The Indian title to the land, however, was not conveyed by
the Crees and Saulteaux until 1817, when Peguis and others of their
chiefs ceded a portion of their territory for a yearly payment of
a quantity of tobacco. The ceded tract extended from the mouth
of the Red River southward to Grand Forks, and, westward, along
the Assiniboine River to Rat Creek, the depth of the reserve being
the distance at which a white horse could be seen on the plains,
though this matter is not very clear. The British boundary at that
time ran south of Red Lake, and would still so run but for the
indifference of bygone Commissioners. This purchase became the
theatre of Lord Selkirk's far-seeing scheme of British settlement
in the North-West, with whose varying fortunes and romantic history
the average reader is familiar.
The first Canadian treaties were those effected by Mr. Weemys Simpson
in 1871, first at Stone Fort, Man., covering the old purchase from
Peguis and others, and a large extent of territory in addition,
the stipulated terms of payment being afterwards greatly enlarged.
These treaties are known as Nos. 1 and 2, and were followed by the
North-West Angle Treaty, effected by Lieutenant-Governor Morris, in
1873, with the Ojibway Saulteaux. In 1874 the Qu'Appelle Treaty,
after prolonged discussion and inter-tribal jealousy and disturbance,
was concluded by Lieutenant-Governor Morris, the Hon.
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