Archaelogy and History
Normally when we climbed to he highest points, the ground was totally bare and rocky. Some of these locations are full
of artifacts left by the people who roamed this area hundreds and thousands of years ago. It is illegal to take these
artifacts. However, over the years Alex has found hundreds of items which he has stashed away near their original
locations.
of artifacts left by the people who roamed this area hundreds and thousands of years ago. It is illegal to take these
artifacts. However, over the years Alex has found hundreds of items which he has stashed away near their original
locations.
On our last day, we were among the fortunate few to visit Hornby's Cabin.
John Hornby (1880-1927) was an explorer known for his expeditions in the Arctic region, notably the "barren lands" in
the Northwest Territory where we were paddling. Hornby was born to a wealthy family in England and migrated to
Canada in 1904. Hornby's first trip to the Arctic was to the Great Bear Lake region in 1908 and he developed a strong
fascination with the Canadian Arctic wilderness. Apart from occasional trips to Edmonton and service in World War I,
Hornby spent the rest of his life in the Arctic region of Canada.
Hornby became known as the "hermit of the north" for his efforts to live off the land with limited supplies. In 1923, Hornby
teamed up with an Englishman James Critchell-Bullock in efforts to spend an entire year in the Arctic near Hudson Bay
living off the land without supplies except for weapons. The pair barely survived and Critchell-Bullock's diaries formed
the basis of Malcolm Waldron's book Snow Man: John Hornby in the Barren Lands first published in 1931.
In 1926, Hornby tried to spend a year in a spot by the Thelon River with his 18 year old cousin Edgar Christian and
another young man Harold Adlard. Unfortunately, the trio missed the caribou migration southward and therefore lacked
sufficient food to survive the winter. Hornby died of starvation along with his companions in 1927. The 18 year old was
the last to survive and left a diary of their starvation in the cabin.
Hornby recommended in a report that the area near the Thelon River be created as a wildlife sanctuary. The Thelon
Game Sanctuary was established in 1927 and this area remains the heart of the largest area of wilderness in North
America where we paddled on this trip.
John Hornby (1880-1927) was an explorer known for his expeditions in the Arctic region, notably the "barren lands" in
the Northwest Territory where we were paddling. Hornby was born to a wealthy family in England and migrated to
Canada in 1904. Hornby's first trip to the Arctic was to the Great Bear Lake region in 1908 and he developed a strong
fascination with the Canadian Arctic wilderness. Apart from occasional trips to Edmonton and service in World War I,
Hornby spent the rest of his life in the Arctic region of Canada.
Hornby became known as the "hermit of the north" for his efforts to live off the land with limited supplies. In 1923, Hornby
teamed up with an Englishman James Critchell-Bullock in efforts to spend an entire year in the Arctic near Hudson Bay
living off the land without supplies except for weapons. The pair barely survived and Critchell-Bullock's diaries formed
the basis of Malcolm Waldron's book Snow Man: John Hornby in the Barren Lands first published in 1931.
In 1926, Hornby tried to spend a year in a spot by the Thelon River with his 18 year old cousin Edgar Christian and
another young man Harold Adlard. Unfortunately, the trio missed the caribou migration southward and therefore lacked
sufficient food to survive the winter. Hornby died of starvation along with his companions in 1927. The 18 year old was
the last to survive and left a diary of their starvation in the cabin.
Hornby recommended in a report that the area near the Thelon River be created as a wildlife sanctuary. The Thelon
Game Sanctuary was established in 1927 and this area remains the heart of the largest area of wilderness in North
America where we paddled on this trip.
Above left is a picture of the remnants of
the cabin they built in 1927. Above right are
the grave sites where the three were buried
next to the cabin.
There was snow on the ground as the men
starved to death. Around the cabin are
stumps where the men cut firewood. The
heighth of the stumps reflects how high the
snow was when they cut the trees.
the cabin they built in 1927. Above right are
the grave sites where the three were buried
next to the cabin.
There was snow on the ground as the men
starved to death. Around the cabin are
stumps where the men cut firewood. The
heighth of the stumps reflects how high the
snow was when they cut the trees.
