The Robinson Treaty with the Ojibewa Indians of Lake Superior Conveying Certain Lands to the Crown
7th September 1850
THIS AGREEMENT, made and entered into on the seventh day of September,
in the year of Our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty, at
Sault Ste. Marie, in the Province of Canada, between the Honorable
William Benjamin Robinson, of the one part, on behalf of Her Majesty
The Queen, and Joseph Pean-de-chat, John Minway, Mishe-Muckqua,
Totominai, Chiefs, and Jacob Warpela, Ah-mutchinagalon, Michel Shelageshick,
Manitou Shainse, and Chiginans, principal men of the Ojibewa Indians
inhabiting the Northern Shore of Lake Superior, in the said Province
of Canada, from Batchewana Bay to Pigeon River, at the western extremity
of said Lake, and inland throughout that extent to the height of
land which separates the territory covered by the charter of the
Honorable the Hudson's Bay Company from the said tract, and also
the Islands in the said Lake within the boundaries of the British
possessions therein, of the other part, witnesseth:
That for and in consideration of the sum of two thousand pounds
of good and lawful money of Upper Canada, to them in hand paid,
and for the further perpetual annuity of five hundred pounds, the
same to be paid and delivered to the said Chiefs and their Tribes
at a convenient season of each summer, not later than the first
day of August at the Honorable the Hudson's Bay Company's Posts
of Michipicoton and Fort William, they the said chiefs and principal
men do freely, fully and voluntarily surrender, cede, grant and
convey unto Her Majesty, Her heirs and successors forever, all their
right, title and interest in the whole of the territory above described,
save and except the reservations set forth in the schedule hereunto
annexed, which reservations shall be held and occupied by the said
Chiefs and their Tribes in common, for the purpose of residence
and cultivation, and should the said Chiefs and their respective
Tribes at any time desire to dispose of any mineral or other valuable
productions upon the said reservations, the same will be at their
request sold by order of the Superintendent General of the Indian
Department for the time being, for their sole use and benefit, and
to the best advantage.
And the said William Benjamin Robinson of the first part, on behalf
of Her Majesty and the Government of this Province, hereby promises
and agrees to make the payments as before mentioned; and further
to allow the said chiefs and their tribes the full and free privilege
to hunt over the territory now ceded by them, and to fish in the
waters thereof as they have heretofore been in the habit of doing,
saving and excepting only such portions of the said territory as
may from time to time be sold or leased to individuals, or companies
of individuals, and occupied by them with the consent of the Provincial
Government. The parties of the second part further promise and agree
that they will not sell, lease, or otherwise dispose of any portion
of their reservations without the consent of the Superintendent
General of Indian Affairs being first had and obtained; nor will
they at any time hinder or prevent persons from exploring or searching
for mineral or other valuable productions in any part of the territory
hereby ceded to Her Majesty as before mentioned. The parties of
the second part also agree that in case the Government of this Province
should before the date of this agreement have sold, or bargained
to sell, any mining locations or other property on the portions
of the territory hereby reserved for their use and benefit, then
and in that case such sale, or promise of sale, shall be forfeited,
if the parties interested desire it, by the Government, and the
amount accruing therefrom shall be paid to the tribe to whom the
reservation belongs. The said William Benjamin Robinson on behalf
of Her Majesty, who desires to deal liberally and justly with all
Her subjects, further promises and agrees that in case the territory
hereby ceded by the parties of the second part shall at any future
period produce an amount which will enable the Government of this
Province without incurring loss to increase the annuity hereby secured
to them, then, and in that case, the same shall be augmented from
time to time, provided that the amount paid to each individual shall
not exceed the sum of one pound provincial currency in any one year,
or such further sum as Her Majesty may be graciously pleased to
order; and provided further that the number of Indians entitled
to the benefit of this Treaty shall amount to two thirds of their
present numbers (which is twelve hundred and forty) to entitle them
to claim the full benefit thereof, and should their numbers at any
future period not amount to two thirds of twelve hundred and forty,
the annuity shall be diminished in proportion to their actual numbers.
Schedule of Reservations made by the above named subscribing Chiefs and principal men.
First
- Joseph Pean-de-chat and his Tribe, the reserve to commence about two miles from Fort William (inland), on the right bank of the River Kiminitiquia thence westerly six miles, parallel to the shores of the lake; thence northerly five miles; thence easterly to the right bank of the said river, so as not to interfere with any acquired rights of the Honorable Hudson's Bay Company.
Second
- Four miles square at Gros Cap, being a valley near the Honorable Hudson's Bay Company's post of Michipicoton, for Totominai and Tribe.
Third
- Four miles square on Gull River, near Lake Nipigon, on both sides of said river, for the Chief Mishimuckqua and Tribe.
Signed, sealed, and delivered at Sault Ste. Marie, the day and year first above written, in presence of--
[Signed]
- George Ironside, S. I. Affairs
- Arthur P. Cooper, Capt. Rifle Brig.
- H. M. Balfour, 2nd Lieut. Rifle Brig.
- John Swanston C. F. Hon. Hud. Bay Co.
- George Johnston, Interpreter.
- F. W. Keating.
[Signed]
- W. B. Robinson,
- Joseph Pean-de-chat, his + mark [L.S.]
- John Minway, his + mark [L.S.]
- Mishe-Muckqua, his + mark [L.S.]
- Totominai, his + mark [L.S.]
- Ah-mutchinagalon, his + mark [L.S.]
- Michel Shelageshick, his + mark [L.S.]
- Manitou Shainse, his + mark [L.S.]
- Chiginans, his + mark [L.S.]
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