144 EXPLORATION OF THE PRAIRIES, 1879 



and I remained at the Saskatchewan. The results of the levelling 

 were that the head of the Qu' Appelle was eighty-seven feet higher 

 than the Saskatchewan, so that question was settled. The dis- 

 tance across was found to be eleven miles. 



On the 13th of July, 1879, we reached the Elbow of the South 

 Saskatchewan, at the head of the Qu'Appelle Valley. At this 

 point, the river was 770 yards wide and flowing with a steady 

 current. Sixty miles to the north, there was a ferry and, forty 

 miles to the south, Palliser had crossed twenty-three years before, 

 but with the loss of a wagon. After examining the river carefully 

 both above and below the Elbow, I decided to cross at this point. 

 The means was the next consideration. There was no timber to 

 construct a raft, so we decided to build a boat. We had no boards, 

 but we had a large tent, waterproof blankets and cart covers. 



John Matheson, of Winnipeg, who had charge of the horses 

 and outfit generally, made a wooden frame about nine feet long 

 and four and half feet wide at the stern, shaped like the letter 

 "A" and interlaced with willows; over this we put the tent and 

 over all, we nailed the waterproof blankets. By means of this 

 frail boat, we purposed taking across a river, nearly half a mile 

 wide, four month's provisions, all our camp equipage, four carts 

 and two buckboards, besides risking our own lives. 



The night before we undertook to cross was an anxious one 

 and, shortly after sunrise, we were ready to make the attempt. 

 Our boat was found to leak considerably, but one man baled 

 to keep it afloat. I called for volunteers and my nephew, 

 David Macoun, and Sidney Savage, volunteered. They were 

 both good swimmers and courageous. A small load was put on 

 board and with one man pulling two small oars and another baling, 

 they started. After crossing a small branch close to us, they drew 

 the boat for a long distance up the river by walking on a sand-bar. 

 When they thought they had ascended far enough, they attempted 

 to cross the main channel, but the width (over 250 yards) being 

 much greater than they had expected, they were unable to make 

 the shore and landed on an island near the further side. In 

 coming back, they were carried half a mile below our camp and 

 had to haul the boat up. They were in good spirits, however, 



