protection. Returning to Red River, the unfortunate but persevering
people proceeded to resume their farming operations. But the prospect
before them was gloomy enough. The lawless proceedings of the rival
companies had convulsed the whole Indian country, and the evil seemed to
culminate in the Red River Colony, to which retired servants of the
fur-traders, voyageurs, adventurers, and idlers gravitated as to a
centre; so that there was little prospect of their being allowed to
prosecute their agricultural operations in peace.

The dissensions at last became so great that a large proportion of the
new settlers, including many of the Scotch Highlanders, dispersed to
seek a precarious livelihood among the Indians, on the prairies
bordering the waters of the Missouri, or to sustain themselves and their
families by fishing in the distant lakes, and hunting on their shores.

On the advent of spring, however, most of these returned to the colony,
with renewed hope in agriculture, and set to work--every man, woman, and
child--to get some seed into the ground.

But at this point an event occurred which threw the colony into great
consternation, and induced vigorous action on the part of Lord Selkirk,
which was the first step towards more peaceful times.

The North-West party, consisting chiefly of half-breeds, had augmented
to upwards of three hundred warriors. It would be more correct,
perhaps, to style them banditti; for they had penetrated through every
part of Rupert's Land, set law at defiance, pillaged and destroyed many
of the establishments of their rivals, and kept the whole country in a
state of ferment and alarm.

One band of these men, numbering between sixty and seventy, advanced
upon Red River Colony. They were a motley crew, all mounted on
horseback and armed with guns, spears, tomahawks, bows, and
scalping-knives, besides which they were painted and plumed _a la
sauvage_, and were in the habit when rushing to battle, of yelling like
the Red-men whose blood mingled with that of the White-man in their
veins.

What was the precise intention of these men at this time it is difficult
to say, but it was not difficult to see that peace was not their object.

Governor Semple, of the Hudson's Bay Company, a mild, just, and much
respected man, was in charge of the colony at the time.

Daniel Davidson was engaged in a very important conversation with old
Duncan McKay at the time the formidable troop of North-We