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Wednesday, July 20:
Today was a most beautiful day, after the rain. The atmosphere was very clear and the rippling water sparkled in the sunlight. I enjoyed my morning dip in the river more this morning than yesterday because I was not devoured by mosquitoes the moment I came out of the water.
As [anno]Mrs. Johnston{note}Mary Johnston was married to Jeremiah Johnston, and worked together with him in the mission at Long Sault. In 1898, she was the mother of four children: Florence, Isabel, Beatrice, and Samuel. Read more.
[/anno] was so anxious to have Sammie’s picture, at about 10 o’clock I had him sitting in his chair below the house so that part of the river might form a background. But on the first try I exposed on a [anno]plate{note}A thin sheet of metal or glass, coated with a light-sensitive film, on which single photographs are taken. [/anno] that I had already used and so have no doubt spoilt the group picture taken in front of the [anno]Church{note}The Anglican Church built at Long Sault by Jeremiah Johnston in 1896 was the first church to be built on Ojibwe land on the Rainy River. Read more.
[/anno] Monday morning. So I tried another, and yet another. I feel the last one was a failure as I did not hear the return click of the shutter. Never mind, it pleased them.
[anno]Mr. Johnston{note}Jeremiah Johnston was an ordained Anglican missionary of Swampy Cree background, and Du Vernet’s host on the Rainy River. Read more.
[/anno] and the student doing duty at [anno]Boucherville{note}Boucherville was a small Euro-Canadian settlement along the Rainy River, just west of the Long Sault Rapids. Read more.
[/anno], [anno]Mr. L. Swalwell{note}L. Swalwell was a seminary student in a placement at Boucherville in 1898. He later went on to be the first Rector of St. Andrew’s Parish, an Anglican church in Winnipeg.[/anno], returned in time for dinner. I had a long talk with the young man, who seems to be an earnest worker. After dinner I felt that as the air was so clear and the beautiful fleecy clouds were rolling across the sky I must take the last two pictures that I had available. So at about 2:30 p.m. I took one of the Church from the middle of the garden, with Mr. Johnston and Mr. Swalwell standing near the Church.
After that Mr. Swalwell left for Boucherville, and I went with Mr. Johnston to take a picture of the three [anno]graves{note}Du Vernet showed a fascination and respect for Ojibwe burial practices throughout his diary. He described the Ojibwe gravesites he observed on an afternoon walk on Monday July 18th with great curiosity and detail, and went so far as to suggest that Ojibwe practices should be the model for Christian ones: “as the Indians take great care of their graves it is right that the Christians should do the same.” Read more.
[/anno] of “grandfather’s” grandchildren. On our way, we saw old [anno]“grandmother”{note}This is the wife of the “grandfather” whom Du Vernet met in church. While traveling along the Rainy River, Du Vernet met several women Elders opposed to his presences as a missionary and to Christianity in general. Read more for a similar occurrence at Little Forks.[/anno] who is so opposed to Christianity sitting outside her house. When we asked her if she would come and sit by the graves on the chair there she refused, remarking in reply to our promise to send her a copy that “If I thought I could get something to eat out of that picture every time I looked at it I might come.” I had Mr. Johnston sit in the chair instead. [anno]The women all disappeared into the houses{note}In addition to her clever retort to Du Vernet, the grandmother may have had other strong reasons for refusing him. His request for her to pose at the graves of her grandchildren was rude and disrespectful. He showed brazen disregard for her grief, and also revealed his ignorance of her obligations to spiritually care for the graves of her kin.[/anno].
After this I tried fishing again. The water looked most beautiful, glistening in the rays of the afternoon sun. I caught one pickerel. While I was fishing, two Indians paddled upstream in their birch bark canoe, and came to rest under the shelter of the point where I was standing, so close that I could touch the Canoe with my hand.
We said “Bon Jour” and then the Indian talked and I shook my head. When I pointed to the rapid water and asked him if there were fish there, he said “Yes.” After resting, they shot out into the stream: their canoe was caught on the current and carried rapidly downward but they paddled hard and made the shelter of the other shore. Seeing this, I thought that spending time in such resting places in quiet water, before dashing out into the swiftly flowing stream to struggle against it, is a picture of seasons of [anno]prayer{note}In Ojibwe spirituality, prayer is a pathway for communication with the Creator, Gitchi Manito. Prayers often require material means, such as the sacred medicines of tobacco and sage, to find their way. Setting the tobacco alight with fire allows the smoke to carry prayers to the Creator.
In Anglicanism, prayer also require material forms to properly address God. The Book of Common Prayer is an Anglican ritual manual that outlines the words to use in prayers for various circumstances, as well as how to conduct rituals such as baptism and communion. In 1889, an Ojibwe translation of the Book of Common Prayer was published.[/anno] on Sundays.
Later that day, I heard that “[anno]Charlie{note}Charlie was an Ojibwe canoe guide who ferried Du Vernet and Johnston through the rapids of the Rainy River. Read more.
[/anno]” was going through the [anno]long tent{note}Du Vernet was likely using the phrase “long tent” interchangeably with “medicine tent.” Read more.
[/anno].
As the weather was cooler it was pleasant to be out in the evening with a [anno]smudge{note}It is not clear what Du Vernet means by smudge. He might simply be referring to a smoke used to ward off mosquitoes, or he could have been describing someone nearby who was smudging as a ritual gesture of communication and purification. [/anno] near by.
The setting sun over the mirror-like water, the wooded shores before it, was a picture not soon to be forgotten.