The Rising of the Red Man

The Rising of the Red Man - A
Romance of the Louis Riel
Rebellion

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Title: The Rising of the Red Man A Romance of the Louis Riel
Rebellion
Author: John Mackie
Release Date: July 6, 2004 [EBook #12827]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ASCII
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RISING OF THE RED MAN ***

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THE RISING OF THE RED MAN A Romance of the Louis Riel
Rebellion
by JOHN MACKIE
Author of "The Heart of the Prairie," "Tales of the Trenches," "The
Cannibal Island," "Daring Deeds in Far Off Lands," "The Prodigal's
Brother," "The Man Who Forgot," etc.

TO E.M. DAVY.

CONTENTS
PROLOGUE I. IN THE GREAT LONE LAND II. TIDINGS OF ILL
III. THE STORM BREAKS IV. HARD PRESSED V. TO
BATTLEFORD VI. THE GRIM BLOCKADE VII. DETECTED VIII.
IN THE JUDGMENT HALL IX. THE DWARF AND THE BEAR X.
THE UNEXPECTED XI. THE RETREAT XII. A MYSTERIOUS
STAMPEDE XIII. ROOFED XIV. A THREE-CORNERED GAME
XV. CHECKMATED XVI. THE FATE OF SERGEANT PASMORE
XVII. A CLOSE CALL XVIII. ACROSS THE ICE XIX. CAPTURED
BY POUNDMAKER XX. THE BATTLE OF CUT-KNIFE XXI.
BACK TO CAPTIVITY XXII. ANTOINE IN TROUBLE XXIII. THE
DEPARTURE OF PEPIN xxiv. THE INDIANS' AWAKENING XXV.
A PROPOSAL FROM PEPIN XXVI. A BOLD BID FOR LIBERTY
XXVII. AN ONLY WAY XXVIII. THROUGH THE VALLEY OF
THE SHADOW

PROLOGUE
The 16th of March, 1885, was a charming day, and Louis David Riel,
fanatic and rebellion-maker, was addressing a great general meeting of
the half-breeds and Indians near Batoche on the Saskatchewan river in
British North America. There were representatives from nearly every
tribe; Poundmaker and his Stonies, who were always spoiling for
trouble, being particularly well represented. Round the arch malcontent
were a score of other harpies almost as wicked if less dangerous than
himself. Among them were Gabriel Dumont, Jackson, Maxime, Garnot
and Lepine. Riel's emissaries had been at work for months, and as the
time was now ripe for a rising he had called them together to decide
upon some definite course of action.
The weather was comparatively mild, and the Indians sat around on the
snow that before many days was to disappear before the sudden spring
thaw. Their red, white, and grey blankets against the dull-hued tepees
[Footnote: Wigwams.] and the white wintry landscape, gave colour and
relief to the scene. Two o'clock in the afternoon and the sun shone
brightly down as he always does in these latitudes. Riel knew exactly

how long it would continue to shine, for had not the almanac told him
and all the world--with the exception of the ignorant half-breeds and
Indians whom he was addressing--that there was to be an eclipse that
day. The arch rebel knew how strongly dramatic effect appealed to his
audience, so he was prepared to indulge them to the full in this respect,
and turn the matter to account. Being an educated man there was a
good deal of method in his madness.
The red-bearded, self-constituted prophet of the metis [Footnote:
Half-breeds.] stood on a Red River cart and spun out his pleasant
prognostications concerning that happy coming era in which unlimited
food, tobacco and fire-water would make merry the hearts of all from
the Missouri in the south, to the Kissaskatchewan in the north, if only
they would do as he told them. As for Pere Andre and his fulminations
against him, what did they want with the Church of Rome!--he, Louis
David Riel, was going to start a church of his own! Yes, St. Peter had
appeared to him in a vision, and told him that the Popes had been on
the wrong tack long enough, and that he--Riel--was to be the new head
of all things spiritual and temporal. He promised them a good all-round
time when this came about, as it certainly would before long.
He wiped the perspiration from his forehead, and looked anxiously at
the sun. What if, after all, the compilers of the almanac, or he himself,
had made a mistake, and he had called this his most vital meeting on
the wrong day? The bare idea was too terrible. But, no, his keen eyes
detected a dark line on the outer edge of the great orb, and he knew that
the modern astrologers had not erred. His grand opportunity had come,
and he must seize it. He stretched out his hands and