170 FOURTH EXPLORATION, 1880 



of water and, late in the evening, we had to camp and I decided 

 to start due north in the morning in an attempt to reach Moose 

 Jaw Creek, which I knew must be to the north. By this time 

 the men began to realize their foolishness in not doing what they 

 always had done, both this year and last year. 



"Travellers should always have a five or ten gallon keg with 

 them and see that this is filled with good water at least once a 

 day. When travelling, without a guide, this is absolutely neces- 

 sary, as water may be extremely scarce in the district where a 

 person may chance to be and great suffering may result. In 

 July, 1880, my party and I were thirty hours without water owing 

 to the carelessness of the man whose job it was to see that a supply 

 was on hand. We were never without water again, and I gave 

 no instructions regarding it. The above incident happened on 

 the western part of the Great Souris Plain. The plain, for sixty 

 miles east of the Canadian Pacific Railway crossing at Moose 

 Jaw Creek, is waterless and great caution is necessary when 

 traversing it. Many other localities where water is scarce might 

 be cited, but it is unnecessary to mention them as wise men will 

 be prepared for all such, while fools will run to their own des- 

 truction, or, like my party, suffer for their neglect of known duty. 

 Water suitable for horses is generally obtainable at least once a 

 day, but that for culinary purposes is much scarcer than many 

 may imagine. I speak of surface water." 



I make the above quotation from my book on the "Great 

 North West" for the purpose of showing that many mishaps that 

 take place on the prairie are caused by carelessness, or something 

 worse. My men were instructed to keep our keg full of fresh 

 water and, although idle for two days, had made no attempt to 

 fill it. I was learning that inefficient men were the cause of many 

 breakdowns in exploring parties as well as with travellers general- 

 ly. Before going into my tent, I told them that I would never 

 ask them to put water in the barrel again, but I had no doubt 

 but that they would do it. It seems that after I retired to rest 

 there were signs of a thunder-storm and they took their flannel 

 shirts and spread them out on the grass to catch the rain, but 

 none came. Davie was very sorry for me, but I told him that 



