The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-12-01

found Ii nasty sheet OF water Il Is
swept by gales constantly at this season
Of the year, and from the time we en-
tered its waters our boat. which was not
much better than a scow was constant
~ dashed and almost overwhelmed with
waves We had hard work 10 keep IL
from sinking We landed on an island
not far from the rivers mouth. and from
that point could see some buildings on
the shore about seven miles away. ina,
was Chipwyan. but. as we had been told
that the village was fifteen miles away,
we concluded that IL must be further up
the lake. A fair wind was blowing at |
down the lake We had not gone TAR
when another gale came down from the
North. and as fast as the spray broke
over the boat II froze. We couldn't man
spite of every effort. we were blown
ashore. by good fortune running on the
sand between two rocky places. either or
which would have smashed our boat COM
pletefy. We dug her out the next day.
and got afioat again, but were stili at
loss TO know where TO find our destina.
ton. The majority OF the party Favored
going on down the lake. One OF the party
found an Indian that could not talk Eng
fish but when we asked how far TO Cnlp-
wyan. held up two fingers and pointed
to the sun. He meant that It was two
days run to Fond du Lac. but our man
translated II two hours 10 Chipwyan, and
we got our old scow under way again st
midnight. not profiting by our previous
nights experience. We were again blown
ashore. and the next day we hailed a
trader that passed near shore In a sail
boat. He told us that we were anywhere
from fifty to one hundred miles away
from Chipwyan. and directed US to take
the back track.
I'VE started back. and. to make a long
story short. l may say that We were
blown ashore three times and had TO dig
the boat out of the mud. unloading part
or all of the freight each time. The wind
blew necessarily, and the best work We
could
uai. We We're finally blown ashore on an
island opposite Chipwyan in the night
terner, who is known in Spokane and
who Is stopping at Chipwyan. discovered
us and sent some Indians over to help US
get our stuff on the island.
eat Chipwyan l concluded that / had
enough Of II. l don't like to admit that
am defeated, but learned enough 10 con-
vince me that the route is an Impossible
and packer who was born In that section
and that knows il rs Well as a man can
from personal observation. He said that
man even travelling without supplies 10
weigh him down cannot get on the Stew
art river at any season of the year by
that route. and that he could only get
over from the Peel river 10 the Porcupine
In the spring when the water Is high with
an outfit of not more than 80 or 500
pounds. Other men that were familiar
and i concluded that If old-timers could
not make the trip, We surely could not
hope to accomplish it. I had kept money
enough 10 bring ME home, and managed
to arrange with a trader TO bring me out.
He sent Indians along and we got
through with great difficulty. II took lis
twenty-five days to get to Athabasca
landing, and thu water was so low that
the Indians had to drag the boat through
the mud most of the way, and we walked
at least 300 Of the 400 miles travelled. The
Indians wore out two pairs of moccasins
apiece every day. Ii was a fearful trim
and IL we had delayed until now the snow
and ice would have kept me at Chipwyan
all winter"