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Natives of Riding Mountain
Page 5
As Robert Campbell got older and started slowing down, he enjoyed having old friends come to the ranch. Many were very illustrious people. in 1872, Campbell had been elected a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society in honour of his mapping of the North West, including the Peace River, the Laird River, and the Yukon.
Campbell enjoyed telling the stories of those days and the risks and hard times travelling in a strange, rugged terrain. He recounted hostile encounters with local tribespeople and acute shortages of food bringing him and his crew to the verge of death by starvation. He told about being taken prisoners by hostile natives. He particularly enjoyed telling how he was saved by a native princess from being killed.
After an epic trip on snowshoes from the Yukon to Fort Garry, he sent to Scotland for a bride, and married Elenora Stirling at Norway House on August 5, 1859. His bride's sister, Christine, had accompanied her on the journey from Scotland to Montreal, Minnesota, Red River, and down Lake Winnipeg to Norway House. From there they went to Fort Chipweyan, where their first two children, James and Christine, were born. Campbell was made chief factor of the Swan River District in 1863, based at Fort Pelly. There Glenlyon and Elenora were born.
When the Riel Rebellion broke out in 1869 and Riel's men started plundering the HBC posts, Campbell decided on a daring plan to send the rich winter furs collected at Pelly down to Turtle Mountain into the U.S., and overland to St. Paul -- accompanied by his wife and children -- rather than risk being robbed of the valuable cargo. The move saved the HBC a tremendous loss, but the initiative was not highly thought of by distant officials who believed Campbell should have "followed orders". Shortly after, Campbell left HBC service.
As well, Campbell received the sad news in 1871 that his wife had died in Scotland of typhoid fever. Campbell went to Scotland, left the children temporarily with his sister-in-law, and returned to the North West. It was when the HBC announced Riding Mountain House would be moved down the River that Campbell had bought the property to build the Merchiston Ranch.
Campbell's children soon joined him, except for James who died with a ruptured appendix on a boat travelling on Lake Winnipeg. Eventually, Eleanora married John Archie McDonald, Glen had married Keeseekoowenin's daughter Victoria Burns.
Campbell also enjoyed recalling his birthplace at Comrie, Perthshire, Scotland. He had come to the North West in 1832 to work on the Hudson's Bay Company's Red River experimental farm near White Horse Plains. One riotous story dealt with the time he was sent by HBC all the way to Kentucky to bring back a huge herd of sheep. One mishap after another plagued the ill-conceived mission, and finally sharp spear-grass killed many of the flock. Only one of seven sheep survived to see the Red River.
Campbell's records and memoirs had been lost in a big fire in Montreal where he had his furniture and belongings stored. Glen persuaded him to write it all down again, and the result is the book, Campbell of the Yukon.
Like many strong men, Robert Campbell remained in good health and led an active life until he was 80. He failed quickly, and in 1894, Robert Campbell died and Glen became owner of the ranch. Robert Campbell is buried in Old Kildonan Cemetery in Winnipeg.
In 1895, the Hudson's Bay Company Post was closed. John Lauder bought the stock and buildings and carried on buying furs and supplying both Okanase's people and settlers. A post office was established in Lauder's store, and he named it "Elphinstone" after his friend, Lord Elphinstone, who ranched in the area.
In 1898, news came of the Klondike Gold Rush, and Glenn sold the ranch to Lord Vivian to finance an outfit to search for gold. David Burns travelled with his brothers-in-law, Glen Campbell and Walter Scott, in search of Yukon gold. No amount of convincing could make Victoria Scott put up her land to help finance the trip, however. Good thing -- that was about all the family had left when the men returned broke from the Klondike.
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