Beaver River
In September 1824, Governor George Simpson and his paddlers reached the Ile-à-la-Crosse post, headquarters of the English River Department. At this place, he was given a letter left behind by…
Read moreSimpson sails south
In this final post in this series, Sir George Simpson sails south from Fort McLoughlin to Fort Nisqually. The day on which he arrived at Fort McLoughlin was October 6,…
Read moreFort Durham to Sitka & beyond
“At two in the afternoon,” Sir George Simpson said, “we reached Taco, an establishment conducted by Dr. [John Frederick] Kennedy, with an assistant and twenty-two men. Here the little harbour…
Read moreOars or Paddles
Did the HBC men use oars or paddles in their boats? I would have thought paddles, but I think I am not correct in every instance. So, let’s find out!…
Read moreDuelling Historians
This post is a continuation of the series I began a while ago: Fort St. James, as taken from Jamie Morton’s manuscript, “A Century of Fur Trade on Stuart Lake,”…
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