=Source.=--A Narrative by Mr. Pritchard, one of the principal
settlers, quoted in a _Statement respecting the Earl of Selkirk's
Settlement upon the Red River_, published by the personal friends
of the Earl in London in 1817.
In the course of the winter we were much alarmed by reports that
the Half-breeds were assembling in all parts of the North for the
purpose of driving us away, and that they were expected to arrive
at the settlement early in the spring. The nearer the spring
approached, the more prevalent these reports grew, and letters
received from different posts confirmed the same. Our hunters and
those free Canadians who had supplied us with provisions were much
terrified with the dread of the punishment they might receive for
the support they had given us. My neighbours, the Half-breeds,
began to show a disposition to violence, and threatened to shoot
our hunter Bollenaud's horse and himself too, if he did not desist
from running the buffalo; at the same time they told me that, if
I did not prevent him from so doing, they would go in a body on
horseback, drive the cattle away, and cause my people to starve.
In the month of March, Messrs. Fraser and Hesse arrived at my
neighbour's house, which gave us great uneasiness, as Fraser was
represented as the leader of the Half-breeds, and that he was
a daring and violent man. On his arrival he sent a threatening
message to one of my hunters; and, whenever an opportunity offered,
he was very assiduous in his endeavours to seduce from us our
servants and settlers; likewise a report was very current that a
party of Half-breeds and Cree Indians were expected to arrive from
Fort des Prairies on the Saskatchewan River, as soon as the melting
of the snow would admit of their travelling; and the language of
every free Canadian we saw was "_Méfiez vous bien pour l'amour de
Dieu; méfiez vous bien_." At the same time we were informed that
the Half-breed servants of the North-West Company who were then in
the plains, were ordered home to their house. The assemblage of
those men gave us the most serious apprehensions for the safety
of the settlers and those servants who were employed to bring
provisions from the plains to the fort....
On the afternoon of the 19th of June, a man in the watch-house
called out that the Half-breeds were coming. The governor, some
other gentlemen and myself, looked through spy-glasses, and I
distinctly saw some armed people on horseback passing along the
plains. A man then called out, "They (meaning the Half-breeds), are
making for the settlers"; on which the governor said, "We must go
out and meet these people; let twenty men follow me." We proceeded
by the old road leading down the settlement. As we were going
along, we met many of the settlers running to the fort, crying,
"The Half-breeds, the Half-breeds." ... We had not proceeded far,
before the Half-breeds on horseback, with their faces painted in
the most hideous manner and in the dresses of Indian warriors,
came forward and surrounded us in the form of a half-moon. We
then extended our line and moved more into the open plain; and,
as they advanced, we retreated a few steps backwards, and then
saw a Canadian named Boucher ride up to us waving his hand and
calling out, "What do you want?" The governor replied, "What do
_you_ want?" To which Boucher answered, "We want our fort." The
governor said, "Go to your fort." They were by this time near each
other, and consequently spoke too low for me to hear. Being at some
little distance to the right of the governor, I saw him take hold
of Boucher's gun, and almost immediately a general discharge of
fire-arms took place; but whether it began on our side or that of
the enemy it was impossible to distinguish: my attention was then
directed towards my personal defence. In a few minutes almost all
our people were either killed or wounded.... I was rescued from
death in the most providential manner no less than six different
times on my road to, and at, the Frog Plain (the headquarters of
those cruel murderers).... With the exception of myself, no quarter
was given to any of us.... The amiable and mild Mr. Semple, lying
on his side (his thigh having been broken) and supporting his
head upon his hand, addressed the chief commander of our enemies,
by inquiring if he was Mr. Grant; and, being answered in the
affirmative, "I am not mortally wounded," said Mr. Semple, "and,
if you could get me conveyed to the fort, I think I should live."
Grant promised he would do so; and immediately left him in the
care of a Canadian, who afterwards told that an Indian of their
party came up and shot Mr. Semple in the breast. I entreated Grant
to procure me the watch or even the seals of Mr. Semple for the
purpose of transmitting them to his friends, but I did not succeed.
Our force amounted to twenty-eight persons, of whom twenty-one were
killed and one wounded.... The enemy, I am told, were sixty-two
persons, the greater part of whom were the contracted servants and
clerks of the North-West Company. They had one man killed and one
wounded.