April 7th 1905 - Long walk to register homestead

7th day of April. Started back on foot to Saskatoon, got to the Doukhobors Village again at noon, had dinner, started off again. One of the Brothers, the oldest, thought if we crossed the prairie at this point we would cut a mile or so off but I wanted to stick to the trail., I said we were liable to get lost, I had experience like it in Manitoba. I got 12 miles out of my way and told them, "Oh no we won't get lost, just across here and we shall stroke the trail again, we won't get lost, no fear". But we did. We struck a trail but not the one we came on. I told him we were not on the trail we came on. "Oh yes we were".

I was not altogether sure about it so we walked and walked for about three hours when we came to nothing but bushes when he realized it. Now what shall we do, leaves the trail, crosses the prairie again, walks a long way - no trail, no house to be seen. "Well" says our leader "what shall we do", we had no food with us, the sun was beginning to set then he began telling stories he had heard of men getting lost on the prairies and their bones bleaching in the sun. "Whatever shall we do" he was in an awful way. I said "If you had not left the trail when I told you we should have been all right". He replies "Yes and if you had not brought us to such a Country we should have been all right".

This answer made me a little cross, I cannot tell you here all I said to him but I know Saskatoon lied East and the sun set in the West we had no compass. I said "Look here, I am going to lead". "What can you lead" the oldest brother says, "Well you can either follow me or stay where you are, I am going my way" I did not say anything to them about East or West but started off, they soon followed.

I kept the sun to my back. We walked about 4 miles when we came to a trail, it was now getting dark, strikes a match examines the trail discovers horses inquires "Are we on the right trail for Saskatoon?". "No but it will lead you to it". This was encouraging news. Walked another two miles, comes to another house tired out, asks to let us stay the night. The man says "You are only two miles from a stopping place". "What place is that?" "It's Harmours". We knew that place, we stopped there going out. The younger brother says "Oh Mister I cannot move from here, I am dead beat" "Well if that's the case come in". His wife made us some supper. We slept on the kitchen floor. We had not time to think whether it was hard or soft but was soon fast asleep.

These people know me today for I have stopped at his place many times since they are Norwegians, named Andersons, 18 miles N.W. Saskatoon. This ends the seventh day.