THE KED RIVER EXPEDITION. 293 



future political greatness came up before him, he 

 would announce his intention of coming out to meet 

 us for the purpose of handing over the government 

 of the country to the commander of the Expedition. 

 The result of this hesitation was that he did nothing; 

 and his followers kept dropping off from him daily 

 in consequence. 



He still held Fort Garry with an armed garrison, 

 and his published proclamations at the time, although 

 indicative of declining power on his part, were by no 

 means sufficiently reassuring or peaceable in their 

 tone to warrant any departure from all military pre- 

 cautions by us. Orders were therefore given to the 

 leading detachments to approach Eat Portage, at the 

 entrance to Winnipeg River, with the greatest care, 

 and to take measures for guarding against surprise or 

 ambush, as it was a very likely place for an attack, 

 should Kiel mean fighting. The first detachment 

 having arrived at Fort Francis on the 4th of August, 

 and portaged its boats, &e., round the falls there, 

 started again that same afternoon. 



III. 



In the last chapter we described the' advance 

 of the expeditionary troops as far as Fort Francis, 

 and endeavoured to convey to the reader a general 

 idea of the country in the first of the three sections 



VOL. i. u 



