May 18, 1793. 227 Years Ago To-day.

May 18, 1793. (Day 10) The Voyage Of Alexander MacKenzie to The Pacific.

Excerpts from his journal, 227 years ago to-day:

     “It again froze very hard during the night, and at four in the morning we continued our voyage, but we had not proceeded two hundred yards, before an accident happened to the canoe, which did not, however, employ more than three quarters of an hour to complete the repair.” 

“About noon we had landed on an island where there were eight lodges of last year. The natives had prepared bark here for five canoes, and there is a road along the hills where they had passed.” 

     Today he has gone in a SW or SSW direction all day. “The current was very strong through the whole of the day…” In spite of having to stop for that repair, they had made about 10 miles by the time they reached “where there is a small run of water from the right…” 

The Farrell Creek. The BC Hydro realignment project plan with new crossing is shown. ( in the first photo)  

     “When the canoe struck the stump of a tree...it required, however, two hours to complete the repair, when the weather became dark and cloudy, with thunder, lightning, and rain; we, however, continued the last course half a mile, and at six in the evening were compelled by the rain to land for the night.” 

      Although they had to stop and repair the canoe twice, he has still managed to make about 14 river miles. The campsite of this day would have likely been on an island, or perhaps at the site of the present day Lynx Creek RV Park. Either way he is now camped just few miles downstream from what will become Hudson’s Hope.  

“In the course of the day we saw a ground hog, and two cormorants.”