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Chapter IV - A Dash to the Arctic
Sea
THE dream cherished
by Alexander Mackenzie, that he should find a new way to the Arctic
Ocean, was not a mere vain ambition. Nearly twenty years before,
Samuel Hearne, the explorer of the English company from Hudson Bay,
had succeeded in reaching the Arctic Ocean by way of Lake
Athapapuskow, and thence north-eastward along the Copper Mine River
to the frozen sea.
Hearne's exploration,
whether looked at from the point of view of the enormous distance,
the fact that it was accomplished after two previous failures, the
lack of experience and scientific training of the man, or the
bravery of the explorer, had been a marvel. Tree, he had made a
mistake in placing the mouth of the Copper Kline River nearly four
degrees farther north than it should have been, but he had succeeded
in his most hazardous attempt.
As the representative
of a rival company, and as he believed, of a more energetic company,
Alexander Mackenzie heard with nervous interest from the tales of
the Indians who visited Fort Chipewyan of a vast river rivalling the
Saskatchewan or the Churchill, and on which the white man had never
set eyes.
Roderick McKenzie had
now gained command of the details of management, and his adventurous
cousin felt that lie might at length strike to the north and add his
name to the list of great national explorers—perhaps to be the
discover of the nortliwest passage sought for so ardently by his
predecessors. All thins being well prepared Alexander Mackenzie
started on his voyage. WT e have his own account of the memorable
journey to which we shall refer. Never did a recital of exploits
begin in so modest and even commonplace a way as this:-
Journal of a Voyage,
&c.
June, 1789.
Wednesday, 3. "We embarked at nine in the morning at Fort Chipewyan,
on the south side of tlic Lake of the Hills . . . . in a canoe made
of birch-bark."
To make a successful
voyage in the wilds of the far north the great requisite is a
reliable crew and a good band of followers. Hearne had found this
out. Mackenzie himself knew it well from his half-dozen years of
western exploration and trade. He had secured a guide, the "English
chief," who was a true successor of Matonnabee, Hearne's famous
guide. The "English chief" had often made the journey from Lake
Athabaska to Hudson Bay to trade with the English company, and had
thus gained his name. With his two wives and two young Indians in
one canoe, and his followers and slaves to act as interpreters and
food providers in another, the chief accompanied the "Kitehe Okema
"—Mackenzie.
Mackenzie led the way
in his own canoe, accompanied by four French-Canadians, two of them
having their wives, and a steady young German named John Steinbruck.
His four Canadians deserve mention. They were Francois Barricau,
Charles Ducette, Joseph Landry, and Pierre De Lorme.
Leroux had before, as
we have seen, penetrated the northern route to Great Slave Lake, and
now he was at Fort Chipewyan to assist the explorer in his great
departure for the north. Leroux was taking merchandize with him to
trade in Slave Lake, but the other canoes being overloaded,
Mackenzie required him to take clothing and merchandize to serve the
advance party when they should leave Slave Lake behind, and push
forward into the great unknown.
All being ready the
brigade started on its way on June 3rd, 1789, crossed Lake Athabaska,
twenty miles wide, to a river that led out of the lake, and for
seven miles further the party pushed on, interrupted by the hunters
stopping to shoot a wild goose and a couple of ducks. Camp was soon
made and the journey was well begun on the first day. The next day
they followed the tortuous stream to every point of the compass,
until, after a ten miles' spurt, the branch joined Peace River, the
vast stream coming from the west.
Some confusion is
caused by travellers stating that the Peace River empties into Lake
Athabaska, and by others declaring that Lake Athabaska flows towards
Peace River. Both are correct. During high water the channel
followed by Mackenzie runs from the river into the lake, but at
other times, as in this first voyage, the lake flows into the river.
The Peace River,
which rises to the west of the Rocky Mountains and flows through
them, is, at the point where Mackenzie reached it, a mighty stream,
a mile broad. Indeed, from this point of junction the river changes
its name, and flowing northwards to Great Slave Lake, is known as
Slave River.
After reaching Slave
River the party hurried forward, making twenty-four and a half
miles, and then enjoyed the excitement of running the upper rapids.
Camp was not struck until they had made thirty-six and a half miles
more, thus accomplishing seventy-one miles as their day's work. The
camp was at the junction of the Doi; amid Slave Rivers and just
above the second rapids of the Slave River.
The next day was one
of difficulty. Two rapids required the unloading of the goods at the
Decharbe, as the road around the rapids is called; the load only is
taken over the carrying-place, and the canoes are floated light down
the rapids. Twelve painful miles followed, in which there were the
three dangerous portages called D'Embarras, Mountain, and Pelican,
besides one or two smaller carrying places, and other dangerous
rapids. From this part of the river onward are fierce rapids,
boiling caldrons, and whirling eddies. Some twenty-one miles brought
needed rest to men and Indians. The watchful hunters had provided
themselves on. the way with a fine quarry of geese, ducks, and
beavers.
The fourth day out
the party pushed on with marvellous energy, under Mackenzie's fierce
driving, making seventy-two miles, and were only prevented from
doing as great things on the following day by cold winds and pelting
rain, after they had gone about forty-four miles. Another day in
camp was lost by this storm, and on June 9th an early start brought
thern to Great Slave Lake at nine o'clock in the morning, after a
short but rather difficult run of fifteen miles.
This journey over
fierce rapids, driftwood eddies, and rocky portages, in the face of
strong headwinds, and with stoppages to provide food, over a
distance of two hundred and seventy-two miles in less than a week,
shows the remarkable power of inspiration that Alexander Mackenzie
had, and is a tribute as well to the strength, skill, and hardihood
of his chosen band of French-Canadians and Indians.
Great Slave Lake now
presented a dismal sight to the impetuous Voyageurs. A biting wind
blew towards them, but at least they were free from the troublesome
mosquitoes, which had been their constant attendants down the river.
Mackenzie now began to realize that he was approaching the Arctic
regions. Trees grew on the banks of the streams in a yellow clay
mixed with gravel, though in low levels there was a rich black soil.
Although it was the middle of June the ground was not thawed more
than fourteen inches deep, and the shore of the lake had not a spot
of green upon it. The explorer heard from the Indians that near by
were wide plains frequented by herds of buffalo, and that moose and
reindeer were found in the woods. Many beavers built their houses on
the smaller lakes and rivers. Swans, geese, and ducks appeared in
vast numbers. It was near this spot, now reached by the explorer at
Great Slave Lake, that Leroux and his party had three years before
built their houses.
For twelve days the
party moved along the shore of the lake, now avoiding the floating
ice, now protecting themselves from the copious rains, and always
seeking by a northward trend to gain the outlet, which was to lead
then on their journey to the north.
Before leaving the
lake Mackenzie met the Yellow Knife Indians who came with their
peltries to trade with Leroux. After the bartering was over the
explorer addressed the assembled savages and informed their of his
intended visit to the north, that his traders would remain at this
spot until their friends and relatives came to trade, and that, if
the trade should be important enough, he would build a fort upon the
lake. They promised, in return, great things, and sought the
protection of the "Kitche Okema" from the Chipewyans, cello, they
declared, tyrannized over them.
All needed supplies
having been transferred from Leroux, canoes to his own, on June 25th
Mackenzie started for his northern voyage, amid volleys from the
small arms of the traders, who were being left behind. With parting
admonitions to send his communications back to Roderick McKenzie at
Fort Chipewyan the explorer paddled cheerfully off to the northern
solitudes. For no less than four days the party moved hither and
thither, under the leadership of a Yellow Knife guide, seeking for
the river that was to lead them to the north. Well. nigh
discouraged, they at length succeeded, by going round the long point
of an island, in finding the looked-for channel on the south-west of
Great Slave Lake. Passing a shallow some ten miles wide, going
gradually westward, the party reached the river, where the width was
narrowed to half a mile, and where the current became stronger. By
the last day of the month they were running westward, with the Horn
Mountains in sight on their left, extending from east to west.
On July 1st the
brigade was fairly under weigh, though the frequent rains and clouds
of mosquitoes made their journey most uncomfortable. After
travelling for four days the scenery of the country completely
changed, and they were among Indians, who were very wary and
inaccessible. It was only after the "English chief" had succeeded in
reaching these shy natives that they consented to meet Mackenzie,
and they came to him with much trepidation.
Mackenzie's own
account of their meeting is graphic: "There were five families,
consisting of twenty-five or thirty persons, and of two different
tribes, the Slave and Dog-Rib Indians. We made them smoke, though it
was evident they did not know the use of tobacco; we likewise
supplied them with grog; but I am disposed to think that they
accepted our civilities rather from fear than inclination. We
acquired a more effectual influence over them by the distribution of
knives, beads, awls, rings, gartering, fire-steels, flints, and
hatchets, so that they became more familiar even than we expected,
for we could not keep them out of our tents, though I did not
observe that they attempted to purloin anything."
Mackenzie states that
they told him fabulous stories about the river, which he was bound
to explore. They were certain that it would take several winters for
him to reach the sea, and that old age would overtake him and his
followers before they could return. Horrid monsters and evil spirits
they declared would have to be opposed and conquered, besides two
impassable falls barred the passage down the river. Though this
information did not alarm the resolute leader, yet it carried
consternation among his Indians, who firmly believed that as they
went farther north the game would become scarcer.
Pushing on, however,
day by day the party made remarkable progress, and on the fifth day
of July they passed the mouth of the Great Bear River which pours
into the Mackenzie the sea-green coloured water of the great
drainage area of Great Bear Lake—the largest lake in the fur
traders' domain, containing, as it does, no less than fourteen
thousand square miles.
On leaving the party
of Dog-Rib Indians, Mackenzie had compelled one of the men of the
tribe to accompany him as guide; he was now induced to let him
return. His next guide was obtained from a second band of Indians
they had met, known as the Hare Indians, but Ile was unwilling to go
far. Another guide escaped after leading them a short distance.
As they proceeded
northward the explorers met new races of Indians. Mackenzie
describes them with much interest. On the tenth of the month he met
a tribe called the Degutbee Dinees or the Quarrellers, who gave the
pleasing information that the distance to the sea was not great. The
explorer's attention was also attracted by a range of snowy
mountains to the westward, which ran parallel to his course. He now
found by observation that lie had reached 67° 47' north latitude.
His latest guide tried to persuade him to go no further, being
afraid of the Eskimos. Mackenzie, however, insisted on pressing
forward, and took the middle channel, which contained a larger body
of water. The party had evidently reached the delta of the great
river which has since borne their leader's name. Landing on an
island on Sunday, July 12th, Mackenzie and the "English chief"
ascended to the highest point, "from which," says the explorer in
his matter-of-fact fashion, "we discovered the solid ice extending
from the south-west by compass to the eastward." The hope was now
high in the breasts of the whole party, especially in the
French-Canadians, that they were about to reach the western sea, for
which La Verendrye and many other Nor'-Wester and Hudson's Bay
Company leaders had sighed in vain. It was noticed that during the
night the baggage in their encampment was being reached by the
rising of the water.
On the fourteenth of
the month Mackenzie gave orders to man the canoes, and then lie
forced his way in the face of a fierce wind that threatened to
engulf his craft. Thus he sought to reach the sea. He landed at
eight o'clock on a considerable island, which he called Whale
Island, and in giving an account of this makes an important entry in
his journal: "This morning I ordered a post to be erected close to
our tents, on which I engraved the latitude [elsewhere stated by him
to be 69° 7' of the place, my own name, the number of persons which
I had with me, and the time we remained there."
Early next morning it
was found that the water had again risen and invaded their baggage,
and they began to surmise that this was the rising of the ocean
tide. The party were now within a short distance of the Arctic Sea,
and were very anxious to reach that towards which they had so
strenuously striven. They found themselves a degree or two within
the Arctic circle, and were amazed to see that they were in the land
of the midnight sun. This being accomplished the commander was
satisfied, and with peremptory haste started southward on his return
voyage. |
