DOWN THE PEACE RIVER 117 



The next morning I went down, in a canoe, to Fort Chipew- 

 yan, a distance of eight miles and was well received by Mr. Mac- 

 farlane, the gentleman in charge of the Athabasca district. On 

 my arrival, I had an interview with a number of the Hudson's 

 Bay Company's officers, who were here from all parts of the north 

 to get their year's supplies. One and all advised me to return 

 eastward, as it was possible I could reach Fort Garry (Winnipeg) 

 before winter set in, but I could not get out westward until late 

 in the spring. I, therefore, much against my inclination, decided 

 to return eastward. Mr. Macfarlane informed me that he pur- 

 posed sending a boat up the Athabasca to Methye Portage in 

 the course of ten days, which would connect with another going 

 down to Isle-a-la-Crosse, and by these I could get half way to 

 Carlton. The boats for Peace River started the day after we 

 arrived. 



During the ensuing ten days, I collected all the information 

 possible regarding the country, its capabilities, resources and 

 future prospects. One thing struck me very forcibly, that I was 

 1,300 miles from the Arctic Sea, and 1,200 miles from Winnipeg. 

 It was only then that I realized the immensity of our Great North 

 West. 



I met many of the chief Hudson's Bay Company's men and 

 talked with them day after day and got information from them 

 about the Yukon and the North and down the Mackenzie and 

 one and all said that the country northward and westward was 

 exceptionally fine in every respect. 



Fort Chipewyan is not well situated for agricultural purposes, 

 with the exception of the small spot of garden ground near the 

 fort. Less than two miles from the fort, however, is a French 

 Mission, where I obtained the samples of wheat and barley which 

 are in Ottawa, and which later took the Bronze Medal at Phila- 

 delphia in 1876. 



The reason so little land is cultivated arises from the fact 

 that most of the inhabitants are flesh eaters and look with con- 

 tempt upon vegetables and vegetable eaters. Mr. Macfarlane told 

 me that just as much meat was eaten when flour and potatoes 

 were served out to the men as when they got none. This state- 



