Collection search - Three York boats on Swampy Lake, Manitoba, 1878

Described by the RECON project.
York boats were used by the Hudson's Bay Company to carry furs and trade goods along inland waterways.
Based on an Orkney design, they were named after York Factory, the major transshipment point at the mouth of the Hayes River on Hudson Bay. York boats could be operated either by oar or sail and often had a crew of six to eight oarsmen. One York boat could carry three tons of goods, or three times the capacity of a canoe, making them extremely cost-effective.

Inscription on the photograph: Meeting of the Boats - Swampy Lake, 1878