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T R E A T Y A T L E S S E R S L A V E L A K E 65
for Fort Dunvegan and St. John, whilst M r . L a i r d set out
shortly afterwards for V e r m i l i o n and Fond du Lac, on Lake
Athabasca. He reached Peace River Crossing on the 30th,
and met there, next day, a few Beaver Indians and the Crees
of the region. The Beaver chief, who was present, did not
adhere, saying that his band was at Fort Dunvegan, and
that he could not get there i n time. The date of the St. John
Treaty had been fixed for the 21st of June, but, owing to
the detentions described, the appointment could not be kept,
and word was therefore sent to the Indians to stay where
they were until they could be met. But when the Commissioners
were within twenty- five miles of the Fort they got
a letter from the Hudson's Bay Company's agent telling
them that the Indians had eaten up all the provisions there,
and had left for their hunting- grounds, with no hope of their
coming together again that season. They therefore returned
to Fort Dunvegan, and took the adhesion of some Beaver
Indians, and then left for Lower Peace River. On the 8th
J u l y , M r . L a i r d secured the adhesion of the Crees and
Beavers at Fort Vermilion, and Messrs. Ross and McKenna
of those at L i t t l e R e d River, the headman there refusing to
sign at first because, he said, " he had a divine inspiration
to the contrary " ! This was followed by adhesions taken by
the latter Commissioners, on the 13th, from the Crees and
Chipewyans at Fort Chipewyan.
" Here i t was," M r . M c K e n n a writes me, " that the chief
asked for a railway— the first time i n the history of Canada
that the red man demanded as a condition of cession that
steel should be l a i d into his country. He evidently understood
the transportation question, for a railway, he said, by
bringing them into closer connection with the market, would
enhance the value of what they had to sell, and decrease the
cost of what they had to buy. He had a striking object-lesson
i n the fact that flour was $ 12 a sack at the Fort.
These Chipewyans lost no time i n flowery oratory, but came
at once to business, and kept us, myself i n particular, on
5
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| Title | Page 75 |
| OCR | T R E A T Y A T L E S S E R S L A V E L A K E 65 for Fort Dunvegan and St. John, whilst M r . L a i r d set out shortly afterwards for V e r m i l i o n and Fond du Lac, on Lake Athabasca. He reached Peace River Crossing on the 30th, and met there, next day, a few Beaver Indians and the Crees of the region. The Beaver chief, who was present, did not adhere, saying that his band was at Fort Dunvegan, and that he could not get there i n time. The date of the St. John Treaty had been fixed for the 21st of June, but, owing to the detentions described, the appointment could not be kept, and word was therefore sent to the Indians to stay where they were until they could be met. But when the Commissioners were within twenty- five miles of the Fort they got a letter from the Hudson's Bay Company's agent telling them that the Indians had eaten up all the provisions there, and had left for their hunting- grounds, with no hope of their coming together again that season. They therefore returned to Fort Dunvegan, and took the adhesion of some Beaver Indians, and then left for Lower Peace River. On the 8th J u l y , M r . L a i r d secured the adhesion of the Crees and Beavers at Fort Vermilion, and Messrs. Ross and McKenna of those at L i t t l e R e d River, the headman there refusing to sign at first because, he said, " he had a divine inspiration to the contrary " ! This was followed by adhesions taken by the latter Commissioners, on the 13th, from the Crees and Chipewyans at Fort Chipewyan. " Here i t was," M r . M c K e n n a writes me, " that the chief asked for a railway— the first time i n the history of Canada that the red man demanded as a condition of cession that steel should be l a i d into his country. He evidently understood the transportation question, for a railway, he said, by bringing them into closer connection with the market, would enhance the value of what they had to sell, and decrease the cost of what they had to buy. He had a striking object-lesson i n the fact that flour was $ 12 a sack at the Fort. These Chipewyans lost no time i n flowery oratory, but came at once to business, and kept us, myself i n particular, on 5 |
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