JIMMY TEIT 15

At last the day arrived when all preparations were
complete, and we were to be off. The steamer “‘ Princess
Royal,” of the Canadian Pacific Railway Company, was
scheduled to leave at eleven o’clock in the evening,
but it was well on towards next morning before we
actually left.

The boat was pretty crowded, and a good many of
the passengers were sportsmen on their way to the
northern game fields. I shared a cabin with a young
Englishman, Mr. P., whom I had met at Campbell
River, and there were in all no less than four separate
parties bound for Telegraph Creek. Mr. P., however,
was to leave the steamer at Skagway and push on from
there to the interior by canoe.

Among the hunters was a Shetlander, a most in-
teresting personality, by name Jimmy Teit. He had
come out to Canada as a youngster, had quickly
become intensely interested in the Indians, and had
travelled a great deal amongst them.

Being well educated, and of a scientific turn of mind,
he soon became a recognized authority on the Indian
tribes of British Columbia, and was often employed
by the Government in its dealing with the tribes,
besides being in great demand as a guide to various
scientists who were studying the Indians, their history,
language, etc. Thus Teit accompanied the well-known
ethnologist, Professor Franz Boas, on several ex-
peditions in British Columbia.

Teit and I became great friends during the trip, a
friendship which resulted in a steady correspondence
after my return to Norway, and continued until he
died a couple of years ago, only just over fifty years
of age.