80 SPORT IN VANCOUVER 



At 2 p.m. on the 27th we arrived at Alert 

 Bay, which is situated on an island opposite 

 where the Nimquish River discharges itself 

 into the sea. Alert Bay is an important 

 settlement of the Siwash Indians, and the 

 village possesses one of the most remarkable 

 collections of Totem Poles on the coast. 



The question was, where to put up — hotels 

 there were none. Mr. Chambers, the local 

 merchant, had in the most generous manner 

 built an annexe to his charming house, con- 

 taining several bedrooms, but they were all 

 occupied. Fortunately, I had been intro- 

 duced to Mr. Halliday, the Alert Bay Indian 

 Agent, at Campbell River, and he most kindly 

 offered me a shakedown on a sofa in his 

 drawing-room, which I gratefully accepted. 

 I found Mr. Halliday was devoted to music, 

 but seldom could find an accompanist — while 

 to accompany was a pleasure to me, and we 

 passed the evening going through many songs 

 I had not heard for years, which recalled the 

 Old Country and days long gone by. 



Eustace Smith met us here and gave a rough 

 sketch map to his brother Cecil, and indeed 

 pointed out to us the peak on Vancouver 

 Island under which we were to camp, and which 

 only looked about fifteen miles off as the crow 

 flies, and yet what difficulty we had afterwards 



