CHAPTEE XVI. 



On a Trail again — The Effect on Ourselves and the Horses — The 

 Changed Aspect of the Country — Wild Fruits — Signs of Man 

 Increase — Our Enthusiastic Greeting — Starving Again — Mr. O'B. 

 finds Caliban — His Affectionate Behaviour to Him — The Indians' 

 Camp — Information about Kamloops — Bartering for Food — 

 Clearwater River — Cross the Thompson — The Lily-Berries' — 

 Mr. O'B. and the Assiniboine Fall Out — Mr. O'B. flees to the 

 Woods — Accuses the Assiniboine of an Attempt to Murder Him 

 — Trading for Potatoes — More Shushwaps — Coffee and Pipes — 

 Curious Custom of the Tribe — Kamloops in Sight — Ho ! for the 

 Fort — Mr. O'B. takes to his Heels — Captain St. Paul — A Good 

 Supper — Doubts as to our Reception — Our Forbidding Appear- 

 ance — Our Troubles at an End — Rest. 



The trail was well wor^ and cleared, and after we 

 reached the little prairie we were able to proceed at 

 a great pace ; the houses as inspirited as ourselves 

 by the pleasing change, occasionally broke into a 

 trot, although, from their skeletonrlike appearance, 

 we almost expected the shaking would cause them 

 to tumble to pieces. The river again became a rapid, 

 and a dark hill, running east and west, loomed up 

 ahead, as if closing in the valley. But the country 

 around had assumed a Californian aspect — the colour 

 of a lithograph — rolling swells, brown with bunch- 

 grass, and studded with scattered yellow pines. The 



