THE FORKS OF THE M A cMILLAN RIVER 95 



it proved too rich and oily for our palates. At noon we 

 came to a bend where a log in a drift jam projected out 

 part way in the channel, and although we sent out men 

 who quickly cut it, the captain positively refused to go 

 on; nor were we loath to leave the boat. We unloaded 

 canoes and supplies in the rain, made a rough camp, 

 when Selous, Rungius, and Osgood started off, each 

 tramping in different directions, and returned later with- 

 out having seen any game or even signs of any. 



Thus ended a steamboat trip up one of the sub-arctic 

 rivers of the north-west a typical trip on the small boats 

 of that country, irresponsibly manned, as they usually are 

 when attempting to navigate new rivers. What a relief 

 later, after a repast of biscuit, tea, and bacon, to sit before 

 a large camp-fire and feel the freedom and liberty of the 

 wilderness! The party was too large to successfully hunt 

 from one camp, so Selous and I planned to go up the 

 North Fork, taking Louis and Coghlan; Rungius and 

 Osgood decided to go with Gage up Russell Creek to the 

 Russell Mountains, while the others were attracted by the 

 country up the South Fork. 



September i. The next morning all canoes were 

 loaded and we started. Poling, towing, paddling back 

 and forth across the river, we slowly worked up against 

 the current, and at noon reached Russell Creek, where 

 Rungius and Osgood remained to go twelve miles farther 

 up it to the mountain ranges. 



Two years before, gold had been discovered on Russell 

 Creek and a concession was obtained and sold to an 

 English company. A young Englishman named Arm- 



