192 ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 
APPENDIX [C]. 
NOTES ON THE RED RIVER, OR LORD SELKIRK’S, COLONY. 
Grant of Land 1811. First Arrival of.Settlers in 1812. Lon. 97.0 West of 
London. Lat. 50 N. about 40 Miles from Lake Winnipic and near the Conflu- 
ence of the Red River with the Assiniboine. Destruction of the Colony in 
1815. Governor Semple’s murder in 1816. Mainville, the Bois Brulé, was at 
Lac la Pluie when I was there and at large, though he had confessed that he 
had murdered Mr. Keveney; and Cadot who was with the party at the time 
ot the Murder threatened to murder Mr. Bird or myself. 
Captain von May engages the Colonists. Received from each Colonist one 
Louis d’or. . . . . Walter von Husser, the Commissary, receives one Hun- 
dred Louis d’or and 300 Acres on his Return the second Time. He is directed 
by the Swiss Government to report on the State of the Colony; if his Report 
is favourable there will be no want of Colonists. He appears to be a Gentle- 
man admirably fitted for the Situation, a Countenance that bespeaks honour- 
able Feelings and a most enlightened Mind, a Nobleman and related to 
William Tells Family, whose Costume he wears, which is most becoming. . 
He is a Man of general Information, speaking French, German, Italian, an 
excellent Latin Scholar. A Man with such Firmness, possessing a kind 
Heart and Powers of Perswasion, and thus having perfect Command over 
the Colonists. How different from the Governor. * = = fe = 
* * * * * * * * * * * * * 
. The Swiss People do not appear well selected. Mr. von May appears to con- 
sider Numbers more than Quality. Mr. von Husser is a Catholic but toler- 
ant. If I am deceived in his Character I will never judge a Man again. His 
Countenance is the Image of his Mind and this Mind a most beautiful one. 
Military Protection and Laws must be introduced at the Colony or it will 
become a Nest of Brigands and Robbers, well directed it may become any- 
thing. Can never give Profit to Lord Selkirk’s Family. * = a * 
A Lieutenant’s Guard with 25 to 30 Men would be adequate. If the Grass 
hoppers return next Year I fear the Colony must sink. If the Indians fire 
the plains, which might be the Case in the Event of War Parties opposing 
each other, it would be dreadful in its Consequences to the Colonists as it 
would drive away the Buffalo and thus their Means of Subsistence. 
Mr. McDonell requested me to represent to Mr. Colville the Inexpedi- 
ency of sending out more Colonists or Goods till it is ascertained whether the 
Grasshopper appears again. Goods to the amount of £7000 came out this 
Year. These Goods are exclusively Mr. Colville’s or Lord Selkirk’s. 
Mem. To request Mr. Colville not to charge Interest to the Colonists on 
their Debts. The Rental too high :— 
100 Acres NNTSE MVEAT CRAN oe wc) cs cn eee ONIONS: 
3 ne SCOR ht eee Rate Leyes: ee te: Jel See eS elise 
i ce third SE ONE RANE OME So as ok a Ce O0. a 
* SOUL LATE MO PNR RAR PUS RAD i= 
F tt TEEN. NN MR EEE ER Leu) Le 20 LS LESC NE) Tamanna 
