THE MASSACRE.
Now come the dreadful scenes of blood and cruel death. The happy life
is changed to one of suffering and sorrow. The few months of happiness I
enjoyed with the one I loved above all others was abruptly closed--taken
from me--for ever--it was cruel, it was dreadful. When I look back to it
all, I often wonder, is it all a dream, and has it really taken place.
Yes, the dream is too true; it is a terrible reality, and as such will
never leave my heart, or be effaced from off my mind.
The first news we heard of the Duck Lake affair was on the 30th of
March. Mr. Quinn, the Indian Agent at Frog Lake, wrote a letter to us
and sent it down to our house about twelve o'clock at night with John
Pritchard, telling my husband and I to go up to Mr. Delaney's on Tuesday
morning, and with his wife go on to Fort Pitt, and if they saw any
excitement they would follow. We did not expect anything to occur. When
we got up to Mr. Delaney's we found the police had left for Fort Pitt.
Big Bear's Indians were in the house talking to Mr. Quinn about the
trouble at Duck Lake, and saying that Poundmaker the chief at Battleford
wanted Big Bear to join him but he would not, as he intended remaining
where he was and live peaceably. They considered Big Bear to be a better
man than he was given credit for.
On the 1st of April they were in, making April fools of the white people
and shaking hands, and they thought I was frightened and told me not
to be afraid, because they would not hurt us. My husband left me at
Mr. Delaney's and went back to his work at the mill, returning in the
evening with Mr. Gilchrist. We all sat talking for some time along with
Mr. Dill, who had a store at Frog Lake and Mr. Cameron, clerk for the
Hudson Bay Company. We all felt perfectly safe where we were, saying
that as we were so far away from the trouble at Duck Lake, the
Government would likely come to some terms with them and the affair
be settled at once. The young Chief and another Indian by the name of
Isador said if anything was wrong among Big Bear's band they would come
and tell us; and that night Big Bear's braves heard about it and watched
them all night to keep them from telling us. We all went to bed not
feeling in any way alarmed. About five o'clock in the morning a rap came
to the door and Mr. Delaney went down stairs and opened it, and John
Pritchard and one of Big Bear's sons by the name of Ibesies were there.
Pritchard said "There trouble."
Mr. Delaney said "Where?"
Pritchard "_Here_! Our horses are all gone, the Indians deceived us, and
said that some half-breeds from Edmonton had come in the night and had
taken them to Duck Lake, but Big Bear's band has taken them and hid
them, I am afraid it is all up."
My husband and I got up, and Mrs. Delaney came down stairs with a
frightened look. In a few minutes Big Bear's Indians were all in the
house, and had taken all the arms from the men saying they were going
to protect us from the half-breeds, and then we felt we were being
deceived. They took all the men over to Mr. Quinn's, and my husband and
I were sitting on the lounge, and an Indian came in and took him by the
arm saying He wanted him to go too; and he said to Mrs. Delaney and I
"do not to be afraid, while I go with this Indian." We stopped in the
house, and while they were gone some of the Indians came in and went
through the cupboard to find something to eat. They opened the trap door
to go down cellar, but it was very dark, and they were afraid to venture
down. Then the men came back and Mrs. Delaney got breakfast. We all sat
down, but I could not eat, and an Indian asked Mr. Gowanlock to tell me
not to be afraid, they would not hurt us, and I should eat plenty. After
breakfast they took us out of the house and escorted us over to the
church; my husband taking my arm, Mr. and Mrs. Delaney were walking
beside us. When we got to the church the priests were holding mass; it
was Holy Thursday, and as we entered the door, Wandering Spirit sat on
his knees with his gun; he was painted, and had on such a wicked look.
The priests did not finish the service on account of the menacing manner
of the Indians; they were both around and inside the church. We were all
very much frightened by their behaviour. They then told us to go out of
the church, and took us back to Mr. Delaney's, all the Indians going in
too. We stopped there for awhile and an Indian came and told us to come
out again, and my husband came to me and said "you had better put your
shawl around you, for its very cold, perhaps we will not be gone long."
We all went out with the Indians. They were going through all the
stores. Everything was given to them, and they got everything they could
wish for and took us up the hill towards their camp. We had only gone
but a short distance from the house when we heard the reports of guns,
but thought they were firing in the air to frighten us; but they had
shot Quinn, Dill and Gilchrist, whom I did not see fall. Mr. and Mrs.
Delaney were a short distance ahead of my husband, I having my husband's
arm. Mr. Williscraft, an old grey-headed man about seventy-five years
of age came running by us, and an Indian shot at him and knocked his hat
off, and he turned around and said, _"Oh! don't shoot! don't shoot!"_
But they fired again, and he ran screaming and fell in some bushes. On
seeing this I began crying, and my husband tried to comfort me, saying,
"my _dear_ wife be _brave_ to the end," and immediately an Indian behind
us fired, and my husband fell beside me his arm pulling from mine. I
tried to assist him from falling. He put out his arms for me and fell,
and I fell down beside him and buried my face on his, while his life
was ebbing away so quickly, and was prepared for the next shot myself,
thinking I was going with him too. But death just then was not ordained
for me. I had yet to live. An Indian came and took me away from my dying
husband side, and I refused to leave. Oh! to think of leaving my _dear_
husband lying there for those cruel Indians to dance around. I begged
of the Indian to let me stay with him, but he took my arm and pulled me
away. Just before this, I saw Mr. Delaney and a priest fall, and Mrs.
Delaney was taken away in the same manner that I was. I still looking
back to where my poor husband was lying dead; the Indian motioned to
where he was going to take me, and on we went. I thought my heart would
break; I would rather have died with my husband and been at rest.
"A rest that is sure for us all,
But sweeter to some."