but
balling, dancing, rioting and drunkenness in the barbarous sport of
those disorderly times." Macdonell's method of reckoning accounts was
unique. "In place of having recourse to the tedious process of pen and
ink the heel of a bottle was filled with wheat and set on the cask. This
contrivance was called the 'hour glass,' and for every flagon drawn off,
a grain of wheat was taken out of the hour glass, and put aside till the
bouse was over."

As was to be expected this disgraceful state of things led to grave
frauds in the dealings with the Colonists, and when Halkett, one of Lord
Selkirk's executors, arrived on Red River to investigate the complaints,
a thorough system of "false entries, erroneous statements and
over-charges" was found, and the discontent of the settlers was removed,
though they were all heavily in debt to the Estate.

It had been the object of Lord Selkirk from the beginning of his
enterprise to give employment to his needy Colonists. Various
enterprises were begun with this end in view, but they were all mere
bubbles which soon burst. John Pritchard, whom Lord Selkirk had taken as
his secretary to London, was largely instrumental in floating the
ill-starred scheme known as the "Buffalo Wool Company." Just as on the
shores of the Mediterranean, shawls were made from the long wool of the
goats, so it was thought that shawls could be made of the hair or wool
of the buffalo. A voluminous correspondence given in many letters of
Pritchard's to Lady Selkirk and other ladies of high station and to an
English firm of manufacturers exploiting this project is before us.
Sample squares of the cloth made of buffalo wool were distributed and in
certain circles the novelty from the Red River was the "talk of the
town," in London.

On the banks of Red River the scheme took like wild-fire. All Red River
people were to make fortunes. There were to be high wages and work for
everybody. Wages were increased, and men were receiving nearly four
dollars a day. Money became plentiful and provisions became dear and
also scarce. The employees, higher and lower, became intoxicated with
their success, as they now also became really intoxicated and fell into
reckless habits. The work was neglected, and the enterprize collapsed.
This was the earliest boom on Red River banks. Failure was sure to
follow so mad a scheme. The buffalo wool cloth which it cost some twelve
dollars and a half to manufacture, partly in Red River Set