The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1920-10-14
INTO THE FAR NORTHWEST
BY George Dick

too thin, the wind would blow, and
into our tents and eatables came the
sand and dirt and thickened things
for US. As drank neither tea or
coffee, became quite an expert in
making chocolate for myself.
We had plenty Of fresh fish. You
must get the Doctor 10 tell you about
his fishing. He is some fisherman.
! had some great times all alone
in my tent, thinking, reading and
resting. One morning, when stand
ing outside ! saw the distant noun
tain tops covered with snow that had
just fallen and the sunlight falling
upon Il, the beautiful northern lights,
and the moon and stars, which had
new colors in them, and which seemed
TO come right out Of the mountains
and rest there again, I saw the sun
shining above the clouds and wished
that you could have been there To
have enjoyed these wonders with me.
We found the men folks rather
polite and helpful TO each other and
especially 20 us, but most used Ian
guage not heard in Sunday-school
very often. They talked about each
other rather forcibly, sometimes not
using very endearing names, but II
they talked at all, II must Of neces-
ity be about their neighbors, as there
was little else TO do. They do not
have the refining influence Of the la
dies and children and are law I'M
TO themselves. having no public serv-
ices OF any kind. We mentioned re-
ligious things to them, but found that
they made a religion of their own,
and had no time for such things.
] did find one man having a Bible in
his trunk, given TO him by his
mother, twenty years ago, and which
he had taken with him all these
years. I also met another old man,
who said that his old Scotch-Presby-
N'iian Hi'NhtI uldut nltll ~ lO sun
day-school and taught him right
things, and TO this day he does not
swear nor use tobacco. said TO him
that II gives us much pleasure to
talk with a man who does not use of
fensive language. Blessings upon our
Christian mothers.
One night a messenger came to us
~ supper time to tell us that our
boat would leave Hudson's Hope the
next day. so we were in rush TO
get ready for our journey. We got
up at $3.50 n. m, had our breakfast,
loaded our goods and ourselves into
a canoe and started down the river
for 2l miles, at AIS a. m. This
early morning ride will be long re-
membered. The sky was Just won
derful in its beauty. II recalled to
my mind the words Of Rev. Sunday,
when he said. 1--WE will be glad for
being Christians when the twilight
Of the evening Of our lives begin 10
melt away into the purpling dawn of
eternity"
After riding three and one quarter
hours in the canoe with Mr.. Case
and our chef, we reached the end Of
the portage, and there Mr.. Beatte,
who took us TO Hudson's Hope in
Democrat, which ride, though not
unpleasant, was rather tiresome. We
reached Hudson's Hope at p. m
and had a good supper and a fine
sleep in a real bed which Mr.. Osborne
so graciously loaned to us for the
night. Our mental description of
the boat was greatly changed when
we went down to the landing. Here
we found small boat, driven by
gasoline engine, pushing a scow ahead
Of her. This scow was 60 feet long
Ia feet wide and feet deep, with a
few braces carrying poles, over which
was placed canvas. Gasoline
drums. farm machinery, beds, cots,
3 horses, 2 cows and calves, a dog,
one lady, and fifteen men were our
companions. All were packed to-
gether and enjoyed each other.
Upon this scow we rode 240 miles
during three days time, down the
beautiful Peace River. seeing trees,
bushes, mountains. islands, gravel
bars, hillsides, seven wild bears,
horses and cattle upon the high banks,
few log dirt-covered cabins, and at
last Peace River Crossing, our land
ing place, was reached.
Doctor and made our cots upon
the scow the first night, but had to
vacate for the horses the second night,
so we all went ashore and there, UNI
der the heavens. enjoyed a wonderful
nights sleep.
We spent Labor Day at Peace
River Crossing and had a fine days |
rest. This is n tvpical frontier town.