Simpson to Athabasca Pass

This is the Columbia River near Castlegar, close to the mouth of the Kootenay River, looking toward the Arrow Lakes. This image is from the Columbia Basin of Regional History, the Valemount Historical Society & Kootenay Gallery of Art, History & Science, image number 0131.0349.

We return, once more, to Governor George Simpson’s journey out of the Columbia District in 1825. There are some very interesting things that happened on this journey to Red River, and I admit I am taking my time getting to them. But you will enjoy the stories when we get there, I think. 

But first, I must tell you that my next book, with the working title of “Three Journeys North,” will be published by Ronsdale Press in January 2027. The stories for this book are under the “Journeys” tab at the top of my Home page, if you want to peek. The book tells of three long journeys made by three different HBC men: all of them connected by history but unconnected by any family or other relationships. The first story is Augustus Richard Peers’s journey from London to York Factory and on to the Mackenzie River: he ended up on the edge of the Arctic Ocean, at what is now called Fort McPherson. The second story is that of Robert Campbell, who ventured into the Yukon and built Fort Selkirk on the Yukon River: in one of his journeys he, too, came close to seeing the Arctic Ocean. The third is James Anderson’s journey north to the Arctic Ocean by the Great Fish River, searching for the journals of Sir John Franklin, whose men were long lost on the Arctic tundra. Every one of these three men whose stories I tell in this book failed in their ventures, and that is what makes the stories so interesting. I hope you will agree with me.

Onward we go, continuing the story of Governor Simpson’s journey from the newly constructed Fort Vancouver to the Rocky Mountains. We find him now on the Columbia River, just north of its junction with the Spokane River. The story continues: “Wednesday, April 13th [1825]. Left our Encampment at 4 am and made a long Days March, the Men working with great constancy until 7 pm. We are now getting into a different Climate, cold and uncomfortable as we approach the Mountains. Encamped about 3 Leagues below the Grand Rapid.” The Grand Rapid was the Rickey Rapids. His story continues:

Thursday April 14th. Keen Frost during the Night but the Sun powerful in the course of the Day. Altho’ the Season about a Month since we left Fort Vancouver, vegetation is not in such a forward state here as it was there on our departure, and this I do not ascribe so much to the difference in Latitude as our proximity to the Mountains, which are covered with Snow. 

Governor Simpson left Fort Vancouver on March 19 — a few days before the annual brigades would have left the fort, and about the same time that the later York Factory Express departed the fort. However, he is probably travelling at a faster speed up the river: the York Factory Express men are at Fort Colvile about the middle of April, so about the same time of year. It may have been a winter that had more snow than usual? I don’t think so. Colder than usual? I don’t think so. The problem was that Simpson was just unused to these wintery conditions. And another thing: they made no attempt to find snowshoes that would help them walk over the pass, which is something the later York Factory Express men always did.

So, let us continue our journey north up the Columbia. They passed over the Grand Rapid at 10 in the morning, and at 2 pm reached Kettle Falls, where the men portaged their boats for about a mile past the falls. “While the people were carrying, I went to the Chiefs Lodge about a Mile above the Carrying place; had an Interview with him and some of his principal followers and intimated my wish to form an Establishment provided he undertook to protect it and assured us of his Friendly disposition…” Simpson continues his story: 

He received the proposal with much satisfaction and offered me the choice of his Lands in regard to situation or quantity. We selected a beautiful point on the South side about 3/4ths of a Mile above the Portage, where there is abundance of fine Timber and the situation eligible in every point of view. An excellent Farm can be made at this place where as much Grain and potatoes may be raised as would feed the Natives of the Columbia and a sufficient number of Cattle and Hogs to supply his Majesty’s Navy with Beef and Pork… Lined out the site of the Establishment 150 feet Square on a bank facing and commanding a view of the River, and I have taken the liberty of naming it Fort Colvile, as both the Establishments that bore that Gentleman’s name were abandoned at the Coalition; likewise marked out the Garden and wrote Mr. [James] Birnie to Spokane House, directing him to send a couple of Men across immediately, to plant 5 or 6 Bushels of Potatoes, and to make the necessary preparations to remove the property on the arrival of the Brigade from Fort Vancouver.

I am told that it was arranged between the Chief and Governor Simpson that the Company men would take no fish at this place. As far as I can see, this is not mentioned in Simpson’s journal, but the information should be somewhere and I might stumble across it. Also, we who are descended from James Birnie always heard that it was he who personally planted the potatoes at Fort Colvile. Now I am not too sure. And it is also interesting that, above, Simpson instructed the Spokane House men to “remove the property on the arrival of the Brigade from Fort Vancouver.” And perhaps it happened that way: the footnote reads, “Fort Colvile was built in the autumn and spring of 1825-26.” Yet, in October 1826, when Aemilius Simpson arrived at Fort Colvile, it was just being constructed.

Anyway, Governor Simpson “harangued” the Indigenous people for about an hour (which was considered the normal length of time for a harangue), and went on his way. “Put up at dusk, and narrowly escaped upsetting in a strong rapid, the boat being forced broadside on a Stone in consequence of the Bowsman’s pole breaking.” I thought that would have occurred in the Little Dalles (one of three Little Dalles on this river, not counting the Little Dalles that is part of the Grand Dalles in the Long Narrows. One is in Nespelem Canyon just east of Fort Okanogan, and the other is at Revelstoke, BC.) But it seems it did not happen there, see below.  

There was severe frost that night, but the Day warmed up and was fine. They passed the Little Dalles, and the mouth of the Pend-d’Oreille River, and put up somewhere south of the lower Arrow Lake (in the part of the river shown in the image above). On Saturday, April 16, they breakfasted at McGillivray’s [Kootenay] River, and encamped in the middle of the lower Arrow Lake. “We are now getting into thick wood country, no red Pine to be seen but the Hemlock, White Pine & Cedar are from hence Lords of the Forest until we reach the height of Land.” On Sunday the men worked long hours and put up in the middle of the Upper Arrow Lake [which I think is just Arrow Lake], and Simpson bragged (as he often did) that “Our marching since leaving the Forks of Spokane River beats anything of the kind hitherto known in the Columbia, notwithstanding the invalided state of our Crews and their Wretched fare, Horse, Beans and Grease.” Then, on Monday, 

In order to avail ourselves of a calm in passing the Lake we started soon after midnight and got to the upper end to Breakfast, and as we were looking out for an Encampment in the Evening, two Red Deer [Elk] very opportunely made their appearance within Gun Shot, the first fell to my Lot and the second to that of Mr. [Alexander] Kennedy, all hands were immediately at work preparing for the Feast (as we have lived wretchedly since leaving the Coast) and I suspect the fragments will be very small by Day break, as altho’ we have been now four Hours ashore, roasting and Boiling is still the order of the Night, and our voracious Canadians seem disposed to make but one “pipe” of it in the eating way, until the signal is given for being under weigh.

On Tuesday, “the paddles & poles were kept constantly and vigorously employed 16 hours to Day; large patches of Snow on the banks of the River and to all appearance we shall have no sinecure in crossing the Mountains. Put up about 3 Leagues above the little Dalles.” That’s just north of Revelstoke, BC. On Wednesday, “A good Days Work, fine Weather and the Water rising; made a demi decharge at Rapid aux Morts [Dalles des Morts, or Death Rapids] where I picked up some curious specimens of stone to be sent home. Encamped about 3 Leagues below the Crooked Rapid.” Now, this is very in-ter-es-ting, because in Edward Ermatinger’s outgoing York Factory Express journal of 1827, he wrote this entry:

Thick fog in the morning–fine day. Start at 1/4 past 5 am. Course of the river very rapid. Take breakfast at the foot of the rapid below the Dalles des Morts [Death Rapids]. Carry all our baggage at the lower brink of the Dalles–haul up our boat safe tho’ it is rather a dangerous place — clear the Dalles about noon. While here endeavoured to procure a piece of Rock Crystal, according to Dr. McLoughlin’s instructions, but not knowing the exact spot where it is said to be were unable to find any. Probably the great quantity of snow on many parts of the banks of the River concealed it from our view.

I wonder what this “rock crystal” was? Clearly Simpson wrote to Chief Factor John McLoughlin to have the York Factory Express men search for more of this rock. We can’t go out in search of a sample, as the water in the Columbia River, even in Canada, is higher than it used to be because of dams.  A mystery, probably forever.

So to continue Simpson’s story: No one is happy, most especially Simpson himself. “April 21st. Long Faces, much snow, the Water rising and no encampment, the banks being covered with soft Snow to the Waters edge.

But the next day, they reached Boat Encampment, which made nothing better. “Started as early as it was possible to distinguish the Stones in the Rapids…Saw large quantities of Beaver Cuttings which had drifted down the various streams falling into the main River, indeed I never beheld such numerous vestiges of Beaver and am satisfied that if a party of 20 good Trappers would pass a year in this neighbourhood and employ their time well they would make great hunts. Arrived at the Boat Encampment, west end of the [Athabasca] Portage at 10 am, where I found a few lines from Mr. Larocque… ” Joseph Felix  LaRocque told him of an attack on a Fort Dunvegan [Peace River] clerk by a Beaver Indian, who was immediately put to death. The Beaver Indians had also recently murdered five men at Fort St. Johns, on the Peace River, in the fall of 1823, and Simpson considered abandoning all the Peace River posts to punish them for their attacks. He did do that, and in 1828, when he travelled up the Peace on his way to New Caledonia, we find that some of the posts are just re-opening after a long closure. 

 Whatever else is happening right now is not important, at least not to Simpson. He complains about the long journey across the mountains and the fact that there are no horses available to carry him across the mountains, and that he will have to walk most of the way. He is definitely not pleased! He sent two men ahead to repair the canoes that will be left somewhere in the Jasper Valley for his use. The remaining people seem to be short of provisions, although the men are carrying about 60 pounds of provisions each. “Put the boats en Cache on the Island and distribute our Baggage among the people…” And then, “Left the Boat Encampment at 2 pm, proceeded through a Swamp of about 3 miles in Iced Water, then across the first point of Woods, 6 miles, the walking exceedingly bad; forded the River twice and Encamped on the Batture at Sun Set. Four of our people fell behind and Encamped in the Point of Woods, being unable to keep up with us.”

They are, of course, following the Wood River north toward Athabasca Pass and the Jasper Valley — and yes, the trail from Boat Encampment runs almost due north! On Saturday, April 23, “the people who were left behind last night arrived about Sun rise this morning, when after giving the camp a dram (which they now frequently require on account of the extreme coldness of the Water we have to wade through), we all started; after having made about 4 miles on the Battures or Flats we halted for some of the people who had fallen behind, and when they made their appearance we discovered that the Blackguard Iroquois had on our departure broached the Keg of which all partook except a few of my own Crew, and about half a dozen of them were so drunk that they could not come on. (Was this “blackguard Iroquois” John, the Fort Nez Perce Interpreter who was also on this journey? I don’t think so, but I also don’t understand how someone is suddenly “the Blackguard Iroquois,” in Simpson’s mind when he had never mentioned a Blackguard Iroquois before.) Mr. [James] McMillan was sent back to bring up the rear and I led the advanced party, but had not gone a mile when one of the people informed me that Isaac, the Iroquois Chief (the leader of the Mutinous Dogs who were discharged from the Snake Expedition and one of those I had sentenced to transportation for life from the Columbia for his uniform bad conduct) was the person who had broached the Keg in the Morning, and had that moment in a fit of drunken rage sent his Provisions down the Stream to lighten his burthen; this information irritated me exceedingly, and particularly so on account of the low state of our Provisions, as we must either give the fellow a share of our own little stock or leave him to perish in the Mountain, and seeing the dangerous consequences of allowing an offence of this kind pass unnoticed, I was on the impulse of the moment induced to descend to the disagreeable duty of chastising him on the spot with the first Stick that came to hand. He will feel it for a few Days, and recollect it while in the Indian Country, and it will have a good effect on the whole of our Columbians who are by no means in a good state of discipline; and further to mark my displeasure of the conduct of our people this Day, I knocked a Hatchet into the head of our Rum Keg and dashed the contents into the River, which I have no doubt drew lamentations from some of them. Passed about 9 miles of Battures, the upper point of Woods 6 Miles, and Encamped much fatigued at Sun Set. Mr. McMilan and his Drunken Squad not come up by the time I am writing this and ’tis not probable they will join us tonight, as it is now Dark.”

Yes, it might be John, the Interpreter from Walla Walla, who is the “Blackguard Iroquois.” I’m getting to like Simpson! I might not do the same thing as he did, but I would certainly consider it, if I was in charge of the same group of men! Of course, I have always been restrained by B.C.’s Employment Standards Act, and Simpson certainly was not! Simpson’s journal continues, on Sunday, April 24th. 

Keen Frost during the Night and the Still Water & edges of the River covered with thin Ice; we had notwithstanding to renew our fording Work, which is certainly the most disagreeable I know; passed about 9 Miles of Battures and had to Ford the River 17 times before 6 am. Some of the people were so benumbed with Cold that on getting out of the Water they actually could not stand; entered the Woods of the Big Hill and found the Snow deep and soft. We however, with great labour made a couple of Miles and put up for breakfast drenched with perspiration, altho’ the Morning was very severe. In the face of the Hill for about a couple of Miles the Snow was about 18 Inches deep, but as we advanced it deepened to 6 feet; the labour of Walking without snow shoes was dreadful during the heat of the day, sinking every Step 18 inches to 2 feet, we however by great exertion got to the top of the Hill at 5 pm, having Walked 12 hours with three Indian Shoes on rough Shingle & in deep Snow; every Man in the Camp lame & exhausted. In the morning I was surprised by a rumbling sound which at first we mistook for distant Thunder but on looking in the direction from whence it came I saw it arose from a prodigious avalanche from the top of a very high Mountain, which swept down the Valley beneath like an overwhelming torrent, and sending forth Clouds of drift resembling immense volumes of Smoke. 

Of course, you know they haven’t yet reached Athabasca Pass, but only the plateau at the top of the Big Hill. They would descend the slope into the Pacific Creek Valley, and then climb up the steep slope of the valley to Athabasca Pass itself. In fact, if they looked eastward from the plateau at the top of the Big Hill, they would have an excellent view of Athabasca Pass in all its glory, still looming over them. In other words, their upward journey was not yet complete. And so, the next morning…

Monday, April 25th. Left our Encampment at 1/2 past 3 this Morning, the Snow very deep and the Walking most laborious. At 6 am. got to the Committee Punch Bowl where the people had a Glass of Rum each, and ourselves a little Wine & Water, which was drunk to the Health of their Honors with three Cheers. At 9 got to the Camp Fusil [Kane Meadow] where we put up to breakfast, and rested until 12 am [pm]….

Simpson always mixed up 12 am with 12 pm! Knowing that helps you to understand some parts of his journals. Anyway, Simpson and his party of men has made it to the east side of the Rocky Mountains at last. I have no idea what has happened to James McMillan, whether he has caught up to Simpson with the” drunken squad” or not. We will continue this journey in the next post, which when written will appear here: https://nancymargueriteanderson.com/simpson-to-edmonton-house/

If you want to return to the beginning of this journey from Fort George to Red River, then go here: https://nancymargueriteanderson.com/simpson-at-fort-vancouver-1825/ 

You can order my books, The HBC Brigades, and The York Factory Express, through Amazon if you wish — at https://amazon.com/author/nancymargueriteanderson

Canadians can also order my books here: https://ronsdalepress.com/products/hbc-brigades-the

My new book, Working Title: Three Journeys North to the Arctic Sea, will be published in January 2027. 

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

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• Governor Simpson to Edmonton House →