The headwaters of the Stiklne River were' discovered
by the first white man in 1834—Just over 100 years ago
—by John McLeod—a servant of the Hudson’s Bay Com
pany. He was one of those ancient and honorable
voyageurs—who made history. He came by that hazard
ous and historic trade route—Originating at York Fac
tory on the Hudson Bay. Their freight and supplies were
transported by York boats to Oxford House—then by
canoe to the Saskatchewan—from (here it followed a
diverse route to the Athabasca River—then down the
Athabasca River to the Slave River—down the Slave
River to the Mackenzie River—then down the Mackenzie
to the mouth of the Liard River.
The lone and hazarous voyage up the Liard River
In flat-bottom bntteaux—made the cargo extremely valu
able by the time it reached its destination— which was
either—-Ford Liard—Fort St. Frances—or D ase Lake
(named after Peter Warren Dease—a Hudson Bay Fae
tort. When these supplies reached their destination they
had traveled many hundreds of miles—and many months
of hard labor were spent. Every pound Of goods bad
to be transported on the backs of the sturdy voyageurs
—across many impassable canyons in the Rocky Moun
tains—such names as “Hell’s Gate—Rapid of the Drown
ed"—’’Devil’s Portage”—"Whirlpool Canyon”—"Sluice Box
Rapids"—and so on—fittingly describe the adventures of
those hardy men. ,
But the natives of the country did not prove hospit
able—and their established posts — were burnt down.
