The Buffalo Runners, A tale of the Red River Plains, by R.M. Ballantyne.
________________________________________________________________________
Here once again Ballantyne is on familiar ground. The theme is the
trials and tribulations suffered by the early settlers, the pioneers, in
the lands to the east of the Rockies, in particular in the Red River
basin, where it flows northwards into Lake Winnipeg. There are problems
with bad men of their own settlement; bad men from the other main fur
company (our heroes worked with the Hudson Bay Company), the
Nor'westers; Sioux and Salteaux Indians; a plague of grass-hoppers; a
plague of mice; storms that destroyed fishing-gear such as nets; Cree
Indians as well as the other two tribes; bad decisions and actions by
the advisors of Lord Selkirk, who was in charge of the whole operation
of settlement; accidental wounds. The heroes of the tale are two young
boys, one of whom is "disabled" and weak, but both are shining examples
of goodness and bravery. The women of the tale are of course all
beautiful and devoted members of their various households. The men of
the tale vary between the competent and the incompetent; the lazy and
idle, and the industrious; the cunning, and the stupid.
It might be quite a good idea to read the book more than once, so that
you can get it clear in your mind who is on whose side!
________________________________________________________________________