We do not know his name: Klatsassin and the Chilcotin War
   
 

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Testimony of Frederick Harrison

British Columbia to Wit

Before C. Brew on of Her Majesty’s justices of the peace for said colony.

The information of Frederick Harrison who being duly sworn and examined states. I was one of the party who accompanied Alick McDonald from Bella Coola in the month of May 1864. Our intention was to travel by the Bella Coola trail through Benshee to Alexandria. We met Anaheim and his men on the top of the Slide. We arrived at [[underline]]Sutless[[/]] about 9 days after we left Bella Coola. The entire party consisted of Alick McDonald, Barny Johnson, McLeod Ferguson, Higgins McDougald Grant and myself. Higgins Grant and McDougald arrived at Sutless the day before the rest of us. They were lightly laden and on the way they gained a days march ahead of us. When those with me arrived at Sutless the three men who were in advance told us that the Indians had stopped them and said they should not go any further. By that time the Indians pretended to be friendly. They said there were some bad Indians about from Bute Inlet but that we might go ahead and that we would be safe. But McDougald Indian woman warned us not to go on as the Indians meditated doing us mischief, she recommended us also not to turn back but advised us to remain in our camp which we had entrenched.

Several of the Indians were in our camp during the three days we were at Sutless amongst them I saw Ahan and Lutas the two men I pointed out in the jail today. Ahan was in our camp the morning we left it to return to Bella Coola. We started from our camp at about 9 of a.m. on the 31st of May to return to Bella Coola. We were afraid to advance toward Benshee in consequence of what McDougald’s woman told us. We had marched on our return between four and five miles when we were attacked by the Indians. There must have been fifty or sixty shots fired at us. I saw two or three of the Indians behind the bushes but I would not know them if I saw them again. I saw McDougald put his hand to his breast and heard him exclaim that he was shot. I did not see any other man shot. I managed to escape in company with McCleod. In four days we arrived at Bella Coola. I omitted to say that I saw Grant wounded. I was slightly wounded myself.

Frederick Harrison

Sworn before me this 23rd day of June 1865 at New Westminster.

C.Brew
C. Prichard, J.P.

Source: BCA, H.P.P. Crease: Legal Papers 1853-1895, Add. Mss - 54 box 3, file 12, Supreme Court of New Westminster, Testimony of Frederick Harrison, June 23, 1865, 1606-1607.

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