The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1901-08-23
A Trip to the Forth.

A Trip to the Forth.
| To reach the country have Just visited
made my start from West Selkirk,
Man. Selkirk is little city of 25OO in
habtants, situated about 90 miles from
the mouth Of the Red River on Lake
Winnipeg. 1t has three fishing COM
panies that have tugs and steamboats,
that operate on Lake Winnipeg. We
lett Sekirk on the morning of June 4th
on the steamship "Sultana" for Grand
Rapids. Saskatchewan Territory. The
"Sultana" is $50 #. long and about As it.
wide and had on board 225 tons of
Hudson Bay Co. supplies. On account
OF storms it took 5 days to make the
trip OF $50 miles. At Grand Rapids the
boat was unloaded by the Indians
Everything in the cargo was carried on
the back, from box OF yeast cakes to a
barrel OF salt or pork. | have camera
picture of one man with FIVE sacks of
flour which he carried from the ship 10
the warehouse. The goods are then
taken over tran'way by horse cars, a
distance OF 81 miles, There they are
loaded into 'york boats" 81 tons to
each boat, These boats are so It. long,
and are poled along by IL Indians and
steered by one man with 20 foot sweep.
When the wind is favorable sail is
used: large square one 20 to 25 feet
wide and % to 80 feet long. The mast
is set in the center of the boat and the
sail is turned about to suit the wind.
The Indians seem to have no idea of
lacking. The York boats generally
leave the head Of the Grand Rapids at 8
am. and reach the Demie Charge at 3 or
4 PM, distance of II miles. They
could pole up the Saskatchewan river to
the foot of Roche Rouge rapids, where
tracking line is used to pull the boats up
the strongest part of the rapids. Above
these rapids are two more, then comes
Cross Lake, miles wide. Here at the
foot of the Demie Charge rapids (Demie
Charge means half cargo) the cargo is
portrayed distance of 200 yards, the
Indians carrying everything with pack
straps across the forehead. A small box
or bale is tied on the strap to reach the
middle Of the back, ;hen the larger packs
like dry goods, barrels Of biscuit, salt,
pork, etc, are laid on top. The boats
are then hauled over the rapids.
reloaded, and proceed on their journey
to the warehouse. The tug "Mareery"
then takes the supplies up the river to
Chen1awawain, The Pas, or Cumberland
House.
One side of Lake Winnipeg is lime
stone and the other granite. The banks
of the Saskatchewan are lime stone
while the banks of the Nelson are gran
lite. On the Saskatchewan at Grand
Rapids the banks are solid lime stone 30
to 80 feet high for seven miles. while
further up the river opens into slouehs
and muskegs. was there at high water
season and for 250 miles long and about
$50 miles wide it was water, water.
4 water, with grass from ten to Is #. high,
a and islands here and there. Alono the
:, river banks there is an unlimited sunni,
! OF wood-spruce, jackpine and tamarac
: During my stay the weather was fine
e not too hot in the day time or too cole
/ at night
0 There are lots of berries up there es
e peclally strawberries, raspberries, eve
a berries, and mossherrjes. Potatoes ar
raised by the better class Of Indians.
Mostly all OF the Indians are of III
:; Cree nation, but some are Low Sofa,
e Further TO the north Of Cumberlan
n House are the Chippewains, north {
le them are the "Huskies" or Esquinau,
q They make.a living by trapping an
hunting in the winter and spring and b
w tlshlng in the summer time. All of til
n. Indians are great smokers and heavy te
ne Many physicians are now prescribin
OF Kodol Dyspepsia Cure regularly ha,
We ing found that it is the best prescriptio
a they can write because it is the prepar
a, ton which contains the elements nece
~ III a q -