It’s Friday!
Time for another trip back in time
via a letter my father wrote
during his time in Lansdowne House.
In a remote bush community
weather impacts everything.
It shapes your life.
Whiteout on Lake Attawapiskat
Painting by Don MacBeath, Fall of 1960
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights ReservedIf you lived in Lansdowne
or other northern villages,
you knew there would be times
when you opened your home to travelers
at a moment’s notice.
If you were a pilot
forced down by weather,
you could count on northern hospitality
for you and your passengers
until it was to safe to fly again.
Historical Photo of Two Float Planes
Location Unknown
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
The food might be Spam and powdered potatoes,
and the bed a couch in the livingroom
or a sleeping bag on the floor,
but people generously offered what they had.
There was lots of tea and coffee,
late night conversation,
and warm companionship
while you waited out the weather.
On Thursday, September 29, 1960
my father wrote of such a night
with stranded travelers at Father Ouimet’s mission:
Hi There, Everyone:
Here we go on another edition of the “Lansdowne Letter.”
I hope it isn’t as full of mistakes as last night’s was,
and I hope that you are able to read what I wrote.
Please excuse all the postscripts.
It is just that Uno was using the typewriter,
and I kept thinking of so many things
I wanted to say before I forgot them.
The mail may not get in and out tomorrow,
because the weather is closed in badly tonight.
There are two planes grounded tonight at Lansdowne;
and, I should be able to get this edition out
with the pilot whose name is “Chicago Bill” Kranach.
 |
| Chicago Bill Photo by Don MacBeath, Fall of 1960 © M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue All Rights Reserved |
However, I may not get
my mail till the end of the week
or the first of next week.
That will bother me,
because I sure look forward
to mail day.
It seems that I just live
from Friday to Friday.
Mail sure means a lot
in an isolated post like this.
Father Ouimet was laughing at my worrying
about the mail being one or two days late.
Dog Team Near Hudson Bay
Little Churchill River, Manitoba, 1908
the first time in 1940,
he was at a mission on Hudson’s Bay
and received his mail twice a year;
once in February by dog team
and once in the summer, about August, by steamer.
 |
| Father Maurice Ouimet Photo by Don MacBeath, Fall of 1960 © M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue All Rights Reserved |
The first year his mail
missed the dog team run,
and he had to wait till August
for his Christmas mail,
including a Christmas cake
that his mother sent him.
The cake was in
fine shape though,
because she had used
lots of fruit and wine
when she was making the cake.
I took some pictures tonight over at the Father’s,
showing the Father, the Brother, Uno, “Chicago Bill”
and a Mr. Baker from Geraldton, Ontario.
 |
| Mr. Baker Photo by Don MacBeath, Fall of 1960 © M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue All Rights Reserved |
This Mr. Baker
is an old time prospector
who finally struck it rich.
He and a partner staked
a claim on some property
that had been declared
worthless by geologists.
It turned out to have fantastically rich deposits of nickel and copper.
So far, he and his partner
have realized about $2,500,000.00 each,
and the mine isn’t fully developed yet.
He was telling me about it tonight.
It was only in 1952 that he made his strike.
Now he spends the summer running a large farm,
(thereby fulfilling a lifelong ambition)
and the winters travelling.
Last winter he was in Australia,
and the one before, he spent in New Zealand.
 |
| Brownie Hawkeye ~ Dad's Camera wikimedia |
the pictures as soon as
they are developed.
If you want any more pictures,
you will have to send me
some more flashbulbs.
They are almost essential
to picture taking up here in the wintertime.
 |
| Superflash |
The kind to get me is
SYLVANIA Superflash Blue Dot M-2 Flashbulbs.
They come in boxes of twelve and cost about $1.50 a box.
Well, I have to wind this up and get to bed.
It is quite late.
I spent a few hours playing cribbage
with the Father and Mr. Baker.
The Father skunked me,
but I managed to beat Mr. Baker two out of three,
though it was touch and go during the last game.
Brother Bernier Skunks Uno at Cribbage
Photo by Don MacBeath, Fall of 1960
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved
Dad with Brother Bernier and Mr. Baker
Cribbage Wars
Photo by Don MacBeath, Fall of 1960
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved
This concludes this week’s edition of the “Lansdowne Letter.”
Will start the next letter tomorrow.
Bye now,
Love,
Don
P. S. It was 15º above zero last night. (15º F. = -9.4 Cº)
Lansdowne House
West of James Bay
Ontario, Canada
The Attawapiskat River is traced in dark blue.
Lansdowne House is highlighted in yellow, just above the yellow sticky note.
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Till next time ~
Till next time ~
Fundy Blue.