The new Mission--Mr. Steinhauer--Benjamin Sinclair.
In the meantime father was delighted with what he saw.
Here in the wilderness was the beginning of Christian civilization.
Mr. Steinhauer had built a mission house and school-house, and also
assisted quite a number of Indians to build comfortable houses.
Quite a settlement had sprung up, and this mission seemed to have a
bright future.
Of course, the bulk of all effort had rested on the missionary, but
he proved equal to his work. Preacher, judge, doctor, carpenter,
sawyer, timberman, fisherman, hunter, and besides this a great deal
of travel in that country of long distances. Mr. Steinhauer had his
time fully occupied.
Here we met Benjamin Sinclair, who had come into the Saskatchewan
country as assistant to the Rev. Robert Rundel, who was the first
missionary of any church to the tribes of this western country.
Benjamin was a swampy half-breed from the Hudson's Bay region. Big,
strong and honest, and a mighty hunter, was old Ben Sinclair. In his
use of English he made "r" "n," and "t" "d," and used "he" for "she."
For instance (introducing us to his wife), he said, "He very fine
wo-man, my Mangened" (Margaret being his wife's name).
He had settled close to the Mission, and was a great help to the
missionary. Side by side these worthies labored, and side by side
sorrowing families and a sorrowing people some years later laid them
to rest.
A few hours after our arrival, "the Hawk" and a few of the Indians
whose families we had passed at Saddle Lake came in.
They had returned from their hunt and had been successful, and
brought Mr. Steinhauer some of the meat. They had been attacked by a
crowd of Indians, who turned out to be friends from Maskepetoon's
camp, and thus they brought us word of the whereabouts of the chief
and his people, whom father was most anxious to see before he
returned to Norway House.
Accordingly it was arranged that we should meet some fifteen or
twenty days later on the plains "somewhere." This was very
indefinite, but as near as we could plan under the conditions of the
time.
Mr. Steinhauer would go with his people, and joining those at Saddle
Lake, cross the Saskatchewan and on to the plains and buffalo; and we
would go to Smoking Lake, and finding Mr. Woolsey, would then strike
out also for the plains and buffalo, and there we hoped to meet in a
large gathering before long.