C Ihe Ladies c cu. V'VVAN - History and Classics, Department of

IW4 Appendix 1winding: then winds are prevalent + barges will not stand 0'9 sea withoutbumping each other. We came thro' Athabasca Lake in the nick of time atmidnight when the wind had dropped for an hour or two: otherwise we'd havebeen held up all d'Di' Then there are one or two hours of semi-darkness when it isnot safe to travel + then frequent !)'ings up to take onfirewood. Altogether asdifferent from a':9' ordinary scheduled steamer trip as one could imagine. We gotinto Fitzgerald about 8 o'c after supper: it looked quite a townshipafter the onJy settlements seen since Waterw'DIs: the larger stores with squareended false wooden fronts over gables to make them look more imposing. ChilJybrown evening. We at once darted off + got one or 2 flowers + thenwandered on to where we saw the rapids I mile below Fitzgeralda great brown river spread out into combed + crested ripplesroaring wickedly. An old timer whom we knocked up in a wooden house tookus out to where he had cleared a wind pathfor mosquitoes + cd. look down onrapids: Been through Klondike rush like so ma'9 others we meet. An old par!)' w.white beard came in to the steamer about 9.30 + sang impassioned old doggerelsongs to a guitar: a strange scene with all the strong rough faces gathered round.At 10 Judge Dubuc took us ashore (I in my nightgown) to dothe Social at Mrs Leggo the Factors wife + a very wearing performanceit was. From 10 till 1.30 we sat in a heated airless roommaking conversation to our fellow passengers (for our hostesshad none) I to Judge Dubuc G. to O'Connor (the defence for Eskimo) + toPrice the gold seeker who nodded irresistibJy. At last mine host carne in +talked about the country moose buffalo trappers a dotty onewho lives in Barren Grounds + eats raw rabbits fur + all forwant of fuel or meat + does not even get a living Hornby byname. At long last came toast + coffee. All this time the talkdribbled on of steamers, delays, Indians, wind, trappers,Eskimo trials, furs, wireless (which thry had in the house) +c +c quiteanother world to the one we have left behind. At 1. 30 we staggered outinto what was nearly daylight sunset or dawn-weary + gidrfyMONDAY 7 JUNEGot up at 7.55 feeling like 0 in Earth + staggered into breakfastwhich is not served after sinking so low as to breakfast in hat +cnot dressed! Cold dismal d'Di spent in waiting about for news of Distributorwhich was Jying below Fort Smith 16 miles aw'DI down the rapids getting rearfy for1st summer trip. I nipped out + found lYrola + a few ftowers. Cold has sent inmosquitoes but Fi/.rt!;erald gloomy + the soil a horrid slippery cl'DI' At 3 a 'c theCapt. pushed us off the boat + we hung about for cars in Warehousefull of freight + Buffalo skins +c. We were lucky enough to get a"little Roadster" for 2 + away we went over black soil like aploughed field bump bump bump. Twis!)' road among poplars cottonwood firs +c This is the 16 miles portage but what a history under that 1 word.Our driver a Swede + Eskimo mixed called McNeil told us he haddriven buffalo teams over it as late as 1911. OnJy last week a tractortowed two ten ton schooners destined for the Arctic over the 16 miles not mountedon a'9thingthry were too hea,!), but)ust sailing along the road. 4 days theytook in the "old days" driving through unfelled saplings the 16miles. Now several cars 20 horse teams or more plod along +transfer the 250 tons we brought up. The road is awfol but towardsFort Smith it changes to pure sand. We met Mr Brabant who turned usback to the "Hotel" + told us to take his room + until nearly 9 PM. itseemed doubtful if the Distributor would turn up. We hadsupper at the Hotel with a very rough assembly at the othertable "old-timers" no doubt. Then we went with Judge Dubuc,Mr Brabant + Mr Howatt the Prosecutor a great talker + laugher to call on theRC Mounted Police a Mr Fletcher (English) from the old country as thry s'DI in avery pleasant but overheated room. We escaped after awhile + walkedalong the ridge above the river +saw12 pelicans on a rock inmid-stream. Fine view wilderness of brown rapids rocks + fir woods aX suchan expanse of river. Some Pelicans floating about in mid streamserene among those cruel rapids. Then we sighted theDistributor coming up from her winter quarter she had beenpushed off the bank yesterday. We scuttled back to Pubretrieved our things + went down to our boat more luxuriousthan the last + so to bed a cold gray night. Mr Fletcher's talk interesting.These North country men are very slow of speech theytake 5 puffs at a pipe + then make one remark. All their talk is ofskins + state of the water + movements of the steamers: Mr Fletcher lived a monthon Pork + Beans lateJy stores having run out.TUESDAY 8 JUNEUp to this painfol7-30 breakfast. Cold. Awery with a snack in our pockets at9.30. Walked 8 miles on road back to Fib,gerald tried X country tracks once butgot bushed so came back. Road laid flat in ridges ~ tractor like a Tank so pleasantwalking on flattened sand. Jack Pines Colton wood poplar. Turned back to neck ofPeninsula + along ridge to end where we got close down to Mountain Falls: adesolate scene + wonderful. Turbid waters + troubled for ever +ever flowing in all directions at once tossed whirling: one longstraight sweep like a smooth pavement set in motion then acauldron seething with foam + brown water their waves tossingtheir crest backward Falling up stream all such a vast rocky sewnriver no sign of house or man only firs + poplars aX the river +Pelicans in mid stream. We went down close to the water on flat rocks. Cool dery sojew mosquitoes luckiJy. Roughgoingon peninsula stooping over brushwood +