LOUIS RIEL
The Exil
He was often depressed and claimed that he had visions of a mission to fulfill.
His cries and lamentations so frightened Father Barnabé that he sent for Riel's uncle,
John Lee. The latter took him back to Montréal and he was confined to an asylum in the
Province of Quebec, under the name of Louis R. David. Shortly thereafter, he was
transferred to the asylum at Beauport where he gradually recovered his health. He was
discharged from the asylum in January 1878, with the recommendation that he avoid
excitement.
From Beauport, Riel returned to Keeseville where he remained for a while. During
this time, he fell in love with Evelina Barnabé, Father Barnabé's sister. Less
interested in politics now, Riel tried to find work so that he might have something to
offer Evelina. Finally he decided to return to the West. Evelina did not think she would
be able to adapt to prairie life and after several months, Riel stopped writing to her and
the relationship came to an end.
In the fall of 1878, Riel returned once again to St. Joseph, near Pembina where in
April 1879, he was visited by his mother and his friends.
Life in Manitoba had changed a great deal. The influx of immigrants was driving
the Métis away. Stripped of their land and their way of life, they were moving farther
and farther west to settle along the Saskatchewan River at places such as Lac la Biche,
Qu'Appelle, Edmonton, Prince Albert, Duck Lake and Batoche.
While these changes were taking place, Riel was living in the United States, for
he was still banished from Manitoba. Since 1879, he had followed the buffalo hunt and
worked as an agent, trader and woodcutter near Carroll, in Montana Territory. Here he met
Marguerite Monet dite Bellehumeur, a Métisse whom he married ‘à la façon du
pays’ on April 28, 1881, and solemnly on March 9, 1882.
The Heritage Centre
