10 



winter by dog sleighs to Pelly Banks. Here in 1843 an estab- 

 lishment was erected and arrangements made for descending the 

 river by means of the canoe built at Pelly Banks. We give 

 the story of the commencement of his great voyage on the river 

 in the words of the veteran explorer : 



" Early in June, 1843, 1 left Frances Lake with some of the 

 men. We walked over the mountains to the Pelly Banks, and 

 shortly after started down stream in the canoe with the inter- 

 preter Hoole, two Frenf^h Canadians and three Indians. As we 

 advanced the river increased in size and the scenery formed a 

 succession of picturesque landscapes. About twenty-five miles 

 from Pelly Banks we encountered a bad rapid — Hoole's — where 

 we were forced to disembark everything. Elsewhere we had a 

 nice flowing current. Ranges of mountains flanked us on both 

 sides ; on the right the mountains were generally covered with 

 wood ; the left range was more open, with patches of green 

 poplar running up its valleys and burnsides, reminding one of 

 the green brae-face of the Highland glens." 



BAD INDIANS. 



The beauty of the scenery and the joy of the explorers as 

 they floated down the enlarging Pelly cannot be described. But 

 their day-dream was rudely interrupted. They had reached the 

 juncture of the Pelly with the Lewis, as they called the new found 

 stream, and this was 400 or 500 miles from Pelly Banks. Here, 

 at the spot where afterwards Fort Selkirk was erected, was 

 encamped a band of " W^ood Indians." This being the first band 

 of explorers down the Pelly, the Indians had never seen white 

 men before. The savages spoke loud, seemed wild and distant, 

 and although they smoked the pipe of peace yet were not to be 

 depended upon. It was the intention of Campbell to proceed 

 further down the stream, but his hosts would not hear of it. 

 They depicted the dangers of the route, spoke of the Indians of 

 the lower river as being very treacherous, said they were 

 " numerous as the sand," and " would not only kill but eat the 

 white man." Campbell's men, alarmed by these tales, which were 

 only too true, would go no further ; and so throwing a sealed 



