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"'This Transaction Happened A Long Long Time Ago.
I am now a very old
man - I was then in the prime and vigour of manhood.
We were taken by
surprise when, all of a sudden, those who came before, disembarked. We
had not been apprised of the coming of the foreigners - when they
landed, we were greatly surprised and wondered what they meant. We were
in this neighbourhood at the time. They only spoke among themselves,
while the agents of the North-west Company were here. We did not know
what it meant, when they asked the North-westers into the plain. As
soon as they were done speaking among themselves the cannons were
fired. We said, "What can it mean? It must be some great affair." The
apparent harmony of the two Companies did not last long. The same
summer differences arose which led to fighting: they fought twice that
summer. We wondered at their proceedings - meeting in friendly council
together, and then, immediately after, taking each others' lives!
"'As soon as the fighting was over, the report came that Lord Selkirk
had arrived at Fort William. The ensuing winter, I called together all
the Indians round here - those at Red Lake, at the Manitobah, and at the
mouth of the Red River; I also invited the Crees on the Upper
Assiniboine. "Come," said I - "assemble here - come and listen - this
great man cannot be coming for nothing." A large multitude had gathered
here early in the spring, when the Earl arrived with 30 canoes.
"'The day after he arrived, about noon, he sent for us. There were many
of us, and we all left our tents at his call, and marched to the place
of conference. There lay before us six kegs. He said - "Friends, I
salute you." Immediately after the salutations, a day was fixed for a
Council. Two personages were appointed to meet us. On the day named,
one gentleman arrived, the other did not. He said - "Let us do without
him who did not come." But the other soon came.
"'As soon as we had taken our seats, he said - "Friends, I have come to
ask you about the lands, if you will give them to me. I do not want
much - give what you choose. Will you give me as far from the river as
you can distinguish the belly of a horse? It is to put settlers here -
people far off, who have misery in their own country. This is why I
want it. They will not trespass upon or spoil your lands that you
retain outside of the limits I have named. I wish to put inhabitants
upon it to cultivate the soil. I will endeavour to make the country
like my own country. If I succeed in accomplishing what I intend, there
will be merchants and traders from one end of the Settlement to the
other, who will furnish you with goods. They will be at a little
distance from each other, and you will have a chance of seeking out the
best places for trading. All this I will do, if we can arrange about
the land."
"'We were five Chiefs. I represented this district, the other Chiefs,
other districts. The Earl said to me - "Speak you first - how much land
will you give me?" I said - "I will speak last: let the others speak
before me." KITCHE OTTAWA (Grand Courte-Oreille) spoke first. He
mentioned Riviere aux Rose Aux. The Earl made no reply to this;
whereupon the Chief mentioned as far as Pembina. The Earl said - Yes.
Then he appealed to Mahkatayihkoonaya, Le Grand Noir, and asked
what he would give. He said, from Pembina to Red Lake. Then he
turned to La Robe Noir, who said as far as Portage Laprairie. At
this the gentlemen hummed among themselves for a little, and the end
was a question from the Earl. Is there no stream about there which you
could mention as a limit? Mahkatayihkoonayai replied - Yes, there is la
Riviere Champignon, a little beyond. The Earl said - There, that will be
the limit. Then he asked Senna the Cree Chief, who said - No, I do not
want agriculturists, I only want traders! The Earl said - Do you think
you will ever see your trader again? (referring to the North-West
Company). Never: he (the N. W. Co.) has done a bad thing - he has killed
people. The Earl added - Then you do not wish to get a load of powder, a
knife or a steel from settlers? Well, work diligently at the
furs, and you will find a trader (meaning the H. B. Co.). The nobleman
then said to me - Your turn, speak. I said - This is my place. How much
will you give me for the part between this and the Rapids? I will then
go below that. He said - a little further down, if you will. I replied -
Yes, I will give you to the bend of the river above Sugar Point. That
point I like very much - I cannot part with it - it is for my children.
This satisfied the Earl, and he said further - Fear not: the people I
plant here will not trouble your wild animals - they will merely work the
soil. If they pass beyond the two-miles limit, do not allow them: they
have no right there. At present we cannot conclude the arrangement, for
I have nothing to pay you with. Let us leave the matter as it stands. I
will come back, and then we will close the negociations. I am in a
hurry, and cannot remain longer, but I will be sure to return. I want
to go to the States and get cattle, that we may eat. That is the meat
we eat. Perhaps even you may desire to get some of our
cattle when you see them with the inhabitants here. But before I leave,
I would like to give you something in consideration of the arrangement,
which is to be made when I come back.
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