EXPLORATION TO THE PEACE RIVER 103 



We were all amazed at the Doctor's mishap and looked very 

 serious when Mclennan very slowly made his way to his assistance 

 and brought him to shore. I believe that made us all happy again 

 as I remember the misfortunes of the morning did not seem to 

 stay with us. 



I will now give Dr. Selwyn's version of the same event. 

 "July 9th. Started at 7 a.m. and at 9.15 reached the Finlay 

 forks. A very swift eddying current ran along the right bank of 

 the Parsnip and to avoid this and reach the opposite shore with- 

 out being shot down the rapids below we were obliged to go some 

 distance up the right bank of the Finlay. We then crossed over and 

 were swept rapidly down the left shore, when, rounding a sandy 

 point which the angle, formed by the two rivers made, a few vigorous 

 strokes brought us into still water." 



Later in the day, we moved down the river for about four 

 miles and camped just at the mouth of the pass, called by the 

 Hudson's Bay people, "Hell's Gate." The mountains on either 

 hand rise here to about 6,000 feet almost perpendicularly from 

 the water. We were now under the mountain to which Horetzky 

 had called my attention in 1 872, when we were passing upstream. 

 As it seemed to be the highest mountain in the vicinity, Dr. Sel- 

 wyn determined to climb it the next day and asked me to accom- 

 pany him while he took observations and decided on the route 

 that we would follow. I quote from his report: 



"After a critical survey of the mountain from the opposite or 

 left bank, I thought we could reach the summit; at all events I 

 determined to attempt it, and we accordingly crossed to the right 

 bank and selected our camp. It was too late for our ascent of 

 the mountain, but in the afternoon, Mr. Macoun and I ascended 

 a rocky spur a short distance in our rear to reconnoiter. We 

 reached a height of 950 or 1,000 feet above the river. I took 

 several bearings from this point and was also able to determine 

 the best route for our ascent the next day. This seemed to be a 

 leading ridge on the very side of the valley of a small brook which 

 entered the river about one and a half miles below our camp. We 

 accordingly made our way across to this ridge and on reaching the 

 axis of it, I was surprised at finding what appeared to be a well- 



