The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1860-04-27
THE WEEKLY PIONEER AND DEMOCRAT.
From the Red River Settlement.

the Council of Assiniboia, the local legis-
lature Of the Selkirk Colony, held on the
9th of February, motion made by the
Lord Bishop of St. Boniface, authorizing
the editors of the Nor Wester to be present
and report the proceedings of the Council,
was negatived, and a resolution adopted de-
claring it inexpedient to permit strangers to
attend. This shuts out reporters for the
press" and the people of Selkirk are justly
indignant. At public meeting the action
of the Council was denounced.
AN INDIAN TREATY.
The Sioux of the plains minnesota and
Dakota) and the Salteaux Indians of Sell
kirk, who have been at war for long time,
held council at Fort Garry on the first of
March, and concluded treaty of peace and
amity. The Nor Wester gives long and
interesting description of the council. We
quote from that paper:
The braves who left the Gland of the d.
kotas" on this peaceful mission numbered
about 80. They were met at Pembina
Mountain by Governor Mactavish, who dis.
tributed presents amongst them and advised
them to return, being afraid that serious
consequences would ensue if they proceeded
further. The last time the Sioux came to the
Settlement, now fifteen years ago, one of
their number was shot at the very gates of
the Fort, in open day, and in the presence
of hundreds of spectators, by young Sals
teaux, who had taken this means of aveng~
ing the loss at their hands of brother.
The remembrance of this circumstance, and
of many others of a kindred nature, induced
the main body to give an unwilling assent
to Mr.. Mactavish's recommendation ; but
20 of the party resolved to push on if it
cost them their lives.
They were cordially received by the
Salteaux, and after the usual amount of
talk and smoke, treaty was fixed up, by
which each party agreed to forego hostilities
in the future. The following is an account
of the proceedings after the treaty had been
duly ratified:
Then followed the distribution of presents
to the Sioux, the expense of which was
betrayed from the public funds. Their wea.
p0ns were next restored to them, and they
prepared for their departure. On the
exterior of the Court House a detachment
of the Royal Canadian Rifles, comprising
about 100 men, under the command of Capt.
Sharpe, was drawn up to receive them and
to conduct them a short distance on their
way. The main body of the troops was
formed into two divisions, between which the
Sioux took their position, being fanked on
either side by single files. Two brass field
pieces led the van. The superiority of the
disciplined soldier to the untutored warrior
never appeared in stronger contrast than
when the finest and best-trained troops on
the continent woro TINS brought eide by side
with the wild but fearless savage. On the
order to march being given, the Indians of
both nations commenced singing. And so
they parted company. When distant about
two miles from the Fort. the Rifles startled
the Sioux by firing ten rounds from the big
guns, by way of parting salute, and then
left them in charge of the half-breeds.
DREAD OF CANIBALIsM.
A terrible murder, the result of an Indian
superstition, is described as follows in the
Nor WeSter:
We have just received the following
thrilling intelligence from the shores of Lake
Winnipeg. which illustrates the above res
marks; In the beginning of February, two
men were sent from Lower Fort Garry to
the west side of that lake, on fur expedi-
ton. In the vicinity of" Jack Head" they
fell in with Mr.. John Monkman, who
informed them that be had visited "Thick
Foot's" camp, and there learned that
Thick Foot's" brother had killed his
grandson, a boy of ten or twelve years of
age, being apprehensive that said boy was
becoming "Windigoo." We may inform
our INITIATED readers that according to an
Indian tradition, if this youth had once
tasted human flesh, he would have become
as impenetrable to lead or steel as ever
Achilles was after emerging from the River
StyX. 1t was to obviate so dire calamity
that the Indian patriarch, with all due
solemnity and ceremony, perpetrated the
tragical deed, by burying his axe in the
skull of his grandchild Not satisfied with
crushing his head to atoms, his superstitious
furor impelled him to cut up the remains
and burn them to cinders, in order thor.
oughly to extinguish any latent vital spark
which might, by any possibility, terminate
into a " Windigoo." Tradition also taught
that when any body had fairly commenced
eating human flesh, his heart became solid
mass of ice, and hence we are told, as mat
ter Of great moment, that the young heart,
burned like every other heart, presenting no
symptoms of Qualification!
THE WEATHER DURING MARCH.
The Nor WeSter of the 18th of March
discourses of the weather
During the present month, the weather
has been delightful. Without any exagger-
alton, we never experienced any climate so
pleasant as that Of Red river within the last
few weeks. The stereotyped phrases, mild
weather." "clear sky" &C., don't half ex.
press the exhilarating freshness and genial
ity of our opening epring month. We know
something of the spring season in England
and Canada; but from what we have yet
seen of it, we must award the palm to Red
river. The first fortnight of March was as
the May month in Devonshire, and but for
the snow which still fingered on the ground,
we should most certainly have been led as.
tray in search of honeysuckles and cowslips.
1t was season which would have amply re-
paid one for submitting to the seventies of
the most rigorous winter.