Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 15.djvu/142



132 C. O..ERMATINGER

The knight, Sir George, arriving there in the steamer imme- diately after, thought proper to carry the ring leader of the affair along with him to Russia for the purpose of sending him thence a prisoner to England without even a single witness or document relative to the occurrence. He wrote also to the Doctor requesting him to say as little about the matter as possible, which so incensed the latter that he instantly dispatched a vessel to Stickeen for the express purpose of carrying the whole establishment prisoners to England in order to be brought to trial. He has also written a thundering epistle to their honours at home, concerning Sir George, rip- ping up old grievances and exposing the knight's conduct throughout, particularly his actions since the coalition. Yet behold how inconsistent men are. This very doctor only the year before gives 50 as a contribution for plate to the same Sir George Simpson whom he is now endeavoring to prove the greatest scoundrel in the H. Bay Co.'s territories, from facts, too, with which he was previously well acquainted."

Another officer also mentions the same subject, namely, Archibald McDonald, writing from Colville March 15, 1843 :

"Edward, we are all unfortunate parents. Instance, the awful shock of mind our old friend the Dr. lately experienced from the irregular and inveterate habits of his unhappy son John, after spending $2000 on his education in foreign lands, too." . ..

"Manson is again on the Coast. Last Summer the Wor- shipful Bench furnished him with a commission to inquire, or rather re-inquire, into the unfortunate affair of young McLoughlin at Stikine, which it was supposed Sir George on his trip for Siberia left incomplete. Work writes me our learned deputy has made a sweeping business of it upon very slight evidence made every white man at the establishment, 13 in number, prisoners. I fear we have got ourselves into a bobble and that it will turn out we are more au fait in our humble occupation of Indian traders than as the dispensary of Her Majesty's criminal law." . ..