Volume 11, 1958 - The Arctic Circle - Home

VOL XI No.3 THE ARCTIC CIRCULAR 41
line, instead of climbing up over the point of the rocks,
mistakenly followed the river bank until they arrived where
the rock jutting out into the deep water cut off further advance.
One after another they dropped off as they came to the rock,
which jutting out into the water, cut off any view between the
boat and the men on the line. Finally, with the guide's frenzied
shouts of "Let her come!" we let go of the stern line. The boat
immediately swung around in an arc, and was left hanging half
over the falls, with nothing but the light tracking line holding it
from certain destruction. Luckily, there were lots of men waiting
here, and they jumped into the boat at the risk of their lives and
unloaded about eight tons in as many minutes. The empty boat was
then dropped over the falls, hauled out, and, with the help of a
Spanish windlass, pulled back into shape, and was ready to proceed
after a little patching and caulking. The other boat was lowered
without incident. Here we paid off our guide, Billy Clark, who
returned up river to guide other parties. These guides made big
money (we paid him one hundred dollars). but it was well worth
the fee.
Next we came to Fort McMurray (now Waterways and
the end of steel). From here it was easy going to Lake Athabasca
and Fort Chipewyan. This lake swarms with a variety of fish. Our
companion boat put out a gill net to get a few fish for breakfast, but
soon had to haul it up for fear of losing it to the swarms of fish
getting caught in it.
Leaving Chipewyan, our route lay across the end of the
lake, where a short river named the La Roche I is found. This
river, where it joins the mouth of the Peace River, forms the Slave
River, which runs into Great Slave Lake. The country between
Lake Athabasca and the mouth of the Peace River is practically flat,
so that in spring the waters of the Peace River coming from the south
are in flood before the lake has risen, causing the slow running
La Roche River to reverse its flow and go back into the lake for a
1. Now officially named Riviere des Rochers. Ed. A.C.