ON THE TRAIL OF THE GRIZZLY 253 



Neil and his fellow workers on the hand sleds ob- 

 tained work on another mining operation at that place, 

 working there all summer, and then receiving but $50 

 each ; the manager having slipped off to Vancouver and 

 left them to mourn the loss of their summer's wages, 

 which he still owes to them. 



The prices for commodities in the settlement that 

 summer were, roughly speaking, three pounds for one 

 dollar. Three pounds of flour, of sugar, of rice, of 

 corn-meal, of beans ? or of oatmeal for one dollar, and 

 bacon, butter, tea and coffee one dollar per pound. 

 This will give a pretty good idea of what it means to 

 live up in this far-off country where strength and brawn 

 are what count for success. 



Now this rough-and-ready, willing and able worker 

 was to be my sole companion for a week. We left 

 Bear Lake camp at eight o'clock of a Monday morning, 

 with a hard head wind facing us. It is seven miles 

 across the lake, and the wind and the waves were too 

 much for us at one point, and we went ashore close to 

 the side of a high rugged mountain. 



" While we are waiting for the wind to go down, 

 suppose we climb up to the bear trail that winds around 

 the mountain," Neil said. " You can walk along that 

 for a mile or so, and when you want me, I will be fol- 

 lowing close inshore with the boat, and you can easily 

 reach me by blowing your whistle." 



I did so, and found the trail without any trouble,' but 



