The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1856-07-03
From tAs Loaiou Se~etstcs
The ReA 0ivsP Settlement

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r...A .,,.. ..s.,.r.
i.Ri'e, Progrs's. and Present State With some Ac
count u the Naive Races. sud It's general History to
'he Prsssat Day ny Alexander Ross, Au'hos o.
me far.hanis" OF III" Far west" Sc Published
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IL this book there are faults Of arrangement
of treatment, and Of temper; bat the subject d
novel, curious. and not without interest, while
u strong sense Of the real obtains throughout
Scotch emigrants, Hudsons Bay Company
soryants Indians, half breeds FFepch Canadi
ans, with an occsaioaal glimpse OF 40 Ameri
IAN trader, from the dramatists persona. The
Gene il 10 the centre Of the North American
continent, in about tho 5Oth degNe OF North
attitude; hut the reader who refers to the map
had bettcr Look for Lake Winnipeg, into thc
southern part Of which the streams that water
The Red River Settlement fall The story il
that Of the struggles of small colony som
lor,y.fvc years old, including famine. frost
now, fool, the plaques OF birds, grasshoppers
or locusts. and mice, with an attack Of severe
,e.stilencc-thc bloody ilux" Of the old navi.
gators which swept away great numbers
There were few quarrels among Themselves
rcIsg sara sacb.a m'xua.c al RACES. so,ps..
times ending In bioodshed; there are plenty OF
complaints against the masters Of The settle.
,nent. which strike us AS displayinp more.
clearly the fault finding disposition visible Ia
Mr. Ross former works, The Fur Hunters
and the "Coluh,bia River"
An economical error was committed in loun-
ling the colony. from its position and the ex.
treme and inhospitabc nature Of the climate.
The tcmpcraturc varies from los degrees iu
summer 10 10 degrees below zero In winter
and Mr.. Ross has seen il at i9e. The remote
situation of the colony not only shuts il out
from trade or markets, but almost from com.
municatiou with tho world. cyccpt through the
Hudson's Bay trading vessels or an occasional
visit from Canada. If thu colony was 10 be
founded at all, the Red River was the hest
place; and every effort seems 10 have been
made by money and schemes 10 secure ia com
tort and prosperity According TO Mr.. Ross,
il cost the founder, lord Seikirk. cs5 900 10
about dozen years; since his death, the Hud.
lon's Bav COMPANY have been nj continual ex.
pcnscs with il. Now three, nor four. nor five
thousand pounds have been spent for exrri-
mental farms or similar undertakings. Horses.
bulls, implements, seem 10 have been imported
at the Company's charge: and besides the an
nual payment Of salaries, they took of the corn
and other productions the colonies could raise,
at a liberal price. The census Of lSa9 gave q
total Of j39i persons. this number Mr.. Ross
estimates To have increased 10 $500 in 1855.
Asa large proportion, however, consists Of
halEbrccd and Canadian hunters. who would
he in the country. colony or no COLONY. and
who made the Red River Settlement their
head-onar,ers. without contributing much 10
its wealth or well being, il may safely be said
that. after common government expenses and
trading sppplies nrc deducted every admit male
in the COLONY has cost as much MS would have
.et him M in business in a small wuy
The foundation of the settlement, in 1911
was attributed to various motives, opposition
to the celebrated North. Western Fur Com.
pany; the Hudson's Bay Company's desire Ia
keep their retired servants in their territory
Lord Selkirk and his friends avowed rel
gious obiect-a wish TO convert the Indians
and spread education over Rupert's land
This last Mr.. Ross thinks was really the true
motive: and If small success has attended tbe
attempt. il Joes not seem 10 have becp for lnch
of means or irving There are seyeo churches
and twelve schools besides more clereymeu
than Mr., Ross thinks are waited in the settl.
men, ma well "a a connie OF bisbops II ID
probable that all the motives vere in opera
lion. and further ,bc Company might properly
wish IN rai.e provisions in their own territory
.or their pcopie NJ the various forts instead o
having 70 in,port them
The first emgranta were well chosen; con
listing oi Highland families, accustomed "a
hardship. priva,iona. and a severc climate -