THE RED RIVEE EXPEDITION. 321 



clone so successfully, that although we halted for the 

 night at only six miles from the place, Biel did not 

 know positively that we were in the river. A vague 

 report of some boats with men in them being on their 

 way up towards the Fort had reached the village of 

 Winnipeg ; but there had been so many previous 

 rumours of a similar nature from week to week in 

 the two preceding months, that no one credited it 

 We subsequently ascertained that Riel and O'Dono- 

 ghue rode out late at night in our direction ; but heavy 

 ram coming on as they approached our pickets, and 

 being in dread of capture, they returned without any 

 certain information regarding us. 



Our advance up the river had much of a triumphal 

 procession about it. Every church-bell rang out its 

 peal of welcome ; ladies in their best toilets, squaws 

 with papooses on their backs, the painted warrior of 

 the plain all testified joy after their own fashion. 

 There are some small rapids a few miles above the 

 Stone Fort, caused by a ledge of limestone cropping up 

 and forming a natural dam to the waters above. The de- 

 tention caused by having to pole and track up so many 

 boats at one time enabled the inhabitants to get a good 

 view of us ; so they assembled in numbers to do so. 



The wind being against us, we had to halt for the 

 night at a point six miles by road from ; Fort Garry. 

 Our bivouac was carefully watched by a cordon of 

 sentries on both banks of the river, and trustworthy 

 men were sent forward into the village near the Fort 



