Therefore I finish my speaking by saying, Accept!"
The chiefs and counsellors stood up, and requested all the
Indians to do so also as a mark of acceptance of the Government's
conditions. Father Lacombe was thanked by several for having come
so far, though so very old, to visit them and speak to them,
after which the meeting adjourned until the following day.
At three p.m. on Wednesday, the 21st, the discussion was resumed
by Mr. Laird, who, after a few preliminary remarks read the
Treaty, which had been drafted by the Commissioners the previous
evening. Chief Keenooshayo arose and made a speech, followed by
Moostoos, both assenting to the terms, when suddenly, and to the
surprise of all, the chief, who had again begin to address the
Indians, perceiving gestures of dissent from his people, suddenly
stopped and sat down. This looked critical; but, after a somewhat
lengthy discussion, everything was smoothed over, and the chief
and head men entered the tent and signed the Treaty after the
Commissioners, thus confirming, for this portion of the country,
the great Treaty which is intended to cover the whole northern
region up to the sixtieth parallel of north latitude. The
satisfactory turn of the Lesser Slave Lake Treaty, it was felt,
would have a good effect elsewhere, and that, upon hearing of
it at the various treaty points to the west and north, the Indians
would be more inclined to expedite matters, and to close with
the Commissioner's proposals.
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