Genealogy, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, Pioneer,Saskatchewan history, Temperance Colony, Temperance Colonization Society, Pioneers,John N. Lake, John Lake, Saskatoon history, Saskatoon Gen Web,

NARRATIVES OF SASKATOON


1882-1912

Genealogy, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, Pioneer,Saskatchewan history, Temperance Colony, Temperance Colonization Society, Pioneers,John N. Lake, John Lake, Saskatoon history, Saskatoon Gen Web, Genealogy, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, Pioneer,Saskatchewan history, Temperance Colony, Temperance Colonization Society, Saskatoon history, Saskatoon Gen Web


         not hope to hold him, and the vision at once flashed upon me of the possi-
         bility of the next few moments finding me standing helpless, eighty miles
         from anywhere, listening to the sound of their stampeding out into the.
         night. With indescribable relief, working my way up his rope, ,I at last
         laid my hand on the roan's halter. He was trembling, and his neck was
         wet with the sweat of terror. In vain I tried to lead him forward to the
         tether-pin; to draw it. Necessity for quick action impelled me to the risk
         of cutting his rope and I more followed than led him over to the mare
         drawing her pin as I passed over it, and took them over to the camp, tying
         them to the wagon. Remaking the fire, I spent some time petting and
         soothing them, and finally gave them some Oats, thinking out what I would
         do.
		 
           Assuring myself that they were secure and less timid, I went off
         hurriedly to find Billy's rope and the axe, taking care to continue to call
         to them. Splicing the rope, I led them out after a while, and driving a
         solid stake very securely, passed a running hitch of each rope about it
         and prepared to sit the night out with them, if necessary. Not knowing
         what was to develop, my gun was taken with me. I had hardly settled
         down to this when, from the direction of the thicket a queer little sound
         came, not unlike the bleat of a lamb or calf and the ponies were again
         alarmed. They were not quite so hard to quiet as before, but it was well
         that my device for holding them was sufficient. Through the hours of the
         long, uneasy night this sound came at intervals, and towards dawn, the
         mysterious call having been silent for a long time, and the ponies having
         well grazed, I tied them again at the wagon and lay down for a brief rest,
         but slept until the broad sunrise of a glorious morning. The ponies were
         standing peacefully nosing in the wagon for stray grains, the valley still
         and resplendent in the morning light. The overnight blackness of the
         brushwood had entirely disappeared, and its shade appeared inviting. The
         colors of its upper foliage, like a vast carpet over the tangled undergrowth,
         spread before me into the distant mists on the river. Nothing suggestive
         of the evening's experience hung about it, and one might have thought
         that even the ponies,-so drowsily did they hang their heads as I hitched
         them up for the early travel,-were somewhat shamefaced at their recent
         terrors.
		 
             Across the valley and up the hillside, the trail now led to the long
         stretch of sand hills above. As the team slowed down with, the ascent up
         the deep sand of the road, I threw the reins over my back and proceeded
         to fill my pipe and watch the prospect about me. I was suddenly precipi-
         tated backward and would have fallen over but for the reins holding me,
         and my team were running away up the hill before I could tighten upon
         their mouths. Close behind me that queer bleat sounded again and again,
         high above the clatter of all the jolting contents of the wagon, while the
         horses plunged up the road in spite of the sandy footing at a breakneck
         pace.   A glance over my shoulder showed the cause of the trouble.
         Bounding gracefully along beside me and easily gaining on the horses, finally
         gaining to Billy's side it turned suddenly aside as if in disappointment at
         finding him not to be of its own kind, and in a flash its white tail dis-
         appeared over the side of the road as it made for the valley again. It
         was nothing more dangerous than a little white-tailed antelope. For all
         that, on the return journey, I took the ponies well away from that brush-
         wood for their night picketing, and slept with one ear awake.
		             ___________________________
                      Page  23
         

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NARRATIVES OF SASKATOON


1882-1912


Genealogy, Saskatoon, Pioneer, Saskatchewan history, Temperance Colony, Temperance Colonization Society, Pioneers,John N. Lake, John Lake, Saskatoon history, Saskatoon Gen Web, Saskatoon Genealogy
BY
MEN OF THE CITY

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OF SASKATOON

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