The Silver Chief

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"Belfast, Prince Edward Island, founded in August 1803, owes its existence to Lord Selkirk. Its bicentennial is a timely reminder of Selkirk's work in Canada, which extended beyond Belfast to Baldoon (later Wallaceburg) in Ontario, as well as to Red River, the precursor to Winnipeg. Aptly named "The Silver Chief" by the five Indian chiefs with whom he negotiated a land treaty at Red River ... [The author] presents a new and powerful case for re-assessing the achievements of Selkirk and his settlers. Using a wealth of documentary sources, she reconstructs the sequence of emigration from Scotland to the three areas of settlement. She shows that emigration took place in a carefully planned and controlled way and reveals the self-reliance, adaptability and steely determination of the Selkirk settlers. They brought their rich traditions of Scottish culture to Canada and, in doing so, helped to secure its distinctively Canadian future ..." -- Back of cover.