29 

 the intention of interviewing the North -westers. On Governor 

 Seinple reaching this place where we now stand, and which 

 derives its name from the fact that seven large oak trees stood 

 here at that time, the North-westers, who had crossed the 

 creek, returned, meeting the governor's party on the south 

 side, when a conversation took place between the governor 

 and one of the North-westers regarding the purpose of each 

 others presence. What immediately then took place is prac- 

 tically as follows : According to sworn evidence afterwards 

 given, a gun was accidentally discharged, and both parties 

 thinking that the other had begun the attack, fired into each 

 other. The North-westers (it has been claimed 30 only were 

 at the moment present), being mounted, spread themselves 

 out in a half circle around the settlers, who w^ere grouped 

 together and received the full effect of their opponents' fire, 

 so that in a few minutes twenty -one of the Semple party and 

 one North-wester lay dead upon the field. The remaining 

 seven or eight escaped to the woods, which Jiere stretched to 

 the banks of the Red River. Governor Semple, Lieutenant 

 Holt, Capt. Rogers, Dr. James White, and Dr. Wilkinson, 

 private secretary to the Governor, were among the dead. 

 The survivors, hastily returning to the fort, announced the 

 sad intelligence, and all was confusion. Closely following 

 upon this event, a demand was made by the chiefs of the 

 North -westers that the settlers should immediately embark 

 and abandon the settlement, under pain, if they remained, of 

 having the fort destroyed and meeting with death. After 

 some negotiatioirs, the settlers agreed to do this ultimatum, 

 and entering their boats, wdth such family goods as they could 

 hastily gather together, passed down the Red River and Lake 

 Winnipeg to Norway House, then known as Jack Fish House, 

 where they reurained during that winter, returning to the 

 settlement in the following spring, after the arrival of Lord 

 Selkir-k, with an armed force, which ensured their protection. 

 Notwithstanding the petitions of the rival companies, the 

 Imperial Government had, up to this time, declined to inter- 

 fere between the claims of the two rival companies. The 



