Now the immediate object of the warlike enthusiasm of all these young men was the capture of Fort Pitt, an undertaking which they hardly considered worth shouldering their rifles for.  But when it came to the actual taking it was a somewhat different matter.  There were twenty-one policemen in the Fort and they had at their head an intrepid chief, Mr. Inspector Dickens, already referred to in this chapter.  It was useless to fire bullets at the solid stockades; massacre was out of the question, for keen eyes peered ever from the Fort.  Big Bear now had grown very ambitious.

“Fort Pitt hardly worth bothering about,” he said to his braves.  “Plenty of big fighting everywhere.  We’ll go with Monsieur Riel.  But we must have guns; good guns; and plenty of powder and shot and ball.  So taking a number of his braves he approached the Fort and began to bellow that he wanted to have a talk.  Inspector Dickens appeared, calling out,

“Well, what does Big Bear want?”

“We want guns, and powder, and shot, and ball.”

“Pray, what does Big Bear want with them?”

“His young men are suffering of hunger, and they want to go shoot some elk and bear.”

“Big Bear is talking with a crooked tongue.  He must not have any rifles, or powder or shot, or ball.  I advise him to return peaceably to his reserve; and if there is anything that the Government can do for himself, or his people, I am sure they will do it.  He will only make matters worse by creating a disturbance.”

“Ugh!  The great police chief also talks with a crooked tongue; and if he does not give what the Indians ask for, they will burn down the fort, and murder himself and his followers, not sparing either the women or the children.”

“If this be your intention, you shall not find us unprepared.”  Just at this moment two mounted police, who had been out upon the plains as scouts, came in sight, at once Inspector Dickens perceived that the savages meant mischief.  A number of rifles were raised at the unsuspecting policemen, then several shots were heard.  Constable Cowan fell from his horse dead, pierced by several bullets; Constable Lousby was hit by a couple of bullets, but got into the fort before the savages could prevail.

“Now, my men,” shouted Inspector Dickens, “show these insolent savages that you can defy them.”  At once a raking fire was poured into the rebels.  Four of the rebels fell dead, and some scores of others were wounded.  The conduct of some of the savages who received slight wounds was exceedingly ludicrous.  One who had been shot, in running away, began to yell in the most pitiable way; and he ran about the plain kicking up his heels and grabbing at the wounded spot, which, it is to be inferred, must have been stinging him very badly.  I must not omit to speak that before the recontre, chief factor MacLean, who had always been held in high regard among the Indians, went out of the fort to have a parley with Big Bear.  Arriving at the door of the chief’s lodge, he knocked.  Big Bear admitted him with the greatest pleasure, and after he had done so, said: