Part 22 (2/2)

[Illustration: THE BIG BEND OF THE COLUMBIA RIVER]

”It's just around the corner of the Big Bend here,” rejoined their leader ”Over yonder a few hundred yards away is the mouth of the Wood River, and the Encampment lies beyond that That's the end of the water trail of the Colu east, and the end of the land trail for those crossing the Athabasca Pass and going west Many a bold one by this very spot wherestand There isn't , even at the old Boat Encao up there and have a look at the old place”

Accordingly, they now ee of the slack water as they could, and of the up-strea the banks of the Colu down in a hich caused the of awe Thus they passed thein fro, hard pull of it landed at last at the edge of a sharp bend, where a little beach gave the-room

Uncle dick led the the low bushes Here there was a scattered litter of old tent-pegs and a few broken poles, now and then a tin can Nothing else remained to mark the historic spot, which had passed from the physical surface of the earth almost as completely as the old Tete Jaune Cache

Uncle dick turned away in disgust

”Some trappers have caineers sent out by another railroad But, at any rate, this is the old Boat Encampment Yonder runs the trail, and you can follow that back clear to Timbasket Lake, if you like, or to the Athabasca Pass”

”Is this where they came in from the Saskatchewan?” demanded Rob

”No, the old trail that way really caot on the west side, in the Columbia valley, they took to the trail and came down to this point just the same, for I doubt if any of them ran the Columbia much above here

Many a tireatfriends, and soe Simpson, the lord of the fur-traders, came here with his Indian wife, who became a peeress of Great Britain, but who had to walk like any voyageur frohlin, of Fort Vancouver, was here, as I have told you In short, reat fur-traders came to this point up to about 1825, or 1826, at which ti the Fraser to the Tete Jaune Cache”

”But didn't any one of theo up the Wood River yonder?”

deineer Moberly went up there, and crossed the Rockies to the head of the Whirlpool River on the east side,” replied Uncle dick, ”but that was in ers discovered the Rogers Pass through the Selkirks below here, where the Canadian Pacific road crosses the Rockies It's a great tu friends, and amountains here

”Yonder”--he rose and pointed as he spoke--”east of us, is the head of the Saskatchewan--the Howse Pass is far to the south of where we stand here Northeast of us, and much closer, is the Athabasca Pass, and we know that by following down the Athabasca ould come to Henry House and Jasper House, not far from the mouth of the Miette River

”Now, somewhere north of here, down the west side of the mountains, caht here where we stand I've never made that trip across the Athabasca Pass myself

That old pass, famous as it is, is in the discard now With a railroad on each side of it, it will be visited from this time on very rarely by any man, whether he be tourist or bear-hunter The Rockies will take back their own once ht where we stand, is one of those points comparable to old Fort Benton, or Laramie, on the plains below us, in our own country This was the rendezvous, the half-way house, of scores of bold and brave one I want you to look at this place, boys, and to make it plain on your e have ever had the privilege of visiting a spot like this”

Rob and Jesse busied the John with hisa little fire to boil a kettle of tea

”Why did they stop here?” asked John, after a tiet any farther up?”

[Illustration: THE COLUMBIA RIVER, ABOVE THE BOAT ENCAMPMENT]

Uncle dick pointed to the jutting end of the shore which hid the bend of the river from view above them ”You know that river, Leo?” said he

Leo spread out his hands wide, with a gesture of respect

”Me know 'um,” said he ”Plenty bad river Me run 'ue And Walt Steffens--he live at Golden, and Jack Bogardus, his partner, and Joe McLimanee, and old man Allison--no one else know this river--no one else ron 'uo up Columby beyond here--come down, yes, maybe-so”

”Last year,” said Uncle dick, ”when I came in from the Beaver Mouth I saw a broken boat not far below Tirinned Leo And George also laughed ”We bust up boat on rock, lose flour, tea, everything We swio up Canoe River, fiftyto eat”

”Well, I don't see how they got up these streams at all,” said John