Assiniboine Indians. A tribe of the Siouan family; first mentioned in the Jesuit Relation of 1640. They separated from the parent stock early in the seventeenth century, and moved north and north-west to the region about Lake Winnipeg. Later they spread over the country west of Lake Winnipeg, to the foot-hills of the Rocky Mountains. Their population was estimated at 8000 in 1829. One-half this number perished in the smallpox epidemic of 1836. They are now settled on reservations in Alberta, and in Montana. Bib.: Hodge, Handbook of American Indians.
Assiniboine River. Discovered by La Vérendrye in 1736. Fort Rouge was built at the mouth of the river in that year, as well as Fort La Reine, near the present city of Portage la Prairie. From the latter fort, two years later, La Vérendrye set forth on his memorable journey to the Mandan Indians on the Missouri. Before the close of the century, both the Hudson's Bay Company and the North West Company had trading establishments at various points on the river. First named Rivière St. Charles; afterwards Rivière des Assiliboilles, and Stone Indian River; finally settling in present form. Bib.: Bryce, Assiniboine River and its Forts (R. S. C., 1892); Dawson, Canada and Newfoundland; Burpee, Search for the Western Sea; Hind, Canadian Red River and Assiniboine and Saskatchewan Expeditions.
Association of Canadian Refugees. Mc Formed in 1839, 448; object of, independence of Canada, 449; ended further expeditions against Canada, 449.
Astor, John Jacob (1763-1848). Founder of Astor Fur Company. Index: Bk Sends news of declaration of war in 1812, 204. Bib.: Bryce, Hudson's Bay Company; Cyc. Am. Biog.
Astor Fur Company. Index: D Founds Astoria, 64. See also Pacific Fur Company.
Astoria. Established by Pacific Fur Company, 1811. Turned over to the North West Company, 1813, and renamed Fort George. The scene of Washington Irving's delightful narrative Astoria. The fort stood on the banks of the Columbia River, near its mouth. Index: D Acquired by North West Company, 71, 149; in possession of United States after War of 1812, 133-134; claimed by United States, 150; American flag raised over, 150. Bib.: Franchère, Voyage to the North-West Coast of America; Cox, Adventures on the Columbia River; Ross, Adventures of First Settlers on Columbia River; Henry-Thompson Journals, ed. by Coues; Bryce, Hudson's Bay Company; Bradbury, Travels in the Interior of America in the Years 1809, 1810, and 1811.
Astorians. Name applied to members of the two expeditions fitted out by John Jacob Astor, to found trading establishment at the mouth of the Columbia. One party sailed around the Horn in the Tonquin; the other went overland by way of the Missouri and the Columbia. Index: D Their influence upon development of Pacific coast, 4; their first vessel, the Tonquin, captured by natives and the crew murdered, 1811, 37; the overland expedition, 71. See also Pacific Fur Company; Tonquin.
Atahualpa. D Vessel, attacked by Milbank Sound savages, 1805, 37.
Atalanta. Hd Vessel in which Haldimand embarked for England, 309.
Atalante. WM French frigate, loads stores at Sorel, 243.