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IN the autumn of 1861, father
and Mr. Sinclair and William made a canoe trip to Oxford House. On the
return journey they had an accident in the upsetting of their canoe in a
rapid. It was in the early morning, and father had his heavy coat on, and
was otherwise handicapped for such a time. But faithful William swam to the
overturned canoe, and then pushed it end on to father, and at the same
saying, "Keep up, master. I am coming!" and when near with the canoe, "Now,
master, take hold. Hold hard, master!" and these two thus passed through the
rapid, and swinging into an eddy at its foot were saved. Mr. Sinclair swam
ashore at once, being in light working costume.
They lost most of their
outfit, including my gun which father had taken along.
That same fall, William was
bitten on the point of the finger by a jack-fish he was taking out of the
net. He caught cold in the wound and inflammation set in, and though father
and mother did all they could to help him, mortification followed and he
died.
Night and day father was with
the poor fellow, and we all mourned for him, for his was a noble heart and
he was one of God's heroes.
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