The Canadians
Canoe on Moose Lake, BC, image 0098.0005, Columbia Basin Institute of Regonal History
In 1820-21, George Simpson (not yet Governor Simpson) spends his first winter in the HBC at Fort Wedderburn, on an island in Athabasca Lake. But this story begins even before he arrived at that HBC Post. Even in the earliest years of his reign (if we can call it that), Simpson developed good relations with the Canadians who worked in the trade, whether they were North West Company men, or they were employed by the HBC. And that gave him results: even as his men and canoes moved north up the Sturgeon-Weir River, he spoke to the North West Company’s Canadians and learned from them some of the problems that their NWC bosses were experiencing. Normally you would think that the men who worked for the North West Company would not share the company’s secrets — but they did.
On August 17, 1820, locum-tenans governor, George Simpson, left Mossy Point and travelled across Lake Winnipeg to the mouth of the Saskatchewan River. The HBC men expected a conflict of sorts between the two companies at the Grand Rapids, three miles up the Saskatchewan River. Before they left Norway House, the HBC gentlemen “provided our people with a musket and bayonet each and ten rounds of ball cartridge, and armed ourselves for the purpose of Self defence.” When they reached the base of the Grand Rapids, the HBC men “sent two men over the portage to reconnoitre; gave the people a dram (the Canadians require an auxiliary of this kind in times of danger), arranged our arms and sat up all night, as we suspected the N.W. Half-breeds were laying in ambush for us.” You can see the beginning of Simpson’s burgeoning distrust of the “half-breeds” here; the mixed blood employees of the future merged companies did not receive the same affectionate treatment from Simpson that the Canadians did.
When the HBC brigades reached Cumberland House, on Cumberland Lake, Simpson had already learned that the NWC was not as well prepared for trade as the HBC expected them to be. The HBC’s brigades continued their journey up the Sturgeon-Weir River to the Churchill River. When the HBC men stopped to gum their canoes at the entrance of Beaver (Amisk) Lake, they found some North West company canoes there, and Simpson said he “had some conversation with their people, and could have several Deserters, they appeared much dissatisfied with their treatment at Lac La Pluie [Rainy Lake].” So as you can see, in the absence of the NWC gentlemen/partners, the NWC’s Canadiens freely expressed their disappointment in their Company to the HBC’s gentleman-in-charge of the Athabasca district.
As you know, Simpson and his party arrived at Ile-a-la-Crosse and made their way north over Portage la Loche, reaching the banks of the Clearwater River, in the Athabasca District, in the early fall. On September 20, 1820, they finally reached Fort Wedderburn, their post on Athabasca Lake. At Fort Wedderburn, Simpson immediately noticed that there was a “great deal of subordination” among the Canadians who worked for the HBC. And no wonder: they had been left without much in the way of provisions and ammunition over the summer of 1820. You cannot expect happy men after that kind of bad treatment.
Simpson got to work almost immediately. He sent out supplies to all the posts in his district, all of whose cupboards were bare of trade goods and ammunition. He ensured that provisions were secured for the upcoming winter. He dealt with the NWC men who lived some ten feet from the palisades of Fort Wedderburn in their watch-house — and as you know he and his men captured their leader, Simon McGillivray Jr. — see this post: https://nancymargueriteanderson.com/simon-mcgillivray-jr/ Unfortunately, McGillivray escaped the HBC’s prison, but it did make the Nor’Westers much more cautious when it came to dealing with the HBC.
But the Canadians: they were new to the HBC employment, it seems, and they may have been treated poorly by the HBC gentlemen — mostly because they were, as a culture, so different to the compliant Orkney men the HBC was used to working with. Simpson must have immediately recognized the problem, and wrote to warn his childhood friend, Duncan Finlayson, (who was also brand new in the district, but heading west to one of the Peace River posts.) Simpson’s letter said, in part:
You will bear in mind that it is Canadians you have now to deal with, not cool phlegmatic Orkney men. If humoured in trifles anything may be done with them, but if treated with uniform harshness and severity, they will Mutiny to a certainty. Your Fort Hunter, Baptiste Bisson, is the best without exception in the North, his temper is capricious, you should therefore study to please him, as in the event of a scarcity of Provisions, your existence in a great measure depends upon him. I have made his little boy a present, which I think will please the Father.
So Simpson saw immediately on reaching Fort Wedderburn, that the Canadians were insubordinate because of the treatment they received from the HBC men, who did not understand them because they were more independent, and more capricious, than the “cool, phlegmatic Orkney men.” It’s really hard to say this, as the descendant of an HBC trader — but I am really beginning to respect and like Simpson. This is part of the difficulty I am having with this book. I am dealing with my own prejudices because I am finding that the story I am uncovering is different than the one I have been told in the past. I am having to change my mind on several big issues, and it is an interesting process, let me tell you.
So, onward with the Canadians. In November Simpson noted that, “We are sadly in want of runners all over the Country; the fellows we have now got are really so consequential and insolent that no good can be got out of them; a few attached English Half-breeds would therefore be of the utmost importance to us.” I think that probably the runners mentioned above were Canadians, but I really don’t know for sure. The two names he mentioned were [David?] Pisque, at Ile-a-la-Crosse, and John Tait, at Cumberland House.
From Simpson’s journal I learn that St. Picquè is one of the NWC bullies, and certainly not the same man as Pisque, above. But this is what Simpson said of St Picquè, who was sent from the watch-house to Fort Wedderburn to pick up Simon McGillivray Jr’s clothes after McGillivray escaped from Fort Wedderburn. On December 7, 1820, Simpson said that
St Picquè, one of the N.W. bullies (a very civil man whose confidence I have gained) came over this morning with some meat in repayment of that given by Bouche a few days ago to their people when searching for Indians: — He appears very much dissatisfied with his situation, says that his Masters are a set of Lawless Rascals and that he is determined to resist any illegal duty they may attempt to impose on him: he seems desirous to enter our service at the expiration of his contract and says that the greater number of the North West Servants are disaffected and anxious to change sides. He informs me that [James] Keith dispatched expresses to Peace River, Ile-a-la-Crosse, and Fond du Lac [“bottom of the lake,” meaning, I think, Great Slave Lake] on the arrest of Mr. [Simon] McGillivray for a re-inforcement of men and that Joseph McGillivray [brother of Simon] was expected from Vermilion [on the North SaskatchewanRiver] to head a party attacking our Fort in the night time for the purpose of rescuing the Prisoner [McGillivray] but that two men were dispatched this morning to intimate his escape and countermand the former requisition. The N.W. people look upon Keith as a cool designing Villain who would incite them to the most nefarious acts and blackest crimes, but has not the courage to lead them and is therefore despised by all about him.
Well, the Canadians also did not appear to have a good opinion of McGillivray, according to St Picquè. Joseph McGillivray did turn up at the NWC Watch-house, as you see below. And so, at a later date, did Samuel Black! Both came from Fort Vermilion, on the North Saskatchewan River, and they would reach Athabasca Lake by travelling overland via Green Lake and Lac Ile-a-la-Crosse to the Portage La Loche. It’s a long journey, and in McGillivray’s case, a useless one.
But for the nonce we will continue St. Picquè’s story, as he is part of the “Canadian” story. On December 18, 1820, Simpson says that “I have an interview with St. Picquè the N.W. Bully today, who informs me that Joseph McGillivray arrived from Vermilion a few days ago for the purpose of rescuing his brother Simon, but finding him liberated, returns tomorrow; also that [Samuel] Black (of Villainous celebrity) is at Vermilion and expected hereabout the latter end of the month with a considerable force; a strong party are likewise expected from Isle a la Crosse; on the arrival of those people the N.W. have determined on making a grand effort to apprehend me and some of our principal Officers, when the plan is ripe for execution this faithful servant is to give me the necessary information.”
So Simpson had Canadian spies in the North West Company’s post. More than one, in fact. On New Years Day, January 1821, Simpson wrote:
The Festivities of the New Year commenced at four O’clock this morning when the people honoured me with a salute of Fire arms, and in half an hour afterwards the whole Inmates of our Garrison assembled in the hall dressed out in their best clothes, and were regaled in a suitable manner with a few flaggons Rum and some Cakes; a full allowance of Buffalo meat was served out to them and a pint of Spirits for each man; the Women were also entertained to the utmost of our ability. In the course of the day St. Picquè and Rondeau, contrary to Mr. [James] Keith’s instructions, paid us a visit, the object thereof was to guard me against a plan that the N.W. have in contemplation of apprehending me and the principal Officers of this Establishment. St Picquè has been ordered to beat and maltreat our people (being a powerful man) wherever. he can find them, but has declined making himself conspicuous in that way, and is therefore looked upon with a jealous Eye: Black he says is expected in a few days, and is to commence open hostilities immediately on his arrival… These men were treated with every attention, and took their departure about 8 o’clock p.m. In the course of two or three hours afterwards St. Picquè returned with the whole of his Baggage soliciting my protection; he informed me that on his arrival at Fort Chipewyan, Mr. McGillivray severely reprimanded him for visiting this Fort and ordered him out of doors, St Picquè…
This Rondeau was [probably] Louis Rondeau, a Canadian who was a North West Company servant in the Athabasca District in 1819-1820. He is in my family tree, as he is the father of Joseph Louis Rondeau, who took as his wife Josephine Beaulieu, younger sister of my g.g.grandmother Charlot Beaulieu. It was a lovely surprise to find him here. Also: as you can guess, as the result of above, St Picquè became an HBC man, working at Fort Wedderburn for a while at least. A very short time, in fact. Sometime in January 1821, the NWC men asked him to return, and he did. I don’t know if he forwarded any further information to Simpson, and its likely he did not.
However, Rondeau did. On March 7, 1821, Simpson sent a dog train to the HBC’s Big Island Fishery for fish, and received two loads and a note. “Cochrane wrote me a few lines intimating that Rondeau, the N.W. fisherman, called on him last night at the Big Island for the purpose of apprising me that [Samuel] Black was determined on Capturing Mr. [William] Brown, [Amable] Grignon, Bouche [the Interpreter] & myself by entering our Fort in the night time: for once I think that Gentleman is out of his calculations as we are now tolerably well prepared for his reception.”
So everyone at Fort Wedderburn was well-armed and kept their guns at hand. The threats and conflicts between the two companies continued unabated, however, and the HBC men desired to capture Sam Black, while at the same time deciding it was too dangerous to make the attempt. Then, good news: In March 1821, news reached Simpson that “Black & McGillivray have discovered that we are prepared to receive them in the case of an attack, and have therefore abandoned the project; they in their turn are now alarmed and much on their guard.” Instructions were given to the Nor’Westers at the watch-house to shoot some of the HBC men on sight and to capture others. Simpson was warned that he should not show his face outside the fort or someone would be tempted to take a pot shot at him. News continued to reach Simpson’s ears, perhaps through the Canadians that worked for the HBC. He learned that “the NWC are equally short of provisions as we are, and have sent the greater part of their people to the Fisheries: the Guard House [Watch House] is consequently abandoned. Black, McGillivray and their retinue of Murderers and Bullies having removed to Fort Chipewyan yesterday…”
In May, the HBC prepared to leave Athabasca Lake for York Factory, and they had their fishermen and hunters collect food for the journey out. Simpson brought in men from Great Slave Lake to build canoes for the brigades going out, and he urged John Clarke, who was in charge of Fort Superior, on Lac Ile-a-la-Crosse, to forward the pemmican that was part of Fort Wedderburn’s supply. “If Mr. Clarke has not forwarded the quantity of pemican agreed upon to Lac La Loche,” Simpson worried, “I am under the most serious apprehensions that we shall not be able to get our Canoes out this Season, which would be a finishing blow to the Companys prospects in Athabasca.” Then he received a letter from Duncan Finlayson, telling him of the starvation in the Peace River, and saying that the Fort hunter, Baptiste Bisson, “who is without exception the best large animal hunter in North America, lived entirely on parchment for several weeks” over that winter, because of the shortage of animals to hunt. He also worried about the canoes that Finlayson was in charge of building on the Peace River. “The Canoes were not expected to be ready to start for eight or ten days, and poor Finlayson must trust to Providence for his maintenance hither.”
But on the 20th of May, the five Peace River canoes arrived at Fort Wedderburn, and Simpson and his men prepared for their journey out to York Factory. Provisions of dried fish were few, but “our people, however, behave remarkably well and there is not a grumble in the Fort, altho several of the men have tasted nothing for three days and Officers and Women have fasted about half that time.” When they left the fort, they had only one bag of Pemican, a little dried meat and a few Geese to maintain 20 men and four passengers for about nine days.”
Then, on May 23, Simpson
Took my departure from Fort Wedderburn at 2 o’clock a.m., accompanied by Messrs. [William] Brown, [Robert Seaborn] Miles, & [Jonas] Oxley in two light Canoes with twenty men, were impeded by the ice a short time near the Bustard [Canada Goose] Island, and arrived at the Big Point at 8 o’cock where I found several of our people who were procuring a very scanty living by hooks & lines. Had an interview with the English Chief and his band who threatened to join the N.W. as we had no ammunition to give them, they however consented to remain staunch until the arrival of our early brigade in August, when I promised that all their wants would be supplied. Proceeded at 12 o’cock; passed a large encampment of N.W. people & two canoes going to the Fort with men for the light Canoes. Mr. Brown’s Canoe sustained much damage in crossing the Bar & put ashore to Gum. Fell in with the ‘Swan’ who gave me a few Geese and encamped at 8 o’clock.
One passenger is in the canoes that Simpson makes no mention of: this is his temporary mistress, Isabel (Betsy) Sinclair, daughter of Chief Factor William Sinclair and his wife, Margaret (Nahovway) Norton. Betsy was pregnant with Simpson’s child when she left Fort Wedderburn.
My next post will begin with Simpson’s journey to Norway House from Athabasca Lake, and when I write it, it will show up here: https://nancymargueriteanderson.com/whatever-i-call-it/
To return to the beginning of Simpson’s story, go here: https://nancymargueriteanderson.com/simpson-at-rock-depot-1820/
Copyright, Nancy Marguerite Anderson, 2026. All rights reserved.