Through An Unknown Country: The Jarvis - Hanington Winter Expedition Through The Northern Rockies, 1874-1875

by Mike Murtha (Editor), Charles Helm (Editor)

In the winter of 1874–75, Edward Worrell Jarvis (1846–1894) and Charles Francis Hanington (1848–1930) survived an exacting expedition on behalf of the Canadian Pacific Survey from Quesnel, British Columbia, to Winnipeg, Manitoba. It led them over the northern Rocky Mountains through what would come to be known as Jarvis Pass and eventually onto the Canadian plains. The trip took them 116 days and covered over 3,000 kilometres, of which almost 1,500 kilometres were on snowshoes. Through An Unknown The Jarvis – Hanington Winter Expedition Through The Northern Rockies, 1874–1875 brings together the detailed day-to-day reports of Jarvis and the more entertaining narrative of the epic journey by Hanington into a single volume for the first time. Recounting harrowing treks through deep mountains, dense valleys, open foothills and wide prairie, this highly readable adventure story of mountaineering and discovery can most certainly be read alongside the better-known journals of Alexander Mackenzie, Simon Fraser, David Thompson and Paul Kane.

Enhanced with archival photographs and illustrations, historians Mike Murtha and Charles Helm have brought together the gripping details of a forgotten 19th-century winter expedition that will transport readers to a frozen world of snowshoes and dog teams, of sextants and compasses and moccasins, a world devoid of the ability to call for help when needed.

344 pages, Paperback

First published November 10, 2015

Reviews

[D · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not a fan of Canadian nationalism, its founding myths, CP Rail, colonialism, sled-dog cruelty, or racism. So I'm scratching my head a bit as to why I decided to read this book. I guess I thought there'd be a bit more than just a desperate tale of survival. And even if that's all there was, I'd have still hoped the journal entries would've been somewhat enthralling.

Don't get me wrong, the authors have certainly done a great job in compiling for the first time all of these resources. I have a general interest in the Northern Rockies, though I haven't traveled on foot there yet. Perhaps more familiarity with the area in questions would've tipped the scales a bit towards making this a more worthwhile read.

The two main characters (Jarvis and Hanington) just aren't particularly worthy of sympathy, mostly for their treatment of the dogs and indians. There is certainly an enthusiasm for exploration between them, but this being a rushed winter trip that doesn't go spectacularly well, it just doesn't really stand out for me.