FOR THE NORTH-WEST COMPANY

Mr. Ch pany as a diately se tions. T observatio these exp were atte pany.

Upon t 1807, it region bety thoroughl] of provine ‘returns,” mendation

Mr. Ma taking anc of mind.

been impos

Mr. Charles MacKenzie joined the North-West Company as an apprentice clerk in 1803, and was immediately sent to the Missouri on several trading expeditions. This considerably developed his powers of observation, as shown by the account he has left us of these expeditions, but, unfortunately for him, they were attended with poor financial results for the Compan y.

Upon the abandonment of the Missouri trade, in 1807, it was his misfortune to be stationed in the region between Lakes La Pluieand Monontaggé, a district thoroughly exhausted and where he had no opportunity of proving his undoubted abilities by means of good “returns,” which were very often the chief recommendation for promotion.

Mr. Mackenzie was remarkably intelligent, painstaking and energetic, but of a rather philosophical turn fmind. He stoically accepted the position which had been imposed upon him and for which, especially after

the Union of 1821, there appeared to be no remedy, as the friends upon whom he might have relied had little influence with the Hudson Bay Company, whose servant he had become.

To those who advised him to leave the country he would answer, as he did to Mr. Roderic McKenzie, that he was too much accustomed to Indian life. ‘ It does

not require much to reconcile a civilized being to the Indian life, but a mighty task to reconcile an Indian to civilized life and thinking; there is nothing for me

better than remaining where I am. ”

Like most old Nor-Westers, Mr. MacKenzie cordially disliked the Hudson Bay Company. He had married an Indian woman who brought him several children, and he resented to the end the marked contempt with which that company treated all Natives. In one of his letters to Mr. R. McKenzie, written while suffering

under the disadvantages he experienced in obtaining a position for his son—an intelligent young man who had gone through a complete course of studies at the Red River seminary, in 1840, and had obtained the highest testimonials from his professor, —he says: “It

appears the present Concern has stamped the Cuin mark upon all born in this country; neither education nor abilities serve them” .,.,.,.......... “The Honorable Company are unwilling to take Natives, even as apprentice clerks, and the favored few they do take can

| manofap

never as capacity

“ The seminar)y the servi educated

Latin for natural a

These | were inte pany’s se gentlemer to educate

Unlike Kenzie hs of whom, gist. His would by

conviction

He sha that time co-religio better the

“ There barbarous

dy, as d little

servant

atry he ie, that It does to the idian to for me

ordially married hildren, pt with ne of his

suffering aining à an who s at the ned the ys: “It

ain mark |

tion nor Tonorable

en as aptake can

THE MISSISSOURI INDIANS 319

never aspire to a higher status, be their education and capacity what they may ”.....,,,.,.......ss.....

There are now 60 or 70 boys in the Red River seminary, a dozen of whom are ready yearly to enter the service in the same capacity—if they can,—better educated than the Chief Factors ”......,.,.,....... ... I do not see the use of so much Greek and Latin for these postmasters, since neïither artificial nor natural acquirements are of any avail.”

These postmasterships, necessarily of late creation, were intermediate positions in the Hudson Bay Company’s service between the clerks—the “ commissioned gentlemen ”’—and the men, and were generally given to educated half breeds.

Unlike the generality of Indian traders, Mr. Mac- Kenzie had a most decided partiality for the Indians, of whom, on all occasions, he made himself the apologist. His correspondence on that subject, though it would by many be considered as extreme, denotes a

| man of a philanthropic disposition and of strong religious

convictions.

He shared the belief of many in the North-West at that time that no sufficient efforts were made by his œ-religionists to Christianize the Natives and, thereby, better their condition.

“ There is a rage abroad,” he wrote “ for bringing barbarous nations under the pale of the Gospel, and in

no country more than in Great Britain. I doubt not but the two thirds of these are sincere, while, most certainly, the one third are interested from thirst of selfish gain.

‘The Natives of Africa and Asia inay well suppose that there is not a single heathen under either Great Britain or America, seeing so many missionaries and the zeal of these countries. It would surprise them to be told that there is a country under the British Government for upwards of 200 years, and a people with

whom they carry on commerce and susceptible of every

improvement, and yet no attempt was ever made to preach the Gospel among them. Nay, they are more degraded and degenerated than when the first European set his foot on American soil, the epoch of the setting Sun of its native inhabitants.

‘ There is every appearance of the quick extinction of the North American Indians, but no distant hope of improving their mind.......sesesssesossssseseoses

“ They think” (in England) “ that being, as they say, ‘under the protection of the British Government”

is enough.—What, in the name of Goodness, is that |

protection the British Government ever afforded the Natives of this country ? Has not the British Government sold them to a monopoly ?”

Mr. MacKenzie had considerable literary tastes and

devoted most of his long and dreary leisure hours to à

study, de land, the His an Bay Com the Red He did n home. H.

now dead lives neai

bt not >, InOSt irst of

suppose r Great ies and them to sh Govple with of every made to are more uropean e setting

xtinction t hope of

as they rnment”

s, is that

rded the h Govern-

astes and

hours to à

THE MISSISSOURI INDIANS 321

study, delirhting especially in the history of his native land, the Highlands of Scotland.

His ambition was to leave the service of the Hudson Bay Company and to purchase ‘a patch of land” in the Red River settlement, which he did about 1846. He did not live long to enjoy the sweets of a quiet home. He died in March 1854 leaving three daughters,

now dead, and a son, Mr. Hector MacKenzie, who still lives near Winnipeg.

The trad expedi!

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