Volume 1

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THE ATTACK ON THIS POST IN 1 78 1. 293
formerly there was an establishment which was attacked by
the Crees in 1781. This unfortunate affair appeared to be
the opening of a plan for the destruction of the whites
throughout the North West.
Mr. Bruce was master of this
place. The Indians concerned were Crees, Assiniboines,
and Bas de la Riviere Indians
; 90 tents were at the house.
The affair took place soon after the arrival of the canoes in
the fall of 178 1, while the people were still building. Out
of 21 men present, 11 hid themselves; the remaining 10
defended themselves bravely, drove the Indians out of the
houses and fort, and shut the gates.
They lost three men
Belleau, Fecteau, and La France. They killed 15 Indians
on the spot, and 15 more died of their wounds. The place
was instantly abandoned, canoes were loaded, and all hands
embarked and drifted down to the Forks. At the moment
of their departure two Indian lads arrived from toward
rates differ irreconcilably. McDonnell, /. c, says that two Frenchmen and
seven Indians were killed " in the scuffle."—Of Mr. Bruce I have no further
information. Associated with him was Mr. Boyer, first name unknown, who
was a few years later sent to found a post on Peace r. ; afterward, in 1787, he
was on Beaver r., and he went with Mr. McLeod and 12 men to Lake Athabasca,
Nov. 9th, 1788.—One Bruce of the N. W. Co. was at Grand Portage in
1799, wages 300 livres.— Pierre Bruce was interpreter N. W. Co., on English
r. in 1804.—The Belleau who is said to have been killed was a coureur des bois;
no more known of him. He must not be confounded with that Mr. Belleau
who had two different houses in this region, and was- alive in 1800. Belleau's
house between Swan r. and the Assiniboine was "old " in 1797 ; his house of
1797 and later was in pines on a brook about 8 m. N. N. E. of the elbow of
the Assiniboine (on the point of which was Sutherland's H. B. Co. house at
that time), lat. made Si** 51' 09" N. by Thompson.—In 1789 Pierre Belleau
engaged for 3 years in the N. W. Co., with Mr. Bergeron, and he was on the
N. Saskatchewan in 1779-1800 ; left Fort George May 13th, 1800, for the upper
house.—Antoine Belleau and Jean Baptiste Belleau were two Astorians on the
ship Tonquin from N. Y., Sept. 6th, 18 10, to the mouth of the Columbia,
Mar. 22d, 181 1; both deserted from Astoria, Nov. loth, retaken Nov. 22d, 1811.
—The killed man whom Henry calls Fecteau appears elsewhere as Facteau and
Tecteau; coureur des bois ; no further record.—For persons named Lafrance,
see a previous note, and one of the Mandan tour, beyond.—Regarding the
smallpox, there seems to be a lacuna in the Henry copy, as if he were going on
to tell about it, but nothing appears. We know, however, that an epidemic
raged for two or three years after 1781, destroying thousands of Indians.