WITH PACKS ON OUR BACKS. 179 



high road from Worplesdon to Guildford 

 with a load of fifty pounds on my back, for 

 any conceivable reward, it is wonderful what 

 one can do in this way in the fine vitalising 

 air of the Yukon, without any great incon- 

 venience or fatigue. Louis carried a pack of 

 at least eighty pounds, and did not aj)pear to 

 feel it at all. 



Just as we were starting on our climb the 

 snow came on once more, and soon became 

 quite thick and heavy, but soft and watery, and 

 we were soon almost wet through, as every tree 

 and bush we touched covered us with the 

 melting slush. 



In these latitudes, the limit of the growth of 

 the spruce and all other trees is something like 

 five thousand feet above sea level, or about three 

 thousand feet higher than the spot where we 

 had left our canoes. A slow climb that with 

 frequent rests had lasted about four hours, 

 had brought us nearly to the head of the 

 ravine where we intended to camp, when 

 Louis, who was in front, suddenly saw a bull 

 moose amongst some willow scrub, intersected 



