Journal of Albert Edward Sayer
From a notebook kept during a camping trip by Albert Edward Sayer, Jr. August 1925. Some of the other people on the trip were A. Clifford, David Duncan, and Ernie Hurley.
I believe the photos are from the same trip documented in the notebook. If you can identify people in the photos, or any of the names in full, let me know! Hold your mouse over the photo and a description will pop up.
This journal and the photos are a real treasure to those of us in the Sayer family, as it was during trips like these that Grandpa did with the Boy Scouts, that he came to know the area around Otter Lake, or Ottermere, as it is now known. Four years later he built a cottage at Ottermere, which is still there and is owned today by his son Ted. The cottage next door was built by his brother-in-law, Tom Tuxford, and is owned today by his son Tom (my father).
Take a look at the journal: Front Cover 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Back Cover
Aug 1st Saturday
Arrived at 4.15 PM, swore heartily at the luggage smashing. A. Clifford & David went to the Dance. Ernie & I took a trip around the lake, we told stories when we got back. At 11 o’clock we took the best beds in the house.
Sunday Aug 2.
Got up at 7 AM. E.T. & A.C. caught some fish for breakfast. We all went up the creek to Malachi. I fell out of the small canoe so went for a swim. We all went to Pearsons at night. Hurley & AC hopped off. We had a good time handing out the sarcasm especially David. Pinched the best beds again.
Aug 3 Monday
We all got up late, loafed around & then went for a swim. All of us wrote home. We started out on the trip. Ernie & I made the first portage at 2.30 & the second one at 3.30.
The real start of the trip began at the foot of Cygnet Falls at 4.15. Arrived at the three rapids at 5.30 & went straight through. For supper we had Pork & Beans, coffee. Then we went out fishing & caught some big pickerel & one muskellunge. Campfire.
Aug 4 Tuesday
We arose at 6 AM & 7 AM. Fish for breakfast. Took some pictures of Cygnet Falls. Then steady paddling from 9.30 till 12.30 to the end of Cygnet Lake. For dinner we had Pork & Beans Sardines. Plums & Marmalade Biscuits. We made the 5th Portage to Swan river at 3.25. Arrived at Swan Lake falls at 4 o’clock & made camp. Had a bath in the falls. Went exploring. For supper we had canned fruit & Biscuits. Then we went fishing. Campfire
Tuesday N.
Mosquitoes were very bad so Ernie & I lay out on the rocks by the falls all night.
August 5. Wednesday
Fish for Breakfast. We got away at 8. AM. We paddled until 10.50 then had a light lunch on an island. We went up Scott river until we came to the rapids at 12.30. Dinner & took several pictures. We portaged over the rapids & paddled about 100 yds around a bend. When we came to another rapids so we had to portage again, which nearly broke our hearts. We had a light lunch & were off again at 2.30 & paddled up the Scott river until 4.10 PM where we arrived at the North Scott Lake falls. Took some pictures & portaged over to Scott lake. We saw two deer as we were going down the lake. A bad storm is blowing up so we made camp on an island at the bottom of the lake at 5 PM. For supper we had French Fried potatoes sausage & pears coffee. We went out fishing & to take a look around. Then went to bed early & told stories. The Storm came about 11 o’clock.
Aug 6. ThursdayBreakfast at 7.30. Bacon & Jam. Got off at 8.30 AM. We paddled up & down a creek (saw 3 Deer) all the morning trying to find a way to South Scott Lake. Came back to North Scott lake for dinner. Pork & Beans. Paddled all around North Scott lake trying to find the inlet but we did not succeed so decided to go back. Left the North Scott falls at 4.20 PM. We saw a cow moose in the dead creek. We paddled up the Scott river until we came to the twin rapids on Swan river, or as I named it the Heartbreak portages, at 5.40 PM. Arrived at Swan Lake at 7 o’clock. Camped on Sunset island. For supper we had French Fried potatoes & sausage. We had a big campfire & had lots of fun listening to calling up a timber Wolf. All went to bed at 11.30.
Aug 7 Friday
Arose at 7 AM & had breakfast. We left at 8.15. At 9.40 we were halted by a man & boy in a canoe. They said they were from Minaki & were trying to make the post at White Dog but they had got lost. They were all out of grub & had been in Swan lake for a Day & a half trying to find a way out. We gave them some grub, Matches, map & a pail then put them in the right direction. We arrived at Swan falls about 11.20 AM and portaged over to the Swan river. We arrived at Cygnet portages at 12. Dinner Beans and Sardines. Left at 1.30. Arrived at the bottom of Cygnet lake at 2.45. Over the long portage at 3.40 & arrived at Cygnet falls at 4.50 PM then made the twin portages to Otter lake at 5.30. Home at 6.15 PM. At night A.C. & David went to Malachi. Ernie & I played cards.
Saturday 8
We looked around. I went over the house & worked. At night we went to dance & had a good time.
Sunday. 9
Got up late. I went over to the house & worked the rest. Loafed around. At night we went to see the train out. David stayed out very late & had to beg a ride home.
Monday Aug.10
We got up early packed our bags. We left the store at 10 AM & crossed Otter lake to the Pelican falls, which we portaged at 11 o’clock. We reached the bottom of Pelican lake at 1.50. Hurley & A.C. went out to find the portage but did not succeed. The rest of us made dinner of fish & tea. After dinner we all started to hunt for the portage. We came upon an old wagon road that was used when the railroad was being constructed & all thought that it was the portage. We followed it till 7.10 until we came to a lake which we thought was the pickerel lake. We arrived back at the Pelican lake at 8 PM, then had supper & made camp.
Aug 11. Tuesday
Arose at 4 AM & began portaging over to the other lake which we thought was the Pickerel lake at 6 AM. The portage was about 3 ˝ miles so we were not on the lake till 9.15 AM. We toured around all the day trying to find a way to Pickerel lake but did not succeed. So made camp at 6 PM. At 3.30 AM we had to get up & put the tent up on account of rain.
Aug 12th Wednesday
Arose at 7 AM & made breakfast of corned beef. Jam & biscuits. We looked around all the morning & because the tent & things were too wet to move. We had dinner at 1 PM & then a big storm came on which made up stay another day. We played cards & went fishing. Had fish for supper with potatoes. Went to bed early. We saw a big black bear.
Thursday. Aug 13th
We got up late & had breakfast; loafed around to 12.25 & then portaged back to Pelican lake & had dinner. There we went looking for the right portage to Pickerel lake & found it in another bay about 4 o’clock. Saw Pickerel lake about 5 o’clock. It was about a mile long & little used. When we returned to Pelican lake we decided not to go any further with the trip, so we started back home intending to take in some of the lakes on our way back. (Hurley & A.C. saw 3 moose.) At about 7 o’clock we camped on an island in Pelican lake & had supper & went to bed about 12 o’clock. Ernie & I were very disgusted.
Friday 14th
We got up very late & looked around all the morning (saw 1 Bear), too disagreeable to give one another a civil answer. Then we decided to push on back home, intending to take in White lake to catch some fish but as soon as we had dinner on the cow & calf island we went straight up the Pelican lake to the portage into Otter lake & arrived back at 3 o’clock. Ernie & I still very disgusted.
Yours truly A. Sayer
Official Chronicler.
