Guardians--School--Trip to Nottawasaga--Journey to Alderville--Elder
Case--The wild colt, etc.
My guardians were good and kind people, and I never can forget the
interest they took in me; but they believed in industry and thrift,
and indeed had sore need to, for the salary of a teacher on an Indian
mission in those days was very small. My time was spent in going to
school, in carrying wood and water, and running errands.
During this time my guardians made a trip to the Nottawasaga country,
and I went along. Our mode of transport was an open boat, and we
coasted around Cape Rich and down the bay past Meaford and Thornbury.
I remember one night we camped on the beach where the town of
Collingwood now stands. There was nothing then but a "cedar swamp,"
as near as I can recollect. Finally we came to the mouth of the
Nottawasaga River, where we left our boat, and made a walking trip
across country to Sunnidale; and while to-day the whole journey is
really very short by rail or steamboat, then, to my boyish mind, the
distance was great and the enterprise something heroic.
Those deep bays, those long points, those great sand-hills, how big
then, and long, this all seemed to me; and yet, how all this has
dwindled down with the larger experience of life.
While at Sunnidale, I spent some of my time fishing for "chubb" in a
small mill-pond, and one day, to my great surprise, caught a most
wonderful fish or animal, I could not tell which. It finally turned
out to be a "mud-turtle." How to carry it home puzzled me. However,
eventually I succeeded in bringing the strange thing to the house.
Somebody told me to put it down and stand on its back, and it was so
strong and I so little that it could move with my weight.
Often since then I have seen a big Indian, with a big saddle and load
of buffalo meat, all on the back of a small pony, and I have thought
of my "mud-turtle" and my ride on its back.
Father did not remain very long at college. An opening came to him
to go to Alderville and become the assistant of Elder Case, in the
management of an industrial school situated at that place.
Father in turn opened the way for my guardian, Mr. Cathey, who became
teacher at this institution, and accordingly we moved to Alderville.
This was a great trip for me--by steamboat from Owen Sound to
Coldwater, by stage to Orillia, by steamboat to Holland Landing, by
stage to Toronto, and by steamboat from Toronto to Cobourg. All this
was an eye and mind opener--those wonderful steamboats, the
stagecoach, the multitude of people, the great city of Toronto, for
even in 1850 this was to me a wonderful place. To be with mother and
father once more, what joy! New scenes, a new world, had opened to
my boyish imagination. I felt pity for the people away there in Owen
Sound, shut in by forests and rocks. I commiserated my little
brother in thought, left as he was on the bush farm, under the
limestone crags. What did he know? What could he see? Why, I was
away up in experience and knowledge. In vain folks might call me
"little Johnnie." I was not little in my own conceit, for I had
travelled; I was somebody.
Here I saw the venerable Elder Case, whom I may safely call the
Apostle of Indian Missions in Canada. He took me on his knee, and
placing his hand on my head, gave me his blessing. Then there was
his sweet womanly daughter. She was as an "angel of grace" to my
boyish heart. She lifted me into the realm of chivalry. I would
have done all in my power at her bidding. These memories have been
as a benediction all through life, and kept me from going astray many
a time in my youth.
In the meantime a little sister was born. We named her Eliza, after
Miss Case. The Indians called her No-No-Cassa, or humming-bird, for
she was a great crier; nevertheless, she grew to womanhood, became
the wife of a Hudson's Bay Company's officer, who later on was made
an Honorable Senator. To-day my sister is a widow, and is living
near the historic city of Edinburgh, overseeing the education of her
youngest son, who is attending one of the famous schools of old
Scotland.
Father's life at Alderville was a busy one: the boys to manage, and
some of those grown into young men were very unruly; the farm to run,
coupled with circuit and mission work. Many a ride I had with him to
meetings in that vicinity. Elder Case had a fine mare; no one else
could handle her like father. She had a colt, now grown to be a
great big horse, black as coal and wild also. He had broken all his
halters heretofore, but father made one of strong rope which held
him, and then proceeded to break him in.
One day as father was leading this colt, he called me to him, and
lifted me on his back. Fear and pride alternated in my mind, but
finally the latter ruled, for I was the first one to ride him. Many
a broncho have I broken since then, but I never forget the ride on
Elder Case's black colt.