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E D M O N T O N T O L E S S E R S L A V E L A K E 33
up on the bank, was the Hudson's Bay Company's steamer,
the Athabasca, a well- built vessel about 160 feet long by 28
feet beam. This vessel, i t was found, drew too much water
for the channel; so there she lay, rotting upon her skids.
I t was a tantalizing sight to ourselves, who would have been
spared many a heart- break had she been fit for service. A
more interesting feature of the Landing, however, was the
well sunk by the Government borer, M r . Fraser, for o i l,
but which sent up gas instead. The latter was struck at a
considerable depth, and, when we were there, was led from
the shaft under the river bank by a pipe, from which it
issued aflame, burning constantly, we were told, summer
and winter. Standing at the gateway of the unknown
North, and looking at this interesting feature, doubly so
from its place and promise, one could not but forecast an
industrial future, and " dream on things to come."
Shortly after our arrival at the Landing, news, true or
false, reached us that the ice was s t i l l fast on Lesser Slave
Lake. At any rate, the boat's crew expected from there d id
not turn up, and a couple of days were spent i n anxious
waiting. Some freight was delayed as well, and a thunderstorm
and a night of r a i n set the camp i n a swim. The
non- arrival of our trackers was serious, as we had two scows
and a Y o r k boat, with a party all told of some fifty souls,
and only thirteen available trackers to start with. It seemed
more than doubtful whether we could reach Lesser Slave
Lake on treaty- schedule time, and the anxiety to push on
was great. It was decided to set out as we were and trust
to the chapter of accidents. We did not foresee the trials
before us, the struggle up a great and swift river, w i t h contrary
winds, rainy weather, weak tracking lines and a
weaker crew. The chapter of accidents opened, but not in
the expected manner.
The York boat and one of the scows were fitted up amidships
w i t h an awning, which could be run down on all sides
when required, but were otherwise open to the weather, and
3
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| Title | Page 39 |
| OCR | E D M O N T O N T O L E S S E R S L A V E L A K E 33 up on the bank, was the Hudson's Bay Company's steamer, the Athabasca, a well- built vessel about 160 feet long by 28 feet beam. This vessel, i t was found, drew too much water for the channel; so there she lay, rotting upon her skids. I t was a tantalizing sight to ourselves, who would have been spared many a heart- break had she been fit for service. A more interesting feature of the Landing, however, was the well sunk by the Government borer, M r . Fraser, for o i l, but which sent up gas instead. The latter was struck at a considerable depth, and, when we were there, was led from the shaft under the river bank by a pipe, from which it issued aflame, burning constantly, we were told, summer and winter. Standing at the gateway of the unknown North, and looking at this interesting feature, doubly so from its place and promise, one could not but forecast an industrial future, and " dream on things to come." Shortly after our arrival at the Landing, news, true or false, reached us that the ice was s t i l l fast on Lesser Slave Lake. At any rate, the boat's crew expected from there d id not turn up, and a couple of days were spent i n anxious waiting. Some freight was delayed as well, and a thunderstorm and a night of r a i n set the camp i n a swim. The non- arrival of our trackers was serious, as we had two scows and a Y o r k boat, with a party all told of some fifty souls, and only thirteen available trackers to start with. It seemed more than doubtful whether we could reach Lesser Slave Lake on treaty- schedule time, and the anxiety to push on was great. It was decided to set out as we were and trust to the chapter of accidents. We did not foresee the trials before us, the struggle up a great and swift river, w i t h contrary winds, rainy weather, weak tracking lines and a weaker crew. The chapter of accidents opened, but not in the expected manner. The York boat and one of the scows were fitted up amidships w i t h an awning, which could be run down on all sides when required, but were otherwise open to the weather, and 3 |
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