The Romantic Settlement of Lord Selkirk's Colonists: The Pioneers of ManitobaBryce, George
History
The Romantic Settlement of Lord Selkirk's Colonists: The Pioneers of Manitoba
Bryce, George
Red River Settlement
"Grant told me that Governor Semple was not mortally wounded by the shot
he received, but that his thigh was broken. He said that he spoke to the
Governor after he was wounded, and had been asked by him to have him
taken to the Fort, and as he was not mortally wounded he thought he
might perhaps live. Grant said he could not take him himself as he had
something else to do, but that he would send some person to convey him
on whom he might depend, and that he left him in charge of a
French-Canadian and went away; but that almost directly after he had
left him, an Indian, who, he said, was the only rascal they had, came up
and shot him in the breast, and killed him on the spot.
"The Bois-brules, who very seldom paint or disguise themselves, were on
this occasion painted as I have been accustomed to see the Indians at
their war-dance; they were very much painted, and disguised in a hideous
manner. They gave the war-whoop when they met Governor Semple and his
party; they made a hideous noise and shouting. I know from Grant, as
well as from other Bois-brules, and other settlers, that some of the
Colonists had been taken prisoners. Grant told me that they were taken
to weaken the Colony, and prevent its being known that they were
there--they having supposed that they had passed the Fort unobserved.
"Their intention clearly was to pass the Fort. I saw no carts, though I
heard they had carts with them. I saw about five of the settlers
prisoners in the camp at Frog Plain. Grant said to me further: 'You see
we have had but one of our people killed, and how little quarter we have
given you. Now, if Fort Douglas is not given up with all the public
property instantly and without resistance, man, women and child will be
put to death.' He said the attack would be made upon it that night, and
if a single shot were fired, that would be a signal for the
indiscriminate destruction of every soul. I was completely satisfied
myself that the whole would be destroyed, and I besought Grant, whom I
knew, to suggest or let them try and devise some means to save the women
and children. I represented to him that they could have done no harm to
anybody, whatever he or his party might think the men had. I entreated
him to take compassion on them. I reminded him that they were his
father's country-women and in his deceased father's name, I begged him
to take pity and compassion on them and spare them.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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