Lovers of the Horse 



55 



raisinif mikI other |>ursiiits in Canadian territory. A village has sprung uj) around 

 Fort Mac! eod and tiade is lapidly inereasing. The customs duties collected at this port 

 by the officers of the Police, during the two moiitlis ended Slst October last, amounted 

 to $16,. '5'-24f)!). and over '•20. ()()() robes were shij)ped from there during the past season. 

 At Cypress Hill, the scene of the massacre of 1873, there is also a settlement, at which 

 the customs collections made during the nine months ending 3()th September amounted 

 to $5,584.^22." 



Few more critical |)ositi()ns were ever faced by a force entrusted with tlic preserva- 



A Troop of Rov.\l N'orthwfst .Mountfd Police 



tioii of law and order in a country than that which confronted the Mounted Police 

 when Sitting BviII, the Sioux warrior, with his whole nation, crossed the boundary 

 line to seek shelter in Canadian territory, after the "Custer massacre '" in the United 

 States. From 1S77 to ISSl, the force was compelled to maintain constant supervision 

 and control of the refugee Sioux, and to exercise unwearying j)atience and diplomacv. 

 In 18S1 Sitting Bull was finally induced to surrenfler to the United States authorities. 



To ictiacc ()\ir steps, in 1S7S Sir Jolni A Macdonald formed a new Cabinet, taking 

 himself the Dejiartment of the interior, and putting the Mounted Police under the 

 jurisdiction of that department. 



