Souris Valley Plains A History – Contents Introduction 2 Chapter 1 Origins of the Souris River and its First Inhabitants 5 – Chapter 2 Indian Migrations, Nations and Wars 8 – Chapter 3 Explorers, Traders and Trading Posts 19 – Chapter 4 The Buffalo Hunters Wars with the Sioux 38 – Chapter 5 Pallisers Expedition Along the Souris, Discovery of the Coal Fields 43 – Chapter 6 Metis Settlements of 1861, Other Early Settlements, Attempts at Feudalism – 46 INTRODUCTION The following account has little to do with the pioneers who flooded the Souris Valley in the 1880’s. Instead it deals with an earlier period, the little known history of the inhabitants who lived in the era before the pioneers, from the first stone age inhabitants to the traders, trappers and buffalo hunters. A good part of this work also deals with the fascinating people who operated trading posts on the Souris River. The prairies and sandhills of south west Manitoba and the Dakotas must surely have seem strange and lonely to the first men who crossed them. These men, Indians, trappers, traders and hunters were entering a land that had existed millions of years before them. Most would move on to explore new mysteries but a few would linger to act out the story of the Souris Valley Plains. The buffalo hears that roamed the south west were immense. They had arrived in North America from Siberia thousands of years ago and after a long period had sorted
Souris Valley Plains – A History Contents Introduction 2 Chapter 1 – Origins of the Souris River and its First Inhabitants 5 Chapter 2 – Indian Migrations, Nations and Wars 8 Chapter 3 – Explorers, Traders and Trading Posts 19 Chapter 4 – The Buffalo Hunters Wars with the Sioux 38 Chapter 5 – Pallisers Expedition Along the Souris, Discovery of the Coal Fields 43 Chapter 6 – Metis Settlements of 1861, Other Early Settlements, Attempts at Feudalism 46 INTRODUCTION The following account has little to do with the pioneers who flooded the Souris Valley in the 1880’s. Instead it deals with an earlier period, the little known history of the inhabitants who lived in the era before the pioneers, from the first stone age inhabitants to the traders, trappers and buffalo hunters. A good part of this work also deals with the fascinating people who operated trading posts on the Souris River. The prairies and sandhills of south west Manitoba and the Dakotas must surely have seem strange and lonely to the first men who crossed them. These men, Indians, trappers, traders and hunters were entering a land that had existed millions of years before them. Most would move on to explore new mysteries but a few would linger to act out the story of the Souris Valley Plains. The buffalo hears that roamed the south west were immense. They had arrived in North America from Siberia thousands of years ago and after a long period had sorted