LETTER IV. 49 



wooden houses peer out timidly from the edge of 

 the timber. 



I was the only passenger who alighted at 

 Hope. For a moment the great engine drew 

 up. Friends bundled my tent and belongings 

 out after me, gave me a farewell grip of the 

 hand, the engine whistled and hurried off into 

 the forest, leaving me alone on the wrong side of 

 the river. The last glimpse of civilization was 

 the tail-board of the train, as it swung round a 

 rocky bluff, with a certain old soldier-lord upon 

 it, bare-headed, waving a cheery adieu to me, his 

 chance acquaintance. May Canada never see a 

 worse sample of our army than that keen, kindly 

 sportsman ! When I turned round, the nearest 

 approach to a human being in sight was a Siwash 

 postman. A little pantomime, in which the 

 leading parts were taken respectively by a 5 cent 

 piece and my luggage, then ensued. At the end 

 of it the Siwash shouldered my baggage, and 

 pocketed my 50 cent piece, and anon paddled 

 me across the broad Frazer to the town, his fare 

 sitting humbly at the bottom of the canoe, and 

 carefully tying the rifle to the seat in case of 

 accidents. 



Before leaving Victoria, I had telegraphed to 

 Mr. Wardle, the local magistrate at Hope, to 

 get me, if possible, horses and guides. On arrival 



4 



