x Obituary. 
For a short time after taking his degree Hector acted as assistant to 
Sir J. Y. Simpson, and that was the only definite medical a »ointment 
that he ever held, hearing always the insistent call of science, especially 
of geology. 
the Canadas and the country west of Lake Superior and north of the 
to a large belt of country until now almost unknown—-namely, that com- 
prised between longitude 97? W. and the Rocky Mountains, and ranging 
from the 49th parallel of latitude to the North Saskatchewan. 
“ In addition to both these motives, the Government wished to ascertain 
whether any practicable pass or passes available for horses existed across 
the Rocky Mountains within the British territory, and south of that known 
(This was the only pass then known, and horses could not cross it.) 
The bulk of the scientifie work fell on Hector. Not only did he share 
а man or two, and, with Indian guides, to make long excursions on snow- 
shoes, and with dog-sleighs, sleeping in the snow and learning to know al 
parts of the territory, under the severe, almost arctic, conditions of winter, 
the temperature being often 50? below zero. He walked over one thousand 
miles in this fashion, living on pemmican or on any chance game, and often 
being on the shortest of rations. 
е discovered and explored five different passes over the British Rocky 
Mountains, One of these is the famous Kicking Horse Pass, throngh which 
J . In his fi 
refers to the discovery: “Dr. Hector followed the Bow River right up 
to the main watershed of the continent, then followed it until he reached 
а transverse watershed which divides the waters of the Columbia and those 
_ of the Northern Saskatehewan on the one hand from those of the Kootanie 
пп і askatchewan оп the other. There he found 
à facilities for crossing the mountaj 
dy ms 1{аїпз.” names Kicking Horse River and Kicking 
h = Кин тш em embers of Hector's party on account of his 
aving been kicked in the chest by his horse, an accident that nearly cost 
him his life. He һу 
: ed to see the railway that the Divide by the 
Cm that his courage and endurance bad он, еи 
