LA PAROISSE DE DONNELLY (3) (160 ENGLISH)
EDMONTON TO ATHABASKA-LANDING TO GROUARD:
Monday morning they went to the station in Edmonton to go to Athabasca Landing. Father Giroux had foreseen that May 20 would be the date that the train would leave for the first time from Edmonton to Athabasca Landing. Around 5 o’clock in the afternoon, the travelers disembarked at Athabasca as foreseen.
They met Father Lefêbvre, omi, the purser for the MacKenzie diocese. He directed the passengers to Father Desmarais, pastor of Athabasca. On the Tuesday, they were to wait for the boat scheduled to arrive on that day. The amateur fishermen took advantage of this spare time there and also were pleased to present some fish to Father Desmarais.
On Wednesday, the 22nd, towards 3 o’clock in the afternoon, the “Midnight Sun” a steam-wheeler finally arrived and a photo was taken as a souvenir. Later a signal was given and the boat left around 5 o’clock. It traveled about a dozen miles then stopped for the night. Each passenger had his or her own cabin. This boat, the “Midnight Sun” was part of the Northern Transportation Company and could carry around forty passengers and about 50 tonnes of baggage.
During the very early hours of Thursday, the boat started again fighting valiantly against the rapids in the Athabasca River while the passengers enjoyed a good day of navigation, and were blest with lovely scenery..all new to them. Towards 5 o’clock they reached the small port of Mirror Landing situated where Smith is today. Although there was a considerable amount of traffic, Mirror Landing was a small mission without any chapel, but it had a church bell dedicated to St. James –the-Major. The land for the construction of the church had been donated by the Northern Transportation Company. In the town there was a telegraph office, a school, a bakery, and quite a few stores.
After a restful night aboard the “Midnight Sun”, Friday the 24th became the hardest day of the whole trip.
The little Slave River is the channel through which the Lesser Slave Lake sends its water to the Athabasca River and thus to the Arctic Ocean. When the “Midnight Sun” reached this area, there were only 15-16 miles to go, but impassible rapids so the steamboat had to leave its passengers and baggage at Mirror Landing. Of course, there were inconveniences , but finally everything settled and became orderly and the passengers were able to continue their journey.
On Saturday the 25, there were only 75 miles left to sail on Lesser Slave Lake in order to reach Grouard, and since the weather was nice, the trip was a pleasant one.
Sunday the 26. Early in the afternoon, the settlers finally arrived at Grouard, the destination for most of them. Yet, the braver ones were eager to continue on to see the lands which had been described.
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| Father Falher (1863-1939) |
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