ATLIN 263

out of British Columbia into the Yukon Territory and
arrive at what used to be called Caribou Crossing, but is
now known as Carcross.

The scenery over the whole of this line is very varied,
but all of it splendid. On the return journey, when the
frosts have given the foliage their autumn tints, the
colouring of the mountains along-Lake Bennet must be
seen to be appreciated. It is beautiful beyond description,

At Carcross you embark on one of the White Pass
Railway Company’s lake steamers and wend your way
through more beautiful scenery along Lake Tagish, and
once more back into British Columbia to the end of Taku
Arm, where you make a three-mile portage, by means of
a tiny railway, over to Atlin Lake. From the end of the
portage another steamer takes you across the Lake—a
distance of six miles into Atlin—and at last, after close
on to six days’ travel, you are at your outfitting point.

Atlin is a charming little town of some two or three
hundred people. There are three hotels, one of which
is owned by the White Pass Railway and is kept in first-
class style for the tourist trade.

If you are not in a hurry, it is well to spend a day or two
in Atlin. There are the hydraulic mines to be visited, a
trip can be taken down the Lake to the Llewellyn Glacier
—a distance of about fifty miles—there is a big fox farm
to be inspected, and even if you are not a lover of dogs,
you simply cannot help spending some time admiring the
number of sleigh dogs with which the town abounds.
These dogs are of mixed breeds; a few malemutes and
huskies are still to be seen, but the majority of them
are huge beasts that have evidently a strain of St. Bernard
in them. Contrary to the general supposition, these dogs
are not savage ; in fact, nowhere have I come across dogs
that loved being petted so much. A stranger can nearly
always walk up to a house where there are half a dozen
dogs that have never seen him before, and the chances
are that, if they take any notice at all of him, it will be
just to gambol round him and make him welcome. There
is, however, enough of the wolf in them to make them