May 20th

To day has been tolerably quiet. Major Walsh arrived from Whoop Up to see after his supplies and goes back again tomorrow. We had a fine game of cricket this afternoon. This time my side was victorious - by two runs. On the 24th a grand match is advertised between ‘E’ and ‘F’ Troops. Much interest is taken in the result of this match and it is expected that some fine play will be exhibited on both sides.

This evening while we were talking over various matters, I suggested that I would like to go down to Kipp in the boat so it fell out that Capt. Winder and I are to start in the morning by boat – have our horses sent down by road to Kipp and ride back. Jackson and Walsh were soon added to our party – and the quartet goes down in the two boats. It is wholly an aqua incognita – no one knows how far it is, nor how good or bad the river may be. I must say good night now.

May 5th

Glen came in last evening. His horses had been stolen between Whoop Up and Kipp. I have but very little time tonight to write – nothing going on. We are vegetating. We have managed to play cricket with some very primitive homemade implements.

May 3rd

Today has been very windy as was yesterday. I was engaged the greater part of the morning making out the average temperature for April, which I find to be + 43.09 degrees with a maximum + 78 degrees and minimum – 2 degrees. We have a hot bed started and some suds just coming up. In the afternoon I busied myself making frames and pasting paper over them which is to be oiled and serve as glass for a covering to let in the light excluding the cold and rain. After that I had a game of cricket, with stumps made of an old lodge pole, and india rubber ball covered with leather and a very primitive bat cut out of a piece of hard wood. If the cricket was not first class, the exercise was good.

After that I came in and read my anatomy and was reading away most diligently when the MAIL arrived. Martin from Fort Kipp brought it up. John Glen brought it to Whoop Up last night. I got one letter from you, some Globes Mails Nations & various papers from home – also a letter from Aunt Ellie from Savannah and a letter from Mannie. I will tell you about them tomorrow. I am too glad to have heard from you again. I don’t recollect the date of your letter and have only a confused joyous idea and feeling of satisfaction that you are well and are mine. I must say good night. I want to read your letter again before going to bed. Good night my darling.

Fort Macleod April 23rd ‘75

My darling Lizzie

Major Walsh and party left yesterday and took our letters with him. He expects to get into Sun River on Monday, remain there a week and come out again with all our horses. I told you of the fright about the Indians at Whoop Up did I not? There [sic] fright was not in vain – hardly had Major Walsh started when news was brought to the Col. That over 40 head of horses had been stolen from the “Blood” Indians in the vicinity of Whoop Up. An expedition was organized immediately consisting of 18, the Col., Capt. Crozier and Mr. Welch – taking 10 days’ provisions with them. And they left last evening, expecting to have to go to the Cypress Hills. We nearly had a fire also. The wind was very high, and a spark had lodged in the roofing of Cpt. Winder’s room and there been fanned by the breeze until it had made some headway. A few buckets of water however soon put it out. The assembly sounded and the men were marched at the double to form a continuous line to the river and buckets passed from one to another. We soon had water enough to fill every thing available. There was no damage done.

Feb 25th

Last night after going to bed, I tossed from side to side all night long what sleep I got was disturbed by frightful dreams, and I wakened this morning with a feeling of utter unrest, + disinclination- to do think or say anything. I did manage to attend sick parade, but that was all – ate nothing day long, but sat moping around. I thought it was the blues, but think now I must have taken cold. I am all right again this evening and am presently going to have some supper. It has been a cold dismal day storming all the time old Crowfoot says this is the last storm of the winter after this has gone, the birds will be coming out + Spring will be here. I hope so sincerely. I heard that my last letter to you has not yet gotten farther than Whoop Up, 25 miles. Quick traveling[?] is it not. That is the way things go in this country. Of course no Mail has come in yet.

Feb 23rd

My darling, I am too [?] to write any to night. Allen has come back and no mail. No wagons even had come in to Whoop Up. It seems as tho’ the Fates were [?] against us. Good night.

Feb. 18th

As space is precious I take advantage of every little bit + do begin my days doings at the bottom of the page. This morning I was up + had my breakfast + a smoke before the sick call sounded which is very unusual. Everything is going on nicely. Brooks is ever so much better and the old Frenchman says “I am glad I came here, they are all good to me, and the little doctor is a smart doctor” So you see I am making an impression on the natives. It was raining again today, only slightly but still, raining. Denny has obtained leave for a couple of weeks and is going up to the mountains to hunt, he will have a splendid time. He is going with some wolfers who are living in a valley so closely shut in and so protected that they have not been cold this winter, and have green grass all winter long. There is said to be beautiful scenery up this river, a waterfall on this river more than 60 ft in height, to say nothing of lake scenery the grandeur of the mountains. I should like very much to go up with him, or at all events to go up in the summer. And what are you doing now? What are you thinking of? Do you remember in Longfellow’s Spanish Student how Victorian wished for a magic mirror, to see Preciosa was doing? I wish for it too. I would not be afraid of all the dreadful things Hypolito was afraid of seeing. Last night after going to bed and finding that I could not sleep, I got a volume of Longfellow and read the Spanish Student. My tooth kept me awake nearly all night and I awakened this morning dull drowsy and feeling tired out. I managed to scald the gum so thoroughly with Carbolic Acid that I stopped the ache, and have been free from it all day, but there is a beautiful feeling of uneasiness, which makes me expect a full grown toothache at any moment. What would I not give for a good pair of tooth forceps + a strong arm. We have had no Mail yet. I still hope that tomorrow night will bring it. Our man left ‘Whoop Up’ on Sunday morning the 7th inst. + allowing him to travel 30 miles a day, the following Sunday would bring him to Benton. He was to get fresh horses there load up + come out. He would be glad to take advantage of the mild weather + would start as soon as possible, so that if he left Benton on Tuesday he ought to be very near us now, he ought to travel more than 30 miles a day, 40 miles at least. So that Saturday or Sunday will infalliably bring him. I think too that he would leave Benton on Monday + not on Tuesday. Dear one how long does it seem to be since I last heard from you, very nearly two months. And now I must say Good night for I am very sleepy. Good night and pleasant happy dreams.

Jany 21st

I hear that a mail is to go out the day after tomorrow. So this will go along. Nothing unusual going on. The Col. came back from Whoop Up whither he had been on an exploring tour, to find out its exact location. He is making a map of this part of the Country. I am going to try and get the drawing of it, + will then send you a copy.

Jany. 17th

After lunch I came to my room + had a smoke and tried to do a little painting but did not feel particularly in the humour for it + at 3 o’clock Welch came in + Crozier + we three started out for a walk, the thermometer was -5º when we started + -15 when we came back at the end of an hour. We walked + ran alternately. My moustache + hirsute appendage were one mass of frost + ice. I was quite warm + fortunately did not freeze anything. Last time I was out, that is yesterday I froze the tip of my nose, but only very slightly. When I came in, I filled my pipe, put on your smoking cap, and fell into thinking of you and the dear old times. My darling don’t for an instant think that I grudge to you one particle of the pleasant company in which you may at times be thrown. When I read your accounts of balls and parties, how you danced with this + that one, I only think, ‘How glad I am that Lizzie is enjoying herself’. If, in any of my past letters, I have ever given you cause to think that I am jealous, or if in any of my future ones I should do so, reject the seeming hurt + lay it down to regret on my part that I cannot be present to see you enjoying yourself, to see others appreciating my Lizzie. Jealousy implies distrust + I trust you so wholly and entirely that no shadow of distrust of you ever crosses my mind. In one of your letters you spoke of my hinting to you that I was a little jealous -but darling- but darling it was only an intense yearning to be near you myself not to keep others away. I do not know when we will get another mail in. stories were rife yesterday that one was down in Whoop Up, but they proved to be without foundation. Conrad has a train due here for a week past and there will probably be letters on that for us.

Jany. 16th.

The weather still continues to be very cold. The wind is now very changeable, so we live in daily hopes of a thaw. This morning began with the usual thing at the Hospital, only I have breakfast now before going to the Hospital. After lunch, Welch and I went up the river with our guns in order to get some venison + for the pleasure of having a good walk – we had the walk, but got no venison – we saw nothing but a couple of hares, + they after being pretty well astonished escaped unharmed. There was a report current that a mail had arrived in Fort Whoop Up. Our hopes were high, but doomed to disappointment. Only one letter came for Col. McLeod. After dinner I had one or two games of cribbage and then the men came in to practice the Sunday Service. We sang the ‘Venite’, ‘O Be Joyful’, ‘Te Deum’ + two or three hymns – ‘Nearer my God to thee’, ‘Thy will be done’ + ‘Our blest Redeemer ‘ere he died’. The singing was not so good as it will be when the men become more accustomed to the singing and to each others voices.

Sunday – Dec. 20th.

The month is rapidly going down the old year is gradually coming to end and the New Year replete with new hopes, new desires, new fears, new plans for the future & renewed feelings of love towards my own darling. You will not I am afraid that you will not get this until after New Years – but let me wish you such a Happy New Year and such a merry Christmas that you will not miss me so much. This morning I was up in good time about 8 o’clock had breakfast which was exactly the same as dinner and supper – viz Buffalo steaks & bacon bread & tea – then the sick call going I polished them off & came back to have a smoke and write to you – talk to you as I feel I am doing. Poor Ned Armour. I can’t see why he deserves a whipping even if he does play the part of a thunder-cloud. I am very glad that you have come to like him. My watch kept very good time & kept going all along the march – until the 13th of October when we arrived at our last camp when it stopped and nothing would induce it to go. The other day I thought I would try it again, so after fiddling a while with the works, it began to go and has kept on for the last few days. All my sketches will not be a great many – and besides I have sent two of them to Col. French – one like that of the Fort that I am sending you – the other an interior view with the guard mounting. I will try before another mail goes out – to get you a good view of the square – surrounded by the buildings. It will give you an idea of what I see when I look out of my window. I went down to Kanonsis again this afternoon to see Brook and find him steadily progressing. I am still very fearful for him. On my way down I saw Col. MacLeod and Capt Winder returning – they have been away to two or three days down to Fort Whoop Up to collect the customs duties on the various goods – imported since last May. They waved their hands to me – and I replied. After I came back I went down to see our interpreter Jerry Potts. I wanted to get a tanned & dressed Buffalo skin smoked in order to have a pair of pants made of it – he has a tobacco bag – such as the Indian use – for me. they call it a fire bag, they carry in it their flint & steel killikinik tobacco & pipe. I will have it as an ornament hanging in the room. I must now say Good Night. After I tell you that we have had no church service today only one Sunday since we have been here – have we had church parade. Our Mess Room is not yet fitted up – so we did not have dinner in it to day as we expected. So Good night my love and pleasant dreams attend you.