12 ACROSS THE SUB-ARCTICS OF CANADA. 
instructions to have them freighted down the Athabasca 
River to Fort Chippewyan, on Lake Athabasca, as 
early as possible. 
The above and a hundred and one other prepara- 
tions having been completed, my brother and I bade 
farewell to our homes, and on the 16th of May boarded 
the North Bay evening express at Toronto. The jour- 
ney was not begun without the stirring of tender emo- 
tions, for to me it meant separation, how 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. 3 
Once aboard the train we made ourselves as comfort- 
able as possible for a five days’ ride. JI do not propose 
to weary my readers with a detailed account of the long 
run across continent 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 after many delays between North 
Bay and Fort William on the Canadian Pacific Railway, 
owing chiefly to the disastrous floods of that vear, which 
inundated the track for long distances, washed it out at 
several points and broke one of the railway bridges, 
that we arrived at Winnipeg, the capital of the Province 
of Manitoba. 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 
considerable 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 
i 
ef? 
