Journals quotes

nor could I turn aside to collect the plants which nature might have scattered on the way, when my thoughts were anxiously employed in making provision for the day that was passing over me.

I had to encounter perils by land and perils by water; to watch the savage who was our guide, or to guard against those of his tribe who might meditate our destruction.

I had, also, the passions and fears of others to control and subdue. Today, I had to assuage the rising discontents, and on the morrow, to cheer the fainting spirits of the people who accompanied me.

and if, at any time, I have delivered myself with confidence, it will appear, I hope, to be on those subjects, which, from the habits and experience of my life, will justify an unreserved communication of my opinions.

I am not a candidate for literary fame

; at the same time, I cannot but indulge the hope that this volume, with all its imperfections, will not be thought unworthy the attention of the scientific geographer;

Saturday, July 11.—

I sat up all night to observe the sun. At half past twelve I called up one of the men to view a spectacle which he had never before seen

;

About nine, however, I was awakened to resolve the doubts which had taken place respecting this extraordinary appearance. I immediately perceived that they were whales; and having ordered the canoe to be prepared, we embarked in pursuit of them.

It was, indeed, a very wild and unreflecting enterprise, and it was a very fortunate circumstance that we failed in our attempt to overtake them, as a stroke from the tail of one of these enormous fish would have dashed the canoe to pieces.

We may, perhaps, have been indebted to the foggy weather for our safety, as it prevented us from continuing our pursuit.

but it is to be considered, that we were ten men, and four women. I have always observed, that the north men possessed very hearty appetites, but they were very much exceeded by those with me since we entered this river.

I should really have thought it absolute gluttony in my people, if my own appetite had not increased in a similar proportion.

but his long discourse obtained little satisfactory intelligence from them. Their account of the river to the westward, was similar to that which he had already received: and their description of the inhabitants of that country was still more absurd and ridiculous.

They represented them as being of a gigantic stature, and adorned with wings; which, however, they never employed in flying.

That they fed on large birds, which they killed with the greatest ease, though common men would be certain victims of their ferocity if they ventured to approach them.

but that if he had lost his life where he had been, it would have been the consequence of his own folly.

Thus, even among these children of nature, it appears that a man’s house is his castle, where the protection of hospitality is rigidly maintained.

The hard frost which had prevailed from the beginning of February continued to the 16th of March, when the wind blowing from the southwest, the weather became mild.

Tuesday, June 11.—The morning was clear and cold. On my interpreter’s encouraging the guide to dispel all apprehension, to maintain his fidelity to me, and not to desert in the night,

“How is it possible for me,” he replied, “to leave the lodge of the Great Spirit!⁠—When he tells me that he has no further occasion for me, I will then return to my children.”

As we proceeded, however, he soon lost, and with good reason, his exalted notions of me.

but, at length, we most fortunately arrived in shallow water and a small eddy, where we were enabled to make a stand, from the weight of the canoe resting on the stones, rather than from any exertions of our exhausted strength.

For though our efforts were short, they were pushed to the utmost, as life or death depended on them.

This alarming scene, with all its terrors and dangers, occupied only a few minutes; and in the present suspension of it, we called to the people on shore to come to our assistance, and they immediately obeyed the summons.

and, in this situation, one of the men carelessly and composedly walked across it with a lighted pipe in his mouth, but without any ill consequence resulting from such an act of criminal negligence.

I need not add that one spark might have put a period to all my anxiety and ambition.

I observed several trees and plants on the banks of this river, which I had not seen to the north of the latitude 52° such as the cedar, maple, hemlock, etc.

This journey was three quarters of a mile east-northeast, through a continued swamp, where, in many places, we waded up to the middle of our thighs. Our course in the small river was about southeast by east three miles.

At length we enjoyed, after all our toil and anxiety, the inexpressible satisfaction of finding ourselves on the bank of a navigable river, on the west side of the first great range of mountains.

At the commencement of this conversation, I was very much surprised by the following question from one of the Indians:

“What,” demanded he, “can be the reason that you are so particular and anxious in your inquiries of us respecting a knowledge of this country: do not you white men know everything in the world?”

This interrogatory was so very unexpected, that it occasioned some hesitation before I could answer it. At length, however, I replied, that we certainly were acquainted with the principal circumstances of every part of the world;

with which, he and his relations must be well acquainted, as they had so frequently surmounted them.

Thus I fortunately preserved the impression in their minds, of the superiority of white people over themselves.

It was now, however, absolutely necessary that I should come to a final determination which route to take; and no long interval of reflection was employed, before I preferred to go over land:

At all events, I declared, in the most solemn manner, that

I would not abandon my design of reaching the sea, if I made the attempt alone, and that I did not despair of returning in safety to my friends.

This proposition met with the most zealous return, and they unanimously assured me, that they were as willing now as they had ever been, to abide by my resolutions, whatever they might be, and to follow me wherever I should go.

Having been regaled with these delicacies, for such they were considered by that hospitable spirit which provided them, we laid ourselves down to rest, with no other canopy than the sky; but I never enjoyed a more sound and refreshing rest, though

I had a board for my bed, and a billet for my pillow.

Thursday, July 18.—At five this morning I awoke, and found that the natives had lighted a fire for us, and were sitting by it. My hospitable friend immediately brought me some berries and roasted salmon, and his companions soon followed his example.

I now mixed up some vermilion in melted grease, and inscribed, in large characters, on the southeast face of the rock on which we had slept last night, this brief memorial—

“Alexander Mackenzie, from Canada, by land, the twenty-second of July, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-three.”

As I thought that we were too near the village, I consented to leave this place, and accordingly proceeded northeast three miles, when we landed on a point, in a small cove, where we should not be readily seen, and could not be attacked except …

I then observed an emersion of Jupiter’s first satellite, which gave 8° 1′ 48″. The mean of these observations is 8° 2′ 2″ which is equal to 128° 2′ west of Greenwich.

I had now determined my situation, which is the most fortunate circumstance of my long, painful, and perilous journey, as a few cloudy days would have prevented me from ascertaining the final longitude of it.

At twelve it was high water, but the tide did not come within a foot and an half of the high water mark of last night. As soon as I had completed my observations, we left this place:

At twelve we ran our canoe upon a rock, so that we were obliged to land in order to repair the injury she had received; and as the rain came on with great violence, we remained here for the night.

The salmon were now driving up the current in such large shoals, that the water seemed, as it were, to be covered with the fins of them.

Wednesday, August 7.—About nine this morning the weather cleared, and we embarked. The shoals of salmon continued as yesterday. There were frequent showers throughout the day, and every brook was deluged into a river.

but fortunately the state of the water was such, that we got up without any difficulty, and had more time to examine these extraordinary rocks than in our outward passage.

They are as perpendicular as a wall, and give the idea of a succession of enormous Gothic churches.

We were now closely hemmed in by the mountains, which had lost much of their snow since our former passage by them. We encamped at a late hour, cold, wet, and hungry: