244 ELATSASSAN.

the bushes, to the great relief of the packers. The same dodge was tried by the Indian on Lieutenant Stewart of H.M.S. “Sutlej,” who happened to be some distance behind the train, but the gallant officer at once brought his revolver to bear on him, and marched him off a prisoner to head-quarters.

Without further adventure, this party proceeded till they reached Puntzeen, where our friends were encamped. Among the party was his Excellency the Governor, who had been anxious to explore this portion of the vast territory committed to his charge, and had been glad to avail himself of the opportunity afforded by this expedi- tion.

This force, under Mr. Brew, consisted of forty-five men, most of whom belonged to the Royal Engineers stationed at New Westminster; well disciplined men, presenting rather a contrast to the rougher followers of Captain Cox.

Let it be noted, however, that these last gave spon- taneously three cheers for the Governor on his arrival in their camp. It was a singular meeting. Representative of Majesty, soldiers of the old country far away, magistrates or gold commissioners of the new colony; roughs, the pioneers who had scented out its gold and been the occasion of its becoming a colony at all—here met and fraternized round their respective camp-fires on the shore of this far-away lake, as they discussed with hearty appe- tites the rudest fare, beans and bacon.

The day aftet the Governor's arrival, July 7th, Mr. Cox and his party struck their tents and packed their mules and marched away towards Bute Inlet. As they travelled they sent out scouting parties in all directions im quest of Indians. None, however, were to be seen. One day a party came upon a new trail, where they noticed innumerable horse-tracks: these they followed up a distanee of thirty miles (the marks becoming fresher as they proceeded), through a thickly wooded and hilly country. But all the tracks ended in a village of deserted Indian lodges. Here, however, they found a cache containing flour, bacon, saddles, &c., sure evidence of a robbery. These, as they afterwards discovered, were the spoil of the Macdonald affair.

On the 12th of July they reached the head-waters of the Homathco, which flows into Bute Inlet, where they remained a few days, still scouring the country as well as they could for Indians, much as one might search for needles in a mountain of straw. All the while they were searching for them far afield, Klatsassan and his friends were hovering close by, laughing, I daresay, in their sleeves, or at least in their blankets, at their futile attempts to catch them. By July 16th, provisions had again run short. What was to be done? Stay where they were, whilst they sent back for fresh supplies? But cut bono ? This sort of thing might last for months, and their object be as far from gained as ever. In the summer time the Indians could easily elude their pursuers in the thick foliage of their woods: they could find means of life in the service-berries and many other kinds of berries which all these months, one kind after another, in rich variety and thick profusion, clustered in the trees and bushes or amid the grass. Winter, Mr. Cox accordingly concluded must be the time to catch them, if they were ever to be caught. So he determined to give it up for the present and return to Puntzeen.

Our friends accordingly packed up their traps, fecling

vather unhappy, we may suppose, at the complete and in some respects ridiculous failure of theix expedition, so far at least. Still, like pioneers and others who have been pretty well knocked about by circumstances, they resolved to make the best of things, and departed on their home journey. On the day of their leaving the Homatheo, one of the men having occasion to return to the place where they had camped, found several Indians sitting complacently smoking the calumet of peace by their late camp-fire. On his reporting this, some of our men were sent back to catch them, if they could. As soon as the Indians saw them they bolted: our lads fired, and gaye chase. For three hours they ran them through the wood and through the wood; and smart fellows they must have been to keep sight of any of them so long. At last they could see but one. The rest had vanished no one knew whither—the Indian was large and well built exceeding muscular and also exceeding swift of foot. Nevertheless, he appeared to be getting exhausted, and the pursuers were gaining on him. They fired at him two or three shots, but did not succeed in hitting him. At last he ran forth from the forest and crossing a plain reached a lagoon. Crack went a rifle and a bullet went hissing over his head. In a moment he had thrown away his clothes, which consisted, besides the mocassins, of a blanket alone, and had dived into the water. The whites, reaching the water, saw only the ripples which indicated the plunge. A minute or two later he was replenishing his lungs among the reeds under the opposite bank. How Klatsassan contrived to regain his friends with nothing on but his mocassins, history does not say: as for our unsuccessful volunteers, they hastened to make the best of their way after their party, whom they found already in camp. for the night, in an open spot encircled by the woods. In front and beyond a lovely stream which warbled to the hum of countless insects in the summer evening air, rose a stately mountain, steep, and covered with the sombre pine. Near the summit was a single bald space, the rest was densely wooded. A rugged ravine intersected the mountain, down which, hardly dis- cernible for the trees, a noisy stream hastened to join another less impetuous and less jubilant, which wandered by the white men’s tents. It was whilst camping here, that the only casualty of the expedition worthy of the name took place.

Vil. DEATH OF MACLAINE.

In the death of Maclaine, the eolony lost a valuable man and one of its oldest immigrants. A native of the Isle of Mull, he possessed the true Highland fire and dash: perhaps, indeed, rather a dash too much of it. Early in life he joined the Hudson Bay Company, and became in time one of their most successfulagents. In the course of a life full of adventure he had had many dealings with Indians of various tribes, and not always of a friendly nature. In fact, it was his mission—shall we say ?—to act as a kind of incarnation of justice of the wildest sort, and avenge, by swift and summary retribution, crimes

which had otherwise gone unpunished and bred fresh |

deeds of violence. For instance, he it was who slew the treacherous knave who murdered Black, the Hudson Bay’ agent at Fort Kamloops: the Indian, also, who in cold blood did to death a Canadian, at that river of doom