The Fawn

The Fawn, seen here dressed for an excursion, was a favorite with the river travelers from her first appearance in 1867. Decorating a vessel in this way was saved for special occasions. Note that near the stern a boat stop is being made.

The Fawn was a sister ship to David Weston, and built by the Union Line in 1866 by John Retallick in Saint John. Yet, the 179-foot, 391-ton side wheeler was built in a wave of austerity. The owners were able to cut costs considerably by using the machinery and some of the other equipment from the old Anna Augusta. So it was that their total expenditure for building the Fawn amounted to a modest $36,000. Following her arrival in Fredericton, Captain Frederick Pheasant showed visitors through the new steamer, and they pronounced the Fawn "a perfect palace". She also proved to be surprisingly fast. On that first trip, she went up in 5 hours and 45 minutes and returned in 5 hours and 20 minutes. The next month, she made the round trip to Fredericton in 12 hours despite "a long delay at that place".

In 1877, the Fawn was taken off the Fredericton route and put on the Grand Lake run.

The Fawn was rebuilt in 1886 and renamed the Acadia, which carried on until 1891.