These immigrants had already traveled from Quebec to Winnipeg. Here they found that their journey across Canada was only half-completed since the prairies they would settle stretched many an uncomfortable mile to the west. Winnipeg was the main immigration depot for the prairies. Here families were housed temporarily in the Immigration Hall while the father filed a land claim and purchased supplies. This was not easily done. The immigrant had already spent several days on the train, travelling through countryside that was new and strange. He had been herded and shuffled from place to place by officials who generally did not speak his language and consequently could not answer his questions. The last leg of the journey was often completed by wagon, oxcart, flat-bottomed boat, or on foot.
