Voyages: Northern Canada

Home J.P. AultVoyagesFinding Aid Chronology

Canada canoe trip
documents:
Letters
Canada map

Ault's voyages:
Antarctica
Canada
Easter Island
Galilee
Last cruise
Shipboard Life

Cruises map

"On Str. Saskatchewan
Approacing Cumberland House
Mon. June 15, 1908

Dear Little Wife:

Ault's letter, page 1

Well we are getting up into the wild country alright, and having some experiences already. Leaving anchorage at Prince Albert the anchor got foul of a lot of drift wood + had to be cut away. Stopped at 6 P.M. to take on wood near Fort a la Corve + took a 2 mi tramp through the woods to the little settlement, and talk about mosquitoes. I never saw them as big + so think. We were nearly eaten alive for fact. Fighting all the time. That is going to be the worst feature of this trip. But we are pretty well prepared for it. At that settlement they had smudge fires going for the horses to stand in the smoke + one for the girl who was milking the cows. I don't see how people can live in such places.

Last evening we struck a sand bar + our barge broke loose + both barge + str went hard aground. Carried cable in canoes to shore + pulled both off. Took till 2 this morn to do it. Lots of excitement. The Indian deck hands were right in their element in the canoes. They look picturesque alright.

Mamie, we are going to have lots of fun out of this trip. Rifle + shotgun + fishing tackle and there can be no hurrying, no getting up early in the morning to catch trains. Mr. Hall thinks we should gain 25 lbs apiece this summer. Lots of spruce + tamarac pines here. Rich green vegetation. Ducks have been rising ahead all morning. They hear the str a little too quickly tho'. O yes we got a regular kit of medicine + drugs, a little of everything. Mosquito oil too.

Page 1 | Page 2 | Pages 3 and 4