A continuation of the history of the Old North Trail (New Mexico to Northwest Territories) for the period 1850-1870 (Part 1, 1850-1860), two decades of great change for the Indian Nations of the Canadian west. While this ushered in the high point of adaptation of Native society to the Ango-European culture, it also set the stage for the Anglo disposession of their lands, properties and rights and the marginalization which continues to this day.

A continuation of the history of the Old North Trail (New Mexico to Northwest Territories) for the period 1850-1870 (Part 2, 1860-1870), two decades of great change for the Indian Nations of the Canadian west. While this ushered in the high point of adaptation of Native society to the Ango-European culture, it also set the stage for the Anglo disposession of their lands, properties and rights and the marginalization which continues to this day.

No, children, you are mistaken. Once upon a time there was a piece of wood. It was not an expensive piece of wood. Far from it. Just a common block of firewood, one of those thick, solid logs that are put on the fire in winter to make cold rooms cozy and warm. I do not know how this really happened, yet the fact remains that one fine day this piece of wood found itself in the shop of an old carpenter. His real name was Mastro Antonio, but everyone called him Mastro Cherry, for the tip of his nose was so round and red and shiny that it looked like a ripe cherry. As soon as he saw that piece of wood, Mastro Cherry was filled with joy. Rubbing his hands together happily, he mumbled half to himself: "This has come in the nick of time. I shall use it to make the leg of a table."

American Indian affairs are much in the public mind today—hotly contested debates over such issues as Indian fishing rights, land claims, and reservation gambling hold our attention. While the unique legal status of American Indians rests on the historical treaty relationship between Indian tribes and the federal government, until now there has been no comprehensive history of these treaties and their role in American life. Francis Paul Prucha, a leading authority on the history of American Indian affairs, argues that the treaties were a political anomaly from the very beginning. The term "treaty" implies a contract between sovereign independent nations, yet Indians were always in a position of inequality and dependence as negotiators, a fact that complicates their current attempts to regain their rights and tribal sovereignty. Prucha's impeccably researched book, based on a close analysis of every treaty, makes possible a thorough understanding of a legal dilemma whose legacy is so palpably felt today.

DigiCat Publishing presents to you this special edition of "First Furrows" (A History of the Early Settlement of the Red River Country; including that of Portage la Prairie) by Rev. Alfred Campbell Garrioch. DigiCat Publishing considers every written word to be a legacy of humankind. Every DigiCat book has been carefully reproduced for republishing in a new modern format. The books are available in print, as well as ebooks. DigiCat hopes you will treat this work with the acknowledgment and passion it deserves as a classic of world literature.