June 28, 1793. Collectors Of Gum.

June 28, 1793. (Day 51)

Excerpts from The Journal of Alexander MacKenzie on his Voyage of Discovery to The Pacific Ocean.

     “At a very early hour of the morning every man was employed in making preparations for building another canoe, and different parties went in search of wood, watape, and gum.“

     

     Watape is the binding, the thread or cordage that is made from spruce roots, used for binding the canoe together and for sewing the birch-bark pieces. The roots are naturally very long, and usually run along the surface of the ground so are easy to collect. They were split, cleaned and boiled until they became supple. The top of the canoe skin was lashed at the gunwales, at regular intervals. Watape was the only material used for this purpose.

Pictures 1. Gathered spruce roots. 

Picture 2. Watape, processed from spruce roots.

“I had an altitude at noon, which made us in 53.2.32. North latitude.”

Picture 3. Google Earth Image of the Fraser River, Pinpoint is at 53.2.32. N.

Showing 2 small islands, the upper one of them divided from the shore by a  “very small channel”. Could this be the island of MacKenzie’s canoe building? Although the rivers have changed a lot in the last 227 years, it’s possible that this island is in the same place today. Top of the image is North. This island is about a mile and a half NW of today’s Quesnel airport, seen in lower RH of image..    

     “At two in the afternoon they all returned successful, except the collectors of gum, and of that article it was feared we should not obtain here a sufficient supply for our immediate wants. After a necessary portion of time allotted for refreshment, each began his respective work.”