THE SCARLET RIDERS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 187, 27 April 1918, Page 9

THE SCARLET RIDERS

MAN-HUNTING IN THE WILDERNESS A MARGIN OF CIVILISATION CANADIAN NORTH-WEST. (By A. W. Packard.) 1. This is the law of the Yukon, and even sho makes it plain: Send not your foolish and feeble; send me your strong aud your sauei ' Particularly does this standard, which tho Canadian Kipling so dramatijally sets for the type of .manhood required in the Great Jiorth-West, apply 10, that picturesque body, the Hoyiil North-West Mounted Police. For this historic organisation has done much to mnko Canada's Far West habitable and lo m-ako British law and order respected ie a community which is bo largely composed of foreigners. Much has been written in and story about tho '"Scarlet Riders,' but when all is r.aid and dono little is really known about dheir constitution and their later days.

It was away back in 18S.i, at tho lime ■of the Kiel .Rebellion, and again later on the trail of J 9B, when they broke in the Yukon to law and order, that the North-West Mounted Police, .as they were then called, justified their existence for all time on -the Canadian fiontier. It was then that the Outside world began to sit up and take notice of the "Queen's Bloodhounds." For years they lad done outpost duty in the frozen .•north, to the tune of untold hardship and peril, but they were not Press agents, and civilisation, was very far removed. Indeed, if one factor more than any other has served to establish the organisation in the niche of jame it today occupies, it has been the conservatism of the "mounties" with regard to their own exploits. Time without number official communiques have told in a few terse sentences of deeds that, when they did filter through to the outside world, iiroinpted volumes of fiction. Like the British Navy, the R.N.YV.JI. Police has a great prestige behind it, a prestige that it has zealously guarded and through sheer merit maintained. Three factors have served to make this possible: First, the class of men it recruited; second, its code of honour; and, lastly, the iron discipline it imposed.

The "Devilcares." The heterogouoas composition of the ranks of the Scarlet Riders is proverbial. It includes men recruited froai all walks and all stations of life-peers' sons, excowboys, ex-artists, ex-Army ofneers, expreacher, ex-doctors, ex-everything! By devious ways and for different reasons representatives of this diversified order , have one day donned the tight-fitting | Kcarlet serge tunic, the dark-blue riding ■ breeches relieved with a broad yellow j stripe, the knee-high brown riding toots, the spurs, and the broad-rminied btetson tat, which uniform has made the mounted policeman second to none in point of smart appearance. Except, in : the case of trumpeters, recruits must be I between the ages of 22 and 10 years, not , more than 17olb. in weight, and bo of good all-round physique. They must. he ! British subjects and prepared to sign . up for not less than three years' servico. | It is also stipulated that a recruit must j bo ablo to ride, but this provision is not I insisted on in the caso of likely-looking ; material. Good references as to cliarac. tor must also bo produced. The scale of liny is as follows: Eirsbyear consteblo for trooper), ono dollar (4s. 2d.) per day) second-year, one dollar and five cento (4s. did.); third-year, one dollar and ten cents (Is. 7d.)j fourth and subsequent years, ono dollar and 25 cents fe. * I n.c.o.'s—corporal, one dollar and 50 cents (6s. 3d.); sergeant, ono dollar and to : cents (vs.), and other ranks ns per scale. All Tanks are provided liberally with everything in the shape of food, clothing, and equipment, all of which are free renewable issues. Men completing" not less than twenty years' service are entitled to a small 1 pension.

The Training of the Recruits. Tho life ia an exacting ono and calls for isomo of the best qualitiea in a man. Naturally it follows that tho training of recruits' is as severe as it is thorough, nnd if a candidate fails to make good he is invariably "scrapped." The recruit is first- of all put through the riding school, and if ho is not a good rider tho sergeant-major and litis rough-riding assistant (who, incidentally, at the present time, is an old Te Kuiti boy,, Corporal Kelson) will soon mako him ono if tho material is in him. The instructors do not use "kid-gloved" methods, nnd if tho recruit displays a yellow Btreak his career as a "mounted" is cut short. Particular attention is also paid to marksmanship. Before a man is sent put on outpost duty he must qualify .with tho regulation double-action Colts '.dS. A. recruit is also given practice with, .tho Lee-Enfield carbine, which also forms part of his equipment. Each year, ao matter where he is stationed, a member of the force has to rcqualify with the revolver. There are in consequence Bowo wonderful "gunmen" wearing the ■uniform, and in horsemanship, individually or in troop order, many of the men exhibit a groat degree of proficiency.. Foot drill as per Army Regulations—for the force is established on a military

basis—is (aught the recruit, and ho is also required lo qualify in a series of ■lectures in Western police work. I'or all practical purposes tlxo daily routine in life of a recruit is tho same as tluit obtaining in any camp or school of military instruction. In tho mattci' of pleasures, tho moil arcby no means overlooked. Tho police grounds, which uro very extensive, contain both cricked and football fields, and B.N.W.iM. Police tennis are allowed lo take part in tho local civilian competitions. Tho barracks house a. comfortably fiiii'jiisheil and well-stocked library, also a billiard-room and a reading-room, besides which there arc a concert, hall and howling alley. Kogina Oily, which is reached by electric tramcars, otters a still wider hold for allurement. An Historical Landmark, Situated about two miles west of Kcgmn, im ilin broad plains of Saskatchewan, the big R.N.W.M. Polico training depot, in size and appearanco presents a small modern town. Tho buildings, most of which are in brick, includo a huge barracks for (lie rank and file, rows of attractively-built houses for tho officers, largo administration quarters, buildings for stores, four largo stables, blacksmiths' premises, and all manner nl artisans' shops. In one corner is the quaint old regimental chapel, tho interior of which is adorned with numerous brass tablets erected in honour of officers and men who have made the great sacrifice in fulfilment of their duty. H'<r*Wry this still stands the grim ami forbidding guardhouse where the half-breed rebel, Louis Tliel, was hanged. Tho combination riding school and gymnasium is an immense structure, and, lifco the rest ot the buildings, is up to date in. every respect. Somewhat apart from the rest of tho buildings is tho police hospital, officered and maintained by members ot the force, for whoso exclusive use. it was elected. And from tho hospital it is not a wy far step to the B-N.W.M. . ™™ graveyard, and many of Britain«*hlvrait sons have passed from the one to find in the other that "peace which pa»setk understanding." For iu the little Crimson Manual It is written plain and cleai: Those that would wear the scarlet coat Must say good-bye to fear! Long Patrols. This brings me to the most inteesting chapter of the Service: that which has to <lo with the actual work carried on at R.N.W.M. Police outposts. _ 1-rom Eegina the recruit is sent out in tne first instance to what is known, as a "divisional post." Here he receives the finishing touches whilst performing van. cms police duties under the wpernnon of experiemed nc.o.s. He is sent out in the company of others on long patrols, anything from -100 to 300 and 100 miles. These are periodically made though country both settled and unsettled, with the object of visiting all ranches and other places on tho lino of patrol and so as to check cattle-stealing, sniugg ing, and the like. The force is actuated by tho belief that prevention is better than cure, and to this end these patrols aie often sent out with a view to impressing off those with latent criminal tendencies that despite the distance from civilisation there is such a thing as law and order m tho country. Wherever possible all complaints and reports received by tho patrol from settlers are attended to en route, and summary justice is dispensed, in tho southern parts of Alberta and Saskatchewan horses aro used, wherever practicable, both summer and winter, and snow-shoes, too, during the latter season. In the northern parts and in tho Yukon and tho Mackenzie llivor country tho portage is made in tho summw by means of birch-bark canoes on tho hnumerable lakes and rivers, wliilo iu tiiu winter 'ho "counties" "mush brlnnd dog tenuis.