THE PELLY RIVER 189 



had hunted in their depths, and practically nothing was 

 known about them. For the purpose of penetrating 

 them I had brought Danger, but the question of a feasi- 

 ble route, and the habitat of the sheep, remained to be 

 solved. I hoped to get from the Indians sufficient infor- 

 mation to enable us to reach the outer range, from which 

 it would be necessary to find a way into the interior 

 ranges beyond. 



The river above was shallow, and once some difficulty 

 was experienced before overcoming a swift rapid, but the 

 boat steamed on until midnight, with glorious mountain 

 vistas on both sides, and starting again after two hours, 

 approached Nahanni House at eight in the morning, the 

 steam whistle blowing and colors flying. 



July 21. As the Vidette rounded the curve into Ross 

 River and made fast, I gazed from the deck at the multi- 

 tude of Indians men, women, and children all as- 

 sembled on the bank and nervously rushing about. That 

 tribe of Indians had been less in contact with white men 

 than any other in the north, and their behavior called to 

 mind the gatherings at the Hudson Bay trading-posts in 

 early days. The sight was one to be long remembered. 

 When the gang-plank was put out I suddenly rode 

 Danger to the shore and approached the Indians on a 

 trot, while men, women, and children were fleeing in 

 all directions and shouting in fright. My progress was 

 suddenly checked, however, for at once a dozen or more 

 dogs rushed at the horse, howling and snapping. If the 

 trappers had not quickly beaten them off, the horse surely 

 would have been disabled. 



