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MAUUAIUT McN Al C;HT< >N
OVERLAND TO CARIBOO
AX KVKNTFUL JOURNKY OF ('ANAI)IAX
PIONKKHS TO THK (JOLI) FIKLDS OF
imiTISH COLUMlilA IN 1S(}2.
BY
MARGARKT McNAUGHTON,
W'i/t of one of fhe Pionctrs,
83litb portraits :inb Illustrations.
TORONTO:
WILLIAM BRIGGS
WESLEY HIILI)IN(}S.
C. W. COATES, Montreal. S. F. HULSTIS, Halifax.
, 1896.
Kntkkkk iMTonliiiK' to Ai-t of iho rurliiiiiu-iit of Caiiiula, in the yi'ar ont-
ihoiisaiid ci^'ht hiiridr.'il anil ninct.v-siv, Itv Wii.mam hitittON, at the
I)c|iartint'nt of Anri(v>lture.
THE PR -PERT Y OF
SCARBORO
PUBLIC L13.TARY.
pri-:facI':.
TiiLs book is not merely a desiriptioii of the adven-
tures of ji party of in«'ii who crossed the phiins of
hiitish North Aineiiea (known then as tlie Hudson's
r.ay Territory) in 18(32, hut it is intended to show
the possibilities of that vast re«,Mon, for many years
so little known to the civilized world, and scai-cely
less a terra inror/tiifa to the Canadian Uovernnient
and people.
Since this journey was accomplished many wonder-
ful ehan<(es have taken place, many curious events
have come to pass. From the Atlantic on the east
to the Pacific on the west the Canadian Pacific Kail-
way is stretched ; and today the perilous journey,
which once occupied five ami a half months, can be
,j>r
I
VI
PREKACK.
accoin{)lisli(Ml, si.rroundod witli every comfort and
convenience, in *ive or six days.
Th(^ intrepid j)ioneers of whom I write were the
first to cross from Canada to Britisli Columbia over-
land, and their coura<i;e and perseverance deserve
to be recorded in history, even l)rietly as it may be.
The company numbered one hundred and fifty, most
f»f them youths "gathered together from difi'en'nt
parts of Eastern Canada. Many of them had been
tenderly reared and well educated. They left their
homes, scmie of them to perish on the journey, and
others to open up and develop this country. They
crossed the north-western part of the continent of
America from Foi't (Jarry (now the city of Winni-
peg), and braved the dan<(erous I'apids of the Fraser
River.
Part of the company reached Quesnelle Mouth,
Cariboo, in the months of September and October
of the year 1862. Of the one hundred and fifty
who formed the expedition, there were some who
never reached Cariboo. They separated from the
rest of the party at the headwaters of the Fraser
PRKI ArK.
Nil
River, ami, after »'iuluiirii,' untold liardsliips and
HiiHerini,', i-eaclied Tort KaniIonj)s.
.Many <»f that liravr l)and have lon^' since passed
ov( • U) the ^'reat niajurity ; some of thnn have left
the t;oiintry; others havr flMed, or are rilhn<,', hoiiour-
ahle iMtsitions in their country's service. It is to
them, ami to sucii as them, \v«' owe the jU'osperity
and |)roi,'i«'ss of liritisli Columhia today.
I had also projtoscd to i,'ivc a sketch of the eailv
iiistory of Carilxjo, hut I find it is wortiiv of a
s(!parat(^ Noiume. C'aiihoo is famecl ijie world over,
aiul, as the Premiei-, in a speech delivered on a
recent occasion, said, '* ('aril)oo is the father of the
Province, and its wondci-ful resources are only he«^in-
nin»^ to he developed.'"
" 'riie lieiLflits l»y <j;\r;a men iciKlicd junl kept
Were not attiiiiied liy sinMcn flii^'lit,
lint tlu'V. \\ liilf lln'ir cuinpiininns slt-pt,
U'oie toiliiii; iipwaid in the iiiLrlit."
CONTILNTS.
CUAITKi: I.
TlIK .Jul KNKV T(» KnliT (i.VKUY.
Thf staitirij,' of the Overliiml Kxpclit ion A fiainlii-
K'lit ("<.inpiiiiy~At St. Paul— Arrival at (iroi'^jc-
t„un-\'isitc.l hy (J(,vetii.)r Dallas-rp tliu Kr<l
liivcr on the Hist steamer -Reach Fort (Jarrv —
I'emiiiicaii Ke.l River Settlement -An idle threat
I'urchasin^ outfits Red Rviver earls Kreii<h-
Catiailian voyageurs
rAiiK
M»
CHAPTER ir.
Wkstwakd Ho!
Leaving Fort ( iarry -White Horse IMains Organi/a-
tion into eompanies-Oider of march — Reautiful
scenery— A plucky woman -P(.rtage la Prairie- -
riie Little Saskatchewan— Crossing the Assiiii-
hoine— Fort Ellice— A runaway ox and jin accident
—Deserted hy the guide- Hufliilo sighted - Dis-
comforts of travel -Fort Cailton - Fort Pitt -
Fatiguing travel Expert l.ridge l)uil.leis .
•Mi
1 1
xu
CONTEXTS.
CHAPTER III.
In tiik Hkart ok thk Continent.
PAOE
Fort Edmonton — An ingenious artill(!rynmn— Im-
promptu concerts— St. Albert's— Oxen trailetl for
horses -Extrjiordinary fei'tility of soil -The Sas-
katchewan valley St. Ann's V^oracious (lot's —
A ludit-rous spectacle —Kindness from Roman
Catholic nuns Hospitality ui Mr. Colin Frasei- -
Bagpipes -A grateful ])i'iest — Cutting roads -
Coal in sight -Kiiulinga volcano — A lonely grave
— Fii'st view of the Rockies— Into the great
Leatherhead I'ass 'u)
CHARTER IV.
The Expedition Entek.s tin-; Rocky Mointains.
Sublime scenery — Migiity forces of nature Ten miles
in a day — An api)alling thundei-storm — A perilous
pathway — Whitefish Lake— Crossing the Atha-
l)asca on rafts — The "height of lan<l "' — The Fiaser
River — Extremities of hungei — Toasted lariat
rope
CHAPTER V
The McMiCKiNi! Party Descendinc; the Eraser.
At Tete Jaune Cache— Tia<ling with Indians — The Ex-
pedition divides — Eraser River party constructing
rafts — The Hotilla stai-ts down the river — In the
(Jrand Canyon — Into the rapi<ls — Thiough a whirl-
pool — An appalling i)rospect Narrow esea])e —
Disaster tt> the Toronto party— A (uinoe wrecked —
■A
TAOK
CONTENTS.
The (Jodeiich parly capsi/.i'd — Tragic dratli of Mr.
Holtertson — Another nuutr strikes -Mr. Carpenter
and Mr. Leader drowned — A singuhir piesentiinent
—At Fort (ieorge — Sad death of Mr. l*iiters(»n—
Part V arrives at CarilxHi
Xlll
r.\(»K
55
CHAI'TKK VI.
AMVKNTrUKS OK TIIK SVMINCTON PaKTV.
(Jaunt and fainisheil travellers — I'lactical sympathy of
the Indians — Dead salmon lining the liver hanks —
The Shuswap Indians— The \\'hitl»y ])arty wrecked
-Canoes to the rescue — I'each Fort (ieorge in
famished condition — At(^uesnelle Fort Alexandria
—On to Victoria KKi
73
CH APT Fit VII.
TtiK Tiio.Mi'soN KivKii Fxi-KDirroN.
A weary niarcii —Cutting loads —Six miles a day —
Peach the Thomj)son River— Kafts and "dug-
outs" — Mr. Strachan drowned — A noldiT sacrifice —
A desperate situation — Timely res,ue Arrival at
Kamloo|(s — First white child in Kainloops — Mr.
Frank Pemherton drowneil — Chanjfes since IS02 —
Kemarkalile progress of the West — Sj)lendid pros-
])eets of Hritish Columltia 11")
CHAPTFK VIII.
liKHiKAI'HKWL SkKT<HI:s OK SoMK OF Tl(!; OVKFtLANDKHS.
Thomas Mc.Micking — ArLliil)ald McNaughton -Rohert
H. McMicking— .lohn Howron — George C. Tunstall
— John Fannin John A. Mara- -James Wattie —
William Fortune— A. L. Fortune ...... 131
xiv
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER IX.
" (fOLDEN Cariboo.
TAOK
Discovery of gold — Influx of miners— Some leading
" claims" — Kxtrtaordinary yields— Fifteen hundred
ounces of gold for six days' work — Hilly Barker
"sti'ikes rich pay" — Disappointetl speculators —
Drowning disaster — High wages and expensive
living— The Hist piano carrie<l into Barkerville —
Sixtv miles cm men's backs— Camels tried as
freight-carriers — Varying fortunes of the "gold-
seeker" ' 149
CHAPTER X.
Extracts from Sawney's Letters and Cariboo
Rhymes.
From Letter No. L — From Letter No. 3. — Waiting
for the mail — Cariboo song: "The Rough but
Honest Miner " 163
m
PAOK
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n-C- r ri - . -
Y OF
SCARBJRO
PUBLIC L
ARY.
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
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("nv nv VrcToKiA .....
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'I'm: Stkamkk " Intkknationai. "
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KoKT (Jakky in IST.'i .....
(Jl.lMI'.^KS OK THK SasKA'Ii IIKW AN HiVKK
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H.\TH Cascadks, Rocky .Mot NTAiNs
(^iKSNKLLK Forks. C.\kii!oo
Vikw ok \.\i.k ......
Ft KM) Station ......
Fkask:r Rivkk, two milks ijki.ow I..ytton
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(JOVKKNOK SkYMOIK Al>l»kKSSIN< i I'lIK InDIANn
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^AH.MnuM, .M.\a,<;mTon
HOKKKT li.KNS MrMMKiv,;
<i'-;<'K.;K Cmkistik T.-nstu-i.
•John Fannin
''""' Anmkknv M.vka, ,.;x-.\i.i..
.J A. MRS W'attII;
William Fokti nk
a. l forti'ne
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0\'HRLANU TO CARIBOO.
CHAl'TKK I.
if.
jorRxnv TO fort carry.
'YWK Overland KxiMMlition ol' I<S«;2 w.is fomposcd
of coinp.mit's oailuMcil from \arious parts of
( >iitai'i() and (^)nt'l)t'c. The ineiflcnts of tlic .joui--
ncy wliieli I am abont to relate refer cldetly to
llie exjM'rienees of tlie (^)ueenston and Montreal
parties, tlie first of whieh started out on tlie
2.Srd of April and the latter on the oth of May
followino-. Kor the fact, of mv nai-rative I am
indeljted to the diai'ies and recollections of Mr.
Thomas McMickin^^ of the (^)ueenston company,
and Messrs. ( Jeoruc C Tunstall and A. Mc-
Nau<;hton. of the Montreal contin^'ent.
Before leavin*^' Montreal, the party from that
city noticed an advertisement in the papers to
■I
fl
?!
I
I
20
()vi;iii..\\h TO <Ai!(iio().
the {•\\\'i'X tliit a sti'iiic (•()iii))iui\' callt'tl ''I'lic
liritisli Ainci'icji ()\rrlaii(l 'I'raiisit C()ni]>ai)y,"
uikIcp tilt' iiiaiia;;('iii('iit of Major Siinw, was to
lir »'stalilislic(l to ('(tiiNcy |»ass('ii;^«'rs IVoin St.
Paul, Mimifsota, to ( 'aiil»oo. Tickets wrrc t<t l)c
sold at rcasoiial)!*' I'atcs. ami tlw staiir-coaflK's
to Im' Hrst-cl.'
liUt wlicii St. I'aul
were to he nrst-class : Mit when .>t. I'aui was
roacln'fl, uotliin;;' was known there of this com-
)>any. No such line ol" coaches had ever existed,
and there was no likelihoofl that one would he
estahlished. Misled hv these ad\ ert iseme/its.
L'iehteen Nounii' men had left Kneland, whej'e
the IVaud had also heen |ierjK trated, and at the
time ol" the arrival ol* our pai'ty were in St.
l*aul. some ol" them without sullicient means to
<;'u I'ai'theiv The lew who could do ,so I'eturnecl :
others took emi)l()\-mcnt in the citv. and two.
I>ushin;;' throueh t(j British Columbia, reached
C'ai'ihoo, whei'e thev al'tei'wai'ds amassed a
comfoi-tahle fortune. The fraudulent com])any,
which had its head otlice in Lon<lon, KnL;laiid,
was ]>rosecute<l, and an amount I'ecovered from
it that was considere<l suthcicnt to compensate
these men for the losses sustain*. < I.
■MHItNKV TO Four OAUIiV
•Jl
sr. I'AII, TO OKOltCliroWN.
When tlio scvcivil partit's nl" the ( >\ itImikI
K\[M-(litii»M rraelit'd St. Paul, tlwy jmrcliasrd
tickets IVoin tlic l)<tuiltaiiU Stajic ( 'oiiipanv t'<>r
( iroi'LTt'towM, a small st'ttlcincut on tlic Ivcd
II. I!, en. S STKA.MKK / 777; A .1 /7".\ .1 /, I i|S< H Ai;< : I N< ;
KKKKMIT AT I OKI' tiAUKN.
(i
Uiver. Tlieiv thi'V t'ouinl the stranirr Infer-
indloiiol in eoui'sc ol* constnictioii. Tliis was
the Hrst sti
to Fort ( larrv, aii<l tl
le
ne nrst steamer to iini to l^ort uarry, aii<
tirst tliat evei' l]oat('(l on the Rrd River.
Ahout six weeks after the party left St. Paul
.ft
it
22
OVKKI.AM) To < AKIMOO.
11 trn'il>l«' iiiassiKriT of wnincii uikI cliiMrcii t<M»k
place, aii<l, it was (^riicrally hflicvrd, liad not
Mir ()\ri'latnl I»aity Immii well anin'd it \vnul«l
lia\(' iiH't tin- saiiH' latf.
AKinv.M- AT <ii:o|{(ji:t(»\\\.
(invcrnor Dallas, ol' (lie HikIsmm's Vmv Cum-
«
])any, witli liis raiiiily. \ isitcd tlic t'ain|»s of tin*
('X])l()rrrs at ( J«'()rn('to\vM, «iivin;f tlwin iinich val-
ual)l«' iiil'oiinatioii aliout tlic country. He also
ofFcrcd his protection to tlie paj'ty on tin- Hu<l-
son's IJav ConinaiiN's Te ritoi*\', which otier was
;,n*aterully accepted and the ])i'oniise laithlully
kept. I'he camps had to remain over a week at
( Jeorm'town waitini*' U)V the steamer, and dinin<i'
that tim<' parties tVijm difierent ])oints were
comiiii;- in, all desirinii' convevance, so that wlien
the Infernutlonal was ready nearly one hundred
and tif'ty men enua«red passai;e upon her. After
a short run it was found that the steamer would
not answer lier lielm, but collich'd with the trees
on the banks, knockin*^ down her smoke-stacks.
Wlien tlie funnels were repaired, slie a<(ain pro-
ceeded on her trip, but the crew were obliged to
IL
.lolKNKV To loKT <i.\KI{V
2:i
.Ix
slioVf IhT ItnW oH' tln' slim*' at cvriy Im'IkI ul' tin*
livt'i*. 'I'lic srcond «lay <»ut t\u' captain caiih' to
tl
If CO
iicliisioii tliat it woiiM take soinr time to
icacli Koi't (Jarrv, ami so put tin* passcii^^cis on
rations ol' two meals a dav.
The 24tli ol* May, hcinj^thc (Queen's l>iitli<lay,
was cclrlnatcd i)y liavin;^ a special dinnei*, and
tlie health ol* Her Most (Jracious Maii-stv was
pi-opose(| in true and loyal style.
The wii'e of the (lovernor, her maid and pij)cr,
were also passene«'rs on this adventurous trip.
( )ne day Lady Dallas was heaid lamentin<;" to
Bishop Tache the slow ])ro;j;ress that was l)ein«^
made, and also how tired she was of the hard
fare, eonsistin*,^ chiefly of poi-k and heans, which
was alxmt the extent ot* the larder on hoard
the Infenidtional.
f 1
ARRIVAL AT FORT OARRV.
After a scrii's of mishaj)s Foi't Garry at last
was reached. As the steamer entered the Assini-
boine, a salute was tired in honour of the occa-
sion. This was answered by a volley from
every riHe on l)oard the I n tar national. Nearly
1 B
f
11
24
nVKFfLAXi) TO ('AJ{I|.(,(,
tlH'wI.ol. .list rict was i„vs.ntt<,,n,vt Imt, n.ul
tli<' 'lay iiiark-«'<l a iic
w cm in til.' histoiy of tlu-
H<'<l Hivci' S.-ttlnnoiit.
At Fort (lany tl.c rxpclition ,,in-cl.as..l
»"»-s^'s, <,x,.n a.Hl K,..l |>iv., carts; also provi-
sions, whid. consisted elnVfly or iH-nnnican an.]
"""■• ''^^^•' ''•^^^^''■' •"••'•><' <-^t Fort (;a.rv. was of
excellent .|uality. hut .iMrkan.i (.oars,..*
A hnVr, Inscription of the n.akin.- of p.Mnn.i-
^•'•^•» »"^vl)c ,,not..,l here as or possihi. interest
tn the ,va.ler. It was ^na.le IVon. the ll.sh ni'
tlie Imtfalo an.l was vrvy nntritious. '• As soon
'•IS the ani.nal is kill.^l the l.an th^sh is sepa-
mted IVoni the lai an^l eut into strips, which
aiter heinn- roast,..! over the tire, are tl.oronuhlv
'JncMn the sun. Th.. m.-at. I>,.in<, ],y this Hn.e
v^'i'.v hai-,1, is spr..a,l out .h, th.. skin of the
|Nninal an.l lH.at..n with Hails until ,,uit.. tin...
Thr Fat is then n.elt...!. an.l ahout sixty p.>un.ls
1'onre.l into a I).-.- oontainino- al.out fort v p.)un.|s
•>nean n...at. Tl... fat an.l l,.an an- th..n th.,-
r<)u.^-hiyunxe,l an.l left t..eo.,l. when all isrea.lv
»■<>'• use. It h<.e.Mn..s v..ry har.l; in fact, it has to
he cut with an axe. "
t
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,
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111
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( i
joi;hney to fokt riAUUV.
27
i:.
The peiiiiiiican cost tlu' truvfllcrs sixteen
cents per pound at Fort Gjirry.
Since this eventful iournev the nohle butijilo
has been wjintonly shiu<,^litere(l l»y thousands,
and now only a few domesticated lierds remain
of the myriads which once roamed over tlie
<;'reat Xortli American plains. Many thousands
were slaughtered for mere sport, oi' for their
hides or tongues, which last were considered a
<lelicacy. Heaps of Ijones and skulls may still
he seen througliout the vast prairies and along
the routes of the Canadian Pacific Railway.
Even the Indian himself seems doomed to
a similar extinction, and boards the railway
trains offering for sale the horns as relics of the
nol)le animal that once was the monarcli of the
plains, and the chief support of his ancestors.
However much sentiment niay lament the
extinction of the buffalo, and the picturesque
lord of the soil over which he roamed, yet their
disappearance seems to be the inexorable tribute
exacted by the advancement of civilization.
After all, the present aspect of the great
Canadian Xorth-West is ample compensation
for so regretful a sacrifice.
m
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28
OVKItr.AN'I) To (Aiunoo,
THE HKI) UIVEU SETTLEMENT.
The population of the UimI Hivci* Settlement,
then entirelv untler the i^overnnient of the Hud-
son's Bay Conn^inv, was about ten thousand.
Mr. McTavish was the otiieer in eliaim' ot Fort
(Jarry in 18G2.
The C()inpan\' of travellers spent Sunda}' at
the Fort, wlu're s])eeial seivices were held hy
the Rev. John Black, Pi'eshyterian minister, and
the Rev. Ml'. Corbett. of the Church of Kny'land.
The sermon by Mr. Black was one to be i-emem-
beiv<l, an<l produced a deep impr<'ssion upon the
minds of all who heard it. Tiie text was from
Revelation iii. 18: "1 counsel thee to buv of me
ii'old tried in the tiri', that thou mavest bi; rich."
A small weekly ne\vspa))er, callecl the Xor-
Wrstcr, was publishe<i at Fort (Jarry, and a
few days after our company ari'ived there, a
voluminous description was ^iven of the party
and the ])ro[)os(jd expt'dition to British Col-
undjia. There was also a notice to this effect :
" We, the undersi(;jned chiefs of the different
tribes, hereby nive notice that we shall impose
'
.JOUILXEV TO FORT <;AKKV
29
j¥\V
I
a tax on all parties oi'ossin^- over oui" laiuls. IT
tlu' said tax he not |)ai<l, \v«' shall rai<l and
])lun(k'r tlic eanips.' Tlim rollowod the names
oi' sL'Vt'ral Indian cliirfs.
Tlic nu'ii (){' the ('X])t'(lition were "•tcath'
amused, knowing' tVom wliencM- this emanate(j,
and of course took no notice ol' the threat, l»ut
resolved to take everv i)recaution against anv
attack which mi^ht he attempted.
In the meantime every(»ne was making' ])ii'-
paration for the lon^- joui'iiey which was U he
undertaken. Scai'cely an hour ])asse<l without
the arrival of some exulting" J«'hu, di'ivinn' his
])urchase, in the shape of an ox and cart, into
the enclosure. The lied Ki\t'r cart was a pon-
derous ati'air. Not a ]>article of iron entered
into its construction. The n\ heels were very
cundjersome in proportion to the size of tlie cart,
and were not protected ))y tires. A send-circul.ir
awning was considered in<lispensal)le to shield
the occu]»ants from the tiei'ce rays of the
sun, and serve<l also as a jH'otection from the
rain. From ei^ht to ten pounds steiliiiL!" n\;is
paid for an (jx-cart and harness complete.
Il
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30
OVERLAND TO (AKIHOO.
Indian lod^^es wore numerously scattered over
the plains which skirted the villaL,'es, and many
stranu'e scenes were witnesse<l, all new to the
eastern Canadians. 'I'he natives, who were expert
- ^i^^^^l
' /--x;'V' j::^^mf^
H; ^
L-
' ^''?'■' ■ ■■■•■
^1 ^ "^
A HKI) HIVEH VMiT.
horsemen, would dash past them at full wallop,
their Ion*;' lariats trailing after them in the
dust, throu^di which the forms of the riders
were scarcidv discernible. In fact so ac'reeablv
did the time pass, that many of the young men
were loath to leave Fort Garry.
.lorUXEV TO FOIIT (JAUKV.
;u
^\i\ Oeorov Tunstall, one of tlio Montreal
party, speaks of tlie interesting- chats he liad
with old French-Canadian voya<r('urs, who had
left Montreal when youno; ii„.n. Th.-ir remem-
brance of the city w.-nt back sometimes over
thirty years from that time. He was amnse<l
by their exclamations of surprise, "CV.s/ // pos-
slhle?" when he informed them that the ancient
Ffochela^rji contained a T)oi)nlation of nearlv one
hundred thousand souls.
: < it
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THE PR -PIRTY OF
SCARBORO
PUBLI
::arY.
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CIIAI'TKIi II.
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WESTWARD HOI
<>\ the ai'tci-nooii of tllr L>ii(l (,r .luilr tlic cm.iii-
pjiiiy Icl't Fort (iany t'oi- Wliitr Horsr Plains,
tlu' place at wliicli it was aiTaiiovd to on-ani/r.
Ninuty-six eai-ts, drawn hy hoiscs an<l oxen, wnc
collected for the jomnev. eaeli eait earrviiK-- a
l*>Jid of eiolit liundied pouiHls. A oujd.- named
Charles llochette, a hall'-hreed, n'cotniiiende'd hv
Hishop Tache, accompanied tlw.'m. The vanguard
reached White Hoise Plains on Wednesdav tlu;
4th ol' dune, and it was decided to move on
slowly for a short distance farther, to a point
where their oui.l,. assjnvd them water was
to be had in plenty: hnt they uei-e ol.lioed to
travel eleven hours without rest, food (ji- water,
and all suffered much fj-om thirst and faticue
i>eFore they called ,i halt at Long Lake. This
M
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OVKKLANI) TO ( AKimJO.
r
wjis thf first of the inany w<'ai'V davs, wrcks
and iiiontliH to be H]M'!it on this advontuiouH
journoy. The water of Loii^ Lak<» was so ini-
puru as to be ahiiost unfit for use. Before usin^
it was strained throu<;h clotlis, whieli jirucess
but partially made the li((ui<l (hiidvable.
(»KGANI/IN(J THE COMPANIES.
Tlie companies were now organized, and Mr.
Thomas McMickin(^^ of Queenston, appointed
captain. This (gentleman certainly acijuitted
himself well in this responsible position. His
patience and ^ood jud<^ment were often tested
to the utmost. He was assisted in his dutii's by
a comnnttee, consistin^^ of Messrs. W. X. C.
Thompson, Hutchinson, James Wattii', Joseph
Halfpenny, Phillips, Fortune, Simpson, Hrokle-
bank, Hough, Urlin and A. C. Ho])ertson. They
had to take great precautions against attacks
from Indians, else the latter would have stolen
their goods and animals The camp was arranged
in the form of a triangle, with the carts placed
in rows on each side, and the animals tethered
inside the enclosure. The tents were pitched on
WKSTUAKh ll»>!
85
21
111*' (nitsiMc, ami six iiini ]>la('r<l on oimrd, two
hcinii' stuti<)iit'<l on rjicli side ol' tin* triaiii:!*'.
At liail'-jwist two o'clock cNcry i;ioniin<;' thu
caiii|) was ai'ouscd, mikI wms uii<I«'I' wmv l>y three
llaltiiiii' lor l)ical<rast, tlic\' started a^iaiii a(
seven, and called a halt t'oi' dinner at two in the
at't«'rnoon. Then as the order ol' " Evei'v man
4
to his ox" rane- out aeain, off the\' wouhl <!o
over the elastic turf. The a\ ci-aee j-ate ol' sj>ee(l
was two and a hall' miles an hour, and te!i houis'
niairh was accomplished each time. It was an
inspirini;' si«^ht to view the tiain from a distance,
windine- its way round pictures<|ue lakes, or
slowlv extendine- out on the lovelv landscape,
iiorjieous with wild ilowei's of everv liue, their
l>rilliant lieads peepini;' out from the luxuriant
jjrass. Away towai'<ls the elimmerinu' horizon,
far as the ey»' could reach, si Iveiy lakes sparklecl
under the sun's ravs, their mareins adorne<l
with clum])s of trend)lino' aspens, furnishing- a
scene of beautv seldoiu sur])assed in anv land.
Thost; who ha\'e travellcMl this route sav that
lanj^ua<j;e is totally ina(UM|uate to ^^ive any
' *I
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n\ KKI.ANh In ( witlhon.
conception ol' tljc \}is(iirss Mn<l tli(! astonisliin;,'
l)('jiut\' ami IVitilitx' ol* tin* pi'airir.
'* And this uiir lifo, rxfiupt from pultlic Imiiiit,
Fiiuls tongues in trous, soriiionH in stoncH,
Itooks in tiiu rnnnini; brooks,
And good in overytliing."
'I'lir laUcs and ii\('is al>oun<l witli nivi-iads nl'
water- low I, i'eniarl\al>Ie lor tlieir si/e and the
l)riiliancy ol' their |»lnina<^'e. The atinos|»liei-e is
so ]>ure and lnvicini;" that one can endure much
rati«i:ue witliotit sutt'erino- I'roni lano-uoi- and de-
hilitv.
At six o'cIocIn in the eNcnino-, the shout ol'
"Cainj) ahead I " proclainu'd to the company
that the welconu' hour ol' rest was niolj. "'he
cai-ts were ))Iaced in ord(3r, and tlie tires hia/ed
and crackled under the pots, sen* lin<; forth a[)[)e-
ti/in*;' odours, which nnist have been especially
pleasino- to the hunorv travellers. A few son<jfs,
and sometimes the sweet strains (^f the violin,
would enliven the solitude for a short time, but
the weary soon souoht repose in slund)er. Tlie
sentinels moved amonof the tents with noiselesh
/
J
\vi:sT\v.M!i> im:
37
troul, l)Ut Im'Tuit Inlio- t||t> (Mltstrrtt'lu'd rnrilis nl'
sniiic (il* tlu'sc \N ateliers t<'stiti<'<| tluit , on cicdmi'
li\- lati'i'Mc, tlu'\' Ii.'hI r.illcii midrr tlic sootliiiiiT
iiilliU'iici' of • tii't'fl natiiic s swrct rcstoiTi-," in
Spitr nt' tljc prohfllilr JHn\iiiiit V of ( li'iU'lHTnUS
s}iV}i;^n'S. All sl«'|)t snuiidly.
■)
A I'l.r* KV WOMAN.
A man named Schuheit, with liis wife and
tln-ee clnldi'en, had joined the paity at Knrt
(Jarry. Schuhert was a (J«'rman, and his wife
a native of Belfast, hvland. How admiraMe
must have Im'cii the courayc of the woman who,
in such circumstances, and with the care of
three youn^' children, ventui'cd on this lone- and
arduous iournev. Who can tell what she
endured ? No douht he)' lieart often (|Uailed,
hut with tru(^ motherlv instinct she would for<ret
her own sufl'erines in jn'otectine- and cond'oi'tine-
her cliildren.
The ]»arty ])assed Portage la Pi-airie, one of
the Hudson's i5ay Company s tradin*;' posts,
on the Oth of dune, and camped the followine-
ni^iht at Soft IJivei-. 1'hev alwa\s i-ested on
I
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It'
U8
OVKIU.ANI) To r.MJIP.OO.
Sunday. This was done ])y special ae-reenient ;
they had hound themselves to rest on tlie
Sah))atli, and tlie rule was s(*i'U])ulously ohsei-ve(|.
A ])ortion of the day was set apai't for pi-ayer
an<l ])rais(!, and the service was e-(>nerally con-
ducted ]>y Ml'. James Kohinson, of (^)ueenston :
hut on this fii-st Sunday it was led })v Mi'. A. L.
Fortune, of the Huntin^'don part}'. It nuist
indeed have heen a touchin<4" si<;ht to witiu'ss
tliese men all e-athered toiivther, eai'uestlv ask-
ino- Divine protection on their journey, and
imploring that blessin^^s be showered on the
loved ones at home.
What a wonderful bon<l of unity ! Surel}'
the arm of the Almii:^ht3' letl them, and the
anj^el of His ])resence saved them, even as He
had led the children of Israel throu<;h the
wilderness in the davs of old. It is such men as
these who have ever left their im])i'ess on every
high enterprise and in every country.
" Lives of great men all reunixl us
We ran make our lives sublime,
And, depart inj^, leave behind us
Fi>otpiints on the sands of time.
i
WKsTWAUi) no
.so
.<
" F'oot prints that perhaps another.
Sailing o'er life's solemn main,
A forlorn and shipwrecked brother,
Seeint^, shall take heart cagain."
THE LITTLK SASK AT( 'HKWAN.
On tlie lltli ot* June the tru\ t'lk'is ivaclu'd the
Little SaskutcheWiin, a ])raneli of tlie Assini-
boine. Tliis river was f(mn<l to be about forty
feet wide, and its banks from thirty to forty
feet hi<(h. Its course lay through valleys of
surpassing beauty and fertility as far as the eye
of the travellers could reach. This stream was
forded on the following day, and then a halt was
called for dinner on the margin of a small lake,
the water of which was found to have a taste
somewhat resembling Epsom salts. This lake is
about two miles loni; and one nnle wide. Tiie
salt ])iue]iased by the party at Fort Garry, they
were informed, was pi'ocured fi'om this region.
The travellers camped tliat night at Shoal
Lake, a beautiful sheet of water abounding with
fish, and wliicli is connected with another small
lake that feeds the Assinibtnne. The following
day they dined on the banks of the Arrow River,
m
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40
OVKHKANl) TO ("AHlIiOO.
and e}im[)('<l in tlic valley west of l>ii<l-tail Hi\ cr,
aiiotluM' branch oi* tlic Assiniltoinc. lU'avei"
Creek could l)e seen tlu'eadino" its wav between
Iiills of etiiial altitude. To the lij^ht were the
waters of the (^)u'Ap]M'lle conniiinelinu- with
tliose of Lon^ Hivei-; to the left the waters of
the Assiniboine W(-und their tortuous wav
throu<»h the valley below.
The descent to this river was steep and rocky.
Tlie crossin^^ was effected in a lary-e scow, which
was (b'awn from side to side bv means of a raw-
hide rope stretclied across the stream and made
fast at both ends. This scow was the pi-operty
of tlie Hudson's Hay Com]»any, and was ca])able
of cai'rvin*'' an o\ and cart at one trii). The
current was verv stron<»', so that the crossine'
p)"Ocess was slow and ]a])ori()Us. 'J'he last ])oat
was towed acr(>ss with a feeling' of intense relief.
AUHIVAI. AT KOHT KLIJCi:.
Fort Ellice was i-eached on the eveninj*' of the
12th of June. Mr. ]\IcKav was the othcei' in
«
charge at that time, and he was most kind and
oblio^in^' to eveiy mendjer of the ])arty. Tlie
<!
71
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WESTWARD IK) !
48
I
lu'xt <lay, Ix^iiio- Suixbiy, was spent in fani|). An
Indian missionary at tlic Kurt at that tinu;
|)i"('a('lu'<l in Ml-. McKay's liousc to the asscniid*'*!
company. 'I'hc I'ollowin^- day it rainrd iiiccs-
santlv, and the time of the eniorced lialt was
devoted to the rej)aiiin<j^ of carts and liarness
and other necessary work. Some time was also
spent in makin<;" a<lditional purcliases for tlieir
onttit.
It was now fully two weeks since the company
left Fort Garr}', the route taken beint^^ due west.
From this point they were to travel in a north-
westerly direction. They had a very steep hill
to descend after leaving Fort Ellice, and several
accidents occurred, one beinor rather sei'ious. An
ox, ])ecoming unmanageable, I'an down the liill,
di-aij^iiini^ his owner with him, and the wheels of
the cart passed over the man's hea«l. J)r. Steven-
son dressed his wounds, and in a few days tlu^
injured man was almost well again, though his
unruly beast, " Buck," was destined to lay him
low on another occasion. The company crossed
the Qu'Appelle River in the same manner as they
had crossed the Assiniljoine, but at this crossing
rl
"«,
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44
OVKULAM) TO rAIUP.OO.
tlici'c w.'is a Ix'ttcr scow. Tlic Hudson's Bay
Company were paid Hfty cents for caeli am'nial
and cart carried aci-oss. Tlic next day tlicy
made a lont;' drive ol' thirty miles, and campe(l
that niii'l.t on (Julch Creek, a trilmtai'V of tlie
Qu'Aj)pelie. On the f'ollowin<^ mornin*^ tlie
ouide did not take his place as usual, and on
en(|uiry it was Toinid tiiat he had borrowed a
<;un, together wit'i other useful artich-s, and
(h'campeil in a southwani direction.
A KAnHM:ss cirmE.
Their suspicions had heen aroused some days
previous, Init they did not like to show their
distrust, thinkino- he would not desert them.
Ni^ht came, however, and as no t;uide api)eared,
they were then certain he had played them false.
Not knowini;- what mi<j;'ht follow, they ])ut on an
extra watch that uit;ht, in case the treacherous
man mii;ht return with Indians to rob and
uiui'dei' them. The ])arty afterwards discovered
that this was the third time this i;uide had pi'r-
fovmed the sami' trick. While at Kort (iarry it
was t >ld them that Uochette was a had character,
W EST W A HI) ho:
45
but as ho wjis so lii<rlilv I'ceoiimK'ndccl l)v Bislion
'rac'lic, tlicy tli<)ii<jjht lie had cither hci'ii slandcicfl
or tliat tin; parties who (lecriecl him were mis-
taken in the man. Tins circumstance, of couise,
created a <;ood (h'al of indignation and an.\iet\
l>ut fortunately the trail was suHicieiitlv distinct
to enable the travellers to reach Fort Carlton in
safety. The C(juntry traversal tin- next few
days consisted of open j)lains, intersjx i-se(l here
and there with small lakes. Most of the water
was mineral or alkali, and the lakes weic sim])ly
alive with ducks. They also [)assed a deserted
post of the Hu<lson's Bay Com[)any amon<^ the
Touchwood Hills.
On the 2oth of June alternate woods and
streams were passed. The orass here was most
luxuriant, and evidently was the haunt of herds
of huft'alo: but althou<;*h th«'re was exidence of
their presence at a recent period, none of these
animals were seen by the travellers. Dr.
Symino'ton's [)arty, and others a few days
later, saw nianv herds.
The weather at this time was hot and
oppressive, and the moscpiitoes swarmiMl in
H
lb
] \
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40
OVEKLANl) TO CAllllMH).
|i
iMVriads, cnusiiicr hotli inan and beast the utmost
torture. Few people know the exasperating^
annoyance and discomfort that this persistent
pest is able to inHict on its ludpless victims.
Against the probable treachery of the denizens
of the plains the travellers felt themselves al)le
to fi^ht successfully; the wild beasts would
have only afforded them so much sport ; but
the moscjuito, with its relentless bite and its
irritatin*^ war-son<,^ caused the stron^^est heart
to (juail. Men have been driven frantic, and
animals liave fallen through sheer exhaustion,
tortured to deatli by these blood-thirsty insects.
But to return to our travellers. They found
it very difficult to procure water in this re<^ion,
owin<j to the saltv con<lition of the lakes, and,
for lack of a better j)lace, had to encamp one
ni^dit on the bank of a sulphurous lake.
The fati<^ues of the journey were now bein<^
felt, and the patience of the men and the
docility of their beasts were strained to the
utmost : Ijut Sunday's rest generally left them
refreshed and in a better frame of mind to
face the toils of the coming week. The iien
NVKSTWAKI) llo!
47
'
were more incliiied to look at t\\v hrij^ht si<h'
of tliin^i's, and to contemplate the I'utiire with
•greater hopefulness. Tlnis the trouhh's and
trials of caeh succee<lin<; week were met in a
cheerful frame of min«l.
AT FORT CAHI/roX.
The leaders found the trail to Kort Carlton
well marked, and on their arrival there ])ur-
chased more huttalo meat They had a<^ain to
cross a hranch of the River Saskatchewan, and
remained a short time at eacli of the six successive
forts on the way to Fort Pitt. A lar^e numlx'r
of wolf do^s were prowlin^^ ahout these places,
and they proved <lisa<4reeal>le company to the
" Overlanders." Thev were precisely the same
as those used by travellers in the Arctic re<;'ions,
and were well trained to their work. These (lo<;s
were considered indispensable for the pur[)ose of
travel between the diifei'ent posts <lurin(^ the
long winter; but the poor animals were half
starved during the sunnner months, and now
they were making night hideous with their
melancholv howlino's.
■ i\
i\
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■M'l
4.S
n\ r.i!i..\\i» lo ( Ai:ii'.(M».
(Ill tlif J'»lst ol* .hiiif (lie ti'jiNt'llcis rcacln(l tllf
south l)r;iii( li i>r till' Li'ir.it Uixcr SaskatclH-wjiii.
Ilcrr tlii'V t"nuii<l a Itoat. tin- |»rn)iiTt y ol' tin-
llu'lson's May ( '<»iii])aiiy, aii<l witli it tln-y (raiis-
]M)rtc(i tlirii' ^ckmIs and aiiiiiials across. Kirst
thi'y iiiiliariK'ssctl tin* horses ainl oxrii. then
iiiiloa<H'«l the cat'is. took the wheels otl" ami in
this manner were ahle to take across six carts at
a t ri|).
Mr. IJoitert Kelso, ol" Acton, was nearly
<lrouneil at this place while at teinjitin^ to swim
the horses a"ross the riser: l»iit Mr. Strachan
ami .Mr. Iiei<l swam <Mit to the I'e.sciie, ami l»y
<|uickly resort in.;" to the usual treatment of the
(Irownini''. he was successful I \- resuscitated.
(•ii.\i;.\("n:K ok tiik coiNTitv.
The country traxt-rsed in apjtroachin;;' l'\)rt
Pitt was I'ound .somewhat diMereiit from much
of tliat p.issed o\-er hefore. heini;' hrokell and
hilly, and alouniliiiL;' in running' streams. 'I'lie
'I'hickwood Hills hatl heeii )>assed ou the ord,
and tlh' Lum])y Hills ou the 4th of .Inly. Much
of the land was covered with straw I terries.
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()Vi:i{LAXI) TO r'AHIIUK).
tlic iii;ir;j^iii of tlic river jis possililr; tlu'ii several
men wouM swim across the river, one carrvinir
a coi'd attached to a i'<»})e, wliich was fastened to
the tree. I)\- liauliiii>' on this roix' thev would
ptill tile ti'ee across and then fasten the lo^ on
each side of the stream. Tree after tree they
continued to di-aw across, until the hrid*;'!' was
made the width i'e(|uii'ed : tlieii cliop]»in<.'; down
small trees, they [)hiced them across the supports,
and thus formed a hri*!^*' somewhat after the
st\'le of the old-time Canadian cordurov road.
These hridi^'es enahled the horses and oxen
and the carts U) pass oxci-. and it was with no
small measui'e of ji>y that the com])any reached
tlie ci'ossinn' of the Saskatchewan op[)osite Fort
Edmonton, on the 21st of duly. Here the Union
dack was dis]»layed from the tali llan'statt' as a
mark of respeet on their arrisal. The distance
from Fort V'\t{ to l''ort Kdu'.onton is one hundi'cd
and ninet\' miles.
li
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-;-:[Y OF
S'^ A FvB3 i vCj
PU BLI
"!AFvY.
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(^HAPTEK III.
JN THE HEART OF THE
CONTIXENT.
.Mr. JiRAZKAr was the clerk in char_o-e of Fort
Edmonton at that tinit'. Tl.o pilorinis encamped
on a grassy sloi.c within full view of the Fort,
and here tliey remained a few (hiys until a })()at
could be procured to ferry th.Mn across: all the
Huds(jn's Bay Company's boats had been swept
away with the late floods. Those ])leasant days
were profitably spent reposing- their weary
bodies after the arduous toils of the ] ast month.
What a contrast they presented to the smai-t-
lookino- company who had left Fort (Jarry.
Their chjthes luul not be«'n dry for eleven days,
and were hanging on them in tatters. Their
coarage, however, was not diminished, and with
hopes still high they were detennined to push
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56
OVERLAND TO CARIBOO.
on and finally ovciconie all the obstacles of the
journey.
A salute was tii-cd IVoni a cannon on tlieir
a])proach to the Foi't, and the piece was fired in
a manner I would not rcconnneud to artillery-
men of our day. A halt'-l»re»Ml deliberately
VIKW (»F KDMONTON.
stationed himscH' a few vards off, and fired his
musket ])rimini;' into the " touch-hole," and ban*;'
went the caunon uitlKnit any accident, amid
the cheers of the whole crow*!.
At Fort Edmonton the travellers received
every mai'k of attention and kindness from Mr.
Brazeau, and, in acknowledgement, gave a
i
f.
IN THE HEART OF THE CONTINENT.
57
!
course of tlire<» concerts. The pcrtoriners were
(IressLMl to represent jis nearly as possible a
troupe of ne<^ro niinstivls. Some of theni pos-
sessed tinely trained voices, and the concerts
were much appreciated l)y the <;ood peoph' of
Edmonton, amoni; wlujm the memory of this
pleasant time linuers to the present. Tlie old
residents still speak of the short stay of the
party of pioneei's on that occasion, and the
happy time they had.
ST. ai.hert's.
Our travellers also tra<led a good deal at St.
Albert's, a small place nine miles from Edmon-
ton, where a Roman Catholic Mission was estab-
lished. The settlers were mainlv half-breeds
from St. Ann's who had I'emoved to this place.
Herti the party sold the <^reatei" nund)er of theii*
carts, and exchan<^ed oxen for horses, as three
hundred and tifty ndles had to be traversed
before the Rocky Mountains could be reache<l.
There being only a trail, the horses wei-e used
as pack-horses.
It surprised the travellers exceedingly that
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58
OVEKLAXI) TO CARIIiOO.
w
ill
only a small portion of lan«l was cultivated by
tli(! Hudson's Bay C/onipany, cithoi' at Fort
Edmonton or at St. Albert's, and especially as
the settlers seeme(l to set so lii^h a value upon
Hour. Little attention was ^iven to af^riculture,
altliou<i^h the soil was most fertile and tlie
climate well adapted for the ^rowin(^ of wheats
From one field of ten aei'es there were reaped
four hundred bushels of prime wheat, and this
had been <^rowin<i^ year after year for thirty
years successively, without the application of
fertilizing^ ai<ls. Barley yielded fifty bushels
to the acre : potatoes, and all other I'oots, <jjrew
most luxuriantly — from one field of five acres
fifteen hundred bushels of potatoes were taken.
THE SASKATCIIEWAX VALLEY.
The strano'ors thou^^ht that the Saskatchewan
valley was beautiful beyond description. Theii-
eyes beheld with admiration wide fertile plains
destined to become the homes of many thou-
sands of people. Vast beds of coal were evident
in that re<^ion, extendinc^ for several hundreds
of miles in a north-easterly direction. Gold
IN THE HEART OF THE CONTINENT.
50
also existt'<l, and in most of tlio streams colours
were found. Fourteen men remaine«l behind at
Foi't Edmonton to prospect, and did not readi
Hi-itish Columbia until the follo\vin<^ vear.
After a<ldin^' to their outfit and buyiuo- pro-
visions, the route by which to proceed was
now li.. problem. Some mend»ers of the pai'ty
advised the Leatherhead Pass: others the Cow-
dunj;" Lake, or Jasper, as beint;* the shortest
route to Cariboo: but they finally decided to
try the first-named pass, especially as the ^uide,
Andre Cardinal, had passed over the road
twenty-nine times between Tete Jaune Cache
and Jasper. They paid this guide fifty dollars
in cash, an ox and cart, one hundred pounds of
Hour, ami some groceries.
On Sunday, the 27th, a seruion was preached
by the Rev. Thomas Woolsey at the Foi-t, in
the morning, and another at the camp in the
evening. The company left Fort Edmonton
two days later.
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OVERLAND TO CAHinOO.
ST. ANNS IS HEACHKI).
The roads lu^tween Kdinoiiton and Lako St.
Aim's wore almost iiii])assal)I«'. Fallen trees,
lo<j;s, swamps, and every kind ot* obstacle strewed
the path. However, St. Ann's was reached
Jl. J{. CO. S POST, I.AKK ST. ANNS.
(Fi/tji niili'K iiortli-ursf nf Eihiioiitoit.)
two days ai'tei* leavinf^ Edmonton. This is
a tra«lin<^-post of the Hudson's Bay Company.
The heaiitit'ul lake from which it takes its nanu^
abounded with fish, which v^ere greatly appre-
ciated ])y the hun<(ry travellers. St. Ann's
contained a small church, and also an establish-
ment consisting of four nuns from tlie CJrey
t I ,
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IS THE IIEAIIT OF THK CONTIXKXT.
01
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Xiinnciy in Montreal. Thcs*' drvot*'*! wonirn
Iwul consented to eke out their existence in tins
<lesolate spot. They wei'e youner and heautifnl,
and appeared happy, hein;^ <laily, indeed hourly,
enc^aj^ed in pert'orniin;^" iiniunierahh' kindly
deiids for those around theni. The half-hreeds
restricted their ao-ricultui'.d iaboui's to the eul-
ti\ation of small patches of potatoes. They
seemed to s;)end tln^ lonii* summer in sini'inj'"
and sleepin<4', until the commencement of the
huntin*^ season, when they deserted the \illa<j^e
to enjoy the I'ecreation of slau;;'hterin<j^ the
buffalo. The \volf-do<rs in this as in other
places we)"e a so\irce of threat annoyance. The
poor brutes wen; almost wild from hun<ijer,
their owners durini»; the sunniier <rivin;j; them
oidy enou<;h food to keep them in existence :
conse(iuently they de\oured everythini^ edi})h'
within reach. Lar<;e pieces of penniiican wi>ul<l
disappear every ni^^ht. J'lie <1()<4S even becaiae
so Ijold that they would bound into the tents
and seize any focjrl within reach, and be off'
again before the astonished inmates were able
to prevent thern from carrying away tlie food.
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OVEKLAND TO CARIIiOO.
So voracioiiH indi^td wen; thcv tliat even tho
rawliidt' lariats, with wliicli t]\v party t<!thert'<l
their aniinalH, were tjjnawt'd away hy the poor
l'aiiiisliiii<^ hcasts.
FllArTKjUS OXKX.
A most hi«licr()us spectacle presented itsetk*
when the aniiMals were un<ler<,n)in(^ the process
of beinji,' loaded for the start from St. Ann's.
AH that day the camp presented a busy scene,
the men barterin^j; away trunks, valises, and
articles of clotldn^jj for ornamental buckskin
suits, moccasins, and saddle-ba^s. They had
no difficulty in exchanging horses for ox3n,
but the most of the men preferred keepin<^
the latter, as being the more useful animal for
travelling through the swamps. The oxen,
however, had a decided objection to the un-
wieldy bundles tied on tlieir backs (and the
owners were by no means expert packers),
which they indicated by running oti' at full
speed, kicking their heels in the air, and strew-
ing the ground with a variety of poty, blankets
and pro'-isions.
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I\ THE HEART OF THE CONTIXENT,
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Our of tlu' Ottawa ]'arty rcccivcMl a kick on
tl
w jaw w
liicli sent him on liis l>ac*k. while Mi-
MoiTow, ol* tlic Montreal ]»arty — the man who
was VMM over at Fort Elliee — was I'oolhai'dv
enoutrli to trv and stop his runawav ox, the
headsti'onii" " Huek," hv clineinu" to his hoi-ns.
and for his etinrt received the imprint of a hoof
on
his f
ice
This last accident compelled Mr. Morrow to
r<'main ])e]iind at Lake St. Ami's. Mr. Mc-
Xauf^hton, of the Montn'al party, stayed witli
liim for eleven days, attending' him nntil ho
was a))le to travel, when both followed with
J)r. Svminf^ton's companv, which arrive<l at St.
Ann's a few days after the others had left.
Durinff their stay at tlie Fort the two voun<^
men received miicli kin(hiess from the sisters of
tile Roman Catliolic Mission. The ladies were
deli<»hti'd to meet anyone from their nativ(»
city, and they importniuMl Mr. McXane-h-
ton to tell them all the latest events, standinj^'
around and ea*;erly listening to every detail.
When he left St. Ann's they said they would
ever pray for him.
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OVKKLANI) TO ('AKriMK).
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IIOSIMTAMTV OK MH. COMN KIIASEU.
Mr. Colin Frascr, tlic Ihnlson's Hav Kaetor at
the Fort, was very liospitaMf, ami oiitci'taiiu'd
tln'iii in Imh own liousc, loancfj tlicni tishinir-
tackle, hooks, etc., and hcin;^^ a trnr Hi<(lilaiul«'r,
play»'<l the l»a<^j)i[)('s I'or tlicni in tlir evening.
Many attbct to sneer at the music ol' the hair-
pipes, hut to hear them amon<( the mountains
and hills, with the echoes reverln'ratino- around,
the music is hoth insj)irin<^ and heautil'ul. Tlu;
pipes have led the ])rave Highlanders on to
victory in many m hard contested hattle, and at
the sie<j;e of Luck now was it not the pipes wliicli
Jessie Brown heard in the far distance, and
sprinj^in^ to her feet cried, " Dinna ye hear
them! dinna ye hear them!" thrilling" every
heart with the welcome news that relief was at
hand. Mr. Fraser had two tinedookinii' dauii'h-
ters, hut they were as shy as youn*^ fawns, and
ccnild speak only the Cree lant;uage.
The priest in chart^e of Lake St. Ann's Mission
had a box of homo'opathic medicines, and on
the ai'rival of Dr. Symington's party w^as very
IN TiiK iiKAirr or Tin; coNTiNKNr.
anxious to kimw Imw to use tlirin. Tlic priest
couM not spcaU l''i( iicli, l»ut Mr. .Mt-N.-mehton,
kiiowiii;;; Frrncli W'-II, ;ictc"l ;is iiitcrin-ctiT. so
tlic ililliciilty WIS ()\ crcniiit'. mikI tlir o-ood uricst
was able altcrwards to iiiiiiistrr to tlir wants of
liis people, l)otli l)o<lily Mini spiiitnally. lie after-
wards presented tlie |)oetor and Mr. McNannli-
ton witli a l)UL*i<et of milk, as an expression of
gratitude for tlie si'iN'ice ren<'ered.
•!i!
A DIFFICl I/r TltAII,.
Tlie trail from Lake St. Ann s was sncii as to
Iwifilu <lescriptioii. Six axemen were continually
ahead, cuttin^' a roa<l tlironuli the dense hrush.
The wa\' was I'endei'ed almost im])as.sal»le Itv a
succession of swamps, l)oi;s and morasses, into
whicli the animals said\ up to their bellies, and
t', s frecjuently necessitated an innnediate
•'^ inoval of the ])acks to a ))lace where tli«'
ground was tiiiner. The whole company became
disorii'anized. Individuals now ami ai-ain d«;-
taclied themseKes fi'om the main body, and set
up tlu'ir tents in s\/amps, whei-e they ha<l a
lively time of it in tlie mud, while othei-s would
5
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OVERLAXI) TO rAIlIIiOO.
?
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|)\ish on j)orHevei'iiii(ly tliroufrh the iiiiiv. Tlie
vjin^u.ird, led by Captain AhiMickin;^', ciicanipcd
on tlie 4t]i of Aumist at the Lake of Manv Hills.
Here Mi-. \V. Sellai's, ( f Huntin<,nlon, overtook
them, lie Iwiviny' waited for Di'. Svniino-ton's
]*arty which brouo-jit letters from Fort (iarry
for some of tlie com])anv. 'I'liev also hi-on^'ht a
copy of tlie Toronto Glohc, which was the last
intellijj^ence received fi'oni the outside woi'ld
until they reached the end of their journey.
COAL IN SIGHT.
The Pendtina and McLeod Rivers were foi'ded
within three days of each other. A .'.cam of coal
a])out eiifhteen feet thick protruded from the
l>aidvs of the Pend)ina River, ;;n<l was visible
down the stream as far as tlu' eye could reach.
The value of this mine, if of the kind suitable
for connnerce and within the reach of civiliza-
tion, would indeed be incalculable. 'i'he coal
was used for fuel, and burned brilliantly in the
camps.
A thick smoke bcinj'' \isible ovei- the l)i'ow of
^
IN THE I?F:AIIT OF THE CONTIXENT.
67
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the liill, a few of tlie men ascended to it, and
discovered tliat tliev were standing; on what
seemed to be n voh^ano, th<; crater of wluch was
choked hy stones and (h'hiis, which were con-
stantly tumbling' in. The smoke was issuinii-
through the surface of the <rround, which was
(juite hot, and snrchari^«'d sti'ono-Iy with esca])-
in^ jj^as.
The McLeod Kiver, a tiibutjiry of the Atha-
basca, has so rapid a current that it may be
likened to a sheet of foam as it surm's alon<j-.
Even with a coui)le o\' ix'rsons on one horse's
:'ii«
back, the force of the cui'rent was so yivat that
the animal could barely hold its footing;' while
fordini*' shallows of onlv three feet of watei*.
This stream they crossed with much <lithcidty
and even (hmij'er to man and beast.
On the (Sth of August the cam}) was set on
Butlalo-duniX River, a tributar\' of the Pend)ina.
The trails here Nxcre in a t« ii'ible condition, Ivinir
through swamps, ()\er which the men can-ie»l the
packs on their shou'dei's, sonu'times beini;' Jilmost
mired in the mud.
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OVEKF.ANI) TO CAU'IMX).
At noon on tlin 9tli ol* August onr travellers
camped at Iloot IvInci-, the ])oiiii IVom whieh, on
a eleai* <lay, tlie Hi-st view ol' tlic Koeky Moun-
taijis can Ite ()l)taine(l. On the following- <lay
tliey came n])on a solitarx' i-i-axt'. On in\esti-
j^'ation they I'oun'l wi'itten on a ti'ee near l)y
tliesi^ words: " Hei'e He the mortal remains of
James Doherty, who die<l when passin^^ throuo-ji
these wilds in 18()(). " What thouiihts must liavo
tilled tlieii' hearts while lookini;' on tliat lonely
<;'ra\'e. What toils, hardshijis and suflerin*;" this
man nnist ha\e endiire<l lu'loi-e succund)in<:^ to
the I'ell destrovei' in this desolate si)ot.
Far awa\' in the civili/ed world somelnxlv
watche(] and waite<l in \ain For the son, ]iusl)an<l
or father, wlio wonld ne\'ei- rvduin. Did tliey
ever learn Ids fate :* Would thev e\er know
liow lie died, or whei'e :' Uut the iiiants of the
forest waved theii- hi'anehes o\-er liis head, and
the tears of these stranu'ers fell <rentlv on the
ti^rave of James Dohertv. it was a saddening"
scene.
; I I
IX THE IIEAIJT OF THE COXTIXENT
09
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" I hear it now, and o'tr and otT,
Eternal greet in!j;s to the dead ;
And ' Ave, ave, ave ' said,
' Adieu, adiou,' for evermore.
" The higli Muse answered, ' NN'lierefore Ljriovo
Thy hiethreii with a fruitU'Ss tear '.
Al)ido a little loUL!,t'r here,
And thou shall take a nohlor leave.' "
FII{ST VIEW OF THE IKM'KIES.
It was on tin I'Uli jd' xViio'iist tluit nuf trjivcl-
h'l's had tlu'ii' first \ low ol" tin- llockv Mountains.
Altlioiiu'li yi't Olio liun(lro(| inijos away, thoii-
(lai'k outlines w<-ro ])lain]y \ isihh,; I'ar al>oV(' tho
liori/(jn. 'I'iio hjl'ty peaks, coxcrocl wltli snow,
could 1k' seen standinii" out in bold reliel' ao^iinst
the Itlue sk\-, tlasliiii*'' and seintillatiiii:" in tlie
ii'lowinii' ra\'s ol* the settino' sun, and jji\in«!' the
ap))eai"ance of tleocy clouds in tho distance.
The whole [)arty were enraptured while ;^a/ino-
on this suhlinie scone, and, w IiatoNcr trouhles and
dano'ors Were \et in store h)r the]ii,tlie\- were
williiio' to wcleoino tlie elian'"'e. so wearv were
they <►!' the monotony ol' endless [tlains, streams,
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OVEIH.AXI) TO TAliinoo.
liills aiwl s\v;uii])s. All weic willinii' to lace anv
daiiiiCf tluit would ^'itlit'i- tcniiiiiatr or vai'V the
toils ol' the ioin'UL'W
On the 19th of Auii'iist lIh' iiuide hud to find
a new trail, so they camped on the i'ol lowing"
day on the banks oi* the Athabasca, a bcautii'ul
stream, which taUes its rise in the mountains
and is supplied by the springs and the melting-
snows. This river was apparently navii^able i'or
boats ol' considerable si/e. At'tei" travellin*!' ;donu;
its banks i'oi- a lew davs, the\' arri\ed at a sixjt
whei-e those who had })rece(led them had con-
struct<Ml raits wherewith to cioss the ii\-er. A
rait was soon made, and, crossing in safety, the}'
entei'ed tlie oreat l^eatherhead l*ass.
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IfATII <AS< AUKS. Ko( KV McrNTAINS.
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THE PR.PEP.TY OF
SCARBORO
PUBLI
.-^ARY.
CHAPTER IV.
THE EXPEDITION ENTERS THE
ROCK V MO UNTA INS.
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Thev wt'i'u now in the Rocky Mountains, Hur-
roun(l('<l Itv ncaturo in hw i-randcst forms. A
sii»]it at once sultliiiiely i;Tan<l and awc-inspirin«»"
o-rcotcd the view. The passes in t\\v Rockies
are most extraordinary — tlie t^laciers : tlie tor-
rents and cataracts rushino; tlu-(ni<di them ; the
lol'ty peaks of the mountains, covered with
eternal snow, piercino- the clouds and over-
wliehninj;' the (jhserver with tlieir vastness,
especially when lookii<;- npon them for the first
time.
MA.IKSTIC MOUNTAIN I'KAKS.
Overlooking" their campin<;-<;round a stupen-
dous rock arose perpendicularly to the height of
about one thousand feet above the waters of the
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OVKUT.AND TO CAIUHOO.
Athabasca, }m<l (lircetly ()j)i)osit(' AFouut LMC()iiil)e
r<'ar<Ml its I'oeky licad. At a still ^^rcator eleva-
tion hehiiid them, Mount Ma^nu'tte lifted its
cold and d'ajiixv e''*tfs, t< ve inu' pronfllv a))ovo
the rest. Lookin*^^ ;p\v;iivi, the eye ecjuld dis-
tinctly ti'ace the dn!' ivin '■ta'^cs or helts ol"
vegetation, tVom the spruce trees at the base to
the mosses and licliens of tlu' fro/en Arctic,
aljove which shone peaks covered with pi'r-
petual snow. Two of the party ascended the
cliffs to the left of the cani[). When they were
near the top they were scarcely discerni))le, and
tlieir loudest sliouts were barely heard l)v those
who remained Ijelow. HuiiC fissures and clefts
wi're observed in every direction, fi'in^e I with
stunted spruce trees. These concealed the tor-
rents that dashed down with <]eafenini;" roar,
well calculated to appal the bewildered beholder.
On examining" and comparinu- these apparently
confused and disoivlered masses on opposite sides
of the river, a strikiii<i' similarity was obsei've<l
in many particulars, both as to the order of the
strata and their thicknes.s — indeed, their whole
«^'eolo»^ical sti'uctur(! revealed such a correspond-
i
t
EXPEDITION ENTERS THE Moi'N'TAINS. 7')
iiiil saiin'n(.!ss that i\\v most casual oliscrver
couM not fail to hr coiiviiic'cd that at sonic
period of the worlds history thrsc liad hccn
eontij^iious portions of the earths ei'ust : while
the present disrupted condition (jf these hu^^e
masses of rock, and the violent convulsion to
which they evidently had heen suhjec^ • i,
convevc'<l to the nnn<l sonw faint idea of t-hc
possible power of theii' internal tii-c ti e
miii'htv aiicncv throuijh which these changes
ai'e believed to have been eti'ected. The i 'li-
tative and pious mind will natui'ally I'ise to the
contemplation of that almij^hty an<l infinite
Beini;" who has made all the powers subservient
to His divine will.
As the season advanced, the davs became
much shorter, and climbin*^- over hills and wind-
rows of fallen trees was most fati^uin^ to
both man and ])east. About ten miles (jf dis-
tance was considered an average day's work.
To add to their anxieties, provisions wei'e be-
coming- exhausted, and oame ju this region was
very scarce. Even chipmunks were consideied
(juite a luxury— and a man nnist be \ei\- hungry
Indeed bef(jre i-esortin^" to a diet nl' chijdiiunks.
I
H:
ffil
» .9
%
7G
OVERLAND TO ('AlUlUX).
THUNDKKSToltM IN THE MOl'NTAIN'S.
A tci'riltlc! tliundci'stoiMii w.s rncoiintcivd on
tho 18tli of Au^'ust, tlio efirc't ol* wliieh was
greatly lR'i<;litt'ne(l })y the nearness of tlie party
to what appearetl to l)e a conflict of tlie ele-
nients. A lieavv l>lack cl(»n<l slowlv tloatecl
across the zenitli, slnittinn^ ont all li^ht and
enveloping- them in complete darkness. Then
came Hash after Hash of liiihtninii', illuminatini^
tlie snrroundii.o" ohjects foi* an instant, while
forked streaks of (|uiverin<4' li^ht Hashed alon;;'
tlie cloud or darted from peak to peak, to }je
succeeded by oven deeper darkness than hcfore.
Close on these \ivid Hashes followed deafening-
peals Ol thundei", which i'everl)ei'ated a<;ain and
a^ain from all sides of the natural amphitlieatre.
Such a scene of teri'itic grandeur was produced
as left an indelible impression on the nnnds of
all who had the pi'ivile<^e of witnessin<4 it.
One of the worst portions on their trail lay
alono- a nari'ow pathway with a perpendicular
wall of rocks on one side, and a steep declivity
down to the ed^e of a precipice several hundred
KXI'KDITION KNTKUS TIIK MorNTALNS.
77
f«'t't deep oil the otluT. A sini;l(' ])IuTi<lrr, one
I'also st«'p ol' citlicr iiuui <»r beast, jukI iiotliiii*^
could possil)ly save citlicr tVom instant dcsti-uc-
tion. Haj)pily all passed oxci- in safety, ^^ivin^;
thanks to the Oiver of all ^ood who had merci-
fully preserve<l them, and who, they l>elie\'ed,
would lainjj' them in safety to their iourney s
end. On the to}) of this mountain they could
see Jasper House (another station of the Hu<l-
son's Bay Company), a picture of loneliness in
the valley opposite. At this ])lace the Company
tra(h' with the Shuswaps. Aftt'r cro.ssin<,^ the
mountain they calli'd a halt at Whitetish Lake.
w urn: FISH i.akk.
This lak(! is sin-rounded hy Russian Jack,
Black Mountain, and Smith's P(3ak. On the
2()th of Au<;ust the })arty a^ain crossed the
River Athabasca: but rafts bad fii'st to be built,
on wliich to float the L;oods and animals across.
The I'iver at this [)oint is \-ery swift, and about
one lunidrtid yards wide and twenty feet deep.
Here were found <^^ood pros|)ects of ^old, whicli
vvoidd vicld on an averaee from tlnve to four
dollars a day.
i*
• 'If
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I *.M
1 1
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ii
7s
(►VKIILAM) TO ( AiniKK).
On the I'nllowiii^ (lay tln-y passc^l tlic I'uins
ol* llriiiy's House, a (Icscitc*! tradiii^-post of
llic HinlsonM IJjiy (Nnn]>any. From tliat point
they lollowed (lie fiver until tliev stiMick the
liejidwaters of tlie Fi'aser Kivi'. Theii' pi-o;^resH
across tile Ma<|uette Hi\(r was \ery slow on
account of the <(uanlity <»f fallen timltcr, and
also the fre(|Uency with whicli they liad to
ford tlie stream. One moi'nin<( they crossed tin;
Ma(|U('ttr' IJiver ei^ht times. They wouM 1)0
travellin;^ alone- its hanks, when imexpectcdly
they would ai'rive at w spot impossihle to make
way throuijfh. Nothiiiii' remainc(l ])ut to ci'oss
aoain to the opposite side : then in a shoi-t time
would come a place that was as impassal)le as
tlu' last, and so a<4ain they liad to cross to the
o])posite side.
The water was extrem*dy cold, yet the njen
had to wade throueh the stream, which proved
very tryiiifjj hoth to tlie patience and strenetli of
tlie weary and almost famishini>- traveUers. At
noon on the 22nd of Au<:just the party crossed
the Maijuette Rivei*, and set up their tents
on the sliores of Moose Lake. They had now
7
!
i;.\im:ih'ih)N' kntkks tin: moin tains.
7!i
passtMl tli«' Ih'inlit of ImikI. oi' <livi<lin;^' I'idn;*'
l)('t\v<'('Ti tlu' strt'Miiis that Mow cast and tlinsr
wliicli llnw west nl' tlu' KocU \' Mountains. Tlic
wcatlicr in tlic vallry ol' tliis elevated region
was mild and warm, tli(»u<,di on the summits ol"
tlie surrounding" ))eal<s lay stupendoiis piles ol'
.snow. Tlie atmosphere was cleai*, ltri;;ht and
exhilaratinii'. Shortiv alter passiui; the dividin<r
I'idm' the wearv trav(dlers came U]>on the loui^-
looked Tor, mighty Fraser, sti'ikin^ it at a ])oint
where it could l)e ci'ossimI at a sin;.;le step.
;]
1^'
il
H
TMK FUASKU lUVKK.
The Fi'aser is the most im|)oi-tant ri\'er in
Ih'itish Culumhia, and Mows entir«'lv throujih
the Province, entering;- the (JuH* ol' (J(M)rn;iaa few
miles nortli of the intei-national houndarv line,
at 49 latitude and about 122 40' longitude.
The c<jurse thrctu^^hont is neai'ly parallel with
that of fhe (\)lund)ia Rivei*. 'i'he main or
central bivmch takes its rise 'n the Hockv
iMoiintains in latitude 53 45' north and lon<ii-
tilde 118' west, thence meetinii- with the lii\iero
do Mette, a trilaitaiy of the Athabasca, which
Ml
• \
\i
so
()Vi:i{LANI) TO CAKIBOO.
at'tt'rw.'U'ds unites with tlie Peace River in its
couj'se towards the Arctic Ocean. A Few miles
from its source tlie Eraser River entei's CownhniiT
Lake, a beautil'ul slieet of wnter some nine miles
in length : tlience witli rapid current it Hows to
Tete .Jaune (/ache, ahout six hun(h'ed and tliirty
miles from tlie sea, where the limit of canoe
navi(;ati()n is reaclKMJ. Ahout three hundred
miles lower down tlie stream it is joined hy the
Cranlserry Fork, a tributary tlowin*^ from the
south between Tete Jaune Cache and Fort
George. An im})ortant l)ranch falls in from
Lakes Stewart .'ind Fi'aser. Quesnelle River,
issuin<; f}om a lar^v lake of the same name,
flows into the Fraser one huiKhvd miles lower
<lown. Fortv miles below, on the left bank, is
Fort Alexandria. At Lytton, about one hundred
and eiHitv nules from the sea, the Fraser River
is joined by the Thom))son River, a large tribu-
tary flowing eastward. Yale, a small town at
the head of steamboat naviuation on the l(3wer
Fraser, is fiftv miles farther down, and New
Westminster, the chief city of the mainland of
British Columbia, is about one hundred miles
■fT,
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■■''•V-
J
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I
EX1*KF)[TI()\ KNIKItS TIIK .M( )l NTAI NS. .S3
from \;\\i\ IJrtwccn Lytton .•iml V.-ilc tlu'
Ki'asci- lvi\('i- Hows tlii'ouiili sonic ol' the ^I'aiMlcst
scciiui'v ill the w'orM.
TIIIJKATKNKI) WITH S PAR VATloX.
Wut to return to our tr.-i\( 'Hers. At this |)oint
of their joui'ne\- the fri'd for animals was of so
HM
VIKW uF ^ ALi;.
1;
jioor a (|uality tliat two or three of the o\ n
lia<l to he ahanfloneil e\t ry day. The journe\
ha<l heeii mueli lon"'er than was orieinalh'
ant icijtated. They excn were runninL^' sjiort of
jti(t\ isions, aii'l now it wouhi a|»]»eai' t hat star\a-
tiun stared them in tlie face. Hearts h'ss hrm
1 "I'
', Ml
i 'HI
'. !'
84
(A'EllLAXF) TO ('A K I BOO.
mif^lit have n;iveii way to <l»'spair. They were
as yet only at the sunitnit ol' tlic nioiintains, and
tlie hist of tlie pcininican was eaten, so tliey
kilh'd an ox and (h'ied tlie meat over the tire,
Indian fashion. Many of tlic ]>arty sutiered
greatly from hun^^ci* ])efore they i-eaehed Tete
Jauni! Caclie.
<
LARIAT HOI'E AS A DKLHACV.
'Po sucli exti'emity were they (h'ivcn that i\n
old hoi'se tliat liad Ijeen h'ft on the ti'aii was
shui^htered and converted into food for tlieir
use. PV'W thing's tliere are hut lia\t' a humorcjus
side, and an inci(h'nt is ivhited of a younfj^ man
of tlie party who, after inhalin<:; tlie sni<dl of the
horse Hesh while heiiiii' cooked, resolved to trv
some other food, and was discovered in the act
of toastinn; a piece of lariat ro])e I This not very
appetizin<i,' delicacy was actually eaten to appease
his hun<jfer. Jjariat ro})e is made from the hide
of the buti'alo, hut tlie toujjfh morsel does not seem
to h.jtve done the vounj'' man anv harm, foi" he is
still .sialw.o't and stron^-, successfully tilling- one
.;f lire r .vsponsihlt' po' itions under the (jovern-
(
^
ill
>0
('
III
is
1-
i
Expedition* exters the MorxTAixs. 85
iiiont of British Coluinl»ia. After partjikin<^ of
tliis sti'an^o foo<l, 1r' inmlv the pliilosopliit'al
remark that lie coiiM uiKh'rstand now, and
cease(l to i)e surpriscfl at, Esau selHni;' liis birth-
rio'lit for a iim*ss of ))()tta<^e.
Moose Lake is the source of a small creek
which a little farther on attains the ma<'"nitu<le
of a I'iver ilowin^^ in the direction of the tj^reat
K! Dorado The paity were apprised hy the
hla/es on the tnu's that this was the celehrated
Fraser River. Every day as they advanced
the stream becanu' lar^^'er, its })anks higher and
more ruiiucd. As they followed its wintlinu'
course, ever and anon an openint;" atfbrdrd the
travellers a view of tlie torrent below, i-ushini;'
onward with irresistible fury over boulders ul
rocks at the base of lofty mountains. ( at
cataracts tund)lin«^ into <lark abys.st^s tillcl tlie
behohlers with revi'rential awe.
Much the same I'oute was I'ollowed d;, ifter
day, and man\' streams of vei'v cold water were
forded.
J'' L
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FIKl.I) STATION.
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■'I
CHAI'TKIJ V.
T///-: McMICK/XC IWR/'Y I^/iSC/'XP-
/x(; fill': I'KAs/'iR.
Tm; \ ;miju;ir(l, led liv Mi*, 'riionins .McMickiiSir,
arrived at T(Hr .lautu' ('aclic on ;!i!' 27th of
Au;4'nst. Here tlu-y I'ouimI a caiii)) of Shuswaj)
Indians, and IVnn tlit'in ohtaincfl di'icd salmon
and lu'n'N' cakes in exchaii<'«; Tor {iiiiniunition
clotliinn', liandkei'elnets, needles, ihi-ead, and eNcn
niatclies.
After trading' w itli the natixcs and olitaininu,"
food, the ])arty held a consultation as to how to
|)r(»ceed. The L;ui<le had I'aithfidly pei'fornie(l
this part of the journey, and knew nothin*;"
heyond tile ( ache, to which j)oint it was he h.id
|»r()niisi'(l to e'uide thetn. He snoke to the Shus-
waps who were encamped there, hut they had
nexcr heard of ('ai'ihno. All the iid'oi-mation
<^ I
!|
,« Mil
: I
ill
.S8
OVEULAND TO ( A l{II{( »<>.
tlicy could ;4'ivt' was tiiat tlu-y li;ul licaid that
if the Frasor Kivci' was crossed, and tlit* iihmui-
taiiis aii'ain travci-scd, i\u'y would, in I'oui'tccu
days, ccjUM' t<» a wide I'oad. Tlic Indians, nioic-
o ')', said tliat licl'oic this road could he rcaclic*!
the snow woidd he a loot dccn: Ix-siilcs. tlicv
had no conce])tion when' the road led to.
'J'his was \ci'V inea<*;i'e and uncertain intoi'ina-
tion. so the company came to the conclusic^n that
it must he a road used for packing animals fi'om
Oj'co'oii to C'arihoo. As the ])ai'ties wei'e runnine-
short of ])rovisions. time was now Ix'coiuiiiLC a
sei'ious matti'i', an<l evci'V da\s dela\' meant
possible sbii'vation. The In<lians assured them
that if they went down the Krasei- IJi\ei-, after
ten da\'s the\' would come to Kort (leoi'ec; hut
that the i'i\-er in that <lii'ection was full of ia[)ids
an<l \erv daiieerou-.
\m
TIIK coMI'AW |)|\II)i;s.
Finally it was decidetl that the men wlio
were hest sup|)lied should <j;o oNO'lainL and
tiy to find the road these Indians spoke of.
and so. if po.ssihle, reach ('arihoo. ShouM they
MMi<KiN(; PAirrv nKsrKNDlNc; THK IUASKU. S!)
fiinl it iin]M)ssil»l(' to ])1'0('('(m1 tlirou^li the iiioun-
t.'iiiis, tli»'\- were resolved to l)uiM a caMii, kill
I
tlie aMiiiiaJs Tor food, ami so try to li\e tii'-on^li
tln' wintei'. Ahout tweiitv pei-sons aei'eed to "o
oN'ei'laiid : tile rest detei-milie(l t(» et) down the
Frasei' Hiver. takiii'i" with them some of the
animals as securitv aeajnst starvation. The
remaiiider ol' the animals w'ei'e to e-o across the
country towai'ds the headwatei-v (d* the I'ivei-
Thompson Messrs. Fannin. Thomjjson, Pitman.
an<l A. ]j. Koi'tune, of the 4^)ueenston ])arty,
Nolunteered to take this iast route; so tlu'V,
toii'cther with Mi-. and Mrs Sehuhei't and their
family, crosst-d the mountains aeain to tlu'
Thoin))son l\i\er.
The Frasei- IJiNci' parties now made ready to
start, some eonsti'uctine' ivifts, others makin;^-
canoes. Some of the I'afts were I'orty feet lonn'
and «'iehteen feet wide. lashe(l tirinlv to<i"<'tlici-
to ])re\('nt their ca])sizin;^' The Indians were
\ er\' e'lad to evehane'c canoes for horses. The
company had only a few tools, wliieh were hy
now almost \vorn out, so that the jji-oi^ress o
the woi'k was I tut slow.
.#^
I>0
OVKIU.ANI) To rAKII'.on,
i
ii !
TiiK SI Alt r Down riii: i |{asi:i{.
Tlir ■ Scarljoroiio-li " i-jil't \v;is tlic first i-c-hIv.
At tlll't'C ill the attrniooii of tll«' Ist of Sc])-
tciiilMT its j)}iss('iiu(>i-s, tjikiiii;' an atll-ctioiiatc
t'arcwt'll ol' their conipaiiions. jjrocctMlcd up
tlir stirain and «'iiil)arkr<l. Tlit' stroii'i' cui'-
rent soon swcjtt tlwin alti'cast of tlic (•.•niocs
ami tlic cainj). Hrrc the l><)ys all leaped to
tlieii- feet and ea\<' tlie raftsmen tliiv(> lieailv
cheers, which were \ ociferoiish' retuineil. The
Indians lookecj on with soi-rowful faces, and
were hear<l to exclaim : " l*oor w liite man no
more!" 'I'hi'ce other rafts left the same day,
the "Ottawa," the " lIuntino(ion;' and the
" Nia<;'ara,'' and all swept <lown with the cui-
I'cnt from davliu'lit till dark.
The mornin»js and evcnines, as tl»e\' ])i-o-
cccded, i»rcw ver\' col<l. l)nt this was ami)lv
compensated for l>y the scenery, which pre-
sented a movino- panorama of hcaiity and
i^randeur. The rafts were stroiiiilv constructe<|,
and each had a railinji' around it. to which the
animals wvw, tie(l. Tlie meals were cocjked and
served without landinjj'.
i
M .MI< KI\(i I'AIMV |)i:s("KNI)IN(; TIIK ri{Asi;|{. !l|
ScM'i'jil IMjtids wri'c J)assr(| oil tilt' i')i]\ ctl'
S('j)triiil)ri'. Tln-y mIso ii()tict'(| that IVnm lliat
datf tilt' cunt'iit nl" tlic imvci- hrcaiin' iiiucli
swit'tor ill its tlow.
I\ rili; (MJ.WI) CANViJN.
Ilavinii' tloatcil <I()\vn stiu'aiii now t'oi" five <Iavs
without aiiN' niisliai), the vosajicrs naturalK'
lu'^an to coiiuratulatt' tlirinscK rs on lia\ inn-
taken tin* rivt'T, when suddcnlv all wn-e stai'tlrd
Ity a loud noise, and the look-out slioute*!,
" Hreakr'i's aheail!' Some of the I'afts had
barelv time to jcaeh shoic and make last.
'J'hey had ari-i\ed at the (jlrand Rapids.
The " SeaihoroULih " was the tii'st to ti'V the
cauN'on, dashinii' throueh the sureiim" iMUi'ents
that appeared like an immense sheet of spray.
In niid.sti'eam was a lar^^e roek, to sti'ike which
would have heen instant destruction. l>y strain-
inj." at the oars with all theii- mieht, and after
an awful .sus])ense of a few moments, hut which
seemed hours, the dan^'er was |)asse(l, and the
fi'ail .structure was aj-ain threadiiiii- its wav
amid the shoals which ohstructed the intricate
channel.
. 'I
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IMAGE EVALUATION
TEST TARGET (MT-3)
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Hiotographic
Sdences
Corporation
23 WEST MAIN STREET
WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580
(716) •72-4503
'^
92
OVERLAKD TO CARIBOO.
THllOU(;H A WHIRLPOOL
. 1 1
i ;
'SI
ii!.
At tlic loot of tlic canyon was a wliirlpool,
anil into tliis the raft was drawn. The men
ehin<»: to the raft : the animals, fortunatelv^ were
tied to the railing*. Round and round the craft
was whirled. At the first plunge those on the
shore could see onlv the horns of the o.\en, but
the raft heino- very wide, the suction was not
great enough to submerge it entirely, and, to
the relief of the anxious watchers, it emerged
safelv from the anijfrv vortex.
All the rafts had eventually to run the rapids,
as there was no means of escape. The banks of
the river on both sides wei'e rocky and i)recipi-
tous, bounding a nari'ow channel through which
vast volumes of water wei'e rushinii- and dashinii'
over the sharp rocks. No wonder the prospect
appalled the stoutest heart : but by the goodiiess
of Divine Providence all passed through in
safety.
A NARROW ESCAPE.
At two of the canyons the voyagers were able
to make a portage, thus lightening the rafts,
M
V l;
M'MICKINU PAKTY DESCENDING THE FRASEK. 9'5
wliich, witli ten mni left to steer them, sljot
(lownw.anl like Jiii arrow. Hei'oie tlieiii, on the
rij^ht, w is ji rockv reeF, Uirainst wliieh the t'uri-
oUH Hood was «la.shin<^ the water int<j foam :
while on the left was an eddyin*^^ wliirljMxjl.
The first to try the passa<;'e {;;ra/ed th«' roek,
tearinjjf awav the rowloeks, then iilided in
safety down to tlu; vd'h' l)elow. 'I'lu^ <^auntlet
had a^ain })een safely run, and eveiyone was
sur|)rised at the issue.
An involuntary cheer hurst fiom the throats
of tlu' men who had faced <leath so hravelv in
unknown channels, and every eye was moist
with tears as tliey enu'r^red from so perilous
a situation. S(j intense was the anxietv of
the moment to the onlookers that cheer upon
cheer re-echoed alon<; the hank, relievin<j the
ai
ixious hearts that liad heen struno" to tin
»g
utmo.st tension.
All the rafts passed safely, hut those who
attempted the rapids in canoes were not so
fortunate. 'i'hree of tlu' Toronto ])artv, Messrs.
Paterson, Carrol and Mackenzie, had hd't 'iete
Jaune Cache in a canoe. In this Wirht craft they
1
iir
■ i;
hi
I>
^
HI a
An
94
OVERLAXI) TO <"Aini{'H).
I
hi!
ill
naturally made nuicli faster pro^^ress, an<l rcaclicMl
the (iraiid ('anyon two days before tlie arrival
of tlu» tirst raft. The crew of the latter were
surpi'ised at eatcliin;^ up witli tlieir coinpauions,
and were dismayed to learn tliat an acci<lent liad
.1, h
Inch tliev liad lost
•th
occur
barely escaping with their lives. Tlie canoes,
containing their tents, clothing, provisiims, tools,
and even the coats they had been wearinj^, ha<l
all been daslied upon the rocks and cai'ried away.
Hei'e the poor fellows had Ix'en for two whole
<hiys without foo(l or the means of ]>roeurin^- it,
lookiuii' all the while with lonjiinif eves foi* the
I'jifts, which seemecl to them an iiiti;i'minab!e
time in coming to their rescue.
Mr. Paterson, of the party, a y«>un<^ Kn^lish-
man, had bi'en suffering from a sore throat, and
this was nmch at^irravated by tlie exposure.
This spot was the scene of oHier disasters
to the vovaiifers. A canoe containin<r ]\Ir. Mc-
Xau<;hton, of the Montreal ])ai"ty, and nine
othei's, was wrecked here. They struck U]»on a
hi<l(h'n rock, which split the canoe almost in
two : fortunately they were near the shore.
m
It
f
M MICKINfi I'AKTV l)ES( "ENI)i\(J THE FRASER. 95
and )>y ra])i<l p{i<Mlin<^ j^ot into shallow water
Itcforc it filled ami sank under them.
SAH I)IU)W\L\fi ACCIDENT.
Two eanoes fastened toii'ether, and carrvinj;
Messi's, Douii'las, Rohertson and Robert Warren,
of the (Joderich party, experienced even a wors<'
disaster than the others that lia«l pi-ecede<l tlu'in.
'i'hey had harely I'eaehed the rapids when they
were suddenlv eui^jfht in one of the swirls
and ca]>size 1, throwin<:^ the oeeupants into the
water. Mr. H()])ertson, l»ein<^ an <'Xpert swinniici-,
sti'uek out foi" the shore, at the same time
advisino- the others, who eould not swim, to
elinii' to the canoes, which were lolliii"; over and
oxer in the mad waters of the rapi<ls. How-
ever, bv efforts born of des])air, thev succet'ded
in maintaining^ their *^rasp, and when they
reache<l the surface thev watclied theii* fi-iend
Robertson manfullv struiitdinii' ajiMinst the
strong' currejit. He spoke a<;ain, and encoui"a<^ed
his companions to hold on, <'vidently feelin;;
morr (Mjiiceiiitfl foi' thrir safetv than for his
own. \t length the current carried the cancjes
■:':
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i'.f
f
t'ii
II;
il
: tr.
96
OVKIil.AM) TO CAUinoo
to a .shoal, or l»ar, in iiiidstirani, ami naturally
tlieir Hi-st tliouiilit was oC Me. |{olH'i-ts(ni : lnit to
thvAV jiiMcr ami liorroj'lic w.^s nowhere to he seen.
He had heen swept under the sur«;in;;' tori'ent.
eitluT havinu- ])een .seized with erani)) oi- had
struck his hea<l on a sh;»r|) roek. Poor Kohert-
.son, so ))i-ave and so sti'on<;", .so kind and unsel-
fish, was no more: he liad passed in silence to
the i»i*eat hevond. OF him it couhl trulv l)e .said,
"Mankind lost a friend, and no one ^ot rid of an
eneniv."
Mr. Hohertson's tra«;'ic death was deeply de-
plored, for he ha<l won the esteem ;in<i respect of
all the party by his kind and manly disposition.
The timelv arrival of the Huntini'-don raft
saved the rest of the men fi'om a terrible death,
as thev certainly would .soon liave i)erished on
tlie bar had not the rescuer.s arrived in tinn' to
succour them.
Mr. Carpenter, of Torcjnto, and Mi'. \\ Leader,
of Huron, wei'e al.so drowned at this canyon,
under similar circum.stances. The manner in
whicli Mr. Carpenter met his death wa.s excoe<l-
•penl
ingly sad. When tlie Toronto party, to which
ii 1
M'MI(KIX(J PARTY DESCKXIUXti THE KRASER. 07
k'l-.
[oM,
ill
ilmI-
icli
he l>el()M^tMl, arriv»'(l at tin* (.'unyoii they first
walked <lo\vii tilt' hank an«l inHpccttMl the place.
'I'he party consiste*! oF four men, viz., Messrs.
F^l< teller, Haii<leoek, Carpenter ami Alexander.
Kletelier an<l Haiideock a;;reed to portaj^e the
^^oods, while ( 'ar])ent«'r and Al'.xander were to
run the eanvon in the eanoe. AH bein««- rea<lv,
they pushed ott' Mr. Alexander in the how.
When in niidstreani the eanoe struck a rock
and capsi/e<l, throwing" hoth nn'ii into the water.
Mr. Carpenter appeared stunned, and made no
rtfort to save himstdf, but sank immediatelv.
Mr. Alexander, however, bein(( a ^ood swimmer,
struck out tor the shore, but, in the excitement
oF the moment, swam for the opposite side, and
landed safely. After restin^^ lie walked to the
e<l^e of the river, knelt down and lifted his soul
to (lod, then plunoin*;- into the foaming current,
l)attled his way across in safety.
A SINUTLAR IMtESENTlMENT.
Mr. Carpenter's companions had observed
that when he was exploring the canyon he took
out his note-book and madt' a memorandum
I ^
■ ■i V
1
i'
J'1'
i ,
|!M
\\^
^
.H
OH
OVLUI.AN!) TO ("Aini'.OO.
tli('i*<'in, tlicn curci'ullv n'tunuMl it to liis iimcr
])()ck('t, and tins coat lie Irl't on tlic lunik Iwloiv
attt'inptiii^' to run tin- r{i))i(l. His sorrowiul
companions opened tlu- nolc-ltook, and found tliis
rntiv: " A)i"iv('(l at (Jrand Caiixon ; ran tlic
■t '
■'.
FHASKH HIVKH, TWO MILKS BKLOW LYTTOX.
can von and was di'ownt'd."' Mi', ('ari)enter left
a wife and child in Toronto, and was a man of
^a*eat promise. This sin<^ular incident excited
u\nch wonder and speculation. Did the danfjer
which lie was <!;oin<ij to risk make such an
jm))ression on his mind that it amounted to
iH
K. I
MMICKINC l»AI{TV l)i:S( KNDINii TMK FKASKK. !)0
t\
left
n ol'
ted
an
1 to
a p'cs.MitiiiHint :* The poor man was stn'cly
attiiet»'(l witli scnr\ w tlirou'di hcinix unal^lc to
cat tli«' jM'iimiican. wliich was tlir only meat
|n*oi*ural)l<' on tlir lon^r Jouiih'V. Tln-ou^^di li\ -
inii' almost entirely o!i tloni' lie was reduced
•in stri'ni;th so much that when exertion was
needed to save his life, ovcrc<nne hv weakness
he sank, another victim ol' the cold, cruel
wat«')'s ol* the Frascr Hivci*. It is a rare occur-
renci' tor even a yood swinnner to he save(l if he
falls into its deadly eml)i'ace: the curn'ut is
very swift, and the watei- so icy that cramp
almost always sei/es the unfortunat<' one.
Innnediately after passini:' the canyon the
channel widened, an<l the swiftiu.'.ss of the cur
rent diminished perce])tihly, the stream hecom-
ino- (juite smooth : indeed, lulled into a feeling- of
security by the treficherous calm, the voyau'ers
floated alon^ all ni^^ht, peacefully sleeping in
their ii»norance of dan<:er, an«l hlissfully un-
conscious of the awful destruction that mi<dit
instantly have overwhelmed them. Tlio next
mornint;' they ])erceived that the rafts were mak-
ing; rapid prooi'ess— indeetl, their motion was
' * .
U
> 't '
it
M
'fit
\
I. .
;. !
. 'it
i I!,
i(
il
100
OVKIILAM) TO rAIUIloO,
increasiii;; jit an alariiiinj^ rat«'. Tliis put tin*
iiu'M on tlu' alci't, and in a voi*y sliurt spacr of
time tlicv ai'i'ivrd at a stretch of rapiils ahont
til'ti'oii miles in lon^^tli. Altliouirli tiic channel
was much wider than in the (Jran<l (jinyon,yet
it was full of Ja^^^^ed rocks, any one of which
would hav<' torn the raft to pieces had they
been so unfortunate as to riui a<'ainst it. In
the darkness of the ni^dit one raft struck on a
sunken rock, ))ut its crew mana^^e*! to pull it
oti* without much damage. The passa«;e of the
rapids was made without other mishap than
this, and the party reached Fort (Jeort,^.' in
safetv'.
FOUT (JEcUUiE.
On arrival at Fort (ieor^e it was found that
Mr. Eustace Paterson was in a verv critical
condition. He was teniU'Hy removed from the
raft to the Fort, where, after restin*^ foi* a
while, lie seemed to rally. Every attention
possibk' was given him by Dr. Stevenson, but
the fi^reat exertion and constant exposure of
the lon<j^ journey had been too much for his
*
I. :: '
at
;al
w
lis
M MH KIN'(5 PAUTV DKSCENIUNfJ TIIK FHASKU. lOl
Htr«'U<rtl>. »in<l 1m' <li«Ml on tin* «'V«'inn<r «>1' tlu'
saiiH' <lav that tlirv arrived at Fort (Irorjrr.
A .small canor was ol)taiiU'«|, ami tlu; ImmIv
of EustacM' Patrrson placrj therein ami rcviT-
t'litly c'onsit^ncd to tlio <lu.st hy iiis sorrowiiij;'
fompaiiions. Tin* dangers and trials thry had
all horni' hnivfly to^^i'tlier niadr a hond ol"
art'cction ho deep an<l stron*;- that they mourn«'<l
his loss as thou<;h ]w had Ix'en a hrotluT. Mr.
Patcrson was the son of an cmim'nt solicitor
in London, Kn^land, and his last irstin^-placM*
is still pivscrvt'd. The Indians pay j^rcat rcvt'r-
rncc to tJM' dead, and they still ])oint out at
Fort CJt'oi'i^c the ^ravc of the younj^ Kn^lisli-
nian.
Fort (U'or^e is a Hudson's Hay Ccjuipany's
station of considerable inipoi'tancc. Here dried
salmon and other necessaries were procure(l
from the Indians. Mr. Charles, the resident
Fact(jr, was absent when the parties airived,
havin«( ^one to Quesnelle Mouth to obtain
supplies for the wintei*. After waitin*^ a day
lon<jfer than they inten<led for Mr. Charles, and
he not putting' in an api)earance, the party
ii
I
I
i..
w
■ii
vl.'
^ I
•: '*!
:<*-
Ii>
I '• !■
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, !' t
lil
il
u
'I
'1
ii !'
102
OVKHT.AN'U To (A I! I MHO.
start«'(| nir.iin <m tlic dnv Inllnwiiij'-, t.'iUiiiL''
aloii^ ail liKJiaii ;^ui<l<' tn pilot tiirin tliinu;;li
tlnr rapids, wliicli wcrr icpnilcil to !»• \»'ry
<iaiii:<'roiis Im'Iow Kort (tcoriic 'I'lic lirst caiivcui
was rcaclicd tirtt'cii miles Ik'Iow tlir Kort. and
round iniU'li easier to navi;"}!!!' tliaii niaii\' ol'
those that had already heen jiassed.
As our travellers eaiii«' nearer ei\ili/ation
they saw miners at work on tlu^ bars of the
Kraser lliver. This was also an intimation
that th«'V were drawini?' near to the minine'
flistrict, to reacli wliieh had cost them so much
toil and (binder. After passin<;' throu^di several
canyons, tlie first |)arty arrived at Quesnelle
Mouth, Cariboo, on Thursday, the Mth of Sep-
tt'iidier, 1.S02.
I
TH.r: pn-n^rvry of
SCARBOP.O
PUBLIC L!3."^ARY.
(MIAI'TKK VI
- i.
m
I
I
ADiiixn'Riis OF run sYM/\(;ro\
JWRTY.
0\ tlu' (ith of Scptcinlter Dr. Symiii^rton's
piu'ty jirrived tit 'IV'te Jauue C.iche, being eU'veii
days behind the others. Thi.s party had suffered
even greater privations than had those who pre-
ceded them, and on their arrival at the Taclie
tlu'ir gaunt, faniisheil a])p('arance so excite*!
tile i)itv of the Indians that, inal<in<^ simis to
the travellers that they would piocurc food,
they took their canoes down stream and re-
turne<l in the evening laden with salmon, which
was indeed a luxui'V to the halt'-famislu'd men.
Twentv-l'our matches i)urchased a vei'v lai-jij;
salmon. Dr. Svmin^iton and Mr. McNauiih-
ton carried the fish From the canoe by a p(jle
thrust throuiih its i»ills, and althouiih the ends ot*
t. "-J
^M
ii
>t 1,
f
'•■,.■
«, 1
n
i
' i
1 #• ■• i
104
OVEllLAXI) TO C'ARIHOO.
IM
the pole rested on tlie men's shouMei's, tlie tail
of the salmon trailed on the o^ronnd. So fine a
specimen seldom now finds its way np to this
point in the Fraser River. The fish was a oreat
treat to the hunt^ry voyagers, uxovv especially as
they had heen on extrenu'ly short rations For
some weeks.
I)E.\D SALMON.
The Indians procured the salmon seven miles
below the Cache, and there dea«l fish were to he
seen linint^ the bank for miles. At this season
of the year the salmon ascend the Fraser River,
and are easily caught, either with spears or by
wading into the w^ater and throwing them on
the bank or into a canoe. It seems to V)e an
accepted theory t!i it the salmon ascend to the
streams in which they have been spawned.
When they had worked their way up the liver
to the point just referred to, many of the fish
were nearly dead, their fins worn off, an<l holes
in their sides, caused by the jagged rocks in the
canyons. Still they kept on ascending, until
they either died or reached their own stream.
At Tete Jaune Cache the travellers also
ADVEN'TntES OF THE SYMINGTOX rARTV. 105
¥<
I
so
saw a ])ivss, somewhat i"t'seinl)liii<^ a wino-j rcss,
wliic'h the Indians nse<l for cruslnn<; l)eiTies.
The juice of the berries was eauolit in trou<]j]is,
and tliis tlie Indians poured into hottles made of
the liides of animals, and (h-ank it as a winter
beveraw. '^I'lie crushed berries they made into
cakes.
Tlie Indians also had loni"' sheds fille<l with
shelves, on which they spread the berries to dry.
The (h'ied berry cakes were found very palatable,
and made an excellent substitute for bread.
These Shuswap Indians showed trreat humanity
and kindness to the travellers, and certainly
seemed advanced in civilization. The Symington
company found on arrival that all the different
parties ahead of them, except the Wliitby con-
tinoent, had left th(" Cache. This latter party
liad killed their oxen and almost ccmipleted
their rafts, so that thev wcue a})le to leave the
Cache the day followiiiii' tlie arrival of the
Symington party. With many <^oo(l wishes and
a partino- cheer, the new arrivals watelu'd their
friends ])assino- out of si<;'l:t, lon<,nn;;" to follow in
their wake: but ere another day ha<l })assed
■ i
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'■ 1.:
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i ■■'
\4
•:;■
i']
100
OVEULANt) To (WRIIUK).
they all liad reason to rcjoici' tluit tlicy IijkI not
•lone HO.
• ■ 1
■I'.
> 'J all'
. '< \
!i;
E
THE WHITHY PARTY WUErKKD.
The Wliitl)}" pjii'ty had ^oiu' about seven nn'les
below the C^aclie, when they came to a place
where the waters (liveroe. Here thert' was a
discussion as to which side to take, and it was
decided to take the ri<i^ht. After proceed i no- a
short distance, they approached a lari^e rock in
midstream, which they came upon so suddenly
that, unable to steer out of its way, the}' struck,
and everything was washed off the rafts — pro-
visions, clothing, money, tools : indeed, every-
thing they possessed, even to the coats that had
been laid aside as they worked their unwieldly
craft. The sudden shock knocked off* the man
at the helm, Imt he, being an expert swinnner,
reached the shore in safet\'. The rest of the
men were left clinging to the raft, which was
wedged upon the rock in a slanting ])osition.
Their hearts were tilled with dismay, for they
were lookino' death in the face, but they held on
with desperate tenacity and waite<l for rescue.
ADVEXTUUKS OF THE sYMlXfJTOX PARTY. 107
Mcanwlnlo tlie iiuin w1m» lia<l reachiMl t]u>
shore rctiiriitMl to tlic camp at 'IV'tc Jauno
('aclit', walking- and erawliii<^ as ])vs{ ho could
tlnou;;h tlu' underbriisli. Tlic eompany, as was
natural, were horrified to liear of the accident
and of the perilous position in which their
friends were ])laced. They innne<liately sent oti'
two canoes with men to the rescue. Tlie
wrecked raftsmen were found all alive, tliout»h
much exhausted and chilled from exposure.
They returned with them in safety to the camp.
The Symington part}', though short of food,
generously offered to share everything with the
others as long as they needed it, or while tliey
had anything to share. Of course the \Vhitl)y
party had to construct canoes, but the axes and
tools being all in use, they contrived to work by
night, so that no time was lost, they working-
while the others slept. Though with scarcely
enough food to sustain life, these heroic men
toiled perseveringly, felling large trees and out
of them makinii' can(jes, for thev well knew that
life dependerl upon their exertions.
-I ■i|
t .
iii iJ'd
m
i 'if
I-
108
OVERLAND TO OARmoO.
f1
1'
1
■
•
11'
I
, )
'1
li !■
E I
i
1
The parties detoriiiinecl tl\ey sliould leave Tete
Jaime C'aclie in canoes, )>elieving them safer than
rafts. When everytliint^; was ready they started
on their journey with stout hearts, knowin^j not
the dantrers aliead, but prepai'ed to meet tliem
as l)est they could. At this season of the year
the salmon wei-e very })lentiful near the Cache.
This fact }ia<l indeed been their salvation, as the
whole party must have perished from hunfijer
if it had not been for these salmon. The men,
by wading in two or three feet of water, could
catch the fish and throw them into canoes.
Some of these salmon were nearly dead after
coming hundreds of miles from the sea in their
ascent of the river, and were hardly fit for food ;
still the men were very thankful to get them.
The next day, after leaving the Cache, not a
salmon was to be seen.
This party encountered the same obstacles
and dangers that had beset their companions,
but no lives were lost. On the ninth day after
leaving Tete Jaune Cache they found two empty
canoes floating down the stream, which tliey
recognized as belonging to the Goderich party,
ADVEXTURES OF THE SYMINGTON PARTY. 100
a
er
and thcv luiturallv tV'ared tlie worst for tlicir
late companions. Tlie foUowini"- dav tliev
arrived at Fort (ieoroe, wearv and sore, and very
mudi exhausted from want of proper food.
The Fort Geoi<(e Indians came down to the
shore, and j^azed with every mark of profound
amazement upon tlie emaciated countenances
and lon<^ uidvempt luur and heards of the
vovaii;e?'s. For five days they had subsisted on
a small supply of dried mountain sh«'ep, a little
tea, and a very few dried l)erries. Tliey traded
their clothing with the Indians foi- food, and
had it not been for the succour <;iven them by
the latter and by the residents of tlie Hudson's
Bay Company's posts which they passed on their
way, this eventful journey would never have
been .iccomplished, an<l a cruel death from
starvation would have been the fate of these
adventurous men. Tlu^y all heard with deep
sorrow of the sad deaths of Messrs. llobertson,
Carpenter and Paters<jn. After leavino- Fort
George they passed safely throu<»-h all tin;
canyons and reached Quesnelle Mouth on the
4th of October.
\A\
>'■
i>:
4*
IP
'(■■•ii
no
OVERLAND JO ('A HI IKK).
,i
li .
f,
' >
(^rKSNKIJ.E.
Tlic town of (j)ii('siu'l]t' at this time consistcfl
of lour or five liouscs, and was one of the juiii-
(•i|»al ])la(*(>s oil tlir roa<l IVoin N'it'toi'ia to
Uai-kci-Nillo. KIoui" was fil'ty criits a. ])OUii<l :
Itacoii, «'i;:;lity cents a pound ; Ijcans, i'i<rlity cents
a ])ound : and all otlxT necessaries of lifr at the
same lii<^h rate. Meals, consisting' of ln-ans ancl
hacon, cost two dollars an<l a half. The winter
was now drawinu^ near, and the miners were
C(>min«r «l<»wn from IJarkerv ille. some sixtv miles
farther up, to avoi<l what they thought would
he a Siherian winter.
Some of the miners were well ])leased with
their pros])ects in tlie mines, whih' otiiers wer«>
veiy much discouraged, and con.se(|Uently sjioke
dis])ara<;'ino;ly of the countiy. 'Pus re])()rt was
rather disheai'tenini;' to the ti'avellers, after
their terrible toil was ahout ended, and when in
full view of the land of jj^old. A nivat many
"castles in the air" were demoli.shetl. Some of
the ]>artv consoled them.selves hv reniai'kino;
that they would reach Victoria in a coujde of
days, u]»on which a tall American miner,
as
;rr
ill
I
of
I'lii'
ol'
kcr,
'■4 -1
^4
I' i
1 !
.
ADVENTURES OF THE SYMINMJTOX PARTY. 118
relieviii;r his mouth oF a Ijirjjfu " (|ui(l " of tobacco,
calinlv informed tlieiM tlicv wcnild luivi; to '* lioof
it over three hiiinU'ed mih's Hi'st." Tliiswastar
from eiicouraj^iii^ to ])ersons who had walked
ail the way from Fort (larry to Yellow Head
Pass.
Nevertheless, our travellers emharked once
more, and floated down to Alexandria (then con-
sidered the lowest point of navij^ation on the
Fraser), where they stepped ashore, |)rofoundly
thankful to the ^a'eat Creator, who had pre-
served them in the midst of so many dan<;ers.
Thus terminated this i)ortion of the Overland
Expedition of 18(32.
At Fort Alexandria they heard that they
were still over live hundred mih's from Victoria.
Here -they sold their canoes and everything
else except what they could carry on their
})acks. Some of the men took work on the
Cariboo road, which the Government was then
constructin<if ; but the most of the company
made their way to Victoria, passing through
Lillooet, thence to Harrison Lake, and from
that point by steamer to Victoria, returning to
Cariboo in the spring of 1<S()8.
if;
'.ti
VI.
'! 1
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I I
■f
y.
r.
y.
y.
y.
•f.
y.
II
CIIAI'TKH Vll.
mi
THE THOMPSON RIV/iR PARTY.
•r.
y.
y.
y.
73
X
y.
'J'llK lollowinjj' is a \)\'\A account of tlic advcn-
turcs of thosr wlio went down l»v tin- Tlionii)-
soii Kivci
'I'lu' party left 'IV'tc .Iaun«' Caclu' on tlie 1st
of Scptcinltci", and crossed to tlir south side of
tlic Frascr Rivci-. On the followinjj" inoi'nin<;"
tlit'\' he^ian their wear\' niarcli southward,
accompanied by a Sliuswap Indian wlio had
ai»'reed to sliow tlie'ii tlie trail to the head-
waters of tlie 'rhonn)son River. Andre Cardinal
also accompanied them as interpreter. 'I'l
first tw(j di
ly
after lea\ ini*' the Fi'aser th*
le
■y
found a ^oo<l road, hut after that time th<^.
Indian was unahle t(» lind a trail, so they cut
their way throu<^h the hush, which was very
dense. Finding- their ^uide of no further use.
•'1
* 1
tl
IIG
OVEULANI) To CAKlHoo.
li ' : !
If
\U .
'■ • i 1
H ri ' .i
1 i 1
1 ii
tlu'V scut liini Iwick, un<l tiustc*! to tlie skill of
Andn* (\inliiuil, who hitlicito ha<l ])n»V('«l hiiii>
svW to he H most laitlit'iil pilot and ^ui<lt'.
Tlicv toilrd aloni:' I'or al>out two wct'ks, Ik^nv-
iii^- and cuttiii;;' out a path foi' tln'iiisrlvus, hut
i)roi;i'i'SH('d vcTv slowiv.as duriiii-that time tlu'V
could travel on an average oid\' sonic fi\c or six
miles a day. At lcn;;tli they reached tlic north
hranch ol' the Thompson Hivei*. Oidy those who
have liad the e.\j)erience ol* making a tiail
thi-ouiih hea\ ilv tind)ercd country can form anv
conce))tion ol' the stu]>endous diHiculties these
men cncountenMl.
AFLOAT ON Tin: TIIO.MI'SOX IIIVKU.
'I'he Thompson Hivei' a|)peared so dan^vrous
that the pai'ty thought it would he impossihic
to navi<;ate it in sal'ety, so they attem[)ted to
cut their way tln-ou_nh tlie hrush ; Ijut tindin;;'
it an almost impenetra))le Junf,de, throu^di which
procrress could he made very slowly an<l only
with infinite lahour, they decided to take their
chances on the river, thou<^h it seemed that
almost certain death awaited them. They were
TIIK TltOMI'SoN' niVKK I'.MtTV.
117
oils
1 to
als(» ('()iii{M>llt>ii rcliK'taiit ly to nliMiiiloii tiirii*
aiiiinals. Il<>rt\ at tlir noitli la'aiidi of tli<'
'riioiiipson KivtT, tlu'V luiilt lal'ts ami "<liio-
(Mlt caiKM'S, liut al'tt'l' laillicliill;;,' nut nii tlh'
rixrr tlu'V la'ocrctlctl with iiiucli (lillicultN', as
tilt' cliaimrl was ln'okcn in soiih' placrs, and
ill others full ol' (|i'irtw<M)<l. throunh which
they had to cut a |»assan«'. After nimiini;' like
this for seven days, duriiin' which four of the
pai'ty, MesHi's. 'riioni|»son, Fannin, Ha;^ili and
\V. Fortune were stuck upon a ' snai;' ' for two
davs and iii<;hts without a morsel of food, tliev
at len;;th I'eaehed a Ion;;; stretch of inipassahh'
I'apids. Here another sad accident happened,
and the brave and kind-hearted Strachan lost
his life. He was drowned while atteiiij)tin;^'
to swim ashore to <;<'t help for his comj>anions
who were eliniiiiii:- in mid-stream to a ruck
aii'ainst wliicli their raft had l>een dashed to
pieces.
The othei's of the party were rescued fi-om
their perilous position ahout an hour later l)y
Mr. Andrew Hah's, who took them ofl' in his
canoe. The sh(jck of the collision and the peril
Ui
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118
OVERLAND TO CARIBOO.
tt
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of tlu'ir position lia<l Itccii awl'ul. For a full
hour they were force*! to cliii<^ to that rock,
surrounded hv the ra<dni>: toi'rent, knowini;: that
any moment they mi<^dit bo swept ott' and
dashecl to pieces in the rapids below. They
lost everything;', but were thankful to escape
with theii* lives.
AIJIIIVAL AT K AM LOOPS.
The i)artv were aoain obliiied to make a
portage of ei^ht miles, which they accom[)lishe<l
with much <litficulty, and havint>- i-eached the
foot of the rapids, were under the necessity of
consti'uctinii" another set of rafts before thev
could proceed farther. While buildin<i; these
rafts, a ])arty of miners came up the river on
a prospectino- tour, and from these men they
obtained much valuable iid'ormation. Thev
had only proceeded about forty miles with the
new rafts when they a^ain approached I'apids,
which proved impassable: but from this point
they found a ^"ood Irail to Fort Kandoops, a
distance of one hundred and twenty miles,
which place they reached on the 11th of
a
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120
OVERLAND TO CAKir.OO,
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Octolx^i'. Tlui pai'ty lia«l indeed a luird cxjjL'i'i-
eiiec, jind must li}i\(i perislicMl from Innioi'i-, cxcu
wlieii near Kaml()o])s, liad tliev not fortunately
come
\ipoi
1 a Held of pjjtatoes
I I
'Die end of tliis wearv niai'cli l^'ouoht relief
an<l rest, wliieli the party sorely nee(|ed. A<;ain
within the precincts (A' civilization, th<'y appre-
ciated fully tlie privilege of obtainin*;' the maiiy
necessai'ies which thev wei'e denied on a journev
toilsome, dan^ei-ous, an<l full of adventure.
.Mrs. Schubert passed throu^li all the ex])eri-
ences of this lon^' journey, and sIiowcmI the most
remarkable endurance and ener^iy. She had
the care of three youn<»' children, and in all the
dangers and disasters which the party under-
went, she and hei' children came throut^li safe
and sound. The dav following' their arrival at
Kandoops, Mrs. Schubert oavo bii-th to a daui^di-
ter — the fii'st white child born there.
Ml'. Frank Pend)erton was drowned on the
Thom])son River, about twenty miles above
Kainloops, and his tiv(^ companions narrowly
escaped a similar fate, but were saved by the
timely eH'orts of two Indian lads, who hap])ened
TlfK TirOMPSOX IJIVEi; IVMJTV
121
lo 1)0 near tliciii wlicii tlit'X' were tln'owii into
th«' water.
Six li\('S ill all were lost in the Kiasci" mihI
the 'IMioiiipson i"i\rrs. Notliiii^ shows luoif
strongly than tliis the uii])aiall('lt'(l liaidships
which the Overland |»arty <'n<luit'(l. 'rinse iiicii
ife
at
fh-
Iv
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KAML(>OI>S IN 18!m;.
ha«l left theii- homes full of hi'i«;ht hopes I'oi' the
future, with the prosjx'ct of a loni;' life liefoi-e
them. Thei!- earthly career w;is hrouii'lit to nii
end in the attem))t to reach the wealth oi' the
competency which they no douht thought neecs-
saiy, and for the ohtaininii' of which they sacri-
ficed their lives.
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122
OVERLAND TO CARIHOO.
It is ('{ilculatcMl that the party travelled at
least three thousand five hundred and forty-
seven miles, hut nii
my
think the distance was
much greater than this estimate. That the
journe
as
)lished shows what it
pos-
acconi^
sU3ie tor n»an to overcome. A <;reat deal or tlie
countrv traversed was indeed a " lone land," but
it was found to be valuable in its a<j;ricultural
ca[)acity, an<l with mineral resources practically
illimitable. There is a u'lvat future in store for
such a land.
THEN AND NOVV.
Since 18()2 the countrv has <»;reatlv chano'ed
in aspect. The plains and valleys which the
( )verland i)arty passed throui'li are dotted all
over with towns and cities which souie day will
bo populous and wealth}'. Fort Oarry, now
known as the thrivin*j^ and prosperous city of
WinnijK'o', is the metropolis of the North-West.
In 1(S()2 it was but a Hudson's Bay Company's
post. Edmonton to-day is the centre of a lar<ije
aiifricultural and mininii" district, and is also an
important railway point. The town is lighted
b}^ electricity, and has within its limits every
T
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THE TUOMl'SON lUVER PARTV
125
modern iinprovciiiont. Towns liavc sjunn^i' u\)
all ulonii- tilt' route, and the shriek ol' the loeo-
motive is now heard where onee the wai-cry
of the sava^i'e, the howl of the wolf, and the
lowin"- of mvriads of hntfalo urccte^l the e.n-.
The country is heino- tilled up hy a thrivin;^-,
contented, and law-al)idin(j^ jM-ople.
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r. I>. |{. STATION. VANCOU' ".U.
The j-rowth of the country has been st«'adv
and marked since the period wheu the Over-
landers came. Our oreat national hi<4hway, the
Oana<lian Pacific Railway, had not an advocate
then: now there is a daily train to the city of
Vancouver and a daily mail to N'ictoria. 'I'Im-
population (jf this latter city tluctuattMJ until
after the excitement of '02 subsided, when it
\ <i
'* ■']
126
OVKHLAXI) TO (JAUIIJOU.
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,1
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1
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settled to tlio small nuinljcr ol' Itetwecn two find
three thousand. The Canadian Pacific I^ailway
called into «'xist«'nce the heautil'ul and thriving-
city of N'ancouver.
At the ])eriod nientione(l an iiTc^ular service
between V^ictoria and San Francisco was tlu'
only means of comnuniication with the outer
world. The boats on this route were slow and
unsafe. Now there; is a tine line of steameis
lejivin^- the ports of Victoria and San Francisco
every tenth day. There is also a daily service
with all the Sound ports. A tine line of steamers
ply bi-monthly from Australian ])(jrts and our
own, uniting- the vast Fmpii'e in closci- I'elation-
ship by the exchan<;(' of commercial pi'oducts.
Three of the Hnest an*' swiftest steamers in the
woi'ld brinix e\ei'v fortni<rht the ])roducts of the
Orient to our shoi'es, in exchange for Hour and
the products of (»ur factoi'ii's.
The most \ isionary dreamer of that day
could not risk to propose or ]n*edict that (he
ccjunmniication between London, tli" h.eart of the
Fmpire, and Cathay, could oi* wcnild be accom-
plished in a few weeks. Then news was still
iillii
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TJIL TIKKMl'SON UlVKll I'AKTV.
12!)
new alter six nioiitlis' tossing* urnuiid tlic Horn ;
now till' latest events transpiriiii^' in Knr<)])e are
received dailv throiiiih tlie a<renev <»!' eahle and
tele;;ra|)liic wire.
Marks ol' stea<ly advancement are (>l)S('rval)le
on evei'v liand. The i>resi'nt vear will usher in
a series of devclopnn'nts in o()|d niinin;;- such
as scaivelv entered into the dreams ol' tlu; most
sanjj^uine ol' the ])ioneers. Vast minei'al wealth
has all alon;^" Imtu known to exist in (ncry sec-
tion ol' British Cohnnhia, l)ut ca})ital, skill and
ener;;y were re(|uired, and the knowle<l<r(; ol'
reducini"- ores was verv limited. 'I'hen it was
simi)ly placer mininn- wliich hrou^lit the millions
out ol' " (lohh'ii Carihoo"; now% hy means ol' im-
proved machinery and scientific prucess<'s, wliat
was tlien unrevealed wealth is heinjx broui^ht to
\\\f\\t. Capital. ener<i;y and intelligcnci^ an^ the
cliiei' rtMjuisites I'or the d<'velo[)in^- of a country,
and these motive powers ai'e comin;^' i^n-andly to
Drove the inexhaustible wealth of this olorious
Pr
ovince
hM
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II;
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i
THOMAS M(MICKIN(i.
( iiAn'Ki; VIII.
n/ocR.i/'ifn'Ai. sA'/r/c/f/is o/' somh
Of riiii "OViiRLAxniiRsr
TIfOMAS .M( MICKIXO.
Thomas M('Mi(Ki.\<i was hoiii at 'Juccustun
Ilci^^lits, Oiitai'io, ill tlu" year IS27. \\v was
('ducaUMl at Knox ColK'^c, Toronto, an<l tani;lit
seliool I'or scvci'al vcars, al'tcrwai'ds ('niiaiiint;' in
eonniKTcial pursuits in (^)u('enston. Mr. Me-
Miekinii' ioincMl the Ovnland continixcnt wliich
l«'t't (^)uirnston on the 2:}r(l of April, 1(SG2, and
was elt'cted ca])tain of tln' i!Xj)LMlition wlicn tin'
])arties or^'ani/ol at White Horse IMains. This
])osition lu; tilh'd with honour to himself, and to
the ])enetit of all the company. On his arrival
in this Province he took up his residence in New
Westminster, and was appointed sheritl' in 18Gr>.
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132
OVERLAND TO CARIBOO.
Mr. McMiekinii' was drowiiud in tlie Fraser
RivMT in 18(36. He liad })liin<^^e<l in t(3 ivscuo liis
boy I'roni (lrowinn<,^ but the trcaclifrous waters
ot* tbe river claimed ])(>tli i'atbei" and son.
He was a ti'uc Cliristian ;;entlenian, a <4enial
companion, a ready writer and speakei", and
witbal a man of strong- cliaracter. His ti'aoie
itut noble death was lamented bv tlie entire
connnunitv, and deei)lv moni'ned by liis nianv
Friends. Tlie accc^mpanyino- portrait: is made
t'rojn a ])lioto;L;ra])b of Mr. Thomas McMickin<.;'
when a student at Knox College, Toronto.
ARCH I RA LI) M(\ AU( i HT( )X.
Archil)ald McNau<;hton. postmaster i'or (^)ues-
nelle ^^)uth, Cariboo, was born on tlie Kith ol'
March, bS-i^i and was educated at Phil]i])s
Scliool, Ab)ntreal. He assisted to organize the
Montreal ])arty, and left that city to join tlie
Overland E.vpedition on oth of ^bly, 18(52. Ht;
followed minino- for a nund)er of years in
Cariboo, and was afterwards ennaoed in com-
mercial pursuits. He was appointed assessor
and collector for the District of Cariboo on
i
)lR'S-
:h of
li])s
tlic
tlic
He
in
COlll-
esKor
|o on
AllCHIl'.AI.l),.M.NAl(;ilT(>.\.
-• :;
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i:34
OVERLAND TO OAIUBOO.
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tlui 7tli of Marcli, 1884. In October, 1884, ho
entered the service of the Hudson's Bav Com-
pan y 1 in 1887, was ap[)ointed niana<ijer For tliat
Company in the Carihoo District, and U'ft tlieii*
sei'\ice in the niontli of October, 1894.
Mr. McXan^liton received tlie ai)pointnient
of postmaster at Qaesnelle Mouth in 1887. Tliis
position he still holds with credit to himself
and satisfaction to the (Jovcrnment. TIiq por-
trait here shown is from a photo^^raph taken
when at the aoe of eiiihteen.
KOBKRT BURNS McMICKINC!.
Robert Burns IMcMickino- was born mar
Queenston Heights, Ontario, on the 7th of July,
1848. He entered the service of the Montreal
rele<i;raph Company at the age of thirteen. On
his arrival in this Province he enuaiT^'d with
the Collins Overland Telegraph Company, then
constructing a telegraph line from Behring
Straits to connect the two hemispheres. This
coujpany was started after the first cable across
the Atlantic broke, and was expected to be
a failure. Mr. McMicking was Superintendent
1
8
HOHKHT lUKNS M( MICK INC
136
OVERLAND TO CARIHOO.
I!
mi
• :!
i ' It
of the Government tclcorapli lines of Bntisli
Columbia from 1870 to 18S0. He inti-odncc*!
the telephone into British Columbia in 1880, and
the electric light in 1883. In this latter year
lie erected a plant in Victoria for street light-
ing, the operation of which he still continues to
superintend.
Mr. McMicking built up and still manages
the Exchange system in Victoria, the capital of
British Columbia. He is also Justice of the
Peace for the Province. Our portrait of him is
from a photograph taken at the age of nineteen.
.TOHX HOWROX.
John Bowron, Gold Connnissioner and CJov-
ernment Agent for the District of Cariboo, was
born on the 10th of March, 1837, and received
his education at the Huntingdon Academy. On
leaving school he removed to the Western States,
and took up the stud}^ of law; but upon the dis-
covery of gold in Cariboo, joined the Overland
party. On his arrival, he with others went on
to Victoria, and retui-ned to Cariboo in the spring
of 18G3.
^•1
• &■
'■%
rjii
JOHN UOWHOX.
.: i
1S8
OVEULAXD to (^AklliOO.
;i
\Ui
Mr. Howroii was appoiiitcMl postiiwiskT for
l^jirkerville in ISSO, and lieM that position for
ten years. Ho was appointed Mining' Reconlei-
in 1872. (Jovernincnt A^^cnt in 187."), and (Jold
(Joiinniss'oncr in 1883. These ofiices he lias tilled
witli cre(lit to himself {ind satisfaction to the
(fovernnient. This ])orti'ait is taken from a
recent photo_i;i"aph of Mr. Bowron.
<;i<:i()U(;K ( khistik tuxstalf..
(Jeorye Christie Tunstall was Itoi'n in Montreal
on the 5th of December, I8:j0. He was educated
at Spark man's Academy, Sorel, and at the Lower
iJanada CV)llet;e, Montreal. He travelled across
the Saskatchewan ])lains to British Colum])ia in
1802. The followinir year he proceeded to
Cariboo, where he enga<^ed in minino^ for a
numl)er of years. He was appointed Govern-
ment A<^ent at Kamloops in December, 1879,
and received the appointment of Gold Commis-
sioner for the Granite Creek (j^old mines in 1885.
He was removed in 1890 to the West Kootenay
District, with headcpiarters at Revelstoke, from
whifji place he was subse(|uently tran!:ferre<l to
Kamloops.
'9.
'5.
'1 II
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CJEOmiK ClIHISTIi; TUNSTALL.
(
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140
OVKHLAXI) TO ('AKIIiOO.
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Mr. Tunstall at ]»r('S('nt lioMs tlu- position ol'
(JdM (.\)imnissi()iH'i' Tor tlic cnstci'ii ]toi'tion ol'
till' N'jilc Disti'ict, cinhriieiii^" tlic Vale, Kninloops
Mini SiiinlkMint'cu Divisions, wliich contains sonic
of tlio most iiii])ort}int places and most valuahic
mineral deposits in IJiitish Colnml>ia. He is
also an Assistant Commissioner of Lands and
Works, and a sti])eiidiary maeistrate i'or the
Pi'o\ince. Tliis pDiti'ait ol" .Mi-. Tnnstall is
tak'H IVom a recent photograph.
.lOHX F.ANN l\.
.John i'\-innin was horn ol' Irish parents in the
villa<j,'e (►I' Kem])tville. Ontario, and was edncated
at the Kemptville ( Irammar School. He joined
the Overland Kxpe<lition at (^)ueenston, leavin<^'
that place on the 'I'Wd ol' Api'il, 1S02, and was
one ol' those who eh'cte<l to take the 'rhom])son
River route.
Ml'. Kannin followed miniiii;' i'or a number ol'
Vears in Cariboo, iJi<>" Hend and Cassiar. In
1S7.S he was appointe<l by the Provincial (Jov-
ernment to explore and repoi't on the lads
lying between New Westminster and Fort Hope.
II' ; •}■
i I
Ml
!
JOHN FANNIN.
) .
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142
fJVEKLANI) TO CAIUIMX).
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On tli<' r<)lln\vin<]f vcar lie was s(»nt on a similar
mission to the licadwatcrs (^1* tlic Stiki'cii lii\rr.
M r. Kalinin was also ('<litor ol* tlic (Joim'f tliiriii<r
two sessions ol' tlir Lriiislatmc. In IcS.Sli lie was
appointed Curator ol" the I'rovincial Museum,
wliieli is ol)taininj4' a coiit inentfil reputation for
tlu! splendid collection it is maUin;^'. Mr. Kannin
is a naturalist ol' ackiKtwIediJ'ecl altilitw lie is
also tile MUthor ol' a " C'lieck List ' ol' tlie hirds ol'
IJritisli ('oluiiil)ia, and is an associate memKerol'
tlie ( )rnitliolo;;ical rnion. Tlio portrait here
(;iv(Mi is from a j)liotoj;rapli taken in tlie year
1S72.
.lOMN AXDKKW MAKA, K.\ M.P.
John Andrew Mai'a was ])orn in Toronto,
Ontario, and joined the Overland E.\]KMlition in
i-S(i2. H(( j"epresente<l the Kootenay District
in the Provincial LeL;islature from ]871 to
l87o. At the <i^eneral election held in 1875 he
was returned I'or the Yale District, and was
re-elected a^ain at the general election hekl in
1!S78. He sat in the I'l'ovincial Assembly until
the dissolution of the House in 188G. The
following" year he was elected by acclamation,
,M
JOHN ANDUKW MAKA, KX-M,!',
144
oVKKLANI) Hi <AKII5(M>.
4
,iiii| w Jis ;ils(t iinaiii it'tilllH'fl witlioilt ojtpositinii
ill ls!»I. Mr. .Mjiiii WMs S|M'alsri- <>r tlic Lfu-js-
iMtivt' Assfinltly IVoin .iMiiiiaiy. INS:!, until iHNii.
He cxliiliitt'il ill this capiicity ;j,n<)(| tact ami
aliility, ami lia<l tin- riilltst (•((iilidciicc ol' liotli
sidrs (>r t ln' llnlisr.
Ml'. .Maia resides at Kaiiiloops. wlici'c lie is
(.iiu;iM(.(| ill laisiiie.s.s. He is also a Justice ol" tlie
l*eace lol' the rioviiice. ()ui' poltl'ait of hilll is
taken Iroiii a recent jihotnei-ajiji.
.I.\,MKS WATriK.
.lames Wat tie was Ixnn in Alierfleeii, Scotlaml.
(Ill the "2!>th <>r l)eceiiil)cr, I. Sot); came to Canada
with his ]»arents in ls:>S, and joined the llun-
tiic'don ])artv with his hi-otlier William in iSO'i.
He lel't (\'iril)oo ill iSd."), after ama.ssine- a eon-
sideraltle competency in that ])ei-i()d.
Since lea\iim- Cariln)(> Mr. Wattie lias been
cneiiM-cd in husiness in Valleytield, (^)u«!l)ce, and
is still stron;;- and hearty. This portrait is from
a pliotooraph taken in IS!!').
i
ii
.1'
JAMKS WATTIK.
v' \
10
J 46
OVEHLAXI) TO PAHFIUH).
WILLIAM KOHTLNK.
Mr. William F<»rtuno, now rt'si<liiii'- at 'i'laii-
(|uille, British Columbia, joiiud the Ovci-laml
Expedition in l.S()2, an<l was ono of the l>'H"ty
who travelled l»y way of the Thom])son Hivcr.
He is now a prosi)erous farmei', and lives in lull
view of Kandoo])s and of the lliver 'i'hompson,
the scene of the perilous adventures t]irou«;h
which he ]^assed. '{"his portrait is fi'om a photo-
i'ra])h of Mr. Fortune taken in the vear IhO").
i !« J
A L. rORTUXK.
Mr. A. ]j. Foi'tmie, residin-j' at Enderhv, Hritish
Columliia, ioine<l the ()verlan<i Expedition in
liS(j2. He was <n\v of the eommittee chosen to
assist Mr. Thomas McMickin^' in his duties as
captain of that ex])editi()n, and cast his lot with
the party who travelled l)v way of the Tlujmp-
son River. He is now a prosperous faiiner. Our
portrait is from a photograph of Mr. Fortune
t^'-e-.i in 1894.
«f
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WILLIAM FOKTINK
. :|
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It
THE PR..PERTY OF
SCARBORO
PUBLIC LIBRARY.
(CHAPTER IX.
''GOLDEN CARIBOOr
The follovviuor is a I.riof acc<)unt of tho ^rold
preduaMl in tho early days of (\.iril,o(,, showino-
the extraordinary riclmess oi' the ^oM o-ravH
deposits iron, lM(iO to 1805. Tlnsse statistics
liave ],een furnished by Mr. John Bowron and
Mr. A. MeNauohton. OoM was discovere.l in
the Williams (^i-eek J)istrict in ISGO. At once
a stream ol' inmn'oration poured in, until in
180;^ there was estimated to he from foui- to
hve thousand of a population within a radius of
tlu-ee miles around Haiierville. This mnnher
di<l not vary materially duiino- the two foll«,wino-
seasons. The whole population of the district
at that time was probably })etween ricrht and
ten thousan<l s(Mds. The principal nn'nes work<'d
in 18(i0 an.l 18(J2 were the (\jrnish, Steele,
^m
ii
k
d
loO
OVERLAND TO CARIBOO.
i't-
ti. I
Hi
IP
.
'w'
■ .lis ■
!
I
Abbot, Adtiiiis, Point, Ciinnin^lwiin, aiKl Black
Jack Company, all situated above tho canyon.
Thes«' claims, with a f*?\v others of lesser note,
probably produced three millions ot* dollars.
In the fall oi" lS(j2, the Barker Company, situ-
ated below the can von, " struck iiav": «lurini>-
the winter following the Cameron Company
" struck " it, and before the end of the season
of bSG.S the following- claims, situated below the
canyon, were all producin<;" <^old, viz., the Bui*ns
Tuiniel, Pioneer, Foster, Campbell, Ericsson,
])illar, Canadian, Barkei-, Baldhead, Welsh,
Wake up Jack, Aurora, Cariboo. Lillooet, Wat-
son, Cale<lonia, (JrizzJy, New York, McLean,
Cameron, ^b)ttat, Haby, Wattie, Last Chance,
Dead Broke, Forest Pose, Prince of Wales,
Bruce, Paidvin, Elliot «.<: Adams. an<l Tinker.
Some of these nnnes prove*] astonishingly rich.
Pi'obably tive millions (jf <lo11ars in o()M were
taken out duriniji' the veaj' PSd.S, notwithstandina"
which s(jme of these mines ai'e now, and have
been continuously, worked from that date till
the present time, an<l yet ai'e piotitable to the
owners.
■y.
ick
lice,
lies,
'ich.
L'lV
mo-
till
the
■y.
. ::§
til
GOLDEN CARIBOO.
153
The yield of <^oM from a few of the piiMei])al
claims in Williams Creek may he approximately
<xiven as follows : 'i'he Cameron, one million
dollars : Aurora, one million dollars : Dilla!', five
hundred thousand ; Black daek, five hundred
thousand : Barker, tive hundrrd thousand ;
Ericsson, rive hundred thousand: Caledonia, tive
hundred thousand; Canadian, tive hundred
thousand; Wake up ,Iaek, three hundred thou-
sand : Saw Mill, thi-ce hundred thousand : Moffat,
three hundred thousand ; and Rahv, thrcM'
hundred thousand. The lon«»-est of these claims
is only a few hundi'ed feet in lenoth and one
hundred in width. The o()Jd pi-oduct of l.S()4
and 18(35 was not materially less than that of
1863. The phenomenal o()ld de])osits f(^u.;id in
the gravel occupying the deep channels of
Williams Creek will be bettei- undei-stood when
it is stated that within Uwo nn'les of the len<:th
of this creek, and in a width of perhaps one
hundred and fifty feet, on an average some
twenty-five million dollars of oold have heen
produced, showin(( it to have been one of the
most remarkable <^old ui-;ivel de|)()sits excr
\
154
(tVKIlL.Wh K) CAllIlioo.
(liscoN cred. The cljiiiii known as tlu' Burns
'I'lniiicl Wiislicd uj) one tliousand and forty-four
ounces oro()l(l ill one day, tlic xaluc of wliicli is
alfout twcntx -five tliousand dollars. Tins was
in the Near i<S(iJi. In INT.") tlir Van Winkle
«
Company, on Li;j,litnin;;" ("I'frk, washccl uj)
fifteen hunilr<'d ounces of j^oid, as the i-esult of
six da\'s' woik.
Hilly Barker, fi-oui wlioin the town of IJai-kei'-
\ille takes its name, took u]» a claim helow the
canvou. The other miners made i>ame of him
for so doinii', as thev helieved all the o'old was
ahove the canvon : but he, aftei' sinkinjj' a shaft
sixty feet deep, " struck I'ich ])ay,'" as likewise
did the (\imei-on Company a mile heyond. The
seNcn pai'tners of the Ahhot claim left Cai'ihoo
in iS(j2, with foi'ty-Hve thousand dollai's «'ach.
'i'he Welsh claim sank a shaft forty-tivc feet
deej), when they found what turneil out to he a
])ocket to the \alue of foui'teeu hun<lred dollars.
(Jreat excitement followed, and each nu'inhei' of
the mine was ottered sixteen thousand <lollai's
to sell his claim. ( )nly on«' acc«'[)ted : all the
others refused, thinkini:" the mine was of
/.
..If
OOLDKX (ARriUM).
157
fal)iil()us riclnioss, but, unt'ort'inatcly for tluMii,
it proved at'tci-wards to he hut a poor claim.
The '• Prince iA' Wales" was a very rich mine,
l)Ut the unfortunate owners were nearlv all
ft
«li-owne(l in the Fraser River, just Ix'low f^ues-
nellc Mouth, throu<,di the capsizin^^ of their
canoe. Only one man saved his ^^oM, it hein^r
tied ui) in his blankets. The rest lies at tlie
bottom of the river.
Wa^es at this time were ten dollars a dav,
but food and clothing were veiy expensiNc.
Meals, as before stated, cost i^2.;50, and f((.nerally
consisted of beans and bacon. The miners as a
rule v/ere lib ral, and sometimes spent their
money very foolishly. A few of the Overland
party, on their way down to Victoria, m t near
Alexandria fortv mu!es laden with chamnacne
and tea. A })ottle of champagne was sold for
an ounce of gold (vahied at not less than sixteen
doUars). Potatoes were sold at ninety doUai-s
per hundred poun<ls, in 1864. Xails were a
dojhir per pound : India rubber boots, fifty dol-
lars per pair. Frozen milk was a dollar per
pound ; flour, one dollar per pound ; eggs, eight
<#
I :)S
nVKKI.Wh IM cAiHhdo.
<|n||;ll-s |)cr tlit/i'll, ;in<l <'\ rl'\ t IlillLi' else in like
|»i-(»|M»i't ion. rin' tiist pi.inM to rcjicli IJarkri--
\ill(' w as c-irricd nn iiirii s hacks I'lnni <^)ii<'snt'||c
Mouth, a <!istaii('c (»!' sixty miles, ami iVoni that
])oiiit th<' iVciu'lit cost one <lt»llai" per |»oun<l.
'I'Ih' hilliai"'l tallies in those days cost tlnai-
s.niils (»r dollai's : iiiin'or> and lar^e sto\es I'loni
li\e to se\en llllinll'ed dollais each. Sonic of
tlicse relics ai'e still ill edo(| c(»nditioii aiitl arc in
use at tiic ja'cseiit time. ( Mc ciiter|»iisin^' man
tried t<» Id'ini'" up his ^oojs on camels hacks,
l)iit that was i'ouiid impract .cahh-. as the camels'
feet could hot stand tin' roiii^li. hai'<l roads they
had to t i"a\'ers '. ()n"cam"l coiild lia\ c cai'ried
a loatl ol" s'-\c!iteen hundi'ed pounds.
These hacts and li^ui'e^ siiow the ^icat ditli-
cult ics cncountereil in pn 'ciii'iiiL;,' i'< r mI, to »ls and
clothiiie- i'oi' the men wliowo'e de\c|opin^' the
(\'n'ihoo e-oM mines. l''oiluiies were made almost
in a da\' h\' some, while olhei's toiled and lia\e
toilc(l on e\er since, harcly ekiii^ out an exist-
ence. Such is the excitement oi Liold miniuii" —
one day lull of hopes raised to the hie-hcst ])itch
l»y sonic e'ood prospect discovered ; tlie next,
7;
?!
• t
Mt
•I- « li'ii'
I ■. t:
tU i
GOLDEN CARIBOO.
161
perluips, cast <lo\vn to the depths of despair, to
1)6 raised a^raiu on tlie morrow, and so leadin*,-
the gold-seeker on like the "will o' the wisp."
Mining, however, is a free and independent life,
and has a charm which no other oceni)ation can
give, for tlie miner has no other man to thank
for the gold which his own "toil-worn hands"
have brought to the livdit.
"Now, my eo-matej find hrother.s in oxik',
Hath not old custom made this life more swtiet
Than that of painted pomp ? A.e not these woods
More free from peiil than the envious <;onrt /
Here feel we l)ut the penalty of A<lam,
The seasons" diHerence ; as the icv fan-'
And cimrlisli chi.ling of the wi.ter's wind,
Which, when it l)ites and Idows upon my Ix.dy,
Even till r ^uink with cohl, I smile and say,
This is no Mattery ; tliese are counsellors
That feelingly persuade me what I am.
Sweet are the uses of adversity,
Which, like the toad, ugly and venomous,
Wears yet a precious jewel in his head ;
And tliis our life, exeuipt from puhlic haunt,
Kinds tongues in trees, hooks in the running l.ro.ks,
Sermons in stones, and g.x.d in evcivtliin-^'"
11
'HI
iU
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1: !
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I'.' I
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r.
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V;.,
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!
THE PP...PZRTY OF
SCARBORO
PUBLIC L\Z?IARY.
CHAPTER X.
>'. -t
r.
EXTRACTS FROM SAWNHTS
LETTERS AND CARIBOO
RHYMES.
I-.V ./AMi:s AM.KKSON, a NATIVK (.K KIKKSHIRK. S.oTI.AM..
|fi|
y.
SAWXKY'S LKTTKKS.
Kx-rart/rnn, Ultrr X,>. /, n-rilf,,, Fchnmr,/, l,s'<;/,.
Dkar Sawnkv, -
I sit (loon to wiite
A .screed to you l.v eaurrie li.rht,
An answer to your freendly letter—
I ne'ei- had ane that pleased nie J)etter.
Vour letter earn" l.y the Kxpress,
Plight shillin's carriage - naethin' less
Voudl think this awfu", 'tis nae dooi _
(A drain's twa shillin's here -ahoot) ;
I'm sMie if Taniie Ha\ the huddv.
Was lieie, wi" his three-legged cuddy
He hauls shent him wi' a tether,
104
OVKKLANI) TO (".\mi5(K).
J.
'11
■ii
'11
m
M
HeM beat the Express, faitli a" tlu',,Mtlu'r
To speak o't in the truest wav,
"Tis Bariiards " (.'aiiltoo Dclav."
YouM iiiaylti' like to ken what i)ay
Miners get here for ilka (hiy ;
Just twa puiid sterling, sure as death —
It sh(»uM l)e four, at ween us haitii ; —
For gi'i ye eoont the cost o' livin",
'J liere's naetliing left to gang and eome on ;
And shouhl you hide tlie winter here,
The shoppy buddies *ll grab youi- gear ;
And little woik ane gets to do
A" tile laug dreaiy winter thro'.
Sawney, h id ye your tatties here,
And neej)s and eairots — dinna speer
W hat priee -tliL)" 1 could tell ye weel,
^'e might think me a leeiiT eiiiel ;
Xae, lail, ye ken I nevi-r le<',
Ye a" lu'lieve that fa's frae nu-.
Neeps ittics, cirrots l»y tlie pun,
dust ' anil a jienny — tiy for fun
How !i. .'kle 'twail be for a ton ;
Aitnieal foui' shillin's, tlour is twa.
And milk's ni» to lie had ava,
Foi' at this season o" the year
There's naething for a I'oo up heie
To ehew lu'r (;ud on. Sae ye see
Ye are fai' bi>tter atV than me ;
1111
I i
EXTRACTS FU():>I SAWXEV S LETTERS. 105
•or wliile you're Wiiini an" smit,' at 1
lianKv
And suppiti' paiiidgo drooruMl ii
The dt'il a .liap o" milk hao I,
lint g()l)l)K; (.nic my pai rid_<,'f dry,
1 flame,
Of
coui-sc, I can ,t,^'t huttci' lici(
Twa sliillin's a pun.l it"s far unre dear
Aye, . ■ thing si'lls at a laiiy piicr ;
Tea, coflee, snr'ur, hacon, rice.
Foiii' shill
in s a pund, and sumetliiMi'- mair
And e'en the weights is rait her tiui'i
Sa*.' much for prices
An noo, dear Sawnry. naet hing mair
I hae to say —yet caiuia liear
'J he thocht o" feeiiisliin" my rh\nie,
"J'is lil<e we paiiled second time;
lint ril no fret u hate"er it seems -
Ve ken tiiat I'm ye"ri' truest freend
•Jkamks,
J'Jrfrt/i'/s from l.rftiT X<>. ■',.
Dkaii Sawnkv, Litth- did r tiiink
That eighteen sivty-seveii
Wad see me still in ( 'arihoo
A h.owkin' for a li\ in".
The lirst tua-ycars I spent out here
W'vw nae sac ill a\a,
\\l
I' 'I
t ;
ion OVERLAND TO rAIUHOO.
But lioo I've lived since syiu , my freer),
There's little tieeil tit l)la\v.
Like f(K)t-l)a', kiiockit hack an" fore.
That's lang m I'cacliing ;ioa],
Of feathci- I (lawn l>y ilka wind
That whistles "twcen eacli ))<>Ie, —
K"en sue my mining life has Itccn
Kor niuny a weary day.
(Will that si.n never I'ise for me
Tliat shines for makin* l\ay "/)
'Tis weel foi' us we dinna ken
The future as tiie past,
Ooi" troubles wad he douhlcMl then
I5y being sae forecast —
Unless to us was gi'en the power,
Like sheltien frae a sliowei'.
To seoug lieneeth some fieendly bidd
Till ilka blast wa ouie.
Net man, sae thoehtless an* sae lash,
Nile doot wad often sleej).
An' like the foolish virgins five
Wad oille.ss cruses kee]),
Till waukened l)y the storms o" life.
Oute late to rin awa',
He'd wish the future had lietMi l)lank
To him us "tis to a".
'I\vas my intent to show you a'
The hardships o' this life.
But second thochts hae changed my mind,
For ve wad tell vt''re wife I
I
I
f
r
,0 V .■ ,
:^r.^ -^^
IIIK OLD (AHinOO ilOAD.
EXTUACTS FHOM SAWNEY's LETTERS. U[)
An' ere .-i wrok or sao was (»uio
She'd claik it t(» my mither —
Puir l)()(lv, wl
HI wad giiev" hvv li(>ait
•car,
Hy adding to her cair.
He's Init a coward at the Itest
Whu troidtlcs canna" 1
Vour h'tters, Sawney, arc a I
An' postage now is less,
An' Barnard's "Carihoo IK-I;,
Can faiily claim " Kxpn.ss.
)oon,
B
e Mire an' write me everv month
If nuithin'' l)ut
canld kah
To see how mucii hauic ne
liead—
ws is |Hi/.ed,
\v
AmN<; ynii m,,; \Jaii,
Man's life is like
a medlev
Composed of many airs,
Which make us ghid or make us sad,
And oft our laughter dares ;
K'en .o our hearts have many cords
And strains of light and sfron<'
Whicii make us glad (,r niak.' us sad,
Like changes in the song.
Our smiles and tears, our hopes an.l fears,
Our sorrows never fail,
But evciy heart knows not the smart
Of waiting foi' the uiail.
A toumster from the Beaver I'ass-
" What news of the Express ? "
170
OVKRLAXI) TO <AHII!0().
'TwHS there last ni^'lit, if I lieiiid liu'lit
h
, I
^!. ^
Twill
be III to-(|ii\
I
''liess
A miner next (m VN'iliiains (,'rei|<
Arrived tVoiii w interiii^' Sunt li,
lie "heard soiiie say 'twinild lie today
Kxpeeted at the Mdiith."
Ihit here etiiiies PdoIc, in h.isl'' as his rule —
" Hallo : wlial of I lie mail ? ""
From him we learn, wilii much concern,
" .Inst 1 wo days out from \ale."'
Oh, waiting' is a wt-aiiness.
"The Kxpress is at \'an Winkle,"'
This makes the face deny the ease,
And (juiti' removes the wrinkle.
A few hoiir.s moi-e a ureat uproar —
The Kxpress is come at last ;
An Hasteiii mail, see hy the hale.
A.s " Sidlivan "' <,'oes ])ast.
AtvI now an eager, anxious crowd
Await the letter sale ;
Postmastei- curst, their wrath was mnsM
J>y waiting for the mail.
" Hurrah," at length the window's up —
"There's nothing, John, foi' me".'"
John knows the face— the letter place —
" Two hits on that," says he.
And many come ami many go,
In sorrow or delight.
While some will say their's " met delay,'
Whose friends forgot to write ;
1,
^
c
i:.\TUA(TS i'lJo.M SAWNKV's MTTKIiS. 171
All ,iii\i(.iis hiMit. wlio .si.iii-ls ;i|),irf.
Kvpcrtiint lit ,1 Icticr
^^"'' l'<>|»<'fiil mill. I, l.iii f.MiH t,, liii.l
Sum.. |,,v,..l ,„!<• still his <l.l.tnr.
The (l.iy is [..isscd, th.' ufiir,. .•I,,sr.l.
TIk' N'Mcrs aiv (Icliv.-iv,!.
And some h.ivc ji.\ wiihout .ilh.v.
While soiiir tuM.I \u,\u's .lie slii\ civil.
A swc.ilwMit wf.l-a .[,.,■,,• tVi<.ti,| .I.M.I —
Or .l.iscr tic is Itiokcii ;
Ah ! iiumy ,111 a. •in- th.' h.-ait may take
l»\ uor.ls th.i" iM'vcr spoken.
Hut wh.'th.'i .ro,„l or ha. I the news,
'J'his haj)|)eiis without fail —
"»'"""■ '<'ttcr i-a.l-lh.- fiiv is t;.,!
For waiting on the mail.
An' 11..0, (I,.ar Sawney, " Fare thee weel,"
Tho" we .an fie\('r meet.
^ (""11 hae a hiu share o" my l„>art
As ye hae .»' this sheet.
My fondest hope is hut t.) lind
Some heart.s as leal an" tni'
"Mang Scotland's hills an' S.'otlan.rs .lales
As friends in ( ariho.).
172
n\ KIU.AN'I) TO CAIUHOO.
CARIIiOO KHYMKS.
t.
c
.,
"I
,
i
II '
^i
THK Kou<;if iu;r hoxksi' minkk.
.1//' "('nsf/ts ill I III All'."
Sunif li\ Mr. .liiini'H AiiderHnii, at thf Thciiiie Koyul, lUiki'i'villf,
r«'liniai'.v l;iili, isiiii.
The i(»uj,'li liiit lioiH'sl miner',
Willi toils night and »hi\ ,
Seeking for th<' yellow gold
Hid aniang the eluy, —
lloNvkin' in the mountain side,
What does he I hi re '.'
Ha I t lie aidd " dreamer's
liiggin" castles in the air.
His Nveathei -heaten face
Anil his sair worn hand.s
Are tell-tale.s to a'
(>" the liaidships he stands ;
His head may giow gray
And his faee fu" o' care,
Huntin' after gold,
Wi' its "castles in the air."
He sees an anld chainud
Buried in the hill,
FillM fu" o' nuggets,
Sae gaes at it wi' a will ;
o
o
(
r.
o
if
r
lil-j'V
4
I
('MUl'.na RFfVMKS.
For I.iiii,' u.rks ,ni.l iiiotulis,
l>i'if'tiiii,r lat,. ;„„] ,,,j,.'^
^'itt ill' out a door
T" Ills ■•(■astl,. in til,, air -
"'■ "'i"'--^ liis "pile'- is Mia. If,
Ami li(.".s -aiin" lia,(ir l,m'ii fa"
"'' i"i"^ lii^ 'l''iif uiM iiiitlirr,
His tail lire, fivcnls, aii.l a' ;
17
llis liciit re
II Jlllllps \\ i' jov
At the tlir.clits ,,• iK.ia" there,
Aii.-'s iiioiiy a happy iiiinuti'
" I5i,--iir ca-sclcs in the air."
I»iit hopes that promised hi-^h
111 tlie .spring-time o' the year.
Like h'aves (." autimiji fa"
WIk'H the ft(,sl o' winter's near;
Sae his higgin- tumle.s dooii,
^^'i' ilka lilast o" care,
Till there's n.. -"a staiie left staiiiiii,'"
<>' Ills ''castle in the air."
i'ttiliiig and sorrowing,
"ll thro" life he g(M.s ;
'' Ivi'h iiiorniiig .scc> som,. u-ork hegim,
Kach evening sees it cht.se.''
I'll! he has t he urit
''"!!'>■ his "nim-tiim " may !»■ saif,
J'i'i aiiiijicr year is coiiiin--,
W'i' its "castles in the air."
170
OVERI.WJ) TO CARIBOO.
Tho" foiluiH- may not smile
I poll liis liiltoni' lu'ic',
Tlicrc is a world abiuu'
Wlici'c liis pros]K*(l will l)^' clear
If he ac(;e[)t tlie oH'er
( )" a stake lieyond (■()mi)are —
A happy iiame foi- aye,
\Vi" a "castle in the air."
Ni:W WKSTMINSTKit IN t-t;_>.
f-
ft
mmM
/-■,