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WE spent a quiet Sabbath on
the shore of the lake, resting and worshipping. As some of the new-corners
were quite songful, we enjoyed listening to and learning some of the
beautiful hymns that had come in vogue since we left older Canada. Early
Monday morning we were astir. Father, taking with him Mrs. Campbell and her
two children and one of my boys, started on to make a flying trip home. Mrs.
Campbell was glad to make a change from slow to fast travel, and I also was
glad to see the lady and her children go, for this meant very much earlier
starting for the rest of the party. Father had said to me, "The stock is in
good shape, John; you can push from here." And push we did, sometimes too
much so for the taste and convenience of the green hands amongst us. Already
the later autumn was upon us with its cold nights, and to turn out long
before daylight and prepare breakfast and harness up, and be rolling on
sometimes hours before sunrise, was anything but pleasant to flesh and blood
not inured to that kind of life.
As with the "Ancient
Pilgrims," murmurings and scoldings were frequent; but notwithstanding we
continued to start early and drive late, and made good time westward. I well
remember coming to Jackfish Creek early one morning. The crossing was rough
with big boulders, and there was about an inch of ice on the water. I rode
my horse several times through the ford to smash up the ice, and called to
my cart driver to dismount and take his "lead" horse by the head and wade
in, thus lessening the chances of an upset while passing through. Setting
the example myself, I took the lead ox by the head, and wading beside him,
passed him and his load safely over. But certain of our tenderfeet were
afraid to step into the cold water, and the result was almost disastrous to
some of the carts and loads. One of these gentlemen, having at last to jump
down into the middle of the creek, made a misstep and fell full length into
the ice and cold water; and not until then (lid he see that someone knew
better than he did. He was a funny-looking specimen as he picked himself up
out of the icy stream, and in a little while, when he was standing beside
the big camp-fire warming himself, I said to him, You richly deserved your
ducking, young man; the next time do what you are told, and it will he
better for you."
Early and late we rolled UI)
the north bank of the Saskatchewan, those of our company capable of
estimating the natural advantages of a new country filled with admiration
for the rich and lovely region we were traversing. Doubtless a
trans-continental railroad will come along some day, and cross and recross
this very trail we were using. Thousands of prosperous homes will dot these
plains and fill these valleys with that stronger and more permanent life for
which they are so richly endowed by nature's God. The whole land from
Carlton to Victoria is one great ready-made farm.
From the north branch of the
Saskatchewan, extending a hundred miles north and then west up its whole
length, is to be found one of the richest portions of Canada. And we were
rolling steadily through this. Every hour a new scene, every turn a fresh
view; the strength and endurance of our stock testifying to the quality of
the natural grasses, the mud and dust on our wheels, evidencing the wealth
of soil, and so the altitude and the large percentage of sunshine vouching
for the pureness of atmosphere and healthy condition of climate. This is my
sixth trip through this part of the North-West Territories, and as I felt in
the morning of my first acquaintance with this immense garden, I now, as the
sunlight of my growing knowledge of its many resources is rising and
enlarging, am fully convinced as to its great wealth of soil and grass, its
water and timber and climate, not to speak of the mineral developments which
in all probability will come in the future.
On the twelfth day after
father left us, while breakfasting on the bank of Saddle Lake Creek, having
come some eight miles already that morning, we were delighted to have my
brother David gallop into our camp, bringing us word from home. Father had
made a marvellously quick trip, and the whole settlement was now looking for
our coming.
David not only brought us
news from home, but his jovial noise and wild western boisterous fun put new
life into the tenderfeet of our party, who had begun to think the distance
without end and the hardships too much to bear, and were constantly
reverting to the "onions and garlic of former Egypts." Moreover, his coining
lightened my work, for now the roads were newer and the necessity of careful
driving more constantly with us. By noon of the thirteenth day of my taking
over the party we had surmounted the worst place on the road, crossed the
valley, pulled up the precipitous banks of the White Mud River, and were at
our dinner, when an Indian came to us with several fresh oxen.
These had been sent by Mr.
Tait, the gentleman in charge of the Hudson's Bay Post at Victoria, to help
us in at the end of our journey. And right here I want to say that this has
been all through the years my uniform experience with the officers and
employees of the Hudson's Bay Company. I cannot understand the venom and
bitterness with which some missionaries always speak and write about this
old and honorable company.
These fresh oxen were indeed
welcome aids to the more jaded and weaker of our stock, and very soon I had
apportioned them to the several drivers, when the very tall gentleman of our
party said he would take one for his cart. I said, "No, sir! Your horse is
all right for Victoria." But lie insisted, and I again refused. Then came a
cry from another tenderfoot that his oxen were lost, and I jumped on my
horse to hunt up the missing cattle. Having found them, I also found that my
tall friend had persisted in taking the ox, and had him hitched to his
cart.. This nettled me, and I jumped right at him, and said, "Unhitch that
ox as quick as you ever did anything in your life;" but the big mutineer
simply smiled at me. "I mean it," I said; "unhitch that ox, or I will thrash
you most warmly." And now his elongated highness saw I was in earnest, and
made haste to turn out the ox. I then gave the animal over to the party to
whom I had given him in the first place, at the same time telling my tall
gentleman that in a few hours I hoped to bring this party to its
destination. After that he could do as he pleased so far as 1 was concerned;
but until then my word was law.
Early that evening we reached
Victoria, and the long wearisome overland journey was over, the months of
continuous travel across bridge- less streams and lonely stretches of
prairie and woodland. Everybody was thankful.
That same evening, as usual
with him, David got up some gymnastics. And when I had out-run and
out-jumped and out-thrown and out-pulled my long friend, I verily believe he
came to the conclusion that he did well to obey me as he did.
And now that I have seen this
spot (where in loneliness and poverty extreme I began work scarcely six
years since) grow into a flourishing settlement, where Christianity and
civilization are to the front as in no other place in this big western
country; and now also that I am privileged to form one in the small company
of Missionary agents and pioneers here assembled, but which, nevertheless,
is the largest gathering of the kind the Saskatchewan country has ever yet
seen; and furthermore, as I have many more stirring scenes and incidents to
relate at some future time, I will here and now, in the late autumn of 1868,
bid my readers a grateful adieu.
JOHN McDOUGALL. |
