Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1903-03-01
(By j. McLean.)

OI NOUN DakOta where tHe waters VI
the Pembina flow into the famous Red
River of the North, you will find the
historic little town of Pembina. 1t
has loag been noted as the oldest town
in the state, where a trading post
was established by the Hudson Bay
company, as long ago as the begin
ming of the last century. OF late
years II has become noted as the home
of Judson LaMoure. who is desig-
mated, Chief of the Pembinas,' by his
political opponents ard those who are
otherwise inclined. 1t is the county
seat Of Pembina county, and at the
present day, has a population Of about
one thousand souls of all classes and
conditions.
Pembina is a word that has not es-
capped the ravages of time and the
trend of modern influences. We can
trace the word, but not in its pres
ent form, back to the palmy days of
the Indian, when the war-whOop re-
sounded over the broad plains, and the
buffalo roamed all around at their will.
1t is. or rather a an Indian word,
and was originally called nepen-
minan-meaning summer berry. This
berry grew along the banks of
streams in abundance, throughout the
northern part of the Red river valley.
1t is a bright red berry-cherry-like in
appearance-and has a semi-bitter,
acid taste When made into sauce, it
is greatly relished by the half-breeds
of the country.
This was way back long before the
pale faces had disturbed the denizens
Of the plains, when poor LO was left
the u%ndisputed master of the great
boundless prairie, which was after
wards called "Rupert's Land" 1t re-
ceived this name from Prince Rupert,
who was of the chief promoters
of the Hudson Bay company. This
giant concern operated a line of trad
ing posts throughout this northern re-
giOn. v e two hundred years ago, and
can be found at much the same bust
ness at the presnt day, although on a
somewhat smaller scale.
The Red river valley was discovered
by the Chevalier Gauthier Varennes
de Varandrye in the year 1884. This
F%renchman. with the long name.
Lake NiDigon. upper Canada. in 1871.
with a retinue Of followers-mostly
French Canadians. He passed by W
of Rainy Lake and the Lake of the
Woods. where he built forts. and left
men to carry on a traffic in furs with
the savages. Arriving at the mouth
Of the Winnipeg river. he built Fort
Maurepas. and settled down to com
pete with the Hudson Bay company
for the Indian traffic of Rupert's
Land"
V~arandrye and his minions were the
first competitors with the Hudson Bay
company, and did a lot of damage to
the cOmpany's ever increasing trade.
Previously to the invasion of their ter.
ritory. by this Frenchman and his fol
lowers the Hudson Bay company dc
not appear to have established trading
posts in the interior of the country
but seem to have confined themselves
to the coast region. where the In
dians had to carry their furs. When
the French traders invaded the Hud
son Bay cOmpany's realm, or sphere OF
influence, the company were soOr
awakened from their lethargy and i'm
mediately sent their own agents int
every nook of the then great northern
wilderness.
After the cession of the whole o.
the Dominion Of Canada, by France tt
Great Britain, Varandrye and his fol
lowers abandoned their trading posts
and ceased trading with the savage'
until about the year 1884.
In the winter of 1888 and 1884, som
French Canadian capitalists of Mon
treal, organized the Northwest Flu
company. This company took posses
sion OF the immense tract of land be
tween Lake Athabasca and the inter
national boundary line, and the OF
tawa river on the east, to the Pr
ciic ocean On the west-thus comm,
into open conflict with the Hudson Bal
company.
When the French traders. or voy
ageurs invaded poor Los domain
they corrupted the Indian word
nepenminan, into anepeminan-givinf
it a broad French nasal accent on the
last syllable, making it sound as Il
spelled, anepeminaw-and then thu
Indian word. nepenmian, retired
slowly into oblivion
The French word, anepemian. mark.
the day Of the Gaul's supremacy IL
,, Rupert's Land" The French wore
and the supremacy of the Gaul wer,
, !, not to endure forever. When the eau
was in the ascenlancy, anepeminal
fourished like a green bay tree: bu
there came a day when the Anglo
Saxon appeared on the scene, and thel
the Gaul had to take a back seat, an,
the Gaul's word. anepemian. went t.
keep %nepenmian company in darl
oblivion.
All this was away back in tn
eighteenth century. when the grea
fur companies sent their voyageur
into everv corner Of the northern
wilds. It was long before civilization
had formed any idea Of the immens
tract of fertile land that composed tina
vast domain. 1t was before the Unite
d States had even dreamed of THROWN
of it's allegiance to the sovereign powe
of Great Britain. King Charles l
wa upon the throne Of England, and