104 Mackenzie’s Voyages

Roderick Mackenzie a second time furthers the plans of
his more resourceful cousin by taking charge of Fort
Chipewyan during his absence.

The three leading canoes entered the Peace at seven in
the morning of 12 October, 1792. Mackenzie was struck,
as every observant traveller since his time has been struck,
with the remarkable richness and fertility of the made land
in the angle formed by Peace River, Athabasca Lake, and
Athabasca River, totalling perhaps half a million acres. He
states that the western end of Lake Athabasca, and Clear
Lake and the other small lakes as well, are now so shallow,
from the deposition of sediment brought down by the two
great rivers, that there is every reason to expect that in a
few years they will have exchanged their character and
become extensive forests.

Travelling rapidly over the waters of the majestic Peace
through this fine territory, Peace Point was reached at
noon on the thirteenth, and his interpreter tells him that the
river derives its name from a peace pact arranged here
between the Knisteneaux and Beaver Indians. It appears
that the Beaver Indians and the Slaves formerly lived as
neighbours around Portage La Loche, or Methye Portage.
The Knisteneaux invaded the country from the south and
drove both tribes before them northward down Athabasca
River and across the lake, where the fugitives separated,
the Slaves proceeding farther north down Slave River to
Slave Lake, both river and lake taking their names from this
event, while the tribe of Beavers went up Peace River
closely followed by their enemies. Here the rivals made
peace, and this point was settled to be the boundary between
them.

The weather was cold and raw and Mackenzie knew
that it was advisable to hasten as the ice might run any day,