38 THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



Cariboo. Considering the delay and expense of such a voyage, some 

 twenty-four adventurous young spirits of Queenston and the vicinity, 

 lured by the "yellow root of evil," determined to make the Northwest 

 Passage by land. 



Setting out from Queenston on April 23rd, 1862, the first link of 

 the journey was to St. Paul, then a busy little town and rapidly 

 growing, but giving no indication of its future greatness. Their 

 route was by rail and boat to Milwaukee, and thence by rail and river 

 steamer to St. Paul. Here the party transferred to Burbank's stages 

 for Georgetown on the Red River, distant about three hundred and 

 twenty miles in the same general northwesterly direction now traversed 

 by the main line of the Great Northern Railway. The stages travelled 

 fifty or sixty miles a day. Georgetown was at that time the head of 

 navigation on Red River. It had been promised them that the 

 steamer International would be ready on May 10th to leave George- 

 town on her maiden voyage to Fort Garry. The party had conse- 

 quently timed their movements to arrive at Georgetown on May 9th, 

 only to find the International quite unfinished. After eleven days 

 of watchful (but not patient) waiting it was announced that the 

 steamer would sail on May 20th. 



During this enforced delay every stage-coach had brought to 

 Georgetown other adventurers bound for golden Cariboo to swell the 

 waiting list, and when the International cast off her lines she carried 

 the original party of twenty-four, now grown to one hundred and 

 fifty or more. Unfortunately the steamer was found ill-suited for 

 the river; though drawing only forty-two inches of water, yet her 

 length, one hundred and fifty feet, rendered her extremely difficult 

 to handle in the tortuous stream. In consequence the trip occupied 

 seven days. Accidents seemed to haunt the International. It ap- 

 peared to be impossible to keep her in the channel. Scarcely had 

 she covered two miles the first day when she ran into the brush that 

 lined the banks, tearing off both her funnels. The following day the 

 engine broke down, and the vessel was run ashore for repairs. The 

 next day, while backing in order to turn a sharp bend, she struck the 

 bank and damaged her wheel. Another day she broke her rudder 

 and ran ashore. 



Her Majesty's birthday occurred while the International was 

 still in the land of the free. The diary thus succinctly describes the 

 day's celebration: "At twelve o'clock noon, hoisted the stars and 

 stripes; twelve-fifteen hoisted the Union Jack, and immediately after 

 fired a salute and immediately after sang 'God Save the Queen.' " 

 Two days later Fort Garry was reached. Hargrave speaking of that 



