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Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mithode. 1 2 3 1 t I 3 A 5 6 ^!B ■' *■ > 'f ■ . ■.»-.■; '■ jL'^^-C^''.'':' .^'■7^^' <■ .■' m r^'.'-*/'"" \ ; >' >• ' * '', \ 1 t "1 I 1 1*L ^■1 ' V ' s ^y M^' .;;?- X ■ K V' 1 ,1>, 1 i \ ', , * f i» ^ i Is.: /''i> * if 4 < ' v'f 1 v .? 1- r a/A>'''.' ^ '.^ •< ' ^■' »i / * ' vj r^i^ ■ 4 1 IH^^^ ') f cuiiouf 'i but til " * to mv; and w 1 ploring Lcavin Emers / border month lions expene House The id to be mind. of the Emersc I out in ■ -t'.r V ^"■•', )rl*' I't...' ■■«■(,» ■,.»,■ ^#'■ 1 ■ i. Hart i-*A»*— ^W^^ uv. **w-r T///^ OUTINCf CLUB. 487 >j OVER MANITOBA OX A WHEEL. MANIT015A may, to the average reader, seem a curious sort of place to choose for a bicycle tour ; but the novelty of the idea commended itself to myself and a ytnmg Englis'' friend last fall, and we determined to spend tuo weeks in ex- ploring part of that much-talked-of region. Leaving Chicago August 8, we took the cars for Emerson, the first place over the American border, which we reached on the loth of the month. We were immediately greeted by mil- lions of the most penetrating mosquitos I ever experienced. We took rooms at tlie (Gateway House, where we excited considerable attention. The idea of bicyclinj^ over the trails appeared to be supremely ridiculous to the Manitoban mind. We learned that Winnipeg, the capital of the province, was only sixty miles north of Emerson, and we therefore determined to strike out in a westerly direction. Before beginning the tour proper, however, we took the train to Winnipeg, and returned to Emerson the next day. The capital appeared to be a busy little place, very much overrated, and with a limited future before it. On returning to Emerson we held a consultation with the postmaster, the result of wiiicli was that we decided to make Brandon cm objective point, it being then the northwestern terminus of the Canadian I'acitic railroad. We were also advised to ride througli the Rock Lake district, wliich. we were informed, had the best scenery in the province. Our course, therefore, was directly northwest. We left the Gateway House on Sunday morning, amidst the mingled jeers and cheers of an interested group of .spectators, and on arriving at the bridge over the Red river we found tliat the sti-ucture had broken down, and that all vehicular traffic was su.spended. As a i^Ieasant preliminary, tlierefore, we had to shoulder our bicycles and carry them over a narrow, quivering plank, placed across a yawning gap in the bridge, — a sort of Blondin- like performance to which neither of us was very partial. On tlie op])osite side we mounted, and began our tour. Tlie day was a regular August .scorcher, and the mosquitos assembled in count- less hosts to bid us adieu. Leaving Emerson, we passed through the little village of West Lynne, where the Hudson Bay Company has a fine store-house. Our appearance excited con- siderable attention, and, I regret to say, we were made the subjects of much uncomplimentary criticism. We consoled ourselves with the retiec- tion that great explorers have been so treatetl from time immemorial ; and, riding rapidly through the village, we struck out directly west for the open prairie. The riding was much easier than we had anticipated, there being a well-beaten trail, in which our wheels ran smoothly. The first two hours' ride was delight- ful, and then we reached the Mennonite settle- ment, or "Ten-mile village," as it is locally termed. When about half a mile from the settle- ment, we were observed by some (^f the Mennon- ites, who spread the news, so that, when we arrived in the village, the entire poi)ulation was waiting to recei\e us. These Russian-( German peasants are a curious people. They make the best of settlers, being hard-working and thrifty. They are also wonderfully kind-hearted and hosi'itable. We found the drinking-water at the vlennonite village so strongly alkaline as to bd aLiSolutely unsafe to use, and we suffered severely for drinking it. Half an hour's rick- brought us to our first difiiculty, — a long slough, directly across the trail. On either side of the roadway, stretching as far as we could see, was a weary waste of prairie-grass overthree feet high, which rendered it impossil^'p o push the machines through. The slough was only about twenty yards wide, but as to the depth of the water and nature of the mud at the Ijottom we were in com- plete iucnoiaiiir, W'.- thi 1 ■ t" .> , mi'l' .iii a^ri't'- ment that, troni that point to the remainder ot the tour, should we encounter any similar obstacles, we would by turns "peel," and carry the machines and the other man over the sloughs of despond. We tossed up to decide who should be the first victim. I lost. There appeared to 42016 488 THE OUTING CJX'B. Vs\ lie no one within a hundred miles of us, and in a few seconds 1 was in a state fit to "swim the cold ocean."' Upon cautiously wadin<; in, I discovered that the water was not more than three feet deep, but the bottom was shockinjijly uuiddy. I carried my companion, and he carried my clothes. I then had the delightful felicity of transferring the bicycles across. The whole pro- ceeding occupied about half an hour, and by the time 1 was dry it was rapidly growing dark and the mosquitos were coming out. We were in no hurry to make any given point, but, in view of the fact that there was not a house in sight, we put on a good spurt. Bicycling is a wonderfully exhilarating sport, and a spin over a trail almost as level as a bil- liard-table is calculated to put any one in a good humor. We had not, however, gone more than a couple of miles before we almost ran into an- other slough. This, however, was barely ten yards across, and, as it was not my turn to do the carrying, 1 viewed the situation with equanimity. The Britisher undressed, and I climbed his shoulders, holding his clothes in my arms. He took three strides into the water, and was up to his neck in a hole. I, of course, fell off his shoulders, and was floundering in the water like an awkward grampus. The accident was very unfortunate, as all our clothes were completely saturated ; however, we had to make the best of it, and, after the bicycles had been carried over, we were soon in the saddle again, and made a comical appearance in our dripping suits. An hour's good riding brought us to a collection of wooden liouses, which we learned constituted Stodderville ; and here we put up for the night. Thus far the riding had been remarkably smooth, the trail being well padded and level. We were much surprised at the total absence of timber, as, with the exception of the Dakota woods, we had not seen any trees to speak of, though we had liad a general impression that Manitoba was a well-wooded country. The next day was Monday, and we resumed our journey after breakfast. During the night, how- ever, there had been a heavy shower, and the trail was consequently in a horrible condition. For stickiness Manitoban mud is simply phe- nomenal. The spokes of our wheels became covered, and we could only drive them with diffi- culty. We were constantly compelled to dis- mount and clean the mud off, in addition to which inconvenience the ground became oily and greasy to such an extent that our progress was slow and laborious. As the sun rose the trail be- ( ame dry, and we were able to ride with ease again. Mountain City was the next point reached, but before arriving there we rode through a "mosquito swamp." The air was simply choked with these pests, and the pain of their bites was intolerable. The farmers assured us that in the evening no animal would go through the swamp. We passed rapidly through Mountain City, which is merely a collection of small frame-houses, and about a mile from the town came to a point where two trails met. Of course we took the wrong one, and had followed it for an hour before a farmer told us we were riding into " America." We therefore returned. and had a delightful three-mile .spin over the- prairie, which sloped at an angle sufficient to allow the wheels to run with very little exertion. Pass- ing Darlingford, and various small log and frame houses, an hour's run brought us to the Great Pembina crossing, down which ran a rocky trail at an angle of about forty-five degrees. We were compelled to walk for a mile and a half down hill, and then push the machines uphill for the same dir.tance. On emerging from the val- ley, however, we found the same smooth prairie, but, as we were both tired, we determined to spend the night at the next house we camt to ; and, upon rounding a little clump of dry poplar trees we were delighted to find the desired haven of rest. Our arrival created the usual amusement and surprise ; but we were nevertheless hospitably entertained, and enjoyed the visit, notwithstand- ing the fact that we had to sleep in the hayloft over the barn, where we were closely inspected by swarms of rr's and other animals. The next morning we reached Pilot Mound, so called from a peculiar shaped hill which can be seen at a considerable distance over the prairie, and which was used as a landmark by the early settlers going West. The town consisted of an inn, a saw-mill, a post-office, and a well of ilelicious drinking-water. Passing Marringhurst and Glenore, where the post-offices of the district are situated, we came to the "Little farm," owned by three brothers of that name. We were invited to spend the remainder of the evening with them, which we did, and obtained some interesting information about the country. They were living in the hope that the railroad would pass near their farm, and so enable them to sell out at a profit, and leave. They spoke of the winters as terrible in their severity, and cruelly hard upon people who had no money to buy clothing warm enough to withstand the arctic cold. Their opinion was that if there were sufficient railroads, and the mosquitoes and cold weather were driven away, Manitoba would be rather a decent place to setde in, but under the conditions then exist' ng, life was not worth living. Early the following morning we continued our tour, and an hour's ride brought us to a store kept by a man named Smith. It was the roughest place I ever saw, and everything sold was of the poorest quality. Smith was such a dirty-looking ruffian that we declined his offer to cook some pork for us, and he therefore directed us to take aside trail at the bottom of a valley, which, he said, led to the house of an Englishman. This we willingly did, and we came to a snug-looking log-house, almost surrounded by hazel-bushes. The house was built at the foot of a hill, which effectually shielded it from the heavy winds and blizzards. We noticed a tall, well-built, and handsome man feeding a calf fastened to a fallen log. No sooner, however, did we get within sight, before mv companion let his machine fall to the ground with a crash, and, rushing towards the astonished farmer, yelled in an excited manner, "Why, Williams, how in Heaven's name did you come liere?" Explanations followed, and I learned that my friend and the farmer had been acquaintances in "days gone by," and had lost TlfF. OLTINU C/A'H. 489 ran a sight ot 'iach other until the meeting in Manitoba under such curious circumstances. I am afraid that the calf had to he content with half rations that day. Williams introduced us to his wife, a beautiful JCnglish girl, and to his little daughter May, one of tlie prettiest of ciiildren, with whom we both immediately fell in love. I regret to say, however, tliat my advances were repulsed, and that slie gave all her kisses and embraces to her British friend. It was a delightful treat to meet tiie Williams family in that out of the way cjuarter of the glolje, and we stayed there three days We found that Williams's farm was in the Rock Lake district, the lake itself being only two miles away, and we therefore determined to push on to Brandon, instead of going to the lake, whicii did not present any very attractive feat- ures, either in the way of scenery or society. Brandon lies about fifty miles northwest of Rock Lake, and, bidding good-by to the Williams' family, we took the trail again. The riding con- tinued uniformly smooth, and we made good time over the rolling prairie. Passing the Stark farm and other minor points, we reached Milford, a little town on the Souris river, at the bottom of a deep ravine, and the approach is by a narrow wagon-road winding round a picturesque cliff. The city would form a good study for an artist. The muddy Souris rolls sullenly through it, and at the ford there stands a quaint old flour mill, from which the place derives its name. We did not stay long at Milford. The place was all aglow with excitement over the problematical discovery of coal in the Souris coal-fields, and the completion of the Canadian Pacific rialroad to Brandon. We crossed the river in a rickety old ferryboat. On reaching the opposite bank we climbed a steep hill, and were delighted to find a perfect prairie-table, stretching away as far as eye could .see. The whistle of the locomo- tives at Brandon boomed on the ear with a pleas- antly familiar sound, and three hours' moderate riding brought us to the outskirts of our destina- tion. The last two hours of our ride were by moonlight, and strangely weird. Wolves flitted across the trail at intervals, and the howl of the foxes and coyotes came over the prairie with a dism cadence. We made a two days' stay at Bran n. The town was wonderfully busy, but the a£ ~t idea impressed us as in other cities in Manitooa, — that the excitement was sporadic and unhealthy. We decided to retrace our steps in preference to taking the cars to Winnipeg. The return run was without special incident, beyond a second delightful visit to the Williams's farm, and the usual mosquito fights. We were re- markably fortunate with the sloughs, happening to find a teamster who carried us over at each crossing. On passing through the villages and Mennonite settlement.s we were warmly greeted by the natives, who remembered our first visit, and turned out in great numbers to witness our phenomenal methods of locomotion. We reached Emerson in three days after leaving Brandon. Our prairie tour thus occupied exactly two weeks, and was remarkably pleasant, ov/ing to the ex- traordinarily smooth nature of the trails and the absence of hills. Had it not been for the sloughs and mosquitos the trip would have been one of unalloyed pleasure. Tlie total distance we trav- eled on wheels was about four hundred miles. At the same time, 1 sliould hardly recommi nd any one to choose Manitoba as a place to go for a i)i- cycle tour. The absence of interesting scenery, and the general monotony of the country, make it unattractive. Harry M. I^e. I