S02 
Sailing Amid the Peaks and Clouds 
of British Columbia. 
I 
In Two Parts.— Part I. 
Aniid the peaks so dark and high, 
With rugrged sides that mist enshroud; 
Along the lakes with rock-bound shores 
That mirror back each passing cloud; 
Down streams that rage thro' canons deep. 
Thro' riven mountains, that strive in vain , 
To hold the rushing waters of the North, 
And keep them from the distant main. 
We sail along 'mid cloud and peak so grand. 
In this the enchanted Western land. 
It was my good fortune in 1894 to make a tour of tlie 
Canadian Northwest via the Canadian Paciiic Railway, a 
full account of which was published in the Forest and 
Stream of July 6, 1895, and subsequent numbers. 
So charmed with this country did we become that it 
has been one of the desires of our hearts to visit again the 
"enchanted land." But the years have passed on "wings 
so swift" that no time seemed to be opportune. The 
summer of 1900 was nearly gone before the "signs were 
right," and it was decided on the spur of the moment 
to round up a few missing wonders of the British Colum- 
bia land. Our former trip was very satisfactory, but 
we had missed a few things, and we wanted to "fill in the 
chinks." 
As the descriptive article* referred to is quite com- 
plete, we will ask any reader who would like to know all 
about the journey to read the back files of the Forest and 
9 
ANTELOPE IN CANADIAN NATIONAL PARK. 
Stream. We might say more about it here, for each 
journey to the far West unfolds new wonders and charms, 
but it is not our intention to rewrite old matter, but to 
describe the new points visited, and which were only 
mentioned in the last article. 
Banff, the beautiful, was" our first stop, and the six 
years that had rolled past had not detracted from the 
charms of this paradise of the Rockies. Neither had the 
years added many new attractions worthy of note, except- 
ing the game park, which the Canadian Government has 
made a prominent feature. Here, in as near a primitive 
state as possible, are confined in a very extensive area a 
herd of about twenty-five buffalo and a number of 
antelope. As the buffalo are fast becoming a great curi- 
osity, to see them in and among such wild surroundings 
is worth a long journey. The territory over which they 
roam is of such great extent that they do not seem to 
be in confinement, and the sight brought back vividly to 
the writer the old days when, on his first trip West, he 
hunted these great bison of the plains. Then there were 
thousands, and instead of making snap shots with a 
camera he made snap shots with a six-shooter and pot 
shots with a Sharps' old reliable. The buffalo at Banff 
are in good condition and include some large bulls in 
,the herd. The herd bids fair to increase, and it is to be 
hoped that the Canadian Government will continue to 
take good care of them. The herd was purchased near 
Winnipeg from a private party, and it was a very wise 
move to preserve them. 
The antelope in the park were not doing as well as the 
buffalo. They were mostly young ones, and any one who 
is posted knows that it is hard to raise young antelope. 
However, there are hundreds of antelope in the Canadian 
Northwest to-day ti^here there is not one buffalo, and the 
stock can be renewed. 
The Canadian Government has also completed its mu- 
seum in the national park, and many things of interest to 
the sportsman and tourist are being added every year. 
The fishing at Banff has neither improved nor become 
much poorer. One has to get away from the vicinity of 
the hotels if he wants good sport, though a few fish of 
good size can be taken by the persevering angler right be- 
low the C. P. R. Hotel. 
Banff of to-day is still the beautiful spot of six_ years 
ago, and man can never change the face of nature in this 
garden spot. Old Cascade, Rundle and the others of the 
great family will continue to look down into this charm- 
ing vall&y when he who pens these lines has ceased 
to be and when the countless thousands who will come 
after him to gaze upon the wonders of the Rockies have 
also crossed the dark river, for, as Ruskin says, "Moun- 
tains are the beginning and ending of all things." 
On to the west, and this time we _give more than a 
passing glance and notice to the Lakes in the Clouds. At 
Laggan, thirty- four miles from Banff, we leave- the. train, 
and°in a rain storm start for the chalet at Lake Louise. 
•See Forest .^nd Str^au. VoL ^LV., I^o, 1 to No, 6, July § tf) 
Aug. 10, |f?§i_ ' • " . 
The conveyance was an open buckboard, and it was all 
the sturdy team of bays wanted to do to pull the oUtfil 
up the mountain road. We were offered the option of 
riding a pony up the trail, but as it was decidedly wet we 
conckided that the buckboard, even if open, would give 
us a better chance to keep dry. The ride of th.fee miles is 
a pleasant one— on a pleasant day — and is a climb from 
the start. We follow up through the dense forest the creek 
that comes dashing down the mountain side-^Louise Creek 
it is called, a mountain torrent fed by the tnelting snow 
and ice of the great glaciers aboye. It looks very fishy, 
and no doubt rnany a trout lies hidden under the rocks 
and logs that fill the bed of the ice-cold streAm. One 
does not see Lake Louise until right at thfe chalet, and 
BUFFALO IN THE CAN.\DIAN NATIONAL PARK. 
then such a vision bursts upon our sight as is not often 
given to mortal to behold. 
Here nestling amid dark green forests flanked by high 
snow-capped peaks and bounded by an immense ice field 
lies a lake of crystal—. "Blue, did you say?" "Or 
green ?" cries the other. An, indescribable color, either 
blue or green, or both, or neither, ever changing, ever 
beautiful. Mirror-like at times, its placid bosom gives 
back to the clouds and peaks their counterparts, only en- 
hanced in beauty. Ruffled with gentle breezes it changes 
from a splendid mirror to a dancing lakelet. A mile and 
one-half long, did you say? Never! Why, it is not a 
stone's throw to yon ice field. So clear is the rarified air 
of this home of the ice king, that distance is annihilated. 
On the shores of this enchanted lake has been built by the 
sacriligious hand of man a hotel. It seems out of place, but 
mortals must live and the best has been done that could 
be not to destroy the primitive wildness of the primeval 
forest, just enough of which has been cut down to make 
room for a little chalet, the exterior of which is sur- 
rounded by broad porches from which the beautiful vista 
may be seen. The interior is a pleasing combination of 
the primitive and the modern. The main room of the 
building is a combined lounging place and dining room. 
At one end is an immense fireplace, in which a huge fire of 
four-foot wood is burning all the time. The side toward 
the lake is one immense window, or more properly a 
series of windows, out of which one may gaze while dining 
and see across the shining waters, the sun gleaming on 
the glistening blue ice, or watch some cloud hover lower 
and lo\yer, until the white crest of Victoria Peak is hidden 
from view. 
We must not be selfish and try to keep all the good 
things of this world to one's self, but part of the great charm 
of this spot will be lost when people flock in as they are 
BUFFALO IN THE CANADIAN NATIONAL VARK. 
beginning to do. This year it was necessary to engage 
accommodations several days ahead, and to meet the de- 
mand the chalet has been enlarged to double its former 
capacity. The fly-fisherman can have some sport here, 
which if not of a very exciting nature, serves to pass 
many hours if he becomes tired of the beauties of the 
mountains and lake. The trout taken are of the beauti- 
ful rainbow variety, and average small, but they rise nicely 
to the fly and are fine in the pan. 
There are numerous trips to be taken from Lake Louise, 
and ponies can be hired or one can climb the trails. The 
altitude is about 6,000 feet, and one gets up some 500 to 
800 feet more at various points without going , on to the 
peaks. A climb of two miles takes us to the second lake, 
Mirror Lake, which lies on a bench 550 feet above Lake 
Louise, into which its waters flow underground. About 
300 feet higher up lies the third lake, Avhich forms the 
group known as the Lakes in the Clouds. This Lake 
Agnes is fed by the everlasting snows and ice of the high 
peaks back of it, and its waters run down the steep side of 
j:he roountain into Mirror Lake, From a point back of 
Lkke Agnes all three of the likes lie belo^V one and 
present a scene of beauty seldom rivaled. From the 
steep trail between Mirror and Agnes a grahd view is 
hM of Hazel Peak and Glacier. As ybii stand above 
Lake Agnes you look down OVfet the three likes and see 
the little chalet fat beloW you, just peeping above the 
dark^feen forest, the light blue smoke ciirlitlg laziiy 
above the red chinlney and floating Upward into the darkei- 
blue of the clotld flecked sky, arid still on your gaze wan- 
ders down,.doWh, into the valley, and here you can jilst 
trace thfe Silvery Bow, beyond which again rise the rugged 
peaks of the Rocky Range. No fairer vieW mortal eye has 
gazed upon, and no description or photograph will evfer 
tell or show its grandeur and charm. 
Another day and we are off in jtist the opposite direc- 
tion to climb the Saddleback for a peep into Paradise Val- 
ley. Little shelter chalets haVe beeh built at Ldke Aghfes 
and at Saddleback, Where orie could cattip if desii-ed, 
StOi'nis ate frequeht in this locality, and clouds hang loW 
for a large portion of the tinie; but these clOUds tfehd to 
enhahce rather than detract ffotii the eharrrls .of the filaQ?. 
No more ehtrahciHg effects cah he iniagihed than the i-oll- 
ing dowil. As if Of sortie iihniehse curtain, of a vapor laden 
mass of clouds over the snow-white crests and darker 
sides of these peaks that surround Lake Louise and its 
sisters. Then as they break into various forms and give 
the . god of day an opportunity to send his shafts of 
light down to play with the glistening ice and dance over 
the white snow fields, just disclosing glimpses of the 
blue ether beyond, one stands in awe. silent and enrap- 
tured, and if moved to speak can only say, "Great are 
thy works, 0 Nattlfe-.'' All whb visit L9tiise yield to 
her charhls and iriahy litlger weeks beside the crystal 
waters of this lakelet in the dlonds. 
One old English gentleman with his wife, who were 
trotting round the world, went up with us on the buck- 
board and remained with us while there, and have since 
written, "That of _ all the spots visited on their long 
journey. Lake Louise was the gem." Oh, that vacations 
could run on like the brook, forever, but time and tide 
HAZEL PEAK AND GLACIER FROM THE TRAIL, 
wait for no man, and though loth to do so, we journey on 
toward the setting sun, leaving behind us 
The three sisters of this upper world, 
That 'mid the snow and ice of ages hide, 
And from unrufiSed bosoms reflect the giant peakh, 
Adown whose sides the avalanches glide, 
With dark green forests encircled round, 
With rocky shores and ice-bound bay, 
Around thy feet the mossy ferns abound, 
And o'er thy depths the flying clouds doth play. 
Back at Laggan we catch the west-bound and once 
more enjoy one of the grandest rides that can be found 
op this or any other continent. I am almost tempted to 
risk the censure of the editor and again tell of the grand 
thrilling ride through the Klicking Horse Pass and Canon, 
and I know that no matter how much I might write, jiot 
half of the beauties of this trip could be told. How- 
ever, the reader is once more asked to see the back num-. 
bers of Forest and Stream referred to. 
Fifty-one miles soon are ' left behind, when each mile 
one passes over has new charms and excitements. So ere 
we know it, we are in Golden, and here the Kicking Horse 
pours its flood into the Columbia, the great river 
Which thro' continents pushes its pathway forever 
To fling its fond heart in the sea. 
On our former tour we were obliged to pass Golden 
and could not take the trip up to the source of this mighty 
river of the West, but this time it was our intention not 
to miss what we had been told was one of the finest of all 
the side trips. So we left our good friends on the train 
and were soon established at the Columbia House in 
Golden. The town of Golden is a thriving little place and 
a good point to outfit for the mountains round about. The 
British Columbian Government has a mining district 
recorder here and a very interesting museum, where one 
can see specimens of all the rich ore of this and other 
districts. No one who has not been in British Columbia 
has any idea of the great mineral wealth of the country, 
but as I have no mines to sell, it is not my intention to 
go into details. Suffice it to say that Golden has a 
future, and it is a "golden" one, too. 
We had arranged our plans so as to reach Golden on 
the day the steamer for the up-river trip departed, so 
we could make close connections, and in the evening we 
went aboard the Duchess (as she left before or just at 
daylight the next morning, and every one was supposed to 
be on board). The very pleasant and accommodating 
general manager of the line did the best he could for 
us, but we had to take a berth in the main saloon, the 
staterooms having all been taken, as a number of gentle- 
men were going up to some new mines. The Duchess 
was a typical Western river steamer, about 100 feet long 
and built to run in a heavy dew. She was a "pusher"-^ 
that is, she was propelled bv a great wheel in. .the stern. 
All these light draft boats of the West are of this type. 
The next morning we were up betimes to see the won- 
ders of this great riyfr, and found most of owr fellow 
