56 THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



Early in the spring of 1848 (though the exact date is uncertain) 

 a small unstockaded post called Fort Yale, in honour of that courage- 

 ous little man, James Murray Yale, Chief Trader, was erected at the 

 end of the "horse road" near the Indian village below the little 

 canyon. This establishment, while not neglecting an opportunity of 

 obtaining furs, was intended primarily as an adjunct of the new scheme 

 of transportation. It was to fulfil the same duty on the Fraser route 

 that Fort Okanagan had fulfilled on the Columbia route. At the 

 same time bateaux capable, like those on the Columbia, of carrying 

 about three tons each, were built at Langley to convey the trading 

 goods to Yale, where they were to be exchanged for the furs brought 

 out by the brigade. Simultaneously the trail across the Cascades to 

 Fraser River and along the detour from Spuzzum to Yale, which 

 Anderson calls the Douglas Portage, was hastened to completion. 



In June, 1848, the attempt was made. The three brigades, from 

 New Caledonia, Thompson River, and Colvile respectively, num.ber- 

 ing fifty men and four hundred horses, were despatched in com^mand 

 of Donald Manson and A. C. Anderson. After much difficulty and 

 many dangers — for a considerable number of the animals were un- 

 broken — -the brigade reached the Fraser. The task of getting four 

 hundred horses and their lading across the swiftly-flowing, freshet- 

 swollen river on this pioneering effort was indeed downheartening. 

 It was, however, accomplished and in due course the brigade reached 

 Yale. The bateaux, after eight days of terrific struggle against the 

 heavy current- — in part of which progress could only be made by 

 towing with tump lines and pushing with poles — -also reached the 

 rendezvous. Their return was easy in the last degree; the rapid cur- 

 rent became their friend and carried them quickly back to Langley. 

 But the horse brigade had, on its return, to face its most difficult task. 

 The trading goods were bulky and more perishable than the furs. 

 Large quantities of the merchandise were stolen by the natives, who 

 had gathered in the canyon for the annual fishing; many of the horses 

 were lost in crossing the river. So disheartened were the engagés 

 that one of them committed suicide; his grave was, even in the early 

 days of the gold rush, ten years later, a well-marked, well-known 

 spot. 



Anderson's report is eloquent: "As regards the route we have 

 stumbled through this year with its concomitant circumstances, I 

 believe you will agree with me in condemning as quite unsuited to 

 the views of the Concern. The question of navigation as far as 

 Kequeloose (Suspension Bridge) where I last year proposed the horse 

 transport to commence being negatived the whole scheme of com- 



