Return to Fort Garry.

January 9th. - I was so glad to find myself amidst the comforts of Fort Garry, and the society of old friends and acquaintances, as almost to feel pleasure in discovering that I should be some time detained there, - waiting for the arrival of McKay and Short from Port Pelly, winding up accounts for the past journey, and arranging for the journey that remained before stages and railway-cars were available. My first day was passed in that absolute idleness which is only agreeable after such hard work as I had lately undergone and for which one is greatly inclined under such circumstances, - and food.

On purely animal existence of rest and warmth the following day (January 10th) I walked to Bishop's Court, the Episcopal residence, having received an invitation from the Bishop of Rupert's Land; this place is about three miles distant from the Fort, going downstream in the direction of Lake Winnipeg. It was cold weather; so keen was the high south-westerly wind, that, on returning, though I ran most of the way, my nose was again slightly frostbitten.

[This feature cannot be protected, for coverings do not answer where the breath freezes instantaneously into solid lumps of ice.]

A newspaper, called "The Nor' Wester," has just been established, its first number, the first that ever appeared in the settlement, having come out with the New Year.' [Thus it was my fortune to witness the appearance of the first steamboat and the first newspaper in this remote part of the world.] 'It is conducted by two editors from Canada, who, without assistance, carry on the entire business, mechanical as well as intellectual. Mr. Caldwell, (Coldwell) one of these gentlemen, called on me and obtained the outline of my journey excites some interest here. There is a good deal to fill a newspaper in this settlement, for besides other things, there are many ecclesiastical and judicial matters to record, in a place possessed of two bishops and numerous clergy, a governor, and various courts in continual employ.'

The strictness with which the laws are administered has led to many prosecutions. No spirituous liquors, for example, may be sold without a license, which costs £10 sterling. Even the Company submits to the same rule and pays all customs like the ordinary traders. A breach of this law involves a penalty of £10, half of which goes to the informant and half to the public funds, but transgressions and convictions are constantly taking place.

January 11th. - 'After a visit to the Roman Catholic Bishop of St. Boniface, whom I found preparing for a short journey to Pembina and its neighbourhood, I went to a meeting summoned by the Bishop of Rupert's Land to draw attention to the recent religious revivals in the United States, Ireland, and elsewhere, and likewise of praying for an outpouring of God's spirit on this country.

'The meeting was held in the schoolroom and was attended by about one hundred and fifty persons, chiefly belonging to the Scottish part of the community. The Bishop presided, supported by Archdeacon Hunter, the Rev. Mr. Chapman, the Rev. Mr. Cowley, and the Rev. Mr. Black (the Presbyterian minister), all of whom successively delivered addresses relating to the sudden progress of religion in various places, and offered up short prayers for similar manifestations among their people.

'These prayers and addresses were listened to with earnest, quiet attention, and a devout spirit seemed to pervade the assemblage, but there was no appearance of excitement or any strong emotion.

'In his opening speech, the Bishop referred to my journey, and especially to my communications with the Christian Assiniboine's of Bow River, and with kind authority insisted on me my addressing the meeting. This caused some embarrassment, for though sincerely anxious for the spread of religion, and satisfied that more good than evil generally results from revivals, I have the utmost horror of those insane excitements which too often accompany them, and seem more worthy of demoniacs than of devout Christians or humble penitents.

'To avoid acting as an inverted Balaam - brought in bless and cursing "altogether" - was difficult, but life is full of such difficulties to men who are not partisans, - Gallio's, Gamaliel's, Laodiceans, or citizens of Meroz, according to one party; Korah's and Dothan's, Jeroboams, Diotrephes's, Sadducees, according to the other. To bring discord into a special meeting is an indiscretion; to misrepresent one's belief is a crime. Remembering this, and striving to avoid offence on either side, I began. After a few sentences about the Bishop's remarks, I gave some details of the religious movement in Scotland, praising the good I knew to have been affected by such means. I then proceeded to say, that the leading newspapers whose hostility to revivals had just been severely commented on, - were far too shrewd to run counter to the opinion of the majority of the educated classes, and, this admitted, that it was only fair to suppose that evils accompanied those widespread fervours, which ought not to be charged against religion itself, nay, which sprang from tendencies directly opposed to the principles of the New Testament.

'Two principal sources of error I thought might be discovered.

The first, - that ordinary selfish habit which leads men to look inwards instead of outwards, inducing them to agonies of horror at the weakness and wickedness of their hearts and Satan's strength, and of terror at the thought of Divine vengeance, thus often causing fearful paroxysms expressed in convulsive words and acts; whereas the penitent ought to look outwards towards God, with absolute confidence in His love and assurances of pardon, considerations which lead to holy calm, not to howls and cries, weeping's, and wailings and teeth-gnashing's, only suitable to hell.'

The second, - the common tendency to make religion thing by itself, quite distinct from daily life; so that a man will impatiently leave his honest labour to begin some devotional exercises, instead of remembering that all acts ought to be so consecrated to religion that the meanest occupation becomes a holy sacrifice to God - even as George Herbert says - speaking of doing all to God's glory - Erroneous views in this respect cause religion to seem gloomy, selfish, and ridiculous; the irreligious are made hostile, and the waverers become indifferent.

'These remarks of mine (of which I only give the substance, having been called on for a speech unawares) seemed to be approved of, but I doubt if their tendency was at all generally understood.'

[The Bishop was good enough to claim me as a brother-missionary on account of the passages of Scripture I had written out for the Assiniboine's, who had been represented to me as ignorant of all but the outlines of Christianity, long isolated from teachers, and anxious for further religious guidance.

A newspaper paragraph (adapted from The Nor' Wester) relative to this subject, was afterwards forwarded to me by the Rev. Mr. Woolsey (the Wesleyan missionary I had the pleasure of meeting at Fort Edmonton) with a letter which opened my eyes to the mistake I had been led into, - probably through a misunderstanding on the part of John McKay, who is but imperfectly enabled to communicate with the Assiniboine's, had perhaps exaggerated some remark about their distance from teachers and desire for further instruction. Of hypocrisy or deceitfulness I entirely acquit these poor and honest Indians, nor can I doubt that McKay, as usual, interpreted to the best of his power.

Mr. Woolsey's letter is so interesting that I have been unable to resist quoting much more from it than the short extract which mere justice requires: under all the circumstances, I trust he will pardon me for doing so without obtaining his previous sanction. The letter referred to will be found in the Appendix.]

January 13th. -'The funeral of poor Mr. Mackenzie took place today. He was in charge at Pembina when I passed in May, and afterwards at the new station at Buffalo River, halfway to Crow-wing.

'Some days ago he left that post, having to take charge of a party for Fort Garry. Provisions ran short soon after their departure, so he volunteered to go on alone to Pembina, about forty miles distant, to get assistance. Expecting to arrive there in one day, he took little with him, neither axe nor bedding, only a small piece of pemmican and a few matches. The weather was severe and a snowstorm came on; after walking some twenty miles he lost the track, and wandered helplessly in the woods for three days. A party on their way from Fort Garry found him lying dead, hard frozen. He had been aware of his approaching fate and had calmly laid himself down to meet it, placing a pine branch under his head for a pillow. Thus died a man, one born and bred in the settlement; experienced in travelling, - a sad proof of the danger of a solitary journey during winter in this rigorous climate.

'The funeral was well attended, the deceased having many relations and many friends. After a short address from the Bishop, the coffin was removed from its temporary resting place; then, followed by a long line of mourners, it was borne sixteen miles to a burying ground near the Lower Fort.'

Sunday, January 15th. - 'Trifling snow showers in the morning, but the weather continued mild. There was a sudden change in that direction on Friday, and at noon yesterday, the thermometer was 8° above freezing point. Everyone agreed to inform me that this had been the severest winter ever known in the district.

'Went to the service at the Bishop's church. The sermon was chiefly about poor Mr. Mackenzie's death. There was said to be an unusually numerous congregation, yet, notwithstanding, the church had a very empty appearance, - partly because it is too large at any rate, partly because the majority of the Scotch settlers in the immediate neighbourhood are Presbyterians, who have left off attending the Episcopalian services since obtaining a minister of their own - the Rev. Mr. Black, of the Free Church of Scotland, who a few years ago began his useful and highly esteemed ministrations.'

January 16th. - 'There was a trial today which excited great interest. An information had been laid against Magnus Linklater, the Company's storekeeper, for selling rum to a drunken man; and, had the charge been proved, the Company would have been subjected to a fine of £10, and deprived of their license till midsummer. Witnesses being examined, it soon became evident that the accuser was mistaken, - though his motives were believed honest, and Magnus was acquitted, much to the delight of the community, who would have been highly inconvenienced by a restraint on the Company's sales.

'The laws against selling spirits to Indians are very strictly enforced. Forfeiture of license and a £10 fine for each offence is rigorously imposed if the last drop of either spirits or beer is sold to one of pure Indian blood. This regulation appears to work well, drunken Indians, who used to be constantly troublesome, being now hardly ever seen; but the spirit dealers are in a difficult position, importuned for liquor by the Indians, who often disguise themselves and make their applications in French (which they sometimes speak fluently), and closely watched by their neighbours, who are anxious to gain the informer's mean a reward of £5 on each proved case. Despite these difficulties, the spirit trade is said to be enormously lucrative, and as such it will continue till the vice of drunkenness becomes less prevalent in the district than it now unhappily is.

'In an agricultural conversation today, it was stated that cattle have much trouble in getting food in summer, the ground is so broken up with swamps as to cause them many miles of daily wandering in search of pasturage. Inquiring if the drainage of these marshes would be possible, I was told that in itself it was the easiest thing in the world, my informant having dried a large tract by a single open drain some 900 yards long, expecting also to make an extensive improvement by carrying this work two miles farther. The drain was not more than two feet wide, by a foot and a half in depth, which is sufficient in this deep, soft soil, when the floods of a single spring-time will enlarge a small trench into a wide and deep watercourse; in proof of which it was mentioned that a cow had been drowned in the drain just referred to before it had been a year open. The unwillingness of the people to labour at such work is a great obstacle to carrying out drainage operations.'

Cattle are fed on hay during the winter, but little care seems to be taken of them at any time. The Company grow turnips near Lower Fort Garry, but the settlers seldom do so, disliking the trouble necessary to rear a good crop. Wheat flourishes here, though apt to be injured by late frosts; it is considered by the Scotch to be superior in yield and quality to that grown in their native country. Barley also succeeds well, but oats do not thrive.

'There is a great want of wood, even for fuel. What is used for building purposes is rafted down the Red River; no considerable supply however is believed to exist.

'Labour is scarce, owing to the demand for voyageurs by land and water, which carries off a large proportion of the able-bodied young men. Moreover, there is reason to doubt if much aptitude for labour belongs to the constitution of the native-born inhabitants, especially those of French origin. As a rule, the French half-breed is said to dislike continuous work. To a man will labour more cheerfully and gallantly in the severe toils of the voyageur's calling, but these efforts are of short duration, and when they are ended his chief desire is to do nothing but eat, drink, smoke, and be merry, - all of them acts in which he greatly excels.'

'Though there is much general resemblance, the English, or rather Scottish, half-breeds differ considerably from those of French origin both in looks and character; the former often possess the fair hair and other physical characteristics of a northern race, while in disposition they are more industrious and more actuated by a sense of duty, - for though the word "devoir" is frequently on the lips of the semi-French-man, the principle of "devoir" is not so strong in their hearts as the impulses of passion or caprice.'

'I cannot think so ill of the half-breed population as most writers appear to do. Physically they are a fine race, tall, straight, and well proportioned, lightly formed but strong, and extremely active and enduring. Their chests, shoulders, and waists are of that symmetrical shape so seldom found among the broad-waisted, short-necked English, or the flat-chested, long-necked Scotch; their legs are generally extremely straight, and of those lengthened proportions which, when caricatured, tend rather towards the knock-knee than approach the bow.'

'Their feet are high in the instep; and the long heel with large back-sinew, high outwards-expanded calf, and large knee, which accompanies a flat foot, is, I think, never to be seen among them, nor indeed among the pure Indians. This form, with its modifications, is more common in Scotland than England; possibly mountainous countries cause its development, for it is one better fitted for ascent than for graceful movement on level ground.'

'In countenance, the half-breed is swarthy, with dark hair and eyes; his features are often good and aquiline, but sometimes they are coarse, - though invariably well proportioned, and utterly removed from the baboon jaw and flat nose of the Old World savage. With some cleverness and cheerfulness, their faces generally betray a certain moodiness of temper; neither the frank self-reliant generosity of the English countenance nor the sagacious honest respectability of the Scottish, are commonly stamped on the aspect of these men, at once more meditative and more impulsive.

'Too many at home have formed a false idea of the half-breeds, imagining them to be a race little removed from barbarians in habits and appearance. They are supposed to be copper-coloured men, going about imperfectly clothed and grotesquely ornamented, obeying their chiefs, and yielding neither respect nor obedience to the laws. Doubtless, there are some children of white fathers, who, left with their mothers, have been brought up in Indian camps, and have little of the European about them - not even the language; but the Red River half-breeds are in a different condition. Their mode of dress is simply that universal in the country - which I have already tried to describe, - their appearance so little reveals their origin that I doubt if a half-breed, dressed and educated like an Englishman, would seem at all remarkable in London society. They build and farm like other people, they go to church and courts of law, they recognize no chiefs (except when they elect a leader for their great hunting expeditions), and in all respects, they are like civilized men, not more uneducated, immoral, or disorderly, than many communities in the Old World.

'The Scottish settlers are a considerable and very thriving body. Their farms (in this quarter at least) are entirely on the western side of the Red River, where also stand the Fort and the Protestant churches; the French and French half-breeds occupy the eastern side, and their large cathedral, with its two horn-like little steeples,* and the comfortable-looking adjacent establishment of the nuns, are as conspicuous as Fort Garry itself, opposite to which they hold their place, close beside the farther bank of the stream.

'In population, the whole settlement, including White Horse Plains, does not much exceed 7000, - the common estimate, 10,000, being a great exaggeration, - and this number is almost equally divided between Protestants and Roman Catholics, with a trifling majority of the former. This calculation, I am informed, shows also with much accuracy the division of the races, those of British origin belonging to the Protestant churches, and those of French origin to the church of Rome.+

'There are not many * Englishmen in the settlement.

Some years ago a few families came out, but, with one exception, they neither throve nor prospered, partly because incapable of that economy in eating which enabled the Scot to make his first accumulations of money, partly because their wives were unequal to heavy outdoor labour. Amply, however, did these poor women atone for their deficiencies abroad, by their neat and orderly habits at home, - setting an example much required in those days; - but there has been a reform in such matters of late.'

January 11th, 18th. - 'On Wednesday (18th) I visited the editors of The Nor' Wester. They were hopeful of success and believed that their paper had already created an appetite for general news among the settlers, who had hitherto been careless about interests not immediately concerning their district.

'On the same day, there was a Coroner's Inquest on a woman who had died from excessive drinking. The law, so far as I could judge, was almost always impartially administered, and the whole business of the courts conducted with the utmost formality and precision.'

January 19th. - 'Neither the south mail nor my men, have yet arrived. I cannot imagine the cause of this delay, as for some time we have been having beautiful, mild, sunny weather; almost, indeed, too warm for comfort in these stove-heated houses.'

January 21st. - 'McKay and Short arrived, bringing all things from Fort Pelly.'

Sunday, January 22nd. - 'Went with the Bishop to St. James's Church, on the Assiniboine, where he officiated in the absence of Mr. Taylor, the incumbent.

'Several babies being in church, who made a continual noise, the Bishop took notice of it in his sermon, remarking that he liked to see the children there, as it proved the anxiety of their mothers to be present. This is very different from the plan of a reverend gentleman I have heard of, who orders children out of his chapel as troublesome intruders.

'Disturbances from children test the true value of a sermon. If the interruption seems intolerable, and annoys and confuses the preacher, his sermon has been pitched in too high a key, and aimed at the nerves rather than the heart or understanding; but if the voices of the little ones harmonize like a rude response, and the preacher rather smiles than frowns, then the sermon is Christian and human.' [This rule may hold good in ordinary cases, but one can easily imagine poetical or intellectual discourses of much usefulness and beauty, which would be utterly marred by the vehement outcries of an infant - as much out of place as a professor's bland argumentations in a nursery full of hungry babes. Nevertheless, a display of impatience by the preacher is more detrimental to the finest sermon, than the screaming of a multitude of babies - so far as religion is concerned.]

January 23d, 24:th, 25th. - These were chiefly days of leave-taking. My men being now arrived, and all arrangements complete for the journey to Crow-wing, there was nothing to detain to me at Fort Garry, except a natural reluctance part from so many kind friends, and to exchange such happiness and comfort for the discomforts of another fortnight of monotonous was winter travelling. But it was now full-time to return to my own home and country, to which I was powerfully drawn by many ties and duties; so I determined to press on with all possible haste, in the hope of reaching New York before the departure of the Cunard steamer that sailed about the middle of February.

On Monday (23d) I took leave of all my Red River men, except Kline, who was to act as driver and guide during the remaining part of the journey. It went to my heart to say farewell to those excellent fellows, so long partakers of my good and evil fortunes, so cheery in prosperity, so gallant in adversity, and I hope and believe that on this occasion, on so many others, our feelings were in the completest accord. I shall ever feel under a debt of gratitude to these true and faithful companions, - with what good cause, let the readers of my book judge for themselves.

On Tuesday, I paid my farewell visit to the Bishop of Rupert's Land, from whom, with his esteemed sister Miss Anderson, I had met with repeated, and very highly prized, attentions during the whole of my stay; and on Wednesday afternoon came the sorrowful moment of departure from Fort Garry, - sorrowful indeed, had I known that among those kind and good friends whose hands so cordially grasped mine, who speeded me on my way with such warm and heart-felt adieux, there were some, - some too, of the kindest and best, - on whose faces I should never look again, till, perchance, we meet in some region beyond the grave.

Oh! What a loss did the whole community sustain in the death of that grave, prudent, right-minded man, who so excellently ruled the important post of Fort Garry, who afterwards so ably performed the onerous and responsible duties devolving on the Company's Chief representative abroad.*

But, for myself, there is not only a share in such general and public regrets, there is deep sorrow for the loss of a friend endeared to me by his admirable and most attractive qualities, and by a thousand kindnesses ever freely shown me, - kindnesses of no trivial sort, but displayed in many laborious and thoughtful services in my behalf. I was living in the hope of seeing him again, on his side of the ocean or mine, when of a sudden, in a casual conversation, the news reached me that my friend "William MacTavish was no more. Alas for this world, but not for him! Wherever he now may be, this just and good man is with the good and just, in some happier place than our poor earth can offer to its beloved, honoured, and favoured ones.