EXPLORATION TO THE PEACE RIVER 97 



On June 4th, we crossed the Fraser and, I may say, launched 

 at once into the wilderness. Up to this time, I had travelled from 

 Yale on foot, in a stage, or by boat, to Soda Creek and then by 

 boat to Quesnel. 



At Quesnel, a pack train was waiting for us to take ourselves 

 and goods on the overland journey to McLeod's Lake. The pack 

 train consisted of twenty-six pack animals besides a horse for 

 each one of the company. Our company, on leaving Quesnel, 

 consisted of five members. I elected to walk all the way as I 

 could thus make observations at my leisure and collect plants. 

 A horse, however, was set apart for me when I wished to ride, but 

 I handed it over to a Scotchman who was attached to the pack 

 train. Our mode of travel from now on to McLeod's Lake may 

 be stated as follows: Owing to the large number of horses to 

 pack, we were always late in getting away in the morning, but 

 we never took the packs off the horses until the evening. I would 

 start on ahead on the trail and make notes and enjoy myself, 

 having learned from Dr. Selwyn where the proposed stopping- 

 place for lunch was to be, the same course taking place in the 

 afternoon. Many observations were made on the way and the 

 most exciting circumstance on the trip was — one day when I was 

 some miles from the train of horses, I looked up and saw three 

 gray wolves, with their tongues hanging out, calmly looking at 

 me from a little height of land on one side of the trail. Like the 

 hunters we read about, I immediately looked for a tree to climb, 

 but I could see none that suited my ability, so I loosed a sheath- 

 knife I carried in my belt, and did the next thing that a hunter 

 does — I yelled at the top of my voice, but they looked as uncon- 

 cerned as if I had never made a sound. We faced each other 

 there for some minutes, when they quietly sneaked off into the 

 bush and I felt so relieved that I was unable to walk any further 

 and waited for the pack-train to overtake me. 



The country travelled through for over ten days after leaving 

 Quesnel was rather rough, but, after we crossed a ridge that I 

 remembered crossing in 1872, the country showed marked signs 

 of improvement and was drier and richer, and, apparently, well 

 suited for agriculture. I was very much struck by the grasses 



