Lapie (Lappie)
Hudson’s Bay Company trader Robert Campbell travelled up the Liard River in 1837 for the first time with six First Nation hunters from Fort Liard. These men stayed with Campbell for fifteen years and Campbell named them the “home guard.” Two of these men, Kitza [Ketse] and Lapie, were good friends. On July 20, 1838, Campbell described Lapie and Kitza as good hunters, active, intelligent, ingenious, and equal to any emergency. They had many times endangered their own lives to save his. For three summers up to 1846 Campbell sent Kitza and Lapie down the Pelly River to hunt and make provisions. He wanted knowledge of the area and he wanted the Pelly people to know about the HBC. This paved the way for opening up trade. In 1846, Campbell arrived at Pelly Banks with supplies to build a post. 1)
Lapie stayed at Pelly Banks with the trader Panbrum. In April 1850, James Green Stewart and his companion Reid arrived at the post from Fort Selkirk to find all but one small house burned in the early part of the winter and Panbrum and Lapie emaciated to the bone. Forbister and Dubois had died of starvation. There were no supplies, and the nets had been left at the fisheries and allowed to rot. Panbrum and Lapie joined Stewart and crossed over to Frances Lake enroute to Ft. Simpson where Dr. Rae was in charge. 2)
During the pillage of Fort Selkirk, Campbell had four men with him. He had returned from a trip to Fort Yukon in early August to get a cow. Mr. Stewart left on Campbell's arrival, with four men and some First Nation trappers to trade and he was expected to return at the end of August. The attack happened on August 21, 1852. Flett's and Lake's wives were working in the kitchen. Robert Campbell to James Anderson in November 1852 and accused Brough of deserting with them on August 11. Two hunters, Lapie and Peter, had arrived with their families at the post and precipitated the attack.3) Lapie stood with his gun as the Chilkats held a gun to Campbell. Lapie's children were pulling on his coat-tails and calling his name.4)
Campbell and his men were sent off in boats. They saw Brough on the opposite side of the river and soon after they found Lapie with La Gauche and then his wife and child. They drifted down to the bay to Brough's fishery and found Flett's and Lapie's wives there.5)