North Saskatchewan River
At Edmonton House, the York Factory Express joined the Saskatchewan Brigades, who were carrying their furs down the North Saskatchewan River to Hudson Bay. I had to learn about every…
Read morePeter Warren Dease travels north from Fort Alexandria
So it is now time for me to bring Peter Warren Dease north from Fort Alexandria to Fort George [Prince George]. Dease’s journals are usually quite brief: but I would…
Read moreTwo Canoes: Governor Simpson reaches the Fraser River
Governor Simpson has arrived at Fort St. James, and the first complaint he and his men have is about the provisions — or lack of them. As Archibald McDonald wrote…
Read moreSalmon Runs, 1843 to 1858
As a BC-ite and fur trade historian of sorts, I have been brought up on the notion that the salmon runs were regular events, and that only once in every…
Read moreGeorge McDougall
In my research for my next book, I stumbled on a very interesting man whose name was familiar, but about whom I knew little. His name is George McDougall, and…
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