CHAPTER VI
THE DRAMA OF THE REBELLION.
The negotiations resulted in his releasing the prisoners and allowing them all to come down and report themselves to us. They arrived at Kildonan Church about two o'clock in the afternoon, and the question now arose whether the advantages we had already gained by the demonstration should be followed up, to oust Riel from his position in the Fort. The Bishop of Rupert's Land, Archdeacon Maclean, Judge Black, and many others, came down to counsel peace; but I had much difficulty in withstanding the excitement of the assembled force, who thought further action should be pressed. I argued with them that the object for which the expedition had been undertaken was gained, in the release of the prisoners, who had been so long confined. I also cautioned them that while it was a legitimate effort on their part to make, the moment we attempted anything further we were as amenable to the law as were Riel and his followers, and would be responsible for any danger that might threaten the settlement. These counsels prevailed, though an aggressive policy was abandoned with great reluctance by many who thought that we should show more courage in withstanding Riel. This discussion took up some time, but about four o'clock in the afternoon I was able to announce that the object for which we had assembled had been successfully accomplished, and that there was no further need for the services of those who had so loyally come forward to effect the release of the prisoners.
In half an hour the assembly dispersed as quickly as it had come together, the majority at once retiring north to their settlements. Those who had come from Portage la Prairie now made arrangements to return to their homes, but as this could only be done by passing Fort Garry, they kept together and camped for the night in Mr. Boyd's store, at Point Douglass. The following morning a council was held, at which it was determined to return home at once. I knew that to march past the Fort in a body would only tempt Riel to make another attack, so I urged that we should dismiss and accept the hospitality of our friends in the English settlements until the excitement had somewhat quieted down, when we could return singly, and if captured it would have no political significance. An old pensioner, who had been a sergeant-major in the British service, argued that we had come down like brave men and that we should go back like brave men, in a body; and as most of the party were anxious to reach their homes his counsel prevailed, although I rebuked him for taking the responsibility upon himself of recommending so imprudent a course.
Their determination was strengthened by the statement that Riel had sent a message to say that he did not intend taking any more prisoners and that our safety would be assured. If such a message did reach us I knew it was a treacherous message, for I felt that Riel, protected by the walls of the Fort and by a numerous force, collected in expectation of an attack, was not likely to forego the advantage of making an easy capture of new prisoners. Some of my friends urged me not to openly join the returning party, as having been its commander I would, most likely, be the first to suffer; but I determined, whatever happened, to stay with my party, as we had a long way to go to reach home. Having made up our minds to start, I concluded that no time should be lost; so, about nine o'clock in the morning, we made our preparations. As the travelled road would take us within a few hundred yards of Fort Garry, I thought it better to cross the open prairie to St. James' parish, which would keep us about a mile and a half from the Fort, although the difficulty of travelling in the deep snow was very great. In taking this course I was in hopes that Riel would see that we wished to avoid a conflict and to return to our homes peaceably. As we were leaving, news came that Mr. Gaddy, the emissary whom I had sent down to advise Dease and his loyal party of our action, had been captured and hanged that morning. This news did not at all reassure me, but it afterwards turned out that it was only a threat. At last, we started out across the plains in single file, following closely in one another's footsteps, on account of the depth of the snow, which was up to our waists; and in this order we marched until we got opposite the Fort, when we observed a party of men on horseback issuing out of it. They marched towards us, followed about two hundred yards in the rear by some fifty men on foot. We kept steadily on our way, without hesitation, until they approached within a hundred and fifty yards, when some of the men asked for orders, whether we should form up for defence. I gave strict orders that on no account should a shot be fired or any hostility be provoked; and the party on horseback, numbering about fifty, continued to approach us. I sent forward one of the half-breeds to parley, and to inform them that we were quietly returning to our homes - I following him. The party, headed by O'Donohue and Lepine, then came forward, and O'Donohue asked, "What party is this?" I answered "It is a party of men returning to the Portage." He then asked, "Is Major Boulton here?" I replied that I was the man, at which he expressed pleasure, and informed me that Riel had sent him out from the Fort to meet us, and to invite us to the Fort to hold a parley. I told him that we wished to go on our way without interference.
While this conversation was going on, Lepine went up to one of the men, named Murdoch Macleod, a fine young Scotchman, who belonged to my party. He had his revolver in his hand, and Lepine attempted to wrest it from him. This was an aggressive movement on Lepine's part, and no doubt intended to provoke hostilities. I was afraid that in the struggle the revolver would go off; which would he the signal for a massacre, from which there was no escape. We were not armed; we were up to our waists in snow; and in the presence of double our number, who were well armed, supported by a large force in the Fort near by, and who were excited over the events of the previous day. Under the circumstances I knew that it would be criminal to jeopardize the lives of the settlers who formed the party, many of whom had left large families at home. I therefore ordered Macleod to give up the revolver, and signalled the party to follow me to the Fort. Thither we marched, side by side, on the invitation of Mr. O'Donohue, who said that Riel wished to see us at the Fort, to hold a parley, although I felt there was treachery in the invitation. In support of this I here quote an extract from a statement made by O'Donohue, bearing upon these events which is in possession of his brother:-
"During the 15th and 16th several self-constituted delegates of peace and order passed between both armies, but on the morning of the 16th one Norquay was officially sent by the revolters, stating that the English party would not recognize the provisional government. Riel at once cast this commissioner into prison, where he allowed him to remain till the evening of the same day, when he liberated him, and the following letter he handed him for the English party as a reply to their mission:
FORT GARRY, Feb. 16th, 1870.
"'FELLOW-COUNTRYMEN, - Mr. Norquay came this morning with a message and even he has been detained. He will reach you time enough to tell you that for my part I understand that war, horrible, civil war, is the destruction of this country. We are ready to meet any party, but peace over British rights we want before all. Gentlemen, the prisoners are out - they have sworn to keep peace. We have taken the responsibility of our past acts. Mr. Wm. McTavish has asked you for the sake of God to form and complete the provisional government; your representatives have joined us on that ground. Who will now come and destroy the Red River Settlement ?
LOUIS RIEL.
"Accompanying this letter Riel gave a verbal guarantee that should the opposing party disband none of them would be molested on their peaceable return to their homes. Relying on this assurance, both parties disbanded. In violation of this guarantee, Riel ordered out his men to attack them as soon as they came in sight; but the Portage party, confiding in Riel's honour, made no resistance, and they surrendered and were marched prisoners into Fort Garry. I commanded the party to whom the Portage party surrendered, but was in total ignorance of the guarantees Riel had made them the evening previous, and only learned of their existence from one of the party after they were marched into the Fort. Immediately after this I had an interview with Riel and I demanded of him if the statements were true. Riel did not deny the statements, but positively asserted that he alone was responsible for his acts, and, guarantee or no guarantee, those men should remain in prison."
We reached the Fort in about half an hour, and, entering the gates, which were at once closed behind us, we were immediately surrounded by about four hundred men. My party was marched off to quarters assigned them, a house in the centre of the Fort, which had been used by the clerks of the Hudson's Bay Company as residence. There they were disarmed and everything of value taken from them. I was placed in a room by myself, and the rest of the prisoners, for such we were, about forty in number, were placed in rooms adjoining. In the hall was placed a strong guard of about twenty men, armed with British rifles and fixed bayonets.
About a quarter-of-an-hour after I was placed in my room, a guard came in and put handcuffs and chains on my legs. I was given an old buffalo robe to lie down on and a pitcher of water and a piece of pemmican were placed by my side. Shortly after this I heard the door open and Riel looked in. Without entering, he said, "Major Boulton, you prepare to die to-morrow at twelve o'clock." I answered, "Very well," and he retired. I was now left to my cogitations, which were not of the most pleasant description. By means of a knot-hole which I had knocked out of the wooden partition, I managed to communicate with the prisoners in the next room, and told them what had happened. I then sat down to take off my moccasins and stockings, which were wet through by the snow and the perspiration arising from the exertions of our march. When I got them off I was able to slip the chain from my legs, but the noise aroused the sergeant of the guard, who came in, and thinking that I was attempting to escape, he alarmed the guard and marched them all in, filling the room. Taking no notice of them, I wrung out my stockings, put them on again, with my leg chains and moccasins, while they gravely looked on. Fearing, however, that my actions meant more than appeared on the surface, the guard was ordered to retire and a sentry was placed inside the room.
The difficulty of the position in which I now found myself was great. I was in a room without heat, the thermometer being many degrees below zero, with nothing but the bare floor to lie upon, and with chains on my hands and feet, and a guard set over me. To add to my depression, I was under sentence of death by a man who, in order to make a show of his power, I felt was fully prepared to carry out his dark deed. My feelings may therefore be better imagined than described. But I was not going to give up without an effort, and I felt that the first thing I had to do was to acquaint my friends with what had taken place; so I asked the sentry to get me paper and pencil. He had to send to Riel before he dare grant my request. However, I got the paper, and wrote a note to Archdeacon Maclean, now Bishop of Saskatchewan, to inform him of what had occurred, and of my impending fate, and wishing him to come and visit me. My letter was taken to Riel, who in about an hour's time returned with the paper in his hand. He came into the room to question me. He asked me what was my object in coming down with the force. I answered, "For the purpose of releasing the prisoners whom you were unjustly and unlawfully detaining." He further asked me what was the oath we took. I told him, to leave no stone unturned until we had accomplished our purpose. He then asked me what I intended to do when I entered the house where he was supposed to be. I told him, to take him prisoner, and then to exchange him for those of our friends in the Fort. After further questioning, he said, "Very well; you wish to see Archdeacon Maclean? I will allow him to come."
About a couple of hours afterwards Archdeacon Maclean appeared in a state of great excitement and anxiety. After conversing with me, he at once went to remonstrate with Riel in regard to his intentions, but returned in an hour, having effected nothing. He remained with me a couple of hours and then left, promising to return soon. He returned in the evening about eight o'clock, and told me that he had obtained a postponement of my execution for twelve hours later than the following day at twelve o'clock.
The anxiety of the remainder of the prisoners over my threatened execution was great. Occasionally I had a chance of conversing with some of them as we met in the hall going to and fro. The clanging of the long chains attached to my feet had a most ominous sound as I walked about. I conversed a good deal with my guards, and enlisted their sympathy. They, I believe, were by no means a party to the murderous designs contemplated by Riel.
The measures taken by Riel were not justified by any act that had been committed by the English settlers, who had shown no disposition to attack him, their actions having been confined to a demonstration to force him to release the prisoners, which he had previously promised to do. The party taken prisoners with me were quietly returning to their homes, without any further designs against him; and the act he was contemplating was for no other purpose than to strike terror to the hearts of the people, and to more firmly fix himself as the autocrat of the country. In this he showed a bloodthirsty spirit, as well as a want of tact, which were repeatedly manifested traits in his character.
That night I slept on the bare floor, without a pillow, covered with my buffalo robe, and with the sentry as only companion. During the night I was continually disturbed by the sentry, who would come and wake me, go down on his knees and pray and groan. I sent him away repeatedly, but only to return again. He was in great trouble and concern about me, and the next morning, when they unlocked my door, he was found in a state of lunacy. The excitement of being locked up with me had proved too much for him, and his mind was unstrung. I heard afterwards that he was the father of the young man who had shot Sutherland. Another sentry was placed in the room; a tall man, about six feet two inches in height, who lay down all day in the corner. About three o'clock in the afternoon, I was aroused by a peculiar gurgling noise, which caused me to go over to look at my sentry. I found that he was dead. I alarmed the sergeant of the guard, who once more marched his whole squad into the room, sent for Riel, and an inquest was held, which lasted about an hour. It was found that the sentry had died of apoplexy. The dead man was then carried off, but without placing other sentry over me. In fact, I think the guards had become superstitious, and now refused to be locked up with me, which, I need hardly say, was a decided relief.
In the morning Archdeacon Maclean returned and stated that every exertion was being made to obtain a reversal of my sentence. Mrs. Sutherland, while her poor son lay still unburied, came beseeching for my life, with many others. The autocrat himself paid me a visit about ten o'clock in the morning. Riel entered the room in a tragic way, took out his pocket-handkerchief, walked up and down for a while, pretending to weep, and then went out without having spoken a word. About twelve o'clock he returned and entered into conversation with me. He made me this proposition, that if I could get Mr. Schultz to give himself up, or if I could secure his capture, I should obtain my reprieve. I think he also included Mr. Mair, for whom he had no affection. I could not he]p smiling at his solemn proposal, for I did not think Dr. Schultz's sympathy for me would lead him to offer himself up a willing sacrifice. And with regard to capturing him, I knew that by this time he was making the best of his way to a place of greater safety than the settlements now offered. As Riel's scheme for capturing Dr. Schultz or Mr. Mair by this means resulted in nothing, he made no offer to me of freedom.
Anxiety about my fate continued to increase, and Riel was continually visited by people of all kinds, interceding in my behalf. The impression I had created on the guards was favouring me, and Riel sought to grant some pretext for sparing my life, although he showed no signs of abandoning his purpose. Mr. Smith told me afterwards he knew he would have to give an equivalent in asking for my life. Riel allowed this state of affairs to continue all day, and in the evening Archdeacon Maclean administered the sacrament to me, holding out no hope of a reprieve. I wrote a statement, which I gave to him, to the effect that I was about to be foully murdered, without having a trial, and without any reasonable charge being brought against me. About ten o'clock in the evening I was visited by O'Donohue. He came to ask if he could do anything for me. I thanked him, and told him I had settled all my affairs, if Riel was bent on murdering me; but that I should be glad if be would send me a glass of sherry and a basin of water In this answer, I was determined to give O'Donohue no satisfaction from his visit, which was one of pure curiosity. He retired, and about half-past ten Archdeacon Maclean, who had been all day in the Fort, came in and told me that I had been reprieved for a week, and that Riel had consented to spare my life if Mr. Donald A. Smith would go round and get the English-speaking settlements to elect their representatives and send them once more to meet him in council. This task Mr. Smith willingly undertook, assisted by Archdeacon Maclean, and before the week was out they had held meetings in every parish and obtained the consent of the people to send their representatives. Mr. John MacTavish kindly sent a special message without delay to my friends in Canada to inform them that I was safe.
As soon as Archdeacon Maclean had left, I lay down and went to sleep. I could not have been long asleep when I was suddenly awoke by some one shaking me. I looked up and saw Riel with a lantern. He said, "Major Boulton, I have come to see you. I have come to shake you by the hand, and to make a proposition to you. I perceive that you are a man of ability, that you are a leader. The English people, they have no leader. Will you join my government, and be their leader?" The sudden transition from being under sentence of death to being asked to take a position in Riel's government, struck me as serio-comic; but I collected my wits and replied, that his proposition was so startling that I could not give an answer at the moment; but if he would release all the prisoners and allow me to go back to the Portage to consult with my friends, I would consider his proposition seriously. He retired, but I heard no more about joining his government. Riel evidently would not forego the personal advantage the possession of the prisoners gave him. That night the chains were removed from my limbs. The officers of the Hudson's Bay Company asked and obtained permission to supply me with my meals and a bed. The prison discipline was relaxed, and the rest of the prisoners were allowed to have provisions brought them by their friends, which they never neglected, bringing bags of bread and many things that added to their comfort. Riel had no sooner agreed to spare my life than he attempted to capture Dr. Schultz. With that object he took a hundred men and went down through the lower settlement to the Stone Fort, visiting it upon the same evening that Mr. Smith and Archdeacon Maclean reached it. The latter was rudely awakened from his sleep in the middle of the night by having a revolver thrust into his face by Riel, who was searching the rooms; but by this time Dr. Schultz had made his escape. This circumstance shows the determination of Riel to capture some one whom he could threaten.
The prisoners whiled away the weary hours by singing songs and telling stories; and put in the time with as much hilarity as they could pretend to assume. I could only hear them through the thin wooden partition, or when I met them in the hall, where the guards were, and where we were allowed to bring our pemmican to stew it on the stove. The monotony was occasionally relieved by the excitement of bringing in fresh prisoners, who were now getting so numerous that two strangers were placed in the room with me. Some were put to menial work, cleaning the premises about the Fort, which enraged them greatly. The most important prisoner brought in during our imprisonment was Dr. Cowan, the 2nd officer of the Hudson's Bay Company.
We had little opportunity of obtaining news of what was going on outside; but one day excitement was caused by the information, whispered to me by one of the prisoners, that an attempt was to be made that night to effect our release. The plan, I was informed, was to set the premises on fire, and during the excitement we were to make good our escape. Adjoining the house in which we were imprisoned was the magazine, in which was stored several tons of gunpowder. I was alarmed lest the plot should miscarry, or that the magazine would be blown up and with it all of my friends, so I did not sleep that night in my anxiety. However, nothing was attempted.
Things continued in the same monotonous round for about a fortnight, until one day I heard a racket in the guard-room, and recognized Scott's voice. I beard him say, "I want my pocket-book which you have taken from me." Considerable scuffling ensued, and the door of the room next to me was opened, and Scott was placed inside. I took an early opportunity to go out to ascertain what had been going on; and was told that two men--W. L. Scott, who had been appointed as one of the delegates, and a man, named Dan Shea--had visited the prisoners in the room where Scott was, to solicit the suffrage of the prisoners who had come from Portage la Prairie. Shea wanted them to vote for him and asked them to use their influence with their friends at the Portage, to secure his election, and in consideration of this he promised to get their release. Scott had said, "Don't have anything to do with these men, boys." Whereupon Dan Shea said, "I will see whether you'll interfere with me." And they retired from the room. The delegates had not yet been elected to form the council summoned by the provisional government, which had been created at the convention on the 10th February, and in consequence of the visit to the English-speaking settlements, Mr. Smith and Archdeacon Maclean, had agreed to send representatives in order to save my life and maintain the peace of the country. Riel was now seeking to obtain as many personal supporters among the English-speaking community as he could, and it was with that view he sent Dan Shea to solicit the suffrages of the prisoners resident at Portage La Prairie. It was this effort on Riel's part that caused Scott to warn the prisoners not to vote for him, and which, consequently, enraged Riel against him. Later on, Scott asked leave to go outside, and was refused by the guards, which led to an altercation. Riel and O'Donogue visited the prison once or twice that afternoon and evening, and used violent language towards Scott. A court-martial was convened to try Scott, composed of Lepine, as president and some of the guards as members, upon whom Riel no doubt wished, with mock show of legality, to throw the responsibility of taking Scott's life. Feeling anxious about what was going on, I asked the guard's permission to go into Scott's room to see him, and questioned him as to what had taken place. I found that similar questions had been put to him as had been put to me, and the same mode of passing sentence had been passed upon him as was passed upon me. I told Scott to be very careful what he said, as, I felt sure that Riel meant mischief and would take his life if he could. I also told him that my life had been spared only in consequence of the exertions that had been made on my behalf. He had sent for the Rev. Mr. Young to come and see him, who arrived some time during the night. Riel had got the opportunity he now wanted, which was to commit his people to an act of violence. Heretofore, there had been no violence or resistance to his wrong doings, but Scott, he thought, had now given sufficient provocation for him to work upon his guards. He represented to his people that Scott was a dangerous man, and if he ever got at large he would take his revenge. So he worked up their feelings to the pitch he desired; at least that is the idea we formed at the time. Riel came in to my room about 11 o'clock on the morning of Scott's death. I spoke to him and said, "Don't you think you are doing a most imprudent act for your own safety in shooting Scott; don't you know enough about history to realize that England has never yet left the most remote region unpenetrated, to punish those who take the life of a British subject?" The only answer I got was, "I did not come here to talk to you about that," and he made some passing remark and went away. That was the most effectual appeal that I could think of to impress upon him the responsibility of the horrible proceedings he contemplated. It was blood that Riel wanted, for the purpose of making the people respect him, and he did not propose to let this opportunity slip. According to Mr. Donald A. Smith's report, at the winding up of the interview, when he went to intercede for Scott's life, Riel said, "I have done three good things since I have commenced; I have spared Boulton's life at your instance, I pardoned Gaddy, and now I shall shoot Scott." A few minutes before the execution took place the Rev. Mr. Young came to see Scott for the last time. It now became apparent that in a short time the poor fellow was to be hurled into eternity. Mr. Young, hitherto had so little realized the task before him, and was so unprepared for it, that he came into my room and borrowed my Bible, which had been left with me by Archdeacon Maclean, returning to Scott's room, where he spent the remainder of the time with him.
About 12 o'clock we heard preparations being made by the guards, and a few minutes afterwards my door opened and Scott came in and said "Good-bye, Major." He was followed by about twenty guards, and was allowed to go to each room and say, "Good-bye, boys!" He was then marched down the stairs, between the guards, with fixed bayonets, his hands tied behind his back, and a white rag tied over his head and hanging down behind ready to throw over his face when the fatal shots were to be fired. We watched his departure and listened to the receding footsteps, and for fifteen minutes a dead silence pervaded the building. Presently we heard the fatal shots fired from beneath the walls of the Fort. A few minutes afterwards, the Rev. Mr. Young returned to our prison and gave me back my Bible, and his eye5 blinded with tears, told me what had happened. Loud and deep were the murmurs of the remaining prisoners. In the evening. the servant of the Hudson's Bay Company who brought me my meals gave me an account of the execution, and at the same time told me that Scott had been put into one of the bastions of the Fort, and that he had just been heard to cry out: "My God put an end to me!" He had lain there for some hours unconscious; and must have come to his senses and called out. How he was finally despatched has never been settled, but in corroboration of the foul and brutal manner in which he was treated, I give the testimony of John Bruce, a French half-breed, who was the first president of Riel's provisional government. Bruce had been appointed by Riel as president, and no doubt accepted the position at the commencement of the outbreak, hoping by constitutional means to obtain a recognition of the rights of the population which existed in the country previous to the transfer. Bruce, however, disappeared from among the active workers when Riel resorted to extreme measures. Bruce says:-
"Six soldiers had been chosen to shoot Scott. I have here again to write the name of a man whose behaviour in that circumstance reflects on him the greatest honour. Augustin Parisien, one of the six soldiers, declared openly that he would not shoot at Scott; in fact, he took off the cap from his gun before the word of command 'present' was given. Of the five balls remaining, only two hit the poor victim, one on the left shoulder, and the other in the upper part of the chest above the heart. Had the other soldiers missed the mark undesignedly, or had they intentionally aimed away from Riel's victim, it is not known. However that may be, as the two wounds were not sufficient to cause death, at least sudden death, a man, named Guillemette stepped forward and discharged the contents of a pistol close to Scott's head while he was lying on the ground. This ball, however, took a wrong direction. It penetrated the upper part of the left cheek and came out somewhere about the cartilage of the nose. Scott was still not dead, but that did not prevent his butchers from placing him alive and still speaking, in a kind of coffin made of four rough boards. It was nailed and plated in the south-eastern bastion, and an armed soldier was placed at the door. This would seem like a story made at one's ease, if there were not several credible witnesses who, between the hours of five and six in the evening, heard the unfortunate Scott speaking from under the lid of his coffin, and it was known that he had been shot at half-past twelve. What a long and horrible agony, and what ferocious cruelty was this on the part of his butchers. The words heard and understood by the French Metis were only these 'My God My God!' Some English Metis, and those understanding English, heard distinctly these words: 'For God's sake take me out of here or kill me.' Towards 11 o'clock - that is, after ten and a half hours of frightful agony - a person, whose name I shalt withhold for the present, went into the bastion, and, according to some, gave him the finishing stroke with a butcher's knife, with a pistol, according to others. After having inflicted the last blow on poor Scott, that person said, as he was coming back from the bastion: 'He is dead this time!' The corpse was left for a few days in the south-eastern bastion, being guarded by the soldiers, relieving each other in turn."
In addition, I append an extract from a letter of the Rev. Mr. Young to Scott's brother, Mr. Hugh Scott, written the day after the murder:-
"Let me then express my deep sympathy for you and your bereaved family in this sore trouble. As you probably know already, your brother was taken prisoner by Mr. Riel in December last, and made his escape after many weeks' imprisonment, but joining another company of volunteers he was again captured, with fortyseven others. The day before yesterday he was singled out and tried for these offences, as well as for 'insulting Mr. Riel and the guards by something he said' - which he positively denied - and was sentenced to be shot at noon next day. I was sent for as a minister who had visited the prisoners regularly, and was known by your brother. During the evening I stayed with him, giving instructions and exhortation, and engaging frequently in prayer. He was deeply penitent and earnestly prayerful before God. Next morning I went again and begged personally of Mr. Riel to reprieve your brother, and got Commissioner Smith to do the same. We urged that one day more should be given him to prepare. But, alas! all in vain. I was with him to the end. He prayed frequently, and said it was dreadful to put him to death; but expressed hope of salvation. He was led out a few feet from the walls of Fort Garry, where again he knelt in the snow and prayed, remaining on his knees until the fatal shots were fired. I have begged the body, which Riel intended to bury in the Fort, and I think, through others helping, that we shall get it, when we intend burying it at the Presbyterian churchyard, five miles below this."
That same afternoon some of the prisoners saw preparations for the grave being made, and the coffin made ready. The Rev. Mr. Young and the Bishop of Rupert's Land, both made a request for the body, but were refused, lest the additional damning evidence of the murdered man should stand against the perpetrators of the bloody tragedy. It was rumoured in the Fort that his body had been buried, but had been exhumed, sewed up in canvas weighted with cannon balls and sunk beneath the ice at the junction of the Seine with the Red River, near by.
Scott, it ought to be said, was not taken prisoner with arms in his hands. On the first occasion, before the prisoners were captured in Dr. Schultz's house, he had gone boldly down to the Fort to ask Riel to give safe conduct to the ladies and children who were in danger there, and Riel's only answer to his peaceful mission was to thrust him into prison. Nor on the second occasion was he armed; so this murder has no extenuation, and for cold bloodedness and deliberate butchery poor Scott's fate has scarcely a parallel.
Riel had now committed his people to a deed which could not be recalled; and no doubt those who were implicated in it, when they came to realize what had been done, repented of the murderous act. On the following day Riel singled out another man, Murdoch Macleod, from among the prisoners, and put him in chains. We all dreaded that another life would be taken. From my knowledge of Riel at this time, I feared this would have happened; but his people were not prepared to go any further, so no sentence was passed upon him. But, during the remainder of his imprisonment, Murdoch continued to be shackled, and to have indignities heaped upon him.
I had forgotten to mention an interesting reminiscence which should not be overlooked, namely, the visit to Winnipeg, in January, of Mr. John Ross Robertson, of the Toronto Telegraph, and Mr. Cunningham, of the Toronto Globe. They came in search of news, having travelled over the prairie, in the winter time, from St. Paul, and were the only two correspondents who ventured up to the scene of the troubles. I do not know if their enterprise rewarded them; but they were detained by Riel for two days in Fort Garry, and were then allowed to return. Riel at this time kept the strictest censorship over the local press and the mail bags, so that no information could get out not in accord with his plans.