Paul Kane's Journal of his Western Travels, 1846-1848 - History and ...

Dam has transfonned this stretch of the river.
Grand raped [Athabasca River]
See rapped de More.
Grand raped [Winnipeg River] Only a three-foot drop, this
rapid on the Winnipeg River possessed the attraction that it
could be run down or lined up, rather than portaged. It lay
between Barrier Falls and Blanche River (see River NaIoin).
grand Rapid/grand raped [Saskarchew,an River] This, was a
famous grand rapids among many with the saIne name on the
fur trade routes. Hooded by a bead pond today. it was threeand-a-half
miles long, and brought Cedar Lake and the waters
of the Saskatchewan River tumbling into the northwestern
comer of Lake Winnipeg. Kane passed it on August 18. 1846,
and June 17. 1848. There is a town, Grand Rapids, Manitoba.
grand rapped [Columbia River] Seven miles below Kettle Falls
on the Columbia River. this rapid was nonnally run, although
Kane's brigade stove a canoe in it on November 24, 1846~ as a
consequence, Kane. who had elected to walk around it in order
to sketch it, witnessed a resourceful rescue of its passengers,
including Mr. and Mrs. Lane, by one of the boats that had
already descended it successfully. In Kane's day, this was
marked on maps as lbompson Rapids, in honor of David
Thompson, me North West. Company explorer who descended
the Columbia River in 1811. It is now known as Rickey
Rapids.
grand rapped [of September 12, 1848]
[or] faJ.h.
grand Shute See Island rapicb on [or] falls.
See IsIaud rapich on
Grand Travers/Grand Travrs Grand Traver.ie marked the
place where, coming out of the Athabasca Pass trail , eastbound
brigades had to ford the Athab~ River. WA drama.ti:zes the
ttaverse made by Kane's brigade on November 5, 1847: .• . ..
my pack, oontaining sketches and curiosities, &c., had to be
carried on the shouiders of the men ricling across. to keep them
out of the water" (240).
grond coat or big bill/ Grand Coat Grand COte was the fur
trade name for the steep western slope of the Athabasca Pass,
which followed Pacific Creek down to Wood and Canoe rivers
before reaching Boat Encampment. More like climbing than
hiking at some points, Grand COte brought brigades in one
day's travel from the height of the pass down to an elevation
equal to that of Jasper House on the eastern slope.
grose paint, Le See Le grose point.
GrovantsGros Ventre (llidasta) occupiedpmiries mainly below
the 49th parallel. During the nomadic period, they were members
of the Blackfoot Confederacy, although not of the more
limited Blackfoot Nation. Their linguistic affiliation is Dakotan
(Siouan); their history is that of bison hunters; and their
ttaditionalenemies were Cree and. Saulreaux.
H., Mr. See HarlttlHarett/H., Mr.
HaUet/lDIet, Mr. William Hallet (1810-1870) was a noted
bison hunter and trader in the Red River Setd.ement. He was
the son of Henry Hallet (1772?-1844), an Englishman who
served in the fur trade until 1822. As late as 1861. theNor'Wes-
74
ler noted that dle faU bison hunt from the settlement had been
Jed by William Hallet. Probably, Hallet's role in the spring hunt
was less imJX)rtant. so that he had leisure to take Kane under his
wing, acquainting him not only with procedures for bison
hunting but also with Metis culrural practices. While Kane's
journal suggests that, on June 26, 1846, Hallet had gained
Kane a head start for that day's hunt, WA elevates Kane's
purpose: ,. A half-breed, of the name of Hallett, who was
exceedinglyanentive to me, woke me in the morning, to
accompany him in advance of the party, that I might have the
opportunity of examining the buffalo whllst feeding, before the
conunencement of the hunt" (57).
An "English" Metis, Hallet opposed Louis Riel's leadership
of the Red River Metis; when the first &ed River Rebellion
broJ(e out in the winter of 1869 - 1870, Riel had Hallet chained
in an unheated room. Hallet was eventually released, but his
health was broken and he died a shoo time later. It is speculated
that he ended his life by committing suicide.
Haritt/Harett/H., Mr. John Edward Harriott (1797-1866)
joined the North West Company in 1813 at age twelve. He
served at Fort Carlton. before and after the merger with the
HBC in 1821 ~ and then at Fort Assiniboine, Stuart Lake (in the
northern interior of modern British Columbia), Piegan Post (a
short-lived post [1832-1834] on the Bow River near modem
Banff. Alberta), Rocky Mountain House (see (be Mountain
Hoos), and Fort Edmonton. He was appointed to Chief Factor
in 1846, and was in charge of Fort Edmonton briefly when
Kane wintered there in 1847 - 1848.
In his "Character Book, "Governor Simpson judged him
"mild tempered, well disposed, and bears an excellent private
character .... A finished Trader. Speaks Cree like a native and
is a great favourite with Indians: has much intftuence likewise
with the people and is generally esteemed by his coUeagues"
(197). When he retired to the Red River Settlement in t855, his
library was estimated at some 200 books. A correspondent to
Harper's magazine wrote in the February, 1861 . issue of how
Harriott's "life of exPosure andadvenrure and toil is rounded
with rest and calm and domestic peace. "
Harriott married three times. His first wife, Elizabeth, suffered
bouts of madness, the last of which sauck her in 1832 as
she was crossing Athabasca Pass. She wandered from the trail,
never to be seen again; likely she is the "Gentabnans wife"
referred to by Kane on November 2, 1847. She did not have
her newborn baby (see Prudence, Mr.) with her when she
disappeared. and the child managed to survive the trip to Fort
Edmonton.
Hunter, M/Mr. James Hunter (1817-1882) was ordained a
priest of the Churcb of England in 1844, the same year that he
sailed with his wife to Hudson Bay and traveled to Cumberland
Station, the new Indian mission where Kane encountered him.
By 1846, Hunter was raising cattle, horses, pigs (one of which
was roasted in honor of Kane's visit in 1846), and sheep, as
well as crops of wheat, barley, and potatoes on the mission
fann. By the time of Kane's rerum visit in June, 1848, he had a
church built from handsawn local timber. Hunter provided dle
first translations (using Roman characters) into Cree of the
Gospels and Book of Common Prayer. He perfonned many
baptisms annually, including some as far afield as Fort Simpson,
on the upper Mackenzie River.
Islaad npids on [or] faDs This is Kettle Fans, between Namakan
Lake and Rainy Lake in modem northwestern Ontario.
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