The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-07-14
PIONEERS PIERCE
DEEP IN WlLDS
Civilization Is Claiming the Can
ada Wilderness = Lonely
kla, Lives in the Forest.
By w, w. Jermane.

use in house building at the scattered
stations along the northern stretches
Of the great Saskatchewan river, are
loaded at this port with household sup
plies and groceries, accompanies by 8
Towboat, and the whole craft engineered !
by daring pioneer or two on the way |
to the wilderness, one cannot help I
thinking Of the number Of people IN
this region whose lives are passed in |
the utter loneliness Of the great frontier.
Here is an area larger than the con-
tinental republic of the United States,
but containing population OF approx
imately only one-ffteenth. Yet, this
great area must be patrolled in the in
terests Of commerce.; none of Its val
liable furs can be left unsought, even
in its most remote recesses OF the
north. The souls Of its native races
have been for generations dear to the
missionaries, who push into the'extreme
outpOSts.
Sentinels Of Civilization.
There are other sentinels of civiliza->
ton stationed in the wilderness. The
order is maintained. The prospectors
for minerals and the engineers who are
spying out the land for new railroad
lines, are among those asked to sepa-
rate themselves for months, and some
times years, from the haunts of men:
] ~ WOu1u D6 etSJ W pIOlcCG Id1ll OCtu
routes if the country were suitably
! mapped, but it is not; surveyors have
found streams a hundred miles from
/ the place indicated for their course on
! the map. Rivers and lakes Of consid-
cradle magnitude are frequently. en-.
! countered by these advance guards OF
! twentieth century civilization where
none was known to exist. The indian
| Is not great mountain climber, and
so when the engineers had to survey
route over the Selkirks, they are sup
posed to have been the first men of any
race from the beginning Of time to per-
form that feat.
The sheepherders are peculiarly lone
~. Some Of these provinces are con.
sidering legislation which will forbid
one man from going by himself, so con-
siderable is the danger of his becoming
insane. If he should die, or get Sc
riously ill.,, the sheep would probably
go to, destruction, even tho it be true,
as often alleged, that the shepherd dogs
know more than their masters.
The Mounted Police.
Dan Mckay, who has been connected
with the mounted police for twenty
here whose story is of more than or
binary interest, especially as illustra-
tive Of the call of the wilderness upon
brave-hearted men. Soon after he
| Joined the force, the Riel rebellion
broke out, and he claims to have fred
| the first shot in behalf Of the govern
ment. Riel he came to know very well,
! regarding him as a vain man, misled by
spectators who wanted to get hold Of
| land scrip which the Indians and half
| breeds possessed. These men were real
| ly responsible for the outbreak, and the
| fate which Riel himself suffered in the
little jail at Regina, in spite of the
| ~ NJ
on account Of French-C Canadian sym
pathies, would never dare to hang him
Mckay says that the criminal rarely
gets away, even with this wilderness
In which to hide. He and another man
camped out an entire winter in pursuit
of a gang Of criminals, going 800 miles
north. They seldom erected even the
tents they had for shelter, sleeping al
night in fur blankets and near thei1
horses. Sometimes the temperature was
60 degrees below zero, but they KEEP
up the pursuit, passing much wild game
and having many exciting adventures
The H. 3. G. Adventure.
The Hudson Bay company s men com
nit themselves to- the Wilderness. TIL
wife of the governor of the Northwes
Territory t tells her beautiful hon. n
For five years she saw no white man eS
cept her husband. She lived in tent
in crossing the northwestern country
when it was so cold that the steam arts
ing from boiling water would promptl
crystalline in the air Of the tent.
Lord Stratheona, now the foremos
man Of Canada, and the governor o
the Hudson's Bay company, was TO
thirty years one Of its agents in Labra
dor. Lady Strathcona is a Cree Ir
dian, or, more strictly, about half Cree
The fur traders were the pioneers VIII
opened the way for the settlement O
the northwest, and many Of the railroa
towns today which are coming int
activity in the new wheat era owe thej
start to the simpler needs Of the perio
of ''the gentlemen adventurers tradin
in the Hudson's bay,' to use its o:
fetal title, still stamped on it's wares.
Edmonton, the point furthest mort
reached by an American railroad, col
nected with the other roads Of the co,
tinent, has been a trading post #
fifty years. The town today contain
the "hotel' in 1878, and is maintaine
as relic Of the age that is passe
The modern hotels here have electr
Lights and modern shower baths.
FEr-Gathering Center.
Half million dollars worth of flu
are brought in here annually. Til
represents a vastly greater amour
when the furS reach their destinatiC
and are prepared for market, since tt
Indians and halfbreeds who gath
them in the northern wilds, receive b.
a small part of the ultimate price
payment for their efforts and priv
tions. A trader here well expressed
when he said: "There's lot mo
money in furs than the Indian gets.
The unit Of barter is ''skin - wor
about so cents, and all trading is do:
on. this basis, the more valuable flu
being rated at SO many "skins," a
cording to their fneness or rarity. nj
goods which the halfbreeds and India
take In exchange, measured in the
"skin' units, are extremely simp
Blankets come first, and tobacco
perhaps, second. Tea and other Of
ceries also figure, as well as guns a
ammunition, and traps necessary to s
pursuit Of the wild animals. Occasio
ally an Indian will get SO extravaga
as to buy some more expensive artic]
for he is very improvident when
has, thru. peculiar good fortune, an e
eeptionally fat pocketbook. One
them bought piano in this city n
long ago in such burst of opulenc
drumming on it until he was tired al
then deciding to chop it to pieces
600 vvhera tho sounds oop,a fro,,,. vrT,