Simpson on the Churchill
Canoe on Moose Lake, BC, image 0098.0005, Columbia Basin Institute of Regonal History
This is the story of Governor Simpson on the Churchill River. In 1820, young George Simpson, the HBC’s governor locum tenans, traveled west and north from Norway House on his way to take charge of the Athabasca District after Colin Robertson was captured by the Nor’Westers and taken down to Montreal to be charged. No HBC man knew where Robertson was; and in fact even the NWC men did not know, because somewhere between Lake Winnipeg and Montreal he had once again escaped, and made his way to New York and London. The first the HBC men knew of his location was when he walked into the offices of the HBC’s London Committee and announced his presence.
And that is, apparently, exactly what he did. Fortunately, Simpson had already taken his place and was on his way west and north to Athabasca Lake. He is now on the Churchill River, travelling west to Lac Ile- a-la-Crosse. There are two posts on Lac Ile-a-la-Crosse. One, called Ile-a-la-Crosse post, was the Nor’Westers post. The HBC post was called Fort Superior, and it was under the charge of Chief Trader John Clarke.
As we know, John Clarke was not interested in the concerns of the Hudson’s Bay Company: he was only interested in his own. In these days there was no one to control him, as the HBC gentlemen were responsible directly to the London Committee. It seems that Governor William Williams had no interest in looking out for the Athabasca district’s needs–perhaps because at this time in its history, the Athabasca district was losing money hand over fist.
As you know from the last post, at the entrance of Wood Lake, Simpson said that Clarke “informed me that one of his men picked up a bag of shot which had been accidentally left on the first Portage by some of the Athabasca Canoes ahead, and that he would not deliver it unless I gave his people a Gallon of Spirits, which I considered a most unreasonable demand (value £10 Sterling at the Canadian price), and objected to it with some warmth, which hurt his consequence in no small degree.” So that was the kind of man John Clarke was, and he certainly did not improve his character over the winter of 1820-21.
So, the journey west on the Churchill River. As you know, this river flows east from Lac Ile-a-la-Crosse, and includes the waters of the Beaver River and various other rivers that flow in on its way to Hudson Bay. This is what I say about the Churchill River in my Three Journeys North [working title] book (which will be published in January 2027.)
The thousand-mile long Churchill River flows east to Hudson Bay, draining three hundred thousand square miles of northern Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. It is described as a “long series of quiet lakes connected by falls and rapids.” As the Portage la Loche Brigades travelled upriver from Trade Lake toward another of the Company’s forts, situated on an island in Lac Ile-a-la-Crosse, 250 miles to the west, they would pack their loads over thirty-six portages. For those who travelled in canoes, this journey normally took six days.
The date is now August 30, 1820, and Simpson writes, “We have been unable to come up with Mr. Clarke this evening, who keeps the lead in his Light Canoe, mine being overloaded, and could not find the entrance of the River on account of the darkness of the Night, therefore encamped on a small Island in this Lake at ten O’clock p.m. The weather has been very boisterous for the last few days: cold, wet, and uncomfortable.” The lake he is speaking of is Trade Lake, I think, about three miles long and at the extreme north-west end of Woods Lake. Let’s continue his journal:
31st, [August] Thursday. Were afloat this morning at day-break, and found Mr. Clarke at the Grande Rapid where one of his men impertinently told me that unless the Gallon of Rum was paid, his Master authorized them to turn the bag of shot out of his Canoe. I therefore ordered my people to bring it on until they overtook the Brigade, altho’ the Canoe is loaded to the water’s edge; proceeded ’till nine O’clock when we breakfasted and dried our baggage, which has been wet several days. Made Portage de Baril, Portage de l’Isle and Rapid River Portage, at the entrance of Rapid River [now Montreal River] found some of Mr. Clarke’s people belonging to the Lac La Ronge Post waiting his arrival; he is likely to be warmly opposed there this season and altho’ his first Brigade has been in nearly a month, there is not a piece of goods yet sent to the Post [at Lac La Ronge.]
Lac La Ronge is named for an animal that gnaws. Sometimes looking up the meaning of French words is very rewarding! His journal continues:
This is very bad management. Stopped here the remainder of the day.
September 1st, Friday. Embarked about an hour before day break–passed Rapid River discharge, Lac de la Montagne, Portage Montagne, Petit Roche, Otter Lake, Otter Portage, Portage de Diable, Lac Diable, and encamped here [at Lac des Cautte] at seven p.m….
2nd, Saturday. Started at four a.m. Made Descharge des Ecors, Petit Roche, La Trout & Portage la Trout where we found the Brigade. The Canoes are in a very leaky state, and no gum to repair them. I requested Mr. Clarke to furnish the Brigade with that article as they passed Isle a la Crosse, which with great reluctance he agreed to do so, provided that [Paul Boucher dit] Lamallice (who is rather an independent fellow) chooses to humble himself and ask it as a particular favour. I however told him it was the duty of the Gentleman in charge of Isle a la Crosse to provide such articles for the use of the Brigade, and that the Company’s business must not be neglected, even if the Guide’s manners were not so courteous as he could wish. Gave the people a dram and proceeded, made Portage de Aurice and encamped on an Island in the middle of this Lake [Lac de L’Isle D’Ours] at eight p.m. Blowing hard and very cold. Mr. Clarke ahead.
The word “Ours” means bears. Ecors might mean bark of a tree, although the spelling differs, which would be normal under the circumstances. And coming up is the word “Souris” which I have already learned means Mouse. So bears on one lake, and mice on another?
3rd. Sunday. Embarked at day break, got through the Lake, made Portages Canot Tournier, Bouleau, and arrived at Portages des Epingles [Hairpin bend] at ten a.m., where we found Messrs. [Jonas] Oxley & [George Peter] Andries, also the N.W. Brigade detained by a strong adverse wind. Our brigade came up at two p.m. [Jean-Baptiste] Gobin, one of the Bowsmen, was nearly killed on the last Portage by falling under the Canoe. Being anxious that Messrs. Oxley & Andries should accompany us gave them a man out of my Canoe. Mr. Clarke agreed to do the same, and take a keg of Rum from them in order to lighten their canoe, but he afterwards changed his mind, kept the man and returned the Keg after filling his liquor case out of it. These gentlemen must therefore follow. Mr. Robertson was nearly drowned in the Rapid of this Portage when taken out a prisoner by the North West Company last year; it is a dangerous rapid, and I suspect his persecutors intended that it should have been his grave; two of the crew were lost and his escape was miraculous. The weather moderated at four p.m. when we embarked, passed through Lac des Epingles and at eight encamped at the Entry of this Lake [Lac de Souris].
That accident to Colin Robertson happened the first time he was kidnapped in, I think, 1819, when he escaped and made his way downriver to Cumberland House. He then returned to the Peace River for the next winter, 1819-1820. The second time he was kidnapped by the NWC men was when he passed through the Grand Rapids in 1820. That is when he escaped to New York and London.
4th. Monday. Embarked at half past two a.m. Got through Lac des Souris, Lac du Serpent, mounted Serpent Rapids, the navigation very bad and obliged to walk up through strong brush and marshes about three miles. Gummed & breakfasted at the entrance of Lac de Sable, passed through that and Lac Croche [Crooked], ascended Riviere Croche and Little Grassy River, and encamped at the entrance of this Lake [Knee Lake] at eight p.m.
5th. Tuesday. Made an early start, passed through Knee Lake, made Knee Lake Portage, Decharge de Rapid Croche and found a band of Isle a la Crosse Indians in Lac Croche, in charge of one Pellant, a N.W. Servant. This man was a contracted Servant of the Honorable Hudson’s Bay Company and came up with Mr. Robertson two years ago, the length of Point Meuron [on the Sturgeon-Weir River], where he became indisposed and altho’a valuable man and had got a considerable advance of Wages, Mr. Forrest gave up his contract in consideration of working one of his Canoes back to Montreal, whereas he should have been forwarded to the interior by the Brigade coming in. This is one of the disgraceful advantages which Mr. Forrest takes of the confidence reposed in him by the Company. Three of Mr. Clarke’s Indians are in this band….
This Mr. Forrest [Forest] is Grant Forest, who came from Montreal and was born about 1794. In 1820 he was at the Red River Settlement with a supply of trade goods which he was not allowed to barter for furs at Red River. I do know that the HBC is not supposed to trade for furs in the Colony–that’s part of the rules that apply to all British colonies, including Fort Victoria. I have no explanation for whatever Simpson is now saying about him, but he did seem to work for the HBC at a later date. But, to continue the journal:
Proceeded and met a half sized canoe from Isle a la Crosse with supplies for the Indians: the delay and neglect that has taken place in forwarding these supplies arises from the dilatory measures of Mr. [Joseph] Spence, who was left in charge of the District for the summer. Got through Lac Croche & Lac Primeau, made Portage la Puisse and encamped at six o’clock [on the river bank.] Raining in torrents.
6th, Wednesday. Embarked before day break, ascended a bad Rapid and broke our canoe at six a.m., which detained us about an hour. Made decharge de grande Chaguina, Portage Sonnant, Blowing hard with heavy rain. Mounted Chaguina Rapids, passed through the lake of that name; sailed through Isle a la Crosse Lake with a fair wind and got to Fort Superior at twelve o’clock p.m., where we found Messrs. Spence, [John] McLeod, [Roderick] McKenzie, & [Donald] Manson.
There are some familiar names in this list. Donald Manson of course ended up at Kamloops, on the northwest coast, and later was in charge at Fort St. James, New Caledonia. Roderick McKenzie is maybe the one who became Roderick McKenzie Sr., long in charge at Ile-a-la-Crosse. John McLeod is the man in Bruce Watson’s Lives Lived West of the Divide, who served some time in the Mackenzie River District and later in the Columbia. He is in my Three Journeys North book, although not a major character.
Oh, and Chaguina. When I did the “Two Canoes” thread, where I followed both John Work, and Governor Simpson who were both travelling west by this old route, both of these men mentioned the Chaguina but spelled the name differently. I had no idea what the real name of this lake or rapids was, and was delighted to learn that this is Shagwenaw (or Shagwenau) Lake and Rapids. So now we all know!
Fort Superior is the name of the HBC post on Lac Ile-a-la-Crosse, and my Three Journeys North [working title] will have an image of the HBC’s Fort Superior, with a corner of the NWC post on one side. Its a good image, and you will enjoy it. (LAC, Item ID 2837997.) I think when the HBC took over both posts, they kept the NWC post–but I don’t really know right now. They did keep the name at least. Simpson’s journal continues:
7th. Thursday. This is a pleasant situation, an excellent Fort, and capable of being made a tolerable farm as the soil is good; the Lake abounds with whitefish throughout the year. Messrs. [Joseph Felix] Larocque & Heron are at present in charge. It is supposed there will be a strong opposition here this year both parties are very formidable but I think Mr. Clarke must keep the upper hand as he has double the quantity of goods that his Opponent have…. The business of this district seems to have been conducted with little ability during the summer, but it could not be otherways, when a poor superannuated Man like Spence has the charge, who can have no other claims to such an important trust than the circumstance of his being the Father of Mr. Clarke’s Mistress….
This Heron man is not Francis Heron, who is at Edmonton House at this time. The journal continues:
8th, Friday. Detained here by a strong head wind and heavy rain….
9th. Saturday. Took our departure from Isle a la Crosse at five a.m., blowing fresh through Riviere Cruise [Deep River] and got to the entrance of Lac Clear at two o’clock, where we were detained by the wind. Along the N.E. side of Lac Clear I understand there is a communication to Athabasca which avoids Portage La Loche, it was explored by the XY Company but found very circuitous. Re-embarked at five p.m. and encamped at the entrance of this Lake [Lac du Boeuf, now Peter Pond Lake] at eight o’clock.
They are on their way to Portage La Loche, the height of land that separates the waters that flow east to Hudson Bay by the Churchill River, from those that flow northward to the Arctic Sea. It is the 9th of September 1820, and they will reach Fort Wedderburn, on Athabasca Lake, on September 20th. So, this is a good place to stop for now, and when I pick up this thread again, the next post will appear here: https://nancymargueriteanderson.com/whatever-i-call-it/
To go back to the beginning of this thread, go here: https://nancymargueriteanderson.com/simpson-at-rock-depot-1820/
Copyright, Nancy Marguerite Anderson, 2026. All rights reserved.