Stewart’s Journal 4
Image of a birchbark canoe on a Canadian River, from Glenbow Archive, image na-843-14, used with their permission. If you are actually looking for this image, it is not at Uof Calgary, as all the images are, but at Glenbow Museum itself.
It is time to pick up James Green Stewart’s Journal, and to continue learning about his journey North to the Arctic Sea with James Anderson, Chief Trader in charge of Fort Simpson, on the Mackenzie River. The date is Sunday, July 29, 1855, when Stewart writes:
Started at 4 A.M and put ashore at 6 having injured one of the canoes in a Rapid. After breakfast passed Mountain [Montressor] River, McKay’s Peak, and encamped at 7 p.m. in Lake Franklyn near the outlet of the river on an island.
They are in Franklin Lake, which is the last and most Northerly lake on the entire Great Fish River. Once they pass down the short piece of river that remains, they will be in the bottom of Chantrey Inlet, a deep inlet in the Arctic Ocean. I continue with the story as it comes from Stewart’s Journal.
The ice in the Lake to the N.W. is still firm, apparently. The country is getting worse and worse, however, as we advance. We found a piece of wood on the beach, evidently part of an Esquimaux canoe. Put up at a mark this spring [?]. We had fine weather all day though cloudy at night, it blew up from the N with fog and rain. 55 geese killed today.
Monday, 30th [July 1855]. Started at half past 3 A.M. arrived at the Island rapid where we saw some Esquimaux, one man and three women. They could give us but little information but by their signs they would imply that a party had starved to death somewhere to the north, they [had] Mahogany, Ash, oak and white pine which must have come from some [ship?] or other. Gave them a few presents and [continued on to] the last Fall which was run. A little below we saw a few more Esquimaux who were very shy at first, but on our pulling ashore two of them came to us. They also apparently knew of some white men having died, where or when we could not make out but evidently by their gestures of Starvation camped on an island about 25 [miles?] North. Rain most of the afternoon and very hard at night, so much so that we could not manage to boil even the tea kettle. We have felt the need of an interpreter today, indeed we can scarcely hope to find anything more but by chance.
Tuesday 31st. Rain in the morning. Started 3 1/2 AM. Breakfasted at Victoria Headland and camped at 8 PM at Cape Beaufort… The shore here is one extent of rock with scarcely any moss to be seen, such sterility was never seen. Not one animal have we seen but a couple of seals and a band of geese. It is quite madness to think of wintering in such a place, we intend going on 8 days more and then to turn back so that we may have some chance of getting home. Showers of rain most of the day, and the wind changeable, it is now southerly. We have not seen any ice yet but saw the loom of it to the westward. Tide was out as we came out of the Great Fish River, it had changed when we breakfasted at 11 A.M.
Wednesday, 1st August. Rain and wind in the morning prevented us from starting but at 2 1/2 PM we embarked and crossed over to Montreal Island, thus accomplishing the first stage of our journey, 20 days from the head of Great Fish River or Lake Aylmer. Wind very [missing word] in the traverse. We encountered a pack of ice from Elliott Bay, wind SW still pulling [with the tide?]. Fortunately for us a part of it was not very thick and by pushing this place and others [long blank] the canoes we got safely ashore, thanks to providence. At present the island is surrounded by ice. We were searching here in the morning, all hands will be turned out to hunt for any marks all through the island. We may be detained here for several days so that there will be ample time… [omitted].
Thursday 2nd August 1855. Sent off the men to hunt this morning early for either deer or signs of the [men?] About 1 o’clock we heard shots upon which Mr. Anderson and myself started and [met?] Joseph Boucher and William Reid returning loaded with pieces of wood and [blank]. On one small piece was the name of Franklyn’s vessel Erebus.
Supposedly Stewart called the ship Terror in the original document, but Erebus is pencilled in here. Inerestingly, Anderson also wrote in the name of the wrong ship in his journal. Sir John Franklin’s two ships were named the Terror and the Erebus. “Erebus” is an old name for Hell, and so I think the two ships were well named as Franklin’s loss men must have suffered both terror and something close to Hell. But let us continue the story told in James Green Stewart’s journal. — As you know this is the second attempt at writing this blog post and the first attempt (immediately after a major WordPress update) was full of glitches. Now it is not. I like it, in fact — although I might not like it when I attempt to finish and post this blogpost! So, Stewart’s journal continues:
Joseph Boucher and William Reid returning loaded with pieces of wood and on one small piece was the name of Franklin’s vesssel Erebus, and Blacksmith tools and another piece of wood with Mr. Stanley’s name on it, the Surgeon’s name on it. [sic]
The surgeon for the Erebus was Dr. Stephen Samuel Stanley. Stewart’s journal continues:
These things were found in Caches of the Esquimaux in a number of which contianing blubber were among the rest [sic]. It is evident that the natives have been here a short time ago from their fire places being fresh, a great quantity of ships about the same place. [From] these things [which] may come from the ship sent from the suddent winds, the smaller ship with the name on it, and the surgeon’s ame, we may conclude that a party have been in this neighbourhood and have probably perished. The search for bones or graves will continue tomorrow A.M. The ice is now all around the island [Montreal Island] so that we cannot move.
Saturday 4th. Started from our encampment and pushed through the ice along shore from two to three miles and get nearer for crossing to the mainland [Adelaide Peninsula] should we be able to pursue our route to Point Ogle. Warmer today and the sun out most of the forenoon, cloudy in the evening.
Sunday 5th. Left our encampment after breakfast and crossed to the mainland through an opening that was closed almost as soon as we had come through. I killed a Buck deer on our arrival and the men were sent off to examine the shore while Mr. Anderson and myself looked bout the ground in the neighbourhood of our canoes, but to no purpose. The men also returned unsuccessful and after dinner we worked through the ice along shore till 8 P.M. This is about the part where [Chief] Factor [John] Rae imagined that the 30 Men had died, if so we shall find some vestige of them, I trust, for the shore will be carefully surveyed as far as Point Ogle. The season is advancing and our road is altogether blocked up behind us. Weather rather warm today but there was a crust of ice on the water before encamping.
Monday 6th. Started at 9 AM. In consequence of the ice we had to make a portage after going a very short distance. Mr. Anderson remained with the canoes and I went along the sore with 4 men as far as Point Pechell where Mr. A. disembarked and shortly after we encamped. The bay is now full of ice. We propose tomorrow leaving the canoes with 4 men, starting with the rest with us to separate, Mr. A. going across the Point with the Halkett canoe to Maconachie’s Island, while I go round Point Ogle and we meet where he crosses. We had a most beautiful day, the first for a very long time. A great many deer were seen today but as we had meat in the canoes none were fired at.
Tuesday 7th. We started on foot and examined the whole of the Point as far as Maconachie’s Island, but found no traces whatever. After killing a deer we encamped, the weather was fine all day, the Point appears to be nothing but sand. Sir Charles Ogle is not very much honoured by such a sterile spot, found no heather at all.
No heather, no campfire. Stewart appears to hate this place and to think it entirely empty, but on his way down the river (or up, perhaps) Anderson collected lichen, and took it home with him. His collection still exists in a botanical collection somewhere — I don’t know where. But I think that little fact tells you a great deal about the difference between these two men.
Wednesday 8th. After examining [Maconachie’s] Island we returned to the canoes in a heavy shower of rain, not being able to make a fire. A little alcohol was given to the men to prevent any bad effects from the cold and wet. Mr Anderson and myself took a little also which nearly poisoned us. Thus our return is commenced, and though unsuccessful in our search we have followed out our instructions and have the satisfaction of having done our duty, with light hearts also we turn our back on this cold sterile region, where with our means it is quite impossible to winter, no fuel nor is there a sufficiency of deer to provide a supply for a length of time.
Thursday 9th. Rained all night and snow fell in the morning [It’s August!] Started at 9 A.M. Worked along shore through the ice and camped opposite the north end of Montreal Island. The rain in the afternoon was cutting [soaking?] our canoes through The sun was out all day, it is time we were getting home but more hast, less speed answered well through this bay. Were we to break our canoes our lives might be the penalty.
Friday 10th. Started at 3 A.M. and after working till one have after breakfast took the traverse for Point Beaufort [on the East side of Chantrey Inlet] which was reached in time for camping, but the sea was so high on the rocks that we had to continue on to Point Backhouse, where we arrived at 10 1/2 PM and camped.
Saturday 11th. Remained all day in our encampment having head wind with showers of rain and sleet.
On the 12th of the month the men will begin their journey home, heading South up the flow of the Great Fish River on their way to Great Slave Lake, 600 miles away (if I remember correctly). As you can see, James Green Stewart’s journal is difficult to follow (and also to read) and he does repeat himself on a fairly regular basis. When I write the next post in this series it will show up here when published — https://nancymargueriteanderson.com/whatever-i-call-it/
If you want to compare this journal with James Anderson’s journal, you can begin it here: https://nancymargueriteanderson.com/james-anderson-13/
And to go back to the beginning of James Green Stewart’s Journal go here: https://nancymargueriteanderson.com/james-green-stewart/
There is a place in the above James Green Stewart series where I was unable to link this post with the one before it because of the WordPress glitches. We will have to see if WordPress has managed to fix that problem as well. I’m sure they have.
As you may or may not know, the book that contains this story will be published in January 2027 under the title of No Ordinary Risks: Epic Historic Explorations from Hudson Bay to the Arctic Sea. It is a mouthful of a title, but there are big stories contained within!
Thanks for your patience with the difficulties I had with WordPress on Saturday. We will see if it is entirely fixed. Now to press “Save” and see what happens! [It worked, after I found the Edit button. Hurray!]
Copyright, Nancy Marguerite Anderson, 2026. All rights reserved.