104 SPORT IN VANCOUVER 



Thomson returned, having wounded a deer 

 I don't think he was a crack shot, but like all 

 the men I met on the coast, very fond of loosing 

 off. He also reported having met a bear which 

 he missed clean, but doubt was expressed in 

 camp as to the bear. 



September 7th. The rain was coming down 

 in torrents and the camp most uncomfortable, 

 while to move on was impossible, as Smith was 

 feverish and in considerable pain, quite unfit 

 to carry a pack. I had, therefore, most 

 reluctantly to decide to remain where we were. 



Thomson took " Nigger " out to find the 

 wounded deer and returned in the evening 

 successful. The deer was a young doe. There 

 was great joy in camp at the prospect of a 

 meat meal at last, for we had had no fresh 

 meat since August 29th. 



During the night we had an alarm. The 

 men had pitched their fly under a very old 

 cedar-tree and the camp fire was lit against 

 the tree, which was hollow. About midnight 

 there was a sound of an explosion and a roar 

 of flames. Jumping out of bed, a most extra- 

 ordinary sight presented itself; the entire tree 

 was in flames from the base to the summit. 

 The fire had evidently crept up the hollow 

 trunk till the whole tree was ablaze. 



Pulling down the fly, the men saved every- 



