Iroquois (I)

In 1901 this vessel was in service for the Sidney and Victoria Railway taking passengers and freight from Sidney to various Gulf Island ports on Mondays and Thursdays and returning to Sidney from Nanaimo via the Gulf Islands on Tuesdays and Fridays. On Wednesdays and Saturdays the Iroquois made a round trip through the Gulf Islands. On the four weekdays that the Iroquois schedule terminated in Sidney her arrival connected with the departure of the evening train to Victoria. It made twice weekly trips to Vancouver and took Victoria residents on moonlight cruises. On April 10, 1911 this vessel left Sidney for Nanaimo via the Gulf Islands carrying 32 passengers and crew and a cargo of general freight and tools which may have been overloaded and unstable. Between Shell Island and Roberts Point this vesselheaded for Canoe Channel when this vesselsuddenly listed and capsized. Within minutes the Iroquois had disappeared. Three First Nations men, William Tsouhalem, Bob Klulwhalem, Donat Charlie saved three lives, and were awarded gold medals for bravery The captain was charged with manslaughter for his failure to aid the women and children.