More Misc.
Duncan Cameron
Lake of the Island
Mar.28,1804
"Sir,
Having met with Mr. Whitford, one of your Officers I was loth to Slip such
an Opportunity without doing myself the pleasure to address you with the
few lines following from which /by the by/ you'll receive but very little
entertainment as I am in the possession of nothing new to aquaint you with
or to make my letter worth reading. a Baren Soil, Excluded from Society is
never productive of materials for an entertaining Epistolary Correspondence
If I was to give you a discription of the poverty of this place in
respect to trade it would be both unentertaining and unnecessary as I have
no doubt but the Beaver hereof will give you a very ample discription on
that Subject
There is a Swarm of poor people emigrated from different parts of
Scotland this two years past. France, has been turned upside down by
Democratic principals and the Highlands of Scotland are like to be
revolutionized by the Spirit of Averice. Indeed it is the same spirit with
that of France. Operating (thank God) in a different manner the
unprincipaled of France destroyed the Rich in order to plunder them and the
unprincipaled Rich in the Highlands Squeeze & Starve the poor in order to
get more money. Bad however as those rich are we have to thank providence
that the more numerous Classe of Society had it not in their power to give
the law to the rest? and it is better for themselves as well as the
Nations, that they are obliged to make a Shift for a Livelihood in Canada
and other parts of America rather than dispossess by strong hand the lawful
proprietors at Home and turn matters in their turn as over the case in
miserable France.
By the time that this reaches you the Ship from Europe will be nigh
making the appearance and will give you all the news whether good or bad
piping hot so that unless I Spin news of my Brain as the Spider spins the
Web out of his Body I must be totally silent on the subject and my own
conjectures on the Aspect? of affairs in Europe and America last year are
not worth Communicating besides your Arrival from England is latter than we
had when I left Lake Superior therefore I have only to add that I am with
esteem
Sir
Your most obediant servant
Duncan Cameron"
On June 16, 1816 the Battle/Massacre of Seven Oaks occurred. 20 HBC men died and 1 NWC man. This was on James Bird's mind as he wrote the next letter on his way
from York Factory to Carlton House(Saskatchewan). Magnus Spence was my 4th
great-grandfather.
Oct.16 1816 James Bird, somewhere near Oxford House. Reel number 1M19
" At 1PM I embarked and proceeded on till 3PM when the wind once more
obliged us to land near the first rocky point.
"About 12AM I met my Son James who was detained last May, a prisoner, by
Mr Alexander McDonnell because he had said that if the North West Company
made any Attack on the Settlement where he was, that he would himself kill
three or four of the Canadian Half Breeds.
"George Sinclair and Germain Macheneux, sent by Mr.Sutherland from Swan
River to inform me of a piece of Important News which he has heard there.
"According to this News (which is so strongly corroborated as to appear
to have some foundation in truth) Lord Selkirk about the 20th of August
last, took pofsefsion of Fort William, made seven proprietors, three Clerks
and a great number of Canadians prisoners and prevented any Canoes of the
North West Company proceeding to Red River.
"Two Half-Breeds, Alexander Fraser and Primo (who were made Prisoners
but who succeeded in making their escape) brought an account of this event
to Red River with a Report that Lord Selkirk had left Miles McDonnell Esq.
with sixty soldiers to keep pofsefsion and was himself on his way with
sixty more, and Men to work them, to Red River, at which place Alexander
McDonnell had lately arrived and had distributed a Canoe load of Goods
among the Half Breeds for their 'Meritorious' Exploits in the Months of May
and June last.
"John Spence (a native) son of Magnus Spence was at Red River (to which
place he had gone to fetch away his Father who remained there last spring)
at the same time this alarming news was brought to McDonnell who as soon as
pofsible reengaged all the Half Breeds and Canadians who were near him,
added to them eighteen Bungees, which together amounted to sixty men and
with this band of Savages set off, as he told Spence, to intercept Lord
Selkirk and his party and take them prisoners or destroy them; or retake
Fort William; but, said McDonnell If I should not be able to recover our
Fort I will return and destroy all the Hudson's Bay Company Settlements
without pity to those of any age or Sex that I may find at them, and don't
let me catch you ( he said to Spence) at Upper Swan River for if I do I
will have no mercy on you.
"McDonnell accordingly left Red River with his horrid band in two
Canoes and one Boat with three Flags flying, singing war songs and uttering
the most hideous Yells and Shrieks. such are the Allies and horrid
Instruments which the North West Company have dared in defiance of all laws
and the common feeling of human nature to employ for the destructon of
their Countrymen and fellow subjects and to such a degree of brutality has
the cruel policy of that Company reduced in one short year, many young Men
(of the Halfbreeds) who before that period had conducted themselves with
propriety and abhorred the Idea of murdering a white man, but who now as
they were about to embark, said, with a mixture of boasting and contempt,
in Spence's hearing, that they were going to kill some more english flesh
for their Dogs which were hungary!! This they said with reference to a
circumstance in itself sufficient to call forth the public indignation
against Alexander McDonnell and the North West Company, which is, the Dogs,
about the Forts of the Forks having dug or attempted to dig up the bodies
of the Men who were so cruelly butchered last Spring."
1M19 B.27/a/6
James Bird was still on his way to Carlton House when he stopped at
"Upper Nippoe" and visited the father of the NWC man that was killed.
Dec.14 1816
" The Canadian Master of this place, Battoch, is father of the young
Halfbreed who was killed in Red River. Having heard that the old Gentleman
always disapproved of his Sons' joining in that affair and that he had
reproved Mr. Hughes, even in the hearing of our people with all the
bitternefs of parental grief, for having occaisoned the death of his Son, I
sent for him with a view of ascertaining his real sentiments regarding that
event and of the cause in which his son had fallen. He did not sit long
before he adverted to the subject in Question loading Mefsers Hughes and
Halden with the severest reproaches. It was THEM said the old Man with
great warmth who deprived me of my Son; By flattering promises and artful
insinuations they induced him for the first time in his life to disregard
my advice and to act in direct opposition to my wishes; I never, continued
he, would consent to his going to Red River because I believe the businefs
he was to be engaged in to be both cruel and unjust, a sufficient proof of
which was, the Northwest Proprietors themselves refraining from taking a
part in it. Who was it, he exclaimed, that sent for my Son? Mr. Alexander
McDonnell and Mr. Duncan Cameron I answered. it is on one of those if I
ever see them, said he, that I will be revenged. I praised the old
Gentlemans discernment and liberality and afsured him that the day is not
far distant when he will have reason to congratulate himself for having
acted with such regard to the duties of a civilized being and for having
scorned to be made a wretched tool of the Northwest Company.
" He seemed pleased, said that it was true he had not the advantages of
education but that he had sense enough to know right from wrong, and that
he early formed a determination to commit no action that he thought unjust;
and this determination I have always adhered to, said he, in spite of
several solicitations from the Northwest Company to act otherwise; and for
the truth of this, continued he, I may appeal to yourself. It is but just
to Battoch to say that tho' he has always exerted himself for his employers
with the greatest activity and the deepest interest I never heard of his
having at any time acted in an unjustifiable manner.
" Here then I believe is a proof of certain Partners of the Northwest
Company having, to serve their own cruel purposes, induced young Men to act
in direct opposition to the will of their parents whom they have loaded
with sorrow or involved in their guilt."
1M19 B.27/a/6
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HBCA microfilm numbers:
Reel 1M257 B.239/b/69