and no liquor given to induce trade, but an amicable arrangement was made between the North-West and Hudson's Bay companies whereby strife, for a while, ceased, and the Indians were obliged to pay for whatever they received. But this happy condition did not continue to exist, as we shall see later. It was bad enough before. October 6, 1805, the Hudson's Bay Company built their new post at Pembina, and Alexander Henry, in carrying out the new policy, immediately made a division of the Indians, giving the Hudson's Bay Company, Tabishaw and other troublesome Indians among their portion, and thereupon refused to make the usual distribution of liquors; being determined that they should not taste a drop while they lay around the fort idle, but gave them credit for many necessary articles. Some flattered, some threatened, and others caressed him; still others declared that they would not hunt, but to no purpose, they were still refused. "With no X. Y. to spoil and support them in idleness, we obliged them to pay their debts," wrote Mr. Henry, "and not a drop was given them at the fort." CHANGE IN MANAGERS Mr. Henry was succeeded for a short time at Fort Pembina by Mr. Charles McKenzie, and then by Mr. John Wills. John Tanner in his Narrative says, relative to his experience with the latter, that Mr. Wills called the Indians together, and giving them a ten-gallon keg of rum and some tobacco, told them that thereafter he would not credit them to the value of a needle, but would give them whatever was necessary for their convenience and comfort in exchange for whatever they had to sell. He not only refused them credit, but in many instances abused the Indians for asking it. Tanner was ordered away from the fort because he asked for the accommodation which had hitherto been extended him, and in his distress for the necessaries of life, he went to the Hudson's Bay Company's agent, and was given the credit desired. When he brought in his peltries Mr. Wills forcibly took possession of them, and threatened to kill him when he demanded them, and did draw a pistol on him when he came to recover them and turn them over to the Hudson's Bay Company, pursuant to his agreement. OUTLYING POSTS WITHDRAWN The winter of 1805-06 the opposition having dropped out, there was no longer reason to keep up outlying posts. Henry's return of the catch at Fort Pembina that season embraced 776 beaver skins, 74 bear, 533 wolf, 276 fox, 63 raccoon, 140 fisher, 102 otter, 271 marten and 141 mink. One year later the Hudson's Bay Company reestablished its trading house at Pembina, in charge of Hugh Heney, who arrived at the post September 12, 1807, with two boats from Hudson Bay for the Hudson's Bay Company. Mr. Heney extended the usual credits to worthy Indians, notwithstanding the previous understanding with Alexander Henry. The population of the Red River country in 1807, not in the employ of the fur companies, aside from Indians, numbered forty-five, known as "freemen." On September 12, 1807, the post at Grand Forks was reestablished by Alex Vol. I-4 ander Henry's sending his cousin, William Henry and seven men there from Fort Pembina. A week later, on September 19th, Hugh Heney sent a boat and a skiff and six men to Grand Forks to establish a Hudson's Bay Company post at that point. ANARCHY AND HOSTILITY The spring of 1808 opened at Fort Pembina upon scenes brutal and lawless in the extreme, but so familiar had these crimes become to Alexander Henry that in his journal he briefly alludes to the murder of an Indian by his wife, and to a disturbance on that day, when the Indians in camp at the fort used some kegs of high wines that had been given them by William Henry, then in charge of the fort, and as a parting treat a ten-gallon keg of alcohol, gratis. Chief Porcupine's son was murdered, receiving fifteen stabs from a relative, and Mr. Henry observes: "Murders among these people are so frequent that we pay little attention to them. The only excuse is that they were drunk." A NIGHT ATTACK The fort at Pembina was attacked by a party of 200 Sioux at midnight of July 22, 1808. There were then twenty-two men bearing arms, fifty women and many children encamped in the vicinity. Alexander Henry defended the fort with the men encamped outside, nine men inside, and a mortar loaded with one pound of powder and thirty balls, which had recently been added to the equipment. At the hour of attack the Indians had been drinking heavily, and were generally asleep in their tents. Their arms were in the fort and the gates were closed, but when roused they clambered over the stockade and secured their arms, hurrying the women and children into the fort. The piece when in action was aimed in the direction where the Sioux could be plainly heard addressing their men, and no such noise as its roar had ever been heard on the Red River before. The balls clattered through the tree tops and some took effect, for the lamentations of the Sioux for their fallen comrades could be distinctly heard. For a few moments only the firing continued and the Sioux were next heard at some distance, then farther off, farther and farther. About sunrise they could be dimly discerned filing away to the southward. Their pursuers found the stain of blood where the Sioux were first heard, and evidence of a hasty retreat. On the spot where they put on their war bonnets and adjusted their accoutrements, making ready for the assault, upwards of one hundred old shoes were found; also some scalps, remnants of leather and buffalo robes, saddle cloths, pieces of old saddles, paunches and bladders of water for their journey and a lone grave on the prairie where one of their dead had been left. The loss at the fort was one dog killed by the Sioux shots. POSTS ON THE RED RIVER The furs sent from the Red River posts in 1808 included 696 beaver skins, 161 black bear, 956 marten, 196 mink, 168 otter, 118 fisher, 46 raccoon. There were also shipped 3,159 pounds of maple sugar. The provisions consumed at Fort Pembina by the party of that year, consisted, among other things, of 147 buffalo (63,000 pounds), 6 deer, 4 bears, 775 sturgeon (weighing from 50 to 150 pounds each), 1,150 other fish, 140 pounds of pounded meat and 325 bushels of potatoes. Alexander Henry was ordered August 3, 1808, to the Saskatchewan, to take charge of that district (where he lived three years) and in a few days bade farewell to the Red River, after sixteen winters among the Chippewa. He was drowned in the Columbia River near St. George, May 22, 1814, on the way in a small boat from St. George to board a vessel called the Isaac Tod, which lay at anchor outside the bar at the mouth of the river. The post at Pembina, seized by Governor Robert Semple, March 30, 1816, was maintained until 1823. Charles Hesse and Alexander Fraser were there when it was taken over by the Hudson's Bay Company. CHARLES HESSE Charles Hesse was a clerk in the employ of the North-West Company at Grand Portage in 1779, and is mentioned in connection with Red River matters by Henry, October 16, 1801, when he and his young wife arrived at Red Lake. On February 22, 1804, they went to Red Lake for maple sugar. September 18th Hesse left Pembina with eight men to reestablish the post at Park River, which was accomplished the first of October. At the same time Augustin Cadotte reopened trade at Salt River, to oppose the X. Y. Company. In one of the battles between the Sioux and Chippewa, Hesse's property was destroyed and all his family were killed, except a daughter, who was taken prisoner by the Sioux. Hesse invaded the camp alone in the hope of effecting her rescue, and the Sioux had such great admiration for his bravery that they gave him an opportunity to redeem her. He succeeded in raising a considerable sum for that purpose from his fellow traders, but his daughter refused to go with her white father, preferring her dusky Sioux warrior who had treated her kindly. EARLY TRAFFIC ON THE RED RIVER There was traffic of considerable importance on the Red River in these early days. Some of the ladings by the North-West Company from Pembina in 1808, bound for the mouth of the Assiniboine and Mouse rivers, were as follows: A long boat-Angus McDonald, Charles Larocque, Pierre Martin, Jean Baptiste Lambert, 282 bags of pemmican, I bag potatoes, 42 kegs of grease, 2 kegs of gum, 224 pieces, 2 pair of cart wheels, I leather tent, I oilcloth tent, I cow (buffalo, slaughtered), bark and wattap (for repairing canoe). A boat-Joseph Lambert, Pierre Vandle, Antoine Lapointe, 2 kegs of gum, 5 kegs of grease, 107 pieces, I bag potatoes, I pair cart wheels, I leather tent, I oilcloth tent, I cow. A Lake Winnipeg canoe-Houle (may be Francois) Charbonneau, Fleury, Suprennant, 21 bags pemmican, I keg of potatoes, 3 kegs of grease, 24 pieces, I buffalo. A canoe-André Beauchemin, Joseph Bourree, 20 packs, W. W. 2, 13 bags of pemmican, I bag of potatoes, 3 kegs of grease, 36 pieces, I buffalo. A canoe-Angus Brisbois, Jean Baptiste Larocque, Jean Baptiste Demerais, 20 packs, W. W. 2, 9 taureaux, 3 kegs or grease, 2 bags of potatoes, 32 packs and McD.'s baggage, 2 bales of meat, I buffalo. A canoe-Louis Demerais, Joseph Plante, Cyrile Paradis, Michael Damphouse, 10 packs, W. W. 2, 2 kegs of grease, 2 bags of potatoes, 12 pieces and Henry's baggage, 2 buffalo and 4 bales of meat. L. L. canoe-Charles Bottineau, Jervis (Gervais) Assiniboine, 22 kegs of grease, I bag of potatoes, 10 bags of potatoes, 32 pieces, 1 buffalo. S. canoe Antoine Larocque, Bonhomme Menteur, 10 kegs of grease, I bag potatoes, I cow. |