21 



edge of timber and a temporary camp was made, from which 

 it was possible to make daily excursions into the barren 

 grounds of the mountains. 



Th^ country traversed in reaching this camp is the most 

 difficult it has been my fortune to encounter. The hills near 

 the creek rise very abruptly to about six hundred feet — in 

 places so steep that it is a wonder how the spruce and other 

 trees retain a f ootmg — while the sides of the caiions cut by 

 the streams consist of oozing quagmires which are only pre- 

 vented from sliding into the stream below by the heavy 

 growth of alder and other plants. Even this vegetation is 

 not always sufficient to hold the soft earth, as landslides are 

 of frequent occurrence, carrying all before them and leaving 

 the frozen ground beneath exposed. Travel about these 

 canons is an arduous if not a dangerous undertaking, as 

 one is constantly sinking into the soft mud, which exhibits 

 a tendency to precipitate itself into the valley below. 



After reaching the top of the ridge, an extensive tableland 

 is encountered, which stretches with a gradual rise to the 

 barren grounds. It is all heavily wooded with spruce and 

 large cottonwoods or broken by morasses, where one is com- 

 pelled to proceed with great care. Or again, one may meet 

 with long stretches of alder thickets, in penetrating which it 

 is necessary to use an axe. Were it not for an occasional 

 view of the snow-capped mountains beyond, it would be hard 

 to reahze that one was within a subarctic latitude. 



Birds were seldom seen in this stretch of country, as they 

 prefer the more open regions. Mosquitoes, however, were in 

 evidence, and in addition to their persistent attentions the 

 sun beat down with tropical fury, while beneath the dense 

 vegetation there was a total lack of the slightest refreshing 

 breeze. The joys of carrying heavy packs under the circum- 

 stances can be better imagined than described ! 



After much valuable material had been secured about the 

 mountains and upper stretches of timber we returned, about 



