SOURCES OF THE SASKATCHEWAN 117 



small comfort to know that the fire was farther off than had 

 heen supposed, as we had to change our idea of its magnitude. 

 As there was nothing to be gained by waiting, we moved a short 

 march into the valley the next day. 



The descent into the Little Fork valley is much steeper than 

 on the other side of the pass, and in the first three miles the trail 

 drops about 1,000 feet. These mountain trails were used by the 

 Indians long before the whites came into the country. In every 

 important valley, especially where game abounds, there are trails 

 which prove of great value to the traveler. 



As our horses were winding through a deep forest, a bird ap- 

 peared which resembled a pine bullfinch, flitting from tree to 

 tree and following us closely. Somewhat later it gave the most 

 remarkable instance of tameness that I have ever seen. Having 

 followed us for about two miles, it waited in a tree during the 

 bustle and confusion of making camp, but in the afternoon, when 

 all was quiet and some of our men were asleep, the bird became 

 exceedingly familiar, walking on the ground near us and finally 

 perching on our extended hands. It was soon evident that the 

 object of our visitor was to catch mosquitoes, which were hover- 

 ing in swarms around our heads. It pecked at a ring on my 

 hand, at our needles, and in fact any metal article, but the cli- 

 max was reached when by accident the bird saw its own image 

 in a small looking-glass which lay on the ground. Then, with 

 extended wings and open bill, it uttered cries of rage and pecked 

 madly at the glass in which an enemy appeared. Among the 

 solitudes of mountain forests squirrels, finches, and whiskey- 

 jacks often show unusual confidence in man, but this particular 

 instance is remarkable, because the bird would alight on our per- 

 sons even after it had been momentarily though gently detained 

 several times as a prisoner in my hand. 



Further investigation showed that it was possible to get our 

 horses through the fire, which had spent its energy on a large 

 extent of green timber, so after three hours' travel from camp we 

 came to the burning trees, where the fire was advancing slowly, 

 as there was a calm. Then came several miles of the recently 

 burned area, now changed to a forest of blackened sticks, some 

 of which were already fallen, with here and there a column of 

 smoke rising from smouldering moss, and everything half con- 

 cealed in a snowy covering of ashes. At the other edge of the 

 fire there was more danger, and frequently some tree would flash 

 up and send a scorching heat toward us. We were chiefly anx- 



