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©Keeseekoowenin 1998
Based on Research by La Cuatro Fletchas A.C./Four Arrows
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By the 1850's, Fort Ellice was at the west of the general Ojibway Territory. Ojibway supplied it with most of its furs and casual labour. Ojibway were not only experienced trappers, but also experienced traders. The fur-trapping and hunting was good in the nearby area, so the Hudson's Bay Company had an outpost of Fort Ellice about 1850 on the east side of "Lake Audy", named after the HBC employee in charge, James Audy.
Okanase "Little Bones", also known as Michel Cardinal, and his family spent many seasons along the valley of the Little Saskatchewan River which flows out of Lake Audy, and used to camp just south of the HBC post on what is now SE¼ s. 34-18-21 WPM. The Riding Mountain Post was a winter post to the Fort Ellice Post (known later as St. Lazare) established in 1854 by HBC.
The minutes of the Northern Council for June, 1862, mention the Riding Mountain Winter Outpost near Lake Audy [on the east shore] when an interpreter was placed there for the winter reporting to the Swan River District. (1) The post was maintained in succeeding years: 1864,(2) , 1865,(3), 1866, (4), 1867, (5) and 1868. (6)
"Fort Ellice too had its regular fur-trading outpost in the wooded Riding Mountains, from which it derived large quantities of fine furs trapped by the splendid hunters of the Saulteaux tribe, of whom the family of the Little Bones (Oukannaysic) was the most expert." (7)
In 1862, William Berston of HBC was wintering at Riding Mountain. (8) The Fort Ellice journal for 10 March 1863 states:
"1 of William Birstons men arrived from Riding Mountain coming for more supplies in goods & provisions. The same time brought a few firs 13 Martins 8 Minks 2 Fishers 4 Red Foxes 1 Lar. Blk. Bear 1 Lar. Moose Skin."
The journal reports on 21 April, "Birston arrived from his wintering quarters."
David Prince was in charge of the Riding Mountain Post during outfits 1863-64 and 1864-65, when he was succeeded by John McNab. Ballenden McKay, an interpreter popularly known as "Jerry", is referred to in the journal for 1865-66. He was followed by Postmaster McKay for outfit 1866-67.
Footnotes
1 HBCA B.239/K/3.p248 (back)
2 ibid., p. 292 (back)
3 ibid., b. 314. (back)
4 ibid., p. 334. (back)
5 Ibid., b. 357. (back)
6 Ibid., p.382. (back)
7 Cowie, Isaac, The Company of Adventurers, Toronto 1913, p. 187. (back)
8 PAM MG1 D9 #6 Christie, Alex. (back)
