318 WITH GUN AND GUIDE 



Charlotte for a ride down this mighty river to Soda 

 Creek. We just had time to run in and shake hands 

 with Mr. Collins, the manager of the Hudson Bay Com- 

 pany at Quesnelle, when the whistle blew for the 

 steamer's start, and off we went. 



The passenger list of the Charlotte contained many 

 Siwash Indians, some Chinamen going back to China, 

 timber prospectors, lumbermen and sportsmen. The 

 ride down the stream was intensely interesting by 

 reason of the ever-changing scenery, the rushing water, 

 and occasional small flights of ducks. 



After an hour's run a man on the right-hand bank 

 signaled to us. The boat was turned around head up- 

 stream and then worked to the shore, where it turned 

 out that the man carried " the royal mail," and this 

 having been taken aboard and the inward bound mail 

 given to the man, we again proceeded for another hour, 

 when the boat was swung around again to take on fire- 

 wood for the boiler. 



The boat was to stay from an hour to an hour and a 

 quarter in loading the fire-wood. Here, then, was an 

 opportunity for a good long walk on the bench of land 

 between the great river and the mountains at the back. 

 I was not long in getting out on the brown earth, and 

 covered two or three miles before returning. 



On climbing down the bank to the water's edge, I 

 saw some very peculiarly colored stones in the water. 

 I picked a small paper bag full of the oddest looking 



