In 1811, on land he received as a grant from the Hudson Bay Company in
what is now Manitoba, the Earl of Selkirk established the Red River
Colony. The colony met with conflict from the very beginning and was
dispersed in 1815. The following year Selkirk arrived from Scotland to
supervise. Selkirk became embroiled in litigation with the North West
Company and the Canadian government, Selkirk believing that the whole
affair was a conspiracy against him and the Hudson Bay Company. He also
believed the British government was trying to restrict emigration to
Canada to support the economy. This book was published as evidence of
Selkirk's thwarted intentions to create a land of opportunity and,
further, to clear his good name.