1991 Field Report
(Part
3)
by
Jean-Luc Pilon
NOGAP Archaeologist
Canadian Museum of Civilization
Travaillant Lake to Inuvik
Archaeological survey work in the southwest Anderson Plain
during the first phase of the NOGAP Archaeology Project focussed
heavily on the upland area which forms the headwaters of the
region's major drainage systems (Pilon 1991:89). In an effort to
broaden the scope of the reconnaissance data and sample a wider
range of physical environments, a survey of portions of the Peel
Plain Lowlands was planned which would begin with a reassessment of
sites previously recorded immediately south of Travaillant Lake
(Millar and Fedirchuk 1975). This was to be complemented by a
reconnaissance of Big and Sucker Lakes, located immediately west of
the lower reaches of the Travaillant River, and an examination
various locales along the Mackenzie River itself in order to
acquire a better understanding of potential site locations there.
Finally, an ethnographic inquiry conducted into the former use of
fish traps (Andre 1991) was to be followed by an attempt to locate
a site on Tree River where fish traps were believed to have been
used.
With this overly complex plan in mind we set out on the
afternoon of the 3rd of July to examine Big and Sucker Lakes for
the potential of establishing a base camp on either lake. This is
an area which was fully engulfed by the forest fires of 1986 and
presented a desolate appearance. An insurmountable difficulty
however lay in the impossibility of landing our Cessna 185; quite
simply, the waters of these lakes were judged to be too shallow.
It was thus decided to forgo their examination. Moreover, as we
flew down their lengths and followed the outlet stream to the
Travaillant River, it was observed that this stream is virtually
impassible, being overgrown with thick brush.
However, it must be pointed out that these lakes are noted for
their excellent spring muskrat hunting (Gabe André, personal
communication 1991). Furthermore, as we overflew the lakes,
literally thousands of ducks were seen to cover them. The stream
leading to Travaillant River is also well known for its stock of
fish (Willie Simon Modeste, personal communication 1991). In
short, their potential for past use remains quite interesting.
We then decided to establish a base camp on Andrew Lake in
order to relocate Hidlerman's 1973 sites (Millar and Fedirchuk
1973), and then descend the Travaillant River to its mouth on the
Mackenzie. Following our investigations at that locality, we moved
downstream to the mouth of Tree River where we met Alestine Andre
who was spending the summer fishing with relatives. We had
intended to ascend the Tree River to the first forks where in
former times fish traps might have been located. Unfortunately,
less than 5 kilometres up that river, the waters became fairly
shallow, making travel with our ZODIAC difficult. We also bagan to
encounter trees felled by beaver. With the prospect of even
additional beaver activity, it was decided to abandon this portion
of the plan.
The remainder of the trip, which eventually took us to Inuvik
early on the morning of the 17th of July, was spent descending the
Mackenzie River and spending some time at major river mouths and
other interesting localities along the way; Rabbit Hay River,
Pierre's Creek, Rengleng River. In this fashion we examined 24
localities and discovered 19 new archaeological sites. More
importantly, we acquired a better understanding of the potential
for site location along this major watercourse. We will thus be in
a better position to further test archaeological site potential
along the lower Mackenzie River and propose potential models and
ways of protecting the heritage resources along this river.
During an archaeological survey linked to a proposed Mackenzie
Highway corridor, Mr. G. Hilderman identified 7 archaeological
sites between the outlet of Travaillant Lake and the outlet of
Andrew Lake, the next lake down from Travaillant Lake. We
attempted to relocate a number of these sites in order to determine
if they had been affected by the 1986 forest fire, which ravaged
part of this region, and obtain more meaningful samples from these.
- Andrew Lake
Field No: HILD-1
Borden No: MjTl-1
The outlet of Travaillant Lake is characterized by a broad
shallow basin which literally spills into the Travaillant River
through a relatively narrow opening. The result is a shallow
stream with very swift currents for approximately 200 metres. We
investigated the east shore of the stream, about 100 metres below
the lake.
Strewn along the sandy shore were
sections of gill nets with wood floats
which had been either
abandoned there or torn away from some more distant location by
storms. The fetch along this large lake from the north must result
in quite violent wave activity, especially when these waves reach
the southern end of the lake.
A low, willow-covered bench occurred east of the active beach.
There evidence of recent historic use was noted. Further inland,
on a slightly higher terrace about 20 metres from the river four
shovel test pits within a 5 metre radius yielded evidence of
possible prehistoric activity. At the base of a thick sod which
measured between 15 and 25 cm, fish remains were recovered. In one
of these test pits, a thick layer of charcoal was encountered which
had calcined and fresh bone associated. In another, a possible
chert flake was found.
An examination of the aerial photograph of the southern
portion of Travaillant Lake is quite interesting as regards the
outlet stream. Taken in what appears to be the spring, the lake
immediately adjacent to the stream is ice free and the sand
shallows are quite visible. This suggests that the strong currents
at this location are sufficient to maintain a thin ice cover in the
fall and open this area early in the spring. The evidence of
recent and past fishing suggests that a fishery here was and
remains a productive activity.
Field No: HILD-2
Borden No: MjTl-2
This site was easily relocated, but our investigation failed
to yield additional artifacts. The historic cabin
foundation consists of a rectangular outline which measured about
4 metres in depth and approximately 3 metres across the face. The
cabin is located less than 2 metres from the edge of a low terrace
behind a sand spit. Shovel test pits were placed in front and to
the east of the slight depression. These revealed a 20-25 cm thick
sphagnum sod with wood fragments at its base. Old looking axe-cut
stumps were quite numerous in the general vicinity.
Field No: 91JLP-25
Borden No: MjTl-8
While descending the Travaillant River, our attention was
attracted to a locality where an adze-cut stump was noted near the
edge of the high river bank. While it is difficult to describe the
actual location of this site, it is on the east side of the
river, about half way down to Andrew Lake (roughly 2 km).
As it turned out, this stump was one of a few adze-cut and
even more numerous axe-cut stumps. Further inspection resulted in
the discovery of the collapsed supports of a rectangular tent on
the order of 8 feet x 10 feet with a pair of charred stove
supports. Nearby we noted an OGDEN'S Tobacco tin and a pole
structure said by Willie Simon Modeste to be the remains of a dog
house. An adze-cut stump located on the slumping bank may indicate
that a portion of the older component of this site has long since
disappeared into the Travaillant River.
Field No: HILD-4
Borden No: MjTl-3
We briefly inspected the cabin foundation reported by
Hilderman. The 1986 forest fire had burned throughout
the site area and little remained. However, the location was
easily relocated in part due to the historic artifacts which now
lie strewn on the surface over a wide area. Mr. Simon Modeste
believes this was the cabin of "Old Blaise", a former member of the
Arctic Red River Gwich'in Band.
Field No: HILD-5
Borden No: MjTl-4
The remains of this cabin are still untouched by forest fires
and additional temporary pole structures and trails were noted in
the general area. It should be pointed out however
that the site is no longer about 10 metres from the edge of the
lake but more like 5 metres. Erosion has been particularly severe
along this side of Andrew Lake.
Field No: HILD-6,7
Borden No: MjTl-5,6
Nothing of these two sites could be relocated. However, about
300 metres south of where HILD-6 was supposed to be located, an
extensive scatter of historic debris dating to perhaps the 1950s
was found over a broad area, on the east shore, at the very head of
the outlet stream.
Field No: 91JLP-26
Borden No: MjTl-9
The stream which links Travaillant Lake and Andrew Lake
follows a twisting, circuitous route. The southern third of this
stream runs down the centre of an ever narrowing point which
projects into the northern portion of Andrew Lake for at least 2.3
kilometres. Today the stream no longer reaches the very tip of the
point but has breached the high banks about half way down.
A semi-subterranean feature was located
near the top of the
stream bank on the east shore of the last major bend in the former
outlet). The structure lies between 5 and 7 metres from
the steep bank of the river. A raised ridge or berm is clearly
visible on all four sides of the rectangular depression which
measured 1 m 40 x 0.60 m and 0.20 m deep. The berm is more
pronounced along the sides than at the extremities. The maximum
area covered by the berm is 3 m 80 x 3 m 20. The long axis of the
feature is oriented in a general E-W direction.
Three test
pits were excavated into the structure's berm; one on either
lateral berm, and one at the extremity closest to the river. In
the end berm test pit, three poles with their bark still adhering
were found immediately under the sod. These lay parallel to each
other and slightly askew to the long axis of the feature.
Underlying these poles was a layer of fine sand (10 cm) under which
a thin humus level was found (2-4 cm). At the base of this humus
layer 7 small siliceous argillite flakes were found along with a
small pole which lay at the same angle as the upper poles. The
next soil layer was a fine yellow sand/silt of from 3 to 5 cm in
thickness. The final soil horizon was a light brown sand of
unknown depth.
The test pit
placed along the south lateral berm yielded a
similar stratigraphic sequence beginning with poles just under the
sod. These lay in the same angle as those in the end berm test
pit. Under these poles was a layer of brown sand measuring up to
25 cm in thickness which overlay a humus layer of 5-7 cm in
thickness. In this organic horizon a single siliceous argillite
flake was recovered along with a section of a birch bark container.
In the second lateral berm test pit placed on the north side
of the structure, the stratigraphy was essentially the same as that
on the south side, including the poles and their orientation.
However, no artifacts were recovered.
Lastly, a test pit was placed about 2 metres from the
structure, in the direction of the river. There, fire-cracked
rocks were found at the base of the sod.
It is interesting to have found poles with bark still adhering
since it permitted us to identify the tree species as spruce.
Interestingly, good spruce trees are fairly rare in the immediate
site vicinity where birch trees predominate. No adze-cut stumps
were seen.
Field No: 91JLP-27
Borden No: MjTl-10
A second semi-subterranean structure was located about 50
metres further down the former outlet stream from 91JLP-26, on the
west bank of the river. This feature consists of a
square depression apparently cut into the top of the 3 metre high
river bank. The fourth side appears to be missing, perhaps due to
erosion and slumping. There are no visible berms and the
dimensions of the 1.2 metre deep depression are 3 m 80 x 4 m.
A test trench was excavated in the
centre of the
sphagnum-filled structure. Under the thick sphagnum carpet (20
cm), a carbonized layer of moss (10-15 cm) was encountered at the
base of which 7 fire-cracked rocks, a pocket of finely crushed
calcined bone and 2 bird (duck?) coracoids were discovered.
Branches were found which seemed to be lying on a level of silt,
but further excavation was impossible due to permafrost.
This feature is without a doubt man-made, but represents a
unique type to date in the whole of the southwest Anderson Plain.
Comparative structures do not immediately present themselves,
especially given the very limited data available from this site.
However, at a very crude level, this structure is somewhat
reminiscent of historic semi-subterranean structures described by
McFayden Clark and Clark (1974) in Alaska and perhaps even in a
general way with moss houses known for the Gwich'in of Yukon and
Peel River (Osgood 1936).
Field No: 91JLP-28
Borden No: MjTl-11
A recent camp was noted on the west side of the outlet of
Andrew Lake. This camp is situated approximately 50
metres from a sandy beach in an otherwise flat and featureless
terrain. A flat-bottomed plywood ratting canoe was lying near
standing tent supports. An assortement of tables and hide
stretchers lay in the general vicinity. This camp was last used
within the past 20 years by Mr. Gabe André of Arctic Red River in
springtime for hunting muskrats. The skeletal remains of caribou
were also observed lying on the surface.
