120 DOWN THE PEACE RIVER 



On the 8th, we reached the forks of the Clearwater and were 

 received by Mr. Moberly, the gentleman in charge of the post. 

 Here, we learned that the food we had expected to get had not 

 reached him so we were placed on short rations again. 



Mr. Moberly informed me that he had examined the channel 

 of the Athabasca all the way to the lake, the past season and found 

 water enough in it at its lowest stage to float a steam-boat drawing 

 six feet. I carried his plans to Winnipeg that same fall. 



We now entered the Clearwater and had much difficulty in 

 many places in ascending the river as the water was getting low. 

 The last day on the river, our food gave out and the men worked 

 steadily along with the boats, frequently stopping to rest and 

 have a smoke. Later, during one of our stops, I said to one of 

 the men, "How far have we to go now?" He considered solemn- 

 ly for a few moments and then said, "Five smokes." I con- 

 strued this to be true information as regards the distance, but 

 soon learned that the men, in making the ascent, stopped at 

 certain points to rest and, of course, smoke. 



Late in the afternoon, we reached Methye Portage and volun- 

 teers were called for by Mr. King, to see how many men felt 

 able to walk across the portage, which was fourteen miles. Over 

 twenty volunteered and the rest of us pitched our tents and sadly 

 sat down to wait for night, as we knew that we would get no more 

 food until the next morning, and we had been all day without 

 any. I may mention that the half-breeds and Indians showed no 

 signs of discontent because we were starving, but just tightened 

 their belts and walked on. 



We were hardly settled in our tents, and I was writing in 

 my note book very dolefully about our condition, when I heard a 

 great uproar and an old squaw arrived with thirteen rabbits 

 strung round her. Early in the day, a runner had been sent 

 ahead of the men to the portage and a squaw had been out setting 

 traps and she brought the thirteen for the starving men. 



After breakfast, brought over by one of the men, we all 

 started across the portage. We learned that the boat at the other 

 side of the portage was waiting for me, and we hurried across and 

 I only remained long enough to eat a few mouthfuls at the 



