The Treaties of Canada with The Indians of Manitoba and the North-West Territories | Page 4

at the mouth of
Red River and extending along the same as far as Great Forks at the
mouth of Red Lake River and along Assiniboine River as far as the
Musk Rat River, otherwise called Riviere des Champignons, and
extending to the distance of six miles from Fort Douglas on every side,
and likewise from Fort Doer, and also from the Great Forks and in
other posts extending in breadth to the distance of two English statute
miles back from the banks of the river."
The Indians then inhabiting the region were described as being of the
Chippawa or Saulteaux and Killistine or Cree nations. They were made
to comprehend, the depth of the land they were surrendering, by being
told, that it was the greatest distance, at which a horse on the level
prairie could be seen, or daylight seen under his belly between his legs.
The consideration for the surrender, was, the payment of one hundred
pounds of good merchantable tobacco, to each nation annually.
The treaty was signed by Lord Selkirk and by five Indian chiefs, who
affixed thereto drawings of the animals after which they were named,
by way of signature, a fac simile of which will be found elsewhere. The
surrender was to the Sovereign Lord, King George the Third. The treaty
was accompanied by a map which shows that the tract surrendered
extended to Grand Forks in what is now United States territory. A copy
of the treaty will be found in the Appendix and will prove of interest.

CHAPTER II
THE ROBINSON TREATIES
In consequence of the discovery of minerals, on the shores of Lakes
Huron and Superior, the Government of the late Province of Canada,
deemed it desirable, to extinguish the Indian title, and in order to that
end, in the year 1850, entrusted the duty to the late Honorable William
B. Robinson, who discharged his duties with great tact and judgment,
succeeding in making two treaties, which were the forerunners of the
future treaties, and shaped their course. The main features of the
Robinson Treaties--viz., annuities, reserves for the Indians, and liberty
to fish and hunt on the unconceded domain of the Crown--having been
followed in these treaties. A special feature of the Robinson Treaties,
was the adjustment of a claim made by the Indians to be paid, the
amount received, by the Government, for the sale of mining locations.
This was arranged, by Mr. Robinson, agreeing to pay them, the sum of
L4,000 and an annuity of about L1,000, thus avoiding any dispute that
might arise as to the amounts actually received by the Government. The
number of Indians included in the treaties were stated by Mr. Robinson
to be: on Lake Superior, 1240, including 84 half-breeds; and on Lake
Huron 1422, including 200 half-breeds. [Footnote: The census return of
the Department of the Interior for the year 1878 gives the numbers of
these Indians as follows: Chippawas of Lake Superior ... 1,947.
Chippawas of Lake Huron ... 1,458.] The relations of the Indians and
half-breeds, have long been cordial; and in the negotiations as to these
initial treaties, as in the subsequent ones, the claims of the half-breeds,
to recognition, was urged by the Indians.
I cannot do better, in giving information with regard to these treaties,
than simply to reproduce the Report of Mr. Robinson to the Honorable
Colonel Bruce, Superintendent-General of Indian Affairs, in which he
describes the course of his negotiations and communicates their results.
A copy of the treaties will be found in the Appendix. The Report is as
follows:

TORONTO, 24th September, 1850.
Sir:--I have the honor herewith to transmit the Treaty which on the part
of the Government I was commissioned to negotiate with the tribes of
Indians inhabiting the northern shore of Lakes Huron and Superior; and
I trust that the terms on which I succeeded in obtaining the surrender of
all the lands in question, with the exception of some small reservations
made by the Indians, may be considered satisfactory. They were such
as I thought it advisable to offer, in order that the matter might be
finally settled, without having any just grounds of complaint on the part
of the Indians.
The Indians had been advised by certain interested parties to insist on
such extravagant terms as I felt it quite impossible to grant; and from
the fact that the American Government had paid very liberally for the
land surrendered by their Indians on the south side of Lake Superior,
and that our own in other parts of the country were in receipt of
annuities much larger than I offered, I had some difficulty in obtaining
the assent of a few of the chiefs to my proposition.
I explained to the chiefs in council the difference between the lands
ceded heretofore