The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1894-10-20

TOOK place NJ one OF inc nuuSoh - nay
company's posts, on the shores OF Hud-
sons bay, in the year 1919.
Mary Matt was then, at the time OF
the raid on Hanna bay, girl OF six
teen, and the daughter OF one OF the
principal Indian murderers.
The history OF the Hanna Bay mas
! sacre, ] am sure, is new to the world at
large, for II took place thrce-quarters
OF century ago.
News in those days was not flashed
about the world with the rapidity OF
the present time, and, besides, the
disaster was local affair. Even the
people OF the then only two provinces,
Ontario and Quebec, or, more properly
speaking, upper and lower Canada, did
not hear OF IL for over a year. In
those days officers and servants OF the
company, when leaving or going out
on leave OF absence, used 20 speak OF
going Co Canada as IL 10 were foreign
country Even down 10 early In the
seventies, several years after the
company had coded its rights to
the new dominion, / have heard old
gentlemen in the service say they
were going ont TO Canada next year or
that such and such was the news in
the last papers they got from Canada
But Though the building OF our trans
continental railroad and the eXplora-
ton OF the numerous rivers falling
into the valley OF the St Lawrence on
its north side. the upper waters OF
which rivers were dotted with Hud-
sons Bay posts, the residents of these
places became acquainted with out
siders, and by degrees they recognized
the fact chat, no matter how far or
they were situated, they lived in
Canada, and that the vast territories of
the company had been absorbed into
the dominion OF Canada
Before going on with my story
|. might as well inform the reader that
under the charter that the company
received from Charles III. OF England,
the governor and his council had su-
preme power vested in them, and all
crimes committed within its territories
were tried before this body In sum
mary way.
Hanna hay, from which the post
took its name, is an indentation OF
James bay, and again James bay is
n larger indentation Of Hudson's bay
itself
Al the very southern end of James,
bay was situated, and is still, Moose
Factory, the headquarters OF the whole
southern department, as the waters
emptying into Hudson's bay were
called, and from Moose Factory e
Hanna bay the distance is one hun
dred and twenty miles.
With these explanations and refer
ence to any good map, the reader vii
understand the situation Of the place
Mt which the catastrophe ! am about
20 relate took place so many year.
npo. Inasmuch as | knew Mrs. Mat
personally and she was present at th'
time. and hearing of her death las
year from correspondent OF mine
Lake Superior, ! have decided towrit'
the history for publication.
In the year 1919, Hanna Bay pos
was In charge OF a gentleman OF TN
company named Corrigal The res
dents OF the post in that year wer
Mr.. Corrgal, his wife, grown.u
son and daughter by former WIZ
and three young children by his pres
ept one, youag clerk who acted a
= his assistant. and three man servants
two OF whom were married, and thei
five children. Thus the number q
souls within tho stoclSade at the tim
was, all told, eighteen.
In those DAYS, one OF the EnRlis
ehips that came out, loaded with pre-
visions. clothing, guns and ammun
tion used TO land the particular po
tion OF her cargo destined for the trad
OF Hanna bay on her way TO Moo'
Factory, and thus save two handing
and transshipping back by sehoon'
from the factory.
Tho Indians that traded their ia
M Hanna bay, after several seer
councils held amongst themselves
tbc interior. conceived the plot 20 ki
tho employees OF the post, pillage q
nlace. await the arrival OF the sht
take her by surprise, and sail away az
take England, the place from VINE
nil beautiful goods were obtained.
bold plan certainly, and " took u
brain OF savage 10 think iuch THU
possible
Al New Years time the indians we
In the habit OF visiting the post I
the purpose OF trading their furs a
pettinQ regalement from the CONF
nv. and they chose that time for :
uprising
In the days OF which j write the co
pany had not as yet excluded rum ire
It's territory and IL was the custom
give each hunter, after the feast wit
in the post, one-half pint 70 car
away TO his wigwam. To portion 9
this rum Mr. Corrlgal and his assista
= had TO 60 70 the trade shop. The Gle
would 90 down the U'tprloor In
floor to the cellar and begin 70 dr.
off the grog. And from the cler
hands the chief trader handed the p
tIon To- each man as he handed out