En route to Canada   The crossing   Departure for Sainte-Adélaïde de Pabos 
 A Letter Instead of a Trip   Letter From Mother Marie-Fidèle   School opening 
Second  Departure to Canada   Arrival of the Second Group   Stay at Halifax   A trip to Rimouski 
  Letter March 26, 1903     1897, A difficult end of year    October 9, 1897   On the way to England 
  Arrival in Minehead    A decisive meeting   Seeking Answers to Puzzling Questions
 Sr. Marie de Jésus, delegate of Mother Marie Fidèle   From on attempt to the next  New attempts
Endeavors of Mgr. F.-X. Bossé   Unusual offers   Mgr L-N Bégin Accepts the SCSL
The North American Branch Takes Root

On a mild day of October 28, these two Sisters of Charity of St. Louis 
boarded the "LAKE CHAMPLAIN." (R-1)

The LAKE CHAMPLAIN
 was 446 ft long and 52 ft. wide; 
gross tonnage : 7392; speed : 13 knots; 
first-class passengers : 100; second-class : 
80; and third-class : 500.

Launching : March 31, 1900; 
first trip : May 15, 1900 from Liverpool to
Quebec and Montreal. 
Information  from Sue Swiggum, 
Marjorie Kohli et Ted Finch.

Lists of passengers of the Lake Champlain Steamship
 who landed in Quebec on November 7, 1902.

THE CROSSING

This first beautiful and calm evening might have been the presage of an ideal crossing, but the following day, the sea became turbulent, and in the evening of October 31, the storm was raging so much so that the captain had in mind to throw the luggage overboard. However, the sea slowly calmed down, and in the morning of November 5, all the passengers were on deck, pointing their binoculars to the snow-laden Belle-Isle, which could be seen far away. Soon, they entered the St. Lawrence Gulf, and having been completely relieved of the seasickness, they could admire at leisure the beautiful shores of this immense river.

In another narrative, we learn that the captain, a white-bearded elderly man, was happy to have women religious on board for the first time. Impressed by the cheerfulness and the courage of these two Sisters, the passengers displayed great kindness toward them. (R-2)

The Landing

Quebec, November 7, 1902

The ship anchored in Quebec on November 7 at 11:30 p.m.; because of the late hour, the first-class passengers only were allowed to go ashore, and the Sisters had to leave behind their traveling companions, namely those who had been so kind to them : Dr. Éthier, of Montreal, who had been their mentor throughout this first voyage; Dr. Brennan who gave them a letter of recommendation for his brother-in-law, Father Martin, parochial assistant at St-Jean de Québec; above all, Mr. Beaudry who provided them with living accommodation at the Monastery of the Precious Blood, Hôtel-Dieu, residence of his sister religious, who extended a most gracious hospitality to them for almost five days.  (R-1)

SCSL au Québec