lplessness of Governor McTavish, whose duty it was to act.

2. The rebellious character of the Metis, now irritated anew by the
actions of the surveyors.

3. The inexplicable blundering and neglect of the Dominion Government at
Ottawa.

4. A dangerous element in the United States, and especially on the
borders of Minnesota inciting and supporting a disloyal band of
Americans in Pembina and Winnipeg.

5. A cunning plot to keep Governor McTavish from acting as he should
have done, and to incite the Metis under Riel to open revolt.

The drama opened with the appointment of Hon. William McDougall as
Lieutenant-Governor of the Northwest Territories in September, 1869, and
his arrival at Pembina in October. Mr. McDougall was to be appointed
Governor by the Dominion Government as soon as the transfer to Canada of
Rupert's Land could be made. McDougall, on his arrival at the boundary
of Minnesota, was served with a notice by the French half-breeds, not to
enter the Territories.

Meanwhile, Louis Riel, son of the old miller of the Seine, and a true
son of his father--but vain and assertive, having the ambition to be a
Caesar or Napoleon, took the lead. He succeeded in October in getting a
few of the Metis to seize the highway at St. Norbert, some nine miles
south of Fort Garry, and in the true style of a Paris revolt, erected a
barricade or barrier to stop all passers-by. It was here that Governor
McTavish failed. He was immediately informed of this illegal act, but
did nothing. Hearing of the obstacle on the highway, two of McDougall's
officers came on towards Fort Garry, and finding the obstruction, one of
them gave command, "Remove that blawsted fence," but the half-breeds
refused to obey. The half-breeds seized the mails and all freight coming
along the road coming into the country.

THE SCENE SHIFTS TO FORT GARRY.

It is rumored that Riel was thinking of seizing Fort Garry; an affidavit
of the Chief of Police under the Dominion shows that he urged the master
of Fort Garry to meet the danger, and asked leave to call out special
police to protect the Fort, but no Governor spoke; no one even closed
the gate of the Fort as a precaution; its gates stood wide open to its
enemies who seemed to be the friends of its officers.

On November 2nd Riel and a hundred of his Metis followers took
possession of Fort Garry, and without opposition.

Riel now issued a proclamation with the air of Dictator or Deliverer,
calling on