224 HUNTERS OF THE GREAT NORTH 



Indians everywhere as a signal and are always replied 

 to. There was no doubt about the smoke, however, so 

 I went inland and found its origin in some burning peat. 

 There had been an Indian campfire there a month or two 

 before and since then the fire had spread to cover several 

 acres of ground. It had not blazed up but was smolder- 

 ing its way through the peat. 



The reason why the peat fire had not developed into 

 a real forest fire was undoubtedly in the frequent rains. 

 I have never seen such regularity of weather. There 

 used to be clear skies until somewhere between eleven 

 and one o'clock, whereupon clouds gathered and by three 

 there would be at least one light shower followed some- 

 times by several others. By six or seven o'clock the 

 skies were clear again and remained so during the night. 

 This rain had soaked me every day not at all to my 

 advantage but had been a blessing thus far in saving 

 the forest. There was a much heavier rain three or four 

 days after this which probably killed the peat fire. 

 Had there been a dry spell instead, and especially dry 

 weather accompanied by a high wind, there would have 

 developed one of the fires which so frequently destroy 

 hundreds and even thousands of square miles of the vast 

 forests of the North. 



It was a curious chance which guided me inland at 

 this particular place, for on my way back I discovered 

 evidence of what was probably one of the many untold 

 tragedies of the North. The story, as I have deduced 

 it from the evidence, needs the historical background of 

 the gold rush. 



In the history of the northern gold fields the year 1898 

 takes the place of 1849 m the fiold days of California. 

 In 1897 stories had come to the world of newspapers, 



