The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1858-08-12
The Red River Standardization His
tory, Sc.

simultaneously with the movement IN
this city and in different parts OF the State,
for the establishment Of an Emigrant route
through Minnesota ard the British Pos
sessions TO the new field Of adventure on
Frazer River, the opportune arrival Of some
six hundred carts from the Red River, laden
with the furs Of that region, had the effect
Of directing public attention more immcd'-
ately TO the growing importance Of our com
mercial relations with these remarkable set
Elements, while il furnished at the same time
q multitude Of witnesses not only TO the
advantages Of the proposed ronte, but to
the richness OF the resources which such
route would develope, and to the beauty and
fertility Of the region tributary to the valley
Of the Mississippi, which II would open to
colonization.
The novel appearance Of the visitors
themselves, the odd uniformity Of their
costume of coarse blue cloth, with its barbar-
ic opulence Of brass buttons and fanciful ~
tentation Of red belts; the strange mixtures OF
complications which they presented; all the way
down from the hair skin and light, soft curls
Of the Cclt to the dingy color and straight
black hair Of the Indian, with every inter
mediate shade which the amagamation Of ra.
ces could produce their language AS various
as their orign--a curious medley of Chip
pcwa, Gree, French English and Gaelic ;
their rude wooden carts guiitless OF iron
even to the vcniaI peccadilo of nail, drawn
for the most part by oxen harnessed singly
in shafts, with gearing made Of strips
Of raw hide, and filing In long process
sion through the streets Of the city, with
Tic disciplined sequence Of an Asiatic cara.
v.n--it is not surprising that these incidents
T. social life, removed at once from bar.
"t'sm aud civilization. should have excited
"me interest in the history Of people who,
with the marks Of a European extraction,
emerge from the depths Of the wilderness
with The characteristics Of the savage
Nomadic AZ TO one hall OF his origin, pas
toral and agricultural ~ to the other n
hunter by his Indian blood citizen from
his European instincts; thrifty, INDECENT
stad, mercurial, M father or mother pre-
dominates in his naturc--thc Red River
halfbreed has story IA curious IA any
which while away the winter nights in the
chimney corner Of his ancestral Highland
home. When emigration Ind scarcely ven
turcd TO pass the Alleghanies, u. colony of
Scotchmen had penetrated beyond the wa.
tiers which How into Lake Superior and set.
tied mt the mouth Of the Assineboin. For
fifty years since then, the advancing wave OF
American colonization has rolled westward,
ill the valley of the Mississippi from one
extreme to the other, is submerged wtlp
population and carved into wealthy States
aud the most remote Of tho inland lakes is
throngd with steamboats, aud lined with
embryo cites; and yet the farthcst poin,
which the American pioneer has reached ia
still five hundred miles short of the uearcs,
OF the settlements which for hall century
have occupied the valley Of the Red River.
This strange isolation Of European people
in the profound abysses of a region almost
unknown to the gcographcr. surrounds them
with the charm OF romance, aud the dra.
matte situation prepares us for their strange.
eventiul history.
Over hundred years ago French advsn.
turers, eager to extend the ARIA Of their fur
trade aud the limits OF the French domin
Gus, pushed their explorations through the
rivers which debouche on the northern shore
OF Lake Superior beyond Lake Wiunepeg.
10 Nh old map reproduced in Mr.. Neill's his
tory Of Minnesota and dated a. early a.
1862, Fort La Refine is designated at the
confluence OF the Assiucboin and Red rivers.
where the e0aitWS dss bo,S from the French
establishment at Mackinac, used TO trade
with the Ouiahas and Assincboins A
similar trading station at the same period
existed on the east side Of Lake Winnepcg.
and another on the Lake of the Woods.
Thomas ouWRy,a French Canadian ira
der, who assembled the Saskatchewan in
1866, was the first who advanced beyond
Lake WinnettE, with view to traffic.
The profits OF his voyage encouraged others
to follow hls example Their success aroused
the jealousy Of their English competitors,
who had established a ,raNc on the shores
OF lludsons Bay and gave rise To u long
series OF disorders aud excuses. JosErn Fac
ptSugR and his brother, who went heyond
the fiiynin,h degree OF latitude 10 Churchill