had been consulted by the Blackfeet
Council and told of the efforts made by the Sioux to get the Indians on
this side with them. However, the Blackfeet remained loyal mainly
because they had learned to trust the Mounted Police. But shortly
afterwards, matters were complicated by bands of Sioux crossing over the
line into Canadian territory. We shall deal with this Sioux invasion in
the next chapter, but in the meantime, as this is a chapter on treaties,
shall record how the Canadian Government, being fully aware of all these
events, took special steps at once to make treaties with the warlike
tribes which inhabited that vast area from the North Saskatchewan River
towards the boundary line. For this purpose the Commissioners appointed
were Governor David Laird and Colonel MacLeod, of the Mounted Police. No
better men could be chosen to make this famous Treaty Number Seven with
the Indians at a very critical hour.

Accordingly, on September 19, 1877, at the Blackfeet Crossing of the
Bow River, less than a 100 miles from Fort MacLeod, the Chiefs of the
Blackfeet, Blood, Piegan, Stony and Sarcee tribes and some 5,000 of
their men, women and children met to hear the Great Mother's chiefs. Mr.
Laird's address was full of dignity and impressiveness, and couched in
the picturesque language which, interpreted by the inimitable Jerry
Potts, found its way to the hearts of his audience. Mr. Laird opened by
saying, "The Great Spirit has made all things, the sun, the moon, the
stars, the earth, the forests and the swift-running rivers. It is by the
Great Spirit that the Queen rules over this great country and other
great countries. The Great Spirit has made the white man and the red man
brothers, and we should take each other by the hand. The Great Mother
loves all her children, white men and red men alike. She wishes to do
them all good." Then Mr. Laird made special reference to the Police
which was good diplomacy, for the Indians had known the Police for three
years and the wise Governor saw the advantage of linking up the Police
with the Queen's government. He said, "When bad white men brought you
whisky, robbed you and made you poor, and through whisky made you
quarrel amongst yourselves, she sent the Mounted Police to put an end to
it. You know how they stopped this and punished the offenders, and how
much good this has done. I have to tell you how much pleased the Queen
is that you have taken the Mounted Police by the hand and