316 TRANSACTIONS OF THE CANADIAN INSTITUTE. [VOL. IV. 



the mountains of British Columbia to the sea. These pubUcations, the 

 record of years of labour, set at rest the pretensions of De Fuca and 

 demonstrate the absolute impossibility of any practicable passage for 

 ships between the Atlantic and the Pacific through the northern 

 continent ; to attain which passage so many futile attempts have been 

 made, and which have occupied so long and so fruitlessly the attention of 

 governments and called forth the enterprising spirit of so many 

 navigators. * 



On his second voyage, commenced early in 1792, Mackenzie left 

 Montreal and penetrated to Fort Chipewyan on Lake Athabasca, 

 reaching the latter in October the same year. He had started with the 

 design of finding a way through the Rocky Mountain range to the 

 western coast. Whatever difficulties might present themselves he had 

 resolved if at all possible to reach the Pacific Ocean. Without more 

 delay than was necessary in preparing for the journey to the westward, 

 he left Fort Chipewyan and proceeded up Peace River until his progress 

 was impeded by ice. He was then forced to remain winter-bound until 

 the following spring. 



On May 9th, 1793, when the river opened, the voyage was resumed. 

 The expedition followed the Peace River to the Forks ; one branch is 

 named the Finlay, the other the Parsnip, the latter of which he traced 

 nearly to its source. Arrived at this point, Mackenzie abandoned these 

 waters and proceeded overland, cutting a passage through the woods so 

 that he could carry the canoe. He continued by the trail formed until 

 he reached a stream, the waters of which were flowing in the opposite 

 direction to the current he had left on the eastern slope. This led to a 

 great river called by the Indians of the locality Tacoutche ; it is now 

 known as the river Fraser ; Mackenzie formed the opinion that it was 

 the upper waters or a branch of the Columbia which river is known 

 to discharge into the Pacific in about latitude forty-six. This was the 

 common belief until 1808, when Simon Fraser descended the Tacoutche 

 to the Gulf of Georgia, proving it to be an entirely independent stream, a 

 discovery held to be so important that the name of Fraser was given to 

 the river and which by common consent it still retains in honour of 

 the man who first followed it to its mouth. 



Mackenzie embarked in his canoe, floated down the Tacoutche five 

 days ; the party met Indian tribes, with some of whom difficulty was 

 experienced. He learned from the Indians that the river they were 

 descending was of great length and its navigation attended with many 

 perils ; his men became discouraged and mutinous ; under the circum- 

 stances in which he was drifting he determined to abandon the attempt 



