July 12, 1793. Nothing To Console Us.

July 12, 1793. Daily excerpts from the journal of Alexander MacKenzie on his Voyage Of Discovery overland to The Pacific Ocean.

     “At half past five this morning we proceeded on our journey, with cloudy weather, and when we came to the end of the lake, several tracks were visible that led to the side of the water; from which circumstance I concluded, that some of the natives were fishing along the banks of it. This lake is not more than three miles long, and about one broad.”

     They have passed by Tse-tzi Lake, Cluchuta Lake, and several other smaller ones. Between these two lakes, the trail comes to a crossroads. MacKenzie did not take it, instead keeping his course straight on through swampy meadows. ”...we discovered a cross road, where it appeared that people had passed within seven or eight days.”

     These lakes can be found using Google earth, at 52.58.08 N., and 125.01.54 W. About a mile beyond Cluchuta Lake, they came to Tsil-be-kuz (Cultus Coolee) Lake, and “soon reached a river, which our guide informed us was the same that we had passed on a raft…”

     The river, of course, is once again the Blackwater, or West Road River. Here the river, instead of flowing through a deep valley as before, is almost level with the general surface of the surrounding plateau, whose altitude is about 3500 ft. above sea level.  

     "...At this place it was upwards of twenty yards across, and deep water. One of the guides swam over to fetch a raft which was on the opposite side, and having encreased (sic) its dimensions, we crossed at two trips, except four of the men, who preferred swimming."

     Continuing their way west, they will pass Eliguk Lake, a 6 kilometre long beauty of a lake, which is the headwaters of the Blackwater River. Today there is an off grid wilderness lodge at the lake that offers all of the comforts of home for fly in visitors and guests.

 

Picture 1. Cabins at Eliguk Lake Lodge.

Picture 2. Promo photos from Eliguk Lake Lodge (eliguklakelodgeoutfitters.com)

     

     “Here our conductors renewed their menace of leaving us, and I was obliged to give them several articles, and promise more, in order to induce them to continue till we could procure other natives to succeed them.”

     “The weather had been cloudy till three in the afternoon, when the sun appeared; but surrounded, as we were, with snow-clad mountains; the air became so cold, that the violence of our exercise, was not sufficient to produce a comfortable degree of warmth.” 

     They are at a high elevation, and very near the mountains, where some of the peaks of the Ilga-Chuz range are over 7000 feet.  They should have tried fishing in this lake, which is famous for its wild rainbow trout.

“Our course today was from West to South and at least thirty-six miles...We passed several swamps, where we saw nothing to console us but a few tracks of deer.”