THE TRIP TO THE OGILVIE ROCKIES 9 



branch of the creek, and in the afternoon we again started, 

 reached the creek, forded it, and found a blazed trail on 

 the opposite side which we followed all day as best we 

 could, now and then losing it and going on independently. 

 The woods were dense and most of the ground was covered 

 with soft, dry sphagnum moss through which the horses 

 would sink six inches or more at each step, and which 

 made the travelling tiresome for ourselves. We encoun- 

 tered this soft mossy ground at intervals most of the way. 

 It is common on the sides and even the tops of the moun- 

 tains until well into the divide ranges. Small spruces 

 always grow in it, and, in places, huckleberries. Fording 

 the creek back and forth, often chopping small trees and 

 thick brush, we kept on until evening, when we found a 

 little grass for the horses and camped by the side of the 

 creek. It was daylight all night, except for three hours 

 about midnight, as the sun went below the horizon, and 

 then, for a short time, there was a fine twilight. 



Thus far along the creek were balsam, poplar, white 

 spruce, willow, and alder trees ; flowers of various kinds 

 and vetches were abundant. The creek was from sixty 

 to a hundred feet wide; its banks were in some places 

 rough and steep, and in others bordered by long, rocky 

 bars. The mountains, covered with spruces, rose from 

 the level country below, about a mile back from the river 

 on the north side, and nearer to it on the south. The river 

 was swift and deep ; the temperature of the water about 

 forty degrees Fahrenheit. During the day we noticed a few 

 very old moose tracks and bird life was scarce. We only 

 saw a pair of solitary sandpipers, a few spotted sandpipers, 



