John Cod of Fort hamloops By DON MUNDAY * The Chief Trader at Fort Kamloops Protects Threatened Indians—Chief Nicola Plots War—John Tod’s Daring Ruse Cowes Nicola’s Braves—300 Shuswaps Plan Massacre of Tod and His Men—A Friendly Chief Puzzles Tod—A Midnight Ride—A Bold Trick Transforms Foes to Friends. WHILE IT cannot be said that actual policing of British Columbia was under- taken by the fur-traders in the days when the posts of the Hudson’s Bay Company were the only centres of authority, yet very great efforts—some of them courageous in the extreme—were always made by the Company's men to preserve peaceful rela- tions with the Indians and promote peace between warring tribes. To say cynically that it was a good busi- ness policy on the part of the company, and that their servants often were merely saving their own skins, falls short of a fair appreciation of deeds comparable with those elsewhere which illustrate so well a British characteristic which has made them such successful colonizers the world over. It cannot be doubted that Hudson’s Bay Company factors did a good deal to make the Indians accept more readily the author- ity of the Provincial Police when that force was finally established. CHIEF TRADER OF KAMLOOPS Among a thousand thrilling and roman- tic incidents surrounding the early history of Kamloops, stand out the exploits of John Tod, chief trader at that post in 1846. Tod’s predecessor, Samuel Black, died violently at the hand of an Indian. Wan- guille, a friendly neighbouring chief, died under circumstances which his nephew in- terpreted as proof that Black had placed an evil charm upon the chief and so caused his death. In revenge, Black was murdered in cold blood. Black is remembered as the man with whom David Douglas the famous botanist quarreled because one night over his rum and dried salmon he so annoyed Black by saying “The honourable fur-trad- ers have not a soul above a beaver skin,” that Black challenged Douglas to fight a duel. The botanist declined. The vicinity of a Hudson’s Bay fort was neutral ground. Tribal or family feuds must be left in abeyance within this zone. On this the traders insisted. One day a band of Okanagan Indians came to Kamloops and asked Tod’s per- mission to camp close by the fort. “Chief Nicola,” they said, “is very angry with us and says he will kill us.” Nicola lived about forty miles south of Kamloops near the lake which now bears his name. “All right,” replied the chief trader, “but WINTER EDITION you must behave and obey my orders.” It has always been British policy in dealing with native tribes to try to hold the balance of power. When Nicola heard of this he grew furious, and demanded of his warriors, “Can we not fight our enemies on our own hunting grounds without permission of this white man?” But Nicola was both shrewd and ener- getic. In settling tribal feuds the rifle had John Tod. Chief Trader at Fort Kamloops. . He commanded respect among wilderness dwellers.” —Photo courtesy Provincial Archives, Victoria, B. C. become the weapon which counted more than numbers, although his warriors were brave, active and experienced. Furs AND More Furs FOR GUN» “The fort people love furs,” reasoned Nicola, “better than anything else—furs piled mountain high, furs without end.” So very soon some of Nicola’s men came to the fort to sell furs. They wanted only guns, and got them. Not long after this more of them came and asked for powder, balls and guns. These were sold to them by Tod. “Why should Nicola need so many guns?” the Okanagans anxiously asked the chief trader when they saw these dealings going on with their enemies. “For hunting, I suppose, but I do not know for sure.” “No,” insisted the Okanagans. “Nicola means to attack us as soon as he has enough guns.’ “Tf I believed that,” Tod soured them, “T would not sell them any more. While you are camped here you are under my protection, and even Nicola will not dare to attack you.” “He will dare to do it,” declared the In- dians gloomily. “Those bullets are meant for us and our wives and our little ones.” More Indians came from Nicola Lake with furs, and asked for nothing but knives and guns. “Why do you buy only arms and so much ammunition?” Tod demanded. “There will be none left for others.” “We are going on a long journey to hunt beyond the Kootenais,” they answered blandly.” INDIANS PLAN SURPRISE “Ah! my friends, I fear your hunt is nearer home. You wish to kill the Okana- gans. I will not sell you any more weapons. You may tell that old fox, Nicola, that if he or any of his men dare lift a finger against any person within five miles of Kam- loops that I will be upon him in a way of which he has never yet dreamed.” “He refuses us,” growled Chief Nicola on being told this, “well, we will take what we need without asking. We'll capture the fort as well as kill the Okanagans.” He summoned his warriors and such neighbouring chiefs as he could persuade to come to hear him. He harangued them and in the end the decision was for war. News soon reached Tod that Nicola led a large war party towards the fort. Tod as usual had few men—actually only six—for it was not by physical strength but by power of the mind that the fur-traders everywhere held dominion over a wild land. Strategy remained Tod’s only resource, for his men fled to the woods to hide. This desertion was something almost unknown Page Sixty-one