EDMONTON TO LESSEE SLAVE LAKE 33 



up on the bank, was the Hudson's Bay Company's steamer, 

 the Athabasca, a well-built vessel about 160 feet long by 28 

 feet beam. This vessel, it was found, drew too much water 

 for the channel; so there she lay, rotting upon her skids. 

 It was a tantalizing sight to ourselves, who would have been 

 spared many a heart-break had she been fit for service. A 

 more interesting feature of the Landing, however, was the 

 well sunk by the Government borer, Mr. Eraser, for oil, 

 but which sent up gas instead. The latter was struck at a 

 considerable depth, and, when we were there, was led from 

 the shaft under the river bank by a pipe, from which it 

 issued aflame, burning constantly, we were told, summer 

 and winter. Standing at the gateway of the unknown 

 North, and looking at this interesting feature, doubly so 

 from its place and promise, one could not but forecast an 

 industrial future, and " dream on things to come." 



Shortly after our arrival at the Landing, news, true or 

 false, reached us that the ice was still fast on Lesser Slave 

 Lake. At any rate, the boat's crew expected from there did 

 not turn up, and a couple of days were spent in anxious 

 waiting. Some freight was delayed as well, and a thunder- 

 storm and a night of rain set the camp in a swim. The 

 non-arrival of our trackers was serious, as we had two scows 

 and a York boat, with a party all told of some fifty souls, 

 and only thirteen available trackers to start with. It seemed 

 more than doubtful whether we could reach Lesser Slave 

 Lake on treaty-schedule time, and the anxiety to push on 

 was great. It was decided to set out as we were and trust 

 to the chapter of accidents. We did not foresee the trials 

 before us, the struggle up a great and swift river, with con- 

 trary winds, rainy weather, weak tracking lines and a 

 weaker crew. The chapter of accidents opened, but not in 

 the expected manner. 



The York boat and one of the scows were fitted up amid- 

 ships with an awning, which could be run dovm on all sides 

 when required, but were otherwise open to the weather, and 

 3 



