The Voyage to Gimli:
Abbreviation from the GIMLI SAGA,
written by Thorsteinn Th. Thorsteinsson.
Translation by Miss Sigurbjörg Stefannsson. "The Icelanders, who had to pay for their transportation from Winnipeg, felt that passage by the only lake steamer, the Colville, owned by the Hudson's Bay Company, was too expensive. Instead they bought a few of the enormous flatbottomed scows ("flatboats"), really gigantic boxes, mainly used to transport lumber and fuel, and steered with great paddles at both ends. In addition they purchased one eightoared York boat.
They set out in these perilous vessels, trusting to God's protection, but warned by Winnipeggers that if a storm came up on Lake Winnipeg they would all be drowned. Two men steered each of the scows, which were 6-9 in number. The expedition set out Oct. 17 from the wharf at Notre Dame Avenue East. Such was the sea-worthiness of the first scow that the settlers called it "Vitfirring" ("Maniac"). Yet all set out hopefully, to drift downriver under the open sky, day and night.
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The voyage was difficult and slow, for even the highly skilled Icelandic seamen were not used to these cumbersome Noah's arks, which frequently ran aground. At the St. Andrew's Rapids, where the great locks stand today, all the boats were moored. It being Sunday, John Taylor (the leader of the expedition) preached to the people, and then he told them that he would secure experienced men to pilot the boats the next day through the rapids, and that below the mouth of the Red River the Colville would meet them and tow them along by the shore.
The rapids proved dangerous, yet there was no loss of life, but considerable damage to baggage. At the Crossing below Selkirk, the boats unfortunately tangled and damaged the nets of a group of Indians, who stood on shore, sullen and silent, except for one woman who screamed and gesticulated at the voyagers. This was their first sight of the native Indian people, who later proved in most instances to be helpful and friendly to them, but who at this moment held for them the terrors of the unknown.
When the Colville took them in tow the voyage was faster, but one boat was shattered. The goods from it were piled into the others.The landing at Willow Point: South of Willow Point (a mile south of the present Gimli harbour) little more than a mile offshore, the Colville cast anchor towards five o'clock on Friday, October 21, 1875. The skipper said that it would be insane to attempt to tow the scows all the way to the Whitemud (Icelandic) River, for there was a southeasterly breeze and the lake was ruffled. Neither would he land closer, nor move the fleet into the bay where Gimli now stands. So the settlers were prevented from making their first settlement at the Icelandic River, as they had intended.
Eight rowers then manned the York boat, with Einar Jonasson steering, and with great difficulty they reached shore with the whole fleet in tow. They rowed into the lagoon just south of Willow Point and landed in a little bay. That evening they walked up and down the sand bar, glad to have reached their destination at last." |
