elled out of the North-West, and all the way to
Ottawa, to present the grievances of their people to the
ministry. Archbishop Tache likewise showed himself at
the capital on the same mission.

"For God's sake," these men said, "give earnest, careful,
prompt attention to affairs in the North-West. The people
have sore grievances, and they do not get the redress
which is their due. If you would prevent mischief and
misery, lose no time." And as in duty bound the politicians
said: "The government will give the matter its most
serious consideration."

M. Royal and the priests returned to the North-West
down-spirited enough, and Mr. Macpherson sailed for
England, while the half-breeds were making up their minds
to obtain by force the rights which they had failed to
obtain through peaceable means and persistent prayer.

CHAPTER XI.

The region known as Prince Albert was the chief seat of
the disturbance. It has been already pointed out in these
pages, that the connecting link between the Indian and
the whiteman, is the half-breed. It is not to be wondered
at then, that as soon as the Metis began to mutter
vengeance against the authorities, the Indians began to
hunt up their war paint. The writer is not seeking to
put blame upon the Government, or upon the Department
delegated especially to attend to Indian affairs, with
respect to its management of the tribes. Any one who has
studied the question at all, must know that there is
nothing to be laid at the door of the Government in this
regard.

A very clear statement of the whole question of Indian
management, and of the assumption of the North-West
Territories, may be found in Mr. Henry J. Morgan's Annual
Register for 1878; while the same admirable work, gives
from year to year, a capital _resume_ of the condition
of the tribes.

Some divines, recently in the North-west, have been
discussing the Indian question in some of the religious
newspapers of Toronto, but they have treated the question
in the spirit of inexperienced spinsters. The Government
has been most criminally remiss in their treatment of
the half-breeds, but, let it be repeated, their Indian
policy gives no ground for condemnation.

Yet when the half-breeds of Prince Albert, incited by
Riel, began to collect fire-arms, and to drill in each
others barns, the Indians began to sing and dance, and
to brandish their tomahawks. Their way of living during
late years has been altogether too slow, t