HAMILTON SCIENTIFIC ASSOCIATION. 89 



the Nelson River and descended to the first rapid, where we had 

 the good forttme to overtake a brigade of three Htidson's Bay 

 Compan}' York boats en route to Split Lake, whither we were 

 also bound. During the temporar}' absence of Mr. Flett, of the 

 Hudson's Ba}' Company, the Rev. C. G. Fox, of Split I;ake, who 

 with Rev. J. Lofthouse had accompanied us from Norway House, 

 assumed charge of the brigade, with the able assistance of the na- 

 tive Indian guide, William Kitchekisik. 



The boats' crews consisting of thirty Indians, we now formed 

 • altogether a party of forty men, and a more interesting, good na- 

 tured and joll}^ party I never travelled with. Each of the York 

 boats was loaded with about 6,000 pounds of supplies, such as 

 flour, sugar, canned goods, hardware, etc., all being securely 

 packed in boxes or bales of from 100 to 150 pounds in w-eight for 

 convenience in handling on portages, and in loading and unloading 

 of boats. When favored by fair winds these boats are propelled by 

 single square sails, but at other times b}^ great wooden oars about 

 twenty feet long and of the diameter of small telegraph poles. 

 Nine oars are commonly used to a boat, one man to each oar, and 

 thus with a strong and well timed stroke they pull the heavy craft 

 along at a good rate of speed — from four to five miles an hour. 

 The men at the oars, standing as they row with one foot braced 

 against a box or cross bar, rise and fall to their work as one man, 

 and for the space of half an hour at one time keep up a beautiful 

 but most vigorous motion. Then a five minutes' rest and smoke 

 followed and the rowing is resumed. 



Whilst they are content to, and do, keep up this violent exer- 

 cise all day, if by good fortune a fair breeze springs up, the oars 

 are shipped in a second, a rush is made for mast and sail, and as is 

 common with the Indian, work is turned into play, and a race fol. 

 lows between the several crews. Sails being set, a bowsnian and 

 sternsman alone remain on duty, and the others of the crew^ do as 

 they please— smoke, eat, sleep, sing or play cards until recalled to 

 the oars if the breeze fails them or aroused b}^ the call " tea boy'' 

 so often made by these travellers. The Indians are very fond of 

 their tea lunches, and no wonder, from the slavish w-a}' in which 



