Photo description:

MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS The Louis Riel Exhibit at the St. Boniface Museum. Surveyor's chain. Measuring 22 yards or 66 feet (20 m) long, its 100 links are made of iron and steel wire, joined by two rings. Every 10 links, there is a brass tally which has one, two, three, or four notches; the 50* link at the centre would have a round tally. A chain of this type was used by the surveying crew who did the topographical survey for the Canadian government in Red River. As they were on or near Andre Nault's lot on October 11, 1869, they were stopped by 16 unarmed men led by Riel. Seven of these men were members of the Nault family, Amable's four sons Jean-Baptiste, André, Benjamin, Romain and Jean-Baptiste's three sons Andre, Godefroy and Prosper. The precise history of this chain is unknown; however, it is interesting to note that it belonged to a descendant of Jean-Baptiste Nault. 240206 - Tuesday, February 06, 2024.