 Traveling at roughly 15 miles per day, along the Souris River through damp terrain heavy with mosquitoes and black flies, French's force passed the Goodwater area in the first days of August before reaching Moose Jaw on August 8, 1874.In this area on August 3, 1874, mountie Sub-Inspector John Henry McIllree and Commissioner French spotted and hunted prairie antelope, which are common to the Goodwater area.According to local Thelma Ror, writing in 1980, "Residents of Goodwater and surrounding districts have always been sports-minded.