left in charge, E---- parlour-maid, Mr. B---- scullery-man, and I
cook. We have heaps of mushrooms at every meal, a most agreeable
change to the rice and white beans we have only hitherto had.

_Thursday_.--Hot day. A---- went into town to some meeting at
the Club. We have been dreadfully tormented with mosquitoes today,
also the big "bull-dog" fly, which, whenever the kitchen door was
left ajar, came into the house in myriads; but we find that
Keating's powder most effectually destroys them, and in a very few
seconds. We have been busy making a mattress and pillow for Mr.
H----, really one does not realise how clever one is until our
genius is put to the test in an establishment like this. E---- and
I drove up to the tent after supper with our handiwork, and had
great pleasure in seeing it filled with hay. Our drive was not of
the most enviable: we had a waggon with no spring seat, only a
board, which was always moving, to sit upon; one horse would tear
along, the other not pull an ounce, in spite of applying the whip
a good deal, and we were nearly smothered with mosquitoes, I never
saw such clouds of them, and on our return home there was a
general rush for the bottle of ammonia, which is the only thing
that allays the irritation.

_Friday_.--Excitements have been crowding in upon us to-day.
Bob, one of the labourers, who went into Winnipeg yesterday, only
arrived home at 3 A.M. this morning. He left town at 6, but the
night being dark he lost his way, and finding himself on the edge
of a marsh, having a feed of oats with him, wisely unhitched his
horses, tied them to the wheels, and waited patiently for
daylight. Just as we were sitting down to dinner, three men who
have been surveying the Government ditch near here, came and