A GARDEN OF WILD FJ.OWKRS. 233 



once more into a second lake, smaller than the first. 

 On the further bank of the river, between the tw^o 

 lakes, they had the satisfaction of seeing, like a mere 

 speck in the valley below, the little wooden building 

 we had been so anxiously expecting to reach, for until 

 it lay actually in view, it was very uncertain that we 

 were really following the road to Jasper House, and 

 not some mere hunter's track into the mountains. 



Descending into the valley again by a similar path, 

 Milton and his party camped in a little sandy plain 

 opposite the Fort, to await the arrival of Cheadle and 

 The Assiniboine. Jasper House is a neat white build- 

 ing, surrounded by a low palisade, standing in a per- 

 feet garden of wild flowers, which form a rich sheet of 

 varied and brilliant colours, backed by dark green 

 pines wdiich clustered thickly round the bases of the 

 hills. Above, a zone of light green shrubs and herbage 

 still retained their vernal freshness, and contrasted 

 with the more sombre trees below, and the terraced 

 rocks above with their snow-clad summits. In the 

 neighbourhood of Jasper House the flowers were 

 very beautiful and various. Here grew Cinerarias, in 

 the greatest profusion, of every shade of blue, an 

 immense variety of Compositse, and a flower like the 

 lychnis, with sepals of brilliant scarlet, roses, tiger 

 lilies, orchids, and vetches. 



While Milton, with Mr. O'B., the woman, and boy, 

 were taking the train of horses over the mountain, 

 Cheadle and his companion clambered np the crags 

 close to the Eoche a Myette, following the tracks of 

 the mouton gris. Along narrow ledges of a precipice 



