MACKENZIE AND HIS RIVER
Even while Vancouver was making discoveries on the western coast of
North America, Alexander Mackenzie, an enthusiastic young Scotsman,
was making discoveries on behalf of the North-Western Company, which
was rivalling the old Hudson Bay Company in its work of expansion.
His journey right across America from sea to sea is worthy of note,
and it has well been said that "by opening intercourse between Atlantic
and Pacific Oceans and forming regular establishments through the
interior and at both extremes, as well as along the coasts and islands,
the entire command of the fur trade of North America might be obtained.
To this may be added the fishing in both seas and the markets of the
four quarters of the globe."
Mackenzie had already explored the great river flowing through North
America to the Arctic seas in 1789. He had brought back news of its
great size, its width, its volume of water, only to be mistrusted,
till many years later it was found that every word was true, and
tributes were paid not only to his general accuracy, but to his general
intelligence as an explorer.
In 1792 he started off again, and this time he discovered the immense
country that lay hidden behind the Rocky Mountains, known to-day as
British Columbia. He ascended the Peace River, which flows from the
Rocky Mountains, and in the spring of 1793, having made his way with
much difficulty across this rugged chain, he embarked on a river
running to the south-west. Through wild mountainous country on either
side he paddled on; the cold was still intense and the strong mountain
currents nearly dashed the canoes to pieces. His Indian guides were
obstinate, ignorant, and timid. Mackenzie relates some of his
difficulties in graphic language: "Throughout the whole of this day
the men had been in a state of extreme ill-humour, and as they did
not choose to vent it openly upon me, they disputed and quarrelled
among themselves. About sunset the canoe struck upon the stump of a
tree, which broke a large hole in her bottom, a circumstance that gave
them an opportunity to let loose their discontents without reserve.
I left them as soon as we had landed and ascended an elevated bank.
It now remained for us to fix on a proper place for building another
canoe, as the old one was become a complete wreck. 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
and gum." While the boat was building, Mackenzie gave his crew a good
lecture on their conduct. "I assured them it was my fixed unalterable
determination to proceed in spite of every difficulty and danger."
The result was highly satisfactory. "The conversation dropped and the
work went on."
In five days the canoe was ready and they were soon paddling happily
onwards towards the sea, where the Indians told him he would find white
men building houses. They reached the coast some three weeks later.
The Salmon River, as it is called, flows through British Columbia and
reaches the sea just north of Vancouver Island, which had been
discovered by Vancouver the year before.
Alexander Mackenzie had been successful. Let us hear the end of his
tale: "I now mixed up some vermilion in melted grease, and inscribed
in large characters, on the south-east face of the rock on which we
had slept last night, this brief memorial--'Alexander Mackenzie, from
Canada, by land, the twenty-second of July, one thousand seven hundred
and ninety three.'"