Mysterious McIntyre

This is, of course, not the mysterious McIntyre who travelled with Governor Simpson round the world in 1841-42. In reality it is an unidentified Anderson-Seton family member. I you know who it is, please let me know. 

Who is the mysterious McIntyre who turns up in Sir George Simpson’s book, An Overland Journey Round the World? Whoever it is, it seems he travelled with Simpson on the journey from Fort Vancouver to Sitka and on to Russia. In fact, McIntyre met Simpson on the ship that brought the pair from Liverpool to New York, and he accompanied him to Red River and beyond. 

I first found McIntyre mentioned in James Raffan’s biography of Governor Simpson, titled Emperor of the North: Sir George Simpson and the Remarkable Story of the Hudson’s Bay Company, published in 2007. McIntyre appeared on page 10, where he author wrote: “Edward Hopkins, Simpson’s principal secretary, had left the party prior to the Asian leg, so Simpson was left to do his own journal…But he was not alone as he continued his round-the-world voyage. On the horse beside him was the young Scot, McIntyre, whom he’d met on the North Atlantic crossing. Because he enjoyed his company, and because the young man spoke fluent Gaelic, Simpson’s native tongue, the Governor, as a man with power and means can do on a whim, had invited him along on the rest of the trip.”

And he was there, in Russia. On page 13 of Emperor of the North, this mysterious McIntyre noticed that a Cossack had downed a glass of liquor that would soon render him unconscious. (Clue: it wasn’t liquor.) On page 16, Simpson and McIntyre left their Russian companions behind and galloped away on their own–an action that was not unknown to Simpson, as it happens. 

And I discovered Mr. Mysterious McIntyre, too, in Simpson’s Overland Journey Round the World. On page 47, in part 1 of the 2 volume book, Simpson’s party leaves Red River on their journey west to Edmonton House and the Pacific slopes. In Simpson’s own words:

Soon after starting we were brought to a halt by an accident, which, besides more serious consequences, might have affected my comfort to a great extent. While coming out in the Caledonia, I had picked up…a smart, active, and intelligent Highlander of the name of McIntyre, who also possessed the peculiar recommendation of being able to communicate with me in one of the unknown tongues, the Gaelic of the north of Scotland. Well, whether the horse was too frisky or the rider too ambitious to show off the animal’s points, McIntyre’s charger, taking fright and becoming unmanageable, contrived to dislodge its saddle so as to throw the poor fellow heavily on his head. Though he was stunned for a few minutes, yet on recovering his consciousness he appeared to be but little injured; to make assurance doubly sure, however in so important a matter, he had a little blood taken from him immediately–an operation which entirely removed every unpleasant symptom.

So, this mysterious McIntyre is not mentioned anywhere in the journey to Fort Colvile and on to Fort Vancouver. Nor is he mentioned as a traveller in the Beaver to the northwest coast, nor as a passenger on the Cowlitz on the way to the Sandwich Islands and Sitka. He must, however, have been there, because he was mentioned twice in Simpson’s travels through Russia! I wonder if he is mentioned in the Cowlitz log-books? They do exist, apparently, and it is possible that they cover all of 1841 and 1842. They might actually mention McIntyre. 

So here is what happened: the Cowlitz sailed from the mouth of the Columbia on December 2, 1841, carrying John McLoughlin and Sir George Simpson and other members of the expedition. She visited the California post and San Francisco Bay, and then sailed on to the Sandwich Islands, where she arrived on February 11, 1842. Depending who you believe, the Vancouver arrived from London one day later, or two: on February 13, 1842, according to Thomas Lowe. The two ships stayed for about a month, with Simpson and McLoughlin discussing what was to be done in the Columbia district.

As you will see in this blogpost, https://nancymargueriteanderson.com/sandwich-islands/ on February 28, Thomas Lowe is in charge of transferring goods for Sitka from the Vancouver to the Cowlitz. On March 1, Lowe is on shore acting as secretary for the Governor: that means he might be staying ashore in the residence that Simpson and McLoughlin used–a house on Honolulu owned by a member of the Royal family but now used for important visitors. It consisted of four apartments with a separate kitchen. I think, considering the number of men who were residing here, “apartments” must mean suites and not rooms. 

On the other hand, maybe Lowe stayed on the Vancouver. On March 12, Thomas Lowe was ordered to leave the Vancouver and transfer to the Cowlitz, and he will sail north with that ship to Sitka. His journal was lost, however–left behind on the Cowlitz when he unloaded at Fort Durham, probably. Hence, we don’t know what he might have said about what happened on that journey. But it would be interesting to have that information.

So, the departure from Honolulu. The Vancouver departed the Sandwich Islands “in the middle of March, carrying with her nearly the whole of my immediate party, Mr. [John] McLoughlin, and Mr. [John] Rowand for their respective posts, and Mr. [Edward Martin] Hopkins for England. Mr. Hopkins’ departure I felt as a serious loss with respect to the keeping of my journal, more particularly as my own eyes were by no means strong; and in consequence of this, my subsequent notes were generally rougher and scantier than I could have wished.” So, the mysterious McIntyre is still here. I wonder if he became Simpson’s note-keeper? And a thought about Simpson’s eyesight. As by this time his father in Scotland was complaining of his own blindness, it is probable that Simpson had macular degeneration, a hereditary disease.

On March 17, 1842, the Cowlitz left Honolulu for Lahaina, where the king and queen resided. Lahaina is on the northwest coast of the island of Maui, and, if you remember, this historic town was severely damaged if not destroyed by wildfires in August 2023. More than 2,000 buildings were destroyed in Lahaina alone: residential buildings for the most part, but this number also included many historical buildings. 

We presume that the mysterious McIntyre is still travelling with Simpson: he must be there! The ship reached Lahaina on the evening of March 19, but could not make her way into the harbour until the morning of the 20th, as wind and tide were against her. Simpson visited members of the Royal Family. Then, on “the forenoon of Thursday, the twenty-fourth of March, I employed in paying farewell visits.” The King accompanied him to the ship and the HBC party, including both Lowe and McIntyre, set sail for the north and Sitka. “The change of temperature, as we proceeded to the northward, was very rapid, being observable, at least to our sensations, not only from day to day, but almost from hour to hour. First of all, flies, mosquitoes and insects began to disappear; then we found great coats, while we were on deck, anything but a burden; and lastly we reinforced our beds with a large increase of blankets. On the fourth day after leaving Mowee [Maui], our recollections of the temperate zone were still more vividly refreshed by a storm of snow and sleet. This sudden transition from a sunny sky and a balmy atmosphere to cold, damp, and searching winds, seriously affected the health of all on board, especially of the poor Sandwich Islanders…” Then, 

On the morning of the twenty-second day from Lahaina, we were roused from our lethargy by the cheerful cry of “Land” and again came in sight of the rugged coast at the entrance of Norfolk Sound…Mount Edgecombe, so named by Captain Cook, is an excellent landmark for making the harbor of Sitka, rising from the water in the form of an almost perfect cone, and wearing a “diadem of snow” nearly all the year round.

It snowed heavily, which prevented the ship from entering the harbour. The “next morning, Saturday the 16th of April, we entered the sound, firing two guns, at the early hour of five, as a signal for a pilot.” Although it was a Saturday to the Englishmen, it was a Sunday in Russia: moreover it was Easter Sunday and so nothing was done. Sir George did not enjoy the frustrating week of waiting that followed. At last, on Friday, “Finding that the vessel in which I was to proceed to Ochotsk [Russia], would not sail till two or three weeks later than I had been led to expect, I was anxious to employ the intermediate month as usefully as possible; and as Governor Etholine kindly afforded me the use of the Russian steamer to tow the Cowlitz on her way to the Columbia…I determined to embrace the opportunity which this arrangement gave me, of visiting our establishment of Tako and Stikine.” We all know what is coming up don’t we?

Leaving New Archangel on the day after that of the bishop’s arrival, we passed through Peril Straits into Chatham Sound, and, without having halted in the night anchored at Tako next evening about seven.

They call it Tako, but its actually Fort Durham. This is where Thomas Lowe is dropped off, and where he will spend the next two years. The date must be April 23, 1842. Two days later Simpson and the Cowlitz continued their journey to Stikine.

By daybreak on Monday, the twenty-fifth of April, we were in Wrangell’s Straits; and towards evening, as we approached Stikine, my apprehensions were awakened by observing the two national flags, the Russian and the English, hoisted half-mast high, while on landing about seven, my worst fears were realized by hearing of the tragical end of Mr. John McLoughlin Jr., the gentleman recently in charge. On the night of the twentieth a dispute had arisen in the fort, while some of the men, as I was grieved to hear, were in a state of intoxication; and several shots were fired, by one of which Mr. McLoughlin fell. My arrival with two vessels at this critical juncture was most opportune, for otherwise the fort might probably have fallen a sacrifice to the savages, who were assembled round it to the number of about two thousand, justly thinking that the place could make but a feeble resistance, deprived, as it was, of its head, and garrisoned by men in a state of complete insubordination; and if the fort had fallen not only would the whites, twenty-two in number, have been destroyed, but the stock of ammunition and stores would have made the captors dangerous to the other establishments on the coast. 

So the mysterious McIntyre must also have seen what had happened at Fort Stikine. Obviously, we are not going to finish the mysterious McIntyre’s story in this post. When the story continues, it will be published here: https://nancymargueriteanderson.com/whatever-i-call-it/ 

If you want some more Governor Simpson stories, go here. There’s lots to read: https://nancymargueriteanderson.com/governor-george-simpson/ 

Copyright, Nancy Marguerite Anderson, 2026. All rights reserved.

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