Saturday, October 31, 2009

Fort Macleod, Oct. 31st 1874

My dear Lizzie

My last was only a few days ago – with a short account of our sufferings from the storm. I am happy to be able to state that a Chinook wind that is to say a warm wind sprung up & now we are in danger of being drowned out. These are minor evils. The men work pretty well – all things considered but with the most assiduous labor I see in prospect but canvass until way into the middle of November. A party of our men started out today for Sun River – taking with them 64 of our weakest horses they did not go as soon as I expected and my other letter was sent by a party by the name of Powers who was going to Ft. Benton.

Several ox teams of Conrads have arrived today & with the number of wagons & the stove of Conrads & the Fort – the place has assumed a very busy aspect next year we may expect a larger influx of settlers of all descriptions. The country up here has been opened up only for 3 or 4 years & already there are 8 or 10 trading posts in this one river & various others on other water courses. The country around us is one capable of cultivation if it had been irrigated. That is the great trouble in this country. They say there is coal up near the head waters of this river but pretty far up. I see no way for making a strike for a fortune up here except in stock raising & them on is liable to lose all his horses by Indian raids. True my profession would pay if there was anyone to be sick for up here I could chose what I liked – no medical man being nearer than Fort Benton. I may be able to do a little outside the Force but how I am to get paid I do not know. The other day I went with Dengs one of the officers in a boat up the area it was pretty hard rowing so many shallow rapids – after going up as far as we could we got out and took our rifles & went hunting – we got about a dozen prairie chickens and ducks we saw a Beaver and tried to shoot him but he was too quick for us. It was extremely cold – the water splashing on the oars froze where it fell the bottom of the boat was ful of ice. We floated down the current – with our pipes in our mouths – and drawing large blasts of tobacco which looked larger from the vapor expired at the same time. Possibly you could not see much fun in boating with the thermometer below zero – but it was all so strange and we were full of life & vigorous and the hard tramp thro the snow & trash had set us all in a glow. I am sure I enjoyed myself. The mountains looked glorious – full of snow which showed off all their peaks & crusts – the huge fissures in their sides & the dark line of forest – I want to try and take a water color sketch of them but when they look best just after sunrise it is so cold the water freezes and I cannot paint. I am very much afraid that we will not be able to get the officers quarters done at all this winter tho’ if we do not I am sure I don’t know where we will go. Tents will hardly do with the thermometer -40ยบ.