| Title: | Tom Hay, Winnipeg, to Rev. George Kirkpatrick, Co Antrim. |
|---|---|
| ID | 1379 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Hay, Tom/16 |
| Year | 1879 |
| Sender | Hay, Tom |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | manual worker |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada |
| Destination | Craigs, Co. Antrim, N.Ireland |
| Recipient | Rev. George Kirkpatrick |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | nephew-uncle |
| Source | D1424/11/4A: Purchased From Mr. John A. Gamble, 44 Taunton Avenue, Belfast 15, July 5 1879.#TYPE EMG Letter From Tom Hay at Winnipeg, Canada, to Rev.[Reverend?] George Kirkpatrick, Hazelbank, Craigs, County Antrim, Ireland, July 15 1879. |
| Archive | Public Record Office N. Ireland. |
| Doc. No. | 9004008 |
| Date | 15/07/1879 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | 11:05:1990 SS created 05:11:1990 CD input 05:11:19 |
| Word Count | 2548 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Extracts from Tom Hays letters Winnipeg July 5 1879 Leaving home of Monday June 30 at 4.30 PM - we get on wonderfully tho' [though?] the cars were always much crowded and no sleeping cars as there is a continued stream of people pouring into this country - we arrived at St Pauls [St Paul?] Minn [Minnesota?] on 12th when we had a delay of a few hours - then took the cars again & had a terrific storm for some hours - But most fortunately we left St Pauls [St Paul?] when we did as the storm came of then with great violence - houses were blown down & trees uprooted - railroads washed out & thirty people killed & wounded - the trains were delayed for two days there owing to the floods - We had such a time getting across from St Boniface to this city as we left the trains then & took the ferry boat across here & had great difficulty in the crossing But here we are safe - & have had a great many visitors at camp - of people who came here some years ago from Peterboro [Peterborough?] - All glad to meet us We are camped close to the walls of Fort Garry There are dozens of camps all round & a great many coming & going every hour Hundreds of half breeds with their carts in long strings pass back & forwards It is great fun watching them, they are such funny looking old chaps - A nephew of Sitting Bull called yesterday to see us in all his paint & feathers - he is a very handsome tall man, his name is Wild Elk he is the most important cheif [chief?] in this part of the country, yesterday as soon as we had got our tents pitched we took a walk up to town & the first person I met whom I had known at home was F Blackwell wheeling her baby in a perambulater [perambulator?] along the side walk - she knew me ever so far off - I did not know her untill [until?] about 20 yards off - two years since she came here (she was F O'Beine) she has a splendid baby the picture of health we walked on a short distance & met uncle George & Uncle Henry - (the latter came in to Winniepeg [Winnipeg?] on his own business not expecting to see us) He came to camp with us - & he & I moved his camp down beside us as when he comes to Winniepeg [Winnipeg?] he always brings his tent - & camps out being so much cheaper than going to the Hotel - he lives 35 miles west of Winniepeg [Winnipeg?] - next morning uncle Henry left us - about 10 o'clock for home - we gave him party & three hearty cheers - From so much rain this year the roads are in a dreadful state we are to go up the Assiniboine River on tuesday or Wednesday in the steamboat we had great fun a few minutes ago watching some half breeds - there were four of them with a jar of whiskey & in a short time they all got drunk & began fighting (which part we did not admire) tho' [though?] they did not trust each other much - but make a great noise untill [until?] some of the volenteers [volunteers?] came out of the Fort & separated them - This is a pretty place, & very busy some fine shops & things not much dearer than in Peterboro [Peterborough?] many of the buildings are as good as any where in Canada Portage La Prairie friday July 11th We began to take down our tents & pack up on tuesday noon the 8th to leave Winniepeg [Winnipeg?] & at 6 P.M. took our goods & tents on board the Steam it was raining very hard all the time - when we got on board it seemed crowded with surveying parties & emigrants - & they were still loading on - the boat is larger than those [river?] in Peterboro [Peterborough?] & a different shape being nearly square at both ends & has a large paddle wheel at the stern of the boat - It is perfectly flat bottomed like a scow, on the lower deck which is only 2 feet above the water the engine & boiler are placed - Before leaving we took on the lower deck 39 horses & 12 oxen a large quantity of lumber - Then on the main was the saloon taking up a third of the length of the boat, in the middle of the boat every inch of space was taken up with passengers & luggage & on the upper or [hurricane?] deck there were 21 carts & 3 buggies - It was after 2 o clock A M before we got started - we put in a dreadful 25 hours on board - There not being room to move than sit down on deck or any where & we were all very thirsty all the time & had to drink the river water - but thank God nothing happened to us - during the nights some of the horses & cattle broke loose & jumbed [jumped?] over board & the boat was stopped & about 20 men of the crew (there being 35) set off to hunt them - they were more than an hour hunting over the prairie before they captured them - All the live stock belonged to Mr M Smith on the C-P. [Central Pacific?] Railroad surveying party, who were all on board - and [?] going to Fort [Ellin?] The mosquitoes were dreadfully hungry all the way up - we spent a most miserable & uncomfortable day all wednesday & landed on thursday morning at 3.30 - As we did not know where we were to go, we camped on the landing till afternoon - Mr Thompsons party camped beside us. They are going to survey the next block of townships to ours & after all our discomforts coming up the river, we are nothing the worse for it & were very glad to get ashore - although the distance was only 120 miles by water it took us so long to go that distance as we could only go 4 3/4 miles an hour - being up stream all the way & the current very swift & such a load - The water is very dirty and muddy - Uncle G [George?] is to buy his six months supply of provisions from the Hudsons Bay Company - & they are to supply our horses & carts from h[ere?] - In the afternoon Uncle G [George?] went up to the village about 2 1/2 miles from the landing & came back in an hour or two leading an Indian pony which he had bought for himself to ride on to save his lame leg going over the prairie to our destination - as his leg swells from walking where it was broken some years ago - In a few minutes a wagon came down to move us up to the village of Portage La Prairie 25 miles west of Uncle Henry's place - We are now camped once more on the prairie - Last night we spent a comfortable night & had some good rest which we all were in need of - There were hundreds of Indian wigwams all round us & hundreds of cattle & horses belonging to them roving round - The Indians make a circle of their carts all round each encampment & have a merry time all night - There are a great many half breeds amongst them & it is hard to tell the difference only that the Indians are more painted up & dressed out with feathers - they seem very quiet & take little or no notice of us except last evening we had some rifle practice & they came over to look at us - & grinned with delight every time any one made a good shot - all night their horses kept running through our fires & smoke to keep off the mosquitoes We hope to travel on tomorrow & think it will take us about 10 days to reach the Riding Mountains as it is about 138 miles from here - We have engaged the services of a first rate guide his name is Hill his father was a clergyman & lived near Peterboro [Peterborough?] many many years ago - we have had some rain every day since we left home - we dont mind it so much now as we are used to it altogether we are very comfortable considering that none of us have ever been in this country before I must put up this for the post I fear we shall not meet with another post office for a long time good bye for the present second letter from the Little Saskatchewan July 20th having written a post card from Rat Creek 8 miles from the Portage on leaving Portage La Prairie we were at work at 5 A M packing our tents &c - our guide gave the charge of our Instruments to [us?] having a buggie to take them in less rough than the carts - When leaving the Portage we started on he said he wished to get some things for himself & h[?] overtake us at Rat Creek or before it - He not appearing - When we arrived & after waiting till the afternoon - Uncle G [George?] Sent one of the young Men back on horse back to look for him - He went the Whole way back to the Portage & there he found Master Guide drunk & sleeping in the stable & his horse & buggie Standing on the road all our instruments & a few small things besides so Eddie [Snider?] woke him up & made drive like f[?] he came across the prairie at full gallop through bog holes & all as fast as his horse could go with Eddie galloping after him - When they arrived it was too late to move on that evening - fortunately nothing was the worse of the rough ride Next morning we were early on the road again - & our guide when sober turned out one of the best men we could have got for the purpose He is a Scotch halfbreed we have ever since been most thankful that we got him - All Wednesday the road was very monotonous & uninteresting beeing [being?] a succession of flat prairies with a deep bog hole every few yards where all hands had to push the carts & once we upset in the middle of a horried [horrid?] hole up to our waists in mud, fortunately the mud was too thick to penetrate into our baggage very deeply - but everything on the outside of the packs was thickly coated - Then we got into another place where the carts stuck fast & the horses in tugging at it broke the harness all to pieces - but by pushing hard we got through with out [without?] the help of the horse & it was late we had done 24 miles that day - So we camped for the night Next day we went across a range of hills for a change - but the roads were worse - for there being some pretty thick woods & the sun had not a chance of drying up as quickly there - These hills were about 20 miles through & we camped beside a beautiful little creek called Pine Creek - the water the best we tasted since leaving home - Here our Cook whom we got at the [Portage?] st[ruck?] & would not go any further so Rolly Brown had to fall to & Make some bread Since then Ed. [Edward?] Brown & Walter Stewart have each taken time about as cook so much for thursday - Friday morning it rained very hard all day - but we started off at 10 A M camping at night at Boggie Creek (well named) having only made 15 miles that day - yesterday morning we tried a new place of starting off a[t?] 5 A.M. making 7 miles before breakfast then resting for about 2 hours then on again 8 miles and dinner - & another rest & on again 7 miles further & then pitched our tents beside a pond on the wide prairie & this morning Sunday 20th we left Camp a little before 5 & made the Little Saskatchewan at 8 o clock 8 miles before breakfast it was after 9 before our bread was baked as we could not bake much yesterday owing to the rain. After breakfast we went for a good wash & here we shall spend the rest of the day. We have plenty of good water & wood which we cant say of every place we camp at heer [here?] It takes an hour or more to get started in the morning for our guide has to go and catch his horses as they sometimes stray a long way from camp & we have a lot of packing to do We see dozens of trains of horses & carts going single file along the road Traders and settlers all going west The traders how ever return as soon as they get a load & they camp every few miles along the road & they take things pretty easily - they sometimes have 30 or 40 carts & dozens of loose horses & cattle following them - A train of this kind went west the other day 400 carts in it all bound for this part of the country - There is really nothing to show where they settle except once Be in a while a house & plowed [ploughed?] field or a field of wheat few and far between - What is called a settlement here reaches over miles of land in this way - We are at present encamped on a beautiful bend of the river beside a house which is a farm house, hotel & post office & several other necessary institutions combined. There is a beautiful range of hills on each side of the river & the broad valley between looks very pretty The river is small but very rapid & winds in & out through the hills - the post office arrangements here are very precarious as they send the mail down by any chance they can get with any responsible person who happens to come along There is a man going to Winnipeg tomorrow who will take our letter yesterday or [we?] meet [met?] a man on an ox waggon [wagon?] carrying the mail bags he was to take it as far as he went & give it to someone else to do likewise - we are to be off early tomorrow again - Please excuse my writing more at present as my hands are stiff - I shall leave the next letter for another time - I hope these travels in the Far [?] Land may interest you all. |
