The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-09-25
Four Thousand Miles Trav-
erSed by the Traveller in
Three Months.
SUNSHINE ALL THE WAY
A Fourth of July Celebration at the
Mouth of the Mackenzie
River.


In little birchbark canoe only seventeen
feet long, with small camping outfit, he
started out alone from Athabasca, landing
on Athabasca Lake on the 25th of April
last all alone, and on the midnight of the
Sd of July celebrated the beginning of the
great National holiday by saluting the
midnight sun at the mouth OF the middle
channel of the Mackenzie River. The ac-
count of his trip is a very interesting one.
He does not look upon his achievement as
a particularly great one and refers to it
very modestly.
when 1 left Spokane in the spring"
said he, II had no intention Of making
this trip, but went to Edmonton, in Brit
ISL Colum bia, where l expected to meet a
trapper and visit the Jasper Pass country
one of the most diffieult trips on the con-
tinent. 1 was disappointed, however, as
the trapper was showed in and could not
reach Edmonton, and so 1 concluded to
get boat and make trip down the riv-
ers to the Arctic Ocean. l was advised
that the trip was a very dangerous one and
that l had better not try to make it alone
but as was going more for hunting rare
game than for anything else thought ii L
was alone would be making no noise and
would thus be more likely to get what
was after.
at was the first day of May when
reached the Grand Rapids, 100 miles from
the starting point. Here the river is cut
up by very dangerous cascades; but l sue
ceeded in running them all right, and
after passing Fort McMurray on the 9th
ha hah 7 10 20
18th. This is very large body Of water,
surrounded by a low shore line covered
with a rather stunted growth OF trees.
The water of the lake was smooth
enough so I could cross over to Fort
Chippewayan. 1t was from this point that
Sir Alexander Mackenzie started on his
memorable trip which resulted in the dis
covery Of the river that bears his name. l
met here a Mr.. Whitney, who had been
sent out by Harper's to write an article on
the Great Slave Lake. When informed
that 1 intended to make the trip to the
mouth of the Mackenzie alone in my little
canoe he said he would anxiously look for
some news in the fall if 1 returned alive.
Between here and the Great Slave
Lake-a wonderful body of water-there
are some very dangerous rapids in the
river, and at one place I was compelled to
make a portage of about eighteen miles.
When l reached the lake l found it filled
with ice, although it was open for few
rods around the edge, thus compelling me
to make a journey of over 200 miles around
the lake to reach Fort Resolution, only
ninety miles directly across. This is one
of the largest settlements in the north,
containing twelve or fourteen buildings, a
post OF the Hudson Bay Company, fur
trader and an English and Catholic mis-
sion. I had scarcely arrived at the post
when strong wind from the north COM
menced to blow, piling huge blocks of ice
on the shore forty and fifty feet high.
Goa the 18th of June I reached the
source OF the Mackenzie River. The river
at this point is about twelve miles wide,
and the current is very strong and swift.
a few miles below there is large fall at
one side of the river, while the other runs
smooth but very rapid. Fortunately was
on the smooth side of the river, or would
not be here telling the tale. After passing
several forts-they call every place where
white man lives fort-I reached Fort
Simpson, the main trading-post of the
Hudson Bay Company. Here there are
twelve or fourteen houses, and it is about
such place as Resolution. Around one
OF the missions there was a small garden,
and in field l saw some barley growing,
From here l drifted on down the river.
When the wind favored me I set up a sail
and made good time. The nights were the
same as the days. II never grew dark.
When l felt like sleeping. be it II o'clock
noon or II o'clock midnight, would lie
down in the canoe and sleep, or camp
along the river edge. The only. thing that
troubled me greatly were the mosquitoes.
They were fearful, and so thick that you
could hardly see your hand before your
face. AS they express it up there, they
only have two seasons-winter and mos
qultoes.
II reached Fort Good Hope, just a few
miles this side of the Arctic circle, on
June 30. This post is 815 miles from Reso-
luton, and contains seven or eight build
ings. This was my last stopping place
until l came out to the broad Arctic Ocean.
/ allowed my boat 10 drift with the cur
rent, and was carried through the middle
channel of the river, and came out at the
ocan on midnight of the Sd of July.
1.-THE sun was shining brightly-in fact,
1t had never been out of sight since the
LIST. l remained here few hours only, for
there was nothing to see. As far as the eye
could reach, north, south, east and west,
there was nothing to see but water, broken
by low, barren coast line inhospitable in
looks and in fact. Catching a good stiff
breeze up the river / turned back, and on
the 7th arrived at Fort Mcpherson. on the
Peel River, where 1 awaited the arrival of
the Hudson Bay Company's little steamer,
the Rigley, the only means l had of getting
out of the country. This little steamer
comes down once year to bring supplies
and return with furs. 1t was by means of
this boat and the other steamers of the
Hudson Bay Company that got back TO
Athabasca landing just three months from
the time left, having covered 1000 miles,
during one-half of which l was entirely
alone.
''The sights saw and the stories I could
tell would no doubt be very interesting
they were to me. My object was largely
curiosity and desire to kill game that
could not be found in any other part of the
country. Ny desire was filed in this re-