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XVI.] THE DESCENT OF THE COLUMBIA.

233

had possessed any small boat we should have felt inclined for a duck hunt; but the captain told us he had tried it several times with little or no result, for the ducks would not rise, and swam ahead, faster than the boat could get through the reeds, and always kept out of sight. We had a large party on board the Duchess that evening, for the friends who came to meet those who had come up the river with us stayed on board, their ranch being too far distant to reach that evening. At daybreak they left us, some in a waggon, some riding and shortly afterwards we let go from the wharf and started on our return voyage. We had now seen the east flank of the Selkirk range, and its termination in the Kootenay plains, and gained some idea of the big valleys through which rivers flowed with the main drainage of the glaciers. From the Kootenay lake to the southward, the Selkirks have been penetrated by prospectors and hunters for many miles. Here Indian packers and hunters may be found, and game is abundant.

The descent of the Columbia was naturally much more expeditious than the ascent. We bumped along on leaving the lake over the gravel of the salmonbeds, but thanks chiefly to the velocity of the stream, did not stick fast. We had plenty of time for sketching and writing up notes, the want of active exercise seemed the only tiresome feature

of this trip; so we were always glad when the steamer stopped to take on board fire-wood, for in heaving the logs into her from the bank we obtained some refreshing exercise. We took two days to go up, one day sufficed for coming down the river, and as we approached Golden City we became a little anxious about catching the train, for we hoped to cross the Rockies that same evening. Fortunately, on reaching the station, we found that the train was behind time. After waiting for an hour the Atlantic Express arrived, and taking our seats on board we were in a few minutes rattling up through the cañon of the Wapta. The roar of the torrent in its rock-bound channel sounded louder in the darkness, and now and then the glare of burning pine trees made its white foam seem tinted with deep blood-red.

When we had passed this way in July, though there was evidence of former fires, none were actually burning: now the whole air was charged with smoke, and the forest on the mountain sides was in many places blazing like a furnace. About midnight we crossed Hector pass, and shortly after 1 A.M., on September 2nd, reached Banff, where we got off the train, which went away on its course to the prairies, and we drove to an inn called the Sanatorium to get half a night's rest.

CHAPTER XVII.

"Farewell to the mountains high covered with snow!
Farewell to the straths and green valleys below!
Farewell to the forests and wild-hanging woods!
Farewell to the torrents and loud-pouring floods!"

BURNS.

Silver City. Astray in the forest.-Lake Louise.-Mount Lefroy.— Swamped in the Bow river.-Once more on the prairie.

FROM an artistic point of view it might have been better that this chapter should have come nearer to the beginning of my story than at the end, but as I have adhered to the true sequence of events it must come here or nowhere. If I told not of our misfortunes I should leave out a little glimpse of the beauties of the Rockies, which it was our good fortune to enjoy, though other feelings somewhat spoilt the enjoyment at the time.

Banff, where we now spent Sunday, August 2nd, rose quickly into some importance once the railway was constructed, for there are picturesque stalactite grottoes with hot medicinal springs in the vicinity. In one of these we

enjoyed a delightful bath, and I feel sure that if we had had anything the matter with us we should have experienced instant relief.

In consequence of the existence of these springs, and of the mountain scenery which surrounds this valley, the Canadian Pacific Railway Company built here a large and very picturesque hotel, managed in the best possible style, commanding the very best view, and provided with a doctor who tells visitors how to take the baths, and when they are sufficiently convalescent, to pay their bills and go somewhere else. Besides the Canadian Pacific Railway hotel, the "Sanatorium" is another excellent establishment. Then there are shops selling articles of vertu, posting establishments, several smaller inns, two churches, a theatre, boats to hire on the river, provision shops, post office, altogether it is a most respectable little town; and so interesting is the surrounding country that the Government have allotted it to the people for ever as a national park. Our chief reason for coming here was to meet Mr. MacArthur, to whom I had written ten days before.

We had no little difficulty in finding him, and when we did, he apologised for not having replied to my letter, but the fact was, that owing to the great prevalence of forest fires, he had not been able to make such progress with his survey as to be free to come with us to Mount Lefroy. We felt not a little disappointed, but there was no help for it, nor any use in wishing we were

XVII.]

MOUNT LEFROY.

237

back again in the Selkirks, where the few days at our disposal might have been spent most profitably. My work being in the Selkirks specially, I had taken no trouble to make up the topography of the Rockies, except so far as was possible from the small scalemap of the Geological Survey. On that map Mount Lefroy was marked as the highest peak of the Rockies, 11,658 feet, but that map could not be trusted for details of routes, which we had not considered, as we expected to have been guided to the base of the mountain.

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Now that matters had taken another aspect we deliberated for a few minutes, and then, as we were anxious to make the acquaintance of the finest mountain scenery in the Rockies, even if the ascent of Mount Lefroy was impossible, we decided to start off and make out our own way to the mountain. On this being settled, Mr. MacArthur was able to give us some help; he sketched out the mountain in my note-book, and explained that if we wished to ascend the peak our best chance would be by ascending the Vermilion pass. If, on the other hand, we felt satisfied with a near view of its most precipitous side we might approach it from Laggan, about forty miles from Banff, on the way to Hector pass.

He also told us that at Silver City a man named Joe Smith resided, who owned three horses, and that as he was usually on for any adventure, we ought to find him

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