“Eatables”
As George Traill Allan made his way down the Jasper Valley, at the head of the outgoing York Factory Express party, he wrote these words in his journal: About 8…
Read moreTwo Canoes: the Athabasca River
In 1823, John Work and Peter Skene Ogden traveled west to the Columbia District by the Athabasca River and Fort Assiniboine. Thus far, they are not paddling (or in this…
Read moreTracking: Using the Lines, and Using the Poles
“Rowing.” “Tracking.” “Portage.” “Tracking Lines.” “Lining the Boats.” “Tracking the Boats.” “Use the Poles.” I use these words and phrases all the time, both in my tweets, and in my…
Read moreGrand Coulee
In 1848 Thomas Lowe’s York Factory Express went out by the Grand Coulee. No other express had taken that out of the way route, as far as I am aware,…
Read moreSouth of Fort Colvile, on the Columbia River
This post is the twenty first leg of the York Factory Express journey, and we are “falling down” the Columbia River south of Fort Colvile. The gentlemen who were keeping…
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