in 1793, can furnish many interesting details of the
explorer’s visit.

The greatest interest of the journey, however, centres
in the historic memorial, painted by Mackenzie with a
mixture of grease and vermilion on the rock which formed
his westerly camping place:—

ALEXANDER MACKENZIE, From CANADA, BY LAND,
THE TWENTY SECOND oF JuLY ONE THOUSAND
SEVEN HuNnpDRED AND NINETY-ITHREE.

The words of this memorial have been quoted in
almost every detailed history of Canada, but the exact
position of the rock on which they were written has appar-
ently never been determined, although many rumours on
the subject have been prevalent on that part of the coast
for a number of years. The late Captain Walbran, who
was known to be deeply interested in the matter, is reported
to have commemorated the historic voyage by painting
an inscription on a rock in the vicinity of its westerly
camp. The existence of this painting may perhaps have
given rise to the rumours referred to.

From Captain Walbran’s reference to the inscription
in “British Columbia Place Names,’? it seems evident
that he did not profess to know the exact position and
that he was of the opinion that nobody had reported having
seen the inscription since the visit of John Dunn in 1836.
Mr. Dunn, who was then stationed at Fort McLoughlin,
now Bella Bella, refers to the painting in ““The History of
Oregon,” but gives no clue to its exact position. From
his account it would appear that there was not very much
left of the paint at the time of his visit.®

The Bella Coola Indians, who are full of lore on the
subject of Mackenzie, know nothing about the inscription
beyond what they have been told by white men as to its

2 British Columbia Coast Names, by Captain John T. Walbran, Ottawa, 1909,
pp. 44, 84-85.

3 “And in case any vessel should run to this place to trade, he [Mackenzie], made
a mark on a large rock; which was partly decipherable when we were there.” See
History of the Oregon Territory, by John Dunn, London 1844. p. 267.

4A Coast Salish tribe (by Dunn called Bellaghchoolas) on Bentinck Arm, whose
village ‘Rascals’ village,’’ is at the mouth of the Bella Coola River—the Salmon
River of Mackenzie.

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