mr. Alexander McDonell, and a few of hig people marched out bearing a white sheet tied to the end of a pole, which was made to do duty for a flag of ti-uce. The parties met and the treaty was ratified. The keys of the stronghold were formally^ handed to Mr. Grant, who entered in and took possession. Oi-der- was preserved and, as soon as convenient, an inventory of all the goods in the place was taken, each sheet of the inventory being signed as follows : '' Received on account of the North-West Company by me, Cuthbert Grant, clerk for the North- West Company." A copy of the inventory was given to Mr. McDonell, Mr. Grant; kept another copy for the information, or benefit, of his employers. In justice to Mr. Grant's memory, and injustice to the feelings of his numerous and respectable descendants, we must say that the settlers, who were in the colony at the time said unanimously that Mr. Grant treated them with great kindness, and seemed to take pleasure in saying that, under the overruling of a kind providence, they owed the preservation of their lives and property to that gentleman's efforts in their behalf. After the Fort had been taken possession of, and some order and confidence had been restored, Mr. Angus Matheson, with a few of the leading settlers, waited on Mr. Grant, and took the liberty of remonstrating with him on the inhumanity of leaving the remains of those who had been slain, unburied, exposed to dogs, wolves and vultures; at the same time requesting a guard, for protection, while occupied in search for the dead and removing them to the Fort. Mr. Grant directed Mr. Matheson to take a party of settlers, with him, and go and bury the dead, assuring him, at the same time, that none of his followers would molest them while perform-, ing that sad duty. Being thus assured the party went forth and gathered up the scattered remains of eight or nine men who fell at the Seven Oaks. Among them they found the remains of their- kind friend and benefactor, Governor Semple. After they saw the 154 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. scene that lay before them they were enabled to form some faint idea of the savage barbarity practiced on the dead, and the merci- less cruelty that finished every wounded unfortunate that fell into their hands. However distressing the task was to their feelings, these kind and devoted friends, assisted by a number of Pigeoi's friendly Indians, went to work, to perform the last sad duty to their friends and countrymen. In many cases the mangled remains could not be removed and had to be interred where they lay. A few were taken to the Fort and buried in its vicinity. On the 22nd of June Mr. Alexander McDonell and his people ■evacuated the Fort, leaving Mr. Grant and his followers in full possession. The vanquished and retreating party were furnished with boats and provided with provisions after which they hade farewell, for a time, to Fort Douglass. One of the North-West Company's people was placed in each boat to show any marauders, half-breeds or Indians, who might be lurking near the river for the purpose of annoying the fugitives, that they could not do so with- out being detected. While the boats were passing down the river, Mr. Grant, accompanied by a few of the most reliable of his men, rode down the plains keeping some short distance in advance of the boats, escorting them until he thought that they were past all danger, when those escorts who were in the boats, landed and returned with Mr. Grant to the Fort. The sorely distressed strangers passed on towards Lake Winnipeg, and on the morning of the 23rd met a large brigade of North- West Company's canoes "which were on their way up the Eed Eiver, and was no doubt the brigade expected by Mr. Alexander McDonell, and to which he sent the half-breeds with provisions, and for the purpose of pro- tecting them while ascending the river. Messrs. Alexander Mc- Kenzie and Norman Archibald McLeod and Eobert Henry, were in charge of the canoes. These gentlemen spoke kindly to their unfortunate countrymen and endeavored to persuade those among "them, who were on their way to Hudson's Bay, to change their minds and accept a passage to Upper Canada, at the same time pointing out to them the great advantages they would enjoy in a ■country where civilization had made great progress, where persons and property were protected by laws wisely enacted and efficiently HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 155 executed. Some felt disposed to accept the offers made by these new friends, bat the greater portion had firmly resolved on return- ing to their native mountains, and although differing in opinion, yet the ties of kindred and affection were too strong to permit them to separate. They considered their prospect of success in Eed Eiver hopeless while the country continued in such a state as prevailed during the last three years, which state was ushered in by the aggTessive policy adopted by the Earl of Selkirk and the stern resistance with which these aggressions were now met by the other party. While the emigrants and the North- West gentlemen were together, the latter took the liberty, according to the improved morality of the times, of breaking open Governor Semple's trunks, and of reading all the letters and papers which they found, and no doubt, kept all of them that might, at some future time, be turned to account in favor of their company. After this little business had been dispatched, a few prisoners taken and a few witnesses to give evidence in the Lower Canada law courts were embarked on board the canoes ; the colonists proceeded on to the lake, and aiTived in due time safely and all well at Jack Eiver, at the north end of Lake Winnipeg, where we shall leave them for the present. The north canoes, or some of them, proceeded up the river and found the Fort in possession of their own servants and dependents. After a stay of a few hours they returned for Fort William where they arrived on the 10th day of July. The North- West Company, thus accounts for this expedition which they sent into the interior at so unusual a period of the season : " Early in the spring rumors reacted Fort William of the destruction of the pro- vision posts, and fearful that these aggi-essions might be extended to the interception of their trade in the upper Red River, the Saskatchewan, and even the trade from the north might be detained in the interior or easily sent down to York Factory, either of which would ruin their immense trade throughout the Indian Territories, and, to prevent so dire a misfortune, as soon as the spring canoes arrived from Montreal, it was judged expedient to send a reinforcement to the relief of the servants and part- ners in the interior. For the accomplishment of that object sixty men were dis- patched from Fort William in light canoes for the interior, with instractions to avail themselves of the aid of Indians if judged necessary," This brigade, as stated above, arrived in the Eed Eiver on the 156 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. morning of the twenty-third and after a short stay with the settlers at Netley Creek, a couple of canoes proceeded up the river, and, learning the navigation was now free for Mr. McDonell and his people, they returned to Netley Creek, and met a number of North- West partners, who had wintered at different places in the interior. These had arrived at their depot at La has de la Eiviere Winni- peg, but finding no provisions to supply them to Fort William, they manned a few light canoes and made for Eed Eiver to get provisions, or find out the reason why none was to be had, as in former years. After these met they turned their backs for the present on the Eed Eiver and made for Fort William on Lake Superior. The North- West Company's agents in Montreal knew that His Lordship of Selkirk, had engaged and regimented under two cap- tains, seconded by two lieutenants, about 140 mercenary foreign soldiers of De Meuron and Wattevile's regiments, with whom he intended to proceed to the Eed Eiver. The Indians and the Canadians (both the engaged and the free) could be easily persuad- ed that these were His Majesty's troops, placed at His Lordship's command to drive his rivals in trade out of the country. To counteract such idea or impression on the minds of their own servants and on the minds of the Indians, they engaged two lieu- tenants of the discharged De Meuron's, and brought these two officers, in the light canoes, to the very scene of their contention. First, that their own servants and the Indians might see that they also had soldiers, and would be led to infer from that fact that the North- West Company was under the protection of His Majesty's Government, and in the second place, that these gentlemen, being independent of the contending parties, would have no interest in misrepresenting anything that might take place between the rivals, so far as the same would come under their observation. Thus, we have been minute in laying before the reader all the information that we have been able to collect, that threw any light on the feuds of those unhappy times. And we have been fortunate in being able to appeal, for our information, to the testi- mony of living witnesses, and not reduced to the necessity of HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 157 depending for our knowledge of past events on the special plead- ing of interested parties. In narrating the transactions of the eventful summer of 1816, we cannot pass unnoticed a deplorable incident which occured on the River Winnipeg. We have stated above that Mr. Owen Keveny came into Hudson's Bay in 1812, at the head of the Irishmen who came into the country that year. After passing one ■winter in Eed River, he returned to Ireland and came back in the fall of 1815 to Hudson's Bay, and passed the winter in the southern department. On the opening of navigation the following spring he had a boat fitted out at Albany, with a crew consisting of two half-breeds, the one a bowman, the other a steersman, in the middle were four Irishmen, making the usual number that are generally employed in working what is termed an inland boat. They made slow progress ; the Irishmen quarrelled among them- selves and were disobedient to their commanders. On their way ' up the river they met the inland boats going for the Bay with the proceeds of last winter's trade. In one of these was a young man who had fulfilled the term of his engagement with the Company, and who was on his way to the Factory, with the view of return- ing to his native land to assist his aged parents to manage their farm. Mr, Keveny commanded his constable, Tom Castello, to seize the young man, who, regardless of his entreaties, forced him into Keveny's boat. The Irishmen were noisy and refractory, and for the least umbrage given their irascible leader the unfortunate offending party would be made to run the gauntlet, and in cases of a graver character the culprit would be bound to a tree and receive a few stripes on his bare back. Two sentinels were posted every night : the duty of one of them was to stand with loaded musket and fixed bayonet in the boat all night, the other sentinel had to walk his lonely rounds before his chief's tent door, who passed the night in watching his sentinels. One of these unfortunate men, overcome by lassitude, sat down and fell fast asleep. Mr. Keveny, in true miUtary style, went the rounds and found the man, to whose vigilance his personal safety had been entrusted, enjoying his rest. He began to apply the toe of his boot to the defaulter's person, for the purpose of restoring him to conscious- 168 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. ness. The unhappy object of this rude assault, half asleep, started to his feet, but, before he could think of either flying or resisting, his tormenter seized the miserable man's bayonet and plunged it into his victor's hip. After this gaUant exploit he retired to his tent, leaving the wounded man to staunch the bleeding as best he could. We shall mention one instance more of the manner in ' which Mr. Keveny treated his men. These poor fellows, deprived of rest by night and forced to toil at the oar and on the portages by day, it is not surprising that these over-wrought men should be over-come by sleep, when working under the oppressive heat of a July sun, from dawn to dark. Mr. Keveny could not endure these symtoms of weakness in man's physical nature, and to remedy the evU tendency he decided on making an example of Hay, who fell fast asleep in his seat while holding the oar in his hand. To effect the remedy Mr. Keveny loaded his gun with powder and fired it in the sleeping man's face, at so close a distance that the skin was completely burnt and the countenance disfigured and blackened by. particles of unexploded powder that lodged in the skin. However, in spite of all troubles and difficulties, as time passed on, they were approaching near to Red Eiver, and in coming down EngHsh Eiver, near where it falls into Winnipeg River, they met some Indians who informed them of the slaughter at the Eed River, and of the departure of the settlers for Jack Eiver. After the above information the two half-breeds, Hugh Linklater and David Sanders, and the two or three families of Freemen who had accompanied them from the Bay, with the intention of settling in the colony, turned back under cover of the night, to rejoin the Indians whom they had passed on the preceding day, judging that if once there they would be far enough removed to render them secure from all molestation on the part of their deserted master, who would at once see that there was no chance of his being able with his half-manned boat, to .overtake the deserters. He, notwith- standing the weakness of his crew and the rough and dangerous nature of the navigation that intervened between him and Lake Winnipeg, proceeded on his voyage. Misfortunes often succeed each other, and so Mr. Keveny's experience fuUy proved. The next night all his men, except three, made their escape, and the HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 15» sorely giieved and irritated chief had to order his clerk, Mr. Colly, to steer the boat. Day after day did these four men work on rowing, carrying and launching the craft when they could not ven-^ ture to descend by water, thus doing the work of seven or eight men. After a long and patient struggle they arrived at the lower fall on the river Winnipeg, at a distance of fifteen or sixteen miles from the North-West Company's Fort at Bas de la Eiver. (The H. B. Co. had no post at that place in the year 1816). These men were ignorant of the distance and of the nature of the road that lay between them and the Fort ; but, as they were toiling on the port-* age, an Indian woman, who was on her way up the river, (one of the men who was still with Mr. Keveny could speak the Indian language), was met, and they learned from her that the Fort was on the same side of the river on which they were, that neither river nor lake was between them and it, and that the journey could easily be performed on foot in half a day. During a day of hard labour they succeeded in getting the boat and cargo, before sunset, over the acclivity to the height of the portage. For the first time, since they left Albany, their chief told them to cease labor. Some rations were dealt out to them and, contrary to the usual custom, each man received three days' allowance. The two Hibernians treated themselves to a more luxurious evening meal than any they had enjoyed for a long time before — almost all the rations given them disappeared. After supper they went to rest, pretended to be asleep, but resolutely resisted its approaches. They watched the movements of their leader and, after some time, ob.. served that he had not only gone to bed but that he had fallen into a sound sleep. Night spread her sable mantle over forest, lake and stream, a few stars dimly twinkled through the broken clouds. The time and situation were favorable for the accomplishment of their object which was nothing less than emancipating themselves from the in-, tolerable tyranny of their harsh and cruel master. They slung their aU on their backs and directed their steps towards the North- West Company's Fort where they arrived at an early hour the following morning, and were received very kindly by the gentleman in charge of the place. The Orkneyman, more considerate than his 160 HISTOEY OF MANITOBA. friends from the Emerald Isle, and perhaps more devoted to the performance of his duty, could not be persuaded by all that his companions could say to leave his post and accompany them. He says, that while descending the Eiver Winnipeg, he often wished tor a fight with the North-West men, in which he might chance to find an honorable termination to his miserable existence, yet, here lie remained for some hours, his mind agitated by distracting fears and saddened by the monotonous roar of the heavy waterfall near him. He did not like to throw himself on the mercy of the French ' — he had had several squabbles with North- West men during the preceding winter — he did not understand their language, all the tJBie forgetting that these Frenchmen were his fellow-subjects, and in nine eases in every ten officered by his own countrymen from Scotland. After thinking again and again on the difficulties of his position, he came to the conclusion that there was less dan- ger in trusting to the mercy of the Canadians (notwithstanding his ignorance of their language), than in facing Mr. Keveny in the morning, who, on discovering that his two men had deserted, might in a fit of rage blow out his brains for aiding and concealing their flight. Having arrived at the above conclusion, he deter- mined on his future course of action. Towards morning he left Ihe sleeping Mr. Keveny and the camp, and followed the river to'wards Lake Winnipeg. He did not go far before the Eastern sky began to give tokens of approaching day and our traveller, in dread of being pursued and discovered, turned into the forest to conceal biniself and to rest his weary body and troubled mind. Nature, ever kind, had here prepared a bed of soft velvety moss on which be lay down and was soon immersed in deep sleep. The sun was high in the sky when he opened his eyes and feeling much refreshed lost no time in resuming his journey and, fortunately for him, he bad not proceeded far before he discovered a brigade of North- West Company's canoes sailing down the river before a ftrong breeze of south wind. Our lonely traveller hung out a signal of distress, ■which was observed by those in the canoes. One of them hauled to the wind, crossed the river and took him on board, when he found that the Canadians were not only very kind, but that some of them could speak very good English. A short time brought HISTORY OF MANITOB.A. 16i them to Fort Alexander, of which Mr. Archibald McLellan -vrsis in charge, who treated the stranger kindly; lodged him in his kitchen and ordered him to be fed at the same table with the Fort people. Here he found three of his former companions who were all well satisfied with the change in their condition. The following day Mr. A. N. MacLeod arrived from Fort William, on his way to the far North. Mr. MacLeod, being a Justice of the Peace for the Indian Territories, on his arrival at the place, Hoy and Tom Seveny appeared before him and made affidavit, in which they stated some particulars of the tyrannical and cruel manner in which Keveny had treated them on their way from Albany. Mr. MacLeod considered their evidence suffi- ciently strong to justify him in issuing his warrant for Mr. Keveny's apprehension ; and to carry the warrant into exe- cution he swore in Thomas Costello, constable for the Indian Territories, and committed the warrant to him with orders to serve it on his former master. In the afternoon two canoes, bearing the constable and his warrant, were despatched up the river. In one of these canoes were two half-breeds, the constable Costello and De Eeinhard. The other canoe carried three half-breeds and a North-West Company's clerk. These canoes arrived early the folL^wing morning at the boat, where they found Mr. Keveny, on whom the warrant was served. They left the clerk with Mr. Colly at the boat and proceeded down the river to the Fort with the prisoner, who was apparently received by the gentlemen there with great kindness, and dined with Mr. McLellan at the officers' mess. The canoe-men, who had arrived that day at the place, in the morning commenced dancing, their favourite amusement, and when all the people in the place were intently occupied in merry-making, the prisoner attempted to scale the stock- ades ; but he was observed by a little girl who chanced to be standing in the yard, and who made the fact known to the dancers, who rushed out and succeeded in securing the unfortunate Mr. Keveny, who was at once confined to his K 162 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. room, and a sentinel armed with one of his Lorship's- muskets placed at the door. After having been detained two or three nights at the Fort, he was sent off for Fort William in a canoe manned by three half-breeds, who were accompanied by another canoe with an eq'ual number of men. The day after Mr. Keveny's departure, the men who^ had formed part of his boat's crew and who were then at Bas de la Riviire, were, with five other men, sent up th,^ river to bring down the boat and property, which consisted of a chest of arms, a distil, some casks of salt beef, flour, etc., with four calves which Mr. Keveny had taken from Osna- burgh for the purpose of raising stock in the colony. In due time the boat was taken to the Fort, and Mr. Golly, the clerk, being left without a master, and unable to go to any of the Hudson's Bay Company's Posts on Lake Winnipeg, or to take the boat and property back, requested Mr. McLellan to- take charge of the same. To this the latter gentleman agreed ; and the property being formally delivered, he gave his receipt to Mr. Colly therefor. This business being arranged, the Hudson's Bay clerk was desirous of returning to Albany and lost no time in applying to Mr. McLellan for a canoe and provisions. These also were granted, and Mr. Colly and James Corregan set out for Hudson's Bay, where they arrived safely in the beginning of October, in the year 1816. We have stated that after a few days detention at Bas de la RivUre, Mr. Keveny had been sent off for Fort William, and the day after his boat and cargo were brought to the Fort by one Primo, who delivered to Mr. McLellan Mr. Keveny's papers, books, a wine flagon, a candlestick, cups, and some other little things ; and took for his own benefit the clothing left by Mr. Keveny when he was sent off for Lake Superior. Among the papers were found printed instructions from the Hudson's Bay Company. Here we may observe, that Mr. Keveny "s boat had been fitted up m warlike style; she carried a blunderbuss of formidable length and calibre on her bow, which turned on a pivot HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 163 and could be brought to bear on any point either to the right or to the left. It carried a large chest of muskets and bayonets, cartridge boxes and ammunition in great abund- ance. This boat was altogether different, in its warlike- equipment, from any that navigated those waters before its time or since, until the 60th and the Canadian volunteers came in by the River Winnipeg, in 18*70. We are informed in De Eeinhard's declaration and confession, made before the Earl of Selkirk, at Fort William, on the third day of November, 1816, that the half-breeds who had been sent oif with Keveny had been furnished with hand cuffs to bind their prisoner if he should become unmanageable, and further on in the same declaration we find these words : — I have learned afterwards from the half breeds that, having arrived at the Portage, the prisoner became so u:iruly that they were under the necessity of putting him in irons. The rest of the unfortunate Owen K.eveny's deplorable history we gather from other depositions taken at Fort William before the Earl of Selkirk, in October of the same year. Baptiste Lapointe's and Hubert Faye's depositions agree in the leading facts given in their evidence. Both say that they left Lac la Pluie in M r. Alexander McDonell's canoe, who was on his way to Red River, where he was to pass the winter. When they arrived at Pine Point they met five Bois-BriiUs in two small canoes, with a man whom they called Keveny in hand cuffs and with his wrists swollen, and, who, the Bois-BrM6s said, had been made prisoner because he had killed two or three of his men. Mr. McDonell ordered Lapointe and Faye to take charge of the prisoner, and placed with them in the canoe an Indian named Joseph, to guide them to Lac la Pluie. After nine days' travelling including stoppages, they met Mr. Stuart and the English River partner, Mr. Thomson, a few miles above Rat Portage. These gentlemen told them to turn back ; but their little canoe not being able to keep up with the brigade they were obliged to land. The Indian, who from the first had attempted to kill Mr. Keveny, again levelled his piece but 164 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. was prevented. He became so exasperated at this disap- pointment, and also because the two Canadians had at •different times prevented him from killing Mr. Keveny, that he knocked the canoe to pieces with his paddle. Being now without a canoe, the Indian bought another for a blanket, in which he embarked with the two Canadians, leaving Mr. .Keveny on the shore. Then they set out for Eas de la Riviere, and after proceed- ing till night the Indian, who had attempted to kill both the Canadians, left them, and the Canadians having lost their canoe remained in that place four days. At the end of that time a canoe arrived with Mr. Archibald McLellan, Mr. -G-rant, Mr. Reinhard and Mr. Cadot, with five or six Bois Brules, accompanied by their constant attendant, the Indian Joseph, sitting on the front of the canoe, wrapped in a Scotch plaid. Alter several questions about the Indian and the prisoner, the deponent, Baptiste Lapointe, informed Mr. Archi- bald that they had parted with the Indian because he wanted to kill the prisoner and had been prevented by the white >men, and that in revenge he had made an attempt to kill them, when they fought and separated. On hearing this tale Mr. Cadot called them sacres salots for preventing the Indian doing what he had been ordered to do. Mr. McLellan having come on shore at that moment, took a pole and beat the two Canadians. Being ordered to embark in the canoe they arrived the same day, or the day after, at the place where they had left Keveny, but he was no longer there. They found him, however, four or five leagues higher up the river among some Indians. After some conversation between Mr. McLellan and those of their canoe, he ordered them to embark. So says Lapointe's evidence. Hubert Faye says : After some consultation Mr. Archi- bald bought a small canoe for some rum, and Tob ordered them to embark at once, which they did, leaving behind the Indian Joseph, Mr. Reinhard (the Bois-Bruli), Mainville HISTORY OP MANITOBA. 165. and Mr. Keveny, with the small canoe. Mr. McLellan and crew, as stated above, proceeded on their journey, but did not travel beyond three leagues before they put to shore, and soon after saw the small canoe approaching ; and as there were only three persons then in it the Bois-BriiUs said they have at last killed Mr. Keveny, which Mainville, when he arrived, confirmed by saying that the bullet had passed through his neck, and that he had been stabbed in the back by Reinhard and had fallen on the canoe. This is what the two Canadians heard from Mainville's relation of the manner in which the ill-fated Mr. Keveny was murdered. Mr. Reinhard's declaration and confession, made to Captain D'Orsonnens, was much more in detail. The latter was then in possession of the North-West Company's Fort at Lac la Pluie, at the head of a number of Canadians and DeMeurons, in the Earl of Selkirk's service. Reinhard states that he received a copy of the Governor's proclamation, which was brought up from Canada by his Lordship, and circulated among his subordinates. This proclamation was founded on an Act passed in the British Parliament in the 43rd year of the reign of G-eorge the Third, entitled : — An Act for extending the Jurisdiction of the Courts of Justice in the Provinces of Lower Canada and Upper Canada to the trial and punishment of persons gnilly of crimes and offences within certain parts of North America adjoining to these Provinces, It is amongst other things enacted and declared that from and after the passing of the said Statute, all offences committed within any of the Indian Territories, or parts of America not within the limits of the said Provinces of Lower or Upper Canada, or of any civil government of the United States of America, shall be deemed to be oflFences of the same nature, and shall be tried in the same manner, and subject to the same punishment, as if the same had been committed within the Provinces of Lower or Upper Canada. Here we have given the Act, and hereafter we shall place the proclamation before the reader. A few hours after Eeinhard received the letter and its accompanying document, his old friend and companion in arms arrived at the Fort with a number of Hudson's Bay Company's canoe-men and DeMeurons, who took forcible 166 HISTORY OP MANITOBA. possession of it for his Lordship of Selkirk, who had become master of the most important depot, except Fort William, -which the North- West Company occupied in the Indian Territories. "We shall leave the gallant Captain and his DeMeurons for the present, and turn our attention to his Lordship's operations after his arrival at Montreal, in the fall of 1815, where he passed the winter m.onths occupied in engaging voyageiirs and clerks for the fur trade, and in enlisting soldiers and in organizing a military force. The time was favourable for the accomplishment of the latter object, as the war on this continent had bsien terminated, numbers of soldiers had been discharged, and among these were a great number of those who had served in DeMeuron's Regiment. These mercenaries had served in the French armies in Spain, where they had been guilty, according to an account as given by some of themselves, of the most atrocious crimes ever perpetrated by a licentious soldiery in an enemy's country. His Lordship enlisted over 100 of these veterans with two captains, two lieutenants and some non-commis- sioned officers — wishing the rest of the world to believe that he was taking them to his colony as agricultural settlers. We shall see hereafter that his Lordship found other employment for them in every way more congenial to their minds and former habits of life, and they proved themselves fit instruments for the work in which he intended to employ them. We may state, that during his Lordship's stay at Montreal, the North-West Company's Agents made overtures to him for the union of the two companies, which advances were scouted by the Earl. We shall enter more fully inlo those proposals hereafter. Early in the spring his Lordship sent off by the Ottawa a brigade of twelve canoes for the interior, to reinforce those who went the year before and passed the winter in Athabaska. The North-West Com- pany's Agents and partners could no longer doubt the object which their antagonist had in view when he spurned their HISTORY OP MANITOBA. 16T proposals for union ; nor could they remain doubtful, as to the mode and instrumentality by which he intended to accomplish his purpose. Apprehensive of the ruinous con- sequence to their trade from his Lordship's military prepar- ations, they addressed a letter to the Secretary of State, dated on the first day of February, 1816, and in the concluding paragraph of that letter they say : — We do not presume to point out the particular proceeding which in this case would be satisfactory to ourselves. Our sole object is to put an end to violence and bloodshed, and we are perfectly satipfied that in the discussion to which such proceedings must give rise, the interests of His Majesty's Canadian subjeets will at least meet with as favourable consideration as those of their opponents. Again we find them applying to the same official in a letter dated March 1st, 1816, in which they say : We do not venture to suggest the remedy it may be in their power, or may appear eligible to His Majesty's Government to provide in this case, bat we are ceitain if some measure be not adopted to denue, without delay, the limits, power and authority of the Hudson's Bay Company, a contest will ensue in the interior the results of which will be dreadful with respect to loss of Uvea and property. In this letter they enclose, for the Secretary's perusal, the correspondence which passed between their agents in Mont- real, during the winter, and the Earl of Selkirk. Unfortun- ately, these reiterated appeals for protection and guidance to His Majesty's Grovernment, availed not for the present, and soon after the Hudson's Bay brigade of canoes left Lachine, -his Lordship set out with his forces by the lakes— some in canoes, others in boats. The DeMeurons had new regimentals given to them for the service, and were equipped with all the pomp and circumstance of war, even to a furnace for heat- ing cannon balls. They commenced their voyage, and on his way he engaged some discharged Highlanders of the Glengarry corps to follow his fortunes. His Lordship was appointed Justice of the Peace for the Indian Territories and for Upper Canada, and a military escort under the name of bodyguard, consisting of a Sergeant and a detachment of the 37th Regiment, was also granted on his application to .the Governor of Canada, for the protection of his person in 168 HISTORY OF MAJflTOBA. the expedition he meditated in the spring to the Red Eiver. We shall, for the reader's information, copy part of the in- structions given to the officer who was put in command of his Lordship's bodyguard. I am commanded to convey to tou the positive proliibition of His Excellency the Lieutenant General Commanding the Forces against the employment of this force for any other purpose than the personal protection of the Earl of Selkirk. You are particularly ordered not to engage yourself, or the party under your com- mand, in any dispute which may occur between the Earl of Selkirk, his engagees- and employees and those of the North-West Company, or to take any part or share in any attray which may arise out of such disputes. By such interference on your part, you would not only be disobeying your instructions, but acting in direct opposition to the wishes and intentions of the Government, to the countenance, support and protection of which each party has an equal claim. The Earl of Sel- kirk has engaged to furnish the party under your command with provisions during the time of your absence. You are on no occasion to separate from your party, but to return with his Lordship ; and on no account to suffer yourself or any of your detachment to be left at any settlement or post in the Indian country. These in- structions are to be clearly explained to the non-commissioned officers and men in. your party. I have the honor to be, Sir, &c., J. HARVEY, Liet.-Col. D.A.G. Lieutenant Gkapfenried, DeMeuron Regiment. We have stated that a brigade of Hudson's Bay canoes left, for the interior early in the month of May ; Mr. Miles McDonnell the ex-Governor of Assiniboia went along with these canoes, and, on arriving at Lake Winnipeg, received intelligence of Mr. Semples unhappy fate and of the disper- sion of the colonists. On receipt of this information, he immediately turned for Lake Superior to carry the tidings to his Lordship. In passing Fort William, the North-West Company's agents obtained correct information from him or from some of his party of what had taken place at Red River during the winter and spring, which information was in a few days corroborated by their own people whom they had sent to Red River in the spring, and who had now returned to head quarters. Mr. McDonell passed without delay over- Lake Superior, and found his Lordship at St. Mary's with his DeMeurons and hosts of canoe and boat-men, waiting- HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 16* for an expected addition to his forces, and for provisions and artillery that were coming across Lake Huron to him. No doubt the news from Red River wotild be far from agreeable to his Lordship. The wholesale depredations committed on the North-West Company's property by his servants on the authority that he and his associates thought proper to assume, terminated in the slaughter of his servants, the capture of his Fort and the dispersion of his colonists, and in their dispersion the apparent destruction of all his- cherished schemes for the attainment of power, and the ostensible reason for the many acts of aggression of which his servants had been guilty during the last three years. However, we may well suppose that his sagacity soon pointed out to him the advantage to which such an unex- pected and fearful occurence might be turned, by studiously concealing the series of outrages committed by his servants on the persons and property of his rivals, and made them resort to force ; and by magnifying the consequence of their resistance, into an act of premeditated murder, devised by some prolific brain, deliberately discussed in full council and unanimously adopted by the agents and partners of the North- West Company who were at Fort William in the summer of 1814. No doubt inducing the settlers to leave the colony and affording facilities to enable them to do so, would be grievous crimes in his Lordship's estimation,, and the so-called stolen cannon, whether taken by the settlers as a precautionary measure to prevent the pos- sibility of their being used against themselves on their intended passage down the river, or taken by the North- West Company's servants for the sole purpose of depriving^ their opponents of these powerful weapons, which might any time be turned against them by being used to shut up the navigation of Red River and prevent ingress or egress. Either of the above cases would, no doubt, be considered by his Lordship sufficient to satisfy him in employing the force under his command in doing himself 170 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. justice, or in other words, to harrass his rivals iu trade and ■derange their business. The melancholy affair of the Seven Oaks in June came to his knowledge while he lay at St. Mary, waiting for his artillery and supplies. After these had arrived he moved in the pride of his strength for Fort William, to give a deadly blow to the interests of the great Canadian Company, and to send down to Canada in bonds as many of " the Lords of the Lakes " as he would think proper, to accuse of the heinous crimes of treason and murder. "We are informed in the statement published by his Lord- ship's friends, that previous to Captain McDonell's return from the interior with the news of the disaster at Eed Eiver, his Lordship intended to pass on the south side of Lake Superior and proceed through the River St. Louis to Eed Lake, and then down Eed Lake River to the colony. We are of the opinion that there is no foundation for the above assertion beyond what his Lordship thought proper to ad- vance afterwards in his publications to justify or palliate his extraordinary proceedings at Fort William ; because, boats, as far as we hav? been able to learn, never had passed through the River St. Louis to the Red River of the north, and we are of opinion that that route is impracticable for such crafts and cargoes as his Lordship had. Traders have gone up the Eiver St. Louis with their canoes, and passed into Red Lake, but their crafts were especially made for such navigation, and their cargoes were made up of light pieces. In the present case, the Earl had boats and heavy field pieces "with the necessary stores of ammunition and provisions. Had his Lordship informed us that he intended passing through Pigeon Eiver, we would be disposed, to some ex- tent, to credit the assertion, because we know, from the most authentic authority, that the Canadian traders had ■carried on their trade in the far west through that channel, from its very commencement to the year 1784, a period of -one hundred years, when they abandoned the Grand Portage HISTORr OF MANITOBA. 171 and established their grand depot near the mouth of the Kaministiquia Kiver, and ever after, up to the time of which we are writing, carried on their trade through it. During the summers of 1815 and 1816 the Hudson's Bay Company's brigades of canoes were constantly passing and repassing before Fort William, and before the other forts on that line of communication. We never heard that the North- West people interfered with any of them, although that association had, at their own expense, made great improvements on the road in clearing it and in laying corduroy bridges over the swamps on the portages between Lakes Superior and Winnipeg- The question then arises : Why should his Lordship leave the daily travelled, direct and improved route to his colony* and commit himself and the heterogeneous multitude in his service to the difficulties of an unfrequented and almost unknown way, while the other was open to him ? To this, we believe, there is just one answer, namely, that his Lord- ship would not be guilty of committing so egregious a blunder. Therefore, we feel justified in stating, as our opinion, that the North- West Company's headquarters was, from the commencement of his military preparations, the object on which he intended to essay the prowess of his forces ; and, as we have stated the affair of the 19th of June came opportunely to his knowledge, not only to stimulate his desire of taking the law into his own hands, but to deal out what he was pleased to call justice to those who had so per- sistently resisted his subordinates' mandates. It presented his Lordship also with an opportunity, which he did not fail to turn to good account, of holding up his opponents to public odium and execration by his publica- tions ; while, on the other hand, it afibrded him the means of enlisting public sympathy in his own favour, especially in the Old Country, where the squabbles and plunderings which destroyed the peace of the Indian countries, during the four preceding years, were very little known. His Lordship published in his statement his intention of passing 172 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. by the tlie south side of Lake Superior and avoiding Fort William, but we find that early in August he leaves Sault St. Mary, proceeds by the north side of Lake Superior, and enters the Kaministiquia on the 12th of August. At this time the usual business of the season vras in actual progress, and fa.r from being completed. The -wintering partners who had been appointed, by the general meeting, to the remote trading stations in the interior, had taken their departure ; but the partners appointed to take charge of the stations on the Red Eiver, River Winnipeg, on the communication from these places to Fort William, and all the stations in the vicinity of Lake Superior, still remained at the Fort, together with the outfits of merchandise, arms and ammunition, &c , destined for the trade of their respective stations, and for the use of the natives depending upon them for supplies. A considerable and by far the most valuable part of the returns from the interior was also deposited at the Fort, in order to be sent down to Montreal for shipment to England. This consisted of six hundred packs of the finest furs, the value of which in the English market would be moderately esti- mated at ^60,000 sterling. The Fort was under the direction of Mr. William McGillivray and Mr. Kenneth McKenzie, the agents as they are called, though they may be more properly described as directors, of the North- West Company. The wintering partners for the stations above specified were also in the Fort, together with the voyageurs or wintering servants of the Company who were to navigate the canoes carrying the supplies to the different trading stations, and also the Mon- treal canoe-men who were to carry down the furs. Their number together must have exceeded 500 men, and the place, though not properly a Fort, but merely a square of houses and stores surrounded by a strong and lofty stockade, contained an ample supply of arms and ammunition, and was capable of considei able resistance. HISTORY UP MANITOBA. 173 Th.e Earl of Selkirk's i^roceediiigs at Fort "William were so extraordinary in themselves, as well as so momentous in their consequences, not only to the North-West Company, but, even though he meant it not, to the Hudson's Bay Com- pany, that they require to be particularly detailed. 174 HISTORY OP MANITOBA. CHAPTER V. LoKD Selkikk at Fokt William — He takes Possession OF THE Fort in Military Order — A Protest — Prisoners sent to Montreal — Searching Store- houses— A Proclamation — Selkirk's Depredations — Suffering Colonists on Jack E,iver — Eeturn of THE Colonists to Eed River — Privations — Arrival of the Canadian Commissioners — Restitution — The First Shower of G-rasshoppers — Conflicts between the North-West and Hudson's Bay Companies — Sufferings of the Pioneebs. "We have stated before that the Earl of Selkirk entered the Kaministiquia on the 12th of Angust, whence he passed up the river with four canoes attended by a number of soldiers and by his body guard, with whom he encamped about 800 or 900 yards above the Fort, on the opposite side of the river. Within two or three hours after eleven boats full of men in the unform of DeMeuron's Regiment, came into the river and were followed by one boat and two canoes loaded with arms, stores, &c. The troops immediately joined Lord Selkirk at his encampment, cannon were loaded, drawn up and pointed to the Fort, and balls were piled beside them as if prepared for a siege and bombardment. On the following day two persons belonging to his Lordship's suite, named McNabb and McPherson, came to the Fort about three o'clock in the afternoon, and having, without difhcnlty, obtained admission, they arrested William McG-illivray, who immediately offered to attend his Lordship and, utterly ignorant of any ground for a charge, took with him Mr. Kenneth McKenzie and Dr. McLaughlin, to give bail for him if required. On embarking to cross over to his Lord- ship's encampment they were guarded by about twenty HISTORY OP MANriOBA. 1T5- soldiers who had accompanied Messrs. McNabb and McPher- son, and on their reaching the other side they were received by a party of the 3Tth Eegiment, under arms, who con- ducted them to Lord Selkirk. Mr. McKenzie and Dr. McLaughlin, instead of being accepted as bail, were told that they were involved in the same charge with Mr. McGillivray, which appeared to be some concern or partici- pation imputed to them in the transactions at Red River, and his Lordship stated that all the partners of the North- West Company who had been at Fort William in the year 1814, when Mr. Duncan Cameron had been appointed to their post on Red River, were implicated in the alleged crimes. Any attempt at justification was of course useless, nor was any necessary, for Lord Selkirk must at the time have been equally convinced as they were themselves, not only of their innocence, but even their complete ignorance of the transactions impvited to them as crimes. Military possession was then taken of the Fort as is particularly described in the deposition of Lieutenants Brumby and Missani, and in Mr. Jasper Yandersluys journal, who had been employed as book-keeper to the agents of the North- West Company, and who upon the arrest and removal of all the partners, as detailed in the journal, was left in charge of their affairs. As his Lordship's actions at Fort William were professedly done in retaliation for injuries inflicted by the North- West Company on his Lordship's interest at Red River, they may be considered as an episode in the history of the Red River Colony. Vandersluys says : " Half an hour after these gentlemen (McGillivray, McKenzie and McLaughlin) were gone, a bugle was sounded at his Lordship's camp. Two boats, with from twenty -five to thirty armed soldiers in each, were dispatched from the camp to the Fort, and with them were Mr. McNabb and Mr. McPherson, who had been appointed constables by the Earl, and who made prisoners of Messrs. John McDonald, Alexander McKenzie, Hugh McGrillis, Simon Fraser, Allan McDonell and Daniel McKenzie. Mr. John McDonald re- 176 HISTORY OP MANITOBA. quested the constables to show their authority and to exhibit their warrant. It will hardly be believed that this legal de- mand, which the Earl of Selkirk now endeavours to hold as a resistance to the execution of the warrant, served as a sig- nal for attack. Captain D'Orsonnens, the leader of these intoxicated and almost uncontrollable soldiers, cried out ' aux armes, aux armes' and immediately the bugle was sounded, and an armed force of about sixty in number, with loaded muskets and fixed bayonets, rushed forcibly into' the Fort, shouting, cursing and threatening death and destruction to all persons and to all property. The soldiers were strongly countenanced in their outrages by their officers, among whom the most conspicuous was Captain D'Orsonnens ; next to him was Captain Matthey. Lieutenants Fauche, Graffenried and some others followed the example set belore them by their inconsiderate leaders. " They spread their troops in every direction, driving the peaceable inhabitants before them, and spreading alarm and terror among the women and children by their horrible shouts and exclamations. They placed two pieces of cannon in the centre of the Fort and sentinels in all quarters. All the while the above gentlemen did not offer any resistance, but, on the contrary, patiently submitted to the outrageous and lawless conduct of their assailants. . " They were then carried off" to the Earl's camp, and guarded by an armed force. Had the least thought been entertained of making resistance, nothing would have been easier than to have done so, and to have exterminated the whole of Lord Selkirk's band, for at the time the Earl made his appearance we mustered nearly three times the number of his people, and were provided with more than sufficient means of defence ; but no such thing was ever contemplated or even suggested, in proof of which, the sale, and even the usual daily distribution, of liquor to the men, was positively forbidden. The Fort was now in the utmost degree of dis- order, at the discretion of the intoxicated and infuriated soldiers, and if no blood v^as shed on this occasion neither Lord Selkirk nor his people have any claim to the credit of it. About eight, p.m., our gentlemen returned, having, as I understood, engaged with Lord Selkirk to go back next day to his camp in order to undergo an examination. I omitted to mention that, after our gentlemen had been carried ofi, Mr. McNabb, one Mr. Allen (the Earl's medical attendant), HISTORY OP MANITOBA. lit accompanied by Captain D'Orsonnens, proceeded to the Nortli-West Company's office, and there presented a warrant addressed to the chief clerk, with orders to, seal up all the papers. This being complied with, they went into Mr. Mc- Grillivray's private room and did the same, and subsequently into the rooms of all the before-named gentlemen. When the gentlemen returned to the Earl's camp, they expostulated on the injury done to their business by the presence of the troops in the Fort, and insisted on their being withdrawn, which was only partly complied with, and a guard of twenty soldiers was left uuder the command of Lieut. GrafFenreid. " The general terror, the uncertainty as to what were the Earl's designs, and the acts of violence and infringement of all law and order, which had been already committed, made us all pass a night of fear and anxiety. On the morn- ing of the 14th of August, 1816, the partners in the North- West Company drew up a protest against the acts of violence- committed the day before, which was in the following- terms : — We, the undersigned agents and partners of the North-West Company, being- this dny, the fourteenth of Augnst, 1816, in a body assembled at Fort William, in the District of Kaministiqua, do hereby formally protest against the violrnt pro- ceedings done and committed upon our persons and property at the above mentioned place in the afternoon of the above mentioned day, by a troop to thfr number of fifty to sixty, disbanded and intoxicated soldiers, formerly belonging to the Regiment of DeMeuron, and at present in the service and pay of the Earl of Selkirk, headed by Captain D'Orsonnens and Lieutenant Fauche, and afterwards joined by Captain Matthy and Lieutenant Grieffenreid, -who forcibly entering the Fort gate, spread out their troops in every direction having their bayonets fixed and shoutin g a most horrid hurra ! -vyhich spread a general terror amongst the inhabitants of the Port, after -which they placed two pieces of cannon in the centre of the Fort, and sentinels in all quarters, and proceeded by order of the Earl of Selkirk with armed force ; leaving there one Dr. Allan, his Lordship's medical attendant, at their head, to seal up the papers and desks in the North- west Company's oflSce and those of the private rooms of the agents We do therefore most solemnly protest against these acts of violence, and against, all those whom it may concern. (Signed) WM. MoGILLIVRAT, ALL^N MoDONELL, KENNETH McKE.VZlE, JOHN MoLAUGHLI.V, JOHN MoDONALD, HUGH McGILLIS, SIMON FRASER, DANIEL MoKENZIB. " In conformity with their engagement to Lord SelkirE: the previous night, our gentlemen were preparing to embark in order to proceed to his Lordship's camp, when a strong. reinforcement of troops arrived from the other side, headed. L 178 HISTORr OF MANITOBA. by Captain Matthy, with the intelligence that the Earl wonld soon be at the Fort ; and in less than half an hour afterwards he made his appearance with his body guard. After he entered the hall in the mess-room, Mr. McG-illivray 'handed to the Earl the above mentioned protest, which he Tead. An armed force of the 37th Regiment was stationed within and without doors. The Earl enquired who were the clerks in charge of the concern in the absence of the proprietors ; James McTaAdsh and myself were named, which the Earl approved of. His Lordship went with Mr. McTavish into the office, where he entered into close con- versation with his Surgeon and Captain D'Orsonnens. Then he went into Mr. McG-illivray's apartment and to the different rooms occupied by the pioprietors in order to examine the seals put on the day before, after which he was in long and close conversation with his officers in the court yard of the Fort. He returned and ordered all the prisoners to be closely confined to their rooms ; and took a room for his own quarters in the mess house. Mr. McGillivray represented to him the necessity of allowing the clerks to proceed with their regular business, and that therefore the seals should be taken from off their desks, and the contents examined. His Lordship answered, that there were things •of the utmost importance to be settled first, and then placed sentinels with fixed bayonets before the doors of all the partners. The Earl applied to me to give him an explanation of the various buildings in the Fort ; but I told him it was out of my power, as I was a stranger at the place. He then went round to take a full view of the Fort. I followed him. One Chatelain met him and took him aside. He returned into the Fort ; and, a heavy shower coming on, I took him into Dr. McLaughlin's house for shelter. " His Lordship was very inquisitive, enquiring as to the number of cattle, the produce of the harvest, &c. After the rain, he went to his room in the mess house, with Captain D'Orsonnens, Captain Matthy and his Surgeon, who, in all respects, seemed to be his principal confidants and principal agents. After some time he came out and asked me to go for Mr. McTavish, who came and complied with his Lordship's request in explaining the use and contents of all the build- ings in the Fort. The bell rang for dinner. The prisoners received their dinners, each] in his own room. During dinner, his Lordship and his party were very busy about HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 179 the Fort, and carried off about eighty guns belonging to the North-West Company. An order was then issued to all our men to carry all their canoes into the Fort, and break up their camp, no one being allowed to encamp or remain any longer on this side of the river. His Lordship asked me if I knew the proprietors who were vinder confinement. I an- swered in the afiirmative. He told me it was necessary they should all be placed in one house, and pointed out the wintering house, to the right of the mess house, as one that would answer the purpose. He requested me to accompany his constable, McNabb, to get the gentlemen together and ■convey them to their new prison. I took the liberty to observe to his Lordship that I should find it rather a diffi- explain in how |far he could in this case and upon this warrant extend his authority,- but that nothing could be plainer than that an order to enter in the day time into a. certain place, and there to search for certain goods, could not be explained to mean to seize all the keys of such place- and carry them off. He threatened that if the keys were not at once given up that he would force them from me by military force and coercion. I told him that they should not be put in his possession until he did so, and I insisted on the warrant being put in execution without delay ; that it was full day -light (half-past four pm ) and that I was ready to give his constables access to any place that he desired to search. My determination had the desired effect ;, HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 185 his Lordship lowered his tone, and we proceeded to examine the provision store, where none of the goods sought after were found, and the keys of these buildings remained with me. It being now too late to search the other build- ings, I agreed with the constables that all the keys should remain this night in my possession in a box, of which they should have the key, which was agreed to by them ; and that we should resume on the following morning at six 'clock. " Among other representations made the next morning to the Earl we told him that if our men remained eight days longer on the ground we should be short of provisions, and that our fishermen being prevented from pursuing their aA'ocations, very much contributed to diminish the stock of provisions on hand ; but, as usual, our remonstrances had no effect — indeed, no notice had been taken of them. " The Earl now occupied two rooms in the mess-house. Two soldiers, with fixed bayonets, were stationed in the hall when we took our meals. " At this time, 2i3th of August, 1816, there were in the fur shed at York Factory from forty to fifty packs of furs marked " E. R.", which had been taken from the North- West Company's storehouse the previous year at Fort Gribraltar and at Pembina. " Before six o'clock on the following morning we pro- ceeded to search the stores for the furs stolen. Upon enter- ing the lur store they found a vast quantity of peltries, some packed and others not. They saw the difficulty of their enterprise, and in order to put it off and to kill time and to throw the North-West Company's concerns into confusion, new and arbitrary orders were issued by Lord Selkirk to search the stores again, which had been gone through, under the pretext that furs, papers, or other articles might be concealed in the bales of dry goods. I, however, refused to admit them again, as they had once already in their capacity of constables declared that they were satisfied the objects of their search were not there- The Earl issued new warrants of the same tenor as the one mentioned with the addition of the indefinite words ' and various other articles.' I had been at one of the warehouses where they were searching for papers or arms in suspicious places, as they thought proper to call them, and all this authorized, instigated and ordered by a man vested with the dignity of 184 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. a magistrate and who has the honor of being a Peer of the realm of G-reat Britain. But, unfortimately, the magistrate was lost in the prosecutor, violent opposer and interested rival in trade who, backed by a ferocious and lawless ^soldiery, used the law in so far as it answered his own selfish purposes. The bales packed up for embarkation were ■cut open, in which, it was clearly evident nothing they were searching for could be concealed. Certainly their warrants ■did not authorize them to take inventories of the contents ; but this was done, and done to promote Lord Selkirk's mercantile views. Everything was turned upside down --and left in a confused heap. I remonstrated against their conduct, but they laughed at me. Lord Selkirk's presence with his troops, and the absence of all law and order, sup- ported them in this behaviour. Captain Matthy and McPherson were the actors in this disgraceful scene. John McGrillivray and two other gentlemen arrived from the interior. ( n entering the gate they were stopped and in a few minutes after a warrant was served on John McGilliv- ray making him a prisoner. These gentlemen were deprived of their baggage, probably for the purpose of being examined. But why put off this till another day and keep these prisoners just arrived from a voyage, and a very long one, from their clean linen and other comforts, just to please Lord Selkirk and to suit his and and his constables' con- venience? Mr. Tait, who had the superintendance of the buildings and farm, represented to his Lordship, that his I^eople had carried off and burnt a great part of the pickets :aind fences. Lord Selkirk replied that it Was what might be expected when they were not supplied with fuel " I went to see the Earl on the morning of the 21st, and mentioned to him that the dry goods stores had been searched a second time, so that there could be no longer any obstacle to sending off our goods ; but, as usual, new pretexts and new difficulties were started, and in consequence of this we ^ent him, in the afternoon at four o'clock, a protest. " Bail was offered on the same day for Daniel McKenzie, -but refused. Early in the morning a canoe arrived from Montreal, with dispatches for the Company ; they were iaken from the guide and put into the custody ot a soldier of the 37th Regiment. "When informed of this I addressed the Earl of Selkirk as follows : — HISTORY OP MANITOBA. 185 To the Right Honourable the Earl of Selkirk, Justice 0/ the Peace. My. Lord, — Whereas a canoe arrived this moraing from Montreal with de- spatches for the North-West Company, and which have been taken by Captain Matthy from the bearer of them and placed under the charge of a sentinel, we take the liberty to apply to your Lordship in order to know the reason of such proceed- ings, and to have the aforesaid despatches delivered to us. " After breakfast his Lordship sent word that he wanted to see us. He informed lis that the despatches had been seized vipon the same principle as the other papers of the North-West Company, and were equally liable to be exam- ined. I questioned the legality of this, as the despatches could not have been included in his former warrant, and no new one having been served. He also communicated to us that he had received our protest of the previous day, adding that we were ourselves greatly the cause of the delay which was put to the forwarding of the goods, for not having put him in possession of the invoices of the goods irftended for the inferior. The mask is only torn as yet ; it will soon be completely thrown off. At this interview he handed in the following letter : — FoBT William, Aug. 22nd, 1816. Gektlemkn, — In order to obviate the possibility of any mistake, I beg to have your answer in writing to this query. Whether the thirty-four packs of furs marked R R., which you have pointed out as those set apart by order of the agents of the NiTth-West Company, are to be given up to the Hudson's Bay Company as their property, and whether on this principle, you are ready to send them down to Montreal, consigned to Messrs. Maitland, Gardner & Auldjo, agents of that Com- pany ? I am, &c., &c , Selkirk. To J. C, McTavish and Jasper Vandersluys. " The following answer was given : — In reply to the letter which was handed to us this morning, personally, by your Lordship, we beg to state that the thirty-four packs of furs marked R.B , which have been set apart from the peltries of the N. W.Oo., cannot be given up as H.B.Co's property, but that we are ready to send them down to Montreal to the care of some house unconnected with both Companies. I " "We received word that his Lordship intended to proceed io the examination of the box with the despatches, which was done accordingly. The contents were principally the Proclamatiom of His Excellency the Governor-in-Chief, and a few private letters which his Lordship took into his own private keeping." 186 HISTORY OP MANITOBA. Here we shall, for the benefit of our readers, add a verbatum copy of the Proclamation, viz : — Proclamation. Whereas, in and by a certain statute of the Parliament of the United King- dom of Great Britain and Ireland, made and passed in the forty-third year of His Majesty's Keign, entitled ' An Act for extending the jarisdiotion of the Courts of Justice in the Provinces of Lower and Upper (Jauada, for the trial and punish- ment of persons guilty of crimes and offences within certain parts of North America, adjoining to the said Provinces :";it is, amongst other thing?, enacted and declared that from and after the passing of the said statute, ' All offences committed within any of the Indian Territories, or parts of America not within the limits of either of the said Provinces of Lower or Upper Canada, or of any Civil Government of the United States of America, shall be and be deemed to be offences of the same nature, and shall be tried in the same manner and subject to the same punishment as if the same had been committed within the Provinces of Lower or Upper Can- ada ; And whereas, under and by virtue of the above in part recited statute, Justices of the Peace have been duly nominated and appointed, with power and authority to apprehend within the Indian Territories aforesaid, and to convey to this Province of Lower Canada for trial, all and every person and persons guilty of any crime or offence whatsoever ; And whereas, there is reason to believe that divers breaches of the peace by acts of force and violence, have lately been com- mitted within the aforesaid Indian Territories and the jurisdiction of the aforesaid Justices of the Peace ; I have, therefore, thought, by and with the advice of His Majesty's Executive Council of and for the Province of Lower Canada, to issue this Proclamation for the purpose of bringing to punishment all persons who may have been or shall be guilty of any such act or acts of lorce or violence as aforesaid, or of other crime and offence whatsoever, and to deter all others from following their pernicious example, hereby requiring all His Majesty's subjects, and others within the said Indian Territories, to avoid and to discourage all acts of force and violence whatsoever, and all proceedings whatever tending to produce tumults and riots, or in any way to disturb the public peace. And I do hereby strictly charge and command all Justices of the Peace, as aforesaid, nominated and appointed under and by the above mentioned statute, and all Magistrates throughout this Province, and do require all others His Majesty's subjects generally, in their respective stations, to make search to dis- cover, apprehend aud commit, or cause to be committed to lawful custody for trial in due course of law, pursuant to the provisions in the above mentioned statute contained, all persons who have been or shall be guilty of any act or acts of force and violence as aforesaid, or of any other crime or crimes, offence or offences, within the said Indian Territories, to the end that the laws may be carried into prompt execution against all such offenders for the preservation of the peace and good order therein. Given under my hand and seal at the Castle of St. Louis, in the City of Quebec, in the said Province of Lower Canada, the sixteenth day of July, in the year of Our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixteen, and in the fifty-sixth year of His Majesty's Beign. „ „. „ „ , (Signed) J. C. Sherbrookb. By His Excellency's command, John Tatlou, Dc-puty Secretary. Quebec Gazette. HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 18T Having set the G-overnor General's rroclamation and the transactions which had already taken place at Fort William before the reader, we shall follow the North-West Company gentlemen in their long, disagreeable and dangerous voyage to the prisons in Canada, to which his Lordship's warrants had consigned them. They were embarked in three of their own canoes, a fonrth followed with a score or so of De- Meuron soldiers to prevent their escape. One of the canoes has been represented as greatly inferior in size to the canoes ordinarily used in navigating the great lakes. In this canoe twenty-one persons had been embarked ; three of these were partners, viz., Kenneth McKenzie, Allan McDonell and Dr. John McLaughlin. They had proceeded some distance on their way towards Sault St. Marie, when, making a traverse, they were overtaken by a storm. The canoes had to change their course, but before they could make the land the smallest canoe sunk, and unfortunately seven of the crew and Mr. McKenzie, one of the passengers, were drowned. The rest were picked up and saved. For some reasons, the guards were ordered to convey them to Sandwich, in the west district of Upper Canada, where warrants directed their committal to the common gaol. However, after a tedious journey on their route to Sandwich, they had to pass through Little York (the Toronto of to-day), and the Judges and Attorney-General being on their circuit at Kingston, the G-overnor ordered the guards to take them thither. The Judges, finding the crimes with which the prisoners were charged in the warrants, were alleged to have been committed in the Indian Territories, the G-overnor directed them to be taken to Montreal. On their arrival there they were brought to trial before the Court of King's Bench ; the most vindictive arguments were urged for their commit- ment. The crimes imputed to them were no less than high treason, conspiracy and murder. However, they were, with- out hesitation, admitted to bail ; and thus frustrated his Lordship's plan for subjecting his commercial rivals to a long and degrading imprisonment. 188 HrSTORT OF MANITOBA. At the time of these troubles, Canada was divided into two Provinces. The G-overnor G-eneral had his residence at Quebec, the seat of military power. What is now known as Ontario was then, to a great extent, an unknown, pathless wilderness, without any facilities for land travelling; so travellers had to perform their journeys in canoes by the circuitous water communication afforded by the lakes and rivers, requiring months to perform journeys that can now be accomplished in a few days. Sir John Sherbroke did not like to act without consulting Mr. Gore, the Civil G-overnor •of the Upper Province ; and the Civil G-overnor could not undertake any responsibility until he had first obtained the G-overnor-in-Ohief's advice. This unsatisfactory state of affairs necessarily created great delay, and Mr. 'William Mc- G-ilJivray saw that the navigation would be closed before any measures could be taken, in consequence of the meeting •of the two Governors. He determined to follow the ordinary legal process for redress ; warrants were 'granted by a magistrate of the western district of Upper Canada, on evi- dence of Lord Selkirk's outrages, and Mr. Smith, the under Sheriff, with an assistant, was ordered to carry them into execution. Mr. Smith proceeded forthwith to join M. de Rocheblave at the Sault, but so much time had been lost in making these various arrangem'ents that the plan was en- tirely frustrated by the lateness of the season. M. de Roche- blave with his party reached the Sault St. Marie ■ on the nineteenth day of October, and having no information of the proceedings at Quebec or in Upper Cailada, as a preliminary measure, he sent on to Fort William a constable and twelve men, with criminal warrants issued agninst Lord Selkirk and the DeMeuron officers, by Dr. Mitchel, of St. Joseph's. The constable arrived at P'ort Willian on the seventh Novem- Tjer, and executed the warrant by arresting Lord Selkirk and the foreign officers. At first his Lordship hesitated at the •course he should pursue, but, possibly, considering he had .gone too far to recede, and knowing the constable had not HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 18^ suiEcient force to compel his submission, he refused obedi- ence to his authority and made the constable prisoner, plac- ing him under a guard of soldiers for a few days, after which he was ordered to leave the Fort. M. de Eocheblave and his party, on account of the lateness of the season and scar- city of provisions, had to set out on their return to Canada. In Lake Huron they met the Sheriff, Mr. Smith, on his way to join them. They immediately returned to the Sault and embarked on board the North- West schooner, the Invincible, to cross Lake Superior. A gale of wind ensuing, the scohooner was totally wrecked on the 13th November. The crew and passengers were saved, but having no other con- veyance and being unable to continue their attempt to reach Fort William, they were obliged to return, and arrived at Montreal on the 23rd December, after a most fatiguing journey performed chiefly on foot. The noble Earl having, as we have seen above, sum- marily disposed of the constable and his men, remained " monarch of all he saw " in quiet possession of the North- West Company's chief depot with all its accumulated stores of trading goods and provisions, and like a skilful com- mander extended his depredatory exciTrsions to the surrou^d- ing trading posts taking forcible possession of their contents and carrying the gentlemen, whom he found in charge of these different places, into captivity, not even sparing the trading post at Fond du Lac, on the Eiver St. Louis, which falls into the west end of Lake Superior, near the place where the present Town of Duluth stands within American Territory, as recognized by former and recent treaties. Mr. Grant who was in charge was taken prisoner and deprived of the property in his possession ; although the merchandise at that station had paid duties to the American Government and was jointly the property ^of the North- West Company and of American citizens who were interested in this part of the trade. While a party of his Lordship's mercenaries were engaged in plundering the Fort on the Eiver St. Louis,„ 1-90 HISTORT OF MANITOBA. another party was dispatched to the east along the north shore of the great lake ; the Forts at the Pic and at Michipicoton became their prey — Mr. Mcintosh, the partner in charge, and his clerks were made prisoners and the goods were taken possession of for his Lordship's benefit. Messrs. Mcintosh, Grant and a few others of their fellow partners were sent down to Montreal under the flimsy pretence that they had been aiding and abetting in the troubles of the previous spring at Red River, but, we believe, the true reason for their captivity and banishment from their charges to have been very different. During M. de Rocheblave's detention at the Sault, waiting for the Sheriff, a party of DeMeurons' soldiers arrived with Mcintosh, Grant and others in custody, on their way to Canada, in canoes belonging to the North- West Company and navigated by their servants. M. de Rocheblave took the canoes from the DeMeurons' guard but did not further interfere with them or with their prisoners. These last proceeded, however, on their own justification, and surrendered themselves to the authorities in Lower Canada, and were admitted to bail on the accusa- tions preferred against them. -> While the above recited transactions were taking place to the south and to the east of Fort William, his Lordship was not unmindful of the North- West. He sent a party of DeMeurons and voyageurs, under the command of Mr. Fiddler, to capture the Fort at Lac la Pluie, on the communi- cation to the interior, and next in importance to Fort William. The clerk in charge of the Fort refused to sur- render it, and as Mr. Fiddler was not prepared with suffi- cient force to obtain possession, he was obliged to return to Fort William. His Lordship, to remedy this failure, sent off Captain D'Orsonnens with a party of soldiers and two .field pieces. Mr. Dease, the clerk in charge, had a force of seven men under his command ; these had to support themselves by fishing. D'Orsonnen's blockade deprived them of their HISTORY OF AlANITOBji. 191 usual supply of food— and the Captain sent them word that a timely surrender would be their best policy as further resistance might enrage his men to such a degree that he coiild not be answerable for their conduct. "Weighing the chances the besieged agreed to a timely surrender and opened xheir gates. The besiegers took un- conditional possession of the Fort with all the merchan- dise it contained, which the owners valued at several thousand pounds sterling. In possession of the Fort on Lac la Pluie, situated midway between Lake Superior and Red B,iver, his Lordship's Lieutenant could easily keep open his communication with Fort "William in his rear, and mature his plans at leisure for the invasion of the North- "West Company's trading posts on the Red River; the retaking of Fort JJouglas, and the re-establishment of the colony — the avowed object of his Lordship's great military expedition to the far west. Captain D'Orsonnens had the North- West Company's stores at command, and he dealt them out liberally to the Indians to purchase their friend- ship and assistance in his intended winter journey to Red River. All things being ready, he set out in the month of February, travelling by the Rainy River and Lake of the "Woods ; thence conducted by Indian guides, they passed through the forests that intervene between that Lake and the Red River. On reaching Red River they followed its course northwards for a distance of twenty or thirty-five miles, at the end of which they turned to the west and came to the Assinniboine, somewhere in what is now known as the Parish of St. James. Here they spent some time in making scaling ladders, and thus provided themselves with the means of getting over the defences that surrounded what was then known as Fort Douglas (otherwise " the Colony Fort.") A favourable opportunity for the accomplishment of the object of their long and toilsome journey soon pre- sented itself in a stormy night, when the howling winds drowned every other sound, and when the thickly falling 1.92 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. and drifting snow obscured the sight and concealed the enemy's approach, until he had not only planted his ladders on the outside of the stockade, but until he had ascended to their top and was in the act of planting others on the inside, on which these practiced and well trained veterans descended in a moment into the Fort, when the gallant sentinels, terrified at the sight, ignominiously threw down their weapons of war and fled into the house, followed by their assailants who made prisoners of all who fell into their hands. Among these was Mr. Archibald McLellan whom they afterwards sent to Canada to take his trial for his imputed or real participation in the Keveny murder. The common Jacks were after a few days turned out of the place, and at full liberty to go where their inclinations led them and to hunt for their subsistence wherever they might think proper. Very fortunately for these poor men, many of the Freemen were hunting near the river and fishing in its. waters who received their destitute friends into their tents and fed them till the spring. His Lordship's proceedings at Fort William may be con- sidered an episode in the history of the Eed Eiver, as a sequence to the feuds which originated there and disturbed the peace of that part of the country during the preceding three or four years. "We deemed it our duty to give our readers a brief sketch of these extraordinary transactions ; and having done so we will return to the colonists whom we left on the sterile rocks at Jack Eiver. "We have- stated that on leaving Eed Eiver they had decided on bid- ding farewell to the country and to all who were in it, for to them it had proved a land of unmitigated misery and dismay, and for the purpose of carrying out their intention they addressed a letter, asking for a passage to Scotland, to Mr. James Bird, who on Mr. Semple's death, by seniority, or on some previous arrangement made by the Company to meet such contingency, became superintendent of the northern department. Mr. Bird in his answer pleaded his- BISTORT OF MANITOBA. 193 inability to provide a passage for them, as there was no certainty that a ship of sufficient capacity to accommodate so many passengers would arrive that season in the Bay, and in the absence of such probability their best policy would be to remain where they were as their condition would be incomparably worse if reduced to the necessity of wintering on.' the bleak shores of Hudson's Bay. Future events proved this advice to be both timely and wise. The Britania, a ship of considerable burden, arrived rather late in the season at York Factory. Notwithstanding she delivered her cargo and received the returns of the preceding season and sailed with a considerable number of servants, whose contracts had expired and were desirous of returning to Europe — but, on reaching the Straits, they found that stern winter had bound the seas in his icy fetters. The good ship returned to the land and was run ashore forty or fifty miles north of the mouth of the Severn River, and was towards the spring accidentally burnt to the water's edge. Immediately on her reaching the shore the passengers had to march for York Factory, and as the provision stores were but scantily sup- plied in those days of " penny wise and pound foolish " economy, the servants who had returned from the ship had to make the best of their way inland. If our colonists had been on board that ship, viz : tender females and young children, the reader may form some faint idea of what their sufierings would have been. The colonists, though much against their will, made up their minds to pass the winter at Jack River. There they had to prepare abodes to protect their families from the inclemency of that sub-arctic region, where Faren- heit's thermometer has been known to indicate, at times, from fifty to fifty-five degrees below zero, during the winter months. Twine had to be bought, nets had to be made, and fish had to be procured for their daily subsistence, which, unfortunately, often fell far short of what their necessities required. However, there was no remedy, for here there 194 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. were no stores of provisions to draw supplies from when the fish taken were too few, or when, on account of high winds, they could not visit their nets. Still, they had to labor on at their buildings until they were finished. The next and most important work to be imdertaken was what is termed "the fall fishing," which commences about the tenth of October and is carried on for two or three weeks. At this season the white fish leave the deep waters, where they pass the rest of the year, and approach the shores of the lake for the purpose of depositing their spawn in shallow water, when they are taken in great numbers, not only in Lake "Winnipeg, but in all the great lakes throughout the North-West Territories. Our refugees laboured under great disadvantages. They were unacquainted with the use of the paddle and the management of the frail birch canoe — the only kind of craft used for fishing throughout the country. The work itself was altogether new to them. It is said, and truly said, that " necessity is the mother of invention," and our friends verified the saying. In a short time they gained considerable knowledge in the art of fishing ; they spared no labour, and by unwearied perseverance managed to store up for winter use a considerable number of white fish, the very best of the kind in the country. Yet they did not take enough to render winter fishing unnecessary. Some years this source of supply was precarious, owing to causes not yet fully understood by the most experienced fishermen. However, this winter the fishing proved favourable, as some fish were taken twice or thrice each week in the nets set under ice. On the whole, there was no very great suffering for want of food. But there were other wants which pressed on this sorely tried people, and wants which could only be supplied at great cost. Most of the outfit which they had brought into the country had been used up during the past twelve months, and what of it remained was of two light a texture to be of much service in the severe climate where . they had to pass the winter. Their urgent necessities com- HISTORY OP MANITOBA. 195 pelled them to take advances from his Lordship's stores. At that time goods were purchased in England at war prices, and were retailed, in this country, to servants and colonists, a,t an average advance of 100 to 150 per cent, on prime cost. Here began the debt which so severely taxed the industry and frugality of the colonists to pay when blessed with more favourable times. Despairing of being able to return to their native land, we may believe that the accounts which thpy heard of his Lordship's success at Fort "William and the apparent overthrow of the North-West Company's power, at least for a season, would be to the exiles tidings of great joy, as likely to give them some chance of re-occupying the lands of which they had taken possession in the preceding spring, and from which they had been so summarily and unceremoniously ejected. The wheel of fortune seemed to have taken a turn in their faA'^or. We have related that Captain D'Orsonnens and his party recaptured Fort Douglas. The fame of the above exploit spread like wild fire over the country. A special messenger was dispatched to Jack Eiver to bear the welcome tidings to the fugatives, inviting them to return, and setting before them the prospect of protection and security in future. To this invitation these distressed people gladly responded, and a few of the men set out at once for Red River, where they safely arrived before the breaking up of the ice. But, as usual, provisions were very scarce. Great privation and its consequent attendant, discontent, prevailed among the vari- ous classes who had to depend on empty stores for their daily support. However, as the spring advanced the snows •of winter disappeared, wild fowl became abundant in every marsh and pond, and soon after the ice on the river broke up and was carried off by the weight and force of the accumulated waters poured in by its numerous tributaries from the east and from the west. The river being freed of ice, fish of various kinds ascended the stream in swarms, thus affording for the present abund- 196 HISTORY OP MANITOBA, ance of nutritious food to the half famished multitude that an extraordinary series of events had congregated from all parts of the country in and around Fort Douglas. The few settlers who were at the place commenced farm- ing operations. The hoe was the only implement at their service, and with it each one applied himself heartily to the work and managed to sow a few gallons of wheat and barley, and planted a few pecks of potatoes each. The presence of the few veterans, who had in the depth of winter travelled so far on snow shoes and retaken his Lord- ship's Fort, with the information that the Earl was on his way to the colony with a force, all of which they understood were to be located near the Fort for its protection and for the general defence of the settlement, reassured them. This apparantly favourable change in their affairs gave some guarantee of personal safety and a rational hope that they would both reap and enjoy the fruits of their labours. But in the meantime, returning wants had to be provided for ; the abundance that spread lately over the land and filled the waters disappeared by degrees. The feathered tribes re- removed to their breeding grounds. After the spawning season, the sturgeon, in particular, forsook the river and retired to the deep waters in Lake "Winnipeg. The buffalo had left the vicinity of the forests to pasture on the open and almost illimitable plains of the Missouri followed only by their ancient enemies, the red man and the wolf — for the half-breeds had not yet organized themselves into those great hunting parties which afterwards became so formidable to the savages inhabiting, or rather wandering over the plains north of the Missouri, and nearly annihilated the buffalo. Scarcity of food began to be felt by settlers and and by soldiers. In the month of June the residue of those who had passed the winter at Jack Kiver returned. His Lordship with his DeMeurons and some scores of voyageurs arrived in the colony about the same time. HISrORY OF MANITOBA. 197 To supply with food the multitude of human beings con- gregated in and around Fort Douglas would be no light undertaking at any time, but more so, under existing circum- stances. The North-West Traders, though shorn of much of iheir former importance and power in the estimation of the native population, still retained sufficient influence over the French Metis {Bois- Brules) to keep them from taking the produce of their hunt to the colony people, so that the only supply obtained by them, besides the lew fish taken from the river, was from the Indians, and amounted only to an occasional trifle of venison procured by these friendly people within easy reach of the place. In this dire condition the unfortunate settlers had to provide for themselves ; fish be- ing their principal support. "When that failed they had to imitate His Majesty of Babylon, when he had been driven from men, viz : to eat grass. Nettles and other herbs had for days and sometimes even for weeks to be resorted to to appease the cravings of hunger. Yet, under the privations, his Lordship's arrival with his DeMeurons in the colony cheered their hitherto desponding spirits by proving to them how deeply he was interested m their safety and prosperity, which made them, in a great measure, forget their past su£Fering and miseries in the prospect of peace being established throughout the regions where lawlessness and crime reigned triumphant before. Frequent appeals had been made during the troubles to the Governor-G-eneral, and to the Imperial G-evernment, by the agents of the North-West Company, for protection to their traders against the extraordinary proceedings of the English Company's servants. But the evidence taken before courts of justice in Canada of the many robberies committed by the agents of the chartered company, the brutal massacre by the French half-breeds on the 19th of June, 1816, and his Lordship's high-handed and unjustifi- able proceedings at Fort William, pointed out clearly to the Imperial authorities, not only the desirableness, but the 198 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. necessity of restoring peace in the Indian Territories ; and for the accomplishment of that object, His Royal Highness the Prince Eegent instructed Earl Bathurst to use the means at his disposal to put an end to these enormities, and in compliance with these instructions His Lordship sent the following dispatch to the G-overnor G-eneral of Canada^ under date 6th February, 1811 : — " You will also require under similar penalties the restitution of all Forts^ buildings or trading station!!, with the property which they contain, wnich may haye been seized or taken possession of by either party, to the party who origin- ally established or constructed the same, and who were in possession of them prerioua to the recent disputes between the two companies. You will require also the removal of any blockade or impediment by which any party may hare attempted to prevent the free passage of traders or others of His Majesty's subjects or the natives of the country with their merchandize, furs, provisions and other effects throughout the lakes, rivers, roads and every other usual route or com- munication heretofore used for the purpose of the fur trade in the interior cf North America, and the full and free permission of all persons to pursue their usual and accustomed trade without hinderance or molestation." And in conclusion this object is again peremptorily insisted on, viz : — " The mutual restoration of all property captured during these disputes, and the freedom ol trade and intercourse with the Indians, until the trials now pend- ing can be brought to a judicial decision, and the great question at issue with respect to the rights of the companies shall be definitely settled." On receipt of the above instructions, the Grovernor G-eneral appointed, immediately. Colonel Coltman and Major Fletcher, two military gentlemen of high respectability, to act as Com- missioners in the Indian Territories, to cause restitution to be made of Forts and property, and to commit the guilty of both parties for trial. These gentlemen left Montreal on the opening of the navi- gation, in May, 18 1*?, and proceeded by the usual route to the interior. However, before they had arrived at Fort William, that important depot had been restored to its lawful owners, in virtue of a writ of restitution issued by the Magistrates of Upper Canada, and directed to the Sheriff. In March, before, the Sheriff's authority had been resisted and his per- son imprisoned by Lord Selkirk, and it was not till after his Lordship had left Fort William and the North- West Com- HISTORY OP MANITOBA. 199 pany's canoes had arrived, that the Sheriff had been released and enabled officially to take possession of the place and property, and restore them to their original possessors. The under Sheriff had his redress, for he obtained five hundred pounds damages against Lord Selkirk for resisting him in the execution of a writ of restitution founded upon a verdict obtained at Sandwich, in 1816, and resistance also to a warrant for his Lordship's arrejst. The Commissioners, (Coltman and Fletcher,) in course of time arrived at Fort Douglas, before his Lordship had left the place, and pro- ceeded without delay to execute their commission by com- pelling each party to restore, so far as restitution could be made, the property taken Irom their opponents. The Hudson's Bay Company regained possession of their establishment in February, by the DeMeurons. The North- West Company's Fort had been razed to the ground, and could not be restored ; but that active and energetic body procured new materials, built houses and stores on the old site and commenced business anew. The Hudson's Bay Company, of which his Lordship of Selkirk was the great moving spirit, received some very important lessons in the slaughter of the 19th of June, 1816, in the expensive law- suits that followed that event, and, abeve all, in the instruc- tions given to Commissioners Coltman and Fletcher, which declared, unmistakeably, that the Imperial Grovernment considered each of the great trading companies entitled alike to its protection. His Lordship, after his arrival in the colony, commenced locating his DeMeurons, and for their accommodation Point Douglas was surveyed into a number of lots, each containing a few acres, and bordering on the river ; a wide street, running from the apex to the high- way, being set apart for their common use, affording access to the common which lay beyond the road, in which the settlers on the point had a right of pasturage and of hay- making. 200 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. After Point Douglas hkd. been appropriated a number of bis Lordship's troops were still without land. These had to take land on the east side of the Red River opposite to Point Douglas. All were paid and rationed, for a time, by his Lordship. The non-commissioned oflicers were settled on land among the soldiers ; the superior officers lived at headquarters and became members of the Colonial Council. His Lordship disposed to the best advantage of the small military force which he settled in the colony for its protection. On a signal being made at headquarters, a few minutes would enable the force to join their commanding officers, rally round their standards and be ready for either attack or defence. His Lordship having provided for the military protection of his colony, had other subjects of the greatest importance to attend to. The colonists, as we have already stated, had hitherto met with nothing but a series of disappointments and unparalled sufferings. Humanity and policy dictated to his Lordship, not only the necessity, but the wisdom of dealing liberally with them ; and now the time had arrived when he had an opportunity of giving some proof of his appreciation of their endurance and perse- verance; and for the accomplishment of tb at object he invited the colonists to meet him on a certain day in the centre of the incipient colony — which, in August, 1817, was the lot on which Saint John's Cathedral now stands. On the appointed day the settlers of all ages and sexes hastened to the place eager to enjoy the honour of being taken by the hand by their great and noble patron, and to hear from his own lips a confirmation of the great promises made to them by his agents before they had left their native land. The following were some of them : — First. — They were to enjoy the services of a minister of religion who was to be of their own persuasion. Second — Each settler was to receive 100 acres of land at five shillings per acre payable in produce. HISTORY OP MANITOBA. 201 Third.— They were to have a market ia the colony for their surplus produce. Fourth.— They were to enjoy all the privileges of British subjects. The second article was immediately fulfilled. Each head of family was put in possession of one hundred acres of land, and to compensate in some small degree for their suf- ferings and loss, he gave the land free of all charges. The third and fourth were never fulfilled. The immi- grants attached far more importance to the fulfilment of the first promise than they did to the fulfilment of all the other promises taken together, as on the ministrations of a clergy- man of their own persuasion, they firmly believed, depended their present well-being and future happiness. However, his Lordship did, on the present occasion, all that he could do to show them his sincere desire to make good the promise regarding the minister made by his agents. On this occasion he made them a present of two lots of land ten chains frontage each, and addressed them, saying : " This lot on which we are met to-day shall be for your church and manse ; the next lot on the south side of the creek shall be for your school and for a help to support your teacher, and in commemoration of your native parish it shall be called Kildonan," At this meeting an urgent application was made for the minister, and again solemnly promised by his Lordship. Yet thirty-four years had run their course before a Presby- terian Minister appeared in the colony ; but, it would be doing injustice to his Lordship to believe that the non- fulfilment of his promise arose from any indifference to the subject on his part, for it is well known that, when in Montreal, he employed a Mr. John Pritchard to secure the services of a Presbyterian clergyman for the Ked Eiver colonists. This agent, employed by his Lordship, proved to be an unfortunate choice. Mr. Pritchard was an Episco- palian, and although a kind and benevolent man, he had not 202 HISTOaY OF MANITOBA. the least particle of sympathy with Presbyterians or Presby- terianism, which, in some degree, may account for the non- performance of the duty assigned to him. Unfortunately for the settlers, their noble patron was too deeply involved in litigation in the Canadian Courts with the North- West Company to leave him any time to search into his agent's conduct, or to think of the protracted dis- appointments of his confiding and faithful settlers. His Lordship, soon after his arrival in the colony, con- vened the different bands of Indians who occupied the surrounding- districts. Some of these little bands were composed of the descendants of Swampy-Crees and Saulteaux, who, at a former but rather recent period, left the forests on the east side of Lake Winnipeg to hunt the buffalo on the plains of Red Eiver, and were known by the distinctive appellation " Nachdaweyack." Besides these, there were present a considerable number of pure Ojibois or Saulteaux, who, about the year 1790, had left the forests of Eed Lake, and ever since continued to roana through the forests and over the plains that surrounded the Eed Eiver. The Orees were also represented at this great convention by their chief, who, it has been said, exerted all his influence to prevent the formation of the treaty on which his Lordship had so much set his mind. "Without a proper understanding with the Indians about the land, the colonists would be continually labouring under the fear of being attacked by the thought- less and ill-disposed portion of the surrounding savages. At this critical moment his Lordship found a true and powerful friend in Pigwis. This aged chief was not only well known, but greatly respected for his wisdon and incom- parable eloquence by the various nations and tribes that occupied the country from Lake Superior to the Saskatche- wan. He laboured diligently to forward his Lordship's object, by preparing the Indian mind for this memorable occasion. These people came into the colony from all quarters to meet the great chief, whose fame had preceded HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 203 him. It is always well understood when Indians congre- gate for the purpose of treaty making, that they must be provided for during the time the negotiations are carried on and for some time after. The present occasion was no exception to the general rule. However, after a considerable quantity of tobacco had been smoked, and full justice done by the hungry savages to his Lordship's pemican bags, the Earl appeared in lordly apparel and attended by a princely retinue. The savages were seated within the Fort enclosure, and after much tact and cunning had been used on the one part, and lengthy orations delivered by the other, the high contracting parties concluded the following treaty : — " This indenture, made on the eifchteenth day of July, in the fifty-seventh year of the reign of Our Sovereign Lord King George the Third, and in the year of Our Lord one thousand eight hundred and seventeen, between the undersigned Chiefs and Warriors of the Chippeway or Saulteaux Nation and of the Killistino or Cree Nation, on the one part, and the Right Honorable Thomas, Earl of Selkirk, on the other part : Witnesseth, that for and in consideration of the annual present or quit-rent hereinafter mentioned, the said Chiefs have given, granted and con- firmed, and do by these presents give, grant and confirm, unto Our Sovereign Lord the King, all that tract of land adjacent to Red River and Assiniboine River, be- ginning at the mouth of the Red River and extending along the same as far as the Great Forks, at the mouth of Red Lake River, and along the Assiniboine River as far as Mnsfcrat River, otherwise called Riviere des Champignons, and extending to the distance of six miles from Fort Douglas on every side, and likewise from Fort Daer (at Pembina), and also from the Great Forks, and in.other parts extend- ing in breadth to the distance of two English statute miles back from the banks of the said rivers, on each side, together with all the appurtenances whatsoever of the said tract of land, to have and to hold forever the said tract of land and ap- purtenances to the use of the said Earl of Selkirk and of the settlers being estab- lished thereon with the consent of Our Sovereign Lord the King, or of the said Earl of Selkirk : Provided always, and these presents are under the express con- dition, that the said Earl, his heirs and successors, or their agents, shall annually pay to the Chiefs and Warriors of the Chippeway or Saulteaux .Nation the present or quit-rent, consisting of one hundred pounds weight of good marketable tobaccOf to be delivered on or before the tenth day of October at The Forks of the Assini- boine River, and to the Chiefs and Warriors of the Killistino or Cree Nation a like present or quit-rent of one hundred pounds of tobacco, to be delivereed to them on or before the said tenth day of October at Portage de la Prairie, on the- banks of the Assiniboine River ; Provided always, that the traders hitherto estab- lished upon any part of the above-mentioned tract of land shall not be molestei in the possession of the lands which they have already cultivated and improved; till His Majesty's pleasure shall be known. 204 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. "In witness whereof the Chiefs aforesaid have set their marks at The Forks of •the Red River on the day aforesaid. "(Signed) SELKIRK. " Signed in presence of Thomas Thomas ; James Bird ; F. Matthey, Captain ; P. D'Orsonena, Captain; Miles McDonell ; J. Bate; Ohas. DeLorimier ; Louis Nolin, Interpreter; Oacki-do-at, Big Ears; Rayagie Rebmoa, alias Black Robe; Moche- w-keoacb : Macke-tu-Uxooace, Black Robe ; Pigwis." After Ms Lordship had, in connection with the Commis- sioners, attended to the restitution of the property taken by iheir opponents from the Hudson's Bay Company, and vice versa ; the DeMeurons located ; the colonists put in possession of land, and the Indian Treaty concluded, he bade farewell to his friends and, accompanied by a guide and a few trusty men, turned his face to the south, passed through the land of the Dakotah to Prairie des Chiens, whence he passed to the east and embarked for Europe at New York ; not being •desirous of visiting Canada on his return, fearing, as it has been said, becoming involved in fresh law suits with his rivals in trade. "We have stated that a few of the settlers crossed Lake Winnipeg on ice and put in some seed. Their industry was -amply rewarded by the abundant crops which they reaped in harvest. These people have invariably alfirmed that from one bushel of wheat sown forty was reaped ; barley produced fifty- six ; potatoes more than doubled that rate of increase. From various causes so very little seed had been sown that as the winter approached they were threatened by famine. To -avoid this danger they resolved on passing the winter on the plains beyond Pembina. Towards the latter end of October the settlers had to leave their primitive abodes on the the Lower Eed River and em- bark in some Hudson's Bay Company's boats that were going to Pembina with trading goods for the trading stations on the Upper Red River. In due time they arrived at the place where they had erected their shanties in November, 1815, ;and hero they set to work with all their energy to prepare winter abodes — expecting to make this place their head- quarters, where the aged and infirm might reasonably expect HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 205- to find security and enjoy rest. Unfortunately, unforeseen events disappointed these pleasing anticipations The buffalo, on which they had to depend for their subsistence^ -were at a great distance in the open plains towards the Missouri, and the want of horses or even dogs to drag the buffalo beef to the shanties from the hunting tents was keenly felt. Such was the low state of their finances that they could not purchase any of these xiseful animals, and without their aid they could not remain any longer in the position which they took up in the beginning of winter ; so, with heavy hearts and emaciated forms, they set out on their long, dangerous and laborious journey over the frozen, dreary, barren wilderness that lies between Pembina and the Coteaii, or high land, that rises to the north of the Mis- souri, where the Indians and freemen were hunting the buffalo, where they arrived all in good health, but thoroughly way-worn and in very destitute circumstances. However, in a short time they were able to procure, not only a suffi- ciency for the supply of their daily recurring wants, but were able by industry and frugality to make some provisions for future emergencies. The winter was untisually mild, and in the latter part of February the snow began to thaw under the combined in- fluence of a bright sun and southerly winds. This change in the weather led our pilgrims to the conclusion that their wisest course would be to raise their camp and travel for some point on the Upper Eed Eiver. On their way back they met with abundance of game, for, besides numerous herds of buffalo and deer, wild fowl were plentiful in every creek and pond. After their arrival on the banks of the river their time was employed in hunting, and in preparing the necessary means of floating down the stream with their pro- visions after the ice would clear off, which event took place in the beginning of April. After their arrival in the settle- ment their first care was to obtain seed wheat, and the nearest place where any could be procured was at Bas de la. 206 HISTORY OF MAIflTOBi. Riviere Winnipeg, where Fort Alexander now stands. The North- West Company had at that place a considerable area under cultivation on which they raised different kinds of cereals, among which were wheat and barley. Thither some of the colonists went and were successful in securing seed, but on what terms we are unable to say. After their return the hoes were put in operation, and all the seed that they had was committed to the soil. The summer was favorable, and the fields in a few days assumed a promising appear- ance. Everyone that sowed expected that in a short time he would reap a rich harvest ; but, those unfortunate people, in the midst of all their pleasant anticipations, were assailed by a new and most formidable enemy hitherto unknown to them. On the afternoon of the 18th July, 1818, in a cloud- less sky, the sun became partially obscured by clouds of fly- ing insects, some of which were constantly falling to the earth, and between three and four o'clock in the evening the entire swarm lighted on the earth, or rather fell on it, and remained until they had deposited their ova sacks. The wheat and barley were nearly ripe, but in a few days the former was stripped of all its leaves, which deprived the berry of a considerable portion of that nutriment which nature intended for it. After the wheat has eared the plant is too hard for the grasshoppers' power, and stands uninjured. It fares very differently with the barley — they attack the plant a few inches below the head and clip it off as if cut by a pair of scissors. In this work they are such perfect adepts that, when in any great numbers, every ear in the field is on the ground in the course of a few days and left for the hus- bandman to gather up if he thinks proper to take the trouble to do so. In the present case the settlers were able to gather in their grain crops, bat all the vegetables in the gardens were destroyed in a few hours. While the colonists were lamenting their hard fate and hopeless condition, a few French families from Lower Canada, under the conduct of two priests, arrived in the HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 207 colony and became settlers. The arrival oi" these few immigrants served only, in the meantime, to increase the existing evil by creating a greater demand for food, the want of which became every day more pressing. Having gather- ed in what remained of their once promising crop, and stored it up carefully for future use, they began to turn their anxious thoughts towards Pembina and the places beyond, notwithstanding the remembrance of their suflFer- ings and privations in preceding winters. Early in the autumn the settlers left the colony, and arrived safely at Pembina before the winter had set in. The former abodes were easily re-arranged, and the very aged and the very young remained there. The strong and vigorous went to thcv plains beyond to hunt and to take the proceeds of their hunt to those whom they left at Pembina. Fortunately for all interested the buffalo were within a short distance, say 40 or 50 miles,, from Pembina. The hunters had their tents along the Salt Rivers, where they procured abundance of food for the winter, and the means of making some provisions for the exigencies of the ensuing summer. Early in the spring of 1819 the Canadian families settled at Pembina. The Scotch families returned to their former abodes in Kildonan, and as early as the reason would admit, commenced sowing and planting, but before they had finished sowing the young locusts began to appear and feed on and devour every green herb that grew on the cultivated fields and on the plains. It has been related by some of those who were here at the time that these voracious pests stripped the willows and trees of their leaves and bark. The settlers had sown and planted with great toil, and no doubt looked forward with hope to the time when their labor would be richly rewarded by an abundant harvest, but in a few short weeks they saw all their expectations destroyed. As those hatched in the colony disappeared, fresh swarms from the south-west descended on the devoted land and began pairing and depositing their ova, thus 208 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. cutting off all prospect of better times in the next year. Notwithstanding their perseverance, forethought and economy, want of food began to be severely felt by the Scotch settlers, and these fresh swarms rendered them im- patient and discontented, dispairing of ever being able to make a living as agriculturists. Y.anj of their young men had become good hunters, could travel on snow-shoes, drive dog-trains, and delighted in ornamenting both dogs and sleighs with bells and ribbons, and were in other respects falling rapidly into the free and independent habits of the hunter. Urged by necessity, they left their habitations on the Lower Red River, and went to pass the winter on the plains beyond Pembina, where we shall leave them for the present, while we narrate a transaction that took place at the Big Fall on the Sascatchewan. In 1818, William "Williams, Esquire, came from England to superintend the Hon. Hudson's Bay Company's affairs in what was then known as " The Northern Department of Rupert's Land." This gentleman had previously been a naval captain in the East India Company's service. On his arrival in Hudson's Bay, he passed a few days at York Fac- tory, and then proceeded inland to Cumberland House, where he passed the winter months. Towards the spring, he left his winter quarters and went to Red River, where he arrived early in the month of May. Here he found a craft dignified by the name gun-boat. This vessel, after having been duly rigged and prepared, manned for lake navigation, had been armed with some field pieces, manned by Hudson's Bay Company's servants, and carried a strong body of armed DeMeurons. As soon as Lake Winnipeg opened, the gun- boat, accompanied by some river boats, whose crews were fully equipped for the campaign, left Red River, and in due time arrived at the Big Fall. Then they made preparations for intercepting the North- West Company's brigades of canoes that were soon expected to arrive from all parts of the North. Governor Williams, like a skilful commander, fixed HISTORy OF MANITOBA. 209 his headquarters on an island at the foot of the Fall. This done, the forces were assembled around the G-eneral's tent, and the charter was read and explained to them. Next in order, the Commander harangued his men to excite their military ardour, and pointed oiit the illegal wickedness of the Canadian traders in daring even to naA'igate the rivers that flowed towards Hudson's Bay. How much more ought that wicked audacity which led them to build trading posts over all the land to be reprobated and punished ? Then he assured his army that if they behaved A^aliantly and survived the expected conflict that their wages would be increased; if wounded, they would be compensated by the Hon. Com- pany with pensions being settled upon them for life at the same rates paid to soldiers receiving similar injuries in His Majesty's service ; and if any single man chanced to be slain, the price of blood was to be paid to his father or to his rela- tions. Married men who should perish in this meritorious strife had His Excellency's promise that their widows and orphans would be carefully watched over and provided for by the Company until able to provide for themselves. Thus exhorted and encouraged to the performance of mar- tial deeds, the gallant Governor and his warlike followers took possession of the portage. Ambuscades were placed at suitable points, and sentinels were placed at the upper land- ing ; a couple of field pieces were landed and placed in position so as to bear on the river or on the cleared road over which passengers travelled and goods were carried, as cir- cumstances might require. Being thus advantageously placed, their ardour had but little time to flag before the first bri- gade of the North- West Company's canoes came to the por- tage, of which the various parties along the road were in- formed by the sentinels placed at the upper landing. As soon as the canoes came to the unloading place they began putting their packs on shore. The gentlemen passengers stepped on shore, each with his vade mecum, the calumet in hand and cloak thrown loosely over the shoulder in ,210 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. true trader style, commenced travelling over the well-known path towards the lower landing. They did not proceed far before their armed foes, hitherto concealed behind bushes and trees, surrounded them, made them prisoners and conveyed them to headquarters on the Island, where they placed them in the tender keeping of a guard of DeMeurons. In this afiair five gentlemen of the first rank in the North-West Company's service were captured, viz : Messrs. Angus Shaw, John G-eorge McTavish, John Duncan Campbell, William Mcintosh and a Mr. Frobisher, with a number of guides, interpreters and batailleurs. These prisoners were all for- warded to York Fort, on Hudson's Bay, where they were confined until the ships were ready to sail for Europe. Messrs. Shaw and McTavish were sent to England ; Mr. Duncan Campbell and a number of guides and laboring men were sent by Moose Fort and the Ottawa Eiver to Mon- treal. Mr. Frobisher and a few of his men were kept in durance vile at York Factory, and would, in all probability, have had to pass all the winter at that inhospitable place and in rigid confinement, had they not managed to elude the vigilance of their keepers, which they did during a dark and stormy night in the beginning of October. They found an Indian canoe along the river, into which they embarked and proceeded inland. Several posts belonging to the Hud- son's Bay Company lay along their route to Lake Winnipeg. Nevertheless, they passed them unobserved and had coasted along the North end of that lake before the navigation had closed. These unfortunates were without provisions and destitute of the necessary appliances by the aid of which they might be able to procure any article. However, they struggled on, day after day, until within a few days' journey of Moose Lake, where they encamped for the night. Here they were confined to their hut for some time by a storm of "wind and snow, and while in this wretched hut, poor Mr. Frobisher's life came to an end in November, 1819. When the weather moderated those who had been his companions HISTORY UP MANITOBA. 211 departed, leaving his body unburied, and in a few days reached the North- West Company's post at Moose Lake, where their wants were supplied and their lives preserved. They told the sad tale of their own sufferings and of Mr. Frobisher's miserable end. ThTis ended the last scene in the great tragedy that had been in course of acting from 1808, when Angus McDon- nell, a clerk in the North-West Company's service, was shot at Red Lake by one John Mowat, a laborer in the service of the Hudson's Bay Company, up to the period of which w^e have been writing. "We have left our Scotch settlers ^t Pembina and on the plains beyond that place. The buffalo, on which the multi- tude of half-breed settlers and Indians depended for their subsistence, were in great numbers, but kept far out in the open plains, which rendered hunting and taking the pro- visions to camp more laborious than at any time during the preceding year, when the cattle were near the woods ; in other words near the camp, as it is in the woods only that the hunters with their families can venture to make their place of abode during the winter months. Notwithstanding the distance over which they had to draw their provisions, they had enough for winter and some to spare, which they made into pemican for summer use. In April they left the plains and arrived safely at Pembina, when, as usual, they prepared some dug-out canoes and others made of wicker frame-work covered with bull hides (these were made im- pervious to water with tallow well rubbed on the seams.) When the ice had cleared off these crafts of primitive con- struction were launched on the stream, received their freight, .and the settlers proceeded to their habitations, which they had abandoned the previous autumn, where they arrived safely in the beginning of May, 1820. They were without seed of any kind, consequently they were saved labor that would have been,under existing circumstances,unproductiTe. As May advanced, and the rays of the sun had communi- 212 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. cated the requisite degree of warmth to the soil, the young- locusts became very numerous, so much so that they literally covered the face of the country for a distance of many miles to the south, to the west, to the east and north — to the very shore of Lake Winnipeg. As no employment could be had in the colony during the summer months, many of the young men engaged to work on his Lordship's boats employed in freighting goods from York Factory to the colony. Thes& men were paid for their labor in goods, for which they paid from two to four hundred per cent, on the original cost in England, yet, hard as their labor was, and although poorly paid for it, they deemed themselves fortunate in being able to earn their food and raiment. Those who remained in the settlement had to depend for their subsistence on such supplies as they could procure by fishing and hunting wild fowl, which amounted to half rations one day and to starvation the next. Wearied of this state of existence, they began to prepare for their journey to- Pembina, for which place they left their summer residence in October, 1820, and arrived in due time at their hitherto city of refuge from famine. We have related the solemn promise given by the Earl of Selkirk to the Scotch settlers when he was in the colony, in 181*7, viz : that on his arrival in Scotland he would send a Presbyterian clergyman to minister to them in the land of their adoption. Years had passed, but his Lordship's pro- mise had not been fulfilled, and great as their disappoint- ments, misfortunes and losses had been since they came to the Red Eiver, all these were considered by the colonists of a light and transitory character when compared to the want of their spiritual pastor whose duty would be to minister consolation under the trials and difficulties of this mortal life, and to cherish and strengthen within them the hope of a better hereafter. We may form some idea of their surprise and disappointment on the arrival of a minister, not of their own persuasion, so often solemnly promised and so anxiously HISTORY OF MANITOBA, 213 expected, but a Missionery from the Church of England. In October, 1820, when the Rev. Mr. West made his appearance in the settlement, nearly all the people in it were members of the Presbyterian Church. Mr. West, we believe, was a pious, well-meaning man, desirous of advancing the spiritual wel- fare of those who attended on his ministry, but he steadily adhered to the ritual of his church, and, in it, the Scotch could see no spirituality, nor believe that they could receive any edification from such forms ; besides, we must not forget, that the English language was to them a foreign tongue, as very few of the aged understood any but Gaelic, for which they longed vehemently. Mr. West soon perceived that his prospect of usefulness among the Scotch settlers was anything but encouraging ; therefore, he extended his visits during the winter months to the trading posts in the neighboring districts, where he met some of the native tribes and saw their poverty and deep moral depravity, which furnished him with a theme well calculated to excite the benevolence of the Christian public in behalf of the benighted savages that roam through the forests and over the plains of the western wilderness. On his arrival at York Factory the previous autumn, he en- deavored, by means of some trifling presents and a few kind words, to ingratiate himself into the red man's confidence. In this he succeeded so far as to get these people to put a few boys under his care for the purpose of being educated and prepared for future usefulness among their countrymen. These he took along with him to the colony, and in the beginning of winter opened a school at which the children of a few traders and settlers attended. We are not prepared to say what progress they made, but this we will say, that this elementary school established by Mr. West for the instruction of a few Indian boys was the germ whence ori- ginated all the Protestant schools and colleges in Manitoba at the present time. 214 HISTORY OP MANITOBA. In February, 1821, a party of men, under the command of Mr. Laidlaw, left the colony for Prairie du Chi en, the nearest settlement in the United States, performing the long and arduous journey on snow-shoes, which occupied them nearly three months. Here they purchased two hundred and fifty bushels of wheat at ten shillings a bushel, and with the use of flat-bottom boats conveyed the same to the colony. The wheat thus obtained was sown and a good crop follow- ed. The cost of the expedition is said to have been ^61,040. The Earl of Selkirk died in 1820, which facilitated the amalgamation of the two trading companies. His Lordship's real object in forming the colony on the Ked River appeared at the time to be the hope of getting a number of hardy men raised in the country, inured to the climate, and devoted to their patron's interest, to enter into the Hudson's Bay Com- pany's employ and become servile tools in carrying arbitrary measures for the destruction of the North-West Company. He, moreover, expected, no doubt, that he would be able, in the course of a few years, to receive considerable supplies of grain from the colony for the fur trade. He knew that the grant of land which he obtained from his fellow-stockholders would give him a pretence for quarrelling with the Canada Company, and, had he been able to effect his object, he would probably have broken up the colony, for it has always been a source of injury to the fur trade. We have left the settlers at Pembina and on the plains tO' the south-west of that place, where they passed the winter of 1820-21. Grood health prevailed in their camps, and they fared for food as well as those dependent on the chase generally do. When the winter roads began to break up ; the settlers and freemen began to return to Pembina. We have stated above that the French families took land at Pembina, where they intended to go into farming opera- tions. Here a number of their countrymen, with their half Indian families, built their huts or pitched their wigwams, forming a village of considerable size, with its two priests. HtSTORY OF MANITOBA. 215 and chapel, having, at least outwardly, the appearance of civilization and comfort. The Scotch and some men from the Orkney Islands, who had been for some years in the Hudson's Bay Company's service, and who had families by native women, returned to the lower settlement in 1821, where, as usual, they had great difficulty in procuring subsistence during the summer months. The locusts that had been hatched in the spring, in due time left the settlement. A fresh swarm passed over the place, and, as has invariably been the case when swarms passed, many of them kept dropping to the earth. Fortu- nately, those in a few days took flight again, and departed without depositing their eggs. A few patches of grain escaped their ravages, but when these had been cut and gathered in, the quantity of grain was so triffling that the people laid it up for seed to sow in the following spring, and began once more to turn their thoughts towards Pem- bina and the plains of Dakota, where they passed the winter of 1821-22. We have already narrated the lawlessness and disorders that prevailed during the last ten years throughout the Indian territories. The keen competition in trade had not only created a greater outlay in trading goods, but during the above period the number of servants employed by each of the contending paties had been doubled, and the wages of these men, especially in the Hudson's Bay Company's service, had been more than tripled. To these extraordinary expenses we must not forget to add the great sums spent by each of the rivals, on litigation in the Canadian Courts ; yet, long and ardent as the strife had been between these potent rivals, neither of them seemed to have gained any advantage over the other, both were on the brink of insolvency. Pru- dent men in each Company's service became anxious to put an end to the unsatisfactory state of affairs that prevailed, and to devise some means by which that desirable object might be attained. The merchants that were at the head 216 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. of the North-West Company's affairs in England, and their agents at Montreal, in 1810, endeavored to come to some understanding with his Lordship for the purpose of main- taining peace throughout the Indian territories. All their proposals were rejected, Again, in 1814, they laid some pro- positions before the Earl, which, in their opinion, if accepted by him would restore peace and prosperity, but his Lord- ship returned an answer containing conditions which, if agreed to, would deprive the Canadian traders of every post that they occupied within what the Hudson's Bay Company were pleased to call their territories ; and before they would be permitted to maintain their communication with their establishments on the waters that flow into the Arctic and Pacific Oceans, they were informed that it would be necessary for them to lease and pay rent to his Lordship, and to the Hudson's Bay Company for the sites on which their scores and houses were built along the route to the far North and West ; moreover, that some dues must be paid for the privilege of navigating the lakes and rivers through which they would have to pass in going from Lake Superior to Portage La Loche. On receipt of these modest overtures the North- West Company saw no chance of arriving at an amicable termination of the existing troubles. The negotiations ceased, but, as we have already seen, the contention continued until both became fairly exhausted. On reflecting on the past they saw the folly of the ruinous course they had pursued. Their interest dictated the necessity of abandoning it, and wisdom suggested the only means by which the fur trade could be once more made profitable to those concerned in it — namely, the union of the two Com- panies, which event took place in the month of March, 1821. It put an end to party strife and rivalry in trade, not only in Eed River, Ibut over the length and breadth of the land. The new Hudson's Bay Company's wintering partners were divided into two grades, the highest being termed Chief Factors and the other grade Chief Traders . The Company's HISTORY OP MANITOBA. 21T stock in trade was divided into one hundred shares. The stockholders reserved for themselves the profits on sixty of these shares. The profit on the forty shares was divided between the Chief Factors and Chief Traders, but not in equal shares. The forty shares appropriated for the remu- neration of the wintering partners were broken or divided into eighty-four parts, of which the Chief Factor received annually the profits on two of these shares. The Chief Trader had to be content with one of these shares, or, in other words, one eighty-fourth, which, in prosperous times, yielded a fair xemuneration to these gentlemen. On retiring from the ser- Tice each of the commissioned officers' interest in the profits remained for seven years. The first year of his retirement he received a full share, and during the remaining six years he received annually one-half share ; but during the seven years in which he drew the retired share it was understood by him that he must not enter into any competition in trade with his former employers. If he did, they reserved the right to withhold the retired share. Under the new order of things the commission men — namely. Chief Factors and Chief Traders — were ex-officio members of the council for the fur trade. Under the new arrangement the Company took into con- sideration the claims and interests of superannuated clerks of different grades, but whose services were no longer re- quired. For the purpose of giving each of these gentlemen a small annuity for a limited time — seven years — the profits on a few shares were assigned, and at the expiration of the seven years the sums arising from the aforesaid shares were applied to the formation of a reserve fund, and the old ser- vants, many of them in extreme want, were left to provide for themselves. While the leading men in the fur trade were discussing the terms on which they would unite their stock in trade, his Lordship's agents were busily occupied in Switzerland enlisting families for his colony on the Red Eiver. About 218 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. the usual shipping time — say, from the 10th August to the 10th September, — these colonists arrived at York Factory. As a rule they were of the poorer class, chiefly mechanics — clock and watchmakers, with a goodly proportion of pastry- cooks — but very few, if any, agriculturists. These immi- grants left their own country under the guidance of a gentle- man known by the title of Count d'Eusser, who was sent by the Prussian or Swiss Grovernment to accompany them to the place of their destination, and report on the colony, its soil, climate and Grovernment, when he returned, to those who had sent him. These people passed the brief time they remained at the Bay very much to their satisfaction ; but " human pleasures seldom last long," and the new-comers soon realized the full force of that saying. The fall boats had to start for the interior, and the Swiss had to embark, seven hundred miles of river and lake navi- gation, including thirty portages, laying between them and the colony. Their former sedentary habits ill-fitted them for the continuous and laborious efforts required in working the boats while on the water and transporting the goods over the portages. Their progress was unusually slow. Cold weather with frost and snow overtook them in Like "Win- nipeg, and some of them suffered greatly from frost-bites, and all of them from dearth of food. November had well advanced before they arrived at Fort Douglas. Here they met the DeMeurons, and in them recognized their country- men and became naturally desirous of settling near them ; but the contrast between the drunken, disorderly DeMeurons and the quiet, moral and honest Swiss helped to break up the friendly arrangement, and the want of food completed what the dissimilarity of habits had commenced ; and, in consequence, as many of the latter as could undertake the journey, set off" for Pembina to join those who had gone there in October. The trip proved very toilsome as they had neither dogs nor horses ; they had to yoke themselves to flat sleds on which they had their children and baggage- HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 219 However, time brought them to the end of their journey, the great camp where the hunters had their headquarters. These hunters consisted of French Canadians, Scotch and Half-breeds, with some Indians, who were all expert hunters, inured to the climate and provided with horses and dogs to haul their hunt to the camp ; but it was far otherwise the case with the unfortunate Swiss, as they were but poorly provided with clothing to protect their persons against the intense severity of a sub-arctic winter. Although the buf- falo were plentiful on Ihe plains that surrounded their camp^ they knew not how to approach them, and when others hunted for them, they were destitute of the ordinary means for taking the hunt to the camp. So circumstanced they were often reduced to the dire necessity of receiving food in charity, not only from the colonists and Half-breeds, but even from the Indians, who, to their praise be it spoken,, never withhold food from the hungry when they have it. As the spring of 1822 advanced, the wintering parties hastened back to rejoin their friends that wintered in the colony. The Kev. Mr. West says in his journal : " Thfr Scotch, with their usual prudence, made some provision for the future ; but the DeMeurons and Swiss returned empty- handed, and some of the Canadians were not much better provided." As soon as the season permitted, the Lower Ca* nadians, the Scotch and a few of the DeMeurons went ener- getically to work with their hoes (for as yet the settlers had no plough) to sow and plant, and early in June all the avail- able seed had been committed to the soil. The Swiss cleared a few patches of forest land on which they sowed small quantities of barley and planted a few potatoes. Those who had not made any provision during the winter for the summer had to depend for their subsistence on the fish which they could take in the river, and on the few wild pigeons which they hunted in the woods ; and when these precarious resources failed altogether, as was often the case^ they had to buy fish from those known by the name freemen,. 320 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. who pitched their tents during the summer months along the river and made fishing the sole object of their pursuit. These fishermen had no tariff to regulate the price of their mer- chandise but the necessities of their hungry customers, which they knew well how to turn to their own advantage. As there was no cash in the settlement at the time of which we are writing, the trade in food had to be carried on by barter, the starving settler had often to part with valuable articles for a few fish which would scarcely furnish his famished family with a single meal. Fortunately for these suffering people, the summer proved very favorable to the crops, and in due time ihe husbandman's hopes were more than realize 1, and famine, with all the evils that follow in its train, was, for a season, banished from, the land. We hav« stated that Mr. Alexander McDonell had become Governor of the colony after Governor Semple fell at the Seven Oaks, in 1816. After having ruled the colony for a period of six years, he was, in the summer of 1822, supersed- ed by Captain Bulger. HISTORY OP MiNITOBA. 221- CHAPTER YI. Captain Bulger's Administration — Incidents amono the; Pioneers of Red Eiver — The Buffalo Wool Factory — The First Protestant Missionaries — The Chase — Attempts at Agriculture. We have stated above that Mr. Alexander McDonell gov- erned the colony from the death of Grovernor Semple, in June, 1816, to the summer of 1822, During those six years the infant colony had been assailed by human hostility and by the ravages of the locusts to such an extent that no material progress had been made ; yet, who will venture ta say that Mr. McDonell was not entitled to some credit for having established and maintained peace and order among^ the various nationalities represented by the people over whom he presided ? Captain Bulger, who succeeded Mr. McDonell, in the summer of 1822, entered on the duties of his new office, and his predecessor retired to his farm. It may not be out of place to state here that the settlers were supplied with goods from his Lordship's stores at Fort Douglas. There being no circulating medium, a system of credit and barter had to be adopted and acted upon. For instance, when a settler required supplies, in the first place he made a list of the desired articles, with which he went ta His Honor the Governor, who, as a rule, endorsed the same. From His Honor, the lists had to be taken to the accountant and from him to the salesman. Each of the above officials^ copied the various items on the list into his books. The salesman's duty was to deliver the goods and check them olT on the list ; but if the required articles were not in the store, or even at hand, the applicant would be told to leave his list and call again, and often after calling again and again, the articles would not be delivered and the checked list said 222 HISTORY OF MAN'ITOB A. to have been lost. The articles had been entered on the books ; and the unfortunate settler might protest, but the items were entered and the colonists had to pay for them. "We may, without h^'sitation, admit that the system of so many entries was adopted with the intention of securing accuracy, and, we believe, that it was well calculated to answer that pur- pose if those in the sale-shop had carefully filed these lists instead of throwing them into the first empty box that pre- sented itself till called for, and when called for, very few could ever be found. During the above unfortunate times, some of the settlers had been employed at such work as house building and agricultural labor on his Lordship's experimental farm, or tripping to the Bay and thence inland in his Lord- ship's boats, carrying goods and stores for the settlement. 'For all such labor they were paid in goods, and if they did not require articles to the full amount of their wages, they were given to understand that the balance remaining in their favor would be placed to the credit of their account. How- ever, the colonists could not persuade themselves that their accounts had been honestly kept. A change of officials an- nually took place, those who had been in charge of the stores and books last year, were, mo t likely, succeeded by parties who were entirely unacquainted with the mode of managing the business, and in consequence could not give the desired information to those most deeply interested, and who, on account of their unfortunate position, were compelled, at the end of each year to sign what was presented to them as their accounts. Those who dared to refuse signing their so-called accounts were threatened with having the store shut against them, which threat never failed to bring the refractory to terms. On debts thus contracted, five per cent, per annum was charged, which state of affairs created considerable ex- citement in the settlement. "While the public mind was in this vexed mood, Mr. Halket, one of the Earl's executors, arrived from England. The colonists appeared by delegates, before him, and related their many grievances, to which he H[3T0RY OF MANriOBA. 223 lent an attentive ear, and promised to hear all parties and give the required redress so far as in his power. The Grovernor and his subordinates were brought to task. Book-keepers and salesmen of former years had left the country, and their successors in office could not produce any Touchers to throw any light on the debts that had been accumulating for some ,years, and which the debtors believed to contain many false entries and the non-entry of sums with which many among them ought to have been credited. Seeing the impossibility of finding 6ut the true state of afiairs from the books and from those whom he found in possession of them, after mature consideration, he ordered one-fifth of the debt to be thrown off with the five per cent, interest, which he pronounced to be illegal and oppressive. He left the colony about the 20th July for York Factory, not by the usual route — Lake Winnipeg — but by Lake Manitoba and the Little Sascatchewan, which empties itself into Lake Winnipeg, and in due time he arrived at the great emporium of the fur trade on Hudson's Bay. During his stay in Eed Kiver he saw, with regret, the unsatisfactory manner in which his Lordship's mercantile aifairs had been managed, and wisely determined to cease supplying the colonists any longer with goods. We may safely conclude that while at York Factory he arranged with the leading men of the fur trade to undertake that branch of business and supply the colonists with such European manufactures as they would require and could pay for. These articles were to be sold at Eed Eiver at a speci- fied percentage on prime cost, namely : 1st, 33^ was added to the prime cost ; then on tliat amount 68 per cent., which became the selling price, or rather the amount the purchaser had to pay. We have some of the accounts of 1822 and 1823 before us, which arc running accounts with parties who had been in the Company's service, and to whom arrears of wages are due. 224 HISTOtty OF MANITOBA. We will give the totals of the first cost of one of these accounts, viz. : — First cost added up .£32 5 ej Advance, 33^ per cent... 10 15 2 £iS 81 58 " 24 19 2 Total of account £Q1 19 10|^ Thus the merchant realized 110 per cent, on his original outlay, deducting therefrom, the agency in England and freight to York Factory, •with, expenses of inland transporta- tion, the storage and sale of the goods in the colony. Business vpas still carried on by barter, but the credit system was abolished. The union of the two Companies contributed greatly to the peace and prosperity of the colony ; all apprehension of serious strife had been removed for the present. The new company occupied Fort Gribraltar, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers, where stores were opened and goods sold to all who could pay for them. "We have stated that the summer of 1822 had been favorable and the harvest abundant. The settlers exchanged what they could spare of their grain for goods. The hunter brought in the provisions that he had procured on the western plains and exchanged them for articles of European manufacture. The red man also brought his peltry and disposed of them here. Thus we see that all the traflB.c of the surrounding district centered at Fort Gribraltar. Fort Douglas continued to be the residence of the Colonial Governor and the seat of G-overnment, but the stores had been allowed to become empty, and in conse- quence the long train of clerks, store-keepers and their attendants disappeared. The new order of things conferred another benefit on the incipient settlement, in the great number of orderly and industrious people it had been the direct cause of sending HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 226 to the place. The number of servants employed by the contending parties was triple the member required in quiet and peaceable times, and, more especially, when the business came to be managed by one firm. This being the case, those at the head of affairs embraced every opportunity of dismiss- ing those whoso engagements had expired. Of "such there were several hundred cases, many of whom were provided with a passage to Montreal ; others, especially those who at former periods had entered into matrimonial relations with native women, preferred retiring with their families to the Red River settlement. None of these men could be called wealthy, but every one of them, especially those who had been for any number of years in the Hudson's Bay Com- pany's service, had money, which enabled them in due time to stock their farms. A numerous party, composed of hardy and brave men, in the prime of life, were embarked at York Factory for Europe. In relating the contribution made by the fur trade to the population of the colony, we must not omit mentioning the introduction of some valuable me- chanics from Scotland, namely : a mill-wright, a plough- wright and a blacksmith. The same ship brought a land surveyor into the country, who made his passage to Red River in the fall boats, and who soon after his arrival com- menced work and before spring had finished the survey of what has been since known as the River Belt, from the mouth of the Assiniboine River to the lowest extremity of his Lordship's purchase, according to the Indians' under- standing of the treaty or grant made by them to him. In the part surveyed by Mr. Fiddler, and occupied by the original immigrants, each lot contained ten English chains frontage on the river, the lines to the rear extending ninety chains, each lot containing ninety acres. In Mr. Kemp's survey of 1822, the lots were reduced to eight chains frontage^ and extended 160 chains to the rear, each containing 128 English acres. Many of the Hon. Company's servants, at this con- jnnctare, were reduced to the alternative of abandoning' o 226 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. their families or retiring with them to the colony. A num- ber of them were entitled to grants of land in the settlement for past services, and on their arrival in the place, they were permitted to settle on such lots as they found unoccupied, A laborer, as a rule, was entitled to 100 acres, and on settling on one of the eight-chain lots, he was given to understand that, at some future time, he would have to pay in produce for the extra twenty-eight acres in the lot at the rate of five shillings sterling per acre. Each clerk, inter- preter and guide who retired to Eed Eiver, was put in possession, for past services, of two or three eight-chain lots. The influx of families, from the fur trade, in 1822, and the following summer, exceeded in number those who repre- sented the original colonists brought in from all quarters by his Lordship. Many of these men had served for years in the coldest, most sterile and inhospitable portion of Eupert's Land, and of what is now known as Keewatin, where they had to subsist for seven or eight months in the year on fish taken in nets or on hooks set under ice five feet thick, and when these, in many places, precarious resources failed, sad indeed was the lot of the unfortunate fur trader. When men who had for years suffered the severity of such a climate, with all its concomitant evils, arrived on the banks of Eed Eiver and beheld not only the luxuriant her- bage by which they were surrounded, but tasted the deli- cious wild fruits that every bush presented for their acceptance, they could not cease contrasting the land of their adoption with the sterile regions in which they had lived so long ; but, their admiration of the fertility of the soil was, if possible, raised still higher on seeing the splendid growth of the various kinds of cereals on the few patches that were at that early period under cultivation. They contrasted this growth with what they had been accustomed tp on the well-tilled and oft-manured fields of their native land ; and it is truly gratifying, in taking a view through the vista of time long elapsed, to reflect on the abundance of HISTORY OP MANITOBA. 22T Tural wealth with which their industry and frugality- enabled them in a few years to surround their h,abitations. We have stated above that Captain A. Bulger succeeded Mr. Alexander McDonell in the Grubernatorial Chair. His Honor had not been long in power before he had an oppor- tunity of showing his determined character in the punish, ment of an Indian braA^e, who, in a drunken bout, waylaid the Captain and made an attempt to stab him as he was pass- ing along a dark passage in his dwelling-house. The would- be mtirderer was laid hold ot, court-martialed, and sentenced to receive a few dozen lashes with the cat-o'-nine-tails. The Indian was known to the colonists as a very dangerous char- acter. He was surrounded by his kindred, who were half dtunk, and who would, undoubtedly, sooner see the great Medicine Man shot than lashed to a field-piece and whipped. There was some difficulty in procuring an executioner to in- flict the sentence of the court. After some delay and a great many threats on the part of the Indians, a gigantic DeMeuron soldier named Bonaparte stepped forward and called for the whip, which, by all accounts, he applied vigorously, with- out fear or favor, to the offender's back. The Indians ran to their arms and began to chant their war songs, but the in- trepid Captain was not to be terrified by their howling and threats, threatening, in his turn, that if the Chief would not cease his threats and order his followers to lay down their arms and cease their howling, that he would cause him to be lashed to the gun and serve him with a few lashes. These few energetic and well-timed words had the desired effect ; and no sooner was the savage set free than the whole band took to their canoes and made for Lake Winnipeg, tak- ing their justly chastised companion along with them. This well-merited chastisement taught the savages who lived in the vicinity of the colony that the time had passed away when every brave could set the laws of civilized society and of humanity at defiance with impunity, which they certainly did during the last ten years. With the reader's permission 228 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. we will give one instance out of a number that occurred in the Severn District in the spring (April) of the year 1817, In the latter part of the previous September ten or a dozen North-West men, with some trading goods, under the com- mand of a Mr. Henry Seirs, came to Trout Lake. Many of the Indians had not during the last six or seven years seen a North-West Company's servant in that region, for after the Hudson's Bay Company's servants ventured from the shores of the Bay and established a post at Trout Lake, in 1808, by degrees the North-West Company had to withdraw their posts from that part of Rupert's Land, but managed to keep their ground to the west, on the top waters of the Severn Eiver, where we shall leave them and turn to those who wintered at Trout Lake. During the days of opposition the Indians received outfits in advance. Twice in the year, gener- ally in May and October, they drew liberally on the Hudson's. Bay Company's store, and were urged strongly to depart^ without beat of drum, for their hunting grounds ; but Indian curiosity and cupidity forbade compliance, and, instead of dispersing and going to their usual wintering grounds, they- pitched their tents near the North- West Company's House, and began to draw largely on Mr. Seirs' liberality and credu- lity, until they nearly emptied his store, before they bade him farewell. The winter had passed, the spring was far advanced, and the opening of navigation at hand, but no Indians came forward to pay their debts to Mr. Seirs, when he chanced to meet an Indian coming to the Hudson's Bay House. This Indian he engaged to guide two of his men, Larocque and Leclair, to a camp of Indians residing at Beaver Lake. Two or three days travelling brought the un- fortunate Frenchmen to the camp, where they found some of those Indians who, in the preceding autumn, had made great professions of friendship to the Canadian Company 's agent, and who had drawn, on credit, largely on his store. But they were reminded of these fair professions by La Tocqne, and informed that he and his companion had been HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 229 sent to them to receive payment for the goods advanced by- Mr. Seirs. But, alas ! these friendly avowals were now for- gotten, and the savages must have concluded that the readiest way of paying their debt would be by destroying those who came to ask them for it ; and, without hesitation, they shot Larocqne and finished his companion with an axe, stripping their lifeless bodies bare, and leaving them for a prey to the fowls of the air and the beasts of the forests, appropriating the spoils to their own use. Two Hudson's Bay men left the Fort a day after the Frenchmen had left their house and followed in the footsteps of the latter, and on arriving at the place where they expected to find the Indians, they were gone ; but there they found the mangled and bare remains of their fellow citizens, which, so inspired them with terror that instead of following the Indian trails to their new encamp- ment, as was the custom under ordinary circumstances, they turned their faces homeward, and travelled day and night until they returned to the Fort, where they related their tra- gical tale. These murderers made their appearance at the Hudson's Bay Company's Fort after the opening of naviga tion, delivered their winter hunt, received their summer supplies and departed for their hunting grounds, without being so much as told that they had committed a crime, on the miserable plea that it was neither the duty nor the in- terest of the Hudson's Bay Company to interfere with Indians for murdering North- West men, probably on the ground that these men were violating the privileges conferred by the charter, or from indifference to the commission of crime. Murders of the most atrocious character were of frequent occurrence among the natives, especially when under the maddening influence of " the fire-water." Yet, we are free to say, that during a period of ten years in which we served the honorable Company, no enquiry had ever been made into any of these foul deeds, nor punishment inflicted for the same. It remained for Captain Bulger to give an example how these vicious miscreants ought to be punished. Pre- 230 HISTORY OP MANITOBA. vious to the above affair, the settlers were greatly annoyed by the vicious among the Indians, who had made a practice of riding off their horses to a distance, and, not unfrequently,, of stealing them. The subject of the above well-merited and well-timed chastisement was at all times one of the most audacious of these evil-doers ; but afterwards the red-skins began to pay some respect to their neighbors' property, and horses grazed at large without molestation. A new project was set on foot this year, which, to some extent, affected the interest of the infant colony. Tho plan formed by the projectors was a joint stock company, bearing the novel title of " The Buffalo "Wool Company," consisting of 100 shares of <£20 each, with provision for increasing their stock at any future time. Mr. John Pritchard was placed at the head of the new company. His calculations seem to have been based on the supposition that the requisite articles,, wool and hides, could be had for the trouble of picking them up. The express objects of the Company were as follows : — 1st. To provide a substitute for wool, as it was supposed ^ from the numbers and destructive habits of the wolves, that sheep could not be raised nor preserved in Eed River, at least to any extent. 2nd. The substitute contemplated was the wool of the wild buffalo, which was to be collected on the plains and manufactured both for the use of the colonists and for export. 3rd. To establish a tannery for manufacturing the buffalo- hides for domestic use. It was the Chairman's belief, to quote his own words that "To accomplish these important ends, neither much capital nor much skill was required ; " but others thought differently of the project and were assured that much would depend on economy and proper management.* Nevertheless, the capital, amounting to i;2,000, was no sooner placed to A. R033. HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 231 the credit of tlie new company in the Hudson's Bay Com- pany's books, than operations were commenced with great activity and confidence. All the buffalo hunters were en- listed in the enterprise ; the men were exhorted to strain every nerve to preserve hides, and the women were encouraged to gather all the wool they could find by the promise of a liberal price for all that they would bring to the manufactory. An establishment worthy of the Buffalo "Wool Company was erected in the heart of the settlement, and the posses- sion of a certain quantity of the requisite materials was judged to be all that would be necessary to ensure the success of the enterprise. At the time of which we are writing, the buffalo were in great numbers a few miles south of Pembina, and a multitude of people, composed of the various races in the land, had congregated to hunt these animals during the winter months ; and in the spring, when the hunters returned to the settlement, a trifle of wool and a considerable number of hides were delivered at the Factory. But it was now found out that wool and hides were not to be had for the picking of them up, for the wool cost something and the price of a hide ranged from eight to ten shillings sterling ; and before the hide could be freed from the wool it had to undergo the different operations of soaking, heating and pulling. All the available hands in the place, male and female, were called into operation. The men and lads manipulated the hides, and it is well known that an expert hand at pulling the wool could gain from six to ten shillings per day ; even boys thought themselves ill- compensated for their labor at anything less than four or five shillings per diem. Female labor was neither over- looked nor undervalued, as all who could spin were invited to the Factory to receive wool to make into yarn, for which labor they were paid at the rate of one shilling per pound. Thus we find that the industry of the colony had not only been stimulated but also turned into a new channel, in which it found money or credit in the Hudson's Bay Com- 232 HISTORr OF MANITOBA. pany's books, neither of which they could have realized from the produce of their farms. This affair enabled the settlers to obtain a little money at the right time. A small herd of domestic cattle was brought in this summer on speculation, and, arriving at this juncture, were eagerly competed for by the few who had money or credit, and sold at highly remunerating prices ; good milch cows sold as high as iJSO each, and oxen trained to work sold for £1S each. It may be interesting to observe here that these were the first cattle ever brought from the United States to this settlement, and the first the colonists owned since they left their native hills. Here we must inform the reader that operatives were introduced from England, con- sisting of wool-dressers, furriers, curriers, saddlers and harness makers ; likewise, an outfit of goods was procured and a store opened in the establishment for the convenience of those carrying on the work. Some leather and cloth had been manufactured, but they could not compete favorably with similar articles brought from Europe, and, unfortunately, rum formed a considerable portion of the outfit, and it was well known that drunkenness and disorders prevailed in the es- tablishment to a fearful extent. Hides were allowed to rot, the wool spoiled, the tannery proved a failure, and although the concern dragged on until 1825, it was apparent to the most cursory observer that its progress was from bad to worse, and when its affairs were finally wound up it was found that they had not only expended their original stock of ^62,000, but were indebted in the amount of ^500 to their bankers (the Hudson's Bay Company). This heavy loss hung for some years over the heads of the stockholders, until the Hon- orable Hudson's Bay Company relieved them from their responsibilities by cancelling the debt. The crops of this season proved to be the best and most abundant that had ever been reaped in the colony. It has been positively asserted that the wheat put in with the hoe -produced over fifty returns ; barley and potatoes were more HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 233 productive. Yet those of mixed blood, who, about this time, began to appropriate to themselves the title of freemen, with many of the young colonists, resorted to the plains to pass the winter among the buffalo, whence they made occasional trips to the settlement with the produce of their hunts, for the use of those who remained at home. A few ploughs were at work in the spring of 1823, yet the mass of settlers had to ply their hoes as in former times. Notwithstanding, a greater quantity of seed had been committed to the soil than in any previous year, and although the summer months proved exceedingly dry, the crops were very good. Captain Bulger gained golden opinions among the settlers for his impartiality and love of justice ; but as he was at the head of an establishment distinct from and independent of the fur traders, he met with considerable opposition and annoyance from the latter, who endeavored to prevent those under his command trafficking with natives for provisions, leather and horses. The Captain, for his own satisfaction and for the benefit of all who were in the colony, sent a statement of the case to the Earl's executors, in which, from the result, we are in- duced to infer that he represented stro agly the hardship of prohibiting the interchange of the above specified animals and commodities. The above gentlemen had to bring the case before the Hon. the Board of Directors in London, who saw that their repre- sentatives in Red River were, by their high-handed conduct, sowing the seeds of future strife and trouble ; and sent a special express to the colony, vid Lake Superior, with circulars which were put into the hands of the leading men in the settlement. In these documents, the Hon. Directors gave full permission to the settlers to buy horses, leather and pro- visions from the freemen and from the red-men. Grovernor Bulger resigned and left for England, vid York Factory, where he met his successor Captain R. P. Felly, who in due time arrived at Fort Douglas and assumed the 234 HISTORY OP MANITOBA. duties of his high office. Donald McKenzie, Esq., a veteran fur trader, represented the Hudson's Bay Company at Fort Gribraltar, where stores had been opened for the purpose of supplying the inhabitants of the surrounding district with European manufactured goods. The colony stores having- been allowed to remain empty, on the express understanding with the Company that they would for the future supply the settlement with the requisite articles,on which they were to charge the following rates on the prime cost ; first, thirty- three and one-third on the original cost in England, and on that amount fifty- eight per cent., as we have stated above. Along with this new arrangement the Company intro- duced a circulating medium, to wit, a paper currency with some copper coins. The notes were of three diflFerent values, the highest represented one pound sterling, the next in value five shillings, the lowest one shilling. These notes were payable in bills of exchange at York Factory, and that estab- lishment was seven hundred miles from the colony. How- ever, we must say, in justice to the Company, that they never for a series of years refused to give bills of exchange for their notes at Red River. A few American citizens this summer, 1823, brought in a drove of horned cattle, numbering from four to five hundred head. Captain Bulger, the year before, contracted for sixty milch cows, at the rate of nine pounds sterling per head on delivery in the colony. The rest of the drove was brought in on speculation, and, very fortunately for the adventurers, a considerable number of men left the fur trade service and came to settle in the colony. These men were all desirous of possessing horned cattle, and were able to pay for them by bills of exchange on London. After some time the latter obtained some good ^bargains ; cows in calf sold from five to seven pounds each, and untrained oxen sold as low as five pounds each. "We have mentioned above that the Rev. John West, a Missionary from the Church of England, came to the colony HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 285. in 1820. "We believe that Mr. "West received a salary from the Hudson's Bay Company as Chaplain for the body, and visited some of their posts on the Assiniboine and Churchill on the shores of Hudson's Bay. The term for which he had engaged having expired he left for England, and met his successor, the Kev. D. T. Jones, at York Factory, who arrived in due time in the colony, holding the double office of Chaplain to the Hudson's Bay Company and Missionary to the Indians, each ofl&ce having a respectable salary attached to it. Here Mr. Jones found the Indian boys collected by Mr. West who were under training in the Missionary school, and four or live lamilies of his own persuasion. The rest of the Protestant settlers were Presbyterians ; so we have the singular anomaly of a Church of England clergyman without a con- gregation, and a Presbyterian congregation without a clergy- man. It would be interesting to know the representations made by Mr. West to the members of the Church Missionary Society, that induced that body to send at A'^ery great expense another of its Missionaries to Red Eiver, where, as Mr. West could not fail to know, the English Church had so few adherents. Those who lived in the settlement at the time, could not believe that Mr. Jones came into the country for the purpose of laboring among the Indians, for he never, so far as is known, travelled a mile from his dwelling to- visit these people. How far the Chaplain might stand in the Missionary's way is not for us to say, but we believe- that Mr. Jones felt the full force of the saying, namely, " No man can serve two masters." At the commencement of the colony his Lordship's ser- vants brought a considerable part of Point Douglas under cultiAJ-ation ; but this farm had to be abandoned on the arrival of the DeMeurons to enable these warriors to settle near Fort Douglas, and, in consequence, a new farm had been commenced and carried on on a large scale a few miles higher up the Red Eiver. 236 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. The management of " the experimental farm of Hayfield," as it was called, was entrusted to a Scotch farmer named Wm. Laidlaw, who had considerable agricultural experience, :and was sent into the country for that purpose ; and along with him came a number of men and maid-servants, who were, as a rule, sober, moral and industrious, with a fair knowledge of agricultural operations. It w^as said at the time when the experimental farm of Hayfield was com- menced that his Lordship had two objects in view in estab- lishing it, namely, raising grain, rearing cattle, and butter- making ; also, to prove the adaptability of the country to the successful pursuit of these various branches of industry when under skilful management. Barns and other out-houses were erected, with a princely mansion which cost five or six iundred pounds, and was, soon after completion, accidentally reduced to ashes ; and, for some years after these great pre- parations and outlay, there was not an ox to plough with nor a cow to milk, and before these had been obtained Mr. Laid- law left the settlement and joined the American Fur Com- pany at Lake Travers. The Hayfield farm had a second dwelling-house built upon it, and the concern was carried -on at the expense of his Lordship's estate until the fall of 1824, when the stock and farm were sold, the latter realizing ^£400. Thus ended the first experimental farm after ,£2,000 had been spent upon it without answering any of the objects which its projector expected. We have stated above that the Lower Canadians who came into the cojintry to settle formed a village at Pembina. Many of their countrymen who had left the North-West Company's service and became freemen joined those in the -village. In the spring of 1822 they began to feel the pressure of hunger. A party left the little settlement for the plains to hunt the buffalo. The residents in the village con- tinued to suffer from want, and, as the hunters did not return to their relief at the expected time, they became anxious for -the safety of the latter. At this crisis, Mr. Hess, a trader who HISTORY OP MANITOBA. 23T lived in the village with his family, and was suffering in common with his neighbors, resolved to go in quest of the hunters. He commenced the journey with two other settlers and his two daughters. As he had married an Ojibway woman, he travelled through the Dahcotah country with the greatest precaution, knowing the hereditary feud that existed between the nation of the mother of his children and the Dahcotahs. On the sixth day of the journey he left his com- panions to chase some buffalo that were in sight. He spent some time in the chase, and on his return, after a long ride, he saw the primitive cart in which his family had travelled and hoped to find them as he had left them, and recount his success in the hunt. On his arrival at or near the cart he was horrified at finding one of his companions scalped and deprived of both his feet. A few steps beyond lay one of his beloved daughters, with a knife lodged in her heart. He then discovered the lifeless remains of his other fellow- traveller, but could not find his second daughter. Over- whelmed with grief and helpless he returned to Pembina,, after travelling three days and three nights without a morsel of food. Reciting his melancholy tale, the settlers were seized with a panic, and not one would accompany him to- the scene of slaughter to bury the dead. Obtaining infor- mation that one daughter yet lived a captive in a Yankton lodge; with the energy of despair he started for the enemy's- camp, determined to rescue her or die in the attempt. After a long journey he descried the cone-shaped tee-pee, and before he reached the spot a Yankton accosted him whether he was a friend or a ioe ? Hess, nerved to the highest physical courage, said : " You know me as your foe ; you know me by the name of Standing Bull ; you know you have killed one of my daughters and taken the other pri- soner." The Dahcotah was impressed by his fearlessness,. and extended his hand and,taking him to the camp all compli- mented him. Finding his daughter, he was cheered to learn that she had been treated with kindness. Her owner was. 233 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. at first unwilling to release her, but at last consented for a certain ransom which, was soon produced. The Dahcotah, true to his word, delivered the daughter."^ The above mentioned atrocious act of fiendish cruelty with many others off a similar character, especially the mur- der of David Tully and family, occurred. Mr. Tully had been for some time blacksmith on the Earl of Selkirk's establishment in the colony, and was desirous of crossing the plains to the United States in company with some Americans who had brought in a drove of cattle, and were to return immediately after they had settled their affairs. Tully, in the meantime, moved on to Pembina, where, after waiting some time, he expected his intended companions to join him ; but, as they did not come up at the expected time, urged on by his impatience in an evil hour, he ventured with his family and a single half-breed for his guide on the plains, following the trail that led to the G-rand Forks. On arriving there they resolved to wait for those who were to come after them. But while here they were discovered by a war party of the restless and cruel Dahcotahs who were on the war-path in search of their hereditary foes the Ojibways. They took the infant from Mrs. TuUy's arms and knocked its brains out against a tree ; then butchered, scalped and cut to pieces the unhappy parents. They made two boys pri- soners, who were redeemed some time after by American traders, and lived some time at Fort Snelling, where they died. The dexterous and unencumbered half-breed, on hearing the tramp of the enemy's footsteps plunged into the river, swam across, gained the covert of the woods and returned to the colony, where he related his tragic tale, which sent a thrill of sorrow through every bosom. The frequency of these barbarous and cruel murders convinced the Pembina settlers of the dangerous proximity of their position to these mur- dering and scalping Dahcotahs, and concluded it to be their wisest course to retire and join the colonists on the lower • Neil's History of Minnesota. HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 239 Eed River, where a few of their countrymen had resided, near St. Boniface, since their arrival in the colony in 1818. The Swiss, in 1821, settled among the DeMeurons on the Eiviere la Seine, which takes its rise in the forests to the east and falls into the Red River, about a mile below the confluence of the Assiniboine River with the latter. Others of the Swiss had settled on the Red River above the Forks. The refugees from Pembina squatted down near the Swiss. The Scotch occupied what is now divided into the Parishes of St. John and Kildonan. The Protestants arriving in the settlements extended down along the Red River, and occupi- ed the Parishes of St. Paul and St. Andrew. After the coalition of the two companies, York Factory, on the shores of Hudson's Bay, comparatively speaking in the centre of the Indian territories, became the headquarters of the fur trade. To this depot all the furs collected in the " far North," and in the northern department of Rupert's Land, were brought and embarked for England, in the ship that brought the supplies into the country. The outfit remained for the first winter at the depot ; the bales were opened and repack- ed in smaller bales, each weighing from ninety to one hundred and fifty pounds. The Inland trade was carried on by means of boats of small draught and light construction, each of which carried from seventy to eighty of the above bales or their equivalent in other goods. Fort "William, the headquarters of the far- famed North-West Company, sank into the condition of a mere trading post. The birch canoe was allowed to decay ; the hardy and athletic men, chiefly half-breeds, who navi- gated it in former, and to them better, times, were thrown out of employment, and to support themselves and their family had to become hunters, and, from some cause or other, they soon became disgusted with their condition in the district on the Sascatchewan, and by degrees came to join the little colony at Pembina, and finally moved down to the Lower Red River and to White Horse Plains. The most 240 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. wealthy class possessed horses, and provided themselves with carts of so simple a construction that each hunter, as a rule, could make and repair his own vehicles. The forest furnished ready to his hand the requisite material either for construction or repair, and each party of hunters carried along with it the necessary tools, which consisted of an axe, hand-saw, auger, chisel and crooked knife, being all that was needed for the performance of the above simple opera- tions. As early as 1822, the hunters being inspired with a well- founded dread of the hostile Dahcotahs (Sioux), never ventured to the buffalo hunt, except in formidable and well organized bodies ; they commonly made two trips, one in the summer and the other in the fall. The first and greatest party left in the beginning of June, and generally returned, if successful, with their loads of dry-meat and pemican in the month of August. For many years the Hudson's Bay Company was the only purchaser of the produce of the chase, and in consequence could regulate the market to suit their own interest by paying any price they thought pro- per. Yet, discouraging as this state of the market was, the greater part of these people could not exist without going to the plains, and, very often, especially the first trip, they could not go to the plains without receiving supplies in advance from the Company. Thus business was done for some years to their mutual satisfaction and advantage. The poorer class of the French Canadians who came into the colony from all parts of the Indian territories, especially from the thick wood regions, being destitute of horses and without means to buy these useful animals, planted their frail habitations on the banks of some river, where they lived among the savages, and moved from place to place with these people, subsisting on such supplies as they could pro* cure from the stream, until admonished by the falling leaves that winter was fast approaching, when they raised their camps and replanted them on the shores of our great' lakes, HISTORY OF MANITOBA. ,241 for the purpose of taking whitefish during the spawnino- season for winter use ; and when these precarious resources failed, as they often did, these improvident people had to suffer great privation during the spring months, until the opening of the rivers and lakes brought the usual abundance of fish and fowl to their relief A few years sufficed to weary them of their vagrant mode of existence; a few of them fixed their permanent abodes on the shores of Lake Manitoba, and in a few years acquired a few horned cattle and horses, became hunters and trip-men to Portage LaLoche and to York Factory, but remained innocent of deforming the beauties of nature by introducing the art of cultivation ; biit more of the trip-men hereafter. Another part of these freemen built their temporary habitations on the banks of the Eed Eiver, interspersed among the Protestant settlers, and during the season of open water, made fishing their chief occupation ; but when the severity of winter covered the lakes and rivers with ice, and rendered the occupation of the fisherman more laborious and less profitable, these men found employment among the neighboring farmers, and thus for some years procured a precarious sxibsistence, until the Catholic clergy became acquainted with their irreligious habits and degraded conditions, which were very little re- moved from those of the savages, and made a laudable effort to reclaim them by bringing them under the influence of reli- gious instruction, and inducing them to settle in the French parishes, where they would be under the vigilant eye of their spiritual teachers, In looking at the above separation from a religious point of view, we can see strong reasons in its favour ; but it became productive of political weakness and jealousy between the different races that occupied the different sections of the colony. But more of that subject hereafter. Those who may be termed the floating population of this region, consisting of French and English half-breeds, with a few others, hunted the buffalo during the winter of 1823 242 HISTORY OP MANITOBA. and 1824 on the plains near the Great Salt River, whence they brought great quantity of the green beef into the settle- ment on sleighs, turning the surplus into dry-meat and pemican, with which they descended the river on the opening of navigation to exchange for such supplies as they required to fit them out for the summer hunt. Those who had settled in the colony and intended to give all their time to the improvement of their lands had, in the preceding season, purchased teams of oxen ; but, unfortunately, such was the scarcity of iron that very few, if any, ploughs had been mounted ; very little of that all important metal to an agri- cultural community had been brought into the colony during the preceding season, and that little was laid hold of by the patriotic Grovernor Pelly, for the purpose of mounting His Excellency's pleasure carriage. Notwithstanding, a consi- derable extent of new land was brought under cultivation, the summer was favorable, the harvest abundant, and all kinds of cereals attained greab perfection. We must not omit mentioning here that from four to five hundred head of cattle were imported this summer (1824) from Louisiana and Kentucky. They met with a ready market, but prices ranged much lower than in 1823. Trained oxen sold at .£8 to £9 sterling each ; first-rate milch cows were bought at £7, and some as low as £6. Un- trained oxen, cows of inferior appearance and heifers were sold at much lower prices. The whole herd was bought, and the adventurous speculators were paid in bills of ex- change, at sixty days' sight, on the Honorable Hudson's Bay Company. The hunters accomplished their two trips and were successful in both. The Hudson's Bay Company bought up all the pemican, tallow and drip meat that the people had to spare ; many of them sold the last bag of pemican and the last bale of meat, and returned to the plains to pass the winter among the buffalo. The few hunters who had houses in the settlement and who were desirol^s of passing the winter months in them, reserved for winter use the HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 243 principal part of what they brought in in the fall ; and when these supi)lies ran short, as they generally did, they had to leave the settlement and betake themselTOS to the lakes to procure fish, or buy back a part of the provisions which they had sold the preceding summer, always paying one hundred per cent, on what they sold the same at a few months before ; but so long as it was on credit and only to be paid in kind, when they would return the ensuing sum- mer from the hunt, they were perfectly satisfied. The first week in April, 1825, saw the dissolution of the snows of winter. The warm rays of a bright sun in a few days penetrated and thawed the earth so as to enable the husbandman to commence his operations. Those who had become colonists during the last two or three years saw clearly that they could not force the soil to give them bread until they possessed the necessary means to subdue it, so their first object was to purchase oxen ; but, although these had been secured, before any great extent of land could be prepared for the reception of seed, ploughs were required. The country furnished abundance of wood suitable for the construction of those essential implements, but iron to mount them could not be procured in the colony, and those desirous of obtaining that useful metal and who had money in the Company's hands, had to send for it to York Factory, on Hudson's Bay, where it cost Is. sterling per pound, and the freight inland cost 3d. per pound. The blacksmith charged <£4 sterling for ironing the plough ; notwithstanding, num- bers of new ploughs were prepared for spring operations. A considerable extent of new land was turned up and sown, and the lands that had been cultivated in former seasons were sown ; and doubtless this spring saw twice the quantity of seed committed to the soil that had been put in in any former season. The summer months were all that the husbandman could desire in sunshine and genial showers. The crops grew laxuriantly, ripened well, and were gathered in in good Pi 244 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. condition, affording the industrious farmer the pleasing- prospect of bread enough for his household during the winter months and some to spare to his indigent neighbor. Wheat sown on land that had been cropped once or twice before yielded from twenty to thirty returns ; sown on the sod, it may be said to have averaged six or seven returns. Barley gave from thirty to forty returns, but when sown on the sod it did not yield more than the wheat did on similar soil, ^'everal hundred head of cattle were brought into the colony this siTmmer. The demand for them was not very great, consequently the prices were low, yet they were sold and the adventurers received their bills. HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 245 CHAPTER VII. Events of 1826-t — Famine and Startation among the Hunters — A Severe Winter — Thirty Perish from Cold and Starvation — The Terrible Flood — The Red River Valley becomes a Continuous Lake — The Damages— Trade and Commerce — Agriculture and the Produce Market. In recording the transactions of 1826, the most disastrous since the com-mencement of the colony, we must premise by stating that the preceding months of September and Octo- ber had been uncommonly rainy and cold. About the 20th October, the wind began to blow fiercely from the north, accompanied by a heavy fall of snow, which lasted forty- eight hours, and literally choked the water in the river, and when the wind fell, such was the intensity of the frost that not only the rivers but even the great lakes assumed their winter covering. Heavy falls of snow succeeded each other at short intervals during the first part of the winter, and in January, the snow in the wood, where undisturbed by the winds, was five feet deep. "We have stated above that the French half-breed portion of our population, with some of the poorer class of the Lower Canadians, passed their time summer and winter on the plains hunting the buffalo. In the fall of 1825, a greater number than usual went to enjoy the pleasure of the chase and luxuriate on its produce ; but, unfortunately, their hopes were not realized. Rumours reached Pembina, in January, to the efiect that the hunters had been unsuccessful and that they were destitute of food and in great distress. Rumours of every kind being common in these parts, and oftener false than true, they did not receive much attention. However, in the early part of February, some person who had arrived at Pembina from the camp, 246 HISTORY OP MANITOBA. not only confirmed the previous reports, but showed clearljr that the condition of the freemen was far more deplorable than fame had rumored. Mr. McDermott and Mr. Alex. Koss were at Pembina, trading under a license from the^ Hudson's Bay Company. These gentlemen might sympa* thize with the sufferers, but they had very little else to give. However, they immediately despatched a messenger to head- quarters to make the sad condition of the unfortunate hun- ters known to Donald McKenzie, Esquire, who held the office of Colony Governor and Chief Factor in charge of the Company's afiiairs in the district. This benevolent gentle- man not only made use of the stores under his charge for the relief of the sufferers, but added the influence of his high position and personal character to induce others to join in the good work. The settlers delivered their contributions of food at Fort G-arry, and some of them volunteered to take the stores to Pembina, which was, comparatively speaking, easily done, as the road was good. But very few of those for whom the charity was intended had yet arrived at that point, and the nearly insiiperable difficulty lay beyond, as neither horses or oxen could go any farther, and the only practicable mode of conveyance, owing to the deep snow, was by tising dogs and sleighs, which greatly increased the labor. The distance some of the sufferers were from Pem- bina was nothing short of 150 if not 200 miles ; but sympathy for them was general, and those who had dogs and trains offered their services to carry supplies to the relief of the famine-struck multitude, who, it was well known, were pressing on to reach Pembina. Train after train was loaded with the provisions, and entered on the boundless snow- covered plains, over which they had to travel with supplies. However, they had not gone far before they met some of those they were in search of, and from them they generally received such information as enabled them to find others. Many of these intrepid drivers travelled over a wide extent of country in search of their missing friends, numbers of HISTORY OP MANITOBA. 247 ■whom, if not all, owed, under Providence, the preservation ot their lives to the dexterity and unwearied perseverance of those who may justly be said to have snatched them from the jaws of death. "We have stated above how suddenly and unexpectedly the winter set in and the great depth of snow that fell in the early part of it. The hunters had arrived at their hunting grounds and found buffalo, but from various causes were unable to make any provisions for a future day before the storms of the winter covered the plains w^ith snow three or four feet deep. Their horses had become useless in hunting and on account of the great labor they had to perform in obtaining their scanty food from so great a depth of hard packed snow, were in a few weeks not only unfit for any kind of labor but unable to procure their own food. While thus destitute of food for man and for beasts, between the 15th and 20th December, a great snow storm came on, such as has rarely been seen even on those wide and treeless plains. This storm, which blew irom the north, continued to rage during three days and four nights, drove the buffalo before it beyond the reach of the hunters and killed a great many of their horses. After the weather had moderated the camp broke up, a group or family going here, another going there, in hope of finding wood-animals ; others made their way to the Devil's Lake expecting to take pike by angling ; but all their eflforts to procure food on land or from the water failed- Then they began to kill and eat the few emaciated horses that remained ; these finished, the dogs were next resorted to, raw hides, leather, and even their old shoes ; some had been found who had baried themselves in snow banks for shelter from the keen blasts that swept over the frozen plains ; but unfortunately their refuge, not in a few cases, had become their graves. The heat of their bodies melted the snow, they became wet, and being destitute of dry raiment) fuel and food, were frozen in a body of solid ice ; others had been found one here, one there — along the road that led to 248 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. Pembina, dead and frozen, where, on being overcome by las- situde they sat down to rest and were relieved from all their mortal sufferings by the hand of death. Some of these were found very near to Pembina, viz : a woman with an infant on her back was found within a mile of the place where she had succumbed in the arduous but unequal struggle for life, after having travelled 100 miles in three days and as many nights. The sufferings of most of these people exceeded everything of which we can form an idea. One family, consisting of the husband, wife and three children, were dua: out of the snow where thev had been buried for five days and five nights, without food or fuel ; the mother and two oi the children recovered. The famished crowds that arrived at Pembina were fed and nursed for a few days, yet so debilitated were they, that on the way down to the set- tlement it might be said that they crawled rather than walked, and a few of them died by the way. Thus, after unparalleled exertions had been made by those intrepid men who went to the rescue, the survivors were brought to the settlement and supplied with such comforts as their circum- stances required ; some of them had their feet frost-bitten, others, hands and noses suffered likewise. The common belief was that over thirty of these hunters perished during that terrible winter. After the survivors had recovered their former health and strength, numbers of them went to Lake Manitoba to pass the spring months, and were success- ful in obtaining an abundant supply of fish. Those who remained in the settlement found employment among the farmers who, in return supplied them with food. The colonists had scarcely recovered from the anxieties and exertions of the previous winter when they were over- taken by another calamity as unexpected as it was destruc- tive. The spring was unusually cold until the last week in April, when the wind began to blow from the south, the snow began to thaw, and on the 2nd of May the accumulated water overflowed the banks, literally and rapidly changing HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 249 the valley of the Eed Eiver into a huge lake. At Fort G-arry it rose nine feet perpendicular in twenty-four hours. Many of the settlers had built their shanties on the low points along che river. The water rose so suddenly that, in some cases, its rushing into the houses roused the inmates from their beds, when, in their terror, they fled, under the shades of night, to the upper bank, venturing a second time into the flood to relieve their cattle from their dangerous position. But there were cases, not a few, where the people were cut off from, the second bank by deep water, and in these cases, the inmates had to climb to the roofs of houses and pass the night in these very unpleasant and dangerous situations, until the light of day enabled their neighbors to see their perilous condition and come to their rescue with boat or dug-out and land them on dry ground.] But here they found no abiding place, so level was the country, so rapid the rise of the water, that on the 5th all the land was submerged for some miles on each side of the river. The terrified people fled, some went to the pine hills on the east, some to the rocky hills on the west, others went down along the river and found dry land ; and those who had been located near Upper Fort Garry with the gentle DeMeurons, whom his Lordship of Selkirk brought into the colony to restore order and keep the peace, camped on the high lands on the north of the Assiniboine. At this crisis every boat and dug-out was called into operation and per- formed excellent service : first, in carrying the people who had to flee for life to places of safety ; next, in returning to save all that could be found of the abandoned property ; for many of the fugitives had taken nothing with them except the clothes on their backs. Furniture, grain and utensils of every kind had been left in the houses, many of which were beginning to float ; a few had been crushed by trees broken down by the masses of solid ice floated down by the ever increasing flood. In many instances the houses could only be entered by breaking through the roofs, and save what 25C HISTORY OF MANITOBA. they coxild. Notwithstanding every effort, property of every description was seen for days drifting over the plains or down the river, to be finally engulphed in Lake Winnipeg. Scarcity of food began to be felt in the camp on the Assin- niboine. Pemican rose from 4d. to 8d. per pound, wheat from 7s. 6d. per bushel to 15s., and all other kinds of food rose at the same rate. While thus pressed by want, the DeMeurons had the credit of resorting to the European military practice of foraging or levying a contribution on all the cattle wdthin their reach, and thus procured beef not only to supply their own wants but also to sell to those who could pay 3d. per pound for it. It is pleasing to be able to state, notwithstanding the sudden and unexpected overflowing of the water, that so few lives had been lost. Two French half-breed lads, while paddling a canoe before the stream, were forced by the cur- rent against an uprooted tree that projected into the river, upset and drowned. A third man was drowned while collecting the wreck of his buildings. After what we have already stated it would be superfluous to say much on the causes of the above disastrous occur- rence. However, we will briefly say that autumnal rains had filled to overflowing the lakes forming the sources of the Eed River and the swamps along its course. Then an extraordinary depth of snow fell during the winter months. A very late spring, and, as a natural consequence, a quick melting of the snow. In these we have the causes. We may here observe that the water was observed to be rising a few days before the ice began to break and continued rising until the 21st of Mav- It was then sixteen feet above the usual high- water mark at the opening of the river. By the middle of June the waters had so receded as to be contained within the banks of the river, and the settlers began to return to the vicinity of the sites of their former habitations. But in this movement there w^as a great want of unanimity ; the Scotch and French Canadians resolved, at all hazards, to remain at HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 251 Red River, while the Swiss and DeMeurons had /nade up their minds to leave the country and cross the plains to the United States, intending to rejoin their compatriots who, dissatisfied with the state of things in Red River, leit it in 1823 and, unfortunately for themselves, followed the great river into the land of fever and ague, of which diseases most of them died during the first winter after their arrival on Fever River. The Swiss and DeMeurons were joined by other restless and discontented spirits ; and so little was their residence in the land desired that food and other necessaries for their intended journey were given gratis by the Hudson's Bay Company's servants with the view of hastening their departure and helping them on their journey. The emigrating party, numbering 243 souls, left the colony on the 24th day of June and entered on their long and danger- ous journey to Fort Snelling, in the United States. "We learned afterwards that the -party crossed the plains in safety, and that the Swiss settle(Wown on the UpperMississippi and were prosperous. After the subsidence of the water the hunters left the colony to hunt the buiFalo, and returned with their carts well loaded. The hardy Canadian farmer, the adven- turous voyageur and the equally hard and determined North Britons were not to be terrified out of the country by accidental events. They decided, without delay, on the course most proper for them to pursue, and although the advanced season gave but slender hope that their toil would be crowned with success, yet a considerable quantity of barley, potatoes and some wheat had been committed to the- soil during the last ten days of June, and all came to maturity with surprising rapidity. When we inform the reader that the Red River Colony is in the 50th degree of north latitude the above may appear incredible ; yet such was the effect of a hot sun acting on soil naturally rich that had been for some time saturated with tepid water. Sowing having been fin- ished, houses and stables had to be built, and, as almost all the former buildings had gone before the current, new 252 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. materials had to be provided ; the new buildings were erected on the second or upper bank, and in most cases were finished before the winter set in. The lakes had been resorted to in -autumn for the purpose of taking whitefish for winter use. Their efforts had been very successful, aud sturgeon were taken all winter at different points in the Red River, and where the .river falls into Lake "Winnipeg sturgeon were taken in great abundance by the various individuals who passed the winter in its vicinity, but there were parties there who, being destitute of sturgeon nets, had to subsist on pike taken by the line and hook. Those who had barley were very fortunate in being able to get it turned into flour by a wind-mill that had been built in 1825 by the Earl of Selkirk's executors ; before its erection all the grain raised in the colony had to be ground -on querns or hand-mills, and however strange it may appear most if not all the families from Kildonan brought these use- ful and time revered instruments from their native straths to the plains of Red River ; and it was no uncommon thing for those who had grain, but no means of grinding it, to make the first suitable stones they found into querns. Most of the farmers who had raised a trifle of wheat the preceding season were not able to save much of it for seed. Others had none of that valuable cereal to commit to the soil, and had to content themselves with sowing some barley and planting a lew potatoes. The summer was favorable for the productions of the earth, so much so, that the little sown yielded great returns. The hunters were successful in both trips, and brought in, in the course of the summer, abundance of pemican, dry- meat and tallow ; also, the dressed hides of the animals killed. The fishermen pursued their usual occupations and added considerably to the stock of provisions procured by the other parties ; in a word, the people in the settlement had the satisfaction of knowing that there was enough food in the place to enable them to bid defiance to want until HISTORY UP MANITOBA. 25* the opening- of the navigation in the following spring. "While rejoicing over the siiccess that attended our labors during the year, a new and unexpected cause of trouble sprung up between the" rulers of the lajid and those whom they rilled. The deep snow of 1826, on its dissolution filled every pond and -marsh in the vicinity of the colony with water, and in them the muskrat, castor [fibir-zebelhicus), had become very numerous, and were chiefly hunted by the Indians and half-breeds. The Company claimed the exclu- sive right of buying all the furs hunted in the country, for the payment of which that body politic had two price lists differing from each other. The Indians were paid according to one of them, the half-breeds and whitemen according to the other, which system of trade we shall endeavor to explain. The Indians were dealt with on the- old system of " made beaver," a technical term among the traders, which term, with the reader's permission, we shall endeavor to explain. The skin of a full grown beaver, either prime or common, was the fixed standard by which all other kinds of furs were valued, namely : the skins of twelve full grown, prime muskrats were equivalent in trade to one beaver skin. Suppose an Indian asked the trader for one half-pound powder, which, in the language of trade, was one made beaver, he got it, and had to pay twelve rat skins, or an equivalent in other kinds of furs to the beaver skin. On the other hand, the furs brought to the Company's store by those known as freemen were valued in cash (to wit), a freeman, half-breed or whiteman, brought a beaver skin- to sell, or rather to barter, cash he could not get for it, but it was worth twenty shillings sterling in goods. Whereas the down-trodden red-man could only get the value of one shilling for a similar article. The prime rat-skin was only worth twopence in goods to the redskin, while it was worth sixpence to the freeman. But it generally happened that the Company's stores were empty of all goods before 25t HISTORY OF MANITOBA. Christmas Under these circumstances scrip was given for furs. The petty traders, who resided here were careful to be on good terms with the man in power, and were the first admitted into the sale shop, where they obtained goods to the full amount of their cash and credit. These they kept on hand until the Company's goods would be done, when they dis- posed of them to the freemen for scrip at an advance of two or three hundred per cent., so that when the freeman could only get scrip for his furs, he was, as a rule, very poorly paid for them ; nevertheless, better paid than the red man, and therefore could afford to buy from him and give some- thing on the bargain. When the hunting season came on, which was in the beginning of winter, the Indians, as a rule, were destitute of clothing to protect their bodies from the cold, and as the country was bare of large game, these improvident people had to depend on the few muskrats they hunted for their food, which, in many cases, would not furnish them with one meal per day. Thus suffering from famine and naked- ness, we cannot feel surprised that they endeavored to take the paltry proceeds of their fitful industry to tlie best market. The freemen lived in the Indian camps and hunted with them in the marshes and forests. The former had generally food, ammtinition and articles of clothing to spare. These they bartered with the redman for his furs, who, not- withstanding this trade in his camp, frequently visited the farmers to exchange his furs for their produce. But this state of things, so satisfactory to the parties engaged in it, did not continue long before the rulers at Fort G-arry came to hear that the above traffic, which they termed illicit, was carried on, and the plan adopted for its suppression was as unpleasant as it was summary. The constabulary force in the colony numbered about a dozen men, and in their house- searching expeditions their only warrant was the presence of a Hudson's Bay Company's clerk. These men, on some occasions, went forth armed with muskets and bayonets, to HISTORY OF MANITOBA, 255 the great terror of the dames whose mansions they honored with their visits. All furs found were confiscated, no ques- tions being asked as to how the possessor came to have them. To elucidate what we have stated above, we shall give a few cases to the point. Mr. R6giste LaRance, a French Canadian, had been accused of having furs in his possession, and thus infringing the Company's privileges. The police were mustered, armed and sent to Mr. LaRance's house, who happened to be from home. The door was locked, but bars and bolts had to give way ; the house was broken into, and all the furs it contained carried to Fort Garry to swell the Company's accumulation of the like property. Several individuals, both Canadian and English, were dealt with in a like summary manner ; but the cases that evoked the greatest degree of public sympathy with the oppressed and odium to their oppressors were those of two Lower Canadians, both very poor and one of them lame, who had, after the disasters of 1826, settled at Lake Manitoba for the purpose of fishing, being unable by any other means to sup- port life ; and that of an Italian, who was a tin-smith by trade. It was well known in the settlement that he had no goods to exchange for peltries, he might now and then patch or mend som.e kettles or other tin-ware for the Indians, for which these poor people, if they remunerated him for his material and labor, would have to do so by giving him such furs as they had ; but, we believe, that the only sin committed by our two Frenchmen against the privileges and immuni- ties conferred by the charter, was their being in company with the Italian tinker. Be that as it may, they were hon- ored in the month of February with a domiciliary visit from his Lordship's constables, backed by the customary authority, a gigantic Hudson's Bay Company's clerk. The offending parties were apprehended, the torch was applied to their shanties, which were reduced to ashes, and the poor unfortun- ates were not allowed to take their hooks and nets out of the lake. Thus, being deprived of the means of providing 256 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. for their siibsistence, they were marched to Fort Garry. The two Frenchmen were confined for some time, strictly en- joined not to return to the* scene of their former misde- meanors, and then turned out of the place ; the Italian tin- smith was kept in durance vile for some months, then sent to York Factory, brought before the Fur Trade Council, threatened with deportation to England, and many more hardships, all of which our hero bore with equanimity worthy of an ancient Roman. After the above ordeal, he was engaged to labor for a time in the kitchen, and was provided with a passage in the fall boats to Eed Eiver.* These petty acts of oppression are only worthy of a place in history, in so far as they show how good and worthy men may become instruments of tyranny, when their duty to their employers compels them to enforce the dictates of a vicious system ; and, also to show how acts, trifling in them- selves, may give rise to animosities, which may go on for years intensifying, until the tempest of outraged public feel- ing bursts on the heads of the oppressors, of which more hereafter. Those who had any claim to be considered culti- vators of the soil, exerted themselves to the utmost of their power to enlarge the area of their cultivated fields. When the thaw had penetrated the soil to the depth of two or three inches, was considered the most favorable time for ploughing • The year 1827 saw the Hadson's Bay Company commence to act on the Earl of Selkirk's idea of transporting goods from the Bay to the ('olony, by opening a winter road between a certain point on Fox River and Oxford House. The goods were forwarded in boats from the Bay to the stores on the above river. A road, eighty-one miles in length, had been made through forests and over swamps be- tween Oxford House and Fox's River. His Lordship contemplated using reindeer to transport the goods ; his successors used dogs for that purpose during the first year, but it was soon found that they were unfit for the work. la 1828, stables had been erected at a distance of eleven miles from each other, hay had been pro- vided at each of the shanties, oxen had been taken from the Red River and em- ployed on the road, but, through some mismanagement, they did not do better than the dogs. Bale after bale had to be thrown off the sleighs everywhere and never looked after. In 1839, the undertaking was relinquished, af'.er having cost the Company in men's wages, oxen, and lost and destroyed goods, some thousands of pounds sterling. HISTORY OP MANITOBA. 257 new land, as it was softer then than when hardened by- long exposure to the rays of the sun. However, no sooner had the crops (or seed) been committed to the earth than the breaking up of new land re-commenced, and was carried on during the last two weeks of Jvme. Land thus ploughed was left to the action of summer rains and winter frosts until the following spring, when it would get a second ploughing, then sown with wheat, which never failed tj yield large returns, ranging from forty to sixty bushels per acre. Of course, much depended on the nature of the season, as well as on the quality of the soil. After the flood of 182(5 great impetus was given to agricultural operations. The seasons, during a series of years, had been all that could be desired ; quantities of grain remained on hand year after year. A market was demanded for surplus produce, and a larger im- portation of goods annually into the colony. Governor Simp- son promised that the Company would bring in a sufficient stock of goods to supply all who could pay for the same, and, that henceforth the Company would buy from the settlers all the agricultural produce that would be required for the fur trade. The public mind became elated by these generous promises of getting a market for the produce of the land, and of finding an open store in the settlement where supplies could be obtained for cash all the year round. We must observe here that all the inhabitants of this extensive region depended upon the Hudson's Bay Company's stores for dry goods, groceries, ammunition and iron work, no other store of any importance being then in the country. The Company's sale shop would be opened, as we have said above, for the public in October, when every man in the settlement who had a few pounds, or even a few shil- lings, set out for Upper Fort G-arry, each anxious to be the first at the shop door. Even if he succeeded in being the first at it his chance of being the first to get in was very slender indeed, for in a few moments he would be surrounded by scores of men who in their eagerness to get to the door, kept Q r2S8 HISTOKT OF MANITOBA, crowding on each, other, not only to the great annoyance but •danger of the weakest. About Sam. the officials entered the sale shop by some private door ; two men were placed at the public entry to keep back the multitude that pressed with its united weight against the front door, which would be by degrees cautiously unbarred, when in spite of the ^strong and armed men, a crowd would burst in with such force that many in the throng were thrown oiF their balance, ■came full length to the ground, and were injured by being tramped upon by their surer-footed or more fortunate friends. The guards at the door re-locked and re-barred it with :all convenient speed, and as soon as those within assumed something like order the sales began. The presiding genius was a senior clerk, who impatiently looked for a chief trader's ■commission, and who evidently believed that retailing cotton, ammunition, tobacco, &c., was incompatible with his personal dignity, and who, unfortunately, exhibited occasion- ally the bitterness of his feelings in expressions of ill-humor towards his unfortunate and helpless customers. The per- sonage above described took his seat at a desk fronting a win- dow, two or three sub-officials were in attendance to measure and weigh. A purchaser presents himself before the man at the desk, whose first demand was " Grive me your money.?' ' Oustomer — "1 will, if you please, as I buy." The man at the desk, peevishly — "You must comply with our rules ; if you do not, you must retire and give place to another." A mental glance at the empty wardrobes at his home, and the nearness of winter subdued the refractory. The cash- was handed over, -counted and entered on the book. The customer began to receive such articles as were to be had, being occasionally reminded that the cash to his credit was getting low. Thus business went on until the customer would be paid for his last pennies by a few ounces of thread or of tobacco. By degrees all who got in would be served, or, in other words, tbeir cash would be spent, and they would be sent out by a back door, or even at a window. Again the front door HISTORY OP MANITOBA. 269 would be cautiously opened, when others rushed in to take up the places left vacant by those -who had passed out by the back door ; and in this way the good people of Assi- niboia, day after day and week after week, spent their time and money until the goods would be disposed of and all the ■cash in the settlement gathered in, which was generally accomplished by the last of November. The above mode of doing business continued from the coalition of the two Com- panies to the year 1832 or 18S3. About the above period a few private gentlemen began to import dry goods from England, which they retailed in the settlement at a very handsome percentage on their outlay. The facility with which these private merchants turned their goods into cash taught the Hudson's Bay men that they might safely venture to import a much larger supply of goods into the colony and lose nothing by doing so. So much for the fulfilment of the first promise. Now to the second promise, namely, a market for agricultural produce. The promise was relied on, the colonists spared neither labor nor means to produce articles for the long wished-for and now graciously promised market, so that in a short time the demand was adequately supplied. No sooner had this been accomplished, than the astute Governor saw that he had gained the vantage-ground and could regulate the prices as he pleased ; but Grovernor Simpson was too wise a man to desire all the odium that the new tariff would call forth to centre on himself, therefore he resolved to share it with his Colonial Councillors. These were assembled at Fort G-arry, the new tariff" was submitted to their Honors, and, so far as the people knew, was passed nem con, for at this period of our colonial existence we had neither printing press nor reporter. The reader may desire to know who composed the Council, and as the desire is laudable we shall endeavor to gratify it. Know, then, that the Grovernor of Rupert's Land, when pre- sent, was chairman ex officio ; in his absence the Grovernor ■of the colony, who was at the same time a Chief Factor in the 260 HISTORY OP MANITOBA. Hon. Company's service, and who, as we have said above, depended for his emoluments on the profits on the general trade over the country. Next came the Vicar- G-eneral of Jtdi- opolis and two clergymen of the English church, sent into the country as missionaries to the aborigines, but who were at the same time Chaplains to the Hon. Company, and in receipt of annual salaries and valuable allowances from that body. To this we may add that one of these Eeverend gen- tlemen kept a ladies' boarding school, for whose subsistence considerable quantities of colonial produce was required. The other gentlemen who had seats in the Council were in receipt of retired shares from the Hon. Company ; besides, each of them was dependent for many articles of farm produce on the settlers. We have set before the reader the composition of the Council ; we shall now acquaint him with its action on the present occasion. The prices of agricultural produce were reduced as follows : — Flour, from 16s. per cwt. to lis. 6d. ; wheat, from Ts. 6d.*per bushel to 3s. 6d. ; barley, from 6s. per bushel to 2s. ; potatoes, from 3s. per bushel to 6d. ; beef, from 6d. per lb. to 2d. ; butter, from Is. per lb. to ^d. ; cheese, ftom 6d. per lb. to 4d. ; eggs, from Is. per doz. to 6d. ; pork, from 6d. per lb. to 2d. Pemican, dry meat, tallow and all articles of food procured by the chase were reduced in a similar ratio, while dry goods, groceries, salt, ammunition, iron works and all other articles required by the settlers and hunters remained at their former prices ; and at the same time that the price of produce was so reduced, the price of land, in 1829, was raised from 5s. per acre to 7s. 6d. The Reverend William Cockran came to the colony in 1825 and took up his residence with the Eev. D. T. Jones, who had his establishment where St. John's Cathedral and College now stand. These missionaries labored for a few years together among their fellow- Protestants, namely, the Scotch settlers and Orkney-men, who had been year after year retiring from the fur trade service, and coming with their HISTORY OP MANITOBA. 261 half-breed families into the colony to settle along the course of the river, as we have said above, from the northern extremity of the Scotch settlement, occupying the Parishes of Saint Paul and Saint Andrew, down to the southern limit ot what was then considered the Indian reserve. In order to bring- religious instruction within easy reach of those who lived at a distance from St. John's, the Rev. "William Cock- ran decided on settling at G-rand Eapids, and bought from 16 to 20 chains of land from the Grovernor of the Northern Department, who was acting for the young Earl of Selkirk, for which the Eev. gentleman paid Is. 6d. per acre. A few families who came to the colony from Moose and Albany had to deposit the price of three chains of land valued at *7s. 6d. per acre before they were permitted to leave for the colony in 1829. The rise in the price of land compared with the reduc- tion made in the price of everything that it produced stirred up a spirit of bitter hostility against the legislators in the people at large, for all classes were disadvantageously affected by these changes. However, after the multitude had grumbled to their hearts' content they had to acquiesce in the new order of things ; in fact, the market was more than supplied, when unfortunately, the quality of E.ed River produce was loudly complained of from one end of the land to the other. The flour was said to be not only sour, but unfit for hog's feed, the butter rancid and unfit for human food, the cheese was declared to be still worse, beef and pork at twopence per pound was found fault with. English produce must be imported and carried inland from York Factory to the different stations in the interior. The settlers, after all their labor and expense in improving and enlarging their farms, were left in a worse condition than before they had made the above improvements and extensions, since the market which they had so confidently relied on and so much required was withdrawn. To account for this state of things, we must take a view of the circumstances of the colony at the time. A certain class of farmers understood 262 HISTORY OP MANITOBA. their business, ploughed and sowed with great care, and not only paid great attention to the right harvesting of the crops, but built substantial well floored barns to thresh their grain in. These, as a rule, succeeded in delivering a well cleaned and wholesome article at the Hon. Company's store, which would be thrown in bulk on the flooring. A second class raised a considerable quantity of grain, and had barns, but these barns were without flooring, and when the cold weather set in, water was taken from the river poured into the barn to the depth of twelve or eighteen inches, and when solidified by the frost threshing commenced, the action of the flail disintegrated the ice, the particles adhered to the grain, which, after being separated from the chaff' by the wind, would be carried to the Hon. Company's store and thrown into the heap of grain brought by the first class farmers. "We might mention a third class, who threshed their grain in the open air during all kinds of weather, imbibing more or less moisture while thus exposed, which grain, in course of time, would be taken to Fort Garry and mixed with the common heap. Fanning and smut mills were then unknown in this land. The wheat, with all the impurities that chanced to get into it while in store, was taken to the mills and ground in a frozen state, the bran imperfectly taken from the flour, the latter being packed hot from the bolt in kegs made of green wood, which were furnished by the officials at Fort G-arry to the millers. From the mill the flour would be taken to the • Company's store where it remained until shipped in open boats for Norway House to be sent over all the inland country, often exposed to sun and rain. So, we have little reason to wonder that the flour became deteriorated and worthless. For some years E,ed River butter was in high esteem by the traders. The Scotch settlers were the only parties who supplied the article, and being accustomed to make that article for the market in their native land, they understood the busi- ness ; but, in course of time, many men were yearly leaving HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 26a the Hon. Company's service and settling in the colony with their native women. These were desirous of supplying the market with butter, but did not understand the management of their dairies, and consequently furnished a very inferior article, which was taken to the store in all kinds of weather, hot, windy or rainy, not in kegs, but in open dishes covered with towels or cabbage leaves, generally imperfectly freed from the butter-milk and indifferently salted. This mass after having acquired a liberal accumulation of dust was packed in firkins — double cases filled with pickle were not used. The firkins, made of green wood, one day exposed to rain, the next day to a burning sun, became leaky, and the salt put in the butter, after it had become liquid, escaped. From these different causes, when the firkins reached their destination their contents were invariably found to be worthless ; and we may fairly apportion the blame between, the producer and buyer, as if both had conspired to ruin the produce market. 264 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. CHAPTER VIII. PaOGRESS OF THE SETTLEMENTS — ARRIVAL OF COLONIST^ AT Eed Eiver— Erection of a New Fort — The Difficulties of Stock-Haising — The UNroRTtrNATJ Sheep Speculation— Driving Sheep from Ken- tucky to Eed Eiver. "We have stated how the Scotch settlers lamented and fretted at the non-fulfilment of his Lordship's promise of sending them a minister of their own persuasion, and who could address them in their native tongue ; and while in the above dissatisfied and gloomy state of mind certain statements made by the Eev. Mr. Jones and published in the Missionary Register of December, 182*7, came to light in the colony. Speaking of the Scotch colonists, at page 630, the Eeverend gentleman expresses himself thus : " I lament to say there is an unchristianlike selfishness and narrowness of mind in our Scotch population, while they are the most comfortable in their circumstances of any class in our little community." And, then, to heighten the contrast, if not to disseminate the seeds of discord and party feeling, he adds : " The Orkney Islanders are a far more promising and pleasing body of men. There is among them an identity of feeling and disposition, and the energy of their character is in general directed in a proper channel." And, as if it were to finish the picture thus begun and to crown the climax, he further remarks : " The half-breeds walk in simplicity and godly sincerity ! " The last sentence'is worthy of the note of admiration. Nor do we doubt, from our own knowledge of the classes of whom he speaks, that the Eeverend gentle- man found the task of dictating to Orkney Islanders, as he calls them, and to half-breeds too, much easier than to make stubborn Scotchmen renounce their creed. We may here HISTORY OP MANITOBA. 265 ■observe that the Presbyterians were never sincerely attached to the Church of England, although the young people and those of the aged who fancied that they understood some English, attended on the services of the ministers of that church. But when his Reverence's complimentary com- parisons came to their knowledge, they decided on making another effort to obtain a minister of their own persuasion. "With that object in view they waited, by delegation, on Donald McKenzie, Esq., Grovernor of the colony, who re- ceived them very cordially and directed them to prepare their petition for a minister, and promised to forward the same to the place of its destination. Certain gentlemen were instructed to draft the petition, which was in due time submitted to a large and influential meeting of Scotch settlers, vv^ho unanimously approved of it and attached their signatures. This done, it was consigned to the Grovernor's care, who, in conformity with his promise, did forward it ; but the unfortunate document was stopped short and never went beyond York Factory, from which place it was returned to Red River in an empty butter firkin belonging to one of its chief promoters. The only reason that we can assign for this charitable interference with men's feelings and rights is that the Reverend gentlemen's, (Messrs. Jones and Cockran,) satelites got up a counter petition addressed to the Board of Directors in London. These two petitions were -despatched by the same conveyance for York Factory, where they met the Rev. D. T. Jones. We have reason to believe that the Reverend gentleman, on his landing, was favored with a copy of the counter petition, which was forwarded and arrived safely at its destination ; but, vrhether Mr- Jones' presence at York Factory had anything to do with the fate of the petition sent by the Presbyterians we will not say, but we believe that we may safely to it ascribe the glory of consigning its rival to its ignominious fate, and of achieving what was at the time considered a brilliant triumph to the counter petition. However, the Rev. Mr. 266 HISTORY OF MAXITOBA. Jones and his lady arrived in the colony in the beginning of October, 1829, and took possession of the parsonage at what has since been known as St. John's, biit was then known as Kildonan, the centre of the Scotch settlement. The fate of the unfortunate and dishonored petition promised immunity from all fear of having his equanimity disturbed by the arrival of a Presbyterian Minister in the land, whose pres- ence in the colony at that time would reduce Mr. Jones' con- gregation to about half a dozen families with four or fivs Indian families who had left their frozen forests and came to the colony to visit a sister, a daughter, or some near relative married to a white man. Once in Eed Eiver, they must go to the buffalo hunt, generally as servants, but while there they were in their element, feasting from nightfall to morn- ing, and when they returned with the last trip they were as poor as they had been when they commenced the first. They were permitted to erect huts on the east side of the river, opposite the parsonage, where they passed the winter months supporting themselves by working among the settlers. They were induced to attend prayer meetings in the evenings, where they were instructed in the rudiments oi Christianity. "While these Indians were struggling in their native forests for a hard-earned and precarious subsistence, as they knew no other condition of life they were satisfied ; but, after passing a few winters in the milder climate of Red Eiver, and after having acquired a taste for the good things pro- cured by the buffalo hunt and raised on the farms, thev • could not be induced nor compelled to return to their former hunting grounds, and here we shall leave them for the pre- sent. The Eev. Mr. Jones was well-known to those among whom he had taken up his residence on his return from England, and although their minds had been alienated from the Church of England to a greater degree than in former times by the well-known opposition given by the clergy and adherents to their petition ; yet they could not fail to, appre- ciate his eloquence in the pulpit and many amiable qualities HISTORY OP MANITOBA. 267 in private life. Always kind and indulgent to his hearers, he now laid aside stich parts of the liturgy and formulas of the Episcopalian Church as he knew were offensive to his Pres- byterian hearers. He also held prayer meetings among them after the custom of their own church. Here all was extem- pore, which raised him higher than ever in their estimation, especially when they knew that he could only do so at the risk of forfeiting his gown. His own words were : " I know that I am doing good ; and as long as I can do good to souls the technical forms of this or that Church will not prevent me." The Rev. Mr. Cockran, who had hitherto resided at St. John, had been occupied in making an establishment at the G-rand Eapid (now St. Andrews), to which he brought his family a few days before Mr. Jones arrived in the settlement. This zealous and indefatigable preacher of the Grospel ad" mitted the dwellers in the vicinity every Sunday into his private dwelling, where he performed Divine service during the first year of his residence in his new charge ; but before the close of the winter, a great effort had been made by the minister and by the liberal-minded portion of the congrega- tion to collect materials for a building that was intended for a time to answer the double purpose of a school-house and church, which was made habitable before the winter set in. However, the erection of a more suitable place of worship was not lost sight of In the summer of 1830 tim- ber had been rafted down from the forests bordering on the Assinniboine River. Delegates w^ere sent to Donald McKenzie, Esquire, to ask for a lot of land for a church and grave-yard. The Grovernor exceeded their requests, for he not only gave the congregation a lot of eight chains frontage on the west side of the river, but also gave them a forest lot of eight chains frontage on the east side of the river. As soon as convenient a building of fifty feet by twenty feet was com- menced. 268 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. The years 1829 and 1830 saw the arrival of a number of families from James' Bay. Most of them were of mixed blood, but resembled in their habits and dispositions the prudent and industrious Orkney men. In the beginning of October, 1830, when the building of the church was commenced, the families living within the limits of what was then supposed to become the future parish were sixty in number. These families, as to nationality and creed stood thus : thirty-six were from Scotland, chiefly from the Orkney Islands, Pres- byterians by education ; four heads of families were from England and might have been brought up in the Episcopal Church ; the remaining twenty families were half-breeds, the sons of the above-mentioned Orkney men. There were at the above period only two white women in the congrega- tion ; one of them represented England, the other represented Scotland. A considerable, number of the elder women had been brought up in Indian lodges, but the half-breed women had not only acquired some knowledge of letters, but in every case had been instructed in the rudiments of Christi- anity in their youth. The settlers" contributed labor to the building of the church instead of money subscriptions. The building was opened for public worship on the Second of May, 1832.* 'Ihe church finished, the next object, and one of the most vital importance to a yoting community, was a school, which was commenced in the beginning of the winter of 1831. A young gentleman of fair educational attainments had been engaged to teach. On entering on his duties he took the male portion of the pupils under his care, while' Mrs. Cockran devoted five days in the week to the instruction of the girls who attended school. But the Reverend gentleman was, when not engaged in other duties, in the school examining the pupils, praising the diligent and reproving the slothful. • No heathen or Indian families ha J any permwient resilience in the parish, nor ■ever formed any part of the congregation that built the church at Oraad Rapids and worshipped in it. HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 26» Not must we omit to inform our readers, that the unceas- ing turbulence of the French half-breeds, made Governor Simpson desirous of removing his residence from their imme- diate vicinity at the confluence of the Red and Assinniboine rivers. He decided on building a fort twenty miles farther north on the Red River. For the purpose of carrying out his intentions, he took his workmen to the most eligible spot on the Red River for the erection of a stone building, and they commenced operations in the month of October, 1831, digging foxindations, quarrying stones and preparing timber. The river bank is from thirty to forty feet high, composed of fossiliferous limestone within a distance of a hundred yards- from where the buildings were to be reared, and stones from the same place were burned into lime, the unbroken forests- on the east side of the river furnishing abundance of fuel for that purpose. During the summers of 1832 and 1833 a com- modious dwelling-house and a capacious store were finished, and Grovernor Simpson and family passed the winter of 1833 and 1834 at the Stone Fort. G-oods were sold at the store to- the settlers inhabiting the north end of the colony, thus doing away with the necessity of travelling over many miles for the purpose of purchasing their trifling supplies. To which we may add, that it being always a place of some importance, but more so when the Governor wintered there, it afforded a market to those who lived in its vicinity. In 1889 a stone wall was commenced, designed as a defence ; this structure- was three or four feet thick, with embrasures for small arms in it at regular distances of fifteen feet from each other. A capacious round tower occupied each of the four angles. The circumvallation forms a square, with a gate on the south- east side which lies parallel to the river, and another gate- on the north-west side which fronts the plains. This station, though the walls and towers have been left in an unfinished condition and giving tokens of decay, is notwithstanding the most important post the Hon. Company has in the country on account of its being the terminus of lake navigation for 270 HISTORY OP MANITOBA. steamers. Here they receive their cargoes of trading goods, which they take to the Big Fall at the mouth of the Sascat- ■chewan, whence these goods are forwarded to the west and to the districts lying to the north of that river. The steamers on their return trips bring the furs collected on the Sascat- chewan and in the districts to the north during the winter, and are thence forwarded through the United States to Eng- land. "We shall, with the reader's permission, now revert to many attempts made by the Governor to direct the attention of the agriculturalist from raising wheat, which he could not turn to any other account beyond that of supplying his family with bread. The original, or Earl of Selkirk, settlers were now pressed to pay the heavy debts which they had incurred during the first few years they had been in the colony. Some families owed his Lordship's estate as much as three hun- dred pounds sterling, and no family owed less than one hun- dred. These heavy debts had to be paid in produce, for which they were allowed very low prices ; so the quantity which they delivered at the Company's stores fully supplied the only market to which the farmer could go, and this being closed against all who were not in debt, gave rise to mur- murings and expressions of discontent. 1 he Governor, with his well-known sagacity, endeavored to divert the public mind from brooding over past disappointments and to turn it into new channels of industry. Flax and hemp seed were introduced and given gratis to those who were ambitious to try their fortune in the new adventure, and, as an additional stimulus, prizes, varying in value from one to five pounds sterling, were promised to those who raised the greatest quantity of rough material. The ground had been well pre- pared ; the seeds, sown with care, grew to perfection, and was puUed in due time, but, unfortunately, as a rule, with few exceptions, the settlers knew nothing of the processes of steeping, beating and hackling, the articles to prepare them for domestic use or for the foreign market, so that we may HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 271 say tliat a great amount of labor had been lost. It is true the prizes promised had been paid to the p^irties to whom they had been awarded, and a few hundred yards of coarse sheeting had been manufactured at this time by some of the old settlers, who had been accustomed to such work in Scot- land. Scarcity of laborers, consequent high wages, and the entire absence of skilled labor, ruined the whole scheme ; but, at the same time, it was clearly proved that the rich alluvial soil of Red E-iver was capable of producing these valuable plants in the greatest perfection. The next hobby to which public attention was directed was a joint stock concern, to be ^named " The Tallow Com- pany." Its capital was to consist of ill, 000, divided into 200 shares of £5 each. The affairs were to be managed by a chairman and six directors. The shares to the amount sub- scribed were at once taken in cattle, and six shares qualified any subscriber to be a director. The general rule for taking in the cattle was their age— none taken under one nor above five years old. Those of one year old were valued at £1 each ; two years old at £2 ; three years old at <£3, and so on. The whole herd consisted of 4Y3 head'. The first or prelim- inary meeting was held in the first part of April, 1832, with- in what had formerly been known as Fort G-ibraltar, at the confluence of the Red and Assinniboine Rivers. The dovernor made a clear and forcible speech, in which he pointed out to his hearers the illimitable extent of fertile plains that M^ere in the colony and in its vicinity; the wisdom and advantage of utilizing the same by stocking them with domestic cattle ; any number, like the buffalo, might be raised, as in some parts of New South Wales, with- out the aid or trouble of hand feeding in winter. He ex- pressed his belief that the business might be increased to any extent— so much so, that the tallow and hides would become valuable articles of export. The cattle were, according to promise, delivered to those who had been appointed to receive them, and branded with 272 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. the initials T. T., signifying tallow trade, and soon alter conveyed to pasture grounds, at the foot of the pine hills, at a short distance to the east of the settlement, and placed under the care of two herdsmen. On the 30th day of April a furious storm came on from the north ; about 18 inches of snow fell, a circumstance altogether unusual at that season. The storm was followed by some very cold and stormy weather. Some of the cattle were very lean. All had been housed and regularly fed during the winter. The trifle of new grass that had sprung up at this early period was first deeply biiried in snow, then covered with water. The only food that remained for the siiffering stock were the branches of trees and tops of willows which were picked up by the stouter animals that took the lead, leaving little or nothing for the weaker ones that followed, and the consequence was that 26 of these died. However, during the summer the stock improved rapidly, and men began to look favorably on the undertaking. At the same time, it was considered advisable to make some provision lor their subsistence during the bleak and stormy- months of winter ; the quantity of hay made averaged one load per head Roofless sheds were railed in, not for pro- tection against the cold, but to answer the double purpose of keeping them together at night and preserving them from the wolves ; yet, with all this attempt at care, the intense cold of the winter, when the mercury froze and when the spirit thermometer on several mornings indicated from 40 to 45 minus, proved to be too much for them. When driven into these roofless pens they instinctively pressed for warmth as close together as they could stand, and generally passed the night in that unusual position ; hence, when turned out in the mornings they were so benumbed with the cold and standing all night that they could scarcely walk, and, of course, were unable to procure their food in deep snow during the day. In this miserable manner they passed the first winter, during which time 32 died from the combined HISTORY OP MANITOBA. 273 effects of cold and want of food ; the ears, horns and tails of many of them froze and fell off ; the cows lost their teats, besides which 53 were killed by the wolves. The total loss the first year was 111. The carelessness and indolence of the herdsmen contributed greatly to this disaster, but the chief agents in producing these unfortunate results were the wolves, the dread of whose ravages led to the cattle being •cooped up together, where they stood in a semi-torpid state all night. In the beginning of the second year of this experiment, the cattle were removed to a new grazing ground, a short distance farther from the settlement, but more sheltered than where they passed the previous winter. Here herds- men were engaged, whose first care was to lay in a sufficient quantity of hay ; then they built warm sheds. The stock- holders were called on for five shillings sterling per share, to defray these extra expenses. The cattle were driven in every night, and after the winter set in were regularly fed. As a further precaution against neglect, it was arranged that each director, in his turn, should Adsit the cattle once a week. No plan, whatever, could be devised to prevent the ravages of the wolves, which killed twenty notwithstand- ing the care taken, and to the above loss we may add that of sixteen that died of cold. The stockholders were discouraged by every fresh loss, and all interested in the business were loud in their demands to put an end to the concern. In October, 1834, the herd was disposed of by auction, and the shareholders realized the full amount of their in-put, but sacrificed the interest of their stock for two years. For some years, the history of the colony may be said to consist of series of speculations. Notwithstanding the failure of the flax and hemp scheme, and the more than probable failure of the " tallow trade " project, G-overnor Simpson seemed, in spite of all difficulties, determined to confer some permanent benefit on the colony. In 1883, he turned his attention to the introduction of sheep, which was always 274 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. one of his most favored designs. For the accomplishment of this object, he proposed the formation of a joint stock company in order to raise the sum of iJl,200, to be laid out in the purchase of sheep in the United States, and in bring- ing them from there to Eed Eiver. This plan was accepted with great readiness, and the money as readily paid. The Governor offered to send Mr. Eae, a clerk in the Hudson's Bay Company's service to superintend the buying and bring- ing of the sheep to the colony. With him was associated Mr. J. P. Bourke, whom we had occasion to notice in a former part of this work. These gentlemen with only four men, late in the season, crossed the inhospitable plains to St. Peter's. From St. Peter's their course was directed to St. Louis and from thence through the state of Missouri, where it was expected the sheep would have been purchased, in which case their return home would be comparatively easy. But, unfortunately, while here the leaders quarreled. Mr. Eae was young and full of energy, haughty and over-bear- ing in his disposition, which rendered him a very unsafe counsellor and unpleasant companion, while, at the same- time, he was entirely destitute of the experience and tact which distinguished his more sagacious, but equally high- minded colleague. The occasion of their rupture was this : On arriving in Missouri the price of sheep was found to be from 5s. to *7s. 6d. a head, but, not very numerous ; and the people, believing from report that the strangers were intending to buy some thousands instead of a few hundred, were in conse- quence so ill-advised as to demand from the strangers 10s. per head. Mr. Eae took offence at this attempt at extortion, as he considered it, and though the sheep were offered after- wards at ^s. 6d. per head, he refused to deal with the Missou- rians and pushed on for Kentucky, a further distance of 450 miles. Eemontrances proved vain ; to all that Mr. Bourke could urge on the score of increased difficulty in the transport of the flocks and other adverse contingencies, Mr. HISTORY OP MANITOBA. 276 Kae turned a deaf ear, and followed the bent of his way- ward inclination. After this misunderstanding, Mr Bourke declined taking any active part in the management of affairs during the whole journey. After a variety of adventures and loss of time the party reached Kentucky, and found that the price of sheep there differed very little from what they could have bought them at in Missouri, being from 5s. to 7s. a head. Here the number required was completed, viz., 1,4*75 ; but on the way back they began to meet with the diflGlculties that the sagacious Bourke foresaw and foretold. They had to pay for pasture every night, and whenever they halted during the day ; besides, many sheep died from the effect of hard driving. On their way up the Mississippi they gave another instance of the wisdom of their management ; they saw that the sheep were suffering from the burden and heat of their fleeces, and at a certain place they halted to clip them, and agreed with a certain individual to let him have all the wool at a fixed price. The following day the wool was to be delivered and the money paid, but the individual not being able to raise the full amount, could not get wool to the value of the cash he had. At the same time, a ;i umber of poor people had collected about the place and made several offers, according to their means, for portions of the wool ; but their united offers falling short of the original valuation, they were rejected with contempt, and the wool was order- ed to be burnt on the spot, which indicated neither wisdom nor humanity. The former would say, sell the wool for what the people are able to give for it, which in all probability would have amounted to a few hundred dollars ; the latter would say, if the people be too poor to buy, better that it should clothe the needy than that it should be burnt. Giving it away might answer a good object ; it could not fail to enlist in their behalf the friendship of those among whom they were travelling, which, no doubt, would be of some value. Had the sheep been purchased in Missouri they might have been in Red River before the excessive heats of 276 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. July and August had come on, and before the tall coarse grass on the plains had come to its height. Many localities in those plains produce a species of plant which, in its mature state, is armed with sharp barbed spines, Tv^hich penetrated the sheeps' skins as they walked through the grass and finally caused death, which, with over-driving, killed the helpless creatures by tens and by twenties every day. It was currently reported and believed that 1,200 of these over-driven and helpless animals perished from the cause already referred to, or by the knife, between St. Peter's and Pembina. It is distressing to relate that every sheep that failed to keep up with the flock was doomed to have its throat cut by order of the men who had so unfortunately been trusted with their safety. The agents in these butch- eries did not hesitate to inform the writer that in one morn- ing only, while at breakfast, the bloody knife deprived no less a number than forty-four of life. The leaders, as became men in their position, rode in advance of their charge, and every now and then some one of the men would have to ride up to them with the news that so many of the sheep could not be made to move on. " Cut their throats and drive on," was the invariable order. A few days' rest, say one in seven, would have enabled these worn-out animals to recruit their strength, or even a few hours each alternate day allowed them to rest and feed might have enabled many of those whose lives had been cut short by the knife to perform the journey. On their arrival on the top waters of Red Eiver, they came to a camp of Sioux, or met with a party of that nation, who received them kindly. These Indians were headed by the great war chief, Wanata, who, with a number of his braves, escorted them and hunted for them until they arrived at Pembina; yet, such was the intensity of their longing for home that even while protected and provided for by the Grreat Chief, they drove on without stop or stay, heedless of the wanton and barbarous butchery of many of iheir charge every day, which so disgusted the drivers that HISTORY OP MANITOBA, 27T they refused to use the knife any longer in shedding inno- cent blood, leaving the business in the hands of their su- periors. However, they arrived in the settlement in the latter end of September with 251 sheep, a few of which died after- wards in consequence of the hardships they had undergone by the way. Notwithstanding the facts related above, the Governor and Managing Committee presented the leaders of the enterprise with a vote of thanks, in which they were sustained by the farmers, who, having to run with their few and hard-earned pennies to the stores to buy clothing for their households, now rejoiced at the fact that so many of 'these useful animals had been brought into the settlement, believing that in time, with ordinary care, they might be in- creased to any number ; but there was another party, to wit, the petty shop-keepers, who, influenced by the G-overnor, advanced a few pounds each to the undertaking, but who never intended to be troubled with the care of sheep, and only expected their advances to be paid back after the flock would arrive and be disposed of. However, as the business had been so mismanaged, they saw no immediate prospect of having their cash returned, and were, in consequence, ready to pass a vote of censure on the Governor, and on all who did not think as they thought ; so, to silence their clamor, the Governor declared that he was ready to pay back all the money that had been subscribed, and that he would keep the sheep until they would become numerous enough to give each of those who would be desirous of having a few a chance to buy ; that, in the mean-time, he would give them in charge to the manager of the Company's experi- mental farm. The croakers pocketed their cash again. Many Ox the poorer class left their money in the Company's hands for two or three years, until the sheep had been auctioned, when they were so keenly competed for that one with an- other they sold for two pounds sterling each. 278 HISTORT OF MANITOBA. CHAPTER IX. The Experimental Fakms— Eakly Produce Markets — Sale op^the Colony to the Hudson's Bay Co. — The French Half-Breeds threaten to Revenge an Assault Committed on One op their Number — The Hudson's JBay Co. forced to make Slight Concessions. We have alluded to the experimental farm which had been commenced a few years previous to the sheep adven- ture. The site chosen for the undertaking was a low alluvial flat near the Assinniboine River, and at a short distance from Upper Fort Gairy. What object the Council of the fur trade had in view, when it sanctioned this new idea that had its origin in Governor Simpson's fertile brain, we cannot say. However, a first-class dwelling-house had been erected ; barns, stables and cow-houses were provided ; and animals of the best breeds were purchased to stock the farm. f5A stallion was imported from England, at a cost of <£300, to improve the breed of horses ; breeding mares were also imported from the United States at great expense. The most improved implements for working the farm were pro- cured, and the dairy was furnished with equal care. We might reasonably expect that an undertaking so liberally provided for would succeed, but practical and skilful agri- culturists were not'employed. The choice of a manager to carry out this great design was made by the Governor and his Councillors of the fur trade, who appointed Chief Factor McMillan, a gentleman of the fur trade, well known for his activity and perseverance, but unacquainted with agricul- tural operations even on the smallest scale ; and who was con- sidered by nine-tenths of those who knew him best as altogether unqualified for the right discharge of the duties HISTORY OF MAtJITOBA. 279 of the office in which the Grovernor's influence and partiality had placed him. The servants engaged to labor on the farm were, with few exceptions, half-breeds, who had been accustomed to hunt the buffalo and drive dogs, and knew no more about farm work than the red man of the surround- ing forests and plains. The dairy maids had, as a rule, been brought up on the plains or at some of the trading posts in the north, and, consequently, knew nothing of butter and cheese making. Flax and hemp were both sown and grew to perfection, but after having been pulled were allowed to rot. Here we shall quote the words of a writer who lived in the vicinity of the experimental farm, and who was in Hi^dson's Bay men's confidence.* The thousands that were lavished on this scheme from beginning to end were rendered nugatory by an incident, trifling in itself, roused the indignation of the French half-breed population to the highest pitch. Before relating the above referred to incident, we must, by way of explanation, inform the reader that the Hon. Hudson's Bay Company employed, daring the season of open water, from one hundred to one hundred and fifty men in their boats to transport goods, furs, etc. These tripmen depended for the support of their families during the winter, on what they gained by voyaging in the summer, but, as a rule, they were one-half their summer's work in debt. When the boatmen returned to the colony in October, whatever balance, if any, would be due to each would be paid. After a few days' idleness and gossip the money would be spent. Want would begin to press. A new engagement must be entered into. The cbntract once signed, a certain portion of the promised wages would be paid down, another would become payable at Christmas, and another part when ready to enter on their long and laborious voyage either to Portage LaLoche or to York Factory on Hudson's Bay. But as we mean more fully hereafter to treat of the system on which the freighters carried on their business, suffice it to say here that in 1834 Mr. Thomas Simpson was accountant at Upper 284 BISTORT OF MANITOBA, Fort Grarry, part of whose duty it was to agree with the Toyageurs, keep their accounts, and pay the promised wages at the d fferent periods stated in the contracts. Christmas was one of these stated periods and a season when all who felt inclined to indulge in intoxicating drinks, and could pay for the same, hurried to Fort Grarry in crowds. The tripmen, as a rule, appeared before the accountant, who paid to each individual the amount due. For some hours the business in the office and in the sale shop was done in a quiet and orderly manner until Larocque, a French half- breed, entered the office and asked for his money. Mr. Simpson, not relishing his presence, applied some un- courteous epithets to him, which called forth a retort that provoked Mr. Simpson to so great a degree that he lost all power of self-control, and seizing the fire-poker, he struck Larocque on the head, setting an inch or two of the skull bare. The wounded man rushed out of the office where he had been so unceremoniously treated and joined his friends, who were in considerable numbers in the Fort. They could scarcely believe the evidence of their owil eyes when they was their countryman covered with his own blood, and endeavoring, as far as his excited state of mind permitted, to explain what had taken place in the office. The multitude looked upon him as unjustly and cruelly treated, and conse- quently determined to make common cause with him and take the redress of his grievance into their own hands. However, in the meantime, they offered no insult or violence to any one, but retired, in the first instance, peaceably to their individual homes ; but fame had preceded them, and in its own way had given various editions of the affair that had occured at the Fort. The all engrossing subject flew from village to village, from house to house and from man to man ; the passions were roused ; the people unanimously per- suaded themselves that the blow inflicted on Larocque was an insult to the entire French half-breed race ; " "We must HISTORY OP MANITOBA. 285 he avenged " — " "We must retaliate," was the cry. In the space of a few hours, all the French half-breeds had assem- bled in the vicinity of the Fort ; a council was held, where it was decided that Mr. Simpson must be delivered up. to them, to be dealt with according to their understanding of ihe law of retaliation, or, if the modest demand would not be complied with, thoy declared that they would demolish Fort G-arry and take Simpson by force. The demand and threat were transmitted to the Grovernor of the colony, and at the same time, to prepare themselves for action, the war song and war dance, in true Indian style, were commenced. Several messages passed now between the parties, all to no purpose. Finally, it was resolved to send a deputation to the en- raged multitude to settle the dispute, if possible, before it would be too late. For the accomplishment of that desirable object, a deputation was sent formed of the following gen- tlemen, namely, Mr. Grovernor Christie, Chief Factor Cam- eron, Robert Logan, Esquire, and Alexander Ross, Esquire, both merchants in the colony. The embassy left Fort Grarry at ten o'clock, on a cold and stormy winter night. The scene that presented itself to them on entering the house where the hostile party were assembled was truly wild and savage ; in the words of one of the mediators, "They resembled a troop of furies more than human beings." All occupied in the Indian dance and excited to the highest degree, some time passed before the tumult had sufficiently subsided to give his Honor and his friends the chance of being heard, and after they had been heard, reason proved, for a time, to be but a feeble weapon against infuriated brute force. Nevertheless, after a parley of some hours, and after some concessions had been made to the aggrieved party, the diffi- culty was settled, the diplomatists no doubt claiming great credit to themselves for the dexterity which they displayed in the management of their difficult and even dangerous negotiations. However, we must remark here that after the 286 HISTORY OV; MANITOBA. above trifling concessions had been made, the bearing of the half-breeds became haughtier than ever. The vFounded man vs^as paid the full amount of his wages for the trip and vpas allov^ed to remain at home. His sym- pathizers were presented with a ten-gallon keg of rum, and tobacco. In the following spring, another physical demonstration took place before the gates of the Fort. A number of demands were made, as follows : 1st. The prices of provisions were to be raised. 2nd. An export was demanded for tallow, robes and other articles procured by the chase. They loudly protested against any import duty being levied on goods imported from the United States, for many of the French Canadians and half-breeds, both French and English, had already made several trips to the Mississippi, exporting horn cattle, horses, furs and some articles of col- onial industry, and, on their return, bringing home cotton goods, groceries, ammunition, tobacco, &c., &c. These bold adventurers considered themselves entitled to exemption from import duty on two grounds : 1st On ac- count of their having established commercial intercourse with the neighboring states. 2nd. On account of the great danger incurred on their journey to and fro. Their demand fell on deaf ears, the Colonial G-overnor and his Council were exclusionists and all interested to defeat every attempt to export the produce of the country, or to introduce foreign manufactured goods, except vid Hudson's Bay. Yet these hostile demonstrations and demands were not unproductive of some advantage, especially to intending settlers, as the salutary fear which they impressed on our men in power, was the cause of reducing the price of land from twelve shillings and sixpence per acre to seven shillings and six- pence. And at the same time, to please the native youth, it was decided by the land agents, that each young man on settling on land should receive twenty-five acres gratis. HISTORY OP MANITOBA. 28T CHAPTER X. The New Council — Laws Passed— The Law Courts — Judicial Districts — Politics— Introduction of the Jury System — Public Flogging and its Results — Damage by Frosts — Non- Arrival of Supplies. We have stated that in 1835 the colony was transferred for a money consideration by the young Earl of Selkirk to the Hon. Hudson's Bay Company. This change of sovereigns was only known for some time to the chosen few. The multitude were kept in the dark on the great change that had taken place in the proprietorship of the colony, and believed themselves to be still his Lordship of Selkirk's liege subjects. From the commencement of the settlement up to the time of , which we are writing, a period of twenty-four years, we may say that the community held together with- out any other rule to guide its members than the golden one, " Do to others as you would wish others to do to you." It is true, during the above period we had a dignatary bearing the title of Grovernor who had his staff of Senators, who, in their united capacity, were to make laws to regulate the actions of the settlers. They were the sole judges of the laws, and were entrusted with the power of executing their own sentences. Yet, although the colonists were composed of various nationalities and professing different creeds, such was the kindly feeling and good faith that existed among them that legislators, judges and bailiffs found very little to do, except when called upon to defend the Hon. Company's exclusive right to deal in furs ; but the threats and demands made by the half-breed population at this time pointed out to the stockholders the necessity of establishing a stronger form of Government in the colony for the accomplishment of that object. The Governor's former advisers, with a few 288 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. other gentlemen, were selected and commissioned by the Board of Directors in London, and these ofiB.cials,with the Grov- «ernor-in-Chief at their head, formed the Legislative Council, impowered to make laws for the punishment of parties guilty of crime ; they were also empowered to make laws to regulate ■civil affairs among their subjects. To initiate the new order of things, His Excellency summoned the Councillors to meet Jiim on the 12th day of February, 1835, at Upper Fort Garry, and here we shall place before our readers the President's opening address, which will confirm what we have already said of the state of society in previous years : "Gentlemen," said Mr. George Simpson, "in order to guard as mnch as pos- sible against misapprehension within doors, or misrepresentation ont of doors, on the subjects which I am now about to bring under your consideration, I shall then briefly notice them. From their importance they cannot fail of calling forth due attention, and from the deep and lively interest you all feel in the welfare and pros- perity of the colony, I am satisfied you will afford me the best of your assistance and support towards carrying into effsct such measures as may appear to you best calculated, under existing circumstances, to answer every desirable object. " The population of the colony is become so great, amounting to about 5,000 «ouls, that the personal influence of the Governor and the little more than nominal support afforded by the police, which, together with the good feeling of the people, have heretofore been its principal safeguard, are no longer sufiScient to maintain the tranquility and good government of the settlement, so that, although rights of property have of late been frequently invaded and other serious offences com- mitted, I am concerned to say, we were under the necessity of allowing them to pass unnoticed, because we have not the means at command of enforcing obe- dience and due respect, on account of the existing state of things. " Under such circumstances, it must be evident to one and all of you that it is •quite impossible society can hold together ; that the time is at length arrived when it becomes necessary to put the administration of justice on a more firm and regular footing than heretofore, and immediate steps ought to be taken to guard against danger from abroad or difficulties at home, for the maintenance of good order and tranquility, and for the security and protecion of lives and pro- perty," MEMBEilS OF THE COUNCIL. Sir Georoe Simpson, Governor of Rupert's Land, President. Alexr. Christie, Governor of Assinniboia (colony). Councillor. The Right Revd. Bishop of Jullopolis (now N.W.), Councillor. The Revd. D. T. Jones, Chaplain to H.B.O., Councillor. The Revd. William Cochran, Assistant Chaplain to H.B.C., CouncillDr. James Bird, Esq., formerly Chief Factor to H.B.C, " James Sutherland, Esq. " " " W. H. Cook, Esq. u » ii HISTORY OP MANITOBA.. 289 -John Pritchard, Esq , Oouacillor. Robert Logan, Esq Alexander Ross, Bsq., ShenfiT of Aasianiboia, Councillor. John McAllam, Gaq , Coroner, Councillor. • John Bunn, Esq , .Medical Adriser, Councillor. Andrew McOermott, Esq , Merchant, " Cuthbcrt Grant, VVarden of the Plains, Councillor. The majority of the Council thus appointed were, no d.oubt, the wealthiest men in the colony and generally well informed ; yet, their appointment was far from being accept- •able to the people, who knew that they were either sine- curists or salaried servants of the Hudson's Bay Company, -and consequently were not the fittest men to legislate for a people who retained some faint recollections of the manner in which the popular branch of the legislature of their native land was appointed, and who never ceased to inveigh against the arbitrary manner in which the Governor-in-Chief chose "the legislators who were to frame the laws which were in- tended to regulate our actions and dispose of our property. Professional men who never intended to make the colony their permanent residence and superanniiated fur traders, had but little knowledge of the wants and desires of the people, who, in return, never placed that degree of confi- dence in the Council that they would have done, had its members been from all classes and not exclusively from those who were dependent on the ruling power for the good things they enjoyed.* At this meeting a number of resolutions were passed and became law, most of which gave some satisfaction for a time. Following are the most important of them : — 1st. That an efficient and disposable force be embodied, to be styled a volunteer corps, to consist of sixty officers and privates, to be at all times ready to act when called upon, and to be paid as follows : — Commanding officer, ^620 per annum ; sergeants, ^10 ; and the privates, <£6 sterling, besides extra pay for serving writs ; when not so employed • A Representative Council was loudly demanded by some, b 290 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. their time to be their own. Of this corps Alexander Ross Esq., was appointed commanding officer. 2nd That the settlement be divided into four districts - the first to extend from the Image downwards ; the second from the Image Plains to the junction of the Red and Assinni- boine Rivers ; the third from the Forks upwards on the Red River, and the fourth the White Horse Plains or Assinniboin^ River; and, that for each of the said districts a magistrate be appointed. That James Bird, Esquire, be Justice of tk& Peace for the first district ; James Sutherland, Esquire, for the second, Robert Logan, Esquire, for the third and Outhbert Grant, Esquire, for the fourth ; these majgistrates to hold quarterly courts of summary jurisdiction on four successive Mondays, to be appointed according to the exist- ing order of precedence in the four sections, beginning with the third Monday in January, in April, in July, and in October. 3rd. That the said courts have power to pronounce final judgment in all civil cases where the debt or the damage claimed may not exceed five pounds ; and in all cases of^ trespass or misdemeanors, which by the rules and regulations of the district of Aissinniboia, not being repugnant to the laws of England, may be punished by a fine not exceeding the aforesaid sum of five pounds. 4th. That the said courts be empowered to refer any case of doubt or difficulty to the supreme tribunal of the colony, the court of Grovernor and Coimcil of Assinniboia, at its next ensuing quarterly session, by giving a viva voce intima- tion of the reference, in open court, and a written notice of the same under the hands of a majority of the three sitting magistrates, at least one whole week before the commence- ment of the said quarterly session, and this without being compelled to state any reasoai for so doing. 5th. That the court of G-overnor and Council in its judicial capacity sit on the third Thursday of February, of May, of August and of November, and at such other times as the HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 291 Governor-in-Chief of Rupert's Land, or, in his absence, the Governor of Assinniboia, may deem lit. 6th. That in all contested civil cases which may involve claims of more than ten pounds, and in all criminal cases, the A'^erdict of a jury shall determine the fact or facts in dispute. 7th. That a public building, intended to answer the double purpose of a Court House and gaol be erected as early as pos- sible at the Forks of the Red and Assinniboine Rivers. That in order to raise funds for defraying such expenses as it may be found necessary to incur towards the maintenance of order and the erecting of public works, an import duty shall be levied on all goods and merchandise of foreign manufac- ture imported into Red River Colony, either for sale or for use, at 7 J per cent, on the amount of invoice ; and further, that an export duty of 7| per cent, be levied on all goods, provisions and live stock, being the growth, produce or manufacture of the Red River Colony. At the close of the business Governor Simpson mentioned that the fur trade would make a grant of iJSOO in aid of public works in Red River. On this being announced, a vote of thanks was returned to the Governor and Council of Rupert's Land for their liberal grant. The Council then adjourned. This gift from the Fur Trade Council, which indicated both wisdom and liberality, was given at the critical time for it enabled the local authorities to procure timber and build the Court House and gaol. We have stated above that the people looked on the con- stitution of the Council with dislike, because they saw that the Church and the Hudson's Bay Company were the only parties represented in it. Next, the duty of 7i per cent, on all imports was considered oppressive, as all kind of mer- chandise were selling at the time at 100 to 150 per cent, on the prime cost, and it was argued by hunters and farmers that the consumers would not only have to pay the 7| to Si 292 HISTORY OF MANITOBA, the importer, but afford the latter a plausible pretence for adding *7^^j)er cent, more to their selling price. The like duty of '7| per cent, on all exports of Red Eiver produce, except furs and robes, may be termed foolish and impolitic, the exports being of small value at the time, and besides, public feeling was decidedly against it. The population of the colony at this time might be divided into two distinct parties, each having its own peculiar political views and interests. The political views and interests of the agriculturist differed from those of the buffalo hunter. To these we must add a third party, namely, the governing party or company, as merchants or fur-traders, always few in number, but who arrogated all legislative and judicial pow- ers to themselves. Even-handed justice, nay, true policy demanded that these widely different interests should be represented in the Council. Notwithstanding the condition of things was much improved in the colony ; the general quarterly court met on the appointed days ; the Governor of the colony presided ex-officio, and was assisted by a bench of magistrates. The jury system was introduced, and that public institution became an indispensible portion of the court, and contributed greatly to reconcile the public mind to the court and to the decisions given in it ; and being with- out a voters' roll, the Sheriff, as a rule, called- out the most intelligent men in the community to act, who were gratified by being called upon to aid the great men of the land in dis- pensing justice to their fellow-colonists. The jurymen formed a link between the governing class and the governed, and used their influence to create a spirit of unanimity in all classes of our little community. The 28th day of April, 1836, beheld the first jury im- panneled in Assinniboia, when they had to try one Louis St. Dennis for theft. They brought in a verdict of guilty. The unfortunate St. Dennis was sentenced to be there and then publicly whipped. The novelty of a court composed of a bench of magistrates and jury drew large crowds together HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 293 to witness the proceedings. A strong police force was in attendance, and formed a ring round the executioner while performing his duty ; that finished, the police dispersed- The flogger appeared defenceless before the multitude, who viewed with indignation the unusual spectacle of a white man tied to a cart's tail, stripped naked and flogged. One threw a clod or a stone at him, others followed the example, and all began to call at the height of their voices, " Bor- reau ! Borreau ! " Stone him ! Stone him ! The terrified German, for such he was, fled, as he no doubt believed for life, but he had not proceeded many yards before he fell headlong into a pit. On seeing his sad mishap his mis- chievous pursuers burst into a loud fit of laughter mingled with hisses and execrations. Here the police interfered, dragged the woe-begone official out of the pit, and guarded him in the Fort until the people had gone away. Public opinion was so strong against the above mode of punishment that, after five years had run their round, when a similar sentence had been passed for a similar offence, not a person could be procured to perform the disagreeable and dangerous duty out doors ; therefore, on that second occasion the duty had to be performed in the prison, the official being masked, and for further security locked up until dark where he was. The year 1836 was productive of a series of failures and consequent disappointments. On the seventh or eighth iiight of June a hard frost fell on some localities and cut down not only the tender grain and root crops but withered the leaves on the deciduous trees. However, the second or third day after the frost a thunder storm with heaA^y rain came on, and on strong rich land the wheat and potatoe crops recovered, but the barley where frozen died out. Notwithstanding, the husbandman expected to reap an average harvest, but to his sad dismay, oa the night of the 19th of August, a heavy frost injured the standing wheat even where the ear was full, and rendered what had been sown late useless, even for seed 294 HISTORy OF MANITOBA. Here we may remark that the plain-hunters returned from their summer trip with little more than half loads. And to add to the above misfortunes, the colony was for a time threatened with a dearth of European manufactured goods. The tripmen, who were chiefly French half-breeds, had been engaged, in course of the preceding winter and spring, to make two trips to York Factory. The first trip was satisfac^ torily performed, but, when assembled in the beginning of August to start on the second trip, they refused to go, although paid to a considerable amount in advance. Notwithstaad- ing their ill-humor, after a few deys delay, they were per- suaded to enter on the voyage, but it was deemed necessary to send Mr. Outhbert Grrant, Deputy Sheriff and Warden of the Plains, in charge of the brigade, to keep the fickle crews to their duty and prevent further disobedience. The boats, in due time, arrived at the great depot of the Northern Department, and expected to receive their loads from the ship of the season ; but no ship had as yet arrived on the coast, and the advanced state of the season pointed out, even to the hardy Warden of the Plains, the necessity of turning his back on the icy shores of Hudson's Bay, and proceeding to the warmer regions of the south ; but they could only obtain half cargoes, for in those days of rigid economy a single year's supply of goods was all that was annually imported, it being considered that a year's interest was lost to those concerned on all the stock on, hand after the year's trade had been closed. The few private merchants who sent their boats to the Bay expecting to receive by the ship the supply they ordered from England had to return empty. Note. — This closes that portioa of the history written by the late Hon. Mr. Ounn ; no changes whatever have been made in the manuscript, except to divide it into ten chapters, for general convenience. Mr. Gunn'a portion of the work covers a period from the first exploration of the Red River country to the close of 1S36. HISTORY OP MANITOBA. 295 CHAPTER XL The Objeotional Monopoly of the Hudson's Bay Co. — Settlers Fretting- under the Yoke of Oppres- sion — The Early Tariff — Lon» Delayed Ven- geance — G-ROwiNG Breach between Metis and the Hudson's Bay Co. — The Indians and the H.-ilf- BREEDS — War and Peace — Arrival op the Sixth Royals — The JJtlETis Resisting the Authority of the Hudson's B.iY Co. — Celebe.a.ting their Success. As we have seen from Mr. Grunn's narrative, the year 1836 was the commencement of a series of changes in the political status of the people in the Red River country. It is the year from which the first constitutional or legal rights may be said to date. Ever since communication had first been established with the village, now the city of St. Paul, in Minnesota, the yoke of the Hudson's Bay Company had been unceasingly obnoxious to both English and French half-breeds. Their eyes had been opened by contact with a similar class which occupied the frontiers of the* then terri- tory of Minnesota, and they had returned, year after year, to the Red River settlement to tell their friends and rela- tives that in the country so near to them it was no crime to trade for a mink skin or a buffalo robe with an Indian, and that the profits of the trade in furs belonged to who- ever were adventurous enough to seek them in the Indian camps. The contrast was so great with the position in which they were placed by the assumption on the part of the Hudson's Bay Company of the right to the exclusive trade in furs, that it gave rise to a number of collisions between, particu- larly, the French Metis of that day and the Hudson's Bay ■Company's officers in Fort Garry. To properly understand 296 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. the position which the Hudson's Bay Company held in the country at the time, it is necessary to remember that up to that period they had claimed as a right under their charter, arbitrarily enforced, the complete monopoly of the fur trade- It had been made a criminal offence, not only to be found bartering with an Indian for his furs, but even to have furs in his possession, unless he could show that he had pur- chased them from the Hudson's Bay Company ; and such purchase meaning his paying to the Hudson's Bay Company not the prices which they obtained at Fort Garry, but the prices which the fur in question had brought at the last great annual sale of the Hudson's Bay Company in London. In the execution of this law, as we have seen, suspected houses were frequently searched, and the constables of that day were enjoined to make every endeavor to ascertain the secret hiding-places where furs were supposed to be stored.. To this end the constable was frequently armed with a long- pole to push up the clay chimney of that period, as furs were sometimes found secreted near the top. If even a mink skin was discovered in the house of the unfortunate Metis, he was immediately brought before an officer of the Fort who exercised magisterial powers, and either commit- ted for trial, at some future period or made to suffer pains and penalties on the spot. All this was done in such an overbearing manner that it pressed heavily upon the free spirit of the buffalo hunting class particularly. These men, accustomed to the use of arms and spending many months of the summer in the- extreme west, away from the galling thralls of the Hudson's. Bay Company, frequently met in council over this matter,, and came to conclusions which speedily brought on the col- lisions of which Mr. Gunn has spoken in the preceding chapter. These conflicts always resulted in advantage to the settlers. If they did not receiA'^e the precise concession which they asked for, some other was usually given. These victories on the part of the governed speedily gave rise to- HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 2&T demands upon the governing party, which, though modest at first, soon increased to the extent, or nearly the extent, of the rights and privileges enjoyed by the same class in the frontier settlements of the United States. The governing class felt that the time had come when at least a show of consulting the wishes of the people should be made. Hitherto the officer in charge at Fort Garry occupied the position of chief maker and chief executor of the- laws. He had a few Councillors of the same stripe to assist him, and constables had been appointed to carry out their mandates. All points in dispute were settled by the Gover- nor himself, or not settled at all ; and so long as monoply was recognized, and every energy of the people was made- tributary to the Hudson's Bay Company, so long did the system work smoothly. During all these political changes the colonists had been. kept in the dark. They did not even know that the settle- ment, by purchase from Lord Selkirk, had become virtually the Company's own property. This discovery was made by chance. Until this time the people were under the per- suasion that the colony still belonged to the executors of Lord Selkirk, and by this deception the Company kept themselves clear of all responsibility for whatever transpired. To give an appearance of consulting the wishes of the people, it was determined to add new Councillors chosen from among the people of the colony outside of the ofiicers of the Hudson's Bay Company, and, to give effect to this new order of things, the Council already spoken of by Mr. Gunn convened at Upper Fort Garry on the 12th day of February,, 1835. The population of the colony looked with a jealous, eye upon the constitution of this new Council, and remarked upon the fact that only one member was in a position, if he had the inclination, to take an independent stand for their rights and privileges. They saw, too, that the heavy duty of seven and a-half per cent, on all imports was specially aimed at those who were trading outside of the Hudson's 298 HISTORy OP MANITOBA. Bay Company ; and Ihpy saw in the proposal to constitute a volunteer corps an effort on the part of the Hudson's Bay Company to be able to enforce by military measures, if necessary, their enactments, however objectionable they might be to the people for whom they were made. Still the concession of some form of government was, in a measure, satisfactory, and it was hoped that perhaps the Company, having been taught a lesson, might not object during the coming winter to the chance trade of a few skins. The new laws, however, were not brought into operation without more or less difficulty ; especially was this the case in respect of the penalty of public flogging, which was not a.ttempted after the first unfortunate experiment. In August, 1836, the annual ship from London to York Factory was driven from her moorings at the latter place by the storm, and the Captain instead of trying to re-enter the harbor, made sail, with all the supplies of that year for the colony, back to England. Following this disaster was the cold, drizzly and frosty weather of October, which almost utterly destroyed the fall fisheries, with the consequent loss to the colony of that which had constituted heretofore their principal supply of provisions for the winter. From the period we have mentioned of the first introduc- tion of the so-called constitutional laws into the settlement^ the system worked with varying success, but without the aid of lawyers. The seven and a-half per cent- duty on im- ports, which was found obnoxious and oppressive from the first, had to be recinded by Order in Council, and reduced first to five and then to four per cent., at which rate it re- mained until the transfer of the country to Canada. The clamoring of the population for something better than the arbitrary justice administered by the Magistracy ap- pointed by the Council necessitated the importation by the Company of a lawyer, who, under the title of Recorder of Rupert's Land, was to have all the powers of a Judge in Red Hiver. As Recorder of Rupert's Land, no objection was HISTOaY OF MANITOBA. 299 Taised, but as a Judge to deal with cases, many of which were between the settlers and the Company themselves, it was felt that justice was more likely to be obtained from someone who was not a paid servant of the Company, drawing, as he did in this case, the liberal salary of iJTOO sterling per annum.. In other respects, Judge Thom, the gentleman appointed, was of standing and ability quite equal to the position which he filled. Many objected to him on the ground that he could' not speak French, which at this time was the language spoken by the majority of the popu- lation. It was said, too, that during the Papineau troubles in Canada he was no favorite of the French ; that the people of that nationality exhibited, more or less toward him, a feel- ing which was expressed by their countrymen in Canada. However, there was no outcome to this state of affairs fVom the time the Judge arrived in 1839, until we come to an incident in connection with the name of Mr. Simpson, who had been on an Arctic expedition. This gentleman left the Red River settlement on the 6th June, 1840, for the purpose of crossing the prairies to St. Peter, on the Missis- sippi River, thence making his way to England. It was said that he was very anxious to reach his destination before the arrival of his companion in the Arctic exploration, who had gone by way of what is now known as the " Dawson route," with the same object in view. On starting from the settlement he was accompanied by a considerable number of settlers and half-breeds ; but, in his anxiety to reach England in advance of his companion, he pushed on ahead, with only a party of four men. When next found, on the aftexnoun of the 13th June, he was dead, and the dead bodies of two of his companions were found a short distance from him. The two others who had started with him returned with the report that the severe stretch to which his facul- ties had been subjected for several years, and his intense anxiety to hurry forward, had brought him to insanity, under the influence of which he shot down two of his- 300 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. party, mentioned as his supposed enemies, and endeavored to shoot the two who had escaped, finishing the tragedy by shooting himself. This was the same Mr. Simpson who, as- Mr. G-unn has related, five years before had chastised a French half-breed ; and as his companions on this occasion were of this race, there were those who believed that their dislike to him might have possibly caused his death. Since the time we have mentioned, when the French half-breeds came into conflict with the Hudson's Bay Com- pany's authority, this class had frequently broken the law which related to the Company's rights. They had frequently crossed or re-crossed the boundary line, and while the law still remained in force as to exclusive trade, they had fre- quently broken its provisions, with, however, an effort at secrecy, which showed that they were desirous on the whole to pay some respect to the law which had been established over them. A collision now came about in this way : A Cpnadian, by the name of Eegis Laurent, had, it is alleged, been guilty of infringing upon the Company's chartered rights. His house was forcibly broken open, and the furs which it contained seized by the Company's officers. A similar act was com- mitted on another Canadian, and a third seizure, as already recited, was made at Manitoba Lake, and the person in whose possession the furs were foimd was made prisoner, couA'^eyed to the shores of Hudson's Bay and threatened to be taken to England, there to be punished for his crimes. These acts greatly enraged the whole Canadian population, and as that class were mixed with French half-breeds by marriage or other ties, the two parties united in the sentiment of ill'will against the rule of the Company. The English half-breeds, who were naturally more law-abiding, and less easily aggravated remained for a while staunch to the rule of the- Company ; but a collision came about by one of the class daring to aspire to the hand of the daughter of an officer, high in rank in the service of the Company. This man, HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 301 ■whose name was "William Hallet, it may be stated here, was baulked in his attempt to obtain the hand of the lady in question, and treated with the greatest indignity on account of his nationality ; and being a skillful hunter and a frequent companion of the French half-breeds in their annual visits to the great buffalo-hunting plains of the west joined them heart and soul in their efforts to obtain what they called fair play from the Company. He was followed gradually by a large number of the class ; so that in a short time the whole Metis population, English and French, were imbued with a spirit of disaffection. Between 1840 and 1841 there were several visits of the Sioux tribe of the great Dakotah Nation of Indians. They and the Salteaux Indians living in the neighborhood of the Eed Kiver settlement had been at war for a number of years. Collisions were often prevented by the intervention of the Metis, and at last the half-breeds themselves were drawn into the disputes, and from 1840 to 1844 the half-breeds had joined with their Salteaux friends in 'giving battle to the Sioux wherever a hostile meeting occurred. A patched up peace was effected between the half-breeds and the Sioux in the fall of 1844, and the hunters returned to the plains, as usual, smoked the " pipe^Jof peace," and passed the summer with the Sioux as if nothing had occur- red between them. On the strength of this friendly inter- course and renewal of peace, a party of Sioux Indians arrived at the settlement., on a short and friendly visit to the whites, and after a brief stay reached their own country in safety. A second party reached Fort G-arry in the autumn of the «ame year, they, however, were not so fortunate. "While the Sioux and the Salteaux were engaged in friendly conversa- tion on one occasion, suddenly the report of a gun was heard, and instantly two Indians fell dead. The ball after killing a Sioux, also killed a Salteaux Indian, and very nearly killed a whiteman. Fearing "^this [to \be an outbreak 302 HISTOKY OF MANITOBA. of the Salteaux, the Sioux were lodged safely inside the Fort, and the Saltcaux immediately fled. The two bodies were taken in, and upon examination and enquiry, it was found that a Salteaux had fired the shot. The culprit was. easily discovered, he did not attempt to escape, nor did. he deny the charge. On being qxiestioned, he cooly said " The Sioux killed my brother and wounded myself last year, and that moment I vowed revenge ; that revenge I am now taking, but I am satisfied ; let the whites now do with me as they like." He was, of course, instantly committed to prison, arid four days after he was tried in a regular way by a jury, found guilty, and sentenced to be hung. The gallows was erected over the prison gate, and he was executed on the fifth of September, 1845. This being the first case of executing the death sentence, it was thought an attempt at rescue might be made ; but the execution passed off quietly, and the punishment seemed in the eyes of the people to be but right. The year 1846 witnessed the arrival of a very severe epidemic. The winter had been uncommonly mild, and early in the year influenza was very prevalent, and measles also broke out. Neither of these diseases were more than usually severe In due time, however, bloody flux appear- ed, and after its ravages among the Indians, spread with fearful rapidity among the whites From the 18th June, to the 2nd August, the deaths averaged seven per day ; the aggregate number of deaths being equal to one out of every sixteen of the population. In September of this year, just as the settlement was re- covering from this sad affliction, there arrived several com- panies of the Sixth Eoyal Kegiment of foot. This force was five hundred (500) strong, including artillery and sappers, all under the command of Lieut.-Col Orofton. They re- mained, however, but a short time, being recalled in 1848. During their stay they gave a new impulse to everything, HISTORY OP MAXITOBA. 3CS and during their short residence in the colony they expended at least i;i5,000 sterling. On the departure of the Sixth Royals, in the same autumn a squad of 70 pensioners arrived, and the year afterward were followed by a like number, who took the place of the Royals. These troops were commanded by a Major Caldwell, who was appointed by the Queen. This gentleman having^ to be dependent upon the kindness and good will of the Company for everything that could make life enjoyable at that time, seems to have taken no special care to ascertain the real feeling of the colony in regard to the Hudson's Bay Company. In fact, when information regarding their deal- ings with the people was repeatedly proffered to him, it was rejected, and the people soon saw that to get redress of their grievances, other than by force of arms, they must look to some other source than that of the gallant Major in command of his 140 pensioners, Hope then turned to Mr. Isbester, of London. He was a native of the country, who, by his energy, ability and intel- ligence, had raised himself from the position of a successful scholar at one of the schools of the settlement to that of a graduate of one of the British Universities, and to a teacher of considerable rank. This gentleman had succeeded in in- ducing prominent members of the House of Commons in England to interest themselves in the subject of the appeals, which, through him, were constantly being made against the injustice and persecution which the colonists of the Red River settlement were suffering. We come now to speak of an incident which effectually broke the power of the Hud- son's Bay Company's monopoly in the Red River settlement. It was the cumulation of the efforts of many years' remons- trance and petition to gain for themselves the right of trad- ing with their Indian brethren. In the spring of 1849 William Sayre, a French half-breed, had been arrested and imprisoned for trading furs. Three other Metis — McGinnis, Laronde and Goullette-^had been 304 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. arrested on the same charge, but held to bail to stand their trial at the first criminal court. The charge against them, namely, their accepting furs from the Indians in exchange for goods, was considered as contrary to the rules of the •Company's charter, wherein it is stated the Hudson's Bay Company shall have the sole trade and commerce of all the territories within Eupert's Land. For some time it had been rumored that the party to whom the culprits in ques- tion belonged were preparing to resist any attempt at the punishment of these men by an armed force, and on the l*7th May, the day appointed to sit upon this celebrated case, the Metis were seen collecting in armed bands from all parts ■of the country This movement took place about half-past ten o'clock. Those in command of these armed parties •simply stated the object of the gathering to be to resist the infliction of any punishment, whether fine or imprisonment, upon the offenders. They conducted themselves in the most orderly manner, merely surrounding the Court House, and by their presence showing their intentions. It is to be noticed that there was no attempt on their part to interfere with the trial, now about to be in progress ; nor was there any attempt made to rescue the prisoners from the hands of the authorities. When the trial proceeded Say re confessed that he had traded furs with the Indians. A verdict of " Guilty" was found against him, and thereupon Sayre proved that one of the officers of the Hudson's Bay Company had given him permission to trafiic ; and on this pretext he was discharged. The cases of McGinnis, Laronde and 6ruillette were not proceeded with and they all left the court together, greeted by great applause. It was perfectly patent to the half-breeds who were directly interested in the trial of this suit, as well as the white settlers, who looked with very considerable interest apon it, that the Hudson's Bay Company fearing to provoke -a, collision, which they knew must inevitably occur, had snade use of a subterfuge to quietly get Sayre out of the HISTORY OP MANITOBA. 305 scrape, with at least the semblance of the dignity of the law ; and so firmly were all convinced that at last this arbitrary injustice of right was forever broken that the cries of " Vive la Ubertie" and "Trade is free" were heard from all sides. Guns were discharged, hands ^were shaken, and three volleys given in testimony of the victory. 306 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. CHAPTER XII. The Pembina Treaty— The Gkeat Flood of 1852— Judicial— The Mails— Aekival of Dr. Sohultz— A Printing Press— Mr. Dallas Succeeds Gover- nor Simpson— William MacTavish becomes Gov- ernor, AND Difficulties follow— The Sioux Mas- sacre — The Eiot over the case of the Eev. Mr. CORBETT. Ill 1851, Governor Eamsey visited Pembina and concluded a treaty with, the Indians for the purchase of a vast tract of land on the Upper Eed Eiver. This treaty excited consider- able feeling in the Eed Eiver Settlement at the time. It was indeed a sad disappointment to the half-breeds who hoped to be recognized as the rightful owners of th.e disputed lands at Pembina, on account of their painful efforts to estab- lish a settlement there- 1 1 The year 1852 witnessed a renewal of the terrible scenes of 1826, another flood covering and destroying a great part of the Eed Eiver Settlement. On the seventh of May, says Mr. Eoss, in an appendix to bis " Eed Eiver Settlement," the water had risen eight feet above the high- water mark of other years. The overflow soon spread ruin throughout the settlement, boats and canoes were in the most urgent demand with which to save life and property. The river had extended its breadtb to about six miles and was rising at tbe rate of about one incb per hour. The settlers were now filled with the greatest consternation. On the 12tb of May, seven days after the flood had com- menced, about half the colony was inundated, and great damage had been done to almost every description of pro- perty for a distance of over twenty miles up and down the xiver. To use Mr. Eoss' description, " the crying of children. HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 307 lowing of cattle, squeaking of pigs, and howling of dogs, completed the strange and melancholy scene." On the 22nd, the water reached its greatest height, being within eighteen inches as high as in the flood of 1826, pre- viously described by Mr, Grunn. The flood of 1852 found more property within its reach ■on account of the settlement being larger. The scene was, no doubt, a sorry one, if we are to rely upon the accounts which living witnesses give us ; dwelling-houses and barns were floating in all directions, with dogs, cats and poultry in them ; out-houses, carts, carioles, boxes, cupboards, tables, chairs, feather beds, and every variety of household furni- ture drifting along, added to the universal wreck As in the earlier flood but one life was lost ; a few horses, cattle and some pigs were neglected, and consequently drowned, in other respects the destruction was almost unlimited. The flood was caused in this way : — On the breaking up of the river, the ice, according to Mr. Eoss' account, choked in the channel, which caused the water to rise seven feet in the course of a few hours. This occurred in the night, and before the people were aware of it, they were floating in their beds. Hence the confusion was great, and much more loss was sustained than would have resulted had the first stages of the disaster occurred in the day time. The cause of the flood, as stated above, is disputed ; some say there was no ice jam at all. Mr. Eoss goes on to say that " cattle and sheep were drowned before the people were aware of it, and two men who had gone to rest on a rick of hay, found themselves in the morning floating with the current some three miles from where they had laid down the night before. Others again, in the absence of canoes or other assistance, had to resort to the housetops ; some took to the water and hung to the branches of trees and bushes till daylight brought them relief ; and what may seem somewhat remarkable, in the midst of this scene of distress, some pigs were swept away — 308 HISTORY OP MANITOBA. one of which was known to swim for two days and two nights together without relief, and yet was caught alive. The cold as well as the water pressed so hard, that one man was reduced to the necessity of cutting up his plough for firewood to save his children from freezing. The spectacle was as novel as it was melancholy. Three thousand five hundred souls abandoned their all, and took to the open plains. The loss of property, besides that of the crop for the year, was estimated at i;25,000 sterling. The people were huddled together in gipsy groups on every height or hillock that presented itself." The Colonial Grovernor, the Bishop of Eupert's Land, as; also the Eev. John Black, were untiring in their efforts to aid and comfort and cheer the heartless, homeless people ; but it was not until the 12th of June that they could ap- proach their desolate homes and commence the work of re- building or repairing, as the case required. There is but little to record in 1852 except the distress consequent upon the flood, but before the end of that year the settlement had pretty thoroughly recovered from its effects. In 1853 Mr. Thom was removed, by order of the Directors in England, from his position of Recorder and placed in the position of that of Clerk of the Court, with, however, the same pay and allowance which had been before given him. This arose, it is said, from the difficulties brought about in an ac- tion between an officer of the Hudson's Bay Company and one of the military, both of whom were resident in Fort Gi-arry. This case, which was for defamation of character, involved such a number of prominent people in the colony,, and so many complaints were made in regard to the action of the Recorder, thaj; it led to the action mentioned. In the spring of 1854 Mr. Thom resigned his situation as Clerk, and returned to Scotland, and Mr. Johnson, a Lower Canadian lawyer, succeeded him. Mr. Johnson continued his duties until the year 1858, when he returned 1o his HISTORY OP MAtflTOBA. 309 practice in Canada. He was succeeded by Dr. Bunn, the principal medical practitioner in the colony, who continued to act in that position until the spring of 1861, when he died suddenly of apoplexy. G-overnor MacTavish succeeded him until the appointment of President of the Court was given in 1862 by the Hudson's Bay Company to John Black, Esquire. We may pause at this point to give the reader some statis- tics. First, as to the list of Grovernors from 1812 to 1855 : — Capt. Miles McDonell, from August, 1812, to June, 1815. Alex. MoDonell, from August, 1815, to June, 1822. Capt. A. Bulger, from June, 1822, to June, 1823. Robt. Pelly, from June, 1823, to Juae, 1825. Donald McKenzie, from June, 1825, to June, 1833. Alex. Christie, from June, 1833, to June, 1839. Duncan Finlayson, from June, 1839, to June, 1841. Alex. Christie, from June, 1814, to June, 1846. Col. Crofton, 6th Reg., from June, 1846, to June, 1847. Major Griffiths, 6th Reg., from June, 1847, to June, 1848. Major Caldwell, from June, 1848, to June, 1855. A census was taken in 1849, when the colony was found to contain 5,391 souls, divided as follows: — Men, married and wddowers, 813 ; unmarried, 145 ; women, married and widows, 817 ; unmai-ried, 135 ; sons over 16 years of age, 382 : under that age, 1,314; daughters over 15 years of age, SIB ; under that age, 1,292. There were in the colony Y churches, 12 schools, 2 water and 18 wind-mills. There were 745 dwelling-houses, 1,066 stables and 335 barns. Of live stock there were 1,095 horses, 990 mares, 2,09Y oxen, 155 bulls, 2,14'7 cows, 1,615 calves, 1,565 pigs and 3,096 sheep. Of farm implements there were 492 ploughs, 576 harrows, 1,918 carts, 428 canoes and 40 boats, and there were 6,329 acres of land under cultivation. From 1855 until 1857 no military force was stationed in the settlement, but in the latter year a company of Eoyal Canadian Eifles arrived in the colony, remaining four years, and returning to Canada in the year 1861 by ship through Hudson's Bay. 310 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. In 1862 the American Government established a semi- monthly mail communication with Pembina, with which the settlement authorities also connected. Before this time mails had come by way of the head waters of the Mississippi, through the frontier town of Crow Wing, and had only been received once a month. In 185*7 the Legislature of Canada fitted out an explora- tory expedition, under the command of S. J. Dawson and Henry Toule Hind. These gentlemen continued their oper- ations during that and the two succeeding years, and in 1859 made a report to the Government. This report attracted very general attention, and was the means of inducing sev- eral Canadians to settle in the country. Among others who went there at that time was Dr. Schultz, then a stiTdent of Queen's College, Kingston. That year also witnessed the arrival of two Canadians with a printing press — Mr. Wm. Buckingham and Mr. "Wm. Cald- well. This adA^ent of Canadians, though few in number, was looked upon with suspicion and dislike by the Hudson's Bay Company's authorities. Strong efforts were made to in- duce the people not to patronize the Nor'-Wester, which was the name given to the first newspaper. A short time afterwards Mr. Buckingham left the settlement, selling his interest in the Nor' -Wester to Mr. James Eoss, who had been a distinguished scholar at the Eed River College of St. John, and had afterwards passed a creditable examination at the University of Toronto. In 1864 Mr. Eoss sold his inter- est in the newspaper to Dr. Schultz, who, in 1865, also bought the interest of Mr. Caldwell, and continued sole proprietor till 1868, when he sold it to Mr. "Walter E. Bown. The effect ol the advent of this newspaper was an important era in the history of the settlement. Sir George Simpson, until then Governor of the Hudson's Bay Company's affairs in North America, had died suddenly the year before, and Mr. Dallas, son-in-law of Governor Douglas, of British Columbia, suc- ceeded him. This gentleman had been for many years a HISTORY OP MANITOBA. 311 merchant engaged in the China trade, btit, while owning stock in the Hudson's Bay Company, had visited British Col- umbia and had married a daughter of G-overnor Douglas, of that colony, acquiring double interest in the colony in this way. He remained in British Columbia until appointed by the Hudson's Bay Company's Directors in England to suc- ceed Sir Greorge Simpson in the management of their aiFairs in America. This gentleman had not had the training of the ordinary Hudson's Bay Company's officer ; his ideas were very much more broad, and he believed that the time had come when the monopoly of the Company in the fur trade must practically cease, and that they could only hope to continue to make large dividends by accommodating themselves to the altered condition of affairs, and competing with the incom- ing population with capital in the usual way. To this end he looked upon the publication of the newspaper in Fort Garry with pleasure, and had his administration continued it is thought that, possibly, the serious occurences of 1869 and 1870 might not have had to be recorded. Jealousies, however, among the regularly trained fur-trade officers of the Hudson's Bay Company rendered his position untenable, and after a short time he retired to England, to be succeeded as Governor of Assinniboia by "Wm. Mac- Tavish, Esq., who was at that time Chief Factor of the Hud- son's Bay Company's station at Fort Garry. This gentleman, though possessing great ability as well as great kindness of disposition, was yet trained up from his youth, in the most remote districts of the Hudson's Bay Company, in the nar- rowest of their peculiar beliefs in regard to their position in the country, and in the carrying out of which he at once reversed the liberal policy of his predecessor. The news- paper was placed under a ban, and the advent of Canadians and the possibility of its continuance was looked upon as dark and foreboding. Gold was discovered in the Saskatchewan Valley, near Fort Edmonton, by Timolean Love and James Clover, two 312 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. waifs from the stream of miners which had poured into British Columbia from San Francisco, and had found their way to the east side of the Eocky Mountains. The latter part of that year witnessed the inauguration of a Scientific society called the " Institute of Rupert's Land," of which Chief Factor MacTavish was President, and Dr. Schultz Secretary. In the spring of 1862 a light draft steamer of considerable size, built on the upper waters of the Eed Eiver, arrived at Fort Grarry, bringing with her nearly two hundred passen- gers, among whom were G-overnor Dallas and family and the Bishop of St. Boniface, as well as the new Eecorder of the colony, John Black, Esquire. There also arrived in the country this year Lord Milton and Mr. Chiedel, whose travels to the west and experiences in the Eocky Mountains were described the subsequent year in a publication in London, entitled " The North- West Passage by Land." In the fall of the same year occurred the outbreak of the Sioux Indians in the neighboring territory of Minnesota, which is known to this day as the " Sioux Massacre." It commenced at the town of New Ulm, on the Minnesota Eiver, under the leadership of an active chief named Little Crow. This commencement was followed by a general rising of the whole tribe, and settlers to the number of 1,500 were murdered under tha most cruel circumstances of barbaric warfare. The route to Eed Eiver through the States, which had been opened up by way of the head waters of the Mississippi, was immediately closed. One of the stage coaches was attacked by the Sioux and the passengers killed and scalped. Fort Abercrombie, the military post of the United States on the upper waters of the Eed Eiver, was besieged and all communication between the Eed River settlements and those of Minnesota was 'for months cut off, and the officers and crew of the Eed Eiver steamer remained at Pembina for weeks waiting to return to their Minnesota homes. The HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 313 first communication was established late in the fall by the arrival of Dr. Schultz and an American, who had skirted the Sioux territory, and by travelling at night and without building camp fires, after being once captured by the Chipe- way Indians, reached Pembina in safety. The origin of the outbreak in question is no longer a matter of conjecture. Up to this time the Sioux Indians, one of the most powerful branches of the warlike Dakotah nation, had been at peace with the Americans, and doubtless would have continued so had it not been for the nefarious conduct of the agents appointed by the United States to manage their affairs. It is worthy of remark, and showing the foresight of the Sioux Indians, that, having been up to this time at war with the Metis of the Red River settlement, whenever the opposing parties met upon the buffalo hunting-grounds they conclud- ed peace with their former antagonists, the Metis, before committing the first overt act in this warfare. Early in December of this year, the Reverend G-riffith Owen Corbett was arrested on a criminal charge, the gravity of which was a question on which the people of the settle- ment differed very much. Many believed that the animus of the charge was caused by the course which Mr. Corbett had pursued during the winter of 1856-57 in giving evidence before a Committee of the House of Commons, which sat for the investigation of certain charges against the rule of the Hudson's Bay Company in Rupert's Land. On the first Sat- urday in December a number of men effected a forcible entrance into the prison in which Mr. Corbett was confined, stating as their reasons that bail had been refused to the gentleman on political grounds, and that there was no reason why Mr. Corbett, who, ivhatever his faults might have been, was always a kind friend to the poor, should be made an ex- ception to the general practice. Mr. Corbett's imprisonment continued until it is said to have affected the sanity of the prisoner. Early in April an assemblage of his parishioners and others was held with a view to the forcible liberation 314 HISTOfiY OF MANITOBA.. of the Eeverend gentleman. This culminated in his release on the 20th April, 1863. Among those who were instru- mental in his release were James Stewart, schoolmaster ; William Hallet and John Burke, influential residents of his parish. Warrants for the apprehension of these three, with nine others, were issued next day, and a large force of special constables were sworn in ; but before any action was taken, a body of thirty men on horseback, sympathizers with Mr. Corbett, appeared at the Fort and requested an interview with the Grovernor. This was granted, and they proceeded to demand the release of Stewart, the parochial schoolmaster, who had been imprisoned the day before for his complicity in the release of the Reverend Mr. Corbett. The party then proceeded without more ado to tear up the pickets which enclosed the prison-yard, and broke in the gaol and liberated their friend Stewart. No attempt was made to re-capture Corbett, and a few days after Stewart's liberation the Magis- trates addressed a letter to the Governor, advising that in the present state of feeling in the colony no further proceedings should be taken against the rioters. HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 315 CHAPTER illl. Events from 1863 to 1868— The Indians— Ravages of the g-easshoppers — struggles between the col- ONISTS AND THE Officers op ihe Hudson's Bay Com- pany — ^The " Nor'-Wester " — Agitation for Union WITH Canada — Hon. Dr. Schultz's Conflict with the Hudson's Bay Company. Early in this year, 1863, rumors had been current as to the intention of the Sioux Indians, who had been concerned in the massacre in Minnesota, to pay the Red River settlement a visit. Late in May a band of eighty of them, under the leadership of the renowned Chief Little Crow, arrived, and had a conference with the Hudson's Bay Company's authori- ties. The Sioux spoke of their long friendship to the British flag, produced medals which had been given their fore- fathers in the time of George III., accompanied with a wish to be at peace with the British settlements forever. They then desired a present of food, and also ammunition. They were promised the first, but refused the latter on the ground that it would create ill-feeling m the United States. During their short stay these Indians were friendly with the Chip- pewa Indians in the settlement, and a number of friendly dances and feasts were interchanged. Shortly after this event there arrived at Fort Garry, with the intention of mak- ing a trip across the continent, the Chamberlain of the King of Sardinia, Count Castilione, who was accompanied by his Aide-de-Camp, Major De Vecchi, and two officers of the 22nd Regiment, then stationed in Canada. After a short stay they proceeded on their journey, and arrived in the fall of the year on the Pacific coast. Up to this time certain negotia- tions were pending between the resident officers of the Hudson's Bay Company in the country and the Board of 316 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. Directors in England. Certain important changes had been made in England without consulting these officers, who, in the peculiar system of this Company, were stockholders, or, at least, entitled to the profits of certain shares, as well as being the active overseers of the Company's affairs. They accused the Company in England of having in a body sold their shares to a new set of stockholders. The stock of the Company, which had been watered so as to make it quadruple, instead of being held in comparatively few hands, and among those who understood and sympa- thized with the peculiar nature of the fur trade, had, as a great commercial corporation, been put upon the market as a great speculation ; that a new body of Directors, among whom were only two members of the old Board, had been elected, and that the old Board had assented to the change, retiring without a word of kindly feeling or farewell to the officers of the fur trade. The International Financial Association were the agents for the transfer of stock in Lon- don, and a report was current that the Hudson's Bay Com- pany had been extinguished, and had been succeeded as an inheritor of the monoply by the association we have men- tioned. The gentlemen in England who effected this change apologized for their conduct by the assurance that so strong had become public feeling against the Company's monoply and its exercise of arbitrary, legal and other powers in the country, that a change was necessary as a nominal yielding to public opinion, and one of the principal objects of the "Company would now purport to be the establishment of postal and telegraphic communication across the continent to British Columbia. The nominal nature of this intention being manifested evidently in seven years subsequent rule in the country by their never having erected a single tele- graph pole, or established a single post. Following Little Crow in his visits to the settlements came Little Six, a Chief and half-brother of the former, and of almost as much importance in his tribe. These Indians HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 31T remained in the neighborhood of Fort G-arry peaceably hunt- ing and trapping during the early part of the winter. But early in January of the following year, 1864, the American officers at Pembina connived with some Red River residents to kidnap Little Six and one of his followers. These Indians were enticed to the residence of A. G. Bannatyne, where they were given freely of whiskey mixed with laudanum, and, after being chloroformed to a state of insensibility, were bound on to dog-trains, conveyed to Pembina and delivered over to the American Commandant, Major Hatch. During the spring of this year the Sioux on the Missouri River, a body of between 4,000 and 5,000, sent a messenger to the Governor asking his advice in regard to their subsequent conduct towards the Americans. His advice was, of course, in favor of peace, and the Sioux who had sought refuge in the settlement, after living peaceably during the winter, although on the verge of starvation, left to join their western companions in the spring. Early in March, 1864, Mr. Ross, who had held the office of Sheriff and Postmaster, from which he had been dismissed because of advocating conflicting inter- ests, sold out his interest in the Nor^- Wester newspaper to Dr. Schultz, who continued its management with Mr. Caldwell, one of the original proprietors. Early in the spring a series of disturbances occurred in the outlying settlement of Portage la Prairie. This settlement, a young and thriving one, had been commenced by the Venerable Archdeacon Cochrane, who, objecting to the rule of the Hudson's Bay Company in the District of Assinniboia, which was the name given to the settlements within a radius of fifty miles of Fort Garry, and, with a number of his parishioners, mostly English half-breeds, had gone to the rich and fertile country between the Assinniboine River and Manitoba Lake, and formed the settlement in question. They conducted their affairs in the simplest manner, the personal influence of the Venerable Archdeacon being sufficient in most cases to insure law and order. Early in May, 1864, Mr. Dallas, the 318 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. Crovernor, took his departure for England, after he had gov erned the country for two years. A month later another departure occurred which caused great regret in the settle- ment. This was Dr. Anderson, who had been Bishop of the Diocese for fifteen years. The summer of 1864 was characterized by intense heat for days together, when the thermometer stood in the afternoon at 100° in the shade. Droughts prevailed until the middle of July, when rains for the iirst time fell. Closely following this arrived the grasshoppers, who instantly cleared away the rising crops, and, though vegetables such as tomatoes were left while any other esculents more palatable to the grasshopper taste remained, finally resulted in their making a clean sweep of everything. Towards the fall the settlement was again visited by a large party of Sioux Indians, consisting of 350 lodges, or nearly 3,000 persons. They were divided into four bands, and had abandoned their hunting-grounds and lake fisheries and came hungry to the settlenient to have a pow-wow with the English authorities. Governor MacTavish, who had suc- ceeded Governor Dallas, went to the outlying settlement with a view to turning them back. Ultimately, the main body remained at Portage la Prairie, while the head Chief, Standing Buffalo, came to Fort Garry with a few of his men. They spoke of the friendship which had always existed among their nation towards the English, and bitterly regret- ted the kidnapping of their Chief during last winter. They went away after arranging to trade at some of the Hudson's Bay Company's posts in the interior, and after receiving a liberal present of provisions. During the fall Mr. MacTavish's duties as Governor were undertaken by Mr. Black, the President of the Courts, in order to give Mr. MacTavish the opportunity of acting as the mouthpiece of the disaffected Chief Factors of the traders in endeavoring to make the Hudson's Bay Company Direc- tors in England do them justice. During the summer one HISTORY OP MANITOBA. 319 of the Hudson's Bay Company's vessels had been wrecked, and the captain and the crew came up from York Fac- tory in dog-trains, and were sent on to the United States on their way to England. In the February following, 1865, a fire destroyed a part of the Nor'- Wester establishment, and a little later Mr. Caldwell sold out his interest to Dr. Schultz, who then re-established the paper, and conducted it on his sole responsibility. The spring of this year developed the fact that the vast swarms of grasshoppers which had destroyed the crops of the previous year, had deposited their eggs, and the young grass- hoppers were found to be as destructive as those of the year before ; in fact more so, inasmuch as they remained longer in the country. In June of this year, Mr. "Wm. McTavish, the Governor of Eupert's Land, who had spent the winter in England, endeavoring to compromise the differences between the Hudson's Bay Company's officers in the country and the stockholders at home, returned to Fort Garry unsuccessful in his mission. He left almost at once to attend the meeting of the Council of the Chief Factors and Traders, which was annually held at the Norway House. During the summer of this year, there arrived the Reverend Mr. Bompas, who travelled from St. Paul to the settlement with the Reverend Mr. Gardner and Dr. Schultz. This gentleman left at once for the scene of his labors within the Arctic Circle, where he remained until he was afterwards created Bishop of the Diocese. In the fall of this year occurred the death of the Venerable Archdeacon Cochrane, and also the arrival of the Right Reverend Robert Mackay, D.D., the new Bishop of Rupert's Land. The harvest of this year, although the crops seemed utterly destroyed by grasshoppers in the spring, was better than had been anticipated. The fall buffalo hunt, however, turned out a complete failure. In the spring of 1866 the Quarterly Court was the scene of considerable interest, as in February of this year an action 320 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. for jESOO sterling was brought against l)r. Schultz for alleged indebtedness, but in consequence of the absence of the prose- cutor the case was deferred. In May, however, the case was again entered, and Dr. Schult? having stated his belief that the Court had sympathized with his opponent from the fact of his being an officer in the Local Government Service, and that they had permitted themselves to be influenced, he was at once informed that he could not be heard personally at the bar of the Court, and as he refuse^ to appoint an agent in his absence, judgment was given against him without trial. This judgment Dr. Schultz refused to comply with until granted a fair trial in open Court. During this year another memorial was addressed to the Imperial Government signifying Ihe wish of the inhabitants to be joined to Canada We have stated that up to this time the Council which governed the affairs of the Municipal District of Assinniboia was composed of parties in the interest of the Hudson's Bay Company, appointed by the English Directors, and while the Hudson's Bay Company authorities at Fort Garry had declared that the appointments in question were not made from political bias, yet it so happened that all the appointees were of their own political stripe. In the spring of 1867, when Mr. Clair, of the Council of Assinniboia, died, a largely-signed petition was addressed to the Hudson's Bay Company authorities, requesting that Dr. Schultz should be added to the Qouncil, with a view of an independent representation of the people's interest. So strong was the petition in question that it was felt by the authori- ties that this man must be got rid of in some way or other. No opportunity, however, occurred until a few months later, when, in January, 1868, the Sherifi^, with a posse, proceeded to the trading post of Dr. Schultz to put into force the judg- ment which had been obtained against him in his absence ; Dr. Schultz resisted the seizure of his goods, and in the scuffle which ensued the Sheriff and posse were ejected. After HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 321 accomplishing the saA'ing of his property, the Doctor sur- rendered himself and demanded to be brought before the authorities. The authorities, believing him to be a dangerous subject, bound him securely with ropes and conveyed him in a cariole to a Hudson's Bay Justice of the Peace, before whom he was charged with having assaulted the Sheriff in the discharge of his deity. He admitted that he had '' defended his property in the absence of any legal method of protection to resist the judgment of the Court given against i him withoLit the intervention of a jurj', and in which he'^had . I no opportunity to plead hi^ case ; and stated that he was j willing to abide by the result of a new trial, if a new trial I before a jury of the inhabitants was granted. The Hudson's Bay Company, however, finding their dangerous enemy in their power, forthwith consigned him to prison. This occurred early in the day, and before night the inhabitants of the neighborhood, to whom Dr. Schultz had been endeared by his steadfast advocacy of their rights and his intrepid conduct under oppression, immediately collected, and after an imprisonment of four hours he was released by them, after they had torn down the gaol walls and battered in the prison door. The large number who had collected for this purpose were thoroughly excited, and proposed to visit in a body the Hiidson's Bay Company authorities, who, from the walls of their fort, had witnessed the breaking in of the gaol, which was only a few yards distant. The Doctor, however, calmed their feelings by proposing to go alone and unattended, to visit within the fort walls the Magis- trate who had submitted him to such an ignominious pro- ceduTe. This he did, and stated distinctly that he was" still ""wiHing^'o undergo a trial on the charge brought against him, and to give bonds for the payment of the amount if judgment should be rendered against him. No attempt was made to recapture him or any of his friends on this occasion, but later, in the month of January, a G-eneral Council was held to consider the critical position of the 322 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. Hudson's Bay Company's rule in the country ; a resolution was arrived at to embody a force of one hundred special constables, to be organized into a permanent force. Once raised, however, the authorities felt that public opinion was so strong against them in the Schultz matter that they re- frained from using their newly acquired power, and, on the 10th of the following month, thought it better to accede to the Doctor's request and granted him a new trial. At this trial, which was conducted in the ordinary form of jury trials, he was allowed to plead his own case, and ; received, amidst the unanimous acclamations of the specta- tors, a verdict in his favor without one dissenting voice ; it having been distinctly proven that the claim made of/' ^£300 against him was entirely without fpundatiori;,,^-^ — -^ During this year also the attempts at home-rule made by the disaffected population of Portage la Prairie culminated in an attempt to form an Independent Government.* The attempt was illegal and abortive, but still showed the strong wish of the people to escape from the Hudson's Bay Company's officers' rule. After having forwarded an Address to the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, they received an official answer from Downing Street, dated 20th May, in which the Duke of Buckingham and Ohandos, then Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, cordially acknowledged the receipt of their communication, and informed them that they had no power in law to create or organize a government, or even * Mr. Thomas Spencp,in hi8 evidence before the Select Committee of Parlia- ment, in May, 1874, (rave the following account of this, the fnst attempt to form an Independent Government in the North-Wesl ; " I had organized a ProvisioDal Government in 1867, over a part of the terri- toiy which was occupied by about four hundred people. I bad communicated this organization to the Imperial Government, and upon hearmg from the Im- perial Authorities that our proceedings were illegal, the organization was broken np. The matter had nothing whatever to do with the outbreak or disturbance of 1869 or 1870. This organization was made simply as a matter of protection for ourselves, as we were outside the government of the Council of Asslniboia, as Governor MacTavish informed me himself." HISTORY OF MANITOSA. 323 to set up municipal institutions for themselves without reference to the Hudson's Bay Company or to the Crown ; at the same time stating to them that Her Majesty's Govern- ment had no objection to the people of Manitoba voluntarily submitting themselves to rules and regulations which they might agree to observe for the better protection and improve- ment of the territory in which they lived, warning them, however, ihat the exercise of jurisdiction in criminal cases or to levy taxes compulsory would be wholly illegal. These events were, of course, much discussed in the colony, and public feeling satisfied itself for the present in an all but universal signature of a petition to the Governor in Council of Assinniboia, praying for an alteration in the system of government. This document stated that one oi the principal causes of the Eed Eiver grievances was to be found in the fact that they had no voice in the conducting of affairs, and asserted that the Red Eiver people were quite capable of selecting competent persons to assist in making the laws which governed them. It declared the belief that all men possessing common sense have a right to a voice in the G-overnment under which they live, and, for these and many other reasons given, requested that the Council would at once adopt a measure allowing them at least the right to elect Councillors to fill vacancies which occured through death or resignation. UJ 324 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. CHAPTER XIV. The Crop of 1868 — Famine — Relief — Union with Canada — Resolutions of Hon. Mk. Macdouoall — Debate on acquiring the North- "West Territory — Opposition to the Annexation — The Resolutions: adopted. The crop of 1868 was entirely destroyed by grasshoppers, and the fall buffalo hunt proved a failure as well a< the fall fisheries, so that starvation stared the colony in the face. Under these circumstances aid was solicited in England, Canada and the United States, and a committee, called the " Red River Co-operative Relief Committee," composed of the principal gentlemen of the colony, was formed. The appeal we have mentioned resulted in i;3,000 coming from England, 13,600 from Canada and i;900 from the States. "Wheat and flour were transported on sleighs from Saint Paul, Minne- sota, and death from starvation wholly averted by a pretty liberal supply of seed wheat procured for the inhabitants. As a means of aiding the starving colony, the Canadian Government had, late in the autumn, sent a party of engineers and surveyors to commence construction of the road between the Red River Settlement and the Lake of the "Woods. Thus the employment of men and the means of transportation relieved the destitution very much, particu- larly among the French half-breeds, and although the Hud- son's Bay Co. gave their quasi consent to this work being carried on by the Canadian Government, yet, with the exception of making statements to their prejudice, no overt act was committed by them. During the winter of 1868-69 very little occurred in the colony. Rumors of an approach- ing connection with Canada were discussed ; the people feeling the generous sympathy of the Canadian Government HISTORY OP MANITOBA. 326 and people in their distress, anxiously wished a political connection. The Hudson's Bay Company's officers, however, and those in their interest, were universally against it. They wished to maintain the territory they had held £.r two cen- turies still as a great fur-trading reserve. The breach be- tween the Hudson's Bay Company's officers and the Directors in England had widened, and mutterings were heard of the intention on the part of the fur trade officers of the country to arbitrarily cut their business connection and carry on the fur trade themselves, and this disaffection increased the -ob- jection which the parties interested had to a political con- nection with Canada. But we must turn froin scenes and incidents around Fort Grarry to what was transpiring at Ottawa, in order to follow the chain of events which led to the union of this section of the country with the Confederated Provinces. For a number •of years the question had been agitated in Canada as to the right of the Hudson's Bay Company to the territory which it claimed as its own exclusive property ; and a counter- ■claim was set up by the old Province of Canada, that at least a very large portion of the country claimed by the Company .should properly be included within the boundaries of the Province of Canada, for the reason that it was French terri- tory at the time of the Conquest of Canada, and as such had been transferred to England, and afterwards formed part of -the old Province of Quebec. Into the merits of this claim it is unnecessary to enter here ; suffice it to say that the matter attracted a great deal of Attention in the Parliament of the Province, and that, in 185*7, a Commission was appointed, of which Hon. J. E. Oauchon (now Lieut.-Grovernor of Manitoba) was Chairman, to examine into and report upon the claims of Canada to this territory. This Commission made out what seemed a pretty fair claim ; but the Hudson's Bay Company at that time was ±00 powerful in England, and the claims of the Province were held in abeyance. The question, however, continued n 326 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. to be agitated ; and when the terms of the British North America Act of 1867 were being settled, Article XI, sec. 146, proAdded that, " It shall be lawful for the Queen, by and with the advice of Her Majesty's most Honorable Privy Council, etc , on Address from the Houses of the Parliament of Canada, to admit Eupert's Land and the North-West Territory, or either of them, into the Union on such terms and conditions in each case as are in the Address expressed, and as the Queen thinks fit to approve, subject to the pro- visions of this Act " In accordance with the terms of this section, the Hon. W. Macdougall, then Minister of Public Works, at the first session of the Parliament of the Dominion of Canada, intro- duced, on the fourth day of December, 186*7, a series of Resolutions on which an Address was to be based, praying that Eupert's Land and the North-West Territories should be united to the Dominion. * • The Resolutions were as follows : — 1. That it would promote the prosperity of the Canadian people and conduce to the advantage of the whole Empire, if the Dominion of Canada, constituted under the provisions of the British North America Act, 1867, were extended west- ward to the shores of the Pacific Ocean. 2. That colonization of the lands of the Saskatchewan, Assinniboine and Red River districts, and the development of the mineral wealth which abounds in the regions of the North-West, and the extension of commercial intercourse through the British possessions in America from the Atlantic to the Pacific, are alike de- pendent upon the establishment of a stable Government for the maintenance of law and order in the North-West Territories. 3. That the welfare of the sparse and widely scattered population of British subjects of European origin, already inhabiting these remote and unorganized territories, would be materially enhanced by the formation therein of political in- stitutions bearing analogy, as far as circumstances will admit, to those which exist in the several Provinces of this Dominion, 4. That the 146th section of the British North America Act, 1867, provides for the admission of Rupert's Land and the North-West Territory, or either of them, into union with Canada upon terms and conditions to be expressed in Addresses from the Honses of Parliament of this Dominion to Her Majesty, and which shall be approved of by the Queen in Council. 5. That it is accordingly expedient to address Her Majesty, that she would be graciously pleased, by and with the advice of Her Most Honorable Privy Council, to unite Rupert's Land and the North-West Territory with the Dominion of HISTORY OF MANITOBA, 327 Hon. Mr Macdougall opened the debate on the Resolutions, which continued about one week, in an able speech, in which he spoke of the importance of embracing the vast and fertile region within the bounds of the New Dominion ; of the impetus that would be given to immigration by opening up this new country to settlers, and pointed out the necessity of a stable form of government being established before any large amount of immigration could be attracted to the territory. In summing up he said : " The position is this — First, that it is desirable that this country should be transferred from Imperial to Canadian authority. Second, that the control of that country ought to be in the hands of this Parliament, and under the direction of this legislature. Then, if the Company make any claim to any portion of the soil occupied by our serA'-ants, they will come into the Courts to make good their claim, and they will have the right, if the decision is adverse to them, to appeal to the Privy Council." The debate was participated in by over forty members of the House, very full and free explanations and expressions of opinions being made by both the supporters and opponents of the measure. The arguments in favor of acquiring the Canada, and to grant to the Parliament of Caanda authority to legislate for their future welfare and good government. 6. That in the event of the Imperial Govornment agreeing to transfer to Canada the jurisdiction and control over this region, it would be expedient to pro- vide that the legal rights of any corporation, company or individual, within the same, will be respected : and that in case of difiference of opinion as to the extent, nature or value of these rights, the same shall be submitted to judicial decision, or be determined by mutual agreement between the Government of Canada and the parties interested. Such agreement to have no effect or validity until first sanc- tioned by the Parliament of Canada. 7. That upon the transference of the territories in question to the Canadian Government, the claims of the Indian tribes to compensation for lands required for purposes of settlement, would be considered and settled in conformity with the equitable principles which have uniformly governed the Crown in its dealings with the aborigines. 8. That a select committee be appointed to draft an humble Address to Her Majesty on the subject of the foregoing Resolutions. ' 328 eiSrOEY OF MANITOBA. territory may be briefly summarized as follows : — The necessity for a more extended field for colonization, expe- rience having shown that thousands of immigrants yearly passed through Canada on their way to the United States, many of whom could be induced to remain if the G-overn- ment had any suitable lands to offer them free, as the United States had ; the importance of acquiring the territory to pre- vent its being absorbed by the United States, which had just acquired Russian America, and showed a disposition to annex the Red River Territory ; the immense advantage to the whole country of having its territory extend from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and the moral obligation to provide for the settlers on the Red River a stable form of govern- ment, which they did not possess under the rule of the Hudson's Bay Company. It was denied that the Resolutions implied any acknowledgment of the claims of the Hudson's Bay Company, and the Minister of Public "Works clearly ex- plained the position of the G-overnment on that point as follows: "In regard to the question of terms, the honorable gentleman had pretended that Government was prepared to ■' recognize the right of the Hudson's Bay Company to demand a large sum of money from the people of this country. He denied there was such intention. From the beginning of the discussion down to the last hour, the Government of Canada had denied the legal claims of the Hudson's Bay Company to that portion of territory fit for settlement. They proposed to claim this country as being part of New France, as having been ceded to the English G-overnment in 1*760, and as having remained in that position from that lime down to the present. As to Rupert's Land, that was an open point — they did not propose to settle that by these Resolu- tions — that would be left to the legal tribunals of Canada, and every British subject would have the right to appeal from these to the highest tribunals of the Mother Country." But although there was much to say in favour of the mea- sure, the Opposition found considerable to advance against HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 329 it. It was urged that the Dominion had already enough ter- ritory, and was not in a position,financially,to warrant the ac- quirement of a tract of country — a large part of which was utterly worthless — involving the expenditure of a sum of money variously estimated by the speakers at from five to twenty millions of dollars ; that the enlargement of the fron- tier of the Dominion by more than a thousand miles would be an increased source of weakness in the event of war, and would be apt to lead to complications with the United States, or to war between the Indians of the two countries ; that the establishment of courts, a police force and other necessary machinery of government would involve a much larger out- lay than there was any prospect of receiving an adequate return for ; that the people of Eed Eiver country did not want annexation, and that it was highly impolitic to acquire a territory the only access to which at present was through the United States, and the expense of making a road to which on Canadian soil would be very great. With regard to the claims of the Hudson's Bay Company, some of the opponents of the Resolutions held that the Company had forfeited what title it ever had under the charter of 1610, by never having complied with its terms with reference to colonization and civilizing the Indians, w^hile others held that the charter never was valid, as it had been granted by Charles II with- out the consent of Parliament ; that the Company had therefore no claim, and were not entitled to anything. Mr. Howe pointed out that the capital of the Hudson's Bay Company, which was only il, 000,000 five years ago, had been inflated to twice that amount as soon as it was known that Canada wanted the territory, and the inflated sum of ten millions of dollars was what the Grovernment would be expected to pay ; a sum altogether unreasonable, and more than the country could afford to pay. On the motion to concur in the Resolutions as reported from the Committee of the "Whole, Mr, Holton moved the fol- lowing amendment : " That, acording to the provisions of 339 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. British Nortii America Act, ISBT, an Order in Council found- ed on an Address of the Canadian Parliament to the Queen, praying that Rupert's Land and the North-Western Territory should be united to this Dominion on the terms and in such Address set forth, would have the full force and effect of an Imperial statute, and would bind this House to provide what- ever sum of money might be required to extinguish the claims of the Hudson's Bay Company upon the said territory, and that to pledge irrevocably public funds to the payment of a large and indefinite sum for the extinction of vague and doubtful claims would be alike unwise on grounds of general policy and imprudent in view of the present financial posi- tion of the country : and that it is, therefore, inexpedient to adopt an Address under the 146th clause of the British North America Act of 186*7 until the nature, extent and value of the claims with which the territories in question are burdened, shall be ascertained." After a short debate the amendment was put and lost on a division by a vote of 41 to 104 The Resolutions as introduced and amended by Mr. Macdougall were then adopted, and a select committee appointed to draw up an Address embodying them. HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 33 CHAPTER XY. The Imperial GtOvernment requires that Terms should BE MADE WITH THE HUDSON'S BaY COMPANY BEFORE THE Transfer takes place — The Terms finally agreed to — act passed providing a territorial G-overnment — Surveys — Hon. "W. Macdougall ap- pointed Governor — Hon. Joe. Howe's visit to the Territory — Mr. Macdougall warned not to enter THE Territory — The situation in the Colony — Mr. Macdougall driven out of the Territory. The desire of the Dominion Government to have Rupert's Land and the North- West Territories transferred, in accord- ance with the provisions of the British North America Act, and after that to settle the claims of the Hudson's Bay Com- pany, was not to bo so easily attained as had been hoped, nor was it to be attained at all on the terms at first proposed. The Hudson's Bay Company was not at all disposed to allow the transfer to be made until the Dominion Government had agreed as to the terms on which it was to relinquish its title, and had no intention of seeking redress in the Canadian Courts — with the right of appeal to the PriA'^y Council — but preferred to have it all stipulated beforehand how much was to be paid, and how it was to be paid ; and the Hudson's Bay Company, having more influence with the British Ministry than the Canadian Government, of course had its way, and eventually forced the Government of the Dominion to make terms. On the fifteenth of May, 1868, Lord Monck sent down to the Dominion Parliament a despatch from the Duke of Buck- ingham and Chandos, then Secretary of State for the Colonies, in which he acknowledges receipt of the despatch of 21st December, 1867, forwarding the Address, and states in effect 333 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. that Her Majesty's Government considered that the Hudson's Bay Company had a good title to something, and that that something and its value ought to be determined and ascer- tained before any change in the existing state of affairs took place. This despatch, so disappointing to the hopes of Cana- dians, vpas accompanied by letters from Sir Edmund Head — ■ex-G-overnor General of the old Province of Canada, and Pre- sident of the Hudson's Bay Company — to the Colonial Secre- tary, in which he strongly urged the claims of the Company and that they should be fully acknowledged before any transfer was made to Canada, a view which the Colonial Secretary coincided in by stating in his despatch to Lord Monck that a Bill based on the propositions of the Hudson's Bay Company would be presented to the Imperial Parliament. This despatch was received so late in the session that no action was taken on it ; but later in the year Sir George E. Cartier and Hon. William Macdougall were appointed by an Order in Council a delegation to proceed to England to settle the terms for the acquisition by Canada of Rupert's Land, and to arrange for the admission of the North- West Territory, with or without Rupert's Land. These gentlemen sailed on the third of October, 1863, and on their arrival in England, immediately put themselves in communication with the Duke of Buckingham, who had already opened negotiations with the Hudson's Bay Company with a view to transferring the territory. Some time was spent in negotiating; the Company, at first, demanding terms which the Commis- sioners could not entertain ; but subsequently modifying their demands so that they could be agreed to. The original proposition of the Company was to the eifect that the Com- pany should relinquish its right of government, claim to the land, etc., but retain a royalty interest in the land and mines, as well as a certain reservation for hunting and some trading privileges. This proposition the Commissioners declined, maintaining that whatever arrangement was made must be ■conclusive, and that all right or title to the land must be HISTORY OP MANITOBA. 333; absolutely relinquished by the Company. While the nego- tiations were in progress the G-ovemment of Mr. D 'Israeli was defeated, and Earl Granville became Secretary of State for the Colonies. This caused some delay, and it was not until 18th January, 1869, that negotiations were resumed, and were concluded, as far as the Commissioners were con- cerned, on the 9th March, and the terms afterwards agreed to by the Hudson's Bay Company. These terms were, sub- stantially, that the Dominion Government should pay the Hudson's Ba,y Company i;300,000 on the surrender of their rights to the Imperial Government, and that the Imperial Government should, within one month of such transfer, re- transfer the same to Canada. The Company retained cer- tain reservations of land in the vicinity of their forts and trading posts, which were under cultivation, and were to have two sections in each surveyed township, which amounts to about one-twentieth of the whole territory. In a pamphlet published in 18*79, it is stated, " The Hudson's Bay Company owns about seven millions of acres in the great fertile belt," which shows that, after all, the Commissioners did not succeed in entirely removing the monopoly of the Hudson's Bay Company ; but only varied it from a total monopoly of tr&de and territory to a partial monopoly of land. The Company relinquished all further title in the land, and all exclusive trading, fishing or other privileges. Government agreeing to respect the rights of the Indians and Half-breeds. The Imperial Government agreed to guarantee the loan of ^300,000 necessary to pay the Hudson's Bay Company, and a Bill was passed to that effect, on condition of certain requirements being complied with by the Dominion Govern- ment. The preliminaries being apparently all amicably settled, there seemed to be nothing to do but to pay over the money and transfer the property — the date of such transfer being fixed for the first of October, 1869. During the session of 1869, an Act was passed by the Dominion Parliament providing a Territorial Government 331 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. for the country to be acquired from the Hudson's Bay Com- pany ; and in the Supply Bill provision was made for the Grovernment borrowing |1,460,000, under Imperial guarantee, to complete the purchase of the Territory from the Company, and also for an additional loan without guarantee, of such sums as might be needed for improvements in the Territory. These Acts were passed in anticipation of the actual transfer, so that the machinery of government might be ready when that event occurred. The Act provided for the temporary government of the country to be acquired, and which was to be known as " The North- West Territories," by a Lieutenant- Grovernor appointed by the Governor-G-eneral in Council, who, under direction of the Grovernor in Council, was to provide for the administration of justice, the peace, order and good government of Her Majesty's subjects and others. The Grovernor in Council was also authorized to appoint a Coun- cil of not less than seven and not more than fifteen members to assist the Lieutenant-Grovernor. All laws in force in the Territory at the time of the passag-e of the Act, not inconsistent with the British North America Act, or the terms of admission, were to remain in force until amended or repealed ; and all public officers, except the Chief, were to continue in office until others were appointed. The preliminaries being thus ail arranged, the Dominion Grovernment lost no time in preparing for the actual transfer, and wishing to take advantage of the summer for surveying the lines of the townships into which it proposed to divide the Red River Settlement, Colonel J. S. Dennis, D.L.S., was, on 10th July, 1869, directed by Hon. "William Macdougall, Minister of Public "Works, to repair to the Red River and pre- pare a plan for laying out said townships. Col. Dennis at once proceeded with his work, and, after consulting with the Crown Land Departments of Canada and the "CTnited States, submitted a report to Mr. Macdougall, in which he not only suggested a plan of survey, but intimated that it was possible that there would be objection on the part of the French Half- HISTORY OP MANITOBA. 335 breeds to any survey in their section of the country, until their claims had been investigated and definitely settled by the Dominion G-overnment. Mr. Macdougall, however, seems not to have been impressed by Colonel Dennis' fears of trouble with the Half-breeds, and, on the twenty-second of September, submitted a memorandum to the Privy Coun- cil, recommending Col. Dennis' plan of surveys. The memo- randum was approved in Council, and an order issued, on the fourth of October, to Col. Dennis to proceed with his svir- veys. Mr. Macdougall does not appear to have considered seriously the probability of trouble referred to by Colonel Dennis, and did not submit his letters on the subject to the Coiincil with any recommendation. Owing to a difficulty with the Home Government with re- gard to the paying over of the i;300,000 agreed on to the Hudson's Bay Company, the date of the transfer of the terri- tory was postponed from the first of October to the first of December ; but the Dominion Government still proceeded with its preparations for taking possession, and, on the twen- ty-eighth of September, an Order in Council was passed appointing the Honorable William Macdougall Lieutenant- G-overnor of the North-West Territories, at a salary of $7,000 per annum. The Commission which was subsequently issued to Mr. Macdougall was to take effect after the transfer of the Territory, and the other Commissions for taking oaths, etc. , were issued in the same manner. Mr. Macdougall was direct- ed to proceed to Fort Garry with as little delay as possible, and on his arrival placed himself in communication with Mr. MacTavish, the Governor of the Hudson's Bay Company, as set forth in the preliminary instructions addressed to him from the office of the Secretary of State for the Provinces. By perusing these instructions it will be seen that the Cana- dian Government desired to deal fairly and justly by all classes, respect all rights, and gradually, to prepare the way for introducing the judicial, educational and other systems adopted in the older Provinces ; but, unfortunately, the in- 336 HISTOKY OF MANITOBA. habitants of the settlement were not made fully aware of the intentions of the Grovernment, and, the French portion espe- cially, viewed with alarm and distrust the appointment of a new style of government in the selection and composition of which they had not been in any way consulted. They had no confidence in the Canadian Government, and would much have preferred to be left as they were, or, if they had any de- sire for change, the inclination certainly lay more in the way of annexation to the United States, on which they so closely bordered, than to Canada which was so far away and could — at that time — only be reached through American Territory. The Canadians also, while satisfied with Territorial Govern- ment for the present, desired responsible government as soon as possible, such as they had been accustomed to in Ontario \. while a few Americans were entirely opposed to a union with Canada, and advocated an annexation to the United States. Added to this, the resident oflcLcers of the Hudson's Bay Company were very lukewarm in their support of the proposed transfer, and while not openly disaffected, were cer- tainly indifferent as to the success of the undertaking. They felt that their joint and individual interests had not been pro- vided for by the Directors of the Company in London, who cared very little for anything except getting as much money as possible out of Canada, and they took no trouble to ex- plain to the people the intentions of the Dominion Govern- ment after the transfer was completed. To understand their feelings in the matter it is necessary to explain that the Hudson's Bay Company's aff"airs in the North-West were managed by superior officers known as Chief Factors and Chief Traders, who had a certain share of the profits of the Company in lieu of salary ; and that from various causes, such as increased competition, bad management after the death of Sir Geo. Simpson, and low prices, these profits had been reduced to a mere nominal amount. To the dissatisfac- tion consequent upon this was added a rumour that in the negotiations pending, the stockholders in England did not HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 337 propose to recognise their right in any division of profit made by the Company, except that accruing to the fur trade, and consequently in the division of any monies re- ceived from Canada, proposed to ignore them entirely. These inland officers, as they were called, felt this to be a great act of injustice, and sent delegates home to remonstrate with the Directors. Their remonstrances were however unheeded, and the officers in question felt that not only were they to be excluded from participation in any portion of their purchase money, but the sale itself, by opening up the country for settlement, removing its isolation, and leaving it open for the free exercise of Canadian energy and capital in the fur trade, was certain to bring to an end the practical monopoly they had so long enjoyed, and to end entirely their hope of getting any share of the profits which had hitherto served them in lieu of salary, — causes of this kind led to the action which they took in encouraging the party of resistance. It will thus be seen that Mr. Macdougall had a very difficult and delicate task to perform in trying to unite these conflicting interests, and satisfy all parties, and his task was not rendered more. easy by — to use the mildest phrase — the injudicious conduct of some of his subordinates, and his own misconception of the depth and extent to which the dissatisfaction had spread. The Hon. Mr. Macdougall started for his new post early in October, but did not reach Pembina until the thirtieth of that month. He was accompanied by his family and several gentlemen who expected to become members of the new Council, among whom were Messrs. A. N. Eichards ( Attorney- Greneral), J. A. N. Provencher (Territorial Secretary) and Captain Cameron. Mr. Macdougall also took with him three hundred rifles and plenty of ammunition, the Grovernment being apparently impressed with the i4ea that the slightest show of force would be sufficient to check any discontent or prevent any trouble. In this, however, they showed the same want of wisdom displayed throughout the whole V 338 HISTOKY OF MANITOBA. negotiations for the transfer, and instead of Mr. Macdougall's three hundred rifles frightening the French Half-breeds, they only made them more determined not to permit the Cana- dians to enter Assiniboia and set up a new government until they (the Half-breeds) had been consulted in the matter and guarantees given them that their rights would be respected. Previous to the arrival of Mr. Macdougall, a visit had been paid to the newly acquired Territory by the Hon. Joseph Howe, who was then President of the Council, and was shortly after to assume the portfolio of Secretary of State for the Provinces. Mr. Howe did not anticipate any outbreak at the time of his visit, and urged upon the parties whom he saw, the fact that the Territorial Grovernment was to be only temporary, and that a government similar to that of the other Provinces would be established as soon as possible. Mr. Howe has been freely charged with encouraging resis- tance to Dominion authority during his visit, which lasted from 9th October to about 18th ; but this he most emphati- cally denied, and there is no evidence to show that he said or did anything which could be construed into encourage- ment of opposition to the peaceful transfer of the Territory to the Dominion. Still, Mr. Howe's mission was an unfor- tunate one, and may be considered as another blunder on the part of the Administration, for he had been himself so nearly on the verge of actual rebellion in Nova Scotia, and had pucceeded so w^ell in forcing " Better Terms " for that Province from the Dominion Government, that any chance expressions of his with regard to the people of the North- West obtaining "their rights," would be construed as meaning more than was intended to be conveyed. Eumours of hostile movement on the part of the French Half-breeds reached Mr. Macdougall at several points on his way from St. Paul to Pembina, but he paid little attention -to them until his arrival at the latter place, where he was met by a Half-breed, who had been waiting some days for his arrival, and served with a formal notice not to enter the HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 339 Territory. Disregarding this warning, Mr. Macdougall pushed on to the Hudson's Bay Company's post, about two miles from Pembina, and within the Territory of the North- West, from whence he sent a despatch to the Secretary of State, enclosing reports from Colonel J. S. Dennis and others on the condition of the country. Those reports stated that on the 11th October, a surveying party, under Mr. "Webb, who were engaged in surveying the base line between Townships 6 and 7, had been stopped in their work by about twenty French Half-breeds, headed by a man named Loilis Kiel. No violence was used, Eiel and some of his followers simply stepping on the chain, and ordering Mr. Webb and his party to desist, the leader claiming that the property being surveyed belonged to French Half-breeds, and that they would not allow it to be surveyed by the Canadian Grovern- ment ; the surveyors being also notified that they must leave the south side of the Aissiniboine. No arms were seen on any of the party, and only threats were used, but Mr. Webb thought it most prudent to retire as he was ordered. Colonel Dennis applied to the Hudson's Bay authorities and Grovernor MacTavish and Dr. Cowan had interviews with Eiel, and pointed out the impropriety of his conduct, but without avail, his only answer being that the Canadian Grovernment had no right to proceed with the surveys without the consent of the Half-breeds. The influence of the Church was then invoked, and an appeal made to the Father Superior Lestanc, who was in charge of the Diocese during the absence of Bishop Tache, then on his way to Rome to attend the (Ecumenical Council. The priest declined to interfere, stating that he was afraid of lessening the influence of the Church over the people. The reports also stated that on the 20th a meeting of disaffected French Half-breeds was held at the house of one John Bruce, at which it was determined to resist the entrance of Mr. Macdougall into the Territory by force if necessary ; and on the 23nd an affidavit was made before Dr. Cowan by 340 HISTORy OF MANITOBA. Walton Hytnan, of St. Norbert, that an armed party of about, forty French Half-breeds had assembled at the crossing of the River Sale on the road between Fort G-arry and Pembina^ with the avowed intention of turning Mr. Macdougall back if he attempted to proceed to Fort Garry ; and that another party of twenty men, under Lotiis Riel, was nearer the border at Scratching Eiver, for the same purpose. The reports of Colonel Dennis went on to show that while the English- speaking portion of the community was not opposed to the entrance of the Governor, it was not enthusiastic, and was not disposed to take up arms against the French Half-breeds„ Colonel Dennis says : "The attitude of the English-speaking portion of the Colony may, I think, be fairly stated as follows : They say : We feel a disposition to extend a sincere welcome to the Hon. Mr. Macdougall as a gentleman who has been selected for our future Governor. We regret exceedingly that the good name of the Colony should be prejudiced by any such action as that we are told is contemplated by th& French Half-breeds. We consider it a most outrageous pro- ceeding on their part and one that we would be glad to see, if possible, put a stop to. At the same time, should an ap.- peal to arms be necessary, we could hardly justify ourselves ■ in engaging in a conflict, which would be, in our opinion, certain to resolve itself into one of nationalities and religions, and of which we could hardly, at present, see the termination. We feel this way : We feel confidence in the future adminis- tration of the Government of this country under Canadian rule ; at the same time we have not been consulted in any way as a people, in entering into the Dominion. The cha- racter of the new Government has been settled in Canada without our being consulted. We are prepared to accept it respectfully, to obey the laws, and to become good subjects ; but when you present to us the issue of a conflict with the French party,with whom we have hitherto lived in friendship, backed up, as they would be, by the Roman Catholic Church, which appears probable by the course at present being taken HISTORY OP MANITOBA. 34t by the priests, in which conflict it is almost certain the aid -of the Indians would be invoked, and perhaps obtained by that party, we feel disinclined to enter upon it, and think that the Dominion should assume the responsibility of establishing amongst us what it, and it alone, has decided on. At the same time, we are ready— should the Council make an ap- peal to the Settlement to prevent the gross outrage contem- plated—by a large mounted deputation, unarmed, to meet and escort the Honorable William Macdougall to "Winnipeg, and thus show to the French party, now in arms, that the English-speaking portion of the colony is entirely opposed io the present threatening movement by a portion of the French Half-breeds, — we will cheerfully and promptly res- pond to the call." This being the condition of affairs in the Colony, Mr Mac- dougall determined to remain at the Hudson's Bay post for a few days until he could communicate with Grovernor Mac- Tavish ; and, accordingly, sent Mr. Provencher forward with a message to the G-overnor, and instructions to confer with the leaders of the Half-breeds, ascertain what they demanded, and assure them of the intention of the G-overnment to deal fairly and justly by all parties. On the first of November Colonel Dennis and Mr. "W". Hallett reached the Hudson's Bay post from Fort G-arry, having made a detour across the prairie to avoid the French stationed at Scratching lliver, -and reported that the French were still very much excited and opposed to the entrance of Mr. Macdougall, and that the Governor and Council of Assiniboia seemed disinclined, or powerless to take any steps^ to secure that gentleman's entrance into Fort Garry. Mr. Provencher was sent back from, the barricade under an escort and warned that none of his party would be allowed to proceed to Red Eiver. On the second, a party 'of fourteen men approached the post and ordered Mr. Macdougall to leave, and on. the following morning they became so threatening in their demonstrations that he thought it most prudent to retire to United States 312 HISTORY OP MANITOBA, territory. "We cannot do better than give Mr. Macdougall's own account of this proceeding, taken from his report to the- Secretary of State for the Provinces, dated 5th November r " The next day (Tuesday) about five o'clock in the afternoon,, fourteen horsemen were seen approaching as from the direc- tion of Fort Gi-arry, It was soon evident that they were armed, and moving rapidly forward. As they approached, they slackened their pace and dismounted at the gate of the stockade which surrounds the post, with their guns cocked" and in military order. In a few minutes two of their num- ber demanded an interview with me. They left their arms, with their comrades at the gate, and were at once admitted. I invited them to a seat, and asked them what they wished, to say to me. They replied that they had been sent to tell me that I must leave the North-West Territory — I must go back before nine o'clock to-morrow morning. I asked them who had sent them with this message ? They said, ' The Committee — the Government.' I asked, what Government ?' They said, ' The Government we have made.' I asked what, they were instructed to do if I declined to go back ? They said, ' They did not know, they had no order.' I told them I was sent to assume the government of the country under the Queen of England, and by her authority, and I could not obey the orders of their Committee. I, at the same time, pro- duced my Commission under the Great Seal, and handed it to the Captain for his perusal. He evidently could not read^ it, but the parchment and the seal seemed to convince him that it was what I described it to be. He handed it back,, saying that if his leaders had seen that he thought they would not have opposed me — they did not wish to take up arms against the Queen. He added that I ought to have come on as far as the barricade, which I might have done without molestation. I told him, in reply, that I was going- on as fast as I could when I was stopped by a written order from his Committee, which I handed him to read. He read it, and he remarked that he was not present when it was- HIS rORY OF MANITOBA. 343 written, but admitted that it came from the National Com- mittee, whose orders he obeyed. His companion having left the room, he seemed impatient to end the conversation, and rose to retire. I had asked their names, which they gave without hesitation as Lepiiie and Lavallee. They were very respectful in their bearing, and seemed ashamed of the busi- ness they had in hand. I sent out to ask them if they would eat, which they said they would be glad to do, and I accord- ingly ordered some pork and bread and tea to be given to them. Hearing of their remarks to one another that if they had known I was coming to represent the Queen as well as- the Government of Canada, and that I was not sent to inter- fere with their religious or private rights, they would not have joined the insurgent party, and having observed the effect of the Great Seal upon the Captain of the band, I resolved to send for the whole party, and explain my position and authority to them in the same manner as I had done to the two leaders. They replied to my invitation, that they were tired, and that some of their party had gone to the village and could not see me until the morning. About six o'clock the same evening Mr. Provencher and Captain Cam- eron made their appearance at the post, escorted by six horsemen, who had conducted them all the way from River Sale. These gentlemen had not been tillowed to go beyond the barricade, or to hold any communication with the authorities at Fort Garry. Mr. Provencher's report of his mission and its result is enclosed herewith. About eight o'clock on the morning of "Wednesday, the third instant, loud talking was heard at the gateway, and on going out I found the rebel party, with their arms in their hands, drawn up in a half circle, gesticulating fiercely, and threatening that, if we were not off by nine o'clock, they would not answer for our lives. I found that they had made a prisoner of Mr. Hallett, who went out to repeat my invitation of the evening before, and that he was then tied to a cart, and not allowed to speak to any of my party. Seeing their temper, and think- 344 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. ing it would not be prudent to give them an excuse for any further outrage, I ordered the horses to be harnessed, and we drove away from the Hudson's Bay Company's post towards Pembina, escorted by a party on foot. "When I had reached the post which had been set up to mark the 49th parallel, the Captain of the band stopped and addressing me in French, said, 'You must not return beyond this line,' pointing to the boundary monument. He further remarked that he did not know me as Governor, but only as Mr. Macdougall. As three or four persons had joined us on the way, but had no -other connection with us, I asked if they also were inter- •dicted from going on. He shrugged his shoulders, and said he did not know ; he would not prevent them, but perhaps they would be stopped at the Eiver Sale. I then drove on, and my escort returned to the Hudson's Bay Company's post." HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 345 CHAPTER XVI. Opposition in the Colony to a Union with Canada — Bishop Tache's objections — The first Steamer on Red River — The Meeting at River Sale — Apathy OF THE Hudson's Bay Company's Officers— Stoppage of the Mails — Occupation of I'ort Garry — The In- surrection ASSUMES formidable PROPORTIONS— RiEL summons a Convention — Mr. MacTavish issues a Proclamation — Meeting of the Convention- -Pass- age OF A " Bill of Rights." While the negotiations for the transfer of the Territory were progressing, the subject naturally attracted a good deal of attention in the Colony, and by no means met with general approval ; the objections coming chiefly from the French Half-breeds, led by the Catholic Priests, and, at a later period, from the resident officers and employes of the Hudson's Bay Company. The priests seemed to dread innovation, and feared that any change from the existing'condition of things would weaken their influence, and injure the good work they were doing. In 1868 Bishop (now Archbishop) Tache published a very interesting little book entitled '' A Sketch of the North-West of America," one of the main purposes of which appeared to be to show that the country was not nearly so fertile as it had been represented ; that the winters were very long and cold, and the summers very short and hot, and that it was not an attractive place for settlers. The worthy Bishop evidently thought that the Red River Settlement was well enough as it was, and did not advocate sny change. After giving a brief sketch of the Colony, and alluding to the proposed annexation of Rupert's Land to the Dominion, he says : " Ofispring of Rupert's Land, it will follow its mother 346 HISTORY OF MANIPOBA. and be ruled by the influences wliich affect her. Yet, although not quite free, the child has acquired certain rights ; it posseses or occupies lands for which it has not always paid ; it has cultivated them with its labor. True — the labor has not always been great ; biit we speak of a child of the desert. It commands indulgence ; it presumes to hope that here the foreigner shall not be preferred ; that in the great and wise plans matured by the Mother Country and Canada, its eldest brother, its past history may not be entirely disre- garded. In the Colony itself there is nervousness and uneasiness about the future. Some who hope to gain by any change, are clamorous for one ; others dwelling more upon the system of government than upon its application, would like to try a change, certain that they would never return to the primitive state from which they desired to escape ; a greater number — the majority — dread that change. Many are very reasonable ; the country might gain by the change, and it would certainly obtain many advantages which it now lacks ; but the existing population M^ould certainly be losers. As we love the people more than the land in which they live, as we prefer the well-being of the former to the splendor of the latter, we now repeat that, for our population we very much dread some of the promised changes." The worthy Bishop had needless fears, for the "splendor" of this great country will not destroy but build up both his Church and his people by whom he is rightfully beloved. From his standpoint, at that time, it was only natural to write as] he did ; and our reference to the matter to-day is in no spirit of ill-feeling. If the Bishop undervalued the fertility and habitability of this great country, it is no more than other good men have done before and since. In his case it is to be regretted, not censured. "We might observe, however, that the fears of the Bishop of St. Boniface were very similar to those entertained by the French Canadians in Quebec. They dreaded English immigration, from the fear that it HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 34T would sweep away their peculiar institutions, supplant their language and interfere with their religion. This has always been the fear of French Catholics, and the experience of nearly a century and a quarter in Quebec has failed to entirely satisfy them that the English have no designs on either their language or religion, other than that which the regu- lar course of events mvist produce. The French language is to a great extent falling into disuse in Winnipeg and other centres of Manitoba, and will probably continue to do so as trade and commerce increase ; for almost the entire bulk of the immigrants settling in this country is English speaking, and, of course, the English language is gradually superseding the French in business circles. As to the- Catholic religion it is as freely enjoyed as it ever was under Hudson's Bay Company rule, and better protected. The objection on the part of the French Half-breeds of Red River, in the first instance, to the transfer of the territory to Canada was confined to this dread of change, and the Archbishop — who speaks for the whole French element — frankly confesses that he is quite content with things as they are and does not desire any alteration, although he admits that it might be to the advantage of the country. So fearful, indeed, is he of innovations that he is almost comically earnest in his endeavors to persuade outsiders that the Eed River Territory is a good place for them to keep out of ; and even so important au event as the appearance of a steamer on the river is regarded distrustfully by him, and after sketching the fortunes of the first steamer, the Anson Northup, which arrived from St. Peters in June, 1859, and her successor, the International, launched at Greorgetown in. 1862, up to the season of 1868, seems rather pleased than, otherwise that up to that time the undertaking had not been successful, and concludes his account as follows : " Such has been the experience of eight years ; the steamer [International) could not ply during half the time, and during the other half she was a complete failure. The result has slightly 348 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. disappointed bright hopes and money making schemes. Now, the idea of a steamer on Red River does not cause the «nthusiasm which it excited at first. "Wealthy people and merchants, taught by experience and disappointment, fear uncertainty. Poor people are decidedly against steam navi- gation for the following three reasons : 1st. The Red River abounds in fish and supports a great number of the necessi- tous. It is well known that steamboats are not skilful in the art of pisciculture. 2nd. "Wood is very scarce on the banks of Red River, yet it is very much wanted there, and the p,re canoes make war against the fuel on the banks, as against the food swimming in the water. 3rd. Land carriage from the United States hither, is an abundant source of profit to the land owners of the colony,' who thus employ their horses and oxen ; but the running of the steamer deprives them of this advantage, and all the money paid for cartage from St. Cloud to G-eorgetown goes into American pockets." Such objections sound puerile enough in our ears, but they are gravely urged by the Archbishop, in his conservative desire to have things remain as they were, as reasons why " Poor people are decidedly against steam navigation." It will thus be seen that a strong feeling was growing up amongst the French against the change ; nor can the feeling amongst the English be said to have been very strongly in favor of it, as it was proposed to be made. They wanted to •escape from under the incubus of the Hudson's Bay Com- pany ; but they (especially those who had emigrated from Ontario) wanted to have a voice in the management of their own affairs, and they were greatly disappointed when they found that the Canadian G-overnment proposed sending up a Government " all ready made " to take the place of the Hudson's Bay Company. They felt as if they were getting from under one dead weight to place themselves under another, and they were not very enthusiastic about the -ch ange. The feeling of the French Half-breeds may be briefly ex- HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 31^ pressed as this — that they questioned the right of the Do- minion G-overnment to take possession of what they con- sidered their cotintry, without their consent The first exhibition of this feeling was shown in the stoppage of the surveyors, Snow and "Webb, already referred to. Shortly after Mr. Howe's visit, the opposition grew stronger, and a meeting of French Half-breeds was held in the vicinity of River Bale, and a " Council " formed, of which a French Half-breed, of Scotch descent, named John Bruce, was Pre- sident, and Louis Eiel Secretary. The avowed object of the Council was to prevent the entry of Mr. Macdougall and his followers until "Terms " had been made ; and for this pur- pose the barricade was thrown across the Pembina road and guarded, at first by a force of about a dozen men, which was increased in the course of a fortnight to about one hun- dred. After the arrival of Mr. Macdougall, and his repulse at the frontier, the Council held daily meetina;s, and their purpose began to take more definite shape. As they were only about nine miles from Fort Garry, these proceedings were well known, and gave much alarm to the Canadian residents there and in its vicinity, who were amazed at the utter apathy shown by the Hudson's Bay authorities ; and one Walton Hyman, a tanner, whose tannery was only a short distance from this barricade, made an affidavit on the 22nd October, 1869, before Dr. Cowan, stating the facto that had come to his knowledge, in the hope that this informa- tion would arouse G-overnor MacTavish to the gravity of the situation, and induce him to take some action to prevent any opposition to the entrance of Governor Macdougall. Although this information was positive and circumstantial enough — even supposing, which would be supposing a great deal, that the authorities had no previous knowledge of what was going on so near the Fort — still Governor MacTavish and his Council remained inactive, and allowed the insurgents to perfect their schemes without interruption Nor can the plea of want of power to put down the rising at this time be 350 HISTORY OP MANITOBA. urged, for Eiel h.ad less than one hundred men, poorly armed, while the'authorities had, in addition to the ordinary con- stabulary of the country, numbering about forty men, thirty or forty pensioners of the Boyal Canadian Rifles, liable to do special service, and a force of 300 special constables sworn in a short time before. The only things apparently wanting to enable this incipient rebellion to be nipped in the bud were, a display of superior force and a desire to do so, but these G-overnor MacTayish and his advisers never showed until the rebellion had gained such headway that it was be- yond his power to control it without appealing to arms, a course which would, in all probability, have led to much bloodshed and serious loss of life. This doubtful neutrality has laid the resident oflicers of the Hudson's Bay Company open to the very grave suspicion that they secretly en- couraged the insurgents in their unlawful acts, in the hope that an armed opposition to the acquirement of the territory by Canada would lead either to an abandonment of the scheme, or to an ofier of " Better terms," in which some pro- vision would be made for them for what they would lose by the transfer of the country. To say that Grovernor Mac- Tavish and his advisers openly encouraged the insurgents is perhaps going a little too far, but that they did receive gpeat encouragement from their inactivity is simply stating a fact. This inactivity seems all the more inexcusable and inexplicable when it is remembered that when the Governor returned from England in the summer, after an unsuccessful attempt to induce the Directors in London to allow the resi- dent officers a share in the ^300,000 paid by the Canadian Government, he passed through Ottawa and had several interviews with Ministers, who asked him if he was in a position to transfer the territory peacefully, as stipulated in the contract, offering to send up 300 of the Canadian Rifles, then available, if he anticipated any trouble. To this the •G-overnor replied most positively that he was quite able to >carry out the terms of the contract without assistance, and HISTORr OF MANITOBA. 351 yet when fifty determined men could have prevented any trouble, and he had about five hundred at his command, we find him unable to do anything but advise Hon. Mr. Mac- dougall to remain at Pembina, and make himself and the Grovernment he represented look ridiculous. About this time the mails, which had to pass over the Pembina Road, were stopped and examined, and all letters giving any true account of the condition the country was in were suppressed, while all letters intended for parties in the Settlement suspected of being favorable to Canada were also stopped. This was mostly done at Eiviere Sale by the insur- gents, but it was also suspected that letters were opened and examined in the Post Office at Pembina, of which a strong annexationist and great friend of the insurgents was Postmas- ter. On account of this tampering with the mails great in- convenience was experienced in obtaining anything like cor- rect information as to what was occurring in the Settlement, and Hon. Mr. Macdougall was forced to lesort to all sorts of expedients, and employ only the most trustworthy persons he could find, to get any letters from himself to Governor MacTavish, or any other person, taken into Fort Grarry, while even greater difficulty was experienced in getting any information conveyed to Hon. Mr. Macdougall. About the same time that Hon. Mr. Macdougall was driven back to Pembina by Eiel and his followers, it began to be rumoured that the insurgents intended to take posses- sion of the Fort, and the authorities were duly informed of the fact in ample time to have made preparations for its de- fence, had they felt so disposed, but they paid no attention to the warning. Sergeant James Mulligan, at that time Chief of Police at Fort G-arry, states, in an affidavit taken subse- quently, that he " urged upon Dr. Cowan, the Chief Factor in charge of Fort Garry, the danger in which the Fort slood, from the intention of the insurgents to seize it, ; and request- ed him to call upon a portion of the 300 special constables and the pensioners to defend it." Fort Garry was a strong 352 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. stone fort, bastioned and defended by thirteen six-pounder guns, was amply supplied with ammunition and provisions^ and bad in it also 390 Enfield rifles, so that if Grovernor Mac- Tavish had only closed the gates, he could, at least, have held the place against any force that the insurgents could possibly have brought against him, if he was afraid to do more ; but even this he failed to do, although he and Dr. ' Cowan were warned by other parties than Mulligan that the place would be taken possession of. Not the slightest precaution was taken, the gates were not closed, cannon not in position,, and yet the G-ovemor and Chief Factor knew that a body of men had been in possession of the Pembina Eoad for ten days, and Jaad threatened to occupy the Fort ! On the after- noon of the second of November, Eiel, with about 100 men, came down the road from Eiviere Sale, entered the open gates, and immediately proceeded to billet themselves in the various houses within. Dr. Cowan, the officer in charge of the fort saying, " "What do you want here with all these armed men ? " Eiel replied, "We have come to guard the Fort." " Against whom ?" asked Dr. Cowan. " Against a danger," Eiel answered. This was all the explanation given and seemed to satisfy the Chief Factor ; and Eiel and his followers were left in undisturbed possession. The force being housed, next fed, and proceeded to arm themselves with Enfield rifles in place of their own shot guns, closed the gates, set a guard, placed the cannon in position, and for the first time since its inception the rebel- lion became formidable. The insurgents had now possession of nearly all the cannon in the settlement ; were abundantly supplied with small arms and ammunition ; had all the provisions and other stores of the Hudson's Bay Company, more than enough to last them all the winter, and it became evident that if they pleased to hold possession of the Fort until spring they could do so, for there was no force in the settlement able to dislodge them, and it would be summer, or perhaps later, before any force could arrive from Canada. HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 335 In short, the insurgents were now "masters of the situation," and held the position which ought to have been occupied by the loyal party, and which they would have occupied but for the supineness — to iise no harsher term — of the officers of the Hudson's Bay Company. Grovernor Mac- Tavish's explanation of the captiire of Fort G-arry, as con- veyed to the Hon. Mr. Macdougall in a letter dated 9th November, is certainly a remarkable production when we consider that the Hudson's Bay Company was still the de facto government, and that he, as the Chief Officer, was supposed to protect the property of the Company, if nothing more. He says : " Excepting in one respect — but that, I am sorry to say, a serious if not in a formidable sense — little change, as far as we can learn, has, since my last, come over the arrangements or the spirit of these people * * *. The occurrence to which I have alluded in the preceding para- graph as being serious is this, that on the afternoon of Tuesday, the 2nd inst., a number of these daring people suddenly, and without the least intimation of their intention to make such a move, took possession of the gates of Fort G-arry, where they placed themselves inside and outside the gates, to the number in all of about one hundred and twenty, and where, night and day, they have constantly kept a pretty strong armed guard. On being asked what they meant by such a movement upon the Fort, they said their object was to protect it. Protect it from what ? they were asked. Their answer was — from danger. Against what danger ? they were asked. To this question, they replied that they could not now specify the danger, but that they would do so hereafter, and obstinately took up the positions they have since kept in spite of all our protests and remon- strances at such a bold and high-handed proceeding. On coming into the Fort, they earnestly disclaimed all intention of injuring either person or property within it, and it must be allowed that in that respect they have kept their word ; but it is an inconvenience and a danger next to intolerable, w 354 HISTORY OF MANirOSA. to have a body of armed men, even with professions of peace towards ourselves, forcibly billeted upon an establishment such as this. Their intentions in coming to the Fort they have never definitely expressed, nor have they yet specified the danger from which their presence was meant to protect the place. We are, therefore, left in some measure to con- jectures, and by these we are strongly led to believe that you were expected to come to the Fort, and that by thus having previous possession of the gates, they felt that they would be sure of keeping you out." The extreme simplicity of the Grovernor of the Hudson's Bay Company in being " led to believe " that the object of Kiel in taking possession of the Fort was to keep Mr. Macdougall out, is certainly refreshing— especially as he had been informed ten days before that the capture of the Fort was intended for that very purpose. Headquarters being thus removed from Biviere Sale to more comfortable quarters, the Councils were resumed, and on the sixth of November Eiel proceeded to the village and directed Mr. Walter Bo wn, proprietor of the Nor' -Wester, to print him a Proclamation, and, on his refusing to do so, immediately made him a prisoner, placed a guard over the office, and caused the Proclamation to be printed under the supervision of Mr. James Boss*. The possession of Fort Grarry ' PCBLlC NOTICa TO ^HK I<(nAEITANT9 OF BCPBKl's LA.ND. The President and Representatives of the French speaking population of Rupert's Land in Council (the invaders of our rights b«ing now expelled), already aware of your sympathy, do extend tbe hand of friendsl.ip to you, our friendly fellow inhabitants ; and in so doing, do hereby invite you to send twelve represen- tatives from the following places viz : — St. John's 1 St. Margaret 1 Headingly „ l St. James 1 St. Mary's 1 Kildonan 1 St. Clement's.. 1 St. Andrew's 1 St. Paul's 1 St. Peter's 1 Town of Winnipeg 2 ia order to form one body with tbe above Council, consisting of twelve members, to consider the present political state of this country and to adopt such measures as may be best fitted for the future welfare of the same. HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 365 gave such confidence to the insurgents that they assumed the inspection of goods cop? ing from the United States, and seized all guns and ammunition, thus obtaining a number •of double and single buffalo hunting guns, the loss of which was severely felt when the settlers attempted resistance. At this time "W". B. O'Donohuc joined the movement and assumed the duties of Treasurer, collecting the four per cent, imposed -on all merchandise which had been always levied by the Hudson's Bay Company. O'Donohue was a very valuable ^iCcession to the insurgent ranks, as he had been educated for the priesthood, possessed considerable intelligence, and at that time occupied the responsible positions of teacher in the Roman Catholic School at St. Boniface, and private tutor to the children of Governor MacTavish, whom O'Donohue did not hesitate to charge with being the instigator of the rebellion.* On receipt of Grovernor MacTavish's letter informing him of the capture of Fort Garry, the Hon. Mr. Macdougall wrote to that gentleman, urging on him that until the actual trans- A meeting of tbe above Council will be held in the Court House at Fort Gatry, on Tuesday, the i6lh day of November, at which the invite 1 representatives will attend. By Older of the President, LOCIS RIEL, Secretary. Fort Garry, 6lh November, 1869 * In a letter addressed to the Speaiker of the House of Commons, dated 26th f'ebruary, 1875, Mr. O'Donohue says: " I make the following statement of facts, which I can prove most concla- sively ; " The insurrection was advised by Governor William MacTavish who, with other officers of the Hudson's Bay Company, aUo aided and abetted it from its inception np to the very hour it ceased to exist. That Riel was in constant <;ommuniration with Governor MacTavish, and on many occasions under his instroctious. That he, Governor MacTavis'h, fully recognised the Provisional Governmeat, That Donald A. Smith, on arriving at F(>rt Givry, recognised the ■Government also in my own bearing, and with Governor MacTavish, was Riel's Adviser during his stay in the Port, and after the departure of bith of these from the country, Riel oentiDued to hold counsel with John MacTavish, who then represented the Hudson's Bay Company." Wi 356 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. fer of the territory took place the Hudson's Bay Company was the only government, and that it was his duty, as Grovernor of that Company, to issue a Proclamation calling- on the insurgents to disperse, and to take such other steps, as may be necessary to insure the peaceful transfer of the territory, as agreed on in the contract, when the time for that transfer came. To this remonstrance from Mr. Mac- dougall Governor MacTavish paid no attention, and matters were allowed to remain in statu quo, as far as any attempt to put down the insurgents was concerned. The capture of Fort Garry and the seizure of all arms showed plainly to the Canadians that the insurgents meant to establish a govern- ment by force, and they, therefore, drew up an address to Governor MacTavish, which was largely signed, calling upon him to issue a Proclamation calling upon the insurgents to- lay down their arms. This address was presented on the 12th November, but it was not until four days after — the very day of the meeting of the Convention called by Kiel — that the Governor at last issued his tardy Proclamation, re- citing the unlawful acts which had been committed, and charging all those engaged " immediately to disperse them- selves and peaceably to depart to their habitations or their lawful business, under the pains and penalties of the law." The Proclamation was a very weak production, not worth insertion here, and seems to have been purposely held back by Governor MacTavish until the day of the meeting of the Convention, in order that the English portion of the people might partly commit themselves to the movement by elect- ing delegates to attend. The English were unwilling to appear in any way to sanction the acts of Eiel and his associates ; and were only induced to send members to the Convention by the circulation of a rumor that the result of the meeting would be an abandonment of their position by the insurgents, and the extension of an invitation to Hon. Mr. Macdougall to enter the Settlement in peace. The English-speaking portion of the community was ex- HISTqRY OF MANITOBA. 357 tremely loth to pay any attention to the Proclamation of " The President and Representatives of the French-speaking popu- lation of Rupert's Land " issued by Riel on 6th November, inviting them to send delegates to the Convention to be held at Fort Garry, on 16 th ; but partly induced by the hppe tha^ they might be able to influence the Convention to some good purpose, they finally agreed to send delegates, and repre- sentatives were chosen.* The Convention met in the Court House, which was guarded by 150 armed men, and all the members were present, except one English delegate , who became so much alarmed at the display of force arQi^n<^ the building that he returned home. To this assembly the P,ro- clamation of Governor MacTavish was read, the :^nsuTgent portion seeming to regard it as a weak show of authority, and the English members regarding it as a farce. The read- * The following is a list of the members elected : EKOUSH MEMBSRS. Town of Winnipeg { r/^O^LouT ^- Kildonan „ James Ross. St. John's Maurice Lowman. St. Paul's Dr. Bird. St. Andrew's Donald Gnnn. St. Clement's ~ Thomas Bunn. St. Peter's Henry Prince. Ii^dlaa Chief of the Saalteus St. James' - Robert Tait. Headingly William Tait. St. Ann's Geo. Gunn. Portage-la-Prairie John Garrioch. FUENCH MEMBERS. f Francois Dauphinais. St. FranQois Xayier \ Pierre Poitras. (^Pierre Laviellier. St. Boniface W. B. O'Donohne. „, „., , f Andr6 Beauchemin. !='• *''al — I Pierre Paranteau, Sr. f Baptiste Towron. St. >orbert i Louis Lacerte. , f Charles Nolin. lit. Anntfs |jean Baptiste Perreanlt. John Bbcce, President. Louis Riel. Secretary. 358 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. ilig of the Poclaination and the protests of the English merii- bei-s against the show Of force concluvemor, 'there being no official notifica- 368 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. tion of the transfer ; and Colonel Dennis, finding he could do nothing, and that his authority was doubtful, prudently retired to Pembina, and shortly after returned to Canada ■with Mr. Macdougall, who left Pembina on 18th December, as soon as he found that his Commission was worthless,, and that he could do no good by remaining longer. Coming back to affairs at Fort G-arry, we find that on the refusal of the English delegates to the Convention which closed its sittings on the 1st December, to join in the forma- tion of a Provisional Grovernment, Eiel determined to carry matters with a high hand. Being informed that the Hon. Mr. Macdougall's Proclamation was being printed at the office of the Nor'-Wesler, he endeavoured to arrest its proprietor, Mr. "W. E. Bown, and took possession of the office, but not until the Proclamation had been printed. On the same evening (1st Dec.) an attempt was made to arrest Dr. Schultz, who was the most objectionable of all the "Canadian" party to Riel, but the Doctor was absent at the Stone Fort consulting with Colonel Dennis, and the only result was an alarm to Mrs. Schultz, who was an invalid. The village of "Winnipeg was now in a state of great excitement and con- fusion ; armed guards patrolled the streets ; the Canadians were placed under surveillance ; the Proclamations of Hon. Mr. Macdougall, which had been posted up in conspicuous places, were torn down, and general alarm prevailed. While Colonel Dennis was enrolling all the recruits he could muster at the Stone Fort or others places, the Canadians in Winnipeg, to the number of about fifty, who had been already enrolled, assembled at the house of Dr. S'^hultz, about eight hundered yards' distance from Fort Grarry, to protect the property of the Canadian G-overnment stored there. This small force, which was but imperfectly armed, put the place in as good a state of defence as possible, and soon was in a state of siege by Riel, who had now over three hundered men with him. Several times the parties very nearly came into collision, but each side was anxious to have the other HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 36^ fire the first shot, and they stood very much like a couple of school boys, anxious to fight but each afraid to " strike first." For three days the Canadian party in Dr. Schultz's house remained in a state of siege, and in the meanwhile the hopes of Colonel Dennis being able to raise any considerable force were dissipated. Fearing that a collision might occur, Colonel Dennis sent an order to the Canadians to leave "Winnipeg and go to Kildonan School-house, as he could not come to their assistance ; and warning them on no account to be provoked into firing the first shot. The bearer of this order was captured by Eiel, and it gave him increased confi- dence. Cut off from wood and water the little force began to feel the pressure of the investment. Exhausted by the necessity of being at their posts night and day, they decided on the evening of the sixth to attempt to cut their way out on the following day, but on that morning Eiel sent in Lupine and Moran, two of his prominent followers, and Mr. A. G-. B. Bannatyne, brother-in-law of Governor MacTavish, under a flag of truce. Through these persons the Canadians were told that Kiel knew that Colonel Dennis had advised them to surrender (which was correct), that he had agreed to have an interview with Hon. Mr. Macdougall, and that if they would march up to Fort Garry they would simply be disarmed and allowed to go where they pleased. Some of the party doubted the sincerity of this promise ; but on the assurance of Bannatyne, the only one of the party who spoke English, that the agreement would be faithfully kept, and that he would personally guarantee all private property, the Canadians surrendered, and with Mrs. Schultz, Mrs. Mair, and Mrs. O'Donnell, were taken to Fort Garry ; not, however, to be released, for they found when disarmed that the gates were shut, a feu de joie fired, and arrangements made for their close imprisonment.*= * The following is the list of prisoners taken on 7th December : JohnSchnltz, M.D. W. J. Davis, Arthur Hamilton, J. B. Haines, X 370 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. Dr. Schultz and the majority of the prisoners were within the walls of the Fort and securely guarded, while Thomas Scott and some others were placed in the prison of the Hudson's Bay Company, which was outside the walls, and withal not a very secure building. Having by his promise to meet Hon. Mr. Macdougall induced Colonel Dennis to discontinue his efforts to enroll men, and, by his duplicity, captured the Canadians who were in arms, there was now no force available to oppose Kiel, and the night of the seventh was one of high orgies among the insurgents. Eiel and his Court became outrageously drunk on the rum found amongst the stores of the Hudson's Bay Company. The work of cap- turing the Canadians without firing a shot accomplished, Kiel forgot his promise to see Mr. Macdougall, and on the very next day (the eighth of December) issued a Proclama- tion, which was virtually a Declaration of Independence, and which bore such unmistakable signs of American " spread-eagleism " in its composition that its authorship was G. D. McVicar, H Weightman, R. P. Meade, L. W. Archibald, Henry Woodington, C. E. Palmer, W. J. Allen, George Berbar, Thomas Langman, Matthew Davis, Jameg Lynch, M.D., Archibald Wright, George Foatney, Peter Mc Arthur, Wm. Graham, Robert R. Smith, Wm. Nimmona, James C. Kent, Wm. Kittson, J. M. Coombs, John Ferguson, A. R. Ohisholm, Wm. Spice, John Ecclee, Thomas Lusted, John Ivy, James Stewart, F. C. Mugridge, D. A. Campbell, George Nichol, John O'Donnell, M.D., George Miller, W. p. Hyman, James H. Ashdown, James Mulligan, A. W. Graham, Charles Garratt, D. Cameroa, T. Franklin, J. H. Stocks, John Hallett. Thomas Scott and William Hallett were also captured while out as Scouts on a former nigbt. HIST0R7 OF MANITOBA.. 371 generally attributed to Stuttsman, the Postsmaster of Pem- bina, who was a rabid Annexationist and a great friend of Kiel's. On the 10th of December the flag of the Provisional ■GrOTernment was unfurled over Fort Garry in place of the Hudson's Bay Company's flag. This new flag was the French Fleur de lis on a white ground to which the Shamrock was afterwards added. "With reference to this flag, Archbishop Tache in his evidence before the Select Committee of Parlia- ment on the North-West Territory, 18th April, 18H, said : " There was no British flag used in the country for some time previous to the movement. When the Hudson's Bay Company did use a flag, it was not the British flag proper, it was a ' Union Jack,' with the letters ' H. B. C For two years, probably, previous to the movements, there was no British flag hoisted in the country, except the flag of Dr. Schultz, a ' Union Jack,' which had the word ' Canada ' upon it, and it was considered a party flag. Mr. Eiel considered that if one man in the country had a right to raise a flag of his own, the same right extended to other men. The flag used by the Provisional G-overnment was the French flag with the ' Fleur de lis,' to which was afterwards added the Sham- rock, so there was never any such thing as taking down the British flag at all, about which so much has been said. On account of the letters ' H. B. C on the flag, it was considered the flag of the Company. It used to be the practice to fly this flag on Sundays, but for some months before the troubles this practice had ceased, and as far as I know this flag was not hoisted at all for some months. Schultz's flag was, as I understand, hoisted in opposition to the Hudson's Bay Company." The hoisting of the rebel flag by Eiel gave great offence throughout Canada, and his real design began to be suspected, — which was plainly absolute Independence or annexation to the United States. Eiel's position now^ seemed secure. He had in close confinement a body of men who, though few in number, he had feared very much ; by misre- 372 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. presentation be had got rid of Colonel Dennis and Jlon. Mn Macdougall, and he now turned his attention to the admin- istration of affairs. John Bruce retired from the Presidency^ which Kiel assumed ; O'Donohue was continued in his office of Treasurer; L6pine was made Adjutant-General and Ban- natyne was given charge of the Post-Office Department. Councillors were appointed who were in daily session, and. a large stock of trading and other goods belonging to Dr. Schultz was taken possession of, under a formal edict of con- fiscation passed by the " Council." Guards were continued in the village of "Winnipeg, but, apparently fearing the slum- bering feeling of the English natives — or, perhaps, still hoping to gain them over to the support of his Government Eiel did not interfere at this time with the English Parishes. Strong efforts were made also at this time to get the neigh- boring Indians to join the insurgents, but this totally failed, principally because the foresight of Mr. Macdougall had caused hi'.n to authorize Joseph Monkman, an English Half- breed of great influence among the tribes, to visit their camps, explain the position, and urge them to remain loyal to the Queen. This task Monkman so faithfully performed that not one single Indian joined Kiel's standard. Eiel was now at the head of a Government and began to feel the need of an organ in which to expound his views, and on the 22nd of December, purchased from Mr. "W". Caldwell,, the proprietor. The Red River Pioneer, a journal which had hitherto been published in the interests of the Hudson's Bay Company. Of course Eiel needed funds with which to make this purchase, and on the same afternoon he seized a sufficient sum from the Accountant of the Hudson's Bay Company. On Christmas Day John Bruce retired from the Presidency,, but still remained a member of the Council. On the twenty- sixth Vicar-General Thibault arrived at the Fort, the other Commissioner from Canada, Colonel DeSalaberry, having decided to remain a few days at Pembina ; and on the twenty- seventh Mr. Donald A. Smith, Special Commissioner, reached HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 373 the Fort, having left his papers at Pembina until he was ^ure of what kind of a reception he would meet with. His reception does not appear to have been an enthusiastic •one, judging from his report to the Secretary of State for the Provinces, dated 12th April, 1870. He says : " The gate of the Fort we found open, but guarded by several armed.men, who, on my desiring to be shown to Grovernor MacTavish's hoxise, requested me to wait till they could communicate with their Chief. In a short time Mr. Louis Riel appeared. I announced my name ; he said he had heard of my arrival :at Pembina, and was about to send off a party to bring me in. I then accompanied him to a room occupied by ten or twelve men, whom he introduced to me as members of the ' Provisional Government.' He requested to know the pur port of my visit, to wliich I replied in substance that I was ^connected with the Hudson's Bay Company, but also held a ■Commission from the Canadian G-overnment to the people of Eed River, and would be prepared to produce my credentials so soon as they, the people, were willing to receive me. I was then asked to take an oath not to attempt to leave the Fort that night, nor to upset this government, legally esta- blished. This request I peremptorily refused to comply with, but said that, being very tired, I had no desire to go outside the gate that night, and promised to take no imme- diate steps forcibly to upset the so-called 'Provisional Government,' ' legal or illegal, as it might be,' without first announcing my intention to do so : Mr. Riel taking exception to the word illegal, while I insisted on retaining it. Mr. O'Donohue, to get over the difficulty, remarked ' That is as he (meaning myself) understands it,' to which I rejoined, ' Precisely so '. The above explanation, I am more particular in giving, as it has been reported that I at once acknowledged the Provisional Government to be legal. Neither then nor afterwards did I do so. I took up my quarters in one of the houses occupied by the Hudson's Bay Company's Officers, :and from that date until towards the close of February, was 37* HISTORY OF MANITOBA. ■virtually a prisoner within the Fort, alth ough with per- mission to go outside the walls for exercise, accompanied by- two armed guards, a privilege of which I never availed myself. The state of matters at this time in and around Fort Garry, was most unsatisfactory and truly humiliating. Upwards of sixty British subjects were held in close confine- ment as ' political prisoners ; ' security for persons or pro- perty, there was none ; the Fort, with its large supplies of ammunition, provisions, and stores of all kinds, was in the possession of a few hundred French Half-breeds, whose leaders had declared their determination to use every effort for the purpose of annexing the Territory to the United States ; and the G-overnor and Council of Assiniboia were powerless to enforce the law." So closed the year, darkly enough for the solitary little settlement in the wilderness, but ere another year elapsed it was to experience great changes and the foundations be laid for that marvellous growth which has characterized it for the past ten years, and which is fast making it one of the most flourishing portions of the Dominion. HISTORY OP MANITOBA. 376 CHAPTER XVIII. Inactivity of the Canadian Commissioners— I? iel's Offici-al Organ — Escape of Peisoners— Mass Meet- ing — Escape of Dr. Schultz— The Convention — The second " Provisional Goveknment " formed — Appointment of Delegates to Canada — The Rising at Kildonan — Capture of the Portage Detachment — The first Blood Spilled — Major Boulton con- demned to Death — M. Smith electioneers for Eiel — Dr. Schultz' 500 mile tramp on snow-shoes. The first event of importance which occurred in the settle- ment in the year 1870 was the arrival of Colonel DeSalaberry at Fort G-arry on the 5th January ; but even then, though all the Commissioners had arrived, no steps were taken to farther the object of their mission. Mr. Smith in his report says : " On the 6th January, I saw Mr. Riel, and soon come to the conclusion that no good could arise from entering into any negotiations with his ' Council,' even were we to admit their authority, which I was not prepared to do ; " the Com- missioner, therefore, contented himself with biding his time to get an opportunity to address the people, and meanwhile, as ilr. Smith says, they " had frequent visits in the Fort from some of the most influential and most reliable men in the settlement, who gladly made known to the people generally, the liberal intentions of the Canadian Grovernment, and in consequence one after another of Kiel's Councillors seceded from him, and being joined by their friends and by many of their compatriots and co-religionists who had throughout remained aloof from the insurgents, they determined no longer to submit to his dictation." This took some days to accomplish, and it is noticeable that The New Nation, the official organ of the Provisional Grovernment, 376 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. made no mention of Mr. Smith as a Commissioner, but merely said " D. A. Smith, Esq , G-eneral Manager for the Honorable Hudson's Eay Company in Canada, arrived at Fort Garry last week. He comes to assist G-overnor MacTavish during his illness in the management of the Company's affairs. " With reference to this paper, The New Nation, the first number of which appeared on the seventh of January, 1870, we would state that it was edited by an American named Eobinson, and strongly advocated Annexation to the United States as the ultimate destiny of the Red River Territory. In the leading article headed " Our Policy," which appeared in the first number, the aim and object of the paper is thus clearly stated ; " Something as to our policy will be expected from us in this number, and we proceed briefly to define our position. In common with the majority of this settle- ment we regard the Hudson's Bay Company's Government as obsolete, and never to be resuscitated. The Dominion Government by its criminal blunders and gross injustice to this people have for ever alienated them ; and by their for- feiture of all right to our respect, will prevent us in future from either seeking or permitting its protection. The Imperial Government we consider to be too far distant to intelligently administer our affairs. The question arises, then, what form of Government is best adopted for the development of this country ? And we reply, unhesitatingly, that the United States Republic offers us to day that system of Government which would best promote order and progress in our midst, and open up rapidly a country of magnificent resources. But in our present dependent position, we cannot obtain what we need in that direction, and hence we will hold it to be our duty to advocate Independence for the people of Red River as a present cure for public ills. Our annexation to the States will follow in time and bring with it the advantages this land so much requires." This tone was continued until the return of Bishop Tach6 to the HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 377 colony, when the paper was suspended for two weeks, and on its reappearance, under new management, it was much more temperate in its style, and even tried to be loyal— but made rather a poor attempt at it. On this same seventh of January, arrangements were made for the return to Red River of Bishop Tache, who was in Rome attending the CEcumenical Council. "When it was known in Ottawa that the troubles in the settlement were likely to prove of a serious nature, it was felt by the members of the Government that the Bishop was the one man who had most influence over the French Half-breeds, amongst whom he had labored most faithfully for over twenty years, and an enquiry was made by the Hon. Mr. Langevin, Minister of Public Works, through his brother, the Bishop of Rimouski, who was also in Rome, to know whether Bishop Tache would be willing to return. To this enquiry His G-race replied in the affirmative, and on the seventh a tele- gram was sent from Ottawa gladly accepting his services, and the Bishop left Rome as speedily as possible. On the ninth of January a number of the prisoners who had been captured at Dr. Schultz's house escaped from the Hudson's Bay prison, which was outside of the Fort Garry walls. Amongst these were Thomas Scott, Charles Mair and W. T. Hyman. Although the night was intensely cold and stormy, Scott and Mair succeeded in making good their escape to Portage la Prairie, but Hyman lost his way, and, waadering on until his feet were frozen, took refuge in a house whose owners informed Riel, and he was speedily recaptured and brought back to the more secure prison inside the Fort Garry walls, where Dr. Schultz and others were confined. Seven of those who attempted to escape were recaptured. To return to Mr. Smith : After he had been nearly three weeks in Fort Garry, Riel approached him on the subject of his mission, and requested to see his Commission, as he want- ed to see whether he had authority to offer or accept any 378 HISTORy OF MANITOBA. teims from the French Half-breeds.* Mr. Smith informed him that his Commission had been left at Pembina, but offered to send a friend for it and other papers, provided he was given an opportunity of speaking to the people. To this Eiel consented, and the messenger w^as despatched ; but Kiel endeavored to get possession of the papers before they reach' ed Mr. Smith, who was kept a close prisoner, and not allowed to speak to any one while his messenger was away for his papers. On the arrival of the papers it was, after some difficulty, agreed that a piiblic meeting should be held on the nineteenth, at which the papers should be produced and read. At the hour appointed upwards of one thousand persons had assembled, and, as there was no building large enough to accommodate them, the meeting was held in the open air, and lasted five hours, although the thermometer was twenty degrees below zero. A large proportion of the audience were composed of English Half-breeds who came in the belief that the Commissioners would at once insist on hoisting the British flag, and the release of the prisoners, whose close and crowded confinement was already inducing sickness and disease amongst them. In this hope, however, they were disappointed, and the time of the meeting was mostly occu- pied by frivolous objections raised by Eiel and the reading of a portion of the documents. With regard to the hoisting the flag, Mr. Smith says : " At the commencement of the meet- ing I requested the Chairman and those near him to begin by insisting that all arms should be laid down, and that the flag then flying (Fleur-de-lis and Shamrock) should be replaced by the British ensign. This they thought would come better at an after-stage ; but the opportunity of doing so now lost, never recurred." Mr. Smith neglects to state why he him- self did not renew the demand for the hoisting of the British flag and the release of the prisoners. The reading of the •Compiled from Hon. D. A. Smith's Report. HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 37» papers, Queen's Proclamation, &c., not being completed before night set in, the meeting was adjourned until noon the next day, when even a larger number was present than on the previous day. On the documents all being read, Kiel moved, seconded by Mr. Bannatyne, " That twenty repre- sentatives shall be elected by the English population of Eed River, to meet twenty other representatives of the French population, on Tuesday, the 25th inst., at noon, in the Court House, with the object of considering the subject of Mr. Smith's Commission, and to decide what would be best for the welfare of the country." After some slight objection to- the motion as implying a doubt of Mr. Smith's Commission, the motion was carried. Many of those who had attended the meeting were puzzled at the Commissioners not insist- ing on an answer from Riel and his Council, as they alone represented the insurgent element ; and many thought they saw in Eiel's proposition — seconded as it was by Governor MacTavish's brother-in law (Bannatyne) — only a desire to- gain time, and win over the English Half-breeds if possible. Eiel's attention was momentarily diverted from the pro- posed meeting of the convention by the escape from prison, on the night of Sunday, 23rd, of Dr. Schultz, the man of all his political prisoners whom he most cordially hated, and whose liberty he most feared. A short time after the cap- ture of the Doctor and his party, so great was Eiel's fear of his making a dash on the guards with the rest of the prison- ers, that he ordered Dr. Schultz to be placed in solitary con- finement, and strongly guarded. The prisoners had all waited through w^eeks of weary confinement for the arrival of the Commissioners, believing that their first act would be the request for the liberty of British subjects confined with- out cause ; and when the mass meeting was held under the very walls of this prison, without the slightest indication of interest ou the part of the Commissioners fox. their release, all hopes ceased, and Dr. Schultz — who had for some time suspected, from the whispering of the guards, that the fate 380 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. afterwards meted out to Scott was determined upon for him — resolved to attempt escape. Sunday night being intensely- cold, with drifting snow, was chosen as likely to enable him to elude pursuit if once his prison could be breached. A small gimlet and penknife — which had been conveyed to him by a clever stratagem of his wife's and carefully secret- ed for weeks— enabled the prisoner, after eight hours of labor, to make an opening through the fastenings, sufficiently large to squeeze his body through, and his Buffalo robe bed, <5ut into strips, was to afford safe descent into the inner court of the Fort. Unfortunately, the Buffalo robe broke, injuring the prisoner's leg by his too hasty descent to the icy path beneath, and making the task of scaling the Fort Grarry wall> which he had still to accomplish, a matter of much difficulty Throwing himself, however, from the top of the outer wall, inear one of the bastions, he was fortunate enough to be re- ceived in the kindly but cold embrace of a snow drift, formed by the angle of wall and bastion. Very lame from his fall from the prison, he proceeded with halting steps through the village of "Winnipeg to the friendly Half-breed settle- ments to the North. Fortunately the intense cold kept Kiel's Winnipeg guards indoors, and the frosted windows showed them no sign of the lame refugee whose footsteps were al- most instantly covered by the drifting snow, and who safely jnade his way to the Parish of Kildonan, and, about day- light found help and shelter under the friendly roof of Mr. Kobert McBeath. The morning revealing the escape of his principal prisoner, Kiel immediately sent parties of horse- juen in every direction to effect his recapture ; and, after curiously scanning the opening made and the Buffalo robe> proceeded to relieve his pent up wrath on the other pri- soners, who, judging from the hubbub that Dr. Schultz's attempt had been successful, were venting their satisfaction in joyous songs. To this Eiel put a hasty stop, and, with a malediction on the whole of them, made an example of a much respected Half-breed, named William Hallett, by iron- HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 381 ing him, hand and foot, and placing him in the part of the prison from which Dr. Schultz had escaped. The New Nation in mentioning the escape, says: " It appears the Doctor was confined in an upper roomof one of the buildings at the Fort, closely attended by a guard. On the evening in question he requested the guard to retire from the room whilst he changed his clothes. The guard being gone the Doctor cut his robe into strips, and having by some means procured a large gimlet which he inserted in the wall below the window sill, he fastened the line to it aad let himself down to the ground. Two strange cutters were seen about the Fort late in the night, which led to the supposition that his escape was eflFected with the knowledge of some outside parties. Be this as it may, certain it is that the redoubtable Doctor is once more enjoying his daily rations, without having his potatoes probed by a bayonet, and is permitted the luxury of a- clean shirt-collar without the ceremony of an examination for letters in cipher. " The Convention of English and French delegates met in Fort G-arry Court House on 25th January, and remained in session, with an adjournment of two days, until lOtk February. No business was transacted on the first day on account of the absence of three of the French members, but on. the second all delegates were present, and the election of officers took place.^ Judge Black was unanimously called * The following is a list of the members of the Convention ; — French RspHssENTATiyiis. f M. Thibert. St. Paul's i Alex. Pagee. (. Maquer Birston. St. Francois Xavier..|f?;;;//X- St- Charles {^.>*!tYnt. ( W. B. O' Donohue. St. Boniface j j^fen. I. Louis Schmidt. ExGLisa Rkphksentatites. StPe'-s {?^;-^s^ent""- St- Clement's {iJ^Hefce. (Judge Black. St. Andrew's i D. Gunn, Sr. (. Alfred Boyd. St. Paul's Dr. Bird. p-jij „- fJohnFrazer. ^'^^°°^^ I jno. Sutherland. . 382 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. to the Chair, and Messrs. W. Coldwell and Louis Schmidt appointed Secretaries ; Messrs. Louis Eiel and James Ross agreeing to act as interpreters. On the third day a Com- mittee, consisting of Messrs. Thomas Bunn, James Ross, Dr. Bird, Louis Riel, Louis Schmidt, and Charles Nolin, was appointed to draft a " Bill of Rights," which was to be submitted to Mr. Smith, he having agreed to examine it, and state how far, in his opinion, the Government of Canada would be disposed to grant the demands made. The Com- mittee reported the Bill of Rights on the 29th, and it was taken up, clause by clause, and discussed with great elabo- rateness until the 6 th Feb., when it was finally adopted, and the Convention adjourned until one o'clock on Monday, '7th, when Mr. Smith was expected to give his answers to the demands of the Bill, the Secretaries having been instructed to furnish him with a copy by eleven o'clock on Monday morning. At the time appointed Mr. Smith gave his reply to the " Bill of Eights " and concluded by inviting delegates to go to Ottawa, and consult with the G-overnment. His speech, as reported in the New Nation, concluded as follows : " I have now— on the part of the Dominion Government and as authorized by them — to invite the appointment by the residents of Red River, to meet and confer with them at Ottawa, of a delegation of two or more of the residents of Red List of the Members of the ConTention — Continuei. Frknch Repbesentatites. ^*- ^"^^^ { A. Besuchemin. C P. Parenteau. St. Norbert -I N. Larouche. ( B. Towron. D„:_*„ n «i» f Louis Lacerte. Pointe Coupee j p Delortne. .n.i, D„!-* J F". Nolin. <'»''Po'°' to. NoIiD. Ft. A. Grouette Geo. Klyne. English Representatives. St. John's James Ross. St-J-- jg-J'ett. H-^-«'y -irLafe. St. Mary's K. McKenzie. St. Margaret's W. CuiiimioKS. «'-A-'« -{dXZ^-- Winnipeg Alfred H. Scott. HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 383 Eiver — as they may think best — the delegation to confer with the Grovernment and Legislature, and explain the wants and wishes of the Red Kiver people, as well as to discuss and arrange for the representation of the country in Parliament. On the part of the Grovernment I am authorized to offer a very cordial reception to the delegates who may be sent from this country to Canada. I myself feel every confidence that the result will be such as will be entirely satisfactory to the people of the North- West. It is, I know, the desire of the Canadian Grovernment that it should be so." On the eighth the question of sending the delegates was taken up by the Convention ; but it was soon found that this was intended to involve more than at first appeared, for Kiel, Eoss, O'Donohue and others urged that it was neces- sary to recognize and re-organize the Provisional Grovern- ment before the delegates were appointed. This was rather more than the English delegates had bargained for, and they contended that they had not the power to vote on that ques- tion without first consulting their constituents, holding that the Hudson's Bay Company was the only legal Grovernment in the country until the transfer had been made. A long and animated debate ensued, and two of the delegates, Messrs. ^Sutherland and Fraser, withdrew to consult with Grovernor MacTavish. On re-entering the Convention, Mr. Sutherland said : " In order to clear away my own doubts, I went with Mr. Fraser to see Governor MacTavish. I asked his opinion as to the advisability of forming a Provisional Grovernment. He replied, ' Form a Grovernment for Grod's sake, and restore peace and order in the settlement.' " This reply of the Grovernor's had considerable influence on the English delegates and, after some further debate, it was agreed to appoint a Committee " to discuss and decide on the basis and details of the Provisional Government which we have agreed is to be formed for Eupert's Land and the North "West Territory." This Committee reported at the evening session of the ninth, recommending a Council of 384 HISTORY OF MAMTOBA. twenty-four members, twelve French, and twelve English, and suggesting the names of candidates for all the officers except President. This was afterwards filled up by the nomination of Riel, and after some discussion the report was adopted. The following is a list of the officers so elected : Pbesident i Louis Kiel. Jddge of Suphesie Cocbt James Ross. Sheeiff Henry McKenny. CoRONBB Dr. Bird. Postmaster-Gkneral A. G. B. Bannatyae. _ f John Sutherland. Collectors OF Customs j ^^^^^ ^^^^^^ Skckktaey of State Thonaas Bunn. Assistant-Secbetart op Stats Louis Schmidt. Secretary of THE Treasdry W. B. O'Donohae. The New Nation in announcing these elections, says ; " The confirmation of Louis Eiel as President of the Provi- sional Grovernment of Rupert's Land by the Convention, was announced amid salvos of artillery from the Fort, and the cheers of the delegates. The town welcomed the announce- ment by a grand display of fire works and the generail and continued discharge of small arms. The firing and cheering were prolonged until late in the night, everyone joining in the general enthusiasm. As the result of the amicable union of all parties upon one common platform, a general amnesty to political prisoners will shortly be proclaimed, the soldiers remanded to their homes to await orders, and everything be placed upon a peace footing. Vive la Republique." After the adoption of the report appointing officers of the Provisional Grovernment, Kiel ordered that G-overnor MacTavi-sh, Dr. Cowan and Mr. Bannatyne, who had been prisoners (?) should be given full liberty and promised that all the prisoners should shortly be released. On the tenth a ballot was taken for delegates to Canada, and resulted in the election of Eev^i M. Kichotj Judge Black and Alfred H. Scott, the only objection being to the latter, as it was urged that at least one Half-breed should be in the delegation. In dismissing the Convention, Kiel made a characteristic speech^ HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 385 in concluding which he said : " The first Provisional Govern- ment assumes the full responsibility for all its acts. As to the prisoners, I not only repeat to you the assurance I gave yesterday, but will at once state that all the prisoners are to be released — some in one way and some in another. A few will have to leave the country, as men considered dangerous to the public peace, if left here at large. But the hardships in their case will not be very great as they are single men. One other, William Hallett, will be released, after giving full guarantees. In respect to Dr. Schultz, the position is this — he is exiled forever, and if found in the country, is liable to be shot. . All his property, also, is confiscated. But here again, I would remind the Convention that the first Provisional Grovernment assumes all the responsibility of these acts. For the support of the present Government I would further say that it is at least desirable — and 1 should request it — that if anyone sees Schultz in the country, he should report it. Mr. A. L6pine will receive orders to administer the oath of allegiance to the prisoners who are to be released, as he is in charge of the Fort. As for Schultz, as I said, his goods are confiscated ; and in this way some of those to whom he is indebted will be provided for." Having accomplished his purpose of getting the endorse- ment of the English Half-breeds to his Provisional Govern- ment, Riel was not in a hurry to keep his promise with regard to releasing the prisoners, although a few of them were given their liberty. This delay, and the harsh measures adopted towards Dr. Schultz, made the people of the English Parishes begin to fear that Riel did not mean to keep faith with them, and that more oppressive measures might be adopted towards the remaining prisoners, many of whom were known to be suffering from scurvy and other diseases, caused by the fetid air of the crowded rooms in which they were penned, with- out fire, although the winter was very severe, and the ther mometer frequently ranged from twenty to thirty degrees below zero. The sufiBrings of these unfortunate men during Y 386 HISTORY OF MAIflTOBA, their confinement were most intense, and. many of them con- iracted diseases from which they never fully recovered.* As time passed, without Riel fulfilling his promise to release the prisoners or any effort being made by the Commissioners to effect that purpose, a deep feeling of indignation pervaded the country, which culminated in the rising of about eighty men at Portage la Prairie, among whom were Thomas Scott and Charles Mair — both escaped prisoners — who came down to join a force raised by Dr. Schultz, with the object of releas- ing the prisoners by force. On the 15th February this force arrived at the parish of Kildonan, where they were joined by about six hundred men, under Dr. Schultz. The church, .school, and manse of that parish being taken possession of, the leaders and principal men from each party met, and decided at daybreak to send a messenger to Kiel, demanding the instant release of the prisoners, or to prepare for attack. This expedition of action was thought desirable, because the force, though large, was hurriedly raised and imperfectly armed, and a sudden dash, while their number ' and arma- xaent was unknown to the French, was thought the most likely to succeed. The despatch of the messenger was fol- lowed by the immediate release by Eiel of the remainder of the prisoners, who were told to say that Riel was anxious for peace and good will ; and now that he had released the * To give some idea of how they were treated, we make some extracts from a better which appeared in the Chatham Banner from Mr. G. D. Mc Vicar, one of the prisoners taken in Dr. Schaltz's house. He says : — " On arriyiag at Fort Garry •we were received by volleys of musketry, and imprisoned in three rooms. In these rooms we were packed so close that we had to break the windows to keep from suifocatian. In one there was a bed and table, and in that room the pour fellows ■found themselves in the morning In a position something like the following : — Seven on the bed, two under it, two under the table, and the remaining space literally packed with human beings.' One man slept all night hanging on the bed-post. We were here fed on pemican and tea. • • » After this thirty-eight ■^among whom I was included) were removed to Port Garry Jail, the worst indignity of all. The place is close, small, and unhealthy. A narrow hall and aix cells, 6x9 feet, filthy in the extreme, and crawling with vermin. Here I remained until I escaped with four others, putting in existence as best we could." HISTORY OF MANITOBA. 387 prisoners, he trusted no further cause of difficulty would arise. The principal object of the expedition being thus accom- plished, its leaders and principal men again met, and Dr. Schultz and others urged that as it was clear that Eiel was now disposed to accede to anything, the Hudson's Bay authorities should be called upon to do their duty, the British flag should be hoisted in Fort Garry, and that Fort made the seat of Government as before. To this some of the leaders offered the objections that the object of the rising was accomplished, and that to go further was useless, as it was plain to see that the Hudson's Bay authorities had all along acted with Eiel, and that they would now act for themselves ; and that Eiel having released the prisoners, with many protestations of friendship, could now do nothing more than continue to eat the Hudson's Bay Company's pemican and drink their rum — a cost to that Company which was thought to serve them right. Messages were also received from Mr. Donald A. Smith, and others, advising the force to disperse, as their purpose was accomplished, and, accordingly, the force under Dr. Schultz departed to their homes to the northward, while the smaller party, under Major Boullon, prepared to return to Portage la Prairie. Though counselled to beware of treachery on Eiel's part, they did not leave for home until the following morning, I'lth, by which time Eiel had received information that the larger party had gone home, and, as Captain , Boulton incautiously took the road which led quite close to Fort Garry, Eiel sent out a body of horsemen, under command of O'Donohue and Lepine, and captured the whole party.* * The names of the captured parties were"a3 follow: — Prom Portaoe la Praibu. — >Iaj.)r Boulton, John McLean, Robert McRain, Wilder Harllett, James .VcBain, Dan. SUsons, A. Murray, W. Farmer, Lawrence Smith, Chal-les McDonald, John Snilztr, H. Williams, Alex. Mct'herson, VV. (}. Bird, Alex McLean. Pbom Hioii Blcff.— Thomas Scott, Joseph Paquin, George Sandison, \V. Paquin, 388 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. Major Boulton was decoyed by Kiel, who caused him to believe that he would be allowed to pass the Fort un- molested, but " gobbled up " the whole detachment as soon as he had it completely at his mercy. It was during this " Rising at Kildonan " that the first blood was shed, and that not in a manner to cause any amount of ill-feeling, such as followed the subsequent cold- blooded murder of Scott. On the morning of the 16th, a young French Half-breed, named Parisien, who had been captured by the English and held as a spy, made an attempt to escape. Dashing at his guard, he wrested his double- barrelled gun from him and made for the river; just thea Mr. John Hugh Sutherland, son of Mr. John Sutherland, happened to be riding up to see what was the cause of the gathering at Kildonan, and Parisien fired at him, probably more for the purpose of getting the horse to assist him in his escape than with an intention of killing him. The first shot took effect in the hand, and the horse rearing, threw young Sutherland to the ground, and while he was down Parisien fired the second shot, which took effect in the body, and caused a wound from which the unfortunate young man died about nine o'clock the same night. Parisian was pursued, re-captured, and would probably have been lynched on the spot had it not been for the interference of Major Boulton, but the lad was severely wounded and frost-bitten, and died not long after, is was said, from the effect of the injuries he then received. J. Dillwor.h, W. Dillworth, R. Adams, J. Paquin, M. McLeod, Archibald McDonald, James Jock, James Sanderson. Fbom Hsadikglt. — J. B. Morrison, W. Salter, Magnus Brown, X. Morrison, W. Sutherland, Uobert Dennison, Joseph Smith, Charles Millan, Thomas Baxter, John Taylor, John McKay, Alex. Parker. Fbom Poplab Point. — George WylJe, D. Taylor, A. Taylor, Geo. Newcombr H. Taylor. Fbom St. Ja.wisi' Paeish. — Sergeant Powers, James Joy. Fbom Riviins Sale. — G. Parker. In all, 48. HISTORY OF MANITOBA.. 389 The immediate result of the " Rising at Kildonan " wa? unfortunate, for it only doubled the number of the prisoners, and caused a renewal, for a time, of the ill-feeling which had existed between the French and English parties. Mr. Smith, in his report, condemns it as very injudicious, and it is very certain that Riel cleverly turned it to his advantage to induce the English parishes to elect their delegates to the Council of the Provisional G-overnment, which was to meet on 20th February ; and this is how he did it. As soon as Major Boulton was safe within the walls of Fort Grarry he was placed in irons, a " Court Martial" was he:d, he was found guilty of treason against the Provisional Go\ernment, and sentenced to be shot at noon on the next day, the eigh- teenth ; "but, at the intercession of the Lord Bishop of Rupert's Land, Archdeacon McLean, and, in short, every influential man among the English, and I have been told also, at the earnest entreaty of the Catholic clergy, the exe- cution was delayed till midnight of Saturday, the 19th. Further than this, Riel declared he could not— would not yield — except, indeed, Dr. Schultz should be captured in the meantime, in which case he would be shot instead of Boulton." * This was decidedly pleasant for Dr. Schultz, for whose capture, " dead or alive," Riel had some time pre- Aaously offered a reward. Riel apparently kept his determi- nation to have Major Boulton shot, up to ten o'clock on Saturday night, two hours before the execution was to have taken place, and Archdeacon McLean had spent nearly twenty-four hours with Major Boulton, administered the sacrament to him, and prepared him to meet his fate. At length Riel yielded to the entreaties of Mr. Smith, and agreed to spare Boulton's life and release the other prisoners imme- diately after the meeting of the Council, provided the English ■^delegates were elected to attend it. Mr. Smith agreed to use his influence with the English portion of the community, and D, A. Smith's Report, page 6. 390 HISTORY OF MANITOBA. thus describes the compact with Eiel, "whereby the Canadian Commissione'r becdine an electioneering agent for the Pro- visional Groverriment. " I reasoned with him long and earnestly, until, at length, about ten o'clock, he yielded, and addressing me, apparently with much feeling said : ' Hitherto- I have been deaf to all entreaties, and, in now granting you this man's life,' or words to that effect, 'may I ask you a. favor ? ' ' Anything,' I replied, ' that in honor I can do.' He continued : ' Canada has disunited us : will you use your influence to re-unite tis ? You can do so, and, without this, it must be war— bloody, civil war ! ' I answered that, as I had said on first coming to the country, I would now repeat — ^that ' I would give my whole heart to effect a peace- ful union of the bountfy with Canada.' ' We want only our just rights as British subject^,' he said, ' and we want the English to join us simply to obtain these ' ' Then,' I remarked, 'I shall at once see them, and induce them to go on with, the election of delegates for that "purpose ; ' and he replied : ' If you can do this, war will be avoided — no'tonlythe lives;, but the liberty of all the prisoners will be secured, for, on your success depends the lives of all the Canadians in the country.' He immediately proceeded to the prison, and inti- mated to Archdeacon McLean that he had been induced by me to spare Captain Boulton's life, and had further promised to me that immediately on the meeting of the Council, shortly to be elected, the whole of the prisoners would be- released, requesting the Archdeacon at the same time,' to explain these circumstances to Captain Boulton and the other prisoners." The news of the capture of the Portage party quickly- spread, and a meeting was held in St. Andrew's patish, . whence most of the forces under Dr. Schultz had come, at which the proposition was made to go at once and release Boulton and his party by force. Before any definite action was • taken Mr. Donald A. Smith arrived to say that if the people submitted and elected the English portion of the Provisional! HISTORY OP MANITOBA. .SSf Government Council, Bonlton's life would be spared, and the prisoners released. Mr. Smith, in his character of Canadian Commissioner, strongly urged this course, and ultimately the- meeting adopted' it, and the delegates to the Council were subsequently elected. At this same meeting Dr. Schultz was- requested to proceed to Canada, if he could, and represent to the people there the real state of affairs, and the coercion- which had been iised to make them have anything to do with the Provisional Government. As all the roads leading to- Minnesota were jealously guarded by Eiel, Dr. Schultz was- compelled to attempt to reach the head of Lake Superior by traversing the little known country between the head of Lake Winnipeg and Lake Superior. Fortunately he had as com- panion an English Half-breed named Joseph Monkman, who had been commissioned by the Hon. Mr. Macdougall to see )he bands of Indians east of the Red River, and read to them lis instructions which thanked them for abstaining from any tarticipation in Eiei's movement, and assured them that tiough he was not in power, the opening of Spring would ste the Queen's power reinstated again. Dr. Schultz left the liouth of the Eed Eiver with this faithful and intelligent gjiide on the 21st February, and, to elude the parties on srow-shoes which were sent by Eiel to intercept him, stuck across the frozen end of lake Winnipeg to the mouth ol the river of that name, where, alternately following the- cdirse of that stream, or deviating to some distance, they reiched its head waters. From here they struck across over Wiitefish Bay, on the Lake of the Woods, to an arm of Eany Lake whence they turned more eastward, following- Eany Lake, and then to the Southwest, over the then un- frquented and unknown country of Northern Minnesota to- the head of Lake Superior. Where Indian Camps could be fomd they were visited, and Eiel and Queen's authority gra-ely and sensibly discussed. In not one case had the loyilty of the Indians been affected, and they all seemed to fee": that the Great Mother's arm was long and strong, and 392 mSTORY OF UAXITOBA. that Riel and his G-overament would, to use their own expression, " Pass away like the mist before the sun." Though the travellers had little to give them in return, they invariablyj shared their own scanty supply, and often gave a guide fron^ camp to camp. Over weary miles of snow-covered lakes ! over the water-shed between Eainy Lake and the Lakes of the Laurentian Chain; over the height of land betwee^ Eainy Lake and Lake Superior ; through pine forests and juniper swamps, these travellers made their way, turnirg aside only where wind-fallen timber made their course impossible. Often saved from starvation by the woodcrafi of Monkman, their course guided by the compass, or hr views taken from the top of some stately Norway pine, th«r found themselves, after twenty-four weary days of travel, n sight of the blue, unfrozen waters of Lake Superior. They had struck the Lake not far from its head, and in a few hours presented themselves to the astonished gaze of the peoplaof the then embryo village of Duluth, gaunt with hunger, w»rn with fatigue, their clothes in tatters, and their eyes blinied with the glare of the glittering sun of March. There taey heard for the first time of the terrible event which lad occurred since their leaving ; that, while Eiel had releised Major Boulton when the English sent their delegates to his Council, yet he held the others with even a tighter grip, md that, he had, for some fancied insult, placed Thomas Sott, ironed hand and foot in the prison from which Dr. Scmltz escaped, and, on the fourth of March, led him out to a diath as horrible, perhaps, as was ever suffered on this Contiient. HISTORY OF MANITOBA, 393 CHAPTER XIX. The dark crime of the Ekbkllion. The Murder of Thomas Scott. — The Mock " Court Martial." Its Secretary's account of it. — Mr. Smith's account of HIS efforts to save Scott's life. — Ret. Gteoroe Young's account of how Scott "was butchered — Mysterious disappearance of the body. — The Eeign of Terror. We come now to the one dark crime, the one ioul murder which disfigures the record of the Red River Rebellion, and hands down the name of Louis Riel to posterity as that of a cowardly assassin, who wreaked his private spite and ven- geance on a helpless prisoner, whom he had illegally de- prived of his liberty. The murder of Thomas Scott was a cool, calm, deliberate assassination without even the shadow of the excuse of expediency to palliate its heinousness, and it is a poor compliment to our system of administering law, that the perpetrators of this crime should be at libetty to-day. For the other illegal acts which he committed, Riel had some slight show of justification, inasmuch as he and his followers claimed that Canada had bought the people of Red River like so many sheep, without consulting them in any way or guaranteeing them protection for their lives, liberty and property ; and the amnesty which was subsequently granted by the Imperial Government for these offences, was a tardy acknowledgment that " some one had blundered" in negotiat- ing the transfer of the Hudson's Bay Company's rights in the North-West without consulting in any way the inhabi- tants of that country ; but, for this foul murder of Scott, there is no excuse, no palliation, no justification ; it was simply a wanton, wilful exercise of despotic power, prompt- ed by a spirit of personal revenge and a desire to strike 39i HISTOUY UF MANITOBA. terror into the hearts of those loyal people in the settlement, who still doubted Kiel's authority to rule, in spite of his " Provisional Government," It must, in fairness and justice, be admitted that a large portion of the storm of wrath and indignation which swept over the Province of Ontario at the perpetration of this crowning crime of the rebellion, owed its origin to the fact that Scott was a Protestant and an Orangeman, while Kiel was a Catholic, and his chief adviser O'Donohue, an avowed Fenian ; but, althouo-h party-political and religious feeling had something to do with the excitement, still there was a very general thrill of honest indignation at the cold blooded murder of a man w^hose only crime was that he was loyal to his Queen and country and would not acknowledge the authority of an usurper. Although the ruse of Kiel in sparing the life of Major Boulton on the condition that the English parishes returned delegates to the Provisional Government, had been success- ful, and the efforts and influence of Commissioner Smith had the effect of getting delegates elected, still Eiel felt that the English element did not give him a hearty and cordial sup- port, and finding that he was unable to " rule by love " he seems to have determined to " rvile by ' fear." From the time of the first arrests he had been in the habit of threat- ening to execute some of the prisoners, unless they took the oath of allegiance to the Provisional Government ; and after the rising at Kildonan he seems to have made up his mind that " an example must be made " to deter the English from any further attempts to dispute his authority. Having spared Major Boulton he cast about for a suitable victim, and soon found one in the person of Thomas Scott, a young Canadian who had taken part in the defence of Dr. Schultz's house, and been captured at that time but made his escape, and was again made prisoner w^hen Major Boulton's party was taken on its return from Kildonan. On neither occasion was Scott taken " in arms." Scott was one of the Canadians HISTORY OP MANITOBA. 395. in Dr. Schultz's house, but he did not surrender with them ; for when Kiel's troops surrounded the house on the evening^ before the surrender, Scott and Hallett went up to the Fort, unarmed, to ask Kiel to allow the women and children, wha were suffering considerable hardships, to be removed from the house. Instead of granting the request Riel arrested the messengers and put them in prison, from which Scott subsequently escaped, never having taken any oath to the Provisional Grovernment. On the second occasion of his arrest, — on the return of the Portage party from Kil- donan — all the arms were stowred away in the bottom of the sleigh, so that none of the party could be said to be "in arms," for although they had arms with them they were not available for use. Riel owed Scott a grudge because the latter had once put him out of a saloon in Winnipeg, when Riel was drunk and making some insulting remarks, and also because he was one of a party which stopped at the house of one Coutu, which Eiel was known to be in the habit of frequenting, and enquired for him, on the night that the Portage party came down to Kildonan. Besides thi& Scott was known to be enthusiastically loyal and not only refused himself to recognize Kiel's assumed authority, but encouraged others to do so also, therefore he was a fit subject for Eiel to wreak his vengeance on. Having determined on his victim Eiel ordered a " Court Martial " to try Scott, and he was accordingly tried on the evening of March third. The presiding officer of the Court was Adjutant-G-eneral L6pine, and the other members of the Court were Gr. Ritchot, Andre Nault, Elzear G-oulet, Elz6ar Lajemoniere, Baptiste Lupine and Joseph Delorme. At this so called trial, Eiel was witness, prosecutot and Judge ; and the pretended evidence was taken before Scott was brought into the Court. The proceedings were in French, a language which Scott did not understand ; and he vv^as not allowed an opportunity to- make any defence. He was accused of having taken up arms against the Provisional Government, after having- 396 HISTOKY OP MANITOBA. taken an oath not to do so,— wMch oath he never took— and also of striking one of the Captains. The story of the mock irial was so clearly told by Joseph Nolin, at the trial of Ambroise Lepine that we cannot do better than reproduce it here. He said: " I was Secretary of the Council ; on the ■evening of the third of March the meeting was for the pur- pose of trying Scott, to examine what evil he had done ; Scott was not present at the examination ; there were some witnesses examined who saw what Scott had done ; Hi el was one, Ed. Turner was another, Joseph Delorme was another ; I think there were others ; these witnesses were -examined by the Captains who composed the Council ; while the witnesses were examined, Scott was not present ; the witnesses were sworn by me ; I do not remember what evidence was given ; Scott was accused of having rebelled against the Provisional Government, and of having struck a Oaptain of the Guard ; there was only one who made a speech, viz., Eiel ; 1 remember he spoke against Scott ; after the evidence Scott was brought before the Council ; Kiel asked me to read to Scott what had passed before the Council ; I did not read anything, as I had taken only notes ; then Eiel explained to Scott himself the evidence whi(jh