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ARRIVAL AT BENNETT LAKE.

Now we were fairly started on our eventful voyage, Mac and Stewart rowing, as they only could row, while my steering paddle had constantly to be in use keeping clear of rock that barely showed above water. Dave was stowed away among the sacks, leaving only his great head visible, and if he ventured to move, Mac promptly smote him, whereupon Dave would give a feeble growl and subside. To keep clear of dangerous reefs we steered well out into the lake, and even there I had to be very watchful, and on the slightest breeze arising I had hastily to seek the shelter of the land, or we should have been swamped, as many other and larger craft had been before.

Alaskan miles seem to be extra long: according to the Government maps, Linderman should have been four and a half miles in length, and it was that easily, however much more. The country on each side was bare and wintry looking. The mountains were neither rugged nor of extraordinary height.

As we neared the end of the lake the aspect of the country changed completely. The mountains were succeeded by hills that lacked the picturesque beauty of the rugged scenery to which we had got accustomed, and when we arrived at the outlet the hills also had disappeared, and we could trace away to our right the gradually ascending trail that,

forty miles off, culminated in the White Pass.

The outlet proved to be a roaring torrent that dashed its way over great rocks for fully half a mile, then flowed into Lake Bennett as a broad and peaceful river.

Our boat grounded on a sandbar when yet about fifty yards from shore, and we reluctantly prepared to get out and lead her to land by careful manoeuvring. The water went over our boots several times, making us feel anything but comfortable, but at last we managed to beach our heavily loaded boat. I decided that we had better sleigh our goods over the dividing distance to Bennett Lake, and we started to the task at once. The trail was wonderfully smooth it led gently over a small hill, and terminated abruptly by the side of the water, some distance from the entrance of the river.

We soon had our cargo over this small "divide," leaving only the boat to be considered; and we chose to pitch our camp on Bennett's shores, and pilot our boat through the Rapids by moonlight after supper. It was here that I first met that admirably-equipped and capable body of men, the Canadian Mounted Police. I noticed for the first time since leaving Victoria the union-jack flying aloft above a huge log-house, where a dozen of those hardy mountaineers were stationed to look after British interests generally. Although all these soldiers-for soldiers they are in every sense

of the word-bear the name of North-West "Mounted" Police, still there is not a horse in the country. Since returning from Dawson I have noticed several so-called Klondike stories, in which the Mounted Police invariably figure mounted on magnificent horses. Nothing

could be more absurd. A horse can get no food in that country, and the rigour of the climate would kill it in any case. We were made very welcome by this Government encampment, and were shown every possible favour. I was especially grate ful for a copy of the Government Survey map, which had been issued officially for the use

of the Police only. The sergeant gave it to me that evening, after trying for half an hour to dissuade us from going forward. "Remember, then, what I have said," he cried after me. "Beware of floating ice, keep to the right in 'Five Fingers,' and may heaven help you in White Horse." I do not think he meant me to hear the last sentence, but I did, and was not encouraged. Meanwhile Mac and Stewart had started for Lake Linderman, to fetch down the boat, and I hastened to follow, in case their ignorance of the treacherous nature of the water might lead to mishap.

FROM BENNETT NORTHWARDS.

We left Bennett in the early morning, and by midday had progressed nearly twelve miles. We had no sail, as our boat was already too top-heavy; but it would have been useless anyhow, as not a breath of wind stirred the placid surface of the water: a dead calm had taken the place of the chilly breezes.

The country was thickly covered with fine timber. Pinetrees grew to a stately height, and weeping-birches hung their branches in thick profusion over the water's edge.

At midday we noticed a great gulf appear on the left, and I knew that we were opposite

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to escape a dangerous line of reefs that almost joined it with the mainland.

The water was very treacherous, and I had to use great care in navigating our unwieldy craft. More than once we struck a sand-bar, and on one occasion, when about half a mile from the shore, I felt the flat bottom of our boat graze the top of a rock it only grazed, however, or our journey would have ended then and there.

I was gradually realising that I was steering in unknown waters and amid practically unexplored country. Many a heavily loaded vessel has been wrecked on the cruel rocks that lie hidden a few inches under the surface of the water.

We sailed on until nightfall, and then pitched our camp among the fine timber that studded the shores. The cold

was becoming very intense and caused us great inconvenience. Our tent was frozen, so that we had to build a camp-fire to thaw it before it could be erected; but we had been prepared for these trifling caprices of the weather.

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That night, as I lay half asleep thinking over the incidents of the past few days and wondering what the near future would have in store for us, I heard Dave, who was lying at my feet, give a long low growl. I gently extricated myself from the blankets, and seizing my long rifle, stepped cautiously to the door of the tent and looked out. The moon was shining brightly, and I could see mass of doglike forms skulking among the trees. I recognised that we were surrounded by a pack of coyotes. I whispered to Mac and Stewart, and they came forward-Mac clutching a double-barrelled gun, and Stewart with a hunting Winchester. Dave had grown strangely excited, and it was with difficulty that I kept him from barking outright. I motioned to Mac to aim at the middle of the pack, as a charge of buckshot would do more damage than the rifles. Stewart covered one gaunt brute on the left, while I aimed at the biggest I could pick off on the right. Bang! the three guns went off simultaneously, and then the long weird howls of those cowardly coyotes echoed through the woods, gradually becoming fainter in the distance. They had left four of their number, however: Stewart and I had each brought down our game, but Mac had

accounted for two with his deadly blunderbuss, and he was very jubilant over it. "Talk about shootin'," he snorted, "that's naething: weel a mind o' a time oot on the Pampas o' Sooth America" But I fled, and when Mac and Stewart came into the tent, still talking volubly, I was almost asleep.

I need hardly detail our next few days' experiences. On the day following our adventure with the coyotes we entered Lake Nares, a broad shallow water that unites Lakes Bennett and Tagish. Lake Nares is in reality a broad river with a sluggish current, flowing from three to four miles an hour. It required the most careful navigation, as in most places the water was barely 18 inches deep.

Before leaving Bennett we prospected a small river that flowed into the lake on the left shore, about half a mile from the entrance to Lake Nares. I was very much surprised to get, even at this place, several colours of gold, as it plainly showed that we were getting within the gold belt of the Yukon. Mac and Stewart were very anxious to remain and work here for a time; but as the weather, like time and tide, waits for no man, I objected, not caring to take the risk of being frozen in at this point. Two days later we were making good time over Lake Tagish. This beautiful lake is surrounded by mountains whose jagged peaks are but dimly seen through a pall of mist, while their lower slopes are thickly covered with mag

Tagish Lake the air clumsily in his endeavour to climb over a fallen tree, his white breast was fully exposed in the moonlight. "Let him have the buckshot, Stewart," I whispered, and the report of his gun reverberated through the wooded slopes. This was followed by a savage roar from the bear, and, stepping clear of the smoke, I could see Bruin, the blood streaming from his head and his great tongue lolling out, staggering wildly forward. "His head has been too tough, Stewart; I'll need to spoil him after all," I said, regretfully, and I pulled the trigger of my rifle and sent a soft point bullet right into the great yawning mouth, scarce a dozen yards away. The sharp crack of my rifle was followed by no smoke, and I threw the lever open and was ready for another shot; but it was unnecessary, the great bear lay dead on the snow, fast staining its white surface with his blood. We went forward to examine him, and found that two of Stewart's pellets had penetrated his eyes, while the rest had had little effect on his sloping forehead. My bullet had entered his mouth, and a large hole in the back of the skull showed where that deadly "dum-dum" had made its exit.

nificent trees. is twenty-eight miles long and averages a mile in width. In the forests surrounding its shores many wild animals find cover, the most dangerous of which is the lynx, as it drops upon one from the trees unexpectedly. The deep growling of the great bears, and the mournful howling of the Alaskan wolves, could always be heard, awakening the echoes of the night, and these sounds generally lulled us into slumber. One night we pitched our camp within a few miles of the end of Tagish Lake, and after finishing supper Stewart and I went out to hunt in the moonlight for any animal that chance might put in our way. Stewart had borrowed Mac's blunderbuss, and I had my magazine rifle, and thus armed we started to climb cautiously upwards into the forest. A deathlike silence prevailed, and the slightest motion of even а bird was sufficient to rouse us into alert activity. We had tramped around for almost an hour without firing a shot, and were deciding to return to camp, when a hoarse bellow close at hand startled our every nerve. We heard the brushwood crackling before the passage of some heavy animal, and without a word we levelled our weapons and waited.

We

saw advancing towards us an enormous bear, whose great eyes gleamed savagely in the pale light as he came near. Now he was within twenty yards of where we stood, and as his huge forelegs pawed

When we had narrated our adventure to Mac on returning to camp, that individual was vastly amused. "A bear!" he echoed in astonished tones: "na, na, that'll no' dae; was it no' a rabbit ye murdered?" "Well, well, Mac, I'm not going

to argue about it, but Stewart head. "There's naebody kens and you had better go up and hoo to use ma gun but masel'," skin him before these howling he continued, discontentedly. coyotes make a meal of him." "An' you," he said, turning to Mac's surprise on discovering Stewart, "hae only insulted its that it was really a bear was a bear was poo'ers wi' pepperin' the puir evidently genuine. "Ye didna beast's eyes in sic a menner." need to spile the skin wi' that Stewart's sorrow was too deep Gatlin' gun o' yours,' he for words: he made no reply, grumbled, laying down the skin and soon after we were clustered on the floor of the tent for ex- round the stove, detailing to amination, and pointing to a each other the most wonderful huge rent in the back of the romances.

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VARIOUS UNEXPECTED EXPERIENCES.

A broad and fairly deep river unites Tagish with Marsh Lake. It is between three and four miles long, and abounds in under-currents, which prevent it from freezing readily. I have seen it overnight with a coating of ice several inches thick, and on the following day it would all be broken up, the ice floating downwards towards Marsh Lake, where it piled itself in great pyramids. We sailed past the Canadian customhouse at Tagish river in the early morning. The current of the river itself flowed six miles an hour, and this, with our own exertions, took us along in good style.

When we were about halfway through this connecting river I saw the union-jack flying from the top of a tall tree on the right bank; then I noticed a long low house, built of logs and moss, half hidden among the trees.

Before we could get our boat stopped we were some distance past the flag, and I saw several men rush from the log house

VOL. CLXV.—NO. MIII,

and hastily launch a canvas
canoe, as if to follow us.
"Back water, for heaven's
sake, Stewart; and you, Mac,
pull like the devil and get her
head round: I don't want to
get potted with their Maxim
guns," I shouted.
We just got

her round, and were keeping
her stationary in the stream—
and it took us all our time to
do that-when a boat-load of
policemen arrived beside us.
"Well, sir," said a jovial-faced
man in the stern, "did you think
you could evade the officers of
her Majesty's Customs?"

"I presume you are Captain Strickland," I replied, "and if so, you will understand that I had no such intention. I am Alexander Macdonald, a British subject, as are also my companions."

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Say no more, my friend; come and have breakfast with us," was the response of the genial captain; "I have not seen a real live Scotsman in these parts for an age."

Such invitations rare in Alaskan

are

very territory. 3 F

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