Up the mighty Saskatchewan

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 11/01/2020 (2312 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

To mark Manitoba’s 150th anniversary in 2020, the Free Press will feature weekly an article from the archives of the Manitoba Historical Society.

The following document is a letter written in 1888 by a I. A. Yerex. It was forwarded to Manitoba History by Catherine G. Taylor of Kelseyville, Calif. A note to readers: As the original letter is 130 years old and written in the vernacular of the time, some might find a few words offensive given the world we live in today.

July 22nd, 1888

Dear Father and Mother

I left Selkirk pier, Str. “princess” 17th July. After a very pleasant voyage of three days on Lake Winnipeg I arrived in Grand Rapids on the 20th. Grand Rapids is situated on a beautiful bay at the mouth of the Saskatchewan. About six white people live there. The balance of the population being composed of Half Breeds and Indians. The only means of existence are fur trading, fishing and trans-shipping from Lake boats to River boats and visa-versa. There is quite a large fishery and a fine Hudson Bay Post located there.

We left Grand Rapids on the evening of the 20th and have since been winding very slowly up the great Saskatchewan. Navigation is very dangerous on this end of the River, as Rapids are numerous, swift, and we have a number of lakes to cross. The “Northwest” is 200 feet long and carries four hundred tons. She runs swift on smooth water but a high wind on the lake will smash her to atoms. The cabin passengers are composed of some people from the Old Country and one Lady from Ont. bound for Prince Albert, some fur dealers and Hudson’s Bay Co. men. It is very interesting as long as the boat is running as the diversity of the scenery affords us ample company in leisure moments, but when the boat ceases to move and we have a little run on shore to eat berries and be eaten by mosquitos, the scenery becomes monotonous and we hail with delight the signal for proceeding to a fresh scene. If you have not seen one of those large river boats running up rapids I am sure it would interest you. About a dozen Indians are harnessed in straps attached to a large York boat filled with rope about 6 inches in diameter. The Indians walk along the bank pulling the York boat about ¼ of a mile up the rapids. The large rope is then fastened to a tree or pier up stream and on the other end to a spool on the Steamer which is wound up stream by steam. This is repeated until we are out of the Rapids. In about 6 days more we expect to be near the scene of the Rebellion. Millions of fish of all kinds and wild game in every direction. Good day, will write in a few days.

Monday 23rd July

We have not moved an inch since I wrote above. A gale blowing from the west. Cannot say when we will get out of this — My expenses are $3.00 per day — which accounts for my anxiety to proceed. We expect to reach Prince Albert in about a week when nearly half our voyage on this boat will have been completed. Twelve hundred miles on one boat — imagine — and on one river after three hundred and fifty miles on one lake and one boat. However, the accommodation is good perhaps better than you could get on any boat on Lake Ontario. There are state-rooms for 80 cabin passengers and altogether over 1000 people could be accommodated on this boat — You will perhaps be surprised as I was to hear of such Enterprise away up here in the far north — but what is still more difficult to comprehend is this fact. Two days drive from Edmonton north — connects us with boats as large as this — which run nearly 3,000 miles north or within sixty miles of the Arctic Ocean. The people of Manitoba know less of this northwest Country than the people of Ontario do of Manitoba or Montana.

Thursday 26th july

On Tuesday we stopped 2 hours at one of the old Hudson Bay posts called The Pas — beautifully situated on the first raise of ground since we left Grand Rapids 140 miles. Up to this time we have not seen enough dry land to pitch a tent on. And here at “The Pas” there cannot be over 50 or 100 acres of ground—however what there is, is good and presents a very imposing appearance after 3 days of muskeg—Two Hudson’s Bay men, one Free Trader and a few hundred Indians comprise the population — oh! I might add — a school teacher and a Church of England Clergyman. There are 3 Hudson Bay Co. buildings inside of an enclosure of 5 or 6 acres all painted white. The Church of England once white with paint is now very much weather beaten. From appearances you might call it any where from 100 to 1,000 years old. About 70 miles of very winding river with marsh on either side brought us on Wednesday morning to Cumberland House the chief Hudson Bay post for the district. The chief Factor for the district (Mr. Belanger) has been the life of the boat. A very fine jovial fellow with a heart that compares with his size (315 lbs). We accepted his invitation to dinner & I assure you we enjoyed the moose steak and the nose which is considered one of the greatest delicacies in this part of the country — Cumberland House beautifully situated on a gravelly point on Lake Cumberland on an Island with an evergreen background. An abundance of vegetation. We left Cumberland yesterday afternoon and do not stop for two days unless stuck on a sand-bar which is quite a usual thing in this part of the river. The banks of the river have been gradually raising (sic) since we left Cumberland and have now reached about 5 feet and rapidly increasing in height.

Saturday 28th July

For two days after leaving Cumberland we did not see a house and as yet have only seen 4 or 5. The banks of the river are now about 100 feet high with beautiful evergreen banks on either side. We have been making extra good time the last two days and consequently expect to reach Prince Albert to-night. The country on either side is high, sandy loam and partially covered with wood. The river is very wide and full of rapids. Two Mounted Policemen boarded our boat last night from Prince Albert to see if there was any whiskey on board. This boat (carries?) an excursion from Prince Albert to Battleford tomorrow on her way to Fort Pitt. It will be eight days making trip. We are within 17 miles of Prince Albert. Mostly prairie clay-loam. Dry land fine country. I will probably be here for a week. I will write you again after leaving P.A. and give you a description of the town & etc.

With Love to all I will close abruptly as I have some business to attend to.

Yours aff’ly

I. A. Yerex

Cannot write good as boat is always heaving. I. A. Y.

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