ON THE TRAIL TO PEACE RIVER 85

ealled, the largest bark canoe made by the Indians, carrying
about six tons and a crew of sixteen paddlers, and which
ascended as far as Fort Willam. Thence further progress
was made In the much smaller “ North Canoes” to all points
west of Lake Superior. This particular journey of nearly
3,200 miles, made almost entirely by cance, was completed
from York Factory to Fort Langley, near the mouth of
Fraser River, in sixty-five days of actual paddling, an average
of about fifty miles a day, nearly all up stream.

Only two buildings of the old fort remained at the time of
our visit, both In a ruinous eondition. The old freplaces
and the roofs of spruce bark, a eovering nel used in the
country, were etill sound, and several cellars indicated where
the other buildings had stood. The later post is about a gun-
shot to the east of then, and the whole site had certainly been
well chosen, being completely sheltered by the immensely
high hanks of the great and deep river, whose bends “ shoul-
dered * and seemed to shut in the place east and west, alse
by the “ Caps,” two very high hills forming the bank on each
side of the river, so called from their fancied resemblance to.
a skulleap. The river here is over four hundred yards in
width, and its banks, from the water’s edge to the upper
prairie level, are some six hundred feet or more in height;
but, as the trail leads, the aseent of the great slope is about a.
mile In length.

A number of townships had been blocked here, at one-
time, by Mr. Ogilvie, D.L.S., but not subdivided, Fort Dun-
vegan being situated, if I mistake not, in the south-west
eorner of Township 80, Range 4, west of the Sixth Meridian.

The Roman Catholic Mission east of the fort was found to.
be beautifully sheltered, and neighboured by fine fields of
wheat and a garden full of green peas and new potatoes. But
this was on the fat. There was no farming whatever on the
north side, on the upper and beautiful prairies deseribed. A
Mr. Milton had tried, it was said, about ten miles east of
Dunvegan, but did not make a success of it,