Four Months Under Arms

              Page 14

Green

Lake
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Trip
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The steamer, Northwest. had been hauled up on the ways after navigation stopped in the fall of 1884 for repairs. The Marquis was brought down to the shipyards at Goshen, a mile east of Prince Albert and both steamers were being refitted to transport troops, &nd the Northcote was repaired ready for transport on the South branch, as General Middleton's force was nearing Batoche. THE GREEN LAKE TRIP

On the 25th of April, Angus McKay. a brother of the late Judge James McKay of Regina. came in to Prince Albert to report on conditions at the Hudson's Bay Company post at Green Lake, where he was employed as derk. Hon. Lawrence Clarke, Chief Factor of the district decided to move the large supply of trade goods that were stored at the depot at the south end of the lake, to the trading posts farther north, and approached the Supt. of police for permission to engage some carpenters and helpers to go to Green Lake and biuld bateaux to move the goods. H~' received permission and engaged six carpenters and fuur helpers, and we signed un at $100 per month. We were told to be at the boat landing early on the 29th, and that there was enough arms and ammunition at the depot to arm every man, but there was a chance of trouble before we reached the depot. and five of the party brought the Snider-Enfields and ammunition. that had been issued to them as volunteer guards. Just before we went aboard the steamer to be ferried across. three Mounted Police came down and took the Snider-Enfields away, and we were left with only three rifles. Two of the men had Snider Carbines, and I had a Remington. We were transported across the river on steamer, Northwest, and our outfit was a team of heavy horses and wagon, a team of light horses and wagon. Chas. Garson. Chief Clerk at Prince Albert was in charge and he ;:md McKay had their own saddle horses. We reached the bank of the Big Grass river, which flows north, on the afternoon of the third day, and followed along it for several miles to where it took a sharp turn to the west across the valley and a sharp turn north again, and the crossing was just below the turn on the far side of the valley. The river was more like a canal, and about 60 feet wide. and running full with the spring flow. At the first turn. it had overflowed its banks and formed a deep slough. but a submerged corduroy bridge enabled the teams to cross. There was a trapper there with a canoe, and he ferried the men across. We reached Green Lake depot on the 5th of May, and found that the man who had been left in charge, had taken fright and gone. but he left a note to say that he had taken the triggers off the guns and hidden them, and had sunk the ammunition in the lake. That left us with only three rifles and a limited amount of ammunition. The Hudson's Bay men decided that we should build a stockade around the depot and we started the next morning digging a