His immediate reason for doing this
at present, is, he says, because he is now the only surviving Chief of
the five who treated with Lord Selkirk, and as there have been many
misrepresentations, he desires to see the facts placed on record before
he passes off the earthly stage.
"The following is his account, taken down at his own request, by one of
the editors of this journal:--
"'This transaction happened a long long time ago. I am now a very old
man--I was then in the prime and vigour of manhood. We were taken by
surprise when, all of a sudden, those who came before, disembarked. We
had not been apprised of the coming of the foreigners--when they
landed, we were greatly surprised and wondered what they meant. We were
in this neighbourhood at the time. They only spoke among themselves,
while the agents of the North-west Company were here. We did not know
what it meant, when they asked the North-westers into the plain. As
soon as they were done speaking among themselves the cannons were
fired. We said, "What can it mean? It must be some great affair." The
apparent harmony of the two Companies did not last long. The same
summer differences arose which led to fighting: they fought twice that
summer. We wondered at their proceedings--meeting in friendly council
together, and then, immediately after, taking each others' lives!
"'As soon as the fighting was over, the report came that Lord Selkirk
had arrived at Fort William.
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