Quebec—­the juice of the Spruce tree, which grew in abundance around the Encampment—­checked the disease, wherever the obstinacy of the settlers did not prevent its use, for says Macdonell, “It is not an easy matter to get the Orkneymen to drink it, particularly the old hands.”  A smouldering fire of discontent that had been detected on board the ship on crossing the ocean now broke out into a flame.  The Irish and the Orkneymen could not agree.  In February the vigilant leader Macdonell writes:  “The Irish displayed their native propensity and prowess on the first night of the year, by unmercifully beating some Orkneymen.  Too much strong drink was the chief incitement.”  This antipathy continued to be a difficulty even until the party arrived at Red River.

There are signs in his letters, of the constant strain on Miles Macdonell arising from the difficulties of his position and the waywardness of the Immigrants.  At times he consults with the Hudson’s Bay Company’s officer, Mr. Hillier, and at others thus unbosoms himself to Messrs. Cook and Auld.  “In this wild, desolate and (I may add) barren region, excluded at present from all communication with the civilized world, intelligence of a local kind can alone be expected.  Could we join in the sentinel’s cry of ‘All is well,’ although not affording great changes, it might yet be satisfactory in our isolated condition.  We have as great variety as generally happens in this sublunary world, of which we here form a true epitome, being composed of men of all countries, religions and tongues.”

Plainly Governor Macdonell feels his burdens!  However, the culmination of this officer’s troubles did not reach him until a serious rebellion occurred among his subjects—­so mixed and various.

A workman—­William Finlay—­presumably an Orkneyman, who had been regularly employed by Miles Macdonell when the scurvy was bad in Mr. Hillier’s camp, refused to obey the health regulations, his one objection being to drink this spruce decoction.  He was immediately dropped from work.  A few days afterward supposing the matter had blown over, Macdonell ordered him to work again.  Finlay declined, whereupon, though under engagement he refused to further obey Macdonell.  The Governor then brought him before Mr. Hillier, who like himself, had been made a magistrate.  His breach of law in this, as in other matters being brought against Finlay he was sentenced to confinement.  There being no prison at York Factory it seemed difficult to carry out the sentence by his being simply confined with his other companions in the men’s quarters.  Accordingly the Governor ordered a single log hut to be constructed, and this being done, in it the prisoner was confined.  Not a day had entirely passed when a rebellion arose among some of his compatriots—­the Scottish contingent from Orkney and Glasgow—­and a band of thirteen of them surrounded the newly built hut, set it on fire and as it went up in smoke rescued the prisoner.