In 1906 it was still burning! According to Mackenzie, the ground in the regions about the lower reaches of the Mackenzie River is always frozen at least five inches down from the surface, yet he found small spruce trees growing in patches near the delta of this river, besides pale-yellow raspberries of an agreeable flavour, and a great variety of other plants and herbs.
As the expedition drew near to the estuary of the great Mackenzie River a range of lofty snowy mountains rose into sight on the west.
These mountains were said by the natives to swarm with large bears--probably of the huge chocolate-coloured Alaska type; and again a mention was made of "small white buffaloes", which were in all probability the large white mountain goat (_Oreamnus_).

The Amerindians along the river greatly magnified the dangers, predicting impassable rapids between the confluence of the Great Bear River and the sea.

But these stories were greatly exaggerated.

Every now and then the river would narrow and flow between white precipitous limestone walls of rock, but there was no obstacle to navigation, though it was very deep and the current fast.
The travellers now began to get within touch of the Eskimo and to hear of their occasional raids up the river from the sea.

They were said to use slings, from which they flung stones with such dexterity as to prove formidable in their fights with the Amerindians, who regarded them with great respect, the more so because of their intercourse with the mysterious white people (Russians) from whom they obtained iron.
Mackenzie just managed to reach within sight of the sea, beyond the delta of the river, his most northern point being about 69 deg.