ALBERTA 



51 



A quarter of a mile up the river was the free traders' 1 estab- 

 lishment, where a barge was being built to take down their 

 summer outfit. Below the Company's wharf lay the " Atha- 

 basca," a stern-wheel steamer, drawn out upon the bank for the 

 winter. Beyond, was a depot containing goods for the Roman 

 Catholic missions of the North, and near by two young Scotch- 

 men had pitched their tent to await the first trip of the steamer 

 toward the Peace River valley where they expected to engage 

 in farming. A small squad of mounted police was stationed at 

 the landing to prevent liquor from being carried into the North. 

 On the night of May 2d we were awakened by the uproar 

 occasioned by a passing skiff, containing a large quantity of 

 whiskey, which, owing to the darkness and the dangerous con- 

 dition of the river, succeeded in escaping. 



The long journey was begun on the following morning, when 

 we embarked in a York boat that had evidently passed through 

 some hard service. Our craft was twenty-six feet in length, 

 and loaded with three tons of miscellaneous merchandise, 

 including six hundred pounds of newspapers for the fur posts 

 and the missions, which had accumulated at Edmonton during 

 the winter. Our crew consisted of the jolly cook of the "Gra- 

 hame," two Red River metis and two Crees from Lac la Biche. 

 Owing to severe illness, Capt. Faville remained at the landing, 

 and Captain Segur, of the steamer "Athabasca," accompanied 

 us to take charge of the "Grahame." 



The river banks were lined with ice, in places forming con- 

 tinuous overhanging walls, making it difficult to effect a land- 

 ing. At mealtime, after boiling the kettle, we would push off 

 and drift while eating. Aided by the swift current, on the third 

 day we reached the Grand Rapids of the Athabasca, one hun- 

 dred and sixty-five miles below Athabasca Landing. 



As we were approaching the rapids, the roar of which could 

 be plainly heard, the cry of " mooswa " was raised. Two moose 

 were walking along the edge of the ice wall, eight feet above 

 the water. They were evidently searching for a place of easy 

 descent to enter the river and swim across. The two captains 

 opened fire when within a hundred yards. One of them declared 

 afterward that "the boat was too unsteady to shoot from;" the 



1 The term "free trader" is not used in its old world sense of smuggler, 

 but is applied to anyone trading in opposition to the Company. 



