Rice County, Minnesota - Chapter with an unread heading (no. 8 of those read), 1882

Chapter with an unread heading (no. 8 of those read)

Dickson and other traders liosUlc - American stockade at rrairio du Chicn - F'>rt Shelby smrenders to Lt. Col. William McKay - L.iyal traders Frovencalle and Faribault - Rising Moose or One-eyed Sioux - Capt. Bulger evacuates Fort McKay - latcUii^'RUce of Peace.

Not^Nithstanrliiig the professions of f riendsliip made to Pike, iii the second war with Great Britam, Dickson and others were foimd hearing arms against the Republic.

A year after Pike left Prahie du Chien, it was evident, that under some secret influence, the Inilian trilies were combining agamst the United States. In the year 1809 , Nicholas Jarrot declared that the ISritisli traders were furnishing the savages with guns for hostile purposes. On the first of May, 1812, two Indians were apprehended at Cliicago, who were on tlieir way to meet Dickson at Green Bay. They liad taken the precaution to hide letters in their moccasins, and bury them in the ground, and were allowed to proceed after a brief detention. Frazer, of Prairie du Chien, had been with Pike at the Council at the mouth of the Minnesota River, was at the portage of the Wisconsin when the Indians delivered these letters, which stated that the British flag would soon be flying again at ISIackinaw. At Green Bay, the celebrated warrior. Black Hawk, was placed m charge of the Indians wlio were to aid the British. Tlie American troops at Mackinaw were obliged, on the seventeenth of July, 1812, to capitulate -without firing a single gun. One who was made prisoner, writes from Detroit to the Secretary of War :

" The persons who commanded the Indians are Robert Dickson, Indian trader, and John Askui, Jr., Indian agent, and his son. The latter two were painted and dressed after the maimer of the Indians. Tliose wlio commanded the Canadians are John Jobnson, Crawford, Pothier, Armitinger, La Croix, Rolette, Franks, Livingston, and other traders, some of whom were lately concerned in smuggling British goods into the

Indian comitry, and, in conjunction with others, have been using their utmost efforts, several months before the declaration of war, to excite the Indians to take up arms. The least resistance from the fort would have been attended with the desti'uction of all the persons who fell into the hands of the British, as I have been assured by some of the British traders."

On the first of May, 1814, Governor Clark, two hundred men, left St. Louis, to build a fort at the junction of the Wisconsin and Mississippi. Twenty days before he arrived at Prah'ie du Chien, Dickson had started for Mackinaw with a band of Dahkotahs and Winuebagoes. The place was left in command of Captain Deace and tlie Mackinaw Fencibles. The Dahkotahs refusing to co-operate, when the Americans made their appearance they fled. The Americans took possession of the old ilackinaw house, in which they foiuid nine or ten trunks of papers belonging to Dickson. From one they took the foUowing extract :

A fort was immediately commenced on the site of the old residence of the late H. L. Dousman, which was composed of two block-houses in the angles, and another on the bank of the river, with a subterranean communication. In honor of the governor of Kentucky it was named "Shelby."

The fort was in charge of Lieutenant Perkins, and sixty rank and tile, and two gunboats, each of which carried a six-poimder; and se\eral howitzers were commanded by Captains Yeiser, Sullivan, and Aid-de-camp Kennedy.

The traders at JIackinaw, learning that the Americans had built a fort at the Prairie, and knowing that as long as they held possession tlu\\ would be cut oft from the trade with the

The captain was an old trailer by the name of JleKay, and under him was a sergeant of artillery, with a brass six-pounder, and three or four volunteer companies of Canadian voyageurs, otlieered by Captains Griguon, Rolette and Anderson, with Lieutenants Brisbois and Dunean Graham, all dressed hi red coats, with a number of Iniliaus.

The Americans had scarcely completed their rude fortitication, before the IJritish force, guided by Joseph Kolette, Sr., descended in canoes to a point on the V.'isconsm, several miles from the Prairie, to which they marched in battle array. JIcKay sent a flag to the Fort demanding a surrender. Lieutenant Perkins replied that he would defend it to tlie last.

A fierce encounter took place, in which the Americans were worsted. The otiicer was wounded, several men were killed and one of their boats captured, so that it became necessary to retreat to St. Louis. Port Shelby after its capture, was called Port ilcKay.

xVmong the traders a few remained loyal, especially Provencalle and J. B. Faribault, traders among the Sioux. Faribault was a prisoner | among the British at the time Lieut. Col. Wm. McKay was preparing to attack Por<- Shellty, and he refused to perform any service, Faribaulfs wife, who was at Prairie du Chien, not knowing that her husband was a prisoner in the hands of the advancing foe, fled with others to the Sioux village, where is now the city of Winona. Faribault was at length released on parole and retimied to his trading post.

nation, he ascended the Missouri under the protection of the (Ustinguished trader. Manual Lisa, as far as the An Jacques or James River, and from thenc'j struck across the country, enlisting the Sioux in favour of the I'niti'il States, and at length arrived at Prairie du Chien. On his arrival, Dickson accosted him, and inquired from whence he came, and what was his business ; at the same time rudely snatching his bimdle from his shoulder, and searching for letters, The "one-eyed warrior" told him that he was from St. Louis, and that he had iiromised the wliite chiefs there that he would go to I'rairie du Chien, and that he had kept his promise

Dickson then placed him in conlinement in Fort McKay, as the garrison was called by the British, and ordered him to divulge what mformation he possessed, or he wo dd put him to death. But the faithful fellow said he would impart nothing, and that he was ready for death if he wished to kill him. Finduig that confinement had no effect, Dickson at last liberated him. He then left, and visited the bands of Sioux on the Upper Mississippi, with which he passed the winter. When he returned in the spring, Dickson had gone to ilackinaw, and Cayit. A. Bidger, of the Royal Xew Foundland Regiment, was in command of the fort.

On the twenty-third ot jNIay, 181.5, Capt. Bulger, wrote from Fort McKay to Gov. Clark at St. Louis : " Official intelligence of peace reached me yesterday. I propose evacuating the fort, taking with me the guns captm-ed in the fort. * * * * I have not the smallest hesitation in declaring ray decided opinion, that the presence of a detachment of British and United States troops at the same time, would be the means of embroiling one parly or the other in a fresh rupture with the Indians, which I presume it is the wish of both governments to avoid."

The next month the " One-Eyed Sioux," with three other Indians and a sipiaw, visited St. Louis, and he mformed Gov. Clark, that the British commander left the caiuions in the fort when he evacuated, but in a day or two came back, took the cannons, and fired the fort with the American flag flying, but that he rushed in and saved it from being burned. From this time, the British flag ceased to float in the Valley of the Mississippi.

Explorers And Pioneers Of Minnesota Ciiaptee Xiv

Carvers Grandsons. - Roque, Sioux iDtorpreter. - Wapashaw's Village and Its Vicinity. - A Sacred Dance. - Indian Villas" Below Daytim's Bluff. - Carver's Cave. - Fountain Cave. - F.aJls of St. Anthony Described. - Site or a Fort.

Major Stephen II. Long, of the Engineer Corps of the United States Army, learning that there was little or no danger to be apprehended from the Indians, determined to ascend to the Falls of Saint Anthony, in a sLx-oared skiff presented to him by Governor Clark, of Saint Louis. Ilis party consisted of a Mr. Hempstead, a native of New London, Connecticut, who had been living at Prairie du Cliien, seven soldiers, and a halfbreed interpreter, named lloque. A bark canoe accompanied them, containing Messrs. Gun and King, grandsons of the celebrated traveler, Jonathan Carver.

" AVhen we stopped for breakfast, Mr. Hempstead and myself ascended a high peak to take a view of the country. It is kno-mi by the name of the Kettle Hill, having obtained this appellation from the circumstance of its having numerous piles of stone on its top, most of them of the rocky stratifications which constitute the principal part of the lull, but some of them small piles made by the Indians. These at a distance have some similitude of kettlec arranged along upon the ridge and sides of the hill. From this, or almost any other eminence in its neighborhood, the beauty and grandeur of the prospect would baffle the skill of the most ingenious pencil to depict, and that of the most accomplished pen to describe. Hills marshaled into a variety of agreeable shapes, some of them towering into lofty peaks, wlnle others present broad summits embellished with contours and slopes in tlie most pleasing manner ; champaigns and waving valleys; forests, lawns, and parks alternating with each other; the humble Mississippi meandering far below, and occasionally losing itself in numberless islands, give variety and beauty to the picture, while rugged cliffs and stupendous precipices here and there present themselves as if to add boldness and majesty to the scene. In the midst of this beautiful scenery is situated a village of the Sioux Indians, on an extensive lavra called the Aux Aisle Prairie ; at which we lay by for a short time. On our arrival the Indians hoisted two American (lags, and we returned the comtliment by discharging our blunderbuss and pistols. They then fired several guns ahead of us by way of a salute, after which we landed and were received with mucli friendship. The name of their chief is Wauppaushaw, or the Leaf, commonly called by a name of the same import in French, La Feuille, or La Fye, as it is pronoimced in English. He is considered one of the most honest and honorable of any of the Indians, and endeavors to inculcate into the minds of his people the sentiments and principles adopted by himself. He was not at home at the time I called, and I had no opportunity of seeing him. The Indians, as I suppose, with the expectation that I had something to communiccate to them, assembled themselves at the place where I landed and seated themselves upon the grass. I inquired if their chief was at home, and was answered in the negative. I then told tliem I should be very glad to see him, but as he W".s absent I would call on luni again in a few days when I should return. I further told them that cur father, the new President, wished to obtain some more information relative to his red children, and that I was on a tour to acquire any intelligence he might stand in need of. With this they appeared weU satisfied, and permitted Mr. Hempstead and myself to go rhrough their village. "Wliile I was in the wigwam, one of tlie subordinate chiefs, whose name was Wazzecoota, or Shooter from the Pine Tree, vohniteered to

Bcoompany me np the river. I accepted of his services, and be was ready to attend me on the tour in a very short time. Wlien we hove in sight the Indians were engaged in a ceremony called the Bear Dance; a ceremony which they are in the habit of performing when any young man is desirous of bringing himself into particular notice, and is considered a kind of iuitiatiou into the state of manhood. I went on to the ground where they had their performances, which were ended sooner than usual on account of our arrival. There was a kind of a flag made of fawn skin dressed with the hair on. suspended on a pole. Upon the flesh side of it were drawn certain rude figures indicative of the dream which it is necessary the young man should have dreamed, before he can be considered a ])roper candidate for this kind of initiation; with this a pipe was suspended by way of sacrifice. Two arrows were stuck up at the foot of the pole, and fr^igments of painted feathers, etc., were strewed about the ground near to it. These pertained to the religious rites attending the ceremony, which consists iu bewailing and self-mortification, that the Good Spirit may be induced to pity them and succor their undertaking.

"At the distance of two or three hundred yards from the flag, is an excavation which they call the bear's hole, prepared for the occasion. It is about two feet deep, and has two ditches, about one foot deep, leading across it at right angles. The young hero of the farce places himself in this hole, to be hunted by the rest of the young men, all of whom on this occasion are dressed iu their best attire and painted in their neatest style. The. hunters approach the hole in the direction of one of the ditches, and discharge their guns, which were previously loaded for the purpose with blank cartridges, at the one who acts the part of the bear; whereupon he leaps from his den, having a hoop in each hand, and a wooden lance; the hoops serving as forefeet to aid him in characterizing his part, and his lance to defend him from his assailants. Thus accoutred he dances round the place, exhibiting various feats of activity, while the other Indians pursue him and endeavor to trap him as he attempts to return to his den, to effect which he is privileged to use any violence he pleases with impunity against

" This part of the ceremony is performed throe times, that the bear may escape from his den and return to it again through three of the avenues communicating with it. On being hunted from the fourth or last avenue, the bear must make his esca])e through all his pursuers, if pos- .sible, and flee to the woods, where he is to remain through the day. This, however, is seldom or never accomplished, as all the young men exert themselves to the utmost in order to trap him. When caught, he must retire to a lodge erected for his reception in the field, where he is to be secluded from all society through the day, except one of his particular friends whom he is allowed to take with him as an attendant. Here he smokes and performs varicuis other rites which superstition has led the Indians to believe are sacred. After this ceremony is ended, the ycung Indian is considered qualified to act any part as an efficient member of their community. The Indian, who has the good fortune to catch the bear and overcome him when endeavoring to make his escape to the wood, is considered a candidate for preferment, and is, on the first suitable occasion, appointed the leader of a small war party, in order that he may further have an opportunity to test his prowess and perform more essential service in behalf of his nation. It is accordingly expected that he will kill some of their enemies and return with their scalps. I regretted very much that I had missed the opportunity of witnessing this ceremony, which is never performed except when prompted by the particular dreams of one or other of the young men, who is never complimented twice in the same manner on account of his dreams."

On the sixteenth he approached the vicinity of where is now the capital of Minnesota, and writes: "Set sail "at half past four this morning with a favorable breeze. Pascd an Indian burying ground on our left, the first that I have seen surrounded by a fence. In the center a pole is erected, at the foot of which religious rites are performed at the burial of an Indian, by the particular friends and relatives of the deceased. Upon the pole a flag is suspended when any person of extraordinary merit, or one who is very much beloved, ia buried. In the inclosure were two scaffolds erected also, about six feet high and six feet square. Upon one of them were two coffins containing dead bodies. Passed a Sioux village on our rigVit containing fourteen cal>ins. The name of tlie chief is the Petit Corbeau, or Little Raven. The Indians were all absent on a hunting party up t!ie River St. Croix, which is but a little distance across the country from the village. Of this we were very glad, as this band are said to be the most notorious beggars of all the Sioux on the ilississippi. One of their cabins is furnished with loop holes, and is situated so near the water that the opposite side of the river is within musket-shot range from the building. By this means the Petit Corbeau is enabled to exercise a command over the passage of the river and has in some mstances compelled traders to land with their goods, and induced them, probably through fear of offending him, to bestow presents to a considerable amount, before he would suffer them to pass. Tlie cabins are a kind of stockade buildings, and of a better appearance than any Indian dwellings I have before met with.

" Two miles above the village, on the same side of the river, is Carver's Cave, at which we stopped to breakfast. However interesting it may have been, it does not possess that character in a very high degree at present. We descended it witli lighted candles to its lower extremity. The entrance is very low and about eight feet broad, so that a man in order to enter it must be completely prostrate. The angle of descent within the cave is about 2.5 deg. The flooring is an inclined plane of quicksand, formed of the rock in whicli the cavern is formed. Tlie distance from its entrance to its inner extremity is twenty-four paces, and the widtli in the broadest part about nuie, and its greatest height about seven feet. In shape it resembles a bakers's oven. Tlie cavern was once probaljly much more extensive. My interpreter informed me tliat, since his remembrance, the entrance was not less than ten feet high and its length far greater than at present. The rock in wliicli it is formed is a very white sandsUme, so friable tliat the fragments of it ^\ ill almost crumble to sand wlien taken into the hand. A few yards below the mouth of the <'avern is a very copious spring of Due water issuing from the bottom of the cliff.

"Five miles above this is the Fountain Cave, on tlie same side of the river, formed in the same kind of sandstone but of a more pure and fine quality. It is far more curious and interesting than the former. The entrance of the cave is a large winding haU about one hundred and fifty feet in length, fifteen feet in wdth, and from eight to sixteen feet in height, finely arched overhead, and nearly perpendicular. Next succeeds a narrow passage and ditlicult of entrance, which opens into a most beautiful circular room, finely arched above, and about forty feet in diameter. The cavern then contuiues a meanderuig course, expanding occasionally into small rooms of a circular form. We penetrated aliout one hundred and fifty yards, till our candles began to fail us, when we retiu-ned. To beautify and embellish the scene, a fine crystal stream flows tliroiigli the cavern, and cheers the lonesome dark retreat with its enlivening murmurs. The temperature of the water in the cave was 46 deg., and that of the air 60 deg. Entermg this cold retreat from an atmosphere of 89 deg., I thought it not prudent to remain in it long enough to take its several dimensions and meander its courses ; particularly as we had to wade in water to our knees in many places in order to penetrate as far as we went. The fountain supplies an abundance of water as fine as I ever drank. This cavern I was informed by my interpreter, has been discovered but a few years. That the Indians formerly living ui its neighborhood knew nothing of it till within six years past. That it is not the same as that described by Carver is evident, not only from this circiunstance, but also from the circumstance that instead of a stagnant pool, and only one accessible room of a very different form, this cavern has a brook running through it, and at least four rooms in succession, one after the other. Carver's Cave is fast filling up with sand, so that no water is now foimd in it, whereas this, from the very nature of the place, must be enlarging, as the fountain will carry along with its current all the sand that falls into it from the roof and sides of the caN ern."

On the night of the sixteenth, he ai rived at the Falls of Saint .Viithony and encamped on the east shore just below the cataract. He writes in h.ie journal :

Bescription Of Falls Of Saint Anthony

"The place where -we encamped last iii.u'ht needed no embellishment to render it romantic in the liighest degree. The banks on both sides of llic river are about one hundred feet higli. decorated with trees and shrubliery of various kinds. The post oak, Inckory, walnut, linden, sugar tree, wliite birch, and the American box ; also various evergreens, such as the pine, cedar, juniper, etc., added their embellishmenls to the scene. Amongst the sbrnbery were the prickly ash, lilnm. and cherry tree, the gooseberry, the black and red raspberry, the chokeberry. grape vine, etc. There were also various kinds of herbage and llowers, among which were the wild parsley, rue, spikenard, etc.. red and white roses, morning glory and various other handsome flowers. A few yards below us was a beautiful cascade of fine spring water, pouring down from a pi'ojecting precipice about one hundred feet bight. On our left was the Mississippi hurrying through its channel with great velocity, and about three quarters of a mile above us, in plain view, was the majestic ci.taract of the Falls of St. Anthony. The murmuring of the cascade, the roaring of the river, and the thunder of the cataract, all contributed to render the scene the most interestingand maguilicient of any I ever before witnessed."'

perpendicular fall of the water at the cataract, was stated by Pike in his journal, as sixteen and a half feet, which I found to be true by actual measurement. To this heiglit. however, four or five feet may be added for the rajiid descent which immediately succeeds to the jierpendicular fall witliin a few yards below. Innnediately at the cataract the river is divided into two parts by an island which extends considerably above and below the cataract, and is aljout live Innulred yards long. The channel on the right side of the Island is about three times tlie width of that on the left. The qnauity of water passins through them is not, however, in the same proportion, as about one-third part of the whole passes through the left chamiel. In the broadest channel, just below^ the cataract, is a small island also, about fifty yards in length and thirty in breadth. Both of these islands contain the same kind of rocky formation as the banks of the liver. and are nearly as liigh. Besides these, there are immediately at the foot of the cataract, two islands of very inconsiderable size, situated in

Ihe right channel also. The rapids commence several hmi<lred yards aliove the cataract and continue about eight miles lielow. Tlie fall of the water, beginning at llie head of the rapids, and extending two hundred and sixty rods down the rivei' lo wlierc the portage road commences, below the (-ataract is, a<'cordiug to Pike, fiftyeight feet. If this estimate be correct the whole fall from the head to tlie foot of tlic rapids, is not ' imAiably luucli less tlian one hundred feet. But as I had 1111 i[istrument sufficiently accurate to level, where the view nuist necessarily be ])retty extensive, I took no jiaius to ascertain the extent of tlie fall. Tlie mode I adopted to ascertain the height of a cataract, was to suspend a line and iilummet from the table rock on the south side of the river, which at the same time liail very little water passing over it as the river was unusually low. The rocky formations at this place were arranged in the following order, from the surface downward. A coarse kind of limestone in thin strata containing considerable silex; a kind of soft friable stone of a greenish color and slaty fracture, probal)ly containing lime, aluminum and silex ; a very beautifid satratiflcation of shell limestone, in thin plates, extremely regular in its formation and containing a vast number of shells, all apparently of the same kind. This formation constitutes the Table Rock of the cataract. The next in order is a white or yellowish sandstone, so easily crumljled that it deserves the name of a sandbank ratliertlian that of a rock. It is of various deiitlis, from ten to fifty or seventy-five feet, and is of the same character with that found at the caves before described. The next in order is a soft friable sandstone, of a greenish coloi'. similar to that resting upon the shell limestone. These stratifications occupied the wliole space from the low water mark nearly to tlie top of the bluffs. ( )u the east, or rather north side of the river, at the Falls, are high grouuils. at tlie distance of half a mile from the river, considerably more elevated than the bluffs, and of a hilly aspect.

Speaking of tlie bluff at the confluence o. Jie Mississippi and Minnesota, he writes: "A military \v<irk of considerable magnitude might lie constructed on the point, and might be rendered sufficiently secure by occupying the commanding heiulit in the rear in a suitable manner, as the latter would control not only the point, but all the neighboring heights, to the full extent of a twelve pounder's range. The work on the point would be necessary to control the na\'igation of the two rivers. But without the commanding work in the rear, would be liable to be greatly annoyed from a height situated directly opposite on the other side of the Mississippi, whicli is here no more than about two hundred and fifty yards wide. This latter height, however, would not be eligible for a permanent post, on account of the numerous ridges and ravines situated immediately in its rear.''

Ettrly travi-Iers to Lalie Winni[ eg - Earliest Map liy Mn- In.lian Otcliafii - U'-llin's allusion to it - Verendrye's Map - De la Jemoraye's Map - Fort La Roiiio - Fort on Ucd River abandoned - Origin of name Red Lake - Earl of Selkirk - Ossiniboia described - Scotcli immigrants at Pembina - Strife of trading companies- Earl of Selkirk \-isits America - Governor Semple Killed - Romantic life of Jcbii Tanner, and his son James - Letter relative to Selkirk's tour ttirougb Hiiine-

"While there is no evidence that Groselliers, tlit^ first white man who exi)lore(l Minnesota, ever visited Lake "Winnipeg and the Reel River, yet he met the Assineboines at the head of Lake Superior and at Lake Nepigon, while on his way by a northeasterly trail to Hudson's 15ay, and learned something of this region from them.

The first person, of whom we have an account, who visited the region, was an Englishman, who came in 1692, by way of York River, to "Winnipeg.

Ocliagachs, or Otchaga, an intelligent Indian, in 1728, assured Pierre Gualtierde Varenne, known in history as the Sieur Verendrye, while he was stationed at Lake iNepigon, that there was a communication, largely by water, west of Lake Superior, to the Great Sea or Pacific Ocean. The rude map, drawn by this Indian, was sent to France, and is still preserved.' Upon it is marked Kamanistigouia, the fort first established by I)u Luth. Pigeon River is calleil Mautiihavagane. Lac Sasakanaga is marked, and Rainy Lake is named Teeamemiouen. The river St. Louis, of Minnesota, is R. fond du L. Superior. The French geographer, Bellin, in his " Remarks upon the map of North iVmerica," published m 175.J, at Paris, alludes to this sketch of Ochagachs, and says it is the earliest drawing of the region west of Lake Superior, in the Depot de la Marine.

After this "\^erendrye, in 1737, drew a map, which remains unpublished, which shows Red Lake in Northern Minnesota, and the point of the Big AV'oods in the Red River Valley. There is another sketch in th(^ arcliivcs of France, drawn by Dc la Jemeraye. He was a nephew of Verendrye, and, under his uncle's orders, he was ill 1731, the first to advance from the Grand Portage of Lake Siipcrinr, by way of tlie NalaoiiMgan or Groselliers. now Pigeon River, to Rainy Lake. On this appears Fort Rouge, on the south bank of the AssLneboine at its junction with the Red River, and on the Assineboine, a post established on October 3, 1738, and called Fort La Reine. Bellin describes the fort on Red River, but asserts that it was aliandoiied because of its vicinity to Fort La Reine, on the north side of the Assinneboine, and only about nine miles by a ptn-tage, from Swan Lake. Red Lake and Red River were so called by the early French explorers, on account of the reddish tint of the waters after a stm-m.

Thomas Douglas, Earl of Selkirk, a wealthy, kind-hearted but visionary Scotch nobleman, at tlie commencement of the present century formed the design of planting a colony of agriculturists west of Lake Superior. In the year 1811 he obtained a grant of land from the Hudson Bay Company called Ossiniboia, which it seems strange has lieen given up l)y the people of Manitoba. In the autumn of 1812 a few Scotchmen with their families arrived at Pembina, in the Red River Valley, by way of Hudson Bay, where they passed the winter. In tlic winter of 1813-14 they were again at Fort Daer or Pembina. The colonists of Red River were rendered very unhappy by the strife of riv;il trading companies.

In the spring of 1815, McKenzie and Morrison, traders of the Northwest company, at Sandy Lake, told the Ojibway chief there, that they would give him and his band all the goods and nun at Leech or Sandy Lakes, if they would anno\ the Red River settlers.

in the fall of 1815, airived at New York City. Proceeding to Monti-eal he found a messenger who had traveled on foot ui mid-winter from the Bed Eiver by way of Ked Lake and Fou du Lac, of Lake Superior. He sent back by this man, kind messages to the dispirited settlers, bnt one night he was way-laid near Ton du Lac, and robbed of his canoe and dispatches. An O jibway chief at Sandy Lake, aftei-wards testified that a trader named Grant offered him rum and tobacco, to send persons to intercept a bearer of dispatches to Eed Kiver, and soon the messenger was brought in by a negro and some Indians.

Failing to obtain military aid from the British authorities in Canada, Selkirk made an engagement with foiu- officers and eighty privates, of the discharged Meuron regiment, twenty of the De AV^atteville, and a few of the CUengary Fencibles, which had served in the late war with the United States, to accompany him to Red River. They were to receive monthly wages for navigating the boats to Red River, to have lands assigned them, and a free passage if they wished to return.

AVlien he reached Sault St. INIarie, he received the uitelligence that the colony had again been destroyed, and that Semple, a mild, amiable, but not altogether judicious man, the chief governor of the factories and territories of the Hudson Bay company, residing at Red River, had been kiUed.

Before he heard of the death of Semple, the Earl of Selkirk had made arrangements to visit his colony by way of Fon du Lae, on the St. Louis River, and Red Lake of ilinnesota, but he now changed his mind, and proceeded with his force to Fort "NVilUuni, the chief trading post of the Northwest Company on Lake Superior ; and apprehending the piincii)al partners, warrants of comnut incut W(!re issued, and they were forwarded to the Attorney-General of Upper Canada.

AVhile Selkirk was engaged at Fort William, a party of ('iii grants in charge of Miles McDonnel, Governor, and Captain D"Orsomen, Avent forward to reinforce the colony. At Rainy Lake they obtained the guidance of a man who had r.ll the characteristics of an Indian, and yet had a bearing which suggested a different origui. By his efficiency and temperate habits, he had secirred the respect of his employers, and on the Earl of Selkirk's anival at Red River, his attention was called to him, and in his welfare he became deeply interested. By repeated conversations witli him, memories of a different kind of existence were aroused, and the light of other days began to brighten. Though he had forgotten his father's name, lie furnished sufficient data for Selkirk to proceed with a search for his relatives. Visiting the United States in 1817, he published a clfcnlar in the papers of the Western States, which led to the identification of the man.

It appeared from his own statement, and those of his friends, that his name was John Tamier, the son of a minister of the gospel, who, about the year ITiH), lived on tlie Ohio river, near the Miami. Shoi-tly after his location there, a baud of roving Indians passed near the house, and found Jolm Tanner, then a little boy, filling his hat with walnuts from under a tree. They seized him and fled. The party was led by an Ottawa whose wife had lost a sou. To compensate for his death, the mother begged that a boy of the same age might.be captured.

Adopted by the band, Tanner grew up an Indian in his tastes and habits, and was noted for bravery. Selkirk was successful in finding his relatives. After twenty-eight years of separation, John Tanner in 1S18, met his brother Edward near Detroit, and went with him to his home in Missomi. He soon left his brother, and went back to the Indians. For a time he was mterpreter for Henry R. Schoolcraft, but became lazy and ill-natured, and in 1836, skulking behind some buslies, he shot and killed Schoolcraft's brother, and fled to the wilderness, where, in 1847, he died. His son, James, was kindly treatr ed by the missionaries to the Ojibways of Minnesota; but he walked in the footsteps of his father. In the year 185], he attempted to impose upon the Presbyterian muiister in Saint Paul, and, when detected, called upon the Baptist minister, who, believuig him a penitent, cut a hole in the ice, and received liim into the church by inunersion. In time, the Baptists found hl:n out, when he became an Unitarian missionary, and, at last, it is said, met a death by violence.

during the siiinmor of 1817, and on the eighteenth of July concluded a treaty witli the Crees and Saulteaux, i\n- a trad of land beginning at the inontli of the Red Hiver, and extending along the same as far as the Great Forks (now Grand Forks) at the mouth of Red Lake River, and along the Assinniboine Riveras far as JMusk Rat River, and extending to the distance of six miles from Fort IJonglas on every side, and likewise from Fort Daer (Pembina) and also from the Great Forks, iuid in other parts extending to the distance of two miles from the banks of the said rivers.

Having restored order and confidence, attended by three or four jiersons he crossed the plains to the jMiunesota River, and from thence proceeded to St. Louis. The Indian agent at Prairie du Chien was not pleased with Selkirk's trip through Minnesota; and on the sixth of February, 1818, wrote the (4overnor of Illinois imder excitement, some groundless suspicions :

-' ^Miat do you suppose, sir, has been the result of the passage through my agency of this British nobleman? Two entire bands, and part of a third, all Sioux, have deserted us and joined Dickson, who has distributed to them large quantities of Indian presents, together with flags, medals, etc. Knowing this, what must have been my feelings on hearing that his lordship had met with a favourable reception at St. Louis. The newspapers announcing his nmval, unci general Scotti!<Ii ajijiearance, all tend to diseomiiose me ; believuig as I do, that he is plotting with his friend Dickson our destruction - sharpening the savage scalping knife, and colonizing a tract of country, so'remote as that of the Red River, for the purpose, no doubt, of monopolizing the fur and peltry trade of this river, the JNIissonri and their waters; a trade of the first importance to our States and Territories. A courier who had arrived a few days since, confirms the belief that Dickson is endeavouring to undo what I have done, and secure to the British government the affections of the Sioux, and stxbject the Xorthwest Company to his lordship. * * *

Dickson, as I have before observed, is situated near the head of the St. Peter's, to which place he trans]iorls his goods from Selkirk's Red River establishment, in carts nuiile for the purpose. The trip is performed in live days, sometimes less. Tie is directed to build a fort on the highest land between Lac du Traverse and Red River, which he supiHises will lie tlie established lines. This fort will be defended by twenty men, with two small pieces of artillery."

In the year 1820, at Berne, Switzerland, a circular was issued, signed, R. May D'Uzistorf, Captain, in his Britannic Majesty's service, and agent Plenipotentiary to Lord Selkirk. Like m;.iiy documents to induce emigration, it was so highly colored as to prove a delusion ami a snare. The climate was represented as '- mild and healthy." " "Wood either for building or fuel in the greatest plenty,'' and llie coiuitiy supplying "in profusion, whatever can be required for the convenience, pleasuii' or comfort of life." Remarkalile statements considering that every green thing had been devoured the year before by grasshoppers.

Under the influence of these statements, a number were induced to embark. In tlie si>ring of 18121, about two Innidred jicrsons assembled on the banks of the Rhine to jiroceed to the region west of Lake Superior. Having descended tlie Rhine to the vicinity of liotterdam, tliey went aboard the ship "Lord Wellington,"" and after a voyage across the Atlantic, and amid the icefloes of Hudson's Bay, they reached York Fort. Here they debarked, an<! entering batteaux, ascended Nelson River for twenty days, when they came to Lake "Winnipeg, and coasting along the west shore they reached the Red River i>f the ]S,'ortli, to feel that they had been deluded, and to long for a milder clime. If they did not sing the Switzer"s Song of Ili)nie, they apiireciatcd its sentiments, and gradually these imnugrants removed to the banks of the ^lississippi River. Some settled in Minnesota, and were the first to raise cattle, and till the soil.