GOLD-HUNTEKS. 37 



poison (miscalled whisky), and purchase trashy 

 trumpery, made, like Pindar's razors, only to sell ; 

 and thus fool away his wealth ; ' earned like a 

 horse, squandered like an ass ! ' Both species were 

 well represented, in what could not, in any sense 

 of the word, as yet be called a town. 



The old trading-post of the Hudson's Bay Com- 

 pany, the governor's house, and a few scattered 

 residences of the chief traders and other employes 

 of the Company, alone represented the per- 

 manent dwellings. But in all directions were 

 canvas tents, from the white strip stretched 

 over a ridge-pole, and pegged to the ground 

 (affording just room enough for two to crawl in 

 and sleep), to the great canvas store, a blaze of 

 light, redolent of cigars, smashes, cobblers, and 

 cocktails. The rattle of the dice-box, the dron- 

 ing invitation of the keepers of the monte- tables, 

 the discordant sounds of badly-played instru- 

 ments, angr y words, oaths too terrible to name, 

 roystering songs with noisy refrains, were all 

 signs significant of the golden talisman that 

 met me on every side, as I elbowed my way 

 amidst the unkempt throng, that were awaiting 

 means of conveyance to take them to the auri- 

 ferous bars of the far-famed Fraser river. Along 

 the side of the harbour, wherever advantageous 



