CHAPTER 3. TO THE DEPOT AT THE EAST BRANCH OF THE MILK RIVER

July 8. Heard that two old carts remained near the half-breed houses, which they probably thought too poor to take on. Thought how-ever that may be better than nothing. Examined them & took the best. An old stager, mended up with poplar, the axle & much of the wheels being of that wood. Also scientifically bound with shaganappi in many places. Occupied some time getting it put in a little better repair & arranging other little matters. Left two boxes specimens addressed to Dufferin, but if no chance in that direction offered, & depot moved west, must not be abandoned but brought along with it.

Red River Country carts are little use in this part of the country to anybody but the half-breeds. When broken there is no hard wood to repair them & from the stony & rough character of the "roads" breaks are necessarily frequent. The sand & grit also rapidly wears away the axles unless iron bushes are used & then a poplar axle has to be substituted at risk of breakdown any moment. The extreme dryness of the air causes them to split & crack in all directions, especially the hubs, & when this happens the spokes work loose & nothing will save the wheel. By keeping the wheel always wet this may be avoided but water is scarce. With the half-breeds time is no object & cheapness is everything. They put on light loads & travel in large trains so that if one cart breaks down the load may be distributed & the fragments retained for future repairs.

Left Woody Mt. at 10.30 & came about 4 m. to a coul'e in which a good spring. Last wood also here. Lunched. Set out again & travelled till nearly dark, not finding water at proper camping time. Water found only [in] pools with a strong saline taste & repulsive yellowy colour. Saw next morning that if we had come about a mile further would have got good water.

The country passed over is pretty well grassed & has the appearance of overlying the Lig. Tertiary or reposing on a good thickness of drift.

It somewhat resembles the Coteau foot passed along on the Traders Road

E.of Woody Mt. A ridge (coteau?) some miles to N. A second broken edged ridge or plateau front (probably Lig. tert. uplands) to S. Many coule's now nearly dry running across the track Northwards & NWest-ward. Saw no good exposures, but probably nearly all may be put down as Tertiary.