10 



"LE GOUYERNEUK." 



^Tearing Pembina, the governor expectant, family and 

 suite give ns the go-by. The glossy blacks cross the line 

 ahead of us. The coining members of the to-be new govern- 

 ment make home v^ithin the historic enclosure of the H. B. 

 Co.'s post October 18th. On the 19th I set out, leaving the 

 train behind. I had four passengers with me, Dr. O., D., 

 madame and two children. Arriving opposite the house of a 

 friendly half-breed, he signalled me to stop, beckoning with 

 his hand. I entered his house. When he had cautiously 

 Josed the door, he enquired, seemingly with much interest, 

 "Where are the carts ?" Continuing, he said, "They have 

 seized McKay's train at St. jSTorbert and are on the q\ii vive 

 for yours." My train was loaded with the government house- 

 hold furniture and supplies. "You see, monseigneur, they 

 think McDougall is bringing guns, powder and balls to fight 

 the Metis. You will find a barricade across the road, all Can- 

 adians are turned back, and to-morrow twenty men will be 

 here to turn McDougall and his men back to Canada." My 

 democrat being covered with white cotton, would no doubt be 

 a.i object of suspicion, indicating the arrival of strangers. 

 Communicating what I had heard to the Doctor and Mad- 

 ame, doubt and uncertainty fiitted like a cloud across their 

 olhervdse cheery countenances. We found Pembina in a 

 state of jubilant expectancy. The war muse had inspired a 

 composition of verses in the style of the Marseillaise, which 

 were scattered broadcast. I secured a copy. 



IsText morning, the 20th, I called on Mr. McDougall. 

 Pelt it my duty to inform him what had been communicated 

 me. Handed the martial verses to him in which he figured, 

 volunteered some advice respecting the government's goods. 

 I was quite convinced that the train would be seized. Such 

 portion of it as carried my own goods gave me no concern. 

 It also carried a number of trunks belonging to Captain and 

 Mrs. Cameron. If those should share the impending fate, I 

 feared grave consequences would ensue, which were after- 

 wards realized. 



I supposed that I had made my report to a sensible and 

 judicious gentleman, but was egregiously mistaken, as the 

 sequel will show. In my good offices the governor-expectant 

 interpreted treachery, as stated in one of his ]!Torth-West re- 



