188 PERMANENTLY APPOINTED TO GOVERNMENT 



would be for us to make the ascent. At their return, they re- 

 ported that it was going to be very difficult to ascend, but they 

 thought that they could track up the skiff with the provisions 

 by my steering and they pulling on the shore. 



I may say that now I began to realize that we had started 

 out on a very dangerous trip without preparation or experience. 

 I was totally ignorant of river navigation and the boys knew noth- 

 ing at all. Not one of the young men could use a pole or ever 

 had seen it used and I was unable to teach them. One morning, 

 they took the canoe up the river for some miles and carried part 

 of the provisions and cached them, and came back in safety. 

 They said that, if I would risk it, they would tow my boat up 

 stream and all I would have to do was to steer and keep her from 

 running in towards shore. As it was the best we could do, I 

 decided to take their advice and we broke up camp, loaded the 

 boat with flour and bacon, and I sat down in the stern to steer. 

 All went well for a mile or more, and then we came to a slight 

 bend in the river and their hauling on the boat caused her to swing 

 in-shore and I shoved her off and shoved too strong and, before 

 you could say, "Jack Robinson," I was in the middle of the river 

 and they hauling for all they were worth to bring me in again. 

 This caused the bow of the boat to almost take water and, as 

 there was every appearance of the boat going to capsize, I walked 

 over the top of the flour and sat down on the outer gunwale of 

 the boat from the bow and I then called for them to slack up, 

 which they did, and the boat came up on an even balance and 

 they brought her gently to the shore. When I reached the shore, 

 I found one of the young men was nearly undressed as he thought 

 the boat was going to capsize and I would be drowned. He had 

 thought he would jump in and save me if possible. I mention 

 this as it was the most serious mishap we had for the season. 



After a good deal of hard work, we reached Red Deer Lake and 

 camped at the lake and, as it was Saturday, we pitched our tents 

 and prepared to stay over Sunday. In the night, an awful thunder- 

 storm arose and a very strong wind with it. The boats were in an 

 unsafe position, so we all got up and went down to the shore 

 and placed them in safety and returned and went to sleep again. 



