Built by Laird Bros, Birkenhead in 1865 as the "Ottawa" for the British Colonial Steamship Co of London, she was a 1 810 gross ton ship, clipper stem, one funnel, three masts (rigged for sail), iron construction, single screw and a speed of 10 knots. There was accommodation for 25-1st plus steerage passengers.

In 1898 she sailed from Alta, Norway on February 4th 1898 for New York with Lapps and reindeer destined for Alaska. The intention was to bring 500 reindeer, and to hire 100 Lapps to drive the reindeers, ower to Alaska. The plan was for the Lapps to use the reindeers to bring supplies for the gold-diggers in the Yukon-valley. The agent for the expedition did not manage to get enough Lapps to sign on, so there were also a few Kveens and Norwegians hired for the mission. The ship left on January 4th with 538 reindeer and 110 passengers from a place called Bosekop. The crossing lasted for about 3 weeks, and the ship arrived New York on february 27. The reindeer expedition was not become a success. The expedition traveled by train for 1 week to get to Seattle, where they were delayed for 2 weeks because they were waiting for a ship to take them north. The reindeer were brought to a park in Seattle where several of them died because they were eating plants that were not good for them. Then they went by ship up north, and more reindeer died on the voyage. They landed at Haines mission in Lynns Channel. From there they went across the mountains to get to the Yukon River, and arrived after 10 months, only 114 reindeer still alive. After a short while the animals were slaughtered. Many of the expedition members then went to dig for gold near Nome, and some of them made great fortunes. A company lead by a Swede named Jafet Lindberg (with Erik Lindblom and John Brynteson) was specially lucky and became well known. There was an account of this in the "Washington Post" (Washingtonposten) May 11, 1900. Other interesting references are: "The Introduction of Domesticated Reindeer into Alaska", in Studies & Records 11 (98-113) 1940, "Driving Reindeer in Alaska" by Clarence L. Andrews, in The Washington Historical Quarterly Vol. XXVI. #2, April 1935.

The S/S Manitoban as the Ottawa in 1866
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