Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1817-01-02


Iiimselfbeen forsometime in this country
when, on the 10th OF June, 1916, the set
tlement was again attacked and totally
destroyed, the governor andtwenty OF the
settlers were killed. When the news of
this reached the fort of lake Superior,
lord Sclkirk was himself, with two COM
panIes ofmen i'll his employ principally
from DE Nemons yeeime,it) at the Sam ~.
8larys, mhere Tie rataajte dep,ts Of ,tar, Of
tie No,th-resteiu Company are established.
His men insisted on making Immediate
reDrisals on the Northwest they deter
mined to burn the valuable furs and other
property. and seize Sc eral vessels then
living in the river, and with them to sail
and capture Fort William, which belongs
TO the Northwest Company.
But the forbearance OF Lord SelkIrh for
babe this, and after much difficulty, he
paciiled them Since which lie proceed
ed on towards his settlement, and il APP
pears on his way seized some agents OF the
North West Company and sent them TO
Montreal for trial.
In this affair it is astonishing that the
British government should suffer this spe-
cies of warfare, carried on by the subjects
of that crown, without interference.
In Selkirk's conduct there is much to
admire. After seeing his great exertIons
To an,etiora,e tie condition of hiS co"it,ymen
thus blasted, and his fayorte object des-
troyed, he still retained sufficient mode
ration to prevent his enraged followers
from committing outrages on the North
West Company.
The route he now takes to reach his set
Element is by the ST. laurence, and the
iaies, TO The head OF iaLe Superior, thence
H. In IN, aka nj i,n
Woods, and by several small streams TO
lake Winnipeg aud mp Red River to his
settlement. He has with him Il supply OF
arms, and among them scrcrdi pieccS ofcaM
non These, as also large supply OF corn
for subsisting his men, were Slapped from
Erie ia this state. This route presents so
MANY distractions that heantlcIpates that
5y tie mississippi tciH be the most eligible,
and accordingly an agent Of has teft Nae
aitf.nackiaac. while the writer of this was
there, in August last, to explore tie head Of
the mississippi and Red Rirer, and endea-
your to find whsre tie Eeads Of them most near
iy approrinated
Here the facility of wafer communica
ton between the lakes and Mississippi
NAV be remarked. The large boats Of
the fur traders regularly ply between lake
Michigan and the Mississippi, by the way
of the For and OuiSconSin river, with no
other impeachment than portage OF three
quarters of mile between them. We
have now military posts established at
the mouths of these rivers, Cat Green 6dy
and Prairie de Chien) which, IT properly
supported, will eiiectually command this
important pass. The land at the portage
is low, and no great amount OF labour
would be necessary TO connect them by
canal. Indeed, at present, after high
rains, the water overtlows the surround
ing level grounds, from one river TO the
other, and boats pass without the necessi'
ty of a portage or canal.
OF the country west of lake Superior
very little is known by the people atiarge,
but when it is considered that we are OH
the eve of having the boundaries of that,
which will be hereafter important, portion
of our country dchnitively settled, amy
information may be useful. Should tie
northern boundary, as is generally belIev-
ed III that country, be 4 line drawn due
west from the Lake of the Woods, which
is III the 10th degree of north latitude, it
would place the most valuable portion of
Seikiril's settlement within the United
States. territory. But should tie line be
run direct from the Lake ofthe Woods TO
the head of the Mississippi, which is i'll
latitude ~ deg. ~ min. north, 1t will be
without our bOundaries.t
1t may not be improper TO observe that
the Individual fur traders in that country
OF both nations, cordially wish Selkirk
success, for the North Western Company
had monopolized the whole trade within
their limits to themselves, and all attempt
of an individual to trade with the Indians
was not only attended with the risk of
losing his property but his life. Their
extensive influence over the Indians too,
is well known, and was eifectually exert
ed during the war.
+ tits impossible that lord oelA,rk cou.I