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C H A P T E R IV.
THE HALF- BREED SCRIP COMMISSION.
T H E adjustment with the half- breeds depended, of course,
upon a successful treaty with the Indians, and, this having
been concluded, the latter at once, upon receipt of their payments,
left for their forests and fisheries, leaving the half-breeds
i n f u l l possession of the field.
It was estimated that over a hundred families were
encamped around us, some i n tepees, some in tents, and some
i n the open air, the w i l l ow copses to the north affording
shelter, as w e l l , to a few doubtful members of Slave Lake
society, and to at least a thousand dogs. The " scrip tent,"
as it was called, a large marquee fitted up as an office, had
been pitched w i t h the other tents when the camp was made,
and i n this the half- breeds held a crowded meeting to talk
over the terms, and to collate their own opinions as to the
f o rm of scrip issue they most desired. In this they were
s i n g u l a r l y unanimous, and, i n spite of advice to the contrary
urged upon them i n the strongest maner by Father Lacombe,
they agreed upon " the b i r d in the hand "— viz., upon cash
scrip or nothing. This could be r e a d i l y turned into money,
for i n the t r a i n of traders, etc., who followed up the treaty
payments, there were also buyers from Winnipeg and
Edmonton, well supplied w i t h cash, to purchase all the scrip
that offered, at a great reduction, of course, from face value.
Whether the half- breeds were wise or foolish it is needless
to say. One t h i n g was p l a i n , they had made up their minds.
I ' n d e r the circumstances it was impossible to gainsay their
assertion that they were the best judges of their own needs.
A8
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| Title | Page 78 |
| OCR | C H A P T E R IV. THE HALF- BREED SCRIP COMMISSION. T H E adjustment with the half- breeds depended, of course, upon a successful treaty with the Indians, and, this having been concluded, the latter at once, upon receipt of their payments, left for their forests and fisheries, leaving the half-breeds i n f u l l possession of the field. It was estimated that over a hundred families were encamped around us, some i n tepees, some in tents, and some i n the open air, the w i l l ow copses to the north affording shelter, as w e l l , to a few doubtful members of Slave Lake society, and to at least a thousand dogs. The " scrip tent," as it was called, a large marquee fitted up as an office, had been pitched w i t h the other tents when the camp was made, and i n this the half- breeds held a crowded meeting to talk over the terms, and to collate their own opinions as to the f o rm of scrip issue they most desired. In this they were s i n g u l a r l y unanimous, and, i n spite of advice to the contrary urged upon them i n the strongest maner by Father Lacombe, they agreed upon " the b i r d in the hand "— viz., upon cash scrip or nothing. This could be r e a d i l y turned into money, for i n the t r a i n of traders, etc., who followed up the treaty payments, there were also buyers from Winnipeg and Edmonton, well supplied w i t h cash, to purchase all the scrip that offered, at a great reduction, of course, from face value. Whether the half- breeds were wise or foolish it is needless to say. One t h i n g was p l a i n , they had made up their minds. I ' n d e r the circumstances it was impossible to gainsay their assertion that they were the best judges of their own needs. A8 |
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