Jarvis Pass - Part 8 - North Fork of Fraser

Hanington’s Cache, January 28th, 1875.

My Dear Edward, —

On the 27th Alec and Johnny, with two trains of dogs, left to bring up the sled I had cached at the mouth of the river. It snowed nearly all day and camp was most miserable in consequence. This morning we had a consultation and concluded that the Stewart Lake trains would fail to appear, so as we are bound to get through this pass, we set to work to make a toboggan to be drawn by ourselves. We had it in a good state about 5 P. M. when in came Alec and Johnny with trains, and with them three trains from Stewart's Lake. A very agreeable surprise to us, I can tell you, trains loaded with salmon and drawn by good looking dogs. The drivers are Hassiack, Ahkho, and Tsayass, smart looking fellows. So we are now in good trim and high spirits. We had letter from Bovil, who reports that the pugilistic Indian came to him and asked to be forgiven, so they are now friends and happy. Alec met the trains at the mouth of the river arid they made good time up here; I am delighted at the arrival, as I never was fond of hauling a toboggan through four or five feet of snow. Jarvis looks happy and relieved in mind.

I'll turn in now and finish the night thus.

Yours,

C. F. H.

The Fork, Camp No. 9, 30th Jan., 1875.

My Dear Edward, —

We spent the 29th in packing the sleds and getting everything ready for a start. We have now 5 trains of 19 dogs. Tiger was shot on the 29th, as his lameness prevented him from doing anything but eat grub. We had about one month’s grub when we came to examine it; that is one month’s full rations for men and dogs, but we won’t use lull rations, so it must last longer. We started bright and early this morning, and found the track, for the most part, drifted full, sometimes it would be visible and then we made good time, the new dogs doing very well.

We had to leave some bacon and beans in my cache, the dogs not being able to take all of it. We did 18 miles to-day, and our camp is at the Forks to-night. If this be the place meant by Quaw when he said 3 days’ journey to the Forks, we must have walked very slowly. I believe though that he knows nothing about the country. The North and South branches are here about the same width, 200 feet. Our camp is between the two.

Camp No. 12, Feb. 3rd, 1875.

Dear Edward, —

We followed Quaw’s instructions, and took the North Branch. On the 31st we had a blinding snowstorm, which filled the track completely and didn't surprise us by doing so. The weather has been pretty cold and the travelling bad now. Took an observation at noon on 1st and made Lat. 54 degees 26’ North. On that day Sam’s shoulders were so much galled that the beast couldn't work and was turned out to run; on the 2nd we came to the conclusion that this sort of work will kill the clogs completely, so Jarvis started off with one train and throe men, while Alec, Johnny and I spent the day waiting for a track to be made. In this country a track made in the coldest weather will with one night’s frost harden so that it will boar dogs and loaded sleds easily; hence the two parties. I enjoyed the rest very much and did some mending on trowsers and shirts, duplicates of which I have none. This morning I had the camp up long before day and we had to wait for light to show us the dogs. We made good time over a capital track, but it wasn't much use, 9 miles up we found Jarvis making a portage around  "falls as high as a tree," so this afternoon we all were at that and got through about 5. The portage is 3 miles long and after passing the falls we have some very bad canon to go through. The river is open for the most part, and we have only a narrow ledge of ice and snow to make a track on. On the right rises perpendicular rook 400 or 500 feet high, on our left is the river roaring and rushing 20 feet below. This ledge was formed when the water was high and when the river subsided it was left. High water mark is here some 60 feet above our heads and it must be a grand looking place at high water.

To-night we are all in camp here, where we returned from portage building.

We begin to believe that Quaw is not a liar, sure this fall is as  "high as a tree" but his days must have been short.

Yours, C. F. H.

Jarvis Pass - Part 7 - The High Price of Salmon

SALMON Cache, Bear River,

21st January, 1875.

My Dear Edward,—

I left camp No. 7 yesterday at 11 and with the light trains over very bad snow made 22 miles to last night’s camp. I would have gone further than that but Quaw, who broke track, was used up, so I stopped. This morning we were at the portage early and started across it, Quaw said it was good for dogs. Quaw is a liar, and I believe he never saw the portage before, at any rate he couldn’t find it half the time. However, after much climbing, hauling the dogs up and letting them down perpendicular places by ropes (the truth) we got to Bear River at 4 p. m. Distance across portage about 3 miles, which we did in 7 hours hard travelling, I am mad to-night and have been giving Quaw a piece of my mind. After getting to Bear River, we came up 5 miles and found the cache in a good state of preservation.   Quaw has quite a house here and in it we now sit. Brush on the floor, a good fire and a dry roof overhead, all make a very good picture, which I’d like to sketch.

The salmon caches are outside in some large pine trees, where the bears and wolverine cannot get.

HANINGTON CACHE, 26th January, 1875.

My Dear Edward, —

On the 22nd  entered into a discussion with Quaw as to the benefit to be derived from a cheap sale of salmon. Among other things I told him he would certainly have a fair chance of going to Heaven when ho died, all of which being spoken in the chaste language of the Chinook, he took into his heart. The end of it was, that after breakfast he handed over 650 salmon at 10 cents each, and he also helped to pack them on the two dog sleds. The noble red man is a strange individual. Last summer when the salmon were running up the river, and we wanted some, fresh, Quaw wanted us to pay $1.50 each for them, now after having cured and dried them he sells ten for one dollar. Quaw says he has been up the pass we are going to explore and that it is good, but he won't go as guide at any price I tried him again when at his cache, but no go; he says "In three days journey you will got to a fork of the N. Fork, take the left. In two days more you will strike a fall as high as a tree, which you will have to portage around. In 5 days more you will see meadows and a very small stream running through. After that you will travel 3 days when you will find water running east, and you will see the sun rise out of the prairie."  This is a very good prospect for us, if his word can only be depended upon, but I’d rather see the old chap go up as guide than hear all his ways and means of getting through the pass.

The great point is, how long are Quaw’s "Suns" or days, but that we'll find out in time. Well, as I said before. I got the salmon loaded on the sleds and having given Quaw an order on the H. B. Co. for his money (which they will probably pay in goods at 500 per cent profit) I said good bye, wishing him success in his trappings, &c., and left. Te Jon takes one train and I my own and we came around by Bear River, the portage being as I said before; the travelling on Bear River was very bad and I soon had to make Te Jon drive both trains while I broke track. We got only live miles down river and camped, the dogs being completely played out. I broke track a few miles ahead after we got comfortable for the night. The next day was a little better and we made 8 miles, getting two miles below the mouth of Bear River, but I had to leave one sled at Bear River, and putting 8 dogs on the other drove to camp. Then while I made ready for the night, Te Jon went back and brought up last sled. In the evening I broke track ahead. The next day we found the river frightful, the water having overflowed on account of the heavy snow. As you can imagine, the sleds stuck fast in the slush, and we have to get poles, turn them (the sleds) over and scrape off the bottoms, then we go on a few more yards, when we repeat. It was fearful both on men and dogs, and I was delighted when I saw the N. Fork on which hoped to see some remains of the track we made on the way down; we got there about

3 o’clock on the 25th, with one sled and 8 dogs hauling, so I set Te Jon at the camp and went back for the remaining sled; 8 dogs make a fine train, I can tell you, but they have had such a hard time of it that their spirits are about broken. It was late when I got that sled to camp and it didn’t take much cradling to send me to sleep. This morning I made up my mind to leave one sled here, and with the other and all the dogs, go to my cache before night. This I did and we left camp early.  It snowed hard all day but we got here at 4 o'clock, altho' we had some overflowed ice to work with.

I forgot to say that three miles from here we found a fresh track and after that we came in in fine style. I found Jarvis and the others here, having returned today from the trip up river. They report a good track ahead now, but to night will till it up I think. A heavy snow storm. So far we have never seen a track remain open more than one day, but this may be an exception to the rule.

I have had a square feed to-night. My stock of grub having given out some time ago, and my taste for salmon not being developed yet, I have been hungry.

Jarvis is sorry that Quaw didn’t come back as guide, but as usual we agree in saying that so far " the country’s quite Safe. "

But I'll turn in—good night.

C. F. H.

Jarvis Pass - Part 6 - Colder than Hell -53

Note: Bear River is the Bowron River, and the North Fork in this case, is the McGregor River 

Camp No. 4, Fraser River,

17th  Jan'y., 1875.

My Dear Edward,—

We got away from Fort George on the 14^th,  Jan'y  about 2 p. m. and camped 7 miles up River.  Bovil looked very sad as he won't see any white man ‘till next spring. We took with us "Quaw," an Indian who has fish on Bear River (see plan) and " Te Jon " an Indian boy. It was very cold—53° and my nose as usual got fits. We camped in the old style with boughs at our backs and under us and a good fire in front. Each man has two pairs of blankets and all his clothes on his back. This avoids loading the dogs too heavily and at any rate one needs them at night. The first night I can’t say I slept very peacefully,—53° don't allow that, but I slept a little and that's something. We were up early next day and had breakfast at once, no time being lost in washing or dressing. I found my leader (" Marquis ") with both fore feet frozen hard that morning, so I had to let him run loose and try three dogs. We killed a grouse today,  " Quaw " having a gun with him. I forgot to say that we have a rifle and cartridges, but we left the gun in Quesnelle, too heavy to pack. This morning poor old Marquis' feet wore in a dread­ful state, having frozen and thawed several times, so he had to be shot and it was done accordingly.  Jarvis did the deed and we left the good old brute at our last night's camp more comfortable than he has been since he froze his feet. We had some hard travelling today through the Giscome Rapids where open water kept us off the river. All the dogs are lame, very lame. Their feet get wet and the snow sticks to them, then of course the poor brutes pull the lumps off with their teeth and in the hurry they bite their toes fearfully, but we can't help that and they must go on sore or not. I can't imagine a quicker way to harden a man’s heart than to put him driving dogs.

This is Sunday in civilization, the only thing we have to remind us of the fact is the date in our diaries and I suppose we won't have one till we got to the east side of the mountains.  Our camp to night is 52 miles from Fort George and about 12 miles below mouth of North Fork. Still very cold indeed.

Hanington's Cache,

Camp No. 7, Jan’y., 20th, '75.

My Dear Edward,—

Here we are at last, 82 miles from Fort George, in 7 days. We came along pretty well, though as I said before the dogs were very lame indeed and the travel­ling bad in many places. We saw a ptarmigan on the 18th, the only one I over came across, a very pretty white bird, smaller than our partridge, and very fond of snow-clad mountains, where it stays in summer. We have four feet of snow, and find it hard work to shovel out room for camp, but so far we have done it always, it has been very cold and my poor nose has caught it often.  A common wind in  summer would freeze it anyhow I believe.

These dogs of ours are rather used up, bat I have shod most of my throe with doer skin shoes and they are getting over their lameness. The Chief (Jarvis) and Quaw now generally break track ahead of the trains ; about noon they are sometimes half a mile ahead, when they stop to make a fire for lunch. N. B. At the first stroke of the axe, dogs which a moment before could scarcely crawl, prick up their ears and take the load along as if it were nothing. It's no use to yell, “ulwa", they won't stop till they get to the fire.  I think it would be a good idea to keep a man ahead to chop the dogs along, instead of having one behind for the same purpose.

We got hero at 9 a.m., and I leave in an hour for Salmon Cache, taking Quaw and Te Jon with me, also two trains empty to bring up a fish supply.

While we are away, Jarvis, Alec and Johnny are going ahead to break track and we hope to hear of the Stewart's Lake trains before we meet here on my return. There is a good deal of fresh snow on the ground and the river in consequence is overflowed. This as you can understand makes it lively for the dogs, and gives us exercise in hauling dogs as well as in driving them.  But I'll close this for the- present as I must leave for Bear River.

C. F. H.

Jarvis Pass - Part 5 - Jack the 'Cur ' and Bovil's Fight!

Fort George, January 7, 1875.

My Dear Edward,—

After 'Xmas we began to look for Alec every day and finally to fear that he had fallen into the river which he was ordered to follow on his return. Our time was spent in taking long walks up and down the river and in cutting ft. trail around some open water a few miles above; the season is getting on and it begins to look as if we wouldn't get off before spring. Still we flatter ourselves that the “country is quite safe." To-day we started an Indian down the river to look up Alec, giving him orders to bring him dead or alive, so I hope we will hear something in a few days more. We are O. K., the dog’s ditto. Bovil has a queer specimen of a cur which he fondly imagines is well bred. His dog's name is Jack; he doesn't know it himself, but Bovil says so. His obedience is really wonderful, when Bovil says " come here Jack," he starts at once to get under the bed, and then his master says, " that's right go and lie down under the bed, you beast," or else he gets the beast in one hand and a dog whip In the other, and makes music for the million. We are having some snowshoes and toboggans (dog sleds) made while we wait; ours are pretty well used up in the Quesnelle trip.

Fort George, January 13th, 1875.

My Dear Edward,—

On the 8th of this month, the day after we started the Indian to look for Alec he returned having met the youth down the river a day's travel. Alec had a hard trip, having brought the dogs, sleds and loads up the river as far as 1^st Canon in a canoe. He then started up the river with the train, but the ice was very bad and he finally had to leave his load, the dogs being played out for want of grub. You see he had started from Quesnelle with six days' grub expecting to make quick time on the river. At Blackwater, he got an Indian to help him and together the three packed a good part of the load up, one important part was a mail containing letters from home. The 8th was very cold, —47°, but as I had given you a register already, I won't repeat all the thermometer readings in my letters. Alec and Johnny returned with fresh dogs the next day after arriving and brought up the sled, &c, on the l2th; between the 9th and 12th we had sent off a H. B. Co.'s servant to buy salmon for us, and on the 13th he arrived bringing with him a messenger from Ogden saying that the trains would be on hand in a few days. So we are now all ready to start on the Smoky River Exploration, and will leave tomorrow, I think. Before I give you an idea of how our loads, &c., are made up, I must tell you of a fight we had in the house this afternoon. We were sitting smoking quietly when the door opened and in walked an Indian, he made straight for Bovil, and before you could say " Jack," he hit at him with a hardwood club made for the purpose; fortunately Bovil caught part of the blow with his arm or it would have been the last of him, he then jumped up and grabbed the Indian and around the room they waltzed, each trying to get a good blow; at last I saw the Indian feel for his knife, so I took a hand by getting my dog whip and putting the handle into Bovil's hand. The handle is loaded you know, for the purpose of knocking down a refractory dog. Well, as soon as Bovil felt his weapon, he jumped back, broke away from the noble red, and gave it to him good. After that, we had no trouble in dragging him to the door, where he remained some time after recovering, with the blood running down his face and his knife in his hand, ready to let daylight into our host. There was great excitement among the Indians, who gathered outside in crowds. Finally the savage was coaxed off and I was as glad as anyone to see him go, tho' I had a good six-shooter and wasn't much afraid. It seems that an Indian boy had told stories, lies, about Bovil and some squaw, for which Bovil kicked him well, hence the row, in which the father sought to revenge the kicking of his son.

All's well that ends well, but Bovil had better be careful with these brutes.

Here I will give you an idea of what we have to consider in making up our load:

First, grub per man per day, 4 lbs. 4 men ...............................  16 lbs.

                             “     “   dog     “         2 lbs. 8 dogs …………………….. 16 lbs.

32 lbs.

Blankets, instruments, kitchen, &c., &c., for 4 men.................. 150 lbs.

2 dog trains will carry, No. 1..................................................... 250 lbs.

No. 2................................................. 350 lbs.

                                                            600

Subtract.................................................................... 150

32/ 450 /-14 days.

130

So we leave to-morrow morning with only 14 days' grub for all, but at " Hanington's cache" there is bacon and flour and at Bear River we will get some salmon. So when the Stewart Lake trains arrive we will be able to go on again with full loads. The C.P.R. rations amount to 4 lbs. 5 oz. per day,  and it is all eaten, the air in these moun­tains giving one a great appetite. I will give you the ration list on a separate sheet.

I have been puzzling over our supplies and from what I can make out we will have some small rations before we got through, but our instruments must go or else we might as well stay. The weights I have given for our dead weight (articles not grub) are under the real weight I am sure.

But Good Night, Yours, C.F.H.