1771 in Canada

← 1770 1769 1768 1771 in Canada → 1772 1773 1774
Decades:	1750s 1760s 1770s 1780s 1790s
See also:	History of Canada Timeline of Canadian history List of years in Canada

Events from the year 1771 in Canada.

Incumbents

• Monarch: George III^[1]

Governors

• Governor of the Province of Quebec: Guy Carleton
• Governor of Nova Scotia: Lord William Campbell
• Commodore-Governor of Newfoundland: John Byron
• Governor of St. John's Island: Walter Patterson

Events

• July 17 – Massacre at Bloody Falls: Chipewyan chief Matonabbee traveling as the guide to Samuel Hearne on his Arctic overland journey, massacre a group of unsuspecting Inuit.
• Captain James Cook completes his first voyage around the world.
• Lieutenant Governor Michael Francklin of Nova Scotia travels to northern England to seek immigrants to replace those displaced by the Acadian expulsion.

Births

• January 19: Thomas Talbot, army and militia officer, settlement promoter, office holder, and politician (d.1853)
• June 20: Thomas Douglas, 5th Earl of Selkirk, colonizer and author (d.1820)

Full date unknown

• James Bardin Palmer, land agent, lawyer, office holder, and politician (d.1833)

Deaths

• December 23 : Marie-Marguerite d'Youville, grey nun (b.1701)

Historical documents

Quebec landslide caused by underground water flow buries carriage, horses and driver, and house and barn, and forms 3-acre bank blocking river^[2]

Reward of 200 Spanish dollars for information leading to conviction of "murderers" of district deputy provost marshal Jacob Rowe^[3]

Reward of $8 offered for return of "a Sailor Negro Slave named Pompey[...]lately bought of Mr. Perras, Merchant" in Quebec City^[4]

Just paid, Pointe-aux-Trembles woman stops robber by throwing money into snow, at which he lays down pistols to pick up cash and she shoots him^[5]

Mr. Prenties's Long Room will be venue for public concert and ball with tea, coffee and cards; tickets ($1) available from Band of the 10th Regiment^[6]

Cryptic news from Montreal mentions "greatest Harmony and the best Understanding[...]between both Sexes [and] Black and White mingling together"^[7]

Reward for lost "Pinchbeck chased" watch with "a Steel Chain and two Cornelian Seals, one a Bust set in Gold, the other a Ship set in Pinchbeck"^[8]

Newfoundland governor has "fresh instructions" to deny French cod fishers' claims to harbours, fishing works etc. (and salmon and whaling rights)^[9]

George Cartwright describes Inuit snow house (complete with skylight and interior icicles that in lamp light form "radiant diamonds")^[10]

"I was greatly pleased with their method" - Cartwright on Inuit way to cure codfish without salt (called "pipshy" or "jerking;" note: C. calls Inuit "Indians")^[11]

"The most perfect good humour prevailed" - Cartwright watches Inuit women dressing skins, jerking fish, making clothing etc. as they sing and dance^[12]

Samuel Hearne's Indigenous companions massacre Inuit along Coppermine River ("Bloody Falls")^[13]

Hearne explains what makes their women attractive to "Northern Indians," and notes extremes of hardship (including punishment) women endure^[14]

Hearne finds few people live in region just west of Hudson Bay because they know some areas will not even support travellers just passing through^[15]

Hearne witnesses attempts to cure illness of Indigenous people by what he calls "conjurers," and regrets making fun of them^[16]

Hearne describes source and uses of copper by "Copper Indians" (plus story of woman who introduced copper to them)^[17]

Hearne gives "the real state and œconomy" of beavers, contradicting many falsehoods published by other writers (plus note on beavers as pets)^[18]

Hearne describes deer pound, which can be 1 mile around with entrance funnel 2–3 miles long, and states opinion on users' affluence and indolence^[19]

"Every thing they make is executed with a neatness not to be excelled by the most expert mechanic" - Northern Indians' small canoe and its uses^[20]

References

1. "Kings and Queens of Canada". aem. 11 August 2017. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
2. "Quebec, October 10" The Quebec Gazette, Nomb. 353 (October 10, 1771), 1st pg. Accessed 1 July 2022
3. "Advertisements; Secretary's Office, Quebec" (February 19, 1771), The Quebec Gazette, Nomb. 320 (February 21, 1771), 3rd pg. (See in next Gazette issue (2nd pg.) that soldiers are arrested for attacking Rowe (who is recovering), and news that three convicted soldiers are executed on Grand Parade) Accessed 30 June 2022
4. "Advertisements; Run-away" The Quebec Gazette, Nomb. 345 (August 15, 1771), 3rd pg. Accessed 1 July 2022
5. "Quebec, March 14" The Quebec Gazette, Nomb. 323 (March 14, 1771), 3rd pg. Accessed 30 June 2022
6. "Advertisements; Music" The Quebec Gazette, Nomb. 360 (November 28, 1771), 3rd pg. Accessed 1 July 2022
7. "Montreal, January 14" The Quebec Gazette, Nomb. 316 (January 24, 1771), 3rd pg. Accessed 30 June 2022
8. "Perdu; Lost" The Quebec Gazette, Nomb. 348 (September 5, 1771; Cahier 1), 3rd pg. Accessed 1 July 2022
9. "We hear that Commodore Byron(....)" The Quebec Gazette, Nomb. 349 (September 12, 1771; Cahier 1), 2nd pg. Accessed 1 July 2022
10. C.W. Townsend (ed.), Captain Cartwright and His Labrador Journal (1911), pgs. 67-8 Accessed 28 June 2022
11. C.W. Townsend (ed.), Captain Cartwright and His Labrador Journal (1911), pg. 85 Accessed 1 July 2022
12. C.W. Townsend (ed.), Captain Cartwright and His Labrador Journal (1911), pgs. 90-1 Accessed 1 July 2022
13. Samuel Hearne, "Chap. VI; Transactions at the Copper-mine River(....)" A Journey from Prince of Wales's fort in Hudson's Bay, to the Northern Ocean (1795), pgs. 145ff. (See also ritual prohibitions and cleansing of participants after massacre, and description of Inuit and their material culture) Accessed 28 June 2022
14. Samuel Hearne, A Journey from Prince of Wales's fort in Hudson's Bay, to the Northern Ocean (1795), pgs. 88-91, 102-3, 125 (See also rivalry for women and variety of sexual liaisons) Accessed 27 June 2022
15. Samuel Hearne, A Journey from Prince of Wales's fort in Hudson's Bay, to the Northern Ocean (1795), pg. 74 (See also similar lack of valuable wildlife) Accessed 27 June 2022
16. Samuel Hearne, A Journey from Prince of Wales's fort in Hudson's Bay, to the Northern Ocean (1795), pgs. 189-94, 214-21 (See also outcome for those too ill to travel) Accessed 29 June 2022
17. Samuel Hearne, A Journey from Prince of Wales's fort in Hudson's Bay, to the Northern Ocean (1795), pgs. 173-6 Accessed 28 June 2022
18. Samuel Hearne, A Journey from Prince of Wales's fort in Hudson's Bay, to the Northern Ocean (1795), pgs. 226-46 Accessed 30 June 2022
19. Samuel Hearne, A Journey from Prince of Wales's fort in Hudson's Bay, to the Northern Ocean (1795), pgs. 78-82 (See also life pattern and uses of deer) Accessed 27 June 2022
20. Samuel Hearne, A Journey from Prince of Wales's fort in Hudson's Bay, to the Northern Ocean (1795), pgs. 96-8, 119 Accessed 28 June 2022