These figures do not represent only the local population at the posts, but in addition the inhabitants, white and red, of the surrounding districts.
Mackenzie Navigation.
For many years the Hudson’s Bay Company have maintained steam communication on the Mackenzie from Fort Smith to Fort McPherson by means of steamers. The pioneer steamer “Wrigley” is one of the historical associations of the country. According to Mr. William Ogilvie, the “Wrigley’s” log shows the following average between Fort Smith, the most southerly part of her run, and Fort McPherson, the most northerly, the distance between these points being about one thousand two hundred and seventy miles. From Fort Smith to Fort Resolution, nearly all on Great Slave river, average running time, about eighteen hours; between Resolution and Providence about seventeen hours, of which twelve and a half are in Great Slave lake; between Providence and Simpson about fourteen hours; Simpson to Wrigley about ten and a half; Wrigley to Norman, about fourteen hours; Norman to Good Hope, about thirteen hours; Good Hope to McPherson, about twenty-four and a half hours. The total running time is one hundred and twenty-three and one-half hours, somewhat over ten and a quarter miles an hour.
A Typical “Husky” dog.
On “up” runs the following averages have been made:—McPherson to Good Hope, forty hours; Good Hope to Norman, thirty-four hours, Norman to Wrigley, thirty-nine hours; Wrigley to Simpson; nineteen hours; Simpson to Providence, about twenty-eight hours; Providence to Fort Rae, not certain, appears to be about thirteen hours; Providence to Resolution, about twenty hours; Resolution to Smith, about thirty-five hours; Resolution to Rae, about fifteen hours and a return about the same, as it is all lake water. The duration of these runs varied somewhat by the force and direction of the wind. The total running from McPherson to Smith as shown above is two hundred and fifteen and one-half hours, which give a rate of 5·9 miles per hour. The mean of the up and down times is a fraction over eight miles an hour, which is said to be her normal speed.
A Long Navigable Stretch.
Mr. Ogilvie, in his report, points out:—“Excepting a short distance at the head of Mackenzie river, where it is doubtful, it is certain that vessels drawing at least seven or eight feet of water can navigate from the delta of the Mackenzie to the rapids on Great Slave river, a distance of one thousand two hundred and seventy-three miles. If Mackenzie delta also allows that draught, we have about one thousand three hundred and forty miles of navigable water from the rapids to Arctic ocean.”
“Wherever possible the width of the river was determined by triangulation. Between the narrows and Fort Good Hope it is never less than a mile wide and is often more than two, even reaching three miles at some points.
“Since I followed the shore, I cannot speak of the depth of water from personal observation. Captain Bell, of the Hudson’s Bay Company’s steamer ‘Wrigley,’ informed me that the shallowest water found by him in any part of the river, in what he considered the channel, was eleven feet. But as, when I saw him, he had made only two trips on the lower river, he could not speak very definitely as to its depth. Sir Alexander Mackenzie, who discovered the river and descended to its mouth in July, 1789, had a lead line with which to make soundings; but in the swift current a short distance above Fort Simpson his lead caught in the bottom, the line broke and the lead was lost. I have the depths according to him, and will give them in their proper place. One would expect, in such an expanse of water as this, to find some of it shallow, but it appears from all the evidence I could gather that vessels drawing from eight to ten feet of water would find no difficulty in navigation as far as Great Slave lake. Although the river is reported to be shallow where it leaves this lake, doubtless a channel could be found affording the draught above mentioned.