difcovery univerfally acknowledged to be of general utility, viz. the practica. bility of penetrating across the continent of North America, and of eftabJishing a commercial communication through that continent, between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. This perilous enterprize was undertaken by Mr. Mackenzie, who informs us, that he was led, at an early period of life, by commercial views, to the country North West of Lake Superior, in North America; and being endowed by Nature with an inquilitive mind and enterprifing fpirit, poffeffing alfo a conftitution and frame of body equal to the most arduous undertakings, and being familiar with toilfome exertions in the profecution of mercantile purfuits, he was confident in the qualifications; and animated by the defire to carry this favourite project of his own ambition into execution; and at the period of his proceeding in the purfuit of it, we find that he was one of the partners in a commercial establishment, which affumed the title of the North Weft Company, and was no more than an affociation of commercial men, agreeing among themselves to carry on the fur trade, unconnected with any other business, though many of the parties engaged had extenfive concerns altogether foreign to it. An account of the regulations of this Company, and of its flourishing state for eleven years, from 1787 to 1798, forms part of an interefting general history of the Fur Trade from Canada to the North Weft; which, from the earliest fettlement of that Colony, was confidered to be of the first importance. From an attentive perufal of this history, which our Author, in his preface, recommends to his readers as a preliminary difcourfe, which will qualify them to pursue the fucceeding voyages with fuperior intelligence and futisfaction; it evidently appears, that the commercial advantages to be derived from an extenfion of the fur trade beyond the limits of the fettlements at that time established in the districts connected with Canada, was one of the motives to induce his commercial affociates to with him to proceed in the purfuit of his favourite plan, and to haften his departure on his firt voyage through the North Wet Continent of America, which took place in the month of June 1789. But before we enter upon the pro grefs of the voyages, as related in the Journals, it will be indifpenfably requifite to give our readers fome idea of the mode of carrying on the fur trade, collected from the general history, which is fo diffuse as to extend to 132 pages, or nearly one fourth part of this large volume. We muft alfo premife, that without the Maps, which illuftrate the local fituations, all abstract, or fummary accounts, will be defective; confequently, the best purpose they can anfwer will be, that of recommending the whole as a work "that will be found to excite an intereft and regard in the minds of those who peruse it." After fpecifying the articles, received from England, necessary for this trade, and the number and quality of the perfons actively employed in the concern, fuch as clerks, interpreters, guides, canoe-men, &c. we have the following account of their manner of proceeding, and of part of the country through which they pafs. "The neceffary number of canoes being purchased, at about three hundred livres each, the goods formed into packages, and the lakes and rivers free from ice, which they usually are in the beginning of May, they are then dif patched from La Chine, eight miles above Montreal, with eight or ten men in each canoe, and their baggage, and fixty-five packages of goods, fix hundred weight of bifcuit, two hundred weight of pork, three bushels of peafe, for the men's provifion; two oil cloths to cover the goods, a fail, &c.; an axe, a towing-line, a kettle, and a sponge to bail out the water; with a quantity of gum, bark, and watape, to repair the veffel. An European, on feeing one of these flender veffels thus heaped up, and funk with her gunwale within fix inches of the water, would think his fate inevitable in fuch a boat, when he reflected on the nature of her voyage; but the Canadians are fo expert, that few accidents happen." Leaving La Chine, they proceed to St. Ann's, within two miles of the western extremity of the Island of Montreal, the Lake of the Two Mountains being in fight; which may be termed the commencement of the Utawas river. At the rapid of St. Ann, they are obliged to take out part, if not the whole, of their lading. It is from this fpot that the Canadians confider they take their departure, as it poffèffes the laft Church on the land, which is dedicated dedicated to the tutelar Saint of voy. agers. The Lake of the Two Mountains is about twenty miles long, but not more than three wide. At the end of the Lake, the water contracts into the Utawas river, which, after a courfe of fifteen miles, is interrupted by a fuc. cellion of rapids and cafcades for upwards of ten miles, at the foot of which the Canadian Seignories termi nate. The voyagers are frequently obliged to unload their canoes, and carry the goods upon their backs, or rather fufpended in flings from their heads. Each man's ordinary load is two packages, though fome carry three. Here the canoe is towed by a strong line. There are fome places where the ground will not admit of their carrying the whole; they then make two trips, that is, take half their lading, and go and land it at the distance required, and then return for that which was left. In this distance are three carrying places, the length of which depends, in a great meafure, upon the state of the water, whether higher or lower; from the last of these the river is about a mile and an half wide, and has a regular current for about fixty miles, when it ends at the firft Portage de Chaudiere *, where the body of water falls twenty-five feet, over cragged, excavated rocks, in a moft wild, romantic manner. At a fmall diftance below is the river Rideau (Curtain) on the left, falling over a perpendicular rock, near forty feet high, in one sheet, affuming the appearance of a curtain ; and from which circumftance it takes its name: over this portage, which is fix hundred and forty three paces long, the canoe and all the lading is carried. The rock is fo fteep and difficult of accefs, that it requires twelve men to take the canoe out of the water: it is then carried by fix men, two at each end, on the fame fide, and two under the oppofite gunwale in the middle. From hence to the next is but a fhort distance, in which they make two trips over the fecond Portage de Chaudiere, which is feven hundred paces, to carry the load ing alone. From hence to the next and laft Chaudiere, or Portage des Chenes, is about fix miles, with a very ftrong current, where the goods are carried feven hundred and forty paces; the canoe being towed by a line, when the water is not very high. We now enter Lac des Chaudiere, which is computed to be thirty miles in length. At the end of this is the Portage des Chats, over which the canoe and lading are carried two hundred and feventy-four paces, and very difficult it is for the former. The river is here barred by a ridge of black rocks, rifing in pinna cles, and covered with wood, which, from the fmall quantity of foil that nourishes it, is low and itinted. The river finds its way over and through thefe, rocks, in numerous channels, falling fifteen feet and upwards. From hence, two trips are made through a ferpentine channel formed by the rocks, for feveral miles, when the current flackens. At the channels of the grand Calumet, which are computed to be at the distance of eighteen miles, the current recovers its ftrength, and proceeds to the Portage Dufort, which is two hundred and forty-five paces long; over which the canoe and baggage are transported. From hence, the current becomes more rapid, and requires two trips to the Décharge des Sables, where the goods are carried one hundred and thirty-five paces, and the canoe towed. Then follows the Mountain Portage, where the canoe and lading are alfo carried three hundred and eighty-five paces; then to the Décharge of the Derige, where the goods are carried two hundred and fifty paces; and thence to the grand Calumit. This is the longest carrying-place in this river, and is about two thousand and thirtyfive paces. It is foreign to our purpose, which we fhall prefently explain, to follow the route of these traders through the numerous lakes, rivers, portages, and dé. charges, in the different countries they traverfe, till they arrive at Fort Chipewyan, fituated on the fouthern fide of the Lake of the Hills, at about eight miles from the discharge of the river Elk into the Lake, in latitude 58. 38. North, longitude 110. 26. Weft; a new eftablishment of the North Welt Company in 1788, and the head quarters of Mr. Mackenzie for eight years; and from whence he took his departure on The French names being retained, it is proper to mention, that portage means a place where both the goods and the canoes are tranfported overland, and décharge where the goods alone are carried. both both his expeditions. This ftation, therefore, is accurately defcribed, with the manner of carrying on the trade there, and other circumftances connected with it; particularly, an account of the Knifteneaux and Chipewyan Indians, equally curious and interefting, and with which he concludes the general history of the fur trade. The sketch we have juft given of the mode of conducting it, elucidates the following paffage in the preface." I had to encounter perils by land and perils by water; to watch the favage who was our guide, or to guard against thofe of his tribe who might meditate our destruction. I had alfo the paffions and fears of others to control and fub due. To day, I had to affuage the rifing difcontents, and on the morrow to cheer the fainting fpirits of the people who accompanied me. The toil of our navigation was inceffant, and oftentimes extreme; and in our progress over-land we had no protection from the feverity of the elements; and poffeffed no accommodations or conveniences, but fuch as could be contained in the burden on our shoulders, which aggravated the toils of our march and added to the wearifomeness of our way." With thefe explanations, we are no longer furprised at voyages performed on great lakes and rivers without better veffels, and journies over mountains and val. lies, through dreary wastes and wide fpreading forefts, entirely on foot; but we may well be aftonished at the uncommon fortitude, patience, and perfeverance, with which the enterprizing adventurer fteadily pursued the important objects he had in view. The journal of the first voyage commences on Wednesday, the 3d of June 1789, when Mr. Mackenzie and his companions embarked on board a canoe made of birch bark. The crew confifted of four Canadians, two of whom were attended by their wives, and a German; they were accompanied alfo by an Indian, who had acquired the title of English Chief, and his two wives, in a small canoe, with two young Indians, his followers, in another fmall canoe. Thefe men were engaged to ferve them in the twofold capacity of interpreters and huntfmen. They were alfo accompanied by a canoe, which our Author had equipped for the purpose of trade, and given the charge of it to M. Le Roux, one of the Company's clerks. In this, he adds, "I was obliged to ship part of our provifion; which with the clothing neceffary for us on the voyage, a proper affortment of the articles of merchandize as prefents, to infure us a friendly reception among the Indians, and the ammunition and arms requifite for defence, as well as a fupply for the hunters, were more than our own canoe could carry; but by the time we fhould part company, there was every reafon to fuppofe that our expenditure would make fufficient room for the whole." The Journal is regularly carried on from day to day, and is comprized in feven chapters; to each of which is prefixed a fummary account of the progrefs of the voyage, and of the principal occurrences related in it. On the 23d of June, our voyagers landed on the main land, in north latitude 62. 24. at three lodges of Redknife Indians, fo called from their copper knives. Mr. Le Roux purchased of thefe Indians upwards of eight packs of good beaver and marten skins; and here Mr. Mackenzie took leave of that Gentleman, and continued his voyage; and the remainder of this month, and part of the next, was employed in navigating the bays and river, and visiting the inlands of the great Slave Lake. Ice was obferved along the banks; they faw feveral fmokes on the North fhore; and as they drew nearer, they difcovered the natives running about in apparent confufion; fome were making to the woods, and others hurrying to their canoes; but on landing, the few who had not escaped were addreffed by the English Chief and his two Indians in the Chipewyan language, which they perfectly underitood, and haftened to call their fugi. tive companions from their hiding places. Expecting to gain information from these people refpecting their further progrefs towards the fea, the canoe was unloaded, the tents pitched, and our voyagers made a fhort stay with thefe people there were five families, confifting of twenty-five or thirty per fons,and of two different tribes, the Slave and Dog-rib Indians. Of their fingular cuftoms, dances, perfons, dress, : So called from his having been the conductor of his countrymen, to carry their furs to Churchill Factory, Hudson's Bay, to trade with the English Company. 4 ornaments, ornaments, arms for war, hunting, canoes, &c. Mr. Mackenzie gives a minute defcription, but the informa. tion they gave him concerning the river was fo fabulous, that he would not detail it, nor place any faith in their strange relations: "fuffice it to mention their attempts to perfuade us that it would require feveral winters to get to the fea, and that old age would come upon us before the period of our return: we were alfo to encounter monsters of fuch horrid shapes and destructive powers as could only exist in their wild imaginations. They added, befides, that there were two impaffable falls in the river, the firft of which was about thirty days march from us. The Chief and his young followers, who were already tired of the voyage, now expreffed their opinion and anxious with that we fhould return. They faid that, according to the information they had received, there were very few animals in the country beyond us, and that as we proceeded the fcarcity would increase, and we thould abfolutely perish from hunger, if no other accident befel us. It was with no fmall trouble that they were convinced of the folly of thefe reafonings; and by my defire, they induced one of thefe Indians to accompany us, in confideration of a fmall kettle, an axe, a knife, and fome other articles." : From this place they embarked on the 5th of July, and foon paffed the Great Bear River, which is of a confiderable depth, and an hundred yards wide its water is clear, and has the greenish hue of the fea. They had not proceeded more than fix miles, when they were obliged to land for the night, in confequence of an heavy gut of wind, accompanied with rain. They encamped beneath a rocky hill, on the top of which, according to the information of the new guide, it blew a ftorm every day throughout the year. The next day they paffed through numerous islands, and had a ridge of fnowy mountains always in fight: they encamped at night in a fimilar fituation to that of the preceding evening, beneath another high rocky hill, which they attempted to afcend, but before they got half-way to the fummit, they were almoft fuffocated by clouds of mufquitoes, and were obliged to return. On the 7th, they landed at an encampment of four fires,. all the inhabitants Here of which ran off with the utmost speed, but were perfuaded by the guide to return. They confited of eighteen people, differing in no respect from thofe they had already feen. they were informed, that they were clofe to a great rapid; and four canoes, with a man in each, were feat by thefe hofpitable people to follow them, and to point out the particular channels they thould go for the fecure paffage of the rapid. They alfo abounded in difcouraging ftories concerning the dangers and difficulties they were to encounter. After paffing this rapid, which was by no means dangerous, they landed at different fmall encampments of small families of Indians, from whom they obtained plenty of fith, hares, and partridges, in return for the ufual articles of beads, knives, &c. with which they were greatly delighted. The next day they met with another tribe, called the Hare Indians, from hares and fith being their principal fupport. Thefe had alfo their wonderful Itories of danger and terror in proceeding further on the voyage, and afferted, that behind the oppofite illand, there was a Manitoe, or fpirit, in the river, which fwallowed every perfon that approached it. We must now observe, that following the courfe of the Journal from the arrival at the Slave Lake, we have no fpecification of the river they were upon when they reached the Hare Indians; but upon the Map of Mackenzie's track from Fort Chipewyan to the North Sea, which is annexed to the Voyage, we find the Hare Indians fituated on the North fhore of the river marked Mackenzie's River. So various were the channels of this river, that they were at a lofs which to take, but determined to take the middle channel, as it appeared to be the largelt body of water, and running North and South. On the 10th of July, they landed on the Weft shore, where they found a tribe of Indians, confiiting of five families, to the amount of forty men, women, and children; they are called Deguthee Dinees, or the Quar rellers. They now found themfelves in 67.47. North latitude. “From hence (fays Mr. Mackenzie) it was evident, that thefe waters emptied themselves. into the Hyperborean Sea; and though it was probable that, from the want of provifion, we could not return Athabasca (one of the Company's fa to tions), tions), in the courfe of the feafon, I nevertheless determined to penetrate to the discharge of them. My new conductor being very much difcou raged, and quite tired of his fituation, ufed his influence to prevent our proceeding. He had never been, he said, at the Benabulla Toe, or White Man's Lake; and that when he went to the Efquimaux Lake, which is at no great distance, he paffed overland from the place where we found him, and to that part where the Efquimaux pafs the Tummer. In fhort, my hunters alfo became fo disheartened from thefe accounts and other circumstances, that I was confident they would have left me, if it had been in their power. I however fatisfied them, in fome degree, by the affurance, that I would proceed onwards but seven days more, and if I did not then get to the fea, I would return. Indeed, the low ftate of our provifions, without any further confideration, formed a very fufficient fecu. rity for the maintenance of my engage ment." It appears, however, by the Journal, that after paffing feveral iflands, on which were deferted encampments of the Esquimaux Indians, and the print of the feet of the natives in the fand, as if they had been there but a few days before to procure wild fowl, they arrived on Sunday, July 12th, at the entrance of the Lake (we fuppofe the White Man's Lake before mentioned.) "I now took an obfervation," fays. our Journalist, "which gave 69. 1. North latitude. The lake was quite open to us to the Weftward, and out of the channel of the river there was not more than four feet water; and in fome places the depth did not exceed one foot. At five o'clock, we arrived at the westernmost point of an high inland. The lake now appeared to be covered with ice, for about two leagues distance, and no land ahead, fo that we were prevented from proceeding in this direction by the ice and the fhallowness of the water along the shore. "We landed at the boundary of our voyage in this direction; and as foon as the tents were pitched, I proceeded with the English Chief to the highest part of the inland, from which we dif. covered the folid ice, extending South Weft by compass to the Eaftward. As far as the eye could reach to the South Weftward, we could dimly perceive a chain of mountains, ftretching further to the North than the edge of the ice, at the distance of upwards of twenty leagues. My people could not, at this time, refrain from expreffions of real concern, that they were obliged to return without reaching the fea. "Tuesday, 14th. It blew very hard from the North Weft. Having fat up till three in the morning, I slept longer than ufual; but about eight, one of my men faw a great many animals in the water, which he at firft fupposed to be pieces of ice. About nine, however, I was awakened to refolve the doubts which had taken place refpecting this extraordinary appearance. I immediately perceived that they were whales; and having ordered the canoe to be prepared, we embarked in pursuit of them. It was, indeed, a very wild and unreflecting enterprize; and it was a very fortunate circumftance that we failed in our attempt to overtake them, as a ftroke from the tail of one of these enormous fish would have dashed the canoe to pieces. Our guide informed us, that they are the fame kind of fish which are the principal food of the Efquimaux, and they were frequently feen as large as our canoe. I was now determined to take a more particular examination of the islands, in the hope of meeting with parties of the natives, from whom I might be able to obtain fome interefting intelligence. We encamped on the Eastern end of the ifland, which I had named the Whale Ifland. It is about feven leagues in length, Eaft and Weft, by compass; but not more than half a mile in breadth. This morning I ordered a poit to be erected close to our tents, on which I engraved the latitude of the place (69. 7. North), my own name, the number of perfons I had with me, and the time we remained there. This inland is the utmost point of land marked on the map already mentioned; and here, it may be faid, the object or the voyage was attained" it has fettled the dubious point of a North West paffage and I truft, that it has fet that long agitated question at reft, and extinguifhed the difpute respecting it for ever." See Preface, page v. The remainder of the month was taken up with vifiting other islands, and obtaining from fome of the natives fuch defcriptions of the circumjacent country as ferved to confirm the nonexiftence of any fuch practicable paffage. The various particulars of this conclufion |