He would suddenly appear with
his guns from the woods? he would blow up the fort when the troops had
taken possession--he would die in the ruins. These and many other
schemes of a similar description were to be enacted by the Dictator in
the last extremity of his despair. I had spent the day in the saddle,
scouring the woods on the right bank of the river in advance of the
fleet, while on the left shore a company of the 60th, partly mounted,
moved on also in advance of the leading boats. But neither Riel nor his
followers appeared to dispute-the upward passage of the flotilla, and the
woods through which I rode were silent and deserted. Early in the morning
a horse had been lent to me by an individual rejoicing in the classical
name of Tacitus Struthers. Tacitus had also assisted me to swim the steed
across the Red River in order to gain the right shore, and, having done
so, took leave of me with oft-repeated injunctions to preserve from harm
the horse and his accoutrements, "For," said Tacitus, "that horse is a
racer." Well, I suppose it must have been that fact that made the horse
race all day through the thickets and oak woods of the right shore, but I
rather fancy my spurs had something to say to it too.
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