er well, which was sufficient to ensure a warm welcome, and the
train rushed along at the rate of 57 miles an hour, roaring in and out
of the numerous tunnels, our short car whirling round the short curves
like the tail of a kite, the sensation being such that when dinner was
served Dickey, the manager and I were the only men in the car who were
not suffering from train sickness. I think this was one of the wildest
rides by train any of us ever took. Many years have passed since that
memorable ride, and to-day one goes through the mountains in the most
modern and palatial observation cars, but the recollection of that
journey to the coast on the first train through is far sweeter to me
than any trips taken since. It was the exultant moment of pioneer work,
and we were all pioneers on that excursion." And we add again all due
honour to the famous corps that had watched over the destinies of the
long steel trail.

CHAPTER VIII

RIEL AGAIN

Some years ago a well-known Senator told me that he was at a dinner
party in Sir John Macdonald's house in Ottawa, when a telegram was
delivered to the Premier at the table. He read it and put it under his
plate. Nothing could be gained by throwing that bombshell in the midst
of his guests. But in a few minutes, as the friends were saying
good-night, Sir John came to the door with the Senator and said, "Mac,
there's the very mischief to pay in the North-West." The wire had
communicated the news of the Duck Lake fight, by which the rebellion,
under that mad egoist, Louis Riel, was publicly staged in its opening
act. And the Senator told me he recalled for all the years that followed
the look on the Premier's face as one of pained surprise and unexpected
shock. If the Senator was a good reader of faces and read that
expressive countenance aright, he could doubtless see indications of
pain, for Sir John was a tender-hearted man. But, if he saw surprise on
the face of the Premier, it is proof positive that official pigeon-holes
in the West had not divulged their secrets to Ottawa, or that his
subordinates were hoping to quell the discontent of the half-breeds on
the Saskatchewan without worrying the "old chieftain" unduly.

And this we say because the outbreak of rebellion was a surprise to
Western residents only in the sense that the resort to arms was
considered unlikely. But every one knew something of the discontent. The
Mounted Police saw it coming to a head, and Superinten