Fort MacLeod, October 26th 1874

Dear Lizzie

Again I have to write you the sad tidings that your letter has not reached me. I do not know how much longer I will have to wait – but I hope not very long – no mail matter has come in from Benton. We expect letters now every day. Perhaps after all I will get them for a birthday present. We have had our first real tough of winter – after being surrounded on all sides by vast prairie fires which lightened the heavens with their lurid glare for miles & miles the wind changed to the north & snow began falling & it was cold. In our poor thin canvass tents the keen wind found many an entrance & with no winter clothes it was bitterly cold. Fortunately for our tent Conrad had a small stove which he brought over to us – we made an impromptu safety valve & put in a fire which kept us comfortable. The men got served with Buffalo Robes - & tho’ they were anything but comfortable still it made things bearable for them. Of course all work upon our fort had to be discontinued last night was 16º when noticed[;] I think it was lower & work is again resumed. It will be some weeks yet before we get into our winter huts - & we will have several storms like this last one – which after all only lasted two days and a half. The snow is still on the ground & may continue to be for 2 or 3 days which makes it cold and unpleasant underfoot. I feel sorry for the party that went East with Col. French. They will be in a miserably exposed portion of country where this storm will be felt with tenfold severity. One melancholy event connected with the storm – the death of one man who had been suffering from Typhoid Fever he went out in the cold without coat or hat & came in complaining of cramps & died in a few hours. He was buried this morning with military honors. His death threw a gloom over us all. It was the second one since the force was organized. Also the first white man who ever died a natural death in these parts all others had been killed or come to a sudden end. I do so long to hear from you that is my constant cry – of course I know you have written also that my anxiety only makes the time appear longer – but still I am anxious. Never mind a mail is coming when we won’t want letters[,] when words will do and then is we won’t have a good long long talk.

Yesterday evening was the first Sunday evening I have missed my evening walk. I went out for a short time but only round the tent – perhaps next Sunday will be milder and I will start earlier & make up for it. The Rocky Mountains loomed up this morning in dazzling splendor – reflecting the sun’s rays – they appear only a few miles off & showed all their cracks & fissures more plainly than I have yet seen them. We have had fish from the river just in front of us – large pike weighing from 6 to 12 lbs. a man can in half an hour more than supply all the men in camp for one day. Deer have been shot especially the day before the storm – they seemed to have known of its approach & fled for warmth into the bush – large flocks of geese are continually passing over us but no one has been fortunate enough to get one of the many birds. A goose is a noble bird and endowed with many good qualities & with a high order of goose chase is not to make a fool of a goose but of the one sent. A band of the Kootenay tribe of Indians have been setting fire to the prairies all around the country. On Friday night one of the largest fires was suddenly turned by the wind in our direction & stopped within a few miles of us. The camp & country was one dense cloud of smoke making us all weep & cough. For the past week or so I have not been so well as I had been – owing most probably to my eating too much and working too little. I have been going about a little more & so feel better.

Would you be kind enough to ask Jack to go to Willing & Williamson & renew my subscription to "The Practitioner” & give them my present address – Dr. McCollum is receiving the present numbers & has the back numbers of the past year. I began from the month of December if I remember rightly & the subscription was too. I am very much afraid will all my messages & demands Jack will wish we had no communication at all with the outer world.

St. Mary’s River, October 9th 1874

My dear Lizzie

I wrote to you from Fort Benton giving you some slight idea of the course we had travelled the hardships we had undergone the sufferings we had endured or rather that the horses endured we most fortunately have nothing to complain of at times no water & perhaps short of flour occasionally. The men were sometimes left with short rations [&] grumbled of course. Some people will grumble in any case. The Buffalo have supplied us with meat – our pork rations have run out for some time but the Buffalo have supplied us with beefsteaks & roasts in profusion. On our way to Fort Benton we saw some few Buffalo perhaps 6000 would cover the number, but since leaving there within the past few days – for miles and miles as far as we could see on a level plain the ground was black from the enormous bulls close to us the tiniest speck in the far distance[;] for nearly two days we have been passing through the herd. The advance guard of the force has to stop every now & then to allow a body of buffalo pass in front of them otherwise they would rush through the train and overturn it. Since leaving Benton I have had a case of surgery on hand – one of the men had a portion of his finger blown off by the explosion of a gun. I will have to amputate the finger – my first operation. I hope & have every reason to believe tht it will turn out well, fortunately for him it is only the first joint not much to call an operation, but it is just as well to begin in little things and so go on to greater. My things in Fort Edmonton are likely to remain there until next summer. They will be fully 300 miles from us here and the worn out condition of our horses the lateness of the season with all prevent our even making an attempt to communicate with Edmonton. We expect to build quarters & stables for the winter. I will have a Hospital and will I hope be able to make the sick comfortable. Poor fellows it is pretty hard on them to be on a lengthened trip like this & to have such poor comforts. We expect to have quite a settlement up here. A man from Benton is going to build a trading post just near us – there are several settlers there already. Half breeds will congregate around us and I should not be surprised but what the Hudson’s Bay Company also start a post. The married officers & men are talking of bringing up their wives & children. These with the Indians will make the nucleus of quite a city. The country they say is excellent, the climate admirable since we have approached this St. Mary’s River the grass & vegetation has been improving – in the river bottoms – quite luxuriant. The climate must be wonderful – here we are in the middle of October and the weather fine & clear at noon quite hot – of course the nights are cool. We are liable to occasional storms – but they say this fine weather will continue until late in November. The winter does not regularly set in until January. They travel on wheels nearly all winter. What do you think of such a country? How would you like to live in it for a while?

To day on our march we saw the evidences of Western hate[sic] Frontier crime and its speedy punishment – the body of an Indian lying along the road exposed to the weather the gaze of every passer by shot through the head & left, no thought of burial. We suppose he had been trying to get horses and was caught & that was the end of it. I have enjoyed the most thorough good health ever since I came out upon the prairie. I am feeling stronger than I ever did in my life. I do not know how much I weigh now but I expect not a great deal more than when I left Toronto. The large meat diet is not productive of much fat. I am sorry now that I did not get weighed in Benton. I might easily have done so. Did I tell you how well we are treated at Benton? Mr. Baker of the firm Baker & Conrad – insisted on our stopping at his place as long as we were in Benton and he fed us most royally – treating us in the most hospitable manner. I said to Major MacLeod that these could not be Yankees and as we afterwards found out Mr. Baker was from Missouri and the Conrads, old confederate soldiers from Virginia. So my prejudice did not carry me too far in that case. And my darling how are you? Oh if you only knew how I long for a letter from you I believe I would do any thing in the world no matter how bad only to get one line from you. I fancy all kinds of things have happened to you surrounded as you are by all this traummels of civilization how many accidents from which we are free could easily assail you. Amidst all my thoughts tho’ you must readily believe finds no place there – it never enters my head to believe or to think that you can be anything else than my own Lizzie. It would seem so strange if you did the bare possible of such a thing never crosses my mind – it would not be like you. As for me you know my feelings to well to think that I ever would grow cold to you and besides I have no temptation and even if I have I would still look up to you[,] my own darling. Has To day on our march we saw the evidences of Western hate Frontier crime and its speedy punishment – the body of an Indian lying along the road exposed to the weather the gaze of every passer by shot through the head & left, no thought of burial. We suppose he had been trying to get horses and was caught & that was the end of it. I have enjoyed the most thorough good health ever since I came out upon the prairie. I am feeling stronger than I ever did in my life. I do not know how much I weigh now but I expect not a great deal more than when I left Toronto. The large meat diet is not productive of much fat. I am sorry now that I did not get weighed in Benton. I might easily have done so. Did I tell you how well we are treated at Benton? Mr. Baker of the firm Baker & Conrad – insisted on our stopping at his place as long as we were in Benton and he fed us most royally – treating us in the most hospitable manner. I said to Major MacLeod that these could not be Yankees and as we afterwards found out Mr. Baker was from Missouri and the Conrads, old confederate soldiers from Virginia. So my prejudice did not carry me too far in that case. And my darling how are you? Oh if you only knew how I long for a letter from you I believe I would do any thing in the world no matter how bad only to get one line from you. I fancy all kinds of things have happened to you surrounded as you are by all this traummels of civilization how many accidents from which we are free could easily assail you. Amidst all my thoughts tho’ you must readily believe finds no place there – it never enters my head to believe or to think that you can be anything else than my own Lizzie. It would seem so strange if you did the bare possible of such a thing never crosses my mind – it would not be like you. As for me you know my feelings to well to think that I ever would grow cold to you and besides I have no temptation and even if I have I would still look up to you my own darling. Has Annie Taylor paid you her visit yet. Remember me most kindly to her when you write if she is not in Toronto now – give my kind regards to the Camerons and to all who care to inquire after me. I wrote to Ned Armom while at Benton. Do you ever see him. Paper is scarce here in camp and all my nice paper reposing in Edmonton. Give my love to the Stotesburgs and till then I will write when we get settled in winter quarters. I will have to close this with this sheet. By the time we get of Fort up paper will be more abundant. Take care of yourself my dear and when I hear from you let me hear of a bright happy time. Goodbye from your own

Barrie

Fort Benton September 24th 1874

Dearest Lizzie

It is now a long time since I wrote to you. I am glad to say that I still continue as well as ever and are getting stronger & fatter every day. I never was better in any life. I am brown as an Indian. My nose I firmly believe to be made after the fashion of an onion, the successive layers of skin that have peeled off would make a bushel of onions. We have pushed on from the Cypress Hills, sometimes with water sometimes not – grass was every where scarce – the weather is as fine as weather could be. On the last of September I purchased a horse, large, well formed, black, and have given him the high sounding title of “Satan” at one time he was the finest horse in the force – his only vice that he shied. Poor fellow what with no oats no grass no water – I am afraid he is a gone horse. He carried me very well to the Sweet Grass Hills – and is now quietly grazing. He is gentle knows his name & will follow me like a dog. Our choice of guides was most unfortunate not one of them knew the country through which we passed, our course was run by the compass & Palliser’s map – whichs not correct – we struck the South Saskatchewan a day sooner than we expected, the guide told us it was the Forks – the Bow & Belly Rivers – we knew better – four or five days after this we did strike the Bow River – in fact went beyond it & it was by accident that we discovered it – it is a lonely desert place one island with a few trees on it – high banks and not a soul near it – no grass – no road – we travelled 15 or 20 miles up the Belly River and sent a party up the Bow River for 80 miles – they found a party a Indians on the war path – put no fort[,] no road[,] no whiskey smugglers[.] we then retraced our steps and went south & struck the Boundary line at the Sweet Grass Hills or 3 Buttes. Here we were to pass the winter – two troops went on to Garry & two to remain and build huts for the winter & Col. French, Major McLeod & myself came down with a few carts to Fort Benton to get supplies. Our plans have slightly changed since we came here. We will now probably winter somewhere on the Belly River. Your letters if directed to me at Fort Benton will reach me – we will have a mail about once a month, perhaps not quite so often. I believe there is a settlement of Half Breeds near where we will be stationed & I can get them to make moccasins etc. for me. The Col. found a letter here for him directing him to make his headquarters at Fort Pelly – we will be much better off than they. One day while travelling towards the Buttes, I went off the line of march to hunt. I got quite lost – did not know where the trail was could see nothing but the bleak dreary wilderness – my companion a little dog had left me. I climbed a hill & looked out then another then another could see nothing the Buttes I could see - & had determined to make for them a matter of about ten miles. I came to this determination and though I would like some dinner so I shot at an antelope and missed him and hunting after him I saw what I thought was a heard of buffalo near a lake. I made for that and found the train stopping for dinner – they were just moving off. I got no dinner but was only too thankful to get in to mind that. I felt so lonely out on the prairie that I felt justified in opening your letter and my darling I can only thank most fervently the good God who put the thought of writing it in your head. You have no idea [(]can have none[)] of the immense comfort it was to me. You know I carry your little testament with me always. I seldom have time in the mornings to read it and at night we have no candles so on the march I get ahead of the troops sit down & read until they come up. I have looked at your dear handwriting again and again, but have never opened the envelope until then on the prairie lost and alone. Tell Mannie Cameron if he writes to direct to Fort Benton. I want you to ask him a question or two for me. No.1 Where is the supply of Sulphate of Alum obtained for the United States and Canada to what uses is it applied & is it expensive?

I must close before I have finished half of what I wish to say but the mail closes at 9 o’clock and it now wants but a few moments of that. We saw on our way down here swarms of Buffalo more than 50000 in one herd the plains for miles as far as we could see were black with them – we passed right thro’ their midst.

Capt. Miles wished me to say that he would like his wife to know he is well and on his road back to Fort Garry (as he thinks) – give my love to your Father Mother and all – Remember me to the Slotesburgs & give my kind regards to the Camerons.

Goodbye my darling Lizzie.
Yours forever
Barrie.

Cypress Mountains, August 27, 1874 [ctd.]

Aug. 29 Again I borrow the ink. Chapman the man who was supposed to guide me from Dufferin to Roche Percée is detailed to go back from here to Fort Garry. He will take a lot of mail matter with him this letter amongst it. I have no idea how long it will take him to Garry possibly not under a month or three weeks at least and then a week from there to Toronto, so that it will be at least 5 weeks & perhaps six before this meets your eye. Probably by that time I shall be far on my way to Edmonton. The large band of Indians that we heard were encamped here have all departed on their way to the Capell trading post to make a treaty which Gov. Thorns is getting up with the Crees etc. We were not altogether displeased at not having met them. Their stealing propensities would be a cause of grave inconvenience and anxiety. The noble savage as I have seen him is a most pitiable object – first on accounts of his dirty filthy habits & appearance then his moral status is so low. He will lie steal or murder for the slightest thing he covets & is the greatest and most unblushing begger under the sun. No matter how grievous you may have been towards him he will still ask for something else. To day in camp we had the lances out for the first time – a squad of men drilling with them. They are long bamboo poles with a steel head to point and also a steel but to rest in a socket when carried at rest. The drill was very pretty & the lances looked well with small pennions flashing from their peaks. They look very well but I fail to see their exact use. No Indian or bushwhacker will ever venture within lancing distance. They are of no use in this country. We have been faring most sumptuously since we have camped here. Just fancy out in the prairie we have a dinner of three distinct courses. First soup – made of pemmican, duck curry & onionc – then salmon – then ducks & plover with tomatoes – cold Venison – finishing up with our usual desert of Bread & molasses. Was that not a sumptuous repast? Last night and the night before we had a rainfall – the most continuous we have had since we left Dufferin. It rained pretty heavy all night. In the morning the dry dusty arid ground had become a mass of the most sticky adhesive mud I ever saw – huge masses would cling to our boots making them as heavy as lead. It seemed as tho’ we were about receiving our grant of 160 acres real estate and carrying it about with us. How ever by this afternoon the ground was again perfectly dry. I am beginning to feel lonely there is no officer in the force about whom I care a rush – and the most companionable are to return to Garry this winter. So my medical works will have a good deal to do in keeping one amused and busy. You know the old rhyme about The Devil always finds some work for idle hands to do. I must try not to let my hands be idle – nor my brain either – good bye – my love to your Father & Mother & Sallie & all.

Your own Barrie

Cypress Mountains, August 27, 1874 [ctd.]

Aug. 28th I had to stop owing to borrowed ink. To go on with what I was saying – we will have two mails during the winter perhaps three we were also talking about having reading matter sent up to us a list of books that each one wishes will be made out and any duplicates struck out. So our winter evenings will not be altogether unprofitably spent. I have found an ardent admirer of chess – who was bewailing the want of a set of chess-men. I gladdened his heart by telling him that I had brought mine along with me – we will have some grand old games – Jack can busy himself making problems for our solution. Every one speaks well of Edmonton as being a nice place – with quite a settlement in the vicinity of the Fort who knows perhaps I may make a good thing out of a private practice enough to keep me in kid gloves up there. What have you been doing with yourself? Has Miss Taylor been to pay you a visit yet? You must remember me kindly to her – when you write or see her. Dearest girl I have been reading in your dear old book you must have carried it with you & used it for a long time. It seems like a beautiful souvenir of yourself reading over the pages which you have so often perused & it seems like reading it with you. I can almost hear your dear voice reading with me. I have not felt so very blue or so very lonely as to justify me in opening your note but often often have I looked at your old crabbed hand & wondered what words of comfort & consolation I would find there it acts like a charm even tho’ I read nothing but my own name – but that has been written by your own dear hand. I carry the little book in my pocket always about with me – and often take it out sometimes only to look at my name on the envelope and yours just opposite on the fly leaf. Remember you are to tell me everything you do no matter how trivial it is – you keep a journal and are able to recall any little incidents I cannot do this. I can only recollect the most important ones. My diary was kept in a large book which I had to send on to Edmonton from Roche Percée. When I get to the end I will be in better form then to let you know almost exactly what I do all thro’ every day. I feel it will not weary you and the trouble that it will give me will be amply repaid by the thought that it is for you that I am doing it. You must give only warmest love to Mannie Cameron. Tell him that I intend to use him as my encyclopedia. I have not a few subjects upon which I wish light to be thrown and will apply to him before long. When does he go to Philadelphia? I am sorry that I did not get a large stock of Postage stamps to bring along with me but as I have not if people wish to hear from me they will have to pay the postage. We are now in the hostile Indian country and greater care & watchfulness will be required now consequently the guard has been doubled around the camp in place of four sentries we now have nine the corral formed by the wagons is in the form of a number of squares the horses are picketed there every night and a guard mounted over them – outside of the wagons are the tents of the men & outside of these of course the line of sentries. Now no stragglers are permitted either in front of the advance guard or at a great distance on the flanks & the rear guard hustles any who lag behind. The wagons themselves now keep in a close train each team at about 4 yards distance behind the preceding the ox carts keep together. You should see these carts – huge rough unwieldy looking things that appear ready to fall to pieces at the slightest concussion – all bound together by bits of shagannappi – they make the most aweful squeaking & squealing as they are drawn along by their single horse or ox – one man manages three four or five carts – the ones he looks after the oxen being tied behind each forward cart. These ox carts always go first on the march then by troops according as each one is ready first. Our assistant commissioner the one who will be in charge at Edmonton has gone off to White muc[mud?] river to get oats & we are waiting here for his return after that we will move on. Bow River according to the matest calculations is 160 miles from here we thought it nearer. They say 100 that all the grass between here and there has been devoured by grasshoppers and Buffalo – a bad look out for the horses that – yesterday evening I took a sketch of a sunset. I do not know if it is a success or not this afternoon I put in a foreground and altogether it does not look so bad. It does not look much like the sunset for which it was intended but no on will ever see that to compare it. I must give up on my ink again – so goodbye

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 Old Woman’s Creek, August 15th 1874 [ctd.]

As you see I have succeeded. Dr. Kittson was kind enough to lend me some. He has one of those magic inkstands pour in some water at one end & it comes out at the other a beautiful black ink. They are very convenient. Our guide who came in last evening brought a rumor from Wood Mountain that the Boundary Commission store at White Creek has been robbed by a band of Sioux Indians. Also that Capt. Cameron on his way to Wood Mountain had found five or six bodies laying exposed along the roadside scalped one was the body of a white man & he was tied to a tree and his body fearfully gashed. I do not know whether to believe him or not. Chapman says not. These Half Breeds & Indians love to bring news and cause a sensation. It makes no difference to them & should they be proved liars the next moment. I hope it is not true. In a day or two we will get authentic news from Wood Mountain. To day at dinner we had quite a feast, a splendid soup, made of pemmican, and with barley, corn and Beans, onions, etc., then a second course of boiled fresh Beef, our facilities for roasting are not the best – as a dessert we had some cornstarch & syrup. We always finish every meal with bread and syrup, when there is bread. We had a great row about the bread some days ago. It was cut into slices and put upon the table in plates and each one helped himself, well the natural consequence was that some got more than others, a pound of bread a day divided into three meals is not a great deal to men with prairie appetites. The early birds in this got all the worms, and those who were detained for any reason usually got none. A great outcry was raised, and then at breakfast each mans pound of flour made up into bread was placed at his place at the table. We divided these into 3 parts each one according to his taste, put our mark upon the remainder which was for our dinner & supper. This plan we found to work very well. Before that the meals were anything but pleasant and anything but satisfactory, particularly at times, ravenously hungry I would get up from the table with an appetite as unappeased as when I sat down. This latter arrangement appears to do away with anything of the sort. The men complain a good eal of the short allowances they have – but nevertheless they seem to thrive upon it. The great hardship with them is when on the march, some of the teams play out and are unable to catch up to the camp for some hours in camp has to do with out anything to eat until it comes up.

The wind is blowing today in fitful gusts now & then a sputter of rain and then clears off. Towards the north a large prairie fire is still burning, huge volumes of smoke brood along the ground, it has been burning for five or six days. There has not been rain sufficient to extinguish it. The wind only fans the flame and gives it new force & vigour. Our sick list is gradually diminishing. We are to leave a camp with all unnecessary stores here under the charge of a constable & a few sub constables forming a depot for the provisions of the troops on their backward march. I will of course not be here again. From Bow River Troops B & C go on through the Blackfoot country to Fort Edmonton. A Troop has already gone there. Troops D E & F will return. We expect to reach Bow River by the end of this month, or the beginning of next. No one knows how long we will have to stay there but all hope to get away soon. Prairie life is pleasant enough and I cannot complain of being necessitated to endure many very great hardships but I too will be glad when I am lodged with shingles above & boards below with a good blazing fire. I shall not be at all sorry, more especially when I think I may find letters there from you. I look forward with trembling too – for perhaps I may be disappointed. I hope not, and I will not. Round camp here it is a lazy life. Sick parade at 9 a.m. then visit the sick who are not able to leave their quarters & then the rest of the day is to myself, interrupted however by stray calls from those who do not feel well during the day. Now & then a slight hurt or accident comes under our notice and demands some slight attention but never yet have we had any serious accident. To day[sic] while at church we almost had one. One of the cooks was trying to clean one of the shot guns and in the most foolish manner stuck the breech in the fire & left it, another cook who was working round the same fire managed to be in front of it as it exploded the discharge blew the breeches of the man to atoms, and inflicted a bad bruise upon his leg. It fortunately happened that there was no charge in the gun only a piece of rag which was saturated with gun powder, had it been loaded the man’s leg would have been shattered beyond redemption. I left church to see him, and placed the careless fellow who had stuck the gun in the fire under arrest. He will tomorrow have to answer for his extreme carelessness. There is a carelessness manifested in every thing connected with the force even the placing & posting of the guard around the camp & of the picquet around the horses. A band of Indians could as easily rule the camp and scalp us all before we knew it. More stringency in this respect will now be enforced as we are about entering a territory swarming with Indians who will never refuse a scalp when offered to them. But good bye. My letter must close the man is now going. Good Bye. My love to all at home & my dearest dearest love keep with you.

Barrie