^, IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-S) k A ^/ ^ ,Sf «>. A ^ %^ & ^ 1.0 I.I fcU|28 |2.5 |5o "^^ H^K L25 i 1.4 m 1.6 V] V) ^^ /. 0% '\> Xo'V^ A '/ Hiotographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 \ rv ^ o ^A '^\ ^ w' CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHM/ICMH Collection de microfiches. Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions / Institut Canadian de microreproductions historiques Technical and Bibliographic Notes/Notes techniques et bibiiographlquea The Institute has attempted to obtain the best original copy available for filming. Features of this copy which may be bibliographically unique, which may alter any of the images in the reproduction, or which may significantly change the usual method of filming, are checked below. D D D D D D Coloured covers/ Couverture de couleur I I Covers damaged/ Couverture endommag^e Covers restored and/or laminated/ Couverture restaur^e et/ou pellicul^e I I Cover title missing/ Le titre de couverture manque |~~| Coloured maps/ Cartes giographiques en couleur Coloured ink (i.e. other than blue or black)/ Encre de couleur (i.e. autre que bleue ou noire) I I Coloured plates and/or illustrations/ Planches et/ou illustrations en couleur Bound with other material/ RellA avec d'autres documents Tight binding may cause shadows or distortion along interior margin/ Lareliure serrde peut causer de I'ombre ou de la distortion le long de la marge intirieure Blank leaves added during restoration may appear within the text. Whenever possible, these have been omitted from filming/ II se peut que certaines pages blanches ajoutdes lors d'une restauration apparaissent dans le texte, mais, lorsque cela 6tait possible, ces pages n'ont pas 6t6 filmdes. L'Institut a microfilm^ le meilleur exemplaire qu'il lui a 6t6 possible de se procurer. Les details de cet exemplaire qui sont peut-Atre uniques du point de vue bibliographique, qui peuvent modifier une image reproduite, ou qui peuvent exiger une modification dans la mithode normale de filmage sont indiquAs ci-dessous. D D D / □ D D D D Coloured pages/ Pages de couleur Pages damaged/ Pages endommag^es Pages restored and/or laminated/ Pages restaurdes et/ou pellicul^es Pages discoloured, stained or foxed/ Pages dicolories. tachet6es ou piquies Pages detached/ Pages d^tachdes Showthrough/ Transparence Quality of print varies/ Quality inigale de I'impression Includes supplementary material/ Comprend du matiriel suppl^mentaire Only edition available/ Seule Edition disponible Pages wholly or partially obscured by errata slips, tissues, etc., have been refilmed to ensure the best possible image/ Les pages totalement ou partiellement obscurcies par un feuillet d'errata, une pelure, etc., ont M filmtes A nouveau de fapon A obtenir la meilleure image possible. T^ to Tl pc of fil Or be th sit ot fir si( or Th sh TH wl Ml dif en bei rig rec mc D Additional comments:/ Commentaires supplimentaires; This item is filmed at the reduction ratio checked below/ Ce document est filmi au taux de reduction indiquA ci-dessous. 10X 14X 18X 22X aix 30X ^ 12X 16X 20X 24X 28X v^^nv The copy filmed here has been reproduced thanks to the generosity of: Library of the Public Archives of Canada L'exemplaire filmA fut reproduit grAce d ia g*n6rositA de: La bibliothdque des Archives pubiiques du Canada The images appearing here are the best quality possible considering the condition and legibility of the original copy and in keeping with the filming contract specifications. Original copies in printed paper covers are filmed beginning with the front cover and ending on the last page with a printed or illustrated impres- sion, or the back cover when appropriate. All other original copies are filmed beginning on the first page with a printed or illustrated impres- sion, and ending on the last page with a printed or illustrated impression. The last recorded frame on each microfiche shall contain the symbol — ^ (meaning "CON- TINUED"), or the symbol V (meaning "END"), whichever applies. Maps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at different reduction ratios. Those too large to be entirely included in one exposure are filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams illustrate the method: Les images suivantes ont 6t6 reproduites avec le plus grand soin, compte tenu de la condition et de la nettet* de l'exemplaire filmd, et en conformity avec les conditions du contrat de filmage. Les exemplaires originaux dont la couverture en papier est imprimie sont fiimis en commenpant par le premier plat et en terminant soit par la dernidre page qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'iilustration, soit par le second plat, selon le cas. Tous les autres exemplaires originaux sont fiimis en commenpant par la premiere page qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'iilustration et en terminant par la derniire page qui comporte une telle empreinte. Un des symboles suivants apparaitra sur la derniire image de cheque microfiche, selon le cas: le symbols — ► signifie "A SUiVRE ", le symbole V signifie "FIN ". Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc.. peuvent dtre fiimds A des tsux de reduction diff^rents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour dtre reproduit en un seul cliche, il est filmi A partir de I'angle sup6rieur gauche, de gauche A droite. et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombro d'images nicessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mAthode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 6 6 V V- V V v^.r/ux.^V: •S 1^ Public Aichives Cdndcla Archives publiques r.dnada \^ ^.-^se -ffr:. LETTER TO Tin: Rlf.HT HONOURABLE THE EARL OF SELKIRK, ON HIS SEITLEMENT AT THE RED RIVER, KEAR \ HUDSON'S BAY, By JOHN STRACHAN, D.D. RECTOR OF YOllK, UPPER CANADA. EonUon: I'RIN TED FOB LONGMAN, HURST, REES, ORME, & BROWN J W. BLACKWOODi EDINBURGH y W TURNUULL, GLASGOW ; A. BROWN & CO. AND JAMES STRACHAN, ABERDEEN. 1816. #^ (4) IK Chafmers Sf Co. Printers, Jkrdcen. ■s ADVERTISEMENT. AS soon as I heard that the Earl of Selkirk tvos commencing a, ^settlement on the Red hiver, J dettrmined to ivarn the Public o ■' the . 13 ^t a reasonable expence, and the communication is easy and expeditious ; but, at the Red River, every thing is the reverse — no population, no comforts, no communication. If, indeed, this projected colony did possess as many advantages as thoj>e of Lower Canada, or Nova Scotia, I agree with your Lordship, that the purchase money is exceedingly reasonable, and that the profits of the proprietors would be immense ; but, as it possesses no real advantages, it will be found sufficiently dear. The Prospectus proceeds—" The title has beea 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 spread into it for a long period of time y and, till that take place, the disadvantage of its remote situation must be an insuperable objection, in the eyes of any uncon- nected individual, who is looking out for lands to establish his family. Hence, the prospect of find- ing settlers to purchase the lands in small lots, is remote, and, on this account, the proprietors are willing to part with it for an inconsiderable price. But the obstacles, which, to an unconnected ad- venturer, may be justly deemed insurmountable, may be overcome, with ease, by the combined ef- forts of many ^ and an adequate sum of money, G 1* judiciously expended in removing tlie first difficul- ties of an infant settlement, may place this tract of land in circumstances as advantageous to the proprietors, as if it were in the immediate vici- nity of populous colonies." This passage begins with declaring the title unexceptionable. The goodness of the title is the first thing to be considered by a purchaser of land : let us examine it. I 1st. The tract said to be purchased from the Hudson's Bay Company by your Lordship is sup- posed to embrace the West side of Lake Winipie, to extend from the 46th to the 52d degree of North latitude, and Westerly to the source of the water falling into that Lake. Your Lordship re- quires not to be informed, that the boundary line of the Hudson's Bay charter is fixed, by the treaty of Utrecht, at the 49th degree of North latitude. South of this line they cannot give the shadow of a title. Now, it appears, that the forks of the Hed River are very near the Company's boun- dary line, and that several emigrants have gone so far up the Southern branch as be beyond the line pointed out by the treaty of Utrecht. 2dly. In the treaty with the United States of America, in 1783, which the late treaty confirms, the boundary is declared to be aline from the North l'';. I 15 West point of the Lake of the Woods, found to be 49° 37' North, running due West, till it meet the Mississippi. It has been discovered, that such a line can never meet that river, the most Nor- thern branch of which arises in 47° 38' North lati- tude. There is consequently great risk, for we seem to give them every thing, till this difficulty be adjusted, of the greater part of the country designed for the settlement falling within the American territory. If the line between the British Colonies and the American States be drawn due West from the Lake of the Woods, as the Americans will, no doubt, insist on, notwith- standing its injustice, and their pertinacity may attain, then will all the farms of the colony, from the forks of the Red River, comprising all they now cultivate, and, perhaps, all worth cultivation, be clearly within the American territories. — Should this happen, it is sufficiently evident, that this nation of land speculators will not allow your Lordship's claim. If it turn out otherwise, the King will not confirm your purchase, unless very badly advised, by giving you a good title. For, as it will afterwards appear, the settlement, if it ever prosper, must of necessity become an ap- pendage to the United States, and, of course, hos- tile to Great Britain. The title is, therefore, so far from being secure, that it is exposed to the most Berious objections. c 2 16 5dly. Minor objections to the title may be dis- covered in the nature of the charter given by King Charles II. to the Governor and Company of Adventurers of England trading into Hudson's Bay. This charter was given under gross igno- rance of the Geographical situation of the countr}-. It gives the right of soil, along the bays and wa- ters, to the Governor and Company, but no right of transfer. Nor can it be implied, from any of the clauses, that the Governor and Adventurers have any claim whatever to the countryrso far into the interior as the proposed settlement is situated. In fine, the charter, conferring these privileges, has never received any parliamentary sanction, or confirmation. As to the opinion of lawyers, of the first eminence, declaring the title unexcep- tionable, it is here, as on many other occasions, of little weight, since other gentlemen, of the first le- gal character, in England, have pronounced the charter illegal, and void. The Hudson's Bay Company thought this latter the more correct opinion; for, in 1802, when their commerce was infringed upon by rival traders, they very wisely declined bringing the question to a decision in a court of justice. § m- After noticing the title, the Prospectus artfully assigns the remoteness of the situation as the cause of the cheapness of the purchase; but, in doing this, it is observed, no doubt, for the en- couragement of the settlers, " that the situation w mi 17 is such, that the population of the older settle- ments cannot be expected, in the natural course of things, to spread into it for a long period of time." e ' ' ■ t , * This language certainly implies tliat such a lime will come, and it will not be very remote, otherwise no subscribers would have been found so foolish as to give their money for a contingent beneHt, to happen a thousand years hence. Let us inquire -hito its probability. The boundary line between the British Colo- nies and the United States of America strikes the St. Laurence in the 45th degree of North lati- tude, and thence proceeds, through the middle of the Lakes and Rivers, to Lake Huron. Thus far both sides are capable of cultivation ; but, on entering Lake Huron, the Northern bank is bar- ren, and not habitable ; it consists of immense rocks and mountains, with little or no wood, in- terspersed with lakes, and small rivers, and, from every account, totally unfit for cultivation. The Northern side of Lake Superior is similar, so that, in the extent of these two Lakes, or for more than eight hundred and fifty miles, there can be no settlement. Trading stations there may be, but Upper Canada, the nearest colony, can never extend farther than to the North bank of Lake Huron, orto the extremity of its South East bank, I V 18 If to this we add the distance from Lake Supe- rior to Lake Winipie, which appears, in a direct line, by the map, five hundred miles, we may very safely say, that no British colony will ever ap- proach nearer than twelve or thirteen hundred miles. The Prospectus continues — " The expence, however, would be too great for an individual, and it is, therefore, proposed to form a joint stock company, in 200 shares, of e^. 100 each, so as to raise a sum of *^.20,000, of which a moiety to be employed in the purchase of the lands in question, the remainder in those expences which are necessary in bringing in settlers, and thereby rendering the land valuable." "^'^j \:. i; d The Governor and Adventurers trading to Hudson's Bay may congratulate themselves on receiving a^. 10,000 for a portion of their supposed territory, which, for the purpose of colonizing, is not worth so many farthings ; but to suppose, as your Lordship seems to do in this paragraph, that any sum of money can remedy the disadvantages arising from a situation so remote, is exceedingly absurd. But, as I feel no concern for any loss which the proprietors may experience, and am anxious only for the settlers, I proceed with the Prospectus. ■\ i i 19 ** To these settlers land will be disposed of, either in the way of sale, or lease in perpetuity, at the option of the settler, on terms very advan- tageous to him, and, at the same time, abundantly advantageous to the proprietors. As there are various objections against receiving into the pro- posed settlement, any Americans, of the descrip- tion of those who are likely to offer themselves, the settlers must be emigrants from Europe j and the most feasible plan seems to be, that they should be selected from those parts of the United Kingdom which are most over-burthened with inhabitants, viz. the Highlands of Scotland, and some parts of Ireland. A small proportion 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 in their destination could injure no part of the kingdom, and would save to the empire subjects who would, otherwise, be entirely lost to their country. To facilitate an object thus equally ad- vantageous to the public, and to the parties con- cerned, it is proposed that a preference should be allowed to subscribers who are personally con- nected with these districts of the kingdom, and whose local influence may be of service in pro- moting the desired change in the destination of those who are determined to emisjrate." ^;i When we come to the consideration of the ao I terms offered to the settlers, we shall find them such as no American would accept. So flir, therefore, the poor emigrants from Ireland and Scotland are under no particular obligation to your Lordship. But to turn the stream of emi- gration from the United States of America to the British Colonies is confessedly an object of tho greatest importance, and were this the effect of your Lordship's exertions, they could not be suf- iiciently praised. To preserve the subjects of Great Britain as loyal colonists, who find their situation disagreeable at home, and are deter- mined to emigrate, must be the earnest wish of Government, and no proper means of bringing it about ought to be omitted. It appears, indeed, from measures lately taken, that the Ministry begin to be sensible of its importance, and it is to be hoped, that a total exclusion of American settlers will form part of their plan 5 for, unless this policy be adopted) and rigidly adhered to, this valuable colony cannot be long preserved to the British Crown. V "' % The Americans sliould be considered aliens, as well as other nations, and declared incapable of holding landed property, or of having any share in the Government. The general defection of recent settlers from the United States of Ame- rica during the late contest, shews this to be a measure of imperious necessity, for, while the i 21 great majority of the people exliibitcd a loyalty which has never been surpassed, the greater part of the American adventurers either deserted, or licld back ; and, in some parts of the country wlierc they were numerous, endangered the safe- ty of loyal subjects, by their treacherous adhe- rence to the cnemv. ■'a (Convinced that your Lordship's intentions of establishing a colony of loyal subjects is perfectly sincere, and that you are too well acquainted with the depravity of the American character to desire any number of that people in your settlement, I am, nevertheless, persuaded, that, so far from raising a colony of British subjects, whose prin- ciples and morals shall be free from the contami- nation of the United States, and prove a bulwark to their encroachments, you are exerting every nerve to tempt British subjects to leave their na- tive homes and friends, to cross the seas, and to risk their lives, who must afterwards, from their situation, become American citizen"., or be cut off' from all practicable communication with the rest of the world. Perhaps your Lordship is not sufficiently aware of the great difficulty which the projected settlement will have in communicating with Hudson's Bay, or with Canada, and the small distance that intervenes between the source of the lied River, and one of the branches of the i i< '• li f* K V ' i '■ 38 Mississippi. These particulars w6 shall illustrate in the sequel. The skill exhibited in selectinj^ proprietors in districts where settlers may be found most easily, and in making use of them as recruiting Serjeants, and giving them an interest iu the success of the colony, proves your Lordship an able General, and, had it been in a better cause, would have merited praise j but to tempt to ruin and misery deserves the severest punishment. «* The settlement," continues the Prospectus, " is to be formed in a territory where religion is not the ground of any civil disqualification 5 an un- reserved participation in every privilege will, therefore, be enjoyed by the Protestant and Ca- tholic, without distinction j and it is proposed, that, in every parochial division, an allotment of lands shall be made, for the perpetual support of a clergyman, of that persuasion which the majo- rity of the inhabitants adhere to." So far this is praiseworthy, but, to render the system liberally complete, a similar allotment ought to be made for the instruction of youth, and a general one for the whole colony, for the purposes of internal improvement, making of roads, helping the navigation, &c. ; nor ought the minority to be left destitute of religious in- i ;'>5t 1 M I Q3 %v, V structiou, wlien they are respectable for tlieir num- bers, in any parish. In a new settlement, persons of every denomination assemble, and it is fre- quently difMcult to ascertain what persuasion pre- dominates ; but, as the greater number have joined themselves to some society of Christians before they emigrate, it is desirable to maintain a religious principle in their minds. It is, there- fore, a matter of greater importance than may be at first supposed, to provide religious instruction for all the members of a rising colony, without encouraging the multiplicity of sects. ** As^the lands in question," continues the Prospectus, ** possess important natural advan- tages over any which now remain unoccupied in Nova Scotia, and the adjacent colonies, it cannot be deemed unreasonable, if the settlers, in gene- ral, are charged for 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 lands, without incurring more expence than if they were to settle in these mari- time colonies, l^ke managers of the concern must, therefore, undertake to provide convey- ance, at moderate rates, for the emigrants who go out under their patronage. The rate of pas- sage-money paid on boaril other ships bound to America may be taken as the criteriofi. These rates being always proportioned to the prices of D 2 Ml 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 consi- derable distance x'rom the sea, an extra expence must be incurred for the inland conveyance, which the emigrants cannot be expected to pay, if ihey are to be charged for land at the rate of the maritime colonies. The expence which will thus fall upon the proprietors may be estimated at about L.IO sterling for each family of settlers, at an average. This, however, will be amply reim- bursed in the price of their land." It It is not easy to discover, in the former part of the Prospectus, any thing to justify the gratui- tous assertion with which this paragraph com- mences. As to Nova Scotia I cannot speak from personal knowledge, but, in Lower and Upper Canada, as good lands remain to be granted, with- in half a day's journey (in many places within a mile) of navigable streams and lakes, as any that have been given away. To say, therefore, that the lands on the Red River possess important na- tural advantages over any which now remain un- occupied in Nova Scotia, and the adjacent colo- nies, is to deceive, unless it can be proved, that a tract of land, far from protection, and sur- rounded by hostile Indians, is more valuable than yicher land, in the midst of wealthy settlements. •V'i ■# ' AS loss m 25 It is well known, that the inhabited part of Upper Canada consists of a very narrow strip, along the banks of the St. Lawrence, and the Lakes, extend- ing, in many places, not more than twelve miles back, and that, in this settled portion, the Go- vernment still retains one-seventh, which may be given to good settlers, and, at this very time, is actually granting to emigrants from the United Kingdom. In truth, the lands to be granted are more eligible, all things considered, than those which were bestowed on the Loyalists at the com- mencement of the settlement of Upper Canada. The new settler has not now, as he had then, to travel two or three hundred miles for his supplies; the old settlements, within a fevf hours walk, can furnish him with all he wants. The Southern townships of Lower Canada, now granting to emigrants, are equal, perhaps superior, in point of soil, to any other part of this province. »»;? ■^J^ " The Red River," says Sir Alex. M*Kenzie, vol. i. page 59, intro, ** runs in a Southern direc- tion to near the head-waters of the Mississippi. The country, on either side, is but partially sup- plied with wood, and consists of plains, covered with Buffalo and Elk, especially on the Western side. On the Eastern side are lakes and rivers, and the whole country is well wooded, level, abounding in Beaver, Bears, Mouse Deer, Fal- low Deer, &c. The natives, who are of the Al- fc!'. 26 gonquin tnbe« are not very numerous, and are considered as the natives of Lake Superior. This country being near the Mississippi, is also inha- bited by the Nadowasis, who are the natural ene- mies of the former, the head of the water being the war line. They are in a continual state of hostility, and, although the Algonquins are equally brave, the others generally out-number them. It is very probable, therefore, that if the latter continue to venture out of the woods, which form their only protection, they will soon be ex- tirpated. There is not, perhaps, a finer country in the world, for the residence of uncivilized man, than that which occupies the space betweea this river and Lake Superior. It abounds in every thing necessary to the wants and comforts of such a people. Fish, venison, and fowl, with wild rice, are in great plenty j while, at the same time, their subsistence requires that bodily exer- cise, so necessary to health and vigour." I»:| I quote the whole of this passage, although great- er part of the eulogy, with which it concludes, be- longs to that part of the country which must fall within the territories of the United States, that I may not be accused of partiality. Sir Alex, praises it only as a fine residence for uncivilized man, and the very circumstances which render it valuable to them detract from its value as a civi- lized colony. At all events, the soil of the best 27 parts (independent of the bad situation) is not equal to that of millions of acres granting by the Government, in the Canadas, for nothing. The expence of bringing out emigrants will average, your Lordship says, L.IO for each fa- mily ; tliis will be found by the rest of the pro- prietors sufficiently low, but, were the settlement to succeed, they could well afford four times the sum.* «« The lowest price of land," says the Prospec- tus, " in the maritime colonies, when sold to ac- tual settlers, and possessing any tolerable advan- tages of situation, is at the rate of lOs. 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, if they are allowed some ac- commodation of time for the payment : and 100 acres, at the above rate, will amount to L.50, leaving a nett advantage of L.40, after reim- bursing the charge of bringing in the settler. If he should prefer leasing, his rent will, in two years, repay the charges, and will remain afterwards as a clear income to the proprietors.** Your Lordship must have been very badly in- * It appears, that, instead of Ten Pounds for each family, Ten Guineas are paid for Man, Woraaa, and Child, which makes ao immense difference to the settler. — See the Postscript. ■■ 1-: I ■ n 1 41-: 28 formed of the price of land in the maritime colo- nies, (which, no doubt, include the Canadas,) "when you state the lowest rate at lOs. per acre. You may purchase thousands of acres at 2s. 6d. The writer of these remarks was urged to pur- chase, about 18 months ago, 1200 acres of land, in a very good situation, for L.l(X), or Is. 8d. per acre, and, after keeping it a year, offered it back for the same money, and interest, which was de- clined. As to leases for perpetuity, they are never heard of. Who would think of giving nearly as much for rent as might purchase the fee-simple? To charge L.50 for every hundred acres, in a place so remote, is to pillage the unfortunate emi- grant ; for, if he had found his way to Canada, he "would have received 200 acres for nothing, or, at most, L.9, the price of survey ; and, instead of being cut off from all the world, he would have been in a good neighbourhood, and near a good market for his produce. In this province, farms are frequently purchased, with improvements, for two dollars per acre ; that is, from 10 to 30 acres clear, with a small log house. In the midst of rich settlements, and in favourable situations, the price is greater, sometimes ten dollars per acre ; but the average price of land through the whole province does not exceed one dollar. 29 Any industrious person coming to the Canadas^ with the means of paying his passage, and L..50 or L.lOO in his pocket, will soon acquire a good farm ; and if he come without any capital, the savings on his wages will,' in two years, purchase an uncultivated farm ; or, if he receive a grant from the crown, which he may always do, he caa purchase cattle to stock it. The Prospectus proceeds to mention the pro- duce that may be raised, with advantage, on the banks of the Red River. 1^ " As the inland situation of the settlement will preclude the settler from some of the sources of profit which are enjoyed in maritime situations, it becomes 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 ex- pence of a considerable inland navigation. This cultivation is also a favourite national object, and the settlement will derive benefit from the public encouragement which is held out for promoting it. i» " A still more beneficial object of attention is the growth of fine wool, an article so valuable, that it could bear any expence of inland convey- ance, and one for which the country is peculiarly I J i i m 'i i ; fe." I l*'t ', no adapted. In the vicinity of the proposed settle- ment there are immense open plains, without ivood, fine dry grass land, much of it capable of immediate cultivation, and all well fitted for pas- turage, particularly for sheep. This is an advan- tage which no other part of British America pos- sesses by nature, and to which the colonists of the maritime provinces cannot attain, without the la- borious and expensive operation of clearing* If to this advantage the proprietors add that of a good breed of Spanish Merino sheep, the settlers can never meet with any difficulty in paying the price or rent of their lands. The fleeces of ten or twelve sheep will pay the rent of 100 acres, ;md with the produce of a very small stock, the price of a lot of land may be paid off in three or four years." ^.1 Before we can form a correct opinion of the va- lue of these productions, it is necessary to exa- mine the communications between the Red River and the sea. These communications are three : I. By Hudson's Bay, II. By Canada. HI. By the Mississippi, si 1. Bj Hudson's Bay. York Factori/, from which the boats for the interior take their departure, is situated in lat. 57* V North, long. 92° 36' West. Miles> Hai/es*s River, About 8 miles of this river the boats may be carried up by the tide ; the rest of the distance is a strong cur- rent, which requires them to be towed. . . 52 Steel River, Must be towed up. . 27 Hill River, to the Here the navigation for Jirst Fall. boats becomes inconveni- . ent, (tho* they may proceed with difficulty) and canoes are commonly used. . 32 To the Head of In this distance there is a Hill River, series of shoals, strong ra- pids, innumerable sunken rocks, twelve portages, and many discharges. . 30 Swampi/ Lake, ..... 7 Jack Tent River, Many rapids, and five car- rying places. . . 10 Knee Lake, 47 Trout River, Many rapids, two carrying places. • • .13 Carried forward, 218 82 Is 1. - Brought forward, Miles. 218 30 HolyLale* Rivulets Sc smaJl\ jy-^ «„^« •„„ ^i„„„„ en, Y h >Jbive carrying places. . 50 Eachawaymamus In dry seasons no water Brook, Hair LaJce. runs in this brook. There are ten beaver dams kept in repair ; and in dry sea- sons the canoes must wait the brook filling up. At the foot of the dam it is frequently as dry as a barn floor This discharges into the Saskatchawan. One carrying place. Saskatchawan. Flay Green Lake Lake Winipie. By the east side, which is much the shortest, Red River to the Forks, .... Fembino Brook, ..... 28 7 35 14 300 43 90 815 m, The distance from York Factory to the settle- ment appears to be eight hundred and fifteen miles ; but as the greater number of the settlers stepped near the Forks, at which the government house was built, we must subtract ninety miles, which leaves seven hundred and ten miles, inter- vii 33 rupted with twenty-five carrying place?*, besides many otiier impediments. As you pr». -eed up the river from the Forks to Pembino Brook, the cHmate becomes much milder, and the soil more favourable. On this route the rivers and lakes begin to break up in the latter end of May ; but they are not sufficiently clear of ice to admit of a safe navi- gation, till the middle of June; nor can a boat or canoe leave York Factory for the Red River, later than the 6th of September. The settler can, therefore, depend only upon eighty-three days in the year for transacting the commercial business of the colony by Hudson's Bay. In the distance between York Factory and Lake Winipie, boats can navigate only one hundred and twelve miles with advantage. From the entrance of the Lakes to the Forks of the Red River, boats are prefer- able to canoes. Through this whole distance from the sea to the settlement, the crew of a boat or canoe will rarely be able to find five days provi- sions, and must support themselves with what they have laid in store. During winter, when travelling on the ice and snow, things are still worse. Through all the distance, the country is extremely forbidding, being little more than one vast range of rocks, swamps, and morasses. — Should any misfortune happen to the boat or canoe, the crew must inevitably perish. f !i ) -r V I .1 II li 34 It is proper to remark, that some little variety, according to the seasons, may take place in the portages and rapids. Some years the waters are much higher than others. This season, Lake Ontario has been three feet higher than it has been known for twenty years. The same has happened to all the Lakes. But I have endea- voured, from the best information that I could obtain, to ascertain the average, and on it only can the settlers depend. 2. The Communication to the Red River Settleme7it bij Canada. The distance from Montreal to Red River is upwards of two thousand miles. From that city to Fort William on Lake Suj^'^vior, the principal post of the North- West Company, there are two routes : one by the St. Lawrence, Lakes Ontario, Erie, St. Clair, Huron, and Superior. These lakes are navigated by vessels of from 20 to 200 tons burthen. The St. Lawrence, and part of the strait between Lakes Ontario and Erie, by bye- boats. There is also a portage of ten miles to pass the Falls of Niagara. It is now in contem- plation to pass immediately from Lake Ontario into Lake Huron, by which a tedious navigation of more than three hundred miles will be cut off. The second route from Montreal to Fort Wil- liam is by the Ottawa River. This stream can be ii * ety, the are ake has has Jea- ml/ 33 navigated by canoes only j and before you reach Luke Huron, there are thirty-one carrying places, some of them exceeding a mile in length. Over these the canoes are carried on men's shoulders, and the goods on their backs, as they are by the route from York Factory. The river Ottawa can- not be navigated by any other craft than bark canoes. They are commonly of the largest size, carrying about four tons, and requiring nine men to navigate them — that is the crew of a vessel of two hundred tons. After reaching Lake Huron, the two routes join to Fort William. At this place you leave Lake Superior, and pass up a small brook in order to go to the Red River. Before you reach the Lake of the Woods, there are twenty-five carrying places to surmount, ex- ceeding, in all, twenty-two miles, besides several very short ones. Between the Lake of the Woods and Lake Winipie there are eighteen more, some a mile in length. The navigation of the river Winipie is very dangerous ; but as there is no other route from Lake Superior to the Red River, it must be encountered. From Fort Wilh'am to Lake Winipie small canoes are used, hardly con- taining two-fifths of those used in passing up the Ottawa, on account of the shallowness of the wa- ters, and the badness of the rapids. But the dif- ficulties of this route will be felt more forcibly, from the detail extracted from I^ir Alexander Mackenzie's Voyages. '• 'n 1^ hi' I so ^^ A TABLE Of the distance from Fort William, on Laic Sit* periorf about thirteen hundred miles Jrorn MoU' trealt or two thousand from the sea, to your Lordship* s Colony on the Red River* JSIilus. To Partridge Portage, .... 2 This portage OCX) paces long. To the Prairie, or Meadow, ... 3 Tlie half of the load to be carried 3^ miles. To the Carrcbouef Portage, This portage G80 paces long. To the Outard Portage, This poitage 2400 paces long. To the Elk Portage, .... This portage 1 120 paces long. To the Portage De Cerire, To the second Portage De Cerire, This portage 410 paces long. To the last Portage De Cerire, This portage 380 paces long. To the end of the Mountain Lake, • This portage 626 paces long. To the next Portage, .... This portage only a few paces. To the New Grande Portage, This portage 3100 paces long. 3i- 3 6 4 Oi 6 2i Or Carried forward, 31 S7 Brought forward, To Martin Portage, .... This portage only 20 paces long. 1 Perch Portage, through a mud- pond, This portage 480 paces long. To the head of Pigeon River, . , Tliis portage 679 paces long. To the Escalier Portage, . . , This portage 53 paces long. Tothe Cheval DuBois, . , , This portage 380 paces long. To the Portage Des Gros Pins, This portage 640 paces long. To the end of Maraboeuf Lake, or Rock Logenaga, This portage 55 paces long. To Le Roche, This portage 43 paces long. To Prearie Portage, .... This portage 61 1 paces long. To the little Portage De Coteaux, . This portage 165 paces Jong. To the end of the Lake De Coteaux, Two portages, 15 and 190 paces long. To the Portage De Carpes, This portage 390 paces long. To the Portage of Lac Bois Blanc, . This portage 180 paces long. 31 S 0-4 ii 2t Oi i4j: 14 1 5 17 1 5 Carried forward, 107 ;f l-<4 '.i \:.. '^. m •iii' li:; •;| 15 1 2 88 Miles Brought forward, 107 To the end of Lac Bois Blanc, This portage 200 paces long. To the Portage Des Pins, This portage 400 paces long. To the Pont Du Bois, This portage 280 paces long. To La Croche, .... This portage 80 paces long. To Portage De Rideau, This portage 400 paces long. To Huron Portage, This portage 400 paces long. To the Portage Du Croix, This portage 600 paces long. To the next Portage, This portage 40 paces long. To Vermilion Lake, To the Nouvelle Portage, This portage 180 paces long. To the second Nouvelle Portage, about This portage S20 paces long. To the Chaiidiere Portage, To the Lac De Pluie, * To the end of the Lake, To the Chaudiere, This portage 320 paces long. To Lac Du Bois, 80 18 3 34 Oi 4 22 2r 3r 39 \'iy i Carried forward, 335. f S9 Miles. Brought forward, 335i • To River Winipie, . . , . 75 1 This portage 50 paces long. i-^tik^ To the Dalles, 8 " 1 To the Grand Discharge, 25^ I Here is a very long portage. To the Little Discharge,. . 1^ ^1 To Terre Jeune Portage, . 2f I To Terre Blanche, 2i \i To Portage De L*Isle, . • . , ^T , ftfX To Jacob's Falls, , 26 i ,• ' 'i A portage, the falls 15 feet high. > To Woody Point, . . . . • er i ' f A portage. >i To Rocky Portage, 2 f ,1 To Chute a L'Esclave, . . , , 2 .; This portage long. 1 To the Barrier , 6i To the Grand Rapid, 10 '1 To the White River, . . . , 12 : .4 Seven portages all in sight. *,. f i To the Lake De Bonnet, , 15 ^ 1. '. To Pen na was, . . . . , 1 4 ; 1 ' ' " To the Gulet Du Lac Du Bonnet, . 2 ^■ To the Gulet Du Bonnet, H i 1 J To the Portage Du Bonnet, s This portage nearly 1^ miles long. '.-■; To Terre Blanche, , . . . 2 Two portages. * Carried forward, 546 i F 2 I M\' . 1 40 Milesi^ Brought forward. 546^ To Des Eaun qui Remuint, S A portage. To second Des Eaun, &c. only a few yards, Sf A portage. To third, &c. 4 . * . l^ ^ ^ A portage. To Provision House, ( • • . 2f To Lake Winipie, o • • • 41- i To the Red River, . • • • 40 To the Forks, • • • . 43 c » .' 644f 1 r': Note '-The length of the portages or carrying places is not always marked in Sir Alexander Mackenzie's Voyage ; I have put down those that are. Gentlemen passing and repassing by this route, mention twenty five carrying places to the Lake of the Woods, and eighteen more to Lake Winipie. Wlren I re- marked that this did not correspond exactly with Sir Alexander's account, they replied, that his number was greater^ as be no- ticed some short ones that they omitted. ^ ... The third Route to Red River is bi/ the Mississippi. Erom the Settlement, at the Forks of Red River, To Pembino, . . * » • , 90 To the Otter-Tail Lake Portage, . • 200 This portage 4- a mile. To the end of Otter- Tail Lake, . , 10 Here a portage of nearly 1} miles. i i:. 'iS' 41 Miles, A small Lake. To another Lake, .... 4* Which discharges into the Leaf River, the length of which is .... 90 To the end of the River De Corheau, . 60 To the Falls of St. Anthony, . . . 300 After this there is no impediment to the navi- gation in this direction. Indeed the Otter-Tail may be properly considered the head of the Mis- sissippi, from which there is only one portage, till you reach the Falls of St. Anthony. Large boats can pass up the Red River as high as the portage to Otter-Tail Lake. To the east of the Red River the plains are passable for waggons, and the distance from Pembino to the Falls o£ St. An- thony, not more than three hundred miles. Cattle and produce of different kinds might be taken by land along this route, as it is much shorter than by water. .' ■^' '-'■ ' ^f"' i ,\M '• r. That this must be the outlet to the colony, were the impediments greater than we have any reason to believe them to be, is the opinion of all the in- telligent persons whom I have conversed with from that country, and is sufficiently evident from the slightest examination of the other two. The American settlements up the Mississippi will at length approach the projected settlement on the Red River j and the application of steam to the -.4 I'M "1: rj; ! I^ 42 purposes of navigation in that river, will give va- lue to lands which were supposed of no use, on account of their great distance from the sea, and consequently from any market. Your Lordship cannot conceal the utter impos- sibility of raising any bulky commodities for ex- portation to advantage, (such as grain, beef, pork, &c.) and your list is confined to two, as at all likely to succeed. 1. Hemp. — Of this article it may be sufficient to remark, that it cannot be raised profitably even in the Canadas, although a premium has been of- fered by the legislature. Labour is still too dear, and mills, with other facilities for making up the raw material, too scarce, to enable the cultivator to sell at a reasonable price. These impediments will no doubt vanish, as the population increases, in the Canadas ; but the in- terior situation of Red River adding an immense inland carriage to common difficulties, renders the raising of hemp, with any prospect of advan- tage, utterly impossible. The transport of hemp from the Red River to Montreal, would cost Is. per pound, or L.112 per ton. Add the freight from Montreal to London, and a very reasonable remuneration to the farmer, and it could not be offered in the British market at less than L.160 43 per ton. It may be purchased from Russia at L.86, or nearly half the price. To bring it by Hudson's Bay might not, per- haps, be quite so expensive ; but the difference could not be great, as it is the carriage in boats and canoes that raises it so high : for after you get upon the great lakes of Canada, where vessels of burthen are used, the transport is moderate. Besides, the season for passing and repassing to York Factory is so short, as to render the car- riage of any bulky article (or a large quantity of any thing) totally impracticable. You have little more than two months for travelling, a period hardly sufficient for one voyage. Rafts cannot be made here as on the St. Lawrence, to carry at once the produce of many farms, the rivers are so small, and carrying places so numerous. JFool. — Your Lordship contends that this ar- ticle may be raised to great advantage. In 1811, the staplers paid only 2s. a pound for the best English wool. Spanish, of the best quality, sold for 5s. or 6s. The former would not, therefore, pay cost and charges ; but Merinoes from Spain might produce wool that might bear the cost of transportation, and still yield a profit, if the soil and climate prove favourable. The facilities for sheep (your Lordvship says) are very great, parti- cularly the large plains, covered with grass and I h'^ k'l i ? : I „ 'lit. ? 44. ♦ X, ' V n It totally clear of woods, on which immense flocks may be daily fed. — The advantages of these plains for sheep-walks may be justly questioned. The grass is extremely coarse, the bottom not close and foggy like English pastures : it will tend, therefore, in all probability, to alter the natural qualities of the sheep. Such plains are frequently unhealthy, and the wolves are innumerable. In Spain, the fineness of the wool depends upon the variation of climate which the Merinoes enjoy in going from one part of the kingdom to the other, as the seasons change ; nor is it probable, that a climate infinitely more severe, and coarser food, without the advantage of changing, will make no alteration in the fleece of these valuable animals. But let us suppose that the wool grows in fall per- fection, it is the only article which your colonists can raise with any prospect of advantage. How slender any hopes founded upon this solitary pro- duction must be, will appear evident from the bare inspection of the routes by York Factory and Canada. Is it not clear, my Lord, tliat they cannot be used even for transiporting valuable ar- ticles in great quantities, unless it were practi- cable to settle them through the whole extent, which we have shewn to be impossible? The number of men required for tlie small boats and canoes, the smallness of their burden, a consider- able part of which must be taken up with provi- sions necessary for the voyage, are impediments which time and enterprise cannot remedy. i 45 The sail e difficulties attend the transport of necessaries for the colony. All that the inhabi- tants require from England must be so enhanced in value, as to force them, in a few years, to pay more than would have purchased the same articles and a comfortable farm to boot, in the maritime colonies. The same difficulties will not be experienced in the route by the Mississippi. The Red River is navigable to the Otter. Tail Lake by boats ; and in this direction there is nothing to be apprehen- ded from the climate, or from the want of provi- sions. The traveller may find game in abun- dance, and the weather becomes milder as he ad- vances. The portage to the Mississippi, or Otter- Tail, is short, and craft may be constructed at a small distance from its source, capable of carrying a large quantity of produce. Whether hemp would bear the expence of transportation even in this direction, may be reasonably doubted ; but that this will be preferred as the outlet to the co- lony, if it be not abandoned, admits of no question. I know, my I^ord, that the settlers have been told that they would find a market for any provi- sions they might raise, on the spot, from the trad- ers belonging to the Hudson's Bay and Canada Companies ; but you must be aware, that a very few good farms will supply all that can be wanted* Q i\ P:'', »1 It; m i:' ^)i 4f) Besides, the trailers can nriiike their own price : for, if the settlers do not take what they chuse to give, they will be told to keep their produce, as they can do as well without it now as heretofore. Indeed the fur trade, from Canada especially, can only be supported by great enterprise, and the saviniTs on outfits. The traders and canoe- men are accustomed to depend entirely upon their own exertions> and in many places live alto- gether upon fish. Were these traders obliged to carry provisions for their people into the interior, no retiu'n of furs which they could procure would defray the expencc. , r-L ,■;,.,. ■ Behold, then, nf>y Lord, the true situation of your colony. If it succeed, it must ultimately belong to the Americans. And such an advan- ced colony will be of infinite advantage to the United States, by separating their people from the Indians, and proving a sort of barrier or line of protection. — If your colonists quarrel with the Indians and are massacred, (a melancholy occur- rence very probable) the loss wilt not be sustained by the United States but by England, The In- dians, learning the vices of the whites, will dimi- nish in numbers and cease to be formidable, by the time that they have cut oft' two or three races of emigrants. Then, when more emigrants are afraid to trust themselves, and the few that may have survived are reduced to despair, the Ame- 47 rican populaliou will conic fbrward ami eslablish a settlement without trouble or expence. The Prospectus proceeds : — ** With such ad- vantages the settlers must thrive rapidly, and it will soon become apparent to them that the land is worth a much higher price. At first, however, it cannot be supposed that the common emigrant "will understand or become capable of appreciat- ing their advantages. On the contrary, it is to be expected that they will be diffident, and afraid of venturing to a new and (to them) an unknown country : it will therefore be necessary to give some extraordinary encouragement to a few of the first who enter into the plan." I have failed, my Lord, in communicating my own impressions, if, after reading the preceding remarks on the Prospectus, any disinterested per- son shall consider the settlers to possess such ad- vantages as the Prospectus promises. The obser- vation, ther«fore, with which this passage begins, might be considered ironical and excite a smile, were not the subject too serious. It is too much, my Lord, to bring families from their native homes, many of which were no doubt comfortable, to a wilderness, far from their friends and relatives, where they have to learn new habits, to suffer the greatest privations, and G 2 {: li^ \-i I :.! * 1 It I- 0- •!(! m I. « 48 make sacrifices revolting to all tlieir feelings, and nl'fer all have no prospect before tiieni but misery and want — and then talk of their advantages ! > It is, indeed, well said, that they will not un- derstand or appreciate these advantac^es : for, had your Lordship visited this country in person, and its avenues of communication, as you ought to have done, before a settlement under your pa- tronage was \ttempted, you would have found as great difficulty in discovering them as the settlers will do. — In speaking of the soil and climate, I confine myself to the South branch of the Red River, because it is every way more favourable : but the tract of land between it and the North branch, or Assiniboin, is almost one continued plain. — ** The soil is sand and gravel, with a slight intermixture of earth, and produces a short grass. Trees are very rare ; nor are there on the banks of the river sufficient, except in particular spots, to build houses and supply firewood for the trading establishments, of which there are four principal ones. Both these rivers are navigable for canoes to their source without a fall, though in some parts there are rapids, caused by occa- sional beds of limestone and gravel ; but, in ge- neral, they have a sandy bottom." — [Sir Alcxan^ der Mackenzie's Voyage, The Prospectus thus concludes : — " From this and other causes, the commencement of the un- 'U 4f^ dertaking must be subject to cxpenccs, which will not continue permanently when the settlement is well established : but it is only by means of this first outlay that we can expect to attain the ulti- mate advantages which are to accrue to the pro- prietors. There is no room to believe that these expences 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, therefore, must elapse, before the profits of the undertaking can be sufficient to afford a dividend to the proprietors. After that period, the returns may be expected to increase 1 ipidly, and will soon form an ample indemnifica- tion to the subscribers for the loss of interest on their money in the meantime. The amount to which the profits may ultimately arise, seems al- most to baffle imagination upon any principle of calculation which can reasonably be adopted ; the result comes out so extraordinary great, that it might appear like exaggeration to state it. But the diflference between buying land at Id. or 2d. per acre, and selling it at 8s. or 10s. is very pal- pable, and does not seem to require much com- ment. The speculation may not suit those who require an immediate income ; but for any one who is desirous of providing beforehand for a young family, such an opportunity seldom oc- curs. if 'iHrar. i'^i :i.'* f'l If 'I These flattering promises to the proprietors are not more Hkeiy to be fulfilled than those made to actual settlers. But for them I feel no concern. Their money will be expended, and then, per- l)aps, they will discover, that they have been made the tools of a commercial company. — But were these promises to be realized which the Prospec- tus intimates, your Lordship ought to have been satisfied with a more moderate profit, and instead of L.50, given your lands for L.20, or even less, to actual settlers j L.IO to transport each family to the proposed settlement, and L.10 to the pro- prietor ; or, if the settler chuse rather a lease in perpetuit}^ which is not likely, then id. per acre instead of Is. would have been amply sufficient: for surely a rent equal to the price in fee-simple must have satisfied the most rapacious subscriber. Having gone through the Prospectus, let us pause for a moment, and look at the result. — We iiave shewn, That the title is insecure; That the settlement can receive neither pro- tection nor assistance from the British co- lonies ; That the communications by Canada and Hud- son's Bay are impracticable for the purposes of commerce ; That there is no market for grain or provisions of any sort 5 R.rf: M ■1/ ir. ,51 '1 Iiatonly one article, viz. wool, can be pointed out capable of paying transport ^ That this article may not succeed, on account of the wolves, the soil, and climate ; That the difficulty of communication will pre- vent the colonists from receiving any sup- plies, unless at an enormous expence ; Tliat the price of the land to settlers is a shame- ful imposition, and supported by statements that are false ; That the foundation for serious contention is laid, in not having satisfied the claims of the natives before the settlement was attempted ; That there is the str'^v .jest probability that the first colonists will be massacred by the In- dians ; That all the promises urged in the Prospectus to leave Great Britain are false or delusive ; That the colony, if it succeed, must, of neces- sity, from its frontier, become dependent on the United States, and, at length, an Ameri- can colony ; That to encourage emigration to the Red River, is to sacrifice the superfluous population of Great Britain, and to injure her American colonies. ' I '^m It appears very probable to me, my Lord, that the British Government will turn its attention to your projected settlement. To lose subjects in the present state of the world is to lose power, w 52 iuici consequently every attempt at colonization slioiiltl be considered a national concern. It may not l)c wise to prevent emigration, but it is surely tlieinterest of'Government to take care that good subjects do not become useless, or altogether cut off from the body politic. i \ Colonies are commonly planted for the purpose of increasing the shipping and commerce, and conse(iuently the resources of the mother coun- try. But none of these advantages can ever be expected from your settlement. It yields no commodities for exportation. Two only are to be attempted — one must fail ; the success of the other is extremeiv doubtful : nor is it of suffi- eient importance to expose respectable families to misery, even if it should succeed. It is impossible for tlie Government to stand neuter upon tliis occasion when once properly int'ormod, as there will not onlv be a crreat waste ot' vahiablo Hvos in otFecting the settlement, and intiniio misery, but, likewise, a very great loss of moans, which might have been employed to the greatest advantage. 1. The proprietors expend - - L.20,CO<') As thov are most arii'uilv selected from ditibreut parts of the United .Kinc:dom, manv mav be induced thro' their intiuence to emiiirate. 53 Suppose the number, if not checked* to be 10,000 ftnnilies, possessing, each, L.50, L.500,000 And all this to establish a colony of no use to Great Britain, if successful ; but, on the contrary, increasing the strength of an invidious foe. It is, however, more than probable, that very few of this number will be found alive at the end of se- ven years to tell their tale of woe. An Indian, for the most trifling offence, may set fire to their harvests ; and as the settlers oc- cupy favourite hunting grounds, they cannot al- ways avoid contention. The loss of a single har- vest must be attended with the most dreadful con- sequences. There are no settlements within reach from which to procure provisions. Should, therefore, such a disaster happen, the settlers would be forced to go to the grass plains to hunt the buffaloe for subsistence. But as the Indians are very tenacious of their rights as sovereigns of the soil, they would be compelled to hunt in great numbers, leaving their helpless families in the meantime exposed for many days to the insults and revenge of their new enemies. Should the surrounding Indians become generally hostile, there is no escape from the Red River even for a populous colony. The navigation is so intricate, and attended with so many difficulties^ that a few 1 \i », .1 i;:} I i; ii! 'U 54 resolute men could stop and destroy the greatest numbers. • * Such is the lamentable situation of your colony, my Lord, that even the frolic of a drunken In- dian, in setting fire to the harvest, may prove its ruin ; — and it is notorious, that the Savages, when hungry, will kill oxen, cows, and sheep, for a single meal, leaving the remainder of the carcase without regret. Every person, therefore, going to this settlement is a total loss to the nation, for ■which no compensation directly or indirectly is received. Were the same number of families with the same means transported to the Canadas, where there is ample room and a fertile soil, by the time that they would be all murdered at the Red River, they would have nearly doubled their numbers in Canada ; have brought 400,000 acres under cul- tivation, and been able to furnish, in the course of ten years, one million bushels of wheat for expor- tation ; or several millions of staves ; or as many masts, yards, and bowsprits, as the British navy requires ; or some hundred tons of hemp : for this article may be raised whenever mills and other facilities are established, and the population sufficiently great to render labour moderate. The interference of Government will very soon be necessary, on account of the animosity which 35 already exists in the country near the Red River, between the fiir traders from Canada and those from the Hudson's Bay. This animosity is exten- ding to the few settlers that have akeady arrived, and unless speedily checked, must soon produce melancholy events. The settlers being more im- mediately connected with the company from Hud- son's Bay, consider themselves parties to its mo- nopoly, and the opponents of the Canada mer- chants. This is natural enough ; but as it will engender serious contentions in a place so remote without the shadow of law or justice, it requires the speedy consideration of his Majesty's Go vern- '•nent. And now, my Lord, allow me to ask how you could promise so many advantages to settlers on the Red River ? No man leaves his native coun- try but with the view of bettering his situation. The difficulties are great when every effort is made in favour of the emigrants. They are par- ticularly exposed, from the very nature of their employment, to the diseases of the country in which they settle, by which many of those advan- ced in life are sure to be cut off, and some of the youth greatly debilitated. Indeed so many dis- comforts, disappointments, and painful recollec- tions, crowd upon them, that nothing less than the prospect of an independence, such as he ne- ver could obtain in his native land, can possibJy support him. ^ , , . • . . \ ,,, n 2 ''■| I f .-j Ik I lit \\l But to speak to your settlers of such an inde- pendence would be to trifle with their misery.— Without any market for their produce — any se- curity of title — any expectation of ever becoming comfortable — deprived of the civil advantages possessed by all the British colonies — of the pro- tection of the laws — the consolations of religion, and instruction to their children ; they have noth- ing to compensate these sacrifices and privations but false promises, which they know, the moment after they arrive, can never be realized I Before concluding this letter, I would offer a very short advice to those of my countrymen in Great Britain and Ireland who are thinking of leaving their native country for America. 1. — I would strenuously advise those who can live comfortably, to remain where they are ^ for the greatest success will not be an equivalent for the miseries they must suffer before this success is realized. Even then they will be dissatisfied, and they will look back with regret on the com- forts they have left. 2. — I would even advise such 'as are able to rub along and preserve their independence, to remain at home. 3. — To such as are determined to emigrate, I present, for their inspection, the encouragement K '■' 57 offered by Government, should they come to the Canadas, contrasted with the conditions offered by your Lordship to such as emigrate to the Red River. The British Government gives to those emi- grants who come out under their protection to the Canadas, One or two hundred acres of excellent land-^ for nothing ; Farming utensils — for nothing ; Provisions for one year — for nothing ; They are under the protection of the laws, and enjoy all the privileges of British subjects ; They have access to religious instruction. The means of educating their children. The best medical aid ; They are in no danger from the Indians ; They have a good market for their produce ; Their supplies of cloathing and other necessa- ries can be obtained at a moderate expence. If they shall prefer going to the Red River, your Lordship gives them — One hundred acres of land — for L.50 ; Farming utensils — for their full value ; Provisions — for their full value ; • The settlers are at the mercy of agents ; They are not under the protection of law j I ^H 'i^i .1 !, ■ ■. t 66 one dollar. Lord Selkirk had a store of goods, to be given out to settlers as they were supposed to want them, but they never were told the price of any thing. At the Red River they were fed upon pimican and fish. Left York Factory in the end of May — about twenty days between York Factory and Red River. Ten guineas paid for every person, man, woman, and child — so that a man, with a wife, and two children, had to pay forty guineas. A number of them died at Church- hill. They had nothing but pimican, and some potatoes, and, actually starving, were glad to get off. When they spoke of going away, they were told that it was easier to go to the moon than to get away ; that the river would be guarded with cannon, that none might escape. They got mus- kets, and were told that the strongest gave the law on the Red River, and that they had no busi- ness with the law of Canada. Andrew Macbeath particularly observes, that he could not get clothing from the store for his infant child, although his wife and he had been obliged to leave their clothes and necessaries at Church-hill, luider the promise of having them immediately sent after them, which was never done. hV 67 Alexander Matheson's Agreement with Lord Selkirk. It IS contracted and agreed, between the Right Honourable Thomas, Earl of Selkirk, on the one part, and Alexander Matheson, of the Parish of Kildonan, and County of Sutherland, on the other part ; that the said Alexander Mathe- son shall proceed, as soon as directed, to the esta- blishment of the said Earl, near Hudson's Bay, and sliall there serve the said Earl, diligently and faithfully, in the station appointed by him, from the date hereofi till the expiration of one year after his arrival at the settlement. In considera- tion whereof, the said Earl binds and obliges him- self to provide a sufficiency of wholesome food for the said Alexander Matheson, and, farther, to supply the said Alexander Matheson, at just and moderate prices, with such necessaries as he may, from time to time, require, for his own use ; and also to provide a conveyance by which the said Alexander Matheson must go to the Red River, free of expences, before or after the expiration of the said period of one year. And it is further agreed, that the said Earl may discharge the said Alexander Matheson from his service at any time before the expiration of the said period, and shall, thereupon, cease to be liable for any further 'i ■ -i % * ■'. II I > :f KUU :l ](':''■ I rii 68 wages ; but shall, nevertheless, be bound to pro- vide a conveyance, by which the said Alexander Matheson may go to Red River ; and it is also agreed, that the said Earl may assign, or make over the services of the said Alexander Mathe- son to any other person; and in case he shall make them over to the Hudson's Bay Company, the said Alexander Matheson shall be bound to serve the said Company for the remainder of his period, under all the articles usually stipulated in their contracts, of which a copy has been signed by the said Alexander Matheson, as relative hereto. (Signed) Selkirk. Alexander Matheson. Siimmiess, June 11)//^, 1813. -.' I '\ The settlement is to be formed in a territory where religion is not the ground of any civil dis- quahfication : an unreserved participation in every privilege will therefore be enjoyed by pro- testant and cathoHc, without distinction. And K2 i\'.-\i^ r' m 72 it is proposed, that in every parochial division an allotment of land shall be made, for the perpetual support of a clergyman of that persuasion which the majority of the inhabitants adhere to. I:';i •4 '"j| 'I? ' As the lands in question possess important na- tural advantages over any which now remain un- occi^ied in Nova Scotia and the adjacent colo- nies, it cannot be deemed unreasonable, if the settlers, in general, are charged for their lands at the lowest rate which they would pay in these provinces. On the other hand, they will natu- rally expect to be conveyed to their lands with- cut incurring more expence than if they were to settle in these maritime colonies. The managers of the concern must therefore undertake to pro- vide conveyance, at moderate rates, for the emi- grants who go out under their patronage. The rate of passage-money paid on board other ships bound to America, 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 consider- able distance from the sea, an extra expence must be incurred for the inland conveyance, which the emigrants cannot be expected to pay, if they are to be charged for land at the rate of the marir ■'\ 13 time colonies. The expence whicli will thus fall upon the proprietors may be estimated about L.IO for each family of settlers, at an average. This, however, will be amply reimbursed on the price of their land. The lowest price of land in the maritime colo* nies, when sold to actual settlers and possessing any tolerable advantages of situation, is at the rate of lOs. per acre, if sold ; or if leased for a perpetuity, Is. per annum. Every family of set- tlers may be expected to take up at least 100 acres, if they are allowed some accommodation of time for the payment: and 100 acres, at the above rate, will amount to L.50, leaving a net advantage of L.40, after reimbursing the charge of bringing in the settler. If he should prefer leasing, his rent will in two years repay the charges, and will remain afterwards as a clear income to the proprietors. ' . Ni. As the inland situation of the settlement will preclude the settler from some of the sources of profit which are enjoyed in maritime situations, it becomes 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 expence of a considerable inland navigation.— This cultivation is also a favourite national object. i '■! ■fi^ !>h ... ■ s :r i f f I 74 and the settlement will derive benefit from the public encouragement which is held out for pro- moting it. — A still more beneficial object of at- tention is the growth of fine wool, an article so valuable that it could bear any expence of inland conveyance, and one for which the country is pe- culiarly adapted. In the vicinity of the proposed settlement there are immense open plains with- out wood, fine dry grass land, much of it capable of immediate cultivation, and all well fitted for pasturage, particularly for sheep. This is an ad- vantage which no other part of British America possesses by nature, and to which the colonists of the maritime provinces cannot attain, without the laborious and expensive operation of clearing. If to this advantage the proprietors add that of a good breed of Spanish Merino sheep, the settlers can never meet with any difficulty in paying the price or rent of their lands. The fleeces of ten or twelve sheep will pay the rent of 100 acres, and with the produce of a very small flock, 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 higher price. — At first, however, it cannot be supposed that the common emigrants will understand or become capable of appreciating these advantages. On 10\ "i' /-> the contrary, it is to be expected that they wiil be diffident, and afraid of venturing to a new and (to them) an unknown country. It will, there- fore, be necessary to give some extraordinary en- couragement to a few of the first who enter into the plan. From this, and other causes, the commence- ment of the undertaking must be subject to ex- pences, which will not continue permanently when the settlement is well established : but it is only by means of this first outlay that we can ex- pect to attain the ultimate advantage which is to accrue to the proprietors. There is no room to believe that these expences will exceed the sum which is proposed to be r?.ised ; but it must be some time before the settlers can be numerous enough to pay much, either of rent or purchase- money. Ten or twelve years, therefore, must elapse, before the profits of the undertaking can be sufficient to afford a dividend to the proprie- tors. After that period, the return may be ex- pected to increase rapidly, and will soon form an ample indemnification to the subscribers, for the loss of interest on their money in the meantime. The amount to which the profits may arise, seems almost to baffle imagination : upon any principle of calculation which can reasonably be adopted, the result comes out so extraordinarily great, that it might appear like exaggeration to state it. im i m 4f WIJ l*};JI / I 76 But the difiercnce between buying land at Id. or ^d, per acre* and selling it at 8s. or 10s. is very palpable, and docs not seem to require much com- ment. The speculation may not suk those who require an immediate income ; but for any one ■who is desirous of providing beforehand for a young family, sucli aYi opportunity seldom occurs. :'^ \ 1 \ ) I i <« \ f . 1 *! 1 1. ■ i \ $ \ \ \ 41 I A ij. CuALMi^n^ & Co. I'fiuters, Aberdeen, <:.\ m :^L '/^ ■.«/•, ! i 1; 3?k