But I will resume the personal story: “We arrived at our destination,” the husband recorded, “on May 10th, and remained in camp until May 15th. Prairie fires raged around on all sides, giving rise to serious anxiety. At one time, for the safety of the whole camp, it was necessary to summon out all the men, horses, and ploughs that were available.”
“When we reached Mr. Barr’s camp,” the lady stated, “my husband went to survey the section of land allotted to him; but he was not at all satisfied, and would have nothing to do with it. So Mr. Barr went with him to look at a different section, which resulted most happily for my husband. He is perfectly satisfied with his new location, and considers he is the proud possessor of as fine a tract of land as is possible to be procured. As I now sit writing, I can look out at my tent door and see him quite happy doing his first bit of ploughing on his own soil. There is no doubt it is most beautiful land. We have plenty of wood and water, which is a great boon and much to be thankful for. Our friend and travelling companion, Mr. Young, has the adjoining land, which is just as good as ours. We are only half an hour’s drive from the stores in Mr. Barr’s camp, half a mile from the prospective railway station, and only a few minutes’ walk from the school site.”
From Mr. Rendall’s account of the initial efforts we learn one or two additional facts: “On May 15th,” he wrote, “we pitched our tents at last on our own domain, with a feeling of thankfulness that journeying was over and the goal reached at last. I started the very next day to plough, and in less than a week had ploughed and tilled three acres of oats, and, by the following week, an acre and a half of barley and half an acre of potatoes. At the time of writing (July 22nd) everything is looking splendid considering late sowing. I am much pleased with my land, which is good soil and easy to plough.” He criticised the conditions under which the colonists were existing, and added: “I cannot speak too highly in praise of the valuable and kindly assistance of the Government officials, who have spared no trouble in smoothing away our difficulties so far as they are able.”
Going back to May, we read in the lady’s diary: “I think the country all round here will be very pretty in a short while. We are now hunting out a nice spot for our little house, which we are anxious to get up as soon as possible. There is a gentleman in Mr. Barr’s camp who thinks of returning home. He has the plan of a four-room bungalow, and the timber all complete for building it. If he does go back, he will sell it outright to my husband; but the timber will have to be fetched from Fort Pitt, twenty-five miles away. Barnes goes to Battleford on Wednesday to fetch the rest of our luggage, ploughs and harrows, and the cooking-stove. There are plenty of prairie chickens and wild duck all over the estate, and my husband’s gun keeps us supplied. Yesterday and to-day we have thoroughly enjoyed a delicious dinner of prairie chicken, beans, and potatoes. The beans are like little white peas, and are very good. We are getting some vegetable seed from Battleford to start our kitchen garden as soon as possible. I shall be so thankful when the warmer weather sets in. I can quite understand the attraction of camping then, but under present circumstances it has very few charms; and, what with the bitter cold and the hard ground, we do not get much refreshing rest. Still, despite all the hardships, it is certainly a glorious feeling to be able to look around on our very own property and feel that each day’s work is for future benefit. No landlord, and no rent to pay! And no taxes! That does indeed compensate for a great deal.”
On June 4th Mrs. Rendall had very sad tidings to record: “Our poor friend and neighbour, Mr. Young, took a chill a fortnight ago. He seemed so unwell when my husband went up to see him in his own tent that I suggested he should be driven down to us, and put in Barnes’s vacant tent, where we could look after him. This was done, and we sent for the camp doctor, who said it was a serious case. On Friday and Saturday Mr. Young became worse and was very delirious. There happened to be an experienced male nurse in camp, and he came out to remain at night. On Saturday I was alone with the poor fellow while my husband was driving the doctor back to camp. He told me he knew he was going to die, and he asked me to note down his wishes and write and cable to his wife. He wished my husband to take charge of everything he had till such time as we should receive instructions from his family.
“He passed away at 3.30 a.m. on Saturday, May 24th, after only four days’ illness. It was an awful blow to us. We had been such good friends, and he and my husband were so much together. He was buried the same evening, at seven, on his own ground, the doctor and Mr. Lloyd making all arrangements. We cabled the poor wife in Manchester, and I wrote her a long letter giving all details, and we are now awaiting instructions from her. They were coming out this month. There are two sons—eighteen and twenty—and two daughters—sixteen and thirteen. We have the satisfaction of knowing we did everything we could to save him. It all seems like a dream.”
THRESHING BY MACHINERY IN THE PRAIRIE PROVINCES
On a later date the lady wrote: “We are having glorious weather, and as one looks around on the lovely green grass, and the bushes in bright foliage, it is difficult to realise that the ground was so recently covered with snow. My husband’s oats are already well up and are looking splendid. About a week ago we managed to buy a cow and a calf, and I feel quite proud that we not only have plenty of milk for ourselves, but are able to supply a neighbour with a quart a day. Yesterday we all thoroughly enjoyed a lovely cup of cream for tea.
“Next Monday Barnes goes off to Onion Lake, Fort Pitt, to fetch the lumber for our bungalow. We have chosen the site. . . . As to the colony, Mr. Barr is pretty well out of it now, and in his place we have the Rev. Mr. Lloyd, a splendid man.”