49 THROUGH THE MACKENZIE BASIN

had made from $2.00 to $2.50 a day aver their living expenses. Above the Baptiste there was nothing doing; indeed, we did not pass a atngle miner at work on the whole route, and 6 was the best time for their work. The gold is floeculent, ite source as mysterious as that of the Sasketche wan, if the theory that the latter was washed ont of the Selkirks before the upheaval of the Rockies is astray, |

A fresh moose head, sean lying on the bank, indicated a hunting party, but no hursan life was seen aside from our own people. Indeed, the absetiae of life of any kind along the river, excepting the songbirds, which were in: some places numerons, wag surprising. No deer, no bears, not even a fox or a timber wolf made one’s Angers itch for the trigger. A few brent, which took wing afar off, and a high- fying duck ar two, were the sole wildings ohserved, save a big humble-bee which droned around our boat for an instant, then darted off again. Even fish seemed to be any- _ thing but plentiful. a o

That night’s camp was hurriedly made fn a hummocky fastness of pine and birch, where we found few comfortable | bedding-places. In the morning we passed several iceledges along shore, the survivals of the severe winter, and, pres- ently, met a canoe with two men from Peace River, araai- fallen “ Klondikers,” who had “ struck % rich,” they said, with a laugh, and who reported good water. Next morning a very early start was made, and after some long, strong pulls, aud # vigorous spurt, the mouth of the Lesser Slave River opened at last on our sight,

We had latterly passed. along what appeared to be fertile ' soil, a sandy clay country, which improved to the west and south-west at every turn, It had an inviting look, and the “Ye” as well, of a region foreerdained for settlement, It was intitating not to be able to explore the inner land, but oux Urgency was too great for that, From what we Say, - however, it was easy to predict thet thither would fow, in time, the stream of pioneer Hfe and the bustle of aifending — enterprise and trade,