TORONTO TO ATHABASCA LANDING 



them forwarded to the Hudson's Bay Company at Edmonton, 

 with instructions to have them freighted down the Athabasca 

 River to Fort Chipewyan, on Lake Athabasca, as early as 

 possible. 



The above and a hundred and one other preparations having 

 been completed, my brother and I bade farewell to our homes, 

 and on the 16th of May boarded the North Bay evening ex- 

 press at Toronto. The journey was not begun without the 

 stirring of tender emotions, for to me it meant separation, 

 ho"w long I knew not, from my young wife and baby boy five 

 months old, and to my brother it meant separation from one 

 too sacred in his eyes to mention here. 



Once aboard the train we made ourselves as comfortable as 

 possible for a five days' ride. I do not propose to weary my 

 readers with a detailed account of the long run across con- 

 tinent by rail, as it is not reckoned a part of our real journey ; 

 in passing I will merely make the briefest reference to a few 

 of the incidents by the way. 



It was not until many delays between North Bay and 

 Fort William on the Canadian Pacific Railway, owing chiefiy 

 to the disastrous floods of that year, which inundated the 

 track for long distances, washed it out at several points and 

 broke one of the railway bridges, that we arrived at Winni- 

 peg, the capital of the Province of Manitoba and the future 

 Chicago of Canada. Upon reaching the city it was found 

 that our canoes, which had been shipped to Edmonton some 

 time previously, had not yet passed through. After consider- 

 able telegraphing they were located, and it was found that 

 they would arrive on the following day. In consequence of 

 this and other business to be transacted with the Commissioner 

 of the Hudson's Bay Company, we were obliged to remain 

 here for a day. During our brief stay we were warmly 

 greeted by many friends, and were most kindly entertained 

 at Government House by the late Lieutenant-Governor, Sir 

 John Schultz, and Lady Schultz, to whom we were indebted 



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