Sun River sun. [volume] (Sun River, Mont.) 1884-1885, 1884-11-06
WINTER IN MANITOBA.
Extreme Rigor and Severity Of Winter
Weather in the Northwest.


The snow outside our house was
from six to ten feet deep from Novem-
ber to April. I tried to wear boots
last November, and one Of my feet
froze. Moccasins, made by Indians, of
moose skin, are used instead of shoes
to cover the feet, which arc first cased
in several pairs Of stockings. For
travelling on foot, snowshocs are best
Mittens supercede gloves during the
winter, Us, tho fingers il separated,
generally freeze.
We were forced to melt snow for all
the water We used last winter. The
cold was SO intense that when melted
snow-watcr was poured from the boil
er into pail, and taken once across
to the stable, the ice on it frequently
had to be broken with stick before
the cattle could drink, It froze so hard
whilst being carried u distance of
some sixty yards in the open air. My
husband would sometimes come in
from a short visit TO the stock yard
with his nose frozen; indeed, it is
rather common sight to see people
partly frozen. The part affected turns
as white us marble, and loses all feel
ing. Unless you sec yourself in Il
glass, or arc told of it, you are not
conscious Of being frozen. In this
plight it is not best to go near a fire,
us sudden thawing is very painful.
People generally try friction, rubbing
themselves with snow, or, better still,
with paraiine oil. Occasionally, when
one is frozen and far from help, the
part frozen, If IN extremity, will snap
off. My Kittens ears froze and broke
off last winter, and u neighbours pony
lost it's ears in the same way.
was surprised when l first found
the mustard froze in my mustard pot,
which stood Il foot from the kitchen
stoyc-pipe and two feet above the
stove, where there was blazing fire
all day and every day through the
winter Yet the mustard froze be-
tween every meal. Bread frozc il left
for half an hour in Il room without
fire. I once left pitcher full of
milk in the kitchen all night, and next
morning, on trying to move it, the
pitcher fell to pieces and left the milk
standing SOLID in its place. We could
buy frozen milk by the pound, frozen
so intensely that when I put II lump
Of it in tin into the oven, or on top
Of the stove, the first part that melt
ed would burn to the tin before the
rest of it had thawcd l managed to
melt it by first chopping the icc-nilk
into very small pieces. Clothes which
been washed froze before l could
hang them on the line to dry. 1 used
to leave them out two or three nights
for tho snow and frost to bleach, and
they always needed thawing and dry
ing again when they were brought in
doors. Even after being damped and
folded they would freeze together, and
when l have been ironing the top OF n
pocket-handkerchief the lower part
would freeze to tho table, which was
close by'a roaring fire. Ironing un-
der these conditions is rather slow
work.
Such stories must sound almost i'll
credible, except to those who, like my
self, have witnessed tho facts, though
Of course, only in the most severe
weather. A bearded Englishman who
stayed with us Lust winter was often
forced when he came indoors to thaw
the icicles from his moustache, which
frozc to his beard and hindered him
talking to us. A pail of water loft in
the kitchen oil night would freeze
solid to the bottom before morning.
This happened every time one was
left for two months.
In such climate every one who can
afford it is dressed in fur. The Win
nipeg policemen all dress in buffalo
coats down to their heels in winter
The keenest wind cannot pierce them.
Winter is, OF course, not equally
severe throughout. Part of my de-
scriptiH applies only to it's colder
half. But to woman the most tryi y
part Of Il winter in Manitoba is not it's
seyerety-for you live in q warm
house--but it's length. Snow lay on
the ground last season for six months
and a half, and tho great lakes are
frozen for tho same period. This
sounds almost unboarably tedious to
English oars; and ono's eyes grow
very weary Of the barc, blank white
ness and long for something green to
look at; yet tho bright, clean, still
frosts, with brilliant sunshine, glori-
Gus skies and moonlight aurora colored
nights have great compensations OF
their own. Harper s Baznr.