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military position for a blocking party; and and is so situated that a handful of men well posted, with cannon, could prevent the passage of any number of boats. Frequently on former occasions the chiefs of the Hudson's Bay people have been heard to declare that they would take possession of the Grand Rapid, […] blockade at, fortify the pass, and prevent the passage of any of and intercept all the North West Company's people, canoes, or and goods, and coming from, or going to, Athabasca and the neighbouring other northern departments. These threats, though at first they created some alarm, came in time, from their repetition without any serious attempt to put them in execution, came to be disregarded; and the North West Co Company's partners and servants continued to pass and repass through this high road, as it may be called, with little apprehension of, and no precautions against, hostile attacks.^#

But in June 1819 they were, to their cost and […] cost, undeceived. M^r William Williams, who had succeeded M^r Semple as Governor for in the service of the Hudson's Bay Company under the denomination of Governor and chief, determined upon retaliating to display his energy in their service by resorting to this long contemplated measure. The manoeuvres of Lord Selkirk had succeeded in obtaining bills of indictment to be found in Canada against an host of partners, clerks, and servants of the

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