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| Read original Return to Troubles at Brandon House |
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April 1812, discontent among the men
Brandon House post journal.
HBCA, B.22/a/18b, fos. 13d-14d.
April
Wednesday 1st Our people from the hunting tent arrived with part of the meat of five Cows being all the meat they say that are there. the remainder of the 10 Cattle they say they required for their dogs and themselves to live on after leaving a little for the people who remain there. Such a set of dam’d careless uninterested fellows (for their Employers) I never met with before in the Country, they do not care how much they destroy nor will they ever be better in this quarter untill [sic] they are dispersed and some examples made of them, for they have been so long accustomed to do & say as they please that they have entirely forgot (that is to say if were they ever posses’d of the properties) that belong to good Servants. A few Indians arrived from the Southward with a little bear meat and some dressed Leather. 4 Bears & a few wolves…
Wednesday 8th Ditto – An old freeman arrived (Bono) with a wolf skin, 35 lbs bear meat & a piece of line begging a supply of Tobacco & ammunition to enable him to pay of [sic] his old debts to us. And a few lines from Mr Heney, by my neighbours express…
Saturday 11th Weather still very cold. 4 men went to the hunting tent & returned with 4 sleds of meat. Two men hauling firewood. One man across with the NWest black smith getting iron work made for the plow[.] others necessarily employed about the House…
Tuesday 14th People as yesterday only the two men who were fetching meat cutting wood for short Stockadoes. two Stone Indians arrived begging tobacco & ammunition - they only brought 3 buffalo tongues.
Wednesday 15th As yesterday – and fitting the stockadoes on the Ribbands[.] Sent Thomas Fouet off to make a little Sugar & kill Swans.
Thursday 16th Ditto Ditto The Stone Indians went away after getting a little tobacco[.] The people sent word to me that they wanted fat to eat with their meat, which I refused them having served them out 56 lb only eight days ago. They again sent me word they would not go to work unless they were served out fat with their meat. I then went into the mens house and try’d to convince them of the unreasonableness of their demands in expecting to be served out 7 lbs of Fat per day for ten men, besides seven pounds of Fresh meat per man with as many potatoes as they could eat. But no reason could I get from them they told me they were used worse than slaves & that it was not the companys orders or if it was why were they not shown it for they had as great a right to see it as their masters. After a good deal of altercation (in vain I told them they should have fat but upon these conditions that they should pay for it at the price that should be set upon it[)] several then swore they should not pay for it. Thomas Mason John Isbister William Bews & William Sinclair were the principal speakers and most insolent fellows.
