258 THE NORTH-WEST PASSAGE BY LAND. 



Cache, we entered upon fresli difficulties — deep streams 

 to cross, timber to jump every ten yards, and the 

 whole valley flooded. The horse which carried our 

 flour took to swimming about in deep water, and one 

 packed with pemmican wandered into the Eraser, and 

 was borne down the stream for some distance. How- 

 ever, he managed to find foothold at last under the 

 bank, and we were able to haul him out with ropes. 



The next day, the 15th of July, still found us 

 struggling through floods, logs, and debris, and was 

 signaHsed by the occurrence of an irremediable mis- 

 fortune. In order to prevent the possible loss or 

 damage of provisions by the horses disporting them- 

 selves in deep water, we led those which carried flour 

 and pemmican. Two of the others, however, who 

 were running loose — a horse most aptly named Gis- 

 quakarn, or " The Tool," andBucephalus — strayed over 

 the true river-bank into the stream, and were swept ofl" 

 in a moment. They soon disappeared from our view, 

 and the Iroquois and boy went in pursuit, whilst we 

 followed with the rest of the horses. About a mile 

 down stream we caught sight of the animals, standing 

 in a shallow in the middle of the stream, and as we 

 came just at this time to one of the rare natural 

 gardens of the mountains, briUiant with flowers and 

 rich in strawberries, we camped in the open ground. 

 We were in full view of the two animals in the river, 

 and hoped they would be tempted to join their com- 

 panions on shore. Bucephalus began to neigh, and 

 eventually commenced swimming towards us ; but 

 Gisquakarn, " The Fool," instead of following in the 



