It consisted of the Hudson's Bay Company's establishment, with large storehouses, a sawmill, the residence and church of a Church of England bishop, and a Roman Catholic station, with a variety of shelters in the shape of boarding-houses, shacks and tepees all around.

From the number of scows and barges in all stages of construction, and the high timber canting-tackles, it had quite a shipyard-like look, the population being mainly mechanics, who constructed scows, small barges, called "sturgeons," and the old "York," or inland boat, carrying from four to five tons.

Here, hauled up on the bank, was the Hudson's Bay Company's steamer, the _Athabasca_, a well-built vessel about 160 feet long by 28 feet beam.

This vessel, it was found, drew too much water for the channel; so there she lay, rotting upon her skids.

It was a tantalizing sight to ourselves, who would have been spared many a heart-break had she been fit for service.