The Treaties of Canada with the Indians of Manitoba and the North-West Territories Part 29

When the Commissioners intimated that they were ready to hear what the Chiefs had to say, Crowfoot was the first to speak. His remarks were few, but he expressed his grat.i.tude for the Mounted Police being sent to them, and signified his intention to accept the treaty. The Blood Chief who made the large demands on the previous day said he would agree with the other Chiefs. Old Sun, head Chief of the North Blackfeet, said Crowfoot spoke well. We are not going to disappoint the Commissioners. He was glad they were all agreed to the same terms. They wanted cattle, guns, ammunition, tobacco, axes and money. Bull's Head, the princ.i.p.al Chief of the Sarcees, said, we are all going to take your advice. Eagle Head, the Piegan head Chief remarked, "I give you my hand. We all agree to what Crowfoot says." Rainy Chief, head of the North Bloods, said he never went against the white man's advice. Some of the minor Chiefs spoke to the same effect.

The Commissioners expressed their satisfaction at the unanimity among the Indians, and said they would prepare the treaty and bring it to-morrow for signature. The only difficult matter then to be arranged was the reserves. The Commissioners thought it would take unnecessary time to discuss this question in open meeting, and resolved that one of them should visit the head Chiefs at their camps, and consult them separately as to the localities they might desire to select. Lieut.-Col. McLeod undertook this duty, while I attended to the preparation of the draft treaty. He succeeded so well in his mission that we were able to name the places chosen in the treaty.

On Sat.u.r.day, 22nd September, we met the Indians to conclude the treaty. Mekasto, or Red Crow the great Chief of the South Bloods, had arrived the previous evening, or morning, on the ground, and being present, came forward to be introduced to the Commissioners.

The a.s.semblage of Indians was large. All the head Chiefs of the several tribes were now present; only two Blackfeet and two Blood minor Chiefs were absent. The representation was all that could be expected.

The Commissioners had previously informed the Indians that they would accept the Chiefs whom they acknowledged, and now close in front of the tent sat those who had been presented to the Commissioners as the recognized Chiefs of the respective bands.

The conditions of the treaty having been interpreted to the Indians, some of the Blood Chiefs, who bad said very little on the previous day, owing to Red Crow's absence, now spoke, he himself in a few kind words agreeing to accept the treaty. Crowfoot then came forward and requested his name to be written to the treaty. The Commissioners having first signed it, Mr. L'Heureux, being familiar with the Blackfoot language, attached the Chiefs' names to the doc.u.ment at their request and witnessed to their marks.

While the signing was being proceeded with, a salute was fired from the field guns in honor of the successful conclusion of the negotiations.

I may mention, in this connection, that on Sat.u.r.day also I was waited upon by a deputation of Half-breeds, who presented me with a pet.i.tion, expressing the hope that the buffalo law might not be stringently enforced during the approaching winter, and praying that they might receive some a.s.sistance to commence farming. With respect to the buffalo ordinance, I told them that the notice having been short, the law would not be very strictly enforced for the first winter, and in regard to their prayer for a.s.sistance to farm, I said I would make it known at Ottawa.

On Monday, the 24th, the Commissioners met the Indians at ten a.m.

Some minor Chiefs who had not remained until the close of the proceedings on Sat.u.r.day signed the treaty this morning. The Chiefs were then asked to stand up in a body, their names were read over and the Indians once more asked to say whether they were their recognized Chiefs. Heavy Shield, a brother of Old Sun, at the request of the latter, took the place of head Chief of his band. It was, however, ascertained that this arrangement caused dissatisfaction, and Old Sun was restored to his position, and the band adhering to his brother, was called the "Middle Blackfoot Band."

After their names were called over, I gave the head Chiefs of the Blackfeet, Blood, Piegans, and Sarcees their flags and uniforms, and invested them with their medals.

While I was shaking hands with them, acknowledging their Chiefs in the name of the Great Mother, the band played "G.o.d Save the Queen."

The payments were then immediately begun by the officers of the Mounted Police, one party taking the Blackfeet, and another the Bloods, while a third was detailed to pay the a.s.siniboines, or Stonies, near their encampment some two miles up the river.

The Commissioners went in the afternoon with the latter party, and before the payments were commenced, presented the Chiefs with their medals, flags and uniforms. The Stonies received us with quite a demonstration. They are a well-behaved body of Indians. The influence of the Christian missionary in their midst is apparent, polygamy being now almost wholly a thing of the past.

On Tuesday I took the adhesion of Bobtail, the Cree Chief, and his band, to Treaty Number Six, and they were paid out of the funds which I had brought with me from Swan River.

On the invitation of the Blackfeet, Blood, and kindred Chiefs, the Commissioners went on Wednesday to the Council tent to receive an address of thanks. A large number of Indians were present. Mr.

L'Heureux spoke on their behalf, and expressed their grat.i.tude to the Commissioners generally for the kind manner in which they conducted the negotiations, to me personally for having come so far to meet them, and to Lieut.-Col. McLeod for all that he and the Mounted Police had done for them since their arrival in the country.

To this address the Commissioners feelingly replied, and expressed their confidence that the Indians before them would not regret having agreed to the treaty.

The Cree Chief and his band also waited upon us in the evening at my tent, and through Father Scollen, as interpreter, thanked us for the manner in which we had treated them. The presents sent for the Indians were distributed to each band, after payment. On Wednesday also the Commissioners drove to see the coal seam about five miles east of the Blackfoot crossing. Under the guidance of Mr. French, they found an outcrop of the seam at a coulee some three miles south of the river. The seam there is from three to ten feet in thickness, and the coal, some of which was burned every day in the officers' mess tent at the treaty, is of a very fair quality.

About noon on Friday the payments were completed, and the Commissioners proceeded to close the accounts. They found that the number of Indians paid, who had accepted the terms of the new treaty was as follows:--

Head Chiefs 10 at $25 $250 Minor Chiefs and Councillors 40 at 15 600 Men, women and children 4,342 at 12 52,104 ----- ------ Total 4,392 $52,954

The Crees who gave in their adhesion to Treaty Number Six were only paid the gratuity, this year's annuity being still due them. These were paid from the funds of Treaty Number Six as follows:--

Chief 1 at $25 $25 Councillors 2 at 15 30 Men, women and children 429 at 12 5,148 --- ----- Total 432 $5,203

The officers of the Police Force who conducted the payments, discharged this duty in a most efficient manner. Not in regard to the payments alone were the services of the officers most valuable.

With respect to the whole arrangements, Lieut.-Col. McLeod, my a.s.sociate Commissioner, both in that capacity and as Commander of the Police, was indefatigable in his exertions to bring the negotiations to a successful termination. The same laudable efforts were put forth by Major Irvine and the other officers of the Force, and their kindness to me, personally I shall never fail to remember. The volunteer band of the Police at Fort McLeod deserve more than a pa.s.sing notice, as they did much to enliven the whole proceedings.

The Commissioners at first had not a good interpreter of the Blackfoot language, but on Wednesday they secured the services of Mr. Bird, a brother of the late Dr. Bird, of Winnipeg. He has been many years among the Piegans and Blackfeet and is a very intelligent interpreter. Mr. L'Heureux also rendered good service in this respect.

The accounts being closed and certified to by the Commissioners, I commenced my return journey on the evening of the 28th September. I came by a crossing of the Red Deer River some fifteen miles east of the Hand Hills, travelled across the prairies further west than my former route, and arrived at Battleford on the evening of Sat.u.r.day the 6th of October.

I transmit herewith the treaty as signed by the Commissioners and Chiefs, and also the adhesion of the Cree Chief to Treaty Number Six.

In conclusion I beg to offer a few observations on the treaty, and subjects connected therewith.

1. With respect to the reserves, the Commissioners thought it expedient to settle at once their location subject to the approval of the Privy Council. By this course it is hoped that a great deal of subsequent trouble in selecting reserves will be avoided. The object of the ten years' reserve on the south side of Bow River is to keep hunters from building winter shanties on the river bottom.

This practice has a tendency to alarm the buffalo, and keep them from their feeding grounds on the lower part of the river. After ten years it is feared the buffalo will have become nearly extinct, and that further protection will be needless. At any rate by that time the Indians hope to have herds of domestic cattle. The country on the upper part of the Bow River is better adapted for settlement than most of that included in the Blackfeet reserve, consequently the Commissioners deemed it advisable to agree that a belt on the south side of the river should be exempt from general occupation for ten years, particularly as the Indians set great value on the concession.

2. The articles promised in addition to the money payments may to some appear excessive. The Stonies are the only Indians adhering to this treaty who desired agricultural implements and seed. The promises, therefore, respecting these things may be understood as merely applicable to that tribe. The Blackfeet and Bloods asked for nothing of this kind; they preferred cattle, and the Commissioners being fully of opinion that such were likely to be much more serviceable to them than seed and implements, encouraged them in their request. The number of cattle promised may appear large; but when it is considered that cows can be readily purchased at Fort McLeod for twenty or twenty-five dollars per head, and their delivery to the Indians will cost an inconsiderable sum, the total expense of supplying the articles promised by this treaty will, I am convinced, cost less than those under either Treaty number Four or Number Six.

3. I would urge that the officers of the Mounted Police be entrusted to make the annual payments to the Indians under this treaty. The Chiefs themselves requested this, and I said I believed the Government would gladly consent to the arrangement. The Indians have confidence in the Police, and it might be some time before they would acquire the same respect for strangers.

4. The organization of the Blackfeet bands is somewhat different from that of the Saulteaux and Crees. They have large bands with head and minor Chiefs, and as they preferred that this arrangement should remain unchanged, the Commissioners gladly acceded to their desire, as expense would be saved to the Government in clothing, were councillors and head men not named. The Stonies, however asked to be allowed councillors, and their request was granted to the extent of two to each Chief.

5. Copies of the treaty printed on parchment should be forwarded to Fort McLeod in good time to be delivered to each head and minor Chief at next year's payment of annuities.

I have the honour to be, Sir, Your obedient servant, DAVID LAIRD, Lieut.-Gov., and Special Indian Commissioner.

Report from correspondence in The Globe newspaper, Toronto.

FORT McLEOD, October 4, 1877.

The treaty with the Blackfeet nation has been concluded satisfactorily, and was signed by the Chiefs of the Blackfeet, Blood, Piegan and Sarcee tribes, in the presence of the Commissioners--Governor Laird and Col. McLeod, C.M.G., and of Major Irvine, a.s.sistant Commissioner, North-West Mounted Police, and officers of the Police Force, at the Council House, near "Ridge under the Water," or "The Blackfoot Crossing" the Great Bow River, on the 22nd September last.

On the morning of the 4th of September, Col. McLeod received information from the ubiquitous Indian that the Queen's father (Lieut.-Gov. Laird) was at Little Bow River, thirty miles north from McLeod, and was accompanied by the "Buffalo Bull" (Major Irvine), and that they would arrive before the sun sank below the western horizon. At three p.m. the Commissioner left Fort McLeod, accompanied by a guard of honor of one hundred mounted men, to meet and escort the representative of Vice-Royalty to the first white settlement in the Blackfeet country. The Governor was met three miles north of Willow Creek, and expressed his surprise and pleasure at the splendid appearance of the well-mounted, well-equipped, well-drilled body of men who formed the guard of honour. When the head of the column forming the escort wound round the bend of Willow Creek, and the extensive wooded valley on which McLeod is built appeared in view, the guns, which had been unlimbered and placed in position on the highest of the bluffs which girdle the north side of Old Man's River, fired a salute of thirteen guns. On the arrival of the cortege at the upper or south end of the village, the police band took the lead and welcomed the Governor with its lively music. The whole white, Half-breed and Indian population of McLeod turned out to obtain a view of the great man who had arrived. At the request of the leading inhabitants of McLeod the carriage of the Governor was halted in the centre of the village, and the following neatly worded address was read and presented to His Honor by Mr. John C. Bell:

TO THE HONORABLE DAVID LAIRD, Lieutenant-Governor, N.-W. T.

We, the citizens of Fort McLeod, beg to welcome you to this little village, one of the pioneer settlements of this great North-West.

To have so distinguished a visitor in our midst is an honor we all appreciate, as in that visit we feel an a.s.surance of your interest in our welfare and prosperity, which had its dawn with the advent of the Mounted Police in the North-West, and which, through their vigilance and care, has continued to this time.

We trust that your visit here will be as pleasant to you as it will be long remembered by us.

CHAS. E. CONRAD, THOMAS J. BOGY, DANIEL SAMPLE, LIONEL E. MANNING, JOHN C. BELL.

To which the Governor replied--

GENTLEMEN,--I thank you for your kind address, and for the hearty welcome you have extended to me on my first visit to this pioneer settlement of the Canadian North-West. After roughing it for the last twenty-four days on the broad unsettled prairies, you have surprised me by a reception which betokens all the elements of civilization.

It affords me unfeigned pleasure to learn that the advent of the Mounted Police in this country has been fraught with such advantages to you as a community.

Permit me to express the conviction that in return for that diligence and care on the part of the Police Force which you so highly and justly value, you will always be found conducting yourselves as becomes worthy subjects of that ill.u.s.trious Sovereign whom I have the distinguished honour to represent in these territories.

In conclusion, I would remark that you have taken me so unexpectedly by your address that I feel unequal to making an appropriate reply; but the agreeableness of the surprise will tend to heighten the pleasure of my visit, as well as to render abiding the interest which I undoubtedly feel in your welfare and prosperity.

During his stay at Fort McLeod, which extended to the 14th of the month, the Lieutenant-Governor reviewed the garrison, which consisted of troops C and D, and two divisions of artillery. They deployed past at a walk, trot and gallop, and His Honor expressed his unqualified admiration of the splendid form of the men. He was especially pleased with the artillery, whose horses and equipments were in beautiful condition, and requested Col. McLeod to convey to the officers and men his surprise and pleasure at finding the force at this post so perfectly drilled and acquainted with their duties.