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CAI.r,AHAN, TJOOK A.\J) JOB I'RINTKK ir-, ST JOHN 3Tnr.ET. 187:.. ^ :.•«•*•■' ••'«^ ; PREFAC E, ■ < » ■ ' The oiul purposed by tlio Auilior in pnblishiiiir ilioso notos on the subjoct of a Toyim-o to tho pxtr(Mno north is, (1st) To thank those charitable persons who have furnished her with means for undertakino- such a journey — leavinir at her disposal other resources, and enablinain vras intense when I looked around and beheld these loved sisters about to b'd adieu, a last farewell, I may add, to idl they cherish as most dear below — the mother house. — cradle of their reliirious infancy, — wherein rest the precious remains of their vener- ated Foundress, and beibre which they have knelt in earnost supplication, craving a long, parting benediction. Tl,e hope of returning at the expiration of two years, served to lighten the great sacrilice 1 would otherwise have been compelled to endure ; such hope, alas ! found no resting spot in the hearts of my companions — exile for them con- tained a mighty meaning, — it was the severing of the strongest ties,— the tearing assunder of the lirmlv linked (J frit'iKlship, — in a word it iiu'iint the dissolution of all most sacred bonds nuitinL^ soul to soul on earth. A i'ew short hours and wo aro carried lar away by the rapidity of a locomotive, which, without the sliyhest respect lor our heart-breaidn^' remembrances, hurries us aloni^ towards our adopted home; then, oh! then do«'s the weight ol' her sacrilice Tall on the heart ol' the Missionary Nun, who has so lately sent up to heaven the immolation of nature's feeling's — those Teelinu's becrominj^' now doubly intense as thus she finds herseli' hurriedly driven from her native country wherein such ha])jiy n'miniscences have been g*ath(>red. On the llith we arrived at f^aint Boniface: joyous and cortlial was our reception, and open the arms to em- brace and welcome us al'tei' thirty years' separation. VICARIAL HOUSE. In this house are practised the same works as in the mother housi; in Montreal ; further, it sustains a boarding- school, which the sisters have been obliij'ed to open tem- porarily in consequence of the want of Keligious specially devoted to teaching-, ^Several younq;' ladies belonging to our iirst families have herein been educated ; while I am fully convinced they have no cause whatever to excite them to envy our ladies of Canada; judging from their langua'-'c and manners, I feel assured that their education has been thorougli ajid complete in every respect. Admitted into the first society, they are an honor to their religion and country ; they prove an examph^ to their friends, procure the happiness of their husbands, and bring up their children in a Christian manner. Several of these young ladies have consecrated their lives to God by embracing the religious order, and are to-day teaching their young compatriots what they themselves have been taught in days past. Our sisters commenced this mission in 1844, having since that time opened three houses on the same principle, ever practising the same meritorious works : one at tSaint Xorbert, another at Saint Vital, and the third at Saint Franciw Xavior ; this latter, although Init six loaj^nos distant iVom k*^aiiit B()iii]ac(\ is ncvorthcioss no rurtlu^r advanced in civili- zation than are our lar-ofT missions of l^aint Albert and Isl(» ilia CroHse, seeing that the natives, like those of the missions just mentioned, spend the greater ]>art ol' the year on tlu^ prairie hunting buliulo, and accompanied by tlu'ir children. Now, under these circumstj'uc 's, ii'the Sisters had sulhcieiit reBourccs, num])ers of children, in the absence ol' their parents, miuht be cared Tor ; they would gladly take Uie entire charge of these little ones, and by this means civilize and instruct tlunn. Here I must not forget to mention how edilied and consoled I felt at Saint Boniface to see our Bist(»rs day and night lull of zeal and fervor at the bedside of thi' sick, poor and rich, without distinction of religion or nation, gather- ing around them many little orphans abandoned and left su(;h by the hand of death. In 1S71, when I passed through this Province for the lirst time, 1 saw, to tlu^ great satisfac- tion of the Bishop and several families establishisd in the district, that our Sisters proved the consolation to the in- habitants, — visiting them in distress and sickness, comfort- ing and assistintr them in i)overty and trouble — consoling and cheering })risoners — the (lovernment even beseechinu" them to survey its ranks in order to vaccinate those re(|uir- ing it. 31ISSI0NS OF ISLE A LA CROSSE, LAC LABICIIE AND ST. ALBERT. The mission at St. Albert was founded the 19th Sept., 18r>8, by Bishop Grandin ; two yi'ars later, 4th June, 18(jf>, his Grace Archbishop Tacho opened the hospital of Saint Bruno at Isle a la Crosse ; this latter is at present under the control of Bishop Grandin. To this place I made my lirst visit. After having remained a month at Saint BoJii- face, I left the 16th of June, arriving at Isle a la Crosse the 26th of the following August. You will easilv understand why it took so long to travel this distance when you are made aware of the fact that no railroad has yet penetrated this fiir-oT ioti-i»in, — tliut Inivclliii'j^ must 1 o done on foot or in carts drivon by oxen. I was ffrcatly relieved at seeing the amount ol' «j:ood wrouuflit by our Sisters at tliis mission ; eonsideraldo indeed wli'-n we rellect on the tliousand ol)- stacles to be surmounted ; aii'ain, on the other hand, very liltle compared to wliat yt-t remains undone, for \vaut of funds to carry out thoir desiiras. At Isle i\ la Crosse we possess a school. The building in nppeaianct' is very simpic but doubly ejihanced by the b:-illiant success which it has achieved. AVould to Uod that th ' schools of tlie other missions atlbrded equal amount of satislaction. The indillercnee of the natives to all that tends towards education is sucli, that tlie schools in question are but si; ';tly eucouraLi'id ; h"U<-e they appear to lani^'uish in a luoM miserable state. N-v-Mtheless, the hall-breed seem to be more alive to the yood results of refined teaching", thus iuspirinii' us with the hope that the classes will be more re'^^'ularly followed, and success more visible. In visitiiii)* these dili'eri-iit missions, I met with tribes of Crees and Montai^nniaca, by whom scarcely a word is imderstood in any lamznaLiv but their native one ; this it is which rendeis llii» education of their children so very diflicult : however hard and painful, our Sisters have never- theless undertaken t]i<' ta k, while between lilty and sixty children frtMpient their ditrereiit schools. I have beheld with the utmost satislaction the vast amount of good done by the nuns in the fniiniuL:- and instruction of the young. 1 have also been o-really con.-oled to lind that the devoted attention and zeal of our sood Sisters, cause them to desire to do even more good, liad they wherewith to further their object. lieside the schools we have just spoken of, our sisters adopt orphans ol" both sexes, according as their means per- mit, bestowinu' on them tlie s;ime advantages of education as those enjoved bv thi^ dav scholars. I have seen some of these youmr Iiulian children thus adopU'd l)ecome, in later years, excellent mothers of iamilies, living* and bringing up their children with equally as much care and solicitude as do our mothers of families in Canada, neglecting nothing in I 9 reirard to civilization nnd n>lij;^ion. Need I add what im- iiic'iiso plcasiirt' 1 cxpt'riciu'od wliilo convcrNiii'^ with .sev- eral of ihi'.st' Indian mothers, now so ihoroui;'hly trained and liappy. Nevertheless, my joy on these occasions was Nonu'what mini^'led with I'eelini^s ol' sadness, to know and to think that on the other hand so very many others were deprived ol" all these advantai^es in conse(|uen('e oi' the scanty resources within our JSisters' reach — numberless little ones, who never will receive instruction, or heconu' civil- ized, livini? as beinu's without reason, i'ion, — they exist and die without the knowled^'c oi' the existence oi' God. While speakinu' ol' the (^-reat amount oi' u'ood done in these i'ar-oil' missions, I must not i'orijet to relate the i'ollowini^ i'act. Some weeks belore my arrival at Saint Allx'rt, a brave half-breed having* been ])adly wounded by the explosion of his ii'un — two Ijullets enterinn- his side — the poor unfortunate was taken to the Fort, four days' Journey on foot. Here not iindinjj^ anyone al)le to attend to his wounds and extract the balls, he asked to be carried to the mission at Saint Albert, hop- ing that the Sisters mi^'ht save his life, knowint>' at the same time that inllamation iiiight set in at any moment, and cau^e death. They lost no time in placing* him on a sledgv, and having arrived at his destination, our Sisters bestowed on him every possible care and attention, one among whom was an excellent surgeon, " though herself ignorant of the fact," having made no special study, except that of her every-day experien<'e, managed to extract the two bullets, and succeeded so w<41 in her interprise, that at the end of a few weeks our ]K)or friend found himself so fur recovered as to be abli' to return to Saint Boniface. J^M)ple from the Fort, as well as the Indians and half-breeds, ilock around this kind Sister with every assuranc(» that she possess(\s i.ie art of curing them, without saying anything of her wonder- ful skill as a dentist. Once again all this serves as a proof that God. to ellect his ends, frequently makes use of the rncst feeble instruments. Our sisters of these missions visit I'rom house to house, take charge of the sick, also take under their protection 10 SLgod pcoplo. of both soxos, and all this m proportion as thoir limitt'd means allow. The Hie they lead is irequently rough and painful, witliout alluding' to the loneliness they must necessarily suUer ; they are oftentimes obliged to undertake work much beyond their strc^ngth, — laboring in the fields, digging their own gardens, doing washing for tliemselves as well as for their sick and iniirm. Notwith- standing this isolation and misery, I have found them happy and content, even in the midst of such numberless deprivations. They appear to acknowledge but one regret, that of not being able to do all the good they would wish in consequence of their scanty resources, ORPHAN ASYLUMS. Here I wish to draw the attention of my readers to the above mentioned — through tliem as tln^ir most powerfid means do our Sisters produce wonderful results. Such good results indeed, as would remain permanent did kind Provi- dt'nce furnish them with money sullicient to help them on in their undertakinu'. Notwithstanding their extreme pov- erty and numerous demands from every side, the vast amount of charity wrought through these institutions is almost sttrprising. Could they be attgmented and strength- ened, then would I gladly answer for their futttre prosper- otis career. The mission at Saint .-Vlbert is lllled with Indian children, Cris, Blackfoot, Assiniboines ; at Isle a la Crosse, with Cris and Montagnais. Little children thus trained with the half-breed, lose to a great extent what would otherwise remain of the wild savage. They speak a civilized lan- guage ; know how to read and .vrite when grown up. in- stead of si)ent'ing their lives like the untrained savage in the woods or prairies. They marry with the half-breed and remain as civilized creatures. At Saint Albert the small- pox had spread fearfiU ellects among the Indians, There are at the asylitm many who are lame and blind, who woitld not consequently b(^ tolerated elsewhere than with the Sisters of Charity, Man^ children have been torn from tho 11 arms of, I may say, what appeared inevitable death, broui^ht to the asylum, and rescued from want. In later years, these same children have become excellent members of society and g'ood Christians in every sense of the word. Many others could receive the same advantages, and par- take of these inestimable privileg'es, had we space to admit the.L;i all, but in our prc^sent impossibility we must content ourselves by accepting those whom the hand of death has classed among the destitute orphan. Oh ! would to God that we could atibrd them each a shelter. Every day new applications are made ; notwithstanding their earn- estness, we ar(» o})liged to send a refusal. We are at present absolutely unabled to receive any but those suMering from the keenest pangs of misery ; such, for example, as a little Indian boy, whom they attempted to bury with his mother's corpse. Another, our Sisters refused admittance for want of room and clothes to dress him : his uncle, however, insisted, and remarked to the Superior, " If you do not wish to keep him, throw him out; I will have nothing further to do with him." A young Indian boy, after having seen his lather, mother, brothers, and all the family depart this life in his presence, remained in the midst of these dead bodies, although the poisoned air was choking him, until he was frightened into the woods by the howling of dogs, who were disputing over the remains of the unfortunate parents. This young child lived alone for twenty days, having nothing to eat but the wild fruit he might pick up in the woods ; at last he was met by sonn; Indians, who took charge of him until they came across a missionary, whom they obliged to accept the unprotected boy. This poor child still remembers his many hardshij)s, and relates his tale of woe with such visible innocence as to bring forth a tear from many a listener's eye. The small-pox, during its fearful ravages, made many a destitute orphan among the Indians. A father and mother having died, left two young children sick in the house. The missionary who took charge of them was frequently obliged to be absent, having so many others depending ou his care. These two children, as soon as they could F 12 walk, found moans of escaping during tho absonce of Iheir charital)le friend, to seek their parents, whom they hoped to (ind in the camp. They were immediately repulsed by the remaining friends, who feared contracting the disease. These little ones returned to the missionary and besought him for shelter, saying, " Father, what will become of us since everyone casts us off V " The good Father, touched by this child-like appeal, took char.ge of them, and afterwards confided them to the care of the sisters. One of the nuns, travelling from Lac Labiche to Saint Albert, found at Lac la Selle a poor little girl whose great misery touched her even to tears. IL^r father had been received by the Rev. Missionary Father, but she requiring maternal care, could not enjoy the same privil<\ge. The Indians wishing to be relieved of their charge at any cost, and iinding no other means of so doing, treated her with such cruelty as to almost produce insanity. The Sisters already aware that the house was full, could not think of giving her shel- ter, but the unfortunate young victim pleaded her ease so well, that the Superior at last succeeded in finding room for her together with a young brother. The Sisters per- ceiving her face and arms covered, with blisters, asked the cause. It appears the hidians w^ whom she was stop- ping, in order to get her away, had thus disligured and ill-treated her, inilictinLT punishment in the most cruel manner. This ill-treatment would certainly have been sullicient to weaken the child's intelligence ; nevertheless young and little as she was, she shewed great facility in learning to read and write, and has relieved the nuns of all appreiiension that she will grow up an idiot. Here I must cjontent myself by the recital of these facts, for were I to continue, I might give the history, more or less interestinu', of each young inmate of our Institution. After all that has been said, it is quite evident that two great essen- tials are missinii' in our eilbrts to educate the orphan, — suihcient means and sullicient lodgings to cover and shelter them against the thousand misfortunes ever ready to make them its victims. Did we possi'ss ample means, we could easily secure a sullicient number of uuns> At. Suint Albert I 18 an I at Lac Labiche, the buildings are large onoucrh to ac- comodate the nuns and admit of alsmall school, but it would be impossible to receive any number of orphans. To-day at these missions I would be altogether unable to dress the little ones were it not for the charity, truly worthy of heart- felt praise, bestowed on us by Messrs. W. Christie and Hardesty, Protestant gentlemen, factors belonging to Fort Edmonton, '' near t^aint Albert," who, of their own accord, by their alms and subscription raised among their friends, have come to our Sister's rescue, and enabled them thus to support the asylum. This help is nevertheless only of tem- porary duration ; at the expiration of a year these resources will be expended, and our good undertaking on the eve of ruin. Seeing themselves thus unable to continue the progress ot the asylum, they besought me w^ith aV earnestness to come to their assistance ; it did not require very strong arguments to convince me of their distress. I saw it with feelings of regret, remarked it frequently in the midst of their labors and sulferings, and yet I ask, what can I do ? Since I have nothing to give, I can at least solicit alms in their behalf, be an advocate not only among my friends, but among all generous souls who possess feelinu's for sullering humanity, and seek the interests of true Christianity. I can, without mucii difficulty, find Sisters who can sacrifice them- selves and leave their country, parents, and friends, in order to procure the education of these wild savages'; but 1 can- not bind myself to work miracles to secure the work ; without a doubt, great zeal and devotedness are required, but weans are also wanting to brin'j: forth fruit. 7jOi\\ does a great amount of gool, but every day's experience proves it cannot do ail. May those who have read these pages, under- stand my lervent appeal, and come forth to lend a helping l.a:id to the poor orphai s of the North-"\Vest. McKENZIE RIVER. I have not had the consolation of visiting this mission. but I feel convinced, from reliable authority, that the pro- iB I 14 prross made "by the children here has far sni pissed our most sanguine expectations in regard to civiHzation and rehgious education. One of the first Factors belonging to the Hudson's Bay service, having occasion to visit the school and orphan asylum, found himself so satisfied with the pro- gress made by the children, believed it his duty to compen- sate the Sisters for their devotedness and labors by allov^ing several chests belonging to them to be carried free of charge on the boats owned by the company; had it not been for this gentleman's generosity, these cases, already a long time on the road, might have remained so for years, thus depriv- inc: 'he nuns of many indispensable requisites. Further letters we receive from the authorities of this district largely console us, and compensate to a great extent for the pain we experience in seeing our kind companions so far separ- ated, exiled, as it were, to the other end of the world, all to procure the glory of God. The knowledcre of the good wrought in these wild re- gions has touched us so dee]ily, that next spring three of our order, along w^ith two girls, are leaving to join those al- ready there, thus to continue a new mission at Arthabaska, conducted on the same principle as the one at McKenzie Itiver. WINTER TRAVELLING. Travelling in winter is dilEcult and painful, resembling in no respect that of the finer seasons. Below is a slight summiirv of a vovage I was oblitred to undertake in the month of November, 1872, wiien already were felt the ric'ors of a winter in the cold North. I left ]>ac de la Biche the 16th of November, with the cold of 36'* below zero, to go to the mission situated at St. Albert. I ATas the only woman, and never at this season of tlie year, have they told me. do we see a civilized female travelliiiiT: ov(^r these immense prairies. Here I would strongly dissuadt^ anyone, tlirough simple pleasure, from un- dertaking the same project . for, I promise, they would bitterly repent it ; not alone on account of the cold they would be compelled to support, or on account of the many other in- ! ■ ! , I' 15 ronTonieTicP=5 to which thoy Tvonld ho ru'dJooI, no I no, ])nt for reason of the intense fear Math which they would unavoidably be seized in hearinj? the howling of the wolves, whose recent foot-prints indicate them at no qreat distance from the unfortunate traveller. Observe the existing" mode of travellin2r durinnf winler in these far-off places. The moment of departure havini^ arrived, without much atttMition to ceremony, you are told to stretch in a species of sledrre, drawn by doo-s. ( )nce arraufred in this manner you are firmly laced in, thus, to a irreat extcMit secure against cold, and prevented from being left in a bank of snow. In cases of accident, if hurrying, you have the misfortune to turn over, you must crave for assistanci^ from your neighbor, for in this position you are unable to help yourself Here is a description of the sledge : a sim]-)le board, turned up at both ends, forms th(> foundation; the sides are m ide of thick skin, with holes a short space apart, through which is passed a strong cord made of catgut, which serves for the lacing purpose. Arriving at your des- tination, you are delivered from these fetters, which, I assure you, generally leave your members fatigued and benumbed. Perhaps, now, curiosity might prompt you with the desire to know how we can eat and sleep in the open air in cold as intense as is generally felt in the north. As the meal is simple and frugal, it does not require great preparation, con- sequently the cooking is soon completed. AYe always man- age to camp in or near the woods, where, on arriving, the men set to work : one is breaking down trees, another pre- paring the requisits wherewith to build a lire, while you can see the fhird hurrying with the vessel in which he has gathered snow. In a short space of time, with a strong fire, the water is boiling ; into this you throw a piece of lorn, adding a handful of Hour; thus is made the renowned, de- licious dish, called rabibon, ' "taken of with an appetite not unlikely to excite the env) ..f many an epicure. You are devoured, as it were, with hunger ; this satiates you at the same time, warming your cold and shivering members at the side of the bright tire, which seems to implore you to partake of its refreshing bhist?, ■qe BS 16 When the hour of camping for the nig-ht has arrivorl, which is fjeiierally about four o'clock, we so throutrh the same performance as for dinner. After a hearty supper, which in no way differs from our first meal, W" heap branches of fir trees, cover them with a robe, an'! in this manner, rest for the night, renewing our confidence in the providence of God, trying to control our imau'ination and prevent it from dwelling on the thoughts of wolves, &c., fears from which I was fortunately exempt. Towards morning, the fire of the previous eveninor boinir totally px- tinct, is once again lighted to warm and cheer us up. in- spiring r-^newed courage for our further journey, with which we hasten to proceed, with eyes closed, on account of the smoke, which appears to have lost all respect for us, which we cannot avoid, unless by continuino: our Journey, which we hasten to do. The nights, as yoii can well im- agine, do not offer all desirable comfort, and here we must add, should it happen to snow during our sleep, we find ourselves covered with a heavy mantle ; ffreat precaution must be used in removing the buffalo skin that has protected our face, otherwise, if stirred too awkwardly, it Avould serve us as an alarm clock, with which we might easily dispense. 1 managed this trip in ten days, without any accident : on the 2r)th of the same month found myself in the midst of the dear Sisters of St. Albert's mission. On this occa.sion joy and happiness were shared alike on both sides ; abun- dance of tears easily betrayed the fulness of our hearts ; these are tlie emotions, which once conceived in the human soul are with diiliculty ever effaced. Could we expect differently from these poor exiles? Separated by thousands of miles from their country, their families and friends ; and, above all, from their loved mother-house, seeing and speakinir to no one but Indians, whom they love, it is true, since for their sake, to carry to them the knowledge of the Gospel, they hau^ undergone such j)rivations, Livelv sentiments of faith and hope must be profnindly engraven on the soul, in order to win her to tear asunder all the ties that bind her to her country, to the community, the cradle of her spiritual infancy, the witness of her solemn vows, and earlv f ! 17 years of immolation. All those are precious souvenirs to the heart of the Missionary Sisters, buried thus in the desert of a wild and uncivilized country. It is now a source of threat happiness for me to reflect on the days so spent with our dear exiles, when our hearts iilled with reciprocal affection, mutually disclose their pleasures and their pains : they to pour forth the knowled*ie of their loneliness, and the numberless privations to which their situation has sul^jected them leaving me, on my side, with all possible spmpathy to encourage them on ■ their meritorious career. Notwith- standing, 80 many incomprehensible sacrifices, I feel con- soled in being able to testify to the great happiness enjoyed by the Sisters in their far distant missions. Unceasingly they thank God for having chosen them to this work, and labor in propogating the knowledge of his holy name. I had almost forgotten to mention the reason why, on returning from Saint Albert, I made the journey alone. Having left Saint Boniface for Isle a La Cross, the 19th June, 1871, I lel't two Sisters and two girls at Lac Labiche, continuing with one Sister and one girl, whom I in turn left at Isle a la Crosse In the meantime I anticipated havinsi' on my trip back, as companion, a Missionary Sister, whose health was much de- bilitated in consequence of all the privations and fatigues w^hich years of sacrifice had forced her to accept. To my request this dear Sister camly answered : " Through obedi- ence I will do as you wi»h ; if you leave me free, I would ask you to allow me thus continue my life of labor and love. RETURNING TO RED RIVEH. Scarcely am I on the road reluming to the Red Rirer, than I hasten to take up my little journal ; as previously, I will content myself by relating the principal incidents of my trip ; be§ides, I cannot say I am comfortably installed at my desk, having none for the purpose, but that of my knees. Again, I can only write during the time we remain to partake of a meal of pemmican, during which time, also, our dogs refresh ' and rest themselves; without this lattey precaution we rnn the risk of bein? left on the road. V^ 18 Yesterday, the oloventh, was the day fixed for our de- parture from Saint Albert, after a sojourn of four months at this mission, in company with my dearly ^^loved Sisters, to whom I must now think of saying a lon;^ farewell. Hence, it is not RurpiiHing- that our recreations became less gay, apprehendinii', as it were, the hour of separatioi ; our hearts were sad, and more than once a silent tear would tell the grief each one was enduring. Their looks even seemed to reproach me for leaving them so soon, poor exiles, away from their homes and country, from their community, dearer to them now than ever, these dear lonely Sisters thus left to a life of sacrilice and privations. Imposing silence on my own heartfelt emotions, I tried my utmost to console them by the assurance that in four or five years, with God' help, they would again enjoy the same happiness. At last the hour struck, indicating that departure was at hand : one long embrace, one parting word, imploring renewed courage and strength ; ])ointing to heaven above as the end of theiT exile, I loose m^'self from their clasp, while hurrying, soon found myself in the cart already waiting for us, forced on account of bad roads to leave our dog waggons. Here, I am seated on my little trunk containing a few indispensable articles of clothing, all that is left of three large valises which foliow(Hl on my departure from Canada. A person, to understand, must have himself travelled over these im- mense prairies in spring through heaps of snow, when two or three caravans have scarcely left a vestige of their pre- sence ; a person, I repeat, must have gone over this road to fully conceive the perils and difficulties without number, which so frequently greet the traveller. At one moment the worn-out horses seem unwilling to advance, at another the waggon smashes in the act of drawing its load over some rough piece of road, thus exposing its occupants to the unpleasant sensation of finding themselves launched in water or in snow. ...--. Oftentimes it is difficult to reach a proper place for camping ; all these obstacles seem nothing compared to the awful dangers we encounter in crossing rivers. We had already been walking^for several days when we came in f 19 Slight of rormillion River, ovor which wo worn farced to go, }ilJhouj.^'h the water at the time was two ['ooi above tlie ic«i : jnakiiu'i" tjae siu'n of the cross, inaiiaufiiig- iny own liovse, I round myself at the mercy of the waters ; an invohmtary fear crept over me at the tho ip:h.t that each moment was, for me, one of imminent peril ; happily, however, we were soon safely across, but only to be welcomed by another one much more dan<;erons +han. the former — Biiilalo Iviver, situ- ated at the h.'ight of a rapid, oflering a thousand difficulties ; renewing all possible courage, after a short prayer, I made a bold attem.pt: scarcely had I reached the middle, when my horse refiifj'ed to advance, the curreiit being so strong, the poor anixTial found himself drawn ])ackwards; I doubted for our deliverance, when lortujiately an English half-breed, going the sti.me road, came to our assistance, unhitched our beast and placed his own in its stead ; thus equiped. without any further accident, we soon found ourselves securely landed on the opposite side. However, I tried to recom- pense our brave half-breed l)y b(^stowing on him what we call a prairie warmer, a drink made of essence ofx)epermiut and hot water. It is now time to say a word relative to our campinu' in the spring season, which is more or less agreeable according to the temperature. \Vhen it is cold, and the ground frozen, our beds, although hard, are at least dry : on the contrary, if the weather is mild aiid a thaw sets in, we have to content ourselves with a damp bed, notwithstanding all our precau- tions in heaping dead leaves and line branches as a preventive against such danger. W we are overtakoi by a storm, when the rain, the wind and t)ie thunder seem to plot against us, then our position is anything but pleasant, drc^ad- ing each moment lest our tent should fall or be blown away by the hurricane. Overlooking these many vexations and disappointments, I must confess that I like this mode of travelling. Nature itself appears to speak to the heai t, while the reigning silence on the spacious prairies, alone interupted by the sweet song of birds, all tend to iiil the soul with aspirations of heaven, and excite therein pious eentiments of faith and love. 20 Ou the, third of May, iii'Un- a journey achieved in such a quiet monotonous manner, we find ourselves once again on our road to Saint Bonirncc. This day I g-reeted as the fo'^st of the Holy Cross — d the ex- treme happiiu^ss of hearing Mass and receiving Communion from the hands of his Lordsliip Bishop Grandin ; thus you see our dear Saviour amply rei):ud me for the pain I was (Miduriiig in being separated oji this great day of spiritual rejoicing. I pass over in silenee uuuiy other interesting incidents, but time compels me to be very l)rief, for now I lind myself at the ISth of the same month. We were on the borders of the Saskatchewan river, about three weeks journey i'rom Saint Boniface. As I w^as about giving ordtMs to th(> men to arrange my tent, I heard myself called ; suddenly turning around I noticed a gentle- man, who approached and introduced himself as Mr. Belan- ger, factor of the Hudson Bay Company. Great and agree- able was my surprise, as I had previously heard this gentle-" man spoken of, being brother of one of our Sisters in Mon- treal. After making enquiries about his wife and children, he kindly offered to conduct me to Mr Clark's, factor of the Fort at Carlton, which generosity I willingly accepted. Arriving at his residenc(\ we wore received with the most open and cordial hospitality. IMr. Behmger then bade us farewell being obliged to start immediately fo" Fort Cumber- land. I olle.red my In^artfelt thanks for his delicate attention me, as also for the kind benovelence with which he always received our Sisters traveUing in the North. I did not omit to send my allectionate salutations to his dear wife, wdio was educated at our institution at St. Boniface, and who, with Mr. Belanger. does her utmost to receive the Grey Sisters with all possible attention. Need 1 say here how light it I I 21 h 11 ic. i- S( ' ly IS cs X- Oll inak(?l9 the heart feel to thus meet kind and charitaljle acquuiiitnnces V Beside the gracious roceptiou cxteiidt'd to U8 by Mrs. Chirk, I cannot i'orgctmentioniui^- her unbounded liberfibty in i'uniisliing us with provisions for the rcnuiindcr of our journey, to which ishe added tea and sug-ar, artich's very scarcie in the North, also very expensive, on account of the heavy freijfht charures levied on them. After reniaininn' from Saturday until Tuesday, I concluded to resume my journey, but not without havin^j- once more begi;-tid of her to accept my deepest thanks. All the i^-entlemen beloiininji' to the Hudson Bay Comyany are equally polite and kind to our travelling Sisters. Leaving Carlton on the 21st, we con- tinued ovir route, and very soon I'ound ourwelves approach- ing Saint T?cniface ; however, I felt the time lon^ in my great desire to be again with our Sisters, and in th'3 ho])e tiuit those on route for McKenzie River might still b« there, thus allbrdingme the occasion of bidding them a last Ihrewell ; but, alas ! such was not my lot. G-od had prepared a sacri- fice; while with great sorrow of heart I soon learned that they had left the previous evening for their mission in the far-off North. This disappointment was a bitter one, as I had Eincerely desired to speak a parti>?g word of encourage- ment and l)ope, feeling that never ag-ain would we see each other here below. However, Grod's 'vi '1 be doi\e ; we must subrr>.it; little was I prepared forlhe ay/TM.! trirl with which Heaven had menaced cur entire Community. Scarcely had I spent a few days at Saint Boniface, when a telegram was received containir.g tj.e ctartling ?jiev:'"s of the sudden death of our Kother-G-eneral — 7iews v^bich v/ould bave rendered us inconsolable in our grief had -""-e not faith and hope to sus- tain and enco-irage us, knowing in our deep s?01iction and feeling, v/ith soul and heart that nothing happens with- out Heav9r;.'s permission. A second telegram demands my immediate dspature for our mother-house. Hurrying with my preparations, I left St. Boniface on the 29th of June, and after a prosperous though sad trip, arrived in Monti'eal on the 8th of the following month. Permit me here, dear benefactors, to renew my express- ions of gratitude. Your 8e«r«t charity, dropped into tlie riBU ll' 22 hand of tlic'poor, has asconuod to tho Throno of God; will draw down on you and on all those dear to you trcasuros oi" IxMiodiotions which carry joy ard happiness to your domes- tic circles. Should I ever airain visit the North. I will try and res- pond in a more worthy manner to the desire of those who wish to peruse the pages which tell of our far-away ims- sions, and interest those wlio have souls replete with faith and charity. Note. — Persons wishinjr to contribute any thing t - wards the support of the above mentioned charitable institu tion, are requested to forward it to the General Hospital, Ch-ey Nunnery, Guy Street, to the address of the Sister charged^with tlie Department of the Missions of the North West. i sa General Hospital of Saint Bonifaco, Manitoba, founded by Bishop Provoncher, 24th of April, 1844. The^samo works are poribrmod in this as in the mother house, having for th«> purpose 22 Sisters and 11 jjrirls. The latter offer tlieir services voluntarily. The boardini^xschool establishment is situated on the same land as the above- mentioned, — this land havinc^ been g-ranted to them by Ilis G-race Archbishop Tache. — 3 Sisters and 3 girls. The mission of St. Francois Xavier, Manitoba, founded by Bishop Provencher in 1850. — 2 Sisters and 2 girls. Mission of Saint Norbert, Manitoba, founded by Archbishop Tache, 1858.— 3 Sisters and 1 girl. Mission of Saint Vital, Mauitoba, founded by Archbishop Tach6, 1800.— 2 Sisters and 1 girl. Yoiiville Hospital, at Saint Albert, founded by Bishop Gran- din, 10th Sept., 1858. — 8 Sisters and 4 girls. Hospital of Saint Bruno, at isle a la Crosse, founded by Archbishop Tache, 41h of June, 1860; to-day belonging to Bishop Grandin. — 5 Sisters and 3 girls. General Hospital of Providence, at McKenzie River, founded by Bishop Farand, 17th Sept., 1866. — 7 Sisters and 1 girl. Saint Joseph's Hospital, at La^ Labiche, founded by Arch- bishop Tache, 1862.— 4 Sisters and 3 girls. ■*Hi [ ■•> \''- ttff THE HUMBLE REQUEST OF A SISTER OF CHARITY. After having visited the distant missions of the North- West, and having ascertained the immense good acheived by the Sisters of her Institute, and the still greater good remain- ing to be done if the pecuniary resources would permit it, the writer, thinks herself justified in making a w^arm appeal to all generous hearts without distinction of creed or nation- ality, for prompt assistance, to enable them, not only to continue the good already commenced, but to extend the same on a larger scale. This could he accomplished by builuing a utnv house which, if properly located, could give assistance to the other missions. We would thus create a new work, which has been deemed allogeth(M' necessary, and we would maintain in a nourishing condition the missions already founded. The object of these charitable institutions is to civilize the poor Indians, by announcing to them the good tidings of the Gospel and teaching them to know and love God their Ci-ea- tor. How murh they love Him, when once they are enlight- ened can be proved by the examplary lives they now lead. They are the (consolation of the missionaries and the glory of their country. Xo clirisliaii work dcsci'vos so iiiiicli our syiii|i;iLliy as lliis prcst'iil one, siiK'e it is llic work ol'.Iiisus-Chrisl liinis(>ir. I'fay. I'cad Llic notice apptMided to this address, and yoni' heart u ill lie touched with compassion. Do not excuse yourself saying that you can only give a little, and that such, is not worth sending ; your small dona- tion will be considered a large one by those who have nothing whatever ; this mite added with that of the widow, will be of great service in the present urgent want. Give therefore with conhdence what you can afford to give, and rest assured that you' will render an immense service. 1 engage myself to send to the proper direction any offering you may choose to make. I rejoice before hand in the expect- ation of having soon at my disposal a large amount which will better the condition of the Sisters themselves, and enable them to perfect the charitable undertaking whi(^.h have already cost them so much labor. Persons making their ivill in favor of tlie poor or some other good work, might i-emember this particular one of which 1 have made myself the advocate. Address : Missions N. W. (JENEFAL HOSPITAL, Guv Strket, Montheal. P. Q. mm •i : - %