also to assist Governor McTavish, or to relieve him,
altogether of duties should ill health have incapacitated
him. Mr. Smith arrived in due season at the settlement,
and sought an interview with the Rebel leader in Fort
Garry. M. Riel very readily admitted him; and then turned
the keys upon him. It was a very great pity that it was
not upon some members of the beautiful government at
Ottawa that he had the opportunity of fastening the locks!
There were now about sixty prisoners in the fort; the
British ensign had been hauled down, and the flag of the
Provisional Government, a combination of fleurs de-lys
and shamrocks, hoisted in its stead. When the news got
abroad that an agent had come from Canada to treat with
the people on behalf of the Canadian Government, that
Mr. McDougall was in disfavour with the Dominion ministry,
and had returned to Ottawa, M. Riel's influence began
to diminish sensibly.

"Let us hear what Donald Smith has to say to us," they
began to cry; and the Arch Rebel was fain to consent. A
monster meeting of 1,100 people was held in the open air,
with the thermometer twenty degrees below zero. Riel and
his followers were not satisfied with the terms of the
Dominion agent; and the arch disturber had made up his
mind not to be satisfied. Yet he was not secure in his
position, for there was much writhing among hosts of his
followers under his tyrannical caprices. Sometimes he
broke loose from all civilized restraint, and acted like
a mad savage. Governor McTavish, who was reaching the
last stages of consumption, for some reason incurred the