FIVE FOETS OP WINNIPEG. 139 



name Fort Daer, — Baron Daer and Shortcleugh being one of Lord Selkirk's titles. Thither, 

 for the winter of 1812-13, the colonists migrated. During the summer they returned to 

 their establishments at the Forks, and their number was made up to one hundred by the 

 arrival of a small band of new immigrants. During the next winter they again removed 

 sixty miles southward to Fort Daer. It was while at Fort Daer with the colonists, that 

 (jovernor Macdonell, becoming apprehensive that the supply of food for his expected 

 colonists from Britain would run short, issued on Janviary 8th, 1814, his celebrated procla- 

 mation, forbidding the export of pemican or other food from the country, but stating his 

 willingness to pay for the food taken for the colony. This proclamation was drawn forth 

 by the threat of the Nor'-Westers to starve the settlers out before they could get a foot- 

 hold ; for it was, indeed, said, that Nor'-Western agents had cruelly driven away the 

 buffalo out of reach of the settlers when at Pembina. 



In 1814, the settlers sowed a small quantity of wheat got from Fort Alexander, 

 at the mouth of Winnipeg River, but it was all planted with the hoe. In 1814, 

 the colony was increased by two additional parties by way of Hudson Bay. The 

 first arrived on June 22ud, and was supplied with thirty or forty bushels of potatoes, 

 which they planted. The lots for the several families were now selected, being narrow 

 strips of laud commencing a mile and a half from the junction of the river, and extending 

 side by side along the river for three miles, after the manner of the buildings along the 

 St. Lawrence in the ProA'ince of Quebec. At the close of 1814, the colony numbered two 

 hundred persons. Acting under Grovernor Macdonell's proclamation, Sheriff Spencer, in 

 May, 1814, seized at Assiniboine House, opposite Brandon House, one hiindred miles or 

 upwards west of the Forks, four hundred bags of pemican, each weighing between 

 eighty and ninety pounds. He also took a considerable c^uantity of preserved buffiilo tallow. 

 The question as to whether the Governor acted rightly in making this seizure has been 

 much discussed. All can now see that it was unwise, giving, as it did, a welcome oppor- 

 tunity to the Nor'-Westers to display their secret hostility. These measures, no doubt, 

 caused much excitement among the Nor'-Westers, all the way from Athabaska to Montreal. 



At their annual meeting in the summer of 1814, at Fort William, two of their most 

 daring and astute partners were sent to the Red River and Assiniboine districts. These 

 were Duncan Cameron and Alexander Macdonell, both of whom became celebrated in the 

 stirring events of the period. Cameron took charge of Fort Gibraltar. The plan of the 

 Nor'-Westers was first to induce the settlers to leaA^e Red River and settle in Canada, and 

 after that, or along with that, to drive out those refusing to accept their offers. Duncan 

 Cameron, thoiigh said by one writer friendly to the Nor'-Westers, to have been of an 

 " irritable temper," was, on the whole, well-suited to the task. Though possessed of no 

 military rank he signed himself " Captain, Voyageur Corps, Commanding Ofiicer, Red 

 River." He wore a flowing red coat, and carried a sword. However, he was as adroit as he 

 was bold. He could speak Gaelic, the native tongue of the colonists. He courted the favor 

 of the settlers during the whole winter, invited them to his table, and at the same time 

 awakened their fears by threatening them with the Indians, should they disregard his 

 wishes. The winter of 1814-15 was a troubled one. Taking advantage on April 4th, 1815, 

 of the temporary absence of the Governor, Mr. Archibald MacDonald being in charge, 

 Cameron sent a party to the Governor's house to demand the cannon in possession of the 

 colonists, saying, in his missive, that they were not for use, but in order to prevent their 



