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Updated: May 7, 2025
When cheered by this prospect, the information reached us, that a party of Sioux Indians were on their way to the Settlement. As their intentions in visiting us were not known, and being apprehensive that more blood would be shed by the Saulteaux if they came down to Fort Douglas, it was resolved that two boats should be manned to prevent if possible their proceeding any farther than Pembina.
All their braves are cowards, on the same dead level of stupidity, and their women are are nothing, fit for nothing, can do nothing, and must soon come to nothing! What then? The duty of Cree warriors lies before us. We will drive the Saulteaux into Lake Winnipeg and the Palefaces off the face of the earth altogether! Waugh!"
They fell upon four lodges belonging to the Saulteaux, who had encamped near Fond du Lac, Lake Superior, and which contained the wives and children of about twelve men, who were at that time absent a hunting; and immediately killed and scalped the whole party, except one woman and two or three of the children.
Her husband was a chief, and when he died, she, at the request of her people, took his position, and has maintained it ever since." She had heard from some fur-hunters about our having come to live in the land of the Saulteaux. She had also heard of the wonderful book we had, which was the word of the Great Spirit; and this too, had excited her curiosity.
Here there was a very decided "Waugh!" as though to say, "Ay, that's the question," and then a solemn pause for more during which the man with the cold drew the reins very tight. "How does he begin to do us good?" proceeded the orator. "By entering into an agreement with us for the use of our lands and asking our enemies the Saulteaux to take part in that agreement!"
All the Indians were, at first, kindness itself to the new comers, and they showed great willingness to supply food to the hungry settlers, and to assist them in transfer and in taking possession of their own homes. The Saulteaux Indians while active and helpful were really intruders among the Crees, a great Indian nation, who in language and blood were their relations.
Explanations were speedily exchanged, and our fugitives learned that news had been carried to the Settlement of the approach of the very band of Saulteaux whom they had encountered, and a band of fiery young men, led by Dechamp, had come out to meet them for the purpose of asking them whether they meant their visit to be friendly, or whether they wished to measure their strength with the men of Red River; as, if so, a sample had come out for the express purpose of accommodating them!
It is the glory of the North American Indian to steal upon his enemies like a fox, to attack like a tiger, and flee after the attack like a bird. The Indians were not seen any more till after the Sioux had left the settlement, who went away murmuring, that powder and ball had been given, as they said, at the Fort, to the Saulteaux, to kill them.
To effect this he brought together at Fort Douglas a body of chiefs who represented the Cree and Saulteaux nations. The Indian chiefs made eloquent speeches. Selkirk's desire was to obtain as much on each bank of these streams for the length agreed upon as could be seen under a horse's belly towards the horizon, or approximately two miles, and the Indians agreed.
Making a very feeble resistance just enough, in short, to deceive he begged for mercy in soft, rather tremulous and very abject tones. True, his language was English at least that sort of English to which the mountaineers of Scotland are addicted but he trusted to the tone and manner of his speech, not to the sense, which Saulteaux, he knew, could not be expected to understand.
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