Connolly’s Brigades and McLeod’s Express
A Sailing ship in a bottle, from early 1900’s
In 1826, the expresses and brigades had different, but similar experiences as they passed through the range of mountains that separated the Pacific Coast from the interior of what is now Washington State. But most importantly, the experiences of one group of people — the express — affected the experiences of the second group — the brigades. As we all know, the York Factory Express departed Fort Vancouver for Hudson Bay in March 1826, and three months later, in mid-June, the New Caledonia and Fort Colvile Brigades came down the same river that the York Factory Express had travelled up. And so, this is a story of how the experiences of one group of men was passed on to the other, so that they could take precautions against the same thing happening to them.
So, brigades and expresses — The story begins in John McLeod’s outgoing York Factory Express journal of 1826. But before I even looked at McLeod’s journal, I had a peak at James Gibson’s book, The Lifeline of the Oregon Country: The Fraser-Columbia Brigade System, 1811-46, to see what he had to say. I discovered this: after his arrival at Fort Vancouver in June, 1826, Connolly’s men had to unload the Dryad, the London ship that had arrived at Fort Vancouver at a time when there were no boats or bateaux at this newly constructed fort. I knew that. Its in Connolly’s journal, and he said it only took his men a short time to do this. From the journal:
June, Friday 16th. At 8 o’clock in the Morning the Brigade arrived and delivered their Cargoes in excellent condition, with the exception of a few Furs which recently got wet. As I have already stated, the [London] ship was not yet unloaded, and several articles required to complete the Inland Outfits & Equipping the men being on Board of her, the New Caledonia people, and those from the Interior of the Columbia, were employed upon this Service, which occupied them until the 27th.
Fine. But James Gibson tells us more. Not only did the Brigade men unpack and transport to shore the supplies carried on the Dryad, but they also carried upriver, apparently from the soon-to-be-abandoned Fort George, the supplies that were still at that post — sixty-four boat loads paddled upriver from the old depot to the new. So did the sixty-four boat loads include the supplies from the Dryad?? I think so. I believe the Dryad remained anchored off Fort George, as Gibson later mentions that in reference to the Dryad, Connolly wrote “but for want of hands and the distance she was from the Fort,” very little of her goods had been unloaded. I wondered if the Dryad was too large a ship to sail upriver to Fort Vancouver, but it appears not. Bruce Watson tells us that she once again arrived at Fort Vancouver in 1830, and remained here until 1835. On her first visit she was a leased ship, and in later years the Hudson’s Bay Company owned her. If she didn’t come upriver to Fort Vancouver, it was probably because the captain, who was not an HBC employee, refused to make that journey.
I first looked at James Gibson’s book to see if it was the source of the information that there had been some trouble between the express men and the Indigenous peoples at The Chutes that caused Connolly to be more cautious in heading upriver through that community. It was apparently not Gibson that mentioned that story without telling us what actually happened: nevertheless, in his book I found a great quote about the Wishram people, who were called “the lord of the Falls,” according to Alexander Ross in his book, Adventures of the First Settlers on the Oregon or Columbia. “Lord of the Falls” was a good name for the Wishram people, as you will see.
So, lets see what happened in John McLeod’s York Factory Express journal of 1826, that encouraged William Connolly to take some special precautions as he travelled up the Columbia River three months later. As I have mentioned before, what I am presenting here is not how the journal was organized, and certainly not how it appeared in McLeod’s notebooks. The actual journal was written in bits and pieces and jottings that were scattered throughout his notebook, and I had to organize it before I could use it.
Monday 20th [March 1826] Started from Ft. Vancouver at 4 pm with 2 Boats accompanied by Messrs [James] Douglas & [Francis] Ermatinger passengers, 3 Calves & 3 Pigs. Raining very heavy. Encamped Early & gave the men time to take their regale….
Tuesday 21st. … Rained all Day and Cold. I am much afraid that the calves will not be got up safe.
The brigade men passed through the Cascades, the Dalles and Little Dalles, and it was at the Chutes that they had some trouble with Alexander Ross’s “lords of the falls.”
Friday 24th. proceeded up the Dalles to the [sic], the men took the Papers [paper box]. All the Indians as usual followed us with the Constant Cry of “Cynol” [Chinook jargon for Tobacco], or Tobacco. Got above the big Dalls by 1 pm & arrived at the little Dalls and past them by 2 and at 3 arrived at the Chutes where met with a greater Concourse of Indians than I ever saw here they volunteered to Carry the Boats got everything to the upper end of the portage the Indians began to be rather troublesome and pushing forward towards the Baggage and in putting back from it one of them put an arrow in his Bow and as he was taking an aim at me Mr. Douglas (as he was paying attention all the time) uncovered his gun and backed it. Two of the Owhyhees [Hawaiians] took the muskets immediately when Mr. Ermatinger and myself joined and advanced with our guns cocked towards the Crowd and pushed them back. A Cayouse [Cayuse Indian] joined us and spoke to the rascals for their bad Conduct. Got the Boats loaded & Mr. D & myself ran along the shore to protect the Calves till were got a Board which being soon accomplished and proceeded a little piece further and encamped for the night.
I suggest it was James Douglas’s job to stand by and watch the Indigenous peoples in case of attack. Well, it was necessary, as we can see.
When McLeod reached Spokane House he would have sent a message downriver to Chief Factor McLoughlin, telling him of his troubles with the Wishram. But even if he did not, the men at Fort Colvile (which replaced Spokane House that summer), or those at Fort Okanagan, would have told Connolly to take precautions, I presume, although, looking at his journal, I am not sure he was aware of any special danger as he passed the Chutes.
10th, Saturday. At an early hour we embarked, and reached the Portage, called the Chutes, at nine, where the assemblage of Indians was such that it was necessary to place an armed guard at each end of it whilst the Men were carrying the Property; this place we left at twelve pm and got to the next portage…
He doesn’t sound particularly worried to me. I also think that the precautions he took would have been normal precautions, protections that they would have used many times over as they portaged their goods at places where the Indigenous people gathered: and the Chutes was always known to be one of the most important fishing and meeting places along the Columbia River.
So what did Connolly do on his return upriver? In his journal he listed his trading goods, which included 4 bags Ball, 6 cases Guns, and 5 Kegs Gunpowder. Then, he says:
We are also provided with a Trading chest containing such articles as are most in demand with the Natives along the route for the purpose of buying salmon, which will be the means of saving a considerable quantity of our European provisions. We have also four arms chests containing Muskets & Ammunition for defence in Case of necessity. ..
So the men are heavily armed going upriver: the guns in the boats are not all trade goods and some of them would have been distributed among the men, especially to those who were keeping watch. Let’s see what happened at The Dalles and the Chutes as Connolly’s brigades passed through on his way home to Fort St. James.
9th Saturday [July]. Embarked at Break of Day [from Horse Point], and assisted by a fine aft Breeze, we came almost within sight of the Dalles at Six o’clock pm, when I thought it best to Encamp to avoid being pestered by the swarm of Indians who inhabit that place… The weather continues fine & very pleasant.
10th, Sunday. Proceeded at an Early hour, and with much labour tho’ without accident in ascending the Dalles, we reached the portage of that name at five o’clock pm, which was too late an hour to undertake Carrying over, as the whole of the property could not have been carried across, and the Natives were too numerous to admit of our force being divided, the whole being required to guard the Encampment which was formed by the Boats into an oblong square, in the Centre of which the different Cargoes were placed, the Tents pitched, and a regular watch appointed for the Night….
11th Monday. At dawn of Day the Men commenced carrying, and by eight o’clock the Property and Boats were at the East end of the Portage, from whence we departed at two. Passed the Chutes at five pm, and Encamped two hours after some miles above them. The weather was fine & very warm.
So I think that John McLeod warned McLoughlin about his confrontation with the Wishram people, and Connolly took special precautions to safely bring his people past the Wishrams. He kept his men together, and this is the first and only time I have seen the men making a square out of the boats and placing their goods and tents inside. But maybe this did this all the time without mentioning it: much like circling the wagons.
You might be interested to know that my book, The HBC Brigades: Culture, Conflict, and Perilous Journeys of the Fur Trade, made the BC best-sellers list shortly after it was published, and the Canadian best-sellers list just a day or so ago. Hurrah! Now comes the hard work to keep it on those lists!
Copyright, Nancy Marguerite Anderson, 2024. All rights reserved.