olonel Morris.
Altogether there is not in the whole campaign an instance
in which good judgment and bravery stand out so prominently
as in this record of the conduct of the son of our great
English novelist.

CHAPTER XIV.

No accident in the whole history of the present rebellion
so ill bears to be written about as does this of the
sacking of Battleford. This is a town of considerable
importance, and it has a strongly-built fort, garrisoned
by mounted police. It stands close to a large Cree reserve,
and the prairie around it being very fertile, the population
latterly had been growing rapidly. When first the
disturbance broke out, it was feared that there would be
trouble with the Stoney Crees in this region; for
Poundmaker, a great brawling Indian chief, is always
ready, like his boastful brother, Big Bear, to join in
any revolt against authority, Poundmaker, for many a
year, has done little save to smoke, drink tea among the
squaws, and tell lies, as long as the Saskatchewan river,
about all the battles he fought when he was a young man,
and how terrible was his name over all the plains.
Poundmaker has always been successful as a boaster, and
there is hardly a squaw on the whole reserve who does
not think him to be one of the most illustrious and mighty
men alive. Therefore he has never sued in vain for the
hand of a pretty maiden without success; and he has now
no fewer than a score of wives, whom he is not able to
support, and who are therefore compelled to go on their
bare brown feet among the marshes in the summer, killing
frogs and muskrats. The lazy rascal never works, but sits
at home drinking strong tea, smoking and telling lies,
while his wives, young ones and old ones, and his brawling
papooses go abroad looking for something to eat.

Now besides Poundmaker, there were among those Stoney
Crees two other mischief-loving half-and-half Chiefs.
One delighted in the name of Lucky Man, and the other of
Little Pine. These two vagabonds leagued themselves with
Poundmaker, when the first tidings of the the outbreak
reached them, and painting their faces, went abroad among
the young men, inciting them to revolt. They reminded
them, that if they arose they would have plenty of big
feasts, for the prairie was full of the white men's
cattle. And Little Pine glanced with snaky eyes toward
the town of Battleford.

"May be by-em-by, get fine things out of stores. Go in
and frighten away 'em people, then t