, 1862-11-06
Robert Kcnnfcott and the Hyper
k1VFt0UEp

columns has deferred the attention deserved
by tie recently completed tour Of orr young
towBsman, Robert Kennicot+, for four years
dweller among the people far towards the
frozen sea He has penetrated nearer the
North Pole By lard than any Of his country
nIep, aid possibly any tourist. 1t is we'll
known to many Of our readers that his natural
tastes, cultivated BY dligent use Of liberal
opportunities, had given him an honorable
prominence amoug lovers Of natural sciences
n the Northwest. So well known VIA be to |
many Of our societies and associations, for |
this reputation vas we'll earned, that when he
eaule to devise i bold scheme Of adVcntars |
and exploration il the unknown wilds OF
British Americs, he found lis p1ars band
somely seconded by the Smithsonian Insti
tute, the Chicago Audubon Club, the Uni
vereity Of Michigan, and other bodies Of sa-
vars, By this means WAS farorlo!y brought. to
TIC notice Of the managers of the Hudson
Bay Company. The rest is e1s:lg told FL
vo1ed by them acd placed ia their channels of
trade and intercourse, he has trayersed, for
the period above named, tie wilderness Of
British America, and come back laden with
could but accumulate in such ASSOCIATIONS.
If hia friends will follow on the map the
route laid down as followed by TIE you3g
| naturalist, it will mike clear tie range Of
1cc-1itiss he has Visited. &c left the States tn
the sprirg Of 1853, the old Public Faact;oDar5
nj Washirs stpn biting in the tolls Of the traitors.
His poilt OF departure VII: the shore OF Lake
Superior, 1henceh be struck out on the canoea I'd
Dor taee route Of tit Hudson BY Conptn
by Lake Of the Woods and Rainy Like, then
down Niznrpag River and the Lake Of the
| depot ct the Company. Thence around by
the route conncctirg with the great n M'kenz'e
t River district. This crosses Lake Winacpeg,
| fellows tie course Of the Saskatchewan RIVER
| to Cumberland House, and thence by the
| se1ics Of Lakes and Rivers that ch1racteriz:
that region, to Churchill! River, down which to
| Portage La Loche, 'tbcuce down the Clear
Water River to Athabasca and Lake Athahas'
ca, ard by the Slave Lske to the noble river ot
the Nozth-the broad Mckenzie down which
10 Fort Simpson, the headquarters OF the
Hudson Bay Company.
By this route, 1t will seen, the tourist and
tie poyaytu,s Bis companions, tTaversed ths
syttem Of great North American Lakes, ant
the claim bet ween these and the noble val1ey
. the watershed Of tie McKeDzia. Througl
this whole route be was, as stated, the Eues
Of the Company, slept Travelled and i.red vi.
them, and enjoyed such facilities as would max
any sa,uu In thewo.ld cnvious. provided be La
good legs and good stomach for such 4 teu,
s.f $3t r,It, Jeff
7 Cara6ians aud hardy Orkney men. Tue
I transportation is by strong, light bsrge
c e,ro1g for the rapid rivers, light for conVc!
i alec across the numerous poriag:s.
i From Fort Simpson, On the Mckenz
i, River, Mr. kennicott struck across the Rock
Mountain chain into Russian America to Il
Youcop River, whose very name is borne
le rtry few maps, This extensive range COZ
y Erises tour taken by Mr.. kennicott 10
of miles in extent to the northernmost and II
ii zen verge Of the continent.
n What he saw there he must hereafter t,
"a himself, ard the narrative will possess frcs
- ness denied to mcst books or trAv3. It ha
~ field entirely new aud uurisited. i Wild
~ nees it always will be, for it is too briefly
W the worlds sunny side to encourage much
Ut the direction Of the worlds best sociei
n Kcnuicott tells us that he suffered most fre
IL heat and mosquitoes. The cold, one can p1
or vide against, but what time the SUI sudder
I'd gets chance at the tardy winter. spriay
liz tlided, and summer leaps a. once into sw:
Srow disappears. ice runs away, and the s
holly plunKes into his short work. No wc
4 der the yoyagers, suddenly transplanted fri
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