pt and curiosity: no
custom that he regards as sacred will be respected; no
right which is inherently his, will be acknowledged.
They will send their own henchmen, who have no sympathy
in common with the half-breeds, to rule over us; no
complaint that the people make to the Central Government
will be regarded; yea, this new rule will fasten itself
upon us as some inexorable tyrant monster, driving deep
its fangs into a soil that has been yours so long. Yes;
you will be of _some_ interest to them. You have some
handsome wives and pretty daughters, and those virtuous
pale-faces from the East have a strong admiration for
lovely women. In this respect, you shall receive their
attention."

The effect of such arguments among these credulous people,
who saw not the wily traitor behind the rich, eloquent
voice, quivering with indignation, was similar to that
which would follow were you to fling a flaming torch upon
the prairie in midsummer after a month of drought. Then
the cunning deceiver went secretly to several of the
leading half-breeds in Red River, and whispered certain
proposals in their ear.

Meanwhile, events were transpiring which furnished
just the very fuel that Riel wanted for his fire. During
the summer of 1869, a surveying party, under Colonel
Dennis, had been engaged surveying the country, and
dividing it into townships, etc., for future allotment by
government. According to good authority, the proceedings
of this party had given great offence to the Metis. The
unsettled state of the half-breeds' land tenure not
unnaturally excited apprehension in the minds of these
poor ignorant people that their lands would be taken from
them, and given to Canadian immigrants. Then they had
the burning words of Louis Riel ringing in their ears
saying that the thing _would_ be done. To lend colour to
the mistrust, some members of the surveying party put up
claims here and there to tracts of land to which they
happened to take a fancy. But this was not all. Some of
these gentlemen had the habit of giving the Indians drink
till they became intoxicated, and then inducing them to
make choice lands over to them. One could not pass through
any superior tract of land without observing the stakes
of some person or other of Colonel Dennis's party.

"I foretold it," cried Riel. "Go out for yourselves and
see the marks they have set up bounding their plunder."
Nor was this the only grievance presented to the
half-breeds. The