SOURCES OF THE SASKATCHEWAN 125 



8,000 feet our descent began into a valley that we knew must be 

 either the Athabasca or the Whirlpool river, which flows into 

 the Athabasca. Thus the most critical part of our expedition, 

 the discovery of a pass from the Saskatchewan tothe Athabasca, 

 was safely accomplished. It is highly probable that ours is the 

 first party to go over this route. Though now twenty-six days 

 out from Laggan, we were only a little more than half way to the 

 Athabasca pass, but a description of that country would carry 

 us beyond the subject in hand. 



It was not until late in the season of 1898 that I had an op- 

 portunity to visit the source of the Middle Fork of the Saskatch- 

 ewan. For this trip I engaged as packer William Peyto, a man 

 who had proved very efficient on previous expeditions; also a 

 cook and an outfit of nine horses. 



It seemed almost foolhardy, when on October 12, against 

 driving snow showers and a cold wind, we set out from Laggan 

 and once more resumed our toilsome march through the many 

 miles of burnt timber northward, as it were, into the very teeth 

 of winter. Through constant snowstorms — for the headwaters 

 of the Bow are a breeding place for bad weather — we passed the 

 upper Bow lake, the divide beyond, and got six miles down the 

 Little Fork on the third da}', as a result of forced marches. 

 During the following night there was a curious creaking sound 

 of the tent ropes and a sagging of the canvas, and in the morn- 

 ing our prospects for a successful trip were very gloomy indeed, 

 with ten inches of new snow on the ground. Not wishing under 

 these circumstances to get further away from civilization, we 

 remained in camp all day. By afternoon the snow ceased, and 

 the next day we were again on the march. The snow was fifteen 

 inches deep in the Little Fork valley, but only half that depth 

 near the Saskatchewan, which we reached on the sixth day. 



On October 18 we crossed the Little Fork and turned westward 

 into a region that promised to be full of interest. The weather, 

 which had been cloudy and threatening for some days, now gave 

 signs of improvement by the appearance of blue sky in the west. 

 and soon after the high mountains up the Middle Fork were 

 batlu'd in sunlight, the dazzling light on the snow-covered land- 

 scape being very cheering after the days of gloom and storm. 

 The trail penetrates a forest on the south bank and, frequently 

 coming out on the river, allows views of the wide, log-strewn 

 gravel-wash, the work of summer floods. 



