78 SPORT IN VANCOUVER 



Smith, from the number of cougars he had shot. 

 As he lived at Quatiaski Cove, immediately 

 opposite the Willows Hotel, I had frequently 

 met him and discussed our plans together. 



We had arranged to go from Alert Bay up 

 the Nimquish River to the Nimquish Lake, 

 from which we were to strike in north-west 

 to some valleys in the interior where wapiti 

 were reported as fairly plentiful. Cecil Smith 

 did not know the ground personally, but his 

 brother Eustace, who had been in that part 

 of the country several times, was to meet us 

 at Alert Bay and act as head guide. Un- 

 fortunately for us, at the last moment he was 

 unable to come, and we had to find our way 

 as best we could in an unknown and unmapped 

 country. I had to find a man to replace 

 Eustace Smith, and was fortunate in picking 

 up Joe Thomson at Campbell River, and two 

 better men than Smith and Thomson I could 

 not have had. 



Smith was to act as head hunter and guide 

 and Thomson more particularly look after 

 the cooking and camp generally. Thomson 

 came on board with me and we picked up 

 Smith at Quitiaski Cove at about 4 a.m. 



Two other members of the party were even 

 of more interest to me than the men. They 

 were " Dick " and " Nigger," the latter gener- 



