I REPORT ON TRIP TAKEN IN AUGUST, SEPTEMBER and OCTOBER 1923 BY JOHN M. HOLZWORTH IN NORTH;EASTERN BRITISH COLUMBIA IN THE INTEID..:STS OF THE UNITED STATES BIOLOGICAL SURVEY ON THE SUBJ'BCT OF MOUNTAIN' SHEEP A.~D CARIBOU DISTRIBU'i'ION. 1 -~ ~-)0 -i.':' Q'T 'CT' .2 '11.1 ;·~·T rr AU"'U)".:' r """'~'~ <_ 'T'- L :::~ 3Y cTn~:'l'T :~ . T1Q.:.:" T}!f[lH PT ·:rorr . . :~~AS~ ~B'I\T 00'1:03 m 1 U"'TI 'IJ =..=..;~==-=~'-""'=- =--=-..::... '3UJJi.l]C'~ l t~Q\[~..;_._ I"J B iefly s t a ted , the section of courtry covered on this inve stigation exter'!ded from :It . ;;>Ol'.v~rn n.t the head of the ..c1 eace Ri ver junctio of Findlt:'y and ..?ar 'lip Rivers; latitude 56 de,;rees , J,o:1...;i tude 12~ d~grees , ~0 L i :mtes ) southeast al o ·; the eastern slopes of th-= "lai'l Rc-c~v :roc:tntain range to ~lt . Jir :_lo:~'1!1C.er ..... ati tude 54 degrees , Lont;itude 120 de;~rees • ..~ rnap cca le ?:4 . 8 n il es. to the i nch sho· ·in:~ t he count!"· traversed · 8 attached to this report . Brie::·l;;· stated the mai'1 pu:"':)oses of t1Je trip v;ere to investig-nt e the distribut io:1 of any mon.,t..,i'l sheep O '~" carioou that mi';ht be i n this tr?rritorJ , :->ar t iC'''.l."':rl ;r i'l thP n:.Jrther section theroof q'lc to c olle ct p c i n~ s of each for the pu~Jose of lear.,·ng the particul~r speci"':: they belon:;ed to and ,~,J~W t icularly , whether there 'laB a rel.,1;iO'l.Shi lJ b8t'V8e'l. the true TI.oclcy ,~.,oun t a i L1 .Ji_;horn ( Ov i s C;,..'1ade•1s i s a'ld th~l orthern blacL sheep Ovis d toni ) . Specimen.s of neither mou!1t n in sheep nor caribou lu:.dl ev.Jr bee'l brou :ht out of this section o.f the cou'ltry o scient ific or r:meeum study . ~·Tei ther had there been 'lny authoritative evi0ence of' nrunt et·.. een the Peace t-nd .eiYle Rivers , and t hat vory li ttle was k no1·n of the mountain country south .from .2ine 2 River to the !api ti River . _ study oi· all the published. ffi'tps of the 2nadia1 epart1.1e_ ts showed most of the country as unexplored . C.uch a<>.ps as there vrerP showed th m!'l in waterr:ays va§;uely drawn i n 'l d. subsequent actual tr velint: of the country sho< ed them to be rwstl~r '3 rro neous l y sketc hed . U'le of the r..1ost i'1terestint.; books on this nortl1ern country ·,·i th the ti tlc "vn the Fead· •q,ters of' .r'eace Hiver 11 by Eavrorth pub lished by Charles ~crib er<: ' ::3o'1s, 1921 , sa· s of this particular section of the cou.,tr~T: "Very little is kno,,n of the im::1ense r.10unt'1 i '1.- mass lyin.; between ~'ine l'L.SF and ..?eace :rti ver , and there are several interesting biological '.luc ·tions that a thoro'..l.._;h investi;a ion of this rez ion night throw li:ht upon . Ho··; f- r north, fo r exar::J.ple , d oes th resl bi:._:horn l Ovis canade'1s i s ) e;~te'1d his r an.:;e in t his r egion . __ ro there caribou to be founc' there, and , i£' so , of ·.-h.-"lt species ~tre tLev.i' .. J.ou tai.,-z;oats have been seen 011 Eou.'lt ~:> el :yn and c.lso on mountqins on the north side o~ Peace River , but there see~m to be no authentic rec or d of mourJtain- sheel) h!lving been killed there . 1'1 1 12 .. r. Frederi c k 1{ . Vreelend. ' s part~r sou~;ht sheep i n the .3e1'."Yn regiort wi t hout success , but the~r d i d not exte11d their irJvesti ·a t ions ve r-J f ar south. Lat er they k illed :'tone ' s sheep Ovis ston e i ) in the re gi on o:r.· :.aurier Puss , and , acco r d i n': to Vreeland , these sheep had some oi' the characteristics of the common bigho rn . I 1 16 rlilli am Rind oos k illed specimens of the bi horn on \/api t i River , n orth 0 .1. .J a rvia ass, which is a g ood south of P ine .Pass . Between liaurier .l?ass and t he s p ot where Rindfoos obt a ined his sheep lies a wi d e belt o f c oun try i n which sheep have not y et been found and rep orted to t h e scienti f ic world . Biolog i s ts a re a nx ious t o disc over. whether thi s gap c an be br i dg ed, to learn whether or not the bla c k sheep (Ovis stonei) and the bi gho r n re rr~in sep arate and d istinct , or \lhether t h ey interg rade, a s in t he c ase of the northern species of sheep . The p roblem is interesting not only in itself but for its bea ri ng on the gre a t er p roblem o f the evolution of sp ecies. 0 Hif there had be en time I s hould v"' ry much liked to make a side trip into t he Hackie s a t this p oint, but such a trip would have been a lo ng a nd serious undert aking , f or by every 3 accou.' lt t he ret~ion is exceedi ng l y rough a nd the going i mp eded by muc h down timbe r. H. Somers- Some r s e t • s exp edit i on whi ch ve.n t through the P i ne Pass count ry i n 1893 f rom Dunvegan we r e r educ ed to k illing s ome o f t heir pack - ho rses f or f ood, and r eached :Fo rt lcLe od i n a s t a te of semi-sta r vation . n Among the sources of i nf ormation invariably sought a re the various pos t s of t h e Hudson Day Company . Th rough con unica tion wi t h t he f acto r of the tradi ng p ost a t Hudson Hope on the Peac e Ri ver a t t he fo ot h i lls of the mounta i ns, I was able t o engage t wo packe rs and e i ght pack and s addle horses . I a lso learned that a smal l mo t or boat made per i odical t r i p s f rom eac e ive r l andi ng 400 mi l es up the Peace River to Hudso n Hope . I was a dvised t hat the boat was t o leave P eace Ri ver landing on August 6 th £b ~ the 5- day river trip to Hudson Hope . Leavi ng New Yo rk on Jul y ~ 1 , 1 reached runonton on ~ugus t 4 but f ound there a message t ha t due t o unforeseen happenings the boat would not l eave ea ce Rive r landing f or Hud s on Hope until ten days l a ter . Rather than put in a tedious time wait i ng f o r such boat I d ec ided to continu a on to Prince George , wi t h a v i ew of securing a canoe and p oss ibly a boa t man a nd go by v.ra:y of Sumrni t Lake, Davie Lake , Cr ook ed_ iver , cLeod Lake and Parsni p iver , a l l of which constitut e a cont i nuous and \Jell known canoe water way no rth from Prince George to t he h ead of the ~eace River a nd the n d own t he Pea c e Itiver to Huds on Hop e . 1 f e lt that by so do i ng, I ,rrould not only save time but a lso p a ss through s ome v ory i nt e r e sti ng count r y . Be f or e leaving E "monton 1 a r ranged f or a message to be sent to t h e Hudson Hope trading p ost to have t ha p a ck horses and out fit meet me at the p ortage fifte en mil es west of Huds on Hope . rriving at r inc e George , B. C., on August 7 ,, I was fo rtunate in being ab l e t o hire a tr .pper nar1ed George \/osly and his canoe for the tri p a nd 0 0t avay to an earl y s t a rt on August 8 , from Summit Lake. days t i me was consumed i n makin 0 Findlay Forks , the head of the Peace Rive r. Inasr.uch as no ~~rti cular intere3t attached to this ::_Jart of th~ trir> , it is not desc r ibed at le .;t h , particularly as it h9.s been wr itten up in detail in Hawo rth • s "On the Eead ·~laters of the Peace Rivern , and in' en Rive rs oi the ~orth • • .oriefly , it affo r ds a very nle~sa'"~t c a no e trip throuch ty.:_;ical north wo rds rive r a nd tir,1be r country . The noun t a i ns a r e so fa r to the east that no ~hr ee ( view of them is obtained until within a few miles of the mouth of the Parsnip Rive r. However , several prospectors and trappers , both whites and Indians , vvere met from time to time along the .:t>arsni p and Crooked Rivers . None of these had penetrated ve~r far into the mountains to the eastward except that one or two had been through ine .l:'ass from Fort llicLeod and down the ina Hiver to Fort St . John . No~e of them had ever seen or heard of mountain sheep in the mountain country south of Peace River with the exception of one lone sheep which an ac.-o.uaintance of one of the Fort ll.icLeod Indians claimed to have killed a fe\1 miles south of Pine .Pass . No· very authentic confirmation of this could be obtai!led • Several , however, CJ.aimei to have seen mountain sheep a few miles above the mouth of the Ottertail li.iver , and it was s a id that several had been ldlled by Indians there several years ago . Dili;:;ent questioning and i tlquiry from ther '1 trapper s , Indians and inhabi ta.nts at Fort LlcLeod and on lt'indlay Forks , regarding the skulls or horns of any sheep , failed to disclose any. Detail progress of the trip is sho,,n in the following daily entries. ..Uso supplemental to this rep ort is the schedule with measurements and photographs of mou'ltain sheep and c a r ibou specimens collected; map to which reference is made; and prelimina~r reports b~· .J..ett;ar to the .oiolo ;ical Jurvey. Tuesday, A.J.gt:tst 7 . - .. rrive d at .Prince George and made overland trip to Surnr,lit Lake (70 miles distant) and there made arrangements with George wesley, a trapper, for trip v.-i th him and canoe north through Davie Lake, Crooked River , l\IcLeod .:.a.ke ana. Parsnip River to Head of Peace IU ver and then down eac e River to Hudson hope portage Yrhere pack outfit would. be waiting . ( Wednesday, ugust 8 - Started at 7 a . m. in heavy canoe Hith overboard motor , through pretty Lake Summit and then down winding C..:rooked River , transparent and alive with fish - rainbow ~nd Dolly Vardon - great sport catching them . Paddling half the time . ~food d beautiful country and a relief to be through the railroad traveling . Stopped at 12 o'clock for a trout lu cheon . Came to l.ake .vavie 4c miles long - at 3 p . m. Very beautiful with 1.ooded hills . Saw and vatched a black bear on shore . ;;)aw also a fe;v o.ucks and eagle s . Came upon camp of Mr • .l?erl'y and 1.Ir • .t?latze;· twor_,old prospectors on the way to Liard l'.i ver . Camped with them . Blight shower during day but cool and pleasant . ( Thursday, mtsust S. - Off a t 7 a . m. aft<..r brear;fast of trout and struck beautiful Lake wcLeod - 10 miles long - at one end of which is Fort .~>J.cLeod, an old established Hudson JJay post . The post buildins looks like a little New ~n_;land cottage . Stopped and bou~ht a fevJ thin~s . Several Indians there . ....e t three or four more 0'1 River. Hi t Parsnip a t 4 p. m. .1ent throu~h s eve ral rou_;ht raoids. .....ountains beoin•Ji',t.S to loom up u est of Parsnip. Camped at 8 p . m. at pretty place on bu.nk . :B'riday, Autsust 10 .- Off at 7 a . m. and nountains be.=;in to loom up on hoth sides . Saw several flocks of 6"6ese anc"l ran do1.n one young one ·,;hich could not fly and tied him to canoe . deanery very fine. rrived at Fit1dley :B'orks at 2 p. m. ; stopped at Hudson .day p ost and bought a fa\/ things . The Parsnip and b'indlay join and mal. .e the v:ide ..t>eace River . .....ountains high on both sides. T,,o hours :>orta[-sing and lining down canoe through bad rapids - hard work and during i t the goose tore loose and jumped int;o the Jrapids - so went one fine goose dinner. .1ut. Sel\',yn a most imposing cono-shaped p eak loomed up on ri ';ht . Took photos Of i.t . Sel ·wyn . .oeautiful snow-ca.t)J?ed and glaciered peaks on both sides . Ga.r..1ped at Clearwater Greel: . G-ood camp . Decidec. to hunt up Cl.ear\~·ater Greek . ( Saturday , August ll - Up early - breakfast and off at 7 a . m. with small pack of t;rub . Up a lon .; creek on old trapper trail for four or five miles , then ·,:orkin,; up mountain throw-;h timber - c1u 1. te rou8'h• Ol d caribou and moose si:;n and oc casional bear si~:n . .i?eace iver visible for severel miles . .dy ll a . m. up to 5000 feet and fine vier of peaks be;in'ling - iiit . Sol..yn to the ' estviard . U_r.. "t 6u0v feet and rugged mount ains ' ith small glaciers in a ll u.irect ions 1.i th beaut i:t'ul _;rass:r r.1eadow basins under the peaks but ca r eful exarJ.ination with field glasses shO\.e<. no tra ils . 11ent a long westerl~ r ange from G-~ 3ar\iater :for sever l miles but no si,;n of anything on the meadows • .a. fe\. p tarmi ngan . Very thirsty anu final1.y !lle 1 ted ic e :for tua a nd broiled some bacon . .Pealcs, ~ras s~ basins and. meadows on other side of creek and c anyon ma.de me d c i de to go dm.n and c aap on creek for ni~ht . :Jteep descent, taldn_; t wo hours. ~hot 0:.1e ::;rouse , forded creek in heavy r a in and. made C b~ una.er tree . haa. i.iOOd f ire, f ried chicken, tea and bread and fairly comfort <. "''- -~\>"--.,.._~ ·~~-~ ~~ ·~~. . ( . .- .. -~ ~~~~~~-~- ~-- Saturday, August la - Up at 4 a. m. and off at 6 a. m. Breakfast of boiled Whistlers. Slow ascent along wooded ridge to 5000 ft. then down to nice open basin in which a branch of the Carbon headed. Made camp at 7.30 and at 9 a. m. started up over hill to south. Foggy. On top at 5200 ft. and saw five 6000 ft. rnages to south, southeast and southwest, ftlld Mount Selwyn to the northWest. Low hanging clouds in valleys. Took photos. Built fire under spruce tree and waited two hours for rain to stop. Covered a great many basins to s. e., south and west and examined opposite range closely . with glasses. Saw fresh caribou sign of a few stray caribou. Several ptarminga.n. Shot several. ~ three hour walk and climb through thick fog to camp at a P• m. Surprising how little sign of game or game trails in what should be fine game country. One or two bear sign only. Kountains not quite as high and rocky enough for sheep or goats. Sunday, August 19 - Up at 5 a.. m. but a heavy fog covering everythi11g. Spent morning mending, washing and re-arranging packing, etc. In afternoon went out south down creek and swung up over and around summit but saw nothing as fog was ~oo thick. Mon-~-- ~~1-,... .~ ' ( r,.:._ ' ~ \. . J' '- " best approach I ever made. It was interesting to watch them. 1 got down to within 300 yards and picked the big one with whicll the calf was st~ing. The second shot knocked her down and the little calf went over and licked her. I went down to her and found her breathing - also that it was a y o$~ bull - I was sorry. I lad hold of the horns and was pobG>tlt !limy knife in his throat when he jumped up and almost knocked me over. 1 missed an opportunity for a fine picture as he stood for a moment. I was glad to let him dash off apparently right. My . shot apparently only grazed and stunned him, as there was no blood. I continued up the valley and soon a large cow with good horns and sizel. came running along but got mw wind and saw me as I hurried closer for a shot. She was getting away and I shot at an estimated range of 400 yards and luckily knocked her down on the first shot. She got up and I had to run a half mile before I got another shot and killed her. Then continued up valley , stopped to cook some meat at 3 P• m. At 5, I got to top of ridge to west and one mile across the canyon saw in dim light apparently six or seven sheep high up on a grassy meadow just under the cliffs and snow. My heart was in rnw mouth at t~ thought that sheep were found at last. But the l i ght got better and I seemed to see the white manes and chests of caribou but not certain. It was getting dark so I went back to camp, arriving at 7.30 after dark. Tired but supper of mush and caribou refreshed me and I shall start early in the morning to see the "sheep''. Saw fresh gri zzly digging one-half mile from camp and expected to find it raided but not so. It has cleared and they sey is full of stars. all ( Thursday, Spptember 6 - Awakened at 4 a. m. by the clucking of ptarmigan along side camp and though dazed got up, built fire , had big breakfast of caribou, bacon, mush and tea and packing the eiderdown robe and some meat and tea in the pack started south at 5.30. Visited the cow caribou killed yesterd~ but no bear had been there. Ascended high ridge and continued south along it and swung west where I could overlook the valley where I had seen the band of caribou last night. Near by and at the foot of the cliffs were two caribou, one apparently larger, lying down. As I was lying down near the game trail, four small caribou trotted by only fifteen yards away. They were scared by mw scent. Looking to the left basins eight small caribou are feeding and apparently working up the trail on which I am now sitting. Hope they come by for a photo. As I sit here the· view is trememdous. To the south and s outhwest, a mass of beautiful peaks and valleys, sky as clear as 16 ( crystal except great white clouds just above horizon, floating fast. For sheer joy, pleasure and contentment, I know of nothing like this, a hundred miles or two from any civilization and no human being within miles, and those only Garb i tt and Louie who are God knows where; two d~s now and no one to talk to excep t ~self. The eight caribou have disappeared, probably approaching me on the trail. They , however, disappeared in the timber, lower down . Ascending high peak and looking down in basin on right see t wombull caribou and six cows feeding. ~atch them f rom time t o time. At 11 a . m. reached top - 7000 feet - fine view of peaks to the west and southwest. A little south of west is a beautiful snow- covered peak about 1000 feet higher - · 10 minutes distant - about five mil as. Saw two caribou on opposite mountains but no sign of sheep. ~ined peaks and meadows often and carefully. Chilly _and wrap lJ\YSelf in robe. No sight of Vreeland Glacier to ~outh. The snow mountain above referred to is at the head of the \iolverine . Both the Wolverine and north f ork of Pine head together .at a large lake, according to Tom McCook, a MacLeod Indian and LQuia. . ~ Tlree p. m. Vreeland's Glacier just sighted ~ . 20 degrees East (by true bearings) - dome-shaped - running southeast and northwest. Two separate and sharp cl iffs appear on this side. 20 degrees furtlB r east appear a pyramid snow peak. Be t ween the Glacier and this ~~ak appears several high snow covered peaks . Glacier one degree abw e Ice Mt . Elevation at this point - 6500 feet. Wish Fred was lB re to look at his Glacier f rom this side. Just below me is a little creek and I shall celebrate wit~ some tea and caribou chops, the first thing I have eaten since six thi s morning exce pt a piece of chocolate. Baclc at camp at 5:30. Garb i tt and Louie just in before me. They cut trail to t he Wolverine. Camped last night apparently on mouth of Pe rry Creek. According to Frank Tr eadwel l (who toli Guillan) Mt. Hunter is just between the forks of the Nortn Fork of the Pine River . After sunset, clouds in east turned to beautiful glood red color. Frid~, September 7 -Up at and off at 8 and climbed out to east and eastward through valley to t wo little lakes; then sharp descent through timber to Wolverine River, which was r eached at t wo p. m. Elevation 3200 feet . Could see wbere it headed about 12 miles to the south in s.now- c overed mountains. We struck it where it mrned south to its head. Continued east, f ording back and forth and along moose trails f or about f our miles, camping at 3 p. m. Day clear and warm. We struck the Wol varina where a creek came in f rom the north, probably Perry Creek. Wolverine is about 50' wide, shallow and ±ull of bolders - valley about 1/4 w 1/2 mile wide - mountain and valley bur ned from point two miles below where we reached it eastward. Lots of moose sign - saw five cari bou today. 0.7 ( Saturday, September 8 - Clear, bright day and up at .~t-.30 and off at 6.30. After about four miles of burned timber going struck a good trapper t r ail and continue~ camping at 3 . 30 in little prairie . Just above passed through MH ranch. Showers in the afternoon. Passed through seve,ral moose licks . Went out to look for moose - 5-7 p. m. but saw none. Sunday, September 9 - · up at 4 . 30 and off at 6.30. Should reach Flat Creek toda.y . Would give a dollar a word to hear J . and B. talk . No talk in camp for several days except occasional word of Cree • At 9 o'clock struck and crossed Bullmoose Creek, flowing into the Viol verine from the north. Passed through large buoo h c£ beef cattle on flat owned by Roy Armour now up on Nelson River. Nobody at home . Camped for lunch at 9 . 30 where the Wolverine flows into the East fork of the Pine (also this fork is known as the Murray River) Flat Creek flows into the East fork from the East nearby . Elevation 2500 feet . Found that a trapper, v. Peck had a cabin a mile down· the East Fork and going there found Mrs. Peck and three bright boys, the oldest six years . Mr . Peck went out two weeks ago for operation for hermeroids . Mrs. Peck was doir,g the b~ing, digging potatoes, caring for stock, shooting meat and fishing when required . A very bright cheerful woman and a wonder under the circumstances . Runs her own trap line in the v1i nter. She has been here seven years and her husband three or four years before her. - came on with nothing but a rifle and a bag of flour. Her husband tried to get through Flat Creek and East Fori to Wapiti last winter . \l.h.en snow went and left miles of fallen and down timber, he had to leave all his outfit behind and he travelled by dogs and not horses. On full inquiry and investigation, showed that it would be impossible to get through this wa.y. Considered and f inally decided to go to Pouce Coupe - three days travel north east . Tried to ford the river at 2.30 and found it too deep -horses soon having to swim and current swift . Snow on mountain causes river to rise . Decided to camp and built raft to get over and portage outfit, which we did . Monday, September 10 - Rai n during night but clearing . Up at 4 . 30 and had troub~e in getting horses to swim across, etc . Off on trail at 7 . 30, traveling north and 11 to east Fork about · five miles east of it , rough going through muskQg and horses behaving badly. Through wooded hills, water holes, passing over sma~ creeks. Made camp at 4. 30 - only place for horse feed . 18 ( Spent ~our going over hides and drying them. A clear night a.nd a cold one. Woke a bout 2 a. m. from the cold - found xeyeiderdown r obe was not infallible. At 4 a. m. got up to build fire and found pail of water by ~ head had frozen solid, ~ bed cover frost covered and the ground frozen. Tuesd~ - September 11 Off at 6.30 through rolling country, covered with spruce, poplar and willows in a nortn and northeasterly direction. At 9.30 reached Muskes Lake about hal.f mile long surrounded by muskeg. Continued on along east side of lake and camped for lunch on creek which appa:m ntly flows into Salt Creek. At Muskeg Lake, 'Q.W cabin and la rge • log barn used for cattle several years ago. All of them c'diieia from exposure and starvation and their carcasses could be s een all around. Continued along creek in north and northeasterly direction, camping at 4. 30. A lot of muskeg d~ring the d~. Day clear and warm. Elevation 2900 feet. A couple of miles before camping, passed through big moose lick and after supper went there and st~ed until clark. No moose seen but very fascinating, enjoying the colorful sky, the mingled hoot of owls , occasional call of moose far awS¥ and whistle of duck and geese passing overhead. Saw several small groups of mallard and black ducks during week. Coyotes kept howling during night, which was very cold and my nose s l ightly forst bitten. ( Wednesday - September 12 - Up at 4 a. m. and had breakfast before daylight. The big camp fire is a treat on mornings like this. At 5.30 I was back in the moose lick but apparently Lady Luck is not with me. Good to watch the color Changes in the slcy' as the dawn and sunrise came. Lay awake larger part of the night Thursday, thinking how I was going to fare in arranging to cont i nue to Wapiti and East Fork head. The uncertci nty was the disturbing element. The unexpected always happens on big game hunts which are not of t :.te cut and dried dude variety. Continued throughL.rolling oountry, wooded with poplar and willows - lots of grouse - followed a creek west and northwest most of the d~ - Sunset Creek probably, though neit her of t he men seem to know the courJ try. We are simply f ollowi ng a north and northwest trail. Camped at 4. 30 pretty tired after long d~. ~----- ( - Thursday, September 13 - up at 4 .15; not so cold as yesterday - Off at 6.30 east towards Pouce Coupe, through rolling country, here and f ine looking oat and wheat country also cattle. Stopped at ·Dawson Creek a few minutes. Passed mqny prairie chickens. Reached Pouce Coupe at 4.30 - a 18 mile ride in 4t hours, most of the time on lope and gallop . Pouce Coupe just a small settlement - 89 miles from R. R. Sent wires east, wrote letters, made inquiries about outfit to W. R. Met w. D. Burka who had Chevrolet car and arranged to have him take me 35 miles to Branard's Ranch Swan Lake. Outfit got in at 7. Camped and had light supper with them. Bade Garbitt goodbye and packed all a baggage in car and started at 7 .ro dark over rough road . A clear, starry night. Northern lights on left - very pretty - t wo or three small forest fires in the distance, coyotes like ghosts; rabbits, owls along the road side, enjoyable ride, ducks whistling. Reached Branard's at 10.30 and got bed. on Friday , September 14 - up at 5. Beautif ul sunrise and lake - lots of ducks - typical ranch and Mrs. Branard is a typical bright, aggressive farmer-rancher wife. Packed heads and skins for shipment from ranch - also other packages to J. M. and w. and H. Reduced outfit to about 40 pounds. No man or horse outfit available and at 8 a. m. started fo:r Hythe 18 miles south and reached it at 9.30. There 1 found a ranch- · man named Kelly . A fine treat to meet good , square- looking Irishman. Kelly agreed to round up five horses. ~~ ..Burke, h e and I went to Beaver Lodge - 14 miles and then 7 miles further to Red hillow to see Bert Chapman who was threshing and had trapped up the Wapiti . Chapman would not leave so returned to Beaver Lodge and Hythe , gathering pack outfit and preparing to start tomorrow a. m. A very windy but clear day. The howling wood made me lonesome. B. charged 20¢ per mile for 140 mi les $28 .oo . Hundreds of prairie chickens and ducks. Got ba.ck at 2 p. m. and helped Kelly get a pack outfit together, repairing pack saddles, making cinches, etc. At 5 p. m. went outfor two hours with Cub, the dog, along beaver Lodge River and hunted for ducks . Cub was a wonderful duck retriever and more interested than I in locating and shooting ducks . Vihen I missed he looked at me in a quizzical way - and I was more ashamed to miss before him than any human. But we got seven, all. of which Cub swam or dove for. It was the most enjoyable day I ever had. 20 ( Satur day , Sep tember 15 - Up at 5. 30 and for t wo hours in the morning hunt-ed ~ ,•.i t h Cub and took movies of his retrieving . Back and did several odd jobs - sharpening axes, making sheaths, etc. until 12. Helped get the horses in - a fine lot of bi g strong intelligent horses, three L•, two mares and 1 fil l y colt. Packed and off at 1.30 - making Beaver Lodge at 5. 30 - f ourteen miles. A mo s t enjoyable ride through rolling cattle and wheat country. A shower and rainbow - completed buying grub and outfit at Gondin's store. Cub along and hugs my side. Sunday, September 16 - Up at 5.30 a nd one grand glorious morning, awakened by Cub and I got up and we"elked west through the main street, whistling and awakening the tired inhabitants (population about 50). Went to the top of the ridge and met the dawning sun as it topped the horizon and siR~ a Te Deum to it. The sky every color of gold and yellow and blueLto the west, the main range of the Rockies, 50 miles aw~, standing high and proud in the steel g r~ haze .that only the western sky can have. Mt. Kitchi {Sir .Alexander) 11000' standing out with snow top and in the val ley the f og hung looking like a large lake and overhead went a flock of Qanadian geese to complete the picture. Back to town and roused out Kelly and breakfast and packing and away at 8.30, traveling through rolling co c<.ntry. Lunch at bridge over Red Willow river at 2 - left road and on trail. 5.30 struck Wapiti Brown's :h ot home - killed three chic kens. Monday, Sep tember 17 - Up at 5 and after searching out trails, started south west and at 8.30 came to Vl. :m., a deep gorge. Sprtilc e and willow hill sides. Cut trail all morning , I going ahead. Traveled until 12 along top of ridge and crossed river at 12. Lunch. Continued all afternoon on south side of river. On top some fine willow and spruce. No water till six p. m. Poor fee d . Rain during ni ght. Tue sday, September 18 Q Up at 5 - raining, coyotes ba rking early breakfast. Heavy rain which cont inued all morning. Shot t wo grouse for lunch at 12. W 1lere we hit Nose Cr eek, large fl at. Two miles beyond ran into I ndian encampment and met Pierre Shetler - about 12 tepees and fifty or sixty I ndians having tea dance and drj:'ing., moose meat. Weather cleared a little and spent afternoon vi s i t i ng with Indians and taking pictures. Met old Solomo and son Pete with whom I hunted last Fall. The older Indians seemed very jolly and trustworhty as Indians go. They live a happy, no worry life. A little flour ( and the country provides the rest. Moose or deer hides or meat for clothing and food . Visited in one tepee - ve~ spacious and comfortable, during evening . Wednesday, September 19 - Rain, hail and snow all night and up at 6 a. m. Bad day - snow. A fine breakfast of moose meat, fried potatoes, moose and bannock and apple sauce. As the day went on the snow storm increased and Kelly, who is a fine, real Irishman, Cub, who&eeps and eats with us and I sat under the lean-to ~ roaring fire in front. The snow swirling and covering the hills and country in front of us to the west , the country we are headed for . Toward noon, we went a quarter of a mile over to Pierr'e tepee and spent several hours basking in front of the fire, telling stories and taking in the life of a primeval Indian family ranging from two to twenty years old, the girls and squaw tending fire, cooking, mending mocassins and now and then passing around the tea kettle . A carefree, comfortable, healthy life with no worry about meeting the rent, coal or butcher bill . All seem happy and contended. Back to camp through the snow - cut several trees for wood - rebuilt our fire and put on the kettle for a mulagan, which will be finer . than anything that the Biltmore could produce and an appetite to meet it, keener than ever happened east of the Mississippi . Thursday, September 20 -A cold night and about two feet of snow and still snowing when we awGH6: at 6 a. m. Visits back and forth, to and from Indians and Indian boys cutting wood all day to keep the big fire going. Warm, coifi.fortable and well fed on moose meat. A little chidadee adopts us and feeds in and around the tent and even perches on us . Indian boys running around shooting birds and rabbits with bow and arrow and we have to protect our little chickadee. Cub sleeps, eats an~ drinks with us - shares our bannock and moose. Kelly, the most genial and good-natured man I have ever hit the trail with. The little chickadee is pruning its wings and looking for an evening bed or perch as night comes in. We buy a tepee for "1,0_; - - :- .... \~ 120' ~ ~ c.v ---...: ~ .... \ -.