Frog Portage
Image of a birchbark canoe on a Canadian River, from Glenbow Archive, image na-843-14, used with their permission
Frog Portage was a historic portage from the early days of the French fur trade. On this occasion, however, we are talking about Governor George Simpson’s intention to find his way to that place on his way west in 1824. In August, 1824, Simpson is making his way to the Columbia District, on his first journey to the HBC’s western-most territory.
In the last post we left Governor Simpson and his canoe at Split Lake House. Here is the post, if you want to see it now: https://nancymargueriteanderson.com/nelson-river/
So let us continue his journey west from that old fort:
Having repaired our Canoe which has sustained some damage in the rapids of Nelson River, and got a supply of pemican for our people, we started from the Establishment of Split Lake at 10 o’clock am the 21st [August] and continued our route on the regular communication to Frog Portage, until the 25th, keeping our people constantly at their Paddles about 18 hours out of the 24, altho’ it rained almost incessantly since our departure from Split Lake. Our guide now informed us, to our great disappointment and surprise, that it would be necessary to go to Nelson House (about a days March off the track) in search of an Indian to conduct us to the Frog Portage, as his knowledge of the route did not extend beyond that Establishment [Nelson House].
It becomes clear, as we read Governor Simpson’s journal, that it is his intention to take this route to Frog Portage [properly called Portage-de-Traite], in part because there are no posts along their way to distract and entertain the voyageurs who paddled the canoe. Simpson had travelled down the Nelson River to York Factory, but he came via Norway House and Split Lake House, and so had not travelled the Burntwood River. However, on this journey his planned route led his party from Split Lake, up the Burntwood River to Burntwood Lake, thence by a portage to Kississing River and Lake, and westward by the waters of the Churchill or English River. This is what Simpson says of that route:
In going up latter end of July or beginning of August there is no danger as little Snow or Ice remains so late in the Season. From Split Lake to Frog Portage there cannot be a finer navigation as far as regards safety, as people cannot drown unless they are really so disposed; they cannot run risks as the falls are so heavy that they will never be attempted; the access to the carrying places is good & no danger of being swept into the current; the portages are frequent but tolerably good and none exceeding half to 3/4th of a Mile in length. But the great objection of the people to this track is the want of Lakeway & Establishments not affording them any rest by Head Winds or by Gentlemen indulging themselves in taking a few holydays at the Establishments of Norway House & Cumberland en passant, and this very objection on their part is to me the strongest recommendation it can have, as the time to be occupied by the Voyage may be calculated to a Day, whereas by the other route much delay is occasioned by bad Weather in the Lakes and by amusements at the Establishments, and these amusements are attended with a certain heavy expense as exra provisions are consumed, Balls are given and the business frequently neglected. The Establishment of Norway House alone has occasioned more expense in this way since the Coalition [of 1821] than the profits of its Trade would defray.
And there you have it: Governor Simpson’s “economy.” By taking the Burntwood River, Simpson’s party is avoiding any long visits at Norway House or Cumberland House on their way west. There will be no delays because of wind when crossing the top of Lake Winnipeg or any other large lake. Although this is taking place in the years before the York Factory Express route was decided upon, this story is absolutely part of the York Factory Express story.
So, four days west of Split Lake House on the Burntwood River, Simpson’s guide told him that he does not know the way past Nelson House, which post is one day’s journey south of where they presently stand. Simpson had no choice but to take his party to Nelson House, which stands on lake they called Whitefish Lake.
At 1 o’clock on the 26th [August] we got to Nelson House, which is pleasantly situated on an Island in White Fish Lake, and which will this Winter be the residence of Chief Factor [John] Charles. Here I found one Mowat in charge, a confidential labouring man with another Orkney man and a little boy…. Mowat informed me with an air of some importance that he was the Summer Master and at same time begged to have my Name and business (it being impossible for him to recognize a great man in a long beard, Check shirt, and Blanket Coat which had once been Green but had assumed a different Colour in the Muddy Portage of the preceding Day)…
I think Simpson has a glimmering of a sense of humour.
but the poor man’s terror & amazement when informed that he was in the presence of the Governor was quite laughable, I however relieved him by a hearty shake of the hand and immediately proceeded with him to the object of my unexpected visit; in this, however, I met with a serious disappointment as there was not a person at the Fort who had ever been Fifty Miles in the direction I wished to go, except Mrs. Mowat and she had only passed across land on Snow Shoes… Nothing remained for us now except to go in search of Indians, or retrace our steps to the Sepewisk River and take our route by Lake Winnipeg, Cumberland, and the Saskatchewan, which would be a loss of much time and terminate the hope of effecting the Voyage by Water.
By “Sepewisk River” Simpson refers to the Sipiwesk Lake House, built near the upper section of Nelson River that flows from Norway House and Playgreen Lake to Split Lake. As we now know, three rivers flow into Split Lake from the west: the Nelson, the Grass, and the Burntwood. Only one river, the Nelson, flows out of Split Lake to the sea. There is a Sipiwesk Lake House in the region, according to Voorhis’s Historic Forts and Trading Posts, see below:
Sipiwesk Lake House. Hudson’s Bay Co post built by [David] Thompson in 1792 on west side of Sipiwesk Lake, a tributary of the Nelson River, on a rocky Point. The site is now covered with a grove of poplars. It was 30 miles from Chatham House on Wintering Lake.
I am on a little sidebar here: David Thompson established Sipiwesk Lake House on Sipiwesk Lake while he was working for the HBC. The footnote in Fur Trade and Empire says, “Until recently the exact location of the post was unknown. [And yet, Voorhis seems to have known exactly where it was in 1930, when his book was published.] Collapsed chimneys and period specific artifacts have been found at a site near Thompson’s recorded coordinates… Thompson’s post was short-lived: Joseph Colen, chief at York Factory, thought the post was too expensive to maintain.”
So let us continue with Simpson’s time at Nelson House, and the eventual continuation of his journey to Frog Portage [more accurately known as Portage-de-Traite].
I was thus embarrassed with a choice of difficulties, but after a little consideration determined on giving a fair trial to the present route before abandoning it, took leave of Nelson House and pushed on to the further end of the lake which we reached about 11 o’clock pm. After passing four sleepless hours at an Encampment, my present situation exciting much uneasiness & distress of mind as I fully anticipated the failure of the Voyage which would be attended with most serious inconvenience to the general business, I pushed across a point of woods at 3 o’clock am the 27th [August], which formed a Portage to another Lake. While the people were preparing to pass the Carrying Place, and to my inexpressible Delight, in searching the opposite side of the Lake with an anxious Eye, I discovered an Indian Canoe as it was disappearing behind an Island, and which one moment later would have been lost to my view. Not waiting to Embark the Baggage I dispatched our Canoe in the direction the Indian had taken, and in about an hour our people brought us a Guide, which afforded me greater satisfaction than the sight of an Indian ever did before; in a few minutes we were once more on our route, and about Mid Day of the 30th [August] got to the Frog Portage where I touched in order to see if we could pick up any tidngs of the Craft that had gone by the Norway House track. Here I was surprised to find Mr. [Chief Factor John] Clarke, with the Lesser Slave Lake Brigade of Four canoes making the Portage, as from his having left York [Factory] so early as the 28th of July…
Simpson probably got to Frog Portage by the Grass River route. So, let’s discover the story of the place Simpson called Frog Portage, but which is, today, known as Portage-de-Traite. The best description I have of Portage-de-Traite was written by a historian named Eric Ross, who wrote the delightful little book titled Beyond the River and the Bay.
Portage-de-Traite takes its name from an event which took place in 1774-75. Joseph Frobisher, a trader from Canada, after having wintered near by, met in the spring a group of Indians making their annual journey to Churchill to trade. He persuaded them to trade with him instead and soon he had all the furs his canoes could carry. Before that, it had been called Frog Portage from the Crees having placed a stretched skin of a frog there as a sign of derision to the natives of the country whom they regarded with contempt because, among other things, they were ignorant of how to prepare, stretch and dry the skins of the beaver.
Portage-de-Traite is the true gateway to the north and also to the west. As they travel over the portage from Woods [Wood] Lake, the men leave the Saskatchewan River system behind them, and cross to Trade Lake, on the one-thousand-mile-long Churchill River. There is a twenty foot drop at Frog Portage, as the men travel from the Burntwood River system to the Churchill River system. To the east, the Churchill flows into Hudson Bay well north of York Factory — at Churchill, Manitoba, in fact. To the west, it brings travellers through a series of lakes, waterfalls, and rapids, to Portage La Loche [Methye Portage] and the Athabasca District, via the fort at Ile-à-la-Crosse, 250 miles west of Trade Lake. Ile-à-la-Crosse was the headquarters of the HBC’s English River District: that is, today’s Churchill River.
So, Governor Simpson has reached Portage-de-Traite, which he still calls by its old name of Frog Portage. From there:
I continued my Voyage, passed [Patrick] Cunningham, the Athabasca Guide in charge of Four boats at their Encampment on Beaver Lake at 3 o’clock am of the 2nd [September]; he had made a tolerable voyage of it by the Nelson River track from York Factory and spoke favorably of the Navigation… In Lake Primeau we lost nearly a whole Day by a strong head Wind and in making a Traverse had much difficulty in keeping the Canoe afloat, altho’ Two Men were constantly bailing. Passed several bands of Chipewyans who all recognized me [from Simpson’s time in the Athabasca District], but I had nothing but a little Tobacco to present them with, and they were nearly all starving, being destitute of ammunition. This says little for the management of affairs in English River and will render it necessary for me to give Chief Factor [George] Keith a rub, which I would not willingly do having generally found his Department well regulated.
We arrived at Isle-à-la Crosse on the 5th Instant [September], having performed the Voyage from York in 22 Days or 18 Working Days (4 Days being lost by unforeseen detentions), the quickest passage ever made. Here I found Mr. James Heron in charge and was by no means satisfied with the state of things in the Department. The Indians instead of being furnished with Ammunition for the purpose of laying up a stock of Provisions for next Year were employed in hunting Furs, which is permanent destruction to the country, and attended with no immediate benefit as the unseasoned Skins are not worth the price paid for them, and this is solely done from a mistaken ambition to shew large returns.
There were more complaints: James Heron got a severe dressing down, I expect. But at this place Simpson received a letter from Chief Factor John McLoughlin, who was also on his way west to take over the Columbia District (as we know). “The Dr. is still Eight Days a head of me,” Simpson said, “and does not expect I can overtake him before he reaches [Fort] Nez Perces on the Columbia, but in this he is mistaken as we shall assuredly be up with him if no accident happens before he can reach the Athabasca River.” Simpson also learned that the Beaver River was very low this year, and he had his larger canoe repaired, and also added a smaller canoe and two men to the journey. His complaints continued:
There being no certainty of getting provisions on this side the Mountain, I took in six bags Pemican at Isle-à-la Crosse, which is sorry fare as the Materials are bad of their kind, and for the carelessness of the maker they being compelled to eat it would be a sufficient punishment; on such provender, however, must Mr. [James] McMillan and I now content ourselves, as we could not get a Load of Shot here, which is the more vexatious, as in the Beaver River we could nearly feed ourselves & people with Game had we ammunition, indeed, since leaving York we have lived almost entirely on the produce of our Guns.
I have noticed that in future travel, Simpson always carried his supply of foodstuffs with him, which included well made Pemmican, cheese, and other delights. His journal continues:
Left Isle-à-la-Crosse on the 6th [September] at Sun Set, made very slow progress up the Beaver River on account of its lowness, the people almost constantly in the Water dragging the Canoe; the Weather cold, raw, and disagreeable, thick fogs, and raining at intervals Daily. I had a serious quarrel with Cadotte, our Guide, one morning for tapping the Liquor Keg and getting drunk…
Just a few posts ago, I told you about tapping the Keg. Here it is: https://nancymargueriteanderson.com/simpson-to-fort-durham/
This fellow was a crack Man at Isle-à-la-Crosse in the Days of opposition and got spoiled by over indulgence, indeed, he has never been thoroughly curbed until this Voyage, but I have succeeded in humbling his pride and on the present occasion put him in the terrors; he is however one of the most adroit men I ever saw in the Bow of a Canoe and not only does his duty well himself, but keeps the others at it; on the whole I believe the Indian Country cannot produce a better crew.
It seems important to Simpson that he gives Cadotte “the terrors.” This seems to be a good place for a pause, and the next post will continue with Simpson’s journey along the Beaver River to Lac la Biche and, eventually, the Athabasca River west of the enormous rock that blocked the river. Yes, if you were heading north to the Athabasca District you took the road over Portage La Loche north of Ile-à-la-Crosse. If however, you were headed west to the headwaters of the Athabasca River, near Jasper House, you took the Beaver River route, which ran south of Ile-à-la-Crosse. And the Beaver River was not by any means a pleasant route, as you will see. As bad as the route proved to be, however, this would not be the section of the route west that decided Simpson against using the Churchill River for the York Factory Express route. Or maybe it was, as you will see in a future post.
In 1823, John Work and Peter Skene Ogden travelled west from York Factory to Frog Portage and the Churchill River (although not by the Nelson/Burntwood River route). From John Work’s journal, we have the description of his travels here: https://nancymargueriteanderson.com/two-canoes-six/
When I continue this story, the next post will be found here: https://nancymargueriteanderson.com/beaver-river/
Copyright, Nancy Marguerite Anderson, 2025. All rights reserved.