Fort Assiniboine

This image of the Committee’s Punch Bowl Lakes, in Athabasca Pass, is image number na-3490-26 in Glenbow Archives, and I have used it with their permission. 

Governor Simpson has just reached Fort Assiniboine in his journey west from York Factory in 1824. In his journal of a year earlier, clerk John Work described this post, which was under construction when he reached it. Here’s what he said: 

Wednesday 24 [September 1823]. Sharp frost in the morning. Cloudy, mild though cold weather afterwards. Embarked at day light and about noon arrived at a new House which Mr. Ranald McDonald, the gentleman who is superintending the building, calls Fort Assiniboyne, it is situated  on the North side of the River. This is the House which was to have been built at McLeod’s Branch, the distance of which is four days work up the River, so that we were surprised at understanding that the buildings were here. [John Work, Journal July 19 to October 25, 1823, A/B/40/W89.1A, BCA. York Factory to Spokane House, 1823.]

McLeod’s Branch is the McLeod River, named for the Nor’Wester Archibald Norman McLeod, and it flows into the Athabasca River some distance above Fort Assiniboine. So, returning to Governor Simpson’s journey of 1824: “Mr. [George] Deschambeault, Clerk, and McKay, the Blackfoot Interpreter, arrived from Edmonton at Fort Assiniboine about an hour after we landed,” Governor Simpson said, “the former to Winter with Mr. [Chief Factor William] McIntosh at this place and the latter to accompany us across the Mountain on his way to join the Snake Country Expedition. Being extremely unwell for some time past I was recommended by Dr. [John] McLoughlin to lay by the remainder of the Day in order to benefit by his professional skill, which I accordingly did, and experienced much benefit therefrom…Fort Assiniboine is beautifully situated on the North bank of the Athabasca River; Mr. Fraser, clerk in charge at present, but Mr. McIntosh expected daily from Peace River to take the Winter management. On account of the contemplated change in the mode of Transport for Lesser Slave Lake district, I am of opinion that this Post should be attached to the Saskatchwaine Department.” Simpson also suggested that horses for the transport to Edmonton House be kept at Fort Assiniboine, “where they can be safe from Thieves and where Hay may be had in abundance and with little trouble.” I am not aware that at any point in time did the Fort Assiniboine staff cut hay for the horses’ welfare over the winter. In fact, whenever the outgoing York Factory Express came through, the gentlemen, almost to a man, described the horses as poor and weak. Governor Simpson’s journal continued:

Left Fort Assiniboine at Day break on the 3rd [October] and in the course of the Forenoon met old Burleigh [Berland] the freeman coming down the River alone on a raft.

Berland [Peter Breland?] was now an old man and had lost most of his money, and, as Simpson says, “his talent as a hunter forsook him and as he advanced in Years wife after wife deserted him, the last having given him the slip this morning, taking with her his favorite Child and the greater part of his little property.” Simpson was not kind. “The only consolatory advice I could give after upbraiding him with his folly and lamenting his infatuation was to retire to Canada with the Wreck of his fortune & that I would provide him and…with a passage free of expense.” 

We met a few Indians who gave us some fresh meat and without falling in with any adventure worthy of remark we got to the Rocky Mountain House commonly called Jasper’s House, where Michel Clyne [Klyne] was in charge, on the evening of the 10th [October].

The Athabasca River is one of the finest streams I have seen in the Country, the current strong and steady with few rapids except at the Upper parts and navigable by Boats of he largest size. The country seems rich in large and small Animals as we saw numerous tracks Daily, the banks finely wooded, and as we approach the Mountain high and prominent and the face in many places exhibiting strata of Iron & coal; the soil rich which with the climate in the lower parts would be favorable to cultivation.

At Jasper’s House we found Mr. Thomas McKay, clerk, who had arrived some Days previous from the Columbia and brought letters from Messrs [Alexander] Kennedy & [Chief Trader Peter Skene] Ogden, conveying satisfactory accounts of the Company’s affairs in that quarter.

Simpson spent the next day, October 11, in preparing for the “formidable” Portage that lay ahead of him. “The situation of Jasper’s House is beautifully Wild & romantic, on the borders of the Athabasca River which here spreads itself out into a small Lake surrounded by Lofty Mountains.” This is Brule Lake. Interestingly I find that at this time, Jasper’s House “is merely a temporary Summer post for the convenience of the Columbians in crossing; the Winter Establishment was last Year on the borders of the Smoky River about 80 to 100 Miles to the northward, but it was this Season determined that it should be removed to Moose or Cranberry Lake [in Tete Jaune or Yellowhead Pass] situated more in the heart of the Mountain near the height of Land, and where we suppose Frazer’s River takes its source. The object of this change is to draw the Freeman further than they have been in the habit of going.” That didn’t happen. In 1824, Simpson gave Joseph Felix Larocque instructions to explore this pass, and over the winter of 1824-25, Larocque explored the valley. When he met Simpson again in 1825, he reported that there were few furs in the pass and little in the way of large animals for provisions. The end result of that report was that not only did a fort not get built in Tete Jaune Pass, but that Larocque’s own post, Mountain House, was closed down immediately, as on its own it was not attracting the Secwepemc trappers into the Jasper Valley. For many years after its closing, the location of Larocque’s post was well known to the HBC men who took out the York Factory Express: in the various York Factory Express journals it was called Larocque’s Prairie. 

Simpson’s journal continues:

Sent Thomas McKay and six men ahead of us this morning across the Portage in order to build a Canoe as the two Craft laying there are not sufficient to take the whole of our party down the heavy rapids of the Columbia. Jacco Findlay [Jaco Finlay] and a band of followers (Freemen) were here watching the Shewhoppes [Shuswaps/Secwepemc] in order that they might trade their Furs before they got to the Establishment and thereby make a profit on the hunts of those poor Indians, but I gave them notice that that practise must be discontinued as we should not allow Freemen [to] interfere with and impose on the Natives, & I addressed a Circular Letter to Messrs. Clarke, [William] McIntosh, [John] Rowand, and Laroque, begging they would narrowly watch the conduct of Findlay’s band.

We know that Jaco Finlay and his sons were in the Jasper Valley at about this time, and so, too, I believe was Jaco’s companion and fellow David Thompson’s engagé, Joseph [Hudon dit] Beaulieu, who is my three-times-great-grandfather. They had been employed in Roderick McKenzie’s Boise River camp about 1818-1820, and are once again back up here. Joseph’s first daughter, Charlot, is already married to James Birnie of Spokane House; his second daughter, Josephine, is probably still traveling with him. She will marry Joseph Louis Rondeau, who worked somewhere on the Athabasca (probably at Jasper’s House), and they will end up at St. Paul, Minnesota.

Simpson’s story continues: “On the Morning of the 12th [October] we sent the Horses ahead under the charge of Mr. [James] McMillan, and the Dr. [McLoughlin] and I followed in the Canoes to William Henry’s old House, as far as the river is navigable about 50 Miles higher up where they were laid carefully past [?] in order to be ready for use next Spring, and on the Morning of the 14th we started in a body with a cavalcade of Twenty-one Horses.”

Our route is about due West through defiles in the Mountains; the track for Cranberry Lake takes a Northerly direction by Cow Dung [Miette] River, which falls into the Main Stream [the Athabasca] at Henry’s House. Our Road was rugged and bad, frequently covered with fallen Timber, the country having been over run by Fire; it appears well stocked with Animals as we found many tracks of Buffalo & Deer; the Mountain Goat and Sheep are likewise numerous, our Hunter killed two of each kind, say of the Goats & Sheep; they were in good condition but tough and not well flavoured, tasting strongly of Musk and so much alike that my palate could not distinguish the one from the other.

Generally the York Factory Express men who passed through this valley loved the flavour of the Mountain Sheep, but said the Goat tasted of musk. By the way, the Mountain Goat is not closely related to the domestic goat or even other varieties of wild goat. It is, however, distantly related to the Musk Oxen in the Arctic regions. Hence, musk. I find that fascinating! Simpson is thinking about the uses the HBC might have for the hair or wool of the Goat and of the Sheep. He did not know that the Inuit collected the hair of the Musk Oxen and used it to make clothing that kept them very warm. Now, what if he had realized the usefulness of the Mountain Goat’s wool to the HBC’s business? I think its probably a good thing he did not.

His journal continues:

The Mountains now encrease [sic] to a stupendous Size; the Summits of many obscured from our sight by the Clouds and of others covered by eternal Snows. We crossed the River once today, the ford bad and the current strong, and Encamped at the Grand Traverse.

The Grand Traverse is at the junction of the Athabasca River with the Whirlpool River. From this point on, they will be following the Whirlpool River south to Athabasca Pass. His journal continues:

15th. Left our Encampment after Breakfast; the road hilly, craggy,  rugged, and in many places dangerous, but the Horses are accustomed to it and rarely make a false step; one of them, however, my wardrobe forming part of his Load, Slipped from the bank of the River and was swept down by the current some Hundred Yards but saved by the activity of his Driver; forded the River twice today and put up at Campement d’Orignal [Moose Encampment]. 

After a thorough drenching of Sleet & rain we renewed our March on the Morning of the 16th, the Weather continuing exceedingly bad throughout the Day; as we proceed the Road gets worse and the Mountains rise perpendicularly to a prodigious height; the scenery Wild & Majestic beyond description; the track is in many places nearly impassable and it appears extraordinary how any human being should have stumbled on a pass through such a formidable barrier as we are now scaling and which nature seems to have placed here for the purpose of interditing [interdicting is meant] all communication between the East and West sides of the Continent. We forded the River about a Dozen times today and put up at Campment [de] Fusil [Gun Encampment, now Kane Meadow] near the height of land.

Sunday, October 17th. We had a regular fall of Snow of about 8 inches last night with severe frost; started from our encampment early; towards the height of Land the Road is as bad and dangerous as it can well be, and Glaciers are seen which have bidden defiance to the rays of the Sun since the beginning of time wherever the Snow & Ice has room to collect in the face of the mountains, and the valleys or passes underneath exhibiting the ravages of the avalanches which sweep down every tree and shrub, also loose rocks that happen to be in their way.

At the very top of the pass or height of Land is a small circular Lake or Basin of Water which empties itself in opposite directions and may be said to be the source of the Columbia & Athabasca Rivers, as it bestows its favors on both these prodigious streams, the former falling into the Pacific at Latitude 46 1/2 north, and the latter after passing through Athabasca & Great Slave Lake falling into the Frozen Ocean [Arctic Ocean] at about 69 North Latitude. That this basin should send its Waters to each side of the continent and give birth to two of the principal Rivers in North America is no less strange than true, both the Doctor & myself having examined the currents flowing from it east & West, and the circumstance appearing remarkable, I thought it should be honored by a distinguishing title, and it was forthwith named the “Committee’s Punch Bowl.”

And so, the Committee’s Punch Bowl Lake got its name.

From the western edge of Athabasca Pass, Simpson can look down the steep hill into the Columbia District, knowing that he is leaving Ruperts Land behind him for the nonce. This is his first visit to the Columbia, and he will winter in the district and come out by the same route in the spring of 1825. I read ahead: that is also quite an adventure!

When the next section of Simpson’s journal is published, I will put it here: https://nancymargueriteanderson.com/whatever-i-call-it/

If you want to go back to the beginning of this series, then go here: https://nancymargueriteanderson.com/nelson-river/ 

Copyright, Nancy Marguerite Anderson, 2025. All rights reserved.

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