July 1826
Friday 14th.  The Saskatshawan Brigade which I was appointed to accompany (as were all the party bound for the Columbia), being now equiped, and the number of men required for the latter department being made up the Dispatches closed and all other arrangements being completed, we embarked from York Factory at 3 PM, and commenced our Journey across the Continent of North America.  Our Brigade consists of about sixty persons in all for the several departments vis: Saskatshawan, Columbia and New Caledonia, including Mess. Jn Stewart C. T., Rowen C. T., McMillan C. T., Macgillvery  C. T., MacDougal Clerk, Birnie Clerk. Sinclair mate of vessel building in the Columbia, and myself for the purpose of taking command of that vessel.  We embarked in five boats which were fully laden with the supplies for the interior, our Crews were in high spirits and commenced their laborious Journey with as much apparent indifference as if a few days was to bring it to a conclusion.  On Embarking we were accompanied to the wharf by all the gentlemen and servants assembled at York Factory, which at this time was very numerous.  To bid farewell to so many was therefore a very formidable task, and altho my mode of life from an early period has exposed me to frequent changes and separation from friend, yet it has not been able to divest me from feeling very acutely such separation when the hour. arrives, and on the present occasion I could not divest my self of such a feeling, when parting with my valuable friend the Governor of Ruperts Land.  I was now entering among strangers and upon entirely a new mode of life,  the considerations which were calculated to create a good deal of anxiety, as I was a stranger to the habits of the former and doubtful of my capacity to perform the duties of the latter; on the other hand I did not commence the journey without feelings of satisfaction at the prospect held out to me of seeing a variety of new and interesting Lands.  [     ] regretted my own incapacity to make a proper use of my opportunities in the way of observation and occupation,  On leaving Norway House for York Factory I considered it unnecessary to carry along with me my heavy casct. containing my Instruments, as this Track was already Surveyed by much abler hands.  And for the same reason I shall forbear making an entry of my Track until in a general way and any positions as to Latitude and Longitude I introduce between here and Norway House are upon Franklins, Authority.  On embarking at 3 PM we had a favorable breeze which assisted us in our ascent of Hays River, but on its dying away, our crews were obliged to commence tracking¹ by line, which was a very labourious duty.  The path in many places being along the face of steep cliffs of adhesive clay, yet such is the spirit of emutation among these voyageurs, that they are regardless of every obstacle and perform their sworn duty with a cheerfulness and perseverance that cannot be exceeded. We continued our ascent of Hays River until a short distance below Eighteen Mile Creek, where we encampt for the night, at 9:20 PM.  The weather throughout the day was fine but we were very much persecuted by moskitos.

Saturday 15th.  The morning commenced Hazy, but cleared up on the Suns rising when the weather became fair & pleasant.  We Embarked at 2:50 AM and continued our ascent of Hays River which we completed at 5 PM. when we arrived at he confluence of the Shamattawa, making the estimated distance from York Factory 58 miles which exceeds Capt Franklins a few miles. As we continue our ascent the current gains additional force, which adds very much to the labour of hauling but we were occasionally favored with a breeze which gave us assistance, & the tracking path was in many places very good.  Having a beach covered with rounded stones, as compactly lie as if done by human labour, & forming a good causway.

We continued to ascend Stet's river until 9:30 PM when we were 12 miles above the junction of the Shamattawa & having made a distance in the course of the day of 50 miles by my estimation in a very winding course, but in a SW direction.

July 1826 Sunday 16th.  The morning commenced Hazy with a cold dew, followed by a warm day.  At 2:30 AM Embarked & continued our ascent of the Stut's River until noon when we arrived at the confluence of the Fox and Stut's Rivers making the latter by my estimation a distance of 29 miles.  We now commenced our ascent of Hills River, which we continued until 8:30 PM having ascended it 12 miles & making a distance in the course of the day of 29 miles in a winding course to the SW when we encampt.  Our men having had a hard day tracking over a very indifferent path, it being in many places along the face of perpendicular clay cliffs, affording frequently a very unsafe footing.  These cliffs often attain a height of a hundred feet, with their Summits perfectly level & bearing a stunted growth of Pines.

Monday 17th.  The morning Hazy but fine weather during the day.  We embarked at the usual hour & continued our ascent of the Hill River by Tracking.  The path generally better than yesterday, as those steep clay cliffs no longer occur, but its being flooded in some places still renders it a very laborious duty.  We do not move therefore at a rate exceeding two miles per hour.  At 4:45 PM we arrived at the Rocky Portage, which I estimate is 34 miles above the mouth of the Hill River, making this portage occupied us until 6 PM when we proceeded for 2 miles & got to Borroweeks falls & having landed above them at 8:15 we continued our ascent for a mile.  When encampt for the night at 9 PM.  On getting above the Rock Portage we discontinue Tracking and proceed by Poling an occupation at which our Canadian Voyagers are very expert.  The face of the county assumes a different character along our days track.  The Hills are now rounded taking their rise gradually from the banks of the River & forming a chain or ridge of Hills running parallel with the course of the River, bearing a stunted growth of Pines with Birch & a variety of shrubs.  The scenery about the Rock Portage is very picturesque and romantic.

Tuesday 18.  Commenced a heavy Fog which cleared up at 5 AM.  At noon the weather was hot and sultry.  The Thermometer up to 80 degrees which ended in the evening with rain and Thunder.  at 3 AM we continued our ascent of the Hill River, which now presents a constant chain of rapids obliging us to make frequent discharges and portages.  Vis: the White Mud portage, Rocky Point Discharge, 1st and 2nd Brassa Portages & minor rapids & at 7 PM we arrived at the Lower Burnt Wood Portage where we encampt for the night.  Having after a day of great labour and fatigue come a distance of only 13 miles.  Mr. Alex Steward passed in the afternoon in his light canoe.  My travelling companion Mr. McMillan accompanied him, being anxious to get to Norway House.  This afforded him a more expeditious means of getting there.  I was offered a seat but declined it.

Wednesday 19th.  We had a considerable fall of rain during the night.  Some of our boats having fallen in the rear, we were detained in our encampment until 6 AM, when we pursued our journey, opposed by a constant succession of strong rapids, requiring the utmost caution, alternately at the poles, hauling lines & oars & making frequent portages, Vis: South Harding place, Morgans Rocks, Portage des Isle, Upper Burnt Wood, Smooth Stone Portages, above which we encampt for the night. Having only gone a distance of five miles from our morning encampment.  The fatigue from the great labour attending this mode of traveling is very great, and not withstanding the fine scenery presented by many of these falls & rapids which are well calculated to please either the eye or imagination of the traveller, yet the frequent repetition & the serious obstacles accompanying them, divests them on a great measure of that virtue which under different circumstances they must create.  The attention of the traveller is principally devoted to his progress & you hear a constant repetition of the query.  How far distant is the next Portage?  Occasionally the Portages remunerate us by a supply of new fruit, vis strawberries, gooseberries & ---

Thursday 20th.  Fine clear weather.  Some of our boats being still in the rear we did not proceed on our journey until 4:30 AM   We were occupied until 8:40 in getting above the rapids of the Mossy Portage at noon we were making the 2nd Portage, the day untimely warm Thermometer 81 degrees.  Not withstanding our increasing exertions our advance today has been very trifling in point of distance being only 4 1/2 miles but taking Portages and rapids and an equivalent we have certainly made a fair days march, having made four portages [three] of them launching places for boats.  Besides hauling by line there I was walking  shoots & rapids some of them dangerous & the best tedious and fatiguing the crews being frequently obliged to leap overboard on the rapids to launch the boats over rocks.  The heat of the day was followed by showers in the evening.  Two of our boats having fallen in the rear we encampt at 8PM. above the rapids of Grand Water Creek.

Friday 21st.  The morning gloomy with drizzling rain.  We continued in our encampment until 9:30 AM in consequence of three of the boats being still behind, when we embarked & continued our ascent of the Hill River by poling, hauling by line & rowing alternately as circumstances required.  at 3 PM we arrived above the upper rapids of  Hill River.  Which river by my estimation is 64 miles.  The last 30 above the Rock Portage, a continued chain of rapids and spouts, which has occupied us four days in ascending them.  We now entered Swampy Lake & being favored with a sailing wind, we landed on the Sail Island a short distance from the Ram stone & furnishing ourselves with mash we made sail up the lake, an agreeable change in our mode of travellling, on completing our ascent of Swampy Lake which is about 10 miles NE & SW.  We entered Lark Fint River at 5 PM & having carried across the first Portage which is about 1 mile up the River.  We proceeded on the Long Portage.  When we emcampt for the night Two of our boats still in the rear.  The weather today has been rather cold and cloudy.  wind NW thermometer noon 57 degrees.

Saturday 22nd.  fine clear weather.  Having remained in our Encampment of the arrival of our two stern most boats, we did not embark til 6:45 AM.  When carrying on the 2nd portage Mr. MacDonnel [  ] in a light canoe, came up with us from York Factory bringing along with him Mr. Barnstone clerk to join the Colombian Brigade, at 3PM we completed our ascent of the Lark Tent or lower Lark River, which presents a constant chain of rapids & altho only 9 miles in [ ].  There are four portages within a distance of two miles, & may be considered one of the [ ] parts of the Track from York Factory, We now entered Knee Lake, which we continued to ascend with a fine fair breeze until 8PM. When the two boats again falling out of sight behind we encampt for the night upon a small islet having ascended the lake 21 miles in a WSW direction & having come during the day a distance of 28 1/2 miles.  We had fair clear weather throughout the day.  Thermometer at 67 degrees. Wind NE.  Mr. Fures passed on his way to Montreal from York Factory in three canoes.

Sunday 23rd.  Commenced fair clear weather.  Wind NW.  We remained in our encampment until the arrival of our sternmost boats at 7:30 AM.  when we continued our ascent of Knee Lake, at 9:20 We arrived at the Magnetic Island mentioned by Franklin.  I estimate it to be 27 miles from the lower entrance of the Lake, it is in Latitude 55" & at the upper termination of the Knee, in a close approach to this Small Islet, which was hardly above the surface of the Lake.  I found the compass became greatly agitated veering about with great rapidity, until at last it became stationary.  The South Point being fixed in the direction of the Island and altho I applied a Key it had not the effect of withdrawing it from that direction, but as we left the Island it gradually resumed its true direction but in passing a point of another islet, a few hundred yards beyond it, the compass again became similarly affected, from which circumstance I would infer that a vein possessing this quality extends for some distance in a NE & SW direction, at 3:25 PM we completed the ascent of Knee Lake, which I estimate to be 47 miles, averaging WSW & ENE direction, except in the Knee, where it runs SE & NW nearly.  We now commenced our ascent of the Trout River, which having done for 1 1/2 miles we arrived at the Trout Falls, one of the most dangerous rapids or falls on the line of communication.  We encampt at the Head of these falls.  Two of our boats having fallen again in the rear.  These falls with the surrounding scenery, afforded a fine subject for the pencil of Coor Hood but the heightening of the Landscape by the silver tents of the moons rays shooting thru a projecting point of wood on the opposite shore. & playing upon the agitated surface of these [funer ] falls, made made me regret that they were not similarly presented to him, as they were to me, this evening, which added much to their natural grandeur.   

July 1826  Monday 24th.  commenced fine clear weather.  We resided in our encampment until 5:30 AM waiting the arrival of our sternmost boats, when we continued our ascent of Trout River a very rapid stream, five miles of it being a constant chain of rapids and falls, at 9:35 we got above the knife portage & having hauled by line above a number of rapids at a quarter past noon we arrived in comparatively still water, enabling us to proceed with greater expedition, til 3 PM.  We arrived at Oxford House, a small trading post on Holey Lake.  The Trout River being by my estimation a distance of 14 miles from its bottom to Oxford House, 9 miles of that a succession of rapids, its direction for 12 miles being between NW & N when it turns again from the SW & W.  Our crews received a supply of pemmican at this post & we resumed our journey at 4:30 PM & having ascended Holey Lake 15 miles between WbS&SWbS.  We encampt at 9PM on an Island.

Tuesday 25th.  Tine clear weather a breeze from the SW.  We embarked at 4:30 AM and continue our ascent of Holey Lake & at 10:45 entered the Wissinapanes, making the estimated distance of Holey Lake 33 1/2 miles, WbS to SSW, leading among clusters of Islands.  Having ascended the Wissinapanes about 2 miles we arrived at the lower portage in this river, we her met a Canoe and boat from the New Caledonia District, with returns for York Factory.  On making this portage we continue our ascent of this stream making two portages and hauling for rapids within a distance of two miles, on arriving above these rapids we passed the Windy Lake & entered the Rabbit ground, where we encampt having travelled during the day a distance of 32 miles.  We experienced great heat during the day.

Wednesday 26th.  Fine weather, at 2:30 AM embarked & continued our ascent o the Rabbit ground.  We arrived at the Lower Portage of Hills Gates at 1/4 before 6 AM, in hauling these funer rapids one of our boats filled, having make her shur in the rapids & not having made a sufficient discharge of her cargos, which should never be omitted in hauling dangerous rapids, which the crews are apt to do to save themselves trouble in transporting the goods.  The scenery about the portage presents one of those [] singular pictures of the face of nature, which seldom fails to impress the contemplative mind with feeling & of [] and wonder, to [] for these wonderful productions by the common operations of nature is I believe only speculative.  Capt Franklin in speaking of this place, supposes that the mere action of water in line produced this extraordinary chasm, thru which the river now holds its course.  I should rather ascribe it to the force of one of those mysterious convulsions to which our earth has been subjected.  Having made this portage, we continue our ascent of the Hill river, hauling a succession of rapids & making the upper portage of Hells Gates, which we completed at 3 PM.  We now arrived in comparatively still water.  The still [] shore current, & at 6:15 PM arrived at the White Fall or Robertson Portage, having hauled a distance during the day of 25 miles.

Thursday 27th.  Commenced gloomy threatening rain.  The crews from daylight were employed transporting the cargoes & boats across this portage, which is a most laborious operation, being across a hill of considerable elevation and a distance of 3/4 mile & is performed entirely by main strength, our crews despising the air of art.  They are not even furnished with tackle, which woven of judiciously applied render great assistance a chain of falls on our right as we ascend from this serous obstruction on this part of our route, it was viewing the rich scenery about these falls, that so nearly cost Capt Franklin his life by falling into this river on the margin of the rapids.  He places them in Latitude 54^o 24 Long 96^o 31  At 11:35 AM, the boats & being transported.  We embarked & continued our route by a small stream, coming from a chin of swampy lakes which produced the White fish in great abundance & {}.  I understand.  The country along our track is clothed with a stunted growth of Pines & Poplars, & occasionally shoving themselves above the Swamps are projecting mass of Rock which forms a curious contrast.  At 5:45 PM having made the portage across the Painted stone, a narrow edge of Rocks forming a barrier [  ]of the Sowers of the Hays River & the Echiamamis. We continued our ascent of the latter a trifling stream, taking its course thru a marsh.  We fortunately found no obstruction from want of water & continued our rout for 7 miles, when we encampt upon a ledge of rocks at 8:15 PM.  Having come a distance of 23 1/2 miles from the white fate portage.  The weather during the day was close and gloomy.  Thermometer at noon 78^o.

Friday 28th.  Commenced close gloomy weather. Thermometer 70^o at 3 AM.  Embarked & continued our route down the Echiamamis without meeting any obstruction from want of water which is a rare occurrence at this season.  I understand.  On arriving at the Dam treated by Mr Kemp for the purpose of elevating this stream, we found the sluice gate carried away & the work otherwise considerably injured.  At noon we entered Hairy Lake & were opposed by a breeze from the SW.  The weather was extremely warm.  Thermometer 85^o at 1:35 having completed our ascent of Hairy Lake which is a small thread of water of about 5 miles SW.  We commenced our decent of the stream called the Black Water which is I suppose merely a continuation of the Echiamames, on descending five miles we entered the Lea River.  The oppressive heat of the day was followed by a severe Thunder storm, accompanied by very heavy rain & hailstones of immense size, obliging us to take shelter for about an hour under cover of a small Island, when we again continued our ascent of the Lea River and Carpenters Lake, opposedly strong rapids and at 8:30 arrived at the rapids formed by the falling of Play Green Lake into Carpenters Lake, thru a [] channel.  We encampt upon the ledge of Rock on the right for the night our crews unloaded the boats & hauled them above the rapids.

Saturday 29th.  commenced close weather with drizzling rain with a breeze from the NW rendering in great assistance in our progress to Norway House.  We embarked from the Lea carrying place at 3 AM & proceeded our route by the Lower Play Green Lake.  Little Jack River & Upper Play Green Lake, in many parts thru intricate channels & winding courses, that Principally to the SW a distance of 40 miles which brought us to Norway House at 3 PM, Having taken sixteen days to perform the journey from York Factory, which I estimate to be a travelling distance of 395 1/2 miles.  It is certainly a long time for so short a distance, altho more expeditious than is generally performed but when it is observed that some days with our utmost exertions we did not travel a distance exceeding five miles from the serious obstacles opposed to us, by rapids, portages &c.  The difficulty of this track may be appreciated.  It will be seen by a reference to Captain Franklins Journal that this journey too0k his party twenty eight days.  Altho there are many natural obstacles in the line of [] which art could not overcome, it is susceptible of improvement in may parts, but perhaps the expense attending it is too great a consideration to engage in such improvement.  We found several of the Partners and other gentlemen of the company at this post, waiting the return of their boats, with the outfits from York Factory, There was also a considerable population who had collected here form various parts of the Territory with the different Brigades & who remained here until their return from York Factory for their respective destinations, and I was informed the number including woman and children, was for a considerable time equal to about three hundred souls, whose sole subsistence depended upon the fishing of this place, which fortunately proved very abundant this season.  The supply having now failed provision has become a scarce article, which renders it desirable that people leave as early as possible, our stay will therefore be very short.

Sunday 30th.  During the night we had a heavy fall of rain & thunder storm against which our Tents proved but a very indifferent shelter. many coming sown & exposing their inmates to a complete wetting.  The scanty supply of provisions has rendered our crews to the alternative of eating dogs which however is considered a choice article of food by some of the old voyagers.  The gentlemen participate in the general scarcity, and are reduced to a very scanty diet.  Mr. Fun provided for them [] with articles [] & [] having three canoes & Mr. McDonoull for Fimmiscamains in a light canoe.  By observation obtained today I make the latitude of Norway House 52 [] N and Latitude by my Chronometer 97o 53'W which is 84 miles to the east of the Longitude assigned last by Capt Franklin from what I must infer that the journey to York Factory has altered the rate of my Chronometer.  Our arrangements at this place being completed we resumed our journey at 5 PM and proceeded to an encampment at Norway Point.

Monday 31st.  Commenced calm and cloudy.  At 4:45 AM we embarked & pursued our route along the NW shore of Lake Winnipeg, which for the first thirty miles is composed of steep cliffs of clay.  We were favored with a fair breeze for a great part of our days run, sometimes blowing strong accompanied by rain which induced us to keep close in with the shore, thereby lengthening our distance considerably; at 3:15 we toasted the arrival of our stern most boats, and the lee of MacIntosh Island, the one mentioned by Franklin as lying off the Tongue forming the separation between Limestone Bay & the main Lake.  At 4 PM continued our journey again, to the SW keeping close along the shore.  At 8:30 we entered a snug cove about a mile to the South of the 2nd Rocky Point where we encampt for the night, having come during the day a distance of 60 miles.

1.  "Tracking, as the hauling of cargo-laden scows was called, was an arduous task where a team of eight to ten men pulled boats upstream." ²