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Contained here is text digitized from the book "On the Banks of the
Slave - A history of the community of Fort Smith, Northwest Territories"
Copyright Canada 1974 by Department of Education, Government of the Northwest Territories.
Rapids on the Slave River are the reason for the location of Fort Smith.
These rapids are the only serious obstacle on the 2000 mile water journey from Waterways,
Alberta to the Arctic Coast. In 1874, a settlement was founded just below the rapids as a
freight relay point, but the rapids were known long before that. Sir John Franklin, who
passed this way from Lake Athabasca in 1819, recorded this description in his Journal.
"We descended this magnificent river (Slave), with much rapidity, and after
passing through several narrow channels, formed by an assemblage of islands, crossed a
spot where the waters had a violent whirling motion which, when the river is low, is said
to subside into a dangerous rapid; on the present occasion no other inconvenience was felt
than the inability of steering the canoes, which were whirled about in every direction by
the eddies, until the current carried them beyond their influence. We encamped at seven,
on the swampy bank of the river, but had scarcely pitched the tents before we were visited
by a terrible thunderstorm; therein fell in torrents, and the violence of the wind caused
the river to overflow its banks, so that we were completely flooded. Swarms of mosquitoes
succeeded the storm, and their tormenting stings, superadded to other inconveniences,
induced us to embark, and, after taking a hasty supper, to pursue our voyage down the
stream during the night.
At six the following morning we passed the Reindeer Islands, and at ten reached the
entrance of the Dog River, where we halted to set the fishing nets. These were examined in
the evening, but to our mortification we obtained only four small trout, and were
compelled to issue part of our preserved meats for supper.
The nets were taken up at daylight, but they furnished only a solitary pike. We lost no
time in embarking, and crossed the crooked channel of the Dog rapid, when two of the
canoes came into such violent contact with each other, that the sternmost had its bow
broken off. We were, fortunately, near to the shore or the disabled canoe would have sunk.
The injury being repaired in two hours, we again embarked, and having descended another
rapid, arrived at the Cassette Portage of four hundred and sixty paces, over which the
cargoes and canoes were carried in about twenty-six minutes. We next passed through a
narrow channel full of rapids, crossed the Portage d' Embarrass of seventy yards; and the
portage of the Little Rock, of three hundred yards, at which another accident happened to
one of the canoes, by the Bowman slipping and letting it fall upon a rock, and breaking it
in two. Two hours were occupied in sewing the detached pieces together, and covering the
seam with pitch; but this being done it was as effective as before. After leaving this
place, we soon came to the next portage, of two hundred and seventy-three paces; and
shortly afterwards to the Mountain Portage, of one hundred and twenty; which is
appropriately named, as the path leads over the summit of a high hill. This elevated
situation commands a very grand and picturesque view, for some miles alone the river,
which at this part is about a mile wide.
We next crossed a portage of one hundred and twenty yards; and then the Pelican
Portage, of eight hundred paces... After descending six miles further we came to the
last portage on the route to Slave Lake which we crossed, and encamped in its lower end.
It is called The Portage of the Drowned and it received that name from an
melancholy accident which took place many years ago. Two canoes arrived at the upper
end of the portage, in one of which there was an experienced guide. This man, judging from
the height of the river, deemed it practicable to shoo the rapid, and determined upon
trying it. He accordingly placed himself in the bow of his canoe, having previously agreed
that if the passage was found easy, he should, on reaching the bottom of the rapid, fire a
musket as a signal for the other canoe to follow. The rapid proved dangerous, and called
forth all the skill of the guide, and the utmost exertion of his crew, and they narrowly
escaped destruction. Just as they were landing, an unfortunate fellow, seizing the loaded
fowling-piece, fired at a duck which rose at the instant. The guide, anticipating the
consequences, ran with utmost haste to the other end of the portage, but he was too late;
the other canoe had pushed off, and he arrived only to witness the fate of his five
comrades. They got alarmed in the middle of the rapid, the canoe was upset, and every man
perished.
The various rapids we have passed today, are produced by an assemblage of islands and
rocky ledges, which obstruct the river and divide it into many narrow channels. Two of
these channels are rendered still more difficult by accumulations of drift timber; a
circumstance which has given a name to one of the portages. The rocks, which from the bed
of the river, and the numerous islands, belong to the granite formation. The distance made
today was thirteen miles.
July 21. We embarked at four a.m. and pursued our course down the river. The rocks
cease at the last portage; and below it the banks are composed of alluvial soil, which is
held together by the roots of trees and shrubs that crown their summits. The river is
about a mile wide, and the current is greatly diminished. At eight we landed at the mouth
of the Salt River, and pitched our tents, intending to remain here this and the next day
for the purpose of fishing..."
Franklin, Captain John, R.N., F.R.S. Narrative of a Journey to
the Shores of the Polar Seas in the Years 1819, pp. 20 and 22.
Edmonton., M.G. HURTIG, 1969. (Originally published ca. 1823-24)
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