246 THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



where they were to take canoes. He appears to have had a campment 

 or ranch somewhere near Snaring river. This was probably estab- 

 lished for the use of the brigades going through the Yellowhead pass, 

 as this route was to be utilized for bringing out furs and taking in 

 goods and leather for the inland posts that could not ship out by the 

 sea route. Roche Jacques, a mountain on the south side, appears 

 to have been given by Sir James Hector for this early settler or rancher. 



The return of the Columbia and Caledonia Brigades in October 

 of the same year shows that the route through the Yellowhead pass 

 was to be used for transporting a large quantity of goods and leather. 

 The brigade on the Athabaska from Fort Assiniboine consisted of 

 No. 1 canoe, 20 pieces, 3 passengers and 8 men. No. 2 canoe, 16 

 pieces, 2 passengers and 8 men. No. 3 canoe, 18 pieces, 2 women, 4 

 children and 7 men. No. 4 canoe, 20 pieces, Michael Klyne's family 

 (wife and 4 children) and 8 men; that is, 4 canoes, 64 pieces, 17 

 passengers, 32 boatmen. . 



The passengers were Edward Ermatinger, whose journal already 

 cited gives the information. Dr. Todd, and Mrs. A. R. McLeod, and 

 two children for the Columbia; Mr. George McDougall and sister- 

 in-law, Mrs. James McDougall, for New Caledonia; Michael Klyne 

 and family for Jasper House. The Columbia people seem to have 

 had horses at Jasper House so that the passengers from the canoes 

 rode through the whole m.ountain chain on horseback to lighten the 

 canoes. At Henry House there seemed to be waiting the Caledonia 

 brigade about 40 horses. The packages were largely leather and 

 parchment for the inland posts, and for a long time this was called the 

 Leather Pass, and the valley of Miette river was known as the 

 Caledonia valley. 



The following year, 1848, the Express from the Columbia came 

 through the pass in May having the following passengers, — J. W. 

 Dease and J. McGillivray, Esq., Messrs. A. McDonald and Edward 

 Ermatinger. As the last named left the services of the Company 

 this year no further continued record is at hand of the brigades and 

 expresses passing through the passes. Isolated notes are, however, 

 contributed. 



In 1839 the Hudson's Bay Company secured by lease trading 

 rights on the Russian coast of America, and sent two officers, Messrs. 

 McLaughlin and W. G. Rae, to occupy Fort Stikine. They crossed 

 the Athabaska pass and descended the Columbia reaching the mouth 

 of the Stikine by journeying up the coast. ^ 



The journal of Father de Smet, who ascended the Athabaska 

 river from Fort Assiniboine in the spring of 1846, gives a list of the 



' The Great Company, Beckles Wilson. 



