Prophecy of the Swan
The Upper Peace River Fur Trade of 1794-1823
Prophecy of the Swan covers twenty-nine years in thehistory of the Peace River valley in northeastern British Columbia. Avivid portrayal of life in some of the most isolated fur trade posts,it describes the intense competition between the North West and theHudson's Bay companies, the individuals who were involved inexploration and commerce, and, finally, the shocking 'massacre ofSt. Johns.' It is unique in its integration of historic informationand archaeological discovery, as it combines information recovered frommany years of archaeological excavation with first-hand impressions ofday-to-day life drawn from the few existing journals kept by companyclerks.
The authors focus not on the elites and middle management, but onthe labourers and tradesmen, the wives and the children, whose liveswere affected by the fur trade. Written for both a general audienceinterested in the history of British Columbia as well as fur tradescholars who will appreciate its innovative approach, this book bringsnew knowledge and insights to the study of this period in theprovince's history.
Prophecy of the Swan also portrays life an archaeologicalproject -- the endless hours of digging, the exacting work methods, andthe small rewards inherent in discovery, as well as the mystique andromance that surround such an evocation of history.
A model of cross-disciplinary scholarship, this study will be treasured by historians and archaeologists for its scope, its methodology, its attention to detail, and its recovery of a past now, alas, of very distant memory.
Burley et al have produced a highly readable account of ... events, and an excellent introduction to histoprical archaeology in northern BC.
The authors masterfully document their recovery efforts and present a reliable chronicle of the upper Peace River fur trade ... Students interested in Western Canadian, fur trade, and First Nations history will find much to admire in this book.
Illustrations
Acknowledgments
Introduction
1. Before the Fur Trade
2. First Nations of the Valley
3. The Canadian Fur Trade and Peace River History
4. Rediscovering History
5. Rocky Mountain Fort
6. Rocky Mountain Portage House and New Caledonia
7. St. Johns
8. Yale and McIntosh
9. Artifacts of the Fur Trade
10. The Massacre of St Johns
11. Postscript
Appendix A: Rocky Mountain Fort Journal
Appendix B: St Johns Journal
Appendix C: Artifact Assemblages and Spatial Distribution of RockyMountain Fort and St Johns
Notes
References
Index
