I was born in Fort Chipewyan in the Province of Alberta on the 20th January 1886 and was baptized the 21st January 1886 by Rev. A. Pascal O.M.I. whom was later consecrated Bishop of Saskatchewan.

My father's name was Pierre Mercredi. My mother's name Marie Mercredi, nee Marie Beaulieu. We were seven in the family:

The two girls have died - all the boys are still living.

My father was born in Fort Chipewyan, Alberta in the year 1862. While young, my father associated much with the Crees and Chipewyans and had quite an influence with the Indians. He attended school in Fort Providence, NWT at the Mackenzie District until 14 years of age. Chief Factor Mr. R. McFarlane who was in charge of the Hudson Bay Company Athabasca District then, took an interest in my father and instructed him in many things. At the age of eighteen he was engaged to the Hudson Bay Company as a yearly servant and stayed in the Hudson Bay Company service for 52 years, resigning in 1932. He was decorated by the Hudson Bay Company with a gold medal and three gold bars for over 30 years service with them.

My mother devoted all her energies in raising us all and keeping us from all harms.

My father passed away the 20th January 1952 at the age of 84 yrs. and six months and both lived together for 63 years and had a very happy life.

When I was over four years old my parents made arrangements with the sisters to have my brother Isidore and I to stay at the Holy Angels Convent. After all arrangements were made with the Sister Superior for us to stay in the Convent, I noticed my mother was very busy getting clothing blankets, groceries, etc. I became curious and asked my mother why she was getting all that stuff packed up, she told me we were going somewhere but she did not tell me she was to leave us in the convent.

When time came for us to go to the convent, a man named F. Robillard packed everything down the hill and had the skiff loaded and ready to go, then my mother, my brother and I left for a destination unknown to us boys. Going along I noticed we were heading for the Mission. We went ashore there at the Mission. Mother, my brother Isidore and I all went to the Convent and we were left there with my Aunt Anne and Sister Beaudin, who was matron for the boys. Believe me, when I found out mother had left us and was gone home I got real mad. I bit my Aunt Anne's thumb and I scratched Sister Beaudin's face.   I would not calm down and I was rolling on the floor crying. Finally, my brother Isidore told me to be good and to calm down. I did but I cried a good part of the night. The next day I was fine and I was a different boy from then on.

The time I was admitted to the Holy Angels Convent, the Father Superior at the Nativity Missionwas Father LeDoussal, OMI and Father Laity, an assistant. The was also Brother Henon, Brother Ancel and Brother Skeers.

At the convent, the Sister Superior was Sister Lenny. Sister Masse was nurse and head cook. Sister St. Charles and Sister St. Angele both were matrons for the girls. Sister Beaudin was our teacher, organist and matron for the boys. She was assisted by Sister LeDreau. Sister LeDreau and Sister Dernier were also in the kitchen helping the Sister cook and milking the cows.

When my brother and I were admitted in the convent there were only six boys, my brother Isidore and myself made the number eight. There were also ten girls, two of which later joined the sisterhood.

The convent was not very big, the girls were on the second floor and the boys were on the ground floor. The ground floor served as our classroom during the day and our bedroom at night. Later, there were more children admitted and additions were made on each side of the building. The Brothers built two new wings for the boys and for the girls. When the wing for the boys was finished we had plenty of room to play.

During my stay in the convent and I was about 6 to 7 years old, I remember two Grey Nuns arrived to stay in Fort Chipewyan Holy Angel's School. With them they brought in four hens and one rooster. For me, it was the first time in my life to see hens and a rooster, and what struck me, I noticed a dented red thing on their heads. I was curious to see what that was. Wondering if it was cloth or something else, and since I could not make out what it was and unable to get a good look at it, I took a stick and watched my chance. One head popped out of the box. I hit him hard on the head and killed the hen. I took a good look at the head and I was satisfied to know what it was. How about the outcomes, I thought. A little later the Sister found the hen dead in the box. The Sister in charge of the hens reported this to the Matron and she rounded up all the boys asking every boy, in turn, who had killed the hen. When my turn came she asked me, "Did you kill the hen?" I knew what was coming but I said I was the one who had killed the hen. Believe me. I got a good punishment that I never forgot and I learned what it costs to kill a hen besides the punishment received. I had to stay indoors for a whole week while my schoolmates were playing outside. Never again did I try to kill another hen.

In the year 1898, I made my first communion. Father Breynat prepared us to receive the Holy Communion. There were two boys and two girls. The boy was Alfred, an Indian boy from Fond du Lac and I. The girls were Mrs. V. Villebrun and Mrs. E. Daniel. Later Fr. Breynat was consecrated Bishop for the McKenzie District. That same year many missionaries, Priests, Brothers and Sisters had arrived, some were from Ft. Chipewyan and some were sent down the MacKenzie District.

In the year 1899, our good Brother Crann arrived here in Ft. Chipewyan to stay and devote his life to the school children. He has been here among us all the time since he arrived here in Chipewyan, now over 80 years old, may our good lord keep him with us for many years yet. I was 13 years old now. The Treaty Commission, headed by the Honourable D. Laird, was accompanied by Rev. Father Lacombe, O.M.I., Dr. West and also some N.W.M.P. Boys arriving in Fort Chipewyan in June to make and sign a Treaty with the Chipewyans and Crees. After two days of discussion with the two bands, both bands agreed to make the Treaty and sign. After that it was election for the Chiefs and Councilors. The Chief for the Chipewyan band was Mrs. A. Laviolette. Councilors were J. Ratfat and Mr. S. Huizell. For the Cree Band HeadMan Eagle was elected Chief and the Councilors were A. Takaro and T. Gibotte. After the election the Treaty was paid each member getting $12.00 (twelve dollars) per head for the first year and $5.00 (five dollars) only per head the next year and all the years that were to follow. After the Treaty was made and signed the money paid and Chiefs and Councilors elected, Mr. D. Laird visited the Holy Angels School. I read the address to him, and presented him the copy of the address and was very pleased. He complimented all the pupils for our good work at school and he gave us a holiday

I was in the convent at the time I am not sure of the year 1899. The brothers were fishing at Big Bay and the mission boat, St. Joseph had just arrived from Big Bay with a big load of fish and the lake was filling with ice. So the brothers untied the fish barge from the boat and left immediately for Gros. Cap, the place Br. Charbonneau pulled up the boat for the winter. As the Brothers were short handed here, Brother Ancel our dear carpenter was told to go and help pull up the boat. While working, Brother Ancel got cold and caught double pneumonia and got very sick. Dr. Hermon hurried to the mission for the dog team and brought the very sick brother to the mission. No nurse and no doctors were here then. Sr. Ste. Angelo tried her best to save him but no luck, the dear brother died the end of October. All sisters and school children we prayed and asked God to give him back his health but our good Lord decided otherwise. Now he is resting peacefully in the cemetery with three old Fathers, LeDoussel, DeChambeial, and Eynard.

In the same year of 1899, the Scrip Commissioner headed by Mr. Walker, Mr. Cote and Mr. Prud'Homme, Mr. D'Escheebault, and Inspector Snyder arrived in Fort Chipewyan at the end of July to pay Scrip to all the Métis. After a long discussion the Scrips were paid to all Métis. After all was done the Commissioner paid a visit to our school and one schoolgirl named Miss. H. Plat Cote read the address to them and gave Mr. Walker the copy of the address and was very pleased. A little concert was given in their honor. After all treaties paid and signed both parties left for Edmonton.

The year 1900 the end of a century. The Indian Superintendent, Mr. McRae, came to Chipewyan and paid treaty to the Chipewyans and Cree for the second year, as everything was arranged and understood the year before. All got paid $5.00 (five dollars) per head. Chiefs received $25.00 (twenty-five dollars) each. Councilors received $15.00 (fifteen dollars) each.

After the treaty was paid Mr. McRae paid a visit to our Holy Angels School and before leaving Mr. McRae gave the sister Superior $10.00 (ten dollars) in cash to be divided between the boy and girl who worked the best during the year. I was the lucky boy. I received $5.00 (five dollars) and Miss. H. Plat Cote received the other five. I was very happy to receive the money and so was the girl.

About the end of July 1900 the sister who was the matron for the boys, Sister Beaudin was transferred from Holy Angels Convent to the convent of Fort Providence, NWT. We, the schoolboys were very sorry to see her leave. She spent many years keeping the boys. She was our teacher, organist, etc. and Sister Pinsonnault replaced her. This new sister was very good to the boys but still we missed our Sister Beaudin.

After Sister Beaudin left for Providence, Sister Default was our teacher and organist. Year 1901 March 14 I was still in the convent. During the night of the 14th an awful big snowstorm started and lasted two nights and one day. In the night of the storm a man named Mr. J. Arnot, a klondyker, left Big Island twenty miles east of Fort Chipewyan with a load of fish for a trader named Mr. C. Smith. The poor man lost his way in the storm and froze to death.

After the storm ended and when Mr. J. Arnot did not show up at the N.W.M.P. Mr. Pedley rounded some men and organized a search party. The party found the poor man frozen on the lake about 6 miles from town. The body and dogs were brought home. Brother Hoyer made the coffin and was buried in the cemetery. He left a widow and one child.

Between 1900-01 in February, Old Brother Skeers with three oxen had gone to Goose Island for some fish; the distance from the mission to Goose Island is 10-12 miles. The old Brother Skeers made the trip to Goose Island very well and stopped at Goose Island overnight. The next day, the old brother left the Island with three oxen. Coming along slow but sure he felt a bit hungry on the way and he remembered he had a couple of biscuits in his pocket. And no fire to make tea on the lake he decided to eat his biscuits. But the dear brother could not open his mouth, not because he was cold but the old brother's mustache and beard were stuck together with frost. Unable to have a bite of his biscuits, he put them back in his pocket and traveled all that day on the lake without eating.

The bishops, fathers, brothers and sisters did not have the commodities in the early days as they now have, because the transportation was very hard and had to do without many things. But for the sake of God they had suffered many hardships and were always very happy. Priests were making long trips with dogs to see some sick people in far away camps with all kinds of weather. And the good and devoted Sisters of charity devoting themselves for the cares of the children in the convent.

Again while I was in the convent, another thing happened and I still remember very well and never forgot.

It was in the month of September, the school children were given a holiday with picnic and arrangements were made to have our picnic at Goose Island. The mission steamer, St. Joseph a side-wheeler, was to take us to Goose Island. Some sisters, Brother Charbonneau and Brother Crann and all school children and a man named, Mr. J. MacDonald was hired by the mission to come along. We all boarded on the St. Joseph and we left for Goose Island. The crossing was very nice. The lake was calm. It took us about one hour to cross the lake from the mission to Goose Island.

We all got ashore some children went berry picking. The big boys helped with unloading the baggage and gathered some wood. We made a big fire while the sisters were attending to the dinner. After a good and hearty meal, all the children and sisters went berry picking. There were plenty of cranberries and we picked many pounds of berries. Everything was fine and enjoying our picnic very well. All of a sudden a big storm came up with thunder and lightning. The brothers and sisters decided to leave the island and sail for home before the rain.

The lake was white with rolling waves. All children were accounted for and we all went aboard the steamboat. The Brothers pulled up the anchor and we left for the mission. The boat was rolling very badly. Many children were seasick and to make things worse, Brother Charbonneau found we did not have enough wood to cross the lake. So he decided to turn back to the Island. We did and anchored the boat near the shore. It rained all night and the boat kept rolling all night and early in the morning the Brothers took the boat ashore.

In the forenoon, the two Brothers and Mr. McDonald kept cutting wood for the boat and the big boys packed the wood to the boat.

When we left the mission for the island we were supposed to come home that evening and the Sisters had taken enough to eat only for one day. But being windbound, we ran short of grub.

Brother Crann remembered there were 50 lbs. of flour and some lard in the mission shack on the island. He went and got the flour and the lard and the sisters cooked some pancakes for the children and it was all we had for the day, a pancake each.

As soon as we had our lunch and enough wood loaded on the boat for the trip home we got ready to go aboard the boat. Unfortunately after the storm ended the water receded and to the disappointment of everyone the boat was stuck on the rocks. But God came to our help. While the Brothers and Jean were working very hard prying up the boat, one of the children saw two men in a skiff beyond the point of the island. Mr. J. McDonald was sent over there to get some help from them.

Well it happened it was Mr. P. Loutit with two of his sons, Billy and Alec, and a nephew of Mr. Loutit named Mr. J. Flett who was there shooting wavies. Mr. J. McDonald told them the boat was stuck and they were short-handed and needed help. Immediately the four men volunteered and came to our help. Mr. Loutit took the command and started to work. He got his boys to get some spares and with block and tackle, in no time he had the boat afloat.

All children and sisters cheered and thanked Mr. Loutit and his sons for their very kind help, then all children and sisters went aboard and we left for the mission. The lake was calm now and crossing the lake the sisters and children we sang the Ave Maria Stella. We all arrived home safe and sound and all happy to arrive home.

The Sister Superior, Sr. Ste. Angele, was worried so much she had not slept all night with her, we all thanked God for the care he took of us. The sisters who were with us were Sr. Brunelle, Sr. McDougall, Sr. Dufault, Sr. Pinsonnault, Sr. Louise, Sr. Mercredi, Sr. M. Anne LeDreau, and Sr. Donic. Left at home was Sr. Ste. Angele, Sr. Jobin, Sr. LeDreau and Sr. Bornier.

The same year 1901 my mother was to make a trip down to Ft. Rae, NWT to visit her sister, Mrs. A. Leferto. My youngest brother Stanislas was only a small boy then and my mother had just recovered from a long illness. She asked Mother Superior to let me go away from school for the trip and go along with her and take care of my younger brother during the trip. The sister agreed providing I return to school after my trip home.

My mother, myself and my brother left Ft. Chipewyan on the S.S. Grahame the middle part of the month of June 1901 and we arrived at Smith Landing the day we left Ft. Chipewyan. After we arrived at Smith Landing, now called Fort Fitzgerald, I crossed the sixteen portage along with Mr. C. Harding, the H.B. Co. Fort Manager at Ft. Wrigley. We had a single horse harnessed to a little buggy and we both left Fitzgerald and headed for Ft. Smith and from Fitzgerald to halfway to the portage, the road was very bad. Some places the little buggy was down in the mud to the hub and millions of mosquitoes getting the poor horse very cranky, and the poles that were set across the road in the very bad places were all floating.

We sure had quite a time in them bad places and once or twice the poor horse balk. We were very glad once we got to Half Way; the portage from there to Ft. Smith the road was dry but very dusty. My mother and brother were riding in a democrat.

We stayed at Ft. Smith NWT for a week as guests of Mr. and Mrs. Brabant. Mr. Brabant was in charge of the H.B. Co. Post at Ft. Smith.

We went aboard the S.S. Wrigley and left Ft. Smith the last day of June. We stopped at Ft. Resolution a few hours and we left for Ft. Providence. We arrived at Ft. Providence early in the morning. We came shore there and we stayed at Ft. Providence while the S.S. Wrigley made the trip to Peel River. I had the pleasure to see my old teacher, Sister Beaudin at Providence and we gave her all the news of Ft. Chipewyan.

During our stay at Providence Sr. Superior Doucet gave a room to my mother in the Sisters House and we stayed there until the arrival of S.S. Wrigley. The staff at the mission in Ft. Providence then was Br. Lecorre superior, assisted by Br. Gourdon, the Brothers were Br. Lorfebvre, Carrour, Comfinat, Lenouel, and Barbier. The sisters were: Sr. Superior Doucet, Sr. Claire, Marie, Marguerite, M.Anne, Didace, nee Corfinat. Other Sisters were Sr. Beaudin, Deloriner, Sr. Elsear, Bourojer, and Boisvert. No doubt many of them above mentioned are in heaven by now.

After a few weeks the S.S. Wrigley arrived in Ft. Providence. There were many passengers on the boat on their way to Edmonton. We said goodbye to Rev. Father Lacorre and Father Gourdon, Sr. Superior Doucet and Sr. Beaudin. We went aboard and left Ft. Providence for Fort Rae. We traveled all night and we arrived at Ft. Rae the next day at noon. We stopped at Ft. Rae six hours and then we left Ft. Rae for Ft. Resolution.

Crossing Great Slave Lake to Ft. Resolution was very stormy, strong wind and big swells all the way. Many passengers were seasick. Everybody was glad when we arrived at Ft. Resolution. We stopped there six or eight hours and left for Ft. Smith.

We arrived at Ft. Smith the next day and we stayed overnight. There was my mother, my cousin, Mr. Laferte, my little brother Stanislas and myself. We crossed the Portage with a good team of horses harnessed to a very nice new democrat. The road had dried up very much and the crossing was much better this time and we made a very fast trip.

We all went aboard the S.S. Grahame, which was there already waiting for the passengers and the traffic. We left Smith Landing the first of August 1901 and arrived in Ft. Chipewyan the second of August. We came ashore and on to home, we were all glad to be home.

After our arrival in Ft. Chipewyan, I stayed two weeks at home two as it was agreed with the sister for me to return to the convent after our trip, I returned to the convent again and remained there until July 1902.

I was 15 years old when I left the convent and at the time I left school there was a sickness of measles. Very many were sick. There was no doctor and not a registered nurse. There was only one sister who had trained for nursing and she was the only one taking care of all the sick. Few children died but not many. After a while the sickness abated and everything was normal again.

Two months after I left school Mr. Drever, the Factor in charge of Ft. Chipewyan, H.B. Co. post gave me a job to round up the milking cow every morning and every night for that he allowed me a bonus of $2.00 per month.

During the winter, the cow was kept in the barn and as I had a little spare time after all my chores at home were finished, Mr. Drever again asked me to do the chores around the H. B.Co. For the sum of $10.00 (ten dollars) per month and done that job for two years.

In the year 1903, I was working on the S.S. Grahame as assistant Steward helping Mr. Flett and in the month of July the S.S. Grahame went up to the Chutes Peace River. The boat was tied up at the H.B. Co. post during the absence of the Purser of the boat had left for Ft. Vermillion, Alberta. Father Dupin, O.M.I. was there at Red River Chutes at the time and during my spare time I used to go and visit him now and then. One night there was a tea dance all the Crees were gathered up there and enjoying them very much. During the tea dance one of Cree Indians, a well-set man struck my attention. He seemed to have quite an authority on his cap I noticed the picture of a hand sewed on his cap with white Indian beads. I asked Father Dupin why and what that had represented. The Father said to me that man's name is Seewepikaham. He was a great medicine man. He said, one time he was conjuring and while making his medicine an angel slapped his face but that did not stop him from making the medicine. The father told me he tried all he could to get him to quit that but he would not listen and kept on doing his medicine work. Then one day with his family, they were pitching off in the bush. On the second day they were moving along all of a sudden he saw a crack on the ground and saw fire coming out of the crack, and suddenly he heard a voice asking him where he was going. He was stunned. He could not answer and the voice said to him "Go back."

Then Seewepikaham asked him what to do, the voice told him to go and see the priest and tell him what you heard. Then the priest will open his book and it was the 1st commandment of God. "Un seul Dieu to adoreras et aimeras parfaitement." And Father Dupin told me he done that. Today he is a good Christian. I was told from then on, he was a very different man with his family. They say their rosary every night and quit all his medicine and died a peaceful death and this was the reason he had that picture of a hand sewed on his cap as a souvenir of the slap he received and was the instrument of his conversion. Mary Stella, now with Mr. F. Fraser is a grandchild of this old man, Seewepikaham.

A side wheeler steam boat of the R.C. Mission, named St. Joseph, was to go up Red River Chutes on the Peace River to meet Bishop Grouard who was coming to Ft. Chipewyan to visit all his missions. Father LeDousell, superior of the nativity mission got everything ready for the trip. The crew of the boat were skipper, Brother Crenn, Brother Charbonneau, the pilot F. Lepine (Bougon) deck hands, Mr. Villebrun and Mr. Sanderson, the cook Mr. Mercredi. Passengers were A. Mercredi (Marto) and his wife Rose and their mother.

The St. Joseph had a flat scow in tow and we took three and a half days going up the water was high and swift when we arrived at the Chutes safely. Bishop Grouard had not arrived at the Chutes yet and so we waited there four days. Finally, on the evening of the fourth day the mission boat, St. Charles from the upper and arrived at the head of the Chutes with Bishop Grouard aboard and the treaty party headed by Superintendent of Indian Affairs Mr. Conroy, Dr. West, Mr. Liard and the cook Mr. Kennedy.

I had the pleasure to meet Father Dupin, O.M.I. while we waited for Bishop Grouard. When Bishop Grouard arrived, Brother Dibbs of Ft. Vermillion came along and met also the captain of the S.S. St. Charles, Mr. Brisveau.

Mr. Conroy paid the treaty to the Cree band at Red River as soon as he arrived and Bishop Grouard and the Treaty Party stayed there for two days. Then we left for Ft. Chipewyan. We made the trip from Red River to Chipewyan in one day.

Then Mr. Conroy could pay treaty to the Chipewyan and Cree bands in two days. The H.B. Co. tugboat S.S. Primrose was not completely finished and it was the boat supposed to take the treaty party to Fond du Lac.

Mr. Conroy could not wait till the boat Primrose was finished. He hired the mission boat to take him and the party to Fond du Lac. Bishop Grouard agreed and the St. Joseph left for Fond du Lac aboard was the Bishop and the Treaty Party. The boat had a scow in tow loaded with merchandise for the H.B. Co. in Fond du Lac.

This was the first time in the history of Fond du Lac that a mission boat had put ashore there. You can very well imagine the excitement among the population who had never seen a steamboat in their life. We arrived in a volley of shots, flags were up and the church bell ringing to salute the arrival of Bishop Grouard.

The Indians could hardly believe a boat could travel without oars or sails. We stopped in Fond du Lac three days. Treaty was paid to the Indians. We bid goodbye to Rev. Father Boihlor and Brother Courterielle and we left for Ft. Chipewyan. As we were leaving Fond du Lac the S.S. Primrose arrived and another excitement because the steamer St. Joseph had paddle wheels on the sides and the S.S. Primrose was propelled going boat.

We made the trip to Ft. Chipewyan in one a half days, loaded some wood on the boat and we left for Smith Landing. We arrived the next day. We stopped there overnight. We left the Treaty Party there and came back to Ft. Chipewyan.

Year 1905 by this time, I had a little experience in cooking and I was employed by the Hudson Bay Company as a cook for the H.B. Co. staff during the winter and during the summer. I am employed as a Stewart on the S.S. Grahame and kept that job with the H.B. Co. till spring of 1907.

September 1905 the tugboat S.S. Primrose took two flat scows up to Peace River Point. The water was very low at the Bayer Rapid and the tugboat was unable to go up the rapid. It went back to Ft. Chipewyan. This was expected so a crew of six men to each scow were hired and from the rapid the boys done the tracking up to Red River at Peace River Church. It took us six days to make the trip to Red River.

At Red River, there was a cargo of flour, lumber, shingles, and animals, to butcher in the fall and one mare and colt.

The boys made a large raft loaded all the flour, lumbers, and shingles on the raft. In one scow they had six animals for butcher in the fall and in the other scow the mare and colt and some flour. When everything was all loaded we said good bye to Captain Callian and Purser Patrick Kelloy and their tow men and we left Red River. I was the cook for the crew.

On the raft, there were two men, Mr. Evans and Mr. McCallum. The man in charge of the outfit was the H.B. Co. Post Manager at Fitzgerald named Mr. R. Armit. He had two men in his scow. On the other scow was W.D. Lyall, clerk of the H.B. Co. at Ft. Chipewyan, with two men besides the cook. Everything was going very well and the two scows behind the raft.

The raft was drifting much faster than the scows and we lost sight of the raft. The raft had drifted inside a blind channel and got stuck there. All this time, we in the scows thought the raft was ahead all the time, so we did not worry about them anymore.

Then one day around big slough, we went ashore to get some hay for the animals. We were just about to get ready to leave when we saw a birch bark canoe coming straight for us and it was our boys, David and Alex, telling Mr. Armit they were stuck in a blind channel and were unable to get through the water being too low.

Mr. Armit decided to send the two men back to the raft, and instructed them to store all the flour ashore and told him he would send him some help soon as he arrived in Ft. Chipewyan. Mr. Armit gave them some groceries, tobacco and matches and away they went. We continued going down the river. We got below the Rapid Boyer. The big tugboat was there already so we tied the scows to the boat and left for Chipewyan. We arrived in Chipewyan the next day. As soon as we got into town the Post Manager hired a few boys and we left for Peace Point loaded their skiff and up they went and we returned to Chipewyan.

Two days after we arrived home, the Primrose was to go to Fond du Lac with the outfit for the post. On the tugboat the crew was Mr. Forcier acting mate, Mr. Linklater pilot, Mr. Johnson engineer and myself as cook. It was late in the season already and getting cold. We left Ft. Chipewyan the 13th October 1905 and we arrived in Fond du Lac the 16th October. The scow was unloaded right away then we loaded the scow with wood and we left Fond du Lac on the 17th in a big snowstorm but the lake was not bad. Wind was north. We kept aiming the island and close to shore. We took two days coming home. We met the mission's little tugboat, St. Antoine at Pointe a L'Abri and they told us there was lots of ice drifting in the channel. We kept coming along and we arrived at Ft. Chipewyan the 22nd October. The lake was full of ice but we made it. The next day the Lake was frozen, I had a day off and next day I started on my job again, which was cook for the H.B. Co. staff, to May 1907.

In the month of May 1907, I hired with the R.C. Mission again as cook and all the month of May I helped Br. Charbonneau in spare time pending our trip to McMurray.

We left Ft. Chipewyan for McMurray the 6th June 1907. Skipper Br. Crenn, engineer Brother Charbonneau, Mr. Villebrun and Mr. Blesse (horse). Aboard were St. McDougall and another sister who were going to Montreal. We arrived in McMurray the 8th June. We waited there two days and the R.C. Mission outfit arrived in McMurray from Athabasca landing and two Fathers also arrived, Father Bosquene and Father Rouviers. The Esquimaux killed this Father Rouviers a few years later. After the supply boats arrived we tied the scows to the St. Joseph and we left McMurray in the evening.

The pilot on the boat was Mr. Lepine and assistant pilot was Mr. J. Sanderson. We took two days coming down towing four loaded scows and we arrived at Ft. Chipewyan and stayed there a day. Father Bosquene stopped at Ft. Chipewyan and Father Rouviers came with us to Ft. Smith. The St. Joseph returned to Ft. Chipewyan and I stopped at Fitzgerald the next day. Bishop Breynat hired some men to go through the rapids with four scows. First he hired four steersmen. The guide was Mr. I. Tourangeau with four men in No. 1 scow. Scow No. 2 steersman, Bonhomme Laviolette had four men with him. Scow No. 3 Mr. M. Mandeville, steersman with four men and scow No. 4 was the cook boat. I was the cook. Br. Kraut was helper and Father Superior Bousso. Everything went very well the first day. The four scows and merchandise were portaged to the 3rd portage. We landed there and all merchandise was portaged to the 3rd portage. We landed there and all merchandise was across the third portage minus the scows. Next day was Sunday, no work that day. On the 4th day we portaged the four scows, loaded them and we left for the fourth and last portage at the Mountain Rapid. As soon as we arrived the boys started to move the merchandise across the portage when all was move across then the four scows and I must say that was a very dangerous work. The hill is very high and lots of hard hauling and sweat. The boys finally got the scows on top of the hill. Now coming down the hill was no fun either. The boys had to watch their steps and the rollers. The scow rolls right down the hill behind the boys. A fall may cause a bad accident, but the boys were lucky. No one was hurt. The scows were pushed in the eater and the boys started to load up the scows. When all finished, we left now for the town and the fifth day we arrived at Fort Smith at 8 p.m. Everything was in very good shape, no damage and a quick trip.

Bishop Breynat was very pleased and gave a bonus of $5.00 each oarsman and $10.00 to each steersman, everybody was happy. The following day the crew of the S.S. Ste. Marie got everything ready and in shape for our trip down to Ft. Resolution.

A new steamboat, Ste. Marie had been built at Ft. Resolution or the Dist. of the McKenzie and this was her maiden trip down the McKenzie River, down the Arctic and this was June 1907. The crew of the new boat was skipper, Brother O'Connell, an old Irishman. The pilots were Mr. B. Forcier and Mr. A. Mandeville, chief engineer, Sid Hubbard, and Brother Backshoaffar, a German and helper, Brother Krant. Deck hands were Mr. G. Sanderson and Mr. F. Dzarrinen, cook, A.V. Mercredi and my assistant was Brother Rarbier.

We left Ft. Smith with a load of supplies for the missions down the McKenzie River. We arrived at Ft. Resolution our second day. We stopped there one-day. When ready to leave, Rev. Father Luity of Ft. Resolution came aboard and we left for Hay River. The lake was calm. The boat and engine worked perfectly, very nice sailing. We took seven hours to cross the Great Slave Lake. We stayed there for the night. Bishop Breynat confirmed some children.

Early the next morning, we left Hay River for Ft. Providence. The crossing from Hay River to Wrigley was very nice. The lake was very calm from Wrigley Harbour to Ft. Providence. The distance is not far so in no time we arrived at Ft. Providence, and we stopped there for three days. Services were held and many confirmations.

Father Luity was left there at Providence in charge of the mission relieving the Father superior of the mission, Rev. Father Giroux who was making a trip to his former mission, Arctic Red River.

We left Providence for Ft. Simpson and we arrived at Ft. Simpson the next day. Rev. Father Gouy, Father Moisan and Father Vacher greeted us. The boat tied up there for the rest of the day. The next day we left for Ft. Wrigley with Father Vacher and Brother Corfinat. We saw some natives on the way to Ft. Wrigley got some meat from them and arrived at Ft. Wrigley, leaving Father Vacher and Brother Corfinat there and we left for Ft. Norman. It took us two days to make the trip to Ft. Norman. Father Ducot and Brother J. M. Beaudet and Mr. F. Gaudet, manager of the H.B. Post at Ft. Norman, met us. We left Ft. Norman and Bishop Breynat invited Mr. Gaudet, two sisters, Miss Bella and Miss. D. Gaudet and on we went to Ft. Good Hope. When we arrived at Good Hope Rev. Father Houossis and old Brother Kearney greeted us also old Mr. Gaudet and Mr. L. Gaudet the latter Post Manager for the H.B. Co. in Good Hope. There were also many Indians there who were very happy to see Bishop Breynat and Father Giroux that they knew before. The boat tied up there for three days. The third day being Sunday and also being the 50th anniversary of Brother Kearney's brotherhood. His Excellency sang a solemn mass and a sermon preached by Bishop Breynat for the occasion sure was nice and I never forget old Brother Kearney for the organist during the mass. After the mass we had a banquet at the mission provided by Brother Kearney. The mission staff and the crew of the S.S. Ste. Marie guests were all the Gaudet family. Mr. Gaudetand Brother Gaudet came to Good Hope same year traveled together and both stayed at Good Hope all the time. In the evening we had a very happy gathering on the boat Ste. Marie. Both Brother Kearney and Mr. Gaudet recalled all the incidents on their trip together from Winnipeg to Good Hope. Now Brother Kearney is buried at Good Hope the mission he worked so long and done so much helping for the poor people of Good Hope. May he rest in peace. As for Mr. Gaudet so, his son Fred took him in Montreal somewhere and he died out there.

After the celebration was over, the next day, Monday we left for Arctic Red River. Bishop Breynat had invited Brother Kearney to a make trip to Red River but he declined the offer. We arrived at Red River and we greeted by Rev. Father L. Ecuyer and all the Loucheux Indians were very happy to see their old Father Girous coming to visit them. In the evening we had benediction of the Blessed Sacrament and the organist in the church was an Indian woman and she sure made her organ sound very good. We stopped at Red River three days and after saying au Revoir to Father L'Ecuyer we left for the return trip to Fort Smith.

A short while after we left Arctic Red River we met the S.S. Wrigley on her way down to Peel River. Both boats saluted and we took much longer coming up current on the river and we arrived at Good Hope.

Father Houssais met Bishop and Father Giroux. We stopped there only a few hours and left for Ft. Norman. The two Gaudet girls came aboard the boat and were going back to Ft. Norman. Arrived at Ft. Norman and stopped there one day for washing the boat boiler. When all was ready we left the Gaudets there and Brother Jean Marie Beaudet came aboard. He being transferred to Ft. Resolution and we left for Ft. Wrigley. We landed at Ft. Wrigley picked up Father Vacher and Brother Corfinat and we left for Ft. Simpson. Sailing was very good so far all was well and Bishop Breynat stopped a few hours and left for Ft. Providence. Made a very good trip up. Father Giroux went ashore ended his trip and Father Laity came aboard returning to Ft. Resolution.

Many people came on the river shore to see the boat leave. As the boat pulled away from shore the people were waving and we headed for Hay River. Arrived at Hay River we were greeted by Father Gourdon and Father Frappeaauce. The boat stooped only one hour and left for Ft. Resolution. It was very nice crossing the Great Slave Lake and arrived at Ft. Resolution. Stopped at the mission a few hours. Bishop Breynaf, Father Latty and Brother J. Marie went ashore and the boat left to the sawmill Snye.

We stopped at the Snye a week and by this time the S.S. Wrigley had arrived from Peel River. We left Ft. Resolution a day behind the Wrigley and we arrived at Fort Smith in time to catch the H.B. Co. Boat S.S. Grahame who had arrived at Fitzgerald to meet the passengers who were going out and taking the furs out from the Northland Posts.

We stopped two days in Ft. Smith and left for Ft. Resolution. We arrived at Ft. Resolution I came off the S.S. Ste. Marie and waited in Ft. Resolution for the S.S. Wrigley. When the boat arrived in Ft. Resolution Father Laperriarre and Brother L. Beaudet and I went aboard and left for Ft. Providence. It was the first part of August 1907. We arrived at Providence. Had the day off and next day Brother Marc and Brother Louis and I started to dig potatoes, when finished we cut the wheat and barley and stacked it up, and stored everything. Between September and October, Brother Marc and I, along with the other boys we left for Big Island about forty miles from the mission to fish and caught 15000 (fifteen thousand) fish and we came home just about freeze up. We hung up all the fish and then we rested for the rest of the day.

Next, Brother Marc, Brother Carrour, four other boys and I went in the bush and we cut 50 loads of wood for the winter. After all was finished and winter had set in, I was told to pick up all dog harnesses get them all in good shape.

The mission had two teams and we started to haul hay with dogs from the prairie to the mission. There was two of us hauling hay for a week. The other man's name was Benoit from Arctic Red River. After a week hauling Benoit and I started to haul logs for a new building, we were done that job the end of November 1907.

The first of December 1907 a man named Mr. P. Manancn and a forerunner was to leave for Ft. Simpson taking the mail down.

Father Giroux sent me down with them to fetch Father Vacher and bring him to Providence. We made the trip in four and a half days. We lived at Ft. Simpson and stopped three days to rest the dogs. Then all left for Ft. Providence. We had good weather all the way and we lived back home our fourth day. The next day I had a day off and rested.

Then Father Giroux told me to give up my dogs to the other man Mr. J. Leoon and he told me to help Brother Olivier to square logs. The Brother was getting tired and had a sore back and had done this job till March 1908.

March 15, 1908, Bishop Breynat with Father Gourdon, Mr. A. McKay and Mr. P. Vetra arrived at Providence. Bishop Breynat and Father Gourdon stopped at the mission. Alfred and Paul returned to Ft. Resolution.

A week later Bishop Breynat,  Father Gourdon, Father Vacher and I left Providence for Ft. Resolution with two teams of dogs. We arrived in Hay River and Father Frapperaure came with us to Resolution. We arrived our second day and I got a day off. Next day the Father superior, Father Manson sent for me to come to Resolution immediately. I left the camp and arrived at the mission. Bishop Breynat sent us, Brother Marc and I Providence with loads of meat for the mission. We had good weather and made a good trip. We made it in 10 days.

After we arrived from Providence, Father Manson sent me to the sawmill to start cooking again for the crew and did the cooking at the mill to June 15th, 1908.

On the 16th of June 1908 I got on the Ste. Marie again as a cook on the boat. We left the sawmill on the 16th and left for Ft. Smith. We were about Salt River going to Ft. Smith we sent a man in a canoe showing a letter to Bishop Breynat. The boat slowed down and the Bishop read the letter where he was told two priests were drowned at Fitzgerald. They were Father Bremont and Father Brohan, a new recruit. They both were canoeing and the canoe capsized and the swift current took them away from any help. Sure was a hard blow for our dear Bishop Breynat.

We arrived at Ft. Smith that evening and the mission freight was all there already. The boat was loaded and when loading was finished we left for Ft. Resolution and arrived on our second day. We stopped there one week. During this time the Chief Engineer, Mr. Connibar and Brother Beckshoeffer hanged the four-blade propeller for a three-blade propeller. They were detachable blades when all finished, the crew launched the boat. We had a trial run on the Slave River. It was found it was not satisfactory. There was too much vibration and no speed so had to haul up the boat again and remit the four-blade propeller once more. When that was done, the boys launched the boat once more and we left for Hay River.

The crossing of the Great Slave Lake was nice and calm and we stopped in Hay River for the night. During the night a very strong wind came up the lake was all white and the storm lasted two nights and one day. After the wind calmed down, we left for Ft. Providence and we arrived early in the day, stopped there till noon and we left for Ft Simpson traveled all that night and arrived the next day. We stopped a few hours and left for Ft. Wrigley. We stopped at Ft. Wrigley only for loading up some wood. Mr. T. Caudet was very kind to give the mission two cords of wood after all the wood was loaded we left again and continued to Ft. Norman. We stopped there 6 hours then we left for Ft. Good Hope. We made the trip in two days. We stopped at Good Hope one day and we left on our way home to Ft. Smith.

The trip back was a rush trip because Bishop Breyant had to go to Rome and France and he wanted to catch the S.S Grahame before she goes to McMurray and so we stopped only short times at all the missions.

We had an accident on the boat engine and just when we got in the rapid called Rapid Sans Sault above the Ramparts, the shaft bearing heated red-hot. We could hear it grind so the skipper dropped the anchor. The engine was stopped. The two engines working feverishly to change the bearing. After working at it for a long time, they finally finished it. Then the boys pulled up the anchor and we continued on our way. From then on, we had trouble only once but the boat was not working so good and there was vibration but the boat was kept going along and we finally arrived at Ft. Resolution.

We stopped one day and we left for Ft. Smith. We arrived our second day. My contract had expired there. I got paid and left for home in Ft. Chipewyan on the S.S. Grahame and arrived in Ft. Chipewyan the last week of August 1908.

In December of 1908, Mr. A. Loutit who had the contract to carry the royal mail from Edmonton to Ft. Resolution arrived in Ft. Chipewyan the 19th December. Mr. A. Loutit needed one dog team to help him on his way to Resolution. I was told by the manager of the H.B. Co. to go with Alex and help take a load with him.

We left Ft. Chipewyan the 23rd of December 1908 and arrived at Fitzgerald on Christmas Day in the evening. Father Laffont was in charge of the mission in Fitzgerald. We left Fitzgerald the 26th p.m. and arrived at Ft. Smith and stopped for the night. Next morning we got fixed up with dog food and groceries for the trip. We left in the afternoon and stopped at Salt River. There was no trail from Salt River down on the Slave River. So we followed the little Buffalo River all the way and we arrived at the delta of the little Buffalo River on New Year's Eve. We stopped there for the night. We put up in the house of Mr. W. Mandeville. Early in the morning after all our New Year's Greetings with our hosts we left the camp at four a.m. It was nice moonlight but it was not long the moon was covered with clouds and fog. We had to follow shore all the way and we arrived at Ft. Resolution on New Year's January 1,1909 at eight a.m. We arrived there during a volley of gun shooting saluting the New Year.

We stopped at Resolution four days to rest our dogs and while there we had four dances. All the four days we were there.

On the fifth of January we left for home. We arrived at Ft. Smith on the 10th stopped for one day and left for Fitzgerald, stopped only for lunch and we left for Sawmill Island and we stopped for the night.

We left camp next morning and we arrived at Ft. Chipewyan our third day. I ended my trip and Mr. A. Loutit continued to McMurray.

During the months of February,  March and April 1909 with my dog team I kept going around the Indian camps buying furs for the H B. Co. and hauling goods for the Indians into their camps. Between times, I made a few trips with other boys to Ft. Smith and McMurray or McKay hauling groceries, dry goods, etc. for the H.B. Co. Fort Chipewyan. That winter was a very good fur year. The stores of the H.B. Co. and Mr. C. Fraser were almost empty and the arrival of the new outfit still being far away, the stores had to get some supplies from other posts who had a little surplus and we kept going like that till break up.

In the month of May 1909 Mr. H. Bartrand, Mr. J. Villebrun,Mr. H. Lafarte and I kept busy bailing furs for the H.B.Co. Clark W.D. Lyall checking all furs, he made many holes and sewed them up, marked and weighed and kept working around the post to the end of the month of July.

June the 6th 1909 I left Ft. Chipewyan and went down to Ft. Smith on the mission boat. We arrived at Fitzgerald the same day, arrived and across the 16-mile portage next day. Arrived at Smith that evening.

Many Missionaries were going down the McKenzie missions. Fathers, brothers and sisters. The cook on the boat S.S. Ste. Marie was alone so Bishop Breynat asked me to help the cook on the way to Ft. Resolution.

We left Ft. Smith that day and we arrived at Ft. Resolution and the Ste. Marie continued her trip down the McKenzie River and while in Ft. Resolution, I was doing odd jobs to keep myself busy.

On the 6th of July 1909 I got married to Miss. E. Mandevill the daughter of Mr. M. Mandeville. Rev. Father Mansoz performed the ceremony during the mass hymns were sung by my aunt, Sr. Mercredi and Sister McQuillen, the organist, Sister Ste. Albina, the reception was at the home of my brother, Isidore. There were many guests and the dance at the Bride's home.

When the S.S. Ste. Marie arrived from her Arctic trip we got ready and left Ft. Resolution on the 20th of July 1909 and arrived at Ft. Smith July 24th next day we crossed the 16 mile portage with a team of horse. Teammaster was Mr. F. Villebrun. Other passengers with us were Uncle Germain and Mr. Fausseneuve. We arrived at Fitzgerald and went aboard the S.S Grahame and we arrived at Ft. Chipewyan the first day of August 1909 and made my home here and was to live all my life.

After we arrived here we moved in my brother, Isidore's house which was vacant then and settled ourselves for the winter. In September did some odd jobs such as getting wood for the winter and did some hunting wild birds and got many of them.

I had a team of dogs and in December 1909, Baptiste Lepine, Mr. P. Robillard and I were sent to Fond du Lac for some meat for the post along with us were Mr. J. Fraser, Mr. J. Wylie, Mr. E. Wylie and Mr. B.G. Daniel. We left Ft. Chipewyan on the 7th and arrived at Fond du Lac December 11th. Stopped there three days, left Fond du Lac December 15th and arrived home 20th of December.

During Christmas and New Year's rush I helped in the store and made a few short trips with dogs to different places.

On January 21st, 1910, I left home with a man from the U.S. named Mr. Wheeler who had obtained a permit to shoot musk ox in the Barren Land. We took three days to Fitzgerald and stopped for the night. The following day we left for Ft. Smith. Stopped for lunch and continued onto Salt River and stopped for the night from there we took three days and arrived at Ft. Resolution. I stopped there for three days. In the meantime, Mr. Wheeler had hired a Chipewyan guide by the name of Mr. L. Dosmoir to take him to the Barren Land and shoot his one musk ox.

Before he left I bid him goodbye paid me for my trip wished him good luck and left and I left for home. (Coming back to Mr. Wheeler) after he left Ft. Resolution with his guide, they traveled a few days and they came across a herd of musk ox. Mr. Wheeler got his gun ready to have a lot at one of them, and before he had a chance to have a shot of one, the Chipewyan guide leveled his gun and (bang) down came one ox. Mr. Wheeler as very disappointed and mad and nothing he could do now since he had permission to kill only one ox. Mr. Wheeler told the guide to skin the animal and give the meat to some Indians who were near by. He dressed the hide and came back to Ft. Resolution waiting for the boat to ship the hide out. When I saw him on his way out he told me he never was so disappointed in all his life. After spending so much money and did not have the chance to kill the animal himself.

After I arrived from my Ft. Resolution trip, I kept working 'round the post and on the 19th of June 1910, my wife gave birth to twins, two boys strong and healthy. Everything was going well with us. Then my wife received word of her father being ill and in critical condition. We decided to leave and go down to Ft. Resolution. We went down to Ft. Smith aboard the S.S. Grahame and we arrived at Fitzgerald the same day. The following day we crossed the 16-mile portage with horses and arrived at Ft. Smith in the evening. When we arrived at Ft. Smith, our great disappointment, we were told there was no boat going to Resolution for a week. Mr. and Mrs. B. Anderson invited us to stay in their house pending the time the boat will be ready to sail to solution.

Two merchants, partners, Mr. Bishop and Mr. Nagle had a steam boat, called Eva and were getting ready to go down to Resolution. We got ready; packed everything we left Ft. Smith on the Eva. In two days time we arrived at Resolution, found Mr. Mandeville very sick and weak but still alive. He was confined to bed. He died on the 26th of October 1910.

After Mr. Mandeville died I got a job from Mr. J. Dorais, free trader to help him in the store and doing work around the house, and worked for him until the end of December 1910. Mr. Dorais received orders to close the store not to buy furs and wait there until further notice.

January 3rd, 1911, I got another job from Mr. McLeneghan a trader financed by a firm named Fairweathers of Toronto. I was hired as interpreter and doing odd jobs around the place. The boy twins were doing very well this time when one of the boys got sick. I called for Doctor Rymer and he came to see the sick boy and told us the boy had meningitis. He died the 20th January 1911. The other little boy was still well at the time and kept well till March when he too got sick. Dr. Rymer came to see him and he told us he too, had meningitis. He died the 18 of March 1911 and we were with no children.

I kept on working to the end of June and in the month of July I decided to leave and make my permanent home at Ft. Chipewyan.

I went to see Father Mansos to bid him good bye and I told him I was leaving. The good old Father Mansos looked at me for a time and said nothing. After a little while he said, "You are leaving? All right go but stay at the place you are going," he added, "remember, my boy travelling like that all the time, we hang a lot of old Father money on willows that we never find on our return - God bless you dear children. These words were engraved my mind. I never forgot and on the strength of those words I have been staying here since. And so we left Resolution on the S.S. Ste. Marie for good and we arrived at Ft. Chipewyan and never saw Resolution any more. August the 5^th, I started to build a log home 18x20. My brother, Isidore and Albert Robillard and Baptists Forcier helped me. The first week of October we moved in. We were very happy to have a home humble as it may be. It has been our home to now.

In October 1911, the Dominion Government shipped 50 reindeers from Labrador. The reindeers were brought from Dr. Grenfell, Medical mission, Labrador for the price of $51.30 for each animal. The shipment included 6 stags, 4 gelded stags and 40 breeding does, 14 reindeers died on the way from Labrador to Ft. Chipewyan and the herd was cut to 36 when they arrived at the delta.

The men taking care of the herd from Labrador were the men in charge named, Mr. H. Eligear accompanied by his wife, Mr. W. McNeil and Mr. J. Broomfield. Both boys are still living and made their homes at Smith and another man as burser for the outfit.

When the party arrived at the delta, the fleet consisted of three flat scows, two where the reindeers were loaded and another scow for the herders personal groceries and luggage.

Being short-handed and unable to cross the lake, the guide of the party named Mr. P. Atkinson, the guide, and old Metis and old timer river man came across the lake in a canoe asking for help. He wanted 8 more men only four showed up. They were Mr. P. Evans, Mr. J. Delorue, Mr. J. ViIlebrun and Mr. V. Mercredi.

The four of us crossed the lake in a Chipewyan skiff and came right back with one scow. We stopped at one of the islands and there were much feed for the reindeers. We had lunch, picked some lichen for the other hungry bunch across the lake. We left right away for the other two scows and came across late that evening, everything was O.K.

All three boats were tied up at that small island luckily there was lots of lichen there to feed the hungry herd. Now only waiting for good weather to leave for Ft. Smith. Two days later a small tugboat called, Ray arrived from Ft. Smith. The engineers named Mr. R. McLennan with two boys, Mr. J. Flett (Dan Dan) and Mr. J. Flett, nicknamed (Tchi Boy) as helpers.

After the Ray arrived the two Flett boys quit their jobs and I was asked and another man, Mr. P. Evans to help going down on to Ft. Smith and were promised work once we arrived at Fitzgerald. We left Ft. Chipewyan the second day after we had the scows across. There was some ice drifting now. The Ray had the three scows in tow and we left in the evening, and ice in the river. We went about five miles below Ft. Chipewyan and we stopped for the night near an island called Joe Bird Island. Early in morning we all got up and the river was full of ice and we drifted with the ice. We got as far as 12 miles from town and we were unable to go any further, so we went ashore, chose a high place, gather much fire wood and froze there.

It was in the afternoon sometime; the reindeer herders unloaded the reindeers. One animal died in the scow and two more died the next day. They were very weak when unloaded, hardly able to walk. So they died, then there was only 33 alive when everything was finished. It was October 29, 1911.

After all the reindeers were put ashore the boys started to build a cabin for the winter and make a corral. In four days time the river was frozen solid now. My companion and I were unable to go any farther and our services were not needed any more. We decided to leave the camp and come home. The guide, Mr. P. Atkinson had a team of dogs and loan us his dog to take my family home.

From 1912 to 1913 I had no steady employment except for little odd jobs such as trapping for furs and hauling fish with dogs.

October 1st 1913, Father Cocquene hired me to work for the mission doing some carpenter work for the summer and fishing in the winter sometimes make a trip to McMurray and Fond du Lac. On the 15th October, Brother Crenn, Brother Mousset, Father de Chambeuil, Henri Bertran and I all went to Goose Island fishing before the freeze up and fished all winter ending the fishing at Big Island.

While fishing at Goose Island, Father Falaize arrived at the island with Mr. B. Loutit, after breakfast the two brothers; Henri and I left for the mission. Brother Crenn had Father Falaize riding in his sleigh. The lead dog of Br. Crenn's team named Mador, a real good dog.

Year 1914, early in the spring, Brother Heron and I built a new barn for the cows. We worked at it all summer. Two young recruits arrived that summer with Father Falher. They were young Brother Mousset and brother Dugas. They came to join brotherhood and helped to nail boards and shingle the barn. In September, Brother Crenn, Br. Mousset and I with Bertrand went fishing at Goose Island and we were fishing till April 1915. In June of that year, Brother Heron and I built a barn again for the horses. In the month of September 1915, Bishop Breynat, Father Letreste and I left for McMurray taking Bishop Breynat to McMurray. The mission boat, St. Emile was taking some sisters and few children to Jack Fish Lake. We left the boat and took our skiff powered by a small evinrude everything was going very well. We were not far from Old Fort on the Athabasca River when all at once we hit a log underwater and lost the propeller in the river. We dragged for it for a long time and we could not find it. So from there on we left for Sulphur Creek. The man in charge of the survey was very nice and helpful when he heard of our trouble and being short of grub, he loaned us an evinrude to make our trip and gave us some groceries. He sure did help us and saved us lot of tracking. We arrived in McMurray in time for Bishop Breynat to catch the train. We were greeted at McMurray by Rev. Father Laffont. We stopped four days and left for home. At the survey camp we returned the evinrude to the manager and from the camp, other Letreste and I drifted down and pulled on the oars but we made it all right.

In the month of September 1916, Bishop Joussard, Father Jaslier and also our dear Father Jaslier arrived and the people were very happy to see our new Bishop and he was to stay with us. In December of that year, brother Crenn and I took Bishop Joussard to Fond du Loc to pass Christmas here. I had the honor to have Bishop Joussard in my sleigh. We took four to make the trip; along with us were Sergt. Johnson, Fred Daniel, Roderick Fraser and Chrysostome then getting near Fond du Lac and as the Bishop was greeted the people started to shoot, flags were up and church bell ringing, saluting Bishop Joussard. Many Indians came into town for Christmas and at the same time to greet our new bishop. We left Fond du Locon the 26 of December 1916 and arrived at Ft. Chipewyan our fourth day. We had good weather all the way. June 1917, Bishop Joussard and I left for Ft. Fitzgerald with a skiff and evinrude to build a dwelling house for the Father. Bishop Joussard hired my brother, Isidore and I was helping him. We had all the walls up, the roof on and shingled. Everything going along fine but we ran short of lumber for the inside so it was decided to board all the windows and doors and go home. My brother was paid and went home. Bishop Joussard and I boarded the Lamson Hubbard boat; the Slave and we left for home.

November 1917, I was hired by a free trader, named Mr. C. Largent as helper in the store. When at home, most of the time I was going around the camps buying furs.

There was much competition them days. Besides Mr. C. Largent there was the H.B. Co., Lampson and Hubbard, Mr. C. Fraser, Hamdon and Alley. Everyone trying to out boat the other. Times were very good them days. Furs were plentiful and market prices were very good and these good times lasted about three years. Credits were limited and everybody was rich.

Mr. C. Largest was doing very well. He was buying furs for cash. He had an outfit of groceries only and no dry goods. He did not believe in carrying dry goods and as he was not giving any credits, he was able to undersell the others and pay more for furs.

In 1918, I was offered more wages and board allowance from the Lamson and Hubbard so I quit working for Mr. C. Largent and hired with Lamson and Hubbard Co.

The District Manager of the company put me charge of a post in Jack Fish Lake 25 miles away from Ft. Chipewyan and kept that post or three years.

Times were very good yet and fur prices were climbing up all the time. My first winter at Jack Fish Lake, price of rats were $1.00 each big or small, mink was $20.00, red foxes, $15.00 to $25.00, beavers $10.00 to 50.00, martens $25.00 to $30.00, lynx $15.00 to $20.00, ermines $25.00 to $50.00, bears $3.00 to $10.00, spring rats $3.00, silver $75.00 to $150.00. But the price of rats was short lived. May 1919, I received a letter from Mr. J.H. Bryan, General Manager for Lamson and Hubbard instructing me not to pay $2.00 for collecting debts only. Rats never did go up to $3.00 any more ever since.

In the year 1920, I got orders to go and take inventories at Poplar Point Post, Hay River Post and to be back in Chipewyan as soon as possible.

The former General Manager, Mr. J. H. Bryan had resigned and a new man named, Mr. A. Bassett, ex. - H.B. Co. inspector was appointed General Manager. He gave me transfer from Jack Fish Lake to Fond du Lac Post. The manager of Fond du Lac had resigned and was instructed to leave with the boat, Canadusa to take me to Fond du Lac

For some reason the Canadusa was unable to come at the date fixed. I received orders to leave on Cohn Fraser’s boat, the Keewatin. We left Ft. Chipewyan the early part of June. The Lake was calm. The Keewatin had two flat scows in tow, one behind the other.

The cook boat was the first scow tied next to the tug on that scow was Mr. T. Loutit and son, on the second scow Mr. C. Loutit, a trapper, Mr. B. Johnson and I were riding.

Mr. T. Loutit prepared meals for us and when everything was ready he and his son, would put a canoe in the water and holding the line would let it drift to our boat, then we'd go in the canoe. Mr. T. Loutit pulled on the line and got aboard the scow to have our meal. When time came for us to go back to our boat, he would do the same thing to our boat. Unfortunately, one day the trapper Mr. B. Johnson did not sit in he middle of the canoe. He sat at the bow of the canoe and our canoe capsized. I was lucky to catch the towrope and held for all I could. I was in the water waist deep and Mr. B. Johnson holding on my legs. The tug boat engine was stopped and the towrope slackened and made it worse. But Mr. G. Loutit was there already and he pulled me out of the water and Mr. B. Johnson still holding on my legs was pulled out of the water. Also we thanked Mr. G. Loutit for saving our lives. We never did ride the canoe gain. The boys tied the two scows together and thus we were able to go from one scow to the other.

We arrived in Fond du Lac our third day and the Chipewyans were there already waiting for their money.

After the treaty was paid and the rush was over, I took the inventory of the outfit and when finished, I left for Ft. Chipewyan in a skiff with Father Rioux, Uncle Germain, Mr. R. Fraser, Sr. and I. We arrived home safely.

I stayed home two weeks and with my family, we moved to Fond du Lac aboard the Canadusa. We had a very nice calm weather.

I took charge of the post in 1921-24. My first winter at Fond du Lac was very good. I bought many furs and collected many old debts. In April 1921, many people were sick with that Spanish flu and many died. Some whole families were wiped out. Some men lost their wives, some women lost their husbands, and the first victim of the flu was my grandmother. She was sick only two days. The poor Indians were upset. They did not know what to do and where to go. Many did not want to go to their old hunting grounds and tried their luck other place. Some done well and many were unable to pay their debts. The next winter 1923, many went back to their hunting grounds and all have done very well. Year 1923 to 1924 as usual all the Indians got their credits from the stores, they deal with. Some is going north and many going east and south. About the month of September, a new trader, named Mr. J. McCaskell opened up a store at Stony Rapids which is the road for the Chipewyan coming town. The H.B. Co. opened up an outfit. There was an opposition to the new man. Myself, I did not have an outfit large enough to open an outpost. I kept all I had.

Many Indians, I had given credit in the summer never showed up at my post and all the credit I gave them was still all in the books. About the end of March 1924, not one of my customers had showed up. I got a man to come with me named, Mr. F. McKenzie. I bought a trapping license from Sask. Prov. Police, took some rifle shells. No other stores had any. I took some tea, tobacco, matches, and sugar and away we went. Our third day, we arrived at the camp of 14 families. Nobody had any rifle shells and the first thing they asked me was for 30/30 shells and 25/35. I had 3 cases with us, but I told them if they needed the shells, well they'd have to pay their debts. Some had money which was good. I sold most of my shells at the first camp. I sold the tea, tobacco, matches, sugar, and went on to the next camp, a short way from the first. There were families and there too they had no shells. I said the same thing there as said before and collected all my debts there and sold all my shells and all the tea, tobacco, matches, sugar, a real clean up. I was a very happy man now but the trader at Stony Rapids was not so happy because many had nothing to pay the bills. We left the camp with a very nice bunch of furs and we arrived home our third day with plenty of water on the lakes. April 1924 Lawson and Hubbard amalgamated with the H.B. Co. Ft. Chipewyan H.B. clerk Mr. 0. Burke arrived to take stock of Lawson and Hubbard's outfit and received my instruction from Mr. Beasett; the General Manager also was letter from Mr. Brubant, Commissioner for the H.B. Co. Mr. Beaseft told me to turn everything to the H.B. Co, the cash, the furs, and I had a nice bunch, the keys and everything belonging to the Lawson and Hubbard. Mr. Brabant in his letter offered me a job as assistant to Mr. T. Loutit with fewer wages than I was getting from the L. & H. The offer was not satisfactory so I turned down the offer and quit. In the letter of Mr. Brabant read, also that if I did not want to take the job he offered me three full months pay. It prices the Lawson and Hubbard paid me. Three months of double ration and free transportation from Fond du Lao to Ft. Chipewyan and all my family and personal belongings. We arrived home the fourth day.

After I arrived home the doctor told me to take a good rest and not do any heavy work because I had been very sick at Fond du Lac with double pneumonia and I was convalescing at home. 1924, it was also the 50th anniversary of the Holy Angels' School. There was to be a big celebration and all the former pupils of Holy Angels' School had a special invitation to be present I was sorry to turn down the invitation because I had promised make a pilgrimage to Lac St. Anne if I recovered. I had to fill my promise and left with my brother, Philip before the celebration took place was my first glimpse of the city and I did not like it. We were to stay two weeks in Edmonton. I was so tired and fed up we stayed only one week and came home. In Edmonton, I had the pleasure once more to see my old school teacher, Sr. Beandin.  I was very glad to see her and she also was very glad to see me and that was for the last time I saw her. I also met Mr. Bryan, the former Lawson and Habbard General Manager, Col. J. Cornwall, Capt. Matheson and Mr. A. Loutit, all old friends. After a week in Edmonton, we left and arrived home in time to see my folks leaving for Ft. Resolution. That was the end of August 1924. I had an easy time all that winter and in June -1925, Mr. C. Bird, Mr. R. Shot and I left far Fond du Lac with Hamdan and Alley's boat named the Evelyn. We had a load of merchandise such as groceries, dry goods hardware for the Treaty sales. I was in charge of the outfit. We made a good sale and bought same furs and collected a few old debts. We stayed there three weeks and came back home and found everybody well at home.

In July 1925, a new trader, named Mr. Orvin Bright of Kelowna, arrived in Ft. Chipewyan with an outfit to open a new past at Fond du Lac. He stopped here for two days looking for someone who he could have to manage the boat at Fond du Lac. Someone told him, I imagine it was Woodman and told him that I would be fit for the place and that I have experience for the place and that I have had experience with the Chipewyans at that past.

Mr. C. Bright came to see me and offered me good wages, so agreed to go with him. The third day we left with Mr. Denhome's boat, D. and C. for Fond du Lac. The boat towed two scows in one scow the building material for a dwelling house 27 x 14 and a store 30 x 50. The trip was made in four days and we had good weather all the way. Mr. Bright showed me where to build the dwelling house and where to build the store. After he gave me all his instructions he left for Stony Rapids. The number of Fond du Lac was M - 1 and Stony M - 2.

The Chipewyans were very happy to see me back in their midst again and I was glad to be with them. After Mr. Bright left for Stony Rapids a man named Mr. G. Oman, a Swede and carpenter started on the construction of the dwelling house. Mr. Bright's interpreter named Mr. F. Daniel as a helper worked long hours and finished the house in six weeks. The house completed, we moved in with the family.

After the house was finished, George and his men started on the store I was helping also in my spare time trying our best to finish the store before Mr. Bright arrives with the outfit. All the outside was finished, the roof, shingled, the inside was finished only the shelves and counters were finished yet when Mr. Bright arrived with the winter outfit.

We worked long hours and we finished everything. Then, Mr. G. Oman left for Stony Rapids to do some repair jobs around Mr. Bright's premises. Mr. F. Daniel got lonesome for Ft. Chipewyan. He quit the job before Mr. Bright arrived and left for home. I was all alone now and started to open up and display everything in the store. In November, Chipewyans trappers came from the North and I bought many martens and minks. In December more Indians came and bought more fur.

In January 1926, Mr. Bright took about 400 lbs. of furs out, which were bought in Fond du Lac and Ft.Chipewyan. We had very bad weather all the way, very cold and facing the wind every day. We made the trip in five days. We stopped at Ft. Chipewyan for two days. Mr. Bright left for McMurray with Mr. I. Villebrun and I left for Fond du Lac with my uncle, Mr. M. Mercredi. We had a good trip.

I stayed at Fond du Lac till after treaty was over. I took the inventory of the outfit and left for Ft. Chipewyan. I was home for 2 months when Mr. Bright arrived with a very small outfit. I knew we would have a hard time to handle the posts with a small outfit. I decided to quit the job Mr. Bright did not like to see me leave. He begged me to keep on; I told him I could not carry on with the outfit so I quit my job and went and Fond du Lac to get my personal belongings and came back home. Mr. Bright tried another winter in Stony Rapids. His business got worse. He closed his posts, sold out what he had and left for Kelowna, B.C. I never heard from him ever since. In 1928, first day in September, I started with R.C.M.P. as a special constable. The officer in charge, was W.H. Bryant, and Const. Bursiall. I did not like the job very much but I took it for a few months. In November 1928, Capt. Bryant left with me for McMurray with dogs. We had a team each. We made the trip in 5 days. We stopped in McMurray for four days. We left for Ft. Chipewyan. Capt. Bryant had Capt. Wood in his sleigh. I had a police matron, Mrs. McPherson for passenger. We had a very nice trip down to home. Came along with us were Mr. S. Wylie and Mr. S. Hooker. Both were for the H.B. Co. arriving home. We heard the H.B. Co. Commissioner of the fur trade; Mr. A. Brabant died in B.C. He was welI-known in the north.

The 27th December 1929, Capt. Bryant and I left again for Camsel Portage in order to collect royalties on furs and meet all the trappers. We arrived on New Year's Eve. Syme Alley and Mr. A. Jamlia were there as traders; Mr. J. Sutherland for Mr. C. Fraser and Mr. R. Heron for the H.B. Co. stopped there for four days and every night we had dances.

After all business was finished, we left Camsell Portage, January 5, 1929 and we arrived home on the 9th. In January 1929, Western Canadian Airways, Pilot Punch Dickens and mechanic, Lou Parmantier, passenger, post office inspector, Mr. T. Reilley arrived here with mail and went as far as Simpson, N.W.T. It was the inaugural first mail trip with plane. Everything went very well on his way to Simpson. On his way home, we landed at Ft, Resolution and damaged his propeller and had to get a new one before he could fly home. When the prop came he fixed it on his machine and arrived in McMurray O.K.

Punch Dickens of the Western Canadian Airlines was the first man to blaze the trail for the Airways. In October, 1928, he came from Baker Lake via Fort Smith, landed in Chipewyan and left for McMurray and later planes were coming and going all the time ever since.

Other flying companies came in also, the Commercial Airways, McKenzie Air Service, and the United Airlines. Later all the flying companies left the district. Only the C.P.A. kept flying all the time and carried our mail and passengers for a long time. In November 1929, one Commercial Airway Plane A-L-A crashed in the bay in front of Mrs. Bird's house. Four boys were killed. They were Thomas and Mr. D. Woodman, Mr. B. Bird, and Mr. F. McDonald. Two other boys were badly hurt but they both recovered and are very well. It was the first time an accident like that happened here. The name of the pilot was Mr. Sherlock.

In the month of April 1939, I got a contract from the manager of the H.B. Co.; Mr. Middletan to demolish all the old H.B. buildings and have them all down before the boats arrived.

Those buildings above mentioned were ones that were built before my time. Building No. 1 was the H.B. Depot. Building No. 2 was partitioned in half. One part was the general store for Indian trade only. The other half was for storing flour, bacon and fresh meat and dry fish. Building No.3 was the old frame building down the hill for the boat equipment such as ropes, block and tackles, jack screws, etc. With the help of my two sons, Adolph and Norbert, we had everything finished before the boats arrived. Actually only one old building still standing which was the residence of Chief Factor Mr. R. McFarlane then Mr. McFarlane was transferred to Winnipeg. Chief Factor, Dr. W. McKay then made it his residence and resigned in the year 1898. Same year Mr. G. Drover was appointed in charge of Ft. Chipewyan and lived in that same house to the year when he tired from the service in the year 1903. Same year, my father, Mr. P. Mercredi appointed in charge of the post by Factor W.F. Livock and remained in charge to the year 1913 and was transferred to the McKenzie district. Same year Mr. J. J. Loutit in charge by Mr. Fugl who then was elected Athabasca District Manager.

The old house still stands on the same spot and is the only one still standing and this old building is the only evidence of this historic post, and it may not be long before time will come and demolish this meager remains.

You may imagine the emotion I felt after I took down all them buildings and from them old buildings there opened up the wide view of the lake and that them buildings are no more.

Very well do I recall the happy moments of my childhood days. Happy and carefree were the times I spent playing around those buildings. Now nothing remains of the large white buildings set on the bold rocky shore.

THE GREAT FORT CHIPEWYAN:

Today in my old days, very well I recall the happy moments I spent in my beloved Delta when I and my dear old dad went shooting geese and ducks at the delta and them inland marshes. I remember the cool fall evenings, the sun setting over the Lake Athabasca silhouetting the islands. The whistling sound of ducks in flight and in the distance the honking sound of the Canada goose that heralds their lazy flight, the trumpet sound of the majestic swan, the snow geese and the lyric sound of the gray wavy etc. The smell of willow of a campfire and smoke ducks being roasted over a fire.

All those I used to think common place but as treasured in one's mind. The past can’t be relived. In my mind I still have a mental picture of all these beautiful settings.

I can well recall the settings of old Ft. Chipewyan with that long string of white buildings. In the distance the Potato Island, the Embarras River, with that long line of golden meadow stretching on the Goose island and beyond Big Point and also the hours I spent just sitting at the old H.B. Point of rock looking the wide expanse of lake. The setting of the various islands and the distant points on the lake, to a lot of people I might have appeared queer, too. Just sit there and gaze out but to me it is communicating with nature and I enjoy it very much. In the year of 1932, the depression and hard times came. There were no furs and business was very slow and to reduce expenses I decided to trap and due to scarcity of furs, I quit trapping and started to build skiffs and made several skiffs, which I sold at $100.00 each. In the month of September 1932 I started to work for Mr. F. Fraser finishing the inside of his house and also made shelves and counters for Mr. Fraser's store and had everything ready for the first of December 1932. Mr. F. Fraser kept us employed from the time I finished the store to January 1936; I left Beaver Lodge to stake some claims. There was Mr. J. McAvoy, Mr. R. Fraser, and Mr. B. Braden and another group of men also left the same time. They were Mr. N. McKay, Mr. J. Sutherland, Mr. G. LaFleur, Mr. M. and Mr. S. Cardinal. I staked nine claims and called it Mac Group. The other boys called theirs the Tony Group. Them boys staked fifteen claims. February 18/36, I received an offer to $2000 for the Mac Group from Lamaque, Gold Mining Co. The company told me he would give me $1000 down and to pay me the balance of $1000 by two separate notes of $500.00 cash and each payment due March 1st, 1936 and May 29/36. Further I have received payment of $214.28 cash from T.M. Paul being payment of the above mentioned as full payment of my interest of shares in the Mac Group which was old to J. L. Grahamo in May 1936.

The above $2000 was divided between Mr. T.M. Paul, his brother Mr. J. McAvoy and myself. We were very happy to receive the money. Year 1937 I was employed again by Mr. F. Fraser as helper in the store for a year. From 1936 to 1940, I had no steady job and them two years were the unlucky years of my life. Everything I tried failed and I lost my dear son, Norbert aged 23, a very devoted son and helped me very much with his earnings. He died March 26, 1940. Between 1938 - 40 I bought a team of horses and got on wood business. There again I failed. Many customers never paid for the wood delivered to them. I got so fed up; I sold my horses with all the equipment. I trapped rats that spring and done very well. I paid all my bills and received cash for the balance. With that money I bought some lumber and built more skiffs. I also done some carpenter work in the Wood Buffaro Park at Hay Camp, Salt River, Buffalo Landing, 30th Base Line and Dog Camp at Lake Mamawi. I kept on like that between trapping rats in the spring, do odd jobs in the summer and do a little fishing for my dogs in the winter.

In the year 1943, the post master, Mr. J. J. Loutit resigned and quit the post office job. Seeing the vacancy, I made application for PostMaster at Ft. Chipewyan. My application was accepted. I officially took the Post Office July 1, 1943.

July 1946, Mr. F. Fraser, then Agent for the Canadian Pacific Airlines resigned and he recommended me to the superintendent of C.P.A. as to replace him as an agent. I agreed to take the job and I did enjoy working for them. The pilots and staff were very kind to me.

Year 1950, I had the Post Office and the C.P.A. Agency together and business increasing all the time. It was too much for me to handle both alone and having no helper, I could not stand all the strain. I decided to quit the Post Office and keep the C.P.A. Agency only. August 1, 1950, I sent out my resignation of Post Master to the Supt. of Postal Services Mr. T. Reilly. My resignation was accepted and I was asked to recommend someone reliable who would take the P.O. After many inquiries, I recommended Mr. J. Keller. He was accepted and became Poster. I had held the Post Office job from July 1, 1943, to Sept. 11, 1950.

After I quit the Post Mastership I had only the C.P.A. agency it was much easier for me and everything went fine.

In July 1952, C.P.A. officials notified me that the Chipewyan Agency would be closed effective, August 15, 1952. The P.C.A auditor came and took inventory and when finished left for McMurray.

Previous to the closing of the Agency, I was offered the Ft. Norman Agency or work for C.P.A. in Edmonton. I was very sorry to refuse because I felt I was too old then and besides my wife did not like to leave Ft. Chipewyan. Being too old now to look for a job elsewhere being over 65 years old, I applied for Old Age Assistance, which was granted to me two months after I was discharged from C.P.A. Agency and tired from all major work ever since.

In August 1952, I made a trip to McMurray and from McMurray I went to Ft. Smith vis Uranium City, boarding the plane at McMurray. I was very surprised to meet Bishop Falaize who had just arrived from France on his way to Ft. Smith to meet Bishop Breynat.

I took my seat next to Bishop Falaize and I sure did enjoy his company. We arrived at Uranium City and stopped there for 25 minutes. Then we took off again for Ft. Smith.

The trip from U. City was very rough --- a very strong wind. We arrived at Ft. Smith Airport. Bishop Breynat and Father Mokwa were there to welcome Bishop Falaize. The three of them left for the mission and that was the last time I saw Bishop Breynat. He left for France and died there shortly after.

On the 6th July 1959, my wife and I celebrated our Golden Anniversary of marriage. We had mass said for us by Rev. L. Casterman. After mass he gave us his blessing and we were invited for breakfast at the Holy Angels' School by Sister Rouleau, superior. It was years now last month and we live very happily.

We have the pleasure to see our fourth generation. May our Lord grant us to live few more years with my children.

For our golden anniversary were here present, my son, Adolph and family, my daughter, Angeline and family and my brother, Leon. My son, Xavier and son-in-law, Philip was unable to come because they both could not leave their jobs. Philip and Xavier both made their homes in Yellowknife, NWT

Many years have pulled by. Time passed. Old Ft. Chipewyan was affected by the tide that swept past it. The fur trade has diminished. The wavies are leaving the place; the fishing is not as good years ago. The old place of the H.B.Co, near the rock is abandoned. The buildings are now worn and a store more modern was built in a situation more convenient to the people. Ft. Chipewyan was the northern Indian life play out. Nowadays, Crees and Chipewyans keep more around Fort and they give up the ways of their fathers. From the high rock near the H.B.Co's former old place it was not difficult to see fleets of birch bark canoes coming down the lake sometimes sailing across the delta bringing the people from their distant hunting grounds. To picture the smoke stained tepees around the lake and some on the rocks, and they reminded the fort with the life of the early days with the beating of the drum when there was a tea dance and gambling.

You may imagine the excitement of the Indians and Crees after their long and hard winter and after many months of being away from the old Ft. Chipewyan. There opened up the wide view of the lake and they saw their destination far in the distance, the white buildings of the Great Ft. Chipewyan.

Yes, many years have past and yet I remember very well setting of the old place as I saw it in my childhood days. Did it ever change now in the old familiar places. It has changed so much, you would think you are in a different place altogether.

Ft. Chipewyan has taken a new look now. More buildings were built, the R.C.M.P. barracks, Indian Agency, D.O.T. formerly the CS, the Health and Welfare Service, the Northern Resources, the Forestry, the Indian Residential School; the Public School and the Canadian Utilities, the telephone, etc.

The Indian birch canoes have disappeared and are replaced by speedboats. The wood burning stern wheeler steamboats also have disappeared and are replaced by diesel engine tugboats. The aircraft’s carry the royal mail and passengers.  Also lately an airstrip was built near the town. What a change in such a short time and with this entire new looks here. Never, will Old Ft. Chipewyan be replaced. May her post live forever.

I am very glad to say the years I have stayed in the Holy Angels' Convent were the happiest days of my life.

I stayed 12 years in the convent and I will say also my brothers, my sister, my children and some of my grand children and myself all went to the Holy Angels' School.

The old Holy Angel's School was not up the date like the new school they now have, but I did like my old Mrs. A. Mater very much and I will always remember the happy days and years I have passed under her roof. And I pray for and may our Dear Lord bless all the very kind sisters who are now replacing the good work of those departed good sisters.

May God reward them and I also pray for them all the very good fathers and brothers. A special remembrance for the departed fathers and brothers; whom spent many years of their lives in Ft. Chipewyan.

And this is the story of my life in Ft. Chipewyan, Alberta.

CONCLUSION:

Of the boys in my father's family, I am the only one who always stayed in this Old Ft. Chipewyan.

My oldest brother, Isidore had moved to Ft. Smith and lived there many years. Now he has moved to Langford Park and made his home there. My brother Philip and Leon moved from Ft. Chipewyan to Ft. Smith, NWT and made their homes there. My youngest brother Stan, at present lives in Uranium City, Sask.

My parents also lived here to the end of their days and now both of them have left this world and are laid side by side together in life together in death and my only wish is for me to be buried near them.

My consolation is now, I worked for them to their very last days and that is what I wished all the time to be near them on their very last moments.