Our drive was not of
the most enviable: we had a waggon with no spring seat, only a
board, which was always moving, to sit upon; one horse would tear
along, the other not pull an ounce, in spite of applying the whip
a good deal, and we were nearly smothered with mosquitoes, I never
saw such clouds of them, and on our return home there was a
general rush for the bottle of ammonia, which is the only thing
that allays the irritation.
_Friday_. - Excitements have been crowding in upon us to-day.
Bob, one of the labourers, who went into Winnipeg yesterday, only
arrived home at 3 A.M. this morning. He left town at 6, but the
night being dark he lost his way, and finding himself on the edge
of a marsh, having a feed of oats with him, wisely unhitched his
horses, tied them to the wheels, and waited patiently for
daylight. Just as we were sitting down to dinner, three men who
have been surveying the Government ditch near here, came and
begged to be fed. Luckily we had soup and plenty of cold meat; but
our pudding - the less said about that the better. We always have
the evaporated apples as a stand by, and they are delicious; so
with quantities of butter and milk we never need starve.
Then in the evening, when Mr. B - - was going to the stable to
serve out the oats for the horses, he came in for the finish of an
exciting race between two of the plough horses. The jockeys or
riders were told forthwith that a waggon was going into town the
following morning, and that their services would be dispensed with
in future. Just as we were going to bed we heard A - - coming in,
and with him a stranger who turned out to be our cousin, only
fifteen days out from England, _via_ Canada. He looks very
delicate.
_Saturday_. - We had made no preparation for E. P - - last night, so he
had to occupy the "parlour" sofa, and says he slept like a top;
doubtlessly did not require much rocking, as he had travelled through
almost without stopping. We were busy all this morning writing letters
for the discharged miscreants to take into town. It has been very hot
and close all day. I, rode up to the tent, and hurried home, seeing a
thunder-storm coming up, which was grand; and it was very lucky that I
got home, as it began to rain at 3 o'clock, and is still pouring in
perfect torrents at 10 o'clock P.M.
_Sunday_. - The yard is in such a fearful state of dirt, and the water
standing inches deep, that it has been nearly impossible to move
beyond the door. I put on A - - 's long waterproof boots, and managed
to get as far as my hen-house, and found two of my chickens dead.
Another sitting hen has been a source of great anxiety, as she
will peck her chicks to death as they hatch, and out of a sitting
of eleven eggs we have only been able to save five birds. A wet
Sunday hangs very heavily on our hands here, as there is nothing
to be done.
_Monday_. - Big wash as usual all the morning, and just as E - - and I
were to drive a waggon over to Mr. Boyle for some oats which required
fetching, we had quite a scare. A _lady_ and gentleman were seen to be
riding up. We both of us rushed up-stairs to put on some clean aprons
to do honour to our guests, who, with another man, also out from town,
remained the whole afternoon. We have never dined as many as nine
people in our vast apartments before, but we managed very nicely.
We have had heavy showers with a high wind, and the thermometer
down to 50 all the afternoon. We tried to persuade our lady
visitor to stay the night, A - - offering to give up his room; but
she persisted in going back, and, I am afraid, will have got very
wet, in spite of E - - lending her waterproof jacket.
_Tuesday_. - The household had a long turn in bed this morning,
Mr. B - - only getting down at about 7.15, when various things
were offered him to prop open his eye-lids when he did appear.
The weather has been slightly better than yesterday, but the wind
has been high, and it was really quite cold; varied by slight
showers of rain in the morning. In the afternoon we all made hay.
I worked my rake until my horse beat me by refusing to move in any
direction excepting homewards; and I had to call A - - , who was
stone getting, to my rescue. He, with judicious chastisement in
the shape of a kick or so, made the horse work. E - - and E. P - -
loaded hay. Thanks to the late rains the marshes were heavy, and
they very nearly stuck once or twice in going through them. There
were no mosquitoes, which was a blessing, but one is never
troubled with them in a high wind.
* * * * *
July 9.
You should have seen A - - and his equipage start into Winnipeg
two days ago. He and the men from the tent had to go in and bring
out a waggon and the new "Cortland waggon" (my present), and they
had to take in the broken buggy to be mended. So they started with
a four-in-hand to their cart, the broken buggy tied on behind, and
another pair of horses behind that again. The buggy they say very
nearly capsized going over the bridge of the creek when near
Winnipeg, otherwise they got on beautifully; but it was a funny
arrangement altogether, and they seemed to cover a quarter of a
mile of ground as they left here.
