Glebe Collegiate Institute - Lux Glebana Yearbook (Ottawa, Ontario Canada)

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UX GLEBANACKAQ A 200 MILE QAEPALERE FLAMMAM CANOE TRIP on the OTTAWA x o 'rnosia of our My 1 X 19 5 Oiseau Rock - a good 30 readers wht, Vf fvf' X Q' 1 i ' lU1lCS to show for our first have explored ' --' ' d2y7S work. the waters of 15: The next morning we the Ottawa river, this effort gf decided to ex lore. Can to describe a trip under- Y - -, you imagine aphuge rock taken last summer by six -grii . goo feet high rising sheer up collegiate students, will per- 2 T 525 from the water? Following haps recall the magnihcent ' a steep and didicult path we scenery, and bring to their -J-:L--931 Q A STE reached the summit, to dis- recollection some happy reminiscences. If it induces any who are not familiar with its scenic beauty to make such a journey the travelogue will have been well worth while. The lovely bays, inlets, interesting islands and diversified scenery on either shore cannot be fully appreciated from the verandah of a sum- mer cottage, or even the deck of a motor boat, as many of its prettiest stretches of water are only accessible by canoe. It is therefore from the romantic viewpoint of a canoeist that I describe our experiences. DON HEWITT 5-A narration of this We made a belated start one Saturday after- noon in july. After loading a shaky-looking motor truck with our three canoes, dunnagc bags, provisions and camp equipment, we parked ourselves anywhere we could find room and left Britannia Bay in a drizzle of rain. This developed into a steady downpour, and on reaching Pembroke we clambered from be- neath the dripping canoes, cramped and soaking wet. After unloading, the truck driver bade us 'Bon Voyage' and left us to make camp and prepare for an early start next day. At dawn we loaded the canoes and shoved off with a favorable wind, happy to feel that the rising sun promised a fine day. Paddling steadily for about six miles we sighted numerous lighthouses and small islands, while on the Ontario shore we could hear the rapids of the Petawawa river as they mingled with the Ottawa. Rounding Fort William on the Quebec side we noticed .that the scenery was becoming more rugged. Unable to find a more suitable camping spot, we landed at sundown near a deserted hunting lodge at the foot of a huge cliff, and-immediately realized we had reached cover a small lake on the top. We all enjoyed a good swim in it, but found later that it was full of blood- snakes. Rambling over the top we were able to enjoy the superb view from several clearings in the trees. Looking at im- mense cliffs on both sides of the river it was not hard to believe the deepest river in the world lay below. suckers and water We spent the rest of the week exploring this lovely stretch of water known as Deep River. About twenty-five miles from Oiseau Rock at the small French town of Des Joachims, we encountered a long stretch of rapids, necessi- tating several tedious portages. Rather than proceed, we made camp, and the next day climbed a Ere-ranger's tower on the top of a 1,zoo foot hill. The View was marvellous. In the distance we could see the cliffs of the river beyond Oiseau Rock. Tired and hungry but with several valuable snapshots to remind us of our venture, we made our way back to camp. Fine weather and favourable winds aided our return to Pembroke, and with just a week of our holidays gone we again camped near the lumber town. The journey down the river from here proved 'even more interesting. Two summers previously, four of us had paddled from Ottawa to Pembroke and back, and this experi- ence saved us from repeating former mistakes. Instead of attempting to shoot the treacherous Allumette Rapids, we jogged around a snye on the Ontario side. However, a big wind had lashed Westmeath Lake into a seething mass of whitecaps, and, as one of the gang remarked later, he was not sure on which side of the gunwale he was paddling. Further down, the alslle

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7 . UX GLEBANACKQ All too soon our visit was over, and we were once more on the highway. We paid a hurried visit to Halifax, before starting back by the St. john valley route. This grand old city im- pressed us very much with her guarding citadel, old churches and lovely gardens. Halifax is justly proud of her Government House and it was interesting to see the rooms of this fine old building, and to gaze on the famous bed where King Edward the Seventh and other notables have slept while in Halifax. On, our journey led us to Truro, Amherst, Fredericton and the St. john Valley. Fredericton is very like Ottawa in many ways. The park by the St. john River and the Parliament Buildings is similar to sections of our driveway, and the provincial Experimental Farm adds a homelike touch. The St. john Valley is extremely pretty and picturesque, and the cultivated farmland along the river is distinctly contrasted with the wild beauty of the hills and river in the Mata- pedia Valley. We sped through many little towns with quaint and queer sounding names. Every evening the French families would gather outside their homes, the old folk gener- ally in rocking chairs, and the young folk in odd two-seated swings. Night driving in New Brunswick was enlivened by the tre- mendous number of toads and frogs which kept hopping across the road, ,perhaps at- tracted by our head- lights. They managed three hops before extermination. Deer were more agile and our score was nil. At Riviere du Loup we connected with our eastward route. Here we stopped overnight at an inn, which reminded one of the old French Canadian manor houses with its carved wood- work and dormer windows. The city was gaily decorated in honour of some religious QASPALERE FLAMMAM festival. At Levis we climbed a hill more like the Rockcliffe ski jump than a highway, and rolled along the south shore of the St. Lawrence to the Quebec bridge. That bridge is marvel- lous and the panorama both up and down the river from our moving observation post ex- tremely interesting. There is a nice park at the north end for picnics. Homeward we sped. Three Rivers Hashed past, we were on familiar ground and soon wc were engulfed in the traffic of Montreal. A short jaunt and Ottawa once more. Twenty-Hve hundred miles of Canada had been covered by our flying wheels, and what memories we retain - majestic rivers, busy towns, quiet villages nestling by the mighty ocean, the murmur of surf, the puff of a por- poise, a sea-gull's scream, quaint homes and customs-oh, many, many more all woven into the pattern of a perfect holiday. A beautiful country is our heritage. Anderson:- You ave that cloak-room at- . . 3 ,, tendant a big tip, old boy. ohnson:- Well he ave me a 'ood coat! v g g HX' 'ls 'lf Bob Davis:- You're my idea of a girl. Anon:- Well, I hope you're the kind of a bov who believes in drivin an idea home. , . g xx Insurance 55 METCALFE STREET QQ PHONE QUEEN 1 998 Insure in Sure Insurance - J. STUART BINKS alsol'

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UX GLEBANAQQQQ- Paquette Rapids provide the canoeist with a real thrill-four miles of continuous rapids in which all you have to do is steer and watch the shores flash by. Below this fast water the river opens out into one of the most picturesque lakes in its course, Lake Coulonge. Surrounded by the Lauren- tians it makes an ideal place for a holiday. Further down lie the towns of Fort Coulonge and La Passe, the river narrowing and follow- ing two channels around Calumet Island. As the rapids of the Rocher Fondu channel to the northwest are impossible to negotiate, we took the other course, past Campbell's Bay to Bryson, where a 12-mile stretch of continuous rapids forced us to halt for that day. A For a real thrill you should try sleeping in a hay-loft full of field mice. Such was our experience here. Early next day we portaged around the Calumet dam, negotiating the hundred-foot dro without misha . The next twelve miles P P . . proved the most trying of the whole trip. Ra id after ra id ke t us continuall on the P l P ,P , Y alert to avoid upsetting in the turbulent cur- -QAEPALERE FLAMMAM 1'CI1t. Constables dragging the river-bed for two victims of the treacherous waters did not add to our peace of mind, and it was with a feeling of relief that we reached Portage-du- Fort. Entering smoother water, we camped and were early to bed. From here the river continued through the Chenaux rapids into Lake Chats where a favourable wind aided us down the thirty-mile stretch of open water past Norway Bay and Arnprior to the Hydro Dam above Fitzroy. Another hard portage set us down once more on the Lower Ottawa and on one of the small islands below the falls, we took advantage of the comforts of a small cottage to rest up before the final lap home. The paddle down Lake Deschenes ended our adventures. We arrived at Britannia Bay, tanned and in the best of health-happy to have achieved all we had set out to do. Many beautiful memories of moonlit waters and enchanting scenery will ever linger with us, and full of praise for all we had seen, were- called that immortal line of Scottis, This is my own my native land. The Engmfuings in this Book made by PRINTERS ENGRAVERS LITHOGRAPHERS ' CALENDARS and ADVERTISING N O V E L TIE S HEAD OFFICE AND PLANT 257 SPARKS STREET 0 OTTAWA T ' 4 5 2?