| Title: | Tom Hay, N.W.T., Canada, to Anna Hay, Peterborough, Ontario |
|---|---|
| ID | 1382 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Hay, Tom/22 |
| Year | 1879 |
| Sender | Hay, Tom |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | manual worker |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | North West Territories, Canada |
| Destination | Peterborough, Ontario, Canada |
| Recipient | Hay, Anna |
| Recipient Gender | female |
| Relationship | son-mother |
| Source | D 1424/11/4D: Purchased from Mr. John A. Gamble, 44 Taunton Avenue, Belfast 15. #TYPE EMG Extracts from Tom Hay's letters from Survey Camps, North West Territories, Canada, to his mother Anna Hay, Peterborough, Ontario, September to November 1879, sent by |
| Archive | Public Record Office N. Ireland. |
| Doc. No. | 9004006 |
| Date | 21/09/1879 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | 11:05:1990 SS created 10:08:1990 MC input 21:08:19 |
| Word Count | 5580 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Revd [Reverend?]George Kirkpatrick Hazelbank Craigs Co Antrim Belfast Ierland [Ireland?] No 6 Camp Sept [September?] 21st 1879 We are greatly disappointed at not getting any letters last week But I know dearest mother it was not your fault as you promised to write to me every week - But the post office arrangements here are so dreadfully unsysistematic [unsystematic?] that some letters are lost by every mail I fear we sent Rolly down for the mail on Wendnesday last & he came home next day we all hurried home half an hour earlier than usual from work so that we might read our letters before dark - But you can not fancie [fancy?] our disappointment when there were no letters for any one but Uncle G [George Kirkpatrick?] - but after a while uncle G [George?] found one for me in his from aunt Dunlop - I never was more glad in my life to get a letter - as I had not heard one word from home for so long a time - The Mail only comes in once in 3 or 4 weeks at soonest you may be sure that I felt left out in the cold I hope to get them all safe by next time for I know there are some for me some where However Aunties letter told the good news that all dear ones were well at home thank her for me please we moved to this on Friday 19th Poor Rollie is still laid up with his hand but I hope will soon be better I do not know how I have escaped so well when every one in camp have been laid up but me with some thing - I am thankful to say I am very well - The woods are begining [beginning?] to look lovely now the leaves have turned colour - and I shall tell you of a ride I had to the R M [Riding Mountaing?] House The weather is most lovely & the mosquitoes are nearly gone - no [not] so the Black flies - I started on the pony early in a lovely morning last week - The ride was very quite nor do I think ever saw a more beautiful sight than the woods all along the river through the Little Saskatchewan Vally [Valley?] the road follows along the banks of the river all the way down 25 miles & on each side of the river there is prairie land In some places it is half a mile wide in others only a few yards wide then at the back of this the woods slant gradually up to the tops of the hills - the woods are mostly spruce pine, with black & white poplar mixed through and it looks truly magnificent with the river winding like a silver thread through the valley far away - I fear the woods will soon be bear [bare?] as the leaves will soon begin to fall I do not know how the flies live still for some mornings the ice on small ponds will bear us - untill [until?] the sun comes out in mid day & then the brutes come out as wicked as ever but not at night now & we can get good sleep - Mr Andy gave me two small Bear's hides which I have made a nice warm cap off from one of them & am going to make a pair of gloves from the other - It will be good when the hard frost comes on it not too hard so that the marshes & lakes will freeze hard enough for us to walk in safty [safety?] on them for it is very cold work wading through it now - when ice is formed then when snow comes we can wear moccasins but now a pair would not last a day - when my foot was sore I wore a pair & then I wore out 3 pair Our boots are nearly gone now - but this week we hope to have a good supply which Mr Andy is getting from the Mounted Police & they will last I hope till the snow comes Most of the party have had to get new clothes from the Hudson Bay Co.[Company] being so constantly wet is very hard on clothes as well as boots the water in these marshes is so strong with alkali that it rots every thing & is so unwholesome to drink unless boild [boiled?] -T-A-H [Hay?] Sept [September?] 28th Your most welcome & much looked for letters came yesterday dearest mother and my thanks for them - they do refresh me so - one written to me on the 14th of August my birthday, & one to uncle G [George?] the 26 his birthday so you have not forgotten us in this far off land - The reason I did not get any letters by last mail was that the old Missionary at Riding Mountain House brought them up from Shoal lake 40 miles off & seeing so many for the camp he was afraid to undertake the carrying of them all - so thought he would only bring uncle G's [George's?] with him- knowing he was the Head man of the camp - but never said a word about the others he left behind - so the day the rest of the letters came - one of the men had gone down for flour &c & brought them up last night - we [keep?] a man & horse busy now all the time carrying up provisions he goes down one day & returns the next he will continue this till we get enough provisions for a month supply in which time we hope to leave this township finished & be into the next Mr Thompson is in great trouble as nearly all of his men are leaving him - his cook left him the other day - for the childish reason that he had gone to the creek for water close to camp & a bear chased him - he must be a nice man to leave for that - In spite of all the sickness's [sicknesses?] &c we are getting on nicely - Rolly came out one day last week & hurt his finger & had to go home it is very sore poor fellow - it has been dreadful sore as it turned out to be a [felon?] the very flesh came off & no Dr [Doctor?] to see it nearer than 200 miles miles off so we did what we could for him he has not slept for two weeks only for a few minutes at a time - but walked about all night - I am happy to say that the marshes are drying up at last now & besides we are gradually working towards the top of the mountains & the land is getting more broken by hills - the timber is getting larger & more plentiful and we often see large boulders sticking out of the ground Sunday night our man is going down early in the morning to the House so I think I shall send this letter by him and answer your letters by next chance - With much love to all love yours T A H [Hay?] Journal of T-A- Hay's continued Camp 6th Oct 5th /79 you see dearest mother that I take every opportunity of writing to you our man, whom we got lately has to take a trip to Rapid City tomorrow, which is 100 miles from here, he is to start very early & I shall send this letter by him to Post for me - he goes for a supply of boots for our party as we are completly [completely?] out of them & it will take him & pony two days in going & the same to return - Our old cook left us yesterday, he said he could not cook any longer for ten hungry men that it was the hardest work he ever did - I am going off tomorrow to run a line to the south end of one block it will take us a week at least I shall take Edward & Rolly Brown & Walter Stewart with me & one tent we shall have to move camp every day as we go on till we get to the end of our block which will be very troublesome & be a delay too, but we cannot help it - We shall bring some provisions, pots, & pans &c.We shall be ten miles from our Home tent - I hope I shall get some letters by this mail which is due this week - Well we are getting on as well as can be expected in such a rough country & I do hope we shall get through by New Year G [George?] Whitehead (cousin of G Stewarts first wife) was lost in the woods coming home from work one day lately - so Rolly & I set off to look for him - we took lantearn [lantern?] as it was very dark in the woods & he might see the light - we took a gun too - After hunting for him over some miles of forest & for some hours, we found him about 8.30 Oclock [o'clock?] & brought him home, he got astray off the path that we go to & from our work & could not again find it in the darkness which comes on here very quickly & very early in the evening Very fortunately we went near enough to him to be heard when we shouted to him & he answered us each time, but could not tell for some time where we were for the echoe's [echoes?] were so clear in every direction amongst the hills We are now getting into quite a different kind of country - we came across some rocks yesterday which shows that we are near the mountains, & when we were crossing a small prairie we could see the mountains in the distance - It is nearly 20 miles from here, but we shall be working within 14 miles of them soon There are hundreds of little lakes all over these townships - some of them are very marshy about the shores others have steep banks with gravelly shores & clear water & look lovely but sad & lonely - the partridges & ducks are very plenty - but we never have time for shooting any tho'[although?] they would be a treat to us from constant pork p[?] - I must now go off & help to look for pony as the man cannot find him so good bye for this time Camp No 6 Oct 17 /79 dearest mother you must excuse a short letter this time & likewise to have it written with a pencil - when I tell you the reason - I went down on the boundry [boundary?] survey as I told you with my party in my last letter - but we were longer than we expected & we did not get back till tuesday - I forgot to take writing materials with me - so that we spent Sunday in the most idle manner - as I always write on Sunday - but we had our letters to read which Walter brought to us. I was most delighted to get so many & to hear all the good news by them especially that you were all well at home & that Anna & her little son whose arrival took place two months after I left were well I trust all her others were well too I wish I had time to write a longer letter, but we are sending down tomorrow to the House for provisions & I must send this too - We hope to move again on Monday the 20th - when I returned to Head quarters the other day I found a tremendous bundle of news papers all the long lost ones as well as some later ones We were all amused at my letters which you had published in the Peterboro [Petersborough Review?] I have no objection as you did not put in any House parts - I got altogether 13 letters my share this time there was a bushel bag full of newspapers & letters for one Camp party so you may be sure we had a feast that day - If you could only see me now you would have a good laugh - I am again out on the boundry [boundary?] line with my party working I am now standing writing with my note book for table & desk while waiting for the boys to cut down a tree - but it is the only way I can get a letter written to send to you by tomorrow - I do so enjoy your letters so full of home news - In the "bushel bag" there were some English papers and some magazines which Dr Dashwood sent me - was it not kind of him - we are getting on now as well as can be expected, the weather is very showery & we always get wet through before night I hope the settled weather will soon set in - as this constant wet is very unpleasent We are going to get some Indians to help to chop if we can, so that the work will go on faster - Mr Andy went to Shoal Lake P O [Post Office?] the other day for his letters & thought that he would look for some of our missing letters &c & there sure enough he found all those which we got Shoal Lake P.O. our only P.O. [Post Office?] is 40 miles from here - they are very careless there - I am very sorry to say that we have lost our good little pony & we miss him very much as all messengers have to go on foot- Mr Andy is very kind & says he will now send our provisions by his Indians - The first load arrived last Saturday - & we were in great need of some we had been quite reduced to [have?] one meal that day - our supplies had but arrived at "The House" when the messenger went there so had to wait till next day - that day we had to leave off work earlier than usual from hunger - & started for camp hoping to see supper ready - but great was our disappointment to see that there was not even a crust of bread to eat We warmed ourselves & made our good fires & lit our pipes for a smoke before turning in for the night - we were all sitting in thoughtful moods when about 8.30 oclock we heard great tramping & shouting coming through the woods & up came 4 horses loaded with food & lead [led?] by as many Indians - so then a lively time for a while some making cakes some frying pork others making tea & getting all ready for a good meal - we shall not be on short commons again for a while - as another supply is to come next week - I do not know what we should do without Mr Andy he is so kind and thoughtful - There will be nothing in this letter for you to publish - I fear it is both uninteresting & hard to read being written in pencil & having to give my attention so much to the work - The boys are ahead of the Instrument & I have to keep my eyes on them while they are chopping to keep them on the line - so this is all for this time &c T H [Hay?] Camp No 7 Oct 28 /79 I am very glad of an opportunity today of writing to you to answer & thank you for all your kind letters which came by last mail - We had a splendid snow storm last night today it has turned to rain & as the line we are now working is a long way from camp & over an exceedingly rough part of the country part of the township - we thought should have a holiday today, which will enable us to answer some of over due letters written & the remains of our clothes patched together to face the northwester once more we have had some pretty severe frost - at nights - the days untill [until?] today have been delightful Indian summer weather we have had one or two nights of frost which were as low as 12 degrees above zero & the following morning the marshes bore us on the ice - till the sun had got up high But this half & half weather is disagreeable for the ice is not quite strong enough & the water is far from sultry I can assure you - but we must expect this state of affairs untill [until?] the weather actually changes for the season and then we shall have it severe enough I dare say we have rattled through most of this our 2d [second?] township at a good rate because there is a good deal of level land with patches of prairie, we have been very much decieved [deceived?] in the extent of one of the principle lakes which enters our townships - I must say tho' [though?] that it will materially shorten our work although it will necessitate our moving back westwards to our old camp No 6 for untill [until?] the ice forms strong enough on the lakes we can make no possible use of them, as we have no canoes or boats of any discription [description] nor can any be had in these parts - we cannot even build a decent raft either for the timber is all poplar and spruce - the former so heavy that it will scarcelly [scarcely?] float its own weight & the other is so hard to cut, and so full of knots as to make it impracticable in its green state - we have however at different times wattled small rafts to hold one or two persons, from dead dry timber but their floating qualities are as precarious as Railway [bonds?] and their speed far too slow to please our progression party so that we have put off our [lake?] lines till the ice forms - Another benefit to be derived from the frost is that our shoulders & backs will be much relieved at our moving times by using "Junipers" (a light sliegh) [sleigh?] instead carrying all our weary backs for miles through woods we have not seen any moose deer yet, tho'[although?] we often see their tracks quite fresh about the marshes so that they cannot be very far off They are very timid creatures & are said to have such a keen sense of hearing that they can distinguish the difference between the sound of a branch broken by a human being or from a wolf or that broken by the wind - we make such a constant noise shouting and chopping that they must hear us for miles - I have often heard of the clearness of the atmosphere out here -but nothing can equal it as we find by experience - when our two parties are working (often at a distance of two miles between) we can hear the voices & the axes going as distinctly as if but a few yards intervened, and it becomes a nuisance sometimes for the signals given by one party are often mistaken for the other The sunsets too are maginficent [magnificent?] nothing can equal the variety of brillant colours, which when the sun happens to set in a bank of clouds sends its ray almost to the zenith & the different belts of clouds shaded from violet to the deepest red The days are getting very short, the sun does not rise till 6.45 and it sets at 4.45 so that when we have long walks to and from our work, we have only a few hours to work during the day - we rise at 4 every morning & breakfast at 5 off to work at 6 AM & home at 6 PM and we are safly [safely?] in bed at 7.30 Saturday evening is always our concert night and on that occasion we never retire before 9 all the songs we ever knew are raked up & given forth to the breeze - the more humorous members of the orchestra accompanying on tin pans - our only audience consists in an occasional owl or two who usually roost near us & add their mournful "Hoot! Hoot!" by way of applause to the end of each verse - we have appointed G Whitehead our meteorological observer & he has been dubbed "Professor," his duties are to make notes of the reading of the thermometer 3 times a day & to note every change in the weather I must say that his terms for different subjects are rather unscientific & his reports where published - his venerable chief Prof. [Professor?] Kingston will be amazed when he reads the extravegent [extravagant?] production [our?] stock of newspapers has assumed enormous dimensions - which during the first few weeks after arriving here would have been a great boon to us - we then longed for news from the world of the war & various other subjects & how the first bundle was devoured, would have delighted the heart of our editor to any extent could he have seen it we may safly [safely?] say I think that the worst of our work is over, (unless the cold when it really sets in is very great) and every move will bring us near to civilization - After all we cannot go home & say that we never enjoyed ourselves out here, for in spite of hard tack & sometimes short rations we often make the woods ring with a good hearty laugh, very often be is said however at some ones expence [expense?] I think that the air here has a very beneficial effect on ones spirits as well as constitution, of course I now speak of the present time, for when the flies & other torments were in season they sorely tried the patience of the meekest & most placid temper I may add as an instance of the extremely salubrious climate, that the flies were out for a short time a few days ago after severe frost the night before - we see the reflection in the sky almost every night of the enormous prairie fires raging south & west of us - we have several times had slight experience of them near us - but the [?] are so small that they burn off in a few minutes I can easily understand tho' [though?] the dangers of a person trying to escape from one of these dreadful fires his chances on horse back would even be very small, for the fire travels with the wind at a tremendous rate - since the flies have gone & the nights become cool we have been camping in the woods - There are some beautiful little groves here of spruce with small openings here & there just large enough for our four tents & fires - these openings are surrounded by a perfect barricade of spruce so thick as to be impassable untill [until?] a path has been cut through they make such good shelter for our camp & just now with good fires they answer nearly as well as tents when calm The lake we struck our Maridian [meridian?] lines is the most beautiful sheet of water I ever saw - it is perfectly free from marsh or weeds & had a wide sandy beach & all the shores are formed of abrupt spurs of hills - thickly covered with tall straight spruce of the darkest green a great feeling of loneliness comes over us, when we stand looking out on the deep calm blue sheet of water where there is not the least sign of life except a few gulls & herons dipping up & down in the water This lake is about six miles long by three broad & is known by the Indian name of "waw-say-gumee-saw-gigum" which when interpreted to English means "Clear Water Lake" There is another lake in the south eastern township of this block about the same size it has a longer name still so long that we call it Long lake for shortness We are all looking forward to our homeward trip & in our total ignorance of winter affairs in this country we have all sorts of sickness It will be a tramp of more than 200 miles from where we shall leave off work into Winniepeg [Winnipeg?] But if we can only get our luggage carried for us we can easily carry ourselves if the snow will not be very deep & the track will [?] - we should make at least 30 miles a day - in which case we shall require no guide for they say all we shall have to do is to stick to the main trails - Sunday Nov 2d Thermometer down to zero the last two nights (you wont have that to say) ice fast forming on lakes & marshes we have not had the usual length of Indian summer weather belonging to this country - there is at present four inches of snow on the ground which for travelling & wearing moccasins You need not dear mother feel frightened about the Indians for they are not at all troublesome here it is only away West near Battleford that they are giving trouble, here they have enough to eat & there seems to be no scarcity for they never grumble my letters often end very abruptly as I have many interruptions & some one goes off to the House in a hurry now I am sitting close by the fire keeping the ink bottle in the hot ashes to keep it thawed while I am writing - Nov 5th have to finish up in a hurry good bye- No 8 Camp Wednesday Nov 19th 1879 I do hope you are all well at home dearest mother - It is so long between the times we get letters Today uncle G [George?] & I have a holiday because there is nothing for us to do - but all the rest are out correcting some lines at my last camp which we had to leave - we moved here on Saturday last our last camp was on the north side of Clear Lake - now we are on the south side of it just on the shore in a lovely grove - all the lakes here are now hard fBrozen & we were all working all yesterday on them - we are looking forward to getting finished up about New Year but it may be longer The Therm [thermometer?] has been about zero every night for a long time & even in the day time it does not get much higher It is very cold writing today & my attention is divided between trying to warm my fingers & keep up a fire as the wind is high today & blows the smoke into the tent & as the ink is all gone I have to take the pencils in writing - The last two Sundays I have not been able to write atall [at all?] because when all are in tent it is very hard to get a place to sit comfortably near enough to the fire to keep warm - during the great heat you speak of having in the middle of Oct [October?] seems strange to us here where there is about 12 inches deep of ice on the lakes I may say we have had winter since the middle of Oct [October?]- we have plenty of snow now - It would amuse you to see our wardrobes now - they are sadly in want of female skill & this just reminds me that I have some socks to mend today - How we talk & plan every day now about our going home which I do hope will be in about six weeks and then good bye to the great N.W.T. [North West Territories?] for me I have a great many stories and adventures which if I told you now you would only fret about us & I should have nothing to talk about when I get home Our kind friend Mr Andy sent us a present of nice fresh vegetables from his own garden - they were a great treat I can assure you - but did not last long amongst so many - The first we have seen since the middle of July - All this township is composed of prairies & lakes except a small strip on the west side, so that we shall be able to do twice as much in a day as we did before - Oh how we long for home This is really a most beautiful part of the country - but every thing is lonely looking no signs of life except the tracks of wolves & foxes & a few besides - we feel most thankful for the good shelter these nice groves give us from the high wind - & the wood makes splendid fire wood - we are now with the limits of the old Indian tracts we can now get our provisions brought up to camp by dog trains we are only 16 miles from Mr Andys house now & his Indians bring all our stores up now on toboggans drawn by dogs or horses - We have never found our poor pony yet we can also now move camp more easily on toboggans which we draw by hand across the lakes & prairies & do it all in one day when it used to take us 3 days when we had all to carry on our backs through the woods - every thing looks more cheerful now like the end of a war - and above all our prospects of soon getting home keeps us all in good spirits - When we look back on our hard times we feel thankful that they are over, but so far they have not done us any harm, but a great deal of good for this kind of work knocks all the childishness & selfishness & conceit out of us - we got a new man about 3 weeks ago he is a splendid fellow to work & never grumbles at any thing he sleeps in a little tent by himself, but otherwise we treat him as one of ourselves as he is alone - The other two turned out failures long ago any one who shows any fears of work or danger has a pretty hard time of it in this crowd & they both showed the white feather before they had been long with us - Friday night Walter & Rolly are going down tomorrow to " The House" I hope they will bring us lots of letters they will also take this for the post - so I must say good bye now For the last two nights the Therm [thermometer?] has been 13 & 14 below zero - rather low for November you will say Camp No 8 Wednesday evening November 28th/79 I hear there will be a chance of sending this to the P.O. [Post Office?] so shall write you a few lines - you may be certain that I was delighted to get your three kind letters & Anna's with Charlie's I shall only have time to write to you now - for we are very much pressed for time now the days are so short & I am writing by fire light which is bad for pencil work - I could not write on Sunday - as I was laid up on Sunday & for several other days from Neuralgia - I was obliged to go to work with my head wrapped up in flannel I am now all right again - After you get this I do not think you need write any more as it takes this a a month to reach you & your answer the same time to come here & we hope to be out of this country by that time if we go on as we are now - We intend to give Mr Andy a grand [concert?] on our way down - & have the programme arranged already, & when we [are?] sitting around the fire at night we practice our songs - our axes [?] tomorrow & will take this letter down so I must say good bye with much love to all - Poor fellows their disappointment has been great not getting their work finished [?] in the winter - My hands suffered much from frost bite since these pages were written - This is the 15th of March & they are not home yet, we feel very anxious about them poor poor fellows Rolly Brown wrote on Jany [January?] 21st he had his feet badly frozen the day before - I hope this week will bring us news of their soon coming home - I hope dear uncle that you & all are well with much love ever your affect [affectionate?] niece Anna Hay |
