es _ Landing. the MacKenzie. First White Settlement. in the Cassiars This is the first in a series of articles tracing back through the history of the Cassiars, It won’t be a schol- arly work, particularly, but will deal with major events taken from the oral history of the native people, and from diaries, reports, letters and writings of people significant to the Cassiar past... a part | by Jerry Rosman It lasted less than a year, but the Hudson Bay Post at Sawmill Point (originally called Campbells Point) on Dease Lake, was the first recorded settlement of white men in the Cassiar region. Hudson Bay traders were looking for a route to the Pacific, and weren’t to be denied. In 1834, John McLeod, Chief Trader at Fort Halkett (see map), set out ‘up the Liard River, travelling to the mouth of the Nahany River (now called the Dease); He followed the river to Dease Lake and then over the Indian trail to the Tuya River crossing. He stopped there and turned back. With the exception of Samuel Black, McLeod was the first white man to cross the Arctic Divide in the area from the Skeena River to the Paci- fic, McLeod returned to Fort Halkett with reports of hardships and trouble navigating the Dease and Liard, but with news of the promise of success. He never stopped to build a cabin, let alone a settlement. In the spring of 1838, Robert Campbell, urged on by McLeod’s earlier reports, left Fort Halkett headingfor Dease Lake with plans to establish a trading post. There were eight men in the party, two canoes and supplies, The Dease was at flood stage and the going was dif- ficult. The group made many portages that would have been avoided if they had travelled later in the year. Their trip was arduous but had its’ advantages. ' There was plenty to eat,...Campbell reported: “rmoose and reindeer (caribou), grizzly, black and brown bear and beaver whose cuttings of poplar trees along the river look like clearings, made by axemen.”” Even- tually they came to the fork of the Liard and the Na- hany. “We followed the Nahany.”’ Their river trail up the Nahany brought them through the towering Cassiar Mountains, described - by George Dawson ~ as ... ‘capped with eternal snow’. Finally emerging from the river onto the long narrow waters of Dease Lake, (so named by John McLeod in honor of a man he much admired, Chief Factor Peter Warren Dease). By the time Campbell and his party arrived, it was early July, and time was running out if they wanted to build a supply fort on Dease Lake before winter setin, | According to Dawson ~, by July 20, the walls of the fort were rising on the east side of the lake on “Campbells Point’ (Sawmill Point), about 3 miles south of the northern end of Dease Lake and Porters Co. Post (abandoned 1839)”. Campbell didn’t stay as the fort was being built. He spent that summer exploring down the Telegraph Trail to. Thaltan-- the meeting place of the Trading Nahannis, and their great Chief Shakes, and the coas- tal Tlingits. After an eventful summer, (described in future issues) Campbell returned to the Dease Fort, and immediately set out for Fort Simpson with news of the Fort’s completion and for winter supplies. Fort Simpson was 700 miles away and their course down the Dease and Liard was a trial for their birch- bark canoe. Campbell, travelling with a young Ind- ian, Lapie, reported the completion of the Post, and was immediately informed there were no supplies for the winter. Chief Trader Murdock McPherson had little faith in the Liard...“as a way to the West,”, and besides, supplies were in short supply all along ay ‘ i vy - The spot is marked on early maps:“H.B. > Seale of Miles 0 25 50 — OF y YU San _— _ Watson Lake las BAITISH Co) co ® fala Sere UMBIA Fort nthe Wanding sAWMILL) A INT Campbell and Lapie reversed their 700 mile trek and returned to Dease Lake empty handed, arriving on October 11. The news was grim. If there was to be anything to eat that winter, the garrison would have to hunt and fish to provide for themselves. According to Campbell’s report, they lived on...“‘such animals as they could kill, and on a tripe-de-roche (the lichen ‘umbilicaris’), which could be scraped from exposed rocks, cleaned and cooked.”’ There was another factor that made their winter- ing uneasy. Relations with the Nahannis were tenu- ous, and , as Campbell reported, they were in ... “‘con- stant danger from the savage Russian Indians’. (Camp- bell noticed Russian trade goods with the Nahannis, traded to them by the Tlingits who in turn traded with the Russians,---therefore Campbell referred to them as **Russian Indians’). With dwindling food supplies and supposed threats by the Indians, the Dease Post garrison was glad to see spring in 1839. But, game was scarce, and spirits low. The decision was made to abandon the Fort. “As we were now ready to start and our snowshoes were of no further use to us, we removed all the net- ting off them, and that along with our parchment windows, was boiled down to the consistency of glue. This savory dish, thus prepared, formed the ‘menu’ of our last meal before leaving Dease’s Lake on May 8, 1839.” : “Wild fowl of all kinds being plentiful, we soon killed enough, as we drifted down the river (Dease) to make a good meal, a luxury to which we had been strangers for a long time...”’. The final axe fell on plans for a permanent Dease Lake trading fort in November of 1838, when McPher- son wrote to Hargraves ¥, “Jf we could convey Goods and Provisions enough to that Country, I have no doubt but we might get some Returns out of it -- but by the present route up the West Branch, I do think >" Halkett 100 ens : a” ~ So ended the first attempt by white traders to es- tablish a permanent settlement and trading post in the Cassiars. x You can visit Campbells -- or Sawmill Point,-- today. It’s just a few steps off Highway 37 about 2% to 3 miles south of the northern tip of Dease Lake. thing left of the old fort. There are no remains but memories. As I stood on the shore and looked out over the lake, I tried to put myself back 138 years into Robert Campbell’s shoes. Not a friendly face, supermarket, gas station or TV set for many thou- sands of miles in any direction.. The! thought of facing this: wilderness with what I could carry in my canoe or on my-person brought a feeling of respect for the courage and daring of these hardy traders -- if not for the greed -- that pushed them forward into the his- tory of Cassiar country. 1 & 2-Report on an Exploration of the Yukon District, N.W.T., and adjacent Northern portions of B.C. ---George M. Dawson - 1888. 3 - Hargrave Correspondence - Champlain Society, VOL XXIV, Toronto, 1938. 3 & | ae -LTD. Departing Daily from Rec. Centre that impossible. If we make anything of it, it will be ~ from the Westward”. McPherson was saying that the easiest way to trade with the Nahanni and Tlingit was from the west - from Wrangell on the mouth of the Stikine river. Mc- Pherson proved right, for in 1839, the Russians leased the Alaska Panhandle to Hudson Bay Company and all further trade and commerce with the Cassiar region was carried on from Wrangell, up the Stikine to Thaltan, by trail to Dease Lake and north from there. ‘Gltaa NGL Sie as Gerry Amann 536 - 7314 TRUCK 7... ? ___ LOADER. . en ee ee Yukon Industries BOX 69, WATSON LAKE, Y.T. - 12 NOON DAILY Except 1 P.M. TUESDAY AND SATURDAY Sas pO Wet ey a ap SUVs h Decker m da oes te Sef date er aT UFOS oe Gm cx bet a ro a mer BO SSeS Se Se Rel pes +4 Ba hora MERE VATED DF Ps SeSy There’s no- a eas] _” Mighty Moe ‘Beaudoin trips the’ light two-by-four as: ~*~ CHURCHES All Saints Anglican Sunday Worship... ...........0-ee 2 eee 11:00AM Sunday School ....... Fle PC Co oa E Ogio 11:00AM We have a nursery for the little ones during services, Wednesday =itoritiierenc et. lecesenstcne trencbers RESET 7:30PM “Christian Education for Adults’’ (This is an opportunity to ask questions, and discuss religion, the Bible, faith, life, death...or anything.) . iUursday stevens erenen sans ve Callelcs saree et lenehe teteeraa ts 8:30PM “Bible Study, Prayer and Praise” (an informal time of caring and sharing.) For information, or just to talk, please call us:778-7239 2fe ae ape ale as ae ape ae akc a oe ae afc afte aie she ake ae fee ae ase Lady of Lourdes SERVICES AT CASSIAR Sunday Eucharist....(Mass) Saturday - 7:700PM Sunday Il'00AM Weekday Eucharist will be at 10:00AM or at 7:00PM when announced. Religious Education of Children; Sunday at 10:00AM GOOD HOPE LAKE Sunday Eucharist...(Mass) f Religious Education --4:00PM RECEPTION OF SACRAMENTS: The Sacrament of Reconciliation can be received before Sunday 5:00PM the Celebration of the Eucharist and any other time upon request. The Sacrament of Baptism and Marriage will take place after due preparation, RRR KK KA ERA AK F Feb. 18. - 1:15pm. Please notify the Priest for any illnesses in the family at home or in the hospital. EIS SO SSSR aOR IORI EE Having found and read this passage one day, I kept it to be inspired a second and third time...and to share it with others.... Rev. Oscar Pauwels SHARING HOPE WITH YOU... THERE WILL COME A TIME, | KNOW, WHEN PEOPLE WILL TAKE DELIGHT IN ONE ANOTHER’, WHEN EACH WILL be a star to the other, and when each will listen to his fellow as to music. The free men will walk upon the earth, men great in their freedom. They will walk with open hearts, and the heart of each will be pure of envy and greed, and therefore all mankind will be without malice, and there will be nothing to divorce the heart from reason. Then life will be one great service to man! His figure will be raised to lofty heights - for to free man all heights are attainable. Then we shall live in truth and freedom and in beauty, and those will be accounted the best who will the more widely embrace the world with their hearts, and whose love of it will be the pro- foundest; those will be the best who will be the freest; for in them is the greatest beauty. Then life will be great, and the people will be great who live that life. Excerpt from MOTHER by Maxim Gorky MER AK AE A OR EE OK EK EE EE EK he entertains the youngsters at the Cassiar Com- munity Club Christmas Party in Cassiar. a eS CASSIAR ASBESTOS EXECUTIVES receive the first copy of the Cassiar Courier from Paul Ripco, left, Chairman of the Cassiar Town Council. Pres- ident Peter Steen, center, and Mine Manager Brian Pewsey, right, accepted the new community news- paper on behalf of the Cassiar Asbestos Corp. NOTICE Residents of Good Hope Lake interested in joining the Good Hope Lake Volunteer Firefighters, please contact George Holman. % Wlovies Wednesday Feb.9 .. .1:15pm. 7:30pm. .TAX! DRIVER (R), starring Robert De- sniro. Brutal violence, coarse language. Friday Feb. 11. . .1:15pm. 7:00pm 9:00pm Sunday & Monday Feb. 13. . .7:00pm Feb. 14. . .1:15pm. .ACE HIGH (M) starring Terence Hill BABY BLUE MARINE (G) starring Jan .Micheal Vincent Wednesday Feb. 16. ..1:15pm LIFEGUARD (R) starring Sam Elliot 7:30pm Friday ‘THE STRANGER AND THE GUN— 7:00pm. .FIGHTER (M) starring Lee Van Cleef 9:00pm Sunday & Monday Feb. 20. . .7:00pm. Feb. 21. . .1:15pm .FAMILY PLOT (M) Hitchcock starring Alfred Wednesday Feb. 23 1:15pm. .ABOMINABLE DR’ PHIBES (M) starring 7:30pm _ Vincent Price Friday ; Feb. 25. . .1:15pm. .ROBIN & MARIAN (M) starring Sean 7:00pm Connery 9:00pm Sunday & Monday Feb. 27. . .7:00pm. Feb 28. . .1:15pm THE HUMAN FACTOR (R) starring George Kennedy Fire dangers as ten titres drop CENTRAL HEATING © Clean the filters. © Oil motor bearings. © Clean out cold air registers. © Check smoke pipes and flues for soot. PORTABLE HEATERS °Use only safety equipment, CSA or ULC. © Keep away from curtains, beds, etc. and hands of playful children. Pets, too! SPACE hester — clean regularly. COOKING FATS @ Watch your stove. © If there’s a flare-up, turn off heat. © Smother flame by a lid. © Watch out for yourself and clothing. © Don’t use water on grease fires. HOLIDAY SEASON @ Lights — Check frayed wires, broken sockets. © Decora- tions — use flame-proof materials.° Tree — base in water, exits unblocked’ © Wrappings — dispose of safely. © Screen fireplace. Store flammable liquids outside. For example, gas for snowmobile and snow blowers b - PROTECT YOUR FAMILY FROM FIRES y 6? worked crew. Look for us. You'll recognize us by thes” | Think Before You Act Twelve year old Danny found a baby mongoose under the bush and brought it home. Now you may wonder what a mongoose is! According to the diction- ary: “Mongooses are small, short-legged animals with pointed noses, small ears and long furry tails.” A full- | grown mongoose generally ranges from 18 to 20 inches | long inclusive of its tail. They feed on small animals and ‘vare very active and bold. They even attack and kill poinsonous snakes by darting upon its head with speed and agility, cracking the skull with a powerful bite. Danny kept his mongoose in a cage and fed him in spite of his mother’s objections, He grew rapidly and learned to do many tricks which attracted everyone including Danny’s mother. He became Danny’s friend and constant companion and his family enjoyed the little fellow in and around the house. Sometimes Danny and his parents played “‘hide and seek” with him. They affectionately called him “MATHU” which means . honey. Danny’s family stayed in an isolated farm and they bought an expensive German shepherd-to be trained as ~the watch dog and: they named him “TIGER”. Now Mathu was no more the center of attraction and he was filled with jealousy. At times he showed his vicious teeth and growled at Tiger from a distance, Tiger tried to come to friendly terms with him several times but in vain. Mathu adamantly refused to be friendly with Tiger. 5 One afternoon while Danny was still in schod! and Daddy at work, Mother had to go to the nearby stream to fetch a pail of water. As she was coming back she heard a frightening, shrill voice from the house and she guessed what had happened. She rushed to the house - and was horrified to see the mongoose (Mathu), sitting at the door panting, with bloody face. “You rascal, killed my puppy,” she wailed and threw the pail of water at Mathu and rushed in. What she saw there made her heart to skip a beat. She took the shivering, unharmed puppy (Tiger) in her arms and looked once more at the huge cobra with crushed head lying in coils. She was stricken with grief, ran out calling “Mathu”. She was certain that she had killed Mathu by throwing the pail with water. . But he was no- where to be found. They searched for him several days and gave up hope and Danny was really heart- broken. One day at dawn there was a scratching sound at the door and father opened the door and guess who was waiting out there, their beloved Mathu! There was great rejoicing in the house that day. Mathu learned to love Tiger also and they lived happily. ---Grace Kurian SS RSP TET ~ CASSIAR CORIER. oe COMPLANIT BOARD THE CASSIAR COURIER EDITORIAL BOARD IN ACTION! Starting next month, and appearing as the spirit moves us in future issues, you'll be in- troduced to members of the Courier Editorial Board and Staff. We'll be publishing short iographies and photos of our noble, over- rinters ink and rubber cement ‘groupdinto y ur fingers! : a ee ea ‘irae