July 18, 1793. My Hospitable Friend.

July 18, 1793.

Daily excerpts from the journals of Alexander MacKenzie, 227 years ago, To-day.

     “At five in the morning I awoke, and found that the natives had lighted a fire for us, and were sitting by it. My hospitable friend immediately brought me some berries and roasted salmon, and his companions soon followed his example. The former, which consisted among many others, of gooseberries, hurtleberries, and raspberries, were of the finest I ever saw or tasted, of their respective kinds. They also brought the dried roes of fish to eat with the berries.”

Picture 1. B.C. Huckleberries (Hurtleberries)

     “Salmon is so abundant in this river, that these people have a constant and plentiful supply of that excellent fish. To take them with more facility, they had, with great labour, formed an embankment or weir across the river, for the purpose of placing their fishing-machines, which they disposed both above and below it...into which the salmon fall when they attempt to leap over.”

Picture 2. Old photo of a fishing weir. Puyallup, WA

     “As we were still at some distance from the sea, I made application to my friend to procure us a canoe or two, with people to conduct us thither...After he had made various excuses, I was at length comprehended that his only objection was to the embarking venison in a canoe on their river, as the fish would instantly smell it and abandon them, so that he, his friends, and relations, must starve.”

     They are very protective regarding the salmon and the river, as it is their lifeblood. “These people indulge an extreme superstition respecting their fish, as it is apparently their only animal food.”

     “At eight this morning, fifteen men armed, the friends and relations of these people, arrived by land...in consequence of notice sent them in the night…”

     MacKenzie in his journal goes on to describe some of the attributes of these Nuxalk people, and his colourful descriptions and observations make good reading for those interested in learning more about that encounter. 

     “I presented my friend with several articles, and also distributed some among others of the natives who had been attentive to us. One of my guides had been very serviceable in procuring canoes for us to proceed on our expedition....”

     Finally the march is over and the voyageurs will be back in canoes, where they belong. Reaching the Pacific coast is now within their grasp. 

     “At noon I had an observation which gave 52.28.11. North latitude.”

July 17, 1793. A Stupendous Mountain.

July 17, 1793. A Stupendous Mountain.

     “Before the sun rose, our guides summoned us to proceed, when we descended into a beautiful valley, watered by a small river. At eight we came to the termination of it, where we saw a great number of moles, and began again to ascend. We now perceived many ground-hogs, and heard them whistle in every direction. The Indians went in pursuit of them...They also pulled up a root, which appeared like a bunch of white berries of the size of a pea; it’s shape was that of a fig, while it had the colour and taste of a potatoe.” 

The hoary marmots live in the alpine areas. They are usually red brown but can vary considerably in colour, and sometimes the animal is almost entirely white. Its scientific name is Marmota caligata. It is also called the whistler because of the high pitched sounds that it makes to warn its colony as predators or humans approach. The famous mountain resort town of Whistler is named after the calls of the hoary marmots in the area. Other marmots in British Columbia also produce a whistle and are sometimes known as whistle pigs.

Picture 1. (Video and Sound) the Whistler- Hoary Marmot. 

     

     “We now gained the summit of the mountain, and found ourselves surrounded by snow...caused by the quantity of snow drifted in the pass...The snow had become so compact that our feet hardly made a perceptible impression on it...Our way was now nearly level, without the least snow, and not a tree to be seen in any part of it...It now began to hail, snow, and rain, nor could we find any shelter but the leeward side of an huge rock...After an absence of an hour and a half, our hunters brought a small doe of the rein-deer species, which was all they had killed, though they fired twelve shots at a large herd of them. Their ill success they attributed to the weather.”

“Before us appeared a stupendous mountain, whose snow-clad summit was lost in the clouds…”

Picture 2. Mt. Stupendous.

Google Earth image looking South from the valley that MacKenzie descended.

     “As soon as we could gather a sufficient quantity of wood, we stopped to dress some of our venison; and it is almost superfluous to add, that we made a heartier meal than we had done for many a day before. To the comfort which I have just mentioned, I added that of taking off my beard, as well as changing my linen, and my people followed the humanising example.”

      A feast for a meal, a shave and clean underwear can do wonders for any man.

     “My men were anxious to stop for the night...the anxiety of my mind propelled me forwards...I proceeded, feeling rather than seeing my way, till I arrived at a house...I walked into one of them without the least ceremony, threw down my burden, and, after shaking hands with some of the people, sat down upon it. They received me without the least appearance of surprize (sic)…”

     MacKenzie offers great descriptions of the people and the appearance of this “friendly village”, at the mouth of the Burnt Bridge Creek. I encourage interested readers to follow his journal account. It was an exciting place for them to be, especially after all they have endured so far. They were treated very kindly, served salmon roes, roasted salmon, gooseberries and other delicacies, and offered boards to sleep on.

     “...we laid ourselves down to rest, with no other canopy than the sky, but I never enjoyed a more sound and refreshing rest, though I had a board for my bed, and a billet for my pillow.”

July 16, 1793. The Nauseous Meal.

July 16, 1793. Daily excerpts from the Journal of Alexander MacKenzie on his Voyage Of Discovery to the Pacific Ocean.

     “The weather of this morning was the same as yesterday; but our fellow travellers were in no hurry to proceed, and I was under the necessity of pressing them into greater expedition, by representing the almost exhausted state of our provisions. They, however, assured us, that after the next night’s sleep we should arrive at the river where they were going and that we should there get fish in great abundance.”

     “Though our stock of provisions was getting so low, I determined, nevertheless, to hide about twenty pounds of pemmican, by way of providing against our return. I therefore left two of the men behind, with directions to bury it, as usual, under the place where we had made our fire.”

     MacKenzie has hidden, or cached, dried pemmican at several stages along the way, as he knows that they will be needing these provisions for the trip home. It’s a balancing act to lighten the loads and still have enough food to get his expedition to the sea, and back. Any extra food they can get at this time will be very welcome.

     “Our course was about West-South-West by the side of the lake, and in about two miles we came to the end of it. Here was a general halt, when my men overtook us. I was now informed, that some people of another tribe were sent for, who wished very much to see us, two of whom would accompany us over the mountains...when I represented the low state of our provisions, one of them answered, that if we should stay with them all night, he would boil a kettle of fish-roes for us. Accordingly, without receiving any answer, he began to make preparation to fulfill his engagement. His wife...filled a kettle nearly full of water, and poured the roes into it...When the stones were sufficiently heated, some of them were put into the kettle, and others were thrown in from time to time, till the water was in a state of boiling; the woman also continued stirring the contents of the kettle, till they were brought to a thick consistency; the stones were then taken out, and the whole was seasoned with about a pint of strong rancid oil. The smell of this curious dish was sufficient to sicken me without tasting it, but the hunger of my people surmounted the nauseous meal.” 

    

     Not exactly caviar or sushi, but apparently close enough.

Picture 1. Boiling water by using hot stones. 

     

     “In the meantime four of the people who had been expected, arrived, and, according to the account given of them, were of two tribes whom I had not yet known. At four in the afternoon we parted with our late fellow-travellers in a very friendly manner, and immediately forded the river. The wild parsnip...luxuriates on the borders of the lakes and rivers…We now entered the woods, and some time after arrived on the banks of another river...which we also forded...In a short time we began to ascend, and continued ascending till nine at night. We walked upwards of fourteen miles, according to my computation, in the course of the day, though the strait (sic) line of distance might not be more than ten. Notwithstanding that we were surrounded by mountains covered with snow, we were very much tormented with mosquitoes.”

     Some things never change.

July 15, 1793. Distinguishing Complexion.

July 15, 1793. (Day 69).

     “At five this morning we were again in motion, and passing along a river, we at length forded it...The old man went onward by himself, in the hope of falling in with the people, whom he expected to meet in the course of the day. At eleven we came up with him, and the natives whom he expected, consisting of five men, and part of their families. They received us with great kindness, and examined us with the most minute attention. They must, however, have been told that we were white, as our faces no longer indicated that distinguishing complexion.”

     “They called themselves Neguia Dinais, and were come in a different direction from us, but were now going the same way, to the Anah-yoe Tesse or River (sic), and appeared to be very much satisfied with our having joined them. They presented us with some fish which they had just taken in the adjoining lake.”

Fellow travellers heading west on the very busy Grease Trails.

Picture 1. Grease Trail sign.

     “Here I expected that our guides, like their predecessors, would have quitted us, but, on the contrary, they expressed themselves to be so happy, in our company, and that of their friends, that they voluntarily, and with great cheerfulness proceeded to pass another night with us.”

     This the first real “social” event of their journey so far. To share in their food, to feel safe and welcome, and even just to sit among other people and families must have been an absolute joy for these men after the last 68 grueling days of discomfort and ceaseless work with very little but annoying insects for company.

     “We all sat down on a very pleasant green spot, and were no sooner seated, than our guide and one of the party prepared to engage in play. They had each a bundle of about fifty small sticks, neatly polished, of the size of a quill, and five inches long; a certain number of these sticks had red lines around them...

      Mackenzie camped with them this night, at the Tanya Lakes, known as Taintezli or Tanyez Tezdli in the Ulkatcho dialect. It was (is) an important gathering site along the Nuxalk-Dakelh Grease Trail. The large camping grounds west of Tanya Lakes was also at the fork of the grease trails to Kimsquit and Bella Coola Valley. Many families would camp here to catch and dry fish, when the spring salmon and steelhead arrived to spawn. These gatherings were also important social times, where many games and competitons held.

Picture 2. Google Earth Image of Tanya Lakes, BC. Top of image is North.

July 14, 1793. To Sustain Themselves.

July 14, 1793. Daily excerpts from the Journal of Alexander MacKenzie on his overland Voyage to The Pacific Ocean.

     “This morning we had a bright sun, with an East wind. These people examined their fishing machines, when they found in them a great number of small fish, and we dressed as many of them as we could eat.”

       Breakfast for all of his men while saving on some of their own rations. 

     “Thus was our departure retarded until seven, when we proceeded on our journey, accompanied by the man and his two sons...they were accustomed to fish for themselves...they were used to sustain themselves in their journies.” 

     “Our guide informed me that there is a short cut across the mountains, but as there was no trace of a road, and it would shorten our journey but one day, he should prefer the beaten way....we had an extensive view to the South-East, from which direction a considerable river appeared to flow...it represented to me as being navigable for canoes.” 

     “We continued our journey along the lake...came to a kind of bank, or weir, formed by the natives, for the purpose of placing their fishing-machines...Our guide placed one of them, with the certain expectation that on his return he should find plenty of fish in it.”

Perhaps these fishing-machines were something like the one shown in Picture 1.

Picture 1. Indigenous Fish Trap, Hagwilget (1926). B.C. Archives photo.

     “At nine at night we crossed a river on our rafts...we were now quite exhausted, and it was absolutely necessary for us to stop for the night...Our guides encouraged us with the hope that, in two days of similar exertion, we should arrive among people of the other nation.” 

July 13, 1793. Our Dubious Journey.

July 13, 1793. Excerpts from the journals of Alexander MacKenzie, 227 years Ago, To-day.

“The weather this morning was clear but cold, and our scanty covering was not sufficient to protect us from the severity of the night.”

      The high elevations of this plateau and the proximity to the snow covered peaks can bring some cold temperatures, even in the middle of summer. Although he doesn’t say so, I assume they left their blanket-coats stashed back with their canoe, as they wouldn't want to carry any extra weight, and wouldn’t reasonably expect to need them, either.

     “About five, after we warmed ourselves at a large fire, we proceeded on our dubious journey. In about an hour we came to the edge of a wood, when we perceived a house, situated on a green spot, and by the side of a small river. The smoke that issued from it informed us that it was inhabited.”

     

     The journal entries for this day mostly deal with MacKenzie’s interaction and negotiations with the local inhabitants. Interested readers should read today’s entry for themselves, as usual his writing style makes it quite difficult to summarize it. However, the gist is this. When he came up to this house on Ulgako Creek in the early morning, he went right up to it without warning, and he frightened the people inside. One man escaped, but Mackenzie detained the women and children, and calmed them by giving them presents and assuring them they meant no harm.  “Our prisoners consisted of three women, and seven children, which apparently composed three families. One of the women then informed us...that from the mountains before us, which were covered with snow, the sea was visible…”

     That must have been some very welcome news. His ultimate goal is nearly in sight. Checking with Google Earth, the Dean Channel (and tidewater) likely could be seen from the top of this range, and the channel is only about 30 miles from those peaks, as the crow flies. While negotiating, Mackenzie asked one of the women to show him their “fishing machines” which she readily consented to do. He found that they had caught about twenty small fish in it. He traded her a large knife for the fish, which she did not expect, but was certainly happy to receive.  

     “After some conversation with these people, respecting the country, and our future progress through it, we retired to rest, with sensations very different from those with which we had risen in the morning.”

Picture 1. A Fur Trade Large knife ca. 1800

     “At noon I obtained a meridian altitude, which gave 52.58.58. North latitude. I likewise took time in the after-noon.”

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.”