EXPLORATIONS IN THE FAR NORTH 



CHAPTER I 



GRAND RAPIDS 



ON the 24th of August, 1892, I left Selkirk, Manitoba, bound 

 for Grand Rapids, on the "Colville." The "Colville" 

 had been engaged for many years in carrying freight to the 

 Saskatchewan River, and, of late, has brought frozen white-fish 

 from the stations along the northwestern shore of Lake Winni- 

 peg to Selkirk, the present southern limit of navigation on the 

 Red River of the North. 



On the following day, we ran into the harbor at Swampy 

 Island to escape a northeast gale which delayed us for twenty- 

 four hours. A packing company has erected buildings on this 

 island and an extensive fishery is carried on early in the sea- 

 son. In August the station is abandoned and the nets are set 

 farther north, off the mouth of the Saskatchewan. As we land- 

 ed, we were met by a number of Indian dogs which had been 

 left there to shift for themselves during the summer. Gaunt 

 and hollow-eyed, they patrolled the beach in search of the 

 chance fish which might have been cast up by the waves. Peli- 

 can Island, a noted breeding place of the white pelican, lies just 

 north of "Swampy" harbor. 



The passage across the broad upper lake was a stormy one. 

 The "Colville" fully sustained her reputation of "the worst 

 roller on the lake." The narrow hull and flat bottom required 

 to pass the bar at the mouth of the Red River, made the boat 

 very uncomfortable and even unsafe in heavy seas. 



We reached the fishing station at Grand Rapids on the 29th 

 of August. The buildings stand at the narrow mouth of the 

 Saskatchewan and are used for a few weeks only each year. 



