with professions of peace towards ourselves, forcibly billeted upon an establishment such as this. Their intentions in coming to the Fort they have never definitely expressed, nor have they yet specified the danger from which their presence was meant to protect the place. We are, therefore, left in some measure to conjectures, and by these we are strongly led to believe that you were expected to come to the Fort, and that by thus having previous possession of the gates, they felt that they would be sure of keeping you out.' The extreme simplicity of the Governor of Hudson's Bay Company in being led to believe that the object of Riel, in taking possession of the Fort, was to keep Mr. Macdougall out, is certainly refreshing-especially as he had been informed ten days before, that the capture of the Fort was intended for that very purpose."

Shortly after this letter was written, W. B. O'Donohue, an Irishman, joined the movement and assumed the duties of Treasurer, collecting the import duty of four per cent. on all merchandise not imported by the Hudson's Bay Company. This man, after the rebellion was crushed, being banished from the country, wrote the following letter to the Speaker of the Dominion Parliament, on the 26th February, 1875. What gives point to his statements is the fact that he was private tutor to Governor McTavish's children, and, therefore, intimate with him. He writes: "I make the following statement of facts, which I can prove most conclusively :

"The insurrection was advised by Governor McTavish, who, with other officers of the Hudson's Bay Company, also aided and abetted it from its inception up to the very hour it ceased to exist. That Riel was in constant communication with Governor McTavish, and on many occasions under his instructions. That he, Governor McTavish, fully recognized the Provisional Government. That Donald A. Smith, on arriving at Fort Garry, recognized the Gov

ernment also in my own hearing, and, with Governor McTavish, was Riel's adviser during his stay at the Fort, and after the departure of both of these from the country, Riel continued to hold counsel with John McTavish, who then represented the Hudson's Bay Company."

After December 1st, "The Bill of Rights" was drawn up and sanctioned by the French party and their adherents. This Bill was evidently what Bishop Taché had in his mind before the trouble commenced, and when too late, the Hudson's Bay Company saw they were playing into the hands of men opposed to their pretensions as well as to those of the Canadians. When the "Bill of Rights" was passed, it became apparent to the most oblivious that wiser heads than a few French Half-breeds were guiding the movement, and the people of Canada woke up to a right understanding of the matter.

During the winter Riel carried matters with a high hand, and attempts were made to break or modify his power, but without avail. The Canadians were taken prisoners and lodged in Fort Garry, the Fenian flag was hoisted, and all connection with Canada declared at an end. The few Americans in the country used their influence to have an annexation movement begun, and a newspaper was started to promulgate these views. In the meantime Bishop Taché was on his way from Rome, and strong hopes were entertained that on his arrival quietness would reign. One of the Canadians named Thomas Scott had made himself obnoxious to Riel by his outspoken loyalty, and this man Riel determined to put to death. Without a show of a trial he was condemned to be shot, and on the 4th of March at noon he was taken outside of the Fort and brutally murdered. On the 9th of March Bishop Taché reached Fort Garry, and at once poured oil on the troubled waters. Riel offered to give up all the Hudson's Bay Company's property on the 28th of the same month, and about that date the annexation

sheet ceased to appear. Acting under Bishop Taché's advice
the "Fenian Flag" was hauled down and the Union Jack
was hoisted in its stead. Riel now became very loyal, and
"God save the Queen
was played by his band

The regulars and Canadian militia were now mustering on the west end of Lake Superior, and shortly after started on their long and arduous expedition through the wilderness. On the 24th of August Colonel Wolseley's troops arrived at Fort Garry, and the same morning Riel and his valiant band disappeared.

ᏤᏤ

CHAPTER XXVI.

Ten Years Reminiscences and Notes on the Various Settlements and Villages.

Purport of the Chapter-Manitoba and Winnipeg as They Were in 1872-Grasshopper Plague-Crop of 1875-Stage Ride in the Winter of 1875-Disappearance of the Grasshoppers-Settlements Extend to the Second Plateau-Nelsonville FoundedWet Seasons Commence-Many Observers Condemn the Country-Rapid City Commenced in 1878-Land in the Neighborhood Rapidly Settled-The Assiniboine Ascended to Fort Ellice in May, 1879-Crowds enter the Country East of Fort Ellice Birtle Founded-Rock Lake Settlement-Winter of 1879-80-Odanah and Minnedosa the Rage in the Spring of 1880-Grand Valley Comes into NoticeStiff-necked and Soft-hearted Immigrants-Mosquitoes Prove too Much for Them -English Ideas of Canadian Kindness-Canadian Notions Regarding Englishmen's Inability to Fall in with the Ways of the Country-No Stealing on the Plains -Settlements North of Birtle-Formation of the "Syndicate"-The "Boom" at Portage la Prairie-Winnipeg and Emerson take the Fever-Route of the C.P.R. Changed in the Spring of 1881-Brandon Founded on the Assiniboine-Vigor of the Syndicate Railway Opened to Brandon-Speculation at Fever Heat-Conflicting Statements Regarding the Country-Short Notices of Selkirk, Emerson, Portage la Prairie, Morris, Brandon, Rapid City, Minnedosa, Odanah, Birtle, etc., etc.

It is not the purpose of this Chapter to give a history of the last ten years, but merely to indicate the successive steps by which the country was opened up and the various villages laid out. In the chapters on the History and Progress of Winnipeg, Education and Religion, Steamboats and Navigation, Railways and their development much of the history will be introduced, so that this chapter will be merely complimentary to them.

During 1872 numerous settlers came to the country by the Dawson route via Lake Superior, while others came on the Northern Pacific to Fargo and either descended the Red River in boats or drove their own horses over the prairie to Manitoba. The preceding year the smallpox had raged on the plains and many Indians had died near Edmonton of the disease. Captain Butler had just pub

lished his "Great Lone Land" and with the volume in my hand I entered for the first time the portals of the great plains. Winnipeg was a small village near Point Douglas and half a mile of prairie intervened between it and Fort Garry. Eastern Portage la Prairie consisted of one house and the western end could boast of one or two small houses around the Hudson's Bay Company's store. Grant and Mackenzie had settled on Rat Creek, nine miles to the west, but no settler had crossed the creek except the former. This season a few settlers took the road to the White Mud and laid the foundation of the settlements that sprang up there during the next year or two.

For the next three years the grasshopper plague was upon the whole province and no wheat or next to none was raised in 1875. Many got a crop of potatoes, but the country was on the verge of starvation, and all the seed wheat had to be brought from Minnesota. Dufferin had been laid out on the boundary in 1873, but no progress was made. West Lynne on the west side of the Red River was a place of some importance as the high road to St. Paul passed near it. Stage-coaches were not infrequent in their transit through the village carrying their loads of shivering passengers to or from the bleak prairies of Dakota. A winter stage-coach ride of fifty-eight consecutive hours from Winnipeg to Fargo made the most lasting impression. Night and day we kept on, and enjoying a nap in a stage coach with the temperature at zero was the greatest luxury we had. Our waking moments were full of torture, but sleep, such as it was, made us oblivious to suffering. The very marrow in our bones seemed to freeze, and as I write I shudder at the recollection.

A new era dawned in 1876. The grasshoppers disappeared, a large immigration took place, heavy crops were produced and the land rejoiced. This year settlement extended beyond the Pembina Mountains, Nelsonville was