ARRIVAL OF MR. F. FROM CALEDONIA--SCENERY--LAND-SLIP--MASSACRE AT FORT
ST. JOHN'S--ROCKY MOUNTAIN PORTAGE--ROCKY MOUNTAINS--MAGNIFICENT
SCENERY--M'LEOD'S LAKE--RECEPTION OF ITS COMMANDER BY THE INDIANS.
Mr. Paul Fraser, a senior clerk, arrived from Caledonia with three
canoes, on the 26th of September, and on the 28th we took our
departure. Above Fort Dunvegan the current becomes so strong that
the canoes are propelled by long poles, in using which the men had
acquired such dexterity that we made much better progress than I
could have expected. As we ascended the river, the scenery became
beautifully diversified with hill and dale and wooded valleys, through
which there generally flowed streams of limpid water. I observed at
one place a tremendous land-slip, caused by the water undermining the
soil. Trees were seen in an inverted position, the branches sunk in
the ground and the roots uppermost; others with only the branches
appearing above ground; the earth rent and intersected by chasms
extending in every direction; while piles of earth and stones
intermixed with shattered limbs and trunks of trees, contributed to
increase the dreadful confusion of the scene. The half of a huge hill
had tumbled into the river, and dammed it across, so that no water
escaped for some time. The people of Dunvegan, seeing the river
suddenly dry up, were terrified by the phenomenon, but they had not
much time to investigate the cause: the river as suddenly reappeared,
presenting a front of nearly twenty feet in height, and foaming and
rushing down with the noise of thunder.
On the 3d of October we reached the tenantless Fort of St. John's,
where a horrid tragedy was enacted some years ago--the commander of
the post with all his men having been cut off by the Indians. The
particulars of this atrocious deed, as related to me by the gentleman
at the head of the district at the time, were as follows:--
It had been determined that the post of St. John's should be
abandoned, and the establishment removed to the Rocky Mountain
portage, for the convenience of the Tsekanies, who were excellent
hunters, but who could not be well supplied from this post, on account
of the greatness of the distance. Unfortunately a quarrel had arisen
about this time between the Indians of St. John's and the Tsekanies.
The former viewed the removal of the post from their lands as an
insult, and a measure that gave their enemies a decided superiority
over them, and they took a very effectual method of disappointing
them.
Mr. Hughes, having sent off his men with a load of property for the
new post, remained alone. This was the opportunity the Indians sought
for, and they did not fail to take advantage of it. The unfortunate
man had been in the habit of walking daily by the river side, and was
taking his usual promenade the day after the departure of his men,
when he was shot down by two of the assassins. They then carried his
body to his room and left it, and his blood still marks the floor.
The men, altogether unconscious of the fate that awaited them, came
paddling toward the landing-place, singing a voyageur's song, and just
as the canoe touched the shore a volley of bullets was discharged at
them, which silenced them for ever. They were all killed on the spot.
The post has remained desolate ever since. Fort Dunvegan was also
abandoned for some years, which reduced the natives to the greatest
distress.
As soon as intelligence was received of the catastrophe, a party of
half-breeds and Crees, under the command of one of the clerks, was
fitted out in order to inflict deserved punishment on the murderers;
but just as the party had got on the trail, and within a short
distance of the camp, they received orders from the superintendent to
return.
These orders were no doubt dictated by feelings of humanity, as Mr.
McIntosh had learned that some Indians, who were not concerned in the
murder, were in the same camp, and he was apprehensive the innocent
might be involved in the same punishment with the guilty. The most
of them, however, were afterwards starved to death; and the country
having been abandoned by the Company, gave the natives occasion to
remark, that the measure was dictated more by fear of them than by
motives of humanity.
The Rocky Mountains came in view on the 8th of October, and we reached
the portage bearing their name on the 10th, the crossing of which took
us eight days, being fully thirteen miles in length, and excessively
bad road, leading sometimes through swamps and morasses, then
ascending and descending steep: hills, and for at least one-third of
the distance so obstructed by fallen trees as to render it all but
impassable. I consider the passage of this portage the most laborious
duty the Company's servants have to perform in any part of the
territory; and, as the voyageurs say, "He that passes it with his
share of a canoe's cargo may call himself a man."
In the passage we came upon a large camp of Tsekanies, Mr. Eraser's
customers. Their dialect is similar to that of the Beaver Indians, but
they understand the Cree, which is the medium of communication between
Mr. F. and them. It thus appears that this language is understood from
the shores of Labrador to the foot of the Rocky Mountains.
After passing the portage, the Rocky Mountains reared their snow-clad
summits all around us, presenting a scene of gloomy grandeur, that
had nothing cheering in it. One scene, however, struck me as truly
sublime. As we proceeded onward the mountains pressed closer on the
river, and at one place approached so near that the gap seemed to have
been made by the river forcing a passage through them. We passed in
our canoes at the base of precipices that rose almost perpendicularly
above us on either side to the height of 3,000 or 4,000 feet! After
passing through these magnificent portals, the mountains recede to
a considerable distance, the space intervening between them and the
river being a flat, yielding timber of a larger growth than I expected
to find in such a situation.
We arrived at McLeod's Lake--Mr. Fraser's post--on the 25th, where
a number of Indians were waiting their supplies. They received us
quite in a military style, with several discharges of fire-arms, and
appeared delighted at the arrival of their chief. They seemed to be
on the best possible terms together--the white chief and his _red
"tail"_. They are Tsekanies, and are reputed honest, industrious, and
faithful.
The outfit for this post is conveyed on horse-back from Stuart's Lake.
A more dreary situation can scarcely be imagined, surrounded by
towering mountains that almost exclude the light of day, and snow
storms not seldom occurring, so violent and long continued as to bury
the establishment. I believe there are few situations in the country
that present such local disadvantages; but there is the same miserable
solitude everywhere; and yet we find natives of England, Scotland,
and Ireland devoting their lives to a business that holds forth
such prospects! I remained with my new friend one day, enjoying the
comforts of his _eyry_, and then set off for the goal of my long
course, where I arrived on the 28th of October.