Saddle, Sled and Snowshoe: Pioneering on the Saskatchewan in the Sixties

"Saddle, Sled and Snowshoe: Pioneering on the Saskatchewan in the Sixties" by John McDougall, is a late 19th-century historical narrative capturing the trials and adventures of the author and his fellow pioneers in the Saskatchewan region during the 1860s. The story explores survival, relations with Indigenous populations, and both the difficulties and victories of establishing settlements in a vast, unknown territory. Beginning at Fort Edmonton, the center of life in the Saskatchewan Valley, McDougall describes his travels through the wilderness by dog-train, and shares stories of communal meals of pemmican and tea, taken around campfires, under the night sky. The initial portions of the book feature the author's insights into the landscape, wildlife, and the Indigenous peoples, like the Wood Cree, he meets on his journeys. Themes of friendship among the pioneers and the harsh realities of their world come to life as McDougall crafts a strong image of difficulty, strength, and the appeal of the Canadian frontier.