286 THE UPPER YUKON 



cation and was for eight years a member of 

 the Northwest Mounted Police — that most 

 famous of all mounted police forces in the 

 world. It goes without saying that the man 

 who "makes good" in this crack corps for that 

 number of years must be rugged and strong 

 and brainy as well. He is now in his prime, 

 being forty-six years of age. He married an 

 Indian woman who is without question the 

 handsomest woman of her race that I have yet 

 seen. She is an adept with the rifle, is skilled 

 in trapping, in tanning hides, and in killing 

 big game for use on her own table. Her hus- 

 band is immensely proud of her, as he may 

 well be. There were few days — if any — that 

 we hunted together, that he did not speak in 

 high praise of her many good qualities. 

 Being invited to take dinner at his cabin, we 

 accepted with alacrity. Having listened to 

 so many encomiums of his wife, we naturally 

 were curious to see her. Their cabin was 

 built on the same lines as the cabin we have 

 previously described belonging to the white 

 lady at the head of the lake. There was this 

 difference, however. The Indian woman 

 had no library and no store of medicines. 

 She is a very robust woman with a fine figure, 

 is sturdy and strong, and has a most pleasing 



