THE RED RIVER EXPEDITION. 219 



announced their intention of preventing him from 

 entering their country, and that a party of them had 

 erected a barricade on the road leading from Penibina 

 to Fort Garry, which they intended to defend by 

 force of arms. 



It is unnecessary to describe the little rebellion 

 any further, or to dilate upon the cruelties, the rob- 

 beries, and the imprisonments, which were inflicted 

 upon subjects of her Majesty by the wretched man 

 Louis Eiel, aided and abetted by the French priest- 

 hood. Is not a description of all these violent deeds 

 written in numerous Blue-books? 



Louis Eiel had, with the assistance of the priestly 

 partly, declared himself "President of the Eepublic 

 of the ^North-West," and had nominated a Ministry 

 from amongst his followers. "Without attempting to 

 follow the doings of this ridiculous Government, 

 suffice it to say that Eiel thought it necessary to 

 take a man's life in order to prove that he was in 

 earnest, and to strike terror into the English-speak- 

 ing portion of the community, which, although not 

 actively opposed to him, was still, he knew, inimical 

 to his sway. From amongst the many Canadians 

 whom he kept ironed in his prison, he selected as his 

 victim a man named Scott, apparently because he was 

 the most objectionable to him personally, and be- 

 cause he had been most loud-spoken in his expres- 

 sions of loyalty to the Queen, and in denouncing 

 Eiel and his gang as rebels. Scott could not speak 



