Transcription

Friday April 25, 1930

Hello Mama darling!

Things are humming around her now – though all was quiet as usual until about 9 AM today. The dogs started barking and looking down the river just before that time – and sure enough – it wasn't long before three dog teams came in sight. The occupants were of considerable interest – for they expect to be permanent residents here – the Rev. John Martin – a native deacon of the Anglican Church – with his wife and six children – most of them babies!

Bishop Stringer sent him up here as – missionary amongst the Indians – not just to stay the summer – but indefinitely. He may do some good – that is – the fact of his being an Indian may give him a better approach to our […] bunch – but he does not understand the dialect used up here – and – though he speaks excellent English – yet – our Indians understand so little in the tongue – that he will probably have his difficulties.

I wish you could have seen them arrive! Three teams – one driven by the father – one by the eldest son – and one by the eldest girl. The rest of the family are absolute babies – and there is another one on the way! Just fancy – they've come all the way from Dawson – nearly four hundred miles – like that! I'm awfully thrilled to have them here – for they are a fine bunch – and the children are very well behaved – they all speak English very well – […]. The baby (almost 6 months I guess) is adorable – just looks like a little Chinese doll.

They brought us a few letters from Dawson – one from the Bishop – introducing them – though Claude had known John years ago when he was stationed at Rampart House. John has spent the last five years – but one – up in the Arctic – amongst the huskies (Eskimo) – and wanted to return there after having spent last winter in Dawson with his brother at Moosehide (The D. Indian village.)

The bishop was most anxious to have him come here instead, though – and so he did – but I fancy he won't find the work so pleasant as it was amongst the little Eskimos at Ft. MacPherson .

It was most interesting to us to learn that he came down to Dawson last summer – from MacPherson – to Ft. Yukon – and stopped there for over a month! He told us a great of news we've never heard – you know Burkes never write.

They were scarcely here before they had their tent up – a fire going – the babies dressed in clean clothing – in fact – when I went over to see them – about an hour after their arrival – one would never have suspected them of being newcomers. The children were running about – bringing water from the river – carrying wood, etc – just as though they'd always done it! Of course I was down at the banks to meet them when they came in first – I've been over there half the day – Claude says he fears I'll be a hopeless gadder [?] – if we get any more neighbors. And we may do, too – before so long. At least – Bishop Stringer said in his letter that he has put in an application for a residential school here – but that he has no idea when it will be accomplished. Wouldn't that be wonderful ?

This afternoon a big bunch of our own Indians came in to post from up the Ross – and this evening Pete Picard's dogs arrived. He is not very far off you know (about 20 miles) – and the dogs know the trail – so they evidently got away from Pete – and decided to visit us. One of them, Paddy by name – is a particularly [illegible at top of page] and so – as soon as Paddy arrived he (Malt) made such a fuss, then Claude realized we wouldn't have any peace with Paddy about loose – so he chased them back up the river – with much shouting and stick throwing. The last thing I could see in the gathering dusk – were two white huskies )Pete's dogs) – moving as fast as they could – along the river bank in the direction of their home – let's hope they stay or rather – keep on going till they get there.

Mamma – do you remember my telling you about the family who started up here last fall – a white man by the name of Money – with his wife and two babies? We all thought it such a ridiculous attempt – and they didn't arrive? Well – John Martin said he met Mr. Money – away down the river – about forty miles from the mouth of the Pelly . That's as far as he got – and it is 200 miles from the mouth of the Pelly up to us! – and expected to go on much further – than this place! Well, anyway – he was alone. The baby got sick – so his wife went “outside” with the children – I don't know what he expects to do.

But to return to your letterers. The one written on September 6 th – your special date – was so sweet – it made me more homesick for you than ever. I was familiar with the little verse you quoted – and always loved it – did me good to think you had found it too.

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