Twelve (b)

"All things must end and so the day arrived when we had to bid our dear ones goodbye and promised to see them next year if it were God's will.  Faith was to drive her car down to Toronto with us and meet Bill in London the next day as he would be through at the University.  We had a long distance call from the Nye's in Toronto, insisting that we stop over with them on the return trip.  To this we finally agreed.

Again we packed a picnic lunch ad were on our way Wednesday morning at 8:00 A.M. Faith leading the way and setting the pace, we covered the miles in record time considering traffic conditions and the fact that Faith and I hit every park restroom (latrines or Lats in Scout language) along the 355 miles.

We stopped for a visit to the birthplace of the famous Dionne Quintuplets in Callander, Ontario which is now a museum.  It was quite interesting, and many of the photographs and picture were one I have in my collection.  Just outside Callandar on Lookout Point we had lunch and as the name implies, we had a wonderful view of the bay and surrounding countryside.  After quite a few necessary stops and some hours later we arrived in the busy Metropolis of Toronto.  My nose pointed straight to the Nye's, no trouble.  A pleasant evening, and to bed as we wanted to be up early and away.

The night before we had asked that no one be up to see us off, we were up at 6:00 slipped in to say goodbye to Faith and were off by 6:35 A.M.  By this early departure were able to avoid much of that morning traffic.  It was beginning to get heavy by the time we were out of the city.

We had to make one stop for gas but decided to wait until we had crossed the border before stopping for breakfast.  A very good reason for this... we had spent the very last of our Canadian money and did not want to have more changed.  As usual we had no trouble at customs.  A very friendly man at customs chatted a few minutes with us about South Florida.  He plans to visit in Key West this winter.  They can usually look at us and know we have nothing to declare.  An easier exit from Detroit than we have ever made.  We could find no place off the freeway that appealed to us so we finally drove into a Howard Johnson's lot for brunch.  Here we had again lost an hour and it was only 10:30 but since we had only a few more miles in Michigan we did not set our watches."

Page Twelve (a)

"Baron Redesdale, a British peer with Nazi sympathies and his two daughters frequently came to this little settlement where he had mine holdings, to live for a few months or two.  On other occasions they were house guest of Herr Hitler in Germany.  It was one of these two daughters who wore the necklace.  She was said to have been one of Hitler's mistresses, but of this there is no positive proof.  However, when Hitler spoke to Lord Redesdale about an emblem for his new party, Redesdale showed him the swastika.  A year later it was in full circulation as the trademark of the Nazi party.  Patriotic suggestions during World War II were made to change the name from Swastika to Winston, but as the legend on the cover of the match boxes sold by Doc Edis at his drug store stated, most of them said "Hitler Be Damned" so Swastika was and still is the name of the Gateway to Kirkland Lake.  This is a true story as the records prove."

Page Eleven (b)

"Back for a little to Moosonee and its inhabitants.  The Cree Indians always have been and still are a rugged people.  This true story represents some of that ruggedness.  George something or other is the hero.  He amputated his own leg after his eighty-two year old father found him pinned beneath a tree he (George) had felled on himself quite accidentally two days before.  Eight days after he was found, he knew his infected leg would have to go ad he also knew he could not reach a hospital from his trapping camp.  It took him two hours to amputate his leg with an eight-inch hunting knife, including the times he lost consciousness.  Eighteen days after the accident, the wound sealed with salt and spruce gum, his aged mother managed to walk fifteen miles to another trapper's camp.  A priest and four men finally reached George and two months after the accident the amputation was extended int he hospital at Moose Factory.  George still lives.

They have many legends which vary according to the story teller.  This one I thought quite interesting so am passing it on to you.  It is "How The Year Got Twelve Months".  After the great flood the animals decided to hold a meeting to discuss how many months there should be in a year.  First, the caribou suggested that the hair between his toes be counted and that was how many months there would be in a year.  The loon said that all the white spots on his back be counted and this was how many months he wanted.  All through the meeting the frog kept interrupting, wanting to have her say.  After the loon had spoken she said it was too many months and she would never have a chance to get warm.  They laughed at her and slapped her, which knocked her finger and toes which knocked her down.  One of them said.  "Let's have pity on our sister."  They then counted her finger and toes which added up to twelve and they and they all agreed there should be twelve months in a year.

Before we leave this beautiful northland I want to tell you one more story of a small town, three miles from Kirkland Lake.  If you should go in on the train you would have to get off here and be met.

Swastika !!  Not a German town or name as many seem to think and believe, but Indian.  Two brothers Bill ad Jim Dusty were prospecting for gold back in 1920.  While working on their find one day some visitors came up to inspect the work.  A young lady amongst them asked what name they would be giving the mine.  Bill, the forward one looked up and noticed the Indian Charm necklace she was wearing.  He said "We'll call it the Swastika Mine after that charm on your necklace."  The name was given the mine and the settlement.  The name derived from an Indian charm "Lucky Cross" came to have quite the opposite implication years later when a certain one-armed paper hanger, who had risen tot he leadership of the Third Reich, adapted the "Lucky Cross" as his party's symbol."  

Page 11

"We left shortly afterward for the drive back to Kirkland Lake.  About eighteen miles north of Kirkland Lake you go "over the top: of the height of land.  From here all waters flow to the north.  There is a huge sign which says "The Arctic Watershed from here all streams flow north to the Arctic Ocean."  It give you a queer feeling to see the water flowing south, cross a bridge and there you see it has changed its course and flows in the other direction.  And man can say there is no God?

This section of Ontario is known as the bush country.  Bill had told us that moose or bear could be five feet back in the bush without being seen.  We thought he was telling us a little exaggerated story, but after seeing for ourselves how very dense the trees and how close to the ground they grew, we doubted him no more.  He was advised when he first moved there, to keep the trees around place trimmed and the underbrush cleared from the yard and woods in front of the house or moose and bears would come right to the front door.  Faith said all she needed was to open the front door and be greeted by one or the other.  Can you imagine what would happen?  Well, I'd be making tracks of a different kind."

Sore hands today, typing done.  Maybe tomorrow. 

Excerpts from a folded hand out from Kirkland Lake 1969

The Heaven's Declare... part twelve.

"They wanted to be quite sure they got on one of the insured boats.  (They all are insured by the way).  when we were aboard they hastened to try getting into their "Mae West" life jackets but made little progress until we showed them how it was done.  J.W. and I teased them and told them they were shallow water Baptists.  We did not mind getting wet and we could both swim.  The trip over and back was thrilling, fifteen minutes each way.  there were many things of interest on the island and we saw quite a few.  Moose Factory Island is the oldest settlement in Ontario.  We saw the huge, very up-to-date Eskimo-Indian Hospital; St. Thomas' Anglican Church with its beautiful very old bead worked moosehide altar cloths.  At one time a spring flood floated this church from its foundation.  The people managed to tow the church back into place before the water went down.  To prevent this from happening again, holes were bored in the floor.  In case of flood, the holes are unplugged and water allowed to enter the church, thus preventing it from floating away.  The member felt it would be better to clean after the flood than to lose the church.  There were other things we saw and man we did not.  We were beginning to tire, or rather I was, so we failed to visit other places of interest.

We picked up a few souvenirs from the Indians.  A wild goose and a loon for us, both beautifully hand-carved from wood by the Indians.  J.W. bought a soapstone carving.  We caught another boat to the mainland, and gradually worked our way back to the station.  The way seemed such longer going back.  We stopped at he little post-office to write and mail quite a few cards.

The train left at 6:15 and by this time it was pouring rain again.  Have I said it rained all the way from Cochrane to Moosonee, then the sun came out and it was a nice day up to the time we got back to the station? We were early birds for those who loitered along the way were not so fortunate, they came in running and drenched.
As the train pulled out of the station, several little Indian lads waved a farewell, by putting their thumbs in their ears, wigwagging and making horrible faces.  J.W. insisted they meant something entirely different.  People and especially youngsters are about the same wherever you find them.

We were a weary, bedraggled looking group of people when the train started.  Everyone had a big day.  Souvenirs by the car load it seemed.  I realized "my get up and go had got up and went."  J.W. found some people to talk with, from far enough south of the border to have a drawl to equal his, and they kept the car in an uproar "shooting the breeze".  After we had dinner I napped most of the way back to Cochrane.


We were due back at 11:30 P.M. but we were late, it was almost midnight when we arrived.  cold, blustery and again pouring.  Fortunately we had only to cross the street to reach our hotel. Nothing has ever looked so tempting as that bed after the day I had put in, then had to climb three flights of stairs to our room.  No elevators!!!  Although exhausted I had to have a "jay-bird" bath, then I tumbled in and was asleep almost by the time my head hit the pillow.  BLESSED RELIEF.

The next morning we decided not to go down to the crowed dining room for breakfast but to enjoy the contents of our "care box".  Nothing has ever tasted quite so good as that tea and blueberry coffee cake eaten off an old washstand in a little hotel.  Thanks to the thoughtfulness of some little girls.  Good Scouts All."

Cannot upload pictures, internet seems to be overloaded.  Next time. (was able to upload today)

Kirkland Lake

Salsa

Well, since we are all on voluntary lock down I figured I had to find something to do.  I have had peppers in the freezer for awhile.  Hence salsa.
Don't know how it will turn out.  Tasted just a little bit and its hot.  Gotta love it.   js

The Heaven's Declare the Glory of God, and the Firmament Sheweth His Handiwork... continued

"An hour later we crossed the Moose River.  The crossing of this rapid river represents one of the major engineering feats of all times.  Three times the bridge was destroyed by the spring break-up of ice and rushing water and had to be rebuilt.  Finally, the rail builders blocked off half the river by building a causeway to an island in midstream.  From this island a bridge runs high aboue the turbulent river for 1800 feet.  I'm happy to report the engineer took his own slow time in making this dangerous crossing.

Our arrival (after lunch on the train) at Moosonee about 1:15 P.M. was truly an exciting time.  The station platform was packed with the residents of the settlement.  Some waiting for friends or freight.  Most of them just out to greet us.  A huge sign on the station wall read "Welcome to Moosonee" and another which pleased J.W. very much was "Welcome to Moosonee Boy Scouts Of Canada".  They were arriving by the hundred from all over Canada for their annual jamboree.

Our brochures told us "Moosonee is a frontier town.  People swarming over the station platform to greet the train."  It was also little wide-eyed children waiting and posing for us to take their pictures.  To them the arrival of the train with its hundreds of visitors was a great occurrence.  A plane ride of hundreds of miles meant nothing to them.  The excursion train runs every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday from the first of June through September 14th.

Moosonee is a weather station keeping meterologists posted, and it has a printing plant that turns out probably the only magazine printed in Cree syllabics.  I bought a newspaper with some Cree syllabics.  Very interesting Newpaper for a small place.

We visited the Hudson's Bay Trading Post.. not the original of course but the second one that was built.  You can find everything there from soapstone carvings, Indian handicraft, bear traps, hides, furs on to fine bone china.

From the station down the main street to the waterfront is a distance of about half a mile we were told.  By the time we had walked there, my swollen feet and ankles told me it was nearer five miles.  But, manfully I struggled along, or rather it was more like a "Step-"n-Fetchit" shuffle.

At the waterfront there were literally dozens of giant canoes, motorized, manned by two Indians to each canoe, to provide transportation to Moose Factory Island.  The Indians frequently take these canoes out into the open bay (St. James and Hudson) so we were told there was no need to worry about their abiity to get us safely to Moose Factory, in fact, the Indian Boat Driver had probably cut his teeth on a canoe paddle.

Page 10
At the waterfront we met a very nice couple and their son from Norfolk Virginia.  We were asked to join them for the trip over to the Island.  Had a nice short visit while doing so.  He is a Methodist Minister ad had exchanged pulpits with the pastor of the Methodist Church in Kapuskaming, Ontario for the month of August."

 This picture I found from the Toronto Public library taken in 1969

This picture is of our family (with our cousins from Florida) a few years prior to 1969

Part eleven

"Now you may wonder why we drove to Cochrane to board a train?  Well, the excursion train makes up at Cochrane.  As J.W. said, we were only two out of 800 'suckers'.  But we were hardly that.  It was an experience I would not have missed, also one I do not care to make again soon.  Fun!  We let Cochrane Friday morning at 8:15 A.M. August 8th.  The advertisements read, "All Aboard The Polar Bear Express to Moosonee.  An exciting train ride down north from Cochrane to Ontario's Fabled Northland."  Or it might read "welcome Aboard The Polar Bear Express.  From Cochrane, Ontario to the Arctic Tidewater."  The train had huge white Polar Bears painted on each side of the big diesel engines.  The train carried three freight cars, three baggage cars, and twelve passenger cars, including a diner and luncheon car.  One car was occupied by a six piece band that furnished music all day.

Cochrane is the end of the highway north.  All other means of travel is by train or plane in summer and dog-sled in the winter.  Of course there are highways going east and west from there and south but nothing north except a few dirt roads that suddenly end in the bush.  Along about October the long freight trains start hauling food and supplies to Moosonee to last the people until after the spring "Break-up."

Although there were no highways, all along the 198 miles of railroad, there were crude tar-paper shacks in which the Indians lived and nearly always there was a car on the little dirt roads that lead to "nowhere".  If the Baggageman had freight or a package for the inhabitants along the route, he would blow the whistle and you could see them coming out of the bush to pick it up.  The same was true if they wanted to ride to the next station or all the way to the end.  They would flage the train and it would stop to pick them up.  On the train with us was a lttle wizened old Indian, with a face like a dried apple doll I saw, toothless.  At every stop he got off the train.  At one, e spied an old friend evidently.  You never saw such a smile on both faces, such hugging, kissing and back-slapping as went on.  We thought this must be where he was headed for but when we got the end of the line, he was very much present.

Pg 9

We were truly travelling into a new world.  Every 40th telephone pole (oh yes there are telephones and electricity) along the track carried a mile board marker to indicate the number of miles we were north of Cochrane.  At Otter Rapids, 93 miles north of Cochrane the track run very high along the river bank giving us a clear view of the Hydro (electric power) dam and the power house far below.  This dam is only one of several that are being built by the Ontario Hydro Co. to furnish power to the far corners of the northland.  The train stopped here for ten minutes to allow camera fans a chance for pictures."

Note: the black and white picture is of Otter Rapids that I found online.  js

The Heaven's Declare... Part ten.

Page 8
"So... it was on to Moosonee (Moose-O-nee)

You will probably say I am stretching the truth when I say we left Kirkland Lake at 7:00 P.M. drove 99 miles and saw the sun go down at the end of that 99 miles in Cochrane, Ontario where we spent two nights.  It is the truth though.

But I have reached Cochrane too soon so let's go back to Kirkland Lake for a little while.  One of the fiercest, blackest mountain storms I have ever seen came up about 5:00 P.M. Thunder, lightening, high winds and driving, blinding rain.  It was suddenly as dark as night outside.  However it did not last more than an hour and a half.  It was over by 7:00 P.M. and only a little rain falling at that time.  We had our dinner and left.  The drive to Cochrane was beautiful at that time of day.  The sky was every color of the rainbow, and with the reflection of the sun over the many rivers and lakes, it made a picture no artist could ever put on canvas.  We hope we will have some good pictures.  This is the land of the northern lights and the aurora borealis.

We arrived in Cochrane at 9:15 P.M. a very high and very keen wind was blowing and felt as though it came straight from the arctic ocean.  Brrr!  Luckily, we had made our reservations ahead of time for they were turning them away when we arrived.  A few others had the same idea as we had, to make the trip.

My precious grand-daughter had made up, what Kerry Frances called a "Care" box for us to take along.  There were tea bags, sugar, butter, a delicious blueberry coffee-cake, plates, cups, knives, forks, spoons, napkins and an electric percolator to heat water for tea.  Alack and alas!!  I had foolishly had "an overindulgence of my already overexaasperated appetite" remember that Eunice?  I had eaten a tossed salad at dinner containing radishes.  someday I'll learn.  Maybe."

Half way through the page.  Have to stop as my grand-kids are to be here in a couple of minutes.  Unfortunately, while I write this the world around us is in a dead panic about a flu from China.  Is it serious?  I am sure for those who catch it.  Is the response justified?  Well, I am sure we will eventually know.  For now, going to the park with Jack, Barb and Shea-lynn.   js

"The Heaven's declare..." Part 9

"They seemed happy to help us out and we had a nice conversation on the way.  They are planning on coming to south Florida or rather to the Lion Safari which is near here at Christmas time.  They were packed to come last year but when she fell and broke her leg.  I told them to be sure and give us a call if they came and if we could do anything to make their stay more pleasant we would be only too glad to do it. 

Well, when George and I got in the house we could not find the pump.  I knew he must have been the one to remove it from the bus as he had been repairing bicycles all day.  He said not.  He also said it could not be in the tool shed but we decided to have a look anyhow.  Guess what?  The key to the tool shed had been removed from the key-board in the kitchen and could not be found.  We eventually removed a window and there reposing on the shelf where no one but George could have placed it was not only the tire pump but the key to the door as well.  Poor George!!  He means well though.  At last we got back to the poor tired, fly-bitten, hungry and cold people.  No matter what his faults he is a sweet boy and we love him.  He is not afraid to tackle any job and often does it well if left alone.  He is preparing for a career in electrical engineering.  Hopes to enter McGill Technical School in Montreal after finishing high school.  It is considered one of the best to be found anywhere.  Good luck to him. 

The two younger boys have grown some.  Jamie will make his way in the world.  He has not yet decided what he wants to do.  He should be either a big promoter or a Philadelphia lawyer.  He can talk himself into or out of any situation, John is improving but still seems to be unsure of just how far he can go in making friends, anything alive is a treasure to Jamie.  On one of our jaunts he caught a great big slimy black bull-frog.  How that frog could jump and how Jamie squealed with pure devilish glee.  To him it meant another pet if he cold catch it which he did.  When he brought the nasty thing to show J.W. and me I shuddered.  We both had visions of wakening to find the slimy thing in our bed.  We were very pleased when Faith made him release it.  The children already have a pet hamster (is it That/ Which? Who? or it?) runs all night on a roller-coaster contraption in the cage and a pet chipmunk that does the same thing all day. 

The greatest change in all the family is in Faith.  We wondered, not for the first time, why they had to be so far away.  Bill said "Mother just wait until you see the change in Faith."  The climate certainly agrees with them all.  She does not look to be the mother of six children and an adopted one.  Really does not look more than ten years older than Terry who will be eighteen in December.  First she is wearing glasses, then her hair is darker and she wears it cut short and very casual.  Both are very becoming.  Bill seems to be older but he has lost quite a good bit of weight and has had a very serious illness this year and has great responsibilities.  We ask that God to Bless them all.  

While in Toronto.  J.W. was told of a trip to the end of the world, or so it seemed to us and one we were advised to make if possible.  As J.W. was all enthused and I wanted to miss nothing, I looked forward with much pleasure to this last fling."

The Heaven's... Part 8

"The time we spend with Faith and Bill and the children each year is always one keep in our memories for a long time.  The only thing that kept this from being the most wonderful one of them all was the absence of Bill.  As you know he was away attending the University of Western Ontario's Teacher's College and studying hard.  It was a sacrifice for all to make it possible for him to attend these three years, but after next year it will be a sacrifice from which all will benefit.  They are all pulling with him to make it and we, his parent, are very proud of him.

Each of the children has his or her own endearing way.  Jerry Ann is growing to be quite a young lady, thirteen in October.  She wants her grandmother to knit a cap and sweater for her first baby's christening.  That is when she grows up, marries and has her first baby.  She has been assured that if this old lady is hanging around at that time and is able, she will certainly get one.  Kerry Frances has not changed too much, a little taller, she wants to be a grandmother just like me.  She will be twelve in September.  They are both grandmother's shadows.  Both as emotional as their grandmother.  It is awfully hard to say goodbye to them.

Terry is quite a young lady.  she is preparing herself to go into the nursing profession,  specializing in pediatrics.  She also is quite active in girl guides (scouts) and has won many top honors.  She plays the guitar well and has a lovely voice.  I think Merry Sue as changed more than any of the other children.  She is an excellent cook, very quick-tempered, full of life and very smart.  She too has a lovely voice,  often takes the solo part in school plays and with the church choir.  The three older girls sing in the choir and make a lovely trio.  Merry Sue is preparing for a teacher's career and wants to teach Physical Ed in the same school as her father.  The older girls have beautiful hair, that burnished copper color an wear it well below the shoulders.  Merry Sue wears glasses also. 

Poor George seems always to be behind the eight-ball.  For instance, on one of our excersions goos-berrying, as we were getting ready to return home, we learned there was a flat tire on the bus.  To our dismay the spare was also flat.  You ask why J.W. or George did not pump some air in one or the other?  Well that is where poor George got way down behind the ball.  The pump was not in the bus.  Night was coming on, it was then about 9:30 P.M.  There we were fifteen miles from town and five miles back in the woods on a lake.  I didn't want to spend the night with the moose, bears and blood-sucking black flies.  So I prepared to stop the first car that came along.
(page 7)
So, when I heard the sound of a car coming, I stood out in the middle of the road to wave them down.  Of course J.W. did not want me to do it, he said no telling who it might be, as if I cared.  Guess he would have just sat there throughout the night waiting for the tires to fill up by themselves.  Not yours truly.  I had always wondered what it would be like to thumb a ride, ad now was my chance.  A very nice young couple stopped at my signal.  Wen I had explained our trouble and asked if they were going to town and would give us a lift, they were pleased to help and said they were going in for gas anyway."

Pictures from the 'Gold Daze' book in the binder.

"The heavens..." Part Seven

Page 6
"We had one more experience with our sign language before we left for home.  This time we were in a grocery store looking for maple syrup and brown bear honey which we always try to get when we go to Canada.  We found the tings we wanted on the shelves but we wanted to find a mail*box for J.W. who waited for us in the car.  The clerks had a little better understanding of our good old English language than any of the others we had seen but still it was difficult to make them know just what we were asking.  After putting an imaginary address  and stamp on an envelope for her, the young lady said "Oh, ready to post" and led us outside where she pointed up the street and said "one red, one blue", just two blocks up the street we found the boxes.  We had a beautiful drive home late in the afternoon, after a wonderful day together, Had many laughs at our own expense and ignorance.  t seemed as if we had visited another country indeed.  How much more fun it would have been if we could have spoken their language.  Think I am too old to learn?  I'm going to have a try at it anyhow.

We visited the abandoned gold mines.  Faith and Bill live in a huge house on the Silvanite Gold Mining property.  They have a hugh yard, only a short distance from downtown, near the market where they shop.  They are near schools and churches.  We piked up rocks containing gold, silver, quartz and iron.  Others which contained minerals with which we were not familiar.  The floor of our car was full of these specimens as well as man rocks of all kinds we picked up for some of J.W.'s "Rock Hound" friend back home."

My grandson is just over a year, I was fifty-nine when he was born.  The same gap between him and I and my grandmother and I.  It is far too cool to be reading this and typing it out.  Stay tuned, it gets better.   js