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THE YORK FACTORY EXPRESS: FORT VANCOUVER TO HUDSON BAY, 1826-1849
#Blogpost
The Hayes River had a long history in the HBC fur trade, and many were the portages and historic spots along the river. Here is a listing of some of them, taken from the various York Factory Express journals I have. #HBCHistory #HistoricJourney #AmWritingHistory #MBHistory https://nancymargueriteanderson.com/hayes-river/

A York Boat under sail along a rock-bound river bank, the steersman at the rear of the boat bending to peer under the sails to see where he is going.

THE YORK FACTORY EXPRESS: FORT VANCOUVER TO HUDSON BAY, 1826-1849
#Blogpost
Winter lasted a long time at Norway House and other places in the fur trade -- but when spring made its appearance, it changed everything very quickly! #HistoricJourney #AmWritingHistory #MBHistory https://nancymargueriteanderson.com/spring-thaw/

A drawing of Playgreen Lake, with Norway House on the land in mid-distance. You can see its location by the flagpole that reaches up into the sky.

YORK FACTORY EXPRESS JOURNAL, 1847:
"Made Portages in course of the day at the Upper carrying place, Devil's Handling place, & Greenwater Island, at the two former places, however, only half the pieces were taken out. Encamped at the head of Greenwater Island, which is the last Portage in Hill River, making 15 between this and the Rock. Two of the boats were slightly broken today and some time was necessarily spent in repairing them. #MBHistory #Manitoba #HistoricJourney #AmWritingHistory

Typical encampment of the HBC fur trade, with canvas tents for the gentlemen and cook fires for all. To the left men talk under a canvas fly. In the background the palisades of replica Fort Langley.

THE YORK FACTORY EXPRESS: FORT VANCOUVER TO HUDSON BAY, 1826-1849
#Blogpost
And again, the HBC men would not describe the Echimamish River in their journals, as they had passed over this shallow river so often. It took an Englishman, travelling the river for the first time, to describe the Echimamish. #MBHistory #AmWritingHistory #Manitoba #HistoricJourney https://nancymargueriteanderson.com/landmarks-on-the-echimamish-river/

Travellers from York Factory, on Hudson Bay, had to travel by the Echamamish River to reach Norway House, shown here. The flagpole indicates where the post stood on the waters of Playgreen Lake.

THE YORK FACTORY EXPRESS: FORT VANCOUVER TO HUDSON BAY, 1826-1849
#Blogpost
The HBC men passed these landmarks on the Hayes River numerous times, and did not describe them because they were so familiar. It took a visiting Englishman to tell the stories of the Landmarks on the Hayes River. #HBCHistory #AmWritingHistory #HistoricJourney #MBHistory https://nancymargueriteanderson.com/landmarks-hayes-river/

Hauling or tracking the boats along a tiver is hard work, and the men are leaning into the job, with the guide yelling, and the gentlemen watching.

YORK FACTORY EXPRESS BLOGPOST:
The artist Paul Kane travelled with the incoming York Factory Express of 1846, from Norway House to Edmonton and beyond, to the West side of the Rocky Mountains. He describes his journey across Lake #Winnipeg and then up the Saskatchewan River toward the Pas #ThePas #MB #CanadaHistory #MBHistory #HistoricJourney https://nancymargueriteanderson.com/paul-kane/

A view of Norway House, on Playgreen Lake.

YORK FACTORY EXPRESS BLOGPOST:
There were many old historic posts along the #Saskatchewan River, and many names of places that came from the very early years of the French fur trade. Here are a few of the old forts that once stood on the river banks. #CanadaHistory #HistoricJourney #SKHistory #MBHistory #Blogpost https://nancymargueriteanderson.com/saskatchewan-river/

A birchbark canoe on a Canadian River, the men paddling hard as the canoe goes over a fall.

THE YORK FACTORY EXPRESS, BLOGPOST:
The man who told these stories of the #Métis Bison Hunts never saw the hunts themselves, but he heard the stories from the men who rowed the York Boats of the Portage La Loche Brigades (a twin of the York Factory Express brigades, with a different destination -- there is a book coming out on that Brigade, but not soon, I think). #ABHistory #SKHistory #MBHistory #Hunting #Bison #Buffalo https://nancymargueriteanderson.com/metis-bison-hunts/

Men on horses hunting and shooting the buffalo cows they discovered on the prairie. In the background, the foothills and mountains of the range of mountains Canadians call the Rockies.

YORK FACTORY EXPRESS, BLOGPOST:
Cumberland House, on the #Saskatchewan River, was the first HBC post the York Factory Express men reached as they made their way upriver from Lake #Winnipeg #MB. Here are a bunch of mentions of arrivals at Cumberland House, which I have collected from various HBC journals I stumbled across. #HBCHistory #HistoricJourney #MBHistory https://nancymargueriteanderson.com/cumberland-house/

An image of the York Boat as it sails up a river with the wind to the side. A beautiful image, but just a little out of focus, sadly.

THE YORK FACTORY EXPRESS, BLOGPOST:
One of the few pleasures that these York Factory Express men might have experienced, on their journey west from York Factory, would be the viewing of the Aurora Borealis which appeared in the dark skies of the early fall on the #Saskatchewan River. #NorthernLights #AuroraBorealis #MBHistory #SKHistory #Blogpost http://nancymargueriteanderson.com/aurora-borealis/

A demonstration of the historic flintlock guns the HBC men used, attended by plenty of noise and smoke.

YORK FACTORY EXPRESS, BLOGPOST:
After the ascent of the steep Hill that was the east side of the Canadian Shield, the York Factory Express men made their way along the two rivers that crossed the top of the plateau and brought them to the Nelson River and Norway House. These two rivers were the Echimamish, and the Blackwater. This post has an Englishman, John Franklin, describing the landmarks the HBC men never described. #CanadaHistory #MBHistory #Manitoba https://nancymargueriteanderson.com/landmarks-on-the-echimamish-river/

A drawing of Playgreen Lake and Norway House, with a sunrise or sunset in the left hand side of the image.

THE YORK FACTORY EXPRESS, BLOGPOST:
If you want to know what a section of a river looked like, then read the journals of the Englishmen who came to visit HBC territory. This is a description of the places along the Upper Hayes River, as described by John Franklin, not yet Sir John Franklin. #HBCHistory #MBHistory #Manitoba #CanadaHistory #Blogpost https://nancymargueriteanderson.com/landmarks-hayes-river-2/

YORK FACTORY EXPRESS BLOGPOST:
The landmarks along the Hayes River, which were ignored by the HBC men to whom they were so familiar, were described best by an Englishman who visited the territory -- John Franklin [later Sir John Franklin], who travelled up the river in 1819. #MBHistory #HistoricJourney #AmWritingHistory #Books

A turbulent and rapid filled river winds its way through it canyon. Steep sloping hills surround the river, and high hills beyond enclose the entire scene.

YORK FACTORY EXPRESS, BLOGPOST:
Sometime after I wrote the blogpost I posted yesterday, I learned more about the York Factory River -- that is, the part of the Hayes River that led from the bottom of the hill, east to Hudson Bay and York Factory. #HBCHistory #MBHistory #Manitoba http://nancymargueriteanderson.com/york-factory-river-2/

A York Boat under sail up a river with rocky banks and trees in the background. Notice the steersman is steering the boat with a tiller and not the long steering oar used while rowing. The sails, too, are simple square sails tied at the corners with ropes. A simple, efficient sailing vessel, if the wind was blowing in the right direction.

YORK FACTORY EXPRESS JOURNAL, 1831:
"I sailed from Norway House at 3 o'clock am for the Columbia River in the same boat with Mr. Douglas, clerk, and in company with Chief Factors McIntosh and Duncan Finlayson, and Messrs. Grant and Pierre Chrysologue Pambrun, clerks, nine boats and about eighty men. A fine fair breeze soon brought us to Lake #Winnipeg, which is considered about 300 miles in length. At the entrance we put ashore to breakfast and wait for Governor Simpson... #MBHistory #Books

Low rain filled clouds obscure the hilltops across this lake, and the overcast sky turns everything dark or steel grey.

YORK FACTORY EXPRESS JOURNAL, 1827:
"Hoist sail with a fair wind at 3 am., breeze freshens, reach the lower end of Cedar Lake by 1 o'clock, breakfast. Proceed thro' narrows and across Cross Lake, then down the River to the Grand Rapids. Boats run down full cargoes. One breaks upon the Rocks, cargo wet. Find J. Spencer, Esq. encamped at the lower end with 2 boats. He has been detained here 9 days, the ice in Lake #Winnipeg not permitting him to proceed. #CanadaHistory #MBHistory #HistoricJourney

sunrise or sunset over a smooth body of water, the line of trees and hills in midground silhouetted against the lighter sky.

YORK FACTORY EXPRESS JOURNAL, 1827:
"Rain all last night. Ceases about 7 am. Start at 5 o'clock. Breakfast at the Pas #ThePasMB Find several freemen here. Receive [skins] from them. Continue till half past 8 pm and encamp at Muddy Lake. Find our other boats here. Leave one.
"Tuesday. Hoist sail with a fair wind at 3 am. Breeze freshens, reach the lower end of Cedar Lake by 1 o'clock, breakfast. Resume at half past 2. Proceed thro' narrows and across Cross Lake.... #MBHistory #HistoricJourney

Swamps and bogs at the edges of a lake or river, with rough trees and shrubs in foreground and a good thick growth of trees following the course of the water.

YORK FACTORY EXPRESS JOURNAL, 1827:
"Arrive at Cumberland House #Manitoba about 7 pm with 9 boats, 4 others having taken a wrong channel do not come up with us. Mr. Finan McDonald arrived this morning.
"Saturday. Fine weather. Remain here all day reloading and waiting [for] the other boats.
"Sunday. Overcast. Wind strong ahead. Leave Cumberland at 5 am. Continue pulling all day. Encamp at 8 pm.
"Monday. Rain all last night. Ceases about 7 am. Start at 5 o'clock... #HistoricJourney #MBHistory

Typical encampment of the fur trade, with canvas tents for the gentlemen and cook fires for all. To the left men talk under a canvas fly. In the background the palisades of replica Fort Langley.

YORK FACTORY EXPRESS, BLOGPOST:
When the York Factory Express went up and down the Hayes River, there were few posts in that region. But in later years, there were -- and long before the Express men traveled the river, there were also other fur trade posts or depot on the Hayes River. In fact, there was constant change along that river, as on others. #CanadaHistory #MBHistory http://nancymargueriteanderson.com/hayes-river-posts/

Typical post and sill house of the HBC fur trade, whitewashed and shingle roofed. This is the old storehouse at replica Fort Langley.

YORK FACTORY EXPRESS BLOGPOST:
Another blogpost on those fascinating and historic York Boats, that went all the way down the eastern side of the Canadian Shield to Hudson Bay -- and then back up! York Boats Sailing. #HistoricJourney #AmWritingHistory #MBHistory #CanadaHistory http://nancymargueriteanderson.com/york-boats-sailing/

#MBHistory

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