Sovereign authority.”  Some time was lost in endeavoring to use land carriage up from Port Arthur as far as Lake Shebandowan.  The difficulties were so great that the scouts were led to find another route for the boats up the Kaministiquia River.  In this they were successful; in all this worry from mosquitoes, black flies and deer flies in millions, the troops preserved their good temper, and Col.  Wolseley said, “I have never been with any body of men in the field so well fed as this has been.” (July 10th.) The real start of the expedition was from Lake Shebandowan.  The three brigades of boats—­A.  B. and C.—­seventeen in all, got off from Shebandowan shore on the evening of July 16th; by the 4th of August Rainy River was reached, and at Fort Frances Colonel Wolseley met Captain Butler, who had acted as intelligence officer, having adroitly passed under Riel’s shadow, and being able now to give the news required.  It was still the statement and belief of Riel that “Wolseley would never reach Fort Garry.”  Crossing Lake of the Woods the regular troops were pushed ahead, and on descending Winnipeg River they reached Fort Alexander and Lake Winnipeg on August 20th.  Here Commissioner Donald A. Smith, having come through in a light canoe, met Colonel Wolseley.  After a short delay Colonel Wolseley’s command hastened to the Red River, ascended it, and cautiously approached Fort Garry.  It was still uncertain whether Riel was to oppose the expedition or not.  The troops formed for what emergency might arise, and two small guns were in readiness should they be required.  When Fort Garry was sighted, its guns were mounted, and everything seemed ready for defence.  The officers of the expedition, as they approached it were quite ready for a shot to be fired from the battlements, but there was no movement, Riel, Lepine, and O’Donoghue alone, were left of the Metis levy, and as the 60th Rifles drew near the Fort the three were seen to escape from the river gate and to flee across the bridge of boats on the Assiniboine River.  Capt.  Huyshe states that the troops took possession of the fort with a bloodless victory, the Union Jack was hoisted, three cheers were given for the Queen and the Riel regime was at an end.  The militia regiments arrived on the 27th of August, and two days afterwards the Imperial troops started back to their headquarters in Ontario.  Captain Buller, who afterward became so celebrated in South Africa, took his company down the Dawson road to the northwest angle of the Lake of the Woods, and thus returned eastward, while Colonel McNeil left the country by way of Red River, through the United States.  Shortly afterward, on September 2nd, Lieutenant-Governor Archibald arrived by the Winnipeg River route, and began his work.

[Illustration:  Winnipeg in 1871]

[Illustration:  Winnipeg in 1870]

The joy of all classes of the people was unbounded.  The English halfbreeds had been loyal through the whole of the disturbances.  Kildonan Church had been the headquarters of the Loyalists in their attempted rally, and after the execution of Scott, the French half-breeds had gradually dropped off from Riel, until he and his two companions formed a helpless trio shorn of all power.