36 THE STORY OF THE TRAPPER 



Six months later (1817), when ice had closed the 

 rivers, he sent Captain d Orsennens overland westward 

 to Red River, where Fort Douglas was captured back 

 one stormy winter night by the soldiers scaling the 

 fort walls during a heavy snowfall. The conflict had 

 been just as ruthless on the Saskatchewan. Nor 7 West 

 ers were captured as they disembarked to pass Grand 

 Rapids and shipped down to York Factory, where 

 Franklin the explorer saw four Nor Westers maltreat 

 ed. One of them was the same John George MacTavish 

 who had helped to capture Astoria ; another, Frobisher, 

 a partner, was ultimately done to death by the abuse. 

 The Deschamps murderers of Seven Oaks fled south, 

 where their crimes brought terrible vengeance from 

 American traders. 



Victorious all along the line, the Hudson s Bay 

 Company were in a curious quandary. Suits enough 

 were pressing in the courts to ruin both companies ; and 

 for the most natural reason in the world, neither Hud 

 son Bay nor Nor Wester could afford to have the truth 

 told and the crimes probed. There was only one way 

 out of the dilemma. In March, 1821, the companies 

 amalgamated under the old title of Hudson s Bay. In 

 April, 1822, a new fort was built half-way between the 

 sites of Gibraltar and Fort Douglas, and given the new 

 name of Fort Garry by Sir George Simpson, the gov 

 ernor, to remove all feeling of resentment. The thou 

 sand men thrown out of employment by the union at 

 once crossed the line and enlisted with American 

 traders. 



The Hudson s Bay was now strong with the strength 

 that comes from victorious conflict so strong, indeed, 

 that it not only held the Canadian field, but in spite 



