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Find Du Vernet on a map.
At 10 P.M. I went to bed on the Keenora 2 . The heat was intense. We sailed at midnight. Later, there was an electrical storm 3 which I got up to watch, which was very grand.
At about 8 A.M. Thursday July 14th we reached the mouth of the Rainy River 4 . On the American side 5 there is a fishing station, and on the Canadian side of the Indian Reserve 6 , a number of houses. Some are closed for the summer, the Indians 7 being away. Some of these houses are shingled, others are covered with bark, and there were also summer wigwams 8 nearby. I saw the stars and stripes 9 flying on two of these wigwams on the Canadian reserve. A large boom 10 passed logs which were sorted and passed through into different booms.
At about noon on July 14th we reached Boucherville 11 where Reverend Jeremiah Johnston 12 , who brought an Indian 13 and a canoe with him, came aboard the steamer 14 . It was decided that we could go on to Little Forks 15 , so I hurriedly took some things out of my bag (including my camera 16 ) and sent the bag ashore at Long Sault 17 (pronounced “soo”), which we reached at about 1 p.m.
It was exactly two years to the day
since Mr. Johnston landed there. On the steamer we had a long talk over the mission, notes of which I have jotted down elsewhere. We reached Little Forks at about five in the evening and were welcomed by Mr. and Mrs. Bagshaw 18 . Here I had my introduction to the pests of the River, the mosquitoes 19 and the “bull-dog” flies.
The school-house 20 , a government building, occupies a fine position here, on the riverbank. Near it is the Catechist’s house 21 , and six acres have been set apart for the mission. Mr. Bagshaw has some of it cleared, with a stable by the shore. The schoolhouse has a field cleared fairly well but with a few stumps which Mr. Bagshaw hopes to have as a play-ground when he can get the boys to take out the few remaining stumps. Some Church in Toronto 22 promised a football which has not yet come. Mr. Bagshaw has an old bugle 23 which he uses to call the children to school.
As it was now after half-past five and I might not be there after five the next morning, I tried to get a photograph of the house 24 and School house from the lower side. Some children came in a councillor (which is a type of canoe). By this time I had taken to my mosquito veil which I have found of great service although the mosquitoes get through now and again. The walk through the woods would have been unendurable but for my mosquito veil.
The Indian guide 25 came to tea with us and was very well behaved. When asked to have some lettuce he declined saying in Indian “the rabbits eat that.” 26 Later when he took some raspberries Mr. Bagshaw said in Indian “the bears eat that.” He laughed. We had family prayers 27 at about 10:30 and I gave a short Bible Reading 28 on daily learning, daily surrender, daily trusting. Mr. Johnston followed after I had offered up the first prayer. It was a time of retreating for us all, especially Mr. and Mrs. Bagshaw who so seldom have Christian 29 fellows.
Mr. Johnston and I slept in the same bed. The mosquitoes were rather plentiful when I wakened, before five. The Keenora whistled for us but Mr. Bagshaw who was up waved them on.