PERMANENTLY APPOINTED TO GOVERNMENT 189 



Early in the morning, a storm of wind arose and, as we were 

 in a grove of poplars, and some of them dead, we heard them 

 crashing on all sides of us. The men were camped a short dis- 

 tance from me and we got up and stood by our tents and watched 

 the storm. Almost in front of us, a large poplar broke off and, as 

 it fell across, it struck two trees standing almost together and 

 broke both off. From where I stood, I saw one falling straight 

 for me and had just time to move one step to the left till it crashed 

 down and broke to pieces my tin case, which was lying beside the 

 tent. By taking only one step, I saved my life for, just then, the 

 second tree fell on my left and actually brushed my shirt sleeve 

 as it fell. The men saw both trees fall and thought that I would 

 be killed, but, with God's blessing, I was saved for the time. 



Our troubles, however, were only commencing. We had a 

 large river to ascend that had been attempted three times before 

 us and the surveying parties failed each time. I, with four boys 

 who knew nothing about poling up river, were to ascend this 

 river that was reported to have thirty miles of rapids. When we 

 entered the Red Deer River, before it entered the lake, we found 

 it was still in flood but not so high as it was lower down. I am 

 not sure how many days we worked in making the ascent to a 

 tributary coming in from our left. This river was likewise in 

 flood and we saw no way to cross it as we were unable to paddle 

 the canoe or row the boat, so my son decided that he would swim 

 across to the other side, carrying a rope, and he would haul the 

 boat across when he reached the land. He boldly struck out for the 

 other shore and, when he reached the middle, the current became 

 too strong for him and he was carried down. I called for him to hold 

 on to the rope and we would haul him in, which we eventually 

 did, and he was none the worse for his swim. How we eventually 

 crossed I fail to remember, but that we did so is certain. When 

 we reached the rapids, we attempted to pole but we were all un- 

 fitted for it and so had to give it up. Our mode of procedure 

 from this on was for the men to track up in the shallows along 

 the river margin while I steered the flatbottomed boat in the 

 stream. This is such slow work that we made very little progress, 

 but finally reached the upper part of the river, where there was 



