A little less than thirty years ago
the writer met Mr. Isbister in London and enjoyed his hospitality.
Isbister was a tall and handsome man, showing distinctly by his color
and high cheekbones that he had Indian blood in his veins. Receiving his
early education in St. John's School, he had gone home to England, taken
his degrees, become a lawyer, and afterward had gone into educational
work. He was, at the time of the visit spoken of, Dean of the College of
Preceptors in London, and had much reputation as an educationalist. But
the service he rendered to his native land out-topped all his other
achievements. We have already shown the tendency toward restriction
being developed under Recorder Thom's leadership, in Red River
Settlement. James Sinclair, a member of a most respectable Scotch
half-breed family, had obtained the privilege from the Company to export
tallow, the product of the buffalo, by way of York Factory to England.
The venture succeeded, but a second shipment was held at York Factory
for nearly two years, and thus Sinclair was virtually compelled to sell
it to the Company.
Twenty leading half-breeds then appealed to the Hudson's Bay Company to
be allowed to export tallow at a reasonable rate.
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