In January 1828 Alexander McKenzie was killed along with several other HBC employees on Hood Canal in modern Washington. Gervais and other HBC employees were sent to retaliate against those in Klallam nation responsible for the killings. That fall he also went to the Umpqua River Valley in Southern Oregon to retrieve the merchandise left when 15 members of Jedediah Smith's trapping party were killed by Umpqua natives.
In January 1828, Alexander McKenzie and other HBC employees were killed on Hood Canal in modern Washington. Gervais and other HBC personnel retaliated against those responsible for the killings. That fall, he traveled to the Umpqua River Valley in Southern Oregon to retrieve merchandise left by Jedediah Smith's trapping party after 15 members were killed by Umpqua natives.