Fort MacLeod, December 14th 1874

My dear Lizzie

You will guess by the reappearance of this style of paper that I have received my valise from Fort Edmonton and I can only praise your rapid perception I have they came in today brought by the man MacPherson who I believe I told you left us at the St. Mary’s River to go to Edmonton, and has only just returned, taking just about two months. I was dreadfully disappointed at not receiving any letters. Mr. MacDougall the missionary, when he was here said that there was a large mail for us at Edmonton & had raised our hopes to almost a certainty & to be thus disappointed is too exasperating. However there are two more chances by which we may get letters and if both of these fail why I think I had better settle my brains for a long long winter’s nap of silence and anxiety. Major Walsh went to Helena & Sun River got what letters there were in Benton & brought them on – but none for me. I have written you by every possible chance – and this is to go tomorrow & has to be in the orderly Room tonight by 9 o’clock. I am going to try and be patient & still hope for a line from you – but it really seems as tho’ fate was against the Police force receiving letters. I hope that my letters have not miscarried. Have you received any from me? the only letter I have had at all was one from Father in answer to one I wrote him from Fort Benton. I wrote to you at the same time. The last letter I wrote you we were in the midst or had just had a severe spell of cold weather. After that it moderated considerably and for the past few days have been very mild. We are still in our tent. The Officers Quarters are so near to their completion that we propose taking up our residence therein tomorrow. We have had the walls & roof covered with old lodge skins which will prevent the mud from coming down in such quantities as to smother us, and will also keep out a good deal of wind. Another comfort in the house will be that when it blows we will not lie awake all night with our clothes on to be ready to jump and run whenever the tent blows down. Not that the tent ever had blown down with us, since we set to work to prop it up securely but the wind blows with such fearful violence & the tent shakes and flaps to such a degree that one imagines the next gust will surely bring it down.

When I have told you of the weather and our present conditions and of our future residence & of our disappointments hopes & expectations there will be nothing left to tell – no news – no nothing. You would not care to hear that it took Major Walsh 40 days to go to Sun River and back. You might think it all right but the trip is generally made in 5 days. Nor that it took Thomas’ teams 28 days to come from Fort Benton here – a trip that has been made in 2 ½ days you would probably ask who Thomas was & want to know if 28 days was a long time. Thomas has a hard time to come through he got caught in the snow storm on a large bit of burnt prairie, the cattle could not travel in the storm and they could not live on nothing hence they did the only thing they could do which was die & accordingly they did. The men were left out on the open prairie without wood, a team of horses had to go back 30 or 40 miles for wood, but finally the men & wagons came in all right. But not until oxen were sent down to haul them in. Helena Montana is nearly starved out on account of all the provision trains being stuck in the snow. So you see the Mounted Police are not the only ones who can lose horses and cattle on the plains. What have the papers said of us? I suppose you have heard some queer old stories concerning the Police. Col. MacLeod has been appointed Customs Agent for this portion of the North West Territories and has created no little dismay among the traders around, by sending to get an account of their stock. They seemed to think it peculiarly hard that not only should their most lucrative trade in whiskey be stopped but also the slower mode of trading goods should be heavily taxed. However they will get over that or leave the country. I have not been able to get a good sketch of the Fort for you yet as the Fort is not yet finished, but I trust will soon be able to do so. It is a very hard thing to sketch if you get about 100 yards away from it you can scarcely see it, it is so low and if you get very close to it you can’t put it on paper.

My hospital is quite a comfortable place. I have a large box stove with a big drum which keeps the place warm & room for ten beds – a kitchen is attached to the place. I have a Hospital Sergt. & an orderly, who are under my complete command, & all the sick are of course to do exactly what I tell them. Our Sick list now never numbers more than 10 or 12 – at one time it reached so high as 45! Mostly colds - & no wonder – sleeping as they then were in tents without fires where their heads would be frozen to the ground in the mornings & their breath congealed over the buffalo skins & on the tents in big frost showers, working all day – in moccasins full of holes – or in boots without soles & in many many cases without socks. It is only wonderful that not more were attached with acute inflammatory afflictions.

And now I must say good bye to you my darling – write me soon directing to the care of I.G. Baker & Co. I print the directions for fear of mistakes – with love to all & kind regards for those who care to enquire after me. Believe me undoubtingly yours with fondest love.

Barrie

Fort MacLeod [ctd]

I forgot to date this letter at least this last sheet. All on this page was written on Sunday the first of November only three weeks now to my birthday and if I don’t get a letter from you by that time I shall indeed be bitterly disappointed. Now do try like a good girl and let me hear from you. Of course you have written but also this horrible mail we have been here nearly a month and there is no sign yet of hearing from you or from home. I am getting very much discouraged – almost a fit of the blues – only that would help me – as I have not got you to talk it out of me – or play softly and the blue devils out by the piano. Did you ever receive the letters I wrote to you on the march? And the one from Chicago in lead pencil? It is a queer country out here and the people themselves are queer. Last night Conrad finished a portion of his store and his men had a dance – a home warming over the event – the music was furnished by some men from the police in the form of a concertina and two pipes – the shouting and the sight of merriment were great. I did not go over to see them but judged only from the external signs. I supped at Trinity College the other day[;] the usual Sant Gimmons and Judas supper with James. Did you hear anything about them? If you see Frank Darling tell him that I will as soon as possible fulfil my promise of writing to him. I suppose he is getting along as well as ever. Tell him that he and Jack & Mannie had better make up a party next summer and come out and see me. come by the way of the Northern Pacific Railway to Bismarck and thence up the Missouri to Fort Benton then they will have to take their horses – and come on. I will promise them lots of hunting and fishing and we can pay some of the Indians visits. I may be able to take them up to St. Mary’s Lake where salmon Trout are as thick as the sands of the sea. Mr. Cameron’s mouth will water if he hears of such an abundance of fish that only require to be caught not only salmon trout but the ordinary speckled trout are in the greatest numbers. It is great sport I am told fishing for 1 hour through the ice. If you can get them before the snow falls – the ice is so clear you can see the fish in the water under your feet. But all the hunting and fishing does not in any way make up for the loss of the letters. It would be quite bearable if I could only hear from you. Of course when we expected to go to Edmonton we had made up our minds to a long long period of silence but here it is so aggravating to know that letters are on their way or are waiting for us within a known distance and still not be able to get them. ‘Pon my word, I would not hesitate to rou the mail if I knew it contained letters for me and I should meet it anywhere. I am afraid my letters are very egotistical and harp upon one complaining strain but human nature is often all human nature – and if I did not cry out about the letters I would find other causes of discontent. There is no news here to tell you the same regular course of work on the building goes on every day. We began on the stables 'for the horses were more able to be killed by any sudden cold. You will have some idea of the magnitude of the building when I tell you that the stables were to be 120 yds in length by 8 yds wide 7 ft. high at the eves. Then then mens quarters & hospital 80 yrds long the same width - & the officers quarters and quartermasters storehouse will be 80 yds long & the same width – then the powder magazine and force. When you consider too that the logs all had to be cut & set together and then the cracks filled up with bits of wood & then plastered with thick mud. The roof made of timber small round or larger split in half - & then on the left of this – a coating of mud six inches thick & thus on top of all six inches more of dry earth – then the chimneys to be built & the windows and doors made. It is an immense undertaking especially when begun so late in the season.

Cypress Mountains, August 27, 1874

My dearest Lizzie

My last to you was from Old Woman’s creek where we formed a cripple camp leaving there all the men & horses unable to go on and the surplus stores – we have journeyed on meeting with no more Indians but two days after leaving there we met a party of traders amongst whom was a Roman missionary who is on his way to Edmonton where I suppose I will meet him again, he is a tall skeleton of a man with the crown shaved but hair about half an inch long & a beard moustache & whiskers of six months growth on clad in a rough priestly garb he has been in this country for 19 years – he could converse in English & French but was frequently at a loss for a word. He knows Indian best – we had a rainy night once – the tent leaked and I was on the rainy said – consequently before the night was over I found myself in a pool of water. I moves and got in a bigger pool I moved back & went to sleep covering up my head & throwing my water proof sheet over me as well as possible. I was thoroughly wet but so with that I slept soundly all night long. My clothes were all wet in the morning which was the worst. However I suffered nothing more than the personal inconveniences and that was all over as the sun rose. We are now in the country of the Buffalo and it will not be long before we see a great many – we have come across numerous dead ones – some that have been killed within a month – but as yet no living ones. On Saturday last I gave back the horse I had been riding as it was a worn out plug ugly, scarred & fearfully frightened. I found that if I kept it – I should never get another and would in all probability be asked to purchase it – so I took to walking again on Saturday I walked twenty-two miles and on Monday I walked 25 and on Tuesday 15. The last was the hardest I did it all on a stretch – although part of the mountains. I was dreadfully thirsty & nor near any wagon – to get a drink. But happily I found a small spring in one of the many ravines. I tell you I was thankful & I enjoyed myself most thoroughly. We had our first deer today. It was killed by our guide a halfbreed. We are camped now in a large valley between two ridges of the Hills – by the side of the small lake – there is not much grass and the water is hard to get at – we are obliged to wait in this neighbourhood for a time as McLeod then Ass’t Commissioner has gone off to get more oats for the horses. We got to this place on Tuesday about 12 o’clock & have been camped here since. My watch or rather your watch nearly came to grief yesterday. I had put my coat & vest on one of the carts and was walking in my shirt sleeve. My watch was in my vest pocket the vest fell off the cart & several cart wheels passed over the vest but fortunately the watch escaped the buttons on the vest were all crushed. My health bears up wonderfully well. I have nothing to complain of in that tone except my appetite which is voracious causing me to desire to eat more than is good for me. I manage to get enough to live upon very comfortable & have gained 3 lbs in weight since I joined the force, 3 lbs a month will make 36 lbs a year, will make 108 lbs in 3 years so if an enormous man – rough mannered in short sunburnt & weighing 248lbs comes at the expiration of 3 years to see you you will know me by that – and also by a cut on the joint of my right thumb. So you must look carefully so as to be able to recognize me when I do come back. This is the greatest country for winds – the wind blows with such unobstructed violence pushing along – whistling among the tent guys – and causing the tents to flap and shake till one would think they would come down every moment. What forcibly reminds one of that is the flickering of the candle by which I am now endeavouring to write – every now and again I put my hand in my pocket for a match as the candle has apparently gone out – but it generally flares up again. Did I tell you that Chapman and I have been separated our little square tent which we inhabited together has been given to another set and we turned over to other tents. My tent mates are Capt. Brisebois Lt. deFaut Capt of cavalry in the Yankee Army – also an officer in the Popal Louaves – a Frenchman & Roman Catholic with his hair cropped short it stands up like a wire scrubbing brush – he is about a medium height and strong with a neck like a bull dirty bad tempered very nervous. The other is a young fellow about my age from Cornwall. His name is Allen – he is quiet and rather good looking – he knows a Wood Jarvis & others from Cornwall. Brisebois is from Sherbrooke and also knows lots of my old school fellows. It will not be long now before we are at Bow River at every halting place the Col. takes an observation and trys to find out where we are – but he cannot make out exactly our long. He makes us here to be north a few miles of the 50º Lat. we have been obliged to come this far north to avoid going over the Cypress Hills. According to Palliser’s map we have yet 160 miles to go but Palliser’s map has been proved to be so incorrect that we are uncertain how far it really is – the guides do not appear to know any more about it than we do. And after the Bow River I have over 200 miles north to go to arrive at Fort Edmonton. The officers who are going there have been talking of getting up a mail during the winter – each one to subscribe so much – hire a halfbreed & team of dogs – send down to Fort Garry & have him bring back what then is there for us – and if the Government does the same & the Hudson’s Bay Jackets and they do not all come together that will be three mails during the winter and not only one.

Camp Aug. 2nd 1874

Since the last opportunity of letting you know of my whereabouts at Rocher Percée we have been carrying out the programme. After leaving Roche Percée which we did on Wednesday afternoon we made a march of 10 miles to Wood End so called on account of the wood there being the last for a hundred of miles. We camped there the next day Thursday & cooked 3 or 4 days rations. Started from Wood End at 5 in the morning and camped on the banks of a stream – Saturdays march took us 28 miles farther West and we camped near some water in the open Prairie. We remain here over Sunday.

At Roche Percée I made application for my full kit & a horse but could obtain nothing – except blankets and a saddle so perforce I had to go in a wagon. At Wood End – we has a general muster. I took the first opportunity of spotting a horse but could not get it for my use – owing to its being required for a draught horse. I have now given up in despair the hope of obtaining a horse until we get to Wood Mountain. Rather a come down is it not? I like Kittson very much, he speaks English with a decidedly French accent. He is half brother of the Harry Kittson I knew in Lumoxville. The chap also went to school there, but before my time. He was in private practice at Berthier and recollects seeing & meeting Saida while she was there. Queer is it not how the world goes round – and one meets with unexpected people in out of the way places.

The man whom I am to have as Hospital Sergeant had a cousin at Sunnyville – a very clever fellow who used to stand always at the head of his form. The man is a Frenchman has studied medicine & at Edmonton will be invaluable among the French with whom I will there be brought into contact.

The weather has been strange in the extreme yet not altogether unpleasant, warm during the day with an exception now and again. The nights as a rule very cold, at Roche Percée the first night I was there it stood a 32º & ice was found on the river – and since then I do not think the minimum temperature during the night has ever been above 40º.

Since leaving Wood End we have seen no wood – but what we have brought with us and expect to see none for a day or two yet we are now about 6 miles from Wood End. Just fancy seeing 100 miles without a piece of wood so large as a lead pencil. We are now approaching the Buffalo country.. living animals are beginning to be seen. Buffalo skulls & skeletons more numerous & apparently fresher than they were. In lieu of Candlesticks we use one of the vertebra of a buffalo putting the candle into its spinal foramer. The Colonel went ahead the other morning with his shot gun and got 12 ducks for the mess. It was a very great change from the salt pork. I am attached to the Staff with exactly what work I cannot say. I dine at the Staff mess – and eat heartily too. Our tea last night consisted of tea – (no sugar, no milk) bread (no butter) molasses – fried duck, & fried pork. Breakfast this morning being Sunday was later & we had a swell breakfast Porridge & molasses & milk, coffee, duck, Bacon, Bread, butter & sugar for our Coffee. I do not know that I have increased much in size height or weight. But I know that I am feeling better than I have felt since I was at the Hospital.

By the By did you hear what Mrs. McCollum thought of my photograph? I forgot to ask you in the last, but make up for it now. Forgive me my dear Lizzie for not being more prepared for our utter separation or for not preparing you more for it. But I had no idea we should have so few opportunities for sending letters. I thought surely that at least twice or 3 times a month. I should have been able to hear from you and write to you – but I see now that it must be for less than that. I expect to send this from Wood Mountain unless I meet a portion of the Boundary commission going East when I will turn it over to them. In about 3 weeks we expect to reach Bow River and then our line of march will be virtually thro’ an enemy’s country – as the whiskey distillers will hardly regard us in a friendly aspect. Our direction will then be due North towards Edmonton. I do not know if the whole force will go towards Edmonton & perhaps the portion intending to winter in Garry will leave us at the South Saskatchewan & proceed as directly East towards Garry as it is possible for them to do so. Leaving us to find our way through the Blackfoot country to Fort Edmonton. Most likely the latter as it will probably be late in the Season and they will be obliged to hurry on. In January there will be one mail by Edmonton by dog sleigh – by what is known as the Hudson Bay Packet. Perhaps the Government may send a second one but it would be as well not to depend upon that in any way as it is only a surmise and has no foundation whatever.

I have been examining the water that we are forced to drink – with a microscope & there are animals in it that look like huge fleas – nice it is not – Some of them are not animalculae but are visible individually to the naked eye. However when boiled and tea made with them you can’t distinguish the animals from tea leaves so it doesn’t matter – Julien the artist is taking a microscope drawing of one now to serve to the “News” on the first opportunity.

I found out this evening what will be the most probable course of the expedition. We are now camping just on the 10th meridian of Longitude a few miles north of the 49th parallel of Latitude our course will be north west trending slightly to the West, to a lake called Old Woman’s Lake. Before we get there a party is to be sent off due west to Wordy Mountain (we will go north to that place) to get pemmican & will join us at Camp on Old Woman’s Lake – from thence our course will be west to Bow River at the Junction of which with the Belly River which is on the 112º of Longitude, we will do whatever is to be done & then the force will divide, the Garry troops retracing their steps to Old Woman’s camp & thence directly East of Fort Ellice & Garry, our detachment proceeding north-ward to Edmonton.

Col. McLeod[sic] & Capt. Walker are to take over the one leaving to Woody Mountain, and to the latter I am going to entrust this letter, with the hopes that the Boundary Commission will have an opportunity of communicating with the outer world before I will. I hope so sincerely. Now I want you to take good care of yourself and take plenty of exercise. I want you to look well and as tho’ you had enjoyed yourself while I was away at the wars. What did you do this evening? I took a walk as I said I would – all by myself out on the desolate prairie, yet it did not seem so desolate or so dreary for you seemed to be with me. I could almost hear you speak. A most beautiful sunset lightened up the west. The sky all day being dark and grey with dull heavy looking clouds. But the glories of the sunset made up for the dreary day.

Tomorrow morning reveille sounds at 3.30 and the force is to move off at 5. Pretty early hours eh? Last night two of the men went out about dusk to shoot ducks, night came on & they had not made their appearance, We could hear shots now and again at some distance in the marsh. They were to all intents and purposes lost. We called and sounded the bugles raised lanterns as high as possible and finally sent up a rocket, this last was too much for the horses who were hobbled in the marsh, they all took fright and began to stampede, such a rushing of feet, the very ground shook and in the moonlight a dense dark moving mass could be seen in the marsh, fortunately their hampered condition & the energetic endeavours of the picquet stopped them else we might have had a serious loss. The men in a couple of hours came in all right and avowed that they were not lost – but only shooting ducks. However they were placed under arrest and are not likely to attempt duck shooting in the dark again, at least not in a hurry. There are no Indians round here, the country would never afford them sustenance so my hair is safe for a time, till we get into a better country. It is now getting pretty late and I am tired and have to get up early in the morning so I will bid you good-night and if I have time will add a few lines to this. God bless you my darling. I am your own.

Barrie.

July 25th

I have had as you see no opportunity of sending this nor will I for another week. I am afraid that Mr. Cameron was right after all. Mr. Chapman and I reached the rear guard of the Police – consisting of the Red River Carts on Thursday evening at a place called the second crossing of the Souris, because there we cross the Souris river for the second time. The night we camped at the river with a fierce prairie fire raging on the opposite side in spite of which we all slept soundly. But I must begin now in detail. We started from Dufferin on Friday with 2 men 2 teams as horse & wagon provisions for 10 days. After leaving Grants the Half breed’s farm we made camp. Chapman’s horse got mired trying to get a drink. We got him out and had a nice time cleaning him & the saddle. The camp was just on the confines of a prairie which we had been crossing all day, a deep ravine wooded behind us & fur trees in either side with an almost boundless stretch of prairie in front. We made tea & thoroughly enjoyed our friend pork & hard tack. We also instituted a watch & more to see the way in which our horses might be stolen than from any hope of saving them if any attempt should be made. It was weary work after a long days drive to sit awake for two hours during the night. I forgot to say that I this morning began my first experience of riding. I rode all the morning and drove during the after-noon. I felt a little sore & tired but otherwise I did not ride hard all the time. The horses were miserable beasts half starved and one of them miserably sick. I took a sketch of part of the prairie by our camp. The next morning we were off [ ] & for dinner stopped at a puddle of water for an hour or two – it was just in the middle of a rolling prairie, undulations of the ground rolling onwards like the ground at sea for miles & miles, no tree or rock to break the distance till then fade away with the faint blue horizon. I rode all the morning, in the evening we camped in a beautiful valley sunk in the middle of the prairies, the sides of the valley sloping upwards very steep & terminating in prairie, a stream flows through the valley – and the mosquitoes are fearful. Bright and warm is the morning we are off again the horses looking a little fagged but eating their oats well. We passed the cusp of the Police about 4 miles on through the wildest looking country I ever saw at noon we came to another stream & another camp of the police – we halted for dinner – having made about 25 miles. We had to turn one of our horses loose here as it could go no further. We then proceeded along. I riding and keeping a good long distance in front, we were gradually rising higher and higher above the level of the sea over ranges of smoothly winded hills, all being covered by a short thick dried grass presenting no trace of green on all their extended surface – but nestled in among some rather more prominent mounds – shut in on all sides would be a lake or pond or marsh or dry land ground covered with the rankest most luxuriant grass of the richest shades of green & yellow – which curlew flew & at times duck could be seen flying about. The water at times is good, at other times very salt & salt in crustations all around its margins. We camped tonight in a beautiful spot[,] a river very sluggish – but its banks fringed with trees – rushes birds of all kinds hopping about & singing – such a change from the dry stillness of the prairie. I here took a small sketch of the river. My turn to keep watch came on at 2 in the morning. Oh it was lively then I can tell you in every dark object I could fancy I saw moving imagining it to be an Indian until I went up to it & find only a bush or stump any unusual noise would be construed into an Indian signal – if the horses were restless they smelt an Indian. I was not so much afraid of my scalp as of the horses – if they were stolen our provisions would also go & we should starve or be reduced to the extremity of eating one another. However morning came & no Indians we started off in fine style and traveled over the interminable prairies we could find no water in the evening until late at night, the thirst we suffered was terrible & the poor horses – with heads down wearied, stepping out – about 9 o’clock we found a beautiful spring hidden among some bushes, it was the merest chance. The chance was providential and we were very thankful. My how the wind did blow that night a thunder storm at some distance, the lightning was fearfully with the wind blowing a perfect gale. Mine was the first watch of the night, and every moment I thought the tent would blow down – or the wagon topple over. However by 12 o’clock nothing had happened and I retired to sleep and oblivion. The next day we made the 1st crossing of the Souris after a journey in all respects similar to the previous ones. The sun was exceedingly hot and I got my face and hands pretty well burned, more especially as I was riding and had exchanged my hard hat for the scotch cap – at the first crossing of the Souris we found the remains of a Police camp where the evidently had camped for a couple of days. It was a lovely spot a broad valley with the river running through it winding about like a silver thread, the banks fringed with thick woods. The valley was shut in by high banks almost precipitous & on reaching the top they immediately go off into the dead [ ] of the prairie. We found two oxen left behind by the Force and two horses that had perished. The next day we were off and traveled as before until noon when we came across a piece of burnt prairie and of all the desolate looking things or places this was the worst for miles and miles nothing but an expanse of blackened ground – bare of any vestige of green not a sign of life even the little gophers a sort of chipmunk had disappeared – nothing but the barren bleak desolate burnt ground, which was hot from the fire and from the sun the wind blew small particles of ashes & dust in our eyes and rendered them sore, at the termination of the fire we found a marsh where we watered the horses and had dinner consisting of hard tack cold pork and sardines. We then pushed on[,] Chapman’s horse gave out so he and one of the men remained behind to lead it, we met one of the police riding back to look for a cow but as we had not seen it he rode back with us giving his horse to Chapman. We reached the second crossing of the Souris about 9 o’clock – pitched our tent & proceeded to have supper. Chapman did not get in until after 10. We found a number of the Police in the ox carts – had remained behind, the rest of the force having gone on in the morning that night the ox train with the cattle moved on. There was a report here that during the day a party of Sioux to the number of 150 has passed & taken all the provisions from a party of the Boundary Commission who were stationed there. However we kept no watch that night as we were all too tired, and we felt a sense of security from our proximity to the police. In the morning we started off and by noon came upon the oxtrain, had dinner and rested for an hour or two and again started off. We made about 20 miles after dinner & about six o’clock came upon a few wagons that had not been able to keep up to the train so we encamped along with them and the next morning Chapman & myself walked into the camp of the police about 10 miles further on. We had some breakfast at the mess and then reported to the Colonel. The Col. is a tall man with rather a hard face I think & fond of giving a rub now and again to show he is boss. Still if I do my duty & he can do nothing to me. Of the other Officers Capt. French seems to be a jolly Irishman. I think I can get along all right with him. He was very much obliged for the letters & parcel I brought him. He is a long lanky fellow over six feet tall with an Irish accent & is apparently a jovial chap. Col. McLeod[sic] the second in command is a gentleman & fine looking. Col. Griffiths the Adjt. Is very kind and obliging & I am sure I will like him. The others I have seen but seldom and am hardly able to form an opinion. Dr. Kittson is about 30 years of age, athletic fond of sporting & hunting and with very fair professional abilities. He will be an easy chap to get along with. I am to draw my uniform etc. here. I have blankets waterproof sheet & Pistol already, the rest I will have to get here. The meals are pretty good considering. There is plenty of pork, hard tack, some bread which is heavy as lead, tea, sugar, at times wild duck, at others Beef, soup etc. My work began the day after I arrived here which was on Saturday morning Sunday I went to Kittson’s tent & helped him through with the sick parade & to day Monday I undertook it myself and succeeded to my entire satisfaction. There are none really ill a few cases only of local distress. You will notice that our course from Dufferin has been almost due West along the road under by the Boundary Commission and will continue so until we reach Bow River which is about six hundred miles West of this then we will turn northwards & make for these whiskey distillers endeavor to make them stop their whiskey trade or fight them. The force will return by way of Fort Edmonton where a portion of them will remain for the winter and I will be left in charge of them Dr. Kittson being with the forces in headquarters at Fort Garry. I am well pleased with this sort of life and think it agrees with me. The name of our present camp is Roches Percée from the fact that in the valley where we are encamped is a rock of the limestone formation, the winds & rains & snows have so worn the softer parts that the rock is fissured in every direction & a big hole has been formed through its middle. In one of the future Canadian Illustrated you will see a picture of it drawn by their special artist by the name of Julien – a dirty-looking little Frenchman who draws very well indeed while I am thus writing about him he comes to look at some of the sketches that I have taken and thinks very well of them. So I suppose I ought to alter my opinion about him but I cannot.

I think Fort Garry would be a better place to address my letters than Dufferin – to the Assistant Surgeon N.W.M. Police Fort Garry. They will then forward them to Fort Edmonton or wherever I may be if an opportunity occurs.

I intend writing to Dr. Workinan Dr. McCollum and to Mannie to day. Tell Jack to try and send me some stamps. The uniform measure at McEachren’s will be of no service to me, so nothing need be said about that unless he charges for the mere measurement. The boots are finished I should like sent out to Fort Garry. How do you like my photos? Do you think them good? How did you enjoy your trip to Chicago – with the Taylors? Has Jacks Postal card chess game finished yet and if so who won and if not who has the advantage?

Remember me to Frank Darling – tell him I wish he was along, this Julien has $1400 a year from the Illustrated news – can’t Grip afford a special artist and send Frank – ask him.

Now darling don’t you be in the blues because you don’t often hear from me. I think of you always last night I took a quiet walk down the valley and in all the stillness of the wilderness saw things to come, lifted the veil of the future and with fond longings cried out for the present to pass – for the unknown yet certain to be at hand, unknown for we do not know in what positions we will be nor what out circumstances yet certain in our mutual all abiding love – for this can never change – never grow cold – can it Lizzie? Never mind no cloud but has a silver lining – let us hope that ours will be golden. Fort Edmonton is not so far as the Rocky Mountains, or not so far as it might be. Tis a long lane that has no turning. But all this proverbial comfort is almost worst than no comfort for it brings so strongly into the foreground the long period of separation – which we must endure.

The weather has been very pleasant – quite warm during the day and during the nights quite cool. On Saturday night the Thermometer stood at 32º freezing point and there was ice on the river! At this camp a detachment of the Police came down from Fort Ellice – and they with Troop A are on Wednesday morning going back & are the bearers of our mails so this will have travelled with me, from Grants farm near Dufferin to Roche Percée & from thence to Ft. Ellice & Fort Garry – a long way and a roundabout one for a letter to take is it not.

And now my own darling I must say goodbye. Give my love to your mother and Sallie. Remember me most kindly to all inquiring friends Probably from Wood End or from Woody Mountain Depot. I will have another opportunity of sending you a line. Good bye for a period. May our God shower his blessing upon you and comfort you.

Goodbye

Yours forever
Barrie.

P.S. Remember

Nevitt
Assistant Surgeon
N.W.M. Police
Fort Garry