The Desperate Journey (14 page)

“Another puff and you’d have been sick!” Kirsty jeered.

“You would have been sick at the first puff, my lassie!”

After the powwow with the Indians was over, Selkirk announced his plans for the colony.

“For you who lost your houses and crops and animals when the enemy came upon you, I give free grant of land of one hundred acres each, fronting on the Red River below Fort Douglas. Peter Fidler
will show each of you where your lands are situated. These lands shall be yours and your heirs forever.”

Another cheer rose from the settlers.

“Hear me further!” Lord Selkirk said, holding up his hand for silence. “On this ground where we meet today shall be built a church and a home for your minister. The land on the other side of the creek shall be for your school, with a house for your school-master. In memory of the lands you have left in Scotland, I name this parish Kildonan.”

“Kildonan!” the Sutherlanders cried in joy. “Kildonan!” There was hardly an eye in which the tears were not bright.

That evening James and Kate Murray, with Davie and Kirsty, sat on the river bank.

“A grand place for a fishing boat, Father!” Davie remarked with a twinkle in his eye.

“Aye, after you have both finished building our home!” Kate reminded them with a laugh.

“This will be the place for my garden, on this bank sloping to the sun,” Kirsty said happily.

“On this great wide prairie we can grow our corn and raise our flocks and herds,” James dreamed.

“Already I can see the corn stretching golden to the west as far as eye can see.” Kate said, her eyes rapt as one who sees a vision. “This will be the end of our journey, James.”

“Aye, and a hard desperate journey it has been, my lass, but we have won through at last.”

There was silence for a few minutes as they all thought of the long way they had come, then Davie asked, “What shall we call our new home?”

“I know!” Kirsty said. “So that we shall remember Scotland in this new land, and that the old and the new are bound together for ever for us, let us call it Culmailie.”

“Aye, Culmailie it shall be,” James Murray agreed.