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69-976: The river was named for Joseph Brazeau, a linguist associated with the Palliser Expedition . The river originates in the heights of the Canadian Rockies from Brazeau Lake (which is fed by creeks that flow from Coronet Glacier and the Queen Elizabeth Ranges ) and flows east through the Rocky Mountains foothills until it merges into the North Saskatchewan River between Drayton Valley and Rocky Mountain House at Brazeau Forks. The upper course runs eastwards from Jasper National Park into Brazeau Canyon Wildland Provincial Park. The O'Chiese First Nation

138-734: A Métis explorer with the HBC, who told Palliser about another pass which was off the route from the Red River Colony to the Rocky Mountains and along the United States border. In 1856, Palliser's interest in the western prairies initiated his plan to explore western Canada along the American border on a formal expedition. His interest in some of these alternative routes became an idea for a project that could be used to survey

207-657: A breakdown in Cree- Blackfoot relations. This breakdown in relations resulted in a conflict between the Cree and various other First Nations—Peigan, Siksika and Blood—as well as the Blackfoot . Hugh Dempsey states, "The people remembered that even as a child, Maskepetoon showed leadership." During youth, the Cree children engaged in games that not only had the purpose of being enjoyable, but preparing them for their impending adulthood. These games were ones that involved

276-557: A matter of just a few minutes, all of the Cree peace-making party were dead, including Maskepetoon. Running Calf, a young member of Many Swans' band, has been named as the one who killed Maskepetoon. This however was not the end of the situation. John McDougall says not only were their clothes stolen, Not satisfied with [the death of Maskepetoon] the Blackfeet dismembered and severed the old hero's body, limb from limb and dragged these at their horses' tails into their camp. Maskepetoon,

345-498: A national loss. He was a staunch Protestant, a friend of the white man, and exerted more influence than any other Chief east of the Mountains. In two weeks from this date I had arranged to meet him and his people at camp-meeting. Many of our people from White Fish Lake, Woodville and Victoria, have already started for the appointed place; but he who would have sat as Chief in our Council is gone. I cannot tell you how deeply my own mind

414-568: A route called White Fish River to see where the Kaministikwia River connected to the main river and determine if it could be used for transportation purposes or as another possible pass from Canada to the prairies. Palliser had seen major waterways facilitating transportation in Mississippi and Missouri and saw the potential for connecting the Red River Colony to Canada. In collecting accurate and detailed information about

483-509: A ship to travel in the Atlantic), then to Montreal . From there, they finally sailed back to Liverpool . The science that was used in this expedition in the surveying of the land and information that was gathered was significant in the types of agriculture that could be grown and opportunities for settlement and transportation. The expedition collected and filed astronomical , meteorological , geological and magnetic data, described

552-472: A worthy and wise leader, with an aim of helping those with no leader who could potentially guide them, as well as provide protection. It was not until the late 1840s and early 1850s that Maskepetoon became recognised as a well renowned leader of the Rocky Mountain Crees. In his role as leader of the Cree band, his duties included; areas to hunt, destinations to travel to, as well as informing

621-646: A year later he slapped a man while the Indians were trading at Fort Edmonton. On another occasion, he attempted to scalp his favourite wife, Sussewisk, during a drunken rage. Makepetoon assisted the Palliser expedition. "In 1857 he was engaged by John Palliser’s expedition to act as guide from the Qu’Appelle lakes (near Fort Qu’Appelle) to the elbow of the South Saskatchewan River (near Elbow); from

690-534: Is a pump system capable of lifting water from the reservoir into the 20-kilometre (12 mi) long canal leading to the power plant so that it can operate at low reservoir water levels. Palliser Expedition The Palliser expedition , officially the British North American Exploring Expedition , explored and surveyed the open prairies and rugged wilderness of western Canada from 1857 to 1860. The expedition

759-545: Is afflicted. The poor Crees are paralysed. May the blessed God overrule this great calamity for His own glory and the good of a suffering people. In addition to this, Thomas Woolsey – a former mentor of Maskepetoon – was given the news of his fate he also expressed a deep sense of loss. I can assure you that the mournful intelligence we have received regarding my old friend, the Cree Chief (Maskepetoon) and his family, has been persued with feeling of unutterable grief. I had

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828-486: Is established at the confluence with Nordegg River. The total length of the river is 210 kilometres (130 mi). The river, and various other local geographic features, were named after Joseph Brazeau, a Missouri-born fur trader working for the Hudson's Bay Company in the area between 1852 and 1864. The Brazeau River has long been seen as a potential site for hydroelectric power generation. The earliest scheme to harness

897-486: The Canadian Pacific Railway built through part of it. The opportunities that the land provided became a priority. In connecting the west with Canada, by 1870 agriculture was becoming the main focus and resource in the western prairies, though trading fur continued to be part of the economy. Palliser and Hind's expeditions and the research they conducted and the information that they contributed led to

966-832: The Okanogan Valley , while Palliser crossed over land to Midway, BC . Unable to find passes to the Pacific north of the 49th parallel, they reunited with Hector in Fort Colvile . From there, they travelled 598 miles (962 km) downstream on the Columbia River to Fort Vancouver and the Pacific Coast, then north to Fort Victoria . The expedition returned to the East Coast by ship through San Francisco and Panama (where they had to go overland to reach

1035-434: The compass , collected different types of plants, recorded measures of the rivers, and observed the various geographical terrains and characteristics of the landscapes. The measurements were compared to previous information and recording of the land by other explorers and scientists in recent years. They looked at existing agricultural development in the soil and the kinds of vegetation being grown in some regions. Two of

1104-404: The fauna and flora of the lands crossed, as well as considerations regarding settlement and transportation. The research conducted on the expeditions by Hind and Palliser began to redefine the landscape of western British North America in its topography and the differences in the atmosphere . The party recorded longitude and latitude points, altitudes , chronometer rates, variations of

1173-414: The power of the river was hatched in 1913 and involved a dam and storage on Brazeau Lake. The potential power generation was estimated at 5,000 to 10,000 kilovolt-amperes , and power would have been transmitted to Edmonton and Calgary , both roughly 400 kilometres (250 mi) from the generator (this was a relatively ambitious plan: long-distance transmission was not common at the time). The plan

1242-464: The "Gandhi of the Plains." It has been said by Hugh Dempsey that even during Maskepetoon's youth, he was an intelligent child and showed leadership. After leaving the care of his mother, Maskepetoon began to study the necessary skills of hunting and trapping. In the early to mid 1820s, his tribe struggled with starvation as well as ongoing conflict. This meant that Maskepetoon would have had to take up

1311-564: The Cree how the camp was to be protected. Maskepetoon earned respect from his fellow people as a skilled hunter, as well as his generosity and wisdom. Hugh Dempsey says of Maskepetoon, "He welcomed visitors to his lodge, honoured them and presented them with gifts on their departure." Maskepetoon's love for alcohol has also been reported, most likely due to the fact that when he drank he often became somewhat out of control. Dempsey's book mentions such events. In 1845, he almost killed Baptiste Brenow while they were drinking at Whitemud Creek, and

1380-400: The Cree that there was to be a truce. In showing this peace gesture, the Cree believed that this was a sincere act and upon being asked to disarm, they followed the proposal and laid down their weapons. Following this, in an act of betrayal, Many Swans gather all of the weapons and rode off while shouting to his warriors, "Go ahead! Shoot and kill them!" Dempsey continues this by saying that in

1449-431: The Kaministikwia River and into Fort William , the starting point of the routes they had set out to explore; the first stretch of land was between Lake Superior and Red River. The expedition continued with horses and carts, with supplies provided by the HBC. At Red River Palliser employed a number of Métis guides to assist on the trip west. These guides also acted as interpreters, scouts and armed escorts. In June 1857,

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1518-816: The Rockies through the Howse Pass , and tried unsuccessfully to push through to the Pacific Coast. Palliser and Sullivan crossed the mountains through the North Kootenay Pass and continued down the Kootenay River to Fort Colville , which by then was on American soil as a result of the Oregon Treaty of 1846 and placement of the boundary at the 49th parallel . Sullivan explored the Columbia River and its tributaries as far west as

1587-410: The Rocky Mountains, they were prevented from proceeding to the Pacific by mountains further west. From this better understanding and supported evidence of promising land and opportunities, work on expanding the west, settlement and connecting Canada to the west through additions to transportation. One of the passes that that party explored on their expedition was later used for transportation purposes, as

1656-697: The United States border. The expedition continued through Turtle Mountain , Fort Ellice , Roche Percée , along the South Saskatchewan River to Fort Carlton , then along the North Saskatchewan River , where they spent the winter of 1857/1858. In the spring they marched west, and searched for mountain crossings west of modern-day Irricana . Palliser and Sullivan mapped the North Kananaskis Pass and North Kootenay Pass before returning to Fort Edmonton for

1725-515: The buffalo led to the Indigenous communities becoming more reliant on European settlers and the government as they lost their main resource of economic dependency and began selling their land and moving on to reserves. Maskepetoon Maskepetoon (c. 1807 – 1869) was a Cree leader and warrior. He was a highly respected peace-maker, due to his negotiation of truces between the Cree and other First Nations. Grant MacEwan described him as

1794-563: The camp of the Blood Indians and murdered her. Awaiting their meeting with the Siksika's, Maskepetoon's party, including himself, had dressed in their best clothes. They laid out a flag and beneath it they all sat with a Bible, pipe and tobacco, as was tradition in peace-making situations. As Many Swans approached he displayed the universal sign for peace, holding his hands in front of him with his hands clasped together before telling

1863-561: The danger which had all but passed them by. In the time following the smallpox epidemic of 1837, the Blackfoot moved to a different area as their tribe faced heavy losses in the face of the disease. Due to the relocation that the Blackfoot exercised, this gave more freedom to the Rocky Mountain Cree in the way of exploration of the plains. This period of time also saw opportunity arise for Maskepetoon to exemplify himself as

1932-518: The detailed records and observations they were able to create a more accurate representation and understanding of the west. After three years of publishing details of the expedition, Palliser presented his report to the British Parliament in 1863. A comprehensive map of the surveyed areas was published in 1865. They concluded that transport through American territory was more feasible. While they found several passes suitable for crossing

2001-448: The development of skills that they would later use during potential conflict. Two examples show how the young Cree members gained skills in combat and improved their proficiency with bows and arrows. The first was a game of "war" which essentially consisted of two teams arming themselves with sticks, mud and even stones. The aim of the game was to use the stick to hurl mud at the other team until one team eventually retreated. Similar to this

2070-469: The expedition include the help of professional scientists who were able to conduct scientific research that could be used to better understand the land, as Palliser himself did not have any formal training. Under the recommendation of John Ball , who was the parliamentary under-secretary of state for the colonies during 1856, the British government provided funding towards the expedition of £5,000. Given

2139-414: The expedition’s members he acquired the name Nichiwa, the Cree term for “friend.”" Following a series of altercations between the Cree and Siksika, which had resulted in deaths for each, it was widely reported that the Siksika were seeking peace. Despite this, a Cree historian – David Ahenakew – said, "There were many who did not want a truce." Hugh Dempsey adds to this by saying, "They wanted revenge for

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2208-455: The general public. In order to support the expansionists' claims of the promises that the west held, promising land needed to be found and publicly documented. Palliser and Hind's expeditions were results of increasing pressure by the British government to learn more about the west. Both the Canadian and British governments’ interest in the region and some of these possible opportunities of

2277-528: The government's interest in the same region, they accepted the proposal and provided funding and support for the expedition. The government's involvement was a recognition of the desire and need for development and expansion in the west. While the expedition started out, in Palliser's vision, as a one-man expedition exploring the west, it quickly became a legitimate, carefully organized and well-funded expedition through connections to influential and authoritative people and organizations. John Ball helped organize

2346-497: The group of men to accompany Palliser on the expedition. The men that made up the expedition were trained scientists of various fields. James Hector was a geologist , naturalist and physician. Other members of the British party were Eugène Bourgeau , who had made many contributions in botanical work; Thomas Wright Blakiston , a geographer and magnetical observer; and John W. Sullivan , a mathematician and sextant observer, who

2415-399: The importance of peace over war. However, Dempsey later goes on to say that this is likely more fiction than reality as it was told by Methodist Missionaries during their travels in eastern Canada. This is due to the depiction that seems to tell of Maskepetoon as "an ideal Christian." During the time of the smallpox epidemic, the Rocky Mountain Cree did not come into contact with it until it

2484-416: The increasing economic changes of the mid-19th century, the region began to be viewed differently, from the dominant landscapes to the growing potential for economic opportunities. This other view was the expansionist view, which became popular in 1856 and 1857 and viewed the uncharted territory in the west as a "promised land" with many possibilities for agricultural prosperity. With the expansionist view and

2553-556: The land and provide information about the uncharted region. His project was proposed to the Royal Geographical Society , which was involved in coordinating research expeditions and worked with the government to help fund some of them, after he was elected as a member of the society on November 24, 1856. Through the society, the Expedition Committee approved Palliser's proposal, but recommended that

2622-504: The land the party was travelling through, they recorded the different landscapes and terrains from bodies of water to forests and mountains. While some explorers had travelled from Red River out west, many followed routes along the Saskatchewan River that had long been used by fur traders. Palliser became aware of the existence of other routes, primarily used by indigenous communities. In 1848, Palliser met James Sinclair ,

2691-608: The land were responsible for their investment and involvement in further research and expeditions. The purpose of the Palliser expedition was to explore three main areas: the land between Lake Superior and the Red River Colony , the land between the Red River Colony and the Rocky Mountains , and the land beyond the Rocky Mountains towards the Pacific Ocean along the continent's western coast. The route between Lake Superior and Red River connected trading posts and

2760-478: The main areas that were discovered on the expedition were the stretch of land which is known now as the fertile belt for the prosperous soil between Red River and the Saskatchewan River Valley and the Rockies. The second expanse of land is through the prairies and extends across the American border, and has become known as Palliser's triangle . They reported to the government that this region

2829-400: The party and assisted it in its work. Such was Maskepetoon , later chief of a small Cree band. "In 1857 he was engaged by John Palliser’s expedition to act as guide from the Qu’Appelle lakes (near Fort Qu’Appelle) to the elbow of the South Saskatchewan River (near Elbow); from the expedition’s members he acquired the name Nichiwa , the Cree term for 'friend'." With little information about

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2898-661: The party explored White Fish River to determine the river connections and potential usage of the waterways along with the help of three local Ojibwas . They travelled from Thunder Bay up the Kaministiquia River , climbed Mountain Portage, stopped at the Priest's Portage and crossed nine other portages. They continued via the Red River and across the prairies. They met Charles W. Iddings, an American surveyor, along

2967-463: The physical features of the landscape, and reflected the expansionist views of the west at the time. Expeditions such as Palliser 's and Henry Youle Hind 's were direct results of the expansionist campaign. With the increasing frequency of expeditions to the west, exploring the North West became more popular, specifically among young British men interested in experiencing the wilderness before it

3036-423: The potential in the land, the western prairies began to also be seen as a place to settle and live as the barren and harsh wilderness was portrayed as a visionary countryside. One of the earliest visionaries of western Canada was Arthur Dobbs , who saw the agricultural potential and fertile soils in the mid-18th century. Even with little information or supporting evidence regarding the land's potential, visions of

3105-529: The prestige that came with being a warrior." While mostly a peaceful tribe, the Cree that Dempsey discusses, did have instances during which it became necessary to use violence. Along with this, the younger Cree were also not shy of getting involved due to the recognition they would receive from aiding and assisting their tribe. After developing these skills during his childhood, Maskepetoon continued to learn and grow even more as he grew older. Hugh Dempsey says, "As he grew up, Maskepetoon learned to walk silently in

3174-513: The recent killings." However, Maskepetoon and his band were adamant in resolving things peacefully. The camp they entered had recently been put under the leadership of a Siksika Supreme Chief named Many Swans. Many Swans was known for being a vicious and unsympathetic leader. This made it very unlikely that Maskepetoon's peace efforts would stand a chance of working. Regardless of Many Swans' feelings towards traders and his lack of mercy, his people still willingly followed him confidently. Whether this

3243-508: The region. The changes in the economy as a result of this expansion were very rapid and had affected the Metis and Indigenous people as they experienced a shift in their economic, political and cultural control over their communities. Within the 1870s, the foundation of the economy in western Canada was broken down with the isolation and separation from the rest of Canada, and systems of power among Indigenous communities. The disappearance of

3312-457: The remote western frontier and the new observations and knowledge were significant for the expansion into and development of the western prairies by European settlers. The expedition's reports impacted changes in the economy, settlement, transportation, Indigenous communities and the campaign for expansionism in Canada. The party consisted of: As well, local guides and interpreters traveled with

3381-485: The respected warrior and peace-maker, was 62 at the time of his death. After the news of Maskepetoon's death, it was strikingly clear how greatly this had impacted his followers, as well as the Methodists he had come into contact with. Upon learning of his death, John McDougall wrote a piece that expressed his sense of loss as well as the nations loss. The death of our old Chief is regarded by both Whites and Indians as

3450-422: The role of a soldier, being put in positions of guarding the camp and scouting for any potential threats. Dempsey has also noted that Maskepetoon eventually chose peace over war following a visit to a holy man. He was said to have been spoken to by his father on the issue, his father telling him that he did not have to choose war. Despite being spoken to several times, Maskepetoon rejected his talk of peace. However,

3519-400: The spilling of man's blood, is all wrong. If you want to be a great man, if you want to be remembered long, turn about and work for peace. This is the only thing that will give you true fame. While Dempsey says that his father spoke to him six times regarding the notion of seeking peace rather than bloodshed, it was not until Maskepetoon turned to a holy man for guidance that he truly realised

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3588-400: The talks with his father began to bother him, so he visited a holy man who laid out two paths for Maskepetoon, war or peace. Following these words with the holy man, Maskepetoon had finally found peace to be the favourable choice. Throughout his life, Maskepetoon married an estimated four times. Born during a time of fluctuating war and peace for his tribe, the year before his birth there was

3657-534: The territory of Rupert's Land , including information on the geography , climate , soil , flora and fauna , in order to discover its capabilities for settlement and transportation. The expedition was the first detailed and scientific survey of the region between Lake Superior and the southern passes of the Rockies in British North America . The expedition provided a better understanding of

3726-421: The west were influential in portraying British North America as an untouched and unsettled wilderness full of opportunity. In the 1850s, the image of the west was influenced largely by the British government. Thomas Devine created the first map of British North America's West in 1857, which showed the territories of the Hudson's Bay Company . The map described the land and its potential rather than focusing on

3795-454: The western prairies and the frontiers of European settlement in British North America, the basis of public knowledge prior to the expedition was largely speculation. There were two main views of the west at the time; one view, which had been the dominant perception leading up to 1856, depicted the region as a remote and barren wasteland, an excessively rugged wilderness that had little prospect for economically useful resources or settlement. With

3864-428: The western prairies being divided into regions based on the geography , climate , soil and agricultural potential. The transition in the economic sectors from fur trading to agricultural created more development in western Canada , with a growing population of European settlers. The large presence of European settlers in the west made them a large economic power and created conflict with Indigenous communities in

3933-495: The whole." It of course remains to be questioned whether or not this is fact or fiction but if true, it proves the immense skill that Maskepetoon held as a warrior. Later in life he, of course, turned from war to peace-making. This is said by John McDougall to have been influenced by his father's words. His father said while Maskepetoon was revelling in the glory of his accomplishments in battle, The glory you are now seeking will be short-lived. Delighting in war, taking pleasure in

4002-761: The winter. Hector crossed the Vermilion Pass and discovered the Kicking Horse Pass . During the winter, Palliser, Captain Arthur Brisco and William Roland Mitchell went south to Rocky Mountain House to meet the Blackfoot and Northern Peigan First Nations. In 1859, the expedition mapped the confluence of the Red Deer River and South Saskatchewan River, as well as the Cypress Hills , before turning again west. Hector crossed

4071-561: The woods..." and continues by adding, "He could sense a change in the weather, particularly in winter. He had to, for his life depended on it." This shows that even as a teenager, Maskepetoon was already well trained in the skills he would need for later life during potential conflicts that may occur. Dempsey believes that Maskepetoon went on his first proper outing in 1821, when he was just 14 years old. Maskepetoon – as Hugh Dempsey mentions – had at least three brothers. His youngest brother, Samson said of his brothers, "My brother [Maskepetoon]

4140-448: Was also the secretary for the expedition and responsible for astronomical observations. Palliser, Hector, Bourgeau, and Sullivan sailed for New York on 16 May 1857. In May 1857, Palliser and the group of men began the expedition. They sailed from Sault Ste Marie by steamship across Lake Superior and Lake Huron . They continued by canoes and by June 12 they had almost reached Isle Royale and continued through Thunder Bay , across

4209-596: Was another game called itachikan . In this, one boy would fire his arrow as far as possible and the aim of the game was for the rest of the players to get as close to it as they could. The winner would then be the one who got their arrow closest to the target. It is said by Hugh Dempsey that the Rocky Mountain band of Cree were "generally peaceful" he does however continue by saying "they took up arms to defend their camps or respond to an insult, and their young people were not averse to raiding an enemy in order to gain

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4278-399: Was due to his violent tendencies or perhaps him being a very strong leader, it does not matter, they were going to follow him whatever the case. This would not have been the first instance of his people following his commands no matter how brutal. One of Many Swans' wives had left him for a Blood Indian. He did not like this and following being granted permission to kill her, his brother rode to

4347-562: Was killed by the Blackfeet, another by the Stonies, and another by the Cree; thus you will see we were not only at war with other tribes, but fought among ourselves." Dempsey also notes that there are few testimonies written regarding Maskepetoon's fighting ability, however, some were kept in oral history. A Missionary who knew Maskepetoon, George McDougall, tells a story of the Cree Chief's combat skills by saying, "Once attacked by three Blackfeet...he rushed upon them with his knife and despatched

4416-457: Was led by Irish-born explorer John Palliser , and accompanied by a party of four other men: James Hector , Eugène Bourgeau , Thomas Blakiston and John W. Sullivan . With the support of the British government and the Royal Geographical Society it became an official expedition with the stated purpose of gathering scientific information about the landscapes of British-claimed north-western North America (today's western Canada ), in particular

4485-441: Was nearing its end. The disease eventually reached them in the winter of 1837-1838 but during this time, a majority of the Cree were away from the camps trapping. The Cree outside of the camp, including Maskepetoon, were told of deaths occurring amongst the Rocky Mountain Cree and on the plains but stayed safe by continuing to live in the woods and working. The result of this was Maskepetoon and his fellow Cree emerging unscathed from

4554-560: Was scuttled after the discovery of a large underflow at Brazeau Lake, precluding its use as a storage facility. The 99-square-kilometre (38 sq mi) Brazeau Reservoir was created on the lower course through the construction of the Brazeau Dam . Its hydroelectric power plant is Alberta's largest, with a capacity of 355 megawatts and an annual production of about 394,000 megawatt hours of electrical energy. An unusual feature of this hydroelectric development, commissioned in 1965,

4623-422: Was taken over by settlers. The western prairies had only been known by the few small Indigenous communities that lived there and the few British fur traders and missionaries, who themselves did not know much about the land. Some of the fur traders and explorers who had been through the area had collected and recorded information and maps; however, this information was often private and not easily accessible by

4692-515: Was too arid for subsistence agriculture , a finding that was overruled by later officials. That was much to the detriment of those who tried to farm there, particularly when homesteading was encouraged by government grants of land From surveying the land, large amounts of fertile land were found which contributed to the change from an economy built around fur-trading to agriculture. The knowledge and plans for western British North America became more clear after Palliser and Hind's expeditions, with

4761-474: Was used by the Hudson's Bay Company for some travel. The route had been used frequently by the HBC for trading furs by canoe before 1821. While the pass had not been originally part of the expedition, John Ball wanted a neutral perspective of the company's route to determine if it could be reliably used by travellers and for transporting goods as a connecting route to Canada. Palliser and his party also examined

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