A Summers Cruise Up the Ottawa River

          Now that summer of 2021 is becoming a memory I thought it might be pleasant to look back on a summer of long ago and the enjoyments that a cruise up the Ottawa River entailed. In those days a trip up the Ottawa would be one of two things; either an arduous paddle in a canoe being buffeted by wind and waves or as a passenger in a large and modern steamer. It is at times hard to fathom that such grand and well appointed boats once plied our waterways but for more than half a century they did just that, carrying passengers and freight between Pembroke and "the Swisha" and when needed, towing large log booms down river.

            One day in May, in the year 1874 an anonymous correspondent for the Pembroke Observer had the good fortune to step aboard the steamer John Eagan at the busy, "new Pembroke wharf" which, to that writers eyes, held the promise of "soon becoming the great emporium for the shipping and receiving business of the town and vicinity." Welcomed aboard by Captain Duggan the writer was amazed at the accoutrements of this newly refurbished vessel, comparing it to the old Steamer, Pontiac, which it had replaced. Much of this work had been done by a local craftsman, Mr. Robert Angus, and was now deemed to be a "first class vessel."  Much was made of its upper, lower and hurricane decks, its cabins, the ladies sitting room, the dinning and smoking rooms, the wash rooms, "&c" which were all well appointed and furnished for comfort, convenience and elegance. Everything from the oak grained floor to the "gilded capitals," to the graceful columns supporting the deck were evidence "of the taste and skill of the accomplished artist" who had overseen the conversion. 

            Setting out, the writer was charmed by the panoramic view of Pembroke "stretched out in full length before us" with its clusters of wooden cottages intermixed with its solid stone and brick "edifices." all capped off by the magnificence of the new Catholic Church and convent. Remembering an earlier visit a dozen years past when it was little more than "a backwood village," it was felt by the author that the town now seemed poised to become as important as it was picturesque.

        Steaming up river past the many little islands the writer was reminded of the "Lake of the Thousand Isles" were it not for the colour of the water which was darker than the "cerulean hue" of the St. Lawrence River. Arriving at Petawawa it was found to be unchanged from that earlier trip however coming into Fort William a feeling of sadness ensued as it was realized changes had taken place since the post was last visited. Although the "pretty Indian Church…and neat little Indian cottages" were still there as were the store and the Factor's residence, a remembrance of past welcomes by the late factor, Mr. Watt and his family induced a melancholy feeling in the writer for times gone by. 

        After a walk about the village the trip resumed with the next stop being a wharf and "calling station, dignified by the name of Parentville" located at the confluence of the Deep and Ottawa Rivers just down stream from the point where the Ottawa River makes an almost 90 degree bend. The entire town turned out to welcome the steamer although the "town" consisted of just one twenty by twelve foot shanty. Barrels of pork and flour were off loaded and it was noted by the captain that the "exports of the place" were firewood, lumber and wicker chairs.

             Next upriver, at the bend, was a light house which had recently been installed on a small nearby island (n.b. - a modern version of this is still there) to aid in night time  navigation, and farther along a timber raft floated by as they approached Oiseau Rock with its five hundred foot cliff, always an imposing sight and the object of many native legends. This now local treasure was at that time seen as an impediment to the latest transportation scheme, the North Shore Railway. The latest plans for "the rock" were either to blast out a shelf in its face to accommodate a rail line along it or to tunnel through it. Alternatively a pontoon bridge, sufficiently robust enough to support a fully loaded train, was proposed as was a pile bridge in front of the cliff. The latter idea seemed impractical as the water near the face of the cliff was reputed to be in excess of four hundred feet deep and we can be grateful today that this natural beauty remains unspoiled.

            After a customary toot of the steamer's whistle to hear the echo off the cliff face the seamer continued on to its destination at Des Joachim. It was usual for tourists to spend time visiting the rapids here as they were renowned for their beauty and ferocity but it had begun to rain heavily and so the writer spent time with old friends Archibald McDougall, and Mr. Colville who was in charge of Murray Brothers store in the village. The hotel was recommended for its comfort and hospitality although all passengers made the return trip home that same day. 

               In his closing remarks the writer hoped everyone would avail themselves of the opportunity to steam upriver and experience the wonder and beauty of the Ottawa River. Summer excursions up river did continue for decades to come with dance bands and box lunches; night cruises became popular when a new and powerful spotlight was installed to enthral the passengers and disturb the ducks along the shore. The Wednesday afternoon cruises resulted in the tradition of merchants closing for that afternoon to allow their employees a chance to socialise during the summer months when store hours were brutally long.

            In addition to steaming to ports upriver a tradition of moonlight cruises on Allumette Lake had begun and in the year 1887 Captain Duggan was again in charge, this time  at the helm of the steamer Ottawa. In July of that year the Mission band of Calvin Church chartered the boat for a evening of music, socializing, ice cream and cake. It was a warm evening for the seventy-five or eighty guests and the high point of the cruise was when the steamer came to an "immense raft of square timber," where upon the captain slowed the steamer and the band on the hurricane deck played for the "compliment of fifty men with pike poles, hand spikes, etc" and the young people were charmed by "a blazing fire in the camboose" which lit up the night.

            By the late 1920's the one time joy of a cruise on a steamer seemed to have become somewhat passé and it became harder and harder to find someone to take on the lease to run the cruises. By the time depression hit Pembroke the writing was on the wall for the days of steamer cruises and these grand old vessels became a thing of the past, now scrapped or refitted to haul logs.

   Short essay written for the newsletter of the Upper Ottawa Valley Genealogical Group.