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Les diagrammes suivants lllustrent la mtthode. by errata led to ent jne pelure, a9on A 32X 1 2 3 4 5 6 THE E gytatement RESPECTING THE EARL OF SELKIRK'S SETTLEMENT IN NORTH AMERICA. u S i J s ii 1 /htt**/! 'ttf/ /*//H;rfftt'^/l. §,• Stifif .i'y/////T- /.oHtf»>n i%rtt /i •./.. //rv'»«'.f/«/i'//, /<. .»V'//' Syttttrr /.oftifttn /y,** //'-//T/z/rr IMI7. Th "iT" '^fe^'i.^^^Si.^- \ •^.*fc. ■- - . -_\ . • ■«?»■<• flUjalMi^K i STATEMENT RESPECTING The Earl of Selkirk's Settlement UPON THE RED RIVER, IN ITS DESTRUCTION in 1815 and 1816; AND THE MASSACRE OF GOVERNOR SEMPLE AND HIS PARTY. WITH OBSERVATIONS UPON A RECENT PUBLICATION, Entitled " A Narrative of Occurrences in the Indian Countries,^* &c. u LONDON: 4 JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET. 1817. . -M .1' H-i TtPL /r7?"' t_ Muted iy J. Biellell, kuptrt Street, Uaj/marketf Limdon. i^i— **■«■»■ « Kits '^■^-'^ ADVERTISEMENT. i W The Earl of Selkirk, after liis arrival in Ca^iada, at the end of the year 1815, trans- mittei!, upon various occa^^ions, to his friends in England, the details of the first aggressions which had been instigated against the Red River Settlement, and the dispersion of the settlers in the preceding summer. He also subsequently furnished them with the par- ticulars and evidence which had been col- lected relative to the second destruction of that Colony, in the following year. The informa- tion thus received, was not extended beyond a very limited circle in this country ; but, in consequence of the repeated misrepresenta- tions made with respect to the occurrences which had taken place at the Red River, and Ihe numerous reports, raised for the evident purpose of injuring Lord Selkirk's character in England, his friends^ at length, thought it i r :• ' '4 I n vi : 1 advisable to select from llie documents in their possession, such materials as seemed to them best calculated to remove the unjust impres- sions which had been so industriously dissemi- nated. — With this view^, the Statement con- tained in the following sheets was, some time age, printed and circulated among Lord Sel- kirk's personal friends, and some other indivi- duals to whom it was thought proper to com- municate the facts which it contained. This measure appeared the more requisite, because printed memorials and other documents had been put into active circulation by his oppo- nents. In adopting, however, even this limited step, they were aware that Lord Selkirl.. might entertain objections to what, without his knowledge or concurrence, they had thus resolved upon. The documents he had trans- mitted were only intended for their own infor- mation : but, although he could not be aware, that those by whom they were received would give them any degree of publicity, they took upon themselves to adopt such measures as appeared best calculated to protect his charac- ter in his absence. Shortly after the Statement had been thus circulated, a Pamphlet was published in Lon- • « VII nited kirk hout thus ans- nfor- v^are, ould took s as rac- don, under the avowed sanction of the Agents of the """orth-West Company of Montreal, entitled, " A Narrative of Occurrences in the " Indian Countries of North America^' &c. &c. — a work containing, throughout every part of it, assertions which ought not to be allowed to pass unnoticed. In order, there- fore, that the subject may be more generally understood, the Statement has been re-printed with the addition of some documents and information which have been received since its former circulation. To the Statement are also subjoined some Observations* upon the " Narrative of Occurrences," and the whole is now submitted to the unbiassed, and impartial consideration of the Public. The subject is of higher consequence than the Reader may at first imagine. It includes the important question whether extensive and fertile regions in British North America are ever to become inhabited by civilized society ; or whether British subjects, who from the increase of population in their native land, or from other causes of a public nature, are in- Ithus ion- * For these Observations, see page 113. % (.1 i Via duced to emigrate to various parts of our foreign possessions in that quarter, are to be totally deprived of the protection of the Mother Country, and excluded from the benefit of the British J^aws. Jjondortf June 1817. jign ally ther t of STATEMENT, &c. f- er, did not arrive at • » ■M i the Settlement till after it was broken up^ for the first time^ as shall be noticed in the sequel. From the commencement of the Red River Settle- ment until the winter 1814-15, and the following spring, there occurred nothing of any material im- portance to interrupt the progress of this infant colony*. The difficulties, which were, in some degree, unavoidable at the beginning of an establish- ment of that nature, were happily got over. The heads of families, as they arrived, were put in posses- sion of regular lots of land, which they immediately begitn to cultivate; — houses were built; a mill was erected ; sheep and cattle were sent up to the settle- ment ; and all practicable means were taken to for- ward the agricultural purposes of the colony. The spot which had been selected, was ascertained to be of the highest fertility, and of the most easy cultiva- tion. Though woods abounded in the neighbourhood of the plains adjoining the Red River, .containing a variety of the finest timber, yet no trees were required to be cut down, or roots to be cleared avi'ay, from the lands that were appropriated to husbandry. The expensive and tedious operation of clearing away heavy woods, before the ground can be til led j (a measure indispensable in most of the new settlements in North America) was totally unnecessary upon the banks of the Red River :— the plough, from the first, met with no obstruction, and the soil proved in the * It was named the Kildonan Settlement, from the name of the parish, in the county of Sutherland, whence the greater part of the settlers had emigrated. hig ha( par wit Th( inte bot sett cerr •i; highest degree rich and productive. — The climate had long been ascertained to be equal to that of any part of Canada, and with less snow in the winter. — The river abounded with fish, the extensive plains with bulTaloe, and the woods with elk, deer, and game. The hunting grounds of the Indians were not at all interfered with ; and, by the terms of the grant, both the grantee, and those who held under him as settlers, were entirely precluded from being con- cerned in the fur trade. The district indeed had already been almost exhausted of those animals, whose furs are so valuable. The neighbouring tribes of Indians (the Sautoux) proved, from the first, to be friendly and well-disposed. Serious attempts indeed had been made, as early as the spring of 1813, by the clerks and interpreters employed by the fur traders from Montreal, to instigate the natives against the settlers. The Indians were told by these persons that it was intended to deprive them of their hunting grounds, and that, if the establishment at the Red River once obtained a firm footing, the natives would be made slaves of by the colonists. — These attempts to alienate the good will of the natives from the settlers appeared, at first, to have an alarmini^ effect, producing menaces, and jealousy, on the part of their Indian neighbours. — Mr. Miles Macdonell, the governor of the district, soon found means, however, of doing away the unfavourable impressions which had been raised. He held con- ferences with the Sautoux tribes, and not only succeeded in obtaining the continuance of their friendship, but also the promise of their supreme chief > . .►■:ril I li Ml ill ^ '1 to encourage the Indians of Lake La Pluie to draw nearer towards the Red River, for the purpose of planting Indian corn^ and establishing villages. — From this period the Indians, in the neighbourhood^ remained upon the most friendly footing with the colonists, and continued so to the last without inter- ruption. There seemed, therefore, nothing likely to occur which would impede the settlers in their agri- cultural pursuits, nor were they themselves appre- hensive of any molestation. The Earl of Selkirk, at the commencement of the settlement, had sent up some light brass field-pieces, swivels, and musquets, for its protection ; and an additional quantity of arms and ammunition, which had been furnished by Government for the defence of the colony, was received there in the summer of 1814. — In short, the settlers appeared confident of their security, con- tent with their situation, and happy in their prospects ; nor did there exist any reasonable ground to doubt, that, if left undisturbed, the colony, in a few years, would have been completely and firmly, established. — This indeed, must have been the decided opinion, at the time, even of those who proved to be its most inveterate opponents, otherwise they never would have thought it necessary to take violent means to destroy it. Had the Settlement been likely to fail from causes inherit in its nature, or arising from the remoteness of its situation, or other local circum- stances, its enemies, (and none were better judges than they) would doubtless have left it to its fate ; and, remaining pttssive spect liters of its destruction, would gladly have permitted th« colony to die a natural 111 to dr«w rpose of I ages. — >urhood^ ^ith the ut inter- likely to eir agri- s appre- Ikirk, at sent up usquets^ of arms ihed by ny, was jort, the ty, con- )spect8 ; > doubt, w years, blished. )pinion, its most would leans to to fail ^ from ;ircum- es than ; andj would iiatural » ■ 'Ss death, instead of incurring anxiety, expense, and the risk of the vengeance of the law, by adopting those active measures, to which they resorted, for the pur- pose of strangling it in its inf^incy. — By the enemies of the Red River colony, I mean the North-West Corr^any of Fur Traders at Montreal, — whose hostility to the settlement, and outrages against their fellow-subjects, have been carried to a pitch so dread- ful, as almost to surpass belief. — It may be proper, in a few words, to trace their enmity from its com- mencement*. , When the question of granting to the Earl of Selkirk an extensive tract of land, within their ter- ritory, was first agitated by the Hudson's Bay Com- pany, a general court of Proprietors was called for the purpose of discussing the measure. This meeting was held in May 1811, — and, in order to give the proprietors a further opportunity of making themselves fully informed of the nature of the pro- posed measure, an adjournment of the court took place ; notice, in the mean while, being given to all the stock-holders, that the terms of the proposed grant were left at the Secretary's offic* /. r their inspection. At the adjourned general .^ j e< g, the proposition was discussed, and adopted. A^ Memo- ' • — ' I I w *♦ Although the North-West Fur Traders of Montreal com- monly go by the name of a Company, they are not a chartered body. — An account of the origin and constitution of this powerful association may be seen in a pamphlet lately published by the Earl of Selkirk, entitled, " A Sketch of the British Fur Trade m North America," &c. &c. 8 rial, bowcYcr, or Protest, was cntt.*ed against the measure, and signed by six of the proprietors. In perusing this document, a superficial observer would have been led to conclude, that those who protested, had no object so dear to them, as the welfare, and prosperity, of the Hudson's Bay Company. They seemed, with the most friendly attention, to warn the Company of the errors into which they were falling, and the injuries, which would infallibly accrue to them, from the adoption of the measure in question ; — above all, they feelingly regretted that those emigrant settlers, who might eventually be established within the district so granted, would be placed *' out " of the reach of all those aids and comforts, which "are derived from civil society." The sincerity, how- ever, of these regrets could not fail to appear dubious, when the signatures to the Pretest were inspected. Of the six who signed it, three were persons closely connected with, and interested in, the rival com- mercial concerns of the North-West Company of Montreal ; and two of the three were, at the very time, avowed London Agents to that Conipany. The latter had only become proprietors of Hudson's Bay stock about eight and forty hours before the general meeting last alluded to. They were not indeed possessed of that stock long enough to entitle them to give any vote atlhe meeting ; but their names being now entered in the Company's books, — though the ink was scarcely dry with which they were inserted, — a right, it seems, was thereby conveyed to them io find fault with every thing that was doing, and for- 1 ■ linst the ors. In »r would rotested, are, and . They *varn the ! fi^Uing, ccrue to uestion ; it those ablished 2d " out !, which ty, how- lubious, spected. i closely il com- jany of le very mpany. udson's ore the ere not entitle names though serted, hem to nd for- i I 4 ttially to protest against measures to which the com* mittee of Directors, unanimously, and the general court of Prc;)rietors, by a great majority, and on full deliberation) had given their sanction. As far as these agents therefore were concerned, it was not very unreasonable to view, with suspicion, the alleged grounds of their Protest, as well as the motives of those admonitions which it purported to contain. Their object indeed, in making the purchase, could scarcely be mistaken ;— and, however circuitous the proceeding might be, it was evident that they had thus become proprietors of one commercial Company, for the indirect purpose of benefiting another, and a rival, establishment. With regard to the grounds of this protest, as affecting the subject of the grant to the Earl of Selkirk, it would be an idle task to notice the geo- graphical, and other, blunders with which it abounded. ^Had the whole matter of it indeed been confined to that single assertion in which the protesters observe^ " Besides, it has been found that colonization is at *' all times unfavourable to the fur trade" — it would have disclosed at once> and in substance, the true cause of their alarm. This apprehension with re- spect to the effect which colonization might produce upon their trade, formed the ground of that hostility, which, even then, became apparent towards the pro- posed Settlement ; and we ^hall see tliat the North- West Fur Traders of Montreal did take effectual measures, from the time of this protest, not only to keep all agricultural settlers in Ossiniboia ** out I ■!ll Ml i| \i V: ':i, 10 *' of the rciicli ()f tlio3c aids and comforts wliich are " derived from civil society," — but that many of them afterwards entered into a reguhir combination, for the purpose of dispersing the colonists, and de- stroying every vestige of the settlement. The phiiiH adopted for this scheme of destruction, appear to liave been arranged at the annual meeting of the Nortli-West Company's partners, in the summer of ISli, at their trading post, called Fort William, on Lake Superior*. — Information had, in the course of that season, been transmitted to the Earl of Selkirk, (but which he did not receive till the beginning of the following year,) that serious appre- hensions were entertained of hostility from the natives, and that the Indians were likely to make an attack upon the Settlement. This information came from a person whose veracity was above suspicion ; and Tvho, although holding an interest in the concerns of the North-West Company, had, much to his honour, determined not to conceal the opinion he entertained on the subject. The suspicions, however, which had arisen with respect to hostility from the Indians, proved, in the result, unfounded. — The attack came from another, but not less savage, description of enemies. Among the partners of the North-West Company, who received their instructions from the general annual * In general, the houses, or trading posts, in the interior of the Indian country, and also in the Hudson's Bay territories, are termed Foris, being" usually surrounded with stockades for security. i <«• (( (( 11 vliicli are many of ibiiiation, , and dc- itruction, meeting , in the lied Fort n had, in :d to the e till the us appre- e natives, m attack imc from ion ; and [icerns of i honour, tertained hich had Indians, ck came ption of ompany, i) annual •ior of the orics, are kades for .1 meeting at Fort William, in tlic summer of 1S14, were a INIr. Duncan Cameron, and Mr. Alexander M'Doncil ; and these appear to have been the persons selected by the partnership, to superintend, and ex- ecute, the plans entered into against the Red lliver colony. Upon the 5tli of August in that year, the latter writes to hid friend at Montreal, (also a partner of the Company,) from one of the portages lying between Luke Superior, and the plaeo of his winter destination in the interior, and to which he w^s then proceeding. — This letter, written and signed by Mr, Alexander M'Donell, contains the following pas- sage which speaks a language that cannot be misun- derstood : — ''You sec myself and our mutual friend, " Mr. Cameron, so far on our way to commence open " hostilities against the enemy in Red River. — Much *' is expected from us if we believe some — perhaps " too much. — One thing certain, that we will do our *' best to defend what we consider our rights in the *' interior. — Something serious will undoubtedly take " place. Nothing but the complete downfall of the " colony will satisfy some by fair or foul means — a " most desirable object if it can be accomplished. — " So here is at them' with all my heart and energy ." Mr. M'Donell, and his co-partner, accordingly proceeded towards their destination, and arrived, about the end of August, at a trading post (called by them Fort Gibraltar) belonging to the North-VVest Com- pany, situated at the Forks, about half a mile from the Red River Settlement. — This station had pro- bably never bafore been honoured with the regular residence of a partner of the Company; but the 'Jt! I \ l\ I (I Hi ; ill' |;i:l ■ It 13 duties now required were^ it seems, too important to be entrusted to subordinate agents. • — Mr. Duncan Cameron remained at the Forks during the autumn, winter, and ensuing spring. His partner, Mr. Alex- ander M'Donell, proceeded further into the interior, where he continued until the month of May, when he returned to the Forks, bringing with him a party of the Cree Indians from a considerable distance, for the purpose, as we shall see afterwards, of inducing them to assist in driving away the settlers from Red River . Cameron, to whom his partners appear to have confided the important charge of opposing, upon the ipot, the further progress of colonization, seems to have been fitly qualified to perform the service for which he had been selected. He began by ingra- tiating himself among several of the heads of families at the settlement ; and being able to converse with many of them in their native Gaelic tongue, he, by degrees, gained the confidence, and good opinion of the Highlanders. — He frequently invited them to his house, entertained them, and their families, at his table, and treated them in a manner far superior to what they were accustomed to in their own habitations. He took every possible means to secure their favour ; and they saw no reason to be suspicious of his in- tentions towards them. The influence, which he gradually acquired over many of them during the autumn and winter, was artfully exerted to make them discontented with their employments, dissatisfied with their superiors, and doubtful of their prospects at the settlement. — He alarmed them with constant reports, which he stated he had received from the I 13 lortant to Duncan autumn^ ^r. Alex- ! interior^ when he party of e, for the ing them ;d Riyer . to haye upon the seems to rvice for ly ingra- 'families jrse with 3, he, bj tinion of m to his lis table^ to what itationa. favour ; his in- hich he ing the ) make atisfied ospects onstant om the i interior, that the Indians from a distance, were coming in the spring, to attack them ; and that, unless thejr placed themselves under the protection of the North- West Company, and accepted his offers to take them to Canada, they would never be able to escape from the country, or avoid the dangers which surrounded them. — In order to give himself an appearance of superiority and command, he pretended to bear a regular king's commission, ostentatiously wearing an uniform of the Voyageur Corps; a short-lived regi- ment, which had been disbanded two years before.— In his written communications with the settlers he subscribed his name " D. Cameron, Captain, Voya- '* geur Corps, Commanding Officer, Red River." — And, in order the better to confirm their belief, he conspicuously placed on the gate of his trading post, a paper purporting to be an order appointing him (Cameron) a captain ; his partner, M'Donell, a lieutenant ; and one of the North-West Company's Canadian clerks, of the name of Seraphim Lamar, an ensign, in that Corps ;-^and the order sanctioning these commissions, was stated to have been signed, in August 1814, by Colonel M'Dowal, the com- mandant at Michillimackinack*. ♦ The Earl of Selkirk having thought it advisable to ascertain if there existed any foundation for supposing that these persons were entitled to the commissions they assumed, applied some lime afterwards, fin March 1816) to Sir Gordon Drummond, then administering the government of Canada, (under the title of Administrator in Chief,) requesting to know whether it ap- ptared that his predecessor. Sir George Prevost, " had given ' authority to the commandant at Michillimackinack to iwue .1 ;i - 1 'i • 14 TIjis imposh'rc on llic part of Cameron, and these assumed airs of trust and importance, wliicli, in other situations, would perhaps have only raised conten)pt " coinrnissioiis (o prrsons in tlic Upper Country, as ofllccrs in the *' Voyajrcnr, or any dIIut cdrps, and llic nature and extent of •* tlie antliority so {rranted," adding,', " that the in(|uiry was uf " matirial C(>nse(jntnce, as he had the stronfjot ground to hcheve> " or rather that he had un(|uestionahk' information, tliat several " ])ersons were at that moment niakinf; a very improper use of " the name of liis Majesty, under the pretext of some sueh autho- " rity; and that, fur the same reason, he was desirous of learning " the nature and objects of the commissions whicli appeared to " have been granted to some gentlemen, as Major des tribus iau- " rages, el dcs paj/s coiKjuis." — Sir Cordon Drummond, in reply, informed his Lordshi]) that " having caused research to he made *' in the ^Military Secretary's Ofllce, it did not ajjpear that any au- " thority to issue commissions to jiersons in the Upper Country, as " ofiicers of the Voyageurs, or any other corps, was, at any period " vested in the officer conmianding at St. Joseph, or Michilli- " rnackinaek; h»it tliat a f^eneral order of the lOlh of May, 1814 ' gave to Normon M'I.eod, Esq. the rank of Major; a subsequent " general Order of the 29th of May, ISU, the rank of Lieutcnant- " CoUmel to Mr. M'Gillivray; and the general Order of the 7tlj ♦' of September following, the rank of Major to Pierre Uuchblave, " Esq. in the Indian and eon(iuercd countries." In rci)ly, his Lordship observes, " 1 have to acknowledge the " honour of your Excellency's letter of the 1st, and to return " my thanks Atr the very satisfactory information which it con " tains, from which it appears evident, that the persons, who, " under the pretenceof being ofiicers in the Corps of Voyageurs, are taking u])on themselves to act in his Majesty's name in the ' Indian country, must be considered as mere impostors. — As the imposture has been carried to a very great length, and has " been made to serve the Avorst of purposes, I beg leave to submit i.| or the) mis ohjc the entil — T ner, confi mises Cana to your Excellency, whellur some public declaration ought not to be made by the Provincial Government in order to put r »d these ill oilier HI tempt ers in the extent of ry was uf obtlievi'> at several cr use of ell autlio- i" learning leared to rihus iau- in reply. be made 1- it any au- ouatry,a3 ny period Micbilli- ay,l814 bst H 10 provisions gratis for themselvei and their families^ an allotment to each of two hundred acres of land^ and every other encouragement they could hope for. To many of them pecuniary bribes were held out as aa induceitient to desertion. One of the principal set- tlers was offered several hundred pounds if he would abandon the settlement with his family^ which he refused*. Others of them actually obtained consider- able sums on a similar ground. One of them (George Campbell^ who was the first to desert from the colony, and proved most active in its subsequent destruction) received one hundred pounds as a reward for his treacheryf . — Various other sums were paid to the deserters^ or credited in accounts subsequently made Up for them in Canada, by the North- West Com- pany.— ^ The labourers and contracted servants at the settlement (generally under engagement for three years service) were also seduced by similar means, with the additional lure of high wages, and great encouragement, in theCanadas. Many of these per- sons were prevailed upon to desert before the expiration of their contracts, and to carry away with them the implements of husbandry, and working tools, which had been provided forthera^ and which were afterwards purchased from them by the North- West Company. —It is unnecessary to dwell any longer upon the means adopted by Cameron to seduce the settlers from the Red River, and which, in the result, proved but too successful. Several of them, as has been stated^ i;: , I :(1 I, ;IM: • Sec Appendix, [ P. ] and [ S. ] t See Appendix, [ S. ] and also page 33« 00 17 nilies, an and; and for. To out as aa cipal set- he would which he consider- n (George he colony, struction) >d for his lid to the >ntly made ^est Com- ints at the for three ar means> and great these per* expiration them the »ls, which fterwards Company, upon the ttlers from roved but en stated^ joined him in the course of the winter, and most of the others secretly engaged to abandon the settlement in the following spring. In spite, however, of the success which had thus far attended the secret operations of Mr. Cameron, he knew that there was a considerable party in the colo y which was neither to be allured by his art^, nor intimidated by the report of threatened hostility from the Indians. But, as the North-West Company were resolved to adopt no half-rneasuros in putting a stop to colonization, it was necessary for Cameron to have recourse to some more active plan of hostili; ^ Cordially agreeing with his friend and co-adjutor, M'Donell, that *' nothing but the complete downfall " of the colony would satisfy some by fair means or " foul ;" — like him, he commenced his operations — with "^ all his heart and energy." As the native Indians were not to be induced to act hostilely against the settlers, recourse was had to the aid of a lawless banditti, technically termed, in that country, Metifs, Bois BruUs, or Half-hreeds. — These are the illegitimate progeny chiefly of the Canadian traders, and others in the service of the North-West Company, by Indian women. — They have always been much under the control of that Company, by whom they are frequently employed as hunters, chiefly for provisions, — an occupation in which they are very expert ; hunting and shooting the bufikloe on horseback. The Company also employs them occasionally in other temporary services ; and some of them are engaged in their regular employ- ment as clerks, having received, in Canada, ancduca- I '^i m i?« » w .. ( I, i I ii MI'i y 1 I ii ; Ii:: 18 iion fitted to qualify them for that situation. — Another description of persons was also made use of^ who are termed Free Canadians. These are principally retired servants and traders of the North-West Com- pany^ who have remained in various parts of the interior^ and whose services are still occasionally wanted by that Company. — When the colony was first established upon the Red River^ these Free Cana^ dians^ as well as the Brul^s^ or Half-breeds, were on good terms with the settlers. — Some of the former had even taken regular lots of land which they began to cultivate, and the latter were occasionally employed by the colonists in hunting for them, and collecting provisions. — But when it was decided that the ana- thema pronounced in this country against coloniza- tion, as being '^ at all times unfavourable to the fur " trade," was to be carried into effect ; and that the settlement was no longer to be allowed to exist, the services of the Half-breeds to the colonists were pre- vented. They were directed to harrass the settlers by every means in their power, to straighten them in provisions, and to drive the buffaloe from the plains. — From this period, therefore, their hostility to the settlement was as marked as that of their em- ployers, and they subsequently became the principal instruments made use of in promoting its destruction. To prevent any effectual resistance on the part of the principal officers, and the other settlers, who were not to be seduced by Cameron, it appeared a material object, previous to any attack upon the colony, to get possession of the arms which had been furnished by Government, as well as by the Earl of «" i Lnother vho are icipall) t Com- of the iionally vas first ! Cana' tvere on former y began aployed llecting he ana- )loniza- ) the fur that the ist; the 5re pre- settlers n them om the lostility eir em- incipal uction. part of who eared a on the dbeen ilof >;■■ I I 19 Selkirk^ for its protection. After several of the set- tlers, therefore, had deserted, and the greater part of the others appeared ready to join him, Cameron issued the following order, addressed to Mr. Archibald M'Donald, who, in the temporary absence of Mr. Miles Macdonell, had then the charge of the settle- ment. " Forks of Red River, " 3rd April, 1815. " Mr. Archibald M'Donald, "Sib, ** As your field-pieces have already been employed " to disturb the peace of his Majesty's loyal subjects in this ** quarter, and even to stop up the King's highway, I have ** authorised the settlers to take possession of them, and to " bring (hem over here, not with a view to make any hostile ** use of them, but merely to put them out of harm's way. — " Therefore I expect that you will not be so wanting to your- " selves as to attempt any useless resistance, as no one wishes " you, or any of j'our people, any harm. " lam, Sir, " Your very obedient Servant, " D. CAMERON, " Captain, Voyageur Corps, " Commanding Officer, R. R." ** To Mr. Archibald M'Donaldy " Red River Settlement." This singular production was delivered to George Campbell, the most active of those who had previously deserted, and who read it on the Sunday he received it to several of the settlers, after they had been asembled to have a sermon read to them, as usual, on that day. — On the following morning the settlers and servants collected at the store-house to have their M (.,«■-.;. , -■-. ii i I 1 1 ll 1 ! i! >■: , III 'i'l III il!l I' i 20 forfnight's allowance of provisions delivered out io Ihem, after which George Campbell, with several others, repaired to the Governor's house in the colony, and formally delivered to Mr. McDonald the order signed by Cameron; and while Mr M'Donald and the other principal officers of the settlement were forcibly preveu*ed from leaving the house, by Camp- bell atid his ariiicd party, the store-house was broken open, and the field-pieces, together with the swivels, and a small howitzer, in all nine in number, were seized, and taken out of the store. — A musket was then fired by one of the party as a signal, when Cameron, with some armed men, immediately came out of a lurking-place where he had concejiled him- self, (wi est Con>paiiy's stiilioii at the Forks; many of them carrying with them the Government muskets whieh had been issued to (hem, (he <>:uns, and arms, which Lord Selkirk had likev\ise provided, and which, (as well as various other articles, belonging to his Lordship, such as implements of husbandry^ &c.) were afterwards purchased by the North-West Company, who could not but have known they were stolen. — One of the labourers belonging to the settle- ment, who had assisted in breaking open and plun- dering the store-house, having been apprehended by Mr. Archibald M'Donald, a large armed party, led by George Campbell, together with the North-West Company's clerks and servants, Cuthbert Grants William Shaw, Bostonois, and Boucher, broke into the governor's house, presented their pistols at Mr. M'Donald, and the other officers of the settlement, and rescued the prisoner. Shaw declared to Mr. M'Donald that this was done by Cameron's order.— the stolen property ; and sent several of the principal settlers, and about twenty persons with them, to the North-West Company's station tor that purpose. — Mr. Duncan Cameron would only per- mit four of the party to enter within the stockades, and upon the warrant being produced, and read to him, he said he would neither allow search to be made, nor the property to be taken; that the guns and other articles were under his charge, and he would take care to keep them. — It was in vain to attempt to execute the warrant, as a number of the servants of the North- West Company were drawn up armed on each side, mostly with muskets and fixed bayonets. Ifi If: m ' I'l . I 22 Out it would require no such declaration to satisfy any one, that these additional acts of aggression could never have heen committed by those in the service of the North-West Company, had tliey not been di- rected by their superiors to commit them. Mr. Miles Macdonell, the governor of the dis- trict, returned about this time to resume his charge at the settlement. A warrant to arrest him had been issued some time before by one of the partners of the company, Mr. Norman M'Leod, a magistrate for the Indian territory, on a charge of feloniously taking a quantity of provisions belonging to that Company ; but Mr. Macdonell did not think fit to acknowledge the jurisdiction, or yield to the war- rant*. In consequence of this refusal, threats were repeatedly made by Cameron, that if he (Mr. Mac- donell) was not delivered up by the settlers, or did not surrender himself, the colonists should be at- tacked. — These threats were partially carried into execution, and several of the settlers were fired at by Cameron's people. About the middle of May, Mr. Alexander Mac- donell, Cameron's partner, arrived at the Forks from his winter station in the interior, and brought down with him a party of the Cree Indians from the River Qui Appelle, several hundred miles further up the country, for the purpose, no doubt, of verifying the predictions of his co-adjutor, who had so often de- clared to the settlers that the remote Indians were determined to attack them in the spring, — These I - - - — ■■ . .- — ■-■ * For an explanation of this transaction, see Appendix, [B.] '23 were iThese [B.] i '4 Crees were detained for a short time at the Forks, and generally kept in a «tate of intoxication. While they remained there, about a dozen of the horses belonging to the settlement were shot with arrows in the night-time, but it was supposed they were killed by the Brules under Cameron's direction, and not by the Indians. — The chief of the party found means to get over, without Cameron's permission, to the settlement, and declared to Mr. Miles Macdonell that, although they had been brought from their own country for the express purpose of assisting in driving away the settlers, he was resolved not to molest them. — The CreeSj indeed, seem to have been a some- what more civilized race than their employers. — They returned to their own country not very well pleased with their errand ; but, previous to their de- parture, they sent the pipe of peace to the colony, as an assurance of their friendship. About the same period, another, and more formi- dable, attempt was made to instigate the Indians, from a different quarter, to fall upon the Red River settle- ment. — A Chippewa Chief of Sand Lake, (near the River St. Louis, which runs into Lake Superior, at the Fond du Lac) has declared before the Council of the Indian Department in Canada, that he was offered, in the spring of 1815, for himself and his people, all the goods at three of the North-West Company's trading posts, if he would go with his warriors down to the Red River settlement, and declare war against the settlers : uut he refused*. — The reports, there- * See Appendix, [U.] Vmi r :it ' 11 liiih 94 fore, of threatened hostility from the Indians, so often urged hy Cainoroii to the .settlors us uii inducement to make them ahaiidoii the Red River, do not appear to have heen alto|;('ther an empty rumour, or entirely destitute of i)i()habilily ; but if there did exist any chance of such attack, it was certainly an act of the most roDsiimmate villainy, to rob the settlers of those arms which bad been provided for their defence, and to deprive tliem of the only means left them for their protection ag:ainst Indian ferocity*. The servants and others employed by the North- West Company be^an now to collect in considerable numbeis towards the Red River, and these, together with the Half-breeds, and most of the settlers and labourers who had abandoned the colony, formed a camp at some distance do.vn the River, where they mounted some of the guns which they had pillaged from the settlement. Every annoyance was now di- rected towards the remaining settlers, and measures of active hostility appeared to be preparing against them. The Canadian clerks and servants, together with the Brules, were occasionally paraded under the immediate inspection of the Company's partners. I'll' ♦ Cameron not only aided, as already mentioned, in plunder- ing the colony, by force, of its means of defence, but availed him- self of his assumed commission and authority, to deprive the scttlersof their arms. — The following is a specimen of his orders for this purpose : — " 1 do hereby order James M'Kay and George " Sutherland to give up their muskets in the King's name. (Signed) " Duncan Cameron, V.C,'' See Appendix, [N.] V^Ip 25 90 often jcemeiit t appear entirely <(ist any :t of the of those nee, and for their North- idcrable together lers and ormed a ere they lillaged now di- leasures against ogether under artncrs. ilunder- led him- )rive the is orders i George le. |»,V.C." I I 1 I -s at their station at the Forks ; and matters seemed now to be drawing towards a crisis. On the morning of Sunday, the lllh of June (a day in which it might have been hoped some little rest from their troubles would have been allowed to the harrassed settlers) a number of loaded muskets, together with ammunition, were delivered out of the stores of tlic North-Wcst Company to their clerks, servants, and followers, for the purpose of an im" mediate attack upon the colony. Serapiiim Lamar (the Voyageur Ensign), Cuthbert Grant, William Shaw, and Peter Pangman Bostonois, formed, as usual, part of this banditti. They marched from the North-VVest Company's post, and stationed them- selves in a small wood adjoining the governor's house, which was the principal building in the settle- ment. They began their operations by firing a shot at Mr. White, the surgeon, who was walking near the house, but it fortunately missed him. Another shot was at the same time fired at Mr. Bourko, the store-keeper, and the ball passed close to him. A general firing then commenced from the wood, which was returned by those in the house, four of whom were wounded, and one of whom (Mr. War- ren) died of his wounds. — After the North-West Company's party had kept up their tire for a con- siderable time, they returned wilh Cameron, who, shortly after they had left the Forks, had followed them armed, and who, on their return, congratulated them, with much satisfaction, upon the result of their exploit, and on their personal safety ; — a circum- stance not very surprising, considering that, during £ % I I: 26 r ',(', >, f .1)! m ; I ii I r the attack^ they were concealed in a wood, not one of them being visible to those upon 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 they would be permitted to remain in security. — It was given out by Cameron that he was resolved to have possession of Mr. Miles Macdonell, dead or alive ; but that if he would surrender himself quietly, — or if the settlers would give him up, all further hostility should cease*. — What was this but an acknowledg- ment on the part of Cameron, that measures of hos- tility depended solely upon his will ? — At length Mr. Miles Macdonell, at the persuasion of the other officers of the settlement, in order to prevent the further effusion of blood, and in the hope of se- curing the remaining settlers from future violence, surrendered himself to the warrant. — He was soon afterwards carried down to Montreal (about 3,500 miles) to be tried ; — but no trial has ever taken place. The remaining settlers at Red River were, how- ever, much mistaken in supposing that the surrender of Mr. Miles Macdonell was to ensure to them future security. — It was of course a most important object for their opponents to get the principal person of the settlement (and one who also held the appoint- ment, from the Hudson's Bay Company, of governor 4 •-■3 of pos per the ord M' * For a specimen of Mr, Ci'ineron's curious letters to the settlers, see Appendix, [C] V^l^iA! 27 not one bey were ttack^ it ; officers sed they —It was I to have )r alive ; jtly, — or hostility lowledg- s of hos- t length 1 of the prevent pe of se- violence, vas soon jt 2,500 er taken re, how- urrender them tportant person ippoint- overnor rs to the ;3.' of (he district) into custody ; but haying once got possession of him, they threw off the mask ; and peremptory orders were issued by Cameron, directing the remaining settlers to leave the Red River. These orders were followed up by the most wanton acts of aggression, under the direction of Mr. Alexander M'Donell, who, after Cameron's departure with his prisoner, succeeded io the command at the Forks. The remaining settlers were frequently fired at by his people ; the farm-house belonging to the settle- ment was broken open and pillaged; several of the servants and labourers, quietly employed in tillage, were forcibly seized, and detained as prisoners ; the horses were stolen, the cattle driven away, and the bull belonging to the settlement was killed and cut up in the presence of Alexander M'Donell himself. — He also made a sort of battery opposite the settle- ment, upon which he mounted two of the field-pieces tliey had stolen, and established a camp of about fifty or sixty of the Canadian servants, clerks, Bois- Brules, &c. &c. — Such were the measures vshich this partner adopted for defending, as he termed it in his letter of the 5th of August, what the North- West Company considered '' their rights in the in- " terior." Another attack with fire-arms was made upon the governor's house on the 22nd of June ; but the fire was not returned by the settlers. — Finding, however, it was vain to look for a cessation of hostility, they determined to quit the settlement, and accordingly informed Mr. Alexander M'Donell that they should be ready to depart in two or three days. — On the | two of the Sautoux chiefs^ with about forty warriors of that nation, arrived at the settle^ ment. From thence they went to the North-West Company's station at the Forks^ and endeavoured to prevail upon Mr. M'Donell to permit the settlers to remain^ but without effect. The Indians then ex- pressed their regret that, from the numbers of people whom the North-West Company had collected in the neighbourhood, supported by the field-pieces ■which had been taken from the colony, they were not able at that time to protect the settlers. They therefore advised them to depart, and offered to give them a safe escort, for themselves and their property, down the river, to Lakr Winipic. — This offer was thankfully accepted, and was probably the means of saving the lives, as well as securing the property, of the remaining settlers. For there is very little doubt but that the plunder of the stores, still remaining at the settlement, was held out as a lure to tempt the Half-breeds, and their associates, to the commission of the outrages against it ; and that they were pre- pared to seize all the remaining property by force, as the settlers passed down the river towards the lake. Under their Indian escort, therefore, the ofiicers, and remaining settlers, amounting to about sixty, quitted the settlement, leaving behind Mr. M'Leod, a trader in the service of the Hudson's Bay Company, then stationed at Red River, with two or three men employed in the mercantile concerns of that Company. — Having thus quitted their habitations, they went, in their boats, down the Red River to its mouth, from whence, after taking leave of their i ■:5a II M!i!i:i 29 ith about he settle- >rth-We8t voured to settlers to j I then ex- of people Uected in eld-pieces I hey were s. They ' ed to give property, offer was means of Dperty, of tile doubt laiiiing at tempt the m mission were pre- by force, vards the fore, the to about lind Mr. son's Bay th two or ns of that bitations, i ver to its of their friendly Indian conductors, who expressed an anxious hope that they would be enabled again to return to their settlement, they proceeded to the other end of Lake Winipic, where they stationed themselves at Jack River House, a trading post belonging to the Hudson's Bay Company. — The day after they had left the settlement, a party of their enemies, com- posed, as usual, of the North-West Company's clerks, servants, &c. proceeded to the spot, and, setting fire to the houses, the mill, and the other buildings, burnt them to the ground*. The " complete downfall of the Red River Co- " lony" having been thus accomplished through the agency of the two partners who had been employed to effect it, it will be important to observe how these persons were received by the North-West Company, when they reported to that body, the success of their campaign, and produced to them the proofs of their victory. They carried down with them, to the annual ren- dezvous of the partners and agents at Fort William, on Lake Superior, about one hundred and thirty-four settlers, including men, women, and children. — They arrived there about the end of July, and found many of the partners of the North-West Company as- sembled, who expressed their undisguised satisfaction at the occurrences which had taken place at Red River. — Cameron was highly praised for the steps he had adopted, particularly in carrying off the field- * See all the Appendix from [D.] to [T,] inclusive. li ( :fli 30 i ii; M ; pieces^ and securing the arms : and if any further proof were wanted, of which, however, there is abundance, that the conduct of Cameron and M'Donell was fully approved of by the body of partners then present, it need only be mentioned, that the Company, in place of taking immediate steps to have those two individuals brought to trial, again appointed them to command at the same sta- tions, in the interior, which they had charge of the season before, — and to return to the scenes of their late exertions, doubtless, with the view, of opposing any attenipt which might be made to re-estabhsh the colony on the Red River. But though these marks of approbation were bestowed upon the leading actors in this work of destruction, it would appear that the subordinate agents were by no means so liberally rewarded as they had reason to expect ; and that they even com- plained of being defrauded of their promised hire*. Many of the deserters from the colony, however, and particularly those of the settlers, whose treachery liad proved most useful to the North- West Company, were well remunerated for their services. An ac« count-book was regularly opened at Fort William, in which credits were given to forty-eight of these people, for various articles which they had plundered from the settlement, and delivered to C imeron at his trading post. — These consisted chiefly of implements of husbandry, working tools, horses, muskets, guns, pistols, &c. &c. — Thus, in one of these accounts. npp " nJ &c. te tr le * See Appendix, [Q.], near the conclusion. (C y further there is on and ho6y of utioned^ 1 mediate to trial, ime sta- ;e of the of their ►pposing estabhsh on were work of •ordinate I as they 'n com- d hire*. er, and cachery nipany, An aC" ^'ilham, 3f these indered n at his ements > guns, counts, 'a SI nfipears a credit " for five new guns, £10;— for a "new common pistol, .15s. ; — one old gun, 15s." ^c &c. — At the bottom of those accounts were generally added the sums they were to receive, and did receive, as rewards for their services against the settlement. — Several of these persons thus obtained from the North- West Company larger sums than, in all probability, they had ^ver been possessed of, at any one period, in the whole course of their lives. — To many of their accounts were also subjoined, in the hand-writing of Cameron, and M'Donell, short abstracts oc the services which these deserters had respectively performed in promoting the destruction of the settlement. — For example ; — honourable men- tion is made of one of them (in the hand-writing of Cameron) thus — '* This man joined our people in "^ February, was a great |i f' unrewarded, I would give him a £100 myself, " although I have already been a good deal out of *' pocket by my campaign to Red River. « DUNCAN CAMERON." After a perusal of the statements which have been thus submitted, and of the documents referred to in the preceding part of this narrative, no impartial reader, unless he thinks these documents are forged, can hesitate in drawing this conclusion — that from the first knowledge of the Earl of Selkirk's intention to establish a colony at the Red River, the North- West Company of Montreal determined to prevent it ; that, in pursuance of this determination, they adopted, both in this country and abroad, such measures as appeared to them best calculated to carry their reso- lution into effect ; — that in doing so, they did not scruple as to the means which were to be employed ; —that their hostile operations increased in proportion as the probable success of the settlement became more apparent — and that, at length, they thought fit to instigate those measures of violent aggression against it, which ended in robbery and bloodshed. These occurrences were at first ascribed, bv the North-West Company, to the native Indians^ — but, as it became obvious that not a single Indian had been concerned in them, they next attributed them to the Half-breeds ; a race over whom they stated they had no control. Their influence over the Half- breeds, however, is too notorious to be concealed, and upon what description of persons they will next F ^1 U 'I % m 34 be driven to sliif'i ilio blame, it is not tuny to con-' jcclurc; — but, Iiowevcr remote the scene of these crimes may be, — however j^rcat the difHculty of obtuininj^ spoedy and eifectnal investigation; — and, above all, however bold and artful the attempts to misrepresent facts, and conceal the truth, — the public cannot continue much longer to be misled by vague assertions, or blinded by assumed concern at events ^vhicll persons connected with the North-West Company pretend to have foretold, and which (in all human probability), had they wished, they could have entirely prevented. It may be recollected, that when tlie question of establishing a regular agricultural settlement in the Hudson's Bay territories was first agitated, and when the grant to the Earl of Selkirk, for that object, was under discussion, certain individuals, concerned for the North-West Company in this country, stepped forward to express, in the Protest which has been fornieriy noticed, tlieir humane concern at the dis- tressing situation to which the emigrant settlers in Ossiniboia might be reduced ; and anticipated, with much apparent solicitude, the dilliculties in which the colonists would be plunged. — But however com- passionate the language, which, at that time, was used by the persons concerned for the Company at home, they seem to have been over-matched in fine feeling by the Company's agents abroad. — Let us see how the Honourable Mr. William M'Gillivray, the agent and principal partner of the North-West Com- pany in Canada, and member of the Legislative and Executive Councils of the Lower Province, expresses m'* 35 f to con- of these iculty of [1 ; — and, tempts to he public by vague at events ►rth-West ich (in all ould have ucstion of ent in the and wheu bject, was cerned for f, stepped has been the dis- scttlers in atedj witli in which ever cora- time, was )inpany at icd in fine iLet us see ivray, the est Coni- lative and expresses 4 himself to Sir Frederick Robinson, then in the tem- porary command in Upper Canada, who had applied to him for information with respect to the colonists at Red River.— On the 15th of August, 1815, (rhortly after the arrival of the settlers who were brought, by the Company, to Upper Canada, and when it is impossible to suppose tliat Mr. M'Gilli- vray, then in that Province, could be ignorant of the real circumstances of the case,) he writes to Sir Frederick Robinson, transmitting a Statement drawn up by him on the subject. — In this Statement he mentions, among other things, that, "the disorder ** excited in the country by those acts of violence*, *' the disgust given to the settlers by the extensive dis- *' advantages of the country, as well as the violence and " tyranny of their leader, and the dread of the natives, " Indians, and mixed breedf , all contributed to break '' up the colony. — Some few of the settlers (about " fourteen families) have returned to Hudson's Bay, " and the remainder threw themselves upon the com- '' passion of the North-West Company to obtain * Alluding to the proceedings of Mr. Miles Macdonell. — See Appendix, [ B. ] t In another part of this letter Mr. M'Gillivray talks of these Half-breeds as " being a daring and numerous race, sprung from " the intercourse of the Canadian Voyagcurs with Indian womcjii, " and who consider themselves as the possessors of the coviiitry, " and lords of the soil." — It was some time ago rumoured that a formal petition had been presented to Government in behalf of these illegitimate Bois-Brules as " lords of the soil!" — If they have become so, it doubtless must be by right oi conquest, as evea Mr. M'Gillivray will scarcely contend that they hold the landss by right of inheritance. il; ■! !»!'* mil] *ii 4 'i [1 t ' i'i 1 ; ■■i 'i ■ii Si) " means of conveyance to Canada. — Some of them *' state upon uuth that they left their homes in expec- " talion of coming to Canada at once, and were only " told of their actual destination at Sturnoway in the " island of Lewis, from whence the embarkation " took place. — Others state, also upon oath, that " they were informed the distance from lied River to " Canada was short, and the communication easy, " so that if they did not like that country, they might " have it in their power to join their friends in " Canada ; and others state that they were to go to " Canada by the way of the Red River. — Under " these circumstances, partly from compassion to- " wards these poor people, and partly from a dread " of the consequences of their remaining in the in- '' terior, (because, in the event of the Indians attack- " ing them, it was feared that the Hatchet, once " raised, would not discriminate between a trader, " and a settler, but that all the white men in the " country might become its victims,) the North- West " Company has offered these settlers a conveyance to " this Province, and the means of subsistence since " they left the Red River." — &c. &c. &c. — And he concludes his letter to Sir Frederick (in which he forwarded this Statement) by *' begging his protec- '* tion and favour for the poor settlers." — The writer, however, deceived himself in supposing that the *' fourteen families of settlers," alluded to by him, had returned to Hudson's Bay ; for, at the very time he was composing his Statement, and pouring out his fine feelings in the answer to Sir F. Robinson's official inquiry, these obstinate, and untractable families Ml i|: : of them in expec- kverc only /ay in the )arkatioa atiij that [ River to ion easy, icy might riends in to go to . — Under ission to- ll a dread in the in- ns attack- het, once a trader^ en in the rth-West eyance to nee since —And he which he is protec- le writer, that the by him, very time g out his 's official families 37 were actually on their way back to their old station on the Red River. — WJicn the two partners of the North-Wt'st Company (Cameron, iind Alexander M'Doiiell) had proceeded towards Canada with their followers, these settlers voluntarily returned from the North end of Lake Winipic, to resume possession of their lauds, and to re-establish the settlement ; and this they did in spite of" the extensive disadvantages of the country," the " indiscriminating hatchet of the Indian," or, what was worse than either, the canting " compassion of the North-West Company." But we cannot yet part with Mr. M'Gillivray. — In his communication to Sir Frederick Robinson he refers to certain ^' statements upon oath," of some of the settlers who were brought down to Canada. It is sufficiently obvious, however, that these depo- sitions, whatever they may contain, should be received with the greatest doubt and suspicion. — In the first place, those who were examined, were persons who had been seduced to the commission of crime by part- ners of the North-West Company, and were then at Fort William, under the control, and at the disposal, of those who had seduced them. In the second place, the persons who specially superintended these exami- nations, were no other than Mr. Alexander M'Donell, the Coi pany's partner who was so active in their seduction, and Mr. Norman M'Leod, another part- ner, (and a Magistrate for the Indian territory,) whose activity, of a similar description, will appear suffi- ciently conspicuous in the sequel. — Besides, before these statem uts are at all to be attended to, we ought first to be satisfied that none of the persons examined •lii ■if n 'ii •>. ■■ ^8 I ;:.!! ! •' uerc of the number of those forly-oij^lit settlers^ labourers^ and others, whose names appear in the aceount book made out at Foi t William, and which specifies the sums respective!)' paid to tiiem by the North- West Company, for tlieir services, — as '* true partisans," together witli the credits allowed them for articles which they had plundered from their employer, and sold to that very Company, of which two of the most active partners were now selected for the purpose of taking these examinations. — The receiver of stolen goods is surely not a fit person to take the examination of the thief! — But this is not all.— There is evidence that while Messrs. Alexander M'Donell, and Norman M'Lcod, were thus em- ployed in superintending those examinations, they evinced the greatest anxiety (and naturally enough too) that any circumstances might be discovered which could bring discredit upon the settlement at Red River, or blame on its management : — and there is also evidence that while the examinations were going on, M'Donell received a special written direction from one of the leading partners of the Company, then at the Sault St. Mary, to hasten these depositions, suggesting the expediency of at once getting at something that might throw blame on the Earl of Selkirk ; and that he (M'Donell) should enileavour to find out some of the settlers zvhocouhl^ or would, swear to circumstances which might have that effect.— What the result of M'Donell's inquiry among the settlers for this object Mas, does not ap- pear. — He probably succeeded in getting something which he thought would suit the purpose; for he tt nrrm« to liave boon a most indefatigable partner, either in the closet or the field. — Twelve months had not (lapsed since we found him transmitting a dis- patch to his correspondent at Montr ,at he was, then, by fair means or foul, preparir ^> commence " open hostilities against the enemy in Red River," — and now, having obtained the victory, we find him superintending in person, the solemn examinations of his prisoners on oath! — a " true partisan" — equally prepared to pursue his object with the Testament, or the tomahawk. In a former part of this Statement, it has been mentioned that the Earl of Selkirk had received in- formation, in the bcginp'ng of the year 1815, that it was suspected the Indians were likely to make an attack upon the Red River settlement; and, although the specific ground of that suspicion had not been communicated, he lost no time in applying to Government for some military aid and protection. By affording to the colony, in its infancy, a small portion of such assistance, there was every reason to believe that, in a very short time, it would have become able to protect itself. But it will appear obvious, that the Provincial Government refused to give the protection, without having instituted a suffi- cient inquiry for the purpose of ascertaining if it was expedient to grant it. In order to support his settlers by his personal exertions, the Earl of Selkirk went to America, in the autumn of the year 1815. — On bis arrival at New York, in his way to Canada, be received intelligence of the dispersion of the colonists, and the destruction Hi li f'S'' i-i St-,1 .'■ piil * ) 40 of the settlement. He proceeded i in mediate 1)^ to Montreal, where he soon learnt that the Indians had no concern whatever in the transaction, and he adopted, without delay, the requisite steps to obtain substan- tial evidence with respect to the acts which had taken place, anfi the persons by whom they were committed. — The settlers who had been brought down to Canada, were now dispersed in both Provinces, and many of them in great distress. — That distress was ascribed to his Lordship, as a matter of course, and not to those who had first seduced, and then abandoned them. — The North- West Company had no further use for their services ; — the expense of bringing them down to Canada had already proved sufficiently burthen- some ; — and, of course, the splendid promises made at the banks of the Red River, of lands in the Ca- nadas, high wages, great encouragement, &c. &c. were all forgotten on the shores of the St. Lawrence. — But it '1 not unworthy of remark, that no sooner was it understood that Lord Selkirk was proceeding to York, in Upper Canada, for the purpose of car- rying on his inquiries, than rations of provisions were ordered to be issued, by the North- West Company's agent there, to those of the settlers who had been brought down to that place, and who had not ob- tained employment. Numerous affidavits were now taken, upon Lord Selkirk's application, before various magistrates, both in Upper and Lower Canada. — Many of the settlers, labourers, and others, who had belonged to the Red River colony, and who had been brought away by the North-West Company, were themselves ately to IS had no adopted, substan- ad taken mmitted. Canada, many of cribed to ; to those them. — r use for em down burthen- ses made 1 the Ca- &c. &c. jawrence. o sooner oceeding e of car- iions were |ompany's had been not ob- )on Lord Igistrates, \y of the onffcd to brought lemselves ■a; I m ,1 41 examined. In addition to the evidence thus obtained, depositions had been taken (and sent to England by the way of Hudson's Bay) of those officers and set- tlers, who, remaining true to their engagements, had refused to come down to Canada. — These depositions, together with other proofs, which had been obtained, formed so strong a chain of evidence, as to leave little doubt who the persons were, by whom the acts of violence had been instigated, and committed. While occupied in these important investigations^ Lord Selkirk received information that the Red River Colony had been again re-established ; and that thebody of settlers, which had withdrawn to the North end of Lake Winipic, had rtturned to the set- tlement, after Cameron and Alexander M'Donell, with their followers, had left the Red River. — Oa the receipt of this intelligence. Lord Selkirk dis- patched a messenger into the interior, for the pur- pose of giving notice to the settlers of his arrival ia America ; and of his intention, as soon as the river navigation was open in the spring, to join them at the settlement with every means he could obtain, to secure their protection : — but the messenger he sent was waylaid, and robbed of his dispatches*. * These letters were entrusted to a person, named Lagimo- niere, whom Lord Selkirk could depend upon, and who had made a hazardous winter journey on foot of upwards of two thou- sand miles, for the purpose of bringing intelligence to Montreal, from the Red River, of the re-establishment of the colony. With respect to his being robbed, on returning to the interior, see the Declaration of the Chipewa Chief, before the Council of the Indian Department, in the Appendix, [U.] — Lagimoniere wa» 1]^ It! ! ii •it 42 W^ iili- m a m\h'U 'm ii. I Reports began now to be circulated of the pro- bability of renewed aggression against the colony in the spring. — It was not very likely indeed that the opponents of colonization would sit tamely down, and permit the agricultural pursuits of the settlers to revive at Red River, without some attempts to pre- vent them. — In addition to their t riginal inveteracy, they were probably not a little irritated at the resolu- tion evinced by the colonists, ii endeavouring to re- establish the settlement after their former dispersion : — And it was therefore not doubted in Canada, by those most likely to be best informed, that another attempt would be speedily made to destroy it. waylaid in the night-time, near the Fond du Lac Superior, by some Indian hunters (employed for the purpose by the North- West Company,) who beat him in a shocking manner, and plun- dered him of his dispatches, his canoe, and every thing it con- tained. — The order to intercept him was issued frrm Fort Wil- liam on the 2nd of June, 181G, by Mr. Norman ^fl'Lcod. " The " intention of this express," says this magi^uate in writing to his partner at Fond du Lac, " is to tell you that Lagimoniere " is again to pass through your Depai'hnent on his way with " letters to Red River. As a precautionary measure, he must " absolutely be prevented proceeding, or forwarding any letters. " He and the men along with him, and an Indian guide he has, " must all be sent, with their budget, to this place, here to await " the result of future proceedings. It was a matter of astonish- " ment to many, how he could have made his way last fall through " Fond du Lac Department. — This, no doubt, you will be able ** satisfactorily to explain.'' The Indians who performed the service vvcre credited in the books of the North- West Company, with the sum of one hundred dollars. Several of the letters, in Loitl Selkirk's hand-writing, have been smce found among some loose papers at Fort William. sonal " frot "on 43 the pro- :olony in that the ly down, settlers to ts to pre- iveteracy, be resolu- ng to re- ispersion : :anada, by at another 1 it. Superior, by jy the North- ler, and plun- thing it con- rm Fort Wil- Lcod. •' The in writing to i Lagimoniere his way with isure, he must ng any letters. guide he has, , here to await ter of astonish- ast fall through ou will be able performed the i^est Company, the letters, in id among some The Earl of Selkirk again endeavoured, by every means in his power, to procure some small military protection for the settlers ; but his application to Sir Gordon Drummond, (who then administered the Government of Canada) was unsuccessful ; — and his endeavours seem to have been equally fruitless to learn the reasons of the refusal. — In making this as- sertion, however, it is requisite to state the ground upon which it is founded. I In the months of March, and April, 1816, when numerous reports were in circulation, in Canada, of the intended renewal of hostility against the Red River Colony, an official correspondence, of very , J considerable length, took place between Sir Gordon % Drummond, and the Earl of Selkirk. It appears I that the latter, having collected much evidence from various quarters, with respect to the attack upon the i settlement in the former year, was preparing to have the proofs submitted to the Provincial Government. The object of laying that body of evidence before his ^ Excellency, was to point out the description of per- I sons who had instigated the former aggressi -u;, y,nd I to :ihew that, from the same quarter j a re:;c«,iii "ISiJ.;, i I:, 1 !■ y ii. ■ i'. ; U ■ii' 40 *^ required for the outfit, and supply of the expedition,— ** lenving it to his Majesty's Government at home to decide, ** whether these articles are to be allowed as for the public " service or not ; and, in the event of their not being allowed, " I will be responsible that these articles shall be either re- ** placed, or paid for, as may be desired. " The only other difficulty, of which 1 hav; ever heard a *^ surmise, is, that the officer in command might be placed '* in embarrassing circumstances^ as to the proper line of ** his duty, if called upon to support the civil magistrate, " in the event of disputes between the different persons who *' claim authority. — I flatter myself that this difficulty will *' soon be obviated by a reference to the opinion of the At- " torney and Solicitor General of England as to the claims ia *' dispute. — In the mean time, I conceive that your Excel- " lency ought to refer the question to the Attorney-General " of the Province, and that if his opinion be taken as a guide, " the officer in command will certainly be exonerated from " all responsibility. '* In your Excellency's letter to me of the 15th ultimo, I ** am informed that, having stated to Lord Bathurst your " reasons for refusing to send a military detachment to Red " River, you could not take any other step, till you should ** receive farther instructions. I beg leave, however, to ob- " serve, that this determination, having been communicated ** to Lord Bathurst previously to my letter of Nov. lith, " must have been grounded altogether on the information " derived from the North-West Company ; for, at that " date, no information at all had been laid before your Ex- " cellency on ray part, or that of the Hudson's Bay Com- '* pany, of a later date than February 1815. At that period " we could only state grounds of apprehension, as to the " intention of our enemies. Since my arrival in this Pro- ** vince, I have collected most decisive evidence as to the " conduct actually pursued by them — evidence which must *' have been entirely unknown to your Excellency at the « date " now « whi< " ultir " lenc3 " too "I " Lore ** and ** ceivi 49 " (late of your communication to Lord Bathurst ; and even ** now you are not in possession of one-tenth part of the facts " which I can undertake to proye.— -In my letter of 11th ** ultimo I oflfercd to lay the evidence before your Excel- " lency, and your reply gave me to understand, that it was " too late to be taken into consideration. " I presume, Jiowever, that the instructions given by " Lord Bathurst in Marcli 1815, have never been recalled; " and till they are positively and explicitly recalled, I con- ** ceive that it remains in your Excellency's discretion, to " act upon them if you see fit; and that you cannot be " pTecluded from the exercise of that discretion, by any " determination which you may have expressed, while you '^ weire under an erroneous impression as to the real state of " the facts, or while the circumstances of the case were ** different from those which now exist. The re-establish- *' raent of the settlement, and the probability of a renewal of *^ hostile attacks against it, call loudly for a revisal of your " determination. The occurrences of last summer prove, *^ beyond all possibility of doubt, that the countenance of " the public force is necessary for the protection of the '' settlers against the lawless violence of their enemies ; and " the instructions which your Excellency received last year *' from Lord Bathurst cannot leave any doubt as to the ** intentions of his Majesty's Government to afford pro- " tection, and not to abandon the settlers to their fate, as if " they were out of the pale of the British Empire. — If, *' however, your Excellency persevere in your intention to " do nothing, till you receive farther instructions, there is a " probability, almost amounting to a certainty, that another " season must be lost, before the requisite force can be sent " up ; — during another year the settlers must remain ex- " posed to attack, and there is every reason to expect that iii " consequence of this delay, many lives may be lost. " That this calamity can only be averted by the means " pointed out in Lord Bathurst's instructions, and that no r if ' 50 (< riiasonablc objection lies against that measure, are ** poiiMb of which your Excellency cannot fail to be con- « vir/- ' npon a careful rc-examinalion of the subject, when *' you have the whole evidence before you, and can bestow *' equal attention on both sides of the question. I have the honour to be, " &c. &c. &c. (Signed) *' SELKIRK. " To His Excellency " Sir Gordon Druvimond, % W:^ 11 i !.,,.;,(;.,. (III''!: i,;i I' In answer to (his letter, his Lordship received the following reply from Sir Gordon Drummond : — " Castle St. Lewis, " QuEUEr,27:: h ii ii 53 ir of your the receipt the com- olent pro- A^'cst, and it Ins Ma- to punish comrau- he persons ints of the any corre- imitted to nstructions d Bathurst se as to the dson's Bay eak of my and I have jme before observing, l1 of ample d Bathurst one side. — require an int out two of which, e. ncn in the lot amount the North- ible that a ginate with ware, that, ** for more than a year past, It has been the anxious wish "of the Hudson's Bay Company, that a party of (roopg ** should be stationed in these parts of his Maj»Ji ■"I:'. I •I '■■ I J M^\ 9. 56 " such a manner as would have removed from his Excel- " lency's mind all traces of any impression unfavourable *' to the honourable character, and liberal principles, of the " heads of the North-West Compan}^, had any such im- " pression existed. " On a full consideration, however, of the statements, " and documents, now before him. Sir Gordon Drummond " is of opinion, that if the lives and property of Lord " Selkirk's settlers are, or may hereafter be, endangered, " that danger will arise principally from the conduct of " Mr. Miles Macdonell, his Lordship's agent, who appears " to his Excellency to be actuated by any thing but a spirit *' of moderation or conciliation in his language and de- ** meanour towards the servants of the North- West Com- *' pany. He has moreover assumed powers which cannot " possibly, in his Excellency's opinion, have been vested " in him, or in any agent, public, or private, of any indivi- " dual, or of any chartered body*. — 'J'he legality, however, " or otherwise, of the proclamations issued by Mr, Miles " Macdonell (copy of two of which are enclosed) will of " course be determined in a court of law in Great Britain, ** to which they have, very properly, been referred by the " North- West Companyf. The papers which accompanied " your letter are herewith returned, copies having been t< if I jl.: * How far Sir Gordon Drummond's legui opinion ought to have weight with respect to '.o powers, and commission, held by Mr. Miles Macdonell, as a governor in one of the Hudson's Bay Company's Establishments, under the specific provisions of a Royal Charter, it is not requisite to inquire. At all events he appears to diflcrfrom Mr. Justice Holroyd, Sir Samuel Romilly, and the other English lawyers, whose names appear in the Appendix, [A.] f No such reference to any court of law in Great Britain, has ever been heard of. '■(* ^4^ 57 " retained for transmission to the Secretary of State, before "whom it has been his Excclieney Sir Gordon Druin- " niond's endeavour, to place" the whole case, as fairly and " fully as possible. " I have the honour to be, " Gentlemen, " Your obedient humble servant, (Signed) "J. IIAKVCY." " Licut.-Col. ^c. i\c" " Mtssn. ISJ'iitlnnd, Garden, and Auldjo." ] If this letter should not be deemed sufficient to establish the fact of the Provincial Governmenthaving been fatally led to rest satisfied with the information obtained fro'n those who were connected with the parties accused, the perusal of another one from the same quarter, (written a few weeks previous to tiiat above quoted,) and addressed to ti)e Honourable Mr. William M'^Gillivray, will probably remove any doubt which may remain on the subject. This document, although it appears to have been of a confidential nature, was ofiicialiy made use of by one of the leadin;:^ Partjiers and Agents of the North-West Company, and transmitted, by him, to his Majesty's Government, in the month of JunC;, 1815. : Britain, has " Quebec, JuneWth, 1815., " Confidential. " My Dear Sir, " Sir Gordon Drummond has received a commu- " nication from high authority, desiring him to make in- " quiry into the foundation for a strong degree of alarm " which appears to be entertained by the Earl of Selkirk, " and the Hudson's Bay Company, for the safety of their if i ii r nil. 1.1 11 '* si'ttlcrs on UimI River, in coiisrciiiciur of an iikn wliitli '* had Lecii insiilljcl into tlicir minds Uy jxtsoiis rrsidcni. *' in Canada, lliat tlic Inilian tribes in tlie lui^hhoniltood '' of tliat srttlonicnt have heen in-sli<:;Mted to eiunniil the *' horrid and atroeious act oratteniplini^ the dcslrnction ol " the whole popidation oCtiial setlUinent. " 1 niusl not eoneeal from yon that some ol'the servants " of the Nortii-W'est ('om[)any are snspeeted ol'bein!^ eon- ^* corned in this chaholieal act. Sir (.jor(h)n Dnnmnond " however feels that he eamiot more str«)ngly evinee tho ** high respect which he entertains for the head of that " most respectable body, and his pcrleet confidence in "their candour and hberalily of scnliment, than by the ''course which he h;'.s not hesitatc'd to adopt of ap|)lyinj^ " himself direct to them for the information which tliey *' assuredly i)0s8css the best nn'urjs of alfordin'ji:, and which " his Excellency iii e(jually assured they arc too honourable " and conscientious to withhold. " I am commanded therefore to ask you il" there exists *' in your opinion any reasonable grounds for believing that *' llie atrocity alluded to is in the contemplation of the ** Indians in ({uestion, or tha< the salety of the |)ersons, or ^' ))roperty', of the settlers on the lied Kiver is endangered ^' from the causes above referred to? " Whatever may be the answer to this query, I atu com- " manded to remind you, that the powerful body ol" which '' you are the head, far move than the govcnunent of these " provinces, possess the means of inllucneing the actions *' of these remote tribes of Indians vvitii whom they alone " hold an intercourse, \vhose wants they alone su[)ply, and • ' whose conduct they alone can control. "The North-West Company, therefore, will be con- " sidercd responsible in the eye of the world, as well as in " tliose of his Majesty's Gov ernmcnt, for any such horrid '' catastrophe as 1 liave alluded to, whether arising from " the instigations of their subordinate agents, or from the f! influenced malignity of the Indians themselves. "Si >i\ «' ,, appc; "his ^ <« nic/isi " n " of th. " the l{ " you w " good " T/u- lli ITpor any cor thought lea vvliicli s residcnl hourliood Muinit the luctioji of 10 servants Dcing con- >nminu)n(l evince lluj ul of that ificUiu-c in \ni\ Wy the >f applying vhich they and which honourable here exists ievinj; that ion of the )ersons, oi' nidangcied I Rill com- 1y of which Int of these the actions (they alone iipply, and |l he con- wcU as in inch horrid tsnig from from the. 60 " Sir Cordon Prinnmond feels assured that hy tliia " appeal he has more enectualiy provided for the safety ol " ills Majesty's snhi<'et8 iiihahiting the shores of Iludaon'fi " Hay, than it would be in his power to do by any oth^r " measure wliatever. " His lixeelleuey being ill-provided with maps or charts *' of that remoli- pari of his Majesty's dominions, in which " the Ke.d Uiver is situated, has directed me to recpiest that " you will favour him with the loan for a short time of any ** good one wiiieh m;iy be in your possession*. (Signed) " J. llAllVi:Y." " T/ic Ilonouiuhle " William MGillivrmj:* iTpon these documcnls it is not ncccssar)' fo makfJ any comment. Sir (iordon Drujiimond evidcnlly thouglit lie was tliiis adoptin;^ a step, Nvhich \voi»ld enable him to «;ive the inCorrnatioii required liy \\'\^ Majcsly's Government. — Tliat it >vas his wish to learn the truth, and to avert (he danger, is apparent* At the same time it is obvious that Itc was nmcli in error; wiiich has been but too clearly and fatally proved, by the lamentable consequences vvhieh ensued. No hope bein<^ now entertained of oht:.iiiini:^ mili- tary protection for the Settlentent, — a circiunstancc soon afterwards occurred, which appeared to aflbrd, to the Earl of Selkirk, an opportunity not only ot" procuring a body ordtlcient settlers for the colony, 1 but of materially adding to its strength and security. I \ '* * Sec the letter, in which the document (above cited) was ofii- '.'liilly uansiuiUed to the Secretary of hJUtc, in Appendix, \ jJ.L>.} 4: 4h\i II 1 V .; ^' i'iB iliii'i"'.^; i!:f I '! I:', 4;- In consrqncncc of 's on's Bay. giment of DeAVat- few of t!ie iccrs, also rged, they r clothing, furnished settlers, — more than rdered the 6J tloard of Ordnance, at that time, to issue some small tield-pieccs, and a considerahle numhcr of musKets, and ammunition, fur the use of the lied ilivcr eoh)h/. — Much ohloquy has Ix'cn tlirown npon the Karl of Selkirk hy his opponents, for having enlcred into en- gagements with these discharged soUliers, hut it is not easy to discover the grounds of their censure. These men had an undouhted right to enter into such agreements with the Karl of Selkirk, and tiie latter had an undouhted right to enter into contracts with them. The Provincial Government was ;ipj)rised hy his Lordship of the measure he was adopting, and of his views with respecv. to tluse people. — With this body of men, therefore, as an addition of slrength to his settlement, Lord Selkirk proceeded towards the interior, in confident hopes that he would arrive at the iled River before any renewed aggression was directed against the colony: — but in this he was disappointed. AVhen he readied the Falls of St. Mary, Ir tween Lakes Huron and Superior, a party of his people, wliich had been forwarded from Montreal in light canoes, tliat they might arrive at the Red River with all pos- sible dispatch, fell back, and, brought him intelligence that the settlement was again destroyed. They stated, in additioj], that many of the settlers, together witli Mr. Semple, the Governor of the Hudson's Bay Com- pany's territories, who happened to be there at the time, and also several others in the service of that Company, had been killed. Tho.^e who brought this intelligence had not reached s > far as tlie Red Kj\cr; for, having been informed, about tlic en- I H 'ii ^^\ ■^.m't' •I, '? m I- ! "fi:, 'J 63 fr.mrc of Liiko Wimiii)ic, that the, colony was brokt n up, niul the scMkrs dispersed, tliov liJi; tfie South shore of Lake Superior, so as to avoid all cellision with the North-West Company's estahlishmenls, and intended to follow them in Ins own canoe, when the intclliji'cncc was comnumicnteil to him of the destruc- tion of the settlement, — Fiiiding-, therefore, that the colonists were dispersed, and the settlement destroyed,, be was, of course, pnnented from proccedinji' in the direction he intended ; and lie resolved to go to Fort AVilliam, and demand the release of those who were in custody, or ascertain the grounds of their de- tention. The ditficulty and distress in which he was placed will, pcrhapsj be best seen in the account which iiis iW : 63 Kordslilp (lispntrlind (from thn Fulls of St.. Mury, 2i)lli .July), (o Sir Jolui Slicrbrookr, wlu) IuhI rrrcnily been j«j)poiiil(Hl (iovcnior iu Cliicf of the Cauad:'- — " His Nvilli f(clinnfy of the settlers ana se> vants of UMdH, Mr. Pritchard, Mr. Panibrun, Nolin, and others from the Red River, were detained in custody. Some of these were immediately permitted to join his Lordship, Mr. M'Gillivray stating that he did not admit they were prisoners ; and addin^^, that of the others, who had been sent for, one was on his way to Montreal as a prisoner, and the other m a witness. The persons who came over, asserted that they had all been kept for a time under rigorous continemcnt. The Informations taken of these persons and others, with respect to the occurrences at the colony, were of such a nature, as io induce his Lordship to issue warrants for the apprehension of the North- West Company's partners then at Fort William. — The first he issued was against Mr. M'Gillivray, who submitted immediately to the arrcht. Two other partners, who came over with him, to offer themselves as bail, (which was refused) were also apprehended, and detained under similar warrants. Other warrants were likewise issued to arrest several more of the partners, who had remained behind at the Fort, and the constables were again sent with two boats, the crews of which were armed, for the purpose of supporting the peace-officers, if neces- sary, in the execution of their duty. The resistance, which was made to the serving of these last-men- tioned warrants, is a sufficient proof how advisable it was to resort to the precaution which had been adopted. When the constables landed, four '^r five lii- ■1 m- pany in, and about, the Fort — together with sixty or seventy Iroquois Indians, also in the Company's ser- vice. Another warrant had been issued to search for, and secure, the papers of the Company, and of the partners who had been apprehended. — Seals were I I 'i :4. Ill the gate Ic number ^^est Coin- 11 llic usual but when (ho third, idler sub- aied. An the i^atc, ig. They » gate, and u tlie prin- ce of those two boats^ v]y rushed A signal, eiiig made an additi- !r from the uanee (for prevented rtner, who ^as seized submitted resistance above two the C >m- th sixty or )any's ser- to search ly, and of Seals were 67 put upon these by a gentleman appointed by the Earl of Srikirk, and by one of the principal clerks of tl;. North- West Company, and guards were placed for security. The partners, who were arrested, were taken over to Lord Selkirk's tents, but the day was now too far advanced to proceed with all their examinations. They pl( (Iged their word of honour, that no further attem|)t should be made to obstruct the ex<;cution of the law, and that all measures of a hostile nature should be abandoned. Lord Selkirk, in coiis(;quence, consented to allow the prisoners to return to their apartments in the Fort. It appears, however, that sufficient precaution had not been adopted. It was discovered next morning that the seals were broken from several places^ and that many letters and papers had been burnt in the kitchen in the course of the night ; — that a canoe loaded with arms and ammu- nition had been sent ofl', — that several barrels of gunpowder had been secretly conveyed from the Fort in the night-time, which were afterwards traced to a place of concealment among some brushwood in the neighbourhood ; and about fifty or sixty stand of fire arms, to all appearance fresh loaded and primed, were found hidden under some hay in a barn or loft, adjoining the Fort. In consequence of these discoveries, and the sus- picions that a surprise might be attempted by the Indians and Canadians in the Company's service, the greater part of the latter were sent ^o the op- posite side of the river; and their ( oes were secured. — Lord Selkirk and his party came over i! ll \r» 'ii' ».' fi 1 1 68 and pitched their tents in front of the Fort, where the guards were strengthened. The examinations of the persons apprehended having been completed, and their Declarations made out and signed by them, warrants of commitment were issued, and the parties sent off to the Attorney- Genera! of Upper Canada, and afterwards taken to Moiitieal, in Lower Canada, where they were admitted to bail*. '.hi.'!:; '•■•' f ■ .1- III' It is now necessary, in pursuance of the object of this narrative, to resume the subject of the Red River Set(le'!;ent, and, in doing so, the reader will be en- abled to judge, from the documents which shall be produced to him (particularly ihe depositions taken at Fort \\ illiani, ai.d Montreal) how far the outrages directed againht the colony, in the summer of 1816, ought in justice to be ascribed to the same persons who instigated, and effected its destruction in the year before. It appears necessary to reca) tlie reader's attention to thai di\ision of the Colonists who, refusing to be taken down to Canada in the summer of 1815, had * 'lilt !^hul•l account above given of the proceedings at Fort Wklliani, and ot llie ai>[)reliensiun of several of the partners of the Koith-Webi t oni^ian), is taken iiom a detailed statement which the Ear) ot htlknk oduially addressed, on tht; 21st of August (about a \\e»ls aUei his arrival at Fort Wilharn) to Mr, Gore, Lieutenant-Governor ot Upper Canada. — With re.«pect to the subsequent tranbactions at that place,, see Observations subjoined to the Sutcment, pajjc 157, &c. «? 1 oit, whfttf iprehended tioDs made jmmitment ; Attorney - ards taken they were be object of Red River will be en- ich shall be Ltions taken he outrages er of 1816, irne persons lion in the 's attention using to be 1815, had dings at Fort artners of the temtnt which 1st of August to Mr, Gore, f^pect to the ons biibioined 69 proceeded, under the friendly escort of the Indians, as far as Lake Winnipic, from whence they went to the other end of the lake, and established themselves, for a sliort time, at Jack River Mouse a station belonging to the Hudson's Bay Company I'bey were goon afterwards joined by Mr. Colin Robertson, a gentleman employed in the service of that Company, who told the settlers, that if they chose to go back to the settlement, he would take charge of them, and carry with him some men, who, he thought/ would be of service in assisting them to re-establish themselves. They accordingly put themselves under his charge, and returned to the Red River, where they were, some time after, joined by a considerable body of emigrants, (chiefly from the Highlands of Scotland,) who had been written to, in the year before, by the settlers at Red River, and anxiously pressed, and encouraged by them, to emigrate to that place. — With this addition, the colonists amounted to upwards of two hundred. The greater part of them remained for some months, about ninety miles up the Red River, at its junction with the River Pembina, for the purpose of more easily procuring buff*aloe-meat during the winter ; — but, early in the following spring, they were all placed at the original station of the colony, where lands were regularly assigned to them*. ♦ When the settlement was broken up, and the houses burned, in June 1815, the crops of grain were much destiuyed,— but after the North-West Company's servants, and the rialf-breeds, had tligpersed, the crops that remained were taken care of by Mr. Joh» M'Leod, and a few men who had continued at the Red R:ver, employed in the trading concerns of the Hudson's Bay Company. fli ■§§^:-4 '■' ' i m vj- Wf'f'*i m ■ M 14: -, 1 |.t i! !i|. J' 70 It has been already mentioned, that the two partners of (he Nor Ih- West Company, Mr. Duncan Cameron, and Mr. Alexander M'Donell, had re- turned, from the annual rendezvous at Fort William, in the autumn of 1815, to the stations which they had occupied in the preceding winter ; namely, Cameron to that at the Forks of the Red River, and M'Donell to that upon the River Qui Appelle, also within the Hudson's Bay territories, although several hundred miles further in the interior. — 'Neither of these partners expected to find that any of the Red River colonists had so soon attempted to re-establish themselves at the settlement. Mr. Cameron, how- ever, began again to molest and disturb the set- tl**rs; upon which Mr. Colin Robertson, who had taken upon himself the charge of them, seized his fort, or trading post, in the month of October, and recovered two of the field-pieces, ana thirty stand of arms, which had been carried off from the settlement, the year before. These, it may be recol- lected, Cameron had formerly refused to restore, holding at dehance the warrant which had been sent for the purpose of recovering them*. —In this pro- ceeding of Mr. Robertson, fortunately, no blood was shed. Cameron was released, upon promise to behave peaceably in future, and immediately reinstated in possession of his trading post. — Early in the ensuing spring, however, he was again ap- prehended, and taken towards the coast of Hudson's ""•^"•^^^"^^ I ■ I "'»■■■ -I 1.1, .mil ■ I III iiiviiiwiiii I,....!... ■ ■_ II II — — By the middle of October fifteen hundred bushels o. vheat, a considerable quantity of other grain, and a large stock oi potatoes were safely housed. * Sec Note, page 20. <( "Hi-;; ' i the two 1 . Duncan § had re- -.^' William, hich they namely. iver^ and jelle^ also jh several either of ' the Red -establish on, how- the set- who had seized his October, la thirty from the be recol- restore. been sent this pro- 10 bloot- promise iiediately ;l Early ^ain ap- ludson's . yheat, : stock oi' 71 Bay by Mr. Robertson, under Governor Semple's directions, for the purpose of being sent to England to take his trial. But in consequence of the ships belonging to the Hudson's Bay Company having been detained by the ice jill last winter in the Bay, and not having yet returned to England, no account whatever has been received from Mr. Robert- son himself of the grounds of his apprehending Cameron, nor of the circumstances attending that transaction. It appears evident, however, that he had discovered Cameron to be again plotting the destruction of the Settlement, and conspiring with Mr. Alexander M'Donell for the purpose of attacking, and driving away the settlers.— In order to ascertain their plans of aggression, Mr. Robertson caused some of their letters to be intercepted ; and when the reader peruses a few extracts from some of those which were thus obtained, he will probably think that there could be very little doubt of the intentions of the partners of the North- West Company to renew the disgraceful outrages against the colony. On the 13th of March, 1816, Mr. Alexander M'Donell thus writes from the River Qui Appelle, to Mr. Duncan Cameron at the Forks of the Red River : — " 1 received your kind favour from Riviere la Sourie. I " remark with pleasure the hostile proceedings of our neigh- " hours, I say pleasure, because the more they da, the more " justice we will have on our side. A storm is |>;cithering in " the North ready to burst on the rascals who deserve it ; " little do they know their situation. Last year was but a " joke. The new nation under their leaders are coming for- H f ''f V 4.. 1 \ M: n " Tvard to clear their native ^.oil of intruders and a88a»iin«. " — Glorious news from /Itliahn^ca*.," On the same day he also writes to another of the North-VVest Company (J Dougald Cameron) at the Sault St. Mary : — " ! am in the Forf of Riviere Qii'Appelk, 13th March, " dashiiif the Bois- \ the same le principal follows : — few lines to iries, and at de** Prairies, I which, it is tli.\tei}ijhteen uiy, who Ijad rce of misery 'hipewiiyan : ;(l men who rid necessity icir deceased the dreadful asca !'*— Sec r- the Indian " 1 am happy '■■ * Sec Ajuiendix, [ V. ] page xxxiii, an 't n II.- 1-. 'I ' (it' .. ,i, I 'i ■>■■ i''' iQ ^!lj;|r 74 breeds Merc collected from a very distant part of the country: some from Cumberland House, and also from tlip. Upper Saskatchawan, at least seven or eight eiirht hundred miles from the Red River settlement. But, notwithstanding the great distance, various re- ports had reached the Fcttlers, in the course of the winter, of the dangers which threatened them, and of the " storm t^atliering in the North," which was .soon to burst upon their heads. In a narrative which was written hy Mr. Pritchard, one of the principal settlers, (then at the River Pem- bina, where he had remained during most of the winter, witli about one Lundred and sixty of the co- lonists under his charge,.) he says, — " In the course of the winter we were much alarmed by " reports that the Half-breeds were assembling in all parts " of ihe North for the purpose of diiving us away, and that " they were expected to arrive at the settlement early in the " spring. The nearer the sj^^ring approached, the; more " prevalent these reports grew, and letters received from dif- *• ferent pohis confirmefi the same. Our hunters, and those " free Canadians who had suppHcd us with provisions, were " mucii terrified with the dread of the punishment they " might receive for the support they had given us. — My *'• neighbours, the Ilalf-breeds, began to shew a disposition " to violence, and threatened to shoot our huntir Bollenaud's *' horse, and himself too, if he did not desist from running *' the bufFi'loe; at the same time they told me, that if I did '^ not prevent him from so doing, they would go in a body ** on horseback, drive the cattle away, and cause my people " to starve. *' In the month of March, Messrs. Fraser and Hesse ar- ** lived ui my neighbour's house, which gave us great uu- <( (I li u (( <; ( << .. (( (C ^1-' part of the I, and also jen or eight settlement, various re- urse of the I them, and which was . Pritchard, River Pern- most of the y of the co- lli alarmed by ig in all parts >vvay, and that nt early in the ed, the more ived from dif- ers, and those rovisions, were lishment they iven us. — My a disposition cr BoUenaud's from running ', ihut if I did go in a body use my people and 11 esse ai- z us great un- I 75 " easiness, as Fraser was represented as the leader of the " Half-breeds, and that he was a uaring, and violent mat>*. " On his arrival he sent a threatening message to one of my " hunters, and whenever an opportunity ofi'ered, he was very *' assiduous in his endeavours to seduce from us, our servants " and settlers; likewise a report was very current, tiiat a " party of Ilalf-breeds, and Crec Indians, were expected to " arrive from Fort des Prairies, on the Saskatchawan River, " as soon as the melting of the snow would admit of their " travelling ; and the language of every free Canadian we " saw was * Mcfic/ vousbicn pour I'amour de Dieu; mefiez " * vous bien.* At the same time we were informed that the " Half-breed servants of the North- West Company, uho •■' were then in the plains, were ordered home to their house. " This assemblage of those men gave us the most serious " apprelicnsion for the safety of the settlers, and those sor- *' vanis who were employed to bring provisions from the " plains to the fort." Governor Semple, who had been visiting several of the stations within the Hudson's Bay territories, arrived at the Red River in the spring of 1816f . In the month of April, he sent Mr. Pambrun to the Hudson's Ray Company's trading post on the River * Fraser had received a good education in Canada ; — and was once a clerk in the custom house at Quebec j he was afterwards appointed a clerk in the l^orth-West Company, lie makes a conspicuous figure in the subsequent outrages against the colony, t Mr. Semple had been nominated by the Hudson's Bay Com- pany to be the chief governor ovei- all their factories and terri- tories, — and had gone out, in 1813, lo take upon him the import- ant chaige to which he had been appoiiited. No person could be better fitted for the situation than Mr, Semple.— He was of a juild, steadj', just, and honourable chara'iter. f i •hi $ » * 76 Qui Ai»|>o)U', wliofomul, iil tlw^adjoiiiini^ poRlbcloiif!;- iiijjr : ol* May, \\\i\\ iMi. (Joor^r Snilioi- laiul, (wliolijul Hi(MliaipM»rilH' llmlson's Hay Cimi- pany's fradinp; puni <)i» al livrr,) anil Iwniiy-iwo nirii, in Hvo boats, loaib'd witli acoiiHidciablc (juaiilily of fuis^ and aboiif six bundird bag-s of |M'iniruu*, cbiolly iiiicndi'd for tlio 8U|»poil of Hie colonisls, fill fbry couUl reap tbo crops Ibai were oii tlic j;'roiind. On ihc \2i\\ of May, as (boy were proctM'dinu; est Com- pany, (Canadians and Half-breeds,) ihhUm- Hie com- mand of Cullibert (iraiit, Tbomas M'lvay. Koderick IVl'Kenzie, and l*aiii»:n»an Hostonois, clerks and inter- preters of tbat Company, to«;etber witli lirisbois, one of tbeir jruides. — iNlr. Pambriin and tlie rest of tbc parly were taken prisoners, and carried Vesi Company's fort at tbc J^'orka of tbe Red River, and declared tbat it was bis intention ,1 1 f f party ♦ IVmican is ;i species of dried j)rovisions, j^eiierally prepared by ihc natives, from Ihe bnlValoe and deer. The lean parts of the meat arc first (hied by the heat of the lire, then reduced into a coarse powder, mixed wiili inched fat, and crammed into bags made of the skins of the buiValoe. — llach bap; contains about ninety pound weight, and it is reckoned a good carcase, which yields a whole bag. J M 77 to starve the coIoiuhIw, and ilic Borvantg of Hir Uiicl- sou'h Bay (company, and make ilieni Hjirrciidcr. Tho parly was forcibly d<;iain(Hi for five dayH, and then liberated, (under a proniiHe not (o bear artnH ap;ainHt the N and signed, by Mr. PHtchard, who was present, and whose life was saved, with great diffi- culty, by the interference of one of the Canadians of the hostile party^ with whom he had been previously acquainted. — Mr. Plritchard had been long employed in the service of the North^'West Company, and had resided upwards of thirteen years at the Red River. On the first establishment of the colony^ he preferred settling- there with his family, and cultivating a farm, to continuing in the service of the Compan3r> not- withstanding he had received from them sttong as- surance of promotion. When the colony was broken mMu' » See Appendix, [V.] [W.J [X. j &c. &c. 8| up, in the year 1815, he had been driven from it with those of the settlers who subsequently retired to the further end of Lake Winnipic ; and he had again returned with them to the Red River in the autumn of the same year. It appears that Governor Semple was upon the point of returning from the Red River to York Fort in Hudson's Bay, on the concerns of the Hudson's Bay Company, when the reports, which had been for some time in circulation, of intended hostility against the settlement, began to increase from every quarter. Measures of precaution were adopted, and a watch regularly kept to guard against surprise. — On the 17th of JunCj two Cree Indians who had escaped from the party of Canadians and Brules under Mr. Alexander M'Donell, came to Mr. Sertiple at, Fort Douglas, adjoining the settlement*, and told him that he would certainly be attacked in two days by the Bois-Brules, commanded by Cuthbert Grant, Hoole, Fraser, Bourrassa, Lacerte, and Thomas M'Kay, all in the service of the North- West Company, who were determined to take the fort; and that, if any resistance was made, neither man, woman, or child, would escape. Two chiefs of the Sautoux Indians, hearing also of the intended attack, came and held a council with Governor Semple, and told him, in a speech, *' they were come to take their father's advice, " and wishedto know from him how they were to act ; " that they were certain he would be attacked, and * After their return from Jack River House, the settlers named tlie Governor's house, at the settlement. Fort Douglas. m -,-■ - ' [ > >\ v\ ,1 i;< I' ' r4 m 83 " that, if their father wanted their assistance, they, '* and their young men, would be ready to defend " him." — Governor Semple answered, by advising them not to interfere ;—" But," said he. *' as we *' are not sure of what may be the will of our Great " Father, I now give you a supply of ;runpnwder, *' that, in case of my destruction, you may have the " means of procuring subsistence, for yourselves and " families, during the summer." Some of the free Canadians also offered to join him, but he declined their services, saying, that he did not wish them to fight against their countrymen. "On the afternoon of the IQth of June," (says Mr, Pritchard in his narrative,) "a man in the walcli-liouse " called out, that the Half-breeds \Tere coming. The " governor, some other gentlemen, and myself, looked " through spy-glasses, and I distinctly saw some armed *' people on horseback passing along the plains. A man " then called out, they, (meaning the Half-breeds) are "making for the settlers; on which the governor said, " * We must go out and meet these people ; let twenty men " * follow me.' We proceeded by the old road leading " down 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 ad- " vanced about three quarters of a mile along the settlement, " we saw some people on horseback behind a point of woods. *' — On our nearer approach, the party seemed more nume- " rous; on which, the governor made a halt, and sent for a " field-piece, which, delaying to arrive, he ordered us io "advance. — W^e had not proceeded far> before the Half- " breeds, on horseback, with their faces painted in the most *' hideous manner, and in the dresses of Indian warriors, came ** forward, and surrounded us ia the form of a half-moon. 1 ": !:i 83 (' We then extended our line, and moved roorc into tiie "open plain; and as they advanced^ we retreated a few (' steps backwards, and then saw a Canadian, named Bou* <' chor, ride up to us waving his hand, and calling out, ** ' What do you want ?' the governor replied, * What do " ^ you want?' To which Boucher answered, * We want ** our fort/ — The governor said, * Go to your fort.'— Thejr *^ were, by this time, near each other, and consequently " spoke too low for me to hear. — Being at some little dis- " tance to the right of the governor, I saw him take hold *' of Boucher^s gun, and almost immediately a general dis- <' charge of tire-arms took place ; but whether it began on ** our side, or that of the enemy, it was impossible to dis- ^' tinguish : my attention was then directed towards my *'' personal defence. In a few minutes, almost all our people " were either killed or wounded. — Captain Rogers, having^ '^ fallen, rose up again and came towards me, when not *' seeing one of our party who was not either killed or dis> *' abled, I called out to him, ' For God's sake give yourself ** up.' — He ran towards the enemy for that purpose, myself <^ following him. lie raised up his hands, and, in English, '* and broken French, culled out for mercy. A Half-breed, " (son of Colonel William M'Kay) shot him through the '^ head, and ano her cut open his belly with a knife, with *' the most horrid iu^precations. Fortunately for me, a << Canadian (named J avigne) joining his entreaties to mine^ " saved me (though witii the greatest difficulty) from sharing " the fate of my friend at that moment. After this, I was " rescued from death, in the most providential manner, no ** less than six different times, on my road to, and at, the ** Frog Plain, (the head-quarters of those cruel murderers.) " I there saw that Alexander Murray, and his wife, two of *' William Bannerman's children, and Alexander Suther- ** land, settlers, and likewise Anthony M'Donell, a servant, " were prisoners, having been taken before the action took " place. With the exception of myself, no quarter was ■f ■3ii •A -I I'f ■11 T-ll f I ill II "■^•' 84 *' given (o any of us. The knife, axe, or ball, put a pcdod *' to the existence of the wounded ; and on the bodies of the " dead were practised all those horrible barbarities which '* characterise the inhuman heart of the savage. The ** amiable and mild Mr. Semple, l>ing on his side (his thigh *' having been broken), and supporting his head upon his " hand, addressed the chief commander of our enemies, by *' inquiring if he was Mr. Grant; and being answered in ** the affirmative, ' f am not mortally wounded/ said Mr. •' Semple ; * and, if you could get me conveyed to the fort, *^ I think I should live.' — Grant promised be would do so ; '^ and immediately left him in the care of a Canadian, who *' aflerwards told, that an Indian of their party came np, " and shot Mr. Semple in the breast.— I entreated Grant to " procure me the watch, or even the seals, of Mr. Semple, " for the purpose of transmitting them to bis friends, but I " did not succeed. Our force amounted to twenty-eight " persons, of whom tWenty-one were killed, and one *' wounded, the Governor, Captain Rogers, Mr. James *' White, surgeon, Mr. Alexander M*Lean, settler, Mr. ** Wilkii:son, private secretary to the governor, and Lieu- ** tenant Holt, of the Swedish navy, and fifteen servants *' were killed*. Mr. J. P. Bourke, storekeeper, was " wounded, but saved himself by flight.— The enemy, I am "fold, were sixty-two persons, the greater partofwlioui ** were the contracted servants and clerks of the North- •* West Company.— -They had one man killed, and one I' ) * Mr. M'Lean, who was killed on the 19th of June, was the principal settler in the colony, and the same person who had refused the large bribe oflered him as an inducement to desert from the settlement the year before. — See Appendix, [P.] and [S.]. — He had been severely wounded :n the attack upon the colony in the preceding summer. — The servants of the settlement, who fell on the 19th of June, were seven labourers from Ireland, three from the Orkneys, and five from the north of Scotland. 85 •' wotinded. — The chiefs, who headed the pnrty of our ** entmy, were Messrs. Grant, and Fraser, Antoine \]oo\ <-i It I w •J '4 i 88 *' impossible for mc (o make my escape, andjlliat if I forfeited " my word, 1 should be tortured to death in the most cruel " manner. — These people were greatly disappointed in ** not mccling with Mr. Robertson, who, (as they told ** me,) they would have endeavoured to take alive; and ^' after flaying him, they would have cut his body into small f bits, and boiled it afterwards for the dogs. ** On my arrival at the fort, what a scene of distress pre- ** sented itself! The widows, children, and relations of tho " slain, in the horrors of despair, were lamenting the dead, *' and trembling for the safety of the survivors. *' 1 must here observe, that when I was allowed io leave '^ the Frog Plain, it was late at night, and that Mr. Grant *' accompanied mo, as my protector, almost to the spot on " which I had seen my dearest friends fall by the hands of ** the merciless savages. — The shade of night hid from my *' view what the dawn of the following day too clearly ex- '* posed, — their mangled and disfigured bodies. — From what <* I saw, and what I have been told, I do not suppose that '' more than one* fourth of our party were mortally wounded *' when they fell, but were most inhumanly butchered after- *' wards. ** After having made three trips io^ and from the Frog *< Plain, Mr. Sheriff M'Donell (who had then the charge of ** the settlement,) and the Half-breed chiefs came to an " agreement in substance as before related*. — An inventory 1.1 " When Mr. Pritchard arrived at the settlement, he found the settlers assembled at the Governor's house, or fort. — Upon his stating the proposals, which had been sent by him, for their sur- render, they declared they would not yield to the conditions required. Mr. Sheriff M'Donell therefore, although he was well awHre that resistance would be useless, told Mr. Pritchard, that he could not consent to give up their post, while the men were incUned to defend it.— The settlers, however, having had time tu reflect on the dreadful situation to which the womt- n and <^ of (he property being taken, the whole watt delivered op " to Mr. Cuthbcrt Grant for the use of the North-West " Coinpany, each sheet of the inventory being signed as " follows : — nr M Vii inventory " * Received on account of the North-West Comiwiy, " * by me, "'CUTHBERT GRANT, •• ' Clerk- for the N. IVest Co. Acting for the N. IVcst-Compuny.' « « " In two days wo were ready to embark, at which time ** Mr. Grant came to us, and said he could not allow us to " proceed, as Mr. Alexander M'DonrU (the North-West *' Company's partner) had sent an order for our detention " until his arrival. This was dreadful news to us. We ^' were without arms, standing upon the beach, surrounded ** by the murderers, and in momentary fear of our wives and " daughters being violated, which it was commonly reported ** would take place. — The day before, at the solicitation of *' the settlers, I had been twice claiming the protcctioa of ^' Messrs. Grant and Fraser on that head, who told me their *' intentions were only in regard to Heden's wife ; at the *' same time they promised me either to stop with us them- << selves, or send such men on whom they could dei)end. " I reproached, intreated, and indeed did all in my power, ^* to induce Grant to let us depart ; at last, on Mr. Sheriff " M'Donell's observing that he plainly perceived that Mr. " Alexander M'Oonell (the North-West partner) wished to Mil 11 children would inevitably be reduced, should their resistance prove unsuccessful, came next morning, and gave their consent to the terms which Cuthbert Grant had proposed. — Both Bourkc and Heden, however, have sworn, in their affidavits, that the private property of the settlers was almost all taken away from them by force after the capitulation, M i * defrnud Grant of the iioiiour of the dny, nnd take all thr ' praise to himself, Grant*8 pride was litirt, nnd he, in hit ' intemperate manner^said, he would keep his word in spite ' of M'Donell, and desired us 4o depart immediately wtth- * out waiting for nn escort, which he said he would send * after us in a lipjht canoe. — We scrambled into the boats * and put off.— Previous to the embarkation, I received a * protection from Mr. Grant as follows : — '* This is to certify that Mr. tfohn Pritcliard has behaved " himself honourably towards the North* West Company, (Signed) "CUTIIBIilllT GRANT, . " Clerk to the Noilh-West Company:' The settlers^ labourers, and otbers belonging to the colony^ with their families^ (in all nearly two hundred) having thus embarked in their boatg, for the purpose of pursuing their voyage to the coast of Hudson's Bay, proceeded down the river^ and, on the second day, were met by a strong party of canoes headed by Mr. Norman M'Leod, a leading partner, and a principal agent, of the North- West Company, a '* Major des ** Tribus Sauvages, et des pays conquis*/' and a Magistrate for the Indian territory, under the Canada Jurisdiction Actf. From a person vested with such authority, the persecuted colonists might, not unreasonably, have looked, in their distress, for some little aid or com- miseration. — Driven from their lands and habitation;) • See note, bottom of page 13. t 43rd Geo. III. c. 138. ._* 91 with unheard of barbarity ; — the bodies of their man- sacred fathers, husbands, brothers, and sons, lying, many of them, unburied on the spot where they fell*, — it would have been natural for these harrassed settlers to have 'lailcd, with some faint glimmering of hope, the approach of one, who, to other meant of power and influence, added the authority of a Magis- trate. — Mr. Norman M'Leod had also with him about ten partners of the powerful commercial body to which he belonged, whose authority would have strengthened his own, and there were, in the canoes, nearly an hundred armed men ready to act in support of his orders. From him therefore the colonists might naturally have cxpectv'd " some of those aids " and comforts which aredcriveil from civil society ;" — the anticipated depri\ation of .vhich had raised, in this country, such appreh^ nsion among the opposers of colonization, and had called forth, as we have already seen, that portion of the " North-West Com- " pany*s compassion," which appears to have been consigned to this side of the Atlantic. As soon as the settlers approached, in their boats, to Mr. Norman M'Leod's party, the latter set up the Indian war-whoop, — and the first interrogatory * Bourke and Heden both stale in their aflidavits, that the Indians came and assisted in bringing some of the bodies to the fort at the settlement, and also aided in burying them. The latter (Heden) mentions that they were prevented from bringing them all in from fear of the Bruits, and that the bodies "re- " m'^ined on the ground a prey fo toe wild beasts" — that ground, whii :i Alexander M'Donell had vowed, if resistance was made by the settlers, should be " drenched with their blood." 'f I n r !' .1 i !i [In. >, ■,i' ' ( 1 !i ii !■ ii 1 ■ 1 , ' l| '] [ 1 ; l' : -i 1 ! li ;l if ' ■ , 1 1 ■ ' 1 i'! 1 , ,1 :* , ■ 1 i put by the magistrate was, " whether that rascal " and scoundrel Robertson was in the boats ?" — In the same tone it was asked, if Governor Sample was with (hem ; and, when his fate was tolf' to them, Mr. Pritchard was ordered to come ashore, and the whoUe party was disembarked for the purpose of having examinations taken by Mr. M'Leod accord- ing to the due and regular forms of law. — Instead^ however, of the usual symbols of Justice, — the sword and the balance, — this Magistrate had provided him- self with emblems of a more novel, but not less ap- propriate, description, — namely, two brass field- pieces, whi'^h had been stolen from the Earl of Selkirk the year before! — Such are the purposes to which the Canada Jurisdiction Act is perverted ; and such the persons who, under the fatal provisions of that legislative measure, have been, but too often, ap- pointed justices of the peace for the Indian territories in British North America. The settlers and their families having been disem- barked, the magistrate commenced his judicial ex- aminations by a general search into all the trunks, boxes, chests, &c. of the miserable vic.ims whom he had got within his grasp. — Books, papers, accounts, letters, &c. (including those of Governor Semple, and also some other of his effects which had been hitherto saved,) were all taken from them. — " Dur- " ing my examination," says Mr. Pritchard, — " Mr. " M'Leod sent for all my papers, which were pe- *' rused by himself and partners. They kept of them " what they thought proper, and returned the rest; " Mr. M'Leod saying, that ' those who played at tt tt it 93 *' • boi^rlsj must expect to meet with rubbers/— He '* then gave me a subpoena from the court of Lower " Canada, requiring my attendance for the 1st of " September, in a cause. The Kinp gainst Spencer. " I was then ordered back to a tent, and soon after Mr. Sheriii M'Donell was brought in as a prisoner^ after which he was bailed to appear the 1st of Sep- tember 1817, at Montreal, if required. — The set- tlers were detained a few days at this place, and as '' soon as they were gone, Mr. Bourke, myself, " Patrick Corcoran, Michael Heden, and D.M'Kay, " were placed together in a tent, with a guard of " armed men put over us. — We remained here five "■ or six days, treated with the greatest indignity," &c. &c. &c. Mr. Pritchard, it seems, had further been directed by Mr. Norman M'Leod, to write, and deliver to him, a narrative of what occurred on the 19th of June, the day of the massacre. — ' You have drawn ' up a pretty paper !' said the Justice, ' You had ' better take care yourself, or you will get into a ' scrape.' — " I replied," continues Mr. Pritchard, " what I have written. Sir, is truth ; I know not " what information you want. You had better put " questions to me, and which I promise I will truly " answer." ' Yes,~yes,' — was his reply, and ordered " me to send to him D. M'Kay, who returned with " a subpoena against Corcoran for felony. — Corcoran " and Heden were likewise served with subpoenas " against Mr. Bourke for felony. — After these judi- " cial proceedings, a party of Half-breeds came into " our prison, and put irons upon the hands of Mr. h w f^,. I It Hi ' i < i ! 94 <€ \y \. I- !l Bourke^ sajing, that they did that of their own " accord as a punishment for his treatment of Mr. " Duncan Cameron. — I must here observe, that Mr. *' M'Leod the magistrate and several of his partners " were then in the fort, and of course must have " sanctioned this act of the Half-breeds, which was " much aggravated by Mr. Bourke's being so dis- '' abled from dressing his wound, which was still in '^abad state*." Michael Heden was also examined by Mr. Norman M'Leod about the late transactions at Red River : — but the Justice, being no better pleased with the answers given by him, than with those of Mr. Pritchard, told him " they were all lies ; — but that " to make him tell the truth, he would have him put " in irons at Fort William;" and his worship was probably as good as his word : at least it appears, by Heden's affidavit, that shortly after he got to Fort William, he was thrown into a most horrid prison, and placed in strict confinement. — The grand council at that place, it seems, deemed it advisable, that, instead of his being any longer forcibly detained as a witness for the Crown, he should himself be made the subject of a criminal prosecution. — Accordingly, Mr. M'Gillivray* who was then on the spot, issued a war- rant to commit him. — By Heden's deposition it would appear, that this additional severity was resorted to, in consequence of a step which he had taken, with iWiVi: f I'lr * For two days after the massacre, Mr. Bourke could gel no assistance for hw wound; till two Indians came and kindly dressed it for him. — See Appendix, [B. B.] page lii. 95 the view of saving the Earl of Selkirk from assas- sination*. A warrant was also issued by Mr. M'Leod against Mr. Bourke^ — who, being first robbed of his clothes^ watchj and case of mathematical instruments^ and put in irons, was afterwards carried down to Fort William on the top of the luggage in a canoe, without any attention being paid to his wound during that long journey. — In short, (for it is unnecessary further to report these law-cases^) the worthy magistrate for the Indian territory closed his sessions by securing some of the settlers by warrants, and some by subpoenas: — that is to say, in order to insure! the subsequent appearance of the witnesses, to give their testimony in court before the judge, they were, in the mean while, made close prisoners uy the justice ! — The parties who were to be prosecuted, and those who were to be evidence for the prosecution, were alike deprived of their liberty ; and, in order that they might become better acquainted with each other, they were all imprisoned together in the same place — with a guard set over them, composed of those very ruffians by whom their friends had been butchered, and from whom they themselves had, almost miraculously, escaped at the time of the massacre. In the whole of these proceedings, there appears such a horrible mixture of mock judicial solemnity, and real cruelty ;— such a medley of folly, and .1M 'M 1 ' i i 'I 1 '. •Jt: * See Bourke's and Heden's Depositions.—Appendix, [B. B.J page liv. and [C. C] page lix. m V J ^ ^ I IBi' : ^ , owing 'ir i 105 " to the mad and infatuated violence of Governor " Semple and his people, who fired upon a parly of " Indians conveying provisions to meet the North- *' West Company's cuiioe*' from tlie interior.— The " Indians returned the fire, and rushini^ in upon *' Semple's party, put tlie whole, iiichiding himself, '* (about twenty in all) to death, exeeptin^ one man, " who escaped wounded, in an ammunition cart.— " The Indians immediately after, ordered away all " the setders, with an injunction never to return, at " the peril of their lives. They ofiered them no " personal violence, and permitted them to carry " away their private effects, but retained the Gover- " nor'sand Hudson's Bay Company's property, which " the Indians divided," &c. &c. &c. — And the letter concluded with the old story of the compassion of the North- West Company : — '* We lament the loss " of life by such mad projects, which must open the " eyes of the Hudson's Bay Company, and compel " the interference of Government." . '.r In this short extract, the reader has probably remarked, that the Indians are distinctly repeated no less than four times, as being the persons exclusively engaged in this act of hostility, or rather (as the writers would have it) of self-defence. It was evi- dently a main object of this story, that what had occurred should be ascribed, in this country, to Indian hostility; — but the tale was very ill told. No one who knew any thing of the state of that country, or of the friendly conduct which the native tribes of Indians had always shewn towards the European wr I 106 settlers, gave credit to the report of \7arfare having been carried on between them. At all events, it ap- peared a very unaccountable part of the story, that the savages, after being thus wantonly fired upon, should, on gaining the victory, immediately throw aside the *' indiscriminating hatchet," — and, in place of scalping man, woman, and child, — sit conlly down, like prize agents, — draw up inventories of the cap- tured property, — lay aside one portion, as being public stores, for the use of the captors, and generously give up another, as private effects, to the vanquished! Those also who had known Governor Semple, were confident that he was not a man to have acted, towards the unoffer.ding Indians, with that *' mad and infa- " tuated violence," thus ascribed to him ; — a charge, which, in the absence of all evidence, and Mr. Semple no longer alive to answer it, ought not to have been so wantonly, unjustly, and ungenerously, levelled against him. An unfortunate infatuation may, in- deed, with some apparent justice, be ascribed to him, during these last acts of his life ; — but, it was the infatuation of a brave and generous mind.— - Too confident in his belief that the justice of his cause, and the bravery of his associates, would be more than sufficient to overawe the hired banditti as* sembled to oppose him, he had declined the profiered aid of those free Canadians, who had become at- tached to the settlement, as well as of the native Indians, who had voluntarily oCered to come forward and assist him*. ee * See Page 82. irfare having events, it ap- »e story, that y fired upon, diately throw -and, in place t coolly down, IS of the cap- is bei ng public enerously give 3 vanquished! Semple, vrere acted, towards mad and infa- n ; — a charge, nd Mr. Semple t to have been 3usly, levelled ition may, in- le ascribed to ;— but, it was »4 0us mind. — justice of his tes, would be ed banditti as- d the profiered J id become at- of the native come forward j» 107 The other letter, which also brought intelligence of these occurrences to this country, was penned at Fort William by Mr. William M'GilHvray.— His story was better put together than that composed by the Company's agents, then at Montreal, — and no wonder,— for he had with him, at the time, one of his partners, who had just returned from the Red River, and who, knowing the facts of the case, could easily assist him in mixing up such a com- position of what had occurred, with what had not occurred, as might answer the purpose, if not of misleading his Majesty's Government (to whom the letter was submitted on the part of the North- West Company) at least of bringing odium upon Lord Selkirk, and his plans. The detail of Mr. M^Gillivray's account, it would be superfluous to enter upon. The substance is comprised in that part of the deposition of Mr. Bourke, in which he swears to a conversation he overheard between two of the partners of the North-West Company, wherein one of them, Alexander M'Donell^ stated, that, although the sending down the half-breeds was certainly carrying things to an extremity — '' it might " be said, that Governor Semple, and those with him, " had gone out to attack them, (the Half-breeds) " and met their fate*." This shrewd suggestion of that able partisan, M'Donell, contains the ground- work of every thing detailed in Mr. M'Gillivray's letter, which finished with a climax not unworthy of one of those '* Heads of the North-West Company, "i\ * See Appendix, [B. B.] page liv. If? r II; ill:! ;|. 108 " whose honourable character, and liberal principles" we have seen so highly rated ?n the year 1815, by the Provincial Government of Canada — namely, that he (M'Gillivray) thought it very forttmate that none of the people belonging to the North- West Company were within a hundred miles of the spot, at the time, otherwise the blame would have been thrown upon them as usual ! This restless anxiety to make the North- West Com- pany appear innocent, before there was any accusation of guilt, raised a strong, and (as it has since proved) a well-founded, suspicion, that the persons, of whom Mr. M'Gillivray asserted none to have been within a hundred miles of the scene of aggression, were in fact not only then upon the spot, but were them- selves the actual aggressors. The anxiety indeed which the principal Agent of the Company in Canada felt on the subject, cannot be better displayed than in his own words, by which it will appear that he anticipated, with no small degree of alarm, the attempts which might be made to discover the truth, and to expose it. Upon the 18th of July, the day after he wrote that letter from Fort William, which was laid by his partners before His Majesty's Secretary of State, he addressed another, from the same place, to a gentle- man then at the Sault St. Mary, and evidently with the similar view of impressing upon the mind of his correspondent, and of those to whom he wished his account to be communicated, that the North- West Company were entirely free from any blame with regard to the occurrences at Red River. — a 109 1 "The madness," says Mr.M'Gillivray, at the conclusion of hisletter*, "for it cannot well be considered in any other light, " that could have induced Mr. Semple to attack a party of " armed men, who were passing quietly by his fort, and " studiously avoiding him, is unaccountable, but so it is, and " he has denrly paid for his temerity. The fact is, that the 'i system adopted in the Red River by the Earl of Selkirk's " people from Governor M'Donell downwards, is purely " American, which, you know, is any thing but conciliatory, " and the high language held of right of soil, charters, &c. '^ 8cc. sounds harsh in the ears of the natives, who consider, *' and most justly too, that they are the proprietors of the '' soil. It appears that the Brules, including a few Indians, *' amounted io the number of thirty. It does not appear <* that they gave their opponents time to make at all use of " the field-piece, for I cannot learn that it was fired. The ** man that had the charge of it, on being wounded, ran off *' in the cart. I am the more particular in stating all the " facts that have come to my knowledge (and I believe they " are the occurrences that really happened) as the story will " be told in a thousand ways,— that Mr. M'Leod, and Mr. " A., and Mr. B. of the North-West Company, with Brules, *' and Indians, force and arms, destroyed the Colony, man, " woman, and child, sparing only a miserable remn it to ** carry the news to York Factory. I am used to this sort " of cant, therefore would not be surprised io hear that the '' story is told in this manner. I shall make no comments, " but conclude. (Signed) « Wm. Mnine dif- ferent documents ; which, as far as it may seem at all requisite to advert to them, shall be noticed in the order in which they appear numbered in their Appendix. No. 1. " Protest of Proprietor's of the Hudson's Bay " Compani/, against the Grant to Lord Selkirk." This document was adverted to in the preceding Statement, (page 7) and noticed as exhibiting one of I . ' ■ !,i 116 'i Jil£\ I mm the early symptoms of that hostility which p.fterward<( so strongly marked the conduct of the North -West Company with respect to the Settlement upon the Red River. — Nothing which was therein stated on the subject of that Protest, is controverted in the publication alluded to. Indeed, in the Postscript to the Narrative, it is now admitted that those persons concerned for the North- West Company, who signed the Protest, procured the Stock for the purpose of defeating the Grant to the Earl of Selkirk, or (as the Company's Representatives express it) " the designs " then meditated against their Trade.'* ' -V- " The Protest, however," they add, " as a Pro- " test of Hudson's Bay Proprietors, must stand on " its own merits*." Be it so. But whether it be a good protest, or a bad protest, it can surely afford neither excuse for, nor extenuation of the aggressions against the Red River Colony. — At all events those of the Company's Representatives who subscribed their names to that document, have contradicted, in their Narrative, what they asserted in their Protest. " To the North-West Company," they ob- serve in their Narrative, '' this establishment," (the Red River Colony) *' was peculiarly objectionable : " they denied the right of the Hudson's Bay Com- " pany, or Lord Selkirk, to any part of the territory " ceded to him, of which their predecessors and ^' themselves had been in occupancy for at least a " century. f" In their " Protest," however, they * Postscript to Narrative, page \'6% t Narrative, page 9, ffiBf. 117 fully admit every part of the territory in question to belong to the Sludson's Bay Company ; objecting, indeed, to the fi-^cw/ of the grant proposed to be made of it, or, in their own words, to so large a grant of " that part of the territory which is most valuable, " — fit for cultivation, — and constitutes no inconsi^ " derable portion of the Company's Capital Stock." In another part they object to the Hudson's Bay Company selling " so large and valuable a portion " of their territory ;" and again, they protest against the measure, '' because^ upon a fair and impartial " estimation of the future value, and importance of '' the lands proposed to be granted, and the limited " and unproductive consideration to be given by the " said Earl, your Memorialists cannot perceive for ** the said Grant, any other motive than to secure " to the posterity of the said Earl, at the expense of " the Stockholders of the said Company, an im- " mensely valuable landed Estate." — It thus appears evident that the Representatives of the North-West Company, or their Constituents, or both, admit, or deny, that the lands in question belong to the Hud- son's Bay Company, just as the admission or denial may chance best to suit their purpose ; and if, as far as the argument with respect to the Right of Soil is concerned, their " Protest" is to stand upon its own merits, their *' Narrative," (as much, at least, as relates to the same topic) must, of course, fall to the ground*. ,.« . i * In the Postscript to their Narrative, (pagp 132,) the Repre- sentative! State that •' it must always be remembered that it " Hi m |j! Si* ml/-^. M • 1 "' ■f^.c' I r m 118 No. 2. " Lord Selkirk's Advertisement and Prospectus of *' the New Colornj." This document was neithtr advertised, nor pub- lished, nor, ill any shape, publicly circulated. Il formed part of a sketch of wliich the Earl of Selkirk had a few copies printed for his own convenience, and for private circulation among a very limited num- bcr of his friends, whom he wished to consult about the measures he was then entering into, as connected with his plans of colonization. — But even if the Prospectus, unfinished, and incomplete as it was, had been advertised and publicly circulated, which it was not, it may fairly stand, (in the language of the "Narrative,") upon its own merits. — But the Representatives of the North-West Company, in remarking upon its contents, have no rigM to alter or misstate them. This, however, they do even with respect to the very first sentence of the docu- ment, as printed by themselves. — That document states the soil and climate (with reference to the site (the Protest) *' was signed by every person present at the " meeting except Lord Selkirk, and the members of the Direc- " ticn." — This is not the fact. Their Protest was not signed by every person present at the meeting, except Lord Selkirk and the members of the Direction. — There were more proprietors present (exclusive of Lord Selkirk and the Directors) who did r.ot sign the protest, than those who did. With similar accuracy have they subjoined a Note to the Pro- test, as printed in their Appendix, in which they also state that (of the Proprietors present) •' John Fish was authorised to vote " for John Hamborough, and did so." — John Fish neither voted for himself, nor for John Haniborough. Prospectus of lised, nor pub- circulated. It Earl of Selkirk n convenience, ry limited num- I consult about J, as connected jt even if the lete as it was^ rculated, which the language erits. — But the ; Company, in o right to alter they do even of the docu- lat document ence to the site present at the jers of the Direc- was not signed by lOrd Selkirk and more proprietors •irectors) who did Note to the Pro« ley also state that uthorised to vote Msh neither voled 119 of the Grant) to be " inferior to none in Brilish " America." — This is immediately translated into the Narrative (page 15,) and Lord Selkirk stated to have represented the climate and soil as being *' superior " to aiiy in British North America." — With respect to the climate, those who represent the North -West Company admit (page (») that " it is undoubtedly " healthy," and it does not appear that they elsewhere contradict themselves. It is otherwise with regard to the .so//. — In their Protest it has already been shewa that, in treating of the grant, they describe it as forming a part of the Hudson's Bay Company's ter- ritory '^ which is most valuable, — fit for cultiva- *' tion," &c. &c. — But in their Narrative (page 7) they state the country in the neighbourhood of the Red River Settlement as consisting of extensive plains, where " the soil, excepting partially on the banks of " the rivers, is light and unproductive." The following letter from Mr. Pritchard, (a gen- tleman whose name has frequently been noticed in the Statement,) written some years ago, will probably be deemed a better authority on this subject than the Narrative. ** Montreal, 4-,f? ■li ■ m va i.ll (. Hi 122 '' Admeasurement/' &c. call the distance from York Factory to Red River nine hundred and forty-five miles*. They appear, indeed, not only to differ from their' Geographer, but from themselves, having already^ in their Protest, stated the distance from any sea port to be two thousand miles ! In their observation, however, with respect to the dreary, barren, and inhospitable tract between Lake Winipic and the coasts of Hudson's Bay they are more correct ; — a tract in which they state that '^ the " wretches who should chance to lose their canoe " must, to a certainty, perish !" — And this was the region to which several of the partners of the North- West Company, headed by Mr. Norman M'Leod, the Magistrate, one of the principal Agents of the Company, drove the settlers, a few days subsequent to the massacre at Red River, after plundering them of their property, burning their habitations, and depriving them of their provisionsf . 1 ', Nos. 4, 5, and 6. These contain the opinions of Counsel upon points submitted to them on the part of the North-West Company with respect to the validity of the Hudson's Bay Charter, &c. The two first. No. 4 and 5 (as likewise a great part of No. 6.) relate entirely to the right of exclusive trade specified in the Charter, and to the provisions * Appendix to " Narrative of Occurrences/' No 3, page 10. t See page 96 of Statement. •Se fit J the opii son's Bi copy ol (now th ■ '■I 123 contained therein for the purpose of maintaining that rightj — such as preventing free passage through their territory, seizing persons and property, confiscating goods, &c. : but as no attempt is made, except by vague assertion, to shew that the Hudson's Bay Company claim those rights, it does not appear very obvious for what purpose legal opinions are referred to which militate against claims that are not made. — That these claims, in fact, are not made, may be gathered from the memorial* which was presented to his Majesty's Secretary of State, in February, 1814, by the Agents of the North-West Company themselves ; by which it appears, that the memorial- ists and their predecessors have, for a long course of years, and without obstruction to their transit, pushed their Trade through that very part of those territories, which, in their protest, they hav*^ admitted to belong to the Hudson's Bay Company, and which they stre- nuously admonished the Company not to part with. With respect to the document. No. 6, it cannot be thought requisite that any discussion should be entered upon, in these Observations. The legal opinions and argument contained in it are detailed at great length ; and the reader, on perusing, and considering them, must judge for himself. — At all events they appear, in their result, to be diametrically opposite to those inserted in Appendix, [ A.]f . .^! •! Ml ■4 'I' ♦ See Appendix to Narrative, page 57. t It appears doubtful whether the N. W. Company, in asking the opinion ot Counsel, with respect to the validity of the Hud- son's Bay Company's Charter, ever submitted to such Counsel a copy of the Charter itself —When the Opinion of Mr. Gibbs (now the Lord Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas) was 4 i^^4 Nos. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12. We come now to the more important part of those *' ample materials/' furnished to the Representatives of tlife North- West Company by their Constituents, viz. the affidavits, depositions, and other proofs upon which the facts asserted in their Narrative are stated to be founded. The six documents, numbered as above, are depo- sitions of several of the settlers and others, who were brought down to Canada by the North-West Com- pany, after the destruction of the colony in the sum- mer of 1815. — The first of these (numbered 7) is ushered in by a note, in page 16 of their Narrative, in which they announce that, '' Amongst many other '' affidavits of the unfortunate people who were so " deceived," fviz. the settlers deceived by Lord Selkirk,) " one by George Campbell will be found " in the Appendix, No. VII*." — In case the reader should not have the ''Narrative of Occurrences" at hand for reference, a copy of Campbell's deposition^ (as printed in that publication) is inserted in the asked, he certainly neither was furnished with a copy, or even abstract, of the Charter. This appears by his answer to the 5th point, as printed in document No. 5, of their Appendix. * The assertion of the advocates of the North-West Company that Lord Selkirk deceived, cheated, and starved the settlers, is absurd on the face of it. — By the terms of his Grant, he was bound for so many years, under a heavy penalty, to send out annu- ally a certain number of persons to Hudson's Bay. It was besides his main and anxious wish and object to promote the increase of the Settlement which he had undertaken, And in order to encourage others to emigrate to the same quarter, he forsooth cheated and starved those who had already gone to the Red River .' 1 1 2b part of those jpresentatives Constituents, r proofs upon Live are stated »ve, are depo- ers, who were h-West Com- ny in the sum- umbered 7) is leir Narrative, gst many other B who were so ived by Lord will be found case the reader ccurrences" at I's deposition, inserted in the with a copy, or by bis answer to their Appendix. th-West Company ved the settlers, is lis Grant, he was ,to send out annu- ay- It was besides imote the increase And in order to uarter, he forsooth gone to the Red Appendix to this Statement*, and by a perusal of it, he will be fully enabled to judge whether its contents are entitled to the degree of importance attached to them by those who have so triumphantly produced his affidavit. This "unfortunate" man (Campbell) as the reader may recollect, was one of those, who, in the winter of 1814-15, deserted from the Red River settlement, where, as stated by him in the conclusion of his affi- davit, " finding his treatment the reverse to w'.at he '' was led to expect from Lord Selkirk's representa- " tions, and for the reasons specified in this deposi- " tion, he judged it expedient to return to Canada," (where, by the bye, he had re /or been) *' and, for '' that purpose, requested a passage from Red River, " from Mr. Duncan Cameron, a proprietor in the " North- West Company, which was granted. — And " farther this deponent says not. — (Signed) " GEORGE CAMPBELL." The only sensible part of this affidavit is its c(m- clusion — " farther this deponent says not." For had Mr. George Campbell "judged it expedient" far- ther to say, he might inadvertently have told the truth, and thereby deserted the cause of his second patrons, as he had already, by his treachery, deserted that of his first. Had this " unfortunate man'* gone on deposing, be might have chanced, and with tlie strict- est truth, to have added, " And this deponent farther saith he was the principal person who deserted from * See Appendix, [F, F.] IV Ov.! i^-I wc^ 126 the Settlement, broke his contract, and defrauded his employer ; — that he not only did so himself, but acted as the ringleader, among the other deserters whom he prevailed upon to follow his example ;— that he afterwards headed an armed band, under the directions of the said Duncan Cameron, the North- West Company's partner, for the purpose of plunder- ing the storehouse of the Settlement, and robbing it of the field pieces, swivels, &c. which had been pro- vided for its security ; — that one of his brother deser- ters having been apprehended for assisting in said robbery, deponent, at the desire of said partner, again headed a party of armed men composed of the North-AV^est Company's clerks, servants, and others, and by force of arms rescued the person who was so apprehended ; — that, after depriving, as before-men- tioned, his fellow settlers of their means of effectual resistance, deponent further ''judged it expedient" to assist in attacking them with fire arms, by which several of them were severely wounded, and one of whom died of his wounds ; — that, after said colonj was destroyed, and the houses burnt to the ground, deponent was taken down by said North-West Com- pany to their trading post of Fort William in Canada, where he found many of the partnership then assem- bled; — that said partners received deponent with great cordiality and respect ; — that they praised him highly for his conduct, and did him the honour of placing him at table in their dining hall at Fort William next to themselves, and above the regular clerks in the Company's service. Deponent fur- ther saith, that a Book, or debtor and creditor ind defrauded himself, but )ther deserters 8 example ;— md, under the )n, the North- )8e of plunder- md robbing it had been pro- brother deser- sisting in said said partner, )mposed of the its, and others, on who was so as before-men- ms of effectual t expedient" to rms, by which d, and one of :er said colony o the ground, th-West Com- lam in Canada, ip then assem- deponent with ey praised him the honour of hall at Fort ve the regular deponent fui- and creditor 137 Account, was opened at Fort William between said Company, and said deserters, which book is marked and entitled *' The Red River and Colo- nial Register, 1815;"— that to his, (deponent's) account in said book is added, in the hand writing, and with the signature of said partner Cameron, the following '^faithful narrative," viz. *^Mhat he, (depo- " nent) was a very decent man, and a great partizan, *' who had exposed his life for the North- West Com- " pany ; — that he had been of essential service in the '^ transactions of Red River, and deserved at least " £100 Halifax, and every other service that could " be rendered to him by said Company ; and that " rather than his (deponent's) merits and services **■ should go unrewarded, he (Cameron) would give " £100 out of his own pocket, though already a '' great loser by his campaign at Red River." — Deponent further saith, that as a remuneration for said services in attacking the settlement, pillaging the stores, burning the houses, and shedding the blood of his fellow settlers, he judged it expedient to accept said £ 100, from said Company*, and which sum was accordingly paid to him by one of the honourable Company's clerks, his worthy friend Mr. Robert M'Robb." Of a similar character with Campbell's deposi- tion. No. 7, are the " other affidavits of the unfortu- " nate people who were so deceived," and which arc numbered (in the Appendix to the " Narrative") 8 to 12 inclusive. Of these the Representatives of the •t'- .•■j>ii \- v4 t <> ;i' ■ . ' i. f ■1 I *>See page 32, also Appendix, [S.] page xxviii. I I :*:: 128 North-West Company, in a note in page 25 of their publication^ say, " the best evidence of these, and " the future transactions, is that of the persons en- "gaged in them, under the order of M'Donell, '' which will be found in the affidavits in the Appen- " dix, viz. No. 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12." If the reader think it necessary to pay attention to these depositions, he may be informed that, of the Deponents, James Pinkman (No. 9,) deserted in debt to his employer £18 Ss. for articles deli. Ycred to him at the settlement. He also stole six guns, which he sold to the North-West Com- pany, and for which he received a credit, in the book of account before alluded to, of £10 15&'. as appears entered in the hand writing of one of the partners themselves. Another of these unfortunate deponents, Hugh Swords (No. 10) had likewise an account opened with him at Fort William, in whicli credit is allowed him by the North-West Companj for £16. 2s. lOd. for articles brought away from the settlement, and delivered to the Company. To this amount was added £20 as a reward for his services. What his services were is sufficiently evident, froni the note, subjoined to his account, in the hand- writing of the North-West Company's partner, Alei- ander M'Donell. " His," (Hugh Sword's) " beha- " viour towards us has been that of a true partisan^ *' steady, brave, and resolute man, and was some- " thing of a leading character among his country- '' men, and deserves at least about £20." — James Golden, another of these unfortunate deponents (No. 11.) also decamped in debt to the settlement, (£19. 19^.) His account at Fort William was likewise LJaH ^J^l WI ' ''>' an > ;■■. ■■>! £ ■ 'A a\i M tr tt fir 'm 129 written out, and signed hy the same partner, Alex- ander M'Donell, and credit was given him for £ 13. 17s. 6cl. bein^ the amount of articles brought away from the settlement. And a further allow- ance of £20 for services which are also best described in the note subjoined to his account in the hand-writing, and witL the signature, of the same partner, viz. *' An active, smart fellow — left the " Hudson's Bay Company in April last — a true par- " tisan, steady, and brave — took a most active part "' in the campaign of this spring, and deserves from "£15 to £20.— He had lost about £20, by " leaving the Hudson's Bay Company a month be- " fore the expiration of his contract." m But enough of these wretched Depositions, which are rendered not the less disgusting by being attested before a principal Agent of the North- West Com- pany, Mr. Norman M'Leod — a fit magistrate to take such affidavits ! What reliance can be put on nar- ratives grounded upon such rotten materials P or what dependance ought to be placed upon affidavits procured under the direction of those, who, to serve their purposes of deception, obtain Depositions by seducing and bribing the Deponents } !l. H V- % tt ISO No. IS. Speech of the Grandes Orsjlles, a grtai chief of the Chippewayt, made in the Lidian " Hall, at the Forks of Bed River, on the \% *' of June, 1814; addressed to several of tk " partners of the North-West Company. Tk " chief holding a string of wampum in his hank " tied at both ends." ft mi Tliis Speech, with its magnificent Title, bears even appearance of having been composed, for the occa sion, hy those vrho wished it to be believed that W North- West Company had sufficient influence ovef the Indians to make them commit acts of violenct against the Red River settlement, had such bee" tbe wish of the Company. Without at all admitting that the North-Wesl Company possessed such influence over any consider able portion of the native tribes, it should be red lected that, at the date of this alleged speech, thost partners, whose outrages against the colony became afterwards so conspicuous, had not proceeded to the foul means hinted at in the letter of their partner, Mr. Alexander M'Donell, of the 5th of August, 1814*. They no doubt expected, at that time, that the settlement would be destroyed by what they con- sidered as fair means, namely, by threats, intimida- tion, seduction, and bribery. And if these failed, it mneif ir^ <» See pagell, Statement. ): TitlCj bears even ed, for the occa believed thattlit nt influence ovtt acts of violenct lad such bee" i\& the North-Wesl ver any consider- should be recol jed speech^ thoa e colony became proceeded to the of their partner, 5th of August, it that tiniCj thai >y what they con- hreatSf intimida- if these failed^ it 131 I was time enough, as they thought, to have recourse |to the hostility of such allies as the Grandes Orcilles, and to raise the Indians against the settlement in the mode directed by their agent Mr. Norman M'Leod, |in his letter of the 3rd of June, 1816*. The very first sentence of the speech of Grandes >reilles is sufficient to throw doubt upon its authen- Hcity. *' Traders, my children, when I first heard " of the troubles you were in at this place, my heart became sorry, and the tears ran down my cheeks." lA most unlndian-like acknowledgment, even after ^ak*ng every allowance for the figurative language )f a Cuippewa chief. But a Chippewa chief would Scarcely, at a Council held with the Partners of the Torth-West Company, have addressed them in the irords " my children." He would have addressed the >rineipal partner present by the title of " Father,** md styled himself and his people " Children." Thus the speech of the Chippewa chief of Sand Lake, the council held in Upper Canada by the members }{ the Indian Department (an extract of which, iken from the minutes of that Department, has sen already referred to) he invariably addressed limself to the principal member present by the title )f " Father," and was answered by him with the expression of '' my Child." When the Indian chiefs also came to offer their assir tance to Governor imple and the settlers, they said, in the council lat was held on that occasion, that they came to • Sec page 100, Statement. ■Will iH {ini ' f |:f ■ 1 1 r . " ■ -1 1 l,:-lned at that igaged in the ny. — Finding irn to ttie Red )f them ; and, vho were with 3 Settlenfie'it'. impression is of the leader, 'est Company, f the Earl of , i were adopted )f the settlers, ccountable foi vas neither ao pe engaged, oi ections. — Lord spring of 1816, Lagimoniere, Red River to -establishment, hip Wbs i»^ tliat or the settlers .agimoniere, ob ; been way-laid, le directions of nted frona pro- 137 ceeding to Red River*^ the colonists knew nothing of Lord Selkirk's being in Canada, till they were informed of it after the second destruction of the settlement, when met, in their journey towards the coast pf Hudson's Bay, by Mr. Norman M'Leod and the other partners, as has been already statedf . The depositions above-mentioned (No. 15, 16, 17, and 18,) detail various acts of alleged vio- lence, and felony, ascribed to Mr. Robertson. If he has committed such acts, he, of course, will be amenable to the law for what he may have done. He will, however, be heard in his defence; and the reader who recollects what has been already stated relative to the plots which were discovered to be again preparing against the colonists, and '' the "^ storm gathering in the North," which was to burst on the heads of the settlers|, &c. will probably think that Mr. Robertson's defence will not prove unsuccessful. But whether the result be his acquit- tal or his conviction, in neither case can it be uclmitted ilial his conduct, right or wrong, can, in any shape, excuse or palliate the aggression and outrage instigated by the North-West Company E-flgainst the Settlement. t. No. 19. This '.6 also a Deposition of one of the Clerks of the North-West Company ; and if* produced for the * See note, page 41 . f See page 90 of Statement, J Sec page 71 of Statement. T ':^.i vt liii II? 138 purpose of proving that Mr. Alexander M'Donell, the Company's partner, whom we have seen so active in the destruction of the Red River Settlement, in the jears 1815 and 1816, meant no harm to the set- tlers, when he sent off his armed party of Bois-Brules under Cuthbert Grant, from the Portage des Prairies; but that he directed them " not to go near the i " establishment or colony of the Hudson's Baj *' Company, near the Forks of ^.he Red River, not " on any account to molest any of the settlers," &c, &c. — This affidavit requires no observation*. No. 20, 21, and ^ These Depositions relate chiefly to the proceeding! which occurred at Fort William on Lake Superior when Lord Selkirk first arrived at that place: — and a the account of those transactions occupies a great pan of the ''Narrative of Occurrences," the remarks will respect to them shall be offered when we advert ti the work itself generally, as referring to that parte the subject. — The substance of these deposition! (No. 20, 21, and 22,) shall then be noticedf. It should be observed, however, that, with respeci to No. 20, viz. the Deposition of Lieutenants Br umh and Misani, their affidavit purports to be " sworn '' at Montreal;" but the name of no magistrate ii affixed to it. — In ordinary cases such an omissioD would not be worth mentioning, and might natural!) See Statement, p. 71. 79, &c. f See Observations, p :. 153 be; an reh rea( cas( unli affic whi( to a depc purp belo more ft n (C tt t( €t it tc ^notice Gover 1; nder M'Donell, ve seen so active r Settlement, in harm to the set- f of Bois-Brules age des Prairies; to go near the I Hudson's Baj Red River, noi he settlers/' &c, jrvation*. 139 be ascribed to an accidental mistake in the copy, or to an error of the press. — But, in every thing which relates to the "ample materials" before us, the reader cannot be too much on his guard ; and in the case of the document in question, it is not at all unlikely that it will be subsequently found that no affidavit was made at all, or that, for some purpose which is not avowed, it has not been deemed prudent to annex the name of the magistrate by whom the deposition was taken. As the document however purports to be signed by two British officers, it shall be looked upon, in this case, as of equal weight with a more regular ueposition, and considered accordingly. i\ o the proceeding! n Lake Superior] at place: — andi? upies a great pattl the remarks wittl hen we advert M ng to that part oil hese depositions] noticedf. that, with respect! '.utenants Brmw •ts to be " sworn no magistrate b such an omission d might naturall) Observations, p. 1^^ No. 23. " To the Bight Honourable Earl Bathurst, His *' Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for " War and Colonies." " The Memorial and Petition ofM'Tavishj Eraser, ■ *' and Co. and Inglis, Ellice, and Co. of London, " Merchants, on their own behalf, and on behalf " of other persons interested in the J^orth- West " Company of Fur Traders of Canada." This Memorial does not appear to require much notice in these Observations. — His Majesty's Government to whom it was officially addressed were the best judges of its object and contents. The memorialists, it would seem, received only a verbal answer to their application, intimating that Govern- ment would attend to the subject, which was one of 140 great difficult fj* , — What the difficulty was is dot stated. It was probably found not an easy matter officially to answer the application of parties who seemed, in their assertions, to take so little pains to be consistent. It could not reasonably be expected, that the prayer of a memorial would readily be ac- ceded to, which applied for a convoy to be granted by the Admiralty *' to protect the property of the " memorialists against any attempts on the part of " the armed vessels of the Hudson's Bay Company," without its being previously shewn (which does not appear to have been attempted), that that Company either had the intention, or the power, to molest them. Besides, a petition of " persons inter- " ested in the North- West Company of fur traders of '' Canada,"stating, among other misfortunes, that they had been obliged to conduct their trade *'"rough that country, Canada, for a long course of years, to great disadvantage, certainly could not appear very intelligible. ** Your memorialists," say they, '^'have " hitherto respected the supposed rights of the Hud- '' son's Bay Company, by not opening through the " territories which they claim as their property under " their Charter, the more direct, and expeditious " communication from Lake Winipic to Hudson's " Bay, but have been contented, for a long series *' of years, to conduct their trade through the pro- '' vince of Canada to their serious inconvenience and "disadvantage; the route from Lake Winipic to " Montreal exceeding in distance 2500 miles, and * See " Narrative," page 129. 141 " requiring a period of 80 day8 to effect it, that to " Hudson's Bay being only 500 miles, and aflfording ** in every respect greater facilities," But although, in one part of their memorial, they thus take merit for having hitherto respected these supposed rights ; in another, they say they *' have ever contended " that these rights are only nominal.** Why rights asserted to be onlij nominal should have been thus respected, so that a powerful body of British mer- chants (whose mercantile returns are stated, in their Memorial, to be four times greater than those of the Hudson*s Bay Company) should thereby have been subjected to serious disadvantage for a long course of years, could certainly not appear very obvious. But their forbearance is still, more unaccountable, when it is observed that the same parties (in their " Narrative," page 13,) have expressly declared " that they would neither acknowledge the exclusive *' right of trade,'* (a right which appears, even by their own memorial, not to have been claimed or exercised*) '' or power of jurisdiction claimed by the " Hudson's Bay Company." And it is also worthy of remark, that, at the very moment when the Com- pany's Agents in England were presenting to his Majesty's Secretary of State a memorial, in which they denied the rights of the Hudson's Bay Charter, the Company's Agents in Canada were presenting another to the same Department (through Sir George I * See their Memorial, (page 37 of Appendix to Narrative) by which it appears that the Canadians have carried on their trade through the territories of the Hudson's Bay Company without obstruction. ^a:! \l { \: 142 Prevoit, the Governor of the colony,) in which they admitted those rights, requesting the Governor " to " intercede with his Majesty's Government, to use " their influence with the Hudson's Bay Company, " to induce their acceding to the application of their '* correspondents in London, for a permission to send *' annually (whilst the obstruction to the usual ''communication through Canada should continue) " a vessel, for the purpose of carrying in provisions, " and supplies for the North-West Company's trade, " and bring out their returns." It could not, there- fore, be a very easy matter for his Majesty's Govern- ment distinctly to perceive in the applications thus made on behalf of the persons interested in the North- West Company, what rights they seemed inclined to allow, and what to deny : — rights, some of which they fuWy admit in their " Protest,"— re/use to acknow- ledge in their " Narrative,"— -respect in one of their " Memorials," — and, in the other, to prevent the exercise of them, apply for an Admiralty convoy. Nor do they appear to be more distinct with respect to their account of that line of communica- tion, by Hudson's Bay, which they have thus for- borne to open, and which (compared to that by Montreal) they describe in their memorial as '* afford- ing, in every respect, greater facilities." — For, in their Narrative, (page 18) we find them describing this line of communication as '^ the route the most " difficult in the country, even for athletic and expe- " rienced batteaux men, who have to carry and drag *' their boats a considerable part of the distance over '' rough and untrodden roads and rugged precipices, *' and through dangerous rapids and waterfalls." 143 Nos. 24, 25, 26, and 27. These are official letters from the same parties, who presented the preceding memorial, to his Majes- ty's Secretary of State for the Colonies, and which, (as it would appear from the Narrative, page 128) shared the same fate with that document, a verbal answer only having been given.— If any reply of a more official description was received, the parties have not thought fit to produce it. '.il No. 28. '' Deposition of D, M'Kenzie." Mr. M'Kenzie describes himself in his affidavit as being *' a retired, or dormant, partner of the North- " West Company." His affidavit is very long, and accompanied by numerous documents which have been given in as forming part of his deposition, the purport of which is shortly as follows. — That he was one of the partners apprehended at Fort William by the Earl of Selkirk ; and when the others were sent off (as already narrated*) he requested permission from Lord Selkirk to accompany them, but was refused ; — that he was then confined in a dark dun- geon, and, while in such confinement, every method was taken by Lord Selkirk, and by those whom he employed, to induce the prisoner to do every thing which they directed, and to yield implicit obedience * See Statement, page G5. 144 to all that might be required of him. — That at length, wearied out by con/- iement and importunity, and having expressed a w.oii io do as they advised, provided they released him from his dungeon, he was accordingly removed to another part of the building, but still kept a close prisoner under a guard ; that he at length yielded implicit obedience to what was required of him. being frequently kept in a state of intoxication, and for six weeks wrote whatever was dictated; papers being brought for him to sign, and deeds to execute. — That, in consequence of having thus yielded implicit obedience to the orders and commands of the Earl of Selkirk, he was dis- charged from his imprisonment ; upon which he immediately went to the nearest Notary Public, and signed a Protest against all that had been done with respect to him, and against every tl ing which he had been so prevailed upon, or compelled, to exe- cute. Without being put in possession of Lord Selkirk's account of the transactions which may have taken place between himself and Mr. M'Kenzie; and until his Lordship has an opportunity of answering those heavy charges thus exhibited against him, the reader will probably not be disposed to put much reliance upon the accusations contained in Mr. M'Kenzie's deposition. — Better information than what appears to be conveyed by his affidavit^ must be looked for, before credit is to be given to assertions which bear y/iih them so little the appearance of credibility. This deposition, it should be observed, contains a very long and minute detail of the tyrannical and n 145 disgraceful means alleged to have been taken to in- fluence the deponent. — In his aflidavit he details, in great order, the proceedings instigated by Lord Sel- kirk, Captain D'Orsonnens, Mr. Miles Macdonell, Dr. Allan, and others, in order to prevail upon him to submit himself entirely to their directions. — He states, with great precision, the purport, and, in several cases, the very words, of conversations asserted to have occurred for the purpose of seducing him;— - in short, he produces a circumstantial and detailed Report of every thing that happened ; — and to the truth of all this he swears^ having already solemnly declared, in a protest before a Notary Public, (which protest is attached to his affidavit,) that during the whole period in which the transactions in ques- tion, took place, he, the Deponent, was drunk and deranged! — namely; " from the 13th of August " to the 11th of October, 1816; during all which ** time," says this dormant partner, " I was in a '^ state of inebriety, and actual derangement of *' mind." — The reader, therefore, will doubtless require some more substantial proof of the serious accusations which are thus made by the North-West Company against Lord Selkirk, and the gentlemen who accompanied him into the interior of North America, than the assertions of a deponent, who has put upon record, that he was in a state of intoxica- tion during all the time in which those facts and circumstances occurred, to the truth of which he has solemnly sworn. The reader will also naturally inquire why Mr. D. M'Kenzie, who is stated to have made his pro- u y T." 's •!| 146 test before a Nolarv Public at Drummond's Island, on the 1 Itli of November, did noi make his affidavit till three weeks afterwards ; viz. the 2nd of December. — It cannot be said that he could not find an acting magistrate to take his deposition at that place, becaura the name of one appears affixed as witness to the pro- test itself. The Representatives of the North-West Company, of course, wish it lobe believed that Mr. M'Kenzie shewed a laudable anxiety to protest before a Notary Public, as soon as an opportunity offe«cd for that purpose. — But if he was right in losing no time in making his Protest, he must have been wrong in unnecessarily delaying his Deposition. — The fact will probably turn out to be this, — that Mr. M'Kenzie neither intended to make the one nor the other. The Narrative proceeds by stating, that, " after complying with these terms, *' he," (M'Kenzie,) " was imuiediately released ; and as far as he could *' make atonement for his conduct to his partners, " before he could have any communication with " them he appears to have attempted it by the pro- " test," ^zc. — It does not seem, however, that this repentant partner was, after his release, in so very great a hurry to atone for his sins, and obtain absolution, as those concerned for the North- West Company wish it to be believed. — In this part of their Narrative, indeed, it is evident that they are anxious to be very guarded in their assertions : — " As far as he could make atonement," say they ; " for his conduct to his partners, before any commu- " nication with them, he appears to have attempted m. t 147 I'sIslanJ, 8 affidavit )ccember. an acting ce,becauf8 :o the pro- orth-West 1 that Mr. to protest ipportunitjf as right in ; must have Deposition, this,— that the one nor lat, " after M'Kenzie,) as he could is partners, ation with by the pro- r, that this in so very and obtain he North- J.— In this ,t that they lertions : — say they ; iny commu- attempted " it by the protest," &c. — lie appears to have attempted. — But, among all the " ample materials" furnished by their constituents, have the representa- tives received nothing by which it also appears that this part of their Narrative cannot be true ; and that Mr. M'Kenzie had communication with his partners before he made his protest i* Has no document reached them with the information that Mr. M'Ken- zie had determined to become an evidence for the Crown in support of the criminal charges brought against several of the partners who had been appre- hcnded ? — ihat, with such intention, he had pro< ceeded on his way to Montreal, and had passed the Sault St. Mary, St. Joseph's, and Drummond'i Island, without applying either to Magistrate, or Notary Public, for the purpose of making protest or affidavit ? — that afterwards, in his route to Lower Ca- nada, he was met, upon the 5th or 6th of November, on the shore of Lake Huron, by one of his partners who had been apprehended, but admitted to bail, and who carried him back a prisoner, (as he stated to M. Pritchard, who was with him) to Drummond's Island ? — and that, subsequent to this communication with his partner, namely, on the 11th of November, and not till then, was the protest made, which is now exhibited, and which, after an interval of three weeks preparation, was followed by that deposition which is thus produced to the public in the Appendix to their Narrative? — The public, however, will doubtless postpone its judgment upon these matters until an opportunity of obtaining further information be afforded : And with respect to those transactions •■ ^1.! ' 1 1* ( . . : 148 which may have occurred between the Earl of Sel- kirk and Mr. M'Kenzie (as a partner of the North- West Company) in as far as relates to the trans- fer, by the latter to the former, of a portion of the Company's property, whatever may be the result of such conveyance, if contested in a court of law, it is evident that Lord Selkirk considered it as legal and unobjectionable, otherwise there never could have appeared in the deed or agreement an express clause, by which arbitrators were to be nominated ?a England by the Lords Chief Justices of the Courts of King's Bench and Common Pleas. — Nor can it be credited, that if Lord Selkirk had considered the purchase alluded to in the Narrative to be illegal, or liable to any objection, he would ever have permitted those fragments of original papers, rough draughts of clauses, provisions, &c. (which pat'sed between the parties in preparing the con- veyance) to have remained in the possession, as is stated, of Mr. M'Kenzie, the person whom, accord- ing to the assertion of the Representatives of the North- West Company, his Lordship was so shame- fully deceiving ; and which documents they so triumphantly produce, as incontestable proof of his guilt. ee [ No. 29. ] Deposition of Roiert M'l^obb." This is the second deposition (in the Appendix to the Narrative) of Mr. Robert M'Robb, who seems to be a very useful clerk of the North- West Company, 149 His hand-writing appears every where throughout the Book of account formerly alluded to^ in which those bribes^ and prices of stolen goods^ were regis- tered, which were paid to the settlers who had de- sertedj and pillaged the Red River Settlement. — In most of these cases Mr. M'Robb was the chan- nel by which the payments were made, and the accounts balanced. ' His deposition does not contain any thing of much importance. He also gives little fragments of con- versations which are stated to have occurred, insert- ing as usual, in Italics, the precise words which are declared to have passed, with a prudent salvo sub- joined to them of " or somewhat to that, or the like " effect." — The principal object, however, of the deposition, is to inform the reader that a warrant had been issued by D. Mitchell, Esq. a justice of the peace in Upper Canada, to arrest Lord Selkirk on a charge of felony ; and that the deponent proceeded with '* one " Robinson, who was, as the deponent understood, a " constable, or public officer of some such descrip- " tion/' to carry the warrant into execution; but it would appear that his Lordship, so far from being disposed to yield submission to the Writ, was more inclined to arrest the Constable, — " or somewhat to " that or the like effect." Had Mr, Robert M*Robb been pleased io have been a little more communicative in his Deposition, he might have added, that after the North- West Company's partners, whom Lord Selkirk had appre- hended, had been admitted to bail at Montreal, seve- ral of them immediately returned to Upper Canada, i ■ i it 150 It «■' * ■■■!; traYeniog that Province to and fro for the pur- pose of discovering^ if possible^ a magistrate who MTOuld grant a criminal warrant against the Earl of Selkirk^ and against several of the gentleman who were with him, on a charge of robbery : —that they applied separately to the Judges of Upper Canada, who, seeing no grounds for the charge, refused the warrant: — that they at length, however, found a magistrate, who, though not generally acting in that capacity, they conceived might serve their purpose, and prove of a more accommodating character than the Judges of the Province : — and that Mr. D. Mitchell accordingly issued this warrant, which appears, by Mr. M' Robb's affidavit, to have been treated with so little ceremony. The reason of its being so treated is stated pretty plainly in a letter from Lord Selkirk to Mr. Gore, the Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada; of which the following is an extract: " babl " repti " he 1 '' coul '' his t to be w continu '* circu " any { •' the 1 " fit t< '' Lake " plian *' was € " titioi ii! f 1 >n " €t it ft C€ *€ €< €t tt it " Fort William, November 12, 1816. " Sir, " A few days ago a canoe arrived here bringing two clerks of the North-West Company, accompanied by a man who gave him- self out as being a constable charged wit - the arrest of several gentlemen here, and myself among the rest. On examining his warrant, I observed it to be, in several respects, irregular^ and founded on the recital of an affidavit full of the grossest perjuries. — It was signed by Dr. Mitchell, of Drummond's Island, whose notorious habits of intemperance render ii in the highest degree pro- Hati: rials wh Compan; Narrativ declared; " almost vations i Narrativ In pel how con sion insti fail to be 151 the pur- rate yfho the Earl in?n who that they ' Canada, ;, refused ', found a ig in that rpose^ and than the Mitchell ipearij by sated with so treated •d Selkirk of Upper •act: '^ bable, that his signature had been obtained sur- " reptitiously. The constable, when asked whether " he had any letters or credentials of any kind, '' could produce none, which confirmed the idea of '* his being an inapostor." — It is therefore not much to be wondered at that hi? Lordship should state, in continuation, to Governor Gore, that, " Under these '* circumstances, I trust it will not be ascribed to any disposition to resist the regular execution of the law, if the gentlemen concerned did not think fit to go five hundred miles across such waters as Lake Superior at this season of the year, in com- pliance with a form of a process, which there was every reason to believe irregular and surrep- " titious." ct .t tc ^;?l l'.>vV 156 of philanthropy, * ' Sacre nom de Dieu ! Bonnes .*' notivelles ! Vingt'deux Avglois de iucsT* lo the Postscript to their Narrative, the advocates for the North-VVest Company declare tliat it is perfectly iraposaible to believe that these expressions of joy could have been thus made use of. — But, with respect to" some of their clients, and those of them whom they thus seem most anxious to defend, there is not' '^<^ which it is impossible to believe The same p* n .i I'Donell) had shortly before declared to the Inaian Ci;:' ""in council, that " if the colonists *' resisted, the ground should be drenched with " their blood. "f And is it less credible that the expressions of joy above-mentioned were actually uttered, than that a feu dejoye was fired with the guns at Fort William, when the intelligence was brought to that place the year before, that the colony was then destroyed, the colonists dispersed, and their habitations burnt to the ground ? Nor does it appear ■very obvious M^hy the reader should be expected not to give credit to the joy thus stated to have been felt and expressed by such a man as Mr. Alexander M'Do- nell — who, on receiving, not many weeks before, the intelligence (false it is earnestly to be hoped) that a party of the Hudson's Bay Company's ser- vants had been starved, — and that, after a number of them had for some time been u d i the horiible necessity of feeding upon the dead bodies of their comrades, only one survivor had been left to tell the * See Statement, page 79. t Sue Mr. Pambrun's deposition, Appendix, [V.] p. xxxiv^ 157 tale,-^lo8es no time in communicating by letter to his partner Duncan Cameron^ the '' Glorious News " from Athabasca '."—*. In endeavouring to avert from themselves the charge of having unjust! instigated the aggressions against the Re4 River Colony, the North-West Company attempt, not only to raise a strong impres* «ion in the public mind, that Lord Selkirk, or his agents, bad committed acts of violence sufficient to justify any retaliation ; but they even resort, in their Narrative, to occurrences which took place subse- quent to the aggression itself, in the hope of thereby withdrawing the reader's attention from the original charge. In order to create a belief, that their own acts have been, all along, just and 'honourable w li regard to the Settlement, they produce numerous documents to prove, that Lord Selkirk, after its destrjuction, has conducted himself with gross vio' lence and outrage. Among the acts of this descrip- tion, with which they charge him, are his taking pos- session, by military force, (as they state it) of their trading post at Fort William ; robbing them of all their property in that place ; and extending the same system of rapine and plunder to iheir other stations in the interior. The reasons which induced Lord Selkirk to go to Fort William, (which lay entiiely out of his intended line of route to the Red River) a d 1 is proceedings ^t that place, with respect to apprehending, and * Se6 page 72 of Statement. fl''.' K 158 sending off the partners, have been Already submitted to the reader * ; and, on that part of the subject, there is nothina: asserted in tlic " Narrative" which calls for the slightest alteration in the Statement. The documents, indeed, which have been since received, and some of which are subjoined to the Appendix, on\y tend fully to corrot^oratc and confirm vhat was so narrated. In order to verify the account given in their " Nar- "rativc" of the proceedings at Fort William, the Representatives of the North-West Company pro- duce, in their Appendix, the depositions (No. 21 and 22) of M'Robb and Covvie, two of their clerks, and also the statement (No. 20) of Lieutenants Brumby and Misani, which was already alluded to. In refutation of the inferences, intended to be drawn from these materials, the reader's attention is particularly requested to the three documents now added to the Appendix, namely, the account given of these proceedings by Mr. Fauche (late Lieutenant in the same regiment with Messrs. Brumby and Misani) and who is now in England ; the narrative drawn up and signed by Mr. M'Nabb, who was employed as the principal constable, in executing the warrants at Fort William ; and the deposition of Alexander Fra- ser recently taken at Montreal f. *'' Military possession," says the Narrative (page 69), *' was then taken of the Fort, as is particularly " described in the deposition of Lieutenants Brumby * See page 61, &c. of Statement. t Sec Appendix, [K. K.] [L. L.] and [M. M.] 159 ub milted subject, e" which tatemcnt. itn since id to the [1 con firm ir t€ Nar- liam, the )any pro- , (No. 21 cir clerks, ieulenants \y alluded ided to be tentioD is lents now \i given of Litenant in d Misani) drawn up ployed as arrants at nder Fra- tive (page [rticularly Brumby " and Misani, given in the Appendix, No. 20 ;" and, upon this passage, the Rppi'pgenfatives of the Company have subjoined the following note, with respect to which, it is requisite that the reader should be undeceived : — ** Lieutenants Brumby nnd Misani, whose deposition is "above referred to, are officers of llie late llc«;irncnt De " Meuron, wlio obtained leave of absence from (jJencral Sic "Gordon Drummond, at tlie request of (he North-West ** Company, in order to enable thi'm to visit Ihe Iiidiiin Coun- " try. This was partly intended to counteract the impres- " sion which might be made on the Indians by seeing Lord ** Selkirk's body guard, and military force ; but chietly in " order to enable these gentlemen to see the real state of the " country, and to give an impartial report of such occur- " fences as they might witness. Their testimony, therefore, "relative to the military outrages committed at Fort Williaro, *' i$ entitled to particular attention as coming from militarjr " men, totally unconnected with cither of the parties." Little did these two unwary Officers suspect, that when Sir Gordon Drummond gave them leave of absence from their regiment, at the request of the North-West Company, " in order," as their Repre- sentatives f=ay, " to enable them to see the real state " of the country, and to give an impartial report of " such occurrences as they might witness," — little did they suspect that the Company were merely making convenient tools of them, to serve their own secret and unwarrantable purposes. *' You will not hesitate," says Mr. Norman M'Leod in his letter directing his partner at the Fond du Lac, to collect the Indians for the purpose of immediately proceeding against IfiO ut, in any cusp, they shall be ** well and fully recompensed for their trouble. You, who " know the Indian character m well, make use of that " experience lo collect as many as you can in a short timf, *' from fifteen to twenty upwards, to one hundred. You •* will explain to the Chief that we have Kind's OflTicers, *' and a few soldiers along with us, so that there is not the " leaitt doubt of the justice of our cause." These King's Officers were Lieutenants Brumby and Misani : and how far " the few soldiers along *' with us " were employed to promote the " Justice *' of our cause," the reader will be better enabled to judge, if he peruses the following account of an atro- cious murder committed by one of them, under the express directions of a partner of the North-West Company, in the course of this their expedition into the interior. Charles De Reiuhard, a serjcant in the De Meuron Rt^giment, having received his discharge from Sir Gordon Drummond, was recommended by Lieute- nant Misani, the commanding officer of his company, to Mr. W. M'Gillivray and Mr. Norman M'Leod, as a clerk for the North-VVest Company's service. In that capacity he, together with another serjeant of the name of Heurtre, (who had also obtained his discharge) accompanied Lieutenants Brumby and Misani, with Mr. Norman M'Leod, from Montreal See page 100 of Statement. 161 into the interior. When they arrived at Lnc la Pluie, in their way to the Red River, Lieutenant Misani told Rcinhard y /^ Photographic Sciences Corporation 33 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. MS80 (716) 873-4503 ss <> %> m 174 " who were spectators of tliclr departure, were silent " as the grave ! not from awe of Lord Selkirk's over- '* whelming power, or his military precautions and " martial law, but from the natural feelings of their " hearts ; from the unaltered respect they bore for " their masters, and from the remembrance of their " kindness. Srmc of these faithful men were not *' able to conceal their tears, and I saw, what perhaps " few have ever seen, — I saw rt« Indian weep!"—T The name of this Indian is not recorded ; — probably one of the Grandes Oreillcs family : — " Traders, my " children, when I first heard of the troubles you *' were in at this place, my heart became sorry, and " the tears ran down my cheeks !" — But the reader has, without doubt, by this time, seen enough of the " Journal of Mr. Jasper Vandersluy*," — a sort of spurious offspring, which the partners of the North- West Company seem more inclined to lay at the door ef their foreign book-keeper, than to father them- selves. On the subject of the reduced soldiers of the De Meuron and Watteville Regiments, who accompanied Lord Selkirk, with the intention of settling upon his lands at the Red River, instead of taking the allot- ments to which they were entitled in Canada, the Representatives of the North- West Company have not scrupled to suffer the following passage to be published in their Narrative of Occurrences : — « That he" (Lord Selkirk) " might hare means snffi- ** cient for his purpose, in addilioh (o about one hundred *• Hud t'igbty" (about one hundred and iJurfj/) " canoemcn, ;re silent k'9 ovcr- ions and i of their bore for s of their were not it perhaps weep!"—^ -probably raders, my )uble8 yoa sorry, and the reader ugh of the —a sort of the North- at the door ther them- » of the Dc ;companied ig upon his |r the allot- 'anada, the jpany have Issage to be Ices : — means suffi- lono hundred '^ canoomcH} 175 " be engaged about one hundred and fift j" (about an hun' dredf x%%, eighty of the De Meuron, and twenty of the Watteville Regiments, \^bich had been reduced), " foreign ** soldiers, with two captains and two subalterns of the ** Regiment De Meuron, a set of men whose conduct after- ** wards sufficiently justified the apprehensions entertained ** of them. They had been engaged in different services in ** Europe and Asia, and were partly formed by deserters '* from Buonaparte's armies in Spain. From that country " they were sent to America, where the regiment was just ** disbanded, and were fit instruments for tJie scenes of pil- " lage and plunder in which tbcy were subsequently en- " gaged*." The best answer to such malevolent and slanderous aspersions, will be found in the following Garrison Orders, which the Reader will rejoice to have laid before him. " Garrison Oiider. *' Mallay ith Mat/, 1815. *' Lieutenant-General Oakes cannot suffer the Regiment ** De Meuron to quit this Garrison, where they have so *• long been stationed under his command, without assHring " thera of the satisfaction which their good conduct, and *' attention to military discipline, have constantly afforded * " Narrative," page 62. — See also the statement of Lieu- tenant Fauche, (Appendix, [K. K.]) by which it appears, "that " in 1809, when the Regiment De Meuron was at Gibraltar, His " Majesty's Government authorised that all the Germans and " Piemontese, whom the conscriptio.. Ind forced to enter Buo- " naparte's armies, from which they esi. iped as soon as an oppor- " tunity ofFered, should be enlisted in His Majesty's service ; in " consequence of which many came over and received the regu- " lar bounty." — This is termed by the Represcntatircs of the North-West Company, desertion! l^\ri^f'-< t( whose orders they will soon be placed, to whom be shall *' not fail justly to set forth their merits. <* He begs leave to assure this regiment of his warmest ^' wishes for their glory and success, and of the sincere •* interest he shall ever take in their welfare." (Signed) P. -ANDERSON, D. A. G. The Regiment DeMeuron embarked at Malta for North America, and after the peace, it, and the Watteviile Corps, were reduced last year in Canada, upon which occasion Sir John Sherbrooke, the Governor-in-Chief, issued the following Garrison Order, which, as well as that of Sir Hildebrand Oakes, above cited, would do honour to any corps in His Majesty's service. <* Garrison Order. Quebec,26thjulf/, IS\6, "In parting with the Regiments De Meuron and Watte- *' ville, both of which corps His Excellency had the good " fortune of having had under his command in other parts " of the world, Sir John Sherbrooke desires Lieutenant- ** Colonel De Meuron, and Lieutenant-Colonel May, and the " officers and men of those corps, will accept his congratula- " tions on having, by their excellent conduct in the Canadas, "maintained the reputation which they have deservedly " acquired by their former services. 177 <' His Excellency can have no hesitation in saying, ' - ,VJ^i#;'. word of honour, that no further attempt should be made to obstruct the execution of the law, and that all measures of resistance or hostility should cease. It was also stated, that information was brought to him early next morning (the 14th) that the seals had been broken from several of the places which had been sealed the evening before ; that many papers had been burnt in the course of the night ; that seve- ral barrels of gunpowder had been rolled out of the Fort; and that about fifty or sixty stand of fire arms, to all appearance fresh loaded and primed, had been found secreted near the building*. The cir- cumstances, thus mentioned in the Statement, have been since corroborated by documents, some of which are now added to the Appendix : — The reader is par- ticularly requested to turn his attention to the ac- count given by Mr. Fauche, who was at Fort William at the time; and also to the narrative of M'Nabb, and the deposition of Alexander Fraser, both of whom were likewise upon the spot. From these docu- ments it will probably be suspected, and upon no slight grounds, that instead of the " frivolous pre- '' text," stated in Vandersluys's Journal, as having been assigned for seizing the arms belonging to the North-West Company, an attempt was actually projected, at that place, to massacre Lord Selkirk and the whole of his partyf . The follo':ving passage of the '' Narrative," being * See Statement, page 67. i See Appendix, [K. K.] [L. L.] [M. M. ] ti tt ti u '< u tl a « t( 179 connected 'with the proceedings of Lord Selkirk at Fort William, deserves to be noticed :— *' This simple and correct detail" (meaning Vandcrsluys's Journal,) " of the most extraordinary outrc^e which was " ever committed against the laws of a civilized country, " by a person of the rank of Lord Selkirk, will in itself *' create suflicicnt astonishment; but it is impossible not to *' advert to other circumstances connected with it, which *' still more aggravate the enormity of the transaction. " The persons arrested, after being treated with studied ** indignity and insult, were embarked as prisoners, under " a guard of foreign soldiers, in their own canoes, manned *' with their own servants, but not prepared in the usual ** manner for the accommodation of passengers : others, fit *' for their conveyance, had been got ready by their clerks, '^ in which they were not allowed to embark; and those '* selected, were so overloaded, as to place the passengers in ** imminent danger of their lives. There were above fifty '^ canoes in the fort, from which a sufficient number might *^ easily have been appropriated for the safe conveyance of '' the prisoners, had Lord Selkirk considered their safety of ^' the most trifling importance. One canoe, in which three *^ prisoners, Kenneth Mackenzie, Allan Macdoncll, and *' John M'Laughlin, were embarked, was considerably ** under the usual size, and could not carry with safety " more than fifteen persons, with their baggage and provi- " sions; yet entirely disregarding the representations and " remonstrances made of the danger to be apprehended, his '* Lordship ordered twenty-one persons to be embarked in " it, and, as had been predicted, in the passage on the lake ** the canoe filled, and upset, in consequence of being so " oterloaded ; Mr. Mackenzie, and eight other persons, '* were drowned, and the survivors narrowly escaped with " their lives*." * Sec •' Narrative," page 102. . j ^ '^t IP'','-' -Ii ^, 180 To the charge thus brought against the Earl of Selkirk (a charge which insinuates no less than a wish^ oil his part, to sink the whole brigade of canoes^ — friends and foes, — constables and prisoners !) they have added a note, which is not unworthy of (he passage in the text to which it is subjoined. " How (ar the Earl of Selkirk/' say they, '* is legally responsible for death thus happening in the prosecution of an unwarrantable act, and while an innocent man was under conveyance, by his orders, in a state of unlawful imprisonment, may perhaps be doubtful ; but it cannot be doubted, that a heavy moral re- sponsibility attaches to his Lordship in this transac- tion l" — The Representatives of the Company, having composed their Fable, they could not do less than fol- low the good old custom, and add the Moral ; — but the Reader will probubly wish to know the facts of the case, and to hear what some of those survivors, who narrowly escaped with their lives when the accident happened^ have said on the subject. *€ f< €( f€ tt t( l( I ^' I, J. Baptiste Chevalier de Lorimier, captain of the Indian Department, certify^ that on the 26th of August, 1816, having arrived at Isle au Parisien, Mr. M'Gil* livray made the brigade of three canoes set out during a great storm, contrary to the opinion of the rest of the party, and of the two guides. When we got about half way across the passage, Mr. M'Gillivray still persisting to make for tiie Cape, I took it upon myself to steer for " Isle aux Erablcs. The two other canoes then followed " me, in order io gain the bay, but, before we could reach " the shore, our's unfortunately sunk, when several were " drowned. (( (( <( (( (( (( (( 181 " I further certify, that upon our getting nsliore, and ** Mr. M'Gillivray hafing come to condole with us, I ** reproached him with being the sole cause of what had happened. All the other gentlemen of the party, as also the canoe-men, then came and sliook hands with me, ** declaring that I was the means of having saved the rest of the brigade, and that, if I had not i)ersisted in making for the land, we must all hare perished*." (( (( (( ti Mr. Fauche, late of the l)e Meuron Regiment, M'hom the Earl of Selkirk had requested to take charge of, and accompany the prisoners to York in Upper Canada, has also detailed the circumstances >vhich occurred with regard to this unfortunate acci- dent. He also, it would appear, has beeiu accused of " entirely disregarding the representations andremon- * Mot, J. Baptiste Chevalier de Lorimier, Capt. Ind. D^partement, certtiie que Ic 26 d'Aoiit, 1816, C'iant arriv<> a I'lsle au Parisien, Mr. M'Gillivr6 fit partir, dans uiie grande tcmptte, la brigade de trois can6ts, inalgr^ moi et malgr6 les autres messieurs qui 6toieiit de cette brigade, ct inalgr6 Ics deux gsides, pour entrcprendre une traverse d'une ^tendue considerable. Je certifie de plus, qu'^tant a peu pres au milieu de cette malheureuse traverse, Mr. M ois from actively irt Grant ause they were subsequently ronuuipnitcd for their services ; some at Red River, niul some afterward'* at Fort William. Rut how does it happen t!iat their own servant, Firniin Roucher, mentions nothing about Indians being present ? Roucher is a Canudiun, ia the regular service of the Nor(h-West Company, and who, they now admit, " happened to be with *' them,** although they publicly circulaicd, and officially comnumicated to His Majesty's Govern- ment, the positive assertion, that not one of their people had been within an hundred miles of the spot*! The evidence of Roucher can scarcely be disputed by the Company ; because *' These particulars," they say, (meaning the aflfair of the 19th jf June,) " are taken from the testimony of Rr jctier — who was " carried down to Montreal, and other persons prc- " sent in the affray. It has not been deemed advis- " able, pending the legal proceedings which the case " must give rise to, to publish the evidence of " parties who may be implicatedf." — That is to say, the Representatives of the North West Com- pany will state to the public what particulars they choose, and publish what they think fit: — they will not scruple to tell their own story from Roucher's testimony, or from any other testimony ; but they beg leave to decline producing his, or any other evi- dence, upon which that story is stated to be grounded. With regard to the testimony of Roucher, the advo- * See Statement, page 108. t See note in page 33 of " Narrative." B B ^:i' 186 cates for the Company must have either supposed it to be true, or false. If false, the story they have founded upon it cannot be true ; and if his evidence be true, why do they not adhere to it? Boucher mentions only J?ozs-£ru/es as being actively engaged on the 19th of June, stating the party in all to be about sixty-four ; but the Narrative rates them at a much lower number, and takes much pains to impress upon the mind of the Reader that the party was composed chiefly, if not solely, of Indians. — In order to enable the Reader to judge of this boasted testi- mony of Boucher, his Declaration (certainly not a TCiy distinct document) is inserted in the Appendix*. It does not appear necessary to make any further Observations upon this ^'faithful Narrative of Occur- rences." — If the Documents which have been now submitted to the Reader, have excited his attention, he will have little hesitation in pronouncing that the Agents or Representatives of the North- West Company of Montreal have not only failed iu their attempt to wipe ofiT the stain which attached to their Constitueuts, but have fixed it more indelibly by the materials brought forward to defend them, and by the admissions apparent in that defence. *' The '* attempt at Colonization,*' say they, towards the conclusion of theii Narrative^ *' was in its origin, ** objectionable in every respect to the Fur Traders, * Sec Appendix, [N. N.] 187 pposed it they bave i evidence Boucher y engaged I all to he I them at a to impress party was — In order lasted testi- linly not a /Appendix*. any fur^er je of Occur- e been now is attention, iincing that North-West iledib tbeir bed to tbeir glibly by tfee lem, and by ce. " The towards tlie 1 its origin, ur Traders, €t tt €f *' and they do not deny, that (except in the protcc- *' tion and assistance they considered it .leir duty " to aflbrd to their suflfering countrymen,) after having ascertain:;d the real object which the plans of Lord Selkirk were intended to cnver^ they have done all in their power to render these " schemes abortive." — They have done all in their power to render these schemes abortive ; — to frus- trate that plan of colonization in British North America which they avow to have been, from the first, so objectionable to them. — By what means they have hitherto rendered that plan abortive, it will be the province of his Majesty's Government, iocontrovertibly, and beyond the shadow of a doubt, to ascertain. When Sir Gordon Drummond, in the year 1815, informed the principal Ageut of the North-West Company, that he had received a communication from high authority, desiring him to inquire what foundation there was for the alarm entertained by the Earl of Selkirk, and by the Hudson's Bay Com- pany, for the safety of their settlers, he distinctly stated, that if the apprehended destruction of the colonists by the neighbouring Indians took place, it could not fail to be ascribed to the North-West Company. " The North-West Company will be considered responsible in the eye of the world, as well as in those of his Majesty's Government, for any such horrid catastrophe as I have alluded " to, whether arising from the instigations of [' their subordinate agents, or from the influenced u €t tt 188 i 'V A*? "i'-' Vs ' '^^m^ ■f-i I, I '' malignity of the Indians themselves*.'* — The Indians, ho>vever, are fully and honourably acquitted of every charge either of actual aggression, or of hostile views, against the Settlement ; and, in the eye of the world, the North-West Company, and they alone, will be considered responsible for the catastrophe, unless they produce far more satisfac- tory proofs of their innocence than those documents which they have recently submitted to the Public, Nor can the hackneyed plea of character do away a positive charge o^ facts: " They refer, without fear " of disappointment," say they, " to the various *' governors who have been appointed since the con- " quest of Canada, to that province, for an account " of their conduct as loyal and useful members of its " community/' — But who, of the Governors of Canada, have had an opportunity of witnessing the conduct of the North-West Company's partners, agents, and servants, in the interior, — thousands of miles from the seat of the Provincial Governments ? Or, who was likely to inform them of the lawless pro- ceedings in those remote countries? Many of the Company's partners, and others connected with that association, must themselves have been kept in igno- rance of the system which prevails towards the north and west of Lake Superior ; and is it to be supposed that those of the partnership \ ho were well ac- quainted with that system, and who participated in * See the letter from the Deputy Adjutant-General to Mr. M'GilUvray,of' I4th June, 1815, pa;,^e 57 of Statement. \m 189 its vices, would furnish the Provincial Government with the information ? On the contrary, it is evident that every mode has been adopted to withhold the knowledge of what was going on in that quarter; and if the Governors of Canada have entertained a better opinion of the North- West Company than they de- served, it can in justice be only ascribed to the artful and powerful means adopted by the Company to conceal the truth with respect to their proceedings in the interior, and particularly on the subject of that conspiracy, which was entered into against the Red River Settlement. It is not unworthy of remark, however, that the very same persons who declare the attempt at colo- nization on the Red River to have been in every respect objectionable to them, appear by no means averse to take merit to themselves for establishing colonies elsewhere. When set on foot by Canadian Fur Traders, Colonization is honourable and praise- worthy — but, when planned and conducted by the Earl of Selkirk, it is mean and criminal ! The North-West Company, we are told " have with a jspirit of liberality and expense, in many instances unrequited by the result of their undertakings, explored the whole Continent of North America^ and ascertained the geographical situation of almost every river and district of those immense regions. They have recently established a consi- derable and thriving colony on the banks of the " Columbia, on the Pacific Ocean, in direct com- " munication with their Settlements in Canada, ff ce <( €t t< €t /^'!r' British Empire. In so important a subject of con- sideration^ the first step ought to be a careful revi- sal of the " Canada Jurisdiction Act." If, as asserted in the " Narrative," that legislative mea- sure was introduced at the suggestion, and passed at the earnest entreaty, of those who were employed as Agents for the North- West Company*, that circum- stance alone^ at the present period, and after the occurrences which have taken place at the Red River, ought to be considered no slight ground for a revisal of the Statute. Many of those disgraceful occurrences took place under the eye of one of the Company's principal Agents and Partners, acting at the moment as a Magistrate for the Indian Territory under the sanction of that Law. But in place of assisting British subjects who stood in so much need of his protection, he only added insult and injustice to the miseries they had already experienced. He appears to have been too expert an Agent, not to look upon the Canada Jurisdiction Act as merely an instrument to be used for the purposes of the Company who employed him. Instead^ therefore, of obtaining the correct information it was his duty to procure, and taking proper measures to bring the guilty to justice, he only used his authority to impri- son and put in irons, several of the settlers who had escaped from 'he massacre, and remunerated the Company's clerks, servants, and hirelings, who 'H ♦ See Preface to Narrative, page vii. and Appendix to Nar- rat ive, No. 24, page 60. 19S had been actively employed in driving off the colo- nists, and shedding the blood of their fellow subjects. These circumstances, alone, appear to form a suffi- cient reason that the Legislature should revise the Statute alluded to, — that ill-judged statute, under the sanction of which, wintering and acting partners of the Canadian Fur Traders, with their roving Com- missions of the Peace, their warrants, subpoenas, and hand-cuffs, tyrannize, without restraint, in the interior of North America, over every one who offends them ; — detain their victims for years under their control ; — or, when more convenient, put them to death, as in the case of Mr. Keveney. If an inquiry into these subjects were to be instituted under the sanction of Parliament, it could not fail to prove of great national importance. But, in the investigation, the Legislature must expect to meet with do slight degree of obstruction. Those who have reigned for so long a period in the distant regions of the interior of British North Ame- rica, uncontrolled by any legal restraints, whose do- minion has proved a scourge to the Indians, and a terror to their own immediate Canadian dependents, are not likely to permit the truth to be exposed to the British nation, through its representatives in Par- liament, without making every possible exertion to prevent it. The anticipation of these difficulties, however, instead of preventing, or delaying the investigation^ ought to expedite inquiry, and render it the more rigid when once undertaken: — and the cc i 194 result will too clearlj^ sbew that^ after the experience of nearly fourteen yearsj the Canada Jurisdiction Act has in no wise promoted the views of the Legislature ; and that^ in place of forwarding the ends of justice by the punishment of offenders^ and the prevention of crimes, it has, in its fatal operation^ only furnished the means to sanction injustice^ and to legalize oppression. ';■ !■- [APPENDIX, APPENDIX. CONTENTS. Poge A. Opinioici of Counsel relative to the Hudson's Bay Company's Charter ------ ...i B. Transaction relative to a Seizure of Provisions by Mr. Miles Macdonell - - - C. Letters from D. Cameron to the Settlers at Red River ---------- ...iji D. Deposition of Michael M'Donell ------ vii £. Deposition of John Cooper ------- viii F, Deposition of Robert Sutherland ------ x G. Deposition of Angus M«Kay ------- xii H. Deposition of Neil M'Kinnon xiv I. Deposition of Michael Kilbride ------ xv K, Deposition of John Bourke - xvi L. Deposition of Hector M'Eachern ----- xvi i M. Deposition of Hector M'Leod xix N. Deposition of George Sutherland ------ xxi O. Deposition of Patrick M'Nolty ------ xxiii P. Deposition of Alexander M'Lean ----- xxiv Q. Deposition of Joseph Kenney ------- xxv R; Deposition of Donald M'Kinnon ------ xxvi S. Deposition of Michael M'Donell ------ xxvii T. Deposition of James Flynn ------- xxix These relate chiefly to the measures taken for the destruction of tlie Red River Settlement in the years 1814 and 1815.— See Statement, page 10, ct «eq. A general reference is made to them in page 29. m >7'f li'' '-Sr It'/: ^.> CON-^'NTS. Pugt U. Declaration of an Indian t il before the Coun- cil of the Indian Department, Upper Canada xxx V. Deposition of P. C. Pambrun ------ xxxii W. Deposition of A. Lavij^ne ------- xxxvi X. Deposition of Louis Nolin ------- xxxix Y. Deposition of \jo\x\% Blundeau . . - . - xliii Z. Deposition of Joseph Srisbois ----- xlv A. A. Deposition of C. G. Bruce ------- xlvii B. B. Deposition of John Bourke ------ xHx C. C. Deposition of Michael Heden ----- Iv These principally relate to the destruction of the colony in 1816, and also (particularly the two last,) to the massacre of Mr. Semple and his party. — See Statement, page (38, et seq. D. D. Letter from Mr. S. M'GilUvray to the Right Honourable Earl Bathnrst, &c. &c. &c. - - Ixi E. E. Deposition of John Charles Sayer - . - . Ixv F. F. Deposition of George Campbell Ixvi G. G. Declaration and Confession of Charles de Rein- hard ------------ Ixx H. H. Deposition of Baptiste La Pointe - - - - Ixxvii I. I. Deposition of Hubert Faye ------ Ixxx These relate chiefly to the murder of Mr. Keveney. — See Observations subjoined to Statement, page 160. I i K. K. Account of the Transactions at Fort William, by Mr. Fauche, late Lieutenant of the Regiment De Meuron ---------- Ixxxiv L. L. Narrative of Mr. John M'Nabb ----- xcii M. M. Deposition of Alexander Fraser ----- xcv These r«late principally to the proceedings at Fert William, on Lake Superior, in August 1816. See Statement, page 64, and Observations, page 157. N. N. Declaration of F. F. Boucher XCVJH ii Pagi B XXX - xxxii - XXXV i - xxxix - xliii - xlv - xlvii - xlix - Iv in 1816, and and liii party. APPENDIX. ght . Ixi Ixv Ixvi bin- - Ixx - Ixxvii - Ixxx e Observation! lent - IxKxiv - xcii - xcv |liam, on Lake Observations, XCVlll [A.] THE CHARTER* OF THE HUDSON'S BAY COM- PANY having been laid before Counsel, the following Opinions were given upon several of the Points sub- mitted to them. Vj E are of opinion, that (he grant of the soil contained in the Charter is good; and that it will include all the coun- try, the waters of which run into Hudson's Bay, as ascer- tained by geographical observations. We are of opinion, that an individual holding from the Hudson's Bay Company a lease, or grant in fee-simple, of any portion of their territory, will be entitled to all the ordi- nary rights of landed properly as in England, and will be entitled to prevent other persons from occupying any part of the lands, from cutting down timber, and fishing in the adjoining waters, (being such as a private right of fishing may subsist in), and may (if he can peaceably, or otherwise by due course of law) dispossess them of any buildings which they have recently erected within the limits of his property. We are of opinion, that the grant of the civil and crimi- nal jurisdiction is valid, but it is not granted to the Com- pany, but to the Governor and Council at their respective establishments ; but we cannot recommend it to be exercised so as to affect the lives or limbs of criminals. — It is to be exercised by the Governor and Council as judges, who are to proceed according to the laws of England. The Company may appoint a siieriff to execute judg- ments, and to do his duty as in England. We are of opinion, that the sheriff, in case of resistance to his authority, may call out the population to his assist- ance, and may put arms into the hands of their servants, for defence against attack, and to assist in enforcing the judg- ments of the Court ; but such powers cannot be exercised with too much circumspection. We are of opinion, that all persons will be subject to the * Granted by King Charles II, An. 1670. a fc^ f 11 APPRNDIX. jnHKliclion of tlie Court, who reside, or are found wilhin Clic territories over which it extends. We do not think this Act (43rd Geo. IH. c. 138*) ffifcn jurixdiction wilhin the territories of the (liidson's Hay Com- pany, (he sume hein^ within the jurisdiction of their own Cj'overnors and Council. We are of opinion, that the Governor (in Hudson's IJ;iy) n)ii;ht, under the authority of the Comp;uiy, appoint con- stables and other otiicers for tiie preservation of the peace, and that the officers so appointed would have the same duties and privileges as similar oilicers in lOti^liind, so fur as these duties and privileges may be applicable to their fiituatioQ in the territories of the Company. (Signed) SAIVIUi:r. ROMILLY, G.S. HOLIIOYD, \Vm. CHUISi:, J. scARLirrr, JOHN ULLL, r: [B. ] Transaction relative to a Seizure of Provisions hy Mr. Miles MacdonelL Mr. Miles Macdonell, who was Governor of the district of Ossiniboia, in right of the Hudson's Bay Com- pany's Charier, and had charge of the Red River Settlement, expected a considerable addition of new settlers in the Autumn of 1814, and being apprehensive tiiat a scarcity of provisions might be felt, if early measures were not takea to obtain a sufficient quantity, he (in the month of January of that year) gave notice to the traders both of the Hud- son's Bay and North- West Companies, that, at the opening of the navigation, no more would be allowed to be carried out of the district, than what might be requisite for the consumption of those traders ; it being, as he thought, an indispensable duty in him to provide for the resident inhabitants of the district. The traders of both Com- panies, who had collected provisions from the Indians (from whom they are generally procured), were to be paid a fair price for such as he retained. Tiie Hudson's Bay t:aders accordingly delivered up their surplus quantity; but those of the North- West Company refused, and attempted to carry out of the district all which they had collected. Upon this, Mr. Miles Macdonell issued a * Commonly called the Canada Jurisdiction Act. APPENDIX. IK wnTrnnf, under which n seizure of proviiions was mndc hy Mr. Spencer, the bhcrift'. This proceedinje; gave rise (o con- sidemblediscussiqns between Mr. Miles MncchMieUniid Mr. Duncan Cameron, and others of the Norih-Wcst Com- pany; and upon tiieir representing that their trade would suffer in other parts of the country, if depriv(>d of these pro- visions, an agreement was entered into, the purport of which was, that the North-West Company shouUi retain the qii^ntity requisite for their trade at that time, and shouhl supply Mr. Miles Macdoncll with an equal quantity itt the winter, if it should be wanted, for the use of the resident settlers. This agreement was not sanctioned by the subse- quent general meeting of the North-West partners, who re- fused to confirm the acts of their agents. An information was laid before Mr. Norman M'Leod, one of their partners, and a magistrate for the Indian territory, wiio granted a warrant to apprehtnd Mr. Miles Macdoncll on a criminal charge of burglary and robbery. Mr. Macdonell (though he did not admit that he was amenable to the jurisdiction under which the warrant was issued) surrendered himself, (for the reasons stated in page 26,) and was carried down to Montreal, where it does not appear that any trial has taken place. Mr. Spencer, the sheriff, had previously been apprehended under a siruilur warrant, and carried away from the Red River settlement in the beginning of September 1814, and detained in the cus- tody of the North-West Company till the month of August in the following year, when that Company thought fit, at length, to bring him down to Montreal; but his trial has not yet taken place. m [C. ] LETTERS FROM D. CAMERON TO THE SETTLERS AT RED RIVER, To 3Iessrs. Donald Livingston, and Hector M'Eachcrn, per Bostonois Pangviun. Sirs, Gibraltar, XOth February, 1815. Youii letter of the 28lh ultimo, by Jordan, came safe to hands, and I am very ^lad that the eyes of some of you are getting open at last 1j the situation you are i? APPENDIX. ^4 .k fi' V ' ■ I'' I, '/^, rui placed in, in this barbarous country, and that jou now see your past follies in obeying the unlawful orders of a plun- derer, and, I may say, of a hij^liway robber, for what took place here last spring can be called nothing else but mani- fest robbery. — But I am very willing to forgive as many as repent of the poor deluded men, as 1 know that they are not bad men in principles, although made so by bud leaders and bad advice. You say very irue, when you mention ihat you did not know your friends from your foes: the greatest enemies ever you had, is Lord Selkir!», Doctor Auld, and Miles M'Doneii, who was made a fool of by them, and he made fools ot'all those that were under him I know all the bad usage you got, and the many injustices that were done to every one of you since you left your own country, the Jike I never heard before, and none out hard-hearted bad men would use their fellow-creatures in such a manner. In pity to your present deplorable situations, as I consider you to be in the very worst of prisons here, 1 accept your oflTers, and will be very happy to take so many of my countrymen and fellow-subjects out of bondjige,as 1 know very well that Lord Selkirk will never take any of you home, whatever promises Miles M'Donell may make you to the contrary. — Vou have already been often deceived by both of them, and tbey will deceive you again and again, if they can, witliout being ashamed of it, as deception is their very best trade, therefore I'll be proud of being your deliverer ; 1 do not ask you a penny for your passage or provisions to go out with ; you are going to a good country, where you may make a decent living for yourselves and iamilies; we'll oblige our- selves to get lands for those that chooses to take them, and "will throw none of you on the highway as beggars till you can provide for yourselves. I have no interest whatever in making you these promises, but what humanity points out to me. — With regard to your wages, I can say very little on that subject without seeing how your agreements arc made out, but it is not an easy matter to make any one lose bis salary, which is not like another debt. It you can only get a copy of your accounts, and get them signed by Miles M'Donell, we'll do our best to recover the money for you; but if you could get drafts on the Hudson's J3ay Company for the balance of your wages, I would myseU be answer- able lO you for every penny of it. I am told the great cap- tain is going to pay you a visit, you'll, 1 believe, find him a better master than usual, but you may thardv me for that, and not him, as he is afraid of what will soon happen to bim. I said last fall, when M' Vicar was abusing me very much, and very undeservedly, that I would, perhaps, be the appendix; V best friend evei the colonists met with, and I hope (o make my word good to such as will deserve it of me ; but, at the same time, 1 shall- certainly be the greatest enemy they met with yet to any one that will again take up arms to fly in the face of the law, or to plunder. — I remember that you, Livingston, did not take arms last fall ; don't be afraid that Captain M'Donell will ever know any of my secrets from me, but take care that Mrs. M'Lean here will know none of your secrets, for she would sell her own brother to him, if he was here. I am afraid you'll not be able to read this scrawl, as 1 am really in great haste, and remain, Your sincere well-wisher, (Signed) D. CAMERON. P. S. You may trust the Bearer with any thing you may have to say. Messrs. Hector M'Eachern, \ and Donald Livinqston, ) Gibraltar, lOth March, 1815. Your joint letter of the 6th instant, was handed to me by honest John Somerville, and I am happy, on your own accounts, that you are still of the same way of think- ing, as it will alFord me an opportunity of delivering so many people from bondage, and not only that, but even to save your lives, wliich is every day in danger from both So- teuse and Scioux. — Besides, if the country was both peace- able and good, Captain M'UoiMiell's violent and foolish con- iluct would drive all honest men out of it, as none but rogues and robbers will answer his purpose. — You tell me that Joli!! M'Vicar will, perhaps, become a Canadian yet; I certainly have great cause to be displeased with him for Jiis violent conduct and abusive language to melasi fall, and could even get him tried for his life, but still my humanity is such as to pardon all that. — If he will acknowledge his fault, and make application to me for a passage, he shall have it, and 1 pledge my word and honour that nothing shall be attempted against him for his past coruluct, as 1 am much more inclined to save the lives of poor people than [ am to mean revenge against a countryman, who, I am told, is the son of an honest respectable man. M'Eachern, and any others that chooses to come here, shall be made wel- come, and shall be protected against any insult. — As for tiny money any of you had in their hands, they will make such I i'M' 'M^ ■ I Yl APPENDIX. accounts against all married men for the maim^nance of their families, that there irill not be a penny coming to them. You need not expect any justice whatever from them here, but, perhaps, you may get it elsewhere by law ; how- ever, the surest way is to get whatever you can out of their store, and I will take any article that can be of use here off of your hands, and pay you in Canada for them ; my door is open to any one that chooses to come, at all times, and we'll make the best shift we can for living till spring. *I remain. Your sincere well-wisher, (Signed) D. CAMERON. The originals of the above letters were given in by H. M'Eachern with his deposition, taken, upon oath, at Mon- treal, in October 1815. t\ '<■ To the Servants of the Honourable Hudson's 'Bay Company, and those of the Settlcnttn4 of Red River. My Lads, You have once already been fully apprized by a gentleman here, that in all our endeavours to bring the prisoner, Mr. Miles M'Donell, to justice, the smallest intention to injure your persons, public or private property, as well as that of your employers, was never by me in contemplation. As several of you were not then present, and are probably now deluded by your employers, by advising you to act contrary to law, I ti.ink it rjecessary, once more for all, to advise you as a fellow-subject, to pay due respect, submission, and obedience, to the law of our blessed constitution. — And I further declare, that any per- son or persons who shall be found in future attempting, by any means, to rescue and screen the prisoner from justice, shall immediately be considered as accomplices in his crimes, and treated accordingly. That your own good sense and judgment may dictate to you, free of party spirit, a true sense of the impropriety of violating, or acting in direct opposition to, your country's laws, is, my Lads, the sincere wish of your well-wisher. (Signed) Red River, Indian Territory, June 7 J 1815. D. CAMERON, Captain, Voyageur Corps, Commanding Officer, Red River^ APPENDIX; Vll nv ''nance of coming to r from tbem r law ; how- out of their • use here off 1 ; my door I times, and ipring. Iier, MERON. 'cn in by H. atb, at Moa- Company, and fully apprized purs to bring , the smallest ate property, rer by me iu then present, iploycrs, by it necessary, ibject, to pay le law of our [that any pcr- attempting, from justice, in his crimes, od sense and spirit, a true ing in direct Is, the sincere IRON, yeur Corps, icr, Red River- [D. ] Deposition of Michael McDonnell. Montreal, > Michael NI'Donnell, late of Red River, to witf ^ in the territories of the Hudson Bay Com- pany, a clerk in the service of Earl Selkirk at Red River aforesaid, now at the city of Montreal, in the province of Lower Canada, raakcth oath. That about the eighteenth day of April last, the deponent, being then a clerk in the service of the Earl of Selkirk as aforesaid, was apprehended and made prisoner by the servants of the North- vVest Com- pany, under a warrant under the hand and seal of A. Nor- man M'Leod, Esq. for an alledged breach of the peace, and was conveyed and detained a prisoner at a fort or post in the possession of the said North- West Company, at a place called the Forks, at Red River aforesaid. — That while the deponent was detained at the said fort or post, the same was under the command and orders of one Duncan Cameron, a partner in the said North-West Company, iu whose custody the deponent was. — That, on or about the tenth day of June last, the deponent being still in the said fort, an attack was made by an armed force, composed of persons under the orders of the said Duncan Cameron (who were furnished with arms and ammunition for that purpose in the said fort,) on the settlement of the colonists at Red River aforesaid, in the night of that day, and upon the return of the party to the said fort or post, the deponent heard one Culhbert Grant, a man of the half-breed, and a clerk in the service of the said North-West Company, who had been one of the party by which, the said attack was made, declare, that not a man of the said settlement should put out his head the next day without being popped off, and this was said in the presence and hearing of the said Duncan Cameron, who acquiesced in, and approved of what was so said by the said Cuthbert Grant. That the day following the said party of men sallied forth from the said fort about break of day to renew the attack on the said settlement, and upon their return, the deponent heard the said Grant, and one Seraphim, also a clerk in the service of the said North-West Company, and others of the said party, speak of the attack which they had just made on the Government House in the said settlement, in which it was said some of the settlers or persons residing in the colony had been wounded, and several of them boasted of what they had done. That the consequence of the said attacks was a surrender of the said settlement to the said Duncan VIU APPENDIX. m m lim ., •:•■■■,) ■ tin"' h'.: Mm; Cameron, and the houses and buildings of all descriptions were afterwards burnt by the persons aforesaid, being under the command and orders of the said Duncan Cameron, and the settlers and inhabitants of the colony conveyed away by, or under, the orders of the said Duncan Cameron. — ■ That, after the destruction of the said settlement as afore- said, the deponent, while a prisoner in the said fort, was present at part of a speech made by Alexander M'Donell, one of the partners in the said North- West Company, to the persons in the said fort, in which he assured the Canadians, and Indians of the half-breed, by whom the said settlement had been destroyed, that they would be supported by the said North-West Company in every thuig they had done. That the deponent has heard the said Duncan Cameron and Alexander M'Donell say, that the settlement aforesaid could not succeed without the countenance of the said North- West Company, and he has also heard them declare that there should be no settlement there. That while the depo- nent was a prisoner as aforesaid, various inducements were held out to him by the said Duncan Cameron and Alexander M'Donell, to enter into the service of the said North-West Company, which he declined doing. That while the depo- nent was in the said fort, he saw there horses, muskets, oannon, and farming utensils, which had belonged to the said colony, and which were then in the use of the persons in the said fort. (Signed) MICHAEL M'DONNELL. Sworn at Montreal, this 20th day of September, 1815, before me, (Signed) THOMAS M'CORD, J.P. [E. ] Deposition of John Cooper. Home District,} The information of John Cooper, Yoik, to zeit. 5 late of Red River, in the district of Ossiniboia, territories of the Hudson's Bay Company, who, being duly sworn on the Holy Evangelists, saith, that he went from Orkney, in the year 181 1, as an indented servant, and arrived at Red River in autumn 1812, along with Miles Macdonell, Esq. governor of the settlement, and continued under his command till the expiration of his contract in IS\^, at which time he, the deponent, was entitled to a free APPENDIX; IX passage home, and might have gone home if he had desired it, but he preferred remaining at Red River as a settler. — That he married about the end of the year 1813, and that next spring, before his conlracled period of sc 'ice was expired, he was allowed to plant a piece of ground with potatoes for his own use, from which he had an abundant crop. — That roost of the crops had been reaped while the deponent was absent from Ihe settlement, but he was informed that the crops of wheat and barley were good ; that he, the deponent, had no inten^'on of leaving Red River, and never applied .v. I'' n It lit tiii*^li X APPENDIX. saw a great number of men assembled. Tliere were many more of (he Canadian servants of the North- West Company than had been there during the winter. — Also, about thirty half-Indians, who expressed violent hostility against the settlement. — He, deponent, had been, in the course of the winter, in the plains near Pembina, where he saw the same half'Indians, and heard (hem express the same hostility against (he settlement ; but the deponent never saw any thing of the same kind during the two preceding winters ; that, on (he contrary, many of the same half-Indians were then in the habit of trading with the officers of the settle- ment, and supplying them with buffaloe meat and other game, which they refused to sell last winter. (Signed) JOHN COOPER, Sworn before mc, at York, the 12th day of February, 1816. (Signed) ALEXANDER WOOD, J. P. [F. i Deposition of Robert Sutherland. Home District,} The information of Robert Suther" io v^ity J land, late of Red River, in the district pf O&siniboia, territories of the Hudson's Bay Company. Deponent being duly sworn on the Holy Evangelists, sailh, that he arrived at Red River in June 1814, and was well pleased with the appearance of the country ; that the crops which he saw in the ensuing harvest were very good; and the wheat was good. That he, deponent, understood that the settlers in general were as well pleased as himself, nor thought of leaving the country till after the arrest of Mr. Spencer ; and the deponent is of opinion, that if Mr. Spencer had not been taken away, none of the settlers would have thought of leaving the country. That the deponent never observed any appearance of hostility among the Indians, whom they, the settlers, saw during thesummer^ nor entertained any apprehension of danger, till they, the settlers^ heard from the servants of the North- West Com- pany, that Duncan Cameron, master of this trading post of the said Company, told deponent and his wife, that the Indians would come in the spring, and murder all the seltlerS) after he, Duncan Cameron, would leave the plact^ m •: AI'PEKDIX. xi [ COOPER. in (lie spring, when (he Indians wouUl cerlait»ly murder them all. Duncan Cameron also said, that Miles Mac- donell, Esq. governor of the settlement, would have no provisions to give to the settlers, unless he (Miles Mac- donell) would take it by force, as he had done before; for that reason, Duncan Cameron told deponent and his wife, that they might have a passage to Canada, if (hey chose ; and said to deponent and his wife, they should not only have a free passage to Canada, but that the Government would give them lands and provisions for a year ; or, if Govern- ment did not do so, the North- West Company would. That deponent was with the said Duncan Cameron about half an hour; deponent's wif. went with him; and that Cameron, during that time, told them of the intentions of the Indians, after he (Cameron) left the place ; and pro- mised deponent and his wife a passage to Canada, free of expense, lands and provisions, as stated before. That depo- nent and his wife had gone to the said Cameron, in conse- quence of the reports about the Indians, and for the purpose of asking a passage from the said Cameron. — Deponent frequently heard Cameron say, that he was a King's officer, and that Miles Macdonell, Esq. had no authorily from the King, or no lawful authority. Deponent heard a letter read by George Campbell, one of the settlers, from Duncan Ca- meron, saying, that it was necessary for the settlers to take possession of the cannon of the colony, in order to prevent mischief; and that he, Duncan Cameron, would indemnify the settlers from the consequences of taking them. — That deponent was present when the settlers, in pursuance of this advice, did seize upon and carry away the cannon ; that as soon as they had possession of them, a shot was fired ; which deponent believes to have been intended as a signal ; and that, immediately after, the said Duncan Cameron came out of a wood, where he had been concealed, at a short distance, along with Cuthbert Grant, and William Shaw, clerks in the service of the North-West Company, and a party of armed men, who conducted the guns to the fort, or trading post of the said Company, when each of the settlers present at the taking of the guns, got a dram. — Deponent says, that in the month of January, when Miles Macdonell, Esq. set out for Pembina, a number of the young men at the settle- ment were desired to go with him to the plains, in order lo procure buflidoe meat; they refused to go. Deponent heard the said Duncan Cameron say, that Miles Macdonell would not be able to get any meat in ti»e plains, because he had not paid his hunters last year, and none would hunt for him now; and deponent believes that it was in consequence of !•■ xii Al'l'liNDlX. mm'' ■■■I M^ these reprcscntiitions, that the settlers refused to go with the said Miles Macdunell to the plains. Deponent says, that on the cannon bcin^ put into the French fort, the settlers returned to thi'ir houses, where tliey staid a few days, and ihcn went on with Georj^c Campbell, about three days journey; when George Campbell told them, that William Shaw was made prisoner, and ihey, the settlers, must go back and relieve him, the said Shaw ; that the settlers were all armed, and had powder u: J shot, and that they did return; tliat William Siiaw was liberated •without their assistance, and they again set out on their lourney. His (Signed) ROBERT + SUTHERLAND. Mark. Sworn before me, at York, the 17th February, 1816. (Signed) ALEXANDER WOOD, J. P. iiii [G. ] Deposition of Angus ][PKaj/. Jlomc District^ > The information of Angus M'Kay, to wit. $ late of Red River, in the district of Ossiniboia, and territory of the Hudson's Bay Company, \vho saith, that it is consistent with his knowledge, that ■when Miles Macdonell, Esq. governor of the country of Ossiniboia, set out from the Forks of Red River, in the month of January, last year, he desired that a number of the young men should go with him to the plains, in order to procure provisions for themselves and the rest of the settlers ; but that they refused to go, having been led to believe, that it was his intention to rob the North- West Company of their provisions, instead of procuring thera fairly. — That llie deponent was in dread of the Indians; having been told by officers of the North- West Company, that the Indians intended to murder all (he settlers; and he was also in fear of want of provisions; in consequence of which, iho deponent applied to Duncan Cameron, master of the North-West Company's trading post, by whom he was assured that all the settlers should receive lands in Upper Canada ; and if Government would not give thcDfi; the North-West Company would. APPENDIX. XIII That in tdo month of March, it was reported among the settlers, that Mr. Archibahl M'Donald had suid, that the cannon should be mounted on the lari^e boat, to prevent the settlers from ijoing away ; and, that the same had lieen said by three Irisli labourers in the service of the colony ; which reports created preat uneasiness amon<; the setllcrs ; that on a Saturday evening, about the emi of March, George Campl)cll, communicated to John Matheson, junior, annt (lie Company were in no (car of the consP(|uen(H's of what they had done at lied H.iver. — The persons who went in to deliver (he order to M'Doiiald, fo (h'liver Iho cannon, were doponnii, Andrew M'lJeth, and George Campbell, who went in lirbt. (Signed) Sworn before me, at York, in the Home District, Province of Upper Canada, the lOlh day of February, 18IG. (Signed) ALEXANDER WOOD, J. F. ANGUS M'KAY. [II.] Deposition of Neil JWKimion. Jlome Dislri(l,\ Information of Neil M'Kinnon, Yorh, to nil. $ late of Hed River, in the district of Ossiniboia, territories of the Hudson's Bay Company, Deponent being duly sworn on tiic Iloly Evangelists, saith, that he arrived at Red River aforesaid, in the year 1812, that the Indians always behaved la a very friendly manner to the setllers, and they never had any fear of them till last inter. — Mr. DuncanCamcron, master of tiie trading J lost of the North- West Company at the Forks of Red liver, told the settlers, that the Indians had determined io murder them all, urdcss they would quit the settlement. — Deponent heard this story from George Campbell. — That about the month of January last, the said Duncan Cameron advised deponent to go to Canada, and ofi'ered to give him a passage in the canoes of the North- West Company. Ca- meron said Canada was a good country, and he would take him to Montreal. That on the day when the cannon were taken away by the settlers, deponent was at John Matheson's house, about a quarter of a mile distant, and saw a party of men conceal themselves in a clump of wood within a short distance of the house belonging to the governor of the colony, where they waited till the settlers had brought out the cannon, and then came forward to receive them, and convey them to the fort, or trading post of the North- West Company. — That when deponent went away from Red River, deponent had some implements of agriculture out of the store of the colony ; that when he was coming away, he APPENDIX. XV nskctl Mr. Duncan Camrro?i wlietlior lie should rptiirn tliom into the store of the colony, ('ameron said, *' put them " into my store; if liord Selkirk has any rijjhl to them they "shall be returned to him, hut they arc marked down ap:ainst '* you in the books, ami you will have to pay for them " whether or not ;" and he did deliver into the store of the North- West Company, two hoes, one axe, and one spade. He also frnve in other articles bclon^inj? to himself, and deponent received seven or eight pounds for them from Duncan Cameron after he had come to I'ort William on Lake Superior. Deponent thought that by deliverin<^ back these things he would not have to pay for them hereafter. His (Signed) NKIL + M'KINNON. Mark, Sworn before me, at York, lO'th February, 1816, (Signed) ALEXANDER WOOD, J. P. Deposition of Michael Kilbride. T)islrict of} The information of Michael Kilbride, taken Ossiniboia. ^ upon oath before me, Miles Macdonell, Esq. one of his Majesty's justices of the peace in said district. Deponent declares, that on Monday, the 3rd of April instant, about one o'clock, P. M. George Campbell entered the servant's house, and told him, that they were going to take away the field-^pieces. Deponent told the said George Campbell that that was a bad business. Campbell replied, that they could not help it, as it was Captain Cameron's orders that the field-pieces should be taken to his fort till the settlers left this country ; and the said George Campbell, at the same time, shewed deponent a pair of pocket pistols, which he thinks was done with the intention of frightening him. Deponent went out to inform Mr. Bourke, but could not find him. He then saw the artillery on horse-sledges, George Bannerman taking hold of a small howitzer, and Robert Gunn standing opposite the door of one of the store- houses with a gun across his breast, which he (ircd as soon as the artillery were drawn away. — Immediately Mr. Dun- •I ** [v\,<" (!' . xvl AFFENDIX. cnn Cainoron, wiUi n gun in his hand, wassoen coming out of llin wood, at tlir Iieatl of a party of armed men. When he canu- to the settlors, deponent miw him Hhakc hands with them, iuhI heard him exchiim, " Well done, my hearty "fellows!" and .isk them if there were any more. The deponent also saw .Fohn I'larly with Mr. (lameron's party, and Donald M'Kinnon, John Murray, ami others, ^uardin^ the outer door of the Government Buildini;, Hector M'Leod, late of the district York, to wit. ^ of Ossiniboia, being duly sworn, saith, that he was engaged along with several others of the settlers at the Red River, in seizing upon and carrying away, and delivering up to the North- West Company several pieces of cannon, the property of the Earl of Selkirk, which had been provided for the defence of the settlement ; that he, the deponent, was induced to join in this act, by the assurances of George Campbell and others, who represented that Miles Macdonell, governor of the said district of Ossiniboia, would use force to prevent the settlers from going away ; and that, unless the cannon were taken away from him, they would never be able to go away ; and that if they remained, the settlers would all be murdered by the Indians. That he, the deponent, saw a letter, which was read to him by John Matheson, or George Campbell, from Dimcan Cameron, one of the partners of the North- West Company, ordering (he settlers to take away the cannon ; vnd warranting that he, the said Duncan Cameron, would indemnify them from any penal consequences ; and he, the deponent, believes that the said Duncan Cameron had authority to act as he did ; as he had frequently heard him say, that he was a King's officer ; and that on the day the cannon were seized as aforesaid, the said Duncan Cameron came, with several of his clerks and other persons in the service of the Nortb- West Company, to meet the settlers, and received the can- non from them, and carried them away to the trading post of the said North- West Company in the neighbourhood, where he, the deponent, has frequently seen the said cannon afterwards mounted on carriages and prepared for service. That he, the deponent, had received from Miles Mac- donell, Esq. a musket in trust, to be used for Lis own defence, and that of the settlement; which musket, he, deponent, xk xv^iiftvt. ; f '^ V^'i lif:' carried to the said trading post of the North- West Com- pany, and there delivered it to the said Duncnn Cameron, or some p{?rSon authorised by him ; and that the said musket was there left by the deponent, and was neither brought away by him, nor restored to the stores of the settlement. — That he, the deponent, was for several days, In the month of June last, at a camp at Frog Plain, along with a number of half-Indians, Canadians, and others, under the command of Alexander M'Donell, a partner of the North- West Com- pany, by whom he was frequently stationed as a centinel, to see that no boat should pass down the river without his permission. That during his stay in this camp, he knew Ih.it the said half-Indians had made prisoners of several of the t'ttlers who were remaining peaceably in their own houses ; and he saw them ride over the cultivated ground belonging to several of the said settlers, in such a manner as to tread down and destroy their crops. The settlers brought away, were Alexander Sutherland, Adam Sutherland, George Sutherland, Catherine Sutherland, Catherine M'Phcrson, John Smith, his wife, four sons, and two daughters. The said people were brought away against their wills ; that the party who went for (hem were headed by Mr. M*Le:m, a clerk of the North- West Company, and that some of the party were armed with loaded guns. Deponent heard said M'l^ean tell the settlers, unless they came away, the half- Indians would burn their houses about them. Deponent saw a party go from the North- West fort; the party were headed by Mr. Grant, Mr. Shaw, of the Nortii- West Com- pany, and Early, one of the settlers, for the purpose of burning the houses of the settlement. — Deponent saw them set fire to Captain Macdonell's house ; that is. Miles Mac- donell, Esq. governor of the territory. Two big houses, the horse mill, and several other houses, with the store- houses, were burnt. — He, deponent, saw the party assist in getting out the goods out of the houses, before they set them on fire, and during the time they were burning ; that the horses, hoes, spades, and axes, were sold to the North- West Company ; and the settlers were paid for them by Duncan Cameron, who gave at the rate of one dollar for an axe. His HECTOR + M'LEOD. l^Iark. Sworn before me, at York, in the Home District, Province of Upper Canada, the I4;th February, 1816. (Signed) ALEXANDER WOOD, J, P. A?1?ftNDlX. xxi [ N. ] Deposition of George Sutherland. George Sutherland, late settler at Red River, saith, that on or about the 4th day of April last, he and Jamex M'Kay, settler, received a note by the hands of John Mathe- son, Jun. the following of which is a copy :— I do hereby order James M'Kay, and George Sutherland, to give up their muskets in the King's name. D. CAMERON, Gibraltar. V. C. Deponent would not obey the order: Matheson then Wanted to know where his musket was, and as deponent had it concealed, he would not tell him. On or about the 15th of April last, a party of the late settlers and North- West Company's servants, consisting of about thirty men, entered deponent's house, took out his musket, and gave it to George Campbell. Deponent asked it back several times, but could not get it. George Campbell threatened to lash him on one of the sledges, and carry him a prisoner to the North-West CompanY*s fort, and William Sutherland pre- sented his gun at him. Several of the late settlers repeatedly came to deponent's house with messages from Mr. Duncan Cameron, that he would still take him with the rest to Canada, if he would go. On or about the 11th of June last, deponent, Adam Sutherland, his brother, and Allan Smith, went up to the Government House, and when they returned home they were told by John Smith, that others of the settlers had been taken away by the party of the North- West Company's servants, and half-breeds, com- manded by Mr. Lauchlin M'Lean, a clerk in the service of the North- West Company, to an encampment they had formed at Frog Plain. When deponent, his brother, and Allan Smith, arrived at their house, they found their bag^ gage packed up, and some of the North- West Company's servants and half-breeds soon afterwards arrived, and forced them to go to the encampment at the Frog Plain. The same party took deponent's trading gun and powder-horn, which were never returned. Deponent declares, that Mr. Alexander M'Donell, a partner of the North- West Com- pany, who had the command, went into the tent where the XXll APPENDIX. W: I ■ Tj settlers were, and told them, as they were countrymen of hip, he would be candid with them in telling them, that they {vk. (ho North- West Company,) were the means of saving (hem from the half-brccds, as it was qui(c uncertain but (haf they would kill them in the night if they remained in their houses. Deponent also saith, that Mr. Alexander M'Donell sent Mr. Lauchlin M'lican for a piece of paper to write down their names, and he began at the top with " Prisoners of War," with their names annexed. After this, deponent lieard Mr. Alexander M'Donell say in English, to Mr. Lauchlin M'Lean, to tell the settlers in Gaelic, that it was of no use to conceal what their intentions were, that they would take them prisoners to Canada if they did not consent to go as the others did. Depor»ent answered if he was obliged to go, he would rather go as a prisoner, as he knew there was nothing against him. Deponent argued in behalf of (he rest, and at last was told by Mr. Alexander M'Donell, that ** he was a devil of a brat of a boy, and, as *' he was young, what sense had he more than the rest?" He then gave deponent and the rest a few minutes to make up their minds what to do. Deponent then called Allan Smith out of the tent to consult with him, but was soon after told by Mr. William Shaw, that Mr. M'Donell wanted him. A man, under the name of a constable, then clapped his hand on deponent's shoulder, and Mr. M'Donell told hira that he was a prisoner in the King's name. Deponent arguing with Mr. M'Donell, was told by him, if he did not keep quiet, that he would get him stripped, and would make the people in the camp flog him. Deponent was then put into a separate tent from his friends. Mr. Duncan Cameron arrived at the camp and inquired where deponent and the rest of the settlers were. Deponent answered and went out. He was repeatedly told by Mr. Duncan Cameron to be silent, if not, (hat he would be put in irons. A few days after that, deponent was removed to a camp where the North- West Company had erected a battery close to the Government House of Red River settlement. The camp consisted of about sixty men, North- West Company s servants, half-breeds, and some of the late settlers and servants of Red River settlement, all under the command of Mr. Alexander M'Donell. Deponent heard Mr. Lauchlin M'Lean, Donald M'Kinnon, and others, saying that they would have Captain Miles Macdoncll dead or alive. After deponent was liberated, he went twice to the North- West Conjpany's fort for his trading gun and his brother's. Mr. Alexander M'Donell told deponent, he was such a good lawyer, that he should not get the guns till he tried it. APPENDIX. XXUl Deponent called some of the people around him as witnesses that his private property was taken from him by force. GEORGE SUTHERLAND. Sworn at Winnipic. Settlement, Hudson's Bay Company's Territories, I Ith day of August, 1815, before me, ARCHIBALD MCDONALD, Counselor. ^ J. P. BOUIIKC. *.y [ o. ] Deposition of Patrick M'Noltjj. Patrick M*Nolty, late settler at Rea River, saith, that on or about the 1 9th day of June last, Hector M'Eachern, James Pinkman, and Peter Dunn, came from the North- West Compar)y's fort at the Forks of Red River, to depo- nent's house, and told him that if he did not leave his house, he and his family would be in danger of losing their lives, and that it was by orders of Captain Cameron they came to inform him. In consequence of these threats deponent, with his wife and children, left his house and slept in an open boat upon the river that night. On the following morning deponent went to Mr. Cameron, to ask protection from him to proceed down the river, on his way to Jack River, as he was afraid of being murdered by Mr. Duncan Cameron's servants if he attempted to go down the river without his permission. Mr. Cameron told deponent that he could not go till the whole of the colony went together, for as he had been ordered to leave the country, he was determined to drive out all the settlers, and when they were gone, he would not leave a stick of the buildings one upon the other. Depo- nent was therefore forced to fly from his house and lands, aid left behind him one rood of land prepared for turnip seed, produce of the crop valued at BufFaloe wool, valued at - - - - ■ One feather bed and household furni» > ture, valued at ------> Land prepared for potatoes, produce of the crop valued at - - - - £3 10 2 8 £23 ■■*■'&" (Signed) PATRICK M'NOLTY. xsiT AFFINDIX. ^^i^-]- Sworn afWinnipio Settlement, Hudson's Bay Company's Territories, this 5th day of August, 1815, before me, ARCHIBALD MACDONALD, Counsellor. jjfT.. I Colin Robertson, nitness^j^^^^ White, Surgeon. [P. ] Deposition of Alexander McLean, Mn. Alexander M'Lean, late settler, Red River, saith, that Mr. Duncan Cameron told him that any of the settlers, who would go to Canada, should have from the North- West Company two hundred acres of land, twelve months provisions gratis, and a free passage. Deponent also faith, that he was told by the said Mr. Duncan Cameron, that he would pledge the word of the North- West Com- pany for the fulfilment, and that he himself has, at different times, been solicited by Mr. Duncan Cameron, Mr. J. Dugald Cameron, partners of the North- West Company, to leave Red River settlement, and as an enticement for him to do 80, was offered between seven and eight hundred pounds sterling ; besides they promised that he should be placed in an independent situation. Mr. Duncan Cameron also pro- mised Mr. M'Lean two hundred pounds out of his own pocket, and his servants' wages to be paid for three years. Mr. J. Dugald Cameron told Mr. M'Lean that ways and means were taken for the destruction of the colony in less than two years. Mr. McLean also deposes, that on or about Thursday, the 22nd day of June last, a p^rty of half-breeds entered his house, and what they said was interpreted to him by S. Fidler, that he, with his wife and family, must leave his house, or else it would be set on fire about their heads. The next day, Mr. M' Lean removed to the Govern- ment House with the greater part of his property, and on Saturday following, he had the misfortune to see their threat accomplished by his house being burnt to the ground. (Signed) A. M'LEAN. Sworn at Winnipic Settlement, Hudson's Bay Territories, this 5th day of August, IS 15, before me, ARCHIBALD MACDONALD, Counsellor. Colin Robertson, James White, Surgeon. See also Appendix, [ S. ] Witness APPINDIX. XXV [ Q. ] Deposition of Joseph Kenny. Montreal, > Joseph Kenny, ln(e of Red River, in the to wity ^ territory of tlie Hudson's Buy Company, now at the city of Montreal, in the Province of Lower Canada, labourer, maketli oath, that he was an indented sorvant in the service of Earl Selkirk, in the colony at RkI River aforesaid, durinfir three years preceding the month of June last. — That while the deponent was in tlie service of the Earl of Selkirk aforesaid, some time in the month of February last, one Jamis Smith, one of the settlers at Red River afore- said, shewed to the deponent a letter addressed to him the •aid James Smith ; and which he had received from Duncan Cameron, one of the partners in the North-West Company, in which tiiesaid Duncan Cameron proposed to the settlers and servants of Earl Selkirk, at Red River aforesaid, to abandon their situations there, and come over to the trading post of the North-West Company, in the neighbourhood, called by them Gibraltar, assuring the said James Smith, that the said settlers and servants would be well treated, be provided with a passage free of expense, and be conveyed to Montreal, in Lower Canada. That the said James Smith and others, in consequence of the inducements so held out to them by the said Duncan Cameron, did abandon the colony at Red River aforesaid, and went over to the said North- West Company, by whom they were received and taken care of, and afterwards conveyed, some of them to Upper Canada, and others to Lower Canada. That the deponent was among the number of persons who abandoned the said colony, and went over to the said Nnrth-West Company, as aforesaid ; and it was about the fifth of June last, that the deponent left the said colony, and w nt to the said trading post called Gibraltar. That while viie depo- nent was at the said trading post, as aforesaid, about two or three days previous to the eleventh of June last, he observed in the store of the said North- West Company at the said trading post, a number of guns, with powder-horns and shot-bags, prepared and in order to be used, some of the guns being loaded, and the whole fit for immediate action. That, on the eleventh of June last, a party of half-Indians and Canadians, with some clerks in the service of the said North- West Company, were provided with the said guns, powder-horns, and shot-bags, prepared as aforesaid, which they received out of the said store, and sallied forth fromi the said trading post, and made an attack on the settlements ftt Red River aioresaid, and kept up a continued fire on the d < Mi 11* ■»•.> . 'f- XXTl ArtlMDIX. said settlement for at least half an hour; durinff which, several persons of the said settlement were wounded. That, among the persons who so sallied forth, were one Seraphim, a Canadian, a clerk in the service of the stiid North- West Company, one Grant, and one Shaw, Indians of the half- breed, clerks in the service of the said North- West Company, and one Bostonois, also a half-Indian, and an interpreter, in the service of the said North- West Company. That, after the said firinjc; ceased, the said party, with the said clerks at their head, returned shouting, and manifesting their exultatiosi at what had taken place, to thesitid trading post, where they were received by the said Duncan Cnmeron, who had the command and charge of the said trnding post, and who shook several of them by the hands, and expressed his sa(isfactiou at tlu ir conduct. — Thai the deponent left the said trading post (wo or (hrce days afterwards, and was conveyed by the North- Wi'st Company in their canoes, to the said city of Montreal, where he arrived on the nineteenth day of the present month of Ootohrr. — That, in coming down, (he deponent saw one Joseph Hellegrade, a Cauadian, and others of (he persons employed in making (he said attack on (he settlement at Re() liiver, who were then at a trading post of the said North-West Company, called Fort William ; and the deponent was told by (he said Bellegrade, that he and (he said o(her persons were nuicli dissatis6ed with the said North-West Company, tor not having ful- filled their promises to them, by which they had been induced to make the said attack on the said settlement, and afterwards to burn and destroy it altogether ; the said Belle- fradc mentioning at the some time, that what they had so one, had been done at (he desire and by the instigation of the said North-West Company. (Signed) JOSEPH KENNY. Sworn at Montreal, the Slst October, 1815, before me, ELM. St. DIZIER, J. P. in t twe ind( [R. ] Deposition of Donald M* Kinnon, Montreal, > Donald M*Kinnon , late of the colony of to wit, y Red River, in the territories of the Hudson*! Bay Company, in North America, now at the city of Montreal, in the Province of Lower Canada, laboittcr, maketh oath, and saith, that he emigrated from Scotland APFINDIX. xxvii 'H KENNT. in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and tweWe, to reside in the said colony in the capacity of an indented servant, and arrived in the said colony in the same year, nnd remained there till the month of March last. That in or about the latter end of last March, one George Campbell, a sciller in the said colony, proposed to the deponent to join him, (he said George Campbell and others, in seizing nine pieces of cannon, which had been provided for the defence of Iho colony, and were then lodged in one of the buildings of Earl Selkirk, there ; and in conveying them nway to a trading post of the North-West Company, in the nei(;libr)(irliood of the colony, called Fort Gibraltar; the said George Campbell at (he some time informing the deponent, t hilt lie hnd orders from Dnncan Cameron, one of the piirlnersof the said North-West Company, to seize and Convey away the said cannon aforesaid. That the deponent, at trie solicitation of the said George Campbell, as aforesaid, did join him in seizing nnd conveying the said cannon, as aforesaid ; and the said George Campbell, aided by the deponent, one George Bannerman, and other settlers of the said colony, did, in the latter end of the said moath o> March last, seize the said nine pieces of cannon, placed (hem on sleighs, and conveyed them to the said Fort Gibraltar, where they met with the said Duncan Cameron, and two of his clerks, one Shaw and one Bostonois, opened the store of the said fort, and caused the said nine pieces of cannon to be lodged therein. That the deponent, in com- pjMJy with his father and his family, left Red River afore- said, in June last, in the canoes of the North-West Company, and was conveyed by them to Fort William, one of the trading posts, where the deponent was compelled by the said North-West Company, and in particular by Kenneth M'Kenzie, one of the partners in the said North- West Company, to separate himself from his father and family, and was brought down against his will to the said city of Montreal. (Signed) DONALD M'KINNON. Sworn at Montreal, this 1 3th day of December, 1815, before me, (Signed) J. M. MONDELET, J. P. [S. ] Deposition of Michael McDonnell. Montrealf > Michael McDonnell, late of the colony of to wit, \ Red River, in the territories of the Hudson's xxriii APi»ENDlX. m ('■■ t II i;: Bay Company, now at the city of Montreal, in the Province of Lower Canada, niakcth oath, that he is acquainted with one GcoTfH' Campbell, one of the colonists who emigrated from Scolliind (oscltle ifi (he said colony of Red River. — That the snid Gror^e Camphell came to the said colony in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and four- teen, having arrived at one of the posts of the Hudson's Bay Company on the sea coast, in the summer of the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirteen, and remained there till the ciiiiuing spring. — That, in the winter of the year one thousand eight hundred and fifteen, the said George Campbell abandoned the said colony, and went over to the trading post of the North- West Company, in the neighbourhood of the said colony. That the said George Campbell, when he abandoned the said colony as aforesaid, headed a party of the settlers of the said colony, who went off with him ; and he and the said parly of settlers feloni- ously stole and carried away with them, from the said colony, nine pieces of cannon, which had been provided for the de- fence of tin* colony, and were placed in one of the buildings belonging to the Earl of Selkirk there, and which they con- veyed to the said trading post of the North- West Com- pany, called Fort Gibraltar, where they were received by l)unciin Cameron, one of the partners in the said North- West (\)mpany, who retainetl the same. — That the said George Campbell, in speaking to the deponent of the said transaction, told him that he had so taken the said cannon by the desire of the said Duncan Cameron, and that he was not afraid of consequences for having done so, as he had a written order from the said Cameron to justify him. That the said George Campbell, afterwards in the month of Ju!ie last, assisted in the attack which was made by an armed force, proceeding from the said Fort Gibraltar, on the Ecttlemcjit at Red River aforesaid, and, as this deponent believes, in the destruction of the said colony at Red River, which afterwards took place. That after the said colony liad been destroyed, the said George Campbell was brought with the greatest part of the settlers of the colony, by the Nortli-Wcht Company, to Upper Canada, and the depo- nent trav( lied in company with the said Campbell as far as a trading post of the said North- West Company, called Fort Williiun. — That while the deponent was in confinement at Fort Willnun aforesaid, under an illegal arrest to which he had been snhjected by the procurement of the said North- West Company, tlse said George Campbell came to him, and in conversation mentioned that he had received one hundred pounds from the said Northj-West Company, which the deponent understood to be a reward for the part APPENDIX. XXIX xvhich the said Campbell had taken in convejing away the cannon, and in the attack on, and destruction of, the colony at Red River aforesaid. Thi»t the said Ciimph!'!! also told the deponent that he expected to irct an i»(lv;uit.»i;>^i)us situ- ation at St. Joseph's, in consequence of the recDtmncndiition, and by the influence of, the North- West Company. That while the de|)4)nent was in custotly as a prisoner at Fort Gibraltar aforesaid, in June last, T)u<5ald Cameron, one of the partners in the said North- West Company, told the deponent, in the course of conversation, that the siiid North- West Company hnd offered Alexander M'Lcan, the prin- cipal settler in the said colony, as much as four hundred pounds if lie would abandon the said colony, and come over to the North- West Company. That while the deponent was in custody at Gibraltar, as aforesaid, he represented to Alexander M'Donell, one of the partners in theNorlli-West Company, then having charge oi the said fort, his anxious wish to be sent forward to the place where his trial was to be had, to which the said Al"xander M'Dunell answered, that the deponent was to go with him, and that he could not set out till he had seen all the colonists off the ground, and on their way to their future destination. (Signed) MICHAEL MCDONNELL. Sworn at Montreal, this 28th day of November, 1816, before me, (Signed) J. M. MONDELET, J. P. [T. ] Deposition of James Flynn, Montreal^ > James Flynn, late of the colony of Red to wit. $ River, in the teriitories of the Hudson's Bay Company, now at the city of Montreal, in the Province of Lower Canada, labourer, maketh oath, that oi his wny down from Red River aforesaid, to Montreal, in the month of June last, he, the deponent, heard Duncan Cameron, one of the partners in the North-West Company, who was then at the River Winipeg, mention, in speaking of the destruction of the colony at the Red River aforesaid, wliich had recently before taken place, that he had left a person behind hira at Red River aforesaid, who would finish the business meaning the destruction of the said colony. That the deponent also heard a conversation at the River Winipeg aforesaid, between John M'Donell and Alexander M'Kenzie, both , ', ■ > #. ' ■:^^: ■' I I " ' zxz ArPBNDlX. partners in the laid North-West Companj, in which the laid John M'Donell obserTcd, that if the North-Wcst Com- pany had not succeeded in criicing nway from the colony of Red River the Irishmen (mennini; the Irish servants in the service of Earl Selkirk there,) (hey would have been unable to nffcct what they hud done ; whereupon the said Alexander M'Kenzie, seeing the deponent in the room, said to the said John M'DonelU by way of putting a stop to the conversation, there is Captain 'acdonell's servant (meaning the deponent), which induced (he deponent to retire. That the deponent was also present at Fort William, in July last, when the said Duncan Cameron, in speaking to others of the partners of the said Company, of the destruction of the settlement at Red River aforesaid, said, ^' I have done so '* much, it is for you to do the rest." (Signed) JAMES FLTON. Sworn at Montreal, this 20ih day of September, 1815, before me, (Signed) THOMAS M*CORD, J. P. «=^ [U. ] Drummond't Island, (Upper Canada), 22ndJulr/,\S\6. From the Minutes of a Council, held this day, between Kawtawabetay, a Chippewa chief of Sand Lake, and Lieu- tenant-Colonel M'Kay, Superintendant of Indian Affairs. Lieutenant-Colonel Maule of the 104th Regiment, Commanding, and President. The Right Hon. Thomas Eaul of Selkirk. Allan, Surgeon. Delorimier, Captain, Indian Department. Paul La Croix, Merchant. ^ ( Lieutenant-Colonel Wm. M'Kat, Superintendant. § y Thomas G. Anderson, Captain. i 1 Michel Brisbois. Q y David Mitchell, Surgeon. S*^ John Askin, St. Kr. Int. & CI. Q J William Solomon. 8 I Joseph St. Germain. ^ I AssB EenacKi Ottawa Chief. Interpreters. hich the cat Com- c colony ;rvants in ave been I the said [)Oin, said op to the (meaning re. That July last, others of ion of the e done so FLYNN. Canada), 6. [y, between and Lieu- Affairs. Regiment, .KIRK. tment. iudant> APrBHDIX^ EXTRACT. XXXI )reters. St. Germain, the interpreter, was directed by the super^ intendant to ask the Chippewa chief if he had any thing further to say, on which the chief said, Vcs, and said — That in the spring of 1815, whilst at Sand Lake, ■ M'Kenzic and Morrison, told him, Kawtawabctay, that they would give him, and his people, all the goods or merchan- dize and rum, that they had at Fort William, Leach Lake, and at Sand Lake, if he, the said Kawtawabctay, and his people, woidd make and declare war against the settlers on the Red River, on which he, Kawtawabctay, asked ■ M'Kenzieand Morrison, if that demand to make war against the settlers at the Ilcd River was by the orders of the great chiefs at Quebec, Montreal, by the commanding officers at Drummond's Island, or St. Joseph's, or from his friend Askin. The answer from M'Kenzie and Morrison was, that the request or proposal came from the agents of the North- West Company, and not from ay military order, but solely from the North- West Company's agents, who wished the settlement destroyed, as it was an annoyance to them ; on which he, Kawtawabctay, said, he nor his people would not comply to their request or proposals before he, the said chief, went to St. Joseph's and had seen Askin ; after his return, would govern himself according to the advice he would get at St. Joseph's. Kawtawabctay further said, that the last spring, 1816, whilst at the Fond du Lac Superior, " Grant, one of the North- West Company, offered him, the said chief, two kegs of rum and two carrots tobacco, if he would send some of his young men in search of some persons employed in taking dispatches to the Red River, and to pillage the said bearers of dispatches of the letters and papers, and to kill them, should they make any resistance. That he, the said chief, refused the reward, and did not pay any further attention to their request. That a short time after the afore- mentioned conversation had taken place between Grant and himself, one named Laguimoniere, was brought in prisoner by some Ottawa Indians, and a negro, which had been employed after his refusing to act or employ his people. Kawtawabctay further states, that ^ Grant aforesaid told him not to be surprised to hear that whilst he, the said chief, would be absent, if he took the said chief's son and ten of his "young men to the Red River, for be, the -said Grant, intended to go to the said river, with twelve of tiie ,A N « !(■ ; ii xxsu APPENDIX. Rain Lake Indians, and his people, for the purpose of fight- ing the settlers at the Red River ; that he did not intend to call in the Indians to his aid to fiorht the settlers, for he. Grant, and his party would be strong enough to drive away the settlers, but wanted the Indians merely as spectators. Question from the flight Honourable Thomas Earl of Selkirk, to Kawtawabetay, by permission of the President and Superintendant of Indian Affairr : Question. — Are the Indians about the Red River, or that part of the country you came from, pleased or displeased at the people settling at the Red River ? Answer. — At the commencement of the settlement at Red River, some of the Indians did not like it, but at present they are all glad of is being settled. Lieutenant-Colonel M'Kay told Kawtawabetay that he itRB happy to find that he had not taken the advice of those who wanted to lead him astray, but was glad that he had behaved himself as an obedient child in refusing to take any part with them, and hoped he and his people would con- tinue in being friendly with all the English Merchants, traders, and all the settlers, who were all his Great Father's white children. J true Extract, > JOHN ASKIN, J. P. J [V.] Deposition of P. C. Pambrmi, Before me, Thomas Earl of Selkirk, one of his Majesty's justices, assigned to keep the peace in the western district of Upper Canada, appeared, Pierre Chrisologue Pambrun, who, being duly sworn on the Holy Evangelists, deposes, that in the month of April last, he was sent to the trading post of the Hudson's Bay Company, at Qui Appelle, by order of the deceased Governor Semple, from whom the deponent received a letter of instructions, a copy of which he has attested as relation hereto*. — That when he arrived, he found that at the fort or trading post of the Norlh-West Company, near the same place, were assembled, a great * A copy of tlieie Instructions liaa not been received with tbi« Depo- •ition. APPENDIX. XXXUl Tith tbi» Depo- nurober of the men, commonly called Brulos, Metifs, or half-breeds, vis. the bastard sons of Indian concubines, kept by the partners or servants of the North- West Company ; that lliese people had been collected from a ^rc^i distance, some of them havmnj come from Cumberland House, and others from the Upper Saskatchwan, or Fort des Prairies, that Ihey uKered violent threats a2:ainst the colonists on the Red River, in which the deponent understood them to be encouraged by Mr. Alexander M'Donell, then commanding for the North-West Company. — That in the beginning of May, Mr. George Sutherland, commanding the Hudson's Bay post, embarked with the deponent and twenty-two men, in five boats, loaded with twenty-two packs of furs, and about six hundred bags of pemican. — That as they were going down the river, on or about the I2(h day of May, they were attacked by a party of forty-nine servants of the North- West Company, composed partly of Canadians, and partly of half-breeds, under the command of CuthbertGrant, Thomas M'Kay, Roderick M'Kenzie, and Peter Pangman Bostonois, clerks or interpreters of the North- West Com- pany, and Brisbois, a guide in their service, by whom tbej were attacked with force of arms and taken prisoners, and brought to the fort of the North-West Company, when the deponent saw Mr. Alexander M'Donell, who avowed that it was by his order that the said Grant and others had taken them prisoners, and seized on the provisions and other pro- perty of the Hudson's Bay Company, pretending that the r.^asure was justifiable, in retaliation for Mr. Robertson's having lately taken the North-West Company's fort at the Forks of Red River, and declaring that it was his intention to starve the colonists and servants of the Hudson's Bay Company, till he should make them surrender. — That after having retained- for five days, the servants of the Hudson's Bay Company, taken prisoners as aforesaid, the said Alex- ander M'Donell liberated them, after having made them promise not to take up arras against the North-West Com- pany, but the deponent was still kept in close confinement. That towards the end of May, the said Alexander M'Donell embarked in his boats and proceeded down the river, escorted by a party of half-breeds on horseback, who fol- lowed them by land, and that he carried with him the pro- visions and i'lTs which his people had taken on the I'iih. That the deponent was made to embark in one of the boats, and as they were coming down the river, he was told by several of the servants of the North-West Company, that Alexander M'Donell had said the business of last year was a trifle in comparison with that which would take place this e ',/M- XXXIV APPENDIX. f^r I ■<*■:, year, and that the North-West Company and the half- breeds \Tere now one and the snme. That, at the Forks of Ossiniboyne River, they met a Sautoux chief with his band, to whom the said Mr. M'Donell made a speech, the purport of which was, that the English (meaning the settlers on Red River, and the servants of the Hudson's Bay Company) were spoiling the lands which belonged to the Indians and half-breeds only ; that they were driving away the biiffaloe, and would render the Indians poor and miserable, but that the North-West Company would drive them awiiy since the Indians did not choose to do it; that if the settlers resisted, the ground should be drenched with their blood ; that none should be spared ; that he did not need the assist- ance of the Indians, but nevertheless he would be ijlad if some of their young men would join him. — That when the party came within a few miles of the Hudson's Ray Com- pany's fort at Brandon House, the said Cuthbert Grant was sent with a party of about twenty-five men, who took thft post and pillaged it of every thing, including not only the goods, provisions, and furs, belonging to the Company, but also the private property of their servants, which the depo^ nent saw distributed among the servants of the North- West Company, Canadians as well as half-breeds. — That after this, the said M'Donell divided his forces into brigades, and Cuthbert Grant, Lacerpe, Alexander Fraser, and Antoine Hoole, were appointed to command diflerent brigades, and that Seraphim Lamar acted as lieutenant over the whole, under the said M'Donell; that the whole force amounted to about one hundred and twenty men, among whom there were six Indians. — That on arriving at Portage des Prairies, the pemican was landed, and arranged so as to form a small fort, guarded by two brass swivels, which had been taken last year from the stores of the settlement. That on or about the 18th of June, two days after iheir arrival at Portage des Prairies, the said Grant, Lacerpe, Fraser, and Hoole, and Thomas M'Kay, were sent with about seventy men to attack the colony, and the said M'Donell, with several of his officers, and about forty men, remained with the pemican. That in the evening of the 20th of June, a messenger arrived from Cuthbert Grant, who reported that they had killed Governor Scrapie, with five of his officers and sixteen of his men, on which the said M'Donell, and all the gentlemen with him, (particularly Seraphim Lamar, Allan M'Donell, and Seivwright,) shouted with joy. — That Alexander M'Do- nell then went to announce the news to the rest of his people, crying out, " Sacre nom de Dieu ! bonnes nouvelles, vingt- " deux Anglois de tues." — That Bostonois then inquired APPENDIX. XXXV the half- ; Forks of his band, le purport Ts on Red Company) idians and e bufFaloe, e, but that awny since I he spttlers leir blood ; I (heassist- bc iilad if \i when the Bay Coin- Grant was lo took the lot only the mpany, but h the depa- '«Jorlh-West -That after ritjjades, and uid Antoine iii;ades, and r the whole, imounted to whom there dcs Prairies, orm a small been takcQ on or about Portage des Hoole, and len to attack eral of his he pemican. Inger arrived liad killed lixteen of his gentlemen h M'Donell, tnder M'Do- h is people, lelles, vingt- lieQ inquired \«?hether any of the half-breeds had been killed, and on being told of one, he said the deceased was his cousin, and his death must be revenged, that the affair must not end there^ that the solders must all be killed, and not one be allowed to leave the river, for as long as one of those dogs was alive they would be coming back. That on this the said Alex- ander M'Donell sent two messengers with orders to Grant, to detain the settlers till his arrival. That on deponent's arrival at Fort Douglas, all the settlers were away, and the place in fpossession of the half-breeds under Grant. That two days afterwards Mr. Archibald Norman M'Leod and Alexander M'Kenzie arrived, as agenls of the North- West Company, and also James Leith, John M'Donell, Hugh M'Gillis, Johii M'Laughlin, Simon Fraser, Archibald M'Lellan, John Duncan Campbell, John Haldane, James Hughes, Thomas M'Murrie, with the said Alexander M'Donell, .all these partners, and also Allan M'Donell, then a clerk and now a partner of the North- West Company; that these gentlemen held a council with the half-breeds who had been engaged in the massacre of Governor Semple and the settlers, made presents to them, and made a speech to them, at which deponent \ras not allowed to be presenl. That when deponent was coming away from tiiis place, the said Alexander M'Donell lent to him a pair of pistols which had belonged to Governor Semple. That deponent also saw, in possessiuii of the said A'lan M'Donell, a double-bar- relled fjwling-piecc, likewise the property of Governor Semp'e, and was informed that it had been bought from Coiuanaha, one of the half-breeds who had been engaged in tbj massacre. — That since the deporent has been at Fort ^/niliam, he has seen here many Caradians and fialf-breeds who had been engaged in the massiN^rc, and also in the rob- beries at Qui Appelleand Brand :?,i House. That these men have been favourably received, entertained, and protected by the partners of the North- West Company, now at Fort William.. That the said Brisbois, in particular, has dined daily at the table of the partners, and the deponent has reason to believe that all the partners who are now at Fort William, or have been here since the deponent's arrival, looked upon the crimes which had been committed on lied River by the half-breeds and others under the command of Alexander M'Donell, as services done lo the NGa:th-Wes't Company, and have rewarded them accordingly; — that each of the Canadians and half-breeds who was engaged in the massacre, received a present cf clothing; and that some who had not been supplied at the Forks of R?d River, received articles of the samo description, and to ihe same < -I .-A .'t .1 )■■: ...:,il XXXVl APPIND1X. MM. amount at Fort William ; and (lie deponent has been informed by these men, that the said presents or equipment was an extraordinary allowance given only to the men who vcrc engaged in that action. (Signed) PIERRE CHRISOLOGUE PAMBRUN. Sworn Iwfore me, at Fort William, on the 16th day of August, 1816, (Signed) SELKIRK, J. P. [ w. ] Deposition of A. Lavigne. Before Thomas Earl of Selkirk, one of his Majesty's justices assigned lo keep the peace in the western district of Upper Canada, and likewise in the Indian territories or parts of America, appeared Augustin Lavignc, who being duly sworn on the Holy Evangelists, made the following decla- ration. Qu'il 6toit au Fort de la Rivitire h. la Souris le printemps pass6, quand Monsieur Alexander M*Donell est descendu dcla Riviere Qu' Appellc avec une quantite de Brules; qu'il s'est embarque dans un dcs bateaux, et descendit jusqu'au Portage de la Prairie, ou il dcbarqua par ordre du dit Mon- sieur M'Donell ; et fut place dans la compagnie de Grant, un des commis de la Sociele du Nord-Ouest, avec lequel il s'est rendu a cheval u la Fourche de la Riviere Rouge aux environs du Fort Anglois occupe par le Gouverneur de la Bayc do Hudson. Que dans I'apres-midi du 19 Juin, les trois compagnies qui 6toient partis ensemble du Portage la Prairie, s'approcherent de la Grenouilliere, aux environs de laquelle plusicurs habitants cultivafcursetoientcampes, ula distance d'cnviron deux lioux du Fort Anglois; qu'alors le dit Lavigne sVst s^'pare de la bande avec deux desos cama- rades pour aller visiter un habitant qu'il connoissoit, qu'ils rencontrcrent deux jouncs gens avec lesquels ils cntrerent en conversation ; et qu'ensuite ilsont rejoint une bande de Brules qui les out accus6 de lachelo pour ne pas avoir prit prison- iiiers ces deux Anglois, en se vantant qu'ils hvoient eux- memes pris six. Que ces Brules alloient se mettre a lu poursuite de ces deux Anglois, quand on a vu approchcr la compagnie du Gouverneur Semple; que les firules ont appendix; xxxvK Tejoini Iciir bnudc; que le dcposant Lavigne alia cliercher son cheval qu'il avoit laisse en arrit^re; que revenant k cheval, il cntcndit Ics cris, et les coups do fusils ; mais, arant son arrive, rjiflhiie etoit finio, et qu'il ne restoit que les Bruits sur la placi^qui tiroient encore sur les blesses qui ne faisoicnt pas de resistance. Le deposant ajoutc qu'il vit Monsieur Pritchard, et un autre An^lois, qui avoient jelt6 leurs armes, demandant gr^ce. Que Ic deposant avec beau- coup de peine rcussit a sauver Monsieur Pritchard, et qu'en le protegeant il a rc^u beaucoups de coups de crossedu fusil, et que le deposant vit que I'autre Anglois fut tue par un dei Brules par un coup de feu. Que peu de jours apr^s cette affaire cut lieu, arriverent Messieurs M'Leod ct M'Kenzic, agents de la Society da Nord-Ouest, accompa,^nes de plusieurs autrcs bourgeoisj et co^nmis; qu'ils distribu^rentaux Brules des liabilleiiients qui avoient ete apportesdans Is can6t du dit M'Leod. Que Monsieur M'Leod rassembla tous les Brules qui avoient 6tG dans TafFai^e du dix-neuvi^me, et leur addressa Ic discours suivant : — " Mes parens, mes pareilles, qui nous ont soulage dans le " besoin — J'ai apporte de quoi vous habiller. Je croyois " trouver une quarantaine de vous autres ici avec Monsieur ** M'Donell, mais vous etes plus. J'ai quarantc habille- " ments. Mais ceux qui en ont le plus de besoin prendront " ceux \h.; les autres, li I'arrivee des canots cet automne, " seront habilles pareillcraent." sa (Signed) AUGUSTIN + LAVIGNE. Marque Tcmoin, (Signed) Ci. A. FAUCHE. Sworn at Fort William, on the J7lh August, 1816. (Signed) SELKIRK, J. P. [thanslation.] That he (A. Lavigne) was at the fort upon Mouse River last spring, when Mr. Alexander M'Donell came down from the River Qu'Appelle with a number of Brules, that the deponent embarked in one of the boats, and went down as far as the Portage de la Prairie, where he disembarked by the orders of XXXVIU Appendix. "i\ placed in the party commanded the said Mr. M'Donell, and ^ by Grant, one of the clerks ( with whom he went on horseback to the Forks of Red River, near the Knglish fort, occupied by the governor of Hudson's Bay. That in the afternoon of the 19th of June, the three parties who had left the Portage la Prairie together, drew near to the Frog Plain, in the neijjfhbourhood of which several of the agricultural settlers were stationed, at the distance of about two leagues from the Enjijiish fort. That then the said Lavigne left the band along with two of his companions, to go and visit an inhabitant with whom he was acquainted ; that they met two young persons with whom they entered into conversation, and that afterwards they rejoined a band of Brules, who accused them of cowardice for not having made prisoners of these two English, boasting that they themselves had taken six. That these Brules were then going to pursue these said two English, when Governor Sempleand his party were seen coming towards them ; that the Brules rejoined their band ; that the deponent Lavigne, went to fetch his horse which he had left behind ; that returning on horseback he heard the cries, and the reports of fire-arms, but, before he arrived, the affair was over, and there remained none on the spot, but the Brules, vho were still firing on the wounded, who made no resistance. The deponent adds, that he saw Mr; Pritchard, and another Englishman, who had thrown down their arms, begging for mercy. That the deponent, with much diffi- culty, succeeded in saving Mr. Pritchard, and that in protecting him he received many blows with the butt-end of the muskets ; and that the deponent saw the other Englishman killed by a shot from one of the Brules. That a tew days after this affair, Messrs. M'Leod and M'Kenzie, agents of the North- West Company, arrived, accom- panied by several partners and clerks, that they distributed to the Brules clothes which had been brought in the said M'Leod's canoe. That Mr. M'Leod assembled all the Brules who had been in the affair of the 19th, and made them the following speech.—" My kinsmen, my comrades, who have helped us in " the time of need, 1 have brought clothing for you. I expected " to have found about forty of you here with Mr. M'Donell, but " there are more of you. I have forty suits of clothing; those " who are most in need of them, may have these, and, on the " arrival of the canoes in autumn, the rest of you shall be clothed " likewise." (Signed) His AUGUSTIN + LAVIGNE. Mark. Witness, (Signed) G. A. FAUCHE. Sworn at Fort William, on the 17th of August, 1816. (Signed) SELKIRK, J. P. APPENDIX. xxxix [ X. 1 Deposition of Louis Nolitu Before Thomas Earl of Selkirk, one of his Majesty's justices assigned to keep the peace in the western district of Upper Canada, appeared Louis Nolin, clerk in the service of the Hudson's 13ay Company, who being duly sworn on the Holy Evangelists, made the following declaration. Qu'^ la fin de I'ete de I'annee 1815, il arriva a la Riviere Rouge, avec Monsieur Robertson ; que deux jours apr^s leur arrive il so tint une consultation dans le fort du Nord-Ouest occupe par Duncan Cameron, entre Cameron, ses commis et inter prates, pour trouvcr le moyen de chasser d'un coup de main les colons qui revenoient s'etablir la : le deposant n'etoit pas present, mais Peter Pangman, dit Bosfonois, lui a raconte quelques mois apres, que lui, Bostonois, y avoit observe aux autres qu'il seroit sans doute plus facile de chas- ser les colons tout de suite, mais quMl nesavoit pas de quelle excuse on pourroit se servir dans ce moment, et que par cet raison, on a determine d'attendre jusqu'i-ce-qu'on put trouvcr quelque prctexte, esperant toujours que les colons seroient'' ntrainls de quitter le pays faute de provisions. Le deposant ajoute que dans le mois d'Octobre de I'annee 1815, deux sauvages rcvenant du fort occupe par Duncaa Cameron, dirent a lui deposant que Charles Hesse les avoit menace de les faire perir s'ils avoient encore quelque com- munication avec les colons Aiiglois. Le deposant informe que dans le courant de I'hiver dernier Seraphim Lamar lui dit qu'il avoit n'9U une lettre d'Alex- andre Fraser(statione a la Riviere Qu'Appelle)(!ans laquelle il lui conscilloit de ne pas perdre courage, que lui, Fraser, e(oit le cinqui^me qui pourroit lever les Bois-Brules pour aller exterminer, le printerops prochain, les Angloi^qui se trouveroient sur la Riviere Rouge. Le deposant declare que le matin du 17 Juin, 1816, le Gouverneur Semple le fit appeller pour lui servir d'iuter- prele a deux sauvages appelle I'un Moustouchc, et l';iutre Courte Aureille, qui avoientquitte le campdes Boih-Brules, qui etoit commande par Alexandre M'Donell. Ct s Icux deserteursapprirent au Gouverneur qu'il devoit etreaii ique dans deux jours par les Bois-Brules qui fetoient comm mde par Cuthbert Grant, Hoole, Pruneau, Fraser, Bourrassa, Laccrbc, ct Thomas M'Kay, tous employes au service du ic ■■'■ xl Appendix. Nord-Ouest; qu'ils otoient (ous tldcrmines de prendre !c fort, ct que si quelqn'iin s'y opposoit, ils tucroient Iiommes, fcmmcs et enfans, et que s'ils attrnppuient Monsieur Uobertsoii ils lecoupcrolcnt en niillc raorceaux. Le deposant informe de plus que le 19 Juin dans Tapres- midi, il vit arrivcr une cinquantaine des Bois-Brules, ou Mclifs, qui s'avancoient pres des maisoiis des Angiois qjiii occiipoienl le haut ile la Grenouilliere (cndroit eloigne d'unc licue du Tort Anjj;lois); le deposant etant dcvant le fort il ca vit sortir le Gouverneur Seinple avec vingt-huit honames, le deposant monla sur un bastion, dont il vit le Gouverneur Sempic arranger scs homnies en ligne. 11 envoya un hommc a chcval j)onr s'informer de ce qui se passeroif, que bienldt le deposant vit arriver au fort Monsieur Bourke qui y venoit cherclier une piece de cannon par ordfe du Gouverneur Sem- ple. L'expres du deposant arriva bienfot, et lui annon^a qu'il y avoit une grande quantilc de Metifs qui avoient enlever le Gouverneur, sur quoi le deposant envoya une seconde fois son liomme, pour s'informer de ce quise passoit ; six minutes apr^s, son homrae fut de retour et annoii^i que cinq deces Messieurs Angiois et leGouverneurSem pie avoient 6i6 tues ainsi que plusieurs de leurs hommes ; tundis que Ics Metifs n'en avoient perdu qu'un seul. — Monsieur Bourke rentra au fort, blesse. Le vingt de Juin le deposant se rendit au camp des Bois- Brules qui se trouvoicnt a la Grenouilliere; il y reconnut dans le camp ennemi deux hommes ct une femme qui ap- partenoient a la colonie, qui avoient ele pris avant que ie Gouverneur Semple eut joint les Bois-Brules. Le deposant entra en conversation avec Cuthbert Grant, M'Kay, Hoolc, Pruneau, Fraser, Bourrassa, Lacerbe, qui se vantoient chacun en parliculier de leurs exploits, dans la battaillc du 19 Juin contre les Angiois; Cuthbert Grant disoit qui si on ne lui rrraettoit pas le Fort Douglas^ le jour suivant, il tueroit hommes, femmes, et enfants. Le 21 les Angiois ccdcrent le Fort Douglas au Metifs, (ou Bois-Brules,) le deposant qui etoit au fort a appris d'eux, que le Gouverneur Semple avoit ete blesse premi^rc- ment par Cuthbert Grant, et qu'il avoit ele lue par Francois Deschamps, engage au service de la Corapagnie du Nord- Ouest. Le 22 Juin, 1816, Cuthbert Grant cliassa les colons ct les envoya a la Riviere au Brochel, et s'empara du fort et de tous les eflets. II y eut ce jour-U une assemblee ou les Bois-Brules deraanderent a Monsieur M'Kenzie, si Lord Selkirk avoit droit d'etablir des colons a la Riviere Rouge ; Monsieur AFPENOIX. Xli M'Kenzie repondit qu'il n'en n'avoit aucun droit; que toutes CCS terres appartenoient aux Bois-Brules ; ct Lord Selkirk pouvoit, corame la Compagnie du Nord-Oucst, y envoyer des traiteurs.; raais n'avoit aucun droit de s'emparer de ces terres. Le deposant ajoufe qu' aussitot apres I'arrive du dit Monsieur M'Kenzie, Ics traiteurs de la Compagnie d'Hud- son furent aussi chasse de la Rivitire Rouge. (Signed) LOUIS NOLIN. Sworn at Fort William, on Lake Superior, on the 21st day of August, 1816. (Signed) SELKIRK, J. P. [translation.] That at the end of summer, in the year 1815, he (Louis Nolin) arrived at the Red River with Mr. Robertson ;— that, two days after their arrival, a consultation was held in the fort of the North-West Company, occupied by Duncan Cameron, between Cameron, bis clerks and interpreters, to find the means of driving away at one blow, the settlers who were returninf^ to establish themselves tliere. — The deponent was not present, but Peter Pangman, called Bostonois, related to him some months after- wards, that he, Bostonois, had observed to the others, that it would, no doubt, be more easy to drive away the settlers im- mediately ; but he did not know what excuse tbey could make use of at that moment, — and that, for this reason, they deter- mined to wait till they could find some pretext, still hoping that the settlers would be compelled to quit the country for want of provisions. The deponent adds, that in the month of October 1815, two Int^ians returning from the fort occupied by Duncan Cameron, said to him, the deponent, that Charles Hesse had threatened to destroy them, if they had any more communication with the English colony. The deponent informs, that in the course of last winter. Sera- phim Lamar told him, that he had received a letter from Alex- ander Fraser (stationed at the River Qu'Appelle) in which he advised him not to lose courage ; that he, Fraser, was one of five who could raise the Bois-Brules, to go and exterminate the English who might be found at Red River in the spring. The deponent declares, that on the morning of the 17th of June, 1816, Governor Semple had him called to serve as inter- preter to two Indians named Moustouche and Courte Aureille, who had quitted the camp of the Bois-Brules, which was com- manded by Alexander M'Donell. These two deserters informe4 the Governor, that he was to be attacked in two days by the f £, t .|- :!^,I'i:J. ■' \h 3 ' l,.f 'f W >'\ xHi AFPKITDIX. ; ) •■' m Boi»-BruUs, who were commanded by Cuth* • ! . Grant, Hoole, PruneaUj FraHcr, Boinrassa, Lacerbc, and Th nias M'Kay, aU employed in the service of the North- West Company. — That they were all determined to take the fort ; and if any one op- posed them, they wonUl kill men, women, and children ; and if they could catch Mr. Robertson, they would cut Mm into a thousand pieces. The deponent further informs, that on the 1 9th of Jime, in the afternoon, he saw about fifty of the Bois-Brulcs or Metif* arrive, who advanced near the houses of the English, who occu- pied the heipfht of the Frog Plaip, a place about a league from the English fort — The deponent was in front of the fort, and he saw Governor Semple come out with twenty-eight men.— The deponent stepped up on a bastion, from whence he saw the governor arrange his men in a line. He (the deponent) sent a man on horseback to observe what might liappen. That soon afLer, the deponent saw Mr. Bourke arrive at the fort, who came there for a piece of cannon, by order of Governor Semple. The deponent's messenger returned soon after, and informed him, that there was a great number of Metifs who had surrounded the governor, on which the deponent sent his man back again for information. In a few minutes ♦he man returned, and an- nounced, that five of the English gentlemen, and the gov* mor had been killed, as well as several of their men, while the IV etift had only lost one. Mr. Bourke returne4 to the fort woun Jed. On the 20th of June, the deponent went to the camp ( f the Bois-Brul^s, at the Frog Plain. He there observed ir the enemy's camp two men and a woman who belonged to ♦he colony, who had been taken, before Governor Semple had met the Bois-Brul^s. '-' The deponent entered into conversation with Cuthbert Grant, M'Kay, Hoole, Pruneau, Eraser, Bourrassa, Lacerbe ;^that each of them boasted of their own particular exploits in the battle of the 19th of June with the English. Cuthbert Grant said, if they did not give up Fort Douglas to him the next day, he would kill men, women, and children* On the 21st the English gave up Foit Douglas to the Metifs or Bois-Brules. The deponent who was at|the fort, learned from them, that Governor Semple had been first wounded by Cuthbert Grant, and that he had been killed by Francis Des- champs, employed in the service of the North- West Company. On the 22d of June,1816, Cuthbert Grant drove out the settlers, and sent them to Jack River, and took possession of the fort, and all the effects. That day there was held a meeting, at which the Bois-Bnilfes asked Mr. M'Kenzie, if Lord Selkirk had a right to establish settlers at the Red River. Mr. M'Kenzie replied, that he had no right whatever; that all these lands belonged to the Bois- Brules ; and Lord Selkirk, as well as the North- West Company, might send traders there j but he had no right to take possession of these lands. F '-^ ',V '^S' ArPlMBIX. xliii The deponent adds, that immediately ader the arrival of the •aid Mr. M*Kenzic, the traders of the Hudson's Bay Company were also driven away from the Red River. (Signed) LOUIS NOLIN. Sworn at ort William, on Lake Superior, the 2Ut day of August, 1816. (Signed) SELKIRK, J. P. [Y. ] Deposition of Louis Blondeau. Bkfore: Thomas Earl Selkirk, one of his Majesty'i justices assigned to keep the peace, in the western district of Upper Canada, and likewise in the Indian territories or part of America, appeared Louis Blondeau, who, being dulj sworn on the Holy Evangelists, made the following declara- tion. Que dans le cours d'l'hiver pa8s6 6tant au Fort Cnmber- land sous les ordres de Jean Duncan Campbell, un des proprietaires de la Compagnie du Nord-Ouest, le dit Camp- bell a propose h lui, Louis Blondeau, d'aller h la Riviere Rouge, pour defendre les inter^ts de la dite Compaguie contre les colonistes. Que lui, Louis Blondeau, a repondu, qu'il ne desiroit point se mfilcr de mauvaises affaires contre Imloi ; que le dit Campbell a replique qu'il n'y avoit point de danger, que la Compagnie du Nord-Ouest le protegeroit conimeelle avoit toujours proteg6 ceux qui avoient agi pout aes inter^ts ; qu*on avoit vu beaucoup de gens qui avoient faits de raauvais coups pour les servir, et que jamais oq avoit vu aucun qui en avoit subi les peines de la loi. Que ci-apr^s dans le ra6me hiver le dit Campbell a montr6 au dit Blondeau une lettre qu'il avoit re^u de Jean M'Do- nald, aussi proprietaire de la dite Compagnie du Nord- Ouest, residant k la Riviere du Cygne, faisant invitation de la part de la Compagnie, a tons les Metifs et autres qui voudroient aller h. la Riviere Rouge pour defendre les in- terfils de la Compagnie, ct que suivant cette invitation sept Metifs et un Canadien (dont un commis et les autres en- gages au service de la dite Compagnie) sont partis du Fort Cumberland dans le moisd'Avril, pour se rendre a la Riviere Qu' Appelle. Que le dit Louis Blondeau a vu quelques- zliv ATPEITDIX. m:rl P, f i- uns d'eux en bas de la Rlvii^re Winipique, qui lui ont racont6 (|u*ils nvoient did clans la batnillc du If) Juin, dans laqurllc ils nvoient ell read a letter which had been addressed to him, as well as to all the other proprietors of the Noith-West Com|)any, in the month of February or March, by Governor Semple and Mr. Robertson, who promised that they would put no obstacle to the carrying out the North-West Company's pro- visions by the Red River, provided the other party would allovr free passage to the trade of the Hudson's Bay Company — a proposal which the said Campbell appeared to treat with con- tempt. (Signed) LOUIS BLONDEAU. Sworn at Kaministigoia, this 12th day of August, 1816, before me, (Signed) SELKIRK, J. P. [Z. ] Deposition of Joseph Brisbois, Before Thomas Earl of Selkirk, one of his Majesty's justices assigned to keep the peace in the western district of Upper Canada, appeared Joseph Brisbois, guiiie in the ser- vice of the North- West Company, who being duly sworn on the Holy Evangelists, made the following (leclaration. Qu'il etoit avec Monsieur Cuthbert Grant, quand il a pris les bateaux de la Corapagnic de la Baie d'Hudson, qui descendoient la Uivi^re Qu' Appelle, dans lesquels il y avoit plusicure paquets de peltrie appartenant a la dite Compiignie d'Hudson. Le deposant declare de plus qii'k son arrive au fort des Anglois biti sur la Riviere aux Souris (qui etoit deja occupe par les Bois-Brules alors) etanf campe devaot le fort mentione, le deposant en vit sortir dos piiquets qui etoient transportes par les Brules, et qui les pos^rent dans les bateaux de la Compagnie du Nora-Ouest; qu'ensuite xl?i APPIN9IX. lis travers^rent la Rivii^re du c6te oi^ ia Compagnie du Nord-Ouest a un ^tablissement. Le deposant declare que depuis la Riviere Rouge il y 8 7oit huit can6(s en sa charge pour les conduire au Fort William, qu'en dechargrant ces canols il reconnut des paquets appartenant a la Compugnie de la Baie d^fludson, qui furent mis dans un des hnngards du fort paries engages de la Compagnie du Nord-Oucst: qu'ensuite Messrs. Ken- nedy et Harrison qui 6loient presens pour les recevoir, les peserent et firent arranger les paquets en question en ligne. Apres quo les peltries furent detach6e8 et pcs^es. Monsieur Alexandre M'Kenzie entra dans Thangard^ et ordonna a ses gens d'attacher cliaque paquct au milieu, pour qu'on peut les transporter dans un autre hangard o\i le deposant, Joseph Brisbois, conduisit les engages pour leur montrer la place qui ^toit assignee pour placer les paquets en question. liC deposant croit qu*il est de son devoir de dire que le nombre des paquets appartenant a la Compagnie de la Baie d'Hudson, qui ont ete transport^ de la Riviere des Souris, et Qu' Appclle, dans les hangards du Fort William, peut se monter a quarante paquets. Le deposant croit qu'il s'est ecoul^ a. peu pr^s deux ou trois semaines depuis qu'il est de retour de son voyage. Sa JOSEPH + BRISBOIS. Marque. (Sign^) Sworn at Fort William, the 19th day of August, 1 8 16. (Signed) SELKIRK, J. P. ([translation.] That he (Joseph Brisbois) was with Mr« Cuthbert Grant, when he took the boats of the Hudson's Bay Company coming down the River Qui Appelle, in which there were several pack- ages of peltry, belonging to the said Hudson's Bay Company. The deponent further declares, that, on his arrival at the English fort on Mouse River, (which was then occupied by the Bois- Brules) being encamped before the said fort, he saw packages broujjht out of it, which were carried by the Brules, wlio placed them in the boats of the North-West Company. Tiiat after- wards they crossed the river to the side where the North-West Company have an establishment, The deponent declares, that he had charge of eight canoen from the Red River to Fort William. — That, on unloading these canoes, he recognized packag<.'.s belonging to the Hudson's Bay AFPENDIX.' zlfii ipagnie du lougc il y ire au Fort connut des I d' Hudson, les engages lessrs. Ken- recevoir, les on en ligne. 8, Monsieur rdonna a ses r qu'on pent sant, Joseph rer la place lestion. e dire que le ie de la Bale ; des Souris, William, pcut )r^s deux ou voyage. , BRISBOIS. ue. P. thbert Grant, ipany coming several pack- ;ay Company, at the English by the Bois- saw packages , who placed Tiiat after- North-West eight canoes iloading these ludeon's Bay f Company, which were put into one of the store-houses of the fort by the servants of the North-West Company. That after- wards Messrs. Kennedy and Harrison, who were present t« receive them, weighed them, and arranged them in a row. After the furs were opened out and weighed, Mr. Alexander M'Kenzie entered the shed, and ordered his people to tie each package in the middle, that they might be carried into another store-house, to which the deponent, Joseph Brisbois conducted the servants to shew them the place appointed for the packages in question. The deponent thinks it is his duty to say, that the number of packages belonging to the Hudson's Bay Company, which were brought down from Mouse River, and Qui Appelle, might amount to forty packages. The deponent thinks, that about two or three weeks have passed since he returned from his voyage. (Signed) JOSEPH + BRISBOIS. Sworn at Fort William, the 19th day of August, 181 G. (Signed) Mark. SELKIRK, J. P. [ A. A. ] Deposition of C. G. Bruce, Before Thomas Barl of Selkirk, one of his Majesty's justices assigned to keep the peace in the western district of Upper Canada, appeared Charles Gaspard Bruce, who being duly sworn on the Holy Evangelists, made the following declaration. Qu'il partit de Montreal pour se rendre k la Riviere Rouge avec Monsieur Miles M*Donell, et pour lui servir d'interprete pour la langue Sautoux ; que le 24 Juin, ils rencontr^rent au Lac de la Pluie plusieurs sauvages de cette nation, qui dirent au deposant que Monsieur M^Leod et Monsieur Alexandre M'Kenzie ayoient fait asserablee toui les sauvages dcs environs, pour leur proposer de les suivre a la Riviere Rouge pour y delivrer Monsieur Duncan Ca- meron, qui y etoit detenu prisonnier par les Anglois de la Baie d' Hudson, et que si les Anglois ne vouloient pas le leur rendre, ils prenderoient Monsieur Cameron de force, et que tout ce qui se trouveroit dans le fort seroit donn6 k eux (sauvages) pour les recompenser de leur peine. Les sauvages qui raconterent ces faits s'appelloient Oniegakuet, Shabin^, RJ-ii- V.i 11? xlviii APPENDIX. ^ et son fils. — Ces sauvages dirent qu'ils n'avoient pas voulu suivre Messieurs M'Leod et M'Kenzie, mais que vingt-un Sautoux los avoient suivis, quelqucs-uns dans leurs propres can6ts, et les autres dans les crin6t8 de la Compagnie du Nord-Ouest. Ce recit fut confinne par les relations d'autres sauvages de la nicme bande. Le jour suivant Monsieur M'Donell ct le deposant ren- contrerent une autre bande des Sautoux, qui dirent de plus que le docteur M'Laugblin avoit passe deux jours aupara- vant, et avoit anssi cherche k avoir des sauvaijes pour I'ac- compagner a la Riviere Rouge, que cinq Sautoux accep- t^rent ses propositions, et qu'ils etoient partis pour aller joindre Messieurs M'Leod, M'Kenzie, et Leith, et beaucoup d'autres bourgeois de la Compagnie qui se rassenibloient a la Riviere Rouge. ^ His (Signed) CHARLES G. + BRUCE. Mark. Sworn at Fort William, on the 23rd of August, 1816. (Signed) SELKIRK, J. P. ■\-vn n':^ [transt.ation.] That he (C. G. Bruce) left Montreal to go to Red River with Mr. Miles M'Donell, to serve as an interpreter for the Sautoux language ; that on the 24th tiny of June, at Lac la Pluie, they met several Indians of that nation, who told the deponent that Mr. M'Leod and Mr. Alexander M'Kenzie had called together all the Indians of the neighbourhood, to propose that they should go along with them to Red River, in order to release Mr. Dun- can Cameron, who was detained there prisoner by the English of the Hudson's Bay Company, and that if the English would not give him up they would take Mr. Cameron by forre, and that whatever might be found in the fort should be given to the Indians as a recompence for their trouble. The Indians who told this were Oniegakuet, Shabine, and his son. These Indians mentioned that they themselves refused to follow Messrs. M'Leod and M'Kenzie, but that twenty-one Sautoux had accompanied them, some in their own canoes, and the rest in the canoes of the North- West Company. This statement was c&ftrirmed by other Indians of the same band. The following day Mr. M'Donell and tlie deponent met ano- ther band of the Sautoux, who told them, that Dr. M'Laughlin had also passed two days before, and had likewise tried to prevail on tome Indians to accompany him to Red River. That five Sautoux accepted his proposals, and that they set out to join APPENDIX. xlix Messrs. M'Leod, M'Kenzie, and Leith, and nnany other partners of the Company, who were assembling at the Red River. His CHARLES G. + BRUCE. Mark. Sworn at Fort William, on the 23rd of August, 1816. (Signed) SELKIRK, J. P. [ B. B. ] Deposition of John Bourhe. Montreal^ John Bouuke, late of Fort Douglas, at to wit. ) Red River, in the territories of the Hudson's Bay Company, in North America, now at the city of Mon- treal, in the Province of Lower Canada, gentleman, maketh oath, that he went out in the service of the Hudson's Bay Company to Hudson's Buy, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twelve, and remained at York Factory till the following year, when he went to the settle- ment, formed by the Earl of Selkirk, at Red ftiver aforesaid, and acted there as a store-keeper to the colony. That in the latter end of the winter, and in the spring of the present year, information was received at Fort Douglas aforesaid, from Indians and Canadians, that the North- West Com- pany were collecting Indians of the half-breed, as they are called, that is, the bastard-children of the partners and ser- vants of that Compapyf by Indian women, from their diffe- rent trading posts, and were forming them into a body at their trading post, called Fort Qui Appelle^ for the purpose of attacking and destroying the said settlement at Red River. The said Fort Qui Appelle was then under the charge of Alexander M'Donell, one of the partners in the said North- West Company, assistetl by one Cuthbert Grant, and one Fraser, both of them Indians of the said half-breed, and clerks in tlie service of that Company. The informa- tion of this intended attack was conveyed by different per- sons, and was received in such manner, that no doubt was entertained of its truth. An almost constant watch was, therefore, kept up, night and day, to discover the approach of any of the parties of the North- West Company. On the nineteenth day of June last, about five o'clock in the after- noon^ a man in the watch-house at Fort Douglas aforesaid, called out to Governor Semple, that a party of horsemen ■ff*' W^' ^H- i [fijif * ■•'^5?"" ' |i. ' m 1 AiU'ENDIX. were approaching tlie said settlement. The deponent was then with the said governor, and observed a number of men on horseback at the distance of about half a mile from the fort. The deponent, with others, went into the watch- house, for the purpose of viewing the said party of horse- men, with a spy-glass, and they then distinctly perceived that the said party consisted of sixty or seventy men on horse-back, all of them armed, and approaching the settle- ment in a hostile manner. The said governor having viewed the approach of these men, who appeared to direct their course towards the settlement below the fort, desired twenty men to follow him, for the purpose of ascertaining what was their object ; and upwards of that number, among whom the deponent was, immediately collected and went with him out of the fort. When the governor and his party had advanced about half a mile, they were met by some of the settlers, who, alarmed and terrified, were run- ning to the fort for protection, and saying, that the people of the North- West Company were coming with carls and cannon. The governor, apprehending that the settlement was about to be attacked, desired the deponent to go back to the fort for a piece of cannon which was there, and to desire Mr. Sheriff M'Donell, then deputy-governor at the fort, to send with it any men he could spare. The depo- nent accordingly returned to the fort and delivered the said message, but Mr. M'Donell would only allow one man to accompany him, and with this man the deponent set out from the fort wiih the cannon in a cart. They had ad- vanced thedistance of about half a mile from the fort, when thty saw that the party of horsemen had surrounded the governor, and they distinguished the flashes from the guns which were firing. The deponent fearing lest he should be intercepted with the cannon, thought it prudent to convey it back to the fort, and accompanied it part of the way himself, and then sent it forward by the man who was with him, at the same time the deponent was joined by about ten men from the fort, who proceeded with him towards the place where they expected to find the governor. Upon advancing further, they observed that the horsemen, by whom the governor and his party had been surrounded, had dispersed, and were scattered over the ground, but did not see (he governor or any of his party. The deponent hesi- tated to go forward, when some of the hostile party cried out to the deponent in English, " Come on, come on, here " is the governor, won't you come and obey him ?" The deponent advanced a little further, when the same persons cried out, '*Give up your arms." Apprehending that the APPENDIX. li •ponent was liber of men ile from the the watch- ty of horse- y perceived i»ty men on ijr the settle- ving viewed direct their sired twenty aining what iber, among ed and went rnor nnd his were met by ;d, were run- at the people 'ith carls and he settlement nt to go back there, and (o pernor at the , The de po- wered the said IV one man to onent set out 'hey had ad- the fort, when irrounded the from the guns he should be snt to convey rt of the way who was with by about ten towards the ernor. Upon horsemen, by rrounded, had 1, but did not eponent hesi- ile party cried come on, here him?" The ; same persons nding that the n governor and his party had been destroyed, and believing it was the wish of vice of the North-West Company as aforesaid, with about sixteen or seventeen of tlieir associates in the murders of the preceding day, came to Fort Douglas, and threatening every body in the fort and settlement with immediate death, if tlieir orders were not complied with, insisted on the immediate abandon- ment of the fort and of the settlement, and that property of every kind should be delivered up to them. After some conversation and entreaty, their terms were so far modified, that it was determined that the property of private indivi- duals should be respected, but that every thing that belonged o the Earl of Selkirk and the colony generally, should be the spoil of the plunderers. — A writing, purporting to be a capitulation, was drawn up to this effect, between Mr. Sheriff M'Donell, having charge of Fort Douglas, and the said Cuthbert Grant, which was signed by the latter as clerk to the North-West Company. Notwithstanding the assurance given, that private property should not be vio- lated, almost every thing which the settlers and servants of the colony possessed, became the spoil of these servants of the North-West Company, and was taken by force. While the settlers were preparing for their departure, some conversation too place between the said (Juthbcrt Grant and the deponent, in which the said Grant said, that if he could have got hold of Mr. Colin Robertson (the agent for Lord Selkirk, by whom the colony had been re-established,) he would have got him scalped. — The second day after the massacre, the deponent saw, in the Government Mouse, one Francois Ferrain Boucher, a Canadian, the son of a tavern keeper at Montreal, then in the service of the North-West Company, who was armed, and acted under the orders of the said Cuthbert Grant, by whom he was employed to conduct away the colonists as far as the Frog Plains. The deponent was well acquainted with the said Cuthbert Grant ■^^■' vt. lit ■I „.;ii •r-ic^-^ ':;, f. U '^< ..^ ml ■ m 111 AITENniX. as well as wit»i tlio said Frascr, having: become acquainted with them as clerks of (he North- West Company, and been frequently with them. They were generally stationed as clerks at Tort Qai Appelle ; (hey are natural children of the partners in the North-West Company, and have been educated in liower C.inada, where they received as good an education as young men intended for mercantile business gcniPirally do. In the hurry and confusion which succeeded the massacre, the deponent could get no assistance for his wound, and it was not till two days after, that two Indians were kind enough to dress it. When the attack was made on Governor Sernple, as above-mentioned, there was an en- campment of Sautoux and Cree Indians opposite to Fort Douglas. These Indians took no part whatever in the hostility which had been evinced against the colony, nor in any of the atrocities which were perpetrated for its destruc- tion. On {\\Q contrary, they lamented the fate of Governor Scniple, and those murdered with him, hardly less than the colonists thmselvcs, and were anxious to shew their good disposition towards the colony, by every act of kindness in their power- lluy assisted in bringing some of the dead bodicii of those who had becu murdered to T^ort Douglas, and in burying them ; their conduct, in tins respect, cor- responded with that of all the Indian tribes with whom the colonists had any intercourse from the first estabiishment of ihQ colony to its destruction, as above-mentioned. All these tribes were invariably kind towards the colony, and seemed well pleased at its establishment. The troubles and disasters which were experienced by the colony, were occasioned by the jealousy and hostility of the North-West Company, and no person on the spot doubted that the atrocities which were coraraitled there were the effect of this hostility, and the work of the agents and servants of that Company, under its sanction. The settlers and servants of the colony, to the number of about two hundred souls, were conveyed away from the colony in eight boats ; and on the second day after their departure they met Mr. Archibald Norman M*Leod, one oi the partners in the North- West Company, and a justice of the peace for the Indian territories, with nine or ten canoes, and one batteau, in which were two pieces of artillery belonging to Lord Selkirk, which had been stolen the year before from the colony ; and his men were^ some of them, armed with muskets which had been stolen at the same time. The number of rncn with said M'Leod was about one hundred, all of them armed, and among them were a number of the half-breeds, and he was accompanied by Alexander M'Kenzie, James Leith, John APPENDIX. m \cquainted •, and been ationed as ;hiUlrcn of have been as fijood an Is business 1 succeeded nee for his wo Indians ^ was made was an en- .sile to Fort iver in the iony, nor in its destruc- )f Governor ess than the their good kindness in of the dead jrt Douglas, respect, cor- h whom the )blishment of All these and seemed and disasters xasioned by t Company, cities which ostility, and pany, under 3lony, to the ■veyed away seoond day Id Norman t Company, itories, with were two which had md his men ;h had been n with said armed, and and he was lith, John h McDonald, Hugh M'Gillis, John Duncan Campbell, John Haldaise, Jumos Huffhes, and Thomas M'Murray, partners in tlie North- West Company. Upon the approach of the said canoes lo Ihe boats in which the settlers were, the war- hoop was set up, and inquiries, in the most insultins^ manner and abusive language were made, whether Mr. Robertson and Governor Sem pie were in the boats. After these in- quiries, the said M'Leod ordered the settlers ashore, and caused a genrral searcli to be made, in their trunks, boxes, and effects, and took out of them all the books and papers which could be found, ami' arr.ons these, some books and papers which had belonfjed to Governor Sem pie. After this search was made, the said M'Leod caused the said boats to go to a place called Netley Creek, about one or two miles further down Red River, where he made prisoners, Michael Hedon, Patrick Corcoran, Daniel M'Kay, John Pritchard, and the deponent, who were in the boats of the colonists. A general encampment was made at this place, and while the people wen? so encamped, a part of the per- sons so engaged in the niassacre of Governor Semple, and the persons with him, came thither from Fort Douglas, and among these were the said Fraser, and one Bourrassa, also a clerk in the service of the North- West Company. The deponent could not see in what manner they were received, being confined to his tent, but heard at the time that they were received with open arms by the said M'Leod, and treated with every thing he could give them. The deponent and his fellow-prisoners were afterwards placed by the said M'Leod, under the guard of these murderers, and even detained some days at the same place, till the said M'Leod went to Fort Douglas to make some arrangements, and then returned. Upon his return, the said M'Leod sent the deponent and his fellow-prisoners to Point au Foutre, and some days after arrived there himself, bringing with him the wall-pieces, and the deponent believes also the artillery and muskets of the colony, which, after the mas- sacre, had fallen into the hands of Cuthbert Grant and his party. He them took charge of the whole party, and came with them to a trading post of the North- West Com- pany, called Fort William. The morning of their depar- ture, the deponent was put in irons, and all his clothes were taken from him, together with his watch, and a pocket case of mathematical instruments; and in this situation he was placed on the toj; of the baggage, in the canoe, without any attention being paid to his wound, and was conveyed to Fort William. After his arrival there, he was put in con- finement iu a place that had been used as a privy, into •'I, ' ' .If' ^^ r^i liv ATl'ENDlX. r »'t: which lifjht was not admitted, oxccpt through crevices between the logs, of which the bnildii»ir was constructed, and in whicli an intoIeral)U; stench prevailed. Jn this place the deponent was confined twenty days, at the expiration of which time he was sent to IVIoiitrcal. — The (h;ponent further snilh, tliat on their way to Fort William, when within a lew days journey of F^ac li la Pluie, the deponent slept near the tent of one Campbell, a partner in the North- West Company, when several of the partners in the same Company, rt2. ^''xanue/ M'Donell, Hugh M'Gillis, and others were stanii .. fit fire near where tlie deponent lay, and engaged in co: nsitii. n ; the deponent over-heard j)art of their conversation, in wh i the said Alexander M'Donell said, " The sending down of the half-l)reehould be con- siilcrtd as prize, yet almost every tiling belon^injj to the |)rivate families was in rftect plundered. And this depo- nent was even robbed of his blankets and clothes. A written pfiper,of the nalure of a capitulation, was drawn up between Ihesaiil Grant and Mr. M'Donell, who had then the care of the selll(n)enl,and (his paper, au llic deponent wiis informed, niid believes, was signed l>y the said Grant, ns clerk to the Norlh-VVest Company. Two days after, all (he settlers, men, women, and children^ (o the number of (wo htmdreil souls, amonj^ whom the deponent was, were compelled by the same pnr(y to embark in boatsj to be conveyed to the sea-coast. On their second day's journey towards Hudson's Bay, (hey were met by Archibald Norman M'F^eod, Esq. a partner in (he Nordi-West Company, one of (he house of M'Tavish, M'Gillivrays, and Co. and also a justice of the peace for (he Indian territories, wi(h nine or (en canoes, and n l)a((eau, wi(h two pieces of artijlery which had been some time before stolen and carried away from Lord Selkirk's set- tlement at Red River, and having under his command iiine(y or one hundred men, all armed. When the party with the said M'Leod approached the boats in which the settlers were, they set up the Indian war-whoop, and the said M'Leod inquired whether the " Rascal and scoundrel " Robertson" (meaning a gentleman in the service of thtf Hudson's Bay Company, by whom the settlement, after its destruction in the summer of one thousand eight hundred and fifteen, had been re-established,) was in the boa(s, and being told he was not, he then inquired whether Mr. Semple was in them, and was informed of his fate. — The said M'Leod afterwafds compelled all the settlers to go ashore, and caused them to be detained there two days, although they had not provisions suflicicnt for a quarter part of their journey to Hudson's Bay, and during this detention caused their bag- gage (o be searched, and every article they had to be exa- mined. In tliis search the said settlers were plundered by the persons acting under the orders of (he said M'Leod, of some trunks and papers which had belonged to Governor Si niple, and some books of accoimts belonging to the colony, which some of the said settlers had found means to carry oiF with them. The said M'Leod questioned the deponent as to the particulars of what bad happened at Red River, and, after hearing them, said, " they are all lies," and that he would have the deponent taken to Fort William, and put in irons to make him tell the truth. He then put into the d&< APPKNDIX. Ik surviving' cir private 1(1 be con- iii<; to the this depn- A written ip between the care of \ informed, h-rk to the lu settlers, to htindred n polled by yed to the s Hudson's [ieod, Esq. ic house of lice of the >nnoes, and been some ■Ikirk's set- command the party which the rp, and the I scoundrel ice of the t, after its it hundred bonis, and ir. Semple id M'Leod and caused ;y had not journey to their bai^- to be exa- ndered by I'Leod, of Goyertior he colony, o carry otF onent as to liver, and, nd that he and put in [ito the de^ poncnt's hands a paper, purporting to be a subpocnn, requir- ing the deponent to nnpear and give evidetjce jigainst Jolm Bourke, at Montrea',, of which paper .• co|)y is subjoined, and told the deponent that under liiat pnp«'r he would b« conveyed a prisDner (o Montreal. The said M'[i<'od,at the same time, made four other persons prisoners, xiz. Daniel M'Kay, JoJin liotirke, John Prifchard, iind Patrick Cor- coran, and suflered all the others to proceed on their journey to Hudson's Hay. While the boats, conveyin*; the setlers, w-re detained as aforesaid, a part of the mnrdi-nrs, Cana- dians and half-Indians, who had been engaged in the mas- sacre of Governor Semple and his party as aforesaid, and among the luimber the above named Fraser, came down from Fort Douglas to meet the said M'Leod, and were received by him with open arms, and treated with liquors. These murderers were immediately employed by the said M'Leod to guard the deponent and the others whom he had det.iined as prisoners, and to convey them as far as Point u Foutre, while the said M'Leod went further on, for the purpose, as this deponent believes, of visiting I''ort Douglas aforesaid, and making arrangements there. That the tieponent, and the other ])risoners witli him, remained two days at Point u Foutre, in the custody of the said murderers, among whom were one Baudry, and one Do Lormc ; and, at the expiration of that time, the said M'Leod arrived, and taking the com- mand of the whole party, caused the deponent anil his com- panions, some in irons, and some unfettered, to be conveyed to a trading post of the North-West Company, called Fort William. That the deponent heard John Bourke, one of the prisoners conveyed with him as aforesaid, relate some particulars of a conversation which took place between some partners in the North- West Company which he had over- heard previous to their arrival at Fort William, while those engaged in the conversation thought him asleep. That by this conversation it appeared to this deponent that ih'^re was a settled design in those partners to destroy tiie Earl of Si-I- liirk, wiio was then n his way to the late settlement at Ited River, and had halted m the neighbourhood of Fort William, and learning that one Clialelain, who was employed in the service of Lord Selkirk, anil going up with him, was then with his men, on an Island about seven miles from Fort William, this deponent became extremely anxious to convey to Lord Selkirk, through Chatelain, intelligence of his dan- ger. The deponent, therefore, found means, during a storm, in a small canoe, and at great risk, to visit Chatelain, with whom he had some communication. That, previous to (his visit, no warrant of commitment had been issued ngaiubt the i: V 1/ '! Ix APPENDIX. deponent, but when it became known that lie bad bad a communication witli Chatelain, he wasabc^cd cind ill-treated, and a warrant was made out against him by William M'Gillivraj', Esq. the principal partner in the Norili-West Company, oneof tlie house of M'Tavis3», M'Gillivrays and Co. and a justice of the peac<' for the li dian (rrritories, under which the deponent has been bronyht down and lodfl;ed ill (he iji^aol at Montreal, where he now is. 'I'hat after the said warrant was signed hy the said William M'Gillivray the deponent vfas continedi in a small room, in which there Vi'as a privy, withont a window., and into which no lij^ht ■was received, except through crevices between the logs com- posing^ the Avails of the said building, and into tiiis provi- sions were brouf the mnr- eceived by then there, HEDEN. leJi %J • •ITit' ; a sahpcena the United )efeiider of all business 0, ill your ur Court of 1, assigned •nt oil' Great fences cora- oC tile said lie District n the F'irst I t'orenoon, u or any of umi i). P. Bourke, for Felony: And this you and every of yon are in no wise to orait, under the Penalty of One Hundred Pounds, Halifax currency, and nil other Penalties by law inflicted for such neglect: — Witness Archibald Norman M'Leod, Esq. one of the justices assigned to keep the peace, &c. in and for the said Indian Territory. Given at Fort Alex- ander, the Ninth Day of July, in the year of Our Lord One Thousand E\^,\\i Hundred and Sixteen, aiid in the Fifty- (sixlh Year of His Majesty's Reign. (Signed) A. N. M'LEOD, J.P. J.T. [ D. D. ] Letter from Mr. Simon M'Gillivrny, to the Right Honourable Earl Bathurst, ifc. 5)C. i?rc. Montreal, June lOlh, 1815. My Lord ; I am induced (o take the liberty of address- ing this letter to yoiir Lordship, in consequence of a com- munication lately made by the Government of this pr /ince to my brother, relative to the Earl of Selkirk's settlers on the Red River, and the suspicions which his Lordship labours to excite against the North-West Company of instigating the Indians to hostile proceedings against them. I beg leave to enclose to your Lordship a copy of the communication referred to, being a confidential letter from the Adjutant General written by order of Sir Gordon Drum- mond*, together with a copy of my brother's answer, and further,, [ beg leave to refer to the communication addressed to Mr.Goulbourne by Messrs. M'Tavish, Fraser, and Co. and Messrs. Inglis, Ellice, and Co. of London, on the ISiii March last, in answer to the letter written by him to the North-VV est Company on the?nil of that month. I certainly entertained hopes that our statements in that communication, together with the verbal explanation which I had the honor to submit to your Lordship before I left liOndon, would have removed from your Lordship's mind ariv impression unfavourable to the North- West Company, which might have been made by the Ei\rl of Selkirk's im- putations; and I still venture to hope that this is the case, for I am fully persuaded that without evidence to support such heavy accusations as Lord Selkirk does not scruple to bring against the Noilh-West Company, your Lordship * See the letter, piigc .17. Ixii APPENDIX. ! i h' ! will not entertain tbcrn ; and as I know these accusations to he utterly unfounded, and consequently that no evidence entitled to credit can be broucjht forward in support of them, I (rust your Lordship is, or very shortly will be satisfied (hat the Nor! h- West Company have been most unjusdy calumniated. The facts relative to Lord Selkirk's colony have already been sufDciendy stated to your Lord- ship, and also the facts that in i(s infancy the settlers were l)re!«erved from actual starvation solely by the means of subsisknce afforded by the North- West Company. This conduct so different (o that imputed to the Company by Lord Selkirk, is, [ conceive, of itself a sufficient refutation of liis charges, and it ccr(ainly merited a very different return from what has been made : for 1 have (o inform your Lord- ship that in addition to the calumnies which have been so industriously propagated aj^ainst us in EnjEjIand, it has been attempted to use this colony as an engine for the injury of our trade in this countrj', and I presume it is in anticipation of (he charges of violence and aggression wl>'ch we have to bring against his Lorsliip's agents, it is now attempted to cxcKe a prejudice against us, and to make the party who are really adacked and injured, appear to be the aggressor?. In the spring of 18 M Mr. M'Donell, Lord Selkirk's prin- cipal agent at the colony, and whose proclamation styling himself Governor of Ossiniboia has already been laid before your Lordship, did in virtue of (his pretended authority, and with the assistance of the settlers, whose numbers had by successive importations, been grcally increased, forcibly seized and took possession of the provisions which had been collected during the preceding winter by the North- West Company's servants, and which provisions were as usual deposited at the mouth of the Red River, for the use of the people coming from the interior of the continent to our general rendezvous on the shore of Lake Superior ; these provisions were indispensably requisite not merely for the transport of the Company's property, but for the subsistence of (he persons em ployed therein, and the object of the seizure was evident, for if it had ultimately succeeded, the com- munication of tl)e North-W^est Company with the interior must have been cut off^ the consequence of which would Iiave been most ruinous; for the people from the interior coidd not have brought out to Lake Superior their returns of furs, nor received their usual supplies for the ensuing Avinter: therefore (hey must in all probiibility have perished, or at all events they must have abandoned the [)ropcrly which was in their charge, and dispersed among (he liuiians in search of food. The persons in charge of these pruvi- Appendix. Ixif! ;usalions to lo evidence support of tly will be been most rd Selkirk's your Lord- ettlers were e means of nny. This ompany by efutation of erent return your Lord- ive been so , it has been le injury of mticipatioii we have (o tempted to party who aggressors, kirk's prin- tion styling I laid before authority, imbers liad d, forcibly \ had been orth-West re as usual use of the lent to our rior ; these ly for the subsistence the seizure , the com- Ihe interior icli would )e interior eir reluriis le ensuing e perished, piopcity he IiuiiiUis liobc provi- sions having no apprehensions of any violence, "were in the first instance taken by surprise, and the principal seizure made before any idea of such an attempt was entertained, else it would have been their duty to defend their charge^ and I hesitate not to sny, to resist force by force, as much as it would have been the duty o^ any individual lo defend his house or his person again^st a robber. They were how- ever inferior in numbers to M'Donell's people, and they remained quiet until the arrival of the people from the interior, for whose subsistence the provisions had been col- lected ; when thi:^ took place, the North- West Company's people far out-numbered the M'Donell's people, including the settlers and the servants of the Hudson's Bay Company, but they committed no act of violence or retaliationj tl^ey only stated that they must have their provisons, and that they had the means of taking them by force if necessary; Upon tiiis occasion the Indians who had heard of the seizureJ of our provisions, came to the assistance of the traders, and I enclose to your Lordship a copy of the speech which their principal chief delivered from his tribe, and by which your Lordship will see that their assistance was refused. The North- West Company's people however only received a part of the provisions which had been seized, and they submitted to leave a part in M'Donell's possession, waving ai the same time the right he assumed, and the necessary authority under which he presumed to act, to be investi- gated elsewhere, and the necessary legal measures for that purpose are in contemplation. These facts, my Lord, do not rest upon vague assertions, or upon the authority of unknown correspondents, such as them quoted by Lord Selkirk in his letter to the Hudson's Bay Company, — they are substantiated by affidavits takeil before the magistrates appointed under the act of parlia- ment (43 Geo. 111. cap. 138) for extending the jurisdiction of the courts of justice in this province to the Indian terri- tories in the interior, and upon my returi^ to England I hope to have the honor of laying before your Lordship copies of these affidavits duly authenticated, as well as other documents which may tend to throw light upon the subject. In regard to Lord Selkirk's colony, 1 have always been of opinion that the attempt to establish it would ultimately lead to fatal quarrels between the Indians and settlers ; anti as an hurble individual I used every endeavour in my pouer to uisseminate this opinion among my countrymen in the highlands of Scotland, in order, if possible, to prevent them from being misled by his I^ordship's illusive adver- tisements, one of which has already been laid before your Lordship« ki '■^:'^-m^ Iziv APPENDIX. My connections with the North-West Company gave m the means of obtainin«j correct information, and experi- ence has only justified the opinion I was at first led to form > but it is surely unnecessary to point out to your Lordship the distinction between an opinion that the Indians would ultimately destroy the colony and an intention to instigate them to the massacre of my countrymen. The same opinion I still entertain, and it is sirenojthened by the violent and ignorant conduct of Lord Selkirk's agents. The massacre of my deceived countrymen on the Red River I consider an evil by no means improbable^ but the idea of instii^iting so horrid a deed, I do for myself, and on behalf of my connections, most solemnly and indignantly deny.— And I hope we are ioo well known to render the denial necessary. I trust your Lordship will pardon the freedom with which upon this occasion 1 have ventured to express myself. Jni- putatioiis such as those which the Earl of Selkirk attempts to fasten upon the North-West Company, cannot but rouse the indignant feelings of any honorable man , and it is im- possible to reply to such calumnious accusations in mode- rate terms: for Lord Selkirk's rank, the individuals com- prising the North-West Company, entertain proper respect | but when he condescends to become their rival as a trader, they must endeavour to meet him or his agents on equal terms; and if instead of fair commercial emulation and en- terprise, violence and calumny are employed against them, 1 trust the impartiality of his Majesty's Government, and the justice of their own cause, will alv/ays enable them to resist the one and refute the other. In concluding I beg leave to mei-i; a one circumstance which may probably merit your Lordship's consideration. The settlers by proceeding up beyond the Forks of the Red River have got to the southward of the latitude of 49*^, so that if the line due west from the Lake of the Woods is to be the boundary with the United States of America, and if, contrary to my expectation. Lord Selkirk's colony should continue to flourish, it will not be a British, but an Ameri- can settlement, unless specially excepted in the adjustment of the boundary. 1 have the honor to be, With high respect, My Lord, Your Lordship's most obedient (Signed) And most humbie Servant, SIMON M'GILLIVRAV ! Tu ihe Kight Hon, Earl Balhurst, APPBNDTXi Ixv my gave d ex per i- st led to L to vour le Indians ention to en. The ?d by the s agents. Red River he idea of on behalf y deny.— the denial ilh which self. Ini- t atfempts , but rouse id it is ira- in mode- luals com- er respect ; IS a trader, J on equal on and en- linst them, ment, and e them to cumstance sideration. f the Red of 49*, so /oods is to ca, and if, jny should an Araeri- ulju&tmcnt vant, -IVRAV. [ E. E. ] Deposition of John Charles Sayer. IJrforr Thomas "arl of Selkirk, one of his Majesty's justices, assiijned to keep the peace in the western district ot Upper Canada, and also in the Indian territories and parts of America not within the Provinces of Upper and Lower Canada, appeared John Cliarles Sayer, clerk and interpreter in the service of the North- West Company, who being duly sworn on the Holy Evancjelists, deposeth, That he was stationed at the fort, or trading'- post of Lake la Pluie, last June, under llie command of Mr. Leith, where Mr. A.N. M'Leod arrived from Montreal along with several other partners of the North- West Company, on their way to Re did con- verse with this chief, and ascertained that Ik^ was disposed to follow them. That in the afternoon of the satneday all the Indians about the place weie invited to a corincil in the great hall of the fort, at which were present Tvlessrs. Alex- ander M'Kenzie, Robert Henry, M' Murray, aiid Leith, partners of the North-West Company, and Mr. Charles Grant, a clerk, as also Messrs. Misani and Brumby, officers of De Meuron's Regiment, who had arrived in company with Mr. M'Leod. That (he deponent was instructed to pre- pare three kegs of liquor, with a proportional qua^inu their at(achmc?i( to (he (railcr; of the IVorlh-Wcsl Cfnnj!;\n3'. and that ihey were ready to ^o whcnvcr they dc ircd ihens, and aceoriiiiiiily the n< xt day tl)e sail! ehi'-l, with si;:, of the aijreemcnt. That on his arrival at said village of Brora, he went to the lodfjings of \V illiam M'Donald, and after breaking the sub- ject lo him, was iatbrmed by said William M'Douald, that on his arrival at Red River, in said North- West country of *TL| it as u^ •ame their i\ APPPN DIX. 1* • XVII ^oin pany ('(1 them llie said St of the v; of the (ly lo j?o iK'Xt day (s, st't out (,i),orved, II >e in the iiulerstand the oppo- B after this )f Vincent li reeled to to hiiTi by Kcnzie in- lorth-West ^ SAYER. P. S'arnilive of 10 parish of That in the d and thir- njr a colony u'lcrstanding aornts, had of Suther- s to settle in inquire into went to the dug the sub- Donald, that st country of Canada^ upon payincj the sum of five sliillini^s strrlin*^ per acre, he would be put in inimodiate possession of as much land as he sliou'id require. Thdt any one of tlie settlers who could not pay the stated sum of five shillings sterlir?«:f per acre, would be furnished with the like qu intily for the rent of one bushel of wheat per ncY<\ per annum, or until payment at the rate aforesaid should be made. That upon beinc put in possession of said land, he was to receive all iteplementsofhushandry, live stock, &c. necessary to equip a husbandman, without exeeptiop. That upon beinji" thus informed, he took his leave of said William M'Donald, (without giving him any decisive an- swer), and returned to his home in llv? parish and coimty aforesaid, where he was in about a week after visited by said William M'Donald. That ii|U)ii conversing some time with him, he signed a paper, to vvliich were prefixed the names of those already engaged. That upon signing this paper, he conceives, but cannot assert it as a fact, tiiat he paid said William M'Donald two shilliniis sterling, but is positive that others who signed it, actually did pay two shillings sterling*. That \'. illiam M'Donald haviig collected a few sijria- tures, he took his deparlu'..' and returned to Brora, pre- viously telling I'im (this deponent) tliat he would be ap- prized of his Lordship's arrival m Scotland. That sei.'i" (ii'.if al'ier these transactions, (he cannot be exact to the peiiod), he was informed tiiat Lord Selkirk had arrived in Sutlierlandahire, .md with a view to meet his I^ordsliip, went to Helmsdale, parish of Loth, and county of Sutherland. That ori his way to said village, he met his Lordship ami agent, Mr. M'L<.*llan, near a public-house, on tin ir way to Donald M'Kay's, in the parish of Kleyne, countj' aforesaid. That his Lordship having opened th.edoor of his carriage, spoke to him (this deponent) on the subject of the agree- ment he had formed with William M'Donald: his Lord- ship desired him to accompany them to Donald M'Kay's in the parisli of Kleyne. That in their route tliey stopt at Mr. Ross's dwelling- • The abeurJity of tliis Deponpiit, saying lie conceives, but won't assert il as afacl^ that he ^avo a coHplo of sJiiHuigB to anoUier person, au'l at ttie •ame time, taVei it upoa himself pesitivtly to asMrt that othtrs did pay their Itto iliillin^ts, it too glaring ! Had it b^en the rever&e. one might have bvUcved him. m '!'■: ' U it P ixviii Appisnix. lioiisc, where, leaving tlie coach, his JiOrdsliip proccedeen(a(;ons, and for (he reasons specifietl in this lieposition, he judi^ed it expedient (o return to Canada, and for ihiit piirpose requested a pas- sage from Red River, from Mr. I). Ca.ncron (;i proprietor in the Nordi-West Company), uliich was granted. And farther this deponenl says not. St. Maiy 7bo Fa/Is, i9lh j^JugKst, 1815. (Signed) ' GEORGE CAMPBELL. Sworn before me, one of His Ma- jesty's Justices of the Peace lor the Indian Territories, (Signed) JOHN JOHNSON. [ G. G. ] Declaration and Confession of Charles Reinhard. Moi soussigne Charles de Reinhard, m'etant rendu pri- sonnicr aCapitaineD'Orsonnens auLac laPluiele2o avec la plus haute opinion que j'.d re^u de M. MczaTM pour scrvir r.vec tout le zele possible uric societe la plus lioiii)ral)u', el profeu;ce par le !;ouvornerncnt, ct j'ai etc uipa(;nie de Messrs. les liieulenants Mezani et lirumby, (pu aroient permissiou d',il)si'tice du regiment pour six niois, siir la de- mande de la ('ompajjjnie du Nord-OuesI, pour rcndre une coule inipartialle nu gouvernement de lout ce qui se passeroit dans ce pays. Duranl le voya<;e j'ai entendu parler plusietirs fois d'une opposition, sans coniprcnilre oil et comnie elle uloit, jusqu'ti ce que nous sonmies arrives au Lac la I'luie oil M. Mezani m'inforrna,cnmme M. M'liCodsouhaitoit, que je misse rnon habit mililaire, ainsi que inon camarade Heurtre, Messrs. M'Gilliviay, M'Lj'orl, el Mtz;;ni nous ayant recouima ide de les prendre avant le dejxirt de Monireal pour paroitre dans un conseil des Sauvages, (pii eut lieu dans la cliambre d'audienee oil Messrs. Mezani et Brumby ont ete introduit comnie Capifaines, moi (I Ifenrtre a lour cole conimc cfons duKoi. M. M'Leod diri<^('oit Ic discours pour I'lnterprete, et faisoit expliqucr aux Saiivages, ce qui s'eloit passe a la Riviere Rouge, ou M. Robertson avail pris le fort comme un voleur, les prisonniers mallraites, et aprcs le pillage lout briile, et ce qu'on avoit ii craindre d'auties violences, en consequence le gouvernemcnt avail envoye Messrs. les Oflli- ciers, pour voir que justice tut rendu, et M. M'Leod invita les Sauvagesde prentlrc parlie avec la Conipaj'iiic du N. W. et de leur donner assistance pour defend re aur droit, sur quoi un cluf des Sauvagis et vingl-qualre de sos jeunes gens apres avoir re§u des presents et ammunition, sont partis le lendemain avec la brigade, la moitie dans leurs propres can6ts, el la moitie dans ceux de la brigade Arrives au fort Bas de la Riviere, M. M'Leod fit ouvrir les caisses d'armes, et arraerent les Canadiens ; on embarqua deux pieces de canons de metal, el la brigade luoiila jusqu'a la Riviere des Morts, pour y attendre encore des canots d'Athabasca, qui sont arrives le lendemain. Le 22de Juin IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I 1.25 l^y^ 12.5 m m 1^ ■ 2.2 l!f 144 ■" S US, |2£ !■■■ ■ I. IIIM lljlj^^s V] /I o ^;. / Photographic Sciences Corporation i\ k^^^ \\ 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. M580 (716) 872-4503 ;\ ^ ^ \\ V"^^ ^1* taires pte- lots allege umby, qui la Riviere t William, ay, et de li e la brigade u Bas de la c, craignant res d'Atha- rives quatre avcc quinzc tal, et un de mte fusils — rclour de la e embarque |ous le Corn- ell elat de [pose vouloir atre oi cinq Is canons et ue canot dc e passer la live au SauU redoubla dc lit le monde, [vilissant son [pamphlet de de modera- prouver la [kirk corarae [riu;on ;-^ue de 111 Com- :ux oUiciers, ce qui fait APPIMDIZ. Ixxiii Lord Selkirk est sans la connuissance, ou Tagr^raeDt du Gouverneracnt. D^ns le commencement d'Ao{it on a appris au bas de la Riyi^re, qu'il etoit arriv6 dans le Lac du Bonnet une barge d'Anglois de lii Biiie d'lliulson avec pen de monde. Par leg premiers ennuis clinrues pour Athabnsca il nrrivaunliomme de cetio birge, qui dit, qu'il ne pouvoit plus rester avec M. Keveny qui comm inde cefte bnrge, et que ses camnrades ecliap|)eroierit aussi a la premiere occasion. — Quelques jours apr^s quatresautres linmmes de cettc barge sont arrives avec des nufres canuls pour yVtliabasca. Deux ou trois jours apr^s M. JM'Leod etant arrive du Fort William cxamina les liommos, dont un nomm6 Hay a fait sermerit, que M. Keveny avoit cruellcment maltraite lui et ses camarades, sur cela M. IVf'Leod donna un warrant contre lui, et nomma moi, vt un de ses propres horames nomme Castalo, comme connelubles pour aller I'arreter au portage, o^ ses gensl'avoit abandonne. M. M'Lellan ordonna six Bois-Brules avec moi pour assistance ; en arrivant sur les (fix heures de matin, j'ai trouve M. Keveny dans sa tcnte, et je lui m annonce ma mission, le faisant prisonnier au no ii du Roi ; il fut tr^s surpris, ilsaisit ses pistolels pour sedefcndre. — Lui ayant represente que son opposition a laloi seroit une cause inevitable de sa mort immediate, il resta tranquille et de- manda a voir le warrant par lequel il etoit arreie. — L'ayant lU) il vint de nouveau furieux, et j'avois beaucoup de peine h empeclier les Bois-Brules de le tuer. M. Keveny fut emmene prisonnier au bas de la Riviere, j'ai laiss^ Tinter- pr^te Primeau pour avoir soin de ses propri^tes d6ja sous la charge de son commis, nomme Cowly, et son domestique un Irlandois. Arrives au fort avec le prisonnier, il eut une vive dispute avec M'Lellan, preter.uant ne point etre sous la jurisdiction du Canada, etant sur la territoirc de laCom- pagnie de la Baie d'Hudson, il pretendoitetic indepsndant du loi du Canada. Le lendemain vers les dix heures il fut embarque pour Fort William avec cinq Bois-Brules, a qi'i M. M'Lellan remit des fers pour en faire usage en cas que le prisonnier fit resistance. J'ai cnsuitc appris des Bois- Brules, qu'arrives au portage, le prisonnier se conduisit de maniere a les obliger de le garrotter, et liii mettre les fers aux mains. Le commis de M. Keveny (Cowly) etant abandonne, 86 rendit au fort, demanda a M . M'Lellan de reccvoir contre un regu la bnrge avec la charge, et de lui accorder la liberte, ei encore un homme pour retourner avec un petit canot au Fort Albany, d'o^ ils etoient venus. Le rcgu a ete delirr^ pour quatre veaux, une alembique, une caisse d*armes, det quarts de bceufs sal6s, farine, etc. etc. Au retour de Primeau k •I isi Ixxiv APfENDIX. 1/ E ' ' au fort il dclivra dcs papicrs de M. Keveny u M. M^Lellan., et il garda pour Iqi les habillerncns qu'il(M. Kereny) avoit laisse en partant pour Fort William ; il fit en outre present h M. M'Jjellan de livre, flacon h vin, chandeliers, tasses, ct autres petites articles. Parmi les papiers il y avoit des instruct ions imprim^t d'Hudson's Bay. J'ai appris que M. M'Donell ayant rcn- contr^i le prisonnior ct les cinq Bois-Brules, rempla^a let cinq Bois-Brules par deux jeunes Canadiens, ct un Sauvage comme guide, pour conduire le prisonnier au Lac la Pluie. Messrs Sluartet Thompson ayant rencontre, (rois on quatrcs jours apres, ce canot, le fircnt retourner. Les Canadiens et le Sauvage s^etant dispute, il se separ^rent, et les Canadiens, ignorant le cherain, n'ont plus pu suivrc leur route, ont abandonn^ le prisonnier dans une petite isle, et sont restes dans une autre isle pas loin de lui. M. Stuart etant arrive au has de la Riviere avec la nouvelle que Fort William ^toit pris, M'Lellan I'envoya avec un canflt allege a Athabasca pour avertir M. M'Leod, et un autre k la Riviere Rouge pour avertir M. M'Donell, qui arriva au has de la Riviere le 4«»" Septenibre, dans la nuit, avec les Bois-Brules et des Sauvagcs. Pendant tout ce tems on attendoit M. Keveny, qui n'arrivoit point, et on conjecturoit ou que le Sauvage I'avoit tue, ou que les Canadiens s'etoient egares, ou que le canut avoit i'ait naufrage. Le S""" de Septcmbre M. M'Donell ct M'Lellan ont assemble tout le monde au bas de la Riviere pour un conseil, on rcpresenta dans une procla- mation la prise du Fort William, et les dangers qu'on cour- roient en permettant ^ I'ennemi de pen^trcr plus avaiit, et demanda, ceux qui voudroient se rendre volontairement au Lac la Pluie, de s'annoncer. La plupart ayant refus^ et prefer^ defendre Icurs terres ;i la Riviere Rouge, M. M'Lel- lan en pris un canut allege avec M. Grant, Cadot, et moi, ses Bois-Brules, et son domestique, un Canadien, dans rintention de se rendre au Luc la Pluie pour apprendre des nouvelles, et en meme temps chercher a, decouvrir ce qu'etoit devcnu M. Keveny. Pendant le voyage la conversation general ^toit que si on le trouvoit, il falloit le tuer, etant un ennemi deter- mine de la Compagnie, et qu'il pourroit faire beaucoup de dommage a la Rivitire Rouge, si dans le tems il auroit occa- sion de prendre vengeance. Apr^s quatre jours de marcbe, le Sauvage s'cst trouve pr^s d'une petite riviere, quelques hcurcsapr^s on appergut les Canadiens, aux quels M'Lellan administroit beaucoup dMnvectives, et plusieurs coups de perches, pour avoir battu le Sauvage et abandonne le prison- nier. Les Bois-Brules ont insulte les Canadiens pour avoir cmpcche au Sauvage de tuer le prisonnier) qui disoicnt, il APPENDIX. Ixxv auroit du Hre mis a mort !>u moment qu'il fut pris. M. M*Lellan i'etant inform6, oii il pourroiitrouvcr le prisonnier, il prit les Canadiens dans le can'jt, Ic Sauvai^e y elant d6ji, reconvert d'un manteau Ecossais, afin de n'fitre pas reconnu, M. M'Lellan en fut furieux en arrivant li I'isle oil le prison- nier avoit e(e abandonne, sans le trouver, croyant qii'il s'etoit echappe dc la cote de la Bale d'lludson, et cliercha chez tons les Sauvages, jusqu'a cequ'il le trouva p;ir sa tcnte, qui 6toit pr^s d'une famille de Sauvages, a qui M'Lellan fit present de rum et tabac, et trai(a un petit canflt pour faire embarqner le prisonnier avec moi et un Bois-13rule, et le Sauvage, disant a moi, '• Faites croire au prisonnier qu'il doit ** descend re au Lac la Pluie. Nous nc pouvons pas le tuer " ici parmi Ics Sativages. Nous vous attendrons plus loin, et " quand vous trouverez un rndroit favorable, vous savez ce ** que vous avez a faire."— Sur quoi il partit. Environ trois quarts d'heures apr^s que les f«mmes Sauvages eurent finis ae gommer le petit candt, j'ai fait enibarquer le prisonnier arec tout son baggage, a Texception d'une valise et un port- manteau qui furent mis dans le canCt de M . M'Lellan, et environ un quart de lieue de la, la riviere faisant un coud, et M. Keveny ayant demande de mettre pied u terre pour ses besoins, j'ai dit a Mainville, (le Bois-Brule) " nous ** sommes assez loin des Sauvages, lu peux titer quand il " sera proche pour se rembarquer," le Sauvage tenoit le can5t par devant, et moi j'etois aussi a terre. Quand M. Keveny approcha pour s'embarquer, Mainville lui laclia son coup de fusil, dont le contenu lui traversa le cou, et comme j'ai vu que le coup n'etoit pas assez mortel, et que M. Keveny Touloit encore parler, eta; t tombe en avant sur le candt, je lui ai passe mon sabre pai derriere le dos contre le coeur a deux reprises, afin de terminer ses soufi'rances. Etant bien inort, ilsdepouill^rent Ic cadavre,et le port^rent dansic bois. M'etant rendu au camp de M. M'Lellan, qui, en voyant arrive le petit canof, il envoya M. Grant et Cadof, pour me demander si M. Keveny etoit tue. — Ayant rcpondu qu.*oui, ils m'inforraercnt que M. M'Lellan les avoit envoye pour me donner la direction de dire qu'il n'est pas tue, sur quoi je leur dis, qu'il est tue, et qui je ne le cacherois pas, puis- qu'il etoit execute par ses ocdres. Arrives au camp, M'Lellan a demande les details du meurtre, que je lui ai donne comme ci-dessus, et je lui ai rem is sa teiiie, son lit, et tout le baggage; il examina (ous les papiers pen- dant la nuit, brdlant les uns et gardant les aulres, et le reste il remit ^ ma discretion: j'ai distribue entre les Bois- Brules quelques habillements portes. M. Grant deraan- d^rent la tente, et M. Cadot differentcs articles, et jecontois de garder un cofire avec des habillements finsj pour ma Ixx?i APFKNDIX. (i It': -fF^ ■ ■■ * -..■ L.'l !)art, Biais tons fut hiss^ en caclie pour le retour du Lac a Pluie. Noui nrrivAmcs Ic 13 Septembre au soir, an Fort Lac lc\ Pluie, oH (rouvnnt que In fort n'eloit pas occupfe par le pnrti do FiOrd Selkirk, M. M^LcIIan proposa dc «• rendre au F<»rt Williiim pour «)btenir drs iiitclli^'oiicesjce quiayatit €(6 r^fu^6 pnr Ics Bois-Brules, il me proposa d'y (lescendre dans un petit cnndt avec deux au trois Canadiciis, mais Mr. Dense nyant sn famille au fort, deninn(!n et obliut d'y allcr a ma place. M. M'LelInn parlit pour le Bas dc la Riviere, le dix-sept, et moi j'etois pour resterau Lac la Pluie jusquNiu retour de Mr. Dease; le 2''"- Octobre de grand matin j'ai re^u une lettre » Qnd signed with his name, declaring that the same contained. a true account of the transnclion, and of the reason by which he was misled to participate in such a crime. (Signed) CREINHARD, Com mis dt* la Compagnie du Nord-Ouest. Declared before me, at Fort William, on the Srd day of November, 18 10. (Signed) SELKIRK, J. P. In presence of J. Matthey, Capt. late D. M. Reg*' John William bsASE, ^ ^ John Allav, ^ Alex. Bridpord Beciier. } [ H.H. ] Deposition of Baptiste La Pointe. Before Thomas Earl of Selkirk, one of his Majesty's justices assigned to keep the peace in the Upper Province of Canada, and the Indian Territories, and parts of America, appeared Baptiste La Pointe, of the parish of I'Assomption, who being duly sworn upon the Holy Evanijelists, declares, Que cet 6le, il partit du. Lac la Pluiedans le cmot de Mr. M'Dor.ell, (dit les cheveuz blonds) entrant en liiverne- ment pour la Riviere Rouiie; arrives a la Pointe aux Pins, ils rencontr^rent cinq Bois-Brnles, duns deux petits can6ts Indiens, avec un horame ayant Ics fers aux mains, les poig- nets enfles, et on I'appelloit Keveny ; les Bois-Brules dirent qu'il etoit prisonnier pour avoir tu6 deux ou trois de sec fens. Monsieur M'Donell ordonna au deposant et k Hubert 'aye de prendre charge de M, Keveny avec un Sauvage nomm6 Jos^, comme guide, pour se rendreau Lac la Pluie. Apr^s neuf jours dont plusieurs de degrat, ils rencontr^rent en decEl du Portage du Rat, Monsieur Stuart, et le bourgeois de la Riviere aux Anglois, Mr. Tli(impson,qni leur dirent de retourner sur leurs pas. — Leur p<'ti( oaiiol ne pouvant suivrc la brigade ils furent obliges de mettrc a (erre. Le Salvage qui d^s le commencement avoit fail le:> monvemens de tuer Mr.Keveney, en se mettant en joue, < t disant "Monsieur M'Donell — pouf' — fut pins cxaspeie de ce confre ferns, et de ce que le deposant et Faye ravoicnt enipeclie de tuer Mr. Keveny, a plusieurs reprises, m it le canoi en pieces k. coup d*ay irons.— Se trouvant sans canot le Sauvage en acheta un autre pour une couverte, dans Icquel le deposant et Faye ; I. -%i IxxYiii APPCNDIX. W'U. mi M . , U: t'J r ; r ' embarqu^rcnt, laissant Mr. Keveny sur le rirage, et ils parti- rcnt pour se rendre au Basde la Riviere. Aprtis avoir marclie jusqu'au soir — le Sauvagc, apr^s avoir voiilu tuer le deposant et Fayc, se scpara d'eux, et Ic candt ayant disparu par un remoux, ils rcst^rent dans cct endroit qiiatre jours, au boat desqucls arriva uii caiiot avec Monsieur Arch6 (M'LcUan) Monsieur Cadot, Monsieur Ucinhard, ct cinq ou six Bois- Bruits, ainsi que le Sauvagc Jose, assis sur le devant du canot, et rccouvcrt d'une cloque Ecossaise. Apr^s plusieurs questions concernant le Sauvagc et le prisonnier, et le depo- sant ayant infornie Monsieur Arcbe, qu'ils s'etoient separes parce que le Sauvage avoit voulu tuer Mr. Keveny, et en avoit ^(6 emp^che par le deposant ct son compagnon, en vengeance de quoi le Sauvagc avoit aussi eu de^sein de les tuer, ils s'etoient en consequence battus et separes de lui. — Sui quoi M. Cadot traita le deposant ct sor. compagnon de " Sacres Salots" pour avoir emp^ch6 au Sauvage de faire ce qu'on lui avoit ordonn^ de faire; M. Arclie 6tant debarqu6 dansce moment, donna des coups de perclic d'abord jI Faye, et ensuite au deposant, qui en a encore le bras gauche foible. Ayant eu ordre d'embarquer dans le canOt, ils arriv^rent le inSme jour, ou le lendemain, a Tcndroit o^ ils avoient laisse Mr. Keveny, qui n'y etoit plus, mais il fut trouve a quatre ou cinque lieues plus en dega, parmi des Sauvages. — Apr^s quelque conversation entre M. Keveny et ceux de leur canolt^e, M.Arcli6 ordonna d'embarquer, et lccan6t partit, laissant en arri^re le Sauvage Jose, M. Reinbard, le Boi»- Brul^ Main vi lie, et M. Keveny. Ayant campe trois lieues en degd, ils vireni venir le petit canot, qu'ils s'etoient pro- cures des Sauvages, et comme il ne contenoit que trois per- sonnes, les Bois-Brules dirent qu'ils avoient cnfin tue M. Keveny, ce que Mainvillc leur confirma en arrivant, disant que la balle lui aroit passe dans le rol, et i*n coup de poig- nard dans le dos, et q'u'il etoit tomb^ par dessus le canot. Le deposant a vu le canot couvert de sang, les habits que portoit M. Keveny ensanglantes, et transperces de coups de poigti^rds, tt d'un trou de balle ; le Sauvage a lave Thabille- ment ; et on en a fait un partage. La tente, des bottes, et autres effels ont et6 pris en cache. — M. Arche ayant pris sous ses soins trois ou quatre petitcs cassettes et ecritoires, contenant beancoup de papiers qu'il fut occupe, partie de Is nuit, alircct abruler, et le lendemain il cut la meme revision des papiers, jettant a I'eau, lestes avec des picrres, ceux qui lui etoient inutiles. Ayant fini, M. Arche l'61icita les Bois- Brules d'avoir detruit cet homme la, qui, s'il etoit alle a la Riviere Rouge, avoit le pouvoir d*y amener de la troupe, et de les faire tuer tous. Le deposant ajoute qu'il a eu I'habit de M. Keveny en sa possession jusques au Lac la Pluie, oii APPENDIX. Ixxix quelqu'un Va subtilis^ hors de sa poche. II a entcndu M. Arch^ proposer aux Bois-Brul6s de descend re pour reprendre Ic Fort William, avec des Sauviigcs, niais n'ayant eu que trois adherens, lis repartirent pour !c bas de la ilivi^re. BAPTISTE + LA POINTE, Mark. Sworn at Fort William, the 21st of October, 1816. (Signed) SELKIRK, J. P. [translation.] That he, (Baptiste La Pointe) set outlast summer from Lake la Pluie in the canoe of Mr. M'Doncll, (called the fair haired) who was then going to winter at Red River. When they arrived at Pine Point, they met five Bois-Brul^s in two small canoes, with a man whom they calltJ Keveney, in handcuils, and with his wrists swelled, and who, the ^i^ Brules said, had been made a pri>oner because he had killed twu or three of his people. Mr. M'Donell ordered the deponent and Hubert Faye to take charge of Mr. Keveney, with an Indian, named Joseph, as a guide to go to Lake la Pluie. After nine days of travelling, including stoppages, they met on this side of the Rat Portage, Mr. Stuart, and the English River partner, Mr. Thompson, vdio told them to return back again. 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. Ke- veney, levelling his piece, and saying, "Mr. M'Donell — puff," was so much exasperated at this disappointment, and also because the deponent and Faye had at different times prevented him killing Mr. Keveney, that he knocked the canoe to pieces with a paddle. Being now without a canoe, the Indian bought another for a blanket, in which he embarked with the deponent and Faye, leaving Mr. Keveney on the shore. They then set out for Bas de la Riviere, and after proceeding till night, the Indian who had attempted to kill both the deponent and Faye, left them ; and the Canadians having lost their canoe, remained in that place four days ; at the end of which time a canoe arrived with Mr. Archibald (M'Lellan), Mr. Cadot, Mr. Reinhard, and five or six Buis-Brules, together with the Indian, Joseph, sitting on the front of the canoe, wrapped in a Scotch plaid. After several questions about the Indian and the prisoner, the depo- nent having informed Mr. Archibald, that they had parted because the Indian wanted to kill Mr. Keveney, and had been prevented by the deponent and his companion; and that in revenge he had wanted to kill them, when they fought and sepa^ rated. On this Mr. Cadut called him and his companion *• Sacres Salots," for having prevented the Indian from doing what he was ordered. Mr. Archibald having come on shore at 111 Ixxx APPENDIX. i.|»,.,y. n. ,t ■ 'i\y !i :■•: that moment, took the pole of the canoe, and beat Faye and the deponent, whose lefl arm is still weak from the Mows. Being oraered to embark in the canoe, they arrived the same day, or the ncxl, at the place where they had led Mr. Keveney, who was no longer there. Tlicy found him, however, four or five leagues further on, amotijf some Indians. After some conversation between Mr. Keveney arul some of his people, Mr. Archibald ordered them to enibark, and the canoe set out, leaving behind, the Indian Joseph, Mr. Heinhard, the Bois-Brulc Mainville, and Mr. Keveney. Having encamped three leagues further on, they saw the small canoe apj)roaching which had been bought from the Indians; and as there were only three persons then in it, the Bois-Brul^s said they had at last killed Mr. Keveney, which Mainville confirmed when he arrived, saying that the bullet had passed through his neck, and that he had been stabbed in the back, and had fallen upon the canoe. The deponent saw the canoe covered with blood, and the clothes that Mr. Keveney had on, bloody, and pierced by a sword and a bullet. The Indian washed the clothes, and they divided them. The tent, boots, and other effects were left concealed. — Mr. Archibald having taken possession of two or three small boxes and desks containing a number of papers, he was employed a part of the night in reading and burning them. The next day he conti- nued the same examination of papers, throwing into the water with stones wrapped up in them, those he found useless. Having finished, he congratulated the Bois-Brules on having destroyed that man, who, he said, if he had got to Red River, had tlie power of bringing a force there, and have killed them all. The depo- nent adds, that he had Mr. Keveney's coat in his possession till he came to Lake la Pluie, where some one stole it out of his pocket. He heard Mr. Archibald propose to the Bois- Bruits to go down to re-take Fort William with the Indians ; but having only three adherents, they set out again for Bas de la Riviere. His BAPTISTE + LA POINTE. Mark. Sworn at Fort William, the 2Ut of October, 1816. (Signed) SELKIRK, J. P. [II] Deposition of Hubert Faye, Before Thomas Earl of Selkirk, one of His Majesty's Justices assigned to keep the peace in the Upper Province of Canada, and the Indian Territories, and parts of America, —appeared Hubert Faye, de la paroisse de La Prairie, who being duly sworn upon the Holy Evangelists, declares. APPENDIX. Ixxxi Que iiir la fin de cet 6(6 il partit de Lnc la Pluiedans le cnndt de M. Cudot, en cotnpngnic d'nn niifre canflt, mont6 pnr Ic hoitrgcois M'Dnncll, pour se rendre an Hiis dc la Riviere. Sur midi de la quutri^mc journ6e, ils rencontrirent deux pel its canAts, dans lesqucls su sont (rouv^s cinq Bois- Brul6s, vt un Munsieurde bonne mino, prisonnicr, nynnt Ics fcrs nux mains, pour avoir (disoit les Bois-Brul6>4) tti6 trois hommcs. — A|)rcs de longucs conferences eiitrr eiix, M. M'Donell commnnda au deposant, La Poinle, el im S mvagc, d*embnrquer t]iu\H un dcs ])eti(s canots dcs B<)is-Br>il6.s, en charge du prisonnicr qu'on nommoit M.Keveney. LeSau- vage se nommoit Joseph, ct doit e(re Ic fils de la Perdrix Blanche. Etant parti de cet endroit nomm6 la Pointe aux Pins, le Sauvage demanda au deposant, deux iiuits consecu- tifs, d*assister k tuer le prisonnier dans sa tcnte. Le deposant lui dit " tuer est pas borif^ sur quoi le Sauvage rcpondit ** Mons. M'Donell dira, ' c'est bon.'* " — La cinquit^me jour- n^e apres avoir quittc la Pointe aux Pins, ils rencontriirent, au soleil levant, les canots de Mr. Stuart, Thompson, ct M. Ferries, qui apr6s quelque conversation dirent au depo- sant quMl pouvoit retourner, qu*aucun can6t ne descendroit du Lac )a Pluie. — Le vent 6tant fort, ils mirent il tcrre, et apr^s avoir gomme leur canot, ils raarch^rent le lendcmain. Le Sauvage cette nuit avoit fait plusieurs efforts pour tuer PAnglois, h. quoi le deposant et son camarade s'opposerent constamnient ; ct s*6tant rembarques les deux Canadiens et le Sauvage pour se procurer des vivres, le Sauvage ne vou- lut pas permettre qu'ils rembarquassent M. Keveney qui 6toit reste sur la gr^ve, ct comme c'etoit le passage des canots ils le laisscirent IsL. — Apr^s six k sept jours de marche et de degrats, pendant lesquels le Sauvage et Lu Pointe eurent dispute, le Sauvage se sauva parcc que Ic deposant lui avoit 6te son fusil dont il vouloit tuer La Pointe. — Le canot de M.Arche(M'Lellan)avec M.Grant, M.Cadot, M.Reinhard et sept liois-BruIes, arriva ; et M. Cadot trouva a redire au deposant de n*avoir paslaisse tu6 1'Anglois par le Sauvage. — Sur quoi M'Arche sortit du canot, et frappa le deposant avec une percbe, pour avoir pris le fusil du Sauvage.— M. Arche nous fit embarquer, et demanda oil etoit Ic prison- nier, ce que le deposant ne put lui dire, etant 6carte.— Arrive k I'endroit oh M. Keveney avoit e(e laisse, il ne s'y trouva plus, et ce n'estqu'au Haut des Dalles, a cinq ou six lieues de 1^, qu'on le trouva dans sa tente. — Apr^s quelque consultation M. Arche traita un petit canot pour du rum, et on reparlit de suite, laissant en arri^re le Sauvage Joseph, Mr. Reinhard, le Bois-Brule Mainville, et M. Keveney. — 1 Hit m Ixxxii AI'PBNDIX. ilfV.^ Pi ■ I Ayani fuit qiielquet licun de chcmin, et demi heure apr^i avoir dcbarqu^s, iU entendirent un coup dc fusil, lurquoi J)csinarnisft exclama — ** /ih Ir chictty je parts qu"d a tue U prisotwier." — Qunnd Ic conottouriioit la poiiitc, M. Arch4, M. Cadot, M. Grnnty et d'autres nccuururenl et dcman- dorcnt,— " I'l/i I'avoient tui ?" — A quoi une reponsc nflirma- tivc. — MuinvilW dit ensuite audcposnnt, qu'il avoil (ir6 son conpdu I'usil nu prisonriirr dnns lu col, ot que lu Sergeant Keiiilmrd lui nvoit doiine des coups de sabre. — Lc deposant a vu les liabillements que portoit aupnravant M. Keveney, couvcits de sanjBT, pcrc^ dc coups de sabres et d'une balle dnns !e collet. — Lc Sauvngc et les Bois-Brul68 lav^rcnt Ics v^tcnicns, et voulurent eii faire Ic pnrtngc quand Reinlmrd Ic leur prit et mit le tout dans un coftrc. — M. Arcli^ prit soin des papiers, qui Violent duns plusicurs petits cuisties ct bureaux qui furent laisses dans le boiH avec la lente, le lit« ct Ic rcste du butin du prisonnicr. — Une pnr(ie de la nuit fut employe par M. Arclie et ces autres Messieurs qui savcnt lire, a reviser et lire ces papiers, qu'ils brOloient 4 ni(*sure. — Lc lendemain dans le can6t il eut In meme occu- pation, et coulant u fond les pupiers au moycn des pierres envelopp6s dedans. — M. Arcbe dit oux Bois-Brules, que c'6toit bien avantageux d*avoir empecli6 h. cet homme lt\ de SG rcndre au Fort William, oil il auroit pu les ruioer tou». His .. HUBERT + FAYE, Mark.. Sworn at Fort William, the yiit day of October, 1816. (Signed) SELKIRK, J. P. ,: I [translation.] That about the end of this summer, he, Hubert Faye, set out from Lake la Pluie in Mr. Cadet's canoe, in company with another, in which wag the partner M'Donell, to go to Bas de la Riviire. — About the middle of the fourth day's journey, the^' met two small canoes, in which were fire Bois-Bruies, and a gentleman of good appearance, as prisoner, who was hand- cuffed, and who, the Bois-Brules said, had killed three men. Afler a long conference, Mr. M'DoncU ordered the deponent, and La Pointe, and an Indimn, to embark in one of these little canoes, and take charge of the prisoner, whom they called Mr. Keveney,— The Indian was named Joseph, the son of the White rartridgt, — Having set out from Pine Point, the Indian asked the APPENDIX. Ixxxiii deponent, in the two followiofj nip^hts, to help him to kilt the prisoner in hid tent.^ — Tin- deponent said, " To kill in not (rood;" —to which the hulian annwered, " Mr. M'Donell will say, It it " good." The fifth day alter they left Pine Point, they met at ■un-riHe the canoi-H of Messrs. Smart, Thompson, and Ferriei, who, after some conversation, said to the deponent, that he niUkt r?turn,as no canoe was to g^o from Lake la Pluie.— The wind heing ▼iolent.they went ashore, and after havin;T|fummed their canoe, they proceeded in the morning, the Indian having; made several attempts in the night-time to kill the Englishman, which the deponent and his companion constantly opi)oscd; — and the two Canadians and the Indian having re-embarked to procure provi- •ions, the Indian would not permit Mr. Keveney to come on board, who therefore remained on llu' beach ; and, as it was ihe place where canoes passed, they left him there. — After six or seven day's inarch and stoppages, dur ng which the Indian and La Poiiitehad a quarrel, the Indian went ofT, because the depo- nent took away his gun, with which he waT/<;d to kill La Pointc. — Mr. Archibald (M'Lellan.) with Mr. Grari, Mr. Cadot, Mr; Reinhard, and seven Bois-Brul^s arrived ; and Mr. Cadot found fault with the deponent fur not hav; ig allowed the Indian to kill the Englishman, upon which Mr. Archibald got out of the canoe and struck the deponent with a pole for having taken the Indian's gun. — Mr. Archibald then made us embark, and asked where the prisoner was; which the deponent could not tell him, as they had missed their way.— When they arrived at the spot where Mr. Keveney had been left, he was not to be found ; but when they reached the Haut des Dalles, about five or six leagues further on, they found him in his tent.— After some consulta- tion Mr. Archibald bought a small canoe, for some rum, and proceeded, leaving btliind Joseph, Mr. Reinhard, the Bois-Brule Mainville, and ,Mr. Keveney.— Having advanced some leagues, and about half an hour after they had gone ashore, they heard the report of a gun ; upon which Desmarais exclaimed, *' Ah, the "dog — I'll wager that he has killed the prisoner." — When the canoe turned the point, Mr. Archibald, Mr. Cadot, Mr, Grant, and others, ran and asked," if they had killed him .>" — upon which an answer was given in the atfirmative. — Mainville then said to the deponent, that he had shot the prisoner in the neck, and that Serjeant Reinhard had stabbed him with his sword. — The deponent saw the clothes which Mr. Keveney had worn, covered with blood, pierced with th : sword, and with a bullet throng' r'. collar. — The Indian and the Bois-Brul6s washed the clothes, and wanted to divide them, when Reinhard took them, and put the whole in a trunk. Mr. Archibald took care of the papers which were in several little boxes and desks, and which were left in the woods, with the tent, the bed, and other property of the prisoner. — A part of the nigVit was employed by Mr. Archibald and the other gentlemen who could read, in examin- nig these papers, which they burnt after reading them. Next • r, .';!i Ixxxl APPENDIX. mi «t i'.L ..-. day he was similarly employed in the caroe, sinking the papers by wrapping stones in them. Mr. Archibald told the Bois-Brules, that it was very fortunate they had prevented that man from getting to Fort William, where he might have ruined thern all. Hi. .. HUBERT + FAYE, Mark. Sworn at Fort William, the SUt day of October, 1816. (Signed) SELKIRK, J. P. [ K. K. ] Account of the Transactions at Fort Willianif on Lake Superior J in August 1816", bj/ Mr. Fauche, late LieU' tenant of the Regiment De Meuron, Lvthc month of May 1816, orders arrived in Canada for the reduction of the Regiment Dc Meuron, in which I was a lieutenant. — His Excellency the Administrator- in-chief, on communicntin, myself being the ■ Ti >i ^ APPENDIX. Ixxxv •!,'■; I fourth, and about eighty men, left Montrci, and proceeded to Kingston in Upper Canada. The Watteville Regiment had been stationed at the latter place, and was also under orders to be disbanded. Twenty of that corps were engais^ by Captain Matthey, in the name and on behalf of 'he Earl of Selkirk, upon the same conditions with those of the Regi- ment De Meuron. After having made the necessary arrangements for our voyage at Kingston, we proceeded along Lake Ontario to York, and from thence to Lake Siracoe and Lake Huron, •where we were joined by the Earl of Selkirk, who had remained several days after us at Montreal. We proceeded with his Lordship towards the Sauli St. Mary's — about thirty miles from which is situated Drummond's Island, to which place his Lordship went, we continuingour route to the Sault, where wc remained a few miles above the Rapid. A guard of one serjeant and seven men had been granted for his Lordship's protection by the Governor of Canada; and it was from Drummond's Island that they were to accom- pany him, it being the last garrison of the British domi- nions in that quarter. Lord Selkirk joined us at the Sault St. Mary's, and we had herdly left that place, when we perceived two canoes, in one of which was Mr. Miles Mac- doncll, who brought the dismal intelligence of the complete destruction of the colony. After this information Lord Selkirk did not proceed to the Fond du Lac, as was first intended, but went to Fort William for the purpose of obtaining intelligence as to the afiair at the Red River. His Lordship applied to Mr. Askin and Mr. Ermatinger, two magistrates, to accompany him, but the private affairs of these two gentlemen pre> vented them. We arrived at Fort William on the 12th of August, and pitched our tents on the opposite side of the river about half a mile from the Fort. On the same day the Earl of Selkirk sent Captain D'Orsonnens with a letter to Mr. M'Gillivray,(the principal Agent of the North- West Com- pany at Fort William) requesting him to release several people who had been present at the affair of the Red River, from their confinement, but Mr. M'Gillivray did not admit that they had been arrested, and they came over to us imme- diately afterwards. The Earl of Selkirk was engaged the rest of the day in taking evidence from those people, and he issued a warrant on the 13tb against Mr. M'Gillivray, who immediately came over to his Lordship^s tent with two other partners, one, Kenneth :i(t !i:i' , Ixxxvi APPENDIX. M'Kenzie,the other — — M'Laughlin, whom he bron^ht as bail, but, charges being also preferred against those two gen- tlemen, thej wore likewise made prisoners. After his Lord- ship had been engaged some time with Mr. M'Ciillivray, he determined on arresting the oilier partners who wer<* still in the Fort, and accordingly sent over the constable with war- rants accompanied by about twenty-five men, with Captain D'Orsonnens, Mr. Allen, Mr. Becher, and myself. We were distributed in two boats, and arrived shortly at the Fort where the constables landed, being accompanied by all the gentlemen. The men remained in the boats, but as some resistance was apprehended, they were ready to sup- port the constables in the execution of their duty, if required. Between two and three hundred Indians . ad Canadians, in ihe North- West Company's service, were standing outside of the gate. The partners who were to be arrested stood in the gate of the fort ; and the constables being informed of their names, proceeded in executing the warrants — when one of the Partners, John M*DonahI, declared that he would not submit to the warrant, or allow- any body to enter the fort until Mr. M'Gillivray was libe- rated. At the same time the gate was partly shut, and the resistance which was made forced the constable to call for assistance. The men rushed out of the boats with their arms, and soon cleared their way through the gate. They were then ordered to take Mr. M'DonaUl, who was exceed- ingly violent, and to conduct him to the boats. The others peaceably submitted to the warrants, and appointed two clerks for the management of their concerns during their absence. The bugle which had sounded when the consta- bles first called for assistance was a signal that resistance was made at the fort, and for the remainder of our party to join us. They accordingly came over, and every thing being, by that time, quiet, they stood outside of the fort. The prisoners were then sent to his Lordship, who, after having examined them, allowed tiif-m to return for the night to their respective apartments m the Fort; upon the condition that they would not attempt any hostilities, to which they pledged their word of honour, and went over to the Fort, We all returned to our encampment, with the exception of twenty men, and Lieutenant de Graffenreid, who remained during the night in the Fort; and his Lord- ship issued a warrant, ordering the papers of the North- AVcst Company to be caled. Though the Partners of the Norlli-West Company had pledged their word of honour, liiut all bhould remain as his APPENDIX. Ixxxvii Lordship had ordered, we received the intelligence, that a canoe had been seut off during the night, loaded viith ammunition and arms, and that many papers had been burnt in the kitchen of the mess-house, by the partners. We found eight bnrrels of gunpowder lying in a field near the fort, which had also been taken away, during the night, out of the powder magazine. We also found, in a barn among »onae hay, about fifty stand of guns, which were apparently fresh loaded and primed. From these discoveries, it was suspected that a surprise would be attempted by the Canadian servants and the Indians in the North-West Company's employment ; and most of them, therefore, were sent to the other side of the river. Their canoes, also, were secured within the fort. The prisoners were more strictly guarded, and as no reliance could be put on their word of honour, they were taken to a separate building, and guarded as close pri^^oners. His Lordship ordered our tents to be removed, and pitched in front of the fort, that we might be better able to repulse a sudden attack, it attempted by the North- West Company. After having taken all necessary measures for our own security, Lord Selkirk proceeded with the examination of the prisonors, the criminality of whom appeared to his Lordship to b«'such as to justify him in sending them under an escort to York, in Upper Canada. Ho requested that I would take charge of the prisoners, and escort them safely lo their destination. We set out on the l8th of August, in three canoes, provided with every thing which I tfiouglit necessary for our voyage. We proceeded along Lake Superior, and, about a week after our departure, we had the misfortune to lose one of our canoes. As this has been imputed to my insisting upon, and farcing the embar- kation of the party that day, I trust that the foUowiug account will be sufficient to justify my proceedings. In the morning of the 2Gth of August, we proceeded, with a light breeze, and stopped, as usual, to take our din- ner at one o'clock, at an island about fifteen miles from the Sault St. Mary, where we expected to arrive the same even- ing. During our dinner the wind increased, but, being at the lee side of the island, we did not feel its violence. Mr. M*Gillivray, who had upwards of twenty years experience in this navigation, and whom I invariably consulted during our voyage, was, upon this occasion, especially questioned by me; and, on asking whether he thought it dangerous to ])roceed, he replied that there would not be the least dan- ger, if the guides of the caaucs did their duty. Upon this ■ViK m Ixxxviii APPENDIX. 1 !**,*■ ft,' , '-■ " 'J t :*> r ; ! i;. r .«i we left the island, and soon felt the violence of the wind, which increased every moment. It was too late to put back, and the wind being west, and consequently fair, we proceeded under close reeled sails, and sleered for the first point of land. But, having taken in a good deal of water, we thought of steering towards a small island which lay on our left, in order to save ourselves if possible. On arriving near this island, one of our canoes upset on the shoals ; and unfortunately, notwithstanding all the efforts made by the other two catiocs, nine people were lost out of twenty-one, among whom was Mr. Kenneth Mackenzie, one serjeaut, and one man of our late Regiment De Meuron, and six more, Indians in the service of the North- West Company. We succeeded in landing at this island, and, after having light- ened our canoes by takinir out the baggage, we went out again, to save, if possible, some more of our unfortunate people. We soon reached the place where the canoe was wrecked, but could not find any body. The canoe was dashed to pieces, but we succeeded in saving a few trunks which were afloat. Some time after the accident, we went in search of the bodies, and found, near the island, that of Mr. K. M'Kenzie. Every possible measure was taken to restore him to life, but without success. We also found the bodies of the serjeant, and of several Indians, whom we buried in the island. The following day we departed from the island, with the body of Mr. M'Kenzie, assisted by some of the neighbouring Indians, and arrived shortly at the Sault St. Mary's, Avhere Mr. M'Kenzie was buried. After the foregoing statement, will it be believed that I was the principal cause of this unfortunate accident? Is it probable that I would have exposed myself to so great dan- ger, if I had in the least anticipated it? Or could I have had any reason for exposing Captain de Lorimier, a friend, who was the only person whom I could trust in that dis^ agreeable voyage? He was in the canoe that upset, and fortunately escaped the fury of the waves. It is unneces- sary further to defend myself, as I have sufficient witnesses to testify that I consulted Mr. M'Gillivray, and followed his advice. After we I ad buried the body of Mr. Kenneth M'Kenzie, we left the Sault St. Mary*s accompanied by Mr. Roch- blave, a partner of the North- West Company, who by taking his own canoe, enabled us to proceed with the people who had been saved. On the 3rd of September we arrived at York, the capital of Upper Canada. On inquiring after the Attorney-General, 1 was informed that he had gone on APPENDIX. Ixxxix ' the wind, itc to put tly fair, we or the first il of water, lich lay on 3i« arriving lioals; and lade by the wenty-one, le Serjeant, id six more, lany. We ving light- 'e went out jnfortunate ; canoe was canoe was . few trunks it, we went ind, that of as taken to also found 5, whom we jarted from assisted by shortly at >uried. ieved that I lent? Is it > great dan- )uld I have er, a friend, n that dis^ upset, and is unneces- nt witnesses bllowed his M'Kenzie, Mr. Roch- y, who by I the people we arrived airing after lad gone on bis circuit to Kingston, and that I would find him there, or at Brockville. I was advised by the magistrates of York, and by several other persons, to proceed to these places; in consequence of which we left York on the following day, and at Kingston we were informrd that the Attorney Gene- ral was at Brockville. We soon arrived at that place, where 1 hoped to be unburdened from so disagreeable a charge; but the prisoners having applied for a Writ of Habeas Corpus, I was charged to convey them to Mon- treal, where we arrived on the lOlh of September, and where the prisoners were all admitted to bail. Private affairs having called me io England, I left Mon- treal in the beginning of November last; and it is after having read a Publication by the North- West Company, entitled " A Narrative of Occurrences in the Indian Coun- *" tries of North America," that I make ihis true Statement, which I hope will take away the unfavourable opinion which the injurious publication of the North- West Com- pany may have made on the Public. Nothing can exceed the malignity of the allusions which are levelled by the North- West Company at the character of the late Regiment De Meuron, some of whom chose to accompany the Earl of Selkirk. They are called worthless plunderers and deserters from Buonaparte's armies in Spain, from whence the North- West Company assert they were sent to America. This shews completely how little regard they have for the feelings of others, and what a change there is in their opinions as soon as their interest is con- cerned. The officers of tiie Regiment De Menron have always been admitted in society in Canada, and especially at Montreal, where the Agents and other persons connected with the North- West Company form a great part of it.— We have received attentions from the latter without the least reflection having been cast on our characters,— but as soon as we agreed to become settlers with the Earl of Selkirk, we were accused, as before-mentioned, of the grossest misconduct. The officers of De Meuron*s Regiment had been induced (after a mature consideration of the Hudson's Bay Char- ter, which the Earl of Selkirk was pleased to submit to our notice, and which appeared to us unexceptionable, particularly as it had received the sanction ot the most eminent Counsel in England) to accept his offers to become settlers in his colony at the Red River. I feel it, there- fore, a duty incumbent on me as one of the officers of that Regiment} to contradict those assertions so injurious io m ■'.. m xo AFPBNDIX; •■''.■'* the cimractcr of men who for many jrears, hare most honourably and fail h fully serred his Majesty ; and who, on the reduction of ihe Regiment, had agreed to accompany the Earl of Selkirk, not for the purpose (as has been falsely stated) to be employed by his Lordship in a military expe- dition, (though the men must have had a warlike ap,iear- ance from wearing the new cloathing issued to them from the regimental stores) and to commit hostilities and depredations on British subjects — but for the purpose of becoming useful members of his Lordship's Settlement. "With respect to the late Regiment De Meuron being called plunderers anil deserters from Buonaparte's armies in Spain, it is well known that in 1809, when the regiment was at Gibraltar, his Majesty's Covernment authorised that all the Germans and Piedemontcse vhom the conscription had forced to enter Buonaparte's armies, from which they escaped ar. soon as an opportunity offered, should be enlisted in his Majesty's service, in consequence of which many came over and received the regular bounty. The regiment went the same year to Malta, where it remained till 1813, when it was ordered to North America. On its departure from the island, his Excellency Lieutenant-General Oakes, the Goyernor, issued the following Garrison Order : — II ^a.: Gaurison Ordek. Malta, May 4, 1813. . ^* Lieutenant-General Oakes cannot sutler the Regiment Dc Meuron to quit this garrison where they have so long been stationed under his command, without assuring them of the satisfaction which their good conduct and ^' attention to military discipline have constantly afforded him, and which have been equally conspicuous in eyery rank. They will embark from hence as fine and well appointed a regiment as any in his Majesty's service. " The Lieutenant-General has no doubt but by their conduct and gallantry, on the desirable service on which they are about to \^c employed, they will confirm the high opinion he has formed of them, and will equally merit the praise and approbation of the General und^r whose orders they will soon bj placed, to whom he shall not fail justly to set forth their merits. *' He begs leave to assure the regiment of his warmest wishes for their glory and success, and of the sincere inte- rest he shall ever take in their welfare. n (4 « it (Signed) " P. ANDERSON, " Deputy Adj.-Gen. »» APPENDIX. XCl ci When the regiment M'as finally disbanded in Canada, liis Excellency Sir John Sberbrooke issued also a Garrison Order which would do honour to any regiment. n. A. G, Office, GAUnisoN Order. Quebec, July 2G, 181G. " In parting with the Regiments De Mcuron and Watte- ville, both of which corps his Excellency has had the ** good fortune of having had under his command in other ' ** parts of the world. Sir John Sherbrooke desires Lieute- ** nant-Colonel De Meuron and Lieutenant-Colonel May, " and the officers and men of those corps will accept his " congratulations on having by their conduct in the " Canadas maintained the reputation which they have *' dcitervedly acquired by their former services. " His Excellency can have no hesitation in saying, '* that his Majesty's service in these provinces has derived '' important advantages during the late war, from the '' steadiness, discipline, and efhciericy of these corps. (Signed) " J. HARVEY, Lt. Col. " Deputy Adjutant-General." As it is not to be supposed that any British General would bestow commendations where they are not due, can it be believed that men deserving such praise would be con- taminated, and become plunderers, from accompanying an English Nobleman, and wishing to become settlers under the protection of a Government whom they had learned to apprtK ciate during the time they served it? The North- West Company also accuse the men of being drunk on the day they entered Fort William. This, I declare to be false, as not a man of them was, in the slightest degree, intoxicated, or had the means of being so. Indeed, I may only refer to Messrs. Brumby and Misani's Declaration to ask, whe- ther it is probable that they would have omitted so strong a charge against the Earl of Selkirk and his party, and whether the North- West Company, under whose influence they made their Deposition, would have neglected to make them corroborate what was so maliciously stated for the purpose of defaming my brother officers and myself, and the men of our late regiment then with us at Fort William. (Signed) G. A. FAUCHE, Late Lieutenaut De Meuron's Regiment. 4, Sueen Square, Westminster, June 24