James McDougall (explorer)
Encyclopedia
James McDougall was a nineteenth century fur trade
r and explorer, who is remembered for his participation in opening up present-day British Columbia
, Canada
to European settlement as part of a North West Company
expedition to the region, led by Simon Fraser
.
McDougall was third-in-command on Fraser's team, functioning as junior clerk to John Stuart
. Fraser and his crew entered the territory they would call New Caledonia
in 1805, a foray that would culminate in the successful descent and ascent of the Fraser River
in the spring and summer of 1808. During that time, Fraser and his men constructed several fur-trading posts.
The first of these resulted from a trip undertaken by Fraser and McDougall up the Parsnip River
in the autumn of 1805, in order to determine an ideal route for reaching the Fraser from the Peace River
canyon, which was a major portal at the time into the territory west of the Rocky Mountains
. Their travels resulted in the establishment by Fraser of the first post and permanent European settlement west of the Rockies, at present-day McLeod Lake.
That winter, Connor Swingle who was the crew member left in charge of the nascent post deserted, and McDougall was charged with administration of the post while Fraser and Stuart were engaged elsewhere. During that time, McDougall seized the initiative to investigate reports he had received of an important lake and fur region to the northwest, in the heart of the region inhabited by the Dakelh
First Nation. He journeyed down the as-yet un-named Fraser River, becoming the first European to find and ascend the Nechako River
, a major tributary that Sir Alexander Mackenzie, travelling that way twelve years earlier, had inexplicably missed. From there, McDougall ascended the Stuart River
to its source at Stuart Lake
. McDougall would later go on to explore what has come to be known as British Columbia's "Lake Country", ascending the Nechako beyond Fraser Lake as far as Babine Lake
and Francois Lake
. The fruit of McDougall's explorations would be the construction by Fraser of a post at Stuart Lake, Fort St. James, which would become headquarters of the New Caledonia department of the North West Company (merged in 1821 with the Hudson's Bay Company
).
Following Fraser's expedition, McDougall stayed in New Caledonia to assist Stuart as a trader at the Fort St. James' post for a period of some years.
Fur trade
The fur trade is a worldwide industry dealing in the acquisition and sale of animal fur. Since the establishment of world market for in the early modern period furs of boreal, polar and cold temperate mammalian animals have been the most valued...
r and explorer, who is remembered for his participation in opening up present-day British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
to European settlement as part of a North West Company
North West Company
The North West Company was a fur trading business headquartered in Montreal from 1779 to 1821. It competed with increasing success against the Hudson's Bay Company in what was to become Western Canada...
expedition to the region, led by Simon Fraser
Simon Fraser (explorer)
Simon Fraser was a fur trader and an explorer who charted much of what is now the Canadian province of British Columbia. Fraser was employed by the Montreal-based North West Company. By 1805, he had been put in charge of all the company's operations west of the Rocky Mountains...
.
McDougall was third-in-command on Fraser's team, functioning as junior clerk to John Stuart
John Stuart (explorer)
John Stuart was a nineteenth century Scottish-Canadian explorer and fur trader, employed by the North West Company...
. Fraser and his crew entered the territory they would call New Caledonia
New Caledonia (Canada)
New Caledonia was the name given to a district of the Hudson's Bay Company that comprised the territory largely coterminous with the present-day province of British Columbia, Canada. Though not a British colony, New Caledonia was part of the British claim to North America. Its administrative...
in 1805, a foray that would culminate in the successful descent and ascent of the Fraser River
Fraser River
The Fraser River is the longest river within British Columbia, Canada, rising at Fraser Pass near Mount Robson in the Rocky Mountains and flowing for , into the Strait of Georgia at the city of Vancouver. It is the tenth longest river in Canada...
in the spring and summer of 1808. During that time, Fraser and his men constructed several fur-trading posts.
The first of these resulted from a trip undertaken by Fraser and McDougall up the Parsnip River
Parsnip River
The Parsnip River is a 240 km long river in central British Columbia, Canada. It flows generally north-westward from the Parsnip Glacier in the Hart Ranges to the Parsnip Reach of Williston Lake, formed by the impounding of the waters of the Peace River by the W.A.C. Bennett Dam in 1968...
in the autumn of 1805, in order to determine an ideal route for reaching the Fraser from the Peace River
Peace River (Canada)
The Peace River is a river in Canada that originates in the Rocky Mountains of northern British Columbia and flows to the northeast through northern Alberta. The Peace River flows into the Slave River, a tributary of the Mackenzie River. The Mackenzie is the 12th longest river in the world,...
canyon, which was a major portal at the time into the territory west of the Rocky Mountains
Rocky Mountains
The Rocky Mountains are a major mountain range in western North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch more than from the northernmost part of British Columbia, in western Canada, to New Mexico, in the southwestern United States...
. Their travels resulted in the establishment by Fraser of the first post and permanent European settlement west of the Rockies, at present-day McLeod Lake.
That winter, Connor Swingle who was the crew member left in charge of the nascent post deserted, and McDougall was charged with administration of the post while Fraser and Stuart were engaged elsewhere. During that time, McDougall seized the initiative to investigate reports he had received of an important lake and fur region to the northwest, in the heart of the region inhabited by the Dakelh
Dakelh
The Dakelh or Carrier are the indigenous people of a large portion of the Central Interior of British Columbia, Canada.Most Carrier call themselves Dakelh, meaning "people who go around by boat"...
First Nation. He journeyed down the as-yet un-named Fraser River, becoming the first European to find and ascend the Nechako River
Nechako River
The Nechako River arises on the Nechako Plateau east of the Kitimat Ranges of the Coast Mountains of British Columbia and flows north toward Fort Fraser, then east to Prince George where it enters the Fraser River...
, a major tributary that Sir Alexander Mackenzie, travelling that way twelve years earlier, had inexplicably missed. From there, McDougall ascended the Stuart River
Stuart River
The Stuart River is a river in northeastern British Columbia, Canada. The river flows over from Stuart Lake to its junction with the Nechako River. The river drains a portion of the Nechako Plateau — a gently-rolling region characterized by small lakes and tributaries...
to its source at Stuart Lake
Stuart Lake
Stuart Lake, or Nak'albun in the Carrier language is a lake situated in the Northern Interior of British Columbia, Canada. The town of Fort St. James is situated by the lake near the outlet...
. McDougall would later go on to explore what has come to be known as British Columbia's "Lake Country", ascending the Nechako beyond Fraser Lake as far as Babine Lake
Babine Lake
Babine Lake is the longest natural lake in British Columbia, Canada.Babine Lake is located northeast of the town of Burns Lake in central British Columbia, some west northwest of the city of Prince George. It is long, wide, and has a net area of and a total area of...
and Francois Lake
Francois Lake
François Lake is a lake located in British Columbia about 30 kilometers south of Burns Lake and 10 kilometers west of Fraser Lake. The lake is 110 kilometers long and is the second longest natural lake entirely within British Columbia after Babine Lake. Nadina River is the inflow of the lake at the...
. The fruit of McDougall's explorations would be the construction by Fraser of a post at Stuart Lake, Fort St. James, which would become headquarters of the New Caledonia department of the North West Company (merged in 1821 with the Hudson's Bay Company
Hudson's Bay Company
The Hudson's Bay Company , abbreviated HBC, or "The Bay" is the oldest commercial corporation in North America and one of the oldest in the world. A fur trading business for much of its existence, today Hudson's Bay Company owns and operates retail stores throughout Canada...
).
Following Fraser's expedition, McDougall stayed in New Caledonia to assist Stuart as a trader at the Fort St. James' post for a period of some years.