The excitement which always prevails during the breakup around this
Reserve was perhaps of a more serious nature this Spring than previous
years.
Usually the Carrot river on the banks of which the Post is situated,
overflows every other second year or so, but this time the flood proved
to be a record.
The ice broke up on the 23rd of April and started going out on the 26th.
During that day it travelled well.
As it was the first breakup I had ever witnessed, the sight was most
interesting and fascinating. Some of the blocks, I estimated, were
perhaps ninety by thirty feet and eighteen to twenty inches thick. These
huge blocks were to cause us a considerable amount of discomfort before
the day was over.
Towards evening it was noticed that the ice was travelling very slowly
on the east bend of the river. As the river flows directly south past
the Post and then takes a turn east, our view for over a mile is fairly
good. We watched with strained eyes and beating hearts, for already the
water was rising. Ah! yes, it was only too true, there was a jam!
Soon the water was coming over in front of the house. Immediate action
was necessary. Canoes had to be attended to, boards, posts, boxes and
barrels moved to a place of safety.
[Illustration: _The Swirling Waters in Front of the Store._]
Very soon the water was making a noise like a waterfall and sweeping
everything before it. In a short time the sidewalk was trying to pilot
its way through the garden gate. A cord of wood made an effort to follow
suit but did not succeed. That night the roaring waters sang us to
sleep.
All day the ice and driftwood kept going by. At 7 o'clock in the evening
the Post was completely surrounded by water and a canoe was for the next
few days to be our only mode of travelling.
Towards twilight the last of the ice and driftwood passed. We gave a
sigh of relief and were about to retire when our attention was attracted
by a noise in the bush on the opposite bank of the river; on looking, it
was no little surprise to see a birch bark, and three Indians come into
sight. From the conversation, we gathered that the country for miles
around was under water.
Many cattle belonging to the Indians in this Reserve were drowned, also
an old house was carried away and where it once stood we have now a
small creek running from the river to a muskeg.