Icy Summits

James Bird and the Icy Summits

James Bird was born in Acton, Middlesex, England, and joined the Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC) as a clerk in 1788 at the age of 15. He served his apprenticeship at York Factory before moving inland to manage various posts, including Carlton House and Edmonton House. Bird, who had assumed command of Edmonton House, travelled west on the North Saskatchewan River and arrived at Acton House on 24 September 1799, a fort to oppose the North West Company’s Rocky Mountain House. The following day he traveled farther west to examine the land before him.

How far? We don’t know but far enough to write the following in his journal.

“…From what little we have yet seen of this part of the Country it is far from appearing so bad as represented to us, though different from the agreeable Plains below here, now nothing can be seen but the gloomy tops of Pines till the Rocky Mountains (whose icy summits seem to pierce the sky) intercepts the view.”

Bird was a factual man and unlike Thompson or Fidler, it was not in his nature to comment on his environment. The scene before him clearly made an impression; like some people today when they see the Rocky Mountains for the first time.