"The Cassiar T^rail 



Yukon, and Mackenzie tributaries. Though heavy- 

 laden with flour and bacon, he strode lightly along 

 the rough trails as if his load was only a natural bal- 

 anced part of his body. Our way at first lay along 

 Thibert Creek, now on gravel benches, now on bed 

 rock, now close down on the bouldery edge of the 

 stream. Above the mines the stream is clear and 

 flows with a rapid current. Its banks are embossed 

 with moss and grass and sedge well mixed with 

 flowers — daisies, larkspurs, solidagos, parnassia, po- 

 tentilla, strawberry, etc. Small strips of meadow oc- 

 cur here and there, and belts of slender arrowy fir and 

 spruce with moss-clad roots grow close to the water's 

 edge. The creek is about forty-five miles long, and the 

 richest of its gold-bearing beds so far discovered 

 were on the lower four miles of the creek; the higher 

 four-or-five-dollars-a-day diggings were considered 

 very poor on account of the high price of provisions 

 and shortness of the season. After crossing many 

 smaller streams with their strips of trees and meadows, 

 bogs and bright wild gardens, we arrived at the Le 

 Claire cabin about the middle of the afternoon. Be- 

 fore entering it he threw down his burden and made 

 haste to show me his favorite flower, a blue forget- 

 me-not, a specimen of which he found within a few 

 rods of the cabin, and proudly handed it to me 

 with the finest respect, and telling its many charms 

 and lifelong associations, showed in every endearing 

 look and touch and gesture that the tender little plant 

 of the mountain wilderness was truly his best-loved 

 darling. 



[ 8i 1 



