1>U 



: 



CHAPTER IV. 



GHIPPEWYAN TO BLACK LAKE. 



FORT CHIPPEWYAN is an old and important trading- 

 post of the Hudson's Bay Company. Before many 

 of our Canadian and American cities came into exist- 

 ence, Chippewyan was a noted fur-trading centre. 

 From here or rather from a former site of the post, a 

 few miles distant Alexander Mackenzie (afterwards 

 Sir Alexander) started, in 1789, on his famous journey 

 down the great river which now bears his name. About 

 the beginning of the present century the post was 



oved to the position it now occupies on the rocky 

 orthern shore of the west end of the Lake. 



The Fort consists of a long row of eighteen or twenty 

 detached log buildings, chiefly servants' houses, con- 

 nected by a high strong wooden fence or wall, so as to 

 present an unbroken front to the water, behind which, 

 in a sort of court, are situated the Factor's dwelling and 

 two or three other good-sized log buildings. At the 

 west end of the row stands an Episcopal Mission church 

 and the Mission house, which at the time of our visit 

 was occupied by Bishop Young, the see of whose diocese 

 was formerly here, but since removed to Fort Vermilion, 

 some 270 miles distant on the Peace River. Within 

 easy sight, a short distance farther west, across a little 



