ntreal on June 16, following in the wake of his
new-won colonists, and overtook them at the entrance into Georgian Bay.
Apparently he went over the same route, for he crossed Lake Simcoe.
Information is lacking as to his companions. Miles Macdonell could not
have been with him, for Macdonell had been sent forward earlier with a
small body of men in light canoes that he might reach the settlement in
advance of Lord Selkirk. One hundred and twenty Canadian voyageurs had
been recently engaged to go to Assiniboia in the service of the
Hudson's Bay Company. Possibly these canoemen accompanied Selkirk on
the first stages of his journey.

On Drummond Island, at the head of Lake Huron, was situated the most
westerly military station maintained by the government of Upper Canada.
Here Lord Selkirk halted and allowed his company to go on in advance
into the straits of St Mary. At the military post at Drummond Island
he was furnished with the promised escort of six men under a {112}
non-commissioned officer of the 37th regiment. On July 22 he was
present at a council held on the island by the Indian authorities
stationed there. One of the principal figures at this council was
Katawabetay, chief of the Chippewas, from Sand Lake. On being
questioned, Katawabetay told of his refusal the year before to join the
Nor'westers in an attack on the Red River Colony; he also declared that
an attempt had been made during the previous spring by a trader named
Grant to have some of his young Chippewas waylay Lord Selkirk's
messenger, Laguimoniere, near Fond du Lac. Grant had offered
Katawabetay two kegs of rum and some tobacco, but the bribe was
refused. The Ottawa Indians, not the Chippewas, had waylaid the
messenger. This trader Grant had told Katawabetay that he was going to
the Red River 'to fight the settlers.'[1]

Lord Selkirk put a question to Katawabetay.

'Are the Indians about the Red River, or that part of the country you
come from,' asked the earl through an interpreter, 'pleased {113} or
displeased at the people settling at the Red River?'

'At the commencement of the settlement at Red River, some of the
Indians did not like it,' answered the chief, 'but at present they are
all glad of its being settled.'

Meanwhile the party which had gone on in advance had entered the St
Mary's river, connecting Lakes Huron and Superior, had crossed the
half-mile portage of the Sault Rapids, and had pitched their camp some
distance