DISCOVERY BY ALEXANDER MACKENZIE

display of bows and arrows, and loud vociferations. Having
succeeded in dispelling their fears, the explorer soon
noticed iron work in their possession. On inquiry he
found that they got it from people who lived up a large
river (the Carriers), who in turn procured it from others
who dwelt in houses (the Coast Indians), to whom it was
furnished by men like Mackenzie himself, who travelled in
canoes large as islands on the “stinking lake,’ the sea.
. They professed to know of no stream that emptied therein,
but mentioned a large river whose “inhabitants built
houses, lived on islands, and were a numerous and warlike
people.”* This is the first implied reference we find in the
whole field of literature to the Fraser and the Carrier
Indians.

Having persuaded one of the Sekanais to accompany
them in the capacity of guide, Mackenzie and party
reached (June 12th) a lake two miles long, which was no
other than the source of the Parsnip. After a portage of
only 817 paces, they came to another lake, whence they
entered a small stream which was to try sorely their
patience, and which, for that reason, they called the “ Bad
River.” This might be described as a generally shallow
creek with a rocky bottom, where rapids, whirlpools,
eddies, and treacherous rocks succeeded each other with
hardly any interruption. The party’s canoe fared badly
along this wild river, getting broken with several holes in
the bottom, when the crew had to jump into the water, and
the whole cargo was wrecked, though afterwards recovered,
with the exception of the bullets, which were irretrievably
lost.

As a climax, the guide, on whom they had counted to
introduce them to the terrible Carriers, deserted on the
15th, and they were left alone to contemplate the “Great

.I. Mackenzie’s Journal, p. 204.

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