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

shoot. It seemed he had located some ducks, and knowing if he shot any he would have to wade in for them, he had taken off his clothes and pr0- ceeded to stalk them. My appearance made him uneasy, so he kept one eye on me while crawling through the grass. One season, near my homestead at Saskatoon, a goose had made her nest on the top of an old musk rat house, out in the water of a slough, at a short distance where she was sitting. It was impossible to say that there was a living thing on top of the heap, even though you were certain she was there. The brood were safely hatched, and all summer I carefully watched what I considered my geese. Just before the young were ready to fly, a party of Indians came along and the geese were mine no more. I had made my plans to smoke them ashore so that I could capture them, but I was too late in putting my plan into effect. At one of my poisoned baits I one day found a splendid specimen of the Golden Eagle. This was in the winter. It was dead with outstretched wings, as usual with a poisoned bird. In its crop were the greater part of two prairie chickens, yet it had decided to have a further feast of frozen meat and paid the penalty. In the feathers of its wings were small bits. of spruce still sticking, so it had come from the north. Here is an incident of the days of the ferry when we had one running on a cable. J. W. Stewart was then ferryman, and the crossing was then at Idylwyld, below where the brewery now is. If the ferryman did not happen to be around-and crossings at this time were few-it was possible to cross by oneself, by leaving the boat for the ferryman to go over and bring back the scrow[sic] when he returned, or one could cross, turn the scow to the cur- rent, tie the wheel and it would cross itself. I did not wish to disturb Stewart, so put my horse on the scow and crossed myself. When I got across I found that I had forgotten to leave the ferryman the boat which was tied to the scow, so I turned the wheel, headed the ferry to the current, and sent it on its return journey, but I had not fastened the wheel. As soon as the scow reached the stronger pull of the stream the rush of the water on the forward part gradually turned the wheel with the rope, so that the scow was broadside to the current and stopped. I had to peel off and swim out and bring the scow back to shore, but there were millions of mosquitoes, and my bare skin was soon covered with them. As quickly as possible, when reaching the shore, I got into my clothes and made sure then that I had forgotten nothing for the return journey of the scow. In looking back I find that I have altogether forgotten to say anything as to our first school, Sunday services, and the social life. Our first school was formed in '84, and the schoolhouse was the shell of a building put up by Silas Lake. Mr. Powers was the first schoolmaster in Saskatoon. He and J. W. Stewart batched in a tent near the school. Gerald Willoughby was, I believe, the next schoolmaster in Saskatoon. He also taught school in the Lake building. Our next teacher was a Mr. Guthrie, and the school had now been transferred to the Company's building. Mr. Jas. Leslie fol- lowed Mr. Guthrie as teacher, teaching also in the Company's building, and later, when the building was finished, in the stone school-house, thus being the first to teach in that building. Mr. Geo. Horn followed Mr. Leslie, and from that time the school merges into recent history. Sunday services were held from '83. In that year they were held in a tent. J. N. Lake, who represented the Company in the office of commis- sioner, was usually leader in the services. After he left the services were held in the Silas Lake building, and Silas Lake, brother of the commis- sioner, usually led the service. In '84 neither of the Lakes returned to Saskatoon The services were then held by the people themselves, someone would read a sermon, if a missionary or clergyman happened to be passing: through, they would enlist his services. As the school progressed to better accommodation the church services followed. On Sunday, after service, it was a regular practice for all the men to gather at the abode of W. Horn and myself. At that time we lived in the village. There all the news of tbe settlement were discussed. After an hour or so had been passed in talking everything over, the older men would leave for home, while at least a few of the younger ones would be made welcome at our table, Page 44

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