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By Special Appointmeati maken to Hot MajoAj
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Ottawa. Toronto.

Wilt tor !u*'!n«i ol osMNMt iftont.

Theli

Lit(e a shroud

cold breas
To the catarac
And the lake

sky.

PaoBABLY I
inercial tra
approaches
ideal of a
than the sal
unknown c
Russian Gc
States in tl
the purchas
this case, be
ance of the
unceiemonic
and a quart
old gunboat
of the Unit
phic chart
eminent in
tury was k
line with re
exploratory
ever under
has any sue
ly contenip
tile United
of the inter
cent counti
nieaifre ant
has been m
pens of the
animated
bition of th
of the old I
terniined
see," and w
to time, to
an (wperto
frozen, solit
The pres
only casiia

In it in use in

DOWN THE YUKON AND UP THE MACKENZIE.

S,SOO Miles by Foot and Paddle.
BY WILLIA^I OGILVIE, D.L.S., F.R.Q.S.

The land where the clouds love to rest,

Like a shroud of the dead on the mountain's

cold breast,
To the cataract's roar, where the eagles reply,
And the lake its lone bosom expands to the

skv*

— A'o/) Roy.

Probably no great international com-
iiiercial transaction of modern times
approaches more nearly 1o the perfect
ideal of a " pig-in-a-poke " bargain
than the sale and transfer of the great
unknown country of Alaska hy the
Russian Government to the United
States in the year 1867 ; not merely
the purchaser, but the seller also, in
this case, being in almost entire ignor-
ance of the value of the treasure so
unceremoniously exchanged for seven
and a quarter million dollars' worth of
old gunboats belonging to the people
of the United States. The hydrogra-
phic chart made by the Russian Gov-
einment in the early part of the cen-
tury was known to represent the coast
lins with reasonable accuiaey ; but no
exploratory survey of the interior was
ever undertaken by the Russians ; nor
has an^' such survey been subsequent-
ly contemplated by the Government of
tile United States. All that is knov/n
of the interior of Alaska and the adja-
cent country — and this knowledge is
meagre and scanty in the extreme —
has been gathered from the lips and
pens of the few Arctic travellers who,
animated with the commendable am-
bition of the noble lord of high degree
of the old ballad, have gone abroad de-
termined " strange countries for to
see," and who have returned, from time
to time, to astonish civilization with
an experto crcde aceountof itstrackless,
frozen, solitary vvad.;es.

The present article, however, deiils
only casiially and incidentally with

Alaska, but mainly with the adjacent
British territory, which, aside "rom
certain lines of travel, may also be said
to be a terra incognita. To within a
few years ago a great unexplored soli-
tude extended to the eastward between
the valleys of the Upper Yukon, or
Lewes, and the Mackenzie, and from
the GOth parallel of latitude northward
to the shores of the " frozen ocean."
This extensive region is known as the
Yukon country, a name rendered ap-
propriate by the fact that it is drained
by the Yukon river and its tributaries,
which form one of the great river .sys-
ten)s of the world. A general account
of the exploration of a portion of this
great area is the subject of the present
article.

Walled in by high mountains, and
in consequence unapproachable from
every side, it is not strange that the
Yukon district should so long have re-
mained in almost und.'sturbed .seclu-
sion. Had it not been for the fact that
the rich metalliferous belt of the Coast
and Gold Ranges passes through the
district from one end to the other, the
probability is that it would still have
remained unexplored for many years
to come.

Only four gates of approach to the
district exist, and, strangely enough,
these are situated at the four corners.
From the north-west, access is gained
to the country by following the Yukon
from its mouth in Behring Sea; from
the north-east, b}' crossing from the
Mackenzie to the Porcupine, and fol-
lowing down the latter stream to its
contluence with the Yukon ; from the
.south-east, by ascending the Liard from
Fort Simpson and crossing the water-
shed to the head waters of the Pelly ;
and tinally.from the .south-west, by en-

■ l

532

THE CANADIAN MAGAZINE.

tering where the Coa-stRange is pierced
by the Chilkoot and Chiliiat Passes.

As a matter of fact, all these routes
are beset with difficulties, and when it

the source of the Lewes River to
Nuklikahyet, continuing,' his journey
from this point to the sea by boat.
The object of this expedition was to

CHILKOOT INLET.

is remembered that there are only four
roads into a region three times greater
in extent than the total area of the
New England States, it is not to be
wondered at that the total population
of the region should consist of a few
scattered Indian families and a hun-
dred or so of hardy miners.

Occasional contributions to our know-
ledge of the district have been made
from time to time for at least half a
century, mainly V)y officers of the Hud-
son's Bay Company, miners and em-
ploy(5-i of the abandoned Telegraph
Expedition ; and skeleton maps of the
interior have been constructed in ac-
cordance w'^^h the topographical data,
so far as known.

Among recent expeditions that of
Lieut. Schwatka, of the United States
Army, in the summer of 18.S3, may be
mentioned. Entering the country by
the Chilkoot Pass, Lieut. Schwatka
floated down the Yukon on a raft from

examine the country from a military
point of view, and to collect all avail-
able information with regard to the
Indian tribes. We are indebted to it
also for a great deal of general in-
formation with regard to the country.
Schwatka, Avho seems to have gone
through .the country with his eyes
open, used the explorer's baptismal
privilege freely, and scattered monu-
ments of Schwatkaniap nomenclature
broadcast throughout the land, re-
christening many places that had al-
ready been named, ami doing so too in
apparent indifference to the fact that
many of the names thus set aside had
an established priority of many years.
Of Schwatka's two suLsequent exjie-
ditions to Alaska in the interests of a
New York newspaper .syndicate, very
little need be said ; little, indeed, .seems
to have Vjeen accomplished beyond
taking a huge slice of a thousand toet
or more off the top of Mount St. Elias,

DOWN THE YUKON.

533

without any reason whatever bein^
assigned for this stupendous act of
vandalism. This, however, may be
said to be aside from our subjecL, as no
one seems to know whether the moun-
tain thus obtruncated is in Canada or
not, and until this point is scttl0<l no
one need feel a<,'i^rieved.

In the year 1(S87, mainly in conse-
ipience ot numerous applications i'or
mining locations, the attention of the
Canadian Government was directed to
the gold areas along the Yukon River
and its tributaries, which were said to
be particularly rich and extensive in
the vicinity of the international bound-
ar\', and an expedition was determined
'ipon to explore this i-egion. The ex-
pedition Wiis entrusted to me.

On the evening of the 2nd of May
1 reached Victoria, B C, and at once
set about making preparations to start
by the monthly mail steamer which
was advertised to leave on the 9th.
The vessel did not arrive, however,
until the 12th. I Lhen found that she
was much overloaded, and it was with
some ditticultj' that I persuaded Cap-
tain Hunter to consent to take my
outfit, which weighed about six tons,
and under the circumstances it \/as a
reai act of kindness for hiui to do so.
Owing to the heavy load we made
slow progress, and it was not until the
18th of May that w^e reached Fort
VVrangell, at the mouth of the Stickeen
River. Dr. Dawson, of the Geological
Survey statf, landed here, his proposed
route lying along the Stickeen, Dease,
l.'|)per Liard and Francis rivers, cross-
ing the Arctic and Pacific watershed,
cJescending the Pelly, and returning to
tlu! coast by the Lewes — a circuit of
about thirteen hundred miles. Before
parting with Dr. Dawson I arranged
lo meet him at the confluence of the
Pelly and Lewes or Yukon about the
20th of Jidy following.

The part of the journey between
Victoria and Chilkoct Inlet has been
so much written of, talked of and pic-
tured during the last few years that I
will repeat only one of the many state-

ments made concerning it — that,
though it is in ocean watirs and can
be traversed by the largest ships, it is
so sheltered by countless islands from
the gales and waves of the vast Pacific,
nearly the whoK; of the length, that
its waters are always as smooth as
those of a largo river. In marked con-
trast to this is the west coast of the
United States, where harbors are like
angel's visits.

CUi the 24th of May I arrived at
Chilkoot Inlet and here my work
began. The first news I received on
landing, and at the very outset of the
expedition, was that there was serious
trouble with the Indians in the inter-
ior on the Lewes River. A miner who
had recently arrived from the scene
of the alleged disturbance, stated that
there had been a fight between the
Indians and the miners, at the mouth
of the Stew^art River. A circumstan-
tial account of the affair was given.
The result, as alleged, was that four
Indians and two white men had been
killed, and that the Indians had come
up the river as far as the Canon to lie
in wait lor any white men who might
be going into the country. I did not
have an opportunity of questioning
this man, as he had gone to Juneau
City the day before I arrived. The
rumor seemed to me iinprobable; but,
true or false, it was an mpleasant one
to hoar, and it must be confessed that
it had a somewhat discouraging and
deterrent effect upon some members of
the party. As there was no means
either of verifying or disproving the
rumor, I decided to go on. If the
Indians in the interior were hostile, I
had no doubt I would not long be in
ignorance of the fact.

Chatham Strait and Lynn (Jhannel
lie in almost a straight line, and dur-
ing the sjmmer there is nearly always
a strong wind blowing up them from
the sea. At the head of Lynn
Channel are Chilkat and Chilkoot
Inlets. The distance down these chan-
nels to the open sea is about three
hundred and eighty miles and along

lGa3r.4

534

THE CANADIAN MAC, A Z IN E.

tho whole extent of this the mountaiiiM
on each Hide of the water confine the
incoming cunents of air and deflect
inclined currents in the direction ;;f
the axis ot the channel. Coming from
the sea, these air currents are heavily
charged with moisture, which is pre-
cipitated when they strike the mount-
ains, and the fall of rain and snow is
conse([nently very heavy. 1 was un-
fortunate enough to have three days
of the wettest kind of wet weather, so
that I could do nothing in the way of
commencing the survey. During the
delay, n)ysell and party were employed
in making prcpaiations for carrying
the instruments, provisions and other
baggage up to the head of Taiya Inlet,
a distance of twenty and a half miles.
This was accomplished by securing
the services of two boats, lielonging to
a trader, which were towed to the
head of the Taiya Inlet b}' the little
United States gunVjoat " Pinta," to the
commander of which (Captain Newell)
I owe a debt of gratitude for his very
obliging and attentive treatment of
my.self and party. The "Pinta" is
not properly speaking a gunboat, but
simply an iron tug overhauled and
made to do duty as one. She carries
two brass guns, one small gatling and
a crew of thirty men, and although
she is a slow sailer, not being able to
make more than seven knots an hour,
she manages to uphold the dignity of
the stars and stripes and to make her-
self thoioughly respected along the
coast. The Indians are especially
afraid of her shells, which they call
" the gun that shoots twice."

The latitude and longitude of Pyra-
mid Island were fixed by a party sent
out by the United States Coast Sur-
vey to observe an eclipse of the sun,
August 7th, 1869. Beginning at this
point 1 carried the survey over to
Haines Mission ; then along the west
side of Chilkuot Inlet to Taiya Inlet
and up to its head.

Under the Anglo-Russian Conven-
tion (1S25) the inland boundary of the
south-eastern coast strip of Alaska is

declared to be " the summit of tho
Coast Range," or "a I'ue ten marine
leagues from the sea." Much depends
upon the meaning assigned to these
phrases, and, as tho location of the
boundary is one of the questions of
the near future, it is important for
both governments to be in possession
of all possible information. The atti-
tude and locations of some t^f the
highest peaks around the head of
Taiya Inlet were therefore determined.
The highest visible from Taiya Pass
proved to be some six thousand two
hundred and nineteen feet above the
mean sea level.

Taiya Inlet has evidently been at
one time the valley ot a large glacier.
Its sides are steep and smootih, and
evidences of well-defined glacial action
abound on every side. I'rom a higli
ledge of polished rock on the west
side, looking back and down. I caught
my last glimpse for years of the broad
bosom of the great Pacific shining like
molten gold in the level rays of th(!
setting sun. Light clouds drifted
across the picture and before 1 turned
away from its contemplation it was
completely veiled from view.

At the head of the inlet prepara-
tions were commenced for taking the
the impedimenta over the Coast Range
to tho head of Lake Lyndeman on the
Lewes River. Commander Newell
kindly aided me in making arrange-
ments with the Chilkoot Indians, and
did all he could to induce them to be
reasonable in their demands. This,
however, neither he nor anyone else
could accomplish. They refn.sed to
carry to the lake for less than twenty
dollars per hundred pounds, and as
they had learned that the expedition
was an English one, the second chief of
the tribe recalled some memoiies nf an
old quariel which they had had with
the English many years ago, in which
an uncle of his had been killed, his
idea being to obtain indemnity lor tlu'
loss of his uncle by charging an exor-
bitant price for our packing, ot which
he had the control. Commander

DOWN THE YUKON.

535

536

THE CANADIAN MAGAZINE

Newcll (old him I ha<l a porrnit from
the (Jrent Father at Washington to
piiHs thro' his country in wafety, and
that ho w(nild kcc that I Mid ho. After
niucli talk they consented to carry our
stuff to the Humiriit of the >ange for
ten dollarH per hundred pounds. This
is about two-third.s of the whole dis-
tance, includes all the climhiny and
all th.) woods, and is hy far the most
difficult part of the way.

My outfit consisted of two canoes,
scientific instruments weij^liin^' about
.seven hundred pounds, canipin;^ re-
quisites, tenis, clothincf, provisions for
eight men for two years, carpenters'
tools, nails and spikes suitalile for
buildin;^ a boat or a houae, nnd, last
but not least, miglit be included about
six thousand dollars in gold and silver
coin for current expenses, as none of
the Indians in the interior will take
paper money. I hail, in all, exclusive
of what was taken over by myself
and party, one hundn d and twenty
packs, ranging in weight from forty to
one hundred and fifty-six pounds ;
and on the morning of the (Jth June
one hundred and twenty Indians —
men, woman and children — started for
the summit with them. I sent two of
my party on to see the goods delivered
at the I'lace agreed upon. Each car-
rier, when given a pack, received also
a ticket, on which was inscribed the
contents of the pack, its weight, and
the amount the individual was to get
for carrying it. They were made to
understand that they had to produce
these tickets on delivering their packs,
but were not told for what reason. A.s
each pack was delivered, one of my
men receipted the ticket and returned
it. The Indians did not seem to
understand the import of this ; a few
of them pretended to have lost their
tickets, and, as the}' could not get paid
without them, my assistant, who had
duplicatts of every ticket, furnished
them with receipted copies after ex-
amining their packs.

While they were packing to the
summit,! was producingthe survey ,'and

I met them on their return about eight
miles from the coast, where I pnid
them. They came to the camp in the
early morning before I was up, and
for aliout two hours theie was iiuite a
hubbiih. When payiuij them I tried
to get their names, but very few of
them would give any Indian name,
nearly all, after a little rellection, giv-
ing some common Englisli name. My
list contained little else than Jack,
Tom, Joe, Charley and so on, some of
w'liich were duplicated there and four
times. I then found why some of
them had pretended to lose .heir
tickets at the summit. SevtiiUi who
hail thus acted prese'i'ed themselve-^
twice for payment, proiiueing first the
receipted ticket and afterwards the
one they claimed to havt* lost, demand-
ing |)ay for both. The}' were much
surprised when they found that their
duplicity had lieen discovered. While
paying them I was a little apprehen-
sive of trouble, for they insisted on
crowding into my tent, and lor myself
and the four men who were with me
to have attempted to eject them would
have been the height of folly. I am
strictly of the opinion tliat these
Indians would have been much more
dithcult to deal with if they had not
known that Commander Newell re-
mained in the inlet to .see that I got
through without accident.

These Indians are perfectly heart-
less. They will not render even the
smallest aid to each other without
payment ; and if not to each other,
much less to a white man. I called
one of them (whom I had previously
assisted with his pack) to take me and
two of my party over a small creek
in his ciuioe. After patting us across
he asked for money, and I gave him a
half a iloliar. Another man stepped
up and demiinded pay, stating that the
canoe belonged to him. To see what
the result would lie, I gave liim the
same amount. Immediately there
were three or four moi'e claimantH
for the canoe. I dismissed them
with my blessing and made up my

DOWN r///: YUKON.

537

IS (iiiito !i

ail naiiit'

mind 1 would wado tlio next creek.

Down Taiya Pass Howm a Hinall
river, the Dayay of Schwatka, navi-
^fable for canoes to about six inilus
aliovo the mouth : aKovo tliis tho cur-
ler* w too swift and rou'jfli for hoats,
luiu everything intended for the inter-
ior has to he carried over the moun-
tains on men's backs, a distance of
about seventeen and a half miles. - 1^
Pass is heavily wooded to within abo v
two miles of the summit ; and gett'n '
through these wood8,especially"''ththe
canoes, was a matter of pati ^ e and
Chiistian forbearance.

There is only one really dangerous
spot, however, — where the little ivcr
runs between perpendicular, or rather
overhanging, rock banks. Ttie path
for a little distance runs close to
the brink, and a misstep here would
precipitate one some three hundred
feet to the bed of the stream below.

The river has to be crossed three or

ing is about thirty yards wide, and
the current is so strong that unless one
has a load on his back he can hardly
stand on his feet. Tiio Indians wht-n
crossing carry a stout stick whicli th(!y
use as a prop while making a step.
The women, while fording the stream,
tie their skirts up very high and use
their sticks as dexterously as the men.
Before my canoes came up to this point
r had to cross twice ; the second time
while I was very warm froin cianiber-
ing down the steep side of a hill
thirteen hundred and sixty feet high.
Tc people living in ordinary ccmditions,
this would seem dangerous, but no ill
elRcts resulted to me from my cold
bath.

From the timber lino to the summit,
the slope is ea.sy and uniform, with
the exception of one steep bit, in
which there is a rise of five hundred
feet in about as many yards. When
packing over the Pass, the Indians, if

m--] ■

^^A

i
ii -

■?.. -J -<■ II

-*;i'-ri-

'"-"■V-

"■; . ■"■ .-r ■ '*^/*' -i*'--

V m

t~k

'.' • *^» ■

H.VINKS MISSION— THE INDIAN S.IIIPOI..

four times in the Pass, and as the
water, flowing from the glaciers above,
is ice cold, it will never be resorted to
as a bathing place. The lowest cross-

they get to the timber limit during the
day, remain there until about miu-
night, when the snow in the Pass is
frozen, and they can travel over it

538

THE CA NA DM N MA GA ZINE.

with comparative ease. On the very
steep places they cut holes in the crust
with a small hand axe, and help them-
selves up with their hands ; otherwisj,
with heavy loads on their backs, they
flould not get up. When the snow is
soft they use a stick which they push
vertically into the snow and pull them-
selves up by it.

I have read somewhere of red snow
being seen in this region ; so it is, but
it is only snow covered with a vege-
table juice. When I tirst saw it I was
surprised at the confirmation of the
statement I have alluded to ; but soon
noticed tliat it was confined entirely to
the line of travel. This led me to ex-
amine it more closely, when I found
that it was caused by the juice of a
berry which grows on a ground vine at
the head of the timber Jiniit. When
pressed, this berry gives out a purple
juice, which by dilution sbadesdown in-
to a pale pink. This juice is absorbed
by the leather of the Indian's moccasins
as he tramps on the berries, and after-
wards stains the sno* as he travels
over it. This, by the at of the sun
and the action of gravity on the hill
side, is distributed over a wide space,
compared with the track, and is visible
after all sign of the track is gone.
The red snowof the arctic regions is in
part due to vegetable coloring matter.
Might not some at least of the instan-
ces recorded in which the phenomenon
has been observed be traceable to a
similar source?

Before proceeding any further, a
word with regard to the party may not
be out of place. Morrisori and Glad-
man were my lieutenants, -ind I deem
myself peculiarly fortunate to have
been so ably seconded. Parker and
Sparks the basemen, were both expert
canoeists and the expeditionowes nmch
to their skill with the paddle. These,
with myself, made upa peiinanent party
of five. Two men were picked up at
Victoria for the summer of 1887, and
Captain Moore, who was going into the
country on his own account, was at-
tached to the party for a short time.

The captain is an old-timer. Every-
body on the coast from Frisco to Un-
alaska knows Bill Moore. He is a
Hanoverian by birth, but has knocked
about the Pacific Coast ever since he
can remember. He excels as a story-
teller, and many queer stories are also
told about him. The captain is one of
those easy-going, good-natured but un-
fortunate individuals, who have a
standing grievance against the law of
the land, and on whom its heavy arm
seems to be continually beating, in a
small way it is true, but with monoto-
nous regularity, and apparently with
but indifferent beneficial results. Not
bold enough to go entirely beyond
the charmed circle, and not clever
enough to keep just within it, the cap-
tain's relations with tne executive
authorities of the Dominion and of the
republic were so strained at all times
as to threaten rupture at any moment
An account of the adventures of the
little "Western Slope," on board of
r.hi^h, as he says, he had to keep a
" tam staff" of lawyers " to keep her
afloat, and for whom there was "some
volverine of a sheriff or customs offi-
cer " waiting at every port, would fill
a volume in itself. The captain, not-
withstanding his little failings, has
many excellent qualities and a genuine
heartj' humor about him that freshen-
ed the i Ired spirits of the j)arty like a
spray from a salt sea-breeze blowing
inland. His dialect and his peculiar
opinions of men and things — always
expiessed with the emphatic di^gma-
tism of matured consideration — clia.sed
dull melancholy from many a wet
day's camp.

The captain had a couple of boy
mining in the interior at Ca.ssiar Bar,
whom he had believed to have "struck
it rich," and his object in going down
the river was to visit them and help to
take care of their goou fortune. His
paternal solicitmle for those boys was
highly commendable, and bright vis-
ions of prospective wealth made the old
man doubly an:;ious to hurry on and
impatient of the least delay.

I I

DOWN THE YUKON.

539

But to return to our mutton. After
completing the survey down to the
lake, I set about getting my baggage
down. This proved no easy task.
Of all the Indians who came to the
summit with packs, only tour or five
could be induced to remain and pack
down the lake, although I was paying
them at the rate of four dollars per
hundred pounds. After one tri p down,
only two men remained, and they only
in the hope of stealing something.
One of them appropriated a pair of

on snow blindness, the intolerable
pain of which only those who have
suffered from this complaint can real-
ize. I had two sleds with me which
were made at Juneau city specially for
the work of getting over the moun-
tains and down the lakes on the ice.
With these I succeeded in bringing
about a ton and a half to the lakes,
but I. found that the time it would
take to get all down this way would
sej'iously interfere with the pro-
gramme arranged with Dr. Dawson, to

I.DOKIMi DOWN TAIVA INLET.

boots and was much surprised to find
that he had to pay for them on being
settled with. I could not blame the
Indians much for not caring to work,
as the weather was stormy and disa-
greeable — raining or snowing almost
continuously. After they had left, I
tried to portage the stuff with the aid
of my own men, but found it slavish
labor, and after the first trip one of
them was laid up with what appeared
to be inflammatory rheumatism. The
first time the party crossed, the sun
was shining brightly, and this brought

say nothing of the suffering of the men
and myself from snow-blindness, and
the liability to sickness to which we
were exposed by protracted physical
exertion under such unfavorable con-
ditions. 1 had with me a white man
who lived at the head of the inlet with
a Tagish Indian woman. This man
had considerable influence with the
Tagish tribe, the greater number of
whom were then in the neighborhood
where he resided, trying to get some
odd jobs of work, and I sent him to
r.he head of the inlet to endeavor to

540

THE CANADIAN MAGAZINE.

induce tha Tagish Indians to under-
take the transportation, offering them
five dollars per hundred pounds. In
the meantime, Captain Moore and the
Indian "Jim," who had been, b^' my
direction, exploring a low-level pass
to the south, which I have named
White Pass, had rejoined me. I had
their assistance for a day or two, trid
" Jim's " presence aided indirectly in
inducing the Indians to come tc my
relief.

The Tagish are little more than
slaves tc the more powerful coast
tribes, and are in constant dread of
offending theui in any way. One of
the privileges which the coast tribes
claim is the exclusive right to all work
on the coast or in its vicinity, and the
Tagish are afraid to dispute this claim.
When ray white man asked the Tagish
to come over and pack, they objected
on the grounds mentioned. After con-
siderable ridicule of their cowardice,
and explanation of the fact that they
had the exclusive right to all work in
their own country — the country on
the north side of the coast range be-
ing admitted by the coast Indians to
belong to the Tagish tribe — just as the
coast tribes had the privilege of doing
all the work on the coast side of the
mountains, and that one of their num-
ber was already working with me un-
molested, and likely to continue so,
nine of them came over, and in fear
and trembling began to pack down to
the lake. A few days later some of
the Chilkoots came out and also start-
ed to work.

I was now getting my stuff down
quite fast ; but this good fortune was
not to continue. Owing to the pre-
vailing wet, cold weather on the moun-
tains, and the difficulty of getting
through the soft snow and slush, the
Indians soon began to quit work for a
<ia3' or two at a time, and to gamble
with one another for the wages al-
ready earned. Many of them wanted
to be paid in full, but this I positively
refu.sed, knowing that to do so was to
have them all apply for their earnings

and leave me until necessity compelled
them to go to work again. I once for
all made them distinctly understand
that I would not pay any of them un-
til the wholt of the atutf was down.
As many of them had already earned
from twelve to fifteen dollars each, to
lose which was a serious matter to
them, they reluctantly resumed work
and kept at it until all was delivered :
this done, I paid them off and set about
getting my outfit across the l8.ke, which
I did with my own party and the two
Peterborough canoes.

After getting all my outfit over to
the foot of Lake Lynderaan, I set some
of the party to pack it to the head of
Lake Bennett. The stream between
these two lakes is too shallow and
rough to permit of canoe navigation,
and everything had to be portaged the
greater part of the way. I employed
the rest of the party in looking ibr
timber to build a boat to carry the
outfit down the river to the vicinity
of the International Boundary, a dis-
tance of about seven hundred miles.
It took several days to find a tree large
enough to make planks for the boat I
wanted, as the timber around the up-
per end of the lake is small and scrub-
by. To give an idea of its s '.arceness
I may state that a thorough search
was made around the head of the lake
and over ten miles down it, and only
one tree was found suitable for my
purpose. Thia tree made four planks,
fifteen inches wide at the butt, seven
at the top, and thirty-one feet long.
Such other planks as we wanted had
to be cut out of short logs, of "which
some, ten to fourteen inches in diam-
eter and ten to sixteen feet long, could
be found at long intervals. The boat
required only four hundred and fifty
feet of plank for its construction, yet
some of the logs had to be carried a
long distance, and two saw-pits had to
be made before that quantity was pro-
cured ; and this on ground that was
all thickly wooded with spruce, pina
and some balsam, the latter generally
the largest uud cleanest-trank" ' ,

would
would ha
captain,
and fertil
profundi!
piincipies
for the w
a constan
hard wor
I had he
two ends
in depth
The ca
oils prepj
terest.
a shove
tliat wa^
without
in^' gravtl

T ^ ^I

DOWN THE YUKON.

541

A gravelly spot on the shore was
selected anrl the boat built bottom up.
As she approached completion a good
deal of speculation was indulged in as
to how she was to be turned. The
united strength of the party was in-
surticient for the purpose, and even if
it had been sufficient the shock she

tain walked around her admiringly,
and was good enoutjh to admit that
that was one way to turn a boat, hut
at the same time he was convinced
that it was not the right way.

The boat, as completed, measured
thirty-two feet in length by eleven
feet beam, and was thirty-two inches

CUILKOOT INDIANS, TAIYA IKLET.

would have received in going over
would have damaged her badly. The
captain, as usual, was full of advice
and fertile in suggestions, displaying a
profundity of ignorance of mechanical
principles which furnished amusement
for the whole party and kept them in
a constant good humor. After a week's
hard work the boat wn« finished, and
I had her mounted on blocks at the
two ends and a trench about four feet
in depth dug all along one side.

Tiie captain watched these mysteri-
ous preparations with considerable in-
terest. When all was ready a lift and
a shove from the united party was till
that was necessary, and she turned
without strain, coming up on the slop-
iiiL,' gravel bank on her side. The cap-

deep. A new difficulty now presented
itself. The entire party were of the
opinion that she was not big enough
to carry her load, and to satisfy them,
before she was launched I calculated
her weight and found that loaded she
would flout with fourteen inches free-
board. The captain laughed derisively
whenlmarked \\exload-line onherside,
and he insisted that in spite of all cal-
culations, that loaded she would sink.
When put into the water she floated
well up, however, and as the i"en be-
gan to load her for her venturesome
trip, the captaiu watched that line
sink lower and lower until it just
touched the water — and there it re-
mained. He then gave vent to his
astonishment in language more vigor-

542

THE CANADIAN MAGAZINE.

OU8 than choice, declaring that he had
been " for near fordy year on ie coast
and never saw noding like dat before!"

The captain was so proud of the
boat and of his share in building her
that he insisted she should be named;
and, as the story-writers say, " thereby
hangs a tale."

The Tes-lin-too, or Newberry, River
marks the point on the main stream
where gold in placer deposits begins
to be found. Dr. Dawson called this
stream the Tes-lin-too, that being, ac-
cording to information obtained by
him, the correct Indian name. Schwat-
ka, who appears to have bestowed
no other attention upon it, dubbed it
the Newberry ; but whatever its name
on the maps of the future may be, it
will never be known by any other
name among the miners in there than
the Hootalinkwa.

A number of miners, the captain's
boys among them, had prospected the
Hootalinkwa and reported it rich in
placer gold. Such reports, of course,
grow rapidly from mouth to mouth—
the error being cumulative, so to speak
— and by th time the report had
reached the captain the Hootalinkwa
was a perfect El Dorado. The old
man was never tired of conjuring up
bright visions of the lic-ppy days ahead
when we should "get down to de
Hoodalinka and scoop up de gold by
de bucketful."

" I tell you what it is, boys," he
would say, " de Hoodalinka is de place
for us. De gold is dere,, sure, and every
bar en dat river is a reg'lar jewel'ry
shop, Now, I tell you dat." And so
on from morning until night the cap-
tain built his air-castle, until " de
Hoodalinka" became a by- word among
us. When, therefore, the subject of
naming the boat came up it was sug-
gested that out of respect for the cap-
tain she should be named " de Hooda-
linka," and by common consent and
amid much merriment (we had not the
traditional bottle of wine, unfortunate-
ly) the " Hoodalinka " was accordingly
named. The two Peterborough canoes,

also, came in for a christening at the
same time, while we were in the humor,
the longer one being known as the
" Mackenzie " and the other as the
" Yukon."

While on Laku Bennett, building
our boat, I found tin extensive ledgt-
of auriferous quartz, the assay of which,
however, shewed that it contained only
traces ot gold. The ledge is sixty to
eighty feet wide, and can be easily
traced on the surface for three or four
miles. A small creek cuts through it
about a mile from the lake, and in this
creek are found colors of gold.

My boat was tinished on the evening
of the 11th of July, and on the 12th
I sent four of the party ahead with it
and the outfit to the Canon. They
had instructions to examine the Can-
on and, if necessary, to carry a part of
the outfit past it ; in any case enough
to support the party back to the coast,
should accident necessitate such pro-
cedure. With the rest of the party I
continued the survey on the lakes ;
tliis proved tedious work, on account
of stormy weather. In the summer
months there is nearly always a wind
blowing in from the coast ; it blows
down the lakes and produces quite a
heavy swell. This would not prevent
the canoes going with the decks on,
but, as we had to land every mile nr
so, the rollers bi'eaking on the gener-
ally tiat beach proved very trouble-
some. On this 8"'-'^nnt I could not
average more tha>i ten miles per day
on the lakes — li'.tle more than half of
what could be done on the . iver.

Navigation on the Lewes Ri^er be-
gins at the head of Lake Bennett
Above that point and between it ainl
Lake Lyndetnan there is only about
three-quarters of a mile of river, ami
that is narrow, shallow, swift iiml
rough. Many small streams issuiiis,'
directly from the numerous glacieis at
the heads of the tributaries of Lake
Lyndeman feed this lake and make
it the head fountain of the Lewes,
It is a pretty little strip of watifi,
about five miles in length, nestling

[f iit the
e humor,
n as tile
■ as the

buildinr;
ve ledge
of which,
ineil only

sixty to
be easily
18 or four
li rough it
id in this

e evening

the l:ith
id with it
m. They

the Can-

a part of
se enough

the coast,
such pro-
le party I
he lakes ;
)n account
e summer
lys a wind

; it blows
;es quite a
ot prevent

decks on,
ny mile or
the genor-
y trouljle-

could not
es per day
lan half of
iver.

! Riter lie-
e Bennett.
^een it and
inly about

river, and
swift and
ms issuiiii^
1 glaciers at
!S of Lake
and make
,he Lewes.
I of wattir,
li, nestling

DOWN THE YUKON.

543

among grey-green granite hills, which
fire here and there clothed, down to the
gravell}' beach, with dwarf spruce and
pine.

Lake Bennett is about five times as
lon,<T; and, like all the lakes of the dis-
trict, narrow in proportion to its length.
About midway comes in from the east
an arm which Schwatka appears to
have mistaken for a river and named
Wheaton River. This arm, down to
that point, is wider than the other ; it
is also reported by the Indians to be
longer and to head in a glacier which
lies in the Chilkoot Pass. As far as
seen, it is surrounded by high moun-
tains, apparently much higher than
those on the arm we travelled down.
Below the junction of the two arms

the flat, shelving beach at the lower
end of the lake, apparently reaching
the Canon, or to a short distance above
it. The bottom of this valley, which
looks like an ancieat river course, is
wide and sandy, and covered with
scrubby poplar and pitch-pine tim-
ber. The waters of the lake empty
through a channel not more than one
hundred yards wide, which soon ex-
pands into what Schwatka called Lake
Nares. Through this channel there
is quite a current, and more than seven
feet of water, as a six foot paddle and
a foot of arm added to its length did
not reach the bottom.

Lake Nares, the smallest and most
picturesque of this chain of northern
lakes, is separated from Lake Bennett

SHMMIT OF T.\IVA HASiS.

the lake is about a mile and a half
wide, with deep water. At the south-
west corner there flows into the lake
a muddy glacier-fed stream, which
at its mouth ha.s shoaled a large
portion of the lake. A deep, wide
valley lying between regularly ter-
raced hills, extends northward from

by a sandy shallow point of not more
than two hundred yards in width, and
from Tagish Lake by a low, swampy,
wiliow-covercd flat, through which the
narrow, curved channel flows. The
hills on the south-we.st slope up
easily, and are not high ; on the north
the deep valley, already referred to,

544

THE CANADIAN MAGAZINE.

liorders it; and on the east the moun-
tains rise abruptly from the lake shore,

About two miles from its head,
Tagish Lake is joined by what the
miners have called the Windy Arm
(one of the Tagish Indians informed
me they called it Takone Lake) ; and
eight miles farther on the Take Arm
enters from the south. This arm,
which is about a mile wide at its
mouth or junction, must be of consid-
erable length, as it can be seen for a long
distance, and its valley can be traced
through the mountains much farther
than the lake itself can be seen. Ex-
cept frotn reports from Indians, it is,
so far, unknown, brt it is improbable
that any river of importance enters it,
as it is so near the source of the waters
flowing northward ; however, this is
a question that san only be decided bj'
a proper exploration. Dr. Daw.son
seems to include the Bone Lake of
Schwatka and the.se two arms under
the common name of Tagish Lake.
This isi much more simple and com-
prehensive than the various names by
which they have been heretofore de-
signated. These waters collectively
are the fishing and hunting grounds
of the Tagish Indians, and, as they
are really one body of. water, there is
no reason why they should not be in-
cluded under one name. From the
junction with the Tako Arm to the
north end of the lake, the distance is
about six miles; the greater part is
over two miles wide. The west side
is so flat and shallow that it was im-
possible in many places to get our
canoes ashore, and quite a distance out
in the lake there was not more than
five feet of water. The memV)ers of
my party who were in charge of the
large boat and outfit went down the
east side of the lake and reported the
depth about the .same as I had found
on the west side, with many large
rocks. They pa.ssed through it in the
night in a rain storm, and were greatly
alarmed for the safety of the boat and
provisions.

The river, where it debouches from

the lake, is about one hundred and
fifty yards wide, and for a short dis-
tance not more than five or six feet
deep ; this depth, however, soon in-
creases to ten feet or more, and so con-
tinues down to Marsh Lake, a distance
of about five miles.

On the east side of the river are
situatid the only Indian houses to be
found in the interior with any pre-
tension to skill in construction. They
shew much more labor and imitative-
ness than one knowing anything about
the Indian in his native state would
expect. The plan is evidently taken
from the Indian houses on the coast,
which appear to n>e to be a poor copy
of the houses which the Hudson's Bay
Company's .servants build around their
trading posts. These houses do not
a,ppear to have been u.sed for some
time past, and are almost in ruins.
The Tagish I idians are now generally
on the coast,a8 they find it much easier
to live there than in their own country.
As a matter of fact, what they make
in their own country is taken from
them by the coast Indians, so that
there is little inducement for them to
remain.

Marsh Lake is a little over nineteen
miles long, and would average about
two miles in width. The miners call it
" Mud Lake," but on this name they
do not a|)pear to be agreed, many of
them calling the lower part of Tagish
or Bone Lake by this name on account
of its shallowness and flat muddy
shores, as seen along the west side,
which, being more sheltered from the
prevailing southerly winds, is the one
generally travelled. The name, " Mud
Lake," however, is not applicable to
Tagish Lake, as only a comparatively
small part of it is shallow or muddy ;
and it is nearly as inapplicable to
Marsh Lake.

At the lower end of Marsh Lake, on
a jutting point of land, are situate!
several Indian graves, each with its
small enclosure (in which, with the
dead man's bones, are deposited tht
few trinkets he may have possessed),

ninety-

navigal

or moi

arm of

or Wir

about

Tako

knowi

than

stretch

lumdre

easily

Taiya

OhilkoJ

DOWN THE YUKON.

S45

and its long pole aiinnounted by flut-
tering many colored rags which appear
to serve the double purpose of monu-
nientandscarecrow.attractingthe reve-
rent attention of human passersby, and
at the same time frightening stray birds
and prowling animals from the locality.

The Lewes River, where it leaves
Marsh Lake, is about two hundred
yards wide and averages this width
as far as the Canon.

From the head of Bennett Lake to
the Canon the corrected distance is

No streams of importance enter any
of these lakes. A river, called by
Schwatka McClintock River, enters
Mar.sh Lake at the lower end from the
east ; it occupies a large \alley, as
seen from the westerly aide of the lake,
but the stream is apparently unimpor-
tant. It is not probable that any
stream coming from the east side, of
the lake is of importance, as the strip
of country between the Lewes and the
Tes-lin-too is not more than thirty or
forty miles in width at this point.

LAKE LYNDEMAN.

ninety-live miles, all of which is
navigable for boats drawing five feet
or more. Add to this the westerly
arm of Bennett Lake and the Takone
or Windy arm of Tagish Lake, each
about fifteen miles in length, and the
Tako arm of the latter lake, of v'.-
known length, but probably not .ess
than thirty miles, and we have a
stretch of water of upwards of one
hundred and fifty miles in length, all
easily navigable, and connected with
Taiya Jnlet and the sea through the
(.Jhilkoot and White passes.

On the 20th of July we reached the
Canon and camped at its yawning
mouth. I found that the party with
the "Hoodalinka" had arrived there
two days before, and, having carried a
part of the supplies past it, were await-
ing my arrival to run through with the
rest in the boat. Betore doinir so, how-
ever, I nade an examination of the
Caiion and the rapids below it, inci-
dentally keeping a sharp lookout for
hostile Indians, as th" was the place
where they were said to be lying in
wait. 1 was greatly relieved to find

j'i!

^1'

^|i

546

THE CANADIAN MAGAZINE.

that there were no Indians about, and
no indication of a war party having
recently camped in the vicinity.

While we were exanjining theCiinon,
an enormous brown bear put in an ap-
pearance upon a rocky ledge above us
about a (juarter ofa mile distant. His
inspection ot" the party, thougii an ex-
ceedingly brief one, must have been
entirely .satisfactory to himself, for I
never .saw an animal turn and disap-
pear more quickly than this particular
bear did. The singing of a couple of
bullets in close proximity to his awk-
ward person no doubt helped him to a
prompt realization of the decidedly bad
character of the intruders.

Parker and S{)arks were anxious to
run the Canon in their canoe. They
both thought they had been through
as rough water on the Saskatchewan,
so, directing them to take a hundred

ON I>AKE LYNDEMAN.

pounds of bacon for ballast, I sent them
down with the Mackenzie to await the
arrival of the boat and to be reaily in
case of an accident to pick us up. The

Mackenzie went through all right, but
her occupants would not have liked to
repeat the trip. They say the canoe
jumped about a great deal more than
they anticipated, and I had the .same
experience in going through in the
boat.

The Gallon and rapids have been
described in several articles by several
l)arties, all agreeing in giving a more
or less thrilling and dangerous charac-
ter to them. That they are dangerous
for small boats no one would deny, but
that there is such terrible risk and such
narrow escapes as have been reported
is a delusion. I do not wish to dei-y
any man any credit he may be entitleil
to for running through them on a raft
or in a boat, but what I wish to decry
is that any individual should consider
and report himself a hero for having
done scmething never befoi'e attempt-
ed, anci in comparison with which a
descent of Niagara would pale, if we
were to estimate the daring of the feat
by the amount of bosh used in describ-
ing it.

The only danger in the Canon is in
striking the sides ; if one will keep in
the channel he is safe, unless his boat
is very small. I admit that the run
through is exciting, and a person who
had had his fears aroused by reading
some of the highly-colored descriptions
of it, more especially if he had no pre-
vious experience of the kind, might
lose his head and run into danger, in-
stead of out of it. The walls are per-
pendicular and high, and they seem to
tly past, in the ntirrow channel, with
a frightful roar, involuntarily recalling
the sinister " Facilis est descensus
Averni " of the Roman poet. Seated
<m a pile of jtuff in the bow of the
boat, I directed the helmsman with ray
arms, as speech was out of the ques-
tion. The passage through was made
in altout three minutes, or at the rate
of twelve and a half miles an hour.
The only exciting episode in our trip
was in the final plunge, where there
are three heavy swells, each about five
feet in height. The last of these broke

as a
drov
On
run

this
to

DOWN THE YUKON.

547

over us in a l)linding, drenchiiiy show-
er, from which the white, scareil face
of the cook looked up in an agony of
sudden fear which 1 siiali never forget.

ing thought it best to pray, and to
tiieii' surprise found themselves safely
through before they had finished
either.

A TVflCAL SCENE BETWEEN LAKES LYNDEMAN AND BKNNET.

The rapids, extending for a couple
of miles below the Canon, are not at
all bad. What constitutes the real
danger is a piece of calm water form-
ing a short, sharp bend in the river,
which hides the last or "White Horse"
rapids from sight until they are reach-
ed. These rapids are about three-
eighths of a mik long. They are the
most dangerous on the liver, and are
never run through in boats except by
accident. Parties always examine the
Canon and rapids below before going
through, and on coming to the calm
water suppose they have seen them all,
as all noise from the lower ra[)id is
drowned in that of the ones above.
On this account several parties have
run through the " White Horse," being
ignorant of its existence until they
were in it. It is related of two young
French Canadians who ran into it in
this way, that they hastily started
to strip for a swim, but before finish-

These rapids are confined by low
basaltic banks, which, at the foot, sud-
denly close in and make the channel
about thirty yards wide. It is hero
the danger lies, as there is a sudden
drop, and the water rushes through at
a tremendous rate, leaping and seeth-
ing like a cataract. The miners have
constructed a portage road on the west
side, and j5ut down roUways in some
places on which to shove their boats
over. They have also made some wind-
lasses with which to haul their boats
uphill, notably one at the foot of the
Canon. This roadway and the wind-
lasses must have cost them many hours
of hard labor.

The only practicable way of getting
the "Hoodalinka" through the "White
Horse " was to let her down with a line ;
and as a precautionary measure I de-
termined to make a couple of anchors
for use in case she should become un-
manageable in the rapid current. For

548

THE CANADIAN MAGAZINE.

this j)iirposc I Helected two largo piecs
of conglomerate rook, weighing from
two hundred to three hundred poun s
each, which were lying near my camp
on the shore, and began cutting grooves
in them. While thus engaged the cap-
tain approached and inquired:

"What you doing here, Mr. Ogilvio?"

" Making a couple of anchc rs to help
hold the boat back in letting her down
the rapid to-morrow," I replied.

" Veil, dem anchors '11 lioid de boat,
sure. She won't get away — no mis-
take about dat."

I continu(!d chipping away, but I
could see that the captain was not
satisfied with this expression of opin-
ion, and, moreover, so favorable an
opportunity for the display of his
superior knowledge of river craft
was not to be lost. He returned to
the attack with — " What's de u.se
making iu: anchors, anyway, Mr.
Ogilvie ? I been on some pretty rough

does not we will have the other to
heave after it."

Seeing that I was not to be persua<l-
ed, the captain walked off in supremo
disgust.

Tho men wer(s rather dubious about
getting the " Hoodalinka " through the
rapid without accident, and I was not
surpi'ised the next morning on looking
round for volunteers to find only two
within sight. The others had strolled
off in various directions.

" Well, Charlie, are you coming with
me ? " I .said.

Gladman, who had never flinched in
the hour of danger, now hung back.

" I will go if you want me, Mr.
Ogilvie," he said (piietly, " but I con-
sider that it is risking my life,"

" Oh, well, if you think ao you had
better not come," I replied. " What
do you .say, Morrison ? "

■' I am ready to do what you say," he
answered, but with evident reluctance.

ACROSS TA(iI.SH LAKK — 4.15 A. M.

waters, and I tell you dat one of dem " All right, then, get a pole and iumn

rocks '11 hold de • Hoodalinka ' in mid- aboard."

stream." Two more were added to the " Hood-

" Well, perhaps it will, but if one alinka's " crew— Captain Moore and

noii'x run yukon.

549

ther to

iisuad-
iprenio

an Indian to help keep her clear ; — the descent was arn^sted, but the ten-

and tlie other five men took the line sion wan ho great when the full .strain

on shore. came that the line twanged like a Hd-

VVhen all was in readines.s, the little die-string. For an anxious moment

cialt was poled out into the current, the " Hoodalinka " hung in mid-

where she hesitated a moment, then .stream, the seething water breaking

gently slid towards the smooth brink over her; then .slowly .she swung rouncl

of the rapid, dipped and shot down- into the bay. Here the line was cut

ward like an arrow. The five men on and doubleil, ami by snubbing at every

shore were jerked forward, desperately convenient point the boat was let down

clinging to the rope and yelling to me to the foot of the rai)i(l.
that they could not hold her. The When clear water was reached, ///e

first anchor went over with a big
.splaah. The boat still gained headway.
The second anchor was promptly heav-
ed, but with no more eflfect than the
firnt. The men by this time were up
to their waists in water ; the boat was
fast becoming unmanageable, and, fear-
ing a casualty either from the line
breakinc: or from the men bein^ drajr-

two (inckiir-HneH coal'l be seen mvee/)-
I ixj alirad, tha 'masses of rock attached
to them, by their mom.entum, actnalh/
dragijing ns torward.

" What do you think of the anchors
now, captain ?" I said, pointing to the
lines.

" Veil, Mr. ()gilvie,".said the captain,
pausing deliberately to give the utter-

ged off their feet, I determined to run ance added weight, " I've seen strong

her into a little bay just ahead. By currents — many a time — but I never

snubbing round a convenient tree on a before — saw a current — dat would roll

little rocky point, and easing out the along a two hundred pound lump of

line, which was fortunately a long one, rock like a pebble."

".' . (to be continukd.)

TO E. PAULir" JOHNSON.

Down the river I down the river !
Fiear her laughter riii^' and (juiver,
'.Mid the rocky walls and mountains
Of 'r!iay(Mrlina<j;a's home.

Mcar tl)e Indian maiden sinjfinj;,
While the waters break and shiver
In a thousand silver arrow.s,
Into bubbles, into foam,
From lier paddles and canoe.

Down tiic rapid — the wild water !

Hear the laughter

Brof)ks liave taught her
King '".nd mock tiie rushing water !
Moons have hid the silver traces
Of their tires in the rivei',
Hat the restless rapid'.s daughter
Scorns their brightness 'neath the surface,
Stealing all their hidden graces
For herself and her canoe.

Port Huno\, .Micii.

— Cu.\Ri,Ks Edward DrcDRifK

THE FINANGIAh DBPRBSSION IN AUSTRALASIA.

BY VOUTlUKriN.

The unparallulled and unprecedented
wave of financial deprcHMion swooping
over Australia and wrecking its l)nnl<H
is not without its lesson. One can
form no idea of the diro disasters this
merciless storm is causinj,'. It is piti-
ful to behold the abject poverty exist-
ing everywhere, especially in Mel-
bourne. B'amilies that could write out
cheques for $1,0()(),()00 four years ago
are now witliouta cent to their names,
and in the majority of ca.ses liable to
be called upon to give up to satisfy
angry creditors any money they might
possibly earn. There are at least
50,000 empty hou.ses in Melbourne.
Thousands of de.'^perateand disappoint-
ed people would gladly leave Austra-
lia were it not for the great distance
that separates them from the rest of the
world, and for their inability to obtain
the necessary money.

The continent of Australia is divided
into five colonies :

Capital.

Western Australia Perth.

South AuBtralia Adelaide.

Queensland Brisbane.

New South AValt's Sydney.

Victoria Melbourno.

Adding the island colonies of New
Zealand and Tasmania, we have also
in Australasia :

Capital.

New Zealand Wellington.

Tasmania Hobart.

Each has its own responsible gov-
ernment, consisting of an upper and
a lower house, elected by the people ;
and a governor appointed by the Brit-
ish Government. New Zealand, some
few years ago, raised large loans in
England, and plunged headlong into
excessive expenses by building docks,
railroads, bridges, large public build-
ings and other great enterprises that
proved unremunerative. Reverses fol-

lowed, and the liank of Now Zealand
suHered severely. Ten years ago the
colony was at its worst ; but wivh the
|)olicy of retrenchment inaugurated,
and an absolute stoppage of borrowing,
combined with continued goodharve8t^^
and a largely increased trade in frozeji
mutton with Kngland, it is to-day
in the most satisfactory financial con-
dition of any of the colonies, its last
budget showing a surplus, if £200,000.
Western Australia is largely unex-

f)lored, and is (juite a new colony ; so
las had little or no chance to experi-
ment much yet. South A tralia is
comparatively new, too, an although
snti'ering in sympathy with the others,
has not reached the sensational state
they have. Queenslami has been very
heavily knocked by reckless plunging
and the late gigantic floods that swept
away over S10,000,000 woi th of pro-
perty and left 20,000 people homeless

Sydney, the capital of New South
Wales, is over a hundred years old,
and is in every respect a lovely city.
The public buildings are very beauti-
ful, but have been erected on capital
borrowed in the " Old Country " in a
most extravagant manner. Ugly ru-
mours as to the colony's ability to re-
pay these loans led to its inability
to borrow freely. This brought about
the lack of confidence and the com-
parative stagnation that has led to the
failure in that city of a large number
of small, though large-dividend-paying,
financial concerns, founded on the most
unsound principles.

Even in sleepy little Tasmania,
which, to the visitor, would seem for-
ever bathed in evening's twilight ami
tranqudlity,failures folio wed each othei'
quickly. The Bank of Van Diemen's
Land, founded over fifty years ago
closed its doors in August, 18!) 1, aftei

A TEMrOR.'RY MATTER.

641

which T have evfer looked ! A brief
description may j)reHent to tlioso wlio
liavo not Been it, at least a faint idea
of the work ; tlio foll()win<^ note niado
at the titiio, will sufHco : — " Upon the
centre and to the left of the canvas
stand a group of workmen, close to the
furnaces in a large smelting shop — the
upraised sinewy arm of the honest
mnithy guiding the molten metal from
the fiery furnace — the anxious faces
of the helpmates crowding about, and
waiting as it were with breathless anx-

iety, the triumphs of the many days
of preparation. It is masterly ! " In
the painter of that picture I see the
future loader of the school of latter
day art. But whatever change art
may take in its course of national
growth, whatever developments it may
undergo, one thing is certain,- that
future art must bo true to the highest
ideals of honest worth, of simple
nature, and untainted beauty, if it is
to receive the guerdon of a more than
evanescent success.

A TEMPORARY MATTER.

(}fMKl-bye, — the word shall l)e, since you liave spoken ;

Nor will r crown yoi-r verdict with a sigh,
Nor ask for a reprieve ; but, for a token,

I'll take this lust good-bye.

I'll take and treasure it, when it is given,
Tlic truest tiling that ever you and I

Exchanged or <(ave. Not all the vows 'neath Heaven
Hhall match this last good-bye.

Your kiss, your clasp, your vows, the hours that fleetly
Fled by, shall be forgot -are now ; but I

Must have this little word. You shall not cheat me
Out of this last good-bye.

Come, come — this last good-bye, since you did cry it !

'The stars lean half-impatient from the sky ;
And breathless all the air has grown, and quiet,

To hear this last good-bye !

Tears *! And a little hand stretched to detain me ?

Hold up your head and let me kiss your eyes ;
And set a .seal upon your lips, not vainly

Annulling such good-byes.

— Charles Gokdon Rogers.

DOWN THE YUKON AND UP THE MAGKENZIB.

3200 Miles by Foot and Paddle.
BY WILLIAM OGILVIK, D.L.S., F.Ii.G.S.

II.

A DETAILED account of our travels,
extending over nearly two years and
covering a distarce o^^side of civiliza-
tion of over three thousand miles, is
impossible within the limits of the
present article, and a connected narra-
tive has therefore not been attempted.

The ordin-
ary vicissi-
tudes, adven-
tures and
hardships in-
cident to tra-
vel in an un-
known coun-
try were en-
co vintered,
and are here
and there
br iertych ion-
ic led ; but
many inci-
dents which
relieved the
daily round
of life on the
river have
been crowded
aside, and ne-
cessarily ex-
ist only as
memories
which are ex-
clusively the
traveller's

tended view thus rendered possible,
and the more compi'ehensive idea
given of this great country as a whole,
will be found to be more than com-
pensating advantages.

Our daily method of work on the
river was about as follows •

The captain was an early riser natu-
rally, and now, being anxious to get on

down the riv-
er, he devel-
oped an ab-
normal pro-
pensity in
thisdirection.
About three
o'clock in the
morning he
W'~,uld begin
to turn over
and gruiU
something a-
bout gettiiin'
up. After ii
few of th"'se
turningHt and
gruntings, l.c
would ask
wl at time it
was. Asleep}'
admonition
from the til I'd
bone and
muscle of the
expedition to
"keep ([uiet"
was all the

WILLIAM 0<iILVIE, THE EXl'LOBEB.

own.

I am conscious that the endeavor to
condense a journey of this kind wilh-
in reasonable compass must result in
the loss of interest which a disconnect-
ed style of narrative unavoidably en-
tai.J, and j'et I hope that the more ex-

answer he
would get. After awhile he would sit
up boldly and "put the previous ques-
tion," and when thi's became monot m-
oas, he would, gathering fresh coura;,'e
with every passing minute, endeavor to
rouse the cook by shouting ; but, as

IB.

d possible,

nsive idea

as a whole,

than coiii-

ork on the

riser natu-
us to get on
owntheriv-

he devel-
ped an ab-
ormal pro-
ensity in
lisdirection.
bout three
clock in tlie

rning he
ifi-uld begin
turn over
,nd grui^t
onaething a-
)OUt getting
ip. After ii
ew of thi'se
urningn ami
[runtings, l.e
vould ask
vi .at time it
vas. Aslee])}'
idmoni tion
"rom the tired
3 o n e and
nuscle of tlie
5xpedition to
'keep quiet"
was all the
mswer he
he would sit
revious qiies-
me mojiotiu-
[renh cour;i;,'e
;, endeavor to
ting; i.iut, as

DOWN THE YUKON.

643

this particular cook was no exception
to the ordinary run of cooks, rousing
him was no easy task. However, the
captain persevered, and finally about
tive o'clock, with a sleepy yawn, the
cook would turn out, and the business
of the day would begin.

By six, or half-past six, breakfast
WDuld be over, and I would be on the
river with Morrison and the two base-
men contin ling the survey from the
point where \e had left it the pi-evious
evening, leaving the crew of the
" Hoodalinka " to break camp and help
the cook with the dishes.

The time when the boat passed us,
generally about ten or eleven o'clock,
was carefully noted, along with the
distance travei'sed, and it was then an
easy matter for Gladman to estiraate
the respective rates c ' travel of the
canoes and the boat, so that when a
distance down stream had been tra-
versed which was likely to be reached
by the survey, a convenient spot would
be chosen and the camp pitched.

Along in the evening, when it was
beginning to get too dark to work, on
turning rounu some bend in the river,
the camp-fire would be seen brightly
.shining ahead, and I need hardly add
that supper was generally a hearty
meal.

After supper there were notes to
write out, observations to reduce, the
work of the day to be plotted, and the
work of the next day to be planned, so
that 1 considered myself fortunate
when eleven o'clock found me seeking
" tired nature's sweet restorer, balmy
sleep," and I sank into unconsciousness,
from which even the captain's eternal
" Veil, boys, vat .time is it f " had no
power to rouse me.

In this way, day after day, we con-
tinneil to descend the river.

For some distance below the " White
Horse " Rapids, the current is swift
and the river wide, vath many gravel
biirs. The reach between these rapids
and Lake Labarge, a distance of
twenty-seven and a half miles, is all
smooth water with a strong current.

About midway in this stretch, the
Tahk-heena R,i\er joins the Lewes.
This river is apparently about half the
size of the latter, and its water's are
muddy, indicating its passage through
a clayey district. I obtained some in-
definite information about this I'iver
from an Indian whom I met just be-
low its mouth, but I could not readily
make him understand me, and his re-
plies were a compound of Chinook,
Tagish and signs, and therefore largely
unintelligible. From what I could
understand with any certainty, the
river was easy to descend, there being
no bad rapids, and it came out of a
lake much larger than any I had yet
passed.

Here I may remark that I have
invariably found it difficult to get re-
liable or definite information from In-
dians. The reasons for this are many.
They all expect to make something
out of a white man, 8.nd consequently
are very chary about doing or saying
anything unless they • think they will
be well rewai'ded for it. They are
naturally, too, very suspicious of
strangers, and it takes some time and
some knowledge of the language to
overcome this suspicion and gain their
confidence. If yo,i begin at once to
ask questions aboui their country,
without previously having thein thor-
oughly understaiiJ that you have no
unfriendly motive in doing so, they
become alarmed, and, although 3'ou
may not meet with a positive refusal
to answer questions, you make very
little progress in getting desired infor-
mation. On the other hand, I liave
met cases where, either through fear
or hope of reward, they were only too
anxious to impart all they knew or
had heard, and even more if they
thought it would please their hearer.
I need hardly say that such informa-
tion is often not at all in accordance
with the facts.

Lake Labarge was reached on the
evening of the 2()th July, and our
camp pitched on its southern shore.
The lake is thirty-one miles in length,

644

THE CANADIAN MAGAZINE.

broad at both ends and narrow in the
middle, lyinf» north and south, like a
long and slender foot-print made by
some gigantic Titan in long- bygone
days.

As the prevailing wind blows almost
constantly down the lake, the miners
complain much of detention from the
roughness of the water, and for the
three days I was on the lake, I cer-
tainly cannot complain of any lack of
attention from blustering Australis.

it is well out in the lake ; the nearest
point of it to the western shore is up-
wards of half a mile distant, and the
extreme width of the lake here, as de-
termined from triangulation, is not
more than five miles, which includes
the depth of the deepest bays on the
western side. It is therefore difficult
to understand that he did not see it as
an island. The upper half of this is-
land is gravelly, and does not rise very
high above the lake; the lower end is

TIIK liUKAT CANON ON TlIK Yl'KON.

The survey was carried along the
western shore, which is irregular in
many places, being indented by large,
shallow Ijays, especially at the upper
and lower ends.

Just aljove where the lake narrows
in the middle, there is a large island,
which is shown on Schwatka's map as
a peninsula, ami called by him Rich-
tot'en Rocks. How he came to think
it a peninsula I cannot understand, as

rocky and high, the rock of a bright
red color and probably granite.

At the lower end of the lake there
is a deep, wide valley extending north-
wards, which has evidently at one
time been the outlet of the lake. In
this the mixed timber, poplar and
spruce, is of a size which betokens a
fair soil : the herbage, too, is more than
usually rich for this region. This val-
ley, which Dr. Dawson has named

w^-

the :}()th
a moder£
an hour,
ed and
surmonn
poplar
ley. Th
of moder
at its CO
where tli

The
Captain
day, the
to*^the I
" Hello-
a coupit
hunt in
the bank

DOWN FHE YUKON.

645

" Ogilvie Valley," is extensive, and, it
ever required as an aid to the susten-
ance of our people; will figure largely
in the district's agricultural assets.

We left this, the last lake of the
great chain, behind us on Saturday,

with interest not unmixed with ap-
prehension. A.fter friendly relations
had been established, I endeavoured to
get some information from them. One
of these Indians could speak a little
Chinook and I was fortunate enough

i,ouivi:<G I r TiiK JiAi'ii's nKU)\\ the (■A^•u^.

the .'}()th of July, and proceeded with
a moderate current of about four miles
an hour. The river just here is crook-
ed an<l runs past high, steep banks
surmounted by scrub pine and stunted
poplar which shut in the narrow val-
ley. There are, however, many fiats
of moderate extent, along the river and
at its confluence with )ther streams,
where the soil is fair.

The Tes-lin-too, the El Dorado of
Captain Moore, was reached on Mon-
day, the 1st of August. In response
to the Captain's stentorian challenge,
" Hello-o-o dere 1 any miners derc ? "
a couple of families of Indians who
hunt in the vicinity appeared upon
the bank and regarded our approach

to have two men with me who under-
stood his jargon perfectly. He toUl
me, greatly to the Captain's chagrin,
that the miners had all moved further
down the river some time ago, to Cos-
siar Bar and other places. He also
told me, with an appearance of truth
and frankness, that they had seen
nothiiig whatevev of a war-party of
Viyaua Indians from Stewart River.
I suceedeil also in obtaining some in-
formation with regard to the river
itself. The river, he said, was easy to
ascend, and presented the same appear-
ance eight days' journey up as at the
mouth ; then a lake was reached,
which took one day to cross ; the river
was then followed again for half a day

646

THE CANADIAN MAGAZINE

to another lake which took two days
to traverse. Into this lake emptied a
stream which they used as a highway
to the coast, passing by way of the
Taku River. He said it took four
days, when they had loads to carry,
from the head of canoe navigation on
the Tes-lin-too to salt water on the
Taku Inlet ; but when they came light
they took less than two days.

It may be well to point out, in view
of explorations at present going on,
that the route to the sea here referred
to cannot, in any sense, be considered
as unexplored. Teslin Lake has been
known to the miners for many years.

About sixteen years ago a mic^r
named Monroe prospected up the
Taku, and learned from the Indians
something of a large lake not far from
that river. He crossed over and found
it and then reerossed to the sea. Mr.
T. Boswell, with his brother and an-
other miner, spent most of the sum-
mer of 1887 on the Tes-lin-too River
and Teslin Lake, and from their ac-
count and Monroe's, together with the
informa'Aon which I obtained from
the Indians met at the mouth of the
river, a pretty clear general idea of the
region has been arrived at. An in-
strumental survey is, however, still a
desideratum.

Combining all accounts, it is certain
that this branch is the longer and
more important of the two, and that
it offers easy and uninterrupted navi-
gation for more than double the dis-
tance which the Lewes does.

The water of the Tes-lin-too is of a
dark brown color, similar in appear-
ance to the Ottawa River water, and
a little turbid. Notwithstanding the
difference of volume of discharge, the
Tes-lin-too changes completely the
character of the river below the junc-
tion, and a person coming up stream
would, at the forks, unhesitatingly
pronounce the Tes-lin-too to be the
main stream. The water of the Lewes
is blue in color and comparatively
clear.

About eighteen miles below the Tes-

lin-too I saw the first place that had
been worked for gold. A hut had
been erected and there were indications
that a party had wintered here. Be-
tween it and Big Salmon River six
other locations were met with. One
of them.Cassiar Bar, had been worked
in the previous season by a party of
four who took out six thousand dol-
lars in thirty days. They were still
working there when I passed on the
3rd of August, but stated that all they
could get this season was about ten
dollars a day.and that it was now about
worked out.

At the time of my visit they were
trying the bank, but found the gi'ound
frozen at a depth of about three feet,
though there was no timber or moss
on it. They had recourse to fire to
thaw out the ground, but found this
slow work.

Two of the party subsequently
went down to Forty Mile River, where
I met one of them. He was a Swede,
and had been gold-mining for upwards
of twenty-five years in California and
British Columbia. He gave rne his
opinion of the district in those words,
" I never saw a country where there
was so much gold and so evenly dis-
tributed; no place is very rich, but no
place is very poor, and every man can
make a 'grub stake' " (that is enough
to feed and clothe him for a year).

The whole length of the Tes-lin-too
yields fine gold at the rate of from
eight to ten dollars a day ; but, as tlie
heart's desir6 of tlie miners is coarso
gold, they do not remain long in a
country in which the fine gold onl}' is
found — generally no longer than is
necessary to make a "grub-stake," —
unless the gold is in unusually lariro
quantities.

Between the Tes-lin-too and tlie
Big Salmon (D'Abbadie of Sohwatka
is thirty-three and a half miles, in
which the Lewes preserves a generally
uniform width and current.

The waters of the Big Salmon are
sluggish and shallow. "The valley, as
seen from the mouth, is wide, aiil

I!!

DOWN THE YUKON.

647

that had
hut had
idications
ere. Be-
River six
h. One
n worked
party of
isand dol-
were still
ed on the
it all they
about ten
now about

they were
.he gi-ound
three feet,
r or moss
to fire to
found this

3sequently
ver, where
s a Swede,
)r upwards
fornia and
ve ine his
lese w^ords,
'here there
ivenly dis-
ich, but no
y man can

is enough
I year).
Tes-lin-too
te of from
but, as the
rs is coavso

long in a
;old only is
er than is
b-stake," —
ually lari.'o

o and the
Schwatka
f miles, in
a generally

Salmon ai

e valley, as

wide, and

gives one the impression of beinoj oc-
cupied by a much more important
stream. Looking up it, in the distance
could be seen many high peaks cover-
ed with snow, and, as this was in the
beginning of August, it is likely they
are always so covered — which would
make their probable altitude above
the river, five thousand feet or more.
Two days' run, or about thirty-six
miles, the river constantly winding
round low, sandy points, and dotted
with small, well-timbered islands,
brought us to the Little Salmon (Daly
of Schwatka), a small and unimport-
ant stream entering from the east.
The water is clear, but of a brownish
hue. The valley bears to the north-
east, and six or seven miles up it some
high cliffs of red rock, apparently
<,'ranite, can be seen.

five hundred feet. It is of a light grey
color, but what the character of the
rock is I could not determine, as I saw
it only from the river, which is about
a quarter of a mile distant.

We passed the mouth of the Nor-
denskiold on the 9th of August. The
river here makes a loop of eight miles
round a hill on the east bank, named
by Schwatka Tantalus Butte. The
distance across from point to point is
only half a mile.

Early the next day we heard the
booming of the Rink Rapids in the
distance, and it was not long before
they were in sight. These rapids are
known to miners as Five Finger rapids,
from the fact that five large, bold
masses of rock stand in mid-channel.
This obstruction backs up the water so
as to raise it about a foot, causing a

THE KAfiLE'S NKST.

One of the most remarkable objects
along the river, located just below the
Little Salmon, is a huge hemisphere
of rock, called the " Eagle's Nest," ris-
ing abruptly from a gravel slope on
the east bank, to a height of about

swell below for a few yards. The
islands are composed of conglomerate
rock, similar to the cliffs on each side
of the river, from which one would in-
fer that there has boen a fall here in
past ages. For about two miles below

648

THE CA NA DIA N MA GA ZINE.

the rapid there is a swift current ; not
swift enough, however, to prevent the
ascent of a steamboat of moderate
^ower ; and the rapids themselves I
do not think would present any ser-
ious obstacle to the ascent of a good
boat. In very high water warping
might be required.

Nothing whatever was seen here of
the " hundreds of gulls," which have
their breeding grounds on these rocky
points, noticed by Schwatka. These,
as well as the " dense swarms of the
omnipresent mosquito," were conspicu-
ous by their absence.

With regard to the mosquitoes on
the Yukon, Lieut. Schwatka has ex-
pressed his mind freely. He says : —

" The moacjuitoes were now (.'Jth .Inly) thick
beyond anything I have ever seen. Aa we cross-
ed boggy places, or the maishy rims of the num-
erous inland lakes, they rose in dense swarms.
Hunting, the only object one could have in in-
land excursions, became impossible on account
of these insects ; their stinga oould not be en-
dured, and in looking through aiich swarms, it
was not possible to take sure sight at the game.

* * * I believe this part of I he Yukon
country (foot of the Canon) to be scarcely hab-
itable in the summer, on accouut of those peats,
and think their numbers sutlicient reason for
the complete absence of game during that part
of the year. On the lower river, beycnd F Tt
Yukon, their numbers appreciably decrease.

* * * It is not until tlie first severe frost
comes — about the first of September — that this
annoyance is abated completely."

I passed the Canon less than three
weeks later in July than Lieut.
Schwatka, but saw very few mG.squi-
toes there ; and even as far as tlie
boundary, though a few were seen
here and there, we certainly suffered
no inconvenience whatever from them.

I believe the exact reverse of what
is stated above with reference to the
decrease of mosquitoes below Fort
Yukon, to be the case. Below Fort
Yukon the country along the river be-
comes fiat, and great areas of tundra,
or frozen morass, occur. Theae tundra
becoming soaked with summer rains,
which can only penetrate to a depth
of a few inches, become regular
swamps, the natural breeding-grounds
for all kinds of in^sect life ; so that if
mosquitoes abound on any part of the

river, it would be natural to suppose
that it would be in the vicinity of the
tundra lands. As I did not go below
the boundary, however, I can only
speak with certainty of the upper part
of the river. Practically speaking,
there were, when I passed, no mosqui-
toes there. There is an operation,
known in French cookery as farcim/,
commonly practised by small school-
boys upon credulous companions, and
capable of furnishing much mild
amusement when indulged in to a
limited extent. I have found the
miners of the Yukon to oe particular-
ly fond of this amusement ; and this
may account for the highly colorcii
stories of Esquimo dogs, and even nl
bears, having been killed by mosqui-
toes, which were gravely related to
the gallant lieutenant by these accom-
plished farceurs.

After getting a couple of snap-shots
at the rapids, we ran through and
camped for dinner on a little shelving
point on the east bank.

A hout a uiileandahalf below our camp-
ing-place, a small, dark-colorsd stream,
the Tatshun, enters the river from the
east. To this spot 1 directed the base-
men, after dinner, to proceed. As they
neared the point, I took up my station
at the telescope, and was idly watch-
ing them, when a sight met my view
that sent the blood in an instant ting-
ling through my veins with excite-
ment. The canoe was within a few
yards of the shore, when suddenly, as
if by magic, the bank above became
literally alive with Indians. Shouting,
gesticulating wildly, and flourishing
their arms about, they came charging
furiously down the sloping side of the
river.

Now we had not seen an Indian for
three hundred miles, and, indeed, with
the exception of a solitary one near
the mouth of the Tahk-heena, and the
few miserable Tagish encountered at
the Teslin-too, we had seen none since
we entered the country. Our appre-
hensions of trouble had gradually sub-
sided the farther we advanced : but

JJH.L-;

o suppose

ity of the

go below

can only

ipper part

speaking,

o mosqui-

operatioii,

s farcinij,

ill school-

nvons, and

uch mild

in to a

oimd the

)articular-

; and this

y colore" 1

id even <>i

y niosqui-

related to

ise acconi-

map-shots
ongh and
e shelving

'^ourcamp-
'3d stream,
r from the
I the base-
. As they
ny station
Uy watch -
; my view
itant ting-
th excite-
tiin a few
ddenly, as
e became
Shouting,
Nourishing
3 charging
lide of the

Indian for
ieed, with
one near
a, and the
untered at
lone since
>ur appre-
ually sub-
need : but

DOWN THE YUKON.

649

now our worst fears about the Indians
told of in the miner's story at Chil-
koot Inlet leceivecl ample confirma-
tion from these unmistakably hostile
demonstrations. The suddenness, also,
with which they had burst upon our
view.made them an alarming spectacle.
" There they are at last," was the
thought that passed (juickly from lip
to lij).

In a moment our little camp was
astir. To seize my BuUard, leap into
the canoe with Morrison, and call to

her bodily. The " Hoodalinka's"
slashing sweeps, beating the water to
a foam, could be heard in the rear. It
was a race for life !

It is said there is but one step, and
that a short one, from tragedy to
comedy ; but Momus never dropped
the awful mask of Mars more quickly
than he did on this occasion. \iw the
time wo were fairly into the race, there
seemed to be a lull in the hostile de-
monstrations — some devilish ruse, no
doubt. A.S we hurried on with re-

THK KKNK RAl'IDS. THK " HOODALIN KA " TAKING THE DIP.

the others to follow to the rescue, were
the acts of a few seconds. The crew
of the "Hoodalinka " had two rifles —
a Winchester and a Martini-Henri ; be-
sides these, every man had a Colt's re-
volver, and we determined to make as
good a fight as possible under the cir-
cumstances.

But one idea filled our minds — to
get there in time to prevent the mas-
sacre of our companions ; and, bending
every energy to the task, the little
" Yukon" shot through the water, im-
pelled by strokes that almost lifted

newed energy, Gladman quietly picked
up the field glass to reconnoitre the
enemy.

" It's all right," he shouted from the
boat, in the coolest possible tone;
"they're shaking hands all around."
This was true enough ; the warlike
scene had .shifted with the suddenness
of a panoramic view. The poor savages
were huddled together on the beach,
extending the most friendly and cor-
dial welcome to Parker and Sparks,
who were standing unhurt in their
midst. Moreover, we now noticed

6so

THE CANADIAN MAGAZINE.

what, in our excitement, we had
omitted to observe — that not one of
the savages was armed.

The relief from the tension of mind
experienced 'iy men nerved for a des-
perate encounter, who suddenly find
that the enemy has vanished into
smoke, can be better imagined than
described. Tlie ludicrousness of the
situation struck us so forcibly that we
gave way to prolonged peals of the
heartiest lauffhter that have ever runff
on the quiet bosom of the great Yu-
kon,

It has been my lot to meet many
Indians roaming the vast tracts from
British Columbia to Labrador ; but, of
all the miserable creatures I ever saw,
these were, without exception, the
worst, the poorest, and the most unin-
telligent. It is needless to say that
none of our party understood anything
they said, as they could not speak a
word of any language but their own.
As an instance of their .stupidity, I
may mention that, wanting to buy
some tea and other provisions from
me, they tendered in payment the tin
stamps that are put by some manu-
facturers on plugs of tobacuu. These
they signified to me had been given to
them by the coast Indians in exchange
for furs. It is possible they hiid taken
them ott' the tobacco brought to them
by these Indians, and were trying to
swindle me, but I am inclined to think
not.

They were engaged in salmon fish-
ing at the mouth of the Tatshun, and
I tried by signs to get some informa-
tion from them about the stream they
were fishing in, but I failed. I tried,
in the .same way, to learn if there were
any more Indians in the vicinity, but
again I utterly failed. I then tried by
signs to find out how many days it
took to go down to Pelly River, but,
although I have never known these
signs to fail in eliciting information in
any other part of the territory, they
did not understand.

One thing, however, they did com-
prehend. Thinking that my men

would relish some fresh fish and
knowing that these Indians are expert
fishers, I took some silver from my
pocket and, holding it in my hand,
went through a little pantomime per-
formance. The Indians gravely watch-
ed me pointing to their nets and to
the river, and making the motion of
giving the coins. Two of them under-
stood what was wanted, and catching
up their nets, sprang down the bank
with great alacrity. They were gone
about ten minutes, returning with
three fine salmon.

iis their mode of catching salmon
is identical with that mysterious pro-
cess witnessed by Schwatka further
down the river, and which appears to
have puzzled him greatly, I may des-
cribe it briefiy.

The fish, in their long journey up
from the sea — nearly two thousand
miles — naturally follow the slack cur-
rent in the shallow water near the
shore, and they swim generally about
two feet below the surface. One
can easily trace their passage th'*ough
the water by the slight ripple which
they make on the surface, and, as
they cannot see in the muddy water,
they may, with care, be taken by
gently placing a scoop-net in their
way and lifting them out when
they enter it. Voila tout le myntbve !
The Indian judges the depth by the
size and character of the advancing
ripple, and simply moves his net to
and fro, keeping it always directly in
front of the unsuspecting fish. The
salifton are passing constantly, thous-
ands every day, so that an Indian
youth has plenty of practice and soon
becomes expert in this peculiar mode
of fishing. No picturesque watcher
on the bank was seen, nor was any ex-
traordinary power of vision necessary,
the ripple being plainly visible to
every one. On the way down the
Lewes, the first of these " salmon rip-
ples " noticed by us was about twen-
ty-five miles above Five Finger Ri-
pids. I have frequently .seen them on
the Thompson and Fraser rivers and

DOWN THE YUKON.

651

sh. and
re expert
from my
ly hand,
ime per-
y watch-

and to
lotion of
m under-
catching
bhe bank
ere gone

', with

salmon
•lous pro-
a further
p pears to
may des-

urney up
thousand
slack cur-
near the
lly about
ce. One
! th'*ough
lie which
, and, as
ly water,
taken by
in their
jt when
nnyfitbve !
Ii by the
ivancing
s net to
rectly in
ih. The
y, thous-
n Indian
and soon
iar mode
watcher
s any ex-
ecessary,
sible to
own the
mon rip-
ut twen-
iger Ri-
them on
vers and

in other parts of British Columbia,
but there, as the streams „ro for the
most part clear and the surface Vjrok-
en by eddies, a different method of
taking the fish has to be adopted.

The Indian, knowing the habits of
the fish, chooses some jutting point
round which the river takes a sudden
bend. The slack water is, of course,
inshore, and though he cannot see the
fish, on account of the roughness of the
water, the fisher knows that hundreds
of salmon are passing this point every
hour. He gently drops his scoop-net
into the water upstream, sweeps down
with the current through three quar-
ters of the circumference of the circle,
lifts the net, completes the circle,
quietly replaces the net and repeats
the operation over and over again.

In these sweeps the greatest care is
necessary, as the fish are exceedingly
alert and the least inadvertence will
send the whole line offinto deep water.
The Indian's judgment and skill here
come into constant play and also finds
ample exercise in the selection of suit-
able fishing grounds.

Six miles below Rink Rapids are
what are known as " Little Rapids."
This is simply a barrier of rocks which
extends from the v/esterly side of the
river about half way across. Over
this barrier there is a ripple which
would offer no great obstacle to tiie
descent in a good canoe. On the east-
erly side there is no ripple — the cur-
rent is smooth and the water apparent-
ly deep. I tried to sound it with a
six foot paddle, but could not reach
the bottom.

About a mile below Little Rapids
the river spreads out into a lake-like
expanse, with many islands ; this con-
tinues for about three miles when it
contracts to something like the usual
width ; but bars and small islands are
numerous all the way to Pelly River.
About five miles above Folly River
there is another lake-like expau.oe fill-
ed with islands. The river here is
nearly a mile w'de, and so numerous
and close are the islands that it is im-

possible to tell, when floating among
them, where the shores of the river
are. The current, too, is swift, leading
one to suppose the water shallow ; but
I think that even here a channel deep
enough for such boats as will navigate
this part of the river, could easily be
found. Schwatka named this group
" IngersoU Islands."

On the 11th of August, near Hoo-
che-koo Bluff, I met a party of miners
coming out who had passed Stewart
River a few days before. They had
seen no sign of Doctor Dawson there.
This was agreeable news to me, as I
expected that on account of the many
delays 1 had met with on the coast
range, he would have reached that
point long before I arrived.

These miners also gave me the wel-
come news that the story told at the
coast about the fight with the Indians
at Stewart River was apure fabrication.
The individual who spread the rumor
was a lawless character who had at-
tempted to take the life of another
miner — for which oftence he was or-
dered to leave the district in mid-win-
ter, an order which the miners consider
equivalent to a sentence of death.
Strange to say, however, he succeeded
in reaching the coast, having made a
distance of over five hundred miles, of
the most difficult and dangerous trav-
elling, between the months of Febru-
ary and May; and there, partly from
malice and partly to account plausibly
for his inopportune appearance, he con-
cocted the diabolical story which I had
heard.

The method of administering justice
among the miners is simple and expe-
ditious. They have their own code of
laws, based on a pretty clear applica-
tion of the principle of right and
wrong in dealing with each other, and
any one who should attempt, by means
of technicalities or " sharp practice," to
make wrong appear right, would, I
fancy, be judged more guilty than the
culprit himself. Any one who has
been wronged, or thinks he has, calls
a meeting of the camp, which at once

6S2

THE CANADIAN MAGAZINE.

resolves itself into a board of trial to ho hadboen so confidently Luikliiif,' all

hear and dispose of the case. In all the way down the river, now tumbleil

such trials, a man's known character about liis ears in a sad heap of ruins,

for truthful and honorable dealing, or One of his boys had evidently

the reverse, is an irn))ortant factor, had enou'j;h of the country, and

COSKLUENl'E OK TIIK I'KLI-V ASIJ YIKON.

The miners, although they may not,
perhaps, understand all the fine shades
of difference between meum and tiium
distinguished by a Supreme Court
lawyer, are keen judges of fair play,
and it is hardly necessary to add that
their decisions, from which there is no
appeal, are genera! 1 v regarded as satis-
factory by all int rested in the case.
This is certainly more than can be said
of the decisions of many of the so-
called " Courts of Justice " of more
favored countries.

The same evening I met nine miners
on their way out, and the next day I
met three boats, each containing four
men. In the crew of one of them was
a son of Captain Moore, from whom
the Captain obtained such informa-
tion as induced him to turn back and
accompany them out. I was sorry
for the old man : the air-castles, which

was glad to get out of it, even with
empty pockets; the other, after various
fruitless efforts to make a " grub stake,"
had given it up, and was sawing wooil
for the more prosperous miners at $1')
a month.

Next day, the T.'ith, I reached thi;
mouth of the Pelly, and found that
Dr. Dawson had arrived there on the
11th. The Doctor had also met with
many delays, and, though nearly a
month behind the time arranged for
our meeting when I parted from him
in May, we arrived here within two
days of each other. He had also heard
the story of the Indian uprising in the
interior, and had, on account of it,
been kept in a state of anxious watch-
fulness for the greater part of the sum-
mer. I wa3 pleased to find that he

•The hi|{h cliff to the left in common to both rivers. Tln'
pine at tlie Iwttoin of tlie cliff is probably 70 feet hi((h.

DOIV.V THE YUKON.

653

lildiiiir jill
tumbled
i of ruiiiH.
evidently
itrv, ami

KUINS OF bOl.T SKLKIUK (IN TIIK VL'KU.S.

even with
:er various

rub stake,"
ving woQil
lers at %!')

iached the
ound that
ere on the
met witli
nearly ;i
ranged for
from him
ithin two
also heard
iing in the
unt of it,
lus watch-
f the sum-
d that he

oth rivers. Tiu'
feet high.

was in no immediate waat of pro-
visions, the fear of which hail caused
me a great deal of uneasiness on the
way down the river, as it had been ar-
ranged between us in Victoria that I
was to take with me provisions for his
party to do them until their return
to the coast. The Doctor was so much
behind the time arranged to meet me,
and so anxious to avoid delay at the
upper lakes, which freeze over early in
the autumn, that he determined to
start for the coast at once. I there-
fore set about making a sho"t report
and plan of my survey to this point ;
and, as f was not likely to get another
opportunity of writing at such length
for a year, I applied myself to a cor-
respondence designed to satisfy my
friends and accpaintances for the en-
suing twelve months. This necessi-
tated three days' hard work.

On the morning of the I7th, the

' Doctor departed for the outside world,

leavintj mo with a foelin;i of loneliness

which can only be realized by those
who have experienced it.

I remained at the mouth of the
Pelly during the 'next day, taking
magnetic and astronomical observa-
tions, and making some measurements
of the river.

About a mile below the junction
with the Lewes, and on the south side,
stands all that remains of the only
permanent trading post ever built by
white men in the district. This post
was established by Robert Campbell,
for the Hudson's Bay Company, in the
summer of 1848. It was iirst built
upon the point of land between the
two rivers, but this location proving
untenable, on account of flooding by
ice jams in the spring, it was, in the
season of 1852, moved across the river
to where the ruins now stand. It ap-
pears that the houses composing the
post were not finished when the In-
dians from the coast on Chilkat
and Chilkoot Inlets, came down the

654

THE CANADIAN MAGAZINE.

river to put a stop to the competitive
trade wliich Mr. Campbell had inaugu-
rated, and which they found to neri-
ously interfere with their profits.
Their method of trade appears to have
been then pretty much an it is now —
very one-sided. What they found
convenient to take by force, they took ;
ami what they found convenient to
pay for, they paid for — at their own
price.

Rumors had reached the post that
the coast Indians contemplated a raid,
and, in consequence, the friendly In-
dians in the vicinity remained about
neatly all summer, unfortunately,
however, they went aw;iy for a short
time, and, during their absence, the
coast Indians arrived and pillaged the
place, and set fire to it, leaving noth-
ing but the remains of two chimneys,
which are still standiii;^. This raid
and capture took place on Sunday, the
Ist of August, 1852. Mr. Campbell
was ordered to leave the country with-
in twenty-four hours, and accordingly
he dropped down the river. On his
way he met some of the local Indians,
and returned with them, but the rob-
bers had made their escape. I have
heard that the local Indians wished
to puriu-i and overtake them, but to
this M'-. ''^.■, npbell would not consent.
Had th'-'y bne so, it is probable that
not roin' of the raiders would have
c'scapeii, as the superior local know-
ledge of the natives would have given
them an advantage difficult to esti-
mate, and the confidence and spirit
derived from the aid and presence of a
white man would have been worth
much in such a conflict.

Mr. Campbell went on down the
river until he met the outfit for his
post on its way up from Fort Yukon.
He tui-ned it back. He then ascended
the Pelly, crossed to the Liard, and
reached Fort Simpson, on the Macken-
zie, late in October.

Nothing more was ever done in the
vicinity of Fort Selkirk by the Hud-
son's Bay Company after these events,
and in 1869 the company was ordered

by Captain Charles W. Raymond, who
represented the United States Govern-
ment, to evacuate the post at Fort
Yukon, which he Imd a.scertained to
be west of the 141st meridian. The
post was occupied by the company,
however, for some time after the re-
ceipt of the order, until Rampart
House, which was intende<l to be on
British territory, and to take the trade
previously done at Fort Yukon, was
built. Under pre.sent conditions the
company cannot very well compete
with the Alaska Fur Company, whose
agents do the only trade in the dis-
trict, and they ap[)ear to have aband-
oned — for the present at least — all at-
tempts to do any trade nearer to it
than Rampart House, to which point,
notwithstanding the distance and diffi-
culties in the way, many of the In-
dians on the Pelly- Yukon make a trip
every two or three years to procuie
goods in exchange for their furs.

The ruins of Fort Selkirk stand on
a flat of considerable extent, which is
covered with a small growth of willow,
poplar, and a few spruce. The soil is
a gravelly loam, covering a sub-soil of
gravel, evidently detritus. This flat
extends up tlie river for several miles,
but is all covered thickly with timlier,
except a small piece around the site of
the fort.

On the north side of the river there
is also a large plateau, bounded by a
perpendicular basalt cliff, two or three
hundred feet high, on which the soil
appears to be poor, judging from the
thinness and sraallness of the trees.
This plateau seems to extend up the
Pelly for some distance, and down the
Yukon some ten or twelve miles. As
seen from the river, it reminds one of
the slopes and hills around Kamloops
in British Columbia.

On the 19th I resumed my journey
northward. Opposite Fort Selkirk,
the Pelly-Yukon river is about one-
third of a mile broad ; and it main-
tains this width down to White Rivei,
a distance of ninety-six miles. Islands
are numerous, so much so that there

DOWN THE YUKON.

655

lond, wlid

JsQoveni-

t at Fort

rtainod tn

ian, Tho

Cdinpany,

er the lu-

Rainpart

to be oil

) the trade

ikon, was

itions the

competf

tiy, whose

n the dis-

vo ahand-

»st — all at-

sarer to it

lich point,

e and ditfi-

of the Iri-

lako a trip

to procuiL'

furs.

k stand on
t, which is
1 of willow,
riie soil is
sub-soil of
This Hat
reral nailes,
ith timber,
the site of

river there
nded by a
vo or three
:h the soil
: from the
the trees.
nd up the
down the
miles. As
nds one of
Kamloops

ly journev
: Selkirk,

Lbout OIR'-

it main-
lite River,

!S. Islands
that there

are few parts of the river where one or
more are not in sight ; many of them
lire of considerable size, and nearly all
are well timbered. Bars are also
numerous, but nearly all are com-
posed of gravel, so iliat navigators
will not have to complain of shifting
sand-bars. The current, as a general
tiling, is not so rapid as in the upper
part of the river, and the depth in the
main cb-vimel was always found to ex-
coed six feet.

25th. The water of this river is a
chalky white color, and so mudily that
it is impossible to .see through one-
eighth of an inch of it. The current
is very strong, probably eight miles or
more per hour. I spent most of the
day trying to ascend the river, but
found it impracticable ; after trying
for several hotns, the basemen succeed-
ed in doing about half a mile only, and
I came to the conclusion that it was
useless to try to get up this stream to

INDIAN ORAVE NEAK UUINS OK KOKT SKLKlllK.

On the evening of the 22nd, on com-
ing ashore to pitch our camp for the
night, I was fortunate enough to get a
shot at a " wood cariboo," which came
down to the river-side to drink, a few
hundred yards from the spot where we
had landed. This was the only "wood
cariboo" seen on the river. It is a
much larger and more beautiful ani-
mal than the ordinary cariboo which
roams in vast herds over these nor-
thern hills, and resembles the elk or
wapiti, except that the antlers are
smaller.

White River was reached on the

the boundary with canoes. Had it
proved feasible, I had intended mak-
ing a survey of this stream to the
boundary, to discover more especially
the facilities it ofJered for the trans-
port of supplies in the event of a sur-
vey of the international boundary be-
ing undertaken.

The water from this river, though
probably not one-fourth of the volume
of the Pelly-Yukon, discolors the
water of the latter completely, and
about two miles below the junction
the Pelly-Yukon appears almost as
dirty &?• the White River.

6s6

THE CA NA DIA N MA GA ZINE.

Between White and Stewart rtiveic
the river spreads out to a mile and up-
wards in width, and is a maze of
islands and bars.

Stewart River, which was reached
on the following day, enters from the
east in the middle of a wide valley,
with low hills on both sides, rising on
the north side in clearly marked steps
or terraces to distant hills of consider-
able height. The river, a short dis-
tance up, is two hundred yards in
width, the current slack, ana the water
shallow and clear, but dark-colored.
While at the mouth, I was fortunate
enough to meet a miner, named Mc-
Donald, who had spent the whole of
the summer of 1887 on the river and
its branches, prospecting and explor-
ing. He gave me a good deal of in-
formation, which I have incorporated
in my map of the district. This man
had ascended two of the main branches
of the river. At the head of one of
them he found a large lake, which he
named Mayhew Lake; on the other
branch he found falls, which he esti-
mated to be from one to two hundred
feet in height. I met several parties
afterward? who had .seen thee falls,
and they corroborated this estimate of
their height. McDonald wont on past
the falls to the head of this branch,
and found terraced gravel hills to the
west and north ; he crossed them to
the north and found a river flowing
northward. On this he embarked on
a raft, and floated down it for a day or
two, thinking it would turn to the
west and join the Stewart, but finding
it still continuing north, and acquiring
too much volume to be any of the
branches he had seen while passing up
the Stewart, he returned to his point
of departure, and after prospecting
among the hills around the head of the
river he started westward, crossing a
high range of mountains compose!
principally of shales with many thia
seams of what is called quartz, rang-
ing from one to six inches in thick-
ness. On the west side of this range
he found the head waters of Beaver

River, which he descended on a raft,
taking live days to dc so.

It is probable the river flowinj,'
nor '/h ward, on which he made a jour-
ney and returned, is a branch of
Peel River. The timber on the gravel
terraces of the water-shed, he describ-
ed as small and open. He was alone
in this unknown wilderness all sum-
mer, not seeing even any of the na-
tives. There are few men, I think, so
constii/Uted as to be capable of isolat-
ing themselves in such a manner.

On the 1st of September, we passed
the site of the temporary trading post
shown on the maps as Fort Reliance.
A few miles above this point the Ton-
dac River of the Indians (Deer River
of Schwatka) enters from the east. It
is a small river about forty yards wide
at the mouth, and shallow ; tne water
is clear and transparent and of a beuu-
ti^'ul blue color. The Indians catch
great numbers of salmon here. They
had been fishing shortly before my ar
rival, and the river for some distance
up was full of s»,iraon traps.

Several days of continuous heav}'
rain now interrupted our work, so
that Forty Mile River (Cone Hill Riv-
er of Schwatka) was not reached till
the 7th of Septemijer.

The current in Forty Mile River i>
generally strong, and there are uumev-
ous rapids, one, in particular, not far
from the mouth, in which several min-
ers have been drowned The river is
not wide, and one would think an or-
dinary swimmer would have no diffi-
culty in reaching land ; but the cold-
ness of the water soon benumbs a va^.u
completely and renders him powerless.
In the early part of the sinnmer an
Indian, from Tanana, with his family,
was coming down to trade at the post
at the mouth of Forty Mile River ; his
canoe upset in these rapii's and he was
thrown clear of it, but the womaii ami
children clung to it. In the rough water
he lost sight f them and concluding
that they were lost, it is said he delibty-
ately drew his knife and cut his throat,
thu^ perishing, while his family were

DOWN THE YUKON.

657

on a raft,

T flowing,'
de a jour-
branch of
the gravel
lie describ-
was alone
i all sutn-
jf the na-
I think, so
of isolat-
anner.
we passed
ading post
i Reliance.
it the Ton-
Jeer River

east. It
yards wide

tiie water

1 of a beuu-
iians catch
sre. They
'ore my a''
e distance

ous heavy
work, so
Hill Riv-

eached till

e River i>
are uumer-
iir, not far
veral rain-
le river is
ink an or-
e no dilii-
the cold-
ubs a nip.-i
powerless.
iiinmer iin
his family,
it the post
River ; his
,nd he was
i^onian and
)ugh water
concludinti
he delihty-
his throat,
imily were

hauled ashore by some miners. The
chie: of the band to which this Indian
belo: ged came to the post and demand-
ed piy for his loss, which he contend-
ed was occasioned by the traders hav-
ing moved from Belle Isle to Forty
Mile, thus causing his men to descend
this dangerous rapid ; and there is
little doubt that had there not been so
many white men in the vicinity he
would have tried to enforce hLsdemand.
Fifteen miles below Fc.ty Mile
River a large mass of rock stands on
thi. east bank. This was named by
Schwatka " Roquette Rock," but it
is known to traders as "Old Woman
Rock ; " a similar mass on the west
side of the river being known as " Old
Man Rock." The origin of these
names is an Indian legend, of which

the following is the version

me by the traders : —

In remote ages there lived in this
locality a powerful Tshc.amen. There
also lived in the neighbo/'hood of this
powerful being a poor man who had
the great misfortune to have an inve-
terate scold for a wife. He bore the
inrtiction for a long time v.-ithout mur-
muring, in the hope that Xantippe
weald relent; but time only seemed to
increase the virulence of her tongue
ui'l temper. At leii;r*^h, growing weary
oi the unceasing torment, he complain-
ed to the Tshaumcn, who holds a posi-
tion and exercises an influence among
the people he lives with something
p'.'in to that of the wi.se men or magi
of olden times in the east. The Tshau-
men comforted him and senfc him
home with the assurance that all
would soon be well.

Shortly after this the poor man
went out to hunt and remained away
many days endeavoring to replenish
the domestic larder, but without avail;
liL. returned weaiy and lunigry.oidy to
lie met by his wife with a more than
usually violent outburst of scolding.
This so provoked him that he gather-
ed all his strength ano energy for one
grand ettbrt, and gave her a kick that
sent her clear across the river. On

landing, she was converted into the
mass of rock which remains to this day
a memorial of her viciousness and a
warning to all future scold3. The
metamorphosis wa,s effected by Vlie
Tshaumen,but how the neces.sary force
was acquired to send her across thb
river, here half a mile wide, or wheth-
er the kick was administered by the
Tshaumen or the husband, my narra-
tor could not say. He was also alto-
gether at a loss to account for the con-
version of the hu.sband into the mass
of rock on the west side of the river;
nor can I offer any theory, unless it be
that he was •petrified by astonishment
at the result.

Such legends as this would be of
interest to ethnologists if they could
be procured directly from the Indians ;
but repeated by men who have little
or no knowledge of the utility of le-
gendary lore, and less .sympathy with
it, they lose much of their value.

On the 14th of September, I finish-
e ' n\y survey to the boundary. In
tlie afternoon, while waiting for a
sight, an incidei.t occurred which re-
lieved the tedium and furni-shed amuse-
ment for many days.

Parker and Sjjarks had gone ahead
down the river to set up the base. In-
stead .:f doing so, however, they appear-
ed to be beating about the bush in a
most unaccountable manner. I was be-
coming impatient at the delay, and
watching throujxhthe jjlass when I saw
them make a swift rush from the
wooded bank to the canoe, grasp the
paddles and ply them with desperate
energy. My first thought was that they
had been attacked by a bear, liut Mor-
rison, who was watching their move-
ments closely, said :

" Is there not something in the river
ahead of them ? "

" Yes, by George ' they are after a
moose," I cried, turning the glass in
the direction indicated. A magnifi-
cent buck moose had taken the water
some fifty yards ahead of them. Now
a man v.ith :>. canoe can easily over-
take a moose swimmiuy, and the con-

6s8

THE CANADIAN MAGAZINE.

sequence was, that before they had
leached the middle of the river, they
were right on top of the animal. So
close in fact were they, that they could
have jumped upon ils back if they
had so wished.

Now was the time for the coup-de-
grace, and, when I saw Parker hastily
drop the paddle, and nervously fumble
about for his rifle, I knew the curtain
was up for a highly entertaining per-
formance. A puff" of smoke went up,
and — bang ! went the Winchester, an-
nouncing that the battle had begun.
Without waiting to see the effect of
Parker's shot. Sparks exjitedly whip-
ped out his revolver and began a regu-
lar fusilade at short range. The fun was
now fast ar i furious. Bang ! went the
Winchester — Pop ! Pop ' went the pistol
shots — and on serenely swam the
moose, making straight for a bar in
the river.

" By George ! Charlie, they are go-
ing to lose him," I said, laiighing till
the tears ran down my face. " Here
is our winter camp, and lots of fresh

meat right at the door ; you had bet-
ter go down and try a shot."

In the meantime the young Nimrod>
had emptied both rifle and revolver to
no eflfect ; the moose had gained the
bar and was flying across it at railwa}'
speed. Gladman, whom nothing ever
unduly excited, .set oft' leisurely. Ar-
rived at the point where the moose
had taken the water, he proceeded
methoflicaliy to set up and adjust the
bast, oy this time the moose had
';a;"'/^d " -' b.ink and was lost o view,
St.!' '..'.•■ ' by Parker and Sparks,
who .lavi.ignomore ammunition, were
yelping like a couple of dogs.

While taking the angles I was
startled to see the moose suddenly
break co\'ert from the bluff right above
Gladman's head and come tearing
down the bank towards him. The
moment was an exciting one. Startled
as I was to see the animal reappear
in this way, I was thunder-struck to
see that Gladman was entirely uncon-
scious of danger, and tfiinking, no
doubt, that the moose had made good

rilK KXrKDlTIOM (»N THE YUKON.

DOWN THE YUKON.

659

n had bet-

g Ninirodf
•evolver to
gained the
at railway
thing ever
irely. Ar-
the moose
proceeded
adjust the
moose had
)st view,
id Sparks,
lition, w^ere

les I was
suddenly
right above
lie tearing
him. The
e. Startled
il reappear
ir-fltruck to
rely uncon-
linking, no
, made good

'«■. ; .

his escape, and that it would be use-
less to follow him, was standing with
his back to the bluff busied about some
little matters of the camp.

I pride my.self on being able to shout
when the occasion demands it, and
now, making a trumpet of my hands,
in my excitement I fairly roared,
" Moose, Charlie ! Moose !! M-oo-s-e !!! "

Gladman heard and understood,
though the distance must have been a
good mile and a half.

Picking up his rifle, he ran up and
down the beach looking in all direc-
tions He could see no trace of the ani-
mal, while from my point of view, with
the glass, I could plainly see him, with
nose outstretched and antlers laid back,
crashing down the bank not twenty
yards from him.

The mystery was cleared up by
Gladman walking quietly down the
shore, round a bend or bay in the riv jr,
to a point about half a mile below the
camp, from which the faint yelping of
"the dogs" proceeded. This point
was directly in the line of sight of the
telescope, and it w.os here, instead of
at the camp, that I had seen the moose
ruf.hing dowa the bank. When this
simple explanation dawned upon me,
it is needless to say that I felt morti-
fied at my stupiditj^. My vexation
vanished, however, when a few min-
utes later I heard two shots in quick
succession from Gladman i rifle, which
I knew meant that we should hnve
moose steak for supper.

We had now reached our winter
ca\iip, and the iiC"^'t fow days were
busily spent in preparing our winter
quarters, and in building a magnetic
obser'. atory and a transit house. As
1 had been led to expect extremely
low temperature during the winter, I
adopted precautionary measures, in
order to be as comfortable during our
stay there as circumstances would per-
mit.

A few remarks descriptive of
residence may not be uninteresting.

After clearing away the top soil and
excavating some distance into the side
of the hill for a foundation, the bottom
round of the house was laid and em-
bedded in the place so cleared. The
next round of logs was then put up
and fatted in place; ;t was then rolled
off, and on top of Lhe first round was
laid a thick layer of moss. The second
round of logs was then put back in
its place on top of the moss, which
was so ihick that the second round
did not lie on the saddles at the cor-
ners, but rode on the moss. This was
donv, with each succeeding round until
the requisite height was reached, when
the ordinary kind of shanty roof, con-
sisting of poles, vvas put on. On these
was laid a layer of moss about one
foot thick, and on this about one foot
of clay. In the roof were two ventila-
tors, which could be closed altogether
if necessary. The faithful " Ilooda-
linka " was taken to pieces, as we had
no further use for her, to supply
boards for flooring and a door.

To heat the building,

a large stone

OU'

furnace was built, in size three feet
by eight ; the front end of this was
fashioned into a fireplace with an oven
on top for cooking ; the other end
was formed into a chimney. The
structure was a large mass of stone,
bound together by a tough white clay
which we found in the vicinity, and
which baked hard and white, and did
not crack with the heat. Wl en this
mass was once heated, which it tojk
two days to do, it retained the heat for
a long time.

With the weight of the roof and
walls, the moss between the logs was
so pressed, that it filled every crevice,
and made almost a solid wall. Dur-
ingthewintertho ventilators were kept
o])en all the time ; yet the lowest
temperature observed in the house
during our stay was 4<S" Fahrenheit;
the average in the morning, before the
fire was lighted, was about (30 Fah-
renheit.

(to he continued.)

ORIGIN OF THE SOCIAL CRISIS IN THE UNITED STATES.

(A Monarchist's View.)

BY VISCOUNT DE FHONSAC.

Ill'

When to an organism or to a mecVu.n-
ism anything happens to disturb the
plan of its motion, before the reason
why the disturbance has happened may
be known, the laws that govern must
be understood. That great complex or-
ganism, the state, whose unit in .some
epochs is the family, in others is the
individual, and in some times and
places is both, is no exception to the
rule. It is an error of judgment to
suppose that any law has exceptions
— exceptions belong to different cate-
gories.

The United States was founded on
two different systems of social polity.
The Southern colonies reckoned fam-
ily as the political unit, and early had
hereditary estates engrafted into their
system. In Virginia and the Caro-
Imas entailed estates were permitted
by law. This law fostered the growth
of the family, and favored agriculture
necessarily. Consequent on this, city
influence in Southern affairs was
small, and Southern cities could not
compare, even with cities of the same
size in the North, in wealth, culture,
and enterprise. The South had few
manufactures. The glory and valor
cf the section was with the country
families, and with them none in the
North could compare in fame and
continuity of excellence. The sum
total of wealth in the South was not
80 great as that in the North ; but,
individually, the people were more
comfortable, for in the North there
early began that instability of institu-
tions resulting in the increase of
wealth among the few, and extreme
poverty and industrial servitude
among the many.

The Northern colonists came to the

New World to found a government
without a king, and a church without
a bishop. As aristocracy is an ad-
junct of monarchy, and aristocracy
relies on the .strength and permanence
of the family, the Puritans of Mie New
England colonies made laws inhibit-
ing the entailment of estates. Agri-
culture is the necessary pursuit of
those who have great estates. Since,
in New England, the individual in-
stead of the family was made the
political unit, and the laws were so
fraujed as to discourage great landed
holdings, the enterprise of the section
went to the building of towns and
cities. What farms there were, were
poor and small, and the farming class
were stingy and dwarfed in senti-
ment. The best blood was in the
cities, of which Boston was chief The
chief pursuit was commerce on the
seas, and the merchant class of the
higher order were cultivated and lili-
eral by intercourse with foreign n;i-
tions, and their children received the
benefit of their parent.s' experience,
education and wealth. The commer-
cial cities of New England also re-
ceived, among foreign settlers of a
mean description who acted as serv-
ants and laborers, others of a higher
degree, until gradually the old Puritan
stiffness and bigotry wore away, ami
the family as a unit, if not actually in
u.se, began to have a theoretical value.
But with the fon.Aation and growth
of cities and towns in the interior of
the New England and Middle States,
a new element began to exercise an
influence over the laws already in ex-
istence. These new cities of the in-
terior — away from the sea — were not
based on commerce, but owed their

^Wo

<?,

iTATES.

DOWN THE YUKON AND UP THE MAGKENZIB/'

K'CIO Mi'len liy Foul and I 'addle.

BY WILLIAM OOILVIE, D.L.S., F.R.G.S.

)vermnent
1 without
is an iu\-
ristocracy
rinanence
f the New
k^s inhibit-
es. Af^ri-
)ursuit of
is. Since,
vidua! in-
made the
s were so
eat landed
the section
owns and
were, were
rming class
in senti-
rsiH in the
chief The
ce on the
ass of the
sd and lib-
oreign na-
Bceived the
experience,
le com me r-
d al.so rc-
Ltlers of a
id as serv-
if a higher
)ld Puritan
away, and
actually in
tical value.
i,nd growth
interior of
die States,
ixercise an
3ady in ex-
of the iii-
— were not
owed their

HI.

Our residence here in our winter
camp lasted from the 14th of Septem-
ber to the 3rd of March — five and a
half months. During this period, I
was chiefly engaged in making astro-
nomical and magnetic observations,
and in plotting and tabulating my
work to this point.

The days became shorter kiid shorter,
until, on the the 7th of December, the
sun appeared for the last time above
ui e horizon, when I made the predic-
tion that it would not again be seen
until the 5th of January. For this
appalling statement I was promptly
arrested and court-martialled by the
party, and, with mock sole nity, the
.sentence of capital punishment was
pronounced upon me, conditionally on
the prediction failing to be fulKlled.
When at last the 5th of January ar-
rived, we were all eagerly on the look-
out for the appearance of the long-lost
himinary. At a few minutes before
10 a.m., the hour announced for the
panorama to commence, clouds spread
over the horizon, and T began to des-
pair of the programme being carried
out ; when suddenly a rift fortunately
occurred in the proper quarter, and
shoitly afterwards a beam of golden
sunshine shot over the hills, illuminat-
ing the surrounding gloomy woods
and the camp. This was hailed with
delight by the members of the party;
aiy sentence was at once cancelled ;
and the glad event was celebrated with
all the enthusiasm of which our limited
circumstances would permit. Had our
camp been situated on the summit of
one of the surrounding mountains, in-
■stead of in the valley of the river, the
sun would not have totally disap-

peared, being visible from there for at
least a few minutes on even the short-
est day.

The average daily duration of actual
darkness during the absence of the
sun, was twenty hours ; the remaining
four being twilight. This period of
darkness and gloom appeared inter-
minable, as day after day and
week after week dragged its slow
and monotonous length along, dur-
ing which the members of the
party, with the exception of myself
and the cook, had no regular occupa-
tion. Even upon the miners, who are
more or less accustomed to the region,
this long, dreary night has a most de-
pressing influence, and there is a strong
tendency among them to become des-
pondent and mopish.

Frequent exchar-T^es of visits with
these men, and an ample supply of
reading matter, which we had brought
with us, together with cards, draughts,
and other home amusements, lent their
as.sistance in whiling away uue long,
dieary hours. My men also construct-
ed a toboggan slide down the side of
one of the hills, which was a source
of considerable arau.sement, and of
much needed recreation to both body
and mind. It was a great novelty to
the miners, who thoroughly enjoyed
the sport, and whose boyish shouts of
laughter and glee " set the wild echoes
flying " through the lonely .silence, as
a half do^en of them at a time went
down the chvteandoutover theriver at
the rate of one hundred miles an hour.

In spite, however, of all eflbrts to

' (IH iiii; to Mie defeetii o clcvelomiii'tit of the ncicutives o
\ ifws Inkiii in the I'lmiitr.i (lesiribwl in the priwrit instal-
niiMit iif Mr. 0[filvii''s lur 'v, i\i) illiiKlnUions cuii lit i;ivuii
nf till' roinurkulilo sivnny aiont,' the iciiite liutwiH'ii tin-
Ynkdh iiriil Koit .Mcriiersoii on tlu' Mackrnzii' '{jvoi'.

THE CA NA DIA N MA GA ZINE.

appear cheerful and contented, a de-
sire for communication with the out-
side woild, and especially with home
and those near and dear to us, repeat-
edly overcame us, and brought on fre-
(juent fits of dejection and despond-
ency so severe that, on several occa-
sions, I was driven almost to despera-
tion, and seriously considered the
terminating of the expedition hei'e,
and packing up and retracing our steps
to the coast.

The lowest temperature recorded
during the winter was ooM F. below
zero. On seven days over 50 below
zero was recorded, and on twenty-six
days over 40 . The average minimum
temperature for November was, — 5 .1 :
for December, — ;}.'} .6 ; for January,
— 25\3, and for February,— 10 8 F.

About one hundred miners wintered
in this vicinity. Their principal occu-
pations and amusements were playing
cards and telling lies. Poker is the
chief game, and is always played for
gold dust ; the play is strictly honest
and fair — woe to the player who
should attempt any tricks or sharf)
play. As for the other part of their
pastime, it is always iu order for an
aspirantfor the proud position of being
the greatest liar, to hold forth. Many
of the stories possess originality and
humor, but, as a rule, they are childish
extravagances and impossibilities of
the Baron Munchausen order. About
forty miles up the river from my quar-
ters, thirty miners were encamped on
an island, which was called, from this
circumstance, " Liars' Island," and the
residents were known as the " Thirty
Liars." There was good reason for
these designations.

None of the miners belong to the
desperado type — the career of such be-
ing invariably cut short among them,
— and the customary features, such as
the bowie-knife, revolver, and rifle,
which, in the minds of the general
public, are associated with mining life,
are here largely conspicuous by their
absence. Property and person among
the miners are held sacred, and the

neighboring Indians are not trouble-
some.

A generous spirit of communism
prevails, and any one of their number,
who, by accident or illness, is unable
to provide for himself, is carefully
looked after by his fellows. In all
their dealings with each oilier, they
are strictly honorable and true ; but
this appears to be the limit of their
code of ethics.

The on.y traders in the district,
Messrs. Harper tSk: McQuestion, distrib-
ute the rations which tliev import to
each miner alike, t-iking the chances
of being paid in all cases in which the
recipients have nothing to give in re-
turn at the time. Instances are veiy
rare in which they fail to receive,
sooner or later, from each miner the
full amount of his account. One of
the miners, named Missouri Frank,
wunted more thitn his share of the
butter which the firm had imported,
and offered to pay in gold for the
same. Although others were unable
to pay for their shares, he was refuseil
any furthiir allowance, and that same
night he stole what butter there was
in the cellar. Upon the detection of
the theft a few days afterwards, a
meeting of the miners was called,
and a committee of five appointed,
who proceeded to Frank's cabin and
demanded the stolen butter. The
most frantic denials f the theft were
useless ; the butter was produced and
placed on a sled, and Frank was com-
pelled to draw it back to the post — a
distance of eighteen miles. He was
then ordered to immediately remove
to a distance of not less than liO
miles, with which order he had the
prudence to comply.

The gold-mining of the region is con-
fined chiefly to the Stewart and Forty
Mile Rivers, as on the Lewes and Pelly
Rivers the necessary sluicing is im-
possible, except by pumping. The
value of the metal found on these riv-
ers up to 1887 may be estimateil at
82.')0,000, although it is impossiVjle to
obtain from the miners themselves

DOWN THE YUKON.

ot trouble-

ommunisin
ir number,

, is unable
s carefully
sf.s. In all
other, they
true; but
it of their

le district,
on, distrib-

ii^iport to

le chances
I which the

give in re-
es are very

to receive,

miner the
it. One of
uri Frank,
are of the

importeil,
•1(1 for the
pre unable
was refuHfil
1 that same
r tliere was
letection of
.erwards, a
ivas called,
appointed,

cabin and
utter. T!io
theft were
oduced and
k was com-
the post — a
s. He was
)ly remove

than 1')')
lie had tlie

gion is con-
and Forty
s and Pelly
;ing is im-
ting. The
1 these riv-
itiinated at
possible to
themselves

THE CANADIAN MAGAZINE.

any reliable information as to the
amount they individually produce.
They are, as a rule, inveterate jokers,
and the higher the official or social
position of the person with whom they
are conversing, the greater the delight
they take in hoaxing him. They do
not even disclose to each other, much
less to out-siders, the amount of their
earnings. The highest amount report-
ed as one man's earnings during the
season was SG,000, and in several cases
$100 a day was alleged to have been
made. While, however, instances in
which large amounts have been earned
are comparatively few, nearly all the
miners succeed in making what is call-
ed a " grub stake," — that is, sufficient
for the purchase of the necessaries of
life for one year.

The mining on Stewart River was
confined wholly to bars in the stream;
the beach and bank bars were timber-
ed, and at no great depth frozen, and
to work them would necessitate a re-
sort to hydraulic mining, for which
there was no machinery in the district.

During the fall of ]88() several min-
ers combined and secured the services
of the engine^ of the supply steamer,
" New Ilacket," with which to work
pumps for sluicing. The boat was
drawn up on a bar, her engines detach-
ed from the wheels, and made to drive
a set of pumps manufactured on the
ground, which supplied water for a set
of sluicing boxes. In less tliaii a month,
the miners cleared $1,000 each, and
paid an equal amount for the use of
the engines. Many of the miners who
had spent tlie season of 1886 on Stew-
art River, and 1887 on Forty Mile
River, seemed to prefer the former, as,
accordinof to them, there were no such
failures on it as on the latter, each man
being able to secure at least a " grub
stake."

Forty Mile River is the only stream
on which, up to the spring of 1888,
coarse gold, the great ilrsi<ler<if)i/m of
the miners, was found. The largest
nugget was worth $39. It was lost on
the body of a miner who was drowned

at the Canon. This stream is termed
a " bed-rock " stream — that is, one in
the bed of which tliere is little or no
drift or detrital matter, the bottom
being rock. In many places this rock
has been scraped with knives to obtain
the small amount of detritus, and its
accompanying gold. Platinum is gen-
erally found associated witli the gold,
particularly on this river.

I venture to assert that rich finds
will yet be made in this region, of both
coarse gold and auriferous (juartz. It is
not probable that such a vastexfjnt of
country should have all its fine gold
deposited as sediment, brought froui a
distance in past ages of the world's
develo[)ment. If this theory is correct,
the matrix, from which all the gold
on these streams is derived, must still
exist, in part at least, and will in all
probability be discovered, thu.s enrich-
ing this otherwise gloomy and desolate
region.

The process of mining in the district
is as follows: — When a miner "strikes"
a bar he " prospects " it by washing a
few panfuls of the gravel or sand of
which it is composed. According to
the number of " colors" he finds to the
pan, that is, the number of specks of
gold he can detect, after all the dirt
has been washed out, he judges of its
richness.

" Placer " mining is carried on by
clearing all the coar.se gravel and stone
off a patch of ground, and lifting some
of the finer gravel or sand in a pan.
The pan is then filled with water, and
a few rapid shakes and whirls, brin^^
the gold to the bottom, on account of
its greater specific gravity. The gravel
and sand on the top is then carefully
washed from the pan bearing the gold,
with a quantity of heavy black sand,
which invariably accompanies it. This
sand is pulverized magnetic iron ore.
Should the gold be fine, the contents
of the pan ai-e thrown into a barrel of
water (iontaining a few pounds of mer-
cury, with which the gold forms iin
amalgam. When sufficient amalgam
has been produced, it is " roasted " oi

DOWN THE YUKON.

is termed
is, one in
ttle or no
he bottom
s this rock
s to obtain
js, and its
um is gen-
i tlie gold,

rich finds

on, of both

iiartz. It is

itext/jnt (if

tine gold

gilt from a

he world's

y iscoiivii,

the gold

must still

will in all

uis enrlch-

nd desolate

the district
er "strikes"
wasliing a
or sand of
:cording to
finds to the
specks of
ill the dirt
dges of its

led on by

1 and stone
ifting some

in a pan.
water, ami
liirls, brin^^r
account of
The gravel
[1 carefully
ig the gold,
)lack sand,
es it. This

2 iron ore.
e contents
a barrel <if
ids of mer-

forms iiii
t amalgam
oasted " oi

" tired," and is then scjueezed through
a buck-skin bag. The mercury that
comes through the bag is again placed
in the barrel of water, while tlie gold is
heated in order to vaporize as mucii as
pos.sible of the mercury still in combi-
nation with it. This is called the "pan"
or " hand " method, and on account of
its laboriousnesa, is never employed
when it is possible to procure a " rock-
er," or to use sluices.

A rocker is simply a box about
three feet long by two wide.madeintwo
parts. The upper part is shallow, with a
heavy sheet-iron bottom, punched full
of quarter-inch holes. The lower part
is fitted witli an inclined shelf, about
midway in its depth, covered by a
heavy woollen blanket. The whole is
then mounted on two rockers resem-
bling those of a child's cradle. It must
be located near a supply of water. The
upper box is filled with the sand just
mentioned, and with one hand the
miner rocks and the other ladles in
water. The pure matter, with the
gold, falls through the holes upon the
blanket, which checks its progress, and
holds tlie particles of gold. Across the
liottom of the box are fixed a number
of thin slats, behind which a small
quantity of mercury is placed to arrest
any particles of gold which may es-
cape the V)lanket. The blanket is, at
intervals, taken out and rinsed into a
barrel ; if the gold is fine, mercury is
placed in the barrel, as already iium-
tioned.

Sluicing is always employed when
po.^sible. It requires a good sup])ly of
water, with sufticient head or fall. A
long box is made of planks, with slats
across the liottom, or shallow holes
placeil in such order that a particle
could not run along the bottom with-
out entering one of them. Several of
such boxes are fitted into one another
to form one continuous box, and the
whole is then .set up with considerable
slope. Gravel is shovelled into the
highest part, into which is also directed
a stream of water. The gravel and
sand is waslied downward by the cur-

rent, the gold being detained on the
slats, or in the holes, by its weight. If
the gold be fine, mercury is usad a,s in
the case of the rocker. By this method
three times as much sand and gravel
can be washed as by the rocker in the
same time. In the end, the boxes are
burned, and the ashes washed for the
gold held in the wood.

The principal furs procured in the
district are the silver-grey and black
fox, which more than equal in value
all the other skin.s. The red fox is also
common, and a species called the blue
is abundant near the coast. Marten,
or sable, are numerous; also lynx, but
otter are scarce, and beaver is almost
unknown.

(jame, too, is fast disappearing.
The baneful effects of indiscriminate
slaughter, by the Indians, of game and
fur-bearing animals, are here, as else-
where in this northern country, be-
coming sadly apparent. For the irre-
sistible propensity on the part of the
Indian to kill any animal he chances
to see, there has, as yet, been discover-
ed no remedy. Police surveillance,
or any kindred preventive measure,
throughout such a vast region is, of
course, out of the question, and all at-
tempts to persuade or influence them
to observe discretion in the matter has
proved unavailing. I have known
them to break into a beaver house
and kill all the inmates at a time of
the year when the skins were worth-
less, and some of the young scarcely
able to crawl about. On one occasion
I was in company with an Indian
when two cariboo pas.sed us. Although
we had plenty of fresh meat on hand,
he insisted on having me shoot them,
and was greatly displeased because I
would neither do so, nor lend him my
rifle tor the purpose, indicating as best
he could by signs and broken English
that he wanted to kill every animal he
saw.

Four species of bears are found in
the district — the grizzly, brown, black,
and a small kind, locally known as the
" silver-tip," grey in color, with white

THE CANADIAN MAGAZINE.

throat and beard, and said to be ex-
ceedingly fierce and aggressive. A few
wolves and arctic rabbits were seen,
and the surrounding mountains abound
in goats and big-horn sheep.

Birds are scarce. A number of
ravens were seen along the river, and
four of them remained around the
camp all the winter. They were un-
usually active and noisy in stormy
weather, their hoarse croak having a
weird and dismal sound amid the roar
of tlie elements.

Fish are not found in large quanti-
ties in the district, with the exception
of a small species locally known as the
arctic trout, and called by Schwatka,
the grayling. It differs, however, from
the ordinary descriptions and draw-
ins:s of the grayling. It seldom ex-
ceeds ceil inches in length, has very
large fins, which give it the appear-
ance, when ii! motion, of having wings,
and is of a brownish grey color on the
back and sides.

No record of the appearance and
brilliancy of the aurora was kept dur-
ing the winter, \vith the exception of
its appearance three times by daj'^-
liirht, when it was seen as a lontr, thin,
streamer-like cloud, fiuctuating in in-
tensity, suddenly increasing and de-
creasing in extent, quick and shifting
in its movements, and of about the
brilliancy of pale aurora when seen at
night. As to the aurota being audible,
I may .say that I frequently listened
during an unusually brilliant display,
and amid profound silence, but was
never conscioi s of even the slijiht'^st
.sensation of sound. I have met indi-
viduals, however, who claim to hear a
sliglifc rustling when the aurora makes
a sudden rush. A member of my ex-
ploring party, in 18S2, in the Peace
River district, was so ccmfident of this
that one night I took him beyond the
reach of noise from the camp, blind-
folded him, and then watched the play
of the streamers. At each brilliant
and sudden change of the aurora, he
exclaimed, " Don't you hear it ? "

The extraordinary spectacle of green

clouds was witnessed on thelOth and <iti
the 29th of February, just beforesunrise.
On both occasions the sky was cover-
ed with downy white cloud.s, while
there was a slight fall of minute ice
crystals, accompanied by an unusually
high temperature. The color was a
brilliant emerald green, fringed on tliu
lower side with yellow, which, as tlii'
sun gradually rose, encroached on the
green until the clouds were all yellow.
This color changed to orange and red
after the sun had risen above the hori-
zon. On the first occasion, the green
color was seen for about fifteen min-
utes ; on the second for about five. It
is probable that the form of the snow
crystals in the air produced abnormal
refraction which made the green rays
of the spectrum conspicuous.

In this region there are occasional
falls of I'emarkably large airolitcs.
During the winter of 188.5, an unusu-
ally large aerolite fell with terrific force
and noise, illuminating as brightly as
mid-day the ill-lighted huts of the
miners. Some idea of its magnitude
ma}' be obtained from the fact that at
places twenty-two miles apart, those
who heard it had the same impression
as to its direction and sound.

On the 17th of February, I was on
the way from Forty-Mile River to my
camp, accompanied by a miner who
liad witnessed the dash and heard the
report of this mrolite. Nine miles
above my destination we halted lor
dinner, and just as we were preparinij
to resume our journey, a tremendous
explosion was heard, followed by ii
rending, crashing sound, as tliough the
side had been torn out of a mountain,
and had fallen from a great height.
The ice on which 1 was standing ap-
peared to shake, and had it not betii
for the snow, which was falling thick-
ly at the time, I would have fancie'l
that the catastrophe would be seen on
the mountain side a mile or so distant.
The nuner, who was at the time ar-
ranging the harness on his dogs, ex-
claimed, " That's one of them thing.s."
The miners at Belle Isle, fifteen miks

DOWN THE YUKOX.

19th and on
foresunrisL'.

waH covei-
ouds, while

minute ice
n unusually

olor WHS a
nged on the
hich, as tlie
ched on the
u all yellow,
ngo and red
ve the hori-
1, the green
fifteen niin-
out live. It
of the snow
d abnormal

green rays
us.

B occasional

;e resrolites,

an unusu-

terrific force

brightly iis
luts of the
I magnitu<le
fact that at
apart, those
) impression
id.

y, I was on
River to my
miner who
id heard the
Nine miles
: halted for
e preparini^
tremendous
lowed by a
I though the
a mountain,
reat height,
banding ap-
it not been
dling thick-
ave fancieil
i be seen on
irso distant,
he time ar-
is dogs, ex-
lem things."
if teen miles

from the spot where I was at the time,
state that the .sound and direction ap-
peared to them as it did to me.

When the days became siirticiently
long, r commenced preparations for my
expedition towards the mouth of the
Mackenzie Ftiver, a distance of over
four hundred miles, by a route never
before travelled by a white man. Two
members of my party of six — Day and
McNeill, on account of ill-health, did
not attempt the journey, leaving Mori-
son, Gladman, Parker and Sparks to
accompany me. Tlie outflt was haul-
ed to Belle Isle, a distance of twenty-
four miles ; and on the 17th of March
we bade good-bye to the miners, with
regret, and yet with a thrill of .satis-
faction that we were now started home-
ward on our long journey. More than
2,.50() miles were still lying between us
and thenearest railway station, nearly
all of which had to be got over by foot
or paddle.

Our supplies and canoes were pack-
ed on toboggans, and with the assist-
ance of nine Indian tei .ms of four dogs
each, we began our n.arch over the
snow to the mouth of the Tat-on-duc
River.

Up the bed of this river, now cover-
ed with ice, we proceeded for eleven
miles, where a stream of warm water
enters it, which melts the ice on the
surface for some distance. Just above
this point the river enters a canon.
This is one of the grandest sights I
have ever beheld. It is forty or fifty
feet wide; and the walls rise perpen-
dicularly, on one side to a height of
700 feet, and on the other o*' 500 feet ;
then sloping off to the sides of high
mountains. It is half a mile long, and
although there is a slight bend in the
middle, it can be seen through from
end to end.

The camp of the Indians accompany-
ing me was situated about seven miles
above this point, and as we arrived
there on Saturday, the}' dosired us to
remain with them until Monday. We
complied with their wishes, and on
D

Sunday witnessed the religious ser-
vices of these simple alioriginos, which
consisted of reading in their own lan-
guage the service of the Kpi.scopul
Church, translateil by Archdeacon Mac-
donald, u highly venerated missionary,
and in sinking a few hymns to old and
simple tunes, in which, to their de-
light, we heartily joined.

The tents of the.se Indians are built
dirterently from those of any other
North Amcsrican tribe which I have
visited. Willows are fixed in the
grotmd in an elliptical form, eighteen
or twenty feet long, by ten or fourteen
wide. They are bent into the proper
curves and fastened together at the
iop. Over this framework are thrown
deer skins, dressed with the hair on,
the hair being inside. Although a large
opening is left at the top for the smoke
to escape, a small fire keeps the tent
warm.

Their winter clothing is made of the
same kind of skin, and is worn with
the hair inside. The leggings and feet-
covering are in one piece, and the coat
is made after the manner of a shirt.
In the case of young children, th 's
of the sleeves are sewn up to pr t
the hands from getting out.

.jix miles above the camp.or twenty-
five from the mouth of the river, there
is a small canon, the walls of which,
though perpendicular, are not high.
The water here is exceedingly rough,
as is the ca.se at nearly every point
alor , K.3 Tat-on-duc, which is really
an ..portant mountain-stream sixty
or seventy miles long, and falling about
2,800 foet in that distance.

Four miles further on, as we were
passing a mountain, the Indians in-
formed me that on the other side of it
was a small lake, which never freezes,
the water being constantly disturbed
by a strong wind blowing into it.
This wind, they said, was deadly, and
any man or animal coming near the
lake died on its banks, or was blown
into the water and drowned, and for
this reason they have a superstitious
dread of approaching it. They also

I6:i3ri4

THE CANADIAN MAGAZINE.

stated that large numbers of sbeep and
goats are seen around it (accounted
for, no doubt, by the fact that these
are there undisturbed by huntersj and
that many of their skeletons are
strewn alony the beach.

Upon askinij the Indians to guide uie
to this wonderful lake they refused, say-
ing that we would surely never return
alive, nor could any offer induce them
to either accompany me or direct me
to it. They regarded me and my party
as being in their special charge while
in their territory, and dreaded the
consequences should anything befall us.
Such superstition on the part of the
Indian is frequently a matter of seri-
ous annoyance to the explorer and the
searcher after scientific information.

My curiosity, however, was not of
long duration, as the key of the mys-
tery was soon afterwards obtained.
About seven miles further up there is,
along the east bank, a low swanq),
from wliich is emitted a strong odor of
.sulphuretted hydrogen gas. This j,a8,
the Indians said, is the same kind of
wind as tha*. blowing into the lake.
According to this, the disturbance of
the water is caused by an immense
escape of the gas, which is strong
enough to overpower any animal that
may come within its r ;»ch. There
was nothing in the appearance of the
surrounding rocks to indicate that the
lake was the crater of an extinct vol-
cano, which would be a simple explana-
tion of the phenomenon.

A short distance further on is a
canon, which the Indians described as
being the largest and worst on the
river, and which, they said, contains a
high waterfall. I did not see it, as we
turned into a creek to avoid it. We
ascended this creek about four and a
half miles, when we turned to the left,
going up a narrow valley lying be-
tween two high, bald mountains, on
the bare sides of which many wild
sheep were seen feeding. There are
places along this creek where the ice
remains all summer. The water runs
oil top of the ice, continually adding

to its thickness, until, in places, the
valley has the appearance of a glacier.
On the .south side a curiously formed
range skirts the edge of the valley foi
miles. It rises sharply from the bot-
tom to upwards of two thousand feet
to the west, ending in a table-land,
which extends as far as the eye can
reach. ( )n the eastern edge of this
table-land rises an immense wall, from
seven hundred to one thousand feet
high, and which appeared, from where
I saw it, to be perpendicular on both
sides, — its thickness about one-thinl
of its height. It is weathered into
peculiar shapes, resendiling in places
the ruins of ancient bui'ding.s. There
are several holes in it, tarough one of
whicl 've could see the i)!ateau beyond.
In *' ittom of the- valley there are
nni mounds of gravel, indicat-

ing g.^oial action.

At the summit of tlu; pass through
the range separating this valley from
that of the main river, the scenery is
sublime. Here, on either side of the
pass, are two lofty peaks, which I
have nanu^d Mounts Deville and King.
When I arrived in the latter part of
the afternoon, the summits of these
two mountains were enveloped in mist,
while the background between them
was a dense mass of clouds, of such
tieecy whiteness, that it was impos-
sible to distinguish the snow-covered
horizon. This was in some respects
the most memorable and mspirinj,'
scene I ever beheld. The fact that 1
was the first, and, in all probability
would be for many years, the last,
white man to visit this locality and
witness this wondrous spectacle, made
a peculiar and indescribable impres-
sion upon me. It seemed as though I
was the first of mortals to whom it
was permitted to gaze through the
portals of time into eternity. Early
next morning the clouds scattered,
revealing a scene of transcendent
splendour. In the fore-ground stood
the colossal forms of Mounts Deville
and King, in solemn and majestic lone-
liness, conveying to the mind an idea

DO ivy THE YUKON.

places, tlu!
of a glacier.
jsly formed
e valley for
orn the bot-
ousand feet

table-land,
the eye can
Jge of this
e wall, from
jusand feet
from where
lar on both
it one-third
.thered into
ig in places
ngs. There
ough one of
eau beyond.
ey there are
vrel, indicat-

(as.s through

valley from
le .sicenery is

.side of the
:8, which 1
le and Kiny.
itter part of
lits of the.se
oped in mist,
tween them
uds, of .such

was impos-
now-covered
)me respects
id inspiring,'
e fact that 1
. probability
irs, the last,

locality and
jctacle. made
able impres-
1 as though I

to whom it
through the
•nity. Early
ds scattered,
transcendent
ground stood
lunts Deville
majestic lone-
mind an idea

of vastness such as 1 had never before
conceived, while in every direction, as
far as the eye could reach, appeared to
b/ood the spirit of profound solitude,
silence, and desolation.

Eight miles up from the point
where wo again entered the river, the
stream turns shar])ly to the north,
between two high mountaiiKs. As far
as could be .seen, the river, with its val-
ley, was a field of ice of great thick-
ness. In some places liillocks of ice
were formed by the water bursting
through and freezing as it overflowed.
Much of this ice also remains through
the suMmer.

Leaving the river, and ascending a
mile up the valley of a sniii ■ stream
coming from the east, we n ached the
top of a low ridge which forms the
watershed between the waters of the
Tat-on-duc and those of a large river
which the Indians a,ssured me flowed
into the Peel. I was much puzzled
over this information, and it was only
after they had repeatedly drawn in the
snow, majis of the district, and after
much argument and explanation by
word and sign, that I gave credit to
their statements. I then proposed to
go down this river to the Peel and
reach the Mackenzie by that route.
At this the Indians were horrified, as-
suring me that there were most dan-
gerous and impassible canons on the
river, and that we would certainly be
lost if we attempted it, and they
would be blamed for our disappear-
ance. Their statements, co\ipled with
the fact that the barometer stood at
2G.()5 inches, — showing an altitude of
over three thousand feet, which would
have to be descended before the Peel
was reached, induced me not to try the
route. Subsequent evidence which I
procured corroborated the statements
of the Indians concerning the direction
and character of the stream. This
river, which is not shown on any map
ot the district hitherto published, and
which has never been referred to by
any other e.Kplorer, has been named
by Mr. J. Johnston, Geographer to the

Department of the Interior ot (Janada,
" Ogilvie River."

Here the Indians turned back. No
ort'er could induce them to Pccompany
me with their dog teams any further ;
so, after pay in;,' them oflf", we bade
farewell to our simple and kind-heart-
ed escort, not without emotion on their
part, which was fully reciprocated
by us. The reason of their refusal to
accompany me further was that they
have a great dread of a tribe which
they call Nahone, and which they
suppose exists somewhere in the vicin-
ity of these mountains. They speak
of this tribe in a low tone of voice,
looking suspiciously and timidly
around, as though fearful of being
overheard. They believe them to be
cannibals, eating their food raw, and
living outside without any covering
for their bodies — like wild animals.
They al.so seem to ascribe to thom
supernatural powers, for when, as I
was trying to induce them to continue
the journey with me, I pointed to my
rifle and said I would shoot any Na-
hone who .should attempt to molest
me, they gave their heads an incredu-
lous shake, as if they could not believe
it. It appears that at one time an un-
usually fierce and warlike tribe in-
habited the region around the head
waters of the Liard and Pelly Rivers.
Rumors of their aggressiveness proba-
bly reached these ;)eaceful people.
Which would give rise, in time, to their
needless feelings of alarm and dread.
They admitted that none of them had
ever seen a Nahone, or had ever heard
of any person having seen one ;
yet nothing, except perhaps extreme
want, would induce even a strong
force of them to remain in this lo-
cality.

Fi'om here to the Porcupine River
is sixteen and a half miles, thirteen
of which is drained by the Ogil-
vie River. The country is slightly
undulating, and wooded with stunted
scattering timber, the existence of
which is a matter of surprise, consider-
in" that the latitude is Go 25' and the

THE CANADIAN MAGAZINE.

altitude more than 3,000 feet above
the level of the sea. In the open
woods there is considerable fine short
grass, and the willows along the num-
erous creeks in the neighborhood are
as large as in southern countries.

Where the Porcupine is reached, it
is a large creek, flowing northward
from between two mountains, ihe
valley can be seen for about .'^ix miles
up, when it turns to the west, and
disappears. About half a mile from
here the stream enters a lake three
miles long and upwards of one mile
wide. At the lower end of the lake,
which lies close to the foot of a lofty
range of mountains, the stream turns
from a northerly to a westerly di-
rection, and, about a mile further on,
enters another lake about as large as
thp first, from which it emerges double
its former size. The valley is about
a mile wide, %vell timbered in the bot-
tom, and some of the trees are over a
foot in diameter, clean trunked, and
suitable for making lumber.

After parting from the Indians, the
work of hauling our outfit over the
snow and slup.h was exceedingly la-
borious, and we were fast bocomiag
exhausted and unequal to the task.
There was danger also of our pro-
visions running short, if such severe
labor were continued (three times the
quantity being consumed under this
labor than would suthee under ordi-
nary circumstances). Hence I decided
to halt until the ice broke up and we
could use our canoes ; and so we had
a hut erected, consisting of canvas
stretched over a wooden frame. Here
we remained for six weeks — from the
10th of April to the 2ist of May.
Though this was a much-needed re-
lief to oar wearied bodies, we were
greatly discouraged and disaf)pointed
by this long delay in of;r home-
ward journey. In our winter camp
we freqijently enjoyed the jovial so-
ciety Of the miners, and a visit to some
of theui could be made at anytime we
felt so inclined. We were always
aware, too, that, as a last resort, we

could discontinue the exploration work
we had .set out to accomplish, and n -
turn in the spring to civilization. But
here in this camp we were absolute
prisoners; our nearest neighbors, tho
Tat-on-duc Indians, were seventy miles
away, and escape in any direction,
however gieat the emergency, was, for
the time being, impossible. Can it be
wondered at that doubts were enter-
tained by members of the party that,
we would ever reach our destination
by this unknown route, and that fears
were expressed that we would all
perish and never be ' jard of again ?

After a week't. xccuperationin camp,
ho\»ever, the men became reconciled
to their lot, and gloomy forebodings
gave way to hope. Cheerfulness, real
or assumed, was regarded as a duty,
and, from this time, merriment became
the order of the day.

An unfailing source oi amusement
and interest to us during our impris-
onment wai the Canada Jav, or Whis-
key Jack, as it is commonly calltid.
This bird is about the siy^e and shape
of the ordinary blue jay, but grey in
color. It is celebrated for its familiar-
ity with animals and man, hence the
name, " Moose Bird," by whicii it is
sometimes called. They came around
our camp door in large numbers, chat-
tering in a most comical manner, and
greedily devouring what crumbs and
scraps we threw to them. Numbers
of them were caught in snares, and
little collars of colored material were
placed around their necks, and, thus
arrayed, they were given their free-
donj. Their antics, when removing
these collars from each other, were ex-
tremely comical. Some of them were
re-caught four or five times.

The cunning of these birds is re-
mavkabie. One of them was noticed
to be particularly bold and cheeky,
and all attempts to capture him wero
in vain. At length a bag was prr-

Eared, with a hoop in its mouth to
old it open, ami some food was placed
ai'ound the mouth and inside. The
bird approached it cautiously, a,nd, iif-

they fir
winter,
They s
the sno
ering a
they t
wheie
hill sid(
pawed
than a
a mile i
lieing m
at time!
on stio\
and I (i(
nient.
soft snn
enoiiL'h

i-ationwork
ieh and ri'-
lation. But
re absolute
Thbors, th'i
venty miles
direction,
icy, was, for
Can it be
were enter-
party that
destination
d tliat fears
would all
i of again I
ionincani|i,
i reconciled
forebodings
'fulness, real
as a duty,
nent became

amusement
our irapris-
av, or Whis-
lonly called,
e and shape
but grey in
its famlliar-
m, henco the
f Avhich it is
came around
itabera, chat-
manner, and
crumbs and
n. Numbers
1 snares, and
aaterial wen;
ks„ and, th\is
jri their free-
en removing
her, were ex-
uf them wore
les.

birds is le-
1 was noticed
and cheeky,
uro him wero
liig was prr-
its mouth to
i)d was placed
inside. The
mslv, and, .if-

DOliW J HE YUKON.

ter a time, entered the trap. One of
the men made a rush to clo'ie the
nioath of the bag, and, in his haste,
accidentally fell upon it. When it
was opened, the jay was, to all ap-
pearances, dead and li.ap. An alter-
cation arose between t!ie man who fell
on the bag and another who was par-
ticularly fond of the bird, during
which the carcat^s was sadly tossed out
cf the camp. It had not reached tlie
ground, however, when the bird flew
rapidly to the branch of the nearest
tree, and there commenced an unusu-
ally vigorous chattering and scolding,
which, with the expression of bewild-
ered astonishment on the countenan-
ces of the disputants, produced the
most uproarious and long-continued
laughter amoig Uie vest of us.

Owing to ..he i.:,jlation of this dis-
trict, anima! life was abundant. Otter
and marte.i were numerous, and tnere
were indications of beaver, s'so of the
fox and Ir nx. Ptarmigan were plenti-
ful, as well as the Canada jay just
mentioned.

Vast numbers of moose md cariboo
wander throughout the district, and as
a consequence of being unmolested by
hunters, were much less fearful of man
than in other places, During the
winter, the moose live on buds and
young twigs of the willow, while the
cariboo live chieHy on moss. This
they find high up on the hil' sides in
winter, and lowi^r down in iummer.
They stiHid facing upwarl, and pull
the snow down towards ' lem, uncov-
ering a patch which they crop ; and
they then proceed a stej) upwards,
where they do likewise. We noticed
hill sides on which the snow had been
pawed ovei' in this manner for more
than a mile in length by a quarter of
a mile in breadth, hardly a square yard
being missed f had been told that
at times the Indians pursue the moose
on snow .shoes, and run them down,
and I decided to verify this by experi-
ment. [ started after one in deep,
soft snow, but could not approach near
enough to the animal to get a shot at

it. At times I wouluga.n upon it, but
I fell frequently and thus lost my ad-
vantage. After pursuing the brute for
over five miles, I gave up the contest,
but not before he sliowod signs of dis-
tress : his tongue hung out, and
he was so winded that he stopped
whenever I did. I afterwards learned
that the snow-shoes which the Indians
use on these occasions are made speci-
ally for the puipo.se, and are as long
as the heiglit of the man who is to use
them, and about iifteen inches wide.
My shoes were of this width, but only
two feet long, so that I sank almost to
the knee at each step.

When the snow is not deep, and the
animals are hard to approach, tlie In-
dians resort to the following stra-
tagem : — A I'avine tilled with snow is
.selected, and aromd it, on the lower
side, is builtabruih fence, which is ex-
tended outwards and backwards on
eich side to the uplands, diverging un-
til the ends aie some miles apart.
This fence consists merely of crotched
sticks, driven into the snow at inter-
vals of a few yards, with poles laid
horizontally in the crotches, the chief
object being to make the agency of
man in its construction as conspicuous
as possible. A party then scour.^ the
country around the mouth of the trap,
gradually approaching it, and driving
the animals in the vicinity between the
arm.s, which they avoid as soon as they
see, and rush on to the snow pit at the
end, where they are easily dispatch.ed by
the Indians, who become almost frantic
with excitement.aiid an uncontrollalde
desire to kill every animal within reach,
On our journey between our winter
quarter and La Pierre s House, we saw
four of these traps.

In spite of sucli wliolesale and pro-
niiscuou. slaughter of these brutes,
innumerable herds of them range over
the whole of this northern country
through which we passed.

Shortly after settling in our camp,
a herd of cariboo was announced iis ap-
proaching us. Four of us took our
rifles, Gladman, an excellent shot, ac-

THE CANADIAN MAGAZINE.

companying me, and Morrison and
Sparks going in a different direction.
The latter two came suddenly ou the
herd coming up a slight incline, and
Sparks at once fired. Upon this the
brutes made a stampede straight to-
wards them, and while they were
passing both men fired all the car-
tridges in their repeating rifles. At-
tracted by the noise of the shooting.
Gladtnan and I ran to the scene, but
not a cariboo, nor even a trace of blood
on the ground remained as the result
of the fusilade. This incident illus-
trates how men, exceptionally brave
and cool-headed, become suddenly at-
tacked with what is known as " buck-
fever," on such an occasion as this. It
is perhaps needless to add that this
event was the subject of considerable
badinage at the expense of Morrison
and Sparks, especially as we were in
need of fresh meat. A few days after-
wards I .lecured a shot at a cariboo,
but found the meat so infested with
parasitic larvje as to be unfit for food.
The lowest temperature recorded
during April was 37° F below zero. This
was on the 4th, and for the six follow-
ing days the minimum temperature
was lower than 30^ below zero. The
snow began to show signs of melting
on the 2i)th April, and on the 30th the
thermometer stood at 40° above zero.
On this day also occurred the first ap-
pearance of insect life, a small fly com-
ing out of the river in great numbers
flying about and crawling over the
snow. On the 5th day of May the
temperature was 2° below zero, and
was the last time a minus reading was
recorded. On the Gth, the water in
the river began to rise. On the 8th
a flock of wild geese were seen flying
in a south-westerly direction.as though
coming from the Mackenzie River.
The common house fly made its ap-
pearance the same day. The first
.swans were seen on the 11th; cranes
on the 15th ; and mosquitoes un the
14th.

The ice in the vicinity of the camp

being broken up, and my men im-
patient and anxious to make a start,
our supplies and outfit were securely
packed in the two canoes, and we left
our spring quarters on the 21st May.
We had only gone three miles, how-
ever, when we found it utterly impos-
sible to make any further progress.
The river was solidly blocked v/ith ice
for miles, and we were reluctant!}
conpelled to re-construct our camp
and remain until the ice began to
move. On the 28th we again set out,
and by paddling through the open
spaces, and dragging the canoes across
jams and floating fields of ice, we
succeeded in getting ten miles down
the stream. Here was an enormous
jam of more than a mile in length,
over which it was impossible to haul
the canoes, and which had raised
the water on both sides of the river so
that we could neither pack past it, nor
even find a camping place until we had
gone back some distance. This caused
a whole day's delay, after which the
jam moved sufficiently far to allow us
to reach dry lar'' • < i the east side, to
which point the v-*noes and equipages
were brought, and from there packed
to the foot of the jam. Just when we
had finished j)acking, the jam burst
and the river clearefi, so that all our
severe labor was unnecessary. About
six miles below this, a large creek
comes in from the west. At its mouth
are many old racks for drying fish,
erected by the Indians many years
ago; from this circumstance I have
called the stream the "Fishing Branch "
of the Porcupine. The water of this
stream is lilack and clear ; while that
of the main river is blue. About a
mile beyond the entrance of the Fish-
ing Branch, another jam caused a de-
lay of a day, and after eight miles of
most dangerous and difticult canoeiii;,',
another impassable jam was encount-
ered. As this gave no .signs of break-
ing up, we decided to get around it,
which we did by wading, packing luid
canoeing through the surrounding
woods. A little further on there is a

DOWN THE YUKON.

men un-

e a start,

securely

1 we left

1st May.

les, how-

ly impos-

progress.

Iv.'ith ioe

luctantly

our camp

began to

n set out,

the open

loes across

ice, we

liles down

enormous

in length,

le to haul

ad raised

he river so

past it, nor

itil we had

?his caused

which the

to allow us

lat side, to

1 equipages

lere packed

st wlien we

jam burst

liat all our

ry. About

arge creek

tits mouth

Irying fish,

Dany years

nee I ha%'e

njr Branch '

iter of this

while that

. About a

)f the Fish-

lused a de-

it miles of

It canoeiii!,',

is encouiit-

18 of break-

, around it,

)acking and

lurroundiiig

I there is a

sharp turn in the river, and immedi-
ately below it a rapid whic'u vire enter-
ed before we had time to realize our
danger. We fortunately got through,
with no other mishap than one of the
canoes filling with water and nearly
dnking.

Twenty miles below the Fishing
Branch, the river suddenly leaves the
mountains, running under the base of
the last peak, which is 2,500 feet high,
and which I have named Mount Dewd-
ney. As far as can be seen from this
point, the mountains trend east and
west, those on the east being lower,
and gradually sloping off as if to an-
other deep valley at no great distance.

From our camp to this point is
about thirty-seven miles, in which
there is a fall of four hundred feet. No
sign of stratification was observed
along the river, nor were there seen
any traces of organic remains.

After leaving the mountains, the
river winds through an undulating
and wooded country. u banks are
nowhere more than ei;, > one hun-

dred feet high, and gener.illy consist
of clay, with occasional e.xposni'
of a black shale, which decomp' o^
into a rich black clay. The timber on
the uplands, though thick, is not large
enough for any other purpose than
fuel. About thirteen miles below the
mountains, a largd rock exposure ox-
tends for half a mile on the east bank.
It rises three or four hundred feet
above the river, and is weathered into
fantastic resemblances to old buildings,
for which reason I have called it Ca-
thedral Rock.

About forty miles below the moun-
tains, a large tributary Hows in from
the south-west, and below this the
current of the Porcupine becomes
deeper and slower, and would be
navigable for steamers of moderate
draught.

A mile and a half below this, a
stream one hundred yards wide flows
in, and the width of the Porcupine
averages one hundred and fifty yards.

From here down to the mouth of

Bell River, the fall is not noticeable
by barometer, and the current is very
slow. The latter river comes in from
the east. As far up as its junction with
Eagle River, it is one hundred yards
wide. Its low banks are thinly wood-
ed. By mistake we went up Eagle
River one day's journey — twenty-seven
miles. As we were encamped on u\e
bank, a party of Indians, who had
been on a hunting expedition, came
down the river in skin boats, loaded
with furs. These boats are made by
sewing together a number of deer or
moose skins, raw, with he hair taken
off. A keel is laid down, and willow
ribs and framework of the required
dimensions are attached to it, and over
this the cover is stretched after being
soaked in water. When dry, it is
smeared with melted fat.

By signs, we beckoned the Indians
to come ashore. As they were ap-
proaching, I noticed my double-barrel-
led d»ot-gun, which was loaded, lying
on the ground, and, fearing an accident
if they attempted to handle and ex-
amine it, I took it up and withdrew
the cartridges. i this action they
became alai inec and suspicious, and it
vas with <i fficilty that we assured
them we intended no harm,and induced
them to land. ^ 'ter they had par-
taken of ourhospiuiiity, and were pre-
senttd vvith a j)ound or so of our tea,
they b< ame quite friendly and com-
municative. Having learned from
them that we liad come up the wrong
river, we at ■ ce retraced our steps,
reachin ' River at one o'clock in
the mori. .^, at which hour the sun
was well above the horizon. It aston-
ished the Indians greatly to see how we
managed our canoes in the ice. In
order to prevent them being crushed,
it was often necessary to hastily jump
out upon a floating mass and haul the
canoes out quickly until the danger
was past, when we re-embarked in the
same spot, or dragged it across to open
water on the other side. Ice of this
kind was encountered all the way to
La Pierre's House, which we reached

THE CANADIAN MAGAZINE.

k!i

at nine o'clock at ni^ht, or rather
in the afternoon, of the Gth of June.
A large numbe. of natives were here
when we arrived. Our canoes and
outfit were a subject of great curi-
osity to them, and the accounts of one
of the Indians who accompanied us for
the previous two days aa to how we
worked through the ice caused them
to regard the wliid' man's canoe as be-
ing a creature of life and spirit.

The distance from here to Fort Mc-
Pherson is eighty miles by trail, and the
trip is usually made in three days.
By the route, however, which it was
necessary for us to take with our
canoes, eleven days of i- ^hnite toil and
difficulty were occupied between the
two posts. We set out on the 8th, go-
ing up Bell River to a pass across the
watershed between it and Trout River,
by which we were to loach th-j Peel.
Although the distance to the pass was
only twenty-one miles, owing to ice
jams and the sinuosities of the rive?, it
took us three days to reach it. The
current was not strong, but there were
shoals where the ice, fully tivp feet
thick, was grounded and piled up so as
to dam the water back until suiTicient
force was accumulated to |)ush it over
or break it up. Leaving the river at
the pass, we entered a creek, up which
for the liist few hundred yards we
easily pa' ii lied. For the next mile and
a half, however, the cieek was a con-
tinuous rapid, and there not being suf-
ficient water to carry us in our canoes,
we had to diag them after us, wading
through the water amid thickly falling
snow. At the end of the rapid the ice
was solid, and at least ttii feet thick,
which rendered necessary the ] tacking
of our outfit for aboii a mile, to where
the stream was again open, where we
re-embarked and paddled without
difficulty for six milts, or three miles
in a direct line. I hre agflin we had to

pack about four miles to a creek flow-
ing into Trout River. This creek >"is
.so full of ice and snow that, although
it was only three and a half miles to
the river, a whole day was consumed
in getting there.

The country around here is almost
treeless, only a tew stunted spruce be-
ing seen near the lakes.

Ten nd a half miles from where
we filtered Trout River, it leaves the
mou-'*"!ns, passing through a canon,
tlie walls of which are eighty feet high.
The lai! in this distance is three hun-
dred and sixty feet, but, being uni-
form, the current, though swift and
rough, is not dangerous for canoes. In
the ;.ext foui^een miles the fall i.s
seven hundred and thirty fiet, or fifty-
two to the mile. This is not uniform,
being brok-"i mto several rapids, the
running of which was, to .^ay the least,
exciting. In the very last yard of the
last of these rapids, when but twenty
miles of smooth water lay between us
and Fort McPherson, my canoe, which
had passed unharmed through the
danjrers and vicissitudes of over a
thou.sand miles since we entered Alas-
ka, had its side broken by an unseen
stick. The fracture was speedily re-
medied and the journey continued to
the Peel River, which was entered on
the 19th.

rhis was the most northerly point
reached by the exptdition, — G7 4.")\ —
yet trees of considerable size are fouml
along the banks of the river. The
length of time that timber, when cut or
hewn, will preserve a fresh apjiearance
in this region is remarkable. Trits
and logs cut in 1872 appeared as if
only cut a few months ago. The same
thing was noticed on the Upper Por-
cupine.

Early in the morning of the 20th uf
June we arrived at Fort McPher-
son.

(TO BE CONTINUED.)

reek tiow-
creek ^—is
although
f miles to
consumed

is almost
spruce be-

om where

leaves the

1 a canon,

feet high.

three hnn-

being uni-

swift and

canoes. In

:he fall is

et, or fifty-

)t uniform,

rapids, the

,y the least,

yard of the

3ut twenty

between us

noe, which

rough the

of over a

tered Alas-

an unseen

peedily re-

>ntinued to

entered on

herly point

-0." 4.r,—

3 are found
iver. The
ivhencut or
apjiearance
ble. Trees
jared as if
The same
Upper Por-

the SOth of
t McPher-

^ <\3j

LORD AND LADY ABERDEEX.

177

er.s in the various women's societies of
tlie Dominion are concerned, she has
captured them entirely, and Her Ex-
cellency's acceptance of the post of
President in the National Council v.f
Women for Canada, at their recent
meeting in Toronto, strengthened this
influence. The speech delivered by
licr upon that occasion was remark-
able. Its keynote may be found in
this paragraph :

" Do we value our responsibilities as mothers,
as sisters, as friends, as tlic makers or marrers
of home life, of social life '.' "

U">ity of oiganization was what -^he
wanted, though the objects of the m-
dividual societies might be different.
Increased strength would then come
to the central body and be diffused
tln-oughout all its limbs no matter how
diverse the ends in view. In this plea
Her Excellency was successful. But
to reach the hearts of Canadian women
as a whole, public bodies, however
strong, are not sufficient, because the
majority do not take a marked interest
in them. Tiiat will have to be left to
time and to the qualities portrayed
liy a lady member of the Chicago
//eva^fi's staff" a few weeks since :

" Lady Aberdeen is a beautiful woman in the
best sense of the word. Her frank face, her
aiinuy smile, her cordial mariaer, and her (|uiet
di){nity all bespeak the jcrfcct gentlewoman.''^

Such is a brief sketc' of our new
Governor-General and n... wife. His
Excellency has a great future before
him, in Canada and elsewhere. His

ability in saying the riglit thing in
the right place, his reputation for tact,
and his high personal character will be
powerful factors in that direction.

There may be one difficulty to over-
come. Writers, like W. T. Stead, in
the Revieii' of Reviews, who nevei'
have a good word for Canada, and
who never cease prating about that
unity of sentiment between England
and America, which residents in the
I'nite'^ States find so much difficulty
in discovering, already speak of the
" maccnificent opjjortunities " now lying
before Lord and Lad>' Aberdeen for
" tlie promotion of an Anglo-American
entente." Such utterances overlook
the vital fact that Canoaa does not
exist for the sole purpoi j of unifying
British and American sentiment, and
that the Governor-General of Canada
is not here as an ambassador from
Great Britain to the United States, but
as a representative upon Canadian soil
of the sovereign of our own Empire.
The great interest so generously taken
by Lord and Lady Aberdeen in the
Chicago fair lias led, in certain quar-
ters, to this strange misconception of
their duties. But time, as in many
other things, will prove the error — and
in this Ci se it may well be expected,
place th'- new occupants of Itideau
Hall high in the roll of ("anadianfanie,
and leave for the Earl of Aberdeen a
reputation and a popularity which will
compare with that of even his most
distinguished predecessor.

DOWN THE YUKON AND UP THE MACKENZIE.

SSOO MiltH by Foot and Paddle.*
BY WILLIAM OGILVIE, D.L.S.. F.R.G.S.

IV.

FOHT MoPhkrsox stands on a high
bank of gravel and slate, on the east
side of the Peel River, about fourteen
miles above the jioint where it divides
and joins the Mackenzie delta, which
is common to both rivers. The height
of this bank rapidly decreases towards
the mouth of the river, where it al-
most entirely disappears. The country
surrounding has evidently at one time
been a part of the Arctic Ocean which
has been gradually filled up with al-
luvial deposits brought down by the
two rivers.

On this rich .soil, the timber, mostly
spruce, with some tamarac, birch and
poplar, is, for the latitude, very large.
As far as I could learn, no attempt at
cultivating cereals or roots has been
made at Fort McPherson, but consider-
ing the prevailing temperatures during
the growing months, the period of
vegetation, and the duration of sun-

.shine at this northern point, it seems
evident that Fort McPherson has allliie
essential elements for the successful cul-
tivation of most cereals and vegetables.
There are twenty-four liours sunshine
each day from about the 1st of June
to the loth of July ; and during the
four growing months, May, June, July
and August, the sun is below the hori-
Z(ui altogether only a little over three
hundred hours, or about one- tenth of
the time. When the temperature is
suitable, vegetation, under these con-
ditions, thrives to an almost incredible
degiee. When I arrived at Fort Mc-
Pherson, on the 20th of June, the n(!\v
buds on the trees were just perceptible,
and on the evening of the 2'2n(l, when I
loft, the trees were almost fully in lonf.
The following table, which I have
computed, showing comprehensively
the difterent durations of sunlight for
the latitudes of Ottawa, Forts Chipe-
wyan, Simpson, (ioc l1 Hope and Mc-
Pherson, may not be uninteresting ;—

Ottawa. Chipe'wvan Simpson. Good Hope.

L.^TITUDB.

Hours sunlight, May I . .

" " June 1 . . .

" " June 21 . . .

" " July I. .

. " " Aug. 1...

; " " Aug. .SI ... .

46" 26'

II. .M.

14 08
1.-. 16
1.-) SO

15 24
14 32
13 08

.18° 43'

6r 52'

66° 16'

McPherson.
67" 2(i'

H. H,

16 34

17 36

18 44
18 36
16 16
13 52

11. M.

II. M.

Hi or>

17 06

17 :io

18 39

21 04

24 (HI

19 14

22 4.S

24 on

19 02

22 04

24 0(1

16 ')(!

18 16

19 -JJ

14 08

14 36

14 44

Hours sunlight in May . . .

" " June..

July...

" " August

Totals

Hours.

456
4(i2
464
423

Hours.

514

549
5,30
467

Hours.

538

570
55S
481

Hours.

592
662
625
519

Hours.

70(i
720
684
527

2,637, or
109 (lay.s 21
hours.

" Bcvtrul of the Uliiatrationa (UMOiiiputiviiiK the prtstnt article an- from photoKruplm tiikiii by the Krtncli triivi llf r,
LeCompte <le Sainville, and kindly louiied by Hia Honor Lieut. -Uovcriior Suhultz, of Manitoiia. The other illti^ira.
tioni are from photograjihii by .Mr. Ogilvie.

1,805 or 2,060, or 2,147, or ! 2,. 398, or

(SdaysShrs. 85(lys.20hrs. S9ays. 11 his. 99(lys.22hrs.

NZIE.

joint, it seems

rson hasalltlie

i successful ciil-

inJ vegetables.

lours sunshine

e Ist of June

nd (lurinsf tlie

ay, June, July

)elo\v the hoii-

ttle over three

t one- tenth itt

temperature is

der these con-

nost incredihle

'd at Fort Mc-

June, the now

List perceptihle,

le 2in(],when 1

)st fully in leiif,

which I have

)mprehensively

of sunlight for

I, Forts Chipc-

Hope and JIc-

linteresting :—

l>PK. jMl.'PHEKSdN.

67° 2(i'

H, M.

17 .'ill
24 (Ki
•24 (III
24 (III
lit -JJ
14 44

Houro.

7(i(i
7-Jii
(i,S4

2,rt37, or
109 days '21
hourc.

.V the Kri'iicli truviller,
ii. The other illii-ini-

t, or
^hrs.

DOWN THE YUKON.

179

The number of hours of sunlight
in each month has been obtained from
the mean of the numbers at the be-
ginning and ending of the month,
neglecting the want of uniformity in
the rate of change of the sun's decli-
nation. Were the hgi.t of each day
in the period separately computed, the
totals would show even mere differ-
ence in favor of the North. In the
forejioing table refraction hasnjt been
taken into account, except in ..he ca.se
of Fort McPherson. Allowance for
refraction would increase the deration
of sunlight at all the other places, but
much more in the North than in the
South.

During my stav at the fort I had
the pleasure of being entertained by

of friend.ship, and those of the great
white queen who had sent me into this
land of great mountains and mighty
rivers, where, though the summer
might be short and uncertain, and the
winte.' long and cold, I had found that
the love of my red brothers was con-
stant and their hearts always warm
and true. At theconclu.sion of mylittie
speech I distributed some jirovisions,
and a few small articles, as presents
among them.

After dinner we were treated to an
exhibition of step-dancing. A villain-
ous looking kit was produced which,
in the hands of a stalwart son of the
forest, screeched as if all the demons
in pandemonium were tearing at its
insides.

rKOTKSTANT MIS^JION AT FORT .MCFHEKSON.

Chief Rob«ri, oi" the Loucheux Indians,
who ga> e a grand dinner in iny honor.
The Hu'lson's Bay Company's otKcers,
chiefs Of' neighboring tribes, and others,
were invited to the ban(]uet, which
consisted simply of boiled meat and
tea. This was partaken of, however,
withmuch dignity and decorum. Chief
Robert made me and my party a Ibr-
nial address of welcome, which was
translateil for us by the interpreter.
He said that his fare was simple and
frugal, and he knew that it was not
such cheer as hi.s white brother from
the far distant^outh was accustoiiiCid to,
but to such as it was we wf re hea^^ily
Welcome. Uf course, I hr.,d to make a
suitable reply, thanking him for hi,^
hospitality and expressing my feelings

' Nunc pede libera, pidsancUi tdliis."
The louder it screeched the higher
the dusky heels Hew, some of the noble
red men displaying a surprising degree
of gllity and proving themselves to
be proficient in the terpsichoreau art.

'Their national dance, howevei-, is a
very different affair, consisting of a
series of monotonous, jerky movements,
performed with swaying and rocking
bodies and accompanied by much dis-
mal chanting or howling and vigorous
beating of toui-tom.s, which, at night
particularly, and around a tiiekering
camp fire, has a weird and gruesome
effect. After the dancing, games of
various kinds were indulged in. (^ne
in particular, which 1 hail never seen
belore, in some respects analogous to

:^y--

.r-.,:

i8o

THE CA NA DIA N MA GA ZINE.

our cliil(hon'8 ganio ot .snap-dragon,
attbrded considerable amusement. A
pot of dried meat is put on to boil, and
when it is done the sport begins. The
boys having eodocted from all sides,
an Indian seizes the pot and runs
hither ami thitherat full speed through
the camp with it, the boys making
frantic dives fur the pot is its smoking
savory contentsare wliisl ed past them.
Unfortunately, the runne •, in this case,
thouirh fleet, was not sure of foot, and,
stuml)ling against a little mound, he
sent the pot flying, and himself went
heels over head, wth the whole pack

there to connect with my micrometer
survey of the Athabasca and the Peuce
rivers. I tried to take .some observa-
tions for latitude, but as the sun never
set, I could get only a coujde of meriiii-
an altitudes of first magnitude stars, in
addition to that of the sun. The instm-
mentused wasfaulty.so that the result,
07 20', cannot be accepted with much
conKdence, as it may be in error a
minute or more. 1 ob.served tlie
sun, east and west, for a/umuth, ainl
that night did what I think no other
Dominion Land Surveyor has ever
done, — I took the sun's lower or mid-

i \

IlLACK .MOUNTAl.V, IIKI.OW eEKI, HIVKK.

of boys writhing, struggling and kick-
ing on top of him. The dogs, in the
melee, quick to seize the opportuniiy
of a lifetime, pounced upon and se-
cured the lion's share of the meat.
But, ala-s ! they had bolted it blazing
hot, and then howls of anguish, rising
and fallini;' through all the varied
gamutof canine vocal expression, could
be heard for long after our de[)arture.
The greater part of two days was
spent in making preparations to resume
tiie micrometer survtsy and carry it
from this point to Fort Chipewyan,

night transit across the meri<lian, for
time. On the 22nd of June I took a
set of magnetic observations, and all
the necessary' preparations for the
survey being completed, started tiie
work at six o'clock that evening, com-
pleting about seven miles.

Between Peel river and the Macken-
zie about two-thirds of the channel in
the delta averages more than a quarter
of a mile wide ; the remainder abmit
one hundred yards. All of it wasdeen
when I passed through, and the Hud-
son's Bay Company's steamer Wriyh'y,

' micrometer
1(1 the Pt'iice
me observa-
le .sun ne\ci'
)le of meriili-
,ii(le starts, in

The iiKsttu-
at the result,
il with much

in error a
bserved the
/.imuth, lunl
nk no otlier
or has ever
ower or mid-

DOWN THE YUKON.

i8i

meriilian, tor
une I took a
iions, and all
ions for the
, started tlie
evening, com-

1 the Mack I'li-
he channel in
han a (|uarter
ainder about
of it was deoji
md the Hud-
.luer Wrifjh'li,

(hawing five feet of water, finda no islands. The shore on the east side is
(lithculty in navigating it. The banks sloping, while that on the west is
do not rise more than ten or fifteen generally perpendicular, showing the
feet above the water, and the current action of the current, which is wearing
is continually wearing away the soft into and carrying away portions of it.
deposit and carrying it down to the This form of bank changes into steep
lower ])art of the delta and to the .shale lock on both sides, gradually in-
Arctic ocean. creasing in height as far as the Nar-
Where we enter the Mackenzie prop- rows, where thoy are ])robably one
er, the channel is three-fourths of a hundred and fifty feet above the water,
mile wide, but it is only one of four, On the Mackenzie I did not stay
there being three large islands at this long enough to learn much about the
point. The whole width of the river Indiana in the district, nor did I see
cannot be less than three or four miles, many of thein. While we were in the
Looking northward, down the westerly delta, nine large boats loaded with
channel, the view is bounded by the Esfjuimaux from tlie coast passed us
sky, and widens in the distance so that on their way up to Fort McPherson

to do their trading
for the season, in
(jne of which I
noticed a young
woman devouring a
raw musk-rat with
evident relish.
These people come
up from the coast
in skin boats, called
oumiaks, made, it is
said, of whale skin
)Mit round a wood
frame. The.se boats
present a very neat
appearance, and are
capable of carrying
about two tons each.
Whale oil is one of
the principal articles which they bring
in for sale.

The Es(iuimau.K aie reputed to be

threat thieves, and to require close

For this reason they were

STKAMKK WUKil.KV, lll.LOW I'lli: r. \NK O.N li;i;i, UIVCR,

one can fancy he is looking out to sea.

This can hardly be so, but from the

altitude of the bank wher(> I stood,

added to my own height, the horizon

must have been ,si.K miles away, and a watcliing.

bank in the channel of equal height not encouraged to remain when they

would have been visible twice that called at our camp. .Moreover, as they

distance. Now if the supjujsed bank
was timbered, as was that on winch I
'-tiiodjit would be visible ten or twelve
miles farther, but none was in sight.

A north wind raises ipiite a swell
Here, and the salty odor of the sea air
is plainly perceptible above the delta.
Tlie banks continue low, and the
country flat on both sides of the river.

are iiot very cleaidy in person, their
presence is not desirable. They were
formerly vcr\- aggressive toward
the Indians on the lower part of the
river, frequently coming up and rob-
bing, and, sometinijs, killing them.
!\Iany j-ears ago they reco'ived a severe
chastisement for this frum the com-
bined whites and Indians, and since

for .some nine or ten miles above the that have been guilty of no very ag-
F

i I

182

n/E CANADIAN MAGAZINE.

gressive act, though they a» > inclined
to be overbearing when thoy liave the
advantage in numbers. It is said that
murders are frequent among them-
selves ; and, as in most savage tribes,
retribution is the prerogative of the
kin ot" the murdered. Missionaries
have tried to do something toward
their moral in^provement, but, hitherto,
without very nmch effect.

Recalling the description of the
much-dreaded Nahones, given to me
by the Indians of the Porcu|)ine, — their
fierceness, and warlike nature, eating
their food raw, and so on, — the idea has
occurred to me that this agrees closely
with the character of the Esquimaux,

CAl'TAIN BKLI,, STKAMKR WRKil.KY.

and that, possibly, these have been
mistaken by the Indians for the re-
doubtable Nahones. This seems more
probable, also, when it is remembered
that the Esquimaux formerly used to
make frequent long incursions inland,
in the course of some of which they
must inevitably have encountered the
Indians of the Porcupine.

A few miles above the Narrows the
banks change from rock to clay and
gravel, and continue generally steep
and high as far as B^ort (Jood Hope.
In a few places the bank recedes from
the river for a short distance, forming
a low fiat, on which generally grows

some fair spruce timber. I notiicil
that these Hats are being eaten away
by the action of the current and
waves. The greatest extent of level
ground 1 saw is opposite the site of
Fort Good Hope, hov a distance of
about eighty miles up from the delta
the river is clear of bars and islands ;
it then widens to two miles or more,
and scattered bars and small islamis
occur. The current is uniform, as one
would expect in such an immense
volume of water, and never exceeds
four miles an hour. There are many
places where, looking up and down the
valley, the view is bounded by a water
horizon.

No rivers of importance flow into
the Mackenzie between Red and Hare
Indian Rivers. Sixty miles above Red
River, a stream one hundred yards
wide enters from the north-east, I
think this is a river which an old
man at Fort Good Hope described tn
me as one up which a Hudson's Bay
Company's officer went, many years
ago, to its source, which he fovind to
be not far from the head waters of
Anderson River, which flows into the
Arctic Ocean. It would appear from
the old man's statement that several
trips up it have since been made ; but
bis information was vague, and I after-
wards met no one who could give nic
a reliable account of this river.

One hundred and thirty miles fur-
ther on. Loon River enters from the
east, and, twenty miles above this
Hare Indian River also enters from
the same side. The Indians rejiort
that Hare Indian River rises in a
range of hills on the north-west side
of Great Bear Lake, but about its
navigability I could learn notliiiif;.
There was an old Indian at Fort (iood
Hope, who had been up to the head
waters of this river several times, iVoin
whom I hail hoped to obtain some
reliable information ; but because he
saw me taking an observation in day-
light, and learned that I could see tlio
stars at that time, he would tell uic
nothing, saying : " A man who could

DOWN THE YUKON.

183

r. I noticcil
f eaten away
current and
.tent of level
te the site of
a distance of
am the delta
and islands;
dies or more,
small islands
liforra, as one
an inniieiise
lever exceeds
ere are many
and down the
ed by a water

ace flow into
[led and Hare
les above lied
undred yards
north-east. I
which an old
5 described t"
Hudson's ISay
, many years
1 he found to
ead waters of
flows into the
I appear from
t that several
;en made ; but
ue, and I after-
could give nie
s river,
irty miles fm-
iters from the
is above this
10 enters from
Indians report
'er rises in a
lorth-west side
I Hit about its
learn notliinf;.
n at Fort (!ooil
ip to the head
iral times, from

obtain some
ant because ho
rvation in day-

1 could see the
1 would tell nie
nan who could

jee stars in daylight did not need to
he told anything about tl>e river, as
he could just as easily see the whole of
it for himself."

A few days before reaching Good
Hope, a cow moose and calf were no-
ticed crossing the river. Although
we were not in need of meat at the
time, the love of sport was so great
that the forward boat, with Sparks,
Gladman, and a Fort Good Hope In-
dian, whom we had picked up at Fort
McPherson, at once gave chase. Wo
had heard stories of the tieiceness of
the female moose when protecting its
young, and the men determined now
to put these yarns to the proof by at-
tempting to separate the mother from
the calf. This proved to be most dan-
(jerous sport, and
had they not been
expert canoemen,
it would certainly
have resulted in
disaster. The
moose kept herself
between the calf
and the canoe, and
wlienever the lat-
ter came too close,
she wo\dd turn
and charge, mak-
ing three or four
frantic bounds

through the water at a terrific rate of
speed. A couple of swift strokes of the
paddle would send thecanoeout of dan-
ger, and the mother would return to
the calf, whose bellowing could be
heard for miles around, and, placing
her breast against his side, push
against him as hard as she could.
The attack on the calf would then l)e
repeated from the other side, and with
the same residt. In this way, the
cairoe making sudden da.shes at the
calf, the mother furiously charging
baidc, and the calf bellowine' as if his
lift! depended on it, the shore was
re;iched. Here the moose might easily
have made off at once, but this she re-
fu.sod to do, still keeping her body be-
tween the calf and danger, until he

had reached a point of safety far up
the bank.

Now, whatever the Indian's ideas
of all this had been, ho certainly never
dreamt that the white men intended
the moose to escape. Such an idea
never entered his mind. When, there-
fore, he saw the poor animal turn to
follow the calf up the bank, his excite-
ment reached a climax, and, seizing a
rifle, he levelled it at the faithful crea-
ture. Gladman, however, who had no
intention of seeing the panting victor,
after such a hard-fought battle and
such a magnificent display of courage,
stricken down in the moment of her
triumph in that dastardly manner,
leaped upon him and wrested the rifle
from him. To any one who is lamil-

K. C. eUL'Rl'll .AND DWKI.I.lNli HOISK AT COOH IlOl'K.

iar with the Indian character, and par-
ticularly with his propensity to slaugh-
ter every wild animal he comes across,
it is needless for me to attem])t to de-
scribe the bewildered amazement of
ibis particular Indian. He sulked for
three days, and would not speak a
v/ord to any member of the party ; at
first he would hai'dly eat his food.
When we arrived at Good Hope ho
rel'oved his mind by telling everybody
that we were lunatics, which state-
ment, I have no doubt, he himself firm-
ly believed.

We reached Fort Good Hope on
Saturday, the 24'th of July, and re-
mained over Sunday.

The Fort is built on the east side of
the Mackenzie, about two miles above

i«4

THE CANADIAN MAGAZINE.

Haro Indian River, and two below t.he more than lialf a mile, and thiscontin-

" Ramparts." It was oiiifinally about ues to tins upper end. Sir Alexander

one hundreil and twenty miles down Mackenzie, when ptiHsinj,' through,

the river from this point, but was sub- sounded at its Tipper end, and found

secjuently removed to the Upper three hundred feet of water, which ac-

Manitou Island, whence it was swept counts for the fact that although the

by a Hood in 183(1. It was then built Canon is .so narrow the current is not

on its present site. The Hudson's Hay
Company has quite a largo establish-
ment at this point, consisting of half-
a-dozen houses and some stables.
The Roman Catholic Church has a
nourishing ini.ssion hero, and the

])er(!eptibly increased.

When Mackenzie dicovered and ex-

Flored this river in 1789, he met some
ndians a shor dstance above this
place. After confidence had been es-
tablished by means ot' presents, he

church is said to possess one of the prepared to start onward ; and, al-
bost finished interiors in the country, thoiigh his newly-maile friends told

him there was great

\ (lunger aheail in the
form of a rapid w
cataractwhich wouM
swallow him and his
rty without fail,
continued, the In-
dians following and
warning him of his
danger. He advanced
cautiously into the
Ramparts, " but
could hear or see
nothing to vertify
theii- statement.s. At
last, when through,
they admitted that
the only bad vvatei
to lie encountered
was now passed, but
that behind the
Two miles above the Fort wo enter island just btdow was a bad spirit
what is known in the vicinity as the or monster which would devour the
" Ramparts," though in the more whole party ; failing there, the next
south-westerly part of the country it island below would surely reveal him.
would be called the " Canon." Here, From this incident the two islaiicK
for a distance of .seven nules, the ri/or have received tlie names of U|)per au<i
runs between perpendicular and oc- Lower Manitou, respectively,
casion'ally overhanging walls of rock. Mackenzie's experience with these
At the lower end they rise one hun- Indians all along the river is identical
dred anil lifty feet above the water, with that of nearlv every traveller
but their height decreases as we near through regions previou.sly unexplored,
the upper end, at which point they Everywhere he came in contact with
are not more than fifty or sixty feet, them, they manil'ested, at first, dread
The river, at the lower end of the of himself and ])arty, and, when friend-
" Ramparts," is nearly a mile wide, ship and confidence had been establi.sh-
but its walls gradually converge until, ed, they nearly always tried to detain
about three miles up, the widtli is not him by rep'e.sentii

CKE.VT SL.W K UI\1:K. STU. ciKAll.VMK. .\T SMITHS L.VNlUNd.

people

DOIVN THE YUKON.

185

direction ho was goiufi; as unnaturally
bloodthirsty am' cruol, soniotinies as-
sertinj^ tho existence of monsters with
Hupeinatural powers, as in the present
case. The people, too, on a very lar;,'e
river far to the west of the Mackenzie,

f)robabiy the Yukon, they described to
lini as monsters in size, power and
crutilty.

In our own time, after all the inter-
course that there has been between
them and the wliites, more than a
suspicion of such unknown, cruel peo-
ple lurks in the ndnds of'nuiny ol'the
Indians. It would be futile for me to
try to ascribe an origin for tlicse fears,
my knowledge of their language and
idiosyncrasies being so limited.

In the fall of 1JS87 a whale made
its way up tlie river to (he " Ram-
parts," remaining there the whole sea-
son, and, before the river froze over,
it was often seen blowing. At first
the Indians were afraid, but they soon
became accustomed to the sight, and
shot at the whale whenever it aj)-
proaclied the shore. In the spring its
dead body was beached by the ice on
the west shore, seven or eight miles
below Fort Good Hope, and the In-
dians used part of it fur dog food. I
enquired its dimensions from several
who had seen it. They described it as
about twice as long as one of their
canoes and thicker through than their
own height. This would mean a length
of from twenty-five to twenty-eight
feet. I have often heard it stated that
all the channels of the Mackenzie delta
are shallow, but the presence of this
whale assures us that one of them, at
least, is over six feet deep.

Forty-eight miles from Fort (iood
Hope, Sans Sault Ilapid is reached.
This, like the rapid at the head of tiie
"Kamparts," is all on one side of the
river, which is hero a mile and a
quarter wide. As I went up the west
side, and the rapid is on the other, ex-
tending but little more than a third of
the way across, I cannot say that I
saw anything of it. I heard the roar
plainly enough, but saw nothing ex-

cept a swift current. It is caused by a
ledge of rocks extending partially
acr(jss the river.

A ridge of hills here extend beyond
the rivi from tlie Rocky Mountains,
occasional glimpses of which can be
caught from the water.

Just above this the Mackenzie turns
sharply to the east from its .southerly
direction, and skirts the ba.se of the
mountains for six miles. Its course
then curves a little to the .south, when,
what might be termed a canon, is en-
tered, which extends for nine or ten
miles. The river hero averages a mile
in width, ami is walled on both .sides
by j)erpondicular limestone irliHs, ris-
ing from one to two hundred feet
above tho water. On the south side,
this wall terminates in what is known
as " Wolverine Rock,' which rises
perpendicularly fron\ the water to a
iieight of about three hundred feet.
The formation is limestone, tho strata
of which stand almost on edge, and the
water has worn through them in sev-
eral places, so that one can sail under-
neath. Above this point the moun-
tains again approach the river for a
few miles, when they suddenly ilrop
almost to the level of the plain. Tho
banks here are clay and gravel, with
an average height of from one hundred
to one hundred andfit'ty feet.

Six and one-half miles above Sans
Sault Rapids, Carcajou River em|)ties
its waters into the Mackenzie from the
west. This river, I believe to be the
largest tributary of the Mackenzie be-
low the Liard. An Indian with me
stated that this stream was very large
and very long, and that they had a.s-
cendoti it for gre .t distances through
tlie mountains. He pointed out the
direction of the valley for some dis-
tance above the mouth, and it appear-
ed to run parallel to the Mackenzie;
turning sharply to the west, it was
lost among the hills.

Creeping around a bend in the river,
close to shore — to avoid the floating
logs anddrif'twood, which fillediton the
afternoon of the 21st of July — about

r86

THE . CAN A DIA N MA GA ZINE.

P\ lAN C.\MV bULOW OOOU HOJ-E, SHOWISU MKTHOU OK UKVI»(( FISH.

one hundred miles above Fort Good
Hope, W(J met the Hudson'r; Bay Com-

f)any's little steamei- " Wrigley " on
ler way down to Fort McPherson. As
she was overdue at Good Hope, we
had been expecting to meet her, '.ufc
the suddenness with which fshe dawn-
ed upon our view in that region of
loneliueafl and desolation, startlod us.
Parker was in advance with the line,
but it did not need his excited shout
of " steamer ahead " to focus all eyes
upon her. There she wa;^ puffing awa);,
about half a niile out in the current.
Would «he pass without seeing us '.

The thoughtwa»s appalling. It flashe'l
through all minds at once. Parker let
a series of yells out ot hira that would
have done <;redit to a Comanche
chief on the warpath. I have said thiit
nothing ever excited Gladman, but J
make a notable exception of this case.
SeipMMg his rilio, he (ired a signal shot.
»nd waited breithleaslv, vowing with
flashing ey-^a that he would shoot into
hf.r if she pa.sseii us. Morrison caught
up one of the signal Hags and waved
it excitedly. In anxious suspense we
waited several minutes, which seemed
like hours. Would sih.o pass i

A lump rose in >ny throat as I yaw

iihe little prow turn slowly tow.aids
ihe shore and I knew that wo were

seen, while an answering shout assur-
ed us that we were recognized as "Ogll-
vie's party." This incident reads only
li'.cean ordinary occit.rence hero, but to
lae, it was no ordinary event — to me
thp' little boat, oiowly steaming to-
wards us, with the grand old tiat»-
aloft, was hoine, and all that the word
implies, and thus only can I explain
the frenzy and excitement that pos-
sessed the whole party. For fourteen
months we bad been wandering in this
dreary wilderness, unknowing and un-
known, and now in the form of that
small boat, home burst upon our view.
I have somewhere heard or read, that
Payne, who wrote " Home Sweet
Home.' was him.self a homele.ss wan-
derer. Be that true or not, as a fact, 1
can believe the idea is true, and that
only one who had felt the achini:'
void that nothing but home can till,
could compose such a song, or infuse
.'»o much feeling into .so few v^ords. It
may seem strange, but my emotion at
the moment completely overmastered
me, and I could i\ot restrain my tear.^.
On board the steamer were Bishop
Bompas, whi> is in charge of the diocese
of Mackenzie River for the Church
Missionary Socioty of England, Loid
Lonsdale and party on a holiday ex-
cursion, Mr. Camsill, Chief Factor of

n^Rnsn^m?

PlI.^..

DOWN THE YUKON.

187

the C4istrict for the Hudson's Bay
Company, and othors, and from them 1
heard the first news from the outside
world since May in the previous year.

Opposite where I met the steamer is
a larjEfe island in the river, which the
officers of the boat and Mr. Camsill
named "Ogilvie's Island," renuesting
me to so mark it on my map.as hence-
forth it would be known by that name
throughout the district.

Four hundred and forty-four miles
from Fort McPher-Sin brought us to
Fort Norman, which is situated on the
east bank of the Mackenzie, just above
the entrance of Great Bear River. I
arrived here on Saturday, the 28th of
July.

At Fort McPlier.son I had expected
to get letters from home, and I was
sorely di? ppointed to find that though
every letter woa plainly marked, " To
he kept at Fort MrPherson till called
for," my mail had all been sent on to
Rampart House on the Porcupine,
on the .supposition thai I was coming
through that way, the only known
route, and in the hope that I wo'ild
thus get it so much earlier. When I
learned this, an Indian courier 'vas at
once despiitched to Rampart House
for it, and J left McPherson with in-
structions for it to be sent on aftev
me.

It was while I was here ac Fort
Norman, delated by two day's rain,
that it overlook me, brought up by
the steamer " Wrigley," and, though
the dates of the letters were all
many months old, the contents came
with all the welcome freshness of the
morning newspaper.

As these letters had travelled over
two thousand two hundred miles by
dog team, a word of explanation here
witii regard to the Hud.son's Ray
Company's postal arrangements in the
far north may not be out of place.

Ti'ie northern winter " Packet" now
starts by dog teams from points along
theCanadian Pacific Railway sometime
about Christmas. A few years ago, be-
fore the railway was built, the general

starting point was, of course, at Winni-
peg. The packet consists entirely of
mail matter. No goods or provisions
of any kind are carried -.v ith it, and as
the first requisite is sp.ied, its bulk and
weight are I'eduoed as much as pos-
.-Hible, and it is carried by relays of the
fastest dog teams from post to post

The i>arcels for the different posts
are made up separately, and packed in
boxes and loaded on the sleds, so that
there is nothing to do at each post but
to open the proper box, take out the
parcel and nail up the box again. The
rapidity with wfiich this is done is
surprising.

The arrival of the Packet at a post
is an event not likely to be forgotten
by one who has witnessed it. A keen
rivalry exists among the dififerent
posts in sending on the Packet with
the least possible delay. Everything
else must give way to it for the time.
For days before its arriv; ' it is hourly
expected, and the anxiety if the Packet
does not arrive at the proper date is
verymuch like the feverish excitement
with which an overdue ocean steamer
is awaited. Dogs, drivers and sleds
are prepared long beforehand, and
ready to start at a moment's notice.
The excitement is so great as to inter-
fere with all other work, and all ears
are strained night and day to catch the
first tinkle of the approaching bells.

On one ocousion, while I was at a
post in the Hudson's Bay district, the
Packet was expected, and for two
days the officer who was in charge of
the post, a young French-Canadian,
never took off his clothes, nor lay down
to sleep. At intervals he would spring
up and listen, and then sit down again,
or resume his walk up and down the
room. At length, about three o'cl ^ck
on the morning of the third day, t 'e
Packet, which had been delayed 1 y
heavy snowstorms, arrived. For a few
minutes a lively scene ensued. A kick
in the ribs broughtPierre, the teamster,
ready dressed, to his feet. The fresh
team was harnessed while the load
was being unstrapped and the parcel

i88

THE CANADIAN MAGAZINE.

for the post taken out. The losid was
quickly shifted and made ;;ecure, and,
with a snap of the long whip and a
"Hoop- la!" Pierre was off into the
darkness of the night, leaving behind
the worn-out driver and the tired
dogs standing iu the welcome ruddy
glow of the open doorway.

At P^ort Norman, the Hudson's Bay
Corupany had a garden, with turnijxs,
potatoes and other vegetables. The po-
tato vines were from six to ten inches
long, and did not promise a good yield.
The Roman Catholic Mission had
about an acre under cultivation, the
soil being of bettoi- quality, and
the potato vines nearly covering the

HENCE \M) STOUE, W. .-ilMl'SdN, M.VCKKN/.IK KIVKR.

ground The Anglican missionary had
planted a smaller piece of grouiul near
the river, on a sheltered bench below
the top of the bank and facing south.
Here the growth was much stronger
than at either of the other places.
Sonic barley had been sown in it, and
was well-grown, the stalks averaging
from two to two and a half feet high,
and the heads being long and just he-
ginning to fill. The growth of gra.ss on
this flat is luxuriant. Near the edge of
the woods, wild vetches grow as long
and as vigorously as near Edmonton.
Every one complained of the cold, wet
weatlier which prevailed daring the

summer and tnueh retarded vegeta-
tion. The iloman Catholic missionary
told me that in twenty years' resi-
dence at the place, he did not recollect
sucli a cool, damp, cloudy summer.

tJn the east side of the river, two
miles below Fort Norman, a limestone
ridge, known as " Bear Rock," rises
one thousand five hundred feet above
the water, and maintains this height
for some distance northward from the
Mackenzie. All along the river hero,
the main range of the Rocky Mount-
ains was occasionally in sight. I tried
to locate the most prominent peaks by
triangulation, but, on account of con-
tinuous wet weather during the whole
summer, 1 did not suc-
ceed as well as I
wi-shed, although I
continued this work
to within a few n)iles
of FortSiuipson. The
data thus collected,
when placed on my
map, will permit an
ap|)roximate location
of the main range for
the future maps of the
district. In mo.st cases,
the angular altitudes
of the peaks were
noted, so that their
lii'ights and positions
can both be given. At
Fort Norman, the
moujitains are not
more than twenty miles di>-taiit, but,
just south of that jioint, they turn
away from the river, and are not visible
for some distance.

In 1844, Fort Norman stood twenty-
three miles above its present site, on
the west bank, but when that fort
was built I could not learn. During the
occupation of that site, one evening
the occupants of tlie fort observed that
the water in thi' river was falling very
rapidly. They, however, retired to
sleep, not expecting any danger.
Early in the morning they were
aroused by finding the water in their
houses floating them out of bed.

over

ing

pass

dian

ing

kno

that

coo

thes

tent

thei

v&is

bun

St'.lll

in,
fire.

DOWN THE YUKON.

189

They escaped hy means of boats, but
all their cattle and other pro|)erty was
carried away. It was afterwards dis-
covered that the fall in the water had
been caused by an immense landslide
damming the waters of the south
branch of the Liard River, and the
flood by their release. The foit
was then removed to its present
site. Just above the point where
this incident occurred, the river ex-
pands into what might be called a
lake, onlj' that it is filled with islands,
and all the waterways together, pro-
bably, do not amount to much more
than a mile in brea 1th. This expan-
sion i.j six miles long and four wide.
Above this the current is very swift,
part of it running fully eight miles an
hour. In this portion the current
washes the base of a high clay bank
on the west side, and is continually
undermining it, so that it is unsafe to
either walk along the bank, or sail
close to it in a small boat.

About thi'ee and a half miles above
Fort ISorman, on the east bank of the
nver, two extensive exposures of lig-
nite occur. The upper one is over-
laid by about fifty feet of clay and a few
feet of friable sandstone, and is about
fifteen feet thick. The other .seam is
of abou t the .same thickness, and pro-
bably forty feet lower. When I was
there, it was nearly all under water.

The upper seam ha-'^ been on fire for
over II Imndred i/ears, as it was burn-
ing when Sir Alexander Mackenzie
passed in 1789, and, according to In-
dian tradition, it must have been burn-
ing much longer. The |)lace is locally
known as " Le Boucan," from the fact
that the Indians hereabout smoke and
cook large quantities of meatorfi.shin
these convenient fire pits. The fire ex-
tends at i)resent about two milcis along
theriver.not continuously, but at inter-
vals ; when I piissed, it was burning
in three or four places. After it has
burned a certain distance into the
seam, the overlying mass of clay falls
in, and, to some extent, suppresses the
tire. This clay is, in time, baked into

a red colored rock, in which are found
innumerable impressions of leaves of
plants. Some specimens of the.se I
brought home. Traces of this red
rock were noticed on the bank .some
distance below Fort Norman ; but no
trace of li^uiie was seen near it, the
lignite having probably been all
burned.

The burning 'jeam appears to be of
poor (quality, containing much shale
and sand, which is converted by the
heat into scoria). It did not appear to
me that it would be difiicult to cut off"
all the burning places, and thus stop
the further advance of the fire, which
is destroying what yet may be of use.
In order to find whether the combus-
tion could be checked, I took a shovel
at one place and soon iiiid all the
burning coal for a shoit distarice com-
pletely cut off", so that the fire ceased
for a time at that spot. It is a pity
that at least an attempt to put out the
fire is not made. Many persons in the
district have an idea that it is subter-
raneous, and that the seat of it cannot
be reached. This is a mistake, as at
the point mentioned I cleared the fire
ort' from the face of the seam to its
base, and found underneath no tiace ot
burning. The lower seam appears to
be of better quality, there being no
shale or sand mixed with it, as far as
I could see.

Heavy rain detained us here for two
days, and we burned a good deal of
lignite from the lower seam, as we
could not reach the top of the bank to
procure wood, and could find only a
log or two of driftwood. The coal
Imrned well in the open air, and threw
out a much stronger heat than a wood
fire. These seams aie visible at fre-
(pient intervals for eight or ten miles,
and appear, from the reports of travel-
lers, to exten<l up (Jreat Bear River
for a considerable distance. No other
traces of coal were observed on the
river.

About a hundred miles above Fort
Norman, on the west side, a river dis-
charges a large volume of clear, black

I- !
I

190

THE CANADIAN MAGAZINE.

water, which rushes bodily half-way
across the Mackenzie, and preserves
its distinctive character for several
miles ))efore it mingles with the main
stream. The name applied to this
river by the people at Fort Wrjgley
was " La, riviere dv. vieux fjrand lac."
It is said to flow out of a lake of con-
siderable extent, lying not far from
the Mackenzie. Many peaks can be
seen up its valley.

Six hundred and twenty-four miles
from Fort McPherson brings us to
Fort Wrigley. This pest was for-
merly known as " Little Rapid," but
has received the name it now bears in
honor of Chief Commissioner Wrif'ey,
of the Hudson's Bay Company, d ust
above the fort there is a swift rush of
water over some limestone rock
which appears to extend across the
river. On fViA v ;st side two small
islands confine a ) art of the stream in
a funnel-like channel, which, being
shallow, causes a slight rapid, and
gives rise to the former name of the
post.

At Fort Wrigley,
some slight attempts
had been made at
cultivation, but I do
not consider them a
fair test of the culpa-
bilities of the place.
When I was there,
the people were
gathering blueber-
ries, then fully ripe,
and as large and
well-flavored as they
are in Ontario. Ripe
strawberries were
found on the 9th Au-
gust ninety miles be-
low this, and a few
ras]iberries soon
afterwards. Above Fort Wrigley, \\ ild
gooseberries, and both red and black
currants were found in abundance,
some of the islands being literally
covered with the bushes. The goose-
berries were large and well-flavored,
and the currants would compare favor-

ably with the same fruit as cultivated
in the vicinity of Ottawa, the black cur-
rants being especially large and mel-
low. This was in the middle of Aug-
ust, in latitude 63^.

For about sixty miles below Fort
Wrigley a range of mountains runs
parallel to the river on its east side.
They are in many places so close to it
that the foot-hills come down to the
water, especially near the fort; but
just above this point they turn awaj
eastward. Above Fort Wrigley the
east bankis generally low and swampy,
i)ut the west (althougli low near the
river) gradually rises to a height of
seven or eight hundred feet. Fifty-
eight miles above Fort Wrigley this
hill terminates in a bold, high point,
and the ridge turns off" to the south-
west, enclosing a deep, wide valley be-
tween it and the mountains, which
here approach the river. This range
continues south-eastward out of sight.
The positions and heights of some of
the peaks w e determined by trian-
gulation. One of them was found to

Kl'l^i'iirAI, CHURCH, KORT HIMPSON.
ISiilmp't lletiiU'iicr In Backgrouiiil.

rise 4,675 feet above the river.

We arrived at Fort Simpson on
Friday, the 24th of August, and re-
mained until the following Tuestiay.
The Hud.son's Bay (Company has here
a large plot of ground, planted with
potatoes, turnips, onions, and other

DOWN THE YUKON,

191

garden pioduce, such as is generally
grown without artificial means in
Ontario. The growing vegetables
looked almost as good as the same
kinds seen on the Ottawa market at
the same date. Lettuce, particularly,
was very large and fine. There was
also a large area of barley, which
looked well and promised an abundant
return, if allowed to ripen. The grain
was then full and plump, and just be-
ginning to harden, but fears were en-
tertained that a frost might come and
spoil it. The people there claimed
that the prevailing cool, cloudy
weather had retarded its growth, as
otherwise it would then have been out
of danger from frost. This cereal has
been grown with .success at Fort
Simpson for many years. The garden
altogether presented on appearance
hardly to be expected at a point 1,150
miles further north than Ottawa.

The foi't is situated on rn island just
below the junction of the Msckenzie
and the Liard Rivers, and the presence
of the large body of water may moder-
ate the climate and account for the
fine appearance of the garden.

The arrival of a party at a post, it is
needless to say, is not an event of
everyday occurrence, and hence it is
frequently made the occasion of some
sort of demonstration or jollification.
This was the case at Fort Simpson,
where an impromptu dance was got
up in our special honor.

During the evening an incident oc-
curred which furnished unbounded
amusement. There was at the fort a
snobbish young employt of the com-
pany, named Miller, whose insufferable
conceit appears to have offended the
male portion of the little community
to such an extent that it vyas deter-
mined on this occasion to give him a
lesson which he would not easily for-
get. Accordingly, when Miller made
his appearance, and stepped jauntily
into the ring to dance, word was
quietly passed around among the men
to let hint dance. All went well for a
while, and he continued to have it all

his own way. At length he began to
show signs of fatigue, but no one
stepped in to relieve him. His part-
ners had been cut out several times,
but, whenever he looked around, the
men were all steadfastly contemplat-
ing the floor. Now, by the etiquette
of the dance, it is considered a disgrace
to discontinue until relieved, and as it
was a warm August night, poor Miller
began to feel decidedly uncomfortable.
Throwing oft his coat, he danced away
in his shirtsleeves, the perspiration
rolling down his face. The fiddler,
seeing the fun, kept up a breakneck
pace, and poor Miller's vest, collar, and
cravat Vrere soon keeping company
with his coat on the floor. Finally,
seeing that it was all of no use. his
whole body steaming, and his face
livid with suppressed anger and
wounded conceit, he stopped abruptly,
and burst out with, " Well, say ! I'm
not going to do all this blasted danc-
ing ! " A roar of laughter greeted this
statement, amid which poor Miller,
quite crestfallen, picked up his things
and disappeared.

A short distance above tlie con-
fluence, the Mackenzie narrows to en
average width of little over half-a-
mile, with a generally swift current.
This continues for seventy-five miles
above Fort Simpson, and causes this
part of the river to be called the
" Line," from the fact that large boats
cannot be rowed against the current,
but have to be hauled by a line at-
tached to them and pulled by men on
shore. This is the common mode of
navigation on all the northern rivers
where there are no steamers, as it is
less laborious than rowing against a
current.

The season of LS88 was unusually
wet, and the water in the rivers and
lakes correspondingly high. The fiat
•shores above the Line were all submerg-
ed, sometimes for several hundred yard.s
into the woods, so that I found it im-
po.ssible to carry on the survey in the
ordinary nmimer. I spent two days
experimenting, to find if I could not

I;92

THE CANADIAN MAGAZINE.

continue the accurate iustruiuontal
survey by gome other method than
that heretofore us,.,l, but failed. There
ai'e no hills in the v" >inity of the river,
so that a trianyuLJon was impossible,
nor could I tind any spots on the shore
where cuttin<i; trees would enable me
to continue the micrometer survey.

R. O. MISSION, FORT SIMrSON.

I was compelled above this point to
abandon the instrumental survey, and
carry on a mere track suivey, taking
compass courses and obtaining the liis-
tances from point to point by the time
and estimated rate of travel. I. in-
tended to resume the micrometer sur-
vey as soon as the height of the water
permitted, expecting to find suiluble
conditions a short distance up. I
found the general state of the shores,
however, the same all the way to
Great Slave Lake, and along it to the
mouth of Great Slave River. 1 was
coiMpelled to continue the compass
survey to that river and up it several
miles before the banks were high
enough to permit a continuous micro-
meter survey. Even then much of the
instnimental work was done in mud
so soft that frequently one could not
stand without sticks under his feet to
prevent sticking.

We arrived at Fort Providence on
Saturday, the 8th of September. Wild
goosebeiries and currants were plenti-
ful along the banks, but at this season

somewhat over-ripe. At the fort,
where we remained over Sunday, the
usual collection of buildings at a Hud-
son Bay (Company's post is to be found.
The Roman Catholic church hu^ also a
mission here. Wheat has been grown
here for many years by the Pludson
V>\y Company, generally being fairly
ripe before it is touch-
ed by frost, and some-
times escaping al-
together. The wheat
is ground in a small
handmill, and the
Hour is used by the
people of the fort.
While here 1 ground
a few pounsd of the
CIO}) of 1887, and
had the flour made
into a cake, which,
though not as good
as that made from
quadruple X tlour,
was palatable, and
would probably sus-
tain life as ertectually as any other.

A few miles above Fort Providence
a small black object was noticed in the
river, which did not a|)pear to be mov-
ing with the current. An examination
with the glass proved it to be a bear
leisurely crossing the river. Both
canoes put after him at once and drove
him towards the shore. Whenever
the canoes would come too close he
would turn and snort defiance at us,
then turn and resume his course.
(Jladnian claimed the honor of the shot
— which wasaccordedon condition that
he would not shoot until bruin began to
rise out of the water, or at say twenty
or thirty yards from the shore. When
within two hundrodyardsof the shore,
however. Glad man begged to be allow-
ed to shoot, and 1 consented, warning
him, however, that we ran more risk
of losing him in that way than by
waiting. Parker and Sparks lay down
in the ilfuc/'fi^zie to steady her, while
Gladman knelt in the bow. Preparing
ourselves for a spiut forward with the
Yukon, Morrison ami I waited the

DOWN THE YUKON.

193

shot. A sharp report, and tho bear's
extended nose settled level with the
water and in a moment more his head
had disappeared beneath the surface.
Dashing the paddles into the water,
the little Yukon swept over the spot,
and plunging my arm down after the
disappearing head I caught and held
it by the shaggy hair until the others
came up. Catching him by the ears,
we towed him to shore between the
canoeo. He was an enormous fellow,
one of the largest of his kind I have
ever seen. The skin, exchanged at
Fort Resolution, broughtusfour pounds
of tea, of which we were in need.

Forty-six milesfrom Fort Providence
we enter Great Slave Lake. The south
shore of the lake, between the Mac-
kenzie and Great Slave Rivers, is so
low and tlat that most of it was sub-
merged when I passed. Around tlie
mouth of Buffalo River is a prairie
some forty or fifty acres in extent, on
which the Indians have built a house
and erected racks for drying tish.

At Fort Resolution the Hudson's
Bay Company were growing potatoes,
turnips and barley. The Ar)glican
Missionary also liad a garden in whicli
were potatoes, cabbage, cauliriowers,
turnips, onions and peas, the latter still
green on the 21st of September. The
Roman Catholic Church also iiad, when
I passed, a mission on an island in the
lake, jibout two miles from the fort,
which has since been removed to tho
mainland. At the fort I took majtfnetii;
observations, as well as star tran.^its,
to determine the error of my chronii-
moter. I then resumed the micrometer
survey ; but, after working .seven miles
from the fort I found the shore around
tho delta of Cheat Slave River so low
and muddy that 1 was forced to desist,
and 1 ha 1 to go up the .■^Iream some
distance before I found ground dry
enough L. land on. In this place I
was unable '\,., ^^t even compass bear-
ings, as the channels of the delta are
very narrow and crooked. When 1
reacheil a point probably seven or eight
miles from the lake I resumed the in-

strumental 8)irvey, this time to carry
it through without a break to my sta-
tion at Foit Chipewyan, connecting
there with my survey of the Athaba-
sca River.

As we approach Fort Smith, the
banks of the river begin to rise, until
at that point a height of one hundred
and sixty feet is reached. At the fort
the drift, composed of clay, gravel and
sand, lies on top of granite rock, which
for sixteen miles up causes many rapids
in the river. This is the head of the
run of tho steamer Wriijleij. The dis-
tance from Fort McPheison is twelve
hundred and seventy-three miles.

On the evening of the lilth of Oc-
tober I had completed the survey al-
most to Lake Athabasca, and was con-
fident of reaching Fort (Jhipewyan
with it during the next day, when the
ice which had formed along the shores
of the lake was blown out of the bays
and carried down the river by the cur-
rent in such ([uantities that evening
that I became alarmed at the prospect
of beinij closed in before morning, and
therefore at once started for the lake.
When I arrived there about nine
o'clock, thei'e was a furious sirow storm
raging, so that I had to remain on the
shore until "e next morning, when I
proceeded to tn? fort. The weather
moderated in a day or two, iinti I com-
pleted the survey on Thursday, the
24'tii of October.

More thanone hundred guests crowd-
ed the large room of the fort at my
levee, and a more miscellaneous col-
lection (if human lieings it would be
iurpossible to iuragine. They came
from near and far ; within a radius of
twenty miles no one was forgotten,
assemblage, it has
privilege to meet,
riicy came in silks and satins, arrd in
ribbons and laces which defy my pow-
ers of description. Tho half-br-eed is
inordinately fond of color and fine
clothes ; he will give his last dollar
cheeifuUy to rig out him.self, or his
scpraw, iir the most gorgeous attire his
morrey will buy, and when he is so

Such a brilliant
seldom been my

194

THE CA NA DIA N MA GA ZINE.

dressed you may depend upon it that
he is fully conscious of his own super-
iority and importance. This was cer-
tainly true in the case of Jimmy Flett,
a half-breed fiddler and general beau,
whom I must attempt to describe, for
" tliereby hangs a tale."

He had on an immaculate white
shirt, collar and flaming necktie, trou-
sers of the finest blue broadcloth
the Hudson's Bay Company imports
for the u.se of its officers, moccasins
embroidered with silk and beads iii all
the colors of the rainbow, a jaunty
yellow cap with ribbons streaming
from it, and, to crown all, a bright
vermilion plush vest. Jimmy wore
no coat, because that would have hid-
den the gorgeous vest. The general
effect of this outfit was indescribably

in awe. The offer of a loaf of bread
in addition to the candies, however,
brought her U) her feet, and, seeing
that she still hesitated, I tlirew in, as
an additional bribe, a plug of the best
Myrtle Navy tobacco. This had the
desired effect. With her blanket ex-
tended in both hands like an enor-
mous bird, she made a sudden swoop
in front of the girl, and commenced a
series of tlie most extraordinary leap-
ings and gyrations imaginable. At
the sight of this grotesque figure,
Jimmy stopped, paralyzed with aston-
ishment ; the fiddler also stopped, but
the old woman conti'.ued to wave her
arms and to bounce up and down as if
her body were l)alanced on steel
springs instead of legs. Cries of " Go

on ! go on

KORT MCMUBBAY, ATliABA.SCA KIVKB.

stunning,

At the far end of the rooms,
squatted on the floor, and enveloped
in an immense green blanket, I noticed
an old .squaw, who went by the name
of Mother Cowley, — a well-known
character about the fort, who gleaned
a scanty livelihood from the meagre
charity of the little community. How
old Cowley came to be there I do not
know, nor did 1 stop to enquire. The
idea of doing her a good turn and at
the same time having some fun at the
expense of the radiant Jimmy took
possession of me. Crossing quietly
over to her I ott'ei-ed her a pound of
candies if she would get up and " cut
out" the girl who was dancing with
Jimmy Flett. It was a great tempta-
tion — but .she was afraid of oflending
Jimmy, of whom she stood .somewhat

arms.

! " to the tiddler, started the
jig again : mechan-
ically Jimmy's feet
began to move, and
amid roars of
laughter Sparks
rushed in and cut
Jimmy out. Then
Morrison took a
hand, and imitating
the antics of the
old woman, began
to bounce up and
down with extended
This was the signal for a general
uproar of merriment such as 1 have
never heard equalled.

It was generally conceded that this
ball eclipsed any social event which
had taken place at Chipewyan within
the memory of the oldest inhabitant.

As soon as the ice on the river was
strong enough and the snow sufliciently
deep, I took my departure from Fort
Chi|)owyan for Edmonton. We left
the fort between throe and four o'clock
in the dark of the early morning of
the 27th of November, travelling by
way of Quatre Fourches channel and
Lake Mammewa. The ice on the lake
was still so thin and frail that we had
to proceed with the utmost caution.
It was seven o'clock before we had
made one mile from the fort on our

DOWN THE YUKON.

195

homeward journey. In spite of the
utmoHt caution, however, Morrison,
who was in advance, was unfortunate
enough to break through tlie ice and
had a narrow escape from drowning.
By lying down on the ice and reaching
ji snowshoe to him, Parker and I suc-
ceeded with some difficulty in pulling
hira out.

On the way I made a rough survey
of the channels and Lake Mammewa,
which will enable nie to lay them
down on our maps more correctly than
has heretofore been done.

Although I had left the two Peter-
boro' canoes, which had seen such good
service, and also some baggage, at
Chipewyau, in order to reach Fort Mc-
Murray I was obliged to take threo
dog teams with me as far as Point
Bruld on the Athabasca River, from
which place I sent one of them back.
The dogs are great eaters, and the
chief inconvenience of this mode of
travel is in the amount of dog fish
which has to be carried. At starting,
the sleds were so heavily loaded that
they could barely ci'eep along, but as
they were lightened by dogs and men
at the rate of about fifty pounds a day,
it was not long before the load was
sufficiently reduced to be carried by
two teams.

Fish are numerous in the Macken-
zie. The principal species is that known
as the " inconnu." Those caught in
the lower river are very good eating,
much resembling salmon in taste, being
also firm and juicy. The fiesli is a
li^'ht pink in color, but as they ascend
tlie river and become poor, this tint
turns white and the Hesh gets soft and
unpalatable. They average ten or
twelve pounds in weight, but have
often been caught weighing thirty or
forty. 'I'hey ascend as iar as the rapids
on Great Slave River, where tiiey iire
taken in the fail in great numbers for
dog feed, being then so thin that they
are considered unfit for human food.
This fish is not fed to workintr do";s,
unless scarcity of other fish compels
it. There is a small fish locally known

as the ''herring," somewhat resembling
the " inconnu " in appearance, and
which does not grow larger than a
pound or two in weight. The sta})le
fish of the district, and, for that matter,
of the whole north-west, is the white-
fish. It abounds in many parts of the
river but especially "in all the lakes dis-
charging into it, and it forms the prin-
cipal article of diet during the greater
part of the year, as very little food is
brought into the country. This fish
i'j caught in large numbers everywhere.
At Fort Chipewyan the Hudson's Bay
Company retjuired a winter supply of
thirty-six thou.sand for the use of the
post; the Roman Catholic Mission,
twelve thousand ; and the rest of the
population at least thirty thousand
more. Most of these were caught
while I was there. Sometimes they
are numerous in one place, and some-
times in another, so that long jouineys
are often necessary from the place
whore they are caught to where they
are to be used. This necessitates a
large number of dogs to haul them
home, which is a very poor method,
though the oidy one in use. To over-
come this inconvenience, Mr. Mc-
Dougall, at Chipewj-an, has built an
ice-boat, but has, so far, met with in-
different success, the ice having been
unusually rough during both of the
preceding two falls.

Our daily programme during this
last section of our long journey was
as follows : We would turn out at
three o'clock, have breakfast, break
camp and be ready to start at four.
The sun rose at about nine o'clock
and set at about three in the after-
noon. Dinner was eaten at sunrise,
then we pushed ahead till sunset or
as long alter as there was twilight
enough to see to pitch our camp.

In the morning, after leaving Fort
Chipewyan, while ruiming down a
steep hill in the woods in the dark,
I was unfortunate enough to strike
my boot against a shaip stiiinp |)artly
covered by snow, and burst the nail
completely from my great toe so that

196

THE CANADIAN MAGAZINE.

it hung only by the skin. A some-
what similar accilent happened to
Gladman. Though little would have
been thought of this at another time,
we had now before us, four hundred
miles of walking, with feet in that
condition, so that. this trivial accident
for a time assumed serious propor-
tions. It was impossible to stop, as
we had just provisions for six days, or
surticient to take us to Fort McMurray.
It was eiiually impossible to ride, as
the sleds were carrying every pound
the dogs couM draw. We were im-
patient to proceotl, and tlie thought
of turning back to rtiipewyan and
prolonging our stay e was repel-

lant. Chafing with vux.ition and suf-
fering intolerable pain, there was
nothing for it but to hobble along as
best we could to McMurra}-. The
agony of walking under such circum-
stances was so great that we made
slow progress. By the time we
reached McMurray, however, on the

INlirAN C'VMI' AT KOKT 111 II'KW VAN

8rd of December, the inflammation
had subsided so that we were able to
proceed on the 5th, though walking
was still painful, taking the Hu<lson's
Bay Company's winter trail to White
Fish Lake, and luiving the assistance of
two of the Company's dog teams which

were going across to the Long Portage.
From Wiiite Fish Lake, my tiack out
was south-easterly over an Indian
trail never before travelled by white
men, to Heart Lake ; tJience to Lac la
Biche, and thence by horses and
sleighs to Victoria, on the Saskatch-
ewan River. On tlie way from Fort
McMurray to Lac la Biche, I kept up
a survey of my track, rough, it is
true; but on plotting it I find that it
agrees with the latitudes of the termi-
nal points within three or four miles,
though these latitudes are unceitain.
This will fill a gap in our maps, as
I retofore nothing certain was known
of that region. I arrived at Ed-
monton on the evenin'.,' of the twenty-
third of December, and after transact-
ing some business there, I left by
wagon for Calgary, the nearest railroad
station on the Canadian Pacific Rail-
way on Christmas morning,

I reached Calgary on the morning
of the twenty-ninth of Decembei-,
and Ottawa a few
days lati-r. It would
be ungrateful in me
to close this narrative
withoutacknowledg-
ing the kindness and
attention of all with
whom I came in con-
tact on my traveln.
On the coast, the
United States ofi^icers
shewed me personal-'
ly every possible at-
tention, and did all
ill their power to
assist me. In the
interior, the miners
were not less con-
siderateand thought-
ful, anil the traders,
Me.ssrs. Harper and
McQuestion, were more than kind;
giving me much valuable advice, often
when it was against their own pecun-
iary interest to do so, and aiding mo
in my dealings with the natives to the
best of their power. To the missionaries,
both Protestant and Roman Catholic,

DOWN THE YUKON.

197

on the Mu konzie River, 1 owe mnch
['IV tlifiir hospitality and (lisiiiterestoil
advice aii<l aHHistarico. To the otticers
of the Hud.soii's Hay Company, both
myself personally, and the party (gen-
erally, owe much for thrir readiness
everywhere to assist us. I can truth-
fully say that their kindness and
assistance were disinterested and genu-
ine, if aiding me, often without heing
asked, and certainly with no pecuniary
profit to themselves or the (company,
be any proof of it.

To the four men who accompanied
me through the whole journey, I would
here return thanks for their cordial
co-operation, and spirited readiness to
do their dity at all times and in all
places. They were called on to toil
for long hours, and under conditions
more disagreeable and hazardous than
fall to the lot of many ; yet they
never Hinched, even when their lives
were in danger.

The total result of the expedition
has been, in round numbers, nearly
nineteen hundred miles of accurate in-
strumental surv(*y, and a very close
approximate determination of the
position of the International Bound-
ary Line on the i'olly-Yukon and
Forty Mile Rivers. In addition to this,
about eight hundred miles of partially
instrumental survey was made, which,
when plotted, proves more accurate
than 1 had expected. Of this, be-
tween five and six hundred miles was
over country previously unknown and
untravelled by white men. The know-
ledge gathered by this expedition will
enable us to almost complete the map
of the extreme north-western portion
of the Dominion, as it will .surve as a
sketch on which to adjust aright the
mass of disjointed information we al-
ready ^ )sses8.

A WTLLOV AT GUAND PRE.

TnE titful rustle of thy aeagreen leaves

Tells of the lionieward tide, and free-blown air
Upturns thy gleaming leafage like a share, —

A silvery foain, thy Itosom, as it heaves I

O .slender fronds, pale as a nuxinbeani weaves,
Some grief through y(ju is telling unaware !
O, jjeasant tree, the regal tide doth bare,

Like thee, its breast to ebbs and AckmLs, — and grieves !

, , ■

Willow of Normandy, say, do the birds

Of motherland plain in thy sea-chant low,

Or voice of these who brought thee in the ships

To tidal vales of Aoadie, or words

Heavy with heart-ache whence sad ( Jaspereau
Rore on its flood the fleet with iron lips ?

. , Theodohk H. Ranu.

McMahtkh IJNivEnaiTV.

WS1§