ile or two to the Court
House.

[Illustration: PLAN OF FORT GARRY South portion with stone wall
and bastions built in 1835. North portion with wooden wall and
stone north gate still standing, built in 1850.]

Though somewhat anxious, the Governor and Court officials passed through
the excited crowd which surrounded the Court House. It was expected that
the Governor would order out a guard of pensioners to protect the Court,
but he had dispensed with this, and so he, Recorder Thom, and the
Magistrate, took their seats upon the elevated platform of Justice
precisely at eleven o'clock. Sayer's case was called first, but he was
held by the Metis outside of the Court room. Other unimportant business
was then taken up until one o'clock. An Irish relative of old Andrew
McDermott, named McLaughlin, attempted to interfere, but was instantly
suppressed. The Court then sent a suggestion to the Metis that they
should appoint a leader with a deputation to enter the Court room with
Sayer and state their case. This proposal was accepted, and James
Sinclair, the English half-breed leader, undertook the duty. Sayer was
then brought in, guarded by twenty of his compatriots, fully armed,
while fifty Metis guards stood at the gates of the Court House
enclosure. An attempt was then made to select a jury, but it was
fruitless. Sayer next confessed that he had traded for furs with an
Indian. The Court then gave a verdict of guilty, whereupon Sayer proved
that a Hudson's Bay officer named Harriott, had given him authority to
trade. The other three cases against the Metis were not proceeded with,
and Governor, Recorder, officials and spectators all left the Court
room, the mob being of the impression that the prisoners had been
acquitted, and that trading for furs was no longer illegal. Though this
was not the decision yet the crowd so took it up, and made the welkin
ring with shouts (Le Commerce est libre, vive la liberte) "Commerce is
free, long live liberty."

The Metis then crossed the river to St. Boniface, and after much
cheering, fired several salutes with their guns. It was their victory,
but it was one in which the vast mass of the English-speaking rejoiced
for the bands of tyranny were broken. Judge Thom, under instructions
from Governor Simpson, never acted as Recorder again, but was simply
Secretary of the Court, and another reigned in his stead. After this the
Court was largely without authority, and as has been said the rescue