HIS FIRST JOURNEY ACROSS THE PRAIRIES 51 



"This expedition," he said, "is going to give me a lift that will 

 put me at the head of the whole brigade." But, as we drew near 

 our third portage for the day, his face clouded. "Look at the 

 ground; burned again." One asked if it was the great waste of 

 wood he referred to. "It is not that, but, they have burned the 

 very spot for botanizing over. What is a site for shanty and 

 clearing, compared to Botany!" 



"July 20th, the Chief awoke us early in the grey, misty dawn. 

 It took more than a little shaking to awake the boys; but the Bo- 

 tanist had gone off no one knew where, in search of new species. 

 As we emerged from our tent, Louis and Baptiste appeared from 

 theirs and kindled the fire. We had commenced the programme 

 intended to be carried out while on the way to the Pacific. This 

 was to rise at day-break, have first breakfast, make a certain dis- 

 tance, then a halt for second breakfast. Then another halt for 

 lunch and to camp early in the evening after having proceeded as 

 far as Mr. Fleming had planned we should go that day." This 

 rule was carried out as long as I was with them. For the next 

 few days, the scenery and the conditions were just as I have des- 

 cribed. On the 25th, we had a terrible rain-storm and we lay part 

 of the day under the canoes and, from an extract, I will tell in a 

 few words the conditions under which travellers existed at that 

 time. "After taking a swim, we rigged lines before huge fires, and 

 hung up our wet things to dry, so that it was eleven o'clock before 

 anyone could lie down. 'Our wet things,' with some meant all. 

 The Doctor and the Secretary had stowed theirs in water-proof 

 bags, kindly lent them by the Colonel, but, alas, the bags proved 

 as fallacious as our 'water-proofs' ! Part of the Botanist's valise 

 was reduced to pulp but he was too eager in search of specimens 

 to think of such a trifle, and, while all the rest of us were busy 

 washing and hanging out to dry, he hunted through woods and 

 marshes and, though he got little for his pains, was happy as a 

 king." 



"On the 26th, we were up at three a.m., and off within an 

 hour and made very good progress. We were now drawing to- 

 wards Fort Frances on Rainy Lake, but owing to head winds and 

 the little steamer having such a large number of canoes and barges 



