(Larger)VIEW FROM THE HILL OPPOSITE JASPER HOUSE.—THE UPPER LAKE OF THE ATHABASCA RIVER AND PRIEST’S ROCK.(Seepage 232.)
(Larger)
VIEW FROM THE HILL OPPOSITE JASPER HOUSE.—THE UPPER LAKE OF THE ATHABASCA RIVER AND PRIEST’S ROCK.
VIEW FROM THE HILL OPPOSITE JASPER HOUSE.—THE UPPER LAKE OF THE ATHABASCA RIVER AND PRIEST’S ROCK.
(Seepage 232.)
(Seepage 232.)
Descending into the valley again by a similar path, Milton and his party camped in a little sandy plain opposite the Fort, to await the arrival of Cheadle and The Assiniboine. Jasper House is a neat white building, surrounded by a low palisade, standing in a perfect garden of wild flowers, which form a rich sheet of varied and brilliant colours, backed by dark green pines which clustered thickly round the bases of the hills. Above, a zone of light green shrubs and herbage still retained their vernal freshness, and contrasted with the more sombre trees below, and the terraced rocks above with their snow-clad summits. In the neighbourhood of Jasper House the flowers were very beautiful and various. Here grew Cinerarias, in the greatest profusion, of every shade of blue, an immense variety of Composite, and a flower like the lychnis, with sepals of brilliant scarlet, roses, tiger lilies, orchids, and vetches.
While Milton, with Mr. O’B., the woman, and boy, were taking the train of horses over the mountain, Cheadle and his companion clambered up the crags close to the Roche à Myette, following the tracks of themouton gris. Along narrow ledges of a precipiceof limestone rock, up to a giddy height, the hunters struggled on—breathless, and their legs aching with the exertion of climbing such as they had long been strangers to—without catching sight of a bighorn. When they had ascended 700 or 800 feet, they espied a mountain goat—mouton blanc—feeding quietly, along with a kid by its side, a few hundred yards in advance. Making a long detour, and going higher yet, to get above the animal, they crawled cautiously along to the point where they had last seen the goat, and, peering over the edge of a rock, saw its face looking upwards, about twenty yards below. The rest of the body was hidden by a projecting stone, and Cheadle fired at the forehead. The animal tumbled over, but got up again, bewildered, making no attempt to escape. The Assiniboine now got a sight of the shoulder and fired, when the animal scrambled away, with difficulty, a short distance. They quickly followed and found it almost dead. Having no more ball, The Assiniboine killed the kid with a charge of shot. On going up to the game, it appeared that the first shot had merely struck the frontal bone, close to the root of the horn, which it tore off without further damage; but the shock had so stunned the beast, that it was unable to move away. The hunters pushed the goat and kid over the precipice, and scrambled down after it. Looking up at the precipice from below, it seemed as if not even a goat could find footing, and Cheadle wondered he had ever dared to venture there. They found also, now the excitement of the chase was over, that their moccasins werecut to shreds, and they had been walking nearly barefoot over the sharp rocks, without noticing it at the time. The best portions of the meat were cut off, the goat slung, together with the kid, on a pole, and each shouldering an end, the two started after the rest of the party. They had now to ascend the mountain-side, to which Mr. O’B.’s horse had so objected—a very arduous task, with their heavy load. Many a halt was made before they gained the summit. It was nearly dusk, and far below, two or three miles away, they saw the light of the camp fire. Being thoroughly done, and feeling almost unable to carry their prize much further, they sat down and fired a number of signal shots for the others to bring a horse for the meat. These were presently answered, and the pair took up their load again to descend, hoping to meet assistance before long. This was almost more harassing than the climbing up, the grass and “Uva Ursi,” on the lower slopes, being very slippery; but at last they reached the bottom, and coming to a stream, The Assiniboine, thoroughly beaten, dropped the load, and plunged his head in the water to refresh himself. Soon after, Milton and the boy came up with a horse, to carry the meat, and that night we all enjoyed the most delicious supper we had eaten since leaving Edmonton. Since that time—three weeks before—we had not tasted any fresh meat, with the exception of a few wood partridges, and the roast kid was an immense treat, causing even Mr. O’B. to forget his troubles for a time.